News

Professor, Vietnam journalist records war life in Afghanistan

Captivated by the first of many radiant sunrises he would see during his nearly ten-week stay near Kenjak-e Olya, Afghanistan last summer, journalism professor Robert Hodierne said that the evening sunsets were probably just as spectacular. The Marine accompanying him that morning responded, "If you're lucky, you get to see both." This grim acceptance is one aspect of the reality of war that Hodierne wanted to convey in his PBS documentary about 75 Marines serving a seven-month tour of duty in the volatile Helmand Province, located deep in hostile Taliban territory. "Combat Outpost: Afghanistan," produced by Partisan Productions, chronicles the lives of Marines in the 2nd platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, to whom Hodierne was given completely unfettered access. His goal was to illuminate the everyday life of a U.S.

WC junior uses book, website to discuss colorism

A University of Richmond junior has already made her own website, self-published a book and conducted seminars promoting her passion: raising awareness of colorism. Kiara Lee said that colorism was when someone judged another person of the same ethnicity based on his or her skin tone. "I wanted to do something positive for women," Lee said about promoting her message that colorism brings a lack of love to girls of all ages. Her book, "Light-Skinned, Dark-Skinned or In-Between?" is for children because Lee said that colorism affected children first and continued from there. These forms of hate also affect men.

Natural High program keeps "the thrill" affordable

The University of Richmond's Weinstein Center for Recreation and Wellness is getting students off campus and into the great outdoors through Natural High. Tom Roberts, director of recreation and wellness, said Natural High began in 1992 as a grant from the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association to encourage universities to provide alternative activities to students during times when they might not participate in healthy activities, such as Friday nights or weekends. "Richmond is one of the few schools who still do "Natural High programs," Roberts said. The program is led by Kerry McClung, manager of sports clubs and outdoor adventure, and has already hosted a trip to Virginia Beach on Sept.

Alcoholic energy drink hits campus, may come with risks

Freshman seminars offer new experiences

Freshmen entering the University of Richmond this fall were not mandated to take a Core class for the first time in 20 years. Instead, a new program gave incoming freshmen the opportunity to choose from more than 40 different first-year seminars, one-semester courses with topics spanning nearly every discipline at Richmond. The decision to remove Core occurred nearly two years ago, during the 2008-09 academic year, but some Richmond students were discontent with the course long before then. "My Core experience was overwhelmingly bad," said senior Alex Vasiloff, who took Core three years ago.

University tests iPads, 5 students do a trial run

Senior Nathanial Asbeil is one of five students who was given an iPad by staff at the Boatwright Memorial Library to test its use in an academic setting.

Police Report: 10/7/10

Rape Sept. 4, A Westhampton College student reported being raped by an unknown offender in an unknown location at an unknown time. Hit and Run Sept.

Richmond students bring community service to the classroom

There is a constant hum of noise at Henderson Middle School since the classrooms there are hardly classrooms at all.

Historian, professor Holton lectures on Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was not just a First Lady, but was also an early feminist, learned audience members at Woody Holton's lecture on Sunday afternoon. The lecture, which took place in the Brown-Alley room, was sponsored by the Friends of Boatwright Memorial Library in honor of "Abigail Adams," the new book by the historian and associate professor of history and American studies. Holton told the audience of about 50 people that he had a very canned lecture prepared, which he had already given about 60 times, and so was going to speak about something different, which was Abigail's relationship with the other women in her life. The audience heard how Abigail did not always have a good relationship with her mother, although she did with her two "surrogate mothers," her grandmother and Phoebe, a slave of Abigail's father.

WC and RC students assaulted, 10 reported in four weeks

Two University of Richmond students were assaulted during the early morning hours of Oct. 3, making a total of 10 on-campus assaults reported in one month. The victims, a Westhampton College student and a Richmond College student, were attacked without provocation within the same hour of the night. Each victim described the assailants as a group of three to four black males. An official connection between the two assaults has yet to be made, URPD Capt.

Librarian meets Obama during recent Richmond visit

Print Edition PDF: 9/30/10

Click here to download the September 30, 2010, full PDF edition of The Collegian.

Federal agents pursue narcotics case on campus

United States federal agents were at the University of Richmond on Sept. 24, conducting part of an ongoing narcotics investigation that involves at least one Richmond College student. The United States Postal Inspection Service, a government agency that investigates mail-related crimes, had a warrant for a package that belonged to an RC student, said Howard Norton, Chief of the University of Richmond Police Department. After the student picked up a package from the university post office, federal agents followed him back to his on-campus residence. "They seized some items [from the residence], but did not arrest anyone," Norton said. The U.S.

Alumna stars as Nala on Broadway's "The Lion King"

The odds of landing a role in a Broadway musical are slim. And those odds become infinitesimal when auditioning for the lead part.

Police Report: 9/30/10

Larceny Sept. 20, 4:20 p.m. $140 in cash was stolen from a Westhampton College student's backpack in the Heilman Dining Center. Sept.

Richmond student governments discussing safety, blue lights

University of Richmond student governments are addressing campus safety issues in the wake of the assaults reported on campus during the first weeks of the semester. The university provides emergency phones, which connect directly to the police dispatcher, in several places around campus.

Network services office addresses internet outages

"The [internet] network, in general, has become an essential part of the educational experience on campus [at the University of Richmond]," said Greg Miller, manager of network services.

Lessons learned after successful Family Weekend

Students braved temperatures in the 90s last weekend to spend time with their families as part of the university's annual Family Weekend and created an on-campus atmosphere that junior Tim Wiles described as similar to Pig Roast. "It was electric," he said.

Photo Gallery: ROTC Leadership Lab

Cadets from the University of Richmond, Virginia Commonwealth University, Randolph Macon College, Virginia Union University, Hampden-Sydney College and Longwood University gathered at Fort Lee, Va., Saturday for the Spider Battalion's Leadership Lab Weekend, where they practiced techniques and skills that will be used in the field. Contact photographer Andrew Shult at andrew.shult@richmond.edu

Author addresses rights, stereotypes of Muslim women

Author Susan Muaddi Darraj presented "Honor Killings, Veiled Women, and Miss USA: The Road Ahead for Arab Feminism," Thursday evening in the Westhampton College Living Room, where about 100 people gathered to hear the talk about the rights and status of Muslim women in the modern age. Darraj, a Christian of Middle-Eastern descent, holds a Master's degree in English literature and teaches at a community college in Maryland.