Author: Nicole Balmforth

Vocal performance student sings challengingly high tenor notes in opera roles

Though Eric Taylor only began singing three and a half years ago, last year he managed to land the tenor soloist role in Ballet West’s production of “Carmina Burana” — partially due to his ability to sing unusually high notes. Taylor found out he could sing when he participated in his first opera performance in 2014, he said. Soon after, he chose to pursue opera and singing full-time as a vocal pe...

Students may struggle to receive access to mental health counseling on campus

Westminster College has 2,800 students, and those seeking counseling services with one of the three counselors may face up to a four-week wait before they can schedule an appointment.The Counseling Center's worst wait times are generally only during the mid-semester peak with midterm stress, according to Lisa Jones, the center’s director. But during the rest of the school year, the average wait ti...

Intramural sports offer unique competitive experience between students, faculty and staff

For some students at Westminster College, intramural sports aren’t just a way to have fun and develop new skills — they’re also a chance to build relationships with faculty and staff outside the classroom.Jack Maddox, a junior physics major who played lacrosse in high school, said he participates in intramurals at IM Leagues to play sports he wouldn’t otherwise.“I’ve always been a really athletic ...

Westminster student leaders work again to create a women’s center

After an initiative to create a women’s center at Westminster College failed in 2015, student leaders are again pushing for a space on campus to provide more support for survivors of sexual violence.“We’ve constantly been fighting for space at this institution as far as with the diversity center,” said Ocean Candler, president of Westminster’s Students for Choice club and a junior public health ma...

Four ways Westminster students and professors make sustainable lifestyle choices

Amidst President Donald Trump’s rollback of environmental regulations and policies and some people’s belief that climate change is a hoax, many in the Westminster College community said they are still committed to leading sustainable lives.Environmental sustainability can include a range of methods like veganism, eating local and green housing.“[Sustainability] is easier than people think it is,” ...

Westminster community unaware of significance behind campus monuments

Amid national debate about the importance of monuments — most notably at the University of Virginia, where the planned removal of a statue of confederate General Robert E. Lee sparked a protest that left one person dead — such conversations are comparatively rare at Westminster College.Clayton Keyes, an assistant professor of art at Westminster, said monuments and statues generally memorialize peo...