Title IX is a famous, yet misunderstood policy on our campus. Everyone knows about it; we joke about it in the hallway and we half read then delete the emails about it. However, our last email about Title IX was a notification from our Title IX Coordinator, JAshe, that NCSSM has updated their Title IX procedures in compliance with federal standards, but what changed and what does that change mean for students?
On June 23, 1972 the first ever Title IX policy was published with the main goal of of ending sex discrimination in federally funded eduaction progams and activities. However, the policy has come under attack, being criticized for extending beyond its original intentions and being unnecessary altogether; Title IX cannot be found on the Department of Education website as of April 15th, 2025. This has led to a variety of legal challenges to the policy and changes, but here’s what you need to know about our current changes.
NCSSM’s Title IX no longer provides protections for LGBTQ+ students. This change is in compliance with Trump’s Executive Order “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth To The Federal Government” and recent rulings from the Federal Courts. Here is the direct statement from our Title IX Office in the email sent on March 27th:
“Incidents of gender based harassment and discrimination that impact LGBTQ+ students can be resolved through the Code of Conduct procedures separate from the Title IX process; this includes discrimination based on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation.”
Effectively, Title IX policies will no longer apply to students who are seeking protections for LGBTQ+ related discrimination. Instead, students in those situations can receive support from the Code of Conduct. However, discrimination is not a specific major or minor violation, so the discrimination would have to be in line with some other outlined violation such as physical/sexual violence although verbal abuse is unclear. While some informal resolutions may take place, this change will prevent students from many protections.
However, these guidelines are not clear. As of April 15th, 2025 our nondiscrimination policy still seems to define gender, gender identity, and gender expression and imply that they are still protected by Title IX, although this is not the case. Further, developments are being watched as our system is needlessly complex and know that if you or someone you know are experiencing discrimination or harassment you can still reach out to a trusted NCSSM employee for support.
At NCSSM, we brag about forcing our students to do community service, because we are an educational organization and not the justice system when someone commits a minor crime. From the moment we’re accepted, our objectives are made clear: stay on top of insanely hard classes, complete random courses about how to be a good person, and apply said courses to real life by doing 60 hours of community service- or don’t bother graduating. NCSSM’s policy is crafted with good intent; since the school is responsible for removing intellectual talent from local communities, why not force students to babysit kids at their local YMCA? However, a policy meant to help shape students into active members of their communities is not designed with all students in mind.
First, let’s walk through the numbers. Students are required to complete 60 hours of community service by Thanksgiving of their Senior year. Fair enough, right? This number seems reasonable until you consider the amount of time it takes to be a student at NCSSM. Including classes (~40 hours), one sport (~7.5 hours), one club (~3 hours), the on campus service requirement (3-4 hours), and taking care of eating and sleeping (77 hours), it takes around 130.5 hours a week to be a student at NCSSM.. That leaves a total of 37.5 hours a week to do other activities. Which, at face value, sounds like loads of time, assuming you don’t bathe, you’ll teleport to where you need to be, and that you have no friends or family that want to hang out with you. Essentially, it is nearly impossible to complete community service hours while at school, since one simply does not have the time.
Obviously, this issue can be easily solved; just complete the service requirement over breaks and summers! However, this simple solution is not accessible to many students as it makes one crucial assumption: that everyone’s home life is just like their school life. Being at NCSSM means a guaranteed roof over your head, three meals a day, support for mental and physical health issues, and a safe environment. This may not be the case for every student at home, and could prevent a student from completing the service requirement. The truth is that living away from home comes with its own set of financial obligations that every student’s family might not be able to cover without the student working over breaks. For many students, the service learning requirement simply isn’t a priority at home, and even if it is, what counts towards the service requirement?
In order to be logged for the requirement, the volunteer opportunity must be in North Carolina (excluding online programs based in NC), and the student must not accept any type of payment for the service. So here’s an issue: what does one do when there are no opportunities in their area? Let’s take my hometown, Princeville, as an example. Suppose you search “volunteer” on Google Maps in my hometown. In that case, three results pop up: A Habitat for Humanity, which apparently is located inside a building that is currently being renovated into apartments with no phone number or website, a volunteer firefighter station which only accepts volunteers who have graduated high school, and a community outreach center, which doesn’t exist anymore. But why rely on Google? I’m an active member of the community, so I should go out to find more options. Princeville has a library and a senior center, both of which are not accepting volunteers at this time, a retirement home that requires volunteers to be 18 or older, and various churches, in which I’m not sure if they would love my help, considering I’m transgender. To keep it simple: there is no opportunity in my hometown, and I’m sure other students from rural areas feel the same way.
NCSSM’s current remedy for this issue is to provide on-campus service opportunities during the school year (remember those 37 hours of free time?). They can be great means of gaining additional hours, but NCSSM has recently limited which on-campus services count. So, does NCSSM offer enough service learning hours on campus for students who cannot get them elsewhere? I would answer no, especially not accessible hours, as these events often conflict with clubs and sports. Besides, having to do all your hours on campus defeats the purpose of limiting on-campus opportunities in the first place.
The Service Learning Requirement fails all students by not being accessible to any student who does not have certain opportunities. While it tries to make up for it in various ways, it doesn’t change the fact that the policy was not intended to serve students but to serve NCSSM’s institutional ego. So while our current and future juniors stress out about meeting an arbitrary number, I wish our failed seniors a happy credit recovery.
As we near the end of our time here at NCSSM, I find myself not just reflecting on those moments that defined our experience, but on the people who made it truly unforgettable. When I embarked on this journey as Student Body President, I promised to lead for, and not over, the student body. And that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do, whether it was listening to your ideas, advocating for your needs, or creating new opportunities that would leave a lasting legacy.
One of my most proud accomplishments is organizing the Inaugural Annual Alumni Career Fair, a thought that came from a brainstorm between student government and the alumni association that evolved into a spectacular event connecting students with graduates who were once in our shoes. It was a reminder that innovation is not just located in the lab or on a research poster, but also in how we build bridges for each other.
And wow, did we have fun this year. I don’t think any of us will ever forget the chaos and the hilarity of spoons, watching people sneak around campus, spoon on the nose in a desperate attempt not to get out. Or the Lock-Ins throughout the PEC, where we played basketball to dodgeball after inspection, reminding us that NCSSM is as much heart as it is brains. Prom at the Museum of Life and Science was out of a fairy tale, and viewing everybody looking sharp taking pictures at Duke Gardens was like being in a movie. Walking through downtown Durham or 9th Street after submitting Orah passes. Going to the Eno River to have fun with friends. The annual Watermelon Club race and how watermelon was scattered all across Hill Street. Speaking of Hill, we were able to see Hill House’s transformation in the new renovations that took place earlier this year.
This year, the Class of 2025 became more than just students, we became a family. From singing Taylor Swift during the power outage of our junior year to celebrating each other’s accomplishments across every discipline, our bond grew deeper, stronger, and more meaningful. We’ve been role models to our juniors, showing them what it looks like to lead with kindness, creativity, and courage.
Where do I even begin naming all of our accomplishments? Our student body received national research awards, wrote peer-reviewed articles, launched innovative start-ups, won athletic tournaments, created amazing and inspiring art pieces, and was accepted into so many spectacular schools. Another major accomplishment is getting to this point. The long night study sessions and the projects we spent hours working on has finally paid off. We really did lock-in this year!
We showed that greatness comes in many faces and from many different places. And we accomplished all of this while attending the #1 Public High School in America, as ranked by Niche, a title earned day in and day out.
To our faculty and staff, thank you for believing in us even when we did not believe in ourselves. Your mentorship over the past two years have been the keys to our success. And to Chancellor Roberts, thank you for your unwavering leadership and for reminding us that education is not about success, but about purpose.
As we go forward from here, I want all of us to carry the NCSSM unicorn spirit with us in all that we do. Keep asking questions. Keep building communities that represent the values we lived here. And also, give back whether that be through mentorship, giving, or sharing your story with future Unicorns.
We are the new generation of changemakers. And though we’ll be all over the world pretty soon, we’ll always be part of this legacy. I want to stay connected to all and each of you. If you’re celebrating something like a graduation, wedding, job offer, probate, or anything that you want to be celebrated for, I will always love to show up. I want to keep showing up for you as you’ve been showing up for me.
Thank you for believing in me to serve as your president. Thank you for making NCSSM a place where brilliance thrives. I am so proud of us, how much we’ve grown, how hard we’ve worked, and how we’ve carried ourselves through it all.
Here’s to the Class of 2025: the changemakers, the trailblazing unis, my friends for life.
As the academic year comes to a close, 322 seniors of NCSSM-Durham’s Class of 2025 have reported their college destinations. The seniors are set to attend a wide array of institutions, from Ivy League universities and top research institutions to liberal arts colleges and public universities across the country.
According to Program Assistant Pam Oxendine, NCSSM Counseling Services worked with seniors from May 1-5 to complete their final transcript requests. After May 1, seniors self-reported their decisions to the department, which has released data on the colleges the class of 2025 committed to for The Stentorian. As of May 14, 2024, college commitment data was available for 322 out of the total 342 graduating seniors (94 percent reporting), including early decision, early action, and regular decision commitments.
Unsurprisingly, the most popular destination is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where 169 NCSSM-Durham students—more than half of those reporting, or roughly 52 percent of the senior body—will enroll this fall. NC State University follows with 68 students, continuing a long-standing pipeline between NCSSM and the state’s flagship STEM university.
Beyond North Carolina, students are spreading out across the nation. Four students will attend Yale University, another four will enroll at Columbia University, and four more are heading to Stanford University. Duke University, located just minutes from campus and a popular research partner for many NCSSM students, will welcome 13 undergraduates this fall.
The class also boasts acceptances to all eight Ivy League institutions, with students enrolling at Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Princeton, UPenn, and Yale. Other notable destinations include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2 students), the University of Pennsylvania (5), Carnegie Mellon University (3), Georgia Tech (5), and the University of Chicago (2).
Smaller liberal arts colleges are well represented too. Students will attend Barnard, Davidson, Haverford, Swarthmore, Spelman, and Williams. One student is heading to the United States Air Force Academy, and another to McGill University in Canada.
Two students have chosen to take a gap year before continuing their academic journeys.
Altogether, the Class of 2025 reported plans to attend 47 different colleges and universities, showcasing the diversity of interests and ambitions that define the NCSSM experience.
Here is a full breakdown of college destinations for the class of 2025:
As you meander or perhaps rush to your classes through the Reynolds breezeway, your gaze will linger on the rather demanding mural of all the graced students who have won the achievement of being crowned a “top 40 finalist” in the Regeneron competition. Soon, our very own senior Ava Cummings’ ‘25 name will be highlighted.
For all those who don’t know, the Regeneron competition is a nationwide science competition for seniors, placing a particular emphasis on research. It is known as a “prestigious” competition as defined by their parent company. As Dante Tringale ‘25 states, “It is the largest and oldest science talent search in the country, where they look for the next leaders of the generation of scientific exploration.” They begin with all the applicants then slowly whittle down to the “Top 300 Scholars,” where you receive a $2,000 (unfortunately taxed) scholarship and an internship offer, and “Top 40 Finalists” where you can present your work along with a $25,000 scholarship (taxed too, sigh) and a chance to compete for higher prizes. Both tempting benefits are when deciding whether you want to submit your work.
As someone unfamiliar with the inner workings of the competition and miles away from the science community committed to achieving some sort of title within Regeneron, I had the chance to learn about the competition from a fairly unbiased point of view. What I found particularly interesting was their inclusion of the story behind the research when considering the students’ applications. They take this into account when reading the additional essays that applicants were required to write when submitting their research. Tringale ‘25 brought this to my attention during our conversation about the application process saying, “It’s a completely separate application process (not through the school), similar to a scholarship application you write additional essays about what you researched, why, and what your future contributions to science will be, as well as turning in the 30-page research paper.”
Your journey, if you so choose, might start through one of the various research programs our school offers, such as RBio or RChem, among others, or through an Independent Study. Either one has its benefits or disadvantages depending on the person or topic.`
I learned after spending my afternoon with Aretha Datta ‘25, a “Top 300 scholar,” that the competition wasn’t exactly the end goal for many students in NCSSM’s research programs. Regeneron wasn’t on the front burners, despite my impressions after passing by the large mural in Reynolds breezeway every day, I simply chalked it up to be another example of the school favoring science rather than encouraging interdisciplinary work and the inclusion of the humanities, something ever-present in my school life. However, I learned that their research was much more than that after hearing how they wanted to continue it in college, hopefully ending up benefiting their community. I also noticed, as I passed by all of the research presentations on February 19th, that most of the researchers began their work after noticing a humanitarian issue and wanted to make a change. I’ve actually noticed that it was the student’s passion for their topic that far surpassed the sponsor’s support in some cases.
When applying to NCSSM’s research programs, students are met with encouragement that no matter their background and previous experience, they have the opportunity to pursue research.
AVA CUMMINGS ‘25 AND SAACHI ARUN ‘25 OF RBIO WITH THEIR RESEARCH POSTERS AT NCSEF REGION 3B ON FEBRUARY 17. (ANNELIESE HEYDER)
By Anneliese Heyder, Stentorian Editor-in-Chief
The “Science Season” is upon us: when the summer months start getting closer and science fairs, conferences, and competitions begin popping up like flowers. Throughout the spring semester, students at NCSSM will be presenting their research at school and around the state and country.
The North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair, or NCSEF, kicked off on February 17th at NCSSM as Region 3b, with both juniors and seniors competing by sharing their research with judges, teachers, and students. Some students completed research independently or with a team, while others were part of the RSci or Mentorship programs.
Luke Malta ‘25 was an RChem student who presented at NCSEF. “I spent a lot of time perfecting my poster, sitting down and making sure I have as much information as possible,” he described his preparation. “I also planned on practicing presenting in front of the current RChem students to get some feedback from them and Dr. Bruno.”
Sawyer Kribbs ‘25 from RBio did the same.“I began to prepare by practicing my speech a couple of nights before presenting it to the judges. I was pretty nervous, but I felt ready,” he said, adding that he enjoyed talking with other students about his research and was impressed with the other projects at the fair.
Some of the students who presented did their research at another university with a mentor and a team of undergraduate or graduate students. “I would say NCSEF was a great experience! It prepared me for future symposiums I plan to attend since there will be judges who are experts in the topic I’m researching, and how to interact with them,” said Hima Manne ‘25, who was part of the Mentorship program.
Manne also explained how she prepared for NCSEF, stating “Planning included updating my research findings on the poster I previously had and prepping for specific questions about methods and future directions.”
DANTE TRINGALE ‘25 WITH THEIR RESEARCH POSTER. (Anneliese Heyder)
Most of the eight categories advance the three top winners to the state-level North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair. The categories include Biological Science A, Biological Science B, Chemistry, Environmental/Earth Science, Engineering, Mathematics, Technology, and Physics. There are other special prizes as well, such as the Regeneron Biomedical Science Award, the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, and the NC One Water Award. However, the grand prize is an all-expense paid trip to the International Science and Engineering Fair in May.
Not only must they practice their speaking and speaking skills, but students must also make sure they have all the required documents signed and their posters ready to be presented. Mentors play a significant role in helping their students prepare–printing posters, checking over materials, and organizing the event.
Both teachers and students dedicate their time to making sure the fair goes smoothly for everyone. NCSEF provides an opportunity for peers to show one another their passions and skills and learn about various research topics. It is also a great way to make connections and meet professionals in the field–for some students, their research is just the first step in their future careers.
I hope this finds you well. I am writing this to spread information about the vast impacts Hurricane Helene has had on my home community and the surrounding western North Carolina (WNC) region.
My family was fortunate enough to be out of town when the hurricane hit and we are safe and physically well. The county I have grown up in almost my entire life, Yancey County, has been virtually destroyed. It has been extremely disheartening to experience this knowing that people in my own state have little to no knowledge about the severity, because of a lack of media and news coverage.
I understand that this does not only apply to my county but the entire WNC region. If you are willing to read the following about the situation, I ask that you do so with care and attention to detail. I hope that people can grasp at least a sliver of what my community is going through and find sympathy to donate and reach out to those in need. At the very end of this email are various links to help donate and pictures of my hometown in its current state.
Before Hurricane Helene even swept through, the region was flooded from predecessor rain events (rain that occurs around 36 hours before a storm and can span 600 miles poleward from the storm’s center). These rain events brought in about 12 inches of rain- enough to flood interstates, fill the ground, and create a few inches or so of present groundwater. Hurricane Helene brought a total of 30 inches to my town Burnsville in Yancey County, NC.
On Thursday night and Friday into the early afternoon, Hurricane Helene swept through my county. On Friday morning, I was in contact with a friend in my hometown about the conditions of the area where she had already lost power but was able to communicate through her family’s solar-powered satellite wifi.
After 10 a.m., I was no longer able to contact anyone from my county or surrounding counties. No one else could communicate either, not within the area or outside of it. To give context, in many of these rural communities, families have lived here for generations. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and other family members (of multiple generations) live in the area and these small towns are all their last names have ever known. This area is also one of the most impoverished areas of the state.
For loved ones who were not directly impacted by the storm but were concerned for their family, no communication meant that they had no one to reach out to. Their entire extended family was at risk and suddenly everyone was isolated from one another. Scrolling on Facebook pages of my town was and is still apocalyptic-like. Hours spent scrolling through family members reporting their loved ones missing and asking for any information on specific roads/areas. This absence of communication is still ongoing but has improved daily and there are wifi centers set up, if people can access them.
My dad is an OB/GYN and travels to regional hospitals for his work. He was working in a hospital just south of Asheville. Even at a hospital, he had no power or service. He reported to us at 4 a.m. on Saturday that he was okay. The hospital had no source of information besides looking out the windows and hearing reports from people stumbling into the building. My dad was also told that he was the only surgeon in the hospital for the day and night he was there.
From a friend with a family member who works at the hospital closest to my house, the hospital was again described as “an apocalypse” after the storm passed. With no running water or service, people were showing up at the hospital doors with major injuries, severe limb damage, and pleas for help.
The story of a man who was pinned under a tree for three hours is most haunting. A friend shared with my mom the story of a nearby sheriff: how he worked for 72 hours straight rescuing and searching for others; how his team had to leave bodies floating down flood waters; how the death toll is still increasing as more bodies are uncovered.
Access to emergency facilities was incredibly limited because of the destruction of the roads. Major interstates are closed between towns and into towns due to fallen trees, mudslides, bridges collapsed, flooding, powerlines down, or the pavement is literally no longer there and swept away by flood waters. This not only applies to major interstates and highways but to almost every single side road, neighborhood, and driveway.
The damage to these roads is severely isolating. Without access to homes by car, people must walk for miles to reach a main highway or even any sort of public infrastructure. To provide additional context, Yancey County has a population of about 19,000 and has a square mileage of 312.6 miles. Durham County has a population of about 333,000 and has a square mileage of 287.5 miles. I include this to say there is no large neighborhood. There is not a centralized location. People across my county are incredibly spread out. There is no interstate in my county, only 2 major highways that connect the thousands of side roads. Bridges that connect these roads to the highways are washed out completely. Hundreds of trees and powerlines have fallen on singular driveways. Many live on gravel roads, and those are completely impassable. It will take months and years to fix this issue and until then, traveling to or from home will be impossible or extremely difficult.
With this lack of transportation and communication, people are starved of physical resources and resources of knowledge. At this time only a few locations throughout the county have power. Many homes do not have running water, electricity, service, a source of food, or transportation (and for those who do have a way of traveling with their vehicles, there is barely any access to gas). This applies to those fortunate enough to have an intact home. For some, flood waters have destroyed levels of their home, trees have fallen on rooms or entire houses, their houses are completely underwater, mudslides have caused the houses to lose their foundations, or houses near rivers have been swept away entirely.
Damage to this extent has not only impacted homes but also cars and public buildings. The post office closest to my house consists of only the cinder block foundation now. I spent my summers swimming in the South Toe River; the swimming hole is down about 20 feet in a ravine from where you park your car. The river is now level with the road. The multiple bridges to access my house are completely washed out. Our neighbors hitchhiked into town to send us an email urging us to not return for a while.
I have been fortunate enough to hear from a majority of loved ones, but even 48-72 hours from the storm I worry about friends and valued community members. The majority of people are okay but conditions are terrible. Communities have banded together to make it through this. It will take months and years to reach relative stability.
I write all of this to provide context that hopefully helps you to understand the severity of the situation. I strongly urge you to share this email or by word of mouth with everyone: spouses, parents, friends, colleagues, teachers, neighbors, anyone. Below are pictures of my hometown and links to ways to donate money and resources.
Thank you,
Ellie Murphy
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HERE ARE SOME BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS. I HAVE TRIED TO MATCH THE IMAGE OF DESTRUCTION WITH AN IMAGE FROM GOOGLE EARTH A COUPLE YEARS AGO. WHITE BUILDING IS THE POST OFFICE CLOSEST TO MY HOUSE. IT IS NO LONGER THERE AND THE BUILDING DIRECTLY NEXT TO IT IS MISSING A WALL. (ELLIE MURPHY)
In his order directing the Pentagon to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Trump said the programs discourage merit and leadership, and discriminate on the basis of race and sex.(NPR)
By Viviana Gardner, Stentorian Staff Writer
On January 20th, 2025, the day of his inauguration, President Donald Trump enacted an executive order that sought to end “radical and wasteful government DEI programs and preferencing.”
DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs and policies have existed in many different forms since the mid-1960s when an executive order outlined that government employees were to be hired without bias toward gender, race, or religion. Since then, there have been larger strides to counterbalance the systematic discrimination that exists within our society, such as Executive Order 13985 enacted by President Joe Biden where he claimed in Ex that, “the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.”
On the other hand, the January 20 Executive Order, criticizes DEI programs by claiming that the programs themselves are discriminatory, as the order operates off the idea that DEI’s goal of advancing racial and gender equity was only favoring certain groups of people – ignoring the centuries of oppression and biases that still remain within societal structures and government organizations.
In implementing this order, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Attorney General, and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) have been tasked with ensuring the end of DEI programs within federal agencies while also reviewing their financial impact. This has affected countless programs and people across the nation—even in our own school, where our DEI-ties program ended and our Student Climate Opportunities, Outreach, and Programming (SCOOP) program began.
Recently, there has been an uptake in content condemning DEI and celebrating what seems to be the “end” of these programs, with many claiming them to be part of the same “woke liberal agenda” of other policies concerning ethical issues, such as those created by the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
Overall, the January 20 Executive Order has sparked debate around the existence of the policies and programs that served to make federal agencies more inclusive. In dismantling DEI programs that have allowed for a more equitable environment and that have addressed the deeply ingrained systemic inequalities, this executive order poses the risk of undoing decades of progress. As the federal government moves forward with these changes, the harm that these changes will and have caused will become a prominent topic and issue within minoritized and disadvantaged communities across the country.
At almost any other library, one would imagine the academic environment as a reserved intellectual harbor, a collective haven for students to hone in on their work and reach an optimal state of focus. In nearly every other circumstance, libraries are equated to silent reservoirs of studying, enforced by a constant need to keep one’s voice down. From the moment one usually walks through the door comes a shift in the atmosphere, of conversations softening, the mind preparing to sharpen for the day’s load of assignments. However, at the Borden Mace Library, many NCSSM students experience quite the opposite phenomenon.
Especially at the beginning of the year, many members of the junior population have fallen victim to finding the school’s arguably loudest landscape, expecting to find a familiar space for concentration. Of all places, the scene at the Borden Mace library has ironically turned more social than studious. But how did this come to be?
Through a spatial perspective, the NCSSM website states how “the Learning Commons design of our Library creates a warm environment for interaction, inspiration, and creativity with spaces designed specifically for individuals and groups,” emphasizing the school’s importance for students to foster relationships with one another to academically succeed. The library has incorporated many openly-spaced design elements for groups of students to work together in, whether that be the multiple yellow study rooms built along the left wall of the space, or the many circular tables, some of which are embedded within the not-so-soundproof glass lounges. By incorporating friendly architectural designs to bring people together, Borden Mace has allowed positive community building to prosper–though, often with its downsides.
Because the library has majorly devoted the working space for groups of people, a lot of students are naturally inclined to hang out with their friends, leading to an avoidance of accomplishing the objective at hand: Their assignments. As one junior complains how “all of my friends are there and I can’t lock in…there’s no quiet rule”, the social restrictions of the library–or lack thereof, have allowed noise levels to get extremely high without consequences. This has contributed to the development of an unbounded gregarious workspace with little to no “work” getting done. One senior notes how “a library is a social place, not a study place”, highlighting the reality for many other students how the design features of Borden Mace have strayed far from its original purpose.
However, the bustling scene at the library is not inherently bad for those who need to finish their work. One student states, “The library is a place to socialize and interact, but it has areas where you can lock in, like the little cubbies at the sides and the quiet rooms”, showing how while much of the area has been mapped out for groups of people to collaborate (or socialize), there are still individualistic spaces for students to meaningfully their work–one just has to make sure to not overlook them, and create real action in finding a spot with less social distractions.
While strife with socialization with its people-friendly architectural features, the Borden Mace Library has not necessarily become a doomed place for studying. The flexible grounds for academic collaboration do not automatically lead to collective loss of concentration among students, but could instead allow the enhancement of it as long as one takes initiative in how to approach their work, and where to mark the line between studying and socializing.
After the grueling month that was September, while still trying to get back into the flow of neverending schoolwork, shining ahead like a golden prize was the promise of Fall Break.
This promise was gracefully fulfilled for some students of NCSSM but for others was nothing but a cruel joke in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Normally, students would fill out the fall break form, clicking the Asheville bus as their mode of transportation or would return home by getting picked up, a long commute looming overhead regardless.
On Thursday, September 26, as the hurricane steadily approached, students with homes in Western North Carolina were restless to see the effects left behind as we huddled in the Greynolds tunnel, feeling the weight of the continuous tornado warnings.
At this point, the Asheville bus was pushed back from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning because of uncertain dangerous road conditions. At this point my peers and I were overall disappointed, but grateful we still had the chance to leave. Many opted for the optimistic point of view where we got to stay overnight at our empty school, seeing it as a challenge rather than a letdown. However, this quickly shifted to the latter as the bus was delayed even further to Friday afternoon.
Many, including myself, began echoing the question, “Will we even make it back?” At this point, numerous students were not able to get into contact with their families and friends back home, unable to update them on the bus’ wavering plans of departure.
We were left behind and in the dark. Time stretched by slowly as we were on edge, unsure of our family and friends’ safety, and bound to the school’s premises which disallowed us from leaving.
For seniors, the option of college applications was available to kill time. For juniors, it was late work that needed to be completed. However, this proved to be useless as all attention and concentration was on our communities nestled in the Appalachian mountains.
According to Bella Rizzuto ’26: “Everything was up in the air. I didn’t know if my family or house was okay, at this point I hadn’t been able to get into contact with them for over a day.” Similar sentiments were echoed by the remaining students left at school.
Despite the situation, the CCs and faculty came together to try and make the best out of the very apparent, bad situation. The boxed lunches and breakfasts turned into outings to get pizza at Costco and a group trip to Chancellor Todd Roberts’ hospitable home. Despite NCSSM staff being flexible and understanding, the students were still frustrated as the new update regarding the bus departing time pinged on our phones. We are unsure of when the bus will be able to depart.
Slowly, as news filtered out of the mountains we were greeted with stories of flooding, collapsed bridges, and fallen trees on buildings.
From the fifteen students delayed, it turned to twelve and later dwindled to three left, spending the entire fall break on campus, unable to return home.
