li n Decree
since 1960 “of, by, and/or the Wesleyan community.” December 9,2016
NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE, ROCKY MOUNT, NORTH CAROLINA 27804
Students Want Trump to Focus on National Unity, Health Care
Like the rest of the country, the Wes
leyan student body, in reflecting on the
election of Donald J. Trump as America’s
45th President, expressed a range of
emotions: delight, fear, validation, anger.
Christopher Imoukhuede was one of nu
merous students who also expressed shock
at Trump’s election. “I was surprised to
wake up in the morning to learn that Donald
Trump had won the election.” he said.
Other students had positive feelings
about Trump’s victory.
“I’m glad Trump won,” Courtney Moss said.
Nikolas Dunlap felt the same way. ‘T believe
Tmmp will be a good president,” he said.
Gregory Moore agreed, calling it a
“good choice. It will help our job rate.”
Johnnie Benton sees Trump as a nec
essary change agent. “America's in need
of change and I think Donald Trump can
help,” he said. “Being a businessman, he
knows what it takes to be successful.”
Sully Reece wasn't satisfied with either
Clinton or Tramp. “I don’t have a prob
lem with the election results,” he said. “I
felt like neither candidate deserved to be
president, but the best choice won.”
Elena Koutouzos (’10) Named
New Financial Aid Director
Elena Koutouzos, a 2010 Wesleyan
graduate, has been elevated to the key
post of Financial Aid Director.
The 28-year-old Rocky Mount resident
had been serving as a budget analyst in the
college’s Finance Department since Septem
ber 2015. In that job, she was responsible
for accounts payable, budget tracking, and
coordination of the college’s Title III grant.
Jason Edwards, her supervisor as Vice
President of Finance & Administration,
has been impressed with Koutouzos’
performance and expressed confidence
that she'll be a quick study in her new
post. “Elena has an insatiable desire for
knowledge and a unique ability to transform
that knowledge into action which produces
excellent results,” he said. "She possesses
wisdom beyond her years.”
A certified public accountant with a degree
in accounting from NC State’s one-year masters
program, Koutouzos was a double major in
business and accounting and a member of
Wesleyan’s Honors Program. One of her honors
program peers was Ben Lilley, Assistant Direc
tor of Admissions, who said that Koutouzos
possesses the skills set and critical thinking
abilities to flourish in her new job. "And she’s
very creative,” he said. “That should be an asset
down the road when it comes to innovation and
exploring new methods to help us outrun our
competitors in the world of college admissions.”
Koutouzos and her husband, Manoli, a
technician at a local Toyota dealership, live
in Rocky Mount, where she moved with her
family from Trenton, New Jersey at age 10.
The Decree interviewed Koutouzos in
mid-November.
Q. Describe your new responsibilities
as Wesleyan’s Director of Financial Aid.
A. My job is to provide leadership and
management for all facets of financial aid to
ensure we maintain regulatory compliance as
well quality customer service. This includes
overseeing all federal, state and institutional
funds and programs; processing of loans;
and maintaining regulatory compliance.
Q. What’s the most important thing
you learned about yourself while you
were a Wesleyan student?
A. I would say that it’s important to
learn who you are by trying different
things. It seems like I changed majors as
often as I changed the color of my hair. But
in doing so, I could determine what was
and what was not a good fit for me.
Q. How did you become interested in
the field of accounting?
A. Accounting was one of the last fields
of study that interested me. I dabbled in
multiple other majors (including elementary
education, psychology, political science and
English) before I realized that accounting
fit my personality. I grew to appreciate how
methodical accounting can be. That’s not to
say that there aren’t gray areas (something I
quickly realized when I became an auditor).
Q. When you were a student, I was al
ways impressed not just by your intelligence
Many students deplored the protests
by Clinton supporters and others who op
posed Tramp. Saying that she was “very
happy that my party’s candidate won,”
and that she has “new hope for the future
of America,” Tramp backer Alyssa Clark
said she was “angered by all the rioting
going on because Hillary lost.”
Brittany Manning expressed a similar
view. “I understand why people are upset
over the results,” she said. "But I don’t
think violence, protesting and spreading
hateful messages is acceptable."
Kate Butler was “appalled” by the
way some Americans have responded to
Tramp’s election. “No matter the results,
it's important to respect the nominee
who won the election,” she said.
In short order, some Tramp oppo
nents have resigned themselves to the
outcome. “The election results aren’t
what I wanted, but that's life and I have
to deal with it,” said Ricardo Bullock.
Said Tim McDonald, '1 was shocked about
the results and at first I was discouraged,
but I've come to realize this is the reality and
there’s nothing I can do to change it. I wish
and writing skills but your attention to detail.
Have you always been a detail person?
A. As long as I can remember, I’ve always
been a detail person. I'm not sure if it's a good
thing or not, but I tend to
notice the items that many
others don't. You can
probably blame genetics
as much as the fascination
I’ve had with shows like
“Law and Order" since
I was a child. I've always
been one who tries to
figure out the twist or
solve the case. As the
saying goes, “the devil
is in the details.”
Q. How difficult was it
to earn a CPA? I know that
many candidates take it
more than once.
A. The CPA exam was
extremely challenging for
me. Luckily, I was able
to pass all four sections
on my first attempt. I felt
positive that I had failed
one section. I took two
portions of the exam while
I was in graduate school. This was during
the fall semester of the program. I was plan
ning on taking the remaining two sections of
the exam during my spring semester, but that
semester was substantially more technical
so I waited until I had graduated and used
summer to finish my preparation and tire
exam itself. I'm glad I did. Each time I left the
Prometric test center, my brain felt like putty.
Before I sat for each section of the exam, I
would even have nightmares consisting of
Excel spreadsheets and Becker study material.
Q. After you earned that credential, did
a lot of family and friends ask for help
with their taxes?
A. Yes, I did and still do have friends and
family ask for help with their taxes. Tax ac
counting is a specialized field and has never
been my forte. I’ve always prepared my own
taxes using software such as Turbo Tax.
Q. Describe the jobs you held prior to
your return in 2015.
A. I was a bookkeeping assistant at Standard
Insurance & Realty while I was as student at
NCWC and while I was a student at NCSU (I
worked remotely). I was an assurance associate
at Ernst & Young where I audited public and
non-profit companies. Then I served as a
fund accountant at the Nottingham Company.
There I calculated net asset values for mutual
funds, hedge funds, and government funds.
The mutual fund calculations were sent to
and displayed on the NASDAQ.
Q. Talk about the ways your previous
jobs will prepare you for your new post.
A. In previous roles, I had interactions
with a variety of people. That's one of the
positive things about working in public
accounting. You're constantly meeting new
people (new clients and co-workers) and you
President-elect Tramp the best and hope he
recognizes the true problems in the country.”
In the wake of the election, Mary Reynolds
said Americans must come together and
support each other. “I was disappointed in our
country and afraid for my fellow citizens,”
she said. "But I’m pushing that aside.”
Jessie Harbour was more optimistic.
"I’m hopeful that everything will work
out for the best,” she said.
After the initial shock, Alexus Jenkins is
willing to give Trump a chance: “When I
learned the results I felt fear. But I'm open
to seeing what the president-elect will do."
Rafael Bella, a native of Brazil, wasn’t
prepared for the outcome either, but
believes that Trump may upend America’s
expectations, once in office. "I couldn’t
picture Trump as a president,” he said. “But
I feel confident he’ll do a good job. Who
knows, maybe we underestimated him.”
Some Clinton supporters, and Trump
opponents, straggled to reconcile
themselves to a Trump presidency.
“I feel that America didn’t make the
smartest decision," Toni Collins said.
'Trump is a good businessman, but without
have exposure to multiple industries. Having
been an auditor. I’ve been in situations where
I didn’t feel welcome initially. It’s not a secret
that people aren’t typically excited to see
auditors. However,
over time I was
always able to
earn the trust and
respect of clients
and coworkers. In
my various roles,
I’ve realized the
importance of being
genuine and simply
treating others
how you wish to be
treated. I think
my previous posi
tions have greatly
enhanced my
ability to empathize
with others.
Q. What do
you most need to
learn as Director
of Financial Aid?
What will your
focus be in the
upcoming months?
A. I have a ton of information to learn in
my new role. It really feels like I'm a student
here once again. I’ve already attended a train
ing session held in Raleigh, and I’ve sat with
several of my co-workers who have walked
me through various tasks. There are several
webinars I would like to complete and I’m
familiarizing myself with a 1,300-page
handbook on financial aid. I'm excited about
learning and enhancing my knowledge.
Q. Do you intend to make changes to
Wesleyan’s Financial Aid Office, either
short- or long-term?
A. In any job that I’ve held, I’ve always
looked for ways to improve and enhance
current processes. We’re at a point when
technology is always advancing. I think it’s
important to increase both efficiency and
accuracy whenever possible.
Q. Student indebtedness was a major
campaign issue in 2016, and financial aid is
always on the minds of our students and their
families. And, when polled by the Decree,
many Wesleyan students have, over the years,
listed theft interactions with the Financial Aid
Office as one of their common grievances,
citing delays and mix-ups, etc. What personal
characteristics, what past experiences have
prepared you to deal with disgruntled customers
and other stresses that comewith your newjob?
A. I think my experience as an auditor
has greatly prepared me for dealing with
disgruntled customers. Additionally, my
experience in accounts payable has helped
prepare me as well. It’s truly important to
think about how you would feel if you were
in a given situation and to respond accord
ingly. In the words of Maya Angelou, “I’ve
learned that people will forget what you said
see FINANCIAL AID pg2
a political background and real experience,
he’s going to turn this country into turmoil.”
Adrian Moore said he’s concerned
about Tramp's past statements on women,
African-Americans, Muslims and other
minorities. When he learned of Tramp’s
victory, he was "a bit devastated," he said.
Though not a Clinton supporter, Ryan
Halliday expressed anger at Trump’s
election. He objects to the president-elect’s
views on immigration and the wall he
wants to erect on the Mexico border. “I
think his views are hoirible,” Halliday said.
"He’just a rich brat. I think we’re screwed.”
Zach Gibson believes America wasn’t
ready to elect a woman. "I knew Tramp
was going to win,” he said. “I felt no
way a woman would win the election.
That’s not my personal feeling, but there
was no way others would vote for her.”
Even after the election, many students
continued to wish the choice had been
between two different candidates. ‘It was as if
I was dealt a bad hand.’ ’ said Digiovanni Lugo.
As part of the survey, students were asked
to identify the most urgent issue for the Trump
Administration to tackle after it assumes office
in 2017. Like the election outcome, student
responses were somewhat surprising.
Of the 109 students polled, only
two mentioned the high cost of college
education while seven indicated that the
president should focus on creating jobs
and improving the economy over all.
Four called for cracking down on illegal
immigration, one for attacking climate
change, and one for outlawing abortion.
By far, the two most common
responses were unifying the country
and overhauling the American health
care system. Obamacare in particular.
Noting tire fractious nature of the
presidential campaign, 19 students called
Maryville Wins Tight Match,
Blocks Soccer from NCAAs
The men’s soccer team fell to Maryville,
2-1, in the USA Conference finals, ending
a successful season that saw the Bishops
compile a 9-1 record and tie the Scots for first
place in the regular season.
Senior Toby Thorfinnsson said that play
ers were devastated by the loss. Most years,
he said, “it’s the seniors who’re sad, but this
time everyone was very emotional.”
First-year midfielder Ryan Halliday was
disappointed as well. He felt the Bishops lost
to an inferior team. “We had a good season
and played a good game in the end, but luck
wasn't on our side and we just couldn't put
the ball in the back of the net.”
A win would have vaulted the Bishops (14-
6 overall) into the NCAA Division III regional
tourney. The team last won the regular season
title in 2010 and the tournament championship
in 2009 under former coach Jason Kilby.
In 2016, both conference losses came at
tlie hands of Maryville (18-2), which beat the
Bishops, 2-1, in overtime at home on October 22.
That win allowed the Scots to tie the then-
undefeated Bishops for the regular season lead
and earn home field advantage in the tourney.
Having just finished his sixth season as head
coach, Frankie Taal said the 2016 group was
impressive. “This was by far the most talented
team and collection of players,” he said.
What set the team apart was its depth. “I
mean good depth,” Taal explained. “We had a
lot of players coming off the bench who were
as good as the starters.”
Goalkeeper Alex Magner, a junior, agreed
that the 2016 team was the best in his time
as a Bishop. “More players were buying into
the system put in place by the coaches,” said
Magner, who recorded a 1.21 goals against
average and five shutouts during the year.
Taal added that the Bishops were loaded
with seniors. “With 10 seniors, we had much
better leadership than we’ve had in the past.”
Thorfinnsson echoed his coach’s statement
on leadership. A senior defender and team
captain, he noted that in 2013, his first season,
there was only one senior on the roster. He
said the higher number of four-year players
helped with continuity and the mentoring of
younger student-athletes.
Injury prevented Thorfinnsson, a
native of Iceland, from playing in the tourney
championship. Bothered by a nagging groin
problem, he played in the semi-final game, a
1-0 win over Greensboro, but watched from
for the president to unite the country.
Within this group, many cited racism as
an issue the president should address.
Asked to identify an issue for Trump
to tackle, Zach Byers was quick and to
the point: “Bring the country together.”
Harbour was just as succinct:
“Unite the country.”
El Salvador native Ivan Herrera hopes
to see greater unity as well. 'The country is
completely divided,” he said. “There’s too
much hate between the parties. Tramp should
figure out how that can be fixed. He should
try to unify the country as soon as possible.”
Fixing the health care system was right
behind unifying the country, with 16 students
citing it as the most important issue.
“Obamacare has bankrupted a lot of
insurance companies and forced people
to pay higher premiums for insurance
with limited coverage,” said Kate Butler.
Foreign policy came in third with 9 responses,
while fighting terrorism was next with 7.
Here is a breakdown of the remaining
survey choices. Students called for:
• Addressing cases of police brutality (5)
• Lowering the national debt (4)
• Toughening gun laws (4)
• Strengthening national defense (3)
• Overhauling Welfare and income
redistribution programs (2)
• Stopping violent protests (2)
• Establishing Congressional term limits (1)
• Prohibiting flag burning (1)
Students were surveyed during the
weeks of November 14th and 21st and
on November 28.
Eighteen respondents gave their
reaction to the election results without
identifying a leading issue. Some left
the question blank, while others offered
partisan statements such as Trump
should focus on “getting impeached.”
the sidelines as his teammates surrendered a
first-half lead and then saw the Scots’ Tim
Baker score the decisive goal in the 56th
minute of the title match.
“It was hard not to be able to help on the
field,” said Thorfinnsson, who noted that he
“did my best to motivate the other players
and activate the bench to be our 12th man.”
Besides Thorfinnsson. the Greensboro
victory cost Wesleyan one of its leading
scorers, Kobi Boompong (7 goals, 4 assists
on the year), who earned a red card, one of
seven penalties assessed against the Bishops
on the day. The red card meant Boompong, a
freshman center from Gambia, would need to
sit out the championship game.
Believing that the Bishops boasted
superior talent, Taal said Maryville held the
advantage in one key part of the game.
“The main difference was "DISCI
PLINE.” Taal wrote in an email. “I thought
we were the better team on both occasions.
But they were a lot more disciplined than we
were. If we play with a lot more discipline
and organization, we’ll be without a doubt
one of the best teams in the country.”
See Soccer pg 3
The Mims Gallery will showcase the artwork
of restauranteur and painter Ben Knight
from January 13 until February 26. Knight is
co-owner of the renowned Chef & the Farmer
restaurant in Kinston and the co-star (with
his wife) of the award-winning PBS series "A
Chef's Life." The gallery will host a reception
for the artist with live music on January 20.
Photo courtesy of E. Adelman