Issue 26

THE AMHERST

THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF AMHERST COLLEGE SINCE 1868

STUDENT VOLUME CXLVI, ISSUE 26 l WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017

Women’s Golf Takes First at Williams Invite See Sports, Page 10 AMHERSTSTUDENT.AMHERST.EDU

Book & Plow Farm Integrated into College Sylvia Frank ’20 Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Mashiyat Zaman ‘18

A group of 35 students traveled to Washington D.C. to participate in the March for Science demonstration on Saturday, April 22.

Students Join Thousands in March for Science Ariana Lee ’20 Staff Writer The Amherst College Democrats organized a trip for 35 students to travel to Washington D.C. and participate in the March for Science demonstration on Saturday, April 22, which was also Earth Day. The March for Science protests were organized to demonstrate support for science by a “diverse, nonpartisan group,” according to the movement’s official website.

Tens of thousands of people in over 500 cities, according to The New York Times, participated in the march, which was “an opportunity for people to come and reaffirm their belief that we must maintain scientific integrity and that the current administration cannot continue to make certain decisions that are antifact,” said Ian Miller ’19, the treasurer of the Amherst College Democrats.

Miller said that the trip was organized by the Amherst College Democrats to “bring together a bunch of people who believed in maintaining scientific integrity.”

“We’ve had some issues with this current [pres-

idential] administration with regard to making sure that we’re respecting scientific facts and making sure that scientific research is being funded and well respected,” he said. “[It]was an opportunity for people who believe in those things … to come together and show our support.”

The protests took place a month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to curb the federal government’s enforcement of climate regulations in order to focus on job creation, according to CNN. “One of the biggest issues [of] the march … was about climate change,” Miller said. “This current administration has multiple people who are climate change deniers ... we’re stripping the EPA of funding ... this was an opportunity to show that we are not going to stand up for that.”

According to Miller and The New York Times, thousands of people attended the march at the National Mall. The walk began at the Washington monument and ended at Capitol Hill.

“There were a bunch of different signs. Some were funny, some were scientific,” Miller said, describing the scene. “There were a bunch of different chants and occasionally a yell. Hearing 40,000

people yell is pretty impressive.”

Kelly Missett ’19 said that she enjoyed the experience. “It was all of the nerds of America gathered together just having fun and celebrating their geekiness together,” she said.

Missett chose to go to the march due to her support for evidence-based climate policy. “I find it very alarming that this administration and people who’ve been hired to fill important roles in the EPA, Department of the Interior and other agencies have a lack of faith in scientific evidence, especially when it concerns climate change,” she said.

“I don’t see these just as environmental issues but also human rights issues,” Missett added.

For Missett, the biggest takeaway was learning that certain areas of scientific research seem trivial and do not receive adequate funding but can lead to critical discoveries.

“What people often fail to realize is that most of the important medical breakthroughs and other critical products of science come from things you would’ve never expected to produce them,” she said. ”You can’t just take away grants for science that you think [are] superfluous, because you never know what it is going to lead to.”

strong interest in astrochemistry in the 1970s. Astrochemists use techniques similar to those of other chemists, especially spectroscopy and kinetics.

Herbst described the process of star formation and noted that the structures involved each have their own chemistry. First, interstellar clouds of gas and dust form from the remains of previous stars.

Within the cloud, “hot cores” and “cold cores” develop. Under the right conditions, some of the hot cores eventually become stars, while other material might form meteors, comets or planets.

According to Herbst, astrochemists use radio telescopes to study the emission spectra of the molecules within cold cores. Scientists can measure some spectrum lines from the ground using telescopes, such as an array of 60 telescopes in Chile known as the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA). However, to measure spectrum lines with infrared or far infrared frequencies, they need to use telescopes in space or on airplanes.

From these spectra, scientists can study collisions between molecules and the concentrations of molecules.

Herbst finished his talk by discussing current research in astrochemistry, including one of his recent projects. “One of the things we’ve started to worry about in the last year [is] that we’ve missed [that] cosmic rays [make] ions in the gas phase,” he said. “We have not included what happens when cosmic rays hit dust particles. This is a very hard problem, frankly.”

Herbst said that he approached the problem by using a supercomputer to simulate a cosmic ray passing through dust, and then borrowing approximations found by nuclear physicists in the 1950s to analyze his results. He added that there were interesting current projects related to black holes, high-temperature dust chemistry and the spatial distributions of molecules within sources that scientists are still investigating.

Following a leadership transition of the college-affiliated Book & Plow Farm from founders Pete McLean and Tobin PorterBrown to former assistant manager Maida Ives at the end of last semester, the farm has undergone some changes and has new plans for the future.

The changes and transition to “Book & Plow 2.0,” along with letters outlining the farm’s previous history and future goals by Tobin, Porter-Brown, Ives and Director of Sustainability Laura Draucker, were published on the college’s website.

Previously, the Book & Plow was a “farm in residence,” which means that McLean and Porter-Brown privately owned the business while leasing land from the college. They sold some of their produce to Valentine Dining Hall and were compensated for running programming and taking on work-study students. They also sold produce to customers unaffiliated with the college.

With this change in leadership and future direction, the farm is now owned by the college and will only produce food for Valentine.

“Our funding comes from the school, and we do an internal transfer of produce to Val,” Ives said.

She added that the farm will also continue its fall Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program for farm produce, which will be available “mostly to Amherst College faculty and staff, but also to community members.”

“Students are more than welcome to join [the CSA],” she added.

Despite these changes, however, some of the overarching goals and function of Book & Plow will remain the same, according to Ives.

“Having students come up to the farm to work, sending good, high quality produce to the CSA, offering up space on campus and partnering with other groups on campus to put on events — that’s all the same, and always has been the core mission of the farm,” Ives said.

Continued on Page 3

Chemistry Professor Holds Seminar on Star Formation

Jacob Gendelman ’20 Staff Writer

Eric Herbst, a professor of chemistry at the University of Virginia, held a seminar titled “Three Environments for Interstellar Chemistry: Gas, Dust and Ice” on Friday, April 21. He spoke about the species of molecule found in gases, dust and ice and the tools which scientists use to observe them.

Herbst is currently the Commonwealth Professor in the Departments of Chemistry, Astronomy and Physics at the University of Virginia. He completed his Ph.D at Harvard University, and was a postdoctoral fellow there as well as at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics at the University of Colorado.

Herbst began by describing the field of astrochemistry, which he defined as “the study of molecules in non-terrestrial environments.”

According to Herbst, scientists first took a

The talk was followed by a Q&A session.

After the seminar, Professor of Chemistry Mark Marshall said, “I loved the talk! [Astrochemistry is] the kind of thing that I’ve followed from a distance for many years. I was just glad that we had the chance to bring Professor Herbst to campus and let other people know that these kinds of things that we study here can be applied to the galaxy.”

Senior chemistry major Niyi Odewade said that the subject of the talk was new and different, as it involved “exotic [chemical] species” not seen on Earth. However, he added, “it was easy to relate to, because Amherst also teaches you the basics and makes everything easy to understand, and [Herbst] actually made it very interesting and inspiring, because ... there’s a world out there left to learn about.”

The talk was sponsored by the Department of Chemistry as part of its lecture series.

News

Catherine Lowdon Thoughts on Theses

April 18, 2017 - April 23, 2017

>>April 18, 2017 10:46 p.m., Boltwood Avenue A PVTA bus driver reported that a passenger attempted to steal her wallet from her bag while traveling between Smith College and UMass. >>April 20, 2017 4:05 p.m., Tuttle Farm An officer encountered three people acting in a suspicious manner in a car. A small amount of marijuana was confiscated and the three males, who have no association with the college, were directed to leave the property.

6:11 p.m., Off Campus Locations A passerby notified an officer of a person on a bicycle on South Pleasant Street who may have been impaired. The person could not be found.

9:40 p.m., Campus Grounds A caller reported people smoking marijuana between Frost Library and Converse Hall. No one was found in the area when officers investigated.

10:50 p.m., Morrow Dormitory An officer investigated a smoke detector sounding in a secondfloor room and found it activated when a hair dryer was used too close to it.

volume.

1:21 a.m., Powerhouse A visitor reported that her wallet was stolen while attending an event. It was later found near her parked car.

6:35 a.m., Greenway Building D A caller reported an unknown male asleep in their dorm room.

The male had apparently entered the room earlier in the night through an unlocked door. Officers identified the man as a visitor. He was transported to his host’s room in Morris Pratt.

8:49 p.m., Plimpton House An officer discovered that electronics that monitor the basement door had been tampered with, making them non-operational.

9:20 p.m., Greenway Building A Officers and the fire department responded to a report of people stuck inside an elevator. They were released.

>>April 21, 2017 1:52 a.m., Seelye House Officers responded to a report of two people yelling and making noise. Upon arrival, officers found trash cans tipped over in the first-floor common room and trash strewn about. No one was found in the area.

9:58 p.m., Cohan Dormitory A resident reported a possible unregistered party occurring on the second or third floor. Responding officers located a small group of people in the secondfloor common room with music.

They were asked to lower the volume.

10:30 p.m., Webster Circle An officer assisted the state police with a traffic stop. A male was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

11:05 p.m., Campus Grounds An officer on patrol observed a man climbing over the fence into the science center construction site. He was stopped, identified as a student and told to leave the area.

10:51 p.m., Plimpton House A caller complained about the volume of noise coming from a registered party. The party sponsor was notified. >>April 22, 2017 12:01 a.m., Powerhouse An officer encountered a group of people engaged in an altercation outside the Powerhouse. Officers intervened and the group dispersed.

12:28 a.m., Powerhouse Officers and the fire department investigated a fire alarm, which occurred during an event. Someone pulled an alarm station for no apparent reason. A smoke detector was also tripped, possibly due to the heat and humidity generated by the crowd.

12:48 a.m., Lipton House A caller complained about loud music coming from a registered party in the basement. An officer responded and lowered the

Departments of English and Art History

1:05 a.m., O’Connell Lot A town resident complained about loud music and people in the area. An officer found that the noise was from a large amount of people leaving the parking lot after a Powerhouse event.

>>April 23, 2017 1:13 a.m., Jenkins Dormitory A caller complained that people were being selective about who was being allowed into a party at a third-floor suite. Upon arrival, a resident reported they were not being selective but were turning people away due to capacity issues.

3:22 a.m., South Dormitory A resident complained of loud people in the third-floor common room. An officer responded and told the group to quiet down.

12:11 p.m., Jenkins Dormitory A student reported the theft of an iPhone from a suite. It was found later in a trash bin.

2:34 p.m., LeFrak Gym An officer assisted a student who reported having a dispute involving another student about damaged personal property.

Catherine Lowdon is an English and art history major. Her thesis examines the architecture of Amherst College and other NESCAC and Ivy League colleges. Her advisor is Nicola Courtright, professor of art history and architectural studies department chair.

Q: What is your thesis about? at things like the initial accountants’ book A: [The idea for my thesis] started with an of the college. You can see [that] they actuinterterm course I ally spent money on took with Blair Kaan architect for Johnmin, who is an archiThere was this one ar- son Chapel, whereas tecture critic at The there is no sort of Chicago Tribune. He chitectural critic, I think indication of an aractually was creating it was Thomas Gaines, chitect for North or a book, cataloguing South. Seeing what and he placed the Am- they spent money on [and] going into an architectural analysis herst College in his chap- is really interesting, about the Amherst ter labeled “mistakes.” ... and you can see speCollege campus. Stucific types of materidents got to help him [But], I think the Amherst als they used and you put different pieces College campus is beauti- can get the sense of of that book togethhow they are allocatful. er. My group was ing the initial funds. looking at different Also, looking at old frat houses and that piqued my interest other resources, like the initial college catain Amherst College architecture. Then, go- logs, they actually indicated where students ing further, I was thinking, “Okay, what do lived. You could say, “this dorm [was] for I want to say about Amherst College archi- sophomores [or for] seniors.” Or they would tecture?” even mention when people were living in I started looking at the early college build- town. ings [like] College Row (Johnson Chapel and North and South Dormitories) and then the Q: What did you do second semester?

Octagon and Morgan Library … I saw ini- A: Second semester, I did more writing. I tially [that] there was this change from aus- think what really sharpened my argument tere architecture, [which you see with] North was looking at other colleges. I was noticing and South, to this more specified ... architec- the shift here at Amherst, but it wasn’t until ture. I was wondering why that happened … I started looking at other colleges where the [So I’m] basically looking at different ways founders of Amherst were from, or [where] and how walls shaped certain ideals, but in they went originally — Harvard, Dartmouth, turn also shape people.

Williams and Yale — and seeing how our campus compared to theirs.

Q: Can you elaborate more on the architectural shift?

Q: Why do you think your thesis is imporA: South is the origitant? nal building, and then A: I think my theNorth came right af- I saw initially [that] here sis is important ter, and then Johnson because a lot of Chapel. But then if you was this change from aus- historians have look at the Octagon tere architecture, [which discussed the hisand Morgan Library, of Amherst you see with] North and tory you see that they are College and a lot of very different. The South, to this more speci- architectural critquestion is what was fied and grandeur archi- ics have cataloged going on there. the buildings, but Initially, I was look- tecture. I was wondering they haven’t really ing on an even grander why that happened ... [So brought the two toscope of how the colto combine I’m] basically looking at gether lege campus move[d] the ideology and from [College] Row different ways and how architecture. I think to the Quad. Why walls shaped certain ide- that I come in at the did it turn from [a] juncture of the two community-centered, als, but in turn also shape subjects. outward-focused land- people. scape to [a] more inQ: Do you have any ward-facing quad? advice for people But then [I] got caught up in the initial writing theses? buildings and that shift between austere col- A: Be really diligent about a schedule. Holdlege row — North and South — and these ing yourself accountable for each deadline is grander buildings. I think something that probably the best [advice] I can give. people don’t know a lot about is that if you take a look at Williston and look on the side, Q: Anything else you would like to add? there is a change [in the brick]. There used A: There was this one architectural critic. I to be this big tower, but they took it down. think it was Thomas Gaines, and he placed the Amherst College campus in his chapter Q: How did the process work? What kind of labeled “mistakes.” ... [But] I think the Amresearch did you do? herst College campus is beautiful.

A: I spent a lot of time first semester in Ar— Caleigh Plaut ’19 chives and Special Collections, just looking

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The Amherst Student • April 26, 2017

News

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Lynne Tirrell Highlights Speech’s Effect on Social Conditions

Audrey Cheng ’20 Staff Writer UMass Boston Professor of Philosophy Lynne Tirrell gave a talk titled “Toxic Speech” about linguistics and their societal influence on Thursday, April 20.

Tirrell studies the philosophy of language, politics of discourse and the ways that linguistic practices influence social justice or facilitate injustice. She is currently researching the power of linguistics in shaping social conditions that make genocide possible, focusing on the Rwandan genocide of the Tutsi people in 1994.

Tirrell began by clarifying that her talk would not cover a completed project, but rather research that is still in progress.

She then displayed a photo taken at a Trump rally, noting the “evocative” expressions of the rally members. She would be less “into it” if she were there, she said, acknowledging that “what is toxic to me may not be toxic to the people here.”

Tirrell’s analysis of “linguistic toxicity” connected speech to its harmful effects on people’s physical and social well-being by comparing it to poisonous substances.

“Toxicity is the degree in which a substance, often a poison, can harm people. That’s my basic conception,” she explained. “Toxic speech, like any toxin, is a threat to the wellbeing or even the very lives of those against whom it’s deployed … The damage can be local or systemic, but toxicity damages all it touches.”

Throughout the presentation, Tirrell mentioned specific examples from historic events, such as Nazism and the Rwandan genocide.

She argued that toxic speech still exist today,

citing politicians such as Geert Wilders, a farright Dutch House of Representatives member, and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Victor Klemperer, a German-Jewish linguist who lived in Germany during World War II, was a distinguished veteran in World War I. As a result, he was not persecuted by the Nazi government, and was able to observe the social changes that occurred instead.

“Nazism permeated the flesh and blood of the people through single words, idioms and sentence structures,” wrote Klemperer, whose words were displayed during the presentation.

“What happens if the cultivated language is made up of poisonous elements? Words can be like tiny doses of arsenic: they are swallowed unnoticed, appear to have little effect, and then after a little time the toxic reaction sets in after all.”

According to Tirrell, only a special category of toxic speech, which she categorized as “deeply derogatory,” explicitly uses offensive slurs. A more common type of toxic speech, she said, is one that doesn’t explicitly use derogatory terms but still has toxic effects.

As an example, she showed a quote from Elie Mizinge, a soldier during the Rwandan genocide, who highlighted euphemisms that soldiers used to justify their actions.

“What we were doing seemed less unnatural to us if we didn’t have to say it,” Mizinge said. He and other soldiers would use euphemisms like “work,” “clear the tall trees,” “fill the rivers” and “send to Ethiopia” to describe their violent acts, said Tirrell.

“That’s avoiding the language,” Tirrell said.

“That was all designed to reconceptualize murder, mayhem [and] rape. You don’t need epithets or other terms of derogation, because often the communication is coded with insider

Photo courtesy of Alura Chung-Mehdi ’18

Philosophy Professor Lynne Tirrell spoke on “linguistic toxicity” and its ability to affect physical and social well-being in a talk on Thursday, April 20. tropes and people know what’s being said.”

These historical examples of toxic speech, she said, are relevant today. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Trump announced his candidacy by saying: “You have people coming in and I’m not just saying Mexicans, I’m talking about people that are from all over that are killers and rapists and they’re coming into this country.”

“Explicit epithets were not necessary to poison the [presidential campaign],” Tirrell said.

“Speeches by Republican candidates were rife with toxic messages, but none were as overtly divisive as Donald Trump[’s speeches].”

Tyrrell ended her talk by addressing Trump supporters, saying that their joy over the election was similar to chronic illnesses, when the patient suddenly feels better but in real-

ity, something inside is breaking down. “[If] someone that thinks that the administration is great in its xenophobia and is rejoicing … that well-being is rooted in something [that is] not well-being,” she said.

The talk was followed by a Q&A session.

Will Coughlin ’18, who attended the talk, said, “I think it’s interesting seeing how … she differentiated between simple slurs [and derogatory slurs] — like how ‘cockroach’ in America is a slur, but not one of the deeply derogatory terms that she thinks can become dangerous. This depends so much on culture that it’s tough to make a prediction as to which words are important and which aren’t.”

The talk, funded by the Department of Philosophy, was the third in a lecture series called “Speech and Harm.”

Sociology Professor Analyzes Gender-Targeted Cartoons Emma Wilfert ’20 Staff Writer Katia Perea gave a talk titled “Girl Cartoons, Bronies and the Princess Paradox” on Thursday, April 20 in the Friedmann Room, discussing the ways in which both classic and contemporary cartoons reinforce the gender binary.

A professor of sociology at Kingsborough Community College, part of the City University of New York system, Perea received her Ph.D. in sociology from the New School for Social Research. Her talk was sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Center.

Perea began by giving a brief overview of the history of animation, beginning with Walt Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” which she said established the Disney narrative of a prince rescuing a “damsel in distress.” Perea then shifted the conversation to cartoons specifically about and for girls below the age of 12, a genre she refers to as “girl cartoons.”

According to Perea, these cartoons “created a space for little girls where they’re not the sidekick. They’re not waiting for the prince to rescue for them — it’s a show for them.”

But Perea also acknowledged the flaws within these cartoons, including the sexualization of preteen characters. Another problem, she added, was that the motivation for many of these “girl cartoons” was to market cartoonbased toys to girls.

“The drive is not because they care about little girls,” Perea said. “No, they couldn’t care less, actually. The drive is price and profits.”

Audiences have, however, found ways to subvert consumer expectations, said Perea, citing “bronies” as an example.

“Bronies” are men, generally adults, who identify as fans of the TV show “My Little Pony.” In the past, they have faced criticism from parents of young children who watch the cartoon, as well as from feminists, for sexualizing its characters. Because of their large internet presence, these fans’ liking for “My Little Pony” has attracted questions about their

enjoyment of the cartoon and become the focus of countless jokes and memes.

Contrary to some audience members’ expectations, however, Perea presented ”bronies” as forward-thinking, well-intentioned individuals transcending the gender binary while disrupting capitalistic companies’ expectations.

“Popular consumption gets re-functioned without intention or irony,” she said of the “brony” movement. Perea explained that bronies changed the way My Little Pony products were meant to be consumed. They have become actively invested in a product that was not originally marketed towards them and did so not because they wanted to make fun of it, but because they enjoyed it.

“Here were these men, mostly between the ages of 15 and 33, who are becoming fans of a little girl’s show. [They] watch it because it makes [them] happy.”

Perea said that these types of counterculture movements have contributed to different modern cartoons abandoning the Disney nar-

rative and creating more complex, powerful female characters, citing Adventure Time and Frozen as examples.

“Bronies”’ pursuit of happiness, she said, regardless of what toy and cartoon producers expect demographics to buy or enjoy, is in itself a revolutionary and anti-capitalist act.

Perea ended the talk by encouraging audience members to consider what makes them happy and think beyond creators’ intentions.

“The way for creating change is, essentially, that you’re viewing these things and you’re viewing them because they make you happy,” she said. “You’re doing because of who you are as an individual, and that’s incredibly important.”

Kathleen Isenegger ’20, who attended the talk, said Perea’s generally positive outlook on girl cartoons surprised her. “I expected [the talk] to focus a lot more on the negative aspects of girl cartoons, like their detriments to women, but it was really the opposite and focused on the ways it empowers women and gives them a space,” Isenegger said.

Book & Plow Maintains Mission, Expands Future Goals Continued from Page 1 Ives hopes to continue expanding the campus’ use of Book & Plow. The farm recently received a grant to build a solar-powered well in a new field. She added that she would also like to work with professors to conduct research related to sustainability at the farm.

“Sustainability is also, for me, not just about the environment of quality of life and balance,” Ives said. ”So one thing I try really hard to do is to make sure students enjoy their work ... [I] try to offer a community and bolster the experience of growing vegetables through our connections with each other and the area around us.”

“The transition was kind of shocking to hear at first, because Pete and Tobin had been such important people in the way I thought about Amherst and thought about Book &

Plow,” said Annabelle Gary ’20, who worked at Book & Plow in the fall of 2016. “They really helped shape my experience, both in orientation week and then all of first semester.”

Porter-Brown is moving to Vermont, where he will work on a farm called “Pete’s Greens,” while McLean will stay in Amherst as a consultant. Ives has taken over as manager during the transitional phase, which she calls “Book & Plow 1.5,” and will serve in this role through 2017.

Book & Plow Farm was created in 2012 after students approached the administration about starting a campus farm. This semester, 22 students work at the farm.

Ives said that she hopes to retain six to eight student interns in the summer. She plans to take these students to other farms in the area in order to connect with the farming community and receive advice from other

farmers.

“I personally came to this job because I love growing food, and I love to grow food with people who are learning that,” said Ives.

“All the students who have come up to the farm show so much care and enthusiasm and they’re really the ones who make the farm, so I really personally am so open to taking student input about what Book & Plow looks like.”

Gary was introduced to the farm through her first-year orientation program and found a “really great passionate community.”

“It was a wonderful space apart from the rest of my life where I could focus on the earth, myself and the other people who I was working alongside of,” Gary added.

“I always tell people that the farm is about more than just farming and growing food,” said Lucas Zeller ’17, a student worker at Book & Plow. “It’s about bringing people to-

gether and creating a community that all of Amherst is a part of.”

Book & Plow is currently listed under the college’s facilities department, but it works closely with the Office of Environmental Sustainability, according to Ives.

Ives plans to host a beautification event at the farm in two weeks, where she hopes to receive informal input from students on their aspirations for the farm. At the event, students will be able to participate in activities such as painting a shipping container that the farm uses to store food.

The transitional phase is the Book & Plow’s “designing and dreaming stage,” Ives said.

“Obviously, time, resources and weather are all certainly factors in the reality of how we grow food, so there’s certainly limitations,” she said. “But we can dream big and see where we land from that.”

Opinion

THE AMHERST

STUDENT

“The” Amherst Experience

E X E C U T I V E B OA R D

Editorial As we approach the end of the year, the campus seems to be brimming with nostalgia. Suddenly, the weather is nice again and we remember what it’s like to be here on the really good days. Commencement approaches and the “end” calls us to turn around and look backward. What do we see when we reflect on our experience? What constitutes the Amherst experience, and further, is there even such a thing? With our diverse student body, it is quite difficult to imagine a single Amherst experience.

Each person, holding different identities and life experiences, moves through this campus in their own unique way. We could never select a single student and say that they comprehensively represent the whole. However, we remain, in many ways, a collective. And it is worth thinking about what exactly makes us so, while we also remain so different.

One way in which difference might manifest itself is through our memory. If we were to ask each student, “What was your best memory at Amherst?”, how could all of the responses be categorized? An important memory could be anything, ranging from winning a game, traveling on a class trip, talks with friends or a specific walk in the bird sanctuary. Whatever the event, many memories would likely involve people, certain social groups or communities. Here, it is worth taking the time to think of one’s own memories, and think of who is and who isn’t part of your chosen moment. Why are some of your peers not part of your Amherst memory? Of course, each person cannot be expected to know or remember every single person they meet, but it is important to question how we fell into our specific versions of life at Amherst. To find true and close friends is a valuable gift — but imagine, for a moment, those outside of your circle. What will you remember of the people you only met or lived with in passing?

While we remain unique beings, a fundamental thing that can bind us might be the acknowledgement and respect for our peers’ differing experiences. Students, while cherishing their own memories, should think about the existence of other memories.

Memories of the parts of Amherst they did not experience. This may sound like a simple or mundane task, but the Editorial Board would argue that is actually quite difficult to execute. While we remember in theory that others exist, it is harder to put our theoretical knowledge into practice, to love the memories of others as we love our own. In placing our own thoughts next to those of others, we might be better able to conceptualize our own life while avoiding being too self-centered.

In the current moment, it can feel as though Amherst is more divided than ever. This year has been eventful and polarizing, to say the least. The campus watched the unexpected victory of the new American president. We engaged in more discussions about social divisions on and off campus. We took on incidents of toxic masculinity, hate speech and other forms of prejudice. While it feels as though many students were brought together over mutual passion for engaging in the more difficult moments, it also feels as though, along certain lines, we are drifting further apart from each other. Specific groups — whether dictated by race, gender, political affiliation or athletic status — sometimes seem to move as if on fragments of icebergs in an increasingly larger sea.

Some in less privileged positions are forced to think about the other side all the time. Conversely, those in positions of power can choose to look away. How do we, regardless of position, continue to hold onto each other? We should remember that the Amherst experience is more than one thing — and certainly more than it once was many years ago, upon the college’s founding. The Editorial Board believes that the diversity held and remembered in “the” Amherst experience is only made possible when we chose to acknowledge each other, in the deepest sense. One experience does not define “the” experience — we do not want a single story, and by saying so, we show our love and respect for the many stories that make up our institution. The many stories create “the” Amherst experience, a community bound together, and yet a place where each person has the potential to be their full selves.

If I May: The Toxicity of the ‘College Process’ Jake May ’19 Columnist

My sister is a junior in high school, which means that this spring, she has begun the “College Process.” She’s been visiting many schools around the country and beginning to think about which ones she wants to apply to next fall. This process should be one of excitement, and to a degree, it is. Seeing a variety of college campuses is very fun, and fantasizing about where one will have their mind molded for four years is exhilarating. However, these days it seems that the College Process is a far more stressful experience than it is a positive one.

The culture of competition that plagues academically excellent students across the country is perhaps the biggest culprit in making the College Process so fraught. Of course, the whole thing is inherently competitive; there are only a certain number of slots at the “top” schools, so students

must compete against each other for these slots.

What is troublesome, however, is that a great deal of high school students seem to all have the same definition of what a “top” school is. Many define a “top” school as the school at the top of the U.S. News and World Report rankings. These schools are, of course, incredibly difficult to get into, as many at the top (Princeton, The University of Chicago and Harvard) have relatively smaller student bodies (around 6,000 undergraduates) and receive thousands upon thousands of applications. Inevitably, very few of the hopeful applicants will actually be accepted into these schools.

However, Harvard, Princeton, Yale and the like are not actually the “top” schools in the United States for college-bound high schoolers. Sure, they are at the top of the rankings, and sure, the name of the school may be eye-catching on a certain type of job application. But these two facts do not mean that these schools are the best schools.

The “top” school in the United States for a high

school senior is the school that fits that specific student the best. Maybe it is Harvard after all, but maybe it’s Kenyon College in Ohio, or the University of Indiana or Berklee College of Music.

Students today seem more focused on the name of the school they are applying to than the actual school to which they are applying. My hope is that the culture of the College Process will change from one that is about being able to say you’re going to a great college and instead become one where everyone is going to a college that they are excited about attending. I do not mean to suggest that those of us (myself included) who applied to a school at the top of the rankings (one of them being Amherst, of course) did not believe that they were applying to a school that suited them. But I hope that students will not put pressure on themselves to apply to a school just because it is “the best school they can get in to.” Rather, I hope that students will apply to “the best school they want to get in to.”

Editors-in-Chief Drew Kiley Jingwen Zhang Executive Advisers Lauren Tuiskula Sophie Murguia Managing News Shawna Chen, Isabel Tessier Managing Opinion Kelly Chian, Spencer Quong Managing Arts and Living Julia Pretsfelder, Paola Garcia-Prieto Managing Sports Nathaniel Quigley, Julia Turner Managing Design Justin Barry S TA F F Head Publishers Tia Robinson, Emily Ratte Head Marketer Sophie Currin Design Editors Zehra Madhavan, Isabel Park, Chloe Tausk, Sivian Yu

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The Amherst Student • April 26, 2017

Opinion

5

Confronting Labor On Campus and Beyond Nancy Nzeyimana Cyizere ’17 & Brian Zayatz ’18 Contributing Writers Labor isn’t pretty. Amherst College is pretty — especially as it prepares to host the families of its graduating seniors, who will undoubtedly remember the beauty of the commencement ceremony, the speeches and campus aesthetics for a long time.

But what makes this campus pretty and functional as an institution that feeds, houses, entertains, pampers and also educates, 1800 students is the labor of a small army of Val workers, landscapers, secretaries, custodians and student employees. Except at a few unavoidable points, like the entryway to Val, students — and most definitely parents and alumni — are kept separate from college employees by scheduling and infrastructure.

Instead of handing our dishes to Val employees, we put them on a conveyor belt that whisks them into some Neverland in which they somehow get cleaned. Our custodians clean our dorms when most of us are in class or still sleeping. The campus grounds crew works in a way that avoids students

who might be enjoying our campus’s outdoor workspaces.

Much of this is just common courtesy. Custodians wait until the end of their shift to vacuum, because vacuuming at 7:30 a.m. would be inconsiderate. Similarly, leaf-blowing isn’t so urgent that one needs to get the spot right next to where a student might be sitting and reading. But this courtesy is still predicated on the fact that labor is ugly, and if we can avoid thinking about it, most of us would seize the opportunity. Early morning vacuuming might cause some unnecessary tensions between a custodian and the residents of their dorm, but it also transgresses certain norms of keeping the labor that keeps this institution running hidden.

Similarly, you may not know that International Workers’ Day is just around the corner. You may not know that there has been a concerted effort to make sure you don’t know this. International Workers’ Day, more commonly known in the U.S. as May Day, marks a radical history of workers demanding the eight-hour workday, the weekend in its current form, and peace. It did not take long, however, for this holiday to be rebranded to be less

threatening to early 20th century capitalists. Since 1921, May 1 in the U.S. has been renamed “Americanization Day,” “Loyalty Day” and “Law Day.” Even the name “May Day” serves to distance the date from its radical history of labor organizing and link it instead to an innocuous annual festival celebrating springtime across European cultures.

Instead, what we recognize as “Labor Day” here in the States was dedicated by President Cleveland as a politically safer alternative to May 1.

Perhaps labor is not ugly (or at least, not only ugly), but scary. Scary because we know that all that is upholding the smooth functioning of Amherst College or global capitalism is that small army of people who decide to do their jobs everyday.

What would happen if they decided not to?

Well, you might get a chance to find out this International Workers’ Day. On Monday, May 1, workers in general — and immigrant workers, specifically — will be striking around the country in what is being called “A Day Without Immigrants.” The day-long strike, which will be leading up to a week-long strike in the future, demands dignity, respect and permanent protection from

deportation. You can be a part of this movement by attending actions taking place right here in the Pioneer Valley. At 1:30 p.m. there will be a march in Northampton from 20 Hampton Ave. At 5:30 p.m. in Springfield, there will be a march to the local ICE office and later to City Hall for a speakout at the City Council meeting. Back in Northampton, at 8 p.m., you can find a party at the Haymarket Cafe.

So, we Amherst students recognize and thank all the college employees who ensure that we are fed, housed and comfortable. We are also willing to give up some of those comforts so that you may exercise your rights to demand whatever you consider to be fair treatment as workers, should you choose to do so, and declare our support for striking workers across the country.

Signed, Aaron Cooper-Lob ’17 Nancy Nzeyimana Cyizere ’17 Rojas Oliva ’19 Cristina Rey ’19E Siraj Ahmed Sindhu ’17 Brian Z. Zayatz ’18

Why We Need to Change the Meal Plan Rachel Boyette ’17 Contributing Writer Over the past few weeks, I’ve been researching the meal plans offered at Amherst College.

For me, it works — but for others, it doesn’t. Before I continue, I want to make this clear: I bring up these flaws because I love Amherst. I believe that critique strengthens institutions that pay attention and implement change. I want Amherst to flourish, but it can’t be done without addressing the problems that stunt its growth.

The meal plan is overcharged, inflexible and nearly impossible opt out of if you don’t have a disability or religious exemption. Some students who have opted out of the meal plan spend less than half its cost on groceries, saving upwards of $3,000 a year. Furthermore, it is less expensive for students to be off the meal plan and pay for three meals a day at Val than it is to stay on the meal plan.

I’ve heard theories about why the meal plan is so expensive and difficult to get off, but Kevin Weinman, the college’s CFO, gave me an answer.

The high price is not to subsidize students on financial aid, nor is it allocated to other departments in the college. According to Weinman, the cost of the meal plan is used to ensure fresh ingredients and cover operating costs, which “nearly doubled from 2010 to 2016.” Student contributions to the meal plan cover roughly one-third of the cost to sustain Val, the rest of it being covered by our endowment and Annual Fund. However, it is impossible to ignore that students on the meal plan will probably pay more than the average student who is off the meal plan. It is unfair to force students into a $6,000 financial obligation if they are dissatisfied with the service provided.

The Valentine staff have my wholehearted appreciation. They work hard to address complaints and are receptive to student input. I had the pleasure of talking to Charlie Thompson, the head of Val. He gave me a clearer picture of what Val used to be and where it is presently.

According to Thompson, over the years, Val has transformed into a new dining hall in terms of quality, options, and operating hours. Val, which is a part of the college and not an inde-

pendent contractor, is committed to providing students with a proper dining experience, and is generously supported by Amherst administration. Ingredients have gotten fresher, equipment updated and options expanded.

However, nearly all the students I talked to who were unhappy with the meal plan claim that if the quality and options at Val were sufficient, they wouldn’t have tried getting off the meal plan. Valentine is not improving quickly enough, they said. For some, the Americanized menu fosters homesickness or the food just isn’t appetizing. For others, the inescapable social-dining aspect of Val is anxiety-inducing. So what can be done?

I offer two solutions to treat the surface of the meal plan’s fallibilities. I’ll begin with the one which could be implemented as early as next semester. We need more flexible meal plans. Currently, the only alternate meal plan at Amherst costs the same as the standard meal plan but limits students to only lunch and dinner, with $100 in bonus bucks that can be spent at Frost Café or Schwemm’s [fact check me on this]. It is also only available to upperclassmen.

In comparison, Hampshire College has three diverse plans, one of which can be customized four different ways. All their plans vary in price, the lowest being $200 a semester. Why not use Hampshire College’s dining plans as a model for our own meal plans?

Second, we need a second dining hall. The physical size of Val restricts its serving potential. New food stations cannot be introduced, simply because there is no space for them. A new dining hall could reduce waiting times and crowd sizes as well as offer an alternative seating arrangement for students who don’t want the social dining experience of Val. Val has improved greatly over the years, but there is a limit to the potential for improvement, which Val is approaching quickly, if it has not already met it.

A new dining hall could solve the majority of Val’s shortcomings.

There are rumors that Merrill will be renovated to address this problem, which would be great, if renovation is possible. The only issue I see with that plan is the college’s track record of overestimating its ability of completing projects

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on time and on budget (such as the new science building, which was originally started before I was a freshman but put on hiatus until this year). However, if we choose to build an entirely new building, there’s no telling when it would be ready. The school would have to allocate funds, clear a space on campus (a task which could take upwards a year), and then hastily erect a new building (another year would be an optimistic guess). It’s clear that Amherst has already outlived Valentine, but how many years must we wait for a significant change? In the meantime, it’s unreasonable to force students to stay on an inflexible meal plan which they are opposed that does not cater to them in the meantime.

The process of getting off the meal plan can be arduous, to say the least. From the ten students I met with who tried to get off the meal plan, most received no guidance on how to go about this process, and only one student reported a quick and easy resolution to her request.

But for the other nine, they were not clearly told what qualifies as a disability and routinely passed off to other staff, and their requests went unanswered for days, sometimes over a week, at a time.

Even if a student proves they cannot be accommodated by Val, there is no guarantee that they’ll get off the meal plan. Senior Felix Castro, frustrated from a lack of guidance and straightforward answers, said that he refused to eat for two weeks to expedite the process.

Another student, a junior, reported that he had been approved to get off the meal plan due to a medical condition and was told he’d stay off the meal plan in the future, which turned out not to be the case when Amherst went back on its decision the following year. Yet another student, a junior, decided to move off campus and away from friends, an undesirable inconvenience, as a last resort to get off the meal plan after having been denied multiple times. It worked.

The real issue is not Valentine nor the meal plan, both valid criticisms of the college in their own right. Rather, it is the treatment of students who want to get off the meal plan. I was beside myself when a sophomore showed me emails from the administration ignoring his medical condition, because he did not know how

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to respond to vaguely-worded questions about his condition over email. He should have been asked to come in and discuss the issue face-toface with the Accessibility Services Manager. Instead, he was strung along for over month from the five different staff members he reached out to.

I got a taste of this disorganization over the past three weeks as I tried setting up meetings with administration to hear their side of the issue. Of the eight college staff and administrative members of Dining Services and Student Affairs I reached out to, only Thompson and Weinman responded promptly. Another agreed to answer questions posed via email, but never got back to me after I sent my questions. Another administrator dismissed me after making me wait a week for a response, and two never bothered responding at all. It is the college’s job to respond to students promptly, honestly and earnestly.

Currently, it seems we need to start hiring employees whose sole purpose is to answer the inquiries of students, because the unresponsiveness is bordering on ridiculous.

Whether this is a symptom of disorganization, carelessness or being understaffed, the administration needs to step up its game.

This doesn’t mean appeasing the whim of every student, but rather to answer student queries promptly, provide clear instructions, offer straight answers and show a little sympathy. I know there must be plenty of instances where this does happen, but it’s disturbing to hear so many stories to the contrary.

We need a culture change. Students must be more involved with school policies, through transparency from administration and participation from students. If students are complacent in addressing issues they think don’t directly impact them, such as the meal plan, and if administration continues to run the school without acknowledging student needs, student life will deteriorate. So, let’s do the opposite of that. It sounds almost too easy, which leads me to believe that perhaps I’m too naïve or uninformed to understand the weight of the issue I’m addressing. However, if the Senior Fairy Godparent exists, my graduating wish would be that we at least give it a try.

If you want to write, email squong18@amherst.edu or kchian20@amherst.edu

Arts&Living

Photos courtesy of Madison Carbone ’17 and Paola Garcia-Prieto ’18

Tobin and Carbone’s pieces are displayed in the Eli Marsh Gallery in Fayerweather. There will be a reception celebrating the artists on Thursday, April 27th at 4:30 p.m.

Studio Art Senior Theses Explore Identity Through Abstract Art Lorelei Dietz ’20 Staff Writer Abstract artwork boils an idea, a thought or an emotion down to its basic essence. But its universal aspect can also be frustrating because it lacks individuality, an intimacy that brings one closer to the artist. Abstraction generalizes emotion, simplifying it to a universally shared kernel. But no one experiences their sorrows and blisses the same way.

To generalize the emotional experience is to make it recognizable to everyone but not belong fully to any particular person.

In her work, Amanda Tobin ’17, while remaining true to the abstract ideal, differs in that each emotion and concept portrayed is so uniquely hers and intimate. We can immediately associate specific overarching emotions with her work, but each piece contains a varied set of nuances and eccentricities that makes it distinctly hers. The energy and the personality that generated this work are uniquely present in each aspect of her piece.

A common thread throughout her work is the use of string. The twine glides seamlessly, unobtrusively in some pieces, but it becomes wadded in others. In one, the twine wraps around the loose, rough-edged canvas to warp it slightly. Because of thread’s power of connection, we associate it often with the

continuity of our lives and our connections to other people. At times, our lives and our connections are straightforward. At other times, it tangles like a Gordon knot. But what is so interesting about the string that physically changes the shape of the canvas in the present moment is the idea of the past shaping the moment experienced now. One can see the thread as the past, everything that has led up to this point, and this thread leads up the point with which the viewer interacts at any moment. The thread thus parallels how our pasts actively shape our current experiences.

The intimacy comes through, especially in Tobin’s interaction with her religion in the pieces. A prime example of this is “And the Darkness Shall Never Overcome It” (a title taken directly from the Bible). In this piece, a golden-rod yellow sprawl of paint trickles down and touches the smoky peak of a black counterpart rising from the bottom of the canvas. The yellow seems solid, permanent, like gold, whereas the black seems ephemeral, which reflects its religious title. The yellow’s position at the top of the canvas also reflects its superior position to the darkness. Its composition invokes “let there be light,” since the light and darkness race to meet at their peaks, frozen at the moment before impact. One feels as if they are a moment away from a big bang, the creation that begins as soon as light

makes contact with the darkness.

In strikingly different ways, both Tobin’s and senior Madison Carbone’s theses examine identity. Tobin’s radiates from the inside, describing identity through the lens of tailored emotions and personal faith, whereas Carbone’s works from the outside, showing how our bodies shape our identities. A visually eloquent example of this is Carbone’s piece, comprised of a mirror with swarms of what we can assume are black fingerprints crowding the surface. In the center is a black oval that echoes the smaller shapes surrounding it. Both mirrors and fingerprints are different ways of identification. Fingerprints are a way for the system to identify someone, like a barcode. But a mirror is the way in which we identify and learn about ourselves. The viewer can stand in front of the piece so that the black oval completely consumes their head, symbolic of how the system choosing to identify one (through one’s fingerprints, through one’s body) overwhelms them and prevents them from seeing and identifying their true self, reflected in the mirror.

Rather than pressing her emotions into the canvas, Carbone presses her body, leaving Rorschach inkblot-type marks on her largest piece of the installation. Inkblots, and the shapes we find in them, appear different to the individuals observing them. Per-

haps the inkblot representation of her body suggests the moment of interpretation each person possesses when looking at an actual body. It suggests that a way a person’s body is identified and interpreted largely depends on the frame of mind of the viewer. Carbone includes a series of photographs depicting bodies enrobed in black-and-white paint, even one showing a moment of her working on the Rorschach-esque piece. The exhibit juxtaposes these photographs with the bodystamped piece. In the photographs, the paint largely highlights and takes the true form of the body as it clings to the skin. However, on the canvas, the shape of the body depends largely on how the paint lays and dries. In this way, the shape of the body depends on the paint. We see the body defined and being defined in two different ways with two different outcomes. Yet each is a valid definition of the body.

The hard work Carbone and Tobin have put into their theses is undeniable. This is compounded with the work it takes to allow one’s self to be vulnerable and open. It is not possible to relay in a scanty article the thoughtfulness and beauty of their work. The theses appeal to the viewer aesthetically but also connect with them emotionally.

They will be displayed in the Eli Marsh Gallery until May 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Amherst Student • April 26, 2017

Arts & Living 7

Amherst Chalkwalk: Burgueño ’19 Bridges Campus and Town that you don’t assume that people are able to buy chalk. I got local businesses involved, so I went door-to-door with the local businesses and told them about the chalkwalk. So I got really generous donations from four of them, which I’m going to compile. For example, Pita Pockets donated two free falafel pockets and Amherst Cinema gave some movie tickets. I’m going to put those together along with T-shirts that I made, because I made T-shirts, and I’m going to make a People’s Choice Prize.

Photo courtesy of Helena Burgueño

Burgueño got the inspiration for the ChalkWalk this Saturday from a similar festival at her high school and one in New Haven that she attended with her father.

Julia Pretsfelder ’18 Managing Arts and Living Editor I sat down with Helena Burgueño ’19 who organized the Amherst ChalkWalk — an artistic, community-wide event taking place on downtown Amherst sidewalks this Saturday 4/29.

Q: Could you give a basic description of your ChalkWalk?

A: I’m working on The Amherst ChalkWalk, which is a festival happening this Saturday, April 29. I’d like to think of it as a daylong celebration in downtown Amherst of sidewalk chalk and spring in the town of Amherst. So part of my idea was that there are different groups in Amherst. There are Amherst College students, UMass Amherst students, families [and] older people, and we all sort of just coexist but don’t really interact with each other.

So I wanted to create a community event that would bring people together sort of. It’s been varying degrees of success in terms of getting people involved. There will be people and artists of all ages and experience levels drawing

on the sidewalks. And then on the common there will be badminton and croquet and music.

I wanted there to be stuff going on in Amherst, and the farmer’s market will be up as well, so I’m hoping it’ll be a pretty fun day.

Q: How did you come up with the ChalkWalk?

A: At my high school, we had an annual event — basically the only fun thing that my high school did — which was the chalk festival.

And we drew outside all day on the sidewalks and in our courtyard. Then this summer I went to the first annual chalk festival in New Haven, and it was super fun. I drew a lot with my dad, and we won a gift card to a local restaurant. And it was beautiful and sunny and I thought it was something that would translate to Amherst really well. So that’s been a goal as an outside project of the year, which has become my obsession. High school was fun, but New Haven was really a model that I could follow in town. There were people of all ages participating and chalk available so

Q: What was the hardest part of your project?

A: Getting things rolling was a little bit difficult. I did this by myself, so I reached out to a couple of the arts commissions in Amherst who were so incredibly helpful. And these two people from the Public Arts Commission named Renee and Amy who run the Amherst Art Walk met with me multiple times at The Works every week. They owed me absolutely nothing, but they were so generous with their time, which was so incredible. They pointed me in the right direction. Again, getting the ball rolling was kind of difficult. I had to apply for a grant from the state of Massachusetts and ended up getting some grant money, which was the majority of my budget. It’s been an ongoing project, but it really started the week after we got back from winter break.

It’s been really great because I’ve felt super stuck at Amherst College, and I didn’t know town very well. But this project has been a great excuse to walk around and go to local businesses and talk to people. It’s been really fun. My goal for this project in the long term is that’d become an annual event. Ideally, it would be more official and sponsored by the town. I think it may be smaller this year, but there are a range of ages.

Q: What arts do you do?

A: I’m a film major, and I like painting, but I’m not very good at it. My favorite medium is construction paper, and I really like paper crafting, But the reason I like chalk in particular [is] because I think it’s very universal in the sense that it’s a material you associate with childhood. People are less intimidated by it.

Not everyone has had a childhood where they

use chalk on the sidewalk, but I think the association makes people less intimidated by using it. I also like the outdoorsy and public aspect of it. It’s also a very temporary thing, so it’s just there and gone and just a beautiful, communal moment where there’s chalk around town. It’s a very approachable medium that people don’t feel that they need to have much skill to have.

Q: Do you think the other mediums you practice are less accessible?

A: I think film is more technical, and painting we associate with fine art in a museum. I can’t do that. Ninety percent of the population can’t do that. Paper crafting is just random, and people don’t really think about it, but it’s really fun. I’m waking up at 6 a.m. to mark off areas of the sidewalk, and the sidewalks in Amherst are really weird, like all different sizes and angles. So I’m going to mark off some by the Amherst dorms and some around the common and near the bus stop on the other side and down towards the main strip down South Pleasant and potentially down the side

by Johnny’s Tavern. I have just been walking around town looking for good places for people to draw on.

Q: Do you think that living in an arts community has helped you with your art?

A: I feel very uncomfortable calling myself an artist or a musician because I think that’s a disservice to people who actually are artists or musicians. I love art and crafty things, and I love playing music. But I don’t think it’s a craft I practice, but I think Marsh makes me feel like I’m a part of a community, doing art for the sake of getting better or practicing. It’s also just made me more comfortable saying, “Yes, I am a filmmaker.”

Q: What do you think we can do to have more art on Amherst’s campus?

A: One of the super frustrating things about Amherst is that people complain about how there’s nothing to do but then never show up to things. By being present at arts events, you’re showing that you think that they’re important.

It’s also a great way to collaborate. But showing up and knowing you’re in a group of people who are interested in similar things is a start.

Reproductive Justice Alliance Hosts “Trails Towards Solidarity” 5K or run is their first big public event, organized

by Katherine Stanton ’18, Alisa Barjamovic ’18, Julia Pretsfelder ’18 and Emily Goore ’17.

We interviewed two of these proactive women who spoke about their inspiration and hopes for this event.

Photo courtesy of Kelley Baumann ’19

The Reproductive Justice Alliance was founded by two students after the 2016 election, this will be their first public fundraiser to support reproductive rights.

Paola Garcia-Prieto ’18 Managing Arts and Living Editor The recently-founded Reproduction Justice Aliance is organizing a 5K trail run or walk here at Amherst to raise funds for the “Prison Birth Project.” The PBP, based in Holyoke, supports and educates formerly incarcerated mothers and “trans*” parents about reproductive justice and community organizing regarding the intersections between parenting and the criminal justice system. Sam O’

Brien ’18 and Kamini Ramlakhan ’17, two staff members at the Women’s and Gender Center, founded the RJA in the wake of the new presidential administration. One of their first events was organizing a trip to the Women’s March on Washington and hosting a panel afterwards. They have been working on a variety of projects — from assisting local groups like the Prison Birth Project with childcare at fundraisers to making and selling necklaces to sell to fund donations towards Planned Parenthood. After this work all semester, the 5K walk

Sam O’Brien: Kamini Ramlakhan ’17 and I founded RJA in November 2016, when we had to confront our feelings of helplessness in the face of the new president-elect and wanted to turn the dial up on the activist work that we were previously involved in at the Women’s and Gender Center. We recognized the ways in which his rhetoric (and policy proposals, if you could call them that) threatened almost everyone, not in separate, discrete ways but in overlapping, mutually reinforcing ways. The rhetoric of a “women’s” movement or “women’s” march, in our opinion, did not square with our intersectional feminist approach to social justice. We were skeptical of potential white feminism, trans-exclusionary feminism, as well as the narrow-mindedness that comes with fixating on a single issue rather than looking at the broader picture. Kamini and I decided to create the Reproductive Justice Alliance because of our refusal to “pick” a single issue — rather than focus on “women’s rights” or “immigrant rights,” we opted for an intersectional approach. The three tenants of Reproductive Justice (those being (1) the right to parent, (2) the right not to parent, (3) the right to raise your child in a safe and healthy environment) capture essentially everything Trump’s rhetoric serves to undermine. We hope to build a movement of community organizing as well as local and national activism. This has, in the

past, involved attending marches, participating in phone banks and making necklaces to raise money for Planned Parenthood. One of our main projects in the community is to raise money for and volunteer with the Prison Birth Project, a local non-profit organization that helps reintegrate formerly incarcerated people (particularly women of color and trans folk) back into the community. The organization also engages in political advocacy, fighting to end shackle births as well as fighting to reverse the overall trend of criminalizing these women of color and trans people for non-violent crimes, namely drug addiction.

Katherine Stanton: The Reproductive Justice Alliance wanted to host an event on campus to not only raise awareness to the student body about the issue of reproductive justice, but also raise money for a local nonprofit. We thought that a 5K run/walk would be a great way to get members of the community involved. All of the funds raised will go to the Prison Birth Project, an organization that works to support currently and formerly incarcerated mothers and trans* parents. To plan this 5K, we have gotten into contact with many groups on campus, including athletic teams, affinity groups and the Office of Student Activities, in order to create an inclusive, widely attended, exciting event for the great spring weather! After finding a good trail and securing funds, we designed and ordered T-shirts, and have been recently working to register people and collect donations. We hope the 5K will be a fun event in support of a vastly important group, and we are so happy that the Amherst community is getting involved.

Arts & Living 8

The Amherst Student • April 26, 2017

“The Lost City of Z” Offers an Original Synthesis of Movie Tropes

Photo courtesy of robsten26.blogspot.fr

Robert Pattinson and Charlie Hunnam star in Gray’s newest indie film. Gray also wrote and directed “The Immigrant” with Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix.

Youngkwang Shin ’19 Staff Writer The kind of films shown in smaller local movie theaters such as Amherst Cinema possess a unique and identifiable mood to them.

True, there is remarkable diversity in both content and origin not found in the box offices, but such an abundance of life is communicated in an equally rarified manner.

The films almost always nibble at life, reluctant to chow down upon any grand sweeping statements about society or the universe. In the worst cases, it is an absence of ambition garbed as aesthetic, a feature-length production in pursuit of the veneer of profundity while repulsed by the dirt of such depths. For all its flaws, “The Lost City of Z” does not fall prey to such proclivities and presents itself as an undeniably entertaining and occasionally

moving counterpoint to the norms of its ilk.

The differences represented in “The Lost City of Z” go against the grain of most small cinematic releases. It is a tale of mystery and discovery that shuns the fads of the modern adventure and deliberately throws itself headlong into the past. Specifically, “The Lost City of Z” finds itself in the fervor of imperial Europe’s charting and mapping of the so-called “New World,” with a contemporary perspective that sympathizes with the darkness on the adjacent side of the “Sun That Never Set.” Lieutenant Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett is the hero of this revisionist expedition, but first he is the son of a disgraced aristocrat.

The promise of starting anew grips him as it did so many of his historical peers, and his unwavering belief in the existence of the titular lost city of Z amid the Amazon rainforests seems more than a little tinged by his personal and economic desperation.

A more conventionally conscious film would have focused on the duality of Fawcett’s character, exploring how his pressing need to escape the stifling orthodoxies of home inevitably and ironically hemorrhage into the destruction of equally complex and nuanced human beings abroad. And that movie, with the kind of eye for beauty and detail demonstrated by this film, would have been well worth the price of admission. The set-up, as it turns out, is even richer in its complexity.

For one, Fawcett is convinced of the humanity of the indigenous people he finds in the Amazon. If the filmmaker was attempting to uncover the colonialist implications of his personal desire, then the end result was remarkably sloppy.

More importantly, the film deprives Fawcett’s quest to the Amazon of any lasting, redemptive dignity. That is to say, there is nothing honorable or morally grave about the lieutenant colonel’s quest, largely because he keeps coming back, and his constant return is the true center of drama. “The Lost City of

Z,” in a sense, is a massive red herring, the exotic fetishism of the imperialist era only feeding into its misdirecting mystique. The real lost city is Fawcett’s own home, as he becomes alien to his own family and upbringing and more and more entranced by the initially shocking fulfillment of his dreams. It is more akin to “Heart of Darkness” or “Apocalypse Now,” with less blood and napalm, in that it tracks the transformation of the white everyman in the mysterious lands across the big lake.

The ravished obsession with which the camera shoots the Amazon rainforest emphasizes the dangerous beauty of the land that overwhelms the lieutenant colonel. Even in the loudest moments of spectacle, the green that hangs back never fails to engage the idlest eye and remind the viewer of the relentless, unfamiliar world. That charisma of the Amazon, however, is the one quality that does not quite rub onto Fawcett. He is more than competently acted, and the script is tight enough to endow his role with sufficient interest as to not hinder the unfolding of the long and expansive story. But simultaneously, there is a real sense that the background is overwhelming the foreground, and as much as that fact is a compliment on the former, it is also a partial indictment of the latter.

Yet as much as one can rag on the minute-pacing issues, the bloated episodes in between, and the sense that the film relies too heavily on the power of its premise, “The Lost City of Z” accomplishes a deeply original synthesis among the contemporary indie sensibility, the classic adventure tale and gravitas of the “true story” period drama. More than the mere sum of its derivative parts, it shines as a symbol of the familiar creativity of remix culture and rings a message of pulpy achievement in a time and arena of emotionally remote independent ventures. Watching this movie is its own kind of discovery, and the movie-going world is better for it.

‘Blonded Radio’: Recluse Frank Ocean Continues Releasing Music acteristically fun verses. Some might complain that the lyrics lack Ocean’s usual depth, since the song mostly focuses on spending money and having wild nights. However, the aim of the song is not really to inspire critical thought butw to be a fun, light pop hit. Overall, the track is addictive and well put together, especially considering the differing styles of each artist.

Photo courtesy of hit-channel.com

Ocean did not release full albums for years after hit Channel Orange, but he has already dropped five singles in 2017 on Blonded Radio featuring stars like Jay-Z. Hugh Ford ’20 Staff Writer Frank Ocean is known as one of the most frustratingly reclusive artists today. After releasing the critically-acclaimed “Channel Orange” in 2012, the Odd Future singer quickly became one of the biggest names in R&B. Fans anticipated a second album after an announcement from Ocean in 2013. However, the album — or rather albums — would not arrive until 2016. Despite the successes of “Endless and Blonde,” fans were annoyed at the four-year gap between releases with no solo work in between.

Nevertheless, in 2017, Frank Ocean seems to be turning over a new leaf. Over the past few months, Ocean has released three new singles, been featured on a collaboration, and revised one of his previous songs. The releases have primarily come from his Beats 1 radio show, “Blonded Radio,” which premiered on Febru-

ary 24 this year. The first episode featured the collaboration “Slide,” a Calvin Harris song featuring Ocean and Migos. “Slide” immediately made waves in the music world, combining the hype of Migos’ recent 2017 album “Culture” with the star power of both Ocean and Calvin Harris. Since the first show, Ocean has consistently premiered new music on each episode of “Blonded Radio.” Here is a breakdown of the new tracks: 1. Slide (“Blonded Radio” Episode 1) “Slide” pairs Ocean with a completely new sound — fast-paced dance-pop. However, he meshes well with his new surroundings. In fact, every artist holds his own on this track. Ocean intros the track by revisiting the high-pitched autotune of “Nikes,” then follows up with a crooning verse over Calvin Harris’ bouncy production. The track blends perfectly from Ocean to Migos, and Quavo and Offset deliver char-

2. Chanel (“Blonded Radio” Episode 2) On “Chanel,” Ocean returns to his more introspective self. Over a slow drum track, he reflects on his sexuality, using the Chanel logo to illustrate his attraction to multiple genders.

Ocean also uses the opportunity to meditate on wealth, fame and racial profiling, integrating these topics seamlessly over the track. His melodic voice and the slow tempo of the song give it a mesmerizing effect. The song also comes with a remix from rapper A$AP Rocky, who adds a verse at the end. Rocky surprisingly matches Ocean’s flow pretty well but doesn’t add much to the song.

3. Biking (feat. Jay Z & Tyler the Creator) (“Blonded Radio” Episode 3) For his second 2017 single, Ocean recruits former collaborators Jay Z and Tyler the Creator.

Ocean worked with Jay Z on his 2012 “Watch the Throne” collaboration with Kanye West and his 2013 album “Magna Carta Holy Grail.” As part of Tyler the Creator’s hip-hop collective Odd Future, Ocean has appeared on numerous tracks with Tyler. Jay Z opens “Biking” with a muted verse about the cyclical nature of life and wealth over a mellow piano track. Ocean then takes over, singing over acoustic guitar strums.

The real highlight of the track, however, is Tyler the Creator’s verse. Tyler’s low voice adds to the mellow atmosphere, and it perfectly fits with the biking theme of the song. The song isn’t entirely mellow, however. Ocean seems overwhelmed by life at times. This is exemplified by the outro, in

which Ocean practically screams the same lines over and over.

4. Lens (“Blonded Radio” Episode 4) Like “Chanel,” “Lens” also has two versions.

One features only Ocean, while the remix includes a verse from Houston rapper Travis Scott at the end. “Lens” is a somewhat minimalistic song, mostly comprised of Frank Ocean’s vocoded vocals and a simple backing track. Despite its apparent simplicity, the production is smooth. Ocean’s vocoding also works well with Travis Scott, who is famous for his own use of autotune. The theme of the song, being in the spotlight, is fairly simplified in this song compared with much of Ocean’s other work, and the sound doesn’t necessarily push any artistic boundaries. Yet, it’s still enjoyable and beautiful.

5. Slide On Me (feat. Young Thug) (“Blonded Radio” Episode 5) Only a day after “Blonded Radio” Episode 4, Ocean took to the airwaves again for Episode 5.

This time, he delivered a remix of the track “Slide On Me” that appeared on the 2016 visual album Endless. This new song features new verses from Young Thug. Young Thug, known for his unique vocalizations in rap, harmonizes well with the acoustic production sounds. Ocean’s part of the song remains basically the same except for cuts to the intro and changes in the mixing. Endless was criticized by some for being “unfinished,” so this new remix may hint at more “complete” versions of other songs from the album.

It is still impossible to tell what this series of releases represents in the grand scheme of Frank Ocean’s career. Some songs such as “Chanel” could easily be on an album, while others like “Lens” could just be throwaways. Despite the lack of context, it is always interesting to hear the continued artistic exploration of Frank Ocean — especially after the previous drought.

Sports 9

Men’s Track Impresses with Individual PRs at Trinity Invite Veronica Rocco ’19 Staff Writer

Katie Bergamesca ’18 Staff Writer The Amherst women’s lacrosse team collected a huge 9-6 victory this past Saturday against archrival Williams College, a crucial win as it secured the Mammoths a spot in the upcoming NESCAC tournament.

Although Amherst was on the attack for majority of the first half, an impressive performance from Williams goalie Margaret Draper kept the Mammoths at bay for large swathes of the game.

However, senior Claire Cagnassola opened the scoring a little less than ten minutes into the half, capitalizing on an assist from Annie Cohen ’19.

Williams responded with two consecutive goals to take the lead at the 15:31 mark, but Julia Crerend ’18 evened the score off a feed from Cagnassola with 5:37 remaining in the half.

With less than a minute to go before the halftime buzzer sounded, Kelly Karczewski ’18 ripped a deadly accurate shot at the net, catching Draper on her heels and giving the Mammoths the advantage going into intermission.

Amherst came out strong in the second half with first-year Hannah Fox hitting the nylon twice before three minutes had ticked off the clock, giving the Mammoths a 5-2 edge with 27:16 left in the game.

Undeterred, the Ephs roared back, notching three consecutive goals to tie up the game at the 12:14 mark. Crerend and Fox helped put Amherst back on top, scoring an unassisted goal each less than a minute apart.

Williams scored once more before a textbook goal from Dakota Foster ’18 off a dish from Fox and an insurance goal from Crerend sealed the victory for the Mammoths.

Fox was a force in the hard-fought battle against the Ephs, registering three goals, two

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios

Claire Cagnassola ‘17 scored a goal and notched an assist against the Ephs.

Women’s Track Gets Four FirstPlace Showings at Trinity Invite Laura Greer ’20 Staff Writer The Amherst women’s track and field team traveled to Trinity on Saturday, April 22 to compete in the Trinity College Invitational.

Marking the final regular season meet before the postseason, the Mammoths had several first place finishes amongst strong competition.

In the 100-meter dash, Anna Buford ’20 and Katherine Hom ’19 finished back-to-back in 14th and 15th with times of 13.63 seconds and 14.11 seconds, respectively.

In the 200-meter dash, sophomore Rubii Tamen finished 10th with a time of 27.37 seconds.

Tamen continued her impressive showing in the 400-meter race, clinching one of the Mammoths’ first-place finishes of the day with a time of 59.44 seconds. Hom also secured a top-ten finish in the 400 meters, claiming seventh in 1:05.04.

Leonie Rauls ’18 took first in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:18.87. The Mammoths claimed two other top-ten finishes in the race.

Junior Kaeli Mathias earned sixth, and firstyear Sylvia Frank earned seventh with times of 2:24.11 and 2:25.04, respectively.

In the 1,500-meter run, Lela Walter ’19 placed fourth overall in the 39-woman race, notching a time of 4:56.95. Senior Sophie Currin crossed the line in 10th with a time of 5:04.80.

Veronica Rocco ’19 continued Amherst’s string of top-10 finishes by placing ninth in the 5,000-meter run, registering a time of 20:01.50.

Amherst’s sole runner in the 400-meter hurdles, Danielle Griffin ’18, finished in 1:10.14 to claim fifth place.

The Mammoths dominated in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Kristin Ratliff ’20 won with a time of 11:30.78, while Savanna Gornisiewicz ’17 claimed second place in 11:33.07, 30 seconds ahead of the third-place runner. Cat Lowden ’17 also placed sixth with a time of 12.09.62.

The 4x100 relay of Ferguson-Dryden, Buford, Tamen and Kiana Herold ’17 placed third with a time of 52.29.

In the field events, Herold continued her dominance in the high jump, finishing first out of fifteen competitors with a jump of 1.62 meters.

In the triple jump, sophomores Emily Flaherty and Yrenly Yuan finished fifth and ninth overall, respectively, with leaps of 9.80 meters and 8.98 meters.

Rounding out the field events, FergusonDryden placed eighth in the javelin throw with a throw of 31.48 meters, surpassing her seeding mark of 30.06 meters.

The Mammoths will return to action on Saturday, April 29 when they begin the postseason with NESCAC Championships at Bowdoin College, a meet scheduled to start at 9 a.m.

Last weekend, the men’s track and field team traveled to Trinity to compete at the Trinity College Invitational. The unscored meet gave the Mammoths an opportunity to tuneup for next weekend’s NESCAC Championships, which will be hosted by Bowdoin.

The meet kicked off with Aziz Khan ’18 competing in the preliminary round of the 100-meter dash, where he qualified for the eight-person final with a time of 11.39 seconds. In the final, he matched his preliminary round time to place sixth overall.

Both Yonas Shiferaw ’20 and Maxim Doiron ’19 qualified for the 110-meter hurdles final, where the hurdles duo placed fourth and sixth, respectively.

First-year Estevan Velez ran to victory in the 1,500-meter run, finishing the metric mile in 4:04.

In the last 200 meters of the race, Velez sprinted

by Trinity and Tufts competitors to claim first place. Not far behind him was Jacob Silverman ’19, who ran a time of 4:10 to place fifth.

In the 400-meter dash, juniors David Ingraham and Harrison Haigood ran 52.40 and 53.03 seconds, respectively.

Ermias Kebede ’19 and Alex Mangiafico ’20 followed up last weekend’s strong performances in the 800 meters with strong performances once again, covering the two-lap race in times of 2:00 and 2:06, respectively.

Haigood led Amherst in the 200-meter dash, sprinting to a sixth-place finish with a time of 23.42 seconds. Just behind him was classmate Ingraham, who covered the half-lap in 23.66 seconds.

In the 5,000-meter run, senior Ben Fiedler had a career day, setting a new personal best in the race by five seconds with a time of 15:19. Fiedler

placed second to several time All-American Tim Nichols of Tufts. With his excellent run, he also qualified for Division III New England Championships.

Junior Aaron Zambrano had an exceptional day as well, running 15:44 to set a new personal best by 26 seconds.

In the field, Jack Dufton ’19 was the lone Amherst competitor in the high jump, leaping 1.74 meters to place fifth. First-year Jordan Edwards had another standout day in the horizontal jumps, winning the triple jump with a mark of 13.06 meters and placing second in the long jump with a leap of 6.15 meters.

Sam Amaka ’18 placed fourteenth in the shot put with a throw of 11.27 meters and eighth in the hammer throw with a toss of 41.84 meters. Cornell Brooks ’19 was the lone Amherst competitor in the discus, finishing 15th with a throw of 28.95 meters.

“There were some good performances, but I know a lot of us were hoping for better results in our events,” said Ingraham. “We’re going to come out strong for NESCACs next weekend and I’m confident that it’ll be a strong meet for both the sprint and distance squads.”

Next weekend, the Mammoths will travel to Bowdoin for the NESCAC Championships, where Amherst is limited to three entries per event. Amherst will also have three wild card entries that coaches Luke Maher and Selwyn Maxwell can use at their discretion to enter another Amherst competitor in an event.

To compete at the NESCAC Championships, athletes must achieve the meet-qualifying standard, which is the most relaxed of the postseason meets. At NESCACs, athletes will look to score points for the Mammoths and also qualify for the Division III New England Championships and Open New Englands, which will both be hosted by rival Williams.

Women’s Tennis Splits Pair of Conference Matches at Home Scout Boynton ’20 Staff Writer This weekend, the Amherst women’s tennis team played against Wesleyan and Hamilton on Saturday, April 22 and Sunday, April 23. On Saturday, the 12th-ranked Mammoths fell to the sixth-ranked Cardinals 7-2, and on Sunday, the Amherst women celebrated senior day with a sweep of the Continentals. After the weekend, the Mammoths stand at 6-7 on the season and 4-3 in the NESCAC. In the matchup against Little III rival Wesleyan, Amherst took one doubles win and one singles victory, but the Mammoths were unable to muster any other victories. In doubles play, Anya Ivenitsky ’20/Avery Wagman ’18 found success on the second court, defeating Dasha Dubinsky/Julia Kim, 8-3.

On the first court Camille Smukler ’20/ Kelsey Chen ’19 were defeated 8-2 by reigning national singles champion Eudice Chong and her partner Victoria Yu. Claire Carpenter ’17/ Megan Adamo ’17 were likewise unable to pull out a win on the third court, losing 8-3.

The sole purple and white singles victory came on the sixth court, where Wagman topped Dubinsky, 6-7, 7-6, 13-11. Smukler and Chen fell 6-1, 6-3 and 6-1, 7-5 on the first and second courts, respectively. On the third court, Ivenitsky lost to Aashli Budhiraja, 6-4, 6-0, and Adamo lfell to Helen Klass-Warch on court No. 4, 6-4, 7-5. The Cardinals claimed their last point of the day when Camilla Trapness ’19 lost a tight match to Nicole McCann on court No. 5, 7-5, 7-5.

On Sunday, the Mammoths returned home to celebrate their seniors, Adamo, Carpenter and Lola Fadulu against Hamilton. Smukler/ Chen clinched a 9-7 victory on the first doubles court and Ivenitsky/Wagman won their

match 8-1. The senior duo of Adamo/Carpenter completed the Mammoths’ doubles sweep, posting an 8-0 shutout victory.

In singles play, Ivenitsky edged Claire Keyte 7-5, 6-2 on the first court and Trapness came out on top in a 6-2, 7-5 match against Winnie Tang on the second court. On court No. 3, Adamo posted a 6-2, 6-0 win, and Jen Chen beat Iona Forrester on court No. 4, 6-1, 6-0. In spots No. 5 and 6, Wagman and Carpenter powered past their competition, each winning in consecutive 6-0 sets.

“We lost a tough match to Wesleyan on Saturday,” Wagman said. “They were a very strong team, but everyone fought hard in both singles and doubles. After losing Saturday, it was nice to end the weekend on a high note by beating Hamilton on senior day!”

The Mammoths will wrap up their regular season play on Saturday, April 29 when they travel to face No. 3 Middlebury College. The match is slated to begin at 1 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios

Kelsey Chen ‘19 put up a strong showing Saturday against Wesleyan.

10

Sports

The Amherst Student • April 26, 2017

Softball Goes 2-2 On Week, Bests Williams on Senior Day

ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT

Nathan Kaplan ’20

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios

Sammy Salustri ‘19 went 7-16 last week, good for a .438 batting average.

Jenny Mazzella ’20 Staff Writer For the first time in nearly a month, the Amherst softball team suffered defeat, going 1-2 in their series against archrival Williams this past weekend, April 22-23, after defeating Keene State earlier in the week. With these results, the Mammoths secured a spot in the NESCAC playoffs and their record now stands at 24-8 overall and 10-2 in conference play.

On Wednesday, April 19, the Mammoths defeated Keene State 9-8. The Owls took an early lead, scoring five runs in the first inning.

Amherst responded in the bottom of the frame by scoring a run, cutting the lead to 5-1.

The Mammoths scored two more runs in the second inning off back-to-back walks from first-years Andrea Sanders and Kate Kopatic and a sacrifice bunt from Scout Boynton ’20.

Although Keene State scored another run in the third inning, Kopatic tied up the score at 6-6 with a key home run. With the score tied, the game went to extra innings.

Both teams scored in the eighth inning, but Keene State took the lead during the top of the ninth, leaving Amherst down one run. However, Kopatic continued her dominant offensive effort, blasting a two-run walk-off homer to clinch the victory.

Amherst returned to the field over the weekend to play rival Williams in a three-game series. On Saturday, Amherst traveled to Williamstown, where it lost both contests, falling in the first game, 2-1, and in the second game, 5-2.

In game one, Williams took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a solo home run. Amherst responded during the top of the fifth when Sammy Salustri ’19 hit a double to right field, scoring Sanders. Unfortunately, the Ephs scored on a walk-off single, securing the 2-1 victory.

In game two, Williams again took an early 1-0 lead off a solo home run. In the second inning, Williams extended its lead to 5-0 and never relinquished it in their three-run win.

Julia Turner ’19 shouldered the load for the Amherst offense, belting a double and a triple to score the Mammoths’ only two runs of the game.

On Sunday, in the final game of the series, the Ephs traveled to Amherst for the Mammoths’ senior day. Playing on home turf, Amherst defeated Williams, 4-3.

In the game, Amherst was first on the scoreboard after a solo home run from Kopatic in the third inning. Amherst scored again in the fourth inning on a double from Lauren Tuiskula ’17 and a single from Salustri. Williams made a comeback, however, scoring two runs to tie the game in the sixth inning. The Ephs took the lead in the seventh inning, but doubles from Kopatic and Turner tied the score and sent the game into extra innings.

A walk-off double from Sanders, which plated Turner, clinched the victory for Amherst in the bottom of the ninth.

The Mammoths return to action on Wednesday, April 26 for their final non-conference doubleheader against Western New England University.

Favorite Team Memory: Playing pool and ping pong after matches on our spring break trip Favorite Pro Athlete: Roger Federer Dream Job: Working for the World Bank Pet Peeve: When people say “intensive purposes” instead of “intents and purposes” Favorite Vacation Spot: Martha’s Vineyard Something on Your Bucket List: Going scuba diving Guilty Pleasure: Gordon Ramsay cooking demo videos Favorite Food: A Maine lobster roll Favorite Thing About Amherst: The open curriculum How He Earned It: The first year is having a breakout season, playing No. 6 singles and No. 3 doubles for the Mammoths. This past weekend, Kaplan went 4-0 in both his singles and doubles matchups, besting opponents from Bates, Wesleyan and Skidmore College — all ranked teams. Kaplan and his doubles partner Andrew Arnaboldi had their most impressive win against No. 8 Wesleyan, taking the match 8-4 over Steven Chen and Cameron Daniels.

Jamie Gracie ’17 Favorite Team Memory: Beating Williams at Taconic Favorite Pro Athlete: Rory McIlroy Dream Job: Professional dog owner Pet Peeve: Being late Favorite Vacation Spot: Camping at San Elijo, CA Something on Your Bucket List: Going to Australia Guilty Pleasure: Weak puns Favorite Food: Avocados Favorite Thing About Amherst: The golf room How She Earned It: Nabbing first-team all-NESCAC honors in the fall after her three straight top-10 finishes, Gracie has followed up with an impressive spring season. The senior has consistently led the Amherst squad, finishing at the top of the Mammoths’ team behind only first-year Morgan Yurosek.

Gracie had one of her best performances of the season this weekend, shooting a 76 on day one and 75 on day two to finish tied for second-place overall with Yurosek. Her top scores helped Amherst to a first-place finish at the Williams Invitational.

Women’s Golf Finishes Season with Victory at Williams Invite

Men’s Golf Finishes Fourth Overall At Williams Invite Talia Land ’19 Staff Writer This weekend, the Amherst College men’s golf team traveled to NESCAC rival Williams to compete on Saturday and Sunday, April 2223, along with six other teams in the Williams Spring Invitational.

After one day of play, the team posted a score of 318 and sat in fifth place. On day two, however, the team improved their score to 303, to finish in the overall fifth spot.

First-years Will Lonquist and Jeffery Herr led the team with scores of 152 and 153, respectively.

Sophomore Jack Burlison added a 79 on day one and 78 on day two to finish with a solid 157, while Sam Procter ’18 finished with a twoday total of 159.

Nicholas Sullivan ’20 and Jack Klien ’20 rounded out the Mammoths’ totals, with 168 and 174.

The Ephs, taking advantage of their home course, won the tournament with a team total of 577. Trinity and Middlebury finished in second and third place, respectively.

Amherst returns to this same golf course in Williamstown for the Little Three Championship on Wednesday, April 29th.

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios

Sophomore Kate Weiss had a strong showing at the Williams Invitational, shooting a team-low 75 on Saturday and finishing with a score of 156.

Julia Turner ’18 Managing Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Amherst Athletics

Amherst’s individual golfers failed to reach the heights of the fall season.

The Amherst College women’s golf team notched a first-place finish at the Williams Spring Invitational on Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23 to conclude regular season action.

Competing against a six-team field, the Mammoths, led by first-year Morgan Yurosek and senior Jamie Gracie, shot an impressive 304 on day one and a 308 on day two to claim the victory.

Amherst finished the first day six strokes ahead of Williams thanks to standout performances by Kate Weiss (75), Gracie (76) and Yurosek (76).

First-years Jessica Jeong and Emily Young rounded out the first day action with scores of 77 and 83, respectively.

The second day of competition was close, with the Ephs shooting a 307 to Amherst’s 308. The Mammoths’ buffer from the first day, however, proved the difference. Yurosek and Gracie continued to spearhead Amherst’s success, and each shot a 75 on the second day of action.

Jeong matched her score from day one with another 77, while Weiss and Young rounded out the Mammoths’ scoring, by carding rounds of 81 and 82, respectively.

Amherst finished the tournament with a 612, while Williams came in second with 617.

The two Little Three rivals stood out, with the next closest scorer being Middlebury with a 641.

The Mammoths wrap up their spring season with this win, and look forward to carrying their success on to the 2017-2018 season.

The Amherst Student • April 26, 2017

Sports

Men’s Lacrosse Improves to 11-3 with Win Against Williams Mary Grace Cronin ’18 Staff Writer On Saturday, April 22, the Amherst men’s lacrosse team bested NESCAC rival Williams in Williamstown, MA. The 12th-ranked Mammoths outlasted the Ephs, winning by a score of 13-10 to improve to 11-3 overall and 7-2 in conference play.

Evan Wolf ’19 scored the first three goals for Amherst off of passes from Max Keeley ’18 and Jackson Herrick ’20. Although Williams managed to put one past Mammoths goalie Cody Tranbarger ’17, Amherst maintained a slight 3-1 edge after the first frame.

Keeley then started the second quarter with a goal of his own. Although the Ephs quickly responded to cut the deficit to 4-2, another goal from Wolf, this time assisted by Matt Solberg ’20, and a tally from Chris Albanese ’17 pushed the Amherst lead to 6-2.

Williams put two more goals on the board before the halftime to cut the deficit to two, but a goal from Brett Inglesby ’18 gave the Mammoths a 7-4 lead heading into the half.

First-year Colin Minicus continued his strong debut campaign, opening the secondhalf scoring by capitalizing on a pass from se-

nior Matt Killian.

Two quick-response goals from Williams brought the home team within two again before yet another Killian-assisted goal from Minicus pushed the Amherst lead back to three.

In the last fifteen minutes, the Ephs were able to pull within two goals multiple times but couldn’t reduce the deficit more. A bevy of unassisted efforts from Brogan Mahon ’19, Inglesby, Herrick and Albanese were enough to fend off the hard-charging Ephs and give Amherst the hard-fought 13-10 win.

Overall, Williams outshot Amherst 6141, while the Mammoths edged the Ephs in ground balls, 44-29, and faceoffs, 23-4. Dylan Finazzo ’20 led Amherst with an impressive 18 groundballs won as the faceoff man, to improve on his 141 groundballs on the season.

Tranbarger led Amherst’s defensive effort with 11 saves, bringing his season total to 177 saves, second highest among NESCAC goalies.

Amherst next will take on Trinity on Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m. in Hartford, Conn. to close out their regular season. With their success this season in conference play, the Mammoths also look set to host a NESCAC quarterfinal game.

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios

Sophomore Brogan Mahon added one goal against Williams on Saturday.

Baseball Keeps Postseason Hopes Alive with 3-1 Week Julia Turner ’19 Managing Sports Editor Amherst baseball improved their season record this week to 13-11 overall and 6-3 in NESCAC play. The Mammoths took their Hamilton series 2-1 over the Continentals after suffering a tough loss on Friday. The two conference wins on Saturday keep Amherst in the running for postseason play.

On the road all weekend, Amherst suffered a tight 5-4 loss to Hamilton on Friday, April 21, as the Continentals notched two runs in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with the win. Junior Sam Schneider took the loss on the mound for the Mammoths, while Anthony Spina ’17 and Ariel Kenney ’18 both notched extra base hits.

The next day Amherst broke the game open with four runs in the top of the second inning to take a 4-0 lead over Hamilton. Spina started the scoring, blasting a solo homer over the left field wall, before Max Steinhorn ’18 forced a throwing error with two outs to score Kenney and Nick Nardone ’19. To cap the early scoring, Harry Roberson ’18 singled to plate classmate Ryan Hardin.

In the sixth inning, the Mammoths extended their lead to 7-1. Sophomore Chase Henley doubled to score Nardone for the second time that game. In the next at-bat, Hardin came up clutch with a triple to the right field wall to plate Henley and Severino Tocci ’20.

Senior Jackson Volle remains undefeated on the mound for the Mammoths with the win. Volle

notched a full seven innings for a complete game allowing only four hits and one earned run.

The Continentals jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first to start the final game of the series before the Mammoths knotted the score in the next frame. After a slow start, Amherst exploded for seven runs in the sixth inning, five runs in the seventh and a run each in the eighth and ninth to run the score up to 16-3.

George Long ’17 started for the Mammoths, tossing 3.2 innings before sophomore Wilson Taylor entered in relief. Long allowed four hits and one earned run. Taylor impressed for 5.1 innings of relief, giving up only four hits and shutting out the Continentals for the remainder of the game.

The Mammoths finished the week of play with a win over Elms College in a six-inning matchup shortened by rain. Amherst rallied for an early 1-0 lead when Roberson ripped a single up the middle before moving himself to second on a throwing error by the Elms catcher. Roberson crossed the plate during the next at-bat on a single to center from Thanopoulos.

Elms got on the board in the top of the fifth before Thanopolous scored Hardin for his second RBI of the day to seal the victory for the Mammoths. First-year Zach Horowitz tossed four full innings for Amherst, shutting out Elms to earn the win.

The Mammoths take the field again when they collide with Wesleyan on the road Friday, April 28.

Amherst returns home the next day for a double header against the Cardinals on their senior day.

11

Forest’s Fast Take Forest Sisk ’17 Columnist This week marks the start of the spring session of intramural soccer and Forest is all in. With a discussion of each team that will participate, Forest provides an indepth preview of what should be an exhilerating season.

The transition from April to May marks the end of several calendars. Our school year is wrapping up, the NHL and NBA seasons are peaking with playoff action and the European soccer leagues are nearing their ends. However, in the wake of all this “ending,” there is a new beginning. Yes, the Amherst College intramural soccer season is on our doorstep, ready to take the campus by brief and jampacked storm.

This season already presents a red-hot flame that’s sure to endure the two weeks of tournament play. In most seasons, teams play each other in the form of a regular season to determine seeding going into the always-intense playoffs. This spring, cramped by severe time restraints, the games have taken on an entirely different form.

In the spirit of the Russia 2018 World Cup and its prequel, the 2017 Confederations Cup, the league will adopt the classic World Cup format. This structure will have teams facing off in small groups of four in a round robin format.

Teams will play every team in their group once and, when all the dust is settled, the top two teams in each group will move on to the elimination rounds and make a push for the cup.

A mixed bag of teams has entered the fold.

Ten are signed up for the tournament, which outnumbers last season’s team count. With the larger field, the opportunities are endless.

With seven players per side, some of Amherst’s brightest talents will be bounding about Gooding Field, playing their part toward an IM Championship Title.

The defending champions Chap Haus will be returning most of their title-winning side.

Team captain Adam Ellison ’17 is looking forward to extending their reign to the World Cup format.

There’s definitely an air of confidence around the squad based out of Chapman, and the team looks poised to fulfill on these sentiments.

So opponents would not become confused, the next team goes by the name “Our Team.” These hockey women are taking the gloves off and exchanging their blades for studs.

The lethal three-headed monster of Alex Toupal ’18, Jamie McNamara ’19 and Eliza Laycock ’20 will without doubt be chomping the competition. With a supporting cast worthy of an Oscar, these nasty women are ready to take on any group with the gusto of a thousand suns.

The next squad, hailing from across Route Nine, is Turnt Cohan. The Cohan dorm is making a strong push for Amherst dominance and not being shy about it.

As the only co-ed group in the tournament, Turnt Cohan should boast an unbreakable chemistry between the white lines and a nasty defense to boot.

Paul Walker FC pays homage to one of our many lost heroes and his amazing driving skills. This team is fast all across the board.

What they may lack in foot skills, they make up in foot speed. Starting striker Nick Widen ’17 has promised reporters, teammates and his mom that he’ll bag at least ten goals in the tournament.

To put that in perspective, the most goals in a single tournament since Widen’s birth was eight, courtesy of Brazil’s Ronaldo back in 2002. Widen may not have to deliver on his promise to win the cup, though his mother will be disappointed no doubt.

Comprised entirely of first years, the Floss Goblins will be making their first-ever appearance on Gooding Field. While the tour-

nament features mostly upperclassmen rich in experience and alopecia, the Goblins’ young and nubile energy may just be their saving grace.

Hopefully, team leaders Jesus Garcia ’20 and Patrick Friend ’20 will channel this energy into productive play. A true wildcard, the Floss Goblins. Expect the unexpected.

In contrast to inexperience are the vetted Sharkslayers. A team of 15 players, the Sharkslayers is by far the tournament’s largest squad.

They also have years of team experience. One of the most unwavering, unchanging rosters in the league, these aquatic assassins may go even further than they did in seasons past.

The combination of their dynamic interplay in the attacking third and their stalwart back line places the Sharkslayers in the top half of the table.

Grounds crew beware, Mohamed Hussein ’18 may just paint every corner of the field with his bottomless energy. As fans, hope for team captain Takudzwa Tapfuma ’17 to score.

He may just reward us with one of his backflip celebrations.

Splish splash, Nick Nichols was taking a bath. No, I’m not referring to the swim and dive head coach. Well, in a way, I am. The Amherst swim and dive team named their squad after their coach, Nick Nichols. No reports as to whether Nichols will also be at the helm of the soccer side, but you can imagine he’ll be there in spirit regardless.

While team captain Zoe Pappas ’19 has asserted that her disciplinary days are behind her, she may just cost her team vital points if she gets sent off again. Even if they do go down a player, teams will have a difficult time getting past the brick wall center-back duo of Stephanie Moriarty ’18 and Marie Maxwell ’18.

Sophomores unite! The Waka Flocka Last Season was a Flukes, abbreviated to WFLSWAF, are chock-full of talent. The Amherst Student’s very own Nate Quigley ’19 is rostered and looking to publish some peachy crosses from the wide areas.

The team’s leader and prophet, as the name suggests, is none other than Sir Waka Flocka Flame. I’m sure WFLSWAF will carry Waka’s teachings onto the pitch, rendering them a force in the league.

Coming fresh off a National Championship, Prestige Worldwide enters the competition on a high note. The Amherst women’s basketball team shocked the world when they announced their retirement from collegiate basketball to pursue a career in intramural soccer. This group knows how to win games, so be ready for more of that.

The tenth and final team barely got in before registration closed. The Good Brothers just squeezed by their regional qualifier, which allowed them entrance to the big dance.

Sometimes a narrow victory can carry momentum over, which is tough to combat.

By this, I mean of course that they signed up minutes before the deadline.

These hockey fellas will bring tons of energy to the pitch and should be able to adjust to the scruff surface, well different than what they’re used to.

Tyler Granara ’17 and Thomas Lindstrom ’17 will chase down just about anything and are sure to set a high line of pressure that may just discombobulate their opponents into defeat.

All of these teams will strut their stuff in front of setting summer suns on Gooding Field. Don’t be shy.

Come down on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays to see some fireworks. Food and snacks will not be provided.

Sports

Photo courtesy of Clarus Studios

Andrew Arnaboldi ‘17 went 2-0 in doubles play this weekend, posting wins over Wesleyan and Skidmore on the third court with partner Nathan Kaplan ‘20.

Men’s Tennis Win Streak Reaches Nine Games After Perfect 4-0 Weekend Nate Quigley ’19 Managing Sports Editor With an impressive showing of four wins in four contests this past weekend, the Amherst men’s tennis team now boasts a dominant ninegame winning streak. The Mammoths first swept aside Wheaton before eking out a hard-fought win over Wesleyan in a Saturday doubleheader.

On Sunday, Amherst notched another doubleheader sweep, this time against Hamilton and Skidmore.

Against Wheaton, Mammonths coach Todd Doebler chose to send out members of the team who had received less playing time this season, opting to use his top competitors for the later match against Wesleyan. Wheaton proved no match for the Amherst firepower.

Doubles action proved a sign of things to come, with each Amherst duo winning and allowing Wheaton to win only five games across the three courts combined. Indeed, the closest Wheaton came in any match was on the first court, where the Amherst pairing of Chris Paridis ’20 and Justin Sun ’19 still came out ahead with a comfortable 8-3 win. On the remaining two courts, Amherst posted matching 8-1 victories courtesy of Cameron Raglin ’19 and Sam Silver ’17 on court two and Oliver Kendall ’19 and Ben Birkenfeld ’18 on the third court.

GAME SCHE DULE

Singles action held much of the same in store for the Mammoths, who failed to lose a single set.

With a highlight of three 6-0, 6-0 victories from Silver, Raglin and Birkenfeld on courts three through five, respectively, Amherst thoroughly outclassed their in-state opponents.

However, Saturday’s second match against the Cardinals proved to be a much tougher affair, with Mammoths edging their Little III rivals by the slimmest of margins, 5-4.

The war of attrition began on the doubles courts, which saw the Mammoths face a significantly stiffer test than that which Wheaton had provided. The pairing of Andrew Arndaboldi ’17 and Nathan Kaplan ’20 opened the scoring on the afternoon, picking up an 8-4 win on the third court in what proved to be the most comfortable Amherst win on the afternoon. Wesleyan, however, quickly evened the overall match, besting the Amherst first-year duo of Oscar Burney and Josh Marchalik 8-6. The last match, between Zach Bessette ’19/Jasyon Fung ’20 and the Cardinals’ Michael Liu/Jake Roberts, proved to be the defining battle of the contest, with the Amherst pair needing a tie-break to emerge with the slender 9-8 (8-6) win.

The one-point advantage the Mammoths had garnered in doubles play was essential, as the two NESCAC foes split the singles courts, each team taking three victories. With only two matches

WED Men’s Golf Little III Championship @ Williams

THU

taking the minimum two sets, the teams engaged in a series of bruising three-set battles.

Although Amherst fell on the first three courts, with Marchalik losing in two sets and Bessette and Fung downed in three, Amherst’s lower players proved up to the task. On court four, Gabe Owens ’20 picked up Amherst’s sole two-set win, besting Wesleyan’s Joachim Samson 6-3, 7-5. Conditions seemed dire for the Mammoths on the bottom two courts, where Jesse Levitin ’19 and Kaplan each fell in the first set.

However, both managed to recover to win the final two sets, clinching the Amherst win in the process.

Sunday opened with another match in conference play, this time against the Continentals, whose NESCAC record stood at a paltry 0-5 entering the contest. The Mammoths’ superiority was on full display as essentially the same group that had bested Wheaton on Saturday prevailed over Hamilton 7-2.

Again, Amherst dominated doubles play, sweeping all three courts for the early 3-0 advantage. With Jon Heidenberg ’19 taking Paridis’ place as Sun’s partner on the first court, the pairing didn’t miss a step, winning 8-1, while Silver/ Raglin and Kendall/Birkenfeld notched 8-3 and 8-2 victories, respectively.

Singles play proved more of a challenge for the Mammoths, however, with the Continentals

FRI

Men’s Track & Field Baseball Softball vs. Western New England @ Penn Relays, 10 a.m. @ Wesleyan, 4 p.m.

University, 5:30 p.m.

Women’s Lacrosse Softball vs. Western New England vs. Trinity, 2:30 p.m.

University, 3:30 p.m.

Men’s Lacrosse vs. Trinity, 2:30 p.m.

Baseball vs. Nichols, 4 p.m.

managing to pick up a point on both the first and sixth courts, where Arnaboldi and Kendall fell.

However, Amherst managed comfortable two-set victories on the four remaining courts to seal the win and improve to 5-1 in conference play.

The Mammoths closed out their perfect weekend with another close win, this time besting out-of-conference foe Skidmore 6-3. For the 11th consecutive match Amherst emerged from doubles play with the advantage, after Bessette/ Fung on the first court and Arnaboldi/Kaplan on court three squeaked by with 9-7 and 8-6 victories. The Mammoths came close to taking the second court and, with it, the 3-0 sweep in doubles action, but the pair of Burney and Marchalik lost a 9-8 (7-4) heart-breaker.

Amherst, needing only three victories in singles play to clinch the victory, took the bottom four courts in quick succession, with Owens, Fung, Levitin and Kaplan all besting their Thoroughbred opponents. The Mammoths came close to notching a fifth singles victory on court two, but Marchalik lost the last two sets of the match after taking a one-set lead.

With the four wins, Amherst’s win streak now stands at nine game and the Mammoths boast an overall record of 21-3. Amherst will close out regular season play this weekend with home dates against Williams on Saturday, April 29 at 1 p.m. and Middlebury on Sunday, April 30 at 1 p.m.

SAT Men’s Track & Field NESCAC Championships @ Bowdoin, 9 a.m.

Men’s Track & Field NESCAC Championships @ Bowdoin, 9 a.m.

Women’s Tennis @ Middlebury, 1 p.m.

Baseball vs. Wesleyan, 1 p.m.

Men’s Tennis vs. Williams, 1 p.m.

Baseball vs. Wesleyan, 3:30 p.m.

Men’s Golf NESCAC Championship @ Williams