February 3, 2025
Scott at the Summit
The award-winning political journalist visited BC on Saturday to share her personal and professional insights.
By reetu aGNihOtri
Asst. News Editor
Murphy
Although daunting, risks are essential for growth, according to Rachel Scott.
“What if I told you right now that the risk—whatever the first thing that comes to mind right now—is ultimately going to transform what you do in your life and your career?” she said. “It's going to lead to one of your biggest breakthroughs.”
Scott, ABC News’ senior congressional correspondent, shared her experiences as a political journalist and discussed the importance of overcoming self-doubt in a keynote address at the inaugural Boston College Summit, previously referred
BC Seeks an Overdue Beanpot Win
By seBBy FitzGerald
Asst. Sports Editor
No. 1 Boston College men’s hockey nears the final stretch of its season with three goals in mind: win the Beanpot Tournament, win the Hockey East Final, and win the 2025 National Championship Game. Simple, right?
BOSTON
COLLEGE VS. NORTHEASTERN TD Garden
8:00 P.M.
On Monday night, the Eagles kick off what could be their road to glory when they play Northeastern at TD Garden in the 72nd annual Beanpot Tournament.
Coming off back-to-back Beanpot championships, the Huskies will not be afraid to give the Eagles a run for their
See Beanpot, A13
Faced with a never-ending BC bucket list and just a few months until graduation, columnist Pat Connell reflects on the importance of
to as the Women’s Summit, on Saturday.
She has received multiple awards, including a Peabody Award, an Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award, and multiple Emmy Awards. After applying to numerous internships, Scott was selected for the White House Internship Program in 2012, during Barack Obama’s presidency. She credits this experience with parking her passion for political journalism.
Beginning her career as a production associate for ABC News Live in 2016, Scott worked her way up to become a White House and Washington, D.C., correspondent. In 2021, she was appointed the network’s congressional correspondent.
See Summit, A2
BC Files Lawsuit for Stained-Glass Windows
The University claims Urshan University violated federal law by backpedaling on their agreement.
By Nikita Osadchiy Asst. News Editor
Boston College filed a federal lawsuit against Urshan University, alleging the Missouri-based Christian institution violated federal law by breaking an agreement to gift 13 stained-glass windows to BC.
“At the eleventh hour, after Boston College had already incurred expenses in preparing to remove the windows from the property and engaged a contractor to safely remove and restore the windows, Urshan repudiated the agreement without justification, based on its desire to sell the property—including the windows,” BC wrote in a federal complaint.
BC sought to acquire the historic windows—depicting Catholic saints, martyrs,
and religiously significant moments in the history of the Jesuits—to store in its new Catholic Religious Archives.
“The windows are unique and religiously significant, beautifully portraying Jesuit saints and martyrs,” BC wrote in its complaint. “As such, the windows carry particular value to Boston College, a Jesuit, Catholic educational institution seeking to preserve significant Jesuit and Catholic artifacts and history.”
The windows are installed in a chapel on the historic St. Stanislaus Seminary property, which has sat vacant since 2019, when Urshan relocated its primary campus and ceased educational activities there.
DOBC Vogues Through 30 Years of Excellence
By VaNya GarG For The Heights
The Dance Organization of Boston College (DOBC) celebrated its 30th anniversary with an electrifying VOGUE showcase on Friday.
The event brought together dancers and an eager audience to honor three decades of artistry, passion, and community.
From high-energy jazz pieces to emotionally charged contemporary numbers, the night was a testament to the talent and dedication of DOBC’s performers.
From the moment the dancers stepped onto the stage, the energy inside Robsham Theater
was electric. The audience erupted in cheers, a theme that continued throughout the night as each performance brought something new and exciting to the stage.
The show opened with “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summer, a bold and dynamic routine that immediately set the tone for the night.
Dancers took the stage in sleek black leotards adorned with sparkling embellishments and mesh detailing, their movements amplified by an orange-lit backdrop that radiated energy. The choreography was sharp, confident, and perfectly synchronized, making for an unforgettable start.
See DOBC, A10
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller recently outlined the Newton Centre Pilot Plaza Project, sparking worry among business owners who have already been affected by the pre-existing lack of parking in Newton Centre.
The new plaza will clear 16,000 square feet, removing roughly one-fifth of the parking lot currently located on the western side of the Newton Centre Green. While Fuller claims new public parking spaces will be added in the area, local business owners are worried about what the loss of customer parking space will mean for their businesses.
Karen Masterson, co-owner of Johnny’s Luncheonette in Newton Centre, expressed strong opposition to the mayor's plan to convert a parking lot into a plaza. She emphasized that the city has not yet adequately addressed the parking needs of businesses, an issue that will be exacerbated by the loss of 51 parking spaces.
See Newton Centre, A4
By suNderya ulziiBOld Heights Staff sOphia GallON Heights Staff
ELLIE EL-FISHAWY / HEIGHTS EDITOR
TRISHNA CONDOOR / HEIGHTS STAFF
NEWS
This Week’s Top 3 Events
1 2 3
Join Frank Shovlin, professor of Irish literature at the University of Liverpool, to discuss whether it is possible for a biographer to tell the full truth. Come to this
Scott Discusses Self-Doubt at Inaugural BC Summit
“I questioned whether or not I deserve to be there,” Scott said. “I learned a powerful lesson that day—my time is much better spent asking the tough questions than it is questioning my right to be in the room.”
Scott said she was surprised when Putin called on her to ask a question. She seized the opportunity.
“While the Russian journalists in the room asked him about the score of a sports game and whether he was happy that a certain team won, I asked President Putin why all his little rivals were dead, in prison, or poisoned, and ‘what are you so afraid of?’” Scott said. “I asked, and when he didn’t answer, I followed up.”
During the 2024 election cycle, Scott covered Trump’s presidential campaign. In July 2024, she attended an interview panel for the National Association of Black Journalists, where she had the opportunity to interview Trump.
Scott opened the interview by reading negative statements Trump made about Black elected officials and journalists, then asked him why
Black voters should support him.
Although she received backlash from Trump for her question, Scott expressed gratitude for the opportunity to engage in an open conversation.
“I see journalism as a pillar of democracy,” Scott said. “This is what keeps our democracy running, the fact that we’re able to challenge these leaders, and I have immense gratitude to President Trump and others who have agreed to sit down with me and have these conversations.”
After Scott’s keynote speech, attendees were given the opportunity to choose two out of six seminars, ranging from “Vulvar and Vaginal Health,” which addressed common female genital hygiene myths and risks of adhering to them, to “Subtle Grief,” which discussed how to navigate transitions, whether they be everyday instances or major life events.
Following the seminars, attendees gathered for a mainstage panel titled “Lifelong Eagles: Alumni Stories of Service and Success,” during which alumni panelists discussed the transition from the undergraduate experience at BC to post-grad life.
Despite her high-profile as -
signments and the success she has achieved in her career, Scott said she still sometimes doubts herself when stepping into new or uncertain situations, reminding the audience that this is a common challenge for
everyone, no matter their accomplishments.
“People tend to think that people who are successful, people who have this resume, do not get scared, that people who ultimately achieve
these goals don’t feel some sort of fear when they’re about to take a risk, or that sometimes they don’t feel out of place too,” said Scott. “And I have to tell you too, that is completely false.” n
her nearly
Trump Rescinds Ban To Freeze Federal Funding
By AnnikA engelBrechT News Editor
A day after President Donald Trump announced his plan to freeze all federal grants, loans, and financial assistance, the U.S Department of Education clarified that the pause will not affect financial aid or loans.
“We have been told that the announced spending freeze does not affect student Pell Grants and federal educational loans,” University Spokesman Jack Dunn said in a statement to The Heights
In his statement, Dunn said Boston College does not expect the freeze to affect work-study programs or other educational grants.
“We anticipate that federal workstudy and federal supplemental educational opportunity grants are likely not to be affected as well,” Dunn wrote.
Dunn did not comment on how the freeze would affect ongoing research at BC. At some universities, there are concerns about the freeze’s impact on research and student success initiatives funded by federal
grants and programs.
United States District Judge Loren AliKhan temporarily blocked the ban on Tuesday afternoon, delaying an official decision until Feb. 3.
As of Tuesday evening, 22 states have sued the Trump administration over the ban. The lawsuit, led by Democratic attorneys general, calls the move a violation of federal law.
BC received $11,966,870 in federal aid for undergraduate scholarships and grants in the 2023 fiscal year, according to the BC Fact Book.
Additionally, the University received $41,388 for federally sponsored projects.
On Wednesday, Trump rescinded the directive after 48 hours of confusion and legal challenges, while affirming that the White House’s review of federal funding will remain in effect.
On Friday, in response to the lawsuit filed by 22 Democratic-led states, U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. issued a temporary restraining order barring the Trump administration from “pausing, freez-
ing, impeding, blocking, canceling, or terminating” taxpayer funds already allocated by Congress to those states, including the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In the wake of the freeze, organizations are still navigating its effects. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Health have paused grant reviews. The NSF has now begun vetting grant requests for activities that Trump opposes, such as diversity initiatives, the Green New Deal, and other progressive policies. n
BC Sues Urshan University Over Window Dispute
Windows, from A1
Since the move, the property has deteriorated due to alleged vandalism and weather-related damage, BC claimed.
“The buildings there have deteriorated and fallen into disrepair,” BC wrote. “The chapel, and the windows, now stand at grave risk of increased property damage from vandalism, neglect, and adverse exposure to the elements.”
After its move, Urshan has been attempting to sell the entire property—including the chapel and its historic windows—in the hopes that a developer would be able to maintain and preserve the entire site, according to a signed declaration by Aaron Frei, a litur-
gical design expert, submitted in support of BC’s lawsuit.
Preserving a Jesuit Legacy
The St. Stanislaus property is an important historic site for the Jesuit community. Established in 1823, it served as a novitiate— or religious school—for Jesuit priests. According to the Jesuit Archives, it was the longest continually operating Jesuit novitiate in the United States. In 1971, St. Stanislaus Seminary, including the chapel, was sold to the Gateway College of Evangelism, Urshan’s predecessor, and Urshan has remained in possession of it since.
In November 2023, while Urshan was searching for a new
owner, Rev. Casey Beaumier, S.J., vice president, university secretary, and director of the Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies at Boston College, began corresponding with Urshan about helping preserve the windows.
Beaumier proposed making a $5,000 donation for this cause, according to a signed declaration by Jennie Russell, executive vice president of Urshan University.
Urshan informed Beaumier that it was not willing to gift the windows to BC, as it intended to sell the St. Stanislaus property in the hopes that a new owner would be able to maintain or even restore it.
But in March 2024, Urshan reached an agreement with a third
party to donate two of the historic windows in exchange for a $25,000 donation.
Several months later, in July, Beaumier contacted Urshan again, amending his initial proposal to offer $25,000 for all 13 windows.
Urshan later claimed in a filing that Beaumier pressured it to renege on its agreement with the third party and accept his offer instead.
Emails referenced in the filing suggest that Beaumier noted the importance of keeping the windows together for easier removal and restoration.
“I wonder if there might be a way to reverse the agreement as we want the windows in their entirety,” Beaumier wrote in an email to Urshan. “All of them will need to be restored and it will be easier to have them as a set for removal and restoration, I believe.”
Ultimately, Urshan canceled its agreement with the third party, and in September 2024, it signed a new agreement with BC to transfer all 13 windows in exchange for a $27,000 donation.
Earlier that same month, however, Urshan was contacted by a developer interested in revitalizing and restoring the entire campus. The developer indicated that preserving the windows in the chapel was crucial to securing a tax credit for the project, according to Russell.
Based on the offer Urshan received from the developer and its desire to maintain the historical significance of the site, Urshan moved to withdraw from the agreement with BC, as it had pre -
viously done with the third party. In response, BC filed the lawsuit.
Urshan’s Change of Heart University Spokesman Jack Dunn declined to comment on specifics of the pending lawsuit but expressed confidence in BC’s position.
“While we expect to prevail in court, given the pending court case, Boston College is unable to provide further comment at this time.”
Urshan has maintained that it is within its rights to withdraw from the agreement, just as it did with the third party, and that BC understood this possibility when it made the agreement.
“In discussions between the parties, Father Beaumier knew that gifts can be revoked or rescinded before they were completed through delivery of the ‘gifted’ items,” Urshan argued.
Urshan also argued that BC is attempting to “rip out” the windows and remove them from their original location, claiming that BC’s real true interest is in acquiring them as collectible artifacts for its archives.
“Urshan is desirous of having the entire property redeveloped to maintain and protect the property for historical purposes,” Urshan wrote in response to BC’s complaint. “To this end, the ability to save the property is far too important to the Jesuit Order, the religious history of the Midwest, the City of Hazelwood, and its residents than a ‘gift’ of the Windows and Plaintiff’s desire to obtain these ‘collectibles.’” n
ELLIE EL-FISHAWY / HEIGHTS EDITOR
Scott discussed
decade-long career at ABC News and how she’s persevered through setbacks.
JINDAL / HEIGHTS EDITOR
The University alleged that Urshan violated federal law by not handing over the 13 stained-glass windows to BC.
Summit, from A1
UGBC Talks Agora Portal App and CSOM Curve
By reeTu agnihoTri
Asst. News Editor
Jordan Doty’s phone is cluttered with Boston College apps—so many that the UGBC student senator joked she could probably use a whole folder just for them.
“I swear, I have like 10 BC-labeled apps on my phone,” said Doty, MCAS ’28.
“I need a folder for BC.”
Student senators prepared for an upcoming meeting with BC Information Technology Services (ITS) about the possibility of creating a centralized Agora Portal mobile app at the UGBC Senate meeting Tuesday night.
Some existing BC apps redirect students to the Agora Portal website, requiring them to log in again using their Agora credentials. A single, centralized Agora Portal app could eliminate this hassle, Doty said.
“Agora is the central place for all apps,” said Katie Garrigan, UGBC vice president and MCAS ’25. “So, if that can just be made into an app, then you have a BC app for everything.”
Will Cortes, student senator and MCAS ’28, said he plans to suggest adding a bookmark feature to the Agora Portal, allowing students to easily access apps they use frequently, like the course registration website.
“A bunch of those websites that people are going to want to use a lot, I feel like, should be really highlighted on the page,” Cortes said.
Earlier in the meeting, student senators recapped a recent discussion with Ethan Sullivan, senior associate dean for undergraduate programs in the Carroll School of Management, about what they saw as a lack of transparency regarding the CSOM curve.
“If the curve isn’t supposed to be pushing people down, but it is in the syllabi, we need to figure out what the curve is in itself and what the implications can have,” said Will Rafti, student senator and MCAS ’27.
According to Rafti, CSOM’s guidelines stipulate that no more than 15 percent of students can receive an A, no more than 35 percent can receive an A- or higher, and no more than 70
percent can receive a B+ or lower.
Most CSOM syllabi include information on grade distribution, outlining what percentages of students will fall into particular grade ranges. Rafti pointed out that this distribution seems to vary between different classes.
“I feel like right now, it’s very up to the discretion of the professor, which isn’t necessarily wrong,” Rafti said. “But, if it’s becoming a standard for the entirety of CSOM, I think it should kind of be more concrete among all classes.”
These percentages are not meant to curve grades down, but Rafti said students have encountered inconsistencies.
Mariame Diop, student senator and MCAS ’27, said some professors seem unclear about the curve policy.
“My finance professor on the first day was like, ‘You guys are not all getting A’s, no matter if you guys all earn them,’” Diop said. “It tells me that if that’s really the policy, they’ve been told otherwise.”
Shifting focus, Cristina Gregory, student senator and MCAS ’26, said the University is potentially open to es-
tablishing an American Sign Language minor. The proposed minor would consist of six courses—four introductory language courses and two cultural electives, according to Gregory. Creating the minor requires a lengthy approval process, and enough
student interest would be needed to make it a reality, Gregory added.
“There’s a lot of steps for us to do, and it’s kind of on us, as students, to demonstrate interest and then propose that interest to the right people,” Gregory said. n
Yong Discusses U.S. Pandemic Failures and Lessons
By Capra MCCorMiCk Heights Staff
Although the United States was ranked the world’s most prepared country for a pandemic in 2019, it faltered when the COVID-19 crisis emerged, Ed Yong explained.
“What this says to me is that we have absolutely no idea how to assess and quantify how prepared a country actually is for a pandemic,” said Yong.
Yong analyzed the U.S.’s longterm struggles in responding to the pandemic during the Gerson Family Lecture on Wednesday night.
Yong joined The Atlantic as a staff writer in 2015. During his time there, he covered the novel coronavirus outbreak in China in early 2020 and closely monitored subsequent COVID-19 outbreaks. He has received numerous accolades for his science reporting and two New York Times bestsellers, I Contain Multitudes and An Immense World
In 2019, the Global Health Security Index evaluated each country’s ability and capacity to prepare for a pandemic, Yong explained. In this rating, the United States placed first in nearly every category.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the U.S. accounted for 16 percent of all COVID-19 deaths, despite making up just 4 percent of the world’s population.
“From the very start of COVID,
people longed to return to normal, but the truth is that normal led to this,” said Yong.
Long before COVID-19, Yong said, the U.S. grappled with understaffed nursing homes and a fragile healthcare system in which employees were burnt out. Social media had already evolved into a powerful tool for spreading misinformation, he added.
According to Yong, the United States’ values of individualism and liberty drove the country to address the pandemic individually rather than cooperatively.
“To counter problems like this, we need to think collectively,” Yong said. “Instead of asking, ‘What’s my risk?’ You have to ask, ‘What is my contribution to everyone’s risk?’”
The pandemic disproportionately impacted marginalized communities, including the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and people of color. Young said our individualistic instincts led many to ignore this disparity in an effort to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives.
“The problem is that your circumstances constrain your choices, so low and common minority groups found it harder, always, to avoid infections, to isolate when sick, to hold hourly wage jobs without paid leave, or the option to work remotely,” Yong said.
Marginalized areas experienced
the highest hospitalization rates, Yong said, which resulted in a wave of distrust from those communities.
In response, the U.S. prioritized retaining society’s trust through the advance of technology.
“But a vaccine is useless without vaccination, and vaccination depends on systems,” Yong said. “It depends on all that social stuff that we’ve come to ignore.”
People go through a cycle of neglect and panic, Yong emphasized. In a crisis, communities panic and allocate resources to deal with the problem. Once the problem is re-
solved, he explained, people forget the lessons learned and fall back into complacency.
“This is not a passive thing,” said Yong. “This happens because we are told to neglect, because we are told to move on.”
Yong emphasized that we did not fully understand COVID-19.
Many people dismissed long COVID-19 as either a psychological condition or a symptom of chronic fatigue.
“They’re just depressed. They’re stressed. But this is nonsense. There’s plenty of clear physiological, objec-
tive evidence that this is the case of long COVID,” said Yong.
Reflecting on the failed attempts to combat the pandemic and address long COVID-19, Yong acknowledged the challenge of remaining optimistic. Still, he encouraged the crowd to recognize their ability to drive change.
“One kind and good decision can greatly influence the health of a lot of other people, and it is incumbent upon us to not only make those choices, but to imagine a better future,” said Yong. “We all have the capacity to make those choices.”n
CAB, CSA Gather for Lunar New Year Celebration
By Madison hoang Heights Staff
Bold red decorations, an array of Asian dishes, and the vibrant energy of a roaring lion dance filled the air of Gasson 100 as students, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
“We wanted to include activities that were easy to coordinate but still very much important to the Chinese New Year celebration,” said Allison Choi, a Campus Activities Board (CAB) planning committee member and MCAS ’27. “The lion dance has been a tradition for many years now, so we decided to stick with it for this year’s event.”
Hosted by CAB in collaboration with the Chinese Students Association (CSA), the event honors one of the most significant holidays in East and Southeast Asian culture.
The Lunar New Year, which fell on Jan. 29 this year, marks the start of the lunar calendar. This year’s celebration ushered in the Year of the Snake—one of 12 signs in the Chinese zodiac—symbolizing growth, adaptability, and renewal.
The event featured a live lion dance performance by Calvin Chin’s Martial Arts, traditional crafts like spring festival couplets (chunlian), calligraphy, and festive food. Attendees participated in the hands-on activities, connected over shared celebrations, and enjoyed the performances.
“The lion dance was my favorite event,” said Naomi Chong, an attendee and CSOM ’28. “It was fun to see a performance that is so important to the Chinese New Year.”
Maddie Chin, another attendee and MCAS ’27, said she enjoyed getting to meet new people and experiencing the cultural activities.
Many cultures throughout East and Southeast Asia observe the Chinese New Year annually, including students, faculty, and staff at BC who share this heritage.
“I’m Chinese, so Chinese New Year is very important for me and my family,” said Kevin Tang, a CAB planning committee member and MCAS ’25. “It brings everyone closer together to celebrate a new beginning of the new year.”
Tang said he kept in touch with his family during the Chinese New Year despite the long distances between BC and home by calling his grandparents to wish them a happy New Year.
For others like Andrew Ren, an attendee and MCAS ’27, the Chinese New Year is a new beginning, giving him a second chance to fulfill his New Year’s resolutions.
Rena Cheng, internal vice
president of CSA and MCAS ’25, said the event gave her a sense of connection, something she missed from her hometown in Hong Kong.
“I hope other attendees also had fun and felt a sense of community from celebrating something so important to our culture,” said Cheng. “I hope others can also learn more about the holiday, the story behind it, and why we do some of the activities that we do.”
Even if they don’t celebrate the Chinese New Year, Eric Zhang, CSA media chair and MCAS ’27, said he hop[ed attendees left with a better understanding of the history and purpose of the holiday.
“For those who don’t celebrate the Chinese New Year, I really hope that they leave with an appreciation for just the amount of history that there is behind Chinese New Year,” said Zhang. “The lion dance, the calligraphy, and the red envelopes, just how much there is to every little bit that revolves around this important holiday.” n
MATTHEW DE FAZIO / HEIGHTS STAFF
UGBC discussed CSOM curve transparency and a potential Agora Portal app.
CAPRA MCCORMICK / HEIGHTS STAFF
Yong visited BC on Wednesday evening to explore how the U.S. handled the COVID-19 pandemic.
SHANE SHEBEST / HEIGHTS STAFF
Attendees watched a lion dance performed by Calvin Chin’s Martial Arts.
Newton Centre Plaza Sparks Controversy
Newton Centre, from A1
Masterson explained most businesses don’t have parking associated with them, making it a struggle for even owners and employees to find parking during busy times.
“We currently do not have enough parking for the business that we do have, so to take away spaces without addressing the current … spaces is counterproductive to the success of our businesses,” Masterson said.
Masterson explained that the local businesses in Newton Centre were not consulted or informed of the changes until the mayor’s newsletter was published last week.
“We provide a lot of benefits to our whole region, and we do support the community in a lot of ways,” Masterson said “So to be completely shut out of the planning process for this just doesn’t feel right because they’ve already got a timeline, and then started talking to us. So it’s like, well, so you’ve [the local authorities] already decided.”
“It does seem to be a little less of a collaborative effort,” says Ericka
Harindranath, owner of Farmstead Table, regarding the relationship between businesses and city government when it comes to conflict resolution.
Harindranath confirmed that the city failed to voice their plan directly to owners in the area, as the plan came to her knowledge through a Newton Chamber of Commerce meeting, rather than authorities speaking to the business owners themselves.
The parking in Newton Centre is a known issue for the business owners in the area, explained Harindranath.
“I think I’m probably in line with a lot of other business owners on this one,” Harindranath adds. “It’s probably the opposite of what the area needs right now.”
Customers who come to Newton Centre looking to dine locally often cannot find parking space within a reasonable distance of the area, explained Harindranath.
“It’ll really just drive traffic away from here in favor of restaurants in the Chestnut Hill district that have dedicated parking lots,” Harindranath said.
Although the area lacks parking, the project is meant to invite visitors
to grab something to eat and hang around Newton Centre, supporting local businesses.
“I am not sure it will increase foot traffic per se; however, I do think that it will keep the people that are in the Newton Centre area here by giving people somewhere pleasant to hang out,” said Lydia Reichert, owner and manager of Jinny’s Pizzeria.
Reichert supports the Plaza Project and hopes it will encourage more people to shop in the area.
“Consider getting takeout from restaurants and sit in the park while their kids play, or grab a coffee and chat with a friend,” Reichert said.
To address the loss of 51 parking
spaces to build the plaza, the City of Newton identified 67 new permanent parking spaces around Newton Centre. Furthermore, Reichert pointed out that there is plenty of street parking available near the area.
“The only time parking becomes a challenge in the area is when there are festivals in the Newton Centre Green, most recently the WinterFEST, which brings a lot of people and traffic,” Reichert said.
Masterson relates the intercommunity struggle to a broader picture of communication and relationships with one’s government.
“It’s an important issue to understand from the standpoint of bureaucracy and business and communication and how decisions get made,” Masterson said. “It’s just an example of how important it is to talk to the stakeholders—because the proper steps weren’t taken to build bridges and partnerships, there’s going to be points of contention.” n
These festivals can exacerbate the shortage in parking, but they also offer an opportunity for local businesses to further thrive with increased visibility, explained Reichert. “Every time there is a festival on the Newton Centre Green we see new faces, and hopefully new returning customers at the restaurant. ” Reichert said.
‘Dracula’ Stuns With Subverted Gender Roles
By DeBorah Cruger Heights Staff
The Newton Theatre Company (NTC) dazzled theatergoers with their rendition of Dracula at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Newtonville, casting female actors in traditional male roles.
“Blending sensuality, darkness and humor, Dracula explores themes of desire and dominance through unconventional casting and intimate staging,” reads the NTC website.
Dracula is an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. The play was first published in 1996 by American play-
wright Steven Dietz.
Starring Linda Goetz as Count Dracula, the company also chose to cast two women, Karin Trachtenberg and Elena Toppo, in the traditionally male roles of Abraham Van Helsing and Renfield, respectively.
“Dracula was played by a woman, and also Van Helsing, so I think that is a twist we did that is very interesting,” said Jessibel Falcon, who played Lucy Westenra in the production.
According to NTC’s website, a part of the program’s mission is to focus on women’s voices in acting by exploring female roles beyond what is
historically conventional.
“We dare to question patriarchal expectations by centering the voices of women and gender non-conforming artists,” the website reads.
Original music for the performance was composed by sound designer Alex Taylor, who also serves as the director of audience outreach for NTC.
“A little bit over a month we put this together, “ Taylor said. “We rehearsed three to four times a week, in the evening.”
Melissa Bernstein, who founded the NTC in 2013, directed the play.
Bernstein has directed over 50 successful productions for the program, according to the company website.
“I thought it was incredible,” said Martha Gallagher, an audience member. “The acting was superb. I really enjoyed it.”
Due to the size of the church’s stage and the length of the original novel, the NTC had to make a few alterations to the original story for their 100-minute performance.
“Especially because we have such an intimate setting, we had to take a lot of liberties with the practical effects … We had to adapt it for our space and our setting and our crowd,” Taylor said. “So that was definitely a unique challenge for me as a sound designer.”
More than subverting conventional theatre roles, the company values the power of personal storytelling as a mode of elevating the voices of all.
The Monologue Project, an initiative that brings community members together through storytelling, prompts people across Newton to tell their personal stories. Monologues that have been covered include those from
people of color, LGBTQ+ community members, young students, and more.
For the next show, NTC is performing Doubt: A Parable, based on the 2008 movie Doubt directed by John Patrick Shanley. Bernstein will also be the director of the next production.
Actresses Goetz and Toppo, who had roles in Dracula, will be returning to perform in Doubt
Newton residents are encouraged to put an NTC sign in their yard to receive one free ticket to the next production.
“It is going to be at the end of March into early April,” Taylor said. “We are going to be doing two weekends of that one, so we will be doing six shows.”
Taylor explained that the company would love for Boston College students to show interest in the work being done by NTC.
“I think they would be really surprised about what we are able to do in this space and with this theater,” Taylor said. “Anyone who is a young theatre person that is looking for something to do, we are open doors.” n
Newton Cannabis Stores Threaten To Sue City
By Laney MCaDen Assoc. Newton Editor
Three Newton marijuana dispensaries—Garden Remedies, Ascend, and Redi—have threatened to sue the city to win back community impact fees they have been required to pay, according to a citywide email from Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.
“Skipping payments and/or attempting to claw back prior payments are clear violations of the HCAs and a breach of contract,” Fuller wrote.
“The Newton Law Department will vigorously defend the legality of our signed agreements.”
According to Fuller’s weekly update, these fees are outlined by a host community agreement (HCA), which is a requirement under state law for any marijuana business to conduct business in any city or town.
“Under state law and through these HCAs, cities and towns collected community impact fees of up to three percent of each business’s gross sales,” Fuller wrote.
All three establishments agreed to the costs originally and remain within the eight-year window in which a city can collect community impact fees, wrote Fuller.
“The three businesses agreed to the amount of the community impact fees and clearly acknowledged that the fees were not only reasonable but also directly proportional to the costs of addressing the potential health, safety, and other effects or impacts of marijuana on the community,” Fuller wrote.
According to Fuller, the three businesses are asserting the fees were illegally collected, arguing that sufficient updates were not made to their agreements after the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission made amendments to the state law in 2022.
Fuller said the city’s existing contracts with those businesses must be upheld.
“That change in law did not affect the City’s rights nor the obligations of Garden Remedies, Ascend, and Redi to pay agreed upon impact fees under their HCAs,” Fuller said.
Earlier this year, a marijuana retailer called Caroline’s Cannabis won more than $1.1 million from the town of Uxbridge, Mass., in community impact fees, 80 percent of the total fees it paid to the city. It claimed in court that it was entitled to that money because the store had not made an impact or imposed costs on the town.
State law says cannabis retailers can recover damages if they believe the municipality is demanding unfair fees.
“If a licensee believes the information documented and transmitted by a host community is not reasonably related to the actual costs imposed upon the host community … the licensee may bring a breach of contract action against the host community and recover damages,” the law reads.
Talking Joints Memo, a Cannabis-focused media outlet, published an article in response to Fuller’s update. The article’s author, Chris Faraone, re-
sponded to Fuller, criticizing Newton.
“For years, companies have complained of abuse and even extortion at the hands of city and town halls, but the adjustments put in place are meant to prevent officials from abusing canna businesses in their fiefdoms,” Faraone wrote.
These collected fees, per Fuller’s update, have already been spent in organizations across the city.
“The City of Newton spent these funds, in accordance with Massachusetts law, to address the increase in community need for services of our police, health, public works, and
schools; for drug abuse and prevention services, as well as mental health services as a consequence of the operation of the marijuana businesses,” Fuller wrote.
Newton has benefitted from the revenue it gets from cannabis retailers, Faraone said.
“With more than half-a-million local tax dollars a year coming from weed plus millions more in other perks paid for by canna companies, her administration has learned to lean hard on marijuana when it’s time to write the city budget,” Faraone wrote in his article. n
GENEVIEVE MORRISON / HEIGHTS EDITOR
said the new plaza will
DEBORAH CRUGER / HEIGHTS STAFF
The play starred Linda Goetz as Count Dracula, the titular character and a traditionally male role.
GENEVIEVE MORRISON / HEIGHTS EDITOR
According to Fuller, Ascend and Redi have stopped making community impact payments to the city.
School Committee Mulls New Graduation Policy
By Genevieve MorriSon Newton Editor
The Newton School Committee discussed options for a new graduation standard following a state ballot initiative that removed the state standardized test, Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS), as a requirement to graduate high school, in its meeting Monday.
“We want to do this expeditiously for our kids on the line right now, and we are totally nervous about what the future expectations are going to be,” Newton Superintendent Anna Nolin said.
To earn a high school diploma, students have to fulfill local district requirements and pass a Competency Determination (CD). Before the ballot question, that CD requirement was a passage of the MCAS.
Under the new law, Newton and all other Massachusetts public schools need new CD standards, so current seniors who have not passed the MCAS can put themselves on track to complete the new requirements by June, according to Nolin.
“They are eagerly awaiting us to make a decision about what that competency determination will be
so they can rearrange their course schedules right now,“ Nolin said. “There is some urgency here.”
The district, however, must also juggle the potential of new state regulations following the removal of the MCAS requirement, according to Nolin.
“If the governor comes out in 18 months or sooner—or DESE [Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education] with new standards—we will have talked ourselves into something about next year that we may need to talk ourselves out of,” Nolin said.
For that reason, the committee will focus on a short-term plan for Newton’s next two graduating classes, then flesh out a more definitive replacement policy over time.
“I hope you’ll join me in that exciting vision of the future for our graduates and when determining them competent, but we have to make—very quickly—some decisions about this year’s students,” Nolin said.
Committee member Anping Shen discussed keeping the MCAS as the district CD standard because although the state voted to remove the test, a majority of Newton residents voted to keep it.
“Over 60 percent of Newton residents supported to keep this
CD requirement even though the state was otherwise,” Shen said. “So in that sense, I think this is a strong message we send to the community.”
Nolin countered that that option may not be viable because, without the test as a state graduation requirement, the state may not offer as many retake opportunities as before. Before the ballot measure passed, students could retake the test up to four times.
“If they don’t offer retakes, we may not be able to make it a graduation requirement if it is not allowed past grade 10,” Nolin said.
The new law also allows students who have been denied diplomas as a result of the graduation requirement to go back to their
schools and be reevaluated under the new standards of that district.
Nolin said the district will have to tackle that problem further down the road.
“We don’t know the scope of that right now,” Nolin said. “It’s not as large as some other districts, but it may be large in that we’ve been doing MCAS for a long, long time, and we don’t know who has been denied those diplomas.”
Committee member Paul Levy suggested that the district not invent a strict policy for this issue.
“I would urge you to think about our own internal bureaucratic flexibility and not spending a lot of time and effort on working on a problem that may not amount to much,” Levy said.
Newton students who don’t meet graduation requirements are typically students who speak little English and arrive in the district during high school. Even those students, however, usually meet the district’s graduation requirements, according to Nolin.
“There’s almost no students who can’t do one or the other, and it’s usually the MCAS test that is the sticking point,” Nolin said.
The committee deferred voting on a graduation requirement until its next meeting on Feb. 10. In the meantime, the members said they will review the options.
“There’s really nothing complicated or sexy about it,” Nolin said. “It’s just, like, we need a standard, and we’ll meet it.” n
Land Use Committee Approves Permits
By MaTThew anTonecchia Heights Staff
On Tuesday evening, Newton City Council’s Land Use Committee approved amending a special permit for a large office building at 275 Grove St. in Auburndale and replacing a two-family home in West Newton.
Tori Sabatino, senior development manager at Greatland Realty Partners, petitioned the Committee for the amendment, which would allow additional exterior signage for the property.
Sabatino explained Greatland Realty’s recent efforts to invest in the property, which the firm acquired two years ago with 30 percent of its office space vacant. Since then, the property achieved market stabilization.
The lobby of 275 Grove St. includes a café called Kendall Kitchen. There is no signage, however,
advertising the eatery along Grove Street, since the current special permit restricts signs for accessory uses such as restaurants. The petition submitted by Greatland Realty sought approval for additional signs with the building’s address, as well as a larger sign including the logos of Kendall Kitchen and four other major tenants.
Evan Allen, director of design and creative services for the architecture firm Whitney Veigas, explained that the new signage would be large enough to increase roadway visibility for the building and its tenants but small enough to avoid disturbing the surrounding landscape.
“[The signs] are 6.5-feet wide … I would estimate the letters on the logos to be about 3 inches tall … it would be clearly visible from the eastbound side of Grove Street,” Allen said.
Richard Alfred, a Newton resident and member of the Auburndale Historic District Commission, spoke
in opposition to the proposal. Alfred was concerned the increased signage would spoil the bucolic nature of Grove Street, which is designated by the City of Newton as a scenic road.
“There has not to my knowledge ever been commercial signage on Grove Street,” Alfred said.
He suggested Kendall Kitchen utilize media advertising.
“I follow several local bulletin boards and have not seen Kendall Kitchen advertise there,” Alfred said.
John Sisson, economic development director for the City of Newton, favored the special permit amendment. Sisson argued the scenic road designation does not apply here, since the signage would be placed on private property and not the public right-of-way. He also emphasized the importance of this property to the city in general.
“I applaud the efforts of Greatland Realty to invest in this property... there is precious little Class A office
space in Newton,” Sisson said. Ward 4 Councilor Randy Block introduced an impromptu motion to prevent additional tenants from advertising along Grove Street by restricting the number of permitted signs to the five included in the architectural plan. The Committee voted 6–2 in favor.
With that restriction, the Committee unanimously approved Greatland Realty’s request for a special permit amendment.
Local attorney Laurance Lee later requested to replace a two-family home at 273 Webster St. in West Newton with an improved two-family dwelling. This was a complicated request because the present two-family home is a nonconforming structure since the area is zoned for single-family houses only.
Lee argued that because this two-family house had existed since 1953, and there were other nonconforming uses in the vicinity, the new
structure would not be incongruous with the rest of the street. He added that the current home was not deemed significant by the Newton Historic Commission and that the proposal meets all requirements for floor-area ratio and lot coverage.
Newton resident MaryLee Belleville expressed concerns over the nature of this project in light of the sort of dwelling that would be built on the site.
“This would replace a modest house with a much more expensive one,” Belleville said. “The Historic Commission should be considering the affordability of housing in Newton.”
Ward 3 Councilor-At-Large Andrea Kelley assured Belleville that the Historic Commission does consider affordability and that it was necessary to permit development projects that comply with land use standards in a free market economy. The motion passed in a 6–0 vote. n
Newton Residents Celebrate Lunar New Year
By Sofia Levorchick Heights Staff
In celebration of Lunar New Year, residents of Sunrise Senior Living gathered on Wednesday evening to enjoy festivities and a cultural showcase.
The traditional entertainment, food and drinks, and cultural significance created an immersive experience for the audience, according to resident John Galese.
“Anything that can take you outside of yourself to see something
different, to go somewhere different, that’s a good thing for everybody here,” Galese said. In addition to the provided treats, there was a performance of the traditional Lion Dance by Calvin Chin’s Martial Arts Academy Inc. of Newton Highlands. Some members of the Academy provided the instrumentals through the use of a gong, cymbals, and drum, while two dancers performed a routine dressed in an elaborately decorated lion costume.
Sabrina Gee, BC ’23, has been a member of the academy for 16 years
and played the drum in the showcase. She said that this performance was about family because her uncle is the owner of the studio.
She said she typically senses a positive response from the audience.
“People usually respond with positive attitudes,” Gee said. “A lot of people smile and reach out and touch the lion, which is usually good luck for the people who are watching.”
David Liang, who performed as one of the lions, said the experience was meaningful.
“The performance dance means reunion—togetherness—because it really brings people together.”
The elderly residents of the Sunrise home watched the performance attentively, especially as the lion passed through the crowd.
The dancers, through intricate movements and the large mask mimicked the motion of a lion while staying on-beat. In front of the dancers was a pile composed of a heart of lettuce, an orange, and a red envelope—all representative of good luck.
Toward the end of the dance, the lion picked up the lettuce, shredded it into pieces, and spit it out to enact the ritual of passing out good fortune to the audience.
“The dance is meant to bring good luck and scare away the bad spirits, chasing out the bad to bring in the new for the new year,” Liang said.
Stephanie Humphreys, the executive director for Sunrise Senior Living, was in charge of the organization of the event, providing food and decorations. She said she wanted to ensure a proper and appropriate representation of the culture.
“We try to be very respectful
of a lot of our residents and the different cultures that we have in the community,” she said. “We always want to be inclusive to everyone.” Humphreys said she turned to one resident, Anna Chan, for advice on how to successfully and appropriately execute the event.
“We wanted to make sure that we were doing something more to pay homage to the Lunar New Year,” Humphreys said. “It’s so important to Anna and the Chinese population overall.”
Chan, who has been a resident of Sunrise Senior Living for 3 years, donated a 100-year-old dragon mask for the event. Chan said she wanted to showcase an important item that reflects her ancestry.
“We had the dragon mask in storage,” Chan said. “Bob, my son, used to do the dragon, dancing, everything.”
Nicole Garcia, the activities and volunteer coordinator at Sunrise Senior Living, said she hoped that the event would help both the attendees and herself learn more about Chinese culture.
“I’ve never seen a lion dance before, so this is an exciting opportunity to see it for the first time,” Garcia said. n
Ballot question two, which eliminated MCAS as a requirement, passed in Massachusetts last fall.
SOFIA LEVORCHICK / HEIGHTS STAFF
Calvin Chin’s Martial Arts Academy of Newton Highlands performed
dance for residents at Sunrise Senior Living.
GENEVIEVE MORRISON / HEIGHTS EDITOR
OPINIONS
Slow Down, BC!
I swear that I’m a good driver. I stop at red lights. I use my turn signal. Every accident I’ve been in has never been found to be my fault. That said, there was one time I slammed into a fence post on my way home from work. I like to block it out of my memory because it undermines my previous claim, but it’s hard to forget—I remember that day so vividly. I had a hectic day at work, and my mind raced in every direction, telling me it was only going to get worse. Then, I hit the fence while The Primitives’ song “Crash” blasted through my speakers. I wish I were making this up.
The song repeats the lyrics: “Here you go, way too fast / Don’t slow down, you’re gonna crash.” As a second-semester senior, those words have begun to take on a new meaning. There are so many things I want to do—solidify the friendships I’ll carry with me after graduation, thank the people who’ve helped me over the past four years, meet new people, rent a book from the library for the first time, and finally tell off the people who have annoyed me beyond reason.
But then I ask myself: is any of that really what I should be doing? What truly matters?
If you’ve been a faithful fan and read my other columns, you know it’s no secret that I can get sick of this place. I find friend groups cliquey, our competitiveness unnecessary, our willingness to spend thousands
of dollars to drink with the same people in a different country for spring break to be downright baffling—you get the point.
And I know I’m not alone. Writing for The Heights has been such a gift because of the messages I get from friends and classmates alike: “Hey, Pat, I respect the honesty. I feel the same way too.” I guess it’s that “Connellian Charm” my high school English teacher once coined—I tell a self-deprecating story to ultimately highlight a flaw we all share.
Now, what am I trying to say, and how can I tie this all together? These wishes on my “BC Bucket List,” like climbing Gasson’s spire or confronting the worst crowd of people I hope never find success in their future—they’re trivial. Yup. As much as I’d like to do them and hate to admit it, they ultimately don’t hold much weight.
Truth is, the more we focus on the things we need to check off, the more we probably shouldn’t do them. Subconsciously, we already know what we want.
For me, it’s to appreciate the people around me one last time, whether that be through saying “thank you” or simply spending time with them. I know I’d regret it if I checked off that snarky one-liner I’ve been wanting to tell an ex’s friend. I know it would be so satisfying—maybe even better than a Bruce Willis or Clint Eastwood line— but, do I really want to say it? Now, do I, punk?
I’ve learned that letting negativity drag you down just isn’t worth it. I wish I figured that out sooner. Even things you can’t avoid, like the occasional roommate drama, don’t deserve the power to distract you. I look back to sophomore year, when my roommate and I simply couldn’t stand each other. Flash forward to this year, and we’re living together. We even understand each other better than anyone else in our Mod. Sure, maturity plays a role, but I think it’s because
The opinions and commentaries of the op-ed columnists appearing on this page represent the views of the authors of those particular pieces and not necessarily the views of The Heights
we both subconsciously agreed not to let the negativity get to us. I get it now—you might not do the dishes, but you’ll check in on me when I’m busy, make me laugh, and occasionally make me a delicious plate of wings (which, of course, means I have to do the dishes).
As I said, BC has so much for us to be positive about. Sure, there’s the Nashville chase, the Punta Cana chase, and everything else, but have you ever met a boring person here?
Even though I don’t get along with everyone, I can still tell we’re all interesting people. I’d argue that BC students are among the smartest, and most of us, deep down, know how to do the right thing because of our combination of logical and emotional intelligence.
If only I had realized the hardest part of the day was already behind me. Maybe I wouldn’t have pushed myself too far and ended up in an accident.
The same could be true for all of us—if we slow down these rampant desires, we might discover that what truly matters is right in front of us, hidden in plain sight.
The things we want to do, and the negative thoughts that race through our minds as we long to see them unfold, can easily lead us to crash.
Sure, they seem satisfying—or maybe even like milestones—but appearances can be deceiving. Something as simple as telling off someone you dislike can cause you to take your eyes off what’s important and crash into a fence of your own. The real milestones we should strive for are deeper, not so negative or surface-level.
As The Primitives put it, “Here we go, way too fast.” If we don’t slow down and take a look around, we’re bound to crash.
Dreams and Double-Decker Buses
I still remember the exact moment I got the notification. It was an overcast February afternoon, and I had just ducked into Maloney Hall to avoid the heavy raindrops starting to fall. While I waited for the elevator, I instinctively checked my phone, and the long-anticipated email from the Office of Global Education popped into my inbox. Study abroad placements had just been released—and I was going to London.
I’m not sure precisely why or when my fascination with London was born, but the city has always held a place in the back of my mind. When I was 11, my dad came home from a business trip in London, his suitcase full of Cadbury chocolates and touristy treasures for my brothers and me to unwrap. One of these mementos, a small Union Jack coin purse, became my go-to show-and-tell item. I even vowed to my classmates that one day, I would move to the city I thought was straight out of a fairytale.
In middle school, amid a strange obsession with perfecting different accents, I declared that the second day in our rotating schedule would be known as “British B-Day.” My best friend from home will attest to the fact that under my influence, my entire algebra class dedicated one day a week to speaking exclusively in British accents.
And then, of course, the inevitable Harry Potter phase consumed most of my elementary school years. Reading those
books dozens of times over was enough to convince me that I needed to make the journey to King’s Cross Station.
London has clearly been a dream of mine since childhood. It was a place I saw in storybooks and movies, dotted with grand palaces and cherry red double-decker buses. Hollywood’s version convinced me that it was the pinnacle of perfection, at least in the eyes of my younger self.
Standing in Maloney Hall on that dull February day, I was overcome with excitement, knowing I would finally get to live out the life 11-year-old Makayla had always dreamed of.
Flash forward to early January. With an inbox full of flight reminders and a bedroom floor covered in neatly folded piles of clothing, my life became a flurry of rushed packing and teary goodbyes with childhood friends. After two-and-a-half years at BC, the “packing my life into a suitcase” routine had become familiar. But there was something different about this departure.
An entire ocean, not just an hour-long drive, was about to separate me from home. A growing sense of anxiety quickly overshadowed the excitement of my childhood dreams.
Was I making a mistake by leaving behind the comfortable life I’d built for myself at BC? Or would this rapidly approaching change and inevitable uncertainty be the push I needed to grow?
The day of my flight finally arrived and, despite the hollow pit in my stomach, I thought of the little girl who woke up at the crack of dawn to watch the royal wedding.
The girl who, in third grade, defiantly spelled color with a “u” wedged between the “o” and “r” because it was what Hermione Granger would have done. What would she think if I backed out now, confining myself to the same bubble where my entire life had taken place?
I finally made my way through the airport, quieting my nagging anxiety. I felt
Beanpot on the Horizon
The Eagles are on a roll. Between the FSU upset and a BU sweep, it’s been a while since we’ve felt the sting of a loss. Now feels like the perfect time to break the curse and claim our first Beanpot title since 2012. Although 8 p.m. on a Monday isn’t the ideal time for such a big game, BC fans need to be as rowdy and spirited as ever to push us to the finals. With the right energy, maybe Northeastern won’t take home the title this year—it could be Eagles all the way.
January is Over January is over, finally. A month that is only supposed to be 31 days seems to have lasted 500, but we’ve made it. As each cold, dark day crawled past, it seemed like it was never going to end. And can anyone honestly say they had a good January? Unless it was your birthday month, there’s not a lot to take away from the first month of 2025. New Year’s Resolutions and Sylly Week may have been left behind, but maybe that’s for the best. Although February might not seem much better, think of it this way—now we’re only 27 days away from Spring Break.
ready to embrace the new relationships and unpredictable adventures that London was about to throw at me.
I’ve only been in London for about two weeks, but the city has already brought out a side of myself I didn’t know existed.
I was once terrified to ride the Newton bus alone, but now I can navigate the Tube whenever I feel like exploring a new borough of the city. The newness of this experience has fostered a sense of independence I never needed in Boston, a place I know like the back of my hand and where I’ve always lived within 30 miles.
As a chronic over-packer and over-planner, I never imagined I’d wind up at a hostel in Sweden with friends I’d only known for a few weeks (more on these adventures to come). While it wasn’t the most glamorous experience, I witnessed just how quickly friendships can form under even the strangest of circumstances.
London is a city brimming with personality—it’s always evolving, with something new around every corner, and full of life even on the gloomiest days. Sure, it doesn’t have the same sense of comfortable familiarity as Boston, but throwing myself into unfamiliar situations has proven to be the best way to uncover new aspects of myself. Everything here is entirely new, and for once, I’m not scared of change. My decision to make the leap across the pond is one I wouldn’t trade for the world. Maybe I sound like one of those overdramatic abroad enthusiasts who claim that the experience “changed them,” but I’m not ashamed to admit that this experience is already changing me for the better.
Sometimes, putting an ocean’s worth of distance between you and the life you’ve always known is exactly what you need to grow. After all, growth is about making your younger self proud.
Six More Weeks
Punxsutawney Phil has shown face and given us the result no one wanted: six more weeks of winter. I know it’s hard to hear, but don’t freak out. Winter isn’t just cold days and early nights—it could mean more snow angels, more hot chocolate, and more cute scarves. As much as we want to see the sun shining down and cherry blossom trees blooming, let’s try to see the bright side. And even if you can’t, then maybe this fact will help: Phil has only been right 39 percent of the time.
Abroad FOMO
As we’ve all settled into our spring semesters, it seems some are enjoying it more than others. As juniors have successfully settled into their study abroad locations, we are shivering in our houses and dorms. It’s easy to compare ourselves to the exciting and aesthetic photos that are piling up on our feeds from all over the world. Sometimes, amid all our stress, it seems like another country could be the solution to all our problems. But give it a few months, and Boston College will be as warm and appealing as ever.
Pat Connell
GRAPHICS BY PARKER LEAF AND CONNOR O’BRIEN / HEIGHTS EDITORS
Pat Connell is a columnist for The Heights. He can be reached at connelpn@bc.edu
Makayla HiCkey
Makayla Hickey is a columnist for The Heights She can be reached at hickeymt@bc.edu.
OPINIONS
Op-Ed: BC Professors Are Rethinking AI
During the fall of 2023, I had all the typical first-year concerns swirling in my head: Would I find my classrooms without getting lost? How could I juggle a new social life alongside difficult coursework?
What I did not expect was the collective anxiety around artificial intelligence.
Just a few months before, OpenAI released ChatGPT 4.0, and suddenly a technology that once felt theoretical was right there in our hands.
On my first day, nearly every syllabus included a new policy about “Gen AI.”
Many of these policies were vague or overly prohibitive, labeling AI use as “academic dishonesty” and threatening disciplinary action for “inappropriate” use.
But what does inappropriate use really entail?
Some professors banned AI for any purpose, even simple grammar checks, while others were unsure how to define acceptable usage.
It quickly became obvious to me that many professors weren’t fully comfortable regulating a tool they didn’t completely understand.
Over the past year and a half, I interviewed more than 100 professors at BC and other universities in Boston to understand the root of their concerns about AI in education.
Many of them expressed fears that AI could devolve into a “cheating machine,” allowing students to bypass the intellectual rigor of learning by outsourcing their thinking to a bot.
They worried this reliance on AI might erode the skills students develop through grappling with challenging problems, engaging in critical analysis, and making mistakes along the way.
Others voiced concerns about how AI might foster a passive approach to learning by handing students answers on a silver platter. Take, for instance, a student who relies on AI to complete all their coding assignments. While the tasks might appear complete, if the student lacks a fundamental understanding of coding concepts, how can they assess whether the AI’s outputs are accurate or even functional? This blind trust in AI, without any critical engagement, is what alarmed many of the professors I spoke to.
Professors tried to contain their panic by turning to AI detection software like GPTZero and Turnitin. Some also experimented with programs that tracked students’ typing history to detect possible AI-generated content. But these measures unintentionally create a sense of unease.
They make many students feel more like
suspects than learners, and some respond by gaming the detection tools, intentionally inserting grammatical errors or quietly reworking AI-produced text so it appears authentic.
These restrictive AI policies transformed the student-professor relationship into a game of “catch me if you can,” largely because universities failed to involve students in the policymaking process. headlines. Universities formed AI task forces not to police AI use, but to teach students how to use it ethically and responsibly. behind to fail?
Read the rest of this story at www.bcheights.com
Op-Ed: Markey’s Inauguration Absence Was Undemocratic
On a rainy Saturday night, Boston College men’s basketball took on the No. 3 Duke Blue Devils in front of a packed Conte Forum crowd. Among students dressed in brown paper bags, U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts blended into the crowd behind Duke’s basket, watching as his alma mater was ripped apart by Cooper Flagg and Tyrese Proctor to the tune of an 88–63 loss.
Just two days later, President Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States of America. BC’s most visible alumnus was noticeably absent from the ceremonies, presumably mourning the demise of his once proud basketball program.
Markey, along with several other members of the Massachusetts delegation, including U.S. Representatives Bill Keating and Ayanna Pressley, consciously decided not to attend Trump’s inauguration. Their intent was not to challenge the election’s fairness but rather to protest the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
Markey was present in the chamber in
the hours preceding the attacks, which directly threatened the lives of several Capitol police officers and members of Congress. He and his fellow lawmakers appear politically justified in their decision to skip the ceremony as a symbol of their political message.
But current Democratic views tend to tout the empowerment of democracy.
Many left-leaning voters and politicians criticized Trump’s decisions during his tenure, like questioning the validity of the election process and using his power in illegitimate ways to pursue his own ends. Markey is among this crowd. In response to the events of Jan. 6, he voiced his criticism.
“This is how we respond to this assault on our democracy. By reaffirming it. Democracy will prevail,” Markey said.
It is an optimistic call to action. The governmental process should not disillusion us even when doubts appear.
Implicit in this statement, however, is the promise that when placed in a similar position post-2024 election, Democrats would still cling
Photo Gal lery
to the idea of democracy, defend the peaceful transition of power, and affirm the legitimacy of the election process. When the pendulum of power swings back across the aisle, Democrats should stick to their guns and continue vocalizing their support for democratic infrastructure even when there is no immediate benefit.
Instead, some Democratic members of Congress—including Markey who officially represents the state of Massachusetts and tacitly represents BC—stamped their feet and relayed an unsaid statement: I do not have full faith in our democratic systems.
Markey’s decision was wholly justified in his eyes—his colleagues’ lives were threatened by the attacks and the instigator now serves as the president. Yet a congressperson must be a representative of interests and messages beyond their own. That is their job.
I hope the evident hypocrisy in Markey’s actions is not lost on him.
Markey has openly and rightfully criticized Trump for his blatantly undemocratic actions in the past.
So, what has changed? Respect for federal precedents is imperative regardless of whether a Democrat, Republican, or Independent takes over the executive branch.
Boycotting a symbolic inaugural appearance may seem insignificant, but it shows that personal and partisan motives are taking precedence over the nation’s stability.
Markey aimed for a show of Democratic strength but instead signaled America’s democratic weakness.
Fighting fire with fire only scorches what little semblance of political cohesion remains.
Both sides of the political spectrum constantly refuse to cooperate, hurling insults
reminiscent of an elementary school playground when things do not go their way. The best way to remedy the problems that afflict us is for our leaders to rise above petty politics and act as role models.
There is a reason why the politicians considered great are exceptional unifiers in times of crisis. Abraham Lincoln weathered the storm of a house divided against itself. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats soothed the American anxieties during the Great Depression. George W. Bush threw the first pitch of the 2001 World Series in front of a wounded, post-Sept. 11 New York City.
Markey had a chance to rise among his fellow politicians and, in a defining moment, support the American system in a call for unity. Yet he stayed home as Trump was sworn in, defying the typical decorum of inaugural attendance. If my own elected senator does not endorse a peaceful transition of power, as demonstrated through his actions, why should I?
Looking forward, the people must ask themselves and their representatives: How should the political landscape be shaped? If our modern political systems, thanks to messages promoted by members of Capitol Hill, are plagued by distrust, then we will only exacerbate the ever-growing perception of the partisan divide in politics.
Systems designed for a large population will not always directly benefit everyone at a given moment, and we cannot just abandon our faith because that leader is not our preferred choice. We must be more mature than this, and congressional leaders like Markey must be too. We all must be better.
Voll
at volln@bc.edu.
Emily Wang
Emily Wang is a sophomore at Boston College. She can be reached at yutong.wang.4@bc.edu.
nicholas Voll
Nicholas
is a sophomore at Boston College. He can be reached
CATHERINE LI / FOR THE HEIGHTS
CATHERINE LI / FOR THE HEIGHTS
ARTS
The Weeknd Leaves Old Alias Behind
B y l ucas F errara
For The Heights
The Weeknd bids farewell to his alias of almost 14 years with Hurry Up Tomorrow , his highly anticipated final album under the name that made him a global icon. Released on Jan. 31, Hurry Up Tomorrow concludes the trilogy that began with After Hours and continued with Dawn FM
Abel Tesfaye, his full name and stage name going forward, has compiled an impressive catalog over various genres since exploding onto the scene with his debut mixtape House of Balloons in 2011. With four Grammy Awards and the best performing song in Billboard Hot 100 history with “Blinding Lights,” Tesfaye has become one of the most prominent artists of the 21st century. Hurry Up Tomorrow arrives to officially solidify that.
The two singles that preceded the album made waves in their own right. “São Paulo,” featuring Anitta, set a record for the biggest debut of a Brazilian funk song on Spotify, and “Timeless,” featuring Playboi Carti, debuted at No. 1 on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart.
The introductory song, “Wake Me Up,” opens with a gradually
building synthesizer and Tesfaye cooing behind it until the beat finally breaks into catchy electropop around the two-minute mark. His all-engaging voice continues to stun on the chorus, where he boasts the song’s title as the beat spikes.
“Wake me up, come find me / It feels like I’m dying / Wake me up, these demons / Keep creeping, don’t fear ’em / Wake me up,” Tesfaye sings.
These haunting lines, paired with the energetic beat, exemplify that Tesfaye can excel in both the R&B aspects of his work as well as the pop aspects—showcasing his talents in music overall.
Tesfaye’s genre-bending doesn’t end there. He thrives on working with artists from different corners of music to achieve perfection, which is evident in the singles for the album. Other heavy-hitting features on the album are Travis Scott, Future, and Lana Del Rey.
“Reflections Laughing” garners gospel vocals and a phone call transition to Scott’s laid-back, autotuned flow, while “Enjoy The Show” has Future holding down the middle portion of the soul-sampled track. Del Rey stops by on “The Abyss” to sing melodically alongside Tesfaye on the
synthesizer-backed outro. No matter what type of song—R&B, hip-hop, pop—Tesfaye will show up, no matter who’s beside him.
Regardless of the constant genre changing, this album still feels complete and doesn’t seem off track at any point. Hurry Up Tomorrow reflects on the nature of love set against the backdrop of a world falling into chaos, and Tesfaye is there to offer existential advice.
One of the other standout tracks that fits perfectly into Tesfaye’s R&B, alternative pocket is “Given Up On Me,” which, with a 5:54 runtime, flaunts both his creative ability to tell a story and his gorgeous vocals.
“Why won’t you let me go? / Why won’t you let me leave? / I give it up on me, yeah / I think I’m in too deep,” Tesfaye sings.
Capturing the track’s haunting narrative of self-destruction and toxic attachment, Tesfaye acknowledges his downfall and how something still ropes him back in. Tesfaye paints a picture of someone trapped in a cycle of addiction and emotional dependence, desperate to escape yet unable to break free.
The final, titular track, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” emphasizes the
album’s themes and closes it elegantly. Tesfaye’s ethereal, zen-induced first verse leaves the listener floating in his voice.
“Wash me with your fire / Who else has to pay for my sins? / My love’s fabricated, it’s too late to save it / Now I’m ready for the end,” Tesfaye sings.
This song dives into guilt and the path to redemption—Tesfaye wrestles with his past mistakes while longing for healing over a trickling electronic beat with whiny vocals. The end of the track also transitions back into his first-ever song, “High For This,” to perfectly close the loop of his discography.
Where the album shines brightest are the transitions between consecutive songs. Many tracks change their vibe entirely from beginning to end to fit the transitions, flexing Tesfaye’s
wide range of performance. This album may not be one the average listener can get through due to its length, but it flows as one impressive body of music, so it’s worth sitting down for the hour and 26 minutes required to finish the piece.
Tesfaye’s direction with this album is clear: It is a final album to showcase his proficiency under each umbrella of music before he moves on to something bigger. And, to nobody’s surprise, he hits the mark on all of them.
This album fits the mold of everything Tesfaye’s released as The Weeknd but also breaks those molds in certain spots, which is why it’s so perfect. The contradiction between staying comfortable in the R&B genre while still creating spectacular songs in others shows Tesfaye isn’t just an artist—he’s a curator of music. n
‘Love Me’ Explores Romance and Identity
B y a lexandrine B ourlot Heights Staff
Love Me , Kristen Stewart’s new movie, covers the possibility of personhood in the metaverse.
Directed by Sam and Andy Zuchero, Love Me is 2025’s first post-apocalyptic sci-fi film to hit box offices on Jan. 31. A commentary on the role of media in the present and the world to come, the film stars Stewart and Steven Yeun as robots turned humans exploring the meaning of life and the possibility of love beyond humanity.
Set in 2050, the film depicts Earth after a global conflict eradicates humanity, leaving a frozen, desolate world with only skeletal remains of buildings. A robotic buoy, trapped in the icy New York Harbor, awakens and tries to determine its location.
A satellite with a loudspeaker circles the sky, announcing itself as a “helper for life forms encountering the planet once known as Earth.” It initially refuses to assist the buoy, which cannot prove it is a lifeform. In response, the buoy accesses the internet via the satellite
and turns to YouTube to explore existential questions: “What is life?” and “Who am I?”
Overwhelmed by varied answers, the buoy fixates on a defunct account once run by a woman named Deja (Stewart). It becomes obsessed, consumes her content, and ultimately assumes her identity, even altering its voice to match hers. Seeing this, the satellite adopts the persona of Deja’s husband, Liam (Yeun), hoping to maintain a connection with the buoy.
The film follows the robots as they evolve from Instagram-scrolling entities to avatars in a metaverse, mimicking Deja and Liam’s lives—down to meals, routines, and even a virtual dog. Deja’s avatar embraces the familiarity of human imitation, but Liam’s avatar grows restless.
An argument erupts over their reality and purpose, with Liam declaring their existence a lie and
seeking evolution. Deja, shaken, emotionally shuts down. In a melancholic montage, she disconnects from the metaverse, leaving the two robots separated for a billion years.
Separated from Deja, Liam realizes his virtual world is a fabrication and experiments with creating essentials like water. Through trial and error, he understands that reality is what he makes of it and, in an emotional montage, transforms into a human form. Deja reappears, also materializing as a human after reflecting on her livelihood. Liam tells her he wants her, not just Deja’s persona. They forgive each other and consummate their newfound physicality.
As an Academy Award nominee, Stewart’s performance fell short of expectations—her portrayal of a robot felt ingenuine and flat. Yeun’s depiction of an android working toward emotional
sentience and physical materiality, on the other hand, felt extremely raw and realistic.
Although the film stands as a beautiful commentary on how media informs our individuality and reality, the concepts it explores feel too ready-made for the film to be considered thought-provoking. The occasional plot holes and pre-packaged issues leave the movie on a similar level as Greta Gerwig’s Barbie (2023), where the existential concepts are directly fed to the audience.
Ultimately, Love Me stands as a quick watch where the audience will contemplate deeper questions during the film but leave the cinema with the more shocking and comical scenes in mind.
Nevertheless, it was an entertaining and compelling watch. If you have a spare 91 minutes in your day and are looking for a digestible movie, Love Me is in theaters now. n
‘Paradise’ Leaves Viewers Begging for More
When Secret Service agent Xavier Collins rushes in to discover that the president has no pulse, there is nothing he—or the audience—can do besides panic.
The first episode of Dan Fogelman’s newest show Paradise was released on Jan. 26 as a surprise drop. For all who loved Fogelman’s family drama This Is Us , Sterling K. Brown is back in the form of Collins, the head of security for the president. Brown brings his quietly brilliant acting skills to this new role, stealing every scene.
While at first, the show’s plot seems straightforward—the former president is assassinated, leaving his Secret Service team disconcerted—the entire premise of the series is challenged by the end of the first episode. This unique twist makes viewers yearn for more as questions arise about the show’s true setting and theme.
Paradise opens with Collins jogging through his picture-perfect small town, waving to neighbors and leaving notes for his kids. The glimpse of a bullet scar on his shoulder, however, is one indication that all is not as idyllic as it seems. It is later that morning that the plot commences, as Collins discovers former President Cal Bradford (James Marsden) has been murdered in his bedroom. The show cuts between five years prior and the present, allowing the viewer to slowly fill in the details along the way. Having to piece together details between past and present, the audience is left to wonder what caused the stark differences between the two timelines.
After discovering the assassination, Collins calls for a lockdown and lets only two trusted colleagues, Billy Pace (Jon Beavers) and Jane Driscoll (Nicole Brydon Bloom), know what happened. Collins orders them to
take mental pictures of as much evidence as possible before the authorities take over.
In flashbacks, viewers see the close camaraderie that develops between the charming, charismatic, but clearly troubled President Bradford and Collins. This bond grows stronger after Collins saves Bradford from an assassination attempt, with the president then inviting him into his inner circle.
Brown’s acting conveys more emotion with a single glance than most can do with a whole scene of dialogue. His solemn expressions make the audience feel like they are experiencing the stress of an actual Secret Service agent who is trying to navigate the death of the president.
Collins and Bradford’s complex relationship changes greatly over the five years. Marsden’s humor contrasts with Brown’s seriousness, creating an interesting dynamic between the two that entertains viewers while simulta -
neously raising questions about the nature of their friendship and what exactly may have caused the eventual rift between them.
Constant foreshadowing of Bradford’s death—and some unknown world danger—adds to the suspenseful music and sudden camera movements, giving the show an eerie and disturbing feeling as if there is, even more, the audience does not know.
In the final scene of the episode, Collins is jogging through the town, while a haunting cover of Phil Collins’ “Another Day in Paradise” plays in the background.
The camera begins to pan to details in the outside world that turn the plot on its head and leave viewers stunned. What was once a commentary on modern-day politics turns into a dystopian scene, successfully setting up a promising rest of the season. These subtle but chilling scenes are disturbing and push the audience to ponder what could be occurring both in this town and the outside world. Fogelman does a great job using the final minutes of the premiere to elicit questions that are sure to bring viewers back for answers. n
B y M ary M ullen Heights Staff
GRAPHIC BY PARKER LEAF / HEIGHTS EDITOR
GRAPHIC BY JASHODHARA JINDAL / HEIGHTS EDITOR
GRAPHIC BY JASHODHARA JINDAL / HEIGHTS EDITOR
ARTS
‘The Bachelor’: New Season, Old Formula
By ANgeliki ktoridi Heights Staff
The 29th season of one of America’s most popular reality shows, The Bachelor, is here. The season debuted its first episode Monday on Hulu, Tubi, and Disney Plus.
“Love is on the horizon as 25 remarkable women prepare to open their hearts to Grant Ellis; a bold, new twist on the traditional first impression rose,” reads the show’s IMDb page.
The new bachelor is Grant Ellis, a 30-year-old athlete from Houston, Texas, whose “first love was basketball.” Last season’s bachelor was Joey Graziadei, who caused a rave on social media and made season 28 a big hit.
This was my first impression of the show, which is a series that follows a single bachelor among a group of around 25 romantic interests he will date throughout the season. By the finale, he must choose a fiancee, and although it might seem straightforward, this reality TV show will keep you on your toes.
During the approximately nineweek series, Ellis will go on various romantic and adventurous dates to see who he will choose, conflict unfolding as the elimination style of the show kicks into gear.
The season premiere starts with a background on the show’s protagonist. Ellis’ introduction was vulnerable as he delved into hardships from his childhood, such as dealing with his father’s addiction and his parents’ divorce.
“Addiction is a hard thing because, you know, growing up, my pops was everything,” said Ellis. “He was my superhero.”
The audience meets his mother, Renee; father, Robert; and older sister, Taylor; who are all very protective of him. He was sweet and heart-warming, yet still added funny moments to keep the audience engaged—will he be deemed America’s sweetheart? The family montage ended with a touching moment where Ellis handed out his first rose to his late grandma, Corine Frank Russell.
Soon after, the audience was introduced to the love interests of the show, and each woman made sure her
first impression counted.
Throughout the evening, Ellis met 25 contestants, who made memorable entrances. The women varied from mid-20s to early-30s, all very eager to meet one another and their possible future husband. Notable moments included the first love interest, Rose, who cheekily asked Ellis “Will you accept this rose?” as she pointed to herself.
There were women from all over the United States—even Puerto Rico. Carolina brought out her native tongue and established her meet-cute by introducing herself in Spanish, boldly telling Ellis she would be his future wife.
“I have to invest in some Rosetta Stone,” Ellis responded.
Each woman brought their own touch, but my favorite was when Alexe brought Linda, a “no-drama llama”—definitely a way to make a first impression.
After the initial meetings, Ellis spent some time alone with each contestant. The one-on-one sessions included an absurd amount of selfies while wearing matching wigs with Bailey, a social media manager,
and laughs with Parisa, a pediatric behavior analyst, who presented a hilarious PowerPoint about their potential future together.
Each moment was entertaining, and by the middle of the episode, love started brewing. One of the women stole the first kiss while the others watched, wishing they had been the one.
The episode concluded with the first rose ceremony, where Ellis gave roses to 18 women to continue on the journey with him, while seven women went home. Amid the dramatic music and shedding of tears, the season promises a mix of romance, emotional depth, and unique storytelling as Ellis seeks his future partner. As for my first impression of
the show, The Bachelor is a fun and light-hearted watch, perfect for a cozy night with your friends. It is a tad ridiculous at times, given that it is a reality show. It seemed a bit strange seeing so many successful women agree to date one man at the same time.
For the sake of entertainment purposes, however, it does its job. It is a drama-filled show that will keep you on your toes.
With 25 women competing for one man, there will definitely be some interesting scenes between the women, and even Ellis himself. Want to know who got the first impression rose, first one-on-one date, first kiss, and who were the seven sent home? Cuddle up with a friend and watch the premiere together.n
Dance & Death: Circa Waves’ Album Release
By MAry kozeNy Heights Staff
In their latest release Death & Love, Pt. 1, Liverpool indie rockers Circa Waves deliver their most personal and poignant work to date, transforming a brush with mortality into nine tracks of exhilarating guitar-pop catharsis.
The album marks a pivotal moment for the band, particularly frontman Kieran Shudall, who faced a life-altering medical emergency in early 2023 when doctors discovered a severe blockage in his main heart artery. This brush with death serves as the emotional backbone of the record, infusing familiar indie-rock
structures with newfound urgency and depth. Self-produced by Shudall and engineered by Matt Wiggins— known for his work with Adele and Lana Del Rey—the album successfully walks the line between nostalgia and innovation, drawing from the band’s foundational influences while pushing their sound forward. The lead single “Like You Did Before” exemplifies this balance, channeling the infectious energy of early 2000s New York indie rock while exploring themes of mortality and resilience. The track was born from Shudall’s hospital stay, where he would imagine himself in crowded clubs, dancing with abandon—a powerful metaphor for choosing life in the face of uncertainty.
“I want you for myself / Yeah that’s all / In this dark room I’m subdued / I’m confused, crying out for help / I might go,” Shudall sings.
Since their formation in 2013, Circa Waves has consistently evolved while maintaining their signature sound. The band, which includes Joe Falconer on guitar, Sam Rourke on bass, and Colin Jones on drums, has built their reputation on crafting infectious post-punk anthems, earning comparisons to Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes along the way.
Death & Love, Pt. 1, however, represents a marked maturation in their songwriting approach, proving that near-death experiences can be powerful creative catalysts.
What sets this album apart from their previous works is its raw, emotional honesty. While their earlier releases like Young Chasers and Sad Happy showcased the band’s ability to craft radio-ready indie anthems, this new collection of songs digs deeper, offering listeners a more vulnerable and contemplative side of the group.
“I see hope like a buoy lost at sea / As the shimmering tide passes
by you and me / Paint the town as the saddest sound follows you / As the silver and gold has to be sold to start anew,” sings the group on “Everything Changed.”
The album’s production deserves special mention. Wiggins’ engineering expertise helps create a sonic landscape that feels both intimate and expansive, allowing the personal nature of the lyrics to resonate while maintaining the energetic instrumental arrangements that have become Circa Waves’ calling card.
Death & Love, Pt. 1 is presented as the first installment of a larger narrative, suggesting that the band isn’t finished processing these transformative experiences. This approach adds an intriguing layer of anticipation to the project, inviting listeners to join them on what promises to be a continuing journey of reflection and revelation.
For a band that has consistently charted in the UK, with their 2020 album Sad Happy reaching number four on the Official Albums Chart, this latest offering feels less concerned with commercial suc-
cess and more focused on artistic authenticity. It’s a brave pivot that pays off, resulting in some of their most compelling work to date.
While the album’s themes of mortality might suggest a somber listening experience, Circa Waves manages to transform these heavy subjects into something life-affirming and occasionally even jubilant. It’s a testament to their songwriting prowess that they can tackle such weighty material while maintaining their signature energy and accessibility.
“I said it took a long, long time to get here / But yeah we made it, yeah we made it / Every silver line was a gold mine as the sun was fading,” sings Shudall in “We Made It.” Death & Love, Pt. 1 stands as a remarkable achievement for Circa Waves, demonstrating their ability to evolve beyond their indie rock origins while staying true to their core sound. It’s an album that reminds us that the best art often emerges from life’s most challenging moments, and how music can serve as both a personal healing mechanism and a universal connector.n
Hancock Cracks the Code With Movie, ‘Companion’
By Nick Voll Heights Staff
Companion, directed by rookie director Drew Hancock, follows the relationship between Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh Beeman (Jack Quaid)—a story of love and betrayal, manipulation and abuse.
The narrative seems normal for the first 20 or so minutes, until the first of many twists—in these turns, the film’s true nature gloriously unveils itself and hooks the audience. The use of the unexpected is essential to the plot, and combined with phenomenal acting from the cast and exuberant creativity, Companion cements itself as an instant standout of the new year.
The opening sequence follows Iris, who temporarily assumes the role of narrator, as she first encounters Jack in a supermarket in what appears to be the cliché “love at first sight” ordeal.
Companion is not, however, a
romantic movie. It is a rare blend of the social horror, science fiction, and thriller genres—the film is chock full of violence and death.
The shocking scene in which Josh reveals to Iris that she is a companion robot—her life and memories are a lie, and her emotions and pain are just an imitation through code— encapsulates the three best aspects of this movie. The first of these is the curveballs. What, at first, feel like odd moments begin to make sense in retrospect. The robotic revelation is the most significant shift of direction for the story, but it is not the only swift change that catches the audience off guard. None of the twists feel cheap, either. The flick never attempts to outsmart the viewer but rather each successive bombshell works to develop the plot, revealing motivations and character traits.
The second prominent aspect is the exceptional acting. Thatcher saddles this role and takes the viewer for
a ride. Her gestures and movements are slightly inhuman, enough to be noticeable, and she has a natural awkwardness in conversation with the rest of the group. The writers also introduce an interesting paradox because despite being literally the least human, Iris is the most relatable character.
Quaid also deserves praise for his portrayal of a pathetic narcissist. It feels like he gets typecasted, courtesy of his role in The Boys, but in this case, it works to the film’s benefit—he is likable despite his abhorrent actions.
The last of the film’s standout features is the creative liberty it takes. This film has an existential, capital-p “Premise,” for which it earns its sci-fi tag. Think Detroit: Become Human Thankfully the scenario serves as the backdrop for the events and contributes to the emotional story instead of comprising its substance. Additionally, there is evident care and attention to the world-building
of this universe, and the story feels like it naturally occupies the setting. The film also takes time to show the audience the depth of the systems upon which the companion robots function—the machines are completely customizable, from eye color to intelligence.
Some parts of the picture do feel unpolished though, likely because of Hancock’s debut direction. Specifically, the stretch leading up to “the big reveal” is awkwardly executed. Likewise, the picture’s theme of misogyny, ingrained in the premise and antagonist, is not developed beyond its basic abstractions.
Irrespective of the heavy themes of identity and personal liberty, the picture is unashamed to experiment with something new. The creative direction makes the film feel exciting and innovative. It wears its themes on its sleeve and is an enjoyable watch, meaning that the movie doesn’t have a lot of ambiguity or depth in intent—but it doesn’t need it.
Companion is well-executed and brimming with character, and also bears a powerful message about overcoming abuse and living true to oneself. Also, in the age of AI, it finds itself uncomfortably topical. n
DOBC Celebrates 30 Years With VOGUE
DOBC, from A1
Throughout the evening, DOBC showcased its versatility with a range of performances that blended precision with storytelling. Pieces like “Hold Back the River” and “Je te laisserai des mots” conveyed deep emotion through fluid movement, while numbers named “Bratz,” featuring songs like “Mean girls” and “Talk talk,” played with attitude and nostalgia.
The production quality of the showcase elevated each performance to another level. Meticulous work ensured that every piece was enhanced by a perfectly curated atmosphere—soft, warm tones for emotional moments and bold, dramatic lighting for high-energy numbers. The interplay of movement, lighting, and music created a fully immersive experience that left a lasting impression.
One of the night’s most mesmerizing moments came with “Edge of Seventeen,” a performance that was both graceful and powerful, drawing the audience in with its seamless transitions and visually striking formations.
Beyond choreography, cos -
tuming played a key role in defining each performance’s tone. Dancers donned everything from flowing, elegant ensembles in contemporary pieces to bold, edgy outfits for jazz and hip-hop numbers. The wardrobe for each routine felt intentional, reinforcing the themes of the performances.
Adding to the night’s excitement were two guest performances that captivated the crowd. Synergy Hip Hop Dance Company, known for its commanding stage presence, delivered a high-energy routine dressed in all-black ensembles—oversized blazers, crop tops, and athletic-style shorts paired with white sneakers. Their performance was a perfect blend of sharpness and fluidity, set against a deep red-lit backdrop that added to its intensity.
The performance by BC Irish Dance was equally thrilling and brought unique rhythmic energy to the stage. Dressed in traditional yet modernized Irish dance attire, their precise footwork and synchronized movements left the audience cheering. Their performance was a striking contrast to the contemporary and jazz numbers, showcasing the diversity of
BC’s dance community.
As the night neared its conclusion, the anticipation in the room remained high. The performance of “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac offered a reflective and poignant moment, enthralling the audience with its emotional depth. The final routine brought all the dancers together for one last exhilarating performance, closing the show on a high-energy, celebratory note.
VOGUE was more than just a showcase—it was a tribute to 30 years of movement, creativity, and growth. The event highlighted the talent of the present and set the stage for the next generation. The energy, passion, and technical excellence displayed throughout the night reaffirmed why DOBC remains one of the most beloved performance groups at BC.
For those in attendance, it was an unforgettable celebration of dance, artistry, and community.
The roaring cheers that filled the theater from start to finish were proof of how much this showcase meant—not just to the dancers but to everyone lucky enough to witness it. If this year’s show was any indication, the next 30 years will be just as thrilling. n
UPrising’s Annual Show Brings the Energy
By Kathy Lu Podcast Editor
On Saturday, UPrising Dance Crew hosted their annual showcase, the Waves Show, at the Robsham Theater. As audience members filed in 30 minutes before the show began, non-stop chatter and excitement followed.
UPrising is focused on an urban, hip-hop influence, incorporating a variety of styles and elements of dance such as concepts, visuals, and acrobatic stunts. This is the group’s eighth annual show, featuring guest performances by BC Dance Ensemble (BCDE), CONcept ARTist (ConArt), and BC Irish Dance (BCID).
UPrising started the night with its Fall Set, choreographed by Hannah Fuller, MCAS ’25; Sydney Leardi, MCAS ’27; Ashley Lee, LSEHD ’25; Laura Debrabandere, MCAS ’27; and Shea Gahr, LSEHD ’25. This year, their concept was “a sunny beach day” as noted on the show program.
The lively choreography complemented energetic songs including, “Summer Days (feat. Macklemore & Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy)” by Martin Garrix and “Rush” by Troye Sivan. The choreography featured great
formations, showcasing the group’s teamwork and versatility.
Guest performance BCDE took the stage next. BCDE is BC’s first student-run dance group, specializing in a diverse range of styles including jazz, contemporary, ballet, and tap. The choreography’s theme was danger, featuring continuous acrobatic stunts and lifts to songs “Dangerous” by Michael Jackson and a remix of Jackson’s “Billie Jean” by Dj Ale. Just like its UPrising counterparts, BCDE featured impeccable teamwork and control.
Following BCDE, UPrising took the stage with its Girlboss Set, choreographed by Summer Joh, LSEHD ’25, Fuller, and Lee. Contrasting the Fall Set, the Girlboss Set takes a sexy twist, featuring black outfits and heels. Song choices were also on point, featuring tracks like “Level Up” by Ciara and “Vroom Vroom” by Charli XCX. The crowd went wild when Gahr performed a solo flip as a part of the dance.
ConArt followed the act with choreography featuring intricate footwork. Despite a small team of only four members for the performance, they gave spectacular energy on stage.
After ConArt, UPrising took the stage again with its Nostalgia Set,
choreographed by Lily von Rosenvinge, MCAS ’26; Mikayla Kendall, MCAS ’25; and Lee. The denim outfits they donned were exactly what you might expect while the nostalgic songs “1, 2 Step” by Ciara and Missy Elliott and “Classic” by MKTO completed the concept. The choreography felt more
Rookie Set came next, featuring the four new members of UPrising, Maddie Anders, CSOM ’28; Jenny Zhao, MCAS ’26; Sara Bufi, LSEHD ’27; and Selene Ferreira, MCAS ’28. The self-choreographed routine included songs like “Toxic” by Britney Spears and “The Motto” by Tiësto & Ava Max.
carefree and casual, showing off each member’s personality.
After a brief 10-minute intermission, the UPrising leadership board introduced themselves, their names, and their roles. A special shout-out went to the event’s coordinator Emma Ogata, MCAS ’26, for her efforts in making the showcase possible.
The rookies brought new energy into the group and used their set to show off their abilities.
Taking a more melancholic turn came the Senior Set, choreographed by the group’s departing members, Mina Do, MCAS ’25, Gahr, Lee, Fuller, and Kendall. Dressed in all white to symbolize their upcoming graduation,
the set featured songs like “no tears left to cry” by Ariana Grande and demonstrated the seniors’ dance experience. Toward the end of the performance, tears were visible in their eyes, exhibiting how much UPrising meant to them.
Before UPrising performed its last routine, BCID took the stage as the group’s second guest performance. The group danced to songs like “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield while dancing in well-arranged formations.
The evening concluded with the Waves Set, choreographed by Caitlin Murphy, MCAS ’27, Gahr, Debrabandere, Ferreira, Ogata, and Leardi. This was the most energetic set of the night, as the dancers rocked their UPrising shorts and mini black puffer vests. Songs included “Flex Up” by Lil Yachty and “GIRLS” by The Kid LAROI. Wavey movements were choreographed throughout the set to emphasize the theme, including a perfectly executed wave that bounced from dancer to dancer to conclude the night.
Taking a group photo post-performance as friends and family brought flowers to the stage, UPrising’s annual showcase was one filled with both energy and sentimentality. n
TRISHNA CONDOOR / HEIGHTS STAFF
CATHERINE LI / HEIGHTS STAFF
TRISHNA CONDOOR / HEIGHTS STAFF
CATHERINE LI / HEIGHTS STAFF
M AGAZINE
Kreisberg's Donation Drive Aids LA Fire Victims
B
y J u L iana P arisi Heights Staff
The mass devastation the LA wildfires caused caught everyone off guard.
The fire didn’t discriminate. Childhood homes, elementary schools, and beloved museums were all reduced to ash. Insurance won’t cover these types of losses.
Lily Kreisberg, BC ’22, wanted to find a way to help those whose lives had been upended and whose belongings were destroyed, so she organized a clothing and toiletries donation drive.
Kreisberg, a senior coordinator of field publicity and events at Lionsgate, gathered over 100 volunteers and opened a pop-up shop called Westside Gives at the Lionsgate office. The pop-up ultimately collected over 10,000 donations for wildfire victims across LA.
Kreisberg has always been passionate about helping her local community. She recalled volunteering at soup kitchens and animal shelters, as well as sorting through donated clothes over the years.
But this presented an entirely new level of challenges.
Originally open only on Tuesday and Wednesday, Westside Gives saw such high demand that it expanded its hours to stay open through Friday.
Kresiberg’s efforts attracted national support and attention.
“Mark Ruffalo posted what we were doing, and The Weeknd posted what we were doing,” Kreisberg said. “We were on two news stations. Things like that really helped amplify everything.”
Westside Gives started without a website or social media, relying purely on word of mouth and social media to spread its message and resources.
“Whenever we would ask people, ‘Oh, how did you hear about this?’ They were like, ‘My friend in Connecticut saw The Weeknd’s story and then sent it to me,’” Kreisberg said.
The drive began in Santa Monica with Anne Allegretti, who started collecting donations at her home. Kreisberg, a family friend, brought some items to donate, and when she arrived to drop them off, she noticed that Allegretti’s house was overflowing with clothes and had run out of space.
Kreisberg turned to Noah E. Wood
III, a co-worker at Lionsgate who oversees operations, for help. Together, they moved the donations from Allegretti’s house to the Lionsgate corporate office.
As they moved the drive to Lionsgate, the donations continued to pour in.
“I had everything picked up,” Wood said. “And then a U-Haul truck showed up full. I believe it was from one of the football players of the Houston Oilers who had made a donation or collection and had it all delivered to our offices. Then people just kept showing up with donated goods so quickly that we found ourselves just buried in bags and bags of goods.”
Over 100 volunteers spread out on the first floor of the Lionsgate offices. They folded and sorted through countless bags of items, categorizing them by size, gender, and quality.
According to Wood, the first day of sorting lasted about 14 hours.
Each accepted donation was tagged and laid out to make it easy for attendees to find what they needed. Whatever each person asked for, they did their best to provide.
Kreisberg prioritized creating a welcoming environment at the center, according to Peter Gagliano, one of Kreisberg’s co-workers at Lionsgate. She aimed to make it as inviting as possible for people navigating the challenging process of rebuilding their lives after the fires.
“We’d heard of other experiences where everything’s kind of just thrown in a pile, and Lily really wanted to make it where it’s a welcoming experience,”
Gagliano said.
The turnout was overwhelming, Kreisberg said, with a steady stream of people shopping, but the team worked tirelessly, curating a diverse selection of goods to ensure everyone’s needs were met.
“We got over 500 impacted people to come through, and they were able to get so many clothing items, shoes, ranging from brand new to only very gently used,” Kreisberg said. “And that was a big thing that we wanted to kind of emphasize. These people impacted needed and deserve the best quality of things.”
Several volunteers, including Gagliano, were tasked with purchasing new toiletries, socks, and undergar-
ments, using both cash and Venmo donations.
“Over the course of probably three, four days, we went to 20 stores each and cleared out as many places as we could to keep the toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorants, mouthwash, new boxes of underwear stocked as much as we could,” Gagliano said.
Kreisberg’s pop-up shop not only provided materialistic support but emotional support as well.
“Some people just needed time to just cry and grieve and for someone to listen, so there were a lot of tears,” Wood said. “[Kreisberg] wanted it to be a safe space for the fire victims and she wanted them to feel well-cared for while they were at Lionsgate and in the space.”
The first guests who arrived at the pop-up were a 92-year-old woman and her daughter. Shortly after entering, they received a call from their insurance company informing them that they would not be reimbursed for the items they lost in the fire.
“It was a hard moment and for it to be the first—we had no idea what we were going to expect.” Kreisberg said.
“I think that kind of made me realize I'm about to meet a lot of people who are going through things I'm not understanding right now, and I need to just be really empathetic to that.”
Kreisberg tried to make the center a place where people felt calm and comfortable by playing soft music, offering emotional support, and adjusting to meet individual needs.
Some families brought young children, which sometimes made it difficult for parents to shop productively. Wood recalled a moment when Kreisberg took care of a child, no more than five years old, so his mother could be free from distractions.
“It was a huge help to her because she had to manage him—looking after him and keeping him safe,” Wood said.
Donation centers are often thought to primarily serve individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
The widespread impact of the fires across Los Angeles, though, has brought victims from a diverse range of socio-economic statuses.
“We saw people who arrived at the center in nicer, more expensive cars who had nothing,” Kreisberg said. “They needed the clothes to restart. And then we also have people who were the housekeepers and the nannies ... they lost not only their homes, they lost their jobs and that was a big, big group of people that we saw, too.”
For some victims, walking into a donation center was unfamiliar and overwhelming. Kreisberg said many became emotional as they faced the
reality of starting over.
“There were a lot of people who walked in, realized what they were doing, and were really upset,” Kreisberg said. “Some people felt really embarrassed to be there and they asked to shop alone, so we would close it to other people so people could get their privacy.”
Both Kreisberg and Wood recognized the importance of providing emotional support to victims of such traumatic experiences.
“Just being compassionate and empathetic is really constructive and helpful for someone who's going through something so traumatic,” Wood said. “Give them hugs and say, ‘We're with you, we stand with you, we support you. I'm so sorry that this has happened to you, and that's why we're here. We're here to help you.’”
Kreisberg recognizes the lasting impact of the wildfires on the community and remains committed to making a difference.
“LA is going through a lot right now, and, even though the wildfires are in a good containment level right now, it's gonna affect us for years to come,” Kreisberg said. “Everyone should be gentle with each other. When something like this is going to happen, do one thing for one person that you wish you could do for everybody.” n
Making the Most of the Beanpot: Game Day Tips
B
y C ara L ynn C au L fie L d Heights Staff
Beanpot week at Boston College is one of the most exciting of the year. Whether you’re lucky enough to score a coveted seat in the TD Garden stands or you’re watching from the comfort of your dorm, the energy and rivalry are unmatched.
Here is your ultimate guide to getting the most out of Beanpot week, no matter where you're tuning in from.
For the In-Person Experience: Game Day Tips, Traditions, and Must-Know Chants
Scored a ticket to the game? Nice! You’re about to experience BC Hockey
at its finest. But just showing up won’t cut it. Here’s how to make sure you’re not just there, but really there.
What to Wear First, let’s talk wardrobe. The rule is simple: Go big or go home. Wear your maroon and gold proudly—you’re representing BC. I’m talking scarves, beanies, sweatshirts, the works. Get your face painted if you’re feeling bold. This is Beanpot week people! You’ll want to stand out in the crowd, and the BC community will appreciate it.
When to Arrive
You’re going to want to get to TD Garden early—like, really early. Arriving just before the puck drops
means you’re stuck in the endless line for snacks and will likely get a lessthan-ideal seat. Aim for at least an hour before the game starts. Trust me, you’ll want time to soak in the pre-game atmosphere and fuel up before you lose your voice chanting.
Where to Sit
Got your ticket? Awesome. Now, where should you sit? Sit close to the action! If you’ve got a choice, the lower bowl near the BC section is prime real estate—that’s where the energy is. You’ll want to be close enough to hear the crisp slapshot and feel the roar of the crowd when BC scores.
Chants to Know
Now for the best part—the chants. If you’re new to the Beanpot (or BC Hockey), consider this your crash course in crowd participation. Here are the classics:
“Let’s go Eagles!” – Simple, loud, and effective. A staple in any BC fan’s arsenal.
Starting Lineup Callout – When the opposing team’s lineup is announced, chant “[Last name] sucks!” after each name. Is it the most original? No. Is it satisfying? Absolutely. The Sieve Chant – After BC scores, turn to the opposing goalie and let them have it: “Ohhhh, sieve. It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! It’s all your fault! [Player’s name], you suck at
life and goaltending!”
For the Couch Crew: How to Get the Most Out of Streaming the Game Not going to the game? No worries, you can still have a blast watching the Beanpot from your dorm room or apartment. Here’s how to do it right.
Get Your Game Day Setup Ready
First, make sure your tech is good to go. Whether you’re streaming from your laptop or casting to your TV, double-check the setup ahead of time—the last thing you need is a lag when BC is about to score. Arrange your seats for the best view—comfort is key, so toss in a few pillows and blankets—and dim the lights to set the mood. For a little extra flair, add some maroon and gold decorations.
Make It a Watch Party Game day is better with a squad, so invite your friends over. Whether you’re all die-hard hockey fans or just there for the snacks, the energy is contagious when you’ve got a crew cheering together. Bonus points for creating a mini student section in your living room—make some signs, coordinate a chant or two, and don’t be afraid to yell at the screen.
Whip Up Some Game Day Snacks
You can't have a solid game day without a hefty snack spread. Here’s
how to make your Beanpot watch party delicious:
BC “Maroon and Gold” Nachos: Layer up some tortilla chips with melted cheddar cheese (the gold), and top it with a generous spoonful of tomato salsa (your maroon touch). Add sour cream or guac for a little extra flair. Easy, cheesy, and basically BC on a plate. Pigs in Blankets: A true crowd-pleaser. Mini sausages wrapped in crescent roll dough and baked to perfection. These little guys are ridiculously easy to make, and trust me—once you try one, you won’t stop. They’re the ideal game day snack that’s small, bite-sized, and perfect for dipping in ketchup, mustard, or whatever sauce you’ve got lying around.
Hot Wings: Hot wings are a game day essential—crispy, spicy, and the perfect excuse to get messy without anyone judging you. No oven? No sweat. Just grab some frozen wings, microwave ’em, and drown in whatever sauce speaks to your soul: buffalo, BBQ, or that “I’ll regret this later but I’m doing it anyway” sauce.
Popcorn: Simple, but never basic. Forget the microwave packet and make it your own. Just pop, butter, and if you’re feeling extra, drizzle on some chocolate or caramel for a sweet twist. Bonus points if you throw in some crushed pretzels for that salty-sweet combo. You can’t go wrong with this crunchy classic. n
Kreisberg organized a donation drive at Lionsgate to collect clothes and toiletries for the victims of the L.A. fires.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LILY KREISBERG
SPORTS
Kelley’s Game-Winner Helps BC To Win
By AidAn GrAvinA Deputy Managing Editor
Redemption stories and sports go hand in hand. They’re not a rare occurrence. What is rare, however, is a redemption arc that spans just two games. That’s exactly what happened to Chas Kelley III.
With 18 seconds left, Boston College men’s basketball held a two-point lead over North Carolina and had possession of the ball. Kelley checked into the game, caused a five-second violation, and threw an errant pass that went out of bounds on the next possession. BC went on to lose that game 102–96.
But on Saturday, his role was reversed.
In a situation nearly identical to BC’s from the week before, Florida State held a two-point lead with seven seconds left. All the Seminoles needed was to inbound the ball and make their free throws. Instead, Kelley stole the inbound pass, rose up, and nailed a deep three to put the Eagles up by one with four seconds left.
Kelley blocked an FSU (13–9, 4–7 Atlantic Coast) shot on the next possession, securing a 77–76 win for the Eagles (10–11, 2–8) and snapping their six-game losing streak.
“You know, we’ve been laboring for a lot of days and a lot of months,” BC head coach Earl Grant said. “So I believe the fruits of your labor is a real thing. When you stay resilient and you believe and you have great courage, good things happen. So that’s what I saw tonight.”
The game started as a back-and-forth affair, as the teams traded blows until about seven minutes in when the Seminoles went up 15–14 on an AJ Swinton 3-pointer that came in the middle of a 7–0 FSU run.
Despite Donald Hand Jr. pouring in 14 firsthalf points on 4-of-9 shooting from deep, the Eagles still trailed by five at the break.
During the second half, things started to look bleak for the Eagles. The Seminoles came out of the half on an 11–6 run to extend their lead to double digits thanks to Malique Ewin’s eight points in 5:41. A couple of minutes later, FSU’s lead grew to 15 points.
BC responded quickly, going on a 9–0 run
to cut the deficit to 61–57 with 7:17 left to play.
Daquan Davis put the Seminoles back up eight with 2:29 remaining, and a couple strong defensive possessions kept them up eight as the game entered the final minute.
Hand broke the Eagles’ two-minute scoring drought with an and-1 jumper, cutting the deficit to five. The teams then traded free throws at opposite ends of the court, bringing the score to 72–67 in favor of the Seminoles.
Fred Payne stole the ball on the subsequent inbound, though, leading to free throws for Hand, who hit both to set a career-high 31 points.
“He knows he can take them,” Grant said. “We encourage him to take them. And he’s in the gym every morning at 6:30 a.m., so you know, he deserved to take them when you do that every morning.”
The Seminoles went to the line and hit their free throws, extending the lead back to five.
Kelley then drove down the floor and took a pull-up three, but it hit the back of the rim.
Swinton grabbed the rebound but couldn’t find a pass as he fell out of bounds, instead
throwing the ball to Chad Venning, who caught it and found Payne for an and-1.
Again, FSU hit its free throws to put itself back up by two possessions, and Venning came to the rescue once more on the other end.
This time, he grabbed the offensive board and put it back himself. Kelley then forced the inbound turnover and hit the game-winning three.
“Number one, don’t foul,” Grant recalled saying during the final timeout. “You’re only up one ... but with 4.2 you only get three dribbles. And so we wanted to push him down and make him catch the ball close to 84 feet as we could because we know he only had three dribbles.”
FSU ran the inbound play to Davis, who managed to drive all the way to the BC hoop, but Kelley came up clutch again, knocking the ball out of bounds and securing the win.
“I think that everything is possible when you believe, you know?” Grant said. “We had plenty of opportunities to fold out in that game. This season has been difficult, this journey has been difficult, but it ain’t because of a lack of effort.”" n
By SeBBy FitzGerAld
Asst. Sports Editor
With Boston College men’s hockey coming off a stretch of four straight top-10 matchups and having the first of its two Beanpot games on the horizon, Hobey Baker candidate Jacob Fowler was given his much-needed rest.
That meant Slovakian goaltender Jan Korec took the ice for his second start of the year—his two previous appearances came after Fowler’s ejection and suspension from punching UConn’s Tristan Fraser.
His last performance in BC’s overtime win over Providence was made up of 24 saves and a win.
For Korec, who doesn’t often get opportunities to start with Fowler in the mix, every opportunity to show what he can do is crucial.
“[Korec] takes his craft very seriously,” BC head coach Greg Brown said. “He’s an incredible student in the classroom and at hockey,
and so it was great to see him be rewarded.”
Backed by the No. 1 Eagles’ (19–4–1, 12–3–1 Hockey East) two first-period goals, Korec held his own between the pipes, silencing No. 8 UMass Lowell (13–8–3, 6–6–2) for a 4–0 victory and the Eagles’ seventh straight win.
“Most of the night, we were doing smart things,” Brown said. “Whether it was breaking pucks out or moving through the neutral zone.”
The first period started with BC quickly turning a killed penalty into a 1–0 lead just 15 seconds after Oskar Jellvik was released for his roughing call.
Drew Fortescue crossed the blue on the left side with Ryan Leonard on his shoulder. Fortescue fired a pass through the defender to Leonard, who shoved it home 3:04 into the game.
“I mean, [Leonard’s] a special talent in the league,” UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin said in praise of Leonard’s performance. “I think he’s gotta be the best talent.”
Although the Riverhawks led in shots on goal 12–10 after the first frame, BC generated
higher-quality scoring opportunities.
Both Teddy Stiga and Leonard found their way to the net without a defender near them, but goaltender Beni Halasz shut down both chances.
Those chances didn’t work, but it turns out that some shots don’t need to be pretty to go in.
James Hagens threw a blind pass into the slot for it to be deflected off Gabe Perreault’s skate and into the back of the net with about five minutes left in the opening frame.
BC ended the first frame failing to convert on a 5-on-3 power play but entered back into the two-man advantage seven minutes into the second period.
UMass Lowell was sent to the box five times throughout the night, but the Eagles were never able to capitalize.
“We just were never in sync, never on the same page,” Brown said about the power play. “If we did execute and get close, then the puck bounced over a stick or something.”
But Leonard’s even-strength heroics pushed the Eagles to a three-goal lead just 13
seconds into the third frame when his bullet from the top of the circles slid beneath Halasz for Leonard’s second score of the night.
Korec quickly followed that up with a sprawling save on Owen Cole’s shot.
The backup netminder finished with 22 saves and the second shutout of his collegiate career.
“Jan was outstanding for us tonight,” Brown said. “Got the start late, and just he’s such a professional every day, so it wasn’t hard for him to flip the switch and be ready.”
Leonard shut down any and all critics of his Hobey Baker campaign as he flashed nifty moves through defenders, found his way to the slot, and shoved it top-right for his seventh goal and second hat trick in the past three games.
“If we needed, you know, a matchup against the other team’s top players, he can do that,” Brown said. “He’s taken a lot of important faceoffs for us. So the goals have kind of always been there, but the rest of his game is really rounded out." n
UMass Lowell Boston College 0 4
No. 1 Eagles Chase First Beanpot Title Since 2012
Beanpot, from A1
Who is BC Playing?
Semifinal: Northeastern
Consolation / Championship: BU / Harvard
When is BC Playing:
Monday, Feb. 3, at 8 p.m.
With LOSS: Monday, Feb. 10, at 4:30 p.m.
With WIN: Monday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m.
Where is BC Playing?
TD Garden, Boston, Mass.
How to Watch: NESN/ESPN+
BC’s Beanpot History:
BC stands in second place for most titles in Beanpot history, falling short of BU’s first-place position at 30 titles.
The Eagles haven’t met their fans’ expectations in recent years while competing in the Beanpot.
The Eagles currently hold the longest drought of the four schools, with
their last Beanpot title coming in 2012 from a 3–2 overtime win versus BU.
They last made a championship appearance in 2019, falling to Northeastern 4–2.
BC has won, with the exception of one tie, every consolation game since then.
What to Expect:
Believe it or not, Northeastern is the team that’s had a hot streak in the Beanpot, even though two of its three opponents are ranked.
Although there’s no number in front of their name, the Huskies are probably the last school BC would prefer to play if it wants to come out as the champion.
Northeastern has made the last six Beanpot championship games, winning five of those six title games.
BC’s last matchup with the Huskies was disappointing—a four-win Northeastern squad racked up three goals in the first period in a 4-2 win on Nov. 23.
Expect Northeastern to come out with that same fire and put BC on edge early.
The Eagles haven’t surrendered the first goal of the game since their 3–3 shootout loss to UMass Lowell on Dec. 6, so adjustments to BC’s game flow will have to be made if this stands true.
This will likely be the most aggressive game we’ve seen from both sides, so the Eagles have to keep their heads up in open ice and match Northeastern’s assertiveness on loose pucks.
Outlook:
Three of BC’s four losses this season have come to unranked opponents in UConn, Northeastern, and Merrimack. In those three losses, BC averaged four penalties per game.
It sounds rather simple—almost too simple—but all the Eagles need to do Monday night is keep at the pace of play they’ve been at for the past three weeks.
When they do this, the box stays empty and everybody is happy.
Although BC still posts the best penalty kill percentage in Hockey East, its game versus BU—two goals during a five-minute major—proves that statistics don’t
mean everything on the big stage. Special teams will be the deciding factor in this game—Northeastern falls near the bottom for both penalty-kill and power-play
percentage in Hockey East. If the Eagles can control the game while man-down and man-up, they’ll be one step closer to ending their 12-year Beanpot drought. n
Unranked Merrimack Upsets BC 5–3
By Caroline KowalsKi Heights Staff
With No. 12 Boston College women’s hockey posting an upand-down record the past few games, it took on Merrimack looking to begin a healthy winning streak.
Merrimack forward Sage Babey opened the scoring by landing a shot in the back of the net aided by Sophie McKinley just 3:16 into the
first period.
The early goal forced BC into playing defensively sound, while the Warriors continued to dominate in their offensive zone.
Merrimack potted another goal after Maria Lindberg’s shot found its way past Grace Campbell, further widening the scoring gap in the Warriors’ favor.
The Eagles continued to struggle to find ways to break into the scoring column after falling quickly into a 2–0 deficit.
Just 22 seconds after the Warriors’ second goal, defenseman Natalie Nemes landed a third shot for Merrimack into BC’s goal.
In an attempt to change the Eagles’ current strategy, they substituted Campbell for Bailey Callaway between the pipes.
Despite surrendering three goals in the first seven minutes, BC continued to battle in its effort to even up the score.
After forcing pressure on the Merrimack defense, BC forward
Katie Pyne lifted the puck above goaltender Calli Hogarth’s pad to give the Eagles their first score of the night. Soon after, BC went on the power play but failed to make use of it, sending both teams into intermission with a 3–1 score.
The Eagles began the second frame seeking to crawl their way back into the game, looking to pressure both sides of the Warriors’ game.
The Eagles got one step closer after Julia Pellerin fired a one-timer from Sammy Taber’s feed to cut Merrimack’s lead in half.
Less than six minutes later, though, BC failed to fend off the Warriors as Chloe Goofers tallied Merrimack’s fourth goal of the night to sweep away any hopes of a tie game.
The Eagles continued to push offensively to begin the third period, hoping to once again close the twoscore gap.
Entering the final 10 minutes of regulation, Pellerin glided up the right side and snapped a shot beneath Hogarth to bring the score within one for BC.
In response, Merrimack’s Michaela Littlewood gave her team its much-needed insurance goal with 1:18 remaining to put the score at 5–3.
Despite their whole-hearted attempts at evening the score after falling to an early three-goal deficit, the Eagles were ultimately upset by the unranked Warriors. n
Pietersen’s Big Saves Lift BU Over No. 12 Eagles
By JaCK BeCKman Managing Editor
Sophomore goalie Mari Pietersen entered Friday night’s matchup against No. 12 Boston College women’s hockey looking to make a statement. The backup goalie had been solid in her eight appearances this season but hadn’t yet seen her breakout moment.
The Battle of Comm. Ave. gave her the chance to do just that while facing a hometown rival and the top offense in Hockey East.
After allowing an early transition goal, Pietersen quickly regained her composure.
A series of fast-paced attacks from the Eagles? Denied. A goahead blast from one of Hockey East’s top forwards? Glove save. Pietersen finished the outing
with 24 saves and led Boston University (17–8–1, 14–5–1 Hockey East) to an upset win over No. 12 BC (17–9–1, 13–6–1).
Entering Friday’s matchup, the best-of-three series was tied at one apiece, with BU holding a razor-thin three-point lead over BC for first place in the Hockey East standings, tied with Providence.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher—especially with the postseason looming just over a month away.
The Eagles’ fast, aggressive tempo paid off early. On a 2-on-1 break, Gaby Roy finished off a feed from Abby Newhook to give the Eagles a lead 5:54 into the game.
But it didn’t take long for BU to respond.
BU’s Lilli Welcke snuck an unassisted strike under Grace Campbell’s glove for her fourth goal of the season, tying the game up.
Both teams continued gener-
ating strong looks, but neither could find the back of the net.
As the horn blared to signal the end of the first period, it was still anyone’s game.
The second frame began with a shift in BU’s approach, as BU head coach Tara Watchorn opted to shuffle the lines and moved Clara Yuhn to the second unit. BU’s new matchups led to higher intensity and more aggression when attacking the net.
Despite the fast-paced action, the period remained quiet until a 4-on-4 sequence shifted the momentum.
After Maeve Carey was called for a tripping penalty, BC seemed poised to capitalize and extend its lead. The Eagles didn’t even have time to blink, though, before a late slashing penalty against Jade Arnone led to a 4-on-4 matchup.
The Terriers quickly took advantage of the open ice. Kaileigh
Quigg found space on Campbell’s stick side and fired a well-placed shot, giving BU its first lead of the game.
BC responded with offensive pressure of its own, including a pair of quality chances from Roy, but Pietersen remained composed between the pipes.
The Eagles came out swinging in the third period.
Despite a flurry of chances, though, they simply couldn’t find the back of the net. Newhook rattled off two early shots, but Pietersen came up clutch each time, deftly blocking them.
Kate Ham finally broke through, sneaking the puck through Pietersen’s legs to knot the game 2–2.
BC kept pressing, but BU’s defense held firm. The Terriers blocked multiple shots and forced the Eagles into low-percentage opportunities.
Just past the halfway mark of the final period, Riley Walsh crashed the net, punching in a rebound to slip the puck past Campbell’s glove side and put BU up 3–2. Campbell struggled to control the initial shot, and Walsh’s determination in an awkward space made the difference as she buried the go-ahead goal. After the goal, Walsh was under no illusion about the stakes of the rivalry and what she had just accomplished. She flapped her arms like a bird in what seemed to be an attempt to mock the Eagles.
BC ramped up the pressure late and even hit the post on a shot from Tricia Piku.
BC head coach Katie Crowley pulled Campbell for an extra skater in the final minute, but Pietersen stood tall and made a crucial last-second save to seal the win for BU. n
ELLIE EL-FISHAWY / HEIGHTS EDITOR
The Eagles’ loss to Merrimack on Friday night marks their third loss of the past four games.
KELLEN DAVIS / FOR THE HEIGHTS
BC’s only loss last season to BU came in the Beanpot semifinals.