The Heights, February 2, 2020

www.bcheights.com

Monday, February 3, 2020

UGBC Hosts First Debate for Candidates Abroad Program Canceled Four teams participated Due to Coronavirus in the Diversity and Two BC students chose to return to the United States for the semester.

Inclusion Debate.

By Danny Flynn Assoc. Magazine Editor At the Diversity and Inclusion Debate— the first of two put on by the Undergraduate Government of Boston College—the four teams running for president and executive vice president squared off on issues of diversity at BC. The duos facing off on the night were as follows: Czar Sepe, MCAS ’21, and Jack Bracher, MCAS ’22; Christian Guma, CSOM ’21, and Kevork Atinizian, CSOM ’22; John Gehman, MCAS ’21, and Leonardo Escobar, MCAS ’22; and Dennis Wieboldt and Lorenzo Leo, both MCAS ’23.

Debate moderators from the Elections Committee posed questions to one pair at a time, allowing each team two minutes to answer. If another team wanted to rebut, signified with a raise of the hand, it would be given one minute to do so. There was no time allotted for questions from students.

The moderators asked the candidates to refrain from personal attacks when in disagreement with one another and to instead focus critiques on differences of policy.

“I think first and foremost, UGBC is a vehicle, a student advocacy group, to

By Scott Baker News Editor

BRIDGET CLARK / HEIGHTS STAFF

create cultural change on campus,” said Sepe when asked about the organization’s role in addressing diversity and inclusion.

“Because we can put on as many events and programming as we want … but we need to harness a bigger cultural shift on campus.”

In response to a policy question pertaining to the experiences of LGBTQ+ students on campus, Gehman, who said he identifies as a queer person of color, advocated for the creation of an LGBTQ+ resource center on campus.

“But we also have to consider, in the meantime, what are we going to use as a substitute?” Gehman said. “We have to look at the home away from home, and that’s specifically the residence halls.”

Gehman proposed the creation of a director of diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality overseeing all residence halls, arguing that residence hall programming has not, in his experience as a residence hall president, been focused on questions of diversity.

Guma said that in his administration’s first day in office, he and other student leaders in UGBC would draft a “concrete plan of action” to bring about an LGBTQ+ student center to bring to the Board of Trustees.

“We’re going to outline exactly what the center will look like, where exactly it will be … and have a concrete plan of action,” he

See Debate, A3

Applications Decline for Class of 2024 BC received nearly 30,000 applications, a drop of over 5,000.

By Scott Baker News Editor Boston College received almost 30,000 applications for the undergraduate Class of 2024, Grant Gosselin, director of Undergraduate Admissions, told The Heights in an email. BC received more than 5,000 fewer applications for the Class of 2024 than it did for the Class of 2023.

This is the first round of applications since BC changed from Early Action (EA) admissions to an Early Decision (ED) policy with two rounds, in addition to a Regular

Decision (RD) round. Gosselin said that the numbers met the University’s expectations of a decline in early applications and an increase in Regular Decision applicants.

ED applications numbered at around 2,750, Gosselin said, and Regular Decision applications came in at roughly 26,600—37 percent more than the applications for the Class of 2023.

When BC announced that it would be switching from EA to ED, there was potential for the change to make the applicant pool less diverse—Harvard and Princeton dropped their ED options in 2006, concerned that they limit minority and low-income applications—but the preliminary applications report indicates that this has not been the case.

The statistical profile of the Class of 2024 is still in progress, though AHANA

applications make up a larger portion of the pool than last year, Gosselin said in a University release. AHANA+ applications made up 36.5 percent of the applicant pool, as compared to 33.7 percent last year.

BC announced in January that it would be partnering with QuestBridge, a nonprofit that helps low-income students apply to top-tier universities, for its admissions process beginning with the Class of 2024.

QuestBridge only partners with schools that have ED admissions, and Gosselin told The Heights in an earlier interview that this played a minor role in the switch.

ED I applicants received their admissions decisions from the University on Dec. 15, and ED II applicants are scheduled to receive their decisions by Feb. 15. RD applicants will receive their admissions decisions by April 1. n

The recent outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus in China has prompted IFSA-Butler, an external provider of study abroad programs, to cancel a program in Shanghai that Boston College students were set to participate in this spring. Students in another Chinese program that began in January were given the option of remaining in the program or returning to BC to complete their coursework remotely, according to Nick Gozik, director of the Office of International Programs (OIP).

Six BC students were planning on

studying abroad in China this semester, four of whom were planning on participating in the IFSA-Butler program. OIP gave students in the Shanghai program the option to return to BC for the spring, but they have all decided to study in other abroad programs, Gozik said. The University is working with these students to redirect them to other programs.

“We always want to act with an abundance of caution, as students’ health and safety is our first priority,” Gozik said in an email to The Heights.

“We would never want to force a student to be in a situation where they felt that their health or safety was at risk.”

The other two students had already begun programs in Beijing, Gozik said.

These students were given the options of continuing with their program, returning to the United States to

See Coronavirus, A3

Packnett Talks Power at Sixth Women’s Summit Brittany Packnett was a member of Obama’s Policing Task Force.

By Julia Kiersznowski Copy Editor and Lauren Wittenmyer

Copy Editor The Boston College Women’s Center hosted its sixth annual Women’s Summit on Saturday. The summit was comprised of various speakers and workshops meant to provide members of the BC community with a space to discuss the complexities of women’s issues, as well as other issues, in today’s world.

This year’s keynote speaker was Brittany Packnett, an author, educator, and social activist who was a member of former President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Packnett’s speech centered on power and how people can create

power for themselves. The typical idea that power comes from wealth and politics, she said, needs to be thrown out, and a new definition needs to be created.

“Power is your ability to create reality from revolutionary imagination. … And you know what’s magical about this kind of power is that any of us who are women, or have oppressed gender identities, or oppressed and marginalized identities of any kind exercising this kind of power is a revolution in and of itself,” Packnett said.

Packnett discussed her journey in self-empowerment and said she still has moments where she questions her self-power. She talked about her experience giving a TedTalk on how to build confidence, and she said that the fact that the speaker directly before her discovered a part of a galaxy made her question whether she truly deserved to be there.

“The whole intensity of the moment threatened to take you out of the very

See Summit, A3

BC Releases Fact Book for 2019-20 Academic Year In fiscal year 2019, the endowment decreased by $93.3 million.

By Owen Fahy Special Projects Editor The Office of Institutional Research and Planning released the Boston College Fact Book for the 2019-2020 academic year in late January. The new Fact Book shows that while the endowment fell by $93.3 million in fiscal year 2019, the campus expanded by two acres, and the day-school undergraduate AHANA+ population grew by 122 students.

The faculty also expanded to 878 members from 860 in the 2018-2019 academic year. The University saw a $41.2 million hike in operating costs for the 2019 fiscal year for

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

a total of $1.075 billion spent on operations, compared to 2018 when operating expenses cost $1.034 billion.

Undergraduate enrollment fell by seven students in the fall semester of 2019—for a total enrollment of 9,370 students. Total enrollment, however, increased by 46 students to 14,559. The number of black students remained the same, at 372, and the international student population increased by two students to 724.

The percentage of undergraduates receiving need-based financial aid rose by 1 percentage point, to 42 percent. For the 2019-2020 academic year, 68 percent of students are receiving financial assistance, a percentage that remains unchanged from the previous year. The University granted an additional $9.1 million dollars in aid in 2019, raising the total granted by BC to $160.6 million. The bump in aid coincides with a $2,180 increase in tuition. n

METRO: Coronavirus in Boston

The first case of coronavirus in Mass. was confirmed on Saturday..................................A4

Djogo, Irish Extend Win Streak Against Eagles ANEESA WERMERS / HEIGHTS STAFF

Eagles’ Defense Shuts Down Wake Forest in 67-54 Win

Emma Guy became 27th Eagle to surpass 1,000 points on Sunday.

ARTS: Prince Lucas

After his opening set at Boston City Limits, the student rapper has plenty more in store..........A9

INDEX

NEWS.........................A2 MAGAZINE............... A6

Vol. CI, No. 3 METRO......................A4 ARTS....................... A9 © 2020, The Heights, Inc. OPINIONS................... A5 SPORTS.................. A12 www.bcheights.com

The Heights

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TOP

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things to do on campus this week

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Gregory Zimet, professor of pediatrics and clinical psychology at Indiana University School of Medicine, will be visiting BC on Thursday to give a lecture titled “Hard Choices: Ethical, Political, and Pragmatic Challenges around HPV Vaccine Delivery.”

The talk will be held at 7 p.m. in Gasson Hall 100.

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Monday , February Monday , April 3, 1, 2020 2019

The Woods College of Advancing Studies will be hosting “Conversations With Women of Woods College” on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Hosted in the St. Mary’s Hall South Woods College Conference Room, panelists will be discussing their careers and professional life.

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Alon Confino, chair of Holocaust studies and professor of history and Jewish studies at UMass Amherst, will visit BC on Sunday to give a talk titled “Between the Holocaust and the Nakba: When Genya and Henryk Kowalski Challenged History” at 4 p.m. in Stokes S195.

NEWS Campus Ministry Hosts MLK Memorial Gathering BRIEFS

BC Recognized for Sustainability

Boston College was featured by The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) in its 2019 Sustainable Campus Index (SCI), an annual report that recognizes the country’s most sustainable institutions, according to the AASHE website.

The report utilizes STARS, “a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance,” to create the SCI. Social Justice Through STEM, a program within the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, continued with a project called “Social Justice Through Hydroponics.” The project was one of the 30 initiatives by universities the SCI recognized. The program aims to teach Massachusetts public school students hydroponic gardening—a method of gardening done without soil. Students then learned how to sell these vegetables at farmers markets and developed an understanding of food justice, the SCI reported.

The goal of the hydroponics program is “to empower students to become positive change agents in their schools and communities through participatory action research involving hands-on STEM-focused projects,” according to the SCI. The Social Justice Through Hydroponics initiative was awarded a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation in 2017 for its successful efforts in Massachusetts, according to a University release.

BC earned additional STARS credit for three of its other initiatives, said the release. The University’s participation in STARS also earned it an eight-point increase in its “Green Rating” from the Princeton Review.

Rev. Keenan Wins Theological Award The Catholic Theological Society of America (CSTA) presented theology professor Rev. James F. Keenan, S.J., with the John Courtney Murray Award in recognition of his lifetime of distinguished theological achievement, according to a University release.

The CSTA is the largest professional society of theologians in the world, according to its website, The Murray Award, named after the famed theologian known for his work on religious liberty, is the highest possible honor bestowed by the CSTA. Keenan, the director of the University’s Jesuit Institute and co-director of the Gabelli Presidential Scholars Program, founded Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church (CTEWC) in 2002.

CTEWC is a “global network ... that has transformed the field by bringing together thousands of Catholic theological ethicists from more than 70 countries to learn from one another and speak out on pressing issues,” according to the release.

“I have always wanted to help others find their [voice],” said Keenan in his acceptance speech at the CSTA awards ceremony. “And I think that’s really most of what I do, whether mentoring or networking, I try to empower others to find their voice as I continue to find my own.”

Keenan received the Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Award in 2018, said the release. The award is presented annually by the student members of the national honor society at BC. “Let us stay connected to one another and let us help one another as we try to imagine and express a more loving world and a more loving Church,” Keenan said in the release.

By Scott Baker News Editor

A crowd of students, faculty and staff listened, often snapping in affirmation, as the booming voice of Rev. Willie Bodrick echoed across the walls of the Heights Room in Corcoran Commons. He decried the injustices that he said still plague our society decades after Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. first proclaimed that he had a dream. At the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Gathering on Monday night, Bodrick remembered King’s message and implored BC students to keep dreaming like King.

“Remember what you’re facing is what other men and women have met,” Bodrick said. “You may fail, but fall still fighting. Don’t give up whatever you do. Eyes front. Head high to the finish line. See it through.”

The event featured Biblical readings, gospel music, and multiple addresses honoring King’s legacy a week and a half after the civil rights hero’s 90th birthday. Bodrick, a pastor at Twelfth Baptist Church in Roxbury and adviser to Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, delivered the keynote address.

Welcoming the audience and giving the invocation was Tony Penna, S.J., who shared a story about the first time he heard Bodrick speak—through a YouTube video. While watching Bodrick, Penna said, he felt like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German theologian, did while visiting mainstream American churches in New York City.

“He was disappointed,” Penna said. “And he didn’t know why he was disappointed.

And then one day, some friend took him to a Baptist church. And he began his long association with Baptist preaching. He said for the first time in his life, he heard a preacher who had a relationship to Jesus Christ.”

David Coleman, an award-winning gospel singer and director from New England, was invited to the memorial ceremony to serve as guest musical director of the United Voices of Freedom, a consortium of three BC groups—the Liturgy Arts Group, Against the Current, and The Voices of

Scott Baker / Heights Editor

David Coleman directed the United Voices for Freedom in gospel songs at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Gathering.

Imani. The group sang gospel music intermittently throughout the evening.

Thair Brown, the 2019-2020 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar and MCAS ’20, was introduced after the first musical selection. Brown, an economics major who has been involved with the Caribbean Culture club, Jamaica Magis, and AHANA+ Leadership Council, reflected on standing up for marginalized members of society and the need for activism.

“Each of us pays a hefty price by choosing to submit to our silence,” Brown said. “For in the next five years, we might find ourselves in a far worse position due to our lack of mobilization. MLK once said, ‘Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.’ And this call underscores the very nature of our reality. If we want it, we have to fight for it and be ready and willing to give ourselves over to a cause that is greater than any one of us individually.”

Alexandria Leggett, a member of BC SLAM! and MCAS ’22, followed Brown with a slam poem that took on the challenges of an intersectional identity and how she chooses to respond to hatred in the world.

“But despite these truths, I’m going to love with all of my heart, because though in grammar and in math, two negatives make a positive, fire plus fire still creates a bigger fire,” Leggett said. “I make my own choice to put a positive into this world and put out that flame, because at my very best, I am made of love.”

When Bodrick came to the stage to deliver the keynote address, he began with a message of thanks for being able to carry on King’s work and announced the topic of his speech: advancing beyond the dream.

“We’ve become as a country so consciously fragmented, and we’ve become so divided that I could think of no other prophetic voice that I could call on to invoke that would ring about a soul-conflicting introspection that would recalibrate our commitment to justice,” Bodrick said. “The voice I am mindful of and thoughtful of is that of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Bodrick celebrated King and warned the audience not to forget King’s message. King’s dream, Bodrick said, still has not been realized in the United States.

“It was Dr. King who said that we must live and learn to live together as broth-

ers and sisters or we will perish together as fools,” Bodrick continued. “And as we continually celebrate the legacy we cannot make the grave mistake to deify the man while denying his message. A message that was full of hope.

“A message that was censored. … A mass message that was anchored in justice. A message that was permeated by love. A message that would hold the nation accountable to live up to its true ideas and meanings that all men and women were created equal.”

Bodrick spent his talk laying out his vision of justice, criticizing wars in the Middle East, record-setting federal judicial confirmations by conservatives, climate change denial, attacks on marginalized identities, immigrant detentions, and attacks on Roe v.

Wade. But dreams for justice, Bodrick said, is not enough—they must be carried out through faith.

To advance beyond the dream, Bodrick said, people must believe in their dreams and not let other people or aspirations deter them.

“You got to believe it in yourself before anybody else will,” Bodrick said. “... I need you to dream, BC.” n

UGBC Votes to Invite Sen. Markey, Rep. Kennedy

By Madeleine Romance Assoc. News Editor The Senate of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College passed a resolution on Tuesday night to invite two senatorial candidates, incumbent Senator Ed Markey, BC Law ’68, and his Democratic challenger, U.S. Representative Joe Kennedy III, to speak on campus at a town hall.

The resolution, which passed with 22 votes, was sponsored by Crystal Pu, UGBC president pro tempore and Lynch ’20.

Pu explained that the objective of the event would be to provide an environment to foster genuine interaction between students and the candidates, in which students would be permitted to ask spontaneous questions.

“I think the purpose of this event is to really give [students] the opportunity to get to know the candidates,” Pu said. “It feels very different to learn about things from second-

ary sources than from when you actually get to ask them questions and interact with them—you get to know and understand them better.”

Pu said that the University would benefit from the publicity of having prominent figures on campus, and the town hall would contribute to the competitiveness and prestige of BC. Pu also said that, as students in Massachusetts, it would be advantageous for BC students to learn firsthand about the policies that are likely to affect them.

Various members of the UGBC Senate voiced concern that the proposed resolution blurred the line between a town hall event and a campaign event. Members cautioned that if the politicians were to speak at BC regarding issues related to their platforms ahead of the 2020 state primary election, the event would end up resembling a campaigning event, and they suggested alternatives to the proposed resolution to make the event

seem less like a campaign rally.

“I would propose and recommend that instead of having the two [speak] at the same time, we should have them at different times,” said Jack Bracher, a candidate for UGBC vice president and MCAS ’22. “Instead of having them speak on voting issues in the election, I think it would be better to give them a topic like leadership in a time of crisis.”

Pu responded by saying that having both individuals speak at the same event would allow the event to flow more consistently, as the topics they would discuss surrounding their initiatives would likely overlap.

Another issue that members brought to the attention of the Senate was concern over funding for the event, including costs of security. They asked if the funding would come from UGBC or from selling tickets to students.

Tiffany Brooks, vice president of UGBC and MCAS ’21, clarified that the money for

such an event would have to come from within the UGBC budget. She said that there is a Senator Initiative Fund, but it is only $1,000, which may not be sufficient for an event of this caliber. Michael Osaghae, president of UGBC and MCAS ’20, suggested to the Senate that it could look into allocating money from elsewhere in the UGBC budget to cover the costs of this event.

Despite some senators’ concerns regarding the nature of the event, the resolution was overall supported because of the opportunity it would provide students, according to Peyton Brown, a UGBC senator and MCAS ’22.

“I think it’s important for BC to have candidates and to have politicians on campus because they are people of prominence and stature, and I think it is positive … for [students] to engage with them,” he said. “It’s always important to ask lots of questions, and I think that’s what we intend to do.” n

POLICE BLOTTER: 1/29/20 – 1/30/20 Thursday, Jan. 30

Wednesday, Jan. 29 8:06 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding general harassment at O’Neill Library.

7:21 p.m.- An officer filed a report regarding a fire alarm activation at Ignacio Hall.

3:59 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a medical incident off campus.

5:38 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a medical incident at McElroy Commons.

7:58 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a medical incident at the Fish Field House.

8:41 a.m. - An officer filed a report regarding property confiscated on Newton Roadways.

8:06 p.m. - An officer filed a report regarding a police service at the Boston College Police Headquarters.

—Source: The Boston College Police Department

CORRECTIONS What woodland creature would you be?

“Deer because people are the most sad when they die.”

— Sophia Fox, MCAS ’20

“Squirrel. They live a simple life.”

— Dan Walsh, MCAS ’20

“Squirrel. I admire their ability to store food effectively.

I wish my food could last as long.”

— Olivia Carini, MCAS ’21

“Bear.”

— Will Donnellon, CSOM ’22

Please send corrections to eic@bcheights.com with ‘correction’ in the subject line.

The Heights

Monday, February 3, 2020

A3

Students Leave China Due to Viral Outbreak Coronavirus, from A1

Keara Hanlon / For The Heights

Nearly 1,000 Attend Spring Career Fair

By Nadine Akkawi Editorial Assistant

The nearly 1,000 students who attended the Career and Internship Fair this past Wednesday were met by 100 employers seeking to recruit students, according to Lisa White, associate director of employer engagement at the Boston College Career Center.

This year’s fair featured a new setup that grouped employers into six career clusters.

The new available space in the Margot Connell Recreational Center also allowed for the event, which has previously been held over two days, to be condensed into just one, according to White.

“I think the benefit for students is that if they have a particular interest, they can go to that section and maybe have an employer that they’re particularly targeting, but [they] will still get to see some other companies and organizations that are similar,” said White.

The fair has been, and continues to be, extremely helpful to students looking for internships and jobs, not only through direct contact with employers, but through the potential connections that the visiting

companies have to offer, said Steven LeGere, MCAS ’21.

“I haven’t necessarily gotten a position through the career fairs, but I have gained a lot of connections and met some people that pointed me in the right direction,” said LeGere. “I was able to work in the governor’s office and the state senate through those connections.”

Still, other students said they found it difficult to benefit from the fair due to its proximity to the summer, when a lot of the offered internships and jobs take place.

“It’s kind of hard because you only get to talk to them for a minute, and a lot of people are done recruiting now, especially for econ and finance internships,” said Sara Meguerian, Lynch ’21.

Several companies expressed that coming to BC often helps them fill positions with talented, passionate students.

“I came to BC because we’ve had several tremendous interns from BC in the past,” said Mary Tripp, a representative of FCD Prevention Works, a nonprofit substance abuse prevention organization. “We think that there is a great pool of candidates here that fit our needs, so we came back to hopefully recruit another intern for this

semester.”

Though BC is a prime recruitment site for companies, certain students are targeted more than others.

“We come to BC to promote our internship program and look for really outgoing individuals that of course meet our requirements as a junior, senior, or grad student, and are eligible for academic credit,” said Kelsey Lawrence, a WCTV employer.

But because many companies are looking primarily for juniors and seniors, some younger students expressed that they were discouraged from even attending the fair.

“I think it’s pointless for freshmen and sophomores because they’re only looking for juniors and seniors,” said Sophia Gardner, CSOM ’22.

Other students said that the abundance of opportunities at the fair made it possible for many pursuing a job or internship to find one.

“I think it is a bit intimidating to have to compete against juniors and seniors, especially because they have more experience, but I feel like if you’re really passionate and speak to multiple companies you’ll have a shot,” said Ines Martinez, MCAS ’23. n Eric Shea contributed reporting.

complete their semester coursework, or withdrawing from classes without penalty. Both students have decided to return to BC for the spring semester to complete their coursework remotely, Gozik said.

Coronaviruses usually cause upper-respiratory tract diseases similar to the common cold. The most common version of the virus usually causes mild to moderate symptoms, but more severe strains of the disease can be fatal. Between three and four out of every 10 patients with one of the severe strains of the virus have died, according to the Center for Disease Control. The other severe strain has not had any human cases since 2004.

The coronavirus outbreak in China is a new strain of the virus similar to one of the more severe earlier strains.

The outbreak is centralized in Wuhan, China, and Chinese officials have reported thousands of infections of the new strain. Initial infections were likely caused by animal-to-human contact, according to the CDC, but new infections are suggesting the

UGBC Candidates Talk Diversity in First Debate Debate, from A1

said. “So when we go before the board, when we go before VP [Joy Moore], they’re going to have to say ‘yes,’ because we have exactly what they need to do.”

Later in the debate, Guma challenged an earlier statement by Bracher that a dedicated LGBTQ+ resource center is not something “the administration is going to support … right now.”

“I understand there are challenges,” Guma said. “I’m not saying that the Face of Fear.” discussed her journey with social justice center is going to be easy … but I just Summit, from A1 “Step Into the Future” was presented and gave the audience advice on how to think that you owe students who are confidence that put you up there in the first by Julianne Smith, BC ’09, who works at translate passion for social justice into ac- fighting for the center … a little bit of place,” Packnett said. “It threatened to take BC’s Career Center helping students find tion in everyday life. an explanation as to why you don’t think me out of the very confidence that I was up possible career paths based on their various “You can be a teacher, you can be a it’s realistic, while at the same time saythere to talk about.” skill sets and interests. Smith shared her doctor, you can be a financial analyst, you ing, ‘We’re going to fight for them.’”

She said that reminding herself to be story of struggling to find her passion and can be a banker. It doesn’t matter what you “I’ll say this, we need immediate protective of her power can be helpful in a career path she believed was the best fit do because the world we live in is unjust, action and that is why we are advocatthese moments of self-doubt, as she must for her. She discussed the importance of there’s work to be done in your career,” ing for a space in Carney to address remind herself that she has value and can students picturing their dreams as a reality Ríos said. our short term goals that we will fight be of help to others. and challenged the workshop’s audience to The other presentation, “No Straight for, for the LGBTQ+ community,” Sepe “It’s fascinating how much stuff started “time travel” and reflect on where they saw Shot to Success,” featured a panel includ- rebutted. “But a student center that may to fall in line when I decided to be fiercely their future selves. ing SS&C Vice President of Brokerage be in the long term future, maybe it will protective of my power,” Packnett said. “Be“Talk about these things, right—say Solutions Nicole DeBlois Greene, former be when we graduate. We want to make cause that’s what self-care is. It is deciding them out loud,” Smith said. “Because oth- Wayfair Sales Director Shannon Reidy meaningful impacts now. … I want to to curate a life that I don’t have to constantly erwise they’re just kind of getting buried. Nichols, and WorldTeach Executive Di- be an ally and I want to signal that I escape from.”

It’s really easy, especially in the BC com- rector Mitra Shavarini. It was moderated will stand with the LGBTQ+ commuPacknett closed her talk by having the munity—I know, I went here—to kind of by Katie Dalton, director of the Women’s nity—so I didn’t appreciate that.” audience members write down three things get lost in other people’s ideas of what the Center. The panelists discussed the various “But, we are allowed to talk about about themselves: what makes them feel future should look like. So seek radical col- failures and setbacks they had endured on ideas, right?” Guma responded. “If I’m powerful, what lie makes them afraid of laboration. Find those people who are your their paths to success, as well as how they’ve out of line, just let me know.” it, and what truth they will tell themselves tribe and talk about what you want and seek balanced motherhood and family life with Escobar talked about his previous instead. She encouraged them to be active out glimpses of your possible selves.” their careers. successes in the realm of advancing the in telling that truth.

Smith also encouraged BC students to To close the summit, BC’s all-female interests of students with disabilities.

“As I close. I just want you to remem- take advantage of the resources available at step team, F.I.S.T.S., put on a short perforHe said that he hopes to expand ber: If self-love is embracing your power BC, both in the Career Center and beyond, mance and Hae June Lee, Lynch ’20, and upon his previous work laying out for and self-care is protecting power, then the to explore meaningful career options as Jenaea Duddie, MCAS ’22, performed the administration “blind spots” on power is yours,” Packnett said. “Don’t ever well as meaningful life options. original poems about their ongoing journey campus, where accessibility to students let anybody take it, make you doubt it, or The workshops were immediately fol- to discover what it means to be a woman. with disabilities is lacking. Leo added make you give it away.” lowed by two presentations, or “Main Stage “In a world where we see more women that there is no pathway to Upper CamPacknett’s speech was followed by a Conversations,” with a variety of speakers on the screen than ever before, women at pus for students with wheelchairs. series of small workshops on topics rang- who engaged in question-and-answer ses- the Grammys, women making speeches, Acknowledging their statuses as ing from “Dig Deep: Practicing Radical sions. In one of the conversations, “Justice women as superheroes and the lead roles— newcomers to the sphere of UGBC, Self-Care to Enhance Well-Being” to at Work,” Marina Pastrana Ríos, founder it still has me wondering, what does it mean Wieboldt and Leo often emphasized “Resiliency: Pursuing Your Passion in the of the Montserrat Coalition and BC ’08, to be a woman for you,” Lee recited. n what they described as their history of change in their relatively short times as UGBC senators, in addition to their newer perspectives in the organization.

Clarifications / Corrections Advertising “Since Lorenzo and I announced The Heights strives to provide its readers with complete, accurate, The Heights is one of the most effective ways to reach the and balanced information. If you believe we have made a reporting BC community. To submit a classified, display, or on- our candidacy, people have questioned error, have information that requires a clarification or correction, line advertisement, call our advertising off ice at why these two very young students, in or questions about The Heights’ standards and practices, you may (617) 552-2220 Monday through Friday. comparison to the other candidates contact Colleen Martin, Editor-in-Chief, at (617) 552-2223, or on stage, are running,” Wieboldt said. email eic@bcheights.com.

“It’s mostly because we need a fresh The Heights is produced by BC undergraduates and is Delivery published on Mondays during the academic year by The perspective on tackling issues.”

To have The Heights delivered to your home each week or to report Heights, Inc. (c) 2020. All rights reserved.

Speaking to what new initiatives distribution problems on campus, contact Sophie Lu, General each team would take to address issues Manager at (617) 552-0547 or email gm@bcheights.com.

Women’s Center Hosts Annual Summit

customer service

Editorial

The

Established 1919

Heights

The Independent Student Newspaper of Boston College

Colleen Martin, President, Editor-in-Chief Sophie Lu, General Manager Abby Hunt, Managing Editor

Brooke Kaiserman, A1 Editor Meegan Minahan, Visual Director Scott Baker, News Editor Emma Healy, Sports Editor Jillian Ran, Arts Editor Maeve Reilly, Magazine Editor Isabella Cavazzoni, Metro Editor Maddie Haddix, Opinions Editor Owen Fahy, Special Projects Editor Maggie DiPatri, Photo Editor Haley Hockin, Copy Chief Emily Rosato, Layout Editor

virus can be spread from human to human.

At the time of publication, there have been several cases of the 2019 coronavirus strain in the United States, but there have been no recorded instances of human-to-human spread, and the virus is not currently spreading within the United States, the CDC reports.

The issue of what to do with students abroad in China is not isolated to BC—other universities, including American University, Georgetown University, and George Washington University are actively working to communicate with students and keep them safe, according to The Washington Post.

University of Massachusetts Amherst has also suspended fall programs in China, and other Massachusetts universities are closely monitoring the situation, according to MassLive.

Cases of OIP programs being canceled due to student safety reasons are uncommon but do happen. In December, OIP suspended fall programs in Hong Kong and canceled the upcoming spring and summer programs due to the ongoing civil unrest in the region. n

regarding intersectionality, Gehman and Sepe both pointed out the changes they would advocate for in the core curriculum requirements—Sepe characterized the cultural diversity requirement as unfocused, while Gehman called for a broader revamp of a variety of core requirements.

“I think that when we’re saying that European history is the only history that will fill the core, I think that is incredibly problematic,” Gehman said. “So I think by working with the history, English, and AADS [Africa and African Diaspora Studies] departments, we can bring about diversity and inclusion within our conversations in the classroom.”

Atinizian said that an important component of increasing diversity on campus is dedicating more resources to financial aid—he pointed out that the University raised $12.3 million during Parent’s Weekend, which goes toward student scholarships—so partnerships with scholarship funds and departments concerned with financial aid have been successful and are worth pursuing, he said.

Each team acknowledged a link between mental health and diversity.

“Next week, myself, Lorenzo, and another senator will propose a resolution to help Asian American and Asian students who have family who are affected by the crisis in the Wuhan Province right now,” Wieboldt said.

“We want to make sure that they have special access to mental health counseling services and that includes linguistic diversity.”

At the close of the debate, Guma touched on the need for more conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion at BC, noting that all four teams in the race have shown a willingness to commit themselves to taking on that task.

“We want to engage in conversation with everybody, in dialogue,” Guma said. “I think every team on this stage has talked about that. It’s about having difficult conversations with people— they may not even be your friend—but going out of your comfort zone to have these difficult conversations when you need to.”

The final debate, which will allow questions from students, will take place on Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. in Robsham Theater. The election will take place on Feb. 11. n

Business and Operations Maya Taha, Graphics Editor Dalia Jeiroudi, Graphics Editor Gretchen Haga, Social Media Director Maddie Phelps, Online Manager Éamon Laughlin, Multimedia Editor Stephanie Liu, Outreach Coordinator Madeleine Romance, Assoc. News Editor Megan Kelly, Asst. News Editor Olivia Charbonneau, Assoc. Sports Editor Asa Ackerly, Asst. Sports Editor Grace Mayer, Assoc. Arts Editor Nathan Rhind, Asst. Arts Editor

Danny Flynn, Assoc. Magazine Editor Anna Lonnquist, Asst. Magazine Editor Gavin Zhang, Assoc. Metro Editor Julia Remick, Asst. Metro Editor Ikram Ali, Assoc. Photo Editor Jess Rivilis, Asst. Photo Editor Sophie Ragano, Asst. Multimedia Editor Julia Kiersznowski, Copy Editor Rachel Phelan, Copy Editor Lauren Wittenmyer, Copy Editor Nadine Akkawi, Editorial Assistant Eric Shea, Editorial Assistant

Ashley Yoon, Operations Manager Amy Vanderschans, Alumni Outreach Coordinator Emily Qian, Collections Manager Mac McGee, Local Accounts Manager Anish Warty, Local Accounts Manager Christine Zhang, On-Campus Accounts Manager Gina Frankis, National Accounts Manager

A4

The Heights

Monday, February 3, 2020

First Case of Coronavirus in Mass. Confirmed, Public Risk Low

By Gavin Zhang Assoc. Metro Editor A Boston resident has been confirmed to have Massachusetts’ first case of the coronavirus strain responsible for the recent outbreak of respiratory disease in Wuhan, China. Despite growing concerns about the virus, the risk to Massachusetts residents remains low, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. There are no confirmed or suspected cases of the virus at Boston College, Thomas Nary, director of University Health Services (UHS), told The Heights in an email on Wednesday. Nary also said that students who have returned from impacted areas at the beginning of the semester and came into UHS should

pose no risk. With an incubation period of 10 days to two weeks, all students UHS saw are outside of that window.

“In other words, they have been back from break longer than the incubation period, so there is no risk,” Nary said. “There may be some students who have returned later, but we have not encountered any, as yet.”

BC is working with Boston and Massachusetts officials to monitor the virus, Nary said in a University-wide email.

He also said that the University has already been practicing the measures that it uses to combat a regular flu season.

“Because we are in the midst of the traditional flu virus season, many campus practices to safeguard the health of students, faculty, and staff are already in place,” Nary said in the email. “Staff

from BC Housekeeping and Dining Services routinely disinfect touchpoints—such as switch panels, faucets, doorknobs and handrails - throughout campus. Similarly, the coronavirus is effectively treated with standard cleaning products.”

Nary recommended washing hands, sanitizing frequently touched surfaces, and avoiding the sharing of items such as food utensils and containers to prevent the spread of flu-like illness.

Nary also advised students with a fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit to visit UHS. In an email to international students and scholars at BC, Adrienne Nussbaum, director and associate dean of the Office of International Students and Scholars, said that her office has

heard rumors of discrimination against students from the areas most impacted by coronavirus.

“This [discrimination] will not be tolerated on the BC campus,” Nussbaum said. “If you have been a victim of this type of discrimination, please contact either our office or the Office of Instituational [sic] Diversity immediately.”

Nary said in an email to The Heights that there is no need to be overly afraid of the coronavirus.

“Be calm and remember that there are several thousand people [who] die of the ‘regular flu’ every year in the U.S.” Nary wrote. “There is always fear of the unknown, but becoming educated and using good health practices is the best approach.”

As of Sunday, there were eight confirmed cases of the 2019 novel strain of coronavirus in the United States, including the one in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts is the only New England state with a confirmed case of the virus.

Chinese officials have reported on Sunday that the virus had led to at least 304 deaths in the country, according to The New York Times.

The Trump administration announced Friday that the United States would be barring any foreign national who had been to any part of China during the previous 14 days from entering the United States. Returning U.S. citizens who visited the Hubei province in that window of time will be quarantined for up to two weeks, according to Business Insider. n

Nwandu’s Play ‘Pass Over’ Explores Racism in Modern America

By Julia Remick Asst. Metro Editor Caviar and a bright yellow Ferrari: These are two of the 10 wishes friends Kitch and Moses have for the “promised land”—a metaphorical term for moving up in life used in the play Pass Over.

Written by Antoinette Nwandu and directed by Monica White Ndounou, the play begins with comedy and banter, but ultimately shows how racism and police harassment can cost black men their dreams—and their lives.

Moses and Kitch are two black men living on a local street corner who long to escape their current lives. They are planning how they will move up in life when they encounter the white man Mister (Lewis D. Wheeler). He says he is lost and offers the two men his leftover food. Instead of working towards moving off their block, they spend the day with Mister. Moses and Kitch later encounter a police officer, Ossifer, who harasses them and uses racial slurs. In a dream-like scenario, they are seen overpowering the officer and asserting themselves, while calling upon the seven plagues from the Bible. Back in reality, Moses is ultimately shot and killed by a white man and Kitch mourns the loss of his friend.

The setting transcends time periods.

The lives of Kitch (Hubens “Bobby” Cius) and Moses (Kadahj Bennett) reflect the lives of black men in America today and other oppressed people throughout history. They face police brutality, are degraded by white men in power, and long for freedom. The simplistic stage design, which consists of only a singular lamppost, prevents the story from being bound by a particular time period.

The oppression that Kitch and Moses experience is the thread throughout the play that holds the narratives of these seemingly distinct time periods together.

The actors interact with the audience throughout the show, which adds humor while keeping the audience on its toes.

The stage itself also acts as a physical representation of the boundaries placed on Kitch and Moses by white people.

While Kitch and Moses are unable to leave the stage, the white characters of Mister and Ossifer leave the stage as they please.

The language used between the two may seem shocking and vulgar. The frequent use of the n-word between Kitch and Moses shows their brotherhood. The two realize in the play that using this word may affect how they are perceived by the white police.

Mister is confused why he is not allowed to use the n-word in the same way

PHOTO COURTESY OF NILE SCOTT STUDIOS

Directed by Monica Ndounou, the play ‘Pass Over’ stars Hubens ‘Bobby’ Cius as Kitch and Kadahj Bennett as Moses. that the two black men are. This question is answered later in the play, when the n-word is used to degrade Moses. The language used in the play explores how the n-word is used by different races today.

The play also uses biblical references to draw parallels between oppression throughout history and the oppression that Kitch and Moses face. The two desire to go to the “promised land,” just as Moses in the Bible leads the Jewish people to the

promised land. Theplay draws attention to the similarities in the oppression faced

by Jewish people in Egypt and black people in America today.

The meaning of “the promised land” also changes throughout the play. When his situation feels hopeless, Moses considers passing over to the promised land of the next life.

The music and sounds used throughout the play complement the poetic dialogue. Music provokes the audience

to feel the pain and fear in Moses’ nightmares. The silence that emanates throughout the theater is also powerful, especially after Moses death.

Inside with the program, the SpeakEasy Stage Company provided articles to invite the audience to further the conversation that the play began about racism and the n-word.

Pass Over shows the lightheartedness of Kitch and Moses’s brotherhood and the reality of living as black men in America. n

Japonaise Carries Family Legacy

By Francesca Giangiulio For The Heights

BENJAMIN CHIENG / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Instagram Your Ice Cream

By Benjamin Chieng For The Heights Just moments away from the Seaport’s bustling commercial pier lies a hidden gem: Taiyaki NYC. The chain, based in New York City, opened a new location in the Seaport in April 2019. Despite the cold of a Boston winter—going out for ice cream is not the most immediate, obvious choice for an evening activity—Taiyaki welcomes customers in with a relaxed storefront indicative of the helpfulness and patience of the staff. A bit pricey (but absolutely worth it), Taiyaki NYC brings fun Japanese treats to the Seaport.

The philosophy of Taiyaki promises a rewarding, fulfilling experience for the customer. Taiyaki waffles, shaped like fish, are freshly made at each location, and the soft-serve ice cream is churned in small batches to ensure quality, according to the restaurant’s website.

Priced at $8, Taiyaki’s signature ice cream caters to all audiences with both classic flavors—such as vanilla or chocolate—and exotic flavors such as matcha or mango. Instead of choosing one of these flavors, patrons can also choose to build their own treat. First, customers can choose a cone with either adzuki (red bean) or custard filling. Next, they can pick from a variety of ice cream flavors to fill their cone. In addition to

the aforementioned flavors, Taiyaki also serves strawberry- and hōjicha-flavored ice cream. The custard cone is fluffy and soft unlike a traditional waffle ice cream cone. Should you opt for a waffle cone, though, it’s priced at a respectable $6, and just a cup costs $5.

A Taiyaki signature, “The Choco-Lit,” is chocolate ice cream dusted with chocolate powder and smothered with chocolate syrup. The creaminess and richness of the ice cream explodes in your mouth. It’s overpowering—this dessert can definitely satisfy a chocoholic’s craving. With two free toppings included in the price of the treat—and additional ones priced at 50 cents each—sprinkles, Oreo dust, graham cracker crumbs, wafer sticks, and miniature rainbow mochi pieces decorate and make the dessert worthy of its very own Instagram post.

In addition to serving ice cream, Taiyaki offers some signature beverages, such as matcha. All drinks can be served either hot for $4 or cold for $5 to $6. Taiyaki also offers vegan alternatives to whole milk such as almond, oat, or soy milk.

For $10, the unicorn float comes with a lactose-free taro slush and an inflatable unicorn drink holder.

With its unicorn drinks and picture-perfect ice cream, everything Taiyaki has to offer is both delicious and perfectly suited to a social media generation. n

In an era where big business and commercial chains seem to be taking over, it can be hard to find places to go that feel as though they have a sense of uniqueness and individuality—places that aren’t just following corporate models. It doesn’t take long for Panera mac ’n’ cheese or caramel macchiatos from Starbucks to start to feel boring and commonplace. Fortunately, the city of Boston provides ample opportunity to go search for these “one-of-akind” locations, a shining star of which is Japonaise Bakery in Brookline.

Just across the street from the St. Marys Street stop on the Green Line, Japonaise Bakery provides a much-needed change of scenery from the typical bakery cafes in the area.

Japonaise is a family-owned, Japanese-French fusion bakery serving classic and creative baked goods that blend Eastern and Western flavors.

Walking into the bakery, the comforting smell of warm, fresh bread hits immediately. This scent, however, is slightly sweeter than that of typical bread. Japonaise uses milk in its bread—it’s traditional in Japanese

sweet bread recipes to use milk for extra lightness—and red bean paste, which is usually used in pastries. Although Japanese-French fusion might sound unusual, Takeo Sakan, the owner of Japonaise, explained that this is actually a common combination. To the Japanese, French pastries are the best, and the Japanese try to mimic that in their baking, Sakan said.

“My mom always said that American pastries are just too sweet, too heavy. French pastries are less sweet, lighter. Japanese pastries are even lighter and even less sweet,” Sakan said.

Sakan took over the quaint bakery about four years ago when his mother, who had been running the shop since its beginning in 1985, decided to retire.

“That wasn’t my dream—I never really wanted to be a baker,” Sakan said, “When I was 19, I got pulled in. She asked me to leave college and come back and help her.”

Despite knowing the long, gruesome hours that came with the job, Sakan came back to the bakery to support his mother and her business.

But what he thought would be a temporary three-month position ended up turning into his entire career.

“I love making things with my

FRANCESCA GIANGIULIO / FOR THE HEIGHTS

Japonaise continues the tradition of mixing Japanese and French cuisines in its pastries.

hands and making the really good stuff that people will enjoy,” Sakan said.

“That’s why the best thing about it is that people come all the time and tell us, ‘This is the best. We’ve been coming here 20 years or 30 years.’”

Japonaise serves a wide array of pastries, ranging from traditional French croissants, cookies, and crème brûlée to typical Japanese sweet breads. The bakery recently started introducing savory foods to the menu, such as onigiri—a rice sandwich stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in nori, an edible seaweed.

“Sometimes I think I could just close shop and open an onigiri store,” joked Sakan.

Despite adding new items to the menu, Sakan said the savory snacks make up at least 15 percent of his total sales and continue to climb in popularity.

But for Sakan and his mother, the bakery is about more than just money.

“There’s nothing [in the bakery] I don’t enjoy making,” Sakan said. “If I didn’t enjoy making it, to be honest, I probably wouldn’t [make it]. My mom never did this business just for money— that’s not my mindset.

We’re proud of what we do. We make a killer product and people love it, so, you know, I take pride in the stuff that I shape.”

Sakan described the kitchen of Japonaise as one filled with inexperienced bakers who just love to make food.

Still, he trains his employees to make quality cuisine—a legacy he said both he and his mother are proud of.

Along with the baked goods, Japonaise also includes a full espresso bar that features popular drinks like bubble tea and a small market section with Japanese snacks, bottled drinks, and candy.

The bakery is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With seating both indoors and outdoors, Japonaise is great for a quiet spot to go to study, hang out, or just to try something new. n

The Heights

Monday, February 3, 2020

A5

Dispatches from Abroad: Orientation Session Blues Getting the Worm same school, which isn’t BC,” and sprinkle

“two and a half years of memories with your closest friends, who are all still together for the entire semester making more memories without you” on top. You get the perfect recipe for emotional disaster.

69

Okay, that’s a bit dramatic—it’s more

Mary Wilkie

complex than that. There’s been a hint of

Students, imagine this: the beating sun

sweetness in this entirely too bitter first

teaming up with choking humidity on the

taste of studying abroad (umami, maybe?).

hottest of August days; hordes of young

[Sidenote: Sorry about the perpetual food

people with glow sticks on a lawn; organized

metaphor, but you’ve got a girl who orients

events around a stage scheduled sporadically

her life around when her next meal will be

throughout the day.

living in a country whose reputation is (to

It could be a music festival. But in fact,

my estimate) 70 percent based on food. The

it was Boston College’s very own Welcome

other 30 percent, if you’re curious, is based

Week.

on art, really old buildings that tend to be a

If you’re anything like me, Welcome

little broken or crooked, and names that end

Week might have been the worst time you’ve

in -us, -ius, or Caesar. I’m just sticking with

had at BC. Nothing against Welcome Week,

what I know.]

but, boy, was that long. And my first few days

Let me break this down some more.

abroad were kind of like that, but worse.

First, I am having a great time in

After all the excitement and sarcastic-

said foreign country, especially now that

but-not-really pronouncements that “abroad

orientation is over. I will admit that I did

changed me!” from friends who went abroad

enjoy certain parts of orientation: Some of

in the fall, I’ve been thinking about how I

the day trips were really cool, and I never

could possibly be comparing anything from

would have gone on them myself. However,

this amazing opportunity (“Only 1 percent

there were lots of breaks in the schedule,

of American college students study abroad!”

moments of boredom, and situations where

I was told so many times) to Welcome

I’ve felt stuck and inarticulate. While I know

Week. Besides being completely caught off

I would have encountered those moments

guard by any feeling other than pure elation

without the orientation, at least I would

(that one’s my bad, I should have been a bit

have been the one accountable.

warier), I feel as though I just tried a dessert

Second, I’m studying through an

that was pretty to look at, but bitter to taste.

external program. Only two students from

Mix up an unassuming foundation of “being

BC, including myself, are attending it this

in a different country,” bake in a whole lot

semester. I didn’t know the other student

of “being alone,” frost it with “a campus of

before I got here, so I really was coming into

American students who came from the

this alone.

Third, I think too much. I get a little stressed thinking about a year and a half from now, when my college friends and I will have separate lives in different cities.

When I’ll rarely see the people I spent most of my days with for four years. And to make matters worse, I’ve just shortened that by half a year. I’ve gotten comfortable at BC, which in the grand scheme of things—because college is so short in the grand scheme of things—isn’t a particularly good thing.

Fourth, I am fairly introverted, and I love doing things on my own. I have no problem being alone—in fact, a lot of my most vivid memories of the places I’ve visited come from moments that I spent wandering by myself. But revisiting my first point, trying to live, even for just a few months, in a country I’ve never even visited before isn’t as glamorous as I thought it would be. The language barrier on top of my own unfamiliarity with the not just the city’s culture, but that of the entire country, creates more challenges than I expected. Instead of blending and observing, I stick out and am observed.

While I enjoy any opportunity to exercise my independence, I hadn’t really thought about the fact that I would be throwing myself into such a small group of students, most of whom were already familiar with one another. Being alone among a bunch of people who are already together, and feeling like you wouldn’t have a “together” to join if you wanted to, exacerbates the worst parts of aloneness.

That’s when aloneness turns to loneliness.

Even freshman year, I had never felt

as lonely at BC as I did my first few days here. Freshman year, I could take comfort in the fact that I wasn’t alone in my aloneness. I didn’t really have that comfort here, so on top of the previous four points, missing my family, my friends at BC who are all together, and the familiarity of the United States made matters a little bit worse.

As a silver lining, though, we all know what to expect at orientations: organized talks and structured social events, waking up earlier than you’d like to, planned trips intended to expose you to the area.

I’m sure there’s a sweet spot somewhere where the pros outweigh the cons, but I have yet to experience an orientation that hits it. I’d just as well be thrown in blind than go through so many days of forced friend-making and hours of speeches from administrators.

The biggest consolation is that everyone feels the same way. In the worst of social scenarios, all I had to say was, “I hate orientation,” and I had a momentary talking point. And one day, it worked to my advantage, when I forced my way into a small group through a combination of mutual hatred of orientation and vague recognition by the girl whose parents bonded with mine in Peanuts-like adult garble while we both waited silently to check our bags at the airport. But that’s another story.

Mary Wilkie is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

Ellie Grondin For many years, I was a chronic night owl. I would often stay up into the early hours of the morning, not doing much of anything important.

Mornings would pass by as I struggled to wake up from an all-too-short sleep, only to be rushed to work or school feeling unprepared and still half asleep.

Over the past three or four years, however, I have come to adopt the early-bird mentality.

While a difficult adjustment at first, I credit shifting to an early-bird sleep schedule with making me more productive and overall more positive during my day. Going to sleep and waking up earlier on a regular basis provides more time to accomplish tasks, all while feeling more balanced and rested. I find that my mind is clearer in the morning compared to when it is clouded with a feeling of exhaustion late at night, which makes for better conditions to do any work, think, or get a head start on any to-do items.

Moving a sleep schedule up by a few hours may seem pointless to some, since a period of only a few hours is essentially just being transplanted to a different time of day. But through my own experience and conversations with others who wake up early, I truly have

Voting in the Primaries

Voting is, like, so cool. To vote in the Massachusetts presidential primary, you must register by Feb. 12. To register, visit rockthevote.org.

Iowa Caucuses

The first primaries in the nation are thought of by pundits as a bellwether for the rest of the country’s primaries, like a horoscope.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down: Primary Elections

found that those extra few hours are much more constructively used in the morning than they would be at night.

Instead of watching a show or surfing

Voter Suppression

Deep structural barriers lie between black and Latinx voters and the ballot box, according to The Atlantic and the Public Religion Research Institute.

Not Voting

If you’re an American citizen over age 18, voting is your civic duty. Your opinion and your life experience matters. Use your voice to vote.

the internet, as I may have at night, in the morning I can cook a full breakfast, go outside, and get my exercise in early—all while feeling more alert and in sync with the daylight. Subsequently, by planning my time more wisely, I feel more positive and optimistic about the rest of the day going forward.

While I would recommend everyone who can try to move to an earlybird schedule do so, students especially can benefit from becoming early risers.

Psychology Today’s Vinita Mehta, Ph.D, Ed.M, describes how “morningness has been linked to both conscientiousness

How to Meet Your Neighbors in College

and proactivity.”

Likewise, having an earlier sleep pattern is inversely related to procrastination, which in turn benefits school work. If for nothing else then, students

Grace Christenson Imagine opening the door of your home to a horde of small, female strangers exuding awkwardness, shoving a dozen donuts in your face and yelling, “These are for you!” Nightmare? Dream come true?

Who’s to say? Either way, my neighbors don’t have to imagine—they lived this predicament last Tuesday when they met me and my eight-man for the first time.

I, for one, have been dying to meet the neighbors since we moved in. This might be because I find painfully awkward situations unreasonably fun. Or maybe it’s because I’ve always dreamed of having that quirky college hall experience where everyone hangs out and gets into trouble together. Or—and this is the most likely source of my yearning—it’s because my hall is composed of one legendary eightwoman (trust me), one eight-man of which three-eighths is named Ryan, and a final eight-man that (as far as we recall) only contains men who hail from Long Island. I don’t know about you, but those are three groups of people I’d like to know.

In attempting to achieve my dreams of Animal House-level hall camaraderie, my roommates and I have established varying levels of contact with our hallmates over the year. We tried starting a prank war with the Long Island boys. We got one of the Ryans to take a polaroid of us in the hallway. There was one epic but unrepeatable Scrabble-related encounter with the Long Island boys. Alas, none of our attempts went anywhere. We remained, for all intents and purposes, complete strangers.

I’m aware that this is a problem of my own creation. I suck and rarely participate in the awesome events our RA plans expressly for the purpose of hanging out as a floor. But as it turns out, Boston College as a whole doesn’t really have a culture of knowing your neighbors. It’s a lot like the greater United States in that way.

So, I still suck, but I suck in a context in which pretty much all of us suck.

To get a better idea of the extent of the problem, I polled people around campus.

Most students I talked to didn’t know any of their neighbors or they only knew one, and essentially no one interacted with their neighbors on a regular basis. This tracks with data on neighbor relationships throughout the nation. According to Pew Research Center, a majority of Americans say they “know only some of their neighbors” and “never meet [their neighbors] for parties or get-togethers.”

Isn’t that a sad state of affairs? I want to live in a world with neighbor relationships of the Stand By Me/Goonies/E.T./Sandlot variety—a world where neighbors know each other and at some point in between highly unrealistic, wholesome hijinks, they help each other become the people they were meant to be. It’s disgustingly cheesy, sure, but there’s something undeniably appealing about being close enough with the kid next door that you’d risk: your life/your life/your life/your stepdad’s Babe Ruth signed baseball (which is “worth more than [Smalls’] whole life” anyways) for them.

So I set out to remedy my strangerneighbor situation and create some ’80s-movie-level friendship. I figured the first step would be a solid introduction that incorporated donuts, the official food of friendship. Then, because I am a wuss and could not bring myself to go to my neighbors’ rooms alone, I roped the majority of my eight-man into going with me.

After rescheduling (read: chickening out) three or four times, I finally gathered the donuts, the troops, and the courage. It was neighbor-meeting time.

We started with the girls, figuring that would be easiest. It was. One of them opened the door, heard my spiel, and immediately invited us in, lamenting that she was the only one home. Her dorm was gorgeous. (Ours, comparatively, looks like trash, but it’s our trash so who cares.)

I complimented the Animal House poster in the common room. My roommate Aroub embarrassed all of us by taking a picture posing boy-band style with their Obama tapestry. We discovered we had classes and friends in common. Overall, a 10/10 first encounter.

Next up: the room with all the Ryans.

One of the boys opened the door and immediately looked overwhelmed. I attempted to assuage his fears by explaining that I write a silly column, and I was trying to meet all of our neighbors, and I just wanted to give him donuts. Looking slightly relieved but still wary, he invited us in to say hi to the rest of his eight-man.

Their room was also way cooler than ours and, like the last room, featured a classic Animal House poster.

We never got the memo, but we’re working to remedy our lack of John “Bluto” Blutarsky decor ASAP. Not knowing what else to do, we all went around and said our names (Molly saluted them when she said hers, which she will never live down), chatted a bit, and then left. Aroub later told us that one of the boys—who emerged after I gave the whole here’s-why-I’m-here speech— had made a gesture of intense confusion (and maybe fear) while mouthing “what the—?!” behind my back. God forbid an investigation of mine end without someone thinking I’m completely insane.

So be it. I hope he enjoyed his donut.

Lastly, we approached the door of the Long Islanders. We had virtually no contact since pranking them last semester, so tensions were high. Aroub knocked aggressively and then jumped to the back of the pack, leaving me alone in the front with the donuts like a sacrificial lamb.

Eventually, the door swung open to reveal three of them, two of whom were shirtless (and impressively shredded). They justified their lack of clothes—completely unprompted—by saying they had been playing chess. I demonstrated unprecedented self-restraint by not asking all the questions I had about that explanation and, instead, just bestowed the donuts upon them. We had a short and deeply awkward but not unpleasant chat, and then we all went home.

My roommates expressed a range of reactions to the experience. Aroub’s favorite part was “meeting the cute blond boy” (which one she was referring to, exactly, the world may never know). Ivana loved getting to know our lovely lady neighbor, who was incredibly sweet. Molly enjoyed “how Aroub embarrassed us—because we joked about it beforehand, and then she did.” And best of all, Bea offered a heartfelt review of the experience, saying her favorite part was how “everyone welcomed us” and “how lovely other people are towards strangers.”

Ultimately, everyone agreed that meeting our neighbors was really fun.

Was it awkward? Deliciously so. Did we embarrass ourselves? Surely. Do they think we’re crazy? Of course. But while I wouldn’t say that we’re Stand By Me-level friends with any of them, now there’s a teeny tiny chance that someday we could be. And that’s good enough for me.

Grace Christenson is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

who adjust their sleep schedule may find themselves doing better in their classes and working with renewed clarity. I have personally noticed that the amount of care I put into my work has increased since shifting my schedule around—with me putting more concentration and time to good use.

As a night owl, I would often feel more exhausted during the day than I ever have after my shift to an earlier sleep schedule.

By putting my sleep first, ahead of watching another Friends episode, for example, the work I need to complete in a day becomes much more manageable and enjoyable. Ensuring a fuller night’s sleep therefore is vital for maintaining health.

“The trouble with being a night owl is that your sleep gets clipped in the morning hours, where most of the precious REM or dream sleep occurs,” explains Alex Dimitriu, M.D., in The New York Times. “Instead of sleeping seven or eight hours per night, most night owls get forced to sleep five or six—with a hard start time in the morning.”

In a medical study published in Nature Communications, that points to early rising being negatively correlated with depression and schizophrenia, and casually associated with good mental health.

So while it may be logistically challenging for some to change their sleep patterns because of work, health reasons, and so on, I would certainly recommend that anyone looking to be more productive, and perhaps more content, during the day try adopting the early-bird mindset. I have felt renewed purpose and positivity since making the shift. Simple adjustments to a daily routine can have some of the biggest impacts.

The opinions and commentaries of the op-ed columnists appearing on this page represent the views of the author of that particular piece, and not necessarily the views of The Heights.

Ellie Grondin is an op-ed columnist for The Heights. She can be reached at opinions@bcheights.com.

The Heights

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Monday, February 3, 2020

Gehman and Escobar: Universality, Intersectionality, Boldness

By Maeve Reilly

Magazine Editor

The Boston College retreat 48Hours is described by BC’s website as a weekend experience for first-year students to hear stories from upperclassmen about how they acclimated to the school. John Gehman, MCAS ’21, and Leonardo Escobar, MCAS ’22, met each other during one of these retreats. Now, they will be embarking on a new journey together as candidates for Undergraduate Government of Boston College president and vice president, respectively—running on a platform that highlights universality, intersectionality, and boldness.

Though he was raised in northwest Pennsylvania, Gehman was born in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Growing up in an adoptive white family, Gehman said he found it difficult not having a person of color as a mentor. As he grew up attending predominantly white institutions, he sought out anyone who could serve as that mentor.

About a 20-minute drive away from BC, Escobar grew up in Cambridge, Mass., attending private schools until high school.

He said he was able to attend this school because his mom was a Spanish teacher there—something that got his foot in the door, he explains. He said the dichotomy between his school and his lower income neighborhood always interested him. Like Gehman, Escobar leaned on mentors who helped him get to where he is now.

Gehman and Escobar spent their childhoods cultivating a group of leaders that they looked up to—now, they have the opportunity to become leaders for others at BC. Gehman, a political science and philosophy double major, identifies as a queer student. He came to BC to further explore how this part of his identity intertwines with his Catholic identity.

“I just kind of felt like there was a dichotomy, like a false dichotomy, that I had to choose between and ultimately, the spirituality part was one thing that I really missed. But it just hurt to ever go back to it,” Gehman said in reference to being queer-identifying student in high school.

“So I really wanted to come to BC—knowing it was Catholic institution—to be able to engage in that conversation with myself.”

As AHANA+ students on BC’s campus, Gehman and Escobar said they want to represent the AHANA+ student populations who often don’t have their voices heard as much as white students do. But they also emphasized that their platform applies to every student on campus and will positively impact the student body as a whole.

“I think just universality to me also means not restricting ourselves to just one method to the madness,” Escobar said.

“There really is a lot of ways to go about benefiting your community and listening to the needs of it and changing your plan constantly.”

Escobar, formerly an active member of his high school’s student government, was

MAGGIE DIPATRI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Gehman and Escobar’s Intersectional Social Progress Pledge has 17 core policies.

ready to hit the ground running when he got to BC. He recalled moving into Cheverus and immediately starting to plan where he was going to hang his campaign posters.

Escobar went door to door getting signatures in order to run for a seat on UGBC’s Senate. Having grown up in a family of a lower socioeconomic status than a lot of students at BC, Escobar echoed Gehman’s wants to represent the desires of those at BC who may not always feel adequately represented.

Escobar and Gehman created their slogan, “Envisioning a BC Worth Fighting For,” on account of the slow path they said BC seems to be on when it comes to fulfilling many of the wishes of the student body.

Their goals are ambitious—they recognize that. With more than 70 policies, the running mates acknowledged the roadblocks they could face in implementing a lot of them. One thing that sets them apart from the rest of the candidates and will help them leap over many of those hurdles, they said, is their Intersectional Social Progress Pledge.

Consisting of 17 core policies, the Pledge is a collection of strategies that the pair said BC students before them have been fighting for. They have promised to ensure that when working with the University to implement new resolutions, they abide by the plede’s policies as closely as possible.

Before college, Escobar contemplated pursuing a career in medicine. Though he’s now switched gears, he remembered attending a program at Harvard Medical School that his high school provided, hoping to expose lower income students to less accessible fields of study. He noted that his school allocating funds in this way was an incredible help—and is the kind of support BC should be giving its students.

“The School of Nursing does not provide funding for students to take the T to their clinicals at 5 in the morning,” Escobar said. “If I were in that position, if I were in my clinicals, I would absolutely hope that the University could help me do that, especially with the incredibly rigorous process it is to learn how to be a nurse.”

Other aspects of Gehman and Escobar’s platform include pushing BC to expand University Counseling Services, divest from fossil fuel companies, and open an LGBTQ+ resource center. Though they acknowledged that there is overlap among

all four candidates’ platforms, Gehman and Escobar said they are hopeful that their broader approach will set them apart from the rest of the pack.

In order to receive concrete results, the two have said they want to not only engage the student body, faculty, and alumni, but also other undergraduate student governments in the Boston area. They said that being in communication with other student governments will give them more leverage when addressing issues at BC. Gehman said that the key to achieving success is good communication. He and Escobar also promised to revamp UGBC’s Division of Communications, creating three different departments: inreach, outreach, and design. Inreach, he explained, will be responsible for engaging with the student body and conducting surveys and advocacy in that respect. Outreach will be responsible for connecting with outside organizations such as the NAACP, ACLU, and other student governments. Design will handle UGBC’s website and advertising strategies.

Gehman said he hopes that through this collaborative model, his team will be able to see changes at BC. Gehman and Escobar said they plan to prioritize the Intersectional Social Progress Pledge when they connect with outside organizations in the future.

“The Intersectional Social Progress Pledge is something that we want to be a core document for every single interaction we have—so we want that to be a fundamental basis for those relations,” Gehman said. “Whether we’re creating the new coalition of student governments or working with the Jesuit Student Government Alliance, we want to make sure that we’re all on the same fundamental page.”

The pair’s desire to encourage BC to open an LGBTQ+ center is especially important for Gehman on account of his identity as a queer student on campus, he explained. He recently attended BC’s Spectrum retreat, which is geared toward any student who is exploring their sexuality.

It was on this trip, he said, that he had the profound experience of others affirming his sexuality and engaging in dialogue surrounding it. After growing up in a rigid family structure, Gehman said the retreat was a defining experience for him, and it made him want to provide a similar expe-

rience for other queer students on campus.

“We need to have more of these resources on campus because ultimately we are failing at that commitment to being a university and not a church,” he said.

Gehman and Escobar’s platform also includes advocating for increased accessibility to University Counseling Services.

Currently, BC has 14 available psychiatrists and counselors. Gehman and Escobar said that the University has to do better. The two plan to host fundraisers focusing on the intersection of physical and mental health, and they have two goals in mind: In the short term, they have said they will use the money from these fundraisers to subsidize transportation for students who see therapists off campus. In the long term, they have promised the money they make can be applied to increasing the amount of counselors on campus. More importantly, Gehman said, they want the fundraisers to push the University to allocate more money for mental health resources.

“This increased attention and demonstration that students are willing to invest in their own mental health should pressure the administration … why are you not doing the same?” he said.

Gehman and Escobar said that their great campaign team has supported their desire to pressure BC on such issues. Their team has faith in them to cause concrete change at BC because of their combined unique backgrounds. “[John and Leo] were really interested in advocating for people who are less seen,” said Abigail White, the campaign’s co-strategist and MCAS ’22. “They’re both students of color, John is gay, Leo comes from a low-income background, and they both have so many stories that are so different from other people in the race.”

As for Gehman and Escobar, they have found that the friendship that started during their 48Hours retreat has smoothly transitioned into a working environment.

“Mine and John’s relationship goes back far enough where we have a good communication about how we’re going to carry out our ideas … how we’re going to change our plans, when [they need] to be changed, and how we’re going to gauge the desires and needs of students on this campus,” Escobar said. n

Guma and Atinizian: Accessibility, Inclusion, Improvement

By Brooke Kaiserman

A1 Editor

All four teams running to be the upcoming Undergraduate Government of Boston College president and executive vice president are promising to make Boston College an inclusive community for every student. The question thus arises of how each team can deliver on this promise.

Christian Guma, CSOM ’21, who is running for UGBC president, and Kevork Atinizian, CSOM ’22, who is running for executive vice president, are running with the campaign slogan “Make the Heights home.”

Atinizian said he can fully understand how to make students feel included on campus because he himself has dealt with feelings of isolation at BC. At the election kickoff event, Atinizian spoke publicly for the first time about applying to transfer from BC during his freshman year and not considering the University “home.” Now, he’s found his niche here, and he said he has a unique perspective that will allow him to truly be an advocate for all students.

“I think that [these experiences are] very important for a person who’s going to serve in a role of student government—it obviously can’t be someone who loves Boston College, because if you really, really love Boston College, and think that everything is perfect, there’s going to be no more room for improvement,” Atinizian said.

Atinizian, who is from Belmont, Mass., is a first-generation college student. His

family is Armenian, and even though he didn’t have the most positive feelings about BC initially, he said he has always felt that the University’s values parallel the ones he was raised with. He remembered becoming conscious about government from a young age and realizing that it was a way he could give back to others. His great aunt used to squeeze his cheeks and tell him, “One day, you’re going to be the president of the United States.”

“I think as a kid, you don’t understand [that comment], but it instills in you a sense of helping others, and that’s always been one of the fundamentals that I live by—helping others and seeing how you can serve others,” Atinizian said.

Despite being involved in a myriad of BC organizations, Atinizian said he would step down from all of his other extracurriculars to put more time and effort into the executive vice presidency—which he views as a full-time job. Atinizian also has experience working in UGBC, and he served as a senator this past year.

Guma said he is willing to do the same in regard to his BC activities, though he has no prior UGBC experience. Guma, who is from Washington Township in northern New Jersey, became interested in student activism his freshman year at BC in the wake of the “Silence is Still Violence” March in 2017. Thousands of members of the BC community gathered to protest multiple racist incidents that had occurred the week prior.

Guma and Atinizian hadn’t met until

JESS RIVILIS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Guma and Atinizian bring a combination of experience and new perspective.

recently. They were brought together shortly before Winter Break by a mutual contact, Bijoy Shah, CSOM ’22. Atinizian ran into Shah at Late Night and jokingly told him he was considering running for either president or executive vice president, and Shah encouraged him to do it. After also speaking to Guma, Shah realized how complementary Guma’s and Atinizian’s campaign platform ideas and larger ideals were. Once Atinizian started seriously considering running, he began reaching out to people who he thought might want to get involved with his campaign. Shortly after, he received a message from Guma. “[I was] like, ‘Who is this kid?’” Atinizian said. “‘He’s not in UGBC. Honestly, what does he provide?’ … And what ended up happening was, I met with Christian, and somehow, I still don’t know how he did this, he persuaded me to be his vice president.

And it was through both of us having a mutual vision for Boston College that extended beyond what I currently saw in UGBC and other students.”

Even though Guma is the only candidate running who has no prior UGBC experience, he said he sees this as a strength that will allow him to bring a new approach to student government, and he has spent the past two weeks attending UGBC meetings to familiarize himself with its procedures.

Guma and Atinizian said they align in their overarching vision for their time in office and desire to focus on the heart of BC—its students.

Atinizian cited the Student Experience Survey as evidence that even though students are satisfied with the University overall, there is still room for improvement.

In addition to working toward long-term goals such as an LGBTQ+ resource center and increased funding for the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center, Guma and Atinizian are promising to work on several smaller initiatives to enhance the quality of everyday life for students on BC’s campus.

Part of Guma and Atinizian’s platform is to make transportation more accessible for students by partnering with Uber and Lyft to provide discounted rides to students.

These partnerships would involve UGBC paying Lyft or Uber a flat fee to receive a certain amount of discounts in return.

Guma said he has spoken to a Lyft company

representative to discuss the specifics of providing these discounted rides but has been unable to reach Uber.

The pair has also said they want to increase the number of bus stop locations for the Commonwealth Ave. and Newton Campus shuttles, adding stops at places such as the Fish Field House and possibly the Margot Connell Recreation Center.

In addition, Guma and Atinizian plan to look into expanding public transportation options for Connell School of Nursing students going to clinicals, as well as Lynch School of Education and Human Development students who travel to practicums.

Both of these external learning experiences require transportation to off-campus locations.

The results of the Student Experience Survey showed that students are generally unsatisfied with BC’s dining options, so Guma and Atinizian said they want to consider the possibility of outsourcing dining to increase the options available to students.

Though they said these broader issues will take a long time to implement, Guma and Atinizian plan to have a sit-down meeting with the director of UGBC’s Diversity and Inclusion Programming Board and the director of the GLBTQ+ Leadership Council on their first day in office to draft a “concrete plan of action” for the LGBTQ+ resource center that they can present to the administration and the Board of Trustees.

They said they also want to increase opportunity for student input for University projects currently in the works, such as the Schiller Institute, and in the eventual construction of a student center.

Guma and Atinizian’s other student-oriented campaign platforms include collaborating with the Campus Activities Board to bring “more popular artists” to BC and host concerts in Conte Forum.

One of the defining aspects of Guma and Atinizian’s campaign is that they have both pledged to forgo the stipend typically allocated to the UGBC president and executive vice president. In 2019, UGBC’s total budget was $343,225. Michael Osaghae, the current UGBC president and MCAS ’20, receives a stipend of $4,000, while Tiffany Brooks, the vice president and MCAS ’21, receives a stipend of $3,500. Each division director is given a $2,000 stipend.

“I think that’s really respectable,” Shah

said about the team’s decision to forgo the stipend. “Not taking the money when this position is like a job is so unique because of the other candidates who are running, I haven’t heard anything saying that they’re not going to take the money.”

Guma and Atinizian said they plan to use the money that would usually be allocated toward their stipends to provide more resources for students and would encourage other members of UGBC’s executive council to follow suit. They said they would, however, be mindful of students who would be financially reliant on the stipend. Since UGBC’s funding is taken from the student activity fee, which is an annual payment made by undergraduate students, Guma and Atinizian said it would be inappropriate to take the money for themselves, rather than pouring it into benefits for the student body as a whole.

“I think the role of government, especially student government, is to serve the students at all costs,” Guma said. “And while we do understand the reasons why [the stipends] exist, we want to make sure that the students have all the resources possible—that’s our job.”

In this same vein, Guma and Atinizian have promised to ensure that BC remains a need-blind institution. In a student-administrator forum in April of 2019, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management John Mahoney, BC ’79, said that due to the combination of rising tuition and stagnant income, there is no guarantee BC can indefinitely remain a need-blind institution.

Guma and Atinizian said they want to increase the number of events and funding channels that are designed to make tuition more affordable to every BC student, such as Pops on the Heights. They said this would be a vital way to keep the University a diverse and inclusive community that is accepting of students from all backgrounds.

“What I want to do coming in from the outside with a different perspective is actually not only listen but actually work towards tangible solutions, and also expand the ability for UGBC to listen,” Guma said.

“I think that we get caught up sometimes, in you know, ‘He doesn’t have experience,’ but I don’t think my lack of experience, so to say, [in] writing senate resolutions or in UGBC negatively affects us. I think I’m bringing a fresh, outside perspective.” n

The Heights

Monday, February 3, 2020

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Sepe and Bracher: Respectful, Responsible, Ready

By Danny Flynn Assoc. Magazine Editor Though he’s been involved in the Undergraduate Government of Boston College since his second year on the Heights, led initiatives calling on the University to act, headed student organizations on campus, and is now seeking the position of UGBC president, Czar Sepe, MCAS ’21, still hasn’t faced a bigger crowd than he did in his sophomore year of high school.

Sepe was running for treasurer of the New Jersey Association of Student Councils. The Parsippany, N.J. native gave his final campaign address in front of more than 1,000 delegates from high schools around the state with a creative slogan playing on his middle name: “Pepsi-Alexei.” The parallels he drew between himself and the soda—an appeal to his energy, consistency, and humor—ultimately won him the position, he said.

But now, with fellow UGBC senator Jack Bracher, MCAS ’22, as his running mate, Sepe is seeking the highest student-held office on campus—and he knows the campaign will need to touch on far more important issues than his affinity for Pepsi.

The campaign’s primary slogan, “Ascend to Greater Heights,” touches on a need to make BC a more inclusive and

respectful environment, areas in which Sepe and Bracher say it has been lacking.

“BC is a good place, but it could be brought up to another level,” Sepe said.

“It can be a place where people look up to. Because at times, it doesn’t feel like that—at times, people feel unwelcome, people feel disappointed, betrayed … because there are frustrations institutionally and culturally within our student body.”

And “frustration” was the exact word that Bracher used when he described what led him to run for the UGBC Senate in the first place. Disheartened by a lack of action within the greater student body following the racist incident in Welch Hall in 2018, Bracher said he won his seat with the intention of furthering dialogues of inclusion on campus.

One tangible step he and Sepe’s administration would take toward achieving this, Bracher said, would be integrating aspects of the Bowman Advocates program into the training for resident assistants in freshman dorms. The program, run through the Thea Bowman AHANA and Intercultural Center, trains students to facilitate workshops for first-year students to discuss topics of diversity and inclusion.

Bracher was trained last semester and continues to help host workshops.

“I think that Bowman Advocates is a different kind of diversity training because

IKRAM ALI / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Sepe and Bracher emphasize the importance of short-term, tangible goals.

it really focuses on who you are as a person,” Bracher said. “You analyze and look at your past and learn what made you the person you are today, and [it helps] you learn to be someone who listens, who respects others.”

Short-term, tangible goals are an important aspect to the campaign, he continued. When laying out their platform before announcing their campaign, it was imperative to the two that they only list goals they felt could be addressed within their year-long term, Bracher said. They have maintained this approach with their position on the University creating an LGBTQ+ Resource Center, to some blowback. Bracher said in Wednesday’s debate on diversity and inclusion that he does not feel that the proposal would be something that the administration would support “right now.” Another candidate, Christian Guma, CSOM ’21, asked how the team could say they are fighting for students who support creating the center while at the same time not supporting the creation of the resource center themselves.

Bracher said in an interview with The Heights that due to time constraints on debate answers, he could not continue his response to include the fact that the campaign advocates for the immediate founding of a physical LGBTQ+ Community Center in Carney.

Sepe and Bracher’s platform further advocates for maps that lay out gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, a library collection with media pertinent to the LGBTQ+ experience, and the creation of a workshop for all students, similar to Bowman Advocates, “dedicated to the unique experiences of LGBTQ+ students on campus,” according to the campaign platform. “[We are] trying to work within UGBC to create more tangible results, while we wait for a resource center in the future,” Sepe said. “Because, again, that could happen when we’re gone—when all of these candidates are gone—but we are trying to make something more tangible, more meaningful for the LGBTQ+ community right now.”

The campaign holds a similar position on BC’s divestment from fossil fuels, an idea the University has rejected in the past. While they hope that they can work toward divestment, Sepe said, it is as important for the team to expand sustainability initiatives in dining halls and residence halls to start to shift overall student opinion on climate-related initiatives.

“Keeping those issues visible and present in the minds of students and the greater student body is something that is key if we want to work and fight toward divestment,” he said. “Because if we could keep these students informed in these issues, we could create a cultural shift on campus—we get an inch closer to getting to that goal.”

The two said they put many hours into researching and developing their platform—something made easier, they said, by the ease they have in working with one another. This chemistry the pair described was echoed by Alejandro Perez, UGBC senator and MCAS ’21, who was among the group of people who encouraged Sepe to seek the position of president. Perez, having enjoyed being Bracher’s resident assistant in Duchesne last year, suggested to Sepe that Bracher should be his running mate, despite the two not knowing each other well. But the instant connection the two made, Perez said, was palpable.

“We got the two of them talking, and the next thing you know, they’re running together,” said Perez, who ran for the position of vice president last year. “It was actually incredible. … Once they met when Czar was back [from studying abroad], the chemistry was just amazing.”

Perez, now the campaign’s director of outreach, knew Sepe from early on in freshman year through mutual friends, he said. But it was Sepe’s leadership in drafting a 2018 resolution calling for the University’s condemnation of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in Philadelphia that earned him Perez’s high regard. He then made it a point to work with Sepe in the then-Student Assembly whenever he could.

Beneath the pair’s names on the

campaign Facebook page reads the three characteristics of the campaign that Sepe and Bracher feel are most important to their mission: “Respectful,” “Responsible,” and “Ready.” The second and third words refer to the pair’s experience in UGBC, the connections they have on campus, and the effort put into developing their platform, Bracher said. But cultivating a culture of that first characteristic on campus, Sepe said, is a key tenet that inspired their campaign.

“We need to have a culture of respect because sometimes people, especially people who are in the margins, do not feel as though they are respected here,” Sepe said. “You know, there’s a great song about it. ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T.’ These things ring true throughout history, and we need to bring it here at Boston College.”

Coming from a devout Catholic Filipino family, Sepe said respect for others is a value he grew up with, and it is further reflected in the Jesuit values that BC espouses. Sepe serves as president of the BC chapter of Knights of Columbus, a national Catholic service organization.

But as he said before, he thinks there is more that BC and its students need to do if it is going to continue to live up to its Jesuit mission.

Bracher also sees BC through this hopeful lens. Raised in Newton as the son of two BC faculty members, he said he spent a lot of his childhood hoping to one day go to BC. His babysitters were often BC students, and he grew up wanting to be like Matt Ryan, Nathan Gerbe, and Luke Kuechly—all former BC athletes. He’d spend his summers at BC with his brothers with a wiffleball bat or a frisbee and play till the sun went down with the orientation leaders and new students.

“BC has always been a home to me,” Bracher said. “But Czar and I recognize that, and this is what really motivated our campaign, the fact that it’s not a home for everyone. So to have that chance to be the BC student I’ve always wanted to be by contributing to make BC a home for others is an opportunity I couldn’t pass up on.” n

Wieboldt and Leo: Transparency, Collaboration, Fresh Energy

By Anna Lonnquist Asst. Magazine Editor Six months ago, they arrived on the Heights. Five months ago, they were elected to the UGBC Senate. The 2020 Undergraduate Government of Boston College presidential election’s only freshman team, Dennis Wieboldt, MCAS ’23, and Lorenzo Leo, MCAS ’23, are not worried about the age gap between them and the other candidates. In fact, they say that’s what gives them their edge.

The two met at orientation last summer. After discovering their mutual interest in UGBC, they successfully ran as a pair for the UGBC Senate. One semester later, Wieboldt and Leo are vying to become president and vice president, respectively.

As fresh faces in the Senate last fall, the duo quickly discovered that UGBC had organizational inefficiencies, a lack of transparency, and a disconnect with administration. Their age, they say, heightens their commitment to instituting changes and seeing these changes through.

“I feel like perhaps it’s because we’re younger, and we feel like we need to prove ourselves in the Senate, but we’ve just done so much in so little time,” Wieboldt said.

“Not all of it has come to fruition at the snap of a finger, but … we’re still energized. … It’s kind of just lucky that we have years left here to really see the changes.”

Wieboldt grew up in central New Jersey, where he encountered his first experience with advocacy. His high school was unusual for central New Jersey, he said, in that it had multiple freestanding buildings.

After the shooting in Parkland, Florida, Wieboldt saw his school’s increased risk

of such an event and began working with his local prosecutor’s office to implement clearer procedures for guest check-ins and emergency lockdowns.

Despite graduating from BC High, just a few miles away, Leo’s childhood took him from Livingston, N.J. to New York to Washington D.C. to Cairo to Florence to London. But across all of his homes, being Jesuit-educated remained a constant, which ingrained in him the importance of serving others, he said.

Coming from a high school so close to BC also alleviated worries about the social transition, Leo said, allowing him to jump into something he’d always wanted to do: student government.

One of Wieboldt and Leo’s main Senate campaign promises was to install drinking water taps in Medeiros, as the residence hall previously had none. Crystal Pu, UGBC’s president pro tempore and Lynch ’20, recalled how after the first Senate meeting of the fall, Wieboldt sent her an email inquiring about how he and Leo could get started on this initiative.

Initially, their request wasn’t taken very seriously in the Senate, they said, but they did eventually succeed in delivering on this promise, which Wieboldt said reflected their belief that seemingly small changes can greatly improve students’ lives.

Wieboldt, who is majoring in political science and history, has shown his political interest through a number of avenues. He is an assistant editor at Colloquium, BC’s political science journal, and an editor at the Bellarmine Pre-Law Review, which publishes law-related pieces. He works weekly at the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Commission, in addition to

JESS RIVILIS / HEIGHTS EDITOR

Wieboldt and Leo, a freshman team, highlight transparency as part of their campaign.

working alongside Leo as a research assistant for Lynch School of Education and Human Development professor Gabrielle Oliveira’s study of how the 2020 political landscape impacts immigration issues.

Leo’s public policy interests have led him to be a philosophy and intended international studies major on the prelaw track. He works as an administrative assistant in the history department, where he said he has found students with similar interests.

“A lot of other candidates classify different categories or groups, but Lorenzo never sees it that way,” said Yahya Yussuf, president of BC’s International Club and CSOM ’20, who works alongside Leo in the history department. “His broad background has led him to be open-minded, [and] his passion for politics has led him to be very committed to different causes and policies.”

At Wednesday’s Diversity and Inclusion debate, Wieboldt said that he felt as though international students, specifically those from Asia, were often ignored while discussing underrepresented groups on campus.

He and Leo recently released a statement for Lunar New Year that outlined their commitment to ensuring a more welcoming environment for Asian students.

It urged University Counseling Services and the student body as a whole to provide extra support to students whose family or friends have been personally affected by coronavirus.

Throughout their initial semester as senators, the duo tackled a range of issues on BC’s campus. After implementing drinking water taps in Medeiros, they worked alongside Information Technology Services (ITS) to plan the installation of printers in the Stuart dining hall and expand the capabilities of eduroam WiFi. They also were co-sponsors of the Cura Personalis initiative, which provides free menstrual products in select restrooms on campus. Other teams have referenced sponsoring this initiative in their campaigns, but most were far less involved in the planning process, Leo said.

Wieboldt said being realistic while working with administration has been key to implementing their initiatives.

Administrators initially denied their request for printers in Stuart Hall due to costs, but the pair persisted and was able to get administration to agree to add one printer, which Wieboldt said was a good

starting point.

“We figured [to come] not as a demand but as a request and [say] that this is going to improve our student experience and make our degree more valuable at the end,” Wieboldt said. “If you have happier students, their output is going to be better.”

Wieboldt and Leo said they’ve also taken this approach when working alongside the Office of Disability Services. UGBC’s Council for Students with Disabilities has prioritized the expansion of Eagle Escort services among its current initiatives, but progress has been slow, Wieboldt said.

The pair has worked to expand lecture-capture systems in classrooms, which Wieboldt said will complement the Eagle Escort improvements, ensuring that if physically disabled students can’t receive transportation for some reason, such as a snowstorm, they can access a recorded lecture.

The pair drafted a 60-page updated UGBC Constitution and Senate rulebook which they will implement if elected.

In it, they proposed the creation of a new senior academic advisory board within UGBC. Wieboldt’s personal experience with working off-campus has led him to push for BC to expand the academic credits that students completing internships off-campus can receive. He has already met with Akua Sarr, vice provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs, and Joseph Du Pont, associate vice president for Career Services.

“People say, you know, ‘inexperience, inexperience, inexperience,’ and I guarantee you we’ve spent more time outside of class meeting with administrators than anyone else,” Wieboldt said, referring to the common criticism that being freshmen leads them to be unqualified.

But they haven’t achieved their initiatives at the snap of a finger. Both Leo and Wieboldt were initially stunned by the Senate’s inefficiency and lack of cohesion, they said. In their first month as senators, they were co-sponsors of a resolution to make all of the UGBC meeting minutes public to the student body—but the resolution didn’t pass.

“For us, I mean, that was a little bit of a slap in the face,” Wieboldt said. “It’s like, ‘[There’s] these two freshmen, and they want us to be transparent all of a sudden, like screw that.’ … That was really how we got introduced to, you know, the dynamics.”

Wieboldt and Leo described their

platform as centering around increased transparency and a more collaborative, rather than confrontational, approach to administrators.

While some initiatives, such as advocating for an LGBTQ+ resource center, are common across the platforms of this year’s candidates and have been advocated for for multiple years, Wieboldt pointed out that they still aren’t being implemented.

“At this point … there isn’t enough actionable change in UGBC organizationally to say, ‘If we do something out of the norm and elect someone that’s so young, you know, is the world going to collapse?’” Wieboldt said. “We really don’t see much how many steps backwards we can take because the organization is not a cohesive unit.”

Wieboldt and Leo said their main priority is to increase transparency with regard to the UGBC budget. Both senators said they received no response from the current executive board when they asked for a breakdown of the money UGBC spent during the fall semester. They pointed to UGBC’s fall retreat, which cost nearly $25,000, as an example of UGBC’s misuse of money.

Their updated constitution would require the UGBC director of finance to release public spending reports as well as a breakdown of attendance at UGBC events every other month.

The pair also emphasized the necessity of better cohesion within UGBC. Their chosen executive board includes members who could work well together, Wieboldt said.

Their new constitution also outlines Senate roles and responsibilities more explicitly than the old constitution for the purpose of improving efficiency and reducing infighting, they said.

Running with the campaign promise to bring “Fresh Energy to the Heights,” the senators said their work has shown their dedication to delivering on student demands through collaboration, transparency, and hard work.

“I don’t think age or class year affect your ability to lead—your determination, your habits of excellency, and your commitment are more important,” Pu said.

“For Lorenzo and Dennis, as sophomores … they will have the time and flexibility to really devote themselves to this work.

Leading UGBC isn’t intellectual work. It’s really about the effort, the determination, the commitment.” n

The Heights

A8

Monday, February 3, 2020

At ‘Limitless,’ DOBC’s Talent Knows No Bounds Style on a Spectrum

By Siobhan Greene

For The Heights

If the sky’s the limit, the Dance Organization of Boston College (DOBC) hasn’t seemed to notice. The group’s biggest show of the year, Limitless, kicked off Friday night in Robsham

was set to Labrinth’s song of the same name. Choreographer Becky Huryk, MCAS ’20, explained that “All For Us” is about discovering yourself during difficult times. The piece began with the dancers lying on the floor in the dark as a pink backdrop glowed behind them. As the song gained momentum,

red shorts and black tops. The upbeat dance incorporated impressive lifts that set a high bar for the rest of the show.

Approaching intermission, choreographers Madison Choo, CSOM ’20, and Jenny Clark, MCAS ’20, introduced their dance, “Business as Usual,”

LEO WANG / HEIGHTS STAFF

DOBC kept the audience on its toes with dynamic routines and appearances by Sexual Chocolate, F.I.S.T.S., and Synergy.

Theater, with an additional performance on Saturday. Throughout the evening, the audience was kept on its toes by DOBC’s spellbinding routines and the event’s dramatic displays of lighting and music.

Each performance was choreographed by a member of D OB C .

Before every dance, the respective choreographers introduced themselves and explained the meaning of their routines, adding a uniquely personal dimension to the event.

The opening dance, “All For Us,”

the dancers launched into leaps, and strobe lights flickered as the beat dropped. The focal point of the piece was a complex lift in which one dancer climbed the backs of the others before leaping into their arms.

The mood relaxed with “Ain’t My Fault,” a sassy jazz number choreographed by Emmy Tolsdorf, MCAS ’21, and set to Zara Larsson’s song of the same name. The routine’s message centered around ignoring the expectations of others. For this dance, the dancers strutted around the stage in

during which the audience was treated to a surprise appearance by Sexual Chocolate. After a brief performance by the all-male step team, F.I.S.T.S. arrived and performed its own dance.

Sexual Chocolate reentered, and the two groups had a dance battle to settle once and for all who the best step group is. As the dance battle broke into a staged fight, the girls from DOBC arrived and questioned why the other two groups were at their show to begin with. The argument was resolved as the three groups merged into one

routine.

Then it was indeed back to “Business as Usual.” The lights came up to reveal the members of DOBC, this time wearing leggings, unbuttoned collared shirts, and—most impressively—heels. A medley of songs played during the performance that included “Tik Tok” by Kesha and “6 Inch” by Beyoncé and The Weeknd. Each dancer used a chair as a prop during the routine, holding the audience’s attention as they flipped their hair in sync and demonstrated their floorwork in front of a red background.

The show was then joined by a fourth dance group, Synergy, which performed a fast-paced mini-routine with an alien theme to songs that included “Space Jam” by Quad City DJ’s.

Dressed in all black, the members of DOBC then joined them for a slower and more fluid hip-hop dance to “Skin”

by Rihanna.

As the evening came to a close, the seniors of DOBC performed their own final dance to “River” by Emeli Sandé.

The emotional, lyrical piece allowed the dancers to demonstrate their individual talents. The piece ended with the seniors holding hands as the lights faded to black.

The show concluded with a finale bearing the title of the show, “Limitless,” choreographed by the officers of DOBC. All the dancers joined the stage in red tops and black leggings for a high-energy finish. The routine featured the songs “Unstoppable” by Sia, “Wings” by Little Mix, and, of course, “Limitless” by Jennifer Lopez. One by one, dancers from each year stepped into the spotlight to display their talents. The powerful finale demonstrated the coordination and skill of the dancers, and as the members of DOBC left the stage smiling and cheering, the audience members got on their feet to do the same. n

Caplan Delivers Lecture on Digital Art of ’60s Italy

By Francesca Giangiulio For The Heights

The art, art history, and film department continued its search for a new assistant professor of modern and contemporary art this week with a presentation from Lindsay Caplan, the second in a series of three lecturers who are finalists for the position.

Caplan comes from Brown University, where she is a research associate and teaches courses on modern art. Caplan received her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, a master’s in sociology from the City University of New York (CUNY), and a doctorate in art history from the graduate center at CUNY. Caplan’s lecture, entitled “Why ‘Programmed’ Art? The Social Significance of Early Computer Art in 1960s Italy,” focused heavily on her current research in art, social theory, technology, and politics. Caplan’s research aims to combine the social sciences with art in order to better understand the context in which certain art is made.

She is currently working on a book that focuses on this theme, in particular the era of “new media” in 1960s Italy and how society and technological advances heavily influenced the art

scene during this time.

“My aim with this talk, as with my writing and teaching, is to demonstrate how the study of modern and contemporary art can contribute productively to broader conversations about society, collective agency, and the capacity for social change,” Caplan said. “Art history is, in my view, a way to excavate alternative visions of humanity and social life. It can stage an experiential encounter with the radically different, take us outside ourselves, and defamiliarize the familiar.”

While presenting the works of the post-war art collective Arte Programmata, Caplan explained how ordinary materials and unassuming settings can be completely transformed by art into something that shocks viewers and causes them to feel a type of sensory dislocation or confusion. A major component of the works in the Arte Programmata is the ability of viewers to interact with the art.

“The artist is a programmer who provides a platform for engagement, but does not ultimately determine its end,” Caplan said. “Program works include the audience in the creative process, empowering them to exercise their uniquely human creativity at once echoed and encouraged by the

close the viewers and to claim that this enclosure activates, liberates, or otherwise frees the audience?” Caplan said.

She said this contradictory style was actually due to the artist’s reaction to the political situation in Italy at the time, when the structure of communism was quickly collapsing while consumerism was creeping into the culture.

“Now, in this context, artists felt that they had to navigate the Cold War ideological terms of individuality and collectivity with precision,” Caplan said. “And this, I contend, is the reason why artists of Arte Programmata turned to early computer technologies and cybernetics and information theory and related ideas.”

Caplan closed her lecture by further explaining the narrative arc of her upcoming book and how she transitions from describing the origin of Arte Programmata to the way the Arte Programmata style still has a strong influence on art in the present day.

“This book centers on the way that art and technology are equally means of structuring social interaction,” Caplain said. “It presumes that art is actually a place where these questions of society can be confronted, experimented with, and better understood.” n

iEdit

The Playlist “Coffee Shop Soundtrack” All Time Low

Jess Rivilis, Assistant Photo Editor

“Fever Dream” Grayscale

By Olivia Charbonneau Assoc. Sports Editor

“Diet Soda Society” The Maine “Bella Donna” Turnover “3am” Halsey “Your Love” The Outfield “Over Again” One Direction “Daphne Blue” The Band CAMINO “My Blue Heaven” Taking Back Sunday “Easy Enough” State Champs

mutating form of the work.”

Although the idea of unlimited creativity sounds appealing, Caplan argued that the experience of program art is not one of openness and liberation, but a rather limited experienced.

“The crux of my argument is that behind all this rhetoric of openness and freedom is the more complex and historically interesting assertion that for any kind of social engagement to take place, one needs a commonly shared platform, a set of protocols, a program,” Caplain said.

Caplan presented the 1964 exhibit Space, Light Lines, and Spectators

by Davide Boriani to emphasize this point. Boriani’s exhibit was simply a dark, square room with 32 motion-sensor spotlights attached to the walls and ceiling. This interactive environment was meant to give visitors a deep sense of ambiguity as to who or what was in control as different lights were triggered, illuminating the spots visitors were walking through.

The combination of different sounds and lights flashing on and off was designed to encourage viewers to feel how manipulated their environment is and can be.

“These works are clearly about control, but what does it mean to en-

GRAPHICS BY MAYA TAHA AND IKRAM ALI / HEIGHTS EDITORS

If you haven’t had the pleasure of getting to know her, Jess Rivilis is a chaotic mixture of pop punk—throwing it back to everyone’s emo phase, which she is “still in”—and your basic One Direction stan.

As such, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect from her playlist.

The playlist begins with a pop-punk classic, “Coffee Shop Soundtrack” by All Time Low, bringing early 2000s emo into the new decade, and is quickly followed by “Fever Dream” by Grayscale. “Fever Dream” slows down the pace set by its predecessor, with a laid-back verse juxtaposing with the chaotic chorus. “Diet Soda Society” by The Maine follows and mirrors the format of the latter, beginning with soothing vocals before picking up.

Then Jess’ playlist takes a whiplash-es-

que turn with “Bella Donna” by Turnover, with its dreamy vocals and mellow tones.

Halsey’s “3am” brings more passionate songwriting that has remained a theme.

Jess follows “3am” with the 1985 classic “Your Love,” by The Outfield, dramatically halting the pop-punk continuity with a more upbeat song. Up next comes Jess’ favorite One Direction song, “Over Again,” which provides another mellow reprise.

Jess then moves on to a blue theme with “Daphne Blue” by The Band CAMINO and Taking Back Sunday’s “My Blue Heaven.” Jess closes out her highly emotional playlist with “Easy Enough,” a song that leaves the listener feeling a similar melancholy sentiment, hoping to do something worthy of being remembered.

Jess’ choice in songs not only expresses her own inner feelings, but also relates to a variety of emotions that can be hard to place and even harder to convey.

Grace Mayer I’ve always viewed fashion as a tool for self-expression. It’s a creative outlet—I would even argue it can be an artistic exhibition of one’s dreams and desires.

You decide every day what you will wear.

Likewise, what you wear illustrates what you want to say about who you are, what you stand for, what you represent.

Yet people often overlook how fashion is a major component that brings to the fore and normalizes conversations about gender. Now more than ever, we’re questioning long-held assumptions about what it means to be a man or a woman, and what masculinity and femininity respectively entail. Fashion allows the people who are at the center of these debates to contribute to the conversation.

Many of these dialogues have blossomed from within the artistic community. Performers and artists have long blurred the line between masculine and feminine through their work and, just as often, through the way they dress. The clothes they wear are nuanced and political conversation within themselves.

Take Billy Porter’s look from the 2020 Grammys. Dressed in a shimmering oceanic blue bodysuit paired with a matching cropped blazer, Porter embraced close-cut silhouettes and amplified his ensemble with equally eye-catching accessories—a diamond choker, rhinestone boots, and an equally glitzy clutch. The ostentatious topper to this ensemble was a wide-brimmed hat dripping with a curtain of jewels, partially masking his frosty-blue eye makeup and silver lipstick.

His ’fit was a galactic, romanticized western mirage. Simultaneously an illusion and a look. A blend of his masculinity and femininity.

Currently starring in the television series Pose (a performance for which he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, becoming the first openly gay black man to do so), Porter has been known for his jaw-dropping, gender-bending style choices since his run in the musical Kinky Boots as drag queen Lola from 2013 to 2015. Remember his 2019 Oscars dress? Blending the traditional masculine dress code with old Hollywood femininity, he stepped onto the carpet in a black velvet tuxedo ball gown.

For Porter, fashion is not just an outlet of self-expression for his sexuality. His style choices embody gender-fluid fashion.

They’re a beacon of possibilities to onlookers, showing that one can proudly refuse to fit into society’s outmoded gender expectations. Porter is by no means the only performer challenging the definition of masculinity in the often toxically masculine Hollywood environment, nor is he the first (a few of his predecessors in this area include Elton John, David Bowie, and Prince).

Harry Styles is another artist who comes to mind when discussing fluid fashion. The album cover for his latest album, Fine Line, features him in a shiny fuschia shirt and billowing white pants, with his fingers adorned with rings and multi-colored nail polishes—elements traditionally limited to women’s fashion.

Conversely, artists such as Janelle Monae and Billie Eilish have adopted more masculine fashions—structured suits and baggy garments—the antithesis to the typical soft and sexy pop star. Eilish even admits that her oversized style is meant to disquise her body from the public eye. Monae balances both sides of the gender style spectrum, wearing ball gowns one day and tuxedos and tophats the next.

Eilish and Monae’s fashion choices are redefining what it means to be a woman, expanding the definition to fit the stars’ own personal conceptions of femininity. Each individual gets to decide what it means to be male or female, and the clothes they wear can aid in molding and articulating that definition.

Although these four figures I’ve mentioned are all artists—trailblazers by nature and expectation—it’s often said that art imitates life. These stars are only reflecting the conversations that are playing out in society at large, conversations about questions of identity and how fashion helps to shape that very thing.

Grace Mayer is the associate arts editor for The Heights. She can be reached at arts@bcheights.com.

ARTS

A9

@BCHeightsArts

Monday, February 3, 2020

NEVER GON STOP BC’s Crown Prince of Hip-Hop Awaits His Throne

By Jillian Ran

Arts Editor

The late 2000s saw Justin Bieber’s rise to fame propelled by the adoration of millions of preteen girls across America. But alongside Bieber’s predominantly female middle-school fanbase, Prince Lucas, MCAS ’22, who was 10 years old when Bieber released his first single, proudly counted himself as a fan.

At the time, Lucas, raised in Harlem, New York City by Nigerian immigrant parents, found himself inspired

by Bieber’s instant success story. Lucas gave online fame a shot by posting his own singing videos on YouTube.

While Lucas never took off in the way Bieber did, those videos are still online today—a testament to Lucas’ ambition and love for music, a passion that has evolved, but never once faltered.

Lucas’ taste eventually matured.

He started listening to the old-school R&B that his mother and brothers were fond of, as well as Afrobeat, a style characterized by a blend of West African rhythms and American funk and jazz flourishes.

Embarrassed by the attention his classmates gave his videos in middle and high school, Lucas kept his musical endeavors to himself for a time. But after seeing Bronx rapper Lil Tjay rack up plays online last year, he was once again inspired to give music a shot.

“After watching [the music video for “Goat”], I said, ‘What am I doing?

I might as well just chase my dream,’” Lucas said.

Lucas released three singles, but picking up momentum online was a challenge for him. He spent hours laboring over his music video for his single “Drina,” which has attracted around 1,300 views since it was first posted on YouTube in April 2019.

“People appreciated the song, but it just stayed very local,” Lucas said.

Through trial and error, Lucas stumbled upon the crucial realization that in an era of short attention spans, it’s important to grab listeners’ attention right away.

“I always focus on the first 15 seconds of my music to make sure people are hooked in,” said Lucas.

A turning point came for Lucas when, following the suggestion of his sister-in-law, he began to incorporate Afrobeat and his parents’ mother tongue of Yoruba—a West African language—into his music.

The result was “Back It,” an upbeat, dancehall-inspired song that finds Lucas smoothly flowing between English and Yoruba. It became more popular

a way for Lucas to showcase his roots while at the same time set his work apart from other rappers’. The uniqueness of the bilingual effect is what made “Back It” catch on, Lucas said.

“If I say something, you may not understand what I’m saying, but you’re gonna feel it,” Lucas said, regarding his decision to use Yoruba.

Lucas has tried submitting his music to blogs dedicated to hip-hop and Afrobeat, mostly to no avail. Ultimately, he said, word of mouth has

find collaborators.

“In New York, when I get back, I have a lot of stuff to do because there are so many things I miss out on. New York has such a big hip-hop scene,” Lucas said. “That’s why I think [Boston City Limits] was such a dope idea. I think it was a good idea to shed light on some hip-hop artists in Boston.”

Before beginning his opening set at the Campus Activity Board’s new winter concert on Jan. 25, Lucas imparted a piece of wisdom to the crowd.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRINCE LUCAS

Lucas made his first foray into the music world at age 10, when he posted covers of Justin Bieber songs to YouTube.

proven to be the most powerful tool.

“My friends still play my songs in Seattle and Los Angeles. Even when they travel to Japan, China, all these places they play it,” Lucas said. “Last week, I had 400 Shazams in Paris.”

Lucas initially found producers online, searching for hours through YouTube to find the perfect beat and paying for them fully formed. Now, despite lamenting the lack of a hip-

“There’s gonna be obstacles when you’re chasing your dream, and there’s one thing you’re never gonna do—never stop,” Lucas said to the crowd before launching into his single “Never Gon Stop.”

Boston City Limits, which featured R&B artist DaniLeigh as the headliner, was a chance for Lucas to introduce his music to BC students. The credit for getting Lucas on board goes to

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRINCE LUCAS

Lucas opened for R&B headliner DaniLeigh at Boston City Limits, hyping up the crowd with motivational words of wisdom.

than any of Lucas’ previous singles, with 3,000 streams on Spotify to date.

Blending English and Yoruba was

coordinators.

Following the final Plexapalooza before the demolition of the Plex, Lawrence was eager to propose something beyond the scope of what CAB had traditionally organized. Over the summer, an idea formed in Lawrence’s mind to create a concert designed to reach out to segments of the student body Lawrence felt hadn’t been adequately catered to.

“Especially knowing that the last Plexapalooza was last year, I knew that

hop scene in Boston, he works with engineers nearby rather than making the pilgrimage back to New York to

Ellana Lawrence, CSOM ’22, a friend of Lucas’ since their freshman year and one of CAB’s live entertainment

there would be a better shot of bringing new ideas and new concerts and new artists, and just kind of switching it up a little bit,” Lawrence said.

After settling on an R&B-focused concert, CAB set its sights on finding a student opener. Lawrence immediately thought of Lucas.

“I felt like Prince would be a good person to open because not only would it give him more exposure and more experience on stage, allow people to hear his music, it would also be good for CAB as well,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence was confident in Lucas’ ability to entertain a crowd. In the days leading up to the show, she only gave him a few tips. And when it came time for him to perform, Lucas didn’t disappoint, she said.

“He was so comfortable on stage,” Lawrence said.

Lucas admitted that he doesn’t experience the stage fright that others usually do. In his day-to-day life, he’s rather introverted, so much so that he said just walking through campus between classes induces anxiety in him. But when he’s performing, it’s a different story.

“When I’m on stage, I feel like it’s a different energy,” he said. “You just feel different. You’re just letting your music speak, and you’re just having fun and rocking out. It’s the dream I’ve had since I was 8 years old posting on YouTube.”

Lucas takes notes on how other seasoned performers have expertly honed their stage presences.

“I try to pick up little techniques of how you engage with the crowd, like counting down to make sure people are engaged, singing a cappella, just little things to embrace the crowd and make you seem more natural,” Lucas said.

Lucas’ friend Zaymira Gaspard, MCAS ’21, said she noticed members of the crowd at Boston City Limits singing along to his songs.

“It was really good to see him put all of those hard nights and hard work onto the stage,” Gaspard said. “Even though it may not have been the biggest crowd, it was definitely a crowd full of a lot of supporters.”

Lawrence acknowledged that Boston City Limits saw lower attendance than previous CAB events, but she said she was still satisfied with the concert and that it achieved its mission of inclusivity.

“The impact of it is more important than the numbers, and even though there wasn’t as big of a turnout as concerts in the past, the energy was still there,” Lawrence said. “We had a different demographic of people who hadn’t come to past CAB events.”

Lucas agreed that although Boston City Limits didn’t have the biggest crowd, it was a step in the right direction.

“I think it’s a work in progress,” Lucas said. “I think it’s just going to continue growing from here on out.

Obviously there was a decrease in [attendance], but I feel like the people that really love hip-hop and R&B really appreciated the fact that CAB took the time out to actually spend money and dedicate their time on this specific job.”

Although Boston City Limits represents an important step in supporting hip-hop and R&B for Lawrence and Lucas, Lucas said that Boston College is still a difficult place to be a fledgling rapper due to the lack of a rap community at the school. Music Guild, for example, provides a platform for indie-rockers to showcase their music, but there are no formal equivalents for student rappers.

As a result, Lucas is largely operating solo. Although his friends offer him much-needed support, he hasn’t collaborated with other BC students.

“I don’t really know anyone here that makes music at BC like hip-hop or R&B or Afrobeat,” Lucas said.

Because of BC’s struggles with diversity in its student body and its practically non-existent rap scene, Lucas initially considered transferring to a school back in New York City.

But he decided to stay and forge an uncharted path, inspiring others to follow in his footsteps in the process: Some of Lucas’ friends have even decided to try their hand at music after witnessing his success.

Still, Lucas said he thinks that if BC were more diverse, his music would have taken off more.

“It’s hard to grow up in a school that supports you, but not fully enough,” Lucas said.

Gaspard recognized that Lucas has had to work twice as hard to get his music heard.

But while he lacks easy access to music studios or the inspiration of a nearby hip-hop scene, he has continued to persevere. The obstacles that BC has presented to Lucas have only made him grow more confident in his abilities, she said.

“Right now, he’s in such a groove,” Gaspard said. “There’s been a big evolution ever since the first time that I met him.”

Lucas intends to keep capitalizing on his creative burst of energy: He plans to release a mixtape of around 13 songs in September. And while he wants to ensure that he has enough time to perfect the songs until he’s satisfied, in the meantime, he’ll drop music videos for his two most popular songs, “Kind Love” and “Back It,” along with music videos for two completely new singles.

For Lucas, Boston City Limits was just the beginning, but it reminded him to stay focused.

“Even watching or being next to DaniLeigh, it motivated me because this is the lane I want to go down,” Lucas said. “She’s already on top.” n

SPORTS 2020 BEANPOT PREVIEW A10

@HeightsSports

Monday, February 3, 2020

jESS rIVILIS / Heights Editor

iKRAM aLI / Heights Editor

Boston College men’s hockey will take on Boston University in the opening round of the 68th Beanpot. The Commonwealth Ave. rivals have met just once so far this year, and BC came out on top 4-3.

By Emma Healy Sports Editor

First Round: Boston College vs.

Boston University, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.

Heading into Boston’s biggest hockey tournament, Boston College men’s hockey is right where it wants to be: tied for first in Hockey East, No. 5 in the nation, and most importantly, well ahead of any of the other Boston area schools in either ranking. After three straight disappointing Beanpot tournament finishes , things are looking up for the team from Chestnut Hill.

The last three Beanpots have brought two consolation games and a loss in the finals for the Eagles, so BC fans are in search of a miraculous finish reminiscent of Alex Tuch’s game- w inning over time goal in 2016.

It’s been a mixed bag the last few years for the Eagles against Boston

teams, but something about this season is different. BC has already beaten BU and Harvard one time apiece this year, and the excitement for the Beanpot has been building all year, especially after a comeback 4-2 win over the Crimson early in the season.

And if the energy in Conte Forum for last month’s Battle of Comm.

Ave. is any indication, the Eagles will have plenty of support heading into their first matchup of the year in TD Garden. BC will take on BU once again in the first round of this year’s Beanpot, and though BU is unranked nationally, the Terriers will no doubt put up quite a fight.

Harvard and Northeastern will open the tournament on Monday with 5 p.m., and the Eagles will face off against the Terriers on at 8 p.m. in TD Garden.

By the Numbers

The Eagles have only faced BU one

time this year, and despite the homeice advantage, BC edged out a narrow victory at 4-3. For the first round of the Beanpot, the BU fan section will have fewer miles to travel, and the Terrier faithful are sure to show up in hordes. The average attendance in BU’s home rink has reached just over 2,000 so far this season, which is an impressive number and good for the 27th-highest average attendance in the country.

BC, on the other hand, sits at No. 5 in that same category, a testament to Eagles fans’ expectation of good game after good game on the Kelley Rink ice.

BU (10-8-6), Northeastern (147-2), and Harvard (10-6-4) all have fewer wins than BC (16-7-0) so far this season, which is compounded by BC’s 1.55 goal scoring margin, a mark much higher than the three other Beanpot teams.

BU leads the all-time Beanpot

series with 30 first-place finishes to BC’s 20. Harvard has won 11, and Northeastern has six victories. The Huskies have taken the last two, Harvard won in 2017, BC won in 2016, and BU’s most recent win came in 2015.

Key Players: Logan Hutsko, Boston College

Hutsko has had a breakout junior season, recording a team-high 15 goals, two of which came at crucial times in the Eagles’ 4-3 win over BU in January. Hutsko’s 15 goals this season have already surpassed his career high of 12, which he scored in his freshman season. A power play goal against Yale in November made the SportsCenter Top 10 in his third straight game with a goal.

His play then went viral, thanks to an Instagram post by Justin Bieber calling Hutsko “the truth.”

Patrick Curry, Boston University

Like Hutsko, the Terriers forward

also notched a season-high two goals in the Battle of Comm. Ave., adding to his season total of 14. The senior then notched a late goal to send the Terriers into overtime against then-No. 12 UMass Lowell. Curry is a versatile player who can hammer a shot in from anywhere on the ice.

He has been a force to be reckoned with on the ice all season, and it’ll be a tough challenge for the Eagles to control his offensive power.

Spencer Knight, Boston College

The first-year goaltender for the Eagles has yet to miss a game, and his presence in the net has been essential to BC’s success. His 580 saves so far this season—including a single-game season-high of 39 against Colgate— are an impressive clip for a freshman.

The 13th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has recorded five shutouts and has the tenth-highest save percentage in the nation, according to College Hockey News. n

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Hamilton’s Hard-Nosed Offense Leads BC in One-Point Win

By Emma Healy Sports Editor Down by one in the final 17 seconds of the game, Jared Hamilton was fouled while taking a 3-point shot. The entire stadium stood Boston College 71 on its feet to North Carolina 70 distract him, and his first free throw bounced off the rim. He sank his second and third shots in front of a raucous UNC crowd, and the Eagles took the lead.

With just seconds left in the game and Boston College men’s basketball (11-11, 5-6 Atlantic Coast) ahead by one point, Cole Anthony launched a desperate 3-pointer that was well off the mark, and the Eagles earned their fifth conference win this season with a 71-70 victory over the Tar Heels (10-11, 3-7).

With the win, the Eagles have already won as many conference games as they won all of last year.

The final score is indicative of the close back-and-forth game that the Eagles aren’t used to this season. Fourteen of the Eagles’ 21 games so far this season have been decided by double digits, whether they were in the Eagles’ favor or not, so Saturday’s game was a bit of an anomaly.

The Eagles entered the locker room at halftime ahead by two points, largely thanks to Jared Hamilton’s 10 first-half points. The Eagles made three of their first five shots from the floor to take an early one-point lead, and they never

led or trailed by more than five points in the half.

Two long-ball passes near the end of the half gave the Eagles their largest lead of the period at four, but UNC was quick to counter. Within a minute, the Tar Heels flipped the scoreline and took a one-point lead nearing the end of the half. BC responded once again and headed into the break with a two point lead.

BC’s halftime lead was indicative of its 48 percent first-half shooting clip, but the Eagles entered the locker room ahead despite coughing up the ball 12 times in the first half.

As the second half began, the Eagles had a new energy. They went on a 9-2 run to open the half, capped off by a spectacular fastbreak dunk by none other than Jared Hamilton.

A defensive rebound by Steffon Mitchell and a layup by the newly returned from injury Nik Popovic gave the Eagles their largest lead of the game at 10, but the Tar Heels weren’t ready to back down.

A few more back-and-forth points kept the Eagles well ahead until Anthony and Armando Bacot began to chip away at the lead. Once again, UNC took a onepoint lead, with just nine minutes of play remaining. The Eagles shot an impressive 55.56 percent from 3-point range and 48 percent from the field through the first half. Though both percentages went down by double digits in the second half, the Eagles’ first half offensive

success is a far cry from the struggles they have had so far this season.

The scoreline continued to flip-flop for the rest of the game until Hamilton sealed the win in the final seconds of the game.

Hamilton began the game against North Carolina on the bench, but he made all the difference in the Eagles’ win. The senior put up a team-high 18 points—including the game-winning free throws—in the Eagles’ one-point win over the Tar Heels.

But Jared Hamilton wasn’t the only of the Hamilton brothers to make an impact, as his younger brother Jairus notched five points and five defensive rebounds. Derryck Thornton, the graduate transfer out of USC, had 15 points on the night, 13 of which came during crucial moments of the second half.

Despite Anthony’s 26 points off the bench—seven higher than his season average—BC controlled the game on both ends of the court to open up a double digit lead in the second half.

Three other Tar Heels scored in double digits individually, and UNC grabbed 42 rebounds to BC’s 35.

The Eagles’ schedule doesn’t get any easier from here. They head back to Chestnut Hill with a win, but No. 9 Duke will take a trip to Conte Forum on Feb. 4. Last time the Eagles faced the Blue Devils, it was a blowout loss, but the momentum from Saturday’s win and home court advantage are sure to help the Eagles. n

Gerry Broome / AP Photo

Jared Hamilton slams down a dunk in front of a packed North Carolina crowd.

The Heights

Monday, February 3, 2020

A11

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Guy, Soule Lead Eagles in Scoring in Win Over Wake Forest

By Asa Ackerly Asst. Sports Editor

Although Boston College women’s basketball has strung together a number of strong performances over the last month, includWake Forest 54 Boston College 67 ing a pair of victories over Georgia Tech and No. 14 Florida State, a home conference victory still eluded the Eagles. Among Atlantic Coast foes, No. 7 NC State, No. 5 Louisville, and Virginia have come through Conte Forum and emerged triumphant against the Eagles.

BC (12-9, 5-5 Atlantic Coast) shook off its home struggles on Sunday, coasting to a 67-54 victory over Wake Forest (12-10, 5-6). The Eagles capitalized off a strong night from Emma Guy, who scored 20 points and became the 27th player in team history to reach 1,000 points.

“On the offensive end, one of the things I was really happy about was Emma Guy getting 1,000 points,” said BC head coach Joanna Bernabei-McNamee.

“I think that’s a really big milestone for a player that really didn’t get to play much of her sophomore year, so for her, it’s really like scoring those thousand points in

three years.”

Guy was dominant for the Eagles all game. The Demon Deacons had no answer to her diverse range of post moves and deft ability to position herself to receive entry passes from the Eagles’ guards.

The Demon Deacons are one of the top rebounding teams in the nation and outsized BC at every position except center.

Early in the game, it seemed as if BC had no counter to Wake’s superior size and rebounding ability. With 1:52 left in the first quarter, the Deacons led 17-11.

Wake forward Ona Udoh was imposing her will on the Eagles, scoring an easy six points off post moves and tallying a block on both Guy and Taylor Soule.

The contest was all BC from then on, as the Eagles went on a 15-3 run to take a 26-20 lead by the midpoint of the second quarter and widened it to a 17-point lead by the midpoint of the third. Wake never got within striking distance for the rest of the game, and Udoh never hit another shot.

While the Eagles have one of the top offenses in the NCAA, it was their defense that carried them against the

Demon Deacons. BC’s guards held up well in matchups against significantly bigger players, collecting 11 steals and continuously forcing Wake into heaves of desperation at the end of the shot clock.

Wake is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the nation, only hitting 4.8 per game. The Demon Deacons’ lack of confidence in their shooting was clear, as they went 2-10 from 3-point range and continuously turned down wide open looks. Unconcerned by the Deacons’ outside shooting, BC was able to clog the paint and lock down Wake’s skilled forwards.

BC didn’t fare much better from the outside, hitting just four of its 16 3-point attempts. While Eagles guards Cameron Swartz and Makayla Dickens are two of the team’s top scorers, both players struggled to get into a rhythm. Dickens connected on three of her eight attempts, and Swartz shot just 2-11. Swartz is now 11-53 over the Eagles’ last five games.

With their shots failing to fall, both Swartz and Dickens showcased their ability to involve their teammates. Dickens racked up eight assists, and Swartz put together a highlight reel of impressive feeds, looping perfectly weighted entry passes

Molly bankert / heights staff

Emma Guy led the team with 20 points, followed by Taylor Soule with 15 points.

to BC’s post players and feeding Georgia Pineau on a pair of full-court heaves.

Along with Guy, Soule and Marnelle Garraud picked up the scoring slack for the Eagles. Garraud employed her speed to constantly push the ball in transition, collecting 13 points off a trifecta of 3-pointers. Soule dominated the glass, picking up 11 rebounds and scoring off all four of her offensive boards.

Despite the impressive overall performance, BC’s bench players continued to struggle. The unit combined for only eight points, despite the fact that all the starters except Soule played fewer than 30 minutes.

“I think we really turned a page starting with the FSU game, and now we’ve won at home—big statement—and we just need to keep going,” said Guy. n

Hutsko’s Standout Night Earns BC Top Spot in Hockey East MEN’S HOCKEY

By Jeremy Khangi Heights Staff

A spectacular performance in the net by Spencer Knight; a skillful Alex Newhook goal; Boston College 3 a multi-point Massachusetts 0 night for Logan Hutsko—these headlines are all too familiar for Boston College men’s hockey, and the same stories surfaced in Friday night’s game. Two overtime heartbreakers against Maine in the Eagles’ previous two matchups seemed to be enough fuel the squad to a dominant victory over UMass Amherst by a score of 3-0 on Friday night.

The No. 5 Eagles (16-7-0, 10-5-0

Hockey East) and No. 7 Minutemen (16-9-2, 9-6-2) took the ice at Mullins Center with major playoff implications as they head into the month of February.

With their victory, the Eagles claimed the season series 2-1, earning them a much needed seeding tiebreaker for the postseason, as the two teams currently sit tied for first in the conference.

While the first frame was scoreless to open up the matchup, the physicality between the two powerhouse programs was obvious as both teams exchanged back-and-forth scoring opportunities throughout the entire period. Toward the concluding minutes of the period, BC goaltender Spencer Knight was peppered with shots from all across the ice,

being tested seven times in the final two minutes of the frame alone.

Nonetheless, Knight’s dominant and noticeably poised presence in between the pipes led to him registering a 30-save shutout, with a highlight-reel worthy stop coming against a Zac Jones backhand deke. Friday night’s performance marked Knight’s fifth perfect game this season, solidifying his spot as the foundation of the Eagles’ success.

Despite being granted five man advantage opportunities as the Eagles steadily went to the box to serve minor penalties, UMass simply was not able to find a solution for Knight all night long.

After a slow start, tallies began to appear on the scoreboard in the second

frame. Just a minute into the period, Alex Newhook batted down a Ben Finklestein rebound with his glove and hit the puck out of midair to beat UMass goaltender Matt Murray glove side. The out-of-thebox goal gave the Eagles a lead that they would maintain for the remainder of the night.

Toward the middle of the same frame, David Cotton and Logan Hutsko crossed the opponent’s zone on a two-onone rush, leading to yet another remarkable Hutsko tally. The junior forward cut quickly to his backhand and lifted the puck right under the crossbar, beating Murray with his quickness.

Coupled by an assist on Newhook’s goal, Hutsko had yet another multi-point

performance. With a total of 15 goals and eight assists on the season, the junior forward has proven time and time again to be the Eagles’ go-to man to find the back of the net.

In the final two minutes of the frame, Graham McPhee extended BC’s lead even further with a snipe of a shot from just outside the slot. The final goal iced the victory for BC, as a far slower third period allowed for the Eagles to ease their way toward their 16th win on the season.

The Eagles will fly high into the 68th Beanpot tournament tied for first place in the Hockey East standings. They look to face rival Boston University at TD Garden for an 8 p.m. puck drop. n

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Eight Eagles Score in BC’s Dominant Win Over Holy Cross

By Olivia Charbonneau Assoc. Sports Editor

After its frustrating 5-2 loss in Providence last week, Boston College women’s hockey needed to bounce back.

The Eagles Holy Cross 3 had won the Boston College 8 first game in that weekend series, taking the Friars to overtime in a thrilling 2-1 victory.

BC came into its matchup against Holy Cross confident, and it showed in its performance on the ice.

The Eagles (14-10-3, 13-8-2 Hockey East) have controlled the season series against Holy Cross (3-204, 3-17-1), defeating the Crusaders 6-0 and 5-1 in both of their prior matchups.

Following the pattern that has been laid out thus far this season, the Eagles ran up the score against a far weaker Holy Cross team. Similarly to BC’s 5-1 win over the Crusaders, each goal in Friday’s game was scored by a different player, displaying the Eagles’ offensive depth and balanced scoring ability.

Just over two minutes after the puck drop, Savannah Norcross passed the puck back to Hadley Hartmetz, who

brought it to the top of the left circle before firing a wrist shot past Crusaders goalie Julia Pelletier.

For the rest of the period, BC continued to dominate. The Eagles showed their first sign of weakness when Caroline DiFiore took a slashing penalty, putting the Eagles down a man midway through the first frame.

And yet, BC was not deterred by this disadvantage. The penalty kill unit limited the Crusaders to four shot attempts, two of which were blocked

by Cayla Barnes without even reaching goalie Molly Barrow. And when the shots did make it through to Barrow, the veteran goaltender made experienced plays to keep the Eagles ahead of their opposition.

Shortly after the game returned to five-on-five play, the Eagles got another chance against Pelletier. Both teams crowded around the Crusaders’ net before Norcross was able to push the puck through traffic and into the back of the net.

The celebrations had barely died down before BC added to its lead.

Hannah Bilka fought with Crusaders defenders against the back wall,

eventually collecting the puck and carrying it back toward the blue line.

Bilka passed the puck to Deirdre Mullowney, who took a slapshot and beat Pelletier for her first career goal with the Eagles.

When the two teams returned from intermission for the second period, the Crusaders had made a change in goal, switching out Pelletier for Jada Brenon.

In addition to the change in goal, Holy Cross came out of the locker rooms with a change in attitude. The Crusaders came out playing more aggressively and ready to compete with the Eagles, and for a short period, it looked like they would get one back against BC to begin their comeback. But midway through the frame, the Eagles further extended their lead over their conference opponents.

Bilka forced a turnover in the neutral zone, flipping the puck to Delaney Belinskas. The senior tore into the offensive zone on a breakaway, shooting a wrister high glove-side on Brenon as four Crusaders raced to stop her.

Now that the Eagles had regained their momentum, Holy Cross couldn’t

stop them. Brenon was the only thing standing between BC and victory, and the Eagles held nothing back, peppering the goalie with shot after shot.

Shortly after Belinskas’ tally, Olivia Finocchiaro secured her own place on the score sheet. The Eagles had gone to the power play following a tripping call against Holy Cross’ Hannah Gillis and BC had fought to remain on the offense against the Crusaders. Barnes made an initial shot against Brenon that was kicked right onto the stick of Finocchiaro, who secured the rebound and tucked the puck into the net.

Once again, it didn’t take long for BC to find itself within scoring distance, this time sophomore Kelly Browne coming in clutch for the Eagles. Bilka battled with Holy Cross defenders for the puck along the half wall, passing the loose puck over to Alexie Guay. The freshman then sent a centering pass to Browne, whose quick one-timer beat Brenon just inside the left post.

As the clock wound down on the second frame, Bridget McCarthy collected a pass from Kate Annese and shot a wrister at the goal. Brenon made the initial save on McCarthy’s shot,

but the puck trickled past her skates, putting the Eagles up by seven.

Soon after the start of the third period, Holy Cross dashed the hopes of the Eagles securing a shutout for Barrow. A cross-ice pass from Rachel Moore made it onto the tape of Kailey Langefels’ stick, allowing the freshman to shoot a long-distance wrister past Barrow to put the Crusaders on the board.

With just under 11 minutes remaining in the game, Maegen Beres tapped in the puck after a shot by Belinskas hit the crossbar behind Brenon. Holy Cross, despite being down by seven goals, continued to fight. The Crusaders battled back, scoring two more goals against Barrow, but they were ultimately unable to make a dent in BC’s lead as the clock wound down.

The Eagles swept the season series against Holy Cross and extend their alltime series lead to 6-0-0.

While the win does not push the Eagles ahead in the Hockey East Standings, BC is now only one point behind No. 8 Boston University heading into the Beanpot, where the two teams will meet in the first round. n

SPORTS in SHORT Women’s Hockey east STANDINGS Numbers to know Conference overall

Northeastern

20-2-0

23-3-1

Boston University 13-6-3

18-6-3

Boston College

13-8-2

14-10-3

Providence

12-8-1

15-10-3

UConn

11-8-2

14-12-2

New Hampshire 10-10-2

13-12-3

Maine

7-10-5

11-12-6

Vermont

6-11-5

9-13-7

Holy Cross

3-17-2

3-20-5

Merrimack

1-16-4

4-20-4

20

Total wins by BC men’s hockey in the Beanpot tournament, second only to Boston University’s 30 total wins.

13

Point win by BC women’s basketball in its game against Wake Forest, pushing the Eagles to sixth place in the ACC.

7

Straight wins by BC women’s tennis to open its 2020 campaign, allowing the team to remain undefeated before its first loss on Sunday.

QUote of the week

“[I looked for] the coaches that were going to believe in me and develop me, because I think I have a lot of room to grow.”

— Former Notre Dame quarterback Phil Jurkovec, on why he chose to transfer to BC

2020 Beanpot Preview

Beanpot History by the Numbers

36 Finals Appearances

53 Finals Appearances

26 Finals Appearances

19 Finals Appearances

20 Wins

30 Wins

11 Wins

6 Wins

Last Championship in 2016

Last Championship in 2015

Last Championship in 2017

Last Championship in 2019