THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF BENTLEY UNIVERSITY SINCE 1963
THE VANGUARD VOLUME LVII ISSUE IV
BENTLEYVANGUARD.COM
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014
Student Affairs receives national recognition Holds successful innovative alcohol awareness campaign News Editor
In late March, Bentley University received the 2014 Grand Gold winner of the Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA) Excellence Awards. The award was presented for the university’s Choose OneLess program, which encourages all students to drink one less alcoholic beverage at various social gatherings. NASPA is the top association for the “advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession.” Their goal is to provide high-quality professional development, advocacy and research. This reaches nearly 13,000 members throughout the United States, 8 U.S. territories, and 25 countries. Every year, NASPA awards members of a college or university for their efforts in improving higher education
through different social, service or administrative programs. The organization selects 33 submissions, which are broken down into 11 different categories. From there, three are chosen as the best programs in the country, be-
fore being narrowed down to one top program. The Choose OneLess program used eye-opening statistics about the effects of alcohol consumption on students, pointing out obvious health-related consequences,
as well as the impact on grade point average and finances. The campaign promoting students to take one less drink is the first of its kind and the hope is that someday it may be used as a national model. “We’ve never tried to pretend
Courtesy of bentley.edu
BY Michaela Stephenson
The OneLess program was named the 2014 Grand Gold Winner of the NAPSA Excellence Awards.
the real world doesn’t exist; that’s not the Bentley model,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Dean Andrew Shepardson. “Students—whether they choose to drink or not—will go out into a world where alcohol may be present. If they choose to drink, we want them to be responsible.” Thus, it’s no surprise that the OneLess initiative targets students who choose to drink moderately, not binge drink. “These are students who experience the greatest number of consequences from drinking, but often don’t recognize their choices as risky,” said Jessica Greher Traue. Greher Traue is the senior assistant director of Bentley’s Center for Health and Wellness and the program coordinator of OneLess. A major part of creating the program involved finding the impacts of drinking to really send a message to students. SEE program, PAGE 5
vanduard staff writer
Another thrilling pageant has come and gone and we finally have our Mr. Bentley of 2014: Matt Bourdeau! You may know Matt from being an RA on campus or maybe you’d recognize his voice from one of his music videos on Facebook or YouTube, which are glorious by the way. Mr. Bourdeau competed against eight other contestants, representing multiple classes, for the title this past Friday, April 4. The show included a Bentley spirit section, a talent portion,
a formal wear component and of course, a brief Q&A. Contestants included Joe Greeley (freshman), Arjun Agarwala (junior), David Chery (junior), Ned Furtney (junior), Bobby Smith (senior), Jimmy Rindo (senior), Brian Kelleher (senior) and Thomas Diorio (senior). Just over 400 students attended the event, filling Koumantzelis nearly to capacity. The event was hosted by the Class Cabinets, spearheaded by senior Sam St. George, whose hard work and dedication made the show not only a reality, but a huge hit. The competition was very
Courtesy of Lindsay Beauregard
BY Jessica Hughes
The winners pose after their victory.
tough, as each participant came prepared with wit, talent and a comfortable stage presence that left the judges and audience members in tears from laughter. “If the crowd had half as much as the other contestants and I did while prepping and performing, then I’d say it was a huge success,” commented Bourdeau, who also mentioned that he was honored to have been named the title. The runner up was senior Thomas Diorio, who performed his own rendition of the Mean Girls Jingle Bell Rock dance and Mr. Congeniality was awarded to senior Bobby Smith, who sang and danced to a mix of 90’s hits from Backstreet Boys and N’Sync. Each contestant presented his own unique personality, so it was no shock to anyone that the results were close, as each contestant contributed to the overall entertainment of the show. It was evident that though the assortment of contestants was random; they were able to create a bond based on all of the time they
Courtesy of Lindsay Beauregard
Class Cabinet hosts annual Mr. Bentley pageant
The participants came prepared with wit and talent. spent practicing and preparing for the big night. “I loved hanging out with the whole crew behind stage during the show and working with them in rehearsals, they are all great guys. It was a fun experience and would never take back a second,” commented contestant Jimmy Rindo. Jimmy performed “Say Something” on the piano while singing the lyrics and had overwhelming support from his friends in the audience.
Thomas Diorio backed that up by mentioning, “We were all stepping out of our comfort zones and going for it and we did that together. It was definitely one of the most memorable Bentley experiences for me.” In case you missed the show, there will be a tape released soon showcasing all of the acts and performances. And definitely make sure to attend next year to witness the hilarity!
Arts at Bentley
Microsoft Office
Baseball
At Bentley, the arts occupy the bottom rung of the priority pyramid.
Microsoft Office for the iPad has arrived, or has it?
Men’s baseball has won 12 of their last 15 and continue to improve every day.
FEATURES 9
BUSINESS 10
SPORTS 15
THE vanguard
April 10, 201414
THE VANGUARD 2014 EDITORIAL BOARD Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452
Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor General Manager
MELISA KOCARSLAN ‘16 BRENDAN GERETY ‘17 VICKY LIN ‘15
Copy Editor
Robert Porzio ‘15
News Editor
MICHAELA STEPHENSON ‘15
Campus Life Editor Features Editor Sports Editor
zack O’malley ‘14 SAI HE ‘16 Matt gustus ‘14
Business Editor
jasper huang ‘15
Photography Editor
VIRGINIA DUFFY ‘17
Director of Production and Layout
STEPHANIE SEPUTRA ‘17
Director of Advertising
USAMA SALIM ‘17
Director of Online Services advisor
vACANT maria dilorenzo director, spiritual life
Staff Writers Emily ellis ‘15, jd towers ‘17, ethan hall ‘17, jess hughes ‘14, nick toselli ‘17, lacey nemergut ‘14, stephanie seputra ‘17, megha ryan ‘14, megan lieu ‘17 Columnists ANGELA HARt ‘14, KEVIN LARYEA ‘15, STEPHANIE SEPUTRA ‘17, USAMA SALIM ‘17 Production AssistantS Sarah egner ‘17, JUlie Keedy ‘16, casey moy ‘17, nghiem phuong hong ngoc ‘17, USAMA SALIM’17 Photographers Alex yuan ‘17, Shiyu Xu ‘17, Mark Tsyporkin ‘17, Hongyi Jin ‘17, Garrett meccariello ‘17, angela su’17, amanda rose ‘17, michelle ghozali ‘17
Editorial CAMPUS EVENTS
Three events you don’t want to miss
1 2 3 Consent Day
Bitcoin Panel
Day: Thursday Time: 1:00 p.m. Location: Greenspace Host: Bentley Consent Day
A community wide program that focusses on healthy relationships, communication, respect and sexual violence prevention.
Day: Monday Time: 3:30 p.m. Location: Wilder Host: Hughey Center for Financial Services
Bitcoin. Big Deal or Big Scam? To engage with three of our profesors on the Bitcoin phenomenon: what is it, what’s it worth, where’s the future.
Alumni Networking Day: Wednesday Time: 6:30 p.m. Location: Back Bay B Host: LCL
Come meet some of Bentley Alums and expand your network. There will be a variation of professionals from different companies. This is a great time to learn about internships.
Editor’s pick Relay for Life Day: Friday Time: 6:00 p.m. LocAtion: Dana Center Host: Colleges Against Cancer
Courtesy of 34st.com
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BentleyVanguard.com email GA_Vanguard@bentley.edu mail Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452 USA
Relay for Life is an overnight event to celebrate, remember, and fight back against cancer. Relay For Life helps us honor and remember those who have lost and won their battles with cancer. We raise money for the American Cancer Society who is working to make this cancer’s last century.
phone +1 781.891.2912
...find more campus events at events.bentley.edu
The Vanguard is the official student newspaper of Bentley University. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the University administration; Bentley University is not responsible for statements herein. The columns found in this newspaper are written by individual authors and do not reflect the opinion of The Vanguard, its Editorial Board members or the University. Comments regarding the columns may be directed to the author and/or The Vanguard. The Vanguard is published every Thursday of the academic year, excluding examination periods and holiday breaks. It is distributed free to all students, faculty and staff of Bentley University. Circulation is 3,000 copies. Funding for The Vanguard is provided in part by the Student Activity Fee, but relies on advertising revenue to cover the majority of its costs. Advertising rates are available upon request by contacting (781) 8913497. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement; only publication of an advertisement constitutes final acceptance of the offer to advertise. The Vanguard welcomes reader feedback, letters to the editor and online comments. We reserve the right to edit all copy for grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, libel and length.
EDITORIAL
Spring Day Disappointment Campus Activities Board (CAB) listened. Well, apparently they heard wrong. This year’s Spring Day announcement was followed with the most negative feedback in recent years. Last week the Vanguard published an article explaining the reasoning from CAB for the date change, leaving the student body hopeful for a great performance. However, CAB seemed to do a better job at damage control that actually finding an artist. Since the beginning of last month, CAB members have been assuring students that there would be big, exciting differences in this year’s highly anticipated event. The first announcement informed the student body of the date change to Sunday, but left students hopeful with “We Listened” splashed across the top of the message. Then the Vanguard published an entire article explaining CAB’s reasoning for this year’s Spring Day executive decisions. The worst part about the article is that it was written as if CAB already knew there would be backlash and would need to defend itself. The committee should have been confident that their hard work and efforts would be praised. Instead the premature damage control seemed to hint at what was to come. The date change wasn’t to discourage drinking, but to increase availability. From day one, CAB’s main
concern was centered on listening to student feedback and finding the most popular artist within the budget. They focused mainly on name recognition, keeping in mind that the upperclassmen wanted a country artist. When big name artists fell through and time started working against the board, the date was changed. However the date change to Sunday, only scored Kellie Pickler, a somewhat mediocre headliner to past artists. The announcement left students absolutely outraged. Yes, criticism is inevitable. Not everyone will be happy with the decision. But never has there been this much backlash. Yes, upperclassmen expressed their disappointment in CAB in years past. Particularly, upperclassmen felt that their voices were never really heard. Thus, CAB made a point to really focus on the survey sent out in the fall, which showed that juniors and seniors had country as their number one choice for artist genre on Spring Day. The issue, however, is that this is just one survey. Many students don’t even remember ever receiving the email. While this is completely on the students, it may be in CAB’s best interest to send out various surveys to try and get more data. Also, many of the country artists requested were big names such as Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, and Tim McGraw. It’s clear that these artists are out of Bent-
ley’s budget. However, knowing this information may have led some student to change their responses. People sometimes don’t realize the popularity differences between an affordable rap or hip-hop artist (Ludacris, Nelly or T-Pain) and an affordable country artist (Kellie Pickler, apparently). This leads to the next question on many students’ minds: What is the budget for Spring Day? And why can’t CAB disclose this information? One can only imagine how much it costs to bring the whole day to fruition, so how much are students really paying for the day? Also, many students are left wondering why the money spent on Tyga last year couldn’t have been rolled over to this year’s budget for an even bigger name. There’s no doubt that CAB works very hard every year to bring the best concert possible. The outcry isn’t out of disrespect to CAB, but rather simple disappointment. It would be interesting to see on a survey how many people plan on attending this year’s concert. Many students have already been joking that nobody remembers the concert anyway. This leaves some people worried that the poor choice in artist could lead to even more reckless behavior. One thing CAB did get right: the theme. Happy Star Spangled Spring Day, Bentley. See you on the other side.
BULLETIN
THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
What are your plans for the future? I don’t have any definite plans for the near future yet, but I will be travelling a little bit this summer. Come fall I plan to start Graduate school to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration. In the long-term I hope to somehow combine my love for basketball with my passion for helping others.
What are you looking forward to this year? At this point I’m looking forward to everything because I only have so much time left
Advice to seniors/ words of wisdom Don’t get caught up constantly looking forward and don’t find yourself being stuck in the past, because you’ll miss what’s going on right in front of you! Although it is especially relevant during this time in our lives, I think it’s something to think about always.
STUDENT CONDUCT SUMMARY April 2- April 9 9 Total Number of Cases 10 Total Number of Individuals Involved 0 Individuals Dismissed from Responsibility 9 Individuals Admitting Responsibility 0 Number of individuals found responsible by Conduct Board 5 Number of educational sanctions given 0 Number of Work Sanctions 1 Number of Parental Notifications $10 Cash total of fines given 6 Number of students given a Verbal Warning 2 Number of students put on Written Warning 1 Number of individuals put on Probation 1 Number of individuals put on Disciplinary Probation 0 Number of individuals who lost 15 housing credits 0 Number of individuals who lost 30 housing credits 0 Number of individuals put on Suspension (Housing) 0 Number of individuals put on Suspension (University) 0 Number of individuals expelled Provided by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs
HEALTH AND WELLNESS TIP OF THE WEEK: If you choose to have sex, may it be safer, mutually enjoyable, and consensual. Consent means that both partners agree on what they wish to do with each other. Consent should always be voluntary, enthusiastic and given without pressure. Learn more at Consent Day on 4/10 from 2-5pm on the Green Space.
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How are you feeling about graduation? Very mixed emotions! As graduation gets closer and closer it’s feeling more real than ever. We’ve gotten a few emails with a countdown to the number of days until we leave for the Bahamas, which is equally as exciting as it is scary because graduation is right on its tail. While part of me thinks that I want to stay in college forever, the rest of me knows that it’s time for this chapter in my life to finish and another one to start. As I said, I’m just trying to enjoy every second of what’s left of senior year!
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What are you looking forward to this year? At this point I’m looking forward to everything because I only have so much time left here at Bentley, but the trip to the Bahamas is definitely on top of the list! I can’t wait to spend five days with my best friends and classmates in paradise.
What are your goals for this year? One of my goals for this year was to win a National Championship with my team. All of the seniors (seven of us) really wanted to end our careers on a high note. We had accomplished a lot as a class, but the National Championship was the one goal we hadn’t been able to achieve. We had worked so hard and wanted to win it for ourselves, but also for our legendary coach, Barbara Stevens who had never won one before. Now that it’s actually happened, I feel like all my wildest dreams have come true! From here on out my goal is to soak up everything I possibly can for the rest of the semester.
here at Bentley, but the trip to the Bahamas is definitely on top of the list! I can’t wait to spend five days with my best friends and classmates in paradise.
RM
MaJOR: IDCC Concentration: Public Relations MINOR: Sociology HOME TOWN: Manchester, NH
What are you involved in at Bentley? I am one of three captains on the Bentley Women’s basketball team, and I am also a Co-President of the StudentAthlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
TO
Courtesy of Christiana Bakolas
Christiana Bakolas
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Shout (Parts 1 and 2) Late in the evening Friday a student was found to be wandering around in nothing but boxers and slippers. The student had his wallet folded over in the band of his boxers. Apparently this naked crusader was trying to start a toga party, without the toga. Losing the only important piece of your outfit puts you in really rough shape. You stand out, you’re cold, and you’re not in a toga. There are a lot of things that are going wrong in this instance, things that ruin a night. Here’s a little PSA for you; if you want to go to a toga party please don’t lose the toga. Sons of Bentley, MC Bentley police reported in their own media log that they will be having a motorcycle picked up for maintenance. Now that you’re reminded that Bentley has motorcycle cops can you explain why? Could we get bicycle cops to save money on gas? Are there high speed chases that require tricked out police Harleys? Do they get street cred with the Waltham cops for having the best Harley’s in town. We need to sit down and discuss with the Bentley cops the reasons for the motorcycle. Wouldn’t it get boring to just do loops on a motorcycle? Readers please help us out here. These are the important questions in life. This mystery needs to be picked up by Scooby Doo and the gang. Rhodes Scholar A police report from last weekend indicates a call from a concerned student who reported hearing a male student punching walls and arguing with a female while in Rhodes. While this still remains a serious issue, it does pale in comparison to original reports of a student arguing with a wall and punching females.
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Dirty Dancing On March 30th an officer was sent to the Dance Studio to search for a visiting lacrosse player’s wallet that may have been left behind following a game. When the player called the Bentley Police to report the missing wallet, the officer got tangled up in a messy conversation about how the (gotta be Brandeis) player just wanted to dance and how he only ever played lacrosse because his dad wanted him to. Reefer Madness During the weekend of April 5th a male freshman student was transported to the hospital. Although it was early on a Saturday morning, the student had been using marijuana. Vile habits such as this “wake and bake” must be stopped. Inhaling caused the student to feel dehydrated and he passed out. Somehow this young man survived the all too common marijuana overdose and has returned to campus. July 4th in April It was reported to campus police that there were several “firework like sounds” coming from the Forest lot. Upon arrival there was no one in sight and the location of the noise could not be found. You have to respect the patriotism of these individuals. I heard the noises as well and it sounded like they were playing the Star Spangled Banner and watching Miracle too. To the American firework patriots, you do you. Hopefully you can keep some of those fireworks for spring day. The theme is patriotic, western, and red, white, and blue which all sound like “Lots of fireworks” to me. So maybe conserve yourself for the next two weeks and give us a show on Spring Day. I wouldn’t be mad waking up to American things!
BY MattheW Buck & Owen Karl Rhodes Hall - Ground Floor bentley.edu/health
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THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Support the Adjunct Professors at Bentley open
letter
Over the past few semesters we’ve all heard of the effort by Bentley professors to allow Adjunct Professors to unionize. These professors successfully organized a faculty vote on the issue and lost at 100-98 votes. The small disparity indicates how contentious the issue is among faculty at Bentley and I’m writing to show my support for the Bentley Adjunct Professors. Adjuncts (40% of the faculty) have taught nearly every student at this school. In many cases, these professors teach us the courses that serve as a foundation for the rest of our academic careers, such as Expository Writing and the GBs. We call them “Professor” and usually assume they are all the same; however, adjunct professors are treated similarly to low-level Walmart employees: low pay, long work hours, no benefits, and forced part time work. Unlike Walmart employees however, Bentley adjuncts don’t conduct easily replicable tasks that a cash register employee does and after extensive training they spend years working at Bentley to educate students about topics ranging from
addressed
the sciences, to economics, to business. They provide an education that Bentley builds its reputation on. Paid a small sum per semester per course (limited to 2 courses per semester), with no support for health care cost and no job security, it’s quite understandable why many of the adjunct faculty would like to be allowed the option to unionize. For the uninitiated, unionizing would allow the adjuncts to negotiate with the administration over conditions of their employment, rather than having to do so individually. The administration has taken a stance against the unionization. It has mentioned it’s representation of adjuncts in the Faculty Senate and more recently a small pay increase as a sign of its responsiveness to adjunct professors’ concerns. Unfortunately the pay increase is less than virtuous. It is a textbook example of unethical union busting behavior. Rather than allow employees to unionize, organizations provide a minimal pay increase to seem accommodating while avoiding the main issue: the ability to negotiate employment conditions
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Courtesy of tilburguniversity.edu
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in large groups. Such unethical behavior stains the “ethical” reputation in business the university widely publicizes. In our coursework we constantly talk about companies that greatly invest in their employees, such as Google or ones that greatly value employee teamwork and transparency, such as Whole Foods. We’ve learned that successful organizations look at all stakeholders and by investing in their employees, they improve the product or service they provide. Investing in 40% of Bentley faculty will have returns for the Bentley community for years to come. The university should not take a stance against
adjunct unionization and should instead seek to empower employees in and out of the classroom. Many students may be concerned that allowing adjuncts to unionize will inevitably increase student tuition. However, a special study titled “Academic Excess, Executive Compensation at Leading Private Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts” cites excessive six figure salaries as a cause of increasing tuition at private universities. Bentley has raised our tuition every year but continues to maintain a great disparity of income between administrators and their lowest paid employees – adjuncts included. The university should
be spending more money on professors in our classes and less time concerned with stopping the tide of recent unionizing successes in other schools, such as Tufts and GW. Bentley should be at the forefront of running its own business ethically before it starts preaching to the world about how great it is at teaching it. Investing in its faculty is the best thing the school can do to support students and we should all take a stand to support Adjunct Professor unionization. Sincerely,
Moussa Hassoun Moussa Hassoun
Intentions of Student Alumni Leadership Council
A letter to the Vanguard Editorial Staff and Bentley community
On behalf of the Student Alumni Leadership Council (SALC), I would first like to express my appreciation to every individual who stopped by our tables during Philanthropy Week to participate in the many activities and learn more about the details surrounding Bentley’s status as a nonprofit. We appreciate that Philanthropy Week sparked many conversations, including the editorial last week in the Vanguard. As mentioned in the editorial, we are still a new organization on campus; we’re growing and evolving after starting just two years ago. SALC is a student organization committed to creating a culture of philanthropy while providing meaningful interaction
between current Bentley students and alumni. We strive to raise school spirit on campus and have done this in many ways, by getting involved in Homecoming and Falcon Fest, hosting a campus-wide event on Valentine’s Day called Capture Your Love for Bentley and by organizing various networking events between students and alumni. I would like to discuss Philanthropy Week in detail as this is by far our largest reaching event of the year. The idea behind Philanthropy Week is to increase the knowledge and start the discussion about Bentley’s status as a nonprofit, the significance of the Annual Fund, and most importantly how private giving truly makes a significant impact on
our lives as students each and every day. I realize this conversation is not the most popular; however, that does not diminish its importance. Each year, the Annual Fund subsidizes every single student’s tuition costs by over $6,000. This “silent scholarship” can occur because of the individuals who give back to Bentley every year, however they can. Private giving also goes to impact areas that directly benefit students, including Career Services, Student Activities, Athletics, Financial Aid, and more. You might be wondering why we are raising these conversations at the student level and not just focusing on our alumni. We believe that a grassroots campaign is an effective way to change
the culture of giving back to Bentley. Alumni who see that students understand the message about the importance of investing in Bentley will be more likely to increase their own participation. Building this culture of philanthropy at Bentley can only positively impact our college experience. A donation of only $5 can help out immensely to offset the costs that occur when running a top 20 nationally ranked university. Think of it as giving up a cup of coffee for one morning or skipping the mozzarella sticks one night at Yellas. Yes, asking students to give back to Bentley while they are currently enrolled is certainly controversial, but it happens on campuses across the country. In
fact, right across town at Brandeis, the Class of 2013 raised $18,404 with a 76% participation rate. This is where we can make progress. Each year we will improve and hopefully our community will see the positive steps that we are taking to increase school spirit while ensuring a solid future as we approach our centennial year. Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns and I would be more than willing to discuss anything related to SALC further at shoham_ben@bentley. edu. Best Regards,
Ben Shoham Ben Shoham
NEWS
april 10, 2014
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Another successful Kangan by SASA BY Greeshma Rajeev vanduard staff writer
You would have had to walk around campus with your eyes closed to have missed out on the “scandalous” flyers that the South Asian Student Association put up in order to promote their spring event, Kangan. The event itself took place in Back Bay, Student Center on Friday, April 4th, 2014. The theme for the night was “A Scandalous Affair” and everything from the set-up to the promotional strategies reflected that. SASA Executive board spent weeks promoting the event with various flyers (each one better than the last). Finally, last week they released a video that got everybody talking. With food, performances, a photo booth and an especially scandalous giveaway at the end, it wasn’t on anyone’s agenda to miss it. The president of the organization, Sahil Sethi, said “Kangan is our annual spring show and we generally celebrate South Asian customs through the form of dancing and traditional food. This year we decided to invite other organizations to perform, namely FIRE, LCL and Boston College’s a capella group, and I think this is a part of the reason for our successful turnout!” The performers were given stage time at 6 p.m., while the executive board worked on preparing the room and
exterior for the event. The room was set up with a stage in the middle, audience tables in front of it and food tables to either side. The group used balloons, streamers and masquerade masks all around creatively to create a unique look for their event. Doors opened at 7 p.m. and ushered in a crowd waiting to be blown away. On-campus groups, such as F.I.R.E Dance Team and La Cultura Latina took the stage by storm. Not to mention Boston College’s a capella team who started the show with a fusion rendition of Western and South Asian music. Last but not the least, we had SASA’s very own Bhangra, Hunks and Bollywood teams perform to wildly cheering crowds. Madhumita Narayan, president of Association of Bentley Activities and a Bollywood performer for the night, said, “It was my first time going to the event and so, I was thoroughly impressed at how coordinated everything was, from the decorations, the food and all the acts! It takes an incredible amount of work to put together showcase-like events, and SASA did a fabulous job.” Appetizers were served to the audience as they walked in. Then, the performances began with BC’s a capella team. Halfway through the performances, dinner was served so that the audience could enjoy their food and their dances together. With
SASA’s very own Bhangra, Hunks and Bollywood teams performed.
Courtesy of SASA
Greher Traue, along with members of Student Affairs, Student Conduct and Academic Affairs all researched these impacts and came to some eye-opening findings. They used Bentley surveys and national data from the Prevention Paradox to compile the following statistics: “by drinking six beers one night a week, a student consumes nearly 47,000 calories each year, comparable to almost 22 large cheese pizzas. That same student has a grade point average .11 points below that of peers who have four or five drinks one night a week. [As a whole] U.S. college students spend about $5.5 billion per year on alcohol.” The campaign itself tries to target students through social media, displays, and various programs. The campaign also targets all First Year Seminar courses, which is required of every first year student. Embedded within the curriculum are lessons on the impact of drinking. All messages point towards reducing alcohol consumption. The Choose OneLess program has found from their research that the average number of drinks consumed per social occasion decreased by one drink in both males and females. From 2010 to 2012, the average number of drinks consumed by males dropped from 7.6 drinks per social occasion to just 6.35. Similarly, females consumed an average of 4.5 drinks per occasion in 2010 and an average 3.47 drinks in 2012. “Having been a member of NASPA for over 20 years this is a tremendous honor,” said Shepardson. “This began as a divisional challenge to find creative and innovative ways to address student needs. Many members of the division of student affairs have been a part of the evolution of this program and I thank all of them for their dedication to our students.” In coming months, Bentley will be hosting a webinar, which will allow them to share the OneLess program easily throughout the country.
Courtesy of SASA
PROGRAM
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THE vanguard
The theme for the night was “A Scandalous Affair.” a wide array of vegetarian be uploaded on to Facebook! and non-vegetarian choices, SASA’s historian, Sarthak SASA impressed everyone Mittal, was in charge of the with their food choices this camera that night: “Everyone year. One of the main values of had fun choosing their props the organization is to promote to pose with and playing South Asian culture, and around with various options. there was no better way to At times, people started taking do that than to acquaint the out their own cameras to take Bentley community with these pictures because of how eager delicious recipes. Audience they were, and how much they member, Christina Kohlhoff, loved the idea.” said, “SASA, Boston College The organization’s president a capella group, LCL and had these final words about FIRE all wonderfully expressed the event, “SASA truly is a club their culture through dance out of which you network in the and song. The performers long run. This was clear by the were excellent and put on amount of alumni we had at an awesome show! I am so this event and by the amount glad I went to Kangan. I really of alumni that usually show enjoyed being surrounded by up for Diwali. Ambika Patel, good food and friends!” the founder of SASA and a Finally, SASA had a photo graduate of Bentley’s class of booth with a prop bucket and 2005, was a guest of honor at backdrop. They had cleverly Kangan this year and it’s just blocked off an entrance really nice to see somebody into Back Bay to provide an who was responsible for the enclosed space for their idea. creation of this organization Friday night saw the room about a decade ago still coming filled with cheery audience to events and socializing with members taking pictures with other alumni. Ambika was their friends, both before and definitely impressed by the after the performances. Props hard work we put into Kangan for the photo booth included and we’re excited to see her masks, feather boas and and a larger caste of falcon glittery hats. Who wouldn’t alumni at Diwali!” want to take advantage of A huge shout out to that? For those of you who did, the South Asian Student SASA wants to let you know Association for putting on an that your pictures will shortly amazing event!
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THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
NEWS
BY Michaela Stephenson News Editor
In late March, Bentley University president Gloria Larson announced that Santander Bank, N.A. has renewed a three-year agreement with the university. The agreement is a continuation of the Santander Universities Study Abroad Scholarship Fund. Roman Blanco, president and CEO of Santander US, and President Larson made the big announcement during the signing ceremony here on campus on March 20. Santander Bank, N.A. is ranked in the top 25 for retail banks by deposits in the United States. It is based out of Boston and primarily operates in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, with 706 branches, 2,074 ATMs and many call centers. The company employs over 9,000 people to serve its 1.8 million customers. Santander Bank is a financially autonomous United States subsidiary of Banco Santander, which is a worldwide commercial and retail bank. This worldwide component played a large factor in the agreement made in late March. This agreement between Bentley and Santander marks the first continuation and the second threeyear term of the fund. This particular fund provides money for Bentley students so that they can go abroad for either academic or service-orientated programs. The scholarship fund is financially funded through the Santander Universities Global Division, which is a huge undertaking that was created by Banco Santander. This division was created to support higher education as a whole, while advancing Santander Bank’s overall goal of “expanding knowledge and experience throughout the world.” Bentley isn’t the only school that benefits from the Santander Global Division. Thirty-two other colleges and universities in the country are a part of what is called “Santander Universities.” This is the specific program that supports higher education. President Larson acknowledges both the worth of this program and the past successes as a reason for renewal. “The continued support of Santander means Bentley students who might have been unable to participate in international study due to economic factors, will continue to have the opportunity to study abroad and experience deep engagement with their host culture,” said President Larson in a statement to the university. “Over the past three academic years, the Santander Study Abroad Scholarship program has supported international experiences for 105 Bentley students. Their destinations are as diverse as their interests: Ghana, China, South Africa, Australia, Latin America
and throughout Europe. These students return to campus with life-changing experiences.” For Santander Bank, the respect is reciprocated. Each side is able to benefit from the partnership, working towards personal goals. “Our relationship with Bentley is an important part of our mission to partner with universities and we look forward to the continued success of the Santander Study Abroad Scholarship Program,” said Roman Blanco, president and CEO of Santander US. “The Bentley students who have completed projects abroad through the program exemplify our commitment to developing the global leaders of tomorrow. Through continued partnerships with important universities like Bentley, Santander will continue to affirm its commitment to higher education around the world.” Santander financially sup-
ports universities and colleges through scholarships, research, technology, mobility grants and university-company relations. In 2013 alone, Santander gave over $10 million to fund these scholarships and other various opportunities like global exchange programs, teaching and research projects and entrepreneurship lessons. The program also promotes international cooperation, knowledge and technology transfer and student exchange and innovation. Last year, the program funded over 4,105 projects and 37,712 scholarships all over the world. In the United States, the program funded over 1,000 scholarships. For more information about Santander, visit www. santanderbank.com or call 877-768-2265. For more information about Santander Universities Global Division, visit www. santander.com/universities.
Michael Page, Roman Blanco and Gloria Larson pose for a photo.
Courtesy of bentley.edu
Santander and Bentley launch a new chapter
PICTURES
THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
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Courtesy of Hunter Palmentiero
R.E.A.L. hosts Spare Change over the weekend
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april 10, 2014
CAMPUS VOICES
FEATURES
Lessons learned from Divergent
Falcons share their thoughts.
What do you think of the Spring Day theme? daniel rhee ‘17 MaJOR: cfa MINOR: cis
Courtesy of facebook.com
Go America!
The only way to face your fear is to face it head-on. BY stephanie seputra director of production and layout
ali mandsarwala ‘16 MaJOR: managerial economics MINOR: cis
It’s patriotic. I think it’ll represent the day really well.
heather howes ‘17 MaJOR: cfa MINOR: mathematical sciences
I really like it and I think it’ll go really well with country music.
cassandra layman ‘17 MaJOR: marketing MINOR: idcc
I think it’s a great way to promote the American culture to the international students.
Set in Dystopian Chicago, the society in Divergent is separated into five different factions. In alphabetical order, they are Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. Abnegation is the faction of the selfless; because of that particular attribute, its members are designated to run the government by the other factions. Thus far, they have done a good job of making sure that everything runs smoothly and properly. Amity is the faction of the peaceful, while Candor is the home of the honest. It remains to be seen what the citizens of Candor’s attitudes are about Honest Tea. Then there is Dauntless, the faction of the brave. These are the (ahem, crazy) people you may or may not see in the movie trailer jumping on and off a moving train. Last but not least, Erudite is the house of the intelligent. I don’t know what it is about smart people, but they always seem to cause all the trouble, but that’s a rant for another time. In all, I loved the book and here are three quotes from Divergent that can be eas-
ily applied to your business studies. Message #1: “I don’t want to be just one thing, I can’t be. I want to be brave and I want to be selfless, intelligent and honest and kind.” Admit it, there has probably been at least one time when you felt the need to do something even when you didn’t really want to just to fit in. It’s okay–I’m at fault here as well, but here’s the thing: you don’t have to be just one thing, as Tobias Eaton (aka Four) said when he explained his tattoo to protagonist Tris. Just because you love accounting doesn’t mean that all you will ever be is an accountant. Take a deep breath because I am about to blow your mind: Your job does not have to define you. The same goes with your friendships and relationships. The world always tells us to be this way or that way in order to be successful. What we often forget is the fact that we only live once and the reasonable thing to do is to make the most of your only chance. Find out what you really like and pursue it, even if it means travelling around the world and back. Believe in something and convince other people to believe in your ideas as well. Consider the creators
of Pandora Internet Radio who were rejected 300 times by venture capitalist firms. If Pandora can come out successful after 300 rejections, so can you! Message #2: “Fear doesn’t shut you down; it wakes you up.” Everyone has fears. Even the most powerful man in the free world has them. Ask my friend Barack Obama if you don’t believe me. Go ahead, ask him. He does. I guarantee it. But having fears does not necessarily mean the end of the world. Having fears means that you are living. It means that you are stepping out of your comfort zone. It means that you are expanding your boundaries. It means that you are learning. Every time you face fear on your journey of self-discovery and fulfillment, just tell them this: “I am on my way to conquer you, you son of a bubble gum.” Message #3: “It must require bravery to be honest all the time.” Now, we’ve all probably taken or are taking GB 110 and have been asked this question: What does it mean to be ethical? A lot of the time, to be ethical simply means to be honest. It means that we should follow the revenue recognizing principle and recognize revenue when we actually have it. It means that we should never doctor our financial statements. Never (see Enron). One day when you are running a publicly held company, just know that your company is worth much more than the quarterly and annual reports. It is! So there you have it. Three important and practical business lessons sourced from a dystopian novel. Never thought I would ever write that sentence. But in all seriousness, heed these words of wisdom and you will be well on your way to living a better, more satisfying life.
will manning ‘14 MaJOR: managerial economics
it should be renamed Star Spangled Banger.
Courtesy of facebook.com
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BY virginia duffy photography editor
Four’s tattoos symbolizes his desire to be more than just one thing.
FEATURES
THE vanguard
A call to unleash your creativity BY sai he
features editor
CAMPUS VOICES
Falcons share their thoughts.
What kind of animal would you be and why? cassidy bowers ‘16 MaJOR: public policy Courtesy of reverbnation.com
It is one thing to say that the arts are an integral component of a well-rounded business education. All of us can procure a generic, tour guide version of the spiel: “Participation in the arts affords your mind opportunities to create. Creativity allows you to discover new ways to tackle problems. In the business world, it can be useful to think outside the box in order to overcome obstacles. Therefore, the arts are good and important.” It comes off as well rehearsed, polished and slick. Words that roll off the tongue absentmindedly like a mere afterthought are the ones we care the least about. The glaring truth is, at Bentley, the arts occupy the bottom rung of the priority pyramid, below such necessities as maintaining a 5:5 chill-to-pull ratio, keeping your Timberlands in like-new condition and meticulously pacing discretionary spending as to reach $0 on the last day of finals. This attitude is certainly reflected in our rankings on CollegeProwler, an independent source of college reviews. Bentley ranks 1,341 out of 1,345 for “Most Creative/Artsy Girls,” alongside the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy. Not to be outdone, the guys take 1,323 out of 1,328, slotted above the Colorado School of Mines. The few performance venues on campus, the Wilder Pavilion, Koumantzelis Auditorium and Harry’s Pub, contribute towards Bentley’s 1,366 (out of 1,368) place finish in the nationwide rankings. Although it is not reflected in the crowd-sourced rankings, which are largely based on outside perception, the Arts at Bentley have come a long way since the year the Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino. That was 2004, the first year Adam Payne, our Arts at Bentley Coordinator, started working here. “[Interest] has definitely increased the past few years… to be honest I think that if you were a student here even as little as three years ago and knowing what you know now, you would be amazed at the amount of participation, the amount of people that are engaging in artrelated activities,” says Payne. Payne is an accomplished
april 10, 2014
Bears, because they can both run very fast and climb trees.
Bentley’s Adam Payne performs gigs every weekend. musician in his own right, having toured with members of the Wu-Tang Clan and opened for folk-rock luminaries, The Avett Brothers. Currently he gigs every weekend and when tweeting (@adampayne1) about his music, uses his own hashtag, #BeUp. “[#BeUp] is about being up from your heart, just being ready to receive people, to talk to people, to put your best foot forward,” Payne explains. Part of Payne’s role on campus is to schedule events and opportunities year round. Prominent programs include the Arts Instructors-in-Residence and Bowles Performing Arts series. The Arts Instructors-in-Residence series provides students with weekly private or group lessons taught by professionals spanning a variety of creative mediums, be it guitar, singing, songwriting or art. So far, demand has exceeded supply; according to Payne, over 73 students have taken advantage of the no-cost instruction, with many unable to join due to capacity. The Bowles Performing Arts series comprises of performances and workshops by professional artists. Both programs are catered towards the entire community, as all skill levels are welcomed and embraced. The final Bowles event of the semester is the Arts at Bentley Banquet, which will be hosted on Wednesday, April 16. The Banquet will feature a recap of the Year in Arts at Bentley, as well as performances by many of the arts organizations as well as student musicians. “This is the start of what I hope to be a tradition,” adds Payne. With the trend of increasing turnout and
awareness for the arts and arts events, the Banquet should become a steady event for years to come. It is one thing to say the arts are important, while it is another to truly believe it. I could tell you about the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been because of my involvement as a songwriter and photographer. I could tell you how live performance has improved my interpersonal skills and blessed me with the talent of improvisation. Or about how self-promotion has taught me how to effectively leverage social media and multimedia outlets in order to reach a target audience. Still, none of what I say matters – the arts cannot be experienced vicariously. If you’re not out there doing it yourself, you have no way of knowing the sheer joy that stems from creation, the process of channeling raw emotion into art form or the feeling of self-worth that sets in when you are finished. “I guess the biggest issue is that people have these talents that they feel like they have to put away because they are now in a different mode,” reasons Payne. “You don’t have to keep your creativity at home.” So ask to borrow your friend’s guitar. Trek up to the Wilder Pavilion and tickle the ivories. Rock out on the drum set in the Blue Line. Start your own photo blog. However, whatever your forte may be, be ready. Be ready to open up your heart. Be ready to receive people. Be ready to talk to people. Be ready to put your best foot forward. #BeUp and be ready to be amazed at what the arts can do for you.
emily hodgkins ‘16 MaJOR: management LSM: media and society
Bird because I would be able to fly around the world and explore.
daniel ho ‘14 MaJOR: economicsfinance
A water buffalo as it enjoys the coolness of the rice patty and grows fat while working in the fields.
brian levine ‘16 MaJOR: economicsfinance
Koala because all they do is eat and chill all day.
daisy fernades ‘14 MaJOR: accounting MINOR: Cis
Courtesy of schoolguides.com
I would be a dolphin. They are super cute and very intelligent.
Bentley’s facilities rank 1,366 out of 1,368 in the nationwide rankings for performance venues.
BY virginia duffy photography editor
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THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
BUSINESS
Microsoft’s Office applications for iPad: Hit or Miss? BY jasper huang Tablets have come to replace their heavier, less mobile laptop counterparts in the lives of many these past couple of years. Their proliferation in the market today is owed largely to Apple’s iPad, still the tablet of choice for many, but facing increasing competition from other manufacturers. However, there is still a realm that neither the iPad nor competitors have managed to successfully conquer—business suite applications. Arguably, the tablet that has done the worst in this area, is the ubiquitous iPad. Designed with ‘fun’ and ‘light productivity’ in mind, the iPad is more suited for games, video and light browsing of e-mail and websurfing, along with books due to the introduction of iBooks. The iPad is a swell piece of hardware, with equally swell software to boot. However, wouldn’t they feel out of place in a business boardroom or say and accounting or finance firm? In the business world that most of us are seeking to start careers in, Angry Birds, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter are not our usual game. Instead, Power-
Courtesy of smallbiztrends.com
business editor
Microsoft’s Office applications for iPad is good, but could be much better. Point presentations, sweeping Excel spreadsheets and lengthy Word documents are what’s on the menu. Sure, businessmen in all types of business may own an iPad or tablet. They may read the Economist, the Wall Street Journal, or their choice morning publication on their way to work, but then that’s it–into the briefcase and out of sight until lunchtime, maybe–but watch out, corporate boardrooms. Microsoft Office for the iPad has arrived… or has it? Indeed, Microsoft’s release for the iPad shares the name Office with its Windows and Mac counterparts, but don’t
be fooled–it can’t do everything its older siblings can. One of the major design flaws on Microsoft’s part was the fact that it left out the ability to print–which makes one wonder if Microsoft wants you to carry around a laptop around along with the iPad, because if you’re cracking out a business report for your boss, hoping to print it en route to his office, too bad; your only option will be to get to a print capable computer, or e-mail it to him. Another huge misstep, which is confusing from an end-user standpoint, is the fact that, although the Microsoft Office suite is down-
loadable for free as individual applications from Apple’s App Store, there’s a catch. Without a $99 annual Office 365 subscription, you can’t even create or edit documents. It seems like nothing more than a business ploy to generate increased revenue for Microsoft. If you’ve shelled out the yearly subscription to actually utilize the software, there’s another catch. You can’t save anywhere except in Microsoft’s cloud based OneDrive, seriously? What if my workflow centers largely around my computer, with Dropbox being my cloudbased save location of
choice? Unless I pay for Office 365 and create a OneDrive account to save into and then copy documents created on my iPad into my Dropbox to avoid organizational and workflow issues on my desktop/laptop, using my iPad as a laptop alternative for productivity is still out of reach. It’s not all bad, though. There are features designed specifically for the iPad and some touch gestures feel fluid and intuitive, like projecting a PowerPoint and utilizing your finger as a pointer. The interfaces themselves are also more or less intuitive, with animations being fluid and glitch free. And the fact that there now exists an Office port for the iPad, means that future additions, upgrades and revisions to the software are sure to be made–it’s definitely a step in the right direction to making tablets more work capable. For now, Geoffrey Fowler from the Wall Street Journal makes a good comparison to describe Microsoft’s new Office software for the iPad. “Office for the iPad can play the same role in your work life as your microwave does in your kitchen… But to cook a real dinner, you’re going to need the convention oven and range.”
BY alexander grotevant Vanguard Staff Writer
Outside of China, the term Alibaba is not particularly common. In fact, most Americans have probably never even heard the word used before. Interestingly enough, however, Alibaba is the name of one of the world’s largest online retailers. On March 16, the massive Chinese e-commerce company made headline news after revealing their decision to go public on a United States-based stock exchange. The news was rather significant due to the anticipated size of the initial public offering (IPO), which experts believe will raise up to $15 billion. This will make it the second largest share offering from a tech firm since Facebook’s IPO back in 2012. Founded just 15 years ago in 1999, Alibaba is estimated to have a current market value of over $150 billion. The firm accounts for roughly eighty percent of all online shopping by individual consumers in China and is by far the most important player in the country’s fast-growing e-commerce market. This being said, it should come
as no surprise that Alibaba, as one of the world’s most important technology companies, is highly sought after by international markets. This leads us to the big question: Why has Alibaba opted to go public on a US-based stock exchange rather than China’s Hong Kong Stock Exchange? An official statement released by the firm explained, “This will make us a more global company and enhance the company’s transparency, as well as allow the company to continue to pursue our longterm vision and ideals.” Additionally, the seemingly sustainable bull market currently in the United States seems to be a large reason why U.S. based stock exchanges have recently been attractive for companies interested in going public. In 2014 alone, close to 50 IPOs have been listed on either the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ. To put this number in perspective, it is three times greater than the total number of IPOs on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK) this year and four times greater than the amount of IPOs listed on the London Stock
Exchange this year. While Alibaba’s decision, which came after months of speculation surrounding the firm’s plans to go public, is a big win for the U.S. market, it is also a lost opportunity for other international markets, especially the SEHK. Hong Kong has not hosted an IPO of over $4 billion since October 2010 and this would have been a great opportunity for the exchange to regain some momentum. Nevertheless, SEHK chief executive, Charles Li, released a statement saying, “We respect the company’s decision and wish it well.” Regardless of the firm’s decision to go public in the United States, the Alibaba IPO will undoubtedly draw international attention. A number of questions surrounding the IPO remain unanswered; however, such as the exact date, major banks that will be backing the IPO and which U.S.based exchange Alibaba will be listed on. In the upcoming months as more information surrounding the IPO does become available, be sure to keep an eye on Alibaba as more and more people will become familiar with this exciting e-commerce giant.
Courtesy of vulcanpost.com
Chinese company Alibaba opts for U.S based IPO
Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Alibaba Group.
OPINION NOTES FROM ABROAD
THE vanguard
Neha Singh London, UK
dents talk Bentley stu experiences about their abroad.
ersity Bentley Univ treet 175 Forest S A 02452 Waltham, M
Alicia’s independent travel in japan was enlightening for her. Alicia Butler Semester at sea
Now is that moment when I realize it is not a dream. This is my reality. In three months, I will have traveled half of the world. Experienced new cultures, met new people, made friendships that will last a lifetime and most of all, have had the time of my life. Sitting here in the middle of nowhere, not in China and not yet in Vietnam, I feel inspired to write down my feelings. I’m living at sea, the world is my campus. Having this moment to recognize the adventures that have already become memories and the thousand more to come, I am extremely grateful for this experience. Independent travel in Japan took us places further than our next destination. It was not only just going Kyoto which made our trip, but getting lost on the way. Losing the train, taking the bus the wrong way and deciding last minute to take the overnight bus were decisions and actions
that were the highlight of our trip. By not finding our desired destination, I found a piece of me I did not know existed. These are moments when you grow and become a better human being. I now know by experience, that getting lost is not the end of the world and that by getting lost you may be found. Still, when traveling does go to plan, there are some perks as well. My trip to China was a breeze. Transportation was covered, there was no need to read the signs because we had a tour guide, even a beautiful hotel with breakfast was included. What more could we ask for? I had two different experiences, both of which were fulfilling and awe-inspiring. Japan’s temples and China’s Great Wall all in no more than two weeks’ time was quite the experience. Still, we are not just getting life experience, we are also getting our brains involved through our classes. The fast pace of Semester at
Sea might make outsiders think we are not studying and that this is a mere vacation. However, the papers and reading assigned are often grueling. I’ve been reading, learning and writing constantly. And now I write for pleasure, I write to remember, I write to acknowledge. I write to bring this haze of living a dream to reality. I write to be thankful! Thanks to all those who in one way or other aided me in coming to this marvelous experience. Thanks for gifting us the world! This voyage is definitely a life changing and inspiring experience. Sitting here and reading my first blog post, I can restate every point. Every single destination, some developed like Singapore, others undeveloped like Myanmar, have been enriching for me as a global citizen. This is an experience of a lifetime and I have definitely taken advantage of it. Two months later, I am still extremely grateful and cannot wait for the ports in Africa which we will discover next.
I hurriedly grabbed my luggage at the airport—I paused and took a deep breath. I looked around and couldn’t believe it. I was in London! For the next eight months! This would certainly be an adventure. I was excited to explore my new surroundings immediately but knew that in time, I would get my chance. I was also quite keen to befriend British students and learn about their culture. Britain was always interesting to me, so being in the country was quite exhilarating. As I rode in my taxi, I observed my environment. I noticed that people mostly kept to themselves. Strangers on the streets did not look at one another, let alone smile. Many had their heads down as they were walking. I thought this to be quite strange but did not think much of it. I was enthusiastic to learn more about my new home and country. As I spent more time in London, I truly realized how diverse this wonderful city really was. My school was made up of a majority of international students. London is such a vibrant, cosmopolitan city which
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I love—I am always meeting people from different backgrounds with interesting experiences. I have come to develop and expand my own thoughts on important issues. Even at the dinner table, controversial issues would be discussed and I loved every moment of it. Hearing from those different than you allows you to reconsider your own thoughts. However, an important thing to note is that London is unique in this sense—when I travelled to other parts of the country, this was not the case. Though I love diversity, it was nice to travel to small towns to learn about traditional British culture. Everyone is quite polite and though they may not necessarily say what they are thinking, it is quite nice. One of my favorite parts of the culture is afternoon tea, a two-hour ritual where friends gather in the late afternoon for tea, scones and delicious finger sandwiches. As time went on, I came to love and appreciate the culture even more. Though the language is the same, despite some common phrases and misunderstandings, the culture is something that must be experienced, to fully understand.
Neha has enjoyed learning about traditional British culture. Melissa Clauss Vienna, Austria
“Every day I’ve spent here I’ve grown to love it more and more.”
april 10, 2014
My first impression of my host country, Austria, was that based on stereotypes. People from Austria, and Vienna specifically, are known as being grumpy. I was told “We don’t tip our waiters here,” because waiters just serve and are grumpy. Needless to say, I was a little bit worried about how people would act and if everyone I met would be in a bad mood. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised to see that most of
the people I met here were happy and helpful. They were excited to meet new people and were always eager to give advice on places to see and such. Granted some of the waiters and store associates were still pretty irritable. But luckily the stereotype didn’t hold true. Every day I’ve spent here I’ve grown to love it more and more – from the food, to the architecture, and everything in between – and It’s cheesy, but I’m so glad that I took the chance to really sink into the culture of my host country!
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THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
OPINION A NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
On Sweet Spring Spring is finally here. After the recent winter, the 34th coldest in US history, the sunny skies and warm winds are very much-welcomed visitors here in New England. The wonderful weather we are now enjoying is appreciated by all, but it is most especially appreciated by college students; more importantly, by us falcons here at Bentley. College is a time of adventure, a time of experiences and enjoyment. Fond memories are made with friends, pleasantries are exchanged at parties and students enjoy such things as barbeques, baseball and booze. Some students even enjoy booze and barbeques whilst watching baseball. Barbeques, among other activities at college (though perhaps not the consumption of booze), are much less frequent, if not altogether non-existent during the winter. However, spring has finally come. The Green Space is once again becoming green. Much of the student body has begun wearing shorts and skirts, instead of the chosen few with Viking blood who wear such articles of clothing in January and February. All of the snow and ice around campus has melted; even the Geese have visited—if only to defecate everywhere to everyone’s annoyance. Other birds have returned as well. Their sweet songs can be heard in the morning and throughout the day, you can once again see the red-bellied robins hopping about. The bellies of red are not the only bright colors to be seen around campus. As is the case
with fashion, springtime means brighter and more colorful clothing. Instead of black and brown, dark greys and blues, the ladies and gentlemen of our campus are once again wearing a variety of colorful garments. The pigments to be seen now vary from peaceful pastels of every color to loud neons, but the message is clear: Spring is here. As we move further into spring, we get closer and closer to the end of the school year. In about thirty days, we falcons will pack up our lives, all of our clothing and other possessions and head back home, except for the seniors. The seniors will be graduating and most of them will be heading towards the Bahamas for the commencement trip. After that, some may stay at home to save money or attend graduate school, while most will finally join the world of the workforce. Those falcons will begin their flight of life and we must wish for their great fortune and success in their endeavors. Many will become leaders, be it managers, CEOS, partners, or the like. Hopefully, some will make it big and donate a building or two to Bentley. As for the rest of us falcons, we are mere fledglings, fortunate enough to have more years at Bentley. For us fledglings, spring and the year-end means finals. The finals we will take genuinely matter, unlike seniors, most of whom have jobs lined up well before they graduate or even take their final exams. The yearend means studying hard, but still finding time to enjoy the
NICOLAS BULGARIDES
A freshman with an undecided major.
weather. It means applying to an assortment of internships and summer jobs, crossing our fingers that we are contacted back. It means choosing our classes for the next semester and that means at least partially influencing our career paths and resultantly lives. Some rising freshman will be taking their first classes for their major and most rising sophomores will be enrolled in classes for their major in earnest and will experience what is perhaps their toughest year of college. The rising juniors will be choosing some of their final classes at Bentley and they too are getting closer to walking the plank (or rather flying off the branch) from college into true adulthood and the working life. Spring means renewal and change. It brings life and growth, color and beauty and certainly new opportunities. It is a pleasant time of change. Spring is with us. Regardless of your standing amongst students, your class grade, I wish you luck. I wish you luck irrespective of how it will be used and whether it is needed for finals, careers or for internships to start your career. May you enjoy all of the sweet smells, sounds and sights that spring so lovingly brings. Enjoy spring whilst it is here, because as all native New Englanders know… Winter is coming.
OPINION
THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
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HEALTHY HART
A Hartfelt Goodbye As sad as it is to say, this is my final “Healthy Hart” article. I just want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has ever read my column and supported me with this writing endeavor. The Vanguard was the first club I joined when I came to Bentley and it has been a staple in my extracurricular life ever since. For the past three years, it has been an honor and a pleasure to write my column, “Healthy Hart,” for the Bentley community. I wanted to take this opportunity to summarize some of my most well received pieces before I graduate in May. I still highly recommend shopping at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. These two stores carry healthy selections and maintain mission statements with the customer’s wellbeing in mind. The next time you need to go grocery shopping, consider visiting one of these locations.
Also, one of my first articles was about ordering healthy meals at restaurants. Looking back, I wrote about Bertucci’s and Panera Bread. Reflecting on these places, I think that they’ve tried to become even healthier since my original article was published. Panera Bread has incorporated a few more health conscience options, such as their smoothies and salads. When writing my column, I’ve tried to think about what people use all the time and as a student, technology came to mind immediately. If you own an iPhone, consider downloading My Fitness Pal, Livestrong, Health T ip of the Day, ShopWell, Jillian Michael’s Slim Down, Tap and Track Calorie Counter and Cardiograph Heart Rate Pulse. Your phone can be a resourceful place, full of inspiration and advice to help make you healthier. Another article I wrote included
my recommendations about helpful healthy websites. If you have a moment, try to visit NaturalHealthMag.com, Health.com, Healthkicker. com, EatingWell.com, or HealthOnABudget.com for more suggestions. For those of you who missed my article, “The Best Snacks for Natural Energy,” please buy blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, quinoa, cucumbers, oatmeal, celery, coconut water, salad, carrots, dark chocolate, hummus and pumpkin seeds. These foods will help you stay awake in class and alert while studying. If you need an idea for a healthy day of eating, have a Chobani yogurt, an apple and a slice of toast for breakfast. At lunch eat a spinach salad with balsamic dressing and for dinner enjoy a piece of salmon or haddock. Throughout the day, enjoy almonds, butter-free popcorn and
six to eight crackers with cottage cheese. As always, keep in mind to drink lots of water. Water helps get rid of the toxins in your system and keeps you hydrated. Also, take walks whenever you can and try take the stairs (the elevator may be tempting, but it’s not going to help you get fit). Additionally, the campus gym is a friendly place, full of opportunities to burn calories and gain muscle tone. Looking back at all of my articles, I hope that people have learned a few helpful hints to improve their lives. Thank you to the wonderful editors who allowed me to write on whatever topic I chose. I’ve been able to write about yoga, Zumba, Pilates, vitamins, working out, calories, healthy foods, healthy resources (such as books, websites and phone apps), music to make working out more enjoyable, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Bertucci’s, Panera Bread, coffee
ANGELA HART A senior majoring in Liberal Arts. (because let’s be honest, Bentley students drink a lot of it), motivational quotes, group work, Career Services and even had the opportunity to interview experts to learn even more. After writing articles every other week for three years, you would think that I would run out of ideas, but there was always something I wanted to share with you. In my very first article I wrote, “Many people want to be healthy or lose weight, but they don’t know how to go about making small changes that would really make a difference.” After three years of trying to be helpful, I hope that people have learned how to make these changes. Thank you for being such loyal readers and please stay happy and healthy.
CONTEMPLATING MACRO
Robotic Shock erization may just be the most important discussion in relation to economic and educational policy. To understand how computerization can take over a job consider Narrative Science. Narrative Science produces a program that writes stories. First, the program mines data and produces meaningful narratives. This software is already widely used by various sports media outlets to replace beat reporters. This puts the journalistic profession at risk to a certain extent. Also, consider fast food restaurants. In many places companies like McDonalds are automating their services. You order your food on a touch screen, a robot flips burgers, and a conveyer belt sends the food to you. What is even more alarming is that people with lower in-
comes hold most of these jobs. Once McDonalds or the Associated Press discovers ways to cut costs they will. In many ways this is actually great for the consumer. Cheap labor will translate over time into lower costs. As well, in many ways this will signal another economic revolution. Similar to the industrial revolution this restructuring could bring by greater and better prospects for our economic system. The potential efficiency and knowledge would give the world’s standard of living another boost. However, there are issues. Assume for instance that the jobs that are being replaced were manual, repetitive and data organization jobs. Basically these are your clerks at WalMart, accountants and truck drivers. If tomorrow there is a
Courtesy of 33rdsquare.com
In the 1980s a few cars had digital speedometers. Of course it was the 80s anything goes but the reason the dials were digital was because certain companies wanted to appeal to the growing pro technology populace of the time. In the end we didn’t get lasers. The world doesn’t have millions of flying cars. But still the act of putting a gimmicky speedometer is a statement of the modern world’s devotion to innovation. However, has America reached its technological goals or at least going to very soon? A paper from Oxford University by Carl Frey and Michael Osborne details how computerization affects U.S. labor. Approximately 47 percent of US jobs are at risk of disappearance, as workers are replaced by technology and automation. We have surpassed our dreams of digital speedometers and entered a reality of robots and artificial intelligence. Now, the authors of the study do not say that jobs will be lost immediately. In all likelihood it will occur within the next 20 to 50 years. They add that there is a 50-50 chance of this occurring. However, considering that they are implying that 47% of jobs at risk I think its safe to say such a statement is very important to note. This is not really hard to see. The study is about a year old but the discussion of comput-
Think anyone can find a job flipping burgers? Think again.
restructuring where half of these workers were fired how would they cope with the event? In all likelihood they would be forced to translate not their profession but their skills into new fields. The accountant may use his knowledge and move to management but there is a lot of uncertainty with that. The WalMart clerk could work at a retailer as a sales professional but that really depends on their demeanor and demand for sales persons. The secretary or treasurer who organizes data might have to look at jobs where his organizational skills could not be computerized. The pattern is what makes up most of an individual’s occupation will disappear and in many cases very little can be done to help. Its important to note that this restructuring will not in anyway be immediate. Robots will not replace accountants in a day, but rather it will take decades. I don’t want to discourage any accounting student but careers like accounting or retail the labor in this area is slowly getting computerized. In the study by Frey and Osborne the jobs with the greatest probability are office and administrative support, sales, transportation, production and service. While education, computer and engineering science, and healthcare are in the low probability of computerization category. It is clear that a trend
AL-MAHDI EBSIM A freshman majoring in Economics Finance towards low skill and low information jobs being automated is evident. Now what some may argue is that we can’t expect everyone to be as technically proficient as an engineer or for everyone to get a finance degree. I understand this sentiment. It seems impossible for everyone to have a high level degree but in the past it was considered a difficulty to get a college education or even an education in general. With new technology there are new fields, with new jobs and new avenues. Therefore, as the world economy adjusts to technological shocks so will the public. That is if governments are competent and provide healthy learning environments. In the end we should welcome all and any advancements but we should also be wary more today then every about providing good education. What this education policy ought to be is for another column, but we should all care. There are other implications of technological shocks especially on the supply side of the economy but still education is very important.
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THE vanguard
SPORTS
april 10, 2014
Kamil Pilch won both of his matches against Umass Boston. BY ellie dibenedetto Vanguard Staff Writer
Until this past Sunday, the Bentley Men’s Tennis team had a remarkable record of 7-0 in the conference, putting them in first place. The head coach Rick Edelmann and assistant coach Michael Kopelman have created a strong team this year with a total of twelve players, including two seniors, two juniors, four sophomores and four freshmen. The two seniors, Jimmy Rindo and Andrew Waddington, are this year’s captains. The season started
rocky in their loss against MIT with a final score of 9-0. Bentley lost the following three matches against Marian, Webber International, and Florida Tech. However, on March 13, Bentley turned their season around with a strong match against Umass Boston, resulting in a winning score of 9-0. Bentley suffered another loss against Eckerd, but returned with four strong matches against Assumption, Stonehill, American International, and Endicott. The Endicott match was the fourth straight win for Bentley.
Sophomore Kamil Pilch and junior Alex DeMuth created a strong force in the doubles match, winning over Endicott with a score of 8-4. Rindo and sophomore Sam Frye also picked up a victory in doubles. Finally, junior Peter Koopman and freshman Jerry Liang defeated the last doubles match, setting Bentley ahead. Rindo came out strong in singles, defeating Endicott’s player 6-0, 6-0. Waddington and freshman Chase Rosa also had victories in singles, improving the Falcons overall record. Unfortunately, their most recent match against Merrimack on April 6 was a tough loss for Bentley, resulting in a score of 9-0. In the No. 1 singles match, Rindo won the first set against Merrimack’s Matt Pronesti. However, Pronesti won the next two sets. In the No. 4 match, Rosa lost two sets against Merrimack’s Vince Bellino. Although they had a tough loss against Merrimack, the Bentley Men’s Tennis team will regain spirit and come back strong in their next match against Southern New Hampshire next Saturday!
Courtesy of Sport Information Office
Courtesy of Sport Information Office
Falcons perched near the top of NE-10 standings
Jimmy and Andrew fought hard during the match.
Anthony Strong finished in first place for triple jump. BY Matt Gustus Sports Editor
This past Saturday, the men’s and women’s track and field teams took to the outdoors as they competed in the UMASSDartmouth Invitational. Throughout the event, several Falcons shined, leading to both teams finishing in the top eight. The men earned top finishes in a wide array of
events to finish fourth overall out of 22 while the women dominated the field events and took home eighth out of 21 teams. The surprise of the day was on the men’s side, as sophomore Anthony Strong jumped 43 feet, 5.75 inches and landed eighth on Bentley’s alltime list in the triple jump. This was the first time Strong had competed in
the event at Bentley and his distance earned him first place in the event. In the long jump, Bentley showcased that they have many great leapers. Along with Strong, junior Anthony Charter and sophomores EdyElliot Uthman-Olukokun and Conor Hichens were able to take home four of the top ten spots in the contest. On the track, senior Conor Higgins came up just short in the 800, coming in second by .44 seconds. The male Falcons also had third place contributions by freshman Nik Haas in the 1500, freshman Andrew McCluskey in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and junior Chris Ricci in the javelin. Meanwhile, the women were also enjoying success at the event. Senior Aubrey Batzinger continued her assault on the record books while also recording some top finishes. Batzinger, who had previously set the school record in the hammer back in
March, broke the record again with her throw of 109 feet, 9 inches. Her finish in that event was 15th out of 46. In the discus, Batzinger nearly bettered her personal best while taking the top spot in the event with a throw of 121 feet, 7 inches. In addition to Batzinger, junior Jackie Carlson also set a personal best at the event as she moved up to fourth on Bentley’s all-time list for
the javelin. Her throw of 110’5” was almost five feet farther than her previous best. Looking ahead, the teams have a busy April coming up. Both teams will be back at it this weekend at the New Hampshire Wildcat Invitational on Saturday. Five other meets will then stand in the way of the Northeast-10 Championships, which will be held at Stonehill College on May 2nd and 3rd.
Courtesy of Sport information office
Courtesy of Sport information office
Track and Field take on UMASS-Dartmouth Invitational
Edy-Elliot Uthman-Olukokun was the 5th finisher in the long run.
SPORTS
THE vanguard
Falcons heat up on the diamond BY AUSTIN MILLER
TEAM SPORTS STANDINGS FOOTBALL
Vanguard Staff Writer
NE-10 STANDINGS
School NE-10 Overall American Int’l 8 1 0 9 3 0 Stonehill 8 1 0 8 3 0 New Haven 7 2 0 8 3 0 Assumption 6 3 0 6 5 0 Merrimack 5 4 0 7 4 0 Bentley 4 5 0 6 5 0 LIU Post 3 6 0 5 6 0 Southern Conn. 3 6 0 3 8 0 Saint Anselm 1 8 0 1 10 0 Pace 0 9 0 0 11 0
FIELD HOCKEY
Courtesy of Sport Information Office
NE-10 STANDINGS
Mike Muir plays as the center fielder of Men’s baseball team. hold me back.” Muir made the jump from a freshman to a junior with only one year of experience under his belt. This substantial leap is a tough one to make, but Muir has clearly responded to the challenge by picking up his game in the face of adversity. While not a vocal presence on the field, Muir has needed to mature quickly on a young team and he’s embraced that leadership role. “If I see someone struggling, then I will go up to them and try to help them out.” Muir’s ability to pick up his teammates when they are in need and lead by example has been huge for the team this year. Staying focused and getting the job done both at the plate and in the field has proven to be a big part of the team’s success. The importance of leadership on the young Falcons team cannot be overlooked. In a tough conference against some proven teams, anyone can beat anyone in a given game. The month of April will prove to be challenging for the Falcons, taking on 17 conference teams in the month leading
Courtesy of Sport Information Office
The Men’s baseball team has been on a hot streak lately. After a rocky start to the 2014 season, they have won 12 of their last 15 and continue to improve every day. At the core of the team’s success is the outstanding play of junior center fielder Mike Muir. Two weeks ago, Muir hit .471 with 4 RBI in a 4-0 week for the Falcons, on his way toward being named the NE-10 player of the week. “It seemed like my hits were just finding holes in the opponents’ defense,” Muir said last week. It is clear that the stellar play of Muir throughout this season has been due to him allowing his ability to take over. He added, “I just have to keep doing what I am doing and not change anything.” As athletes so often do during hot streaks, Muir has just been feeling it as of late. Along with the accolade of being named the player of the week, Muir also ran up a substantial 11 game hit streak, showing that consistency is a key piece to his game. Not only on the field, but off as well, “I am a pretty superstitious guy. I have to do certain things before and during games in order to get in the right mindset,” he added. Muir, who has been leading the team in between the lines, has also stepped up as a leader in the dugout as well. Muir’s sophomore season was plagued by injury, as he had to undergo shoulder surgery to be ready for this year. This bump in the road has led Muir to pick his game up another level, determined to prove his abilities. “I feel I have something to prove to everybody, that I am better than the player that I was freshman year and my injury wasn’t going to
april 10, 2014
Muir was named Northeast-10 Baseball player of the week.
up to the postseason. “Every game is going to be a dog fight,” Muir said, realizing that there will be a playoff atmosphere night in and night out the rest of the way. As a solid all-around team, the Falcons look to continue their sound defensive play. Reliable pitching, good fielding and the team playing well together will help them continue their recent success. Sustaining their strong defense and working on “getting guys in when they are in scoring position,” will lead to continued success within the NE-10 going forward. The leadership of the seniors on the team along with the young depth has the team hungry heading in the latter part of the season. After making the playoffs the last two years and being bounced in the second round last season, they are looking to continue the upward postseason trend this year. The five seniors in the starting lineup will look to up their motivation even more, as the realization of their last run at a championship sets in. Their drive to make another playoff run and ability to pass their experience on to the four starting freshmen could spell success for the Falcons. This past weekend, the team went 2-2, beating Pace twice and dropping both games of a double header on Sunday to Adelphi, causing them to slip to second in the NE-10. They strung together some good wins against Pace in a pair of close games. However, the Falcons then let two leads slip away against Adelphi. The team will look to correct those uncharacteristic losses going forward. With some tough games against Merrimack and St. Michaels coming up, the Falcons will look to get back to winning and start rolling through the month of April.
School NE-10 Overall LIU Post 10 0 0 21 1 0 Merrimack 9 1 0 14 6 0 Stonehill 8 2 0 18 4 0 Bentley 5 5 0 11 8 0 Adelphi 5 5 0 11 9 0 Saint Anselm 4 6 0 6 11 0 Southern Conn. 4 6 0 5 14 0 American Int’l 3 7 0 8 10 0 Assumption 3 7 0 7 11 0 St. Michael’s 3 7 0 6 12 0 Franklin Pierce 1 9 0 3 15 0
MEN’S BASKETBALL NE-10 STANDINGS - NORTHEAST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall Franklin Pierce 11 3 0 16 3 0 Saint Anselm 11 4 0 13 6 0 St. Michels 9 5 0 14 5 0 Bentley 8 7 0 14 7 0 Southern N.H. 8 7 0 11 8 0 Merrimack 6 9 0 8 12 0 Assumption 3 11 0 6 13 0 Stonehill 3 11 0 5 14 0
NE-10 STANDINGS - SOUTHWEST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall Southern Conn. 13 2 0 19 2 0 New Haven 10 5 0 15 6 0 Le Moyne 9 5 0 12 8 0 St. Rose 7 7 0 10 10 0 American Int’l 6 8 0 9 12 0 Adelphi 2 12 0 4 16 0 Pace 2 12 0 4 16 0
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NE-10 STANDINGS - NORTHEAST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall Bentley 15 0 0 20 0 0 Stonehill 10 4 0 13 5 0 Assumption 8 6 0 12 7 0 Franklin Pierce 8 6 0 11 8 0 Merrimack 6 8 0 10 9 0 Saint Anselm 6 9 0 10 10 0 Southern N.H. 5 9 0 7 12 0 St. Michael’s 2 12 0 3 15 0
NE-10 STANDINGS - SOUTHWEST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall New Haven 9 5 0 15 5 0 Adelphi 9 6 0 14 7 0 Le Moyne 8 7 0 12 9 0 Southern Conn. 7 7 0 13 7 0 St. Rose 7 7 0 11 9 0 American Int’l 4 10 0 9 11 0 Pace 3 11 0 4 16 0
VOLLEYBALL NE-10 STANDINGS
School NE-10 Overall New Haven 14 0 0 28 5 0 St. Rose 11 3 0 19 5 0 Bentley 11 3 0 17 10 0 Adelphi 10 4 0 19 13 0 Franklin Pierce 9 5 0 14 9 0 Stonehill 9 5 0 18 14 0 Merrimack 9 5 0 17 15 0 American Int’l 8 6 0 14 16 0 Southern N.H. 7 7 0 12 12 0 Southern Conn. 5 9 0 17 13 0 St. Michael’s 4 10 0 12 12 0 Le Moyne 3 11 0 9 17 0 Assumption 3 11 0 6 17 0 Saint Anselm 2 12 0 7 20 0 Pace 0 14 0 4 26 0
HOCKEY NE-10 STANDINGS School NE-10 Mercyhurst 13 2 4 Bentley 11 4 4 Connecticut 11 5 3 Airforce 10 6 3 Robert Morris 10 6 3 Canisius 9 8 2 Niagara 8 8 3 Rochester Inst. 7 10 2 Holy Cross 6 10 3 American Int’l 6 12 1 Sacred Heart 6 13 0 Army 3 16 0
Overall 15 10 5 13 9 4 13 8 4 15 9 4 10 13 3 10 14 2 8 15 3 8 14 4 7 16 3 7 18 1 7 19 0 3 20 0
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THE vanguard
april 10, 2014
SPORTS
Kirkpatrick hopes to lead Falcons to Nationals BY Matt gustus
Ever since he was a freshman, grad student Harry Kirkpatrick has loved being a part of the Bentley golf team. Although he was only named captain this year, Kirkpatrick has always felt like he was an integral part of the team. “Mick, our coach, has been a great mentor and friend,” said Kirkpatrick. “I’ve gotten better in every aspect of the game and I’ve improved as a person as well.” Throughout his time at Bentley, Kirkpatrick has improved upon his scoring average each year. Improving on his 80 stroke average last year, Kirkpatrick has taken a whole stroke off of his average, bring it down to a score of 79 per round this season. His best score of this season was 73, which he recorded on two occasions. When asked about the difficulty of being a studentathlete, Kirkpatrick focused on time-management and a relaxed attitude as the keys for succeeding academically and athletically. “I have always felt that keeping everything in perspective is key,” he said. “We’re out here playing a game for free and taking exams lessfortunate people would do anything to be taking. I have it pretty good, so there’s no need to stress.” When asked what have been some of the reasons for his success at Bentley, Kirkpatrick was quick to give credit to his teammates and other individuals who have supported him throughout his time at Bentley. “I’ve been fortunate enough to make some great friends along the way,” reflected Kirkpatrick. “Some of my
The team’s main goal this season is to earn a spot in the national event. closest friends are the ones I have met through Bentley golf.” The golf team at Bentley has a unique season with two month stretches in the early fall and late spring. This dichotomy can make things difficult for the team with a constant feeling of stopping and starting. Kirkpatrick says that the biggest issue facing the golf team is not enough practice time. “Not only are we limited with the cold weather, but many of the schools we compete against are facing a much less strenuous class load.” Leaders like Kirkpatrick and next year’s co-captains, juniors Quincy Coulter and Jon Stoddard, have helped the team to overcome this main
obstacle by fostering a closeknit environment. Kirkpatrick noted that the team usually grows closer throughout the season and that, even though only five of the thirteen players compete at any given event, there is a real feeling of camaraderie throughout the entire squad. The spring season has been trying so far for the Bentley golf team. After a spring break trip to Delaware and a second-place finish, the season seemed to be off to a solid start. However, the last two events have not been up to par for the team. First in Long Island, Bentley struggled on a wind-blown course with extremely wet conditions with a fifth place finish. Last weekend, Bentley hosted the second
annual Cape Cod Classic at Atlantic Country Club. For the second straight week, Bentley didn’t sniff the lead and allowed American International College to take the event for the second straight year. Kirkpatrick expressed his thoughts on the season thus far, saying, “It just feels as if we’re not in the best position to win. I’m used to going to an event and feeling like our team is the favorite to win. It’s not a good feeling to be the leader of the team and watch us struggle and I will be the first to admit I have not played well enough for the team to win.” Kirkpatrick also noted that this Wednesday will be a rarity for Bentley’s golf team when the entire team will compete against
“It’s all about getting the right guys playing at their best.”
FALCON FACT:
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Women’s basketball coach Barbara Stevens was selected as the Russell Athletic/WBCA Division II National Coach of the Year for the fifth time in her career. No other coach has won the award as many times as Stevens, who coached her squad to their first undefeated season ever. Helping her along the way was senior forward Lauren Battista. At the WBCA Awards Show last Monday, Battista was chosen as the NCAA Division II Player of the Year. She was the first Falcon to ever receive this award.
Courtesy of Sports Information Office
sports editor
each other for the top five spots in the next two events. “Coach felt he needed to shake things up and I don’t blame him,” said Kirkpatrick. “I’m excited to see what some of the guys do with this opportunity.” Kirkpatrick stated that the team’s main goal this season is to advance out of the NCAA East Regional tournament and earn a spot in the national event. If the team can fulfill Kirkpatrick’s goal, they will be the first team from Bentley to make nationals. “It’s all about getting the right guys playing at their best. We have guys who can win any day they go out there. Jon Stoddard and [sophomore] Malcolm Oliver are two of the best golfers I’ve ever played with. Then we have guys like [sophomores] Tom Ayres, Sal Visali and Zach Pollard who can really play.” Kirkpatrick added that he’s most excited to see what fellow senior Ryan Hudson can do in the next month. “We’re certainly capable of making Nationals. It’s my expectation, even with this slow start.” As Kirkpatrick prepares to finish his career at Bentley, he speaks of the importance of golf to him. “It’s a game that teaches you a lot about yourself. There are times when the game beats up on you, but there’s nothing like the feeling you get on the first tee. I wouldn’t trade my time on this team and the friendships I’ve made for anything.” The team will finish their regular season schedule with trips to Ludlow, Ma and Baldwinsville, NY to compete in their final tournaments. The AIC Spring Classic will be Friday at the Ludlow Country Club followed by the Mike Bello Invitational at the Timber Banks Golf Club on April 13 and April 14.
FALCON OF THE WEEK RYAN O’CONNOR MEN’S BASEBALL
R. O’CONNOR YeAR 2015 HOMETOWN NEWBURYPORT POSITION PITCHER
Ryan O’Connor (Newburyport), a junior lefthanded pitcher on the baseball team, has been named the Falcon of the Week following his outstanding performance Friday against Pace University. O’Connor pitched a four-hit shutout against the Setters with two walks and nine strikeouts, matching his careerbest set in his previous start. He didn’t allow a runner past second base in Bentley’s first 1-0 victory in seven years and yielded only one hit in 11 at bats with runners on base. Over his last three starts, O’Connor has allowed only one run in 25 innings, lowering his ERA to an impressive 1.64.