THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF BENTLEY UNIVERSITY SINCE 1963
THE VANGUARD VOLUME LVII ISSUE XIV
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014
BENTLEYVANGUARD.COM
Students indulge their taste buds at Food Fest BY Kelsey Miller Campus Life Editor
It’s that time of the year again—Culture Fest is at Bentley! And if there’s one event that epitomizes the festival, it’s Food Fest, arguably the feature of the two week extravaganza. The event has gotten so popular over the years that people now require tickets to attend, which sold out within a few hours this year. Food Fest is held during the first week of the Festival every November. Over the years, it has quickly developed a cult following, as event goers get to sample food from all over the world, courtesy of the cultural organizations on campus. People attending Food Fest can sample cuisine from Spain, South Korea, Italy, China, and many more countries. This year saw a few new developments. Probably the most noticeable addendum to this year’s Food Fest was the Karaoke. Many students from various modern language courses
at Bentley could receive extra credit by getting up and singing a song in the foreign language of their course. It created a nice atmosphere—if a little difficult to hear—for the people munching on foreign delicacies. During my time at Bentley, I’ve attended the event three times, missing last year only because I was abroad. The fest
has a definite spirit to it, which, when interviewed, Neha Singh described perfectly: “Food Fest helps bridge the gap between cultures through the universal concepts of food and sharing a meal together.” And it certainly does. Food Fest is built on the foundation of a desire to learn about different cultures and a wish to cre-
ate inclusivity for students on campus. Also importantly: it’s just a lot of fun, evidenced by the long line of students that filed through the third floor and down the steps to the Rauch entrance of LaCava well before the event even started. Friends could be seen eagerly chatting and looking forward to the
People who attend Food Fest have the opportunity to sample foods from many different countries.
event. Rachel Pidgeon had great things to say about the event: “Every year, I look forward to Food Fest. The diverse food selection, the company of friends, the atmosphere. All of it is amazing.” No doubt about it, Food Fest is a big deal. Catie Bello agrees, “Food Fest is the most highly anticipated food event on campus, second only to Thanksgiving Dinner at Seasons.” The evening didn’t go off without a hitch, however. I heard grumblings about the lack of dessert or “proper” drinks (read: soda), but the food was still delicious. You can’t ask for much more than that. All in all, I think most would agree that Food Fest was as satisfying as it always is. Vedant Mittal summed Food Fest up beautifully: “Food is the highest form of art. We can not only see it, but also touch it, taste it, and smell it. One can appreciate food through all their senses.” That sounds about right.
PreparedU Project reports millenial workplace preferences BY michaela stephenson news editor
Just this week, Bentley University released the findings from the PreparedU Project that launched in January 2014. The research from the project was summarized into various reports showing the main takeaways from the surveys. The report is called The Millennial Mind Goes to Work: How Millennial Preferences Will Shape the Future of the Modern Workplace. The PreparedU Project was initiated due to growing concern that there is a widening skills gap amid recent college graduates. The hope was to generate conversation on the issue at a national level. The detailed survey sought to find solutions to minimize this gap. Delving into the survey results gave some insight into the current millennial mind in regards to personal strengths and weaknesses. A millennial is defined as someone between the ages 18 and 34. In recent years there have been many sweeping generalizations about this age group. The project found that
these generalizations were often untrue and had potential impact on future economic growth. Moving forward, it’s important to understand this generation, as it will account for 75% of the workforce globally by 2025. By the end of just this year alone, one in every three people employed in the country will be in this age group. The survey included 1,031 responses from millennials across the country. The three findings that surprised researchers the most dealt with communication, loyalty and work hours. The majority of those surveyed would rather communicate with coworkers in person. Oftentimes the stereotype is that the younger generation would prefer nonverbal communication, but 51% preferred the alternative. This age group is also thought to switch jobs frequently, with very little employee loyalty. However, 80% of respondents felt that they would likely only work for four or fewer companies throughout the course of their career. Once in the job, 77% of the respondents felt that flexible hours were the most
The PreparedU Project found that existing generalizations about millennials are often untrue. conducive for productivity for millennials. As both the generation and the economy change, it’s important to combat these generalizations. This project is an ongoing process, with diverse opinions and new research. After identifying different reasons for the gap, the project hopes
to find strategies to make sure this generation has the proper skills necessary for entering the workforce as prepared individuals. The movement must be a collaborative effort between companies, universities and millennials as this generation will be responsible for the future of
the global economy. For further information, those interested may review all of the survey findings in The Millennial Mind Goes to Work: How Millennial Preferences Will Shape the Future of the Modern Workplace, which can be found on the Bentley University website.
GrooveBoston
Campus Clothing
Basketball
Students collectively “whited-out” for the occasion. But what about the logistics?
Fashion trends of Bentley’s student body.
Men’s basketball kicks off the 20142015 season.
NEWS 5
ENTERTAINMENT 6
SPORTS 12