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N • Micron workforce
OCC is launching new programs in electromechanical technology as part of its workforce training partnership with Micron.
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the independent student newspaper of syracuse, new york | dailyorange.com
C • Terrific tarts
Get in the spring spirit with this cream cheese-jam flower tarts. This step-by-step recipe will show you how to make the perfect springtime
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S • Time to eat
Tori Brown became Syracuse’s team nutritionist in March and she’s already making changes
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Story by Anish Vasudevan senior staff writer Photo by Jacob Halsema staff photographerOn Tuesdays and Thursdays, the best goalies throughout Long Island trained at Stony Brook’s indoor lacrosse facility. They needed players to shoot on them so Joey Spallina called his friend
Michael Leo.
Leo drove an hour from Seaford, New York, and the pair tested their array of strikes against elite competition like Notre Dame’s Liam Entenmann. Spallina roamed at X and repeatedly fed a cutting Leo, improving their chemistry with every rep.
“That’s where we built our trust and, I’m blanking on the word,” Spallina said. Leo chimed in: “connection.”
the number of goals Joey Spallina and Michael Leo have combined for
Spallina and Leo’s careers ascended in parallel on Long Island. They faced once in fifth grade, but their paths intersected in the last two years of high school when they both excelled on Team 91. Joe, Spallina’s dad, coached the pair in those two seasons and said their chemistry from the club circuit has directly carried over to college. Leo and Spallina have combined for 50 goals and
assisted each other four times this season.
“Their chemistry was not overnight,” Joe said. “It was homemade, slow baked.” Leo and Spallina both started playing lacrosse around the age of 6. Leo immediately stuck out as a “slick lefty,” Team Igloo coach Keith Cromwell said. Spallina faced players up to two years older than him in travel ball, learning how to play o -ball, Joe said.
The pair’s work ethic mimicked each other, too. Leo trained 10 minutes away from his house in a park by the water with a bucket of 150 lacrosse balls, asking his dad Mike to stay longer even if the lights were half-on at 9:30 p.m. Spallina preferred to be an early bird, waking up before 5 a.m. to do shooting drills and watch hours of film on footwork and defenses.
“Those are two guys that have always committed to the extra work,” said Tom Schreiber,
state
New York state will receive $112.7 million to support underage vaping abatement programs across the state after fi nalizing a multistate settlement with JUUL Labs Inc.
JUUL agreed to pay $462 million over eight years to six states, including New York, and the District of Colum-
bia, after claims of unlawful marketing of addictive products to minors, according to an April 12 press release from the O ce of the New York State Attorney General. The agreement will also impose restrictions on JUUL’s sales and marketing abilities in hopes of reducing youth vaping.
“Too many young New Yorkers are struggling to quit vaping and there is no doubt that JUUL played a central
role in the nationwide vaping epidemic,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in the release. “Today’s agreement will help young New Yorkers put their vapes down for good and ensure that future generations understand the harms of vaping.”
The lawsuit alleged that JUUL, along with executives James Monsees and Adam Bowen, took part in deceptive and false advertising, fraud and
illegality and selling tobacco products to minors.
The multi-state agreement will restrict JUUL’s business sales and marketing abilities, including restrictions on youth-targeted marketing, the amount of online and retail purchases an individual can make and JUUL pod samples in stores, NYAG Deputy Press Secretary Halimah Elmariah wrote in an email to The
Daily Orange.
“There will be stricter regulations on JUUL to prevent young adults from getting their hands on the products,” Elmariah said.
Concerns around e-cigarettes and vape products have also been prevalent in central New York. Specifically, alongside a letter to the FDA encouraging removal
see leo page 10 see e-cigs page8
Joey Spallina and Michael Leo’s youth careers intersected on Long Island for years. Now, they’re stars on SU’s attack.
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The best quotes from sources in today’s paper.
NEWS
“It is now time for the university to fi nally come through on their behalf after years of failed commitments and promises,” - Jordan Beasley, Student Association vice president for diversity and inclusion
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CULTURE
“I would say that the importance of drag, what it embodies, is the idea of transformation. You are a person becoming either someone else or a heightened version of yourself.” - Austin Rose, drag show contestant
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OPINION
“All these investments to bring job opportunities into the city become pointless when Syracuse locals have no way to reach these jobs or simply navigate their way in the city.” - Sahria Rahim, columnist
Page 9
SPORTS
“She’s only been here for a couple of weeks or a month, but everybody can already tell the di erence.” - Trebor Pena on nutritionist Tori Brown
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Noteworthy events this week.
WHAT: Medea Benjamin discussion and book signing
WHEN: April 20, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Maxwell Hall 204
WHAT: Truth and Journalism in the Age of TikTok and ChatGPT
WHEN: April 20, 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
WHERE: Newhouse 3, Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium
WHAT: Newhouse 3, Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium
WHEN: April 21, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Whitman School of Management
Syracuse University’s University Senate passed a resolution at its Wednesday meeting calling for DPS to reassess its bias reporting process to increase transparency within the department. The resolution, which had 18 signatories, called on DPS to include SU students, faculty and staff in their process of bias reporting and to publish semesterly and annual reports that would include data summaries and analysis of reported bias incidents.
It also calls for DPS, the STOP Bias and Hate initiative and the Office of Community Standards to report aggregated data of incidents preferably on a monthly basis. If DPS cannot reach that target, the resolution calls for a report for each semester.
“This resolution was introduced and passed because we recognized the importance of transparency and accountability and refused to give up regardless of the aggressions that were sent towards us,” said Jordan Beasley, Student Association vice president for diversity and inclusion.
The resolution highlighted that while STOP Bias and the Office of Community Standards do share some individual bias reporting cases, the university does not currently have a “clear publishing policy.”
University students, faculty and staff from marginalized and multicultural backgrounds have expressed concern over current policies and are asking for change in the public reporting policies of bias-related incidents, the resolution reads.
“It has been a severe detriment for students and the university community at-large to not have access to this aggregated data so we can identify trends and work collaboratively to identify solutions to better ameliorate bias and hate on campus,” SA President David Bruen said in a written statement.
Following an anti-LGBTQ bias incident in Watson Hall reported to DPS on Feb. 24, SU students expressed frustration over a lack of transparency from SU officials and pointed to an apparent lack of student accountability towards those who commit bias-related incidents.
DPS did not publicly report the Feb. 24 bias incident until March 2. In a campus-wide email, DPS officials and SU wrote that DPS delayed communication regarding the incident to avoid jeopardizing its investigation.
According to its website, DPS will publicly notify the university community regarding hate speech and bias-related incidents within 48 hours unless announcing the report jeopardizes its investigation.
In the resolution, university senators condemned acts of hatred and bigotry on SU’s campus. Of the seven reports of bias incidents which DPS received and communicated this semester, four targeted the LGBTQ community, according to DPS’ bias incident tracker.
Most recently, a resident at Lawrinson Hall received a note containing an anti-LGBTQ on the morning of April 13, according to the Department of Public Safety’s bias incidents report page.
A university employee previously reported the theft of the LGBTQ and Haudenosaunee flags on March 27 outside of Hendricks Chapel on the Shaw Quadrangle. DPS also reported anti-LGBTQ bias incidents on Feb. 24 and March 5, both of which involved derogatory language in Watson Hall, according to DPS’ bias incident tracker.
Beasley said SA will likely vote on the resolution at its next meeting on Monday, and will introduce the resolution at the Graduate Student Organization’s next meeting on Wednesday.
If the resolution is approved by all three
groups, Beasley said it would call upon SU to respond in some capacity.
“The choice that they’re going to have if they have to publicly make a statement to deny it (the resolution) would call the university into question from a diversity, equity, (and) inclusion standpoint,” Beasley said.
Beasley, who previously met with SU leaders over spring break to discuss potential improvements to DPS protocol, said USen members met with SU community members from marginalized and multicultural backgrounds to draft the resolution.
With the resolution now passed by USen, Beasley said DPS should now work to improve its communication surrounding bias reporting to create a greater sense of inclusion on campus.
“The passing of this resolution is only the beginning, it is now time for the university to finally come through on their behalf after years of failed commitments and promises,” Beasley said.
Other business:
Gretchen Ritter, SU’s vice chancellor and provost, said the university is in the process of revising strategic plans for each of SU’s individual schools and colleges. The university will finalize the plan
and begin implementing it this month, according to the Office of Academic Affairs’ website.
Ritter also announced that the university is reaffirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion as the Supreme Court, through two upcoming cases, may deem affirmative action unconstitutional. Ritter said SU plans to onboard new academic leaders and implement the university’s new Academic Strategic Plan - a roadmap outlining academic objectives the university aims to reach by 2028 - while pledging to support DEIA “in the context” of the Supreme Court’s decision on affirmative action.
Chancellor Kent Syverud clarified that the university’s commitment to phasing out singleuse plastics by the 2027-2028 academic year includes SU’s campuses in Syracuse and abroad. He also noted that the new Sustainability Oversight Council will provide yearly updates to ensure SU meets its new deadlines for the sustainability goals and emphasized the university’s updated sustainability goals — which include moving SU’s net-zero emissions target year from 2040 to 2032.
dcchiapp@syr.edu
@DominicChiappo2
Onondaga Community College is creating two new degree programs based in electromechanical technology in its ongoing Micron workforce training partnership, the college announced April 6.
The new programs include an associate’s degree in applied science of electromechanical technology and a certificate in electromechanical technology, both of which are designed to result in employment with Micron for the programs’ graduates. Micron — a semiconductor manufacturing company investing up to $100 billion to build a plant in Clay — is anticipated to bring 50,000 jobs to central New York.
“OCC is working closely with Micron representatives and other local colleges and universities including SU to build the workforce required to support such a major investment in our region,” said Anastasia Utz, OCC’s provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs.
The two-year associate’s degree program centers on problem-solving in electrical and mechanical systems and will provide a foundation in manufacturing systems and technology, according to OCC’s release. The degree program will prioritize skills including safety, blueprint reading and precision measurement tools.
The one-year certificate program aims to develop qualifications for students proceeding to entry-level manufacturing positions. The certificate and associate’s programs overlap, with credits earned in the certificate applicable to the two-year degree, the release reads.
Both the associate’s and the certificate program will teach overarching practical skills like troubleshooting and problem solving with electromechanical systems, Utz said. Buffy Quinn, assistant dean in Natural and Applied Sciences at OCC, said the curriculum ensures students who finish the programs will be ready to work as technicians.
“It’s all part of knowing how to take a piece of equipment, troubleshooting when it’s down, doing monitoring of systems to make sure everything is up and running at all times,” Quinn said.
OCC has directly partnered with Micron to facilitate programs that directly connect to technology jobs. In February, OCC announced a new supply chain management degree, also catered toward Micron and its workforce demands. OCC will also build a cleanroom — a manufacturing space designed to be free of dust and particulate matter— to mirror the one that will exist in the new facility.
Officials including President Joe Biden and Sen. Chuck Schumer first announced the plant was coming to central New York at OCC in October. At the time of the announcement, OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton wrote in a press release that the college would be especially instrumental in the workforce development involved with the plant’s establishment.
“OCC will be the primary educator of technicians Micron will hire,” Hilton wrote. “Hundreds of technicians who will live, work, eat, sleep, etcetera in our community will be trained and educated here at our fine institution.”
For Utz, Micron is one of many opportunities for students going through new technology programs like OCC’s.
“Demand for technology skills is increasing at a rapid pace in New York state, and the arrival of Micron is expected to accelerate this demand,” Utz said. “The skills a student learns in these programs typically lead to immediate wellpaying employment with a number of different companies that are already here.”
The college is also working with Micron as one of the over 20 colleges and universities across the state joining to form the Northeast University Semiconductor Network, a coalition aimed at increasing training and learning opportunities for students in technology.
Syracuse University is one of the institu-
tions forming the network as well, and has also partnered with Micron to train students for the workforce through three individual partnerships including a Future-Ready Workplace Innovation Consortium with the College of Professional Studies; and two projects aimed at hiring veterans and recruiting professors with the D’Aniello Institute for Veteran and Military Families.
Now, with newly-developed programs and a range of colleges and universities working toward technology-specific coursework, Quinn said meeting the demand for workers that
Micron is set to bring is a priority.
“We already have the curriculum, and we’re just gonna need to get a lot of people through this curriculum to fill all of these jobs in addition to Micron,” Quinn said.
Construction on the Micron plant is set to begin in 2024, and local jobs for the plant are currently being filled.
News Editor Jana Seal contributed to reporting for this article.
charri39@syr.edu @claireison99
Spring has so celebrate warm weather blooming with cream jam flower
We all know that April showers bring May flowers, but as I like to say, April showers bring mini cream cheese-jam flower tarts… Not as nice of a ring to it, but still delicious. With spring in full bloom, it is time to start taking advantage of all the fun and tasty treats that come along with the season. This recipe can be made using jams or preserves from local farmers markets which makes it perfect to tuck away for a rainy spring day.
To make the flower tarts, you will first want to preheat the oven to 450 F. Start by taking one of the pie crusts out of the packaging and place it on a lightly floured surface. Unroll the crust and flatten it using a rolling pin until it becomes a 12-inch circle.
Using a flower-shaped cookie cutter — approximately 3 ½ to 4 inches in diameter — cut the crust into 8 flowers. Once you have run out of space, remove the cut-out dough and roll the remaining into a ball.
Flatten the extra crust into a circle again using the rolling pin and repeat cutting out flowers until you run out of crust.
Once the crust has been cut into flowers, carefully place one cutout inside cups of a mini muffin tin and press them to the bottom. The cutouts should be staggered in every other cup until you run out of room on the tin.
In order for the cutouts to fit into the mini muffin tin cups, you may need to overlap the petals going clockwise around the flower. This will help to make the crust into a little cup before placing it inside the muffin tin.
After the cutouts are placed in the muffin tin, gently fold the petals flat onto the top of the pan. You will also want to prick the sides bottom of each one with a fork so the dough does not puff up and limit the filling space on the inside.
Place the muffin tin(s) in the oven and bake the pans for five to seven minutes or until light golden brown. Once they are baked, allow the shells to cool in the pan for five minutes. After five minutes, remove the shells from the pan and place them on a cooling rack. Cool the shells completely; this should take about 15 minutes.
If you only have one mini muffin tin, you will need to repeat the process of stagger placing the cutouts into the cups and baking them until all of the shells are baked.
While the shells are cooling, make the cream cheese filling. In a small bowl with an electric mixer or using a stand mixer, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese on low speed for one to two minutes. Beat until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally to
make sure everything is well incorporated. Add in the vanilla extract and ½ cup of powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth.
Separately, portion out some of the jam you intend to use for the tops of the tarts into bowls and stir until the jam or preserves become smooth. Try to keep the jams or preserves at room temperature before using — it will make it easier to stir.
Once the shells are cool, lightly sprinkle 2 to 3 teaspoons of powdered sugar over the petals using a fine-mesh sieve or sugar duster. Then it’s time to start assembling the tarts.
Using either a piping bag or a spoon, portion out 2 teaspoons of the cream cheese mixture into each shell and carefully smooth out the top.
I personally used a spoon for this, but found it would have been easier to pipe the filling into the small opening.
Next, spoon about 1 teaspoon of the jam on top of the cream cheese filling and carefully spread to cover the bottom layer. You could also use a piping bag for this step if you wanted to.
After each tart has received both cream cheese and jam, they are assembled and ready to be enjoyed. Make sure to keep these tasty flower tarts refrigerated until ready to serve!
mehendri@syr.edu
@megghan_rose
1 box PillsburyTM refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
1/2 cup plus 1 to 2 teaspoons of powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 oz (from 8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup jam or preserves (raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, apricot), stirred well
13 1/2-4 inch flower-shaped cookie cutter
Mini muffin pans
Photo and story by Meghan Hendricks photo editorhas sprung, celebrate the weather and blooming flowers these mini cream cheeseflower tarts
When Nuria Esparch was 14 years old, she went to a naval school to pursue her dreams of being a cadet, but she was told there was no room for women in the navy. Today, around 40 years later, she still remembers the words the officers said to her.
Esparch, an alumna of Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, spoke about her experience as the first woman to serve as Peru’s Minister of Defense at an event hosted by SU’s Moynihan Institute and the Program on Latin America and the Caribbean on Wednesday afternoon.
When she first assumed the role in November 2020, Esparch reached out to Michelle Bachelet — the former president of Chile and also the first woman to be the country’s defense minister — to ask for advice on acting as the head of the ministry.
“She told me never to take a no for an answer… She told me to insist. This is the way to achieve changes, she said, and I insisted as much as I could,” Esparch said.
Esparch served as minister of defense from November 2020 to July 2021, during which Peru had one of the closest elections in its history. In 2021, former school teacher and union leader Pedro Castillo was named as president-elect by the National Jury of Elections after winning just over 50% of the vote, defeating right-wing opponent Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori. Keiko Fujimori filed an appeal based on claims of voting irregularities that was dismissed by the NJE.
In December 2022, Castillo was removed from office after two previous impeachment attempts failed. On his last day in office, Castillo publicly announced he would dissolve Peru’s congress and that a new constitution would be written. He is currently being held in the same Peruvian prison as Alberto Fujimori on charges of rebellion.
With the election’s complications, Esparch said the Peruvian democratic state was weakened, with low levels of institutional and interpersonal trust. She emphasized that during all elections, it’s the government’s role to maintain free, transparent and orderly elections.
Since a radical leftist president had never been elected before, Esparch emphasized
the importance of maintaining a stable public administration.
“The best thing that the president can do now is to regenerate the environment for our officers to do our jobs,” she said.
Esparch pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the most difficult issues she had to confront in her role.
“The pandemic was certainly one of the government’s main challenges around the world actually, and the MINDEF put all its
logistical capabilities and the service of the country,” she said.
With her response to the pandemic and support of the armed forces’ logistical efforts, Esparch said she believes her overall impact on her country was positive, despite the difficulties she faced in her term.
“For this reason, I cannot avoid the feeling of mission accomplished,” Esparch said.
Reflecting on her term in office, Esparch said the elements she valued the most were
seeking the feedback of predecessors, making feasible agendas and working with reliable and experienced teams of people.
She said her time at Maxwell exposed her to diverse perspectives that helped her in the position as well.
“This is what Maxwell gave me: the opportunity to see the world from different standpoints,” Esparch said. charri39@syr.edu @claireison99
from the market, Sen. Chuck Schumer identified the Elf Bar disposable vape company as a potential “JUUL 2.0.” at an April 4 visit to Fulton Junior High School near Syracuse. In a news release, Schumer called out the company for “hooking” students across Syracuse and central New York with advertised flavors and Gen-Z-friendly colors.
“If left unchecked, this highly-addictive and health-damaging Elf Bar, that is targeting teens and kids, could become the next Juul, but even worse — because of its shoddy manufacturing and its commonly mislabeled nicotine levels,” Schumer said in the release.
According to the CDC, e-cigarettes contain nicotine and other ingredients like ultrafine particles and flavoring linked to lung disease and cancer. The products are also highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development.
FDA and CDC’s 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that roughly 1 in 10 — or more than 2.5 million — U.S. middle and high school students currently used e-cigarettes in 2022.
Elmariah said that under the new settlement, sellers will have to verify the age of consumers and secure JUUL products behind counters. JUUL will also be prohibited from using young models in their advertising and advertising near schools.
She added that the funds from the lawsuit will be used to support underage vaping abatement programs run by governmental agencies with the express goal to stop youth vaping, support community and school-based anti-vaping programs, enforce vaping laws and regulations and monitor and research efforts to reduce vaping.
The settlement comes after James sued JUUL in November 2019 for deceptive and misleading marketing, including the act of misleading consumers with regard to the products’ nicotine content and claiming its products were safer than cigarettes.
“There can be no doubt that JUUL’s aggressive advertising has significantly contributed to the public health crisis that has
left youth in New York and across the country addicted to its products,” James said in the November 2019 press release.
JUUL is required to make its first payment to the six states and the District of Columbia
within 90 days of the agreement’s settlement date, followed by seven annual payments which vary from state to state, totaling $462 million over the eight years.
Elmariah wrote that James’ office is still
finalizing the details of how the revenue from the settlement will specifically be used and distributed throughout the state.
kaluther@syr.edu
@kendallaluther
The Pride Union drag show preliminaries were the first time Austin Rose showcased their Disney villain-inspired drag live. But Rose had been performing drag since their freshman year, posting their performances on TikTok.
Rose already had an interest in drag, but when they started their freshman year in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic they found themselves stuck at home. After fi nally getting everything together to perform in full drag for the first time, they turned to the app.
“I put myself in drag for the first time and I had nowhere to go with it,” Rose said. “I was just in my
house and so I put myself in drag and I fi lmed a TikTok and thought nothing of it.”
His videos would end up going viral. One video currently has over a million views and over 300,000 likes. Following the popularity of the video, he continued to post videos of their drag persona Vera Kewl doing parodies, covers and more open verse challenges. They have amassed a large following on TikTok with over 50,000 followers.
Rose performed at the 21st annual Pride Union Drag show on March 23 in the Schine Student Center Underground. The event was hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race star The Vixen and welcomed all student drag performers of varying experience.
Before drag, Rose had always taken inspiration from their sister, playing the same sports and start
see performer page 8
In drag, my voice being a lower voice is like my biggest asset because it’s a fun juxtaposition to the look that I create to have this deep, powerful voice.
Austin Rose DRAG PERFORMERAUSTIN ROSE’S drag persona, Vera Kewl, made her debut on the stage on March 23 at the 21st annual Pride Union Drag in the Underground of the Schine Student Center. Rose gained experience and popularity surrounding their drag on their TikTok account. megan jonas contributing photographer
Acting major Austin Rose uses their love for music, comedy and Disney villains to inspire their drag persona, Vera Kewl
By Aine Hunt
humor columnist
ChatGPT. It’s like your know-it-all cousin who can’t wait to talk about how he went to Harvard procreated with an emotionless robot.
For the last couple of months, ChatGPT has been in the headlines, causing concern for those who believe their high paying jobs may one day be replaced by AI technology. Some of the highest ranking individuals in society — lawyers, doctors and social media managers — are in danger of being replaced by artificial intelligence.
But let’s be real, lawyers and doctors have always been sort of replaceable. Humor columnists, on the other hand, bear the weight of having to be both funny and literate, a rare combination. I’m just saying, with enough practice I could probably perform brain surgery, but could a doctor write a column about avoiding ex-hookups on campus? Probably not.
I decided I was being a bit cocky. Maybe I was wrong, maybe I could be replaced by artificial intelligence. But I wasn’t just gonna lay down and accept that I was inferior to a bunch of zeros and ones. First, I wanted to test my theory out. So, me and Mr. ChatGPT went head to head in what some are calling the humor column olympics. I gave ChatGPT the prompt below. Then I wrote my own version. I’ll let you be the judge of whether humor columnists are in danger of being replaced by AI.
ChatGPT, write a short humor column about how hard it is to get a dinner reservation during graduation weekend: “Ah, graduation weekend. A time of celebration, joy, and utter chaos when it comes to making restaurant reservations. If you’re a local, you know the struggle. And if you’re a visiting family member, prepare to be shocked and possibly traumatized by the experience.
Trying to get a reservation during graduation weekend is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. And not just any needle, but a diamond-encrusted, solid gold needle that’s been lost in a pile of hay for 50 years. It’s practically impossible.
You call every restaurant in town, only to be met with a busy signal or a snooty hostess who tells you that they’ve been fully booked for months. You resort to begging, pleading, and maybe even o ering bribes (I hear some places will accept first-born children as payment). But nothing works.”
from page 7
ing theater. Rose’s sister was important in helping them choose their drag name — while his sister preferred more pageant-like names, Rose enjoyed names that had a play on words. The two compromised with Vera Kewl, a mix of both styles.
“I wanted my sister’s approval because I love my sister and we’re very close,” Rose said. “I liked the names that were really funny, like the pun names like……Liz Ard. But my sister liked all the names that were pretty like Alexis Diamond…. something pageanty and gorgeous. So we found somewhere in between with Vera Kewl.”
Here’s my interpretation of the prompt: You’ve been dreading this moment for the last four years. You’ve heard horror stories about how di cult it is, but now, at this moment, you know it’s not di cult — it’s impossible. No matter how prepared you think you are, finding a dinner reservation for graduation weekend will break you down until you are a shell of the man you once were. Not only do you have to find a place that has open reservations, but you also have to consider your family’s weird eating preferences. Your mom is on keto, your dad can’t eat Mexican after what happened last time and your sister is suddenly vegan now?
which they said helped frame their drag persona. Vera Kewl draws from the eccentricity of the Disney villains Rose grew up with, and their deep voice helps highlight an overdramatic evil villain persona.
“In drag, my voice being a lower voice is like my biggest asset because it’s a fun juxtaposition to the look that I create to have this deep, powerful voice,” Rose said
As an acting major, Rose gets a lot of experience playing around with characters, but what he loves about drag is the way that he gets to put aspects of himself into the character. Rose said they enjoy going over the top with their transformation. While in their day-to-day life they embody more of a pop-punk aesthetic, in their drag they try to have a more high-feminine look that draws mainly from characters like Ursula and Maleficent, they said.
“I would say that the importance of drag, what it embodies, is the idea of transformation,” Rose said. “You are a person becoming either someone else or a heightened version of yourself. Some inner part about yourself is then highlighted and shown to other people. That’s really what gravitates other people to watch that, to enjoy it as a form of entertainment.”
The preliminaries were the first time Alice Meyer, Rose’s friend and a musical theater major at SU, saw Rose perform in drag. While Meyer had followed Rose’s rise to popularity on TikTok, she said she really enjoyed watching the live product and seeing it all come together in person.
Even after you call every vegan non-Mexican restaurant in the tri-state area, you still won’t have a set reservation. One place said they can squeeze your family in for a late 11:30 dinner, but just so you know the restaurant is converted into a club at 11:45. Another place said that they’ve been completely booked since last year and that you could “go f*ck yourself.” The third place just laughed and hung up.
I’m not going to lie, ChatGPT gave me a run for my money. Or maybe I’m just saying that so when the robots take over, they consider sparing me.
ahunt04@syr.edu
out the song. I also think their name was very fitting because Vera Kewl’s performance was defi nitely one of the coolest of the night.”
Beyond the ability to finally present his drag to a live audience, Rose also said they value Pride Union’s show for the safety aspect. While their parents have always been supportive of them, they were still concerned about their safety when walking in unfamiliar places in full drag.
Having a drag show that is so accessible and in a space that he is familiar with eases some of the safety concerns he and his parents had, Rose said. Rose appreciates how the show gives performers of all kinds the chance to get their foot in the drag world door.
“Walking around in full drag is scary,” Rose said. “Walking around in public and full drag, I get really nervous. Even walking around campus in drag or in anything that resembles drag I always have to make sure I’m with my friends or with anyone, just to walk over to a performance venue and that was the one thing my parents were concerned about.”
Having friends like Meyer with them at the show helped them have that feeling of safety while also giving them a support base within the audience. Meyer said that she loved being there to support Rose, but also because they could see aspects of their work within their major shine through their performance.
QuadStock, the annual one-day music festival, is returning to the SUNY-ESF quad this year. Food trucks and clubs will be on the quad at 1 p.m., with community members’ live music starting at 3 p.m. The event, put together by the ESF music society, will feature nine di erent acts including Pop Culture, Rhodes Corduroy and 89Frogs.
WHEN: Friday, April 21 at 1 p.m.
PRICE: Free
Sharkey’s
Head over to Sharkey’s Bar and Grill for a performance from The Garage Lights, a local student-run band. The Burkhart’s, Champagne Blondes and The Accountant & All-Thumbs will take the stage. Tickets can be bought online.
WHEN: Friday, April 21 at 6 p.m.
PRICE: Presale $19.03
Redgate
Come check out some Syracuse University talent as Gritty Jawns, Polarded and Angvl play at Redgate on Friday. The event will be a mystical Mardi Gras celebration and attendees can buy tickets by messaging Redgate or at the door.
WHEN: Friday at 10 p.m.
PRICE: $5 for presale, $8 at the door
Funk ‘n Wa es
Buffalo’s Farrow, a rock outfit with seven members, will stop by Funk ‘n Waffles this Friday. You can grab tickets online to see Farrow as well as Rochester-based Personal Blend.
WHEN: Friday, April 21 at 8 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m.
PRICE: $13.07
The Garden
The Garden’s time is coming to an end. This Friday, Shall Alcove, Peter Groppe and Sofia Violet will play the house venue’s final show. The theme is “garden,” so be sure to wear your floral attire and garden gear.
WHEN: Friday, April 21 at 9 p.m. with shows starting at 9:30 p.m.
PRICE: $7
304 Walnut Place
Rose knew he wanted to participate in the drag show after seeing the finals being advertised last year on South Campus. While they were too late to participate last year, they made sure they didn’t miss their opportunity this year. They even auditioned for fewer shows at Syracuse Stage in order to have more time to participate in the competition and focus on more film-based projects.
Rose is an acting major, but also makes music. Rose said they think their voice adds a lot to their drag persona. The deepness of their voice adds to their comedic routines while still showing off more of their musical talent,
“Austin is really funny and I think that comes through in their mixes and the songs that they choose to do,” Meyer said. “For the preliminaries they did “Funky Town” and it was this mixture of what’s become the typical drag performance that you would see on drag race and then also these sort of comedic fits. I think their drag is a little bit of everything, but it goes through the fi lter of who Austin is.”
Meyer said she has admired all the work and planning that Rose has put into creating this fully fleshed-out drag persona. She has watched them put in the work, from going on thrift shop trips to using their musical knowledge to mix songs and include comedic aspects in their performance.
Freshman Kaitlyn Kushner was at the preliminaries and loved all the di erent aspects Rose brought to the show.
“I really liked Vera Kewl’s performance,” Kushner said. “I think that they did a great job of engaging and energizing the crowd through-
“They’re (Rose) really good at telling a story and creating a character,” Meyer said. “I think in their first preliminary performance you could tell exactly who Vera was, what each, specific, weird little moment was that they created. It’s a lot of the stuff that we work on, in our major, sort of manifesting through in this really cool way.”
Rose enjoyed watching Disney fi lms when they were younger and was especially intrigued by the villains that always had a glamorous feel to them. As they grew up and researched the origins of Disney villains more, they were interested to find out how many are queer-coded – so much so that Ursula’s design is inspired by Divine, a famous drag performer from the ‘90s.
“Growing up and seeing these fabulous characters, I’m like, ‘why would I want to be Ariel when I could be Ursula?’” Rose said. “She has a bit more vavavoom to her. I also played a lot of Disney villains in middle school and those were the characters that I could embody this powerful larger than life personality and use my deeper voice to my advantage.”
ofentse.moipone.mokoka@gmail.com
Redgate is partnering with fraternity Phi Kappa Theta for “WalnutPalooza” Saturday afternoon. Ten artists, including headliner Laundry Day, will be performing at 304 Walnut Place. Proceeds will be benefiting the Children’s Miracle Network. Tickets can be bought through the @ redgatecuse Instagram or at the door.
WHEN: Saturday, April 22 at 2:30 p.m
PRICE: Presale $7 and $10 at the door
Scan this QR code for more information on this week’s upcoming concerts!
You are a person becoming either someone else or a heightened version of yourself. Some inner part about yourself is then highlighted and shown to other people. That’s really what gravitates other people to watch that, to enjoy it as a form of entertainment.
Austin Rose
DRAG PERFORMER
To tackle the issue of poverty and begin improving the living conditions of Syracuse residents, solutions are needed to address the root of the problem. This begins with introducing accessible means of transportation.
Unfortunately, Syracuse’s public bus transportation — the Centro Transit Hub — is known for its unreliability and inaccessibility. Residents have taken to social media like Reddit as far as seven years ago to write their complaints on unresolved issues, and are still making complaints now. With the public transit system being so unreliable, both workers and Syracuse University students are affected.
Many complaints point out the long wait to reach their destination. Some note that taking the Centro is a lost cause unless you live downtown or on SU’s campus. The Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council collected responses from a survey regarding passengers experiences while riding the Centro, but that was in 2018. SMTC released a new survey this year, but the effort is absent and SMTC hasn’t publicized how they will go about responding to these complaints.
While we praise the introduction of projects like Micron and the arrival of Amazon, these new job opportunities cannot be filled by locals if they don’t have reliable means of getting to these workplaces. The Amazon warehouse is located in Dewitt and Micron will be located in Clay, both outside of Syracuse. For an Amazon employee taking the bus from downtown Syracuse out to Dewitt, the ride would take 35 minutes. Centro has partnered with Amazon to provide routes to have employees from the city be driven to Dewitt, but these bus routes stop at 9 p.m. and many Amazon workers’ shifts go beyond midnight.
Research has found that transportation insecurity is a significant factor in persistent poverty, which is evident in Syracuse. Poverty is not the result of a single barrier, but an accumulation of many. How can individuals take advantage of employment opportunities when they have no way to reach their place of work?
Accessible and reliable public transportation can remove barriers to job access, but the current state of public transportation in Syracuse leaves much to be desired. With one in four households in Syracuse not owning a car, the bus should be the next best option. As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, we see the effects of Centro employees retiring or quitting during the pandemic and budget cuts leading to Centro getting rid of bus routes. This has left many Syracuse residents without reliable transportation options. Centro has actively been making efforts to hire more employees, but it’s not enough to meet the growing demand for faster and reliable public transportation after the pandemic.
Plans to create a rapid transit bus route are underway, but these plans can only go so far as of right now. On top of the ones Centro is currently supplying, millions of dollars and more employees are needed. Centro has ordered 82 more buses, which is a step in the right
direction. But to make these buses useful, we need more drivers, including filling up all 200 positions positions. The city needs more plans that can benefit residents in the present.
All these investments to bring job opportunities into the city become pointless when Syracuse locals have no way to reach these jobs or simply navigate their way in the city. Centro is funded through the state, and while the budget is being discussed, focus is on how to get the numbers of riders back up. The same issue arises again: why would people be willing to drive the Centro when they find it unreliable?
The city and Centro need to first find a solution to hire more drivers. A lack of drivers limits the amount of bus routes available in the city. While Centro waits for plans like rapid transit to be implemented, funding and focus needs to be placed upon creating programs and services that create candidates to become drivers.
Centro bus drivers are paid a salary of $40,000 plus benefits. According to ZipRecruiter, 14% of Syracuse locals are paid just below that — about $30,000. Even with more desirable pay, the requirements to become a bus driver for Centro can limit the pool of applicants.
Barriers arise for residents who possibly grew up in public housing, may have limited access to education and never got their driver’s license. Only 27% of Syracuse residents have a high school diploma or GED, and the cost of a schooling before earning a CDL license required to drive a bus can range between $3,000 and $10,000.
The city should consider investing in driver training programs to help people learn the skills they need to be employed by Centro. This would create more job opportunities for Syracuse residents and help tackle the issue of poverty throughout the city.
Another forgotten issue is how a lack of transportation affects those with disabilities. Programs like Call-A-Bus are in place to assist those with disabilities to use Centro. But those who use this option have to fill out applications and show proof of their disability, and the application approval can take between two weeks and months.
When public transport falls short, the only option is to use Uber or Lyft. While Uber tries to mitigate this issue for those with disabilities by waiving the wait time fee, there is still the issue of economic disadvantages for those who cannot afford Uber’s regular prices. Even if these cars arrive, they may not be accessible for someone who is in a wheelchair, for example.
A fundamental factor of a holistic existence, where both individuals and communities can be developed, depends on the mobility and accessibility of a city. Beyond entry to these buses, Syracuse must also ensure that they are efficient, safe, affordable and available for all residents.
Syracuse has been seeing new options available for residents to reach their destination. The Veo e-bicycles are a nice alternative, but they aren’t accessible for everyone and don’t suffice when traveling during the winter. More pressure is needed coming from the community and local leadership to improve the current state of the bus system in Syracuse.
Sarhia Rahim is a sophomore policy studies major. Her column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at slrahim@syr.edu.
Syracuse’s public transportation is unreliable and inaccessible, leading to high poverty ratesBeyond entry to these buses, Syracuse must also ensure that they are efficient, safe, affordable and physically accessible. daily orange file photo
Syracuse solidified its No. 1 spot on the Inside Lacrosse Women/Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association rankings with a tough 14-12 win over thenNo. 5 North Carolina.
Syracuse’s trip to Chapel Hill last Saturday started with UNC taking an early 1-0 lead off Melissa Sconone’s goal. But the Orange responded with three straight scores. SU maintained that lead until the Tar Heels made a run at the end of the second period and the beginning of the third.
North Carolina tied the game at eight apiece six minutes into the second half. Then, the teams continued to trade blows for the rest of the contest, staying within a goal or two of each other the whole time.
Meaghan Tyrrell’s goal with 5:40 left in the game gave her the second spot on Syracuse’s all time point list and the Orange a 12-11 lead. UNC answered soon after, but backto-back goals by Megan Carney and Emma Tyrrell put the game out of reach late.
SU will now host No. 5 Boston College, the last stepping stone of an undefeated regular season. The two teams will face off at the SU Soccer Stadium on Thursday night.
Here’s everything you need to know about Boston College (12-3, 7-1 Atlantic Coast):
All-time series
Syracuse leads 17-9.
Last time they played
Although Syracuse won the first 12 games it ever played against Boston College, the team has lost seven out of the last nine matchups. Most recently, the Orange fell to the Eagles 15-13 on April 22 of last year in Chestnut Hill.
Syracuse controlled this game at the beginning. Meaghan put her team up 1-0 just two minutes into the first, with several
more SU goals to follow. The Orange found themselves up 4-2 with under two minutes left in the quarter, but BC’s Kayla Martello scored two fast goals to even it up going into the second frame.
Boston College started pulling away after halftime, leading 12-8 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Eagles extended the lead to five in the opening moments of the final period, but Syracuse began to surge back. The Orange scored four times in three minutes to bring the game back within one. It stayed at 13-12 for a while, but BC tacked on two more as the Eagles handed Syracuse its fourth loss of 2022.
The Eagles report Boston College has been one of the premier teams in college lacrosse in recent memory, appearing in the last three national cham -
pionship games and winning in 2021. Last year, it blew a fourth quarter lead to UNC in the championship, losing 12-11.
BC started the season just 3-2 after losses to powerhouse Northwestern on February 19 and North Carolina on March 1. The Eagles proceeded to win nine of their next ten games, dropping one to undefeated Denver.
Five of the team’s top seven points leaders from last season are back this year. Attack Jenn Medjid leads with 79 points off 61 goals and 18 assists. She’s also third in the nation in points per game and first in the ACC in goals per game. Fellow attack Mckenna Davis is second in the conference behind Syracuse’s Emma Ward in assists per game.
Similar to the UNC game, a big difference in
this year’s matchup against Boston College is that Syracuse will have its top midfielders. Emma and Sierra Cockerille missed the 2022 matchup with ACL tears. This could allow Syracuse to win the possession battle, something it couldn’t achieve against the Eagles in 2022 when it fell behind in shots, turnovers, ground balls and draw controls.
Syracuse might have to rely heavily on Delaney Sweitzer as Boston College is exceptional at applying pressure on opposing goalies. The Eagles have gotten off the sixth most shots of any team in the NCAA this season, averaging over 33 per game. But Sweitzer should be ready for the challenge.
The Eagles have rotated two goalies this year, with Rachel Hall starting seven games and Shea Dolce starting eight. Collectively, the pair saves 7.47 shots per game, which is the least in the conference. The Syracuse offense has the best shot percentage in the nation and should have no trouble breaking through as long as it loads up the net with shots.
Stat to know: 13.40
The Eagles struggle to scoop up loose balls. The team only picks up 13.40 ground balls per game, which is third to last in the ACC. Syracuse, on the other hand, is second in the ACC with 15.80. Boston College does a good job on the draw control and winning the turnover battle, but this is the one area it struggles to win possession.
Player to watch: Sydney Scales, defense, No. 45
Junior Sydney Scales is Boston College’s standout player on defense. She ranks second in the conference in caused turnovers per game with 1.87. Scales also leads the Eagles in ground balls, with eight more than anyone else on the squad. In 2022, Scales earned IWLCA Second-Team All-American honors as well as a spot on the All-ACC First Team. mahassan@syr.edu
Leo’s trainer and former Premier League Lacrosse star for Archers LC.
As eighth graders, 40 miles away from each other, Spallina and Leo were both pulled up to their high school’s varsity squads. Spallina became the first eighth grader to start for Mount Sinai’s varsity team in decades, receiving all-county and rookie of the year honors with 39 goals and 45 assists.
Leo said that being the young guy helped him build more confidence, competing against players who were five years older than him. He had 19 goals and 12 assists as MacArthur High School’s main scoring threat.
Being young players on varsity helped the duo hone in their strong suits. Mike said that Leo became a physical, downhill dodger, reliant on his speed to get past any defender and pinpoint accuracy to score. Spallina wasn’t the fastest, instead using his hips and shoulders to shake off defenders, said Mount Sinai assistant Luke Daquino.
Their coaches also helped them add more skills
it’s gonna be a huge advantage for us.”
Brown made quick changes after arriving. Before, players had the choice of eating with the team or taking food to-go, Pena said. Now, it’s mandatory for players to sit and eat during team dinners, ensuring they’re getting the proper food. Brown makes sure players eat before and after practice, defensive lineman Kevon Darton said.
The expectation for a team nutritionist is that players can stay healthy and avoid injuries, they said. That comes through staying hydrated, eating well and avoiding certain meals, but also by stretching and taking ice and warm baths, defensive back Isaiah Johnson said. Since Syracuse practices early in the morning — typically starting around 8 a.m. — getting enough sleep is difficult, but important, Johnson added.
“I would say everybody looks a little more healthy with Tori here,” quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson said. “Some players are coming out full speed, no holding back, with Tori putting nutrients and vitamins in our body.”
Syracuse has numerous players trying to gain, lose or maintain weight, Johnson said, and Brown has been crucial. Wide receiver Oronde Gadsden II said he talked with Brown about what food and supplements to take to stay healthy. Enrique Cruz Jr. said having a nutritionist helps “tremendously”
to their arsenal. Schreiber made small tweaks to Leo’s form, helping him control more of his lower, nontraditional release points. Daquino improved his patience and ability at X, a position which has since defined his career. Leo started to use more shot fakes and learned how to “set up his dodge.” Spallina figured out how to score from tough angles. Both worked on their nondominant hand too.
“You get a feel of what they think and how they look at the game,” Leo said about working with different trainers on the island.
As juniors, Leo and Spallina were invited to the Under Armour Classic with Joe as head coach of Long Island’s squad. It wasn’t the first time the pair played together, but Spallina said it was the first time they dominated. Soon after the showcase, Leo thought it was a good idea to start building chemistry with Spallina, so he joined Team 91.
But for most of his life, Leo was a mainstay on the left wing of the attack, equipped with a quick release that allowed him to score against the tightest coverage. Syracuse already had a player like
with the offensive line’s development by ensuring players eat enough healthy food.
“I’ve been super happy about it,” linebacker Marlowe Wax said. “You can just feel the energy around her, and how happy the team is with her being here. It’s definitely a big thing.”
Brown’s hiring had been a long time coming, said Garay, who recognized the need after arriving in Syracuse in 2005. She was surprised SU was one of the few major conference programs without any full-time sports dieticians despite having strong athletic and nutrition programs.
Garay said she presented a proposal outlining the duties of a dietician for all sports to a Syracuse athletic department administrator several years ago. There was interest, she said, but was told it was a budgetary decision not to create a new position.
There was some headway made on creating the position a few years ago, but those conversations “died completely” when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Garay said. Brainstorming sessions with athletic department officials included the details of the position, how the person would work with existing people in athletics and how to work with students in the nutrition program.
The newly renovated Lally Athletics Complex has two cafeterias — one for football, and one for all other sports — which furthered the need for a nutritionist, Garay said.
Syracuse lost several key players — including Garrett Williams and Chris Elmore — for the
that in Owen Hiltz, so Joe and Leo switched him to midfield in preparation for his arrival at SU.
forward and trust that Spallina, who was the quarterback of Team 91’s offense, would give him the ball back. Once he did, the offense opened up.
Spallina said it took only one tournament for the duo to realize they perfectly complemented each other. Leo’s athleticism helped him get open or underneath defenders, leading to easy goals. Spallina said that opponents putting a short-stick matchup on Leo is “disrespectful.” Leo said he could care less.
The pair dominated with Team 91 through tournaments like Mesa Fresh and Laxachusetts. It got to the point where Leo said Spallina had eyes in the back of his head. Spallina said he knew exactly where Leo would be at all times.
“This was a situation where he got a little ahead of the curve. It has allowed him to make a tremendous instant impact (at Syracuse),” Joe said.
Leo was always open to learning both midfield and attack, Schreiber said. The biggest difference between the two positions is the dodging angles, requiring players to free their hands up top versus coming around the goal. Leo said his speed actually helped the switch.
Joe said Leo had to learn to advance the ball
“Us together is really, really good,” Spallina said.
Joe had the pair run plays that he knew they’d run at Syracuse. They dodged the alley, fired it through X and played big, little around the cage. There’s still one play which they haven’t showcased — the fish hook. Opposing defenses can expect that soon. anish.sujeet@gmail.com @anish_vasu
season last year, and others, like Garrett Shrader, missed time too. Shrader also missed last year’s spring game with a mild hamstring injury suffered in practice, and later said he should’ve drank more water beforehand.
In November, Babers said the injury numbers were concerning and warranted the need to evaluate “everything.” A week later, Director of Athletics John Wildhack told syracuse.com SU was in the process of hiring a dietician and making other enhancements to alleviate the injury problem.
“We’re not quite sure what happened last year,” Babers said on March 21. “I’ve been around a long time. I’ve never had a year like that. And you know, sometimes it’s just happening. But if it happens twice, it’s not.”
Babers said Syracuse investigated the problem and changed some things in the weight room and in other areas, declining to share specifics.
With those changes now in place, Babers and SU will await the results. The Orange return 17 of their 22 starters — ninth-best nationally — in addition to a slew of players who missed time during last year’s 7-6 season. The hope is that Brown can help Syracuse improve in 2023.
“Now that we have (a dietician), it just feels like we’re taking another step to being one of those teams that has a nutritionist (and is) just competing with everybody else,” Wax said.
Their chemistry was not overnight. It was homemade, slow baked.
Joe Spallinajoey spallina s
father
NYPIRG will offer a refund of the portion of the Spring 2023 Student Activity Fee earmarked for NYPIRG ($3 for full-time undergraduate) to any student who does not wish to contribute.
For more information or to request a refund, please email your full name, mailing address, and a screenshot of your Spring 2023 Schedule of Classes to hdeans@nypirg.org
Before spring practice started last month, Jatius Geer sat down with Tori Brown, Syracuse’s new director of performance nutrition. After weighing 227 pounds last year, Geer put on an additional 25 to 30 pounds by himself in the offseason. He wanted to maintain that weight and turn it into muscle. So Geer went to Brown, talking about what to eat daily and what weight he wants to be at by September. Brown now helps Geer plan his exact breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.
Geer was one of the players who pushed head coach Dino Babers to bring in a team nutritionist. Mikel Jones publicly opened that discussion last summer at Atlantic Coast Conference Kickoff, and multiple players confirmed this spring they wanted the program to make the hire for years.
Syracuse hired Brown in early March, making it the last ACC school to add a team nutritionist. The Orange struggled with injuries last season, losing six starters for the year and several others for multiple games. Babers said Tuesday his main goal for Friday night’s spring game is keeping all his players healthy. Players said Brown has made a quick impact. Since her hiring, she’s focused on
preventing injuries along with players eating and drinking right to get to an ideal weight.
“It’s been great. Tori came in, and she changed everything,” wide receiver Trebor Pena said. “She’s only been here for a couple of weeks or a month, but everybody can already tell the difference.”
Brown graduated from Christian Brothers Academy and spent last season as West Virginia’s football dietician. She previously worked at Pitt in the football and basketball sports nutrition departments for three years.
An SU spokesperson declined to make Brown available for this story.
Syracuse’s announcement of Brown’s hiring said she is responsible for performing dietary assessments and creating nutrition programs for all football players. She also works closely with coaches, performance chefs and the sports medicine and strength and conditioning staff.
Team-focused dieticians or nutritionists (the only major difference between the two is the certification process) can also provide “evidence-based guidance” to help ensure healthy weight or body composition changes. They also help plan meals on road trips, said Jessica Garay, an assistant professor in Falk College’s Department of Nutrition and Food Studies.
“When we’re at this level of D-I, Power Five conferences, all of the players are really talented,” Garay said. “So you’re looking for these other ways to make sure
that you’re properly supporting the players to get the best out of them. And I think of nutrition — along with things like sleep and mental health and hydration — as these ‘X-factors.’”
In the age of NIL and the transfer portal, having a team-specific nutritionist can also help recruiting efforts. Each ACC school has at least one nutritionist or dietician in its athletic department, and all but one program that finished in last year’s top 25 have one as well. Veronica Tearney, SU’s director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports, helps with nutrition in the athletic department, but doesn’t work with football.
“They’re things that you’re not going to necessarily focus on in your training and practices, but they make a huge difference in terms of how the guys feel, and how well they’re going to be able to perform,” Garay said.
Before Brown, Syracuse’s football strength coach, Sean Edinger, was responsible for strength, conditioning and nutrition simultaneously, Garay said. A nutritionist can provide significantly more individualized nutrition and hydration advice than strength coaches, who don’t have the time for that, Garay added.
“We’re one of the later schools to acquire one, and I think we’ve got a good one,” Babers said on April 4. “It’s something that we’ve needed, and now, she’s already off and running with our players and
see nutrition page 10
On the evening of Feb. 5, Zeynep Erman learned that an earthquake was expected to hit in Turkey. But earthquakes are relatively common in the tennis player’s home country — her first thought was “oh, there’s another one.”
But the next morning, when Erman was with a Turkish friend, she saw the news that thousands of people were dead.
“I tried to reach out to my family. The first thing I did was call my mom, my brother, my friends and everyone,” Erman said. “I was lucky that I had a friend with me.”
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southeast Turkey near the Syrian border on Feb. 6, and became the largest natural disaster to strike the country in over 80 years. The first wave killed
approximately 44,300 people alone. But despite the disaster, Erman has focused on activism through her work with the Turkish Student Association while playing Division-I tennis.
Erman likes simply spending time at home. She’s “family-oriented” and has lots of friends back in Turkey, some of which she practiced tennis with, so moving to Syracuse was a stark change. So when Erman heard about the earthquake, she said she was “in a shock.”
While Erman’s non-Turkish friends would support her and help her however they could, they didn’t understand her situation like her Turkish friends could. She’s found community in other Turkish students, though, leaning on them during the tumultuous time. Their dinners and get-togethers provided connection and community, Erman said.
Erman has been on the executive board of the Turkey Student Association since her sophomore year. When members heard the news of the earthquake, Erman said they wanted to help Turkey and get the school involved in those efforts.
Alongside the Turkish Student Association, Erman has contributed to fundraising efforts across campus, sharing QR codes and links to donation sites and information on the situation in Turkey. In addition to raising money, the organization also collected clothes, blankets, canned food and other essentials. The Turkish Student Association packed the supplies and sent them to the Turkish embassy in New York City, where they were then transported to Turkey on cargo planes.
In addition to contributing to helping those in need in Turkey, Erman has also found solace with the people
in the organization, including Didar Ozcan. Over the past few months, Erman has developed a strong connection with Ozcan, a Syracuse volleyball player from Fethiye, Turkey, who is also involved in the Turkish Student Association.
“We were the biggest support for each other. Having a person who stands with you but also going through the same thing, I think, is really important,” Ozcan said. “It’s a different level of bonding.”
While the contributions have helped aid the population back in Turkey, Erman and Ozcan’s work has also served as a way for them both to heal.
“Making sure to reach out to people to send help at home helped us a lot,” Ozcan said. “Zeynep and I participated a lot in helping people there. That was one of the biggest things that helped us cope.”
Erman’s teammates and coaches
have also supported her through this time, she said, and uses tennis as a distraction. If she didn’t have tennis, Erman said, she’d have so much free time and she’d just think about the earthquake’s aftermath in Turkey all day. But when she steps onto the court, her mind is on tennis.
“It takes a lot of character and a lot of discipline … I want to do the best I can this year,” Erman said.
As the team captain and the No. 1 singles player at SU, Erman said she felt an obligation to her teammates and does her best to put her emotions aside when she’s on the court. Competing at such a high level against some of the best players in the country, even amid everything happening in her home country, drives her to perform her best.
“It motivates me every time,” Erman said.
baherb@syr.edu
Syracuse
in March and was the last ACC school to add a team nutritionist. In one month, Brown has made an quick impact