February 2, 2024

Volume 92 • Issue 14

February 2, 2024

FSUgatepost.com

Out-of-this-world memories!

Young visitors in the newly renovated Challenger Learning Center of the Christa McAuliffe Center on Jan. 26.

Christa McAuliffe Center reopens after $8 million renovation

By Adam Levine Editorial Staff The Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning reopened to the public Jan. 27 after a multi-year, multi-million-dollar renovation.

Executive Vice President Dale Hamel said the University had been looking at renovating the Christa McAuliffe Center for “quite some time.”

He said, “We had conceptual plans, and even some initial ideas of what we would do if we could get the funding.”

Hamel said much of the financing for the renovation came from state funding after the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said $5 million came from the Massachusetts State Legislature as FY22 supplemental funding, which the

University received in FY23, to specifically be used for McAuliffe Center renovations.

The University received an additional $3.8 million of supplemental funding in FY23, $2 million of which was allocated to the McAuliffe Center project. The University applied for funding from the Massachusetts Skills Grant Program and received $500,000.

Finally, the University applied for funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council Facilities Program and received $125,000, which required the University to match with its own allocation of $125,000 for the project, according to Hamel.

Hamel said the first $5 million allowed the University to apply for other sources of funding. “The other agen-

Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST

News

cies like to fund projects that they know are going to proceed.”

SGA pg. 3 He said the funds raised went toward the three major phases of a proj- BOT pg. 4 ect of this size - study, design, and construction - with construction being where the bulk of the money was spent.

Hamel said there are “two main STOP BLAME pg. 7 objectives” the University wanted to NEW CONCLUSIONS pg. 8 achieve with the renovation.

He said one was to “reinvigorate the programs that were offered to K-12 stdents - and largely that’s middle school\because that’s where you have the largest impact is influencing middle school students to be interested in science.”

He said, “We also wanted to be sure

Opinions

Sports

See MCAULIFFE Page 5

Malcolm X’s daughter, Dr. Ilyasah Shabazz spoke at MLK JR. Commemoration

By Dante Curry Staff Writer Dr. Shabazz spoke about her passions for human rights and activism at the Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration on Jan. 25.

She said, “Continuing the legacy of my father, Malcolm X, and my mother, Dr. Betty Shabazz, is why I too still have a dream. Their focus on human rights and education inspires me to help others dream of a better world and to put in the work to make it a reality.”

She advocated for concepts such as social justice, the representation of her father, her passion for meaningful change and how all people can be a par-

ticipatory member in making education more accessible for all.

Her speech, “Is the dream still alive,” reflected a dream her father once had years before her.

Mia Ihegie, president of Justice Unity Inclusion Community Equity, introduced Shabazz, stating her many accomplishments.

This included Shabazz’s award-winning publications - five of which are historical novels. Her latest publication is the best seller “Growing Up X.” She has also served as a project advisor on PBS for award-winning films.

Shabazz has also dedicated herself to institutional building and integration of leadership development. Shabazz has a community impact with the city

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST of the University of New York’s Office of ICE HOCKEY pg. 9 Academic Affairs, which created a curBASKETBALL pg. 10 riculum to encourage higher education for underserved, inner-city markets.

Shabazz has worked with the Mayor’s Office in MT Vernon as director of public affairs and special events while simultaneously being president and founder of Shabazz Enterprise. She has also founded and produced a young adult development program to help provide the historical context of social justice.

She is also a member of the Advisory Council for Equal Rights in the Medical Coalition. As well as a proud member of Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST Delta Sigma Theta Sorority BEACON AWARDS pg. 11 See ILYASAH SHABAZZ Page 12 WONKA pg. 14

Arts & Features

INSIDE: OP/ED 7 • SPORTS 9 • ARTS & FEATURES 11

NEWS

2 | FEBRUARY 2, 2024

Editorial Board

Gatepost Interview

Editor-in-Chief Sophia Harris

Ross Barros-Smith

Associate Editor Ryan O’Connell

Christa McAuliffe Center Planetarium Manager

Interim News Editors Kaitilin Carman Adam Harrison

By Dylan Pichnarcik Interim Asst. News Editor

Interim Asst. News Editor Dylan Pichnarcik Opinions Editor Izayah Morgan Sports Editor Adam Levine Asst. Sports Editor Riley Crowell Arts & Features Editors Raena Doty Jack McLaughlin Asst. Arts & Features Editors Bella Omar Owen Glancy Photos & Design Editors Maddison Behringer Adrien Gobin Asst. Photos & Design Editors Alexis Schlesinger Illustrations Editor Ben Hurney Asst. Illustrations Editors

Emily Monaco David Abe

Staff Writers Dorcas Abe Jesse Burchill Dante Curry Liv Dunleavy Marcus Falcão

Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez

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TH E GA T E

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Richard Gill Paul Harrington Emma Lyons Andrea O’Brien Carly Paul Kyle Walker Heather Nutall Sophia Oppendisano Advisor Desmond McCarthy Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

T TH EGATEPOS

100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu

What is your academic and professional background?

My degree is in liberal arts and sciences. Over the course of my life, I have worked both in a professional and volunteer capacity in astronomy, education, and outreach. I have also been a park ranger and a dog walker, and I have tried to keep it varied across my life.

What is one aspect of your job that is unique?

In a planetarium, we are combining lots of different technical skill sets and interests. … So regardless of who you are, as a person coming into a space like this, you are going to bring a mixture of different relevant interests and areas of knowledge that different people can apply. … So a planetarium that is given love by the people who perform in it and who run it is going to be different depending on the people who come in. … In this case, I’ll give you a few examples - we have an all-digital system here, so we have plenty of ways to put content and artwork onto the dome. We also have an audio system here so there is a lot of thought and care that can be put in by an audiophile. Also in terms of the content of the planetarium itself, we explore more than just the universe because we have an interest in bringing different experiences for our audiences across the STEM fields and the arts.

Do you have any projects you are working on?

There are several things that we have in the works! We support the faculty here on campus. Different professors bring in interest groups and different subject matters that they want to explore. … We have an astronomy class that comes in once a semester. We also have classes in health and nutrition sciences coming in and they are going to work on exploring GIS data on the dome. … So, if we have data that we need to look at all over the world, we can put the world on the dome. So turning [the Planetarium] into a system that we can run easily is certainly something that I am working on.

What improvements were made to the planetarium during the center’s remodel? @T Architecturally, we stayed mostly the HEGATEPOST same. The dome above us did not change over the course of the project. However, we now have brand new laser phosphor projectors that are big, bright, and have a ton of contrast. We have a new

Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST

Ross Barros-Smith (right) with an astronaut statue in the McAuliffe Center Jan. 31. computer system that powers the video system. There is a computer for each projector that projects onto the dome.

Also, we have a new completely digital audio system. We have a subwoofer the size of a refrigerator, so a lot was done on the tech side. Previously, the projectors were situated at the center of the planetarium which would impede audience access to the center of the space.

Also, our chairs were bolted in place so we could not move them around. We now have a new modular seating system which may seem small, but the ability to move your chairs around the planetarium is a big deal. You can stand in the center of the dome which you could not do before.

How well do you feel Christa McAuliffe’s legacy is being represented today?

I would say that I aspire to do a good job with that. In addition to providing amazing experiences for our audiences, we also have the responsibility of carrying, renewing, and celebrating her memory. For me personally, my life is divided between Framingham - with the work that we do here - and also I live in a rural suburb of Concord, New Hampshire, which was another corner of Christa’s life. I keep running into people who knew her or had some kind of connection to her. I remember once I was standing in a department store in Tilton, New Hampshire, and I got into a

conversation with somebody that began about computer monitors. But then he told me about being in school when he was a little tiny guy. He wasn’t in any of Christa’s classes, but he knew her, and he said she was really kind to him at a time in his life when he really needed that. So when we talk about legacy here, we don’t have to look far to find the personal connections, and that is a weight that we are proud to carry. So that’s why I say I aspire to do well with this job.

Do you have any advice for students?

I think we have a responsibility to ourselves and other people around us to do a good job at what we do. I think a lot of the way that we get there is by actively putting ourselves out into new and potentially unexpected experiences and interacting with people who might not be the kind of people that we encounter all the time on a college campus. Go out there and have some kind of engagement with the world that you have to put a little bit of sweat into reaching.

Because when you do that, you’ll have experienced more, you’ll know more, and maybe you can even do more.

CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu

Police Logs Friday, Jan. 26 12:13 Disturbance, Checks OK

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Monday, Jan. 29 23:35 Alarm, Miles Bib (Burglar/Building) Checks OK

Wednesday, Jan. 31 01:09 Malicious Mischief, Larned Hall Report taken

Wednesday, Jan. 31.

09:36 Trespass Tow, Normal Hill Lot Vehicle Towed

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FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 3

Funding approved for Martial Arts Club at SGA

By Adam Harrison Interim News Editor The Student Government Association discussed the requested budget for the Martial Arts Club and amended several regulations in the bylaws at its meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

Vice President Raffi Elkhoury introduced the proposed budget for the Martial Arts Club and referred to the budget’s projected breakdown.

The first item on the breakdown is “a martial arts instructor. The idea here is to have a martial arts instructor come to campus and put on a class for students, and the idea was to have six of these classes,” he said.

Each of the classes would cost $200, so the total request for this item was $1,200.

Other items included promotional T-shirts, foam practice swords and nunchucks - bringing the total to $1,573.86.

Senator Tony Sims raised concerns about the cost of an instructor. “Do we have specific instructors lined up already, or is this a ballpark estimate?” he asked.

Elkhoury said the president of the Martial Arts Club “had talked to some specific company and that was the flat rate that they confirmed they were going to charge … per lesson.”

Senator Jacob Sargent raised concens about potential fees “that are either not included or needed in conjunction with a martial arts instructor,” such as health insurance requirements.

The premise of having an instructor come to campus was to avoid the insurance fee that would be charged to each student if they were practicing in a dojo.

Elkhoury said, “An individual insurance fee can’t be covered by SATF funds because it’s associated with a specific person. So it’s my understanding … that this method should avoid that individual fee.

“I don’t know what other stipulations are required in terms of insurance or anything like that, but what I do know is that it shouldn’t influence our voting on this because it’s out of our domain.”

Advisor Meghan Larkin said insurance wouldn’t affect the funding of this club either way.

Clubs have the option to get waivers for some activities, for example,

“Outing Club works with Gina [Pacitto, program coordinator at the Center for Student Experience and Career Development] to create a waiver for rock climbing for them, so Martial Arts Club will most likely work with Pacitto to get a waiver from any participant just to create liability safety,” she said.

Senator Raena Doty asked why there were only 11 shirts on the budget if they were for promotional purposes.

“If there’s only going to be 11 of them, it feels like they aren’t going to be used as promotional items. They will probably be given to members of the club, and I understand that members of the club love them, but it just feels like they could be used in better-

quested $299.88 for T-shirts but was misinformed the cap for promotional items was $200. Larkin examined the bylaws and said, “You can’t spend over $1,000 on promotional items, not $200.”

With the new information presented, Sargent made a motion to approve the Martial Arts Club’s request to include the additional amount they originally requested for promotional items, totaling $1,679.46.

Elkhoury said SGA needed to review seven regulations in the bylaws.

“There will be more changes happening in the future - we just wanted to get these completed before Big Budget because they’re funding-related,” he

budget increases from the unallocated funds anytime during the fall or spring semester instead of only during the spring semester.

Article 3 Section 4 removed a repeated clause.

Article 4 Section 4 removed the clause stating Group 3 clubs need to be heard starting in the fall if they have a budget plan for intended spending.

Article 4 Section 6C part AI was expanded to include any revenue from trips or events that are funded

by SATF funds go back into the SATF account. Student organizations do not keep the revenue.

Article 4 Section 6D part AIII increased funding for fundraising re-

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST (Left to right) Raffi Elkhoury, Ryan Mikelis, Aimee Takouda, Billy Hubert, and Jeremy McDonald reviewing the Martial Arts Club funding request Jan. 30. ways,” she said.

Doty suggested waiting until the club got bigger so they could “order more [T-shirts] at a better rate.”

Senator Cesar Matos argued the T-shirts would serve the promotional purpose well.

“T-shirts are actually an investment in this case because we’re already doing a pretty steep investment when it comes to the instructor, and we want to make sure that we are advertising this club and we’re going to be best using the time of the instructor.

“We want to make sure that it’s not just the current members of the Martial Arts Club joining, but making new prospective members join as well,” he said.

The Martial Arts Club originally re-

Weather

said.

All seven bylaw amendments were passed.

Elkhoury began by proposing an amendment for Article 4 Section 3, adding that all organizations are required to attend the annual budget review hosted by the Center for Student Experience and Career Development to maintain financial status at the discretion of the Finance Committee.

“This is basically to hold them more accountable in terms of coming to budget meetings,” which teaches organizations “about how to use your money, how to access your money, and trainings on all of that type of stuff,” Elkhoury said.

Article 3 Section 3C expanded Group 3 clubs’ permission to request

quests to $200 from $100 “to re”flect the fact that $100 doesn’t go as far as it used to,” Elkhoury said.

Article 4 Section 7B removed the clause stating a student parking permit will be provided to the President and Student Trustee of SGA. Senator Tony Sims awarded the U-Rock to Jacob Sargent for being “incredibly punctual, reliable, and brilliant.”

[Editor’s Note: Raena Doty is an Arts & Features Editor for The Gatepost.]

CONNECT WITH ADAM HARRISON aharrison3@student.framingham.edu

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov

Sunday night Feb. 3 Mostly Clear. Low 20 Light wind, with a N wind around 5-10 mph.

Monday night Feb. 4 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. N wind 10-15 mph.

Tuesday night Feb. 5 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. N wind around 10-15 mph.

Wednesday night Feb. 6 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. NW wind around 10-15 mph.

Monday Feb. 4 Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. N wind around 5-10 mph.

Tuesday Feb. 5 Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. N wind 10 to 15 mph.

Wednesday Feb. 6 Mostly sunny, with a high near 35. N wind 10 to 15 mph.

Thursday Feb. 7 Partly sunny, with a high near 40. NW wind around 10 mph.

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NEWS

Board of Trustees renames Office of Development and Alumni Relations

By Kaitlin Carman Interim News Editor The Board of Trustees discussed NECHE updates, the search for a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and a motion to name the Alumni Center, via Zoom on Jan. 24.

Eric Gustafson, vice president of development and alumni relations, proposed a motion to name the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, located at 45 Adams Road, after Joan Murtaugh ‘61.

He said Murtaugh spent her career working in the Framingham public schools and has been a “very active” alumna since her retirement.

Some of her contributions to the community include her involvement with the Lifelong Learning Program that partners with the Framingham Public Library, setting up five endowment funds, and supporting the Henry Whittemore Library, according to Gustafson.

“We’d like to recognize her by naming the house that houses our department in her honor,” he said. However, the board of trustees must approve before it gets sent to the Board of Higher Education.

During the opening updates, Board of Trustees Chair Beth Casavant addressed trustee nominations. The board is currently understaffed and is feeling “the added pressure” as three members’ terms are expiring in March, according to Casavant.

She said, “We also learned that … for every one trustee vacancy, we need to put forward two names - so we need to have a trustee and we need to have an alternate.” With the need to fill the five vacancies, the board will be searching

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for a total of ten trustee candidates.

Casavant said the upcoming Executive Committee meeting will primarily focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives. At the Dec. 7 meeting, the land acknowledgment statement was a primary focus.

During that meeting, the Board of Trustees were unable to trace the origin of the land acknowledgment statement. Therefore, the committee decided it “should start fresh to ensure that the process is inclusive and that [they] are using the land acknowledgment statement as something substantive and not just symbolic,” she said.

The acknowledgment will be included in the work involving the new University seal which included local tribes throughout that process, according to Casavant.

ers, we made sure people were involved, and we are doing this for the right reason.”

Casavant thanked Dr. Jeffery Coleman, Vice President for Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement, for “being present” and working with the Executive Committee during that process. She asked him to provide a list of “equity-minded” questions that will “help us get thinking about what the equity gaps are in our committees, and the long- and short-term DEI-related goals that we want to set.”

As for the next steps, Casavant said there will be a survey for committee chairs to complete in addition to a self-audit to determine where DEI is being implemented in committee work.

“Again, I’m not looking or advocat-

“There’s no way we will replace Dale Hamel as the person, but, as a CFO, we will look for somebody who can help us see into the future.”

- Nancy Niemi President She said, “Hopefully by taking this approach, even though it will be a more lengthy way of getting a land acknowledgment statement in place, it will be a way that we all can look back and say, ‘OK, we definitely did the right thing.’

“We talked to the right stakehold-

ing for forcing DEI into places where maybe it doesn’t have a natural fit, but I bet if we think about it and we look through the questions that [Coleman] provided, we probably could find some connections and things maybe we hadn’t thought of,” she said.

In her update, Strategic Planning Consultant Linda Campenella said, “If I were to sum it up in two sentences, those two sentences would be, ‘The process is working. And we’re making great progress - on track to meet milestones.’”

She attributed the successful progress to the inclusivity of their operation. “It’s working because it’s inclusive, and that was one of our paramount commitments at the beginning.

“Ultimately, we want folks to feel that their views and voices are reflected in the plan that gets developed so it’s inclusive,” said Campenella.

In her experience with other Massachusetts universities, she said the DHE (Department of Higher Education) likes to use the verb “tethering.”

“They like to see the strategic plans tethered to their own plans and priorities. So one of the things that we’ll be doing in the Strategic Planning Committee - as soon as this Friday - is tethering the themes that we’ve identified to three critical DHE documents,” said Campenella.

At the end of the update, President Nancy Niemi discussed how the University is on the way to its next milestone - the NECHE (New England Commission of Higher Education) report.

According to the NECHE website, NECHE is a “voluntary, non-governmental membership association that serves as an institutional accreditor and promotes educational excellence and quality assurance to its member institutions” in New England.

As part of the accreditation process, institutions must periodically undergo evaluation every ten years with a check-in every five years.

This is to “ensure quality, innovation, and student success across the ever-evolving landscape of higher education,” according to the NECHE website.

The NECHE self-study was due on Jan. 31.

Niemi said, “The draft that they received received very positive feedback.

They said, and I’m quoting now, that the overall document is one of the best they’ve read.

“It was thorough, supported by data, and well-structured - so that was extremely encouraging.”

She reminded the board about the upcoming NECHE team campus visit which will take place Apr. 7 - Apr. 10.

The University is expected to be notified of the accreditation status between September and November 2024, according to Niemi.

Niemi announced an executive search for a new Vice President of Administration, Finance, and Information Technology as Dale Hamel is retiring this October.

She said, “There’s no way we will replace Dale Hamel as the person, but, as a CFO, we will look for somebody who can help us see into the future.”

The University contracted the executive search firm Isaacson, Miller and lead consultant Dan Rodas to find the best candidate, according to Niemi.

“We look forward to welcoming finalists to campus in late spring. The timeline will allow some overlap with Dr. Hamel so we can ensure a smooth transition before his retirement,” said Niemi.

During the Development and Alumni Relations report, Gustafson announced the University has fundraised approximately $1.6 million this year.

Gustafson said they are waiting for a response from the Board of Higher Education to approve the guidelines for the endowment incentive program, “But it’s going to happen.

“It will serve as a great opportunity for donors who want to support endowment to have their gift matched by the Commonwealth,” he said.

Student Trustee Ryan Mikelis’ report focused primarily on SGA’s involvement with student life and partnership with the CIE. He said, “SGA has been highlighting the impact that MLK brought to the fields of diversity and inclusion,” referring to Martin Luther King Jr. Day that took place on Jan. 15.

Mikelis said one event was a “You Can Change the World table in honor of his legacy. … The goal of that table and the purpose of it was to highlight the ways to students that MLK left a legacy and how students want to follow that legacy.

“Our activity at that table was a footprint activity where we had cutouts of footprints that said, You Can Change the World by … and then students could write in the way they want to change the world,” he said.

The completed footprints will be laminated and taped to the wall in the SGA office, according to Mikelis.

He also announced that SGA is searching for a new diversity and in-

See BOARD OF TRUSTEES Page 5

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FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 5

Board of Trustees Continued from Page 4 clusion officer as Ellen Lopes stepped down for personal reasons.

Mikelis said, “We’ve really made an effort to reach out to affinity groups to see if anyone there is interested in taking on that role.

“Coming up on Feb. 7, we’re having an affinity group mixer to really help affinity groups collaborate with one another … and also create a better partnership between affinity groups and student government so that we can help them with any goals they have, and really represent the entire student body to the best of our ability,” he said.

Additionally, the new baby-changing stations that were recently installed in the Dwight Hall and Athletic Center restrooms were another way in which SGA was able to represent the campus community - especially students who are parents, according to Mikelis.

He reminded the board of the upcming Big Budget meeting, which will take place on Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in Mc-

Carthy 419.

Big Budget is an annual meeting during which SGA approves proposed budgets and allocates group one student organizations funding from the SATF (Student Activity Trust Fund).

Budgets determined this year will be implemented for FY25.

Mikelis said, “All students pay a $70 student activity fee that is annually allocated amongst all student organizations through Big Budget. And this budgeting and the amount of unallocated funds is determined by the numbers of enrolled students.”

The allocations will cover the organizations’ needs for maintaining equipment, providing services to the community, and hosting events.

Trustee Diane Finch asked Mikelis how students can receive funding for new student organizations, to which Mikelis responded, “I believe you need about two or three students with similar interest to form a student organization, and you just have to go to the EXP (Student Experience and Career Development) Office, draft the constitution, and then that club will be en-

tered into the group 6 organizations, which are new startup clubs.

“They’re allocated a set amount of money to use for a year and if they grow and if they’re consistent, then that number - their funding - will increase. … If they ever want more funding, they can request that from student government,” he said.

During the Student in the Spotlight, what Niemi referred to as “the best part” of the meeting, Dr. Michael Harrison, chair of the Department of Marketing, introduced senior marketing major Jillian Hansen.

Hansen is a first-generation Honors Program student who has been inducted into two honors societies and currently has the highest GPA of all marketing majors, “a stellar 3.82,” according to Harrison.

He said Christy Garcia, the Director of the Framingham State University Entrepreneur Innovation Center (EIC), stated that “the website was only possible because of all of Jillian’s hard work.

“Jillian’s done so well, she’s been invited back and is extending her intern-

to say the McAuliffe Center is a catalyst - a place where things happen. We provide the context for new learning to happen, not just in space education.”

She said the Center currently partners with five high schools in the area - Framingham High School, Marlborough High School, Milford High School, Keefe Regional Technical School, and Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School - for the Perspectives of Earth - Teen Mentorship (PETM) program.

PETM is run by MetroWest STEM Education Network, which is located at the Christa McAuliffe Center. It is “a project-based, team mentorship program where students work on real-world multifaceted environmental projects by integrating STEM and communication strategies” and includes a summer internship program, according to metroweststem.com.

“The idea here is to bring high school students to campus, which is again an important aspect - showing prospective students our campus,” Porro said.

She said the high school students work during the spring and the program leads into a paid summer internship focused on environmental issues. “The idea is to start familiarizing them with these issues, but also to start thinking about what we can do to problem-solve.”

The Christa McAuliffe Center was created in 1994 to honor Christa Corrigan McAuliffe ’70, as well as the six crew members who lost their lives in the Challenger shuttle explosion on Jan. 28, 1986.

McAuliffe was going to be the first teacher in space as part of the Teacher-in-Space Program with NASA announced by President Ronald Reagan on Aug. 27, 1984, according to the McAuliffe Center’s website.

In her application essay, McAuliffe said, “I cannot join the space program and restart my life as an astronaut, but this opportunity to connect my abilities as an educator with my interests in history and space is a unique op-

portunity to fulfill my early fantasies. I watched the space program being born and would like to participate,” according to the Center’s website.

The Christa McAuliffe Center is also one of the Challenger Center locations. The Challenger Center is “a leading STEM education nonprofit organization that develops and delivers simulation-based STEM programs to students at Challenger Learning Centers and in classrooms,” according to its website.

The Challenger Center was formed 37 years ago and has served over six million students across its 35 learning centers, according to its website.

Challenger Center President and CEO Lance Bush said, “This Challenger Center has been one of our most successful Challenger Centers and very meaningful, being named after the teacher in space, Christa Corrigan McAuliffe.”

Bush said the renovation “allows us to continue the great work we’re doing here and make it even more robust.”

He said, “We’ve updated everything - the technology, the software’s here, the whole experience for the students.”

Bush added the renovations are a “resource” for the whole community both the University and other students in the area.

He said his favorite part is the overall “wow factor” of the final renovations. “I walk in a room and go ‘Wow!’ and then walk in the next room and go ‘Wow!’” Bush said, “My personal hope for this is what I hope for all of our centers - it is an integrated part of a whole ecosystem here that is inspiring and educating the students so that they can carry forward themselves in this path.

And this leads to more job opportunities here in this community and a better economy and overall a better society here in each one of the communities we serve.”

Framingham Mayor Charlie Sisitsky said the renovation of the Center “helps to put Framingham on the map” and can help boost tourism to the city.

ship in the spring semester,” Harrison said.

“Jillian was also a key member of the winning project team in Dr. Rahman’s Strategic Marketing course,” during which her team developed a social media campaign for Greenlight Analytical, a Canadian company that produces specialized testing equipment for agricultural projects, said Harrison.

He said, Henry Kay, board member of Boston Harbor Angels and investor, told him, “‘This group is so fantastic and the company is definitely going to be using their tag lines.’’’

Hansen said she is thankful for all the opportunities FSU has provided her with and the guidance of her professors. “The community at Framingham State really has kept me so satisfied here. I truly feel like I’ve been supported in every way.”

CONNECT WITH KAITLIN CARMAN kcarman@student.framingham.edu

McAuliffe Continued from Page 1 that more programming and offerings were made to the FSU community.”

Hamel said this is both through working with academic departments and expanding “recreational offerings to students as well.

“I think that’s an area that we’ll still need to develop what that means in terms of making it an interesting place and experience for students to be able to participate in,” he added.

Hamel said his favorite renovation is the digital projectors in the planetarium. “The digital projectors are really remarkable in terms of what they can offer.”

He added that despite the capabilities of the state-of-the-art projector, he will miss the projector that was installed two renovations ago. “That’s what I remember as the first time I went to a planetarium.”

Direc­tor of the Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center for Inte­grated Science Learning Irene Porro said the renovations began during fall 2022 and officially ended in October 2023.

She said the only walls remaining after the construction are on the perimeter of the planetarium. “We wanted to fully, efficiently take advantage of every single square inch in this space.”

She said the “key goal” of the renovation was to create “multi-functional” spaces in the Center in order to serve a “much wider variety of audiences.”

Porro said, “The planetarium today is truly what we say. ‘It’s a fully immersive learning environment.’

“It’s not designed for a specific discipline - it’s the opposite. It’s designed to accommodate a wide range of disciplines but also to create experiences with that intersection of different fields,” she added.

Porro said the Center was originally built to “provide learning experiences in space science,” specifically to middle-school students.

“That is what we still very much do,” she said. “But for me today, I like

“It’s just a win-win for everybody,” he said.

Sisitsky said, “We’re just excited that the state supported this program and we’re happy to do whatever we could to support it - we’re happy it got completed.”

Senate President Karen Spilka said she remembers bringing her two sons to the Center when they were in elementary school. “Their eyes lit up.”

Spilka said, “Everybody sees the stars. Everybody has thought at some point, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be cool to be an astronaut?’

“The story of Christa is relatable to pretty much everybody and tragic as well,” she added.

Spilka said, “We need to have more and more students get excited and go into the STEM field - science, technology, engineering, math.”

Spilka said experiential learning is the best way to get kids of all ages excited about STEM. “We have a lot of major problems that we need solved in the next years - the next decades,” Spilka said. “This kind of experiential learning center, I believe, will help our kids think about, ‘Wow, this is something I would really like to go into’ - maybe not ultimately as an astronaut, but a scientist, a chemist, or biologist.”

Director Porro said the Center currently employs 11 University students as part-time workers.

She said, “I want to make sure that we offer our employment opportunities to our students.

“Hopefully, the work that we do also contributes to - it complements the academic work that they do in the class,” added Porro.

Carlos Rodriguez, a senior environmental studies and sustainability major, is a STEM program facilitator at the Christa McAuliffe Center and a program coordinator for the PETM program.

Rodriguez said the upcoming PETM program will focus on solar farms and solar energy and the environmental

See MCAULIFFE Page 6

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6 | FEBRUARY 2, 2024

NEWS

McAuliffe Continued from Page 5 implications for environmental justice communities.

He said, “Here, we really like to emphasize the fact that we’re facilitators and not teachers, and we really emphasize that informal education, where we just don’t want to teach the students and have them memorize or just recite certain words. We want them to be able to actually understand the topics in-depth and be able to have a broader understanding of the implications of all the things that we talked about.”

Rodriguez said the renovation “allows more of the public to be able to get a better understanding” of the purpose and the Center.

He said, “These renovations really are just trying to get the word out there that this program and this Center is a place of learning and it’s not just a place where you sit down and get lectured. It’s a place where you can actually learn and facilitate that learning.”

Cesar Matos, a junior computer science major, is a junior program facilitator at the Christa McAuliffe Center and a program coordinator for the PETM program.

Matos said he visited the Center during his time as a student at the Christa McAuliffe Charter School. “It’s quite exciting to see how multi-versatile the space is in comparison to how it was in the past.”

He said he hopes the renovation will “increase student curiosity” and their “ability” and “willingness” to learn.

Matos said his favorite renovation is the new Mission Control, specifically the spacecraft part.

He said, “I feel like every kid is going to be excited by the spacecraft.

“I can see Mission Control being used for much more than just the missions themselves,” Matos added.

He said he hopes to replicate role-playing scenarios in Mission Control, such as the final project from his course focused on climate change with Professor Lawrence McKenna, which is designed as a simulation of the United Nations.

Anthony Venturim, a senior computer science major, is a STEM program facilitator at the Christa McAuliffe Center.

Venturim said the facilitators run the mission simulations in Mission Control and the spacecraft, which he said is his favorite part of the renovation.

He said, “I didn’t get the chance to see the old facility that we had here, but, well, the place is looking sharp.

“It’s my first time doing the mission and all the facilitators are here for the first time as well. So we’ve been working hard, and we hope to see everything running smoothly,” Venturim added.

He said the spacecraft is “the most fancy place in here” - complete with robot arms and new monitors to run the mission sequences.

Venturim said, “My main goal is to ignite the passion for the kids to seek more information about the space and hopefully work with it someday.”

Ross Barros-Smith, the Center’s planetarium and media technology manager, said he is “responsible for the operation, upkeep, and development of our state-of-the-art digital planetarium system,” hosts events at

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the planetarium, and works with faculty on campus “to develop planetarium lessons on topics including astronomy, climate science, food and nutrition science, and multimedia arts.”

Barros-Smith said the Center was doing similar work with the previous planetarium, but “what’s different following the renovation is that we have a wider horizon of imagination to expand our uses of the system.”

He said, “With the new planetarium, we’re investigating new ways to expand our use of it. We continue to use it for astronomy, space exploration, and STEM programming.

“Recently, we began using it as a digital canvas for the arts,” Barros-Smith added.

He said, “Another goal is to use it as an interactive data visualization tool.

We’ll soon be integrating GIS software with the system, with which we’ll be able to interact with the same data used by environmental scientists, city planners, and really any other field that ever uses a map. I cannot begin to predict all the possibilities that will flow from this.

“One of the transformations we’re enjoying is moving from a system where we ‘display’ content to one where we really explore things,” Bar-

groups of students have the opportunity to reserve the planetarium for activities. “If they’ve never seen space in a way that has been presented to them like the planetarium did, they’ll now get to view that in a completely different experience and just take in a world that they’ve never seen before - a universe they’ve never seen before.”

She said, “I just encourage everyone to go just try the Challenger Learning Center and the planetarium if you can.

“Just come in - just ask around. We’ll help you find your way in and then just enjoy it,” Dunleavy added.

Art and Music Professor Laura Osterweis, who specializes in teaching classes in graphic design and studio art, taught two sections of ARTS 213 “Time and Space” during the Fall 2023 semester.

The students from her classes created art that was displayed in the new planetarium.

Osterweis said the course teaches students art isn’t “just a rectangle” that hangs on walls.

“It can move and it can take place over a period of time,” she added.

Osterweis said she originally wanted her students to visit the planetarium because it aligned with the theme of the course.

“But for me today, I like to say the McAuliffe Center is a catalyst - a place where things happen.”

- Irene Porro Direc­tor of the Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center for Inte­grated Science Learning ros-Smith added. Liv Dunleavy, a junior computer science major, helps facilitate the planetarium events alongside Sirjana Bhatta, a senior computer science major.

Dunleavy said the new “high-tech” renovations of the planetarium are amazing.

She said the former layout of the planetarium, with the projector in the middle, has now been changed to make it more accommodating and accessible.

Dunleavy said there are two projectors, one on each side of the planetarium, and the floor is filled with moveable chairs.

She said the planetarium is “beautiful to look at and mesmerizing and captivating.”

Dunleavy said the staff is able to clear out the chairs from the space and are considering new ways to use the space.

She said Barros-Smith told her and Bhatta that their goal is to “take something that we learned at the planetarium and apply it to our careers - our lives.”

Dunleavy said she hopes her fellow students experience the Center. “It’s so important that people can experience the wonders of a planetarium and just the Challenger Learning Center - have that opportunity to connect with space and science and technology together even if they’re not a STEM major.”

She said clubs, organizations, or just

She said, “When I was talking to Ross Barros, he told me what he could do for my class and show us a presentation in the planetarium. And then I said, ‘Well, what can we do for you if you’re going to do this for us?’ And he said, ‘Well, I’d love it if you could make some art for the dome.

“That’s how it kind of all came together,” Osterweis added.

She said her students “loved” the project.

Due to the timing of the course and the renovations, her students began working on their art before they visited the planetarium. Osterweis said, “Everybody was thrilled” when her students saw their art projected in the planetarium for the first time.

“People said it was the project of the semester,” she said.

Osterweis said her students are already adding more work to the planetarium, including a student whose independent study is focused on creating more artwork for the dome and another student who was paid to take photos during the Center’s grand reopening.

She said one of her students was asked to draw a portrait of Christa McAuliffe for the dome, which will be a “signature piece” of the planetarium.

Osterweis said she is teaching a section of ARTS 213 this semester and has already expanded on last semester’s project to include animations and voice-over aspects to the students’ artwork.

She said, “I feel like there’s so many opportunities to teach in an interesting way” and hopes more of the Art and Music department will take advantage of the planetarium.

“I think it’s a really great resource.

I’d like to see more people use it,” Osterweis said.

David Ibbett, director of Multiverse Concert Series, presented his new song - “Carina” - which he composed and wrote to honor Christa - at the Center’s Day of Remembrance Jan. 28.

Ibbett said the Multiverse Concert Series, which recently celebrated its five-year anniversary, presents musical compositions for shows on astrophysics and space.

He said, “Space is for everyone and I just love being part of a Center that has that at its heart.”

Ibbett said space can inspire someone to be anything from an astronaut, a teacher, or an artist. “That’s something to strive for - something to inspire us to grow and to be better human beings - better to each other; better for the world.”

He said, “We want to be here performing music with visuals regularly in this really special, new planetarium so we can reach the students, young families, and adults.

“Music is for everyone and it can help to bring people into a field that might have been seen as overly technical. Space can be seen as just for engineers and astronauts, but absolutely not,” Ibbett added.

He said, the Center has been “making programs that try to embody that sentiment through arts and art that connects with science, and immerses people.

“We’re just getting started. I hope there’s much more to come,” Ibbett added.

University President Nancy Niemi said she loves that the school is “embodying” the integrated science learning of the Center.

She said, “I also think that the Center is such a strong conduit between the community and Framingham State - and it has to be.

“I’m excited for the rededication of that and for the future vision of what the Center represents in terms of education,” she added.

Niemi said she hopes students will have “access to learning opportunities and technologies that are co-curricular” and can “complement the things they’re learning in classes.”

She said, “We are the first Challenger Center in the country, along with the first school for teacher education in the country, and we’re marrying that with education for science.

“We are a small school with a mighty, mighty vision - and I love that,” Niemi added.

Director Porro said, “I would love for people to come and work with us people need to connect with us.

“We really want to engage with people,” she added.

For more information about the Christa McAuliffe Center, visit https:// cm-center.org/ and follow their Instagram @christamcauliffecenter.

[Editor’s Note: Liv Dunleavy is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost.]

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FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 7

OP/ED THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

McAuliffe’s Legacy, an inspiration to all The McAuliffe Center’s reopening last Sunday, Jan. 28, marked both the 38th anniversary of the Challenger disaster and an important step forward for Framingham State.

The Challenger Learning Center redevelopment not only highlights the importance of multidisciplinary learning but it now better aligns with McAuliffe’s mission.

McAuliffe showed the world that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. And now, when you step into the McAuliffe Center, people feel as if they can accomplish whatever they set their mind to.

Christa McAuliffe once said, “Space is for everybody. It’s not just for a few people in science or math or a select group of astronauts.

That’s our new frontier out there, and it’s everybody’s business to know about space.”

After an $8 million renovation, students from kindergarten to college can now have the opportunity to experience, or re-experience, all that the center has to offer.

This includes the planetarium, the Challenger Learning Center, and a space shuttle/ mission control simulation chamber.

According to a press release from the McAuliffe Center, “When you walk into the Christa McAuliffe Center’s newly renovated planetarium these days, you are just as likely to find health studies students meditating under the stars, or art students reviewing their original creations on the dome, as you are to find an astronomy class deeply engaged in discussion on the origins of the universe.”

This interdisciplinary mission has been fulfilled through the vision of director Irene Porro.

The main positive impact of the center’s renovation is the multidisciplinary opportunities available to all students and the surrounding community.

Here students can benefit from both the affective and aesthetic thinking of the humanities and the quantitative thinking of STEM. This educational approach encourages even more learning, according to an article published in Forbes titled, “How a Multidisciplinary Approach Can Shape The Future Of Innovation And Education.” “Universities exist to create original content and produce enthusiastic, talented students who can contribute to the betterment of the world. This can be achieved through various means, such as encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration.”

Framingham State is moving toward a model of multi-disciplinary learning through the addition of multi-disciplinary general education requirements that encourage students to expand their horizons and learn how STEM, the social sciences, and the humanities can work in conjunction to increase the learning objectives of students.

The McAuliffe Center encapsulates the importance of being exposed to all of these fields.

As a STEM major, there is a benefit in learning skills and materials related to arts and humanities. And that benefit holds for humanities majors being exposed to STEM courses in order to become a well-rounded student.

Framingham State holds a special connection to Christa McAuliffe and she will always be Framingham State’s most prominent alumna.

Framingham State honors her by being the first in Massachusetts to open a learning center dedicated to her and by having a multi-disciplinary approach to education.

This is a great recruitment tool for FSU - it inspires so many middle schoolers to pursue STEM fields and provides an impactful first visit to Framingham State.

Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST

Have an opinion?

Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu Opinions should be about 500 words.

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Gatepost Editorial reflects the opinions of the newspaper’s Editorial Board. Signed Op/Eds reflect the opinions of individual writers.

Stop blaming other people

By Izayah Morgan Opinions Editor Recently there’s been an online discourse discussing the failings of Gen Alpha. We, as a society, blame their failures on strictly one group of people.

For example, blaming their lack of attention span on the ever increasing use of technology as a form of self regulation.

We even coined the term “iPad kid” to describe this issue.

And of course we somehow find a way to blame the parents for not raising these kids the “right way.”

As if we are in the same exact circumstances that previous generations were in. We did not have public access to the internet until the ’90s and didn’t see the prevalence of social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat until the mid 2010s.

Millennials and Gen Z are not raising kids under the same world as even we were raised under.

I was born in 2003, all throughout elementary school the first few iPhones were coming out. However, most children did not even know what iPhones were.

I’ll tell a personal anecdote - I was around 12-13 years old when I got my first cell phone. My sister who is in Gen Alpha got her first phone at 9.

For safety purposes, and general use.

We even blame the teachers and educators for “failing to teach their students to read.”

This argument is understandable to have, as we want our children to read. It’s an important skill to grow. However, I think we often forget how hard reading is to learn and improve. All throughout elementary school, kids were taken out to assess their reading level.

R e a d ing and reading comprehension is hard to learn, much less teach.

All these factors lead people to blame others for the “failings” of Gen Alpha.

However, I do not want to blame the people for existing in society and trying to find an answer.

These online arguments may frustrate me but I must give grace to people Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST and our frustrations.

We blame teachers, Millennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha but never to take time to blame the system. It does not make sense to me, as we are using a system that is centuries old. Sitting in one room for up to hours and doing monotonous work to fill in the time.

Waking up as early as 6 a.m. to stay until 5 or 6 p.m. if there’s an after school activity. Monotonous homework for possibly hours on end. Just to have to repeat the process for four more days.

Parents have to work grueling hours, oftentimes underpaid, and inflation is high. Yet we expect them to work 9-5, come home, cook dinner, study with their kids for hours (depending on their kids needs) and have time for themselves, then do it all again.

Teachers are underpaid, understaffed, and need to teach 30-plus kids, while attending to the IEP and needs of every child in their class. After working extreme hours, with only a 30 minute lunch, we expect them to go home and craft a lesson plan for tomorrow and possibly attend to the needs of their own child/children.

The system we live under provides very little time to accommodate ourselves. So instead we blame others for the failings of the people that we love.

My argument is not to offer a new system as I do not have the answer. But it is to acknowledge our failings to see the problems in our system for what they are. Systems designed by people who had no idea we would be the country we are right now.

The systems are broken, and people are just operating in them.

Blame the system, not the people.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

OP/ED

8 | FEBRUARY 2, 2024

Arriving at new conclusions

By Ryan O’Connell Associate Editor I never really understood why people got so excited over their driver’s licenses.

I remember getting mine on my 17th birthday. I missed part of school, went to the DMV in Milford, and passed the test without very much fanfare.

It was neither particularly easy nor difficult, but I do remember being nervous. It helped that my instructor and the proctor talked about Disney World the entire time with a nonchalance that went against every driving test I’d ever seen on TV. I don’t remember very much about actually learning to drive, though, except for one very common question.

“You must be excited to finally get some freedom, huh?”

Members of my extended family, my friends’ parents, even strangers all asked some variation of this question whenever my age came up in conversation. It was always focused on the concept of “freedom,” or “escaping.”

I would respond with a “yes,” or an “of course,” every time - but I never really felt that excitement they were talking about.

The question always struck me as a little strange - it implied I had entered an entire new chapter in my life, akin to graduating high school or moving

out.

Learning to drive is a milestone in a small, unwalkable suburb like the one I grew up in, that’s true.

But I never saw it as that new chapter, or a car as some golden ticket to a free life. After all, wherever I went, I’d have to be back home by nighttime, right?

In my eyes, just having the means to get away still didn’t make it possible.

Besides - I liked my house, my town, my mother and sister. I liked my school, riding my bike, and taking walks in the woods. I had an appreciation for the time, place, and privacy of where I grew up.

Even then, I recognized not everyone shared that appreciation - but I never made the connection between it and why I couldn’t ever give an enthusiastic answer to the question.

Five months ago, in the dog days of summer, I visited a friend in New York.

The first time I had been to New York was earlier in March of the same year, when I represented The Gatepost at the College Media Association conferences in Times Square. The city enraptured me.

While we did have a few opportunities for sightseeing on that trip, like 30 Rockefeller Plaza, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and even The New York Times office - or at least its front doors - close to eight hours a day

Courtesy of Ryan O’Connell were spent in the hotel learning how to build a better publication.

The conference, I felt, was extremely fulfilling.

But there was still a lot of New York City I wanted to see when we left. So I decided to go see it again.

It took a little over four hours to get to my friend’s house. I avoided going through Connecticut, and instead opted for the scenic views of western Massachusetts and I-90.

I spent it talking on the phone, listening to music with my windows down, and shooting film photography out the driver’s side window when I made it to the Berkshires.

I passed “the highest point of I-90 east of South Dakota,” which I found to be a hilariously specific landmark. I

stopped on the side of the road to look at hills. I rolled through the very same part of Great Barrington I visited two years ago when I climbed Mt. Everett with my best friends.

It was the longest, farthest drive I’d ever taken. And I had done it alone.

The drive, only 200 miles, wasn’t even very far by American standards. I was still proud of it.

And being the lone traveler on so many beautiful back roads, I did start to feel like I had my own freedom.

When I got to the house, turned off my car, and stepped out under the spotty street lamps of a neighborhood I’d never seen before, I felt excited.

And I think I finally understood why everyone kept asking me that stupid question.

Campus Conversations

By Raena Doty, Editorial Staff, and Paul Harrington, Staff Writer

“What was your favorite field trip as a kid?”

“Any type of museum.”

- Amyrah Jones, sophomore

“The Children’s Museum, because it was super interactive. So I just got to do a lot of things and pretend that I was a meteorologist. That was sick.”

- Merlin Clive, freshman

“Triple High Meadows. It’s a place that has basketball courts, pools, archery and just a bunch of outdoor activities.”

- Bryce Williams, junior

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

“The Southwick Zoo when I was still in elementary school. Watching animals and stuff, especially the penguins and all that.”

- Christine Ballan, freshman

“Going to Plymouth Rock, because it was really cool to look at all the old stuff.”

“Boston. We walked around and we did a historical field trip for statues and stuff.”

- Storm Davis, freshman

- James Bushard, sophomore

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 9

Men’s ice hockey defeats Worcester in program-defining season

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

By Riley Crowell Asst. Sports Editor

By Sophia Oppedisano Staff Writer The Framingham State Rams defeated the Worcester State Lancers 6-4 Feb. 1.

Framingham now holds an overall record of 8-11 and a MASCAC record of 8-8, which currently ranks fifth out of the eight teams in the conference.

This is the first time since the 201314 season the Rams have won at least eight games, and there are six games remaining in the season.

Freshman Nathan Gines, who scored his first two goals of the season - and of his career as a Ram - said, “To be honest, we’re not really thinking about that right now. We’re just trying to think about the playoffs.”

Head Coach Mike Bailey said the season’s success starts with the assistant coaches - Melvin Nichols and Soren Colstrup - working with the team’s leadership - Captain Patrick Colgan and Assistant Captains Ashton Collazo, Devante Dixon, and Eli Slagter.

Bailey said, “Our leadership group has been phenomenal.

“They take a lot of pride in the fact that the school is so supportive of athletics and we want to give them some wins in return,” he added.

Bailey said the team has been working together as a “unit” this season.

“We pick each other up. We play as a team. We face adversity - we go down a few goals, but we never stop. We play for 60 minutes from start to finish and we try to play the right way,” he said.

Tyler Westfall, a junior, said, “We definitely struggled a little bit our first couple years, but it’s been nice seeing the progress.

“The fact that a lot of these guys that were there my freshman year have really stuck through and kind of made this program what it is now - kind of sowed the seeds [the] last few years and are finally starting to reap some of

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST (Left) Captain Patrick Colgan and Assistant Captain Ashton Collazo preparing for a face-off during 6-4 win over Worcester State Feb. 1. the benefits of it,” he added.

Framingham’s win comes after a lopsided 9-2 defeat against UMass Dartmouth - the number-two ranked team in the MASCAC - Jan. 27.

Colgan said, “We’re feeling really good, especially bouncing back from the tough loss - a beating - that we took against UMass Dartmouth. It feels good to get back in the win column.

“I feel really good about the team’s growth. I’m really proud of this group,” he added.

Collazo said the win over Worcester is “a good one to get on track.

“We kind of got destroyed on Saturday,” he added.

Collazo said the team was “relatively disciplined” against the Lancers.

The first period was scoreless for the first 15 minutes of play. The Lancers struck first before Gines scored only eight seconds later.

“It feels pretty awesome,” Gines said.

He went on to score a second goal late in the third period.

“All the hard work throughout the whole year - all the ups and downs. It feels really good to score the first two especially at home,” Gines said.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Rams fighting for the puck after a face-off during 6-4 win over Worcester State Feb. 1.

Two minutes later, Framingham freshman Scott Bugarin scored - assisted by Colgan and senior Cam Lindsay.

The Rams led 2-1 entering the second period.

After a slow start to the period, Worcester scored two goals and took a 3-2 lead.

With less than ten seconds left in the period, Collazo - assisted by sophomore Jake Barcelou - found the back of the net to tie the game 3-3.

Collazo said, “Getting goals in the last two minutes of periods is huge.

“I remember I got the puck at the top of our circle in our zone, actually looked back at the clock to see how much time I had, passed it up to Brady my linemate, he shot it and I went to the net.

“That’s a deflator for them, and it’s an inflator for us,” he added.

The Rams began the third period tied 3-3.

Framingham freshman Brady Rossbach - assisted by Barcelou and Dixon scored an early power-play goal to take the lead back for the Rams.

In addition to his goal, Rossbach spent four of Framingham’s 10 penalty minutes in the box. Both of his penalties were during the second period.

Rossbach said, “Honestly, I shouldn’t be in the box at all.

“I put the boys down a little, but I was super confident, as soon as I went in there, my boys are gonna have my back,” he added.

Gines - assisted by Collazo - scored his second goal of the game with 13 minutes left to play. His goal gave Framingham a 5-3 lead and put Worcester on the offensive for the remainder of the game.

Collazo’s assist to Gines displayed the connection between the team’s veterans and younger players.

Collazo said, “They’re the future.

“We need young guys coming up and for him to get some goals like that, he’ll be in the lineup more often probably on my line.

“That’s huge for him,” he added.

Gines said, “We really bring the

family culture into the Framingham State hockey program and all the guys are just so tight together and we just feel like one big family.

“The upperclassmen are really showing us the way too,” he added.

Worcester scored a short-handed goal on a Framingham power-play, cutting the Rams’ lead to one goal with just 30 seconds left of the game.

The Lancer’s goal proved to be futile after Framingham sophomore Brent Scott scored on the ongoing power-play in the final two seconds of the game.

Framingham’s ability to score power-play goals and hold steadfast on their penalty kills ultimately led them to the 6-4 victory over Worcester.

Framingham held Worcester to 1-5 on the penalty kill, allowing the single Worcester power-play goal in the second period.

The Rams host Salem State for another MASCAC matchup Feb. 3.

Colgan said, “Our goal for this season, at the end of the day, is to win the league - to win the MASCAC. That starts by getting to the playoffs.”

“Spirits are high and we’re going to prepare for Salem.

“It just starts in practice - make sure that we’re properly prepared,” he added.

Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Cam Lindsay skating during 6-4 win over Worcester state Feb. 1.

JANUARY 27 UMASS DARTMOUTH FRAMINGHAM STATE

9 2

FEBRUARY 1 FRAMINGHAM STATE WORCESTER STATE

6 4

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

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10 | FEBRUARY 2, 2024

SPORTS

Women’s basketball bests Bridgewater in highly-anticipated conference rematch

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

By Sophia Oppedisano Staff Writer The Framingham State Rams beat the Westfield State Owls Jan. 27 83-79 and Bridgewater State Bears 59-58 Jan. 31, extending their win-streak to seven games.

Framingham’s win over Bridgewater launched them into the number one spot in the MASCAC rankings and simultaneously marked their 18th win of the season, surpassing last season’s mark of 17 wins.

The Rams’ 83-79 win over the Owls completed a season sweep, following their 74-52 victory Jan. 3 in their MASCAC opener.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Gwendolyn Carpenter dribbling the ball during 59-58 victory over Bridgewater State Jan. 31.

Point guard Gwendolyn Carpenter said, “That Westfield game was a big one for us.

“It was a very physical game and we played well - we showed up in the second half,” she added.

Carpenter recorded her second career triple-double, scoring 21 points and recording 11 rebounds and 12 assists, and earned MASCAC Player of the Week Jan. 29.

“There is no individual success without everyone,” she said. “I’m just trying to do everything I can to get us to the championship game.”

The team’s combined shot percentages helped propel them to a victory over the Owls. The Rams shot 54.4% on field goals and an impressive 60.0% from 3-point range, exceeding their season averages of 43.6% and 34.1%, respectively.

Framingham’s only conference loss came against Bridgewater earlier this month and the team was eager to face off with them again.

Head Coach Walter Paschal said, “we’re very fortunate” to come away with the win.

“It really is the two best teams in the league right now, so hopefully we’ll see them again,” he said.

Forward Abby Martin said, “Ever since we’ve lost we’ve been working so hard to play against them. Bridgewater is a great team, but tonight they came out - they played hard, but we just played harder.”

Martin recorded six of the Rams’ 50 rebounds, one of them coming in a key

moment with only six seconds left in the game.

She delivered on a defensive rebound to get the ball back for the Rams. Rebounds proved to make a difference in the matchup. “It’s very important - especially in those clutch moments. We were all jumping up for the ball and it just happened to land in my hands,” she said.

Forward Kelsey Yelle recorded a double-double against the Bears with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Yelle said, “It felt so great to beat them but we have things to work on.

“We let them come back and we only beat them by one,” she added.

Shooting guard Chloe Rayko went 3-7 on 3-point field goal attempts, leading the team from the 3-point line.

She said 3-point shots are “very important” and they help the team “open up and get other shots.”

Rayko added the team is “feeling pretty strong,” and there was improvement from their earlier loss against the Bears.

Rayko said, “We just have to keep pushing.

“I think we definitely used the ball better and we were able to get more open shots - I think we let them get more shots last game as well,” she added.

Although Framingham struggled with turnovers, both teams were evenly matched and the Rams held Bridgewater’s largest lead to only 5 points.

Coach Paschal said, “We got down five late and the kids dug in - some big

stops, big baskets and we held down in the end.”

The Rams now hold an overall record of 18-2 and a conference record of 7-1.

Carpenter said, “As the season has gone on, we’ve gotten tougher, and we’ve had a little bit more want to win.”

Framingham travels to Salem State for another MASCAC matchup Feb. 3.

The Rams prepare for the final four games of the season before the MASCAC tournament begins.

“We have got some big games coming up - so that’ll be fun,” Carpenter said.

JANUARY 27 FRAMINGHAM STATE WESTFIELD STATE

83 79

JANUARY 31 FRAMINGHAM STATE BRIDGEWATER STATE

59 58

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

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Men’s basketball focuses on program’s future during recent losses

By Adam Levine Sports Editor

By Sophia Oppedisano Staff Writer The Framingham State Rams suffered lopsided losses this week 110-59 against the Westfield State Owls Jan. 27 and 90-60 against the Bridgewater State Bears Jan. 31.

Framingham faced two of the MASCAC top teams - the number-two ranked Owls and the number-three ranked Bears - with a depleted roster.

Only 13 players were available during Framingham’s matchup against Westfield and only 11 against Bridgewater.

In both matchups, Coach Donald Morris Jr. played every available player on the roster.

Freshmen guards Algis Puodziunas,

Korbin Gann, Geino Scaringello, and Makyle Hayes played eight, 10, eight, and 17 minutes respectively in the loss to the Owls. At that point, that was a season-high for each of them.

Hayes played 26 minutes during the Rams’ loss to the Bears - marking his new season-high of minutes played in a game.

Forward JD Okafor and guard Jahden Erold are two of the few returning players for the team from the 2022-23 season. Both players started for the Rams in the week’s matchups - playing key roles as veteran players.

Erold said that it’s a positive to get the younger players experience for the future.

Okafor said the younger players “still have a good mindset” despite the loss.

He said, “It’s all about the system that we’re in and just making sure as

Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST Kyle Philistin shooting free throws during 90-60 loss against Bridgewater State Jan. 31.

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long as we’re in the right system, then the outcome is going to eventually come to the way that we want it to be.”

Knowing the team was missing valuable players, Okafor said the plan was to “just go out and play hard.”

He said, “We know Bridgewater.

They like to leak out a lot once a shot goes up” because of the height of their players and the rebound capabilities of their roster.

Okafor said, “We just had to go out there play hard and try to get back on defense and compete.”

Despite the 30-point loss to Bridgewater, Erold said, “Our offense was a little more fluid. Defensively we got some things to work on, but that just comes with experience.”

After two more MASCAC losses, the Rams now hold an overall record of 5-16 and a conference record of 0-8.

Framingham travels to Salem State for another MASCAC matchup Feb. 3.

Erold said the rest of the season is “not going to be easy,” but he “definitely” sees progress for the future of the program.

Okafor said, “Framingham historically hasn’t been that great, but we’re seeing changes in the culture slowly year by year.

“It might take some time, but we just gotta keep grinding - keep trying to see that change in that culture and eventually we could get that championship that we’re trying to get to,” he added.

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST JD Okafor grabbing a reboud during 90-60 loss against Bridgewater State Jan. 31.

JANUARY 27 WESTFIELD STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

101 59

JANUARY 31 BRIDGEWATER STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

90 60

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

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FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 11

ARTS & FEATURES

Beacon Awards highlight FSU equity and inclusion efforts

By Raena Doty Arts & Features Editor On Jan. 25, the Beacon Awards - a ceremony to recognize outstanding inclusive excellence across campus, with keynote speaker Ilyasah Shabazz, Malcolm X’s daughter - were hosted in the Dwight Performing Arts Center.

Kenzler Joseph, president of the Black Student Union, and Ryanna Coelho, president of Tau Sigma National Honor Society at FSU, acted as the emcees for the event.

Joseph began by introducing the Greater Framingham Community Church choir, which sang the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” A copy of the lyrics was printed out and included in the event program so attendees could sing along.

“Dr. King told us that the arc of the moral universe is long but bends toward justice, so as we listen, learn, and celebrate tonight, let’s reflect on how we can continue to make this dream a reality,” she said.

Jerome Burke, director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE), came to the stage next to introduce the 10 Beacon Award nominees and then announced the four winners: Kathleen Barnard, Rachel Avard, Santosha Adhibhatta, and Willow Versackas.

Kathleen Barnard, student engagement coordinator at the Henry Whittemore Library, said she won the award because she’s “always tried to be very dedicated to making the library welcoming to all students, all faculty, all staff.”

She added she’s always tried to

not smart enough for that.’

“And this might be a more selfish answer, but we live in a society where we’re trying to solve some of these insane, massive problems,” she added.

“If we’re looking at these incredibly complex challenges and disorders and things that we need to address and remedy, how are we going to do that if all of our viewpoints come from one type of person from one specific race, ethnicity, gender, background, socioeconomic status?” she asked.

Santosha Adhibhatta, professor of engineering, said she r e ceived the award for her contributions to inclusive pedagogy.

She added she’s worked at Framingham State for over eight years a n d only came into contact with inclusive pedagogy a year or two after coming to the University.

Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST The Beacon Award committee and winners lined up on the Dwight Performing Arts Center stage at the Beacon Awards event Jan. 25.

President Nancy Niemi spoke next as an introduction to the Beacon Awards ceremony.

“The answer tonight is a resounding ‘yes.’ The question is the one that guides us,” she said. “Is the dream still alive? Is education fulfilling its promise?”

She said she knows the University is fulfilling its purpose as an institution of education because public universities like FSU educate almost 50% of the population, 40% of whom identify as first-generation students, and 40% of whom identify as Black and Indigenous people of color.”

She urged the audience to consider how much more accessible education has been made to students who previously could not access it “largely because they were not considered wealthy enough, white enough, or smart enough.”

Niemi said, “With the success that education clearly has had to date, the counteraction to it has gotten stronger. That counteraction tells us we are succeeding - that education is fulfilling its promise. It is fulfilling the dream that Dr. King urged us to keep foremost in our minds.

include people from many different walks of life by collaborating with the CIE to do “Diversity Dialogue” programs that create room for students to start hard conversations, putting up bulletin boards for heritage months, and compiling information about prominent leaders from minority groups.

“I don’t want to ever hear that somebody doesn’t see themselves reflected in our collections or in the events that we’re doing,” she said.

Rachel Avard, professor of biology and Mary Miles Bibb fellow, said she won the award because of her use of inclusive practices in the classroom.

Avard added one example of inclusive practices is allowing students to take exams in multiple formats - either as traditional paper-and-pencil tests or oral exams. She said this can help students with attention deficit disorders, students who don’t speak English as a first language, or dyslexic students, for example.

Avard added she cares so deeply for inclusivity for two reasons - the first is that “it’s morally right. There’s no reason why anybody should be looking at a STEM degree and going, ‘I’m

Adhibhatta said she faced barriers to her education because of her own status as a woman of color, and initially she wanted to become a chemical engineer but had to go into electrical engineering instead.

“That’s part of what honestly drives me, because I was like, ‘I know.’

I know what it takes to break the stigma,” she added.

Willow Versackas, a history major, won the award for creating the “History in the Making” initiative, which gave students the opportunity to sit down and talk about hard subjects like missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, the Holocaust, American slavery, and the Iranian revolution.

Emma Laurie, program coordinator at the CIE, announced Versackas’ award and said, “By infusing an element of ‘fun’ into history, Willow effortlessly connects the past with contemporary society, leaving a lasting impact on the campus community.”

Burke emphasized that the award is given to community members who are doing more than expected.

“That’s what the Beacon Awards’ intention is - is to recognize those

persons who, their job description doesn’t necessarily say, ‘This is what you should be doing,’ right?” he said.

Burke took over as the director of the CIE starting in the fall. He said when he came in, he wanted to improve upon what already existed in the University, including the Beacon Awards.

“I wanted to ensure that the work of [diversity, equity, and inclusion] is not just seen as division work,” he said. “It should be campus work.”

He added the Beacon Award committee was not working alone on the ceremony, and the entire Martin Luther King Jr. committee had a part to play. This committee collaborated with the Black Student Union in order to hear more student voices in the process.

Burke said the collaboration went extraordinarily well because everyone was willing to make sacrifices for the greater good of the event.

“What was rewarding is that I literally saw where each committee member was willing to give up something, right?” he said. He added seeing those sacrifices coming together for the event was the most rewarding part of the entire night.

Jeffrey Coleman, vice president of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE), said he hopes to see the event grow in the future, especially in terms of student engagement.

“Our students who participated this year - this is going to be something that they will remember for the rest of their lives,” he said. “The more we can create more of these experiences and invest in these experiences, I think we’re creating that ideal campus community that we’re looking for.”

After the award ceremony, Mia Ihegie, president of Justice. Unity. Inclusion. Community. Equity. (JUICE) announced keynote speaker Ilyasah Shabazz.

In her speech, Shabazz said her mother’s ability to stay hopeful and optimistic in face of her husband’s death is why she’s here today.

She added her mother “safeguarded” her father’s legacy, allowing it to survive into the present, but despite that, Malcolm X’s legacy has faced severe challenges due to societal misunderstandings.

Shabazz said people tend to place her father in opposition to Martin Luther King Jr., even though they were much more similar than they were different.

“Dr. King’s words still ring true the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. But we also need to add Malcolm’s addendum - it won’t bend on its own,” she said.

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ARTS & FEATURES

Ilyasah Shabazz Continued from Page 1 Incorporation and she serves as a trustee for the Harlem Snipers.

Shabazz first gave a moment of silence to honor Dexter Scott King, son of Martin Luther King Jr., who died on Jan. 22.

She opened her speech by saying, “In such a spirit, I’d like to begin by giving praise to our ancestors. ... Those who have not been honored in history.

Those whose stories have not been properly documented.”

Shabazz said when she was a child, she watched her father be assassinated while her pregnant mother used her body to shield her children from the gunfire and trauma of seeing their father’s death.

Shabazz added, despite this, “Sister Betty never gave into bitterness or despair,” and always continued to spread the word of her father.

“Had my mother become a victim after having endured such a loss in the manner that she did, I would not be standing here this evening appearing to be healthy,” she said.

Shabazz said her father is often misrepresented in the media. “The Malcolm you learned about is not the Malcolm we’ve come to know in truth,” she added.

She said her mother “safeguarded the accurate legacy” of Malcolm X so history would remain accurate and memories would remain unsullied.

“I remember his beautiful smile, his love of jazz music, literature, poetry, and that he was, a student of history, religion, nature, and the arts,” she said.

“I know him to be a wise, young man with impeccable integrity,” she said.

Shabazz added she only heard inaccurate portrayals of her father when she started college, and they made her understand why her mother fought so hard to defend Malcolm X’s legacy.

“The climate in America was antithetical to the humanity of Black Americans, who lived in constant terror, traumatized and destitute without protection or hope in their own country. And it’s a familiar story to many of us,” she said.

She said the narrative around Malcolm X - that he walked illiterate into jail at 20 years old and walked out a human rights activist - is false. Shabazz added he read the dictionary because of a fascination with etymology and joined the prison’s debate team, which debated schools such as Harvard, Boston University, and MIT. “Ours is the challenge of reclaiming both our legacy and our narrative. You see, I believe that most people are fair-minded and that when presented with the truth of our narrative - including that about faith - we will respond positively,” she said.

She said faith is underpinned by hope, so it is always necessary to keep hope.

Shabazz added, “If we truly believe, then we will be challenged. To keep the dream alive you will have to face trials and tribulations…

“We also require courage - particularly moral courage. We need courage to speak truth to power.

To remain steadfast in our principles. To never give up and to keep on going,” she said.

Shabazz said optimism and courage on their own will not be enough, though - the world also needs “a mindset of futuristic thinking.

“The answer not only lies in learning from history but also in acting and planning in the present,” she said.

Shabazz challenged the idea that Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. should be presented as though they were in opposition to one another.

“My father’s point of view was human rights, and King’s point of view was civil rights. However, both are needed to accomplish our ultimate and common goals. Malcolm X and King made the ultimate sacrifice for the advancement of humanity.

We must stand on their shoulders and countless other humanitarians and take up the baton,” she said, adding it is Framingham State’s responsibility to keep the dream alive.

“In times of conflicts, we can choose to either fight each other or fight for each other - because when we fight for each other, our possibilities are limitless,” she said.

Shabazz said King’s words remain true today, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Adding, Malcolm’s addendum “it won’t bend on its own,” is necessary to include.

“My father said if you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s no progress - the knife is still in my back. If you pull it all the way out, that’s not progress - there’s still an open wound. Progress is healing the wound,” she said.

“Together we can begin the process of healing,” she said. “Once we learn that the only way we can truly heal is together, we will stop focusing on what divides us in the midst of tragedies and triumphs,” she said.

Shabazz said, “We have to ask ourselves what does humanity’s future look like. The answer not only lies in learning from history but also in acting and planning in the present.”

[Editor’s Note: Arts & Features Editor Raena Doty contributed to this article.]

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Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST (Left) Kathleen Barnard and Ilyasah Shabazz reading a Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. board in the Henry Whittemore Library Jan. 25.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Raena Doty / THE GATEPOST Ilyasah Shabazz at the MLK Jr. Commemoration Ceremony & Lecture Jan. 25.

Interview with Ilyasah Shabazz

By Dante Curry Staff Writer After Dr. Shabazz’s speech, The Gatepost conducted a one-on-one interview with her.

The title of your speech was “Is the dream still alive?” What drives you to keep your parents’ legacy alive?

“Faith, I think you have to be optimistic. You have to have courage and a lot of faith to make sure these generations of young people coming behind us have opportunities.”

How do you think the power of social media has helped with visibility in the fight for humanity?

“I think we are showing proof. We are showing images. We are showing people actually committing these kinds of acts. We are getting them on our phones and they are posting them.

Before, a lot of people didn’t even believe racism existed. Now we know what it is, let alone that it exists. Racism, Sexism, Homophobia, all kinds of divisive inhumane tactics to keep us separated.”

There was a line in your speech about pulling a knife out of one’s back and it still leaving a wound. Can you talk more about that?

“People like to say, ‘Slavery ended a long time ago, get over it’. My father said, ‘If you stick a knife in my back nine inches and pull it out six inches, there’s still a knife in my back’. Slavery existed for so many hundreds of years. How can you expect because there’s the emancipation proclamation that we are supposed to just act like nothing happened? It’s not just about the people who were enslaved. It’s about all of us because we all have been so miseducated and so misinformed. Blacks, whites, all of us, we have been misinformed. If we understand the truth - people were trafficked, targeted, held in bondage against their will, and all of these atrocious crimes committed against their humanity. So, if we’re telling these truths right - if we show who Malcolm really is - then we are going to discover these horrible acts that were committed, rather than address them. The only way we are going to address this is to pull the knife all the way out. It means we are going to have to face the truth, what someone did, these horrific sins committed against humanity. And now, we have an opportunity, rather than having our children being filled with anger, hatred, and being disruptive, now we can instill the values of truth, honesty, compassion, and forgiveness. We have an opportunity to do that.

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ARTS & FEATURES

FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 13

‘Silent Night’ - a Christmas wrath

By Jesse Burchill Staff Writer

“Silent Night” was released on Dec. 1, 2023. This revenge story features Joel Kinneman as an electrician named Brian, who tracks down the gangsters who murdered his son on Christmas Eve the previous year - he plans to murder them on the same day.

The film marks the comeback of legendary action director John Woo, who is famous for his history in the Hong Kong-based action genre. His most well-known films include “Hard Boiled,” “Mission: Impossible 2,” “Face/Off,” and “A Better Tomorrow.”

Overall, “Silent Night” feels much more realistic than other entries in the revenge genre. For starters, Brian is not an assassin or soldier but an electrical engineer. His first attempt at revenge results in him getting shot in the throat and rendered permanently mute.

Later, he gets soundly hurt during his first actual fight with one of the gangsters involved in his son’s death, and after his first kill he promptly vomits in shock. He gets beaten and shot repeatedly throughout the film, but never gives up on his goal of revenge.

Furthermore, we actually see Brian practice driving and using knives and guns in preparation for confronting the gang - he actually uses all these skills in fighting them. These details give the film some great depth and the story more impact.

A notable feature of “Silent Night” is its use of dialogue, as in, there is al-

most none. Outside of a police scanner, a radio station, and a self-defense video, there is no spoken dialogue at any point in this 104-minute film.

W o o wanted to go in a direction different from t h e rest of his filmography, and focus on visuals and music to

coming back to the present where his son is now dead provide some strong emotional torque and allows the audience to sympathize with him.

These moments not only provide a reason for Brian to go after the gang, but they also manage t o

h u tell his manize story. For him dethe most spite the part, this violent works.

The things primarily vihe does sual storytellthroughing provides a out the rather unorthfilm. odox yet comHowever, pelling presenthe narrative tation. device of zero In the leading role dialogue does is Joel Kinneman, fahit some snags. mous for his roles in For example, “Altered Carbon” and it prevents the the two “Suicide Squad” relationship befilms. In “Silent Night,” tween Brian and his Kinneman as grieving father wife Saya from being exBrian provides a stellar performance. He has no spo- Marcus Falcão / THE GATEPOST plored as deeply as it could have been. ken dialogue whatsoever, which restricts him to use body They do share several emotional molanguage, facial expressions, and his ments, but Brian is developing his reactions to communicate - this allows venge plan in what is essentially their for a much more intense performance basement - we never quite see how much this affects his relationship emotionally.

Silent flashbacks to the happy with Saya.

She does end up leaving him, but memories he had with his son, and

this scene could be easily misunderstood and the film could have benefited from having her discover Brian’s plan and confront him about it.

This can also be said for the main villain Playa, the leader of the gang that killed Brian’s son.

We see a bit of Playa’s lifestyle as a gang leader, but since he never speaks either, we don’t really get the chance to know his backstory or very much about him beyond “violent crime boss.”

In the end, “Silent Night” has some very cool action set pieces and a surprisingly emotional side, and is well worth watching during the holiday season.

Rating: AThe 21st-century “Die Hard”

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Galliano puts on a performance in Paris

By Marcus Falcão Staff Writer Maison Margiela recently had their Spring/Summer 2024 Couture show at the historic Pont Alexandre III, Paris, and it has garnered a lot of attention for all of the right reasons.

John Galliano is the creative director of the luxury fashion house Maison Margiela. He is a legendary designer, known for his work in Givenchy and Dior from the 1990s to the 2010s.

Since Galliano took over Maison Margiela in 2014 he has added his signature style of high drama and theatrics into the brand that has stolen the attention of the fashion world. Beyond his timeless and experimental designs, Galliano is known for putting on a show.

The Margiela Co-Ed Spring/Summer 2024 collection last October already went viral for the dramatic model walk and designs. Model Colin Jones was particularly noticed for her intense swaying stride.

Although I enjoyed that collection, I would say the designs were relatively subdued, especially knowing what

Galliano is capable of. However, this Spring 2024 Couture collection shows Galliano going back to his roots, and I am here for it.

This collection had many standouts - my favorite of which being the classic Galliano dramatic silhouettes.

The models look like paper doll cutouts as they walk with tight cinched corsets, heavy padding, and voluminous hair.

The show also pairs fine leatherwork and thick earth toned fabrics with vibrant and colorful see-through tulle. Galliano is a master of color and cleverly pairs completely black designs with full saturation pink, green, and blue outfits, all while creating a cohesive collection.

Robert Mercier, known for his exquisite fashion leatherwork, helped with the accessories of the show. He was able to create to chestplates that look exactly like porcelain despite being made of leather, which he described as taking months to research.

The iconic Margiela tabi boots also made an appearance at this show, though this time they were designed in a way to look like an animal leg.

One of the common comments

people make about the tabis is that they look like hooves with their split at the hallux. Could this design be playing off of this observation? While playful, the fur boots paired wonderfully with the black top-stitched jackets and dresses.

The entire show, from the atmosphere, to the looks, the music, and the theatrical performance of the models, all created a fantasy-like world that transported the viewer into Galliano’s fashion doll house.

The one detail that especially sold this was the makeup.

The makeup of this show, done by the legendary Pat McGrath. The makeup has almost gotten more attention than the show itself, a common occurrence with Galliano’s runways.

McGrath created an uncanny porcelain effect on the face of the models that has mystified viewers as to how she achieved such an otherworldly look.

Many believe she used liquid glass for the shiny effect, a cosmetic product similar to liquid latex. This glass effect, paired with the colorful Victorian-style makeup created

a more modern twist on Galliano’s iconic fashion makeup style.

This new show has some questioning if Galliano is partaking in a new golden age of couture. I would not go that far, but I would certainly say that this show is a stunning collection that adds to the other phenomenal couture shows we have seen so far in 2024.

The Spring 2024 Couture season has seen many amazing collections from Robert Wun, Schiaparelli, Alaïa, and many more, highlighting that Spring 2024 Couture will be known for its historic shows.

Margiela especially had next level designs, which is why it was my favorite. This collection will go down in history and further adds to Galliano’s long list of iconic runways.

This collection has left me excited for the next Margiela collection and shows that Galliano is not done with fashion, with much more in store for the future.

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ARTS & FEATURES

‘Wall of Eyes’ - a blanket of sounds

By Kyle Walker Staff Writer On Jan. 26, the English rock trio, The Smile, released their sophomore album ‘Wall Of Eyes.’ The album was produced by Sam Petts-Davies and released on XL Recordings.

The Smile is a project made up of two Radiohead alumni, singer-songwriter-vocalist Thom Yorke and composer-guitarist Jonny Greenwood, featuring jazz musician Tom Skinner.

Leading up to the album, the band released three singles, “Bend-i n g Hectic,” “Wall Of Eyes,” and “Friend Of A Friend.” At first, these singles didn’t catch my attention, quite unfortunately.

Within the context of the album, I was able to see the true beauty of these tracks.

The album begins with the title track “Wall Of Eyes.” It starts quite soft, with finger-picked nylon string guitar and quiet ambient percussion, giving a more kicked-back sound.

As the song progresses, it seems to get slightly more eerie yet more full and complete sounding with t h e addition of strings, auxiliary sounds, and Thom counting out the 5/4 beat in the left stereo channel. The placement of the drums adds a layer of dimension to this piece, best found when listening with headphones.

What I now appreciate about this song is how well it sets the stage

for the rest of the album, and that’s exactly the role an album opener should play. It also just goes to show that context can change one’s initial perspective of songs.

“Telharmonic” continues the album and is one of my favorite moments on the record. It follows a similar trend of the opening track where it gradually builds to a more emotional section. The track has a more somber tone with Thom’s reverberant and almost haunting vocals. This track is beautifully written and packed with plenty of emotion.

“Read The Room’’ disrupts the softer theme of the album thus far and instead follows a more psychedelic theme which seems to pay homage to rock of the ’70s. The song changes dynamics a few times, with heavy sounding verses, soft and twinkly choruses, and a final softrock interlude which carries out the rest of the song. Honestly, I would have liked to see a track this powerful as one of the singles for the album.

The song directly after, “Under Our Pillows,” follows the same psychedelic theme, opening with a strange staccato riff. About half way through, the song ends with a three-minute interlude which slowly builds with experimental sounds into a crescendo which then abruptly cuts to silence. This part is very “Beatlesque,” which I admire.

Toward the end of the album is the long-awaited “Bending Hectic.” This

song was premiered at The Smile’s debut performance in 2021 at the online Glastonbury Festival. Since then, this song has been sought after by fans and critics alike.

The title is quite fitting as notes are getting bent in and out of tune in the beginning section, which makes the song feel unsettling.

The lyrics depict a car accident, which is not uncommon for Yorke to write about.

This accident is depicted over the runtime of the track, along with the thoughts of the characters in the song. This track begins with clean tone instruments and strings as the lyrics depict the car leaping off the side of a mountain, and as they near the ground the song explodes into a distorted jam with a blanket of textures and sounds.

I could have seen this being the ultimate album closer, and I wish it had been.

What I love the most about the songs on this album is the attention to the atmosphere for every track.

Each layer or part plays a role, intentionally leaving empty space or adding onto it to add to the atmosphere of the record.

David Abe / THE GATEPOST

Overall, I absolutely love this album and I can already see it staying in my rotation for a long time.

Rating: AThis is my album of the year, I’m calling it now.

CONNECT WITH KYLE WALKER

kwalker6@student.framingham.edu

You’ve never seen ‘Wonka’ like this

By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer “Quiet up, and listen down,” a new chocolate maker has arrived in town.

The newest rendition of the classic tale “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” has stolen all of our hearts with its whimsical storyline and catchy, musical-style songs.

With an entirely new take on the story, this film adaptation tells the origin of Willy Wonka himself, his upbringing, and eventually, his dream turned into reality. Wonka was played by Timothée Chalamet, who received some mixed opinions from fans upon release.

I love the direction they took with Timothée’s Wonka. His character is dashingly charming and playful. I might go as far as saying - and consequently upsetting the whole world by doing so - he was the perfect actor to play young Wonka. He embodies this essence of childish wonder and mischievousness that makes me so drawn to him.

This young Wonka arrives in Europe after years spent perfecting his craft upon the seven seas. He steps off that boat with a dream to open a chocolate shop alongside the three gourmet chocolatiers - Slugworth, Prodnose, and Fickelgruber - and instead finds himself stuck in a contract with a dry cleaning shop after being misled and lied to by the

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The plot itself, though, was so sneaky owners.

Turns out these crooks have captivating I wouldn’t get up to pee nabbed many others, including a even if you paused it! There was nevyoung orphan, Noodle. She and Won- er a dull moment. Each musical numka quickly become acquainted and ber had me up and dancing, singing team up to grow Wonka’s business along with every word after a few watches. with the townsfolk.

I’m being serious when I say You see, Wonka runs into a probI’ve been listening to the lem early on that he can’t seem soundtrack nonstop - it’s to escape - he “can’t just that good. sell chocolate without The musical features a shop,” and he “can’t the best soundtrack have a shop without sellI’ve heard in a long ing chocolate.” This is all while.

Although due to the gourmet Timothée’s voice, chocolatiers’ unnot being theater derground “cartel.” trained, was a source Noodle and Wilof discourse by silly ly’s dynamic is heartinternet folks, I thought warming to me. He he was phenomenal and cares for her so deepmade every song feel so ly, and it’s portrayed very much more boyish well by and less forced.

Listening Timoto songs like thée and “A Hatful of Noodle’s Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST Dreams” makes actress, Calah Lane. They make a perfect duo my chest warm and puts a giant smile and emanate “big brother” and “little on my face. The storytelling through sister” vibes. each song and Timothée’s intonation The rest of the characters were creates an environment that feels more or less just plot. With names like I’m standing with him hearing like Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan At- his tale.

It’s almost like he’s speaking to kinson, and Hugh Grant, it brought traction, but I feel like they might me conversationally, and it just feels just be cash grabs as their characters more personal than if it were Broadare less important to the overall plot. way casted. I got chills from that

song, which is saying something, because it’s really just him setting a scene.

“Wonka” does not disappoint. I don’t care what you’ve heard or seen.

Every scene in this movie goes above and beyond what you are thinking of when you imagine the backstory to Willy Wonka. If you’ve seen the trailer, you can expect it to create the most exquisite storyline from those intriguing clips.

If you haven’t, I recommend seeing the movie for yourself before the trailer - then going back and watching the trailer, because it literally gave me chills.

Listen to me when I say this movie is not something to pass up. I recommend you put your hand into your “wallkelet” and get yourself a Wonka “tickelet” because this movie is “like no other” - if it were, I’d say don’t bother.

Rating: A+ Watching this film will improve your moodle!

CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY

odunleavy@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

FEBRUARY 2, 2024 | 15

MAR’S OCTAVE Puzzles

ACROSS 1. “Stop talking!”

4. Popular cooking spray 7. “Spring ahead” hrs.

10. With 27-Across, pretend to sing 13. “The Raven” writer 14. Thurman of “Kill Bill” 15. H, in Greek 16. “___ to blame?”

17. Aggressive Texas Hold’em cry 19. Cardboard pastry protector 21. Competed against 22. Bob Marley song with the lyric “Let’s get together and feel alright” 23. Justice Kagan 24. Conclude 26. Name that’s also a month 27. See 10-Across 28. “Half the Truth is often a great ___” (Benjamin Franklin) 29. What Pirates may steal 30. Preserve one piece of chicken?

33. One may be open-toed

35. Oak nuts 38. Gold, in Grenada 39. Singer Lipa 41. Noah’s vessel 42. Winter driving hazard 43. Obscene 45. Watches over 47. Comedy show segment 48. “Wonderwall” band 50. ___ de Janeiro 51. Clothing brand with a “?” in its logo 52. Thoroughly examine ... or what 30-Across, 4-Down and 9-Down do?

55. Roman city preserved in ash 58. Great victory 62. Hard-boiled Chinese snacks 63. Five-story building, e.g.

64. Deal with 65. Enters a hot tub, say DOWN 1. Church toppers 2. Short sermon 3. “Beats me!”

4. Pluck one cabbage at the supermarket?

5. Friend, in France 6. Antiapartheid activist Nelson 7. Cryptologist, at times 8. Lee of Marvel Comics 9. Draft one position in fantasy football?

10. Mass refusal to work 11. Apple video editor 12. Dots on a digital image 18. Pierced surgically 20. Texan border city 25. Pen tip 31. Purple hue that’s also a fruit

32. Corn servings 33. Song without accompanment 34. Word before “code” or“rug” 36. CBS military series 37. Complete collections 40. (Mwah!)

41. Sign on some animal shelter cages 44. Big or Little formation in the night sky 46. Actress Long Puzzle solutions are now 47. Medical stitch 49. Military blockade exclusively online.

51. Crossword diagrams 53. “Smokes” 54. Opera 33-Down 55. Bake sale grp.

56. U.K. reference work 57. Seething 59. Start to read?

60. Air pump letters 61. Rooster’s mate

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PHOTOS

16 | FEBRUARY 2, 2024

Photos by Photos & Design Editor Maddison Behringer and Asst. Photos & Design Editor Alexis Schlesinger Spread by Photos & Design Editor Maddison Behringer

Rams Reach for The Stars

The McAuliffe Center celebrated its Grand Reopening with three days of events from Jan. 26 to Jan. 28.

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