February 14, 2025
Professor trapped in elevator for 30 minutes
By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
By Bella Grimaldi Asst. News Editor
On Feb. 11 at approximately 3 p.m.
Professor Jennifer Dowling became trapped in the May Hall elevator for about 30 minutes.
She said she was on her way to the fourth floor and the elevator stopped but the doors did not open. She said she then pushed the button a few times to open the doors, but nothing happened.
By Dylan Pichnarcik Editorial Staff
For FSU students and faculty alike, Saturdays are a day of rest, relaxation, or a time to catch up on work in preparation for another week.
Amy Johnston, professor of environment, society, and sustainability uses her Saturdays to practice for the annual New England Masters swim meet at Harvard - which is a dive away in March.
Johnston said she is originally from Maine and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Bates College, a private college based in Lewiston, Maine. Johnston also has a twin sister who swam for the Bates College rival Bowdoin Col-
“I tried other floors and still nothing, so I pressed the red run lever and the elevator started going down. It stopped but I wasn’t sure which floor it was, so I called out ‘Hello?’ and one of the maintainers heard me and said they would get help,” Dowling said.
She said after speaking to the maintainer, she used the emergency phone to call campus police and they said they were going to send an officer to May Hall.
She said the elevator then moved to a lower floor and the door cracked open and she was able to speak to a Framingham State police officer.
She said the officer asked if she was OK.
“He showed concern about my
lege, located in Brunswick, Maine.
Her familial connection at Bowdoin allowed her to get a job coaching swim after she graduated from Bates, according to Johnston.
“My sister’s coach at Bowdoin was desperately searching for an assistant coach, and so she [Johnston’s sister] said, ‘Oh, Amy’s free.’ And so that’s how I got that job. … So I assistant coached at Bowdoin for two years - very different from what I’m doing now and everything, but I did enjoy it a lot, and kept up with my own swimming and stuff.
“And then it was my second year, while I was coaching, that I started to look into grad schools. I enjoyed still
well-being and whether I had claustrophobia or breathing issues,” she said.
Dowling said the officer then called the Framingham Fire Department. “I asked if they would be able to get me out and they said they could do that, which helped ease my mind,” she said.
Dowling said the Officer told her the fire department was going to reset the elevator and to be “prepared for a slight jolt.”
The elevator then went to the ground floor and when the doors opened, two fire officials asked how she was feeling. “They were patient and helpful under the circumstances,” Dowling said.
being in Maine - I was close to my parents.”
Along with coaching the team, Johnston also competed with the team. A U.S. Masters swim team member can be any person above the age of 18, according to Johnston.
Johnston said she then applied to UMass Boston and was accepted into the graduate school of environmental science.
While there, Johnston began swimming on her own, but shortly after “I found some undergrads who were really good but wanted to swim more regular practices, so we would all meet at lunch and swim together,” she said.
E ditorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Sophia Harris
Associate Editors
Maddison Behringer
Ryan O’Connell
Copy Editor
Emma Lyons
Asst. Copy Editor
Allie Mosher
News Editor
Dylan Pichnarcik
Asst. News Editor
Bella Grimaldi
Opinions Editor
Izayah Morgan
Sports Editors
Izabela Gage
Sophia Oppedisano
Asst. Sports Editors
Taylor Kimmell
Kyra Tolley
Arts & Features Editors
Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez
Owen Glancy
Asst. Arts & Features Editors
Sarah Daponde
Liv Dunleavy
Bella Omar
Photos & Design Editors
Adrien Gobin
Alexis Schlesinger
Asst. Photos & Design Editor
Meghan Spargo
Illustrations Editor
Ben Hurney
Asst. Illustrations Editors
David Abe
Emily Monaco
Interim Asst. Illustrations Editor
Ronnie Chiu-Lin
Staff Writers
Jesse Burchill
Raena Hunter Doty
Kristel Erguiza
Paul Harrington
Dan Lima
Antonio Machado
Kate Norrish
Erina Operach
Anthony Pintado
Alexandria Rose
Emma Schor
Anthony Sims
Michael Trueswell
Celia Williams
Staff Photographers
Eliana Buono
Meg Dame
Oné Green
Staff Illustrators
Charlotte Fabrizi
Marcus Falcão
Advisor
Desmond McCarthy
Asst. Advisor
Elizabeth Banks
Gatepost Interview Angela Herbert
Professor of American Sign Language & English Interpreting
By Bella Grimaldi Asst. News Editor
What’s your academic and professional background?
I attended school at Northeastern University and Boston University. I studied American Sign Language Interpreting for my undergrad, and then I went on to study deaf education. I was a working professional ASL interpreter for how many years? I mean, I still am, but before I started teaching, I would say I was interpreting for about five or six years, and then I got roped in to start teaching interpreting. So I gave it a try, and I fell in love. I’ve been an interpreter educator in the field of ASL for 15 years. I actually taught at Northeastern University for 15 years. So I’m coming to FSU from there, from Boston. I have worn the hat of being a teacher of the deaf. I’ve done that more so in what they call itinerant style, which means that I would go to schools where deaf children were - what’s called mainstream, meaning it’s not a deaf school - it’s a regular public school. I would come in as somebody who knew how to sign and could provide them academic support in their first language of ASL. So I would bop around. I did a lot of work in the Worcester public school system for that. I did that for, I’d say, four or five years, but for the most part, I would say my main focus has been interpreter education. That’s what I teach here.
What brought you to FSU?
I was at that program at Northeastern teaching for, like I said, 15 years. And truly, they were family to me. But I started as an adjunct here at FSU a few years ago, and I just fell in love with the students here. Very refreshing! I was in awe in one of my first semesters here. I had students who were thanking me at the end of classes and who had bright smiles on their faces when they came into the classroom. I was very much used to working at a very large institution. I don’t want to say that the students felt more like a number, but it was not nearly as what I’d say, intimate or friendly as FSU’s campus. So when the woman whom I replaced retired … she asked me if I would be interested in coming here full time, and I jumped
at it. I just knew. I knew that this program has a ton of potential for growth. The students are outstanding and super committed. What’s really neat about FSU, in my field of ASL and interpreting education, is there’s a deaf school right down the street. The Learning Center for the Deaf is right down the street. So I saw so much potential, given the community that FSU is embedded in, for future interpreters.
Police Logs
Monday, Feb. 10 12:37
Elevator Problem May Hall Call/Assignment Completed
Tuesday, Feb. 11 3:11
Elevator Problem May Hall Services Rendered
Wednesday, Feb. 12 7:22 Alarm, Fire Corinne Hall Towers Building Alarm Set
What is your teaching philosophy? My undergraduate career was spent at Northeastern University. They are known for their co-op, which is an internship program. So they’re big on experiential education. So I am huge, huge, huge on, “If I can’t get my students out in the community for experiential education opportunities, I am bringing those experiential ed opportunities into the classroom.” I’m bringing community members into the classroom if, like I said, if I can’t get them out to go meet the people, go meet deaf people in the Framingham area, I am going to bring those deaf people into our classroom. So I think community engagement, experiential ed, those are two huge things for me and huge things for becoming a member of the deaf community.
What are your hobbies?
I love lifting weights. I’ve run marathons, so I love being active. I played soccer in college, and I’m a soccer coach. Both of my kids love soccer too, now. I’m a mom, I think most of my students know this, but I’ve got two daughters. I’m a mom of a current middle schooler, a 13-year-old, so I’m officially in the teenage years. My younger one is 9. I’m a girl mom.
What advice would you give FSU students?
I think that certainly not everyone chooses to go the college route, but I think if you have made the decision and you continue to show up here - give it your all. You know, go all in. FSU offers a lot of opportunities. Grab them while you can. I think four years to get a degree sounds like a long time, but it goes by in the blink of an eye. Invest in the friendships that you make while here, because those are the people that you’re going to end up leaning on when you leave these doors. I made some of my closest friends during my college years. I might not see them often. We’re all busy parents now and working and what not, but they’ve become dear, dear friends that I think I’ll have forever. So those connections are really important.
CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu
Wednesday, Feb. 12 10:44
Larceny Under $1200 Church St Report Taken
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
SGA discusses opportunities for club collaboration
By Sophia Oppedisano Editorial Staff
Club representatives and Student Government Association members discussed opportunities for collaboration among clubs to foster inclusion and community on campus at a meeting Feb. 11.
Vice President Cesar Matos called the club representative portion of the meeting to order and thanked the representatives for their hard work in contributing to the growth of their clubs.
Matos then pivoted to discussing the “Big Budget” meeting for Fiscal Year 2026 which took place Feb. 10.
The starting balance for FY26 is $419,480, with $361,207 being allocated and $58,273 remaining in unallocated funds.
The changes from “Big Budget” were briefly discussed, including a financial cut from $15,000 to $13,500 for all Group Two clubs. Group Four clubs also saw a decrease from $2,000 to $1,700.
Matos said Groups Two and Four “largely haven’t used much of their funding up to this point. So in order to increase the efficiency of the money that is being allocated, we find that it’s best to keep it in the unallocated budget.”
Matos deferred to President Evelyn Campbell to discuss the changes for Group One organizations, which included a 2.96% increase for The Gatepost for their printing contract, as well as a 5.80% increase in the overall budget for WDJM.
Campbell said the financial cuts for Groups Two and Four can be attributed to “if you don’t use the money, you’re going to lose the money.
“A lot of the money that we have in the unallocated is used for projects on campus to make student life better,” she added.
Campbell passed the floor back to Matos, who outlined the transition between financial groupings for clubs that will be transitioning to different groups.
Matos moved on to the second portion of the club representative meeting, which included conversation amongst the representatives about “partnering” with each other.
SGA wanted to utilize the conversation to “make sure that we all collectively have a space where we can feel heard and support from each other, as well as the campus community,” he said.
Campbell opened up the floor for the club representatives to discuss any events they are planning and how oth-
er clubs can be involved.
Alexis Schlesinger, the representative for both the Framingham State Activities Board (FSAB) and WDJM, said she is hoping to involve “as many people as possible” in FSAB’s annual Sandbox event May 9.
“This would entail, if you are interested, we would reach out to you and ask if you would be willing to do a simple, on-theme activity that we are developing,” Schlesinger said.
Schlesinger added she feels strongly about the potential for “cross-campus collaboration.
in collaborating on decorations, design, and runway events for the show.
Yair Rachmany, the President of Outing Club, concluded the conversation by inviting clubs to collaborate with them if they are looking to plan an off-campus trip.
During the president’s report, Campbell announced a webinar called “Knowing Your Rights,” which will focus on immigration laws and refugee rights. She encouraged all SGA members to attend on Feb. 19.
Campbell’s other announcement pertained to FSUPD’s self-defense
“There’s so many people in this room, and there’s so many people on this campus, and I don’t think that we realize how much we have in common,” she said.
Tony Sims said he has been thinking about ways to get commuters more involved in organizations and how there needs to be more “visibility” and “accessibility” of clubs for commuters.
Senator Alix Ayoub said collaborations between Groups One and Two and clubs in lower-ranking groups is important to promote the names of smaller groups to the commuter student base.
Returning to the issue of event promotion, Fashion Club President Daniel Moore promoted this year’s Fashion Show May 2 and asked if the Art Club and Cosplay Club would be interested
Sunday night Feb. 16 Rain, snow, freezing rain, and sleet before 11 p.m., Low around 20.
Monday Feb. 17
Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.
Monday night Feb. 17
Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Tuesday Feb. 18
Sunny, with a high near 25. West wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
the potential collaboration between Fashion Club and Art Club for the Fashion Show.
Reyes added that if clubs express any need for guidance when it comes to collaborating, he would be happy to assist them.
Treasurer Khoa Bùi said he has set up a meeting with the American Sign Language Club to discuss funding requests for multiple events totaling $810.
He said this meeting was tabled for the next FinCom meeting.
Additionally, Bùi said he had a meeting with SGA’s financial advisor, Kayleigh Novac, to get “more information on the remaining budget of clubs in Group Two and Four, so that I have this on hand in case those groups have any questions regarding their budget or change in placement.”
Events Coordinator Alix Ayoub said she is reaching out to the McAuliffe Center and other clubs to discuss potential event collaborations.
She said her focus for the rest of the semester is going to be collaborative events.
“I think it’s a really good way to increase publicity for both sides, and also to increase how many people will actually attend,” she said.
Campbell delivered Diversity and Inclusion Officer Ana-Julia Riberio’s report on Culture Week in collaboration with Sodexo and the Center for Inclusive Excellence.
Riberio said she is hopeful Culture Week can be held March 24-28.
Additionally, Campbell said Riberio “has been working with Jesse Edwards, the DEI Officer for the City of Framingham, to introduce a new program aimed at supporting minority student groups on campus.”
training, which will take place Feb. 17 and Feb. 24.
In the absence of Student Trustee Jeremy McDonald, Campbell reported on his behalf.
The student trustee report outlined the ongoing SGA textbook drive.
“It’s a free program to use. You can just take the textbook and then return it, or if you want to keep it. It’s just supposed to be an open education resource for students,” Campbell said.
She added that McDonald is working on an “internship log” in an attempt to change the current internship policy.
Campbell read a statement from McDonald which read, “I believe that more internships should receive credit directly proportional to the number of hours.”
Secretary Jazmany Reyes outlined
Tuesday night Feb. 18
Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. West wind 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Feb. 19
Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. West wind 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Publicist Jaelynn Moon said she “finalized the social media strategy for Instagram,” and has been researching “different ways that we can go on TikTok and market to the incoming freshmen.”
Advisor Rachel Spezia said nominations are open for the Excellence in Student Leadership Awards and the Phenomenal Woman Award.
She encouraged SGA’s attendance at both award ceremonies later in the spring.
[ Editor’s Note: Alexis Schlesinger is a Photos & Design Editor and Tony Sims is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost. ]
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA OPPEDISANO soppedisano@student.framingham.edu
www.weather.gov
Wednesday night Feb. 19
Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. West wind around 10 mph.
Thursday Feb. 20
A chance of snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 30. Northwest wind around 10 mph.
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
(Right) SGA President Evelyn Campbell at the Feb. 11 meeting.
Framingham State names new associate provost
By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief
Framingham State has named Keri Ann Sather-Wagstaff as the new associate provost effective March 3.
Sather-Wagstaff taught at Clemson University, where she was a tenured professor of mathematical and statistical sciences and the associate director of undergraduate and graduate studies. Since 2022, she has been on leave from Clemson to serve as program director at the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for STEM Education, Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM. In this role, she directs AGEP: Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate and co-directs ADVANCE: Organization Change for Gender Equity in STEM Academic Professions.
Dean of the College of Education and Social & Behavioral Sciences Susan Dargan, who co-chaired the Associate Provost Search Committee, said the pool of over 80 applicants was very diverse.
“One of the best compliments that we got from a lot of people was that they saw our website. They saw our commitment to DEI and that’s why they applied,” Dargan said.
She added she thinks one of the reasons the applicant pool was so diverse was “that there are lots of people who want to come to Massachusetts in higher education. People want to be in the places where there’s a more progressive leadership at the state level
Elevator
Continued from Page 1
She added, “However, being trapped for almost 30 minutes without knowing the cause or why it was happening is not acceptable.”
Framingham Fire Department Captain Guilherme Barroso, who was called to the scene when the elevator malfunctioned, said it is common for elevators to break down. He said in order to fix the elevator, they had to reset the elevator breaker.
Dowling said the elevator was “supposedly in working order” when she left and people were using it. She said the following day, it broke down again and there were no signs posted to notify people.
Dowling said she was asked to switch classrooms with a professor for her afternoon class in the library because she had students who needed an elevator to come to hers in May Hall.
The following day at 3:09 p.m., Meg Nowak-Borrego sent an email notifying students that the Whittemore Library elevator was out of service for the remainder of Feb. 12, and the morning of Feb. 13th.
“Ironically, the library elevator broke in the afternoon and those particular students weren’t able to attend class there, either,” Dowling said.
“I have taught at Framingham State for a long time and certain elevators have been unpredictable for many years. As a result, I typically take the stairs, but it is challenging when I have a lot to carry,” she added.
“The May Hall elevator needs to be reliable due to the numerous students,
because they feel like there will be at least some protections there.”
Dargan said she could “not be happier” with the results of the search committee’s hard work.
Professor of Nutrition and Health Studies Susan Massad, who also served on the search committee, echoed Dargan’s sentiments about Sather-Wagstaff.
“We are really pleased that she has chosen Framingham State and look forward to her joining our team,” she said.
Massad highlighted Sather-Wagstaff’s focus on DEI, particularly LGBTQ+ individuals, and her work to increase diversity in the science and engineering fields.
She added that Sather-Wagstaff has a “friendly, professional demeanor and has done what she described as a deep dive into the current trends and challenges facing higher education.”
Massad added, “This is crucial in these times when we are increasingly threatened with cuts in public higher education.”
Ann Caso, director of institutional research, said given the broad scope of the associate provost role, she appreciated Sather-Wagstaff’s dedication to the area of institutional effectiveness.
She added Sather-Wagstaff’s leadership and experience at the National Science Foundation “offers her a unique perspective and a comprehensive understanding of institutional effectiveness. Most notably, Dr. Sather-Wagstaff stands out as a genuinely authentic individual who will be committed to
faculty, and staff who use it daily,” Dowling said.
The unreliability of the May Hall elevator was documented by a series of emails sent out by Nowak-Borrego notifying students, faculty, and staff of its condition. Starting on Monday at 12:43 p.m. the elevator was out of
strengthening the values and mission of FSU.”
Sather-Wagstaff said when she first saw the job opening, she thought, “They wrote this for me!”
She said, “It’s really exciting to come into a place that really values DEI up front, in the strategic plan, and in the job ad. When I interviewed, I was out loud about all of that, and people seemed to respond to it.”
Sather-Wagstaff commended Framingham State’s commitment to student success.
“Framingham State seems to really care about the students a lot more than other places where I’ve been at and not just, ‘Did you pass your exams?’ but really caring about the students’ well-being, their career preparedness, and engagement with the community.”
She added, “This public good mission that is talked about a lot really resonates with me, so I’m really excited about that.”
Sather-Wagstaff said she has spent the last 15 years working on recruiting and retaining faculty members from marginalized communities through her work at the National Science Foundation and is looking forward to bringing that knowledge to Framingham State.
She added she wants to develop an understanding about what the needs are of marginalized groups on campus and “build support and equity initiatives around those needs.
“I’m a big fan of not coming in as a savior and making assumptions about what other people need who have different experiences from mine, but re-
She said, “At a bare minimum, all elevators on campus need to be in working order each day.”
She added that if the only option in some buildings is to use the stairs, “It is not equitable for members of the University community who have physical disabilities or limitations who rely
service, then back up and running at 3:49 p.m.
On Tuesday, the elevator was out of service from 3:21 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. On Wednesday, the elevator went out of service at 10:09 a.m. and is currently still out of service.
Dowling said it is “especially problematic to have it break so often when individuals with health issues have no choice but to walk up flights of stairs. In some cases, this is not possible, so they are unable to attend class.”
ally digging in and finding out what’s going to actually have the impact that I want. So there’s going to be a fact-gathering, lots of conversations,” she said.
Sather-Wagstaff said, “If we want students to feel truly welcome and truly like they belong, then having a faculty that represents the student body is absolutely crucial for that.
“It’s not enough to just bring diverse faces onto campus but to make sure that we’re not asking them to conform to a campus that’s not built for them,” she said. “What does it mean for a campus to be truly welcoming for you as an individual?”
Sather-Wagstaff said she is “profoundly excited about every aspect of this role” and about coming to Framingham State.
She added she is really impressed with the commitment that Provost Kristen Porter-Utley and President Nancy Niemi have to the University’s vision of this role.
Porter-Utley said Sather-Wagstaff “is extremely skilled in all the areas that we needed for the position.”
Niemi said, “I know she’ll make a formidable part of the Academic Affairs team that a great institution needs to develop even further. That work is central to who we are.
“I can’t wait for her to start.”
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu
when I’m inside of them.”
She added, “I was in class in the library yesterday, which was a Wednesday, and I was coming from class to go meet one of my friends for lunch, and unfortunately, I believe we got stuck in between the floors LM and 1 of the library, and we were stuck there for at least a good 30 minutes before we were able to get the door open.”
She said this resulted in her being late for class.
Freshman Edgar Santana Baez said the elevators are “a little spooky.
“Sometimes they do silly things,” he added.
Sophomore Diego Abzun said he needs to use the elevators every day. As a wheelchair user, he is “worried about them not functioning.
“I use them every single day to get to my classes and to get to the dining hall,” he said.
Freshman Vincent Gauthier said the elevator in May Hall breaking down was “a little inconvenient” because it caused classrooms to switch around.
on an elevator … to access buildings and classrooms.”
Daniel Giard, director of facilities, said the elevator was installed in 1981.
He said the May Hall elevator is the oldest elevator on campus, “so it is slated to have some work done to it.”
He added the elevator maintenance company is currently working to repair the elevator.
Freshman Keira Fecteau said the only problem she has with the elevators “is that they like to shut down
Freshman Savannah Goba said she used the elevators every day for the first semester of classes while on crutches.
She said, “Some of them were a lot more scary than others.”
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu
CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST
A notice outside of the May Hall elevator.
SGA allocates $361,207 for FY26
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
Student Government Association allocated $361,207 to student organizations from the Student Activities Trust Fund (SATF) for Fiscal Year 2026 during this year’s “Big Budget” meeting Feb. 10.
The four Group One organizationsThe Framingham State Activities Board (FSAB), The Gatepost, WDJM, and SGA - are required to present their yearly budgets to SGA at “Big Budget.”
Groups Two through Six are not required to present their budgets in person and are approved together.
At “Big Budget,” SGA also groups each of the 46 student organizations based on the amount allocated to each organization.
FSAB
President Ben Hurney and Vice President Kira James presented FSAB’s proposed budget, totaling $121,400. There was no change to FSAB’s budget for FY26, according to SGA President Evelyn Campbell.
FSAB has allocated $71,200 for on-campus events, including Sandbox and themed Bingos throughout the year.
James said she hopes to incorporate new themes in the future as well as collaborate with other student organizations for on-campus events.
Hurney said most of the on-campus events allocation will go to Sandbox, “which is usually $20,000 to $30,000.”
According to Hurney, this year’s Sandbox is May 9.
A motion to approve the $71,200 on-campus allocation was made by Senator Anais Vazques, which passed unanimously.
Hurney proposed a budget of $40,700 for the off-campus events budget.
According to Hurney, FSAB only hosts a few off-campus trips each year. These include an annual trip to New York City, apple picking, and trips to amusement parks.
Hurney also said FSAB will be partnering with the Outing Club to host a trip to an aquarium.
A motion was made to approve the allocation by Senator Alyssa MacDougall and passed unanimously.
Hurney proposed a $2,500 allocation for membership and development.
Treasurer Khoa Bùi asked Hurney to discuss FSAB’s current general board meetings. Hurney said they have only held a few general board meetings this year because “it’s been pretty hard to get a general board going.”
To combat this, Hurney said they created the “Knights of FSAB” with the focus of recruiting students to assist with the planning of Sandbox. FSAB has recruited six members so far.
A motion to approve the allocation was made by Diversity and Inclusion Officer Ana-Julia Riberio, which passed unanimously.
Hurney’s final proposal was for a $6,000 allocation to be used for FSAB’s attendance at the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) conference.
He said, “In October, we went to Providence, Rhode Island to attend NACA, which is a conference of all the different school activities boards, which is actually where we came up with the idea for a Renaissance faire.
“And there’s just a lot of good little classes we go to, and then also we meet a lot of the vendors, so we found a Renaissance or a Shakespearean improv group that we might look into.”
A motion to approve the allocation was made by Secretary Jazmany Reyes, which passed unanimously.
A final motion to approve FSAB’s total FY26 Budget for $121,400 was made by Bùi and passed unanimously.
SGA
SGA was presented by Campbell and Bùi. They requested a 5.81% increase to the overall budget, totaling $50,075. In FY25, SGA was allocated $47,325.
The first part of SGA’s budget is the “General Budget” comprised of $12,500, a 9.52% increase from FY25.
This part of the budget goes toward SGA events, outreach, and various materials, according to the SGA proposed budget.
Bùi discussed changes to the “General Budget” grouping outreach and events with a cost of $2,000. The money will go to funding, tabling materials and SGA events. This year, SGA combined three line items under the category “SGA Outreach Programs.”
A motion to approve the $12,500 “General Budget” allocation was made by Secretary Jazamany Reyes and passed with one abstention.
The next part of SGA’s budget is its operations budget. There is a 2% increase to the total allocation of $25,575. The increase came from an increase in the cost of the RamLink subscription, according to Bùi.
A motion was made to approve the $25,575 allocation by MacDougall. It passed with one abstention.
The next allocation group discussed was SGA’s training budget, with a total allocation of $3,250 - an 8.33% increase from FY25.
Bùi said the money will be used to bring members of FSU to the Bryant Conference.
“That’s basically the conference where a lot of the student government associations from other universities come to meet, exchange experiences,
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
Members of SGA at “Big Budget” Feb. 10.
Big Budget
and see how things operate,” he said.
A motion was made by Events Coordinator Alix Ayoub to allocate $3,250 to SGA’s training budget for FY26, which passed with one abstention.
A motion to approve SGA’s total allocated budget of $50,075 was made by Publicist Jaelynn Moon, and passed with one abstention.
The Gatepost
The Gatepost, represented by Editor-in-Chief Sophia Harris and Associate Editors Maddison Behringer and Ryan O’Connell, proposed a total budget of $34,870. A 3.27% increase from
Brooks and passed unanimously.
The next line item, with a 1.96% increase, was for licensing, membership, and awards. Harris proposed a total allocation of $3,242.
The money allocated will be used for award submissions to the New England Newspaper and Press Association and The Society of Professional Journalists, according to Harris.
Harris said the reason for the increase is to include more work created by The Gatepost’s staff of 43 students for award consideration.
A motion to approve the allocation was made by MacDougall and passed unanimously.
A motion to approve The Gatepost’s total budget was made by Riberio and
swell, is required every three years.
A motion was made to approve the amount by Bùi and passed unanimously.
Schlesinger then discussed WDJM’s licensing, which was increased by 1% from FY25, totaling $1,925. She said the subscriptions required by WDJM are necessary and “if we did not have them, WDJM would not exist.”
A motion was made by Moon and passed unanimously.
A final motion to approve WDJM’s total budget of $15,762 was made by Bùi and passed unanimously.
Allocation Groups
A motion was made by Riberio to allocate a total of $222,107 to Group One
Snowboard Club - will all receive an allocation of $6,000 from the total.
A motion to allocate $13,600 to Group Four organizations was made by Vazques and passed with three abstentions.
The Group Four organizations - African Student Association, Chess Club, Education Club, Art Club, Green Initiative, Martial Arts Club, Salvation Youth, and Wildlife Club - will each receive an allocation of $1,700 from the total.
A motion to allocate $4,000 to Group Five organizations was made by Riberio and passed with three abstentions.
FY25. The Gatepost’s FY25 allocation was $33,610.
The first line item, a proposed allocation of $19,000, was for newspaper administration, a 2.96% increase from FY25.
Harris said the reason for the increase was due to The Gatepost switching to a more expensive printing press.
“I got a notification from Gannett, the company that is currently printing the newspaper, saying that they closed one of their offices. So they’re consolidating their contracts, and we were one of the contracts to be let go,” Harris said.
She added, “So Desmond [McCarthy] and I scrambled over winter break to get bids, because the way that this works, we needed a certain number of bids to justify choosing one for our printer.”
passed unanimously.
WDJM
WDJM, represented by President Alexis Schlesinger and Treasurer Micheal Trueswell, requested a total allocation of $15,762, a 5.80% increase from FY25. WDJM’s total budget during FY25 was $14,892.
The first line item, station activities, for events planned by WDJM, was allocated $3,100 from the total budget.
Trueswell and Schlesinger also requested a 21% increase for activities, which will be used for “Ram Fest,” an outdoor music event WDJM is planning “on doing this semester, once it gets a little warmer,” Trueswell said.
A motion to approve the allocation was made by Riberio and passed unanimously.
organizations, which passed with one abstention.
After the Group One organizations were approved, SGA moved on to grouping and allocating the remaining 42 student organizations.
Each organization is put into a group and allocated the same amount of money.
A motion to allocate Group Two organizations $67,500 was made by MacDougall and passed with one abstention.
The Group Two organizationsBlack Student Union, Comic Book Club, The FSU Dance Team, The Hilltop Players, and The Outing Club - will receive a budget of $13,500.
A motion to allocate Group Three organizations $54,000 was made by Reyes and passed unanimously.
Continued from Page 5 CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
The Group Five organizations - AHP, Cosplay Club, Dungeons and Dragons, Growing in Faith, Hospitality Club, Little Loopers, LUNA, Model UN, Psychology Club, and Ecology Club - will each receive a $400 allocation from the total.
Group Six organizations - Muslim Student Association, Menorah Club, Pokémon Club, GEMS, Haitian Student Union, K-Pop Club, ASL Club, Food Science Club, Marketing Club, and Alpha Omega - do not receive an allocated budget.
A final motion to allocate $361,207 to the total allocation from SGA’s unallocated funds passed unanimously.
A motion to approve the $19,000 allocation was made by Senator Shawn
Clarification
The second line item, station administration, was increased by 3%, with $10,437 allocated for the station’s inspection, which according to True-
The Group Three organizationsACDG, Anime Club, Brother 2 Brother, Fashion Club, Gaming Club, History Club, M.I.S.S., The Onyx, and Ski and
[ Editor’s Note: Sophia Harris is the Editor-in-Chief, Maddison Behringer and Ryan O’Connell are Associate Editors, Ben Hurney is the Illustrations Editor, Alexis Schlesinger is a Photos & Design Editor, and Micheal Trueswell is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost. ]
The Gatepost would like to provide a clarification to the article “SGA approves changes to SATF funds,” which was published on Jan. 31. Although the changes were approved by SGA, they were not finalized until the Big Budget meeting on Feb. 10.
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST (Left) Jazmany Reyes, Alyssa MacDougall, Shawn Brooks, Anais Vazques, Meghan Larkin, and Evelyn Campbell at “Big Budget“ Feb. 10.
THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL
You deserve to be loved this
Valentine’s Day
This Valentine’s Day, couples will gather to celebrate each other and the beauty of their relationships.
While Valentine’s Day often entails cheesy greeting cards, colorful bouquets, and copious amounts of chocolate, not everyone’s Valentine’s Day will be celebrated with a romantic candle-lit dinner or a cozy night in.
Domestic abuse is a largely unseen problem for many people in college, and they may not know how to identify or escape from it.
College students’ first real relationships can be all-consuming, and the added pressure of figuring themselves out can lead to vulnerability.
And this inexperience can make them more susceptible to predatory relationships.
Some toxic behaviors and early signs of abuse can include your partner restricting access to your friends and family, acting colder to you in private, love bombing, and exhibiting other manipulative tendencies.
Recognizing these patterns can be challenging, but not impossible.
If you suspect you or someone you know is in an abusive or toxic relationship, there are many local and national services equipped to help you - all free of charge - even here at Framingham State.
The Counseling Center offers weekly counseling sessions and walk-in appointments. A counselor may help you evaluate the state of your relationship and assist you in addressing any problems or tensions between you and your partner.
Taking a closer look at your relationship can aid you in processing your feelings about those you care about. Counselors can also provide insights into issues you may not realize you are having - dynamics you think are normal just because you’ve never been told otherwise.
The Health Center also recommends several local off-campus resources, including Advocates Psychiatric Emergency Services, which offers 24/7 support via telephone, and Voices Against Violence, a social services organization in Framingham, which can provide support for those struggling with domestic abuse concerns.
You can call their free, 24-hour hotline at 508-626-8686.
Framingham State’s Sexual Harassment and Assault Prevention and Education (SHAPE) also aims to prevent domestic abuse on campus via education. According to their page on the Framingham State website,
Have an opinion?
SHAPE serves as a “central source of information for the prevention and education of sexual harassment, sexual violence, relationship violence, and stalking including as it relates to Title IX, the Campus SaVE Act, the Clery Act, and University policy.”
Their page provides a wide range of information, definitions of words that often come up in conversations about domestic and sexual violence, and the contact information for Title IX coordinators for students if they need to report any inappropriate or concerning behavior.
S.E.A.L.S. Peer Health Educators occasionally host tables in the McCarthy Center to educate students on the signs of unhealthy relationships.
Resources for domestic abuse are all over campus, including pull tabs in bathroom stalls advertising the national hotline numbers as well as the campus Health Center. Domestic abuse is more common than you might realize.
We at The Gatepost are grateful to live in a community that is dedicated to keeping students safe and offers so many valuable services.
One of the most important resources people can turn to if they find themselves in an unhealthy or abusive relationship is friends and family.
Abusers often use the manipulation tactic of shielding you from your friends to foster isolation or make you feel guilty for spending time away from them.
It is important to remember that your friends still care about you. You have people who are there for you outside of your relationships. If your partner makes you feel bad for dedicating time to your friendships or family, that is a massive red flag.
If you find yourself seeing any of these signs of toxic behavior in your current relationship, know that you are not alone. It can be difficult to leave an unhealthy relationship, but you will be better in the long run once you free yourself from it.
The Gatepost recognizes and supports survivors of domestic abuse.
On average, it takes about seven attempts to leave an abusive relationship, according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
You can get out, and there are numerous people and resources you can turn to for support.
It’s better to have no valentine than one who hurts you.
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.
We don’t set up K-12 students for social success
By Raena Hunter Doty Staff Writer
I didn’t have many friends in high school.
I get the impression this comes as a shock to many of the people I tell. Today, rare is the dining hall meal I eat alone, and I spend the vast majority of my waking hours with at least one or two of my friends.
But high school wasn’t like that for me. I wasn’t a standout student. Due to a long series of events and a few key coincidences, I never really socialized properly in my youngest, most formative years, and by the time I was old enough to handle my own social life, I was too anxious to do so.
Coming to college was a chance to reinvent myself - I couldn’t grasp why a social life was so important without first having one, but I knew I wanted one deeply, and everyone else told me I needed one.
So I worked to change it. I joined clubs. I talked to a lot of different people. I learned to make small talk, share my interests and invite others to share theirs, and open up when it was appropriate. I refined my own taste in who I consider a friend and learned what made me a good friend so I could bring out the best in myself.
I made a lot of mistakes along the way - I’m still always learningand I am far from a social butterfly now, but I have people I love and trust more than anyone in the world. My life is much, much better than it was four years ago because of this.
Though I wasn’t much of a socialite in high school, I did have one thing going for me - I had good grades. I began taking classes at my local community college during my junior year - though that was more due to the COVID-19 pandemic than any ambition on my part - and I graduated with a high GPA.
Overall, I don’t regret this. Taking community college courses enabled me to graduate with my bachelor’s degree in just three years and prepared me infinitely more for the work I do now than the one AP class I took. Not to mention, it allowed me to remain in online classes without growing bored out of my mind during the thick of COVID-19.
Though, that’s not to say I don’t have any regrets - I do. Taking college courses further distanced me from my peers during a time when social isolation was the name of the game. Even when I came back in person for my senior year, I took half days and left by lunch. I prided myself on academic achievement, and this exacerbated every existing issue in my nonexistent social life.
But it was deeper than that. At a very base level, I wouldn’t have been able to pride myself on academic achievement if I hadn’t shirked off my social wellbeing. In turn, my academic achievements encouraged that very denial of my needs. It was a vicious feedback loop.
Today, I struggle more with balancing my social and academic lives than I did in high school - and yes, part of that is because in high school, I didn’t have any balance. And because of that, I never learned how to do the hard work of disciplining myself into not socializing. Nor did I ever learn when I needed to step away, go hang out with friends, and stop sinking my costs into an academic project hurting my wellbeing.
Social skills weren’t just important for my mental wellbeing, either. Today, social skills are at the top of my arsenal of weapons for networking and navigating professional situations.
Educators often stress the importance of balancing socio-emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. From early elementary school, I remember teachers telling me how I can help myself on all three fronts - strategies and coping mechanisms.
But truthfully, I don’t feel as though K-12 education was set up to prepare me for maintaining socio-emotional health, much less developing good habits for adulthood.
Structured school days didn’t provide space for me to make the hard decisions between my mental health and academic progresseven when I was about to be sent off to college, where I’d have to do that for myself, every day of the week, every hour of the day.
Teachers praised me for my academic diligence and good grades, but they didn’t see that I did that work to avoid speaking to my peers beside me.
My school kicked me off the premises fifteen minutes after the day was over, and because of a lack of third spaces, it was hard to hang out with friends outside of school hours.
At the end of the day, it never really felt like they wanted me to make friends. At most, they suggested it at random intervals and without truly enabling me to do so.
When I came to FSU, I was committed to making friends. I’m glad to announce that I have. But I can’t thank the K-12 education system for helping my social life progress to where it is today.
Something has to change.
SP RTS
Skating beyond the game FSU hockey players coach ‘Learn to Skate’ lessons
By Izabela Gage Sports Editor
On a chilly Saturday morning at Loring Arena, people of all ages lace up their skates to get on the ice.
Four of Framingham State’s men’s and women’s ice hockey players are lacing up theirs, too, getting ready for another fun day of work.
For Kalina Cochran, Jordan Guigui, Anna McGinty, and Tyler Westfall, their week of academic study is over, but their work hasn’t ended. They are now able to give back to their hockey community by teaching “Learn to Skate” lessons.
While the age groups each instructor is assigned can vary, each player teaches groups ranging from five-yearolds to adults.
The “Learn to Skate” lessons at Loring Arena are a six-week program with two sessions per week on Saturdays.
The instructors are given a set of skills that the Framingham Parks and Recreation Department would like to be taught to each group of skaters, depending on their age and skill level. At the end of the program, the students are evaluated on whether they can do those tasks, according to Guigui.
Teaching these lessons has become more than just a job for these student-athletes - it’s a way to reconnect with the roots of their hockey journeys and help out a community that has welcomed them with open arms.
Guigui said, “Seeing kids go from barely being able to stand on the ice to confidently skating is really rewarding. Their excitement when they finally get the hang of it makes it all worth it.”
Westfall said he’s always happy to see the progress of the adults’ skills throughout the program. “I find it’s a little easier sometimes to explain things to adults and so the progress they make is really enjoyable to watch.”
He said the kids he instructs are always “bundles of energy. … They often say really random things that make me giggle.”
Cochran said her favorite part about teaching lessons is “seeing how excited the kids get to be on the ice and learn new skills.”
Guigui said he wants to be the coach who makes skating a fun and encouraging experience. “Some kids might be nervous or discouraged, but if I can help them push through that and make skating something they love, that’s a huge win. For the kids, it’s a mix of excitement and accomplishment when they start to get better, and I think that builds confidence beyond just skating.”
McGinty said her favorite part of teaching the lessons is creating a fun and engaging environment for all the skaters while they’re learning. “I like to joke around with them and form positive relationships. It tends to make them have more fun to feel like they know their instructors.”
She said another fun part of the lessons is the 10 minutes of free skate at the end of the session where “everyone
skates around to practice what they’ve just learned.
“Kids that I’ve taught before who are now in more advanced groups get to come over and say hi and take a few laps with me and Kalina,” she added.
Cochran said the instructors and skaters sometimes play games “as a fun way for the kids to practice what they learned.”
Guigui said, “Kids look up to older players more than you might realize, and knowing that I can make a positive
nice to be more a part of the community - especially given that this has been home away from home for the last four years.
“Not all the kids are interested in hockey, but in some ways, that’s nicer because there isn’t any pressure to be a hockey player or live up to those expectations,” he added.
Guigui said teaching “Learn to Skate” has been a consistent part of his Framingham experience. He said he took over the role after it was passed
impact on their early experiences in hockey is a great feeling.”
McGinty said teaching “Learn to Skate” is a chance to create positive, lasting memories for young skaters. “My dad had a big part in teaching me how to skate since he played hockey his whole life. … I remember his positivity, optimism, and encouragement.
“I want to leave the same lasting impression on my kids. I want them to know that it’s perfectly normal to struggle or get frustrated, but that it’s not as scary as it seems. … I think it’s very important to give each and every kid a positive experience, and I can see how much fun they have when they are given that,” she added.
The lessons go beyond teaching skating techniques, patience, and resilience. It’s these relationships that are built through mentorship and shared time on the ice that make the experience special to the players and new skaters.
Westfall said he doesn’t go out of his way to share he’s on the Framingham State men’s ice hockey team. “It is
down to him by seniors during his freshman year, and he has carried on the tradition ever since.
Men’s ice hockey Head Coach Michael Bailey said he doesn’t know exactly when FSU hockey players started teaching in the program, but “previous members have been involved going back 5 or 6 years.”
Westfall said the sense of connection has been meaningful. “Since my freshman year, two guys from the team have helped out with ‘Learn to Skate.’ Last year, it was our captain, Patrick Colgan, and Jordan Guigui. Since Patrick graduated, Jordan asked if I’d want to replace him, and I happily agreed.”
Cochran had a different introduction to the program. “I got involved with ‘Learn to Skate’ at Loring because I was looking for a job in Framingham, and since I’m always at Loring already, I applied. I just started this fall.”
She said growing up in Maryland, a state not exactly known for its hockey culture, she learned to skate through “Learn to Skate” lessons. “I still remember when I was in lessons, and it’s
a really rewarding way to give back to the sport.”
McGinty said Cochran found out about the position and “asked if I wanted to do it with her. … I started a little after Kalina.”
Guigui said he remembers how frustrating learning to skate could be at times, but having an instructor who made sure he “laughed and enjoyed every lesson” gave him the motivation to come back even when he struggled.
“There was that one breakthrough moment when everything clicked, and I finally felt like I was really skating,” he said.
Bailey said, “My best advice to someone learning to skate would be to have fun with it, don’t take yourself too seriously, and make sure you are wearing good skates that fit correctly. I think positive reinforcement is super important to have fun. Enjoy the experience and keep your goals reasonable.”
Westfall said, “My Learn to Play coach was named Coach Ben and funnily enough, when I went home and was helping to teach Learn to Play, he was still there so it was a real full-circle moment for me.”
Cochran said, “I had a really great coach when I started playing who found unique ways to help his players improve. He was able to make us work while having fun. I hope I can do the same thing for the kids I teach.”
Bailey said as Guigui and Westfall’s coach, he is thrilled to know they are helping out the community. “The members of our team are so well-rounded and have so much to offer in all aspects of life. They get the big picture and know how important it is to add to the community.”
Guigui said he appreciates having the chance to give back with these lessons. “It also helps build connections with the local hockey community. Plus, it’s fun and we learn a lot about leadership and coaching.”
Westfall said, “Because Jordan and I are graduating, we’re going to find some replacements from the team. … Since guys from the hockey team have been doing this since my freshman year, I’d love to see that tradition continue.”
McGinty said, “It would be great if more of our hockey players got involved in the skating youth.”
For these student-athletes, Loring Arena is a place where connections are made, lessons are learned, and the community comes together. It’s not always about the wins or losses of games. Whether they’re teaching a wobbly five-year-old how to stand on skates or giving advice to a determined adult, they’re building something that goes beyond hockey.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu
Courtesy of Jordan Guigui
(Left) Jordan Guigui, Anthony Natoli, Maeve Buckley, and Tyler Westfall at their last lesson of the 2024-25 “Learn to Skate” program.
Women’s basketball mauls Massasoit Community College
By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams conquered the Massasoit Community College Warriors, prevailing with a score of 72-50 Feb. 11.
As usual, the Rams came out strong on offense, scoring within the first 20 seconds on a layup from senior Katie Haselton.
Not a minute later, Haselton passed to senior Chloe Rayko, who also scored on a layup.
It took four unsuccessful offensive possessions and three layups from Rams’ freshman Faith Greene for the Warriors to put points on the board, scoring on two free throws.
Massasoit threw up several more shots in the following minutes, tallying 10 points.
The Rams pulled ahead, with two layups from junior Kiara Cerruti adding to the team’s score.
Two more layups placed the Warriors at only a 2-point deficit with just 7 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
As the clock ran down, the team successfully put in two foul shots, tying up the score at 16-16.
The first 15 seconds of the second quarter were less than successful for the Rams, as Massasoit scored 2 points on a layup, resulting in a lead change.
It took 20 seconds for FSU to even the score with a layup from Haselton, and another 40 seconds to regain control of the lead, the result of another layup from senior Michelle Moreno.
Greene and freshman Jackie Schels added an additional 9 points to the
score in the following 4 minutes.
Sophomore Ava Mckeon collected the ball on a rebound, barreling down the court to score a layup for the last basket of the half.
A steal and a layup from Haselton started the third quarter off right for Framingham.
Massasoit fired off several more shots, very few of which were able to find the basket.
Halfway into the quarter, the Rams brought the ball within scoring position, with Haselton poised to score. Much to the surprise of onlookers, she faked a shot, passing the ball to Greene, who stood opposite her - the maneuver allowing for another layup.
The third quarter concluded following layups from freshman Haleigh Cyrus and sophomore Bryanna Grant, with a score of 54-38.
Coming into the final stretch of the game, the Rams’ determination did not falter.
Sophomore Bridget Capone received a pass from Mckeon, scoring a 3-point jump shot just 20 seconds in.
Only 30 seconds later, junior Reese Perry bounded up the court to score a layup.
The following minutes were uneventful, as both teams took turns surrendering the ball while looking for opportunities on the basket that did not come.
Freshman Bridget Trainor broke the stalemate with two free throws after being fouled by the Warriors’ defense.
Capone, Perry, and Mckeon tallied the final points of the game, the buzzer sounding as their baskets brought the score to 72-50, marking another well-
earned victory for the Rams.
Perry noted the Rams’ chosen style of play was a cornerstone in ensuring their win.
Perry said, “We wanted to push the ball up the court and play assist-minded basketball, sharing the ball and trying to get open looks in open court. I would say we were successful in doing so!”
Mckeon said the Warriors “played us in a zone defense, which allowed us to get open shots and drive to the middle, which we scored many points off of.”
Haselton, Greene, Perry, Mckeon, and Schels led the team in points during the match.
Schels has been one of the team’s top scorers this season. She noted she has her offense to thank for her success.
Schels said, “My teammates just really help me out. They put me in positions to be able to score. I think because we’ve gotten into the flow so many times, it’s just easy to go out there and play with no pressure.”
Coach Walter Paschal said this game was a good benchmark for the team going into a full week of practice.
He said the team will “go at each other really hard for the next few days” during drills to prepare for the final games of the season.
Schels preached the same, saying the break will help the team “prepare for two in-conference games and try to end up in the top of our conference.”
Mckeon said, “We’re keeping each other upbeat and taking it one game at a time - scouting our next opponents and coming up with strategies to help us come out with some more wins.”
Perry said, “Looking towards the end of the regular season, we are preparing by focusing more on fine tuning our play. Practice intensity has been amped up to finish out strong!”
The Rams will play their final home game against Worcester State next Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL tkimmell@student.framingham.edu
Women’s ice hockey loses in overtime after third-period success
By Kyra Tolley Asst. Sports Editor
Framingham State women’s ice hockey lost 3-2 to the New England College Pilgrims in a non-conference game Feb. 11.
The Rams have yet to win a game this season, but have shown tenacity in their recent matchups, which is promising for the future of the program.
Their record is now 0-19.
To start the first period, freshman Sarah Lewis won the faceoff, but early on, Framingham fell behind. Before the Rams could even get a shot off, the Pilgrims scored while at even strength.
Other than the early goal for NEC, Framingham controlled the first period. The Rams were a force on offense, outshooting the Pilgrims 14-4.
In earlier games this season, Framingham had trouble creating opportunities on offense, but that seemed to improve against NEC.
Despite their onslaught of shots at the Pilgrims’ net, the Rams were unable to score in the first period, which ended with a score of 1-0.
To start the second period, Lewis won another faceoff - a trend throughout the game. Lewis set up for 23 faceoffs and came out victorious in 14 of them.
Lewis said she focuses on timing everything right. “When I put my stick down on the faceoff dot, I shut my mind off completely.”
Freshman Kalina Cochran also maintained Framingham’s dominance in faceoffs by single-handedly matching the number of faceoffs won by the
entire NEC team.
Cochran won 15 of her 18 faceoffs. The Rams collectively won 30 faceoffs, while the Pilgrims only won 15.
Framingham wasn’t able to continue outshooting NEC in the second period, with both teams tallying 11 shots.
Goaltending in the second period for the Rams was freshman Anna McGinty, who made an impressive, sprawled-out save to keep the score to 1-0. She totaled 10 saves on the day.
Despite McGinty’s skill in net, the Pilgrims’ increase in offensive opportunities in the second period allowed them to score another even-strength goal.
The second period closed out with NEC in the lead 2-0.
Lewis said going into the third period, she thought of the game as a 0-0 game. “I do my best to stay positive so I can focus on what I can do to help the team succeed.”
Just 1:36 into the third period, freshman Petra Cernicek scored at even strength, assisted by freshman Alyssa Tansek.
Tansek carried the puck from the left side of the Rams’ offensive zone into dangerous territory, where she shot and hit the pads of the Pilgrims’ goalie.
Cernicek capitalized on the deflection and shot the puck in for the goal.
From this moment until the end of regulation, Framingham had momentum.
Freshman Lila Chamoun, who was in net for the final period, still had to
make big saves off the Pilgrims’ counterattacks.
The Rams found themselves with one defender between two Pilgrims and Chamoun, but her ability to make important saves stopped the puck from going in.
During this period, the Rams took twice as many shots as NEC.
Leading the team in shots was Cernicek and Cochran, who had 7 shots each, and freshman Lily Wilson, who had 6 shots.
Lewis scored unassisted to tie the game 2-2 with under 7 minutes left to play. Lewis made outstanding moves around NEC’s defenders and skated across the face of the net to flick the puck around the goalie for the goal.
The ensuing minutes saw the Rams applying even more pressure on offense, but they couldn’t score another goal before time ran out.
The third period ended in a 2-2 tie. With 5 minutes on the clock for overtime, the Pilgrims made quick work of the Rams, scoring in just 1:03.
Framingham State women’s ice hockey has three games left in the season, all of which are conference games. Their next matchup is away Feb. 14 against Rivier University.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH KYRA TOLLEY ktolley@student.framingham.edu
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Ava Mckeon releasing a jump shot in win against Massasoit Feb. 11.
HEARTS & FEATURES
‘100 Days
Until
By Liv Dunleavy Asst. Arts & Features Editor
Career Development and Alumni Relations hosted “‘100 Days Until Graduation’ Recent Alumni Share Job Search Tips with Students,” a Zoom event on Feb. 12. Organizers brought in recent FSU alumni to give tips and advice for undergrads in their college career wondering about what happens after graduation.
The event was led by Katherine Sieminski of the Career Development office and Liz Phillips, the assistant director for Alumni Relations. After introducing themselves, the meeting then started and the first question was asked to the panel of alumni.
Each panelist then gave their name, major, year of graduation, and their current job position.
The four panelists included Andrew Franquiz, who graduated in 2017 with a master’s in criminology and criminal justice. His current position is at the Massachusetts State Police Commonwealth Fusion Center working as an intelligence analyst.
Jonathan Guerrero, a Framingham
Graduation’ and school comes to an ending
resident who graduated in 2024 with a bachelor’s in marketing, is a U.S. Navy veteran, a sales development professional, and is currently working at a tech company. Guerrero said he’s been in the tech industry for three years.
Jaimy Jean-Noel, who graduated from Framingham State in 2017, majored in sociology and minored in biology. After a few years she went on to get her master’s from Northeastern University, majoring in organizational leadership with a concentration in project management. She currently is a senior manager of workforce programs at MassBioEd.
Matt Banks graduated from FSU in 2019 with a bachelor’s in English and education, and from Simmons University in 2024 with a master’s degree in children’s literature. Banks is currently working as an ELA teacher at Lynn English High School, and has been working in education for over six years.
The first few questions focused on job search strategies, and the group of alumni agreed on a lot of advice and shared similar opinions.
One important tip shared by all of
the panelists is to “network, network, network.” Having a mentor, a relationship with your professors and colleagues, a LinkedIn - all of these are vital when searching for a job after graduating.
Banks shared his advice to “apply everywhere.” He said, “When I started applying to schools, my professor Kelly Matthews - shout out to Kel- lysaid, ‘Pick a distance, and apply.’”
The next question asked to the alumni was centered around leveraging your college network during a job search and to share any tips on how to tap into a network effectively.
“I like to be super organized, … I have a list of everyone I know, who I am connected to, who my mentors are, who are some of the people I know professionally - and I make sure I’m reaching out to them, and keeping that connection alive,” Jean-Noel said.
Franquiz mentioned one specific scenario that weighs down on a lot of people when interviewing. He mentioned in an earlier question that having a portfolio - a toolbelt full of examples to show when you’re in a
Career Development and CASA discuss disabilities in
By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor
Career Development and the Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA) hosted “Disabilities and the Workplace” over Zoom on Feb. 11.
The presentation was hosted by Emily Abel, a career counselor from Career Development, and Julianne Lilienfeld, a disability/access services coordinator from CASA.
Abel started with how to develop résumés. “There is really no one correct way to do a résumé. It is a subjective thing by nature,” she said.
Different professionals and counselors would give different advice, but Abel said she has some general guidelines.
Résumé trends and styles come and go every five to 10 years, she said. Sometimes people bring her résumés that are based on an older style, and it doesn’t work as well nowadays.
Many students have made a résumé from high school, and think they can just add to that résumé now, Abel said. But what’s appropriate for a high-schooler’s résumé can be very different for a college student or graduate.
Abel recommended meeting with a career counselor at Career Development in order to help make an individualized résumé. They also have sample résumés for most FSU majors, she said.
Professional résumés are focused
on skills and accomplishments, rather than listing jobs, she said.
Stating “references available upon request” and using objective statements aren’t necessary anymore, she said. Even if a template has them, there is no need to include them.
Also, avoid templates anyway, she said. It’s OK to utilize them, but they’re usually not up to date with the current résumé trends.
Abel also recommended using the PAR statement - Project, Action, Result. When writing about experiences, explain the project, action, and result in order to make a quality statement.
Lilienfeld began her part of the presentation, focused on disabilities.
It is not legally required to disclose a disability unless it impacts the employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of the job, Lilienfeld said.
She used the example of someone being unable to lift heavy objects. If they’re applying to be a teacher, it’s not required. If they want to be a construction worker, it would be.
Lilienfeld listed six possibilities about when to disclose a disability. The first option is on the job application.
The benefit of this option is that it’s getting the disability out there immediately, she said. But the downside is that it can lead to discrimination.
The second option is to disclose it during the interview, she said. The person with the disability would be able to answer any questions or mis-
conceptions the interviewer has in person.
Another possibility is after the job offer, she added. After getting accepted, it can be easier to mention the disability.
The fourth option is after starting work, she said. This helps avoid judgments based on the disability, if it’s not visible.
Option five is after a problem arises because of the disability, and there isn’t much choice but to disclose it, she said. “I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that option.”
Depending on the situation, Lilienfeld would also recommend never disclosing the disability. “You might never disclose, and you might never have to. So remembering that is an option is really important,” Lilienfeld said.
If the disability is visible, it might have to be disclosed earlier than otherwise desired, she added.
When disclosing, focus on strengths and skills, just like how Abel said to do in résumés, Lilienfeld said.
How and when a person discloses their disability is really personal, she said.
“Just because one person with a specific disability discloses during the interview doesn’t mean every person with that same disability is also going to disclose during that interview,” she said.
Discrimination prevents a lot of people from disclosing, Lilienfeld said. As long as the disability does not impact the employee’s ability to
pinch - is really helpful to lean on during an interview.
He said, “If I were to get asked a question I’d be able to lean on that and say, ‘Oh, I haven’t worked on that, but I have worked on something similar.’”
The panelists were then asked if they had any challenges switching from a school setting into the workforce.
Guerrero said it is important to have a mentor for guidance, but mentors don’t just appear. “You have to be proactive” and willing to find them.
He also mentioned that a lot of students have these really high expectations about what they learned in college and how they think every single thing they learned in class is applicable - but it’s really different from job to job and everything is teachable.
“You’re gonna learn new things on the job every single day. Hopefully that takes a little bit of the pressure off of your first big career job,” he said.
CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY odunleavy@student.framingham.edu
the workplace
perform the job, they cannot be fired based on the disability.
Also, if the person receives a job offer and then discloses their disability, it would not be legal for the job offer to then be revoked because of that, she said.
“Reasonable accommodations” is how accommodations are legally referred to in the workforce, Lilienfeld said.
Modifying things is OK, but they cannot cause undue hardship, she said. Undue hardship is when an accommodation would be considered unreasonable, such as fundamentally altering the nature of the business.
As an example, someone who needs frequent breaks would be given multiple 15-minute breaks throughout the day as a reasonable accommodation, she said. An undue hardship would be placing a bed at the desk and letting them sleep whenever they want.
Another example of a reasonable accommodation is letting cashiers sit while at the cash register, she added.
Lilienfeld recommended using askjan.org - JAN stands for Job Accommodation Network, and it lists examples of different disabilities and what accommodations worked for them in the past.
CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ ffernandezrodriguez@ student.framingham.edu
Diane Barnes’ path to publication
By Sarah Daponde Asst. Arts & Features Editor
Local author Diane Barnes gave a lecture on book publishing and her road to becoming an author on Feb. 12 in the McCarthy Center Alumni Room.
The event was hosted by the Arts & Ideas Program. It was a part of the Arts & Ideas series for this year, “Vitality and Vision,” which aims to bring optimism and hope to the campus through creativity, according to Program Coordinator Joseph Adelman.
Adelman gave a brief opening for the event and then introduced Natasha Bizanos-Ashe, event coordinator and good friend of Barnes.
Bizanos-Ashe thanked Barnes for coming and gave some background about the author’s life and career.
“Her books focus on friendships between women and how female
but only 0.002% of works actually get published, said Barnes.
The average book sells about 3,000 to 5,000 copies, she said. But there needs to be 5,000 to 10,000 copies sold during the first week to be considered a best-seller.
“I gave you these numbers to point out that publishing is a very hard industry, very tough, and the path to publication is filled with roadblocksI know mine certainly has been,” said Barnes.
She named three attributes that helped her get through the roadblocks - her love of writing, her love of reading, and her perseverance despite being “heartbroken by rejection.
“I didn’t let it stop me. I kept on going. That’s the most important thing - resilience,” added Barnes.
She said she began her path to publication in the second grade.
The teacher asked them to do a creative writing exercise and gave
novel.” It was a novel she worked on for several years and never published. “But the time was well spent because with every page I wrote I felt like my writing improved and my confidence in my writing certainly increased,” said Barnes.
She said feedback from her classmates and instructors was helpful to her because it told her where she did well and where she needed to improve in her writing.
“You could be the best writer, but not everyone is going to like what you write. … And that taught me that not everyone is going to be my readerand that’s OK,” Barnes said.
She read every one of her reviews because even if the feedback was harsh and negative, that person was just “not my reader,” she said.
After her “practice novel,” Barnes said she was determined to finish her next book. She did not want a desk filled with unfinished manuscripts.
friendships have the power to help women overcome obstacles in their lives,” said Bizanos-Ashe.
Kirkus Reviews called Barnes’ debut novel, “Waiting for Ethan,” an “engrossing page-turner,” she said.
“When Diane isn’t writing, she’s at a concert or a Broadway show or being much too competitive playing board games,” said Bizanos-Ashe. “Or at a beach, engrossed in a book and oblivious to what’s happening around her.”
Barnes and her husband live in New England with their golden retriever, added Bizanos-Ashe.
She then gave the microphone to Barnes, who began by thanking the University for inviting her to speak and the audience for attending.
She began with some facts - 84% of Americans want to publish a book,
them each a journal. Barnes said she filled up that journal, asked for another one, filled that one up too, and then several more.
“And I have been writing ever since,” added Barnes.
She said in college she knew she wanted to learn more about writing, but did not really know creative writing was something she could study.
Instead, she studied journalism, which led her to jobs at a newspaper, a magazine, and in an editing department.
“Every job I’ve had since college has related to writing,” Barnes added.
She worked during the days and took creative writing classes at night, first studying short stories and then switching to novel-writing classes.
During her first novel-writing class, Barnes said she wrote her “practice
non-writers to get different types of reviews. The revision process lasted for approximately a year and then she said she was ready to try to publish.
There are three types of publishing Barnes described, including self publishing, traditional publishing, and hybrid publishing.
She chose to get published the traditional way, which meant she needed to find an agent.
“Getting an agent in publishingI would say it’s the hardest part, but honestly, it’s all pretty hard,” said Barnes.
She discussed the process of querying. She said she researched agents for women’s fiction, the genre she considered her novel.
Barnes said many agents would not agree to represent her, but finally one offered and she has been representing her for the past 12 years.
“So, I thought, yeah, I’m published now. I’m an author now - but now the agent had to do the same sort of thing with editors. She has to query editors, she has to get their interest,” she said.
She said the first two editors rejected the novel because it did not fit into an exact genre.
“Why does it have to fit into a neat spot? Why can’t it just be a book?” Barnes said she thought at the time.
The third editor agreed to publish her novel, which she titled “Waiting for Ethan” and it placed 56th on Amazon’s Top 100 List.
Barnes said she went through a different journey to get all five of her novels published, all involving rejection and revision.
Multiple times, her original titles were changed in the final publication and she said she did not get input on the cover designs of the books.
Barnes then read an excerpt from her latest novel, “The Mulligan Curse,” released on Feb. 4. It is a novel about a 54-year-old woman sent back in time by a family curse.
To end the discussion, Barnes opened the conversation up to questions.
She discussed how a friend of hers asked her to do National Novel Writing Month, an annual challenge to write 50,000 words during November.
“I’d meet my friend after work at Border’s, and we’d write until they kicked us out, until closing time - and then we’d go back on the weekends, and we’d write again, and we’d just keep writing,” said Barnes.
At the end of the month, she had 50,000 words written and she kept working on the story until it was finished.
When describing her writing style, Barnes called herself a “pants-er.”
“There’s different kinds of writers. There’s plotters - they make outlines … then there’s me, a pants-er. I make it up by the seat of my pants as I write,” Barnes said.
She used feedback from writers and
An audience member asked who her literary inspirations were, which Barnes said were Elizabeth Berg, John Irving, Frederick Backman, and Kristen Higgins.
She was also asked who her audience was when she wrote and answered she wrote with only herself in mind. “If I don’t love it, it’s going to show up in the writing - if my heart’s not in it, then the writing is going to be flat,” added Barnes.
Another attendee asked her how she wrote so optimistically about difficult topics, like infertility and Barnes said she tries to give her readers something joyful.
“There’s enough sadness in the world,” said Barnes. “So I want my books to be happy. I want people to use them as an escape.”
Oné Green / THE GATEPOST
Diane Barnes speaking in the McCarthy Center Alumni Room about her journey in publishing her books Feb. 12.
Amy Johnston
Continued from Page 1
Johnston said her group competed together while at UMass.
Johnston said she was “sad” Framingham State did not have a poolhowever, she does have access to a pool near her home in Milton where she practices with a U.S. Masters team three days a week.
Outside of the pool, Johnston is not far from water, as an environmental scientist her studies took her to the Gulf of Maine as a paleoclimatologist.
Paleoclimatology is the study of fossils as a way of determining the climate of Earth at a given time in history, she said.
Johnston said her and her sister’s inspiration for pursuing environmental sciences stems from her father’s career as a state geologist. “We used to go out in the field with him and tag along and do all that stuff. So that was really fun. Then growing up, we did a lot of outdoor things. My parents also both swim, so that’s how I also got into swimming.”
Anneli DiVirgilio, a student supplemental instructor (SI) who works with Johnston, said, “Dr. Johnston has an incredible passion for science and a genuine dedication to her students’ success. Her enthusiasm for the subject makes her classes both engaging and informative, and she always takes the time to support students who need extra help.
“I chose to serve as an SI for Dr. Johnston because I wanted to give back to a class that sparked my own interest and work with a professor I truly admire. I’m looking forward to working with her more closely as her SI this semester,” she added.
Lawrence McKenna, chair of the Environment, Society, and Sustainability Department said, “Dr. Amy Johnston is the environmental science keystone of the department. In fact, she is the only member of the department with a terminal degree in environmental sciences. She teaches our only 300-level climate course
“Dr. Johnston’s inexhasutible energy brings daily benefit to our department and University.” - Lawrence McKenna Chair of the Environment, Society, and Sustainability Department
Human Society], which includes the use of python-based climate modeling. Dr. Johnston is deeply involved in FSU’s RAMS steering committee, and will, by popular demand, be teaching not one but two sections of her awesome ‘10 Ways the
Earth can Kill You’ RAMS class in Fall 2025.”
McKenna said, “Dr. Johnston’s inexhaustible energy brings daily benefit to our department and University. She is, as one of her students told me, ‘smart and polite, all at once.’”
When Johnston competes in March, it will be the first time she has competed since having her daughter.
Johnston said, “I was pregnant last year, but right before I got pregnant, I did a half Iron Man triathlon. So that was probably my most recent event that I did two summers ago and that was my first half Iron Man. So I didn’t really swim in meets that year leading up to it, because I was training pretty intensely to get ready for that.
“You swim 1.2 miles in a river, and then you bike 54 miles, and it is all around surrounding towns, and then you run the 13.1 half marathon at the end. So it took me a long time, and that was why I was just constantly working out and getting ready for it,” she added.
“I think my biggest piece of advice would be - and this could not necessarily just be for student-athletes - but sticking to almost a schedule, and holding yourself accountable to that schedule no matter what, when you’re trying to get through a semester,” Johnston said.
Courtesy of Amy Johnston
Ronnie Chiu-Lin /THE GATEPOST
Watch ‘Dog
Man’
even if it takes a montage!
By Liv Dunleavy Asst. Arts & Features Editor
If anyone reading this ever was or still is a fan of the classic graphic novel “Captain Underpants,” man do I have news for you. BREAKING NEWS, in fact, all delivered to us straight from rising news broadcaster Sarah Hatoff.
“Dog Man” is the pinnacle of extremely fun, action-packed, super evil silliness any family-friendly movie could offer.
I, a fully grown adult, and both of my adult friends who came to watch it with me, found ourselves laughing, tearing up, full-on crying, and then immediately shouting at the movie for emotional whiplash.
The facts you need to know are that Knight (human) and Greg (his dog) were partners on the police force, an incredible and well-known duo.
With Knight’s ability to utilize op-
posable thumbs, and Greg’s brains, they’d be unstoppable if they were to combine.
Well, here’s the news: Petey - the rampant, evil, and conniving cat - finally made his own worst nightmare come true. In a quite comical scene, his plan to finally blow up Knight and Greg - and eliminate his enemies - falters, as Petey instead creates the perfect concoction for the hospital’s doctors to stitch Greg’s head to Knight’s body, thus becom ing Dog Man!
This is where things go down multiple times. Dog Man is the hero that the city needed to defeat Petey! Every one of Petey’s plans is squashed, demolished, and thwarted by Dog Man’s brilliance.
montage that made me cry, we pan to Petey’s super-secret-and-totally-not-super-obvious hideout to learn his big evil plan - if no one else is as evil as himself he will just have to create an evil Petey clone.
If I have learned anything at the age of 22, it’s to always read thewhole - instructions before starting a project.
Petey must not have learned that life les- son, because his clone comes out of the machine a little undercooked - in- troducing Li’l Petey!
This young clone is the essence of innocence, undoubtedly proving that we are not born evil, even if your papa is the evil-est cat this side of town.
once and for all.
The end of the movie is equipped with multiple hilarious montages, and a few heartbreaking ones, but is mostly action-packed and fast paced.
The emotional whiplash I mentioned earlier is not for the faint of heart. I was crying then laughing and then sobbing and then screaming? Like what does this movie want from me!
The jokes are top tier and delivered with impeccable timing, although some were definitely for adult audiences.
At one point Petey tells Li’l Petey he’s “going to get some milk.” I burst out laughing. His excuse was because he’s a cat. If I could put emojis in a newspaper I would put six crying emojis right here.
But also the deepness they are able to convey in a children’s film moves me.
The world can be mud puddles, pollution, and weeds, but it can never be a horrible place, because it can be a home, a family, or a friendship that makes life worth it.
Although, while everyone celebrates Dog Man’s accomplishments, he finds his own life to be less than celebratory. Knight’s girlfriend left him after the surgery and Greg lost his own best friend in the process. Dog Man is lonely and also unfortunately homeless.
After moving into a smaller house outside of the city, and a really sad
With never-ending questions of “why?” Li’l Petey makes his way through his first day on Earth questioning every evil thing his papa does, turning out to be an inherent annoyance that Petey cannot deal with.
Leaving Li’l Petey abandoned, Petey makes progress on his new master plan - to defeat Dog Man
‘Nosferatu’ - a symphony of horror
By Jesse Burchill Staff Writer
Released on Dec. 25, “Nosferatu” is a gothic horror film directed by Robert Eggers and starring Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and Willem Dafoe.
A remake of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 silent film, Eggers’ version follows the same general plot: a realtor named Thomas Hutter sells a house to one Count Orlok, but learns that the Count is a vampire with malevolent intentions towards his wife Ellen and gets involved in the effort to slay the Count once and for all.
Nicholas Hoult is our leading man as Thomas Hutter. Hoult plays the role perfectly, portraying Hutter as a loving husband and normal guy who gets thrust into a deeply unfamiliar and horrifying situation.
It’s through Thomas that we first learn of the true terror of Orlok when he goes to sell the Count a house in an effort to secure Ellen and himself financial security. Hoult’s expressions as his stay at Orlok’s goes further south are on point as he realizes both how out of depth he is and, more implicitly, the true kind of monster he’s stuck with - much sooner than he did in the 1922 original, something I think is an improvement.
Hoult perfectly sells every beat of his character’s arc, from the horror of Orlok’s true nature to his dedication in protecting Ellen from Orlok’s grasp after escaping the vampire’s grip himself, and takes a far more proactive role in defeating the Count than he did in the original film.
Lily-Rose Depp appears as Thomas’s wife Ellen Hutter, who’s been the target of Count Orlok’s obsessions ever since her childhood. After her mother died and her father grew negligent, she desperately called out for any sort of companionship and unwittingly contacted Orlok, and ever since has found herself haunted by chilling nightmares of marrying death despite now being happily married to Thomas.
Throughout the film, Depp delivers an intense emotional and physical performance as a loving wife and tortured yet defiant soul trapped in the obsessions of a monster, and can easily be called the film’s standout performance. She is utterly convincing in portraying both Ellen’s desire to free herself forever of Orlok and her efforts in taking a front and center role in defeating the Count for good.
Bill Skarsgård appears as main villain Count Orlok. Skarsgård is no stranger to the horror genre - his star-making role was Pennywise the Dancing Clown, so he knows a thing or two about playing human-shaped monsters.
Sure enough, from his very first line, it’s clear that Skarsgård’s take on the Count will be a memorable one. He maintains this capacity throughout the film with a deep and gravelly voice, an incredi- bly creepy, corpse-like appearance, and a manipulative streak bar none.
Equal to the performances is the writing and direction of Robert Eggers, which truly sets this movie apart.
He creates a setting defined by 19th-century values and well-developed characters, and expertly balances these elements to create that rare sort of remake that’s just as good - if not better - than the original work.
Perhaps the scariest aspect of Eggers’ reimagining is Orlok’s relationship with Ellen, which has heavy undertones of domestic abuse. The Count forced Ellen to swear herself to him years before she married Thom-
All in all this movie seems silly from the trailer - it definitely might seem like it’s just for the kids - but if you’ve got even a spark of joy left in your cold, dead, adult heart - try watching “Dog Man” in theaters or at home when it goes to streaming.
CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY odunleavy@student.framingham.edu
as, when she was much too young to understand any of what that entails.
As a result, Orlok sees himself as the only one who deserves EllenThomas and everyone else be damned in his mad pursuit. This new dimension to Orlok - combined with Skarsgård’s chilling performance - makes the character far more monstrous beyond his supernatural nature, and he’s all the more memorable and terrifying for it.
It’s clear that Eggers had a specific, concrete vision for what he wanted for his final product, and this shows spectacularly in every corner and character of the film. The end result is an atmospheric, gruesome, and beautifully-acted period piece that will give you chills long after you leave the theater.
Rating: A+
This is how you make a remake
CONNECT WITH JESSE BURCHILL jcelardo@student.framingham.edu
David Abe / THE GATEPOST
Marcus Falcão / THE GATEPOST
‘Hymn to Virgil’ captures divine empathy
By Kate Norrish Staff Writer
Dante’s “Divine Comedy” is one of my favorite books, and while I found Hozier’s hit album “Unreal Earth,” to be a gorgeous representation of the emotions found in each circle of Hell in “The Inferno,” there was one aspect of the book that I was sad to see the album, along with most adaptations of the story, leave out - the relationship between main characters Dante and Virgil.
“Hymn to Virgil,” rectified that problem so well that it knocked my socks off. Featuring choral backup singers and electronic drum sounds, this song takes the perspective of Dante, where he explains that, despite being told his journey through the afterlife was for his own self improvement, he feels that the real benefit was giving Virgil comfort after all his years in Hell.
While Hozier is best known for his love songs, I feel that “Hymn to Virgil,” works whether or not you interpret Dante and Virgil’s relationship as having queer undertones. Either way, the lines “I do not do this for myself / I’d walk through Hell on living feet for you,” beautifully demonstrate the deep sense of empathy that Dante loses throughout “The Inferno” - and then regains in the rest of the poem. In a way, however, I can see why
Puzzles
Hozier said in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I didn’t think it was worth releasing,” as the lyrics are quite simple compared to the flowery metaphors seen in songs such as “Francesca,” or “Take Me to Church.” However, given that this song still makes my heart melt after the gazillionth time listening to it, I would be an idiot if I said they weren’t effective.
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST
As someone who almost exclusively listens to folk music, Hozier has always been one of the most approachable artists in the pop genre for me. Despite using modern sounds and singing styles, his Celtic influence and use of highlighting the importance of simple human experiences with intentful words and powerful instrumentals has always made his work sound different and special.
36. Stay home for dinner
His signature style of belting the lyrics - in a way that can only be seen as portraying deep intent - is at its most obvious. It’s as though Dante is downright begging Virgil to understand his perspective. A different artist could have easily made the mistake of mischaracterizing the nervous and obedient Dante by giving him a display of agen - cy of this degree. But this song, instead of showing rage or bitterness, pulls out the love that Dante develops toward Virgil
throughout the book, and his sense of loss as Virgil returns to Hell at the end of “The Purgatorio,” section of the poem.
I would also like to highlight the humming during the introduction of the song. It reminded me of the beginning of the choral version of an-
38. Dessert named after a German region (... letters 1, 3, 5 and 9)
41. Wood-turning tool
42. “Ish”
43. Greek love god
44. Palindromic body part
45. Site for crafty people
47. Snuggle up
49. Chicken ___ king
50. Abandon a situation, informally
52. Pollen pouch
53. Mollusk popular in New England (... letters 1, 4, 7, 12 and 13)
58. Drive a getaway car, say
59. “Survivor” item bestowing immunity
60. Fuming
63. Skin lotion brand
64. Wee
65. Edmonton NHL player
66. Match, as data
67. “___ be my pleasure”
68. Stories
DOWN
1. D.C. dealmaker
2. Actress Thurman
3. Like some embraces
4. Still competing
5. “As I demonstrated”
6. One with a reddish beard, perhaps
7. Pasta sauce brand
8. Pull into, as a gas station
9. Little garden pest
10. Serb, for one
11. Next in line, legally
12. Meryl Streep’s Ivy League alma mater
14. Drink served with sushi
20. Unlikely to wave hello
21. Beginning
22. Pet food in pellets
23. Grammy-winning Beck album whose title anagrams to “a yodel”
other song from “Unreal Earth,” “Eat Your Young.” While it may have been unintentional, I’d like to think it was a callback, as both songs discuss the misuse of the concept of justice.
I always love a good song based on a book, and this statement by Hozier, said in an interview with “Rolling Stone,” sums up why. “There’s points where Virgil picks Dante up and carries him over certain places, and puts him on the back of beasts who fly him over ravines and all of this fantastical stuff. He holds this guy when he faints and trembles and weeps. Dante the living human in this poem is, like, horrified. And then he arrives at the end of it, and Virgil says, ‘Well, I can go no further.’ And Dante, the writer, knows on some level that Virgil is not a man who deserves to be in Hell.”
I couldn’t say it better myself, and now I feel the need to re-read the book with this song in mind.
27. Smartphones, laptops, etc.
29. Takes advantage of
30. “Don’t overextend yourself at first”
31. Inventor Tesla
32. “Be right there!”
35. Courts
37. Examples of top-notch service?
39. Topples (over)
40. Sega hedgehog
46. Papeete’s South Pacific island
48. Surname of “Mama” Cass
49. Upper house?
51. One who has your back
53. Fifth Avenue retailer
54. Do as you’re told
55. Shade-loving plant
56. Prepare for publication
57. Diva’s solo
61. Piece of concert merch
62. Places to hear 14-Across, for short
Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST
Puzzle solutions are now exclusively online.
Valentine’s Festivities
Spread by Photos & Design Editor Adrien Gobin
Photos by Associate Editor Maddison Behringer, Photos & Design Editor Adrien Gobin, and Staff Photographers Eliana Buono & Oné Green
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