Snow day shenanigans!
Students enjoying FSU’s first snow day of the year Feb. 6.
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
Millie Gonzalez, dean of the Henry Whittemore Library, will depart FSU to serve as dean of the libraries for the New York Institute of Technology (NYIT).
According to Gonzalez, she has worked at FSU for 18 years, serving in multiple positions within the Whittemore Library and as Chief Diversity Officer. She will depart FSU on Feb. 21.
As dean of the libraries for the NYIT, she will oversee the five libraries on the NYIT’s Long Island and New York City campuses.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity,” she said. “I’m also originally from New York City, so going back to New York
By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief
Evelyn Campbell has made a name for herself as Framingham State’s first pick when choosing a student leader.
Even though FSU wasn’t her first choice.
“I always say I didn’t choose FSU. FSU chose me because I wasn’t supposed to attend Framingham State to even begin with,” Campbell said.
City to be closer to my family, that’s one of the reasons why it was a great opportunity because it’ll hit everything in terms of my personal [life] and also my career.”
Gonzalez was selected to serve as interim Whittemore Library dean in 2020 and was appointed dean in 2022.
Gonzalez said during her time as dean, she was “very much student-focused, so anything that affects students I take personally.”
She added she worked to “make the library offerings really robust despite a constrained budget.”
Gonzalez also highlighted the open education resource (OER) project that provides students open access to educational resources for free, including physical textbooks. Gonzalez said the
community achievements.
She majors in communication, media, and performance and will graduate with minors in English, marketing, and strategic communications.
This wasn’t expected, either. Originally, Campbell said when she was first accepted to FSU, “I thought I was just going to go to class and go home and that was going to be my story here.”
Campbell graduated high school during the COVID-19 pandemic and did not know where or if she wanted to attend college.
OER project has been a passion of hers for a long time.
Prior to serving as the Whittemore Library dean, Gonzalez served as chairperson on the Committee of Diversity and Inclusion (CDI). Gonzalez said the responsibility of the committee was to foster diversity and inclusion across campus.
She said the CDI hosted programming throughout the year, including “Latino Americans,” a five-part event series about the 500-year history of Latin America, “Muslims in America,” a panel that introduced the basic beliefs of Islam to attendees, “Night of Latin Dancing,” a dance demonstration and lesson and live music event hosted on campus, and “Latinos in Baseball, in
courses.
As a first-generation college student, Campbell said she wasn’t sure what awaited her in college, but knew she was ready for it after her gap year was over.
“I grew up with a single mom, so college was always something that I wanted to do. I wanted to get a degree. I knew how hard my mom worked, and I wanted life to be better for myself and for my family,” she said.
“My mom got pregnant at 19 and had me at 20, and it’s really weird because I look back and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, I’m like, older than when you had me,’ and I can’t even imagine how hard that was,” Campbell said. Millie Gonzalez selected as the next library dean at NYIT
However, now in her senior year, Campbell is the Student Government Association president and a national honors student who has served on many University boards and received countless awards for her academic and
She ended up taking a gap year like many students because she would not be able to receive “the full college experience” while living at home with her mom and sister and taking online
E ditorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Sophia Harris
Associate Editors
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Asst. Sports Editors
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Advisor
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Elizabeth Banks
Gatepost Interview Demetrios Brellas
Professor of Sociology and Criminology
By Bella Grimaldi Asst. News Editor
What is your academic and professional background?
I’ve been a visiting lecturer here since 2013. I got my Ph.D. at Boston University in archeology in 2016 but before that, I started my undergraduate at Stony Brook University in New York in anthropology, and I took a few years in between to teach high school. While I was still doing my Ph.D. at BU, there was an email about an opening for a lecturer position here, just to teach. I think it was one class at that point, and it was archeology. I applied and gave all my information to Dr. Alberti, who is one of the other anthropologists here, and I’ve been working here ever since. I teach cultural anthropology, I teach archeology, and probably the most popular class that I teach, in terms of people who sign up, is forensic anthropology. Last year, we taught a forensic science lab course that I’m hoping to teach again next year. Additionally, I teach with the college planning collaborative. It’s a sort of cooperation between here and MassBay, where we teach college classes to high school students in the region. I actually teach two to three courses with them, and then two here. So this semester, I’m teaching, I think, five courses all together - one at Waltham High School, one at Framingham High School, and then two here. And I’m also doing my course on the weekend, so I’m pretty busy.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I teach, largely, anthropology classes, which are based in culture. So I think that by exploring our own cultural background, our own families and our own identities, we can be ready to learn more about others. So I think my classes are all deeply rooted in culture. I take a lot of inspiration from my own cultural background because I’m Greek American. And I think sort of opening the conversation, the culture conversation in my classes, it helps a lot. Also, I don’t take myself too seriously. I think that’s a very important kind of thing. I always try to take into account the students’ points of views, what position they might be in, what kinds of things they’re going through. So I stop regularly and
tell myself, “OK, so think about yourself when you were this age, or when you were pursuing your undergrad. What other things were going on? How can I make my classroom more equitable to all of these students?” I think it’s constantly adapting what I’m doing. Listening to students, speaking with them, and not letting myself - my teaching and materials, particularly in the way I’m approaching pedagogy - stagnate. I think that that’s what can happen if you don’t update what you’re doing. So basically, to try to keep in tune with the culture of the students, what they need regularly. And like I said, I think that that also takes not taking yourself too seriously and listening.
What are some of your hobbies?
I’m an avid video gamer. I play a lot of different video games, mostly role-playing games, some strategy games, things like that. Although I don’t really have much time to do that very often, I try to find times of the year when I have a few weeks ready and just binge on that stuff. I also really like television movies, especially science fiction. And I’ve got to say, I do like flower arranging. Got to be honest, any excuse I can have to do it. I worked for years at a flower shop while I was in grad school on the floor, and it’s one of the most relaxing things. In fact, I have a couple of books on it here in my office. So whether it’s getting an arrangement just to bring it home and kind of playing around with it from Trader Joe’s, or for an event, that is something that I like to do.
What advice would you give FSU students?
The advice that I would give to FSU students is advice that I also would give to one of my colleagues or myself. Never doubt your abilities. Never think that you can’t do something. You can achieve your own goals. All of us in academics, as we pursue a career, or even if we’re living a particular career, we sometimes doubt ourselves. We get this idea of imposter syndrome. “Oh, we’re not good enough for this,” or “I haven’t written this in such a good way,” or “Is this ready for publication?” or “Can I turn this paper in?” I think that we beat ourselves up a little bit and doubt our-
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selves. I would say that that’s part of life, and all of us do it, and so it’s OK to make mistakes. And the other thing I would say is reach out to your faculty. Talk to them. The people who I probably have been the closest with and have the most interesting conversations with here have been students for the whole 10 years that I’ve been working here. You know, finding out who they are, whether it’s the criminology majors or the sociology majors, or, more recently, a lot of the ASL majors who have been taking my cultural anthropology class. I really learn a lot from them. So talk to your professors. They won’t bite your head off. They’ll probably want to hear from you, too.
CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu
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Courtesy of Demetrios Brellas
Updates to dining hall fueled by SGA
By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief
Students may have noticed some updates to the McCarthy Dining Commons when they returned from winter break.
Some changes came from concerns brought up by students during the Student Government Association’s Administrators Forum, which took place on Oct. 28.
At the meeting, Student Trustee Jeremy McDonald asked if there were a possibility of allocating meal swipes differently in order for student-athletes to use their dinner swipe before the dinner period, when they are usually in practice.
Dining Services announced on Jan. 27 that they redesigned the value, value plus, premier, and senior meal plans to allow students the ability to use the allotted weekly meals however they desire, Michael Newmark, the acting general manager of dining services, said.
In the past, the allotted meals were restricted to three per day. Now, students can use how many meal swipes they want per day, up to the allotted meals per week, Newmark said.
He added, “Our partnership with SGA is great and I look forward to future collaborations to provide an outstanding dining experience. The Administrators Forum is an important part of the process.”
President of SGA Evelyn Campbell said McDonald brought the concern to the table with meal swipes because he is on the hockey team and noticed a shortcoming in the past program.
“We wanted to make it easier for student-athletes to be able to use their swipes to grab food before games and practices,” she said.
Campbell said, “We love collaborating with Dining and are really appreciative of all of their help. We are excited that student concerns are addressed in a timely manner. We cannot wait to continue our collaboration to make student life better.”
She added, “Thank you, Dining, for your hard work!”
McDonald said he is “very grateful” that Newmark was able to help SGA “achieve this big win for students.”
He added, “The ability for students to maximize their dining plan usage contributes to the value for which Framingham State is known.”
McDonald said he is proud to have been able to raise this concern at the Administrators Forum on behalf of his fellow students.
“I believe this speaks to the exceptional level of accountability that our administration has to students. I’m happy to have many partners, including Newmark, in the Student Government Association’s continuous advocacy for student interests,” he said.
Jamiee Lowe, a sophomore volleyball player, said the expansion of the meal plan “definitely does help.”
She said it is especially useful in Sandella’s with Rams on the Run and dining dollars because “it’s a super-fast way to get food if I’m in a rush before a game.”
Other updates students might have noticed that happened over winter break include the new dish belt, which was replaced in January before students returned for the spring semester, said Newmark.
The dish belt was inoperable for most of the fall semester. During that time, additional staff were required to take dirty dishes from patrons and push them through the tray line. No members of the team were removed when the belt was replaced and they are now working in other areas, said Newmark.
Sunday night Feb. 9
Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Light west wind.
Monday Feb. 10
Sunny, with a high near 30. Calm wind becoming west around 10 mph in the morning.
Monday night Feb. 10
Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Calm wind.
Tuesday Feb. 11
A chance of snow after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
He added in the ongoing effort to improve the student-dining experience, Dining has introduced the “Kalamata” station located at “Magellan’s” in the Dining Commons.
This Mediterranean-inspired station allows students the ability to customize their meals with “fresh and healthy ingredients,” Newmark said. These include falafel, Mediterranean chicken, rice, pickled onions, and olives.
Newmark said students should soon expect a state-of-the-art hot food vending machine, which will be located on the third floor of McCarthy Center down the hall from Dunkin’.
“The ‘Just Baked’ machine will be available 24/7 and feature menu items from White Castle hamburgers to bao buns to warm breakfast pastries,” he said.
In addition, Newmark said Dining is working with Sal’s Pizza in an effort to bring Sal’s Pizza specials to FSU Dining on a “special pop-up basis.”
He said in March, Dining will introduce a new “virtual dining concept” similar in structure and delivery to Mr. Beast Burger. This will be called
AC BBQ, featuring “student-favorite BBQ menu items available to order. The concept was inspired and created by Cedric the Entertainer and Anthony Anderson.”
Senior Rachel Kadisevskis said the changes to the dining commons have been great because “we have a lot more options.” She said she was happy the dish belt was working again.
Freshman David Forgione said the updates to the dining hall are “really good.”
He added, “I think the food here is actually pretty good. I’ve been pretty impressed.”
Junior Audrey Ouellette said she is glad FSU replaced the dish belt.
Freshman Vincent Gauthier said regarding the dish belt, “I felt really bad for the workers. They would get a giant line of dishes and it was really gross.” He added he is “really happy” that it is fixed.
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu
Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov
Tuesday night Feb. 11
A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 20. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Wednesday Feb. 12
A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday night Feb. 12 Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 20. North wind 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Feb. Snow likely, possibly mixed with rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35.
Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST
“Kalamata” mediterranean-inspired station located at Magellan’s in the dining commons.
FSU partners with nonprofit to increase STEM enrollment
By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief
Framingham State University is collaborating with The Possible Zone to create a new pathway into college for local high school students.
According to Raven Tukes, vice president of partnerships at The Possible Zone, the nonprofit organization “creates opportunities for economic mobility for young people across Boston.” Enrollment in the program is free for students.
She said their programs are focused on entrepreneurial skill-building and STEAM competencies.
“Our mission is that we want to make sure that young people are equipped to go into high-paying careers, particularly in STEAM and tech fields,” Tukes said.
The initiative is a summer and after-school program that mimics the structure of an early college pathway by providing targeted, sequenced coursework, she said.
The program will start Fall 2025, with plans to enroll 30 students in the first cohort. Students will be enrolled in computer science classes and prototyping classes to start. The program will last for two years, at which point, students will be able to apply to college.
Tukes said the mission of the initiative is to increase college access and create a pathway that translates directly to the outcomes that high school students want for themselves.
“What’s special about this particular college access model is that we are actually agnostic on what post-secondary outcome we want students to take.
“We’ve given them three options. If they want to go to a four-year institution, they have our friends at Framingham State, who we’re so thankful for. If they want to go to a two-year institution, they can enroll in MassBay, or if they want to go into more of a career training program, they can go to one of our career training partners,” Tukes said.
The students who will be enrolled in the program will come from Boston high schools - specifically, Dr. Albert D. Holland High School of Technology, John D. O’Bryant School of Math & Science, and The English High School, according to Tukes.
Framingham State University, along with MassBay Community College and Wentworth Institute of Technology, have agreed to offer conditional college acceptance for any students who complete the program.
Director of Undergraduate Admissions Shayna Eddy said she was approached by Joanna Sanborn, senior
“You do not need to be a ‘STEM person’ to succeed - you just need to be willing to work hard and collaborate with faculty and other students.”
- Lauren Nolfo-Clements Dean of the College of STEM
The program will take place in The Possible Zone’s 36,000-square-foot innovation center in Jamaica Plain. Tukes said the program will “provide an engaging hands-on curriculum where students come to make and explore a variety of STEAM fields.”
She said courses will be taught by faculty of the Wentworth Institute of Technology.
director of post-secondary pathways at The Possible Zone, over a year ago about starting this partnership.
“Then a group from The Possible Zone came to FSU for a tour and a few of us from Framingham State went to their physical space and talked about various ways we could make this partnership work. Here we are a year later and we are very excited to have a plan
in place to provide their students with opportunities to higher education,” Eddy said.
She said The Possible Zone will engage students in “work-based learning, college and career pathway experiences, and entrepreneurship opportunities.”
Framingham State will be able to assist the students as they decide to take the next step in continuing their education, Eddy said.
She said FSU does not select students to participate in the program but will be working with The Possible Zone to serve the students who are in the program. She said FSU “will be working very closely with TPZ staff members to identify eligible students who will be a good fit for Framingham State. We will offer these students conditional acceptance if certain criteria are met upon graduation.”
She added that as Framingham State works to continue to build these partnerships, the focus is to increase the number of applications and ultimately increase enrollment.
She said the partnership “creates a support system for these students to ensure a smooth transition from high school to college, something we cannot do separately.”
Regarding the application process, Eddy said, “We will review a student’s academic record and evaluate their admission ‘on the spot.’ Students still need to formally apply and other criteria are taken into consideration before a final decision is rendered.”
Dean of STEM Lauren Nolfo-Clements said that STEM-specific and general professional competencies are “vital to success in the workplace, especially since technology evolves quickly and everyone must be willing and able to adapt.”
She said the particular STEM fields
or specializations that attract the most students at FSU are biology/pre-health and computer science.
Nolfo-Clements said one of her goals as dean of STEM is to create a “pathway to introduce students to the range of fields encompassed by STEM.”
She said the majority of STEM majors offer discipline-specific internships and independent research opportunities for students.
Nolfo-Clements added that faculty in collaboration with the Center for Student Experience and Career Development help students not only by preparing their materials to apply for internships but also by finding internship opportunities through their professional networks and Handshake.
She said some misconceptions about STEM majors are that “many people see professionals in STEM as dealing with facts and absolutes, but that is not the case. STEM is about discovery and using what is known to push the boundaries of human knowledge, innovation, and technology. It is quite creative and dynamic.”
Nolfo-Clements said, “You do not need to be a ‘STEM person’ to succeedyou just need to be willing to work hard and collaborate with faculty and other students.”
Junior computer science major Jairequan Hayes said what he likes most about his major is that “Most professors are willing to work with you about any deadlines or issues with assignments if you contact them.”
Freshman Xander Forward, who also majors in computer science, said his favorite part is “the hands-on approach toward the coding we’re doing in my Java class.”
CONNECT
Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST
Students walking through Hemenway Laboratories.
FSU receives $70,000 behavioral health grant
By Dylan Pichnarcik News Editor
Framingham State received a $70,000 grant from the Behavioral Health Trust Fund, according to a press release from the Healey-Driscoll administration Dec. 12.
Thirty-seven universities and colleges across the Commonwealth received a grant from the trust fund, according to the press release.
The grant was secured by professor
20 students in each group, Moore said.
The program is made up of two education models. The first is a traditional on-campus or hybrid model in which students take courses at Framingham State, according to McMakin.
The second is a community-based model in which students take classes at one of FSU’s partner human service agencies such as the New England Center for Children or Children Services of Roxbury, according to McMakin.
When the program began in 2022,
working at another school.
The program fees were taken care of by her employer. “It was an employee benefit through the school I worked for, and without it, I would have never been able to go to graduate school. The program was largely paid for by my employer and the convenience of being on site made this possible for me,” she said.
Hurley added, “As a first-generation college graduate, I am proud to be part of a learning community that actively
supports students to move forward in their professional careers.”
Niemi said, “ATF really helps people from minoritized populations get the certification that they need in order to help the growing populations of people who need behavioral health support. And it’s just a fantastic program that I’m very proud that we have.”
CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
“As a first-generation college graduate, I am proud to be part of a learning community that actively supports students to move forward in their professional careers.”
- Jennifer Hurley Professor of Counseling Psychology
of psychology and philosophy Deborah McMakin, Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Eric Gustafson, and Dean of Graduate and Continuing Education Marilyn Cleary, according to President Nancy Niemi.
The grant given to FSU will be used to pay the staff needed to operate the Accelerate the Future (ATF) Cohort Program. This includes a director, an assistant director, two program coordinators, two program advisors, and an administrative assistant, according to Zoe Moore, assistant director of graduate recruitment for cohort programs.
ATF offers a “Master’s in Counseling Psychology through Framingham State University and in partnership with ATF family foundation and mental health and behavioral health agencies across the state of Massachusetts,” according to the Framingham State website.
According to the Framingham State website, ATF is “a private family foundation that initiated a partnership with FSU to create the most affordable and accessible master’s program in counseling psychology.
“These programs meet the Massachusetts requirements for the licensed mental health counselor application. The three-year program is a ‘learnand-earn’ cohort satellite model of education in which 20 bachelor-level staff at human services agencies throughout Massachusetts keep their existing bachelor-level job while taking courses and conducting their field placement work at their place of employment.”
According to McMakin, the program also works to promote the development of the workforce of practicing clinicians in underserved communities.
There are currently over 220 students enrolled in the program, according to Moore.
The program’s student body is made up of 11 cohorts, with approximately
the ATF family foundation offered 20 full-tuition scholarships to students based on financial need “and they were looking for at least a stated commitment to working with children and families in community health and the importance of that,” McMakin said.
Moore said the goal of the program is to “make our master’s in counseling psychology program more accessible to community health workers. We are especially focused on recruiting BIPOC, multilingual, and culturally responsive candidates.”
The program has an 88-90% retention rate, according to McMakin.
She said she credits the faculty and advisors in the program for the high retention rate. “I think those connections have been really helpful because they know the campus-based program and connect with the students.”
McMakin said in addition to the state grant given in December, a federal grant proposal for $2.3 million was submitted in 2023 to facilitate the program’s growth.
Jennifer Hurley, class of ’06 and professor of counseling psychology, participated in an off-campus cohort with ATF during her graduate work at FSU and returned to the program as an adjunct faculty member.
“I started teaching for the ATF cohorts last spring, and taught the course Professional Issues in Counseling and Mental Health in Spring 2024, Fall 2024, and now again this spring. This semester, I am also teaching Psychopathology for a different cohort within the program. I love teaching for the program, and just like on campus, there is such a variety of students with different experiences who all contribute to a rich learning environment,” Hurley said.
Hurley took classes that were taught by Framingham State faculty while
Millie Gonzalez
Continued from Page 1
the Barrios and the Big Leagues,” an artifact collection initiative which invited the community to add baseball
State has committed to and become. … So she’s got a lot of history here that she understands well, and I know we’ll miss her. She’s a piece of our history that we cannot replace.”
half years ago. We will miss her but are so very happy for her.”
Porter-Utley said Gonzalez serves on FSU’s Deans Council and the Provost’s Council. As a member, she “helps
“The outcomes of any one of many projects we have taken on are better because she has offered her expertise and experience and helped inform what we are doing to achieve our in-
“I get the sense that Millie is never bored! She finds interest in everything, and her enthusiasm across the disciplines has been a boon to the campus. Maybe all librarians are this curious, but she’s exemplary in this way.”
- Lisa Eck
Chair of the English department
artifacts to FSU’s digital collection.
Gonzalez said the committee made a recommendation to the president to hire a consultant to compile a report about FSU’s diversity and inclusion efforts, and “out of that report, the consultant made the recommendation of having a vice president of diversity and inclusion.”
She added, “Without the CDI, I think none of that would have happened.”
After the recommendation was approved, Gonzalez served as interim chief diversity officer - a position now held by Jeffery Coleman, vice president of diversity, inclusion, and community engagement.
Coleman said, “Dean Gonzalez was part of developing the institutional momentum toward fostering an antiracist campus community.
“We have enjoyed a collegial and collaborative relationship since I arrived at FSU,” Coleman added.
Coleman said his division collaborated with Gonzalez on the installation of the Native American Land Acknowledgement Mural located in the Whittemore Library.
He said Gonzalez is “resourceful and passionate about open educational resources as a tool for broadening access to course materials for students.”
Gonzalez began her career at FSU as a part-time reference and e-resource librarian. Her first office in the library now serves as the quiet study room on the first floor of the Whittemore library.
After that, Gonzalez served as the digital services and emerging technologies librarian.
Gonzalez has a bachelor’s degree in comparative literature from Hamilton College and two master’s degrees, including a master’s of library science from Simmons University.
President Nancy Niemi said Gonzalez is “absolutely committed to the work of making education, through the work of the library, a tool for more equity. She lives the ethos of FSU, and I’ve watched her do that.”
Niemi highlighted the open education resources initiative “spearheaded” by Gonzalez and Gonzalez’s work as the “architect” behind bringing the Smithsonian Holocaust Exhibition to the Whittemore Library.
Niemi said, “I think it’s important to acknowledge that she really has a wide understanding of what Framingham
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kristen Porter-Utley said, “Dean Gonzalez has been a valued and wonderful colleague since I became the Provost at FSU two-and-a-
us brainstorm ideas and develop and implement projects that advance the success of our students, faculty, and staff. So, she is a valued colleague in all the work we do in Academic Affairs.
stitutional mission and implement our new strategic plan,” Porter-Utley said. Lisa Eck, English department chair, said she has always “had a warm, collaborative relationship with Millie because we both care deeply about campus culture, namely coming together in spaces outside the classroom where a real sense of community can take place.
“We worked on a dozen or more projects during the eight years I ran the Arts & Ideas series. Millie’s enthusiasm for bringing guest authors to campus, hosting traveling art exhibits, and reminding us all what a resource the library can be for our shared intellectual life as students, faculty, and members of the community made her a muse for many of us aspiring to connect across disciplines and venture out across the quad!”
Eck said, “I get the sense that Millie is never bored! She finds interest in everything, and her enthusiasm across the disciplines has been a boon to the campus. Maybe all librarians are this curious, but she’s exemplary in this way.”
She said she hopes to see Gonzalez’s successor “continue her focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. I hope her successor will be willing to supervise ambitious internships for English and other humanities majors aspiring to careers in library science and information technologies, just as Millie has done. These internships change students’ lives.”
Desmond McCarthy, professor of English, said, “In each position she has held throughout her 18 years at FSU, Millie’s focus on student success has made her a role model for all of us.
“She’s done so much to make the library a fun and inviting place to be, from the plants and artwork to the comfy chairs and quiet study rooms. The building reflects her warm personality, and the library’s innovative research tools and resources as well as the many beautiful, inspiring programs and exhibits are a testament to her brilliant leadership.”
[ Editor’s Note: Desmond McCarthy is the advisor of The Gatepost. ]
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
Millie Gonzalez in the first floor quiet study room in the Henry Whittemore Library.
THE
GATEPOST EDITORIAL
DEI is not discrimination
On Jan. 22, the White House released a fact sheet explaining one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI initiatives in the federal workforce - attempting to eliminate them entirely.
The fact sheet claims the executive order “protects the civil rights of all Americans and expands individual opportunity by terminating radical DEI preferencing in federal contracting and directing federal agencies to relentlessly combat private sector discrimination.”
These claims are extremely biased and blatantly untrue.
In order to explain how this order actively harms American communities and promotes discrimination, we first want to explain exactly what DEI is. DEI - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - is an initiative that promotes the inclusion of people of all backgrounds, sexualities, gender identities, and socioeconomic statuses in all areas of society. It is a set of principles and practices that aim to ensure fair opportunities and create a sense of belonging for everyone.
DEI programs, plain and simple, exist to strengthen our businesses, universities, and government by considering all points of view. They do not exist to take anything away from anyone - they exist to help promote equity by ensuring people from underrepresented groups are given the same opportunities.
The United States of America is a country that was founded and built on the backs of slave labor. The complicated history of our country has resulted in racist and gendered exclusionary ideologies into the systemic structures of how our government and businesses operate.
For example, it is untrue to say that Black Americans have not had a more difficult time than white Americans. With slavery, Jim Crow laws, and continuing into the 21st century, police brutality and redlining, it is a fact that Black Americans have been and still are an oppressed group.
This systemic mistreatment and exclusion of people from underrepresented groups is unacceptable and DEI initiatives are necessary in order to begin to undo the harm caused as a result.
On the Framingham State campus, 48% of our students identify as people of color, many students identify as a part of the
LGBTQ+ community, and 54% are first-generation college students.
Our student body as a whole will be directly affected by this order. The White House fact sheet states, “[This order] terminates ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.”
Framingham State University is federally funded, and therefore, this order will directly affect how our University is able to use our federal funds for our inclusive initiatives.
This will mainly affect the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE), which oversees FSU’s antiracist commitments, land acknowledgement policy, community sponsorships, the Center for Inclusive Excellence, student and employee affinity groups, and the MetroWest College Planning Collaborative.
Framingham State will be completely altered if these departments, groups, and commitments are forced to be disbanded due to this executive order.
Thankfully, our administration has expressed that this executive order will not change FSU’s core values as an institution.
In an email to all students sent on Jan. 29, President Nancy Niemi reaffirmed Framingham State’s stance of inclusion, saying, “Framingham State University has always been a place where diversity is celebrated, inclusion is championed, and support is extended to all. No matter the uncertainties we face, these values remain at the heart of who we are.”
There is not much we can do in the face of these exclusionary executive orders, but we can follow in Niemi’s footsteps and continue to support those around us and uphold the standards of antiracism and inclusion on our campus and outside in our communities.
The Gatepost Editorial Board also thanks Vice President of DICE Jeffery Coleman, Director of the CIE Jerome Burke, and all of the employees under DICE for their commitment to providing educational initiatives and programming for FSU and the surrounding communities.
As a community, we must continue to advocate for the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campus and in our country every day.
Health is wealth, except for RFK Jr.
By Izayah Morgan Opinions Editor
Robert Francis Kennedy Jr., or RFK Jr. for short, is a prominent political leader and environmentalist. He is the nephew of former president John F. Kennedy and son of former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.
He went into the “family business” and found himself heavily involved in environmentalism and advocating for the rights of young children.
A very admirable thing to do.
He is the founder of organizations that fight for children’s rights and advocate for clean water. President Trump has picked RFK Jr. to be the person to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
According to the HHS website, “HHS has 13 operating divisions, including 10 agencies in the U.S. Public Health Service and three human services agencies. These divisions administer a wide variety of health and human services and conduct life-saving research for the nation, protecting and serving all Americans.”
It is a department which oversees the health of all Americans and is critical for us to succeed as a nation. I believe RFK. Jr wants to protect Americans and believes in helping people through providing them clean environments, which is shown by his credentials.
However his view on certain areas of medicine concern me, to say the least. And at most, his views outright disqualify him from the position in my opinion.
Let’s start with his position on vaccines - to be clear vaccines are one of the great inventions of science and without them many more people would have died from sickness like COVID-19.
For example, the Plague was estimated to kill 25 to 50 million people. Fast forward to today, where COVID-19 has taken over 7 million lives globally, according to the World Health Organization.
At his Senate confirmation hearing last week, it was brought up that RFK Jr. claimed in a podcast interview in 2023 that “no vaccine is safe or effective.” He also claimed in a podcast he “would do anything to go back in time to not vaccinate his kids.”
He claimed these statements were taken out of context.
Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont grilled RFK Jr. on his previous claim on a Fox News interview that “autism comes from vaccines.”
There has been extensive scientific evidence that supports the opposite. Despite this, RFK Jr. dodged the question stating he won’t go into HHS with any preconceived notions. But as Sen. Sanders said it is his job to read these studies and know the current scientific consensus - and I agree heavily.
He also made comments that frustrated me as a Black man and terrified many Black people in this country. On Jan. 30 in his confirmation hearing Democratic senator from Maryland, Angela Alsobrooks, also grilled RFK Jr. on his comments about the immune systems of Black people.
In an interview on Feb. 26, 2021 with Dr. Judy Mikovits, RFK Jr. claimed, “We should not be giving Black people the same vaccine schedule that is given to whites, because their immune system is better than ours.”
His response was to say that in studies, mostly conducted in Poland, Black people had a much stronger reaction and “that there’s differences in reactions to different products by different races.”
In response Sen. Alsobrooks - who is a Black woman - asked, “What different vaccine schedule should I have received?”
He claimed, “The Poland articles suggest that Blacks need fewer antigens.”
I’ll take Mr. Kennedy at his word and believe that these Polish studies do suggest that as their finding. There are, at most, a few studies out of Poland that suggest this and I think it’s dangerous to proclaim that Black people need a different vaccine schedule than white people.
Especially when the country we live in has a racist past with its medical treatment of Black people. There will be doctors that would treat us differently - as some still already do - then our white counterparts.
Statements like RFK Jr.’s generalize medical treatment for an underserved community. Most people will not read the data or look at multiple studies. It is Mr. Kennedy’s job to analyze this data from all over the world and protect people - not make broad statements about the vaccine cycles of Black people.
RFK Jr. could still be a good man who wants to protect people, but I don’t think - with his previous statements and his unwillingness to hear those around him who he hurt directly with his rhetoric - he is fit for office.
Insomnia’s invitation
By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff
When you express the inability to find a solution to a problem, many people will tell you to “think outside the box.”
What they don’t tell you, however, is that there is no box.
The implication of “thinking outside the box” only presents two options. Inside or outside.
As human beings, we are being bombarded by information all the time. This is partly due to our consumption of media continuously being pushed to run faster, reach farther, scare, inspire, protect, defend, rally, inform, connect.
It is also due to our innate urge to create.
Where can we possibly put all of it?
Inside, or outside?
If we try to fit it all inside, won’t it overflow? If it does overflow, where does the inside end and the outside begin? If we put it all outside, where are we even putting it? How far does outside the box go?
There is no box.
Alongside the overconsumption forced upon us, is the alarming normalization of instant gratification.
Creating with the intention of efficiency and accessibility is being confused with gaining instantaneity. People are much more concerned with the product, so much that they do not care to acknowledge the process behind success.
Critical thinking is at an all time low. Most people are not even aware that they aren’t thinking critically, because it is so normalized to reach instant gratification.
Following the comprehension of a single thought, many people instinctively label it as outside this “box” we’re told about.
This thought is an amalgamation of everything before it.
Still, they take this complete and “unattached” thought and hold it in the palm of their hand. They set it down in the emptiness right beside this box that’s been made up and move on.
There is no box.
Throughout Earth’s history, and the existence of human beings upon it, it’s been repeatedly proven that “boundaries” can always be pushed further. New creations can always exist. We are always continuing.
We have proved to ourselves, in some paradoxical way, that these boundaries we are pushing do not exist.
Humans will chase the unknown, find what has not yet been found. We push until we finally come to a creation that has not yet existed. Another step forward.
For whatever reason, humans also need a tangible antagonist. Rather than recognize there are endless possibilities, it is much more digestible to assign something to push against, take victory over. Something we can prove wrong, or more importantly; something that will prove that we are right.
We need walls to push against, to break down, to climb over. To become outside of. Until we reach the next wall.
There are no walls.
There is no box.
I am too serious. I am too emotional. I take things too far. I make things too
deep. I make things complicated. I present ideas that require too much work. I have too many opinions. I spend too much time in my own head. I overthink things.
Yes, and -
You underthink things.
Your existence is proof of undefinable knowledge. If you attempted to fill a book with all your knowledge you would never be able to finish it. As you wrote it, you would also continuously gain more knowledge.
It insists upon itself.
On top of this, there is an unfathomable amount of history that existed before you. The “proof” of boundaries being broken countless times is also proof that they were never really there.
Boundaries are not being broken. We don’t leave broken walls behind us. There is only creation, which brings light to the path in front of us.
How can I take things too far when there is no such “too far” to take anything?
The acknowledgment of the un-
own head” or “lost in my own world.” Because of this I tried to stick to simpler emotions, conclusions, and interactions. I tried to shove down my complications and ignore how strongly I existed.
However, as I mentioned before, there is no box. There is nothing with any sort of boundaries to keep everything inside of.
So I let myself “get stuck.” I followed my spirals into their darkest places until I created light. The further I went, the more I could see.
After recognizing these spirals, and their infinity, it is implied there must be points everyone intersects.
I continue to bring light to my spiral, and find myself discovering crossroads and intersections where mine meets someone else’s.
Analyzing everything as far as I possibly can led me to a greater understanding of other people and the way they understand the world. It is a continuous cycle.
Learn your innermost spiral. Contin-
known is what makes it knowable.
Have you figured it out yet, as I talk in circles?
There is no box. There are no boundaries.
There is only an infinite spiral.
Accept its infinity, follow it, bring light with every step you take along it.
In its infinity, there are endless spiraling paths for you to follow.
This may sound similar to the “butterfly effect.” It does follow that theory that every choice, no matter how small, leads you to exactly where you are today. I am asking of you to also recognize the infinity in the choices you didn’t make, and those you are yet to make.
Throughout my own life, I eventually got comfortable in my own head. I can only describe my thoughts like there’s five different trains speeding back and forth while my racing thoughts jump across tracks into passing cars.
Because of this, I spent, and still spend, a lot of time daydreaming, overthinking, repeatedly recalling interactions. Spiraling.
People told me I was “stuck in my
It is always made of those pieces, together, or not.
Keep this collection growing. You won’t run out of space.
There is no box.
I don’t want you to feel like I have thrown my thoughts into your collection with no rhyme or reason.
The increasing rate of our consumption is scary because thoughts and ideas are being thrown into our space. Your carefully arranged collection of thoughts feel shaken and disrupted by the constant bombardment.
It creates a huge confusing mess inside, one that feels impossible to clean up. Where do you start to organize it? Should you line up all the complete thoughts before breaking them down? Or do you break them down one by one as you arrange them?
Which spiral should you follow first? And will it lead you back to a mess that still needs organizing?
I want to carefully place a few more thoughts I have collected for you, ideas that will hopefully help you process the mess that is thrown at us every day.
Break everything down. Breaking everything down and acknowledging different levels of use will give you a clear idea of its most meaningful application. Even if the most impactful use of a thought turns out to be its simplest and most digestible form, understanding that it goes deeper will remind you that it is infinite and can be continuously applied.
Don’t be afraid to state things plainly. Be blunt. Dancing around your intentions in fear of making people upset will overwhelm them, because your true meaning will need to be processed after they break down all its extra padding. You aren’t pleasing people, you are enabling them to not understand you. You are enabling people to allow your extra padding to overwhelm them and throw away your point before even reaching it.
Courtesy of Alexis Schlesinger
ue to follow it forever.
Keep in mind you do not have to know yourself in your entirety, and you should not focus on “knowing yourself first” before following the spirals of those around you. There is no first, second, third, or so forth when learning the inner workings of human existence. Only alongside.
Be willing to accept other people’s requests to guide you through their spiral.
Let people explain to you how they understand things. Listen carefully. Taking offense to another person’s expression may cause them to turn the lights back off.
Your knowledge is a collection. You are never taking in something new to throw away something old. You have to put thoughts side by side, and examine them carefully.
Break them down into their finest parts without worrying about putting them back together. Get to the core of what you’ve collected, and acknowledge all the little pieces that make the thought what it is.
To be blunt and plain with you now: there simply is no wrong way to do it. As long as you continue to work toward further understanding, you are doing something right. Each step forward is creation.
I want to leave you with this invitation. If anything I have said to you has reached you or resonated with you in any way, if you have taken even the smallest piece of this and feel confident in its placement in your collection, then I have not ever struggled. Insomnia keeping me awake isn’t to tire me, but to enlighten me. My racing thoughts that move too fast for my mouth to keep up with do not tire my legs when I chase them. Everything has led me to write this, it has led you to read and feel something about it.
Now I lay in the dark with you and invite you to share my insomnia. To share my spiral.
If you want, I will even hold your hand.
We will lie here and stare at the ceiling in the dark, until we remember that it is dark because the ceiling isn’t actually there, because there are no boundaries.
There is no box.
Campus Conversations
By Alexis Schlesinger, Editorial Staff and Raena Hunter Doty, Staff Writer
“What was your favorite snow day activity as a kid?”
“Building. ... My family didn’t always build snowmen, but building stuff with the snow.”
- Daniella Gorham, freshman
“Sledding. ... Just finding a big hill and sledding down it.”
- Mary Heffernan, freshman
“Snowball fight ... because I got to throw snow at people’s faces.”
- Jaquin Fahnbu, freshman
“Waking up, having hot chocolate, and playing fortnite.”
- Matthew DeCarney, freshman
“Building forts with my brother and sister, and then we did snowball fights with the neighborhood kids.”
- Eilish Heffernan, senior
“Sledding. ... There was this one place - my old school ... It had this steep hill and I would always go there with my friends and sisters.
- Kat Aufiero, freshman
Liv, Laf... Roni: Based on a True Story
Ronnie Chiu-Lin / THE GATEPOST
SPORTS
Men’s ice hockey hopes to shake up MASCAC in final games
By Izabela Gage Sports Editor
The Framingham State men’s ice hockey team fell to the Anna Maria Amcats in a shutout loss 2-0 Feb. 1. This loss brings their conference record to 0-10-1 and their overall record to 1-15-2.
The Amcats started off with the first shot on goal only 28 seconds into the game, with sophomore goaltender Owen Swanbon tallying his first save of the heavily defensive game.
Senior Tyler Westfall said defense was the main focus going into the game against Anna Maria. “One thing we have really tried to focus on is defense first, which will lead to offensive opportunities.”
Senior Jeremy McDonald tried to net the puck for the Rams less than 2 minutes in, but the shot was stopped by Anna Maria’s goaltender, Matthew Hennessey.
The Rams were on the power play less than 4 minutes in when Anna Maria’s Justin Taylor got put in the box for cross-checking.
Freshman Michael Kennedy and McDonald both tried to capitalize on offense with one shot each, but Hennessey did not let them past the goal line.
Back on even strength, the Amcats took control of the puck and tried to net it three different times in less than a minute. Swanbon stopped all shots with ease.
Kennedy gained possession of the puck and attempted another shot on goal, but Hennessey’s defense remained durable.
With the puck back in the Rams’ defensive zone, the Amcats tried to net the puck but were stopped by Swanbon’s pads.
Senior Devante Dixon was penalized for tripping, putting the Rams on the penalty kill.
Anna Maria could only make two shot opportunities on the power play, both of which were saved by Swanbon. He saved another three shots when
gameplay was back to even strength.
Swanbon said, “I prepare the same way for each game and that is to just go out there with the mindset of doing everything I can to keep my team in the game.
“Anna Maria is really strong offensively and I knew coming into the game that I was going to make some huge stops,” he added.
The Rams stayed determined to score and kept the puck in the offensive zone. Kennedy, Dixon, McDonald, and senior Sam Larkin all tried to break through Hennessey’s defense but unfortunately, could not get past the goal line.
The Amcats tallied two back-toback shots and sophomore Brady Rossbach tallied one 8 seconds before the buzzer sounded through the rink at the end of the period.
The second period started with the Amcats trying to find a gap in Swanbon’s pads 18 seconds in.
The Rams responded with a shot from senior Caleb Dusek, which did not make it past the goal line, and Collazo came in for the rebound to catch Hennessey off guard. Collazo’s shot did not make it past Hennessey’s pads.
Anna Maria gained possession of the puck and took four back-to-back shots, all stopped by Swanbon’s unbreakable defense.
Senior Walker Smith took a shot on net, but was stopped once again by Hennessey.
Swanbon made another 5 saves over the next 3-and-a-half minutes.
Sophomore Scott Bugarin and senior Jordan Guigui each made an attempt on goal to end the second period, with both shots being stopped by Hennessey.
The Rams won the starting faceoff in the third period, holding possession of the puck until Anna Maria’s Braeden McKinnon broke away with it and fired a quick shot toward Swanbon only 21 seconds in. The puck was buried in Swanbon’s pads, stopping it from getting close to the net.
Collazo won the next faceoff, and
mere seconds later, freshman Zach Pappas passed the puck through the neutral zone to Dusek, who was waiting in the offensive zone. He slapped a shot toward the net but could not get through Hennessey’s defense.
Anna Maria broke the stalemate, with Samson Mouland sending the puck to the top shelf from the edge of the defensive zone.
Soon after, Swanbon tallied two more saves before junior Jerry Duckett and Anna Maria’s Tobias Omholt were both penalized for roughing.
Playing 4-on-4, the Amcats tried twice more to net another goal but Swanbon stayed composed and stopped both.
Back to even-strength gameplay, the Rams kept working to find an opening on net, with junior Jake Barcelou and Larkin attempting to get the puck past the goal line.
Rossbach and Dixon both attempted to net the puck before Framingham was back on the power play.
Sophomore Brent Scott took advantage of being 5-on-4 and kept up the pressure offensively, tallying another shot on goal for the Rams.
The Rams took Swanbon out of the net with 2 minutes and 17 seconds left in the game, and sent Collazo onto the ice for added pressure in the offensive zone.
After 34 seconds of fighting for the puck, Collazo sent the puck from the blue line to attempt to find a hole in Hennessey’s defense, but could not find the back of the net.
Neither team tallied any more shots on net until the Amcats scored for the last time with 3.2 seconds remaining in the game, bringing the final score to 2-0.
Anna Maria’s shots on goal outnumbered Framingham’s 43 to 27.
Guigui said since the loss against the Amcats, the team has “done many offensive-based drills to get quick shots on goal.”
Swanbon tallied 41 saves out of the 42 shots he faced, earning a .976 save percentage for his 57 minutes in net.
Swanbon said, “I was able to get into a really good rhythm pretty early into the game, which gave me a lot of con-
fidence and helped me stay composed through the full 60 minutes.”
He added that the team in front of him did a “tremendous job defensively,” which helped him remain focused in the goal crease.
Neither Framingham nor Anna Maria was able to capitalize on any of their power plays.
The Rams ended the game with three penalty infractions, contrasting with the Amcats’ five.
Westfall said, “We are trending in the right direction and staying out of the box has been a huge help in that regard.
“The self-policing on the team has gotten better. Although emotions can run high during games, keeping the team in check through various players helps us as a whole to be more disciplined,” he added.
Guigui said the team is sticking together to focus on pushing “these last few conference games in our favor and move up in the standings to make the playoffs.”
Westfall said he commends the team on their perseverance. “Despite the struggles this season, everyone has taken on the mindset that tomorrow is a new day and a new opportunity for not only us as individuals, but us as the team to get better.”
The Rams travel to face the Westfield State University Owls on Feb. 8. Guigui said, “We are doing everything in our power to push these last few conference games in our favor and move up in the standings to make the playoffs.”
Bernier said the team is trying to “stay on track” and taking it “one game at a time.”
Westfall said, “It has been a tough year, but knowing that there’s still a chance for us to shake up the conference definitely helps us hone in on these last 7 games.”
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Brent Scott with the puck during game against Anna Maria Feb. 1.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Michael Kennedy (center) skating with the puck during game against Anna Maria Feb. 1.
Women’s basketball celebrates five-game win streak
Double-doubles for Greene, Schels, Haselton
By Kyra Tolley Asst. Sports Editor
Women’s basketball hosted the Westfield State University Owls in an action-packed conference game Feb. 1 that ended in an 86-80 win for the Rams.
This result gives Framingham a 5-2 conference record and an overall record of 12-7.
To start the first quarter, the Owls started strong, scoring the first points of the game with a three-point shot.
When it came time for Framingham to inbound the ball, Westfield played aggressively and applied a full-court press they maintained for the entirety of the game.
Westfield’s press forced 35 turnovers from the Rams. The Owls were held to 23 points off the turnovers, while Framingham scored 23 points off Westfield’s 18 turnovers.
Senior Chloe Rayko scored the first basket for the Rams from behind the three-point line, tying the game 3-3.
The Owls had two successful free throws, but junior Abigail Martin had an impressive three possessions to put the Rams in the lead.
Captain Katie Haselton recovered a defensive rebound and triggered a series of swift passes down the court that proved to be unblockable as the ball made its way to Martin, who put it in for 2 points.
Martin then stole the ball and assisted freshman Jackie Schels’ layup before the Owls sank a three-point shot, but Martin tallied another assist to freshman Faith Greene for 2 more points.
The following steal by Schels and her resulting layup brought the score to 11-8 in favor of the Rams.
The Owls then missed a layup on the other end, which Schels took advantage of and scored a three-point shot to extend the Rams’ lead to 14-8.
Martin continued to show her defensive skill with another steal that created a layup opportunity, which she converted while being fouled. She then made the following free throw.
The Rams took a 10-point lead after a foul committed on sophomore Bryanna Grant allowed her to score a free throw.
Westfield was eager to score after four unsuccessful possessions, but Grant easily blocked their attempt at a layup.
The Owls were able to get on the board again with two free throws and a three-point shot.
Westfield couldn’t make up the deficit yet because Greene kept pushing to get rebounds and make layups, but the Owls scored the last 4 points of the quarter with two free throws and one layup.
The first quarter ended with the Rams just barely in the lead at 20-17.
The start of the second quarter saw the Rams and the Owls alternating layups until Framingham had three successful attempts from beyond the arc.
Schels made a three-pointer before Westfield answered with 2 points, but junior Kiara Cerruti didn’t let the momentum shift as she sank another three-point shot. Schels followed with
yet another three-pointer of her own.
With Framingham 10 points ahead, Westfield had ground to make up.
Two layups and two free throws started that process for the Owls, but Cerruti closed out the second quarter with the final 2 points.
The second quarter ended 37-30 in favor of the Rams.
Westfield capitalized on their first shot of the third quarter to gain 2 points and close the deficit down to 5 points, but Greene wouldn’t let that last long.
Just 30 seconds later, Greene grabbed a defensive rebound that put her team on the attack.
After some quick ball movement, Greene got the ball back from Schels
Framingham had established.
It was now a one-possession game with a score of 52-50.
Despite this pressure, Cerruti didn’t let down and scored 7 points in less than a minute while her team held down the defense, halting the Owls’ attempts to score.
The third quarter concluded with 4 more points for Westfield and 1 more point for Framingham, which brought the score to 60-54.
The Owls came out quickly in the fourth quarter, hoping to break down the Rams’ defense with their full-court press.
The first basket for Westfield came from a turnover by Framingham, something the Rams struggled with all
and pulled up for a jump shot that sank to bring the score to 39-32.
A few moments later, Schels was fouled and converted 2 points off her free throws.
On the next possession, Greene tracked down the ball on defense and stole the ball from the Owls.
Rayko received the ball and shot from far out and missed, but Greene, who has a knack for grabbing rebounds, won the ball back.
She went up for a layup, was fouled, and got set up at the line for a free throw. After she made the shot, the Rams were back to a 10-point lead.
In the next minute, Westfield cut that lead in half with a three-pointer and a two-point jump shot.
Framingham responded with a layup by Greene. When the Owls missed a three-point shot in their following possession, Greene rebounded and got the ball to Haselton, who scored a layup.
After a missed three-point attempt from Cerruti, Martin grabbed the rebound and passed it to Haselton, who went up for a layup.
The ball didn’t fall in, but Haselton caught her own rebound and passed it to Cerruti, who finally got the 2 points they were working toward to give the Rams an 11-point lead - the largest lead of the game.
More three-pointers and even more layups raised the score for both teams, but Westfield was accumulating points fast enough to whittle away at the lead
tiple rebounds by Framingham ended with a three-pointer from Haselton.
The remaining moments of the game became a battle of the free throws. The Rams were consistent while the Owls seemed to struggle.
The deficit got larger and larger until Framingham was up by 10 points again.
The Owls decided to strategically foul in an attempt to stop the clock and get more scoring opportunities, but the Rams’ free throws were dependable. The final score of the game was 86-80.
Schels, Greene, and Haselton all accomplished a double-double during this game, with each of them getting over 10 rebounds and 10 points.
Schels, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds, led the team in three-pointers, while Haselton had 14 points and 12 rebounds and led the team in assists.
Greene led the team in both points and rebounds with 22 points and 16 rebounds. She was particularly masterful on defense as 12 of her rebounds came on the defensive end.
These three players alone outrebounded the entire Owls’ team 39 to 33.
Due to the Rams’ rebounding prowess, they contributed 11 more second-chance points than Westfield.
Greene said she doesn’t have a particular strategy for rebounding. “It’s just grit. I want the rebound so I will go and fight to get that rebound.”
Greene was awarded MASCAC Rookie of the Week for the sixth time this season after her performances against Fitchburg State and Westfield State. In addition to this honor, she was named MASCAC Player of the Week.
game.
Another layup from the Owls put them dangerously close to tying up the game. The Rams stood with only a 2-point margin of error in the final 9 minutes.
Greene made a layup at an important moment - just before Westfield sank a three-pointer to make the score 62-61, still in favor of Framingham.
Haselton contributed the next 4 points for the Rams - a layup and two free throws.
With 3:51 left, the Owls scored a three-pointer to tie the game.
In the final moments, Framingham fought to hang on.
In one of the most crucial plays of the game, Greene shot from behind the arc and scored 3 points for the Rams, which was just enough to temporarily keep the Owls at bay.
Greene said this moment took composure. “In a noisy gym, you have to control an uncontrollable environment.
“When I shot that ball, I knew that I had been struggling to make threes and the percentage of me making it on paper was low, but I had confidence and let the ball go.”
Westfield then scored a layup, but Cerruti wouldn’t let them tie it up again. She scored a layup of her own to bring the score to 71-68.
Martin showed up on defense and made an important block to give possession back to the Rams.
A series of missed shots and mul-
The New England Women’s Basketball Association (NEWBA) also named Greene as their Rookie of the Week while D3hoops.com included her in their Team of the Week.
Schels said her mentality during close games is to fight for every ball, remain composed in the intense moments, and stick together as a team. “You definitely have to stay patientnot freak out.”
Haselton said playing Westfield always creates a different atmosphere and they needed to make smart passes given how much the Owls tend to speed up the play.
Head Coach Walter Paschal emphasized how good Westfield’s press was and how difficult it was to work around.
Despite this, Paschal said his team made their free throws and got important rebounds during the home stretch of the game. “We’re just happy to get out of here with a win.”
On Feb. 5, the Rams lost against Bridgewater State University 72-53 in a conference game on the Bears’ court. Their overall record is now 12-8 and their conference record is 4-3.
The Rams’ next matchup is a conference game at home against Salem State University Feb. 8.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Faith Greene (left) going up for the tip-off against Westfield State Feb.1.
Men’s basketball drops tough conference matchup against Westfield St.
By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams dropped the ball in a 78-63 conference-matchup loss against the Westfield State Owls Feb. 1.
Coming into the game at the top of the MASCAC conference, Westfield was predicted to be a difficult team to beat.
Sophomore Javaun Calhoun said, “The first time we went against them [Westfield], we only lost by three points. … We were fired up, if anything.”
Out of the gate, Westfield took control on the offensive end, scoring 9 points before Framingham could net their first basket on a layup from senior JD Okafor, assisted by sophomore Makyle Hayes.
Fouled by the Owls’ defenders, senior Joshua Saint Jean was awarded two free throws, both of which he was able to capitalize on.
Both teams traded offensive presses and missed shots before Saint Jean scored once again. His well-executed layup brought the score to 14-6 and put the Rams at a noticeable point deficit early on in the game.
The Rams attempted to tighten up the score with a layup from senior Kyle Philistin on a defensive rebound. This was closely followed with a jump shot and another layup from sophomore Dyree Rogers.
Westfield did not concede, adding another 15 points to their side of the scoreboard.
With just 5 minutes left in the half, Framingham fought back with more intensity. A jump shot from freshman Marshall Kerley, three layups from Saint Jean, Okafor, and senior Adonis Vashon, as well as three successful free throws from Saint Jean earned the Rams 15 points as well.
The first half ended with a bang, with both teams furiously fighting for the ball, hoping to score once more before the buzzer.
Neither team could find the basket,
and the first half ended with a score of 37-26 - the Rams still trailing the Owls.
The beginning of the second half was similar to the first. Westfield scored five points within the first few minutes.
Fouled by WSU’s defenders just a minute later, Philistin sank both of his awarded free throws.
Vashon scored on a jump shot, quickly followed by another layup from Okafor, bringing the Rams within 5 points of a lead change.
Despite their hard work, Framingham fell further behind in the following few minutes as Westfield tallied two layups, a free throw, and a threepoint jump shot.
Senior Jordan Howard added another 2 points to the scoreboard, making the most of his free-throw attempts.
Framingham’s defense proved impenetrable for the next 2 minutes, allowing Philistin, Okafor, and Hayes to score and bring the team within 10 points of Westfield.
The Rams continued to close the gap in the final minutes of the game.
With less than a minute to go, Vashon made one final layup, and the game concluded with a score of 78-63.
Head Coach Donald Morris Jr. noted that despite the supposed advantage of the opposing team, the Rams were still able to make their mark.
Morris said, “Playing the team that is currently in first place in the MASCAC and being able to cut the lead to
5 points in the second half shows we have some resilience.”
A certain mindset must be adopted in tough games like this. When the stakes are high, a key factor in success, according to Okafor, is simply sticking to the fundamentals.
Okafor said, “We just play hard and know what we have to do - just try to get the ball where it’s supposed to go and make the difficult shots.
“The wins and losses will take care of themselves. We just have to keep the right mindset … knowing the game plan and sticking with it, not letting whatever’s going on in the game affect us,” he added.
On Feb. 5, the Rams fell to Bridgewater State University 85-66 in an away conference match.
With just four games left in the season, the team remains hopeful.
Morris said, “Our goal is to continue to hold the playoff seed we currently have or to get a better seeding - to continue to work to get better each and every day.”
The Rams will host the Vikings of Salem State this Saturday, Feb. 8 for one of their last conference games of the season.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL tkimmell@student.framingham.edu
Lavin remains confident despite women’s ice hockey conference loss
By Sophia Oppedisano Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams women’s ice hockey team was shut out 2-0 in conference play against the Anna Maria College Amcats on home ice at the New England College Sports Arena Feb. 1.
Their overall record currently stands at 0-16.
The numbers for this season look bleak to the average fan, but there have been marked improvements for this team, and Head Coach Robert Lavin said he is proud of their most recent performances against the Amcats and Plymouth State University, the top team in the MASCAC.
With a short bench this season, the team has been operating on two main lines, rotating players through shifts.
Lavin said there have been adjustments based on injury or sickness, including moving freshman Ceira Garrity to defense and the additions of freshmen Amy and Alyssa Tansek.
“[Garrity’s] been doing a great job back there for us. … The two new girls who transferred in, Amy and Alyssa Tansek, helped us immensely - it’s taken the burden off the other girls having less than two lines,” Lavin said.
In the net, freshman Lila Chamoun got the start against the Amcats and made 36 saves on 38 shots, improving her save percentage to .919 on the season.
Chamoun has been a force this season and her style of play lends itself to the level of competition the team is striving for.
Solid goaltending has made an in-
credible difference for this team and Chamoun, and freshmen Anna McGinty and Brigid Milligan have all made their mark in the net.
Lavin said the three goalies complement each other’s style of play and add dimension to the team.
“Anna’s more traditional, positional, and she knows her angles. Lila is very reactionary - she plays with a lot of energy. Bridget’s been battling in the net. … She had probably one of the toughest games against Worcester State a few weeks ago,” he added.
Over the past 16 games, the goalies have faced an average of 57 shots per game from the opponent, but they each boast save percentages over .850.
Lavin said their athleticism will only continue to grow due to the sheer number of shots they’re seeing.
Against the Amcats, both teams combined for 12 penalties, drawing on special teams for both sides to make a difference in the match.
Framingham has dealt with penalty trouble all season and has struggled with their power play, but Lavin said, “Our penalty kill has been totally 360 from last semester - we’re killing off a lot of penalties at a higher percentage, which is good to see. It means we’re getting more experience reading other teams.”
As for the power play, Lavin said the team has been getting more pucks to the net, and “eventually, we’ll pop one.”
Freshmen Petra Cernicek, Kalina Cochran, and Alyssa Tansek led the team in shots, combining for 13 of the 27 attempts on net.
Women’s ice hockey will take the
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Ruby Boucher (front) with the puck during game against MCLA Jan. 21.
ice in another conference matchup at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Feb. 7.
Lavin said the players can see that they are “cutting the gap” and they are continuing to show up at practice and “focus on the positives.”
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH SOPHIA OPPEDISANO soppedisano@student.framingham.edu
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Makyle Hayes (left) and Adonis Vashon (right) during game against Westfield State Feb. 1.
Beacon Awards highlights inclusivity and diversity efforts by FSU community ARTS & FEATURES
By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor
The Division of Diversity, Inclu sion, and Community Engagement hosted the “Beacon Awards” in the Dwight Performing Arts Center Audi torium on Jan. 23.
Two students served as emcees and welcomed everyone to the eventMaya Brown, ’26, a resident assistant for the Office of Residence Life and Housing, and Izayah Morgan, ’26, a di versity peer influencer for the Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) and the opinions editor for The Gatepost.
Brown said, “We hope that you will enjoy today’s celebration as we pause to reflect on the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
They introduced the Greater Fram ingham Community Church Praise Team, who sang the Black National Anthem “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.”
Afterwards, Brown introduced University President Nancy Niemi, who gave her welcome to everyone.
Niemi said everyone at the event came because of their “collective commitment to seeing that Dr. King’s work toward justice and equity moves forward.”
While it is great to commemorate the progress made so far, “We are, at the same time, surrounded by ev idence that gains in this work are never completely secure, and can be diminished or even erased if left un attended,” Niemi said.
“Education is our strongest tool for social equity, a reality. And right now, the forces who do not wish to see this reality are loudly questioning the necessity of our existence,” she said.
plained the purpose of the Beacon
chology major, diversity peer influ-
porting students of color,” Lin said.
want to repeat again - diversity, inclusion, and equity,” Burke said.
“They see that those with bachelor’s degrees are increasingly female, Black, Hispanic, and Latino. They may know that more than 50% of U.S. men who identify as gay have a bachelor’s degree, and that the share of first-generation college students who are obtaining bachelor’s degrees is rising rapidly,” Niemi said.
When more people are educated, “They see that they too have a rightful place in the world. They see that they belong,” she said.
The narrative that college isn’t worth the time and money “does what laws used to do. It keeps people from learning. It keeps people from knowing that they have the power to make changes, and it keeps them from the educational opportunities to make their and others’ lives better in so many ways,” she added.
“This is why we believe that education is power, and this is why we join together in instances like this, to learn from others around the world how we can further commit to this end,” Niemi said.
Next, Morgan introduced Jerome Burke, the director of the CIE. He ex-
Before announcing the winners, Burke wanted to recognize each of the eight nominees.
“As a writer and an editor of The Gatepost, Izayah has used his platform to offer insightful pieces that advocate for equitable treatment and foster discussions on justice and fair-
“This is why we believe that education is power, and this is why we join together in instances like this, to learn from others around the world how we can further commit to this end.”
- Nancy Niemi President of Framingham State University
The nominees who did not win but were still recognized include students
Michael Trueswell, Joneisha Zuniga, Jennifer Corey, graduate student Cristina Baez, and FSU Police Officer Shawn Deleskey.
Emma Laurie, the program coordinator for the CIE, announced the first winner - Izayah Morgan.
Laurie introduced Morgan as a psy-
ness,” Laurie added.
Jen Lin, psychology professor, announced the second winner - Olivia Florestal.
Lin introduced Florestal as a psychology major and president of the Psychology Club.
In that position, Florestal worked on creating “an inclusive space for everyone, with a special focus on sup-
“She’s also organized impactful initiatives such as networking events, grad school discussions, and fundraisers to support local mental health organizations,” she said.
Florestal led conversations on systemic racial biases in the mental health care system and supported social justice awareness, she said.
Florestal also serves on the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Planning Committee, she added.
“Her dedication to fostering representation, inclusion, and equitable opportunities makes her a very well deserving recipient of this award. And I say this, because wholesome recognizes wholesome,” Lin said.
Rachel Avard, biology professor, announced the final winner - Chu Ly.
“Dr. Ly is an incredible educator and advocate who inspires change and empowers students,” Avard said.
Ly encourages first year students “to embrace their potential, make meaningful contributions to their communities, and advocate for themselves in all areas of their lives, whether as part of a team, an academic basis, or beyond,”
Ly also supports her students outside the classroom, Avard added.
“She personally drove a student over an hour away so that that student could vote in an election, showing her unwavering … commitment to civic engagement and the importance of exercising your rights,” Avard said. Ly made sure students had access to resources and experiences that enrich their education, she said.
Ly’s engagement with Framingham’s history has inspired others to explore local history, Avard added.
“Moreover, she encouraged students to consider studying Native American history, broadening perspectives and deepening understanding of often overlooked narratives,” Avard said.
Burke congratulated the winners and thanked everyone who submitted nominations.
“Let’s all play our part in ending social inequalities and creating a world that is more equitable and just,” Burke said.
[ Editor’s Note: Izayah Morgan is the Opinions Editor and Michael Trueswell is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost ]
Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST
Evelyn
from Page 1
She added, “As a single mom, she has shown me nothing but strength, determination, kindness, and grace. Watching her navigate the challenges of raising a family on her own has taught me the true meaning of resilience. Despite the obstacles she faced, she never strayed from her commitment to providing a loving, safe, and stable home for my sibling and I. Her ability to maintain a positive outlook, even during the toughest times, has instilled in me a sense of commitment that I carry with me every day.”
When choosing a university, a couple of obvious choices came to mind, including Bryant University, but this came with a lifetime of student loan payments.
Campbell said FSU did not come to her mind until one of her friends from high school mentioned that she loved attending the University.
“One of my friends went here, and I was just like, ‘Hey, how is it? Can you tell me about it?’” she said.
After realizing the University was much more affordable than institutions in Boston, she originally thought she was going to “go here for a year and then transfer out.
“But FSU does this cool job of just keeping you at school and involved!” she said.
In her first-year seminar class, Campbell proved to be an outstanding student, which caught the attention of Rams Peer Leader Bailey Collins, who recommended her to be an orientation leader.
As it turns out, this would be the push that Campbell needed to become a renowned leader at the University.
“I applied for that position and got to be an orientation leader going into my sophomore year. I made a bunch of friends through that and became friends with the president of Student Government at that time, and she recommended me to join as the outreach and events coordinator,” Campbell said.
“I just kind of took it and ran, basically, and then got here somehow,” she said with a laugh.
But if you know Campbell, you know that it didn’t just happen “somehow.”
Campbell rose from outreach and events coordinator to president in her junior year.
She added that once she became involved with orientation and SGA, “Everyone kind of notices, and then also is like, ‘Oh, I think you would be
good for this position.’”
This is how she became an academic strategy peer tutor (ASPT) in the Center for Academic Success and Achievement by the end of her sophomore year.
Currently, she serves as the lead ASPT tutor at the center.
She said her weeks are filled with SGA meetings, “endless emails,” committee meetings, an internship with the WooSox, work at her two jobs, and
of course, classes and coursework.
“I feel like I do a lot of work behind the scenes. My emails never stop. If there’s a big issue on campus, I try to find out immediately so I know how to address said issue,” Campbell said.
If a student comes to her with a concern about the University or if an issue arises in a senate meeting, she said, “I try my best to kind of close the loop and get more information from the higher exec staff if they do have information available for us.”
Campbell said she and the student trustee represent FSU on a statewide level, which also comes not only with a lot of responsibility, but monthly meetings as well.
“So a lot of meetings and a lot of emails but we are also trying to expand SGA in general, so it’s a lot of just being visible and staying on top of it,” she said.
This hard work has paid off for Campbell, as during her presidency, SGA has made some significant progress improving the well-being of the University.
“Before I stepped into my role as president my junior year, I realized what went well in past presidencies and what didn’t,” she said. When she started her presidency, she realized that there wasn’t really a set of guidelines for what the president’s roles and responsibilities should be.
Courtesy of Evelyn Campbell
Courtesy of Evelyn Campbell
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She said one of her first goals as president was “to make the organization more collaborative. I wanted our administration to hear us and to know that students are concerned.”
She said because administrators have listened to the concerns SGA members have raised on students’ behalf, the organization has been able to achieve many initiatives.
Some of the goals SGA has accomplished recently are to increase the amount of equipment in the gym, which happened last summer, and installing a handicap-accessible ramp near CASA, which was put in so students wouldn’t have to go all the way around the buildings to enter CASA.
SGA also funded baby-changing tables on campus in McCarthy and Dwight halls, successfully advocated for an additional shuttle stop for the Salem End Parking Lot, helped lower parking fees for resident and commuter students, and campaigned for transportation to both men’s and women’s hockey games.
Campbell said the organization also worked with the Framingham State marketing department to increase visibility on the MyFramingham website for current students.
“A lot of this is not just me completing it - it’s my team completing it. And I think I’ve really tried to hone in on the fact that, ‘We’re all in this together,’ like in ‘High School Musical,’” she said.
Campbell said something that has been very important to her during her presidency has been improving and
maintaining relationships between SGA and administrators. She said, “There is definitely always
room for improvement, especially in student government. Specifically, we are responsible for voicing student concerns in a progressive manner.
“A lot of my time in SGA has been kind of stepping into more of a collaborative effort versus an opposing effort, which is where I found a lot of my success and is the reason why we’ve been able to accomplish so much. We’re kind of looking at a lot of the issues on campus as more of a partnership versus blaming or competition,” she said.
When asked who inspired her at FSU to be the leader she is today, she said, “A lot of the people who surround me are women, and I think I needed the women’s support to guide me serving in powerful positions.”
She said at FSU, Dean of Students Meg Nowak-Borrego, Assistant Director of Orientation and Student Experience Meghan Larkin, Assistant Dean of Students Rachel Spezia, Dean of Student Success and Persistence at CASA LaDonna Bridges, and President Nancy Niemi are some of those women.
Bridges said Campbell is “intelligent, she thinks deeply about things, she is solution-oriented, and she is action-oriented.”
She added, “I think Evelyn is just driven to do better, and she’s just driven to do well, and as a first-generation college student, she is the person in her family setting the tone for younger siblings. She’s making people proud in what she’s doing.”
Campbell said that her mother is
Courtesy of Evelyn Campbell
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Continued from Page 15
also one of the biggest inspirations in her life.
“From a very early age, she has always tried to encourage confidence and leadership skills in me. Whether it was motivating me to take the lead in school projects or supporting me in extracurricular activities, she believed in my potential and pushed me to exceed my own expectations,” she said.
Campbell said her mother’s unwavering belief in her abilities has given her the courage to take risks and embrace new opportunities. She said her mother has always taught her that leadership is not just about taking charge, but also about listening, empathizing, and making thoughtful decisions.
“My mom is not just a parent but a role model, teacher, and best friend. I constantly strive to embody all of her amazing qualities. Her resilience, compassion, dedication, and selflessness have shaped who I am today and continue to inspire me to strive for excellence in all aspects of my life,” Campbell said. “I am incredibly grateful for her support and the invaluable lessons she has taught me. I live every day of my life trying to show her that my success and fulfillment come directly from her.”
During her last year as president of SGA, one goal Campbell would like to accomplish is helping the University to bridge the gap between going to classes and being an involved student.
“I feel like a lot of students who just go to classes don’t get the college experience that I have gotten, and it makes me upset because I know that I’ve gotten a lot from the roles that I’ve had on campus, and I know I’m one thousand times more prepared to get a job out of college than if I were just to go to class and go home,” Campbell said.
She said she has been working a lot with the faculty and the deans of the different colleges to help advocate for and spread awareness of what student government does and how students can be involved.
“We’ve done a lot of recruiting through professors and chairs of different departments to hopefully encourage our students to be a voice on campus and be seen and heard. Because our school is so small, students do have the opportunity to see how much change that causes,” she said.
Campbell added she would like to leave SGA with more members than it had when she started and give students the tools to maintain the relationships she has established with administrators.
Campbell said as a corporate partnership intern for the Worcester WooSox, she is using all of the skills she acquired through her leadership roles at FSU.
“Even in my interview process, I felt really prepared for what I was going to be doing there. A lot of the job is meeting with the corporate part-
ners - the people who pay the WooSox to be an advertisement partner,” she said.
She said a lot of the work that she has been doing through SGA, such as meeting with the higher-level executives and the stakeholders of the University, has translated really well into the internship.
“I’ve learned a lot of organizational skills and a lot of leadership skills in terms of being able to transition my leadership into learning,” she said.
Campbell said she is always surprised to hear other students say they see her as an inspiration. “I feel like I never really look at myself as an inspiration, as much as that’s like, not good to say because I know I do inspire students to get involved, but for me - I don’t feel like I often have the time and space to reflect on that.”
Vice President of SGA César Matos has worked with Campbell for two years in both the capacity of orientation leader and on SGA.
Matos said it has been interesting observing Campbell in these leadership roles because she approaches them very differently and is able to adapt to each position very well.
“Evelyn has a very inviting personality in her role as orientation leader and in her role as president. I think she’s a lot more structured in the way that she approaches things that she has to do for the campus community, but I think she brings the same level of energy to both jobs,” Matos said.
Student Trustee Jeremy McDonald said he joined SGA as a senator and held that position for one year before advancing to student trustee, and he has enjoyed working with Campbell in both capacities.
McDonald said he has worked with Campbell closely over the past two
years on many initiatives to better the University.
The most recent was establishing transportation to the men’s and women’s ice hockey games.
He said he and Campbell partnered with the Dean of Students Office and the Student Transportation Center to make this happen.
“Evelyn helped me to establish those relationships and eventually get that partnership off the ground and get some transportation to off-campus events. Right now, it’s hockey, and
“Evelyn’s very passionate about just continuing that event and her recognizing something of the needs of disabled students and turning that space [outside CASA] into a ramp shows her commitment to students from all walks of life across campus,” he said.
Referring to the relationship between himself as student trustee and Campbell as SGA president, he said, “She’s been a great partner and she has just really showed me the way in terms of navigating the administration, and she’s built up those relationships over the years, and so for me to have her as a partner, that has definitely made my life a lot easier and made me more successful in my role.”
ter because it forces everybody to continue to hold up their own.”
McDonald said under Campbell’s leadership, SGA held safety walks, which are biannual opportunites for SGA and administrators to inspect the campus for safety and accessibility concerns.
McDonald added that from what he has experienced from working alongside Campbell, her leadership “speaks to how successful she’ll be after she
“She’s really brought along all of us, and developed everybody who’s been
McDonald said people often turn into great leaders when they have been mentored by great leaders themselves, and he has
many times with students who join SGA.
“I know that I wouldn’t be the leader I am today without having seen her model it for me,” he said.
MaddisonBehringer/THEGATEPOST
Courtesy of Evelyn Campbell
Best of The GRAMMYs 2025
By Bella Omar Asst. Arts & Features Editor
The 2025 GRAMMY award stage may have been full of surprises - none of which this column has any authority to speak on - but the carpet on the other hand featured some of my new favorite fashion moments from varying artists. Here are my four favorite looks of the night:
Chappell Roan
The now GRAMMY award winning pop star Chappell Roan stepped onto the carpet in an absolute Parisian vision in a 2003 Jean Paul Gaultier butter and blue colored tulle gown. A depiction of Edgar Degas’ “Dancer with a Bouquet” cascaded across the skirt, with additional tufts of tulle used to bring the ballerinas even more to life. Ornamented with coordinating blue flowers and
By Owen Glancy Arts & Features Editor
Of all the great Japanese filmmakers throughout history, there are none as well known or influential as Akira Kurosawa. His output of films during the ’50s and ’60s is nothing short of legendary as he made masterpiece after masterpiece.
Though names like Yasujiro Ozu and Kenji Mizoguchi are definitely worth mentioning when discussing the masters of Japanese cinema, it cannot be understated just how “in his own league” Kurosawa was. That was, until the late 1960s.
Around this time the landscape of film in Japan was changing, and in a way Kurosawa could not keep up with. Studios began moving away from the period piece dramas Kurosawa specialized in and the advent of more adventurous filmmakers like Seijun Suzuki led to the popularity of his films declining.
However, Kurosawa did not let this discourage him for long as he made a big comeback late into his career with “Dersu Uzala,” a film he made in the USSR. This put him back
bird nests along the skirt and neckline, and styled with bold laced up leather boots by John Fluevog - this look was just as alluring and fun as the artist’s discography.
Doechii
“Alligator Bites Nev er Heal” artist and rap sensation Doechii stunned on the GRAMMYs red carpet and award stage in custom Thome Browne. The designer’s aptitude for striking the perfect balance of mascu line tailoring and feminine details made the maison a perfect match for the in spirational artist. Her carpet look consisted of a gray figure-fitting structured gown, fea turing classic pinstripes, delicate off-theshoulder straps and impeccable tailoring. Layered on top of a col lared shirt and tie, this ensemble meant business and reflected the
meaningful career Doechii has ahead of her.
on the map, and it proved that he still had that Kurosawa magic late in his career.
Of all his later films, “Dreams” would be the one that proved Kurosawa was still capable of reinventing his iconic style of filmmaking.
A co-production between the U.S. and Japan, “Dreams” would prove to be the most audacious and ambitious film Kurosawa would ever make, as well as his third-to-last.
The film is in an anthology format, with eight different segments each based on a recurring dream Kurosawa himself had. With or without this knowledge, it is immediate ly apparent from the first few shots that these stories are from the sub conscious mind.
Every shot has this ethe real feel to it. From the vi brant colors, to the strange weather patterns like fog on a sunny day, to the absolutely masterful blocking, every single frame of this film is gorgeous.
Sabrina Carpenter
Current pop-princess Sabrina Carpenter and her familiar blonde curls took a sultry step onto the GRAMMYs carpet in a custom JW Anderson piece. The satin, backless gown was made in her signature “Short n’ Sweet” powder blue and featured nothing short of fabulous blue feather trim and a diamond-encrusted pendant chain hanging down her back. The
longer-than-life skirt draped behind her and her peep-toe mules beautifully brought a new gracefulness to the typically kitschy Irish designer. Her soft up-do and halter neckline were especially consistent with the star’s recent “old Hollywood” styling philosophy, and thanks to her stylist Jared Ellner we will definitely have the pleasure of seeing more of these gorgeous looks in the future!
Clairo
Best Alternative Music Album nominee, Clairo, made an incredible first impression on the GRAMMYs red carpet. She collaborated with fellow Claire, emerging designer Miss Claire Sullivan, to create my absolute favorite look of the night. The gown was a draped fabric, polka-dotted dream. Inspired by “Charm’s” playful and sexy ambience, the calf-hitting gown featured darling puff sleeves, a buttoned collar and classy polka-dot fabric - that not only appeared in the Vivienne Westwood inspired corset but the draped sash across the skirt. The look was styled with nostalgic mary jane heels, silver coin purse and a neat swept micro-bang, turning this look into something almost from another time.
dreams, and can feel a little incoherent because of that, each segment tells their own beautiful and fully realized stories.
From the “Sunshine through the rain” segment, to “The village of the water mills” segment, each story is filled with excellent performances and beautiful ruminations on the na-
Partially due to the assistance of American film legends George Lucas and Steven Speilberg, the film’s budget allowed Kurosawa to hire the best Japanese and western actors for each This splurging on the casting allows these individual segments to be populated by such well realized characters, the most memorable of which being Martin Scorsese’s performance as Vincent van Gogh.
with his previous work, “Ran,” being second in scope and ambition only to “Dreams.”
Kurosawa had already long secured his place in the annals of film history.
Despite that, he still chose to make such a personal and reflective film so late into his life. He still had so much to say, so many stories to tell, and so many worlds to take us to. The eight segments featured in this film weren’t even going to be all of them, with three being cut as they would have put the film over budget. One can only imagine how staggering Kurosawa’s imagination was, especially for being 80 years old.
Kurosawa’s final film would be released three years later. Titled, “Madadayo,” the film was a critical and commercial failure. Ironically, the translated title means “Not Yet” and though it would end up being his final film, it’s a testament to Kurosawa’s endless imagination and love for filmmaking that he made such a boldly titled film so late into his life. Through his dreams, we got to see such an intimate and personal side of one of cinema’s greatest masters. If that alone doesn’t make the film worthy of at least one watch, I don’t know what does.
It’s not just the look of the film that’s stunning either, it’s also the depth of each individual story being told. Though they are based on
However, the part of the film that keeps me and so many others coming back to it is the themes and messages of each individual segment. Kurosawa was 80 years old at the time of the film’s release, and had made 27 feature-length films before “Dreams,”
You can find “Dreams” streaming on Amazon Prime.
‘Astro Bot’ is an astronomical experience!
By Paul Harrington Staff Writer
In a year of video games that felt stale and repetitive to some consumers, one game made its soft landing on the PlayStation 5.
Although Team ASOBI’s “Astro Bot” launched on Sept. 6, I didn’t pick up the game until Christmas break.
My Christmas break was then spent playing “Astro Bot” from start to finish.
This game is everything I could have ever asked for from a platformer.
The story revolves around Captain Astro rescuing his crew and rebuilding their fleet’s mothership - which is a PlayStation 5!
The world of Astro Bot is full of unique life forms.
It houses so many different silly creatures and biospheres that would take up the whole section if I went in depth about each one.
The level design was breathtaking. Each one felt distinctly different from the next, and utilized 15 different power-ups to help you rescue missing members of the fleet.
My favorite power-up to use was the timer backpack. It allows you to slow down time for a few seconds.
It’s truly epic to see when it’s used in a level.
Two levels in the five worlds will
always contain hidden exits to the “Lost Galaxy.”
This realm contains more levels with more comrades to rescue. They were pretty neat!
The lost galaxy and main world combined are surely enough content to keep anyone hunkered down for a while.
But without a doubt, my fa vorite part of “Astro Bot” had to be the crew members I rescued.
Some members of your fleet are plain “Astro Bots,” and some are ac tually mascots from other PlayStation fran chises!
It costs 100 a pop for a single pull, so let’s just hope you get what you want.
I say that because there sure is a lot to be obtained from this machine.
The rewards vary from different cosmetics for your ship or rescued bots to a trash can to let you know you got nothing.
Seeing some of my favorite characters in gaming such as Aigis from “Persona 3” and Naked Snake from “Metal Gear Solid 3” brought me so much happiness.
Another enjoyable aspect of “Astro Bot” is the collectibles you can obtain. They are obtained by saving up your hard earned coins for pulls in the gatcha lab.
So please, pull wisely.
Other collectibles such as puzzle pieces, can be used to build new amenities for your hub world.
They range from the aforementioned gatcha lab, a changing room, and a zoo with what I call “astro animals.”
Seeing your hub world fill up over the course of the game is a cool process that also unlocks more collectibles. It’s a winwin situation.
Other collectibles are locked behind your total number of bots rescued.
Although the numbers aren’t anything to lose sleep over, it’s cool sending your fleet to come together
You’ll know this ‘Complete Unknown’
By Kristel Erguiza Staff Writer
My perfect birthday gift? Walking into the theater opening day to watch “A Complete Unknown.”
“A Complete Unknown” premiered in theaters with “Nosferatu,” and I had trouble picking which one I had initially wanted to watch, but settled on “A Complete Unknown” because I am not really that big of a fan of horror movies.
James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown” stars Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan, navigating his early success as a folk powerhouse to the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, where Dylan was relatively young, being 19 when the movie takes place.
Monica Barbaro stars as Joan Baez, a popular singer who enchants the audience and Dylan with her angelic, almost siren-like voice, who Dylan meets and begins to write songs with.
Other characters include Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash, Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, and Elle Fanning as Slyvie Russo, Dylan’s girlfriend. Fanning’s character is based on Dylan’s real life girlfriend, Suze Rotolo.
Barbaro’s performance as Joan Baez made me a new fan of hers! I had never seen her acting before this, and it gave me goosebumps whenever she and Chalamet would be singing on stage or arguing throughout the mov-
ie.
Holbrook and Norton’s performances as famed singers Johnny Cash and Pete Seeger were very good as well. I liked how Johnny Cash was very understanding of Dylan’s wanting to be different and not be a part of the status quo, and was also not afraid to be himself.
Dylan is the kind of per son who goes outside the box, does not really take people’s advice and does his own thing, which was shown throughout Cha lamet’s actions and his facial expressions, showing viewers how he really prepared for this role.
Dylan’s disdain for being the face of the folk and activism movement shines through Chalamet’s performance when he uses electric instruments instead of acoustic. His uncaring spirit about what his manager and everyone around him expects of him was very amusing to me, and made me feel for Dylan.
to help form a path to whatever it is you need!
One of the final collectibles is a path to a final level known as the “Grand Master Challenge.”
This level is high up on the moon, and in difficulty.
It also requires you to rescue ALL 300 of your crew members.
The challenge uses everything you’ve learned from exploring the world, and is a run for your money.
I do, however, wish there was more that came with completing the “Grand Master Challenge” itself. But beating it felt like a good enough reward.
Overall, “Astro Bot” was an amazing game that offered a smorgasbord of collectibles to those willing enough to explore every nook and cranny.
It’s a love letter to fans of Sony and I see why it won Game of the Year at The Game Awards.
Rating: A+ A first party blast!
CONNECT WITH PAUL HARRINGTON pharrington@student.framingham.edu
Seeing in articles and interviews that it took Chalamet five years to prepare for this role really struck me, because he had the expressions and singing of Dylan executed perfectly. Though there were some flaws, he could definitely pass for a Dylan lookalike.
Chalamet’s acting is reminiscent of how he had acted in his previous roles, very aloof and not really understanding of others like in “Ladybird” and that he had wanted this role for a while, practicing how to play guitar and using the same vocal coaches as Austin Butler did for “Elvis.”
I also really enjoyed the pacing of the movie, it did not go as fast as I thought it would and gave me a lot of details about how Dylan had acted and how much he cared about his songwriting and music.
Slyvie being mad that Dylan is using his talent instead of being an active member in their relationship
struck a chord with me, because while reading Baez’s memoir, she alludes to Dylan not really caring about anyone other than himself. It really shows in the movie that he only really either cared about himself or his music, and Chalamet captures his narcissism perfectly.
Based on the book “Dylan Goes Electric” by Elijah Wald, Chalamet’s performance as the nonchalant Dylan proves that biopics will continue to stay in media, and that the roles he chooses will prove his spontaneity.
Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST
Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST
Puzzles
41. “The Marvels” director DaCosta
42. “That’s disgusting”
43. Bathroom, informally
44. Cookies with a Java Chip variety
46. T U M B L E R
51. New Mexico town that rhymes with “house”
52. Send forth
53. Birthplace of Muhammad
55. “Such bad news!”
57. “Bye for now!”
61. Geological time span
62. P A R T I T I ON
65. Halle, to Chloe Bailey, for short
66. “That’s the spot!”
67. Jewelry store unit
68. “What did I say?!”
69. Allied (with)
70. Gave an address DOWN
1. Kindergarten basics
2. Opened without scissors
3. Drag race wraps
4. Fish commonly used to make Korean broth
5. “For shame!”
6. Tough it out
7. State with many effigy mounds
8. Toothy smile
9. “That ship ___ sailed”
10. It’s more than a hypothesis
11. Narrative arcs
12. Hole in a sponge
13. Enemies
18. Examined
23. Indian state known for its sandy beaches
25. Workbench clamp
26. Protein in Buddha’s delight
27. Mixture made with flour and water
28. “Well, then ...” 29. Take to the road
30. “___ that sink in”
31. Small jazz bands
32. Votes in favor 33. Consequently
38. Bitter drinks at a beer festival
39. Hot roofing goop
40. ___ sci (govt. major)
45. Dilapidated digs
47. Tic-___-toe
48. Wedding speeches
49. Dinged, as a fender
50. Crops created by biotech
53. Private dining area?
54. Pelee Island’s Great Lake
55. Type of handheld gaming display
56. Put on the payroll
58. Prefix with “space”
59. Hardwood for deck chairs
60. First chip in the pot, say
63. Greek letter before chi
64. Loops in on an email
solutions are now exclusively online.
Puzzle
SNO W CLASSES
Spread by Photos & Design Editor Adrien Gobin
Photos by Associate Editor Maddison Behringer and Photos & Design Editor Alexis Schlesinger