May 6, 2022

Volume 90 • Issue 24

May 6, 2022

Sketching the beauty of spring

FSUgatepost.com

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST (Front) Angela Tierman, a sophomore liberal arts major, and other students in the Drawing Fundamentals course venture outside to create charcoal drawings April 13.

Framingham State is nationally ranked as a best-value university

By Patrick Brady Copy Editor

Framingham State was ranked 26th on a list of “Best Value Colleges and Universities” in the country by College Consensus March 17.

According to an April 1 University press release, College Consensus’ rankings are determined by data collected from Forbes, Money, U.S. News & World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Wallethub, and Washington Monthly.

In addition, the site averages student reviews from sites such as Cappex, Niche, and Student Reviews to understand how students view their colleges, according to the press release. Furthermore, the site factors in

the cost of tuition and fees.

In the press release, Framingham State President F. Javier Cevallos stated, “We are fortunate to have an outstanding group of faculty, a small, beautiful New England campus, and excellent academic and residential facilities. When you get all that at a cost much lower than most private schools, you can see why Framingham State is considered to be an excellent value.”

In an interview, Cevallos said the quality that is offered for the price of tuition is an “amazing value.”

“It’s something that will certainly help people think about their options and think about going to FSU,” he added.

Cevallos said any achievement

BRADLEE NADEAU pg. 4 that shines a “positive light” on the VP OF DICE SEARCH pg. 8 University is good for enrollment.

He said he’s proud the University was recognized by a national organization for its value.

He added he is very pleased to be associated with a university that can deliver high-quality education for a reasonable price.

Additionally, the Southern California Center on Diversity and Inclusion recognized FSU as an “institution that actually transforms lives,” Cevallos said. “Our students go on to do really great things after they finish.”

He said the Board of Trustees is BOY SCOUTS pg. 13 working “very hard” on increasing FSU’s affordability. For the past cou- SENIOR LETTERS pg. 15-16 ple of years, they’ve been holding

Opinions

See VALUE SCHOOL page 10

Defensive End Joshua Onujiogu signs with Seattle Seahawks

By Leighah Beausoleil Editor-in-Chief

Joshua Onujiogu, a senior health and wellness major, had more than pre-graduation jitters leading up to the end of the semester.

Onujiogu, a defensive end on the Framingham State football team, had been preparing for his biggest dream to come true and it all started on his “Pro Day” March 22.

Since then, Framingham State has heard nothing but buzz - everyone wondering where Onujiogu might end up by the end of the National Football League (NFL) Draft.

Prior to the draft, Onujiogu had the

opportunity to visit the New England Patriots and spend the day working out with them and other prospective players.

“There were eight people in total, and it was just a basic workout to evaluate the top prospects in the area,” Onujiogu said.

He added though being a prospective player for the Patriots was exciting in itself, “I was more excited by the fact that I’ve never been to a facility like that. So it was exciting to see my heroes growing up, playing, and actually got to see what they were seeing.”

Along with the Patriots, the Houston Texans were also interested in him as a potential player, according to D3Football.com.

News

Sports

Onujiogu said there are two professional football players who stand out to him as role models: Von Miller of the Buffalo Bills and Khalil Mack of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Since the age of 6, Onujiogu has had a love for football - a trait he inherited from his father.

This is where his dream to play proThe Gatepost Archives fessionally was born.

SOFTBALL pg. 19 “It was my only thought when I was playing,” he said. “I wasn’t thinking about having fun with my friends or just playing the sport. I knew that every time I ste ed on the football field was FASHION SHOW pg. 22 to get to the NFL.”

Arts & Features

See ONUJIOGU page 18 HILLTOP CABARET pg. 26

INSIDE: OP/ED 11 • SPORTS 18• ARTS & FEATURES 20

NEWS

2 | MAY 6, 2022

Editorial Board 2021-22

Gatepost Interview Dara Barros

Editor-in-Chief Leighah Beausoleil

2022-23 SGA President

Associate Editors Donald Halsing Kathleen Moore

By Sophia Harris Asst. News Editor

News Editors Steven Bonini Haley Hadge Ashlyn Kelly Asst. News Editor Sophia Harris Opinions Editor McKenzie Ward Sports Editors Danielle Achin Tyler Wahl Arts & Features Editors Caroline Gordon Emily Rosenberg Asst. Arts & Features Editor Ryan O’Connell Design Editors Maddison Behringer Emma Lyons Copy Editor Patrick Brady Staff Writers James Barraford Jackson Clyde Dan Fuentes Dallas Gagnon Mark Haskell Stefano Hernandez Christy Howland Branden LaCroix Abby Petrucci Lydia Staber Multimedia Critics Sean Cabot Jack McLaughlin Ryan Schreiber Advisor Desmond McCarthy

N PE

@

TH E GA T E

O

Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

What made you want to get involved in student government?

Last year during one of the orientation training days, we had the vice president of DICE at the time, Connie [Constanza Cabello], come by. She was talking to us about diversity and inclusion work. And that’s something that I’ve been interested in for a long time, even in high school. I was very vocal about my opinions. And then I reached out to her and she said that there’s a position in SGA for a diversity and inclusion officer. I tal ed to en ie ard and said I wanted to fill this osition. It is a fairly new position - I’m the second person to hold the position. I wanted to work with Eric [Nguyen] and Connie at the time before she decided to take a different position. I wanted to work with affinity grou s - wor with S A. I ve also always been involved in student government in high school. I was the president of my student council my senior year, and I also held e-Board positions my other years.

What is your favorite part about being on SGA? My favorite part about being on SGA is being able to be vocal, both during SGA meetings and out of SGA meetings.

There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that you don’t usually see. So, for example, the Patriot Front stickers that were on campus - it was a lot of behind-the-scenes work. In this role, I was able to talk to Eric, get advice from Eric, and do the open forum with President [F. Javier] Cevallos. So those are my favorite things, being able to have those connections, those direct connections to be able to be vocal, and also be there for all of the students at FSU. Why do you want to be SGA president?

I want to be SGA president because, as I said, I was president of my student council in high school. … Being in the student council, I got the experience of, again, being vocal and being as supportive as I possibly can - by putting on events, different traditions that we did have in our schools, and just making sure that everything goes smoothly, and I would like to continue to do that at FSU. I @ like as a very T THto thinkPof Smyself EGATE… O progressive person.

As SGA president, I want to be able to talk to the admins to make sure that we are heard, both during open forums and not during open forums. … Especially with a new president coming in, she has a lot of great ideas.

And I’ve met with her. I plan on working together with everyone involved in SGA. That goes with e-Board and senators. I

T TH EGATEPOS

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

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST also want more students on campus to be involved in SGA. We don’t have that many senators at this moment. I want a mixture of new students, students that are already here, and I plan on doing that by using my orientation leader platform to speak to students about SGA and how important it is to have a voice on campus even if it’s a small voice. That voice could always progress and you can leave behind something really special.

What would you say is your greatest accomplishment during your time in SGA? That’s a hard question because I feel like there have been a lot of greatest achievements that I’ve had, especially with this role being new. One accomplishment was when the Patriot Front stickers were here. I was really proud of myself that I was able to bring everyone together and was able to have a processing space in the CIE [Center for Inclusive Excellence] for students to go and discuss not only what has happened on campus now but also discuss what’s going on around in the world with the Black Lives Matter movement. … It was a great turnout because we talked about what had happened on campus just now and also what has happened on campus before and how we didn’t really see change and just being able to bring students together - was my greatest achievement.

Another greatest achievement was the Black Lives Matter banner. … I did work with the Student Affairs Committee. …

We all work together to make sure that it comes out as smoothly as you possibly can and is now in the CIE. What goals do you have for next year in SGA? One of my biggest goals is to get more students involved in SGA. Especially for students in the BIPOC community, I think it’s very important to make sure

that we have that representation as well and get representation in general in SGA because we are supposed to have way more senators than we have now.

And just imagine how SGA would be if we had a full house. That’s one of my biggest goals. My second biggest goal is probably going to also be working with diversity and inclusion. As president, I do get to appoint the diversity inclusion officer which I m excited about because I’m working with Eric to look at potential people. That’s my third biggest goal - to make sure that someone continues that diversity inclusion and then excels from what I started and continues it. Another one is to work with Dr. [Lorretta] Holloway on the retention of students of color, especially, because I know my freshman year we had one of the biggest populations of students of color and now it’s like we all vanished.

I don’t want that to happen to other classes. … We have open forums and we barely have students show up to open forums. It’s most likely SGA members or The Gatepost. … I want more students to just attend SGA meetings to hear what’s going on with funding, with different events, what’s going on on campus with DICE, with the president, with any finances, anything on cam us. … Also with the open forums, I want to start what SGA had previously, which is having boxes around academic buildings as well as student center buildings so students could drop in ideas to be shared at the open forums and SGA wouldn’t know who it is. But we would go and collect it and read it at the SGA meetings when we have them and those boxes will be located all over campus.

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu

Police Logs Thursday, April 28 22:38 Found Propery 100 State St. Assignment Complete

Sunday, May 1 21:26 Animal Complaint Maple Commuter Lot Gone On Arrival

Wednesday, May 4 19:01 Vehicle Investigation 100 State St.

Thursday, May 5 12:34 Trespass Tow Crocker Hall Parking Advised and Removed

NEWS

MAY 6, 2022 | 3

Editorial Board 2022-23

SG holds its final meeting of the year

Editor-in-Chief Leighah Beausoleil

Associate Editors outline the characteristics and qualities istrator’s Forum that will “hold them Haley Hadge they want in the next vice president of more responsible for how they address Emily Rosenberg

By Haley Hadge News Editor SGA discussed the search for the vice president of DICE and the provost and vice president of Academic Affairs and held elections for its Academic ear A 2 22-23 officers and senators during its final meeting ay 3.

Dara Barros, diversity and inclusion officer, said she is very u set that the search for the vice president of DICE has been held off due to the ongoing search for the provost and vice president of Academic Affairs.

She said, “We’re about to go into the fall semester without a vice president for diversity, inclusion, and community engagement.” arros said she as ed the search firm, WittKieffer, what the expected timeline is for the vice president search.

She said the administration is looking at two o tions he first is to s eed up the process” without any student input, and the second is to include the student perspective on a longer timeline.

The faster timeline, excluding student input, would bring the new vice president to campus in July or August, said Barros.

She said the longer timeline, including student input, would mean the new vice president wouldn’t begin their work until late October or early November.

Barros said she spoke with the cochair of the Council on Diversity and Inclusion, Cara Pina, who is also a member of the search committee, and is planning to submit a proposal that would allow her to create a committee to take over the role of DICE vice president over the summer.

Barros said she will join this committee, and when she appoints next year’s SGA Diversity and Inclusion Officer, she will lace them on the committee as well.

She asked the members of SGA to

DICE, as well as to answer the question, student situations and concerns.”

“What would success in the role look She asked the members of SGA to like down the road?” reach out to her with any additional Barros said the email sharing the ideas on how to get student issues admeeting time of the Student Open Fo- dressed. rum for the search for provost and vice Ward said she has been “dreaming” president of Academic Affairs was not of serving as SGA president since her sent until the meeting had already been first year on cam us and has en oyed in session for 28 minutes. every single minute of it - even the She said she “didn’t even get a rough parts. chance to go.”

“You have all made it worth it even Senator Mark Haskell, a student though we are a very small but mighty member of the search committee, said SGA,” she said. turnout at the Student Open Forum for Barros was sworn in as AY 2022-23 the first candidate, enneth Sumner, SGA president. was “zero.”

Ward said, “I am so thankful the next He said the turnout for the Faculty SGA president is someone who is as Open Forum was approximately 70. dedicated to student concerns and adThe open forums for the next two dressing student issues as she [Barros] candidates are scheduled for May 5 and is.”

9, according to Haskell.

Elkhoury was sworn in as AY 2022Senator affi l houry said he heard 23 SGA vice president. back from the general manager of the Ward will be sworn in as AY 2022-23 Dining Hall, Aretha Phillips, regarding SGA student trustee at a local town hall SGA’s dining hall concerns. after the current student trustee finishElkhoury said Phillips said they will es their term. begin accepting cash payments in the Sam Houle was sworn in as AY 2022fall.

23 SGA treasurer.

Regarding the availability of straws Houle said he has “enjoyed” his time in the dining hall, he said Phillips said as secretary and is “excited to come straws will be available upon individual back as treasurer next year.” requests.

He said he wants to use this new Elkhoury said they are unable to latform to address the financial conhave straws readily available due to cerns that weigh “heavy” on college their “Skip the Straw” initiative aiming students by taking a “step above the to reduce plastic pollutants. perceived role of treasurer.”

President McKenzie Ward said SGA Haskell was sworn in as AY 2022-23 will give the Dean of Students $500 for SGA secretary. the family graduation celebration.

Serena Broderick was sworn in as an She said last week’s banquet was “a AY 2022-23 SGA senator. great success,” and thanked everyone who helped make it possible.

[Editor’s Note: McKenzie Ward is She added this was the first on-cam- Opinions Editor for The Gatepost. pus banquet SGA has hosted since Mark Haskell is a staff writer for The C I - restrictions were first im le- Gatepost.] mented.

Ward will be serving as SGA’s student trustee next academic year, and she CONNECT WITH HALEY HADGE said she has “new ideas” for the Admin- hhadge@student.framingham.edu

News Editor Sophia Harris Asst. News Editor Branden LaCroix Opinions Editor McKenzie Ward Sports Editors Danielle Achin Tyler Wahl Arts & Features Editors Emma Lyons Ryan O’Connell Design Editor Maddison Behringer Asst. Photos Editor Christy Howland Staff Writers Jackson Clyde Dallas Gagnon Mark Haskell Jack McLaughlin Ryan Schreiber Advisor Desmond McCarthy Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

Correction In the April 15 issue of The Gatepost, an article tiled, “FSU ranks nationally for faculty accepted to Fulbright Scholar Program,” had an error. The article said Erika Schneider helped oversee President F. Javier Cevallos’ application for the program. This is incorrect. Schneider only oversees student applications. We apologize for this error.

Weather

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

Sunday night May 08 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Wind around 10 mph.

Monday night May 09 Partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday night May 10 Partly cloudy, with a low around 45. Wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday night May 11 Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Wind around 5 mph.

Monday May 09 Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Wind between 15 mph.

Tuesday May 10 Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Wind around 15 mph.

Wednesday May 11 Sunny, with a high near 65. Wind around 10 mph.

Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday May 12 Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Wind around 5 mph.

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

NEWS

4 | MAY 6, 2022

In memory of Bradlee Nadeau

By Leighah Beausoleil Editor-in-Chief FSU senior Bradlee “Brad” Nadeau, 25, died April 27 at his home after a multiple-week stay at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Lorretta Holloway, vice president of enrollment and student development, sent an email April 27 informing the FSU community of Bradlee’s passing. radlee was born in S ringfield on August 16, 1996.

He was an involved student leader at Framingham State. He was a resident assistant (RA) in Corinne Hall Towers for Academic Year 2020-21 and this year, he was president of the Nutrition Club. Bradlee was also a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

Bradlee was a food and nutrition major getting ready to graduate this spring and was enrolled in his department’s 4+1 program, according to Holloway.

A memorial service was held for Bradlee on the Miles Bibb Hall patio May 5. Friends and family were given the opportunity to share their memories.

Bradlee’s father and mother, Gary and Julie Nadeau, spoke at the service.

Gary said, “Bradlee has gone through a lot of physical suffering. He had something called chronic arterial and intestinal dysrhythmia. It’s a genetic disorder. He’s one of about 20 people who have ever been diagnosed with it.

“We’re fortunate that we’ve had 25 years and because his challenges are part of why he is who he is,” Gary said, “Brad was actually my greatest teacher.”

Gary emphasized how positive Bradlee had always been despite his health complications.

When Bradlee was a freshman in high school, he suffered from a stroke that blocked his main carotid artery for five hours, which too his left eri heral vision and rendered the “rear part” of his brain inactive, according to Gary.

Due to these health impairments, Bradlee was unable to get a driver’s license and could no longer pursue his initial dream career of wildlife management, Gary said. This inspired him

“His neurologists could not believe that he had straight A’s in school,” he said. “Brad did that through hard work.

Brad would rewrite his notes six times.”

Gary added even in the scariest times, “Brad wouldn’t give up.

“There were times when he told me - and I just need to share this so that

(Left) Savanna Hernandez and Bradlee Nadeau on a date together. you understood the person Bradlee was - Bradlee would tell me that he wasn’t afraid to die,” he said. “And that there’s days when he welcomed it because of the torture that his body was putting him through. But he said, ‘I would never give up and I’ll try as hard as I can because I could never do that to the people that care about me.’”

Bradlee Nadeau driving a four-wheeler through the mud. to get more involved in health and fitness, which led him to his field of study at FSU.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

life.

“He was very concerned because he knew how to love and he knew losing someone that you love so much would be really, really hard to get over, and I promised him that I was going to send that message, so that’s why I’m doing this,” Gary said.

Courtesy of Facebook

Gary shared that when Bradlee knew he was going to pass away, he made his father promise it would not ruin his

He added, “The biggest and best legacy” Brad has left is the lessons he shared with everyone and his constant optimism.

Bradlee’s mother, Julie, shared a short message. “I want to thank you all for loving Brad. He loves you all.

He loves being here. Thank you. Thank you very much.”

Bradlee’s parents gave keychains to his closest friends inscribed with “1 4 3 7,” which is in honor of the matching tattoo he shares with his sister, Ashlee Nadeau, that reads, “I love you the mostest.” Gary explained this is a common saying the family shares.

In an interview, Bradlee’s girlfriend, Savanna Hernandez, a senior health and wellness major, remembered the time she shared with him before his passing. ernande said she first met radlee because they had three classes and an internship together and were lab partners, so there was “no way I could possibly escape that man.”

She explained because they both had “bubbly” and “positive” personalities, they automatically clicked.

“Coming to school, I was already going through a super rough time, and he really helped me through that,” she said. “I’m really glad I met him.

“He’s always been such a caring and giving person wherever he went. He always helped everyone around him, and he was always there for the people he cared for, too, no matter what, even if

they’re going through a really tough time. He was always there.”

Hernandez noted the nicknames they had for one another that stemmed from inside jokes - he was “Buttons” and she was “Beansbeans,” which originated from a spelling error.

“He made me enjoy and really un-

Courtesy of Savanna Hernandez derstand the purpose of living a lot better, she said. e was the definition of living your life to the fullest - that was Bradlee. He always did what he could for others.”

Hernandez emphasized how much her family loved him, including her grandmother, adding her grandmother did not like a lot of people but would always say, “That’s my grandson” about Bradlee.

She reminisced about the love they shared and the ways he made her feel special, adding, “He deserved the love he gave to be reciprocated” and she was happy she could be a part of that love.

Noelle Meunier, a senior management major, was one of Bradlee’s best friends. eunier said she first met him when she was a biology major and they shared a math class together. When she switched her major, she said she feared losing him as a friend, but instead, they became best friends and even neighbors when he moved in across the street from her.

“In April 2019, my daughter’s dad was killed in a car accident,” she said. “I was utterly miserable, but I kept going to the gym with Brad. He was the best gym partner I could’ve ever asked for, but neither of us could understand at the time why I kept showing up even in my depressed state.

See NADEAU page 5

Nadeau

Continued from page 4

“I showed up because Brad didn’t see me as a miserable person - he saw his friend,” she added. “Brad always saw the best in people and never the worst.”

Meunier said, “He believed everyone had the capacity to be happy and to live an amazing life. He helped anyone who asked because he wanted to help people succeed. It never mattered how much he had on his own plate - Brad always made time for others.

“I did everything with Brad - he was absolutely my best friend,” she said. “I was lucky to have him as my friend, and everyone that knows him would say the same.”

As an RA, Bradlee made many close friends, including Samantha Stafins i, a junior English major, Hannah Devlin, a junior child and family studies major, and Caroline Cowart, a senior fashion design and retailing major.

Each shared memories they had of Bradlee from when they were all RAs together last year.

They described how passionate Bradlee was about his studies because of his health condition and how he wanted to be able to give back to the Boston Children’s Hospital in his own way in the future.

Devlin said he would always encourage them to keep at their homework even when they wanted to quit and added they would often have “homework parties together.”

NEWS

Devlin said, “I think there was one night in particular he was sharing with us how he knew he wasn’t going to be here forever, and he knew that the time was short. We asked him, ‘If you know, no offense, why are you here getting a degree rather than out there living your life with a few years left and traveling and everything?’ and he answered, ‘I just want to be here. I want to get my degree. I want to live life as if I’m living forever.’”

Stafins i said radlee was a uni ue person and remembered the times he spent lying on her spare bed and eating food while they talked about their days.

She emphasized how sweet and funny he was, sharing, “He got me roses when I had my first big brea u .

She added he would make coffee for the maintainers every morning as well. She described how he would run away from the microwave whenever he needed to heat up his coffee because of his pacemaker and how he acted as if the appliance would explode.

Devlin and Cowart agreed the aspect of their friendship with Bradlee they cherish the most is the times they s ent in the A office at the end of the day just enjoying each other’s company.

“We were a family that came together all at once in September,” Devlin said. “And then we all grew and watched each other grow and develop.”

Cowart said, “He was just genuinely such an awesome person, and our campus lost a really, really great student.”

Courtesy of Megan Mayer (Right) Bradlee Nadeau and a fellow student in a food and nutrition class.

She said they would often discuss staying up all night watching movies and relaxing, but he would always want to stay up to do homework.

Cowart said Bradlee would print out all of his syllabi for the semester and hang them up on his walls in his dorm.

Devlin said, “That was the decoration of his room.”

Cowart said, “He genuinely enjoyed what he was learning and was passionate about what he was learning and found it so fun and exciting that he didn’t want to do anything else but learn.”

She added that made it so much harder that she won’t see him graduate.

Glenn Cochran, associate dean of students and student life, recalled that Bradlee won the “Peer of the Year” award for Corinne Hall Towers when he was an RA. Cochran said the award is for “the person who’s gone above and beyond to be supportive and help out other people. So it’s all chosen by the staff to recognize one of their fellow staff members.”

Johnny Hurley, area director of Corinne Hall Towers and Larned Hall, said, “He was a really great RA to the community - a lot of the residents looked up to him.

“A lot of the staff loved him - I loved him - so it’s just a tragedy that this

MAY 6, 2022 | 5

Courtesy of Hannah Devlin (Center) Bradlee Nadeau and his fellow RAs after a Corinne Hall Towers event. happened.” how I choose to remember him - just Ann Johnson, interim chair of the bright and loving and caring - as he Nutrition and Health Studies Depart- was.” ment, said, “He always had a positive According to his obituary on the attitude.”

St. Pierre-Phaneuf Aldenville Funeral Johnson said, “Many of his peers Chapels’ website, his family will hold a thought he was the smartest person in Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, the class.”

May 14, 2022 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at She added, “He always had a smile the Pioneer Valley Chapter 8 Club Hall, on his face, always sat at the front of the class, and always had insightful questions to ask.”

Megan Mayer, a nutrition and wellness studies professor and advisor of the Food and Nutrition Club, said, “He was really just unique, hardworking, so compassionate, and [always] supporting his friends and classmates. He made everybody feel welcome.”

Mayer said she appreciated his ability to be both “studious” and fun by always lightening the mood when in class to make sure other students were having a good day.

Regarding his leadership of the Food and Nutrition Club, she said, “He really wanted to open it up to different kinds of students.

“He had a lot of ambitions for how we want the group to grow and how he wanted to see the group give back to different places on campus, which is part of why he connected with the Courtesy of Hannah Devlin Rams Resource Center,” she added.

Bradlee Nadeau in Corinne Hall Towers.

“I really appreciated his drive and his thoughtfulness,” she said.

Diandra Ajemian, a senior food and 104 West State Street, Granby, Massanutrition major, said at the memori- chusetts 01033. al service, “We didn’t get to be super “His burial will be private. In lieu of close, but I saw the love transform be- flowers, his family re uests that metween him and Savanna. morial donations be made in his mem“I just saw how much they changed ory to the Boston Children’s Hospital each other’s lives and the impact they Trust, 401 Park Drive, Suite 602, Bosmade on each other,” Ajemian said. ton, MA 02215. For more details and to She added as someone who has also leave his family condolence messaglost a significant other, she feels for es, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf. what Hernandez is going through and com,” according to the obituary. shared a poem that was on the back of For FSU students seeking support, her late boyfriend’s prayer card. the Counseling Center is available for In an interview, Ajemian said, “You appointments into the summer. The would have never known he struggled. center can be reached via phone at He was always happy - always a light.”

508-626-4640 and via email at counAngel Muriel, a senior fashion de- selingcenter@framingham.edu. sign and retailing ma or, said he first met Bradlee at Horace Mann Hall when he came to FSU. Muriel said, “He was just a very CONNECT WITH LEIGHAH BEAUSOLEIL light-spirited individual, and that’s lbeausoleil@student.framingham.edu

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

6 | MAY 6, 2022

NEWS

Science on State Street returns

By Caroline Gordon Editorial Staff

On a breezy April Saturday, more than 350 curious children and their parents flooded the area behind O’Connor Hall to learn about science.

The annual event, known as Science on State Street, is hosted by the Christa McAuliffe Center in collaboration with the MetroWest STEM Education Network (MSEN).

ing an increase in battery power.

As the pin jolted across the monitor, Bell laughed and said jokingly to his audience, “When doing science experiments, it’s always important to do an evil laugh - mwah ha ha ha ha!”

Matthew Savini-Burke, a senior biology student at FSU, came prepared with boxes of deceased bugs, including bees, butterflies, and beetles from across the state.

Savini-Burke said, “I want to show

Caroline Gordon / THE GATEPOST

Caroline Gordon / THE GATEPOST The event took place on April 30 between noon and 3 p.m. and featured booths and tables staffed by FSU STEM professors, science students, and community members.

According to Irene Porro, director of the McAuliffe Center, 15 “exhibitors’” science projects were displayed, such as robots shooting hoops, how to make a battery from household items, and an exhibit of bugs found in Massachusetts.

Tony Ghelfi, who works for FrankenS.T.E.A.M, an organization that hosts after-school STEM activities, attended the event with a few robots that were programmed to perform tasks including shooting balls into mini-basketball hoops and traveling across colorful paths.

Ghelfi said he purchased the robots, but assembled the paths on which they moved.

He added the robots are operated by apps such as Blocky, a programming software, on the iPads the spectators used to control them.

Dr. Dwayne Bell, a professor in the Chemistry and Food Science Department at FSU, created a battery with home supplies.

Bell cut a large battery in half, removed the paper that keeps the manganese oxide from touching the metal coating, and explained that batteries operate on electrons that “give up electricity.”

Then, he emptied the manganese oxide into a terracotta pot, added some water, lead from a pencil, and wires with metal clips that were clasped onto the pot and connected to a voltage calculator.

Each time Bell clasped the metal clips to the pot, the pin on the voltage calculator would move, indicat-

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

everyone that bugs are not scary they are important, and they don’t want to hurt you. They are more afraid of you than you are of them.”

They added, “It’s been a fifty-fifty split between people loving the bugs and people being afraid of them. But,

a friendly way to give back - to invite members of the community to campus. It is a way to give back to the community.”

She noted that last year, due to the pandemic, Science on State Street was held virtually. Speakers from across the country were able to join and “engage audiences in conversation around science and anything that connects to science.”

Porro said, “There is something for everyone at Science on State Street. Families were happy because both children and parents were entertained - we hope the children and parents learned something new!”

Marilyn Machuca and Heather Keith, STEM students at MassBay, hosted a paper chromatography

Caroline Gordon / THE GATEPOST nature is so cool!”

Porro explained the origin of Science on State Street, noting she first organized the event in 2015.

“The response we had from the MetroWest audience was great and we knew we had to keep offering this annual appointment to engage families and learners of all ages with science,” she said.

Porro added, “The festival is also

booth. Chromatography is the separation of a mixture by passing it in a solution through a medium in which the components move at different rates. Some procedures are separated by color, molecular weight, and polarity.

At their booth, they presented a leaf stain that had been dipped in petroleum ether acetone. With the end

of the leaf submerged into the liquid, the pigments rose up to the top of the paper.

Keith explained that as some liquids traveled down the leaf, some pigments stopped and others ran down the leaf, based on their polarity.

She added leaves such as kale and spinach are ideal for the project and that she wanted to demonstrate the experiment with leaves to “show the pigments that are necessary for photosynthesis.”

Keith said she previously conducted the experiment in a class, but with pens, which inspired her to demonstrate the project to others.

The Green Initiative Club hosted a booth in collaboration with Megan Mayer, a nutrition and health studies professor, offering a sustainability wheel trivia game and Annie’s snacks.

Isabella Ferretti, a senior nutrition and health studies major, said, “My interest is in food policy and making sustainable food items, which motivated me to join the club and participate in Science on State Street.”

The Massachusetts State Police Museum & Learning Center hosted a “magic print” booth with invisible ink that participants could press their thumb into. Then, participants pressed their thumbs on a sheet of paper that revealed their fingerprints.

In addition to the fingerprint demonstration, a police car was parked next to the booth. State Trooper John Kelleher explained how the technology inside the car works.

Jen Whitman, director of the Massachusetts State Police Museum & Learning Center, said,“The purpose of this booth is to show kids that fingerprints are all different - nobody has one like yourself.”

She added, “The kids are fascinated to learn that their fingerprints are unique. It’s nice to see the curiosity come alive.”

CONNECT WITH CAROLINE GORDON cgordon4@student.framingham.edu

NEWS

MAY 6, 2022 | 7

FSU Alum Patrick Languzzi helps host Stem Cell Drive

By Leighah Beausoleil Editor-in-Chief

Patrick Languzzi, ’89, hosted a Stem Cell Drive over a period of four dates at Framingham State.

A Stem Cell Drive is aimed at collecting cells of potential donors through a cheek swab. If these cells end up being a match for someone who needs a bone marrow transplant, then the system will be able to recognize it and arrangements can be made if the match agrees to donate.

“We’re trying to raise awareness and try to get people to register to be a stem cell donor,” Languzzi said.

“I am a recipient of a stem cell transplant that saved my life,” he said. “I had leukemia, and they didn’t give me much chance of survival, and the only chance I really had was to have a stem cell transplant, which I received. I had a donor match from London - across seas.”

Languzzi explained there is a “slim” chance that a person doing the cheek swap will get called as a match, but “it’s an opportunity to actually save someone’s life.”

He said they received over 100 sub-

missions, which was their goal.

Though the drive at FSU is now over, he said people can still donate by signing up on the “Pay it Back With Patrick” page of the We Delete Blood Cancer website - dkms.org.

He said it only takes a couple of minutes to register and then a cheek swab kit will be sent to the potential donor’s house to be mailed back.

“There’s some misconceptions as to what a stem cell transplant is and it’s a simple cheek swab to be registered.

And then if you’re ever a match for somebody, it’s just a blood draw,” Languzzi said. “Like if you were going to give blood at the Red Cross - it’s painless, it doesn’t cost anything, and you can save someone’s life. It’s that simple.”

Tom Kelley, athletic director, said Languzzi was a former player on the FSU football team.

“It’s something that’s important,” Kelley said of the Stem Cell Drive.

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST “We’re not only your Athletic Department - we like to do civil community (Left) Patick Languzzi, ’89, and Tom Kelley, athletic director, at the Stem Cell Drive. service.

“Our students have really rallied be- program. So I thought it was very imhind this,” he said. “A former athlete portant that we reach out and do what CONNECT WITH LEIGHAH BEAUSOLEIL was in need and he benefited from this little we can to help.” lbeausoleil@student.framingham.edu

FSU and MassBay receive $600,000 grant for early college funding

By Emma Lyons Editorial Staff Congresswoman Katherine Clark announced a new $600,000 grant given to FSU and MassBay to expand the MetroWest College Early Start Program May 3.

This grant was given to the schools in order to expand the early college programs in effect in Milford and Framingham public schools to Waltham public schools, said Clark.

The program was expanded to the Waltham Public School District because it is a large district with a significant number of students who can benefit from it, President F. Javier Cevallos said.

“It was a logical next step - it’s a very diverse district with a lot of issues,” he said.

This program is focused on early intervention and starts at Grade 8, allowing students to take college preparation courses, Cevallos said.

Director of the program Roxanne Marrero said it focuses on giving students the tools they need to eventually complete a college degree.

Clark said that a theme frequently coming up in Congress is building equity into the education system.

“That’s exactly what this program does. It meets high school students, follows their dreams, and gives them the tools and the resources to be successful. Then, in turn, it helps serve their communities and create economic opportunities for all of us,” she said.

Clark expressed support for the students enrolled in the program and the new students. “You are our future and we are thrilled with what the future looks like through your lives,” she said.

Katie Willard, assistant director of school counseling at Waltham public schools, said her goal for the

program is to see students earning college credits and being put on the trajectory of a college degree.

The program is open access, so there are no grade requirements in order to enter the program, she said.

“What we’re really looking for is a student that can really have that self discipline and motivation to persevere through learning new things and taking on an extra workload,” Willard said.

A large portion of the program’s recruitment within Waltham High School has been through students already engaged in the process as they refer friends to join as well, said Kaitlyn Vallejos, college and career readiness coordinator at Waltham High School.

“We want to make sure that we’re providing as many pathways as possible for kids to engage in learning,” Waltham Public School District Superintendent Brian Regan said.

The program is intended to connect families to their children’s education as well, Willard said.

“We enroll families. We don’t enroll students,” she said.

Courtesy of Framingham State Congresswoman Katherine Clark speaking in the McCarthy Forum May 3.

CONNECT WITH EMMA LYONS elyons3@student.framingham.edu

Finalists announced in the Provost and Academic Vice President search

By Ashlyn Kelly News Editor

The three finalists in the provost and academic vice president search were announced in an email April 27.

Kenneth Sumner, associate provost for Academic Affairs at Montclair State University, visited campus May 3.

Kristen Porter-Utley, dean of the Bartlett College of Science and Mathematics at Bridgewater State University, visited campus May 5.

Mark Overmyer-Velázquez, university campus director at University of Connecticut-Hartford, will visit campus May 9.

The Employee Open Forum is from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and the Stu-

dent Open Forum is from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Both will be held in a hybrid format with in-person participants meeting in the Alumni Room.

CONNECT WITH ASHLYN KELLY akelly8@student.framingham.edu

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

NEWS

8 | MAY 6, 2022

Students attend listening session for Vice President of DICE search

By Ashlyn Kelly News Editor Students discussed if they would want to expedite the search for a vice president of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement to have a candidate in place by September even if it meant students were not part of the process during a student listening session April 27.

The meeting was hosted by members of the search committee for vice president of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement, Catherine Dignam, professor of Chemistry and Food Science, Cara Pina, professor of Biology, John Chenier, assistant dean of admissions, and David Case, area director of West, Peirce, and Horace Mann halls. Lucy Leske, a senior staff member at WittKeiffer, a firm focused on supporting the committee, was also present via Zoom.

Leske said the difference between having the position filled by September or having students be a part of the process would be when the candidates would come to campus. If students wanted to be a part of the process, the candidate would not

start in the role until “late October” or November.

“The timeline has been approved and exists with campus finalist visits in September, so that’s the current plan,” she said. “We’re just canvassing.”

Dignam said, “There wouldn’t be the same type of active community as it would be if they were coming to interview in September.”

Dara Barros, SGA diversity and inclusion officer, said, “I’m kind of in-between. I want to see someone as soon as possible in the position, but … this community is engaged. We are going to see all of y’all. We want to ask questions. We want to meet you, want to see what type of person you are.”

Hillary Nna, student trustee, said she was hesitant to “push the process forward” to have someone in the position by September.

Leske asked three other questions of attendees.

The first question was, “What are the challenges, opportunities, and expectations facing the next VP for DICE?” Barros said one challenge was the

COVID-19 by the numbers

“retention of students of color.

“When I came in, my class was one of the classes that had the most - the highest - population of students of color and now, we’re all dispersed or transferred or didn’t come back to school,” she added.

Dignam said the committee heard a lot about the new vice president needing to include and engage alumni, “especially alumni of color connect[ing] with students on campus.”

Nna said the new vice president would need to “address the current climate on campus for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities and also our engagement with the Nipmuc community.”

The second question Leske asked was, “What are the characteristics, qualities, and professional credentials you seek in the next VP for DICE?” Barros said the vice president should be “welcoming.”

She added the candidate should be “able to listen to students and actually understand where we’re coming from and work with students.”

Nna said their strengths should be “patience, openness, and willing-

ness.”

Leske’s third question was, “Why should candidates be interested in Framingham State and this role?”

Barros said candidates should be interested because of the “connection” between students.

“This year and last year, we had a difficult year and everyone has been so supportive of each other,” she said.

Barros added they are “going to know a lot of students on campus and everyone has a friendly face.”

Nna asked why there had not been someone appointed to the position in the interim.

Leske said she understood that appointing someone was the “intention” but “it sounds a lot easier than it is.”

She added, “There’s a huge competition for very high demand and low supply in the field itself just for permanent people.”

CONNECT WITH ASHLYN KELLY akelly8@student.framingham.edu

By Kathleen Moore Associate Editor

­­

Data collected April 30

­

[Editor’s Note: Johns Hopkins is no longer reporting the number of individuals fully vaccinated agaimst COVID-19 as of May 5, 2022.]

Data collected May 6

Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker, Johns Hopkins

[Editor’s Note: The Framingham Public Health Department is no longer reporting the number of COVID-19 cases in the city as of Feb. 2, 2022.]

­

­

­ [Editor’s Note: The number of tests administered does not indicate an outbreak of COVID-19.]

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Data source: Framingham State

­

­ Data collected May 6

Data sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Worldometer, City of Framingham

NEWS

MAY 6, 2022 | 9

Results of the SGA and class elections

By Sophia Harris, Asst. News Editor

Vice President and Class of 2024 President

President

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST

Student Trustee

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST

Name: Dara Barros Year: Class of 2023 Major: International Business Why I ran: I ran because I want to continue to be the voice for students. I wanted to be actively involved in anything that is going to benefit the students here.

Name: affi l houry Year: Class of 2024 Major: Chemistry Why I ran: For the past two years, I feel that I have been able to learn a lot from the past e-Board on SGA. Part of the reason I am running for vice president is to take on some responsibility for recruiting members for SGA and to obtain more student involvement.

Name: McKenzie Ward Year: Class of 2023 Majors: History and English Why I ran: I ran because we need a strong student leader in this position who prioritizes students and helps share the student experience and perspective to the Board of Trustees.

Secretary

SATF Treasurer

Class of 2024 Treasurer

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST

Name: Mark Haskell Year: Class of 2023 Major: International Business Why I ran: I’m trying to continue on with my goals of obtaining change for this campus - however grand or small scale it is.

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST

Name: Samuel Houle Year: Class of 2023 Major: History Why I ran: We have been involved in the funding process both at Senate and I’ve also been on the Financial Committee, or Fin Com, this last year, so I got to see a lot more of the behind the scenes on how organizations get their funding, how individual events are funded, how they’re grouped, and everything like that, and I thought it was really intriguing. I just want to learn more about it.

Name: Andrew Thompson Year: Class of 2023 Major: Hospitality & Tourism Management Why I ran: Having the experience [from FSAB] and adding something else to the resume - all stuff that I’m interested in doing, and trying to be able to help make every dollar count for the class of ’23.

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu

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

10 | MAY 6, 2022

Value school Continued from page 1

down the fees.

“The cost of education has gone up for everyone, and even [though] we are affordable, it is still an expense,” he said. “We also have put a significant number of our own resources into financial aid.”

The University can help students with grants and their financial packaging, he said.

Cevallos added, “It’s a great recognition for the University and it makes us very proud to be associated with an institution that can deliver the high quality that we do for a very reasonable price.”

Dale Hamel, executive vice president, said it’s beneficial any time FSU can get the word out about the value of the education it offers.

Hamel said the degree, demographics, costs, and value mattered more than the school’s ranking. Students attend FSU because of its affordability and value, he said.

The University is freezing tuition and fees for AY 2022-23 and will increase financial aid for the “most needy” students, he said. However, continuing to freeze tuition and fees is not a long-term option because personnel costs and inflation are increasing.

Hamel said FSU needs more state funding in order to limit increases in tuition and fees. “Any advocacy for continued state funding for public higher education in general, which includes Framingham State in particular, would certainly benefit that.

“There’s a large financing exercise that the Board of Higher Education is currently undertaking that is looking

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

NEWS

at how other states fund their public higher education systems,” he added.

“Part of that is seeing where we stack up in terms of state support per student.”

Overall, the purpose of the exercise is to look at how other states finance their public systems, Hamel said.

Eli Paré, a senior English major, said affordability is one of the key reasons why people attend FSU.

er science major, said Framingham State’s small community allows him to interact with people he’s familiar with. Although FSU offers a good deal, he thought the cost was a “little pricey.

“As long as you work it out with financial aid, you should be OK,” he added.

Katherine Soto, a junior psychology major, said faculty play more of a role in the overall experience of FSU

“It’s a great recognition for the University and it makes us very proud to be associated with an institution that can deliver the high quality that we do for a very reasonable price.”

-F. Javier Cevallos, President “State schools are kind of affordable.”

They said the achievement boosts the school’s reputation.

Ben Hurney, a freshman studio art major, said Framingham State is a good value. “It’s definitely affordable compared to other schools, which is nice.”

He added it is refreshing to be around other people who want to graduate and get a degree.

Danny Nguyen, a junior comput-

than affordability. “In the end, you’re there to learn.”

Rodrienne Georges, a sophomore psychology major, said she is thankful FSU offers a lot of grants and financial aid to students, although she thought the University could benefit from better promotion.

Ray Webber, a freshman political science major, said compared to other colleges she’s seen and heard about, Framingham State’s tuition is a good deal.

“Affordability helps factor into its attendance rates,” she said. “I’ve heard people say that was the reason they came to this campus.”

Shayna Eddy, director of undergraduate admissions, said while it was a nice honor to receive the recognition, a single ranking will probably not have an impact on admission rates.

“There are many different companies that put out various rankings and a whole host of other factors that go into the college decision-making process,” she said.

Eddy said FSU was also ranked in the top-30 “Best Value Colleges and Universities” by College Consensus in 2020 and 2021.

Framingham State has been recognized as a “Green College” for many years in a row because of its commitment to environmental sustainability, she said. “That has an affordability component to it because many of our sustainability efforts save the University money.”

She said the combination of affordability and the “outstanding quality” of its academic programs are the reasons FSU is such a value. Students who attend want to know that they are getting a great education, she added.

“This past academic year, the value of what the state provided to FSU was equivalent to $18,000 per student,” Eddy said. “That is a huge discount for students and families on the service and academic programs that we provide.”

CONNECT WITH PATRICK BRADY pbrady@student.framingham.edu

O P / ED

OP/ED

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Thank you, Bradlee Nadeau

Last year, Bradlee “Brad” Nadeau could be found early in the mornings making coffee in his Corinne Hall Towers dorm room - class syllabi decorating his walls.

Bradlee was getting ready to hand out fresh cups of coffee to the maintainers of his hall - spreading joy and love as he’s always done throughout his life.

On April 27, the Framingham State community learned that one of us passed away.

Bradlee had lost his life to a rare genetic disorder that he battled for a long time.

We are so devastated to see such an inspiring and beloved person - a friend to so many of us - pass so young.

Bradlee represented everything that makes us proud to be a member of the FSU community.

During his FSU memorial service May 5, Bradlee’s father, Gary Nadeau, said his family will not be putting the date of his passing on anything because Bradlee’s optimism, jokes, encouragement, and the lessons he shared will live on in each and every one of us.

The Gatepost wants to take this time to remember the amazing student many of us have learned to love.

Bradlee was beyond dedicated to this University. He represented the best of what being a member of the Framingham State community should be.

He was a senior food and nutrition major, enrolled in his department’s 4+1 program.

President of the Nutrition Club, a former RA, and a member of Phi Kappa Phi - Bradlee did it all despite his health challenges.

His motivation and drive stemmed from his desire to help everyone he possibly could - a fact that surprises no one who knew him.

In his day-to-day life, Bradlee brought about positive change and inspired everyone he met.

Bradlee’s greatest desire was to return to Boston Children’s Hospital, not as a patient, but on the other side for a change.

He wanted to take his degree and help children like him, who have had to spend much of their lives in and out of hospitals.

Because of this, Bradlee put his all into his studies. Despite health complications that

Courtesy of Facebook

may have made learning more difficult for him, Bradlee nonetheless earned A’s.

Though Bradlee knew his life was likely to be short, he lived life as if he were going to live forever, and we believe this is a lesson we can all take to heart.

Bradlee has shown us what it means to be grateful for the lives we have and how to live to the fullest.

Our hearts go out to Bradlee’s parents, Gary and Julie Nadeau: You raised an incredible man and could not have done a better job.

To his sister, Ashlee Nadeau: Bradlee felt like a brother to us all, so we can only imagine the love you shared growing up together.

We are so sorry for your loss.

To his girlfriend, Savanna Hernandez: The love you and Bradlee shared was beautiful.

Hearing the story of your love is an inspiration to us all. We are so happy he had you in his life.

To his best friend, Noelle Meunier: It is clear to us Bradlee was your rock and you were his, too. He could not have had a better person in his life to call his best friend.

To his RA community, including Caroline Cowart, Hannah Devlin, and Samantha Stafiniski: Hearing the stories of the love and comradery you shared with Bradlee throughout last year reminds us all of the small moments we have with one another that we cannot forget to cherish.

To everyone else close to Bradlee: You have been incredibly blessed to have known such an outstanding man. Anyone would be lucky to have been in your place and to know Bradlee beyond the stories that have been shared. We hope your memories of Bradlee always remind you of his kindness and love.

Bradlee, you are so loved for the person you were and the lives you’ve changed. You are an inspiration to each and every one of us.

Bradlee will never be forgotten. He will remain with us forever and will always be in our memories and in our hearts.

He has taught us what it means to be a good person and to live a full life.

Thank you, Bradlee - for everything.

Courtesy of Hannah Devlin

Have an opinion?

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

Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you!

MAY 6, 2022 | 11

Codify abortion laws

By McKenzie Ward Opinions Editor

As I sat in my office with my best friend, I got a notification on my laptop.

“Leaked documents reveal that SCOTUS plans to overturn Roe v Wade.”

I sat there in shock until I was able to utter out to my best friend, “Roe v Wade is being overturned.”

My best friend laughed because she thought I was joking, but the horror on my face made her quickly realize that I wasn’t joking.

Since 2016 when former President Donald Trump was elected, I always knew this could be a possibility, but I never imagined this day would actually come, especially given we currently have a Democratic president.

However, here we are.

And while this leaked document is only a draft of the decision and has not been adopted yet, it is authentic and it would allow states to decide on whether to ban abortion. According to the Guttmacher Institute, there are 23 states with pre-Roe abortion bans still on the books or have passed “trigger laws” that would immediately limit access to abortion if the SCOTUS overturns Roe. Five justices, Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, got to decide that I don’t have bodily autonomy because “the Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision…” according to the draft that was leaked.

However, it can be argued that the right to an abortion is protected under the Ninth Amendment.

The Ninth Amendment states “the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people,” which simply means the rights listed in the Constitution are not the only rights people are limited to.

If the SCOTUS begins deciding cases on the basis of “Well it doesn’t directly say they have that right in the Constitution,” we are in for a really dangerous future as it would mean decisions from Obergefell v Hodges, Griswold v Connecticut, and others that protect rights not directly stated in the Constitution are at risk.

And while in the draft, Alito states, “We emphasize that our decision concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right,” and “Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion,” all three of the Trump-appointed justices stated in their sworn testimony to the Senate that they would not overturn Roe v Wade.

Why should we believe them now?

What now needs to happen is President Joe Biden and Congress need to pass legislation that codifies Roe v Wade as federal law - even if that means eliminating the filibuster.

While eliminating the filibuster is a dangerous choice as it would give Republicans free rein to do as they please the next time they are in control of the Senate, it is truly the only hope for federal abortion legislation.

What also can be done if the filibuster is not eliminated, is states need to codify abortion rights into their own state laws, which Massachusetts has already done.

To Chief Justice John Roberts, you’re demanding an investigation into who leaked these documents, but there is clear evidence that Justice Thomas’ wife was involved with the Jan. 6 riot. Where is that investigation?

To Gorsuch, Barrett, Kavanaugh, and Alito who under oath lied to the United States Senate during their confirmation hearings in relation to their stance on abortion, aren’t you ashamed? It is disgraceful that you all turned your backs on American citizens and did not stay true to your word.

Your lies will hopefully be your legacy because that is all you are worth.

This was never about being pro-life.

This was about having control.

The United States is the home of the free - as long as you’re a cisgender, rich, white, straight, man.

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

12 | MAY 6, 2022

OP/ED

The state of modern American politics

By Steven Bonini Editorial Staff

As a political science major these last four years, I have had the opportunity to study politics during what has been one of the United States’ most heated political junctures.

From the rise of Trumpism in the Republican Party to the growing “woke” culture on the left, the one deficit of American politics that is clear to me is the country’s inability to do away with extremism.

On the right side of the aisle, Republicans are following in the footsteps of President Donald Trump, and their agenda moves further and further away from the middle ground every day.

The same can be said about the Democratic Party, which at one point in time, had a fairly centrist base, but has since become the battleground of moderates and progressives - unable to meet in the middle on key issues facing Americans.

More importantly though, the political extremism created by the two parties is threatening to the true democratic process.

If there’s one key takeaway I’ve learned while studying political science, it’s that politics is supposed to be about creating policy for the benefit of the everyday working individual, but when I listen to our elected leaders, it

feels as if they couldn’t care less about the American populace. They sound more like car salesmen - in this case, trying to sell people their politics.

I can’t afford the sticker price, and neither can the American people.

Much of this political discourse, I believe, comes from the fact that America lacks strong leadership across the board, but most notably at the presidential level.

President Joe Biden is far from a strong leader, and some days, I wonder if he’s fully coherent.

We’ve all seen his gaffes on stage and that’s with the use of a teleprompter.

I don’t even want to imagine what he sounds like in meetings with major foreign leaders.

As President Ronald Reagan once said, “We know only too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted.”

Under Biden’s leadership, America looks weak.

I’m convinced he’s being used as a puppet for the progressive left.

Let us not forget that when he ran to be the Democratic nominee for president, it was as a centrist, and then he selected California Senator Kamala Harris to be his running mate.

According to GovTrack, for the 116th Congress, which began January 3, 2019, and ended on January 3, 2021, Harris was ranked the second-most liberal senator in the senate - a real punch in the face to those of us who thought he’d serve as a moderate.

With her in his ear, I worry about what his policy agenda will look like over the next two-and-a-half years.

Former President Trump was certainly no saint of a leader, either.

I don’t miss his game show State of the Unions, unpresidential tweets, or his praise of foreign dictators like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un.

America looked no stronger under his stewardship.

Not to mention his lies about the election have convinced many voters that it was actually stolen from him - creating a fear among people that American elections are truly undemocratic.

Any leader who lies and fear-mongers to their base for their own benefit isn’t a leader at all - they’re a tyrant.

Voting accessibility is a hot button issue at the forefront of American politics right now, and Trump spewing false narratives is only adding fuel to the fire.

Americans should be able to have faith in their elections when they go

to the ballot box, and it shouldn’t be about voting for who’s less extreme on the issues.

Whether the citizens of the United States like it or not, these are the two leaders of the major political parties, and the 2024 presidential election is likely to look similar to 2020’s.

This is not what the American people need at the moment.

What the United States needs is somebody like President John F. Kennedy. In other words, a leader who can bring a sense of rationality to the table - somebody who’s patriotic, balanced, and always looking ahead - trying to create a better tomorrow for the children of our nation.

Oh, and did I mention Kennedy was fairly young? Somebody young in office would be a great step in the right direction!

Until we have leaders, in all areas of government, who are willing to work across party lines, accept responsibility for their actions, and look at Americans as people instead of votes, we won’t have a government that acts in the benefit of the nation’s populace.

The end or an end - my thoughts on death

By James Barraford Staff Writer

I have been thinking about my mortality.

As a student - and someone curious about history - seeing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has shown me how fragile life is.

This virus brought the world to a stop and left us isolated.

We were barraged daily with conflicting truths and outright lies.

The pandemic wrought a nearly two-year lockdown with millions of deaths. And, in terms of the world order, nature has finally reminded us who is truly God. Not that this would stop President Vladimir Putin or President Xi Jinping, whose thirst for power may plunge us all into darkness. Or former President Donald Trump - the cancer of Western Civilization - who would rather cripple the West and the world in order to win “bigly.”

We are all feeling the columns buckle. We are reacting to it in one way or another.

In some ways, it felt like I was dying along with the world.

Nothing seems certain. This same uncertainty had been stirring something within me - something indecipherable - for a significant portion of my life.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

I always knew that some day, theoretically, I would die. I just didn’t really know it.

It’s hard to know who we really are anymore.

The world is being manipulated by chaotic elements. Each action creates more unknowns.

However, the events of today are not relegated to this moment.

I remember in the ’90s seeing the casual images of violence far away.

The endless recycling of images of suffering left me paralyzed with fear.

Then it came home - though it was always here.

I remember watching people falling from the World Trade Centers on 9/11 and the buildings’ eventual collapse.

Over and over again.

I saw my cousin return from war -his calf stripped of flesh from an IED (improvised explosive device) that killed his friend in the process.

Everything about my world - fearful enough as it was - now became totally alien.

What good is life when we are so quick to destroy it?

I read the papers daily in order to feel less powerless in a chaotic world and developed a hatred toward power.

My government was willing to kill

thousands in a pointless, greedy war and strip our civil rights in the process.

This cynicism led me to minor in journalism. However, I was unaware this feeling came from my fear of death.

As I walked the campus, I felt divorced from a culture that has changed so radically as if the sea was taking me farther from shore.

Sometimes I wondered if universities filled a spiritual void in a materialist world.

Have the fruits of humanism become hardened by ideology?

Academia once shined as a beacon of knowledge. Now it suffers under the weight of its own theories and mechanisms.

There has been a fervor on Western campuses that uses intimidation to silence dissent.

I believed I had made myself an enemy to the world, for I would not be compelled - whether it is in the name of religious fascism or nebulous yet stringent Woke ideologies - to dictate beliefs I do not hold or act in ways contrary to my conscience.

The world is ever-changing, like the cresting dunes of a beach, being shifted by elemental forces with elegance and ferocity.

And so too will we return to the elements. On this issue, we are powerless to nature’s grand design.

Whether or not the end is final - I have doubts upon doubts - our awareness of the end can offer freedom from the paralyzing fear it brings.

Despite the agony that life can bring, it is better to know that life is a miracle.

Treat life as a miracle and it will become one.

We must act as if the power of God is within our hands.

We must also be humbled by the power of God. Let yourself feel the fear but do not become trapped in it. Grieve and move forward.

Think for yourself and be willing to make mistakes.

And remember that darkness is impermanent. However bad it gets, know that every dark night has a million bright stars.

OP/ED

MAY 6, 2022 | 13

Women’s sports deserve respect

By Kathleen Moore Associate Editor

Female athletes are undervalued and underpaid.

This problem exists across many different sports - but it shouldn’t be this way. Athletes are important assets to teams and should be treated as such. Female athletes deserve equal pay, respect, and game attendance.

They deserve what their male counterparts already have.

Many basketball fans ignore the WNBA - but that’s not the way it should be. WNBA athletes are not treated nearly as fairly as their male counterparts in the NBA. According to NBC Sports, WNBA athletes are paid about $100,000 annually, but NBA athletes are paid over $5 million. WNBA athletes deserve so much better pay.

According to World Sports Network, 15.14 million people watched the 2019 NBA Finals. Only 231,000 people watched WNBA games in 2018. The WNBA does not have nearly as many viewers - on TV and in person - as the NBA. These female athletes are undervalued and often fall through the cracks.

Additionally, the WNBA has only 12 teams but the NBA has 30 teams, according to NBC Chicago.

Many major cities don’t have a WNBA team. If the league expanded to more cities, more fans would be able to attend women’s basketball games.

The WNBA deserves more respect and attendance.

Representation matters for young female athletes.

The WNBA players are not the only underpaid female athletes.

According to The Today Show, the U.S. Women’s National Team has been fighting for equal pay for six years.

Soccer players Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, as well as other teammates of theirs, began leading the fight for equality between male and female soccer players in the U.S. in 2016. The USWNT won the World Cup in 2015 and earned only $2 million.

However, their male counterparts lost and earned $9 million.

Women’s soccer games are not televised as often as men’s soccer. This means less spotlight, less recognition, and less representation for them. In a study reported by Nieman Lab, 80% of sports news and television coverage showed zero women’s sports stories.

As a collegiate student-athlete myself, I know firsthand that women’s

sports are often overlooked.

In 2021, it was reported during an NCAA investigation that the organization “prioritizes men’s basketball, contributing to gender inequity,” and “significantly undervaluing women’s basketball as an asset,” according to USA Today. March Madness marketing primarily focuses on male athletes and does not give equal treatment to women’s basketball teams.

Women’s sports teams need to be televised, advertised, and reported on so much more than they currently are.

Female athletes also need to be paid more and treated better. They deserve so much more respect than they are currently getting.

TV stations and journalists can start by covering more women’s sporting events. Leagues can start by treating their athletes better and paying them more. More coverage of women’s sports will lead to more fans going to their games in person or watching them on TV. And FSU students can start by attending women’s basketball, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, softball, volleyball, cross country, and track events to support our fellow Lady Rams!

On my honor

By Donald Halsing Associate Editor

Two months ago, I led Troop 44 Mendon through a long-overdue Eagle Scout court of honor. We postponed three ceremonies due to the pandemic. My three friends chose me as their master of ceremonies.

Well, I was “voluntold” because they believed I was the most qualified person for the role.

Leafing through the April 15 Mendon-Upton Town Crier, I began to appreciate why they chose me. Page three featured a story on the ceremony and a picture of five Eagles: Scoutmaster and FSU alumnus Ed Shea, his son Eddie, along with Andrew Mecham and Cam Duncan - our three newest Eagles - and myself.

What distinguishes us from anyone else?

My scoutmaster, Alan Koufos, said the Board of Review was more of a formality than a determination of my worthiness. Having mentored other scouts as a youth participant and an adult leader, I realized he was right.

Nothing about who I am changed when I earned scouting’s highest rank four years ago. I don’t believe a Board of Review, ceremony, or even moving through the ranks toward Eagle Scout changes anyone’s character.

When a young boy or girl joins a troop - and sometimes even as a Cub Scout - you can often tell they will earn the Eagle rank just because they

display the right character.

There is within each scout something we call the spirit of scouting, which is represented by a single lit candle at a court of honor. The spirit of scouting burns brightest in scouts who speak for themselves, follow strong morals, and encourage others to do good.

Eagle Scouts are not perfect: they have the humility to recognize and correct their flaws. They respect other people’s ideas and ideologies. They help others because it makes them feel complete without expecting any reward.

Earning the Eagle rank is a monumental undertaking achieved by millions. Living a life of good-hearted kindness and citizenship - upholding the values of the Eagle badge - is only possible if someone chooses to do so.

My morals have always been worthy of my rank. The Eagle Scout Ceremony gave me the words to describe my core values.

The Eagle Scout Charge read at my Court of Honor encapsulates who I am.

“Be a leader, but lead only toward the best. Lift up every task you do and every office you hold to the high level of service to God, and your fellow men to finest living.

“We have too many who use their strength and their intellect to exploit others for selfish gains. I charge you

to be among those who dedicate their skills and ability to the common good.”

During the March court of honor, my voice changed while leading my friends through the call and response of the Eagle Scout Promise.

I lifted my eyes away from the script. I memorized the promise because I taped it to the inside of my bureau as a freshman at FSU and read it every morning.

Yet I know the promise by heart not because I memorized its words, but because I lived by its morals years before I knew how to recite it.

This promise does not define who I am. I define the values of this promise by living them.

I reaffirm my allegiance To the three promises of the Scout Oath.

I thoughtfully recognize And take upon myself The obligations and responsibilities Of an Eagle Scout.

On my honor I will do my best To make my training and example, My rank and my influence Count strongly for better Scouting And for better citizenship In my troop, In my community, And in my contacts with other people.

To this I pledge my sacred honor.

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

OP/ED

14 | MAY 6, 2022

If you’re an intern, read this

By Caroline Gordon Editorial Staff Your college experience is not complete unless you partake in an internship.

During my time at FSU, I have worked two internships - Science Writing Intern for the McAuliffe Center last summer, and this semester as a reporter for the Framingham SOURCE, an online newspaper.

We all know the benefits of internships - they build your resume, hone your work skills, and allow you to make professional connections.

I am fortunate enough that during my time with the McAuliffe Center and the Framingham SOURCE, I have reaped those benefits.

However, what people don’t advertise about internships is the organizational skills you need to be able to perform at your highest ability.

Obviously, being organized is one of the many keys to a successful internship. That being said, I have heard from a few friends that they don’t know how to be organized interns.

Many of us are full-time students who participate in a club or sport and work part-time. Throwing an internship into the mix is exciting, but also

nerve-wracking - leading to a disorganized life.

Let me help you out.

I have a few methods for staying organized, including using sticky notes, setting reminders on my phone, and jotting down tasks in my calendar to plan out the work I need to complete for my internship.

It may sound old-fashioned, but sticky-note reminders are extremely useful. As a journalist, I sometimes need to work on tight deadlines.

Whenever I schedule a Zoom interview or need to attend an event that same day, I pull out a bright sticky note, a fat Sharpie, and write out exactly what needs to be done.

Then, I stick it in the middle of my mirror that I always use, so I never miss it. Call me extra, but sometimes I also stick it on my door just in case I somehow miss it on my mirror.

My roommate adopted the same technique to remind herself when and where to get COVID-19 tested.

We laugh that there are bright sticky notes scattered throughout the room but hey, it’s a system that works.

After the placement of my sticky

notes, I set a reminder on my phone, so when I’m not in my room, I am reminded of the interview I need to conduct, event I have to cover, or deadline I must meet.

As I always have my phone on me, I also never leave my dorm without my planner. I recommend that all interns write their work in the same planner they use for homework, but in another color. That way, everything is in one place, but you can distinguish between internship work and homework.

So, for those of you who are interning this summer, or fall, and need some help with organization, try some of my tips. Once you are an organized intern, you can spend less time figuring out what you need to do and spend more time focusing on making professional connections and honing your work skills.

Pretty soon, your room will also be filled with bright sticky notes.

Campus Conversations What are your summer plans?

By Maddison Behringer and Emma Lyons, Editorial Staff

“My summer plans are to be an Orientation Leader here at Framingham State University.

I plan on going to a few concerts that I’m excited about.”

-Elizabeth Walker, junior

“This summer, I’m actually going to Greece to do a retreat without my phone. So, I can just figure out what I want to do without distractions.”

-Elisabeta Cojocaru, senior

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

“I’m going to be working several jobs so I can pay for college. I am also going to Nantucket with some friends.”

-Meghan Bangert, freshman

“Honestly, just work - that’s it.”

-Christie Jean, junior

“Over the summer, I’m taking three summer classes, but I’m also working. I’m also going to a few concerts, which I’m excited for.”

-Stacey Domingo, freshman

“I am going to the Cape in July. Other than that, I am working.”

-Avry Gulibert, freshman

OP/ED

Senior Letters One thing I have been told all of my life is that you will always end up where you need to be. It may not be the place where you want to be, but it’s where you should be in the moment.

Looking back, that’s exactly what FSU came to be for me.

To Hilltop: Thank you for the community you provided and the opportunities you gave me. You all truly became my second family freshman year and were always there when I needed you.

To Liz and Desmond and the rest of Gatepost: Thank you for convincing me to join The Gatepost, pushing me to be my best every week, and for the opportunity to see my work published.

To my friends: Four years have gone by so fast. We’ve stuck together through the thick and thin, and the ups and downs. Thank you for the laughs, memories, and good times. Here’s to many more.

To my family: Thank you for supporting me at every turn and being my cheerleaders these past 22 years. I may not know what is coming next, but I know that I will forever have you all in my corner.

Last but certainly not least, to my mom: I don’t have words to say. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. I love you a bushel and a peck.

Sincerely, Ashlyn Kelly

I cannot believe I am finally here.

When I started my college journey those four long years ago, I’ll admit, I doubted I would make it this far, but here I am preparing to walk the Commencement stage on May 22.

I first would like to say thank you to the University itself for giving me an opportunity to attend school here when no other colleges would give me the time of day.

A big shout-out goes to Shayna Eddy in Admissions, who, with the help of my high school guidance counselor, Mr. Donahue (love ya, Mr. D.) got me here in the first place.

To David Smailes, my advisor and mentor over these last four years - thank you for all your wisdom and for making my journey through political science so enjoyable.

To Liz Banks and Desmond McCarthy - you’ve both been wonderful, especially at helping me advance my writing abilities and giving me a new perspective of the world - a journalistic perspective. For that, I am forever grateful.

To my grandparents, Mary and Bruce Bercume and Gerry Bonini, I love you so much, and I don’t know what I would have done without our late-night conversations, card games, and Mai Tai dinners. You mean the world to me, and it is because of your old-world knowledge that I have made it this far.

I suppose the great crooners also deserve an honorable mention - Perry Como, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra! If it weren’t for their music, I would have gone insane by now.

While I’m on that note, I should also give a shout-out to Ann McDonald, who graciously introduced me to Mr. Vincent Ialenti, who has become my “Perry Pal!” Thankful for you both.

To my parents, Cindy and Steve - I have been blessed with two of the best parents in the world. I cannot tell you how fortunate I am to have parents who have not only acted as hard-working role models my entire life, but have never failed to support me in my endeavors. Thank you for all you have done for me.

And lastly, I thank the good Lord for allowing me to wake up every morning - giving me the guidance I need to get through each day.

This is Steven Bonini saying, one last time - God Bless you all!

MAY 6, 2022 | 15

Thank you for four years of learning and growing. I had many ups and downs throughout my college career, but always tried to keep a smile on my face.

Thank you to my family for keeping me motivated and cheering me on, even if it’s through FaceTime calls or text messages from 40 minutes away.

Thank you to my coaches: Scott VanderMolen and Mark Johnson from Cross Country and Track & Field. Both of you have helped me become a faster and stronger runner, as well as teaching us all lessons on and off the track.

Thank you to my XC and T&F teammates for all the support and encouragement every step of the way. Thank you especially to my running buddies this season, Brenna Fehan and Laura Abreu, for making each mile a joy to run.

Thank you to my Gatepost advisors: Desmond McCarthy and Liz Banks.

You have both helped me become a better writer and editor. I owe all of my journalism experience to you both and The Gatepost as a whole.

Thank you to my fellow Gatepost managers: Donald Halsing and Leighah Beausoleil. I have learned so much about writing and collaboration from both of you.

Thank you to my amazing boyfriend, Eric Guccione, for being the most supportive, funny, and kind partner I could ever ask for.

Thank you to all of my wonderful friends here at FSU, especially my roommate, Destiny O’Connell. I’ll always cherish our time spent in 704!

I will miss all the fun times and chaos caused during my college career, but I’ll always carry the memories of my fRAMily wherever I go.

With love, Kathleen Moore

May Hall was the first stop on my tour of FSU. While my father only attended one class within its red brick façade, most of my major courses met behind its wooden doors and drafty windows.

On the tour, we walked through Larned Hall. I moved all my dorm room belongings up to the fifth floor at the start of sophomore year, and hauled them all back out on the cusp of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Our tour started and ended in the McCarthy Center lobby. Writing to you now from my desk in The Gatepost office, I realize just how many of my college memories include pizza, red pens, and 3 a.m. shenanigans in this room.

Four years ago, I toured an unfamiliar college. Now, when I look up State Street, I remember all the people who fill my heart with love.

Desmond and Liz, your unconditional kindness kept me afloat in turbulent metaphorical waters.

Lisa, I could not have made it through the end of my undergraduate career without your eccentric spiritual energy. See you in Intro to Grad Studies this summer.

Kristen, you pinpointed my literary niche and unveiled the magic of Digital Humanities. I look forward to writing my thesis with you next year if you’re onboard.

To all my English professors: I’m grateful we shared a classroom and love of language.

Leslie and Bob, your photography courses unlocked my ability to choose decisive moments.

Mom and Dad: stop worrying! You raised a son who is doing great things.

Erik, thank you for being my source of chaotic joy.

Grandma, I hope you are proud that your eldest grandson earned his degree.

Ashley, you are my everything. While my senior letter must end, “our beginning” was Framingham State. Some day, images of red bricks, pocket ceilings, and an office full of newspapers will bring back memories of all the people who made this place home.

Thank you all, Donald Halsing

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

16 | MAY 6, 2022

OP/ED

Hello!

Gosh, I don’t know how to start this.

I’m Sabrina Grammatic! I’ll be graduating this semester and then working toward my master’s degree, which is something I never thought I’d end up doing, so good on me. For four years, I’ve been a student here at FSU. It’s given me a mix of both good and bad memories, but that’s college, isn’t it?

I’ve been a part of The Hilltop Players - the student-run theatre organization here on campus - for those four years. I found myself both onstage and backstage, getting some neat opportunities like directing a play and becoming vice president of the organization. Looking back to when I was in high school, I would have never, never imagined myself to be doing the things I did in college. You really do find yourself more in these formative years, huh?

If you had shown my high school self a picture of me now, she would also be in disbelief. What, my future self understands fashion now? Unbelievable.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that even though FSU is FSU, and it has both good and bad days, it still helped me grow into myself in a way that I never thought I could. I can’t wait to go out into the world and have such a solid foundation to aid me, one that I created during my time here. Friends who sometimes know me more than I know myself, professors who have made me feel smart when I never really thought I was - all of that came from here.

So I want to leave FSU on a good note, and say thanks. Thank you for slapping me in the face and waking me up.

Really, what more could you ask for?

Sabrina Grammatic

I wish I’d written more for The Gatepost. When I started out, I didn’t really know how to describe what I wanted to do, so I settled for simply attending the meetings without providing much in the way of input.

However, thanks to the help of my fellow editors and writers, I managed to get my own column, even if it was ultimately a short-lived one. I’ve discussed all manner of different media - movies, TV shows, games, and comics, and yet in spite of all this, I still feel like my work isn’t done.

I hope that if you’ve kept up with my writing that you’ve tried out at least one of the things I’ve recommended. And I hope that for each of those things, at least one person has taken an interest in them.

Seriously, if anyone has taken an interest in “Raging Loop” because of me, let me know.

I want to thank all of my instructors, Professors Springer, Cole, Johnson, Stephens, Banks, McDowell, Caffery, Kali, and Bowen. Each of you has given me advice that will remain with me every time I put the proverbial pen to paper.

I want to thank my friends, both near and far. Jackson, if you’re reading, I’m rooting for you in the years to come.

And I want to thank my family for being my greatest supporters at every step of the way.

I’ve wanted to be a writer for as long as I can remember. I’ve wanted to be a critic for a bit shorter than that. And thanks to all of the people in my life, I’m finally both.

Excelsior, Sean Cabot

I transferred here from MassBay in fall 2020, but I did not think that my time here would be as special as my time there. I am so glad I was wrong about that, though! Throughout my time here, I have made meaningful friendships and established professional relationships that I know will last a lifetime! I also worked on a few projects and papers that mean a lot to me and expanded my career interests. Not only did I gain great personal growth, but I also experienced career growth because I got my first on-campus internship as a result of being an FSU student!

I want to thank the whole Career Services team, especially Emily Abel, Rich Davino, and Wendy Davis, for supporting me throughout my internship. They taught me how to be more assertive as well as professional! I also want to thank my professors, especially Dr. Elcoro and Dr. Flanagan! They helped me develop my interest in psychology so that I now have a better idea of what population I want to work with!

It’s amazing how fast we can adjust and make a new environment be as special as previous places, and I’m so glad that I got that opportunity!

Sabrina Beach

A few years ago, I came to FSU and joined The Gatepost as a staff photographer. I remember attending my first event, which was “Shakespeare to Hip Hop.” As I had never photographed a formal event before, I was nervous to walk around the forum and take photos of people. Desmond was sitting in the back and told me to “be brave.” I have taken those words of encouragement with me during my time working as a student journalist and throughout my college career. So, thank you so much to Desmond and the rest of The Gatepost staff. Shoutout to my best friends here, Bhumi and Sephora, two of the kindest, funniest, people I know. Thank you to my parents and my sister Lilly for supporting me throughout my time at FSU. I also want to thank Susan Petroni for mentoring me this semester as writing for the Framingham SOURCE has helped foster my interest in the field of journalism. Good luck Class of 2022!

Caroline Gordon

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

OP/ED

MAY 6, 2022 | 17

My Way

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

to Get Ahead this Summer

Make the most of your summer!

Register now for online summer classes.

• 5-week, 8-week & 12-week sessions • Over 200 courses offered entirely online • Undergraduate and graduate courses*

*Students may take up to 2 graduate courses before matriculation

Classes start May 23, 2022 For more information, visit Framingham.edu/summer

framingham.edu

Sam the Ram and the Final(s) Stretch

tepost

Size: 4.75" x 7.75" IO#: 13373

Notes: 4c Screen:

Proofreader:

Haley Hadge / THE GATEPOST

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

SPORTS

18 | MAY 6, 2022

SP O RTS

Softball falls 5-4 in MASCAC Tournament extra innings

Rams Baseball falls to estfield in double-header

By Danielle Achin Sports Editor

By Tyler Wahl Sports Editor

The Framingham State softball team faced off against top seeded Bridgewater State in MASCAC action where they fell to the Bears in the 10th inning.

The sunny weather made for a perfect game day between both teams and ridgewater was first to ta e the field.

Senior Camille Dresrochers led the Rams off to a great start with a single up the middle, immediately stealing second on a wild pitch. ith runners on first and second, unior wendolyn Car enter crac ed the ball to left center, sending Desrochers across home plate.

So homore elsey c uill, freshman Ava odrigue , and unior oe Smyth followed Car enter s lead and added their own I runs to the board ma ing it a 4-0 lead for the Rams. he ams then closed out the inning with three uic outs leaving the score 4-0.

Despite the scoreless second inning from FSU, the two-run score for Bridgewater still left a 2-point cushion for the Rams.

The top of the third showed no different from the second, but the Bears managed to tally one run in the inning for the 3-4 score. oth teams were laying with great defense ma ing it hard for either team to advance the score. he game went bac -to-bac -to-bac scoreless innings before the ears tied the game - in the to of the seventh on a fielding error, sending the game into extra innings. he game only intensified as neither team was willing to let the other ta e the lead.

The Rams managed to tally a few base hits during the eighth and ninth innings from odrigue , Smyth, and freshman roo e rassia but were unsuccessful reaching home to advance the lead.

The score remained 4-4 heading into the 10th inning of the game. he ears too the field one last time ma ing three easy outs against the ams before ta ing the mound.

In the bottom of the th, a fielding error by the ams allowed the ears to tally the winning run on a passed ball for the 5-4 score. es ite a devastating loss, Smyth commented on the game, raising her team for the tough fight. e new what we were going u against when it came to ridgewater. hey are a solid team, but so are we,” she said. “I thought we put together some great at bats and layed some great defense. hey ust found ways to get on base and get some timely hits.”

Smyth added that now they are facing off against Salem State in an elimination game, they need to ta e care of business and ut everything they have on the field. he ams loo to lay Salem State in an elimination ASCAC conference game and fight for their season on ay 6.

he ramingham State ams faced off against estfield State in a ASCAC double-header April 30, falling to the Owls in game one 7-2.

S also dro ed the second game by an even larger margin to close out their three-game wee end set. he action started in the bottom of the first inning when so homore outfielder Ryan Boyle singled a bomb to left center, putting the Rams up 1-0 to start the game.

Scoring resumed in the bottom of the third when oyle advanced to third base on a wild itch, scoring unior infielder obert ohnson. ramingham State held a 2- lead until the to of the fifth inning due to stellar itching from unior ac oley. oley made uite an im act with his erformance, com letely blan ing out the wls for the first four innings. oley allowed a single hit over the course of four innings and struc out four to to off his erformance. owever, the ams defense eventually faltered in the fifth inning. hey allowed a total of six runs in ust one inning, including a demorali ing two-run single. estfield State held the ams from scoring again the entire game. estfield itcher yan onahue led the wls defense with a total of stri eouts in the game in only five innings itched. he ams at-bat attem ts ty ically resulted in stri eouts and easily-fieldable grounders for the wls the ma ority of the game.

Along with oyle s I single, so homore infielder Cameron ilroy also connected with a hit during this game. Despite their contributions, Donahue still shut out the rest of the team throughout the match. he wls were able to ut one more oint on the board in the to of the seventh inning off a bla ing fast single to left-center field. he game concluded after two scoreless innings, awarding estfield State with the 7-2 conference win over ramingham State. ollowing S s three-game wee end conference set, the ams sit at -23 overall and the wls sit at 22- 2 on the season. oley s o e on the team s struggles after the game adding, he season hasn t been exactly how we all wanted it to turn out. e all would ve li ed to have a few more wins under our belts, but the record doesn’t really show how our season has actually gone.”

He also said the team needs to focus on the big innings. The Rams let up a total of six runs in one inning during this game, and it s something oley nows they need to wor on.

Foley said, “All year one of our biggest problems has been competing all game and letting the game go in ust one inning. e also s o e on the team s strengths adding, he next few years will be very exciting as everyone gains ex erience and gets better.

Another big strength is the team atmosphere. Compared to years before, it’s day and night. veryone gets along, the chemistry is great, and there is good camaraderie between all the guys.” he ams loo to close out their season strong against itchburg State in conference action May 7.

Gatepost Archives Gatepost Archives

BRIDGEWATER STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

5 4 CONNECT WITH DANIELLE ACHIN dachin@student.framingham.edu

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

WESTFIELD STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

7 2

CONNECT WITH TYLER WAHL twahl1@student.framingham.edu

SPORTS

MAY 6, 2022 | 19

nu iogu Continued from Page 1 Now, those dreams have begun to come true.

Onujiogu was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks, according to D3Football.com.

Only two NCAA Division III student athletes were contracted by the NFL this year, according to the website.

“It feels amazing,” Onujiogu said of being signed. “But now, there’s a whole new chapter of goals and objectives that have to be met.

“I had a feeling that I was going to get signed to Seattle,” he said. “I was at my house with my family, and it was just a really nice moment to spend with my family.”

He added his family is “just very proud. They were happy that I’m fulfilling my dream and I got to my dream

despite all the obstacles I had to go through.

“They were very happy for me,” Onujiogu said.

Tom Kelley, athletic director and head football coach, said he is “excited” for Onujiogu.

“I was hoping he was going to get drafted, but this is the next best thing,” he said. “He could pretty much pick what team he wants to go to - I mean as an agent.

“I think it’s sometimes a little bit better that you get a choice of where you’re going,” Kelley added. “I hope and pray that he does as well.”

Kelley said he knew Onujiogu had professional potential since 2019.

He explained a senior that year was attracting attention from the NFL. “All 32 teams came to our practice,”

he said. “We certainly were promoting a tight end at the time [but] … we kind of presented Josh along with [him].”

Kelley said despite the COVID-19 pandemic, where there were two years Onujiogu “didn’t have really active football - he persevered. He worked real hard during that time.”

Onujiogu said playing at Framingham State was “fun because I got to play since freshman year.”

He added, “I made a lot of memories there - Framingham State will always be in my heart.”

On joining the Seahawks, Onujiogu said, “It’s just a great opportunity for me to lead off for my next chapter, and I understand that there’s going to be a lot of obstacles that I’m going to have to overcome still as an adult with a career like this.

“Go Seahawks!” he added.

Kelley said, “I can’t tell you how proud I am - proud of the program, but more importantly, for him. It’s about him right now. It’s not about us.

“He’s worked as hard as anybody we’ve ever had in our program, and I’ve been here since Day One,” he said.

“He’s as good as any of them and probably better.

He added, “He’s a better person than he is a football player, so not enough good things are going to happen to this young man.”

CONNECT WITH LEIGHAH BEAUSOLEIL

lbeausoleil@student.framingham.edu

Leighah Beausoleil /THE GATEPOST

Courtesy of Framingham State

Leighah Beausoleil /THE GATEPOST

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

ARTS & FEATURES

20 | MAY 6, 2022

ARTS & FEATURES

Cevallos leaves behind a positive legacy

By Leighah Beausoleil Editor-in-Chief

By Dallas Gagnon Staff Writer On the second story of a large building, a room overlooks historic halls and brick pathways - worn from niversity traffic. ne wall is filled entirely with books, and at the heart of the office a new novel rests ato a cherry-stained des .

For nearly eight years, the Framingham State University community has nown this as resident . avier Cevallos office. owever, in uly 2 22, the cherry-stained desk will be occupied by a new University president and after 2 years in academia, Cevallos said he will turn a new leaf and retire.

Despite retirement, Cevallos said he has many lans for the future. I cannot spend my life playing golf and watching .

Instead, he lans to s end more

words and just make up stories about that.

One of his favorites was a story that came out of the exercise with his son, Alex.

It was the oor ghost that is haunted by the house, instead of the house being haunted by the ghost,” he said. hey loved that. ith his father having been a rofessor of history and philosophy, and his mother a professor of linguistics, Cevallos said he “never even questioned” a career outside of higher education.

I finished high school at 6, graduated from college at , and I had my h. . at 2 . So I was very young, he said.

As a graduate student, Cevallos was a teaching assistant at the University of Illinois in 76. At age 25, he became an assistant professor of S anish at the niversity of aine.

In Illinois, I basically went to the Spanish Department and they gave us a three-day orientation on how

Cevallos and his younger brother a few chords. Cevallos said he and his brother really too to it.

I as ed my father for a guitar for Christmas,” said Cevallos, and that was his gift that year.

Although it is “really old and doesn t sound well anymore, his first guitar is “still around” and with his brother in lorida.

Cevallos said he has always wanted to learn how to play the piano and although he cannot, his wife os e Vachon, and daughter, Caroline, both lay very well.

After graduating with his h. . from the niversity of Illinois, Cevallos taught at the University of Maine, where he met achon.

The couple have been married for years and have two children.

In 8 , Cevallos said he wor ed at UMass Amherst as an assistant professor of Romance languages, and was promoted to associate professor in 88, and to rofessor in 2.

After 8 years at ass, he said he

“Javier is a respectful leader who has served the institution with grace and humility. He will be missed!”

- Susan Dargan, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

time reading, playing guitar, and has accepted a one-year position in the Presidents-in-Residence program at arvard niversity.

Reading has always been one of Cevallos favorite astimes. e said he is always reading at least three books at once - one he ee s in his office, an audiobook in his car, and the third on his bedroom night stand.

Cevallos, who lived in Ecuador until moving to Puerto Rico at age 14, said he moved to the .S. for graduate school at age .

“My dad used to read to us [siblings every day. ou have to go bac to cuador in the 6 s. hen I was growing up, we didn’t have television in my hometown, he said.

His father read fantasy stories, invented his own, and gradually progressed toward more serious literature such as he Iliad and he dyssey, said Cevallos.

I did that to my children as well, he said. hey would give me cra y

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

to teach and that was it. ere s your book, this is your class - go teach’,” said Cevallos.

He said although it was a little embarrassing, “They didn’t kill me [and] they didn’t go to the chair of the deartment com laining. hile attending the niversity of Illinois, many roc bands erformed on cam us. e d have concerts li e every wee , he said. So basically, every popular classic rock band you can thin of in the 7 s, I robably saw them in concert.

Some include Fleetwood Mac, Styx, The Ramones, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and eart. Cevallos es ecially noted Queen and Bruce Springsteen, who layed for three hours, non-sto .

I love music, said Cevallos. I try to play [classical guitar] every day, just a half hour or something to keep your fingers going. e first ic ed u the guitar in Puerto Rico when a neighbor showed

left to serve as resident of ut town University in Pennsylvania, where he increased student diversity from 5 to 5 . e have done the same thing here [at Framingham State],” Cevallos added. It s not that I do it, it s that the team administration does it.

Some of Cevallos’ accomplishments as FSU’s president include the acquisition of the Danforth Art Museum, the arren Conference Center, increasing diversity, and leading the niversity through C I - .

Cevallos said he was “shocked” by the “racial disparities that exist in this country,” when coming from South America to the nited States. he first time he really noticed it was when as a graduate student, he, a friend, and his brother were trying to get into a bar.

His brother went into the bar “because he looks white,” but his friend who had “dark skin” was asked for three icture I s, and was told a stu-

dent I doesn t count, said Cevallos.

“Of course, we walked out and never, never came back to a place like that again, he said. hat was Chigago in the 7 s and they were still doing that.

I ve been so committed to diversity since I ve come here because it was a sur rising thing to me, he said.

Susan Dargan, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, said, I was a member of the search committee that selected avier as a finalist, and I am grateful that the board selected him from a pool of highly ualified a licants.

“To me, the most important achievement in his administration came when he declared that FSU would strive to be an anti-racist institution, argan said. his declaration was followed by serious efforts to look at all of our practices and policies with an e uity lens.

She added, avier is a res ectful leader who has served the institution with grace and humility. e will be missed!”

Marc Cote, dean of the College of Arts and umanities, said, I was imressed with r. Cevallos s ambitious proclamation of the school’s commitment to anti-racism and the thoroughness with which he teamed with departed VP Connie Cabello to follow through with an action plan toward that romise.

Cote said, Additionally, I am very thankful for his dogged determinism in helping to merge the Danforth Museum into a vibrant center for our niversity. Cou led with the useum, he was instrumental in leading the approval for new ceramic and sculpture studios for our visual arts programs in the Maynard building, including a new wood sho .

Dale Hamel, executive vice president, said, “He’s been a strong leader and we’ve certainly needed that over this eriod.

Hamel said the University was “fortunate” to have Cevallos as president during the C I andemic.

He credited Cevallos with setting the “tone” and “culture” of the University in his work to create a “friendly, welcoming and inclusive environment that’s willing to listen to the various constituents that are across cam us.

I ll certainly miss them, ersonally, he added. e ve obviously become friends over the past seven or eight years. I ll certainly miss that, and wish him the best as I thin he ll be successful in his retirement. ames Cressey, rofessor and chair of the Education Department, said, “President Cevallos supported FSU’s Education programs consistently during his tenure in large and small See CEVALLOS’ LEGACY Page 21

ARTS & FEATURES

Cevallos’ legacy Continued from Page 20

President F. Javier Cevallos in his office. ways.

If you have heard him give a ub-

lic address, you’ll know that he always makes a point to highlight our proud

Leighah Beausoleil / THE GATEPOST

history as the first ublic institution

in the United States to preare future educators, Cressey said.

“President Cevallos is a lifelong educator and supporter of public education and it showed clearly in his work as niversity resident.

Kevin Foley, chair of the Board of rustees, said, I admire r. Cevallos. e s been a great leader.

Foley explained how he was a part of the committee that initially hired Cevallos.

“He brings a lot of insight from both the non rofit and higher education to the various organi ations he belongs to, he said.

Additionally, I thin that I ust want to make the point that not only is he an extremely competent leader, but he s a great erson, he added. e s a great human being. e always thinks on a personal level, whether you’re having a one-on-one or you’re art of a committee or a larger grou .

Majorie Agosin, a professor of S anish at ellesley niversity and friend to Cevallos of years, said, “He has a tremendous quality that not many leaders have.

“A lot of people go with what is politically correct or politically savvy,” she said. I admire his rofound honesty and his commitment to a premium safe community.

Cevallos said he recently wrote an article for a collection of essays

A morning patrol in Cruiser 10

By Haley Hadge Editorial Board uesday, ay 3, 8 58 a.m.

Rain hangs heavy in the sky above the Framingham State University Police e artment S . ith a high of 5 and humidity index of 88 , the layers of a uniform begin to feel adherent to the skin - bullet roof vest and all.

5 a.m.

Beads of water ripple down a badge that reads, Sgt. obert Cormier.

As he wal s through the office, Cormier passes eight screens showing at least five different views of cam us at a time.

He said there are approximately 8 total S cameras located on cam us.

Cormier agreed to have a student reporter ride along with him to see first-hand what the olice do on camus.

Cormier shares similar values to Chief ohn Santoro e re not here to hurt anybody. e re here to ee everybody safe, Santoro said. a.m.

Cormier popped the trunk of Cruiser and counted off his su lies he Automated xternal efibrillator (AED), Med Kit, Narcan, and other emergency medical supplies were loaded. ith the clic of a ey and an adjustment of his badge, the engine of

his cruiser revs, and his patrol hour begins. ight, right, right, left e re all about providing a service … to make sure everyone gets an education free from harassment, Cormier said.

He added the best practices the FSUPD must follow are “guided” by the Massachusetts Accreditation Committee. So, olicies differ from state to state.

He said the FSUPD has a “tendency to deal with a lot of parking issues,” but their main priority is “community careta ing.

26 a.m.

Cormier circles through the parking lot on Union Avenue - “All is quiet on the home front here, he said.

He added in years past, this lot has been the source of numerous auto burglaries, though recently it has calmed.

He said the roadways surrounding Union are part of FSU’s jurisdiction, but it is not clean cut.

There is a balancing act at play between the FSUPD and the Framingham Police Department (FPD), he said.

“Framingham is a busy city and occasionally their business bleeds over into us, he said.

As he cruised ast 86 orcester Road, he said he is “constantly scanning his surroundings.

Cormier said when he was in the Academy, he was taught there are

multi le levels of alertness. e said, ou can t always be at level four - atigue would be imminent. a.m.

Chatter from the FPD enters Cruiser e don t have a lot of issues, but every now and then something ust ha ens to show u , he said.

In the barren bac lot of the anforth Art Museum, he pointed out three cameras - two flan ing the side entrances and one hanging in the center of the bac entrance.

“There are cameras everywhere,” he said.

He passed the greenery in front of The Danforth and said, “This job consumes a lot of your life. ou need to be a good erson. ou need to live an unsullied life, he said.

He added there has been more awareness on the mental health of olice officers.

As he headed back toward the main campus, he said he would ideally like to have civil conversations with those he detains. I have no oy having to ta e eo le s liberty away.

Is anybody erfect o. ut we re providing services for people more than anything.

53 a.m.

Cormier parked the cruiser in front of O’Conner Hall, rolled down his window, and said the FSUPD often serves as a resence for safety.

He said sometimes simply being

MAY 6, 2022 | 21

Agosin was compiling about universities as a lace of refuge.

He added, “Universities have always been accepting of refugees of many inds in different ways.

Agosin said Cevallos “is interested in educating all people, but especially people who have not had fantastic access to education.

It is im ortant to reach those who are most vulnerable and I thin he has created a wonderful University,” she added.

Cevallos said he will “miss all the things that happen here [FSU] … the different lectures, the performances, the games, you know - the things we do.

He said what he has “always learned is that you have to always be open to learning more and trying new things, and to experiment and not be afraid of things that are different that goes for food when you travel to different places … meeting people or going to a concert of music you never expected you would like - just try to be o en and try new things.

CONNECT WITH LEIGHAH BEAUSOLEIL

lbeausoleil@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH DALLAS GAGNON

dgagnon@student.framingham.edu

there can be a deterrent.

He said some people appreciate it, and others don t.

2 a.m.

Cormier pulled out of his spot in front of Conner to face cCarthy.

There was a school bus full of elementary-aged kids, and the driver loo ed lost.

So, Cormier cranked the emergency brake and jogged over to the right side of the bus as the sun began to ee through the overcast morning.

Cormier made his way back to Cruiser and the bus driver ulled forward on South University Avenue and loo ed around ast CASA. Cormier’s cruiser led the driver to the McAuliffe Center and received a hon as a to en of gratitude.

2 a.m.

He said, “Something as simple as that is the essence of what we do.

Connecting eo le with services.

As the cruiser slowed to a stop, Cormier said, our mind is the most powerful weapon you can use in this field - much more owerful than any wea on on your belt. ith a clic of his ey, Cruiser unloc ed. And Cormier turned to say, If you see me around cam us, yell out, ey ubs, what s u

CONNECT WITH HALEY HADGE

hhadge@student.framingham.edu

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

22 | MAY 6, 2022

ARTS & FEATURES

A stitch in time First fashion show since 2019

By Abigail Petrucci Staff Writer The Fashion Club and the Fashion Design and Retailing Department presented the first annual S ring ashion Show since 2 on A ril 2 .

After collecting materials, putting together their pieces for the show, and finding the erfect models to wear their garments, it was finally time for students to display all the results of their hard wor .

Hallie Livengood, a senior fashion design and retailing major, was one of these student designers.

Livengood presented a clothing line she called “Ageless,” inspired by children s designs and atterns. She said her hope was to “to create mature and memorable looks that make eo le smile.

I believe that fashion should be ageless, and you should be able to wear what you want even if it looks like it’s for children or made out of stuffed animals, she added. ne of the jackets was actually made out of stuffed animals. ith such a vision, ivengood said her design ethos is centered around making people happy, and designing ieces eo le will see as fun.

“Presenting my collection at the fashion show was such a rush, with all the hard wor I had been utting in for my portfolio class as well as everything I did outside of class, ivengood said. It was ust truly satisfying to see it all together on stage with my music. I was definitely nervous about it, but it all went extremely smoothly.

Livengood’s collection won the award for Most Creative for her portfolio class, which she exclaimed was insane.

I really truly honestly didn t exect it, but it really affirmed that my work is good and that a lot of people see it li e that, she said. I am beyond roud of myself for fighting through these five years of school des ite all the things I ve gone through.

Livengood said her models were “absolutely fantastic” and a big reason why her showing went so well.

Among her models were Cas Barrett, ade ay, mmerson arris, odrienne eorges, Susanna rant , and her younger sister, Shelby ivengood. hey truly were ama ing, and I wouldn’t change them for the world!” she added. hen it came to selecting models through the model casting, I did it based almost entirely on who was smiling in the pictures even while wearing the mas s. I m glad I did it that way because these people Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST are what made my collection work as A student model struts down the stage, showing off the dress of a student designer. well as it did!”

Putting together her collection was fashion program at FSU is that beThe reason Livengood chose smila fun rocess, ivengood said. ver cause it’s a small campus, it’s very ing models was because she needed them to be happy and comfortable in the five years I have been in college, easy to make connections and form

“The thing I look forward to most about the fashion show is that even though it’s a lot of work, it feels amazing to know you did all of that work, and so many people enjoy it. So many designers are proud of themselves,” - Beverly Leino,

Fashion Club Publicist her garments for them to be represented well.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST A student model poses on the runway, showcasing the work of a student designer.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

I have collected a lot of children s quilting fabric and other primary color materials. I really love to mix and match patterns and colors, so it was im ortant to me that I would be able to balance these chaotic color mixes well.

Beverly Leino, a junior fashion design and retailing major and publicist of the Fashion Club, helped a lot behind the scenes with the fashion show. Some of her wor included ma ing the flyers and invitations. She said the Fashion Club started planning early in the year.

She added there were several committees that planned the fashion show, including those who helped the models bac stage.

I felt so roud of myself and the eBoard members and all the design students, eino said. he thing I look forward to most about the fashion show is that even though it’s a lot of wor , it feels ama ing to now you did all of that work, and so many eo le en oy it. So many designers are roud of themselves.

Leino said the best aspect of the

friendships with professors and other fashion ma ors. a ing connections hel ed her build her s illset. dilia ende arrondo, a unior fashion design and retailing major and treasurer of the Fashion Club, modeled for yler illiamson, a senior fashion design and retailing maor. hen a few models dro ed out of the show, she stepped up to help illiamson model her garments.

“Although we only had three days for her to create a garment from start to finish, the garment came out ama ing arrondo said. It was so much fun and an honor working alongside a very talented designer. I was nervous at first wal ing the runway, but I en oyed it and felt confident once I started wal ing down it.

As treasurer of the fashion club, arrando hel ed co-host the show.

I was most excited to see the whole show come together and see everyone’s hard work pay off and be shown, arrando added.

CONNECT WITH ABIGAIL PERTUCCI

apertucci1@student.framingham.edu

20 | MAY 6, 2022

ARTSPHOTOS & FEATURES

MAY 6, 2022 | 23

CAMPUS COUTURE PHOTOS BY MADDISON BEHRINGER/THE GATEPOST

SPREAD BY DESIGN EDITORS MADDISON BEHRINGER AND EMMA LYONS/THE GATEPOST

The Fashion Club hosted their annual fashion show on April 30.

Senior designers are Steffi Dol, Geanny Infante, Hallie Livengood, Olivia Norris, Britania Lewis, Tyler Williamson, Caroline Cowart, Anna Garcia, Ouda Senethavy, Sam Collette, Jarna Uddin, Malik Martin, and Angel Muriel.

Junior designers are Katheryn Sharpe, Nicole Magnuson-Murray, and Nana-Yaw Afiedzie.

Sophomore designers are Lola Mwilelo and Niko Salado. @The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

24 | MAY 6, 2022

ARTS & FEATURES

Tim McDonald excited for second capstone exhibition

By Caroline Gordon Arts & Features Editor he a manian Art allery hosted the second senior capstone exhibition, which featured ro ects by enna Billian, Sayana Carrasco, and Casey heeler from A ril 2 -27.

Billian’s senior capstone consisted of four sculptures, one of which was a massive ca e, and a video. Carrasco s consisted of trash she gathered from

her bac yard. heeler s consisted of fabrics hanging with a skeleton of the human body beneath and a stop motion film of the s eleton.

Tim McDonald, professor of art, and host of the reception for the second exhibition, said this year’s show included more sculpture students, which he said was “an exciting develo ment.

He added that although all of the projects were sculptures, each senior

had “their own voice,” so he didn’t wonder who created which iece.

McDonald said it is critical to host the exhibition to highlight the seniors’ work because the capstone is their first ste to becoming rofessional artists. heir eers and niversity faculty can see their “creativity, thoughtfulness, and s ills.

He added the seniors this year were “ambitious” to the creation processes and the outcomes of their wor .

rom what I could see the students worked hard and were engaged with their rocess. I thin they also were encouraging of each other. onest, but supportive, knowing what each is capable of and pushing each other to achieve their desired goals.

CONNECT WITH CAROLINE GORDON

cgordon4@student.framingham.edu

Mazmanian Gallery begins final capstone show

By Ryan O’Connell Asst. Arts & Features Editor he a manian allery revealed the final set of senior ca stone art ro ects ay 3.

The collection consisted of work from four senior students including oil aintings, scul ture, and s etches. en ensel had five ieces in the current show, and said most were created in advanced scul ture. She added a few were created in advanced drawing.

Hensel said her collection’s pieces work together to relate to her spiritual journey and development as she transitioned into adulthood.

I ull ma or elements from uddhism, Christianity, and kind of twist and distort them just to make them my own, she said.

Hensel added she tries to pull in influence from all areas of her life when creating, explaining how pop-culture and history can affect her artistic vision. She added she en oys the freedom of guiding her work toward completion, and being able to “do whatever she wants to.

I ll ull influence from contemporary artists like Urs Fischer - musicians like Frank Ocean, Mac Miller, as well as odd historical references such as Buddhism and Medieval Christianity, she said.

Hensel said she had been working on her collection for about a year and a half, and started while attending remote classes. She added all the wor she is currently making relates to the collection, and it’s hard for her to ma e something unrelated right now.

She said most of her favorite work is currently in the capstone showing, and it includes most of her ri ed ro ects at the moment. hey re li e my babies, and I love them all so much, she said.

Eli Go had three oil paintings and a sheet of sketches included in the exhibition, all of which were created for his senior seminar.

Go described the portraits as very personal, despite them being of other eo le. e said the ortraits were a reflection of his interactions and relationshi s with the sub ects.

I actually sat down and essentially interviewed with these eo le.

Id

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

talk to them about different hardships or things that had happened to them s ecifically - almost li e an interrogation. I tried to be as gentle about it as possible, but sometimes you just have to really dig in a little bit, he said.

Go added the people he chose to paint were very close to him, and didn’t want to push them too hard to make them too emotional, but still encouraged them to open up to him for his artwor . I acted almost as a thera ist.

Go said he wanted to “take a different spin on portraiture,” explaining how historically portraits have been a status symbol for “nobles,” and how they were often exaggerated to flatter them.

I wanted to draw real eo le, as they really are. And that was the whole point of just talking to them, having a conversation - or in this case - having an interview to see who they are. hy they do what they do. hat s going on in their life, really. And not trying to make them out to be this big grand thing, but just real people,” he said.

Go said his favorite part of the process was painting - and while he enjoyed interviewing the subjects, getting the canvas cut, and sitting down to paint was “a very intimate experience.

He said the idea for the project began over two years ago, before C I - , and art of it was carried out over oom. e added two of the subjects were repainted after a recent in-person meeting, and it was much better to see them in real life than as ixels.

Go said he was happy to see the collection in the gallery, and he finally considered it as a finished roduct.

Danielle Ray created several sculptures now on display in her advanced sculpture class, and said she also incorporated a lot of ceramics, since she is currently ta ing that class too.

Ray said the collection is made up of artwork centered around nature, and s ecifically around ob ects she s found in nature. She said two of the sculptures on display were made in part by using scraps of rust from the woods, or natural objects like seed ods.

She added she included the im-

Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST Eli Go looking at his self portait on display in the Mazmanian Gallery May 3. prints of leaves on some of the tiles too, which helped her to achieve the overarching theme of using things that have been broken down in nature.

Ray said she really enjoys being outside, which influenced her in creating the collection, and was drawn to elements like the seed pods and rusted metal. She said she en oys trying to incorporate them into her work, and that most of these elements remind her of an enjoyable past which she en oys trying to recreate.

She added that recently her family moved onto a new property, and the change has given her more opportunities to loo for ob ects she finds a ealing, and ut them into her wor .

Ray said she really enjoyed arranging the artwork by different metrics, li e color or si e, in con unction with the rust to develo the best outcome.

Haley Donahue has six pieces in the gallery, all made in advanced sculpture, some of which include ceramics.

Donahue said each sculpture could be presented on its own, but chose to have them shown together as a creative choice. She said the scul tures represent her experience with sexual violence in the past, and help faciliate discussion on the sub ect.

“They’re basically just a way for me to create almost a topographical map of my own experience, my own body, my own past, as a way of working through that trauma in a healthy and

roductive way, she said.

Donahue said it was her intention to bring the topic of sexual violence “to the forefront of people’s minds” with her scul tures. She added how even though it was a dark theme, it’s something almost any woman will immediately recogni e. ne of the wor s is titled, ne in Three, Three in One,’ where the statistic is one in three women are going to be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. And it s such a huge statistic and something that’s a personal exerience for me.

I wanted to use that as an idea to work through my own issues and make something beautiful and productive that other people can resonate with.

Donahue said she also enjoys working with time in her art, and frequently draws connections between blemishes of the body like scars and geological change, like the striations of roc .

She added she was excited to continue using a similar technique to the one in the show for the future, and wanted to keep working with clay, as well as move onto physically larger ro ects. he a manian allery s third capstone show will be open to visitors until ay 8.

CONNECT WITH RYAN O’CONNELL

roconnell1@student.framingham.edu

ARTS&&FEATURES FEATURES ARTS

13 | FEBRUARY 18, 2022 MAY 6, 2022 | 25

Mazmanian Gallery

Capstone

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Jenna Billians piece on display in the Mazmanian Gallery April 26.

Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST Danielle Ray standing next to one of her sculptures at the gallery May 3.

Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST (Left) Professor Yumi Park admiring one of Danielle Ray’s sculptures May 3.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Student work on display in the Mazmanian Gallery April 26.

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Student work hanging in the Mazmanian Gallery April 26.

Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST Students at the reception of the third capstone showing May 3.

Spread by Design Editor Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST

Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER@The SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

26 | MAY 6, 2022

ARTS & FEATURES

Hilltop’s ‘medium gals’ perform an Impromptu Cabaret

By Emily Rosenberg Arts & Features Editor As a lus-si ed, nerdy history maor, unior eeghan resnahan figured she’d been typecast into older motherly roles for illto roductions.

That was until she was called back and cast as the ambitious and determined lead o in the musical ittle omen this anuary.

Finally having remembered all of her lines and lyrics to her songs after weeks of anxious preparation, Bresnahan said she felt heartbroken to learn she would not be erforming as o in ittle omen. he news came ust the Tuesday before the intended show date, when it was announced Hilltop was not able to obtain the rights to roduce a rendition of the musical. ith only two days until the originally lanned show dates, A ril 22 and 23, they uic ly arranged lans to showcase an Im rom tu Cabaret,” where cast members were able to sing two songs of their choice for the ramingham State community.

Although the cast was sad not to erform ittle omen, the structure of the cabaret took away some of the stress of performing a traditional musical, said freshman English major mma yons.

For example, she said the cast only rehearsed the set list a couple times on one night rather than having a wee s worth of tech rehearsals. In addition, some of the cast who were nervous about remembering lines and lyrics no longer had to do so.

Another part of the fun was being able to sing songs from favorite musicals and artists. yons sang art of hat from he ast ive ears, and efore It s ver from the musical ogfight. resnahan sang All ou anna Do” from the Musical “Six” which she has always loved, and one of o s main solos from ittle omen, Astonishing.

Sophomore Elementary Education major Mandy Taylor performed “The inner a es It All from amma Mia” and “Anywhere But Here” from

the retty oman musical because she said they are two songs that fit her range perfectly, and she recently became obsessed with retty oman. unior nglish ma or li abeth al er sung the A Cs bac wards and the uir y or y song from hineas and Ferb,” which is a back track consisting of the repetition of made up syllables such as “diddly” and deedly. al er, who was in love with ittle omen the novel, had no revious experience performing in musicals and had only erformed in lays.

I m not a very musical erson, al er said. I don t feel comfortable doing solos on the s ot and I m not very competent in my singing abilities. So I ust thought of some silly songs that I could do.

Director and senior Communication Arts major Ashlyn Kelly said it was “hectic” putting a show together in two days, but her goal was to find a stress-free alternative that would “show off their talents” and display how they all shine on stage.

I m really roud of them, elly said.

During the rehearsals for the original show, she said her favorite part of directing was seeing the friendships that were born from her casting.

I had some freshmen in the cast, and now I see them hanging out all the time, she added.

As Kelly is graduating during the upcoming commencement, she described her last production with Hillto as bittersweet.

I thin I m ready to go out into the real world. ut I ve made so many friends through illto . And we had basically two years cut short because of the pandemic, which meant we couldn’t really do Hilltop because theater is an in-person type of activity.

She added, “Framingham State wasn t my first choice. I a lied here as a bac u school and I m really glad that I ended u here and ended u in illto because I ve met some of my best friends there.

She encouraged current Hilltop members to “continue doing what

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST (Left) Jillian Miles and Lauren Mercer rehearsing in the Impromptu Cabaret April 28. they re assionate about. If you have a lot of passion, you’re going to create something great.

It was also senior ood and utrition major and producer of the cabaret Melissa Palabyik’s last production with illto and said it felt unreal.

She said she felt like she was going to show up to rehearsal next week and no one would be there.

Palabyik’s role as producer included administrative work assisting the director and helping call the show from backstage, get props, and write down the bloc ing.

Palabyik said her favorite memory from the show was how all the members of the cast came up with a nickname for themselves which they used for captions on social media posts, medium gals. She said it showed the

s irit and creativity of the cast.

Bresnahan said her favorite part of preparing for the show was the confidence she gained because she can belt li e cra y when she is alone in her house, but tends to feel anxious when trying to do so for an audience.

Because the cast made her so comfortable, she s begun to belt on stage.

She added they had a lot of get-togethers in between rehearsals and got dinner together the night they did not have tech rehearsal due to the show being canceled.

Mandy Taylor also chimed in on the cast s camaraderie. I have never had so much fun working on a show before and as a group, we all clicked so uic ly.

She said one of her favorite rehearsals was when they were running a dance break section of one of the numbers and all forgot the ste s.

It was so funny because we were all kind of yelling at each other, while also laughing because the number was suddenly disastrous!”

“Every rehearsal was always full of laughs, she said. I love how su ortive we all are of one another.

[Editor’s note: Ashlyn Kelly is a News Editor and Emma Lyons is a Design Editor for The Gatepost.]

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST (Left) Elisabeta Cojocaru, Jillian Miles, Lauren Mercer, Mandy Taylor, Christina Chinetti, Amanda Edme, Meeghan Bresnahan, Emma Brosnan, Emma Lyons, and Elizabeth Walker rehearsing for the Impromptu Cabaret April 28.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

CONNECT WITH EMILY ROSENBERG

erosenberg@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

MAY 6, 2022 | 27

The English Department’s muse Sarah Sagan reflects on her undergraduate career

By Abigail Pertucci Staff Writer She is a woman with a colorful personality with many uni ue outfits to match.

She is the friendly face of both the nglish and aming clubs.

She is an I ex ert as well as an English major enrolled in the department s rogram.

She s senior Sarah Sagan.

As president of the English Club, Sagan strives to create a welcoming environment not just for English majors, but for anyone who is interested in sharpening their writing skills or editing a paper for their class, or even those who just enjoy reading in their s are time.

For Sagan, it’s meaningful to be able to reach out to students from so many different ma ors. e li e to balance between life skills, writing, editing, and critical thinking skills as well as just having fun in general, Sagan said. It s an academic club, but also to show that nglish is a lot of fun.

It s a very casual s ace. ach wee , we do something very different,” she added.

To “foreground” that all majors are welcome, Sagan likes to host a variety of word games, such as Bananagrams and Scrabble. Club members also discuss what kinds of books they’ve been reading.

She said one time, the club read “Children of Blood and Bone” by Tomi Adeyemi as a boo club activity.

The English Club meets online over both Discord and Zoom to be able to cater to all members busy schedules.

As president of the Gaming Club, Sagan organi es a combination of both board and video games. e have all sorts of games,” she said, from Abyss to Sheriff of ottingham to Coc roach o er, which is a popular one, as well as lesser-known games li e ro ect .

Sagan added she is in charge of video game activities. I bring in my Switch almost every wee and I host ario art, ario arty, Smash Brothers’ - those kinds of fun games that everyone can um in and lay.

This semester, the Gaming Club hosted many events. ne of them was a trip to PAX East, a popular gaming convention, which is a collaboration with the Comic oo Club. Sagan also said the club hosted a Smash ros tournament last wee . hen the cam us closed due to the C I andemic, Sagan said there was a decline in club activity.

Many students found Gaming Club to be their outlet.

On top of all her club engagements, Sagan is a member of the Honors and the nglish rograms.

Sagan completed an honors thesis,

ow to vercome Climate rief An Ecocritical Approach to Diverse, Contem orary Indian exts.

Lisa Eck, chair of the English department, said, “The Honors Program promotes interdisciplinary learning, but if we’re really honest with ourselves, there are few truly interdisciplinary thinkers who can inhabit multiple disciplines at once - Sarah Sagan is one of those thin ers.

Eck said working with Sagan on her honors thesis was “a weekly dose of inspiration and originality” and “devotion to a cause much larger than herself.

The 4+1 Program can be taken as part of a student’s undergraduate curriculum, and allows for them to earn their master’s degree in one extra

I wholeheartedly thin that it s worth the time, effort, and money,” she said. hen Sagan was a freshman in 2 8, she traveled to India with c after taking her Contemporary Global iterature class. She said she was encouraged to go by both Eck and her mother.

Sagan said they had the opportunity to do a homestay and experience life in a small village, as well as help the community by cleaning up a local body of water. hile in India, Sagan had the chance to take pictures of the mynah bird, which is native to the country, as well as the landsca es of the beaches.

She also enjoyed the opportunity to build human connections, specif-

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST Sarah Sagan reading her work at Poetry Open Mic Night. year. Some of the graduate classes can be ta en as an undergraduate.

Sagan is currently taking her second graduate-level class with English rofessor esmond cCarthy Contemporary African American Literature.

“That’s been incredibly engaging, Sagan said. It s an im ortant class because we are a campus that romotes diversity. She found it important that the literature offerings at S reflect this commitment.

Sagan said although the graduate classes are challenging, they are worth the extra effort as she feels motivated and supported by her professors and classmates. She en oys the “tight-knit community” of the smaller-si ed classes.

ically with a 2-year-old boy named Sidharth.

Sagan described the experience as unbelievable and an adventure.

It was a really great learning experience, just to see how different the culture is, she added.

Sagan works as a help desk associate in the I e artment. She hel s faculty, professors, and students with their technological uestions. She said whether it s an easy fix or something “super complicated,” she’s always ha y to hel .

It can be a u le at times, and it s kind of fun to use my critical thinking s ills, she said. hen she a lied for the ob, she was concerned they were looking for a computer science major, but it turned

out critical thinking skills were just as im ortant as technical s ills. hese were exactly the skills Sagan learned in her nglish courses by analy ing texts. She said they could easily be applied to troubleshooting an issue with someone s com uter.

“Humanities can build critical thinking skills that can lead to the job world, she said. ou could go into something more like technical writing or technology. hat s really cool about being an nglish ma or.

It isn t unusual to see Sagan dressed in non-traditional outfits. hen she was in high school, she was inspired by a classmate to take part in what is nown as alternative fashion.

She said wearing striking clothing helped her come out of her shell, as it created a conversation starter.

Sagan gets many of her unique outfits from ot o ic, and she even made some dresses with her grandmother.

I wear these nice fun y outfits because it just feels more original,” she said. It s ind of li e an art ro ect, and if you can wear art, it feels very s ecial and very heartwarming.

I ust thin more eo le should dress weirdly and however they want so they don’t feel forced to wear a certain outfit, she added.

Sagan was inspired to come to FSU by her mother, biology professor Robin olnic i. hen I was or 5, I would actually go to my mom’s classes and listen and see what the audience is like,” she said. I ust thought college students were the coolest eo le - I thought they were so smart. I was li e, h, I can’t wait to be in college and learn all this fun stuff!’”

Now that Sagan is an FSU student, she and Kolnicki commute to campus together. She even ays her mom visits when her class schedule allows.

“Sometimes if there’s a gap in my schedule, I li e to hang out in her class for a couple of minutes - see what’s going on because she’s always teaching super-interesting things, from human biology to animal biology, Sagan said.

“She’s one of my inspirations because she always pushes me to go on these trips and go out of my comfort one, she added. olnic i said, I am very roud of Sarah s success at S . She truly enjoys being involved in campus activities, leading the English Club and being part of the Gaming Club and onors rogram.

I will miss her being on cam us once she graduates,” she added, “but I thin it is li ely she will return for future events and adventures.

CONNECT WITH ABIGAIL PETRUCCI

apetrucci1@student.framingham.edu

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

28 | MAY 6, 2022

ARTS & FEATURES

Zimmerman to retire after years of leadership

By Patrick Brady Editorial Staff As she begins the next journey in her life, Ellen Zimmerman said FSU has been a wonderful lace to wor . he outgoing Interim rovost and Vice President for Academic Affairs said, I ve always been incredibly a preciative of the cohesiveness of the cam us community.

She began working at FSU as a parttime faculty member in , and became a full-time rofessor in 3.

In the fall of 2 , she was a ointed associate vice president for academic affairs, a osition she held until anuary, 2 5.

She then served as chair of the sociology de artment for three years.

And in the s ring of 2 2 , she became the interim provost and vice president for academic affairs.

I started that on the first of arch in 2 2 , immerman said. And of course, two weeks later, we went fully remote - so that was an interesting transition.

Catherine Dignam, chair of the chemistry and food science department, said she appreciated Zimmerman’s thoughtfulness toward others and her overall collegiality.

As a young faculty member, I witnessed her speaking out when something was wrong or un ust, she said.

“But she always did so in a way that was rofessional and res ectful.

Dignam said Zimmerman provided a model of how people should stand up for what they believe is right, without alienating those who have opposing views. r. immerman has led academic affairs through the C I andemic - one of the toughest periods higher education has ex erienced, she said.

Susan Dargan, dean of the social and behavioral sciences department, said Zimmerman was the “ideal person” to lead the University through the andemic. She is a calm, atient, thoughtful, and intelligent leader.

She said Zimmerman restored order to the University during “unprecedented times. Also, she e t everyone focused on the tasks Dargan’s division needed to com lete.

“Despite all of the challenges, we have been able to move forward to retool the Mary Miles Bibb post-doc teaching fellowshi s and reorgani e some departments in order to attract students, she said.

Marc Cote, dean of the arts and humanities department, said he has appreciated Zimmerman’s calm and thoughtful approach to decision-making. She listens well and strives to build consensus through dialogue.

He said one of her biggest accomplishments as provost was “systematically promoting” his division’s academic areas to the Board of Trustees, so they could have a fuller and more appreciative overview of what is taught, how it is taught, and what rofessors value as educators. resident . avier Cevallos said

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Courtesy of Framingham State Outgoing Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Ellen Zimmerman. he truly valued Zimmerman’s knowl- sertation research, Zimmerman lived in India for a cou le of years. I was edge, ex erience, and wisdom.

“Her calm and thoughtful demean- looking at socio-cultural variables, or has been incredibly helpful when like religion, social class, education faced with challenging issues,” he level - those inds of things, she said. immerman added, India basicalsaid. She is very thoughtful and ta es the time to analy e and study issues ly became a second culture for me li e a second home - because I s ent before ma ing a decision.

He said Zimmerman has been so much time there deeply learning an “incredible leader” for academ- the culture.

Zimmerman said every time she ic affairs during the stress of the goes bac to India, she has a sense of C I andemic.

She was “instrumental” in helping coming home.

In 2 7, she received a ulbright with the transition to virtual learning, then to hybrid, and back to face-to- grant to teach linguistic anthropology face instruction, Cevallos said. She at the niversity of yderabad in Incares deeply about students and their dia. She said the university had gone five full years without teaching the success.

Zimmerman said she has always class.

She said the professor who prehad an interest in learning other culviously taught the class had left to tures.

During her junior year in high teach at another university.

I d love to go bac and teach there school, Zimmerman studied abroad in ermany. As a 6-year-old high one more time, immerman said.

Because Zimmerman had been school student from a small town. It was her first time being ex osed to teaching for a long time prior, taking on the vice presidential position preanother language and culture.

“Learning to speak another lan- sented her with an opportunity to do guage led me to understand how lan- something different.

“That was kind of an exciting opguage itself sha es reality, she said. hen she attended estern Col- portunity for me to learn more about lege , she originally wanted to major the niversity at large, she added.

Zimmerman believes overseeing in German, but the university only had one professor who taught upper-lev- the transition of all academic courseel erman. herefore, she decided to work to a remote format was one of her greatest accom lishments. She ta e a sociology course instead. uch to her ama ement, the class tried to make the adjustment as non aligned with her interests and she de- traumatic as possible for faculty who cided to take an anthropology class as had not reviously taught online.

She said the Educational Technolowell. on com leting the class, she majored in sociology and minored in gy ffice was terrific in wor ing with Academic Affairs during this transierman.

After she graduated college, Zim- tion because they provided training merman worked as a social worker for for faculty. In addition, the ivision three years in ouisville, entuc y. of Student Enrollment and Student She said her job opened her eyes to Development played a role in determining what students needed. the issues in American society. immerman said the I e artShe earned her master’s degree in linguistics and doctorate in linguis- ment provided a “cross-divisional eftics and anthropology at the Univer- fort” to ensure classrooms were outfitted with the technology rofessors sity of Chicago. hile she was conducting her dis- needed. Along with faculty, she made

sure students had access to spaces on campus where they could take remote classes.

I was really roud of the way everybody in the University - staff, faculty, students - worked together to ma e that ha en, she said.

Aside from her commitment to students and faculty during C I - , Zimmerman was proud that Academic Affairs obtained approval from the Board of Trustees to fund greater development of the Center for Civic Engagement and Service earning. he Center provides opportunities for students to connect with etro est institutes, businesses, and community centers.

Furthermore, her division instituted the Chris alsh Center for ducators and amilies in 2 2 . hat s a wonderful new center with resources for educators and families of public-school students in the etro est area.

She said it provides internships and other ossibilities for students.

Along with the Chris alsh Center, she was involved in the development of the department of environment, society, and sustainability.

Zimmerman said she and her husband have four adult children - two sons and two daughters - who live around the area. e see them a lot and that s terrific.

In her downtime, she li es to read novels and memoirs.

Upon retirement, Zimmerman would like to spend time with her brother, who lives in uatemala. hen she visited him a cou le of years ago, she said her Spanish “dramatically” improved, despite staying only two wee s at his house.

As Zimmerman prepares to retire, she offered words of advice to the upcoming rovost. She said they should spend a lot of time talking to students, faculty, and administrators in order to get a sense of the culture at ramingham State.

She as ed, hat are our values hat are our riorities for the future “Maybe spend a good six months listening to people and then proceed to be very transparent and collaborative about any changes that you want to see, immerman added.

She said while not everybody always agrees, the community can have civil conversations and compromise. hen two sides don t agree on something, we tend to be very good about reaching out to all constituents when we are making big decisions for the niversity.

Zimmerman said students, faculty, administrators, and staff are all included in the discussions.

I ho e everybody wor s together to meet the challenges of the future,” she said. I thin there isn t much we couldn t deal with as a community.

CONNECT WITH PATRICK BRADY

pbrady@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

MAY 6, 2022 | 29

Good luck with finals & have a good summer!

From The Gatepost staff.

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

ARTS & FEATURES

30 | MAY 6, 2022

SEAN’S MEDIA MAYHEM

‘Berserk’ - an unfinished masterpiece arc on its own, and it only gets more engaging once the plot sees him building a new found family after it returns to his uest for revenge.

And if that wasn’t enough, it’s bolstered by some of the most intricately detailed artwork of any comic, eriod. rom frantic fights to intimate moments, there’s a wallpaper-worthy drawing on almost every age. here are two words of warning I must give however, and they’re not insignificant.

First, sexual assault is a frequent theme the series touches on, and while it gets it right more than not, it does occasionally come across as excessive. A significant ortion of the main characters are themselves sexual abuse survivors, including uts.

And although it’s handled quite well in his case, its resence will definitely alienate quite a few potential readers.

Second, the series has no ending, and it s unli ely that it ever will.

Kentaro Miura tragically passed away at 5 on ay 6, 2 2 from acute aortic dissection. is death was mourned by industry legends like George Morikawa, and close friends such as Koji Mori, himself a popular writer, whose tribute comic to his friendship with Miura moved me to tears.

Miura was a master of his craft, drawing u on a range of influences from “Fist of the North Star,” to “Hellraiser,” to Hieronymous Bosch’s depictions of Hell, just to name a few. And des ite his erratic release schedule toward the end of his life, the quality of his work was consistent and is still more than worth reading to the end.

“Berserk” is a story of survivors of the worst kinds of abuse possible, having to reckon with the idea that their greatest desires will require them to throw away their ha iness.

That’s an unpleasant idea to wrestle with, and “Berserk” is often aggressively un leasant. ut that makes its moments of triumph shine all the brighter.

By Sean Cabot Multimedia Critic

Kentaro Miura’s “Berserk” is one of the most beloved works of fantasy to come out of the a anese comic industry. ew other wor s in any medium can even hope to be as esteemed.

Calling it “award-winning” would undersell its restige. It s a great ins iration for many well- nown a anese creatives - such as “Chainsaw Man” creator Tatsuki Fujimoto and “Attack on Titan” creator Hajime Isayama.

And that’s just in regards to comics. idea i Itsuno, famous for his work on the “Devil May Cry” games has cited it as an ins iration. It s rare for any work of art to live up to this ind of re utation. So what is the truth of the matter Is erser really that good es.

The series follows a perpetually livid swordsman named Guts, scouring the land and fighting monsters as he seeks vengeance on a man named riffith. And for about three volumes that’s all the story is - a series of intensely violent encounters that look cool, but whose nihilistic hero is difficult to li e at even the best of times. hen the first extended arc of the series ends, and it’s now evident that uts is hiding a lot of baggage. hat ensues is a -volume flashback that sets up the basic premise of the entire story. It follows uts from birth to his friendshi with riffith, his tenure with the Band of the Hawk mercenaries, and his romance with their only female member, Casca.

All leading u to a horrifically eldritch climax that takes the series’ cosmic horror undertones and escalates them to a terrifying extent.

I don t now if I ve seen a wor take quite this long to get to the actual plot, and the remarkable thing is that this “Golden Age” arc, comprising one fourth of the entire story, is both an individually satisfying storyline and intensely engaging setup at the same time des ite all of this.

Guts’ journey from child soldier to CONNECT WITH SEAN CABOT soldier of fortune to seeking his own scabot@student.framingham.edu place in the world is an exceptional

Rating: A+

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

A dark fantasy with a shining heart

‘Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga’ is a rewarding escape

By Jack McLaughlin Multimedia Critic After seeing numerous delays over the last two years, ego Star ars he S ywal er Saga was finally released on A ril 5 to fans worldwide. he tas of turning the films in the Star ars series into an interactive experience has been done before, most notably with ego Star ars he Com lete Saga in 2 7. he game, while incredibly simple, is revered by fans of the franchise as one of the best games based on the movies.

TT Games were able to successfully capture the thrill of all nine movies with terrific game lay and new concepts that let it stand out compared to its redecessors.

Introducing a vast o en world that you can freely explore is the most exciting as ect of the game. eing able to traverse through s ace and the 2 planets available gives you a lot of opportunity to get lost in this sprawling galaxy while laying as one of 38 layable characters.

Graphics are one of the more obvious improvements made with this new title. he levels loo gorgeous in certain s ots, which I es ecially noticed on planets like Bespin where the cartoony Lego characters are basking in a beautiful sunset.

The story of the nine-movie saga is followed closely. he S ywal er Saga is equipped with a cast of voice actors that give each of the characters more life, albeit for a lacking performance for some of the characters like Kylo Ren, who sounds nothing like Adam river who ortrays him in the films.

The addition of dialogue lets the game have a more lighthearted tone, which helps, given the serious nature of some of the saga s stories.

Gameplay is something that is largely improved upon in this latest release. hile still sim le li e the previous titles, small additions like lightsaber combos and aiming down sight for blaster characters gives the player a little more to do besides

mindlessly spamming the same button to fight off enemies.

Controlling starships in this game is reshaped, which is crucial given how oorly done it was in the older games.

Being able to explore the galaxy in a cool ship is a necessity, and the way it is controlled makes the vehicle missions in the game enjoyable and an asect that isn t dreadful when laying.

Players will also enjoy the added actions that certain characters now have that were lac ing before. roids now can fight and using them to unloc doors now requires the completion of a sim le, yet neat u le.

To enjoy this game to its fullest, an appreciation for all nine movies is required or else there will be moments in the story where you will be bored and want to skip to the parts you want to lay. If there are movies in the series you don t articularly en oy, finishing those sections in the game feels more like an obligation rather than something done out of assion. hen you first start the game, you have the option of selecting between the first films in the re uel, original, or se uel trilogy. his hel s ease layers into the game who are not fond of certain movies and the strong gameplay will leave you wanting to branch out and try the less favorable moments. his hurts the story of the game.

The inability to make all nine stories engaging results in varying degrees of dullness while laying. ortunately, the addicting gameplay makes it difficult for the low oints in the story to completely derail the overall experience.

If the otential low oints in the story can be put aside, the player is left with a wildly addicting game. ith thousands of collectable items and a seemingly endless number of side quests, you will be coming back for more.

CONNECT WITH JACK MCLAUGHLIN

jmclaughlin7@student.framingham.edu

Rating: B+ Even more exciting ways to experience this galaxy far, far away.

Are you a media critic?

Come join the A&F team!

All writing levels and opinions are welcome!

McCarthy Center, 520 - Mondays @ 6:30

ARTS & FEATURES

MAY 6, 2022 | 31

‘Heartstopper’ - viewer resuscitation is advised

By Haley Hadge Editorial Staff etflix has brought Alice seman s graphic novel, “Heartstopper,” to the small screen, and it is arresting. oung Charlie S ring oe oc e and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor) hold a candle for the community of LGBTQ+ youth who have been silenced by societal pressures and the expected norm of heterosexuality. iewers will ress lay and find refuge in a silo of pure acceptance from a world that tries so hard to silence the beauty of any love that doesn’t conform to heteronormative standards.

Charlie S ring, a th-year high-schooler, has faced the wrath of bullies for over a year since he was outed as gay. e has been ut through the washer, the dryer, and the wringer.

It s as he is navigating an exit strategy from his first relationshi - based on abuse and shame - that he meets th-year rugby- laying ic elson.

The unlikely duo forms an immediate bond kindled by endlessly endearing exchanges of “Hi’s” as they trek through the corridors of high school. nce these two are in their first scene together, any doubt of the series failing to be on par with the graphic novel is vanquished by the literal sparks that ricochet between the two - major props to the post-production animation team.

This graphic novel is brought to life.

This visual and emotional seamlessness results from Oseman’s presence on set to ensure the story she created was unmistakably shining through from a er to lens.

From the repeated animation of two birds flying freely, leaves billowing in and out of multiple scenes, and exact free e frames from its ages, the graphic novel lives and breathes within this screen ada tation. ith a single loo from ic , as a viewer, you are on the edge of your seat hoping his emotive capacity brings you on this ourney with him.

It is further heartwarming to see him surrounded by an ama ing grou of friends that accept him as he grapples with the beginning stages of self-discovery.

There’s a hint of rainbow luminescence when ara ones Corinna rown and arcy lsson i y dgell) are living publicly in their lesbian identity while at a arty.

This show breaks the mold of what has come to be expected of LGBTQ+ representation in mass media and portrays the realities of torment many LGBTQ+ youth face while growing up without showcasing and romantici ing malada tive co ing mechanisms.

There is also serious research conducted, i.e. an am i gay oogle search.

No one is numbing out their pain with substances. ather, they acknowledge the inequities of treatment, ask for help, and learn how to implement healthy boundaries to

Puzzles

ACROSS 1. Sleeve’s end 5. Starter dish, informally 8. Garments worn under jackets 13. Singer India.___ 14. Payment to post 16. Secondlargest religion 17. Narrow stage for a musical group?

19. Teatime treat 20. It tastes like licorice 21. Letters missing from this word: _p_ropria_e 23. Athletic org. with a Tour 24. Acorn, for one 25. Where a thunder god keeps his dirty laundry?

30. Since 32. Leading in a poll 33. Is sick 34. Museum item 36. Woody Guthrie’s son 37. Whine “Please, PLEASE can I play with the green ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ character?”

40. Cookie in some pie crusts 41. Speak on a soapbox, say 42. “I’ll have what ___ having”

protect their emotional and physical well beings.

Through it all, this group of friends harbor great resiliency against homo hobic and trans hobic eo le.

Further breaking antiquated norms are the writing and casting of the character lle Argent asmin inney . o you now what I love about asmin inney laying lle Argent, a transgender woman asmin herself is a transgender woman.

It has been standard rocedure for non-LGBTQ+ actors to continually represent and speak for LGBTQ+ characters. ot with eartsto er.

In an interview with Attitude aga ine, inney shared that her main direction from Oseman was to “be herself.

Furthermore, it is beyond refreshing that Elle’s main character trait is not her trans identity. She is an entire human being, and she is extraordinary.

Elle is kind to her friends as they stumble through the tumultuous rip tides of high school. She has a articularly infinite amount of atience with ao u illiam ao as he is often quick to judge, and challenging to reason with at times.

Elle exudes grace in her every word and action. er moral fiber is built on em athy and understanding.

No matter your walk of life, this show will gift you a beautiful breath of fresh air with its raw honesty.

For those of us who see ourselves

43. Spiky but soothing plants 45. Chuckles, slangily 49. “Check out that car’s display of stickers!”?

52. Race unit 53. “Yipes!”

54. Crash sound in a comic 55. Couldn’t not 57. Follow as a result 59. Entertainer, or a three-part hint to the shift behind 17-, 25-, 37- and 49-Across 63. Write by hand 64. Sheet on a ship 65. Rightward, on a map 66. Matches up 67. Doll or teddy 68. Insects that bury their dead DOWN 1. Poolside shelter 2. Planet that spins on its side 3. What’s done in Italy?

4. IRS agents, e.g.

5. Nickname related to Bram 6. ___ for the course 7. Insta posting 8. Scenic route stop 9. F1 neighbor 10. In a careless way 11. Hybrid orange fruit 12. Ink mishaps 15. ___ apso 18. Furry friend, maybe 22. Advanced deg.

26. Word before “empty” or “full” 27. State with a five-sided flag 28. Pool table’s place, informally 29. Name that anagrams to “calmer” 31. Least inhibited 35. It may be inflated or bruised 36. Fitting name for a sculptor?

37. Wears for a while, like new boots 38. Activity before an exam, briefly

in these characters, and coming from someone who watched this show twice in 2 hours, I offer you a warning Every heart-stopping love calls for a mourning period, and this tale is no different. So, I caution you now, be prepared to watch this show at least twice in a row because once will simly not suffice.

And when the poetry of representation - seeing yourself in mass media, is palpable in your mind, remember to be brave like Charlie, loyal like Nick, and to love yourself as they love each other.

And as you’re doing all that, make sure to ee your defibrillator at arm s length - the title is no o e, my friend.

CONNECT WITH HALEY HADGE

hhadge@student.framingham.edu

Rating: A, ithout a doubt, this show has earned an A from me.

39. Lack of problems 40. Candy bar whose name ends with “!”

42. Goes undefeated in 43. Lawyers’ org.

44. Groups (together) 46. Papa 47. Greatest partner?

Puzzle solutions are now 48. The “S” of ESPN exclusively online.

50. Helps unlawfully 51. Greek P 56. Square footage 58. Chapel Hill sch.

60. Gobble up 61. Spanish for “river” 62. Certain fishing lure

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

32 | MAY 6, 2022

PHOTOS

DeaFSU

Spread by Design Editor Maddison Behringer

Photos by Editor-in-Chief Leighah Beausoleil

People from all over gathered at DeaFSU, an event sponserd by Framingham State’s ASL Club, on April 23. Deaf vendors and agencies set up tables as students and visitors played yard games and tie-dyed shirts. Professor Shana Gibbs presented about social justice and Professor Steve Weiner performed a magic show. Special guest Justin Perez shared stories using visual vernacular.

@The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com