April 14, 2017 by The Gatepost

THE GATEPOST VOLUME 85 • ISSUE 22

FSUGATEPOST.COM

APRIL 14, 2017

Cass Doherty /THE GATEPOST Sophmore Josh Rumple catches a Frisbee on Larned Beach on Tuesday, April 11, an unseasonably hot day.

SGA to hold elections on Tuesday By Kayllan Olicio Assistant News Editor SGA elections on Tuesday, April giateLink between p.m. Students can

Ballot will not feature referrendum questions

will be held 18, on Colle6 a.m. and 6 vote for SGA

candidates and the candidates for the faculty, staff and administrator of the year award. According to SGA President Ezequiel De Leon, voting tables will be set up in the McCarthy Center lobby from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

De Leon said SGA will not have referendum questions for students to vote on. He added, “We don’t have much money left to play with this year.” According to SGA bylaws, the ballots will be counted on Colle-

giateLink. The results will be given to the SGA Advisor to be distributed to SGA’s Election Committee. After efforts have been made to contact all the candidates, the re-

See SGA ELECTION page 7

Town of Framingham votes to become city By Cesareo Contreras Associate Editor By a margin of 105 votes, Framingham residents voted in support of making the town of Framingham a city.

The vote occurred on April 4. According to The MetroWest Daily News, 5,684 people voted in support of the change, while 5,579 voted against it. A recount is scheduled, and if the results are confirmed, Framingham

will begin the process of restructuring its governmental body. As explained in the summary of the new home rule charter, an elected four-year mayor and an 11-member Council made up of individuals from Framingham’s nine

districts will replace the Town’s Board of Selectmen. Additionally, Representative Town Meetings will be replaced by City Council meetings, which must be held at least once per month.

See CITY OF FRAMINGHAM page 4

INSIDE Meet the SGA candidates p. 8

The Gatepost Editorial: Advice to next year’s SGA p.13

A queer DACA recipient contemplates an uncertain future p.19

Rams continue winning streak, defeat Keene State p. 26

New s 2

Opi ni on 13

Ar t s & Fea t ur es 14

Spor ts 24

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932

2 | NEWS

Editorial Board

THE GATEPOST

Gatepost Interview

Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Gomes Associate Editors Cesareo Contreras Brittany Cormier Julia Sarcinelli News Editors Bailey Morrison Asst. News Editors Kayllan Olicio Jillian Poland Jesse Sannicandro Arts & Features Editors Andrew Willoughby Asst. Arts & Features Editors Tessa Jillson Allison Wharton Sports Editors Matt Ferris Mike Ferris Asst. Sports Editors Jose Carrasquillo Opinions Editor Phil McMullin Photos Editors Allie Gath Amanda Martin Darian O’Donnell Asst. Photos Editors Erin Fitzmaurice Design Editor Emily Robinson Shayna Yacyshyn Copy Editor William Mills-Curran Staff Writers Cass Doherty Molly Dubrowski Amelia Foley Jen Fortin Liam Gambon Cameron Grieves Nick Murphy Linday Nixon Shanleigh Reardon Richard Tranfaglia Staff Photographer Nick Cunningham Joe Rydzefski Athena Venetsanakos Advisor Dr. Desmond McCarthy Assistant Advisor Elizabeth Banks Administrative Assistant Debra Fowler Clare 100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu fsugatepost.com @TheGatepost

APRIL 14, 2017

Seunghye Cho Fashion Professor By Jesse Sannicandro Assistant News Editor What is your educational background and work history? I actually studied two different areas. I studied fashion design until my master’s program in Korea. I finished my M.A. and undergraduate in Korea in fashion design. … When I came here, I was thinking of a Ph.D. in fashion design, but somehow, I changed my career to theatrical costume design. [I got my] M.F.A. at the University of Oklahoma. … I’ve been teaching fashion for nine years here. … I used to work as a costume designer. So, I worked in New York for my internship as … an assistant designer for Willa Kim. She was a very famous designer on Broadway. And also, I worked for the Santa Fe Opera House when I was in theater. What drew you to the field of fashion design? I took a lot of science classes in high school, so I was going to be a pharmacist or some kind of scientist. … A lot of people think that design is just drawing, but it’s not. And there is a lot of scientific aspects you must have as a designer. ... And also, I heard I’m kind of creative … I didn’t know I actually could draw. But, when I started in a graduate program, I found out I can draw. So, it is a kind of expression of what I feel and what I think. That is the beauty of design and creating. What can you tell me about some of the fashion shows that students participate in on campus? Trashion Show, as you know … [uses] recycled materials, and also, my stu-

a handful anyway. But still, it’s really manageable, and I approach them individually easier and better. … Cornelius and Nathalia … I had had them since they were freshmen. So I totally remembered them from their freshman, sophomore, junior, senior years. They grew really a lot from freshman to senior year, because really the biggest benefit of our program is we can have a really close relationship with the students easily. And also, the individual teaching is really easy in this kind of environment. It is a really big thing.

Allie Gath/THE GATEPOST

dents are involved with Make It Work. Make It Work is one day students have to get together from 9 to 5 p.m. They have to make us something - they have to make a garment in one day, and material is given by our school. … That is a competition on campus. And also … Bond fashion show. … That is in Boston. … We used professional models. And actually, Cornelius and Nathalia, who were in “Project Runway.” They actually attended the fashion show, too. And also, Fashion Show, obviously. Once a year, we have that big fashion show. How do you feel about FSU alums being involved in “Project Runway?” I’ve been here eight years, so I’ve known them for a long time. … Whenever [students] have a question, they can really approach us easily, because we have such a small group. I shouldn’t say a small group, but 15 students are

What is something that you think your students would be surprised to learn about you? I think I show almost every aspect of who I am to students already. But I’m very … strict and funny. I’m a very strict teacher here. I think that is not surprising anymore. What kind of books do you read? I usually read Korean books. … I’ve read a lot of Christian books. I’m actually Christian. What advice do you have for Framingham State students? Grow up. Be responsible about what they are doing and be more like a professional even - as a student. I always tell my students, in a classroom setting to be responsible about what they are doing. … I came from Korea. A lot of students are very punctual. Be on time. So, I want my students to be responsible about what they are doing instead of pointing at other people.

Police Logs Thursday, April 6

Friday, April 7

Suspicious Activity FSUPD 22:10 Summary: Information documented

Motor Vehicle Accident McCarthy 00:31 Summary: Refused transport/ Report taken

Motor Vehicle Investigation Maynard Road Lot 03:41 Summary: Report taken

Friday, April 7

Saturday, April 8

Animal Complaint Linsley Hall Lot 08:18 Summary: Checks OK

Voluntary Psych Eval Towers 23:24 Summary: Transport to MWMC

Medical Whittemore Library 07:48 Summary: Refused transport to MWMC

Saturday, April 8

Sunday, April 9

Suspicious Activity Whittemore Library 19:14 Summary: Advised

Medical Protective Custody Larned 04:18 Summary: Report taken

Larceny Athletic Center 12:06 Summary: Report taken

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

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

NEWS | 3

FSU faculty members reimagining the first year By Nick Murphy Staff Writer The Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, Scholarship and Service (CELTSS) kicked off its Spring Conference on Teaching First-Year Students with a workshop and collaborative teaching fair. The workshop took place on March 7 and the teaching fair occurred the following day. Both events aimed to help faculty learn new ways to approach class discussions, assignments and pedagogies specifically directed at first-year students. These events are just some of the ways faculty members at FSU are participating in the Reimagining the First Year (RFY) project. According to the RFY website, “RFY is a project aimed at ensuring success for all students, particularly those who have historically been underserved by higher education: low income, first generation and students of color.”

also interested in how they develop new strategies to take on the challenges of higher education. “I want to know what kind of teaching helps students make that transition,” she added. Ten years after its creation, FSU’s First-Year Foundations program has continued to grow and develop new ways of addressing student needs. “I volunteered for the First-Year Foundations Steering Committee and I’ve served on that committee for 10 years,” said Beilin. “My colleagues and I really worked hard to shape that program to consider the whole student someone who is learning to think, to write and to engage in debates in a way they hadn’t in high school,” she added. Ben Trapanick, director of firstyear programs, said, “First year students are entering a completely new environment when they come to college, and it’s important we help make that difficult transition as smooth as possible.”

To support the idea of teaching the students who are enrolled at FSU, CELTSS hosted a workshop to help faculty construct new ideas related to teaching first-year students. The workshop used data collected by the Before College Student Survey of Engagement to provide information about students’ expectations of their first year of college. The information obtained from this survey is then utilized to help teachers develop new assignments, lead engaging discussions and update teaching practices. Trapanick said, “We want to help build a strong foundation for first-year students. It’s a collaborative effort, but we want to instill a sense of belonging so students who choose FSU feel like they belong here.” Beilin said it is important to foster student’s development through a process of deep learning. The concept of deep learning encourages students to take control of what they learn, to think

“I’ve been really interested in the transition time when students come in from high school and begin their university careers. I am also interested in how they develop new strategies to take on the challenges of higher education.” - Elaine Beilin, director of CELTSS and English professor

FSU is one of the 44 institutions of higher education taking part in RFY. Each of the institutions will focus on four main areas to bring about a positive change for firstyear students. These areas include institutional intentionality, curriculum redesign, changes in faculty and staff roles and changes in student roles. Elaine Beilin, director of CELTSS and English professor, said “Firstyear programs have really been the main focus of what I’ve done during my time at FSU.” Beilin said much of her work with first-year students involves helping them establish a strong foundation - one that encourages them to become actively involved in their learning while instilling a sense of confidence in them. “I’ve been really interested in the transition time when students come in from high school and begin their university careers. I am

Beilin added, “For many of our first-generation students, it was about entering a world in which they had limited support or little information about.” Along with first-generation students, Beilin believes it is important to assess and understand the various student demographics that appear in any given classroom. “When I taught Expository Writing, I would often say the real name of this course is ‘Confidence 101.’ Because very often, our students know things but don’t necessarily have the confidence to display that knowledge or they feel like they aren’t capable, when they are,” she said. “I say it until I’m probably blue in the face, and people are probably tired of hearing me saying it, but we have to teach the students in front of us. It’s important for us to understand who those students are,” she said.

critically and to become self-driven learners. In her presentation, Vandana Singh, chair of physics and earth science department, explained how she attempts to achieve this level of deep learning in the classes she teaches. “I use what I like to call concept mapping to help my students with material or problems they are presented with. Concept mapping can be used to achieve a deeper learning, as it enables students to lay out and break down a problem or idea in front of them. “By forming a web of connections, students can see how various concepts interact and those formed connections encourages a deeper level of understanding,” said Vandana. A concept map incorporates general concepts in various bubbles. These standalone ideas are then connected by “linked words”

that help provide context. While Singh admits that concept mapping may not be the goto strategy for all, she requires her students to try it. “I encourage students to branch out of their comfort zone and try concept mapping and to continue to try it for at least a month. It’s really important to help to break students of the habit of a fixed mindset,” Singh said. While her feedback about the system has varied, she has received testimonies from students who said, “I wouldn’t have passed the course without them.” In her presentation, Sarah Adelman, history professor, talked about how she implements online-learning modules to supplement the courses she teaches in introductory history. These learning modules were designed to close the gap between struggling and successful students and help them develop required skills. The modules also provide students with a back catalogue so they can review material from earlier in the semester anytime they desire. These modules aim to assist those who are taking online courses by offering them a more comprehensive experience. “Being able to teach students through various multimedia outlets is a huge boon to the history department. These learning modules allow us to help students carry on information from one class to another as they advance in their college career. We want students to accumulate a wealth of information - not just compartmentalize it to do well in one class and then forget it,” Adelman said. Besides learning strategies in the classroom, English professor Alexander Hartwiger believes it is beneficial for first-year students to develop a global perspective. He discussed this further in his presentation. “I often have my students think about what it means to be a part of various groups. I want them to think about the values that community endorses and ultimately, what it means to be a global citizen. “Whether they realize it or not, every student has some sort of global perspective even if that perspective came from a local level. I want students to recognize the lens they see the world through and help them develop a more encompassing perspective,” said Hartwiger.

See REIMAGINING THE FIRST YEAR page 5

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

4 | NEWS

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

City of Framingham Continued from page 1 President F. Javier Cevallos said, in the short term, nothing should change for students or the University’s relationship with Framingham’s government officials. He said, however, once Framingham’s new governmental structure is established, the University could potentially streamline its interactions with the city when it comes to reviewing new University projects, such as renovating town buildings and obtaining new permits. “The decisions that the city will make will be much faster than the decisions currently made by the town,” he said. “When you have to go to a town meeting, there are so many interests and different people in the room. That makes the conversation very complicated.” Cevallos said he voted yes on the new charter. “I think running a town hall meeting for 70,000 people is very complicated, and it slows it down a lot,” he said. When speaking to his colleagues in the MetroWest Chamber of Commerce, he said one of the biggest complaints they have is “it takes forever to get things through in Framingham.” He added, “I think Framingham can benefit from having a streamlined process, and that’s why I was in favor of it.” Dale Hamel, executive vice president, said the changes in Framingham’s government will have no financial impact on Framingham State. The changes should, however, make interactions with Framingham government officials more “efficient” and “effective.” He added, “In the past, we would go to committees and have an opportunity to go into detail” about projects. “We’ll go into all these planning and finance meetings, and you have a long time to explain the project, and then it goes to the town meeting where people haven’t heard those discussions. Despite the fact that these committees get the details, the discussion starts again.” Chair of Framingham’s Board of Selectmen Cheryl Tully Stoll said within the next 30 days, the Board will put into place a seven-member transition team to ensure Framingham’s current bylaws are implemented into the new charter. In November, residents will vote for a mayor and city council members. They will be officially sworn in in January 2018, she said. Tully Stoll said she doesn’t think Framingham’s relationship with FSU will change “at all. “We have a very good relationship at the University,” she said. “Javier and Dale have been wonderful working with the community, and I don’t see that changing at

Allie Gath/THE GATEPOST Residents of Framingham approved a charter to turn Framingham from a town to a city.

all. The University is a valued partner of the town of Framingham.” The average Framingham resident “shouldn’t see any changes” in the short term. However, she said it is hard to tell what the longterm effects will be, since Framingham has yet to vote in a mayor and city council. Tully Stoll said she thinks residents voted in support of the government restructuring because “the town meeting has become very cumbersome. “The world is moving much faster now,” she said. “We are living with the internet ... and to have to wait to call a town meeting, to have all that notice, and then the process itself is taking a great deal of time and we are not getting the number of town members we need to fill the seats.” According to Framingham.com, there are 216 elected Town Meeting Member positions. The town votes in 12 members from each of Framingham’s 18 precincts. She added, “Change is always difficult. Human beings are naturally averse to change. For the voters of Framingham to come out and make a change, and such a substantial change, they clearly are looking for something.” Framingham resident and history professor Joseph Adelman voted in support of the new home rule charter since a city form of government seems to make more sense for Framingham’s large population and size, he said. Adelman said he hopes this change will allow for “a more consistent meeting structure” and a “city council that meets on a monthly basis or on a more regular basis.”

Taking into account early American history, Adelman noted that most town hall meetings in Boston and surrounding Massachusetts towns during the 1700s “were premised on the idea of a relevantly homogeneous population. “They were all English. They all worshipped the same way. And they almost all were engaged in farming,” he said. “So, the town meeting in the 17th and 18th century was an opportunity for - especially in rural places like Framingham - the heads of household, the men of the town, to come together and make collaborative decisions about the town.” Adelman said while the town hall meeting form of government still works in a lot of places in New England, Framingham is no longer “a homogeneous population of landowning farmers anymore. “We’re a pretty heterogeneous population with a wide variety of interests and backgrounds and problems ... that need to be addressed,” he said. He added the 11-member council composed of individuals from Framingham’s nine districts will be more representative of Framingham than its current government. Framingham resident and food and nutrition professor Susan Massad said she voted against the passing of the charter because she believes “it gives too much power to the people with business interest in this town.” Massad, who is a former elected Framingham town meeting member, said although she believes town hall meetings are often inefficient - a result of Framingham’s size - she finds the town hall form of government to be much “more democratic.

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

“You have town meeting members from different precincts representing the town, so it’s much more participatory,” she said. “You have different neighbors being represented by elected town meeting members.” Massad said although she wasn’t “100 percent against Framingham becoming a city,” she was reluctant to vote in support of the charter as she didn’t trust the Charter Commission that wrote it because it was made up “of people who have personal business interests.” She added, “I feel like that would then mean the decision making and the power would only be in the hands of a few people who don’t really have the best interest of the population here.” Junior Raysam Donkoh-Halm said, “As I can tell, there were benefits for both being a city and a town, but I really haven’t informed myself since the decision has been made. ... Although I’m going to be a senior, I’m curious how this will affect life on campus next semester.” Junior Tyler Cashin said, “I think it’s good for the school. [It] might get some more business around it.” Samantha Chandler, a junior, said, “I think that it may attract more students to come here, mostly because I think going to a university in the city is more appealing.” Senior Kevin Krause said more people will probably be attracted to live in Framingham because it will seem like “a more metropolitan Boston area.” CONNECT WITH CESAREO CONTRERAS ccontreras@student.framingham.edu

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

NEWS | 5

Reimagining the first year Continued from page 3

As an introductory exercise, Hartwiger has his students draw a map of the world. The point isn’t to finish it, but rather to see what is included and what gets left out. “Most of my students end up drawing an Atlantic-centered flat map, and I want them to question why they are doing that and why some areas show up much more consistently than others,” he said. Nicole Rossi, psychology professor, wants her students to feel like they belong in the classroom and she wants them to feel confident speaking in front of and with their peers. Her presentation focused on how she achieves these goals in her first-year classes. “Every semester, I assign a project that involves groups of two to three students selecting a myth from the book ‘50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology,’” she said. Rossi then has the students set up a survey to assess what others believe about the myth. After the data has been compiled, the students complete a final write up in paper form, which is then presented through PowerPoint. “I’ve had many students react

positively to the project and it helps them become far more comfortable working with and presenting in front of their peers. The myths are also very accessible. “The project aims to get students into the habit of actively constructing something on their own while working with others, I want students to work hard and I want them to have fun with it,” she said. While every teacher’s style varies, Beilin said everyone’s goal is to help students achieve a successful first year. “We aim to implement pedagogies that support active learning in the classroom and student engagement. Everyone has had the experience of cramming for an exam, but if you attempt to pull that information weeks later, it’s nearly impossible to do so. Instead, we want students to learn to draw from a wealth of information that they actively participated in learning,” said Beilin. Freshman Mary Elizabeth said, “Many of the classes I’ve taken so far have made me want to get involved and care about the subject at hand, more so than in high school.” Freshman Samantha Leo said, “Even though I didn’t study as much as I could have for one of

my Cultural Anthropology tests, I ended up doing really well on it. It made me realize that because of my effort and participation in class lectures and discussions, I had all the tools I needed to succeed on the test.” Janella Tibbets, a sophomore, said, ‘When I first transferred here, I was surprised by how engaged the teachers are in your learning. They really want to see you succeed, and they offer plenty of help along the way.” Freshman Isaac Vu said, “I’ve never been intimidated to ask for help here. Both the teachers and faculty members are always ready to help and answer any questions I have.” Beilin said, “If a student does poorly on a quiz, we want them to learn how to do better, not simply say, ‘I don’t belong here.’ Instead, we want the student to recognize they are capable. We want them to persist. “We want them to know that, ‘Yes, I am challenging you, but I am also here to support you and if you work hard, you can do this,’” she added. For Beilin, the concept of teaching first-year students is a process that continually evolves and

changes. “I signed up to teach Reading Literature again in the fall. I love all the classes I teach. There is no question about it, but there is something really quite different about teaching a first semester of first-year students. You have to use a very different approach to the context of your course and even that changes with every individual class,” she said. “I would argue that how you teach the content is even more important than the content itself, especially when it comes to first-year students. In these classes, you want to get students to engage. You want them to develop skills not only for University success but for success in life. It’s about meeting students where they are and then pushing them to go further,” Beilin said. She added, “You never stop learning about how to teach better, and when faculty, staff and administrators work together, we work best for the advantage of the student.”

CONNECT WITH NICK MURPHY nmurphy5@student.framingham.edu

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

6 | NEWS

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

Car crashes onto McCarthy Center sidewalk By Julia Sarcinelli Associate Editor On Friday, April 7, at approximately 12:31 a.m., a car traveling down State Street turned and went over the curb at the McCarthy Center and hit the brick wall, according to an FSUPD report. Officer Jordan Kemp responded to the scene when Security Officer Carl Bergstrom radioed to dispatch about a possible motor vehicle accident, according to the report. The driver, who was a non-student, according to the report, came out of the McCarthy Center when Officer Kemp responded to the scene. The female had “visible red marks on her chest,” but did not say she had any physical problems and refused medical transport. According to the report, the female said she was alone and was traveling home. She said she was going down State Street from Maple Street and turned left into the walkway of the McCarthy Center, colliding with the wall. After reviewing security footage,

the report stated it appeared she was traveling down State Street toward Maple Street when she turned right onto the walkway. Freshman Michele Dejesus and non-student Jeffrey Coss said they were driving by shortly after the accident. “We saw that the car was crashed there, and we thought it was really weird. I jumped out of the car,” said Coss, who checked to see if the driver was OK. He added she seemed “a little bit disoriented.” Shortly after the crash, Framingham firefighters and an ambulance arrived on the scene. The FSUPD officers and the Framingham firefighters looked around the car. It did not seem to have any serious damage but both front seat airbags were deployed and after the crash the horn was going off continuously. Groups of students who heard the car horn came to the scene. Junior Cody Lucido said he saw the crash from his room in Horace Mann.

Alexandra Gomes/THE GATEPOST A car crashed onto the McCarthy patio shortly after midnight on April 7.

“I heard a car’s horn go off for a car away around 1:30 a.m. The firebit, but I thought it was just people fighters helped the towing compabeing loud on a Thursday night,” he ny’s employee push the car to the said. “But it didn’t stop, so I looked truck bed. out the window and saw a car up on the sidewalk next to the McCarthy CONNECT WITH JULIA SARCINELLI sign.” A tow truck from Henry’s arrived jsarcinelli@student.framingham.edu around 12:50 a.m. and towed the

Four Gatepost members win Society of Professional Journalism Awards Shanleigh Reardon Staff Writer The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) awarded four students from Framingham State’s independent student newspaper, The Gatepost, six Mark of Excellence Awards at the region 1 conference, on April 8 at John Jay College in New York City. The SPJ conference “recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 1,” which includes colleges and universities in New England, New York, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania, according to an SPJ press release. FSU was categorized as a small school, having fewer than 9,999 students. Other schools in attendance included Syracuse University, Harvard University and Ithaca College, said the press release. Junior Nick Murphy, a staff writer for The Gatepost, won a Mark of Excellence Finalist Award in the Column Writing category for his bi-weekly column, “The Pawgress Report.” “We come from a small, lesser-known school than some of the others there, so we felt pride in our school. The people I went with are all incredibly talented people,” he said. “It was stiff competition there,” Murphy added. Murphy and the other recipients

attended the conference along with English professor Elizabeth Banks, assistant advisor to The Gatepost, he said. Senior Alexandra Gomes, The Gatepost Editor-in-Chief won a Mark of Excellence Finalist Award in the Feature Writing category for her December 2016 story, “First-generation students find their way.” She said, “We don’t have a big journalism program here. ... It’s a minor and a concentration with two people running it, and they do COURTESY THE GATEPOST a fantastic job, but it’s still small. From left to right: Nick Murphy, Alexandra Gomes, Amanda Martin and ...The fact that our paper can mea- Phil McMullin all won awards from the Society of Professional sure up with schools like that is Journalists. just humbling.” The winner in Gomes’ category photography and feature photog- mission until less than a month bewas an article written by a student raphy, receiving a total of three fore the awards ceremony. “It was really nice to hear that from Yale University, according Mark of Excellence Awards. “I was really surprised. I didn’t someone submitted it on my behalf, to the SPJ press release. “I’m very honored to be considered amongst expect to get one award, let alone because, first and foremost, this three,” said Martin, “A lot of peo- was a passion project for myself to Ivy League colleges.” she said. Junior Phil McMullin, Opin- ple think it doesn’t affect me … reach out to people,” said Murphy. ions editor for The Gatepost, was because I’m a biochemistry major He added the success of “The Pawthe winner of the General Column … but honestly, it’s been really en- gress Report” was unexpected but Writing category for three of his couraging and it’s made me want to he’s glad it’s been well-received. pursue photo journalism,” she said. Category winners McMullin columns from 2016. Submissions were selected from and Martin will be considered for “I’ve learned so much more than I thought possible from The Gate- the 2016 issues of The Gatepost. national awards, competing with post,” said McMullin, “I’m very The paper’s management team winners from the 12 regional SPJ proud to work for a paper that and advisor Desmond McCarthy conferences, said the press release. can compete with some of the top submitted articles and photos on behalf of students based on the poschools in the country.” Sophomore Amanda Martin, a tential for success they had in the CONNECT WITH SHANLEIGH REARDON sreardon@student.framingham.edu photos editor for The Gatepost, competition, said Gomes. Murphy was unaware of his subwon two categories - breaking news

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

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

NEWS | 7

SGA Elections

Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST SGA elections will be held April 18 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Continued from page 1 sults will be posted on the SGA bulletin board and submitted to The Gatepost, according to SGA bylaws. According to De Leon, contested positions include President, Student Trustee, SGA Class and Club Treasurer, Class of 2018 Treasure and Class for 2018 Secretary. “This year there are more contested positions then there usually are. So, I think it’s a testament to the engagement level on campus and I think it reflects very well on our school and the quality of students we have here,” said De Leon. According to Madison Alper, SGA election committee co-chair, the candidates had to be self-nominated and get 15 student signatures. Candidates running for senate and class officer positions had to get signatures from students in their graduating class. SGA bylaws state write-in candidate must receive at least five write-in votes in order to be eligible to be elected to the respective position. “If someone gets seven votes and you get five, they still win. But you still need five write-ins to be considered for the position,” said De Leon. Alper said write-in candidates can run for all positions, which include e-Board, senate and class officer. According to De Leon, two students have expressed interest in being write-in candidates. All candidates running must follow SGA campaign regulations stated in its bylaws. “We have very strict campaigning regulations and rules. It’s good because it makes it a very fair playing ground for everyone,” said De Leon.

He added, “People aren’t allowed to campaign until after candidates’ night, when they understand the rules.” According to SGA’s bylaws, no social media and or internet technology campaigning is allowed prior to candidates’ night. The bylaw states no poster, sign or banner may be smaller than 8 1⁄2 square inches or larger than 900 square inches. No two posters, signs, or banners from one candidate may be within 20 feet of each other. Campaign material may be posted only in designated areas and must follow the SILD posting policy, as listed in the Student Club Publicity guidelines. Claire Ostrander, director of student involvement and leadership development, said SILD reviews candidates campaign material for “spelling and to make sure dates, time, location and contacts are on the flyers. This is the same procedure we follow for any club or organization office or external group that wants to post.” She added the candidates “needto follow all the posting policies of the University. McCarthy Center has specific posting policies. Residence Life has theirs. They would have to follow all of those existing structures beyond what SGA has put forth.” According to De Leon, candidates cannot campaign within 20 feet of the voting site on election day. “We tell people if they are wearing a button with their name, they have to take that off. No signs. No nothing. It’s just trying to put these rules in place to make a level playing field,” he said. De Leon added, “We also don’t encourage negative campaigning.

Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST Ezequiel De Leon and Madison Alper, co-chairs of the election committee outlined campained election restrictions on candidates’ night.

No attacks or anything like that.” terms of flyers, social media and Ostrander said in term of social word of mouth. He hopes that this media campaigning, the candidates will be reflected in voter turnout. “would follow the SGA bylaws.” Apler said, “We really want peoShe added, “Social media is al- ple to vote. It’s really important. ways going to be tricky. I don’t re- Those are the only positions stumember any firm and fast rules on dents can get voted into. We want social media, with the exception a good turn out so people can have that you can’t start campaign- their voices heard.” ing until after candidates’ night. De Leon said, “It’s about civic en… That’s a much harder area and gagement. Believing that your vote space to monitor and control. So, and your opinion matters and has for the most part, if people have an influence in the bigger scheme, concerns and see things they be- the bigger picture.” lieve don’t follow the protocol, they would bring them forward.” De Leon said he has seen more CONNECT WITH KAYLLAN OLICIO campaigning and publicity being kolicio@student.framingham.edu done this year than in the past in

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

8| NEWS

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

Meet the Candidates SGA President

The Gatepost asked... 1. What do you believe are the big issues at FSU? 2. How do you plan to address them in this role? 3. How will you spread your message to the student body? 4. What does FSU mean to you?

Name: Kyle Rosa Major: Business Management with a Minor in Informational Technology & Economics Class: 2018

Name: Fallon Soye Major: Psychology with Minors in Neuroscience and Biology Class: 2018

1. I believe that the biggest issue on campus is a lack of accessibility to resources. Common complaints relating to this are Wi-Fi, parking, diverse programing and support for underrepresented clubs. These are all issues that affect every FSU student and if resolved can enhance student life on campus.

1. I believe the biggest issues at FSU are that there is inequality amongst peers as well as a biased opinion on clubs and organizations on campus.

2. If elected to this position, I plan on tackling these issues with more student involvement on campus committees, making resources available and open communication with offices on campus. The best way to support these initiatives is by providing a platform in which students can share and voice their opinions. 3. My biggest goal is to address student concerns. To do this, I think it is important to listen to my peers in face-to-face conversations. I want to have an open and approachable communication line. A good way of improving this is to incorporate online modes. 4. Above all, FSU means a place to grow and learn. This beautiful campus provides a friendly and safe environment for students to discover who they are with the help of others. Our University has a special charm to it that no other school can duplicate.

2. I want everyone to feel welcomed by SGA, not nervous or afraid, especially when speaking their minds. SGA is a fun organization, and a learning environment, that wants to make FSU as amazing as it should be and by changing our old habits, I believe everyone will feel like they matter. Every organization, club, senator, or student on campus should feel like they have a say in what goes on around campus and that they have an equal opportunity to do so. 3. I believe treating everyone with the respect they deserve and treating them the way I want to be treated goes a long way and will get the message of what I stand for, across the campus. 4. Framingham State, to me, is a safe haven and a place that offers many opportunities for those who seek them. A place I can be myself but also feel like if I work hard enough, I will be able to reach my goals.

President’s Duties • Preside over Senate until the Senate Chair appointment is made. • Call and preside over all Student Government Association Executive Board meetings. • Vote in the Executive Board only in the case of a tie. • Represent, or appoint, a designee to represent the Student Government Association at all public occasions, as they so determine. • Have the power to appoint the chair to all SGA standing committees, to formulate Ad-Hoc Committees, and appoint the chair to such committees. • Appoint members to all University Governance Committees, and other University committees as they arise. • Review office proceedings and serve as office manager. • Assist in the indoctrination of the newly elected President.

• Review the necessity of the elected and appointed positions of the Student Government Association and make recommendations as necessary to the Senate. • Serve as the non-partisan mediator and judge of disputes involving clubs, organizations, members, and all other disputes falling within the jurisdiction of SGA. • Be responsible for presenting the views of the Framingham State University student body to the administration and faculty of Framingham State University. • Be responsible for presenting the views of the Framingham State University student body to the other state universities as deemed necessary. • Determine the attendance policy for the Senate. Information obtained from the SGA Constitution.

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

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

SGA Vice President

Name: Jack Capello Major: Geography with a concentration in Urban and Regional Planning Class: 2018 1. Going on that could be enhanced at FSU are some of the department interactions. Some students have discussed with me that their experiences with some offices have not been as agreeable as they have expected. Also, the relationship SGA has with clubs and organizations could also be improved in order to have more clubs involved in planning diverse events across campus. Students want more diverse programs, and with growing relationships with the clubs, we can get more varied events going on. 2. I plan to give clubs the resources, and time they need to understand the funding process. Giving them a step by step walk through on how to make changes on campus is something I look forward to doing if elected to the position. Getting more students from

NEWS | 9 varying backgrounds and interests will undoubtfully boost student life at FSU. 3. One on one interactions are key. Being available for organizations and clubs when they need me will help get word out that if anyone needs help, I am there. Going around at events like Accepted Students Day, Ram Fest and Presidents council will grow my relationships with the clubs, and hopefully create a comfortable environment for them to ask questions in. Being a resource for anyone on campus who needs help is a goal of mine I hope to achieve. 4. FSU means home. It means a place I can grow in, and achieve goals I never thought myself capable of with the resources FSU makes available.

Vice President’s Duties • Assume the duties of the President in his or her absence or in the event of his or her inability to perform his or her duties as President. • Assist the President as necessary. • Serve as co-chair to any committee of the Senate at his or her discretion. • Coordinate orientation workshops for new Senators with President. • Serve as a liaison between the Student Government Association and all clubs and organizations.

Student Activity Trust Funds Treasurer

Name: Sarah Horwitz Major: Mathematics with a Minor in Economics Class: 2018 Campus Involvement: SATF Treasurer of SGA, Peer Mentor, Math Tutor, Vice President of Math Club Personal Statement: My name is Sarah Horwitz, and I am running for the position of SGA’s SATF Treasurer. I am currently the SATF Treasurer of SGA, and I would like to continue on with the position into the next year. Through this position, I have developed a growing relationship with clubs and a passion for budgeting and funding. I truly would love the opportunity to continue on with this position for my senior year here at FSU. As I have learned the ins and outs of the position this year, I am ready to enhance the position of SATF Treasurer and better the funding process for the future. I would appreciate your vote as this year’s SGA Elections. Thank you, and go Rams!

• Chair President’s Council and Constitution Committee. • Maintain consistent and active communication with all clubs and organizations, such as through progress reports, email correspondence, and/or surveying clubs. • Assist in the indoctrination of the newly elected Vice President. • Chair Senate meetings in the absence of the Senate Chair. • Be responsible for overseeing and/or delegating the responsibility of maintaining the SGA CollegiateLink page. Information obtained from the SGA Constitution.

Social Events Coordinator

Name: Hailey Small Major: Elementary Education & Sociology Class: 2019 Campus Involvement: SILD Service Intern, STEM Education Intern at the McAuliffe Center, SGA Class of 2019 senator, Special Olympics student coordinator, Alternative Spring Break member Personal Statement: I’m hoping through the role of the social events coordinator to open up more activities to the greater campus, as well as strengthening the role of service learning and character education in SGA and other outlets for student leadership.

Secretary

Name: Bridget Green Major: Management Class: 2018 Campus Involvement: Not provided. Personal Statement: I am currently serving as the SGA secretary I love the position I currently hold and all that it allows me to do for SGA. I am able to take over various tasks to help out the campus like the Hospitality Tables we have before finals and the stress relief bags we hand out at the library! I hope to get your vote, so that I can continue to serve SGA and the campus!!

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

10| NEWS

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

The Gatepost asked... 1. What do you believe are the big issues at FSU? 2. How do you plan to address them in this role?

Student Trustee

Name: Karl Bryan Major: Political Science Class: 2018

Student Trustee

3. How will you spread your message to the student body? 4. What does FSU mean to you?

1. I believe that there is a good amount of waste spending when it comes to the SATF fund. Money is being spent on things that are not appropriate for the fund. I wish to spend this fund responsibly and to lower the student contribution to it putting money back into the pockets of students. The school also has money invested in the fossil fuel industry which is something that needs to stop if we really claim to be a green campus. Pressuring the administration by using forums and by raising the issue at the board meetings can achieve this. Cultural learning on this campus is really important to me as well and as Student

Trustee I have worked to support culturally oriented clubs as well as introduced different student lead social causes to the administration. Next year I plan on taking a more aggressive role in this field to push the Student Government Association to actively endorse more social causes and to run events with certain clubs to raise awareness and learning. 2. I plan on actively reaching out to the students where they are. This means going to club meetings, events, and sporting events to bring my platform and agenda to the students. In this way I will also be able to absorb concerns from the students

3. Framingham State to me is the place where everything starts for so many people. It is the place where people can truly find themselves, learn about the world and people around them, and make a difference in their lives and communities. If I have the capacity to help facilitate that process of self discovery and growth then that’s what I am going to do and that’s what I am doing and want to continue to do as Student Trustee.

1. There are several pertinent issues that FSU faces. The retention rate and incoming class sizes are areas of concern for the University. Last year, FSU saw the smallest incoming class they have seen in years. Other issues include improving the school’s WiFi infrastructure and Dining services. Most places are closed on weekends which has a great impact on student life during the weekend days.

2. I plan to address these issues by helping our administrators confront these issues that many students feel strongly about. I also want to see the culture strengthen on our campus and by establishing a clear identity that is marketable to prospective students and current students. I will be determined to make the student’s voices, opinions and concerns are communicated to the Board of Trustees and I will see that these are executed by our administration.

3. I will spread my message by the most effective means: speaking with the students. I want to be as accessible as I can in this position and clarity and availability are essential.

1. I believe some of the biggest issues at FSU involve decisions made by the University that do not have the student body at heart.

3. I plan to spread my message to the student body by posting information about meetings and decisions that are made by working with The Gatepost to publish important meeting material that is important to the student body and reaching out to students that have concerns and updating them on how I plan to address their concerns to the administration and Board of Trustees.

4. FSU means everything to me. It is home away from home. It’s not the buildings or the activities on campus, it’s the people that make Framingham the way it is. I want to be there to represent you the people as Student Trustee because you all have done so much to make me who I am today and it would be an honor to represent you!

Name: Ben Carrington Major: Business Management Class: 2019

Student Trustee

on issues that matter to them that I personally may not have realized needed attention.

2. I plan to have a strong stance in meetings with the administration and the Board of Trustees that the students needs have to be a priority. I plan to have a form on collegiate link to allow students to submit their concerns that I can bring to the board of trustees meetings and to the administration.

4. FSU really is a FRAMily. I have always loved the advantages of going to a small school. When I walk around campus, I don’t feel lost or alone. From our small class sizes to all the familiar faces, Framingham State is a close-knit community and I only want to enrich the great school we have!

Name: Mike O’Brien Major: Business Management Class: 2018

Student Trustee’s Duties • Report to the Student Government Association Senate and Executive Board weekly and as the calendar permits. • Report to the Senate within two (2) weeks following each Board of Trustees meeting if the calendar permits. • Serve on the Framingham State University Board of Trustees, attend the Board of Trustees meetings, and report to the Student Government Association. • Meet as necessary with the President of the University and Chief of Staff (or equivalent position) and report to the Student Government Association. • Meet monthly with the Dean of Students and report to SGA.

• Meet monthly with the President of the Student Government Association • Be responsible for presenting the views of the Framingham State University student body to the Board of Trustees. • Be responsible for presenting the views of the Framingham State University student body to other state colleges, universities, legislators, and other elected officials as deemed necessary. Information obtained from the SGA Constitution.

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

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

Class & Club Treasurer

Senators-at-Large • Matthew Helwig • Bridget Green • Kristen Hoey • Ben Carrington • Dayna Marchant • Kyle Rosa • Steven DeMeo

Name: Marty Conley Major: Secondary Education with an English minor Class: 2017 Campus Involvement: Resident Assistant in West Hall, Men’s Rugby Team, SGA, Honors Program Personal Statement: I’m running for Class and Club to bring new ideas to our fundraising and programming, as well as act as a leading voice for all students on campus! Thank you!

Class of 2018 President

Class of 2018 Vice President

Name: Jackie Carlson Major: English with Secondary Education Class: 2018 Campus Involvement: Resident Assistant in Corinne Hall Towers, Class Vice President, English Club

NEWS | 11

• Jamal Kirk • Michael O’Brien • Ayanna Ferguson

• Michael Fleurine • Karl Bryan • Molly Fennessey • Sarah Horwitz • Jack Capello • Driana LeBron • Nichole Hemenway • Mikayal Quinlan • Adam Scanlon

SGA Candidates Molly Fennessey and Stephanie Dunn did not submit any content to The Gatepost as of press time.

Name: Brian Leonard Major: Elementary Education Class: 2018 Campus Involvement: Class of 2018 President (2014 – Present), Resident Assistant (2016 – Present)

Class of 2018 Secretary

Name: Dayna Marchant Major: Economics Class: 2018 Campus Involvement: Softball Team (Captain), Peer Mentor, MERC Intern

Personal Statement: I have been President of the Class of 2018 for the past three years and have worked alongside the other class officers to fundraise a significant amount of money to spend on our upcoming senior week. It would mean the world to me to serve as class president and provide the Class of 2018 with the best possible senior year.

Personal Statement: As a candidate with lots of love for this campus I plan to contribute many ideas regarding planning and fundraising both with tons of spirit! Let’s make our senior year great, Rams!

Personal Statement: Over the past three years at FSU I have made valuable connections with many incredible people through my position as an RA and in academic classes. Having connections with students and faculty has enabled me to hear a variety of voices as well as learn from their unique points of view. Serving as Vice President for the Class of 2018 for the past three years, I hope to continue to engage with my fellow rams to make FSU the best it can be. My fellow officers and I have worked to fundraise a significant amount of money so we can top off our senior year with the same enthusiasm we started. If lucky enough to be reelected, I can’t wait to continue our officer work to finally make everything we’ve been working toward come to life! Go Rams!

Personal Statement: As a student leader on campus, I believe my skills and knowledge of resources would be beneficial for treasurer of Class of 2018. My business and economics background gives me a strong advantage with money and budgeting. I have extensive skills with event planning that I can implement when planning senior events. What makes this campus so exciting is how it is overflowing with ram pride and I want to incorporate this into senior year. Senior year is about taking a step out of your comfort zone and getting closer to your goals. I believe that with the help of the other class officers I can enhance the experience for the graduating class.

Class of 2018 Treasurer

Name: Kyle Rosa Major: Business Management with a minor in Informational Technology & Economics Class: 2018 Campus Involvement: Student Government Association, Academic Policies Committee, MetroWest Economics Research Center Intern, Math Club, University Leadership Academy

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

12| NEWS

THE GATEPOST

Class of 2019 President

APRIL 14, 2017

Class of 2019 Treasurer

Name: Matthew Pellegrino Major: Business Information Technology Class: 2019 Campus Involvement: I’m currently an Resident Assistant in Larned Hall. I like to stay engaged with my community. Personal Statement: I believe some of the biggest issues at FSU have to do with students voices not being heard. This is because students don’t know where to go to voice themselves. I plan to inform more people that I am here on behalf of the Class of 2019 to advocate for them or point them in the right direction.

Name: Adam Scanlon Major: Political Science Class: 2019 Campus Involvement: Member of SGA, Game Room Staff, Hilltop Players, and served on the task force on Student Success and Academic Distinction to help create the school’s strategic plan. Personal Statement: I enjoy working with the other class officers and our advisor in hopes to provide our class with the best senior week possible.

Class of 2020 President

Name: Theyana Ruiz Pena Major: Psychology Year: 2020 Campus Involvement: President and founding member of LUNA (Latinos Unidos N’ Accion) Personal Statement: I want to diversify the campus community and the presence of minorities of campus. I want to hear your voices and your problems so that we can address them. As a commuter, I feel like my voice is sometimes not being heard and I refuse to let that continue or happen to others. I believe there are big issues that need to be dealt with on campus, like the bettering of the Wi-Fi system and food options. Another big issue on campus revolves around accommodating commuters, which are a big portion of our campus community. Framingham State is home to everyone. Whether you live on campus or not, students spend majority of their day here and should be accommodated.

Join...

THE GATEPOST! We put out on Fridays. Meetings at 6:30 p.m. | Mondays & Thursdays McCarthy Center Room 410 gatepost@framingham.edu

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

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

OP/ED

THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Advice to next year’s SGA The position of SGA president is, inarguably, one of the most essential roles on campus. An SGA president has to communicate effectively with clubs, students, departments and administrators. They should be accessible, reliable, respectful and transparent. Not only does the president relay the student body’s opinions and needs to administrators and faculty, but he or she also presides over the whole of SGA - they appoint senate chairs, run SGA e-Board meetings and serve as a mediator among clubs and organizations. We at The Gatepost would like to offer some advice to the next SGA president and e-Board. SGA is a time-consuming commitment and a large responsibility for any student to take on. We applaud those who run and volunteer their time to represent the student body. However, The Gatepost covers every weekly SGA meeting, and our reporters have recently noticed a lack of enthusiasm and professionalism among some SGA members. Senators’ attendance has been low, and when they are present, they sometimes ask clubs ill-informed questions. SGA meetings in general can be disorganized and confusing. It seems some senators and SGA members are not well-versed in SGA procedures. This kind of behavior is understandable in the fall, when members are new and getting the hang of SGA meetings. However, it is nearing the end of the spring semester and SGA meetings still don’t run smoothly. Senators and SGA members might benefit from more opportunities to practice SGA procedures and learn how to contribute effectively during student government meetings. The Senate should also be more accountable for their actions. A strict attendance policy should be enforced, and SGA should focus on recruiting students who are passionate about politics, social justice and student rights. Without students who are engaged and impassioned, who yearn for change and progress, SGA will ultimately become just a source of funding for clubs. And while that funding is important, SGA is supposed to be so much more than that. This year, current SGA President Ezequiel De Leon instituted an open forum, held at the beginning of every SGA meeting, during which any student can come and raise an issue. This is a great first step. The next SGA president should follow De Leon’s lead, and encourage opportunities for students to voice their opinions and prompt change. We realize SGA is made up of students - so is The Gatepost. They are still learning, and they will make mistakes. However, they are still a form of government here on campus, just as we are a professional newspaper. If the next SGA president and e-Board wish to prompt change and progress on campus, they have to really commit. Additionally, the rest of the student body has to commit with them. We encourage all FSU students to be active in the governance of our campus, and to vote in this year’s election on Tuesday.

OP/ED|13

Letter from SUAB The large spring performance has become somewhat of a staple for SUAB. It takes months of searching, planning and negotiating to plan a large performance. Often times, performers that we hope to book are unavailable due to a number of reasons. Last year, SUAB conducted an extensive survey to find out the preferred genre on campus. Hip-hop won by a landslide, followed by comedy. Unfortunately, there was no one in our price range that was available and popular enough to appeal to the campus within that genre. Thus, we brought in three well-known comedians from MTV’s Girl and Guy Code. Despite our efforts, it was not our best turnout. This year, we were fortunate that Wale is available and excited to come to Framingham State! We are so unbelievably thrilled at the campus’ reaction to our spring concert featuring Wale! We are ecstatic to host the first-ever large-scale hip-hop concert that FSU has seen. Thank you to all those who bought tickets. We are proud and excited to announce that for the first time in five years, we have sold out! Ultimately, we hope that you understand that SUAB serves to program for the benefit of all FSU students. We welcome your feedback and would love to hear your ideas! Please feel free to email us at suab@framingham.edu, stop by our office in McCarthy 406, follow us on social media @FSUSUAB or join us at our weekly meetings in the McCarthy Alumni Room at 7:15 PM every Monday. We hope to see you at our upcoming events! Thank you on behalf of SUAB, Allie Carroll President

Campus Conversations What do you think about Framingham becoming a city? By: Phil McMullin

“It’s so exciting!” -Kiley Slowe, freshman

“Honestly, I thought it was a city.” - Jackie Sousa, freshman

“I’m a little disappointed because I like small towns.” -Sherry Rankins, senior

“I think it’s stupid because you don’t get as much aid.” -Julia Hanson, freshman

“I don’t see it making a difference in my life because I don’t live here.” -Hailey Smith, sophomore

“I think it’s long overdue. This town is massive.” -Brendon Burdick, senior

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

14 | PHOTOS

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

ARTS & FEATURES Student artists find enlightenment

Graphic design and illustration seniors display work in exhibition

Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST Bianca Ramos displayed graphite illustrations and oil paintings - her main focus is portraiture.

By Andrew Willoughby Arts & Features Editor Thirteen studio art majors with concentrations in graphic design and illustration displayed their work in the Mazmanian Gallery this week in the senior exhibition show, “Enlightened.” Their work will be on display until Friday. Each student’s work has its own dedicated lighting in order to emphasize the show’s overall theme. Ranging from redesigns of corporate logos and advertisements for events around the University, to original illustrations and paintings, each student had a number of works on display. Andrew Mackisey said the theme of “Enlightened” is how to “describe our four years here. … The result is all this.” The first of Mackisey’s displayed pieces is a set of three distinctly colored beer bottles he designed for his fictional beer brand, “Hello.” Each label features a simple smiley face. The eyes on each face are drawn in different styles to emphasize the beer’s personality. The “Déjà Vu Herbal Porter” sports a green face with two sets of eyes. The face on the label for the “F*ck you, F*ck you, F*ck you Triple IPA” is red and has slanted eyes, making it look angrier than its counterparts. Finally, the blue “Sexy Saison” gives its drinker a wink. Mackisey said his most popular piece is a tourism poster advertising

Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST For one of Susan Scopetski’s class projects, she redesigned Yogi Tea’s label and packaging.

a “real affordable Peru.” He made the poster using Adobe Illustrator. The poster features a figure climbing a mountain with the sunset in the background. The shapes are bold and abstract, sticking to an aesthetic of simple geometry as the colors of the mountain complement those in the sky. Mackisey describes his process as “violent … fast and deliberate.” He said the most time he spent on a single piece was two hours. “If I’m working on something and I hesitate, that’s how I know it’s done,” he said. Located in the center of the gallery’s far wall is Eric Van Hyning’s display featuring five paintings and two pages filled with numerous character sketches. Van Hyning said his work falls into the theme of “Enlightened” because he “tried to really focus on the lighting.”

He said he aimed “to give a sense of light and illumination” to his two “story-related” pieces. The two paintings in the center of his exhibit are based on the fairytales Rumpelstiltskin and the Baba Yaga. Van Hyning often draws and paints characters from fairytales. He believes “art is a really important part of storytelling [because] it gives a visual aspect to things that we read about and imagine.” While he used oil panit for all of the work on display, Van Hyning said he “really enjoys” working with watercolor because “it’s so quick and easy to control.” Van Hyning starts with pencil sketches to “develop the character” for whatever piece he’s working on. He then makes a larger, more detailed version of the same character with powdered graphite, which he then seals and adds layers of oil paint to “build up the value and col-

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

or.” For Bianca Ramos, being “enlightened” is “the realization of human emotions and how we portray them.” Ramos’ display features a large oil profile surrounded by graphite illustrations depicting an extreme close up of people’s faces from their brows to the bridge of their noses. Ramos said she starts by looking at or taking pictures of people “who have beautiful facial expressions or something that’s not ‘perfect’ like creases in their faces, sun marks, freckles - things that draw interest into the face.” She said she’ll take 50 photographs which she will end up combining into one graphite portrait. Sometimes she said she even uses pictures of multiple people and mixes them together to create a portrait that incorporates aspects of each subject’s facial features. Ramos draws “sketches individually of different parts of the faces and pieces them together, figures out the lights and the darks” and then creates the final portrait by combining them all. Ramos’ goal is to prove that “sometimes you don’t need to see the whole face to understand someone.” Post-graduation, Ramos plans to be a tattoo artist focusing on portraiture. “I want to be able to transfer my work onto someone forever,” she said. CONNECT WITH ANDREW WILLOUGHBY awilloughby@student.framingham.edu

APRIL 14, 2017

ARTS & FEATURES | 15

THE GATEPOST

TAWA changes the conversation about American Genocide By Cass Doherty Staff Writer Gonca Sönmez-Poole, founder of the group Turkish-Armenian Women’s Alliance (TAWA), didn’t start the organization with feminism in mind. “However,” said Sönmez-Poole, “I am so very glad that the way, organically, this group made its way through its journey and became something where the commonality of being a woman actually made us friends at the end.” She asked, “If it wasn’t feminism, what idea did I have?” At the time she was starting TAWA, Sönmez-Poole felt the topic of the Armenian Genocide was a male-dominated field. She believed “women should be doing something,” and said she created TAWA to give women a voice on the matter. Sönmez-Poole was one of four panelists at the “Change the Conversation, Change the World” event, “Changing the Conversation: One Woman at a Time,” on April 6 in the Forum. The four panelists were all former members of TAWA, which officially met between September 2012 and May 2014. The panel included Sönmez-Poole, McMillan-Stewart Professor of History Lerna Ekmekcioglu, Associate Director of ProjectSAVE Armenian Photograph Archives Tsoleen Sarian, and writer Zeren Earls. Ekmekcioglu provided a background on the Armenian Genocide, which began in 1915 and continued through 1917, she said. She explained this was the reason for the tension between Armenians and Turks. Ekmekcioglu said there was historically no violence between the Turks and Armenians until the 19th century, when the Ottoman Empire began to shrink and anxiety grew among Turks. “All the groups that leave the Ottoman Empire at this time were Christian groups. And they leave the Ottoman Empire by using their identity of being Christian,” she said. She added after World War I, Armenians were the last “significant and well-organized Christian community in the Ottoman Empire” to desire self-governance. She said the Turks eliminated Armenians in 1915 out of fear and anxiety. “The Ottoman state decided every Armenian must go,”

Four members of the now-disbanded group TAWA discussed the importance of talking about the Armenian Genocide

said Ekmekcioglu. “But this doesn’t mean that everyone must be killed for this goal to be achieved.” She said in a lot of places, women and children were spared, but were forcibly converted to Islam. Ekmekcioglu added the Armenians in Turkey were given minority status, and are still discriminated against today. Sönmez-Poole said TAWA was partially created to give both Turkish and Armenian women a

She said while trying to decide how to give her presentation, she looked at her calendar and saw April 6 in Turkey is “commemoration of murdered journalists day.” She said since 1992 there have been 22 journalists killed in Turkey. “As of today, there are about 166 journalists in jail,” she added. “Facts like those piss me off,” said Sönmez-Poole. “So I got involved in the topic of genocide. I spent a lot of years reading and

“Somewhere in there is the importance of truth.” -Gonca Sönmez-Poole, founder of TAWA

space to talk. She said it was also about bringing “three concentric circles of what I was interested in” together. Sönmez-Poole said it had to do with “broadcast journalism, human rights and international conflict resolution. “Somewhere in there is the importance of truth,” said Sönmez-Poole.

immersing myself in this topic and talking to a lot of Armenians in the area.” She said her anger was what she thought had brought her to the idea of having a “dialogue group.” Sönmez-Poole said while TAWA has stopped meeting officially, they are a loose alliance of “women who have been able to

Alexandra Gomes/THE GATEPOST

make some connections beyond the 1915 Armenian Genocide.” She added they started with about 13 members, though they lost a few over their year and a half of official meetings due to conflict among some of the women. “Some of the women would refuse to say and accept the word ‘genocide,’ and a lot of us just couldn’t stand that,” said Sarian, who added she was able to ignore this from some of the Turkish women, even though it angered her that they would dance around the topic. Sarian said while she was grateful for TAWA, “genocide, for me, was the hard line - sitting around a table and knowing some of the women couldn’t verify the genocide, couldn’t say, ‘Yes, it happened.’” Sönmez-Poole shared clips from the documentary she is working on about TAWA. They featured six women who Sönmez-Poole said signed releases to be interviewed weekly about the group, and their lives as Turkish and Armenian women. Sarian said she doesn’t “know what justice means. I don’t know what I want, what my community wants. We don’t have a unified voice. But I am grateful for being able to meet in a safe space, and have meaningful relationships and friendships, and being able to grow.” CONNECT WITH CASS DOHERTY

cdoherty1@student.framingham.edu

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

16 | ARTS & FEATURES

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

FSU faculty members headline Midday Performance By Cameron Grieves Staff Writer FSU faculty members held the semester’s final installment of the Midday Performance Series in the Ecumenical Center on Monday. This differed from the norm of inviting outside musicians and musical groups to perform at FSU, and instead showcased some of the talent that can be found right here on campus. The first musician to perform was Carl Hackanson, professor of geography and environmental science. Armed only with an acoustic guitar and microphone, Hackanson displayed his proficiency of bluesgrass musicianship with classics such as Robert Johnson’s “Crossroad,” as well as a couple songs from his own album, “Jake Sessions.” “Nobody seemed to know me, everyone just passed me by,” Hackanson sang in a deep, gravelly voice against twangy guitar riffs. Contrarily, many students and other faculty chose not to pass this performance by and the response to Hackanson from the packed room was electric.

The next piece performed by professors Christian Gentry and Samuel Witt sought to present a very different side of the musical creative process than traditional instruments and forms of genre would supply. The entire performance was a reading of one of Witt’s poems as the vocals were mixed and electronically distorted by Gentry in real time. According to Gentry, the whole point was to put two worlds together that don’t normally coexist. “This happened on a whim. It’s poetry performative. How can I sculpt the voice in real time? It’s a powerful instrument,” he said. Gentry distorted Witt’s voice and layered it with electronic synth to create an eerier and futuristic sound collage out of the emotional immediacy of Witt’s stanzas. “When people speak of futureless language, they put the future on equal footing with the present,” Witt said as layers of distortion built up until his voice became a singular wall of noise. Sophomore Cam Raia was completely taken by the ingenuity of Gentry and Witt’s performative poetry. “The piece was extraordinary. The

Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST Physics and Earth Science Professor Doug Leaffer played the tenor sax in a range of jazz classics.

haunting poem was only made stronger by Gentry’s filtering and doctoring signal. It was absolutely arresting,” Raia said. The final performance of the show was a jazz duet by Bruce Mattson and Doug Leaffer of the McAuliffe Center. Mattson performed on piano as Leaffer juggled a tenor saxophone and Cuban drums, depending on the number. The saxophone was an antique from 1950’s Paris that Leaffer joked had seen both “the years and the mileage.” “The fact that it has lost its lacquer gives it a warmer, darker sound,” Leaffer said.

The duo showcased a range of jazz classics from Crescent City Swagger’s “Your Uncle’s Monkey” to Sony Rollins’ “St. Thomas.” Mattson’s piano transitions between songs flowed well as the notes broke up into slower, drawling jazz numbers, accentuated by Leaffer’s eclectic saxophone. Although the Midday Performance came to a close without vocals, Mattson and Leaffer managed to imbue the closing act with a warmth and presence that spoke well for the entire assembly of faculty performers. CONNECT WITH CAMERON GRIEVES

cgrieves@student.framingham.edu

Slam poet Ebony Stewart shares her life experience By Tessa Jillson Asst. Arts & Features Editor A room without a single window, containing one couch and a desk, is where Ebony Stewart writes her poetry. She thinks back to the time when she was a little girl, hiding and writing in the closet of her bedroom. “I like to say that poetry saved my life. I would be a completely different person if I didn’t find some way to get everything out. Poetry means a lot to me,” said Stewart. When Stewart was in college she struggled to find her niche. Undeclared, Stewart said she “wanted to be everything,” but settled with a degree in English and communication studies. “I taught ninth grade English for a little while and then I transitioned into sixth and seventh grade sexual health,” she said. Stewart now tours the country, reading her poetry about equality and empowerment to schools, coaching poetry slam teams and working on one wom-

an shows. In 2017, she was announced Woman of the World Poetry Slam champion. On April 10 in the McCarthy Forum, Stewart shared her life experiences with the FSU community. Growing up with an abusive father, Stewart started writing poetry at when she was 8 years old and found light through her writing. “I started out journaling. My father was very abusive toward my mother, and journaling was a way for me to remove myself because, you know, hurt people hurt people, and I didn’t want to be a part of that. So, I had to learn different coping techniques and ways to heal myself, writing just so happened to be one of those things, ” said Stewart. Her poetry contains messages about overcoming body image and validating oneself. Stewart said she used to hyper-focus on all the negatives she embodied, but now she supports these qualities by turning them into something positive. “I used to be like, ‘Man my forehead is big,’ then I was like,

‘Well, I got a brain though,’” she said. “Try to find what’s right with you. We spend a lot of time figuring out what’s wrong with us. When you look in the mirror, you’re looking for something that’s wrong. We never take the time to find what’s right.” During her performance, Stewart passed around a box in which everyone submitted anonymous questions about sex, relationships, body image and poetry. Sophomore Samantha Patjane said she found Stewart’s interactive segments engaging. “She was extremely personable with students over current important issues and I think she gave a fearless performance,” Patjane said. In her slam poem titled, “Transparent,” Stewart said, “I always have a hard time writing about myself. It’s easier to tell someone else’s story and I’m still trying to convince my shadow that it chose me for a reason.” CONNECT WITH TESSA JILLSON

tjillson@student.framingham.edu

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

Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST Ebony Stewart is a champion of the Woman of the World Poetry Slam.

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

ARTS & FEATURES | 17

DACA students share their stories in “Testimonios”

Cesareo Contreras/THE GATEPOST Left to right: Letycia Pereira, Palloma Jovita and David Germinari spoke in the Center for Inclusive Excellence about their experiences as DACA students.

By Cesareo Contreras Associate Editor Like many FSU students, senior Letycia Pereira hopes to go to graduate school one day. And while Pereira, a chemistry major, said she has all the skills and academic support to get there, she is faced with adversities many of her peers will never truly understand. “Grad school is like a hundred thousand dollars. It’s a crazy amount of money,” she said. “So I was like, ‘I’m going to apply to a job to pay for grad school.’ And [I started] applying for jobs and I kid you not ... I will be so qualified for a job, and the last sentence will be, ‘must be naturalized U.S. citizen or legally permanent resident,’ and it just crushes you,” she said. Pereira is one of 31 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) students attending FSU this spring. Enacted by the Obama Administration in 2012, DACA serves as a 2-year deferrment period for undocumented childhood arrivals - those who have been in the United States since June 2007 and have graduated from a high school in the United States. Alongside two other Brazilian-born DACA recipients, Pereira shared her story last Thursday night in The Center for Inclusive Excellence in the Brother 2 Brother (B2B) sponsored event, “Testimonios.” Hosted by senior Teofilio Barbalho, B2B president, and freshman Julio Lanzo, a member of B2B, this year’s “Testimonios” was a follow-up to an event Barbalho and sociology professor Patricia Sánchez-Connally hosted of the same name in the 2015 fall semester. In the last “Testimonios” event, Barbalho invited four first-generation immigrants to share their stories “to show people a human side to what they portray in the media with immigration.” Barbalho said he wanted to continue to discuss the

multifaceted topic of immigration. “We are here today to give people that voice they don’t really have in the media - people whose lives are being affected but they don’t really have a say in it,” he said. Lanzo said he wanted to get involved because immigration affects a large number of people of different races and nationalities. He added, “I’ve felt that as recent events have occurred, not many people are reluctant to speak their minds. I wanted to do this event so people could come here and have an opportunity to share and give their opinions.” Included on the panel were Pereira, junior Palloma Jovita, and Middlesex Community College student David Germinari. Each spoke about coming to the United States as children and discussed the challenges that come with being a DACA recipient. Pereira came to the United States at the age of 5, when she moved with her family from Brazil on a 10-year visa. Pereira’s visa expired when she was 15, and she didn’t receive DACA until after she graduated high school. Up until that point, she didn’t think college was in her future. “It really hit me when it was the last few weeks of senior year and everyone wears the T-shirt of the college they got into, and I was so depressed because I couldn’t wear a T-shirt - like, it was the stupidest thing, but it was the hardest time for me,” she said. It wasn’t until the July after she graduated that Pereira found out that she was accepted to be a DACA recipient. “My mom brought me the letter,’ she said. “It was seven in the morning, and she opened the door to my room and she’s like jumping up and down and she’s like, ‘You can go to college! You can go to college!’ And I just bawled my eyes out,’” she said. She added, “I graduated high school with a 3.8. My dream was to go to college.”

Pereira applied to FSU in August and was accepted 20 days later. Ten days after that, she started attending classes. After she graduates, Pereira says she will look for a job that will take her despite her status. “To know that the next step is such another hurdle - I just finished getting over this one,” she said. “You know, finally being able to reach the top of the mountain, and now you have another mountain to climb.” Like Pereira, Jovita came to the United States with her family from Brazil at the age of 5. She came on a tourist visa, she said. Jovita said her tourist visa had expired years ago, and before recieving DACA she resided in the U.S. illegally. “For a long time, I believed I didn’t deserve to go to school here,” she said. “I didn’t think I deserved to do something with my life for a very long time.” Jovita applied for DACA the summer before she entered her senior year of high school. When she found out she had been accepted to receive DACA, Jovitia said it felt like a dream. “I couldn’t believe it. At that point it’s 16, 17 years of my life I had been an illegal immigrant, and here I was finally with some sort of status,” she said. “I was going to be able to drive like my friends. I was going to be able to go to school and have an opportunity. ... I had to jump on the opportunity once it was given to me.” Today, Jovita is a junior at FSU ,where she majors in sociology. After she graduates, Jovita said she might want to go to law school to help other undocumented people. Germinari came to the United States with his parents from Brazil when he was 9 years old. Germinari will be the first to admit that up until recently, school hadn’t really ever been his “thing. “For me, it was always harder to do most things” in the classroom, he said. “While other kids were doing projects, I was stuck in another class

trying to keep up with the process.” Germinari said after he found out about DACA, he knew he had to apply, as being legally able to stay in the United States was not an opportunity he could pass up. “Being illegal is maybe one of the worst things,” he said. Like Pereira and Jovita, Germinari never really saw college as an option until after he was approved for DACA. In 2013, Germinari applied to community college. While his first year was “bumpy,” Germinari said he got involved on campus and as a result wanted a better life for himself through school. “That changed my life,” he said. “I started getting involved everywhere - student government, leadership programs, events and everything. Because of that student involvement, I want more in life. I want to follow my higher education.” He added, “I feel like every immigrant has a story. The ones that are fighting to stay here really want to stay here. [They] want to have that American dream. We are trying to work with, not against.” Lanzo said the event served its objectives of “spreading awareness” and allowing “students under DACA to feel comfortable about speaking up.” He added, “We witnessed that when a girl and boy from the crowd, both under DACA, spoke up about having the same experiences as the speakers. That right there was evidence that we achieved our purpose for this event.” Barbalho said although not as many people attended this year’s event, it was more intimate than 2015’s. He said, “Once everybody got settled in and everybody got comfortable, it was very personal. I really loved it.”

CONNECT WITH CESAREO CONTRERAS ccontreras@student.framingham.edu

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

18 | ARTS & FEATURES

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

Hearing the voices of child prostitutes in Ghana By Julia Sarcinelli Associate Editor Students and community members packed the Alumni Room to hear Georgina Yaa Oduro speak about her research on child prostitution in Ghana on April 10. Oduro’s presentation, “Globalization and Child Prostitution in Ghana,” was the second event in the Global Lecture Series. “We are defining globalization here as something that happens at an international scale,” said Oduro, adding she defined “child” as anyone under the age of 18 and “prostitute” as someone who engages in sex for money. Oduro has not published her paper yet, but said for her research she interviewed 30 people - including 15 sex workers ranging in age from 14 to 17, three prostitutes who were 22, 28 and 34 and two male pimps from a city near the coast in Ghana. All prostitution is illegal in Ghana. Oduro’s background is in youths and sexuality and when she heard of the issue of child prostitution she wondered if it was possible to even get data. “It is very interesting coming up with data for this phenomenon because it is an underground trade,”

said Oduro, adding because of this, numbers vary. Results from studies range from 30,000 to 10 million child prostitutes in the world. She was interested in the background of the children, outside factors, how they affect those involved, what can be done and who are the people who seek out child prostitutes, adding “initially - naïvely - I was thinking I was going to get some of these clients to talk to me.” Oduro said even if children enter the trade willingly, it is still seen as trafficking because they are children. “It is expected that society is supposed to protect this child, so if this child is involved in sex work or prostitution it becomes highly problematic,” she added. Oduro said in Ghana this topic is difficult to talk about because sex is considered a “taboo” by society and usually addressed through jokes, “yet it is happening everywhere.” During her interviews, Oduro asked the girls multiple questions. She said psychologically, the girls said they try to hide their identity in society because they would be stigmatized and discriminated against, adding they also suffered verbal and emotional abuse from clients and were also sometimes used for sorcery.

They also reported damage to their pelvises, discs in their spine, contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and more. As for coping mechanisms, Oduro said they typically use humor, adding in her tape recordings, one can hear the girls dancing or teasing each other. She added some rely on alcohol and only a few smoke. The girls said peer pressure was “a strong theme” for getting them involved in sex work. Oduro said some of the girls said they were introduced by friends or family. An audience member asked Oduro what she learned from the older sex workers. Oduro said she asked the three older women she interviewed whether they had given advice to the girls. Two said they try to discourage them and one said she can’t stop them from becoming prostitutes but gives them advice about protection, such as using condoms. Oduro said all of the girls she interviewed said condom use and STI screenings are irregular because there aren’t individual or youth clinics they can go to. Oduro said once her paper is published, she is expects to go back to Ghana to report to her stakeholders on how they can better aid child

Alexandra Gomes/THE GATEPOST Georgina Yaa Oduro discussed her research on child prostitutes in Ghana to a packed room.

prostitutes. She said, “Social scientists are always [saying] that if you change one person, you still made an impact, because behavioral changes are very difficult.” Oduro said when someone asked her why she chose to research this topic, she responded, “I’m a sociologist. Social issues, social problems are of interest to me and they reflect the other side of life. … Who cares for them? Who projects their voices?” CONNECT WITH JULIA SARCINELLI jsarcinelli@student.framingham.edu

Ani Gjika recites “haunting” poetry and prose at Miriam Levine Reading By Julia Sarcinelli Associate Editor Albanian-American poet, author, literary translator and teacher Ani Gjika recited a selection of her poems and a section from her soonto-be published memoir on April 11. Gjika spoke in the Heineman Ecumenical Center as the Miriam Levine Reader. She recited seven poems from her debut book of poems, “Bread on Running Waters,” that were centered on her childhood in Albania and her travels. “I feel like I must have lived so much in my fourth and fifth year because a lot of my book comes from that period of my life, and the imagery there seems to be so alive,” she said. A poem Gjika recited was “The Children’s Story,” which has four parts. She said it is a “strange poem” with half being real and half being imagined. English professor Sam Witt said Gjika’s poetry is “haunting” and “startlingly terrifying but also lyrically gorgeous. … These poems just have an incredible complexity and depth to them.” Gjika said she was born in Albania and moved to the U.S. at 18

when her family “won the green card lottery.” She studied poetry at Simmons College and Boston University, adding she also took classes at Framingham State. After college, she taught in Thailand for four years and married an Indian man. “I have a lot of poems in this book that take you to places in Asia,” she said. One of the poems Gjika recited was “Salt,” which began in Albania before it moved to Thailand and then India. She describes how her grandmother took a pinch of salt and “dubbed me with her long, gold

fingers on my forehead, and on my chest, and both shoulders” before tossing the sand in the fire and telling her an Albanian curse. The poem transitions to her students in Thailand and then to meeting her husband’s “oldest aunt,” who also threw salt into the fire before kissing her. “You’d think I’d feel immune for life, but I feel marked, and every person I meet becomes another city I leave behind,” she recited. Gjika also read a section of the memoir she is currently writing. “I felt like poetry would not allow

me to be honest enough, or maybe brave enough, so it just came in prose. Also, I figured if it’s doing this on its own, I should just follow it,” she said. The section she read from was about her time in Albania from 1988 to 1998 after Communism fell. She said it was “a really strange time” because “young men just suddenly felt like they had the right to speak to women on the street. It was just a really strange culture in those 10 years in that men could do anything they wanted to and women would have to sort of become invisible.” Gjika wrote about being slapped by a French Embassy police officer for having streaks of highlights in her hair and being sexually assaulted when she was 12 and going to school right afterwards. She added the phrase Albanians use to describe this time of violence, sexual harassment, assault, rape and human trafficking translates to “the boys tease the girls.” Gjika said, “People are funny. We ask how wrong something is and go on enduring instead of acknowledging something is wrong - period.”

Cesareo Contreras/THE GATEPOST Ani Gjika, an Albanian-American poet, was honored as this year’s Miriam Levine Reader. Along with reading several poems and a section of her memoir, Gjika discussed growing up in Albania and traveling.

CONNECT WITH JULIA SARCINELLI jsarcinelli@student.framingham.edu

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

APRIL 14, 2017

ARTS & FEATURES | 19

THE GATEPOST

Invisible Americans Imagine living in this country for as far back as you can remember. Your friends and family live here. You’ve gone to school and graduated here. You learned how to drive here. You opened a savings account here. You learned how to read and write here. You learned how to tie your shoes here. You experienced the tragedy of 9/11. You celebrated when Osama Bin Laden was killed. You witnessed Barack Obama become the first African-American president. You watched Boston police chase Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev across Watertown on live T.V. following the Boston Bombings. And yet, every two years you have to spend hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars to

renew a document that allows you the same luxuries your neighbors and peers are given as a birthright - the ability to work, drive and study in the United States.

Trump has promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants anwd, at certain points during his campaign, to eliminate the DACA program entirely.

This is the life of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) receivers. Brought to this country as young children, DACA receivers are granted permission to stay in the country for two years at a time.

Currently, over 780,000 immigrants are protected under the DACA program in the United States. In Massachusetts alone there are 12,058 DACA recipients. At Framingham State, there are 31 DACA students currently enrolled.

Once the two years are up, immigrants must reapply. This process not only costs them the DACA and the lawyer’s fees - it costs them peace of mind as well. And life has never been more uncertain for DACA recipients than now. President Donald

This week, The Gatepost is publishing the first of three articles depicting the lives of MetroWest DACA recipients, and what the policy has, and has not, given to them. All names have been changed to protect the individuals featured.

A queer DACA recipient contemplates an uncertain future By Alexandra Gomes Editor-in-Chief Poe drove 65 mph through the suburban neighborhoods of New Jersey, anxiously searching for a white house. When she finally found the home, there was a small, curlyhaired woman waiting outside for her. Poe was so struck by the sight of her that she gasped and drove right by. After performing an illegal U-turn and pulling over in the middle of the street, Poe ran to the woman and kissed her. Poe had driven six hours straight from Ashland, Massachusetts to meet the woman, Court, and ask her to be her girlfriend. The trip, which had not been approved by her mother, was a moment of liberation for Poe, a queer undocumented immigrant from Brazil. “It was the first time I actually drove somewhere really far without any parents,” she said. “To be honest with you, I was 19, 20 at the time and I didn’t ask my mom’s permission. I was like, ‘I’m going and I already have it booked and that’s it. I’m driving.’ It was the first time I was really like, ‘I’m doing this and you can’t stop me.’” Two years prior, a trip such as this would have been impossible for Poe, who could not obtain a license or a job because of her legal status. However, when the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy was instituted by the Obama Administration in June 2012, Poe was finally able to acquire her license, her Social Security number and a legal job. For the first time, she had a chance to have a real life.

Immigration and assimilation Poe was just 6 years old when she left her home in São Paulo, Brazil for Boston. She said her parents decided to immigrate to the United States to give her and her brother “better opportunities. “Plus,” she said, “Brazil is really dangerous.” Poe’s father was “constantly” being robbed and “held up” right outside their home in São Paulo. The robbers would stalk their home, and knew about her father’s family, she said. One week, their car was stolen. The next, her father bought plane tickets to Boston. “We were kind of well-off in Brazil - we had a nice house and everything. And we left it all behind,” she said. When they first arrived in Boston, Poe and her family stayed with her aunt in a one-bedroom apartment in Brighton. Including her aunt’s husband and roommate, there were six people living there. However, her father lived in Framingham during the week to work. “On the weekends, he would drive back home and be with us for two days in Boston,” she said. Her family couldn’t afford the rent in the MetroWest area because they had just arrived, she said. When Poe enrolled in Brighton schools, she was “jumped forward” a year to sixth grade after taking a placement test, while her brother was sent back a grade. Poe didn’t know any English when she started school. “It was pretty horrible,” she said. “We had English classes to learn the lan-

You may be elligible for DACA if you 1. Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012 2. Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday 3. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time 4. Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS 5. Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012 6. Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States 7. Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor,or three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety

guage, but we didn’t know any- SquarePants.” Poe’s parents, however, still thing. I couldn’t talk to anybody. My mom, especially, and my dad struggled to learn English. “I did all the translating for my - they couldn’t do anything. They couldn’t go to the grocery store by parents pretty much my entire life, since I was like 7,” said Poe. “If they themselves.” After a year and a half, Poe said went to the bank, I’d have to go her family found an apartment on with them. I had to pay the bills for them.” Second Street in Framingham. Right before she entered middle “Which is like, the safest place,” Poe said, laughing. “I’m being sar- school, Poe and her family moved to Ashland after finding a cheapcastic, obviously.” While her mother spent her days er apartment through their former cleaning houses and her father neighbors on Second Street. “It was two bedrooms, so we fipainting them, Poe and her brother stayed home alone, since her par- nally got to have our own room, my brother and I,” said Poe. “It literally ents could not afford a babysitter. In Framingham, “the whole wasn’t until I was 21 that I got my school was Brazilian,” according own room.” She added many people have to Poe, and she was able to learn in been “creeped out” to learn she both English and Portuguese. She said since she already knew shared a room with her brother. how to read and write in Portu- “We always shared a room. Always. guese, reading was her ultimate So it was never weird to me.” Most of Poe’s new neighbors in tool in learning the English lanher apartment complex were also guage. “I ate books when I was young- from Brazil, which provided her er,” she said. She also learned from with a sense of community, she television shows, such as Nick- said. elodeon’s “SpongeBob - See AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE on page 20

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

20 | ARTS & FEATURES

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

An uncertain future Continued from page 19

“The complex is kind of what saved me when I was younger,” she said. “No matter how annoying school was, I was able to come home and see everyone.” She added, “We used to play hide and seek at 11:30 at night and get the cops called on us every other day. It was just fun. We had a little community.” While the Ashland apartment was bigger and nicer, transitioning from Framingham public schools to Ashland schools was hard, said Poe. “It was coming from an entirely Brazilian-filled school,” she said. “I think I could count on one hand the number of people who weren’t white [in Ashland]. … So, we kind of cliqued together.” Poe said the girls she was friends with were “pretty bad people. “But, they were all I had because they were the only ones I got along with because of our language,” she said. During this transition, Poe started experiencing a lot of changes. “That was when everything happened. I got my period, so puberty started. Everything in my entire body started changing. I got huge boobs in like, a month. I had no idea how to control any of it,” she said. “I went from the skinniest little girl to a fluff ball in the span of a summer.” When Poe returned to school in the fall, she was bullied “every day for everything,” she said. It wasn’t until high school, when she joined the theater club, that she had found a place where she belonged.

Poe’s American dream Poe joined the theater club during her freshman year of high school, after some coaxing from a friend. “I always wanted to sing and act, but I was always afraid to. I finally did it, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done, hands down,” she said. “High school was still hard, but at least I had theater to fall back on.” Theater, according to Poe,

gave her a “purpose” and “a reason to go to school.” Poe has suffered from depression and anxiety since she was very young, she said, and she would often miss school because of it. “Even if I didn’t go to school, I would literally sneak in after school to go to theater rehearsal,” she said. She auditioned for the winter play, and while she didn’t end up with a part, she still worked “house,” selling tickets and showing audience members to their seats.

“It’s very long. There’s lots and lots of forms to fill out. It’s expensive. This last time, I paid about $650 just to be able to work in this country for two years.” - Poe, a DACA recipient

That spring, she participated in the club’s Musical Revenue, which they put on to raise money for a winter musical the following year. The students used their own money to put on the show, during which they performed multiple Broadway songs. Poe made her debut performance, singing, “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now.” She had never sung in front of anyone before. Before the show, she was so nervous she was shaking. Many of her peers were worried she would vomit. But as soon as she walked on stage, all her fears melted away. “I got out there, and I killed it,” she said. “My dad came out to see me, and my mom came out to see me and that was a big thing for me, too, because they saw me sing and they were like, ‘Oh my God.’ They had only heard me sing in the bathroom, because I’m so shy.” When she finished the song, and the audience cheered, Poe knew she wanted to be on stage for the rest of

How to file for DACA 1. Collect documents as evidence you meet the requirements 2. Complete USCIS Forms I-821D, I-765 and I-765WS 3. Mail in USCIS Forms + fees (total $465) 4. Visit local USCIS Application Support Center for a scheduled biometrics services appointment 5. Check your status online

her life. Poe thrived in high school, participating in multiple shows, taking Honors and AP classes, and starting the Gay Straight Alliance. College never seemed like a possibility to Poe, she said, until her guidance counselor suggested she apply. “I was like, ‘You’re right. I’ll just go for it.’ I applied to like, 12 schools. I got into all of them,” she said. One of the schools was Emerson,

a Boston college known for its performing arts program. “I got the email that I got accepted and I literally almost passed out,” she said. Poe said ideally, she would have moved to Boston, attended Emerson and “become whatever it is they would have helped me become.” She even went to the school’s orientation, hoping to find someone who could help her make attending the school a possibility. Poe and her family lived “paycheck to paycheck,” and could not afford tuition. Additionally, because she is undocumented, she could not apply for financial aid. Her mother and brother accompanied her to the orientation, where they learned about classes and programs, discussed the cost and toured the school. When the tour brought Poe and her family into Emerson’s Cutler Majestic Theater, she was speechless. Poe said the theater was “the most incredible place I had ever seen in my entire life. “It had chandeliers and everything was gold. It was unheard of. It was like a dream,” she said. “I knew I couldn’t go.” At one point, an orientation leader said the cost of one year was approximately $40,000, without room and board. Her brother turned to her and said, “You’re not going to this school. You know that, right?” She answered, “Yeah, I know.” Poe spoke to a few orientation leaders about her immigration status and what it would mean for her education. However, “to them, it didn’t even cross their minds I

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

could go to this school.” According to Poe, going to school just wasn’t a possibility. “We didn’t have the money that’s it.” Poe had also applied to Framingham State University, believing it to be her best chance at obtaining a college degree. However, the University ended up being the only school that asked Poe for a copy of her passport and visa. “That let me down so bad,” she said. “Everyone was like, ‘Try FSU. It’s such a good school and it’s right there. You can still be away from home,’ and I was like, ‘You’re totally right,’ and then it was like, ‘Just kidding!’” Poe said she stopped responding to FSU’s emails. “I freaked out,” she said. “I was scared. I was like, ‘What if I do this and somehow they catch me and deport me or something?’ That’s just how I thought back then, because we didn’t have DACA. I didn’t have a Social Security number. I didn’t have anything. I was unheard of in this country.” Today, Poe still wants to attend college. If she can’t be on stage, she wants to become a psychiatrist or a social worker. “Anything to do with kids like me, that felt alone and didn’t feel like they had anybody,” she said. “I want to be of help to them, because I never had that growing up.” After she graduated high school and finally received DACA, she started working legally for the first time. Her first job was a part-time position at the AMC Theateres in Natick. Because she was only paid minimum wage and had so few hours, she had to get a second job as a secretary and cashier at a car dealership. “I had three part-time jobs, technically. I was at two car dealerships and AMC,” she said. “I would do morning shifts at Honda from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and then get in at AMC from 4 p.m. to close. So, I was out of the house the entire day making zero money because it’s $8 an hour.” She added, “I was working to pay for my gas, at that point.” Nearly two years ago, Poe was hired as a teller at a bank in the MetroWest area. She is no longer making minimum wage and has full benefits. Poe reapplied to MassBay Community College, and was planning on attending the following fall. “I was like, ‘OK. Next year I’m going to go. I’m going to do this.’ And then, my dad left,” she said. “And then, I couldn’t do it anymore, because I had to suddenly be an adult and pay rent and all the utility bills. I didn’t have money for school any-

APRIL 14, 2017

ARTS & FEATURES | 21

THE GATEPOST

An uncertain future more.” Her father had been cheating on her mother through the messaging app WhatsApp with someone in Brazil. “My mom found out and that was that. She kicked him out that same night,” she said. “She said, ‘Get out of my house!’ And he did.” Poe said her parents’ separation was “the hardest thing I’ve ever been through.” Because her mother only worked cleaning houses occasionally, the bills became Poe’s responsibility. Her mother still doesn’t speak English or have a Social Security number. “Even if she wanted to, she can’t legally work anywhere,” Poe said. “I went from being the daughter to the head of the household,” she said. “All my money that I was making went to bills, and I had to become an adult in literally a month.” She added, “That was the worst year of my life.” A year later, Poe said she and her mother are “finally” used to life without her father. Her mother’s boyfriend moved in, and started helping with the bills. However, Poe is still essentially her mother’s care-taker. She still drives her mother everywhere, since she has no license, and translates for her wherever they go. “I could make her a dependent on my taxes,” said Poe. Currently, Poe said, there is still no way she can attend college. “I’m in a really bad rut right now. I can’t go to school. I can’t afford it. And that’s the only way I could somehow get a future,” she said. “At this point, I’m literally just waiting for a miracle, or a chance to do something.” She added, “I’m just trying to survive at this point.” Poe said going from being an AP and honors high school student, to a bank teller is “discouraging. “I was always told that education is the most important thing for you to do, and that you should broaden your horizons and try your best,” she said, “and I tried very, very hard.” She added, “What’s the point of me trying so hard my entire high school career and having it drop dead in the end?” Poe said she wasn’t brought to the states by choice, and that if her family had remained in Brazil, her story might be different. “If I was in Brazil right now, I’d probably be some hot-shot psychiatrist somewhere at this point. I’d probably be making thousands of dollars,” she said. “But, here I am 21, making $14 an hour at a bank.” Poe said she and immigrant children like herself didn’t have a choice in coming to the states. “I was a child. I didn’t know what was happening. And, it kind ruined

my whole life,” she said. She added, “All the bratty kids who get Fs but still get to go to college because their daddies pay for it - it makes me crazy,” she said. “It shows you that hard work doesn’t pay off. Ethics don’t exist anymore. It’s all about money and if you belong here, which is a load of s--t.”

Applying for DACA When DACA became available, Poe started working on her application. Her brother’s mother-in-law worked in a social security office, and was “on top of it,” said Poe. “She’s the one who got us the forms. She printed them all out for us and helped my brother fill out his form. I pretty much just took his form and copied down everything she wrote,” she said. While many undocumented immigrants hired lawyers to help them, Poe felt confident filling out the forms herself. After receiving the mother-inlaw’s help the first time she filled it out, she was able to reapply by herself every year since. “It’s very long. There’s lots and lots of forms to fill out. It’s expensive,” said Poe. “This last time, I paid about $650 just to be able to work in this country for two years.” Poe applied for her latest DACA in January, and received confirmation that she had been accepted in March. “You’re supposed to apply two months before your expiration date, because if you let it expire, you’re screwed,” said Poe. “Nothing is valid any more.” After applying, applicants must have their biometrics, such as fingerprints, taken. “So you go to Boston, waste a day of work, and they take your biometrics. You wait in this scary-ass office, which is literally the immigration office, so it’s terrifying,” said Poe. Waiting in the office - the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services - is a nerve-wracking experience, according to Poe. “You go in there and you can’t use your phone. You can’t do anything,” she said. “And it says it everywhere - Immigration Services. And you know everyone in that room is an immigrant. You just know it. It’s so scary because it’s literally a hot spot.” She added, “If any cop was bored, they could just go in there and say, ‘OK, deporting you, you and you.’ He just could.” Following the appointment, Poe said, applicants wait for their DACA cards in the mail. “After that, you’re good for two years,” she said. Essentially, DACA gave Poe a

Shayna Yacyshyn/THE GATEPOST Poe immigrated to the states from São Paulo, Brazil when she was just

6 years old.

right to exist in the country. “It provided me a way to get a Social Security number so I can pay my own taxes and actually have a job, and have a license and get a vehicle - all things you need in the country,” she said. “You can’t get anywhere without a job and a license here. It’s impossible.” Otherwise, Poe said, she would have to go back to Brazil - back to a family and community she “barely knows.” While DACA has certainly improved Poe’s life, she said it is still “not enough. “I can’t blame Obama for that, because he did what he could for us. The fact that he got this much done is impressive, considering the Congress at the time,” she said. However, DACA does not provide Poe with citizenship. “It doesn’t protect me. If for any reason they want to deport me, they absolutely can. [DACA] won’t keep them from sending me back,” she said. “It’s nothing.” Poe said ideally, the government would grant citizenship to immigrants who have been protected under DACA for over five years. “After proving yourself for all this time - that you’re able to keep a job, pay your taxes, not get into any criminal problems - there is no reason not to,” she said. She added, “DACA is very, very helpful. But it doesn’t accumulate to anything.”

Life as a queer immigrant Since Poe was 10, she

knew she had feelings for girls. Her mother would tell her she was just confused. “I’ve been coming out to my mom for my entire life,” Poe said, “and she just never believed me. “She’d be like, ‘Oh, you don’t know what you want yet. You’ve never kissed anybody. You have no idea what you want,’” she said. So, Poe created a space where her feelings would be taken seriously she started the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club at her school. She recounted coming out for the first time during a GSA meeting. “I said, ‘I’m never going to be able to come out because my mom is going to hate me and kick me out of the house.’ I was crying in front of everybody. And now, I’m out and it’s good. “I was obviously in denial because of being Brazilian,” said Poe. Being queer “is looked at as a horrible thing because of religion, and people tend to be really old-fashioned in Brazil.” Poe said her mom refused to believe her until she was 19, when she broke up with her boyfriend. Poe and her boyfriend were close friends and worked together at the AMC Theateres. “We kind of just became something else,” she said. “It’s not that I didn’t love him, because I definitely did, and I still think about him all the time. We got along so well and his parents loved me and I loved his parents and it was great. It was just me knowing that that’s not what I wanted.” She added she was “scared” of

- See AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE on page 22

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

22 | ARTS & FEATURES

APRIL 14, 2017

THE GATEPOST

An uncertain future Continued from page 22

being intimate with him, or any man. Before Poe decided to break up with him, she spoke to her mother one night when they were both home drunk. “We just started talking about it because it was on my mind and she’s my mom, so I was like, ‘I can tell her anything.’ So I just blurted it out,” she said. “I told her, ‘I don’t think that I like guys,’” she said. “And I was with somebody that I really, really loved. Mentally, we really loved each other.” This time, Poe said, her mother couldn’t tell her she didn’t know what she wanted. After the breakup, her mother dropped the topic, according to Poe, and the drunken conversation was forgotten. That is, until she started dating Court. Poe met Court online, and flirted with her for months through phone calls and text messages. Eventually, Poe made the decision to drive down to New Jersey and see Court, and officially ask her out. Poe said she “pretty much lied” to her mother, and told her, “I’m going to New Jersey for no random reason, and I have someone I know from online that I’m going to hang out with. She had no idea that it was Court. She had no idea that I stayed at her house or anything like that.” Eventually, however, Poe’s mother saw pictures of the two of them on Facebook. When Poe arrived home, she told her mother the truth. “I was like, ‘I have a girlfriend now,’” she said. “And then I told her about her, and she couldn’t say anything. She was very, very sad. It was weeks of her crying by herself. And then she would try to pretend like she wasn’t, but I knew she was.” Poe said she never understood why being herself would make her mother cry. Her mother forced her to tell her father, something that terrified Poe because of all the “homophobic things” he had said before. “I really thought I was getting kicked out of the house. I really did,” she said. But when she told her father, he said he already knew. “He said he was totally aware that I was,” she said. “And he told me to keep it quiet.” Poe’s parents wanted her keep her sexuality a secret until they “got used to it,” she said. “They both wanted me to stay in the closet,” she said. And she did, at least for a few months. “I did what they asked just because I knew it was something that was really hard for them to

grasp. The fact that they didn’t kick me out of the house was a really big deal for me,” she said. Eventually, Poe invited her girlfriend to come visit her, and stay with her family. During the first trip up, her mother would not let Court sleep in the same room as Poe, forcing her to sleep on the couch in the living room instead.

and that’s it,” she said. “I never understood. It’s just not true.” According to Poe, her mother will ask, “Who is the guy?” and “Who does what?” Poe said, “I was always like, ‘What kind of question if that?’ She’d be like, ‘Who is the man?’ and I’d be like, ‘Neither of us. … That’s the point.’”

“DACA is very, very helpful. But it doesn’t accumulate to anything.” - Poe, a DACA recipient

end of their relationship, she started “shutting down.” She couldn’t be open with her feelings, and she would go days without speaking to Court. In December, Court flew up to see Poe. Three days in, while driving around in the car, Poe told her they couldn’t be together anymore. Hours later, Court had booked a plane ticket home to New Jersey. Poe dropped her off at 3 a.m. the following morning, and she hasn’t seen her since.

What now? It’s a Sunday evening in early April. Poe sits in a booth in Los Cabos, a Mexican grille in Ashland just a few miles from her home. Sporting a pixie cut, thick, black glasses and a Tom Brady jersey, Poe sucks down a mango margarita. She is still living at home with her mother, and paying most of their bills. She is still working as a teller in a bank. She is still unable to afford college. Two weeks ago, she started seeing a psychiatrist in Framingham. According to Poe, she is at “the lowest point” in her life. Poe said she would be depressed regardless of her situation. However, her immigration status does exacerbate her illness. “It’s hard. You don’t want to keep going anymore,” she said. “After going through so many dilemmas and so much suffering, you start wondering if it’s all worth it - if you should keep going.” However, Poe believes immigrants, and people like her, have to keep fighting, no matter what. “You can’t give up. I’ve always had dilemmas in my way. I’ve always had things go wrong,” she said. “You just aren’t able to give up or feel sorry for yourself. There is never an easy way out. You just have to push through.” And while Poe and immigrants like herself continue to fight daily to survive in this country, that is all they can do - survive. Unable to return to Brazil - a county she barely remembers - and unable to really live in the states her home for 15 years - Poe is stuck in limbo. Without a clear path toward citizenship, there is no real future for Poe, or anyone like her, in the United States. There is no way to pay for college. There is no ticket out of poverty. There is no American dream. “You’re in this country of opportunity,” Poe said, “but you can’t do anything about it.”

Even though her parents knew Eventually, Poe said, she she was dating Court, the couple “stopped lying” and started telling was still very reserved around them. family and friends about Court. “I didn’t act touchy with her “I finally put our relationship around them. We were very, very status on Facebook. I started postsecretive, which was just pretty sad, ing pictures of us on there. That to be honest with you,” she said. was like the big outing moment,” Poe said not being able to show she said. simple signs of affection, such as While no family members have holding Court’s hand, in front of been outright about their views, her parents was devastating. many don’t want to speak to her “I just wanted to respect my any more. dad and my mom’s wish“They’re just uncomfortable,” es,” said Poe. “They were she said. “So when we go out, ashamed, and they were they don’t ask. We don’t mentrying to figure out a tion it. We don’t talk about it. way to be comfortable That entire part of my life they with it.” completely ignore - it’s not When the relevant to them,” she said. strain became “In a lot of ways, I think too much, Poe that’s worse. I’d rathspoke to her er them respect me as a mother about person than pretend I’m Court’s sleeping not real or that what arrangements, I’m going through isn’t and begged her to real,” she added. let Court stay in While Poe loved Court, her room. about four months ago, “I was like, she decided to break up ‘We’re always with her. Poe’s depresapart. We’re never, sion and anxiety were ever together. For getting worse, and she you to not let her didn’t want to hold Court sleep in the same back. bed as me is ridicu“I was just in a really, lous. It doesn’t make really low place in my any sense to me. You life,” she said. “And I’m know we’re together. only going lower and It’s not like we won’t lower right now, to be find a way to do whathonest with you. I knew ever it is you’re worthat I was only going to ried about,’” she said. get worse, and I knew Poe said her moththat she loved me too er will often ask quesmuch to realize she tions about her sex life deserves better, and - questions she would she would just stay. never dream of askShe would let herself ing her brother. suffer and be with “To her, sex is me because I’m her CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRA GOMES guy/girl. So, it’s first everything.” agomes5@student.framingham.edu like penetration Shayna Yacyshyn/THE GATEPOST Poe said near the

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

APRIL 14, 2017

ARTS & FEATURES | 23

THE GATEPOST

Making Summer Plans? Take a course to help you catch up or get ahead in your studies! SUMMER SESSIO

N I:

May 30 – June 30 SUMMER SESSIO

N II:

11 July 10 – August

978-665-3182 • gceadvisor@fitchburgstate.edu

Edited by Timothy ParkerApril 14, 2017 T-MINUS THE REST By Timothy E. Parker ACROSS 1 What China and Mongolia do 5 Eliminates a debt 9 Metal door fasteners 14 Type of eagle or Ranger 15 Hog vittles 16 Home made from white blocks 17 Figurative albatross 18 Like immature grapes 19 Thwarts 20 Who went to market for the baby boy? 23 Col. Hannibal Smith and the boys 24 Necklace of flowers 25 “Very interesting ...” 27 Cover for a bald spot 28 Food for baby 31 Quieted with meds 34 Come clean? 36 Once-___ (quick examinations) 37 Fire truck’s VIP? 40 Some common cookies 42 Bats’navigational tool 43 Least strong 46 Take down a ___ (humble) 47 Be a competitor 50 Hallucinatory tab

51 53 55 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 DOWN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21

Stew morsel, sometimes Choice in roulette Statement from a jealous, skeptical cap? Like many action-film heroes Stick below decks Shivery fever Garden bug Ireland, affectionately Gin-and-tonic garnish Very small Operation reminder Give the appearance of Hilo greetings Tuna’s smaller relative Still shrink-wrapped on the shelf Electric car maker “Look over here” sound What little things mean “___ be sorry!” Shoppers’binges Audiophile’s purchase some decades ago Eagerly interested Not as substantial What anything plastic is Distress message Uncompromising situation?

22 26 29 30 32 33 34 35 37 38 39 40 41 44 45 47 48 49 52 54 56 57 58 59 60

Kind of chart Medical drama VIPs Strapped on the feedbag ___ Beta Kappa Queen mother, e.g. Swear to be true Starter for “binding” or “making” Nine consonants? Pain in the butt, ironically Champagne-opening sound U2 hit Pussycat’s mate on a boat Play with Play-Doh Place to muddy up Grammar topics Broccoli or lettuce, informally Really get into a plot? Treasure highly Top floor of many homes Common lab containers Not needing to diet Buffalo Bill’s last name Repeated, it’s a Polynesian island Still-life pitcher Surface for some exercises

Last issue’s solutions

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

24 | SPORTS

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

SPORTS BASEBALL

Rams offense explodes, scores at least nine in four straight games By Jen Fortin Staff Writer Framingham State had a high-scoring week, totaling 41 runs in four games. Friday’s game against Dean College was a 1210 win, as both teams combined for 18 hits, with only four errors. Kyle Pileski went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while Robert Higgins also had three RBIs and went 4-for-7. Both Pileski and Higgins belted homeruns in the win. Kennedy Wilson went 2-for-2, with two RBIs. Dean’s Conor Callery also hit a homerun, which brought in three runs in the fourth for the Boomers. Alex Erwin pitched the first four innings for the Rams, allowing five hits, six runs and five walks, while striking out three. Mike Andrews relieved him to get the win, while allowing four hits, three runs and striking out three. Blake Waters and Michael Raymond closed the game, pitching one inning each, allowing a combined two hits and one walk, while striking out two. This win for the Rams moves them 2-0 in the league and 11-9 overall.

FINAL FRAMINGHAM STATE DEAN

12 18 10 11

4 1

The Rams split a pair against MCLA on Saturday, losing game one 12-10, but shutting out the Trailblazers 10-0 in the second game. Al Wallach pitched 2.1 innings, allowing for nine hits, 10 runs and a walk. He took the loss. Chris Riga relieved Wallach, allowing one run, but was unable to record an out. Josh Jezouit pitched the remainder of the game, allowing just one run to score, as he struck out three. Manny Powers’ two homeruns and double to left combined for six RBIs. Matthew Brockett’s two bases loaded walks in the first and seventh innings each brought in one, giving him 2 RBIs for the game. The Rams totaled nine hits, 14 walks, seven strikeouts and were left on base 13 times. The Trailblazers totaled 10 RBIs, with Bill Pulasky leading the team with three, while three other players had two each.

FINAL/7 MCLA FRAMINGHAM STATE

Photo Courtesy of fsurams.com Robert Higgins makes a throw in a game against Plymouth State. The Rams fell to the Panthers by a final score of 14-9.

The Rams had a much more eventful second game against MCLA, with Kevin Connelly pitching the entire game, allowing no runs and only three hits against the 28 batters he faced. Two walks and seven strikeouts gave Connelly his third win for the season, as he was named Division III’s New England Pitcher of the Week. Ryan Wardwell went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and Higgins totaled three hits in three at bats. Brockett again had three RBIs off of his two hits in the game. Three quick outs was the trend for the MCLA offense, which did muster a double in the top of the second inning, but could not score after an infield hit to Higgins, who got the runner out at home. After facing MCLA, the Rams moved to 3-1 in the MASCAC, with a 12-10 overall record.

FINAL/7

12 16 10 9

1 3

MCLA FRAMINGHAM STATE

A 14-9 loss against Plymouth State brought the team to a .522 overall win percentage so far on the season. The FSU offense totaled 10 hits with six RBIs, two each from Wardwell and Aaron Williams, and one from both Powers and Higgins. Striking out 17 times and leaving 10 stranded, the Rams struggled offensively against the Panthers. Plymouth State’s Jarek Krajewski totaled four RBIs off of his two hits in the game, contributing to the teams 13 total RBIs. Mitch Sytulek and Nate Frederick’s homeruns combined to score three runs back to back in the fifth and sixth innings. Framingham’s Kyle Hodgson pitched seven innings and allowed for 12 hits, and nine runs, while striking out 10. Michael Raymond closed the game for the Rams and allowed for three runs to score, while walking three and striking out two.

FINAL

0 3 10 12

2 2

FRAMINGHAM STATE PLYMOUTH STATE

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

9 10 14 14

4 4

APRIL 14, 2017

Trivia

THE GATEPOST

Name the NHL players who finished in the Top 10 in Points during the 2016-17 regular season.

? Last Weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Answer: 1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2. Karl Malone 3. Kobe Bryant 4. Michael Jordan 5. Wilt Chamberlain

6. Dirk Nowitzki 7. LeBron James 8. Shaquille Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neal 9. Moses Malone 10. Elvin Hayes

SPORTS | 25

1. 100 - EDMONTON T2. 89 - PITTSBURGH T2. 89 - CHICAGO 4. 86 - WASHINGTON T5. 85 - TAMPA BAY T5. 85 - BOSTON 7. 82 - WINNIPEG 8. 77 - EDMONTON 9. 76 - SAN JOSE 10. 75 - ST. LOUIS

Tweet of the Week

TWITTER

Complete a course in just 3 weeks!

session

NEW!

Getting Ahead

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

My Way

May 22-June 9 Classes meet 5 days per week, in Bedford & Lowell and online. No class meeting on Monday, May 29th.

GET A QUICKStart ON YOUR EDUCATION THIS SUMMER AT

MIDDLESEX COMMUNITY COLLEGE! KEEP YOUR MOMENTUM GOING:

v College students â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Take transferable college courses while youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re home v Adult learners â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Get closer to that academic credential

Other Summer Schedule Options DAY SUMMER SESSIONS 5 May 30 - June 29 or July 10 - August 9 Classes meet 4 days per week, in Bedford & Lowell

ONLINE/EVENING SUMMER SESSIONS Â? June 5 - Aug. 1 or June 19 - Aug. 15 Classes meet 2 evenings per week, or online

Make your summer count. Register now for 2017 summer classes. Framingham State University offers undergraduate and graduate classes that fit your schedule. â&#x20AC;˘ 5-week, 8-week & 12-week sessions â&#x20AC;˘ Morning, afternoon, evening, hybrid and online courses â&#x20AC;˘ Over 100 courses offered entirely online Learn more at www.framingham.edu/summer or call the Continuing Education Office at 508-626-4603

framingham.edu

To learn more, call 1-800-818-3434 or visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/summer FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

THE GATEPOST

26 | SPORTS

APRIL 14, 2017

SOFTBALL

Rams continue hot streak, 11-2 in their last 13

Jarid Brogan | THE GATEPOST The Rams won four of five last week, totaling 43 hits and 28 runs. Framingham has opened the season 17-7, after starting last year 8-16 through its first 24 games.

By Liam Gambon Staff Writer The Rams took on Keene State in an extra-innings victory. With the win, the Rams improve to 14-6 on the year. The Rams took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Dayna Marchant tripled and came in to score on an infield single by Mycala Moody. Keene State snatched the lead with three runs in the top of the second. The Rams got one run back in the bottom of that inning. Kylie Boyle singled and advanced to third on an error in the Owls’ outfield. Lauren Salisbury singled to right scoring Boyle, cutting the deficit to 3-2. In the top of the third, Keene State pushed the lead back to two runs. In the bottom of the frame, Kayla Finacchiaro cut the deficit back to one with an RBI single. The Rams plated two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. Keene State answered with the tying run in the top of the seventh. The Rams won the game in extras off of an error. Jessica Pietersen earned the win in the circle, going four innings in relief. She allowed one earned run, on two hits, with two strikeouts.

FINAL/8

KEENE STATE FRAMINGHAM STATE

5 8 6 11

4 3

The Rams took the first game of a doubleheader against MCLA by a score of 10-2, in a shortened six-inning game. With the win, the Rams improved to 15-6 on the season.

Kelsi Gunarathne earned the victory in the opener, going six innings and allowing two earned runs, on four hits, with seven strikeouts. Boyle led the Rams at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Megan Downing chipped in with three hits, including a double and three RBIs, while Anna Dziok contributed by adding a pair of hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.

FINAL/6 MCLA FRAMINGHAM STATE

2 4 10 13

0 0

In game two, the Trailblazers led 6-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Rams rallied for two runs to tie the game. Bridget McGrail grounded out to plate the first and an overthrow by the Trailblazers allowed the tying run to cross the plate. In the top of the seventh, the Trailblazers were retired in order. In the bottom of the inning, Dziok led off with a single and moved to second on a base hit by Finacchiaro. Dziok was lifted for a pinch runner, Kristen Dick, and she scored the deciding run on a single by Downing. The Rams moved to 16-6 off of Finacchiaro’s efforts, as she earned the win in the circle, going 1.1 innings in relief, allowing no runs, on no hits, with two strikeouts.

FINAL

MCLA FRAMINGHAM STATE

6 12 7 9

4 1

The Rams played a double-header against Nichols, splitting the series, winning the second game of the two. Gunarathne took the loss for the Rams despite tossing 5.1 solid innings. Gunarathne allowed three runs, two earned, on nine hits, with six strikeouts. Nichols got on the board first in game two with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Christina Drake singled with runners on second and third to score a run and Jessica Kueling followed with an RBI single to center. Framingham State tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Marchant reached on an error and scored on a wild pitch and Finacchiaro plated a run with a single to center. The Rams grabbed their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning on a three-run homerun to deep left by Dziok. Pietersen earned the win in the circle for the Rams, going seven innings and allowing three earned runs, on seven hits, with four strikeouts. The Rams are now 17-7 on the season.

FINAL

NICHOLS FRAMINGHAM STATE

3 12 0 3

0 0

FINAL

NICHOLS FRAMINGHAM STATE

3 5

7 7

1 1

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

THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

SPORTS | 27

WLAX

Rams sluggish stretch continues, fall to 6-5 By Richard Tranfaglia Staff Writer Framingham State lost a MASCAC matchup against Bridgewater State by a score of 10-6 on Apr. 8. The Bears had a strong start, scoring the first six goals of the game. Elizabeth Ettridge recorded a hat trick in the first 10 minutes of the game. Victoria McDonough accounted for two of the goals and Brooke Buckner also scored during the run. Grace Gamache got the Rams on the board a little over halfway through the half, to make it 6-1. The Bears answered with consecutive goals by Alex Lynch and McDonough, extending the lead to seven. Gamache responded by scoring two goals in a two-minute span, becoming the third player in the game to score a hat trick. Nicole Pacheco added another goal for the Rams, cutting the lead to four. About a minute before the half, Melissa Renauld scored, giving the Bears a 9-4 lead at intermission. In a defensive heavy second half, Audrey Duhaime managed to get one passed Bears goalie Allie Forman at the 18:20 mark. Gamache scored her fourth of the day a minute later, making it a 9-6 game. Ettridge’s late goal reached the final mar-

gin in the contest. The Bears outshot the Rams 30-17. Ettridge led the Bears with seven shots on goal, while Gamache led the Rams with five. Forman had eight saves for the Bears and Indigo Fox Tree-McGrath had 13 stops for the Rams. The Rams dropped to 6-4 on the season and 1-1 in the MASCAC.

FRAMINGHAM STATE BRIDGEWATER STATE

6 10

The Rams lost to Curry College on Wednesday, Apr. 12, by a score of 11-10. Curry struck first with a goal by Malorie Knowlton at the 22:28 mark. Gamache responded for the Rams with back-to-back goals, giving FSU a 2-1 lead. Dohaime added to the Rams lead just 13 seconds later. The Colonels answered with four consecutive goals by Courtney Lima, Abby Carnevale, Knowlton and Kelly Parker. Pacheco and Duhaime came right back for the Rams, tying the game at five. Parker gave the Colonels a one-goal lead going into half, scoring at the 3:37 mark. Coming out of the half, Gamache again

scored consecutive goals to put the Rams up by one. Pacheco extended the Rams lead to two, just a little over a minute later. Carnevale cut the Rams’ lead back to one, scoring unassisted. Kimberly Foley got in on the scoring for the Rams to push the lead back up to two. The Colonels then scored three straight goals in less than a two-minute span, to take a one-goal lead. Knowlton, Parker and Lauren Carroll each contributed a score. Gamache scored her fifth goal of the game, to make it 10-10. Abigail Guilfoil ended up scoring the would-be game winner at the 7:16 mark for the Colonels. The Colonels outshot the Rams 29-28. Parker led with 12 shots on net, while Gamache led the Rams with eight shots. Tree-McGrath made 12 saves in the loss and Rachel Smith recorded nine saves for Curry. The Rams move to 6-5 on the season.

FRAMINGHAM STATE CURRY

10 11

Agree to Disagree MIKE WHO SHOULD WIN NBA MVP...

HARDEN

MATT

JOSE

WESTBROOK WESTBROOK

WHO WILL WIN NBA FINALS...

WARRIORS

SPURS

WARRIORS

WHO WILL WIN STANLEY CUP...

BLACKHAWKS

RANGERS

CAPITALS

WHO SHOULD BE ALL-NBA FIRST-TEAM CENTER...

GOBERT

TOWNS

DAVIS

NBA FIRST ROUND UPSET PICK...

CHI OVER BOS

MIL OVER TOR

UTA OVER LAC

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

28 | PHOTOS

THE GATEPOST

Darian O’Donnell/THE GATEPOST

APRIL 14, 2017

Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST

Mr./Ms./Mx. FSU Creative Commons

SUAB held their first combined Mr./Ms./Mx. FSU pageant on Thursday evening in DPAC. Amanda Martin/THE GATEPOST

Darian O’Donnell/THE GATEPOST

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