The Equinox 2.7.19

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THE EQUINOX The student voice of Keene State College

Vol. 71, Issue #15

Thursday, February 7, 2019

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» SEE SCHOOL SPIRIT B1

» SEE BALANCING CLASSES AND MUSIC A7

» SEE STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM B8

Maher moving on Interim Director of Campus Safety will ensure a seamless transition upon Maher’s last day VINCENT MOORE

Equinox Staff The new year is bringing a new Interim Director of Campus Safety to Keene State College.

Director of Campus Safety Jeffrey Maher accepted a position working on behalf of the attorney general’s office at St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH, and will be replaced in an interim capacity by Interim Director of Campus Safety Kevin Williams.

Maher said that Campus Safety has been working to ensure a seamless transition in leadership before his last day at KSC, Feb. 1.

“We’ve been fortunate enough in that Mr. Williams arrived here on Tuesday and during that time, I had hours and will have additional hours with him to talk to him about campus culture, some of the initiatives we have underway, some of the staffing needs that we have here at campus safety and to make him generally aware of the environment he’s entering,” Maher said.

Born and raised in Detroit, Williams said he studied in criminal justice and was recruited right out of college to work for the Los Angeles Police Department for 20 years, before retiring and moving to Oregon, where he was eventually hired to be the Chief and Director of Public Safety at the University of Oregon. Williams said he also worked for Arizona State University and the University of Michigan before coming to work at KSC. “This was an opportunity to come here and help the school out while they looked for another director,” Williams said.

Having spent less than a week on campus, Williams said that his experience on campus has been great, “The people here, the students that I’ve met, the faculty, the staff, everybody’s been so friendly. It’s almost like I’ve been living here for a long time.”

Williams said his philosophy towards the job stems from having worked at three higher education institutions previously, the experience helped shape his approach.

“To me, we’re here to support the students. Without the students, there wouldn’t be any need for us… I’m going to have a meeting with all the staff and I’m going to let them know here’s my philosophy: We will treat everybody with dignity and respect. There will be no exceptions. It doesn’t matter what a person’s race, creed, color, gender identity, sexual preference, political leaning, it doesn’t matter. Our most precious asset on a college campus are the students.

I’m not saying that the faculty and staff aren’t valuable; they are. But I know that the most important are the students.

They pay the salary, they’re the reason why we exist,” Williams said.

Williams said that he believes in making campus safety a source of position interaction with students, “I don’t believe in occupying forces, I don’t believe in chasing students down and putting cases on them. My belief is campus security, campus policing, and campus engagement should be about helping students become better leaders in their lives. That means, that if a student has done something that

they shouldn’t have done, and particularly if they haven’t hurt anybody, this probably a teachable moment.”

President Melinda Treadwell said that Williams will serve as Interim Director of Campus Safety for the rest of Spring semester while the college searches for a full-time replacement.

“Part of why we selected him as our interim, and we’re thrilled to get him, is that his background not only dealt with safety in the public sector, as a police officer, but he’s also been on a number of college campuses and he specifically has done incident command work. So as we look at our emergency response and communications one of his charges is to help us update our emergency planning and response activities. So that’s part of what he’ll do with us during his appointment, thrilled to have him,” Treadwell said.

Despite her enthusiasm for the new appointee, Treadwell said that Maher’s departure is a loss for the college, “I think Jeff was part of the reason we’ve done such successful work with expanding our reporting culture around Title IX at Keene State I think during his tenure. Because he is so professional and approachable and competent in his work that I think he has been someone that people will go to and tell their stories and he will follow through and conduct objective investigations and move to findings quickly.”

“He’s pursuing his dream… we’ll miss him but we wish him well and he’s going to be a remarkable asset to the state dealing with issues of sexual misconduct and adjudication, so he’s going to be a champion,” Treadwell said.

Reflecting on his time spent at KSC, Maher said, “I would like to say that this has been a tremendous experience for me. I’m grateful for it, that the past three and a half years I’ve been at Keene State have been very rewarding, and perhaps none more so than having the opportunity to work with our student body. They are truly an exceptional group, as well as the staff here at Campus Safety. It’s been my privilege and honor to work with them and trying to deliver a level of service here to the community that our students, staff, and faculty deserve.”

Section A: News .................1-3 Opinions ...........4-5 A&E ..................6-8 Associated Collegiate Press

Section B: Student Life...1-4 CC....................5 Sports............6-8

- Jeffrey Maher

Vincent Moore can be contacted at vmoore@kscequinox.com BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Top Headlines

Index

“I would like to say that this has been a tremendous experience for me,”

A4: A winter wonderland A8: Listening for meaning B1: School Spirit B8: Started from the bottom

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News / A2

Thursday, February 7, 2019

BRIEF

NOTHING TO FEAR IN THE AIR Physical plant says the steam from the ground is safe MATT GOSELIN

Equinox Staff The steam coming out of the sidewalk on Appian way is not dangerous. According to Bill Rymes, Plumbing and Heating advisor, the steam is caused by a condensate leak coming from a small hole in some old piping.

The campus buildings are heated using a steam distribution system.The steam is generated in the plant and then moved to all the buildings. Once the steam is used, it turns back to a liquid, condensate, form and is sent back to the plant to be reused. The leaks that have steam coming from them are happening when the condensate is on its way back to the plant to be reused. So the pipes aren’t actually leaking steam, they are leaking hot liquid from the pipes that is turning into steam once it catches the air.

Due to Keene’s extremely high water table, Rymes said they have a problem keeping the water in the ground away from the pipes to prevent them from rotting and having leaks.

Although there are mass amounts of steam coming from the ground at some points on campus, the holes that its coming from are probably about the size of the tip of a pencil.

Some of the newer steam coming from the ground is due to the work being done on the addition to the Library. The vibrations from the site caused two different leaks where there is now steam coming from the ground. This, however, was anticipated

by Rymes.

There is only one food grade chemical added to the water in the power plant, and it has no effect on human health. Despite this, the steam still has some students wondering if it’s really safe to be breathing in. “Sometimes I wonder if the steam is the safest to be walking through or inhaling, it looks kind of dangerous,” said by Jed, a first-year at Keene State.

To fix the problem, Rymes stated they they are planning on replacing the affected area with a newer, better insulated pipe to prevent against further rot that will last for a longer period of time. This process, however can not be done in the cold weather.

So as long as the steam doesn’t pose any health or safety risks, they are going to let it go until the cold weather subsides.

Matt Goselin can be contacted at mgoselin@kscequinox.com SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Government shutdown affects Keene State students ALEX HARVEY

Equinox Staff

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LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

Keene State College students and faculty are lucky that they have been largely unaffected by the longest government shutdown in American history. Because Federal Student Aid was not directly affected by the shutdown, students at Keene State College were mostly unaffected, unless they or members of their families worked for the federal government. Students who worked for the government or interned in federal programs were affected however.

Professor ArmağanGezici said that while KSC has been relatively unaffected by the government shutdown, it’s possible that it could have been affected harder. Any students dependent on the federal government would have been affected by the shutdown, as would any federal employees on campus.

The most likely way that students would have been affected by the shutdown would have been if the shutdown affected FAFSA. Fortunately for students relying on financial aid, the Department of Education was one of the departments with a budget that was already approved.

Therefore FAFSA and other forms of federal student aid were largely not impacted by the shutdown, but students attempting to file FAFSA paperwork during the shutdown may have had problems.

“I have one student whose internship was delayed by the shutdown, but she’s now back to work.”

Gezici said. “She has a position with the Agricultural Development Agency. It is a state agency that she is interning for, but they got most of their funding from the federal government.”

When the shutdown started, the ADA offices in Vermont closed. Fortunately, the shutdown began over winter break and ended shortly after the spring semester began, so this student’s internship was relatively unaffected.

Associate Professor of Political Science at KSC William Bendix wrote, “Until major federal services were disrupted, most Americans didn’t notice the shutdown. And the shutdown ended before these disruptions were truly widespread.”

Gezici closed with: “It’s a weird mechanism how the federal government can shut down. It’s weird that we have a system in place like that, and I think that from this point on lawmakers will look into the possibility of eliminating that, and that’s a reasonable thing to do I think.” Gezici said she has a friend who works at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who was applying for a grant from the National Science Foundation, which is an agency that was affected by the shutdown. This delayed her application process considerably.

Lucy Smith is a senior at KSC, who is employed by the federal government. She declined request

for interview, because she did not feel comfortable answering questions, but said that she was impacted by the shutdown.

“The shutdown was about a wall, as we heard about it,” said Professor Armagan Gezici. Professor Gezici said that The House of Representatives and President Trump could not agree on a budget for 2019. “The House and The President couldn’t come to an agreement over how to allocate resources and how much money to put into border security.” President Trump decided not to approve of the budget for certain offices, which lead to the government shutting down.

Despite President Trump’s promise to shutdown the government again in a few weeks if funding for the border wall is not allocated, Gezici does not think that this will happen. When asked about this she said, “Well, there is speculation, but it seems very risky at this point for them to go through [with shutting down the government again]”. Gezici cited national security and public safety reasons for why she felt that the government would not shut down again.

Alex Harvey can be contacted at aharvey@kscequinox.com

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News / A3

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Registrar’s Office

Campus Safety Press Log

NOW HIRING

1/28 Noise complaint, Mason Library - 21:11 21:38 1/29 Odor of drugs, Carle Hall - 23:56 1/30 Assist - Law Enforcement, All campus 00:15

Understaffed Registrar’s Office still going strong TEDDY TAUSCHER

EQUINOX STAFF

Teddy Tauscher can be contacted at ttauscher@ksceuqinox.com

STUDENT ASSEMBLY PUJA THAPA

Business Manager

The Student Assembly was called to order at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Director of Campus Life Jennifer Ferrell announced the date of Presidential Inauguration for President Melinda Treadwell to be April 5, 2019. The inauguration will be a big celebratory event in the L.P. Young Student Center. The past inaugurations have taken place in the Spaulding Gym. According to Ferrell, there is going to be a series of events on the day and there is a need of number of student volunteers. After the hour and 15 minutes long event in the Mabel Brown Room, the whole first floor will be open for reception.

It will be followed by opening up a dancing space in the Mabel Brown

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Room 8 p.m. onwards. This year’s inauguration is going to to be intimate and different than the past ones according to Ferrell. Keene State’s only A cappella group Chock Full O’ Notes is going to perform during the ceremony.

Samantha Welch, president of Class 2022 elected in November was impeached unanimously due to lack of communication ever since her election. Welch didn’t contact respond or attended any of the e-board meetings so far according to the Speaker of Student Assembly Davis Bernstein.

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

1/30 Theft from building, Science Center 15:52 1/31 Controlled Drug Act Violation, Holloway Hall - 22:50 2/01 Unwanted person, Mason Library 10:05 2/02 Harassment, Mason Library - 09:40 2/02 Suspicious person, Young Student Center - 13:32

LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

Unbeknown to most students, the Registrar’s Office at Keene State College has been operating understaffed.

Registrar at Keene State College Barbara Cormier said it first started at the end of 2015, e. In late 2015 and early 2016 multiple staff members in the Registrar’s Office retired.

Cormier said more were hired to fill the gaps left by these retirements.

However, last year a volunteer separation was offered by the college.

Meg McIntyre for the Keene Sentinel reported on Dec. 10, 2017, that this consisted of a lump sum payment to the faculty or staff member and included either six months of medical coverage or another $2,500 lump sum.

Paul Cuno-Booth reported for the Keene Sentinel that about 50 staff members at Keene State accepted this voluntary separation.

This resulted in two early retirements from the Registrar’s office.

According to Cormier, Keene State considers the Registrar’s office as fully staffed at seven employees, however, by next week, the department will be down to just three. There is no impact on customer service because of the staffing problems, said Cormier. The staffing issues are more of a problem internally, she said, as she had to handle more tasks at once than usual. This has resulted in only minor issues, like a few students getting their graduation audit late. Another issue the Registrar’s Office dealt with while understaffed was students affected by dropped classes showing up with a grade at the end of the semester.

Cormier explained this problem the Registrar’s department had to deal with while understaffed. It was

a issue with Canvas where students who dropped a class at the beginning of a semester had that same class show up again at the end of the semester with a W(ithdrawl).

According to Cormier, this problem was originally thought to be a small issue with only a handful of students affected. However, they soon realized it was a far more widespread issue. In the end about 100 students were affected. The issue had never been seen by the Registrar’s office before, but the Registrar Technologist was able to find a solution. Cormier said she is confident the problem will not reappear.

When asked about the situation, Laura Seraichick, Chief Information officer of the IT department, referred The Equinox to the Registrar’s office.

When four students all of different classes were asked about registering for classes, they all responded that they had no issues registering and adding classes despite the understaffing at the Registrar’s Office.

According to a Keene Sentinel article written by Cuno-Booth, Keene State is cutting 5.5 million dollars from its 2019 budget. This is in response to Keene State enrollment being down 29 percent in the last five years. Cormier explained that one result of the Voluntary separation policy is that it doesn’t take from each department evenly.

“There can be a mass exodus from one department and very little from another,” said Cormier. However, despite the loss of staff to her department, she seems in agreement with the policy. “It will get a little worse before it gets better,” Cormier said.

2/02 Theft from a building, Science Center 15:34 2/03 911 / Blue light activation, Science Lot - 13:04

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PINI NS

Opinions / A4

Thursday, February 7, 2019

EDITORIAL

A winter wonderland KIANA WRIGHT / OPINIONS EDITOR

Getting to class and back in one piece Snow people or not, here in New England we aren’t too surprised to get a foot or two of snow in just a few hours. The weather has its benefits - snowball fights, outdoor winter sports and easy accessible snow cones, but we can’t forget the dangerous risks that are presented during and after a snow storm.

Recent snowfall has created a nuisance for many students walking and driving around campus. Puddles and piles of slush has resulted in ruined pairs of shoes for students. Without proper shoes, like rain or snow boots, within minutes those walking around campus have their feet soaked due to the remains of the snowfall. Some of the other nuisances can be snow dragged into the buildings creating extra slippery floors at the entrances.

However, leftover snow may not always be a bad thing. Having an inch or so of snow coating the streets often beats slick black ice when driving. With a lack of proper street lighting in the area, snow is also easier to detect while driving. It may look messy but the plowing done in Keene State College parking lots and on the streets may be on purpose to actually make driving safer. And then during the sunnier days, some can still find beauty in these puddles.

Whether it’s the reflection of trees or the splash created when jovially leaping into one.

For students who live off-campus, plowing may not be as big of a concern. Some landlords are quick to make sure to plow driveways and parking lots for their residents. However, this will not prevent the

city from leaving some of the snow that escapes the side of their plows while clearing the streets.

As educated students we know there are many precautions that we can take to split the risks during these snowfalls in half.

Taking it slow on the road is very important - give the plows a little extra time to reach the back roads because they have a lot of gravel to cover. Be warm not stylish your slippers do not stand a chance against the slush. During this month especially, be aware of black ice and deep neverending puddles, because they are everywhere.

Thank your landlords for sending someone to plow your driveway, don’t stand next to puddles when cars are going by, and go buy a bag of salt for your stairs that are routing for you to fall.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR CONTRIBUTED CONTENT

Coming from a low-income background, it was always somehow taboo to talk about the fact that my family relied on food stamps to keep from going hungry.

This is getting to a point where I can’t stay quiet any It has always been this invisible and unspoken of ‘thing’ longer. This is absolutely horrible. from my experiences, and it always felt like getting free I’ve kept relatively quiet about my opinion upon the lunch or being open that my family needed assistance current government shutdown for my own personal to get groceries was something to be ashamed of. It was reasoning. never my choice to be in low-income housing, nor was it The Sentinel article “With food stamps funding set my parents or my brother’s. We got the short stick in life, to lapse, shutdown adds to struggles” by Liora Engel- and we’ve been making it work. I am now more open Smith prompted me to speak out. about where I came from today than I ever have been,

Colette RinkeR

THE EQUINOX

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MISSION: The Equinox exists to promote the free flow of information, to protect the First Amendment, to stimulate high standards in the practice of journalism and to foster excellence among student journalists.

wellbeing is being bargained for.

I have my own opinion on the wall, and others have theirs. I respect the fact that some individuals want this wall to be built, and I will listen to their reasoning. I understand the purpose behind this wall, and I will listen to the arguments our president has for it.

However, my family is not a bargaining tool for your arguments, Mr. President.

These families are not pawns in what is now turning out to be a frustrating and potentially devastating game.

We are not poker chips. Stop using us as such.

EQUINOX NEWSROOM

EDITORIAL POLICY

Faculty Advisor

The Equinox is a designated public forum. Student editors have full editorial control over the entire content of the paper.

All articles and opinion pieces are assigned, written and edited by students without censor by administrators, faculty or staff.

The Equinox is published Thursdays during the academic year with dates immediately preceding and following holidays omitted. The advertising deadline is 5 p.m. on the Friday prior to publication. The Equinox reserves the right to refuse advertising for any reason. Advertising is not accepted until it appears in the paper.

Letters to the editor must be written exclusively to The Equinox and are due by noon on the Friday prior to publishing.

All letters must include name and phone number for verification. The Equinox reserves the right to edit for style and length, and refuse any letters to the editor. For clarification and additional information on any above policies call 3582414. The Equinox business office is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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Opinions Editor Kiana Wright

and the reason is because of scenarios like this. Today, families and individuals living as low-income need more representation than ever because of how something as ridiculous as this shutdown could jeopardize their wellbeing.

This government shutdown has already made it increasingly difficult for my family right now, and to hear the stories of other families affected by the shutdown in situations worse than my own in my own community is horrifying. It is appalling to know that the people in my community are suffering because their

Emily Carstensen, Iris Pruletti, Haleigh Patch, Amanda Bevis, Alex Harvey, Katie Jensen, Kyle Wilson, Lindsay Gibbons, Julia Hawkins, Lily Ayotte, Kathryn Spadafora, McHale Burgess, Gwen Phillips, Jacqueline Pantano, Alyssa Borenko, Veronica Pamphile, Henry Hobson, Joe Guzman, David Payson, Brandon Moulton, Julia Guidi, Ethan Platt, Alexandria Saurman, Austin Cook, Anna Heindl, Matthew Kahlman, Emily Perry, Adriana Daniel, Jayden Rodgers, Soren Frantz, Nina Kljic, Bree Norton, Luke Sweeny, Jack Cimino, Sam Binigono, Sara Olson, Cal Sylvia, Ryan Pelligrinelli, Olivia Cattabringa, Paxton Blanchard, and Matthew Barriga.

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Opinions / A5

Thursday, February 7, 2019

STAFF COMMENTARY

Unreliable, inconsistent, and unsettling

Government jobs.

Trusting the Government with your future KATIE JENSEN

Equinox Staff

You’re fiyad!

LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

Keene State College students are aware of the fierce partisan debate happening in Congress over the southern border wall.

However, what should concern KSC students the most are the federal workers who have been furloughed or working without pay due to the government shutdown.

The United States government partially shut down on Dec. 20, 2018 after Democrats in the Senate refused a continuing resolution that included about five billion dollars in funding for a new border wall. The Department of Homeland Security (D.H.S.) stated in a press release that the funding would cover roughly 215 miles of “wall system” that comes equipped with sensory technology. Secretary of D.H.S. Kirstjen Nielsen also said the funding would replace dilapidated fencing and broken barriers along the border, as well as repair roads for border agents.

Congress is torn over the necessity to continue building a physical wall along the southern border.

During a press conference with President Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi stated that the wall is a “political promise” and “the experts say you can do border security without a wall, which is wasteful and doesn’t solve the problem.”

The gridlock in Congress has affected federal workers in every state across the nation. The New York Times reported that a total of 800,000 federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay.

STAFF COMMENTARY

Many of these people work for government departments and agencies such as Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, the Coast Guard and several more. Those who have a furloughed salary will not work or get paid for the remainder of the shutdown, but will retain their benefits and job security. Only half of the federal workers were ensured that they would get retroactive pay after the shutdown is resolved.

There are 230 undergraduates studying political science at Keene State College, according to the 2017 to 2018 KSC Factbook. Many of these students plan to work for the government in some capacity after graduating college or earning a graduate degree. Data U.S.A. regularly publishes data on job availability and recently reported that the most common occupations for political science majors are lawyers, judge magistrates and other judicial workers. Fortunately, the federal courts had enough money to continue operating through the 2018 to 2019 government shutdown.

However, if the shutdown went on long enough, the federal judiciary would exhaust their resources and be forced to make more cutbacks.

In extreme circumstances when the government shutdown lasts more than a few weeks, the federal courts would be forced to work without pay and delay civil court cases.

If students are planning to work for any government agency or department, they should be aware that these institutions become vulnerable during times of fierce political discourse. Controversy over budgetary issues, such as healthcare or homeland security,

can cause the government to shutdown and put federal workers in an uncomfortable position. The New York Times reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) has previously had to close 134 facilities across the nation. The agency has had to furlough the salaries of roughly 600 pollution inspectors who are responsible for inspecting chemical factories, power plants, oil refineries and many other industrial sites.

Criminal justice majors should also be aware that law enforcement agencies are vulnerable to government shutdowns as well. The Washington Examiner reported that over ten thousand law enforcement personnel were among those working without pay. The report stated: “That includes workers at the F.B.I., the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Prisons, Customs and Border Protection, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and more.”

Now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has entered an interlude. On Jan. 25, President Trump announced that payment would be resupplied to government workers until Feb.15.

This is only a temporary concession for members of Congress to renegotiate the appropriation bill concerning Homeland Security. Afterwards, no one knows what might happen.

That is the kind of volatility that comes with working for the government, and we wish the best for students pursuing that route.

Katie Jensen can be contacted at kjensen@kscequinox.com

STAFF COMMENTARY

Eating at home Doubled up KIANA WRIGHT

opinionS Editor After homework, emails, studying, and part-time jobs on top of that,and many student have a part time job on top of that, going for a quick easy fast food fix in the moment seems like the only way to eat before having to start the next day.

The Odyssey begins their article titled, “Fast Food and College Students” by talking about how broke college students are. It is no surprise that after tens of thousands of dollars in loans, we all are barely getting by.

The article then states, “However, somehow no matter how little money we have, we always seem to find a way to skip out on the dining hall and head straight on over to Chick-Fil-A…” Yes, the closest Chick-Fil-A is in Nashua, New Hampshire, an hour and six minutes away, but that doesn’t stop students from grabbing fast food. Wendys, McDonalds, Dominos, Dunkin Donuts and many more fast food places are less than five minutes down the road from campus.

In general, eating out is expensive, so stay home.

Going to Chipotle every once in a while is a great treat— but if you have a treat everyday, it’s not something you look forward to anymore. It’s not a good habit, and your wallet will thank you for saying “Adios” to that costly trend.

Getting into a habit is the hardest part, but eating at home or at your dorm is the way to go—and it’s the most inexpensive way to eat. For example, breakfast—something we might not be able to get up for all the time— is a necessity before classes. In Keene, there are many amazing restaurants that serve the most important meal of the day, but no matter how great these places are, they don’t always add up with the price we have to pay while being in college. Going to one of these places downtown, The Works for instance, buying a bagel, egg, cheese, and avocado (or any extra side) can add up to over eight dollars. Then, if you wanted to throw a smoothie in there, that’s another 5 dollars. Times that by at least five times a week, and that’s over 70 dollars, just for your breakfast—not even taking into account the next two meals and snacks! Reverse that, take the 70 dollars back and run to the local grocery store, lets see what we can make. Avocado, bagels, butter, cheese, eggs and frozen fruit all adds up to less than 30 dollars, and that will last an average person the entire week.

LUKE STERGIOU / PHOTO EDITOR

FOR MORE ON EATING AT HOME SEE ONLINE AT KSCEQUINOX.COM

Secondary Education English

LINDSAY GIBBONS

Equinox Staff Finally, students can pursue courses that interest them. Many college students choose their major based on their personal interests.

Others decide on majors that will move them towards a specific career. However, many students want more.

Here at Keene State College, students who want to pursue multiple avenues for their education have more options than they might think. Adding a minor or a double or dual major can enhance a student’s academic experience and give them an advantage in the job market.

The exact definitions of a dual major and a double major vary from school to school.

Generally, a dual major consists of two related majors that compliment each other well. Classes may also overlap within the two majors, making for easier scheduling. A double major means taking on two separate major and receiving two different degrees.

This option is often a lot more rigorous, with more classes being required because none of them overlap. It can be an extremely demanding option. Sometimes, if you don’t choose to take on a double major right away, you may even end up needing to take an extra semester or two just to fulfill all your requirements.

It may seem like a lot of work, but many students seem to be taking on the challenge.

According to the Chronicle of Education, the number of college students who are taking on a double major is on the rise. The number of undergraduates pursuing a double major is estimated to be between 30 to 40 percent.

Whether it is for a future job prospect or simply to further their education, students are becoming more and more ambitious in their education.

“Serious concentration in a secondary area

e

im

can be extremely marketable and employers are looking for that,” said Kathy Sims, director of the University of California Los Angeles career center. “It really does seem to be a great value.”

To employers, a double major demonstrates a willingness to work hard and take on difficult tasks. They can also indicate that you are flexible and adapt to change well.

“With double majors, students are saying, ‘I am interested in viewing the world through more than one discipline’s set of lenses,’” said Marlene McCauley, Associate Academic Dean at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina.

However, double majors are not something that should be taken lightly. While they can help you in the job market, double majors are a big commitment. In some circumstances, a double major can mean giving up free elective credits or needing to take an extra semester. Although no one should be too intimidated to take on a second major, it is a big decision to make. If you’re considering becoming a double or dual major, talk to the academic and career advising office, located in Elliot Hall, to see if it’s the right path for you.

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Lindsay Gibbons can be contacted at lgibbons@kscequinox.com

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LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

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Performing music for a cause Cal's

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Abar, the First Black Superman CAL SYLVIA

Equinox Staff

LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

The Hungry Owl teams up with public relations students RACHEL VITELLO

nEwS Editor The Keene State College Hungry Owl food pantry has teamed up with a group of Public Relations students to raise awareness for their mission on campus by hosting a concert, featuring local Keene bands. The Hungry Owl is a student-run food pantry that provides free food to students, faculty and staff. For a final project in a public relations class, students had to create a PR campaign for a non-profit organization.

KSC senior Kyle Heslin had been volunteering at the Hungry Owl last fall.

Those involved at the pantry were struggling to get more people to know about their services. Heslin was able to connect the Hungry Owl’s difficulty with awareness to his class project.

“In my PR class, we had the hypothetical project to design a campaign for a

client,” Heslin said. “Someone suggested to do an actual concert and we realized we could do this for real.”

KSC sophomore Rachel Marquis also helped with bringing together the concert. She said the main goal of the event is to get people on campus to know more about the Hungry Owl. “The whole thing was and always will be awareness,” Marquis said. “If they know what it (Hungry Owl) is, maybe they don’t know where it is and what we offer. After this, hopefully they will.”

The idea of putting on a concert began with simply wanting to do an event that people on campus would attend. KSC junior John Budenas was another student working on the project. Budenas said they originally thought of doing an open house event, but that a concert seemed like a more unique and fun idea. Student coordinator for the Hungry Owl, Max Foisey, also said that the weather was

another aspect to keep in mind.

“It was more important to find an event that could bring people together,” Foisey said. “Considering it’s New Hampshire and it is winter, we figured it’s too cold to do anything outside. We were bouncing around some ideas and thought some local bands would be a great way to keep things within the community.”

The bands that will be performing at the benefit concert include Afterimage, Omoo Omoo and Jailbait. The concert is also being sponsored by the fraternity Alpha Sigma Phi. “We’re (Alpha Sigma Phi) going to help out with donations and stuff, but it is really a Hungry Owl event,” Budenas said, who is a brother of Alpha Sigma Phi. “We want to be there to help them out because we do believe in what they’re doing.”

Along with the performances from the bands, a promotional video that the group created as part of the PR campaign

will also be shown. Foisey will also be giving a speech about the Hungry Owl. If the music and information isn’t enough to motivate students to attend, Hootie the Owl will also be in attendance. Students can receive Hootie’s Rewards points for showing up.

The only cost of admission for the concert is a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Hungry Owl. The concert is on Friday, Feb. 8 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Mabel Brown Room. Those interested should RSVP for the event on the concert’s Facebook page: Hungry Owl Benefit Show Feat. Afterimage, Omoo Omoo and Jailbait.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted rvitello@kscequinox.com

STAFF COMMENTARY

New video game gains excitement MATTHEW BARRIGA

Equinox Staff The newest project by Kojima Productions is shaping up to be one of Sony’s most anticipated exclusives so far this console generation.

According to Kojima Productions’ official website, the studio was established in Dec. of 2015. “Death Stranding” is a game currently in development by the young studio founded by famous developer Hideo Kojima. Kojima is mostly known for his work with the “Metal Gear Solid” series, as well as several other games that have received large amounts of critical acclaim.

However, what makes “Death Stranding” so distinct from previous Kojima titles is the approach being taken to marketing the game. Kojima has taken a different approach as opposed to typical marketing for a AAA title.

According to IGN, the game was announced in 2016.

It’s been three years since the announcement of the project, and where most studios would have given the public exciting gameplay, in-depth looks at the games mechanics, or even a general overview of the game’s plot— Kojima has shown little to nothing.

Aside from a few teaser trailers and minimal gameplay demonstrations, the studio has been very cautious about revealing too much information on their upcoming title.

One obvious reason for the huge amount of hype for this game is the number of big names attached to the project. Kojima himself is widely renowned in the gaming world, and is generally known to push the boundaries of the industry in ways no one expects.

However, after his departure from Konami, it’s clear that Kojima is using this freedom to his full advantage.

Norman Reedus, from “The Walking Dead,” has taken on the role of motion capture and voice acting for the games’ protagonist Sam Bridges (or Sam Porter, little is

known about the characters identity).

Famous actor Mads Mikkelsen has also been attached to the project in a seemingly villainous role.

Even Guillermo del Toro, widely known for creating blockbuster films such as “Pacific Rim” and “The Hobbit” series, is working with the studio.

Kojima even managed to hire top-class voice actor Troy Baker, who has made a name for himself by delivering exceptional performances in other PS4 exclusives such as “The Last of Us” and the “Uncharted” series.

With so many talented writers and performers, it’s hard to imagine that “Death Stranding” can be anything but revolutionary.

Even without a known release date, the game is reaching huge levels of excitement.

The unofficial subreddit for the game has reached nearly 40,000 subscribers since its creation, with a rapidly growing community. And this is where Kojima Productions has excelled in their marketing technique—the community.

The game is promising to be revolutionary—something the industry hasn’t done before.

The game has hinted towards many vague and convoluted concepts such as time-accelerating rain and invisible enemies. With so many vague ideas being thrown into the mix, it’s only a matter of time before theories begin circulating around the internet.

The community around this game has been frantically pulling apart every trailer and announcement in search of answers. Discussions between content creators about their predictions have fueled the fire of hype leading up to this release.

And that’s where the genius in this project lies. By giving out very minimal information, Kojima Productions has allowed their dedicated community to spread the word for them.

Theories about time travel and death being not a sign of failure, but a core mechanic of the game, have been

floating around everywhere.

Yet, all that’s really been shown gameplay-wise is protagonist Sam (played by Norman Reedus) walking around an empty (and seemingly boring) environment.

Kojima’s minimal supply of information has lead consumers to go on a frenzy of theories and discussions, which has provided nothing but free press for the upcoming project.

However, with so many questions still in the air, one thing is certain—the public cannot wait to get their hands on the game.

This is the unorthodox yet genius marketing strategy that could only come from the mind of Hideo Kojima himself.

Matthew Barriga can be contacted at mbarriga@kscequinox.com

It’s not exactly a secret that audiences love superhero movies. Since 2012, they’ve made a combined total of more than $1 billion each year.

Worldwide, they grossed more than $4.75 billion in 2016, more than $5.25 billion in 2017, and more than $8.25 billion in 2018 (Box Office Mojo).

2019 is already off to a start for superhero movies, with M. Night Shyamalan’s “Glass” grossing more than $160 worldwide in its first two weeks, and it wouldn’t be surprising if all three Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movies made at least $1billion internationally. In addition, two DC movies, two standalone X-Men movies and an R-rated Hellboy movie are to be released in 2019, prompting me to believe that superhero movies will make even more this year than they did last year.

In any case, I thought it would be interesting to balance the plethora of modern superhero movies with a review of a superhero film from more than four decades ago: “Abar, the First Black Superman.”

What makes “Abar” interesting in comparison to most if not all superhero movies that came after it is the fact that, while it’s a superhero movie in technicality, it’s hardly a superhero movie at all. The majority of the movie focuses on the residents of the film’s setting rather than any superhero, and with only the just treatment of local people at stake, the scale is nowhere near as large as that of most superhero movies. The character who becomes a superhero does not do so until the last half hour of the film, and he’s not the protagonist.

“Abar” takes place in an unnamed Southern location occupied by white racists. The titular character Abar (Tobar Mayo) believes that “blacks” who live in ghettos must rise up against the white racists in order to have justice. Meanwhile, Kincade family (J. Walter Smith, Roxie Young, Gladys Lum and Tony Rumford) become the only black family in their neighborhood, and their neighbors treat them with unimaginable cruelty, picketing their house, referring to them by racial slurs, spreading false rumors about people of color—and that’s when they’re at their nicest. At their worst, they emotionally and physically assault the family.

Dr. Kincade insists upon staying in the neighborhood, as it is within proximity to a lab where he can create a serum to give a living being superpowers.

Abar happens to be physically strong enough to take it, and the First Black Superman is born.

As a superhero movie with a superhero only in the third act, “Abar” starts out as a mixture of ups and downs; conflicts and character accomplishments that push the story along are interesting, but some conversation scenes are boring, and some scenes could be cut from the film entirely. In terms of both continuity and logic, multiple parts of the story do not make sense. Thankfully, the film does become more interesting as Dr. Kincade makes progress with his invention—and seeing a character get to his or her goal is always intriguing.

With that in mind, I must view “Abar” not only as an unconventional superhero movie but as a movie in general, and as a movie in general, it certainly has its drawbacks. One must go into “Abar” knowing it is a B-film. It is so blurry that pixels are visible, and the shaky cam additionally hurts the film’s look. Most of the movie is poorly framed, and even in a shot with good composition, color and lighting, the shaky cam and/or pixilation prevent it from looking great.

Unfortunately, cinematography is far from the only flaw of this movie. One fight scene is poorly choreographed. The film’s score is either unoriginal or cookie cutter. Much of the dialogue feels tacky, inauthentic, forced or just unfitting, and people talk in a flat manner reminiscent of a 60s film, if not an earlier one. The words “cardboard,” “monotone” and “emotionless” could properly describe the acting at many points in the film. For the most part, I didn’t mind these shortcomings, as

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Balancing classes and music

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Music madness

LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

Divorce lawyer CORALINE SEKSINSKY

WKNH Music Director

CONTRIBUTED BY AFTERIMAGE

Pursuing a degree while being in a college band JOSEPH GUZMAN

equiNox staff Between keeping track of your classes, studying and trying to maintain a social life, there’s a lot that people are trying to keep on their plate. In terms of things that require a lot of time and practice and would interfere with those other things, being in a band would be a big one. It can’t be easy trying to do what most consider a full career while also trying to juggle multiple classes, extracurriculars and friends. It’s even more difficult because you need to put more effort into getting decent exposure early on.

One of the bands that give viewers some more insight into what to expect is the experimental indie rock band named Jailbait. Made of members Alyssa Taylor (rhythm guitarist/vocalist), Lilly Okker (bassist/vocalist), Michael Reed (lead guitarist), and newest member Anna O'Brien (drummer), the band addressed a common misconception about their group. Taylor explained that, “Since we are a pretty new band and three-fourths of the members are girls, there are a very small amount

of people that don't take us seriously as a band... We are hoping to broaden our shows to more areas around New England and set up recording time in a studio in Boston to possibly record an album instead of recording it in Lilly’s room.”

The classic alt-rock band Afterimage also discussed a misconception they face. The band is made up of members Griffin Romprey (lead vocals), Brandon Curcio (guitar), Casey Daron (bass), Jason Coburn (keyboards), and Andy LeCuyer (drums).

Daron said, “People sometimes think that we aren’t as serious as professional bands, and that we are just playing for fun. In actuality, we play shows outside of Keene weekly, and have released two EPs over the past two years. While we do have a lot of fun with the band—especially at our basement shows—we are extremely hardworking and dedicated to our craft.”

Instrumental psych-rock band Omoo Omoo commented as well. Danny Kamps (guitar/keyboards), Jeff Kolter (bass), and Dave Painchaud (drums/guitar) make up the group. Kamps said, “I think some people expect us to be a relatively quiet

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responsibility there. Whether it be really big, or just, really small," said Basha.

Amadon had a different viewpoint, “I don’t think that anyone should be told not to make art that they believe in. The artists don’t have any control, if they’re not specifically telling their fans to do it, if they’re not inciting it. If they’re just saying something, that is not their responsibility as to what other people do. If you’re worried about young children, if that’s your concern, then that’s more of a parental problem—where a parent should filter that better.”

Magee cut her own path, somewhere down the middle. “I do believe that, if it’s your art, you should portray it however you want to, but at the same time, as a creator, you have to think about who will be viewing this, how will they take it, y’know. You can’t trust the fact that, ‘oh, whoever watched that, they’ll be fine, they won’t be affected by this, cause it’s not real.’ I wouldn’t say [the artists] should be held legally responsible, cause they don’t control somebody. Morally responsible—that’s more of a grey area, cause that’s more up to the person themselves if they feel morally responsible,” Magee said.

It’s clear that the issue is still under debate, and most likely will be for years to come. The only viewpoint that all the interviewees can agree on is that movies, television, and music have the potential to give hope and teach acceptance, and that’s what the platforms should be used for.

Tessa DesMarais can be contacted at tdesmarais@kscequinox.com

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band, since so many places to play around here are places like bars and restaurants. We don’t pride ourselves on being particularly loud, but I do think we take some people by surprise by our presence.”

Being a part of a band, you have to utilize your resources for more exposure. One of the ways a band can do this is use some of the campus resources. Daron of Afterimage explained that, “We have been featured on WKNH many times over the years. We have also played many on-campus events, including Rocktoberfest and the KSC Carnival.” Others took a different approach.

Jailbait’s member Taylor said, “We have connected with other bands across campus to get a show going, and our friend Collin actually helped us set one up at his house with his band Dispøsed, without him we probably would've been too timid to really keep this going at Keene.” Omoo Omoo’s way of seeking on campus help differs from their peers, Kamps explained, “Our bass player Jeff went to Keene State for film and a few of his contacts in the local film scene have helped us with video projects, among other things.”

All three bands have a concert in the Maple Brown Room on Friday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. The event is sponsored by Alpha Sigma Phi, who will be accepting donations of nonperishable food items as suggested for entry.

All of the items will be given to the Hungry Owl, the food pantry on campus. Headliners Afterimage expressed their excitement by saying, “We are extremely excited to perform on the Mabel Brown stage again!

The event is supporting such an important cause, and we are very happy to be a part of it. Plus we’ll have our friends from Jailbait and Omoo Omoo opening up for us, so how could you not love that?” Jailbait also stated that this will be their first performance with O’Brien as their drummer, and they can't wait to perform with Omoo Omoo and Afterimage again. Last but not least, Omoo Omoo mentioned that they are grateful for groups like Afterimage and Jailbait for supporting live music in the area because “places to play rock have really dried up.”

Joseph Guzman can be contacted at jguzman@kscequinox.com

10 years ago in January, Jordaan Mason, joined by their collective orchestra The Horse Museum, released what would be an earmark album in the cannon of queer art. “Divorce Lawyer I Shave my Head” is a tender yet confrontational record. It is at times singing, angelic even, and at others it is dark, grimey and abrasive. An album of contradictions and hard to swallow notions.

The album opens with a confrontation of a cis/hetero notion of sex and love, all the while providing a grotesque and beautiful image all on it’s own.

This is the opening line to the opening track “Bird’s nest”: “my mouth is filled with his ovaries. I hold them, here: between my teeth.” Right off the bat, Mason makes the scope of the album perfectly clear.

There will be trans bodies, there will be sex, and there will be an unflinching look at how those bodies sexuality interact, rendered in a wooded inky sludge.

According to the album’s liner notes, the album portrays the divorce between two genderqueer individuals in the middle of a violent war known as the “glandolinian war in 1990.”

The songs’ lengths shoot from around two minutes and all the way to eight minutes. It is a winding release.

The longest song on the record is also the most jagged, which can make the album a tough end to end listen. But it’s worth it.

The songs are lush and well crafted, the swelled ranks of The Horse Museum, an ensemble 12 members strong, provide rich musical accompaniment.

The lyrics and vocal performance join to give life to the imagery in the album.

Everything is felt in full.

This album’s importance is in how it does not flinch from the realm of the dysphoric.

Those things which even in the trans community are tended toward not being spoken about.

They evoke a kind of sickening sadness about the disparity between body and reality. It is the way that Mason fearlessly portrays the trans body and the rigors of loving in a trans body are revealed in the line “Are you a girl with a c**k? I’m a boy who can’t talk.”

Trans bodies don’t really exist all that much in the lyrical music we listen to.

There are a few references here or there; that song Lola. Lou Reed wrote about trans women and queer folks. But they were cis men. Their songs may be great— a lot of people say they are.

Divorce Lawyers I Shave My Head isn’t just a quick glance or reference to the existence of trans bodies and the complexities of our love and sex.

As trans people—FYI I am a trans women, meaning my pronouns are she/ her—our bodies and the myriad of ways we feel in them are often obscured and oppressed by a cis-normative society.

Reed and whoever wrote “Lola” don’t illuminate the battleground of experience that is being a trans person in this cis world.

They do not express how hard it can be to love someone, to make love with them, when you are constantly working through your on personal bodily exploration, or to hate your body and project onto yourself or your lover, the transphobic and cisexsist prejudiced which is so prevalent in society.

Mason focuses on these experiences.

They paint these scenes with lovely impressionism. It is unflinching. There are amazing songs to be heard here.

Coraline Seksinsky can be contacted at wknhmusic@gmail.com

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Listening for meaning How artists address mental health issues TESSA DESMARAIS

COPY EDITOR

As media spreads worldwide and more diverse stories are being told, the question of correct representation and responsibility of creators has arisen, especially in relation to mental health. Artists create songs, movies and shows that address mental health issues, and while that can bring awareness, it also can be dangerous to those who are already mentally ill.

First-year and psychology major Sidney Basha thinks that mental health in the media allows artists to show what they believe mental illness to be, but should more importantly be a platform to teach people to accept mental illnesses for what they are. First-year and film production major Jack Amadon thinks that mental illness in media can be a way artists express themselves, and to provoke a reaction, but that the reaction is not always negative. “I suppose I would find myself listening to more music that is hopeful, and more about self betterment, rather than self harm, or self detriment,” Amadon said.

Both Basha and Amadon agreed that giving mentally ill artists an audience allows their message to reach youth who might need it. Basha thinks that in a society that often shuns the mentally ill for their issues, it can be difficult to learn to speak up; a musician speaking out about their struggles can help. “If young listeners can kind of learn that early, from things that they listen to, then it will help them… If they go to anybody for help, they can open up, they can get the help they need in the long run,” Basha said.

“They shouldn’t shy away from it,” Amadon said.

Amadon also said that hearing about mental illness from admired musical artists can help to make youth aware of mental illnesses, and perhaps make them more accepting of the issues of their peers via this awareness.

However, both believe there is a danger to mental illnesses in media, especially on screen: Amadon and Basha expressed concerns about selfdiagnosis. Basha was worried about quirks and traits in the media being misconstrued as signs of a mental illness, and causing people to misinterpret their habits. “Self-diagnosis can be dangerous... sometimes you’ll seek treatment for something you don’t have, and sometimes that treatment, if you don’t have the thing that it’s treating, will cause some form of mental or physical harm,” Basha said.

Amadon was equally cautious, saying, “Self diagnosis is always a tricky thing, and I think it’s important if you think you maybe have something, you should do your research… Nothing is for sure unless it’s said by a doctor, it’s said by a medical professional.”

First-year psychology major Alex Magee described the dangers of showing mentally ill people as inherently violent, “If it’s portrayed in a way that we’ve seen in the past, like, somebody kills someone and the first question is, ‘Do they have a mental illness? Are they schizophrenic?’ That paints an image that that certain mental illness is bound to kill someone, or bound to hurt someone. I’d say it could be an issue cause if you only portray it this one certain way, people will assume that those illnesses, those disorders, have the tendency to be dangerous.”

Magee also expressed a concern that neither Amadon or Basha did: How mental illnesses on screen can encourage bad behavior to be copied. “The show ‘Thirteen Reasons Why,’ I’ve heard a lot of stories about people—because in that show there was a scene of the main character actually killing herself, and actually showing it in gruesome detail. I’ve heard stories of people copying what she did, cause then they knew how to do it,” Magee said. Several copycat suicides and spikes in self harm followed the release of “Thirteen Reasons Why,” and for some time after the show was aired, there were debates on the responsibility of media creators to their audience. People were asing, should artists be responsible for the effect their art has on their audience, especially if it causes harm by exacerbating already painful mental health issues?

Even among Keene State students, there are conflicting answers.

“If their viewers end up going down that road (suicide or self harm) because of what they saw, what they heard, what they felt, from that media, the person that made that or has done that should have some

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STUDENT LIFE School Spirit Student Life, B1

Thursday, February 7, 2019

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Red and White Spirit Night consisted of an alumni recpetion and back-to-back basketball games ERIN MCNEMAR

Managing ExEcutivE Editor Keene State College demonstrated school spirit on Wednesday, Jan. 30, as both students and alumni gathered in the Spaulding Gym to watch men and women’s basketball compete against Plymouth State.

The event, Red & White Spirit Night, was sponsored by the Fenton Family Dealership and came together with the help of the Athletic Department and the Alumni Center.

Assistant Athletic Director Abe Osheyack explained the purpose of Wednesday night’s event. “It’s a celebration of a lot of different things going on. We’re honoring our faculty and staff and we’re welcoming back a lot of alums for the reception, and then to watch the basketball games,” Osheyack said. “It’s the first game back post-break and it’s Plymouth State, which is our long standing rival. It’s a chance to have all these different things come together on one evening.”

To begin the evening, alumni were asked to come to the reception prior to the start of the women’s game.

Alumni Reunion Coordinator Andrea Vickers-Sivret said, “We’ve been hosting alumni events before some of the basketball games.”

Vickers-Sivret explained the Alumni Reunion team hosted a reception at a previous game against Plymouth State at Plymouth State. After receiving a turn out of about 30 people at Plymouth State, Vickers-Sivret worked to coordinate a reunion game at Keene to hopefully receive an even larger turnout. “For the reception, we have been [trying] to reach out to alumni more, get them engaged in events they want to attend, get back the spirit of going to events and being excited about games,” Vickers-Sivret said. “Sometimes, unless you’re invited, you won’t go. Knowing that other alumni will be there and it’s a time to get together is a good opportunity.”

Osheyack, who is also a Keene State alumni, said, “It’s always important to connect with your alumni to start partnerships with your sponsors, and all of those types of things can only grow and make Keene State a better place. It’s just something that we should be doing and continuing to do.”

Attending the game was KSC alumni Chris Nichols. Nichols, who had graduated in 2014, majored in architecture and decided to come watch the game with his son. “My son plays basketball, so I thought it would be good for him to come see college players,” Nichols said.

While the games brought alumni eager to watch the players on the court, current KSC students also filled the stands. After being invited by a friend, junior Avery Rug-

gles attended her first game on Wednesday night. “I like that it’s against Plymouth. It’s cool because I haven’t seen any sports games against them, and they’re like our rivals,” Ruggles said.

Although graduation for Ruggles is still some time away, she said she liked the idea of the alumni game. “I would definitely come back for an alumni event,” Ruggles said.

The games also acted as a soft launch for this year’s Giving Challenge. The Giving Challenge, which partners with the Fenton Family Dealership, takes place during the month of February and works to raise money for the Athletic Department. The challenge calls upon alumni, families and community members to make donations to specific athletic team accounts. This year is the fourth year of the Giving Challenge.

Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscequinox.com

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Dining Commons welcomes new management team SELENA LEGACY

Equinox WritEr After months of planning, Keene State College has changed its management company and staff after 26 years.

Director of Campus Life Jen Ferrell said this semester’s goal is, “Having the dining team, new and old, to have a sense as to where we are now...we have to make some shifts on how we do things.”

Getting closer to that February date, Ferrell wants students to understand it’s a work in progress. They have already started working on changes like continuous service throughout the day, healthier options at Hoot-N-Scoot, a smoothie and salad bar at Lloyds, and more.

“If students know that we are in that building phase and transitional phase, [we want them] to know that we do want feedback: the text line for suggestions, stopping in, and talking to any of the dining team, we are always willing to take thoughts and ideas,” Ferrell said.

“Last year was the end of one of our ten year contacts [with Sodexo] in June 2018, in the spring Keene put out proposals for management of a dining program,” Ferrell said.

Plymouth State was similar, having the same contract cycle with Sodexo. The University System of New Hampshire suggested Keene and Plymouth work together to bid on a dining program together to “save money and create synergy,” according to Ferrell.

“We went through a very lengthy and in-depth process of multiple partners,” Ferrell said.“Chartwells was one of the finalists as far as what the proposal and offer was, and that was the case for both Plymouth and Keene State.”

KSC switched foodservice companies from Sodexo to Chartwells. Ferrell shared what the new crew will be bringing in and why the change happened.

“Chartwells stood out from some of the financial components they were willing to help with like investments, updating Lloyds, and the others things in the next couple years to come... as well as their commitment to sustainability, buying local and cooperation with the new stuff,” Ferrell said.

By mid-February the whole team should all be in place. Ferrell shares that last semester developed challenges with the fast-moving changes.

“Because of the quick transition, we needed temporary help making it through catering events,”Ferrell said.

Chartwells got awarded the contract for dining services in August 2018. The Marketing Manager for Chartwells at Keene State Dining Caitlin Howell shared what she hopes for this semester.

“I am hoping to see our culinary programs continue to grow and expand our offerings more around campus,” Howell said.

Howell shares that Chartwells has been a “wonderful opportunity” for her.

“We are one big family,” Howell said.

For this semester, Howell is excited to share what

BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

they have planned.

“Teaching Kitchen—an opportunity for students to step into the ‘kitchen’ with our chefs to learn basic skills, fun recipes and more,” Howell said.

Resident Manager Director Jackie Romito-Carey shared what she hopes for this semester.

“We are adding to our team by hiring new associates and continuing to develop our associates with onthe-job training. We are always looking to hire student workers too,” Romito-Carey said.

She then shared how the environment will change at Keene State Dining.

“In partnership with KSC, we are focusing our efforts on being more sustainable. By educating our associates

STAFF COMMENTARY

Science with Selena

How to kick a smoking habit SELENA LEGACY

Equinox Staff Last semester, students would walk down Appian Way vaping, smoking and being the young adults they are. This has all come to a halt with the new city ordinance restricting the use, sale and distribution of tobacco products. The Keene Sentinel reported, “council committee meetings have also drawn several opponents of the ordinance: libertarians defending individual freedoms, business owners concerned about lost profits, and former smokers who claim vaping is a successful cessation tool.” Keene is the second city in New Hampshire, after Dover, to change the tobacco age law from 18 to 21, and has had many struggling to quit as they come back to campus.

Many are being forced to do something about their addiction to vaping and smoking. College can be a very overwhelming and stressful time, and studies show this is why young adults on campus resort to nicotine. Research has shown that there are other ways to wean off nicotine. Distracting yourself by eating healthier options, text therapy to help when you’re craving and exercise are the best things you can do to start the process of quitting.

Students on campus under 21 are unable to buy nicotine patches or gum. However, a study done

by Truth Initiative said that eating healthier options could help the urge to smoke. “Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet will restore these nutrients and, as some research suggests, may help with reducing cravings to smoke.

Ginseng (tea) could be therapeutic for nicotine addiction because it

may weaken the effect of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that is associated with pleasure and is released when smoking tobacco.

Drinking ginseng tea could reduce the appeal of smoking and make it less enjoyable. Chewing gum and mints can keep your mouth busy when you have an urge to smoke,” according to the Truth Initiative. They also mention to avoid foods and drinks that can enhance your cravings. “Foods and drinks that have been shown to enhance the taste of cigarettes and trigger a craving to smoke include alcohol, caffeine, meat and sugary or spicy foods.” This is an easy way to change up your lifestyle on campus that doesn’t take much effort or money.

Therapy can be expensive and time consuming for a college student. Smokefree.gov has come out with a free text messaging app that can help students when they’re feeling the urge to relapse or have trouble quitting. They send three to five messages a day for a program that’s six to eight weeks long. This is a great idea if you are looking for that extra boost of encouragement while quitting. You can easily sign up at smokefree.gov and Text CRAVE, MOOD, or SLIP to 47848. Quitting shouldn’t be as difficult as it is, but using resources like text therapy can be very beneficial to an active student’s day to day life.

Exercise might not seem like a way to quit vaping or smoking, but it is a useful tool. We understand how healthy it is to work out and be active, but it can also help individuals looking to quit vaping or smoking. Health Everyday states in their article titled Exercise the Urge Away to Smoke said, “The beauty

of exercise is that it helps you deal with both the physical and psychological aspects of nicotine addiction: Exercise helps limit weight gain and it also helps in dealing with cravings for a cigarette, says Norman H. Edelman, MD, senior medical advisor of the American Lung Association. Studies have shown that even moderate physical activity, especially aerobic exercise, reduces the urge to smoke. Withdrawal symptoms and cravings for cigarettes decrease during exercise and for as long as 50 minutes afterwards.”

Exercise can help aid the process of recovery towards nicotine. Spaulding Gym on campus is free to use, with group fitness classes, and student trainers that are there to help.

WebMD put out an article called How to Quit Smoking, which goes into detail on the benefits of quitting tobacco. It said, “Within hours of stopping cigarettes, your body starts to recover from the effects of nicotine and additives. Your blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature—all of which are higher than they should be because of the nicotine—return to healthier levels.

You can breathe easier. The levels of poisonous carbon monoxide in your blood drops, so your blood can carry more oxygen. No doubt about it: Quitting helps your whole body. It can even improve your looks: You’ll be less likely to get wrinkles when you’re still young. And you’ll save money, too.” I hope this helped you rethink quitting nicotine and find it less stressful being on campus to quit.

Selena Legacy can be contacted at .slegacy@kscequinox.com.

and students, we know we can reduce the amount of food waste on campus,” Romito-Cary said.

Team is a big part of Keene’s mission, and this is also true of Chartwells.

“Keene State Dining serves approximately 4,000 meals per day—we couldn’t do this without teamwork.

Our team is made up of about 150 diverse associates, and each one brings passion, value and insight to the table,” Romito-Carey said.

“The team making up Keene State Dining is fabulous. We value our guests, take pride in our cuisine, and engage with a smile. We learn, grow and succeed through teamwork. Our culinary platforms are developed to offer convenience and interactive experiences

that foster community building,” Romito-Carey said.

“Interacting with the community on campus and quality control testing all of the delicious food,” Romito-Carey said.

The new management dining team will definitely bring a lot more to the table. Students and staff can expect to start seeing all the new faces on the staff in mid-February.

Selena Legacy can be contacted at selena.legacy@ksc.keene.edu

Academic and Career Advising Hosts Career Clinics JACK HANSON

Equinox Staff Finding a job outside of college is difficult. Interviews and resumes can pose a huge challenge for students, but luckily Academic and Career Advising (ACA) has a solution: hosting Career Clinics throughout the semester.

ACA is constantly packed throughout the year with drop-in hours and appointments. Appointment times are usually one hour, so it’s hard for students to get that one-on-one time with advisors.

It’s also hard for the advisors to try and guide students in everything they need direction on in that one hour.

The career clinics are designed for students to drop in and get help with their resumes, advice on jobs, internships, career goals, graduate schools and job placements based on their degree.

An advisor for ACA Beverly Behrmann thinks that the career clinics make it more convenient for everyone.

“We started to do them because of the nature of the drop in format… it’s a very easy way for students to drop in and get advice without making an appointment,” Behrmann said.

“We just had a career clinic on Monday ,and we had 14 students, so that’s good. Otherwise that would be 14 hours blocked on our calendars.”

While convenience is a huge factor, Behrmann also thinks it’s a great way for students to make connections and get advice from Keene State alumni.

“They get to tell students what they wish they had done when they were a student because they didn’t do it. And now that they are out working in the profession, they realize what they would have done differently.

What they should have done as students,” Behrmann said.

Keene State Alumni Morgan Lowe, class of 2015, currently works for Barton Associates, a healthcare staffing company that works with doctors and physicians throughout the country and places them in temporary positions.

Lowe thinks everyone should attend the clinics and has advice for current students.

“It is super important [that] students go to these events. The biggest thing is making sure your resume is up to par. Getting a job after college is competitive,” Lowe said.

“Make sure you are putting everything on there.

Internships are great to see on your resume. Even if you can’t get internships, doing something other than school definitely helps to show you are able to go above and beyond instead of just those standard four classes.”

Other than the career clinics, ACA also puts on events for students like graduate school preparation and LinkedIn workshops.

Future fairs are also held almost every semester, where over 150 employers come into the Spaulding Gym for students to have a chance to give out their resume and see what their interests are.

Junior Laura Valastro thinks events like the future fair gives students the chance to see what they can do with their degrees.

“I became more comfortable talking to future employers, and it gave me an opportunity to see what kind of jobs are actually out there... I talked with people who were actually interested in my majors and minors,” Valastro said.

“It opens people’s minds who don’t really know what they want to do, and it gives you a chance to find what sparks your interests.”

Career clinics for the semester are going to be on Feb. 26, March 28 and April 17 in the Rhodes Hall Atrium.

The full schedule for career clinics, workshops, and future fairs this semester can be found on the Academic and Career Advising page on Keene’s officials website.

If you have questions for an alumni or about Barton Associates, Morgan Lowe can be contacted at mlowe@ bartonassociates.

Jack Hanson can be contacted at jhanson@kscequinox.com.

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STUDENT LIFE / B3

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Greek recruitment week AUSTIN COOK

equinox staff

It is Greek enrollment week at Keene State College.

Keene State College (KSC) designated January 27 to February 9 as the Greek Life Organization enrollment weeks.

Phi Lambda Chi member and Vice President of recruitment of the Inter-Fraternity Council, Travis Thuotte explained that Greek organizations can post fliers and have three recruitment signs posted on campus as well.

John Budenas of Alpha Sigma Phi explained, “Recruitment is important and vital to every single organization because it is how we grow. Without it, we would die out as an organization within a year or two. A big thing about Alpha Sigma Phi is about leaving your legacy. The only way in making that happen is having the organization grow and grow for decades and decades. Recruitment is how we get brothers, it is how we grow and strengthen our organization and that is why it is so important and pushed every single year with every organization.”

Thuotte emphasised, “We don’t force anyone to come.

Keene State Greek life is a lot different than your normal university Greek life where you have 200 plus brothers & sister in a organization. Keene state Greek life is very small… it’s a close community here at Keene... everyone gets along as friends.”

“Recruiting is done in a number of ways, but the biggest way Alpha Sig recruits is simply by making friends and connections with people we meet on campus,” Budenas said.

Budenas also said that for first year students, having an inviting group of people to hang out and talk with can be helpful during the transition to college. Greek organizations also use fliers to advertise their recruiting events.

However, if people come out to recruitment events and figure out that Greek Life isn’t for them, Budenas said that is totally okay.

As for the requirements of recruitment, students must have 12 credits obtained at KSC. Any activity

involving drinking and/or drug use is also not tolerated.

“All recruitment is dry, that means no alcohol or drugs are involved. Drinking is prohibited during recruitment and events,” Thuotte said.

Budenas said that keeping recruitment events casual also helps students get to know the fraternity’s character better. “As far as what is not allowed, there are a lot of smaller and finer details that we have to abide by, whether it is set by the school or our fraternities headquarters. Basically just be smart and don’t do anything illegal with interested students in joining,”Budenas said.

Director of Campus Life Jennifer Ferrell explained that once a student decides to pledge a Greek Organization, the campus life group makes sure students understand what to expect and what to watch out for, include hazing and how to report that.

“If a student feels like that’s happening, we have a lot of good things and standards in place for our sorority and fraternity community in addition to our campus policy. The Inter-Fraternity Council is the governing body for fraternities. The Panhellenic Council is the governing body for sororities. If a group does something that doesn’t match up to their rules then that organization could be brought to a judicial board. They could receive fines,” Ferrell said.

Greek organizations are social groups with a focus on serving the community. A common misconception is joining a fraternity or sorority is a way to buy friends.

“What I will say is that in some aspect, yes you do buy into a group of friends. But it is so much more than that, you are buying an opportunity of a lifetime and insane resume builders and connections that will stick with you for your entire life. You’re paying for things that you cannot get anywhere else, you gain a new family of 20-plus amazing people that will have your back for life. It is something that no one will understand until they jump into actually joining and the pay off is so, so worth it,” Budenas said.

Austin Cook can be contacted at acook@kscequinox.com

LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

Alternative Break Commentary T h i s

W e e k CONTRIBUTED BY PUJA THAPA

Student reflects on alternative break experience PUJA THAPA

Business Manager I remember traveling in the early morning of Jan. 2, 2019, unsure if I was prepared to embark on a new journey with eight strangers for six days.

Filled with excitement to face a new experience, and anxiety about whether I would like that experience, I got into the van that took us to Gita Nagari Eco Farm and Sanctuary in Port Royal, Pennsylvania.

Established in 1974, Gita Nagari is a 350 acre, non-profit organization. The farm is focused on sustainable practices and is primarily a space that invites various volunteers to experience a cowcentric community and participate in their organic projects.

Gita Nagari has the first and only United States Department of Agriculture Certified dairy farm in North America. The farm is operated by a team of volunteers from very diverse backgrounds whose sole aim is to improve the welfare of the earth

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through compassionate living. On most commercial farms, cows are slaughtered at the age of five or six, after they stop producing milk. Conversely, the oldest cow at this eco farm is about 26 years old, and is respected and loved out of compassion and her right to live like any other living being.

Nine other KSC students traveled with me to Gita Nagari; eight of them were strangers whom I was hoping and praying to have a good time with.

By the end of the trip, one of our greatest strengths proved to be how closely we had bonded. Gita Nagari provided a safe and a homey environment where we could easily open up to one another.

Spending six days on the farm was a lifechanging opportunity. We had many experiences that caused us to reflect on our lives and our ways of living. I will definitely miss cuddling the cows, spreading hay, working in the greenhouse, landscaping, camping, early morning yoga and meditation, challenging myself every day physically and mentally, enjoying the delicious, healthy vegan food and everything else I did on the farm.

Social justice was a major part of the trip. KSC students were little droplets in Gita Nagari’s huge ocean of compassion. However, Gita Nagari is just one drop in the big ocean of a sustainable world.

Our time on the farm helped us understand the big picture, and realize our importance as individuals. We felt grounded, awakened, enlighted, empowered and, most importantly, we felt like ourselves at Gita Nagari. It was a divine experience to become connected with our inner selves, each other, the cows, the people around us and the land.

Words cannot express how much this experience changed my perspective. I recommend Alternative Break trips to every KSC student.

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

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STUDENT LIFE / B4

Thursday, February 7, 2019

To write for Student Life contact:

Student Life Rachel Vitello

rvitello@kscequinox.com KSCEQUINOX.COM

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CREATIVE COLLECTIONS

Creative Collections / B5 Thursday, February 7, 2019

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DIY

Do you remember God's Eye? PUJA THAPA

Step 5: After you feel like the God’s Eye looks good, wrap the ends of the stick with wool and use the glue gun to stick the end.

BuSineSS Manager

CREATIVE COLLECTION'S POLICY Creative Collections is a compilation of Keene State College Students' in multiple art forms (fiction writings, photography, graphic arts, ETC.) Any enrolled KSC student can submit to this section by contacting Angelique Inchierca at ainchierca@kscequinox.com

What are some of the things that make you warm in the winter? The things that come into my mind are: Step 6: Add a woolen hook at the end in one of the wool (for sweaters, caps, and mittens) and wooden sides. Hang it in your room. sticks (like kindling for fire). Today, using these two things differently, I am going to craft a God’s Eye. Puja Thapa can be contacted at I know God’s Eye is a very typical thing to do pthapa@kscequinoxcom in summer camps. But do you still remember how to make it? If not, I am here to help you.

You need the following materials to make one: Woolen yarn of more than two colors (I have got a red, a white and a pinkish yarn), sticks, a glue stick and scissors. That’s it. Let’s get started.

Step 1: Join the two sticks, making a cross shape.

Adhere them using a glue gun.

PUJA THAPA / BUSINESS MANAGER

Step 2: Start by wrapping the wool around the center diagonally. It looks like an “X” after it’s done. I used white as my center.

Step 3: After you feel the center is strong, start wrapping the wool around one of the four sides. Circle the stick once and move to the right.

Step 4: Keep on moving to the right until the God’s Eye looks like in the picture. If you feel like you want to change the color, tie a different colored wool to the previous wool and repeat the same process.

SHORT STORY

Hitting the Dance Floor: Part One ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Senior Staff Night Dwellers are not always easy to spot, even though every class has at least one. They’re the ones who look just like you and I throughout the day. A cozy sweater showing their school pride or favorite video game trend by day, each wearing tired expressions.

The only way you can spot them is if you’re outside long after streetlight hour.

Growing up, my mother told me to head inside for dinner once the street lights were lit. Little did I know that children are oblivious to those who thrive at such late hours.

I remember when I first saw them, the night dwellers. They sported a gothic theme as they gathered behind the cul de sac. I would sneak out after I finished my homework to watch them. Sometimes my childhood friend, Bai, would see me out her window and run to meet me. If she was lucky enough not to be caught. They always traveled in

POEM BRIDGES IN THE WINTER

eMMa Mehegan The air was clean, fresh, and cold The kind of cold that creeps up on you So you don’t know you’re not prepared for it Until your nose is already numb and dripping But the pale, full moon beckoned So I ignored my unfeeling legs’ protestations And stepped onto the pockmarked trail Old, worn, and riddled with ice patches and holes The crunchy gravel took me through the trees Evergreen and darkened by night And in the distance, the blackness of a mountain Blocked out part of the sky Leaving a space where stars should be And, as though they missed their companions, The other stars glistened like almost weeping eyes Yet they shone brighter, a brilliant white to compensate for the missing light.

I stopped my wandering feet when they stepped onto the wooden bridge My bridge, surrounded by the metal skeleton of its predecessor: Rusty, and patterned with rivets, rough and bumpy But still strong, as though hoping one day it will again keep trains from falling Now its bones only hold me when I climb onto the cold iron To gaze at the small, partly frozen river ten feet below Silver under the moon’s light and Orion’s gaze.

On the banks of the river dark patches blemished the blanketing snow Brittle branches fallen from winter-killed trees And my sigh of satisfaction fogged the air As I looked at the lights which flashed a mile away The only sign of the civilized life I had gone out to escape

packs to the trails behind my house.

I watched their culture develop over the years. Rock music turned into techno-pop, black became an accent colour, and the group slowly became more recognizable in public as my classmates and friends began disappearing after dinner. The meeting spot must have changed by the time I was in high school, because the path was being used by the local kids for the newest drugs.

When I left for college, I noticed a strict line between college party crowds and those who lived in the night scene. Bai said she saw the division at school as well. I never had the urge to join that crowd. Not until I transfered and met Sirina.

Bai and I met her in the corner store by our street before adulthood was a topic in our minds. Her lean looks and long dark hair attracted my attention. Her family had moved here from overseas. She was beautiful and still is. Now that all three of us attend college together, I had a reason to glance into the shadows. This morning during

third period, she handed me a box.

“Love, this is for tonight,” she said with a shining smile. “You’re coming right?”

“If I’m still invited,” I laughed.

“Of course!” She playfully punched my arm, “I’ll pick you up at your place.” The rest of class breezed by. Before I knew it, I was on the road back home with my bag on my back and box between my arms.

Dropping the box on my bed, I sat at my desk to bust out as much homework as I could before nightfall. Bai sprang through the door.

“Yo, are you sure you wanna go tonight?”

“Are you going to tell Sirina that I’m not?”

She rolled her eyes and grumbled, “No shame in bailing.

We are different from her other friends.”

“But we are her friends. She has been trying to get me to hang out with her since our sophomore year.” She frowned. I shrugged my

shoulders before continuing my work. Each math problem seemed three times longer than usual. All I could think about was the burning sensation to open the box. After two hours had passed, I caved in.

My papers were neatly stacked before being placed back in their respective folders and placed in my bag. I took a deep breath and wheeled over to the side of the sheets. The cardboard exterior was coated in an eggshell color to hide the beautiful art piece within it. My fingers traced the edge. 'You don’t need this. Just wear something you already own,' I thought to myself.

I stood and pushed my chair into the desk. “Bai,” I called out. “I’m making spaghetti squash for dinner,” and left the room.

Sudoku » HOW TO PLAY: EACH OF THE NINE BLOCKS HAS TO CONTAIN ALL THE NUMBERS 1-9 WITHIN ITS SQUARES. EACH NUMBER CAN ONLY APPEAR ONCE IN A ROW, COLUMN OR BOX.

Did You Know?

Black History month was first recognized in the 1920's when Carter G. Woodson announced the second week of February was "Negro History Week."

Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com

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Sports / B6

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Full steam ahead

Men’s lacrosse starts practice and is preparing for their first game AUSTIN SMITH

Equinox Staff

Austin Smith can be contacted at asmith@kscequinox.com

KSC

LAURA ROMANIELLO / ART DIRECTOR

Men’s lacrosse, one of Keene State’s most exciting sports teams returned to the turf Monday, Jan. 28.

The men’s lacrosse team has been one of Keene State’s most successful teams and have won the Little East Conference Championship the last five years.

But that hasn’t always transferred to NCAA tournament success. The team has struggled in the tournament in recent years.

Senior midfielder J.J. Downey says this team has what it takes for a deep run into the tournament.

“I think that’s on everyone’s mind, moving past the first round and making our way to the Final Four.” Downey said.

When asked about this team, and how it differs from others Downey has been on he said, “This is a younger team, but we’ve brought a lot of guys back.”

Keene State has been snake bitten in the NCAA tournament the last few years. The last tournament victory was in 2010, when they beat Castleton State 21-7.

Since then, the Owls have not won a playoff game, despite earning a first round by the last two years.

Last year, the Owls suffered a blowout loss to Amherst College, losing 24-7.

“Our mentality and goal is to keep that in the back of our heads and think about just getting to that second game” Downey said.

Their playoff loss last year left a sour taste in their mouths, and they are ready to go back out and compete again this season.

The team may be younger, but that has not

affected the confidence of Coach Mark Theriault.

“I think we can go deep in the tournament this year, it all depends on the dedication and how the team gels” said Theriault.

Coach Theriault has been coaching here for twenty years, but said this team is unique.

While they have lost good players due to graduation, they have also gained players through recruiting and transfers.

“That this year will present a good opportunity for the younger players to step up and take a larger leadership role. It gives some of the other kids that were on the team for the last few years the opportunity to take the leadership role,” said Theriault.

This team is different from last year, but Theriault says they are up to the task of playing at a high level.

An important part of the lacrosse team is the training staff. Lacrosse is just one sport they work with but, with each sports comes different needs. “ For the men we do travel so it does pick up our time with them” said a KSC trainer.

Lacrosse started practice last week and is preparing for its first game of the season, on Feb. 23 against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The Owls will host their first home game of the season against UMASS-Boston on March 23.

Rec Sports losing participation

SOREN FRANTZ / SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

Men’s intramural basketball playing their first round of games in the recreation gym on February 5.

Students participation in rec sports is declining due to low enrollment CAILLA PRISCO

SportS Editor Recreational sports has always been a treasure here at Keene State, but with low enrollment the past five years, the students participation has declined.

David Sweeney is the Coordinator of Intramural and Club Sports at Keene State and said that, “Numbers have been declining in the past few years, mainly from low enrollment, despite us doing the normal marketing such as tabling in the student center and posting on Facebook.”

Intramural sports can range anywhere from basketball and soccer to billiards and badminton. Students make their own teams and are put in a schedule made through Keene State’s gym staff.

Keene State athletes even have the ability

to play intramurals sports during their off seasons.

For example, a field hockey player could join a threeon-three basketball team during the spring semester because they are not in season. Each intramural team is allowed to have no more than two Keene State varsity athletes per team to create an even playing field.

“It is important to Keene State because it provides different opportunities to do certain things, someone who doesn’t play a varsity sport but still likes to play has a chance to do that in an organized fashion where it is officiated and the score is kept,” Sweeney said.

For an incoming student who may not want to play in the NCAA, but still likes to have a continuous game schedule, joining intramural sports is a great way to get involved.

“You have a chance to get out that competitive

edge that people might have building up. It’s a chance to do that in a safe and fair fashion. That being said, intramural sports isn’t supposed to be super competitive, so that shouldn’t deter people,” said Sweeney.

Intramural and recreational sports are all about having fun in a controlled environment where there are referees and score keepers.

Senior at Keene State Kyle Kemp played intramural football and basketball in previous years.

“I really liked it because it gave me a chance to play the sports I played in high school without any of the restrictions of a varsity sport. If you can make the time for it, I would recommend it,” said Kemp.

“I even tried out for Keene’s basketball team, but I felt like it would just be way too much for me with a full course load and a social life,” said Kemp.

There has been a steady decline in participa-

tion in recreational sports since 2014.

A new policy was put in place over winter break to add more inclusion: A gender-inclusive policy, which states that whatever gender you identify as is a league you can play in, not just men’s and women’s.

“We just wanted people to feel welcome and make it not so black-and-white, where they can make a team,” said Sweeney.

The indoor soccer registration will be closing Thursday, Feb. 7. The billiards tournament registration will be open on Feb. 12.

Cailla Prisco can be contacted at cprisco@kscequinox.com

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Sports / B7

Luke’s Kickin’ Column

Thursday, February 7, 2019

Smashing Records Castor breaks the Keene State 200 meter sprint record IZZY HARRIS

Equinox Staff For 19 years, the Keene State College 200 meter dash stood unbroken before sophomore Brandon Castor finally cracked it.

On Saturday, Jan. 26, Castor shaved off .03 seconds from the previous 200 meter with a speedy 22.92 time.

“It was exhilarating—best way to describe it. I’ve been looking at the record since I came here. It was definitely a big accomplishment.

My coach was happy for me, my teammates were happy for me, overall it was just exciting,” said Castor.

Head Track and Field Coach Tom Pickering said, “It’s meaningful for the individual and to see something on the record board, especially a record that has stood for a long time.

It’s always meaningful when that’s a goal, to put your name up there in that event, to be the fastest athlete that we’ve ever had [at] this college in this sport.”

“He’s a really good guy, respectful of the sport, he takes it seriously but I think he also enjoys it,” said Pickering.

Assistant Coach Nick Athanasopoulos said, “Records are meant to broken, so I have no doubt he’ll keep that going and continue to improve, and not be satisfied [with] where he’s at.”

Athanasopoulos said in the future he also expects Castor to, “Potentially [break] a school record in the 400, which is certainly attainable.”

“It takes a lot of consistency, based on our schedules and the students’ schedules [we] have to move practice times around quite a bit … he wants to be there all the time,” said Athanasopoulos.

USMNT Start New Era Under Berhalter LUKE STERGIOU

Photo Editor The United State Men’s National Team headed into January with a new perspective and new coach: Gregg Berhalter.

It was announced in late December that the former Columbus Crew coach would take over the reigns from interim head coach Dave Sarachan.

After a rather forgetful 2018, Berhalter looks to bring a fresh and much needed change of pace to the USMNT and help get the team on the right track to compete in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The annual U.S. National Team January camp has concluded, but Berhalter has shown U.S. soccer fans a new glimpse already.

With fresh new faces and many young players making their national team debut, such as Nick Lima, Jeremy Ebobisse, and Djordje Mihailovic.

With fresh new faces and eager youngsters ready to make their debut, Berhalter was already giving U.S. soccer fans a glimpse of what to expect in the new era of U.S. soccer.

The first game of the January camp was played on Jan. 28 against Panama, which the USMNT prevailed with a conving 3-0 win.

Debutant Djordje Mihailovic drew first blood after he scored in the 40th minute to make it 1-0 to the USMNT. Mihailovic was also assisted by fellow debutant Cory Baird.

Walker Zimmerman would go on to score in the 80th minute after being assisted by debutant Nick Lima, making the score 2-0 to the U.S. Christian Ramirez would seal the deal with another goal in the 88th minute, solidifying a convincing 3-0 win to the USMNT over Panama.

On Feb. 2, the USMNT would face off against Costa Rica in San Jose California. Coming off of a convincing win against Panama only a few days prior, the USMNT were feeling confident.

Although the U.S. wasn’t able to find the back of the net until the last 10 minutes of the game, the USMNT still gave a convincing performance.

Sebastian Lletget marked his emotional return from a horrific ACL injury back in 2016 with a goal in the 80th minute to make the score 1-0 to the U.S. 8 minutes later, midfielder Paul Arriola scored to make it 2-0 to the USMNT, ending their flawless January camp with 2 wins, 0 losses, and a 5-0 consecutive score.

Needless to say, the future looks very bright for the United States Men’s National team.

Berhalter has reinvigorated the spirit of the players and brought on hungry youngsters to help propel this new era of U.S. soccer.

It’s safe to say that U.S. soccer fans are very happy so far, and it’s great to see the USMNT start off 2019 undefeated.

Berhalter seems to be doing everything right so far, and the U.S. look right on track to qualify for Qatar 2022 under Berhalter.

Luke Stergiou can be contacted at lstergiou@kscequinox.com

Although breaking this record is a big accomplishment, Castor is already looking to set new goals. “My next goal to keep breaking it, really, since right now I’m only a sophomore. I have two more years, and this season isn’t even over yet.”

Pickering said he expects, “Mainly that he keeps working hard to be a growth-minded, positive member of the team.”

Castor said that he has been running since his freshman year of high school.

“I love the idea of hard work and the idea of waking up in the morning and having to go work out and having to go push yourself to do better. No one enjoys getting up at 6:20 every day, but you do because you love the sport and you love what you do. It makes me feel better, it makes me feel stronger,” said Castor.

Nicole De Almeida is a junior on the women’s track and field team, and practices frequently with Castor. “I admire how much effort he puts into everything he does,” said De Almeida.

Athanasopoulos said Castor is—, “...someone who always gets after it. He leads by example, he’ll do anything we ask him to do.

Sometimes there’s reservations but he gets over those fears quickly. Just an overall great kid and fun to work with.”

Castor said that for anyone trying to break a record—, “The biggest thing I would say is trust the process. A lot of people don’t wanna take that extra step or don’t want it—that extra lap or that last minute cool down, definitely take everything and do it 100 percent. And if you don’t, I feel like you’re missing out on the small aspect.”

Izzy Harris can be contacted at iharris@kscequinox.com

HALEY CLAPP / EQUINOX STAFF

Not your normal gym CAILLA PRISCO

SPortS Editor For most students, the Spaulding Gymnasium is a place to burn off a few hundred calories on the treadmill after after a long weekend of binging on their favorite snacks. But what they may not know is that there are so many other things to do.

The Spaulding gym is home to exercise science majors, P.E. majors, hard-core gym enthusiasts and recreational sports. People spend their time playing in organized games like basketball and soccer, as well as learning the rules for floor hockey and dodgeball.

The gym is more than just a room full of ellipticals, treadmills, and weights. It is a place where students come together, team up, and play a game.

Lynne Andrews is the Director of Recreational Sports at the gym, where she oversees all of the programs in recreational sports as well as the professional staff, club sports and the facility itself.

With so many activities, sports teams, rec sports and programs offered at the same place, Andrews says, “We do a really great job of sharing facilities and working around schedules as much as we can, given that we are limited in space.”

In the spring semesters, baseball and softball use the rec gym with the rubber court and the batting cages. “We allocate a lot of time for them because that is their main practice space,” Andrews said.

“When the building was built, the area that they used to have available to [the baseball and softball teams] was taken over for mechanical purposes, so that’s why we made that space in the rec gym for that. We accommodate many teams, but obviously when there is a team in season, they take priority,” Andrews said.

Athletic teams are not the only ones taking up time in the Spaulding gym, there are also academic classes for exercise science and physical education majors.

Andrews said that it is sort of “like a balancing game.”

“We try really hard to work together and accommodate everybody as well as we can, given the nature of the facilities and Mother

Nature of England,” Andrews said. whether you want to run on a treadmill, play a game Senior and physical education major Tucker John- of five-on-five basketball or a friendly game of son said that he “spends most of his time at the gym” badminton. because of classes, exercising, and rec sports.

Cailla Prisco can be contacted at “Most of my days during this past semester started cprisco@kscequinox.com and ended in the gym, and it was great because I could just end class in the main gym and then head over to the rec court and play a game of pick-up or three on three,” said Johnson.

The Spaulding gymnasium also offers yoga, workout, Zumba and cycling classes.

Andrews said that though Intramural sports participation has been declining due to lack of incoming students, the club sports are prosperous and steady.

“During admitted students day and open houses, we really have a strong connection to students who are interested in club sports because they either aren’t sure they want the commitment of a varsity sport, or they just want to keep up with something they love,” Andrews said.

There is something for everyone at the g y m ,

LUKE STERGIOU / PHOTO EDITOR

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Started from the bottom The road Nichols took to become Keene State Basketball’s all-time leading scorer ADRIANA SANCHEZ

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Senior Ty Nichols has been making major headlines during his time here at Keene State College. But before firing it up on the basketball court, he’s had to overcome adversity.

Nichols didn’t have a father figure growing up due to his father passing away after being in a coma for three years due to being hit by a car. Nichols said his mom, Cindy Ferguson, is the person he looks up to and he has a great relationship with her. She said they talk every day.

After his father passed away, Nichols and his two other siblings moved to North Carolina with his mother.

“I wanted to move away from all the negativity,” Ferguson said.

Unfortunately, when they moved back to Springfield, Massachusetts, they were faced with another bump on the road—homelessness. Nichols lived in a shelter for eight months with his m other. She said she made sure he would never have to worry about their living situation, and she wanted to make sure he could experience being a kid without a worry.

“He never let that affect his school grades, life, or [his attitude] towards me and didn’t find fault in our homelessness,” Ferguson said.

Nichols wasn’t always a basketball player, first he was a football player. Ferguson signed him up at their local basketball program in Springfield to distract him from their living situation. Nichols actually didn’t like the idea of playing basketball at first.

“He would complain and make every type of excuse he could think of to not go to practice,” Ferguson said. She said it took losing three games for him to actually start liking the game, because he didn’t like to lose.

Growing up, Nichols has played for two AAU teams and played at his high school, Putnam Vocational Technical Academy.

Just like how Michael Jordan was cut off his basketball team during his high school career, when Nichols was in fifth grade he tried out for the basketb a l l

team and didn’t make it. In tenth grade, his team won the state championship thanks to Nichols making the game winning shots after he got fouled. That’s when his mother knew he had potential to do big things in the game of basketball.

During his high school years, Nichols said he brought the same energy to the team.

Nichols stills remembers his first basket here at Keene: It was Nov. 15,2015, against Green Mountain College. When Nichols came to Keene State, his first year here was the hardest for him. “ You’re on your own for the first time, it’s a new chapter in your life,” he said. He looked up to his former teammates Nate Stitchell and Nate Howard who were seniors in high school at that time. His most memorable moment on the court was during his first year, when they won the championship game against UMASS Dartmouth. Nichols had dropped 20 points that game.

Going into his sophomore year, he worked extra hard that summer to improve his game. Nichols said he had a different role that year, because his first year the team had more people that scored.

Nichols had to learn how to become a leader going into his junior year because the team was mainly younger players.

“A big thing that I’m going to take from this basketball program is how to be leader,” he said. Whether it was from helping his teammates on where to do their laundry, to going over plays after practice, he would help out in any way he could.

That same year, the team lost against Eastern Connecticut, his biggest school rival, and didn’t make it into the LECs. “It was tough, but I knew I had another year to come back so that helped a lot,” Nichols said.

His senior year, Nichols has done nothing but excel.

He broke the school scoring record, which had been held by Al Hicks for 40 years. Hicks had the record set for 2,023 points. The night Nichols broke the record, he ended the game with 2,044 overall points.

Despite having accomplished so much here, Nichols is a very humble person.

“He appreciates everything that’s been given to him, doesn’t let it go to his head, brag, he’s very humble,” Ferguson said.

When asked how Nichols stays so humble, he said, “Basketball is a team sport. Yeah, you set individual goals in the beginning of the season, but you don’t pride yourself on those. You want the team to do good, so you can’t talk too much about yourself because it’ll break up the team chemistry.”

Head coach Ryan Cain said, “He has a chance to be one of the better scorers in Division III history, so in order for somebody to break his record, we’re going to have to have one of the top 25 of 50 scorers of all time in Division III to come through our program.”

Nichols prefers playing under pressure, “You get to prove people wrong, you don’t want doubters but doubters motivate you in life so that’s what I pride myself on playing,” he said.

Nichols has accomplished all his personal goals and now wants to make it far into the NCAA tournament. His plans for after college is to hire an agent and go overseas to play.

Adriana Sanchez can be contacted at asanchez@kscequinox.com

LUKE STERGIOU / PHOTO EDITOR

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