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THE EQUINOX The student voice of Keene State College

Vol. 73, Issue #10

Thursday, November 7, 2019

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Keene feels the Bern

Safety program sees changes DUNCAN SULLIVAN

Contributed ArtiCle

GARRETT MCNAMEE / EQUINOX STAFF

2020 candidate Bernie Sanders spoke in the Mabel Brown Room of the Student Center on Wednesday, October 30, to KSC and the wider Keene community.

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders visits campus ALEX HARVEY

equinox StAff Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and members of the band Dispatch came to Keene State College on Wednesday, October 30. After a set by Dispatch, Sanders walked on stage to chants of “Feel the Bern!” and “We Will Win!” The speech highlighted Sanders’ platform. Sanders discussed many issues at the rally including healthcare, abortion, the environment and the drug war.

“Not only are we going to legalize marijuana, we’re going to expunge the records of those who have already been convicted for marijuana possession.” said Sanders. “On my first day in office we will undo all of the racist and ugly things that Donald Trump has done against immigrants.”

“A woman’s right to control her own body is a constitutional right. We will codify Roe v. Wade and I will never nominate anybody to the Supreme Court who is not pro-Roe v.

Wade,” Sanders said.

One student who was in attendance was KSC junior Colin Meehan.

“I’ve made it to just about every political candidate who has been here except Sanders and now Biden,” said Meehan.

“Considering that he’s recently had a heart attack, I think he’s been pretty good all things considered.”

Meehan believes that foreign policy is the most important issue in this election cycle. “I think our interactions with China are just going to get tougher and I don’t think that this will be resolved peacefully. I want to make sure we have someone in office who is, at the very least, stable,” said Meehan.

Meehan said that he does not trust Trump with nuclear weapons “or with anything, for that matter.” Meehan also said that stability is not the only quality he is looking for in candidates when it comes to foreign policy; he also wants a candidate who has a vision for how to build positive relations with foreign countries.

Meehan discussed the possibility of economic collapse in

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

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

China and compared it to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“We need to make sure that a positive vision is in place for China. Something that takes it away from the authoritarianism of the Soviet Union, but not into the authoritarianism of Putin,” said Meehan.

Many of the people who attended the rally firmly said they intend to vote for Sanders in the New Hampshire primary.

Meehan compared Sanders to one of his chief rivals, Senator Elizabeth Warren. Meehan acknowledged that their policies are similar, but he believes that Sanders will use these policies to take the country in a better direction.

“Warren has said herself she’s a capitalist through and through. She believes that these policies should reinforce and strengthen the status quo. Sanders has similar policies, but he believes that we can use them to transform the nature of this country. I think the only way to get out of our current mess is through radical change,” said Meehan.

“He has got some neoconservative takes on foreign policy, Venezuela, for example. He has piggybacked off of a lot of republican rhetoric about dictatorship. He’s an interventionist and I’m very anti-imperialist,” said student Christopher Coolbeth.

“A lot of the issues are so important that a lot of the candidates end up agreeing on them. Sometimes a candidate has a really hot take on something that makes them stand out,” said Coolbeth.

“He’s someone who has spent a lot of time in politics, a lot of time not just in office, but on the ground doing protests and stuff. He’s not just in it for himself,” said Meehan.

Meehan also discussed the 2016 Democratic Primary. “I do think that there was something sketchy going on in the 2016 election. The blowback was so harsh for them that I don’t think they would want to attempt something like that again,” said Meehan.

“The DNC is shockingly incompetent. I say that as a member of the Democratic Party,” said Meehan. However, not

everyone in attendance agreed, including KSC senior Griffin Romprey.

“No, I don’t trust the DNC at all. I think they’re going to screw it up all over again,” said Romprey. He feels that Sanders represents change too radical for the DNC to be comfortable with and that the DNC will try to sabotage Sanders’ campaign again.

“I don’t have any faith in electoral politics. I’m more into forcing politicians to do the right thing by organizing in certain ways. It’s less of a gamble,” said Coolbeth.

“I think the nominee is going to be Biden, Warren or Sanders. Biden because there are still a lot of boomers kicking around. Warren because it would be nice to have a first female president and it’s fun to piss off sexists. Bernie because he’s got the most distinctive ideas,” said Coolbeth. “Bernie’s got the most extreme ideas in a narrow U.S. sense. I don’t think his ideas are extreme whatsoever in reality, but he gets the most attention and politics, unfortunately, has become a game of who can get the most attention.”

A member of the Sanders campaign said that Sanders brings private security with him to every event. The L.P. Young Student Center was secured with guards wanding people at the entrances and when they left bathrooms to return to the rally.

“I didn’t mind it. It did remind me that there’s a lot of radical right-wing extremism in this country and Bernie is the furthest left of the candidates,” said Coolbeth.

“I like going to these things to look around at people and see how they respond to what the candidate is saying,” said Aaron Keaton. Keaton said he also enjoys studying the politician and deciding if they are sincere or not.

Some students, such as Romprey, came to see Dispatch.

A4: Newer may not always be better A8: Playing with Strings B1: Showing pride B8: The white mountain series

Alex Harvey can be contacted at: aharvey@kscequinox.com

A well-known academic program at Keene State College has gone live with a long-planned set of sweeping changes.

The safety and occupational health applied sciences (SOHAS) degree program had suffered from an entrenched reputation as an “easy” major, according to graduate of the program Brady Keene.

Keene, a 2015 graduate and current faculty member, recalled the major regularly attracting students who wanted a low-effort ticket to a wellpaying job.

“It was kind of the major that [you would] go to if you were not sure what else to do,” Keene said.

While old SOHAS lesson plans, assignments and syllabi could not be located, examinations of archived academic catalogs spanning the past 10 years demonstrate that the curriculum saw few alterations between 2009 and 2018. Alterations did include the elimination of two required allied discipline courses and the enfolding of a third (fundamentals of chemistry) into the SOHAS program as safety chemistry (a core class) in the 20142015 catalog year. As of the 20182019 catalog, the major still required 44 credits, which broke down to 24 core credits, 16 elective credits and a final four-credit capstone course.

The 2019-2020 catalog year heralds in the new requirements.

Students must now take 56 core credits, many of which belong to former elective courses as well as one four-credit elective course and the four-credit capstone.

Furthermore, allied discipline courses returned for the first time in five years as applied algebra and trigonometry became a prerequisite for safety chemistry.

The most immediately tangible

» SEE SAFETY A3

Research and writing tutors attend conference SAVANNAH NICKERSON

Contributed ArtiCle Keene State College research and writing tutors Savannah Nickerson, Tom Lupetin and Arianna Jones, as well as their mentors Kate Tirabassi and Elizabeth Dolinger, headed to Columbus, Ohio last week to present at the combined International Writing Centers Association and the National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing.

The Director of the Center for Research and Writing Kate Tirabassi explained that this is the first international conference that undergraduate tutors will attend.

“It is an opportunity for professional development,” Tirabassi said.

She also commented on the prestige that will come from this conference because the tutors presented on a

» SEE TUTORS A2

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News / A2

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Meet Philip Barker

TUTORS cont. from A1

The political science professor who introduces presidential candidates on campus ALEX HARVEY

Equinox Staff As the presidential primaries loom near, candidates from the presidential race continue to come to Keene State College. The speaker who introduces all of the candidates who come here is KSC political science professor Phil Barker.

Barker’s exposure to presidential politics came at a young age. Growing up in Houston, Texas, Barker’s family lived across the street from George H. W. Bush’s personal secretary.

“He didn’t have any family and he’d never been married, so he was kind of part of our family, and he was kind of part of the Bush family,” Barker said. This friendship provided Barker with several unique opportunities.

“As a kid, I got to tour the White House, meet George H. W. Bush and do all these amazing things that most kids don’t get a chance to do and that’s what really started to get me interested in politics,” said Barker.

While Bush Sr. is the only president whom Barker has held conversation with, he has also met Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

Barker said that Kimberly Schmidl-Gagne does all of the work for organizing political rallies at KSC. Barker coordinated Amy Klobuchar’s visit to a political science class and said that it was a lot of work.

“Kim does all of that and then I just swoop in at the last minute to meet the candidate and welcome them to campus,” said Barker. Barker also added that all of this is coordinated through the American Democracy Project.

Barker said the New Hampshire political experience is completely different from that of any other state.

“I think people who are from New Hampshire might take for granted the opportunity to have a conversation with somebody running for president,” said Barker.

Barker says the most significant people in his life are his wife and son. His wife teaches at an elementary school and his son is a first-year student at Keene High School. A native Texan, Barker graduated from Texas A&M University and attended graduate school at the University of Colorado. He later returned to Texas when his son was born and moved to New Hampshire five years ago.

This is Barker’s fifth year in New Hampshire and teaching at Keene State, but he has been a professor for 15 years. He also started teaching college-level classes while earning his master’s degree.

“I’ve been teaching college-level classes for almost 20 years,” said Barker. In addition to Texas and New Hampshire, Barker has also spent time teaching in Louisiana.

“There are some similarities between New Hampshire and Colorado in terms of geography and climate but also culturally, and I missed that,” said Barker.

One of the most significant people to influence Barker’s life was his advisor in graduate school Dr. Bill Safran. Barker said Safran was a German immigrant and Holocaust survivor who was instrumental in expanding Barker’s worldview.

“He really opened my eyes in terms of understanding international politics and a lot of my passion for understanding the world has to do with Bill Safran,” said Barker.

Schmidl-Gagne and students from Barker’s classes were unavailable for comment.

Alex Harvey can be contacted at aharvey@kscequinox.com/

CONTRIBUTED BY SAVANNAH NICKERSON

From left: Professor and Center for Research and Writing Director Kate Tirabassi, undergraduate tutor Savannah Nickerson, undergraduate tutor Tom Lupetin, undergraduate tutor Arianna Jones and Professor and Librarian Elizabeth Dolinger.

type of integration that is not being done else- students utilize us, and the way for that to conwhere yet. tinue to happen is if the college itself encourThe Center for Research and Writing has ages active engagement,” Lupetin said. been going under developmental changes The Assistant Director of the Center Molly so that each tutor is trained in both research Parsons had a similar thought process as and writing instead of just in one aspect like Tirabassi. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity previous tutors. Before this they were called for tutors to see and interact with their the Center for Writing. Just a few weeks ago, professional community. Our tutors are their name change was approved and they are practitioners,” Parsons said. now the Center for Research and Writing. They Attending this conference also benefits the presented on “The Art of Effective Integration: other tutors who are staying behind and Keene Interweaving Research and Writing Tutoring State as a campus. First-year tutor and KSC Services at a Public Liberal Arts College.” sophomore Julia Messinger pondered questions After the conference, the tutors had discus- that she is excited to hear the answers to, like: sions around what ideas they would pull from “What do other tutors do to handle difficult the experience and how they are going to bring appointments? What are important features back new tutoring techniques to Keene State of a writing center to other staff teams?” She students. “It was really cool to be able to present also mentioned her excitement to hear about our ideas on an international level, but it was different viewpoints that are rarely shared also awesome to be hearing from other writ- when tutoring on a small campus. ing centers across the world sharing their ideas Erin Morley has presented at a wide range of with us. We reflected on those ideas we heard conferences but decided to stay behind for this and are planning to create new resources that one. However, she still thinks the information will pertain to our campus well,” Lupetin said. and knowledge that the tutors will bring back Lupetin also commented on how to share with them will have a huge impact on the center. those new ideas with the campus. “I think it The team of research and writing tutors was is really important that these new and upcom- awarded travel awards to cover the registraing resources are heard by the college adminis- tion costs and the cost of travel expenses by the tration and then communicated to all students National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writacross campus by them. It is important that ing. The tutors had submitted essays describing

their undergraduate work and the necessity of their work to the development of peer tutoring. The essays include work tutors have done with marginalized or underrepresented writers on campus and the benefits of having a diverse tutor team.

To prepare for the conference, they had been meeting weekly.

“The team going to Ohio has weekly critical thinking meetings where we can plan for the trip and our presentation. During these meetings we go back into the archives from previous presentations that we could potentially pull from for ideas. We use these resources to help shape our new presentation,” Lupetin said.

KSC junior Arianna Jones mentioned that she was nervous about this conference but had been preparing by pulling from ideas from other tutors.

The Center for Research and Writing is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with more hours at the Research and Writing Help Desk in the Mason Library Monday through Thursday and Sundays. The tutors mentioned that they are excited to continue to welcome all students to their spaces.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Savannah Nickerson wrote this article as well as traveled to the conference to present with the Center for Research and Writing.

Dangers of vaping/e-cigarettes, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) • 99 percent of e-cigaretts sold in assessed venues in the U.S. contained nicotine, even e-cigarettes marketed as containing no nicotine have been found to contain some.

• E-cigarette aerosol is not harmless “water vapor.” That aerosol users breathe from the device can contain harmful substances, including: ultrafine particles, volatile organic compounds and cancer-causing chemicals.

• E-cigarette advertising has been using the same themes that have been shown to increase youth use of other tobacco products.

• In 2016, about 8 in 10 middle and high school students, more than 20 million youth, said they had seen advertising for e-cigarettes.

• Nicotine can harm the developing brain, which continues to develop until age 25.

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

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News / A3

Thursday, November 7, 2019

SAFETY cont. from A1

benefit to the overhaul, according to a faculty member in the SOHAS program, is that all students who graduate from the 2019 iteration will be able to apply to the board of certified safety professionals to qualify as a Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) certification which will grant students a highly desirable edge in the often competitive lower levels of the field and save them the time, energy and money involved in studying for and taking the Certified Safety Professional exam.

The intent to overhaul the program did not emerge overnight. Chair of the program Dr. Wayne Hartz can recall planting the seeds of the change as early as 2004.

“I raised a question of whether or not our program should meet a national accreditation standard to assure a level of program quality expected by employers,” Hartz said, though he also admitted that the proposal received a lukewarm reception at the time, citing an initial fear of alienating students and driving people out of the program.

According to Hartz, the proposal sat largely dormant until 2016, when a wave of retirements and the hiring of three new full-time faculty members presented the perfect opportunity for instituting the planned overhaul.

Hired in 2017 along with Dr. Colin Brown and Brian Bethel, Gina Chace, a current full-time faculty member in the SOHAS program, recalls taking part in a “gaps analysis” in the fall of 2017 to determine the then-current shortcomings in the SOHAS undergraduate program versus the industry standard. Creating a curriculum that would grant students the skills to meet BCSP Quality Academic Program Criteria positioning students qualify as GSP’s became the initial benchmark.

“We looked at that and compared it to our required courses and made a determination about what courses needed to, perhaps, to be moved from elective to required and actually determined that we needed to add a couple of courses as well to address all of those

SIMON CLARKE / EQUINOX STAFF

domains,” Chace said.

Another new faculty member Dr. Chris Rennix detailed how the hiring committee told him of their plans to increase academic rigor and reasoned that while his industrial hygienist niche may have helped guide the hiring committee, his decades of field experience truly sealed the deal. While he acknowledged that the increased rigor may prove a hurdle to certain students, Rennix wholeheartedly endorsed the changes, referring to the program as a “seller.” Rennix also predicted an influx of new students who would appreciate the newfound rigor and expressed confidence that employers would continue to flock to the program for recruitment needs, noting that the college had to turn

away ten organizations from a recent job fair because of lack of space.

While new arrivals to the program may have to contend with the lofty requirements of the overhauled program, students whose arrival to the program occurred prior to 2019 have noticed few, if any changes, even if they hold specialized posts.

KSC senior and the current President of the Keene State chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Jenny Salvant summarized this stating that the changes had yet to have any noticeable effect on the chapter’s operations. Salvant did, however, note that ASSP had ramped up their involvement in recent months after holding back during the initial rollout

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Contact:

NEWS EDITOR RACHEL VITELLO (781)812-7461

STUDENT ASSEMBLY JACK HANSON

Business Manager

Student Assembly discussed raising the annual student activity fee for the 2021 fiscal year on Monday, November 5.

Director of Campus Life and Advisor for Student Government Jennifer Ferrell presented a historical view of student activity fee increases from 2015 to 2021.

The proposal would raise the annual full time and part time student fees for the 2021 fiscal year by 2.5% from the following year. The topic was tabled and an official vote will be taken at a future Student Assembly meeting.

According to Ferrell, the Winter Celebration event will take place during the last week of classes in December.

There will be student organization tables, free food, games, etc.

Student Assembly meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Mountain View Room.

Jack Hanson can be contacted at jhanson@kscequinox.com

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and personally cited moments where she applied inclass knowledge from the initial curriculum updates to field scenarios in her internships.

Salvant’s own satisfaction with the program appears to summarize the current SOHAS student zeitgeist. Emma Cypherd, a junior SOHAS major, echoed previously stated sentiments about the program and its future prospects, as well as its general perception in industry circles.

“I think the program is good. I like the professors, they have experience in the field, which is really good, and I feel they’re all very knowledgeable on the subject, and they’re good at passing on that knowledge to the students,” stated Cypherd.

Campus Safety Press Log 10/28 Odor of drugs (Holloway) 10/28 Theft- bicycles 10/28 Parking violation- chronic violator/revoked 10/28 Odor of drugs (Huntress) 10/28 Fire alarm- no fire 10/2 9 In t ox i c a t e d/in c a p a c i t a t e d subject 10/29 Parking violation- chronic violator/revoked 10/29 Alcohol violation- KSC policy 10/29 Suspicious activity (Bushnell) 10/30 Medical- non-emergency (LLC) 10/30 Odor of drugs (Owl’s Nest 1) 10/30 Fire alarm- no fire (Butler Court) 10/30 Noise complaint (Butler Court) 10/31 False identification- possession of (Holloway) 10/31 Destruction property (Student Center) 10/31 Drug paraphernalia possession (Holloway) 10/31 Suspicious motor vehicle (Madison lot) 11/1 911/Blue light activation (Pondside 3) 11/1 Fire alarm- no fire (Huntress) 11/1 Odor of drugs (Carle) 11/1 Traffic/Parking control 11/1 Suspicious activity (Fiske quad) 11/2 Medical- non-emergency (LLC) 11/2 Intoxicated/incapacitated subject (Huntress) 11/2 Animal complaint (TDS) 11/2 Theft from a building (LLC) 11/2 Medical emergency (Butler Court) 11/3 Odor of drugs (Holloway) 11/3 Intoxicated/incapacitated subject (Carle) 11/3 Suspicious activity (Winchester lot) 11/3 Animal complaint

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OPINIONS

Opinions / A4

Thursday, November 7, 2019

EDITORIAL

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Newer may not always be better

Olivia Cattabriga/ Art Director

The Equinox shares their opinion on the need to always have the next big thing Last week, Apple released their new AirPods Pro headphones and got everyone talking—and meme-ing. Images of the new Apple product are inescapable online and on social media; but what is all the hype about?

According to Apple’s official website, the AirPods Pro use state-of-the-art noise cancellation technology to facilitate “immersive sound in an all-new lightweight, in-ear design.” This release is only one of many that stirs up conversation and enthusiasm for new, superfluous technology.

AirPods are particularly relevant because they represent not only the modern influx of trendy tech we are currently experiencing but a potentially harmful distinction of class. As the popular memes explain, owning AirPods is a way of showing off in front of others. The joke is that people wear them primarily to impress and show others at a glance that they are superior because they are able to afford expensive things. This shallowness may seem easy to dismiss; however, there is validity to the superiority AirPod owners infamously exert. It does feel good and important, however fleeting, to “flex” on others, not only with AirPods but with all new technology.

This need to always have new things is created by societal pressure

THE EQUINOX

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Puja Thapa Administrative Executive Editor Erin McNemar Managing Executive Editor News Editor

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coming from all directions. One place it usually happens is with friends.

This is usually in the form of harmless jokes, such as making fun of somebody when they have a Samsung instead of an iPhone, but the fact that these jokes still happen in the first place is evidence of this pressure.

Another place where people feel pressure from others is social media. This can happen when you’re just scrolling through social media and see somebody post a picture with their fancy new wide-angle lens on the newest iPhone. This usually leads to people feeling like they’re missing out because they cannot afford to buy this phone and, therefore, cannot truly capture moments in their life the way they want to.

This pressure also comes from people who begin to think they’re better than others just because they have these things. An example of this is certain people using objects such as AirPods as status symbols to flex on others. On top of this, meme culture also adds fuel to the fire by making people think anybody with AirPods is snooty, when they may just use them for more efficient running.

The problem with this pressure is that a lot of these new forms of technology are simply too expensive for the average college student

to invest in, especially when the things they already have still work well.

These prices will also cause many to think that those who actually have earned the newest tech did so through hard work, when in reality they may have just been given to them by their parents.

While there is a lot of pressure from society and the people around you to always have the next big thing, remember that it is not a necessity. There is nothing wrong with believing you should have nice, new things, but you shouldn’t desire them to a point that you lose sleep over it. If you feel like you want to treat yourself to something nice, treat yourself to some relaxation time or hanging out with friends.

As college students, it seems like we are going nonstop from when we wake up to when we go to sleep. The last thing you should be worrying about is whether or not you will have the newest phone. If you are feeling that pressure from society just remember the world will not stop spinning if you don’t have the latest Android or Apple product.

EQUINOX NEWSROOM

EDITORIAL POLICY

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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.

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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 358-2414. The Equinox business office is open MondayFriday from 11 am to 1:30 pm.

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Thursday, November 7, 2019

STAFF COMMENTARY

Patrick’s politics talks: gun control One student shares his thoughts and experiences dealing with gun control PATRICK HOLDEN

Equinox Staff

“

“In the aftermath, when no immediate action was taken, I was infuriated. How could the deaths of 20 beautiful children and six brave school staff members not immediately prompt some form of change? I still am furious.”

-Patrick Holden

“

The topic of gun control has been one of the most pressing matters in politics during the last decade and is once again at the top of many democratic candidates’ priorities. The issue centers itself, in most cases, not around whether there should be any control of guns in the United States but how much control.

Several democratic candidates offer different solutions and proposals to this question. Senator Cory Booker has proposed that all gun owners must obtain federal licenses to own and use their weapons, which has prompted several other major candidates to file on in support.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has stated that as president she would go after the NRA and dedicate $100 million towards gun safety research. In her time in the Senate, Warren worked in support of gun control, calling on major companies that worked with gun manufacturers to pressure them for change. Both Warren and Senator Kamala Harris have promised to tackle gun control within the first 100 days in office, the latter also calling for universal background checks and a renewal of the 1994 ban on assault weapons that expired in 2004.

Coming from states whose constituents view guns more favorably in general, Senators Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders have taken different routes regarding gun control in the past. Klobuchar’s approach comes from the idea of what would “hurt [her] Uncle Dick in the deer stand.”

If gun control infringes upon a person’s ability to hunt, fish or participate in other outdoor activities that involve guns, then she has a problem with it. However, Klobuchar still supports ideas such as universal background checks and assault weapons bans because, according to her, these laws would not hurt her Uncle Dick.

Similarly, Senator Sanders has taken a softer approach to gun control in the past than some of his political democratic rivals, and was criticized for this during the 2016 election. In 1993, Sanders voted against a bill that would require federal background checks. However, since the start of his 2020 campaign, Sanders has been much harder on gun control, promising to “take on the NRA, expand background checks, end the gun show loophole and ban the sale and distribution of assault weapons.”

The debate around gun control is an issue that hits close to home for me. I am originally from Connecticut and live around 45 minutes away from Newtown, the town where the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting took place. I still remember the day the shooting took place. I remember the moment I first heard about it from my geometry teacher, but not knowing if anyone had been hurt. When we slowly got word that children had been shot, I felt my heart shatter.

-OLIVIA CATTABRIGA/ ART DIRECTOR

I was only a freshman in high school, and I could hardly comprehend the situation. I remember walking, almost lifeless, through the hallways of my school, my classmates and friends in just as much disbelief as me. My friend’s mother drove me home that day, and I remember listening to the radio as the reports rolled in. We just sat in the car and cried. There was nothing else to do. In the aftermath, when no immediate action was taken, I was infuriated. How could the deaths of 20 beautiful children and six brave school staff members not immediately prompt some form of change?

I still am furious.

I believe the best course of action would be to establish universal background checks, mandatory training for proper and safe gun usage longer than just a few hours and federal licenses for gun owners. Those licenses should also be renewed every few years, just as drivers’ licenses must be renewed. Along with this, I believe a new ban on assault weapons should

STAFF COMMENTARY

be enacted.

There is nothing wrong with weapons used for hunting or other similar sport, and guns such as AR-15s are not required for such sport. I also do not think there is anything wrong with owning a gun as a means of self-defense and I actually plan on purchasing some sort of weapon for my future household. However, a military-grade weapon originally designed and used to kill as many enemies as possible in warfare is not necessary to defend a civilian household.

Patrick Holden can be contacted at Patrick.Holden@ksc.keene.edu

STAFF COMMENTARY

Halloweekend blues

Behind Keene State’s no guest policy

A line that needs to be defined

Knowing the difference between free speech and hate speech ANDREW CHASE

Equinox Staff

SLESHA TULADHAR

Equinox Staff

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Pumpkin Festival used to be grand, however, the city of Keene could not overcome the riot. The Pumpkin Festival did not happen again for three years because of the riot -Slesha Tuladhar

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I had never experienced Halloween before. Anything I knew about Halloween was from what I saw in the movies. Trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, dressing up for Halloween in spooky costumes, playing pranks, watching horror movies and apple bobbing are some of the activities people usually do during the Halloween season. According to what people have told me, Halloween is celebrated in remembrance of the departed souls and martyrs.

On October 11, the Residential Life office sent out an email to the Keene State students regarding the no guest policy. The no guest policy will be in effect from October 31 to November 2. The students of Keene State College are going to have access to all the buildings on the campus, but guests are not allowed in any of the residential halls.

The residential assistants are going to keep watch at the entrance and check the IDs of everybody entering the buildings. Anyone who does not have an Owl Card will not be allowed inside the buildings. I was surprised to hear about the no guest policy, and I started inquiring about this. That is how I came to know about the pumpkin riot that happened five years ago in Keene.

Pumpkin Festival used to be a long-lived festival for Keene.

According to the History of Keene Pumpkin Festival, this event started as a harvest festival in 1991.

As time passed, the festival slowly started to grow in popularity. It is an event where people showcase pumpkins that they carved with their schools, organizations or families. They have food stands, music and a place for kids to play. Moreover, people come from different places to get together with family and friends to have fun.

Five years ago, during the Pumpkin Festival, a large number of people turned the festival into a nightmare. According to the Los

Angeles Times, people were throwing bottles, destroying the street signs, flipping cars, pushing barricades, cursing and throwing bottles at police. A lot of people were injured and they set a large fire in the streets. The situation was so out of hand that Keene Police had to use tear gas and street fires to take control of the situation. Over 100 people were arrested and held accountable for the chaos. It made headlines in almost all social media platforms and newspapers the next day.

Pumpkin Festival used to be grand; however, the city of Keene could not overcome the riot. The Pumpkin Festival did not happen again for three years because of the riot. This year the city did host a festival; however, it was smaller than what it used to be.

Students’ safety has always

been a priority for our college. This is the reason why it creates reforms and programs to ensure security.

The sole purpose of the no guest policy is to maintain a safe boundary around the campus. I hope the city of Keene can heal the scars from the riot and be able to celebrate the Pumpkin Festival without any fear in the future.

Slesha Tuladhar can be contacted at stuladhar@kscequinox.com

The First Amendment of the United States of America’s Bill of Rights states that, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The First Amendment protects all lawabiding U.S. citizens from having their freedom of speech, press, religion and ability to peacefully protest infringed upon by the government.

I believe that the First Amendment is the most important amendment out of the original Bill of Rights. The first amendment allows people to speak about what is on their mind without fear of being prosecuted by the government. The Founding Fathers were said to have put the amendments in order of importance.

Recently, there have been a number of questions regarding hate speech because people are becoming more delicate. My theory is that this is happening because parents are raising their kids to be ‘softer than a box of tissues. The result of this “softening” is that children don’t know how to properly deal with many situations.

An example of this theory is when a Trump supporter wears a “Make America Great Again” hat and is minding their own business but an anti-Trump supporters go out of their way to go up to the trump supporter and scream at them or call them a “bigot and a racist.” In reality, the anti-trump supporter is truly the “bigot” in this situation because they had absolutely no business with the trump supporter and decided to express their feelings in a violent way. I believe that the protestor is the one who was using hate speech because they decided to create a hostile environment with somebody who has opposing political

free speech offensive

-OLIVIA CATTABRIGA/ ART DIRECTOR

alignment to them.

I believe that creating a new expression statement is a good idea, but it would have to be done correctly to ensure that the expression statement does not tread on anyone’s First Amendment rights.

I believe that everyone should be able to voice their opinions regardless of what that opinion is.

I believe this because most people probably don’t know what is going on in that person’s life.

Also, everyone has differing opinions and there is no such thing as a right opinion. Therefore, an opinion shouldn’t be taken as a fact. I believe there is a line that needs to be drawn when deciding what’s considered hate speech.

Hate speech should be classified as when someone non-jokingly and without any previous incidents goes out of their way to specifically target someone or a certain group of people.

I believe that no one should ever feel unsafe to the point where their life is in danger, but I also believe that people should try and learn how to deal with feeling a bit uncomfortable. Learning to deal with these feelings in a civilized and correct manner is something that should be done by everyone because it’s part of being human.

Andrew Chase can be contacted at achase@kscequinox.com

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Thursday, November 7, 2019

STAFF COMMENTARY

The curious case of 6nitch9ine The story of a suburban kid using questionable behavior to propel his rap career JOE GUZMAN

Arts And EntErtAinmEnt Editor Takashi 6ix9ine, also known as Daniel Hernandez, is no stranger to controversy and his last trial reinforces this statement more than ever. From beginning his career with aggressively shouting racial slurs and throwing gang signs on his breakout track “Gummo” to getting arrested right before his debut album “Dummy Boy,” when his career reached its highest highs, Hernandez managed to still trickle in some mainstream relevancy. He achieved this through social media antics that would fuel his brand and music career in the hardcore hip-hop community mainly from jail and the impact he made on 2017.

Instagram Live beefs, dropping the N-word— Hernandez is exclusively Latino—and pleading guilty to being a registered sex offender were just some of the questionable activities that Hernandez indulged in. The ironic thing was while he was releasing music when he was popping nobody made heavy strides to cancel him because they didn’t take him seriously.

When Hernandez first faced sex offender allegations he was let off easy by the judge, only warranting four years probation and 1,000 hours of community service.

He was also required to stop mentioning his gang, the Nine Trey Gangsters. By November 18, Henandez was captured and charged with federal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), firearms charges and conspiracy to murder.

He later admitted to the conspiracy to murder charge, saying he put out a hit on his Chicago rival Chief Keef. This confession would be the first of many things Henandez revealed to the authorities after he was arrested. One of the biggest things that was recently revealed was that Henandez divulged a huge list of affiliates of the Nine Trey Gangsters. Some of these people included were: his manager Kifano “Shotti” Jordan, who Hernandez said was a prominent figure in the gang; Ohio rapper and former rival Trippie Redd, accused of belonging to a different Blood set); and Cardi B, who Hernandez accused of being a Blood as well. Hernandez also admitted to everything he has

been convicted of to get off earlier, rather than being sentenced for life.

The kicker is that Hernandez reputedly didn’t even grow up living a gangster lifestyle; he just really enjoyed putting on that persona for people. According to leaked audio, Hernandez started rapping in September 2014 while working at a supermarket deli. A man, allegedly named Peter Rodgers, came in one day and asked him if he rapped which then led Rodgers to start complimenting Hernandez and asking “why not?” This is when Hernandez started making rock and roll-rap music with Rodgers out of the deli. He toured a bit, mostly in western Europe, saying he did it for experience and only usually made $2,000 profit.

He admitted to changing his music style nearly three years later in August of 2017 when making his break out hit “GUMMO.” The issue with this is that his whole career circled around his persona of being a legitimate gangster. Hernandez was even featured in some songs saying, “Whole squad full of f******* killers, I'm a killer too, Sending shots, shots, shots” and “Police pull up on me, I don't know what happened, Police pull up on you, you gon' get to yappin'.” After making all these songs claiming he likes confrontation and then being so quick to give up such secretive information makes his career and reliability no longer reputable in any sense.

Yet because of his telling spree on these rap music juggernauts and admitting everything himself, he could be getting out of jail in 2020. Sources such as TMZ are even claiming that Henandez landed himself a record deal worth more than $10 million from his former label when he gets let out of prison in exchange for two albums, one in English and one in Spanish. In all honesty, if Takashi 6ix9ine refuses witness protection, as he is apparently trying to do, I have no doubt in my mind that he will be killed for telling on the people that he did.

Joe Guzman can be contacted at jguzman@kscequinox.com

Zi Chuan returns

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

Need MORE music?

Want to listen to our playlist for this week?

Pop by our page on Spotify called Equinox Newspaper!

This week'S PLAYLIST: DC Trip!

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Chinese calligrapher Zi Chuan returned to Keene State College's Hale Building to see the framed calligraphy he created two years ago of the college's motto: Enter to Learn -- Go Forth to Serve.

Here he poses on October 30 in the Hale Building in front of the calligraphy. Also present in the photo is Dean of Mason Library Dr. Celia Rabinowitz.

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Fleetwood Mac - Dreams Arts and Entertainment Editor Joseph Guzman (603)-249-6325 KSCEQUINOX.COM

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Thursday, November 7, 2019

Embracing the arts OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

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This semester we had a bit of a changeover. A lot of people graduated, so we’re trying to build back up our numbers and get more people involved in it - Michael Smoot

“

The Art Collective is 10 years old and ready to expand again LONNIE HILTZ

Equinox stAff Recent changes and turnovers have caused the Keene State College Art Collective to hit a rough patch, but the art club hopes to build itself back up and continue providing a relaxed environment for students who love the arts.

Many clubs and student organizations have been formed at Keene State College, including the KSC Art Collective. For the past 10 years, the Art Collective has welcomed students interested in any kind of art and given them a place to meet up and engage in various independent artwork projects. These projects include painting, bookmaking and T-shirt printing. Attendees don’t have to pursue an art major or take any classes in the art department, although the group encourages students to bring any unfinished art projects from their classes to the Art Collective’s meetings to continue working on them.

As explained by Michael Smoot, the Art Collective’s faculty advisor and a professor of art and design at KSC, the student-run group has worked with various visiting artists in the past and attended lectures by professionals such as a recent visit from an Ohio artist who hosted printmaking in the Lloyd P. Young Student Center and sold small projects.

Keegan O’Brien, the Art Collective’s current treasurer, explained how meetings take place at the Redfern Art Center’s third floor every Wednesday night. The group formerly met on Tuesdays but recently changed their schedule to accommodate the large number of art students who had night classes on Tuesdays, as it interfered with club meetings.

However, O’Brien stated he feels little enthusiasm exists for the Art Collective currently, as evident by the lack of attendance at their meeting on Wednesday, October 30. O’Brien said the group rarely sees much attendance as of late, except for himself and the group’s president, Alice Weil. “Right now, it’s awful.

It’s just me and Alice. We’re hoping for more, but no one seems interested,” O’Brien said. Despite difficulties, O’Brien spoke positively about some of the activities he has tried while working with the Art Collective, such as acrylic pour painting and making booklets with folded paper.

Smoot discussed the group’s fluctuating levels of membership as well and mentioned the group’s attendance usually averages 15 to 20 students. “This semester we had a bit of a changeover. A lot of people graduated, so we’re trying to build back up our numbers and get more people involved in it,” Smoot explained. The Art Collective primarily uses flyers posted around campus to spread the word and drum up interest. They also have an Instagram account for posting promotional photos: @redfernrascals.

On Friday, November 15, the Art Collective will take part in the Creative Time Summit, an international series of lectures via video conference. The KSC campus serves as one of the satellite locations for the event, and

the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery on campus will screen the video lectures and performances from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day. The Creative Time Summit is open to anyone on campus.

The group has not enacted many major art projects recently, but O’Brien and Weil hope to recruit people interested in animation and video-making projects.

Weil could not be reached for further comment.

Smoot explained the Art Collective previously had several thousand dollars in funding allocated to them, but Keene State’s system for distributing funds to clubs has since seen a major change: all money set aside for clubs is put into a single pool of funds, and groups can individually apply to request contributions. For the Art Collective, funding chiefly goes toward materials for projects, including paper, drawing utensils and bookbinding supplies.

Lonnie Hiltz can be contacted at delaney.hiltz@ksc.keene.edu

Sorry I can't hear you

Tech company Apple announced new sound proof wireless earbuds last week JOE GUZMAN

Arts And EntErtAinmEnt Editor Apple lovers know that during this time of the year Apple usually announces some new products. Last Monday, Apple announced and revealed the new pair of headphones they released the following Wednesday. The headphones are called the AirPods Pro and the biggest new feature that is being incorporated with them is that they are a smaller version of the original AirPods and also come with noise cancellation abilities.

Each headphone comes with three different sizes of rubber earpieces for comfort and a proper fit, depending on the ear of the customer. The headphones are being sold for $250 and were released in stores on October 30.

Another new feature is an outward-facing microphone for detecting external sound. This is so the headphones can pick up and counter the outside sound with an equal amount of anti-noise so the viewer hears only his music. This feature also works with the inward-facing microphone that cancels any unwanted sound with anti-noise as well. According to Apple's official website, “Noise cancellation is continuously adjusted at 200 times per second for truly immersive sound, so you’re fully tuned in to your music, podcasts and calls.” For those who don’t want to experience the noise-cancellation mode, they can switch the headphones to a transparency mode to let outside sound in naturally.

Keene State College Sophomore Emma Hamilton describes herself as a heavy headphone user, saying, “I take headphones with me whenever I leave home.” Her go-to headphones are the wired, original Apple headphones. Hamilton said, “I have seen the new AirPods Pro. I think the design of them is a little ugly, but if they really cancel all noise then I guess they’re worth the money.” Hamilton said she wanted a pair of these headphones,

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but she thinks that the price point Apple set is too expensive.

Sophomore Alex Franco also described himself as an avid headphone user mentioning he uses the Beats Studio 3. “I don’t think they seem any different than the original ones,” said Franco. Franco also said he didn’t think people will be in pursuit of these headphones like the first generation of AirPods.

Junior Rowan Heard said he currently is not as invested in headphones as he once was. Heard said his favorite headphones are “the latest generation of Beats Studios.” Heard said, “I have seen the AirPods Pro and, as an avid Apple user and consumer, I’m glad they are pushing the boundaries of ‘earbud capabilities.’ Personally, I think $250 is just too much for headphones that are not over the head. Unless they are made with high quality material like aluminum, or something like that. I think a lot of the price reflects how much influence Apple has over its customers. However, the noise cancellation feature is very cool.”

Overall, Heard said, “I think a lot of people will want them, but I truly believe the price point will drive people away to other brands and products.”

Joe Guzman can be contacted at jguzman@kscequinox.com

OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

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ARTS ENTERTAINMENT

A&E / A8

Thursday, November 7, 2019

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Playing with Strings

Two sisters in the music department are thriving PUJA THAPA

AdministrAtive executive editor “The Becker sisters bring a sunshine and a light with them wherever they go,” said Coordinator of piano and Assistant Professor of music Dr. Christina J Wright-Ivanova. “They are very positive, kind and intelligent students.”

Keene State College senior Kirsten Becker and sophomore Alyssa Becker are the star students in the music department, according to their professors. The Becker sisters commute to college from Charlestown, New Hampshire.

Piano being her primary instrument and voice being her secondary instrument, Kirsten is majoring in music performance. Kirsten was the assistant student conductor of the Keene State concert choir, working with Dr. Matthew Leese’s significant audiences.

She also has been a major part of the Steinway Campaign of KSC. Kirsten said, “There have been a lot of fundraising initiatives going on and they have asked me to do a lot of performing in the community, kind of headlining and helping out President Treadwell, playing and speaking a little bit at different things like that and helping attract donors to this cause of Steinway.”

On the other hand, Alyssa’s primary instrument is classical guitar, with voice being her secondary instrument.

Out of many experiences at KSC, Alyssa loved the guitar orchestra her first year. “It was really quite an experience the first couple of rehearsals because I had never played with so many other guitarists at the same time and it was a challenge

at first,“ said Alyssa. “I really feel like I have grown a lot in that ensemble and usually, freshmen [first-year] start out playing lower parts, like fourth and third guitar, but by the end of my first semester, I was playing first guitar.”

The Becker sisters, also known as “the Becker Duo” in the music department, were homeschooled for their early education. Kirsten said, “It was difficult going from being homeschooled to being in a classroom. But I think I had very good experiences right off the bat, so I think I quickly acclimated to both the social aspect and the academic.” Kirsten enjoys studying with other people and collaborative opportunities that it brings.

Professor of music at KSC Dr. Jose Manuel Lezcano said, “As sisters they are a very important part of our program here, because as outstanding students they are a bit of an inspiration to other students and incentivise other students to work harder and strive to achieve. In other words, they raise the bar for other students.”

The Becker sisters have received multiple scholarships and grants due to their talent and performance. The scholarship offered at her audition was one of the big reasons for Alyssa to join KSC. The sisters have been able to avoid student debt due to the scholarships and grants they have got.

“Avoiding student debt is huge because it impacts how it allows me to spend more of my college time being able to invest in my homework and my music practice,” said Kirsten. “ I am choosing to do [projects on the side] not because they make me money but rather they give me good experiences and help me become more of a professional. It’s cool that I get to have that flexibility to have time to do those outside internship-like experiences.” Both Kirsten and Alyssa performed at the Momentum event on October 18. Momentum is an opportunity provided to KSC scholarship recipients to meet KSC donors who provide support for scholarships and thank them personally.

Kirsten was one of the honored student speakers at the event. She said, “It was really humbling to be the recipient of so much generosity and very inspiring to hear the stories of other students who have gotten through this process and are on their way in the professional world.”

According to Professor Lezcano, they are very nice people who engage and support their peers. Lezcano added, “Sometimes students who are standouts can have a negative attitude towards students who are not as gifted as they are, but they are not at all like that.

They are just wonderful to their peers and very helpful to them.”

Kirsten finds it very special to be going to the same school with her sister. “It’s cool because you have a sister forever and it’s going to be neat to be able to

look back on the shared experience when we’re older and be able to relate to each other in such a deep way for having done such a similar things together,” said Kirsten. “It’s nice to have each other’s backs when one of us is going through a rough day. The other one has been there and knows what to say to give encouragement, so I think that’s really fortunate.”

Alyssa likes to be grouped with Kirsten. “She is such an amazing musician herself, it makes me feel honored to be her sister; but also, it’s such a cool opportunity to both be in the same program, where we actually would be able to do things together,” Kirsten said.

Professor Wright-Ivanova has confidence in the bright future of Kirsten. She said, “I know that Kirsten will make great music and make a musical community around her wherever she ends up in her life. I know that she wants to stay in New Hampshire and her dream is to open up a piano studio and keep performing at a higher level and I would dream for her only that she’s happy and making music wherever she is. That’s what I hope.”

Professor Lezcano on the other hand is confident about Alyssa’s future. He said, “I don’t have a crystal ball and music careers are very difficult and risky. She does have the capacity to pursue a career in music that would combine her various talent and research interest, if she wants to do it.”

The Becker sisters also have a younger sister Courtney Becker, who’s 15 years old. According to Kirsten, Courtney plays violin and is interested in sports, and baking and art. Kirsten added, “I don’t what she’ll end up doing, but maybe it’ll be the Becker trio at some point. Who knows.”

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Becker sisters Kirsten (Left) and Alyssa (Right) playing their respective instruments in the Redfern Arts Center, Kirsten's main instrument being the piano and Alyssa's the guitar.

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» GLOBAL FELLOW B2

STUDENT LIFE

» STUDY ABROAD B3

Student Life, B1

Thursday, November 7, 2019

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Retraction On the October 17 issue of The Equinox, a reporter reported several inaccuracies including “Campus Safety had yet to send out a notice informing students to check out their bike wheels” and an inaccurate response time without first verifying that information with Campus Safety. The article put Campus Safety in a false light, though inadvertently. All sides were not represented in the article. We train our reporters to check with a source before stating a claim. In this case, the reporter used second-hand information without verifying it. The article has since been removed from our website. The Equinox always strives for accuracy and both the reporter and The Equinox sincerely apologize for this error.

Showing pride

LIAM FREY / EQUINOX STAFF

On Saturday, November 2, Pride Prom was held in the Mabel Brown Room. This event was put on by the KSC Pride club and was meant to be a positive space for members of the LGBTQ community to go and experience prom.

KSC Pride Club put on ‘Pride Prom’ and offered a safe space for the LGBTQ community TOM BENOIT

Equinox Staff “At Pride Prom, a lot of those rules and expectations are removed,” said Hunter Kirschner the organizer for KSC Pride’s Pride Prom that was held this past Saturday. “Students are able to dress however they wish and bring whomever they wish, including no date at all,” said Kirschner.

“KSC’s Pride Prom is an annual event to celebrate the connections and community formed at Keene State.

Each year around this time, KSC Pride organizes this event to be able to bring people together to express themselves through dance, dress and celebration,” said Kirschner.

Pride Prom is aimed toward members of the LGBTQ community who may have not had a positive experience with their high school proms.

First-year student Katherine Faulhaber said that Pride Prom is an accepting place for people who did not feel accepted at their high school proms. “In high

school not everyone feels comfortable going to prom with who they want to go with, so this is an opportunity for people to feel like they can go with whoever they want and be accepted,” stated Faulhaber.

According to Kirschner, many LGBTQ identifying high school students were unable to dress in ways that affirmed their gender identity at their high school prom.

This made many students refuse to attend the event.

KSC’s Pride Prom sets itself apart from high school proms because KSC offers a place where there are no expectations of who anyone should be. Kirschner said, “That formality of high school prom also brings with it other expectations of gender, sexuality, race and class.

There are particular ways that students are expected to behave and present themselves to be allowed to participate.”

Pride prom was designed for LGBTQ students and allies by LGBTQ students and allies. Pride Prom was specifically planned with LGBTQ students in mind.

“The organizers are either LGBTQ or allies of LGBTQ people who want to create a space where LGBTQ stu-

dents can bring their whole selves and have those whole selves celebrated,” explained Kirschner.

The Pride Prom allows students to get a second chance at prom, especially if they did not experience prom in high school.

“Coming from a catholic high school, students were never allowed to bring dates of the same gender to homecoming or junior and senior prom,” first-year Allison Newey, who attended the event, said. “This created issues for the LGBTQ couples at the school who were required to have a separate person of the opposite gender bring them to prom. Having events like Pride Prom allows LGBTQ students here at Keene to have a healthy, positive prom experience,” expressed Newey.

Pride Prom also allows students to feel like they can be themselves in a safe environment. Faulhaber expressed that Pride Prom was a great way to meet new people and to be in a place where people feel safe and accepted around the LGBTQ community. The prom’s theme was “To The Moon and Back To Hollywood.”

Although there was a theme, Kirschner stated that stu-

dents could wear whatever they wanted. “Students are encouraged to wear the clothes that best reflect who they are or how they are feeling that night. It is a night of self-expression and affirmation of that expression,” Kirschner explained. “Too often, LGBTQ people are forced to conform to gender norms or otherwise hide who they are.”

Since the Pride Prom was held a few days before Halloween, Kirschner believes that the event was a great time for students to experiment with their gender expression.

Tom Benoit can be contacted at tbenoit@kscequinox.com

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Educating students

2019 Global Fellow presents at Mason Library in front of campus community KELLY REGAN

Global Fellow Braema Mathiaparanam spoke at the Mason Library on October 28.

Mathiaparanam shared her research on human rights in South Asia with Keene State students. Mathiaparanam is a visiting senior research fellow from Penang Institute in Malaysia.

“The Global Fellow is connected to the academic department, but we like to host a talk from the fellow and give the campus community a chance to get to know that person and hear about an area they’re interested in,” Dean of Mason Library Celia Rabinowitz said.

The Global Fellowship Program began in the fall of 2017 through a partnership between Keene State College and the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation. The Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation is a global institution that works to prevent genocide and mass atrocities. They provide education, training and resources on advocacy and activism to other governmental and educational institutions.

“We’re very happy each year to host a talk given by the Global Fellow. Two of our faculty here, Professor Waller and Professor Green, also work for the institute in their outreach work,” Rabinowitz said.

Every fall semester, Keene State hosts a senior scholar who has graduated from the Auschwitz Institute program.

The scholar lives on campus and has an on-campus office so students can access the fellow. The fellow continues to conduct their research and is able to enroll in courses at Keene State. The Global Fellow also works and learns alongside Keene State students.

The fellow hosts talk about their research on campus and in the surrounding region.

“The fellow gets an opportunity to learn from everyone here but also to contribute here and in the region,” Rabinowitz said.

“We’ve had a representative from Bosnia, Chile and now from Southeast Asia so we’re very happy that we’ve been able to focus on different geographical areas of the world.”

Braema Mathiaparanam is Keene State’s fall 2019 Global Fellow. Her work focuses on migrant workers, social protection and human rights work. Mathiaparanam has done advocacy and activism work nationally in Malaysia and also internationally.

“

We’ve had a representative from Bosnia, Chile and now from Southeast Asia so we’re very happy that we’ve been able to focus on different geographical areas of the world.

- Celia Rabinowitz

“

Senior newS reporter

KELLY REGAN / SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Braema Mathiaparanam presents at the Mason Library on Monday, October 28. During her presentation she shared her research on human rights with Keene State College students and the academic community.

Mathiaparanam founded and led the activist organization MARUAH, which means dignity. MARUAH fights for human rights in countries belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

“Braema is particularly interesting because she’s done a lot of grass-roots, on the ground advocacy work so we’re learn-

ing a lot from her about that,” Rabinowitz said.

Mathiaparanam shared her research and recent work in a presentation entitled “A Landscape View of Human Rights in Southeast Asia” on Monday, October 28. Her presentation lasted an hour and then Mathiaparanam opened the floor for questions.

Keene State students and faculty attended Mathiaparanam’s presentation. Mathiaparanam has traveled around to present in places like New York.

“What I value most about Keene is that I am learning a lot about the atrocity crimes, the frameworks, the processes and cases that I didn’t know. I’m having those in-

depth and theoretical discussions that I value because we are all moving and sometimes we don’t have the time to go deeper into these things,” Mathiaparanam said.

Kelly Regan can be contacted at Kregan@kscequinoxcom

STAFF COMMENTARY

Living in impermanence

From a trip to Thailand, KSC student goes from majority to minority ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Only one person had been negative towards me for the color of my skin, and others were always excited to hear me try to say various terms and wear handmade clothing. The kindness was amazing but something was still uncomfortable being alone. I finally understood why my friends from home or college were excited to see someone who looked like them.

The moment I saw caucasian faces at the project I volunteered at, I felt like I was home. Even if there were only a few of us from the U.S. What did I learn? Being a minority doesn’t mean that you are automatically subjected to horrible treatment.

Both groups have to respect one another and show that they are just another person. Learn from one another.

I had a huge problem with my self-confidence and was intimidated by the mass of Thai people, but once I reached the city of Khon Kaen, I realized some people were intimidated by my presence as well. Some school kids ran to me to ask about my camera, and were very friendly after deciding I was a nice person. Others were too afraid to speak to me because they felt insecure in their English-speaking abilities.

Never hold back on life-changing experiences because you are scared of what others around you will do or say. I’m always going to stick out in my travels over the big blue, but the key is being confident in who you are and spreading love to those around you.

Social Media director It’s no secret that I’m a born and raised New Englander, and wicked proud of it too!

I’ve been told I am quite adaptable, so stick me in a place where I can blend in and I often get mistaken as a native. Boston, Haverhill, Hampton Beach, Brattleboro, Province, Bath, Kittery… I’ve even had residents from Montreal and Quebec assume I was French Canadian and nervous to talk to me because they thought I didn’t speak English.

What’s a common factor among these places? They are all dominated by a heavily caucasian population.

Cue “me,” an obviously Caucasian, heterosexual, Christian female. I could get into silly finite details like how I have an olive undertone and I often get mistaken as French when family backgrounds come into play (fun fact: I’m more Native American and Italian American than anything else!). When it comes down to it, my friends in middle school classified me as “an average white chick,” minus the Starbucks and Ugg boots.

I’ve always surrounded myself with friends and family who did not share the same majority standing; even now, my two closest friends in college are from Nepal. I’ve never stuck out more than people looking at my rainbow-dyed hair in high school until this past summer, when it was very clear that I did not belong.

Thailand was an amazing experience. I loved the music, the almost-always-gluten-free food, the people and hidden adventure spots. I noticed a difference between my home and the Shanghai Airport immediately: not one person shared my skin color and not a lot of people spoke English.

I’m actually quite familiar with people speaking other languages around me, but I had never not been able to verbally communicate with others around me before. It wasn’t until a few days in Bangkok when I noticed some difficulties with safety and my own inner confidence.

I have always had an interest in South Asian cultures

Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at Ainchierca@kscequinox.com

and mythology so I loved the new experiences, but I “English? Where are you from?” found myself nervous to speak to others. I was scared “The United States.” of public transportation. I often needed to find secluded “America?! I know California!” areas to take some deep breaths, and I never was able Then I would proceed to tell them the location of to have a real, meaningful conversation with someone. New Hampshire and how it snows… a lot.

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STUDENT LIFE / B3

Thursday, November 7, 2019

STAFF COMMENTARY

Study abroad adventures KIANA WRIGHT

Equinox Staff The World’s in her hands.

It’s been a minute, but I’m back. I’ve been living in Spain for just over a month, yet it still catches my eye every day. A lot has happened since I last wrote, but I’ll catch you up!

A couple of things that haven’t changed: my 30 minute walk to class still has me sweating, I embarrass myself on a daily basis and I’m always tired. I swear this walk to school has been my biggest obstacle here. Sometimes I have to stop once or twice because my shin splints are crying out for help. You would think I’d be losing weight and getting all chiseled, but there are these chocolate bars at the Mercadona that are like .80 euros each… so yeah.

Hmm examples of me losing my dignity: I’ve made a fool of myself by walking into an empty men’s restroom, and then walking out of an occupied one (my teachers saw the whole thing go down and laughing their butts off.) The number of times someone has asked me, “Cómo te Llamas?” (What’s your name?) and I confidently respond, “Bien” (Good). LMK. Also, the movie with Jim Carey called Yes Man - well that’s me right now. Because whenever someone asks me a question that I don’t understand, I say “Si.” I don’t know what I’m agreeing to half the time, but that’s the thing, I’m in a foreign country and you learn to be okay with making mistakes because you can’t take life too seriously.

Classes are good. To be honest, when coming here I was like, “oh my goodness, I’m so excited to take these classes they look so fun (and easy) it’s going to be such a relaxing experience.” Yet here I am just getting my painting class’ midterm back and seeing I got an 8.8/10. The test was a drawing. On the other hand, I do have to admit

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

my painting class has really helped me find all the secret spots in the city that are gorgeous and are an honor to draw or paint. My painting class isn’t until later so my attendance is regular but as much as I want to

be a morning person there is no way. I still fight with myself every day just to get out of bed for my 9 a.m. classes that I have every day but that’s been a thing since graduating afternoon kindergarten. All in all, my

classes are going well. I’m still catching up in a couple of them due to me getting sick twice. Yup twice. I had a stomach virus for about a week and a half and then I caught a head cold for about two weeks (I did go

ADVICE COLUMN

Georgie’s school survival guide GEORGIE GENTILE

Equinox Staff Hello and welcome to the fourth issue of this advice column! I’m Georgie Gentile and I am a sophomore at Keene State College majoring in film production and English writing as well as minoring in German. If you have a question that you want me to answer you can email it to ggentile@kscequinox.com.

This week I will keep answering questions related to the upcoming winter season as well asinals week looming in the distance.

Question: How does finals week work?

Answer: If it is your first time experiencing finals at Keene State College, the schedule can appear to be a bit confusing when you hear it for the first time, but it is actually pretty simple. This year, the last day of classes for the fall semester will be Friday, December 6. The following Monday, December 9, will be Reading Day, where no classes take place.

However, exams technically begin that evening at 6 p.m.

From December 10 to 13, final exams will take place and end Friday, December 13 at 3 p.m. Residence halls also close that Friday for Winter Break. You should talk to your professors about the days and times of your exams to make sure you show up on the right day and time as well as in the right building. You should also make sure you have a way to leave campus when Winter Break begins so your finals week doesn’t become crazier than it already seems.

what you need to do, you can think about how you will get all the associated work done. Organize what you need to do for each assignment and create managable goals to achieve throughout the remaining month. It is very easy to fall behind on work during the last weeks of the semester, but try to push through. Try to stay on track with your work by scheduling and organizing.

I know this is harder than it sounds (I had to write a 20-page paper last year, I understand). It is going to be a rough month, but once you are done you do not have to Question: How do I pre- worry about classwork until pare for finals?

January.

Answer: It is not easy to prepare for the end of a Question: How do I presemester, let alone the proj- pare for winter? ects and exams that take Answer: If you feel place. The first thing you unprepared for cold weather should do is talk to your pro- and snow, you should get fessors and find out the spe- ready in the next week or cifics of what your finals will two because snow may be be about. Will it be a paper? coming sooner than you A presentation? A portfo- think. The most obvious lio? Because it is November, things I can recommend you most classes have already getting are a winter jacket assigned their final work- and boots. They do not load. Once you figure out have to be anything fancy.

Thrift stores in and around Keene should be stocked with winter gear right now.

Also try to get a warm hat, gloves and socks. Dorms can also get chilly so you should have blankets and warm clothes to cozy up in as well. I also recommend getting some cans of soup, ramen and popcorn for your dorm. If it is snowing, you probably won’t t want to go to the dining commons to get dinner, so having some backup food is always helpful. Try to get some things to busy yourself while you stay inside too. Puzzles, adult coloring books, knitting or crocheting; do whatever you can to stop yourself from napping all day.

of stuff to bring home at that time. These things should be materials that you no longer need for your classes as well as clothes you won’t be wearing for the rest of the semester. The less stuff you need to bring home in December, the better. It’s surprising how much trash builds up in your room so make sure to throw out or donate everything you don’t need. You also should try to organize your stuff throughout the month so you won’t end up stressed by packing all of your gear up the night before. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for some help moving stuff around in your room.

You want to leave your dorm like it was on move-in day so you may need assistance Question: How do I moving your bed and desk move out of my dorm? back to their original spots.

Answer: If you are transferring to another school, I hoped you enjoyed my moving to another dorm or advice! See you next week! simply need to bring a lot of your supplies at school back Georgie Gentile can be conhome, here are some tips to tacted at make the process a bit easier. ggentile@kscequinox.com Because Thanksgiving is approaching, you should gather a reasonable amount

Equinox wins ‘Pacemaker’ award

to class when I had the sniffles, most of the time.) It was rough, but my roommate had it too so we were in it together. Oh also, I’ve been dancing in my flamenco class as well!

It’s very scary exciting (if that’s a thing) and it’s really cool having a professional dancer as my professor!

I love Spain and I’ve been here for a decent amount of time so it’s starting to feel like home.. Although, I recently took a step or two out of the country. A couple of weekends ago, I went to the colorful country of Morocco which was incredible. This trip gave me a more realistic view of Morocco than the previous one I had thanks to Sex and the City 2. But of course, I still had a Carrie moment and bought some of those cute slipper shoes. I actually bought a lot of things like scarves, bags and essential oils.

The trip included Arab cuisine, hotels, tours and a trip to the pharmacy. The pharmacy was not what you would think It only had 100 percent natural remedies. I bought this little orange bottle of an herbal essence that smells great and has multiple uses. It helps with headaches, sleeping, being stressed out and the doctor who was very sarcastic with a cruel sense of humor said we could burn the oil to set the mood for, well you know.

I also met some talented performers who made our dining experience over the top including multiple dancers, singers and even a man who balanced like 10 candles on his bald little head. The cities we passed and stopped in were full of incredible art, friendly people and stunning views. Overall amazing trip, just like Portugal was too, and hopefully the next move as well. (Hint: “Bonjour!”)

Kiana Wright can be contacted at kwright@kscequinox.com

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a t

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On Saturday November 2, The Equinox won the Associated Collegiate Press ‘Pacemaker’ award. This award was for The Equinox’s online website. To many, the ‘Pacemaker’ award is considered to be the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism. The event was held in Washington, D.C from October 31 through November 3.

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STUDENT LIFE / B4

Thursday, November 7, 2019

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$6.00 LUNCH CASH ONLY JOIN US IN THE DC ON FRIDAYS IN NOVEMBER, 1, 8, 15 & 22 FOR $6.00 LUNCH, CASH ONLY. NO CREDIT CARDS, OWL CASH, DINING DOLLARS OR MEAL PLAN DOLLARS ACCEPTED.ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE DC.

Like to write?

Interested in life on campus?

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Student Life Editor ccrawford@kscequinox.com (603)-554-2781 KSCEQUINOX.COM

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World News/ B5 Thursday, November 7, 2019

WORLD NEWS

Increasing a crowded field

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Layoffs, office closings for Harris' New Hampshire campaign HUNTER WOODALL

AssociAted Press California Sen. Kamala Harris is winding down her presidential campaign's efforts in New Hampshire.

All the field organizers in New Hampshire were laid off, and three field offices are also closing. That's according to the Harris campaign's New Hampshire spokesman.

Harris has spent little time in New Hampshire since announcing her presidential run, but she has drawn crowds during her handful of visits to the state.

Plans for Harris to visit New Hampshire next week have also been canceled, including a stop for her to file for the primary in Concord on Nov. 7. The campaign says her name will still be placed on the ballot.

2 bodies found at Texas beach are New Hampshire couple ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filing period opens for New Hampshire's presidential primary HOLLY RAMER

AssociAted Press CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — If you think the Democratic presidential race is crowded now, wait until you see the New Hampshire primary ballot.

The collection of political gadflies and citizen-candidates who emerge every presidential election to join nationally recognized figures on the ballot began to take shape Wednesday with the start of the filing period for the state's first-in-the-nation primary.

The date for the primary has not been set, but it's expected to be held Feb. 11, eight days after the leadoff Iowa caucuses. Potential candidates have until Nov. 15 to add their names to the Democratic or Republican ballot, and dozens are expected to do in part because it's relatively cheap and easy. Candidates need only meet the basic requirements to be president, fill out a one-page form and pay a $1,000 filing fee.

That means candidates running national

campaigns share space on the ballot with unknowns such as Mark Stewart Greenstein, of West Hartford, Connecticut, who was the first to sign up for the 2016 primary. He was first this time, too, handing over a stack of $50 bills just after the secretary of state's office opened at 8 a.m. He received 29 votes last time, according to results from that office.

Four years ago, he said his goal was to stop Hillary Clinton, who ended up winning the Democratic nomination. This time, he's trying to generate momentum for a new party called EPIC, which stands for Every Politically Independent Citizen.

"This candidacy is an attempt to maybe plumb how voters really feel. When you're only presented with a choice of a far-left, high-polling threesome — maybe four, with Mayor Pete — or a Republican that they paint as odious no matter who it is, it's a tough choice for moderate Democrats. It's a tough choice for independents," he said. "We'd like to have other people running to make the choices easier."

By "threesome," Greenstein meant former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The fourth, Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana, arrived at the Statehouse a few hours after Greenstein, along with hundreds of supporters.

At a rally after filing his paperwork, Buttigieg said New Hampshire is going to "catapult" him to the nomination and presidency.

"What a treat to be lifted up by the voices of hundreds of people, or as you call it here in Concord, a quorum," he said, referring to New Hampshire's 424-member Legislature. "I am so honored to be part of this great tradition in New Hampshire. We've been at it for a good year or so, but this feels different. We are officially a candidate in the New Hampshire primary for president of the United States."

Asked by a reporter earlier whether he will win the primary, Buttigieg said "We're counting on it," but he acknowledged the challenge.

"There's no question I've got competitors with a near homefield advantage, but I also

find that this is a very competitive state," he said. "So many voters have said even if they do have a preferred candidate, they're still keeping their options open. And to us, there's a really clear space for us. What I'm offering is a way forward that is bold enough to get the job done and can unify Americans, and I think that's going to continue to build our support here."

This is the second time that candidates are signing up at the desk of the man who started New Hampshire's tradition of holding the earliest presidential primary.

In 1913, Rep. Stephen Bullock traveled by horse and buggy from his Richmond farm to Concord to propose a bill creating the primary. The Legislature passed it that spring, and after some tweaking of the law two years later, the first presidential primary was a held in March 1916. New Hampshire wasn't first that year, but it has been first every year since.

For the 2016 election, 58 candidates got on New Hampshire's ballot. The all-time high was 1992, when 61 signed up.

A dozen of New Hampshire towns postponed Halloween WMUR-TV

At least a dozen New Hampshire communities are postponing Halloween trick-or-treating because of the wet, windy weather in the forecast.

WMUR-TV reports Hudson, Nashua, Pelham, Salem and Windham are among the cities and towns moving Thursday's festivities to Saturday.

In Manchester, police announced Wednesday festivities would be delayed until Sunday.

Pelham Police Lt. Anne Perriello says area chiefs spoke and they designated when Halloween will take place.

The National Weather Service is forecasting rain for Thursday night.

Perriello says police don't want tree limbs coming down where children are going to be trick or treating and the don't want visibility issues when the children will be walking through neighborhoods. ___ Information from: WMUR-TV, http://wmur.com

The two bodies found buried at a South Texas beach have been identified as a missing New Hampshire couple, investigators announced Friday.

The deaths of James Butler, 48, and Michelle Butler, 46, are being investigated as homicides, the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office in Texas said in a release.

"At present law enforcement officers are working on the investigation and are working on identification of persons of interest and attempting to find the whereabouts of the victims' truck and RV trailer," the release stated.

A deputy on Sunday located a woman's remains in a shallow grave on Padre Island, near Corpus Christi, the sheriff's office said. Chief Deputy Jaime Garza said a man's body was discovered beneath the first body on Monday.

The sheriff's office had announced last week that the Butlers were reported missing, along with their truck and RV. Relatives said the pair had been traveling the country in a recreational vehicle since June of 2018 and was last heard from on Oct. 16. They said they believed the Butlers visited Padre Island.

They most recently had worked as gate guards for oil rigs in Texas, checking vehicles in and out, said Butler's sister, Deborah van Loon, of Rumney, New Hampshire on Saturday.

They were in frequent contact with family and shared photographs of their trip on Facebook, she said.

"We all loved what they were doing and they loved sharing it with us," said van Loon who described her brother as "an allaround really wonderful man."

He had retired from the Navy in 2010 and "loved to joke around about everything," she said. He came back to Rumney, New Hampshire, after he retired when his mother was dying of cancer, van Loon said. He met Michelle then and they married in 2015, she said.

The couple was likely headed to a part-time job in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and due to arrive there in November to sell Christmas trees, van Loon said.

The Butlers had set up their truck and RV near Beach Market 263 on Padre Island on Oct. 15, the sheriff's office said.

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Sports / B6

Thursday, November 7, 2019

STAFF COMMENTARY

Beware of the boogeymen

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OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

The Patriots defense allowing 10.9 points per game ALAN FORTIN

Equinox staff The “Boogeymen,” as they are dubbed, is an extremely fitting name for the 2019 Patriots. This defense is undoubtedly one of the better, if not the best, defense that New England has seen in recent years.

It is no wonder why this is the claim that many people, including myself, are making. The NFL ranks this defense as the number one defense in the league at the moment. With 19 interceptions, this team is a whole nine interceptions away from the next closest teams: the Carolina Panthers, the Pittsburgh Stealers and the San Francisco 49ers. These teams each have a total of 10 interceptions.

The New England Patriots also have a total of eight forced fumbles, six of which they recovered. This brings the total of turnovers to at least 25 when you ignore the

number of turnovers that resulted from a loss of downs and special teams turnovers.

This defense also ranks first in the total yards per game they allow, allowing only a total of 234 yards, which is seven yards less than the next ranked team the San Francisco 49ers.

During the offseason and preseason, the majority of players who were rumored to leave such as the McCourty twins decided to stay despite rumors that if they won their first Super Bowl together the pair would retire, as they had achieved their dream.

Instead, the Patriots lost Trey Flowers (one of their leading pass rushers), Eric Rowe (a cornerback), Malcolm Brown (a defensive tackles) and Adrian Clayborn (a defensive end). Despite all of these departures, the Patriots were able to keep some of their most beloved

defensive players such as Dont’a Hightower, Stephon This is not at all unlike the current Patriots defense Gilmore and Patrick Chung. who is made up of the number one cornerback in the Every part of the defense has clicked as they have in league (Stephon Gilmore) as well as veterans Patrick past seasons, including new additions such as Terrence Chung, Dont’a Hightower and Lawerence Guy. Brooks who had his first interception of the season Like their 2007 counterpart, the Patriots have stars given to him by former teammate Sam Darnold. on both sides of the ball, but one of the sides is often overshadowing the other. In 2007 it was the dynamite One of the many comments that have been flying offense that overshadowed a pretty great defense—who around this season is the comparison of this defense to can forget Tedy Bruschi? Such is the same narrative that the 2007 Patriots offense that shook up the world when currently grips the Patriots. The Boogeymen are overthey went 18-1 with the only loss of the season coming shadowing a now stacked offense and helping the team on the big stage, a game that many fans would like to steamroll any and all opponents who even attempt to forget. This 2007 offense was made up of many stars win a game against them. such as Randy Moss, Ben Watson and Wes Welker, who Alan Fortin can be contacted were all key components to what the Patriots were able at afortin@kscequinox.com to accomplish in that season.

STAFF COMMENTARY

Patriots undefeated no longer

The Patriots suffer first loss at the hand of Lamar Jackson and the Ravens AUSTIN SMITH

sports Editor Undefeated no longer, the New England Patriots have lost a game.

In a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, the Patriots’ defense was tested for the first time. The Patriots’ defense showed their first signs of humanity. Up until this point the defense had reached almost superhuman numbers, allowing only 61 points before this game.

While the team as a whole did surrender 37 points to the Ravens, an argument can be made that this was not all on the Patriots’ defense. Julian Edlemen was stripped which resulted in a 70-yard fumble return for a touchdown by former Alabama standout cornerback Marlon Humphrey.

This defense has been incredible this season; they have scored against almost every team they have played. Devin McCourty is currently leading the NFL in interceptions with five. Bill Belichick is revered as a defensive mastermind by

many, as he was the defensive coordinator for the Giants in the 80s when they were at their peak.

His performance against the Ravens will leave a stale taste in the mouth of Patriots fans with many believing this team could possibly remain undefeated for the rest of the season, something they have only accomplished in 2007. However, this loss does not discredit the defense nor the team. The Ravens came into the game hot. Lamar Jackson is having a season for the books.

He is doing things that have not been seen since the days of Michael Vick.

This Patriots team is still in the driver’s seat for the first place finish in the AFC and are very much capable of gaining the all-important home field advantage and first round bye. The Patriots have proved again that they are a juggernaut in Foxborough and if they keep the first seed it is hard to not see them in the Super Bowl once again.

The team is far from finished. Overreactions to losses and victories are common for fans, but this team does have

weaknesses. They have just been lucky enough to not have them show until this week. But with a bye week approaching then a tough span of games against the Eagles, Cowboys, Texans and Chiefs, all of which are playing good football right now, the Patriots have time to regroup and come back. These next five weeks will be a very important measuring stick for this team to see if they are as advertised.

This team is not the invincible one that fans had begun to get used to. They are humans on the field, humans that make mistakes. But this team has Tom Brady and Bill Belichick; the formula that has led to six Superbowl rings and more postseason success than ever seen before in this league. Look for this team to regroup after the upcoming bye week and come out strong against the Eagles next Sunday.

Austin Smith can be contacted at asmith@kscequinox.com OLIVIA CATTABRIGA / ART DIRECTOR

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Sports / B7

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Swimming into senior year

CAROLINE WARE/ EQUINOX STAFF

Twin sisters Madison and Olivia Pechulis (pictured above) look to build off their impressive junior seasons, Madison is coming off a NEISDA win in the 50 meter breaststroke with a time of 30.72

Pechulis twins look to continue strong after junior season JACK DEY

Equinox staff Keene State seniors and twins Madison and Olivia Pechulis are both swimming into their last year together, racing the same event as a part of the Keene State Swimming and Diving Team. Madison and Olivia will again be swimming the breaststroke event to end their careers as swimmers at Keene State. Madison had a stellar junior season, winning the 50 breast event at the NEISDA Championships with a time of 30.72. She finished third in the 100 breast, 10th in the 200 breast event and even won the 100 meter breast event at the Little East Championship. Olivia did just as well in her junior season, recording personal best after best at the NEISDA Championships. She placed 7th in the 50 meter

breast with a time of 32.25, and placed 8th in the 100 breast with a personal best time of 1:10:63.

Coach Woolridge loves what he’s seeing from the Pechulis twins so far this season. “I think that the newest piece that they’ve added is that they’re both captains so they’ve stepped up as far as assigned leadership role,” said Woolridge. He also mentioned they’ve been going strong throughout their time here at Keene State as far as knowing who they are and how hard they train. “They’ve come a long way. They were okay when they came in and now they’ve gotten to the point where they both won events at the LEC, individual LEC champions. They are top performers who can both really carry the weight in any of the breaststroke events,” said Woolridge. He noted the interesting level of competition between the Pechulis twins, seeing as though they both

swim the breaststroke event. “They seem to manage it very well. They’re close and they seem to just want each other to do well.”

The Pechulis twins are looking to go off of the success of last season and improve upon it. “My goal every year is to improve my stroke, and because we swim breaststroke it’s so important to have good technique,” said Olivia. Madison has her eyes set on the LEC championships and NEISDA’s. “ My goal would be winning my events at LEC and doing better at NEISDA’s,” she said. Olivia agreed with Madison. “Last year our team placed first, second and third in the breaststroke event so it would be nice to do that again,” Olivia added.

better. “We do have a sense of competition, but it’s good competition. We bring the best out of each other.” Olivia talked about how they both get to show each other what they learned in practice if one misses it. “Madison is an education major and she’s [working] in the school so she doesn’t get to practice as much, but what I learn from practice one day I can show Madison the next,” she explained. Olivia and Madison reflected on the past four years at Keene State and what the experience has meant to them. “Our team has such a great dynamic with each other and I really don’t think any of us could have made it through these intense practices over the last four years without each other,” Madison said.

Jack Dey can be contacted As mentioned before, the Pechulis twins both swim at wdey@kscequinox.com breaststroke, but that only helps them make each other

Meet the captain: Nicole De Almeida

CLAIRE BOUGHTON

sEnior sports rEportEr The women’s soccer team lead an impressive regular season. With playoffs about to kickoff, let’s meet one of the captains!

Nicole De Almeida has been making a name for herself on the field since her first year as an Owl. De Almeida started in all 20 games in her first soccer season at Keene. She was also named LEC Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Year and selected to First Team AllConference.

Sophomore year De Almeida once again started all 20 games of the season. The season also saw De Almeida make her first career goal in a game against Southern Maine. She also received the LEC Defensive Player of the Year acalide, as well as being First Team AllLEC and LEC All-Academic.

Junior year saw De Almieda named LEC All-Academic for the second year in a row and First Team All-LEC for the third year in a row.

Claire Boughton can be contacted at cboughton@kscequinox.com

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BEWARE OF THE BOOGEYMEN B6

Sports / B8

Thursday, November 7, 2019

SPORTS

SWIMMING INTO B7

KSCEQUINOX.COM

The White Mountain series

MATT HOLDERMAN / EQUINOX STAFF

The KSC flag football team played in the first annual White Mountain series as their first “postseason” game at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)

KSC’s flag football team travels to SNHU MATT HOLDERMAN

Equinox staff The Keene State intramural flag football champions played against three other teams in the first annual White Mountain Series at Southern New Hampshire University.

The event happened the night of Friday, November 1 under the lights at Southern New Hampshire University’s Penmen Stadium. It featured the intramural flag football champions from four different universities competing against each other in a playoff-type event.

The four championship winning teams invited to compete in the series were from Keene State College (KSC), the University of New Hampshire (UNH), Plymouth State University (PSU) and the host school, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU).

The series consisted of two first round games, with the winners of those two games moving on to play each other in an ultimate championship game and the losers moving on to play each other in a consolation match. The first round games pitted Keene State College’s championship winning team, the Mud Puppies, up against the University of New Hampshire’s team, along with Plymouth State University taking on Southern New Hampshire University.

Unfortunately for Keene and Plymouth, the first round games were not close at all. UNH defeated Keene State’s Mud Puppies, 46-6, while SNHU beat Plymouth, 27-0. That meant the championship game in the first ever White Mountain Series would be decided between UNH and SNHU, while the rival schools, Keene and Plymouth, would face each other in the consolation game.

Fortunately, the final two games of the inaugural White Mountain Series were much more close and competitive than the series’ first round games. In the consolation game between Keene and Plymouth, the Mud Puppies were winning by a score of 20-14 in the final minute of the game. Plymouth had the ball on offense in the final minute and were looking to score, but the Mud Puppies were able to stop them from scoring before time ran out. Therefore, the Mud Puppies of Keene State defeated Plymouth State 20-14 in the first ever White Mountain Series consolation game.

After the game, players on the Mud Puppies along with other Keene State personnel were psyched about the win. David Sweeney, the Coordinator of Intramural and Club Sports at Keene State College, said, “I told them [the Mud Puppies] one thing: Just beat Plymouth.”

“[It was] nice to get that win., it was cool,” said David Wiedenfeld, a player on the Mud Puppies, after the game. “It was like, you know it’s Plymouth versus Keene; like, we had to win.”

“We’ll sleep a little bit better tonight,” joked Ethan Holcomb, another player on the Mud Puppies, after their win over Plymouth.

Then, the championship game between UNH and SNHU was close as well. In the end, UNH won 13-6, becoming the ultimate champions in the inaugural White Mountain Series.

After the games, the trophies were handed out to

the winners. The UNH team received the championship game trophy, while Keene State received the consolation game trophy, which was a jug painted half red and half green to represent the colors of Keene and Plymouth State. All Plus, all the players and referees also received free T-shirts, with a picture of the bracket on the back and a picture of the White Mountain Series logo on the front.

“Everybody’s traveling, every school’s bringing two referees and, student officials,” said Sweeney. “Everybody’s getting T-shirts;, so you know, we want to make it worth the while and to just have fun, to be able to play

multiple games.”

“It was cool to get to play some outside of Keene State competition,.” said Wiedenfeld.

With UNH and Keene’s intramural teams walking away with the trophies, the event was a definite success, and we can expect the White Mountain Series to be back and even better in 2020.

Matt Holderman can be contacted at mholderman@kscequinox.com

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