The Equinox 2.6.20

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THE EQUINOX The student voice of Keene State College

Vol. 73, Issue #17

Thursday, February 13, 2020

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Candidates vie for votes » SEE CANDIDATES A3

SOREN FRANTZ/ PHOTO EDITOR PUJA THAPA/ ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Index

Opinions ...........4-5

Section B: Student Life...1-4 WN....................5

A&E ..................6-8

Sports............6-8

Section A: News .................1-3

Associated Collegiate Press

A4: Experience not to be taken for granted A8: Representing dance B1: Creating an impact B8: Anozie for 1,000

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News / A2

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Merging art departments

PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

KSC President Melinda Treadwell (pictured left) spoke at the Thorne’s community event, as well as Provost Ockle Johnson and Dean Kirsti Sandy regarding updates coming to the Thorne. Attendees mingled in the gallery before and after the presentation (pictured right).

Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery undergoes restructure RACHEL VITELLO

nEwS Editor The Keene State College Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery featured more than just art at their community event on Tuesday, February 4. The Thorne is merging with KSC’s department of art and design this semester. This is in an effort to better include students and the broader community with activities going on at the Thorne.

KSC President Melinda Treadwell discussed the importance of the arts to any city or region.

“We have a brilliant number of faculty and staff who are committed to the arts here at Keene State and our students expand that talent everyday in the work that they do. We need the community to join us to expand that work and to help us amplify our commitment to the arts in this region,” Treadwell said. “As I work with the mayor and as we talk about the future of the Monadnock region and the needs of the workforce development, we all know the arts are part of what attracts people and keeps people in the region.”

The Thorne hopes to not only become more accessi-

ble to the community but also to become more centered around KSC students.

“Why did we restructure? [Because of] the faculty in our art program, and the students in our program, there was inspiration [to] create a more student-centered experience,” Treadwell said. “For the future of Keene State, we have to be more student-centered. What attracts and retains students is the opportunity we provide them with to learn in our classrooms, but to extend that learning beyond our classrooms as well.”

KSC is also introducing a new major in art management. The restructure of the Thorne will offer more lab spaces for students to learn about how to create curatorial exhibits and to engage with nationally and internationally renowned artists.

According to Dean of Arts, Education and Culture Kirsti Sandy, one way the Thorne is welcoming students and the community is through school visits.

“We’ve had some whole buses of students come through. We want students here; we want elementary students and middle school students. This will make a difference for them. It may give them the confidence they need that they can study art,” Sandy said. “In

fact, art and design is the biggest [area of] growth in my entire school. We’re in a time of challenging enrollments, but we’ve seen only growth in art and design in the past 10 years.”

As for opinion on the restructure of the Thorne, two attendees at the reception, Keene community member and local artist Mohammed Daoudi and Academic and Career Advisor Beverly Behrmann, both thought the restructure would be good for KSC and for Keene.

“I think the show is really cool and I’ve enjoyed the artwork. I think it’s a good thing they’re doing. It was a good evening,” Daoudi said.

“It’s great to bring the community and the school together,” Behrmann said. “It’s a great opportunity for students to be involved with all aspects, whether it’s doing a show or archiving or cataloguing. I think there’s a lot of exciting student opportunity here.”

KSC Provost Ockle Johnson said that a commitment to the arts is something KSC has always worked toward upon becoming a liberal arts college, and this restructure is another way to continue that mission.

“We do not at all lose sight of the fact that we have a strong mission to our community and to support the

human need for arts in our community,” Johnson said.

“We hope that you will come back often and interact with our students and talk with them and learn from and teach them. As we continue to be of service to the community, we encourage and welcome feedback and direction of what your needs are so we can make sure we do the best we can to provide for your needs in the arts.”

This semester at the Thorne there will be the spring BFA and BA student show, a children’s literature collection show, and a faculty show, among other events to be announced in the future. More information on the Thorne can be found at https://www.keene.edu/tsag/.

“I ask you to join us in the future, there’s more to come,” Treadwell said. “Arts are the main vehicle for us; it’s our language.”

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com.

Cohen Center hosts lecture on confronting difficult topics HUNTER OBERST

Equinox Staff Keene State College students and staff alike gathered in the Cohen Center Gallery where they tried to answer the question: “Can we disagree and still be friends?” The Courageous Conversations Committee, a group devoted to having civil discussions around difficult topics, held their latest meeting on Tuesday, February 4. The meeting itself was a 90-minute conversation with participants joining a discussion or simply observing.

The Keene State Coordinator of Student and Community Relations Robin Picard said that the discussion is designed so that everyone is given a voice and everyone is given a chance to be heard by those around them.

There are two circles of chairs and two different levels of participation. Those in the inner circle participate more and are given a chance to speak. Those on the outside observe but are allowed to shift to the inside when they want to say something,” Picard said.

Picard added that it’s important for people to be given a chance to sit down and have a safe space to talk about contentious topics in today’s social climate.

“It feels like the national scene is very politically charged. People are hypersensitive and they feel like you have to have a piece of their pie and share their viewpoint, but everyone has different values and perspectives,” Picard said.

Keene State Professor of Psychology Larry Welkowitz said that the country seems divided and that it’s important to discuss controversial topics in order to find some middle ground of understanding.

“I haven’t seen such a polarized country in a long time. We seem split on so many questions and topics. We need to understand each other to survive on a national level

and on a personal level,” Welkowitz said.

During the discussion, several participants shared whether or not they felt one can be friends with someone they disagree with. One student was unsure because he felt that when someone is attacking his beliefs it feels like a personal attack.

Another student suggested that it’s important to acquaint oneself with others that do not share the same beliefs or values.

“If all your friends agree on the same things, then you aren’t exposed to all viewpoints and perspectives, which is dangerous,” the unnamed student said.

One man in the audience agreed with what the student had to say and added that if one were to ask someone, “Help me understand why you think that,” then astounding things could happen.

When the discussion finished, one student felt that he learned a lot from what the others had to say and that he was better equipped to have difficult conversations in the future.

“It’s okay to disagree, but if you listen more than you speak then you will learn a lot more,” another unnamed student said.

The Courageous Conversations Committee will hold two more discussions this semester at Keene State.

The first will take place on Tuesday, March 3, and will be about patriotism; the second will be on Saturday, April 4, and will be about religion.

If only she could see, what I see?

If only he could see, what I see?

Hunter Oberst can be contacted at hoberst@kscequinox.com.

KIRSTEN SOMERO / EQUINOX STAFF

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News / A3

Thursday, February 13, 2020

STUDENT ASSEMBLY PUJA THAPA

AdministrAtive executive editor

According to Student Leader Elissa Parker, the Off Campus Housing Committee is looking for representatives from Marlboro Street apartments, Emerald Street apartments, Main Street apartments and Arcadia.

The treasurer of Student Assembly Maria Tenore updated the assembly that there were two funding requests and two travel requests processed last week by the finance committee.

Student Body President Davis Bernstein and Vice President Sara Olson informed the assembly that they have started planning for the Spring Carnival.

The student assembly meets every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

CANDIDATES cont. from A1

RACHEL VITELLO

news editor TEDDY TAUSCHER

equinox stAff ALEX HARVEY

equinox stAff

Keene resembled Washington, D.C. this past week with the many campaigns rolling through campus. Between Tuesday, February 4, and Monday, February 10, Keene State College hosted seven presidential candidates.

2020 hopefuls Elizabeth Warren, Tulsi Gabbard, Tom Steyer, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar and Andrew Yang all visited Keene to campaign for their run for president of the United States.

On Tuesday, February 4, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren came to speak at the Colonial Theatre in downtown Keene. Warren’s speech was centered around her fight in support of the middle class.

“Over the years, America’s middle class had been deliberately hollowed out,” Warren said.

Warren cited her own family’s struggles with staying afloat after her father was out of work due to health complications and how her mother’s minimum wage job was able to support them at that time, but minimum wage can no longer support American families today.

Similarly, Warren discussed the student debt crisis, stating the cost of college has nearly tripled since the 1970s when she was attending college and was able to pay for it more easily than today’s students can.

Warren also addressed the delay in the results for the Iowa caucus being released.

“I think they ought to get it together and release all of the data,” Warren said.

Those results were released later that day, showing Warren at 18.3 percent, trailing behind Buttigieg and Sanders, but ahead of former Vice President Joe Biden.

On Wednesday, February 5, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard spoke to the community in the Mabel Brown Room of the Student Center.

Gabbard is the first female combat veteran to ever run for President, as well as the first female combat veteran elected to Congress.

While serving as a combat medic, Gabbard saw firsthand the devastating toll that the Iraq War had on the soldiers who served in it. She said shaped this experience shaped her worldview and argued that her policy of anti-interventionism is what sets her apart from the rest of the candidates in the Democratic primary field.

One of Gabbard’s priorities as president will be to ease the political divide in America.

Gabbard has drawn criticism from Democrats for her decision to sometimes appear on Fox News. Gabbard said she is proud of her reputation for being able and willing to reach across the aisle and work together with the Republi-

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can party.

“We need to come together as a country, crossing party lines. We need to recognize how hyper-partisanship in this country is unfortunately tearing us apart,” Gabbard said.

Gabbard stressed the importance of the U.S. Constitution.

“I am a firm believer in the constitution of the United States. I have taken an oath to support and defend it, both as a soldier in the Army National Guard as well as a member of Congress,” Gabbard said.

Also in attendance at Gabbard’s town hall was perennial presidential candidate and renowned libertarian and author Vermin Supreme, who stopped to speak with attendees and endorse Gabbard.

On Thursday, February 6, businessman and activist Tom Steyer came to the Flag Room to address a variety of important topics and issues. Steyer referenced his past ventures in pushing for climate change legislation and fighting tobacco companies as a philanthropist and liberal activist. He touted his success in defending climate laws against oil companies in his home state of California.

“No one wanted to take on the fight because everybody thought, ‘they are too rich, they are too connected, they are too mean, you’re going to waste a lot of time, you’re going to get humiliated,’ and we got 70 percent of the vote,” said Steyer. According to Steyer, Trump will run solely on the economy and this is where Steyer can beat him.

“I can take him down and go through step by step why it’s a lie,” Steyer said. “If there is growth in the economy and all the money goes to the rich people, that’s not success. A booming stock market based on low tax rates that benefits rich people doesn’t hit the vast bulk of Americans.”

On Saturday, February 8, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigieg spoke in the Mabel Brown Room to college and community members. Actor Michael J. Fox spoke before Buttigieg came out on stage in endorsement of him.

Buttigieg began with addressing Black History Month and how social justice is an issue for everyone. He cited Keene native Jonathan Daniel’s legacy as a social activist in Selma, Alabama during the Civil Rights movement.

Buttigieg also stressed the importance of all Americans working together to combat issues put forth by the current administration.

“In a particularly divided time for our country, we can’t take the risk of excluding anybody,” Buttigieg said. “I think we’re going to defeat this president with everybody by our side. We’re even more united when we realize what we’re all for. There’s a powerful American majority coming together today.”

Buttigieg discussed how his own life has been impacted by decisions made in Washington and how these elections impact everyone individually.

“The course of my own life was changed by the orders that sent me to a foreign war issued by a decision made in the White House. My

Campus Safety Press Log 2/3 Parking violation- Chronic violator/ revoked- Science Lot 2/3 Odor of drugs- Huntress Hall 2/3 Suspicious person- Trestle 2/3 911/Blue light activation- Science Center 2/3 Odor of smoke, gas, other- Carle Hall 2/3 Drug paraphernalia possessionCarle Hall 2/3 Odor of drugs- Huntress Hall 2/4 Medical emergency- Mason Library 2/4 Harassment- Keddy Hall 2/4 Suspicious activity- Bushnell apartments 2/4 Noise complaint- LLC 2/5 Suspicious activity- Keddy Hall 2/5 Keep the peace / civil stand-byStudent Center and Spaulding Gym marriage, the most important thing in my life, exists by the grace of a single vote on the U.S. Supreme Court,” Buttigieg said. “That’s what this election means to all of us in a different way.”

On Sunday, February 9, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders addressed a crowd of people in the Spaulding Gym. Sanders’ speech focused on the importance of fighting for the average American and not catering to the wealthy.

“In the wealthiest country in the history of the world, half of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. Tonight over 500,000 Americans will be sleeping out on the streets or in homeless shelters,” Sanders said. “Over the last three years, the billionaires of this country under Donald Trump saw an 800 billion dollar increase in their wealth, but the average American worker last year saw a one percent increase in his or her wages.”

According to Sanders, the main way to accomplish this is to raise the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour, make it simpler to form a union and to guarantee equal pay for equal work. One of the other issues Sanders addressed was climate change.

“My administration will listen to scientists, not right-wing politics,” Sanders said. “Maybe instead of spending 1.8 trillion dollars a year collectively on weapons of destruction, maybe we pool our resources and fight our common enemy, which is climate change. Instead of hiding from the reality of climate change, our job is to lead the world in combating it.

Transform our energy system, our transportation system, our agricultural system, make buildings more energy efficient. We are going to create up to 20 billion good-paying union jobs.”

On Monday, February 10, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar spoke in the Flag Room of the Student Center. She stressed the importance of revising the Affordable Care Act and to include mental health care and addiction help within health care.

“The Affordable Care Act, we’ve got to make it better. It is nearly 10 points more popular than the President of the United States right now,” Klobuchar said. “First, we protect it so people don’t get thrown off of it for preexisting conditions. Second, I would build on it with a nonprofit, public option. Right now there are two lobbyists for the pharmaceutical industry for every member of Congress. They think they own Washington, well they don’t own me.”

Klobuchar also said how important it is to connect the education system with the economy moving forward.

“We have to make it easier for kids to pay back their student loans. If multimillionaires can refinance their yachts, students should be able to refinance their loans,” Klobuchar said. “In my first 100 seconds, I will fire Betsy DeVos. Then you match the economy with the jobs. We are going to have over one million openings for home healthcare workers. How do we fit the education system with our needs?

First of all, fund K-12 and preschool big

time. Secondly, fund those one and two-year degrees. The third thing, double the programs to make it easier for students to go to college.”

On that same day, entrepreneur Andrew Yang finished up the string of candidate visits in the Mabel Brown Room. Making sure jobs are secure during a time of extreme technological advancement was a large issue Yang discussed.

“It’s all about the bottom lines of these companies, which is often better served by kicking people to the curb and replacing them with technology,” Yang said. “It’s impossible to solve a problem if you don’t even acknowledge it.”

Specifically, Yang referenced the advancement of self-driving trucks which will take away from millions of truck-driver jobs and also from jobs at truck stops and diners. Better quality automated messages will also deplete millions of call center jobs. One major component of Yang’s campaign is the implementation of a citizen’s dividend, which is a guaranteed 1,000 dollars per month for every citizen age 18 up until the day one ‘expires’, according to Yang.

“This is not my idea and it’s not a new idea.

Thomas Payne was for this at the founding of our country and called it the ‘citizen’s dividend for all Americans’. Martin Luther King was for this in the 1960s; guaranteed minimum income,” Yang said. “It was so mainstream it passed the U.S. House of Representatives twice in 1971 under Nixon. Eleven years later one state passed a dividend and now everyone gets between one and two thousand dollars per year. How does Alaska pay for it? Oil. What is the oil of the 21st century? Data, technology, AI… Your data is now worth more than oil. Where is all of that money going? Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, the trillion dollar tech companies that are paying nothing or next to nothing back to our country.”

Yang said that data is how the citizen’s dividend would be paid for and that most of that money would be put back into the local economy, creating a trickle-up economy.

Other than Warren’s town hall, all of these visits were in partnership with the KSC Student Democrats and the American Democracy Project, which is a network of state colleges and universities that aims to make college students more engaged and involved with the political process.

Rachel Vitello can be contacted at rvitello@kscequinox.com Teddy Tauscher can be contacted at ttauscher@kscequinox.com Alex Harvey can be contacted at aharvey@kscequinox.com

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OPINIONS

Opinions / A4 Thursday, February 13, 2020

EDITORIAL

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STAFF COMMENTARY

Experience not to be taken for granted

Keys to improving confidence Cristian Valentin

OpiniOns EditOr

The Equinox’s opinion on candidates coming to campus As you might have seen in the past week, we have had a handful of presidential candidates come to campus and the Keene area.

Whether politics is your passion or not, these public figures chose to come here for a reason.

New Hampshire is considered a very essential state to have for the election, and believe it or not the youth is the largest and strongest player in the decision making.

This is, without a doubt, the reason these politicians have decided to visit KSC and the community, maybe each two or three times.

To them, your vote is extremely precious. But students and other young adults might not see their vote as meaningful.

There are always extremes on a college campus, if not in the nation itself. Some students are active representatives outside the

THE EQUINOX

Student Center, preparing students for the election and asking for signatures. There are also students who bash the campaigns and don’t have any ties to the political world. And then there are people who fall somewhere in the middle. To stand in line, listen to these candidates speak, and ask follow up questions is completely an individual’s choice.

Although attendance is not mandatory, some could argue it’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted.

One reason that these candidates should not be taken for granted is because very few schools have the opportunity to see the person that could very well become the next president of the U.S. This is a great opportunity and it is also completely free, which means that if you are a Keene State student

To contact the Equinox, e-mail pthapha@kscequinox.com or emcnemar@kscequinox.com

Puja Thapa Administrative Executive Editor Erin McNemar Managing Executive Editor

who isn’t taking advantage of this, then you are simply not getting your absolute money’s worth.

On the other hand, The Equinox thinks that these candidates could be a bit more respectful of people’s time. We feel this way because in many cases there have been candidates arriving late, which leaves students questioning if it’s worth their time and when the event will actually start.

Another issue is the ridiculously long lines that each event has that leave students questioning if they’ll even get in to see the candidate. A solution to this could be lines that are only for KSC students since, after all, they are at our school and some of the money we pay goes toward setting up their visits.

Other than these two issues, The Equinox

thinks that everybody should try their absolute hardest to see these candidates. This is because many people often can’t really get to know a candidate unless they hear them speak in person and say what they’re about.

Once people go to see the candidates, they can figure out whose values align with their own and they’ll be able to make a much easier decision.

In the end, not only is it cool to say you have seen the possible president but they are the person that could be representing you for the next four years. If you ignore the opportunity, it could lead to regret as well as maybe missing out on a good story to tell. These candidates are a great resource to learn about the issues facing our country and The Equinox believes an educated voter is a good voter.

Opinions Editor

Student Life Editor

Cristian Valentin

Connor Crawford

Multimedia Director

Social Media Director

Benajil Rai

Kiana Wright

Sports Editor

Photo Editor

Claire Boughton

Art Director Griffin Ell

EDITORIAL POLICY

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EQUINOX NEWSROOM

News Editor Rachel Vitello

Confidence is one of the most important things in life; it helps you sell yourself to the world in all ways including jobs, relationships, school, etc. Despite this, attaining true confidence is something that many people struggle with.

Although I struggle with confidence occasionally, like most people, over the years I have developed some ways that help me when I’m not completely believing in myself. The first way is working out, which makes me feel like I’m getting myself more into shape, but also it’s a good time for me to get away from the things bothering me and realize I can overcome them.

Something that I also really enjoy doing is listening to music at the gym that reflects how I want to feel. If I’m listening to a song where somebody sounds like they’re really self-assured and ready to take on the world no matter what, then I begin to feel that way and think to myself, “There’s nothing that’s stopping you from achieving your goals.”

I believe another big part of having confidence is not letting the little things bog you down and just getting out of your own head.

Something that used to happen to me a lot when I was younger is I would internalize any interactions that I thought were somewhat awkward and think, “What’s wrong with me?” As I get older, however, I’ve slowly realized that I just need to let those moments go because I know in reality the other person won’t remember that interaction in the long term at all and I’m just making myself stressed in the short term for no reason.

Another big part of having confidence for me is knowing that I set out to do a goal and ultimately succeeded in doing it. This can be as simple as getting your homework done early to achieving something that you set out to do as a longterm goal. In my opinion, a big part of setting goals and achieving them is having role models that help you establish these goals in the first place.

Role models are a big part of my life because I often see it like this: if they had the ability to change their life for the better, then why can’t I? This leads me to strive for excel-

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Opinions / A5

Thursday, February 13, 2020

STAFF COMMENTARY

A deadly wake-up call for all Examining the potential impact of coronavirus ANDREW CHASE

EquinOx staff On January 7, 2020, the Chinese government confirmed to the public that the unknown virus that has been over running through the Chinese city of Wuhan is identified as novel coronavirus. 2019 novel coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, for short, is a specific strain of a type of viruses called coronavirus.

Coronaviruses usually circulate between animals such as camels, cats and bats. Another strain of coronavirus is the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS-CoV for short. The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome can be transferred from dromedary camels to humans.

Another strain of coronavirus is the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS-CoV for short.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome can be transmitted from civet cats to humans once the 2019 novel coronavirus infects someone via droplets from when the infected host sneezes or coughs. Once these infected droplets are dispersed into the surrounding environment, they can land on the noses and mouths of others that are nearby. After these droplets are on the noses and mouths of others, they can be inhaled, which causes the person

to become infected with the virus.

The virus then enters the body and specifically targets and infects the body’s respiratory system.

On January 11, The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission announced that the first death from 2019-nCoV happened two days prior to the January 11 announcement.

Six days after the first announcement, Chinese officials confirmed a second death from the virus. In response to this announcement, the United States government proceeded to carry out screenings for any symptoms of the virus at airports in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles.

The symptoms associated with 2019-nCoV are fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, but the symptoms can differ from person to person. The symptoms can differ from case to case because for some people there are little to no symptoms, but for others the symptoms are extremely severe to the point of death. In these more severe cases, the symptoms of having the coronavirus can range from pneumonia to kidney failure to death.

On January 21, officials in Washington state confirmed that someone on United States soil has been infected by the coronavirus. Then

on January 30, the United States government confirmed the first case of person-to-person transmission of the virus. This information is a huge deal because it provides substantial proof that the 2019 novel coronavirus has the ability to spread from person to person and not just from animal to human.

The fact that the 2019 novel coronavirus has the ability to spread from person to person makes the whole situation all the more scary and intense. This is scary because it means that anyone who has been infected with the virus can easily spread the virus to others and infect them too. I find this whole coronavirus outbreak to be a very important wake-up call to the fact that health standards are not the same in other countries.

DISCLAIMER: This article is the sole opinion of Andrew Chase Andrew Chase can be contacted at achase@kscequinox.com

-GRIFFIN ELL/ ART DIRECTOR

STAFF COMMENTARY

Great Britain making a great exit An American perspective on Britain leaving the European Union EquinOx staff After three years of anticipation, Great Britain has officially severed ties with the rest of the European Union on January 31, 2020. The fate of Britain was sealed after the election of conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson. While Brexit is a large issue that deserves much more than just an editorial, here is an oversimplified version.

To begin, the European Union, which was then the European Economic Community, was started in 1957, and many citizens were reluctant for the nation to join in the first place. Since then, problems with the Union have been noticed with the single currency in 1999, which is the case that the E.U. felt the need for all of the nations in it to have the same currency to make commerce and

trade easier and Great Britain was not really into that.

Immigration from eastern states, kicking off in 2004, was another big problem right around the year the European Union added eight new eastern states.

Since then, they have promoted the free and fair movement of residence between all of its countries. There was then mass immigration into Britain from the east.

In June of 2016, there was a vote to see whether Britain would stay or leave. At 52 percent of the vote, they decided to leave the European Union. However, there was somewhat of a quietness about it after the vote until Boris Johnson became the Prime Minister in July of 2019. He then vowed to take Britain out of the E.U., which happened on January 31, after a series of oppositions to the decision.

After the divorce between the two, there is a transition period that will be in effect until December 31, 2020. As for why it is happening in the first place, it is due to a myriad of issues, but mainly the ways in which the European Union has negatively influenced Great Britain’s economy.

Personally, I didn’t really have an opinion of Brexit before this and, as an American, my knowledge of this event was pretty limited until I did my research. While I am still a little unsure of my thoughts, I do think that Britain has every right to do what they want and if that is what the people wanted then I believe that is what the people deserve.

For topics like immigration and the economy, I could easily understand why these would be topical reasons for debate and maybe even removal from an established

community. But as for the single currency concerns of 1999, I do not understand why the citizens of Britain would be upset about that.

In early colonial America, each colony had a different kind of currency which proved to be a hindrance when it came to intercolonial commerce, considering not everywhere took the same currency and the exchange rates were different. Brexit is a broad concept and I would like to add that my understanding is still just at the cusp of the entirety of this issue.

DISCLAIMER: This article is the sole opinion of Lydia Mardin Lydia Mardin can be contacted at Lydia.Mardin@ksc.keene.edu

“

While I am still a little unsure of my thoughts, I do think that Britain has every right to do what they want and if that is what the people wanted then I believe that that is what the people deserve.

-Lydia Mardin

“

LYDIA MARDIN

STAFF COMMENTARY

Valentine’s Day: A divisive holiday for many CRISTIAN VALENTIN

OpiniOns EditOr There are many divisive holidays for people, but the most polarizing of them all may be Valentine’s Day. One reason that people usually strongly dislike Valentine’s Day is because they feel that it shames single people. People feel this way because they often end up having to see couples everywhere having fun and they feel left out.

With this criticism I think people just need to look at Valentine’s Day in a different light and understand that it’s not necessarily about being in a relationship but about spreading love to the people closest to you in your life. This means that instead of feeling lonely on Valentine’s Day and letting that impact your day, you can decide to hang out with your friends and family members.

Doing this can not only brighten your day but also brighten some of your loved ones’ days when they may not have had plans.

Another reason I’ve noticed that people don’t like Valentine’s Day is because they feel like it’s over-commercialized and has had the soul taken out of it by big companies. They will feel as if the holiday is being

shoved down their throat due to everything being about buying cards, chocolates, flowers, etc.

While I agree with this to an extent, I also think that compared to other holidays, like Christmas, Valentine’s Day is somewhat understated. I feel this way because the Valentine’s Day publicity and advertising I see is mostly in only the week leading up to it, while with Christmas it is usually a cycle of at least a month of the holiday being anticipated.

I have also heard people say that they do not like Valentine’s Day because they feel that having a specific day where you’re obligated to do something together takes away the spontaneousness of doing something nice for a significant other. It is argued that you are getting gifts and going out because you feel pressured to instead of genuinely wanting to.

I do agree with this a decent amount. I think that if a couple wants to have a lowkey celebration of the holiday and not do anything extravagant, there is nothing wrong with that and they shouldn’t be pressured to spend the day in any particular way. I also believe that a lot of the time both sides of couples will feel like they have to get the

absolute perfect gift and try so hard to make their significant other happy that they don’t end up enjoying the day themselves.

Overall, I do not have a problem with Valentine’s Day as a holiday on a base level and I think it’s a great day for people in relationships to celebrate their love. I do think, however, that people just need to relax a little bit and know that they do not need to have the absolute perfect gift, but instead just being there for their partner and showing them that you care is all that really matters.

DISCLAIMER: This article is the sole opinion of Cristian Valentin Cristian Valentin can be contacted at cvalentin@kscequinox.com

-KIRSTEN SOMERO/ EQUINOX STAFF

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Thursday, February 13, 2020

Presenting recital lectures

SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR

On Saturday, February 8, Cameron O'Connor performed a recital lecture and master class at the Redfern Arts Center. O'Connor won the 2019 Keene State College Call for Scores competition.

Cameron O'Connor performs master class LONNIE HILTZ

Equinox Staff The winner of Keene State College’s 2019 Call for Scores presented a recital, lecture, and master class at the Redfern on Saturday, February 8, open to everyone.

In 2019, Keene State’s music department hosted Call for Scores, a competition offering a $1,000 cash prize to a composer of any age who submitted a full score they had written in the past five years. According to the KSC Website, “The KSC Call for Scores enables students and community members to meet and work with composers from across the country and globe, and to engage in thoughtful discussion about the compositional process and related topics.” This year’s contest had applications from 22 U.S. states and four different countries, the website also stated. Dr. Cameron O’Connor’s guitar composition, titled “Perturbation Variations,” won the southern Californian the prize, and he visited the Redfern Arts Center’s Alumni Recital Hall on the evening of February 8 to discuss music composition and string instruments.

O’Connor’s personal website described how, in addition to classical guitar, he performs on the banjo, mandolin, electric guitar, lute, and vihuela. His web-

site also stated that O’Connor has won multiple international competitions for his music, including the Outstanding Winner prize at the Changsha International Guitar Festival in China. Oregon State University’s website reported O’Connor currently serves as a faculty member and graduated cum laude from California State University Northridge, where he studied guitar and lute. He received a master’s degree in music from the Juilliard School in New York City and his doctorate from the Thornton School of Music.

The event opened just after 7:30 p.m. Heather Gilligan, the coordinator of compositions and theories in the KSC music department, introduced O’Connor and explained the open Call for Scores to the audience. As she described, composers and musicians often put out these requests for scores from others in the field in order to expand their horizons and experience a greater variety of musical compositions.

After performing his guitar piece, O’Connor spoke to the audience about his struggle to approach the ideas of theme and variation in music when writing “Perturbation Variations.” He described how he wrote the piece for a commission and initially felt weary and unsure about it, his exhaustion inspiring the title of “Perturbation.”

He played recordings of music from other sources he had drawn inspiration from, compared and contrasted the pierces, and discussed some of the histories of theme and variations on guitar and lute. O’Connor also performed shorts exceptions on guitar as he lectured to demonstrate the sound and rhythm of the music discussed. Although he spoke at length about the complexities of music composition, O’Connor made efforts to make sure the audience could understand everything he said. He gave popular examples to demonstrate the musical concepts he brought up, such as citing the music of the film “Grease” and the Japanese pop idol LiSA. The lecture lasted until 8:15 p.m. at which point O’Connor accepted questions from the audience, including one from Gilligan, who prompted him to talk about his dual identity as a composer and a performer. O'Connor considered himself a guitarist before a composer and described how he approaches music as a performer, valuing the entertainment quality of a piece and seeking the best way to appeal to an audience.

He described how he tries to find inspiration in many different sources, exploring genres of rock, pop, punk, heavy metal, opera, and classical music. In particular, he mentioned the surprising overlaps between heavy

metal and classical music he observed during his brief time performing in a punk/metal band. O’Connor also mentions his admiration for the Beatles in his youth, shared with his father, and how this encouraged his budding interest in music at a young age. He considered an attendance of the dramatic opera “Die Walküre”

by Richard Wagner as a formative experience for him as well and explained how he became fascinated with studying Wagner’s works. He concluded with another performance of his “Perturbation Variations” at 8:30 p.m. on Gilligan’s request.

Some audience members left at this point, but those who stayed heard additional performances of classical pieces on guitar and piano by several musicians in the audience, followed by O’Connor critiquing each one and providing feedback, leading to an extensive discussion of the methods and techniques of performing with him. The event was intended to end at 9:30, but the master class afterward ran slightly over and instead lasted until 9:50 p.m.

Lonnie Hiltz can be contacted at lhiltz@kscequinox.com

BOOK

HONOR

cont. from A8

cont. from A8

mittee. She described how Skvorak participated in the ACDA’s active student group at KSC during her first year and became the chapter’s treasurer, as well as joining the KSC Chamber Singers, an auditioned ensemble of treble voices. “Due to her level of preparation, music abilities and vocal production, she advanced to this ensemble,” Howard explained.

Howard further described how Skvorak’s family had a history of music involvement, such as Hattie’s uncle serving as Howard’s own music teacher in high school, yet Howard said she feels Skvorak stands on her own as a leader among her peers in the field.

“She’s an excellent academic student, she’s a great musician, and she is really passionate about forging a career ahead in becoming a music teacher,” Howard summarised.

Skvorak spoke enthusiastically about the interest in music her family cultivated in her at a young age. “I

was really involved in my school’s music department. My family was always getting involved with things like that, and as I got older and into high school, I started to become more involved with the education aspects,” she explained. Skvorak described her goal of becoming a music teacher for young students in Maine and how she came to KSC on the recommendation of past teachers in order to pursue her passion for music and teaching.

She said she looks forward to connecting with others in the field when she attends the ACDA’s conference in March. Skvorak also mentioned her upcoming summer job working with kids and assisting with music education.

The scholarship’s namesake, Richard I. Kegerreis, worked as a choral conductor and an organizer and editor for the ACDA’s newsletters, including New York’s Choral Cues, before his death in 2002.

The same year, the American

Though the book was published in 1993, the art-style reminds me of Norman Rockwell’s paintings. Maybe it is the cute pinkened nose and rosy cheeks that the human Molly shares with Rockwell’s work, or the detail both Wijngaard and Rockwell put into their subjects’ hands, toes and faces. Either way, Wijngaard’s pictures are nice to look at and make it easy to see Molly’s progression of age through time.

Leeuwen and Wijngaard’s book is an overall good read. I cannot see this being read in a classroom of students, but I can see it in the bedroom of any little girl or boy who has a beloved toy or blanket that gives them a sense of security, love and innocence as Emma Bean has done for her human.

Choral Directors Association established the scholarship, which aims to support college students in studying choral music through their annual conferences.

Every year, the association’s Kegerreis Scholarship Committee selects 10 students in the region to attend. Recipients can also apply for financial support through the ACDA’s Student Volunteer program.

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

CONTRIBUTED BY THE KEENE STATE COLLEGE MUSIC DEPARTMENT

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Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com

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Thursday, February 13, 2020

STAFF COMMENTARY

Traveling back in time

SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR

On Thursday, February 6, Julian Fleisher and His Rather Big Band performed in the Redfern Arts Center. The band performed covers of classic songs from the 1970s and showcased many different instruments.

Julian Fleisher and His Rather Big Band performs at the Redfern ROWAN HEARD

Equinox Staff The only thing that outshone Julian Fleisher’s twinkle in his eye was his metallic silver sequin suit as he delicately meandered his way onto the stage. The evening was set for a nostalgic and fun playlist of songs that hail from 1975, give or take a year.

Julian Fleisher and His Rather Big Band is made up of eight musical talents, all hailing from New York, who play an assortment of instruments ranging from the piano to the saxophone. Fleisher himself is a cabaret and jazz artist as well as a New York Public Radio host.

On Thursday night Fleisher found himself in front of an eager audience at the Redfern Arts Center in Keene, New Hampshire.

It was immediately apparent that Fleisher has a passion for the music that was being showcased that

evening, as he communicated to the audience with his stories and reasons behind choosing the songs he did. It was immensely enjoyable to not only listen to the songs that were being played, but also listening to the history and the context in which these songs were written. In his daily life, he simply kept coming back to 1975 as a great year for music and culture as a whole. “A lot of stuff was happening because people were mixing in a way that they had not mixed before, and sadly haven't mixed since,” said Fleisher. He then cited many television shows including “All in the Family,” a 1970s TV show that talked about many social fears, phobias and challenges that are still relevant today. Fleisher’s admiration for the decade and the year itself was thoughtprovoking.

The crowd was enthralled by the playlist of songs from the culture of 1975 including a slew of popular songs ranging in genres, even including iconic movie

soundtracks. The variety of the music choices made sense due to the nature of the times. “Everybody was doing their best work from every sphere of the pop music industry. You had the funk movement, you had rock and roll, you certainly had Motown, you had R&B… Stevie Wonder was at the height of his power,” said Fleisher. He cited Joni Mitchell as his personal savior, describing her as a transcendent being even in the time of so many greats.

Fleisher’s people skills were evident from the many instances of the show dedicated to talking to the audience. Relating to the audience and having the audience know who was in front of them simply made the show more fun and added to the fluidity of the ensemble that night. In the middle of the show, Fleisher introduced his band to the audience: Andrea Neumann on trombone, Alicia Rau on trumpet, Chelsea Baratz on saxophone, Sean Murphy on bass, Dave Berger on

drums, Pete Smith on guitar and Lance Horne on piano.

Fleisher and Smith have been playing with each other for more than 20 years. Horne, the band’s pianist, was trained by Keene State’s very own musical professor, Dr. Elaine Ginsberg.

In just under two hours, the crowd bought a bus ticket to the year 1975 and was immersed in the culture and importance of what the era meant not only to the people who were living through the 70s but also the current culture that we have today. It is important to learn from the past, for there are many things that have been said, but not truly listened to. Seeing Julian Fleisher and His Rather Big Band is a journey back in time that is well worth the ride, if you get the chance.

Rowan Heard can be contacted at rheard@kscequinox.com

Music careers to be continued JILLIAN RIVERS

Equinox Staff Over the last few years, several music artists have died with an abundance of music that never made it to the public’s ears. Some music fans, however, are lucky enough to be able to listen to their favorite artist one last time. From Michael Jackson to Jimi Hendrix, new music has been released from beyond the grave. Whether or not it is appropriate is up for debate for some.

Late rapper Mac Miller’s newest album, “Circles,” has been critically acclaimed by many and is a hit with the students here at Keene State. Ben Stock, a sophomore, said the album was great. As the lead singer of local band Hot Donnah, Stock knows a lot about music. He said two of his favorite artists who have passed are David Bowie and Chris Cornell. Stock has also listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin's music that was released after the death of drummer John Bonham. He said he thinks that music released after an artist’s death is a way of honoring their legacy.

“It’s not really about the money toward the artist usually, it’s more just honoring them,” he said. “The person who dies is going to live on more through that [new] music, too.”

Someone else who agrees with Stock is sophomore Casper Hayner. He enjoys listening to just

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about any kind of music, old and new alike, and said hearing about Mac Miller’s death was really hard. Hayner commented on the death of rapper XXXTentacion and how his family wanted to make money off of the music released for months on end after his passing.

“It’s their work and their art that’s still being produced,” he said. “You want to make sure that music is being released for a reason, and not just because people want money.”

Nathan Nelson, a sophomore, is also a member of the band Hot Donnah and plays the drums. Sharing a similar music taste with Stock, Nelson listens to Chris Cornell and Led Zeppelin as well. He said “Celebration Day,” Led Zeppelin’s live album released in 2012, is one of his favorite Led Zeppelin albums, despite being released decades after John Bonham’s death in 1980. When it comes to music being released after the death of a popular artist, Nelson said as long as it is their own original music it is acceptable.

“If the person actually wrote the songs then it’s okay… if someone took it and manipulated it [and made it] their own and then put it out there, it wouldn’t really be that person’s work,” Nelson said.

A famous music artist dying can upset anybody, especially their biggest fans. Most music

GRIFFIN ELL / ART DIRECTOR

fans would love to hear one last song from their favorite deceased artist. While it is very controversial on whether it is appropriate or not to do so, most can agree that honoring the artist and their work is what is most important. The respect of a deceased artist’s work is most valuable to their fans and families.

Jillian Rivers can be contacted at jrivers@kscequinox.com

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ARTS ENTERTAINMENT

A&E / A8

Thursday, February 13, 2020

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Representing dance

Receiving musical honor LONNIE HILTZ

Equinox Staff Earlier this year, an outstanding sophomore student from Keene State College received a music education scholarship from the American Choral Directors Association.

Hattie Skvorak, a second-year student at Keene State College, works as a resident assistant for the campus’ Holloway Hall while she pursues a major in music education.

On January 15, 2020, KSC announced she would receive 2020’s Richard I. Kegerreis Scholarship from the American Choral Directors Association, the largest international organization for supporting choirs and their directors. This honor makes her one of only two students at Keene State to have received the Kegerreis scholarship since KSC partnered with the ACDA in 2010. Skvorak will attend the organization’s Eastern Division Conference in March, and the scholarship waives any fees for the trip. The Eastern Division of the ACDA encompasses states from Maryland to Maine, including New Hampshire. From March 4 to March 7, 10 students from the region who received the scholarship will train in becoming musical professionals and educators.

Sandra Howard, professor of music at Keene State and chair of the college’s music department, wrote Skvorak’s letter of recommendation to ACDA’s Kegerreis Scholarship Com-

» SEE HONOR, A6

BOOK REVIEW

'Emma Bean' ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Equinox Staff

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR

Lindsey Gibbons steps into e-board position Keene State College has a new secretary of its APO Theatre and Dance Honor Society e-board as of last week. Lindsay Gibbons, a junior at KSC, has recently been appointed to the APO e-board to represent the dance department.

Gibbons said that dance has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

Here at Keene State, Gibbons said she has been part of the Choreography Showcase, a campus-wide event for aspiring choreographers to showcase their work, since her first semester. Gibbons said she has also taken part in every Evening of Dance, Keene State’s production of contemporary dance acts, since her freshman year.

At the beginning of this semester, the APO Theatre and Dance Honor Society held its first board meeting of the semester and from there they held what Gibbons described as an open discussion forum where members could apply for positions.

Members could nominate people they feel are fit for certain positions, including them-

selves, during their open discussion.

Gibbons said she felt that dancers at Keene State did not have equal representation on the e-board for the past few years and that is what inspired her to take the position.

“The dance department is pretty small, but we should have a say in a lot of the things that happen and I wanted to be that voice for the dancers,” said Gibbons.

Faculty advisor of APO Cynthia McLaughlin said that the honor society accepts students who work above and beyond what is expected in their fields and are given acknowledgments for the work they do, and encourages those who meet the requirements to consider a spot on the board.

“Students should contact the president.

Each year an email goes out to all majors with the requirements, [which include] a minimum GPA and hours of performance and service to the theatre and dance program,” said McLaughlin.

President of the APO Theatre and Dance Honors Society Laughlin Hentz is a junior at Keene State majoring in theatre and dance with a specialization in acting. Hentz explained that having boards like the APO

e-board is important for students to get realworld experience with collaborating and leadership opportunities. Hentz has known Gibbons since their first semester at Keene State and the two have been “production mates” for three years now.

“I think she’s going to be an excellent addition to the APO e-board. As secretary, I believe she’ll be a lovely collaborator,” said Hentz.

Gibbons said she is excited to be a member of the board and is looking forward to all the opportunities this position will bring her throughout the rest of her college career. She hopes to use the knowledge and experience from her time on the board to help further her aspiration to be a dance studio owner with an interest in dance and movement therapy. She said she cannot wait to get an even deeper understanding of how the department works and be the voice for the dance department on the e-board.

Alex Dube can contacted at adube@kscequinox.com

“

I think she’s going to be an excellent addition to the APO e-board. As secretary, I believe she’ll be a lovely collaborator - Laughlin Hentz

“

ALEX DUBE

Equinox Staff

Each year, we strive to change ourselves to be the best we can be.

Through the scars, bumps and bruises, we tend to forget the small things that give us feelings of love and safety.

“Emma Bean” is a sweet story that brings us back to the innocence of childhood and brings its readers back to a time when something so small can be so big in a child’s heart.

Children’s author Jean Van Leeuwen brings the story of a little cloth bunny to life in her book published

by Dial Books for Young Readers.

Whether they had a blanket, a stuffed animal or an action figure, every reader can relate to this book. Leeuwen gives Emma Bean, the stuffed bunny, traits that every child gives their loving, inanimate friends. Life with Emma Bean and her human Molly is narrated through the first few years of Emma Bean’s life while personifying the toy to feel and act just as Molly can, similar to how Woody from “Toy Story” and the bond between him and his human Andy are shown.

I was brought back to times when I would share secrets with my stuffed animals and cared deeply about them. It was amusing to see familiar instances that every toddler and child brings their special something through, like bath time, trying new foods and the dreaded doctor's office visits.

Leeuwen uses pretty simple language in her story, making it easy to follow what is going on.

One criticism I have would be the odd flow of the book as a whole. It is easy to see we are moving through a timeline, but some of the jumps seem very cut-off and almost choppy. After the first 10 pages or so, I was able to get acclimated to the author’s writing style; I wasn’t bothered by it anymore and could enjoy the story.

With only 40 pages, it’s impossible to expect the illustrator of “Emma Bean,” Juan Wijngaard, to capture every image, yet his illustrations were able to show the biggest hardships and most important moments of Emma Bean’s story.

» SEE BOOK, A6

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» DEBATE B3

STUDENT LIFE

» RECYCLEMANIA » B2

Student Life, B1

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Creating an

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Donating blood to help thousands TOM BENOIT

Equinox Staff

I M P A C T

“There’s definitely always a need for it and it can make someone’s life better and help someone,” Gretchen Comerford who donated at the American Red Cross Blood Drive held at Keene State on February 4 and 5, said. “Helping others is really important to me.”

There are many different reasons as to why a person may want to donate blood. For example, Karen LaChapelle, a volunteer who gave blood, said, “I’m a nurse and there are so many people who need it and sometimes it’s hard to find blood for people who need it.

It’s an easy way to give back, but I actually like donating blood; today is my three gallons.”

“I think if I were in a position to where I need a blood transfusion, I would want blood to be available to me to receive a transfusion,” said Michelle Kuiawa, a volunteer.

“I’ve also just been donating blood for years and it’s a super easy way to give back to the community and give to those who need it.”

According to the American Red Cross website, approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day and a single car crash victim needs, on average, 100 units of blood.

The American Red Cross website also states that the Red Cross of America provides 40 percent of our nation’s blood and blood components, all from generous volunteer donors, but only 3 percent of eligible adults actually donate blood.

These adults donate about 14 million whole blood and red blood cells are collected in a year.

First-year Lucy McGrade said, “I donate blood because I feel strongly about helping other people when I can and donating blood is a very easy way to help others. I think donating blood is important because there’s a lot of people out there who need blood transfusions and for healthy people, donating blood is easy for them and doesn’t have very many health risks,” said McGrade.

“I just think it’s important and it’s also something that every person who is eligible to donate blood should do,” said McGrade.

People with diseases such as sickle cell anemia, which affects 100,000 people in America, need regular blood transfusions throughout their lives. The American Cancer Society estimates a little under two million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, while undergoing chemotherapy.

The American Red Cross website says the most common blood type needed is Type O Negative, which only 45 percent of Americans have. Because of these statistics, viable blood of any kind is always in need. Red blood cells can only last about 42 days before it can no longer be used, and plasma is even shorter, at five days.

“Because there is a constant need for hospitals to have a consistent blood supply due to the fact that most people don’t regularly donate blood and there’s no substitute for blood for the people who need more of it,” said McGrade.

Tom Benoit can be contacted at tbenoit@kscequinox.com

» SEE IMPACT, B2 SOREN FRANTZ/ PHOTO EDITOR

Student Body President and President of KSC Democrats Davis Bernstein introducing one of the democratic presidential candidates on campus.

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STUDENT LIFE / B2

Thursday, February 13, 2020

RecycleMania kicks off on campus ABBY LASHWAY

Equinox Staff “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is a jingle that always makes us rethink ways to throw out our garbage. Recycling is more important now than ever before. We have caused catastrophic damage to our oceans and wildlife. So Keene State decided to take a stand.

Mathew Bacon, who did not respond to requests for comment, is bringing friendly competition to campus. RecycleMania is a competition for higher education institutes.

The more we reduce, reuse and recycle, the better off the planet will be, and the higher rank of standing. Many different colleges are competing. We don’t just want to be the number one college for recycling; Keene state has a goal to be 50 percent waste-free by 2020, and the long-term goal is to make Keene State a certified wastefree campus by 2030.

A lot of students think that this number is somewhat unobtainable, considering there are so many things on campus we have to throw out that are plastic and can damage the environment, such as plastic bottles and containers. However, the school is already taking steps to limit plastic, like handing reusable bags to students to cut out disposable plastic bags.

Even with such drastic changes, people are still skeptical of how recycling makes an actual impact.

First-year Brianna Asta does her best to recycle and sort all of her trash. However, she is skeptical that we will be able to make Keene State 50 percent waste-free by 2020.

“I think we can definitely make changes and maybe be 5 percent more waste-free, but 50% is extremely hard to

obtain.” She went on to talk about how nobody has ever heard of RecycleMania and that if we can get the entire school on board the goal might be achievable; however, nobody really takes an interest in recycling.

First-year Sarah Balkans had heard about RecycleMania through outside sources. She said recycling was extremely important, with all the environmental issues going on, and we have to force ourselves to go waste-free because the planet is at stake.

Senior Emily Foy lives offcampus and doesn’t usually hear about events or competitions going on. However, when she learned about RecycleMania she said it was a fantastic idea and that Keene State needed to get the word out there. “We have made a lot of good strides as a college and I definitely think that making Keene State 50 percent wastefree is possible.”

With more advertising, the campus will definitely become more united. The RecycleMania competition is going on from now until Saturday, March 28. The contest results will be posted on Wednesday, April 29. RecycleMania is a great way to unite the Owls and take a stand about a global issue. In the next few weeks, there will be a chart in the student center showing the school ranking and how well the school is doing recycling.

Let’s reduce, reuse and recycle to make 50 percent waste-free our main goal for 2020.

Abby Lashway can be contacted alashway@kscequinox.com

GRIFFIN ELL / ART DIRECTOR

IMPACT cont. from B1

PUJA THAPA

adminiStrativE ExEcutivE Editor

PULLED FROM ARCHIVES

“I like the ability to make change with politics,” said student body President and Keene State junior Davis Bernstein. Bernstein is a political science and Holocaust studies major and is heavily involved in politics on campus.

Bernstein also serves as the president of the KSC Democrats club and is a member of one of the fraternities on campus, Alpha Sigma Phi. Since April of 2019, Bernstein has overseen all of the student government as the student body president and also runs the Events Committee with the help of other people in student government. “I do anything I can to help student government function better,” said Bernstein.

Bernstein and the student government advisor, Jen Ferrell, are soon starting a program where students will be able to report issues they have to the student government so they can take on and try to fix more issues that the school has.

Bernstein will be running again for president in April 2020 for a second term. Ferrell hopes that he continues on a leadership capacity with student government into next year. “I think that would be really great both for him personally and for the organization to have some opportunity to build on some of the things he’s just getting started or just interested in getting going,” said Ferrell.

Bernstein has been in the position of KSC Democrats’ president for two years now. He said, “We’ve done many different things from issue advocacybased meetings to co-hosting several candidate visits.” Bernstein loves working in both of these organizations.

Bernstein is also currently supporting a group called the Every Voice Coalition. It’s a group that is working to get a bill passed in the State House of New Hampshire and State Senate that will aim to protect victims of sexual violence, as well as make it easier to report prevent in the first place. “This group has put in so much work toward getting this done and I’m truly proud to be supporting them,” said Bernstein.

Bernstein is also an alternate member on the college city commission.

Bernstein’s close friend and roommate KSC junior Emilee Haselton shared, “I am very proud of [him], but I get very stressed out watching him go to all these meetings.” She added, “As a student, he’s a natural leader. I think that just describes him as a whole, he can do his homework in a very fast manner... he prioritizes being a student, but he also prioritizes things like what’s going to help him build his future.”

Creating an impact means a lot to Bernstein. “I’ve helped make a good number of changes in student government so far and I hope I will keep that organization thriving for many years after I’m gone,” said Bernstein.

Bernstein went to high school at Northampton High School in Massachusetts. According to him, he wasn’t interested in politics as much as he is now and he was less involved in high school. Interning for a congressperson during his senior year of high school in his town and helped Bernstein get into politics. He found his passion and his voice here at Keene State.

Bernstein is glad that he chose Keene State over other schools in Massachusetts. “It’s been great. I love it here, it’s one of the best decisions I have made for sure; the professors are amazing, the administration is amazing, all of the staff is amazing.

I’ve made friends for life. I wouldn’t have all of these opportunities, such as meeting all these politicians, at a school in Massachusetts,” said Bernstein.

For the future, he wants to make a career in politics “working in a legislative office or something like that.” Bernstein said, “I really like Washington D.C. That’s a potential goal of mine, to go there. The other thing to think about is to go to law school or a masters program.”

Student Body Vice President Sara Olson is also as interested in law school and politics as Bernstein is.

Olson thinks of Bernstein as an honest and loyal friend. Olson said Bernstein inspires her to be more professional,

unbiased and to believe in herself.

Haselton shared the same experience with Bernstein. She said, “He is very honest, which is awesome; he’s not very serious, which is funny to think about because he does carry all these serious positions, but he’s very funny, down to earth, easy to get along with.”

According to Haselton, Bernstein brought her out of her shell, and made her into her own leader. “He’s made me into somebody who is passionate about what she joins and has encouraged me to get involved more into campus, which I really appreciate.”

Despite Bernstein’s huge involvement on campus, he has managed to balance his studies, student government, clubs and social life. “It seems to be working. It is difficult sometimes [because] free time is not the easiest thing to come by. I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t really invested in these organizations, and wanted them to thrive,” said Bernstein.

According to Ferrell, Bernstein has got a lot of strategies and places for managing time and how to work with different people and different stakeholders. “Sometimes, students get over-committed and over-involved in things and some of the other things suffer, but Davis has managed to really ride that line really perfectly as far as balancing the different groups that he’s part of,” said Ferrell. “He’s involved for him at what’s the right level and it’s perfect, and that varies for every student.”

“I think students like Davis who want to move things forward are willing to have conversations about change, how to do things differently, how to do things more efficiently; we have to have them,” said Ferrell. “We need these students who are willing to ask questions, willing to hear, and take suggestions and constructive criticisms and then be able to serve as role models for other students to do the same thing.”

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

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STUDENT LIFE / B3

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Students gather to watch 7th Democratic debate Equinox Staff Last Friday night, students came together to watch the New Hampshire Democratic Debate.

Everyone attending was able to relax with some popcorn and friends at the Night Owl Cafe.

First-year Allison Newey came out to the watch party and was enthusiastic “because it [was] the last debate before the primary” and she was “interested in hearing what the candidates have to say.” This was an important debate, and everyone was excited to hear the candidates’ “final words,” Newey explained.

Caitlin Howard, who is also a first-year and Newey’s roommate, was there to see this last debate before the New Hampshire primaries. Howard talked about how she comes to all the debate watch parties so she can watch with some friends, instead of just alone in her room.

She said that she is “very interested in what they have to say, especially coming out of Iowa on Monday.” She goes on to express how she was interested to hear “a lot more about climate change and [candidates’] in-depth plans about climate change, since it is such a pressing issue right now.”

Eager before the debate’s 8 p.m. starting time, Newey explained how much she enjoys going to the watch parties with the Keene State Democrats. Tonight, Newey looked forward to hearing about “the climate change issues, women’s rights and LGBTQ rights,” among other topics.

Another member of the Keene State Democrats, senior Erin Lynch, shared her enthusiasm pre-debate. “We have these debate parties often, but this is the last one so I came to support the club and watch the debate to see what would happen,” Lynch said. “I am interested in what [the candidates] will have to say about Iowa, maybe between Pete [Buttigieg] and Bernie Sanders.” She expressed that she did not want them to argue, but since these candidates are so close, “it would be interesting to see what may happen with that.”

Sophomore Sean Delson was also in attendance. “I came to the debate because I think it is important to be politically informed. [It’s] always good to know what’s going on in the

country,” said Delson. He continued by sharing his hopes that Sanders is able to take down Buttigieg for his corporate ties, along with seeing Joe Biden having a couple moments himself, which Delson said is “always a fun time.”

Students found out about this watch party from the Democrat club, along with their school emails. This was the last watch party before the presidential campaign and it was all around a great time for everyone.

Remember Newey’s reminder to exercise your right and “go out to vote” this Tuesday!

GRIFFIN ELL / ART DIRECTOR

Denise Ronan can be contacted at dronan@ kscequinox.com

“

I came to the debate because I think it is important to be politically informed; always good to know what’s going on in the country

- Sean Delson

“

DENISE RONAN

Students weigh in on primary KIANA JOLER

Equinox Staff Keene State students across grade levels agree that it is vital for the younger generations to vote and promote the change they want.

The 100th anniversary of the New Hampshire Primary is Tuesday, February 11. According to The Encyclopedia of American Politics, the Republican ballot consists of four candidates while the Democratic ballot lists 11 candidates. There is a lot of competition to become the Democratic nominee for president this year, and 18 candidates have already dropped out. Comparably, only one Republican candidate has dropped from the race.

Donald Trump is running for reelection, something that some students are voting to prevent. Megan Marcotte, a junior, said one of her main reasons for voting in the primary was to beat Trump.

“I really don’t think Trump should be in office anymore,” Marcotte said.

The college student population in New Hampshire has risen to 78,000 undergraduates currently enrolled in New Hampshire institutes, according to bestcolleges. com. Such a large population will impact the polls if students go out and vote. Sophomore Sean Gregoire expressed how important it is for students to take action on the change they want.

“I want to promote the change that I seek. You can’t want change and expect it to happen without you actually doing anything,” he said.

First-year Sydney Sweet also voiced the importance of voting and how she is excited to vote this year.

“I think we all have the right to vote, and I think we should all use it. Especially as a woman, we had to fight to vote,” Sweet said.

Gregoire and Marcotte both explained how students should stay caught up on politics. Marcotte attends candidate speeches and meetings, and she seeks out books and news organizations for information on candidates’ policies. Gregoire said he uses social media to get a daily summary of the campaigns, and he attends events on campus as well.

“It’s important for us being the future generation to be educated enough to make not just the popular decision, but the most educated decision,” he said.

Students are eligible to vote in the primary as long as they are 18 and citizens of the United States. Unregistered voters can register to vote at

T h i s

W e e

VOTE

k

a t GRIFFIN ELL / ART DIRECTOR

the polls, and students who are from other states vote for the change they want. but are attending college in New Hampshire are legally allowed to vote in the primary. In order Kiana Joler can be contacted at to register to vote as an out-of-state student, the KJoler@kscequinox.com student must bring a form of ID and it is recommended that the student bring proof of residence in New Hampshire. A letter or bill addressed to the student’s address in New Hampshire is proof of address, and the form of ID can be anything from a student ID to a passport.

Students can drive themselves to the polls, or they can take a campus shuttle that will be running throughout the day. Whether students can vote between classes, before them, or after them, they should be able to find time and means to

Fun Fact: The KSC shuttle vans took over 400 students to the polls on Tuesday!

K S C

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STUDENT LIFE / B4

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Like to write?

Interested in life on campus?

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

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World News/ B5 Thursday, February 13, 2020

WORLD NEWS

How crucial is NH win?

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Messy Iowa caucuses leave cash-poor candidates scrambling BRIAN SLODYSKO

AssociAted Press WILL WEISSERT

AssociAted Press

Opinions differ among candidates WILL WEISSERT

AssociAted Press KATHLEEN RONAYNE

AssociAted Press BILL BARROW

AssociAted Press In the waning hours before New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary voting begins, Democratic presidential candidates took varied approaches to the expectations game Monday as they look to advance deeper into what could be an extended nominating fight.

Bernie Sanders showed the same confidence he displayed ahead of last week's Iowa caucuses, which ended with a split decision between the Vermont senator and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana. "If we win here tomorrow, I think we've got a path to victory for the Democratic nomination," Sanders declared in Rindge.

Former Vice President Joe Biden, once the national front-runner, tamped down expectations amid prospects of a second consecutive disappointment before the race turns to more racially diverse states he believes can restore his contender status. "This is just getting started," he told CBS. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren fell somewhere between those approaches, vowing to make a comeback but not predicting victory. "Look, I've been counted down and out for much of my life," Warren told reporters. "You get knocked down. You get back up."

Buttigieg and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the biggest surprises of the 2020 contest so far, looked to extend their rides despite uncertainty about what's ahead for two campaigns with overwhelmingly white bases.

The scramble highlights a perilous point for Democrats as they look for a challenger to President Donald Trump

in November. No would-be nominee has yet forged a strong coalition across the party's racial, ethnic and ideological factions. The situation is muddled further by the vote-tabulation melee in last week's Iowa caucuses that left both Sanders and Buttigieg claiming victory, even as neither reached 30% of the vote in a fractured field.

Trump, meanwhile, is eager to cast a shadow over the entire Democratic slate as he heads to Manchester for a Monday evening rally to continue his victory-and-vengeance tour following Senate votes that acquitted him on two impeachment charges. Trump lost New Hampshire in 2016 by fewer than 3,000 votes out of more than 743,000 cast, and the state is among several his reelection campaign believes it can flip in November.

Trump's supporters began lining up in New Hampshire on Sunday, and the crowd only grew despite freezing, wet weather. The president managed a similar scene in Iowa days ahead of the caucuses, drawing thousands of boisterous supporters who contrasted with a lower-than-expected caucus turnout for Democrats.

Against that backdrop, Biden insisted Monday that he remains wellpositioned for the nomination and to defeat Trump in November. He pointed to endorsements from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Michigan's legislative black caucus that he's gotten since the Iowa caucuses.

"I'm still leading nationally," Biden told CBS, referring to months of national polls. It's far from certain, though, that Biden will remain in such a position in the coming weeks.

Biden's fortunes could turn on voters like Pat Barrick, a 70-year-old independent who said she was once solidly with Biden but now is also considering Klobuchar, who finished just behind Biden in Iowa and has since seen a bounce in New Hampshire.

"He matches my values," Barrick said of Biden. "I just don't know if he

can win."

Indeed, no Democrats have separated themselves from the pack.

Sanders and Buttigieg want to dent Biden's claims to national support. But Sanders, a democratic socialist, has little support from the party's centerleft core, and some establishment figures openly fret about Sanders leading the ticket in November.

Buttigieg on Monday night keyed in on the Vermont senator's ambitious "Medicare for All" proposal as being among a slate of plans that are fiscally unmanageable.

Describing his own health care proposal as having "the virtue of being paid for" by repealing tax cuts enacted

by Trump and imposing taxes on corporations that pay none, Buttigieg said, "While Sen. Sanders' ideals are certainly ideals I think most Americans share, at the end of the day we're going to have to explain how to get from here to there."

"And there's a hole in his proposals that amounts to $25 trillion, bigger than the entire size of the American economy," Buttigieg told more than 500 people in swing-voting Milford.

At a packed Exeter town hall on Monday night, Klobuchar trumpeted her rising poll numbers and the $3 million she has raised online since Friday's debate. She saved her best jabs, as she often does, for Trump and refused to go after any of the other Democrats by name.

"He blames Barack Obama. He blames the generals that he commands," Klobuchar said. "He blames the head of the Federal Reserve that he appointed.

He blames the energy secretary that he nominated. He blames — this is one of my favorite ones — the entire Kingdom of Denmark. Who does that?"

Warren, meanwhile, has shown flashes of a broad coalition of voters, and she's added a relatively new argument in New Hampshire by pitching herself as the candidate who can best unify the party. She is looking to slice

off chunks of Sanders' progressive base and Buttigieg's core of college-educated voters hungry for change. But she and Biden face a potential money crunch if donors are spooked by Tuesday's results.

Beyond New Hampshire, billionaire Michael Bloomberg continues plowing hundreds of millions of dollars into "Super Tuesday" states on March 3 while skipping the first four February contests. Bloomberg's centrist candidacy hinges largely on Biden underperforming and the proposition that neither Buttigieg nor Klobuchar can fill the gap. His campaign on Monday announced new staff investments in Utah and Colorado, bringing his national footprint to 2,100 staffers, with 18 states boasting at least 40 employees.

Despite the questions facing the Democratic field, New Hampshire Democratic Chairman Ray Buckley said he remains optimistic about their chances of toppling Trump, even going so far as to welcome the president's Monday visit.

"His ego can't stand the idea of something going on and he's not in the middle of it," Buckley told reporters.

"It has backfired on him before, and I believe it's going to backfire on him this time." ___ Barrow reported from Atlanta.

Associated Press writers Holly Ramer in Manchester, N.H., Thomas Beaumont in Milford, N.H., Hunter Woodall in Gilford, N.H., Michael Casey in Exeter, N.H., and Alexandra Jaffe in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report. ___ Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, "Ground Game."

The Iowa caucuses weren't just a colossal political mess. They were a massive money drain for Democratic presidential contenders who poured millions of dollars into a contest so marred by technical glitches that its ultimate outcome will be marked with an asterisk.

That's forced a reassessment of political strategy born of financial necessity for candidates strapped for money. It has also created a predatory environment for stronger candidates trying to pick off donors of weaker ones.

And then there is the case of Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former New York City mayor who is funding his own campaign and holding something that has come to be called a "friend raiser" rather than a fundraiser. He merely is asking for support from donors to other candidates rather than asking them to write his campaign a check.

The chase for campaign money always runs in parallel to the primary calendar, but at this stage of the race, candidates' finances can be a ready proxy for the state of their political strength.

That's placed an even bigger spotlight on New Hampshire, where many of the cash-poor candidates were trying to raise money in between campaign stops ahead of the Feb. 11 primary.

As results from Monday's Iowa caucuses were still being tabulated, former Vice President Joe Biden and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who both trailed in the state, shifted their money around, canceled ad buys and sent out emails pleading for donations ahead of Friday's debate.

"We'll keep this brief. If we don't hit our $600,000 debate fundraising goal by tomorrow night, we could enter the New Hampshire (get out the vote) weekend without the resources that we need to succeed," Biden's campaign said in a fundraising email.

Biden, who has low cash reserves and has struggled to raise money, has pegged his bid for the nomination on his appeal in more diverse states that follow New Hampshire. But after a poor showing in predominantly white Iowa, he's being squeezed.

Pete Buttigieg, the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor who did quite well in Iowa, has been reaching out to past Biden donors to gauge their interest in jumping ship.

Bloomberg's "friend raiser" tactic is targeting on-the-fence donors whom Biden needs and who could further hinder his fundraising efforts.

"Donors panic. Supporters panic," said Ian Sams, who was the primary spokesman for California Sen. Kamala Harris before she bowed out of the 2020 presidential race after struggling to raise money. "The challenge is convincing supporters that panic is not the wisest reaction and that they

should keep faith in the plan that they've been outlining for a year."

Although no winner has been declared in Iowa, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared to be the victor in the race to replenish his bank account. Sanders, who is nearly tied with Buttigieg for the lead in Iowa, announced a $25 million January fundraising haul on Thursday. The stunning sum, which was raised from his legions of grassroots donors who contribute small sums online, relieves the strain that $50 million in spending at the end of 2019 placed on his campaign finances.

That puts him in a "strong position to compete in states all over the map," said campaign manager Faiz Shakir.

The campaign will immediately increase staffing in states that vote during the Democratic primary's Super Tuesday, on March 3, and also plans to spend $5.5 million on television and digital ads in eight new states: Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Utah.

And Sanders will expand ad buys the campaign already made in California and Texas, the two largest states voting on Super Tuesday.

Biden and Warren are taking a different route.

Biden this week canceled a $119,000 ad buy in South Carolina, where he has polled strongly. Warren cut even more, canceling $350,000 in planned television advertising for later this month in Nevada and South Carolina.

"I just want to be careful about how we spend our money," she told reporters after a Wednesday rally at a community college in Nashua, New Hampshire, near the border with Massachusetts.

Buttigieg, meanwhile, has been raking in money after his Iowa performance.

This week he attended three fundraisers in New York and New Jersey. And on Saturday, his husband, Chasten, will be on Biden's home turf in Philadelphia.

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, an early Biden donor, said Biden's Philadelphia donor base is strong and runs deep given the former vice president's long-standing connection to the state and city. Biden was born in Pennsylvania and represented neighboring Delware in teh U.S. Senate for more than three decades.

"We give to Joe because we believe he'd be a good president. But we also help him because he's been a friend, a great personal friend and a friend to Philadelphia," said Rendell, who is also a former Philadelphia mayor. "We're not bailing." ___ Slodysko reported from Washington.

Associated Press writer Thomas Beaumont contributed to this report from Des Moines, Iowa. ___ Catch up on the 2020 election campaign with AP experts on our weekly politics podcast, "Ground Game."

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Sports / B6

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Owls take home an OT win Keene State men’s and women’s basketball beat out rival Plymouth State TYLER DAROSA

Equinox Staff The Keene State College vs. Plymouth State University rivalry was renewed in men’s basketball when the Owls got a big 83-77 home win on Wednesday.

The Owls started the game on an 8-0 lead with Keene State junior guards DeVon Beasley and Jaylen Franklin both hitting 3-pointers. Beasley kept the momentum going a few minutes later when he scored six unanswered points to make it an 18-7 game within the first eight minutes.

The momentum didn’t stop there.

Keene was soon able to get out to a 17-point lead which would end up being their largest of the game.

One player who helped them get there was Keene State junior center James Anozie, who scored six points in this time frame in his chase to get to 1,000 career points.

Although Anozie didn’t reach the 1,000 point mark before halftime, falling one point short of his milestone, the Owls were able to keep the lead going into halftime.

However, Plymouth State’s sophomore guard Dante Rivera hit a buzzer beater going into the half, which started the Panthers climb back.

During the 15 minute break, the crowd was treated to performances by the New Hampshire Dance Institute, the Nationalqualifying Keene State Dance Team and the Monadnock High School pep band.

The Panthers tried to keep the scoring up, trimming Keene’s lead to six. Once again the star of the night, Beasley, hit another 3-pointer to bring the score back to 45-36 in favor of the Owls. The Owls were able to get the 17 point lead back with help from Anozie scoring his 1,000th point at the free-throw line.

Keene State kept the foot on the gas with a huge dunk by Keene State junior guard Sidi Diallo, but from here on out it was all Panthers.

Plymouth State went on a quick 9-0 burst to give them their first lead of the game with a

minute and a half left.

The Owls couldn’t respond initially and the Panthers were able to make it a 3-point game with just over 20 seconds in regulation.

Beasley stole the victory out of Plymouth’s hands, however, nailing a 3-pointer with only seconds left, sending the game to overtime.

Overtime was all Owls as they got a 77-73 lead within the five extra minutes. It was another Beasley three that was the dagger for Keene State. Plymouth State was held without a field goal in the five minute overtime, and all their points came from free throws.

The Owls snapped the Panthers six game win streak with the 83-77 win.

Keene State’s next men’s basketball game is against the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs on Wednesday, February 12, at 7 p.m. at Dartmouth.

Want to watch the Owls in action for yourself? Next home game for the men’s team is Saturday, February 15, at 3 p.m. against the Rhode Island College Anchormen.

Tyler DaRosa can be contacted at tdarosa@kscequinox.com

SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR

Junior guard Sidi Diallo scoring in the February 5 home game against Plymouth State University. Keene State would go on to win the game in overtime with a final score of 83-77.

Little East Conference Fall 2019 Academic Honor Roll Baseball 21 Student-Athletes

Interested in writing for the sports section?

Field Hockey 21 Student-Athletes

Men’s Basketball 2 Student-Athletes

Women’s Basketball 13 Student-Athletes

Men’s XC 5 Student-Athletes

Women’s XC 6 Student-Athletes

Men’s T&F 2 Student-Athletes

Women’s T&F 1 Student-Athlete

Men’s Lacrosse 28 Student-Athletes

Women’s Lacrosse 16 Student-Athletes

Men’s Soccer 11 Student-Athletes

Women’s Soccer 23 Student-Athletes

Softball 13 Student-Athletes

Volleyball 13 Student-Athletes

Women’s Swim & Dive

Sports Editor Claire Boughton (860) 878-5475

18 Student-Athletes

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Sports / B7

Thursday, February 13, 2020

Musese jumps into the records

Editor’s P I C K

“

When I began coaching here in early January I heard we had a 15-meter All-American triple jumper that transferred in roaming around campus. I had to speak to him.

DEVON BEASLEY

MEn’S BaSkEtBall Junior Guard

“

- Coach Mills

PUJA THAPA / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Junior transfer Benjamin Musese breaks triple jump record on first jump JEREMY LANDERS

Equinox Staff Junior Benjamin Musese, a recent transfer student from the University of Southern Maine, shattered a Keene State school record for the triple jump in his first meet during the Branwen Smith-King Invitational at Tufts University on February 1.

According to Keene State Athletics, Musese, who had been an All-American in the outdoor triple jump last season with the University of Southern Maine, leaped 14.18 meters, breaking a 14-year-old mark set by Craig Stuart. Stuart’s mark of 13.91 meters was set at the 2006 Little East Conference Championships. Musese’s mark is currently 19th in the country with the top 20 qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships in March.

Musese’s background in track and field started young.

“I started running track my 8th-grade year when I moved to Maine,” said Musese. “At first, I didn’t know anything about it and at that moment I didn’t have any interest in doing it. After the soccer season was over, I got bored and didn’t know what to do, so I decided to join the track team. My coach made me run the 400 meters and 200 meters because of my speed. Eventually, he asked if I could try the triple jump,” Musese said.

As for training at Keene State, Musese has a self-described standard approach.

“I’m usually just practicing my jumping phases and do a lot of sprints,” explained Musese. “I also do some heavy lifting. I don’t usually work on my legs because they are naturally strong; the only thing I focus on is my upper body.”

Musese continued, commenting on his eating habits. “I don’t eat healthy food such as salad because I have a fast metabolism. I only eat junk foods.”

Musese silenced the doubters in breaking the record.

“Breaking the 14-year-old record was something I was planning to do in my first jump,” said Musese “I told most people that I was going to break the school record and they didn’t believe me. So, I proved them wrong and beat the record while I had a broken toe.”

Head coach of the track and field team Paige Mills commented on Ben’s achievements in an email statement: “When I began coaching here in early January I heard we had a 15-meter All-American triple jumper that transferred in roaming around campus. I had to speak to him. It only took one conversation and he was all fired up to get to work.

On his first fair jump of the day at his very first meet for us, Ben crushed a 14-year-old school record and qualified for DIII New England Championships also placing him in the top 20 nationally at the time. This was with no recent jump-specific work as Ben just finished his first season of soccer, his other passion, with the Owls. This is an incredibly gifted athlete we have here, with untapped potential in my opinion. We are all so excited to see how far Ben will fly…and snag some more

AA’s along the way.”

Athletic Director Philip Racicot was thrilled to hear about Ben’s accomplishment.

“I’m really impressed with Ben’s first performance as a member of the track and field team,” said Racicot. “Breaking the school record in the triple jump the first time out is pretty special. Ben was an important member of the LEC Men’s Soccer Championship team in the fall and although we knew he had a strong background in track and field, I’m not sure anyone would have expected a record-breaking performance in his first meet. To be able to balance the demands of classes and two sports takes a lot of commitment and effort and we are fortunate to have student-athletes like Ben here at KSC.”

DeVon Beasley is the Editor’s Pick for the second week in a row because of his impressive showing at the February 5 home game against Plymouth State University.

Beasley, who has averaged 9.5 points per game this season, scored a season-high 25 points in the faceoff against the Plymouth State Panthers. Almost all of those points came from the seven three-point baskets he made throughout the course of the game.

When the Owls fell behind Plymouth State by three points with only 19 seconds remaining in regulation, Beasley sunk a 3-pointer with four seconds left to force the game into overtime.

In overtime, Beasley hit another 3-pointer, only adding to the lead that the Owls would eventually win by.

DeVon Beasley is this week’s Editor’s Pick because of his prolific 3-point shooting capabilities.

Editor’s Pick is the sole opinion of the Sports Editor.

Claire Boughton can be contacted at cboughton@kscequinox.com

Jeremy Landers can be contacted at jlanders@kscequinox.com

Keene State Triple Jump Record 2020 Benjamin Musese 14.18m / 46’6.25” 2006 Craig Stuart 13.91m / 45’7.75”

This Week for the Owls Thursday 2/13

Friday 2/14

Saturday 2/15

Sunday 2/16

Monday 2/17

Tuesday 2/18

Men’s Ice Hockey: NECHA Semi-Finals at Conway Arena

Men’s Ice Hockey: NECHA Finals at Conway Arena * Women’s Basketball VS. Rhode Island College @ 1PM

Wednesday 2/19

Women’s Basketball VS. Eastern Connecticut State University @ 5:30 PM

Swim & Dive: NEISDA Championships at University of Rhode Island Indoor Track & Field: Valentine Invitational at Boston University

* - Home Contest

No Contests

No Contests

Men’s Basketball VS. Eastern Connecticut State University @ 7:30 PM

* Men’s Basketball VS. Rhode Island College @ 3PM

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Sports / B8

Thursday, February 13, 2020

SPOR S

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Anozie for 1,000

Junior center James Anozie becomes the 37th Owl to reach milestone CRISTIAN VALENTIN

OpiniOns EditOr CLAIRE BOUGHTON

spOrts EditOr On Wednesday, February 5, junior center James Anozie joined an elite company by becoming one of the few players, and only active player, to reach the 1,000-point mark in men’s basketball.

Anozie scored 14 points in an 83-77 win for the Owls to find his spot in Keene State history as the 37th person to ever reach 1,000 career points. Going into the matchup, Anozie only needed 11 points to reach his goal.

During the game, Anozie scored early in the first half, bringing himself up to 10 points rather quickly. However, that one remaining point proved to be a hard one for the big man to score. It wasn’t until eight minutes into the second half that Anozie would get his chance at the free-throw line.

The crowd went completely silent as Anozie shot his first of two free throws, sinking it into the net, making his career total at that exact time a perfect 1,000.

The 6-foot-6 inch center celebrated by putting a number one up in the air and then immediately returned to the free-throw line to make a second basket. Make that 1,001.

“It feels pretty good,” said Anozie the day after the game. “A lot of people can’t say that they’ve accomplished it and it takes a lot to get to. There’s a lot of work involved and it’s an honor to reach that point.”

This is not the first time Anozie has made it into the elite 1,000 point club, however.

Anozie was a member of the 1,500 points club at his high school, Our Lady of Lourdes in Poughkeepsie, New York. Anozie finished his high school career with 1,650 points.

When asked about the big man’s big achievement, head coach of the men’s basketball team Ryan Cain said many things factored into Anozie’s success.

“I think it speaks to a lot of different things,” said Cain. “One being how good he is as a basketball player and the impact he’s had over his two-and-a-half plus years

here at Keene State. James came in and had a pretty promising role on a very young team freshman year, had a really good first year and continued that level of success for the past two years and it also speaks to the players he’s had around him. I think we’ve had really good teams for the most part and I think we’ve had really good players who have played with him and it’s put him in a position to have some pretty good individual success up to this point,” said Cain.

Another person with a lot to say about Anozie’s entrance into the 1,000 points club was class of 2019 alumnus and all-time points leader in men’s basketball Ty Nichols, who commented on what Anozie meant to him as a teammate.

“He was huge for me because I’ve always liked playing with big men who were good in the post,” said Nichols. “Honestly, our game plan was never to get me going, it was to get James the ball and work off of that,” said Nichols.

Coach Cain also made a note of commending Anozie for his role off the court.

“James has a very unique personality.

He’s a guy who is great to have around on a daily basis and that hasn’t changed over time,” said Cain. “He’s always been a guy that has a smile on his face every time you see him and every time you shake his hand he’s gonna put a smile on your face.”

Nichols agreed with Cain’s off-the-court synopsis of Anozie and gave some of his own favorite memories with him as a teammate.

“Off the court he’s funny,” said Nichols.

“We used to come to my house after practice and watch NBA games and just have a good time.”

However, both men could agree that on the court Anozie is and will continue to be a force to be reckoned with.

In a 2019 video titled “James Anozie Profile” by Keene State journalism major Tyler daRosa, Coach Cain explains the power the big man brings to the court.

“At times… he is just a monster,” explained Coach Cain in the interview. “He’s a tough guy physically to move, he can be very determined and he can get into that next gear and

when he is at that point he can do a lot of things that people can’t do or people can’t stop.”

After the game was done and Anozie had permanently etched his name into the 1,000 points club, he knew exactly who he wanted to thank.

“I want to thank my teammates, my coaches and my friends. They’ve all pushed me to get to this point and I respect them all,” said Anozie.

The last player before Anozie to make his name in the 1,000 points club was Ty Nichols, who later became the all-time leading scorer for Keene State College. Before that, there were 35 others, dated back all the way to the 1940s, who Anozie now joins.

If you want to catch Anozie and the rest of the men’s basketball team, you can attend their next game against the Rhode Island College Anchormen on Saturday, February 15, at 3 p.m. in the Spaulding Gymnasium.

Cristian Valentin can be contacted at cvalentin@kscequinox.com Claire Boughton can be contacted at cboughton@kscequinox.com

Keene State 1,000 Points Club

#37. James Anozie - Still Counting #36. Ty Nichols - 2,316 pts. #35. Matt Ozzella - 1,205 pts. #34. Nate Howard - 1,002 pts. #33. Tom Doyle - 1,201 pts. #32. Ryan Martin - 1,303 pts. #31. Anthony Mariano - 1,174 pts. #30. Eric Fazio - 1,029 pts. #29. Derek D’Amours - 1,418 pts. #28. Tyler Kathan - 1,799 pts. #27. Nate Anderson - 1,085 pts. #26. David Sontag - 1,049 pts. #25. Sean Sullivan - 1,376 pts. #24. Chris Timson - 1,448 pts. #23. Alphonse Michalski - 1,000 pts. #22. Dave Stantial - 1,519 pts. #21. Chris Coates - 1,970 pts. #20. Fred Fieldhouse - 1,388 pts. #19. Mike Morrison - 1,036 pts. #18. Steven Pollard - 1,238 pts. #17. Jeff Johnson - 1,209 pts. #16. John Jennings - 1,060 pts. #15. Mark LaSelle - 1,026 pts. #14. Darrell Long - 1,509 pts. #13. Peter Paragon - 1,194 pts. #12. Marcus Debro - 1,197 pts. #11. Matt Theulen - 1,062 pts. #10. Mark Yeaton - 1,214 pts. #9. Joe Yaris - 1,146 pts. #8. Al Hicks - 2,023 pts. #7. Dave Terry - 1,230 pts. #6. Wally Markham - 1,112 pts. #5. Tim Brown - 1,022 pts. #4. Jim Beckwith - 1,444 pts. #3. Tom Conway - 1,158 pts. #2. Paul Bushey - 1,247 pts. #1. Nim Grandin - 1,421 pts.

SOREN FRANTZ / PHOTO EDITOR

James Anozie at the February 5 home contest against Plymouth State University hitting the free throw that would officially make him the 37th member of Keene State College’s 1,000 point club.

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