The Equinox 4.19.18

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Vol. 70, Issue #26

THE EQUINOX

KSC STUDENTS REACT TO SPRING CONCERT REVEAL SEE B2

WINNINGS TIMES FIVE SEE B7

The student voice of Keene State College

wind and ice leave a mark Thursday, April 19, 2018

Winner of a 2017 Pacemaker Award

Fallen tree leads to street blockages and power outages SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN

power outages in surrounding buildings.

In response to the incident, the Keene Police Department placed barriers on both At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Monday, sides of the site on Winchester Street and April 16, a tree at the intersection of Blake blocked Blake Street.

Street and Winchester Street was blown down The tree’s wreckage trapped one car, which by strong winds; the tree narrowly missed an did not appear to have sustained any heavy oncoming car and caused road closures and damage. Fire Alarm Officer for the Keene Fire

ExEcutivE Editor

Department Raymond Philips said, “The lady in the car that was coming down the street saw [the tree] coming. Luckily for her, she was far enough back that it didn’t hit her.”

Philips said this incident was not isolated to Blake Street. “There’s trees down all over the city, so they are contracting out to some other agencies to come and help clean this up,”

he said. “We contracted [Phil’s Tree Service] to clean this mess up along with MME [Construction, LLC] contractors.”

Phillips said the cleanup of the tree would pose no problems. However, the downed power lines presented some challenges. “... it’s just waiting for Eversource to get down SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

SEE FALLING TREE, A3

Academic Excellence Conference showcases student work VINCENT MOORE

Equinox Staff Keene State College students who want to present their academic work to campus as a whole are given a chance to do so once every year.

On Saturday, April 14, Keene State College held its 18th annual Academic Excellence Conference (AEC).

“It allows the whole campus to look broadly at what our students have accomplished and celebrate that,” Program Manager for the Provost and the Chief Officer for Diversity and Multiculturalism Kimberly Schmidl-Gagne said.

Schmidl-Gagne served as the Program Manager for this year’s conference.

“I think it’s best described as a showcase for student work. It is a cross section of all that we do with students academically and, in some cases, co-curricularly, but it includes everything from maybe what you would consider traditional research to performances, poster sessions and, I don’t know if every discipline is represented, but there’s very broad representation of disciplines,” Schmidl-Gagne said.

Schmidl-Gagne said when the event began, it focused more on sciences and social sciences before growing to encompass all students on campus.

“It started about 18 years ago with the idea that students deserve the opportunity to share broadly with each other, with other faculty on campus, with the administrators and their families deserve an opportunity to celebrate all the wonderful work that students do,” Schmidl-Gagne said.

Associate Professor of Human Performance and Moving Science Fitni Destani served on the AEC committee for his second year and said that this year’s presenter turnout was good.

“What we found is we’ve got a healthy number of presenters, more than we thought initially. We were a little concerned in the out-front about that, but we actually have more presenters than previous years, it’s just that we have more poster presenters instead of oral presenters,” Destani said.

Destani explained that poster presentations are just presentations written down on paper instead of being oral or on a powerpoint.

Senior double management and communications major Kristen Reid presented her communications senior project titled, “Cigarettes, Marijuana, and their Effects on Close Relationships” at the conference.

“I’ve always wanted to present something, so I think this was a good opportunity since I was working on my senior project anyway. I thought this would be a good opportunity to showcase what I’ve learned,” Reid said.

Schmidl-Gagne described the process of becoming a presenter at the AEC as being straightforward.

“It’s fairly simple. They work with a faculty member, so any class that has a project in it could become an AEC presentation of some kind or a poster. So you work with a faculty member on something that you’re interested in, and in the fall, you put in your proposal and you continue to work on it and you present in April at the next AEC.” Students wishing to present in future conferences need not to worry about a limited number of presentation slots, as Schmidl-Gagne said the organizers will adapt to whatever size the presenter pool might grow to.

“We try and be flexible and accommodate what students’ interest is. You can have a half-hour session, an hour session, we don’t have anything over an hour, but if someone came up with something, we’d probably figure out how to do it.”

Vincent Moore can be contacted at vmoore@kscequinox.com ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Index

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Section B: Section A: News .....................1-3 Student Life............1-4

A4: Alumni Come Back to Serve A8: Senior Artists Showcased B1: Students Exhibit at Academic Conference B8: Keene to Boston

Opinions ................4-5 World News..............5 A&E............ ...........6-8 Sports.....................6-8 Associated Collegiate Press

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

GREEN LIFE: STAFF COLUMN

The advantages of green chemistry KATHERINE GLOSSER

equiNox staff Many people in America walk on salt-covered streets in the winter with not a second thought. To many, it is just an easy way to get rid of the slippery ice. It isn’t often that people think of its impact on the environment because salt is something that is stepped on and often overlooked. The same can also be said for car oil because people use it so often that it becomes a part of their everyday life. In 1995 and 1996, Keene State College Environmental Safety Manager Ralph Stuart thought deeply about the impact of chemicals on the environment and started exploring what is called green chemistry, or the “design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation of hazardous substances,” according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Green chemistry is a fairly new subject being taught in the public eye in the United States, so people often don’t know what it is. This particularly holds true for students at KSC. This is why Stuart and Environmental Studies Professor Dr. Nora Traviss decided to turn green chemistry into a one of the major group projects for her Environmental Health class. KSC sophomore Will Fabian, sophomore Alex Rushworth, junior Logan Felix, senior Cora Telles and senior George Zarifian got involved in a project that focuses on green chemistry. The project involved looking at the different ways KSC used green chemistry, as well as comparing it to the use of it in the United Kingdom. They will then create a pamphlet that will be replicated and used by Stuart to show the public what green chemistry is. Stuart said he plans to put the pamphlet online and drop some off at some of the offices on campus.

Zarifian said green chemistry is beneficial. “I think in today’s day with the environmental issues we have going on, green chemistry is a new and upcoming process that could benefit industry with safer alternatives, producing less waste because we know that waste is a huge issue right now in the environmental world,” Zarifian said.

Zarifian added that the group started out not knowing anything about green chemistry. However, with the help of Stuart, that began to change.

Traviss said she and Stuart were surprised none of the students knew much about green chemistry. “We realized that this is something that is an area we really should address, particularly environmental studies, because we want our students to be thinking about sustainability and making choices that are reducing impacts on the environment,” Traviss said.

According to Stuart, KSC has already demonstrated some use of green chemistry. One of those examples is the use of salt mixed with molasses that would have been otherwise wasted. Stuart said using this reduces the amount of salt used by about one third and makes the snow melt faster. Another example of green chemistry being used is the heating plant on campus that uses recycled and purified cooking oil. Stuart said this, in turn, uses less number six oil, which causes a less environmental damage and saves the school about $10,000 a year. In addition, tractors and trucks used in the Grounds Department uses biodiesel, which is a biofuel alternative to diesel.

Stuart said he is talking with the Sustainable Production Design and Innovation department professors about how to educate students on green chemistry they can use when they are designing their products and wants to get the campus to use more environmentally friendly chemical alternatives. Traviss said she wants to teach a little bit of some green chemistry in her next Environmental Health class.

Stuart said it doesn’t only take chemists to create greener chemical alternatives, it takes a community. “I think one of the most interesting things about green chemistry is that it’s a multidisciplinary challenge. It can’t be just a chemist working by themselves, chemists have to work with the environmental scientists, has to work with the safety people, there are many different skill sets and disciplines involved,” Stuart said.

Katie Glosser can be contacted at kglosser@kscequinox.com

Giving back to your alma mater GRACE PECCI

copy editor Seniors who will be walking away from Keene State College in just a few short weeks are leaving behind a college that has shaped them for their future and given them many opportunities in academics, jobs, on-campus involvement and more.

After receiving so much, some feel giving something back seems like the right thing to do.

Director of External Relations and Interim Director of Alumni Relations Steve Fortier said when students become alumni, he sees it as a “give and take.”

Fortier and his wife are KSC graduates from the class of 1986 and have volunteered within both the city’s and the college’s communities in various ways for the last 32 years.

During the first five years after graduating, Fortier said he and his wife came to events, but didn’t necessarily give back by helping lead the events.

By the early 1990s, they got more involved – his wife became the Alumni President, and together, they became major donors toward building the Alumni Center. However, Fortier said the team in the Alumni Center is not asking people to “give, give, give.”

Fortier added, “Our name is on the wall as major donors, but even that isn’t selfless. We get so much out of our involvement here, great friendships, honing skills that are important in our lives.”

Over the years, some of Fortier’s work has included volunteering, serving as a parent advocate in the University System of New Hampshire, fighting for increased funding, working in government relations, seeing through partnerships all around the Monadnock Region, southeastern Vermont and parts of Massachusetts and bringing the college out to the larger Keene community and vice versa.

Fortier will only be serving as Interim Director of Alumni Relations until another candidate is found, but that does not mean he won’t stop volunteering.

“I’ll continue to be helping out a lot in the Alumni Center because that is what I’ve done for 32 years now,” Fortier said.

Seniors may have spotted Fortier and his Alumni Relations team at the Commencement Fair that took place on March 28 and 29 in the Barnes & Nobles Bookstore.

The team’s role was to simply obtain seniors’ contact information for after graduation and put it in a separate database. This allows seniors to get updates on alumni events and events pertaining to their major or co-curriculars they were involved with on campus once they graduate.

“I think the engagement of younger alums will continue to be strong, you do not have to be 35 and say, ‘Okay I’ve gotten my family started, I got a successful career, now I can give back.’ You don’t have to give back yet, just come back and have fun for a while,” Fortier said.

Fortier said there are a lot of opportunities for alums of all ages to come together and share their common experience at KSC both here on campus and all around the country.

KSC senior and psychology major Jenna Barton was another member of the Alumni Relations team who could be found greeting students as they walked in to get their caps, gowns and hoods.

She oversees funding for the class gift, which this year will be donations toward areas on campus that positively impacted members of the class. Barton is also the manager of the Alumni Center’s Phonathon.

She oversees a staff of about 13 students who raise money for various funds on campus, including Keene State College’s Fund, which goes to all areas on campus.

Barton said she plans on giving back to KSC in various ways once she graduates, whether it’s with her time volunteering or donating.

“I think it’s important to give back because Keene State, I know, personally has offered me so much, whether it’s academic opportunities, scholarship opportunities, job oppor-

Correction Incorrect information: “Governor Lynch swears in new Chief Justice” published April 12, 2018. The article published in the World News section on page B5 had a headline that read “Governor Lynch Swears in new Chief Justice”. To clarify, Governor Sununu swore in the chief justice. John Lynch has not been governor since 2013. During his term, he did nominate Rover J. Lynn, now Chief Justice, to the state Supreme Court. Chief Justice Lynn was, however, sworn in by Governor Chris Sununu.

STUDENT ASSEMBLY SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN

executive editor Student Assembly was called to order at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17.

There were no new requests from student organizations. During the assembly, it was announced that Student Government has been nominated for 2018 non-academic achievement awards.

An announcement was made regarding an email sent out to organization presidents and treasures. It said budget allocations are being pushed back to be released on April 23 and the due date for appeal submissions will go into the fall of next semester.

Other announcements included upcoming events such as Green Up Keene and Walk a Mile, taking place this Saturday, and the Carnival scheduled for April 26 going from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m..

Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

JESSICA RICARD

tunities, involvement opportunities, so I want to be able to give back in any way I can,” Barton said. Barton has been a scholarship recipient for the past two years.

She said she knows it has greatly impacted her ability to study at KSC. Barton said she hopes students will walk away from KSC feeling really good about the school and wanting to support the future endeavors on campus.

KSC senior and communication major Liana D’Attilio works alongside Barton as a phonathon caller in the Alumni Center.

D’Attilio said she plans on giving back to the college after she graduates because of all that she has taken away.

“Keene State has presented me an abundance of opportunities, whether that be job opportunities [or] with my academics, so I just feel like it’s only right to give back to the community, or give back to the college, rather, just because they’ve supported me so much through just about everything,” D’Attilio said.

D’Attilio will be living in the Keene area next year and said she would be willing to help out in any way she can.

“If opportunities are presented to have alumni reach out and help or volunteer, I’m definitely open to the idea,” she said.

D’Attilio said not to forget the relationships you’ve made when you leave KSC. “Keep relations,” D’Attilio said.

“Alumni relations are so important.”

Seniors who are interested in donating toward the Class of 2018 Gift can visit https://www.givecampus.com/schools/KeeneStateCollege/ class-of-2018-senior-gift-fund Grace Pecci can be contacted at gpecci@kscequinox.com

GERALD ALFIERI / EQUINOX STAFF

COLLEGE SENATE

News editor The Keene State College Senate approved a new Master’s of Arts program in History and Archives, as well as solidified language for a new college-wide learning outcome on sustainability at their meeting this past Wednesday in the Mountain View Room of the L.P. Young Student Center.

While the language regarding the newest sixth college-wide learning outcome of sustainability has been in talks much of this year, co-chairs of the committee Jo Beth Mullens and Cary Gaunt released the finalized language. It reads, “Keene State College students will explore their place in interconnected natural and human systems; evaluate the personal, social, and environmental impacts of their choices; and apply their knowledge and skills for building a just, resilient, and thriving world.”

The language was unanimously approved by the College Senate.

Gaunt said adding sustainability to KSC’s list of college-wide learning outcomes is necessary for the college to achieve gold status from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). Gaunt said the goal is to reach gold status by 2020.

Additionally, during the Senate Executive Committee report, senators shared a change to come with the implementation of the twoschool system next year. Departments in the

School of Arts, Education and Culture were given the option to opt out of requiring their students to take a modern language. Should any of the departments express interest in requiring their students to take a modern language, individuals in the given department will need to go through a curriculum process. As of now, only two departments opted out of requiring their students take one: holocaust & genocide studies and history.

In terms of KSC’s Yellow Ribbon School status, Provost William Seigh said the college is moving forward with the initiative in effort to make the college more veteran-friendly. Seigh said student-veterans granted a leave of absence would receive a 100 percent refund of their tuition for that semester, and then later be able to re-enroll if they chose to. The Senate unanimously approved the motion. For more information on KSC becoming a Yellow Ribbon School, see The Equinox’s article, “KSC to become a Yellow Ribbon School.”

The senators also discussed a change to the late add/drop registration fee policy. Senators said the $10 add fee doesn’t produce much revenue and provides little incentive for students to add courses. Last year, about 330 students paid a late registration fee, and taking a more positive approach to the issue would save time in different offices and allow for more positive student-staff interactions. The topic was discussed, but not yet voted upon.

Moving onto the Academic Policy Committee report, Senator Gregory Knouff said the group discussed the course withdrawal policy.

Previously, a student couldn’t withdraw (W) from a course after the 11th week of the semester without being given a letter grade. However, the motion at the April 2018 Senate meeting proposed a W be allowed to be given to those students with extenuating circumstances after the 11th week under discretion of the professor and the dean of students. The motion was unanimously approved.

The Academic Standards Committee unanimously voted to approve the Admissions Standards for the Master’s of Arts in History and Archives.

The Curriculum Committee unanimously voted to approve the Master’s of Arts in History and Archives and the History Graduate Certificate program.

After Massachusetts’ Mount Ida College announced Friday, April 6, it would be closing its doors, KSC Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell shared that KSC is now offering immediate review and decision on admittance for those students. Treadwell addressed the Senate and said on Saturday, April 14, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, students could participate in the review and decision.

College Senate will meet for the last time this semester on Wednesday, April 25, in the Mountain View Room of the L.P. Young Student Center.

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

LIMITED LEGISLATION: STAFF COLUMN

FALLING TREE

Trump on thin ice

Cont. from A1

here and tell us everything is dead before we can do anything.

We’ve got to get confirmation from them that there’s no power here.” Phillips added, “As far as getting power back on, I don’t see that happening today. Their list was pretty long before this even happened.”

Some residents at 85 Winchester Street heard the tree fall and initially thought it was an earthquake or a bomb. Others in the same house said they thought a large amount of snow had fallen off their roof.

Campus Safety Officer Michael Gomez said, “The Math and Writing Centers, 83 [Winchester Street] and 85 [Winchester Street] are without power right now.”

An email was sent out by KSC Residential Director Megan Cooley stating that residents of 83 and 85 Winchester Street should not enter their homes until further notice “…per request of the Keene Fire Department.” The email also stated that residents will be contacted when the power is back on and they may safely return.

TAYLOR BEAVEN

Equinox Staff

SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Campus update: All departments to remain, new deans to be hired JESSICA RICARD

nEwS Editor As springtime approaches, Keene State College is making changes and updates to its internal work. In a Campus Update email sent out by KSC Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell on April 2, she stated all college departments will remain intact and the hiring process for two interim deans for the new schools is set to begin before the end of the school year.

Treadwell provided updates on campus realignment work and the transition to the two-school model — the school of Arts, Education and Culture and the School of Sciences, Sustainability and Health — which will be established prior to the fall of 2018.

One of the major points of the message stated that all current academic departments will remain intact and the current academic chair structure will be preserved.

In a sea of many unknowns, department chairs and other college employees expressed concerns as to what would happen to their department during the move to the two-school model. Some were worried their department would get clumped in with another, and others worried their department would disappear altogether.

In an interview with Treadwell, she said getting rid of a department entirely wouldn’t benefit the college. “To simply close a program would leave students adrift. We’d have to try to think of teachout, it makes everyone feel a terrible turbulence. I’d much rather say, let’s keep all the departments right now. Let’s look at the ones that aren’t thriving and find if there are ways to do those programs differently.”

Modern languages, for example, doesn’t carry a lot of majors, but considering KSC is a liberal arts school, Treadwell said it’s a necessary department.

Professor of Modern Languages and Cultures Dr. Tom Durnford said he considers KSC a “multi-purpose” institution, and any definition of a liberal arts institution includes language and culture. “When it comes right down to it, I believe our administrations, although we’ve had some rocky times, are intellectually honest and have to look at what we offer,” he said. “There are never going to be as many language majors as there are communication or occupational safety and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Low-enrolled programs provide seats for courses within the Integrative Studies Program (ISP) and aren’t a major cost burden for the college, Treadwell said, and cutting programs is not the place to save

money. “I wanted us to have time. Keep the disciplines we have, keep the majors that we have and then look at majors that need more investment, look at majors that are really under-enrolled, and then how do we think of the future of those academic programs holding our mission as a liberal arts institution?”

Rather than just shutting programs down, she said now is the time to discover why certain programs aren’t thriving and brainstorm new ways to communicate and deliver them. She also suggested creating new opportunities for students, such as collaborating with Plymouth State University or Granite State College.

However, in the midst of changes at KSC, Durnford said he does worry, if he chooses to retire within the next year, whether KSC will hire someone to take his place.

With a transition to a two-school model comes a transition of leadership. Treadwell said she’ll be putting out a call for nominations and/or applications for the dean position of both schools, one being a 1-year and the other being a 2-year appointment. She’s anticipating the hiring process to be finalized by the middle of May. As far as the current deans go, if they choose not to apply or are not selected for the position, they will go back to being a department faculty member. “I’m hoping it

will be low turbulence, and the chairs [in each school] will have very strong voice in who gets selected,” Treadwell said.

While KSC is behind in where it should be when it comes to the incoming class’ enrollment, Treadwell said the current admitted student population is strong.

Next year’s first-year class is projected to be at 935, but in order to get there, she said KSC must yield 23 percent of all admitted students. Without a lot of margin, KSC could be in trouble if we don’t yield that number, but she said the number is “totally achievable” regardless.

The reason KSC may be behind this year could be due to a delay in marketing, but Treadwell said we’re currently ahead in our marketing for next year.

Additionally, she said KSC is expanding the Honors Program because it’s already been filled.

“We’ve gotten beyond the budget piece, so what’s next for Keene State?” Treadwell said. “We’re ahead now for next year, and we’re not going to have a year like ’18 again,” she said.

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

Commencement speaker announced Accrediting nursing JESSICA RICARD

board visits KSC

nEwS Editor Nora Guthrie, daughter of American folk singer and songwriter Woody Guthrie, who’s most well-known for singing “This Land is Your Land,” will be gracing Keene State College’s Fiske Quad for the 2018 Commencement Ceremony as this year’s speaker. President of Woody Guthrie Publications, Nora is known for preserving the legacy of her father and offering interpretations of his work to the public. She founded his personal and professional collections to make them available to the public for the first time. Perhaps she’s most well-known for curating the first major Woody Guthrie exhibit, “This Land Is Your Land: The Life and Legacy of Woody Guthrie” while working with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. She also marked Woody’s 100th birthday with conferences, exhibits and different outreach programs about him. Additionally, Nora’s daughter, Anna, is a KSC graduate from the class of 2000.

Thanks to Nora’s ongoing commitment to preserving both her father’s life and that of American culture and music, she will be presented with the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the 2018 commencement ceremony.

JESSICA RICARD

nEwS Editor

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY REBECCA DIXON

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

PHOTO TAKEN BY TINA TSCHIRCH

The Keene State College Nursing Program is back in action. From April 11 to 13, three members from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) visited KSC, along with two members from the New Hampshire Board of Nursing (NHBON).

Upon their arrival, KSC Director of Nursing Dr. Patricia Shinn said they prepared a resource room for all five visitors, equipped with information from the comprehensive self-study the nursing faculty wrote up in preparation for the CCNE’s visit. The self-study describes work done over the course of the year regarding the program itself and how KSC students are meeting the learning outcomes.

Throughout the week, CCNE and NHBON members met with Interim President Dr. Melinda Treadwell, Provost William Seigh and and Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies Dr. Karrie Kalich. They also met with nursing faculty members and the junior and senior class’ nursing students.

In addition, they observed students at two local clinical sites: the Brattleboro Retreat and Cheshire Medical Center. Although Shinn said she won’t know whether KSC has achieved 10-year accreditation until October, she said the board members “sung our praises” and reported that everything looks “good.” Additionally, all 17 seniors in the program passed the ATI Comprehensive Predictor Exam on their first try, signifying their preparation for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Shinn also said the Nursing Program has added one full-time medical surgical faculty member to start in the fall and hopes to hire another faculty in a different specialty.

Jessica Ricard can be contacted at jricard@kscequinox.com

Things have really been heating up with President Donald Trump this past week. He threatened Russia via Twitter, his Attorney Michael Cohen’s house was raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and his puppet Paul Ryan announced his retirement.

The recent events only strengthen the idea that the Cold War is still very much alive, our president is probably on pretty thin ice – or at least his administration is, and Trump is still a child at heart.

On April 11, the United States Commander in Chief tweeted: “Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and ‘smart!’ You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!”

His tweet is in response to Russia’s announcement that they will shoot down any missiles fired at Syria, an expectation that is well-founded after another chemical attack in the war-torn country. Trump’s tweet is getting a lot of backlash for a few reasons.

The first being that, well, he announced a missile strike on Twitter. That in itself is enough to understand the criticism. Secondly, the backlash is coming from tweeting contradictions in two of his Tweets from August 2013, when he criticized Barack Obama for broadcasting the U.S. intent of striking Syria and the possibility of Obama attacking Syria without Congressional approval.

Lastly, it’s difficult for people to decide whether or not to take him seriously. Donald Trump is known for a lot of things, but honesty isn’t one of them.

On top of this, Trump’s tweet actually carries a little weight to it solely because of the word in quotations: “smart.”

By stating that the missiles will be “nice and new and ‘smart’” is a subtle way of saying that we have far better technology than Russia believes, so much so that they wouldn’t be able to shoot it down, which is something Russia announced a few months ago they could do with ease.

It’s also important to note that a few weeks ago, the U.S. Air Force general stated that the United States had no way of stopping a HyperSonic Ballistic Missile, something both Russia and China are expected to be far ahead of the U.S. in, in terms of development.

So Trump’s tweet, while childish and hypocritical, carries more information than one might assume at first glance.

In other news involving the U.S. president, his attorney’s house was raided by the FBI. Reports said the FBI raided Michael Cohen’s house in search of information on things like the Stormy Daniels $130,000 payment, the tape of Trump and Billy Bush, where they talked about grabbing women, and other documents possibly related to the Russia voting fraud investigation.

This is a huge scenario because you have to take into account a few facts. If the FBI raided Cohen’s house, that means they believed there was a possibility of him fleeing.

The FBI had to get a warrant from a judge to raid the house of an attorney – something that rarely happens to begin with – and that attorney happens to be the attorney to the U.S. president.

It’d make someone willingly ignorant to ignore the possibility that Trump has far more connections to illegal activity than originally thought.

A few days later, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan announced he will not be seeking reelection, meaning the seat is open, and the Republican party is in big trouble.

Trump no longer has someone to do his bidding in the House of Representatives, and with the November MidTerms coming up fast, there is a solid chance the Democrats will take control of Congress.

Ryan’s retirement is very unorthodox and, on top of that, shows a break in his party. With all of this going on, it’s no surprise that many people are expecting an impeachment process within the next year or so.

There is only so much Donald Trump can do to deflect questions, claim ignorance and push blame. The more lies you tell, the harder they are to keep track of, and the Republican party that barely supported him in the first place is going to have to fall back and regroup, leaving their “fearless leader” to fend for himself.

Taylor Beaven can be contacted at tbeaven@kscequinox.com

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OPINIONS

Opinions / A4 Thursday, April 19 2018

EDITORIAL

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Alumni come back to serve With commencement just a few short weeks away, soon-to-be Keene State College graduates are preparing for their next step.

For some, this next step is figuring out how to give back to KSC. When seniors picked up their caps, gowns and hoods at the Commencement Fair on March 28 and 29, they were introduced to the idea of the senior class gift.

This year, money donated to the class gift is not going to a new bench or tree on campus.

Instead, students can choose a particular area of campus that made an impact on their experience to receive their money.

Every student will encounter different paths during their time at KSC. By offering future alumni a choice about where they would like to see their money go, hopefully, more students will consider donating to the college.

As a KSC student, it is important for you to give back to an institution which has given you so much.

Whether you attended KSC for all four years of your college education or transferred in at a later date, your time spent in Keene has shaped the person you are today.

Graduates should think of giving back to the college as a way of repaying KSC for all it has done for them.

Donating should not feel forced, rather, it should feel like a give and take situation.

KSC gives students dozens of opportunities and new experiences to help them forge ahead on their post-graduation endeavors.

By giving back to KSC, students are thanking the college for all it has given them during their time at the institution.

Giving back to the college does not mean that students are expected to give money right away.

Grace Pecci, Copy Editor for The Equinox, wrote an article about the importance of donating back to the college after graduation.

‘Giving back to your alma mater’ can be found on page A2 in the News section of this week’s paper.

In this article, Pecci touches upon the point of giving back to the school in any way that you can, even if it does not involve giving money to the school.

Alumni can give back to KSC by attending events and volunteering.

It is a lot for some students to give money out of their own pockets right away, especially if they are graduating with student loans or debt to pay off.

But there is more these graduates can give to the school than their money.

For example, when KSC attends various college fairs, alumni can table at these events and try to recruit future Owls.

This is just one way to show KSC pride after you walk across the Commencement stage.

By giving back to KSC after graduating, you are also influencing the lives of future graduates.

Your donation, whether it be of your time or money, will impact the experiences of the faculty and students for years to come.

Giving back to the school is a way to say thank you for all the opportunities you had because of the time you spent at KSC. Now that graduating seniors have the option to choose an area of campus to assist, they can be sure that their money is going to a section of the campus that impacted them the most.

Whether you choose to give back to a specific department or organization through a donation or to volunteer their time and services at an event, it is important to give back to a place that has provided you with so much.

RO M A N L AU R A

THE EQUINOX

To contact The Equinox, email smehegan@kscequinox.com

Sebastien Mehegan Executive Editor News Editor

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

STAFF COMMENTARY

STAFF COMMENTARY

Springing into a new season

Attending on-campus events IZZY MANZO

Equinox Staff

JOEY SULLIVAN / EQUINOX STAFF

What spring has to offer compared to other seasons KIANA WRIGHT

Equinox Staff Life is full of beautiful colors, and you can thank spring for that. Without April’s showers, life would be like a black and white movie. Flowers are just a tiny but wonderful part of the transition from winter to spring.

Moving on from winter makes spring seem like a warm hug, which makes you start to think in a more positive light. The temperature isn’t too cool and it’s not melting your makeup off yet either. Walking out onto your front porch to see blossomed trees swaying in the pleasant wind that doesn’t burn your face or give you frostbite like it did in the previous months is definitely a plus. It’s nice to be able to take a run, hike, car ride or walk without being scared of slipping on black ice. And waking up to the birds chirping outside your window when the sun just starts to come up is the only alarm clock you need. In winter, I

wake up later because the sun is still down, and when I do get up, I feel like I have four hours to do something before it is dark out again. Spring stretches those days out and there is so much more to do than watch TV. I mean, what else can you do when you are snowed in five feet?

The days in spring seem so much longer, with so many more activities to do. Outdoor sports are starting to play again. You can go watch baseball, lacrosse, softball, volleyball games, tennis matches and track and field meets. Even if you are not into sports, spring draws people outside. The weather is perfect.

Why don’t we eat outside? Maybe go garden outside? How about have a cookout? The younger children are already outside making a mess.

During winter, everything outside is “dead” or hibernating, but spring is when you start to see those little green stems pop up.

The trees begin to become full again, which

makes the air smell so much more fresh. The air itself is so much better because there is more moisture, which means no more bloody noses. Finally once the snow melts you’re like, “Oh my god there is grass in New Hampshire!”

So, finally you can roll down those steep hills, set up a picnic and stay up late outside by the fire. Also, the community becomes more diverse. The little bunnies, squirrels, birds, butterflies and bees all start running around.

College students are more excited for the nicer weather and snow-cleared backyards for other reasons as well. The outdoors is so much more inviting in the spring, to say the least, because we all know when summer comes, we aren’t going outside unless getting a sunburn is on the day’s schedule.

Some fruits are coming into season as well to make your day a little bit sweeter and give you that extra energy you need. Speaking of energy, the sun might be a little shy in April, but shortly after, the sun is here to stay, so

soak up that vitamin D before the summer comes, when the sun might be a little too much at times.

We all know Easter is important both spiritually and festively. Spring is home to Easter, which brings people together to celebrate religiously while eating those creme-filled Cadbury Eggs. Also, April Fools, which fell on Easter this year, is always a fun way to start off a season—as long as the joke is not too harsh.

Spring overall is such a peaceful season; everything is just right. We need the transition from winter into summer, and it is a good thing we have it. If all the seasons were made into pictures, spring would be the most vibrant and revitalizing.

Kiana Wright can be contacted at kwright@kscequinox

STAFF COMMENTARY

Responsibilities with relationships

How hookup culture is affecting the way people behave while dating CHLOE GIARRAPUTO

opinionS Editor People seem to think that a society so heavily reliant on technology and social media cannot have “normal” relationships. Today, the dating scene is often referred to as a “hookup culture” because no one seems to stay in meaningful relationships for very long.

However, it is still very much possible to have a healthy relationship with others, and yourself, despite all the negativity.

With online dating resources accessible on our phones, it is easier now more than ever to meet new people.

These apps can lead to a real relationship, but are often viewed as hookup apps. One of these apps is Tinder.

According to an article on psychologytoday.com, a study showed that out of 395 young adults who use Tinder, only 8.9 percent of them had a “desire for relationships.” While a majority of the people on apps such as Tinder might not be looking for a meaningful, longterm relationship, that does not mean they won’t find one.

There have been success stories of couples who have met on this “hookup” dating app. According to a New York Times article titled, “First Comes

Tinder. Then Comes Marriage?”, it stated, “...a 2012 report on a study by the sociologists Michael Rosenfeld and Reuben J. Thomas published in the American Sociological Review, the researchers found that couples who meet online are no more likely to break up than couples who meet offline.”

Couples who meet online are really not different than couples who met in person. No matter where couples meet, the motives are typically the same.

They are searching for a partner to connect and share their life with.

The process of defining the relationship when it comes to someone you met online can be tricky. This is where the term “ghosting” comes into play. Ghosting, according to dictionary.com, is “the practice of suddenly ending all contact with a person without explanation, especially in a romantic relationship.” When you are talking to someone online, it is extremely easy to “ghost” them and not return contact.

This essentially leaves the person who was left without an explanation hurt and confused about what might have gone wrong.

When it comes to college students, it is fairly common to hear this term come up in conversation. Being on either end of this scenario is not fun,

but learning from this experience can be important. If you are the one leaving someone with no explanation, take some time to evaluate what you are really looking for in a partner. If you are the one being ignored, take some time to really think about who you want to be with and do not waste your time chasing someone who doesn’t acknowledge your existence.

Dating is all about respect, which needs to come from both ends. If you do not respect the person you are with, you shouldn’t be with them. If you do not respect yourself, you might end up getting hurt because you don’t realize the level of admiration you deserve from a relationship.

While it is important to be careful who you open up to in this “hookup culture” world, it is more important to respect yourself and realize that you deserve to have a healthy, happy relationship.

Even though I’m probably the last person to realize it, Keene State College always has new events happening that people can attend.

Every week, the Office of Multicultural Student Support sends out an email about events happening on campus, and while it’s easy to ignore, there’s always something interesting that could be worth attending.

Everyone’s probably had a professor who made attending a lecture or event relevant to their class mandatory, but it’s equally as important to broaden your interests and go to something, not because you have to, but because you genuinely want to learn and are excited to take the opportunities that college is giving you.

I’ve found there are plenty of events held that I’m not required to go to for class or extra credit, but are still relevant to my majors and interest me, so I go anyway.

I’ve attended more guest lectures than I ever thought I would, and they exceeded my expectations because they presented topics I’m interested in.

This semester, I’ve become much more aware of what’s happening on campus, and the Office of Multicultural Student Support’s emails are a huge help.

Attending events because you want to makes you more willing to enjoy them and what they have to offer; you made the decision to be there instead of being forced to go, so you have a greater sense of appreciation.

There’s so much happening in the KSC community that it’s not hard to find something that interests you.

A lot of events are also sponsored by clubs such as the Feminist Collective or the Holocaust and Genocide Awareness Club, meaning there’s student involvement that goes into having guest speakers and events on campus.

People aren’t just randomly picked to come and speak. Instead, they’re asked by students to talk about relevant and interesting topics that they know people will enjoy.

You never know how much you could enjoy something until you get into it.

With everything happening on campus, there will obviously be some things that you won’t enjoy, but you never know until you try.

Going to an event could make you realize that you’re interested in something that you never thought about before.

At the very least, you don’t lose anything if you go to an event and end up not liking it.

I feel like if you walk into an event thinking that you’ll hate it, you’ll convince yourself that it’s bad.

Your mood defines how it’ll go.

There’s such a variety of things happening every week; events range from being educational to celebrating other cultures to making crafts.

As long as you keep an open mind, there’s something positive to take away from each and every one of these events.

Izzy Manzo can be contacted at imanzo@kscequinox.com

“

There’s so much happening in the KSC community that it’s not hard to find something that interests you.

Izzy Manzo Equinox Staff

Chloe Giarraputo can be contacted at cgiarraputo@kscequinox.com

GERALD ALFIERI / EQUINOX STAFF

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Slam poet performs in the NOC ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA

Photo Editor Two-time Women of the World Poetry Slam Finalist Ashlee Haze came to Keene State College on Saturday, April 14.

KSC Coordinator of Student Activities and Organizations Britany Gallagher manages the college’s Late Night After Hours series.

Gallagher said After Hours used to bring in comedians every second Saturday before this year, when she decided to “change it up and alternate between comics and slam poets.”

Gallagher said that After Hours has been able to show the campus a more multicultural perspective. “In September, we had Carlos Andrés Gómez [who is Latino] come and Ashlee [Haze] who is black,” Gallagher said.

She added, “I feel like, as an institution, we don’t do that much stuff enough… sharing people’s personal experiences – that’s what it’s all about.”

Haze said, “I write a lot about my life and my experiences. Pretty much everything [the students] heard was like a real life story, or it’s inspired by pop culture in some way.”

Haze said most of her work is about her life as a “woman of color in a plus-sized body” and her views on the world through her experiences, including some “comedic poetry” about “crazy ex-boyfriends.”

Gallagher, a fan of poetry, said she first saw Haze at the Social Activities Council’s National Association for Campus Activities conference (NACA), “Ashlee was one of the artists [I] got to see at NACA… We tend to work with the same agencies over and over again, and

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Slam poet Ashlee Haze performed in the Night Owl Cafe as part of KSC’s late night After Hours series on Saturday, April 14.

Ashlee is coming from [the College Agency which] we work with a lot. ” Haze said she began working with the agency about 18 months ago, which is when she quit her job to become a full-time poet. “It was crazy,” she said. “...I let my [Missy Elliot] video go around and I was just like, ‘Let me just see if anyone would want to represent me,’ and I applied and they were like, ‘Yeah,

let’s do it.’”

Haze said her current manager called her while she was at work and asked her to join the agency.

While on tour, Haze has visited dozens of colleges across the nation. This was her first time in New Hampshire and her last set of the season.

Gallagher said she has always received good feedback from stu-

dents about poets brought onto campus.

KSC senior and English and secondary education dual major Talia Follansbee said she has seen Haze perform online before and recognized her name immediately.

She said, “I’d describe tonight’s performance as honest and intimate.

I think sometimes it can be a bit better for poetry shows to have that

smaller audience to get that connection… You can be more honest and open.”

“There is [a negative] stereotype in our culture [about poetry], but I think what’s so cool is, with slam poetry in particular, it’s so raw and emotional and everybody has those experiences,” Gallagher said, “We all have those experiences, so I think it’s nice to have that and kind

of engage with students and show that raw, emotional side… It’s not necessarily all negative and it’s not all necessarily bad and it might help you process something you might be going through.”

Haze said poetry has always come easily to her. She added that poetry is a good way of getting her thoughts out on paper, and while she wishes she could sing or perform in other styles, poetry “works” for her.

Follansbee said Haze’s bravery in performing on stage was inspiring to see. She added, “It’s nice to have that inspiration and energy.”

To aspiring poets, Haze said the best thing people can do is listen to poetry, whether on Button Poetry’s YouTube channel, or by going to national conferences such as College Union Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI). She added that it is important to listen, read and get to know yourself to find your voice.

“I hope people just kind of understand, sometimes we can look at things through different lenses,” Haze said. “Sometimes we have shared experiences but your background might affect how you look at it. So hopefully people are just open to different ways of viewing things.”

Follansbee said she was able to see from other perspectives and hopes others can too. She said she bought Haze’s book because she wants to share the poems with her students to expose them to other perspectives and break stereotypes.

Gallagher said, “The only way you can understand someone else’s life and what they’ve gone through is to hear it from them first-hand.”

Angelique Inchierca can be contacted at ainchierca@kscequinox.com

THORNE Cont. From A8

I think a lot about how media influences us, and I chose to remake the dress and modernize it using advertisements made for female viewers.”

She added, “I think a lot about the male gaze while doing this.”

The other complimentary exhibition was selected from the Thorne-Sagendorph permanent art collection on famous American pop artist Andy Warhol and his photographs.

Wallace said, “We, among other works, have 150 photographs taken

by Andy Warhol. When Andy Warhol died unexpectedly back in 1987, he left behind 18,000 or 20,000 photographs. He was an incredible collector of all sorts of things, including his own photographs. The foundation that was set up after he died took about 15 years to develop a plan. And when they executed the plan five years ago now, they donated about 150 photographs each to about 200 museums and galleries,

one of them being the Thorne.”

Wallace said students helped to set up and display the Warhol photographs with their own ideas and decisions.

The exhibition was a double whammy for the students as they got to expose their artworks to the audiences, as well as learn the insights about the professional museum setting.

Wallace said, “We think that giving the students the opportunity to, or the challenge of, working in a professional setting like this will help them turn their creativity into more like the marketable skill set.”

Wallace encourages students to participate and visit the senior exhibition show.

The exhibition will last from Friday, April 14, until the day of graduation on May 5.

2018 KEENE STATE COLLEGE

STUDENT FILM

FESTIVAL & CRITICAL STUDIES CONFERENCE

Benajil Rai can be contacted at brai@kscequinox.com

Poems by Isabel wednesday night I found myself looking for you old pictures of the mountains and in crowds of people eyes gazing only for you; your bare soul and your bare feet- your way of maybe feeling some connection to what surrounded you, because you sure as hell couldn’t feel anything else. i look for you in everything, my morning coffee and my nighttime whiskey. baby this isn’t the first time i’ve been craving you, craving you like wind on my face and sand in my toes bodies on bodies and strangers in passing. i look for you in dark places hidden places our places, succumbing to your bare eyes bare soul bare feet lustrous moments of longing for you, a fool for your love.

Isabel Tisdale is a sociology major who found her love of writing after a fourth grade poetry project. Since then, she spends her time writing poems and creative non-fiction as a way of self-expression.

Free and open to the public Sunday, April 22 11am and 2pm Film Festival, Part 1 Colonial Theater 95 Main St, Keene Friday, April 27 2pm, Critical Studies Conference Mountainview Room, KSC 7pm, Film Festival, Part 2 Putnam Theater, KSC

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

Rachel’s Performers giving back Chamber singers host a benefit concert Reviews BRIEF

ERIN MCNEMAR

artS & EntErtainmEnt Editor On Sunday, April 15, the Keene State College Chamber Singers performed in their spring recital featuring the String Ensemble. The performance was directed by associate professor Sandra Howard and was accompanied by lecturer Tom Martin.

The recital showcased a number of KSC students’ talent in both singing and on instruments.

Featured vocal soloists were seniors Molly McCoy, Rebecca Wilber and Amy Lesieur. The concert also highlighted ensemble players on instruments such as violin, viola, cello, tambourine, piano and vibraphone.

According to the program, “Since 2011, the

KSC Chamber Singers have partnered with one local organization per semester to learn about their missions, promote awareness, provide outreach performances, volunteer, and donate twenty percent of concert proceeds to the partner organization.”

The program listed the past organizations as “Hundred Nights Shelter, Stonewall Farm, Monadnock Conservancy, Phoenix House, Keene Community Kitchen, Monadnock Family Services, Monadnock Humane Society, RISE for baby and family, Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, Keene Family YMCA, Keene-Einbeck Partner City Committee, and the Keene Senior Center.”

Throughout the spring 2018 semester, the KSC Chamber singers have partnered with the

Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities.

Sunday’s recital functioned as a benefit concert for the Cedarcrest Center, and 20 percent of the proceeds went to the organization.

Part of the partnership between the two group included the Chamber Singers participation in volunteer activities at the Cedarcrest Center.

Among these activities, the program said the students “visited the center, participated in an orientation tour, performed choral selections, and provided instrument demonstrations.”

Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcnemar@kscequinox.com

The Lorelei Ensemble

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

‘When We First Met’ RACHEL BLUMBERG

Equinox Staff

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

On Thursday, April 12, the Lorelei Ensemble performed in the Alumni Recital Hall at the Redfern Arts Center. The all-women’s group is based out of Boston, Massachusetts, and the New York Times described the group’s sound as “warm, lithe, and beautifully blended.” The ensemble works with both established and up and coming composers to show the strength of the human voice.

PRIME Cont. From A8

a lot of my other projects that I’ve done,” Winter said.

Winter added that she is looking to do some freelance work in the Keene area next year, but hopes to move out to Colorado.

Like Winter, fellow graphic design presenter Robinson expressed her passion for illustration.

“I have a lot of illustration work. I love illustration, it’s really fun. I have a wide range of different stuff from book covers, to posters, to actual companies that I made up and designed their logos,” Robinson said.

While her love for graphic design lies in illustration, Robinson also showcased her work in computer coding as well as animation. “[Animation is] definitely really fun to learn and I had some great teachers to help with that,” Robinson added.

Robinson said her elephant poaching posters are among her favorites.

The three posters each offered a different perspective on the topic, whether it be pro or antipoaching. “I think they were really fun to do and I could work on my illustration and stuff like that, which was really fun. I think they speak a lot to what their actual image is. You can just look at it and tell what it is,” Robinson said.

After graduating, Robinson said she hopes to go into brand identity and illustrative work. She added, “I’m glad I finally got everything together. It’s fun to actually be doing this… It came up pretty quick, but it’s definitely worth... all that work” Attending the event was first-year Claire Boughton. Boughton came to the exhibit to support the work of one of her friends and expressed her overall thoughts of the graphic design show. “I think the designs are awesome. Definitely better than what I could do,” Boughton said.

As the Media Arts Center continued to fill with people eager to see the creations of the graduating students, attendees were able to enjoy food, refreshments and a cake that had “Prime 2018” written on it.

Erin McNemar can be contacted at emcneamr@kscequinox.com

Lately, when scrolling through Netflix and deciding what to watch next, I have found myself drawn to the films and shows that have “A Netflix Original” written on the poster, and every time, I’ve been happily surprised.

Whether it be the comedy “Love” or the thriller “Altered Carbon,” I know that I can count on the production quality and plot line to be impressive. This week, I decided to give the Netflix original, “When We First Met” a chance.

Starring Pitch Perfect’s Adam Devine and Percy Jackson’s Alexandra Daddario, “When We First Met” is the perfect thing to watch if you’re looking for a modern twist on the light-hearted romantic comedies we know and love. The story follows Noah and opens at a bridal shower, where we find out he’s in love with the bride-to-be, Avery.

The story unfolds to greater depths when he stumbles across a photo booth and decides to sit in it and reminisce about the moments spent with her in it. He then presses the camera button and wishes things were different, and the next morning, he wakes up on the day they first met.

The film has a very “Groundhog Day” vibe, paired with a rom-com twist. The combination of the two is seemingly a good idea, except for the fact that the film lacked enough material and plot to keep the story going.

Although Noah embarks on timelines where he goes from the cool guy to the bad boy, and every other stereotype in between, none of the interactions are that exciting or new. The romantic trajectory of the film is apparent from the beginning, especially with only two female characters in the entire story.

I’ve been excited and pleased with every Netflix original I’ve seen so far, yet this one unfortunately falls short.

“When We First Met” was repetitive and lacked dynamic characters that kept the viewer’s attention, yet had an underlying plot that kept me entertained just enough to not turn it off.

The initial idea and beginning was strong, but paired with the length and stagnant plot line, I would recommend it only as background material when browsing through Netflix and needing something as ambient noise.

Rachel Blumberg can be contacted at rblumberg@kscequinox.com

KSC guitarists stringing along CHRIS LACASSE

Equinox Staff Tunes from Latin America were heard on campus as ‘ Lezcano led his guitar ensemble through Professor Jose recital.

On Wednesday, April 11, the Redfern Arts Center’s Alumni Recital Hall hosted Lezcano and his students for a classical guitar ensemble. The ensemble dove into the Latin American culture and immersed the crowd with the experience of music from all over Latin America.

The night started off with a classical guitar solo of “El Marabino” performed by senior Andrew Brace.

After Brace’s performance, the Keene State College Global Education Andean Ensemble took center stage and provided the audience with two songs that featured drums, guitar, flute and pan flute. During the second song, “Ojos Azules,” guitarist Ester Aranda broke into song and sang to the audience.

The Global Education Ensemble then exited stage and it was Aranda’s turn again to serenade the audience, joined by Lezcano in a duet of “La Jardinera,” a traditional Chilean song arranged by Violeta Parra.

Lezcano then introduced professional singer Roy Caceres to the stage to perform three duets of tangos with Lezcano.

Audience member Emily McIntyre is a student of Lezcano and said after the show, “I still can not get over Caceres and his stage presence. His voice was amazing, but to see how comfortable and how prominent he was on stage was really cool.”

After a brief intermission, Lezcano brought out guitarist Logan Gabriel, who is a former student of Lezcano, to perform two Chilean folk songs as duets. The rendition led to the final act of the evening, the KSC Guitar Orchestra.

The orchestra performed seven songs, ranging from the French Renaissance piece “Tourdion,” to Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag.” Each song had solos by guitarists Brace and KSC senior Jacob Huggins. The performance then came to an end and the audience headed for the exits to visit the performers and Lezcano.

McIntyre said, “This experience of being in Profes-

ALYSSA BOERENKO / EQUINOX STAFF

On Wednesday, April 11, the KSC Guitar Ensemble performed their recital in the Redfern Arts Center.

sor Lezcano’s guitar methods class and performing and same time, there are people that are capable of doing terpracticing with other students has really opened up a rible things. We as a community need to understand difnew culture of music for me.” ferent cultures and come together as a one human race.”

When asked of the importance of introducing new cultures through music, Lezcano said, “In today’s world, Chris Lacasse can be contacted at we need to embrace each other because we learn that clacasse@kscequinox.com people can do amazing and incredible things, but at the

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ENTERTAINMENT

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Senior artists showcased

Graphic designers present the Prime Exhibition ERIN MCNEMAR

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Editor As John F. Kennedy once said, “Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” Over the past four years, 11 graphic design students made the decision to try.

On Friday, April 13, the graduating graphic designers were finally able to show off their achievements in Keene State College’s annual Prime Graphic Design Exhibition. The exhibit showcased the portfolios of the 11 students and what they had created at the college over the course of the last four years.

The students who were honored included Christian Alejandre, Taylor Darcy, Matt deWolf, Lisa Hastings, Gabrielle Holveck, Antonina Robinson, Elizabeth Robinson, Matthew Sanderson, Matthew Sem, Hope Walsh and Keanna Winter.

Each one of the designers brought a different area of expertise to the table. While some expressed their interest in coding, others showed a desire for illustration.

Winter presented her talent in illustration and typography, which she indicated was her field of interest. “A lot of my work is magazine spreads and posters.

I’ve done a lot of packaging and labels and stuff like that, so it’s my main focus,” Winter said.

While she had displayed many of her creations over the years, Winter said her favorite one was through an organization she created herself titled, “Where is the love?” “‘Where is the love?’ I think has been one of my biggest projects that I have done that has had a lot go into it. The organization was created to raise awareness for the LGBTQ+ community around the world. It has a lot that’s gone into it, and it’s a lot more powerful than SEE PRIME, A7

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

On Friday, April 13, senior graphic design students showcased their portfolios in the 2018 Prime Exhibition. The exhibit highlighted their work in graphic design over the last four years.

Art students display their artwork BENAJIL RAI

multimEdiA dirEctor The Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery at Keene State College exhibited its Annual Art Student Thesis Exhibition, along with a complimentary photograph collection by Andy Warhol.

As graduation is around the corner, seniors who will be getting Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees this year showcased their artwork in the ThorneSagendorph Art Gallery on Friday, April 13. The gallery was filled with art, paintings, sculptures, photographs, videos, 3D art and much more. The students each had six pieces of their art in the exhibition.

Director of the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery Brian Wallace said, “This year, we have 16 students showing artworks they have developed over the past years working with the faculties and the staffs here at the Thorne Art Gallery.” Wallace said the students have worked for about two weeks with the Thorne-Sagendorph staff members, learning about the museum setting to set up and display their artwork.

A local band called The Signal Over the Air performed at the reception of the exhibition.

One of the participants, Brooke Carlson, presented portraitures in the exhibition.

Carlson said, “Portraiture has been something that I have loved my whole life. I have been drawing since I can remember. People have been always something I have interest in just because drawing helps me understand things I find… it helps me process the things around me.”

She added, “My professor, Peter, he pushed me to run with portraiture just because it was something that I have always loved doing in classes.”

Another student artist Emily Mathieu, who will be graduating with a BA in Studio Art and double minors in art history and women and gender studies, presented a dress made of magazine cut-outs, four photographs of her in various locations in Keene wearing the dress, photographs of her grandmother and a video in the exhibition.

Mathieu shared a story of how she got her idea for the final art piece. She said, “My piece was inspired by actually my grandmother. I was looking through an old archive of photographs and found a photograph of her in one of those old 1950s house dresses. And I was really drawn to it because of the two big pockets in the side of the dress because women used to wear these dresses when they were cleaning and those big pockets were used for helping them in their house on their daily task of cleaning and working.”

She also brought some perspective that she got from her minor, women and gender studies, while making the dress.

Mathieu said, “Being a women and gender studies minor, SEE THORNE, A6 BENAJIL RAI / MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

On Friday, April 13, graduating seniors pursuing a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts showcased their artwork in the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery where there was also live music in the lobby.

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Student Life / B1 Thursday, April 19, 2018

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Students exhibit at academic conference COLBY DUDAL

Student Life editor On Saturday, April 14, dozens of Keene State College students presented their work to the campus at the 18th annual Academic Excellence Conference.

According to the Academic Excellence Conference website, the event is a “celebration of academic research and other forms of scholarship.”

KSC junior Hannah Melanson, who presented a PowerPoint about the “Repeating

Integer Paradox.”

Melanson, a mathematics major, said she spoke at the conference because she is a member of the Math Honor Society, and, in order to remain in the honor society, students need to gain a certain amount of points by speaking at events and conferences throughout the year. Melanson said her advisor gave her five topics that she could choose between to speak on at the conference. She said she chose to talk about repeating integers because it is a common thing everyone knows, even if you aren’t a

math major.

Melanson said there is a lot of importance in KSC students sharing what they do in their classes to the rest of the KSC community. “I feel like it’s important for other people to learn about different things and just appreciate how much work other people put into their projects or presentations,” Melanson said.

The conference included not only presentations, but also panels that allowed people to ask questions of students who have vast knowledge on a subject. For example, junior

Evan Carpenter said he spoke about his experiences in both Uganda and Rwanda.

Carpenter said he traveled with a group of students and faculty members as part of the Honors Program Global Engagement course.

Carpenter said every year, the Honors Program sends a group of students on a trip to a different country.

Most of Carpenter’s presentation was about the preparation for the trips. “We wrote up a field guide about aspects of the country… we wrote a lot about the culture, ecology and basically most aspects of life

over there,” Carpenter said. One of the big events on the trip, according to Carpenter, was teaching a group of students in a Ugandan village and participating in activities at the school. Carpenter said the most surprising part of his trip was how far the country of Uganda has come throughout the years because a lot of the time in school, when talking about Uganda, the main focus is on the genocide in the country.

Carpenter said the trip included everything from wildlife tours to visiting indigenous villages to learning more about the

CONT. B2

KSC fires up the night

Community speaks out regarding depression SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

On Wednesday, April 11, Keene State College students and faculty gathered on the student center lawn for Fire Up the Night to light candles and speak out in solidarity to symbolize the importance of being a light through the darkness that is depression.

KSC Counselor Brenda McEachern said, “If we were to turn all of these lights off, inside the building and outside, the outside – this darkness – would be representative of depression and suicide… this is really important to be talking about and that’s why we are here. Because we really want to encourage open dialogue for people to talk about depression and suicide.”

Interim President of KSC Dr. Melinda Treadwell stood and spoke on the topic as well. During her speech, she asked that the attendants share a moment of silence for those students who were lost to suicide this past year.

“This has been probably the most difficult part of this year for me,” Treadwell said.

Her message touched on the importance of liberal arts in that it makes one a better person. She said how difficult it was to call the parent of a deceased student, and how important it is for everyone to care for one another. “I stand before you tonight to implore all of us to care more about one another and, every day, when we are on campus, to reach out to the other people that we encounter – that we touch – and make sure people are ok.”

Treadwell said.

Fire up the Night had many

attractions, including food, candle lighting, fire dancing and a time allotted to facilitate open dialogue where students could come up to the stage voluntarily to speak about their past experiences with depression.

KSC first-year Erin Scussell was one of those students who stood and spoke.

She said during an interview with The Equinox she attended the event because she has dealt with mental health issues, to support her friends and because of the importance of remembering those who have been lost to suicide. “I think those should not go unknown or swept under the rug,” Scussell said.

Scussell said at her high school, there was a stigma surrounding the topic of suicide, which led to silence.

“There was a lot of issues [with] suicide and everyone was afraid to talk about it.” Scussell said, “I’m excited about events like this [that] shed light on everything that’s happened and what we can do better and be supportive of people who’ve lost their lives.”

During her speech, McEachern said there are many, even at KSC, who suffer in silence. “What we are going to be asking you to do is to bring hope to people around you.”

McEachern said. “There is nothing shameful about depression.”

In an interview with The Equinox, Treadwell said, “…we need to be able to be honest and confront depression, confront sadness, confront stress and actually do so from a place of the heart and a compassionate community…”

Treadwell said her hope for events like this is to make KSC known as a community that cares and a community that recognizes every life as important.

Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

On April 11, members of the Keene State College community came together for ‘Fire Up the Night.’ The event took place on the L.P. Young Student Center lawn and welcomed anyone to watch the evening event.

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Student interns share work IZZY MANZO

Equinox Staff On April 11, English and communication majors at Keene State College held presentations on various internships they have had this year, giving seniors the opportunity to showcase the companies they have been working with.

Senior William Sheerin is an intern for Bauhan Publishing in Peterborough, New Hampshire, which publishes regional books on history, art, nature studies and poetry.

“The way that these authors write these essays – they’re fun,” Sheerin said, “The way they write is so rich.”

Sheerin said he specifically edits manuscripts and works with the graphic designers, but his biggest project is transcribing letters written between a man named Sydney Williams, his wife and his father during World War II. Sheerin described having access to the letters as surreal and shocking.

“I’ve never held primary documents like this in my hands,” he said.

In October, senior Sam Whitaker started his internship at InDepthNH, a small online news outlet.

He took over a column called “Gay Agenda” and writes about opinions and personal issues.

“There are no strict rules, so creativity is so important

although it was different than what she expected, it was still something of interest to her.

“While it’s not heavy on writing, I find myself using my analytical and communication skills I’ve learned,” she said.

Birchmore said it involved a lot of politics and activism, and she’s in charge of safeguarding women’s health on a local, state and federal level.

She said one of the biggest moments during her internship was the passing of New Hampshire Senate Bill 421, which allows women to get one year of birth control in one visit with no copay.

She said while there were some Republicans who worried that SB421 could infringe on relationships between patients and caretakers, she does not think that will happen.

Rather, it would prevent insurance companies from enforcing limitations that force women go to the pharmacy on a month-to-month basis.

The conference was an excellent way for students IZZY MANZO / EQUINOX STAFF to discuss what they have KSC communication and English majors shared projects regarding internships been doing in the area. they spent the semester working on.

Those who presented – I have to come up with an of LGBTQ+ representation classes he has been taking. had a wide range of internidea and then write about in popular video games.

“I didn’t think that it was ships, giving an insight into it,” he said.

Although he writes arti- something I’d enjoy, but I the kinds of opportunities Articles he’s written cles based off of his own actually really like writing that students could pursue. include KSC’s Pride Parade, experiences and opinions, that genre,” he said.

Izzy Manzo which was held on April Whitaker said he has also Senior Chelsea Birchcan be contacted at 7, and being a “gaymer,” found an interest in creative more, a public affairs intern imanzo@kscequinox.com focusing specifically on lack fiction writing through at Planned Parenthood, said

Thursday, April 19, 2018

KSC students react to spring concert reveal COLBY DUDAL

StudEnt LifE Editor On Monday, April 2, the Keene State College Social Activities Council (SAC) revealed on their Facebook page and a banner in the L.P Young Student Center that the KSC spring concert lineup would be opened by rapper Cousin Stizz and headlined by singer-songwriter Tinashe.

SAC also revealed on their Facebook page that during the week leading up to the spring concert, which will be held Friday, April 20, they will be hosting events such as laser tag and stuff-a-plush.

A hypnotist and comedians will be coming to KSC throughout the week as well.

SAC member Rachel Graves said, “We decided to have several events to better suit more students. We are able to reach more students.”

Graves said, this year, the spring concert is at the same time as festival season, and therefore some of the artists whom SAC originally wanted to bring to KSC couldn’t come. However, Graves said she is happy with the artists who are coming and has heard a good reaction from the KSC community.

KSC students weighed in on what their reaction was to hearing the lineup for this year’s spring concert.

Senior Emma Ayotte said she doesn’t know of the people who are coming, and if she’s heard a song by them, she doesn’t recognize them by their name. “I probably won’t go... I probably would go if I had known them,” Ayotte said.

Similarly, senior Justin Murray said he also has never heard of them and doesn’t plan to attend. Murray

said for him to go, he would have to at least heard of the artist. “Honestly, I don’t even know where they found her,” Murray said.

Senior Courtney Bedard said she hasn’t decided yet on if she will attend or not. “I am not too familiar with either of them,” Bedard said, and added she would like to see someone for spring concert who performs electronic dance music.

First-year Ryan Bachand said he is interested in attending. “I am not sure who she is, but I know of Cousin Stizz and he is really good. I think I may know one of [Tinashe’s] songs,” Bachand said.

Senior Taylor White said he most likely won’t attend. White said it isn’t so much the genre of music that would determine if he went to the concert, but more so the prominence of the artist.

Junior Joshua Paquette said because of other priorities, he will not be attending the concert and feels as though the concert in recent years has been the same genre. “I enjoy classic rock, so it would be cool to have that, but when trying to please everyone, it is best to go more modern,” Paquette said.

Graves said the spring concert planning process begins in the fall with an online survey that goes out to KSC students and allows them to tell SAC who they would be interested in seeing.

SAC then looks into artists within their budget and negotiates with the artist. Graves said the time leading up to spring concert involves a lot of preparation for technology, security and more.

Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com

ACADEMIC CONFERENCE Cont. from B1

country. Carpenter said it was important to receive the chance to speak on a panel at the conference.

“It’s great because it allows students from any discipline to show their passion. It’s too often we look down on different disciplines that may not be as popular or engaging,” Carpenter said.

First-year elementary education and psychology major Brooke Aumand said her presentation at the conference was about special education in different types of schooling, such as private schools, public schools, homeschooling and charter schools.

Aumand said her presentation “breaks down what services each of the schools provide, the requirements that are offered, inclass services and funding.”

Aumand said throughout her research, she’s found public schools are the most efficient with their special education programs between the types that were researched.

“They offer the most because they are required to, unlike private schools and [homeschool groups]. The Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAAPE) law ensures that all students with or without disabilities get an equal and fair education no matter what,” Aumand said.

Aumand said she presented with a group of students who had similar topics as her for her Integrative Thinking and Writing course. Aumand said the most surprising thing about her research was that private schools don’t require equal and fair treatment for all students. Aumand said it “makes no sense.”

Colby Dudal can be contacted at cdudal@kscequinox.com

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Keene State College students from several different majors presented at the Academic Excellence Conference. The day included panels of students, PowerPoint presentations, films and more.

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

KSC live action game comes to an end ABBYGAIL VASAS

Copy Editor For the past seven years, Keene State College students have fought back zombie attacks, running from the rapidly-spreading virus all over campus. This semester, however, the week-long Humans Vs. Zombies game did not proceed as planned.

This semester’s game was supposed to begin April 10 and run until April 17, but, due to a lack of participation, it had to be cancelled. Humans Vs. Zombies club president Savannah Hobbs, who has been involved with the games all four years of her college career, said they usually have between 40 and 60 players participate.

This year, only 15 people showed up.

Although the number of participants usually fluctuates, Hobbs said this semester was “extremely unordinary.”

The game is a version of tag which incorporates a Nerf blaster. Everyone starts out as a human, depicted by a colored head/ arm band, and one “Original Zombie” runs around tagging humans with Nerf blaster to turn them into zombies as well.

KSC senior William Poling began playing Humans Vs. Zombies his first semester at KSC. Poling said, “I always liked playing with Nerf guns when I was younger so it’s like, ‘Hey I get to play Nerf guns with a ton of people on a college campus, sounds kind of fun, honestly.’”

To Hobbs, Humans Vs. Zombies is less about playing tag and shooting Nerf blasters and more about community. Hobbs said, “You could walk up to anyone and say, ‘I need to get from Point A to Point B and there’s a lot of zombies out, can I walk with you?’ You could just do that.”

Poling originally heard about Humans Vs. Zombies at the Involvement Fair, which Hobbs said is one of the main ways the club advertises the games, in addition to posters, events and even emailing people who have expressed interest in the past.

Poling had seen someone dressed up in a military-style outfit, covered in Nerf guns, and it drew his attention to the club.

He said he thinks visual representation is important to drawing a crowd. People often dressed in costumes for the games, and Poling himself wore a cowboy hat and car-

ried six-shooters when he was a human.

To get more people involved with the club, Poling said, “The game needs to find a way to draw people who are more enthusiastic.”

Although Poling thinks that having more people visibly excited and into the game will help attract new players, he also recognizes the issue of KSC’s overall enrollment numbers. “I think there’s less people coming into Keene now so the numbers get smaller each year.”

First-year Sam Clough has not participated in Humans Vs. Zombies, and said, “I think the chances of me doing it would be higher if a lot of other people were doing it as well.” He added that although he is interested in it, he hasn’t seen enough people participating in community-based games to make him, or other members of his class, want to join. “I think activities like that are dying out,” said Clough. “We’re literally becoming zombies.”

Although Poling participated in the game every semester up until he studied abroad in the spring semester of his junior year, he did not return to the game his senior year. “I just felt like I was getting a little old for it, honestly. I know that sounds really lame… I felt like I was kind of growing out of it and I just didn’t feel like, you know, running around on campus with a gun… Maybe in the back of my head I was thinking, with mass shootings happening nowadays, ‘Is this a little awkward?’”

Poling also said, with so much work to be done in his senior year, including his involvement with the Global Culture Club, he didn’t have enough time for it.

A similar issue was also faced by the Human’s Vs. Zombies’ eboard. Hobbs said they didn’t have time to do as much campaigning as they have in the past because “all of our eboard was seniors.” However, not being able to advertise as much was not the only issue the all-senior eboard faced this semester. Hobbs said that there were no underclassmen this year to take the places of the graduating eboard members. Because of this, Hobbs said the game won’t be returning next year “unless we get a miracle.”

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Abbygail Vasas ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR can be contacted at After seven years, the annual Humans vs. Zombies game will be most likely coming to avasas@kscequinox.com an end during the 2018-2019 academic year.

Admitted students of KSC What are some pros and cons of Keene State College so far?

COMPILED BY ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA /

“Pros, I really like the atmosphere and just the vibe I get from it… it’s very beautiful and upbeat, there is a lot going on. For a con, the first time I visited I wasn’t really sure how I felt about it. I’ve had to visit a couple times to really know I like it here.”

- Jane (Left)

PHOTO EDITOR

“I honestly love everything about it. I don’t have any cons. I think the size is perfect, it looks like a super close community, the campus is gorgeous, everyone is super friendly.”

- Giulia (right)

“I can’t really find many cons, I’ll say that. One of the pros… a lot of people are really welcoming. People are very nice here and people really want you to know what the college can offer.”

- Robby

Tanzanian student experiences KSC AUGUSTINE NYONZIMA

Equinox Staff My name is Augustine Nyonzima and I come from Tanzania. For those who don’t know where Tanzania is, it is one of the smallest countries located in the middle of Africa. I have a few hobbies that I enjoy doing. Two of my favorite hobbies are hiking and photography.

They have been my favorite hobbies since I was a little kid. My life from the beginning has been really fun. I grew up living with both of my parents. There are seven kids in my family: four boys and three girls.

Growing up as a little kid from Tanzania, I always wondered what it would be like to travel outside the country. I come from a family where education is one of the most important tools. I remember my father always telling me how important education is and how it could open doors for you and lead you so many places. However, back in Tanzania, we didn’t have the best school system, which was one of the main reasons why we made the decision to move to the United States. It’s not always easy to leave your culture and your childhood friends behind and move to a country you don’t know anything about. Moving to another part of the world is not an easy choice. It was one of the hardest decisions my family made. They did all this for me and my siblings so we could have a better education. Some people just don’t get the chance to get a good education. I am grateful to be in the position I am in today and to be a part of the Keene community. Keene State has provide me with so many opportunities that I would never take for granted.

Augustine Nyonzima can be contacted at anyonzima@kscequinox.com

T H I S W E E K A T

“It’s really a ‘homey’ environment. As for a con, I don’t really have any other than the food closing [early].”

- Emily (left)

“The pros so far is that it’s close to home [and] everyone seems so nice here. The only con is [that] the dining hall closes at 8 p.m..”

- Hailey (right)

K S C

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STUDENT LIFE / B4

Thursday, April 19, 2018

Stuff-a-plush in student center

SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN / ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

On Monday, April 16, Keene State College students created stuffed animals on the first floor of the L.P. Young Student Center. The event lasted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and was put on by the Student Activities Council. The stuff-a-plush event is just one of many events SAC is putting on this week leading up to the spring concert on Friday evening. The event was put on to give students more oppurtunities to take part in the events that SAC puts on.

Why are you still carrying around cash?

Your Owl Card stores cash for you!

Event Alert

Dining Dollars can be used at ALL dining locations on campus!

When you deposit $100 in Dining Dollars you earn 2 FREE Bonus DC Meals to use in the Zorn Dining Commons!

Great for guests!

4/30 in the DC 5/1 in the Student Center

Online at get.cbord.com/owlcard or with the GET Mobile App. Debit or Credit Cards accepted.

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World News / B5 Thursday, April 19, 2018

WORLD NEWS

Ticks on Canadian Lynx transmit parasite

KSCEQUINOX.COM

Queen’s former piper remembered

STEPHANIE MORALES

AssociAted Press CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — The Canada lynx, listed as a threatened species by the federal government, may have one more thing to worry about.

University of New Hampshire scientists on Monday announced they have discovered a previously undiagnosed parasite transmitted by ticks as well as a virus in the medium-sized cat known for its long ears. The virus is similar to the Epstein-Barr virus that causes mononucleosis in humans and is related to a virus that infects domestic cats.

The New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory uncovered the findings during a recent research study. Two senior veterinary pathologists led the project and are expected to present their results on Tuesday at the 74th annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference in Burlington, Vermont.

“Even though the impact on the well-being of the cats is unclear, it’s certainly a concern and I’m glad that New Hampshire scientists paid attention to this,” said D.J. Schubert, a wildlife biologist with the Animal Welfare Institute in Maine. He noted a novel virus or parasite would not be worrisome but is for an animal already facing multiple threats.

The snow-loving feline, found from Alaska across Canada and into the northernmost part of the United States, has been listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act since 2000, largely due to habitat destruction. The Canada lynx is still under federal protection, but U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials announced in January they are considering taking the elusive cat off of the endangered species list. The announcement was met with resistance from wildlife conservation groups.

Maine has 500 to more than 1,000 Canada lynx, and is the only state in the Northeast with a resident breeding population of lynx. Recently, the mid-size carnivore has been observed in New Hampshire and Vermont, suggesting an expansion of their current habitat range.

As part of their study, scientists performed post-mortem examinations on 38 lynx from Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

They found a lungworm infection and inflammation in many of them, with some cases of severe inflammation associated with the parasites. The most common cause of death was being hit by a car.

Researchers who took part in the study said the discovery will help biologists monitor the populations in the future, and will be used to assess their population health when it comes to emergent diseases.

“Right now, it’s not a cause for worry because we don’t know enough about it,” said David Needle, a senior veterinary pathologist with the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

It remains unclear how the lynx became infected with the parasite, but the pathologists said climate change could be allowing tick populations to move further north and into the ranges of the cat. The main tick that transmits the parasite is a tick that is traditionally found in the South, where it is warmer, Brian Stevens, a senior veterinary pathologist and assistant clinical professor at the university.

Schubert agreed that climate change could be a factor when considering the study’s implications.

“The parasites and ticks wouldn’t have been able to survive in these colder temperatures 10 years ago, and it opened the door to an invasion by foreign vectors of disease,” he said.

GEOFF FORESTOR / THE CONCORD MONITOR VIA AP

In this Thursday, April 4, 2018 photo, Christopher Baum plays with the New Hampshire Pipes & Drums as they warm up before a memorial service for Pipe Major Gordon Webster at St. Paul’s Church in Concord, N.H. Webster, who once served as the queen of England’s personal piper, was remembered by loved ones for his mischievous sense of humor, distinguished military career and love of Scottish music. Webster died on March 29. He was 59.

Kendrick Lamar wins Pulitzer MARK KENNEDY

AP entertAinment Writer NEW YORK (AP) — The decision to award rapper Kendrick Lamar the Pulitzer Prize for music represents a historic moment for hip-hop and American music, according to two of the music jurors who picked the album “DAMN.” as a finalist.

“It’s big for hip-hop. I think it’s big for our country. It’s big for music. But it’s big for the Pulitzers, too. Institutions are not stuck in time, either. Institutions can change,” said Farah Jasmine Griffin, a Columbia professor.

Lamar’s win on Monday made history as the first non-classical or non-jazz artist to win the prestigious prize since the Pulitzers included music in 1943. Just having a rapper nominated for the prize is considered a stunning development for awards that usually honor musicians of European classical background.

“I knew that there would be some anger and some resentment and some people who wouldn’t like the idea, but surprisingly enough, I haven’t heard a lot of that,” Griffin said.

Another jury member was Grammy-nominated violinist Regina Carter, who linked the award to the recent waves of people speaking up, pushing boundaries and refusing to be told what and what is not worthy.

“Great art has to be acknowledged,” she said.

“If a work is great enough, you can’t deny it.”

The decision was hailed as a turning point in music history by Jetro Da Silva, a professor at the prestigious Berklee College of Music who teaches a class on hip-hop writing and production.

“We are at a time in history here perhaps there is a new way to analyze what is considered a contribution to music. Critical thinkers are asking what it really means to be a composer and what is a composition,” he said. “The sky’s the limit.”

In addition to Griffin and Carter, the music jury this year included music critic David Hajdu, Paul Cremo from the Metropolitan Opera and the composer David Lang.

The five-member music jury listened to about 180 pieces of music and after deliberating for a few days then submitted to the final board three works — Lamar’s album along with Michael Gilbertson’s “Quartet” and Ted Hearne’s “Sound from the Bench.” Adding “DAMN.” was a unanimous decision by all five.

“Everyone expects that there would have been some form of resistance. There was none,” said Griffin. “It was just welcomed by everyone as an opportunity to have a serious conversation about the art, about Mr. Lamar’s work, but also about what constitutes what kind of music that should be eligible for this.”

The final decision was made by the Pulitzer board, which hailed Lamar’s CD as “a virtuosic song collection unified by

its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life.”

Carter admits she quietly thought to herself that the board was unlikely to give the award to Lamar. “Although we all strongly agreed that this would be such an important step — if this were to really happen — I just didn’t think it would, really.” She said she was happily shocked by the final decision.

The Pulitzers have been accused of past mistakes when it comes to African-American contributions to music. In 1965, jurors recommended awarding a special citation to Duke Ellington, but were rejected. And it was not until 1997 that the Pulitzer for music even went to a jazz work.

“All of us sitting at that table were fully aware of Duke Ellington in 1965 being passed over for the Pulitzer and a jazz artist not winning for some time,” said Griffin.

“We all brought a history to the table and thought, ‘Why not?’ and ‘Why not now?’”

The Pulitzers have lately expanded their inclusion of popular music, including honoring Bob Dylan’s lyrics with the prize for literature and giving Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hip-hop-inspired score for “Hamilton” the Pulitzer for drama.

The Lamar news stunned many and was cheered by the rappers’ fans, including celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and Anthony Bourdain, who wrote: “The album

was brilliant and deserves every accolade.”

Leon W. Russell, chairman of the NAACP, wrote on Twitter that the win conferred a literary legitimacy but that Lamar had already gotten “street credibility and artistic authority.”

TV personality Charlamagne Tha God noted that Lamar joined African-American luminaries such as playwright August Wilson, writers Alex Haley and Toni Morrison, and musician John Coltrane as Pulitzer winners. “Congrats to that brother! I’m inspired!” he wrote.

Carter, who was awarded a so-called “genius” grant by the MacArthur Fellows Program, said Lamar heartily deserved the award. “I think he’s a genius,” he said. “It’s part of our tapestry. We have to stop dividing the music and the art.”

Griffin, a professor of English and African-American studies who has written about Billie Holiday, Miles Davis and John Coltrane, was a rookie on the Pulitzer jury this year.

“I will cherish that experience, of going through that process,” she said. “On so many levels, I felt like this was major — both the music that we put forward but also what happened in those deliberations.” ___ Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/ KennedyTwits

Ivanka Trump and U.S. treasury secretary talk taxes HOLLY RAMER

AssociAted Press DERRY, N.H. (AP) — Ivanka Trump said that Tax Day is nothing to celebrate, but that most Americans will be much happier the next time the filing day rolls around.

Trump has been traveling the country to promote the sweeping rewrite of the U.S. tax code her father, President Donald Trump, signed last year. She and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin were in New Hampshire on Tuesday, the deadline to file federal income taxes.

“We don’t often come together to celebrate Tax Day,” she told about 150 invited guests at the Derry Opera House. “We’ll still never

love tax day, but you’ll like it a whole lot better next year.”

Last-minute filers weren’t liking that the IRS payment website was down Tuesday, however.

“We expect it to go up shortly, and we’ll make sure taxpayers have extensions once the system comes up to make sure they can use it and it in no way impacts people paying their taxes,” Mnuchin told reporters after the event.

While Republicans have billed the tax law as a victory for the middle class, Democrats depict the $1.5 trillion package as a payout to the GOP’s largest donors. A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll released in March found that a third of New Hampshire residents believe their fami-

lies will better off under the tax law, a third said it won’t make much of a difference, a quarter said they would be worse off, and the rest weren’t sure how they’d be affected.

The discussion was moderated by former New Hampshire Gov. John H. Sununu, who called the state the perfect setting for the event because it lacks a state income tax and general sales tax.

“It has that because we have voters that care about efficiency in government, and make sure that what we spend, we spend efficiently,” said Sununu, who read questions written by audience members about the tax law’s benefits.

Marga Coulp, of Dover, who once owned five hair salons, and

said the overhaul will allow her to hire more workers and expand her services at the one salon she still owns.

“This tax cut is a breath of fresh air for me,” she said. “I love being an entrepreneur. I’m just going to keep plugging away at it.”

When an Andover man expressed concern over the new limit on the mortgage interest deduction, Trump said that would be offset by the doubling of the standard deduction and increase in the child tax credit. And she emphasized the overhaul’s broader benefits, saying businesses already have responded by investing in their workforces, wage increases and family-friendly benefits.

“A rising tide lifts all ships.

We’re seeing the economy just being fueled by prospect of these tax cuts,” she said.

While Tuesday marked the deadline for tax filing, the president was among those filing for an extension. Mnuchin declined to comment specifically on that but said in general there’s nothing wrong with doing so.

“Every American taxpayer has the same obligation today. The president is no different,” he said.

“Any American can take advantage if they want of extending their tax return, but again the vast majority of Americans have filed, and next year the good news is it’s going to be so much simpler.”

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

Random The Warmth improves performance Athletic Theory Terms Behind Sports Awesome Lacrosse Terms

The ups and downs of warm and cold weather JULIA EICHMAN

Equinox Staff

Relating to the culture SEBASTIEN MEHEGAN

ExEcutivE Editor

Sebastien Mehegen can be contacted at smehegen@kscequinox.com

SportS Editor

best case scenario.”

As for games, Shawinsky said he would much rather it be hot outside. “I definitely prefer it to be hot when playing our games because as a sports team that is as good as we are, [we are] surprisingly crazy disorganized and we have no sideline jackets.”

Shawinsky said standing on the sidelines during a game can be “unmotivating” when it is really cold out.

The amount of time on the field each player gets can also contribute to each of their body temperatures or performances in a game.

“If you are starter and playing from the beginning, you’re running and staying warm,” Shawinksy said.

Julia Eichman can be contacted at jeichman@kscequinox.com PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KIANA WRIGHT

KEENE Cont. from B8

Despite the weather, Johnson said he has no regrets and feels very good about the results of the race. “A lot of it is staying in that moment and taking it one mile at a time. It’s a great experience though, and inspiring,” Johnson said.

Much like Johnson, Donna Smyth, who is a KSC professor and Department Chair of Human Performances and Movement Sciences, also ran the 26-mile marathon, describing the experience as new.

Smyth said that she traditionally is a mountain and trail runner. However, her qualification on a dirt road trail led her to the cement route of the Boston Marathon. “It’s a large scale event and pavement is rather new to me,” Smyth said.

The weather conditions especially didn’t work in Smyth’s favor. “With the weather forecast I thought, ‘Let's just see what happens and try to run relaxed,’” Smyth said. However, it was cold, wind-driven weather that made running that much more difficult.

Smyth said she continued a good pace up until Heartbreak Hill, where it became unbearably cold. However, she continued to push through the cold conditions and finished the race with a time of 3:52:00.

Despite that finishing time being higher than her usual time, Smyth said it was good considering the conditions. “I’m an experienced runner and used to aversities. I’ve done seven or eight trail marathons, five fifty-mile trail races, and this was by far my worst day of running,” said Smyth.

However, Smyth still remained positive throughout the entire experience and tried to encourage herself from the early hours of the morning up until the start of the race.

“I was very grateful to have that opportunity,” Smyth said. “I was thrilled [to represent Keene] and was getting some really good vibes from my students and co-workers. I was very proud to be representing Keene State College,” Smyth said.

Both faculty members faced significant obstacles due to the weather, but still found the best through the struggles and finished with confidence.

Erin Keefe, an elementary education major at KSC, attended the Boston Marathon in support of her sister and later discovered that two KSC professors also ran in the marathon.

Much like Johnson and Smyth, Keefe’s sister also faced difficulties on Heartbreak Hill. “It was pouring and just the hills themselves are pretty tolling on your body,” Keefe said. As a crowd member, Keefe said she thought moral spirit and support was somewhat low, which wasn’t helpful for the runners.

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ANNA HEINDL / EQUINOX STAFF

As somebody with as little knowledge of sports as I do, I felt I needed to discuss the issue with somebody who follows sports. That person was my sister’s fiancé, Chris Straw.

He has followed hockey his entire life. When I asked him where his passion for the sport comes from, his response varied. At first, he spoke of how his interest was sparked by his involvement in the sport in past days. Now, I have personally been involved in basketball, soccer and baseball. I’ve been involved in sports (recreational teams at least), but the connection people build to the sport itself is not something I have ever understood.

Upon further research into the topic of hockey fandom, I came across a research paper called “Bruins Nation: A Study of Fandom and Identity” by Rachel Kampersal talking about how levels of commitment and engagement and loyalty have been formed for the Boston Bruins.

“Fans deep-seeded connections to a team like the Boston Bruins are reinforced by the longstanding history and culture of sports, and given hockey’s securely rooted place in culture, individuals must negotiate and navigate their personal identity in relation to their support and devotion to the Boston Bruins,” the article said. It went on to discuss how since the invention of hockey, the culture of Boston itself formed around sport, which gave individuals a reason to, “…unite with a common purpose and create a sense of belonging.”

While this research touches on the culture of the area, my interest is more than anything else in the small talk involved in sports. When one meets a person for the first time, there have always been accepted small talk topics by which a person can test the waters for shared interests. Among these have always been weather, traffic, your day, your job, your hobbies, current events and sports. The topic of sports among men is the most common one for small talk, based on my own experience. Unfortunately, because of this, there have been many times where I have had to talk about sports to the extent of my knowledge and respond in kind to their passionate exclamations referring to a previous game. Still other times I have come right out and said I do not follow sports. The end result is always the same. Either I slip up and they realize I know nothing about that game or I say “I know nothing”, and the conversation ends and thus begins the awkward silence.

get tighter and it’s harder to throw and run. Also, you have less control over where your throws are actually going to go,” Crosby said.

DaMota said she agreed with Crosby and added, “It is more comfortable and enjoyable to play in warmer weather.”

KSC’s softball team is not the only team that wants to play in warmer weather. Senior and lacrosse player Greg Shawinsky said it is cold for a majority of the lacrosse season but once it finally does warm up, “people get excited, more positive and motivated.” He added, “It’s a lot more fun practicing when it’s warm out. It gets people going.”

The lacrosse team members make the best of the worst when it comes to their practicing conditions.

Shawinsky said, “If it’s really cold, we get really into it and more competitive, which is the

Although the weather was not ideal, Keefe said her desire to bear the weather and give her sister motivation as she took on the marathon outweighed her own comfort.

Keefe added that she thought the idea of two faculty members being there and, in a way, representing Keene was great. “It’s pretty cool.

There weren’t a lot of people from Keene, so knowing that people from Keene were there, it’s just awesome to hear that,” Keefe said.

Although the weather on Monday made the Boston Marathon slightly less bearable, both Johnson and Smyth pushed through, crossing the finish line with well-deserved pride.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at

BRIEF

Fitness classes are still thriving CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor Despite beliefs that fewer fitness classes are being offered this year due to financial changes, the fitness department in the Spaulding Gymnasium seems to be thriving.

Director of Recreational Sports Lynne Andrews said this semester, the program is actually offering just about the same number of classes as they usually do.

This semester started with 25 classes.

Andrews said the program had to drop the offerings of two on Saturdays due to low attendance, but the 23 now being offered is within the range they have most semesters.

The number of classes offered is based on the number of instructors the gym has and how many classes the instructors are able to teach, Andrews added.

This varies from semester to semester and year to year, but the program typically offers between 22-25 classes each semester.

“It is very difficult finding certified group fitness instructors, but we have a good mix

of professional staff instructors, as well as student instructors this year… The six student instructors is the most we have had in several years,” Andrews said.

BodyWorks Fitness Center Manager Charity Sweeney said she agreed with much of what Andrews had to say.

“Essentially, the staff works with the availability of our certified Group Fitness Instructors, the popularity of specific class days/times/types and the availability of the actual Group Fitness Studio space,” Sweeney said.

“We have a wide range of offerings, and I encourage students and all members of the Recreation Center to come try something new,” Sweeney added.

Further questions can be emailed to Andrews or Sweeney. If interested in classes, check out the KSC athletic page to find the finess class schedule.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

ANNA HEINDL / EQUINOX STAFF

ANGELIQUE INCHIERCA / PHOTO EDITOR

Spring fever is here and hopefully the warm weather will come along with it as Keene State College athletes are now full swing into their seasons.

Senior and softball player Brittany DaMota says her team, herself included, can physically perform better during games or practices when it is warmer outside.

“The warmer weather causes your muscles to feel loose and less tight, preventing injuries and allowing you as a player to move around and perform more freely. The ball also tends to come off the bat much harder and farther in the warm weather, as well as making hitting a lot better, too,” DaMota said.

With the weather constantly changing this spring season, KSC’s softball team has had to

put in double time. DaMota said the weather has affected their season “drastically” and their team has played “only four doubleheaders” since spring training.

DaMota continued, “This causes our games to all be pushed back, cramming them during the last few weeks. Sometimes four days of doubleheaders a week because of the weather.”

Senior and softball player Shae Crosby said a few of their games have been cancelled or rescheduled recently due to weather. “For a game to be canceled, it has to be raining hard.

We can play when it drizzles, but we recently had a game canceled the other day because there was snow on the ground,” Crosby said.

Crosby said playing when it is hot out is what the team prefers because it allows them to play at their best.

“When it’s cold, our muscles

CAROLINE PERRY

There are a lot of sports terms/ references that many people will scratch their head trying to understand. I’ll admit, even as a sports editor, I don’t know every sports term in existence. But if you’re a little confused about what an article in the sports section is even talking about or referring to, then fear no more. This column will enlighten you on some terms that I haven’t even heard of.

The first sport I’ll talk about will be lacrosse. Lacrosse has a lot of terms, just like any other sport. Here are some: backbreaker, black hole, bucket, crispy with the rock, dusty, kayak, lax rat, peanut butter, jesus pipes and rip. You may be thinking, what in the world does any of that even mean?

For a lacrosse player, these terms may sound familiar, but for others it can sound like a lot of random phrases. So let's find out what they really mean.

A backbreaker refers to a trick shot where the stick is held by both hands above the head and the ball is shot underhand, behind the back and between the legs. So obviously, this trick takes some major skill, so, if at a lacrosse game, keep your eyes peeled for it.

Black hole basically means that a player is a major ball hog. So, in a sentence, it could be used like this: “Don’t throw it to him, he’s a black hole.”

Bucket is a really simple term that most people might already know. Bucket just refers to a helmet. It can also refer to the old style lacrosse helmets that had laces in the back.

Crispy with the rock. This term is completely new to me and extremely hilarious sounding. But it means/describes a player with precise shooting ability and feeding (assisting) ability.

Dusty refers to an unskilled, as in not very good, defensive player. No one wants to be dusty or dust.

Kayak does not mean a type of canoe in this case. It actually means one of the harder and less useful checks to throw. It’s when a player wraps their stick, butt end first, around a guy for a check.

Lax rat means/describes a player who eats, sleeps and breathes lacrosse.

Lettuce or cabbage or flow refers to long hair that flows out of the back of the helmet. This is also a hockey term. Basically, it’s the perfect length of hair for lacrosse players.

Peanut butter also doesn't refer to the sandwich topping in this case. Peanut butter means a goal on the top shelf, ‘cause that’s where mom keeps the peanut butter. Once again, this was one of those interesting terms that you can’t help but laugh at.

Jesus pipes or pipe city or pipes dreams (there are literally so many alternative terms for this definition) means hitting the post on the shot. So many terms for such a simple definition.

And finally, rip means to shoot.

So when a lacrosse player takes a rip, they are simply shooting.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

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Thursday, April 19, 2018

Winning times five

Spring Activities

Women’s lacrosse wins five straight LEC games CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor The Keene State College women’s lacrosse team hit a streak of success, winning five straight Little East Conference (LEC) games, bringing their overall record to 6-6.

The women’s lacrosse team faced some early season issues with multiple losses.

However, the team has seemed to establish their momentum and team chemistry, helping them climb back up in wins.

Junior and midfielder Emily Parker, a member of the women’s lacrosse team, said it felt nice to win five games in a row, as well as finally reach the chemistry necessary to get there.

Parker added that a lot of work goes into winning each game, so having the end result that the entire team wanted was rewarding.

“Winning the early games makes it easier for the team to make it to the playoff games. Performing at our highest level each game helps us work on our skills and situations,” Parker said.

Winning games is something every team wants.

Winning improves a team’s overall record and makes the journey to the championship that much better.

Finding team chemistry and being able to communicate effectively is a huge component that leads teams to a longer, more successful season, Parker said.

Sophomore and midfielder Teresa Masci said winning five consecutive games was both a confidence booster and extremely rewarding.

Masci added that winning LEC conference games is rewarding in mentality and team standings, taking a little bit of pressure off as the end of the season approaches.

“The team works hard, and we all want to win when we step onto the field. Being able to have the winning mentality register throughout the

Simple yet fun activities to check out CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor

PULLED FROM THE EQUINOX ARCHIVES

whole team is essential to games,” Masci said. winning,” Masci said.

Winning early games is Fall and spring sports essential to meeting a team’s tend to move by quickly, so end of the season goals. getting every win possible is “If the team doesn’t work very important for a team if together, if the team doesn’t they want to continue, Masci have a matched attitude, then said. we begin to make mistakes “It’s all about the work you and falter,” Masci said. put in during practice and Masci added that it is a lot

of work, but an athlete has to be able to balance everything and perform well as an athlete.

“Our most important job is to focus on our academics and play hard when we step on to the field. Winning doesn’t come every game, but if you workw for it, it can,”

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Masci said.

No other KSC women’s lacrosse players responded for comment.

With only four regular season games left for the women’s lacrosse team, winning these games and adding to their streak will only help them go further.

Winning these regular season games and LEC tournament games will ensure a better seed spot for the KSC women’s lacrosse team.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

Academics affecting athletes CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor Every student-athlete has to learn how to balance their academics and athletics, but what happens if they are unable to find that balance and start falling behind in the classroom?

Oftentimes, adversities found in academics closely translate to the work that goes onto the field, court and pool.

This inability to juggle grades and a sport for an individual can not only affect themself, but also their team.

Student-athletes juggle a lot with early pre-seasons and extensive regular season accommodations. This pressure to succeed in both areas of performance for an athlete is sometimes hard to overcome. For Keene State College's women’s basketball team, meeting the academic criteria was a large struggle.

Sophomore Hien Thach, a guard, said the basketball team has faced numerous setbacks, with injuries and inadequate grades being the primary issues. “This past season was difficult with all the injuries. Basketball season is long and requires a lot of focus, which just end up working for some team members,” Thach said.

Basketball season starts in early October and ends in early February, meaning the team has almost a five-month season.

If an athlete is not focused on the priorities, such as academics, then they quickly fall into a bad pattern, Thach said. “We already had a fairly small team and now it’s even smaller. It’s just hard to grow when so many obstacles are put in place,” Thach added.

The total strain that athletes who choose to not focus on their academics put on their team is significant and can create larger

PHOT0 ILLUSTRATION BY ALYSSA BOERENKO

issues as the season goes on, Thach said.

In order to be able to play sports, a student-athlete must be a full-time student.

This means they must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester and registered into a 4-year degree granting program.

The student must also be accepted through the regular admissions process of the college and be in good academic standing.

The student-athlete has to have passed 24 credits, which are applicable to a degree (this is achieved in two full-time semesters).

The other option is that the student-athlete passes an average of 12 credits applicable to a degree (achieved every full-time semester of attendance). Student-athletes have to be passing each class they are taking in order to continue playing. This information can be found on the Athletic Eligibility page on the KSC website.

Finding that balance can be especially hard when a student-athlete does not have a solid support system that not only encourages them to do well, but pushes them to strive above the bar.

It’s just as important for coaches to encourage their athletes, men’s basketball coach Ryan Cain said.

Cain said he communicates with each member of the team during the season and makes it clear that academics need to be a priority for each individual.

The coach added that if players don’t perform well in their classes, they lower their chances of being able to play during games, which is a huge issue.

“We have strength in numbers and it is their responsibility as an athlete to put the effort forward,” Cain said.

No other KSC athletes or coaches responded.

When KSC athletic teams lose players due to academic issues, it affects the team in numbers, momentum and overall performance.

This can also affect the individual athlete regarding their athletic eligibility and academic habits.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

With the sun finally peeking out last Friday, April 13, every college student is in much need of some warmth and outdoor time. Spring is the lead-up to my favorite season: summer.

And just like summer, there is plenty to do and plenty of places to explore within Keene as spring washes over us.

Downtown Keene has plenty of restaurants and shops to explore and walk to. They are a short distant from campus, and you can find some great stuff in them.

If you enjoy eating and shopping (and I mean, come on, who doesn’t like that?) then downtown Keene is a really fun place to be.

If you want a quiet place to sip coffee, you can go to Brewbakers, which offers fresh roasted organic coffee, as well as espressos, cappuccinos and lattes. Another great café you can go to is The Works, which is a bakery café which serves great bagels.

Exploring downtown gives you a chance to get outside and exercise.

Everything is within a good walking distance, and while walking around, you can burn some calories.

Plus, who doesn’t like being outside and going on adventures with friends or family? This type of exercise isn’t hardcore either. Just a little bit of walking on a nice day can burn a lot more calories than you think.

However, I can understand if you don’t want to go downtown and spend money.

There are plenty of places to go on campus to get exercise and be active. Fiske Quad is a great place to be as the weather warms up.

People bring speakers out and toss a football, throw baseballs, pass the soccer ball and throw frisbees.

People are always out, so it’s a great place to mingle and get out some energy.

Even if it’s a laid back activity, it can still be a lot of fun. For me personally, I love going out and passing the soccer ball.

It’s exercise and it’s something I love.

There are other small activities, such as hacky sack and spikeball, which are also a lot of fun.

I know not everyone loves to exercise, but it can be a lot of fun to go out and interact with your friends while doing something active.

Why miss out on the great weather? Get outside and have fun!

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

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Sports / B8

Thursday, April 19, 2018

SPORTS

ACADEMICS AFFECTING ATHLETES: SEE B7 THE UPS AND DOWNS OF HOT AND COLD WEATHER: SEE B6 KSCEQUINOX.COM

Two KSC teachers run in the Boston Marathon CAROLINE PERRY

SportS Editor Thousands of people gathered for Marathon Monday on April 16, to participate in the 2018 Boston Marathon.

That group included two Keene State College faculty members, who represented Keene in the midst of hundreds and hundreds of runners. The marathon started off at 8:40 a.m. and went throughout the whole day, right up until 5:15 p.m..

Topology and geometry professor Ockle Johnson was one of the two KSC faculty members who embarked on the 26-mile marathon, finding the journey to be successful, despite the rainy weather.

Johnson finished 29th in the 60-64 age group with about 30,000 runners in total. He finished with an overall time of 3:28:00, describing this finish as “something he was happy about.” Johnson said the Boston Marathon is an iconic race and a fun experience.

As an avid marathon runner, Johnson has participated in three Boston Marathons and aims to run at least two marathons every year.

Training can be extensive, but Johnson said he aims to train in a healthy and safe manner. “I try to maintain a general fitness level all the way through the fall, and then serious training begins in January,” Johnson said.

Training for a marathon always entitles long runs and the buildup to the three and a half hour mark, Johnson said. “The big thing is the long runs on the weekend,” Johnson said.

However, Johnson wasn’t always a fan of running and even viewed it as a last resort to exercising before coming to Keene. “When I came to Keene, it was the exercise that fit most easily into my schedule. And then I realized that running is good for not only physical health, but mental health,” Johnson said.

That gradual growth and fondness of running eventually guided Johnson to the Boston Marathon on Monday.

The professor still faced some obstacles while running the Boston Marathon, such as poor weather conditions and not having a plan going into the marathon. “I started running too fast because I wanted to see if I could maintain that speed and I wanted to do as many miles while it was a little nicer out. But I didn’t save enough energy for the Heartbreak Hills,” Johnson explained.

This strategy didn’t completely work out, but Johnson said despite not reaching his goal of top 25 in his age group, he still believes he did well considering all the factors.

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“

A lot of it is staying in that moment and taking it one mile at a time.

Ockle Johnson KSC Professor

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