THELOQUITUR.COM VOL. LVII, ISSUE 8 THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
Student protests spread across the country: BSU takes a stand
EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR
BSU makes an impression on the college community by standing in unity and giving a voice to their beliefs. Psychology major Cheyenne Irizarry is pictured above.
BY JATARA ALLEN Marketing and Circulation Times have changed, voices have been heard, people have sacrificed their lives and jobs have been lost; however, racism is still very well alive. Racial tensions and horrific slurs have hovered over multiple colleges and universities based on the color of one’s skin for over decades. According to CNN, the president and chancellor of the University of Missouri system resigned on Monday, Nov. 9 because of the controversy over race. African American students have complained multiple times about how they wanted change on their campus. The students did not think that the leaders were focusing on what the problem really was — they did not know how to process the racism that was taking place on the predominately white Columbia campus. “It was very unfair and I don’t believe they were thinking about what was in the best interests of the students,” education major Mariah Casillas said. Reported on insidehighered.com, racial tensions erupted at Ithaca College. Student protests rose just like the ones going on in Missouri. Missouri’s rage has sparked concerns at other colleges and universities. Students and staff are standing together to fight for what they believe should be an “equal education.” “Students pay so much money to go to a school just to further their education, but because of the ignorance of others, they are afraid to even walk out of their dorm rooms,” social work major Jordan Floyd said. “It is sad to see professors cancelling classes because they know that their students may be fighting for their lives if they stepped foot outside.” What members thought was becoming a world to live in, is now returning to what used to be hate, segregation and racism at its highest. Dozens of Ithaca faculty expressed a serious voice of concern of what was happening on campus. Students outraged from a comment that lured around calling a black woman a “savage” after her event, which was expressing her “savage hunger” to have a successful career. Taken a little too bit out of context, things went left. Students voiced
that too many events occurred and that there was not enough support or a lack of strong administration to resolve some of the issues. During this time of anger and curiosity, Cabrini’s Black Student Union, or BSU, took it upon themselves for their voices to be heard, as well. They believed that it was time that they took a stance on something that they felt the world seemed to shun against, which was that black lives matter. “They were questioning our existence on campus, and we knew this was the perfect time to give us that extra push,” English major Marketa Johnson said. BSU held a small, organized protest on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The group had support from the college community on a topic that they thought needed to be addressed. It had a great outcome and they accomplished what they wanted — to be heard and leave people feeling uncomfortable. “Overtime, our minds have been bombarded with ignorant stereotypes that make it difficult to feel free in the skin that we’re in,” Cheyenne Irizarry, junior psychology major, said. “BSU is taking remarkable steps to bring awareness to our campus.” There is always going to be constant change, but it is what people are willing to step up and do that will have a greater outcome. Cabrini publicizes the fact that it is a diverse college and that they are willing to improve any problems that they may witness. Students have nothing but positive comments on what a well-rounded and family-based college that Cabrini is. “Black lives matter. All lives matter,” Irizarry said. “And that’s important to remember.”
JAJAALLEN67@GMAIL.COM
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WE ARE THE
LOQUITUR 2015-2016 Editorial Staff EDITOR IN CHIEF JILL NAWOYSKI MANAGING EDITOR ABBIE KEEFE MULTIMEDIA WEB EDITOR SAM JACOBS NEWS EDITOR ABBIE KEEFE JILL NAWOYSKI SPORTS EDITORS KEVIN MOYLETT RENEE OLIVER LIFESTYLES EDITORS DOMINIQUE DINARDO PAT WHALEN PERSPECTIVES EDITOR KATIE MUSKA PHOTO EDITOR EMILY ROWAN
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
A call to action: climate change One of the biggest meetings of world leaders is currently being held in France. For some, a meeting is simply a meeting, but that is not the truth for this event. This week-long conference serves as a huge chance for 40,000 individuals to come together to work towards one common goal to save the future of the world and put a halt to climate change. According to Pew Research, about three-quarters of Americans believe that climate change is a serious subject, but at the end of the day, what are we doing to take precautions? The Environmental Protection Agency advises to take measures such as changing a lightbulb, using less water, recycling and powering down electronics to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But personal changes, while important, are not enough. All the world’s governments must work together to eventually eliminate the use of fossil fuels. The world has to make massive changes to prevent global warming. Going on the way we are or even making small changes won’t be enough. Ocean levels will still be rising and temperatures still getting hotter. If all this is true, why are many hopeful about this conference in Paris? People are hopeful because for the first time, every major country the US, European countries, China, India and Brazil are bringing proposals to the conference about what they hope to do to reduce global warming. All countries now see that this may be the last chance we have to stop
and reverse global warming. French president Francois Hollande said to the United Nations, “Never have the stakes of an international meeting been so high, since what is at stake is the future of the planet, the future of life.” This conference is being held with hopes of coming to a worldwide agreement. Individual governments have already mapped out their own versions of different plans to reduce emissions, called Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), and this conference will make countries come to a common agreement about climate financing for poor countries and reducing emissions, according to TIME magazine. In 2014, record high temperatures were met and according to the United Nations, 2015 will be the hottest year to date. One plan that the United States has come up with, called the Clean Power Plan, proposes reducing emissions by 32 percent from the levels in 2005 by 2030. With the United States, the world’s second largest emitter, coming up with a plan as large as this one, there are hopes that other countries will want to take similar measures. Unfortunately, this week, the House of Representatives voted against this plan, but President Obama will veto the Congressional vote and try to move ahead. It is time to take action. The fate of the world in which we call home is sitting in the palm of our hands.
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR BRI MORELL MARKETING & CIRCULATION JATARA ALLEN ANESIA MEREDITH ADVISER JEROME ZUREK
MISSION The Loquitur student newspaper and website are integral parts of the educational mission of the Cabrini Communication department, namely, to educate students to take their places in the public media. The newspaper and website provide a forum of free expression. All members of the college community may submit work to the editors for possible inclusion. Publication is based on the editorial decision of the student editors.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Loquitur accepts letters to the editors. They should be less than 500 words, usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini College’s campus or community area and are printed as space permits. Name, phone number and address should be included with submissions for verification purposes. All letters to the editors must be e-mailed to loquitur@ cabrini.edu
MCT CAMPUS
The climate change conference is taking place in France.
Panel sheds light on refugee crisis BY EMILY JANNY Staff Writer
According to the Senior Director for Refugee and Community Integration, the Report of Congress has limited the entrance of refugees to 85,000. “The refugees entering the country through the resettlement program don’t have the easiest journey,”Juliane Ramic, a panelist, said. “They must go through a series of security checks, pass with a clean bill of health and react to new cultural norms.” Within the 85,000 refugees traveling to the United States, there are regions that they are filtered by. Syria falls under the eastern South Asian region, along with Iraq, Afghanistan and ethnic Nepalese from Bhutan. At the start of the 2015 year, 8,000 Syrian refugees had been admitted to the United States. With the ongoing terrorism in Europe, that number has since increased by 2,000. Climbing the refugee allowance to 10,000 within just the 2015 year. ”For the most part we know who those 10,000 refugees are going to be before the fiscal year begins, or at least have an idea where they are,” Ramic said. The refugees staying in the camps in both Jordan or Lebanon are the ones the U.S. will be targeting for admittance. Among those who feel comfortable enough to escape the terrorism, refugees are fleeing their countries because they are living in fear and hope that the United States can offer them a pure form of freedom. The selection process to become one of the 10,000 is extremely extensive and competitive. With over 9 million Syrian refugees, the United Nation’s High Commission of Refugees, UNHCR, have a more than difficult task by analyzing each refugee’s case file. For those who are not as fortunate, they are faced with three options: travel home, integrate into a new community or resettle into a third country. CONTINUE READING ONLINE EJANNY23@GMAIL.COM
MCT CAMPUS
Refugees are living on the street looking for a source of hope.
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THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
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Child Care Instructor BY ABBIE KEEFE
Week of Nov. 30, 2015 Nov. 30: Obama Urges Leaders to Act With U.S. on Climate Change
Nov. 27: Three Are Dead in Colorado Springs Shootout at Planned Parenthood Center
“No nation — large or small, wealthy or poor — is immune,” President Barack Obama said Monday in regards to the climate change conference in Paris, France. Obama agreed that the United States of America was part of the world to blame for the mass amount of damage done to our planet and believes that something should be done by the U.S. The conference will continue as leaders from all over the world will discuss policies regarding climate and the safety of our planet.
On Friday, Nov. 27, gun fire was held at a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado Springs. An arm gun man took the lives of a police officer and two civilians while nine others were wounded. The 57-year-old gunman in custody is Robert Lewis Dear, who appeared to be fired up due to the anti-abortion protests all over the country.
All information retrieved from the NYTimes
ABBIEKEEFE@GMAIL.COM
Why aren’t more women in politics? BY ASHLEY SIERZEGA Staff Writer In today’s society woman are in power roles in the world of entertainment but why is this not consistent in politics? There are currently more women citizens in America than there are male and in the last presidential election, the majority of voters were female. In the 2016 presidential race, each party has a female candidate: Hillary Clinton for the democrats and Carly Fiorina for the republicans. But why has it taken so long for women to reach this milestone? “Well for so long a period of time, women were written out of that world so I think you have the custom, the tradition that wrote women out probably due to the fact that many early governments were based more on strength and force rather than intellect,” Dr. Hedtke, professor of history and political science, said. “Men being physically stronger made then able to control women which then evolved into cultural and sociological and societal institutions that have encompassed this ideology.” According to an article on theconversation.com written be David McLennon, the number of women running for and serving in political office has reversed and decreased in states like North Carolina and California. The number of women in politics has increased at the national level, but that is still not enough to have full gender equality in politics. “The idea is creating a society of equality and just like in any regards to any aspect of society minority groups have historically made gains to move to equality,” Dr. Owen, professor of sociology, said. “It is very important that we continue to strive for true equality and don’t fall back to complacency. We have to keep striving for equality and even if it has been accomplished it should be maintained.” Research done by Richard Fox and Jennifer Lawless reports that women are only half as likely to be motivated to run for office than their male counterparts. “The gender construct could be in their way because if a woman is assertive she’s bossy and if she’s emotional she’s a wimp,” Hedtke said. “When you flip that to a man, if he’s assertive he’s a leader and if he’s emotional he’s compassionate. It’s the gender construct that has to be broken in order for women to be seen as leaders.” Females are held back by traditional gender roles of being a good wife, mother and caregiver, as well as feeling illegitimate in the political realm. “I think on one hand, it’s about credibility that in the 19th century the idea of female members voting was laughed at by men in congress calling it emotional suffrage and a great danger,” Owen said. “I think for us right now the problem is that female political candidates could potentially be ridiculed for the same reason. Gaining credibility in a place that is so male dominated is still very difficult.The patriarchal minute is something they have to fight against.” Having two female candidates betters the chances of America’s first
female president. Women have the numbers and the potential power to make that happen. “In a democracy, if you’re not involved in politics you have no voice. If you have no voice then no one cares about your issues. I believe democracies are responsive to the people who vote and participate. Women need to get out in more greater numbers even though they vote more than men,” Hedtke said. “Women have the potential power and they just need to use it and turn it into actual power.” ASHLEYSIERZEGA@GMAIL.COM
DESCRIPTION: Hooray! Drop’n Play I in search of caring and creative individuals with degrees in early childhood education. This requies two years of prior experience and willingness for backgound checks. LOCATION: Springfield, PA DESIRED MAJORS: Early Childhod Education COMPENSATION: $11/ hr. JOB-SOURCE CODE: 13484
Hands of Hope Internship
DESCRIPTION: Casa de Esperanza (House of Hope for the Children) is in search of interns who are willing to workwith children and service. A four year college degree is preferred and one must be 21 years of age or older. LOCATION: Houston, Tx DESIRED MAJORS: Science, Social Work, Education, Arts COMPENSATION: Stipend, housing, health insurance, bonus upon completion of internship JOB-SOURCE CODE: 13476
Environmental Ed & Animal Behavior Internship
DESCRIPTION: The Philadelphia Zoo is accepting applications for an internship, which requires monitoring, observation and conservation. LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA DESIRED MAJORS: Environmental Science, Biology, Science COMPENSATION: Unpaid JOB-SOURCE CODE: 13468
MCT CAMPUS
Hillary Clinton is an influential woman in politics.
If you are interested in any of these positions, please visit the Career Center or contact career@cabrini.edu
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Why isn’t everything possible? BY JESS TENNETT Staff Writer Being told that students can do anything that they set their mind to is one of the most empowering pieces of advice advice anyone can give them — except that not everything that they want to do can be done at the same time. At the LEADStrong event held in Iadarola called “Why Do You Mean I Can’t Do Everything?”, the common theme was that students often do not prioritize their schedules. “I thought this event was really helpful,” Jena Marineli, educational studies major, said. “I do have my priorities. I just need to learn how to manage them and coming to this event really helped me realize this.” Students rarely complete activities that reflect their values. For example, students often place their family, friends and religious practices at the top of the list, but often put those on the back burner to focus on other tasks, instead. At this event, the idea of a “personal day” was highlighted and emphasized quite frequently. Students in this day and age need a day where they take a mental break to go out and do something for themselves. Whether it be a spa day, a relaxation day or going somewhere fun with friends, a day of relaxation after a busy week is much needed. An exercise that was practiced during this event was finding a time when one was in their best state, such as winning an award in high school, being a captain on a sports team or even overcoming an awkward stage and not judging others going through it, too. The purpose of this was to see if an individual’s values matched up with their best state, and if one was not feeling at their greatest to remind themselves of what they are capable of. Alicia Maynard, human resources and accounting double major, said, “Putting together what makes me happy and being able to determine when I am in my best state really helped me to be my best all the time.” The final exercise of this workshop was a clock activity which was a metaphor to remind one of the different values that they have. Every person had to fill the times on the clock with a value that important to them to show what things one should focus on more. Amber Lajeunesse, assistant director of the SEAL office, said, “This was meant to help someone prioritize and match their time with their values.” A recurring theme was that one should find time for things they want to do every once in awhile, not always focusing on things that need to be done. Being busy might be inevitable, but it is always important to be in control of one’s life. TENNETT23@GMAIL.COM
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
Malm and Persichetti nominated for ‘Civically Engaged Faculty’ award BY MOLLY SEAMAN AND CASEY SEMENZA Staff Writers Cabrini College has nominated two professors, Eric Malm, PhD. and Amy Persichetti, Ed.D for a prestigious national award which highlights their commitment to civil engagement and social justice issues. The Thomas Ehrlich Award recognizes one senior faculty member each year “for exemplary engaged scholarship, including leadership in advancing students’ civic learning, conducting community-based research, fostering reciprocal community partnerships, building institutional commitments to service-learning and civic engagement, and other means of enhancing higher education’s contributions to the public good.” Dr. Amy Persichetti has been working at Cabrini for 15 years in the English department. She started to work on community-based research that goes beyond the soup kitchen model and engages students not only in the classroom but through the strong ties that Cabrini has built with its community. Persichetti finished her doctorate at Widener University in 2012 and has been committed to social justice for as long as she can remember. “For me, social justice means awakening others to their own rights and privileges and being sure that whatever resources we have are distributed equally,” Persichetti said. “If it’s done really well, social justice becomes a matter of justice, not charity.”
The criteria for the Thomas Ehrlich Award has some demanding requirements but to Malm, the eligibility requirements were something he does everyday. Malm has been a critical team member, as well as Persichetti, in shaping the Justice Matters curriculum. A favorite story of his is how he got involved with teaching a social justice course. While in the Wolfington Center for a lunch with community partners, he met a woman who was the small business coordinator for the municipality building of Norristown. She helped him learn more about the community engaged courses and Malm felt the need to teach one of those courses. For the last six years, Malm’s students have been participating in the Norristown Arts Festival and have developed community strategies to help the community of Norristown. Social justice is a large part of both professors’ lives. According to Malm, social justice means reciprocity. “To me, reciprocity means honoring the other person and vice versa,” Malm said. “Part of me feels like if were able to act with reciprocity than social justice is likely to result. If we don’t honor other people in the world than that’s where social injustice comes from.” Persichetti was honored that Cabrini had nominated her to represent the college in a special way. CONTINUE READING ONLINE MISSMOLLYS96@GMAIL.COM CASEY.SEMENZA@GMAIL.COM
ANGELINA MILLER / PHOTO FOR PUB
MOLLY SEAMAN / STAFF WRITER
Malm (left) and Persichetti (right) continue their social justice efforts on campus.
Get to know graduate assistant Teresa Bickley BY ALLIE STEIN Staff Writer Residence life welcomed new graduate assistant, Teresa Bickley, to their staff this past summer. Cabrini students can find Bickley immediately upon entering West Residence Hall in her office located on the first floor. Bickley is a graduate student studying Pre K-4 Education, with the hopes of becoming a college professor someday. Becoming a graduate assistant was not always on Bickley’s mind. In fact, she was not looking for anything at all when she first saw the job opening. “I kind of stumbled upon the job,” Bickley said. “I wasn’t really looking for anything and when I found this, I realized it would be perfect for the kind of work I want to do someday.” Bickley applied for the job and after being hired with Residence Life, began her journey here at Cabrini in August 2015. So what are the tasks and responsibilities that come along with being a graduate assistant in Residence Life? Bickley is in charge of the seven resident assistants on the West side of campus. She supervises them, as well as all of the upperclassmen resident students on the West side of campus. Some of Bickley’s daily tasks include holding conduct meetings, working on community building and educating the students on important topics. “Doing daily rounds is another part of the job,” Bickley said. “For example, I am on duty on Monday nights. This means I am the person people call if there is an incident or any issues that need to be addressed.” Bickley has found her new job very rewarding thus far. “My favorite part of the job is when students come to me with a question or problem and then they think their life is over,” Bickley said. “Then, after we talk and they think it through, they sort of have
this ‘Ah-ha!’ moment and I think it’s very rewarding for both of us.” Bickley graduated from Boyertown Senior High School and attended Shippensburg University as an undergraduate, studying sociology and criminal justice. After college, before she came to Cabrini, Bickley was a preschool teacher. “It’s been a bit challenging transitioning from working with preschoolers to working with college students,” Bickley said. “However, I am starting to see how working with both groups can be kind of similar.” CONTINUE READING ONLINE 13ASTEIN@GMAIL.COM
ALLIE STEIN / STAFF WRITER
Teresa Bickley is the new graduate assistant for residence life.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
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How does the campus prepare for snow? BY MEGAN SCHAFER & AJ SHOPA Staff Writers Winter is just a few weeks away and everyone wants to know how the conditions will be. The weather channel is saying that there is going to be a break from the freezing cold states. The Pacific Northwest into the northern Plains, Midwest and interior Northeast are expected to be warmer this season. Even though the northwest, northern plains and midwest are seeing warm, the south and some of the east coast are going to see a colder front come through from December to February. Even though temperatures will be warmer, there still might see some heavy snowfall. Walking to classes or to work might be tedious, but public safety makes sure that the campus is safe during these conditions. “During winter, we have a company that we contact to come and plow the roads and shovel the sidewalks,” a public safety officer said. “It is also very important to make sure to ice the pathways where students walk. We want to make sure that all students are safe walking to class.” The Farmer’s Almanac has said that they are “red-flagging” the second week of January and the second week of February for possible heavy winter weather, with a long spell of stormy weather that is extending through much of the first half of March. With the confusing weather predictions for this winter, it may be a bit difficult to know when to set two hour delays, to close the school or to have school scheduled to follow normal hours. Some students have already started to prepare for this cold weather. “I’ve already got my winter coat and I’m planning on taking some boots and gloves with me when I come back from vacation,” sophomore Erin Seiler said. “However I will not be taking away all of my fall clothes just in case. It should be an interesting winter.” EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR
Road conditions tend to be hazardous in the winter months.
MEGAN.SCHAFER2014@GMAIL.COM SHOPAAJ@GMAIL.COM
E-cigs vs cigarettes: What is the difference? BY NICOLE SOKOLOVICH Staff Writer Which is better— a cigarette or an E-cig? This is a question that has been asked by millions all over the world. Approximately 21 percent of people smoke cigarettes. Smoking is something that is a dirty habit to many people, since it is a major cause of lung cancer, which kills over a half a million people a year. In recent years, a new alternative to smoking has risen. E-cigs have been used around the world for a long time and is a new a way that can help those who are smokers be at less risk for lung cancer. But are E-cigs really the best alternative? According to The New Stall Times written by Cabrini College Health Services, the FDA still has not approved the E-cig as a quitting device. Cigarettes contain over 4,000 chemicals, whereas an E-cig components are nicotine, Propylene glycol, found in asthma inhalers, and vegetable glycerol, which is used in medication, cosmetic and food items. Not only is it appropriate to step outside for a cigarette, but some might also feel the pressure while smoking. This is another great advantage to using the E-cig, since there are not the most harmful chemicals in them. Being able to smoke around others and not harm them physically is an advantage to the E-cig. The average person will spend about $5,000 a year on cigarettes. Most E-cigs vary on how they operate, but for the most part, they are rechargeable. One can to find a decent E-cig starter kit off Ebay for about $22. According to Time Magazine, smoking an E-cig can cause some strange side effects. After research from the American Thoracic Society, smoking an E-cig may suppress the ability to cough. Having the ability to cough is oddly important, it keeps one from choking and also eliminates elements that cause infection. Another study produced by University of Toronto recommends that people who want to quit smoking should find a more established option. In the study, they found people who began using the E-cig only lasted about three to six months. “I wanted to quit smoking and I thought using an E-cig was a great alternative. I used it for about two months but gave up on it eventually,” senior Dylan Takats said. “There are definitely safer ways to quit smoking and looking back, I probably would’ve used a different way to try and quit.”
MCT CAMPUS
E-cigarettes are a popular alternative to regular cigarettes. NICSOKO5@GMAIL.COM
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THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
Kimye at it again: making marriage rules BY PATRICK SMITH Staff Writer
There are many celebrities who love the work that they do and how famous they are, whether it is acting in a movie or performing on stage to large crowds of people. One celebrity who has been famous for 10 plus years now is Kanye West, with millions of albums sold and millions of followers on social media. It seems Kanye is one of those rappers and celebrities who impresses millions of people. However, it seems that one person is not too impressed with who he is. That person is surprisingly his wife, Kim Kardashian. Kanye is one of those celebrities who treats his wife like she is his go-to person, bossing her around, telling her to pay attention to stuff he does, etc. Most of this started to occur about two years ago, when they both found out that Kim was pregnant with a girl who is now two years old. During that time time they were thinking of filing for divorce and going through so much drama. It appears, however, that Kanye came up with these new rules for Kim because during a time when he was performing, she was in the audience texting and not paying attention to her husband. It sickened Kanye and caused him to get very mad at her, which is one reason why she is now scared to look at her phone or even talk to anyone in the audience. It seems that Kanye was doing a rude and obnoxious thing to his wife and getting aggressive with her, causing him to put these new rules on her. It is not something that
CREATIVE COMMONS
Public photos of Kim and Kanye do not give any hint of the drama in their personal lives.
any man should do to their wife but in some cases it was for Kanye’s own good. While he performs and his wife, the person he fell in love with and should care about him no matter what he does, is not paying attention to what he is doing, it is something that can cause him to think that she does not care about it, which is something it appears Kanye predicts. While for Kanye, he should not have been so extremely hard on his wife like that, coming up with all those rules. In some cases, I feel Kanye did do the right thing since now it looks that his wife pays closer attention to him while he is performing. For Kim, she should just pay more attention to the show and do just a little bit of talking to people in the audience. If you’re married with children, doing something like this has ups and downs to it. Making rules for your spouse for something they enjoy doing and telling them not to do it can cause trouble down the road. Kanye should just go a little easy on Kim, since in some cases it looks like he is abusing her. Tell her to pay attention to the show more than just talk or text someone in the audience. Yes, it was rude for Kim to do more talking in the crowd than pay attention to her husband, but to have him lay down socalled rules for her may not be necessary. When it comes to marriage, you want to make your spouse happy and not boss them around, telling them what to do and what not to do. PATSMITH9594@GMAIL.COM
Balancing Act: Handling grades and stress
Starbucks cup causes controversy
BY KATIE BRIANTE Staff Writer
BY KEITH BROWN Staff Writer
There is no doubt that it is important to do well in your classes and get good grades, but is it worth sacrificing your mental health for? Is it really worth it staying up all night to finish that essay or cram for that test if you are not going to be able to function the next day? There are many people who believe that one late or missing homework assignment is worth it to be able to relax and focus on your mental health. I am not one of those people.
CREATIVE COMMONS
Students are negatively impacted by stress from college. I used to be one of those people. Back in high school, I had more assignments that were missing than not. I was always in bed by 9:30 whether my homework was finished or not. I was not that stressed but
my grades definitely reflected my cavalier attitude towards my schoolwork. When I came to Cabrini, I was determined to do better and bring my GPA up. I began doing all of my homework no matter what. I was up until all hours finishing papers and projects. I started doing all of the readings and every single assignment I had and sure enough my grades went up, but so did my stress level. I stopped getting the proper amount of sleep, I started breaking out and my hair even started falling out. I was at the complete opposite end of the spectrum I was not any better off. I do everything in extremes, and I seem to be either very stressed and doing well in my classes or totally relaxed and not doing well at all. Of the two I would prefer to have good grades any day just because I am one of those people who likes concrete results that I can show people. Good mental health is more of an abstract concept to me and frankly, I do not have time for abstract. I am well aware that that is an unhealthy outlook on life and that my mental health is something I should be much more concerned with, but it is just how I happen to be wired. It is something that I actively work on everyday and it has been difficult. It is very easy to throw yourself to one extreme or the other, but it is harder to find a middle ground. So stay up until midnight to finish that paper but make sure that you get at least a few hours of sleep. Work the whole day to finish that project, but allow yourself breaks. The most important thing to remember is that even though grades are important and that you should work hard in your classes, you will not be able to do anything in those classes if you burn yourself out. KATIEBRIANTE@GMAIL.COM
*Sniff Sniff* Smell that? Holiday season is approaching quickly! Some have started already, but it is about to be time to break out the tree as well as the rest of the holiday decorations you have. Something else that has become a norm for this part of the year is to visit a local Starbucks. Starting in 1997, during the month of November, Starbucks trades in its regular white cups for a more festive, usually red cup. Some of the designs that were included on previous years’ cups were snowflakes, snowmen, pine trees, various slogans and words. This year, the billiondollar company decided to roll with a two-toned ombre design. With an eyepopping red on top fading into a darker red on the bottom, the cup only bares the Starbucks logo. “In the past, we have told stories with our holiday cups designs,” Starbucks vice president of design and content, Jeffrey Fields, said. “This year we wanted to usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories.” Innocent enough, right? So what is the big deal? Former radio and television evangelist, now social media evangelist, Joshua Feuerstein posted a Starbucks-bashing video on Nov. 5th, 2015. In the video, he claims that Starbucks did not include Christ or any mention of Christmas on the new cups due to “political correctness.” Since the release of the video, many have voiced their own opinions through social media. There has been an overwhelming amount of people that are disappointed that the topic is even trending, especially with so many other major events occurring. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump weighed in on the red cup controversy as well, calling for a boycott of Starbucks. The argument started by Feuerstein is
off base. Starbucks never established itself as a Christian-based company, and they never at any point included images of Christ on their cups. He claims that they do not make any mention of Christmas, but in actuality they have Christmas products for sell, such as mugs, advent calendars and Christmas-themed gift cards. Looks like Feuerstein should have done a little more research before his rant. It is ironic how he actually may have helped out the company that he was going against. The red cup controversy has done nothing but brought more attention to Starbucks. Should we even call this a controversy? It seems that we have a company that was just trying to bring some creativity into the fold and it was misinterpreted. To put a spin on the words of Rodney King, can’t we all just get along and sip the coffee? KEITHBROWN181@GMAIL.COM
EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR
A previous design of Starbucks included snowflakes.
PERSPECTIVES
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Bieber leaves his past behind and embraces his ‘Purpose’ BY EMILY ROWAN Photo Editor
Justin Bieber’s new album “Purpose” is storming the nation by surprise with powerful lyrics and unique beats. The album debuted at the coveted number one spot on the charts Nov. 13, beating out One Direction who also released an album that same day. The album is continually breaking records. “Purpose” now holds the record for most online streams of an album in one week. According to Billboard.com, Bieber placed 17 songs on the Dec. 5 Hot 100, making Bieber the artist with the most titles that anyone has ever placed on the charts beating out the Beatles and Drake, who both previously placed 14 tracks on the Billboard Hot 100. From the hair flip days to the Bieber melt down years, I have been here for it all. I was supporting a kid that got wrapped up in the wrong choices for a while. I had faith though that Bieber would turn around and make it out of the mess he created for himself and I am glad I stayed. The album that I and millions of fans waited to hear for three years did not disappoint. Even many who were never a fan of Bieber praised the tracks. Many people are now claiming they have “caught the Bieber Fever.” Of course, there will still be many people who sit back and decide not to give the music a chance just because it is Justin Bieber, but I believe he deserves that chance. Trust me, his songs have really evolved since “baby baby baby, oh.” The songs on “Purpose” range from the up-beat dance type to just Bieber’s strong vocals and a piano background. “Love Yourself,” co-written by Bieber and Ed Sheeran, is a personal favorite on the album. As soon as I heard it I knew it was something special. The beat is catchy and the lyrics speak volumes.
Bieber also has collaborations on the new album with his longtime friend Big Sean, up and coming artist Halsey, Travis Scott and rap artist Nas. In the track “I’ll Show You” Bieber sings, “This life’s not easy, I’m not made out of steel. Don’t forget that I’m human, don’t forget that I’m real.” In recent interviews, Bieber admits he reached a really low point in life and felt really lonely and depressed at
EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR
Bieber’s album has been downloaded around the world.
times. The world kept kicking him when he was already down. Ultimately though, Bieber knows he screwed up and made a lot of mistakes. What teen has made no mistakes in life? Unfortunately, Bieber had a higher standard to live up to than most teens and the fame and constant media attention got to him and brought him to a really low point in his life. The music Bieber put out is honest and expressive. Bieber discloses his feelings about his rocky relationships, his big mistakes and his hopes for the future. He is ready to make a change and make a comeback. Arguably the best track on the album, track number 10, “Life is Worth Living,” gives hope to anyone going though a difficult time. When you listen to the lyrics you will realize the album is so relatable because everyone has had those moments when you just feel like giving up. Bieber is now working hard to promote his new music. He recently closed out the AMA awards with a jaw dropping perfomace of three of his most popular singles from the album. Although Bieber had a rocky past, this new album brings a lot of promise for his future. Bieber will begin his worldwide “Purpose Tour” on March 9 in Seattle, Washington. On May 7 and 8, Bieber will be here in Philadelphia at the Wells Fargo Center. You can definitely count me in. I already purchased my ticket to see Bieber perform his new tracks. I know I am speaking from a longtime Bieber fan perspective, but give the album a chance, give Bieber a chance and let his talent speak louder than his previous actions. Maybe you will wind up enjoying his new music more than you ever expected. EMILYROSEROWAN@GMAIL.COM
Is it considered a break if I have school work? Does Christmas come too early? BY NICOLE SOKOLOVICH Staff Writer
Once the month of October is over, the only thing that is on a student’s mind is Thanksgiving break. But do we even consider Thanksgiving break a break anymore? Most students would say that it is not a break only for the simple fact that most professors assign work during this short amount of relaxation time. As if assigning us homework was not enough, the amount of time that we get to spend with our friends and family does not seem that fair either. For those of you who may not know, Thanksgiving break was four days. In most cases, being home for four days seems like a tease. As soon as you start to relax it is time to pack up your things and make your way back to campus for another three stressful weeks until you have to pack up all your things again and head on home. What a drag, right? “I’ve gotten used to the fact of having a short Thanksgiving break. The workload over break is different every year, but I’d definitely prefer to not have to worry about school while I’m home for a short period of time,” Christine Ingargiola, senior exercise science and health promotion
major, said. As a student here at Cabrini, it is only right that I am biased towards not having work during break and maybe even making break one or two days longer, but there are two sides to this story, and the other side is from a teacher’s perspective. From the Pope coming to Philadelphia, Dean’s Fall holiday and the threat attacks there were a lot of missed days this semester. So when we miss a class, that pushes everything back and we have to make up for those missed days. Although it would be nice for students to not get work over Thanksgiving break, it is not realistic in some cases. Everyone would like a few days off from work, even the teachers. I think if teachers are able to give you a break from school work over Thanksgiving break then they will. But, if there is work that needs to be done, then we just have to suck it up and get it done. The end result here is to do well in our classes and graduate as soon as possible. So, while you were at home doing school work this Thanksgiving break, just keep in mind the bigger picture. It might make that school work a little less dreadful. NICSOKO5@GMAIL.COM
CREATIVE COMMONS
Families across America gathered last Thursday for Thanksgiving.
BY JESSICA NIELDS Staff Writer
As an avid fan of the Christmas holiday, it seems to me that it is getting closer with each year. It seems as if the day after Halloween you will turn on the radio and hear Christmas songs or walk into the mall and see Santa posted all over and Christmas trees already set up. Do not get me wrong, I love the Christmas season and all it entails, but when I go into work the first day of November and see stores with Christmas decorations and clothes set up, I feel a little intimidated. Have we forgotten about Thanksgiving and all of the delicious food that we are able to eat? Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because of all of the food, but it seems as if Thanksgiving is just a stop on the way to Christmas for some people. As someone who is employed at a store in the mall, I see Christmas coming at different times. For example, I have seen the LEGO store with a Christmas tree decoration up the day after Halloween, the clothing store I work in was already setting up Christmas clothes for people to buy, Target has a Christmas table set up with reindeer decorations around it and I have already begun receiving emails about Christmas specials for certain stores. I do not mind Christmas coming a little early, but should we not wait until Thanksgiving is over? I feel like Black Friday would be a great time to start playing Christmas music to get people in the mood of sharing and happiness since it is the biggest shopping day of the year. Christmas is an important part of my religion, but Thanksgiving is an important part of our country’s remembrance of the ancestors who traveled over. Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks to the ones we love and care for and be thankful for what we have, and I think that we, as a country,
have forgotten about that meaning. Tweets have also shown that people go straight from celebrating Halloween to Christmas. People have tweeted pictures from Snapchats of them decked out in Halloween gear on Oct. 31 to Christmas decorations on Nov. 1. Christmas lights are one of my favorite parts about the holiday season. As I was driving around this past weekend, I saw a few houses already lit up with some lights. I guess some people love the holiday season so much they just cannot wait to start decorating. NIELDSJESS@GMAIL.COM
EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR
Many families pull their Christmas decorations out the second Halloween is over.
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A penny saved is a penny spent this holiday BY JESSICA DIPROSPERO Staff Writer
Besides using apps like ‘Retail Me Not’, students also use store credit cards that can help them earn points, which can discount them in the long run. “I love my Victoria Secret angel card,” Chrystal Voroscak, alumna, said. “It helps when I use it enough to win free things and discounts. Christmas is a friendly time in this store There are only a few more weeks until the big man in the red suit comes to town once again this year. This also means there is little time left for students to gather up all their and I always walk away with more things for a cheaper price.” Black Friday is the day for people who are determined to find that great sale. Many money to go out and purchase Christmas presents for their loved ones. With living on students enjoy the black Friday shopping experience because they will most likely have a college student budget, saving up for Christmas presents can be quite the challenge. “Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and I always try to make it special when to stand in those mile long lines and deal with the crowds. “Black Friday I am home,” Marycan be fun if Kate Sapata, freshman you make it fun, education major, said. there are great “Being away for so long sales and crazy I look forward to going people running home to see my family.” all over the place With Christmas to buy stuff,” approaching, students Voroscak said. have to make special “I always have a arrangements to ensure successful Black they have the money Friday because I and time to make this get my gifts and holiday special. I get to watch “I have had multiple people go absojobs off campus to just lutely insane.” get by,” Rita Alcaraz, With Black sophomore criminoloFriday being the gy major, said. “When it day that it is, comes to the holidays, there are many I put money aside for students staying specific things I know I in the comfort need to get.” of their home, Students pick up online shoppart-time jobs to help ping. Some stupay for those pricy dents find that presents. Having a job the online deals for the holiday season are better than is always an option in-store deals, because not many peoeven on black ple want to work holiFriday. day hours. “Working EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR “I never want winter break may not Students work hard to save all semester in order to afford gifts for their family. to have to deal be fun but when I see with that kind of the money in the bank, I know it will be worth it,” Deqwan Phillips, sophomore criminology major, said. “This is crowd,” Roetz said. “I can get the same deal at home in my pajamas and not have to wait in any lines. I love ordering my gifts online, Target is great store to start at because they the main time for me to make the money.” Students who have part time jobs are also given employee discounts which can be an always have the best deals.” The holiday season is all about budgeting and knowing where, when and how to asset to their purchases. These students can also help out other students when it comes spend money. to buying specific gifts. “Saving for the holidays is a tough task but it something I do every year,” Sapata said. “I love working at Dick’s Sporting Goods because I can use my discount to buy my friends and family their gifts,” Phillips said. “The store does give great deals but my dis- “Coupons, discounts, you name it, I make it happen. Christmas is a special time of the year and saving that little bit of money can always make things go a little smoother when count is killer.” For those who do not have employee discounts, coupons can come a long way for it comes to buying that perfect gift.” buying gifts for the holidays and in general. “I live off of coupons,” Amie Kneedler-Roetz, junior education major, said. “I like to use the app ‘Retail Me Not.’ It has coupons for the online store and in the store. It is my JESSICA.DIPROSPERO@GMAIL.COM go-to when it comes to shopping.”
Students confess the party continues afterwards BY CHRIS FONTE Staff Writer
Students who live off campus have a variety of differnt hobbies over the weekend. Most of the time, the students who are 21 and over like to go to the bars with their friends. Those who are not 21, usually come to campus to party. The question is, what do these people do when they get back to their house or apartment off campus? Senior exercise science and health promotion major Ryan Klott, claims that he would prefer to go the bars and drink with his friends. “Having to choose between having a party at my house and going to campus is like asking me if I’d rather deal with an RA than deal with the cops,” Klott said. “So, I’d rather go party on campus.” Klott also stated that a large majority of the time when he gets back from a party or the bars he most likely is still drinking with his housemates. “When I come to campus, sometimes it is a hassle finding a ride back and forth which is one of the reasons why I’d rather live on campus,” junior education major, Katie Rizzo, said. “I usually go to my friends’ places that live on campus with my roommates that I live about 10 minutes away with.”
Rizzo, like Klott, is 21 and also prefers to go to the bars than hosting parties or coming to campus. “Depends on if the party is busted then yes, I would come back to my house and drink with my roommates but if not I usually get something to eat and go to bed,” Rizzo said when asked about if she parties after a party. “On the weekends we like to come to campus to see our friends or sometimes we have people over,” sophomore biology major Ellie Temonia said. Temonia said that if or when she goes back to her apartment that night she usually goes right to bed. Temonia also said that it is inconvenient for her to access all of the available resources on campus so on Sundays instead of going to the library she goes to Starbucks. Junior resident assistant Jerome Bailey said that the times where he feels he is writing the most people up are Thursday nights at around 10 p.m. to midnight. “Kids just feel that it’s college, people just want to turn up every other day since they don’t have that much time left to do so,” Bailey said. DOMINIQUE DINARDO / LIFESTYLES EDITOR
CHRISTFONTE@GMAIL.COM
Students will come back to the dorms or their off campyus homes to continue partying.
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The competition for coffee continues BY EMILY CROUSE Staff Writer
I’m looking to get coffee I’d rather spend the money on Dunkin donuts,” junior, Shannon Fichter, said. “I love Starbucks,” senior, Amber Warren, said. “It’s my go-to before I face a day at So many people in the world love coffee, especially college students. At Cabrini, students can get coffee at Jazzman’s Cafe or in the cafeteria. There is also the option of my internship. But, prices? That’s tough, I order different things from Starbucks. Overall, driving off campus for students who have a car with them. The most common places they I prefer Starbucks because it’s good coffee [and] it’s something that I enjoy. My friends will more than likely go to get coffee off campus areagree.” Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. Traveling off camSo which coffee is better? pus proves to be no Do students prefer to get their problem as well. Venti coffee, or settle for the Students are willing iced coffee at Dunkin? to go the extra mile Recently, there has been a to get their caffeine proven study that coffee brings fix. students “life.” So many stu“I’ll go off camdents say they drink coffee pus for coffee daily, sometimes even multiple maybe once or twice times a day. every other week,” “I don’t really get coffee Shannon Fichter from Jazzman’s or the cafe that said. much,” junior, Kiley Sharp, Students presaid. “I’m not sure why, I guess fer brand names so I would rather use my flex on much more than food. I just prefer the taste of Jazzman’s that they Starbucks and Dunkin more. are willing to drive to Dunkin is definitely my go-to their coffee destinaand I know it’s most of my tion. friends’ go-to as well.” Dunkin seemed It seems that the coffee at to be the favorite Jazzman’s is not students’ first among Cavaliers. In choice. People say that their a Twitter poll, out of coffee is usually bitter, and they 118 voters, 64 perquestion if there is even actucent of them admitally caffeine in their drinks. ted to liking Dunkin “I don’t get the same boost KEITH BROWN / PHOTO FOR PUB Donuts’ coffee over I get from Dunkin’s coffee Students usually travel off campus to avoid over-priced coffee. Starbucks. Dunkin’s when I drink Jazzman’s coffee,” lower prices seemed Alex Peterongolo said. “I don’t know why that is, but I just feel like there’s just more of a kick from the coffee stores off to be the major deciding factor of where college students get their morning kick. of campus.” The price of coffee differs between Dunkin and Starbucks. Starbucks is higher priced than Dunkin. “I feel as though coffee prices are slightly overpriced no matter where you go, but if EMILYCROUSEE@GMAIL.COM
Friends on campus cook to enjoy the holidays BY JANELLE DESOUZA Staff Writer
According to students at Cabrini, college is not a place to create big meals and share them with friends. It is a place where doing homework and sharing laughs is more important. Students at Cabrini tend to eat at Cav’s Corner. Some order in and other upperclassmen make small meals in their houses or apartments. Samantha Williams, sophomore American studies major, said that her and her friends might have a small Thanksgiving dinner together before going home this year. Being a freshman last year, she was not able to cook on her own while living in Xavier Hall. “I guess this year we might cause we have a kitchen now,” Williams said. After discussing different ideas with her friends, Williams said, “we’re gonna order Chinese food because we think it will be a fun way to bond without having to make our own food.” Williams and her friends cook food often in the kitchen of house two. “We like making food, especially easy things like bacon, that we’re making now.” Tim Atalah, sophomore business administrations major, said he does not celebrate Thanksgiving at school before going on break. Many students at Cabrini dislike the food on campus, but some say that the food they had celebrating Thanksgiving in the cafeteria was worth it. “It was actually delicious,” At;ah said. “Their food usually sucks but this time it was good.” Students say they usually focus on schoolwork before leaving for Thanksgiving break. “Nobody I know really cooks so maybe we’d go to the movies,” Vanessa LawrenceFulton, sophomore international business major, said. “I think that’s very Thanksgivinglike. I always watch movies with my family so I guess we could go watch Mocking Jay.” “I’m not cooking, but we could order Boston Market or Campus Corner,” LawrenceFulton said. “But I’m not cooking.” Many students say although they do not celebrate Thanksgiving before break, they are a lot more festive before the Christmas break. “For Christmas me and [my roommate] Kayla will put a little tree on our door,” Lawrence- Fulton said. “We give each other small presents but that’s it.” Students say the most important thing during Thanksgiving is just being with their
family. “Thanksgiving means I’m happy to go home with my family,” Lawrence-Fulton said. “Thanksgiving for me is really just family,” Atlah said. “But maybe for Christmas we’ll do something,.” JANELLEDESOUZA7@GMAIL.COM
EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR
Students will often bake in the dorms to get into the holiday spirit.
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THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
Students cheat their way throughout college BY VANESSA CHARLOT Staff Writer
students can use for faculty help and support. “Cheating doesn’t feel right, it’s dishonest.” Jaegar said. “I honestly would rather fail then cheat and get an A because I know there are going to be other grades I can compensate for.” “Anyone can be successful,” Sean Jaeger, junior marketing major, said. “Cheating Juniors, Koban Duckett and John Ackley, think cheating is okay to a certain extent. comes when someone is unprepared or lazy. It isn’t something that someone needs to “Certain classes do.” you just have to Cabrini has a strict academic know the mateand cheating policy and does rial,” Duckett and not tolerate any form of cheatAckley said. For ing. Duckett, being an Students at Cabrini know that accounting major cheating is wrong, but students makes it impossible still do it. for him to cheat. “It’s hard not to when you’re In accounting, it is completely stuck in not knowsomething he just ing there was a test, are failing has to know. the class and knowing that you Duckett and won’t pass the test,” Jessica Ackley both agreed Breuning, junior graphic design that most students major, said. cheat in the Cabrini David Burke, assistant profescore requirement sor of human resource manageclasses such as reliment and director of the human gion and biology resource program asked his because it is a lot of seniors if anyone finished their material to rememfour years without cheating in ber. just his classes, about 80 percent Look at it this of his seniors admitted to cheatway, if one is paying ing, according to Burke. for an education “My heart and passion is to and that individual help students succeed academiis not getting an cally and professionally without education, that cheating by doing the right person will graduthing,” Burke said. ate and go out into Aside from being a professor, EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR the real world and Burke deals with students who Students who get caught cheating face serious consequences academically. will not be prepared are having academic challenges because of how in terms of academic review, little they learned. warning notices, academic probation and dismissal if a student fails to keep the miniCabrini is a Catholic institution and prides itself on doing what is right. mum required GPA. “Morally and ethically, cheating is wrong, so do the right thing,” Burke said. “I think when students cheat they are personally cheating themselves because they are paying for a good school to get quality from a business perspective,” Burke said. Cabrini offers great resources to help students succeed. There are tutors for practically every class. The math and writing resource center, a teaching and learning tool VCHARLOT42@GMAIL.COM
Is the single life the way to go when living on campus? BY EMILY JANNY Staff Writer
Is having a roommate great or is it a distraction? When is a good time to do homework? These are just a few of the questions people have to ask themselves before they choose the single life. Not many students on campus live in a single. The majority of students on campus live with a roommate or multiple roommates. Choosing to live in a single could be beneficial or it could be quite the opposite. Many people who live in singles are happy because they chose to live that way. But there is a slight few who do not enjoy living in a single, even though they chose to. “I really thrive on having my alone time at the end of the day,” sophomore Ryan Taylor said. Living in a single means that one does not have any roommates or suitemates to keep company. Would that mean that there is a decrease in their social life? ”[I] feel that more people come to my room, since I have a single,” Taylor said. Taylor enjoys being in a single because she can do things on her own time. How would one occupy time while living in a single? Living in a single means living alone, so does that mean that individual would get bored all the time? “Not really,” Taylor said. “I have people over, I watch Netflix and I clean all the time.” However, that is not the case for everyone. “I really have a hard time occupying my time,” senior Lauren Russo said. “I have a lot of friends here, but I find myself bored most of the time.” Is being in a single beneficial to getting good grades? Living in a single means that those living in singles do not have distractions. ”It is so quiet and relaxed that I don’t have to go to the library, I can just do my homework in the quietness of my room,” Russo said. ”It was kinda hard last year to get things done while having a roommate,” Taylor and Russo said. “I would be trying to do homework or study and they would be watching TV or having people over.” EJANNY23@GMAIL.COM
EMILY JANNY / STAFF WRITER
Students have the option of living in a single or with roommates.
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EMILY ROWAN / PHOTO EDITOR
Transfer students usually find themselves attending Cabrini in their second or third year of school and move on to a successful graduation.
Transfer students speak up about their decision to come to Cabrini BY KEITH BROWN Staff Writer
Holiday season is approaching quickly as Thanksgiving break has already passed. That means the semester is drawing close to an end and professors annual flooding of work is in full affect for most students. At this point, daily routines are in place with a little bit of the expected college stress served up on the side. It can be even tougher for those that transferred into a new school. Every year, Cabrini opens its doors to students who transfer in from schools where it just did not work out. Cabrini transfer admissions counselor, Al Metz, believes that in general, the number of students thinking about leaving their school is picking. “I would definitely say we have seen an increase in interest,” Metz said. “An increase of students [who] even if it is not transferring to us, just want to go elsewhere.” As far as Cabrini goes, there are a myriad of schools where transfers come from. Metz has noticed that there are some places that the school steadily receives transfers from though. “I would definitely say Delaware County, Montgomery County, the Community College of Philadelphia, they usually are big areas,” Metz said. “Bucks County, they are coming on stronger than they have in the past. It is exciting, we are definitely growing.” Junior tennis player and marketing major, Sean Jaeger, transferred over from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. “I think I outgrew the school. It was really small and I just wanted something new,” Jaeger said. Jaegar is enjoying his experience so far here at Cabrini as the semester’s end gets closer. “I like it because the campus is bigger than my last,” Jaegar said. “I think the professors here compared to my last school are generally more involved, more engaged and willing to help. The mission of this school is good.” Something that Jaeger thinks Cabrini can improve on is diversifying its student body more. “The biggest thing I miss about my last school is the international presence,” Jaegar said. “We had a lot of exchange students. Everyone is American here. Not that it’s a bad thing, it’s just that I’ve learned a lot in two years at my last school by meeting kids from all over the world. Cabrini should definitely have some type of foreign exchange program to bring kids to this school from other parts of the world and vice versa. I know that we have Study Abroad which is nice.” Junior criminology major, Wesley Davis, transferred to Cabrini from Valley Forge Military Academy to get closer to achieving his U.S. Army goals. “I need to finish off my last two years so I can finish my commission, my commission is that I’m a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army and to obtain my bachelors degree,” Davis said. He also had high praise for his new school. “It’s pretty good, it’s cool,” Davis said. “I like how it’s becoming a university soon, the dorms are great and I like how clean they are. “ Although many students complain about the food on campus, Davis disagrees.
“I like the food here,” Davis said. Davis also feels that the faculty members are willing to help and knowledgable abou their particular areas of expertise. “I’ve met a lot of professors here and they’re very intelligent,” Davis said. Even though he is enjoying it thus far, there is one thing that Davis thinks Cabrini can improve on. “Cabrini is really cliquey,” Davis said. “Everyone starts from freshman year and it’s a lot harder for people who transfer in, like myself, to make new relationships and meet people. Everyone sticks to their own groups and are suspicious of each other. That’s one big thing that I’ve noticed, other than that, it’s cool.” Gabrielle LeGender, a sophomore sociology major, transferred in from Wilmington University in Delaware. “I didn’t like the college itself,” LeGender said. “It was a commuter school so you didn’t get to know anybody, there really wasn’t [any] school community. Everybody went to class and left.” LeGender’s experience at Cabrini is much different. “I really like Cabrini, everyone I met is very friendly and the vibe of the school is much better than it was at Wilmington,” LeGender said. Just like Jaeger and Davis, LeGender believes Cabrini has some tweaks to make too. “More options at the cafe, easier access to computers, and the wifi here is so spotty,” LeGender said. Something that helped both Jaeger and LeGender to get acclimated to Cabrini is sports. Jaeger has taken up tennis while LeGender played for the CSAC champion soccer team. Jaegar believes that he had an advantage through his realtionships he made in athletics. “I guess being an athlete and having teammates,” Jaegar said. “Right off the bat you meet someone and make friends through their friends. I play soccer so the girls on the team were great and took me in. They helped me figure everything out. Also Megan Kelly, my roommate, was very friendly and introduced me to other people. She made me feel welcomed.” Wesley Davis usually does not have a problem getting acclimated to new places and Cabrini was no different. “I have friends here already,” Davis said. “Other than that, I’m pretty used to settling into new places. I adapted pretty easily.”
“Cabrini is really cliquey.”
KEITHBROWN181@GMAIL.COM
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lifestyles
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
Racy relationships prove love wins Interracial relationships are becoming more common. Years ago they may have been viewed as a taboo or acontroversial choice. With Cabrini’s demographic changing, society’s view on interacial couples seems to have shifted. However, two couples within the Cabrini community have proven that no matter their skin color, religion or cultural background, love wins.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY SAID HALES
The Hales found each other on an online dating website, OK Cupid in 2014. BY CAITLYN HUEBNER Staff Writer
The saying “love is the greatest gift of them all,” has been around for years. Love is celebrated around the world in ways such as Valentine’s Day and weddings. Although love is celebrated in many different ways, some have a hard time accepting different types of relationships. A recent video made by the Ad Council entitled “Love has no Labels” shows couples of all types of race, gender, age, religion and disabilities being celebrated. One group that has been largely discriminated against would be interracial couples. Up until 1967, interracial marriage was banned in most part of the United States. Senior finance major John Baldi has been lucky enough to escape scrutiny from others about his relationship. He and his significant other, Megan Kelly, have been dating for six months now. One night on campus, Baldi had a cut above his eye and Kelly said she could help him due to her experience in boxing. “My family has been very accepting [of my relationship],” Baldi said. “I feel like no one has given [us] any problems.” Baldi’s parents are also an interracial couple. His father is Italian and his mother is Indian. Although Baldi did not have any issues with his relationship, his father had issues with his own. Baldi’s relationship with Kelly is not his first interracial relationship. In fact, he has never been with anyone other than Caucasians. Baldi said with all his other previous relationships, he has not had any issues with his family or society. Since the years of the Supreme Court ruling to ban all anti-miscegenation laws, the percentage of interracial marriages has been increasing steadily. According to Pew Research Center, only 1 percent of relationships were interracial in 1970. By the year 2013 the percentage had increased to 6.3 percent. Although Baldi’s relationship has not had any issues, he did offer advice to others who may not be having as easy of a time. “Work it out,” Baldi said. “If people are giving you a hard time because of race, they aren’t important.” Said Hales, an Amazigh or Berber, is also a part of an interracial relationship with his wife Sharvon. The two met on OK Cupid in February of 2014. They were married in December of that year. Hales, like Baldi, has been fortunate enough to have a discrimination-free relationship. “In Algeria, we don’t look at people as black or white, or this color or that color,” Hales said. “My wife, I see her as American, not African-American or black.” Hales said that many people he knows has married someone from America, Europe or other countries. Hales’ family is very supportive of his relationship. “They think it is interesting to have someone from another culture in our family,” Hales said. “Where I am from, you are around other Berber people for most of your life unless you leave, so they see our marriage as a good thing!” “My wife surprised me one day with a framed picture on the wall with all my family: my mom, my dad, my brothers, my sisters, my nieces, my nephews, everyone she can
find. It’s like I have my family here in America,” Hales said. “My mom was so happy when I showed her. She said ‘If you married a Berber woman, she never ‘gonna do that!’’ One occasion for the Berber New Year, Hales and his wife went to a celebration by the Philadelphia Berber Association. She wore the traditional Berber dress, a La Robe Kabylie. She was dancing around with other Berber women and would say “Happy New Year” in Tamazight. “It was like she was Berber all her life. Everyone was so happy to see her wearing the traditional Berber clothes,” Hales said. “A lot of Berber people marry Americans and don’t have this. It makes me love her even more.” Hales also offers advice to others who may be in an interracial relationship. “Try, trust and give it a chance to have more time to know each other. For me, some people may not like you because you are not the same culture, but if they give you a chance before making a judgement, they are going to know you for who you are.” CAITLYN.HUEBNER0820@GMAIL.COM
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY SAID HALES
The Hales chose to have a traditional wedding ceremony to celebrate their love.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
SPORTS
THELO QUITUR.COM | 13
Rule changes in women’s NCAA basketball: are they effective or do they hinder the flow of the game? BY JACLYN LABES Staff Writer
New rule changes for women’s NCAA basketball teams this 2015-16 season have proved to be effective so far. Although, players still are wondering why these rules were implemented in the first place. The NCAA playing rules oversight panel approved the decision to use a new game format. It includes using four-quarters instead of twohalves in women’s NCAA basketball. Each quarter is 10 minutes long now instead of the usual twenty-minute halves that the players are used to. This decision was made based upon the NCAA Women’s Basketball Committee’s belief that the change in the rules would in return enhance the flow of the game. “The four-quarter format gives us more time to rest during the game,” Dana Peterson, co-captain on the Cavs women’s basketball team, said. “It is only 10 minutes a quarter now and with subs and timeout the players have more time to rest and the game is broken up more.” During the short amount of time, we can work hard for 10 minutes and get a break
before the next quarter begins,” Peterson said. “That means we have more time to talk to our coach and figure out what we need to do when we get back out on the court for the next quarter.” The ability to converse with the coach more in between quarters can be important to the games outcome but is this helping the enhancement of the flow of the game like the committee originally
hoped for? “Four-quarters is a disadvantage because the game is stopped a lot and it is hard to get into the flow of the game,” Peterson said. Even though the women’s basketball team is now using this format that professional basketball teams use, some players think that the outcome of the new rule change has actually produced the
opposite effect to some extent. In addition to the rule changes, women’s NCAA basketball now shoots two free throws after the fifth foul in each quarter. “When our team reaches the limit of 5 fouls in a quarter, the other team shoots two shots on every foul. This is an advantage to our team if we can knock down our foul shots when we get to the line,” Peterson said. “However, it can be a big disadvantage if our defense is slow and fouls send people to the line.” How have these rule changes impacted the team this season so far? “This is the first season with the rule changes and we are getting used to them each time we play a game. I think our team wonders why the rules had to be changed and why it is only changed for the women’s game and not the men’s,” Peterson said. “However, we still love the game and enjoy every moment we step on the court.”
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Greg Hardy’s domestic violence case added on to the already bad reputation for the National Football League BY ANGELICA LITTLE Staff Writer
because ‘he has people for…that.’ In other claims, she went on to say that he would always make her believe that everything was her fault. This relationship was more than just physical abuse; he had gotten to her mentally. Holder also spoke on how when the two had broken up, he had assistants parked outside her home just watching. She also noted that Hardy would come through her home and accuse her of cheating but she was the one to always let him in the home, knowing what he was going to do. Based on the claims Holder made, it should be clear
Mcghee then made an example of Michael Vick, saying he was allowed to continue his career after serving his time. “I’m just giving a different perspective,” Mcghee said. Greg Hardy, defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, has Joseph Palmer, mailroom manager and Philadelphia been at the center of the NFL once again because photos Eagles fan, argued Mcghee’s statements by bringing up depicting the injuries he inflicted upon his ex-girlfriend Hardy’s ‘guns blazing’ remark about his first game against have surfaced. the Patriots and his remarks about Patriot’s quarterback Hardy was absent for the majority of the Carolina Tom Brady’s wife. Panthers’ 2014 NFL season. In March of 2015, he was Mcghee agreed that the remarks against Brady’s wife signed to the Dallas Cowboys on a one-year deal. The NFL were disrespectful but had a different opinion on the then suspended him for 10 games, which was ultimately ‘guns blazing’ quote. reduced to a four-game suspension. “Y’all nitpick at everything he says,” Mcghee In May 2014, Hardy was arrested on charges said. “He’s down in Texas; that’s a term they use of assault of a female and communication of down there frequently.” threats against Nicole Holder. Hardy was found He argued that Hardy was in no trouble for guilty by a judge in May 2014 and he appealed shooting anyone, so there should be no controthe verdict. He was acquitted of all charges versy over the choice of words. when Holder refused to cooperate with prosecuOn whether or not Hardy should still be in tors, citing she had reached a settlement and the league, Brian Beacham, associate director of never appeared in court. athletics, says it is not as easy as it looks. People have chosen to take sides on the mat“It’s difficult for the NFL to leverage that ter of the severity of Hardy’s suspension. Despite kind of big decision without any legal backing,” the controversy, Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones Beacham said. praised Hardy, labeling him a “leader” among From an ethical standpoint, he believes that a his fellow teammates. harsher penalty should have been served. On November 6, a dead spin article was pub“A lot of people are fired up about it because lished revealing all of the photos taken of Nicole MCT CAMPUS he does not seem remorseful,” Beacham said. Holder’s injuries. Within the article were links to “He’s not wearing remorse publicly.” Holder’s interview with Detective Faye Strother Greg Hardy, Dallas Cowboys defensive end, seen leaving the courthouse. Beacham agreed with Chris Collingsworth on and a transcript of a 911 call made by Hardy. Those who choose to view the article should be warned what type of decision should have been made about who should be the ones to stop the repeated episodes of that the images in the article might be disturbing to some. Hardy. There should be no second-guessing about a man domestic violence in the NFL. “It’s the players,” Beacham said. “They are the people On page 32 of Holder’s interview, she states that while who was able to manipulate a woman who was in love who are going to have to take a stand on this.” the two were dating from September to March there had with him and inflict such harm on her. Travis Mcghee, Jazzmans worker and Dallas Cowboys been between two or three incidents between them that fan, stood up for Hardy. she did not report because she said he ‘terrifies’ her. ALITTLE618@GMAIL.COM “It was real bad, but I also feel like he did his time,” Holder also went on in page 34 to say that Hardy would ‘nonchalantly’ bring up the idea of having her killed Mcghee said.
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THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
Work hard and come to win: Bob Walsh perspective: accomplishes 42 years of coaching A Cav’s
Brittany Runyen
BY BRITTANY RUNYEN Guest Writer I truly love being a Cabrini Cavalier. There is a certain feeling you get when you put on that Cabrini uniform and get ready to play. What I think sets Cabrini apart from any other school is the teamwork that you see in every sport. I am a member of the women’s soccer team, and I know that no matter how tough the opponent may be, I will never be out there alone. Our team sticks together through everything. My teammates have easily become my best friends. I love being a part of the soccer team. Cabrini provides a place for me to play the sport that I love with people that are always there to support me. This year, I also took the opportunity to become a member of the women’s basketball team. I love being a two-sport athlete and getting the chance to be a part of two awesome teams. Playing basketball has allowed me to play a sport that I have always enjoyed and experience the competition at the collegiate level. Cabrini is a great place to be an athlete and I cannot wait to spend my last two years being an athlete as a Cavalier.
RUNYENBRITTANY@GMAIL.COMCOM
ANGELINA MILLER / PHOTO FOR PUB
Bob Walsh, assistant coach of the women’s basketball team, is currently in his 6th seaosn with the program.
BY MARISSA ROBERTO Staff Writer When Bob Walsh, assistant coach of the women’s basketball team, was a senior in high school, his teacher asked him what he wanted to do when he grew up. Like most high school students, he stumbled on his response. The only thing that came to his mind was something in sports. Walsh’s goal growing up was to play basketball and baseball in high school and college. It was a challenge but he achieved his goals and realized he could be a decent basketball player at both the high school and college level. “I said that I love sports. I told him I did not think I was good enough to play pro basketball but coaching basketball would be great,” Walsh said. “My teacher told me that coaching is teaching, so why don’t you
think about teaching a subject.” Walsh took a strong interest in history all throughout high school. He attended La Salle University where he was not only a basketball player but also studying to become a history teacher. “Coaching has really been what I have wanted to do,” Walsh said. “If I could have done just coaching I would have but being just a high school coach does not pay the bills so teaching was good.” He graduated from La Salle in 1971 and received a job as a JV boy’s basketball coach at Bishop Neuman High School. Two years later, Walsh was hired to be the head boys basketball coach at Central Bucks East, where he coached for 18 years. “When I first got my head job, we were supposed to have a really good team, but we lost our first five games and I went uh-oh, that is not looking too good,” Walsh said. “There have
always been moments, in terms of wins and loses, that I can reflect back to.” Walsh then got involved with girls basketball in 1997 and arrived at Cabrini five years ago as one of the four assistants to the women’s basketball team. “The work I put into coaching and what I learned from other coaches helped me become a better coach,” Walsh said. “You may have ups and downs, and wins and loses, but the ultimate thing is working with the young people.” It is senior point guard Dana Peterson’s last year playing basketball as a Lady Cav and Walsh has been there every step of her career. He reminds Peterson to relax on the court and when things get crazy to always keep a level head. “He is really easy to talk to and he always gives us good advice with our shots and makes sure that we keep active hands on defense,” Peterson
said. “Coach Bob is a great asset to our team and looks out for us.” Walsh has always liked the idea that when one crosses the line and go to play a game, they work hard and come to win. If they take that attitude to the game, they can thrive. He uses that coaching method with his player,s so they try to succeed in every game they play. “Basketball and coaching has been a great thing for me. It is my life. I hope to continue longer. As long as Coach Kate wants to keep me around and Cabrini wants me, I will be here,” Walsh said. “I do not think I want to do anything else right now. It has been a fantastic 42 years and I hope to get 43 starting next year.” MARISSANROBERTO@GMAIL.COM
CABRINIATHLETICS.COM
This season Runyen became a dual-sport athlete; playing for both the women’s soccer and basketball teams.
ANGELINA MILLER / PHOTO FOR PUB
Walsh graduated from La Salle University in 1971, where he was a member of the men’s basketball team for four years.
SPORTS
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
THELOQUITUR.COM | 15
Being a student-athlete is a hard task but it can be accompolished BY MOIRA PRIOR Staff Writer
CABRINIATHLETICS.COM
Cabrini Athletics put together a student-athlete manual specifically for all athletes on campus.
Balancing school work and sports can be a difficult task. For some it may be overwhelming while for others, it can actually be something that helps to keep them focused. Swim team member Isabella Badalato says she could not imagine school without being a part of a team. Her team means a lot to her and they are there to help each other out. “Being dedicated to swimming helps me to stay on track in school and keeps me motivated to do well in the classroom. I always find a balance in between,” Badalato said. Finding balance seems to be key. Once one achieves that balance, playing a sport can actually be beneficial to their college experience. Todd walker, junior biology major, thinks that his sport actually enhances his education. “I think it makes me more dedicated to my school work. It has taught me time management and forces me to stay on top of everything with a strict training regimen,” Walker said. Brooke Hagan, sophomore education major adjusted quickly to the student-athlete life even as a freshmen. “Being a part of a wonderful team motivates me to do the work. I definitely am pushed to get better grades when I am in season,” Hagan said. Some people take on the difficult task of being dual-sport athlete. Playing two sports and keeping a high GPA is an extremely challenging task. For alumni Breaghann Smith, having overlapping seasons was at times, too much to handle. “I even considered dropping one of my sports at one point because I was feeling so overwhelmed but I knew I would regret that decision in the long run,” Smith said. “While both sports were in-season there were some days that I had three practices (two for swimming, one for soccer), an occasional
weightlifting session, 2-3 classes to attend and my on-campus job shift(s),” Smith said. “Many days I would leave my dorm at 6 a.m. and I wouldn’t return again until 9pm to start my homework.” When Smith found the balance and dedicated so many hours into both school, soccer and swimming it made life for her a little bit easier. “I think when both my sports were in-season I would say, for the most part, I was more on top of my schoolwork compared to the offseason,” Smith said. Being a dual-athlete was something Smith will always cherish in her time at Cabrini. “I am happy to say that I was able to participate on the soccer team and swim team all four years and still manage to do well in school,” Smith said. “It was difficult, but the experience was worth it, and I would do it all over again if I could.” Besides the long practices, attending lifting and busy school schedules, traveling is one of the hardest aspects of being a college athlete. A lot of effort needs to be put into time management. Tina Melchiorre, a dedicated swimmer, puts a lot of thought into her school work as well as her sport. “It gets tough when we have a travel meet where we may have to miss class, it is difficult to make sure all the work gets done because all our time is spent on the pool deck and mentally preparing for the meet,” Melchiorre said. Learning to manage schoolwork and sports at the same time is key in being a successful college student. “After three years of being a student-athlete there are still new things to learn about managing school and sports but it can be done,” Melchiorre added. PRIORMOIRA@GMAIL.COM
Freshman Nomi Washington does not shy away from the pressure BY SARA JOHNSEN Staff Writer
Freshman Nomi Washington from Phoenixville P.a., is the newest addition to the women’s basketball team. Unlike her teammates in her class, Nomi has a little more pressure to perform. “Amber did really well. She was in the thousand point club and she was Player of the Year. She’s definitely known well here. It’s something I hear all the time, you know, having to live up to what she did, but I like it,” Washington said. “It gives me something to look forward to and I like the pressure.” Not all of the freshmen have a Cabrini College Alumni, who dominated the same sport that they play, as a sister. The list of Amber Keys’ accomplishments could go on forever, starting from her freshman year and continuing to grow throughout her senior year. In all 4 years at Cabrini, Amber made her legacy known. “It’s funny because when she comes and watches me she’s like, ‘Oh I did this and that,’ but I know that I got it,” Washington said. The pressures of possibly living in her sister’s shadow does not overpower the stress of school and playing for a new team. “It’s hard, but I’m getting used to it though. Our team is really helpful to me. Being a freshman is always hard because you have to learn the new plays and learn how to be around a new team but they’re so helpful that it makes the transition that much easier,” Washington said. “The pace is faster and you have to keep up. Not even with basketball but school-
wise too. It’s a bigger work load and you have to learn how to juggle everything and stay on top of everything,” Washington said. “I’m still getting used to it.” Nomi noticed the difference between being a student-athlete in high school and college. “Being a student-athlete is hard. You have to go to school and make sure you’re staying on top of your school work, but at the same time you have to stay on top of your basketball and remember what you have to do,” Washington said. “You have to balance your time well. Its difficult, but do-able.” All freshmen athletes look up to players on their team, but with such a small basketball team, all of the upperclassmen (especially the 4 seniors) have to be good role models. “Renee is always helpful. In the beginning of the year, we’ve stayed after practice and she would just help me and make sure I know all of the plays well. She wants everyone to be on the court, she wants to win, and I definitely look up to her a lot,” Washington said. When asked what is the Lady Cav’s goal for the season, Washington’s response was straightforward. “A big goal for all of us is to get that CSAC win,” Washington said. SJOHNSEN1996@GMAIL.COM
RENEE OLIVER / SPORTS EDITOR
Washington, a Phoenixville Pa. native, is in her first year as a Cavalier.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015
SPORTS
THELO QUITUR.COM | 16
The man behind the scenes: Brian Beacham BY ANNA LAQUINTANO Staff Writer
Administration. He then went on to taking a position at Syracuse. A side from being A.A.D. at Cabrini, Beacham also teaches Sports Communications at the college, as well. Brian Beacham is starting his first year as Associate Director of Athletics. “In my third year at Cabrini, Dr. Jerry Zurek asked me if I was interested in teaching Beacham has worked very hard doing behind the scenes work for Cabrini athletics a sports communication course. So I got the book and made up a syllabus,” Beacham over the past eight years. said. “I have an intro class with 15 students as of right now and I also have a practicum When Beacham with four. They call first came to Cabrini, sports games and a lot he was a Sports of different events.” Information Director. “Beach is a great This position lasted professor inside for about three years the classroom but until he was asked also a respected to become Assistant administrator outside Athletic Director for of it,” Dan Luner, senior four years. communications Being Associate major, said. “I have Athletic Director, taken every class I Beacham is in charge can with him and of fundraising for the experiences and athletics. He is in lessons learned have charge of the Cavs fund, been nothing but which is an annual positive.” giving program where After being a part they collect donations of huge universities from parents, past such as Temple players and alumni. and Syracuse, why Beacham is also the Beacham choose to sports administrator come to work at a for the golf team, as smaller college such as well as both men’s and Cabrini? women’s tennis. “I looked at a Although his new couple positions. They position comes with included Villanova, new tasks, a lot of Penn and Cabrini. I JARED HANSKEN / PHOTO FOR PUB things remain the Beacham is now in his eighth year as an employee for Cabrini Athletics. accepted the position same. Beacham over not really knowing sees all events on campus, does the team scheduling and handling any travel plans for much about division III sports but I really enjoy it,” Beacham said. “I think the Division them. He also takes care of all NCAA duties, such as doing paperwork and making sure III experience is a little more inline of how college experience should go after seeing that sports teams are following the rules. students at Temple and Syracuse have a 24/7 commitment to their sport.” Beacham studied at Temple University with an undergraduate degree in Sports and “Cabrini really has that balance on school and sports,” Beacham said. “Also the people Recreation Management. I work with and athletes I come across make it really enjoyable to work here.” During his time at Temple, he worked with the basketball team. “That’s how I really got the ball rolling in athletics,” Beacham said. ALAQUINTANO@GMAIL.COM Beacham continued his education at Temple with a graduate degree in Athletic
Cost of playing sports burns holes into parent’s pockets BY NASIR RANSOM Staff Writer
Money — we all want or need it and for an athlete who wants to play sports, it is necessary. All of the equipment, uniforms and registration fees can cost a pretty penny. Some students on campus shared their stories on whether or not money was the deciding factor in their early sports careers. Sophomore tennis player Serena Cooper never had to worry about the financial struggles when it came to buying sports equipment. “It was not difficult for me to afford playing any sport I want because my parents gave me what I need and wanted,” Cooper said. “Money isn’t really a problem for me because my parents made sure I always had sporting equipment and uniforms,” Cooper said. An article from the Huffington Post reported that in the United States, parents spend $671 on average per year to cover the costs of uniforms and the hefty fees charged for registration, lessons and coaching. The article also reports that it is a growing five billion dollars a year industry. “Growing up my parents always made sure I had the equipment for all of my sports and that it was in good condition,” Taylor Mack, field hockey and softball player, said. Mack recognized that having all new sports equipment probably put pressure on her parents to keep up financially. “About every two years for a new composite
bat, it costs close to $350,” Mack said. “I do feel it takes an incredible amount of money to keep up with sports, fortunately there are more organizations to help financially challenged kids play sports,” Mack said. Kids Play USA Foundation reports that for one child to play one sport each season it can cost anywhere from $500 to $5,000. The organization says over $3.5 billion has been cut from sports programs in public schools over the past two years. “To play baseball when I was younger, it didn’t cost that much for my gloves, shirt, pants or cleats,” freshman roller hockey player Tyree Holmes said. “The most it would ever cost my parents is around $100 dollars, so not too expensive.” “I think the cost of playing a sport is cheaper when you’re in college,” Holmes said. “When you’re a part of a team they usually pay for a lot of the stuff you need.” “This year was the most expensive to buy equipment for roller hockey and that was all inclusive about $400,” Holmes said. Some kids need sports as an outlet or release from their daily problems, which leaves parents with low-income struggling to pay for the costs every year.
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