The Beacon
Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
For more content, visit online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Volume 78 ◆ Issue 11
Th u r s d ay, A p r i l 1 7 , 2 0 1 4
Donation for nonprofit internships By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Staff Writer
Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon
Coordinating Vice President Hannah Sterrs prepares a ballot for Freshman Larry Rogers yesterday. Voting will continue today from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Veteran’s Center opens By Nick Swanson Staff Writer
The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) is dedicated to benefit all student, faculty and staff veterans on campus. The center is located in Venable Hall room 309. “Ideally the center will provide access to academic support, professional peer advising, computer training and other essential services to make the veterans feel welcome and promote their success,” Theresa O’Bryant, associate dean of students, said. O’Bryant organized a team including faculty and staff from financial aid, counseling services and the center for student success and engagement to help the cause. The ribbon cutting ceremony officially opened the center on Wednesday, April 16. “This is a place for returning veterans to call their own,” President Mary Grant said. “Where they can support and lend ideas with each other and eventually connect more deeply with the rest of the campus.” Student veterans have keypad access to the resource center’s new additions. Some of those include a new television donated by President Mary Grant, a largescale detailed world map with colored magnets for veterans to share different areas they served in, a Keurig coffee maker, computers with a printer, a microwave and couches. “It’s important for people to understand that some have
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a different context,” O’Bryant continues, “We are in a good position because we have a great opportunity to treat people well who have served this country.” According to O’Bryant, there are just under two-dozen veterans that attend the College who are on financial benefits and more than 10 students who are the children of veterans on the same benefits. “That doesn’t tell us how many veterans we have in our student population though, because some veterans don’t tell the college or use their GI Bill to go to school,” O’Bryant said, “I think it is certainly fair to say that opening up the Veterans Resource Center is not to attract, but to support students that are veterans and to help them persist in school, which helps us retain them until graduation.” “Opening the center gives a positive view for student veterans and regular students,” student veteran Brian Nelson said. “This amount of support is outstanding and I will definitely be using the veterans’ center a lot.” O’Bryant explained the VRC will be a place where the veterans can be together, because addressing the transition to school from the service is helpful if they do it in cohorts. O’Bryant said although it is primarily for the veterans, they are welcome to bring in other students or friends as well, especially if it helps them with their studies. The VRC funding primarily
came from donations by the College and other community efforts; the College has not established an official budget for the center. The Mass. state Valor Act, requires the Board of Higher Education to develop a written policy that requires public higher education institutions to develop policies regarding the granting of academic credit for a student’s prior or concurrent military occupation, training and coursework, and requires higher education institutions to designate a single point of contact for student Veterans. In the MCLA President’s Report, O’Bryant states “MCLA has mounted a concerted effort to support veteran students.” According to the article, the College also helps veterans with a variety of tuition benefits and waivers, including those provided through state and national programs and offers potential college credit for military training programs. English Professor Harris Elder is working with veterans, helping them translate their military transcript into an academic one to earn credits. O’Bryant explained that an example of life-experience credit can be if one were to have run a battalion, which is translated into managing experience. Andrew H. Mick Jr. and his family made a contribution to aid veterans in the form of a $10,000 donation toward a scholarship program for veterans of U.S. military service.
Facilities update completed
“Angels in America” premieres
The new facilities building will open tomorrow.
FPA students put on a spirited performance.
News, page 4
Arts & Entertainment, page 6
MountainOne made a $100,000 pledge to create the MountainOne Community Development Scholars Fund that offers one internship opportunity for a student to work with a non-profit organization in the summer in regions where the bank is located. These regions include communities throughout Mass., in the Berkshires, southern Vermont, Rockland, Quincy, Scituate in the South Shore and Danvers. “MountainOne supports the college’s mission of hands on learning,” President of the MCLA Foundation, Marianne Drake, said. The requirements are: • Internship must relate to the student’s program of study • Must be a junior or senior fulltime student • Massachusetts resident • Maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA on all coursework • File for Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) • Not be in default with federal or student education loans Drake’s
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this three-year campaign are high because of the College’s relationship with MountainOne in the past; the Golf Classic raised funds for the athletics department. “Anytime we can make access easier for students to prepare them for the job market, it’s a win-win for not only them, but the economy too,” she said. “MountainOne has a long history of serving students and non-profits.” The bank is verbal about understanding the importance of high-quality experiences and working with corporate partners, she added. This opportunity also opens doors in the community and business sector to raise funds. MountainOne will also be offering paid internships aside from the fund. Any inquiries can be directed toward Assistant Director for Center for Student Success and Engagement, Manat Wooten, in the Center for Student Success and Engagement (CSSE). Applications for the MountainOne Community Development Scholars Fund can be made to the Financial Aid Office where recipients will be determined by the staff of that office, as well as the Dean of Academic Affairs in regards to the required criteria.
Photo by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
MountainOne Bank’s donation will offer money for students working internships with non-profit groups.
Voting continues today! Check out Jess Gamari’s features of the candidates on pages 3, and for further reading and up to date SGA election coverage, visit The Online Beacon at Beacon.mcla.edu! Tennis team wins two of three
News Arts & Entertainment Sports The team takes a win against Sage Campus Opinion and Johnson State College. Local Events Photo Essay Sports, page 9
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Campus News
Thursday, April17, 2014
Weekend Weather
NBCC seeks funds for lip dub video about this project via the group’s Facebook page, “North Adams Lip Dub song contest!”
Forecast from Weather.com
Today, April 17
Classes added to Environmental Dept.
By Jess Gamari Managing Editor
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Friday, April 18
Partly Cloud High: 56° Low: 36° Precip. Chance: 10%
Saturday, April 19
The Northern Berkshire Community Coalition has created a kick-starter fund for a community wide lip dub music video project. Annie Rodgers, who works for Coalition, spoke to SGA on Monday night. Among other projects, the Coalition is devoted to working on neighborhood and community development. In a lip dub music video, various locations are filmed with residents singing or mouthing the words to a song to be added in later. In this case, Rodgers said the community would create their own music rather than trying to seek the licenses of popular songs. A battle of the bands will be held in June to choose the song for the lip dub. “We’re looking to do a community pride effort, creating pride amongst our community, but also bring together people from all walks of life in North Adams that otherwise wouldn’t be creating something together,” she said. “MCLA is a huge aspect of our community, so I wanted to put that out there for all of you to think about.” As of now, nothing can officially happen until enough money is raised in the kick-starter fund. If enough funds are raised, filming is set to happen the last Saturday in September. Learn more
Curriculum committee met for the first time in a few weeks to discuss several classes, according to Coordinating Vice President Hannah Sterrs. The following classes, “Animal Nature,” “The Nature of New England,” and “Aquatic Nature,” have been sent to the All College Committee to be added into the Environmental Studies as electives. Students in the education major will now take their field placement in their sophomore year, according to Sterrs. “What’s been happening in recent years are some of the MTELS (Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure) are incredibly hard to pass, one more than the other, so they are moving the field placement to your sophomore year instead of your junior year in hopes that by the time you take your MTELS in the spring of your junior year, or fall of senior year you’re a little more prepared,” she said. The Curriculum Committee has been talking about tier three core requirements, specifically the capstone course. The committee is looking into whether or not these courses are effective and whether or not they’ve been meeting their learning objectives, Sterrs said. The committee will meet again to draft a solution. Today is the last day for elections. Stop by the Marketplace between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. to cast your votes. Check out page 3 to learn more about the candidates running.
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President Jake Powers reminds attendees of the meeting about upcoming activities for seniors. Class retreats possibilities Executive Vice President Brendan Peltier announced the Student Affairs committee would be moving forward with looking into the sophomore year experience. Looking at other COPLAC schools, Peltier said it’s possible the College may look into class retreats. For one day, students travel with their graduating class to either a career fair or internship fair. The committee will meet to discuss this further. Senior Announcements This is the last week to purchase Senior Days Packages for $80. Packages can be purchased in the marketplace from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. and 5 until 6 p.m. on Friday. Packages can also be purchased in Diane Collin’s office.
Seniors should pick up their tickets for graduation from the info booth in the Campus Center. Present a student ID to the attendant and students will be given their four allocated tickets, and can be placed on a waiting list at that time to obtain up to three more tickets. Every ticket has been accounted for, meaning there are no “extra tickets” available. Tickets of students who do not pick them up or who chose not to participate in the Commencement Ceremony will be given to those on the waiting list. Students have until April 30. Upcoming events and meetings Bookstore advisory council will meet again on April 24 in the Campus Center 324 A at 2 p.m. Smoking Taskforce will meet on April 25 In the Campus Center 324 A at noon.
Earth Week Calendar The Environuts will host a number of events in celebration of Earth Day next week. By Gabriel Kogel Senior News Editor
22nd For Earth Day, the Environuts will be tabling in the Amsler Campus Center starting at 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p. m. The group will be selling various types of greenhouse grown small plants for a dollar each, to raise awareness of green living and sustainability on campus and in the larger community. Proceeds raised will be donated to the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, a non-profit group that protects natural areas and organizes wilderness hikes.
Sunday, April 20
23rd An organized campus cleanup. Beginning at 5 p. m. in front of the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, the Environuts and anyone wishing to join will be picking up trash and recyclables, and putting them where they belong. All are welcome to help, said Environuts President Josh Reynolds “the more people who volunteer, the more we can get done.”
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24th Movie night at 7:30 pm in Murdock 218. The Environuts will screen: “Chasing Ice,” a film that documents the effect of human induced climate change on the world’s glaciers. Pizza and veggies will be provided to all in attendance. 25th Environuts will be organizing a hike on the nearby Hoosac Range at 3:00 p.m. Anyone wishing to join is welcome, transportation will be provided. The group will meet at the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, and the hike will end before 5:00 p.m. 26th The Environuts hope to charter a bus to Washington D.C. to attend the final protest of the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline Project. This is a tentative plan, as Environuts faculty advisors Daniel Shustack, and Elena Traister, are not available. Reynolds is still working out the logistics, but the plan will be finalized soon, he said.
Campus News
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Students run for SGA Presidential and Cabinet positions Elections continue today in the Campus Center Marketplace from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Results will be available on the Beacon website following the election. Taylor Krowitz: Class of 2015 Running for: President What clubs or activities were/are you involved with on campus? History Society, Gaming Alliance, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, Pi Upsilon Pi Fraternity, Senior Ambassador for Admissions, Peer Advisor, Captain of Men’s Tennis Team. Why should students vote for you and your ticket? Students should vote for our ticket because we’re they’re for them. We’ve made it our goal to reintegrate SGA with the 40 plus clubs we have now. We’re really trying to make clubs aware that SGA is there for Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon them and that we’re willing to help out with literally Taylor Krowitz is running for anything, whether it’s events, questions about SGA President. budgets, recruitment or how to get to members. I think that if students vote for this ticket, they’ll gain that new perspective from SGA. Lucas McDiarmid, Class of 2015 Running for: Executive Vice President What clubs or activities were/are you involved with on campus? SGA Senate, Admissions Ambassador, LEAD Academy graduate. Why should students vote for you and your ticket? I feel that I’m very open-minded and I’m open to all of their causes. I understand there are groups that feel they are left out and I would do my best to make them feel more included and make sure SGA was more inclusive of them and of what their plans and ideas are. I have a lot of training, as of right now I manage the admissions department volunteer group Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon for all of their events. I have a good handle on being Lucas McDiarmid is running a leader and I’ve had good role models, from student for SGA Executive Vice leaders as well as faculty leaders. President. Jacob Fenell, Class of 2015 Running for: Coordinating Vice President What clubs or activities were/are you involved with on campus? Pianist for Harlequin (tech, dress rehearsals, performances, annual Review). Pianist for Allegrettos for two years for their gospel portion. Worked with Fine and performing arts department on various performances. Musical director for FPA Cabaret, Dance co. (introduced rave music and integrated white gloves into performances), Senator at large during freshman year, voted most outstanding senator. Orientation leader, Elected Vice President of Pi Upsilon Pi Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon Fraternity for next year, and member of Students for Jacob Fennell is running Sensible Drug Policy. for SGA Coordinating Vice Why should students vote for you and your ticket? President. I was involved with a lot of different clubs because I wanted to explore my interest. It’s given me a lot of experience in terms of seeing how the various groups on campus operate. With arts management as one of my majors, I’ve really been able to see how to effectively run clubs like a business and how to take appropriate measures to get clubs what they want. For example if a club needs more money you don’t always need to ask SGA for more money or get bummed out after the budget finance committee meeting where you find out if you are getting less money than you are tentatively supposed to get. There’s ways to make more money or cut down on spending such as co-sponsorship if clubs have similar goals they can utilize each other’s resources and work together to create a bigger and more publicized event.
Other Senate Positions Student Trustee Alyson Stolz Senate At-Large (eight seats available) Nicholas Hernigle Colby Harvish Samantha Beaton Timothy P. Williams Kelsey McGoniglle Evan Pirnie Geraldine Rios Student Resident Seat Rhea Werner
Treasurer, Parliamentarian and Public Relations positions are appointed by the President elected. Senate Chair and Senate Secretary elected by the 2014-2015 Senate in the coming weeks. MassPIRG is up for a reaffirmation vote. A “yes” vote would allow the group to stay affiliated on campus, and students will still be allowed to waive the $9 MassPIRG fee on student bills if they wish. In the past, MassPIRG has worked to make textbooks more affordable, increased recycling in Mass., and helped to pass the Lemon Law and the bottle bill among other accomplishments.
Brendan Peltier, Class of 2015 Running for: President What clubs or activities were/are you involved with on campus? SGA since freshman year. Senator, Senate Chair, Executive Vice President. Men’s Cross Country, Men’s Tennis, Chair of Student Affairs Governance Committee for two years, Orientation Leader, RA, and World Record Breaking Club. Why should students vote for you and your ticket? Students should vote for me because I’ve been on SGA, I’ve served the student body for the last three years on various different positions. I know exactly Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon what it takes to make a student’s voice heard to the Brendan Peltier is running for administration and the entire college as a whole. I SGA President. think students need to elect someone who is going to fight for them, work for them, especially coming up next year where there might be a few issues that are very prevalent toward students, and know that they’re going to have someone who is dedicated, committed and overall knowledgeable of SGA. I’ve worked on every sector, so I have the knowledge in working with the way SGA functions. I have a great relationship with Vice President Degen and the rest of the administration. I currently work in the President’s office. I know if there’s ever an issue or something that needs to happen, I’ll be more apt to talk to the administrators and work with them because we have such a close relationship. Alexandra Kadel, Class of 2016 Running for: Executive Vice President What clubs or activities were/are you involved with on campus? Class Senator during freshman year, Parliamentarian for SGA, Orientation Leader, Peer Advisor, Vice President of Class of 2016 for two years, RASM, Harlequin, Allegrettos. Why should students vote for you and your ticket? I think collectively, each candidate brings something different. It’s not necessarily that we all want one goal and I think that’s really important because we’re trying to do things for each individual student. Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon For example, Brendan is really focusing on getting Alexandra Kadel is running a student center, Ama is really focused on helping for SGA Executive Vice clubs and getting them involved, I’m looking more in President. depth to make students really understand what SGA is and trying to get class councils really involved. I really have been able to connect with students and I think that’s one of the major things. I’m not just here to be a leader, I want to be someone who can voice people’s opinions. I don’t want to just hear from somebody else that this person is doing this or wants this, I want them to be able to come talk to me personally, seek advice and grow that way. I’m able to communicate and connect and I’m incredibly organized. But with this position, I’m going to be able to learn a lot more than just what I’m confined to now. Ama Adwetewa-Badu, Class of 2015 Running for: Coordinating Vice President What clubs or activities were/are you involved with on campus? Good vibes, Anime club, STAGE, LEAD Academy Graduate, Berkshire Food Project. Why should students vote for you and your ticket? One important quality is being very knowledgeable. As CVP I’ll help clubs put on events and workshops for e-board members. I’ve learned many leadership skills and I want to expand on that. I can help them to become organized and help them understand budgets and help their clubs to grow and function. I Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon want students to be able to feel like they can talk to Ama Adwetewa-Badu is me. I’m not doing this for personal gain, I’m doing running for SGA Coordinating this to help clubs. I work well with the administraVice President. tion and I get things done.
Class Council Candidates
President Class of 2016 Kelsey McGonigle
Class of 2015 President Class of 2015 Elizabeth Doughty Vice-President Class of 2015 (Write-in candidate) Treasurer Class of 2015 Evan Pirnie Secretary Class of 2015 Rhea Werner
Class of 2016
Vice-President Class of 2016 Alexandra Kadell Adam Umarov
Class of 2017 President Class of 2017 Devante Rosa Bridget Forson Vice-President Class of 2017 (Write-in candidate)
Treasurer Class of 2016 Alison Gilbert
Treasurer Class of 2017 Timothy P. Williams
Secretary Class of 2016 Christopher Cozzaglio Nicholas Hernigle
Secretary Class of 2017 Shelby Gauthier
Information compiled by Jess Gamari/Managing Editor
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Campus News
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Facilities building to open tomorrow By Alexander Moore Staff Writer
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the new facilities building on Ashland St., and the 48 members of the staff will move into the building at the start of May. Director of facilities Charles Kimberling said the new building will keep the staff in one place, rather than scattered around campus. According to Vice President of Administration and Finance James Stakenas, the staff currently work out of different places. The carpenters work out of the basement of the Campus Center, the electricians and plumbers work out of Bowman Hall, and second shifts work out of Mark Hopkins Hall. “We lose efficiency by being scattered. Managers have to track down different groups in different areas, rather than having them all in one spot,” Kimberling said. “It’s more cumbersome to go out to all employees across campus than to have them all in one spot.” Kimberling said there will be check-ins in the morning, during which employees receive their assignments. A similar follow-up process will happen in the evening, in which staff will bring up any issues that occurred throughout the day.
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
The facilities building will officially open after a ribbon cutting tomorrow. In addition to keeping the workers under one roof, the new building will also house a large break room, which will also serve as an on-the-job training room.
Kimberling said the building will house floor samples so the cleaners can receive training on specific floors, such as vinyl tile, ceramic tile and carpet. The building also contains different equipment for different materials for training purposes. “Rather than having to go teach on site, we can go to our own facility,” Kimberling said. Stakenas said because of changes on campus, facilities had to move out of their central location and find a new place. Four years ago, the College purchased a manufacturing warehouse in order to rehabilitate it for the facilities staff, but it was discovered later that building a smaller structure from scratch would save money. “It was more expensive to rehabilitate 26,000 square feet than to build exactly what we needed, which was 12,000 square feet,” Stakenas said. “We saved $1 million building a new building.” Kimberling said the construction of the new building went smoothly. “It went very well, I couldn’t be happier,” he said, adding that Allegrone General Contractor did a good job with managing the building. “They’ve paid attention to detail and things are coming together very well,” Kimberling said.
The rewards and risks of self-publishing Freshman Emily Meidenbauer who has been self-published since February 2012 talks about her experience.
By Brittany Gallacher Special to the Beacon
Emily Meidenbauer sits at the rounded tabled of suite four in Berkshire Towers. Open books surround her as she types furiously on her Dell laptop, fingers clacking against the keys at lightning speed. The green sleeves of her cardigan are rolled up in a business-like fashion, and her thick, black-framed glasses slip down her nose in concentration. She is a passionate writer, that much is certain, officially self-published since February 2012. When asked about the origins of her work, Meidenbauer recalls her third grade classroom. The teacher gave each student a notebook to write in for thirty minutes every day. “That’s when I knew I wanted to be an author for the rest of my life,” she said, smiling fondly. She wrote about several different characters in a series, and her peers, who found these stories fascinating, encouraged her to share them with the class each week, which reinforced her dream of bringing the joy of words to others. Meidenbauer generally writes realistic fiction for young adults, but she currently is working on a new project that falls under the science fiction and fantasy genres. One of her completed novels, featured on goodreads.com, is titled “Right Where My Heart Should Be,” and it is the first in a series about a teenage girl who is sent to live with her mysterious Aunt and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Unfortunately for Meidenbauer, the selfpublishing industry has come under scrutiny by many writers. Some believe it is a great way to get their work out to the public, while others do not think self-published authors are as serious about their writing compared to those who are traditionally published. There are questions about the validity of self-publishing, and the concern that it will hurt the author’s future career if their books do not sell. “I don’t think self-publishing is a bad thing,” Meidenbauer said, disagreeing. She flips her shoulder-length brown hair over one shoulder and smiles patiently. “That’s how authors get discovered. If you have a
successful self-published novel, sometimes big name publishers will want to take that in.” Over the years, Meidenbauer started participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) to start making progress on her ideas. It is a project recognized by professional and amateur writers to write a complete novel in one month. According to the official NaNoWriMo website, the month of November is dedicated to writing 50,000 words without editing. The site also offers pep talks from authors who have been picked up by traditional publishing companies, and forums for writers to discuss their ideas with each other. After talking to other writers online, Meidenbauer heard about the self-publishing industry that has gained a huge following since technology has become very popular in the past few years. She signed up for CreateSpace in 2011, a company that provides a free online account for those who want to publish their manuscripts as a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. According to the CreateSpace website, members can pay to use tools such as the Interior Reviewer and the Cover Creator. The fee also includes editing, design, and marketing services offered by the company’s professional team. Although CreateSpace and other websites have a free tools option, many writers invest thousands of dollars into creating their book. Kelsye Nelson, a CEO and Cofounder of the Writer.ly publishing service, says authors spend an average of $2,300 on each project. According to her “how to” post on a book promotion site, Nelson states that good quality editing, formatting and advertisements can cost big bucks. “If you invest nothing in your book, don’t expect readers to be very impressed, or compelled to buy,” she wrote in her article. Meidenbauer chose to invest “a little money here and there” to buy and sell copies of her books, but says she earned back most of what she spent. Since money was not a pressing issue for her, she says she chose to self-publish because of the control she has over her
manuscripts. She can decide how it looks and sounds, who gets to see it and how she promotes it. Christopher Hantman, a senior at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), also decided to self-publish his poetry collection titled “Ruffled Feathers and Sharpened Claws.” Hantman used Lulu.com to design his chap-book and make it available on Amazon. “Although the site was easy to use, the profit margin of each book was negligible,” Hantman says. “It was more about the learning experience rather than the money.” When he originally decided to selfpublish, Hantman says he was not aware of every publishing standard. He was disheartened to learn to that all of the poems in “Ruffled Feathers and Sharpened Claws” are now ineligible to be submitted to presses and literary journals. “Like a visual artist or actor, my pieces would be commissioned, and no one wants to pay for a piece that I already produced and shared,” Hantman explains. In the future, he plans on continuing to edit and submit his work to publishers, and says it is their sales distribution and professional design that he requires at this stage in his writing career. However, Meidenbauer has not settled on whether she will try to get published by a traditional company in the future. She said she prefers to have all the rights to her work, and it would depend on what the contract entailed. English/Communications professor Zach Finch suggests a middle-ground between self-publishing and traditional companies by developing networks that can collaborate. “In the last 10-15 years, publishing has become democratized,” Finch says. “There are many more opportunities to be published, and it is a wonderful thing to put your work into circulation.” Finch says traditional publishing can often be a slow process, so it is great to have such a wide spectrum of options. However, he also says it is important to send work out to different venues, such as literary journals and magazines. “Editors are gauging how well your work has been doing,” Finch declares. “If you
Photo by Nick Arena/The Beacon
Student Emily Meidenbauer has focused on writing since the third grade. have not been publishing both traditionally and by yourself, you may not be taken seriously in the long term.” Suw Charman-Anderson, an author and journalist featured in Forbes magazine, has taken a different approach and determined that self-publishing is a negative process. “Too many books are published too soon,” she said in an article on the Forbes website. “The period of time before you become well known is an essential opportunity to find your voice and mature your talent.” Charman-Anderson said social media distracts artists from their original focus. She believes it is easy to get caught up in an online book community, but also realizes social media often promotes work that is not ready. Meidenbauer emphatically disagrees, judging by her five self-published novels that are currently selling on Barnes and Noble, Amazon and the Kindle store. However, she cautions those who want to show their work to the public. “You have to know that you’re ready and commit to it,” she says, gesticulating widely. “You have to be certain of yourself and your work. Don’t do it just because it’s something to do. Do it because it’s your passion.”
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Campus news
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Thursday, April 17, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
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Preparing the way: James Dunn as AIDS victim Prior Walter and Marcus Neverson as Belize share an intense scene at the hospital in “Angels in America.”
“Angels” pushes theatrical limits Review By Raanan Sarid-Segal
Arts & Entertainment Writer “Angels in America” is, without a doubt, my favorite stage drama of all time. It beats out Shakespeare, Pushkin, Chekov and any number of other straight dramatic plays. Its depth and complexity, its willingness to be brazenly avantgarde, its peculiarly Brechtian approach to drama captured my heart from the first moment I came across it. Despite some misgivings about technical details and some aspects of certain performances, I need not have worried. The strength of the material draws the best from any actor speaking it, and everyone in the play is working hard to give the best show they can. Laura Standley, the director of this show, has done a very traditional version of the show, though there are a few technical changes to accommodate the limited resources of a school production. This means that the play exists in all its abstract glory, fusing elements of the divine with the mun-
dane, addressing real fears and tragedies in the same scene as a comedy. Part of that bargain includes tone shifts which may not work for some people, who may not know whether a moment is supposed to be funny or awe-inspiring. The cast comports themselves well. James Dunn and Callen Gardner are each very good, playing the roles of Prior Walter and Louis with the subtlety required for the parts. Courtney McLaren also continues her streak of high quality performances as Harper. Marcus Neverson was enjoyable as Belize and Erik Dabrowski has the vulnerability required to play Joe Pitt without being irritating. None of this is to say the show is perfect. There are numerous rough edges that should be smoothed out over the coming week for the next round of performances. The entire cast needs to work on projecting themselves properly, as in many scenes it was quite difficult to understand what was being said. Especially when the
sound is also mixed poorly, making it even more difficult to hear the dialogue. In the meal scene between Joe, Martin and Roy, Joe was inaudible much of the time. And both McLaren as Harper and Neverson as Mr. Lies were drowned out by the noise in their scene set in Harper’s hallucination of Antarctica. In addition to these sound issues, there were some performances which simply weren’t calibrated properly. Clarissa Henebury’s performances were generally quite nice, but the section where she played the homeless woman was over the top in a way which strangled the life out of the material. In what is on paper an eerie and threatening moment with moments of comedy, the character goes too far, pushing the scene into a parody of itself. There are many ways that this play could have gone wrong, but we were lucky enough to have a very competent staging of the now classic play. One that is unafraid to let the play be as alienating as it can be,
Angels in America continues tonight 8:00 p.m. in Venable Theater
Photo by Shannen Adamites
Joshua Lapierre as Roy Cohn exudes angry energy towards his doctor. staged in its minimal fashion, and still stands by the devastating arcs of the main characters. This staging knows what sets “Angels in America” apart and plays to those strengths. “Angels in America” continues
tonight at 8:00 p.m., and comes back to Venable Theater on April 23, and continues through April 26 at 8:00 p.m., with a symposium on April 26 at 11:30 a.m., followed by a matinee performance at 2:00 p.m.
SAC Spring Concert Presents
The show returns
April 23 - 26
8:00 p.m. Symposium April 26 at 11:30 a.m. Matinee April 26 at 2:00 p.m. Free for students reserve at boxoffice@mcla.edu
Reel Big Fish
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Rock the Block returns in May The Advanced PAM class revisits Spring 2012’s popular street festival
By Rachel Fitterman
Arts & Entertainment Writer The advanced performing arts management (PAM) class will present “Rock the Block 2.0” downtown on Sunday, May 4. The event is a continuation of 2012’s successful “Rock the Block” street festival. Main Street will be blocked off from 2-8 p.m. for food vendors, campus club booths and live music, including the headliner Barely Alive, an electronic dance music (EDM) band based in the Berkshires, whose Facebook page describes their style as “Indie-Classical Electronic Blues.” “We did this two years ago, and it was the Mayor’s favorite thing,” said Jonathan Secor, director of the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) who also runs the PAM class. “People are still talking about it. The students are able to work with the community and learn their career at the same time.” Secor hosts the class once a week at the Parlor Café, where they share a roundtable discussion
on their progress with “Rock the Block 2.0.” Because all of the students have taken the introductory PAM class, Secor said, they are expected to work independently, and don’t need classroom time to go over the basics. The students themselves were able to choose what type of event to put on, and are running the show almost entirely on their own. “Our ideas were dumped out on the table during the first week of class in January, and we went around and voted on them,” said junior Alex Butfilowski, a PAM student and arts management major. “But mainly the ideas behind it come from past shows. We’re all veterans of PAM, so we’ve done shows before, and we draw from our experiences. We figured ‘Rock the Block’ had such a good success that we wanted to bring it back,” he added. “We’re taking the model of ‘Rock the Block’ and making it even bigger,” said sophomore and performing arts major Cecilia Wright. “The process [of decid-
ing] was a lot of back and forth. We kept stating our mission and asking, ‘What do we want from this show?’” The nontraditional nature of the class also allows students to gain hands-on experience in arts management. “This is what they want to do with their lives,” Secor said. “They’re very invested in it.” Butfilowski is the head of production for “Rock the Block 2.0.” He will be working the lights and sound for the live performances. “Right now our biggest challenge is finding a way to get electricity in the middle of the street,” he said. Wright, who is working on marketing and fundraising for the event, said the goal was to create a citywide block party. “The purpose of a block party is to bring people together, and that’s exactly what we want to do. We want to connect the College community and the North Adams community, because there’s still such a gap,” she said.
Photo from Rock the Block 2.0’s Facebook
The second installment of Spring 2012’s succesful street festival Rock the Block will hit Main Street on Sunday May 4.
“The Pigeoning” creatively illustrates social uncertainty Review By Jenna O’Connor
Arts & Entertainment Writer Robin Frohardt’s The Pigeoning proved to be an unexpectedly well-performed and thought-provoking piece of performance art. With highly skilled pupeteering and an intriguing concept, MCLA Presents! featured a dark and dream like approach to the traditional puppet show at the North Adams Puppet Lab. “[The main character] Frank is an office worker living in New York in the early 80s who is obsessed with cleanliness and order. Plagued by pigeons in the park, Frank starts to believe they are plotting against him,” the program states. “A darkly comedic yet heartfelt adventure, The Pigeoning spins articulate puppetry, live music, video and lo-fi special effects into an epic tale about obsessive compulsion and the illusion of safety and control in the context of the end of the world.” Although the production was dialog free, the puppeteers (Daniel Burnam, Nick Lehane, Lille Jayne, Andy Manjuck and Rowan Magee) did a phenomenal job, making Frank come to life to the point where I could actually feel the anxiety of his obsessive-compulsive disorder and his anger towards the pigeons. There is no doubt about it that a ton of work went into this production—from practicing puppet techniques, the music, making everything line up, and the unforgettable set that almost had a Claymation feel to it. The music was rhythmic and calming at times. At others, it
Photo by Jenna O’Connor/The Beacon
Frank sits on a bench announcing the end of the world during MCLA Presents! “The Pigeoning.” sounded like proper “elevator music” , which made the production rather comedic as it expressed Frank’s emotions perfectly without dialog. The production took a trippy turn when Frank fell asleep on a park bench and started to dream, which is when the puppeteers made his unconscious thoughts become a reality before the audience’s eyes. It turned out Frank’s dreams or, rather, nightmares were only a prediction of the happenings of the future—which alluded to a “Great Flood” and the end of the world—provoking apocolyptic thoughts.
The great flood scene was wonderfully executed, with innovatively crafted marine animals such as stingrays made out of pizza boxes, and jellyfish made out of paper bags and the plastic holders on top of soda cans. As soon as Frank would go underwater, the lighting would set to a dark blue, and under-water sounds were played, making the scene believable. With Frank losing his ever-present office safety guide along the way, it showed me that rules and guidelines will not always work, especially when we are just tiny specs in the vast, unpredictable and ever-changing universe.
Literary Open Mic at
The Parlor Cafe tonight at 7:30 p.m
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Sports
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Fair territory
Tennis gains momentum as season rolls along By Kaleigh Anderson Sports Writer
Sports helped a city heal By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
People who do not really watch or follow sports will sometimes find it hard to understand why those who do, choose to watch someone play a sport when they could easily just play it themselves. What those people don’t understand is that sports are something that gives us a great amount of emotional stimulation, and there are times in our lives where that stimulation is needed more than ever. On Monday, the 118th running of the Boston Marathon will take place. The 117th edition of the marathon was the most notable in history, for all of the wrong reasons. An act of terrorism near the finish line of the event took not only the lives of three innocent victims, but also the confidence some of us had in feeling safe, even if we were right here in the United States. The motivation behind the attack is still murky, but what is clear is that the attacks were meant to try and scare the public, to try and intimidate the American people. While the city of Boston was still reeling from the attacks, sports picked us back up. The Bruins had everyone singing in the National Anthem in the Garden days after, the Celtics and the Patriots fought valiantly into the playoffs, and the Red Sox brought everyone all the way back with a championship victory. The exact same activity that created a forum for the terrorist attacks ended up being the leading catalyst in healing the city. The phrase “It’s only a game”, is frequently used when people are disparaging sports. Ultimately, it is unlikely that the Patriots losing in the playoffs is going to directly affect my life, so it is worthless to get upset or excited about sports. But there are times when sports mean so much more than just a simple game. Sports can help us heal, sports can help us regain confidence, and sports can show other people that no matter how hard they try, they will never be able to defeat the spirit of the people. Officials are expecting over a million people to attend the Boston Marathon on Monday, the largest crowd to attend a sporting event in Massachusetts history. Despite the fact that three individuals were senselessly killed the previous year, the environment of sport will once again show how united we can be when tragedy strikes.
Beacon.MCLA.edu
The MCLA Men’s Tennis team defeated Johnson State College 6-3 in NAC tennis action. With the win, the Trailblazers earned their first NAC win of the season. Freshman Rob Wabshinak, junior Taylor Krowitz, and freshman Jeff Mason all earned a pair of points in the win. Wabshinak and Krowitz flourished in the top two singles slots, winning their matches 6-0, 6-1 and 6-0, 6-0 respectivly, while Mason put away Johnson State sophomore Alex Pakatar with a 6-2, 7-5 win. Sophmore Andrea Binder also earned a point in number five singles, defeating Johnson State sophomore Zach Baughn 6-1, 6-3. Wabshinak and Krowitz teamed up against Cole Hennessy and Cory Chase 8-3 in the set at number one doubles. Mason and junior Richard LaRocque earned a key point with a hard fought 9-7 victory in the second slot. “We’re playing the best tennis that we have in 3 years” LaRocque said. “Coach Grimshaw is doing a great job and everyone is improving rapidly. We split our two matches this weekend and everyone is playing great and fighting hard. We can take any match coming up on our schedule.” On Sunday Colby-Sawyer improved to 4-0 in conference play after a 9-0 victory over
the trailblazers. MCLA dropped to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play. The ’blazers fought hard but could not come out with the victory. The team was shutout completley for most of the match, with LaRocque Photo from MCLA Athletics and sopho- Taylor Krowitz looks to return a serve during Sunday’s game against more Ray Colby-Sawyer. Yelle finally MCLA, taking his match against junior Alex taking a set from Colby-Sawyer in number Fernandez, 2-6, 6-0, 6-1. three doubles play, although they eventually MCLA then went on to sweep doubles comlost 8-1. petition, as Wabshinak and Krowitz, MaLast Thursday, MCLA was in non-confer- son and sophomore Cristian Sanchez, and ence action against Sage College. MCLA was LaRocque and Yelle all earned points. strong at home, winning the match 6-3. The team played yesterday against Rhode IsOnce again, Wabshinak and Krowitz led the land College at home, and will play at home way, taking the top two singles matches in Saturday against Lynday State, at 1 PM. straight sets. Andrea Binder also scored for
Golf competes in spring tournaments By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
The MCLA golf team began it’s spring season with two tournaments over the last week. MCLA traveled to New York to compete in the Cobbleskill Invitational on Friday, and competed in the MASCAC Tournament over in Sutton, Mass. In the Cobbleskill tournament, MCLA as a team shot a combined 361, good enough for third place in the tournament. Senior Taylor Dunn led the Trailblazers with a score of 81, which placed him fourth overall among individual golfers. Junior Mitch Mullett finished second for MCLA with a score of 85, good for 10th overall. “I was impressed with the team’s performance after a long winter,” Dunn said. “Mitch Mullet posted a solid score, Padraig Dougherty showed some promising moments on the course, Nathan Gutman battled the inclement weather and hilly course to post a decent score, and James Clark had a career
best round.” SUNY-Cobbleskill captured first place in the tournament, with a score 305. SUNY-Cobbleskill senior Dan Cervantes finished first among individuals golfers, recording a final score of 73. Overall, five teams competed in the tournament, with a total of 27 golfers playing the course. On Tuesday, MCLA headed to Blackstone National Golf Course to play in the MASCAC tournament. MCLA finished fourth in the tournament, with a final score of 213. Inclement weather forced the tournament to be shortened, and the players retired after playing the front nine. Mullet led the Trailblazers with a score of 41, which put him in fifth place amongst all golfers, with Dunn right behind him with a score of 42. The tournament was won by Salem State, and Viking senior Tom Grant placed first with a score of 39. “The guys really want to play and Photo from MCLA Athletcs that’s the first component needed in MCLA senior Taylor Dunn led the team with a score of order to improve,” Dunn said. 81 during the Cobbleskill Invitational.
Rugby opens up season with a win
The Rugby club was in action for the first time this semester, taking on Framingham State on Sunday. The Trailblazers came away with a victory, as they defeated the visiting Rams, 37-30. MCLA was led by JJ Kolis and Dominick Cooper who each scored twice for the Trailblazers. Ben Alibozek, Mike Malone and Chris McMahon also scored for MCLA. Kelly Lewis added a conversation for the Trailblazers. “The starting line-up played exceptional well in the first half,” Rugby coach Glenn Lawson said. “ We almost completely dominated the play both on offense and defense.” MCLA asserted itself strongly during the first half, heading into half-time 27-7. Framingham State made it interesting during the second half, getting within seven points, but MCLA was able to hold to perserve the victory. The Rugby Club is back in action on April 27th, against Photo by Jean Stanton/MCLA ‘01 Johnson & Wales University. The game will be played at MCLA’s Ben Alibozek alludes a would-be Framingham State tackler during the home at the Joseph Zavattaro Athletic Complex. game Sunday.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Sports
Beacon.MCLA.edu
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Baseball snaps losing skid Scores Baseball Sunday, April 13 Framingham State 8, MCLA 3 Framingham State2, MCLA 0 Monday, April 14 MCLA 3, Westfield State 2 Westfield State 11, MCLA 3 Softball Thursday, April 10 MCLA 11, Skidmore 2 Skidmore 7, MCLA 3 Sunday, April 13 MCLA 5, Framingham State 2 Framingham State 4, MCLA 0 Monday, April 14 MCLA vs Westfield State PPD Tennis Thursday, April 10 MCLA 6, Sage 3 Photo by Gabriel Kogel/The Beacon
Trailblazer pitcher Robert Jutras rears back and delivers a pitch against Framingham State. Jutras allowed four hits over 6 2/3rd innings and was charged with only two earned runs. Rams a 7-3 lead. After one more run in the top 3. The Trailblazers went on to lose 2-0. By Kelsey Marini In their first game against Westfield, both of the seventh, the Rams went on to win 8-3. Sports Writer “We didn’t make the key hits with runners in teams played very competivly. The Owls initially took a 2-0 lead over MCLA. But the The baseball team had their first two home scoring position,” pitcher Robert Jutras said. Game two came down to the pitchers efforts. Trailblazers were able to bounce back. Key double-headers of the season this past Sunday and Monday. Unfortunately, The Trailblazers Robert Jutras battled Framingham State’s Mi- hits from Ryan Ouimet and Garret Alibozek were not able to hold their own against Fram- chael Andrews, but just fell short of victory. brought the game to a tie. In the seventh iningham State on Sunday April 13, losing both Out of the 24 chances to bat, Framingham’s ning Mike Sullivan was able to make a hit that games. The men were able to split with West- only made four hits but two of them resulted would bring in Michael Mancivalano for a 3-2 field State on Monday, winning one game in in runs. The Rams were able to bring in one walk off win. “Our defense played pretty well and kept us their double-header. The team now has a record run in the first inning and another in the of 3-17 and are 1-7 in the MASCAC conference. fourth. Jutras was able to shut the opposing in the game,” Jutras said. In the second game, the Owls came back on Framingham State jumped to an early lead, team out for the final three innings in hopes fire. They were able to score six runs in the gaining two runs in the first inning. They MCLA would make a comeback. But there was no such luck. The Trailblaz- second inning that left the Trailblazers in the would gain another run in the second, putting them up 3-0 over MCLA. Chase Preite ers were given 23 opportunities to bat and al- dust. The men were able to bring in two runs brought in a run for the Trailblazers with a though they had four potential hits, the team in the third and another in the fifth. But the could not bring in a run. The team had their Owls were able to gain five more runs to make deep hit to center field. The teams fought hard in the fifth inning, chances. Mike Sullivan reached on an error a heartbreaking loss of 11-3. “Every conference game is very important adding one run to their score. Garret Ali- and he was followed by two singles from Chase bozek’s RBI single brought in Jared Gersh to Preite and Rory Slattery. After Garret Alibozek right now,” Jutras said. The Trailblazers are preparing for their next keep up with the Rams 5-2 But in the sixth, struck out, Tyler Benoit had the bases loaded , Framingham would bring in two more runs but unfortunately it led to a double play from game day, which is at home against Fitchburg while MCLA only brought in one, giving the the Rams and the inning ended in a swift 1-2- State tomorrow.
Softball battles through weather By James Hunter Sports Writer
Due to weather conditions, the Trailblazers were forced to play at their neighbor, Williams College’s athletics complex, hosting Framingham State University this past weekend. MCLA won the first game 5-2 before dropping the second game, 4-0 Rachel Quackenbush was on the mound for the Trailblazers Sunday, and Framingham State jumped on her early in the first inning. It was Framingham sophomore Tiffany Marsh who led off with a single and then would later score on Shelby Phillips’ double to left. The Rams later then scored in the second inning on a wild pitch. Just like that, Framingham State went up 2-0. It was not over for the Trailblazers, scoring five runs of their own in four innings, three
of those coming in the third. Both Sam Boyle and Alex Romano scored on a sacrifice bunt from Michaela DiNicola and DiNicola later scored on a sacrifice fly from Quackenbush. Later, the Trailblazers scored in the fourth as Quackenbush singled home Shelbi Clary, who led off the inning with a walk. The Trailblazers would split with Framingham, getting shut out in the second game by the Rams. The Traiblazers would then play Skidmore College where they split the double-header, losing the opening game, 11-2 and winning in the second game 7-3. Quackenbush recorded her ninth complete game for the Trailblazers, allowing no earned runs and three hits, while striking out six. In the evening, the Trailblazers pulled ahead 2-0 with Skidmore rebounding scoring three runs of their own in the third. The Trailblazers knotted the game at three
a piece only to have Skidmore pull away for good on four runs in the fifth inning. Last Wednesday, The Trailblazers were swept by powerful Amherst College losing 12-0 in the second game and 11-3 in the first game. Scoring from the jump, Amherst pounced to a 7-0 lead after three innings of starting pitcher Amanda Meczywor. However, the Trailblazers responded with three runs of their own in the third inning to pull within four. Amherst would secure the win in the fourth by adding a run and never looking back. The Trailblazers had a game against Westfield State postponed, and will host Fitchburg State in a double-header, before traveling to Mass. Maritime on Monday for another double-header. The Trailbalzers are currently 6-14 overall, with a record of 2-4 in the MASCAC. They have six conference games remaining before the season concludes.
Saturday, April 12 MCLA 6, Johnson State 3 Sunday, April 13 Colby-Sawyer 9, MCLA 0
Schedules Friday, April 18 Softball MCLA vs Fitchburg State 2 p.m. MCLA vs Fitchburg State 4 p.m. Baseball MCLA vs Fitchburg State 2 p.m. MCLA vs Fitchburg State 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 19 Tennis MCLA vs Lyndon State 1 p.m. Monday, April 21 Softball MCLA @ Mass. Maritime 1 p.m. Baseball MCLA @ Mass. Maritime 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 Golf MCLA @ Elms Spring Invite 10 a.m.
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Opinion
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
“What are your thoughts on the Undergraduate Research Conference?” “I think it’s cool. I went last year and it was interesting.”
“I think it will be interesting since I’m a freshman and don’t really know what it is.”
-Nicole Culcasi, 2015
-Jackie Kelly, 2017
The Beacon The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department and from ad revenues. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 E-mail: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events. Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the views of The Beacon’s editorial board.
“I am excited to see what the conference is like since I am a transfer student and have never been to it.”
“I think it’s great that students are encouraged to research topics in depth.” -Daniel O’Connell, 2014
-Katie Glaubitz, 2016
Signed columns and commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of the writers. Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper. Letters should be kept to 500 words or less and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters.
“I’m totally pumped and excited to go because I have friends that are presenting and there will be interesting topics being presented as well.”
“It doesn’t affect me in any way because as an FPA major we’re not encouraged to take part in any meaningful way.”
-Brandon Roy, 2016
-Zach Botkin, 2016
Letters must be signed by the writer and include a phone number. Letters may be dropped off at the office or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Contributions Policy The Beacon accepts stories, photos, and opinion pieces for publication. Submissions should be dropped off at the office by Monday at noon or e-mailed to Beacon@mcla.edu. Advertising Policy The Beacon reserves the right not to publish any advertisement it deems to be libelous, false. or in bad taste.
Editorial Board
Photos compiled by Kayla Degnan
Bigger than biceps
Finding your niche By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Staff Writer
Grunting, sweating athletes in the gym can sometimes make beginners uncomfortable and intimidated by not knowing what to do. But just because you don’t know how to work out, you don’t have to push idea aside on a rainy day to-do list. One way to get moving is to plan a schedule with reminders about exercise. In your dorm, cover your closet door or another clear space with inspirational quotes and positive thoughts so that when you go to grab your sweats and bum out, your mind will want to go work out instead. Getting motivated can be extremely hard, especially if you’ve been pushed through high school as part of a team, but are now on your own. To help with this, join
a club or intramural of some sort so you actually have a reason to sweat and will have an easier time fitting it into your schedule. On our campus, Good Vibes Yoga is popular and meets two nights a week, offering a free class taught by a paid instructor. The group is commitment free and is available to all students. Intramurals is also great because it gives you an opportunity to learn a new sport with teammates of your choosing (because some sports like Volleyball require you register with a team). There are tournaments in some of these sports and a variety of time slots are offered to fit students’ needs. Lastly, try and get your housemates or a couple of friends to regularly go hiking or play an active video game, such as Just Dance or UFC boxing. Both activities are so distracting and fun, they hardly make you feel like you’re burning calories. It’s helpful to keep an open mind when searching for exercise routines, because even if you don’t agree with a move or something, you can research further to find an activity that’s relevant and timely. Exercise of the week: Reach and pull - Position yourself on your hands and knees on a soft surface with a flat back. Begin to reach out forward with your right arm while at the same time kicking out back with your left leg. Pull in toward the core directly afterward and repeat ten times, then switch sides. It’s crucial to maintain balance to swiftly conquer the movement and stabilize your abs.
In my humble opinion...
The deadly sin that is pride By Nick Arena Editor-in-Chief
What would the anniversary of the Boston bombing be without a bomb hoax to get us all riled up? A Boston man has been arrested for allegedly telling police he was holding a backpack containing a rice cooker. Normally a rice cooker wouldn’t seem too threatening, but given the bombs that the Tsarnaev’s fashioned were from pressure cookers, this threat would seem a bit more credible. The man has been arrested, and according to an article in the Christian Science Monitor is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at Bridgewater State Hospital. Naturally, one of the first things to follow this hoax was the massive onslaught of Facebook and Twitter posts, raging over the fact
Editor-in-Chief Nick Arena
that “you don’t mess with Boston!” Typically I would ignore this, but when I can confidently say that most of the kids posting these statements probably couldn’t tell Comm. Ave. from Storrow Drive, I have to say I have a little problem. First off, it’s done. The bombing happened, it was terrible, and affected hundreds upon hundreds of people. My own sister was a few blocks away from the actual explosion and I spent a good hour unable to get ahold of her, so I understand. What I don’t understand is rage-filled pride that people seem to develop as soon as something like this happens. Here it’s “don’t mess with Boston,” 9/11 brought us “don’t mess with New York,” or “don’t mess with America!” I understand both of these instances are absolutely terrible, but anger will only beget more anger and claiming that either of these instances somehow affected you when there’s no way they could have only belittles what someone else actually suffered through. I am all about uniting for a cause, but would it kill us to unite for something else besides blind rage and hate? Come together to honor the victims, come together to help someone injured in these incidents, or just come together in spirit. Just stop screaming “don’t mess with Boston,” like you’re even from there. Sincerely, This City Kid
Sports Editor Jesse Collings
Managing Editor Jess Gamari Photography Editor
A&E Editor Shannen Adamites
Kayla Degnan Web Editor Michael Dahlroth
Copy Chief Avery Finnivan Advertising Manager Darcie Sosa
Senior News Editor Gabriel Kogel
Staff Staff Writers
Photographers
Kaleigh Anderson Rachel Fitterman
Richard LaRocque Amy Modesti Andrew Ricketts
James Hunter Chunyu “Judy” Leng Kelsey Marini Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Alexander Moore Jenna O’Connor
Design Team
Shannen Adamites* Nick Arena* Raanan Sarid-Segal Jess Gamari* Nick Swanson Nicole Ngoon Jesse Collings* Copy Editors Yvonne Camacho Rominda DeBarros Nicole L’Etoile Marc Latour
Advisers
Jenifer Augur Gillian Jones Jim Niedbalski
*Holds more than one position
Online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Facebook.com/MCLABeacon Twitter.com/MCLA_Beacon
Opinion & Announcements
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Scholarship established for students affected by NARH The College has announced that MountainOne Financial has donated $25,000 to establish a scholarship aid fund at the College to assist promising students whose family’s financial resources have been negatively affected by the recent closure of North Adams Regional Hospital (NARH). “We are grateful to MountainOne for their generous donation to provide financial help for students affected by the hospital’s closure, so they can continue their studies at the College,” MCLA President Mary K. Grant said. “MountainOne’s gift is a terrific example of the spirit of community that exists in this region.” The contribution will allow for as many as 10 students, each to receive a $2,500 scholarship. To qualify, the students must attend MCLA full time, be in good academic standing, be enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program, and be able to demonstrate unmet financial need due to the NARH closure. In order to be considered for the MountainOne scholarship students must submit an application through the MCLA Financial Aid Office which is located in El-
dridge Hall on the MCLA campus, or can be completed online at www.mcla.edu/aid. MountainOne Financial is a mutual holding company headquartered in North Adams, Mass. MountainOne Bank is a subsidiary of MountainOne Financial, and includes the following divisions: Williamstown Savings Bank; South Coastal Bank; Coakley, Pierpan, Dolan & Collins Insurance; Stevenson & Co. Insurance; True North Insurance; and True North Financial (financial professionals offering securities and advisory services through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser). Founded in 1848, MountainOne Bank and its banking divisions have assets of over $775 million and provide a broad range of banking services to personal and enterprise customers. MountainOne Bank has full service offices serving the Berkshires and Boston South, with a mortgage office in Danvers serving Boston North. For more information, please contact MCLA’s Office of Financial Aid, (413) 662-5219.
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Under the bodhi tree
Untying knots that bind us By Gabriel Kogel
Senior News Editor Last week I promised to go into greater detail about the eightfold path of Buddhism. But, I’ve decided this aspect of the Buddha’s teaching is unnecessarily complex, at least for me, and at least for now. What holds interest for me isn’t striving to lead the most moral life possible through the practice of self-discipline. Instead, I’m working on untying the knots that keep me from enjoying as much of my life as possible. What knots am I talking about? And why should you care? Well, we all have knots that tie us up and can make life drudgery, rather than a joy. Usually, these knots are coping strategies for circumstances we can foresee arising in the future. For instance, have you ever been anxious about speaking in front of a group, so you rehearse it in your mind endlessly, torturing yourself with angst? It’s not our fault. Our brains are wired to accentuate fear and anger-based thoughts, since they have survival value in life and death situations. But, no one should have to live with the dread of impending
“OFF CAMPUS STUDENT HOUSING”: 10 Miner Street, North Adams A 1/2 mile North from MCLA Available Sept through May $1,600 per month for: 4 BEDROOMS, FURNISHED, UTILITIES INCLUDED, including wash-dryer Apt has an upper/lower floor: Includes TWO kitchens & TWO bathrooms. (Also available only in June for $600) To see photos: tenminor.yolasite.com Please contact Henry with hjgates@comcast.net
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doom just because it once kept us out of the jaws of predators. So what helps when we’re trapped by fear or anger-based thinking? Believe it or not, awareness is key. Once we take note of what’s happening, it instantly changes our relationship to the thoughts. This is often the greatest challenge, however. Chronic negative thinking is often a hallmark of addictions. People who become addicts are often trying to escape thoughts they can’t stop thinking, and they don’t believe they can cope by any other means. Yet, addictions are only temporary escapes, albeit destructively alluring escapes to many of us. By becoming aware of what we’re running from, we’re one step closer to loosening its grip on us, without taking refuge in addiction. But awareness takes practice and patience. Our minds are constantly bombarded with stimulation, and when we’re not stimulated we become bored and seek it out. This is why meditation can be so instrumental in finding freedom from negative thoughts, and a sense of contentment in life. By making time to slow down and listen carefully within, we’re able to process all the random noise we’ve accumulated. By listing intently, and accepting the thoughts and feelings that arise with a kind heart, we untangle the knots that have been tightening around us. But if you’re not ready to begin a meditation practice, try breathing deeply and slowly. This helps to slow down the heart rate, creating a sense of calm. It also provides maximum oxygen to your cells, helping them function most efficiently. The body has tremendous inherent wisdom, and that knowledge can be accessed by anybody who’s willing to listen. Namaste.
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENTS ATTENTION GRADUATING SENIORS!! MANDATORY LOAN EXIT MEETINGS HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED: APRIL 22 AT 10:30 OR 3:30 APRIL 23 AT 11:00 OR 3:00 APRIL 24 AT 10:00 OR 6:00 IF YOU BORROWED WHILE AT MCLA, YOU MUST ATTEND ONE OF THESE MEETINGS. ALL MEETINGS WILL BE IN THE CAMPUS CENTER, ROOMS 324A AND B ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE 662-5219.
Are you in a club? The Beacon wants to help promote your club! We will print one free advertisement per semester. Send us an email on first class!
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Check it out! Upcoming events on and off campus!
Today, April 17 Overnight Program Church Street Center Social Hall 3:30 -10p.m. Western Labor Action Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Artist Association Bake Sale Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 5-7 p.m. History Society Movie Night Murdock Conference Reception Room 218 7-9:45 p.m. Easter Basket Raffle Amsler Campus Center Marketplace noon-4 p.m. SGA Elections Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Undergraduate Research Conference Murdock Hall and Venable Hall 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. The 12 Annual URC is a campuswide celebration of the talent and dedication of MCLA students. Students from across disciplines present their scholarship and creative activity in the form of a poster, oral presentation, or performance.
Friday, April 18 Clubs with Causes Fair Amsler Campus Center Marketplace noon- 2 p.m. NRHH Induction Ceremony Science Center Atrium 3-4:30 p.m. Creative Cram Craft Circle Amsler Campus Center Sullivan Lounge 6-10 p.m. Patriot’s Day Bus Trip to Boston 4/18 to 4/21 4 p.m. Departure and Return Time
Saturday, April 19 SAC Karaoke Venable Gym 8- 10 p.m.
Next Thursday, April 24 Gallery 51: Fresh! 5 p.m. Students exhibit their thesis work and the culmination of their capstone course in their Senior Art Project.
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Thursday, April 17, 2014
Photo Essay
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Community Day of Service organizers hand out supplies to various volunteer groups.
North Adams Community Day of Service Students and community members come together to clean up the city Photos by andrew Ricketts
Volunteers and students gather supplies from the Church Street Center.
Community members get ready for transport to different service sites.
Volunteer Santana King pitches in at the North Adams Armory.