The Miscellany News
Since 1866 | miscellanynews.org
August 27, 2018
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NY
Volume CLI | Issue 1
Welcome to the Class of 2022! Incoming first-years to join campus community on Aug. 27
Courtesy of Vassar College/Karl Rabe
A note from the Editor Talya Phelps
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I
f I had to choose one word to typify the first semester of college, it would be overwhelming. Sure, it’s many other things, too—exciting, exhilarating, full of opportunity. Yet between finding your people in a completely new social environment and hunkering down in the library (or whatever place you pretend to be productive), time for extracurricular activities might seem elusive until you hit your stride and truly settle into college life. In the midst of the wonderful whirlwind that is Vassar Year One, it’s understandable if joining clubs and seeking out leadership positions—those mystical See WELCOME on page 4
Pictured above are students Wenxuan Guo ’20, Lindsey Sample ’20, Benjamin Tai McCarthy ’20 and Parveer Kaur ’20, who conducted robotics research this summer as part of Vassar’s Undergraduate Research Summer Institute (URSI).
VC receives $1 million STEM grant Noah Purdy and Charlotte Varcoe-Wolfson CONTRIBUTING EDITORS ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY Izzy Braham, Arts Editor
V
assar has seen significant changes to its academic landscape in recent years: The Bridge for Laboratory Sciences, opened in January 2016, up-
dated and expanded resources for the sciences. The Fall 2016 approval of the 2-2-1, or “dash-1,” policy will alter curricular structures and teaching loads beginning this academic year. Finally, last fall ushered in the Engaged Pluralism Initiative (EPI), which aims to cultivate a more inclusive and dynamic campus
and classroom community. The most recent development occurred this June, when the College announced that it was one of the recipients of the $1 million Inclusive Excellence grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). Over the next five See SCIENCE on page 3
BoogieREZ duo invites LeBron holds court on participation with art summer ’18 b-ball stage Izzy Braham ARTS EDITOR
W
hether it’s graphic design, graffiti, drawings or sculpture, art has the potential to entrance, challenge or even perplex a viewer. When creators combine these different mediums, the interactive dimension of art can be amplified, transforming an exhibit into an immersive experience or a conversation between artist and viewer. Two local Poughkeepsie artists, Rezones and Riiisa Boogie (also known as Risa
Tochigi) have made careers doing just that—fusing their creative talents in vastly different fields of art to create pieces and exhibits that push viewers to interact with their work. From August 27 to September 20, the duo, known as BoogieREZ, will be showcasing their art in an interactive exhibit entitled “Universe Creative” at the James W. Palmer Gallery in the Vassar College Center. In fact, the name of the exhibit highlights this collaboration between the See PALMER on page 3
Courtesy of Vassar Office of Communications
Artists Boogie and Rezones, known together as BoogieREZ, invite viewers to interact with their multi-media exhibit “Universe Creative.” The duo’s work will be on display in the Palmer Gallery beginning on August 27.
Mack Liederman
OUTGOING SPORTS EDITOR
T
he ball may have stopped rolling, but in the constantly modernizing NBA, there is never truly an offseason. From the hallowed courts of Dyckman Park to the suits of the negotiating table, the league’s notable names have been active this summer. Mario Hezonja signed a one-year contract with the Knicks. Pat Connaughton dried the ink on a deal with the rising Milwaukee Bucks. Now hold your breath, because the New Orleans Pelicans just selected Tony Carr with the 51st pick! And oh wait, there was also that guy that moved out West.... In an ironically minimalistic Twitter note, Klutch Sports, representing the man himself, briefly announced with non–Comic Sans font (This is all your fault, Gilbert) that the one and only LeBron James had signed a fouryear, 154 million–dollar contract with the Los Angeles Lakers (Twitter, [at] KlutchSports, 07.02.18). Although the move was one that can’t come as all too surprising (“I heard he has two houses in LA” has been the trite, awkward watercooler talk at your office for months now), it is one that has monumental impact on the present and future of the
league. So much so that I have retreated from my temporary Misc hiatus, taking a break from my search for a good pickup game in Argentina, to geek out over this Summer of LeBron. Like any great modern romance, the reality of LeBron and the Lakers started with a look. Except this was no subtle smirk or passing glance in the hallway, but rather a blazing, incredulous glare, at who else but class clown JR Smith. Rewind to Game One of this past NBA Finals. Score tied, a few seconds left on the clock, Cavs vet George Hill stepped up to the charity stripe for his second attempt. Anxiety pulsating through his veins, or maybe just distraction, thinking about what would be for dinner later, Hill bricked the free throw. Jumping high into the air, the athletic Smith grabbed the rebound, and then—didn’t know what to do with it. Anxiety pulsating through his veins, or maybe just distraction, thinking about where he’d be getting high later, Smith frantically dribbled out to midcourt, effectively running out the clock. Standing nearby in helpless disgust, the aforementioned LeBron pointed vigorously in the right direction, like a sideline-spectating dad telling his kid he’s the only one running See LEBRON on page 4
Landing an internship explained Duncan Aronson REPORTER
H
ello fellow and incoming Vassar Brewers! Ready or not, we will have to adjust our lifestyles back to the school grind on a dynamic campus. If you are new to the campus, then chances are there is something about college life that you find daunting. No need to fret. We—faculty, administrators and upperclassmen— have been there and are more than willing to ease your angst. Regardless of whether your summers have been action-packed or relaxed in the past, you probably feel pressure to find research positions and internships now that you are in college. I hope my summer experience can shed light on the process of finding an internship and making the most of your summer. Part A: The Thinking/Applying Stage What to do: It may be tempting to throw yourself into the internship search and see what’s out there. Getting a feel for the internship scene is fine, but if you never transition from the window-shopping phase—which I did too late—you’ll get bad results. I think it’s easy to become stuck in this phase when you prioritize ticking off the internship or “career” box. I realized this when I talked to a family friend about my then-upcoming summer break. When I started vaguely rattling on about random, disconnected internships, she cut me off and said, “If you could do anything this summer, what would you want to do?” When she put it that way, it was easy. I wanted to work with kids, ideally in a teaching role, and maybe coach some basketball on the side. I had approached the internship search from a terrible angle. There are so many fields and industries that can check a box on a resume, but there are only so many that align with your interests and ambitions. When to look: Typically, internship opportunities are posted from winter break to spring break, so many students start searching around December. Internships have a wide range of application deadlines, start/end dates and preferences for qualifications, so See INTERNSHIPS on page 4
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