NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 42, No. 56
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014
nyunews.com Tech
Hackathon gears up for first round
inside this issue NEWS
By Alex Bazeley Contributing Writer
Staff photo by hannah luu
Students, community react to bookstore closure The Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers near NYU closed last week. story on PG. 3
FEATURES
Photo by Sangjun Bae
Game designers gather to test products courtesy of free press
Reading series opens with Skyhorse At an event hosted by the Creative Writing Program, authors Brando Skyhorse and Kseniya Melnik shared their works. story on PG. 8
OPINIONS
Personal finance education needed As students transition into adulthood, building good credit has proven vital. story on PG. 7
The NYU Tisch Game Center Incubator helped graduate students and alumni learn to market and license the games they created.
hack continued on PG. 3
STORY ON PAGE 8 FEATURES
Alumni present film on corrupt politics By Donald Pierce Contributing Writer
Tisch alumni Holly Mosher and John Ennis premiered their socially conscious documentary “Pay 2 Play: Democracy’s High Stakes” on Sept. 5 at AMC Village 7. “Pay 2 Play” features several pop culture figures, including Robert Reich, Noam Chomsky, Lawrence Lessig, Jerry Springer, John Nichols and Bob Edgar. Mosher and Ennis consider the experience of making “Pay 2 Play” unlike any project they had worked on in the past. They began filming in 2005 during the infamous Coingate scandal in Ohio,
Registration for Capture the Flag, the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering’s annual hackathon, opened on Aug. 25 in preparation for the preliminary, online-only round of the competition. It will be held from Sept. 19 to 21. The hackathon is a part of Cyber Security Awareness Week, an annual week of events hosted by the student-run Information Systems and Internet Security cyber security laboratory with sponsors including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Yahoo and Facebook. Since its inception in 2004, the number of students participating has grown, and last year it attracted 15,000 students from 86 countries in high school, college and graduate school. Poly senior Kevin Chung, one of the leaders of the lab, said what makes the competition
an event that is interwoven into the film’s plot. Coingate was an investment controversy in which the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Republican Party through the party’s members in Ohio. “Pay 2 Play” focuses on filmmaker Ennis’ struggle to be above the political corruption on the campaign trail in Ohio, discovering how money inhibits real change within the American political system. After eight years of filming a topic that has changed so much over the past decade, it seemed
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SPORTS
Violets lose momentum in weekend tournament By Kyle Luther Contributing Writer
The NYU women’s soccer team split their games over the weekend in the 2014 Engineering Cup hosted by Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. The Violets scored three times on Saturday in a win against SUNY Cortland, but were shut out 1-0 on Sunday in a loss against Stevens. The Violets took the first game on Saturday in a highscoring contest 3-2 over Cortland. They grabbed the lead early with the first career goal of sophomore midfielder
Ashley Cardounel in the ninth minute. “Getting the lead early allows us to set the tempo for the rest of the game,” Cardounel said. “I was happy to get my first goal and help get us off to a good start for the win.” The Violets padded their lead in the 61st minute with a goal from junior midfielder Lexi Clarke and looked to run away with the game. But in the 65th minute, Cortland finally responded bringing the lead back to within one. Fortunately, the Violets responded, only four minutes
soccer continued on PG. 5
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Washington Square news | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 | nyunews.com
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Compiled by the
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FASHION WEEK SPRING/SUMMER 2015
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Club Fest Come to Club Fest to get involved in some of the many extracurricular activities NYU offers. Meet club leaders, ask questions and enjoy free food in the Coles Sports Center from noon to 7 p.m. Don’t forget your NYUCard.
National Theatre Live: “Medea” The Skirball Center for the Performing Arts will be screening “Medea,” a film featuring Helen McCrory, at 7 p.m. tonight. Tickets are $15 for students.
Vigil for Peace Step into Central Park and it is easy to spot an example of how one’s hard work can bring another so much joy. It is a beautiful sight.
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Many of NYU’s cultural clubs will come together to reflect on violent events both in the United States and around the world. The event is open to all and will be in the Eisner & Lubin Auditorium in the Kimmel Center for University Life from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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nyunews.com | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 | Washington Square news
Community reacts: Shakespeare & Co. closes downtown location
HACK continued from PG. 1
Competition registration starts
By Rahul Krishnamoorthy Deputy News Editor
The Greenwich Village location of Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers closed its doors last week after over 30 years of business in the heart of NYU’s campus. This most recent closure is part of a greater trend toward steep rents and commercialized retail offerings. Since Posman Books bought out the chain in January, stores have gradually closed, leaving just the Upper East Side location. Shakespeare’s closure comes in the wake of a spate of high-profile shuttering of other established New York City booksellers, including Rizzoli Bookstore last spring. NYU students and members of the community have weighed in on the closure.
Illustration by Sonja Haroldson
unique is the design of the tasks that the teams have to complete, as both beginners and professionals are able to compete. “It’s very well-balanced,” Chung said. “The competition is meant for people who are just starting out, but we also make sure that we have challenges that are there for people who have been in the industry for a long time, and because of that we can attract a very wide audience.” Participants are asked to complete a series of challenges, some alone and some in teams of two to four, that involve testing the vulnerability of and breaking into servers provided by the lab. The contests aim to teach people about cybersecurity, but Chung said they also encourage students to work together. “One person can’t do all of it,” Chung said. “It’s very good to have other people to bounce ideas off of.” Chung added that different students come up with different ideas and it is refreshing to collaborate. The lab itself is a space designed to allow anyone, from undergraduates to professors,
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the opportunity to better understand the world of hacking and the methods that hackers use in the real world in an effort to promote security. “It’s an open-source security lab,” Poly alumnus Nick Anderson said. “Anything that anybody finds interesting, this is an outlet where you can come work on it.” Following the preliminary competitions, winning students from the United States and Canada will be invited to participate in the finals in Brooklyn from Nov. 13 to 15. While the hackers are competing for scholarships and prizes, Poly director of marketing and communications Kathleen Hamilton said the competition also allows students to network and make new connections. “Not only does this introduce students to other students that they might be able to work with later on in their careers or lives as students, but it introduces people to the New York hack community,” Hamilton said.
“I used to get a lot of school books from there, especially in the downstairs area, which was the used section. I preferred to get my books at Shakespeare and Company, they had more options and would give me more
money for used books I sold there.” — Catalina Escalona, GLS senior
I guess they didn’t fight for that one either.” — Jeremy Lakin, CAS senior
“It’s too bad because it’s a sign that independent bookstores are closing and being taken over by larger corporations, so there’s going to be less diversity in the business.” — Monica Bulger, CAS senior
“Frankly, it’s a little scary. It’s a little scary to see something like bookstores closing. Even Barnes & Noble is suffering because of the whole e-book thing and Amazon.” — Misba Khan, Manager at Shakespeare and Co. Booksellers on the Upper East Side
“It’s a testament to the erosion of community culture, in that Mom and Pop stores just aren’t getting enough business anymore. Communities don’t support them anymore or they themselves can’t afford the rent.” — Darren Yee, Poly senior “Anywhere else I’d say it’s just part of the endless cycle of reinvention, but I feel like [in] Washington Square especially there is a fight to keep classic spots the same as much as possible. It seems like a failure of the community to not keep it going. As a tour guide I’ve had people stop me on tours about the NYU 2031 plan and people tell me, ‘it’s not your park.’ But
“Of course, we’re all comrades in this business, we don’t really feel like ‘Oh good, another one is gone.’ We sent people to them all the time, and they’d send people to us. So it’s sad to see another store for books lost; it’s one more level on which New York becomes that much less attractive. Whether you’re a bookstore or shoe store, it’s pretty hard to beat the so-called ‘market rate.’” — Jim Drougas, owner of Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books Additional reporting by John Ambrosio. Email Rahul Krishnamoorthy and John Ambrosio at news@nyunews.com.
Staff Photo by Hannah Luu
Email Alex Bazeley at news@nyunews.com.
A pedestrian looks in on a closed Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers on Broadway.
THE GAZELLE: NEW RESIDENCE POLICIES CAUSE TENSION Published on TheGazelle.org on Sept. 7, 2014
By Connor Pearce Managing Editor at The Gazelle At the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester, students were informed that Residential Assistants would be conducting periodic rounds of all the residential floors in the Saadiyat campus. The rounds have been scheduled at 10pm and 12am on weeknights and 11pm and 1am on weekends. In informal conversations with The Gazelle, Dean of Residential Education Ken Grcich said that these rounds were worthwhile as RAs could make sure that furniture remained in the lounges, among other duties. In addition to the rounds, students were advised that there will no longer be any warnings for noise violations or any other violations and
that instead, students would have their names noted by their RA or the RA on duty at the first report of a violation. These names would then be given to The Office of Residential Education. Some students noted that these new policies would create a change in the relationship between students and their RAs, who are simultaneously students and employed by Residential Education. “It seems [like] they’re police officers, security guards essentially,” said Senior Corey Meyer. “It puts them on a totally different level to the students.” Junior Krishan Mistry said that this policy would not change his relationship with his RA. However, he noted that the relationship would change with those RAs on duty. “I think there’s definitely going
to be an incident where someone’s trying to do their job as an RA [and] attract a lot of attention and frustration because of the way they acted,” Mistry said. Meyer also noted that the new policy reduced the ability for students to host gatherings which are accepted by their roommates and neighbours. “I think these rounds eliminate this chance for students who want to host a gathering and ask their neighbours below and above and next door if it’s ok and the neighbours say it’s not going to disturb my community,” Meyer said. Mistry suggested that greater engagement and awareness would create less friction between the administration and students. “It verges on ignorance to think that [Residential Education] can re-
courtesy of the gazelle
RAs at NYUAD residence halls have been assigned to new rounds. ally like eliminate [prohibited activity] … I think students would be a lot less frustrated and [administration] would have a [much] easier time if they were like ‘if this is going to happen how are we going to make this
safe and not disturbing to others, rather than how do we not have this happen,’” Mistry said. Email Connor Pearce at connor@thegazelle.org.
nyunews.com | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 | Washington Square news
Sports
edited by CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO SPORTS@nyunews.com
By Chris Marcotrigiano and Tony Chau Sports Editors
Freshman Zoe Prince recorded 16 kills in the match against Bowdoin.
Coming off a championship match appearance in the NYU Labor Day Invitational, the women’s volleyball team finished with a disappointing 1-3 loss in the Endicott Invitational over the weekend. The Violets ended the first day of competition on Friday at an even 1-1, succumbing to Roger Williams University 1-3 before redeeming itself against SUNY Canton 3-1. The team lost steam during the final two matches on Saturday, losing a tight game to Bowdoin College 2-3 before being blanked by the University of Massachusetts Boston 0-3. In the first match on Friday, the team never caught their stride against Roger Williams after dropping the first set 25-15. Sophomore MaTia Hughes led the team with 22 digs and junior Nicole Frias had 12 kills for the Violets. The team rebounded successfully against SUNY Canton,
beating the Kangaroos by a score of 3-1. Freshman Rayne Ellis and sophomore Gigi Morally had 12 kills apiece. Senior Katie Robinson registered 45 assists for the Violets. Though the team fell to Bowdoin College 3-2 on Saturday, they showed the type of grit one can build on as the season progresses. After falling behind two sets to zero, the Violets battled back before falling in the deciding fifth set by a score of 15-12. Freshman Zoe Prince led the Violets with 16 kills against Bowdoin. The final match of the weekend against UMass Boston was not as kind to the team. While each of the games were close, the Violets dropped all three to the Beacons. Hughes led the team with 11 digs and Robinson led with 16 assists. Despite the 1-3 performance at the tournament, the players remain optimistic about their chances for the rest of the season. “I think this weekend was a test of our abilities to gel as a team as we experimented with
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Women’s soccer outscores SUNY Cortland, loses to Stevens Institute of Technology
via gonyuathletics.com
Sophomore Ashley Cardounel scores against SUNY Cortland.
later, with a goal of their own to restore the lead. Cortland was able to score in the 77th minute but could not overcome the early deficit and the Violets’ late defense. “Our defense communicated well, allowing our back four to
organize very quickly,” sophomore goalkeeper Cassie Steinberg said. On Sunday, the Violets took on Stevens and lost in a lowscoring affair by a score of 1-0. This was the first time the Violets have been shut out in the
young season. Stevens hit first in the 12th minute off a 20-yard strike by Allison Kopacz. That proved to be the decisive goal as the Violets were not able to respond. Although the Violets took four more shots on goal than the Ducks, their effort was for naught as the Ducks’ defense proved too stout to break through. The Violets had several chances late in the game, but both a corner kick and a shot on goal in the 88th minute failed to put the Violets on the board before time ran out. The Violets left the Engineering Cup drawing positives from the overall experience and looking forward to the rest of the season. “The team is looking really strong going into our first home game,” senior defender Phebe Miller said. “I think our hard work and discipline shows in the results. We have a lot of new faces and they have had a very positive impact on the field.” The Violets, currently 2-2, look to bounce back during their next two home games against Vassar College and Ramapo College at Gaelic Park in the Bronx on Sept. 13 and Sept. 17 respectively. Email Kyle Luther at sports@nyunews.com.
different lineups,” senior Vera Shulgina said. “It was good experience for all players as we begin to fine-tune our play for conference weekends. I am very optimistic about our potential as a team for this season.” Hughes echoed Shulgina’s sentiments, shedding light on the role that the freshmen had to play during the tournament. “We are a young team and learned a lot from our losses this weekend,” she said. “However, a lot of new players got a chance to start and did really great things. Now, we are focused on getting back in the gym, working hard and improving.” The Violets have three tournaments — the New Paltz Invitational, the Violet Classic and the Stevens Invitational — to prepare for before the start of University Athletic Association play on Oct. 4. Conference play carries additional weight if the Violets want to bring any silverware back to Coles Sports Center. Email Chris Marcotrigiano and Tony Chau at sports@nyunews.com
@nyunews
NYU loses in weekend volleyball tournament
via gonyuathletics.com
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Washington Square news | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 | nyunews.com
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41 Lab container
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42 Get hitched 46 Start watching a TV show, say 47 Parts of a moral code 48 What the ends of the answers to 20-, 26- and 42-Across are 52 Narrow opening 53 Mideast’s ___ Heights 54 Close, in a guessing game 57 Make an engraving 58 Illuminated from below
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59 Horror film assistant with a Russian name 60 Salon tints 61 Down-and-out 62 Word that’s only coincidentally made up of the four main compass points DOWN 1 Wheel’s edge 2 “Exodus” hero 3 India’s capital before New Delhi 4 Sheer awfulness 5 Lions and tigers, but not bears 6 Corner chess piece 7 Plant bristles 8 Mideast’s ___ Strip 9 Strands at a chalet, say 10 High as a kite 11 “Messiah” composer 12 Shout after the band leaves the stage 13 Distorts, as data 21 ___ Taylor, women’s clothing chain 22 ___ 500 23 BBs and bullets 24 Plumbing problem 27 Wore 28 Be 29 Calendar page 34 Facetious fall guy for one’s wrongdoings, maybe
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opinion
edited by CHRISTINA COLEBURN opinion@nyunews.com
Vittorio’s Razor
Macron: the butèl (boy) for France’s last chance By Vittorio Bisin Staff Columnist
As it so often happens in politics, campaigning and governing tend to be two very different ball games. In 2012, Francois Hollande campaigned with a title-grabbing presidential electoral promise of imposing a 75 percent tax on individuals with an annual income of €1 million or more. When the tax reaped unfavorable results, resulting in the rich fleeing the country and little tax revenue, Hollande organized a complete political U-turn. He promised a tax-reducing “responsibility pact,” which included a €30 billion cut in payroll taxes for French firms. Apparently, this measure was not enough to increase Hollande’s dramatically low approval rating. Less than two months later, Hollande appointed Manuel Valls, a straightforward moderate who appears to be the only politician in Europe capable of winning a staring contest with Putin. At the end of August, French economy minister Arnaud Montebourg attacked both Hollande and European austerity policies, claiming that Germany was ruining the region’s
economy. The criticism apparently went too far, as Hollande ejected Montebourg from the government shortly after. Reminiscent of old-style French Socialist politics, Montebourg managed to lead the fiscal policy of one of the world’s greatest economies while simultaneously being anti-globalization. Furthermore, Montebourg’s declaration that the French economy in its current condition could grow by increasing government spending is dishonest. Montebourg pandered to voters and failed to deliver realistic economic assessments. The notion that French citizens can have their cake and eat it too is a political fable. In desperate need of foreign investment, Valls needed to find a businessfriendly minister. To the shock of
French leftists, Valls chose 36-year-old ex-investment banker Emmanuel Macron. If Hollande’s fellow members of the Socialist Party have been wondering whether he had betrayed his campaign promises, they now have an answer. In reaction to the political outrage from the left, pragmatic Valls asked, “So what? Can’t anyone in this country be an entrepreneur?” If an aspiring entrepreneur with an idea for a startup were asked where he or she would prefer to launch a company, it is unlikely that the entrepreneur would choose France. While France has a well-functioning state, it is not business-friendly and the tax-rate gap between France and the rest of the world is far too large. By allowing for desperately needed reforms, Macron can help create a more cohesive government. In response to Hollande’s original campaign promise of a 75 percent income tax, Macron said, “It’s Cuba without the sun.” With about 10 times the GDP of Cuba, France’s model should perhaps now be closer to another sunny island, Hong Kong. Email Vittorio Bisin at opinion@nyunews.com.
campus life
In defense of an alcohol-free Welcome Week By Scarlett Curtis Contributing Columnist
Let’s face it: NYU students drink during Welcome Week. Despite the university’s well-intentioned attempts to prevent freshmen from consuming alcohol, 18-year-olds are clever and the idea of a boozefree first week of college is probably something that only exists in the imaginations of overprotective parents. As a 19-year-old freshman from the United Kingdom, many of my English friends have already finished their first year of university. It is interesting to think about my friends’ first weeks of college in the U.K. compared to my NYU Welcome Week experience. The legal drinking age in Britain is 18, meaning the vast majority of U.K. freshmen arrive at university, unpack their bags and head for the nearest pub. The first week of university always causes anxiety and, like people all over the world, many British students drown their fears with alcohol. I have many English friends who cannot remember their freshmen orientation — they said goodbye
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to their parents and woke up a week later with sore heads. The entire foundation of making friends and fitting in is focused on alcohol. Clubs in the area will host countless alcohol-fueled event nights where students are encouraged to socialize, drink together and meet new people. The English’s liberal attitude toward drinking has its advantages, but it is only in comparing my friends’ experiences in Britain to my NYU Welcome Week that I have come to appreciate the many benefits to student life within the parameters of a higher drinking age. Most English colleges only organize a few student activities during
the first week, knowing that the students will be too hungover to enjoy them. For the class of 2018, NYU arranged more than 500 events over five days, from epic ninja fights in Washington Square Park to a “Toy Story” marathon. A Welcome Week app was created for students and was updated daily with details about events taking place all over this amazing city. The superiority of our Welcome Week is largely related to its lack of sanctioned alcohol consumption. The assumption in the U.K. that most students’ main priority during the first week of school is drinking leads universities to abdicate Welcome Week efforts to pints of beer. Conversely, the 21-and-over drinking age compels American colleges to make a substantial effort in arranging an entertaining first week where students can engage with each other without a nearly unilateral focus on alcohol — a situation that would be unheard of anywhere in the United Kingdom. Email Scarlett Curtis at opinion@nyunews.com.
staff editorial
Credit cards offer lesson in financial literacy
American college students are unfairly stigmatized as being fiscally irresponsible. A recent CBS Money Watch article perpetuates this stereotype by doubting student ability to handle the responsibilities of owning credit cards. Although the financial burdens of reckless credit card use can be harmful, they pale in comparison to the massive student loan debt shouldered by millions of graduates. With thousands of dollars of debt in students’ names, is a few hundred dollars of credit card debt really the problem? Using a credit card does not necessarily lead to a financial crisis. For a person without any financial history, their credit card spending limit would be low, making it difficult to default on their bill. On the other hand, by obtaining credit cards during college, students can begin to build credit history early, which will ease the economic transition into adulthood. For more convenience, making use of a credit card can be an easier way to spend money without having to carry cash. Important steps have been taken in the past several years to protect college students from credit card companies, particularly the passage of the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009. In addition to limiting marketing strategies aimed at young adults, the act requires any financially insecure applicant under 21 to have a cosigner on their card. Previously, students over the age of 18 could sign up for a card without any confirmation of financial security. Although it is now significantly less risky for college students to obtain a credit card, it is still a highly personal decision that depends on an individual’s spending habits. Credit card use, given the deceptive lack of spending cues, may not be the best choice for the overspender. It is argued that spending money via credit card establishes bad financial habits early in life. These habits, coupled with the possibility of identity theft, are reasons to think carefully about opening a credit card account during college, but are not reason enough to condemn signing up. Financial literacy is low among most Americans, adults included. The average American household is encumbered with approximately $15,950 of debt and pays high interest rates. American high school students may be able to balance chemical equations, but many have never received a lesson on how to balance their checkbooks — only 17 states require a high school course in personal finance. By the time students begin college, they are long overdue for a lesson in fiscal responsibility. A credit card poses a relatively small risk to students, and when used sensibly it can offer a valuable lesson in financial literacy.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Christina Coleburn (Chair), Omar Etman (Co-chair), Adam Fazlibegu (Co-chair), Tess Woosley (Co-chair)
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
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nyunews.com | MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 | Washington Square news
FEATURES
edited by hannah treasure features@nyunews.com
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Tisch alumnus recounts experience co-creating film to Ennis as though making the film was a never-ending process. “This film was definitely the most daunting,” Ennis said. “There were so many times we all thought we were finished. Looking it over, [we asked ourselves], ‘Are we done? Is this it?’ And then something happens and we have to change everything.” Since graduating, the Tisch colleagues have collaborated on two other documentaries: 2006’s “Money Talks: Profits Before Patient Safety,” a direct examination of the corrupt pharmaceutical industry, and 2008’s “Free for All!” After 11 movies, and an Oscar nomination for Mosher, the two have made a name for themselves in New York. “[New York City is] what I trip about
all the time,” Ennis said. “I worked with people like Amy Poehler and Matt Walsh, and now they’re huge.” Coming from such a film hub as Tisch, Ennis advises students to take advantage of the resources at NYU and the potential for professional relationships with classmates. “You meet so many like-minded people,” Ennis said. “And they become superstars.” Ennis and Mosher are eager to continue collaborating with other New York-based producers for future projects. “Pay 2 Play: Democracy’s High Stakes” will be showing through Sept. 11. Email Donald Pierce at features@nyunews.com.
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The work of NYU alumni, “Pay 2 Play” features interviews with political activists such as Noam Chomsky and Lawrence Lessig.
Lauded writers read works
By Tejas A. Sawant Contributing Writer
The Fall 2014 Reading Series kicked off on Sept. 5 at the Lillian Vernon Creative Writers House with a reading by Brando Skyhorse, author of “The Madonnas of Echo Park,” and NYU alumnus Kseniya Melnik, whose work “Snow in May” was published this summer. The series is organized by the NYU Creative Writing Program in order to expose students to the works of various respected authors, as well as to provide a platform for emerging writers to showcase their work. At the event, Skyhorse stressed the power of storytelling while reading from his second book, “Take This Man: A Memoir,” published this year. The work recounts Skyhorse’s childhood of being raised Native-American despite his Mexican lineage. His book “The Madonnas of Echo Park” won the PEN/Hemingway award in 2011 as well as the Sue Kaufman Award for First Fiction. Regretting that he let many opportunities pass him by during his college years at Stanford, Skyhorse urged students to take advantage of the many opportunities NYU and the city have to offer. “Go out, find out your own stories, record them and distill them in your own voice,” Skyhorse said. Melnik read the story “Rumba” from her recently published book, featuring a string of short stories linked to her hometown of Magadan, Russia. “Snow in May” was one of
Amazon’s Best of the Month and received a nomination for the Dylan Thomas Prize. Some of Melnik’s past NYU professors were in the audience of the reading. But speaking to the students, she offered her opinion about what it takes to be a writer and other pieces of advice for aspiring authors. “If you want to be a writer, you should try to be a good literary citizen,” she said. So far, the series has been wellreceived by students. Not only did the event provide advice for writers and a model for career success, but it also had an enter-
tainment factor. CAS sophomore Ella Kuzmenko, who attended the event, said she loved the way Skyhorse presented his work. “It was impossible to miss the element of humor throughout Brando’s reading,” Kuzmenko said. NYU’s Creative Writing Program has several author readings each month that take place featuring fiction and nonfiction authors, as well as poets. Regardless of major or school, these events are engaging for all readers. Email Tejas A. Sawant at features@nyunews.com.
Photo by Matthew D. Goldman
Author Brando Skyhorse reads from his memoir.
Game Center Incubator highlights variety of student work By Sophie Ding Contributing Writer
The NYU Game Center Incubator showcased the first generation of games created by current students and alumni of NYU’s Master’s program in game design on Sept. 5. The games will be available on a variety of platforms. The Game Center MFA, a part of the Tisch School of the Arts and under the direction of Frank Lantz, takes an artistic approach to gaming. “[It’s] hands-on game creation within a context of advanced critical literacy, but with a focus on creativity; on expression; on innovation; on inventing new kinds of games and … exploring the far reaches of what’s possible with games,” Lantz said. The Incubator complements this creative approach, taking work done within the Master’s program with commercial potential and provid-
ing the game creators extra time, guidance and resources to maximize their product’s success. Incubator alumni are already navigating the commercial market. While the Master’s program focuses on developing the craft of game design, the Incubator, over an intensive three months, deals with more practical matters such as the marketing, press and legal considerations of releasing a game. The Incubator is helmed by an advisory board filled with industry professionals, who mentor the students through the intricacies of game commercialization. From space shooters to complex narrative journeys, the games at the Incubator showed a wide range of gaming genres. The diversity in product was mirrored by the diversity in backgrounds of the creators. Stephen Lawrence Clark, an alumnus of the NYU Game Cen-
ter MFA program, made music before making games. “I came in not really knowing anything,” Clark said. “I thought it was going to be video game criticism. I had never made a game before.” Clark combined his love of music and love of video games within the program, using his music as a background for a game when it is not suited for performance. His game, Rooftop Cop, includes an entire companion album. Nick Zhang, another alumnus of the NYU Game Center MFA program, praised the Incubator for helping students achieve more than they thought they could. He created Gemini, a fluid wordless game that is unique because of its partner dynamic. “The game is more about taking care of your companion,” Zhang said. “Most of the video games we have now are about … empowerment of yourself. But in our game,
all you care about is your companion, helping it reach its goal, helping it grow. It’s kind of similar to the goal of the Incubator.” Those involved with the Incubator hope that it will be expanded from three months to a year-round offering. Although other gaming incubators exist, NYU’s is the only
one that is a university-sponsored program. The MFA program plans to continue the Incubator in the future and to possibly expand to include majors outside of Game Center MFA students. Email Sophie Ding at features@nyunews.com.
Photo By Sangjun Bae
The NYU Incubator provides a platform for students’ projects.