Fall 2017 Issue 19

Behind the curtain:

BU theatre department

discusses new degree See page 4

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Monday, November 6, 2017 | Vol. XCII, Issue 19 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

Food pantry combats food insecurity University Majority of students served by program reside off campus Yuri Lee Contributing Writer

In the 1990s, it was just a drawer in the Binghamton University Financial Aid Services office where students could grab a few packets of ramen. Now, the Bear

Necessities Food Pantry is an entire room stocked with canned goods, toiletries and frozen meals on the third floor of the University Union.

In the fall of 2014, the pantry had just 58 users. Last spring, 222 students used the free service, thanks to the increased promotion of its resources. The Dean of Students Office, which operates the food pantry, hired a team of interns this semester just to manage it.

Ryan Goss, one of the pantry’s interns and a junior majoring in economics, said that even with the increase, many students are still unaware of the resource.

“My goal for the program is to spread more awareness,” Goss said. “I’m sure there are a lot of people that need it but don’t know about it.”

The pantry was given its own room in 2016 when Qiana Watson, the new case management

coordinator at the Dean of Students Office, took over operations for the program.

According to a 2016 report by Students Against Hunger, 48 percent of college students had experience food insecurity, or lack of access to enough affordable, nutritious food, in the past month.

One way Goss and the Dean of

SEE PANTRY PAGE 2

offers new master's, minor Public Health, I-GMAP provide further degree, research options

MALIK members move up

Julia Donnelly Contributing Writer

Kevin Paredes/Photography Editor

This semester, the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) and the new Master of Public Health (MPH) program are bringing new research and degree opportunities to students at Binghamton University.

I-GMAP was created in December 2016 when an anonymous donor pledged more than $500,000 over the next four years to the institution’s research. This semester, the institute has enrolled its first group of undergraduate students in its minor program and created a proposal for both a graduate certificate and master’s degree, which will go through a two-year approval process. The program now has its own suite of offices in Library North Room G100, which have been renovated specifically for I-GMAP and its functions, and hosted Tanzanian diplomat Liberata Mulamula in October. According to Provost Donald Nieman, I-GMAP codirectors Max Pensky and Nadia Rubaii have cultivated efforts toward emerging scholarship and innovation in the short time since its establishment.

Christopher DeMarco, a junior majoring in political science, said he is considering a minor within I-GMAP due to its real-life application for a career in public policy and international law.

New members of MALIK Fraternity Inc. perform at a probate ceremony outside the University Union on Saturday, Nov. 4. Probates are one of the ways multicultural Greek life organizations showcase their newest members to the community.

SEE COURSES PAGE 3

Conference examines political resistance Graduate students present on philosophies of protest, violence

Graduate students in the University’s Social, Political, Ethical and Legal Philosophy program hosted a conference at the University Downtown Center on Saturday, focusing on the resistance Michael Levinstein Contributing Writer theories of different philosophers. Students from around the country were invited to In the wake of political resistance discuss under the frame of “Law-Breaking movements in the United States and around and Theories of Resistance.” the world, graduate students in Binghamton The conference was designed to University’s philosophy department are help graduate students gain experience examining what issues cause and justify violent and nonviolent resistance.

SEE PROTEST PAGE 2

Lecture series talks race in education Engineer explores sexism in STEM

Jacob Hanna/Staff Photographer

Brooke Eiche, a retired petroleum engineer, spoke Thursday night about her experience as a woman in a male-dominated field. Eiche said although gender equality has improved since she began her career in the 1980s, women still face similar issues in the workplace.

'Black Minds Matter' explores challenges facing black males

aims to spread cultural awareness on campus, hosted the first talk on Monday, Oct. 23.

According to the American Council on Education, 29.9 percent of Americans aged 25 Conner Torpey to 29 had obtained a bachelor’s degree in 2009, Contributing Writer compared to 18 percent of African Americans of the same age. In addition, according to the To address challenges faced by black men Community College Equity Assessment Lab, and boys in education, Binghamton University a national research laboratory at SDSU, black is streaming “Black Minds Matter,” an eight- students are 140 percent more likely to feel week video lecture series taught by professors that teachers don’t appreciate them. at San Diego State University (SDSU). BU’s Multicultural Resource Center (MRC), which SEE LECTURE PAGE 2

ARTS & CULTURE

Eiche encourages women to speak up for themselves Kelly Coyne Contributing Writer

As a former petroleum engineer for Exxon Mobil Corp., Hallador Energy Company and Lockheed Martin Corp., Brooke Eiche recognizes that gender equality still has a long way to go in the traditionally male-dominated field of

engineering.

On Thursday night, Eiche gave a lecture on her experiences as a woman engineer in an event hosted by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

She also discussed her experiences with sexism while pursuing a master’s degree in engineering at Stanford University and her experience as a woman in the engineering industry.

Eiche said she realized that women in her industry constantly needed to be at least as competent, if not more

OPINIONS

so, than their male colleagues. In her presentation, Eiche named several women who broke barriers in science and technology, including Grace Hopper and Lillian Moller Gilbreth, who helped open the field of engineering to a wider group of women.

In an email, Eiche wrote that she hoped that she could better help prepare women who are pursuing a career in a male-dominated field.

SEE ENGINEER PAGE 2

SPORTS

“SNL” alumna Sasheer Zamata draws crowd on campus,

Local band brings Grateful Dead back to Binghamton,

The Editorial Board endorses Tarik Abdelazim for mayor of Binghamton,

Volleyball captures two victories over the weekend,

Sophomore Ryan Rodriguez reflects on his first fall season with the BU golf team,

See page 4

See page 4

See page 8

See page 10

See page 10

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NEWS

bupipedream.com | November 6, 2017

'Black Minds Matter' addresses racial biases LECTURE FROM PAGE 1 Tanyah Barnes, the interim assistant director of the MRC, said the course is designed to bring attention to statistics like these.

“The black male population, historically, is underrepresented in a collegiate environment and education,” Barnes said. “So, the course is really to learn and explore men and boys in education.”

The course is taught by Luke Wood, distinguished professor of community college leadership at SDSU. The series hopes to reeducate students, faculty and staff and make them aware of their own racial biases, Wood said.

“If you think about the earliest experiences that you have in seeing or engaging [with] black boys and men, those probably influence the way you see them now,” Wood said. “Being biased doesn’t make you bad. Not doing anything about it is what makes you bad.”

The course also features guest speakers, including Frank Harris III, professor of postsecondary education at SDSU. Harris said the course is focused on both gender and race instead of prioritizing one over the other.

“The social construction of masculinity is

so powerful and prevalent in the lives of boys,” Harris said. “It really, in many ways, plays a huge role in shaping not only their identities as people, but their identities as learners.”

In order to accomplish these goals, the series asks its participants to look to both society and themselves to see the issues present for black men throughout their education.

According to Barnes, this type of guided reflection could help prevent future incidents similar to the racist graffiti discovered in Endicott Hall of Newing College, Digman Hall of Dickinson Community and Onondaga Hall of College-in-the-Woods last month.

Karima Legette, senior academic counselor for the Educational Opportunity Program, wrote in an email that although the course lays out a clear path to help resolve these incidents, the University needs to make further efforts to address underlying issues.

“We need to welcome these students to educational institutions, helping them to feel that they belong there,” Legette wrote. “There are too many verbal and nonverbal messages that tell them the opposite.”

The series will be hosted each Monday for the next seven weeks from 7:30 to 9 p.m. in the Multicultural Resource Center lounge, LS-G500.

Courtney Mitchell/Staff Photographer Students and faculty attend the “Black Minds Matter” lecture, an eight-week series that discusses challenges black men and boys face in education.

The video lecture series kicked off on Oct. 23 and features lectures by professors from San Diego State University.

Students discuss Pantry expands since '90s opening protest methods PANTRY FROM PAGE 1

PROTEST FROM PAGE 1 and knowledge for their dissertations and future efforts to host conferences, according to Courtney Miller, a secondyear graduate student studying philosophy at BU. At the conference, speakers from seven universities presented on research that evaluates different positions on violent resistance. Topics ranged from theory-based justifications of oppressed populations using violent resistance, to case studies of instances like the civil war in El Salvador and global warming.

Some speakers mentioned how their research applied to contemporary conversations on the Trump administration, capitalism and racism in the United States.

Miller helped organize the event and said resistance was chosen as the topic because of recent political events.

“A lot of the conference came out of sort of an anxiety, or a concern, about the current political state,” she said.

“We wanted to just have the conservation and open up a dialogue.”

Ryan Adams, a second-year graduate student from Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, advocated a cautious use of violence when the personal dignity of a group or person is violated. He gave the treatment of Jews during

the Holocaust as an example of a violation of dignity.

“Any use of violence has to have a lot of considerations that go into it,” Adams said. “When a group of people is marching toward a Jewish Community Center chanting ‘Blood and soil,’ you have to take them seriously.”

Bat-Ami Bar On, a professor of philosophy and women, gender and sexuality studies at BU, said she was glad that students were participating in an intellectual exchange at the conference, but was wary of the means of resistance promoted by some presenters. When the audience was given time for questions following Adams’ presentation, Bar On expressed her concern at the lack of attention he gave to the justification, and limits, of violent acts.

“If you are going to turn to violence, especially physical, you should be extremely careful,” Bar On said.

Caitlin Maguire, a sophomore double-majoring in environmental studies and philosophy, politics and law, said she wants there to be a greater culture of political activism on campus, and attended the conference so that she could become more educated on the issue of ethics in resistance movements.

“A lot of time, on campus, activism doesn’t happen,” Maguire said. “That’s part of what we are talking about here.”

to donate food, toiletries and money. Organizations such as the Food Recovery Network, which makes individual meals; the Food Co-op, which donates vegan food; and the Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse (CHOW), which sends overstocked food, all work with and donate food to the program.

Donations aren’t limited to food, though; they can range from can openers to Old Navy flip-

flops to coats. The pantry aims to provide students with a variety of Students Office are trying to spread goods that they may otherwise not awareness is through the pantry’s be able to afford. monthly produce giveaway in the “There were times where I Tillman Lobby of the University would be on campus and I would Union. Two weeks ago, they gave see students without a hat, scarf away large quantities of cucumbers or glove on and then I would say, to students.

‘Hey, do you have these items?’ and Since the Bear Necessities Food they would say no,” Watson said.

Pantry is mainly funded through “And then I would say, come walk donations, it depends on students, with me to the food pantry so that faculty members and organizations I can give you some.”

Everything in the room is available to all registered BU students.

“There is no restriction, there is no screening process,” Goss said.

“All you need is your Binghamton ID.” According to Watson, many of the students utilizing the resource are international students and students living off campus. During the 2016-17 academic year, 70 percent of students using the pantry lived off campus, 26 percent lived on campus and the rest didn’t report their residence.

Provided by Dean of Students Office Watson said while the pantry is a great resource, it’s only a The Bear Necessities Food Pantry has provided canned goods, toiletries and frozen meals to food-insecure students at Binghamton University for more than 20 years. temporary relief.

“I try to remind people to be courteous of others who may be coming to the pantry and to find other avenues,” Watson said.

Since students need to fill out intake forms when they use the pantry, staff can see who is using the pantry more than the average amount. Staff members then reach out to these students asking if they need other community pantries or church charities to help fulfill their needs.

Watson said operating the pantry is a particularly fulfilling part of her job since she, too, has struggled with food insecurity.

“When I was in college, I was a food insecure person,” she said.

“And no one knew that.”

Watson said she wants the resource to be accessible to all students who find themselves in a position of need.

“If I have food, I would rather feed you and not let you be hungry than worry if you’re someone that has a need because you have on new sneakers,” Watson said.

“Anybody could have bought you those sneakers. If you’re a person in need, you’re a person in need.”

Engineer talks workplace barriers ENGINEER FROM PAGE 1 to 20.2 percent, according to mechanical engineering, wrote important because young people “I hope to inspire confidence by providing awareness and strategies from my experiences,” Eiche wrote.

“Knowing these obstacles before you experience them allows one to prepare for new and possibly frustrating situations.”

Only 5.8 percent of engineers in the United States were women when Eiche entered the field in 1981, according to the Congressional Joint Economic Committee. That figure had increased to 14 percent by 2012. The current male-tofemale ratio in the Watson School of Engineering is 79.7 percent

the school’s website. Eiche, who was a corporate counselor for SWE, wrote that although gender inequities have improved since the start of her career in the 1980s, women still face challenges in the workplace.

“One obstacle that persists is being listened to,” Eiche wrote.

“Men may interrupt and speak over you in meetings. If someone repeats exactly what you said earlier, and people agree, then call them out.

Say, ‘Thank you for agreeing with me.’”

Sally Bishop, the secretary of SWE and a junior majoring in

in an email that the event was informative for both men and women in any workplace.

“Women need to know how to deal with potential discriminatory treatments in the workplace, subtle or not, and men need to know how to identify what could potentially cause discriminatory treatment and speak up for those who don’t have a voice,” Bishop wrote.

Cara Jozefowski, a member of the SWE and a senior majoring in electrical engineering, said that Eiche did a good job turning her experiences into advice.

“I think events like this are

need to learn from people who have been in their shoes before,” Jozefowski said. “Getting advice from experienced professionals who know the ropes is crucial for being successful.”

Eiche advised the students in attendence to do excellent work, build up skills, impress someone in a higher position and have that person sponsor mobility. She added that among women, support and encouragement are needed to break through obstacles and inequalities.

“Drive forward when challenged,” Eiche wrote.

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Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS Former Johnson City firehouse to become theatre rehearsal space Naima Kradjian, the chief executive officer of Goodwill Theatre, Inc., unveiled a project to turn the third floor of the former Johnson City firehouse into a rehearsal and performance space, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin. The $750,000 project will fund foundation repair and replacement windows.

Sixth annual Binghamton Polar Plunge raises funds for Special Olympics The Sixth Annual Binghamton Polar Plunge took place on Saturday, Nov. 4, according to WBNG. The plunge is part of the Law Enforcement Torch Run, a fundraising campaign, and gives donated money to local organizations that support the Special Olympics. Last year the event donated around $21,000.

Fire in Johnson City destroys part of first-floor apartment A building near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Willow Street in Johnson City caught on fire on Friday evening, according to WBNG. Everyone inside the apartment was able to safely escape and the fire was put out quickly by the Johnson City Fire Department, but one side of the first floor was destroyed. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“At this moment in time, there are 26 lives that have been lost. We don’t know if that number will rise or not, all we know is that’s too many.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott at a press conference on Sunday evening on the shooting at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló met on Thursday and criticized the federal government’s response to Hurricane Maria. Cuomo pledged another 350 utility workers and 220 trucks to aid Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the hurricane.

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STATE NEWS Cuomo and Puerto Rican governor criticize federal government’s lack of aid to Puerto Rico

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BU to offer MPH in fall 2018 COURSES FROM PAGE 1 “This program will train me and the next generation to recognize and prevent the atrocious genocides of the past,” DeMarco said. “If we study it scientifically, we can figure out the patterns and try to stop further catastrophes before they happen.”

Owen Pell, ‘80, president of the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, is responsible for facilitating the program and said he has seen an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response to I-GMAP. “I think that BU students across a wide range of programs and majors understand why the [Institute] is important, interesting, and something they may want to consider as they advance through the university,” Pell wrote.

In addition to I-GMAP, the University is currently developing the Master of Public Health (MPH) program, expected to begin next fall. The program differs from the traditional science courses because it is intended to provide a rigorous education on the increasingly prevalent study of public health issues and the

solutions that may be created for communities’ well-being.

The State Department of Education approved the program during summer 2017, delaying the program’s enrollment for this semester. Yvonne Johnston, a research associate professor in the Decker School of Nursing, was appointed this September to direct the MPH program and is currently developing the curriculum for an expected first class of 25 graduate students.

Through the Freshman Research Immersion program, undergraduate students can work within the MPH program in the new Community and Global Public Health research stream.

Susan Strehle, distinguished professor of English and the former vice provost and dean of the graduate school, stressed the burgeoning opportunities presented by the MPH program.

“Careers in public health are expanding, so we think this will be a great program for our campus,” Strehle wrote in an email.

Both programs will help boost BU’s graduate student population, which has risen from 2,885 students in 2011 to

3,422 in 2015, an 18 percent increase. BU President Harvey Stenger has committed to raising enrollment to 20,000 students by 2020, according to his Road Map Plan. Much of this increased enrollment is expected to come from graduate students.

Loren Odam, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said he thinks the MPH program will be a source of opportunity and enrichment for both her peers and herself.

“A lot of my friends are interested in earning a MPH in the future, and it is nice that they will soon have Binghamton’s program as an option,” Odam said. “An MPH will allow me to utilize concepts I’ve studied in the classroom in the real world.”

According to Nieman, the two programs are unique in the way that they will add to the University’s influence in offcampus matters.

“I’m especially proud of them because they are intellectually rigorous, meet pressing needs at the local and global levels and open opportunities for Binghamton University students,” Nieman wrote in an email.

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broken belt :destabilizing

ARTS & CULTURE

University plans to offer BFA in musical theatre

The degree will offer more opportunities for students looking to pursue the performing arts

Provided by Jonathan Cohen Katherine Leenig, ‘16, and Danielle Nigro, ‘17, were two stars of the BU Mainstage production of “A Chorus Line” in the fall of 2014. The addition of a musical theatre BFA program will offer more opportunities for productions like “A Chorus Line” in the future.

Rachel Greenspan Assistant Arts & Culture Editor In the halls of the Fine Arts Building, among singers and dancers and actors, something’s missing — and the Binghamton University theatre department is set on fixing it.

The department is currently undergoing a SUNY-level application process for the addition of a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program in musical theatre. At the time of publication, the formal proposal for the major has been submitted to the University Faculty Senate (UFS) at University at Albany, which “serves as a deliberative body on educational policies for the SUNY System,” according to the UFS website.

Though the University

already offers various musical theatre courses from the theatre department, there is no concentration or track as of yet.

University at Buffalo and SUNY Fredonia are currently the only two SUNY schools with a BFA program in musical theatre.

Barbara Wolfe, chair for the BU theatre department, said that the new program is an important step for the department.

“Having a named program will tell BU students and prospective students that we are serious about Musical Theater, and we think that will attract more people to the school,” Wolfe wrote in an email.

Tommy Iafrate, an assistant professor of theatre and director of the upcoming Mainstage production of “The Wizard of Oz,” said that a more developed

program in musical theatre is something that attracts students to a university.

“Musical theatre is one of those things that a lot of students want to have in a program,” Iafrate said. “Even if a student is coming to Binghamton to major in management or engineering, I think it’s one of those things that a lot of people like.”

To begin offering more opportunities for students to hone their musical skills, the department has received funding for a second musical this year. Previously, BU’s theatre department has put on five Mainstage shows a year — one musical, one straight play and a dance show in the fall, and two straight plays in the spring. A second musical, “And the World Goes ‘Round,” a revue

showcasing songs by songwriting team Kander and Ebb (“Chicago,” “Cabaret”), will be performed in the spring. The show will be directed and choreographed by David Wynen, assistant professor in the theatre department, with musical direction by Iafrate.

The department’s efforts to create a more diverse program extend beyond this. In addition to “And the World Goes ‘Round,” the department has hired Godfrey Simmons, a former professor of theatre at BU who now is a senior lecturer at Cornell University, as a guest director for another straight play in the spring. The play, “Smart People” by Lydia Diamond, analyzes race, class and gender boundaries through the entangled lives of four young people living in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Kevin Oakes, adjunct professor of theatre, said that the department is excited to have both a black playwright and director and plans to cast actors of color to remain true to the written characters. This is an initiative that echoes changes already taking place in the department this semester.

“We’d really like to feel that the department is more inclusive, and I think the only way to do that is if we have more faculty members who represent groups other than white, cisgendered males and females,” Oakes said. “That’s one way that we’re hoping to grow the department, is to have more shows directed and written by performers of color and artists of color.”

For Iafrate’s production of “The Wizard of Oz,” barrier-

breaking strides are being made, too. Many of the characters will be played by the opposite gender, and the Wicked Witch of the West will be played by a man in drag.

Iafrate said that using theatre to make a statement is important, especially at the university level.

“I think we have a really wonderful opportunity as musical theatre practitioners to promote new ideas,” Iafrate said. “And in that way, I think musical theatre is a political act that I think is important for us to have at every university. At every place where people are having conversations about important social issues, there’s a way for musical theatre to be involved in that.”

If the UFS approves the BFA proposal, the degree may be offered as early as fall 2018.

Sasheer Zamata celebrates feminism with comedy

The activist-performer challenged rape culture and recounted camping adventures in LH 1 Carly Heitner Contributing Writer Despite lighting difficulties in a nearly full Lecture Hall, Sasheer Zamata shined with her humor and charm on Saturday evening.

Sponsored by the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB), Zamata — known for her acclaimed work on “Saturday Night Live” — performed a standup set for over 100 students.

“It took a while for me to realize that [comedy is] actually what I really am passionate about,” Zamata told Pipe Dream. “It just took me doing things that were really fun — and made me feel good — to find out that I should be doing this all the time.”

Throughout her performance, Zamata, an activist and feminist, entertained the audience with clever anecdotes and portions addressing heavy topics like racism, gender inequality and rape culture.

The opener for the show was Vicky Kim, treasurer of Bing Stand-Up and a junior majoring in electrical engineering. Kim’s comedy revolved around student life at BU. “What I’ve learned in college so far is that long-distance relationships are never worth it,” Kim candidly told the audience.

“College is the time to explore your sexuality. If you’re tied down,

you’ll never learn that you like being tied up.”

Kim’s jokes about sex and sexuality primed the audience for Zamata’s act, which honed in on issues surrounding female sexuality, specifically for college students.

“I just really want women to stop treating their private parts as if it’s a separate entity from their body,” Zamata said.

She lamented the shame women feel to own their private parts by comparing it to owning a house. By analogizing a basement to a woman’s vagina, Zamata asked the audience if they would feel comfortable having men just walk into their home and go into the basement, even though the women themselves have never seen it or been down there.

“You don’t know what’s there, but you’ll let other people down there, sometimes strangers!” she said. “A stranger could walk right into your house not even look you in the eye and just go to the basement. And you’re like, ‘I don’t know. Seems fun, but I don’t know.’

Get down there!”

To start her commentary on racial stereotypes, Zamata joked about a Korean girl at her college who assumed Zamata knew every other black student. Zamata, shocked by this assumption, responded by asking if the other girl knew every Korean person at the

school — the other girl’s response was “Yes.” “It’s a good thing we kept talking, because if that conversation ended two seconds before that point, I would’ve left being like, ‘That racist piece of shit,’ and she would have left being like, ‘What’s wrong with this antisocial black girl? She’s not hanging out with her friends!’”

Zamata said.

Yaa Takyiwaa, a senior double-majoring in integrative neuroscience and comparative literature, said she connected with Zamata’s feminism.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” Takyiwaa said. “I love that she incorporated a lot of life lessons that are really helpful to us as women specifically.”

Zamata finished her final bit with an example of a date she was on, where the guy told her she had “resting bitch face.” “’Oh, that’s so funny that you say that — this whole time we’ve been talking, I’ve noticed you have resting rape face,’” Zamata responded. “‘I also noticed that my nail color changed, and thank you for the compliment!”

Raina Kamdar, the variety chair of the SAPB and a senior majoring in psychology, said she was thrilled with the performance and the good turnout.

“I think it went really well,” Kamdar said. “We got a big crowd and she was amazingly funny.”

Stephen Ruiz/Staff Photographer Sasheer Zamata of “Saturday Night Live” fame performed for over 100 students in Lecture Hall 1 on Saturday night. In the show, sponsored by the Student Association Programming Board, Zamata addressed issues of race, gender and sex.

November 6, 2017 | bupipedream.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

BU Breakers: Turning the University on its head

Founders of this SA-chartered club aim to create community through break-dancing

Gina Lee and Katy Wong Arts & Culture For the three founding members of BU Breakers, the art of break-dancing is more than just head-spins, flips and sliding tricks.

“Break-dancers use this form of dancing as a way to express their own art,” said Jeffrey Garcia, vice president of BU Breakers and a junior majoring in financial economics. “Breakdancing is where everyone has their own style of dancing, and it’s really diverse.”

Through dedication and a common appreciation for artistic expression, Garcia, along with Marlon Pimentel and Gabriel Osei, created the first Student Association (SA)-chartered break-dancing organization on campus.

Pimentel, the club president and a junior double-majoring in mathematics and computer science, said break-dancing first came onto his radar when he came across a popular YouTube video, which showed breakdancers battling it out. He then reached out to his friends to form an organization for others interested on campus.

“Break-dancing is less about the routine dance moves, but more about just dancing and expressing yourself,” Pimentel said. “I saw the people in the video doing some crazy moves and realized I could gather people that could also do those same moves on campus.”

Osei, the club’s treasurer and an undeclared sophomore, found his passion for breakdancing from watching the TV show, “America’s Best Dance Crew.” He was especially a fan of the Jabbawockeez, who are known for wearing mysterious white masks and impressing the audience with their robotic

Provided by Philippine-Alliance League Members of the BU Breakers perform at an event for the Philippine-American League. The organization began this year and hopes to expand both on campus and into the Binghamton area.

dance style.

“At first, I was nervous to try new things out and didn’t think I could do the same dances they were doing,” Osei said. “I didn’t really notice I liked dancing until last year, when my cousin forced me to join a dance team.

When joining BU Breakers last semester, I thought, ‘Wow, we can make this club the next Jabbawockeez on campus.’”

Each meeting of the club revolves around the opportunity to dance. During the first

BU Breakers general interest meeting last spring, for example, the group did an icebreaker in which random students were split into groups to form a dance crew and show off their individual moves in a small-scale dance battle. Once they realized their common passion was shared by other students, they started to work toward their goal of getting chartered by the SA, which they have achieved as of this semester.

The club’s newest goal is to grow and gain more

members in future semesters, especially through meetings, which are held at least twice a week, and laid-back practices held all around campus. The group doesn’t require that interested students have any experience dancing. Osei said that inexperienced students shouldn’t be intimidated to give break-dancing a try, as many of the club’s members learned right on the spot.

“When we hold practices on campus, some people walk by

and are curious about what it is we’re doing,” Pimentel said.

“They watch us for a while, and five minutes later they’re getting down with us. It’s like a chain reaction.”

For members who are new to the break-dancing style, Osei said getting bruised up is normal at practices and shouldn’t be a reason to quit.

“If you’re trying breakdancing for the first time, you’re going to get beat up because your body isn’t used to

the movements, but if you stay committed and determined you will get better at it with every time you practice,” he said. “In the moment, it might not seem like you can do something like that, but in the end, you wow yourself.”

This fall, they have performed at events on campus including the Philippine-American League’s banquet on Oct. 21 and Binghamton’s Got Talent on Nov. 4. The combination of the freestyle moves and upbeat music makes performing at events a positively energetic experience for Pimentel.

“My favorite part about performing is when we get to interact with the crowd and hype them up,” Pimentel said. “We get to share the positive energy we feel with them.”

BU Breakers’ future plans include hosting an on-campus break-dancing competition and putting on more performances by collaborating with other organizations. Aside from solely reaching out to on-campus groups, they also hope to contact experienced break-dancers in the Binghamton area. They hope that more seasoned dancers will be able to teach them new moves and spark their creativity.

The trio who formed BU Breakers met through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and not only realized their common interest in break-dancing, but also formed a close friendship. Garcia hopes BU Breakers will help inspire others who come from similar backgrounds.

“Coming into the school as an EOP student and from a low-income family, sharing the experience of break-dancing with other people is a way for me to give back to the community,” Garcia said. “My mission is to help other people break-dance.”

Revisiting the sounds of 1977

Local band pays tribute to the Grateful Dead Ryan Muller Staff Writer The Grateful Dead may be disbanded, but its fan base still stands strong. On Friday and Saturday night, the spirit of Jerry Garcia lived on through local band Voodoo Highway. With their two-night event, Voodoo Highway allowed audience members of all ages to live, and for some, relive, the Grateful Dead’s 1977 concert at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena in honor of the concert’s 40th anniversary.

Voodoo Highway began the weekend on Friday at 6 p.m. at the Binghamton University Downtown Center, with a performance sponsored by the University’s Division of Student Affairs. It continued on Saturday at 9 p.m. at Cyber Cafe West on the West Side of Binghamton. In the past, Cyber Cafe West has welcomed many acts ranging from student bands to local bands, including Voodoo Highway, who appeared comfortable and at home being in the familiar Binghamton cafe and concert venue.

Cyber Cafe West was adorned with psychedelic lights — characteristic of a Grateful Dead show — and the walls were decorated with old news strips about the 1977 concert. The cafe by day turned into a lively concert venue by night. It felt less like a cafe show and more like, as Voodoo Highway lead singer Dana Stewart, an associate professor of Italian and medieval studies at BU, described it, an “event.”

Crowd members mainly consisted of devoted Grateful Dead fans singing the decades-old lyrics along with the band. The audience reminisced as music played behind them, as if everyone already knew each other despite many meeting for only the first time. When the band asked how many crowd members were at the original concert on Nov. 6, 1977, a sizable amount raised their hands, showing the age range of the crowd from college students

to people in their 50s and 60s. The audience members found common ground in their love for the music, however, and spent the night socializing, drinking and dancing.

“All the people here are my age, I never go anywhere with people, you know, in my age, [where] there’s still a cool vibe,” said Dan Luther, 57, from Endicott. “It’s awesome.”

Voodoo Highway performed Grateful Dead hits such as “Friend of the Devil” and “Tennessee Jed,” all taken from the set list of the 1977 concert at the arena. The band strived to keep the set list and sound authentic to the original show.

Stewart joked that even their mistakes were identical to those at the show. Though Voodoo Highway wanted to replicate the Grateful Dead’s show, they still managed to showcase their own unique skills and talents. They successfully paid homage to their predecessors while standing on

their own as talented musicians and a distinct band.

The band included Stewart as lead singer and on rhythm guitar, Bob Rynone on lead guitar, Andy Gorman on bass, Tom D’Angelo on drums, Curtis Kendrick on keyboard, Christine Barnaby as a back-up singer and special guest Rob Wenig on bass. Wenig is a former member of JGB, an outfit which grew out of the Jerry Garcia Band, an eponymous side project of the Grateful Dead’s lead singer.

He flew out from California to play with Voodoo Highway and help put the show on.

Keyboardist Kendrick, like Stewart, is a BU faculty member — he is the dean of libraries. Kendrick, a longtime Grateful Dead fan, saw the original show while a student at Brown University.

“It was a special [concert] for me,” Kendrick said. “The Binghamton ‘77 show was my favorite, so it’s kind of an honor to be able to try to play that show.”

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VIP STUDENT TRAVEL CLUB www.Shortlinebus.com Jacob Hanna/Staff Photographer Dana Stewart, an assistant professor of Italian and medieval studies at BU, is also a singer, guitarist and percussionist for local band Voodoo Highway, which performs covers of Grateful Dead songs. Stewart and the rest of Voodoo Highway performed a two-day concert series in the city of Binghamton this weekend.

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WEEKEND FALL 2017

W

Well, Weekend Warrior, you survived another messy weekend on line to enter Tom and Marty’s because you were too drunk when you night in favor of doing Jäger shots at the Rat. We’ll see you next we all over ag

WARRIORS

n State Street. Congratulations on not getting kicked off the u got there, and good looks on not finishing that essay Friday eekend, Weekend Warrior, so be ready to bring your A-game gain.

7 Ariel Kachuro/Contributing Photographer

OPINIONS Monday, November 6, 2017

Recognizing our impact on the community BU students may negatively affect the city of Binghamton in areas of housing and safety Sarah Molano Contributing Columnist

Jorden James / Editorial Artist

WORKING FOR ALL OF US After considering both Republican incumbent Rich David and Democratic challenger Tarik Abdelazim’s platforms, the Editorial Board has decided to endorse Abdelazim for mayor of the city of Binghamton.

Although we acknowledge that David has created positive change for Binghamton in areas of business and housing blight, Abdelazim has shown since July that he’s capable of putting together a compelling, progressive campaign for the betterment of Binghamton.

Abdelazim has received endorsements from over 20 local unions, demonstrating support from local citizens of a variety of professions. Additionally, he has significant experience working in community development on a national scale: his experience as program advisor of national technical assistance for the nonprofit organization the Center for Community Progress, where he worked with cities similar to Binghamton in improving vacant and abandoned properties, has prepared him well for challenges he’d face as mayor. His time in this position earned him national recognition as an innovator of

healthier neighborhoods.

On the subject of job creation, Abdelazim was selected to serve on the Energy Workgroup on the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council in 2011 to help bring clean energy jobs to the area, and his work helped create Southern Tier Solar Works.

Furthermore, Abdelazim made it a major point of his campaign to connect and listen to the community at large, which includes Binghamton University students.

He has become involved with organizations like Generation Vote and the Broome County Young Democrats, and is effectively mobilizing not only BU students, but young people across Broome County.

While we acknowledge that David has made strides to help local businesses during his tenure, he’s also been the subject of criticism. In September,

David’s official Facebook page changed newspaper headlines to paint his opponent in a negative light. The Editorial Board feels this was unethical, and it left a bad taste in the mouths of potential voters; we should be able to trust that our leaders are not skewing the news to work in their favor.

Additionally, David voiced his support for the installation of blue-light systems on the West Side of Binghamton.

David’s other decisions during his mayoral term, like his plan to spend $700,000 to install 22 license plate readers, have been criticized by constituents.

People have wondered whether or not this is completely necessary, asking if the money could have been spent to better the community in other ways.

The Editorial Board feels that David’s response to crime in Binghamton involves expensive action after the fact, while Abdelazim’s campaign is rooted

in community development across neighborhoods to stop the cycle of crime before it begins through initiatives such as his youth-investment plan, Project J.O.Y. Overall, we support Abdelazim because he has important experience working in cities like Binghamton, and because of his engagement with the community. His ability to mobilize the citizens of Binghamton effectively proves that he has the tools and the vision to incite positive change in the city of Binghamton.

Many of us are citizens of Binghamton — or spend much of our time within city limits — and we have the power to elect someone who is qualified and equipped to do great things for this city. Abdelazim has made it a point to connect with us; let’s use our power to help him emerge with a victory in this election. Abdelazim can work for all of us.

Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.

University and some students insisted the blue lights would keep students safe off campus. But the protesting students disagreed, citing concerns that they are ineffective, as shown in a Syracuse University study that found that of 10,000 times blue lights were used, fewer than 12 instances were because students actually needed help.

The other concern was that the money was earmarked for impact aid, meaning it should help the greater Binghamton community — not just students. The blue lights would’ve just provided more surveillance in an area where community relationships with police aren’t great. And even if you’re pro-policing, more blue lights would’ve raised property values even more, bringing up gentrification again.

The main issue was that community members had no say in where the money would go, even though whatever that money was used for would have affected them.

That blue-light situation was, in a nutshell, a representation of this disconnect. What the University views as safety isn’t necessarily safe for the whole community. The Binghamton community has huge problems with poverty, mental illness and drug use — in Broome County, there have been at least 55 drug-related deaths so far in 2017; these are things that we should tackle if we want to talk about safety.

Housing and safety are just two pieces of the whole picture. The truth is that many in the Binghamton community view students as privileged and uncaring. Whatever we do now to impact the Binghamton community, we’ll end up leaving here. These folks will still be here and have to live with what we’ve done.

As students, we are not the only part of this community. We should be trying to remedy this divide by getting involved with community organizations, attending townhall meetings or going to events in the community. Let’s build these relationships and impact the area for the better, together.

Maybe we’ll get to a point where we’ll go Downtown for more than just a fancy apartment or a drink.

Every weekend — and weekday, if you’re into that — Binghamton University students swarm Downtown Binghamton. We go to bars, we spend money on a midnight slice of pizza, but most of all, we disturb the residents of the city.

There is a distinct divide between BU students and residents in the community. We generally don’t befriend nonstudents when we’re at the bars, and I’ve often heard students refer negatively to the “townies.” On the surface, it makes sense why students are so detached from the community; we’re here for about four years, and when we’re not Downtown to party, we’re focusing on our schoolwork back in our luxury apartments or on campus.

But why is it a problem that we’re so clearly separate from the community?

When I attended a community town hall last week at a church Downtown, I heard residents talk about the problems they’re facing.

Right off the bat, housing was brought up as a major concern. Community members described how much rent has risen on the West Side of Binghamton and Downtown for the sake of landlords making money off of students.

One woman explained how houses and apartments are renovated, taking properties that used to be under $1,000 and selling them for hundreds of dollars per bedroom — anywhere from $300 to $900 — prices only students are willing and able to pay.

Here, students are directly hurting community members. We are gentrifying this area — an area that already has a 33.9 percent poverty rate. Whether we know it or not, we push residents out of their longtime homes, and we must acknowledge this issue.

This rift is also visible in our notions of safety. The University’s proposal to install blue lights on the West Side last semester prompted a two-weeklong sit-in at the Couper — Sarah Molano is a junior majoring Administration Building.

The in English.

Making #MeToo count in the real world

Survivors need support that transverses a social media hashtag Kara Bilello Columnist

Following the mile-long list of allegations of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein, the social media campaign #MeToo went viral two weeks ago. I’m sure that it is one that you have seen, as people have been using #MeToo to indicate that they have been the victim of sexual assault or harassment.

This movement is not limited

to the United States. According to CNN and CBS News, the hashtag has reached 85 countries and can be found across multiple languages: #QuellaVoltaChe in Italian, #BalanceTonPorc in French and #YoTambién in Spanish.

However, it is also key to highlight that this is not the first time such a movement on social media has emerged — in 2012, the hashtag was #EverydaySexism. In 2014, it was #YouOKSis, #YesAllWomen and #BeenRapedNeverReported.

But what is it about #MeToo that will make the 1.7 million

tweets have a lasting effect?

How can we make the feelings of solidarity and empathy last?

This is a game of high stakes and a feeling that saves lives.

Thirty-three percent of women who are raped consider suicide and they are 13 times more likely to attempt suicide than people who have not experienced violence in this capacity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented suicide as the second leading cause of death for people aged 15-34 in 2015, and the numbers have been on the rise since.

Kevin Hines, one of 36 survivors who attempted suicide from the Golden Gate Bridge, recently spoke at Binghamton University. At the event, Hines stated that if there had been one person who smiled at him that day or asked him if he was OK, he would have reconsidered. While we are the only ones accountable for our own actions, the feeling of being supported and valued is powerful — something that many survivors of sexual assault are missing.

In order to keep the awareness raised by #MeToo at the forefront of people’s minds, there needs to

be more action accompanying it.

An American is sexually assaulted every 98 seconds — it’s hard to ignore when you learn that someone you know has been the victim of such a crime.

What we don’t know now is who the attackers are. According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, only 344 out of 1,000 sexual assaults are reported to the police. And out of every 1,000 cases of sexual assault that are reported, 994 perpetrators walk.

Without action behind #MeToo, we place a limit on the support given to survivors. We can

say that we believe them, but we also need to be willing to advocate for them, even when they are fearful of what could result.

We need to push for stricter guidelines for the Sex Offender Registry, urge Title IX coordinators to consider the prevalence of unreported cases, force our justice system to pay attention by writing to representatives and volunteer at crisis helplines like the High Hopes Helpline on our own campus. We are not powerless.

— Kara Bilello is a junior doublemajoring in English and Spanish.

Letter to the editor: In support of Tarik Abdelazim Dear Editor, This citizen sees a great deal of difference in the two candidates in Binghamton’s mayoral contest and he would like to take a New York minute to describe his thoughts. A New York Minute is the length of time between a Manhattan traffic light turning green and the guy behind you honking his horn. Anyway….

The mayoral race is a contest between Tarik Abdelazim, a man with 12-years

of award-winning city project management experience who is running against a man with less than 4 years at work.

Mayor David’s prior jobs involved public relations and television work.

Tarik Abdelazim was primarily responsible for turning many eyesores into parks and other usable properties at zero cost to the taxpayers. Rich David turned many eyesores into empty lots while charging taxpayers $725,000 for the service.

Tarik Abdelazim knows not to auction city property to slumlords. Rich David allows slumlords to buy property in town.

Tarik Abdelazim did not rewrite newspaper headlines and use them in publicity statements attributed to the newspaper.

Let’s discuss Binghamton Mayor Rich David, the man who fired two men he himself hired. This occurred 24 hours into a record deep snowfall that stalled the snow removal efforts

of the two men–both were top city works people. A record snowfall is defined as, ‘Having way more snow than you can handle.’ Firing people that you yourself hired is defined as, ‘Not knowing what in hell you are doing.’ And the forecast that day was for a mere ten-inches of white stuff. The 32 inches was a huge surprise and a huge surprise is defined as, ‘Getting yourself elected mayor and then wondering how to do the job.’

Anyway, all of the people of

Binghamton pitched in and dug out those deep drifts.

When times are tough, the family gets together, the team gets together, and the platoon gets together, and they nod to the smart guy. Tarik Abdelazim is that smart guy.

His work today is nationwide in a sort of world’s first effort to improve neighborhoods across the country.

Okay, we gave Rich David some heck today. Rich David is a good guy and fine media

specialist–but media specialists can’t always run a city. This citizen recommends a vote for Tarik Abdelazim for mayor but does concede that both candidates are good men who deserve your vote. Thank you all for this minute and please get out and vote for the future of our city.

Jefferson Rose, citizen of Binghamton The full version of this letter to the editor can be found at bupipedream.com.

OPINIONS FFUN UN Thursday, Monday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September November October October April 3,2,5, 2017 6, 28, 2017 2017 2017 2017

Veintiuno

Low Standards

Nate Walker

Smart Boy: Smart

Annabeth Sloan

Shantel Allison

Sudoku

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to Thursday's puzzle

Would You Look at the Time

Nate Walker

Don't Look Back

Nate Walker

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11/6/17

FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 6, 2017

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle 1 5 10 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 24 26 28 31 34 35 37 40

Horoscopes

The Cosmos

42 43 44 45 47 48 50 52 54 55 56 60 64 66 68 69 70 71 72 73 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

ACROSS Actor Nicolas Borg of tennis Spheres Pinnacle Prefix for visual or cassette Not sick Lowest “If the __ fits, wear it” Prose writing Primp Female animal Cobb & Majors Candid Bed linens Drug seller Wally or Courteney Happens Invites Swiss skier’s milieu On the ball Lion’s neck hair Rod and __; fishing gear __ with; tolerates Meadow India’s dollars Flings Compadre Rings a __; sounds familiar Water barrier Not all there Praise Zone UK’s legislature Follow orders “Trick or __!”

Tearful request __ up; arranges Gushes forth Swedish car DOWN Candy __; Yuletide sweet Hairy creatures Understands Breathe out Forbid entry to __ on; berates suddenly Scent

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

8 On the __; increasing 9 Short letter 10 Cries from a flu shot clinic 11 Dry runs 12 __ away; awed 13 Smooth and glossy 18 See __ eye; agree 22 Org. for Bears and Broncos 25 Get away 27 Enlarge a hole 28 Sign of a past surgery 29 Space; gap 30 Lab trial 31 Songs for two 32 Slips up 33 Mentally sharp 36 Helpful hint 38 Part of the leg 39 Adriatic & Red 41 Punch 46 Lively dance 49 Snow pea or okra

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51 Doesn’t sit up straight 52 Name for two U.S. presidents 53 Osmond sister 54 Club rule 57 __ for; selects 58 Waterproof covering

59 Spotted owl’s abode 61 Oscar __ Hoya 62 __ Day; vitamin product family 63 Puncture 65 Billboards 67 “__ a Small World”

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@PipeDreamSports FOR LIVE COVERAGE Monday, November 6, 2017

Week 4: Waiver Bearcats defeat Hartford, UMBC wire steals Volleyball extends win streak to four with strong play at home Samuel Ditchek Sports Editor

Fantasy Basketball Point Guard Mike James (PHX): With Suns head coach Earl Watson relieved of his duties a mere three games into the season, and point guard Eric Bledsoe tweeting that he would rather be elsewhere, James could not be in a better position to showcase his talent.

Since Watson’s departure, interim head coach Jay Triano seems to have relatively turned the organization around, guiding the team to a respectable 4-5 record in a tough Western Conference (prior to a Sunday night showdown with the San Antonio Spurs). James has undeniably succeeded in his new starting role, posting five or more assists in his last three contests before Sunday’s matchup.

Although he may not be a highscoring option, the dimes are certainly there, as well as an aboveaverage free throw percentage.

Shooting Guard Donovan Mitchell (UTA): The combo guard from the University of Louisville has thrived in his newfound role alongside point guard Ricky Rubio.

Despite averaging only 13.1 points, excluding the game against Houston, Mitchell has exploded for over 20 points three times this season.

Mitchell appears to be a necessary spark for a lowly Utah Jazz offense recovering from the departure of small forward Gordon Hayward. Mitchell is logging almost 25 minutes per game, while contributing close to two 3-pointers and hovering around one steal per contest. Given the consistent minutes and both the offensive and defensive outputs, Mitchell is a must-own and in must-start territory.

Small Forward Tyreke Evans (MEM): The former Rookie of the Year, and unofficial candidate for most injury-prone player, has been thriving for the Memphis Grizzlies. Even though Evans began his 2017-18 season slowly,

he has unquestionably picked up his play recently. Over his past five games, not including Sunday’s meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers, Evans has averaged an efficient 20.8 points as he puts forth his best 3-point season of his career. As of Sunday afternoon, Evans is cashing in on two deep balls per contest to go along with 5.6 rebounds per game. With small forward Chandler Parsons on a hefty minutes restriction, look for Evans to continue to be a focal point of the Grizzlies’ offense.

Power Forward Luc Mbah a Moute (HOU): With a short list of available succeeding power forwards, Mbah a Moute emerges as a decent option for fantasy owners seeking help in their defensive categories. Prior to his matchup with the Jazz Sunday evening, Mbah a Moute has already collected 13 steals and seven blocks on the year.

Additionally, he is currently matching his career-best 3-point average (.9 per game) and is slightly below his career-best points per game (9.3). With the Houston Rockets’ offense centered around point guard James Harden, Mbah a Moute is by no means a must-own or must-start player; however, his value on the defensive end could certainly be enough to win close matchups in the steals and blocks categories.

Center Taj Gibson (MIN): At this point, Gibson certainly appears to be Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau’s favorite to start at the four. Alongside center KarlAnthony Towns, Gibson has been a solid option in the categories of field-goal percentage, boards and free-throw percentage (perfect from the line prior to his game against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday). Not only has he succeeded with his new team, but Gibson has also outplayed fellow center Gorgui Dieng. Although Gibson posts a modest stat line on most nights, he is worth owning in deeper leagues with his starting role. The seasoned veteran developed his game as a member of the Chicago Bulls under Thibodeau and is undoubtedly experiencing well-earned favoritism out in Minnesota.

Edward Aaron Contributing Writer

The Binghamton volleyball team continued its strong homecourt advantage with two pivotal conference victories in Vestal this weekend. On Friday night, the Bearcats (10-14, 7-4 America East) defeated Hartford, 3-1, and on Sunday afternoon, they took down UMBC, 3-1. With these victories, BU has now won four consecutive matches.

“I thought we’ve handled the ball better on our side, and our middles have been a mainstay for us, both blocking and hitting,” said BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama.

Following their wins in the previous week, Binghamton junior outside hitter Erin Shultz was named AE Player of the Week, marking her first time receiving the award, and senior setter Sarah Ngo was awarded AE Setter of the Week for the seventh time in her career.

In Friday’s match, the Bearcats overpowered Hartford (5-19, 2-8 AE). BU began the first set with a 4-0 run, and never looked back. With its lead extended to 16-6 after a 7-0 run, the Hawks began to rally, with the deficit being as low as three points. Their efforts fell short, however, as the Bearcats won 2519.

The second set was similar to the first. After exchanging the first two serves, Binghamton took over with an 11-2 stretch and continued to dominate. A 7-1 run by Binghamton to finish the frame gave the Bearcats a 2516 victory, and a 2-0 edge in the match.

Hartford performed its best in the third set, taking its first lead of the evening with a 2-0 start. Later in the frame, trailing 17-14, the Hawks went on a 6-0 run to earn a 20-17 advantage, and finished out the frame with a 5-3 run, good enough to capture the set 25-20 and stay alive in the match.

The fourth set was controlled primarily by the Bearcats, who started the frame on a 10-3 margin and continued to apply pressure to take a commanding 22-6 lead. They went on to win the set 25-11 and the match in a strong fashion.

Sunday’s match against UMBC (13-11, 5-5 AE), which marked Senior Day for the

Rebecca Kiss/Assisstant Photography Editor Senior setter Sarah Ngo totaled 37 assists in a 3-1 victory against Hartford on Friday night.

Bearcats, honored seniors middle hitter Kristella Morina, middle hitter Lexi LaGoy and Ngo for their contributions to the program.

The first sequence was contested, with UMBC starting the frame with a 3-1 lead, but the Bearcats went on a 3-0 run to take a 4-3 lead. From then on, the Retrievers played from behind, with the Bearcats coming out on top, 25-22. The second set began similarly, but a 6-1 run by UMBC to close out the set earned a 2523 victory for the Retrievers.

“Our team knew they had to pick it up, and after that second set we had to communicate a lot better on the court and put in a

lot more effort,” Kiriyama said.

The final two sequences were dominated by Binghamton, which started the third frame with a 5-1 run, and went on to win 25-15. The fourth set began with a 7-0 run by the Bearcats, and finished with Binghamton winning the set 25-12, and the match 3-1. UMBC failed to gain the lead for the entirety of the final two sets.

With the season nearing its end, the 2017 AE Championship is looming for the Bearcats.

Of the seven schools in the conference, the top four will compete for an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. Albany has already locked up the No. 1

seed and the right to host the championship.

Binghamton is currently in a battle for the remaining three spots with Stony Brook and UMBC, but Kiriyama is not thinking about the playoffs just yet.

“We’re just focused on the last game here, against Stony Brook,” Kiriyama said.

“We want to do well there, and that’s our main focus for the week. Hopefully we’ll make the conference tournament.”

Binghamton will play its final regular-season match at Stony Brook this Sunday. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. from the Pritchard Gymnasium in Stony Brook, New York.

[ATHLETE SHOWCASE]: Rodriguez shines in fall debut Sophomore propels team to third-place finish in first home invitational of his BU golf career Justin Zion Contributing Writer

In early October, at the Matthews Auto Collegiate Invitational, the Binghamton golf team was struggling at the start of the final round. It was sitting in a tie for seventh place and had a combined score of 12 over par.

An air of disappointment hung over the team, as the chance to perform well on its home turf seemed to be slipping away.

By the time the final round was over, the script had completely flipped. With sophomore Ryan Rodriguez leading the way, the Bearcats vaulted up the leaderboard, finishing third in a field of 17, just two shots shy of the victory.

Binghamton’s final round was the best-scoring round of the entire tournament, at 288. Rodriguez himself finished with a total score of three under par, sinking four consecutive birdies along the way in front of a supportive group of loved ones.

“Our home tournament was a lot of fun,” Rodriguez said. “My mom and my girlfriend were

able to come up and support me, that was pretty amazing … I was fortunate [enough] to play well, and, more importantly, the team was fortunate [enough] to play well. It was a great experience.”

For Rodriguez, however, this home tournament was just one shining moment in his long history of playing golf, a sport that he has been involved with since the early age of 2.

“My dad got me into golf when we moved to where I live now,” Rodriguez said. “There’s a golf course about a halfmile down the road, and my dad introduced it to me when I was about 2. I got aboard pretty quickly.”

After many years of honing his talents, Rodriguez decided to try his hand at collegiate golf. He initially attended Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, New Jersey, during his freshman year, but he felt like the environment of the school wasn’t a good fit for him. Desiring a change, Rodriguez decided to leave Saint Peter’s and transfer to Binghamton.

“I liked the environment

we have here, so I transferred,” Rodriguez said. “Luckily there was a spot for me, and it’s worked out perfectly. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far.”

The change in schools seems to be paying its dividends on the course as well. Rodriguez enjoyed a successful fall season, consistently placing at, or near, the top of the Bearcats’ scoresheet in each invitational.

Rodriguez’s performance at the Matthews Auto Collegiate Invitational was one of the top performances by a BU athlete this season, and the closest anyone has come to an individual victory at a tournament this fall.

Although the time and effort that Rodriguez puts into his golf performance is significant, he also spends time pursuing other hobbies and areas of interest. He loves to fish and is otherwise an avid outdoorsman, who enjoys the beauty and serenity of nature, which he cited as one of the reasons he wanted to transfer to Binghamton. More significantly, Rodriguez is interested in cinematography and even runs his very own freelance

cinematography business, Ryan Rod Films, which works with numerous small businesses around Rodriguez’s hometown.

The company makes videos that help market businesses’ products and services.

“I want to be an entrepreneur of some sort, and I’d like to own my own media company somewhere down the road,” Rodriguez said. “I think [my business] is a great gateway and I’ve gotten a lot of hands-on experience.”

Although Rodriguez has this eventual goal clear in his mind, he said there’s nothing that’s completely finalized.

Rodriguez, though undecided about his postgraduation plans, feels confident that he’s worked hard enough at a wide variety of skills to access a few job opportunities after college. With his golfing talent, his experience in cinematography and his planned psychology major, Rodriguez looks to combine his skills, interests and efforts into a fruitful career.

“I don’t have anything written in stone for exactly when

Provided by BU Athletics Sophomore Ryan Rodriguez had a strong debut on the Binghamton golf team this year, aiding the team in achieving third place in a home meet this October.

I get out of college,” Rodriguez said. “I just know that I’m going to trust what I’ve been working hard in, and hopefully that will open up some doors.”

With his wide range of abilities and passions, it seems

only a matter of time.

Rodriguez and the rest of the Bearcats golf team can next be seen on Friday, March 9, 2018 as they kick off the spring season at the Jackrabbit Invitational in Boulder City, Nevada.