Fall 2019 Issue 2

explore the

southern tier

museum scene See page 6

Monday, August 26, 2019 | Vol. XCVI, Issue 2 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Trail of Truth Community honors lives lost because of substance use Valerie Puma

assistant news editor

john atkinson pipe dream photographer Community members honor those who lost their lives because of substance use at “Trail of Truth.”

In 2014, Alexis Pleus lost her son to the Governmental Plaza for a live help the most marginalized in our to an overdose. And on Saturday performance art piece in protest of communities. We call ourselves an afternoon, she joined hundreds the opioid epidemic and in honor of anti-racist organization, because of community members at the the lives lost to it. that’s important to us. Everything Peacemaker’s Stage in Binghamton The event also served as a that we make accessible and to honor him on International platform to discuss the progress everything we make will help Overdose Awareness Day. Truth Pharm has made — and the everyone — from Jeff, to the kid Pleus, founder and director who is richer than Jeff, to the kid “At the very beginning, starting Truth who never even had a chance in of Truth Pharm, now works to raise awareness about the Pharm, I didn’t want to go around pick- the first place — we’re going to drug epidemic that kills tens ing up the pieces for the rest of my life. make sure we make it accessible of thousands of Americans I wanted to find a way to get to the root to everyone.” annually, including 31 people But Truth Pharm has made cause of this problem, and to fix it. in Broome County last year. other strides. Jessica Saeman, That’s what we do — we’ve turned our “I lost my son, Jeff, and one of the organization’s grief into advocacy.”

Truth Pharm was born of that Alexis Pleus, founder and director of Truth ‘rainmakers,’ a term used to loss,” Pleus said. “My goal was describe Truth Pharm members, Pharm to get to the root cause of the said her mother is a nurse at problem and to fix things so that we battles it continues to fight.

Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton have less losses of Jeffs and all the One of those challenges is and has been trying to get the other beautiful people out there.” tackling the stigma surrounding hospital administration on board Truth Pharm organized its those struggling with addiction. with helping in the drug epidemic. fourth-annual “Trail of Truth” to Pleus said her son was a white, “I’m happy to announce [that honor those lost to substance use- educated male from a middle- Lourdes] now has three doctors related causes in the Southern Tier. class home with a supportive mom that are prescribing medically At the event, family members and and good insurance, but he was assisted treatment,” Saeman said. friends created a memorial cemetery still affected by the disease that is “Three years ago, I never would’ve made up of poster board tombstones drug addiction. thought that any of these things to illustrate their losses. Attendees “If I focused our efforts and that I’ve discussed today would have also participated in overdose reversal everything we did at Truth Pharm ever happened.” training, and a rally was held on on fixing things for all the Jeffs in Another speaker, L.A. Kauffman, the stage, featuring speeches and the world, we would still be losing an activist and author, spoke about performances. Later in the afternoon, a whole lot of lives,” Pleus said. responsibility through advocacy and attendees carried their loved ones’ “That’s why Truth Pharm has a very tombstones for a memorial march serious focus on making sure we see opioid page 2

BU School of Pharmacy inducts new class Cultural First-year students receive ceremonial white coats Sheila Kirsche pipe dream news

Binghamton University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS) welcomed 90 students by handing them white coats during a ceremony on Saturday.

The event, held at the Osterhout Concert Theater in the Anderson Center, marked the students’ transition from preclinical studies into clinical studies.

After a violin performance and welcome speeches from Gloria Meredith, founding dean of SOPPS, and University President Harvey Stenger, keynote speaker Milap Nahata took the stage. Nahata is the director for the Institute of Therapeutic Innovations and Outcomes and a professor emeritus of pharmacy, pediatrics and internal medicine at Ohio State University.

William Eggleston, H. Andrew Wilsey and Erin Pauling, clinical assistant professors of pharmacy

practice, and Sara Spencer, introductory pharmacy practice experiences coordinator and a clinical instructor of pharmacy practice, presented students with their white coats.

Four second-year SOPPS students, who received their white coats last year, performed the Passing of the Light of Knowledge ceremony, where they passed candles to the new students. Julia Napoli, who took two years of prerequisite courses at BU before making the transition, said being chosen for the ceremony was an honor.

“Passing the light was a very humbling experience for me, as it feels like just yesterday that it was me getting my white coat,” Napoli said. “I remember exactly what it felt like to be standing in their shoes, so eager and excited, while also scared and overwhelmed of the journey I was about to embark on.”

The ceremony ended with students reciting the Oath of a Pharmacist, which speaks to an individual’s application of

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festivities welcome students Groups table, perform at Multicultural Extravaganza Gillian Mathews news intern

a lot of work out of the water, whether that’s spinning or rowing or lifting or conditioning or yoga, so it’s a good mix.”

With the team’s strong record, Cummiskey said he is excited to work with all of the old and new athletes.

Junior distance free specialist Kaitlyn Smolar was responsible for three of the records broken last season (1000 free, 1650 free, 800 free relay), while senior Tyler Meyers holds the pool record for the 200 free relay and was named cocaptain for the 2019-20 season.

A sunny Sunday afternoon was filled with food, music and raffles as students made their way around the fourth-annual Multicultural Extravaganza (ME) at the Old Dickinson field on the Binghamton University campus.

The ME is a part of the Intercultural Welcome Kick-off Series which includes other events such as the New Student of Color Networking Fair, the Diversity Leadership Reception and Culture Chats.

Giveaways, prizes, performances and presentations by several cultural student organizations were included at the extravaganza. The event was sponsored by various on-campus organizations including the Q Center, the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) and the Student Association (SA) vice president for multicultural affairs.

Khaleel James, vice president for multicultural affairs and a junior double-majoring in economics and human development, said the event continues the tradition of highlighting cultural organizations.

“I find it very important for all different types of cultures to be recognized on campus,” James said. “That way, students come into the University knowing that there are other people here that want to celebrate and explore what makes them

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rose coschignano photo intern A School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS) student receives their white coat at the school’s annual induction ceremony.

Cummiskey to lead Bearcat swim teams Cummiskey joins Bearcats after six-year stint at Bryant University Samantha Marsh

assistant sports editor

The Binghamton men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams ended their 2018-19 campaigns with several broken records and an 11-2 combined record in dual meets under the helm of their head coach, Brad Smith. But after five years as head coach, Smith departed to accept the head coach position at Youngstown

State, and now, there’s a new boss in the pool — Jerry Cummiskey.

Cummiskey, a former associate head coach at Bryant University, has a long background with swimming. He was only in elementary school when he joined his first team.

“Once I got to high school, I made the decision to really commit to swimming instead of playing basketball or other sports,” Cummiskey said. “I had some success in high school and continued to swim in college.”

After Cummiskey committed to Springfield College for swimming, he

ARTS & CULTURE

began studying physical education and earned his bachelor’s degree in movement and sports studies. Upon graduating, Cummiskey made the decision to begin his coaching career.

He was associate head coach at Bryant University for six years, coaching the women’s team to the Northeast Conference title in 2018 and 2019.

Cummiskey said he wants to bring that success to Binghamton by training with a purpose.

“We’re not going to overtrain,” Cummiskey said. “We’re not going to be super yardage-heavy. We’re going to do

OPINIONS

SPORTS

Explore the Southern Tier’s museum scene

Snapshots from Porchfest 2019

Columnist Hannah Gulko encourages moving away from consumer culture and materialism

Women’s soccer defeats St. Bonaventure in season opener

Assistant sports editor Edward Aaron writes that NFL teams must reassess offensive line strategies

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PAGE II Monday, August 26, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3, 2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

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Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS

Woman faces charges for using ex’s Amazon account

City of Binghamton moves closer to tax limit

A Binghamton woman has been charged with multiple counts of identity theft and larceny after police say she purchased hundreds of dollars worth of Amazon products using her ex’s account, according to WBNG. Her ex was reimbursed

by Amazon. Law enforcement officials said consumers can protect themselves from fraudulent charges by monitoring their bank statement, changing their passwords often and limiting access to their devices and accounts.

Binghamton is creeping closer to a limit that regulates how much its property owners can be taxed, according to Binghamton Homepage. Binghamton is among 10 cities in New York state facing problems with their current constitutional tax limits, which curbs the amount of tax revenue a city can raise based on the size of their property tax base. Binghamton recently reached 89.1 percent of its constitutional tax limit, an increase from 88 percent in 2014. Mayor Rich David said

Weather Monday, Aug. 26

Tuesday, Aug. 27

stabilizing:west side story

editorial:destabilizing

STATE NEWS

Attorneys drop federal lawsuit over New York vaccination law Lawyers challenging a new state law that will end religious exemptions for vaccinations public, private and parochial school have dismissed their case, according to the New York Law Journal. The lawsuit argued that the statute conflicts with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — a federal law

that requires children with disabilities to have access to a free, public education — by denying children with disabilities access to an education if they do not receive the required vaccines. The federal lawsuit challenging the new law was dropped on Aug. 23. Attorneys still have a lawsuit against the statute in state court that is expected to be decided before the beginning of the impending school year.

NATIONAL NEWS

Conservative radio host and former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh announced on Sunday that he will challenge President Donald Trump in the Republican primary, according to ABC News. Walsh, who called Trump “completely unfit,” has used racist slurs on Twitter and promoted falsehoods regarding former President Barack Obama’s background. The former congressman was elected to the House of Representatives in 2010 amid a wave of Tea Party candidates.

Republican announces 2020 presidential run against Trump

“I’m bearing my soul with you right now on national TV. We have a guy in the White House who’s never apologized for anything he’s done or said.”

— Conservative radio host and former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh, while announcing on Sunday his decision to launch a Republican presidential primary challenge against President Donald Trump. Walsh also reflected on racist comments he made while in Congress.

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his administration is prioritizing property tax reduction and plans to propose another tax cut in 2020.

Patchy fog, then sunny 70° — 56°

Mostly cloudy 74° — 62°

Wednesday, Aug. 28

This Day in History Aug. 26, 1920 Showers likely 77° — 59°

The 19th Amendment, which prohibits state and federal governments from denying a U.S. citizen the right to vote on the basis of sex, is adopted to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment came after 70 years of struggle by

bupipedream.com | August 26, 2019

NEWS

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anastasia figuera pipe dream photographer

Students gather at the 26th annual University Fest to explore interests and join clubs.

University Fest showcases student organizations Newcomers explore student resources Nicole Kaufman news intern

For the 26th year in a row, hundreds of student groups gathered at the Peace Quad on Saturday to celebrate the start of the academic year and recuit new members.

This year, University Fest featured local vendors, giveaways, inflatables, a dog parade and more than 200 student organizations, allowing new and returning students to

catch a glimpse of the different clubs and groups the University has to offer.

Nicholas Erb, president of the a cappella group Treblemakers and a junior majoring in business administration, said University Fest enables students to explore their interests and interact with people from various organizations. “[University Fest] is an incredible opportunity to familiarize yourself with different clubs, whether they be for the arts, for your particular major or just something fun to do,” Erb said. “It is so important to involve yourself in at least one club on

campus. It’s a great opportunity to make friends, meet new people and have something to do that is fun for you.”

And for returning students and the organizations they run, the event is an opportunity to grow. Shannon O’Rourke, lighting director for Binghamton Sound, Staging and Lighting (BSSL) and a senior majoring in theatre, said her club recruits new members every year at the event.

“This is where we get everyone,” O’Rourke said. “We’ve had around 200 people sign up so far. Being a part of BSSL has been amazing — I would not

trade it for anything.”

Part of University Fest’s charm is its simplicity. Student groups don’t have to worry about fighting for table space or working out complicated reservation instructions. Instead, the Student Association (SA) plans the event for various clubs and organizations, providing advertising and tables.

“Being president of the Treblemakers, coordinating tables and other essentials for University Fest is simple, because the SA makes sure to work everything out for you,” Erb said. “They are extremely helpful in helping you advertise

your campus organization. All we have to do is tell them what items we need, and they can supply it for us.”

Callie Sacks, assistant musical director and business manager of the a cappella group Binghamton Vibrations and a junior doublemajoring in psychology and philosophy, politics and law, said University Fest also gives her the chance to share her enthusiasm about what her organization and the University has to offer.

“I love [University Fest],” Sacks said. “It’s such a great way to meet all of the freshmen, and I love talking to people about the club that I am so passionate

about.”

She also said the event helped her get to where she is today. Earlier in her college career, Sacks heard about the Binghamton Vibrations from a friend and was excited to attend University Fest and meet members of the group, which helped her decide to join.

“Personally, I found out about the Vibes from a high school friend of mine,” Sacks said. “I still came to see them at [University Fest] anyway, and it definitely allowed me to meet a bunch of the members of the group and helped me decide for certain that I wanted to be a Vibe.”

Rally attendees advocate for drug safety, awareness opioid from page 1 direct action, shedding light on the ways organizations such as Truth Pharm are able to reduce harm.

“One of the crucial ways in which people have fought the opioid crisis is by mutual aid, through needle exchanges — whether its legal to exchange their syringes or not — by setting up safe injection facilities even though we know there has been resistance in every level of government to making these lifesaving institutions legal,” Kauffman said. “People are doing this work anyway … to save lives in the face of this epidemic.”

The event’s schedule staggered musical performances between speeches, featuring family members and recovering addicts singing and rapping songs about the strength for recovery and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.

“We get out there, we raise hell, we love doing that and we believe it’s really important,” Pleus said. “At the very beginning, starting Truth Pharm, I didn’t want to go around picking up the pieces for the rest of my life.

I wanted to find a way to get to the root cause of this problem, and to fix it. That’s what we do — we’ve turned our grief into advocacy.”

During the rally, an organizer came to the stage and invited anyone whose life had been saved

by Narcan, a naloxone spray

that reverses the effects of an overdose, to come up. Over a dozen attendees voluntarily came to the stage.

After the rally concluded, families and friends picked up their loved ones’ tombstones and gathered to begin the memorial march to the Governmental Plaza.

“We call it a ‘march’ and not a ‘walk,’ because … we are warriors,” Pleus said. “We are not walking downtown, we are marching through this town to raise some hell and make sure everyone sees that our loved ones’ lives matter.”

Family members each carried one tombstone, marched from the Peacemaker’s Stage down to the end of Collier Street, coming to the Plaza to set their tombstones in wooden blocks. Then, lying down on the sidewalk in front of the memorials, each person was outlined in chalk to symbolize the lives lost to the epidemic. The chalk outlines are expected to last a few weeks, during which Truth Pharm rainmakers will be standing by to ensure the community members understand what the memorial symbolizes.

“These are not empty souls we lost,” Pleus said.

“They are not invisible people. They are people who matter, who were important, who were loved. We write inside of their bodies, so that people know that they were very loved.”

Trail of Truth attendee advocates for harm reductive programs to prevent fatal overdoses.

john atkinson pipe dream photographer

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NEWS

bupipedream.com | August 26, 2019

Multicultural extravaganza celebrates campus diversity culture from page 1 unique. We hope that students who attend realize that we are exposing them to knowledge as well as familiar faces on campus so they always feel at home.”

LaToya Foster, ‘12, an alumni advisor of Diverse Cultural Xcellence, said the event has grown in size and culture since its inception.

“I was here last year, and I definitely think that there are a lot more groups, which brings new energy to the event,” Foster said. “This year we have a stage, which also helps to bring more attention to the groups as well as the amazing and creative performances and music everyone has to share.”

Several organizations tabling, including the Caribbean Student Association (CSA), wanted to make the event more widespread and focus on the diversity of cultures on campus. Sasha Darceuil, vice president of the CSA and a junior double-majoring in geography and Africana studies, said she was excited to table at the event because it gave her an opportunity to showcase her organization.

“We chose to table this event again because it really targets more students of color, and it helps to teach attendees about our organization, what we stand for and what we do on campus,” Darceuil said. “At the extravaganza, we get the main

Members of the Black Dance Repertoire perform at the Multicultural Extravaganza on Sunday.

focus on multicultural groups that we don’t get anywhere else and more one-on-one interactions with students who might have been nervous or apprehensive

at such a big event like [University Fest].”

Although the event was scheduled on the same weekend as University Fest and has similar

anastasia figuera pipe dream photographer

intentions of introducing students to different organizations, some attendees said they tend to get more exposure to specific groups at smaller events such as the ME.

Jeannie Alonzo, office director for the vice president of multicultural affairs and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said the event is more intimate than

University Fest. “[University Fest] can be intimidating with how many organizations are present, but the ME gives students a chance to really connect with the cultural organizations on campus and enjoy some food and performances from our amazing students as well,” Alonzo said.

“We wanted to have this as a Welcome Week event, so having it later than the first weekend didn’t really fit in our plan, and by doing so, we maximized the number of students and organizations that could be present at the event.”

There were several groups who showcased their talents during live performances, including Binghamton Masti and Pretty Girls Sweat. Pablo Martinez, a junior majoring in business administration, said it was exciting to to see how passionate and involved students were, especially with their performances.

“A couple of my friends directed me to the event because I hadn’t really seen that many groups focused on ethnicity, so we just came to check it out and see what it was like,” Martinez said. “I think that even though Binghamton University is a very diverse university, it is really refreshing to see how these different cultures can be highlighted and how much pride my peers have for the different cultures, plus the performers were really talented.”

Exhibition highlights diversity in Jewish community Student currates display to challenge stereotypes Jeremy Rubino

assistant news editor

In the lobby of Glenn G. Bartle Library, students and faculty may notice a new exhibition dedicated to diversity in the Jewish community.

The display, titled “We are not a monolith: Diversity in the Jewish Population,” consists of pictures of celebrities and notable figures from heterogeneous Jewish backgrounds. The exhibition was conceived through the Bartle Lobby Guest Curator Program by Binghamton University student Joshua Lindenbaum, ‘19, a first-year Ph.D. candidate studying English.

Lindenbaum, who is Jewish, got the idea for the display after experiencing anti-Semitism firsthand and observing the stereotypes and narratives about the Jewish population. Lindenbaum wrote in an email that the antiSemitism he encountered has dehumanized him.

“I have experienced antiSemitism firsthand — it’s

a painful experience when someone doesn’t see you … they see a caricature instead,” Lindenbaum wrote. “I have experienced some statements that felt like a punch to the stomach; a person who just met me who knew I was Jewish called me ‘conniving’ as he assumed all Jews were.”

Lindenbaum also emphasized examples of anti-Semitism seen in recent news, such as the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in 2018 and rates of hate crimes against Jews, which increased by 37 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He said he wanted the exhibition to focus on diversity in the Jewish community through this lens.

“My goal was to show the diversity [among] the Jewish people to combat false narratives and stereotypes that have had disastrous consequences,” Lindenbaum wrote. “In other words, I wanted to empirically demonstrate that one cannot pin down the Jewish people: there are Jews of all different races, nationalities, ideologies.”

According to Lindenbaum, the display is multifaceted and is intended to attract audiences of all religions and beliefs. Lindenbaum wrote the

primary objectives is to promote tolerance and get viewers to question any stereotypes they have of Jews or other ethnicities.

“This is not just for Jewish people,” Lindenbaum wrote.

“I’m hoping that if a person can re-evaluate his or her false conceptions about the Jewish people, he or she then can also revisit their stereotypes of other people, thereby, perhaps, getting them to question false narratives and leading to more peace in the world.”

Julia Horowitz, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, said the display is important to members of the Jewish community at the University because it encourages them to take pride in who they are.

“I think exposing students to the various backgrounds of the Jewish community is a great way to share pride in what’s more of a culture than just a religion,” Horowitz said. “It also encourages acceptance of everyone for who they are.”

Lindenbaum plans on adding a notebook to the exhibition where visitors will have the opportunity to share stories of when they were stereotyped. He wrote that he hopes the book will inspire writers to share from a

rose coschignano photo intern “We are not a monolith: Diversity in the Jewish Population,” located in the Glenn G. Bartle Library lobby, features pictures and descriptions representing various Jewish backgrounds.

place of informative compassion.

“An [exhibition] is not going to end anti-Semitism or racism,” Lindenbaum wrote. “However,

if I can get just one person to question an [ignorantly held] belief, then I have done my part in materializing Tikkun Olam, to

heal the world.”

The display will remain in the Bartle Library lobby until next fall.

SOPPS ceremony honors third class of graduate students coats from page 1 Pharmacist, which speaks to an individual’s application of knowledge for patient care, respect of personal and health information and utilization of skills for pharmaceutical care.

The University, Meredith said, allows students to receive their coats and take the oath earlier than most schools, a factor which allows them to begin their clinical work earlier in the school year.

“I hope attendees realize how important it is in a health profession that you make a formal step in front of witnesses that you will do no harm and be ethical in your treatment of patients,” Meredith said. “I think attendees are hoping they will hear that in the oath, as well as the keynote speech.”

Meredith said BU’s unique program helps to prepare its students for the health-related workforce.

“We have a high quality program in which we are making

a difference and preparing students to work in health care teams,” Meredith said. “When they graduate, they will have good communication skills, understanding of what other professions do in the health care team and be challenged to work in teams.”

She added that she sees BU’s program as cutting edge, and predicts similar models will become more popular in the future.

“In many ways, we’re taking the lead, preparing students to do things really needed in the workforce in terms of patient care,” Meredith said. “I believe we’re a step ahead. Our motto is that we are reinventing pharmacy education for the next generation.”

Shannon Fitzpatrick, a first-year graduate student studying pharmaceutical sciences, said for her, the ceremony represented the start of her her journey

to becoming a successful pharmacist.

“The ceremony was much more than receiving a white coat — it was a symbol of taking the pharmacy oath and devoting a lifetime of service to others through the profession

of pharmacy,” Fitzpatrick said.

“I hope to establish working relationships with other health care professionals through interprofessional education that will enhance patient care when practicing in the field.”

Welcome to the BU Community!

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OPINIONS Monday, August 26, 2019

Traveling unconventionally is the best way to study abroad Taking the road less traveled can be the difference between ordinary and extraordinary Sophia LoBiondo Contributing Columnist

This summer I had the opportunity to explore Spain via boat. For two weeks, I lived on a Hallberg-Rassy sailboat, sailing from port to port along the coast of Mallorca, an island off the coast of Spain. After traveling in this unusual way, I want to encourage students to travel if they have the opportunity to, especially by taking advantage of study abroad programs. While my vacation was not affiliated with any university, traveling in an unconventional way enabled me to immerse myself in other cultures, while also learning more about myself and what I want in my life.

I was unsure of what I was getting myself into when I first signed up for this trip. Living on a sailboat for two weeks was definitely something I was not entirely comfortable with, but there was no way that I was missing out on an opportunity to go to Spain. I had not been on a sailboat in years, and although my childhood summers were spent on my family’s sailboat, I had since lost my sea legs. After two plane rides that left me blearyeyed and grouchy, we hauled our bags onto the sailboat and settled into our floating home base. The boat was docked at Pollença on the northern end of the island.

The marina was surrounded by steep mountains that protected the harbor and a small but

bustling town was nestled at their base. It was so surreal. I stared at the mountains with awe, never having seen anything like them before.

My vacation was a full immersion into a cruising lifestyle.

It was certainly not glamorous, and some creature comforts are bound to be sacrificed when living on a boat. For someone who likes to have the air conditioning on full blast, surviving in the heat was something that I had to get used to. The inside of the boat — although spacious and beautiful — was too hot for me to sleep in, so I ended up taking my blanket and pillow outside and sleeping under the stars in the cockpit every night. Some nights I felt seasick from the constant rocking and spent hours staring at the stars with my blanket draped over my shoulders like a cape, waiting for the nausea to pass. It was during one of those nights that I saw a shooting star for the first time since I was on my boat as a child.

I settled in quickly to this new lifestyle. Traveling in an unconventional way not only enabled me to embrace living on a boat, but also to better experience another culture. I loved sitting outside every morning, watching boats pull into the harbor and seeing the varied flags they were flying as people from all over the world congregated in this floating town. Living on the boat made me feel less like a tourist and more like a temporary resident of each port we visited, too. Whether it was asking for directions in broken Spanish, learning to

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use public transportation or hauling groceries from the local supermarket to restock the boat, I felt like I was living like the locals. It was something I had never experienced from staying in a hotel, where everything is made to be easy and comfortable.

This trip made studying abroad for a semester a priority.

My mindset changed from this being a want to a necessity, and I realized how much I loved not only learning, but truly experiencing other cultures.

Every year, the population of international students increases

by 12 percent globally. Following this trend of international study, SUNY offers more than 1,000 study abroad programs, spanning 60 countries and all seven continents. Some programs, such as Binghamton University’s Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Semester in Barcelona, house students in city apartments and offer excursions throughout the semester. Like my experience on the boat, staying in an apartment in another country gives students the opportunity to live with local residents and learn their way around the city while also seeing

some tourist attractions without being glued to a schedule. This is just one program I am considering doing myself, and I encourage anyone reading to explore their options too.

My experience traveling to Spain also helped me pinpoint what I wanted to study in college and the kind of life I envision myself having after I graduate.

I started to consider majoring in political science with a concentration in international affairs. While I am unsure of an exact career, I know that I want to be able to travel abroad for work.

Traveling in an unconventional way led me to understand more about what I wanted in my life, so I am encouraging students to take any opportunity they get to travel. Despite the discomfort and uncertainty that comes with a trip abroad, especially when there is no five-star hotel and daily itinerary of tours and sightseeing involved, traveling in an unconventional way feels more real, and studying abroad may be a great way to experience this.

Sophia LoBiondo is a sophomore majoring in political science.

Mindfulness should be implemented into our education system Technological oversaturation disconnects us from both body and mind Nicholas Walker Contribuing Columnist

We are never bored. We never run out of things to look at unless we lose signal, or — God forbid — our charger.

We are either distracting ourselves during class, eating a meal or avoiding communicating with other people. It is so easy to watch endless amounts of stories and videos with our best friend: the phone. The convenience of watching other people’s lives without the pesky social nuances of reading facial expressions and utilizing archaic skills of empathy and compassion is too nice when discomfort can be

avoided by removing human interaction entirely. Mindfulness, the antithesis to this phoneabsorbed world, may die out with our generation and be regarded as foolish as floppy disks or stick shift transmissions.

The mindfulness I speak of can be thought of as being present with your thoughts, actions and feelings as opposed to dwelling on the past or reaching for the future, or otherwise distracting the mind with an LED screen.

Without this mindfulness, who can focus anymore? I feel like a puppet, controlled by the strings manufactured by Apple, Facebook and Google. The rich and their tech-savvy psychologists are laughing at our generation’s futile attempts to break free.

I struggle to solely think about one thing for longer than

10 minutes before I consider checking social media, tests, games and emails. I’m not mentally weaker than everyone else because I see everyone else doing it too. Sitting in the back of Lecture Hall 1 grants you the special pleasure of viewing dozens of screens of varying sizes rotating through each user’s specialized set of dopamine-triggering apps and sites. How can History 104A: Modern American Civilization or Biology 113: Intro to Cell & Molecular Biology compete with Facebook, Amazon or Snapchat?

I used to consider myself just anxious to be done with a class or a paper, but that is being too critical of myself. Years of screens have hardwired my brain to seek new stimulation constantly. No matter how much sleep I get or fruit I eat, my

ability to legitimately focus does not improve beyond its already dismal levels.

Halfway through my high school years, my school’s administration changed their policy to permit phone usage during lunch and between classes, presumably to reduce the number of students getting in trouble for having their eyes glued to their devices. I was ecstatic! “More game time,” I thought. Lunchtime became slightly quieter, however, and far fewer words were exchanged at my table. Those 40 minutes became dominated by the ebbs and flows of phone usage, with sporadic conversations sprinkled in. The worst part of it was that instead of wanting to talk to someone, the act of conversation became forced. This

decision definitely worsened my screen addiction.

Even as I am writing this column, I am listening to music and keeping my eye on the phone, always on guard for a possible message. I should be celebrating this wonderful gift of being able to put words on a paper from a bunch of neurons by devoting my full attention to writing it, but I can’t. Even meals are dominated by screens. I am rarely without my phone during a meal, keeping me entertained throughout the mundane activity of providing sustenance to my body.

Mindfulness now needs to be taught in our educational system. Being present is a rare and difficult skill to cultivate. The only class I’ve been present in has been yoga, for being present was the purpose of it. Certainly, this

was not so in my biology, history or chemistry classes, where devoting my full mental capacities was just about impossible. Yoga, unlike the other subjects, is focused on tuning in with the body, noticing aches and pains, stretches and rhythms of the breath. Technology is purposely avoided throughout the practice of yoga, and for good reason.

We are becoming fused with our screens, one iPhone at a time, lest we actively work against the tides of Silicon Valley. This semester, let’s not latch onto our screens during class or while we study, but do something more productive like pick up that dusty novel you’ve always wanted to finish.

Nicholas Walker is a senior majoring in biomedical engineering.

Are we desensitized to the value of our money?

Student loans and predatory practices limit our understanding of money’s worth Hannah Gulko Columnist

Today’s modern consumer culture thrives on material value — a world where we are buying things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people who don’t matter. The value of our personhood is dependent upon the things we own rather than the qualities that should define our core identities, moral beliefs and personal importance.

This consumer culture has led to the development of a fashion trend built on minimalist design. We see a rise in motifs in which the simplest and fewest

elements are used to create the maximum effect, a beautiful counteraction to the threat of overwhelming materialism. This movement, like most fashion, reflects a change in cultural value, acting as a reliable mirror of societal change. The turnover to a minimalist lifestyle is a response to a consumer culture where people are desensitized to money, used to buying online and swiping with credit — often not feeling the weight of physical bills in the context of hours of labor and sacrifices made.

Modern marketing techniques, especially those employed online, are designed to take advantage of the fact that as financial transactions become more abstract, the consumer is rendered less likely to realize

its effect. The internet makes it easy to fall victim to third party website tracking, misleading advertisements and credit card debt — all of which remind the consumer to keep spending as much and as often as possible.

Outside the web, however, the desensitization issue becomes even more prevalent.

The U.S. loan system is one very familiar to college and graduate students, and a perfect example that shows that as the numbers get bigger, the desensitization gets more extreme. Statistically speaking, a student assuming a 10-year loan at 7-percent interest for $40,000 will owe, after loan payments and interest, almost $56,000.

You’d think that such a crippling number would be obviously

impactful on a student just out of high school, yet the financial aid system is strategically designed to minimize the student’s understanding of the magnitude of the liability that they’re taking on. Realistically, once a loan is arranged and paperwork is signed, that is the only tangential interaction the student will have with the finances. Money is transferred to schools electronically, where a digitized account applies the credit to the student’s expenses.

In most cases, the whole borrowing process becomes so nonphysical that the student is desensitized until they graduate and face the payments owed.

In cases of financial, societal or structural crisis, Americans are told to buy, buy, buy.

Incentivizing spending like this serves to boost market profit and supposedly social condition. And in pure American fashion, consumer psychology conditions us to listen — we buy, buy, buy our way out of one recession and into the next. This cyclic relationship builds and sustains a fluctuating economy exploiting resources, people, labor and ethics in exchange for overproduction, subversive marketing efforts and propaganda-like activity from a government puppet-strung by private corporations. By constantly finding new ways to trap its constituents into a web of debt, short-lived attachment to material and almost fanatic obsession with spending, this consumer culture dictates a shift

in societal values, encourages an abstraction for market interactions and actively plays a role in desensitizing us all to money’s value.

A minimalist lifestyle isn’t just reflected in Urban Outfitters’s black-and-white motifs with natural wood tones, to which I, of course, subscribe. Instead, living like a minimalist means recognizing that society needs to be wary of its dangerously dependent role in our market economy. To some, minimalism is the ability to enter a room clean and void of clutter, an art of letting go. To us students, it should be a metaphor for life — a relearning of value.

Hannah Gulko is senior majoring in human development.

Binghamton’s fifth-annual Porchfest saw West Side residents opening their homes to the community. Performers, vendors, spectators and dog walkers crowded to front yards for a day of music, enjoying the good vibes and elusive moments of sunshine. If your syllabus weekend hangover kept you from venturing out, you can live vicariously through the folks captured in Pipe Dream’s photo spread.

Photos by Sasha Hupka, Editor-in-Chief

These museums can remind NYC transplants of home Binghamton offers arts, culture, science and more Makoto Toyoda staff writer

Students who grew up with access to New York City might find themselves missing the area’s cultural institutions — including several world-famous museums — upon moving upstate. Luckily, while Binghamton may be better known by students for its bars and restaurants, it is also home to museums offering everything from science and technology to art and fashion. If you’re a city slicker pining for New York’s Museum of Modern Art or the Metropolitan Museum of Art, look at our guide to get your fix here in the Triple Cities and surrounding areas.

If you like the Hall of Science, try the Roberson Museum and Science Center (30 Front St., Binghamton, NY 13905): The Roberson Museum and Science Center, located on 30 Front St., is a great location to partake in community events, exhibitions and programs about art, history or science. Hosting events such as Rocks and Fossils Day in August and its annual RoberCon in September, the Roberson Museum encourages people of all ages to learn about the arts and sciences and share their interests with others. The museum is dedicated to providing educational experiences to a wide range of learners through handson programs, striking a similar vibe to the New York Hall of Science in Flushing, New York.

The museum has everything from summer camps to adult drawing classes to Girl Scout programs and aims to involve a variety of groups within the Binghamton community. Museum members, children ages 4 and under and those in the military are all granted free admission, while

The Phelps Mansion Museum, a Victorian-style home, hosts seasonal events focused on historic customs and decor.

students pay $6 for entrance. The Roberson Museum also has an option to “pay it forward,” giving someone who cannot afford the admission fee the chance to still enjoy all that the museum has to offer.

If you like the Met, try the Binghamton University Art Museum (4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY 13902): Located on campus and tucked away in the Fine Arts Building, the Binghamton University Art Museum is one of the University’s hidden treasures

that most students do not take advantage of. Described on BU’s website as a “dynamic public space where staff and faculty engage students and the wider public,” the BU Art Museum has a collection spanning 5,000 years and originating from around the globe. The permanent collection, displayed throughout the Kenneth C. Lindsay Study Room, boasts more than 4,000 objects including paintings, sculptures, decorative arts and works on paper. The extensive history and culture the collection covers may

remind one of a trip to the Met. Exhibitions are rotated regularly, allowing for a constant flow of new art and perspective from students, faculty and staff. A tablet tour specially designed for the BU Art Museum allows visitors to read labels written by students from different disciplines to get a well-rounded perspective of the art on display. Admission is free, making it an enriching and affordable experience for the Binghamton community.

If you like the Steinway Mansion, try the Phelps Mansion

sidney slon assistant photo editor

Museum (191 Court St., Binghamton, NY 13901): A Victorian-style home once surrounded by similar residences, the Phelps Mansion Museum is a physical preservation of Binghamton’s local history and culture. The mansion was built in 1871 by Issac G. Perry, one of New York state’s most well-known 19thcentury architects. It once housed successful banker and former Binghamton mayor Sherman D. Phelps, along with his family. Upon entering the

facility, one can observe the luxurious marble floors, carved woodwork, period lighting fixtures, furniture and artwork.

Through its unchanging nature, the Phelps Mansion Museum serves as a reminder of Binghamton’s past and tells the story of a powerful family, like the Steinways in their Queens mansion.

If you like the American Museum of Natural History, try the Museum of the Earth (1259 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, NY 14850): Students and adults alike have the opportunity to explore the Earth and its archaeological past at the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, just an hour drive from Binghamton. Visitors can dig up and take home their own fossils in the Fossil Lab, or watch paleontologists uncover bones in the Prep Lab. On display are the Hyde Park Mastodon and the 44-foot Right Whale, skeletons so large that you’ll feel like you’re in “Night at the Museum” at the American Museum of Natural History.

If you like local art, try the Bundy Museum of History and Art (129 Main St., Binghamton, NY 13905): New York City is home to countless festivals that bring communities of art lovers together. Binghamton’s Bundy Museum of History and Art hosts comparable rotating exhibitions and programs celebrating local artists year-round. The museum aims to foster support for Binghamton’s unique culture and artistic community, making it a perfect place for people who like variety. From art shows of local painters to fashion portfolios of clothing designers, the Bundy has an exhibit for everyone. Through initiatives like film screenings, open mics and workshops, the museum involves the public in its open discourse on the arts.

F UN

Weekday, Monday, August Month XX, 26, XXXX 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3, 2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

Dollar to spare

Annabeth Sloan

Big meaty claws

Sudoku

Sarah Teper

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to last issue's puzzle

Damn Daniel

Daniel Eisenhower

© 2017 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

Release Date: Monday, August 26, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Long Island medium

*smooch*

Sarah Teper

Daniel Eisenhower

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 1 Court player 7 Accident-prone 14 Fuel calculation 15 Satanic attribute 16 Feature of frequently sheared sheep?

18 “__ everything?”

19 Orioles’ div.

20 Chill in the air 21 Miss equivalent, in some cases 22 Player under Auerbach, familiarly 23 Like aromatic, weather-resistant plants?

30 Namely 31 Turn heads during the audition 32 Whodunit revelation 35 Compare to, with “against” 39 Fathers 41 Twill fabric 42 Skills acquired manufacturing linens?

46 Pennywhistle sound 47 Take __ empty stomach 48 Coffee hour vessel 49 Prohibit 52 It might be used before sandpapering 56 Shepherds’ view during breakfast?

59 “__ Arms”: Coldplay song 60 Brother of Isis 61 Business representatives 62 Least courteous DOWN 1 Kid 2 Repeat 3 Put away 4 Works on a route 5 Rhinitis-treating MD 6 Target field 7 “__ few bars and I’ll play it for you” 8 Pound sounds 9 Bearskin rug, e.g.

10 “Fever” singer Peggy 11 Tied 12 Mediterranean island 13 Was out all night, maybe 15 Works on one’s image, in a way 17 “First Lady of Song” 21 1999 Best Visual Effects Oscar winner, with “The” 22 December display 23 Fraud watchdog org.

24 Comedic Costello 25 Big-eyed flier 26 Excitedly tries to open, as a gift 27 Cabinet agcy. founded under Bush 43 28 Broadway success 29 Pain relief brand 33 North Atl. country 34 “Oedipus __” : P.D.Q. Bach western-themed parody

36 Many bar mitzvah guests 37 Chapel Hill sch.

38 “MS. Found in a Bottle” author 40 Jug band percussionist’s tools 42 To fit every possible 43 Well-supplied with 44 Oklahoma city 45 Tried to be elected

46 Marching band section 49 K-12 50 Very short time pd.

51 Unsettles 52 Source of rage, briefly 53 Farm unit 54 Downhill runners 55 Restrained “Hey!” 57 LAX stat 58 SEC school

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

By Jeffrey Wechsler ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

08/26/19

08/26/19

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Monday, August 26, 2019

Women’s soccer downs St. Bonaventure in season opener Binghamton beats Bonnies, defeated by UGA David Julien

contributing writer

As the Binghamton women’s soccer team opened its season on Thursday night against St. Bonaventure, the team entered into a new era with many new faces on the team. Among those new faces is freshman midfielder Olivia McKnight, who started her collegiate career with a bang, scoring a goal and recording an assist in her first appearance as a Bearcat. Behind McKnight, Binghamton shut out the Bonnies 2-0 in its 2019 opener at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

“She obviously was very impactful, it’s great to get that first goal, that first assist,” said BU head coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “To get a goal and an assist in her freshman start, what a beginning, so really well done by her.”

After coming off a pair of preseason scrimmage victories, the Bearcats (1-1) opened their season on the right note Thursday night against the Bonnies (1-1). The Bearcats held onto 62 percent of the total possession and held St. Bonaventure to only four shots for the totality of the match. BU converted two out of its 20 shots into goals to secure its victory.

The first goal was scored in the 18th minute by sophomore forward Stefania Piantadosi off a rebound from McKnight. The goal was the first of Piantadosi’s Binghamton career.

The Bearcats kept their foot on the pedal after the subsequent kickoff, and junior midfielder Dora Hayes was able to push through the middle to deliver a through ball to McKnight.

McKnight capitalized on the opportunity, scoring her first career goal and doubling the Bearcats’ lead just 34 seconds after the first goal.

john atkinson staff photographer

Freshman midfielder Olivia McKnight scored and recorded an assist in her first appearance as a Bearcat.

“As a team, we take a lot of pride in the key moments of the game, being strong in the first five minutes of the half and the last five minutes of the half,” Bhattacharjee said.

“Statistically, at any level of soccer, more goals are scored at these times, as well as right after a goal is scored. What I loved is that we scored a goal and right away scored a second one, so we didn’t take our foot off the pedal and didn’t give them a chance to come in.”

While the Bonnies stopped the bleeding after the second goal, they failed to find the back of the Binghamton net.

Sophomore goalkeeper Haylee Poltorak pitched a shutout, with just one save necessary.

On Sunday afternoon, however, the Bearcats failed to see the same result on the road against Georgia. The Bulldogs (1-1) of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) proved to be a challenging opponent, defeating Binghamton 4-0 in the game.

Despite the lopsided score, the Bearcats held their own for much of the first half.

McKnight nearly scored her second career goal early on in the game, but the shot went wide and the game remained scoreless until the the 27th minute of

play, when the Bulldogs broke the ice. BU, however, was able to hold its competitors at bay for the remainder of the half, heading to the locker room trailing 1-0. But the second half spelled trouble for the Bearcats, as they conceded the second goal just over the hour mark and then an additional two within 12 minutes of each other.

“We were playing well at first,” Bhattacharjee said. “We knew we had to play Georgia a little bit higher than we had in the first half, because we were giving them a little too much space. The second goal was a bit of a backbreaker, so at that point

we had to take some more risks, but I give credit to Georgia, because they were able to secure opportunities when they were presented to them, which resulted in the tough scoreline.”

Much of the first half defensive success in the game could be attributed to strong play by Poltorak and junior defender Erin Theiller. Poltorak recorded seven saves in the game despite conceding four goals to a talented Georgia attack, and Theiller always seemed to find herself in position to break up excellent scoring opportunities for the Bulldogs. Though things eventually crumbled for

Binghamton, Bhattacharjee said she will be looking for a similar effort against the team’s next opponent, St. Francis, in the hopes of a better result.

“Certainly we will be talking about our back line shape and talking about being more of the aggressors,” Bhattacharjee said.

“For us, it’s important that we get back to our style where we dictate the pace of the game, and if we can do that, then I know we can get a positive result on Friday.”

Kickoff against the Terriers (0-1) is set for 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30 from Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, New York.

Binghamton welcomes new NFL teams must protect swimming and diving coach their young quarterbacks swim from page 1 “Smolar will be a really great freestyler for us, and we’ve got Tyler on the men’s side who will be one of our top guys, but all the way through the roster we’ve got people who’re going to contribute,” Cummiskey said.

Out of that roster, there are 13 freshmen, seven on the men’s side and six on the women’s side. “[The freshmen] are a great group,” Cummiskey said. “We’ve got a group of women who’re

going to come in day one and help in some areas where we need it. We’ve got some new faces on the diving end which will be good. We’ll have six women divers which is huge, and then we’ll have some really talented men coming in that will make an impact right away.”

As the new head coach, Cummiskey will be preparing his swimmers for their first meet on Oct. 19 against Siena and Niagara, but he is already looking ahead to February to prepare his team for

the America East championships.

“We’re excited to get the racing season going,” Cummiskey said.

“After six weeks of training, you really need the races, but we’re going to really focus on what we’re going to do in February, so the dual meets will be stepping stones along the way. Our main focus will be on championships.”

The opening meets for the men’s and women’s teams will take place on Oct. 19 at 1 p.m. in the West Gym in Vestal, New York.

provided by binghamton sports information office Jerry Cummiskey, former associate head coach of Bryant University, was named BU head swimming and diving coach in July.

Luck’s decision sparks discussion about o-line Edward Aaron Assistant Sports Editor

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck shocked the football world on Saturday night by announcing his retirement at the age of 29. Although his injury issues in the last few seasons have been well documented, fans were still left stunned after one of the most talented players in arguably the most important position in American sports walked away at such a young age.

Many doomsday columns will be written today about the future of the NFL, discussing how early retirements such as Luck’s represent the impending downfall of the sport. However, this is not one of those articles. Instead, this is an indictment of one area that the Indianapolis Colts and other NFL general managers consistently neglect: building strong offensive lines.

Ryan Grigson was hired as GM of the Colts in the offseason leading up to Luck’s first overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft.

Throughout his five seasons as GM, he selected just three offensive linemen in the first three rounds of the draft and eight overall. Only two of the eight remain on the roster today, both as backups.

Zak Keefer, an Indianapolis Colts beat writer for The Athletic,

recapped Luck’s injuries on Twitter after the news broke.

Those injuries include torn rib cartilage, a partially torn abdomen, a lacerated kidney, a torn shoulder labrum and a recent strange lower leg issue that has been discussed throughout this year’s training camp. It’s one thing for a player to struggle with repetitive knee, back or shoulder problems, but Luck has suffered a wide variety of unique and uncommon injuries.

The frequency and type of injuries indicate that Luck was not simply an injury-prone player. His early retirement was directly brought on by injuries that occurred because of the Colts’ complete neglect of the offensive line position during Ryan Grigson’s era as GM. Following Grigson’s firing after the 2016 season, the Colts hired Chris Ballard as their GM, and he immediately began to correct the errors of his predecessor by developing one of the best offensive lines in the league. However, the damage was done. Luck’s recent leg problem was the last straw and marked the immediate end of his professional football career.

As NFL teams watch one of the league’s most talented quarterbacks walk away from the game at age 29, they must realize how Grigson’s poor offensive line planning was the largest factor that led to this and learn accordingly. One prominent organization in the league appears to have already been employing a strategy aimed at preventing situations like this

from arising.

Along with a promising young quarterback, the Philadelphia Eagles have one of the best offensive lines in the league.

In addition to possessing five quality starters along the line, GM Howie Roseman has put a significant emphasis on building depth behind them. When the Eagles won Super Bowl LII, future Hall of Fame left tackle Jason Peters was out with injury, and Halapoulivaati Vaitai had stepped into the starting role seamlessly. In this past NFL draft, the Eagles selected an offensive lineman, offensive tackle Andre Dillard, who is the presumptive replacement once Peters retires in the near future.

By forgoing the chance to select a player who would immediately step in and help the team in 2019, the Eagles invested in the future of arguably the most important challenge facing the team: protecting their young star quarterback.

While processing Luck’s stunning decision to retire, GMs around the league need to pay attention to what teams like the Eagles have been doing at the offensive line position. Some players have chronic injury problems that hinder their ability to have a long career, but Luck is not one of those players.

His enormous potential as an NFL quarterback was derailed because of his GM’s complete neglect of the offensive line, and GMs around the league must take note to prevent a similar situation from occurring within their organizations.