Fall 2023 Issue 4

RESTAURANT WEEK 2023

Anti-abortion table draws backlash, student protest

Pro-choice protesters allegedly dropped model fetuses into their mouths, according to Students for Life in America and College Republicans leadership.

Students for Life of America (SFLA), a pro-life organization that partnered with Binghamton University’s College Republicans, drew backlash with their recent tabling event.

On Sept. 18 in the Glenn G. Bartle Library breezeway, pro-choice student protesters approached the anti-abortion table — organized by the College Republicans and SFLA. According to Dara Silberstein, an associate research professor of women, gender and sexuality studies and the director of the women’s studies program, students in her Activism, Feminism and Social Justice class mentioned that “anti-choice folks” were outside tabling. After establishing ground rules, including no violence or yelling and to respect the tablers’ right to free speech, she took her class to confront them.

SFLA, which serves 1,400

campus groups, placed posters next to their table — two reading “I am a person” and “abortion kills human persons.” They included images of fetuses and small children and words like “suctioning” or “poisoning,” referring to abortion procedures. Protesters dropped model fetuses into their mouths during the demonstration, according to Logan Blakeslee, the secretary of the College Republicans and senior double-majoring in history and political science, and Penelope Rose, the northeast regional coordinator for SFLA.

Silberstein criticized SFLA’s and the College Republicans’ displayed anti-abortion rhetoric.

“I don’t know the impact of anti-choice tabling,” Silberstein wrote in an email. “It could be more impactful if their argument against reproductive rights was based on facts rather than the pseudoscience displayed.”

Abbey Scherer, the president of BU’s Abortion Advocacy Coalition (AAC) and a senior majoring in social work, expressed disappointment at the table’s presence in the library.

To open the America East (AE) conference play, the Binghamton volleyball team earned a 3-0 win against the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey to snap its five-game losing streak. Despite going down early in the first two sets, the Bearcats climbed back to win them both. Then, in the final set, BU was able to secure the victory in overtime, sweeping its first AE matchup against the Highlanders.

“It was an emotional roller coaster,” said Binghamton head coach Allie Yaeger. “You’re losing, you’re winning, you’re losing, you’re winning. I’m really happy we were able to pull that off in three.”

Binghamton (7-8, 1-0

AE) opened up the match by exchanging points with the Highlanders (6-9, 0-1 AE). With the score tied at six, NJIT began to pull away after several Binghamton errors, going on a 6-1 run, making it 12-7. Despite going down early, Binghamton crawled back, slowly chipping away at the Highlanders’ lead. Later in the frame, with NJIT leading 17-12, senior outside hitter

Tsvetelina Ilieva spearheaded a 6-1 Binghamton run that featured five total kills and a service ace as BU tied the score at 18. Despite facing an early five-point deficit, the Bearcats completed the comeback, winning seven out of the final nine points to take the first set 25-20.

“We are not putting ourselves in the best position to win points if we can’t even put the ball in play at our own end line,” Yaeger said. “That was really crucial in the scores … when we were losing, it was our errors … so we know we can clean it up.”

The second set began in a similar fashion as the Highlanders took an early lead.

After Binghamton went down 10-5, the visitors burned their first timeout of the set. However, NJIT continued to expand its lead, going up 17-9. Binghamton then called another timeout to regroup. Coming out of the timeout, Binghamton began to click and eventually took the lead 19-18. BU would not relinquish this lead for the rest of the set, as a service ace from freshman outside hitter Ella Schabort secured a 25-22 set win for the Bearcats.

“I really didn’t say much [during the timeout],” Yaeger said. “[During the timeout] I said, ‘I can’t say much when you guys can’t put the ball in the court. You guys know you’re better than

this.’”

The final set went back-andforth as both the Bearcats and the Highlanders were unable to string together a significant run. With the score tied at nine, BU gained some momentum, going on a 5-0 run to make it 13-9. Although Binghamton had the lead, NJIT managed to keep pace throughout the set. Gradually, NJIT began to apply more pressure on the Bearcats’ defense and eventually took the lead 20-19. At this point, both teams continued exchanging points, looking to gather some momentum and take the set.

Restaurant Week Fall 2023

The Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge has an inspiring backstory that translates today with the restaurant’s welcoming environment and delectable menu. The restaurant week menu offered a full, three course meal for just $25, allowing patrons to have a taste of various Lost Dog favorites that they may have otherwise not had the chance to. A first course of chardonnay coupled with the rigatoni ala vodka made for an autumnal, warm and comforting dinner. The maple cake and chocolate cream puff were a sweet end to balance the savory meal.

Located in Downtown Binghamton, Little Venice, an Italian restaurant, continues to be a staple for the local community and Binghamton University students alike. The bruschetta was topped with diced tomatoes, garlic, oregano and lightly grated parmesan. The ravioli, which can be ordered with or without meat logs, is covered with the restaurant’s signature red sauce and their cannolis were the perfect end to a fulfilling meal.

Venezuelan street food comes to Binghamton at Happy Pappi Arepas Bar, a Downtown restaurant featuring an inviting dining space and great service. Happy Pappi boasts three courses this Restaurant Week for $18 lunch and $25 dinner. The sweet plantains and basket of happy balls were a perfect start to the meal. For the entree, the chorizo arepa and la rumbera stood out as savory, flavorful dishes with fresh sauces to choose from. To end the meal, the quesillo and tres leches cake offered just the right balance of sweetness and are bound to have diners wishing for more.

The Grove, a place for both students and Binghamton locals to gather, offers a $12 three-course lunch and $25 three-course dinner for Restaurant Week. The mini burgers were loaded with fresh vegetables and melted cheese and the buffalo wings were perfectly crispy. The primavera with breaded chicken was so cheesy, pairing well with mushrooms and spinach mixed in and the chicken-tobreading ratio worked well. To end the meal, the restaurant’s tiramisu was light, airy and the espresso flavor shined through.

Cheesesteak Boss boasts a $20 Restaurant Week from classic appetizers to untraditional cheese steak dinners. The fresh-cut truffle fries and the truffle salt potatoes were a scrumptious combination of salty and rich to commence the meal. A Philadelphia delicacy, a steak cheesesteak with cheese whiz, provided the perfect ratio of steak, cheese and toppings, and succeeded with a soft, not soggy outer layer of bread. To wrap up a hardy meal, an assortment of cookies was indulged in and offered a variety of textures and tastes to end the night.

For vegan cuisine, look no further than Parlor City Vegan at 81 Clinton St. The three-course lunch and dinner menu features delicious vegan dishes and meat substitutes, all beautifully presented in a light, minimalist space. Starters included an autumnal tomato bisque soup and loaded fries, decked out with toppings such as vegan bacon bits and melty cheese. For the entree, the mac and cheese brought a complex spicy and nutty flavor while the vegan cheeseburger tasted just like a traditional one. Sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies wrapped up the dining experience with a sweet finish.

Read our full restaurant week coverage at bupipedream.com

kai depalma photo assistant salvatore cortese contributing photographer caspar carson photo editor

caspar carson photo editor jacob gressin photo intern

Happy Pappi Arepas Bar

Cheesesteak Boss

Little Venice

The Grove

Parlor City Vegan

Anti-abortion table draws backlash, student protest

aboRTIoN from page 1

“It’s unfortunate that they want to take somewhere we all consider to be a safe place and use it to shame and scare students by displaying triggering images and discriminatory language,” Scherer wrote. “It says a lot about who they are and what they represent. It was incredible to see students joining to protest so naturally, with no hesitation to protect each other and force the hate out of our community.”

Blakeslee said that he arrived at the table around 2 p.m. and that no “unified opposition” had formed. Sometime between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., Silberstein arrived with her class and started chanting “hey hey, ho ho, anti-choice has got to go.” Nearby students then began to join the protest.

Scherer said that though the tabling location was “technically” the Multicultural Resource Center’s, booking goes “through the Union” and all requests are automatically approved. Blakeslee said that the MRC stopped by periodically to manage noise levels, but that the situation eventually got “out of hand” — a “heckler’s veto.” He claimed that the table’s goal was to educate students on alternate options and resources available to them

if they were to become pregnant.

“We wanted to share the message that in the event that you suddenly become pregnant unexpectedly at a university, you can continue [your] education and get a successful career,” Blakeslee said. “There are pathways for assistance, and we wanted to make sure that students were aware of that. And at the same time, also, perhaps change minds and introduce our concept that life begins in the womb — which we understand is not a very popular position.”

Students in the AAC also raised concerns that anyone engaging with the table was being filmed. Blakeslee confirmed there was one camera recording students walking by for “security reasons.” New York state law says that only “oneparty consent” is needed to record both in-person and telephone conversations.

Rose asserted that babies do not choose to die and pro-lifers “support choices,” in a recent blog post. She said that if somebody chooses to engage in sexual acts that could potentially create “new life,” they should choose parenting or adoption.

William Anderson, the president of the currently unchartered Students for Life chapter at BU and a

junior majoring in biology, described why he was starting the group.

“One of the messages we want to spread and part of the reason we are establishing the [Students for Life] chapter is that there are people out here fighting for the pro-life cause,” Anderson wrote. “Many prolife people believe that they

are alone in their beliefs and that they cannot speak about their beliefs. We are willing to fight for this cause even in the face of opposition, and pro-life people should not fear being alone.”

Scherer said that students remain prepared to “push them right back out,” if the group attempts to return to campus. She emphasized

that her organization refuses to normalize the “misinformation” and “hate” that they spread throughout the country.

Mims Harrington, a senior double-majoring in social work and women, gender and sexuality studies, attended the protest with their class. They addressed why protesting the group

was relevant to their studies.

“I thought it was the perfect opportunity to mobilize the class and get involved,” Harrington wrote. “We’ve been talking about organized, collective action for weeks in class, and it was a perfect time to put those skills to use.”

Celebration held on campus for first time

The festival was inspired by a treaty signed in 1613 between the Haudenosaunee people and Dutch colonists.

This past Friday and Saturday, Binghamton University hosted the Haudenosaunee Festival, a two-day celebration, on its campus for the first time.

With the Haudenosaunee flag flying over campus — which will remain permanently — the events featured Indigenous speakers, dancers, vendors and more. The program was in the spirit of the Two Row Wampum — Gä•sweñta’ or The Silver Covenant Chain of Friendship — the treaty signed by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and Dutch colonists in 1613 to establish a relationship between the two nations. Hosted in collaboration with the Vestal Museum, it was the seventh year that the festival was held.

BrieAnna Langlie, an associate professor of anthropology, an affiliate of Latin American & Caribbean Studies and environmental studies and the director of the Laboratory of Ancient Food and Farming, described the process of creating the partnership

with the University.

“[University] President [Harvey] Stenger was approached by a community member, Bob Carpenter — who has been involved in previous festivals at the Museum — about moving the festival to campus,” Langlie wrote in an email. “Due to our garden being such a successful collaboration, Stenger contacted myself and Barrett Brenton from [the Center for Civic Engagement] and suggested we would be campus partners on this. It took Stenger no less than [5 minutes] to agree to moving the festival to campus. And we have had unwavering support from the President’s Office on the festival ever since.”

The festivities began at the Three Sisters Garden on Friday morning, where volunteers and community partners harvested the corn, beans and squash grown in the traditional manner of the Haudenosaunee Nation, after a blessing of thanksgiving by Tony Gonyea, a Wampum belt maker and a faithkeeper of the Onondaga Nation.

Hailey Faurot, a sophomore majoring in environmental science, said that she felt fortunate to witness the event.

“I think it’s really awesome to have a partnership with Native Americans and these newer established college campuses,” Faurot said. “Being thankful and giving thanks is something that transcends all cultures, and it’s really cool to be a part of that.”

In the afternoon, the Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation hosted their Witness to Injustice Historical Program. Adapted from a similar program developed by KAIROS Canada, it engaged students, faculty and community members to foster truth, understanding and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The color of the ribbons given to participants represented the different Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island, North America and the Caribbean. Attendees stood on blankets, which were slowly taken away, pushing participants together as some sat down — representing the loss of land, life and culture that Indigenous peoples have faced over the last 500 years. Quotes from Indigenous people throughout history were read, showcasing a different perspective of history.

Cindy Squillace, one of the founders of the Witness to Injustice Historical Program, said that she hopes that the participants and observers will continue to educate themselves about the stories both, past and present, of Indigenous peoples through avenues, such as the Skä•noñh Great Law of Peace Center in Liverpool, New York.

The second day of the festival was on the Peace Quad from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring numerous booths with goods made by Indigenous craftspeople and samples of traditional foods made from the harvest of the Three Sisters Garden.

It also highlighted several organizations, including the Roberson Museum and the Public Archaeology Facility.

Mia Cucci, a second-year graduate student studying biomedical anthropology, volunteered at the event. Cucci spoke about the interest of students and community members for the festival.

“The students seem to be really enjoying it,” Cucci said. “They’ve asked a lot of questions, and I’m always excited to answer them. I love to see the curiosity. It’s not even just the students. There’s a lot of young kids here as well that seem very engaged with the culture and interested in learning about it. I feel like it came out really well. I love to be a part of it.”

T. Gonyea and Wendy Gonyea, a clan mother, also spoke about their work to repatriate the remains of Haudenosaunee people found in museums and private collections all over the world.

“They’re our ancestors, and we have to take care of them,” Gonyea said.

Chris Thomas and the Smoke Dancers performed several celebratory social dances accompanied by Thomas’s instrumentation and vocals. The women’s shuffle dance, the alligator dance, the smoke dance and more were performed before those in the crowd were invited to join.

The festival concluded with words of giving thanks from Chief Samuel George of the

Bear Clan. The family structure of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy is based on the clan system, with families starting from a common female ancestor and all members of the clan in a nation traditionally living in her long house.

Festivities took place in conjunction with an increase in collaboration between University faculty and regional Indigenous peoples. Langlie said that through the garden and the festival, the University’s network with Indigenous people has grown exponentially.

“The impact these folks are having on the [campus] community is growing,” Langlie wrote. “Faculty are collaborating with a few from [the] Haudenosaunee on research and grants. Faculty and students have helped out at the farm. The respect for one another and the intercultural and education exchange is enormous.”

Many organizers see the opportunity to increase collaboration between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the University. Carpenter

hopes to organize a game between the Haudenosaunee Nationals, who won bronze at the 2018 World Lacrosse Championships, and the BU men’s lacrosse team for next year’s festival. Langlie would like for the festival to drive interest in classes and curriculum on Indigenous peoples and continue to foster the relationship between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and BU.

“We hope this is just the beginning of collaborations, partnerships and friendships,” Langlie wrote. “We hope the festival honors the Haudenosaunee through a celebration of their culture and through educational experiences at both the Witness to Injustice event and the garden harvest. We hope that the festival creates a groundswell of interest and attention to Native American and Indigenous history and culture. We hope the festival provides a foundation for the formation of Native American and Indigenous Studies, research, curriculum, collaboration, scholarship and even faculty hiring initiatives.”

provided bY abortion advocacY coalition

Two posters placed near the anti-abortion table read “I am a person” and “abortion kills human persons,” and included images of fetuses and small children.

Autumn Jacobs arts and cuLture contributor

Activists cohost third-annual housing summit

community.

Raissa Bellucci, vice president of the local NYPIRG chapter and a junior majoring in classical studies, described the University’s role in Binghamton’s housing crisis.

The Stakeholders of Broome County cohosted the third-annual Housing Summit Thursday at Binghamton University to discuss the housing crisis in Broome County.

Also leading the summit were the BU chapter of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) and the UniverCity Tenants Union (UTU) — “hardline advocates for housing justice in the Binghamton community and for [BU] students.” They addressed the severity of the local housing crisis and the University’s role in the issue. Some topics of discussion included the plethora of profit-driven actions by landlords, a growing displacement of Binghamton residents for increased student housing and a lack of funding for housing initiatives by local officials.

The Stakeholders of Broome County, an independent organization of community volunteers focused on serving those affected by the housing crisis, provide legal resources to those in disputes with landlords, collect and distribute supplies for those directly impacted and hold events to raise awareness in the

“By attending the University, students help in creating raised rent prices in the local area because landlords know they are willing to pay more expensive prices for housing,” Bellucci wrote in an email. “Unfortunately, many people who reside in Binghamton cannot pay these prices. The University could help in a multitude of ways, such as donating back to the community or even working to make certain housing areas closed to fulltime Binghamton residents to make it easier.”

The UTU presented first, explaining BU’s role in the county’s housing crisis, including a lack of affordable housing for students, overenrollment in recent years and a lack of commitment by the University toward housing justice. After, the Stakeholders of Broome County spoke on the causes and effects of the housing crisis on the community. Much of the discussion was focused on the lack of funding — or the misplacement of funds — by local officials relative to the housing crisis. The presentation also included an extensive look at recent statistics on the displacement of local residents, the number of

residents in emergency shelters and unsheltered residents forced to live on the streets. One statistic related to the pressing lack of affordable housing shows that a plurality of renters surveyed in Broome County — 26 percent — have rent payments that take up more than 50 percent of their household income.

Jacob Weber, a UTU member and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, addressed the struggle for residents to consistently find shelter and the work being done to assist them.

“We’re trying to help mitigate the homelessness problem as much as

possible,” Weber said. “We talked about outreach at the housing summit, where we physically gather supplies to hand out to the homeless in Binghamton. It’s literally lifesaving for people.”

After both groups presented on issues facing the community, students broke off into three groups to more directly discuss some of the topics. A common theme was a call to action for students to get directly involved with the effort to curb the housing crisis, through volunteer work to assist those unable to find stable homes, assisting local organizations or getting involved with local politics. Stephen Corbisiero, a

senior double-majoring in environmental studies and geography, discussed the necessary steps to prevent further expansion of the housing issue.

“When it comes to the housing crisis, the University is not really thinking about the impact it has on the local community,” Corbisiero said. “I think the University cannot just be a school, but it has to be a community hub where the local residents and economy are supported.”

The event concluded with a final call to action by the Stakeholders of Broome County asking students in attendance to get involved with the issue by taking

direct action and getting on the ground to support the cause. Afterward, some students stayed to speak with present organizations about getting involved.

Weber noted the importance of taking action, calling for students to work toward curbing the progression of the housing crisis.

“This is a call to action,” Weber said. “If you have been affected by the housing crisis, we need people power on the streets helping to hand things out to the homeless. It’s absolutely crucial that we try to fill in the gaps that the University and the City Council are deliberately leaving.”

CDC awards Broome County $4.5 million

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded Broome County a $4.5 million grant to reduce drug overdoses and fund prevention programs.

Awarded to the Broome County Health Department, the funds were issued as part of the CDC’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) program. First launched in 2019, OD2A partners with state, county, territorial and city health departments to support the implementation of improved overdose

monitoring and prevention programs designed to better understand the changing nature of the current drug overdose epidemic, according to the program’s website. It promotes a data-based approach that emphasizes the role of local surveillance and the observation of statistics related to drug use to help recipients respond “more quickly, more effectively and more equitably” to the needs of their respective communities.

The recently announced grant is not the first instance that the Broome County Health Department has received funding from OD2A. During the first round of grant funding in 2019, OD2A awarded money to 66 separate entities that included both state and

local health departments — including the New York State Department of Health.

(4). BC’s Health Department then received a portion of the state funds, which was used to build core infrastructure for overdose prevention programs.

In August 2023, the CDC announced funding opportunities for up to 90 new jurisdictions that apply for OD2A grants, 40 of which would be either a county, territory or city health department. In a statement to the Binghamton Homepage, Marissa Knapp, the Broome County Health Department’s opioid overdose prevention coordinator, attributed the CDC’s approval to the steadfast support that members of the community and other stakeholders have

demonstrated toward seeking a countywide solution to the opioid epidemic.

“We can’t take credit for the boots on the groundwork here,” Knapp said. “That goes out to all of our partners in the community who’s working with the population. So we were able to get letters of support from law enforcement, from our hospital systems, from our faith-based communities, from our elected officials, from our universities and schools and then also from the population of [people] who [use] drugs.”

According to the OD2A program website, each of the 90 local grant recipients will have their funds distributed from the CDC throughout a five-year cooperative agreement. Kristin Russell,

the public health educator at the Broome County Health Department, identified several ways the funding will be used by the department to prevent drug overdoses.

“The $4.5 million is allocated specifically to Broome County over the course of [five] years to carry out prevention and surveillance strategies,” Russell wrote in an email. “The funding will go toward various projects that address [the following] — linkage and retention in care, harm reduction, stigma reduction, health care systems best practices and surveillance.”

The CDC’s efforts come as Broome County attempts to stem the tide of both suspected fatal and non-fatal overdoses. According to the Broome County Overdose Collaborative, there have been 45 reported cases of suspected fatal overdoses and 263 non-fatal overdoses reported within the county so far in 2023, representing a decrease in the number of overdoses reported compared with last year — where 80 fatal overdoses and 460 nonfatal overdoses occurred.

The department currently partners with several governmental and private organizations, including the New York State Department of Health and local media to implement both preventive and harm-reduction strategies that would lead to a decrease in opioid overdoses in the future. Partners also include law enforcement, who collect data on the type of substance used in each overdose case and prosecute drug dealers.

O2DA grant money will continue to fund both preexisting and new programs to further reduce

the drug overdose rate. Russell shared additional practices that can be implemented by the county to achieve this goal.

“There continues to be work that can be done to lower the burden of overdose, including increasing access to treatment, encouraging harm reduction practices — carrying naloxone, using the Never Use Alone hotline, using fentanyl and xylazine test strips and providing rescue breathing — and decreasing stigma in the community, public safety and health care settings,” Russell wrote. “The goal of this funding is to address all these throughout the [five] years and support partners who are doing the boots on the ground.”

Despite the grant, Juan Naranjo, a Binghamton University sophomore majoring in computer science, said that he believes systemic root causes of addiction in the community will go untargeted.

“The grant provides much-needed assistance to Broome County in providing medical supplies to prevent overdose deaths while simultaneously educating the public about available programs for rehabilitation,” Naranjo said. “However, it’s important to note that this does not address the systemic roots which led to the increase of opioid use in the United States in the first place. Further examination of the allocation of the funds is necessary to ensure the general health and safety of the population because certain state actions, such as those by law enforcement justified by prohibition, have historically worsened the impact of the opioid crisis.”

caspar carson photo editor

The summit addressed the severity of the local housing crisis, with discussions including landlords’ profit-driven actions, the growing displacement of Binghamton residents for student housing and a lack of funding for housing initiatives by local officials.

The program aids local health departments fighting the opioid epidemic.

Joseph Brugellis news contributor

Held in the University Union, the event addressed the local housing crisis.

Luca Carrese news contributor

Binghamton University recently announced that it would be terminating its Binghamton Advantage Program (BAP) and replacing it with the “Broome to Binghamton (B2B) Guarantee Program” and more robust transfer programs. As we excitedly await more information about what these programs will look like moving forward, we are hopeful that developing programs will exceed some of the shortcomings of the BAP program while remaining true to the program’s goal of providing more students with access to BU.

BAP is a joint admissions program between SUNY Broome Community College and BU, founded in 2011, that allows incoming freshmen to attend classes at SUNY Broome

for up to two years but to live on BU’s campus and eventually transfer fully to BU if they maintain a 2.7 GPA. Now, BAP students admitted in fall 2023, whom the University promises to continue to support in their transition to BU, will be the program’s last cohort.

According to a statement from BU, the B2B program will allow local students, who live within approximately 60 miles of the University’s campus, to “seamlessly transfer” into Harpur College after fulfilling “specific academic criteria at SUNY Broome.” The letter also promises that this new program will “absolutely ensure” more access to BU for local students and that BU is working to develop more pathways for transfer students.

The University’s website explains that part of the intent

EDITORIAL: BUILD BAP BETTER

BU must fulfill promises to implement robust transfer programs.

of the decision to terminate and replace BAP is to “facilitate current BAP students transferring to Binghamton earlier than initially expected,” but it doesn’t detail what the timeline will be for these new students. The “Binghamton Advantage Program” web page also brags that the University has “expanded support and programming for transfer students” over the past year, who make up more than 3,300 of our undergraduate student body, citing the TRANSFERmation Summit offered in August and January each year. We hope that the University will provide more clarity and details soon about the nature, requirements and time frames for the B2B and new transfer programs.

If BU fulfills its promises, the development of the B2B

program and new transfer pathways could be a great way to gain more transfer students, especially local students, who make up a minority of BU’s student body. In 2019, only 7 percent of BU students were from Broome and Tioga counties. Transfer programs make well-resourced and more selective universities accessible to students who may not have had the resources or privilege to attend those schools during their first round of college applications. Additionally, transfer students often come from a more diverse college background, have had time to hone in on their academic and professional interests and likely have meaningful reasons for wanting to attend the university to which they transfer.

In addition to the benefits that come with accepting more

transfer students to BU, we hope that some of the weaknesses of the BAP program can be eliminated in BU’s new transfer programs. In Pipe Dream’s recent News article about the BAP program termination, BAP students described having difficulty navigating the transition to BU’s classes, the loss of an academic advisor and a lack of key personnel and a general neglect of the program by both SUNY Broome and BU.

While BAP had some weaknesses, the program has long provided a more accessible pathway to BU, so it is crucial that the University fulfills its promise of continuing this extremely valuable partnership and making our University accessible to transfer students. In the comment section of Pipe Dream’s Instagram post announcing BAP’s termination,

students voiced disappointment that the program would discontinue, saying “this program gave opportunities to those who are often overlooked” and that “these programs allow more people of color to enter Binghamton’s campus and have access to a strong education.” Students also voiced frustration that the Universities discontinued the program rather than addressing identified issues.

We hope that BU uses the termination of BAP as an opportunity to invest resources and time into developing robust, supportive transfer programs moving forward. Transfer students are an extremely valuable sector of our student body and should be supported throughout their University experience.

BU should revive the Fernand Braudel Center

FBC was a

Nathan Sommer Opinions Columnist

When I was applying to college a few years ago, I was speaking to a bookstore owner and mentioned my interest in Binghamton University. Immediately, Immanuel Wallerstein’s name was thrown back at me with a tone of reverence. I had known nothing of BU and was surprised by someone I admired who not only had heard of the school but also encouraged me to go there.

Three years have passed, and reading Wallerstein still provokes the most pride I have ever felt for our school.

As a longtime BU sociology professor and internationally renowned scholar, Wallerstein was the founder and head of the Fernand Braudel Center for the Study of Economies, Historical Systems and Civilizations (FBC). Wallerstein’s prolific career was dedicated to studying imperialism and the international division of labor, which led to the birth of his Modern WorldSystem (MWS) theory, a model demonstrating how colonialism has maintained itself to the present. He

for world-systems research.

borrowed from other Marxist theories, such as the Marxist strain of Dependency Theory and Arghiri Emmanuel’s theory of Unequal Exchange, culminating in his greatest achievement, “The Modern World-System” volumes one through four. Ensuing a need to better understand the rise of liberation movements in the Global South and social justice movements in the Global North, world-systems is a method of analyzing the world as a singular economic system, focusing on regions rather than states.

Founded in 1976, the FBC was created as a research center dedicated to the study of world-systems and class exploitation. Discussion of a world-economy may seem obvious now, but that was not the case when the center was founded.

“The [FBC] was a major intellectual institution and it put [BU] on the world intellectual map,” said Ravi Palat, a sociology professor and former student of Wallerstein’s. “We were then the only people talking about the world-economy — no one else.”

For a long time after its inception, the FBC was the hub of world-systems research in the United States — and possibly the

world. Several other prolific voices and contributors to world-systems research have taught at BU, among them being Giovanni Arrighi, Terence K. Hopkins and William G. Martin. Following Wallerstein’s lead, they helped foster the FBC into an invaluable resource and community. With the exception of the Journal of World-Systems Research produced by Johns Hopkins University, the FBC’s Review was the most dedicated and internationally recognized journal of world-systems scholars.

The lineage of worldsystems theorists continues to push forward our understanding of global exploitation. The extractive relationship between core countries (ones that export products with high rates of profit) and peripheral countries (ones that export raw materials with low rates of profit) still characterizes our global climate. Headline after headline paints a picture of the world in dire need of more world-systems studies, yet the University has kept it on the sidelines.

Major issues that occupy much of our media’s attention — the RussianUkrainian war, United States relations with China,

Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and the challenge of the petrodollar, climate change, etc. — along with those the media ignore, such as the systemic underdevelopment of the Global South, are much better understood through the world-systems analytical lens. New intellectual lineages, such as BU Professor Jason W. Moore’s discussion surrounding world-ecology, continue to arise to meet the world’s toughest adversities. Moore synthesizes traditional approaches toward worldeconomy with environmental history to make clear the ways in which “social reality — injustice, inequality and crisis — is fundamentally entwined with webs of life.” With such a rich history of world-systems academics, it’s a shame that the University relegates it to a part of Binghamton’s history rather than embracing it as its future.

It’s worth noting that the FBC that closed down in 2020 was a very different environment than the world-renowned FBC of previous decades. According to Professor Palat, the FBC once had a rich community of student-teacher collaboration that helped push global conversations forward. Intrinsic to the FBC were

the research working groups (RWG) that partnered graduate students and faculty to foster new analytical approaches to global issues.

In the days before laptops, the FBC’s headquarters was where everyone met to build off of each other’s ideas and become familiar with one another’s research. Gettogethers, including soccer games, were commonplace in the FBC, while the center produced an impressively profuse intellectual output.

That atmosphere changed following Wallerstein’s departure as the center’s director in the late 1990s.

Successor Richard Lee was running both the FBC and editing the Review, but without the international notoriety of Wallerstein, and had a more difficult time recruiting contributors for the journal. As a result, the Review dwindled and the oncevibrant and social atmosphere that characterized the FBC ceased. The final issue before it turned off the lights was backlogged from years prior.

It is rare for Binghamton to be mentioned in the same breath as the words “internationally renowned” or “global hub,” but that is what the FBC captured. The University loves touting its academic achievements, and

rightly so — Professor M. Stanley Whittingham’s 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry is one recent example. But one must scour the University’s website to find any mention of Wallerstein or the FBC. It’s time for BU’s administration to bring back the FBC and resurrect its legacy.

If the FBC were a center for business administration instead of a center dedicated to left-wing global analysis, I doubt the University would let it fade into oblivion. The reality is that the Harvey Stenger administration has no sympathy for left-wing causes on campus, and with a mostly tranquilized student body, there is nobody for them to answer to. Sadly, few on campus are aware that an internationally acclaimed center was in the recent past located minutes from the Union. The FBC, however, was much bigger than just Binghamton.

“It’s demise is a tragedy,” Professor Moore said. “And not only, not even especially, for [BU].”

The world needs a revitalized FBC, and if BU is a serious academic institution, it would recognize the opportunity to return to international prominence.

Nathan Sommer is a junior majoring in history.

The

force

WARRIORS

Congratulations Weekend Warriors! You’ve made it to October. From the renovations at Toms and the ever so familiar slip and slide that is the floor of the Rat, we are excited to have our Binghamton Weekend Warriors back! We are also excited to hear from our guest columnist about his rizz this weekend.

Rizz, and how to have it

great fake smile, we would never be able to experience life at all.

My friend and opinion editor of this fine paper, Doris, asked me what should be a simple question … what is rizz?

Now, I don’t claim to possess the characteristic in question, but I can say with quite certainty that I know what it looks like.

For those being rizzed up, rizz feels like dew on morning grass, looks like the sun over the horizon and tastes like jelly on toast. It makes one giggle and blush, and if done right, it develops into a crush.

In short, rizz is charisma, and sadly, not everybody feels like that’s a quality they exude … which is good! The thing that makes life great is the diversity! If everyone was the same NPC clone who had a

Because of that, there is no one form of rizz. Like genres of music, everyone is attracted to something different. It’s similar to how the same joke makes some people pee their pants and makes others sit in awkward silence.

So if you try rizzing someone up and they end up walking away without giving you their phone number, don’t think you failed. Love isn’t a numbers game, like children collecting eggs on Easter. It’s about finding the one, and when you find that person, anything and everything you do and say will make them feel like they’re being rizzed up.

Okay. Now that we’re done with all the feel-good bullshit, this is how to have rizz: If you seek to rizz up a man, Laugh at their jokes

All men think they are funny. If you don’t laugh at their shitty jokes they will become insecure and try to compensate by telling even more shitty jokes.

Casually talk about a fire meal you recently cooked

All men love to eat and hate to cook. If you claim to be a chef, men will fantasize about a life with you where they can bear the fruits of your labor. Men tend to like chicken and hate vegetables. Don’t be alarmed if they whip out their phones and start watching YouTube — men are in constant need of some mindless stimulation.

Don’t mention astrology Men don’t understand astrology. They often get it confused with astronomy, something they know equally little about. Men do, however,

love to point out the big dipper — the one and only constellation they know.

Call Kanye misunderstood

Men will always love Kanye no matter what he does … Nothing really more to say here.

Reference the fact he looks like he can run fast

Men grew up on the notion that if you can run really fast you must be really cool. It might sound weird, but trust me bro … trust me.

If you seek to rizz up women, Just keep asking them about themselves

Women love to talk … especially about themselves. But be careful, asking why “Lemonade” is her favorite Beyoncé album might just turn into a 30-minute rant.

Be a Democrat

Women hate Republicans … a lot. If you don’t already, make sure to support more gun control and think that the pink tax is undemocratic and sexist.

Make eye contact while you talk

Women really like eyes. I am not sure why, but I assume it’s because they’re the “portal to the soul” or some other bullshit like that.

Mention the fact they have beautiful eyes

I don’t know if I mentioned this but, but women really like eyes. I am not sure why, but I assume it’s because “lies and truth exist in a stare” or some other bullshit like that.

Say you watch “Law & Order” and Romantic Comedies

Women love to see ugly

people dying and attractive people falling in love. These two things are opposite ends of the spectrum, so Netflix is pumping out cringey romcoms and Jeffrey Dahmers/13 Reasons Why’s like it’s nobody’s business.

This list could go on and on, but sadly for you, Doris gave me a word count. Women, am I right? DO NOT SAY THAT IF UR TRYING TO RIZZ UP A GIRL. IT WILL GO BADLY. TRUST ME. I’VE DONE IT A COUPLE TIMES, AND THAT JOKE HAS NEVER WORKED. IT GETS REALLY QUIET, AND THEY USUALLY WALK AWAY WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES.

Sure, ima keep saying it cuz it’s funny but I should tell you WOMEN WILL NOT FIND IT FUNNY.

Women, am I right?

Eli Klein Guest Columnist

Esposito presents on his Hollywood upbringing

“Breaking Bad” fans and aspiring actors swarmed the Anderson Center to hear Esposito speak.

Hadley Robbins arts & cuLture contributor

Giancarlo Esposito, famously known for his roles as Gus Fring in “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” and Moff Gideon in “The Mandalorian,” visited Binghamton University on Thursday to give an insightful presentation in the Anderson Center’s Osterhout Concert Theater.

With tickets having sold out rapidly, nearly 1,200 Binghamton students packed into the theater to listen to what Esposito had to share. With attendees ranging from die-hard “Breaking Bad” fans to students hoping to pursue a career in acting, Esposito’s stage presence was consistently met with a large round of applause throughout the event.

Presented by BU’s Student Association Programming Board (SAPB), SAPB Insights Committee members co-hosted Esposito on stage. Structuring the hour-long event Q&A style and allowing for audience questions at the end, the SAPB team ensured that Esposito would have ample time to talk about his experience in Hollywood, give advice to aspiring students and reenact some of his most famous lines.

Telling the story of his rise to fame, Esposito described how his desire to start acting began with watching his mom perform Opera growing up, and how it later led to his Broadway debut.

“What you feel is an exchange of energy,” Esposito said during the event. “I could feel the magic in the room.”

Concluding the story with a heartfelt description of a young Esposito singing “Happy Birthday” as part of his audition, Esposito shared with the audience the story of how he came into the limelight as a child.

Being brought up at a time in which African American actors were limited to musical comedy or stereotyped roles of crooks and robbers, Esposito described the importance of figuring out who he was outside of those bounds.

Going on to describe some of the inner workings of his most accredited performances, Esposito talked about special effects, actor-director relationships and the necessity of finding spaces where people can inspire one another.

“You need to be able to see yourself in each other,” Esposito said.

When prompted to discuss the development of his five-time Emmy-nominated performance as Gus, Esposito shared the process of coming into such a complex character with BU students. Wanting to create a

unique villain, Esposito unveiled how he drew inspiration from thinking about all the people he knew but didn’t really know.

Describing all of the efforts that went into the famous explosion scene in “Breaking Bad,” Esposito revealed that his makeup took four and a half hours and that he remembers the scene propelling him into an iconic place.

Beyond acting in television, Esposito has directed a variety of productions, voice-acted in films such as “The Jungle Book” where he plays the infamous Akela and is now working on writing a book. He accredits his multifaceted success to a firm belief in his own abilities.

“You have to invest in

yourself,” Esposito said. “What you do today, determines tomorrow.”

Esposito elaborated on the difficulties faced by Black men and women in the television and film industry and touched on the importance of staying true to who you are.

“I had to shut out the world,” Esposito said. “Learn to take the best and leave the rest.”

Rachel Todd, a junior majoring in computer science, highlighted how listening to Esposito’s talk made her feel.

“His struggle and subsequent success inspires me to continue in my degree despite struggles I’ve had,” Todd said. “I loved the way he created such meaningful stories for

each question.”

Esposito’s stories invoked lively responses from the audience, and his jokes were met with shared laughter. Students were intent on hearing what he had to say.

Nathan Alleyne, a junior majoring in computer science, commented on the way Esposito’s advice resonated with him.

“His message that he wanted us to go home with about doing what you really love was a great thing to hear and take in,” Alleyne said. “I was really moved because it felt as though he really wanted to give the best advice and full-hearted answers to the questions that were asked.”

Michael Lulaj, SAPB marketing director and a junior majoring in psychology, shared his thoughts on why events like this one are so important.

“I think it’s so great to get celebrities and such motivational people like [Esposito] because they have so much to tell and share with college students who are just about to take their next steps in life,” Lulaj said. “I think it’s so vital to hear from people’s experiences firsthand.”

At the end of the hour-long Q&A session, Esposito left Binghamton students cheering from one of his most notable lines.

“Last chance to look at me, Hector,” Esposito said.

SAPB’s Fall Fest was an autumnal evening

Students lined up by the dozen to take part in Wild West themed attractions to celebrate the arrival of the fall season.

Andrew Ashinoff arts & cuLture contributor

It was a breezy afternoon on Sept. 26, a fitting atmosphere for the Binghamton Student Association Programming Board’s (SAPB) annual Fall Fest. As students gathered around the cowboythemed attractions on the Binghamton University Peace Quad, the sun sank into the horizon, leaving only the chill of the late September night.

It was certainly a suitable way to usher in fall. Binghamton SAPB’s Fall Fest ran from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. this past Tuesday. They decorated the lawn with vendors, a square-dancing stage, fall themed free prizes and an electric bull that attracted quite the crowd.

Matthew Qu, an undeclared freshman, spoke about some of the attractions that were provided by SAPB, including a prize booth with free pumpkins.

“This [pumpkin] is probably the best thing I’ve

gotten all week,” Qu said. “I’m super excited and I feel like it’s gonna add a lot of good vibes to my dorm room, and it should keep me motivated for the rest of the week.”

Many people seemed to share Qu’s sentiment about the unique festivities on the Peace Quad that afternoon.

Friends and strangers socialized together in massive clumps, happily waiting for their pumpkins and donuts with broad smiles.

The Wild West Fall Fest was an opportunity for students to come together and celebrate what they loved about fall. Some vendors sold vintage clothing, including some intricate sweaters and warm jackets to prepare for Binghamton’s upcoming months. Others came to campus for a chance to interact with the bustling hub of eager students, ready to offer treats and goods as they take on the more frustrating responsibilities of college life.

Matthew Ferrar, a senior majoring in physics, represented the real estate group in charge of Chenango Place, an off-campus housing facility that works closely with the BU student population.

Ferrar explained the benefits of events like this for

his business and the student population alike.

“We like meeting new people and showing people the type of environment that they can live in if they move to Chenango,” Ferrar said.

Briana Santana, an undeclared freshman, and Jamie Tripoli, a secondyear undergraduate student majoring in pharmaceutical sciences, also expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to engage with their classmates and community.

“I think that it just lifts spirits in general,” Santana said. “I think that it’s really fun, and it’s a way to make new friends.”

Tripoli also expressed her enjoyment with the event, in response to watching some of her friends ride the mechanical bull.

“It brings everybody together,” Tripoli said.“It’s a good and fun time.”

After the first hour of activities, there was a series of rotating musical acts on the stage. Artists including Red 100s, Edge and Babi Lou, From The Bronx, Dreamboy DZY and Dream! all made appearances. Students danced along with the music until 9 p.m. when the event wrapped up.

Students moseyed into

the dusk with their cowboy hats on and their bellies full of donuts. Thanks to the SAPB, this Wild West Fall Fest succeeded at bringing the community together for an evening of fall festivities once again.

JACOB GRESSIN PHOTO INTERN

Attendees of SAPB’s Fall Fest enjoyed vintage vendors, musical acts and pumpkins galore.

BEN GOLDEN VIDEO ASSISTANT

Esposito reveals the ins and outs of pursuing a career in the arts.

Stellar Human boasts unique vintage clothing

The local store shows how similar interests can foster connection.

At the corner where Robinson Street intersects Griswold Street is Stellar Human, a vintage clothing store owned and operated by LaRue Simmons. Featuring all sorts of eclectic pieces from jackets and dresses to graphic tees and hoodies, Simmons has been expanding his shop since opening in February of 2021.

Originally from Johnson City and now a resident of Binghamton, Simmons was excited for Stellar Human to become a prime opportunity to bring something new to Broome County that was not there before.

“I knew that what we were doing was special and different, and I just had a feeling that it was going to work,” Simmons said.

With the popularization of thrifting among younger groups comes the appreciation of vintage pieces. Instead of packing the store with as many clothes as possible, vintage stores like Simmons’ seek to scale down the overwhelming amounts of items by carefully selecting pieces that are unique and worth more than thrift

stores may list them for.

“When I first opened the store, it was definitely more geared toward just a thrift store,” Simmons said. “Maybe like a curated thrift.”

He explained that after much research and learning from other vintage sellers, he was able to look for valuable details on tags or in the fabric composition and stitching of the item.

“As time went on and my eye grew sharper, I ultimately decided to switch the shop over from being labeled [as] a thrift store to vintage,” Simmons said.

Currently, Stellar Human exists as more than just a store, but also a hub for residents and students to come together and connect. Simmons couldn’t help but contain his enthusiasm about meeting new people and creating connections with individuals of all different backgrounds and interests.

“It was a lost art to have conversations with somebody that you don’t know,” Simmons said. “I think that having a space like this where I’ve been able to see people who didn’t know each other meet here and then go outside of here and create something together … stuff like that is something I can’t put a price on. I’m just super grateful for that.”

Furthermore, Stellar Human prides itself on

being “a safe space for all,” and Simmons stresses the importance of places existing as an outlet for people to gather and explore new interests.

“One of my goals for the shop was to be able to bring people who had similar interests, whether it was fashion or music or just dope stuff in general out of the woodwork,” Simmons said. “My ultimate goal is just to have a room full of

people who just all are into dope stuff and just having a cool conversation.”

Simmons gets to see this vision come to life every Monday night with an event called “Stellar Records,” where all are welcome to bring a record, sit and bond over music.

Stellar Human welcomes all to come in and find pieces that they love. Simmons truly personalizes his store inventory by picking items

that he could see himself and others wearing that could work with different styles.

“I pick based on my style, but my style is super eclectic,” Simmons said. “There are days where I want to do streetwear. There are days where I want to do the ‘70s thing and wear bell bottoms, but I think that’s what makes the shop a little more unique.”

Simmons encourages

shoppers to find pieces that work and personalize those items to make them their own.

“Everyone wants to be different, and what better way to be different than wearing something that’s hard to find and is your own thing,” Simmons said. Stellar Human is on Instagram @stellar.human and is open from Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.

KISA commemorates Hangul Day on the Spine

KISA supports Korean international students and their transition into an American university.

In celebration of Hangul Day, the Korean International Student Association (KISA) tabled on the Binghamton University Spine with activities honoring Korean language and culture.

On Sept. 29, KISA held a Korean calligraphy writing contest and offered an opportunity for students to try on traditional Korean attire known as hanbok. Students were invited to copy a phrase in Korean with a calligraphy pen and were then entered into a drawing for the best Korean writing. KISA also provided a photo opportunity with the E-Board for students who participated in hanbok fitting.

Hangul Day commemorates the standardization of the Korean writing system in the 1400s. The Hangul writing system was introduced by King Sejong the Great in the Joseon Dynasty in an attempt to create a uniquely Korean writing system. Prior to the introduction of Hangul, Chinese characters were used to represent the spoken

Korean language. Seungbeen Lee, copresident of KISA and a senior double-majoring in accounting and business administration, described the historical significance of Hangul Day.

“Before the creation of [Hangul], there were no Korean characters even though we had our own spoken language, so Chinese characters were borrowed and used,” Lee wrote in an email.

“Because Chinese characters did not align with [the] Korean language, it was notoriously hard to learn and use in [the] proper way, and the illiteracy rate of ordinary people who had difficulty getting an opportunity to be educated was quite high.”

As a result, King Sejong created Hangul for the purpose of increasing literacy for the common people. Lee went on to explain the impact of Hangul on Korean culture and history.

“Hangul Day is an important day to appreciate Hangul, which played a major role in building our country, [emphasizing] the preservation of language and [strengthening] national consciousness together,” Lee wrote.

KISA collaborated with Uway Global, an institute committed to helping Korean

students study abroad, for the Hangul Day event. Lee explained the importance of the event for KISA.

“We are trying to promote this because we are proud of the language itself, our culture itself, our heritage,” Lee said. “That’s why we’re promoting it here, so we can expose the Hangul to the public.”

KISA aims to support Korean international students at BU throughout their schooling at the University. The organization provides academic, social and cultural support for students transitioning into life at an American university. Established in Spring 2022, KISA is currently working toward becoming a Student Association (SA) chartered organization.

Jiwoong Baek, event coordinator of KISA and a junior majoring in accounting, explained the mission of KISA.

“Our KISA is basically helping out the Korean international students,” Baek said. “There is KASA, which is more about the Korean American [students], but we’re trying to help out the Korean students who are the first here in the United States because they haven’t been here before and are very nervous. So we give them academic support and give them opportunities to do cultural exchange with

American culture and Korean culture.”

Suhyeon Kwon, copresident of KISA and a junior majoring in neuroscience, conveyed the organization’s commitment to helping international students navigate the American collegiate system.

“The system itself is totally different than Korea, so we’re just trying to focus on helping them, just adapting to this culture and the school itself,” Kwon said. “We’re also helping them to socialize, because there is definitely a

language barrier and cultural differences. So we’re just helping them to bridge that gap.”

KISA’s future plans include collaborating with organizations in the Asian Student Union (ASU) to increase KISA’s recognition and gather insight from more established clubs. Additionally, the organization plans on supporting students through mentorships in alignment with their mission.

Lee elaborated on what being involved with KISA

means for him.

“I feel responsible for commitments to help people to thrive, as I got help during my first year at [BU],” Lee wrote. “Being involved in [a] wider and diverse college community [provides] more chances to think about my identity as I promote and share Korean culture as it gets more [recognized] in the [United States]. I feel like I could have a positive impact on society and individuals’ lives, [and] I am very committed to and proud of it.”

PROVIDED BY STELLAR HUMAN

Stellar Human is a curated vintage store in Downtown Binghamton.

DIVYA GOTTIPARTHY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The Korean International Student Association celebrated Hangul Day with activities such as a calligraphy contest.

Alexis Yang arts & cuLture editor

Audrea Crowley arts & cuLture contributor

Men’s soccer draws with NJIT at home

Binghamton loses lead late in second half.

Following its 1-0 loss against No.19 Hofstra last Tuesday, the Binghamton men’s soccer team returned home to continue America East (AE) play against NJIT as the match concluded in a 1-1 tie. While the Bearcats sustained an early lead and maintained it throughout the majority of the match, the Highlanders found the equalizer late, scoring off a corner kick during the last four minutes of the match to force a draw.

“It feels like a loss even though it was a tie,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “I’m really gutted right now that we leaked a goal so late in the game on a corner.”

Binghamton (2-6-2, 0-02 AE) wasted no time during the first four minutes of the match, with an attempt on goal executed by graduate student midfielder Jack Green. However, the ball skewed out left and missed the goal. The attempt was returned swiftly

as NJIT (4-4-3, 1-0-1 AE) got off a shot that ended up forking right.

At the 25-minute mark of the period, the Bearcats made their mark on the scoreboard with a goal by Green off an assist from redshirt senior midfielder Anthony Lazaridis. With 15 minutes remaining, BU’s defense was tested as NJIT began to put some pressure on the Binghamton goal. The Highlanders looked to get on the board with a sequence of two shots in just one minute, but both attempts were saved by sophomore goalie Jack Root.

“[Root has] been spectacular,” Marco said. “He made another great save today and kept us in the game. I come into work at 8 a.m. and he’s in. I stay till 10 p.m. and he’s kicking a ball against the wall. He has really been a catalyst to show what hard work is in our program.”

The remaining minutes for the period saw a back-and-forth struggle for the ball. Despite Binghamton’s offensive push into NJIT territory, with shots from junior forward Mael Lopes and graduate student back

Devin Heanue, the Bearcats were unable to find the back of the net. At the end of the first half, BU found itself with a 1-0 lead over the Highlanders.

With the second period in full swing, BU kept an early possession of the ball and used that advantage to make three attempts on the NJIT goal in three minutes. Despite the persistent efforts of the Bearcats’ attack, the Highlanders’ goalkeeper was able to keep the home team off the board in the second half.

“Hats off to NJIT,” Marco said. “They were stubborn.”

At the 55-minute mark, possession switched over to NJIT as they tried to get on the board. The Bearcats momentarily regained possession of the ball all the way into the Highlander’s side as they attempted a corner kick, but they couldn’t capitalize, losing possession of the ball. The ball alternated between the Bearcats and the Highlanders as neither side maintained control for very long. Later in the half, NJIT attempted two more shots at the goal to no avail as Root intercepted both attempts.

Then, with four minutes remaining in the match, NJIT fired the ball into the back of the net off a corner kick, which marked the Highlanders’ first goal of the match and tied the score at 1-1. For the remainder of the match, BU went on the attack, looking to find any opportunity for a last-second goal. However, with time

running out, BU’s efforts were to no avail as the match ended in a 1-1 tie.

“It’s just disappointing,” Marco said. “I thought we should have had three points instead of one. We have to do a better job finishing out the game. We need to see the game out. We have a week off so we’ll regroup, some of the guys that

didn’t play today will train hard, and then we’ll start to prepare for Albany as best we can and see what we can do next weekend.”

Binghamton will face off against Albany on Saturday, Oct. 7th. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at

the Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium in Albany, New York.

Emily Maldonado sports intern

kai depalma photo assistant

Graduate student midfielder Jack Green tallied a goal in BU’s 1-1 tie against NJIT on Saturday night.

Pipe Dream Bearcast

Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Volleyball sweeps NJIT in conference opener

With the score at 24-23, Binghamton looked to put the set away but was unable to as NJIT found a way to get on the board, sending the match into overtime with the score tied at 24 apiece. Then, a kill from Ilieva, which was followed up

by a NJIT attack error allowed Bearcats to take the set 2624, as they completed the 3-0 sweep over the Highlanders.

“At times we really struggled,” Yaeger said. “At other times … when our backs were against the wall and we had no choice but to perform

and put balls away [and] we were going to be in more trouble than we already were, we were able to perform.”

Ilieva led the way for the Bearcats on both sides of the ball registering 20 kills and 19 digs. It was also her ninth consecutive match

with double-figure kills. In addition, Schabort tallied 14 kills of her own in the victory. Overall, Binghamton hit .282 while holding NJIT to just a .117 hitting percentage. “[Ilieva] has become such a good go-to player for us,” Yaeger said. “She always has

been in the past, but recently, she’s been really, really good at being able to put a ball away a lot, for us … I’m very confident in setting her because I know most of the time it’s going to be a kill or at least we’ll take the other team out of the system.”

Binghamton will head home to continue AE play as it looks to avenge its 2022 AE tournament semi-final loss to the University of New Hampshire on Friday, Oct. 6. First serve is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.

Women’s soccer settles for tie against Albany

Coming off a 3-1 win over UMBC, the Binghamton women’s soccer team hosted Albany on Thursday night, ultimately playing to a 2-2 draw. The Bearcats controlled possession for

the majority of the game and built a comfortable twogoal cushion with a goal in both the first and second halves. However, in the 85th minute, Albany found the back of the net to cut the BU lead to one. Then, with less than 30 seconds left in the match, Albany found the equalizer off of a corner kick, and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.

“We had a pretty good

amount of control for the game,” said Binghamton head coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “If there’s anything that I’d say instead of two goals, we had an opportunity for a third and a fourth. [We] hit a couple of crossbars, forced the keeper to make a couple of good saves, a couple of shots that we missed on our own. So, we could’ve put it away instead of just holding

a two-goal lead with four minutes left.”

The match began with the ball in Albany’s (3-5-2, 0-1-2 AE) possession but Binghamton (3-4-4, 2-01 AE) quickly brought it back to the Great Danes’ box. The Bearcats’ offense came on strong, with senior midfielders Molly McClelland and Victoria McKnight and junior midfielder Hannah Knych working together to

create several opportunities for a goal, but never getting a clear shot at the net. The first two shots of the game were taken by the Great Danes with one going out, and the other being saved by junior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams.

The Bearcats’ defense worked to move the ball out of its box and back down the field. Knych got off the first shot for the Bearcats, which went out top left. Albany was able to find two more attempts on the net, but Williams was able to save them both. Later in the half, senior defender Lexi Vegoda was able to get the ball into the Great Danes’ box to sophomore forward Lauren Clark, who capitalized in the 33rd minute by putting the ball away for BU’s first and only goal of the half. The first half ended with nine shots from Binghamton and five shots from the Great Danes. Going into halftime, the Bearcats found themselves with a 1-0 advantage over Albany.

“[There were] certain things that we expected to see from Albany,” Bhattacharjee said. “They gave us a little bit of a different look in terms of what we expected from our scouting report. But once we figured it out after the first 15 to 20 minutes, we were able to get more of the control in the game. [Vegoda] helped to play a big part in that.”

For most of the second half, the Bearcats’ attack did not let up, getting off a shot to the bottom right that was saved, along with a shot that went off the crossbar. Eventually, graduate student defender Grace Vittoria was

able to break down Albany’s defense, attempting a shot through a defender’s leg. Off of the goal-kick from Vittoria’s shot, sophomore forward Samiya Reid was able to get her foot on the ball and turn it around for an unassisted goal that put BU up 2-0.

The Bearcats kept the intensity high throughout the half, doubling the Great Danes’ shot output in the second half. However, late in the half, things began to take a turn for the worse for BU. Albany got a kick right outside the box, and in the last four minutes, was able to make it past the Binghamton defense for their first goal of the game. Then with less than 30 seconds to go, Albany capitalized off a corner kick opportunity and found the back of the net, as the match ended in a 2-2 tie.

“Should have been three points and now we’re walking away with just one,” Bhattacharjee said. “So obviously pretty disappointed and gutted about it, but we got to live with it and accept it, move on for another day and get ready for Bryant on Sunday. We gotta make sure we play with the effort we know we’re capable of, putting out chances away that we know we’re capable of putting away, get a solid three points, get our footing back and that will take us into the second half of [AE conference] play. Right now, I know it sounds cliché, but we got to move on from this unfortunate result and get back to where we know we can be.”