The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 13

DECEMBER 4, 2019 • VOLUME 90 • ISSUE 13

The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929

OPINION: MORE THAN NEWS P. 4

ARTS & LIFE: COUNTRY MUSIC P. 6

Not your average Joe

SPORTS: HOGWARTS P. 11

For Joseph DiGioia, cleaning is just one small part of his job as a custodian

By EMILY DISALVO News Editor

Joseph DiGioia has been cleaning the halls, classrooms, dorms and bathrooms of Quinnipiac University for the past 20 years, but this was the first year he realized anyone noticed the extra effort and enthusiasm that he brings to the job.

Quinnipiac’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Service to Students awarded DiGioia with the Excellence in Service to Students Award on Oct. 17, but DiGioia said he wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary.

“It’s pretty nice that someone sees you just being yourself as something special,” DiGioia said. “It’s a good feeling but I am still kind of taken aback that I won it because I don’t think I did anything special.”

DiGioia has been cleaning the fourth floor of the School of Health Sciences full-time for the past four years, but previously worked weekends on main campus while he was pursuing a career as a corporate chef during the week.

Every morning, DiGioia helps to get the classrooms ready. Then he takes a break before cleaning both the men’s and women’s restrooms.

“Just the mundane routine of the job gets a little boring at times because there is nothing new about it,” DiGioia said.

In his time on the job, DiGioia has figured out some ways to make it more interesting, and they all involve people.

“The people, the students, my coworkers, just the people in the Quinnipiac community – it’s a good place to work,” DiGioia said.

Regulars on the fourth floor said DiGioia unlocks their office doors for them when their arms are full, helps people move equipment and greets every student and faculty member with a smile.

EMILY DISALVO/CHRONICLE

Joseph DiGioia has worked for Quinnipiac’s facilities department for the past 20 years and was recognized for his service to students this semester.

Leah Rubino, secretary in the School of Nursing, said she considers DiGioia part of the school’s family.

“Last year when I was out on maternity leave, I was told weekly by other co-workers that Joe would ask how I was doing and how the baby was,” Rubino said. “He was also kind to send a gift for the baby.”

DiGioia also enjoys helping the snow crews move snow, because he thinks they shouldn’t have to do it alone. But his favorite “extra” task involves helping local students.

When DiGioia’s supervisor asked him if he would consider mentoring a few students with disabilities from the Cheshire Public Schools, DiGioia was immediately interested. Not only would the addition of a few cleaning buddies make the day more interesting, but DiGioia would be helping the community.

The Quinnipiac-Cheshire Transition Collaborative is a program for students with disabilities ages 18-21 to learn professional skills that will help them obtain a job after graduation. This year, DiGioia doesn’t have any mentees, but he said last year’s group was a special one.

“I enjoyed a lot working with them,” DiGioia said. “I miss it actually.”

DiGioia said he was able to challenge the students with tasks to the point where he realized they were capable of much more than he or anyone thought they were.

“Some of them it’s like they excelled beyond what I thought they would,” DiGioia said. “If you don’t give them a chance to see what they See JOE Page 2

Refocusing on our roots

Indigenous Student Union welcomes Native American students and those seeking to learn more about Quinnipiac’s past

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Students at Quinnipiac University are working to create a home for students of indigenous descent and educate the community about indegenous cultures.

The Multicultural Leadership Council announced last month that the Indigenous Student Union is forming at Quinnipiac, led by sophomore biology major Kiara Tanta-Quidgeon.

Currently, the Indigenous Student Union is in the process of having its club constitution reviewed and approved by the Student Government Association (SGA).

“I definitely think that the fact that (Quinnipiac) has a Native American name is enough that I’m surprised that we don’t already have one,” Tanta-Quidgeon said. “I think getting people who are here together, and to inspire other indigenous people who may want to come here, to have a place to be with other indigenous students. I think that’s important.”

While Tanta-Quidgeon’s goals are straightforward, there are many complications that come with the creation of such a club. Chief among them are the racial disparities plaguing Quinnipiac, as well as the history that the school shares with the Quinnipiac tribe.

The Chronicle reported in August on the Princeton Review’s 2020 edition of its “The Best 385 Colleges,” bringing attention to Quinnipiac’s ranking at No. 1 in the ‘Little Race/Class Interaction” category. Additionally that same article featured the racial makeup of Quinnipiac students, with an overwhelming 77% of identifying as Caucasian.

While the lack of diversity may provide an initial challenge for the Indigenous Student Union, both Tanta-Quidgeon and Executive Chair of the Multicultural Leadership Council Andrew DePass view the overwhelming Caucasian majority as another reason for the creation of the club. Tanta-Quidegeon said that her goal wasn’t to make the club exclusive to indigenous students but rather to create a sense of community for indigenous students and educate non-indigenous students to learn about the history and diversity of indigenous people.

“I think the fact that we do acknowledge there is difficulty in starting such a club is a reason to go ahead,” DePass said. “(When) you find yourself as a minority on campus you find that you need more support to help facilitate your experience.”

In recent years, Quinnipiac has started to acknowledge its past with the native community.

Staff Meetings on Tuesdays at 9:15 p.m. in SB123

WILLIAM GAVIN/CHRONICLE

Director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute Sean Duffy started an initiative to help Quinnipiac understand its indigenous roots.

In 2013, two School of Education professors, Mordechai Gordon and Susan Clarke, applied for grants that would allow them to promote the study of New England tribes and make Quinnipiac students aware of the history that surrounds the school. Both professors admitted, at

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the time, that most students were unaware that the university sits on an Native American reservation. At the time Clarke said that she hopes the See INDIGENOUS Page 3

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INDEX

Staff Writer

CONNECT

By WILLIAM GAVIN

Opinion: 4

Arts and Life: 6

Sports: 10

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

2| News

MEET THE EDITORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bryan Murphy MANAGING EDITOR Alexis Guerra CREATIVE DIRECTOR Janna Marnell NEWS EDITOR Emily DiSalvo ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Stephen MacLeod OPINION EDITOR Toyloy Brown III ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Jessica Simms ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Ryan Miller SPORTS EDITORS Brendan O’Sullivan Jared Penna DESIGN EDITOR Ilana Sherman THE QUINNIPIAC CHRONICLE is the proud recipient of the New England Society of Newspaper Editors’ award for College Newspaper of the Year in New England for 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2015-16.

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December 4, 2019

Big shoes to fill

Daryl Richard looks to continue Lynn Bushnell’s 25-year legacy as vice president for marketing and communications

By NICOLE MCISAAC Contributing Writer

President Olian’s cabinet welcomed Daryl Richard as the new vice president for marketing and communications on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Richard’s direct responsibility is overseeing the Office of Integrated Marketing Communications, Public Affairs and the Quinnipiac Poll.

Richard comes from a diverse background of public relations, journalism, marketing and communications. He received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Marist College, and became a political reporter for the Congress Daily after graduation. He eventually evolved to serving as the director of communications at the nonprofit association, Senior Executives Association. He also got involved with a global public relations firm called Weber Shandwick and became the vice president of communications at UnitedHealthcare.

“I’m hoping that I can take that collective experience that I’ve had in all these different areas and figure out how to best apply them to Quinnipiac,” Richard said.

He related his personal career journey to Quinnipiac’s growth. He said that he sees similarity between his diversity in communications over the years and the university’s growth in the diversity of academic programs, campus expansion and various other aspects. Richard will be working closely with John Morgan, associate vice president for public relations. Morgan said he works well with Richard.

“I really enjoy working with Daryl, who is a terrific addition to the university’s management team,” Morgan said. “His extensive experience in public relations, marketing and communications made him the ideal candidate for the position.”

Richard said he is ecstatic about beginning his journey at the university and plans to add onto the growing reputation of Quinnipiac. He said he comes to work everyday looking for ways to evolve the university.

“One of my top priorities is to listen to as many people as possible to hear what everyone’s needs are, what has been done in the past, and what’s the ambition moving forward,” Richard said.

Another one of Richard’s goals is elevating Quinnipiac as a national brand. He said that he seeks for people to know about the university from coast to coast.

“President Olian, faculty and administrators have done a great job in developing a strategic plan and laying the framework on how to raise the statue of the university

NICOLE MCISAAC/CHRONICLE

Daryl Richard has a diverse background ranging from journalism to marketing. to become a national competitor,” Richard said. “There’s exciting work ahead that I believe my team and I can do.”

In his short time on the job, Morgan, who has worked at Quinnipiac for 23 years, said Richard has already gotten straight to work.

“He has adjusted to his new role tremendously well and has already made a very positive impact on our division,” Morgan said. “I am looking forward to what the future holds under his leadership.”

Since he became involved with the university, Richard said that Quinnipiac’s positive momentum has been infectious.

“I think there’s been a lot of great work done by this team. There’s this treasure trove of great stories that I will continue to push out there,” Richard said.

Lynn Bushnell held Richard’s position for 25 years before her retirement. Although Richard never personally knew her, he said he is impressed with her work and believes that she contributed to a large amount of Quinnipiac’s success.

“She was here during the tremendous amount of growth of the university, and I’m grateful that there’s solid members of her team who have that institutional knowledge,” Richard said.

One of Richard’s goals is to create connec-

tions with students and the university as a whole.

“At the end of the day we’re all here to help students prepare for the workforce and tomorrow,” Richard said. “I want to help students become the most prepared and set them up for the most success after Quinnipiac.”

Establishing relationships with all of the students and helping them through their journey at Quinnipiac is one of Richard’s main priorities.

“One of the reasons that I was most excited to come to Quinnipiac was to be able to work a lot with different students and organizations,” Richard said.“I look at my role as a resource in helping students in student media.”

With his large background in communications, Richard said that his former experiences and degree will be a great addition in helping students.

“I want to help as much as possible to be a mentor to journalism and communication students,” Richard said. “I’m always happy to drop my own experiences and relate to those trying to figure out their own career track for them.”

Richard said that his experience at Quinnipiac so far has been nothing but great.

“I am optimistic not only about my teams work, but where this university is headed,” Richard said. “This is a university on the rise.”

DiGioia: ‘I think some of us expect too much from ourselves’ JOE from cover can actually do, you’ll never know what their capabilities are so when I saw that they were doing good with the basics, I just took it a little beyond and they were able to do a lot more than I think a lot of people thought that they could.”

Someone clearly took notice of DiGioia’s affinity for working with the students, because many of the letters nominating him for the award focused on his relationship with the students from the program.

“They just took notice of how patient I was with them and the way I taught them,” DiGioia said.

One anonymous nominator recognized how DiGioia not only modeled proper job skills, but life skills for the students when explaining why he was deserving of the honor.

“Joe doesn’t just teach them tasks, but is an excellent role model for how to be compassionate to others,” read one of the submissions.

“I recently was ill for several days and when I returned, Joe welcomed me back and talked to me as I approached my office. I thought he had a job to do in that direction, but he had come just to open my door for me. A small thing, but really made an impact.”

Rubino said that while DiGioia works hard to keep the floors “impeccable,” the way he treats others is even more impressive.

“Aside from his work ethic, Joe stands out from the rest because of his kind and caring nature,” Rubino said.

But this wasn’t DiGioia’s first time working with students with special needs. DiGioia was previously a bowling coach with Special Olympics and more recently, a “Big Brother” for a child with disabilities.

DiGioia said working as a “Big Brother” made him realize that spending time with children with special needs is most rewarding when it isn’t done as a job.

The Big Brother program required DiGioia to report the amount of time he spent with his “little brother” but he said he never did.

“We didn’t follow the rules and call up the headquarters every time we went out because we were friends, rather than me just going to spend time with him, it was more of a friendship,” DiGioia said.

He admitted he has been asked many times why he didn’t go into social work or a career related to kids, but he said getting paid defeats the purpose.

“I think when it’s a job it isn’t as fun,” Di-

Gioia said. “I think when you’re doing it without getting paid because it’s something you want to do, you’re probably better at it than when you do it every day. “ DiGioia said he forged close relationships with some of the students, including Peter Klein, a graduate of the program, who he still texts every now and then. “(Klein) probably had sat in every single chair that there is in North Haven, not that he didn’t want to work but he preferred sitting,” DiGioia said with a laugh.

The students learned a lot from DiGioia about being a custodian and hard work, but DiGioia said he learned from the students as well.

“I’m a little bit critical of myself, but when you see the smallest accomplishment by them or even a mistake they’re still happy,” DiGioia said. “They go about their day and they don’t care. I think some of us expect too much from ourselves.”

While DiGioia said the award is an honor, he emphasized that he isn’t the only person at Quinnipiac that deserves recognition.

“That was the most uncomfortable thing, knowing I have coworkers who may do more and they weren’t recognized,” DiGioia said.

“Everyone is deserving.”

December 4, 2019

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News |3

Multi-talented multi-tasker

Professor Keely Baisden gives ‘working mom’ a new meaning

By EMILY FLAMME

Wednesday, Dec. 4 Suite Treats The Student Government Association (SGA) will be serving Auntie Anne’s pretzels and lemonade outside the SGA suite from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. It wants to encourage students to come inside the suite to voice their concerns.

Relaxation Day The Psychology Club is hosting a wellness event to help students and faculty destress the week before finals. The main event where students can make DIY stress balls, paint and enjoy snacks in the Piazza from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Therapy dogs will also be in SC 117 and a yoga session will be held in SC 119.

Note-Able! Winter Concert QU’s Note-Ables will be hosting its 2019 winter concert in SC 133 at 9 p.m. The group will be performing popular songs as well as solos and small group numbers. There will be free food and drinks.

Thursday, Dec. 5 Montage Open Mic Night Students are invited to share their poetry, prose, art, music or comedy at the Montage Literary & Arts Journal’s Open Mic Night. Those who attend have the chance to win prizes and enjoy free food in SC 119 at 9:15 p.m.

QU Tonight at the North Pole Before heading to the QU Tonight live comedy show in the Piazza at 9:15 p.m., the Student Programming Board (SPB) will be serving free hot chocolate at 7 p.m. in front of Starbucks.

Students can also make a stuffed animal and enjoy other festive activities.

Staff Writer

Keely Baisden is a director, professor, author, theater-owner and mom of five, but she manages to balance it all.

“People ask me all the time — they wonder how you enjoy the process of wearing so many hats,” Baisden, a part-time theater professor at Quinnipiac, said. “For me, it’s about excellent time management.”

Her biggest project right now is the reconstruction of a theater in Branford, Connecticut, with the company she co-founded called Legacy Theatre.

“We’ve been working over the past several years to fundraise for the rebuilding of that theater because it’s dilapidated at the moment,” Baisden said. “We’re going through the bidding process with builders, and our goal is to open doors in September of 2020.”

In the meantime, Baisden said that the theater company has been running programs and classes.

“We have done two ‘Shakespeare in the Parks,’” Baisden said. “We also have an outreach program called ‘Wheel of Life’ theater troupe, which is a program for anyone who uses crutches and wheelchairs. It’s a wonderful program.”

Legacy Theatre purchased the building in 2013. When it is complete, it will have 127 seats and be designed to look like an opera house. The company will immediately begin productions and has plans to be open 150 days of the year.

“We’ll have a theater company that has professional actors and teachers in it,” Baisden said. “I’ve been bringing Quinnipiac students into the company and using their talent and newfound knowledge in running a show. It’s been a nice relationship.”

Even with the time opening a theater occupies, Baisden still finds a way to work on other aspects of her life. She teaches introduction to acting, voice and movement, musical theater dance and singing in the QU drama department.

Joseph Powell, a senior game design and development and theater double major, took musical theater performance with Baisden.

“Her career never takes a rest, so no doubt she was very busy,” Powell said.

“I never found her lacking as a professor

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY KEELY BAISDEN

Professor Keely Baisden co-founded the Legacy Theatre among her other commitments. though, as she was always very kind and supportive, and never slacked in her duties to our class or performance.”

She is also the mother of five children — four girls and one boy. She said that she is able to balance being a mom with all of her other projects by purposefully dividing her time.

“I am super devoted to my family, and I typically compartmentalize how I’m spending time. I have hours allotted for certain projects,” Baisden said. “I bring my children with me places — they’ve actually become very involved in my artistic process and they’re great sources of inspiration.”

Baisden said her kids have the perfect temperament for her busy lifestyle — sometimes starting right at birth.

“I remember I brought my oldest daughter to faculty meeting and set her down in this carrier, and after the meeting they asked me how the baby was and I picked her up and they were shocked because she was so

quiet,” Baisden said. “It was so funny because I never thought about how weird that must have been.”

People always ask Baisden how she is able to do all that she does, and she revealed that she is working on a book about that. She feels that if something is important to her, she will make time for it.

“There’s so many skills that you learn in theater-making that are applicable to parenting in just organization — you know, getting five kids out the door every morning,” Baisden said. “How to organize schedules, and prioritize their development as well as your goals, which I feel tend to get lost in some families where there’s an undue amount of personal sacrifice. I think that is such a shame, not only for the person making the sacrifice, but also those around them because so much learning and growth happens because of my work in the theater. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Professionalism Workshop Physician assistants (PA) and second-year PA students will speak about professionalism in the PA occupation to students for preclinical rotations, clinical rotations in PA school and their future careers. Students have the opportunity to ask questions. The event is in CCE at 8 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 6 Moonlight Breakfast SPB will be hosting its annual Moonlight Breakfast in the Lower and Upper Cafe at 9:30 p.m. Students can enjoy a free breakfast buffet that includes waffles, pancakes, omelettes, french toasts sticks, donuts and dessert.

SODA Tabling The Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA) will be tabling to promote the concept of organ donation from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Student Center tables. Students can write on a whiteboard why they are proud to be donors.

Saturday, Dec. 7 Tap Company Showcase The Tap Company will be holding its showcase at 1 p.m. in Buckmann Theater. The group will perform various pieces that they have worked on throughout the semester.

Duffy: ‘We got off on the wrong foot for hundreds of years in this country’ INDIGENOUS from cover university “wakes up” to its past and the origin of its name, according to a Chronicle article at the time.

More recently, Quinnipiac University and the Albert Schweitzer Institute have joined in a coalition with other universities as part of an initiative to bring to light the indigenous history of the land that the campus occupies and Quinnipiac’s relationship with the native tribes. The initiative has held events highlighting the origin of the “Legend of the Bobcat” and an indigenous “Teach-in” event that educated students on indigenous culture.

In the early 1900s Quinnipiac University was known as the Connecticut College of Commerce, before changing its name to the Junior College of Commerce and finally adopting the Quinnipiac name in the 1960s. Executive Director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute and Professor of Political Science Sean Duffy, found that after the renaming of the school there was an overwhelming sentiment that sought to somehow identify the university with “some sort of native stereotype.” This included the creation of war cries that were designed to be yelled at athletic events, the election of Indian princesses and chiefs (Duffy describes it as the equivalent of a prom king or queen) and incredible celebrations after the Quinnipiac name was adopted.

What Duffy found interesting was the choice of the Quinnipiac name as the name to lead the university into the future, especially as the

“A big thing I want to do is focus on the celebration of diversity inter-tribally, and spread awareness.”

- KIARA TANTA-QUIDGEON

SOPHOMORE BIOLOGY MAJOR

school would move to Hamden and away from New Haven, which had been known as “The Quinnipiac Settlement” when the Europeans had first arrived.

“At a major time of transition for our institution, they chose to make this transition and look to the future and chose an indigenous name,” Duffy said. “Especially considering that even now our strategic plan is to be the university of the future.”

Duffy said there are still people who identify as Quinnipiac, and emphasizing the notion that the school can still reach out to existing native societies throughout the nation, and discover how to make indigenous

people feel welcome at our universities.

It is often hard to feel welcome at Quinnipiac especially after her childhood growing up on a Native American reservation, Tanta-Quidgeon said. It’s her hope that founding the Indigenous Student Union can help create that sense of togetherness for all people of indigenous heritage.

“When we do a powwow (a Native American social gathering), basically every tribe in Connecticut comes together,” Tanta-Quidgeon said. “A big thing I want to do is focus on the celebration of diversity inter-tribally, and spread awareness. I also don’t want to leave it to Native American — I want to spread it to Native Alaskan, Native Hawaii and indigeneity in general.”

In the future, Tanta-Quidgeon believes Quinnipiac could certainly do more to make the history of the tribes and their relationship with Quinnipiac known, through events ranging from educating the students of the university, to holding powwows.

Neither Tanta-Quidgeon nor Duffy believe that Quinnipiac can’t reestablish its relationship with its indigenous past, but it might take time, and both believe that establishing a club dedicated to creating a community for students of indigenous heritage and those who want to learn more about them is a good start.

“I think getting the people who are here together, and to inspire other indigenous people who may want to come here, to have a place to be with other indigenous students. I think that’s important,” Tanta-Quidgeon said.

4| O p i n i o n

December 4, 2019

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Opinion Sports aren’t just games

It’s important for you … and me ... to learn about the things that matter to others

By EMILY DISALVO News Editor

As news editor of this outstanding publication, I have had the privilege of writing about anything and everything happening at Quinnipiac. I have found a passion for news and current events, but I have branched out to respect and love the opinion section. This is a place for me to both applaud and chastise aspects of our university and our world. This year, I was able to celebrate the life of Elijah Cummings, one of my personal heroes, and rebuke the shuttle system that left me stranded outside a locked building.

I have found yet another home writing about arts and life.

My love for country music found its way onto the pages of The Chronicle as I reviewed albums and songs. I attended theatrical performances and rallies for women’s health and realized that all of these things can make for content worth publishing and worth reading.

I have never written for sports.

It’s been a running joke on the editorial board that I am clueless about sports, refuse to proofread the sports section and frankly just believe that sports as a concept should be

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abolished. And freshman Emily, who joined the student newspaper in her first week at Quinnipiac, probably thought, “Hey, would the paper be any different without those last three pages of sports? Probably not.” As someone who had never written for a paper before, my mind had never considered writing outside of the news section. Why else would it be called a “news”paper?

I grew up in a house where MSNBC played on the T.V. and the sports section of the paper was used to line litter boxes.

Sports were the ultimate struggle for me as a child. I had asthma, flat feet and hip dysplasia that made running a nightmare.

I turned to politics, books and writing. I followed elections in the way that so many people, I assume, follow their favorite team. Debate night has always been an affair with snacks and political t-shirts. Election night is a full-blown face painted, fist-pounding, “I’m going to throw my Bernie Sanders statue at the T.V.” kind of day.

I found swimming in high school, a sport that didn’t require me to stand, let alone run. I felt successful for the first time in a sport, but I never connected my love for media to my love for swimming. I didn’t write columns about swimming. I watched the Olympic swimmers like any self-respecting American, but that was the extent of it. Sports and writing never collided for me — the writers I admired wrote politics. When I came to Quinnipiac, a university sans pool but pro newspaper, I didn’t really return to -Emily DiSalvo sports in any capacity.

I made a dire mistake.

News Editor

I encourage you to find that section of your newspaper, or your life, that you don’t think matters.”

One-trick pony

Stepping out of your comfort zone will benefit everyone in the long run

By TOYLOY BROWN III Opinion Editor

Every so often, I like to joke with my friends and family about how the only thing I need to satisfy me is basketball.

I play it in real life, on a video game and watch it on T.V. or any other device.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a bit of an exaggeration since I recognize that the people I care about are much more important to me than practicing my jumpshot or watching the New York Knicks underachieve for eternity. But I’m a person some might call a hoops junkie. Someone so addicted to basketball that it pains them to not be able to watch a good NBA game or walk onto a basketball court and not take at least one jumpshot before going about the day.

As anyone can see, basketball is a passion of mine — one that will last a very long time, even longer than the Knicks’ penchant for providing agony to fans like myself who unearth a speck of hope and are routinely crushed year after year by shameful losing seasons.

But eventually, there was a realization that at some point hoops couldn’t be the only thing worth knowing a lot about.

It was no longer OK to check the ESPN 100, a list of the top 100 basketball players in high school, every week but never watch 30 minutes of “News 12 The Bronx” to know what was happening in my neighborhood.

I learned that having a deep passion for something does

not excuse me from being a one-trick pony.

It is worthwhile to step out of your comfort zone and wholeheartedly try something else. The key word is “wholeheartedly” because as thinking beings, we can allow our minds to completely alter the perception we have of something we would ordinarily enjoy had it not been for our desire to dislike it.

Not to annoyingly repeat the clichés many people hear often throughout their lives like “try new things” and “don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,” but actually do the things these overused phrases tell us to do. The trick is, though, to think of it in a more sophisticated fashion that emphasizes building good habits that ultimately will assist you in having a successful future and becoming a well-rounded person that has a part in making the world a more inclusive place.

Exposing yourself to more than what’s in your immediate surroundings is a great habit to have. It can broaden your perspective and inform you of people and cultures you know “of” but don’t know anything “about.”

As individuals in modern society, having real knowledge about things from people we normally don’t meet or hear from produces some semblance of compassion for each other in the big picture. In the humane sense, this is a factor if felt by enough people can bring about shared progress and equity to others who suffer in silence and are apart from the more privileged.

In the professional sense, employers care to have a globally educated and multifaceted employee that can tap into the many different lives of the consumers they serve. If one wants a shot at being his or her own boss today, having expertise in many areas outside of just the things you grew up around gives you the resources to accomplish that goal.

This grand mission doesn’t have to start all that big either.

The early steps in my quest to not just be-

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QUCHRONICLE.COM/OPINION OPINION@QUCHRONICLE.COM

By writing off sports, I completely wrote off someone else’s politics, and someone else’s passion. For me, following politics is following stories. Campaigns are movements that inspire people to organize, knock on doors and vote. The person behind that mobilization is a fascinating story, someone who could be the next leader of your state or our country.

Sports are stories, too. They make people bang their fists, throw things at the T.V. and devote entire nights to being holed up in their room watching and rooting for something that matters.

Who defines what matters?

Is my definition that politics matters more than sports really any more legitimate than someone’s idea that sports are more important? No. Definitely not. Sports are a cultural and social phenomenon, just as politics can be. Athletes move people to act and to think certain ways, just as politicians do. Athletes inspire people, just as I have been inspired by great politicians.

Athletes have flaws. Politicians do, too. Ultimately, both are stories of people, and both are worth understanding.

I encourage you to find that section of your newspaper, or your life, that you don’t think matters. You can’t be an engineer without considering the arts. You can’t be an artist without considering technology. You can’t be a nurse without thinking about politics, and yes, sports. There is no section of the paper worth chopping, and there is no aspect of life that someone is passionate about that isn’t worth considering as an interest or at least something you can attempt to be informed about.

I’m going to spend this next semester covering politics in Washington D.C., but I’m also going to familiarize myself with D.C. sports. For some people who live in D.C., the sports teams are just as important as the political parties occupying their city. If I ignore that, I’m ignoring one aspect of the culture, and I’m ignoring the possibility of me actually enjoying that culture.

So, this week when you read The Chronicle, flip all the way to the back. Check out the sports features, read the game recaps on the website and realize that there’s more to newspapers, and life, than news.

ing a basketball nerd was getting into other sports such as football, lacrosse and soccer. Following my learning of other sports, writing became an activity that I gravitated toward after finding scholastic success and enjoyment from it.

By the eighth grade, I decided to become a sports writer and commentator once my eventual NBA career is over. As a sophomore at Quinnipiac University, I can safely say that the writing career will be coming much sooner than my 14-yearold self expected.

In high school, I never ended up playing for the basketball team but became the first student sports writer in my school. I wrote for the school’s basketball, football and lacrosse teams.

I then proceeded to write for YCteen, a New York City magazine written by teens. During my senior year of high school, I had a sports column called TJ’s Take and occasionally branched out of sports by giving critiques on education and personal stories that shaped me to become who I am today.

The following summer, I took a break from writing and decided to be a teen apprentice at the New Museum in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I gave tours of exhibitions by The Black School and Kameelah Janan Rasheed that delve into African American history. And most recently, I interned at the Bronx Documentary, a non-profit photo gallery and education space, where I helped teach photography and organize different events with themes of social change.

I still have a ways to go even though all the experiences I’ve gathered have made me more conscious of the world around me. Moral of the story: if a basketball nerd can be more well-rounded, you can be too.

I learned that having a deep passion for something does not excuse me from being a one-trick pony.”

-Toyloy Brown III Opinion Editor

December 4, 2019

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Advertisement|5

Change comes from you

Thank You for attending the Quinnipiac Dining Town Hall meeting on November 13th. In response, the dining team is actively making changes to your dining program.

Here is a list of changes we have already made!

1 New $3/$5/$8 Meal Deals, offered daily at Café Q 2 Expanded hours for Sambazon Acai & Chobani Creations Bar at Café Q

3 Reduced plastic at Revolution Noodle and now offer plates for sushi

4 Introduced fresh produce to the Market at York Hill Check out the progress at Dineoncampus.com/Quinnipiac and don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

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6|Arts and Life

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

December 4, 2019

Arts & Life

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HUNTING FOR ANSWERS Is Sam Hunt the singer you want to introduce to your ‘Kinfolks’?

By EMILY DISALVO News Editor

Just a little over a month after releasing his latest smash hit single, “Kinfolks,” America’s only country talk-singer almost smashed into a bunch of other cars as he drove the wrong way down a one-way street.

When Nashville police pulled over his swerving vehicle on Nov. 20, a breathalyzer test revealed a blood alcohol count of .173%, double the legal limit of .08% in Tennessee.

Two empty beer cans sat on the seat beside him. His eyes were bloodshot and when the police asked him for an I.D., he handed over his credit card.

Not a super good look for the singer seeking to make a comeback after months of dormancy. He released his last big hit, “Downtown’s Dead” in 2018, and fans like me began to think he was dead, too.

And he could have been, had three other drivers not called 911 after seeing his car careening in the wrong direction.

The release of “Kinfolks” in October brought die-hard Sam Hunt fans to their cowboy-boot-clad feet, but his return was tainted by his poor decision. This song was exactly the tune fans needed after 18 months of searching for other country artists to replace him only to come up emptyhanded. However, it’s hard to enjoy it as much when you think about the lives he put in danger after hopping into his car as intoxicated as he was.

Hunt’s version of country music is a unique combination of talking slow and soft, almost rapping the lyrics, before breaking into a catchy and bold chorus. He sings the kind of songs you mumble to yourself while you walk around your

house putting away laundry or drying dishes.

And over time, the lines resonate with you. His lyrics are clever. In “Kinfolks,” Hunt explains that he just met this girl but already wants to introduce her to his friends and family back home, known as his “Kinfolks.” A cross between the spontaneity of Carly Rae Jepsen’s, “Call Me Maybe” and the coziness of Chris Lane and Tori Kelly’s “Take Back Home Girl,” the lyrics are feel-good, yet meaningful.

In his opening rap-style section, Hunt sings, “I ain’t ever had a type, having a type takes two, but I know what I like and you’re the only one of you.” This is the kind of lyric that would sound silly in any other context, but from the bearded mouth of Sam Hunt, it rolls off his tongue. It rhymes, but it’s not cheesy. It reminds me of one his original songs, “Take Your Time,” which starts out with the same sort of fasttalking rhyming before breaking into the chorus.

The lyrics continue by explaining how he previously conceded that he’d never find love but bumping into this girl made him have second thoughts. He sings, “Gave up on it, but honey you got my hopes up.”

Sam Hunt, I pretty much gave up on you. You disappeared for 18 months, but, honey, this song did get my hopes up. It’s been playing nonstop in my car as I drive from one location to another, completely sober, sans beer cans and in the rightway lane.

That’s because that’s how you’re supposed to drive.

Responsibly. This is even more important when you have a fan base of swooning teenage girls who look up to you as a role model and potential celebrity husband. As one of these

PHOTO FROM METROPOLITAN NASHVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

Sam Hunt's new hit single came out within a month of his recent DUI.

girls, I can attest that the mug shot definitely wasn’t your best look.

I’m going to keep listening to your music and rooting for you. I’m going to introduce your music to my kinfolks. But you have to make smart decisions. I bet you’ve made more than enough money on this song already to pay for your next Uber ride home.

THE BIEB BRANCHES OUT

Justin Bieber’s role in a new ‘country’ song creates an identity crisis for die-hard country music fans

By EMILY DISALVO News Editor

Is Justin Bieber turning country or is country music turning into Justin Bieber?

Worlds collide in Dan + Shay’s new song, “10,000 Hours” with Bieber, who previously saved his talents for pop singing and breaking hearts.

As a long-time country music fan, I’ve never had a Bieber song on my playlist, but I know who he is. He’s always seemed like an immature kid, too famous for his own right — the kind of guy who tattoos a girl’s name on his arm before it ever gets serious.

He has been off my radar since middle school when all the girls had to like Bieber. It was a time when admitting you liked the 30-something-year-old Blake Shelton more than the youthful, handsome pop sensation, might mean you’d be sitting alone at lunch.

Now, though, Bieber is MARRIED, successful and singing a song with one of my favorite bands … a band that originally identified with country music.

This is an identity crisis for me. By liking the song, am I validating that Bieber isn’t the overrated playboy I thought he was? Or am I just supporting Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, even as they take their music in a different direction? Is it even country music?

I feel like such a fake, but regardless of who sings it and what genre it falls into, I do love this song.

The song starts out with an intimate, sing-songy list of questions sung by Mooney from Dan + Shay. When I first listened to the song, knowing Bieber played a role, I did a double take when I heard the opening lines because Shay’s voice easily could have been Bieber’s. His voice was soft and sweet, higher and more suave than I had ever heard him sing before.

When Shay breaks into the chorus, he returns to his old self, allowing his typical rasp to sneak back in as he sings, “I’d spend 10,000 hours and 10,000 more, oh if that’s what it takes to learn that sweet heart of yours.” The chorus is backed up by Smyer who never gets a main role in any of the Dan + Shay songs, but always chimes in during the chorus.

In this case, Justin freaking Bieber has more solo lines than he does, which probably doesn’t help his self-esteem.

After the first chorus, Bieber gets his first solo moment in a “country” song. He continues the theme from the beginning: “Do you miss the road that you grew up on?

Did you get your middle name from your grandma? When you think about your forever now, do you think of me?”

His style is so similar to Shay’s at the beginning that I’m wondering who had to adjust. There is no way that Bieber can be frighteningly similar to these vocalists I have long admired … right?

Wrong. Dan + Shay + Justin are all talented vocalists, and their voices coincided beautifully in this song.

It is time for me to admit that this song is not country

music, or at least the traditional country music that I grew up on. This does not make it any less of a song.

The definition of country music has changed and expanded over the last decade to include songs featuring pop artists like Taylor Swift with Sugarland and Pink with Kenny Chesney. It has taken on a pop feel in many cases, but country music as a genre is not dead.

Country music fans — "10,000 Hours" is a good song.

You don’t have to boycott it because the Bieb sings a few whispery lines. In fact, I suggest you listen to it for just that reason. While it’s more of a wedding song than a dirt road anthem, it’s good music. There is still country music out there to satisfy your truck-loving, back-road impulses, but I guarantee that music won’t have Bieber in it … yet.

The new Dan + Shay song featuring Justin Bieber, '10,000 Hours,' was released on Oct. 4.

PHOTO FROM WARNER MUSIC NASHVILLE

December 4, 2019

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Movie

7|Arts and Life

Reviews

EVERYDAY IS BEAUTIFUL The new Mister Rogers movie teaches viewers how to make the most out of life

By JESSICA SIMMS Arts & Life Editor

While zipping up his bright red sweater and tying his shoes, Mister Rogers sang directly to the camera, just as he always did in the children’s television series, “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” as the new film, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” began.

As the opening continued, the feeling of nostalgia took over, watching Fred Rogers, both the host and creator of the television series that aired from 1966 to 2001 on public broadcasting, sing his theme song. After he finished singing, Rogers, played by Tom Hanks, began talking to the viewers about his new friend, Lloyd Vogel.

Vogel, played by Matthew Rhys, is a character that represents Tom Junod, a journalist from “Esquire” magazine, that was given the task to profile Mister Rogers for the upcoming edition all about heros in 1998. Writing a profile story was unlike Vogel’s writing style, but after meeting with Rogers for the first time, Vogel soon became obsessed with interviewing him in order to try to figure out who the true Rogers is.

Marielle Heller, the director of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” helped create a movie that showed who Fred Rogers was beyond what he portrayed on screen as “Mister Rogers” and she helped prove that he truly is a sensitive and patient man through his interactions with Vogel.

Rogers looked past Vogel’s sarcastic remarks and attempted to get to know Vogel to understand where his skepticism comes from. Hanks portrayed Rogers’ patience and calm demeanor in a dramatized form, demonstrating that even though Vogel was skeptical at first, he soon seemed to learn that Rogers truly cared and wanted to help him learn

GRAPHIC BY DANIELA BRANCHINELLI

LACEY TERELL/TRISTAR PICTURES

'A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood' opened up with Tom Hanks singing the theme song of the 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood' series.

how to properly act out his feelings.

While “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” tells the story of Rogers and Vogel’s relationship, Heller also used the childlike aspects of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” that were loved by viewers. Some of these were the make-believe characters, props that helped to bring about the message he wanted to convey to his audience and the toylike miniature buildings, cars and planes to bring about to another level that the place where the movie is taking place is changing.

The elements from the classic television show helped to bring about who Rogers was as a person and how he was able to change Vogel’s mindset in a positive way.

The little elements from “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” helped to make the movie be structured just like a typical episode of this series. However, the concept and lesson that was conveyed throughout the movie is too mature for children to be able to understand. This was for Vogel to try to move past the rocky relationship he had with his sick father and try to make most of the time he had left with him. This is what helped set apart the series from telling the story of how Rogers was able to positively impact and educate adults as well as teaching children to be the best version of themselves.

While Rogers showed patience and genuine sincerity toward adults and children, nobody is perfect and that is what Joanne Rogers, Fred Rogers’ wife, wanted the movie to show.

“The only thing that’s important to me is that you don’t make (Rogers) into a saint,” Joanne said to Noah Harpster and Micah Fitzerman-Blue, screenwriters of the film. “Because if you make him a saint, then what he does seems unattainable.

I want you to know that he worked at it every single day.”

While not entirely perfect, Harpster and Fitzerman-Blue still wrote a movie that got to teach everyone — children, adults and teenagers — how to be kind, and that it is OK to show your true emotions.

"In most cases, the only emotion that we allow men to express is anger,” Fitzerman-Blue said. “Fred Rogers is teaching something entirely different. Not just what it means to be a man, but also what it means to be a person.”

“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” did not just give viewers the ability to learn more about Rogers, but it also allowed for them to learn more about themselves, allowing for Rogers to continue to have an impact on society even years later.

FLAWLESS ‘FROZEN’ ‘Frozen 2’ is better than the first

By TIM POWERS Staff Writer

The world was taken by storm with the cultural phenomenon “Frozen” in 2013. Suddenly, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna dolls and costumes were everywhere. So, it comes as no surprise that Disney would want to further capitalize on the gold mine they had just discovered and release a sequel titled, “Frozen 2.” The company had only rarely released a sequel to one of its films in theaters, only ever making direct-to-video sequels.

Is Disney up to the task? Well, of course it is.

Directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck create a tidal wave of a film that manages to both raise tensions and let down its hair. The film takes place three years after the events of the first film and everything is — almost — great for all the characters.

Elsa is the reigning queen, but she is hearing voices. Anna is happy developing her relationships with Elsa and Kristoff, but she becomes distracted when Elsa starts to hear voices. Kristoff loves Anna and wants to propose to her but hilariously gets interrupted by other characters repeatedly and Anna doesn’t notice. Each character has a new developed dilemma for the audience to explore.

But the events of this film don’t really kick off until Elsa breaks the ice. She hears a voice that no one else can hear. It is almost, calling out to her. She follows it, or rather, it makes her.

Since the developments of the last film with Anna and Elsa coming together, Anna demands that she come along with Elsa.

This sets the film up to not just be a fun and maybe scary adventure, but also one that will be emotional. And emotional it was. This was probably one of the more dark Disney films that has ever been released. I was surprised at how bleak and touching this film got.

But despite all the gloominess, the music is what keeps the movie from reaching bleak territory. The songs are written by returning husband and wife duo, Academy Award winners Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. The music is upbeat without losing the emotion. Standout numbers include “All Is Found,”

“Lost in the Woods” and “The Next Right Thing.”

But the real showstoppers are those sung by Tony winner, Idina Menzel, which are “Into the Unknown” and “Show Yourself.” Both numbers feel like natural and worthy successors to the phenomenon that was “Let It Go,” that was played almost everywhere repeatedly. Hopefully these songs get the deserved airtime, too.

The cast features everyone you loved in the first film, with a few new members. Menzel leads the cast with her towering vocals that will infiltrate your ears for the next few weeks. Kristen Bell gives a beautiful and touching performance as Anna with even more depth this time around in her acting as well as her singing.

Josh Gad continues as fan favorite Olaf the snowman, bringing more than just a comedic break for the kids. The cast members have such great chemistry together onscreen as they do offscreen with one another.

If this film isn’t remembered for anything else, it will be remembered for its animations. Disney has always featured great works of art in its films with 2D animation such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Beauty and the Beast” and so many others.

Then the company utilized 3D computer animation which created stunning films such as “Moana,” the first “Frozen” and now its sequel. This film has such intricate and beautiful designs that honestly shocked me at how great they were. This is particularly evident in the “Show Yourself” sequence with some of the prettiest water and ice effects you have ever seen in a movie.

“Frozen 2” is a stunning sequel that accomplishes everything the first film did while also having its own unique and beautiful voice. This movie will surely pass the audience’s high expectations resulting from the original movie. The creators have crafted an important and moving portrait of characters, developing who they are and coming to terms with it. We go deeper into the characters psyches and explore their world even further, resulting in a marvelous movie that feels unexpected and fearless.

PHOTO FROM WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

'Frozen 2' was released in theaters on Nov. 22.

5/5 SNOWFLAKES

8|Arts and Life

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

December 4, 2019

'EVERYDAY LIFE' COMES ALIVE Coldplay returns with its most experimental album yet

By RYAN MILLER

Associate Arts & Life Editor

Seemingly always fixated on the beauty of the extraordinary, British pop group, Coldplay, has finally decided to shift its attention to the aspects of “Everyday Life.” On Friday, Nov. 22, the band released its eighth studio album, and in typical Coldplay fashion, it did not disappoint.

For some fans, the album’s creation in itself came as a surprise.

After the release of “A Head Full of Dreams,” Coldplay’s seventh studio album, in 2015, frontman Chris Martin said in an interview on BBC Radio 1 that perhaps that album would bethe band's last.

“A Head Full of Dreams” was a fun, energetic album that catapulted the band onto the Super Bowl stage. Its tour amassed millions of dollars to become the third-highest-grossing world tour of all time, and the band even followed that up with an EP in 2017. However, Martin compared the band’s legacy to that of the “Harry Potter” franchise, revealing that sometimes all good runs must tie up loose ends and wrap things up.

To fans delight, however, Coldplay has not remained true to its word.

With “Everyday Life,” Martin and the rest of the band return to finally feel as though they had reached a point in their careers where they no longer felt too afraid take risks. In fact, “Everyday Life” is a double album, the first time Coldplay has released music this way.

The tone is set for the first half of the album at its opening number “Sunrise.” Its soft violin unfolds and expands in its sound, just as the sun slowly rises each morning. It has no lyrics because like the sun, it is the marking of a simple, yet beautiful beginning.

On “Church,” Coldplay first introduces the theme of spirituality that the album will have adding, “when I’m hurt I’ll go to your church” as its chorus. Interestingly, “BrokEn,” the fourth song, also has a spiritual vibe with a gospel-like chorus belting out “come shine your light on me.”

Another theme in the album is social issues. “Trouble In Town” is one of the songs that tackles controversy with police brutality being a major focal point. The song is also just one example of three other tracks from “Everyday Life” using explicit language, something never before done on any of the band’s previous albums.

“Trouble In Town” discusses “blood on the street” and “giving shelter” and peace. It also includes an interlude of an incident from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2013 when a police officer, Philip Nace, wrongly targeted black citizens.

Something unique about “Everyday Life” is that Coldplay truly wants the music to come alive. At certain points, the songs

Coldplay's eighth album, 'Everyday Life,' was released on Nov. 22. end, but the track then fades away to the sound of birds chirping in nature. In fact, if you listen closely, in between most songs there is about 10 seconds of what seems to be silence. In reality, there is a subtle drum that mimics the sound of a heartbeat.

Speaking of being alive, “Daddy” is about a child longing for his or her father who is “so far away.” Martin’s voice is almost angelic on this track, leading me to believe this isn’t a story of a parent abandoning a child but rather a parent being in another place spiritually.

“Everyday Life” also features shorter songs such as “WOTW/ POTP.” Although short, the song allows Martin to harmonize, which is always a welcomed sound.

One of the most experimental songs on the album is “Arabesque.” It’s a little bit scattered, but I’d actually contend that that’s a good thing. It includes some beautiful instrumental solos including a trumpet and also offers up the notion that “music is the weapon of the future.”

The second half of “Everyday Life” comes out firing, literally.

“Guns” addresses more of the social issues mentioned earlier as Martin calls out the ongoing issue of gun violence in the world and how “everything’s going crazy.”

The most pop-like song that Coldplay has to offer on the album is “Orphans” with its catchy chorus, “I wanna know, when I can go, back and get drunk with my friends.” The song is about staying together through violence and turmoil, specifically bombings in Syria in 2018, and ends on the words of “I wanna be with you till

PHOTO FROM ATLANTIC RECORDS PRESS

the whole world ends.”

“Cry Cry Cry” has the makings of a song to slow dance to with a partner. Martin is simply one of those few people in the world that could probably entertain a crowd by singing a phone book, and this song’s easy melody proves why.

“Everyday Life” even has a track titled “‫ ”مدآ ینب‬which primarily features a piano. A way Coldplay uses these songs to its advantage is during live performances and concerts allowing Martin to take a breather playing them while a stage crew prepares for the next show stopping number.

Last but not least, my favorite and arguably the best track on the album, is its titular number “Everyday Life.” If I could recommend just one song from the album, this would be it. If “Orphans” is classic Coldplay pop, “Everyday Life” is a ballad right up there with “The Scientist.”

The song is encompassing of the struggles talked about all throughout the album. As I can hear Martin singing in my head, “everyone hurts, everyone cries” and “everyone falls, everyone dreams and doubts” even if we don’t like to admit it. However, as Martin says, sometimes in life despite all the unrest, you’ve “gotta keep dancing when the lights go out.”

With this comeback being its latest hit, Coldplay is dancing when the lights go out alright, the same way its fans do when they don’t want to leave a sold-out concert or as they await new music as good as “Everyday Life.”

NICKTOONS UNITE

What does the increase in streaming service availability mean for the future of television?

By MATTHEW TRAVIA Staff Writer

It’s been nearly three weeks since Disney came out with its new streaming service, Disney+. Viewers have been enjoying all the Disney content that is provided including series from Natural Geographic, Star Wars and Marvel.

However, Disney has found itself challenged once again.

With the launch of Disney+ on Nov. 12, Netflix came out with an announcement of its own. It decided that it will be teaming up with Nickelodeon and formed a multi-year, out-put deal and will be producing original content.

Netflix figured it had to do something to keep the business going since Disney content, as well as other popular shows such as “Friends," is also being pulled from the service.

Nickelodeon is a business that is built around kids — everything it does is for its audience. This family business is huge since most parents want to make kids happy.

Children's shows such as “Spongebob Squarepants” or “Invader Zim” attract not just the kids of today, but also people who grew up watching these throwback shows.

That is what made Disney+ so appealing to so many people.

PHOTO FROM NICKELODEON

Nickelodeon and Netflix are teaming up to bring fan favorite shows onto its platform, such as 'Spongebob Squarepants.'

Outside of all the current content that was being put out, it was the throwback content that has attracted so many people.

The team-up between Netflix and Nickelodeon provides content for everyone, including children, teenagers, adults and families. Netflix already has hit shows such as “Stranger Things” and “Troll Hunters” and now put a show like “Spongebob Squarepants” on top of that.

Netflix even has comedian specials on its service such as Bill Burr, Sebastian Maniscalco and Chris Rock.

Disney is all around a family-friendly business, there’s not a lot of content that is too edgy, and there is no rated- R content that is associated with it. The closest thing that Disney has to something that isn’t entirely family friendly is the Marvel content.

That is where Netflix and Nickelodeon can have the advantage, since Netflix has some content such as the comedy specials and shows like “13 Reasons Why” in order to appeal to more than just families.

Netflix and Nickelodeon's collaboration is just another streaming service to look into, but there always will be more companies coming out with new streaming services. Is there a new age of entertainment upon society? What does this mean for cable?

Since streaming services are coming up with original content exclusively on its services, this might take away customers who have cable. With more streaming services available, people will have a choice to make, including potentially cutting the cord.

Since more shows are on streaming services, is there a point in paying more for cable?

Netflix has begun putting Nickelodeon content on the service, but it will be a process for all the content to roll out.

The streaming wars are in full effect, what will this mean for the future of television?

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

December 4, 2019

Interactive|9

Puzzle 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.75)

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CANDLES 40 by 40 orthogonal maze COOKIES DREIDEL LIGHTS MAZE

MENORAH NUTCRACKER ORNAMENTS PRESENTS

SANTA SNOW STARS TINSEL

10|Sports

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Big man on campus

RUNDOWN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Harvard 77, QU 68 - Saturday Shaq Edwards: 19 points, 5 rebounds Sajada Bonner: 9 points, 2 blocks Cur’Tiera Haywood: 8 points, 4 rebonds MEN’S ICE HOCKEY UMass 3, QU 0 - Friday Alex Whelan: 6 shots Ethan de Jong: 2 shots Keith Petruzzelli: 27 saves, 2 GAs QU 2, UMass 1 - Saturday Whelan: 1 goal Nick Jermain: 1 goal Petruzzelli: 25 saves, 1 GA WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY QU 4, Minnesota Duluth 2 - Friday Lexie Adzija: 2 goals, 1 assist Sarah Coutu-Godbout: 1 goal, 1 assist Abbie Ives: 42 saves, 2 GAs QU 3, Yale 1 - Saturday Brooke Bonsteel: 2 goals Coutu-Godbout: 1 goal, 1 shot Ives: 34 saves, 1 GA

GAMES TO WATCH MEN’S BASKETBALL QU vs. New Hampshire - Saturday, 5 p.m.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL QU vs. George Washington - Saturday, 2 p.m.

WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY QU vs. Colgate - Friday, 6 p.m.

QU vs. Cornell - Saturday, 3 p.m.

WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD QU at Yale - Saturday, All Day

@QUChronSports Jared Penna

@JaredPenna1 Brendan O’Sullivan

@BOSullivan25 Riley Millette

December 4, 2019

Freshman Seth Pinkney enters Quinnipiac as the tallest player in program history

By MATT NYGAARD Staff Writer

To be the big man on campus, one must have a high level of popularity on campus.

Seth Pinkney has that reputation because he’s quite literally the “big man” on campus.

Pinkney, a 7-foot-1 center from Warminster, Pennsylvania, is the tallest athlete in Quinnipiac University history.

Beyond his height, Pinkney also provides a whole new dimension that Quinnipiac has not had — a 7-footer in the paint.

As the team has hoped, he’s has been able to give Quinnipiac a new sense of depth and length to its lineup.

When asked about what role he thinks he’ll settle into, Pinkney clearly had a focus on the defensive side of the ball.

“I feel like that’s a strong suit for me,” Pinkney said. “And I feel like building off of blocking shots and getting stronger obviously in the weight room with coach, and just doing whatever I can, getting rebounds, blocking shots … eventually my offensive game is going to come.”

Pinkney has been thrown right into action in the first few games, giving him a role off the bench right off the bat, which proves he has upside despite inexperience.

He played some stout competition against Miami — his second game at Quinnipiac.

That meant a lot to Pinkney in his young but promising collegiate career.

“It was pretty tough, but Miami was actually one of my dream schools,” said Pinkney. “It was actually really big for me to play against them, so I feel like I had a lot more energy.”

That energy was felt in the first couple games, when Pinkney was able to give a spark off the bench with a couple late, clutch blocks vs Brown, and some see that as a byproduct of switching up the defense to zone.

“Seth and (redshirt junior forward Kevin Marfo) create a great advantage for us at the

“I felt like here they already knew what they needed me to do. They had it all planned out rather than going to a school where they don’t, then who knows what happens?”

– SETH PINKNEY

MEN’S BASKETBALL FRESHMAN CENTER

rim,” Quinnipiac head coach Baker Dunleavy said. “Part of the reason we’re playing a little bit of zone is to use them to their strengths.”

Pinkney came up with some key blocks towards the end of the 70-68 loss to Brown to go along with eight points and four rebounds.

No. 4 seems to be extremely comfortable in his role, and that may be because he chose to put himself in this situation. He has reunited himself with former high school teammate and close friend, Bobcats sophomore guard Tyree Pickron.

Pickron came to Quinnipiac last year while Pinkney went to an accredited prepatory school in Florida — Montverde Academy. Previously, the two won a state championship playing for Arch-Bishop Wood high school, outside of Philadelphia.

Instead of going to college like Pickron, Pinkney took a post-graduate year at a school that has bred NBA talents such as Ben Simmons, D’Angelo Russel, Joel Embiid, R.J. Barrett and Luc Mbah a Moute.

While Pinkney didn’t play with these famous alumni, he learned and trained with the same high-level staff.

However, that didn’t stop the friends from playing basketball together once again,

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Freshman center Seth Pinkney rises up in attempt to block a shot.

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this time at the DI level in the MAAC. “I told (Tyree) he was one of the reasons I came here, that’s like my best friend,” Pinkney said. “That time at Montverde kind of gave me a little time to be by myself and figure out what I need to do but being reunited with him just gave me a more comfortable feeling being here, so I had someone I knew inside who told me what I needed to do when I got here.”

Pinkney made it clear throughout his recruiting process that having a strong connection to his team was most valuable to him and noted that he was nervous about going to a school where he wasn’t connected to the team and wouldn’t have people helping him along the way.

“I felt like here they already knew what they needed me to do,” Pinkney said. “They had it all planned it out rather than going to a school where they don’t, then who knows what happens?”

Part of that connection also had to do with Pickron having experience in the program, since Pinkney now has someone who can show him the ropes and potentially be a mentor.

Quinnipiac men’s basketball has welcomed someone into a new role for the Bobcats, and despite the ambiguity of how it may work out, it is extremely positive that this is a bond between a coach and a player that is all about development.

“Learning as much as I can from these coaches is important,” Pinkney said. “Grasping anything that I can get that can bring me to the next level to allow me to impact the team in a big way is all that matters.”

The new “big man” on campus has plenty of time to develop and progress both on the court and in the weight room as a freshman. It will be interesting to see how Dunleavy plays the 7-footer over the next four years as Pinkney continues to develop his game to potentially become one of the most influential big men in the MAAC.

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

December 4, 2019

Sports|11

Hogwarts to Hamden

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Three players from the Hogwarts of hockey have made an early impact on Quinnipiac’s women’s ice hockey team

By JACOB SHIFFER Staff Writer

Better known as the Hogwarts of hockey, Shattuck-St. Mary’s School boasts an alumni list that could double as an NHL or NWHL All-Star team. The Minnesota boarding school has seen the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Amanda Kessel and Brianna Decker walk through its doors.

This year, Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey has three Shattuck-St. Mary’s alumni on the roster — two freshmen, defenseman Kate Reilly and forward Kenzie Hauswirth, along with a redshirt freshman defenseman, Courtney Vorster.

“Getting players from Shattuck is always really exciting,” Quinnipiac head coach Cass Turner said. “The things that they do to develop their players there are pretty tremendous.

Their availability of the ice, their skill development, their opportunity to practice against great players and practice with real intensity I think is what puts them in a position to all be successful here.”

That success didn’t take long to materialize.

As of Dec. 4, Reilly leads the team in points and goals among defensemen. Her nine points and three goals are good for second and fifth place in the conference, respectively.

Hauswirth is third on the team with four goals. Vorster hasn’t seen much game time due to injury, but her +9 leads the team in plus/minus and last year, she had a goal and two assists.

“Instantly, both Kenzie Hauswirth and Kate Reilly coming into practice were two of our harder workers if not, Kate Reilly the hardest worker on our team,” Turner said. “I think a lot of that is fostered in that environment and now that’s really exciting to see that as part of what we do with our culture.”

Reilly grew up in Richmond, British Columbia, and attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s as an in-

ternational player. Because of high school rules preventing a team from having more than two international players on their roster, Reilly only played with the U19 squad for her senior year.

In her one season at the top level, she showed her offensive skills, leading the team in goals among defensemen. With the high level of competition, it’s no surprise to Reilly that her skills have translated so quickly to the collegiate level.

“I think every day just practicing against such highly skilled players,” Reilly said.

“There’s a lot of speed especially in our practices, so I think playing at Shattuck prepared me better than playing anywhere else could’ve for the speed I’m facing now.”

In just one season, her improvement has been evident. She had a three-game point streak through the semi-finals of the Nutmeg Classic, with two of those points being goals, and earned All-Tournament Team honors following the conclusion of the tournament. In Turner’s eyes, that improvement has no end in sight.

“It’s not about a certain, specific end goal,” Turner said. “It truly for her is figuring out how good she can be. It’s that piece that I think is really exciting about Kate. There’s no limit to what her potential is at this point.”

For Hauswirth, attending Shattuck-St. Mary’s was always a dream. She grew up in Farmington, Minnesota, just 27 miles away from the school, and knew it was where she wanted to play.

While playing on the team, she won a national championship with Vorster in 2018.

Playing in such high-pressure games gave her the knowledge of what it takes to compete at an elite level.

“We just bring the intensity every single practice,” Hauswirth said. “We just push everyone at practice to play at the same intensity we do because every single day we’re trying to get better. We want to win. Even if that means de-

Freshman defenseman Kate Reilly stands at the blue line.

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stroying your teammate in battles.”

That intensity doesn’t go unnoticed by her teammates.

“I think (Hauswirth) is such a skilled player,” Reilly said. “She knows how to battle. She knows how to compete and I love being on her team and I definitely would not want to be playing against her.”

Hauswirth’s on-ice skills have been evident in her play. Her first career goal came off a tip-in while screening in front of the goaltender. She flashed her stick skills on her second goal as she deked by two defenders and finished by scoring with a backhand shot.

“Hauswirth is a tremendous player,” Turner said. “I think she finished on her high school team last year third in points, and I think they had eight or nine kids who played on the U18 national team, so she is an offensive force and somebody who we expect to be on the scoresheet for us.”

Hauswirth’s championship teammate, Vorster, is now in her second year at Quinnipiac. With a redshirt season behind her, she has had time to reflect on what she learned from Shattuck-St. Mary’s and how it has helped her at Quinnipiac “It taught me how to create a pre-game routine that got me ready to play in big games, weekend after weekend, all year long,” Vorster said. “Shattuck also had a similar everyday routine to Quinnipiac in the fact that we worked out twice a week and skated everyday with games every weekend and long bus rides some weekends as well.”

Vorster said that familiarity helped make the adjustment to a new school, a new team and even a new dorm much easier.

“The first moment she got on campus and on our team, she was instantly comfortable, but she was also so giving to everyone around her,” Turner said.

Vorster was excited to find out Reilly and Hauswirth would join her at Quinnipiac. Aside from being great teammates, she was excited to be joined by great people who she had already played with.

For Reilly, it was another chance to play with someone she admired growing up.

“We’re actually from the same province,” Reilly said. “So I’ve known her since I played bantam hockey. We played spring together, and she is one of the best female hockey players I’ve ever seen. She was a huge role model for me growing up, and she’s definitely a defenseman that I’ve looked to learn from and to shape my play after.”

On Oct. 25, in a matchup against non-conference opponent Sacred Heart University, the three Shattuck-St. Mary’s alumni showcased their skills together. Vorster played in her first game of the season, Hauswirth scored her first two career goals and Reilly scored her first career goal.

“It was amazing just because (Vorster) was out the whole year before, so it was amazing to have her back in the lineup,” Hauswirth said.

“Then being able to score and then have Kate score it’s like all our hard work there is at least starting to pay off.”

There’s an expectation of success for players from Shattuck-St. Mary’s. The last Quinnipiac player from that school was Melissa Samokevich, who finished her storied career third all-time in points for Quinnipiac. Even with that pressure, Hauswirth, Reilly and Vorster have made an immediate impact on the team on and off the ice.

With half a season and three more years to go, there’s no telling what their impact could be on the team’s culture.

“They all kind of bring that mentality of being able to make other people better around them whether that’s on the ice or not,” Turner said.

“That’s a great thing to have in our program.”

Freshman forward Kenzie Hauswirth fires a shot at the net.

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12|Sports

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

December 4, 2019

Sports

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A long, painful road BRENDAN O’SULLIVAN/CHRONICLE

Aaron Falzon battled injuries from Northwestern to Quinnipiac

By BRENDAN O’SULLIVAN Sports Editor

On Oct. 13, 2014, a four-star recruit committed to the Northwestern men’s basketball team.

Aaron Falzon, an 18-year-old at the time, was ranked 75th in the ESPN Top 100 — a list that ranks the best high school basketball players in each graduating class. He became the second player in the ESPN Top 100 to commit to Northwestern, according to ESPN. Fast forward to 2019 and Falzon, now 23, is a graduate student forward starting for the Quinnipiac men’s basketball team.

“I wanted to go to school and get the best education possible, go to the most prestigious academic school, but also get that big time basketball,” Falzon said. “So for me, it came down to Northwestern and ultimately got to play in the Big Ten. It was a great experience.

“But going into my fifth year, I really wanted to make it about a basketball decision, (go) somewhere I can kind of expand my game and become a better basketball player and show people what I can do in my fifth year ’cause I haven’t been able to show.

Unfortunately, the last four years, I’ve been hurt a lot.”

Falzon hasn’t been able to show his oncourt abilities due to injuries. That was different before college, though.

The 6-foot-8 forward went to Northfield Mount Hermon — a boarding school in Gill, Massachusetts. He led the team with 17.7 points per game (PPG) in his senior season, according to MaxPreps.

Falzon is at his best when shooting 3-pointers, and his high school built a system around that. The team mostly shot 3-pointers and layups, rarely taking midrange jumpers or isolation, dribble pull-ups.

Even with an offense optimized for the team captain, Falzon used most of his free time to work on his game, despite a busy schedule at school.

“You have a certain number of classes, you usually have a free period, which is like an hour or so of time to catch up on homework or go to sleep or do whatever you want to do,” said AJ Brodeur, Falzon’s high school teammate and senior forward at the University of Pennsylvania. “He would always use that time to be lifting or to get extra shots up in the gym.”

The “gym rat” that Brodeur described was a leader and offensive catalyst for that

Northfield Mount Hermon team.

“We were struggling in league play,” Brodeur said. “Then we had the longest road trip of the year. We drove from central Massachusetts up to like Northern Maine. It’s a five-hour, six-hour bus ride.

“We knew we were gonna need a big game that day. It was against (Bridgton Academy, which is) all postgraduate, so they’re all mature players, guys who play well together. (Falzon) came out that day, and he dropped 45 points, which was at the time, the record for single-game scoring.”

Falzon’s 45-point game not only helped the team win but was also a highlight of an illustrious senior year recognized with the NEPSAC Class AAA Player of the Year award and a first-team all-league selection.

He finished his high school career with 1,078 points but lost the single-game scoring record a few years after his graduation.

These accomplishments led to scholarship offers from multiple teams such as Boston College, Georgia, Notre Dame and Northwestern.

In his freshman season at Northwestern, Falzon played in all 32 games and started 29 of them. He averaged 8.4 PPG on 35.4% from the 3-point line. He knocked down 63 3-pointers — the second most by a Northwestern freshman in history, only trailing Sean Wink who hit 86 in 1997-98.

Then the injuries came into play.

“It was a great experience freshman year,” Falzon said. “I got to play a lot, some shots went down, so definitely gave me a lot of confidence and then getting hurt kind of took away from some of that.”

Prior to his sophomore season, Falzon suffered a knee injury. He played just three games that season before opting to get season-ending surgery.

After redshirting his sophomore year, Falzon came into the 2017-18 season with the same knee issue in addition to hip and back injuries, according to InsideNU. Falzon played 28 games and started 10, but his minutes decreased from 24.5 per game in his freshman season to 16.0 per game in his redshirt sophomore season. Additionally, his scoring fell to 5.5 PPG. Injuries spilled into his redshirt junior season as well. The forward made his season debut on Dec. 17, 2017, after sitting out the first few weeks with an ankle injury. In his previous season, he struggled to find his footing. His PPG average dipped to 3.9 while

starting just four of the 17 games he played.

Going from ranked 75th in the nation to 3.9 PPG as a redshirt junior is not the storyline Falzon had hoped for. He knew choosing Quinnipiac would give him the opportunity to showcase his talent, barring any more injuries.

Even with the potential positives at Quinnipiac, Falzon still had to leave his school, team, coaches and teammates that he had been with for four years.

“They were really supportive of what I wanted to do, and they understood that I wanted to play a little bit more, and I wanted a different experience,” Falzon said.

He later graduated from Northwestern and announced his decision to join the Bobcats in May 2019.

“With all the transfers going on, kids decommitting from different schools, it’s part of the landscape now,” Quinnipiac head coach Baker Dunleavy said. “As a coaching staff, you got to keep your flexibility.

“The thing for us is, if we would have not brought in anybody, we would have been fine. But if we do bring people in, they’re the right guys. We felt like Aaron was the right guy.”

After spending four years with Northwestern, it took some time for Falzon to adjust to Dunleavy’s system. In his first two games, he shot 1-of-10 from behind the 3-point line.

“He’s gonna be fine,” Quinnipiac junior

forward Jacob Rigoni said after Falzon’s first two games. “He’s new to this system, and I think just playing with different guys is a different feel to him. You just got to focus on defense, and we all know he’s a really good shooter.

“He’s got to trust in that, that that’s what he does well so feel free to take his shots and just keep playing his role in the offense.

Focus on defense, and you’ll have a clear mind offensively to do your thing. We got his back, and we’re confident.”

Rigoni was right. Falzon is shooting 39% from distance in his past three games. This includes a game in which he made four 3-pointers and a game in which he made three.

Through his first five games of the season, Falzon has begun to find his footing with the Bobcats. He’s started in every contest and is playing 27.4 minutes per game and averaging 7.8 PPG. “(Playing for Quinnipiac has been) an adjustment for me,” Falzon said. “It’s like starting all over and kind of being a freshman again.”

Surely, it’s not the road that Falzon expected in his senior year of high school, but it’s still a road, and he’s back on it.

“I wouldn’t say I’m fortunate to get bad injuries, but the injuries kind of gave me perspective on life,” Falzon said. “I’m kind of thankful for the obstacles that I had to go through in life.”

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Graduate student forward Aaron Falzon dribbles the ball while looking to make a pass.