FEBRUARY 28, 2018 | VOLUME 88, ISSUE 19
The official student newspaper of Quinnipiac University since 1929
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Wake the Giant tickets not available for graduate students
3+1 graduate students have limited chance to get Wake the Giant tickets
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The Wake the Giant spring concert will take place on Saturday, April 14. sity and he said that he is baffled that graduates in the 3+1 program will not be able to order tickets the same time as undergraduates, since the university treats 3+1 graduates like seniors. “In almost every other aspect of our lives here at QU, we are considered seniors and not graduate students,” Sobel said. “Most frats and
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sororities still allow us to be members and not alumni. We were practically forced to live in QU owned undergraduate housing or else we would partially lose our scholarship, which is a big reason many people are in the program in the first place.” Sobel said that from what he’s heard, graduates in the 3+1 program
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are intended to go to the Graduate Gala instead of the Wake the Giant concert, yet almost no one in their senior year of the program will be attending because most of their other friends are still undergraduates. Senior Chelsea Campbell is also in the 3+1 program. She said she has been supportive in the previous Wake the Giant concerts. “I have attended every single (concert) because I view them as a large community event held here at QU for the students,” Campbell said. Campbell said it is upsetting that senior students in the program cannot attend Wake the Giant if the tickets are sold out because it would be their last opportunity to attend the show. “I understand that other graduate students would have to depend on Wake the Giant tickets not being sold out because, yes, they are graduate students, and they have already experienced their senior year,” Campbell said. “I just hope that for the future years of 3+1, they will have the ability to take full advantage of senior year privileges in their fourth year, as it is a huge part of what keeps them here at QU for the graduate year.”
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The Wake the Giant concert is one of the most anticipated events for the Quinnipiac student body, but when it comes to 3+1 graduate students, they will not be able to participate. Students who are in the 3+1 program are able to complete four years at the university with both a bachelors and a masters degree, however during their fourth year, they are excluded from being the first students to attempt to order tickets for the annual concert. Tickets are primarily reserved for undergraduate students before graduates can order a ticket for themselves, according to Mainstage Chair for the Student Programming Board (SPB) Joseph Mania. “The reasoning behind graduate students not being able to purchase tickets at this time is because SPB is funded through the Student Government Association (SGA). Those funds are generated by undergraduate student activity fees,” Mania said. “This being said, our undergraduate population is our priority as they are responsible for funding the concert.”
Mania said that this method of selling tickets has always been enforced at the university. Assistant Director of Campus Life for Student Centers and Student Involvement Hannah Pancak agrees with this statement, stating herself that SGA uses undergraduate fees to help provide budgets for clubs and organizations. “Our money is funded through undergraduate students, so that’s why (the tickets are) for undergraduate students,” Pancak said. “If we don’t sell out and there are tickets after our first sale, our plan would be to open up to graduate students.” If tickets end up being sold out, that means there is no way for graduate students to order tickets, according to Pancak. “I understand completely that it’s frustrating when in a 3+1 program you’re already a graduate student, but a lot of your other peers that aren’t in the 3+1 program are undergraduate students in their fourth year, but unfortunately that’s just how our funding works,” Pancak said. Senior Zachary Sobel is considered a graduate student at the univer-
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STUDENTS SPEAK UP
Q: What are your thoughts on high school students walking out of class in support of stricter gun control laws?
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MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Feakes CREATIVE DIRECTOR Christina Popik
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MAJOR Film, Television and Media Arts YEAR Junior A: “I think [students] standing up and trying to fix this problem is really great on them. I fully support them.”
ASSOCIATE ARTS & LIFE EDITORS Charlotte Gardner & Lindsay Pytel
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ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Madison Fraitag
lattery s n
SPORTS EDITOR Logan Reardon
MAJOR Finance YEAR Junior A: “I think [the protests] are appropriate to an extent. You definitely want to see people show that they care about these things and prevent it happening in the future. I don’t know if protesting is the right way to go about it, but it’s definitely drawing interest in the media. It’s the first step in the right direction.”
ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITORS Conor Roche & Jordan Wolff DESIGN EDITOR Janna Marnell PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Erin Kane ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Morgan Tencza ADVISOR David McGraw
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. MAILING ADDRESS Quinnipiac University 275 Mount Carmel Avenue Hamden, CT 06518 THE CHRONICLE is distributed around all three university campuses every Wednesday when school is in session except during exam periods. Single copies are free. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and/or subject to university discipline. Please report suspicious activity to university security (203-582-6200) and David McGraw at adviser@quchronicle.com. For additional copies, contact the student media office for rates. ADVERTISING inquiries can be sent to advertise@quchronicle.com. Inquiries must be made a week prior to publication. SEND TIPS, including news tips, corrections or suggestions to David Friedlander at editor@quchronicle.com LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be between 250 and 400 words and must be approved by the Editorin-Chief before going to print. The Chronicle reserves the right to edit all material, including advertising, based on content, grammar and space requirements. Send letters to editor@quchronicle.com. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the writers and not necessarily those of the Chronicle.
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OPINION EDITOR Peter Dewey
MAJOR Film, Television and Media Arts YEAR Freshman A: “I think [the walk-outs] are a great idea. I was strongly impacted by the Sandy Hook shooting because I lived in Monroe, Connecticut, so I strongly believe that the protests are the right way to go. I think it’s a great idea for our generation to take action and to push government to create stricter gun laws.”
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February 28, 2018
BY JEREMY TROETTI
Quinnipiac fighting for mock trial championship By STEPHEN MACLEOD Starr Writer
The Quinnipiac Mock Trial Team advanced to the Open Round Championship Series following a strong regional competition. Quinnipiac received their bid after competing at the New Haven Regional Feb. 17 and 18. Over the two days, Quinnipiac had eight matches against four teams. The two teams sat before a real judge and attorneys and acted out a case. Students worked as both lawyers and witnesses to try and win the case. “These draws are some of the hardest draws we have ever faced,” Ali Munshi, a senior political science major and president of the Mock Trial Organization said. “I thought we had won all three but we had nerves.” Quinnipiac got one of the toughest overall draws at the tournament. The team had to go to trial against BU, Stonehill College, King’s College and Tufts University. Tufts’ only two losses came against QU. After finishing with a record of 5-3, Quinnipiac got in on a wild card due to its high strength of schedule, advancing to the national stage for the first time since 2014. Two of its three losses were by mere points to the winner of the tournament, Boston University (BU). The third loss was by a single point to Kings College. “We lost because we made mistakes. We have opportunities to redeem ourselves,” Munshi said. “It’s March Madness for us. We’re gonna show that Quinnipiac is one of the best teams in the country.” Quinnipiac’s team has no shortage of skillful firepower on the competition team. Munshi himself won an Outstanding Attorney Commendation for the competition and was ranked the second overall attorney, trailing only Kassie DeFala of University of New Haven. Senior psychology and criminal
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY ALI MUNSHI
The Quinnipiac Mock Trial team advanced to the regional competition after competing at the New Haven Regional on Feb. 17-18. justice major Danielle Farrell also received an Outstanding Witness Commendation for being the 10th overall witness. By advancing to the Open Round Championships, Quinnipiac has the opportunity to advance to the national championship, in which only 40 teams out of thousands across the country will remain to battle it out for national champions. This is the second time Quinnipiac Mock Trial has advanced this far in the national circuit. The last time they did, it was on a 6-2 record at the New Haven Regional with their only losses coming against Columbia University. “They had an easier draw (in 2014) than we did this year,” Munshi said. “For us to get back here is just huge. I’ve been doing
this for four years and I’ve been waiting every single year to move on. The difference between those teams and this one is not talent but the work we put in.” Munshi also credits the team’s success to the chemistry the team developed over the year. He says that a combination of new members and building of a family-like culture have helped make Quinnipiac the team it is today. “In my opinion this is the best organization in the country. There is no doubt that you throw us against Harvard A (Team), Yale A (Team), we can win those ballots,” Munshi said. “We lost because we made mistakes and we know we made mistakes and we’re ready to show everyone Quinnipiac is a force to be reckoned with.
February 28, 2018
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Students drawn to Quinnipiac’s accelerated programs
JEREMY TROETTI/CHRONICLE
Photo illustration of accelerated programs Quinnipiac offers students. By MARIA SPANO Contributing Writer
The accelerated programs that Quinnipiac offers throughout its nine schools give students the opportunity to graduate faster than the traidtional four year student. Currently, there are accelerated programs within the schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Communications, Health Sciences and Law. In the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), there is a combined Bachelor of Science in biology/Masters of Science in molecular and cell biology 3+1 program. The 3+1 program means that a student enrolled in the program graduates with an undergraduate degree in three years and complete a graduate degree in the fourth year. The accelerated option allows students to save up to two years of time from schooling and money by graduating in four years with two degrees. There are 3+1 programs for business and communications students as well. Business students receive their undergraduate degree in three years and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in the fourth year. Many professors support these programs as well. “We have always had amazing School of Business students,” Dr. Kiku Jones, associate professor of computer information systems, said. “Most of our students have goals in mind when begin and some develop them as they start their career here. Either way, we find ways to help them reach those goals. Now we have students who are on an accelerated path. This has created a need for structure and streamlined paths. I think that has not only benefited the 3+1 students but
also the non 3+1 students as well as the faculty and administration.” Currently, there are 258 students enrolled in the 3+1 business programs. The program is weighted more toward finance and accounting, with 50 students in the finance 3+1 program and 47 in accounting. Communications students receive their undergraduate degree in three years and receive their Masters degree in either journalism, sports journalism or public relations in the fourth year.
“I think that has not only benefited the 3+1 students but also the non 3+1 students as well as the faculty and administration.” – KIKU JONES
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS
“I can honestly say that my favorite part of the program is being able to be around my closest friends each day and work hard in my specific field,” Annika Gustaffson, a first year 3+1 communications student, said. “In just one semester, I made so many friends that I love dearly. In that same semester, I also learned about public relations and created my own 80-page PR campaign, something I did not expect to do in my first few months here.”
The Chronicle was not able to obtain statistics regarding students in the School of Communications acceleraed programs in time for publication. Students that apply to Quinnipiac cannot specifically apply to these programs during the admissions process. They are invited to enter each program upon admission. To be considered for them, students need to have received at least a 1200 on the SAT or a 27 on the ACT. They need to be within the top 20 percent of their high school graduating class while showing completion of a vigorous course load. It is very competitive since only a select number of students are invited to each program. “My favorite part of the (3+1 business) program would have to be the simple fact that I will be graduating at the end of what would be my junior year with a completed finance degree,” Jake Mendelson, a second year 3+1 finance major, said. “It is an incredible feeling and although it has not always been easy, it has definitely been worth the challenge.” There is a 3+3 program within the School of Health Sciences. Students can graduate with their undergraduate health science degree in three years and a doctoral program in the additional three years. The School of Health Sciences offers this for the doctorate of physical therapy program (DPT). Students apply directly to the DPT program. Upon admission to the DPT program, students can choose whether they want to complete their undergraduate health science degree in three or four years. “I chose 4+3 because it works better for my working schedule and because it’s nice to have a cleaner schedule during each se-
mester,” Andrew Cordova, a sophomore student completing the 4+3 DPT program, said. Quinnipiac also offers an accelerated 3+3 law program. Students complete an undergraduate degree of their choice in three years. They receive their Juris Doctorate degree in the next three years at Quinnipiac’s School of Law. This program saves students up to two years of schooling. To enter the School of Law, students must have 3.4 grade point average. “Getting admitted into this program was the entire reason I attended this school,” Mendelson said. “No other school I have ever heard of, let alone applied to had anything like this. To come out with two completed degrees from an accredited business school like Quinnipiac sold me on it the second I got my letter.” There are new programs of this nature coming to campus beginning in the upcoming fall semester. In the School of Health Sciences, students can be admitted into the BS/MSW 3+2 program which saves one year of schooling. There will also be a BS in Radiologic Sciences/MHS in Advanced Medical Imaging and Leadership 3+1 program. The School of Business is offering a new 3+1 program where students can now choose to receive their Masters in Accounting. These programs are going to be offered starting in fall 2018 and for all future applicants. All application requirements will still stand for these new programs. Quinnipiac is unique to offer these programs and continues to attract students from all different disciplines who decide to apply.
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Wednesday, Feb. 28 Eating Disorders 101 The Quinnipiac Counseling Department will be hosting a panel discussion titled “Eating Disorders 101” in recognition of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Aromatherapy and light refreshments will be provided. The event is open to all, and will take place at 6 p.m. in Buckman Theater
Study abroad The Department of Cultural and Global Engagement will be hosting faculty led study abroad information sessions. Students can receive information about short-term faculty led study abroad courses during the Summer 2018, Fall 2018 and Winter 2019 semesters. The event will take place from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Carl Hansen Student Center Room 116.
Thursday, March 1 Montage & WQAQ Open Mic The Montage Art and Literary Journal and WQAQ will host their second open mic of the semester on Thursday, March 1 at 7 p.m. in the Carl Hansen Student Center room 120. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to share their poetry, music and other creative works. There will be a featured performance by improv group Comic Sans and visual feature Nhung An. Free food and raffle will be provided for those who attend.
Saturday, March 3 Alcohol training skills Alpha Chi Omega will be hosting an Alcohol Skills Training Program. The goal of the event is educate and increase students’ interest in learning to recognize high-risk situations related to alcohol, and how to properly handle those situations. The event will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Center for Communications and Engineering Room 118.
Monday, March 5 Pi Kappa Phi hosts fundraiser Pi Kappa Phi will be hosting a fundraiser to raise money and awareness for those affected by leukemia. The event will take place in the Carl Hansen Student Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m..
Make-A-Wish Chi Omega will be hosting a “wishing well” event. The event encourages students to throw their loose change into the wishing well, which will then be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Carl Hansen Student Center.
Winter Olympics with Pi Phi Pi Phi will be hosting an event called “Winter Olympics with Pi Phi.” The event is designed to mimic the actual Winter Olympics, and will feature competitions with teams of three to five students. The event will take place on Monday, March 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Burt Kahn Court.
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February 28, 2018
Quinnipiac stagnant in sustainability By MATT FORTIN StaffWriter
Quinnipiac University administration remains ambivalent toward sustainability efforts on campus, bolstering independent groups to work toward an eco-friendlier QU. One of those organizations, the Quinnipiac Sustainability Committee, hopes that it can be a part of the change towards a greener future. Chairman of the committee and associate engineering professor, John Reap, explained that their mission doesn’t end with simply implementing sustainability efforts around the university’s campuses. “The overall goal of the sustainability committee is to make the campus and curriculum of Quinnipiac more environmentally sustainable,” Reap explained. “Well, a better way to put it is to make it less environmentally unsustainable.” The committee is working to achieve that goal in a two-part approach. The first, more visible approach, is to initiate sustainability projects around campus. So far, these projects have taken the form of Earth Day fashion shows (featuring clothes made from recycled materials), planting a garden outside of the Mount Carmel Student Center and on-campus farmers’ markets. The second key to the committee’s goal is implementing a curriculum that encourages students to more seriously consider the issue of sustainability. “The idea that is developing a curriculum that would allow students to touch on the environment or the social side of sustainability,” Reap said. “And we are ripe for developing something like that.” The responsibility to spark an environmental interest in students has fallen onto the shoulders of Reap’s committee because the school administratio n is yet to initiate a visible, sponsored office responsible for such efforts, according to political science professor Sean Duffy. In 2014, the school hired an outside agency, Resonate, to perform an in depth sustainability report. Part of that report was an assessment of student awareness
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Quinnipiac’s single stream recylcing is one of the initiatives offered on the campus towards sustainability. on the topic of environmental conservation, according to the executive summary:
“One of the problems with the lack of visible sustainability initiatives on campus is because there’s no visible office.”
– SEAN DUFFY
PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
“Our research and analysis reveal that the QU student body is viewed, by students and faculty alike, as intelligent, but generally unaware of and unengaged with sustainability,” the report stated. That perceived student apathy is the reason for administration dragging its feet with developing a more robust sustainability plan, Reap explained. “Administration wants to see that the outcome of a project will be beneficial to the university in multiple ways, and most importantly to students,” Reap said. “There’s not
much benefit to supporting a green project that doesn’t seem to have a big benefit for students.” As to if administration has an accurate picture of students’ beliefs, junior advertising major Ryan Muscato says, ‘no.’ “That is an unfortunate assumption on the part of the school officials,” Muscato said. “I do care about the environment and I do a meticulous job of making sure I make a small carbon footprint.” Gina Gagliardi, a junior health science major, agrees that conservation is an important issue to her. She suggests small measures university staff could take that would add up quickly. “A lot of professors print handouts when they could just be posted online for students,” Gagliardi said. “That would be a simple fix that would make a big difference.” Whether or not that indifference toward making QU a greener place stems from the student body or administration is up for debate. But one thing is not – there is definitely room for improvement. Quinnipiac received a startling ‘D’ in overall sustainability, a stark contrast to neighboring schools – Yale earned a glowing ‘A’ on the same website. Greenreportcard. org, an independent, non-profit assessor of colleges’ conservation efforts, uses factors like transpor-
tation, recycling, energy consumption and administration. Alarmingly, QU earned an ‘F’ under the transportation category, and a ‘D’ in student involvement. Quinnipiac has managed to source all of its power consumption from renewable sources. In addition to that, the school generates its own electricity through windmills and solar panels, the latter supplying 30 percent of the energy used in the Crescent building on York Hill, according to Reap. Facilities has managed to distribute an impressive number of recycling bins around campus, something Muscato says is one of Quinnipiac’s stronger sustainability efforts. “When I need to recycle a bottle, I’m usually in seeing distance from a recycling bin,” Muscato said. “I can never find one when I’m not at QU.” Although facilities assures the university community that they are in fact recycling using the single stream method, some are skeptical as to whether or not all those water bottles make it from the bin to a recycling center. While Quinnipiac’s approach to a ‘less unsustainable’ campus is certainly muddled with conflicting agencies and opinions, Duffy maintains that it is an issue with a simple fix. “In my opinion, one of the problems with the lack of visible sustainability initiatives on campus is because there¹s no visible office or initiative that has a membership people know about and a budget to advance initiatives,” Duffy said through an email. “One of the recommendations of the report you¹ve referred to was to have a director of sustainability – or even an office – on campus.” And if the administration is still concerned with students’ opinion on the matter, Ryan Muscato has some clear words to the powers at be. “Regardless of if students care about conservation or not, administration should,” Muscato said. “No efforts towards sustainability are wasted.” The Department of Facilities
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A little button, the Mona Lisa and Kendrick Lamar Photography’s transition from magic to mundane
I hate my work almost as much as the industry. It feels every photo I take regresses my experience as a photographer. Every Staff Photographer photo I take, and subsequently ask about, I hear the same response: “Hey, great photo!” Wow. Thoughtful. Thank you. The photo is not good. Take away the depth of field, remove the editing and undo the cropping, what do you have left? An amateur-ass iPhone photo of my friend smiling. Not all that great, if you ask me. That photo already exists. A thousand times over. All I managed to do was use my one-thousand-dollar camera, click the little button at the right time and take it into Photoshop to make it look pretty. Think about it. If you, reading this, had the exact same equipment I do, and knew how to use it exactly the same as I do, you would walk away with the exact same lousy photo that I have. Sure, you can argue that the “knowing how to use it” is what gives
Richie Petrosino
me my “skill,” but you are wrong. So what’s my point? Photography is an art, right? It has artistic merit, right? Photography requires some degree of creativity. Over the summer I worked in a studio and my task was simple. Wait for the subject to enter the frame, click the little button and the poser to my right will say if we need to do more button clicking or not. The camera settings were preset, and the shot was identical every time. And you know what? That was a skilled trade. I made $12.50 per hour doing that job, pretty high compared to New Jersey’s minimum wage of $8.44. My other job that summer, lead camp counseling, netted me $10.44 per hour. Let that sink in. In one building, I clicked a little button for seven hours a day, and in the other I looked after the safety and enjoyment of 20 children, while organizing a “class” every day and mentoring new counselors. Which do you think is more deserving of the higher wage? But photography is an art, right? And surely there’s no such thing as “bad art,” right? Well, again, not quite. Sure I believe
photography is an art, but just like any other traditional art, it either takes years to master or you never do. Da Vinci didn’t wake up one day after a life time of stacking rocks and decide to paint the Mona Lisa. The man had a talent—and he honed that talent into a skill. Photography is the same in the art department. Gordon Parks didn’t wake up one day after a lifetime of mechanic work and decide to become one of the most influential and impactful photographers of his day and ours. Parks produced photographic essays for Life Magazine portraying poor African Americans and the Civil Rights struggle in the 1940s. In fact, I’m willing to bet you’ve seen Parks’ work, even if you’ve never heard his name. Does Kendrick Lamar sound more familiar? Well, his music videos tend to reference much of Parks’ work. I promise, look it up! My point is—photography is an art. Photography still has the power to inspire, to agitate and most importantly to bring about change. But the artistic side of photography is dying in favor of the Instagram side of photography. Nowadays, photographers don’t spend years honing their talent into a skill. They spend a thousand-dollars on a camera that’s
slightly better than your thousand-dollar camera that also makes phone calls, throw up an alternate account on Instagram and start sending invoices. Don’t get me wrong, I was once guilty of this too, but I like to think I’ve matured past this point. Additionally, Instagram does contain the occasional diamond-in-the-rough, and allows many talented (and skilled!) photographers get their name out there (@perry. sage and @austintroth, to name a couple). But that rough sure is vast, and those diamonds sure are small. Don’t believe me? Check out how many people follow those two accounts. Miniscule compared to the big-name, big-budget, low-creativity photography accounts on Instagram. Photography went from an art side-byside with the traditional art we revere to a five-inch screen in our pockets. It went from a craft only those with a passion could master to a mundane task in a studio full of high school employees. Photographers went from mysterious magicians of technology to anybody with enough determination and patience to make a second Instagram account. Photography has the power to start revolutions, but today it just seems like the Mona Lisa with a mustache drew on it in sharpie.
‘Do something’ is a poor antidote to our problems In 2005, the Federal Av i a t i o n Administration (FAA) announced a new policy. They would not require young children to use Contributing Writer child safety seats when flying on commercial aircraft, citing safety concerns. This was an anathema to activists, who had hoped to see regulation of such nature passed. Didn’t those heartless folks at the FAA understand that if it saved even one life, it was worth it? After all, a young child had died because he a flew out of his seat in turbulence recently beforehand. This is the “do something” mentality at its core. It is never specified if the “something” to be done is going to be intelligent, or would fix the problem described. But those on moral crusades do not let mere facts or evidence get in their way, nor are they bothered by the damage they inflict on other people with their “solutions.” In fact, the FAA had commissioned a study into the regulation proposed. As they noted in their press release, they found that mandatory safety seats would drive up the cost of plane tickets. Aside from that obvious downside, it would cause some people to simply not buy plane tickets and travel by car instead. And because cars are, on average, more dangerous than planes, it was found that the proposed “solution” would not only result in increasing prices of plane tickets, it would cause more children to die,
Stephan Kaputska
not less. What does this have to do with anything? It has been more than a week since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, but the fervor has not died down at all. The most common refrain is, as usual, to “do something.” Not something intelligent, or something that would fix the problem without infringing upon people’s rights. Just “something.” Perhaps it should be pointed out that vehicles kill more people than firearms, according to Investor’s Business Daily. There are certainly many “somethings” than could be done about that. What if, for example, we were to reduce the national speed limit to five miles per hour? That would surely decrease the number of people killed in car accidents. “There’s a direct correlation between higher speed limits and more serious crashes on these roads. That’s the trade-off,” Russ Rader, a representative for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, told Life’s Little Mysteries. The problem, however, is that would destroy the economy by preventing tens of millions of people from getting to work. You would crush people’s freedom to go where they please. This is the problem with knee jerk, “do something” solutions; they have no pity for those who would be negatively affected by them, when those people are every bit as important as the ones the “solution” is designed to help. The hard truth is that there are no political solutions. There are only tradeoffs, and they must be weighed on the benefits and the costs. But this does not stop professional commentators. Late night hosts and the main-
stream media, again, went into full blown political activism aimed at the three or so Republicans that still watch them. On a CNN town hall, one of the students from the high school said that he pictured Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) as holding the weapon that killed his friends, describing how it was “hard to look at [Rubio] and not look down the barrel on an AR-15 and not look at Nikolas Cruz.” Nobody will deny sympathizing with the child’s plight, but this kind of rhetoric is, for lack of a better word, disgusting. Imagine for a second that somebody who had friends or family killed in a terror attack said that we should deport all Muslims from the United States, and that anybody who was against that was complicit in what happened. You might sympathize with the fact they had been through a lot and their emotions were clouding their judgement, but it would be a disgusting thing to say nonetheless. This is the real danger; the criminalization of political differences. Not only are you morally wrong simply for disagreeing politically, you may as well have commited the crime yourself. Another person yelled at NRA spokesman Dana Loesch at this same CNN town hall that she was a “murderer.” You have to be out of your mind if you think the NRA likes these shootings, if you remember, it was an NRA member with an AR-15 who took down the Sutherland Springs shooter. Ignore how arbitrary the gun control crusade is for a second. Ignore that, per capita, you are more likely to be killed in a mass shooting in Norway, Serbia, France, Macedonia, Albania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Finland, Belgium, or the Czech Republic than in the United States, according to the Crime
Prevention Research Center. Ignore that Australia’s semi automatic gun ban did not cause a decrease in homicides, suicides, unintentional firearm deaths or even mass shootings, a study published just last December by Professor Gary Kleck of Florida State University found. Even ignore that fact that you would have to deprive innocent people of their right to own a firearm, as laid out in the second amendment. Ignore all the facts, data, and evidence that one might see as reason to doubt pious assurances that gun control is the answer. What is more disturbing than even that is that if you are not part of the moral crusade, you are an enemy, a heretic to be burnt at the stake. Talking last year about the Las Vegas shooting, I think late night host Jimmy Kimmel said something very revealing on his show: “When someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every precaution to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Kimmel said. “When an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, we say there’s nothing we can do about that.” Aside from the fact that there are plenty of proposals aside from gun control on the table to prevent this kind of thing from happening, the shocking thing is how Kimmel undermines himself. He opposed Trump’s wall. He opposed Trump’s travel ban. Does that mean that Kimmel doesn’t care about people killed by illegal immigrants or Islamic terrorists? Of course not, it simply means he thinks the proposed solutions are poor tradeoffs. Why can’t those who favour gun control
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Opinion|7
Is segregation still alive? Kaycie Romanello Staff Writer
Did you know that one out of three AfricanAmerican males are thrown into prison, while only one out of 17 Caucasian males are in prison, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics? This means more than triple the amount of African-American males are populating prisons than Caucasian males in the United States. The Civil War was supposed to bring equality and freedom to African Americans, but unfortunately that is not what many people wanted. To fix this issue, people started to target African Americans as criminals to incarcerate them so that there would be more Caucasian people on the streets than black, according to the documentary “13th,” on Netflix. The National Association for Advancement of Colored People exemplified this by stating a statistic that if African Americans and Hispanics were incarcerated at the same rates as caucasian people, the jail population would decrease by nearly 40 percent. I am wondering why this is occurring if we were always supposed to be equal? It is as if we “say” that we are equal without looking at the statistical evidence. This relates back to when the criminal rate was increasing throughout decades from the 1970s to now. It has been a huge factor in political elections on how to fix the criminal rate from the time President Reagan took office until now with President Trump.
Not one of the presidents running for office said clearly that it was African Americans overpopulating prisons, but that was what they were targeting. This was demonstrated when President Clinton made laws such as the Three Strike Law. This law states that once someone was in prison twice, the third time they are put into prison would be for life or at least 85 percent of the sentence. This was supposed to take out the prisoners with minor felonies and increase the prison time for people who committed serious crimes such as murder, according to 13th. This is not what happened. Because African Americans were being sent to jail for long periods of time after the War-onDrugs era, they were already on their second strike. The War-on-Drugs era was a government enforcement time period where they enforced stricter laws on those who used or sold illegal drugs. It was supposed to stop the use of illegal drugs, but it ended up being a target for African Americans. When the police found a way to get them back into jail for the third time, it was easier to segregate the streets by pushing African Americans into prison. To put this into perspective, African Americans and Caucasians abuse drugs at very similar rates, but the rate of imprisonment for African Americans are six times higher than Caucasians, according to NAACP. Also, African Americans are being imprisoned for the Third Strike Law at a rate 13.3 percent higher than caucasians, according to a study by the LA Times. We need to look at how different African Americans are treated from Caucasian people. For instance, in 2014, 34 percent of the prison population were African Americans. But what about the African Americans who are not in prison? They are still dealing with segregation.
GRAPHIC BY SAMANTHA BALOGA
Furthermore, 17 percent of caucasian males with a criminal record are more likely to get a call back for a job, while African Americans without a criminal record only have a 14 percent chance to get a call back, according to Fusion. This segregates our economy and locations. If African Americans are not getting call backs for jobs even though they do not have a criminal record, it can decrease their home income. This may segregate African Americans if they end up having kids because their income will not allow them to move into a better area to raise their kids. In other words, if African Americans cannot be hired, how can they move out of the bad area that they are living in? This is what makes the “ghettoization,” according to Fusion. These are the areas where people live because they are not able to get a job that will help themselves and their families grow. Now that they can’t raise their kids, this makes the public schools in that area not as prestigious as in an area with more caucasian people. This has nothing to do with how African Americans live, rather it is what the government is doing to them. The median income of a caucasian family is 13 times higher than the income of African Americans, according to Fusion.
So what do we do? The government has tried to come up with ideas to lower the rate of people in prison through house arrest. But how would this work if they still have a criminal record? In “13th,” they showed two African Americans that got pulled over for a broken tail light. Instead of giving a ticket or a warning, the cop shot the passenger. How could this be allowed? Who does this cop think he is? We are all Americans. I am not talking about illegal immigrants. I am talking about the issue of how African Americans live in a nation where they need to be scared. How can they raise their families even when they are not getting hired although they have a clean record? People believe that everyone in this generation is getting too sensitive to live. But to me, this is not true. We are finally realizing right from wrong and looking at the statistics. We are not sensitive, we are factual. How can we let this keep happening? With all of the data and stories we here, how do we keep letting these situations slide? We need a change, and we need it now.
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8|Arts & Life
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Arts & Life
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
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RAISING MORALE PHOTO COURTESY OF STEPHANIE SHAW DESIGN BY CHRISTINA POPIK
QTHON SPOTLIGHT
STEPHANIE SHAW
AMANDA MATISES
PLANNING QTHON
FUNDRAISING
It was April 21, 2017 when I received the news that I was accepted to serve on the Management Team as the Morale Co-Chair, and from that day forward, the planning began. There is so much that goes into QTHON beyond what lies on the surface or is visible the day of. As a team, we create ways to fundraise, gather students to build campus involvement and host events throughout the year to keep QTHON in the communities minds and hearts. Through everything, we do everything in our power to not only meet our financial goal, but give the children and families of Connecticut Children’s a night they cannot and will not forget. Every Monday night beginning in April, the Management eam along with our hospital advisor and faculty advisor met to work on our plans for events leading up to QTHON, in addition to the night of. As the Morale Co-Chairs we were responsible for creating the Morale Committee, which serves as the spirit leaders the night of the event. With several applicants we narrowed it down to 23 individuals who are full of spirit, passion, and drive to make others love QTHON as much as they do. We held additional meetings with our committee alongside dance practices for the hourly morale dance, which is created by myself, Amanda and our four Morale Captains.
This year QTHON did something no one thought we could do, we exceeded our goal of $250,000 and raised $265,431.79. This was no easy task; the Management Team, committee members, students, faculty and local businesses all had to come together for this year-long fundraiser. At the end of the day, every single person was motivated by the cause, motivated to keep going, stayed motivated knowing that all the money we raised went directly to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center impacting the children and their families. Throughout the entire year, there were small fundraisers such as bake sales, Valentine’s day cookie sales, holiday sales and Side Street, Chipotle and Panera Bread fundraisers. Students would go canning asking people for money, spreading the QTHON name outside of businesses such as Dunkin Donuts and Walmart. There would be jars at local places such as Acropolis Diner and Ray & Mike’s Deli that people would throw their extra change into. Sponsors would give tangible donations for our events or would donate different amounts of money to our cause. What really put us over the top however, was personal and organization fundraising. Organizations would hold fundraisers throughout the year where all their proceeds would go directly to QTHON. Individuals would ask family members, friends, anyone to donate to their page. This year Venmo was huge, as students would ask their friends if they could request from them $1 to $3 for the kids, because every dollar counts. It was so amazing how the entire community, our small Quinnipiac community, came together and raised such a large amount of money going to such an amazing cause.
MORALE COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR SENIOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MAJOR
WHY IS MEETING THE FAMILIES SO IMPORTANT? The children and families of Connecticut Children’s Medical Center have gone through some incredibly difficult challenges. Despite these hardships, these individuals are some of the most optimistic, happy and inspiring people I have had the privilege of meeting. Meeting the families of Connecticut Children’s is what inspires me to keep pushing to make QTHON bigger and better in every way. Their stories and experiences truly demonstrate the incredible work that all of the staff at Connecticut Children’s does on a daily basis. These families are the examples of how positive experiences can come from negative ones and why events such as QTHON are so important. We truly are making a difference in all of the lives of these children and families. As one of the mothers of a miracle child shared with the crowd stated: “Insurance covers a lot. What they don’t cover are the iPads that have games geared toward coping mechanisms for children to utilize during a multiple hour treatment session, the family centered care that is provided through the incredible life specialists at the hospital, the entertainment systems that are in treatment rooms that make them feel a little less scary.” To me, it is one thing to raise money for a great cause, but it is another thing to see the positive effects and change it provides to another individual.
WHY I LOVE QTHON It is difficult to put into words why I love QTHON as much as I do. QTHON is an event that unites the entire QU community. Organizations and individuals come together to make such a positive impact, which is not something we get to see everyday. Connecticut Children’s Medical Center is not just a hospital, but a place where children and families do not have to feel alone. Connecticut Children’s puts emphasis on client and family centered care, down to having the air filtered four times more than a typical air conditioner so it doesn’t have that “hospital smell.” Being a part of QTHON is being a part of something that is bigger than myself. It provides a night of fun, laughter, games, energy, excitement and more to an entire community, which I think is pretty incredible. We have events like QTHON not only for children that we get to celebrate the night of but for those who are still fighting and can’t. I dance for the hope that one day we won’t have to.
MORALE COMMITTEE CO-CHAIR SENIOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY MAJOR
WHAT IS MORALE? Morale is the heart of QTHON, the train that keeps QTHON running. Morale is the committee that every year is in a different colored shirt, dressed ridiculously and are some of the loudest people at QTHON. People on the Morale Committee have a vital role throughout the entire year leading up to the day of QTHON. They are constantly individually fundraising, and this year, the morale committee exceeded their goal by over $5,700 raising a total of $12,702. Throughout the year, they would table in the student center getting our name out there and raising money. They worked so hard learning the morale dance, the dance that is done every hour on the hour that is composed of snip bits of about 30 songs. By them knowing the dance, it allows other people to follow along with them and come together as a QTHON organization to dance together every hour. The night of, Morale runs something called the “Morale Jail,” which allows people to pay to send their friend to jail in which they have to pay to get out! It was such a huge success this year and would not have been possible without the Morale Committee. Finally, throughout the entire night of QTHON, Morale Committee dresses up and keeps everyone’s spirits up, reminding them why they are there in the first place. They are the ones that are constantly bringing the energy up higher than it was during the previous hour. They are making sure everyone is smiling, having fun, dancing and doing everything they can to help make QTHON a night to remember.
WHY I LOVE QTHON I absolutely love QTHON. I love seeing the entire community come together for a cause so much greater than ourselves. I love seeing the faces of the children who are there and healthy, dance the night away playing games and having a blast. I love the faces of the parents and families watching their children and loved ones have an opportunity to be a kid after all they have gone through. It gives me such pride to be a part of an organization that gives back directly to children and families that have gone through so much, so much more than I could possibly imagine. I love QTHON because we are constantly raising money for and constantly fighting for those kids who can’t, until one day they don't have to fight any longer.
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
Arts & Life|9
National Eating Disorder Awareness Week By ADRIANNA LOVEGROVE Staff Writer
National Eating Disorder Awareness week is among us. This year from Feb. 26 to Mar. 4 the theme is “Let's Get Real,” where the goal is to open up and start discussing the complicated relationships our culture has with food, exercise and appearance, according to the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA). NEDA defines eating disorders as “a serious but treatable mental illness that can affect people of every age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity and socioeconomic group”. National surveys held by NEDA estimate that 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from an eating disorder in America. 30 million Americans will struggle with
an eating disorder while millions more will struggle with body image issues. The most common eating disorder in the United States is binge eating disorder. This specific disorder is characterized by continuous episodes of eating large amounts of food, usually done quickly and to the point of discomfort. Eating disorders are potentially life threatening, according to NEDA. They are conditions that can seriously affect a person’s mental and physical health. They are considered bio-psycho-social diseases, which means that genetic, biological, environmental and social factors all play a role in the development of an eating disorder. Eating disorders have the highest death rate out of all psychiatric illnesses,
Upcoming Events
28
Panel Discussions Eating Disorders 101 Wednesday, February 28 6 p.m. — Buckman Theatre
The Quinnipiac University counseling department will be joined by Walden Behavioral Health, Center for Discovery and private practice clinicians to promote prevention and awareness of eating disorders.
including clinical depression, anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder. Apart from all of the medical complications that come along with anorexia, bulimia, starvation and binge eating disorder, suicide rates are high among individuals with eating disorders. It takes a high toll on the emotional psyche of individuals who are battling their relationship with food. These diseases also leave many at risk of kidney failure, heart attack and osteoporosis. Although, eating disorders are more common in women, there is a growing number of men and non-binary individuals opening up about their struggles with food as well. Research conducted in 2007 by the CDC shows that one out of three people with eating disorders are men. A
1
Eating Disorder Screening by Quinnipiac Counselors
Thursday, March 1 12-2 p.m. — SC116 Completely free and completely anonymous screenings for eating disorders.
2015 study showed that transgender people had been the most diagnosed that year. Children as young as five and six are are being diagnosed with eating disorders. Though some being treated for these disorders are in their teens, many admit that their thoughts and behaviors started at a much younger age. Adults can be treated later on in life due to relapse of past behaviors. Eating disorders were commonly believed to be a chosen lifestyle. But they are actually serious and fatal diseases that many people in the United States struggle with. “Adequate nutrition, reducing excessive exercise and stopping purging behaviors are the foundations of treatment,” the National Institute of Mental Health says on their website.
2
“Body Beautiful” — Empowerment Through Movement Class
Thursday, March 2 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. — AC Dance Studio B Exploring mindful movement and the treatment of eating disorders
If you or anyone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, the Health Center offers counseling for recovery. The Center For Discovery is a facility that specializes in treating eating disorders, located in New Haven. The NEDA also has a helpline for support, resources, and treatment. The helpline available Mon- Thurs from 9am-9pm and Friday from 9am-5pm and can be contacted at (800) 931-2237.
CROCS: FASHION 'DO' OR 'DON'T?' By MELISSA BUCK Staff Writer
When George Boedecker, Scott Seamans and Lyndon Hansen got together in 2002, the only thing they had in common was a love for boating. The three Colorado entrepreneurs set out with an end goal of creating a more comfortable boating clog. 16 years later, however, this simple clog business has blossomed into the multi-million dollar company: Crocs. Since its debut, Crocs has been both praised and outcasted. The majority of people who obsess over the clog tend to work in professions that require long hours of standing- the Crocs website even organizes its products by activity including "nursing" and "chef." Famous American chef and “The Chew” cohost Mario Batali is among those who can not get enough of the clog. When Crocs announced that they would be discontinuing their orange clogs, Batali didn’t hesitate to order 200 pairs for the future, according to the website Eater.com. However, not everyone shares Batali’s overzealous love for the shoe. Those who dislike the plastic shoe tend to have the biggest issue with the design and appearance of the clog. “They are very unfashionable and they are not trendy at all,” Sharama, an Amazon reviewer, said. Despite the mixed reviews, the plastic clog has managed to work its way into the fashion industry. In 2017, fashion designer Christopher Kane debuted marble print Crocs with crystal embellishments. “Crocs are arguably the most comfortable shoe,” Kane said in an interview with Vogue. “I love that they are slightly awkward and might be perceived by some as ‘ugly.’” Kane is not alone in his opinion. During the 2017 Balenciaga Fashion Show models strutted down the runway in platform Crocs. Yes–Crocs. While the average member of society may
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MEGAN LOWE
The plastic shoes have become multi-purpose footwear, used as anything from shower shoes to running shoes. feel that platform Crocs aren’t for them, Crocs has nine other styles to choose from. The Crocs website features a range of shoes from the traditional clog, to flip flops and even boots. When walking down Bobcat Way, however, the average student does not appear to be flaunting platform Crocs. But what is the pulse on the controversial clog here at Quinnipiac? Many students seem to love Crocs for the same reason Crocs lovers all over the world do, the style and comfort. “I love Crocs,” freshman radiology science major Jillian Reidy said. “There are so many colors and they’re so comfortable.” It appears that Reidy is not the only student here who shares a love for Crocs. “I own eight pairs,” senior physicians
assistant major Erin Schirra said. “I love them because they a super bright colored, so whenever I’m feeling sad I can throw on a pair and feel like I’m wearing sunshine. People should wear Crocs because they are the best footwear out there and they have community support, especially from the Mountainview area.” However, not all Bobcats share the opinion of Reidy and Schirra. “They’re not the best looking,” junior gerontology major Lindsay Ross said. “I think people like them because they’re easy to put on, you just slip them on and you don’t really have to think about it. They’re like Uggs, you don’t really wear them because they’re cute.” Other students, however, fall somewhere in between the drastic divide of the love-them-
or-hate-them viewpoint. “I don’t mind them, I hear they’re comfy,” freshman integrative biology major Braydon Mingo said. “I wouldn’t say they are stylish but I wouldn’t say they’re ugly either. I know there is probably a stigma against them because of all the jokes about them being ugly.” There is also a population of Bobcats who appreciate them simply for their functionality. “I like Crocs,” sophomore health science major Sara Cossemboom said. “I wear my Crocs in the shower so they’re really convenient.” It’s probably safe to say that if Boomer got his hands on some blue and yellow Crocs the Quinnipiac community would be divided. Those around the world who are passionate about Crocs are determined to find more uses for the shoe. In May 2017, a father-son duo from Utah took their Crocs appreciation to the next level by running the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon in Indianapolis wearing Crocs. Benjamin Pachev, who is 18 years old, placed 16th with a time of 1:11:53, while his father, Sasha, finished just five minutes behind him. The duo is not alone in their campaign for Crocs running shoes, Pachev has 10 kids who all run together in Crocs. “I thought, ‘You shouldn’t have to pay $70 for a pair of shoes. It’s got to be simpler than that,’” the father of 10 said in an interview with People magazine. “Running is so natural, you shouldn’t need something so expensive to run in.” While there is a budget interest for the parent, Crocs also lend a hand to comfort. “It’s like having a little fan that’s just streaming air over your foot,” Pachev said. Love them or hate them, the company seems to be benefiting from the controversy. To date, Crocs has sold over 300 million pairs of clogs in 90 countries. Despite which side you take when it comes to the war over Crocs, most can agree that the company is here to stay.
10|Arts & Life
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
ReignSPof the PantheR OILER ALERT By ALEXIS GUERRA Staff Writer
The long-awaited debut of Marvel’s “Black Panther” swept theaters on Feb. 16 after motivating intense anticipation from fans while pushing cultural boundaries. The film’s first five days in theaters were met with a recordsetting $263.1 million in the box-office in U.S. theaters. This falls second for most most money made in that time period to “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at $325.4 million, according to Variety Magazine. This comic book adaptation, which cost about $200 million to produce, is the most expensive movie made with a nearly all-black cast and crew. Director Ryan Coogler exceeded fans expectations by delivering a film that fulfills the demands of a superhero movie while instilling groundbreaking subtext. The movie was met with positive remarks from critics. It currently has a 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, putting “Black Panther” in the lead for best ranking on the site for any Marvel movie. The audience first caught a look of the newest Marvel character to shine on the big screen when T’Challa (Black Panther) appeared in “Captain America: Civil War,” in which the Avenger characters battled each other. With director Coogler (“Creed”) co-writing the script with Joe Robert Cole, this chapter in the Marvel franchise has moviegoers and critics alike talking. The movie begins with T’Challa, portayed by Chadwick Boseman, being crowned king of the mysterious country of Wakanda after his father is killed while giving a speech at the United Nations. The conflict begins when a piece of the precious material that fuels Wakanda’s power is stolen from its keepsake in a British museum. T’Challa is entrusted to hunt down an evil merchant named Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis) who has stolen the artifact made of the precious material. T’Challa is then equipped with a panther-like mask, adhesive footing and a power suit that can absorb any damage done to him. This is all invented by T’Challa’s tech-savvy sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright). T’Challa travels to South Korea on his mission with his team consisting of General Okoye (Danai Gurira) and Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), an accomplished spy who happens to be T’Challa’s ex-girlfriend. Later, Erik Killmonger is revealed as the true nemesis of the Black Panther. The film brings the audience on an action-packed ride where the outcome of their mission puts the fate of their kingdom’s future at risk. Once the plot and characters are set in place, the storyline
JUNAIDRAO / FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS
Critics have acclaimed 'Black Panther' for its message of diversity and breaking down boundaries.
weaves its way through various continents, displaying the tension between territories, a bit of romance and some comedic scenes. What makes this Marvel movie stand out from the rest is how “Black Panther” is injected with an insightful message rather than just showcasing a mere tale of a superhero. The film addresses themes on the dark history of colonialism, the black American experience and the lack of political and social solidarity within the continent of Africa. The film has sparked academic panel
discussions and screening parties due to its almost entirely black cast and the subtext that it entails. After “Black Panther,” Marvel Studios will release “Avengers: Infinity War,” “Ant-Man and the Wasp” and “Captain Marvel.” Although two of these films feature a female hero and have a diverse cast, none of them have people of color in center roles. About 30 percent of speaking roles in films were given to people of color, according to a 2017 study by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Jamil Smith, a journalist for TIME Magazine, believes that “Black Panther” is entering into the cultural consciousness at a significant moment in time. “[Black Panther’s] themes challenge institutional bias, its characters take unsubtle digs at oppressors, and its narrative includes prismatic perspectives on black life and tradition,” Smith wrote. The movie also features diversity in the way each character is styled. The actors are dressed by costume designer Ruth Carter, who was inspired by several African tribes. During a panel hosted by the website Collider, Carter shared that her goal was give a sense of reality to give dynamic to the cultures and characters of Wakanda. Camille Friend, the head of the hair department on set, felt similarly about styling. Friend specifically wanted every actor to wear their natural hair proudly. Braids, twists, wigs and locs were all featured in the film. “I don’t think black hair has ever been seen in a movie like this,” Friend said in an interview with The Cut. “It was an honor to do it and to have an open form to design and take hairstyling to the next level.” The film’s representation caught the attention of former First Lady Michelle Obama. Obama was compelled to tweet about the film, despite her recent decrease in presence on social media. “Congrats to the entire #blackpanther team! Because of you, young people will finally see superheroes that look like them on the big screen," she tweeted. "wI loved this movie and I know it will inspire people of all backgrounds to dig deep and find the courage to be heroes of their own stories." Overall, it takes an understanding of black history and social consciousness to make one of the most anticipated films of the year a success. So now that the secret of Wakanda has been revealed, one can hope that Hollywood will be motivated to produce more movies that are just as equally as empowering.
'A' new type of love story ‘Every Day’ is an unconventional, but inspiring romance By LINDSAY PYTEL
Associate Arts & Life Editor
Valentine’s Day is over, but love is still in the air—and in the movies. “Every Day,” based on the New York Times bestselling young adult novel written by David Levithan released in theaters on Feb. 23. This movie proves that love is not based on physical appearance, but by your heart and soul. It is a story about young love, but unlike one you’ve ever seen. It follows a girl named Rhiannon (Angourie Rice), a high school student from Maryland who dates a handsome, yet egotistical boy named Justin (Justice Smith). Quickly, however, she falls in love with someone else – a spirit, named “A.” Everyday “A” wakes up in a new body and it can arrive as any gender. “Always someone my age, never too far from the last, never the same person twice,” “A” says in the movie. “A” is a beautiful soul –kind-hearted and loving. It really wishes the best for people and tries not to interfere with the lives it takes over for 24 hours. Unbeknownst to Rhiannon, at the time, “A” inhabits Justin and they spend a wonderful day at the aquarium. “A” instantly falls in love with her. From there on out, “A” can’t stay away from her and ends up sharing its secret of possessing others’ bodies with her. Rhiannon is skeptical at first, and proceeds with caution. But their love is undeniable, real and beautiful. The movie keeps you tuned-in, wondering who “A” will be next and how it’ll make its way back to Rhiannon. Rice’s portrayal of Rhiannon is wonderful. The 17-yearold actress opens you up to an ordinary girl with an ordinary life. She shines in the way she draws out the character’s confidence and courage little by little as the movie goes on. Rhiannon starts off with Justin, a guy that cares about her
when he wants to – but she’s too afraid to do anything about it. As soon as A slips into her life, you start to see the true Rhiannon, the one whose not afraid of anything. Rice read the book even before the movie was considered, according to People. She thought it sounded like an interesting story, but was perplexed at first. “It was definitely strange to get my head around at first,” she told People. Debby Ryan also appears in the movie as Rhiannon’s brash older sister Jolene, a role that’s weird to see her take on when her most memorable roles are from Disney Channel’s “Suite life on Deck” and “Jessie.” Those two sweet characters are nothing like the punk sister she plays in “Every Day.” Ryan’s role, however, had little relevance and could have been omitted from the plot. In fact, based on the trailer, it appears that a lot of Ryan’s scenes were cut. She’s a major part of the trailer including clips from scenes that didn't make it in the actual movie. And she wasn't the only one it happened to. One of the bodies the trailer suggests “A” takes over is of a girl that we never see in the film. In the trailer she seemed to have quite a big role, but it was completely omitted from final production. Another sub-storyline Ryan is a part of is the estranged marriage of the girls’ mother and father and how the two don’t know how to talk or act around their parents. However, there is a longing feeling present that the girls give off wanting their parents to rekindle and form a family again. The entire movie is so focused on the love between “A” and Rhiannon that the writing of this sub-storyline is shoddy. The parents are estranged for the entire movie, then Rhiannon confronts her mom and all of a sudden they’re a family again. The rekindling happens too quickly—you honestly don’t even see it happen, just the next minute
everyone is eating dinner smiling at each other. In a sense the viewer doesn’t really care because they just want to get back to the main story. The best part of the movie is the theme that love is not based on physicality. “A” doesn’t have a face, or a body and yet Rhiannon falls in love with it. No matter who it possesses, female or male; Rhiannon is completely head over heels. “I hope people come out of the movie trying to be more open minded,” Rice said to People. “That was the biggest thing for me. The moral of the story is being open minded and living in the present.” “A” says it doesn’t mind being a new person everyday, except that tomorrow is a big fat question mark. It’s able to learn so many things about the people it inhabits and as it says in the movie, “[knows] what makes each person different, and what makes everyone the same.” What makes everyone the same is loneliness—something everyone has faced sometime or another and something very prevalent in the movie. Rhiannon’s lonely because her boyfriend treats her poorly, her parents are lonely since they separated, but most of all, “A” is lonely. Though it says it’s not, once “A” is involved in Rhiannon’s life, it realizes how important the connection is and how much it wants to retain it. It’s lived its whole life never being able to connect with anyone else—unable to leave its mark on the world. The closest it gets to doing that is by creating an Instagram with selfies of everyone it inhabits. The love between the two brings Rhiannon a new appreciation for life and “A” the confidence to start living for itself. This love story is original and very unique. It makes you sit back and think about how humans are all connected to one another and the mark we can all leave on the world.
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Arts & Life| 11
Man’s Best Therapist
Emotional support animals are on the rise on college campuses By MATTHEW FORTIN Staff Writer
Allison Roethke has a lot on her plate. The sophomore communications major and varsity hockey player is tasked with balancing a 12-credit course load alongside three to four hours on the ice per day. How does she handle it all? With her emotional support animal. “With Nala, it’s so much easier for me to navigate things,” Roethke said. “And I think she helps me keep things in check.” Nala is the 12-week-old pitbull-labrador mix that Roethke adopted a short three weeks ago. Roethke describes her as calm and friendly. Although the two became acquainted less than a month ago, they are already inseparable. “She’s literally like my twin because we nap a lot, she’s very calm and loves to play,” Roethke said. “(Having a dog) is a lot of responsibility, but I have ADD, so being on a set schedule and having to plan my day around Nala keeps me really organized.” Roethke isn’t the only one that has a furry pal help her manage a tough schedule. In fact, she is part of a major nationwide trend – using animals as therapists to ease stress, attention disorders and anything in between. Considerable scientific evidence suggests that an animal presence can have an incredibly positive impact on the human condition, comparable to eating fruits and vegetables or exercising regularly, according to an article in The Washington Post. Research on therapy animals is almost constantly performed by Yale Innovative Interactions Lab, which focuses on children’s reactions to stressful stimuli, and the effect that animal interaction has on coping. Meanwhile, researchers at Purdue University reviewed 14 clinical trials, which revealed a strong correlation between animal interaction and cognitive improvements in subjects with autism, Alzheimer’s and even schizophrenia. Jacquelyn Best, Long Island Regional Director for the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, says that the social connection between a person and an animal can be a great way to relieve stress.
“If you consider that pet therapy reduces anxiety and depression while creating a social connection and comfort level, patients will be more willing to engage in constructive exercises aimed at habilitation,” Best said over email. “Having a therapy dog can be an extremely beneficial in reducing depression, anxiety and panic attacks.” And while plenty of research has been done on this topic, Best notes that there are reasons to be wary of certain studies. “I think if you were to do an examination of research conducted, you would see that it is considerable and comprehensive,” Best said. “However, you need to be cautious regarding many of the studies. Oftentimes, psychosocial research relies on self report which can be flawed.” Despite that, many college students are taking advantage of this form of therapy. As for how students at Quinnipiac can get their support animal approved, the process is simple, Roethke says. “It was pretty easy (to get Nala on campus). I had to speak with Matt Cooper; he’s head of Accommodations,” Roethke said. “And I basically just had to tell him my reasoning, like why I needed a therapy animal and what it would help me with.” While animal therapy treatments have gained serious traction the past few decades, it is by no means a new practice. Historical records suggest that 17th century Quakers in England hosted a retreat where individuals with mental illnesses were given the opportunity to interact with animals. Sigmund Freud, the father of modern psychology, was known to involve dogs during his famous psychoanalysis sessions. Fast forward to 2018, and many are still benefiting from the therapeutic effects of animals. “I certainly wouldn’t call Animal Assisted Therapy a trend,” Best said. “Like psychopharmacology and talk therapy, it is yet another tool that can effectively be used based on the characteristics of the patient.” And that effectiveness of animal therapy is certainly something that Roethke can attest to.
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PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY LINDSAY ROETHKE
Roethke adopted Nala to help her cope with ADD and create a sense of organization in her life at QU.
“It helps with structure and I feel a lot more sane,” Roethke said. “I feel very organized, and that’s something that I haven’t felt in a long time.”
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
12|Sports
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
Tourney time
Quinnipiac men’s and women’s basketball will play in the MAAC Tournament this weekend RUNNIN’ THE POINT
CONOR’S COLUMN
MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE
Freshman point guard Rich Kelly was named to the MAAC All-Rookie team on Monday. By LOGAN REARDON Sports Editor
Quinnipiac head coach Baker Dunleavy has had an up-and-down debut season in Hamden. The story of the season, however, has been execution. If the Bobcats execute and defend at a high-level, they are a tough team to beat. When they don’t, that’s another story. Losers of seven of the last eight games, the Bobcats certainly don’t have much momentum heading into their first round matchup with tournament-host Siena on Thursday night. “We won’t think twice about momentum,” Dunleavy said. “We just have to get our heads right and prepare the right way and I know we can.” The MAAC Tournament is the culmination of a season-long grind. The upsand-downs of a season start the second the previous one ends. After Quinnipiac was eliminated last March, former head coach Tom Moore was fired, which subsequently led to Dunleavy’s arrival. Since he relocated to Hamden, Dunleavy has been about one thing — improving at his own pace. Half of the 14 players on this team are at Quinnipiac for their first year. They were picked to finish last (11th) in the MAAC. “At this point in our program, we can’t always let the record decide whether or not we’re improving,” Dunleavy said. “Our guys have bought in, they’ve allowed us to coach them. I couldn’t be happier with their effort and attitude.” The first part of that quote is the key. This team wasn’t expected to win seven conference games this year and be in contention for a bye until the final weekend. Dunleavy’s Quinnipiac program is still in its infant stages. Last year, the Bobcats finished the regular season 10-20, 7-13 in the MAAC, lost their last seven games of the season and fell in the first round of the tournament to a team they beat twice in the regular season (Niagara). This year, Quinnipiac is 10-20, 7-11 in the MAAC (two less MAAC games this season due to conference changes), lost seven of its last eight and will face a Siena team it beat twice already this year. Two teams with identical records headed in more opposite directions. Last season was the end. This season is the beginning. The way the regular season ended makes 2017-18 feel like a disappointment. It shouldn’t be seen as one no matter the results in Albany. “Our team, I believe has gotten better, consistently, to this point,” Dunleavy said. “Sometimes the schedule is laid out in a way where you run into some tough matchups right in a row. We played the top four teams (Rider, Canisius, Niagara, Iona) in our league (in a row) and three were on the road. I told our guys throughout that stretch that I felt us getting better.” With that being said, the season isn’t over. Quinnipiac has a date on Thursday night with Siena on the Saints’ home floor. It won’t be easy. On New Year’s Day, the Bobcats topped the Saints in Albany, 71-70, on a last-second, gamesaving block by junior forward Abdulai Bundu. A lot has changed since that day. That game was senior forward Chaise
Daniels’ first game back after he took a personal leave of absence from the team. Graduate student forward Alain Chigha was still in the starting lineup over freshman forward Jacob Rigoni, who started 11 of the final 12 games (didn’t start on Senior Day). Siena has also lost seven of its final eight games, so neither team is rolling into this one. The key for Quinnipiac in this game will be the play of freshman point guard Rich Kelly. Kelly, like the entire team, has been through the highs (40 points at Fairfield, game-winner at Columbia) and the lows (six games with five or more turnovers) this season. “I think communication is about being comfortable with everyone,” Kelly said. “It takes time to build that trust. [Dunleavy] says I’m not a freshman anymore because I’ve played in a lot of games and a lot of minutes. He says I have to act like a veteran out there.” Quinnipiac is winless in the six games where Kelly has five or more turnovers. On the other side, the Bobcats are 3-0 when Kelly has nine or more assists. Kelly’s ball control is paramount for success. “He’s been in a tough position as a freshman point guard, and I think he’s grown throughout the year,” Dunleavy said. “He’s done a great job for us, I think these experiences will carry forward for him in the MAAC Tournament and the rest of his career.” The production of Quinnipiac’s bench will also be an indicator of success in Albany. Junior guard Andrew Robinson has been sidelined for the last eight games with a left foot injury. Coincidental or not, the Bobcats began struggling once he went down. In the five games that Robinson has scored in double figures, the Bobcats are 4-1. Robinson returned to practice last week, but was still held out of the final two games of the season. Dunleavy said he’s working back at his own pace, and was still wearing his walking boot at the game at Manhattan on Sunday. If Robinson is able to return and give a scoring punch off the bench along with Daniels, the Bobcats will have a much greater chance against the MAAC’s best. “I think our morale is really good,” Dunleavy said regarding the state of the team. “Everybody comes to work every day with a positive mentality looking to get better. That’s really all you can ask for as a coach. Win or lose, our guys don’t come in with their heads down. Everybody has the mentality of getting better.” A loss on Thursday would be a tough pill to swallow, but it wouldn’t make this season a bust. The players shouldn’t be satisfied with a first-round loss. They’ll tell us that. Dunleavy won’t be happy with a loss on Thursday either, but there is always a bigger picture — attitude. “I hope we embody our mantra, which is ‘attitude,’” Dunleavy said. “You can’t control what happens to you, but you can control how you respond. If nothing else, even if you do lose a game, people will respect you if you battle.” Win or lose, the Bobcats will battle come Thursday night. That’s all they know.
MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE
Junior forward Aryn McClure is 37 points away from scoring her 1,000th career point. By CONOR ROCHE
Associate Sports Editor
The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team has won the MAAC regular season title for the fourth-straight year and will go into the MAAC Tournament as the No. 1 seed. Even though it’s become the norm for the Bobcats to perform this well in conference play, there’s something different about this year’s team compared to the last three. Is it the fact that they’re wearing new jerseys this season to go along with the school’s new uniform provider deal with adidas? Probably not, but it’s fitting that this year’s team has a new identity to it after making the Sweet 16 last season. Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri usually schedules a tough non-conference schedule before conference play each season, but this year’s was unnecessarily tougher compared to years past with four games (all on the road) against power conference teams and seven games against teams who are currently in the top 40 in RPI poll. In that stretch, the Bobcats went 6-5. But the moment conference play began, Quinnipiac flexed its new muscles on the MAAC, going 18-0 in conference play, making it the second time it has gone undefeated in MAAC play. In those 18 games, not only did the Bobcats win — they dominated. Quinnipiac’s average margin of victory was 22.1 points and only won three games by single-digits. But it isn’t just the team-dominance that’s brought the Bobcats to where they are. On Monday, redshirt junior forward Jen Fay and junior forward Aryn McClure were both named to the All-MAAC First Team, marking the first time in program history that two players have made an all-conference first team. Fay averaged 14.9 points per game (PPG) in conference play this season, which was good for seventh place in the MAAC, and grabbed 6.7 rebounds per game (RPG), which was good for 10th in the MAAC, while averaging just 26.9 minutes per game in conference play. Her scoring average is the highest for a Bobcat in conference play in four years when Jasmine Martin (‘15) averaged 15.8 PPG in 2013-14. But what made Fay a top-talent in the conference this season was her shooting numbers. Fay was first in the MAAC in field goal percentage (55.2) and 3-point percentage (48.7). She was also fifth in the conference in free throw percentage, shooting 83.3 percent from the stripe. McClure, who was the conference’s preseason player of the year, ranked 14th in the conference in scoring (13.1 PPG) and rebounding (6.0 RPG) while averaging just 27.8 minutes per game. Like Fay, McClure was amongst the league’s best in other stats, like field goal percentage (fifth at 47.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (second at 2.8 assists for every turnover). Fay and McClure are frontrunners for the MAAC Player of the Year, which will be named on Friday. The one player that ranks ahead of McClure in assist-to-turnover ratio is her teammate, senior guard Carly Fabbri. Carly Fabbri had a career-year in 2017-18,
leading the MAAC in assists per game (APG) with 4.7, finishing second in 3-point percentage (45.8) and third in field goal percentage (49.6). Those numbers earned Fabbri a spot on the All-MAAC Third Team, the first time she’s made an all-conference team in her career. But with that said, this isn’t Fabbri’s first time on the big-stage, and the veteran knows that every game from here on out carries more importance than the last. “I’m excited for Albany,” Carly Fabbri said. “Even after that, it’s kind of like lose and you go home at this point, so we’re going to try and extend the season for as long as we can.” It should be noted that if the Bobcats don’t win the MAAC Tournament, they’ll still get to play in the WNIT because they won the regular season title. But that isn’t Quinnipiac’s goal after last season. Quinnipiac has also gotten contributions for its two other starters, junior forward Paula Strautmane and sophomore guard Taylor Herd. Strautmane ranks eighth in steals (2.1 per game) and second in blocks (2.0 per game). Herd, who became a starter when Vanessa Udoji suffered a season-ending injury in December, is 10th in the MAAC in 3-point percentage (34.0) and sixth in 3-pointers made (33). These individual performances helped Quinnipiac have a strong regular season, which something that Tricia Fabbri applauds as it would’ve been easy to look over the competition. “I think our young ladies do an outstanding job of understanding the process and the grind of the day-to-day and the need to execute,” Tricia Fabbri said. “Our practices have been so good and so competitive and practicing at such a highlevel that when we get to the games, I think they’re enjoying the games.” When they go up to Albany for the MAAC Tournament, the Bobcats will have two things going for them outside of their talent. The first is that the team is well rested. Even though the team has won every game this season, not one Bobcat was ranked in the conference’s top 30 in minutes played during conference-play. That is huge because Quinnipiac will have to play three games in four days if they want to win it all. The second thing that is going in favor of the Bobcats is that the team that has played them the closest this season, Marist, is on the other side of the bracket. That means the Bobcats won’t face the Red Foxes until at least the title game. Of the three games that the Bobcats won by single-digits in conference play, two were against the Red Foxes. The first was a 62-56 win at home on Jan. 11. The second was an 80-74 double overtime win on the road on Feb. 18 that clinched the regular season title for the Bobcats. So, even though Quinnipiac has a different identity on its uniforms this season, it should be expected that the Bobcats repeat as MAAC Tournament champions and win their third title in four years. Winning a tournament isn’t easy, but according to Tricia Fabbri, the Bobcats’ experience will also help them in the tournament. “[The team] knows how hard it is,” Fabbri said. “But they also know that feeling of what it does take and how hard they need to work to get there and get that feeling again.”
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Sports|13
Bonsteel’s breakout season
Freshman forward Brooke Bonsteel has found a balance between the ice and the classroom By BRYAN MURPHY Contributing Writer
If anyone had told freshman forward Brooke Bonsteel at the start of the Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey season that she would be a top goal scorer for the team, she wouldn’t have believed you. “I’ve never really been a goal scorer,” Bonsteel said. “But now knowing I can score, and as the points started coming, it just boosted my confidence.” That confidence was evident on the ice this season. She has became a huge asset on a team that for the most part, struggled this year in scoring. Quinnipiac only averaged 1.85 goals per game this year, ranking ninth in ECAC Hockey. However, Bonsteel was been able to contribute 10 goals this year, good for second on the team behind junior captain forward Melissa Samoskevich (14). “The girls in the locker room are always super excited and hyped, as we would say,” Bonsteel said. “Everyone is super excited to play, super excited to pump you up. So it’s the support from everyone else that has really boosted my confidence.” Bonsteel grew up in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, just a half an hour drive from Toronto. She started playing hockey at 4 years old, starting off playing alongside the boys. Once she got older, she played for her hometown team, the Mississauga Jr. Chiefs of the Provincial Women’s Hockey League. She played there for three years, from 201417, and she was eventually named assistant captain in 2016-17. Bonsteel was then recruited to come play for Quinnipiac and she made the 510-mile trip to Hamden, uprooting her whole life in Ontario to get a chance to play at the collegiate level in the United States. The transition from playing for her native team to playing for a Division I collegiate team was quite surprising to her.
PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS
Bonsteel finished the season second on the team with 10 goals, fourth on the team with 13 points and played in all 36 games on the year. “It’s been a completely different experience than I had at home,” Bonsteel said. “It’s just a different atmosphere completely. Just like the training and the skating and the college lifestyle you always think about.” Looking at the numbers, she does not jump out as a goal scorer. In 2016-17, she tallied career highs with six goals and 15 assists. She finished with a total of 14 goals and 34 assists in her three years with Mississauga. She’s already more than halfway through surpassing that career total in goals just after her first season with the Bobcats. “I think she kind of surprised herself that she can score,” Quinnipiac head coach Cas-
sandra Turner said. “She’s such an intelligent hockey player. She’s at the right place at the right time both offensively and defensively.” Her effort has not only been noticed by her coach, but the upperclassmen as well. “I’ve seen just a lot of hard work [from Bonsteel],” Samoskevich said. “It’s always cool when freshmen are able to step up and put pucks in the net.” The goal scoring began for Bonsteel back in October. Just five games in, on Oct. 13, her two-goal performance led the team to a 4-1 victory against Vermont. The game marked not only the first goals of her collegiate career, but her first multi-point game
as well. But Bonsteel was quick to give her teammates credit for giving her the opportunity to get her name on the scoresheet. “I think it was really cool, just the teamwork that was involved,” Bonsteel said. “It felt great and it’s something you always dream of. Obviously it’s not just a single player show, so I think just the support I had from my teammates was there and they really helped me out.” In addition to being a prominent player, she’s excelling in academics as well. Bonsteel is an accounting major in the accelerated 3+1 BA/MS business program, in which students will take three years of undergraduate classes, one year of graduate classes and leave Quinnipiac with two degrees. These students must take additional classes in order to stay on track to graduate in the four years with a master’s degree. But the added workload has not seemed to faze her, as she had good enough marks to be placed on the Dean’s List for the Fall 2017 semester. “I think time management has always been one of my strong suits,” Bonsteel said. “Managing the 3+1 hasn’t been bad thus far. I’m just a freshman though, so I’m just getting started.” Bonsteel is only the second player to be enrolled in a 3+1 MBA program that has also played on the women’s ice hockey team. Balancing the practices, games and training and film sessions on top of the 19 credits she has to take each semester may seem to be heavy to handle for the average college student, but her teammates have noticed just how well she has dealt with it. “I think she’s done an awesome job just managing and balancing college hockey with the college life,” Samoskevich said. “She’s managed it extremely well for a freshman.” See BONSTEEL Page 14
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OPEN
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Come check out Montage and WQAQ’s Open Mic series this semester! There’s free food and drinks, awesome raffle prizes, free merchandise, lots of talented writers and artists, and of course, the chance to hop on the mic.
3/1/18 @ 7pm in SC 120 3/28/18 @ 7pm in SC 120 4/12/18 @ 7pm in SC 120
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
14|Sports
RUNDOWN
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY QU 3, St. Lawrence 2 – Friday Nick Jermain: 2 goals Andrew Shortridge: 28 saves Clarkson 4, QU 2 – Saturday Kevin Duane: 1 goal WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY St. Lawrence 3, QU 1 – Friday Melissa Samoskevich- 1 goal St. Lawrence 2, QU 1 – Saturday Abbie Ives: 19 saves MEN’S BASKETBALL Saint Peter’s 52, QU 43 – Friday Cam Young: 16 points, 11 rebounds Manhattan 92, QU 86 (2OT) – Sunday Young: 22 points, 10 rebounds Rich Kelly: 20 points, 6 rebounds WOMEN’S BASKETBALL QU 80, Rider 59 – Friday Aryn McClure: 18 points Carly Fabbri: 16 points QU 77, Monmouth 57 - Sunday Fabbri: 21 points MEN’S LACROSSE Vermont 10, QU 5 – Saturday Jake Tomsik: 2 goals WOMEN’S LACROSSE QU 15, Saint Francis 8 Ashley Bobinski: 6 goals, 2 assists Emily Byrne: 1 goal, 2 assists BASEBALL QU 6, William and Mary 1 – Friday QU 10, William and Mary 3 – Saturday QU 11, William and Mary 2 – Sunday
GAMES TO WATCH MEN’S ICE HOCKEY QU at Yale – Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 7 p.m. MEN’S BASKETBALL QU at Siena – Thrusday, 7 p.m. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL MAAC Tournment – Friday, 1 p.m. MEN’S LACROSSE QU vs. NJ Institute of Technology – Saturday, 3 p.m. WOMEN’S LACROSSE QU vs. Hartford – Wednesday, 3 p.m. QU vs. Sacred Heart – Saturday, 12 p.m. BASEBALL QU at Gardner-Webb – Friday, Saturday, Sunday WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD ECAC Championships – Saturday,, all day ACRO & TUMBLING QU vs. King University – Saturday, 12 p.m. WOMEN’S GOLF QU vs. College of Charleston - Monday, Tuesday
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Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
GAME OF THE WEEK
Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse gets first win of the season
The Bobcats use a complete team effort to pick up an early-season victory By JONCARLO DeFEUDIS Staff Writer
The Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse team (1-2) defeated Saint Francis (02) 15-8 on Saturday afternoon at the Quinnipiac Lacrosse Stadium. Four Bobcats scored in the win. Sophomore midfielder Ashley Bobinski led the winning effort for Quinnipiac by tallying a careerhigh six goals and two assists. Quinnipiac head coach Tanya Kotowicz stood outside the locker room while “Sweet Caroline” rang out from the Bobcat’s locker room after the game. “I just asked [Bobinski] what she ate for breakfast this morning,” Kotowicz said. “[Bobinski] is obviously a dynamic player. She can feed the ball, share the ball, and then she can score, so she’s just an unbelievable player.” Bobinski led the charge for the Bobcats as they came out of the gates strong and never looked back. Bobinski scored Quinnipiac’s two early goals. The goals were a show of her skill as they were both unassisted. Bobinski netted her first goal with a sprint from the left side of the net for a wrap-around shot that slipped past the unaware Saint Francis goalie. Bobinski’s next goal came after a slick spin move put her defender in the dust and she got a clear shot in front of the goal.
MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE
The Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse team is in the midst of a five-game home stand, going 1-1 in the first two games.
Though, between Bobinski’s breakout scores, Saint Francis had scored a goal by sophomore midfielder Livia Baker following a Bobcat penalty in front of the crease. But it was the Bobcats who had the answer all game, and early on, they were not going to let the Red Flash get a chance to tie the game at two. This time freshman midfielder Avery Drouin had the hot hand as she scored two consecutive goals, one of which assisted by Bobinkski, to bring the Quinnipiac lead to 4-1. At halftime, after Bobinski’s third and fourth goals, Quinnipiac had a comfortable lead on Saint Francis, 6-2 on 16 shots. Ten minutes into the second half,
the Red Flash made a surge in effort to back in the game. Saint Francis senior midfielder Jessica Mazzur’s had four of her five goals on the day in the second half. The Red Flash run was spearheaded by Mazzur scoring three goals in three minutes to cut the lead down to 10-5, yet it was not enough to discourage the Bobcats. Quinnipiac’s sophomore attacker Kayla Moreau responded to the Saint Francis offensive by scoring two critical goals down the stretch to widen the lead to 14-7 with less than nine minutes in play. More importantly, Moreau was able to swing the pace of the game in the Bobcat’s favor throughout the second half as she set the Bobcat tone by
going after loose balls, which she was able to draw fouls from on the Red Flash. Kotowicz credited the team’s win from play like Moreau’s. “[Our play] was a little more gritty. We had to work on our hustle. It wasn’t Xs and Os, it was just who was hungrier,” Kotowicz stated. After the final whistle blew, the Bobcats had weathered the Red Flash storm of Mazzur’s five goals on six shots, to get their first win of the season. The fifteen goals on the day is a season-high for the Bobcats in the young season, but Kotowicz believes there is more to come. “Look out. We are talented, there’s a lot of weapons on our team this year, and that’s the exciting part,” Kotowicz said. “We have no idea yet how we are going to use them, [but] we continue to work on a couple of different combinations.” Quinnipiac (1-2) has Hartford (10) in its sights on Wednesday, Feb. 28 as it looks to build off of this win.
FINAL SCORE QUINNIPIAC 15 SAINT FRANCIS 8
Mecca: ‘What [Schweizer’s] done for this institution is everlasting’
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Schweizer was honored with customized jerseys before his final home games.
SCHWEIZER from Page 16 closer to zero, he finally allows himself a time for reflection. Schweizer puts his prep work on hold to look around Lender Court, and the sights he is taking in for the last time. “Who would have ever thought
we would see a women’s basketball team in the Sweet 16?” Schweizer asked rhetorically as he gazes upon the women’s Sweet 16 banner. “Who would have ever thought we would see our men’s hockey team in two Frozen Fours? It really is amazing.” He pauses before turning his at-
tention to the yellow rafters stretching across the ceiling above. “You would have never expected to be sitting in a building like this in the early days either,” he says with a smile. “I mean, how lucky am I?” His peers know who the real lucky ones are. “If it wasn’t for Schweizer, none of this would have happened,” Mecca said. “There won’t be anyone that can do what Schweizer did the way he did it. I’m going to have a bunch of opportunities to work with different people, but I’m only going to have one partner. That’s going to be Billy Schweizer.” Mecca and Schweizer started their journey calling Quinnipiac basketball on the radio. The duo decided to end it where it began by taking the ride to Albany to announce the first round of the MAAC Tournament on Thursday. Whether the Bobcats win or lose, Schweizer will be signing off for the last time before selling his Con-
necticut home and heading down to South Carolina, where he will enjoy retirement with a golf club in hand instead of a microphone. Still, thanks to his success that helped the school reach new viewership, he will never be far away from his second home. “I’ll always open up my computer and stream [Quinnipiac] games,” Schweizer said about keeping up with the Bobcats from down south. “I’ll definitely do that. No question.” As Schweizer continues to take in the scene around him at Lender Court, it’s easy to follow his eyes and wonder if the school will make room for his own banner to celebrate his accomplishments. His partner would support it. “What he’s done for this institution is everlasting,” Mecca said as his eyes well up. “He’s left a handprint on the heart and soul of Quinnipiac.” Perhaps a vocal print is a more fitting term. It’s not something you can see, but you would know it if you heard it, and you’ll miss it when it’s gone.
Turner: ‘It’s nice to have found a spot where [Bonsteel] can be successful’ BONSTEEL from Page 13 As a freshman, she still has many games ahead of her in her Quinnipiac career. With the season winding down to a close, Bonsteel reflected on how she was able to play a key role and offered some advice to the incoming freshman on the team. “I think confidence plays a big roll,” Bonsteel said. “Coming in, I didn’t have as much confidence as I do now obviously. Just believing in yourself and putting in your best work everyday as how you will find success.” Along with Bonsteel, fellow freshman forward Laura Lundblad
and sophomore forward Sarah-Eve Coutu-Godbout have formed quite the dynamic line for the Bobcats. That forward trio has contributed 17 goals and 13 assists, good for 30 points on the season. With all three being underclassmen, the future seems to be in good hands for Turner’s squad, even after a first-round defeat at the hands of No. 8 St. Lawrence this past weekend. “[Bonsteel] has been truly that glue with Sarah-Eve and [Lundblad] on that line,” Turner said. “It’s nice to have found a spot where she can be successf ul and we’re really proud of what she’s done this season.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS
Bonsteel is the second Quinnipiac women’s ice hockey player to be enrolling in the 3+1 MBA program.
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 . 2 0 1 8
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
SENIOR DAY DUB
Sports|15
Clockwise from top left: sophomore guard Taylor Herd shoots a corner 3-pointer in Sunday’s win over Monmouth; junior guard Brittany Martin pulls up for a jumper while surrounded by the Monmouth defense; senior guard Carly Fabbri takes a wide open 3-pointer; sophomore forward Paige Warfel navigates her way through the defense.
MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE
BY THE NUMBERS ATHLETE ATHLETE OF OF THE THE WEEK WEEK
1 31 99
Women’s ice hockey senior defenseman Shannon Cherpak scored her first career goal in Saturday’s loss to St. Lawrence, her last collegiate game.
Men’s ice hockey freshman Odeen Tufto leads ECAC Hockey with 31 assists this season.
Men’s lacrosse midfielder Brian Feldman scored his 99th career goal on Saturday. He is one shy from becoming the fourth Bobcat to score 100 career goals.
Ashley Bobinski MORGAN TENCZA/CHRONICLE
The sophomore attacker scored six goals in the Quinnipiac’s 15-8 win over Saint Francis on Saturday. The six goals is a career-high for Bobinski, who now has eight goals through three games in 2018.
16|Sports COACH’S CORNER
“We don’t like to lose, but that’s not going to distract us from getting better tomorrow.” — BAKER DUNLEAVY MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Quinnipiac Chronicle
Sports Last call
Fe b r u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
QUCHRONICLE.COM/SPORTS SPORTS@QUCHRONICLE.COM @QUCHRONSPORTS
Bill Schweizer, the voice of the Bobcats for over 20 years, is calling it a career By RYAN CHICHESTER Staff Writer
It is just past 4 p.m. at Lender Court in Hamden. In roughly three hours, the Quinnipiac men’s basketball team will host Saint Peter’s in its final home game of the season. Every seat in the arena is empty. Even the court is vacant as players have yet to emerge from the locker room to get some shots in before pregame warmups. Press row is also empty, except for one seat that has been occupied by the same man for over 20 years. The Bobcats fans who will start to file in as the hours pass may not recognize his face, even if they shook his hand and said hello. But all of Bobcat Nation knows his voice. Bill Schweizer, Quinnipiac’s basketball and ice hockey play-by-play announcer, has been a fixture on the school’s airwaves since 1997. Even now as he strolls down the home stretch of his illustrious broadcasting career, he still makes sure he is the first one at the arena to prepare for the evening’s game. Actually, the prep work begins before Schweizer takes a seat in his usual spot in front of midcourt. He overlooks his notes in between sips of coffee for three hours at home before heading to the arena to study them again. His partner and color commentator, Bill Mecca, who will join Schweizer courtside in an hour or so, admires his friend’s punctuality, but from a distance. “I tell him, ‘that’s crazy dude, that’s too much time,’” Mecca said of Schweizer’s early arrival. “But when it comes time for him to pick up that microphone, he knows every number, every name and every coach. He never misses a beat. He takes a pride in doing things the right way.” Schweizer has always taken pride in doing things the right way, regardless if others understand. Frankly, they don’t have to. Besides, it’s not the first time he’s been called crazy. Long before he was the voice of the Bobcats, and before his voice took fans through Villanova basketball’s historic NCAA Tour-
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Schweizer has been calling men’s and women’s ice hockey and basketball games at Quinnipiac since 1997 and will finish his tenure this weekend. nament run in 1985, Schweizer was figuring out exactly what he wanted to do with his life. His plan of playing major league baseball shattered with the disc in his back, which popped shortly before completing his senior year at Iona. Shortly before the MLB draft, while Schweizer was still nursing his ailing back, a scout from the Cleveland Indians gave the soon-to-be college graduate a call. He wanted to know why Schweizer hadn’t been playing over the last few months of the season. “That’s too bad,” the scout said after Schweizer explained his injury. “We were going to draft you next week.” That was it. The dream was over. “He might as well have shot me with a gun,”
Schweizer said of the brutal conversation. With hopes of pro baseball officially dashed, Schweizer searched for a plan B. He wanted to stay around sports and was confident in his writing as an English major, so he decided to try sports reporting. “I went out knocking on doors every night, and every place told me I didn’t have experience,” Schweizer remembered. “How was I going to get experience if nobody was giving me a chance?” With nobody giving Schweizer a chance, he decided to take one on his own after stumbling across a newspaper ad for a 15-week broadcasting course. Again, many thought he was crazy. “Everyone told me that nobody ever gets a job from those things,” Schweizer said. “But I
took a shot, and 10 weeks into the course I got a job at a small network in Ellenville, New York, and it just went from there.” It went a lot of places from there, including CBS radio, where Schweizer filled in as the play-by-play announcer for the MLB Game of the Week and Sunday Night Football. After a pit stop in New Haven to announce minor league baseball, Schweizer headed down Whitney Avenue to a small school in Hamden that had just made the jump to Division-I athletics and needed a talented voice to elevate its game. It’s the same game Schweizer has helped elevate since Quinnipiac basketball performed down in Burt Kahn Court before TD Bank Sports Center was built a decade later in 2007. As Bobcats athletics have continued to rise over the years, Schweizer has been there to narrate all of it with his usual melodious storytelling. The story is nearing a close, but Schweizer refuses to let the impending end of a 45-year career interfere with what still needs to be done right now. That’s just not who he is. “It’s been harder for me than it has been for Billy [Schweizer],” Mecca explained. “He doesn’t want to look back. He’s not as nostalgic. That’s just his temperament. But I know he’s going to miss it.” Maybe a man like Schweizer can’t afford nostalgia. He has made a Hall of Fame career out of telling an audience what is happening here and now, down to every pass, shot and even a game-winner from half court at Central Connecticut that would appear on SportsCenter later that night. Schweizer was always there to tell it all as the action was unfolding. “A lot of guys call games a second or two after the ball or the puck moves,” Mecca explains. “Schweizer calls the game at the second the ball is moving… It was all simultaneous. It’s an incredible gift he has.” As the clock on Schweizer’s career draws See SCHWEIZER Page 14
Quinnipiac women’s basketball tops Monmouth on Senior Day to extend win streak to 19 By SEAN RAGGIO Staff Writer
The Quinnipiac women’s basketball team’s Senior Day was one to remember as it downed Monmouth 77-57 on Sunday. “It was great to be back home after three road games, in front of a great crowd, play this last regular season game and close out a regular season undefeated,” Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri said. “It’s a great way to finish a regular season.” The win against the Hawks (9-20, 7-11 MAAC) came off a road trip that saw the Bobcats (24-5, 18-0 MAAC) trailing at the half of each of those games. The Bobcats came out with the win in each of those after coming from behind. “I will say that probably one of the best attributes this team has had all year long is their composure and their confidence in when it’s not going well for a stretch of possessions, out of a timeout or during the game we do get our footing,” Tricia Fabbri said. “We’re able to stem the tide, find the right answer, go ahead and make what needs to happen in the next play to turn the tide for us to go up make a run.” There were 2,112 people in attendance on Sunday. By the end of senior guard, and
captain, Carly Fabbri’s 21-point performance, they were chanting her name. “I thought the crowd today was incredible,” Carly Fabbri said. “It was an awesome crowd and to hear the chant that was pretty cool coming off that court for the last time.” With Carly Fabbri graduating, the door opens for junior guard Brittany Martin, who finished Sunday with eight points and shot perfect in two attempts from downtown. Martin played in 15 games this season and has yet to start, but according to Tricia Fabbri, she keeps improving. “I just think it’s [Martin’s] overall confidence that she’s playing with,” Tricia Fabbri said. “She’s always had the talent now she’s just backing it up with her confidence going out there...since the conference play she’s really hit a groove for us and really going in and contributing and being an impact player for us.” Carly Fabbri, as well as fellow seniors Brittany Johnson and Sarah Shewan who are out for the season with injury, has accomplished a lot in her career as a Bobcat and she’s left a mark on the teammates she’ll soon be leaving. “I came in with them so they’re as close as anybody is to me on this team so it’s kind of sad that I can’t really go out with them,” redshirt junior forward Jen Fay said. “I’m just glad we’re
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The current Quinnipiac women’s basketball seniors have gone 109-25 over the past four years.
keeping the season going and we’ve done a lot of great things together so it’s been fun.” This marks the final regular season game and home game in Carly Fabbri’s career. In addition, it’s the final home game she will play with her mother as her coach. With this in consideration, Tricia Fabbri isn’t certain of how she feels about it. “I can’t process it quite yet because I always see what’s next,” Tricia Fabbri said. “I’m happy
that we won, I’m happy that she played particularly well and I’m happy that we get this moment getting to 18-0, the top seed, and we’re excited for what’s next going up into albany so that’s really a focus. There’s no reflecting… that’ll all happen when we’re in TD Bank (Sports Center]) and it’s set up for graduation in May.” The Bobcats look to repeat as MAAC champions with the opening of the tournament Thursday, March 1.