Issue 21 Vol 81

QUChronicle.com March 28, 2012 Volume 81 Issue 21

arts & life

Opinion

Overcoming alcohol addiction, page 10

sports

Atypical spring breaks, page 6 #KONY2012 commentary, page 7

Sliding and diving, page 15

LET’s DANCE

Students, staff compete in Dancing with the QU Stars

By Shannon corcoran | Staff Writer

M

usic blasted from speakers in Burt Kahn Court as a group of ballroom dancers – students and staff – showed an energetic crowd what it had learned over the past few weeks. As each performance came to a close, the crowd erupted into thundering applause.

See page 9 for full story and check out quchronicle.com for gallery lesly alvarez/chronicle

Cindy Long Porter (left), associate dean of student affairs and diretor of residential life, and her partner Ethan Pandolfi ties Stanley Rothman, professor of mathematics, and his partner Danielle Martin for first place in Dancing with the QU Stars.

Lender dies at 81 By katherine rojas Associate News Editor

Murray Lender, the man whose name you see as you walk toward North Lot, whose generosity to the university is honored with the name of the School of Business, died last Wednesday in a hospital in Miami from complications from a fall 10 weeks ago, according to a report in the Associated Press.

“I am deeply saddened to report to you that Murray Lender ’50, vice chairman of the University’s Board of Trustees, passed away,” QuinnipSee lender Page 5

Quinnipiac replaces 6 shuttles with newer, better-equipped models

By Bridgette fossel Staff Writer

lesly alvarez/chronicle

Six new shuttles replaced older models on the York Hill route.

What is white, shiny, has arm rests, air conditioning and can be seen cruising between Mount Carmel and York Hill?

That would be the new shuttles transporting QU students from campus to campus.

There are a total of six new shuttles, four big and two small, which replaced the old shuttles that had outlived their life spans of four to six years, Chief of Security & Safety David Barger said.

“There is a great deal of more mileage on these shuttles because they will just be going on a continuous route between the two campuses,” Barger said. “These shuttles are nicer, the seats are better appointed, more fuel efficient, which not only benefits us but DATTCO as well, especially with the average price of fuel in Connecticut.”

The new shuttles will not be going to New Haven from Thursday through Saturday at night. They are strictly for transporting students from Mount Carmel to York Hill and

back, according to Barger.

Through the annual contract that Quinnipiac has with DATTCO, new shuttles become available when they get older and replacements are necessary, Barger said.

Although the new shuttles do have spacious room for long-legged students, they consist of 36 seats, which is 18 seats fewer than the old shuttles.

Students are impressed with the new shuttles, but do not find them necessary.

“The new shuttles are nice, but

I didn’t think the old ones needed changing,” junior Brien Slate said.

“We need bigger shuttles and less small ones.”

Another addition featured on the new shuttles is a digital rectangle board that has “Quinnipiac University” in flashing in and out in yellow lettering.

“I like that they have air conditioning, but I think they should utilize the digital banner on the outside of the shuttles to say York Hill or See shuttles Page 5

Fire safety catches on at York Hill

By CASSIE COMEAU Copy Editor

When a fire starts, it spreads to anything and everything. It doesn’t distinguish between books, clothes or furniture. Fire devours everything in its path until all that’s left is destruction.

That is what Saturday’s “York Hill Puts Out” event, sponsored by the Student Government Association’s Junior Class Cabinet, demonstrated when it lit a fake dorm room on fire in the Westview parking lot.

The room was destroyed in just five minutes.

“We felt as though it is important to have an event that focuses on fire safety because of the amount of fires that have increased in college residence halls recently across the country,” junior class representative Heidi Hitchen said. “Fire is always a very real threat when you have students who may not be the best

chefs with access to a kitchen, so our cabinet wanted to inform the student body of that fact.”

An estimated 3,800 fires occur annually in residence halls across the U.S., according to a 2010 report by the U.S. Fire Administration.

Eighty-three percent of those fires result from a cooking incident.

“The junior class cabinet wanted to host a fire safety event after the amount of fire alarms that went off first semester,” Hitchen said. “We’ve heard that the fire alarms going off were results of misuse of the kitchen units in the Crescent, so in the case of a more serious reason for the fire alarms going off, we wanted to be sure students would know how to react in the case of an emergency.”

The demonstration also illustrated how certain items prohibited by the university can lead to starting a fire.

In the student handbook, Quinnipiac prohibits any items that could

potentially start a fire, such as candles, incense, grills, hot plates and string lights.

“There’s rules in the buildings for a reason, but people just kind of disregard them, like put up lights, put candles out, because they don’t think anything will happen,” junior Anna McAvinchey said. “But it can happen, and this demonstration was a really good example of that if you disregard these rules, this will happen.”

Along with the fire demonstration, the junior class provided residents with the opportunity to explore the fire trucks and learn how to use a fire extinguisher. Students could enjoy free food, music and raffles.

“I think the demonstration for this event was amazing,” junior Ryan Scanlon said. “It’s so important for the student body to know and be aware of what can happen if you don’t take proper precautions and live a healthy lifestyle.”

photo courtesy of caitlin enright

The model room at York Hill Puts Out was engulfed in flames in approximately five minutes.

2|News

Campus briefs

Have you heard any news that you think Quinnipiac students would care about?

Please, tell us: tips@quchronicle.com

SoB jumps 19 spots in ranks

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

March 28, 2012

Spring breakers spend day doing good

Quinnipiac’s School of Business claimed the No. 72 spot in Bloomberg Businessweek’s seventh annual ranking of “The Best Undergraduate Business Schools.” QU shot up 19 slots since last year’s list, when it fell as No. 91. The ranking is based on student, employer and recruiter surveys, student-to-faculty ratio, the number of students with internships and several other factors. Approximately 142 schools across the nation participated. – M. Malone

Grad student walks away with winnings on game show A Quinnipiac graduate student won $13,250 competing on ABC’s show “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” Jessica Tallini, a physical therapy student, made it to the seventh question and decided to walk away.

Tallini’s episode aired on March 14. – M. Malone

Next semesters’ course schedules now available Class registration bulletins are now available to students in the Carl Hansen Student Center and various buildings on campus. An online version can be found on MyQ where registration dates have also been posted. In order to see their registration time, students can visit WebAdvisor. – M. Malone

St. Baldrick’s greatly exceeds fundraising goal Quinnipiac shattered its goal of raising $15,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation on March 6, raising a record total of $38,707.

This is the third St. Baldrick’s event held by QU. The donations, which came from students and supporters, help fund childhood cancer research. – M. Malone

photo courtesy of danielle Cascerceri

Kevin Mahoney (left), Danielle Cascerceri (center) and Megan Brady (right) in La Romana, Domincan Republic on March 13.

By lauren epifanio Staff Writer

With the frustration of winter and the semester dragging on and summer soon in sight, many students were eager to take a break from reality and enjoy their spring break. On the other hand, seniors Danielle Cascerceri, Megan Brady, Katie Warner and Kevin Mahoney, took advantage of what was beyond the walls of their resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

On March 13, the students met Quinnipiac public relations professor John Powers in the Dominican Republic city of La Romana to spend a day seeing how life truly is for others outside of what we know.

For the past 22 years, Powers has led students to La Romana, each time going back to help in a different way, whether it be helping build hospitals and schools or bringing over donated clothes.

Powers teaches a public relations campaign class at Quinnipiac in which he educated students in developing comprehensive PR campaigns for the two non-profits located in La Romana. The two charities, The Good Samaritan Hospital and the Joe Hartman school, serve the poor through the help of solid PR campaigns that Powers believes can raise awareness and gain support from the American audiences.

When the four students mentioned to Powers that they would be going to Punta Cana, DR for their spring break, he informed them they could visit the hospital, school and the Haitian sugar cane village, known as a “batey.”

“They were able to meet and interact with the teachers and students of the school, visit the hospital and talk with patients, clinicians, and administrators, and interact with the kids in the batey,” Powers said. “Seeing and experiencing this personally will certainly greatly enhance the work on their PR campaigns.”

After two hours hours of traveling, the students arrived at their destination. Admitting she was nervous, Cascerceri explained the roads of the batey were poorly paved and ahead of her were fields of trash and tin boards, which served as walls and roofs to the houses of the town.

“Driving through the country on the bus was eye opening; it was so beautiful and so poor at the same time,” Brady said.

Cascerceri and Brady were greeted with hugs and hand holding from the children of the batey. Although La Romana is a Spanish-speaking batey, the language differences proved to be no barrier.

A little girl took Cascerceri by the hand, leading her towards the tin-roofed houses, and letting curiosity get the best of her, she went inside. Horrified by the conditions of the “house,” Cascerceri was greeted by filth, walls visibly falling apart and a cat and live chicken running around in what appeared to be the little girl’s kitchen.

After leaving Batey 106, the students passed another batey, which appeared to be in even worse condition than the first. But, to the students’ surprise, the churches were in most pristine condition and beautiful, Cascerceri said.

“It blew my mind how the people live in houses that are literally holding on by a thread yet the churches are built with skill and the best materials,” Cascerceri said. “That was one thing that really struck me and impressed me about the Dominican people–their loyalty to God even though they struggle in most aspects.”

Next, the group visited a school which had four classrooms, one for each grade from preschool to second.

“One thing that really stuck out to me was how they are trying to build the school while kids were in attendance,” Cascerceri said.

“Something like this would never happen in

Fun in the sun

Big Event draws 1,326 students Association, closed on March 23. According to Kaite Lovett, SGA’s vice president of public relations, 1,326 students have registered and the team captains will meet this weekend. The Big Event is scheduled to take place on April 14. – M. Malone

lesly alvarez/chronicle

Quinnipiac students enjoy the warm weather and spend time outside playing games and relaxing last Thursday.

America because it would be considered too dangerous. There were literally pieces of wood and nails and screws lying around where the kids go to school.”

After driving through a more urban area of the Dominican Republic, the group arrived at a hospital built completely from donations and volunteer work. The group took a tour of the hospital, which included a physical therapy room, a dentist’s office, a mammogram area and operating rooms.

“In graduate school for the Physician Assistant career at Quinnipiac University, traveling internationally for one of the clinical rotations is a possibility. After seeing the excessive need and visiting a hospital, it is definitely something worth considering,” Brady said. “It is a great opportunity to learn a ton, as they need all the hands they can get, and make a major positive impact on the lives in La Romana earlier."

Due to unclean water, the number one killer of children in the Dominican Republic is dehydration caused by diarrhea. The DR Mission Team, which Powers runs, organizes a water filtration system donation drive. The system implements a freshwater system in each batey so the drinking water can be clean and safe.

At the end of the day, the students walked away with the knowledge of what life is like, not even a world away, but maybe even outside of the gates of the resort they stayed, and the difference donations and volunteer work really can make.

This summer, Powers will take 100 local volunteers, including some Quinnipiac students, to the Dominican Republic for 10 day to build homes and schools as well as provide and nutrition and have daily medical clinics.

Next fall, Powers will teach a QU301 course where the group will take a service learning trip to the Dominican Republic from Dec. 28 through Jan. 5.

March 28, 2012

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

News|3

IMaGinE-ing diversity

Chief diversity officer: We are preparing students to be multicultural learners

By Rachel cogut Staff Writer

Quinnipiac released last Thursday its IMaGinE (Inclusiveness, Multiculturalism and Globalism in Education) Strategic Plan Draft, which is designed to expose students to a greater sense of diversity while enabling them to graduate as openminded, global citizens.

The proposal was written by the IMaGinE Student Advisory Group in conjunction with the IMaGinE Advisory Board, which is comprised of self-selected members of the faculty and one graduate student. Chief Diversity Officer Diane Ariza chairs the board along with co-chairs Professor Dwayne Boucaud and Professor Maureen Helgren.

“We are in the business of preparing students to be multicultural learners and practitioners,” Ariza said. “The IMaGinE Plan is really about encouraging everyone to take that initiative and take that on as part of their learning.”

Ariza spearheaded the initiative to create IMaGinE in 2010 and began to recruit members from the Quinnipiac community to form a Diversity Student Task Force and a Faculty Task Force. These groups created and drafted what is now the IMaGinE Strategic Plan.

Sophomore Tavish Fitzpatrick, a member of the Student Advisory Group, said that the IMaGinE Strategic Plan would allow students at

Quinnipiac to learn about diverse backgrounds and increase the overall level of cultural awareness on campus.

“Having students who can be understanding and considerate of the many kinds of forms of identity and interaction among people would be so beneficial,” Fitzpatrick said. “Quinnipiac can be so much more diversified and innovative than it is now.”

He also noted that developing a school community in which all members were considerate of and

Having students who can be understanding and considerate of the many kinds of forms of identity and interaction among people would be so beneficial. Quinnipiac can be so much more diversified and innovative than it is now.”

-Tavish Fitzpatrick

knowledgeable about all forms of diversity and identity would be beneficial to the academic environment at Quinnipiac.

The main purpose of the ImaGinE Plan is to provide students at

Quinnipiac with greater exposure to multiculturalism, and more preparation to enter the global workforce.

The plan is framed to highlight three overarching goals, delineated by the categories campus climate, accountability, and growth and sustainability. A detailed description of the objectives and tasks intended to achieve the goal associated with each of these three categories is provided in a separate document. The two documents were sent via email to the student body last Thursday, and will be sent out again in the near future.

Ariza emphasized inclusiveness as one of the most important themes of IMaGinE. The plan is aimed at everyone on campus, as diversity is all-inclusive and applies to everyone, she said.

She also stressed that as a culture, both inside the “Quinnipiac bubble” and beyond, we need to deconstruct the way we think about diversity.

Contrary to popular belief, diversity does not only apply to ethnicity and race. Socioeconomic class, gender, religion and a multitude of other categories also constitute diversity.

In that sense, Quinnipiac is more diverse than most people believe it to be.

But there is acknowledgement that the stereotype of Quinnipiac as a homogeneous population is not entirely inaccurate. If implemented successfully, dispelling the sense of

a homogeneous student body could be one of the positive results of the IMaGinE Plan.

“I feel we are all capable of keeping up with the stereotype or changing it,” Fitzpatrick said.

Learning about inclusiveness, globalism and multiculturalism does not necessitate that the student population be extraordinarily diverse. Ariza said that the best way to infuse diversity into a campus is to have more people of different backgrounds, but points out that this is only half the battle.

“You have to get kids out of their comfort zone. You need both,” Ariza said. “The numbers are important, but changing cultural patterns of the school is also vital.”

The Admissions Office has worked hard on its own initiative to attract more international students to the school. They have achieved significant success, dramatically raising numbers of international students at Quinnipiac in just a few years, according to Kristin Helms, Program Coordinator for the IMaGinE plan.

“A successful implementation of the IMaGinE plan will benefit every member of the Quinnipiac University community,” said Mark Thompson, senior vice president for academic and student affairs.

“As important as it is for our graduates to master discipline-specific knowledge associated with a chosen particular career path, this is

no longer enough. With increasing global interdependency, graduates need to demonstrate social intelligence, critical thinking and diversity awareness and sensitivity to engage as innovative global citizens and leaders.”

Thompson said that his expectation and hope is that “students, faculty and staff will continue to demonstrate a strong commitment to campus and student success by making the IMaGinE plan a true community effort.”

The IMaGinE Student Advisory Group is imploring all members of the Quinnipiac community, to review the draft of its plan and to give any and all feedback.

At the end of the spring semester, the IMaGinE Advisory Board will evaluate the feedback from the community and revise the plan to reflect this feedback. The final draft will be released in the fall.

“Every member of the Quinnipiac University community has an important role to play as the campus undertakes this important endeavor,” said a QU press release published on March 22. “Working together, the administrators, faculty, staff and students can establish an inclusive, global and multicultural learning environment in which all are accountable for advancing diversity as a core value. That can only make for a better college experience for everyone.”

Glitz 4 Good raises money by styling hair for formals

photo courtesy of glitz 4 good

Junior Nicole Serrante and sophomore Kaci McCreesh team up to raise money by styling hair for all of the Greek life formal events. The event titled “Glitz 4 Good” asks for a minimum donation of $15 with 75 percent of the proceeds going to FARA and 25 percent to the Coach Van Scholarship fund.

By olivia grattan Staff Writer

Glitz 4 Good has presented a fantastic opportunity to give back as the girls of Greek life prepare for formal season.

Junior Nicole Serrante and sophomore Kacie McCreesh teamed up to raise money by styling hair for all of the Greek life formal events. Glitz 4 Good asks for a minimum donation of $15 with 75 percent of the proceeds

being donated to FARA, the Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance, and 25 percent to the Coach Van Scholarship fund.

The Coach Van Scholarship is for student athletes in memory of Ralph J. Van Nostrand who recently passed away from cancer.

Van Nostrand was the father of a friend, and in honor of him, Glitz 4 Good wanted to support his fund, Serrante said.

“This scholarship is in his

memory because just as he never gave up in his long battle with cancer, he would want to help someone else pursue their educational dreams and never give up,” Serrante said.

Friedreich's Ataxia is, “a debilitating, life-shortening, degenerative neuro-muscular disorder. About one in 50,000 people in the United States have Friedreich's ataxia,” according to the FARA website.

Serrante works as a personal

care assistant for two girls suffering from the disease, but calls them her friends.

“I spend 10 hours a week with them and we recently went on vacation together,” Serrante said.

Serrante’s friends, Sam and Alex, are both in wheelchairs and have slurred speech, with an expected lifespan of about 40 years.

“The reason why I wanted to do this is because these girls are my really good friends,” Serrante said.

“It really hit me that there is no cure when I realized that they’re 25 years old.”

The first Greek formal was this past Saturday and the girls already have 30 more appointments lined up. However, Glitz 4 Good is not limiting its services specifically to formal events. To set up an appointment, simply email Glitz4Good@ gmail.com with a date and time that works best, and pictures of what hairstyle you would like.

4|News

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

March 28, 2012

SGA extends elections to 2 days By susan riello Contributing Writer

The Student Government Association elections will take place over a two-day span this spring, as opposed to the previous method of having one day of voting.

SGA made the decision not only to increase student involvement, but also to accommodate candidates by relieving the pressure of a singleday election.

“Getting more votes is always a concern, but it’s only fair to the candidates if we try to reach as many people as possible,” said Vincent

Bond, SGA’s election committee chair and vice president of student concerns. “They’re putting in a lot of time. When you only have eight hours, the stress blows them out of the water.”

Bond, along with the SGA election committee, ensures that the election runs smoothly and the voting process is both easy and convenient for Quinnipiac students.

Because many students have busy schedules, the extra day leaves more room for flexibility.

“I think that having two days of elections is beneficial to the

student body,” junior Lindsay Srour said. “I know that personally, sometimes I am very busy and things slip my mind. By having the second day of people reminding me to vote, I could easily make time to do so.”

Along with allowing more time for students to vote, SGA has also worked with the Office of Residential Life to ensure that all policies and rules are followed. Candidates will no longer be able to enter the dorms during quiet hours to solicit votes.

The majority of their campaign-

ing will be done during the day, when posters will surround the campus and the candidates will get the chance to introduce themselves to the students.

“As a transfer student, I definitely find it helpful that the Quinnipiac community is doing more promotion on the elections and how to vote,” sophomore JP Orlando said. “I would love to learn more about the process so I can participate and vote in the future.”

In the past, online voting for SGA elections was a multiple step process, making it more difficult for

votes to be tallied. However, students will now be able to vote using Collegiatelink, a system accessible through Blackboard.

Collegiatelink was first used in the fall elections, which Bond said was the best the turnout to date.

According to Bond, “2,200 votes is the record, but I’m hoping for 3,000 to 4,000 this time.”

Students will be able to vote online through Collegiatelink, as well as several voting stations set up around campus. Elections begin Tuesday, April 3 at 12:01 a.m., and end on Wednesday, April 4 at 8 p.m.

Students for Environmental Action encourages QU to ‘Do it in the Dark’ By robert grant Staff Writer

Brackets are common in the month of March for basketball fans, but not to compare energy use in residence halls.

Do It In The Dark, sponsored

by Students for Environmental Action and the Facilities Department, is an event that compares energy usage in the residence halls on Mount Carmel and York Hill using a bracket system. The event started March 23 at midnight and

will continue until midnight on April 13.

“The competition is important because it raises awareness of how much electricity as a community we use,” said Keith Woodward, associate vice president for facilities operation. “This challenge reminds all of us, in a fun and competitive fashion, that there are ways to reduce our electricity usage.”

The bracket system pairs up residence halls, and every week only one advances to the next

round based off which building reduced the most energy. This can be seen at buildingdashboard.net/ quinnipiac/.

Every student in the winning residence hall will receive a T-shirt and ice cream social. There is also a consolation bracket to keep the losing buildings engaged in the competition.

“The whole reason is to build a habit in the students to conserve energy and resources,” junior Ilya Spektor, the president and founder

of SEA, said. “We thought the best way to engage students was to have a competition.”

The energy that is used in residence halls comes from fossil fuels and nuclear energy, two sources that contribute to climate change and pollution. Spektor said our contribution to climate change is a major problem that hasn’t been realized in this school.

“We have a real chance to introduce the sustainability topic to this school and ignite a movement,” Spe-

ktor said.

SEA’s goal is to transform Do It In The Dark into an annual event where all students are involved.

“Educating people on the importance of energy conservation is not just a Quinnipiac concern — it is a concern that all citizens should have,” Jennifer Crane, associate director of residential education, said. “This event helps students gain awareness on the difference that small changes in behavior can make on our environment.”

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

March 28, 2012

News|5

QU replaces 6 shuttles Lender dies at 81

shuttles from cover wherever their destination is instead of just Quinnipiac University,” junior Courtney LaRue said.

There are still about five old shuttles that remain on campus for going to New Haven, Hamden, Whitney Village and the Westwoods lot.

The rest of the shuttles will be replaced within the next year, Barger said. An athletic charter bus has also been added.

“We just want our students to have nice buses, and so when these buses get older and if we can get the contract, we want to get clean new buses and have something that the students can take pride in, we will,” Assistant Chief of Security Edgar Rodriguez said.

lender from cover

lesly alvarez/chronicle

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iac University President John Lahey said. “Murray’s 24-year tenure as a member of the board helped to guide Quinnipiac’s emergence as a nationally ranked university.”

Lender’s largest donation to his alma mater was the Lender School of Business.

Senior Francesco Compagnino, a student member on the School of Business advisory board, has never had direct contact with Lender in the past, however, he was impacted by his death.

“I think that it’s a sad moment for the university, but his name will forever be immortal at Quinnipiac,” Compagnino said.

Sophomore interactive digital design major Ryan Obier found Lender’s passing to be a terrible loss to the Quinnipiac community because of his impact on making a name for the school.

“I think it’s definitely a significant loss to the Quinnipiac community considering the role he played at this school and how much he cared and was willing to donate to make Quinnipiac a better place,” Obier said.

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6|Opinion

March 28, 2012

Opinion

Quchronicle.com/opinion opinion@QUChronicle.com @QUChronicle

atypical spring breaks

Nicaragua: Trip of a lifetime I spent my spring break on the dren on their lunch break walking a Albert Schweitzer Institute Alterna- few miles home carrying buckets of tive Spring Break trip to Nicaragua. water. We saw barefoot kids running around a dirt schoolyard grinContrary to popular belief, I am ning ear to ear while playing not about to quit all my other soccer with us, even though clubs and only talk about Niwe hardly spoke the same caragua upon my return to language. We saw the absoQuinnipiac. lute joy of a whole communiPeople say how lifety seeing that somebody changing the trip can be. They in the world cared say how it is the greatenough to make their est 10 days of their lives even the tiniest lives. They say how it bit better. makes them really realJeremy Stull Opinion Editor It made me rethink ize what they want to do @jpstull the audacity I exhibit with their lives and how they now appreciate everything so while skipping a class at a $50,000 per year university with a host of inmuch more.

They say a lot of things. I used to adequate excuses.

After getting over the guilt and want so badly to bring all of these people back down to earth and disagree promising myself I would no lonwith them. I so often relish being the ger skip for frivolous reasons, I thought of the opportunities that I sole voice of dissent (re: reason).

But what do I actually think? It have been presented with. A gifted was the greatest 10 days of my life program and a college dual enrolland I now know what I want to do ment program at my high school, a world class university, parents who with the rest of it.

Some things could have been financially and emotionally supbetter. The issue of sustainabil- port my endeavors into education ity was obvious when the garden and an extremely safe environment planted last year seemed to have in which to pursue them. I realized, been left in disrepair. The QU del- quite painfully, how I represent the egation knew little about the his- vast minority of kids in the world. tory of Nicaragua, myself included. Even within the United States, I feel The group at large also occasionally like I have been pretty lucky.

Executive Director of the Albert acted like they did not know how to behave outside of the United States, Schweitzer Institute David Ives told and exemplified some typical ugly the delegation how students with any major can become involved in American tendencies.

That being said, I would go on development work. I am a history the exact same trip, time and again, major, fond of policy writing and if given the chance. It was the most public administration. I was failing that I have ever accomplished, for to see in my endeavors stateside myself or other people, in any 10- where I could take this interest. My Nicaragua trip has solidified my deday span of my life.

In our efforts to assist in build- sire to enter the world of education ing a preschool classroom, we saw and enact change that I know posses mothers of the village shoveling the perspective to appreciate.

Then I was struck with a progravel with us. We saw school chil-

found moment of perspective; realizing my size and impact relative to the world. I worked in one country, in one village, on one schoolyard, to build one half of one classroom.

Greg Mortensen ran into the same moral dilemma when it seemed like every village in Pakistan pitched an idea for a school to him. I felt like no matter what I did, there would be somebody that was left out. In fact, a large number of somebodies are always left out.

Then I recalled what Nicholas Kristof said when he spoke at Quinnipiac recently; that every little action can make some discernible impact for the world at large. He urged people to get involved in development in some capacity and I wish to do the same.

I hope those that have traveled on trips similar to the one that I was just fortunate enough to experience, keep their lessons in mind. Nicaragua 2012 trip leader Stephanie Ferris says she thinks about the trip every time she brushes her teeth. The mechanism allows her a systematic way of recalling the memories and lessons every day (hopefully twice a day). I am usually silently critical of such silly little techniques, as it sounds like it is from “Chicken Soup for the Soul.”

So fellow skeptics, please believe me when I tell you how worthwhile this method is. I think of the trip every time I open my journal.

Who knows, a kid attending our preschool in Nicaragua may one day grow up to be a doctor who saves your life. Maybe the kid you helped serve that hot meal to in New Haven grows up to be president. Or maybe it just makes their life better for that small amount of time you are in it. Either way, it will be more than worth your while.

New Hampshire: Just the break I needed

While some of my friends soaked at any pool I can find.)

For the students like me who up UV rays by the pool with a beer in Punta Cana or an extravagant didn’t have the privilege of going resort, I was at my home in New someplace nice for spring break, I too pledged that I would try to Hampshire, the coldest, whereget some schoolwork done. the-heck-am-I, did-I-just-seeBut did that actually happen? a-moose state in America.

Not a chance. OK, maybe But the funny thing is I actua little, but one wise person ally enjoyed it. once quoted Judge Smails Let’s see … after stepfrom Caddyshack for me ping through an ice marsh (bear in mind, I’m a to reach the course journalism student): (yeah, it snowed “There are more imthe first night I got portant things than back), I hit a golf LENNY NESLIN Editor-in-Chief grades, Danny.” ball for the first time @lsneslin So I listened, and this year. That was awesome, even though dirt from the focused on finding a career and a wet soil flew into my eye and splat- place to live after I graduate in May. Whether I secured a job or found tered all over my clothes whenever I caught a little bit too much turf my next home is irrelevant. Taking under the ball with my 9-iron. But those two searches seriously – just a hey, my ice marsh photo was the couple months earlier than most stubest thing I had to upload to Face- dents – might make the difference book compared to my friends’ beach between having a miserable first year after college and having a great photos.

Spring break finally gave me experience. Employers might recogthe opportunity to play basketball, nize your passion. More apartments something I have zero time for while might be available. For the seniors working hard at school. Of course, who have no idea what lies ahead in after one three-hour session at the their near future, it’s still not too late gym I realized I was way too out to start looking.

I’ll never know what my spring of shape to play that long without every muscle in my body aching, break could have been like if I had or for that matter, too out of shape ponied up the dough to visit an isto take off my shirt at a pool. Talk land or two in the Bahamas, but I do about a silver lining. (OK, I’m not know this: I feel a lot less stressed really that self-conscious. Blubber than most seniors who returned to a or no blubber I will take off my shirt harsh reality.

meet The Staff Publisher Matt Busekroos Editor-in-Chief Lenny Neslin Senior Managing Editors John Healy Meghan Parmentier Managing Editor Michele Snow Copy Desk Chief Jamie Hill Copy Editor Cassie Comeau Web Editor Tim O’Donnell Web Developer Marcus Harun Cartoonist Dakota Wiegand Adviser Lila Carney 203-582-8358

Advertising inquiries can be sent to advertise@quchronicle.com. Inquiries must be made a week prior to publication.

Design Chief Samantha Epstein Photography Editor Anna Brundage Associate Photography Editor Katie O’brien News Editor Kim Green Associate News Editors Phil Nobile Katherine Rojas Opinion Editor Jeremy Stull Arts & Life Editor Nicole Fano Associate Arts & Life Editors Catherine Boudreau Christine Burroni Sarah Rosenberg Sports Editor Matt Eisenberg Associate Sports Editor Joe Addonizio Mailing address Quinnipiac University 275 Mount Carmel Ave. Hamden, CT 06518

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lenny neslin/Chronicle

Corrections The story titled, “No more chance to dance” on the cover of the March 7 issue incorrectly said Quinnipiac’s men’s basketball lost to LIU-Brooklyn in the semifinals on Saturday. In fact, the game was played on Sunday, March 4.

The story titled, “‘Glee Project’ inspires musical talent” on page 8 of the March 7 issue incorrectly said Katie O’Brien took the accompanying photo. In fact, Aine McKeever took the photo.

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March 28, 2012

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Opinion|7

#KONY2012

QU Invisible Children president IC missing big picture says viral video is only beginning The week of March 5, Joseph website. So after you’ve watched Kony was trending on Twitter. If the video, tweet about it. Post it you didn’t see him there, he was on Facebook, Tumblr, blog about it. The point is to shout out to the plastered all over Facebook. You entire world that this situation may have seen Kony’s face is not acceptable. on MSNBC, Fox News, When the Kony video the Daily Show with Jon went active on March 5, Stewart, ABC News, the it garnered more than 100 Huffington Post, The million views in the first New York Times, and week. It broke the record countless other meof the fastest spreading dia outlets. If you still viral campaign in Inmissed him, you could Jamie Hill ternet history, accordjoin the tens of milCopy Desk Chief ing to a Mashable report. lions of people who have @magicattic6 That means that the war watched the Invisible Children documentary Kony 2012 in Africa and the crimes of the indictthat reveals his horrific war crimes ed war criminal Joseph Kony have and the terrorist activities of the finally come to the public’s attention, Lord’s Resistance Army rebel group especially the American youth, who are arguably the hardest demographin central Africa.

The Invisible Children organiza- ic to motivate.

At the heart of Invisible Chiltion has been working since 2003 to end this war and rehabilitate war- dren’s Kony 2012 campaign, obaffected areas of central Africa. With scured by the criticisms and negathe Kony campaign in particular, In- tive reactions, the goal remains the visible Children’s massive display of same: to raise awareness and edusocial media prowess and catchiness cate people about a horrible injusof slogans and hashtags serves to tice that has been going on for more beat you over the head with this mes- than 20 years. The organization urges the world to “stop at nothing” to sage: Stop Kony by getting active.

The critics and general ig- apprehend Kony and make his arrest norami that slap the “slactivism” an example for injustices throughlabel on the campaign are clearly out the world. This works into the missing the point. It’s true that the larger picture of ending the war in main objective of the organization central Africa.

It’s not meant to serve as the sois to use film and social action to help end the use of child soldiers lution to the problem, rather, it’s simand restore war-torn communities ply the catalyst for a chain of events to peace and prosperity; it says so that could lead to direct results. The right on the home page of their documentary aims to raise aware-

ness by educating people about the issue in order to gather public recognition. It’s easy to ignore the suffering of millions of people when you don’t know about it, but it becomes harder once you know it exists. That is exactly what this campaign aims to do: make people uncomfortable with the status quo.

What follows is that the general popular opinion increases until there is a general consensus to “do something.” Using that momentum and public support, it is crucial to take active steps in persuading people with agency in our society – Congresspeople – by writing letters, attending events and rallies, and lobbying at their offices. People should urge their representatives to introduce and cosponsor legislature that aims at destroying the LRA. The final step is the complicated process of restructuring and rehabilitation of the war-affected areas.

The Invisible Children organization does not pretend to have the solutions to ending this violent conflict. If anyone thinks they have all the answers, call Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni and please enlighten him. Instead, this organization is attempting to raise questions and get the issue out there, so someone with political power can find the answer to ending Africa’s longest running war.

Disclaimer: Jamie Hill is the president of the QU chapter of Invisible Children. Her opinions do not reflect the chapter’s, only her own.

These were points made by a feI could start off with a comment on Jason Russell, a co-founder of In- male Ugandan journalist, Rosebell visible Children, getting caught mas- Kagumire, in response to Invisible Children’s video. What was turbating in public; but I won’t. missing in the video, KaguInvisible Children is an mire said, was the current admirable organization. It situation on the ground. Inraises awareness for those stead, the focus was on one who can’t advocate for man, Joseph Kony, and the themselves. But with its crimes he is committing recent 30-minute video against humanity. going viral, a harsh The reality is that spotlight fell on its adbringing Kony to justice ministration, effectivealone will not solve the ness and influence.

Michele Snow Managing Editor problems in Africa. With From the very @michenator all the power and outreach mouths of the Invisible Children organization came the confir- Invisible Children has, it should zoom mation that it does, in fact, only spend out to focus on the Ugandan civil war, one-third of its money on “programs the violent situation in the Democraton the ground” that provide “protec- ic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, tion, rehabilitation and development or Central African Republic. If it can assistance” in war-affected areas of educate the world about Kony, why east and central Africa. The other couldn’t it use that power to educate two-thirds of its profits go toward two the world about the larger problem other goals that IC claims are just as across Africa?

The Invisible Children video, important as operating programs on the ground: producing films to raise along with the resulting shares and awareness and “channeling energy re-shares through social media, from viewers of IC films into large- seems to imply that the worst part of scale advocacy campaigns.” Neither all this was the ignorance of Westof these goals are worth two-thirds of erners to these atrocities. This completely discredits the African people. the millions of dollars IC is making.

What really needs to change in “If you are showing me as voiceless, Africa are the grassroots policies, the as hopeless, you have no space tellstructures and attitudes of African ing my story, you shouldn’t be tellnations themselves. This cannot turn ing my story, if you don’t believe into another example of the ongoing that I also have the power to change narrative of the West coming to Afri- what is going on,” Kagumire said.

We should be telling the whole ca’s rescue. The power to change Africa lies in African government and in story of Africans, and setting them local initiatives on the ground, it does up to sustain their own peace, rather not lie in the benevolence of Ameri- than promoting the continuation cans, or millions of people watching of Western power and resources to prop them up indefinitely. a 30-minute-long video.

sga update

Class of 2014 rundown The sophomore class of the Student Government Association has been hard at work this semester. Our ValenSKATE event, held on Valentine’s Day, was a fun, romantic and goal-driven event to raise interest in the Quinnipiac Open Skate nights, as well as serve as a “trial-run” for the potential purchasing of ice skates for the school.

Throughout the semester, we have been working hard to get condiment stations added to the upper cafeteria, get the Illy coffee shop hours extended, have continental breakfast in the cafeteria at earlier hours on the weekends and create a food journaling program as a way for students to track the food quality.

We’ve also been in the works to renovate the Ledges-Complex basketball court area with a new basket, sidewalk, benches, flowers, and a full key. Look out for some grills in New Village over the next few weeks. We have been hard at work trying to find new ways to improve school spirit.

Over the next few weeks, we will be working on some cool new ideas for the cafeteria, for improvement of school spirit and the creation of individual school contact lists (deans names, possible advisers and career services contacts). Live the Legend! –Marissa Harper, Class of 2014 President Dakota Wiegand/Chronicle

THE

8|Arts & Life

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

March 28, 2012

E C A P S THE MAN BEHIND HAMDEN’S TOP MUSIC VENUE

0

n Treadwell Street, in the middle of an industrial park in Hamden, stands a lone building. The sign on the street says it is “The Space.” From the outside, it may look like another warehouse, just like the ones that form a barrier around the parking lot, until you take in the white, carnivallike booth marked “tickets” in large, red letters and the patio where people sit outside chatting and smoking cigarettes.

The inside looks like the basement of a house, with couches, tables and memories of the not-so-distant past. Upon further observation, you notice that it’s not a regular basement.

Along the far wall is a raised platform with speakers and microphones; in front of you is a snack bar, a young worker resting her elbows on the counter.

You head back up the stairs and out the door, crossing the parking lot to another warehouselooking building. The sign reads “The Outer Space.” The inside of the building is modeled like a 1920s saloon.

The man behind the bar is wearing a red, blue and white plaid button-up over a navy Tshirt. Tan Converse All Stars peek out from beneath his jeans, which are ripped at the knees.

“Do you mind if we go out on the patio so I can have a cigarette?” he asks.

As he sits down under the umbrella at the aluminum table, his blond hair pokes out from under his dark brown baseball cap and his blue eyes sparkle. He lights a cigarette and plays with the green and orange label of his East India Pale Ale as you ask him his full name.

“Steve Rodgers,” he replies.

Eight years ago, at 26, with his first child on the way and no money in his pocket, Rodgers leased a warehouse building as a place for him and his friends to hang out and play music.

With support from friends within and outside the music world, Rodgers turned a lone building in the middle of an industrial park into an all-ages music venue for local and underground bands to perform and practice. The Space opened in April 2003, and its 21-plus sister

By Cassie comeau

Associate Copy Editor

Charlotte greene /Chronicle

Rodgers’ “Space” caters to bands in the area who fly under the radar. club, The Outer Space, followed nearly eight years later in February 2011.

“I basically just didn’t sleep for a year while I opened that place, renovated the building from floor to ceiling,” Rodgers said.

Even before the opening of The Space, Rodgers’ life revolved around music. Nine years old and in fourth grade, Rodgers found an old stereo in the trash by the side of the road.

He wheeled it home, where he set it up in his garage, and plugged in an old guitar he had received as a gift. He began to play.

“That was my first amplified experience,” Rodgers said with a smile. “And it was really, really sweet.”

It would be a real shame if it stopped happening because it meant so much to so many people, so I kind of just went out on a limb and went and signed a lease without even having any money in the bank.

-Steve Rodgers Rodgers’ passion for music was echoed by his family. His father, Peter, a pastor at an Episcopal church in New Haven, Conn., played guitar and recorded music at BBC Recording Studios in England when Rodgers was young.

His mother, Susan, a social worker in New Haven, played guitar and helped Peter write songs.

Rodgers’ brother Jon is a professional musician who plays guitar in four different bands and travels around the country. He has also begun to write music for movies.

In high school, Rodgers and his brother started a band, Mighty Purple, and everything else took a backseat to his life as a musician. High school was 30 percent priority and the band was 70 percent priority, according to Rodgers. After graduation, he bought a 30-foot RV with his band and left

Charlotte Greene /Chronicle

After giving up touring, Rodgers wanted to create a “Space” for friends and members of the community to relax and enjoy local music.

New Haven to travel the country. Instead of attending college, he played shows at them; instead of learning in the classroom, he learned from life experiences on the road.

“Once my teenage years hit, I just started going to see shows all the time, and I just lived it,” Rodgers said. “I was always out either seeing a show, playing a show or hanging out with people before or after a show. Everything revolved around shows, so I guess it makes sense that I own a place where I do that 24/7, or two places now that I do that 24/7.”

While Rodgers grew up listening to his father’s Everly Brothers and Simon and Garfunkel records and his mother’s albums of R.E.M. and U2, he’s almost overwhelmed at the thought of naming one band or genre that he enjoys most.

“This is so much stuff,” he said. “It’s almost too much to talk about. It’s almost a whole other conversation. I love good songwriting. That’s my thing. If there’s good songs and I can tell that it’s heartfelt and real, then I’m really into it.

I like things that are powerful.”

On tour with Mighty Purple, Rodgers’ passion for powerful and real things became apparent. He describes America as it was in the early 1990s, before chain stores spread to every section of the country, before GPS, cell phones and Internet were used. He remembers the days when you had to call around to set up gigs and take the risk of not getting paid to get the band’s music heard.

“I got to see a lot of that stuff, stuff you only see in books anymore,” Rodgers said. “There were almost parts of it that were still third-world country in a way when I first started touring. I think that was almost more exciting to me then.”

When Rodgers returned home to Hamden, he rented a rehearsal space across the street from his house to keep himself busy. He and his band dubbed it The Space. He hosted open mic nights and put on shows for his friends, charging a dollar to get in and 50 cents for coffee. He would rent the place out to bands to practice and charge them a decent price. After 10 years, the neighbors started complaining, and he received an eviction notice. Two weeks later, he signed the lease for the present The Space and decided on the name.

“I sort of at that point had built something that involved so many people in the community,” Rodgers said. “It would be a real shame if it stopped happening because it meant so much to so many people, so I kind of just went out on a limb and went and signed a lease without even having any money in the bank.”

After a minor complication when The Space was shut down by the town for not having the correct permits, two of his friends– Beth Corraco and Dave, whose last name Rodgers did not wish to give– sat him down and told him he had to learn how to run a business. He may have toured and managed bands, but he didn’t know how to run a music venue.

“I didn’t know anything about anything,” Rodgers said. “I didn’t really know that you need to have things like sprinkler systems and handi-

cap bathrooms, you know, all this stuff, so I had a rapid learning experience. So I essentially ended up going and learning a whole lot from a whole lot of people in a short period of time. At the same time, I was expecting our first kid, closing on a house, so all of a sudden, when I was 26 years old, I was like ‘Oh shit, I have to be an adult.’ Like all of a sudden, you know.”

Once he went through the proper legal channels, Rodgers set to work reopening The Space. He decorated both venues with items that he collected off the side of the road, which started with the old speaker he picked up when he was 9. Everything he had in his childhood bedroom plus what he’s acquired over his adult years fills the walls, ceilings and floors of The Space, The Outer Space and his home.

Then the calls started coming. Pop-punk bands, from all over the East Coast, started calling to set up gigs at the all-ages venue. With a capacity of only 150, The Space still only arranges shows for smaller, lesser-known bands.

Rodgers doesn’t mind keeping the big names out, though.

“I don’t like taking risks that cost as much as two years worth of mortgage payments,” he said. “I’d rather have a bunch of college-age kids working for me and giving them little jobs instead. Those are the risks I want to take. Taking somebody on for a year and paying them that kind of money instead of an artist in one night. That’s where I’m at. And I love the underdog. I love the underground musician. I love people who are really trying because a lot of the time they just have a lot of spark and a lot of fire.”

One of those “underdogs” is the Quinnipi-

And I love the underdog. I love the underground musician.

I love people who are really trying because a lot of the time they just have a lot of spark and a lot of fire.

-Steve Rodgers ac-based band Voted Most Random, made up of Ian Reibeisen, Salvatore Salemme, Scott Gunter, Chris Weiss and Joe Mauti. Over the past year, Rodgers has taken the group under his wing, making suggestions and giving advice on being part of the music business.

“He treats everyone with respect as long as they treat him, his employees and the venue the same way,” Reibeisen and Mauti said in an email.

“Whenever we need anything we can either text, call or just stop by The Space, and he is more than happy to talk. Voted Most Random wouldn’t be where we are now if it wasn’t for the help of Steve and everyone else at The Space.”

With his cigarette long since burnt out, he finishes his beer and sets the bottle down in front of him, his blue eyes meeting yours.

“So that’s me in a nutshell, after one beer and a night full of responsibility ahead of me.”

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

March 28, 2012

QU STARS:

Arts & Life|9

Dance floor spotlight shines on ballroom society Cold river records

HOWDY KATIE Rising country star performs

By Nicole fano Arts & Life Editor

FAVORI COUPLETE

T P BES NSHI A

WM SHO

Photos by LESLY ALVAREZ/Chronicle

John Midy, QBS co-president does the tango with Courtney McKenna, assistant director of the Carl Hansen Student Center, campus life and Greek life.

Jaclyn Croyle, QBS treasurer, dances the salsa with Assistant Dean and Director of the Carl Hansen Student Center Daniel Brown.

Catherine Makuch, QBS vice president, dances the Argentine tango with Mohammed Bey, director of multicultural and global education.

Stars from cover The Quinnipiac Ballroom Society held its inaugural Dancing with the QU Stars event. With more than 400 people in attendance and $2,000 raised for Camp Sunshine, a week-long retreat that gives terminally ill children and their families time to relax, the night was dedicated to giving back to those in need.

There were eight teams, each consisting of a QBS member and a “QU star,” either an administrator or professor. Over the course of the evening, the teams each performed two different dances, such as the foxtrot and rumba, and battled it out to take home the first place trophy.

Nearly every aspect of the Quinnipiac community was represented – professors cheering on their co-workers, students rooting for their friends, and onlookers who were there to see what all of the excitement was about.

“Not many events attract such a diverse group of people. The sense of community shown tonight was great,” said Cindy Long Porter, an event participant and associate dean of student affairs and director of residential life.

In the end, everybody was a winner. There was a tie for first place:

between Porter with her partner Ethan Pandolfi, and Professor Stanley Rothman with his partner Danielle Martin. Afterward, awards, such as “Most Enthusiastic” and “Best Showmanship,” were awarded.

“Everyone is so good, and the amount of talent that was out on the dance floor tonight was incredible, making it an awesome surprise for me to win this,” Pandolfi said.

Rothman echoed Pandolfi and said that tying for first place felt great and that there was an immense amount of talent shown by the students and stars.

“I’m so proud of everybody, the Ballroom Society put so much effort into this event and overcame so many disappointments, but in the end the night turned out to be amazing,” Rothman said.

John Midy, president of the Quinnipiac Ballroom Society, said he was really proud of everybody’s tremendous amount of effort and hopes that the popularity of the organization will grow after a night like this.

The next event that the Quinnipiac Ballroom Society is having is the Masquerade on April 13.

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The country music realm appears to have gained another self-proclaimed “good girl.”

But from her quirky performances to her dark brown locks, rising artist Katie Armiger insists she is different from the Taylor Swift persona.

“I’m a singer/songwriter,” Armiger said.

“You get this whole singer/songwriter vibe as well as the fun quirky side of me all mixed in.”

The 20-year-old Texas native grew up like many other aspiring country performers – displaying a passion and talent for music.

“I’ve just always grown up knowing that I wanted to sing country music,” she said.

Then at 14, Armiger competed in Houston’s Best Country Singer competition where she ultimately won the grand prize and an opportunity to record a two-song demo.

Since then, Armiger has spent the past six years writing new lyrics, recording new songs and opening for acclaimed country artists such as Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley.

In October 2010, Armiger released her third studio album, “Confessions of a Nice Girl.” She says her musical inspiration for the album stemmed from her personal experiences and feelings.

“I would describe it as probably a melting pot of emotion,” she said.

As for creating an original reputation, Armiger says it is common for new artists to be compared to big name performers.

“I’ve gotten comparisons to Taylor [Swift] as well,” she said. “It’s fine because she’s a great artist, but I think when you see our shows you can tell that we’re very, very different. So I’m totally fine with it.”

In addition to aspiring to be nominated for a new country artist of the year award, Armiger said she hopes to create memorable lyrics and enjoyable music.

“Having good music would be the goal for me,” she said. “I would want to have songs that are classics that people can listen to years and years from now and still be like, ‘that’s great.’”

For Armiger, that goal is quickly becoming attainable. Her music videos for “Best Song Ever” and “I Do, But Do I” have earned backto-back No. 1 spots on the Great American Country Top 20 Countdown.

Armiger performed at the Rocky Top Student Center last Saturday.

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The Quinnipiac Chronicle

10|Arts & Life

March 28, 2012

THIS IS ME

a sobering reality

Back on track, this junior realizes how close he came to losing it all

By MATT EISENBERG

Sports Editor

NAME: A.J. Billingsley HOMETOWN: Walpole, Mass.

YEAR: Junior MAJOR: Finance Write down a list of the three most important things in your life on a sheet of paper. You might have your family, friends and graduating college.

Now imagine losing all three of those things.

This concept was the theme of an activity that A.J. Billingsley led at a chapter meeting for Delta Tau Delta.

When he did this activity himself, it wasn’t a practice, and it wasn’t in a room of 60 of his fellow brothers. It was in an alcohol rehabilitation center with an even larger group of people seeking help.

“I lost everything,” said Billingsley, now a 21-year-old junior.

He has three of these notes as reminders and keeps them in different places: his golf bag, his car and his desk — all to remind him of what he once lost because of alcohol abuse.

“It’s one of those things where it’s those little reminders that are the three most important things I have,” he said. “If I lose one of those things, I’m screwed.”

At one point or another, he lost all three. He says he felt isolated from his family, fell into the wrong group of friends and eventually left school.

“The drinking got to a point where I couldn’t control it. The depression was at a point when I didn’t get out of bed.”

– A.J. Billingsley To this day, he said leaving school was one of the best life choices he has made. If he didn’t, “I’d probably be dead,” Billingsley said. “As weird as it is, I can’t see a good result coming from it.”

Anna Brundage/Chronicle

A.J. Billingsley is back at Quinnipiac after taking a medical leave for alcohol abuse and depression.

Billingsley started drinking when he was 16, the age when he stopped playing competitive sports. It was that same year, when he was a high school sophomore, that one of his friends committed suicide. He found himself without an outlet to release all of his emotions like he had when he used to play hockey.

“When you’re 16 years old, you can’t really handle it. I did as best as I could,” Billingsley said. “I think about it every day, especially around now.”

He turned to alcohol to mask everything — from the depression stemming from his friend’s death to the anxiety he felt. He didn’t drink often in high school, maybe two or three times each month he said. But in those times, he would blackout.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing. It was just my thing,” he said.

“I come to find out now that it was alcoholic behavior.”

A friend of his from home, J.P. Lalumia, said he noticed Billingsley hanging out with different crowds and doing different things. He noticed that Billingsley was changing, and was the first person to actually call Billingsley an alcoholic in December 2009.

“I just had to tell him,” said Lalumia, a sophomore. “It was really tough on me because I didn’t want to say anything. I didn’t want to make him mad because I knew saying this could potentially end our friendship, but I said it to him because I care about him.”

Billingsley was defensive about it, saying Lalumia didn’t understand, especially because he is a year younger.

“I was like, ‘I’m not an alcoholic.

I drink two to three times a month, tops,’” Billingsley said. “They saw it and I didn’t. It’s the intent behind it.

I was looking for the releaser and I couldn’t find that with what I had.”

His drinking did not get out of control until he started college. During his first semester, his drinking started on Thursdays and would continue on Friday and Saturday nights too. But as the weeks went by, the weekends

started on Wednesday. Soon enough, they started on Tuesday.

“By the beginning of second semester I was drinking six days per week,” Billingsley said.

Some college students start pregaming at around 7 or 8 p.m., but Billingsley kept pushing the standard to around 4 or 5 p.m. He says he felt more and more apathetic as a result of drinking, especially in the classroom.

While he was a straight ‘A’ student growing up, he found himself putting in minimal effort. In his second semester, he didn’t show up to two of his classes at all.

“I’d get to the bare minimum and then call it a day. It showed,” he said.

“I went to 15 minutes of my math class and that was it. I went to maybe a third of my history classes and maybe a quarter of my English classes, and I just didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to get out of bed. The depression and the anxiety at that point was really starting to take hold.”

At one point, instead of taking 15 credits, he was down to six, and he failed three of them. He once slept through a midterm and was called out by a teacher for drinking in one of his classes on St. Patrick’s Day. “I got an email later and found out that he was going to fail me in class for the semester and I felt like an absolute failure,” Billingsley said. “I had six credits and I failed three of them, and what the hell am I supposed to do? … That’s when the drinking kind of kicked in. I was like, ‘You know what? Don’t worry about it right now, you’ll handle it tomorrow.’ It didn’t end up happening. It was non-stop.”

“The drinking got to a point where I couldn’t control it,” he added. “The depression was at a point when I didn’t get out of bed.”

Then came March 21, 2010. The weather was sunny and he was sitting outside on the soccer field bleachers, looking up at the sun and just thinking to himself: why?

“I was just looking. There was a lot of blank and I didn’t know what to do with myself,” he said. “I can’t stay here and survive … That was the first time I made a decision that was best for me at Quinnipiac.”

The next morning, he called his dad for what he said was “by far the most terrifying phone call I’ve ever made in my entire life.” He went to health services and then saw Carol Boucher, associate vice president of student services. Within 15 minutes, he was on a medical leave of absence.

and getting in touch with my parents, I was realizing that I was extremely lucky that I have the motivation I keep to this day.”

He spoke with Boucher later that summer and returned to Quinnipiac in fall 2010 and has since put his life on track. He holds an e-board position for his fraternity and still is on track to get a graduate degree and be involved in investment banking, which is what he wanted to do before he got involved in drugs.

He said he one day hopes to open

In the past 12 months:

31%

of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse

6%

of college students met criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence Source: Questionnaire-based self-reports from collegedrinkingprevention.gov

“By choosing to go home I knew that it was the only way I would be able to walk at graduation anywhere,” Billingsley said. “I just wanted to find something to fix it with, and I couldn’t find it here. That’s what the big decision was and what the trigger was.”

Later in the week, Billingsley went to Gosnold, a rehabilitation clinic in Cape Cod for about 10 days before he left and went to HaML Clinical Associates in Needham, Mass. That’s where he met Dr. Harry MacGregor Leichtman, the man who gave Billingsley the ability to think about life and give him structure. He still talks with Leichtman on a regular basis.

“That was the real changing point from where I was at school to where I am now,” Billingsley said. “It was meeting with him and slowly but surely, not drinking, staying sober,

up a youth rehabilitation center because it’s something he is passionate about. He has also spoken with Boucher about speaking about his past to classes. It’s not something he shies away from; rather, he has called himself an alcoholic and does not cower away from the phrase.

“I’m not scared to say it,” he said.

“It’s one of those things that’s really tough to get there and admit. It’s tough. It doesn’t go away.”

He said as long as he makes a difference to one person, it’s worth it.

“I’m still learning, I’m still making mistakes,” Billingsley said. “I think after getting back to school sophomore year, I’ve put more of an emphasis on making myself happy and making myself my first priority.”

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

March 28, 2012

Arts & Life|11

CAMPUS COUTURE

sarah’s style

Y U NO YOLO?

Gianna DeMonte

“

South Windsor, Conn.

Public Relations major Senior

By SARAH ROSENBERG Associate Arts & Life Editor

I usually just dress according to how I feel, but I would say I always try to incorporate modern trends on to classic elements.

”

Katie o’brien/Chronicle

Rave

Wreck

‘Punk’d’ Pranks Again

RiRi and Chris Brown; Happily Never After?

MTV

After a five-year hiatus, MTV’s hit show “Punk’d” is back. While Ashton Kutcher still produces the show, he is relinquishing his throne as the king of all pranks. In its ninth season, a different celebrity host will be featured each week as they set up their famous friends to be the center of a practical joke.

In the debut episode, Justin Bieber tricks Taylor Swift into believing she has just blown up a boat where a wedding is taking place. Another preview features Miley Cyrus setting up Khloe Kardashian. Kardashian dials 911 on behalf of a guy with his junk stuck in his zipper–a tribute to the movie “Something About Mary,” perhaps? Regardless, it seems fans will be in for a season full of laughs.

Other hosts will include Bam Margera, Nick Cannon, Dax Shepard, Kellan Lutz and more. Look out for future “prankees” like Snooki and Ronnie of the “Jersey Shore,” Zac Efron and Liam Hemsworth.

Tune in to the season premiere on March 29 at 10 p.m.

– C. Boudreau

instagram of the week @mdowes Melissa Dowers

Roc Nation

Ever since the release of “Birthday Cake,” it has been rumored that the controversial domestic violence duo are back together and possibly engaged, as reported by an Australian entertainment magazine earlier this month.Thankfully, contrary to some bad aussie reporting, wedding bells will not be ringing for these two. After all, the media coverage surrounding these two has been too much as it is.

But even though RiRi and Brown are not getting married, there are still firing rumors that the two are reuniting not only musically, but also romantically. Maybe Rihanna will be the first to punch this time? Let’s hope so, because beyond that, there is no good reason for these two to even be in the same room. Rihanna getting back together with her violent ex-boyfriend is not only bad for her (and her body), but it is also setting a bad example for her fans. She is an international celebrity and saying that getting “back in the ring” with her old angered beau is saying to all her fans that it’s okay to get beat up by a guy. Maybe that’s a little exaggerated, but regardless, get a grip and get a nice guy. I guess some people are into a little more than “S&M,” right? – C. Burroni

After every spring break, Quinnipiac students get an exasperating surge of YOLO (“You Only Live Once”). Until recently, there hasn’t really been a phrase to describe this anxious itching sensation you feel in your toes when Mother Nature does a 180 and the sun is shining directly onto your pale legs. You’re prompted to drop everything and reach for a red solo cup. Suddenly, the smell of barbecue smoke is in your hair and your flips-flops have mysteriously appeared from under the bed. You get an unexplainable urge to play Bob Marley out of your window, even if you don’t like Bob Marley. You become a grill master, a Kan Jam champion.

You can be anything you want when the sun comes out to tantalize you.

But, there are rules to YOLO-ing. You don’t want to abuse YOLO, because then it completely loses its charm. Remember that thing called class? Work? Your thesis? Doing your homework outside simply doesn’t happen, unless you have the willpower synonymous to a 15 years sober alcoholic.

What I can suggest is that you try as hard as you can to convince your professor to hold class on the quad, or by the Law School.

This past Thursday I watched from the Arnold Bernhard Library as a professor led a discussion for the full length of a night class, and they didn’t move even as it finally got dark out. He gets extra points if he’s a business professor.

Besides the thought of going to class making you want to throw a tantrum, there’s the inevitable relationship of beautiful weather with alcohol. I’m not sure why college students, myself included, necessitate this relationship. It isn’t as if during the colder weeks we were hibernating drinkers, but we definitely weren’t sitting outside with Irish coffees. So, when you’re done with your cup, your bottle, whatever it may be, dispose of it. Part of the reason why we find it so appealing to drink when the weather is beautiful is because it fulfills the aesthetic satisfaction we get from kicking back on a campus that really is quite beautiful. So keep it that way. The maintenance crew is too nice to be dealing with our party trash.

With that said, whip your YOLO out.

But, don’t forget that you have your entire summer to do absolutely nothing, while you do absolutely nothing. It seems too precious to waste on every warm day that will come our way from now until finals week. What will the next youth trend be anyway? I’m thinking PNBT, “Party Now Before Taxes.” That seems to be more appropriate as college students preparing for the real world, but I’m not trying to put a damper just yet on your springtime fun.

Bobcat TWEET OF THE WEEK @sarahhhrauth Sarah Rauth

“Another beautiful day at @quinnipiacu!”

We know you all love to pretend you’re artsy.

Show us your best instagrams by tweeting them to

@QUChronArtsLife

Dattco upgrade? Well at least these shuttles don’t smell like vomit #itsabouttime #quinnipiacproblems

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

12|Interactive

crossword: WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

This week’s crossword is sponsored by #QU201FWF in honor of Women’s History Month. Stop by our table in the Student Center on Wednesday, March 26th from 2pm to 6pm to sign our pledge to respect and honor women!

ACROSS 8 The pioneer nurse known as the Founder of Modern Nursing 11 The female slave that became a conductor on the Underground Railroad 14 In 1893, this country was the first to grant women the right to vote 15 In 2007, she became the first woman Speaker of the House of Representative DOWN 1 This Queen ruled one of the largest empires in the history of the world 2 The first woman elected to Congress 3 The first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean and fly solo over the Pacific Ocean 4 Women’s History Month falls during the month 5 She won the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize

6 Her face is on the United States gold dollar coin 7 She was first woman on the Supreme Court 9 She founded the American Red Cross 10 She became the first American Woman in space 12 She is the famous teen Holocaust diarist 13 This state was the first to grant women the right to vote

Fe b r u a r y 2 2 , 2 0 1 2

solution to Last Week’s Crossword

solution to Last Week’s sodoku

March 28, 2012

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

Sports|13

Recking another land

Former Bobcat captains German squad

photo courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics

Former Quinnipiac men’s soccer player Shane Recklet is currently the captain of the German pro club SV Germania 90 Schoneiche of the fifth Bundesliga.

By JOe Addonizio Associate Sports Editor

Shane Recklet, a former four-year starter and captain for the Quinnipiac men’s soccer team, has taken his game from Bobcat nation across the Atlantic Ocean where his talents have landed him a professional soccer contract.

Recklet is currently playing in Germany for the German professional club SV Germania 90 Schoneiche of the fifth Bundesliga, and was recently named captain of his team.

The journey to becoming a professional soccer player in Europe was not an easy one.

Upon graduating in 2010, Recklet tried out for a few United Soccer League teams, which are essentially the minor leagues of the MLS. However, Recklet was unable to make any of those squads but knew he still wanted to play professionally.

“One of my friends said he knew a guy that

was coaching a team in the Connecticut Soccer League, and the guy was a German agent who sent American players to Germany,” Recklet said. “So I went to try out for the team, ended up playing half a season for him and then he offered to bring me to Germany for some tryouts in January.”

After trying out for several teams in Sweden, Norway and Berlin, Recklet was finally offered a contract by SV Germania. For many players, playing the sport they love professionally is a dream come true, but for Recklet it wasn’t something he always thought about.

“While I was in school, I didn't really know what to expect for after graduation,” Recklet said. “I didn't really think it was possible to be completely honest. Then I remember I had a talk with coach after my sophomore season and he told me I should start thinking about going for it, and that’s when I really started to

focus on the possibility and started telling myself that that's what I'm going to do. And then in my senior year, I was meeting with coach a lot and he was doing everything he can to try and get me looks from professional scouts or tryouts for after the season.”

Although Recklet was unsure where he wanted to take his career following Quinnipiac, head coach Eric Da Costa already considered him a professional.

“The truth is he was already a pro when he was here. The way he approached training, the way he took criticism, his eagerness to be coached, his desire to improve, everything about him was professional,” Da Costa said.

“I always felt that if he remained committed and someone gave him a chance it would happen for him.”

With seven years of coaching under his belt, as well as four years of playing experience at Quinnipiac himself, Da Costa knows talent when he sees it.

“Shane was the picture of professionalism.

His approach to training was always consistent. He showed great leadership and always brought tremendous energy and a high work rate to every training session,” Da Costa said.

“As a staff we always knew exactly what to expect out of his performances. As a result he was a permanent fixture in our starting lineup and the backbone of our team over the course of his four-year career.”

At Quinnipiac, the Shelton, Conn. native was a two-time All-NEC Second Team selection. Recklet was also a captain his junior and senior seasons and led the team to its first NEC Tournament championship game. Recklet finished his Quinnipiac career with 19 points and started 69 of 71 games he played in.

“Shane was a great player that had potential to be a game changer. Everyone felt more comfortable when he was playing on the field knowing that he was defending behind us,” senior forward Durval Pereira said. “He was one of those players that put in effort day in and day out and was always ready to play.”

Recklet played under a great coaching staff at Quinnipiac which helped him to learn how to enjoy the game and still play it competitively.

“Playing under Coach Da Costa was definitely one of the reasons why I had such a great experience playing at Quinnipiac. The great thing about coach was that he knew there was a time for work, and a time to have fun,” Recklet said. “I will never forget, it was my sophomore year and we were in preseason, and we were having a 6 v 6 tournament in the rain. Coach was playing on my team and we won in the championship game. There was a puddle about the size of a swimming pool right next to our field, and coach was the first one to go sliding head-first right through the puddle to celebrate our win. We all worked hard together, but he also knew how important it was to enjoy play-

ing the game as well. It was awesome.”

The now German pro learned much under Da Costa and the Quinnipiac coaching staff, but most important to him was being able to be confident with the ball and retain possession even as a defender. That’s the way he likes to play the game and Da Costa helped him hone in on that skill.

With SV Germania, Recklet went from an unsigned player to a everyday starter to later being promoted as the team's captain within a year of playing for the team.

Recklet, whose first language is English, is now the leader of a German-speaking squad.

“To be completely honest, I was a little nervous at first. I'm still not speaking the language perfectly, and I didn't know how all of the players would react,” Recklet said. “I know there are a handful of guys that have been on the team for a couple years and would have liked the opportunity to become captain.”

Recklet hopes to move up from the fifth

“The truth is he was already a pro when he was here.”

— eric da costa quinnipiac men’s soccer head coach

Bundesliga and knows that this will be his last season with the team. But for now, he is focusing on being the best player and leader that he can be.

“I think it has been helping me grow as a player as well,” Recklet said. “It forces me to challenge myself and step up even more as a leader on the field, not only with my playing but vocally as well, which I think will help me in the long run.”

Current senior on the men’s soccer team, Matthew Rothbart, played alongside Recklet in the Bobcat backfield and also played against his former captain in high school.

“Shane is a natural leader because he is a true player and him being promoted to captain is what he deserves,” Rothbart said. “He is a player that others can look to because he always has the right mindset and when his teammates follow what he does it can only help the team.

Playing with him at school I felt this exact way.”

Recklet is planning to leave his current team at the end of the year and look for a spot on a higher Bundesliga or division in Germany.

“Right now everything is still up in the air with what happens next. I know that this will be my last season with the club, and I know I want to move up, so I'm doing everything I can to prepare myself for that,” Recklet said. “I'm sort of back to square one in a sense because in the summer I will be back to doing tryouts and trying to make it at another level. So we will see what happens, but I'm excited and ready for it.”

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

14|Sports

The Rundown SOFTBALL QU 6, Monmouth 5 – Sunday Bridget Figmic: 2-for-3, 2 RBI Monmouth 4, QU 1 – Sunday Mina Duffy: 1-for-3, RBI MEN’S LACROSSE QU 12, Binghamton 11 – Saturday Michael Sagl: 4 goals WOMEN’S LACROSSE QU 18, LIU-Brooklyn 7 - Sunday Marissa Caroleo: 6 goals

games to watch BASEBALL QU (3-15, 2-7) vs. Yale (6-13-1) – Today, 3 p.m.

QU (3-15, 2-7) at CCSU (11-8, 5-3) – Friday, 3 p.m.

Softball QU (13-8. 2-2) vs. Sacred Heart (10-14, 3-1) – Sunday, noon, 2 p.m. (doubleheader) men’s LACROSSE QU (1-6) at Mount St. Mary’s (34) – Saturday, 1 p.m. woMEN’S Lacrosse QU (3-4, 2-0) vs. Mount Saint Mary’s (3-7, 2-0) – Friday, 3 p.m.

QU (3-4, 2-0) vs. Monmouth (2-8, 1-1) – Sunday, noon

Quinnipiac Bobcats Sports Network is your source for live broadcasts.

Follow @QUChronSports for live updates during games.

March 28, 2012

From Bobcat to Sound Tiger

Senior goaltender Clarke signs AHL contract

By Giovanni MIO Staff Writer

Quinnipiac senior goalie Dan Clarke signed with the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the top affiliate of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders.

“In all my four years here I’ve matured as a player and an individual,” Clarke said. “I think that’s one of the biggest things, learning how to mature.”

In his last season with the Bobcats, Clarke went 8-3-0 with a 2.37 goals against average and an .895 save percentage. His best year came as a sophomore, when he was named Quinnipiac’s Most Valuable Player after going 15-15-2 with a .913 save percentage and a 2.52 GAA. During his sophomore year, he went 7-0-0 in November, making him the first ECAC Hockey goalie to earn Hockey Commissioner’s Association Player of the Month honors.

Clarke finished his collegiate career with a 32-32-5 record with a 2.62 GAA average and .902 save percentage. His 32 wins as well as his GAA rank third in Quinnipiac’s

“The pro life is a lot different from the college game. You got a lot more freedom and it’s a job now.

You’re on your own and you got to show up to work everyday.”

— Dan Clarke Bridgeport Sound tigers goalie

Photo courtesy of Quinnipiac Athletics

Senior goalie Dan Clarke ended his Quinnipiac career with a 32-32-5 record and a .902 save percentage. He recently signed with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, the AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders.

Division I history. Clarke also had five shutouts as a Bobcat which is also third all-time.

“Dan Clarke had an excellent career at Quinnipiac University,” Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold said. “We are proud to acknowledge him signing his first professional contract with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL and wish him all the best as he moves forward in life.”

Clarke signed with Bridgeport due to one of the Sound Tigers’ goalies going down with an injury.

“I got a phone call from a local agent friend,” Clarke said. “Their goalie went down and had an injury so I was available. The right things

fell in place at the right time.”

Before arriving at Quinnipiac, Clarke played for the Bowmanville (Ont.) Eagles of the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League. He played eight games with the team, going 5-2-1 with a 2.08 goalsagainst average and a .938 save percentage. Clarke won Playoff Most Valuable Player honors with Bowmanville during the 2007-08 season.

Compared to ECAC Hockey play, Clarke said that AHL competition is different from college.

“It’s a new experience, the pro life is a lot different from the college game,” Clarke said. “You got a lot more freedom and it’s a job now.

You’re on your own and you got to show up to work everyday.”

Clarke’s signing with the Sound Tigers comes two days after senior captain Scott Zurevinski signed with the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps.

Zurevinski and Clarke currently represent two of the 10 former Quinnipiac players who play professionally for the AHL and ECHL this season.

Some of Clarke’s teammates from his previous four years at Quinnipiac and several coaches have contacted him to wish him luck.

“Everyone’s been pretty supportive of my decision,” Clarke said.

“They just want the best from me, and it’s been really fun.”

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

March 28, 2012

Sports|15

down and dirty

Matt Eisenberg/Chronicle

Clockwise from top left: Senior Neil Mammele slides head-first into third base after he hits a triple in Game 2 of Friday’s doubleheader vs. Fairleigh Dickinson; Forrest Dwyer steals second base in Game 1 of Saturday’s doubleheader vs. Fairleigh Dickinson; freshman Brian Ruditys slides home safely in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader.

by the numbers

18

goals the women’s lacrosse team scored in its win this weekend vs. LIU-Brooklyn.

23

Combined goals in Saturday’s men’s lacrosse game between Quinnipiac and Binghamton.

Vincent Guglietti

Baseball Infield

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Freshman East Haven, Conn.

Although the Bobcats won just one of their four games this weekend, Guglietti went 7-for-16 with three RBIs. He scored two runs in their lone win, an 11-4 victory on Friday against Fairleigh Dickinson. Guglietti ranks second on the team with seven RBIs.

Marissa Caroleo Women’s lacrosse Midfield

Senior North Babylon, N.Y.

Caroleo scored six goals in her last game against LIU-Brooklyn, helping to give the Quinnipiac women’s lacrosse team an 18-7 victory. She is the leading goal scorer for the Bobcats with 25 goals and ranks second on the team with 30 points.

2.37

goals per game that men’s ice hockey goalie Dan Clarke gave up this season.

3

games women’s tennis player Sarah Viebrock gave up in her win vs. Bryant.

499

career wins baseball coach Dan Gooley has in his career entering Tuesday.

Matt Eisenberg/Chronicle

Matt Eisenberg/Chronicle

16|Sports

The Quinnipiac Chronicle

coach’s corner

Sports

“Marissa’s one of the best players in the league, but she can’t do it alone. It has to be the entire team.”

— Danie Caro Women’s Lacrosse coach

March 28, 2012

quchronicle.com/sports sports@QUChronicle.com @QUChronSports

NT IN A DO M

D ON

AM DI

THE N O

Schwartzburg shining in senior season

Matt Eisenberg/Chronicle

Heather Schwartzburg is the ace of Quinnipiac’s pitching staff, as she leads the team with eight wins, 81 strikeouts and a 1.05 ERA.

By ben dias Staff Writer

Sometimes players are born to play a sport. That is the case with Quinnipiac softball pitcher Heather Schwartzburg.

From the moment she stepped onto the mound at the Quinnipiac Softball Field, she was ready for the big stage.

During her career, the 5-foot-10 pitcher from Mission Viejo, Calif. has set numerous pitching records not only for Quinnipiac, but the Northeast Conference as well. She has already set the program Division I strikeout record, and had more strikeouts in her junior year than the Bobcats had as a team each season before she arrived in Hamden.

“I think the record books speak for themselves on that,” Quinnipiac head coach Germaine Fairchild said. “She has come to Quinnipiac and taken hold with most of the major, if not all of the major, pitching records here as well as in the conference.”

Fairchild describes her ace as softspoken and says Schwartzburg makes the most of her games by letting the performances do the talking.

“She has gone about her business in a humble way and accepted the attention her performance has brought in a humble way,” Fairchild said. “To look out on the field during practice or a game you would never know she has had the kind of career that she has had. “ W i t h Heather, she didn’t wait; she continues to get better each and every day, and that is why she remains at the level which she is,” Fairchild added.

CAREER RECORD

66-38

As a freshman, Schwartzburg won the NEC Rookie of the Year while leading the conference in strikeouts with 206. Schwartzburg also posted a 1.68 ERA to go along with 15 wins and five shutouts and in the process holding opponents to a .196 batting average. In her sophomore season she earned 20 wins and accumulated a 1.51 ERA with 255 strikeouts in 41 games.

Each year, the finesse pitcher, as she is labeled

by Fairchild, has transformed herself to become even better and more potent.

“She does not try to overpower the batter. She is consistent and she doesn’t miss very often,” Fairchild said.

Schwartzburg has adapted over the last few seasons to incorporate new pitches into her arsenal and, in doing so, has mixed things up to make it difficult for other teams to adapt to her style.

“I try and learn something new every year and try to have a different approach,” she said. “I remember freshman year I had screws and curves and certain pitches and my drop ball wasn’t the strongest. But I came back and had a rise ball and a drop ball which is vertical. I don’t know if that threw the other teams off but it was a different approach than I had from the year before. It was the same thing last year, and this year I try to mix things up and keep them on their toes.”

This year, Schwartzburg said she was working more on her changeup.

“It’s something I haven’t had in the past and I haven’t used it very much,” she said. “It’s worked really well this year.

CAREER ERA

1.89

Hopefully that will help me improve one more step.”

What is more special about Schwartzburg is her work ethic the past two seasons. After two great years as an underclassman she has continued her dominance.

“She has the physical tools to do what she has done,” Fairchild said. “She’s tall and has the leverage with the length of her limbs and long fingers and big hands and she understands how to spin the ball to make (it) move how she wants it to move. If it’s something that sets her apart it’s that.”

Last year, Schwartzburg was named NEC Pitcher of the Year after she had her most successful campaign of her career. She had a league-leading 1.42 ERA with 23 wins with a .129 opponents batting average. She broke the NEC and Quinnipiac softball single-season strikeout record with 296.

“Coach had sat down with us individually at practice one day and we were talking about what our goals were and what we wanted,” Schwartzburg said. “I told her I wanted NEC Pitcher of the Year and that’s what I wanted and what I am going to get.”

Currently, Schwartzburg has posted an 8-2 record in 73 innings and 81 strikeouts with a 1.05 ERA. In her career thus far, she has totaled 838 strikeouts with a 1.89 ERA. “I want to leave the program doing what I have done the past three years and leaving my mark, whether it’s my strikeout count, games I won, I just want to make sure that the footprints that I left there are remembered and do that in any way that I can,” Schwartzburg said.

CAREER IKEOUTS STR

838