SPORTS: Women’s basketball looks for NJAC bid ~ page 13
A&E: 100 years of jazz in the Berrie Center ~ page 8
THE RAMAPO NEWS A publication by the students for the Ramapo College community
THURSDAY, February 11, 2010
Snowed In
XL No. 13
photo by Michael Jagendorf
A snowstorm that brought up to 20 inches of snow to parts of New Jersey closed Ramapo College on Wednesday. As of late Wednesday night, the storm also delayed todayʼs opening until 11 a.m. for offices and 11:15 a.m. for classes.
High Hopes for ʻRamapo Rumorsʼ Despite Mixed Reviews By JILL GRIMALDI Staff Writer
A Facebook page called Ramapo Rumors, created by SGA and some of Ramapo’s professional staff, was launched earlier this semester. The page, which currently has more than 100 friends, aims to put an end to false information spread across campus by creating a
bridge between the Ramapo student population and Ramapo’s administration. “This joint initiative between SGA and the administrative staff to help quell rumors was inspired by the rumors that bubbled up after the incident in the Village last semester,” said Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Pat Chang. “We wanted students to feel as though they have a place to voice any concerns get
answers to their questions,” said Noelle Nocera, SGA secretary of personnel. Students can “friend” Ramapo Rumors on Facebook by searching “RamapoRumors Ramapo SGA.” Students can then post questions that they have on the Ramapo Rumors Facebook wall and someone from SGA will respond with an answer. “I am the administrator of the Facebook group, which means I facilitate the questions
and monitor what is being asked,” Nocera said. “Once a rumor is posted, I bring it to Pat Chang's attention, and we will conduct the proper research and talk to the correct people in order to find out the answer.” SGA students, rather than Ramapo professional staff, have been chosen to manage Ramapo Rumors in order to make the page
see RUMORS on page 6
Ramapo Among 100 Most Affordable Colleges
Page 2 The Ramapo News
Thursday, February 11, 2010
TCNJ and Rutgers Still Top Two In New Jersey
By DIANA STANCZAK Staff Writer
Ramapo College has made a name for itself among public institutions of higher learning nationwide due to its inclusion in the February 2010 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine on its list of the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” This is Ramapo’s fifth consecutive year on the list, and the college has advanced in ranking from No. 66 to No. 49 in the nation for in-state tuition and fees. “Our continued ascension in Kiplinger’s confirms the message that we have been conveying to prospective students: that Ramapo provides a high quality education at an affordable cost,” said Christopher Romano, director of enrollment management at Ramapo.
This is Ramapo’s fifth consecutive year on the list, and the College has advanced in ranking from No. 66 for No. 49 in the nation for in-state tuition and fees.
Ramapo is one of three public New Jersey colleges that made the list, trailing behind The College of New Jersey (No. 23) and Rutgers State University (No. 48) for instate tuition and fees. For out-of-state rankings, Ramapo is in the middle of the two, with The College of New Jersey ranked No. 5 and Rutgers University ranked No. 38. Ramapo is currently ranked No. 20 for out-of-state value.
More than 500 public four-year colleges were analyzed for Kiplinger’s list. In order to narrow the list down, the schools were first judged on academic quality, including SAT/ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student- faculty ratios and four and
and financial aid, including tuition, room and board, mandatory fees and books. Outof-state rankings were calculated by using out-of-state tuition fees. Since Ramapo’s debut on the list five years ago, application rates have been
will result in an increase in selectivity of admitted students – an aspect where Ramapo has the edge over Rutgers. Kiplinger’s website lists Ramapo’s admission rate at 46 percent, whereas Rutgers admits 56 percent of its applicants. The College of New Jersey has a 42 percent admission rate.
“I chose Ramapo based on the facts that even though I was torn between a few schools, Ramapo was the least expensive.” - Daniel Dewnig, freshman
photo cortesy of Ramapo.edu
Ramapo continues to climb the college rankings, providing students with a top-rate education for a relatively competitive price.
six year graduation rates. According to Kiplinger.com, “No school is a bargain if it skimps on quality.” Freshman Daniel Sewnig said, “If you’re getting the same quality at two schools but one is less expensive, you’re going to want to go there. I chose Ramapo based on the fact that even though I was torn between a few schools, Ramapo was the least expensive.” After trimming the list down to about 120 schools, Kiplinger’s then focuses on cost
steadily rising. According to Romano, there has been a 9.7 percent increase in the total number of applications Ramapo receives. “Our goal is not to only increase the quantity of the applications, but the quality of the applications and the incoming first-year classes,” Romano explained. “Last year, we were able to increase the applicant pool by 20 SAT points and we would like to see that trend continue as well,” he added. Higher application rates and SAT scores
“In accordance with our five year Strategic Enrollment Management Plan, we are looking to stabilize our first-year class at around 900 students. This will allow us to accommodate the incoming demand of first year students to live in residence and match with the current resources we have available to provide the high quality education that we have been providing,” Romano said. Senior Kristen Potanka said, “In my last semester having applied to graduate school, I have learned Ramapo truly has excellence in our educational reputation. Many of the schools are impressed with such a background I have gain in my years at Ramapo.” Ramapo has also been named to the U.S. News and World Report’s 2010 list of Best Master’s Universities in the northern United States at No. 27.
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GivesMeHope Sparks Shift to the Positive By KERI ANN FLACCOMIO Staff Writer
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Anti-‘FML’ Website Provides Optimisim
For generations, the adage “misery loves company” has played out in real life. In this age of technology, people flock to the Internet each day to use blogs and social networking sites—such as Facebook and Twitter—to share their experiences with others and receive feedback. As a result, the Web has given rise to a battle of optimism and pessimism on certain sites. Studies have shown that humans have an average of 60,000 thoughts a day and that a majority of them are negative, drawing people to “downer” messages to which they can relate. “I saw a study about a year ago,” said Robert Sproul, convener and assistant professor in the Social Sciences and Human Services department at Ramapo College, “that found that, on average, 80 percent of the thoughts Americans have in a day are
negative.” Sproul attributes this high percentage to the media’s focus on negativity in advertising. “In order to sell products,” he said, “is constantly trying to convince us that who we are and what we have is inadequate…It keeps us in a constant state of feeling deprived and believing the world is violent and selfish.”
One Web site that allows for the perpetuation of negative thoughts is FMyLife.com, a communal blog created on Jan. 13, 2008 by Maxime Valette, Guillaume Passaglia and Didier Guedj. It is the English version of their original French Web site, Vie de merde.
FMyLife became popular by February 2009, with a book release following in June of last year. The site currently receives 1.7 million hits per day. FMyLife allows users to make short anecdotal posts about one-of-a-kind negative daily experiences. Others can vote on whether the user’s life is as terrible as they claim, or if the user “totally deserved it.” Posts follow a formula that starts with “Today,” and ends with “FML,” undoubtedly ending on a negative note. Emerson Spartz, 22, worked with his fiancé, Gaby Montero, 22, to create a response to FMyLife in May 2009. This response came in the form of a similar blog site called GivesMeHope. The site’s tagline reads, “Like FML, but for optimists!” Spartz is president and CEO of MuggleNet—a Harry Potter fan site he created when he was 12–years-old, and Montero is the founder of DailyCute.net and co-founder of Givoogle.com. The couple
created GivesMeHope to get people to stop posting about the incidents that ruined their days, and instead start posting about things that made them. On the About the Site section of GivesMeHope, Spartz and Montero wrote, “We’re tired of hearing about what’s wrong in this world…GMH is where people share with the world their most hopeful, uplifting moments and allow others to draw strength from their experiences. It’s like Chicken Soup for the Soul—the 21st Century, Twitter-style version.” Posts on GivesMeHope start with a topic sentence in bold, followed by an explanation of a related inspirational occurrence. Users can comment on the posts, vote on whether they “love this,” and share the content on Facebook and Twitter. The following is an example of a post on GMH: “My softball team was having a car wash
Countries engaged in anti-Semitic behaviors, causing Jews to feel increasingly unwelcomed citizens. However, during the early 1930s, the Jews of
but Professor Bemporad brought light to how the Soviet Jews were treated by the Polish,” junior Matt Danko said. Bemporad discussed that Jews were
Excerpts from poems and newspaper articles from the Yiddish paper, Oktiaber (meaning, October,) were presented by Professor Bemporad. A Soviet Jew wrote in an article published in February of 1937, “In Poland, if you hit a Jew, steal from him, and even kill him, you become a national hero.”
“...[O]n average, 80 percent of the thoughts Americans have in a day are negative.” - Prof. Robert Sproul
Guest Lecturer on Soviet and Polish History
By SAMANTHA ULLRICH Staff Writer
The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the History Club welcomed Professor Elissa Bemporad of Queens College to campus Monday, to speak about the lives of Soviet Jews before the Holocaust. Students and guests gathered to hear Bemporad present her lecture titled “Nazi Germany and Anti-Semitic Poland in the Eyes of Soviet Jews.”
“We all know how the Jews were treated by the Nazis during the Holocaust, but Professor Bemporad brought light to how the Soviet Jews were treated by the Polish.” - Matt Danko, junior
Bemporad explained the history of the Jewish community in Russia, the Soviet Union, and Poland before the Holocaust. Jews were forced to live in the Pale of Settlement, a region of Imperial Russia, along its western border, in which the permanent residence of Jews was allowed.
see GMH on page 6
The segregation even extended to universities in Poland that introduced “ghetto benches” where Jewish students were forced to sit.
photo by Smantha Ullrich
Professor Michael Riff welcomes Elissa Bemporad to the campus for her lecture on Soviet Jews before the Holocaust.
Russia and other territories comprising the Soviet Union, for the first time in history, were legally emancipated and living under the regime of the Soviet Union that made serious efforts to combat anti-Semitism. “We all know how the Jews were treated by the Nazis during the holocaust,
considered inassimilable to the Polish; they were unable to fit into Polish culture. Jewish integration was also denied by Polish leaders at this time. The segregation even extended to universities in Poland that introduced “ghetto benches” where Jewish students were forced to sit.
“I think Professor Bemporad was trying to dispel the view we have of the Soviet Jews, having been under siege in the late 1930s,” said Michael Riff, professor and director of Holocaust and genocide studies. The lecture concluded with questions from the audience in which Bemporad answered based upon her knowledge. She gave the audience a fair understanding of how Jews were treated prior to the Holocaust. “I have benefitted from this lecture. It gave me a new perspective on a different part of Europe’s Jews. I left knowing more than I did going in,” freshman Rebekah Schogel said.
Page 4 The Ramapo News
Roving
Reporter
Thursday, February 11, 2010
“Whatʼs the most cliché thing about Valentineʼs Day?” Question and Photographs by Erica Buchman
“Having a friend or family member as your valentine.” -Alex Jones Junior
“Proposing.”
-Kristen Obolsky Sophomore
“The little candy hearts with the words on them (Sweethearts).” -Annie Smith Sophomore
“Giving someone a rose.” -Jesus Mercado Junior
“Getting a box of chocolates.”
-Mary Ransegnola Junior
SGA Creates Haiti Relief Student Planning Committee Group Discusses Ways to Aid Country, Including “Hearts for Haiti” and Candlelight Vigil
By AMY FEZZA Staff Writer
Ramapo College students, faculty and staff are doing their part in aiding the victims of the Haiti earthquake disaster that struck Port-au-Prince three weeks ago. On Jan. 12, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the country leveling buildings and killing hundreds of thousands, leaving those that survived without food and water. Deaths are estimated to be over 150,000, as reported by the Haitian Health Ministry. According to The European Union and the Pan American Health Organization, there are over 200,000 deaths and roughly 1.5 million homeless and injured. In response, SGA created the Haiti Relief Student Planning Committee. The group met for the first time last week to discuss ways to offer aid to the victims. Fundraisers such as “Hearts for Haiti,” a Pre Valentine’s Day fundraiser, was held on Feb. 9 in the Student Center. Flowers, candy, and singing cupids were sold and will be delivered to dorms on Sunday, Feb. 13. Also, a ‘Candlelight Vigil’ will take place on Feb. 12, for the one-month anniversary of the earthquake. This will occur at the Arch, and in case of inclement weather, inside of Friends Hall. There will be music and candles. The time will be announced. In the aftermath of the earthquake, many students and faculty have commented on the dire issues Haiti faces. Vincent Howard, a junior, felt like the
events to benefit Haiti are events he would attend.
“I acknowledge... Americans who claim that the Haitians do not deserve U.S. aid, but I believe they are not informed about Haiti’s true history, and the deep structural, economic and political causes of Haitian poverty.” - Erin J. Augis, sociology professor
“I like these fundraiser ideas and I hope people come out to support them like I plan to,” Howard said. Decades of poverty, environmental degradation, violence, economical instability and broken government are all contributing factors to Haiti’s title as the poorest nation in the Americas. Ramapo College sociology Professor Erin J. Augis has a Ph.D. in Sociology and specializes in African Studies. Augis said that the country’s history “points to the country’s long legacy of struggle.” Augis commends Ramapo’s efforts, and the widespread humanitarian achievements by the U.S. and many other countries. “I acknowledge the existence of different
Americans who claim that the Haitians do not deserve U.S. aid, but I believe they are not informed about Haiti’s true history, and the deep structural, economic and political causes of Haitian poverty,” Augis said. Freshman Sara Gordon said her first reaction was of shock. “It was something I couldn’t comprehend, and I just couldn’t grasp it.” Gordon is also an SGA Delegate and will help with furthering fundraisers to contribute to Haiti relief. “That would be a great experience for students to be able to give back. It will really make them more aware of what’s going on in Haiti,” said junior Maholy Torres when informed of all the fundraising Ramapo is doing. “I suggest that we have more awareness like the events SGA is holding so people understand the true magnitude of what happened in Haiti. We should give statistics, donate money and bring more attention to the Haiti people’s struggle so this doesn’t happen again,” said freshman Valerie Canubas. “My first reactions were shock and deep sadness and I hoped for charity, organizing and teaching,” said C.A. Professor Shalom Gorewitz, who visited Haiti years ago. Gorewitz is involved in developing the College’s institutional relationship with Selden Rodman and others in the Haitian art world. Ramapo’s Rodman Collection is one of the few remaining samples of Haitian art. If you are interested in art, the “Mystical
Imagination: The Art of Haitian Master Hector Hyppolite” is now open in the Pascal Gallery at Ramapo College and continues through April 21. Hyppolite painted postcards for the American marines visiting Haiti, and his decorative architectural painting brought him to the attention of DeWitt Peters, founder and director of the Centre d’Art in Port-au-Prince.
“We should give statistics, donate money and bring more attention to the Haiti people’s struggle so this doesn’t happen again.” - Freshman Valerie Canubas
Many students and faculties like Gorewitz and Augis are happy to see Ramapo helping with the Haiti relief. Ramapo College’s student government is still discussing different ways to aid the victims of the Haiti earthquake. If you have any suggestions on what else they can do, contact Student Government Association in office (SC-223). For further information on how to help Haiti you can contact Wyclef’s Haiti foundation at http://yele.org/ and the American Red Cross at http://redcross.org/.
Students Take ‘Red’ Pledge For Women
Page 5 The Ramapo News
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Women’s Center Observes Heart Association Day
By JILL GRIMALDI Staff Writer
On Friday, the Women’s Center observed Wear Red for Women, a day devoted to raising awareness about heart disease in women. The Women’s Center set up in the fishbowl, providing students with information about the disease. Heart disease is currently the No. 1 killer for women in the United States. Wear Red for Women Day is sponsored by the National Heart Association and is observed nationally each year on Feb. 5.
some heart attack symptoms that occur more often for women than for men. Since many of these symptoms can be attributed to stress, heart disease in women is often overlooked. A heightened awareness of the symp-
Laura Hahn, the Women’s Center employee responsible for organizing the event. To advertise Ramapo’s observance of Wear Red, an e-mail was sent out to faculty and staff and a Daily Digest announcement was made.
Heart disease is currently No. 1 killer for women in the United States.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the symptoms that women display when having a heart attack are often different from how doctors describe. Although chest pain is the most common heart attack symptom in women and men, women can also have a heart attack without having any chest pain; women also often lack the radiating left-arm pain that is commonly associated with heart attacks. Fatigue, nausea, headaches, muscle spasms and shoulder and jaw pains are
photo by Carolyn Herring
Student volunteers take a break from spreading heart disease awarenessand pose for a photo in the ʻfishbowlʼ area outside the Womenʼs Center.
toms of heart disease is important, along with a commitment to prevention. “Many don’t know that just going for checkups, slightly modifying your eating habits or not smoking could decrease the chances of having heart disease,” said
The Go Red table, which was staffed by Women’s Center employees and volunteers, featured giveaways like red dress pins that represented the campaign’s logo. Those who contributed encouraged students and staff to write the name of some-
one they lost to heart disease on a red paper heart. Students and staff could also pledge to be heart healthy. The hearts were displayed next to the table. Campus EMTs were also present to give free blood-pressure screenings. “I would like to urge everyone, not just women, to go for their check ups and monitor their cholesterol and blood pressure,” Hahn said in reference to her goals for the event. “Working in the Women’s Center, one of my biggest passions is women’s health,” she added. “I think it’s important to make people aware that they are very easily at risk. I like that the American Heart Association has this day, specifically for women.” Although many students stopped by the table over the course of the day, not many were wearing red. “I would have worn a cute red dress or something if I had known about the event,” said sophomore Emily Page McDonald. “I wish there had been posters up or something.” Still, many students stopped to take notice and learned something from the information provided. “This event showed me I need to start living healthier,” said sophomore Rosa Gomez. “I’m going to start watching what I eat and exercising more regularly now, because I want my heart to stay healthy.”
Need to Get Out of Mahwah? Study Abroad
dents, European students and international students in the class and they get a fully integrated experience,” said Lisa Lessware, a Kingston University of London representative.
By HUMA MUNIR Staff Writer
Students gathered for the Study Abroad Fair on Monday to learn about study abroad options for this year. The fair featured many different international programs. “What we have here is faculty from Ramapo who lead programs every summer or [full] semester as well as foreign institutions that come to represent their institutions and external organizations that focus in study abroad,” said Ben Levy, director of study abroad at Ramapo. The fair represented almost 45 countries, with over 200 opportunities for students to study abroad during the fall, spring or even for a full year. There were representatives from institutions such as Kingston University of London, University of Limerick in Ireland and Northumbria University in England. Company representatives included International Studies Abroad (ISA), Studio Art Centers International (SACI), Counsel in International Educational Exchange (CIEE), American West Study Abroad and many more. “We offer 14 locations, 33 cities, anywhere in Spain, Europe, Latin America, [and] Morocco. We are pretty much all over. We offer a lot of language courses but also
The fair represented almost 45 countries with over 200 opportunities for students.
photo by Huma Munir
Representatives offered students brochures, applications and information.
courses taught in English as well,” said Laura Pfeifer, an ISA representative. “I like ISA. They have good programs,” said Alexa Glynn, who is interested in studying in Italy. ISA also offers over $60,000 in scholarships every year. Students are encouraged to go online and fill out applications for grants and scholarships. “I am looking at France. I am very interested in the program. I think it will give me
the opportunity to branch out and give me a better understanding of people as a whole and seeing how the other side lives,” said Remsas De La Rosa. The organizations and institutions present at the fair targeted students of all majors, from the humanities to the math and sciences. “We are a British University so American students have a real advantage coming over to the U.K. They get to meet the British stu-
Many students shy away from study abroad programs because of financial reasons. “A lot of students feel [cost] could be an obstacle but there are a lot of resources out there besides their financial aid,” said Levy. If a student is currently receiving financial aid, the aid transfers to the study abroad program. Levy also said that there are many scholarships available at Ramapo and outside institutions that are available to students studying abroad. Some students are interested in studying abroad for the sake of cultural and linguistic enlightenment. “I would really like to get an accent out of it,” said Steve Keloy. For further information, visit the Office of Study Abroad in ASB 213.
Rumors Website Lets Butterfly Wings SGA Clear Up Facts Scholarship to Help a Non-Sister Out
Page 6 The Ramapo News
Continued from page 1
more approachable. “We have purposefully decided to choose students to act as spokespeople for Ramapo Rumors,” said Chang. “We believe the student body will trust them more, since they don’t have to worry about their classmates simply feeding them the company line.” Beyond serving as a method for getting information to students, this group is also a way for students to communicate information to the administration. “Many times students hear about events before we do, since it often takes awhile for incident reports to get onto our desks,” said Chang. “This Web page will provide a more direct way for students to alert us to any major incidents that happen on campus, so that we can respond as quickly as possible.” “This is also an excellent teaching opportunity that can be used to educate students on Ramapo policies and procedures,” Chang said. SGA representatives who answer the queries on Ramapo Rumors need to be well versed in the Ramapo system, as well
Thursday, February 11, 2010
as aware of what happens on campus, in order to provide the student body with informative answers. Student reactions to the page are mixed, from enthusiastic to dismissive. “I don’t think I’ll ever use it,” junior Ali Mellilo said, “I’m glad it’s there for the students who want to though.” “I’ll probably use it,” said sophomore Vicky Blume, “You hear a lot of crazy rumors around campus, and we really have no way of knowing if they’re accurate unless you’re on SGA so I think this is a good way to get the information out there.” The people behind Ramapo Rumors are hopeful that this project will take off, even though few questions have been posted thus far. “My only concern right now is that it is not being utilized as much as I would like,” Nocera said. “I feel that this initiative will enhance the Ramapo community because this will cut through all of the exaggerations and answer student’s questions, so that campus rumors can finally stop at Ramapo Rumors.”
GMH Site Combats Rampant Negativity Continued from page 3
to raise funds to buy some new jerseys. While free donations were accepted, not many people were coming to support us. All of a sudden, a homeless man came up to us and gave us 78 cents and said, ‘I don’t have much, but I hope that this helps a little.’ People who have little, but still give a lot, GMH.” Sproul encourages the idea of GMH and praises the site as a much-needed dose of positive energy. “We, as a society, need a paradigm shift,” he said. “I think we are very cranky and it also becomes addictive. One very bright light in some terrible darkness has been the wonderful response to the tragedy in Haiti… Sometimes it takes a real crisis to get our attention and, perhaps, to show us how good and empathetic we can be,” Sproul said. Anthony Harris, a Ramapo senior and men’s outreach coordinator for the Women’s Center, thinks that people are drawn to negativity as the result of a power issue. “It’s easier to focus on the negative than the positive because the positive in your life you control,” he said. “However, the negative, for the most, you may not be able to change because it’s something you cannot control.” Ramapo sophomore Dan Loughrey thinks that people have a tendency to lean toward
negative posts like the ones on fmylife.com because they feel as though they can relate to them more than positive posts. Loughrey points out, though, that there comes a time to move away from the downers and look to something new. “FML was interesting for a while,” he said, “but I realized that a lot of people were just posting random things that they didn’t particularly like about their lives. After finding GMH, I realized that it’s much more entertaining to read about the things people do as random acts of kindness.” “Anyone can post an FML saying that they stubbed their toe or something,” Loughrey added, “but it takes something significant to justify posting on GMH. Acts of kindness a la GMH are much harder to come by than the instances that make you want to swear.” Loughrey and Harris do not feel that people will start using the term “GMH” in place of “FML,” because GivesMeHope is not yet very well-known and because a culture focused on negativity for centuries does not change overnight. Sproul however, optimistic as always, has hope. “I so hope it catches on,” he said, “because I do believe people want to be happy and need models and opportunities to see that they are already complete and can do profoundly positive things and—critical in this—that those things will make them happy more than all the ‘stuff’ we have been taught to ‘need’ or the changes we need to make in ourselves.”
By LAUREN HAAG Staff Writer
Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority will begin offering a “Butterfly Wings Scholarship” this semester. The $200 scholarship will be awarded to a qualifying female student at Ramapo, or for study abroad by a matriculated student. The student must be a female without Greek affiliation, who satisfies the organizations’ values of multiculturalism, sisterhood, higher education, and passion. The winner will receive not only the scholarship, but also an appreciation dinner during Founder’s Week, which occurs the week of April 11. The details of the celebration dinner are still pending. “This is something our organization does nationally in efforts to fulfill our motto of scholarship and service, as well as represent the positive aspects of Greek life. It’s something that is truly important to us,” said Dara Monasch, alumni member of the sorority. “We’re just starting and it’s hard to get the word out. The campus administration isn’t used to it; we are the first and only Greek organization awarding a scholarship to a Ramapo student directly,” said senior Yesenia Nieves, president of the chapter. The “Butterfly Wings Scholarship” was the created and fundraised by a Ramapo organization to be awarded to a Ramapo student. “[No organization] until now can pride themselves on being the first to start a scholarship for Ramapo College. If they can do it, we can do it,” said senior SháQuan Holmes, Inter Greek Senate External Vice President. “It’s a positive change that I hope creates an influence. Anything positive in an academic way is always a good thing,” said Jonathan Velez, the graduate assistant for fraternity and sorority life on campus. “It’s a small step in the right direction, but one that will have a lot of impact. If they can do it, other organizations will step up to
do the same or want to help. It’s a great idea; I wish I came up with it. They beat us all [Greek organizations] to it,” said junior Anthony Cascio, a member of the InterGreek Senate. The members of Theta Nu Xi established rules and regulations for their scholarship. A quality applicant possesses dedication to their organizations tenets. The applicant must also state how multiculturalism is important to her everyday life, or what studying abroad will mean to her. The applicant must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 as well as state why they have chosen to pursue higher education. “We wanted the scholarship to go to someone non-Greek to break the barrier on campus between Greeks and non-Greeks, and to fight the idea that Greeks look out for Greeks only,” Nieves said. “Ways we [Greek organizations] try to enhance Ramapo College academically is through events we hold like academic programs about time management and study sessions. We also try to bring the campus together for Greeks and non-Greeks with Meet the Greeks, talent shows, regular events; they’re for everyone,” said senior Allison Balcof, member of the Inter-Greek Senate. “We’ve all wanted to make more of an impact, and we need to. The scholarship is a big step,” Cascio said. “It is a great fact that an organization is really working towards unifying the campus in a new way. Normally it is believed that Greeks are segregated, because the scholarship is awarded to someone nonGreek- it is a wonderful prospect to connect all campus life,” said junior Mitch Gorbunoff, senate president of SGA. “The scholarship will show the campus that Greek life truly supports academic excellence. People have misconceptions that Greek organizations don’t give back. They’re doing great and this is going to be great for Ramapo, and Greek life itself,” said senior Desiree Pena, president of the United Cultural Greek Council.
photo by Keri Ann Flaccomio
Sophomore Dan Loughrey checks the GiveMeHope Web site every few days to read some uplifting posts and put himself in a good mood.
VIEWPOINTS
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Learning Life Lessons via Louisiana Football
Play Your Part to Change Ramapo for the Better
Campus views are the sole opinion of their respective authors, submitted to The Ramapo News and in no way reflect the views of either The Ramapo News or Ramapo College of New Jersey.
By JOEY LEWANDOWSKI Co-Editor-in-Chief
Super Bowl XLIV may not have had a come-from-behind, game-winning drive as time ran out as its two most recent predecessors had. It had a greater storyline, though: it gave the Katrina-ravaged city of New Orleans a Super Bowl victory in its first appearance in the big game. The Saints came into the game as a four-point underdog and beat Peyton Manning, the greatest player I’ve ever seen play the game. How’d they do that? I see three reasons: (1) The Saints made no mistakes. (2) Nawlins coach Sean Payton played to win and (3) Colts rookie coach Jim Caldwell played not to lose (which meant he was too conservative when it mattered most). I thought about these things on my ride back to school on Sunday night. I thought about how Coach Caldwell played things too conservatively two weeks ago when the Colts beat the Jets – and did so again tonight. I thought about how Sean Payton (and, really, the entire Saints team) played a looser, more fun style of football, and how that worked to perfection against Indy. Sure, if the onside kick at the start of the second half had been recovered by the Colts, we’d probably be looking at two-time Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning right now, hoisting the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in four years. Except Payton’s gamble worked, the Saints got the ball back and momentum swung toward them in
a big way. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized that the mentality that Sean Payton and the rest of the Saints brought to the game on Sunday night is how I should approach life in general. Things aren’t always going to go my way. I’m going to face big odds and there will be opportunities where I’m, at best, a long shot. Like many of you, I’m three months from graduating and starting real life. While our economy and the job market have improved slightly over where they were a year ago, it’s still a hyper competitive place for us to get a foot in the door, let alone land a full-time paying job.
I need to create my own version of an onside kick. I need to take risks and gamble when I feel it’s appropriate.
I need to stand out somehow. Sure, I’m happy with my résumé (an internship where I did work I’m very proud of, extracurricular activities and good grades) but other graduates I’m competing against are going to be just as qualified – if not more so. I need to create my own version of an onside kick. If I play it conservatively like Caldwell and the Colts did, if I run the ball on third-and-goal in a situation where I need a touchdown to keep my team in the game, I won’t make it. I won’t succeed. I need to take risks, and gamble when I feel it’s appropriate. I can’t sit back and expect the world to come to me; I need to take control of things on my own. That means applying to jobs early and often – even ones I don’t think I can get. But most importantly, I need to remember to have fun and not take things too seriously. And, should I get a job I’m happy with, I can’t forget to celebrate – my own Bourbon Street bash.
By TOM NG SGA President
Are you tired of tuition increases? Are you interested in raising money for our institution? Are you looking to make a lasting impression on Ramapo College? Are you ready to make a difference? The Student Trustee and Student Governor positions are two of the most influential, prestigious and important positions a student can hold on campus. They are also both open to any student planning to be at Ramapo College for the next two years. As a former Student Trustee, I understand the impact these roles can have on Ramapo College and on the student lucky enough to serve in these positions. The problem solving, negotiation and leadership skills that one develops in these positions are incredibly valuable in any future endeavor that students face; whether you plan to be a future corporate executive or a high school teacher (like me), the experience of a Student Trustee or Student Governor will prepare you for life. For this reason, I encourage any student interested in these positions to come to the SGA (SC-223) or Student Development office (second floor of the student center) before Feb. 19 to sign out a petition. The Student Trustee serves on Ramapo’s Board of Trustees and has a full vote on the board on nearly every major issue the college faces, which includes setting tuition, establishing
capital projects and establishing new majors. The Student Trustee also serves as an advocate for the college at the community and state level. In years past, Student Trustees have done this by working with State officials to avoid cuts to colleges that led to tuition increases. The Student Governor, on the other hand, sits on the College’s Board of Governors and Alumni. This position plays a major role in the fundraising efforts of the institution to help create more opportunities for students at Ramapo and to offset the costs created by state cuts. It is important to note that the Student Trustee and the Student Governor both help to ensure that the student perspective is heard among administrators and other board members. However, these students are also expected to make decisions that not only benefit the student body, but also benefit the long-term interests of the college and all of its constituencies. Those students who fill these positions serve two-year terms. The first year acts as a training year, where the student serves as the Alternate Student Trustee or Alternate Student Governor and has the opportunity to attend all major board meetings and learn from the sitting Student Trustee or Governor. They may also vote in the trustee or governor’s absence. The next year, they serve fully and mentor the future student board member. I sincerely hope that any student interested in these positions or interested in helping Ramapo to continue its growth as a premier institution in New Jersey considers applying. Do it for your future. Do it for the institution. Most of all, do it to be the change you wish to see at Ramapo College.
Want to know more? Stop by SC-223 or the Student Development office before Feb. 19 for a petition.
Got an opinion? Come and be heard. Monday and Wednesday nights in SC 218
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Frank Vignola’s Hot Club Pays Homage to Gypsy Jazz
Thursday, February 11, 2010
BY SHARON MEYER Staff Writer
Last Friday, Feb. 5, Ramapo celebrated 100 years of Django Reinhardt and gypsy jazz with a legendary performance by Frank Vignola’s Hot Club in the Berrie Center on campus. Reinhardt was the first hugely influential jazz figure to emerge from Europe and remains one of the most influential Europeans to this day, as stated by numerous online biographies. Vignola is a leading proponent of Reinhardt’s gypsy jazz style of playing. He has assembled a top-notch quintet for a searing tribute to one of his earliest musical influences, Reinhardt. After studying at the Cultural Arts Center of Long Island, Vignola began to build his career, touring with Madonna, leon Redbone and Ringo Starr. In 1988, Vignola became the leader of his famed Hot Club of France tribute, which forged the way for the many Django Hot Club groups that followed, as stated in his biography. Modern Guitars Magazine has quoted, “Vignola lives in a music world without boundaries. He and his group dial into music from all over the planet and wrestle, cajole, and seduce it into a harmonious and sometimes quirky melting pot.” The members of the quintet include Vinny Raniolo on Guitar, Gary Mazzaroppi also known as “Lord of the Low Frequencies” on Double Bass, Zach Brock on Violin and
Julien Labro on the accordion. Vignola has be known to put together some of the greatest musicians to create a sound unlike any other. Stan Meyers, Jazz at the Berrie Center’s regular emcee, hosted the evening.
The Hot Club began by playing a moderate paced piece, which then escalated into an upbeat tune, bringing the audience to sudden applause. Most of the tunes played on Friday were derived from Reinhardt’s original music.
photo by Michael Jagendorf
Frank Vignola and the Hot Club performed in the Berrie Center on Friday, honoring Django Reinhardt, the first hugely influential European jazz figure.
“When you go home, tell all your friends what they missed tonight,” he said. After a brief introduction, Meyers welcomed Vignola and the quintet to the stage. The band wasted no time by plugging in their instruments and beginning to jam. Even though they had driven 13 hours from Kentucky to play at Ramapo on Friday, the entire band was full of enthusiasm on stage.
The set included ‘Tears,’ a Reinhardt original, and other songs like ‘Rimsky Korsakov,’ ‘Sounds of Silence’ and ‘Gypsy Mania.’ “ ‘Brazil,’ which was recorded by Reinhardt in 1952, appeared on his last record,” said Vignolo as he tuned his guitar to the key of the song. Each member completed their own solos
bring us to a pace and a time and allow us to experience that space and time through her tone and attention to detail.” “Hidden Works” showed this great attention to detail. It is a dramatic monologue about a woman who is in some kind of mental institution, and her short story showed the woman telling the tale of how she was placed in an asylum. In her description of her life as a nanny, the woman describes the other character’s clothes and environment with such detail that the audience could clearly visualize them. Drawing the reader even more into the story and seemingly giving her character more credibility was Troyan’s lovely British accent. “Troyan’s voice coincided with the architecture and time with her story,” junior Johanna Colbath said. Freshman Jacqueline Thomas agreed, also adding, “I thought Troyan’s writing had a great fluidity to it and every writer should strive for that. I would really like to take a class with her. ” After 15 minutes of that reading, Troyan
left us all on edge in the middle of her short story and the readings proceeded. Professor Samaras followed with 20 minutes of his unique and humorous poetry. Samaras likes to write poetry to introduce himself to the audience. For this, he read “Google My Name,” a poem describing the lives of all the other Nicholas Samaras of the world. The recipient of many fellowships and awards, he is now working on two new books of poetry, the second of which is called “The Kidnapped Child.” Samaras read a poem from the second half of the book called “Escaped: Kidnapped Child Shoplifts Across Country,” which explains in hilarious detail the exact way to shoplift to remain undetected. During his readings, he stopped to give out many pieces of advice that correlated with his poems. This advice ranged from words about love lives (“Don’t date women in other countries. Long distance never works.”) to different exercises that future authors and poets should do to explore their
taking turns each song, astonishing the crowd as their fingers played the instruments at the speed of lightning. The Hot Club also stopped mid-song to pose for a picture, which showed a side of their sense of humor. On the note of humor, Vignolo proceeded to introduce the only song with vocals that they would play in the set. They began to play a song called ‘PS I Love You,’ looking around at each other as to who was going to take the lead on vocals. They all broke out in a spoken word ‘PS, I love You’ at each break in the song. The audience responded with a huge roar of laughter. Lynn Dymond, a resident of Palisades Park and a big fan of Vignolo, said Friday’s performance marked the sixth time she has seen The Hot Club perform. “He is great, absolutely amazing every time!” said Dymond. She heard of the band’s Ramapo appearance on WBGL - a radio station from Newark. Rebbeca Feynberg, a student at Ramapo, sat front row during the performance. When asked about her thoughts on the performance, Feynberg said, “It was magnificent, incredible.” To end the performance, Vignolo asked the audience for requests, in which many responded, “Play ‘Tiko Tiko’ ” or “Play ‘After You’ve Gone.’ ” After the last song was played, the band unplugged their instruments and headed outside the auditorium to sign their CD and chat with their fans.
Ramapo Professors Present Their Own Creative Work
By FRANCESCA BARATTA Staff Writer
On Feb. 8, 2010, the first session of the Readings at Ramapo series was held in the York Room at 1 p.m. Unlike previous writers, these presenters did not have to travel far to read their work. Ramapo’s own teachers, Professors Nicholas Samaras and Sasha Troyan are the first poets and fiction writers that will be coming to Ramapo to share their great work. As the director of the Readings at Ramapo series, James Hoch introduced these respected writers that he knows personally; they all work together. He said that it is interesting having teachers present their work because the students “get to hear what they do creatively.” Troyan was the first to read from one of her short stories, “Hidden Works.” She is the author of two novels, “The Forgotten Island” and “Strangers in the Morning.” Hoch complimented her work as he said, “Her work is utterly transporting. Few can
writing skills. “A Weekend in Greece,” about saying goodbye to a girlfriend he met while working for TWA (Trans World Airlines), and “The Divorce Clerk,” inspired by his work processing divorce applications for his priest father. “[The divorce applications] were the saddest things I’ve ever seen,” Samaras said. Both professors have their own creative talents and yet both of their works captivated the audience. The next on-campus poetry reading will be on March 1 . The next day, the graphic novelist Alison Bechdel will be reading from her works, including “Fun Home,” an autobiographical graphic novel about growing up a lesbian in a family run funeral home. For all who are interested, there will be a discussion of the novel in the Women’s Center on Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. The 25 copies of the book are free at the Roadrunner Center (only take the book if you’re really interested in coming to the discussion).
Page 9 The Ramapo News
Dear John Captivates in Time for Valentineʼs Day
By MELISSA VELOZ Staff Writer
Dear John opened nationwide in theaters on Feb. 5. The romantic drama was “absolutely amazing and even better than the Notebook,” said Vanessa Sanchez, a Montclair State University student, who watched the film entirely with tears falling from her face. The romantic drama follows the story of a new couple. John, a soldier, meets and falls in love with Savanna within two weeks of seeing and getting to know each other. In the course of these short two weeks, you cannot help but fall in love with their relationship as well. During this time, John meets Savanna’s neighbor Tim and his autistic son Alan, who are very close to Savanna and her family. John is not the only one who meets someone very close and dear to his significant other: Savanna also meets John’s dad. After a great deal of drama and tension between John, Savanna and other characters, their relationship is weakened and John unfortunately has to return back to active duty. Although John’s deployment forces him to report back to duty, he and Savanna keep in touch through many detailed letters. He even comes to visit her whenever he can. Throughout the rest of the course of the film, John and Savanna struggle through the hardships of distance and emotions. Every scene is powerful and the story really manages to pull you into the plot and the characters. John is played by Channing Tatum and his performance is incredible. Not only does he portray his character well but he emphasizes the emotions that his character feels in a very believable performance. Like Tatum, Amanda Seyfried (Savanna) also plays her part quite well. Honestly, her performance is shocking, mainly because she is well known for playing a ditzy character in Mean Girls. Seyfried definitely shows her versatility on the screen with this performance; this is one of her best acts by far. Overall this is an A+ film. You will cry, love and experience so many powerful emotions that you’d think you are involved in the movie yourself. “Dear John” is definitely worth the time and money to go see in theaters.
OVERALL GRADE A+
Esposito’s Offers Some Class
Thursday, February 11, 2010
By AMANDA VALENTI Staff Writer
When you walk into Esposito’s Pizza and Restaurant, located at 425 Forest Road in Mahwah, you are greeted with the restaurant’s beautiful Italian-styled walls. It is like eating in a small Italian villa with delicious pizza to match. Being located only ten minutes away from the Ramapo College campus makes it very convenient for students. Traditional items such as grandma pizza, calzones, stuffed breads, large salads and a variety of other Italian favorites decorate the menu. An Esposito favorite is the grandma pie. Thin crust focaccia bread with a hint of garlic is complimented with sweet crushed tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Each bite is an Italian delight in your mouth. The crust is thin enough so it does not take away from the other ingredients, but rather compliments them. For around $13 plus tax, two people can finish one grandma pie. This affordable delicacy is a treat to the taste buds. If customers are looking for variety, Esposito’s also offers different types of pizza, including grandma by the slice. The overstuffed, cheesy calzones are a delicious meal for one or two people, depending on hunger. Their large salads are a lighter way to enjoy the products of Esposito’s. The restaurant also offers food for pick up. Simply calling in any order with a wait of no more than 20 minutes makes it convenient for those who need to get back to homework.
Friendly staff makes it a pleasant bite out and the cooks are more than happy to cater to your specific requests. “No matter what request I have; strange and weird as it may be, they always make it perfectly,” said Dennis Karayel, a frequent customer of Esposito’s. Though not known for their desserts, a few varieties of cakes are available for an after meal sweet-tooth fix. Parking at the restaurant is not the best, so carpooling is the best way to go. Only a few spots are offered in the front, so side parking will most likely be necessary. Once the smells of Italian cooking hit your senses as you walk through the door, the two minute walk will have been worth it. If you enjoy a glass of wine with your meal or a cold beer with your pizza, you should know that the restaurant is BYOB. If a fountain drink is more your style or you are under age, they offer free refills. Customers cannot go wrong with any item they choose on the large menu. Even their soups will tickle your taste buds. With the large variety Esposito’s offers, almost everyone will be satisfied with something on the menu. Being only ten minutes away from campus and costing between $6 and $10 per person, it is very practical for a college student. Buon Apetito!
OVERALL GRADE B
Who Will Win the Battle for the Oscars? Page 10 The Ramapo News
By MATT THOMPSON Staff Writer
It’s Oscar season again and the nominees have gone public. The list contains numerous no-brainers, but there were also some questionable decisions. It seems as though it’s the same old story with the Oscars – little to no surprises. We are here to give a rundown of the top three categories: Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress. First up is Best Picture. The Academy decided to switch it up this year, going with ten nominees instead of the usual five. Avatar, now the world’s highest grossing film, headlines the star-studded list. Featuring groundbreaking 3D technology and a touching story; people have been flooding the box office in anticipation of seeing the film. It’s not hard to see why this was picked. The rest of the blockbuster nominees include The Blind Side, District 9, Up in the Air and Inglorious Basterds, all which grossed at least $100 million worldwide with ticket sales. Lesser known films, but equally able to win include An Education, Precious, A Serious Man as well as war thriller The Hurt Locker. Perhaps the most surprising nominee was Pixar’s hit, Up. The film became only the second animated film in history to receive an Oscar nod for Best Picture. The other nominee was the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast in
Thursday, February 11, 2010
1991. Up was selected in favor of Fantastic Mr. Fox – which many felt should have been included on the now expanded list of ten. Had Mr. Fox been nominated, it would have marked the first time two animated films were Best Picture nominees in the same year. The other noteworthy snubs for Best Picture seem to be Star Trek and Invictus. Star Trek seemed to be a long shot in the first place, but Clint Eastwood must be reeling as this is the second remarkable film in the past two years that has gotten snubbed by the
It seems as though it’s the same old story with the Oscars - little to no surprises. Academy. Gran Torino was snubbed last year, creating a public uproar. The Best Actor nominees were predictable and tedious. Jeff Bridges is likely the favorite to win as he leads the pack for his critically acclaimed role for Crazy Heart. The rest of the bunch includes George Clooney for Up in the Air, Colin Firth for A Single Man, Morgan Freeman for Invictus and Jeremy Renner for The Hurt Locker. The nomination for Firth in A Single Man follows a trend in recent years of homosexual roles getting rave reviews.
Sean Penn won Best Actor last year for his role as the gay politician, Harvey Milk and Heath Ledger was nominated for Brokeback Mountain in 2005. Also worth noting is this is Freeman’s fifth overall nomination and his third nomination for Best Actor. Matt Damon looks to be the biggest snub for Best Actor as he played real life whistleblower Mark Whitacre in a role praised by critics. Best Actress was surprisingly thin in A-Listers. Sandra Bullock got nominated for the Blind Side and Meryl Streep for Julie and Julia, but besides that the other nominees are virtual unknowns. Carey Mulligan is up for An Education and Gabourey Sidibe for Precious. Helen Mirren rounds out the list with a nomination for The Last Station. Although Mirren won an Oscar in 2006 for Best Actress in The Queen, she hardly qualifies as an A-lister. The nominees are decided on by AMPAS, which stands for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Criticism has been rampant in recent years as many of the voters are prevalent in the entertainment industry leading to the belief that the most important films with large crews end up getting nominated. There are a number of different intangibles when thinking about why the Academy Awards are so important. First and foremost, it brings exposure to the directors, producers and movie stars involved in the film. When an
actor gets the nod for Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor, it opens the eyes of many leading to future big time roles. Secondly, a Best Picture win may lead to a surge in the box office for the f i l m . If Avatar wins this year, we may see the run in theaters well extended into March. Lastly, the Academy Awards give much needed appreciation to the best films of the year.
John Travolta May Lose More Than His Hair With His New Film
By JULIANNE ILARIA Staff Writer
With all due respect to John Travolta, I think it would be apropos to say bad films happen to good people. Upon leaving the movie theater, it’s safe to say one may be wondering if Travolta has turned to desperate measures in terms of accepting acting roles because the story is no gem. The story of a low ranked agent named James Reese (Jonathan Rhys Meyers ) working for the government takes a different turn when Wax (John Travolta) joins him to take down a cocaine ring—and everything else in their way. Travolta is back in action, except this time with about an extra hundred pounds packed on, a goatee, and a bald head. Travolta definitely fits the category of a madman, reeking havoc in his unorthodox manic way such as screaming, cursing, and carrying quite a collection of guns throughout the film, and of course blowing lines on Parisian trains every chance possible. But trust me, he’s the “good” guy. However, we dig deeper into the story when we see things from Reese’s perspective. He seems to live a normal life; he has a nice home, a beautiful
fiancée, and seems quite content. He is just trying to make ends meet, dreaming of his chance to move higher up the ladder at his workplace, exchanging his job of doing petty jobs like changing license plates for big wigs. Sure the kid’s got potential, because why else would his super important boss trust him with the dire task of, I’m still not sure—either saving the world—or wiping it out. He is clearly not cut out for this kind of job, and instead of reminding him of that, or making fun of him, Travolta does worse: he tries to mold him into his ruthless killer of a partner, but the kid’s got no hope. However, Travolta does his kicking ass scenes with finesse, and is unquestionably the only good part of the whole movie. Sure, his stunt double got a rigorous workout, but at least the action scenes were worthwhile, ones that often featured Travolta double fisted with guns. Personally, my favorite scene was in which Travolta led an intense car chase down a Parisian highway. His car of choice? A 2010 Audi. His nemesis’? A 90’ something Volvo. Not so fair. Of course, Travolta also hung out a of his car window over a hundred miles an hour shooting something that resembled a cannon, so I guess there was
really no chance from the beginning. In case you were hoping for a classical Hollywood structured story, you are bound to be disappointed. The film goes up and down and back and fourth, abandoning all film clichés, but not really in a good way. Overall, this movie was a huge waste of time for anyone who was expecting something of substance. I suppose if you watch it with a grain of salt and strictly the mind frame that it is ridiculous and accepted it for what it was (an over the top thriller) you wouldn’t feel so ashamed. Although, if you do take it the slightest bit seriously, there’s something wrong there. I give this film a “D” in terms of plot and content because frankly it was just all over the place. The director could have cast the best actor in the world as the lead and I doubt it would have saved this film. The movie seemed to boast Travolta’s weapons more than the story itself, and that is a clear sign that something is definitely lacking. Even worse: the setting was Paris, but somehow the only population seemed to be made up of Arabs and Asians. And they were all the villains. Hmm…
OVERALL GRADE: D
A Chorus of Storytellers Tells A Great Story
Page 11 The Ramapo News
By JOHN FRAZE Staff Writer
The Album Leaf is an experiment ambient post-rock group from San Diego, California. Their latest release, “A Chorus of Storytellers”, is the effort’s first release featuring a full band. “Perro”, the first track on the album, fades in with a light static overpowered by a synth using a simple progression and gradually adding more and more body. Behind all of this are some sort of announce-
OVERALL GRADE: A-
Thursday, February 11, 2010
ments by human voices that are barely audible and seem to be an adult teaching a child to speak or read. The track is otherwise instrumental. “Perro” bleeds into “Blank Pages” adding a drum machine’s beat to the ever evolving synthesizer piece. Slowly throughout the song strings come and go giving way to a very post-rock sounding guitar and bells to compliment the drum machine. “There is a Wind” picks up again heavily with the synthesizer but with real drums this time, and harmonized vocals. This song conjures a very dreamlike state, and the lyrics fit the instrumentals perfectly: “There’s a wind behind everyone that takes us through our lives.” After a moment with lyrics, the song breaks into instrumentals and slowly begins to incorporate background, chant like lyrics. “Within Dreams” starts off with more drums machine beats and a slowly building chorus of instrumentals that gains momentum and by the middle of the song becomes a progressive ambience of strings, guitar, bass and a beautiful backing synth. This is another fully instrumental track. “Falling from the Sun” seems to be a more vocally based song but still incorporates the symphony of instrumentals from previous tracks. Continuing on with the dream sequence that is “A Chorus of Storytellers,” the song’s lyrics again invoke a very dreamy state with harmonized, repetitive, chanting vocals: “We’ll find a way, yes we’ll find a way, yes we’ll find a way to fall.” “Stand Still” is yet another beautiful, ambient, instrumental piece. This type of track is truly the essence of bands that create music like this. The intricate drum beats paired with the eloquent strings is enough but the guitar and backing synthesizer continue to add to the experience.
The end of “Stand Still” fades into “Summer Fog.” If the rest of the album is slow and ambient, this piece is certainly one step away from moving backward, not to say it is a bad song in the least. Another instrumental only track, it truly does illustrate a ‘summer fog’ and a lighthouse and steamboat, among other things. “Until the Last” follows in the wake of “Stand Still” as yet another awesome instrumental track. “We Are” and “Almost There” revive again the use of lyrics and harmonized chants which compliments what the band is doing perfectly. “Tied Knots” creeps up with the same static that “Perro” came in with, creating a musical sandwich. The song takes it very slowly and casts off the album with more elaborate instrumentals than it came in with. Finally the song slowly fades the album out back into the static from whence it came.
photo courtesy of Google Images
Concrete Jungle is Thought Provoking and Inspiring By TARA LAEMINA Staff Writer
A new breakout singer-songwriter may have hit the U.S. Nneka, has been popular in Europe since 2005, now she finally has a chance in America with her release of, “Concrete Jungle.” Just because this is her first U.S. album does not mean you should feel like you are missing out. “Concrete Jungle” is more of a collection than a brand new album. It takes her breakout songs from her pervious five albums and compiles them. Nneka is often compared to Lauryn Hill, Sade and Erykah Badu. Stars like Lenny Kravitz want her to open for their shows. The album ranges in sounds from reggae inspired, to hiphop, to soul, to pop. With the vast array of mixed genres, each song has its own flavor. They pleasantly go together in a harmonic way, each with their differences yet still cohesive. “The Uncomfortable Truth” is one of the lead singles from “Concrete Jungle.” Yes, these songs, like some others, do talk about God, but do not let that discourage you. It is not the focus of the song and it really just talks about what many of us are thinking. It is about the contradiction we all have in our lives. How we should be moving forward, instead of living this toxic lifestyle. “The Uncomfortable Truth” has lyrics like, “Your system is a joke, no heart in it, it’s choking us to death.” It shows her feisty side, a side that may appeal to many in a time like this. Her lyrics are truthful, with a beat that draws you in. Heartbeat has a soft piano and other drums joining to slowly build up to the chorus. The chorus still is not heavy, but a slow intense buildup makes it feel big. You cannot ignore Nnekas voice that adds to the meaning of the song. Even
without knowing the lyrics you can still feel the emotion and meaning running through the song. This is Nnekas singing style and it definetly sets her apart. “Showing Love” shows off Nnekas rap skills, that she does not just have a soulful voice. Africa is a reggae toned song is another song about how the world needs to move and stop blaming others. “Why do we want to remain where we started? And how long do we want to stop ourselves from thinking?” The Africa lyrics will give you a different perspective on the state we are in. Nneka is able to take a stance on an issue or the world without slamming it in your face. She has enough emotional intensity in her lyrics and voice to make you aware of how she feels.
Here is a little background information to understand her mix of soul and rapping that create a unique, unforgettable style. Her German-Nigerian heritage clearly has an influence on her music. Nneka grew up in the Delta region of Nigeria and moved to Germany to further her education at the age of 19. Nigeria has a rich culture in embracing music and Germany was able to show Nneka a new perspective on life, love and everything in between. The mix of opposite cultures was able to shed light on the politics, and personal mindsets that shaped much of her song writing. Her website may sum her up best, “When your heart is as big as your Afro, when your talents stretch from teardrop soul-singing to freestyle rapping to a first-class degree from a top Continental university, when you’ve got so much to say about so much, then you are in it for the long haul.” Nneka has an album that will not disappoint fans of soul and music fans in general. She brings in a fresh sound that has not been heard for a while. It is a good start to a career in America when your first album is filled with hits. This alone is enough reason to check the album out and see what all the buzz about. If the audience goes out and buys this album they will have all of Nnekas breakthrough songs. There is no need to worry that you missed the previous five. “Concrete Jungle” has the type of music you can keep on all day, it is sure to be a pleaser for a long time.
OVERALL GRADE: A
New Program to Be Offered for High Schoolers Page 12 The Ramapo News
By ANGELA DI MARI Staff Writer
Ramapo College will introduce a new International Studies Institute this summer for interested high school students. Due to a strong student interest and an uncertain budget for the Governor’s School this year, a similar program through CIPL was developed through the College’s Center for Innovative and Professional Learning. The new RCISI program will continue as an intensive learning experience developed for the purpose of stimulating intellectual abilities, teaching positive self-image and challenging capabilities through personal involvement and the open exploration of thoughts Available to rising high school juniors and seniors, now open beyond just NJ residents, the program will consist of multi-disciplinary learning through courses that cover topics such as human rights and law, global environment and resources, international trade and economics, and international public health. The program also consists of workshops and seminars. The participants will have the opportunity to learn negotiations and diplomacy through stimulation in which they will prepare country briefs and be assigned specific problems. Dr. Jeremy Geller, who is the director, and
has been with Ramapo College for 18 months, explains that the participants “will need to prepare statements on the basis of the Country they are studying. and the position they take. They will learn to work closely and intensively in groups and apply real data to hypothetical yet real problems.” Ramapo is aiming high, and expects that students will gain an appreciation of living and non-living systems, enriched personal awareness and understanding, personal responsibility and a set moral stance, and a reorganization of what could be to come. This new program is currently advertised through electronic and paper mailings to schools. About 30 students are expected, and they will live on campus for two weeks this summer. “There will be meetings dealing with fun stuff, there will be a farewell dance,” Geller said. There will also be much more, including an alumni BBQ, talent show, and even Tango. Geller is also looking for two paid assistants, preferably Ramapo students. They must have an interest in International studies, and a plus would be if they are already International Studies Majors. They must be serious about the academic content “but good role models for the fun/camp councilor aspects as well,” Geller said.
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RAMAPO SPORTS
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Eineker Gives Women’s Basketball Hope for NJAC Bid
By MICHELE McKENNA S taff Writer
Only two years into his career at R amapo C ollege, C oach Michael Eineker has brought the women’s basketball team to the cusp of the NJAC playoffs. Before Eineker, R amapo struggled with a 4-21 record overall and no conference wins in the 2007-2008 season. After Eineker’s coaching debut last year, he brought the team’s overall record to 10-15 and earned them four conference wins, their best season in three years. “I came to Ramapo because I thought we could turn the women’s basketball program around,” said Eineker. Mike Eineker always had a passion for basketball. He played for Bloomfeild High School. He then went on to play at Caldwell College. After transferring to Montclair State University and graduating from there in 1995, he quickly got a jump start in the field of coaching. His first job was in 1995 as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Princeton University. He also was an assistant coach at Lafayette and Boston University. His first head-coaching gig was at Bloomfield College where he led the women’s program to two CACC
playoff appearances. His most recent coaching venue was for FDU-Florham. Eineker earned amazing achievements at FDU including setting the best winning percentage in school history, producing 18 season wins, a program high, and three appearances in the ECAC Championship Tournament. “Personally, it was tough to feel like we had developed the FDU program to a point where we would be competitive every year and then to come to Ramapo to start over,” he said. “However, in the long run I believe we can have great success here and the people and players here have been terrific.” Eineker was drawn to all the positive
“I came to Ramapo because I thought we could turn the women’s basketball program around.” - Mi ke Ei neker, head coach
things Ramapo has to offer. “Ramapo provides a terrific education, a beautiful campus, great facilities and competes in one of the top conferences in the nation: the NJAC,” Eineker said. After last season, the Roadrunners are definitely looking towards success. “We
took a big step towards being more competitive. “This year we are continuing the trend. The kids have worked hard and continue to improve daily,” he said. Currently, the team is fighting for the last spot in the NJAC playoffs. They are competing for the best conference record with R utgers-Newark. Both teams are currently tied at 2-8. “I don’t know when the last time the women’s team made the NJAC’s but I know it’s been a while,” Eineker said. Eineker notes that his team is young and is working very hard. “Any post season experience would be important to us,” he said. When asked how he would get the team there, Eineker said the team needs to defend harder and handle the ball better. He admits the rest of their conference games will be a tough stretch. “We need to play real well and see if we can steal one of these games in order to make it to the NJACs,” Eineker said. Off the court, Coach Eineker enjoys the sport of golf. His has a wife and two boys, Patrick, 4 and Declan, 2. “My family has been a true blessing but they have also destroyed what was a pretty good golf swing, ” he said. Eineker has a passion for basketball, but mostly he is rewarded by teaching life skills to young adults.
“The decisions kids make now in college will drive the rest of their lives and it is a rewarding experience to be part my kids’ lives,” he said.
photo by Michael Jagendorf
Eineker hopes to lead the Roadrunners to an NJAC bid.
Young Roadrunners Hope for Success in Future By MARIS S A TORR Staff Writer
Both the men and women’s indoor track and field teams had success at their meets last weekend. “All three meets are meets that we can have success at. We’re two weeks before the conference championships so it’s a big weekend for us. There are many people that have not had their best performances yet, so I’m looking forward to the meets this weekend,” Coach Mike Jackson said. They delivered. On Friday at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York, sophomore Jamar Pierce earned an ECAC qualifying time. Pierce finished the 400-meter run in 41st place with a time of 50.35, also setting a personal best. On Saturday, the second day of the meet in New York, senior Kyle Price set a new school record. Price finished the 800-meter run in 26th place when he clocked in at 1:57.43. In the men’s NY/NJ 4x400-meter relay, made up of Pierce, Price, senior Jake Stass, and rookie Eugene Warren, Ramapo finished seventh overall and second in their heat with a time of 3:24.99, which was enough to qualify for the ECAC Championships. On Sunday, at the DeSchriver Invitational hosted by East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania,
senior Jon Lindenauer came in third place in the 3,000-meter with a time of 9:05.44. As for the women, on Friday, sophomore Maura Burke placed 40th overall in the 60-meter hurdles by clocking in at 9.68. Rookie Michelle Favre took home a fifth place finish in the pole vault when she cleared 3.60-meters (11’9.75”). Her mark was a NCAA provisional mark and she was the top divi-
“We have a very young team. Every day that goes by, we grow even more.” - Mi ke Jackson, head coach
sion three athletes in the event. On Sunday, Burke placed third in the 55-meter hurdles in 9.04. She also came in fourth place, while setting a personal best in the 500-meter dash. She clocked in at 1:24.13, just .07 shy of beating the school record. Sophomore April Kaiser placed sixth in the 55meter hurdles in 9.23, a personal best. Rookie Desiree Reese had a very successful day placing in three events. In the long jump, she came in seventh
place with a mark of 4.99 meters (16’4.5”). In the 55-meter hurdles, she took home eighth place in 9.38. In the high jump, she finished in 11th place overall, posting a personal best, 1.47 meters (4’10). Coach Jackson gave credit where credit was due. “Maura Burke is having an outstanding season. She has had personal bests in hurdles and pentathlon. S he has really improved since freshman year. Michelle Favre, a freshman, has been athlete of the week three out of four times. She was ACA provisional qualifier in the pole vault and number nine in the country in pole vault in division 3, and she’s the top freshman.” The men’s team has been successful as well. “Kyle Price is also having an outstanding season. He’s the reigning conference champion from cross country and continuing a great season. ” In the NJAC, there have been a number of school records broken. They have had a host of ECAC qualifiers. “We have a very young team. Every day that goes by, we grow even more.” Up next for the Roadrunners is a trip to Middletown, Conn. for the CTC Championships on Feb. 12 and 13.
Look at Team USA for Vancouver Olympic Games
Page 14 The Ramapo News
Thursday, February 11, 2010
By KEVIN JOHNSON Staff Writer
With the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver right around the corner, the United States looks to improve upon their medal count of four years ago, when the games were held in Turin, Italy. The United States looks to draw from experience, and hopes to improve on their performance this year. The Americans have fallen short of Germany in both gold medals and total medals during the last two winter games. The Germans are once again the favorites this year in Vancouver, but the United States has a very promising team assembled. The games are set to begin on Friday, Feb. 12, with the traditional Opening Ceremony. The events will continue for the next 16 days, concluding with the exciting Men’s Hockey Gold Medal Game on Feb. 28. The games feature a total of 86 events in 15 different categories. One of the most dominant athletes on the United States team is women’s skiing sensation, Lindsey Vonn. Vonn is coming off the best year of her career in 2009, and is the favorite to win hold in her two strongest events, Women’s Downhill, and Super Giant Slalom. Vonn set an American single season record in 2009 by capturing nine world cup titles in the year. She also elevated her career world cup medal count to twenty-eight, making her the second most successful American skier behind only Bode Miller with thirty-one metals. Vonn is currently day-to-day though news broke Wednesday that she bruised her right shin while training on Feb. 3 America looks to draw on the success of Vonn after an abysmal performance by the skiing phenom Bode Miller in the 2006 Games.
photo courtesy of Creative Commons
Apolo Ohno hopes to add more medals to his collection in Vancouver.
The expectations were set high for Miller in Turin, but he fell short of expectations by shamelessly spending the Olympics partying with no focus on becoming a champion. Miller will have the opportunity to make amends with his country this winter by participating in the Men’s Downhill, Super Giant Slalom, Super Combined, and Slalom events.
Another bright star on the American team is Apolo Anton Ohno. Ohno is an accomplished short-track speed skater with an impressive Olympic record. In the 2002 Salt Lake City games, Ohno won gold in the 1,500 meter, and then followed it up with another gold medal in the 500 meter at the 2006 games in Turin. Ohno looks to continue with success in Vancouver, as he will be participating in the 500 meter, 1,000 meter, 1,500 meter, and 5,000 meter relay. The United States has also assembled contenders for Gold in both Men’s and Women’s Hockey. The women’s team, since the addition of Women’s Hockey to the Olympics in 1998, has traded gold medals with Canada. The United States won the first gold medal for the event in 1998, and the Canadians have won the other two in 2002 and 2006. The American women, led by 26-year-old Captain Natalie Darwitz, expect to find their strongest competition in Canada again this year. The men’s tournament is expected to offer more parity, as there are many strong teams assembled. The two teams that stand out are the Canadians and the Russians, who have formed all-star rosters. The strength of the rivalry formed by NHL superstars Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins should be on full display when these two teams meet for national pride. The American team is not considered a favorite to win the tournament, but they have won in the underdog role before. Veteran Captain Jamie Langenbrunner and goaltender Ryan Miller will head the American squad. With only a few days remaining until the start of the Olympics, fans of the great tradition can finally rejoice in the games arrival. The Opening Ceremonies begin on Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. on NBC.
NBA: Cavs, Lakers Leading the Pack into the Break By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer
Throughout the first half of the 2009-2010 NBA season, it’s been fairly difficult to pinpoint the league’s best teams. Part of the reason has been that several teams have only had a select number of games in which they had full rosters. Regardless of circumstance, several teams have defied expectations to become legitimate contenders, others haven’t delivered as well as critics have expected, and one team has set a new standard for NBA futility. The Los Angeles Lakers, champions in 2009, currently have the Western Conference’s best record, at 40-13. However, some may attribute this strong start to favorable scheduling. Seventeen of L.A.’s first 21 games were at home, as they went 18-3 to begin the year. But injuries to Pau Gasol, Luke Walton, and most recently, Kobe Bryant, have shown that this team has plenty of depth, which has helped them during more difficult stretches. Bryant recently overtook Laker great Jerry West as the franchise leader in career points. Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets, last season’s secondseeded team in the West, have proven to be more than a match for the Lakers. Despite a stretch at the end of December when they lost five of six, and the recent injury to Carmelo Anthony, Denver is 2-0 against the Lakers, the team they lost to in the Western Conference Finals last year. The Cleveland Cavaliers have won their last 12 games, and they own the league’s best record at 42-11. Against the doubters, they have shown that their highly publicized offseason trade for Shaquille O’Neal has paid dividends. That, along with Lebron James leading the league in points per game (PPG), has made Cleveland the team to beat in the East.
Many expected this title to go to the Boston Celtics, who were NBA champions in 2008. They appeared ready to fulfill that title as they began the season 23-5. But injuries to Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce have derailed their track, as they are only 9-12 since Christmas Day, and have fallen to
fourth place in the Eastern Conference. The Atlanta Hawks do not have a particularly storied franchise. Their only NBA championship came in 1958, when they were the St. Louis Hawks. But thanks to the inspired play of Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford, Atlanta is third in the East with a record of 33-17, which includes a 4-0 record against Boston. Few expected the Oklahoma City Thunder, just two years removed from their former home in Seattle, to be possible threats in the West. Behind Kevin Durant’s 29.7 PPG, the Oklahoma City has won six straight games to rise to sixth in the conference. Durant has also become one of only a few players in NBA history to score at least 25 points in at least 25 straight games. Other progress reports include: the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Orlando Magic, are second in the conference at 35-17, the Utah Jazz have won nine in a row to rise to third in the Western Conference at 32-18, and the Dallas Mavericks hold a two-game lead over their division rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, and are fourth in the West. The All-Star festivities take place this weekend at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It begins, Friday, Feb. 12, with the Celebrity Game and the Rookie Challenge. Saturday features the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, the Foot Locker 3-point Contest, and the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, along with the presentation of the TNT All-Decade Team. The All-Star Game will take place on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on TNT. Only the best will be left standing at season’s end. Who can we expect to play their best ball when it matters most? Will the surprising teams keep the momentum, or will the photo courtesy of Creative Commons veteran teams with championship chemistry surge ahead? Kevin Durantʼs breakout play for Oklahoma City Time will tell. has given them new life in their new home.
Young Stars On the Rise Around the NHL
Page 15 The Ramapo News
Thursday, February 11, 2010
By ANDREW GOULD Staff Writer
With the football season concluding and the baseball season still two months away, now seems like the perfect time to give some attention to the biggest sport getting the least air time. The NHL season has just about hit the halfway mark, and there has been plenty of action to indicate an exciting second half. The San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks appear to be the strongest teams in the Western Conference. For the Sharks, center Joe Thornton leads the NHL with 58 assists, and Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley both stand in the top five in goals scored. Goalie Evgeni Nabokov has allowed only 2.25 goals per game. On top of the Central division with 81 points and a 38-15-5 record, the Blackhawks have a bright future ahead of them with Patrick Kane at right wing. At age 21, Kane leads the team with 22 goals and 40 assists. They have run into a tough stretch though, winning only one of their past four games. Led by young star Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals have dominated the Eastern Conference, currently sitting on top with a 41-12-6 record and a comfortable 27-point lead in their division. Ovechkin has put forth a strong case for MVP so far, leading the league with 42 goals and 86 points. The New Jersey Devils are having a strong year too with future Hall-of-Famer Martin Brodeur leading the way with a .917 save percentage. However, they have not scored much this year, ranking 25th in the NHL in goals scored. To help correct this stat, the Devils acquired Ilya Kovalchuk from the Atlanta Thrashers. Kovalchuck, a 26-year-old left-winger selected first in the 2001 draft, ranks seventh in the league with 31
photo courtesy of Creative Commons
Sidney Crosby hopes to lead his Pittsburgh Penguins to another Stanley Cup championship.
goals scored. He provides the Devils with the extra spark they needed to propel them to a run at the Stanley Cup. The New York teams have been as successful so far this year, as both the Rangers and Islanders are behind in the playoff picture. The Rangers are tied
with the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers for the eight seed with 59 points, but the Rangers have needed more games reach that mark. Much like the Devils, the Rangers struggle offensively. In his first year on the Rangers, Marian Gaborik has bounced back from an injury-plagued season to lead the team with 35 goals scored. However, the next highest scorer is Ryan Callahan with 15, so they are relying too much on Gaborik to carry the load. The Rangers also made a trade, picking up veteran center Olli Jokinen from the Calgary Flames. Jokinen only has 12 goals this season, but he has typically scored around 30 goals a year. With 23 wins in 58 games, the Islanders are already three victories away from matching their dismal win total from last season. Although they still have a long way to go, the team can at least be excited by the prospect of their new young star, John Tavares. Selected with the first pick of last year’s draft, Tavares already is already one of their best players despite only being 19 years old. The expectations attached to Tavares have been monumental, but he has shown glimpses of success that help make the Islanders’ hopes seem warranted. The league will be on hiatus from February 15 to 28 so players can represent their home countries in the 2010 Winter Olympics. In a sport with a large amount of international players, it is refreshing to see players eager to participate in the Olympics without ownership refusing to allow them to participate in fears on hurting the franchise. It will be interesting to see how players perform when the season continues since they are essentially playing a longer season before the playoffs approach.
Saints Win First Super Bowl in Honor of the Big Easy By JAKE EDINGER Staff Writer
Super Bowl XLIV featured two of the best teams in the NFL and the end result shocked many NFL fans. The Saints and their hybrid passing offense defeated the great Peyton Manning and the Colts. Both the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts played nervously in the first quarter, which is natural considering half the country is watching their every movement. Many of the players made simple mistakes such as Saints Marques Colston having a pass go through his hands and hitting him directly in the face. Early in the game the Saints tested the Colts stellar offensive line lead by Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday. The early blitzing by the Saints emphasized Sean Payton’s game plan to pressure Manning early giving him no time to properly react. Also in the first quarter the Colts running back Joseph Addai showed great field vision and provided the Colts offensive with a spark. The Colts jumped to an early 10-0 start. The Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney injured his right ankle in the AFC championship two weeks ago against the New York Jets. As of the second quarter the injury didn’t seem to be slowing him down, but as the game progressed it was clear the ankle wasn‘t even close to 100 percent. The Saints finally revealed their scheme in the second quarter as they targeted the Colts weak pass defense. This was the dagger that pierced the Colts heart. The entire year their pass defense was fine,
until the Super Bowl where they were tested with their Freeney, their best pass rusher, injured. As momentum was swinging in favor of New Orleans late in the second, the Colts held the Saints on fourth and goal. This gave the Colts momentum
going into the second half, with the score 10-6 in favor of the Colts. The Who captured the essence of the Super Bowl with their halftime show even though the British band has probably never even held a pigskin. After this performance with the Colts ready to receive the second half kickoff the Saints kick an onside kick, which caught the Colts on their heels enabling the Saints to recover the ball. In the third quarter the Saints threw a screen pass to
The entire year their pass defense was fine, until the Super Bowl where they were tested with their Freeney, their best pass rusher, injured.
photo courtesy of Creative Commons
Saints running back Reggie Bush had 63 yards in their Super Bowl victory.
Pierre Thomas in the red zone giving them the lead in the game. The momentum swung to favor the Saints and in the fourth quarter wide receiver Lance Moore made an exceptional effort on a two-point conversion, which gave the Saints the lead 24-17. The play that will be remembered in Super Bowl XLIV is Tracey Porter’s pick six of Peyton Manning with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The final score was Saints 31 Colts 17. The New Orleans Saints received their first Super Bowl win and the Big Easy’s heart was lifted from the catastrophes of Hurricane Katrina by a couple of Saints.
RAMAPO SPORTS SLAM DUNK
Roadrunners look ahead to the NJAC tournament.
LaQuan Peterkin slam dunks near the end of the first half in the 82-62 victory over Montclair State University on Feb. 6.
photo by Michael Jagendorf