NOVEMBER 11, 2010 • THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER OF SWARTHMORE COLLEGE SINCE 1881 • VOLUME 133, ISSUE 11
PHOENIX
Inside: Students concerned about writing requirement Panel addresses minority education Column: Jen Johnson samples Philly’s Italy
Gap years on the rise
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First Round
Second Round
Sectionals
Semifinals
November 11 or 12/13 or 13/14
November 14
Nov. 19-20 or 20-21
December 3
National Ch
Dece
#Bowdoin (13-1-3) 1 p.m.
**Nichols (15-3-3) 6 p.m. Eastern Conn. St. (13-3-3)
Blossom Soc San Anto Trinity University (T Sports, Decem
*St. Lawrence (16-2-2) 11 a.m. SUNYIT (13-5-1) 1 p.m. Plattsburgh St. (13-4-4) 1:30 p.m. Amherst (11-2-3) *Middlebury (13-3-1) 11 a.m. Daniel Webster (12-5-1) 1 p.m. Wm. Paterson (13-3-3) 1:30 p.m. Thomas (ME) (11-5-2) *Williams (11-2-2) 11 a.m. Suffolk (11-7-1) 1 p.m. Babson (14-3-2) 1:30 p.m. Salem St. (9-5-4)
#Emory (14-2-2) 6 p.m. **Lynchburg (15-4-1) 6 p.m. Transylvania (16-3-1)
&Trinity (TX) (18-2) 5 p.m. Pacific (OR) (14-2-3) 6 p.m. Texas-Tyler (12-3-1) 7 p.m. Claremont-M-S (14-3-2) &Chris. Newport (19-1-1) 5 p.m. Neumann (14-3-1) 7 p.m. Richard Stockton (14-5-2) 7:30 p.m. Johns Hopkins (13-3-4) *York (PA) (16-4-1) 11 a.m. Kenyon (14-2-2) 1 p.m. Ohio Wesleyan (16-1-2) 1:30 p.m. Catholic (11-5-4)
Fill in your predictions for III Men’s Soccer Tournamen Victor Brady ’13 in person before noon on Friday, Nov pick in Round 1, two points fo four points for a correct pic Thursday games will not be co will be announced after the Na and will receive a prize courte Men’s soccer players are no
Your name ___
Host In
The Phoenix
Thursday, November 11, 2010 Volume 133, Issue 11
The independent campus newspaper of Swarthmore College since 1881. EDITORIAL BOARD Jeff Davidson Editor in Chief Amelia Possanza Managing Editor Menghan Jin News Editor Miriam Hauser Living & Arts Editor Camila Ryder Living & Arts Editor Susana Medeiros Assistant Living & Arts Editor Dante Anthony Fuoco Opinions Editor Victor Brady Sports Editor Marcus Mello Sports Editor Jacqueline Small Copy Chief Olivia Natan Photo Editor Xingyu Zhang Photo Editor Julia Karpati Graphics Editor Eric Sherman Director of Web Development
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Paul Chung Phoenix Staff
Orchestra 2001 performs with Wu Man, a world-renowned pipa player, in Lang concert hall on Sunday.
News
Caffeine addiction, stress WBB looks to star seniors With a core of returning veterans and a spread to dorm mice talented incoming class, the Swarthmore minority
Ariel finds that Swatties are not the only ones stressed out and addicted to coffee — it seems those pesky mice are too. PAGE 13
Four alums came back to Swarthmore Monday night to hold a panel addressing the issues language minority students face in our education system. PAGE 4
Soulfège fuses diverse array of musical genres
Alums discuss education
Afropolitan group Soulfège will perform their musical blend of reggae, jazz and hiphop this Friday, Nov. 12. PAGE 13
women’s basketball team is set to begin the 2010-2011 season this coming week. The Centennial Conference appears to be wide open as the Garnet will try to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. PAGE 19
Swim teams off to fast Complaints concerning start writing requirement arise Behind stellar performances from disSpending a sleepless night Recent discourse on campus has centered tance swimmers and first-years, the around the inconsistencies in writing cours- in the global capital Garnet men’s and women’s swim teams es at the college, which have caused several students problems in trying to fulfill the writing distribution requirement. PAGE 5
Student arrested in D.C. for MTR sit-in Activists on campus attended a three-day conference against the practice of mountain top removal at the end of September where, during a sit-in, a Swarthmore student was arrested. PAGE 6
Meat Day to be held next Tuesday on Mertz Field The Good Food Project has planned a pig roast and panel discussion for Tuesday, Nov. 16 in hopes of connecting students with the food they consume. PAGE 7
Living & Arts From DiBruno’s to pho, Italian market has it all Philadelphia’s 9th Street Italian Market offers up both traditional Italian treats, like the mozzarella at Claudio’s to the cannolis at Isgro Pastries, and a wide variety of other ethnic foods, like pho, falafel and burritos. Jen takes us through the best shops and restaurants. PAGE 10
Pushy Frenchmen and rainy days aside, Maki learns that Paris’ widely-known stereotype of being the vibrant global capital of culture rings true with its bustling weekends filled with concerts and events. PAGE 14
Opinions
dominated Centennial-opponent McDaniel this past weekend. The teams return to action against the defending Centennial Conference champions in men’s and women’s swimming, Franklin & Marshall, on Saturday. PAGE 19
Defense the key to championships in the past Refine foreign language decade Tim examines the offenses and defenses requirement of championship-winning teams in the The Phoenix supports a stronger foreign language requirement because it will better affirm values inherent in a liberal arts education. PAGE 16
NBA, MLB, NHL and NFL over the past decade. A strong defense has led to more championships, across all four leagues, than a top offense. PAGE 20
Obama, GOP need to collab- Volleyball upsets Haverford orate on high-speed rail Peter argues that a high-speed rail serv- to reach CC finals ice, offering faster, more accessible transportation to the nation, will require President Barack Obama to work with Republicans who were recently voted into Congress. PAGE 17
Sports
In the biggest upset in the Centennial Conference fall season, the Swarthmore volleyball team knocked off top-seeded Haverford to reach its first-ever Centennial Conference finals. Swarthmore battled back from two-setsto-one down to knock off the Fords before falling in the championship match to Franklin & Marshall. PAGE 21
The beginner’s guide to Men’s soccer wins 2010 Championship being a hockey fan: dos & Centennial The Swarthmore men’s soccer team won don’ts its second Centennial Conference Are gap years a growing Hannah provides a list of dos and don’ts Championship in three years, defeating trend among Swatties? for all fledgling hockey fans. You can let Muhlenberg 2-1 in 2OT Sunday. The Many students, both at Swarthmore and across the country, are choosing to take gap years before, during or after college. Students share their experiences. PAGE 11
THE PHOENIX
your true inner fan out once you learn this list of simple rules to show your passion for the sport and your favorite team. PAGE 18
Garnet needed penalties to get past No. 4 Johns Hopkins in the semifinal Saturday before Kieran Reichert netted the gamewinner against the Mules. PAGE 22
November 11, 2010
STAFF Jacqueline Small News Writer Isaac Han Living & Arts Writer Dina Zingaro Living & Arts Writer Steve Dean Living & Arts Columnist Jasper Goldberg Living & Arts Columnist Alex Israel Living & Arts Columnist Jen Johnson Living & Arts Columnist Maki Somosot Living & Arts Columnist Ariel Swyer Living & Arts Columnist Naia Poyer Artist Emma Waitzman Artist Mark Chin Cartoonist Ben Schneiderman Crossword Writer Anna Shectman Crossword Writer Peter Akkies Opinions Columnist Tyler Becker Opinions Columnist Eva McKend Opinions Columnist Timothy Bernstein Sports Columnist Hannah Purkey Sports Columnist Andrew Cheng Photographer Paul Chung Photographer Eric Verhasselt Photographer Nick Brown Photographer Jakob Mrozewski Photographer Allegra Pocinki Photographer Morgan Bartz Copy Editor Stella Cho Copy Editor Renee Flores Copy Editor Madison Garcia Copy Editor Lauren Kim Copy Editor Daniela Kucz Copy Editor Catherine Meador Copy Editor Parker Murray Copy Editor BUSINESS STAFF Patricia Zarate Circulation Manager Madison Garcia Circulation Manager COVER DESIGN Julia Karpati Back cover photos: Volleyball, Olivia Natan; Soccer, Jakob Mrozewski CONTRIBUTORS Ana Apostoleris, Gail Engmann, Renee Flores, Sam Lacy, John Oh, Navin Sabharwal, Adam Schlegel OPINIONS BOARD Jeff Davidson, Amelia Possanza, Dante Fuoco, Camila Ryder EDITOR’S PICKS PHOTOS COURTESY OF: wikimedia.org, feministing.com, wildandcrazypearl.com. ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk, oldstrathcona.ca, oakorchardgallery.com TO ADVERTISE: E-mail: advertising@swarthmorephoenix.com Advertising phone: (610) 328-7362 Address: The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081 Direct advertising requests to Jeff Davidson. The Phoenix reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Advertising rates subject to change. CONTACT INFORMATION Offices: Parrish Hall 470-472 E-mail: editor@swarthmorephoenix.com Newsroom phone: (610) 328-8172 Address: The Phoenix, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081 Web site: www.swarthmorephoenix.com Mail subscriptions are available for $60 a year or $35 a semester. Direct subscription requests to Jeff Davidson. The Phoenix is printed at Bartash Printing, Inc. The Phoenix is a member of the Associated College Press and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. All contents copyright © 2010 The Phoenix. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission.
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News events menu Today Feminism's Identity Crisis Miriam Perez ’06, organizer and advocate for Latina women, will offer insight on the future of feminism in a lecture at 7:30 p.m. in Sci 199.
swarthmorephoenix.com
Alums discuss minority education
Lecture: Nico Udu-gama As a field organizer with the grassroots organization School of the Americas Watch, Nico Udugama will be on campus to discuss his efforts in organizing nonviolent protests against the controversial Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, formerly known as the School of Americas, in Fort Benning, GA. He will be speaking at 7:30 p.m. in the Scheuer Room. SAM Workshop: Pre-Med Edition Stressed about pre-med at Swarthmore? Come for advice from pre-med SAMs at 9 p.m. in Sci 183 about fulfilling pre-med requirements. Cookies and other snacks will be provided.
Tomorrow Conversation about Quakerisms and Quaker values at Swarthmore Convene with fellow students, faculty and administrators in the Bond Memorial Hall at 1 p.m. to discuss the role of Quaker values in the strategic planning process. Cooper Series: Soulfège Enjoy the electrifying Afropolitan sound of the internationally acclaimed musical group Soulfège at 8 p.m. in LPAC. Sponsored by the Cooper Foundation, this concert is free and open to the public. Saturday, November 13th Beekeeping and urban agriculture Take a van to the Fairmount Park Horticultural Center in Philadelphia with members of the Good Food Project to learn about the basics of beekeeping. RSVP to Michael Roswell and meet in the Ben West Parking Lot at 8:15 a.m. if interested. Sunday, November 7th Eat for Education The Village Education Project is hosting its second all-you-can-eat buffet fundraiser for children in Ecuador who have limited opportunities to attend high school. Come to Shane Lounge at 8:12 p.m. with $5 for food from Shere-ePunjab, Panera, Aria and more. The Franklin Method workshop Improve your physical and mental energy with Cathy Raymond ’79 as she leads a Franklin Method workshop at 7 p.m in Bond Hall. The method will target any tension or pain experienced in your neck and shoulders. E-mail submissions for the events menu to news@swarthmorephoenix.com
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Jake Mrozewski Phoenix Staff
Laura Ascenzi-Moreno, Nelson Flores, Elaine Allard and Jonathan Rosa spoke out about the problems with language minority education in the U.S. at a panel in the Scheuer Room Monday night. BY ADAM SCHLEGEL aschleg1@swarthmore.edu
“Swarthmore was a very different world to me,” said Nelson Flores ’03 on Monday afternoon at a panel on language minority education in Kohlberg’s Scheuer room. “When I came here, I felt like I was redefined as not a legitimate user of English.” Flores, along with Elaine Allard ’01, Laura Ascenzi-Moreno ’94 and Jonathan Rosa ’03, returned to Swarthmore in order to speak about their careers in language minority education as well as some of the issues that language minority students face within the United States education system today. Such issues mainly reside in our struggle, as a primarily monolingual English-speaking nation, in providing adequate attention and resources to the millions of schoolchildren whose “native language” is not English, the alums described. The panel, organized by the Alumni Office, Education Studies and the Intercultural Center, attracted a group of over 20 students and faculty members. Lisa Smulyan, Professor of Educational Studies, presided over it. Before coming to Swarthmore, Flores was raised in a bilingual household by his single mother of Puerto Rican descent. However, due to internalized anxieties regarding his own proficiency in Spanish, Flores perceived himself to be a monolingual English speaker rather than a bilingual speaker of both English and Spanish. “With friends, I was told I didn’t speak Spanish well enough,” Flores said. Soon after arriving at Swarthmore, Flores began to feel marginalized and “language-less” as he was forced to adopt new words and academic termi-
nologies to which he had previously not been exposed. He stated that many of his peers would often correct his spoken English, making integration into the community increasingly difficult. It was at this point that Flores claims he began to have an interest in education for language minority students in the U.S. On a similar note, Rosa cited his experience as a Latino at Swarthmore as the driving force behind his interest in the field of language minority education. Prior to Swarthmore, Rosa claims to have always possessed a meticulous attention to grammar and rhetoric in spoken English. It wasn’t until after his arrival at the college that Rosa realized this was his way of internalizing his parents’ own linguistic anxieties. “I was always interested in ‘standardization’ in order to signal things about myself through grammar – it wasn’t just about sounding smart,” Rosa said. “I wanted to be able to represent my family publicly through my facility of a high standard of English.” Ashamed of his parents’ voices as a child, Rosa developed a newfound appreciation for his parents’ nonstandard linguistic practices after arriving at Swarthmore and a subsequent sense of pride in his own linguistic heritage. After graduating from Swarthmore, Rosa received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He now teaches Latino Studies at New York University. Allard and Ascenzi-Moreno made similar comments regarding their experiences at Swarthmore, stating that they had felt forced to identify themselves ethnically during their time here. “I was not identifiably Latina enough,” Allard said. “I felt like I needed to learn about Latino culture to better identify myself.” Allard, now pursuing a Ph.D. in edu-
November 11, 2010
cational studies at the University of Pennsylvania, says that she has returned to Swarthmore to give current students better access to information regarding the issue of language minority students in the U.S. She is now a visiting professor at the college, teaching a class dedicated to the topic of language minority education. In addition, Ascenzi-Moreno, daughter of a Colombian mother and Italian father, stated that her bicultural identity was not a common characteristic among students during her time at the college. She stated that she had always had a strong interest in educational studies; however, it was her search for identity at Swarthmore that resulted in her current career in language minority education. “I first wanted to find my identity and have that guide my professional direction,” Ascenzi-Moreno said. After graduating from Swarthmore, Ascenzi-Moreno spent two years conducting educational research in Bogota, Colombia on a Fulbright grant. She now teaches at the first parent-run Dual Language School in New York City, while concurrently pursuing her Ph.D. in educational studies alongside Flores at the City University of New York. Each of the panel members spoke for ten to fifteen minutes, after which the panel was open to questions and discussion. Students asked the panelists questions concerning their backgrounds in education as well as advice on pursuing general careers in education. Flores concluded the discussion by urging students to actively establish a more supportive environment for increasingly diverse student populations in schools across America. “We must pressure institutions to be more inclusive spaces,” he said. tHe PHOenIX
News Complaints arise concerning writing requirement swarthmorephoenix.com
BY JACQUELINE SMALL jsmall2@swarthmore.edu Writing courses at Swarthmore exist to help students learn how to express themselves clearly and intelligently. But the way they are currently structured is a source of frustration for many students. A recent thread of comments on a Daily Gazette article revealed that, among other problems, several students think that writing courses are often mislabeled, and that some of them lack the emphasis on revision and meetings with Writing Associates that students expect. According to the writing program’s website, writing courses should require “multiple writing assignments that total at least twenty pages of analytic writing during the semester.” A course that can fulfill the “W” requirement should emphasize developing a student’s abilities to construct, organize and develop a thesis and argument while collecting, presenting and analyzing evidence and documentation. Furthermore, the website states that, “It will pay explicit attention to the mechanics of writing and editing, issues of intended audience and author’s voice.” But some students have found the lines distinguishing a writing course from a non-writing course to be particularly blurred. Dougal Sutherland ’11 said, “I’ve taken a bunch [of writing courses] without even thinking about it. Some have had better focus on writing. The ones that used course WAs required at least some focus on revision process ... but others had nothing. It’s pretty varied whether they’ll actually make you better at writing.” Sutherland, who is editor in chief of the Gazette, was hopeful that administrators would take notice of the criticisms revealed in the comments online. The thread drew the attention of Martin Warner, the registrar, who followed and commented on it. Warner said in an e-mail, “I learned a lot from the chat ... and I am very sympathetic to the student concerns raised there. I decided the best thing I could do in response is to try to provide better advice to all students (and especially first-year students) about the Writing Course Requirement.” He published new information about the requirement online, with suggestions that students should take “W” courses as early as possible, and try to use them to fulfill distribution requirements. But for students whose majors are highly structured, it can be hard just to find time to schedule in “W” courses. Rebecca Roelofs ’13 plans to major in engineering and has had trouble taking “W” classes in the humanities. “I basically only have one slot per semester in which I can work on fulfilling all my distribution requirements. Freshman year ... none of my classes were writing classes,” she said in an e-mail. The fall semester of her sophomore year, she planned to take an English class, but taking a writing credit was a requirement to take any class in the department except for first-year seminars. “I felt totally blocked out of the department without the writing credit, and I didn't really have time in my THE PHOENIX
Olivia Natan Phoenix Staff
Flyers reminding students to register for Spring 2011 classes and a photo of the registrar, Martin Warner, promoting writing courses hang on the board space outside of the Registrar’s Office in Parrish.
schedule to take a writing class first and then an English class later. I thought that exploring subjects outside of your comfort zone was the very essence of Swarthmore, so it should be really easy to do!” Roelefs said. Yet even for students who major in writing-intensive subjects, fulfilling the writing requirements can be difficult. Kat Clark ’12, an English major, never expected that fulfilling the writing requirement would be challenging for her. But the absence of middle and higher-level classes with the “W” designation limits her options. “I took Intro to Ed and had a great WA experience, but since then I've had trouble finding W classes that I'm interested in,” Clark said. She pointed out that majoring in English requires her to write extensively, but “W” courses do not seem to acknowledge the amount of writing done by students. William Nessly ’99, a visiting instructor in the English department who currently teaches a “W” class, a first-year seminar called “The Oriental Imagination,” said that the difference between a class that demands a lot of writing and a “W” class is the intent of
the course. “Not just English classes but many humanities courses and science courses have demanding writing components. But that’s different from the self-conscious emphasis on writing that happens in designated ‘W’ courses,” he said. The requirements have changed quite a bit since Nessly’s days as a student here. Until the 1990s, distribution requirements could only be fulfilled through taking specific courses called PDCs, primary distribution courses. PDCs were classes in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences that had been recognized for meeting various criteria. They were supposed to be suitable for students who intended to major in the field as well as non-majors, have an emphasis on the specific methodology essential for the subject and contain a significant writing component. Students were required to take two PDCs in each field, and could take one non-PDC. The administration eventually decided to get rid of the PDC listing, but kept the emphasis on writing. Professors who wanted to designate
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their classes as Writing classes had to fill out an application, and the classes that were labeled “W” are almost all still considered to be “W” classes. Departments can, however, request that a class not be labeled “W” if, for example, the professor teaching the course changes and the emphasis shifts. Constance Hungerford, provost of the college, said that with the upcoming Strategic Planning, it is possible the format of Writing courses will change once again. Until then, the solution to problems like Clark’s may lie with the professors. “Many people whose courses are not W courses nonetheless care very much about their students and their writing. I think more faculty can think about whether they want to make mid-level courses W courses,” Hungerford said. Hungerford stressed, though, that requiring students to learn to write well will not change. “Writing well is a reflection of thinking well, and the ability to communicate is tremendously important. We want to find ways of ensuring our students are graduating with that skill honed,” she said.
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News
swarthmorephoenix.com
Student arrested in D.C. for MTR sit-in
Week in piCTuReS
Heckler is a self-proclaimed hell-raiser and long time activist in this cause. During their meeting, the On September 27, Alexa Ross ’13 group was able to draw much insight was arrested along with three others and wisdom. for refusing to leave a PNC Bank in When the group came back to Washington, D.C. PNC was the Swarthmore, Lawrence noticed their largest American bank to still fund increased passion in their efforts to mountaintop removal, and she was end MTR. “Even though I didn’t go, I participating in a sit-in organized by saw the energy that people came self-proclaimed activist Reverend back with, and the passion really Billy in an attempt to stop them. became contagious,” he said. “Protest is a privilege,” Ross said O’Neil says that even though in an e-mail, “and the fact that I could mountain top removal is cheaper stand up for the people and land of than traditional methods, the mining Appalachia in that way was empow- companies do not take into account ering.” the destruction of whole ecosystems The bank announced on Tuesday and the disruption of life in the area that it would cut all funding to proj- when calculating the cost. ects that use MTR. “I’m from Kentucky and this real“It's really incredible to see such ly hit home for me,” Onyekwuluje directly explicit results of a cam- said. “People are out there suffering paign you took part in. It's often and their environment is suffering.” years before nonviolent campaigns Rather than sending miners see success, if underground to at all, and this extract coal, was completely mining compau n e x p e c t e d ,” nies blast off “Protest is a privilege Ross said. the top of the and the fact that I could mountain with The sit-in was part of a explosives in stand up for ... three-day conorder to access Appalachia in that way ference held in the coal. Wa s h i n g t o n , They then was empowering.” c a l l e d dump millions Appalachia Alexa Ross ’13 of tons of soil Rising. It into a nearby Student activist valley, which is occurred on the called “valley final day of the filling.” conference, the Valley filling has proven to be a “Day of Action,” where in addition to the sit-in, 2,000 people marched to the real threat to the diversity of ecosysWhite House to demand an end to tems. It kills off the animals and MTR and about 100 were arrested. On plants in the valley. But these are not September 25 and 26, there were the only things being effected by strategy discussions and speeches mountain top removal; it has damagabout the destruction of nature ing effects on the people in the area through methods like MTR in as well. As a result of mountain top Appalachia. Four other Swarthmore students, removal, the water has become Blaine O’Neil ’13, Anjali Cadambi ’13, heavy in mercury and arsenic, Kanayo Onyekwuluje ’13 and which poses a great health risk. William Lawrence ’13, also attended There have also been many reports the conference. They are part of a of people who live close to these collection of students who are taking mountains but have never been in on environmental issues on campus the mines being diagnosed with as well as on a larger scale. They black lung disease. It also has many social repercuschoose not to officially form a group on campus and instead focus on sions. “The mining companies in events like this with every member these areas have a monopoly in the work force,” Onyekwuluje said. involved and no sense of hierarchy. “We all noticed the energy of the “People can’t find any jobs other march that concluded the conference than ones that are in this process.” O’Neil believes that as a young in D.C.,” Ross said in an e-mail. “It was very focused, very determined. college student surrounded by pasWe talked about it in the car ride sionate people and resources, it is back to Swat, how none of us had felt easier to focus on physical intervention to enact social change. “Looking something like that before.” Before travelling to D.C., the stu- back in history, non-violent direct dents wanted to better understand action always plays a role in how the issues. They therefore took a trip change happens,” he said. For Ross, she sees her arrest back to West Virginia last spring in order to become better acquainted with in September as just another step towards a bigger goal. “This victory MTR. There, they had the chance to sit is another step towards understanddown with Ken Heckler ’35. He was ing the responsibility we all hold in the West Virginia Secretary of State environmental destruction,” she said from 1985-2001, the U.S. in an e-mail. “I hope that PNC conRepresentative for the 4th district of tinues in their efforts, and that we all West Virginia from 1959-1977 and a keep asking ourselves how we can speechwriter for President Truman. change.”
BY GAIL ENGMANN gengman1@swarthmore.edu
Allegra Pocinki Phoenix Staff
Sixteen Feet serenades the campus in Sci 101 this past Friday with a fresh set of songs during their Toejam Fall 2010 performance.
Nick Brown Phoenix Staff
Silbia Han performs along with several other student musicians during the annual Halloween student cover show in Olde Club on Friday night.
Olivia Natan Phoenix Staff
Lisa Arellano, Chair of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at Colby College, speaks about the television show, “Dexter,” on Wednesday afternoon .
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November 11, 2010
THe pHOeniX
News Meat Day to be held next Tuesday on Mertz Field swarthmorephoenix.com
BY NAVIN SABHARWAL nsabhar1@swarthmore.edu
On Tuesday, Nov. 16th, the Swarthmore Good Food Project will hold a hog roast, followed by a panel discussion on Mertz Field. “It’s a combination barbeque panel discussion to raise awareness about ecological meat on campus,” said Marjorie Herbert ’12, a member of the Good Food Project and organizer of the event. The roast will occur all day Tuesday, and its organizers hope to bring awareness to the Swarthmore community. Sarah Scheub, a Good Food member involved in the event, said that the community is “experiencing a disconnect between their food and how it is raised and where it comes from and who raises it and how it gets on a plate.” Flyers outlining what ecological meat is will be distributed soon. The organizers hope that it will be an experience where students can “visually experience” and “see with [their] eyes … and associate that with eating meat… and be okay with that or not okay with that,” Scheub said. She also hopes that people recognize “that this was raised by people,” and that this “play[s] into [their] choices as … consumer[s].” The panel discussion will consist of five farmers who will introduce themselves, discuss how they raised the animals, the hardships they faced and the triumphs they enjoyed. Participants include a farmer who raises pork, someone who has a stand in the farmer’s market and a beef producer. German Studies professor Hansjakob Werlen, who is also the founder of Philadelphia Slow Food, an educational organization supporting
ecologically proper food production and revival of food traditions, will moderate the discussion. “[Good Food is] a campus group, one of the green groups, who focuses mainly on food issues, whether that’s sustainable agricultural or sustainable living practices,” Scheub said. The group grows a variety of crops throughout the year, and its produce has been sold to the college dining services and local anti-hunger advocates. Additionally, Good Food runs a composting program used by the college’s dining services, including Sharples and Essie Mae’s. Schueb also emphasized how the group is “doing it for the community” and “doing projects to open [the] discussion [of sustainability issues]” Organizers of the event do not foresee any problems or controversies regarding roasting meat on campus. “We’re technically vegetarians,” Scheub said. “We think more than most people do about meat.” Moreover, she emphasized that the meat is being created and processed “in an ecological way.” Doug Woos ’11, a vegetarian, seems to agree with this point and the idea of the pig roast. “Obviously most Swatties eat meat, so I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with having a meat-centric event on campus,” Woos said in an e-mail. “In some sense a pig roast is a good thing in that it forces a direct connection to the hog in a way that pork-on-aplate from Sharples really doesn’t,” he added. “I hope that this extends to the organizers doing research to determine the best source for a pig, and that the animal they select has been raised and slaughtered humanely (which is not at all the norm).”
Courtesy of Sarah Scheub
Members of the Good Food Project will be purchasing a pig from a local farm for their pig roast next Tuesday.
around higher education
Peer mentoring program to help autistic students BY ALLISON SHUSHTERMAN TRIANGLE.ORG, NOV. 5, 2010 This fall, the Drexel Autism Support Program will be helping Drexel students with autism improve their University experience through a peer mentoring program. The program will strive to enhance self-advocacy skills, interpersonal relations and other strategies critical to college success for students on the autistic spectrum. Directed by Dr. Felicia Hurewitz, an assistant professor in the department of psychology, the course will pair autistic students with non-autistic peer mentors to guide them through the complexities of college life. As the staff prepare for the first class to commence in coming weeks, they are still searching for autistic students and peer mentors who would be a good fit for the program. Daniel Smith, a Drexel Autism Support Program trainer and neuropsychology candidate, is the PhoeniX
responsible for selecting peer mentors. Smith is looking for students who are able to make the time commitment, have had experience working with the disabled and are mature enough to guide their autistic peers. Motives for involvement in the program also play a large role in selecting peer mentors. Once admitted into DASP, a peer mentor is matched up with an autistic student based on their age and gender. The use of appropriate and effective relationships enables all students to grow and learn throughout the program. Before the course begins, Smith will hold six trainings that will enable peer mentors to learn more about their role in the program and how to best deal with any challenges they may face. Research shows that autistic students tend to be stronger visual learners, and so Hurewitz has adjusted lessons to optimize student learning.
“I use many demonstrations in the class to help the autistic students gain a better grasp of the material. For instance, sometimes I will play humorous videos, or have students role play experiential situations, like how to strike up a conversation with another student,” Hurewitz said. Throughout the course, the director of DASP emphasizes that in order for the autistic students to truly be successful at college, they must advocate for their rights as students. Many individuals with autism have executive functioning problems, a difficulty discovered during neuropsychological testing. As a result, these students benefit from accommodations provided through the Drexel Office of Disability Services. “In the program, I inform the autistic students about the process of going to ODS and getting the accommodations they qualify for, like extended time for tests and priority regNovember 11, 2010
istration. Allowing these students to register early for their classes can enable them to build a schedule that best fits their needs,” Hurewitz said. Hurewitz also notes that the course not only hopes to prepare autistic students for college life, but also for the workforce. “People with autism are not as successful with job placement and retention. This does not stem from their inability to do the work, but rather from their poor social skills. This program strives to increase these skills, which will lead to a more expansive social network,” Hurewitz said. Elliott Berkowitz Sturgis, a psychology major graduating in 2011, will assess the effect of DASP on each autistic student’s social network. “For my senior thesis, I am creating a questionnaire that the autistic students will complete before and after the course. This will be used as an instrument to see what effect
the support network in DASP has had on their social integration,” Sturgis said. The program first began in the fall of 2009 with four autistic students and four peer mentors. Since the program’s inception, consultants, as well as professors at four other colleges in eastern Pennsylvania, have received training in the course. Participating institutions for this coming term include St. Joseph’s University, Swarthmore and Carbondale Community College. Created under grants from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Autism Services, it will be funded from 2009-2011 by the Bureau According to the Bureau website, “The DASP project was created by Drexel as a way to give colleges in Pennsylvania resources to accommodate students with autism who are attending, or planning to attend, post-secondary institutions.”
7
News
swarthmorephoenix.com
around higher education
Students take off for annual Quidditch World Cup BY SABA HAMEDY DAILYFREEPRESS.COM, NOV. 9, 2010 Tom Ford, a College of Arts and Sciences freshman, spends his Sundays sprinting around the Boston University Beach dressed in a yellow T-shirt and shorts with a tube sock carrying a tennis ball wrapped around his waist. Ford isn’t crazy, he’s just the snitch: the key to winning the game of Quidditch, the sport featured in J.K. Rowling’s popular “Harry Potter” series. His job is to run around until a seeker from either team catches him, which would result in victory. Whoever said Quidditch isn’t for Muggles was wrong. Colleges across the country, including Boston University, are making the magical sport a reality for wannabe wizards and athletes alike. On Saturday, about 50 colleges and universities will compete in the fourth annual Quidditch World Cup. In the past, the cup has been held at Middlebury College, the first school that brought the sport to life in fall of 2005. However, because of an increase in college participation, the cup has a new home in New York City at Dewitt Clinton Park. Just like in “Harry Potter,” each team has seven people on the field at a time – three chasers, two beaters, a keeper and
a seeker. However, because none of the Mandrakes, the Hippogriffs, the players can actually fly, college Phoenixes and the Gnargles) each hold Quidditch is slightly different than the one weekly practice, where members fictional game. Rather than keeping work on specific skills and do a few drills their balance while flying, team mem- before scrimmaging each other, bers must multi-task by holding a broom President of BUQ and College of Arts between their legs with one hand at all and Sciences junior Caroline Stack said. Last year, BUQ nabbed third place in times. While the seeker searches for the the Cup out of 23 other teams. “We have even higher expectations snitch, the beaters hit people with “bludgers” (dodge balls) and the chasers this year,” Pelerin said. “We’re bringing a really great try to score by team to NY.” throwing the “Our program “quaffles” (volley“The game is much more is a lot stronger balls) into one of this year, so three hoops that intense, physically, than we’re hoping to are defended by do even better in the keepers. most people expect.” the World Cup, About 70 peoKatie Stack and also to beat ple play on BU’s Middlebury, who team – more than BU senior I think is still triple from last undefeated,” year’s 20, said added Stack. Sargent College of “The best part about the world cup is Health and Rehabilitation Sciences junior Dana Pelerin, BU Quidditch team sec- probably the excitement and intensity of the games,” Stack said. “Everyone is so retary. “We’ve had so many people involved dedicated and puts so much effort into that we decided to organize the BUQ each game, but then at the end of the day team into four houses headed by the four we’re all there to have a good time. It’s e-board members so that everyone gets fun meeting other teams from across the more playing time and we can stay more country and from neighboring schools too.” organized,” she said. Katie Stack, a CAS senior and BUQ The BU teams (The Screaming
member, said being part of the team is a fun experience. “I love that Quidditch, at this point, isn’t even really about Harry Potter,” she said. “We have a lot of people on our team who aren’t huge fanatics, but wanted to learn a new, fun sport and remain physically active in college. The game is much more intense, physically, than most people expect.” Stephen Houseman, BUQ treasurer and School of Hospitality Administration sophomore, said this year the team is “going big.” “With [extra] practices we are able to create plays while also focusing on things that we need to improve on,” he said. “From last year the team as a whole has quadrupled. We went from 20 players to 80 players and now we feel like we are going to be a bigger force to be reckon with then we were last year at the World Cup.” BUQ is taking 20 players, a coach, a snitch and a referee to New York City via the Megabus, team members said. “Quidditch may seem like a joke, but it is far from that,” Houseman said. “The amount of bruises, blood and injuries sustained from Quidditch at a daily practice or game is unimaginable to those who have never seen us play. We are BU Quidditch, we play to win. World Cup 2010 here we come.”
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November 11, 2010
the PhoeniX
is
SPRING 2011
APPLICATIONS DUE
HIRING
DEC. 3 @ 5 P.M. Please see our website for additional information and to obtain an application. Go to swarthmorephoenix.com/apply to submit an application.
WRITING, BUSINESS, EDITORIAL & WEB POSITIONS
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
These job descriptions are intended to inform applicants of what would be expected of them if hired. All applications must be submitted online at swarthmorephoenix.com/apply Questions? Want more information? Contact us at editor@swarthmorephoenix.com
EDITORIAL POSITIONS
STAFF POSITIONS
Section editors are responsible for ensuring the completion of their section, reading and editing all copy submitted for publication in the section, coordinating their staff of writers, writing items for publication and laying out pages in QuarkXPress. The section editors must be present in the office for their respective deadlines until the Editor in Chief is satisfied with their completed section. Additionally, the section editors must attend all weekly editorial board meetings on Monday and Thursday evenings, and they must communicate regularly with the writers of their sections to assess their progress and to develop story ideas. The responsibilities of a section editor may be divided between two individuals.
Reporters / staff writers (8 news, 6 living, 5 sports) Reporters write at least one story a week for their section. Writers must attend weekly meetings. Approximate hours per week: 6–8. Columnists / Bloggers (6 opinions, 2 sports, 8 living & arts) A columnist receives a biweekly column. The columnists are expected to work closely with their respective section editors in developing topics and improving their writing styles. Approximate hours per week: 3—4. Copy editors Copy editors check facts, style and grammar and proof pages. Approximate hours per week: 3—5. Photographers Photographers are expected to fulfill weekly assignments. This includes taking photos at the assigned time and uploading the photos onto the Phoenix server in a timely fashion. Approximate hours per week: varies. Staff artists (3) Staff artists are required to submit at least one illustration per issue, for various sections of the paper. Approximate hours per week: varies. Cartoonists (4) Cartoonists may apply to work as either an op-artist or a living & arts artist, and will be required to submit pieces biweekly. Approximate hours per week: 2.
Managing editor (2) The managing editor(s) are responsible for the completion of the newspaper and for delegating tasks to other editors and staff members, to support the role of the editor in chief. The managing editor(s) have significant involvement in the editorial, design and layout processes, and must be present in the office during production on Tuesday nights and Wednesday. Approximate hours per week: 25. News editor The news editor must have a current and comprehensive knowledge of events, people and issues on campus. Job duties include reading and editing all news copy, leading a staff meeting on Monday nights to work with reporters and develop future story ideas, working with other editors to select news content and directing reporters. Frequent communication with reporters, photographers and senior editors is essential. Applicants should be competent reporters, willing to write last-minute news stories and take photos. Approximate hours per week: 18. Living & Arts editor The Living & Arts editor must be able to develop creative feature and art ideas for the section each week; maintain familiarity with the art, music and theater scene, both on campus and in the Philadelphia area; and select events to feature as editor’s picks. The living section allows for more creativity in design than do other sections in the paper. Approximate hours per week: 16. Chief copy editor The chief copy editor of The Phoenix is responsible for the factual and grammatical aspects of all copy in the newspaper. Responsibilities include reading all copy, reading proofs of all pages, coordinating the schedules of a staff of copy editors, maintaining and updating The Phoenix stylebook and providing editorial feedback to the writers and editors. Approximate hours per week: 12. Graphics editor Responsibilities include working with the editors and staff artist(s) to conceptualize and create cover art and graphics within page designs. The graphic designer should coordinate art and is responsible for ensuring completion of graphics or photo-intensive pages. The graphic designer will also attend editorial board meetings. Previous work with Photoshop is required. Approximate hours per week: 8. Photo editor Responsibilities include taking, uploading and editing photos; maintaining a staff of photographers; coordinating the use of the paper’s digital cameras; and communicating with editors at editorial board meetings and throughout the week. Approximate hours per week: 10
Opinions editor The opinions editor’s primary job is to ensure that a diverse range of views relevant to the campus are represented on the editorial pages. Responsibilities include soliciting op-ed pieces, working with staff columnists and cartoonists to develop and carry out ideas and ensuring completion of the staff editorial each week. The opinions editor must also keep abreast of relevant campus and world events. Approximate hours per week: 12. Sports editor The sports editor should maintain a comprehensive knowledge of all varsity and club teams on campus. Duties include reading and editing all sports copy and assigning sports photos. Applicants must be competent sportswriters who are willing to write and take photos as needed. Approximate hours per week: 12. Assistant section editors Assistant editors in news, living and arts, sports and opinions may be added as training positions. Assistant section editors are responsible for helping the section editor in all duties and learning all aspects of production essential to the section, including layout design and editing. Assistant section editors are also responsible for writing for their sections as necessary. Approximate hours per week: 8–10.
BUSINESS POSITIONS Advertising manager (2) The advertising manager(s) work to recruit local and national ads. Responsibilities include keeping up-todate advertising records, sending out invoices and tearsheets to the advertisers, documenting paid invoices; providing up-to-date advertising income figures and attending weekly business staff meetings. Approximate hours per week: 6. Circulation manager (2) The circulation manager(s) must distribute copies of The Phoenix to areas across campus early Thursday mornings, stuff faculty and administration mailboxes, maintain subscriber lists and ensure that subscriptions are mailed out each Thursday on a weekly basis, deliver extra copies to The Phoenix office and answer subscription requests as they are received. Approximate hours per week: 3. Advertisers (3) Advertisers sell ads for The Phoenix website and print edition to local businesses. This position pays a commission for ads sold. Having access to a car is preferable but not required. Approximate hours per week: varies.
WEB STAFF (NEW!) Web Editor (2) The Web Editor(s) edits all stories that appear only on the web, moderates comments, posts to and moderates the forums, and coordinates the newly created Phoenix Web Staff. The Web Editor will hold a weekly or twice-weekly meeting with the Web Staff to ensure there is plenty of fresh content to keep the website as lively as possible. Approximate hours per week: 5-7. Web Staff (4) Web staffers are in charge of keeping The Phoenix website up-to-date throughout the week. Staffers will write stories, post blogs and/or take additional photos for the website. Staffers are required to attend weekly meetings to discuss the content to be placed on the website and will be required to post several items every week. WIth much less time commitment, it’s a great way to get started on The Phoenix. Approximate hours per week: 3-4. Assistant Webmaster / Ruby on Rails Web Developer The webmaster is responsible both for maintaining the website and for improving it in ways that engage our readers. Expect to post content, tweak styles, optimize the server configuration and maybe even build entirely new sections of the website. A wemaster must have experience with Rails or an avid interest in learning Rails as an extension of some existing web development background. Knowlege of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is required.
FOR HIRING RULES, FULL JOB DESCRIPTIONS AND TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR SPRING 2011:
h t t p : / / w w w. s w a r t h m o r e p h o e n i x . c o m / h i r i n g
THE PHOENIX
November 11, 2010
9
Living & Arts
swarthmorephoenix.com
From DiBruno’s to pho, Italian market has it all In the latter portion of the 19th century, Italian immigrants flooded East Coast cities, creating ethnic enclaves in Boston, New York and Philadelphia, among other American cities. Today, Philadelphia’s ItalianAmerican heritage is vibrantly evident, even in the suburbs. A onceJen Johnson scorned group of immiis now the old In-town, Off-campus grants guard, an essential part of the character of Philadelphia. The city’s Italian cultural heritage remains prominently on display at the Italian Market in South Philadelphia, though subsequent waves of immigrants have added businesses representing their own cultures and creating a sense of historical layering in the area that geology can’t mimic: Mexican and Central American immigrants work in Italian butcheries. Shops with “pho” signs in the window face Chinese dry cleaning services, and when the wind is right, someplace out of sight smells like pastry cream and confectioners’ sugar. Known informally as the 9th Street Market, the Italian Market area runs from Fitzwater Street (north) to Wharton Street (south), generally within a three-block east-west radius of 9th Street, within the Bella Vista neighborhood. There are good things to be found beyond these boundaries, in particular a slate of Southeast Asian restaurants to the south and the west. Beyond the sidewalk displays of exotic and familiar produce are a slew of traditionally Italian-owned foodrelated shops, including butcheries, spice shops, bakeries and cheese shops. The area’s most well-known store is certainly DiBruno Brothers’, (930 S. 9th St.) which specializes in cheese and sells anything you might want to accompany that cheese. DiBruno’s is a small specialty grocery (they do have larger locations, including one in Rittenhouse, but this is the original), and an expensive one
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at that — but the samples are free. If mozzarella is truly what you seek, look down the block to Claudio’s (926 S. 9th), where they make it, stuff it and smoke it on site. Tea and coffee lovers and serious cooks should stop by Fante’s Kitchen Wares Shop (1006 S. 9th), a source for most everything a home cook could want. If you are hit with the aforementioned sweet smell of pastry as you cross Christian Street, it’s coming from Isgro Pastries (1009 Christian Street). Stop in for cannoli and a wide range of other Italian-American classics that look like they materialized out of a glossy mid-century cookbook. For hoagies, Sarcone’s Deli (734 S. 9th) is the place to be. If you crave a bit more of the American in your Italian-American adventure, just south of the market on the two south corners of 9th and Passyunk Avenue, Pat’s and Geno’s solicit your judgement on which Philly cheese steak reigns supreme. (Which of them originated the iconic sandwich is likely to endure as a contested fact.) If you wander beyond the awnings of 9th Street, you might note the high number of Vietnamese restaurants in the area. In fact, several different Southeast Asian cuisines are represented in the area. For pho, try Pho 75’s Bella Vista branch (1122 Washington Ave #F), and for bahn-mi, try Viet Huong Restaurant (1100 Washington Ave.). A good eight to ten blocks south (depending on how you count) is Hardena/Waroeng Surabaya Restaurant, (1754 Hicks St.), possibly the best place in the city for Indonesian food. What if you don’t want Southeast Asian food or Italian food? For Mexican food, try Moctezuma Restaurant (1108 S. 9th St), just south of the Italian Market on 9th Street. Further south, Bitar’s (947 Federal St.) offers cheap, Zagatrated falafel; see if you can get extra pickled turnips instead of lettuce. North of the market, snout-to-tail eaters will appreciate the high-quality French offerings at Bibou (1009 S. 8th St.). There are two primary ways to get to the Italian Market using SEPTA: The fastest and cheapest way is to take the Media-Elwyn Line towards Center City, get off at 49th Street, and take the 64 Bus towards Pier 70. To catch the 64 Bus after disembarking from the train, head right to the west end of the platform, ascend the stairs, and make a right across the bridge over the tracks. You should find yourself at the corner of 49th and Chester Ave. About ten
n a i a
p o y e r
November 11, 2010
Courtesy of Google Maps
meters east of the intersection, on 49th Street, is a bus stop sign for the 64 Bus (among others). Take advantage of the silver guardrail as you wait — but since the bus runs roughly every 15 minutes, you shouldn’t have to wait long. The main bus stop for the Italian Market is at 9th and Washington, but you can get off a few blocks earlier (say, at 12th Street & Washington Ave.) if you want to explore the area a bit more. Round-trip fare to 49th Street is $7.50 in advance ($8 on board). Each trip on the bus costs one token or two dollars; tokens can be purchased in packs of two for $3.10, bringing the total cost of the trip to $10.60. (According to the SEPTA website, it is also possible to purchase a transfer for $1 when your trip requires two different SEPTA services. This must be purchased at the time of purchase of the initial service (for example, your first train ride). The website says nothing of purchasing transfers in advance. I am not familiar with this process; for more information, inquire at the Swarthmore Station ticketing office.) Your other option is to continue on the Media-Elwyn Line to Suburban Station and walk from JFK & 17th to the Broad Street Line station at City Hall, on the Market Street side. Take the Broad Street Line in the AT&T Center direction, southbound, and get off at Ellsworth-Federal Station. This will put you on Broad Street between Ellsworth Street, to the north, and Federal Street, to the south. Washington Avenue is one block north of Ellsworth; Broad Street functions as 14th Street, so when you come to the corner of Washington & Broad from the Ellsworth-Federal Station, the 9th Street Market is five blocks down the street to the right. Since each trip on the Broad Street Line costs one token or two dollars, it is cheaper to purchase an Independence Pass for $11 than to pay round-trip train fare to Center City ($10.75 in advance, $12 on board) and two bus fares. The benefit of buying an Independence Pass if you plan to take the 64 Bus is that, if you decide to venture six blocks north to South Street when you’re done exploring the Italian Market, and then maybe you wander all the way up to Rittenhouse Square or City Hall, the Pass will bring you back to Swarthmore on the Media-Elwyn Line with no additional cost. If you want to have an extensive day trip, the flexibility is worth the extra $0.40. If you choose to buy an Independence Pass for either route, try to plan ahead and purchase it in advance at the Swarthmore Station ticketing office, where they will give you the physical pass. While it looks like the flimsy credit card-style passes that allow one to pass through turnstiles in other cities, it doesn’t allow the same ease of access. You’ll have to show it to each ticketing agent and wait for him or her to grant you access to your next SEPTA service. Jen is a junior. You can reach her at jjohnso4@swarthmore.edu.
THE PHOENIX
Living & Arts
swarthmorephoenix.com
Are gap years a growing trend among Swatties? BY DINA ZINGARO dzingar1@swarthmore.edu
Typically, students continuing in academia go straight from high school to college, and then (19.8% of the time if they’re a Swattie) to graduate school. However, some students choose a less traditional path and take a gap year, or a year off. Whether before, during, and/or after college, the time offers students an alternative to the conventional path of continuous schooling. Reporting in a recent article on gap years, MSNBC said, “Experts say no one tracks the exact numbers of American students taking gap years, but most agree the trend is steadily growing in popularity.” In 2008, Princeton University created the “Bridge Year Program,” which offers undergraduates a pre-collegiate year abroad for public service before matriculating at the college. Swarthmore also embraces the pre-collegiate gap year and since 2003, the college has averaged about six deferrals each year. There were three defers in the class of 2003, two for 2005, 12 for 2006, four for 2008, and five for 2013, along with 8 students currently on gap years who will defer to the class of 2015. When interviewing prospective students, Dean of Admissions Jim Bock often asks, “What would you do next year if you didn’t go to college?” Often unanticipated, the question catches most students off guard. “It’s amazing how often [students] get stuck because they have been so pre-programmed to think that success is getting into a good college and getting a good job,” Bock said. In an interview with NPR in 2008, Bock described a pre-collegiate gap year as “the new summer.” “Summer used to be the time you took off, you had a vacation, you went to the beach and you hung out,” Bock said. Under the pressure of applying to selective schools, students often spend summers doing activities to boost their application, and so Bock believes students sometimes just need a break. For pre-collegiate gap years, Swarthmore policy asks students to inform the college of the decision before June 1 following their high school graduation. Also, students must send in the $250 nonrefundable deposit, along with a waiver promising not to apply to other schools, which is also signed by their parents and high school guidance counselor. Though it can be relatively unstructured, students must have a plan for how they will spend the year. During December of the gap year, students also write an informal summation of their activities for the college. With these relatively lenient requirements, Bock hopes to avoid “discourag[ing] creativi-
Courtesy of Ben Wolcott
Ben Wolcott spent his gap year in an Israeli commune called “The Freedom Builders.” THE PHOENIX
ty and imagination,” and instead wants students to do “whatever [they] can dream up.” Following senior graduation, Rachel Crane ’13 spent her year glass-blowing at Penland School of Crafts and then abroad in Greece and Japan in creative writing and dance classes. “I was really burned out and I needed some time away from academia so I could come in and be ready to go and give Swarthmore everything I have,” she said. Also abroad, Ben Wolcott ’14 spent his gap year in an Israeli commune called “The Freedom Builders” that mimics the traditional kibbutz, which is a collective community based on an agricultural lifestyle. Living in a communal space with a shared bank account and in a small bedroom with four roommates, Wolcott improved his ability to share spaces, understand different perspectives and participate in dialogue and discussion. Though he admits his balance between academics and a social life is far from perfect, Wolcott believes his gap year did help him re-prioritize his prior high school habit of choosing schoolwork over friends. “My priorities cannot be so clear — there needs to be more gray. My friends cannot just come below my schoolwork and activities because [my friends] are essential,” he said. Similarly, Crane developed this sense of balance. “It’s still something I struggle with the most, but without the gap year, I would just be one of those Swatties who doesn’t know how to just put it away and say okay, that’s enough — I’m allowed to do something else now,” Crane said. Living abroad on her own, Crane learned to shop and cook for herself and thus, the transition to the college’s dorm life and dining hall proved to be a challenge. “Though I was not in the real world while living in Greece and writing poetry in my free time, I was still being more self-sufficient than I am here. Not having that control felt like backtracking,” Crane said. Another gap year student, Rebecca Kranz ’13, echoes Crane’s expressions of the difficult transition into the college lifestyle. After mastering the “whole living on your own thing,” Kranz struggled with acclimating to dorm life and a meal plan. “It was a hard transition, but it was definitely worth it,” she said. During her year, Kranz spent time at a non-profit organization called “Save America’s Forests,” at the Natural History Museum at the Smithsonian Institute, in West Virginia for an environmental education internship and finally at a Hawthorne Valley organic farm in NY. Other students choose to go on gap years while at Swarthmore to explore other options and discover their passion, or because they feel burnt out. Dean of Students Myrt Westphal believes that America’s youth, in the traditional path in academia, rarely stop to consider their strengths and passions. “But, when you get to Swarthmore and find yourself surrounded by people who really do know what they want to do and are passionate, you say, ‘Hm, what about me?’” Westphal said. Some students seek such gap years for health, financial and personal issues as well, but as long as the gap year is the students’ choice, the college only requires students to fill out a form indicating the date beginning and ending their intended absence. In situations where the college asks the student to take time off for disciplinary, health or financial reasons, the process requires a written paper upon their return about what they did during their year. “What we want to see is that you’ve gotten your life together and you’ve organized something that was meaningful to you,” Westphal said. After graduation, Swarthmore alums join the growing trend of post-graduate gap years to spend time away from academia to consider the future. Now living in NYC, Oscar Guzman ’10 worked for the last few months at Cinema Tropical, which is a nonprofit media arts organization that promotes Latin American Cinema in the US. In considering a Ph.D., Guzman used the time off to reconsider and confirm his desire to pursue further schooling. “I don’t regret taking the time off — November 11, 2010
Courtesy of Rebecca Kranz
Rebecca Kranz spent part of her gap year at an organic farm in New York and working for the non-profit “Save America’s Forests.”
I really needed it for my sanity,” Guzman said. “If you are going for a Ph.D., I think you should take a gap year because it is going to be six years of your life — it’s more than half a decade.” For students like Guzman, Westphal feels that a couple years of practical life, whether at a research job or a law firm, can help students figure out their next move. “When are you going to take that time to sort of synthesize your life?” she said. During her pre-collegiate gap year and summer before college, Hana Lehmann ’13 worked four different jobs in her hometown of South Dakota. Forking over $20,000 for her first semester discouraged Hana from taking her education lightly. She said, “You can academically invest quite a bit, but it isn’t the same thing as actually financially having to invest in your education.” In agreement with Dean Westphal’s sentiments about the need for time off, Lehmann said, “Sometimes you just need really big Sabbaths.”
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Living & Arts
swarthmorephoenix.com
S watStyleSnapshot Name: Devon Novotnak Year: 2011 From: Fogelsville, PA Current Residence: Worth
she said. Novotnak also likes anything that evokes an antique feeling, though she describes her clothing as “nothing over the top and nothing incredibly vintage.”
What She’s Wearing: “This scarf is from a boutique in Dublin,” said Novotnak, who studied abroad at Trinity College Dublin’s school in Belfast, Ireland last semester. “I ended up doing a lot of shopping while I was over there. [I] just really loved everything they had there and it was completely different.” Her striped top and panne velvet skirt are from J.Crew, her black sweater is from Target and her leopard print and leather purse is from Urban Outfitters. Novotnak also has an extensive jewelry collection and is wearing a few standout pieces, like the double-stranded pearl necklace she purchased from Attic, a consignment shop. “These boots have been passed down in my family,” Novotnak said. “They’re my cowboy boots that I wear almost too much.” How She Describes Her Personal Style: Novotnak describes her style as both cute and eclectic. “I don’t like to dress ... in very conservative pieces,” she said. “I’m very much into unique, antique-y pieces and kind of building off of that.” Novotnak taps into her love of the antique with her vintage-inspired necklaces and her velvet skirt, but keeps it modern with the skirt’s luster paired with the black tights and cowboy boots. Fashion Influences / Inspirations: “I was very influenced by my time abroad,” Novotnak said. She loved how people all over Europe, specifically in Ireland and the UK, dress up nicely every day. “It doesn’t matter for what, or what time of the day, or even what reason, but they always really present themselves and I guess that really influenced me as kind of putting on a presentation every day.” Novotnak has loved art her whole life, especially impressionist art, and finds that her appreciation for beauty meshes with how she puts together an outfit. “I kind of approach it more from the sense of like putting together a piece of art instead of just putting on clothes,”
Where She Shops: “All over,” Novotnak said. She enjoys shopping at J.Crew and Urban Outfitters, but also frequents consignment shops, T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s for cheap, unique finds. Novotnak likes “finding those cheap pieces that you can kind of keep adding on to your wardrobe.” Favorite Items in Her Closet: “My cowboy boots and actually, anything in leopard print,” Novotnak said. “I actually have this odd sense that cowboy boots and leopard print go with anything.” While leopard print may sometimes seem wild or more for an accessory, the animal print is turning into a basic, just like black, brown or navy. From a leopard print cardigan to shoes or even to a purse like Novotnak’s, leopard adds another dimension to any outfit, but can also act as a basic on its own. Wardrobe Staples: For Novotnak, black leggings and boots are her main staples. “Not just my cowboy boots,” she said, adding that any sort of boot and black leggings make up much of her wardrobe. Never Leaves the House Without: “Probably coffee and my iPhone case,” she said. The case, which Novotnak calls one of her “prized pieces,” is from online site ModCloth.com and is highly embellished with cool rhinestones and gems.
Do you think you (or a professor) have great style? Then submit a photo of you in your best outfit to cryder1@swarthmore.edu. Please include your name and contact information.
TEXT AND PHOTO BY CAMILA RYDER
Tradition and invention blend in recent concert BY JOHN OH joh2@swarthmore.edu After a stunning performance with guest artist and former “Star Trek: The Next Generation” actress Marina Sirtis, Orchestra 2001 came back to Swarthmore’s Lang Concert Hall on Sunday, Nov. 9 to give an equally out-ofthis-world performance featuring Wu Man, considered one of the world’s greatest pipa players. With lights dimmed, the concert started off with the piece “Naibh Beags (Nyvaigs)” by Jennifer Margaret Barker, featuring the struggle and eventual triumph of the Celtics against the Vikings. The tension and anxiety created by the music kept building and building until it climaxed, crashing down to a haunting soprano melody, sung by Noel Archambeault. The narration, by Barker, framed the entire piece with an introduction and conclusion, and the piece ended, as it started, with a dimming of the lights. The next piece was a Concerto for String Quartet and Pipa, a piece written by Tan Dun specifically for Wu. “While Tan Dun was writing this piece for me, we went back and forth on the timbre and colors that I could make with my instrument and how that fit in with the rest of the orchestra,” Wu said. The entire concerto was composed of a traditional
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string quartet and the pipa. The pipa, a lute with strings that are strummed or plucked, could be heard clearly above the quartet when needed. Its sound projected well throughout the hall with a virtuosic quality, further pronounced by the mixture of traditional Chinese melodies and Western music. The most interesting quality about the quartet was that the instruments were played to emulate the pipa in many different ways, with the musicians plucking and strumming the strings, tapping the body of their instruments and using the Bartok Pizzicatos technique, which is when the player plucks a string so that it slaps against the fingerboard of the instrument. The third piece was a world premier called “Transformations in Purple,” by May-Tchi Chen. Meant for solo pipa, Wu came out alone and performed with passion, swaying to and fro to the rolling phrases of the piece. The next piece, “Lunahuana” by Jay Reise, was also a world premier. This piece was played by two accomplished percussionists, who impressively controlled their many different instruments. The finale was Tan’s “Circle with Four Trios, Conductor, and Audience,” which included audience interaction. The audience rehearsed how to sigh out loud with a crescendo for four or six beats, twittering, gossiping and shouting
Paul Chung Phoenix Staff
Wu Man performed with Orchestra 2001 this past Sunday. Wu is one of the foremost pipa players in the world. The pipa is a variety of Chinese lute. at the cue and cutoff of the conductor. The players were scattered throughout the hall in the shape of a circle and the conductor acted as the high priest of all, narrating certain parts while facing the audience. It was a great finish to an evening filled with pieces that many of the audience members were unfamiliar with. The concert ended with a final encore by Wu playing “White Snow in Spring,” a traditional pipa piece. The dexterity of her hands proved incredible, as all the different types of techniques were exer-
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cised by this piece. “This was a concert of concerts. We were extremely lucky to have Wu Man perform with us for this concert,” Daniel Underhill Professor Emeritus of Music James Freeman said. Many techniques used by the composers of these pieces are normally not seen in regular concerts, such as shouting, using the audience as performers and displacement of the performers across the concert hall. The concert ended with a standing ovation. “It was truly an amazing concert,” Mackenzie Pierce ’11 said.
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Living & Arts
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Caffeine addiction, stress spread to dorm mice
Ariel Swyer Let’s Be Serious
Stress can have highly unexpected consequences. Here at Swarthmore — where there is such an abundance of stress — we are given the opportunity to see a fascinating variety of its effects and manifestations, and I’ve recently been witness to what must be one of the more unusual ones. Twitching, coffee flinging and the confusing of one’s professors with squirrels can officially
be considered standard. Some time ago, my roommate and I discovered that a mouse had moved into our room and we began calling her Leslie. This isn’t her first appearance in this column, and I have reason to believe she’s fairly involved in campus life, so you may already be familiar with her. She disappears for long stretches of time during which I can only imagine she’s attending mariachi band practice and playing badminton. She’s really a very nice mouse. Unfortunately, Leslie has gone insane. She’s taken to eating our coffee grounds and running around all night bouncing off the refrigerator. The other day I woke up before six to a frenzied rustling, clanging sound that I’d initially figured, in my sleepiness, was my roommate either raking leaves or making all of our notebooks into paper airplanes very quickly. Both of these made perfect sense for five minutes or so before it occurred to me that the sound was probably coming from Leslie. I have to assume that she was practicing Scottish sword dancing and falling over a lot, because the only other thing she could have been
doing would have been leaping violently up and down while attempting to eat a plastic bag. I’m sure that all of this is a result of her having absorbed our stress. The poor thing has developed a caffeine addiction and can’t sleep. By the time I was fully awake, I had realized that were I to investigate the hideous scene unfolding beside the refrigerator, I would most likely find Leslie attempting to finish my art history paper. I’ve been feeling pretty terrible about this, actually — most mice don’t have to be stressed about art history papers or resort to coffee. Of course, it is also true that most mice don’t get to join mariachi bands or play badminton. I was trying to explain to my mother over the telephone recently the fact that I had somehow brought the resident mouse to the brink of emotional breakdown and realized in doing so that things might not be so bad for her. “And thus I’ve brought the resident mouse to the brink of emotional breakdown,” I concluded. “Ah.” “This mouse is consuming coffee.” I repeated. “She stays awake all night flinging herself at the side of the refrigerator and thinking about art history … the mouse does.” “She did choose to live at Swarthmore,” the extremely tolerant person on the other end of the telephone pointed out. It’s true, Leslie did choose Swarthmore; she could have gone anywhere, but where else would she be playing badminton and getting the chance to feel stressed about art history? Most
mice have to spend all their time feeling stressed about the possibility of being eaten. It’s interesting to apply this notion to humans: “Regardless of everything,” we ought to think to ourselves, “I am unlikely to be eaten.” This is a ridiculously good point in every situation. There are exceptions of course, but in those situations one doesn’t tend to be concerned with making good points. One tends to be concerned with saying “Aaaggghhhh!!!!” or fleeing. Still, we could make the sentiment more universally applicable by altering it slightly to “Regardless of everything, I am unlikely to be kidnapped by aliens.” If you can think of any exceptions to this that aren’t completely silly you should probably email me, or the Living and Arts section of this paper, or alternatively, the badminton club. It’s funny how once alien abduction has been brought up there’s really no natural way to continue things. I’m really sorry, by the way, there will be no more aliens in this column, or at least very few. But the point of all this is everyone is officially given permission to calm down. Leslie is allowed to calm down, you’re allowed to calm down, I’m allowed to calm down — we should really all stop bashing ourselves against the side of refrigerators and take a moment to reflect on the fact that we’re probably not going to be kidnapped by aliens. Ariel is a first-year. You can reach her at aswyer1@swarthmore.edu. Courtesy of http://tiny.cc/kq0bp and http://tiny.cc/7cq82
Soulfège fuses diverse array of musical genres BY ISAAC HAN ihan1@swarthmore.edu Afropolitan group Soulfège will be performing this Friday as part of the Cooper Series, bringing their music’s African roots onto the world stage. The band’s founders, DNA (Derrick N Ashong) and Jonathan Gramling, are from Ghana and the Philadelphia area, respectively. The other members of the band — Alex Staley, Stix Bones, Atta Addo and Micah Hulscher — originate from different places across the United States, ranging from Oregon to Seattle. The influences of each of the members’ unique experiences growing up as an Afropolitan combine to form a sound that blends a diverse array of musical genres. Afropolitan is the combination of the words African and cosmopolitan. It describes the generation of the children of African emigrants to the West who therefore grew up in a culture different from their family’s heritage. Bridging these two cultures, these children typically identify with both. Therefore they are neither African nor American, for example, but rather a mix: thus, the creation of a distinctly Afropolitan worldview. Having met as undergrads at Harvard University in a choir group,
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Soulfège blend the different qualities Diego Menendez-Estrada ’11 said of gospel, reggae, hip-hop and jazz to about his excitement for Friday’s continue a conversation about the Soulfège performance. Their song “Sweetheart” features a powerful unifying power of music. In fact, their name embodies a spir- reggae melody and soul-inspired it to work toward a better understand- vocals that is supported by a smooth ing of culture through music. The jazz saxophone solo. The combination name Soulfège is a play on the French of these three musical genres creates word, solfège, or the Italian, solfeggio, a song that is sweet in its lyrics about the “Do-Re-Mi” visualization of musi- the joys of falling in love, calm in its reggae melody cal notes that and eccentric in helps musicians its jazz elements. to start learning “A song is greater than The experience about music. The clever pun is a its individual parts, and can be described as a soulful and reference, obviit’s about what we can poignant feeling ously, to their of relaxation African influachieve together...” that flows ences. Soulfège Jonathan Gramling through the hopes to teach heart and the people about spirit. The many music and help them to think more broadly about the different elements that went into establishing its meaningful experidiversity of the musical experience. “We live in a digital world, a cos- ence can also be appreciated. “A song is greater than its individmopolitan world, and our music is about how we can engage and ual parts, and it’s about what we can embrace culture as it feels to us,” achieve together and how we can create a better form,” Gramling said. DNA said in a phone interview. By reconciling their identities as “It’s interesting the way that they incorporate their American experi- Afropolitans of the world engaging in ence and their African heritage and a broad musical atmosphere, they create music that reflects the multi- establish a universal sound, as they culturalism of the present world,” did in “Sweetheart,” in which every-
November 11, 2010
Courtesy of http://tiny.cc/7vxgt
Afropolitan group Soulfège unites a variety of musical traditions and influences, such as reggae, jazz, gospel and hip-hop. They will be performing this Friday, Nov. 12. one can relate on some level or another. “We just want to sit down and have a meal,” DNA said. “It’s food for the soul,” Gramling said, adding onto DNA’s comment. Soulfège will be performing in LPAC on Friday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m.
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Living & Arts spending a sleepless night in the global capital swarthmorephoenix.com
My last column probably made readers dive headfirst into the deepest, darkest recesses of my cultural morass here in the City of Lights. While culture shock is never a pleasant subject to discuss, especially when a much-beloved city like Paris falls under question, it has not entirely defined my Maki Somosot study abroad experience. Small But Classe There are plenty of wonderful experiences — most of them unforgettable — that I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy in this city. Despite my criticisms, Paris still preserves much of its native charm, reminding me of my purpose for coming here in the first place. It may be dirty and overpopulated in places, but it is still, at heart, a beautiful city that is rich in history and continues to captivate visitors and residents. One could argue that this kind of initial impression did not bode well for the eventual culture shock I experienced, but that is besides the point. First off, the stereotype of Paris as a vibrant global capital of culture is true. Each week, a plethora of artistic and musical events takes place all throughout the city. Countless new bars, clubs and restaurants open their doors to eager clientele. Paris is in a constant cultural flux but never fails to promote its fast-paced nightlife and arts scene. A student-friendly city, Paris allows students to benefit from significant discounts at events and also grants free entry to most museums. Major events are well-publicized, thanks to a massive, city-wide poster campaign, supplemented by a slate of previews and reviews found in free weekly magazines whose sole purpose for publication is to recommend weekend entertainment highlights. These are strategically placed at every Metro station, where Parisians can leaf through their pages while bored during their daily commute. Also free are booklets and leaflets containing precious practical information on live music concerts and on up-and-coming artists seeking an audience — all of which have accumulated in a massive pile in my room. It amazes me how much Paris has effectively transformed culture into both a core business and a lifestyle for its residents. The “Nuit Blanche” (roughly translated as “sleepless night” or “all-nighter”) is a perfect example of how leisure and entertainment have been institutionalized in the Parisian calendar. On every first Saturday of October, numerous unusual cultural and artistic spectacles take place all throughout Paris all night long, running from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. the next morning. Museums and special exhibits in Paris also grant free entry for this one special night. Several Metro and bus lines run all night for this purpose. At this year’s “Nuit Blanche,” my group of friends ran around the center of Paris all night, hopping from a surrealist short film, to an interpretive silent theater piece, to a documentary of European immigrants recounting an object of sentimental importance from their homeland and then finally to a giant wall display of alarm clocks counting down to the end of the night. It’s impressive how seriously this city takes its fun. Paris also considers its laidback pace of life a serious business. This manifests in the widespread café and bistro culture, where customers like to sit on the outside terrace with a cold beer or a freshly-brewed espresso shot while chatting with friends for hours on end. My friends and I have made a habit of going out for coffee or beer just to unwind at the neighborhood watering holes. Another means of relaxation is to stroll around Paris whenever the weather is agreeable, leading to surprising discoveries like hidden streets and secret passageways otherwise unknown to tourists. Although my housing is far from perfect, my quartier is home to one of the most culturally
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diverse communities and some of the liveliest nightlife scenes in Paris. The 20th arrondissement is composed of Menilmontant and Belleville, previously poor working-class districts, which now boast an array of bars, concert spaces, galleries and restaurants catering to every taste and distinction. The 20th is also a hotbed of creative and political activity, thanks to its resident artists, musicians and leftists. Compared to the more touristy neighborhoods in the center of Paris, the 20th is much cheaper and possibly more authentic. My foyer compensates for its living standards with its strategic location right in the middle of Menilmontant. Located just downhill from my foyer is Oberkampf, another popular nightlife spot, while Belleville itself is just a 15minute walk away. Personal highlights of my quartier include the underground dive bars that feature free live music (with the consumption of at least one drink), and several choice restaurants. But my best discovery has to be the neighborhood park on top of the hill, with a 360-degree panorama of Paris that beats the crowds sitting on the Sacre Coeur Church steps any day. While I griped about how small Paris was in my last column, I also acknowledge the obvious advantage that it is easy and convenient to travel throughout the city. The Metro is an extensive train system that serves every possible nook and cranny of Paris
and is generally dependable, running even on official protest days. The Metro map makes logical sense and making transfers is never a stressful hassle, since all the changes for other lines are clearly marked. Convenience aside, another charm of the Paris Metro is the literally underground musical scene that it supports. Busking musicians — including mariachi bands, accordionists, jazz manouche duos, African guitarists and opera singers, just to name a few — embark on trains everyday to play impromptu music for passengers, who often give generous donations. Of course, there are also the homeless who beg for money, but this is an unfortunate reality that exists in every big city. Paris is known for wonderful historical architecture, but this had never struck me so concretely until I had to mount the back of a scooter, while running errands for my internship. There is no feeling more exhilarating in the world than flying past monument after monument and seeing distinctive Parisian neighborhoods blur into one another. Hands down, riding on the back of a fast-moving scooter that someone else is driving is the best way to enjoy Paris. It’s moments like these that make me believe again in the all-glittering, dreamlike stereotype of this city, and momentarily forget about its grubbier realities. Maki is a junior. You can reach her at msomoso1@swarthmore.edu.
Crossword ACROSS 1 “I smell ____” 5 Conductor Toscanini 11 Away’s partner 14 Dash device 15 Unabashed 16 Monet’s “______ Montorguiel” 17 UPI or Reuters, e.g. 19 Pacers, on a scoreboard 20 20 Questions category 21 ____ Rule of Chemistry 101 23 “Reality Bites” star Winona 24 Accumulated, as interest 27 Proponents of Yellow Journalism, perhaps 31 Baseball bat wood 34 One half of Hispaniola 35 Pepper et al 36 Cell scrutiny 38 Blockades 40 ____ Mater 41 Son of Jephunneh 44 Ave. crossers 45 E-communities 49 Word with island or baseball 50 River that flows past more than 40 castles 54 Temporary shelter 56 They may be grand 57 Earth, e.g. 58 Literary technique…or a clue to 17-Across, 27-Across, and 45-Across 62 Stretch the truth 63 European system 64 Ecuador’s “cinnamon capital” 65 ____ Lingus 66 Excises 67 American Girl doll DOWN 1 Like much of the Middle East 2 Bob Dylan’s “_____ Day Women #12 & 35” 3 Pungent 4 Where to see Monet in Manhattan, maybe 5 Genesis victim 6 Educational basics, familiarly 7 Torah’s start? 8 Israeli gun 9 “For the ______” 10 Eight ounces
November 11, 2010
11 Burger toppers, perhaps 12 Lady Bracknell to Algernon, e.g. 13 1981 Warren Beatty epic 18 Palin and Silverman, e.g. 22 Laconic 24 The Greatest 25 Trig. function 26 102 in Ancient Rome 28 Northern California’s ____ Area 29 Editor’s mark 30 Snake’s sound 31 Simple rhyme scheme 32 Where to cool a pie, perhaps 33 One in control of one’s destiny 37 Wiccan, e.g. 38 To be, to Benicio 39 Western European peninsula
41 Returns pro 42 Dentists’ requests 43 Law in Lima 46 Punctual 47 Spicoli, famously 48 Soft drink brand founded in 1889 51 How some papers are graded 52 “_____ in sight” 53 2005 addition to the SATs 54 “Damn Yankees” vixen 55 New York canal 56 Snapshots 59 NYC public transportation 60 Hosp. areas 61 It’s on a roll? BY ANNA SHECHTMAN
For the solution to this week’s puzzle, see The Phoenix’s online edition at www.swarthmorephoenix.com.
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c u l t u r e
c o n t e n t i o n
Fetter Chamber Music Concert I
Feminism’ s Identity Crisis
Sunday, Nov. 14 Lang Concert Hall 7:30 p.m. 9:30 p.m.
with Miriam Perez ’ 06
editor’s P I CK S
Thursday, Nov. 11 Sci. 199 7:30 p.m. 9 p.m.
By Miriam Hauser
Eat for Education
Sunday, Nov. 14 Shane Lounge 8:12 p.m.
Grapevine Fall Concert
Saturday, Nov. 13 Olde Club 8:00 p.m. - 9 p.m. c h o r u s
c u i s i n e THE PHOENIX
November 11, 2010
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Opinions
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Staff Editorial
refine foreign language requirement for next year By design, the foreign language teach a variety of skills. Plus, the college’s requirement underlines the college’s connection to Bryn Mawr, Haverford and understanding that studying a foreign the University of Pennsylvania opens up language is key for a liberal arts educa- an even wider range of languages — tion. Italian, Swahili, Hindi, Yiddish, and Nevertheless, this requirement is many others — in addition the seven that flawed, from its ill-fitting evaluation of Swarthmore offers. students’ experience in high school to its The college bulletin’s rightly suggests rather lenient expectations of proficiency. that it is “most desirable” for students to We believe that the college should do work beyond the language requireembolden the current requirement for the ment. We hope that the college requires incoming class, especially since the lan- students take more than basic introductoguage programs here are so strong. As the ry level classes because higher-level ones college is currently seeking to examine its often offer more enriching challenges values with the that push sturecently started dents to a higher strategic planproficiency. Enhancing the foreign ning process, Much of the enhancing the trouble in considlanguage requirement foreign language ering a new lanwould be a step forward requirement guage requirewould be a step ment is the inconin better defining “the forward in better sistency amongst defining “the libother small colliberal arts experience.” eral arts experileges. Amherst ence.” and Williams, for Currently, there are four ways for stu- instance, do not have language requiredents to fulfill the foreign language ments — a point that underlines how librequirement: study three years of a for- eral arts colleges more frequently resist eign language, or the “block” equivalent, requirements rather than create them. in high school; get a score of 600 or better But Carleton, while allowing students on an SAT foreign language test; pass a to place out of a language with an approyearlong introductory or semester-long priate AP, IB or other test score, requires intermediate college-level course; or students to test out of either the fourth- or learn English as a second language. fifth-level of a foreign language — a more It should come as no surprise that a stringent requirement that seems to betschool such as Swarthmore, focused on ter ensure proficiency. egalitarianism and social justice issues, Bryn Mawr expects its students to get would push its students to recognize the a score of at least 690, pass a placement importance of learning a foreign lan- exam from the college or take two classes guage. above introductory level. Haverford, After all, multi-language proficiency is among providing other options, wisely the bedrock for global communication — sets studying abroad as one option for fula note perhaps obvious to Swarthmore, filling the language requirement. but not to many in a nation fraught with In turn, we propose that students, anti-immigration activists and filled with regardless of their high school education, English-language-only pundits. take a foreign language placement exam Learning a second language enhances — similar to the ones already available — cognitive, listening and communicative before their first year. If they do not place skills, among others. And learning a lan- into a literature class, students should be guage, between the inevitable mistakes required to take up to the fourth level of a and constant challenges we must deal language. with, teaches a hard yet salient lesson: Studying abroad or participating in an failing is sometimes the best way to learn. immersion program should be an option While the college’s current secondary for fulfilling the language requirement language requirement rightly seeks to under the approval of the college or speinstill the importance of language educa- cific department; students, then, would tion in its students, it doesn’t offer a retake the placement exam after their meaningful or consistent evaluation of programs end. students’ performance in high school. Certainly, there should still be flexibilRequiring three years of language ity — rigidity is not what we endorse. study in high school fails to acknowledge After all, Swarthmore’s strength as an students’ markedly different high school institution largely stems from having experiences. Some high school language requirements that resist heavy-handedprograms focus more on grammar, read- ness and trust students to shape their ing comprehension and vocabulary, but own paths. In turn, students here clearly fall behind in listening, writing and value foreign language learning and are speaking skills — areas that already taking advantage of classes here. Swarthmore’s classes heavily encourage. Nevertheless, we believe the college Equating three years of high school with should refine the foreign language one or two semesters at the college, then, requirement, especially now when the may pose an issue since the college’s lan- college is examining high-sounding liberguage classes admirably use immersion al arts ideals and attempting to whittle techniques. them down to manageable changes. More simply, we think that more stuStringent requirements might not dents should take advantage of the col- define a liberal arts education, but the lege’s strong language departments, skills instilled through learning a foreign which have excellent professors who offer language are undoubtedly at the heart of a great deal of support and effectively it.
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Honor vets, don’t malign military DANIELLE CHARETTE dcharet1@swarthmore.edu I recently stumbled across an old Quaker truism about pacifism. Picture a Quaker farmer, traversing the then-agrarian hills of Swarthmore’s campus. Struggling to get his mule to budge an inch, he finally relegated to some straight-talk. “Josiah,” he grumbled, “Thee knows I shall never curse thee, and thee knows I shall never strike thee; but if thee doesn’t start moving this very instant, I shall sell thee to a Baptist who will!” Being a farm animal of reasonable wisdom, the mule hotfooted it back to the field. Unlike this Pennsylvania farmer, though, I’ve noticed students at Swarthmore don’t like to even pay lipservice to violence, regardless of its justifications. For Swatties, hostilities of any kind spark protests to such a degree that I am concerned by what seems to be a corrosive anti-military sentiment on campus. Writing this op-ed is my subtle commemoration of Veteran’s Day, my subtle realization of the complexities of war and liberty. Numerous students I’ve spoken with appear to have a knee-jerk reaction against the U.S. military. Folks at Swarthmore love to rant about imperialism, colonialism, ethnocentrism, and the like. If there’s a word with an “ism,” you can count on finding a troupe of Swatties posting flyers and foaming at the mouth over injustice. But there’s a term I worry oft gets overlooked in the Swarthmore vocabulary: freedom. If it were not for our valiant service men and women, we could not openly criticize the Department of Defense at all — an irony I see as having sadly floated beyond the confines of the Swarthmore “bubble.” I realize Quakers and those with similar sentiments may have decid-
OP-ED
ed on conscientious objection after deep contemplation. I respect those who did not respond to the line of duty in the classical sense because they felt compelled by a line of faith they could not cross. What I have trouble respecting though, are those who have lambasted the entire military on the basis of one policy, popularly known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I don’t necessarily endorse the policy, although I understand why President Bill Clinton signed it into law in 1993. Yet is it fair to throw our military deference under the bus because of a bill that was passed when many of today’s soldiers may have been toddlers? I’ve long since gotten tired of griping about the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which granted President Obama the 2009 Peace Prize. Honestly, the fact that Obama flew to Oslo to receive his award just weeks after authorizing the surge in Afghanistan might not be such incongruous foreign policy after all. Until contemporary times, the notion of advancing a peaceful political order was interpreted as obliging a certain degree of discriminate armed force when necessary. A commitment to peace and the justwar mindset were, for most of human history, not regarded as contradictions. Indeed, until some messianic dawn, or contrarily, a universal totalitarian dictatorship, the military is the right-hand to peace. I am not arguing that this is ideal. I am stating that this is the reality. Please, in the quietude of today, Nov. 11, reflect that the nature of the U.S. military, however flawed it may be, is more nuanced and necessary than our initial Swarthmore reaction. Allowing this article to silently pass within the pages of your campus paper can be your way of expressing an unspoken gratitude to those who know the maxim “Freedom is not free” less as a caption carved in stone and more an inscription written in personal blood and sacrifice.
Letter, OP-eD anD cOmment POLicy Letters, opinion pieces and online comments represent the views of their writers and not those of The Phoenix staff or Editorial Board. The Phoenix reserves the right to edit all pieces submitted for print publication for content, length and clarity. The Phoenix also reserves the right to withhold any letters, op-eds or comments from publication. All comments posted online and all opeds and letters must be signed and should include the writer’s full name. Letters are a minimum of 250 words and may not exceed 500 words. Op-eds are a minimum of 500 words and may not exceed 750. Letters and op-eds must be submitted by 10 p.m. on Monday, and The Phoenix reserves the right to withhold letters and op-eds received after that time from publication. Letters may be signed by a maximum of five individuals. Op-eds may be signed by a maximum of two individuals. The Phoenix will not accept pieces exclusively attributed to groups, although individual writers may
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request that their group affiliation be included. While The Phoenix does not accept anonymous submissions, letters and op-eds may be published without the writer’s name in exceptional circumstances and at the sole discretion of the Editorial Board. An editorial represents the opinion of the members of the Opinions Board: Jeff Davidson, Amelia Possanza, Dante Anthony Fuoco and Camila Ryder. Please submit letters to: letters@swarthmorephoenix.com or The Phoenix Swarthmore College 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081 Please report corrections to: corrections@swarthmorephoenix.com Letters, corrections and news tips may also be submitted online to the paper by clicking “Contact” on the Phoenix website.
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Obama, GOP need to collaborate on high-speed rail It’s been over a week since the midterm elections, and I have yet to read how Republicans, who are now portrayed as being in the Peter Akkies driver’s seat despite conSocial Thoughts trolling only one branch of Congress, are planning to improve America’s infrastructure. Specifically, I’m not familiar with the general Republican stance on highspeed, inter-city railways. But considering Republicans’ general inclination to slash spending and refusal to raise taxes it seems that, at least on the state level, they will not support plans to introduce high-speed rail services. Democrats, and particularly the White House, should propose to invest in high-speed rail — funded by an increase in fuel taxes. First off, I don’t blame America for not having a rail system as developed as Europe’s. Because the American economy and American society are more tightly integrated than countries within even the European Union, there is a more pressing need for long-distance travel that is well suited for airplanes and less so for trains. Since everything in America is generally bigger than in Europe, including towns and roads and distances between home and work, the fact that Americans drive their cars more often is also partially defensible. (Yes — a 2003 study published in the American Journal of Public Health journal showed that Americans are much less likely to walk or cycle for even the shortest of trips, those of only one or two miles, and much more likely to take the car, than Europeans are. But I digress.) For these reasons America has not invested in its rail network for passenger travel in decades and is now lagging
l e t t e r
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behind.Calls to improve high-speed rail are frequently illustrated, especially in popular magazines such as Time, with comparisons to less advanced economies that are investing tremendously in high-speed rail. The implication is: if China can afford to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to create a national high-speed rail network, why can’t we? Here again, I’m willing to give the American government some slack. After all, the Chinese government has, let’s just say, fewer bureaucratic obstacles to deal with when deciding to build such railways and to gather the money for it than American lawmakers do. So far so good then. It’s understandable why America hasn’t yet invested much in high-speed rail. But right now, when the American economy is still doing poorly and when the unemployment rate still hovers around 9 percent, it is an excellent time for the Obama administration to push to invest in fast trains, despite near-certain Republican opposition. If you’re not convinced that America needs high-speed rail in at least the major economic “corridors” across the nation, let me briefly go over the main benefits. If you’ve ever flown with a non-American airline, you’re likely to agree that American airlines are stingy and not very friendly. They could use some competition from fast inter-city trains. Trains are more comfortable for passengers, who can more easily work or relax compared to the crowded seats in an airplane. Passengers who would normally take the car now don’t have to worry about parking it in an expensive parking lot in the city and can arrive refreshed rather than tired from a long drive. Of course, there are also the environmental benefits such as noise reduction and lower CO2-emissions. All in all, it’s a good deal. There is, I think, some difference in attitude toward public transportation between Americans and Europeans. While I don’t have numbers, it’s safe to say that Americans love their cars more than Europeans do. So there tends to be somewhat more support for public transportation in
t h e
most, if not all, European countries non-right wing legislative proposals of any sort at the moment, so I don’t than in the United States. But let’s not pretend that Europeans believe that Republican non-cooperadon’t like cars — if traveling by car tion should be a constraint on policy proposals. were cheaper and if the roads weren’t so Democratic Regardless, there congested, even is a bargain to be more Europeans made. would travel by With increased power The President, car rather than then, should by public transin Congress comes approach the port, despite Republican Party negative conseincreased responsibility. and outline his quences for the You know the story. plan to invest in environment, high-speed rail noise in cities, across America. etc. He should propose to mildly increase Europeans are more prone to travel by public transport because it’s avail- the fuel tax to pay for significant investable and because driving by car is just ments in high-speed rail, which will so much more expensive than it is in the provide an alternative to flying and driving cars, be more environmentally United States. Cars themselves are more expensive, friendly, help business by creating but the real reason is of course the faster links between different economic much higher gas taxes in European hubs and provide jobs at a time when unemployment is still high. countries. To do this he will need Republican To give an example, the tax on gas in The Netherlands would have been the help in state legislatures to get around equivalent of $3.5 per gallon in 2007, in bureaucratic obstacles that might make addition to a 19 percent sales tax over it difficult to decide precisely where to the entire amount that applies to almost build rail lines, how much to compenall consumer goods in the economy. sate land owners and such. In return he can offer Republicans (Since 2007, the gas tax has not significantly changed.) Compare this to the cooperation on an issue such as energy United States, where the average tax on independence, for instance by pushing fuel was 47 cents on the gallon in 2009, Democratic lawmakers to support the according to the American Petroleum construction of additional nuclear power plants. Institute. If Republicans oppose, the President I mention the gas tax for two reasons: first to dispel the myth that Americans can lay the facts down quite simply for couldn’t be pressured into taking public the American people: He tried to make a transport more often. Second, and more deal in both parties’ favor, but importantly, raising gas taxes would be Republicans will do nothing but oppose. With increased power in Congress an excellent way to gather funds to comes increased responsibility. You invest in high-speed rail projects. Republicans will never agree to this, know the story. Peter is a junior studying abroad in you say, and they have the power to block such a proposal. Perhaps — but London this semester. You can reach him Republicans are blocking virtually all at pakkies1@swarthmore.edu.
c a r t o o n
b y
e m m a
w a i t z m a n
e d i t o r
Never put deer cull or killing ‘to rest’ To the Editor: I want to respond to the Phoenix editorial “Deer cull most effective, humane way to preserve Crum” (11/4/10). As a vegetarian for ethical reasons, I’m offended by your cartoon. If the deer in Crum could talk I’m sure they would be saying something like “F--k Y-u.” It’s not a joke that we are killing deer. The last paragraph in your editorial says that we believe this issue (of killing deer in Crum) can be put to rest. Should killing ever be put to rest? We should continue to have open forums and discussions. Your environmental concern is for other organisms and habitats and how deer negatively impact them. How THE PHOENIX
about how we as humans negatively impact deer and other organisms & habitats? By more building and building and pushing and pushing…how about the negativity of that? Let’s not blame the deer for Lyme disease. When deer are scarce, ticks don’t necessarily become scarce, because they have alternative hosts. Several recent studies (e.g. Jordan & Schultz, 2005; Ostfeld et al., 2006; Jordan et al., 2007) on mainland sites in New York and New Jersey found no correlation between deer and ticks. Ticks are only dangerous if they are infected, and deer play no role in infecting ticks. Ticks become infected by feeding on small mammals like mice and chipmunks. Dorothy Kunzig Linguistics Department November 11, 2010
Diversity in “the sciences” 17
Sports
swarthmorephoenix.com
The beginner’s guide to being a hockey fan: dos & don’ts
Hannah Purkey The Purkey Perspective
In continuing my goal this year of producing as many new h o c k e y fans as possible, I have spent the first c o u p l e weeks of the NHL s e a s o n attempting different
recruitment strategies. These have included bribes of ice cream floats, promises of free tutoring during intermissions and even flat out lying to students that the election results were postponed so everyone could enjoy the game. Yet alas, these efforts have only yielded marginal results. It has occurred to me, however, that perhaps I have been unsuccessful not because Swatties don’t like hockey (I mean, how could you not like hockey?), but because they are unsure of proper fanbehavior and thus are embarrassed to become full-fledged hockey fans. But have no fear! I have compiled an easy reference of the Dos and Don’ts of how to support your favorite team for all the newcomers to hockey fandom. Do: Feel like you are a part of the team. One of the best things about being a fan is that you are automatically part of a community. You should feel free to laugh at the most recent blog post of your favorite player or make fun of them with your friends when they do stupid things like dye their beard black to look intimidating (sorry, had to include at least one SF Giants reference). Being part of this community means you can walk up to a complete stranger who is wearing your team’s paraphernalia and you are guaranteed to have a new friend. It also excuses you for throwing that plate of pasta sauce at the guy you saw wearing the Anaheim Ducks hat, right? Don’t: Think you are actually on the team. There is a fine line between being part of the hockey community and
dropping their kids off at daycare. It’s just so hard to tell in those borderline cases, which is what makes this guide a must-read.
in all likelihood making a mental checklist of your homework for the week and not actually listening, but sometimes I just can’t help it.
Don’t: Taunt players when they are in the penalty box if you are within arms reach. This just does not end well for either player or fan. Or so Rick Rypien of the Do: Stay loyal to your home team. Staying loyal can be difficult when Vancouver Canucks recently found you are on the other side of the country out. After being sent to the locker room in a game against from your the Minnesota favorite players, Rypien but picking up An inappropriate time [to Wild, grabbed a fan in and dropping the stands as he team allegiances boo a player] ... would walked down the like classes durbe, say, when they’re tunnel before a ing add/drop is teammate pulled just not okay. dropping their kids off him away. Victory is never at daycare. Rypien has as sweet for been suspended those fair-weathpending a hearer fans who have not endured the torture of the games ing. While this was not necessarily the almost-won and the nights discussing fans fault, it’s best just to avoid these situations all together and remember if-only scenarios. to stay out of reach when hurling Don’t: While rooting for the team play- insults at players. There is really no ing against Philadelphia, insult the shame in running from this type of Flyers when flanked by two 6’5’’ ex- confrontation considering that the hockey players on their fifth beer. average height of a hockey player is I had to learn this particular lesson over six feet. the hard-way. Okay, maybe they weren’t 6’5’’, but after watching the Do: Learn the rules of the game. Like in all sports, some hockey rules Sharks embarrass the Flyers in Philadelphia, a friend and I were are just not worth knowing unless you warned by some concerned Flyers fans are actually going to be held accountthat if we wanted to escape Wachovia able for them. But the least you could center without incident we should do as a fan is learn the basics. Knowing the difference between remove our Sharks jerseys and try to slip out of the game early. Always be icing and offside is a necessity if you aware of your surroundings when want to be able to use the correct protrash-talking other teams; there are fanities when yelling at referees for hockey fans out there who don’t blowing the call. believe in using their words as much Don’t: Go into 30-minute diatribes as you might. about how Joe Thornton’s suspension for a blindside hit was unwarranted Do: Learn proper booing etiquette. The blog Down Goes Brown recently since the wording of Rule 48 clearly featured “An NHL fan’s guide to boo- states that the head must be targeted ing” that, if you can overlook the fact or the principle point of contact, when that the writer is a Leafs fan, is quite at dinner with a group of friends who have never even seen a full game informative and amusing. He points out need to know distinc- before. This would probably be a good place tions between appropriate and inappropriate times to boo (a hockey fan’s for me to just add blanket apologies to favorite pastime). For example, an all of my friends who have had to appropriate time to boo a player is endure my struggle with this particupretty much anytime they have the lar don’t. Yes, I recognize the glazed over look puck. An inappropriate time, according to in your eyes whenever I talk about the post, would be, say, when they’re hockey and I understand that you are
Do: Show your support by wearing your favorite team’s jersey. Not only does it show of your team loyalty, but also hockey jerseys are just comfortable. They are so big they’ll completely cover the three hotdogs, nachos and 5 beers you consumed during the first intermission.
actually being on the team. Strapping on a pair of skates and showing up for practice or stopping by the house of one of your “teammates” with a sixpack and the latest Bruce Willis movie are both bound to end in a restraining order. Trust me, there are easier ways to get your favorite player’s signature.
records and milestones
Do: Enjoy the irony of a sport that punishes fighting while allowing, if not encouraging, it to continue. Shockingly, the five-minute penalty for fighting just does not seem to curb its prevalence in the NHL. Perhaps it’s because it doesn’t cause your team to be shorthanded and referees only break up the fights when they are practically over. Just a guess. But the irony really only makes a good thing better. Don’t: Try this at home. It may look like fun, but I would highly discourage you from dropping the gloves with the next person who accidentally bumps into you while waiting in line at the grocery store. I’m pretty sure the police have better disincentives for pummeling people you don’t like than referees do. Now that you know the basic Dos and Don’ts, you really have no excuse for not tuning into the next game. Even if you have never seen a game before, being a hockey fan is too much fun to miss out on. So grab your face paint and your favorite team’s colors; there is no don’t for being too big of a fan. Hannah is a senior. You can reach her at hpurkey1@swarthmore.edu.
garnet in action
Men’S SocceR Morgan Langley ’11 is first in Division III in assists per game through Sunday’s games. Morgan Langley ’11 is second in Division III in assists through Sunday’s games. Morgan Langley ’11 is fourth in Division III in points and points per game through Sunday’s games. Kieran Reichart ’13 scored his fifth career goal in Sunday’s win vs. Muhlenberg. Micah Rose ’12 scored his 10th career goal in Sunday’s win vs. Muhlenberg. Micah Rose ’12 earned his 25th career point in Sunday’s win vs. Muhlenberg.
Saturday, November 13 Swimming vs. Franklin & Marshall, 2 p.m. Volleyball vs. Bethany at St. Vincent, 2 p.m. — ECAC Semifinal ECAC Championship at St. Vincent, 5 p.m. Men’s soccer vs. DeSales, 5 p.m. — NCAA 1st Round Men’s soccer Medaille vs. Rochester 7:30 p.m. — NCAA 1st Round SuNday, November 14 Winner of Swarthmore/DeSales vs. winner of Medaille/Rochester 6 p.m. moNday, November 15 Men’s basketball vs. Widener, 7:30 p.m.
VoLLeybALL Kat Montemurro ’13 earned her 250th career dig in Saturday’s win at Haverford. Genny Pezzola ’12 earned her 1000th career kill in Saturday’s win at Haverford. Danielle Sullivan ’14 scored her 200th career kill in Saturday’s win at Haverford.
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Don’t: Get too creative with the names on the back. There is a running series of posts on the Yahoo sports blog PuckDaddy that documents the worst “jersey fouls,” or fashion faux paus such as putting “Givemebrewski” or “Candy Ass” on the back of a jersey. Some say all publicity is good publicity, but getting your picture immortalized on one of these posts will certainly direct some laughs in your direction from the hockey community. And no, no matter what your mother says, they are not laughing with you.
WedNeSday, November 17 Women’s basketball vs. Widener, 6 p.m. Men’s basketball vs. Arcadia, 8 p.m.
November 11, 2010
tHe PHoeniX
Sports
swarthmorephoenix.com
wBB looks to star seniors Swim teams off to fast start BY RENEE FLORES AND VICTOR BRADY rflores1, vbrady1@swarthmore.edu Coming off a 12-13 record which resulted in a tie for sixth place in the Centennial Conference last year, the Swarthmore women’s basketball team is ready to contend for a Centennial playoff berth with a strong balance of youth and experience. Looking for its first playoff berth since 2005, the Garnet returns four seniors in 2010-11 led by Kathryn Stockbower ’11 who has been a key contributor for the Garnet since her first year at Swarthmore. Stockbower is already fifth in program history in points scored with 1307 and second in program history in rebounds with 1013. Last season, she was a D3hoops.com fourth team All-American after averaging 17.7 points per game and 13.5 rebounds per game last year, second and first in the Centennial Conference respectively. Stockbower enters the season with 64 career double-doubles, only 15 shy of the Division III record. Senior Ceylan Bodur ’11 added 12.2 points per game last season and led the team with 57 assists last year. With 808 career points, she is only 33 shy of 10th place in program history. Summer Miller-Walfish ’11, who last season became the first player to lead the conference in blocked shots in back-toback years since 2000-01, already holds the program record for career blocks with 154. Sarah Brajtbord ’11, one of the team’s emotional leaders, returns for the entire 2010-11 season after missing the first half of last year while abroad. “I think [our strong core of returning players] gives us a competitive edge over other teams,” Stockbower said. “I think the first-years are at the level of college play we compete at. They’re getting the hang of things.” The returning Garnet players also have the experience of playing in close
game after close game last season. The team had 12 games that were decided by four points or less, winning half and losing half. Leading the first-year class is Katie Lytle ’14, a three-sport star in high school, who excels in tennis and softball in addition to basketball. Several stellar threepoint shooters also return for Swarthmore, including Genny Pezzola ’12, who shot .435 from behind the arc last year, Eliza Polli ’13, who shot .320 from three as a first-year, and Bodur, who has hit 67 threes in her career. “We have great depth this year, with a lot of people who can fight for lots of playing time,” said sixth-year women’s basketball coach Renee DeVarney. “I’m hoping with the depth in guard position, turnovers won’t be a factor this season,” Devarney added. The team averaged just over 20 turnovers per game last year. For the new season, the team motto is “one percent better every day,” looking to improve in all aspects of the game in every practice. DeVarney hopes that this motto will push everyone on the team to continuously compete and bring in wins. “Every season, how [we] handle adversity will really tell what a team is made of. We don’t know what our adversity [this year] will be … but we [will] handle that adversity together. That’s the key to [our] season,” DeVarney said. The Swarthmore women’s basketball team opens the 2010-11 season on Wednesday, November 17 in Tarble Pavilion vs. Widener with action scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Other highlights on the schedule include the Centennial Conference opener at Dickinson on November 23 and a New Years trip to New York City for the NYU New Year’s Classic, in which the Garnet will take on NYU and NYC Tech.
“I think [our strong core of returning players] gives us a competitive edge over other teams.” Kathryn Stockbower ’11
garnet athlete of the week
Danielle Sullivan fy., volleyball, orefielD, pa.
What She’S Done: the first-year recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs in the Garnet’s upset of top-seeded haverford in the Centennial Conference tournament Saturday. Sullivan also added three service aces in the match. She led the team with eight kills in the championship game loss to franklin & Marshall.
favorite Career MoMent: “Making the varsity volleyball team junior year of high school after being cut from Jv the previous season.”
beSt SeaSon MoMent: “Winning the Garnet Classic.”
favorite televiSion ShoW: Olivia Natan Phoenix Staff
the PhoenIX
“30 rock.”
BY ANA APOSTOLERIS aaposto1@swarthmore.edu
The Swarthmore Garnet men’s and women’s swim teams have kicked off their 2010-11 seasons with success, giving them plenty of reason for optimism. The men currently sit at 2-0, with a 1-0 Centennial Conference record after easily defeating both Widener in last Wednesday’s season opener and McDaniel in Saturday’s Centennial opener. The women struggled against Widener, despite several strong individual performances, but put on a show against the Green Terror, defeating the Centennial rival by a score of 131-73. On both sides, performances by distance freestyle swimmers and first-years seem to be of early note, with veterans taking strides and newcomers making the conference aware of their presence. For the men, the distance races thus far have been dominated by Josh Satre ’13. Satre, who specializes in the 500, 1000, and mile, has notched wins in the 1000 against both Widener and McDaniel and also pulled off a 500 victory in the Widener meet. When asked of his approach to these events, Satre said, “The key to success for me is negative splitting my race — going out hard but coming back even faster in the second half. I enjoy holding a solid interval for a long period of time, and thus distance was a good fit for me. It's not about how fast you can swim, it's about how long you can swim and still hold a certain pace.” He also notes the strength of the Garnet distance program. “[I’d like to] see Swarthmore dominate the distance events … which is perfectly feasible between Jake Benveniste, Tyler Hanson, Brian Nadel and myself.” Indeed, even beyond Satre’s performances the Garnet men have been dominant in distance events in the early going this year, with Hanson, Benveniste, Nadel, John Flaherty ’14 and Peter Ballen ’14 all putting up points in the 500 or 1000. Hanson finished second to Satre in both races against Widener and won the 500 on Saturday. For the women, senior Sasa Bedolfe has put up some surprising numbers in long distance events so far. She took second in the 1000 on Wednesday with a time of 11:24.18, more than twenty seconds faster than her personal best from the 2009-10 season. She finished second in the 500, and followed up that performance with wins in both distances on Saturday. “I am definitely much faster right now than I usually would be at this time of year,” she said. “My times have been a very pleasant surprise.” Bedolfe doesn’t know where this early success is coming from, but she isn’t complaining. “I haven't been able to attribute my improvement to any particular cause, but it is definitely motivating me to set higher goals for myself than in years past and to work harder to achieve those, which is a really exciting prospect for me in my senior season,” Bedolfe added. Senior captain Allison Bishop also scored points for the Garnet in both distance events at both meets. She and Bedolfe will be expected to anchor these races for the Garnet this year, and, if early results are any indication, both swimmers will be dangerous in conference matchups throughout the year. As for the class of 2014, both the men and the women performed extremely well last week and are beginning to prove that they can provide more than depth for this year’s team. Flaherty, in addition to his second place finish in the 500 on Saturday, won the 200 IM, which he says is more of
November 11, 2010
a comfort-zone event for him. “In high school my best events were the IM, butterfly and backstroke,” Flaherty said. “[Hopefully] the distance free was more of a one-time thing. It was really hard,” he added with a laugh. Hard or not, his performance in the distance event only further proves his versatility, which could become a powerful weapon for the Garnet as the season progresses. Fellow first-year Cyrus Nasseri also posted a win in the McDaniel meet. He swam the 100 backstroke in 1:00.45, touching out his opponent by a mere 2/100ths of a second. However, he does not claim the event as his, saying, “My butterfly is significantly faster [than my backstroke]. My best event is the 100 fly, followed by the 200 fly and then the 100 back.” Nasseri did not compete in butterfly events in either meet, but he should eventually join sophomores Charlie Hepper and Daniel Duncan, both of whom won butterfly races last week, to form a strong core in the stroke. Erin Lowe and Becky Teng highlighted the first-years on the womens’ side, with Lowe winning the 200 fly on Wednesday and the 100 and 200 free on Saturday and Teng taking first in the 200 IM against Widener and the 50 free against McDaniel. Both women also contributed to winning relay teams and placed well in several other events. “It’s definitely encouraging that I’ve been doing well this season, and I’m glad I’ve been able to help out with the team score,” Lowe said. “I’m coming off a period during which I haven’t dropped much if any time in any of my individual events, [but] swimming for Swarthmore has renewed my motivation, mainly because I’m enjoying it a lot more than I have in the past.” The transition from high school to college competition hasn’t appeared to faze many of the new swimmers. “The transition … hasn’t been too hard,” Nasseri said. He says that a rigorous practice schedule in high school prepared him for the workload, but that “the practices [at Swarthmore] are actually much harder than I expected they would be.” Flaherty says that he, too, was well-prepared by his high school training, assessing himself as “somewhat prepared for the higher-level collegiate practices.” He adds that there are some differences, but these are mostly adjustments of attitude. “[Here], it’s up to the swimmer to improve,” he commented. “My high school coach would yell and scream to get us to work — but here you have to want it or it won’t happen.” Another theme among the swimming class of 2014 is how much they enjoy the team cohesion and camaraderie that they have found in their new environment. “The team aspect … makes meets, and everything else, a lot more fun,” Lowe said. “I love everyone on the team and getting to hang out with them is awesome.” Flaherty echoes her glowing report, saying of his new teammates, “They’re the best.” Swarthmore takes to the water again on Saturday, this time in a face-off against Franklin & Marshall at Ware Pool. This is a marquee matchup on the men’s side as the Diplomats were all that stood between the Garnet and a Conference championship last year. Franklin & Marshall also claimed victory in the women’s meet, and the Garnet women are excited for a chance to take on the champions. “We’ve been looking forward to this rivalry meet for weeks,” Bedolfe said. “We are physically and mentally ready to take them on.” Action will begin at 2 p.m.
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Sports Defense the key to championships in the past decade
swarthmorephoenix.com
Before Moneyball, b e f o r e sabermetrics, before appreciation, before his job with the Red Sox, b e f o r e Baseball Timothy Bernstein A b s t r a c t , b e f o r e Bullet Points T i m e Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, before lending his voice to The Simpsons, Bill James was another baseball fan asking questions. What made his story so remarkable is that these weren’t questions that no one had ever answered. No, these were questions no one had ever asked, questions about things that had become too widely accepted for anyone to wonder whether they were actually true. Things like the old saying that “baseball is 90 percent pitching,” which sounds completely ridiculous when we hear it today, since what it really means is that when you subtract the importance of things like defense and baserunning, the skill of hitting a baseball is supposed to account for about 6 to 7 percent of a team’s success. Well, believe it or not, Bill was the first person to laugh at the absurdity of that idea, and so he set about proving, one piece at a time, that he was right to laugh. Then he began looking at other assumptions people never questioned, then he began publishing those Baseball Abstract factbooks once a year, and from there it was pretty much a straight line to him proclaiming, “I made baseball as much fun as doing your taxes!” last month on The Simpsons. It was this whole idea that made me start thinking about the oldest assumption there is: that defense beats offense. Is it true? Sure, it might be, but how could the argument just stop there? Do the teams with the best pitching always do better than the ones who can hit? Are the great defensive football teams guaranteed to win more games than the ones who score at will? What I ended up doing was looking at the four major American sports leagues: The MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL, measuring the combined winning percentage of the elite offensive teams (the top 10 in scoring) against that of the elite defensive teams (the top 10 in preventing scoring). To chart the progress over the past decade, I looked at the results for each of the past 10 years (nine for the NHL, because of the strike) and then added up the totals for the entire decade. I also looked at each league’s champions of the past decade and saw how their rank in offense compared to the rest of league matched up against their defensive rank. Here is how the last ten years have gone in the NBA, with the offenses ranked according to Points Scored per game, and defenses by Points Allowed: NBA Year / Top 10 Offenses / Top 10 Defenses 2009-10 .557 .630 2008-09 .561 .632 2007-08 .571 .622
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2006-07 .527 .600 2005-06 .538 .590 2004-05 .585 .565 2003-04 .557 .576 2002-03 .561 .506 2001-02 .571 .587 2000-01 .527 .607 2000s .538 .591 *The figures in the second and third column represent winning percentanges. Not even close. The defensive elite not only finished with a better record for the whole decade, they also posted a higher percentage in eight of the ten individual years. The head-to-head matchups weren’t that close, either, after the first couple years. The trend continues when we look at the last ten NBA Finals winners. NBA Champion/ Offense / Defense 2009-10: Lakers 12th 9th 2008-09: Lakers 3rd 13th 2007-08: Celtics 11th 2nd 2006-07: Spurs 1st 14th 2005-06: Heat 6th 14th 2004-05: Spurs 18th 1st 2003-04: Pistons 24th 1st 2002-03: Spurs 19th 3rd 2001-02: Lakers 3rd 10th 2000-01: Lakers 3rd 23rd Average: 11th 8th *The figures in the second and third column represent rankings. It’s only this close because the 2000-1 L.A. team apparently didn’t bother to play defense. Finally, a reason to dislike the Lakers.
MLB Looking at baseball was a little more complicated, as I ended up creating separate lists for the best 5 American League teams and the best 5 National League teams, switching in pitching for defense. With apologies to the San Francisco Giants, my list looked at the 2000 to 2009 seasons. Offense was measured by Runs Scored, pitching by Earned Runs Allowed. Year / Top 5 AL Offenses / Top 5 AL Pitching 2009 .575 .526 2008 .523 .560 2007 .552 .554 2006 .543 .568 2005 .546 .565 2004 .557 .570 2003 .538 .559 2002 .554 .607 2001 .590 .582 2000 .549 .556 2000s .553 .591 *The figures in the second and third column represent winning percentanges.
Pitching ends up winning the decade by a fairly healthy margin, having won eight of the ten individual years. 2009 is surprisingly lopsided in favor offense, which might be interesting in 10 years when I write this column again. Year / Top 5 NL Offenses / Top 5 NL Pitching 2009 .552 .548 2008 .554 .550 2007 .535 .530 2006 .525 .535 2005 .516 .536 2004 .551 .580 2003 .535 .549 2002 .553 .571 2001 .544 .547
2000 .532 .577 2000s .540 .552 *The figures in the second and third column represent winning percentanges. Exactly the same margin between offense and defense in the National League, with the teams who had the best pitching coming out on top again. Even in the first half of the decade, when steroid influence would have figured to be at its highest point, it appears as if the syringes were able to make their way through the entire clubhouse and out to the bullpen. World Series Champion / Offense / Defense 2009: Yankees 1st 5th 2008: Phillies 3rd 4th 2007: Red Sox 3rd 1st 2006: Cardinals 7th 6th 2005: White Sox 9th 2nd 2004: Red Sox 1st 2nd 2003: Marlins 8th 8th 2002: Angels 2nd 4th 2001: Diamondbacks 3rd 3rd 2000: Yankees 5th 6th Average: 4.4 3.9 *The figures in the second and third column represent rankings.
The World Series winners ended up averaging roughly fourth in both offense and pitching, although no team finished outside the top 10 for either category. As always, it’s fun to see how mediocre some of these teams were, like the 2003 Florida Marlins right up until the Yankees blew Game 4 of that World Series when they had runners on first and third with the score tied and Aaron Boone struck out and…lost my train of thought. Moving on. NHL Year / Top 10 Offenses / Top 10 Defenses 2009-10 .639 .629 2008-09 .631 .630 2007-08 .595 .614 2006-07 .655 .666 2005-06 .654 .658 2003-04 .626 .627 2002-03 .629 .647 2001-02 .614 .588 2000-01 .639 .653 2000s .631 .635 *The figures in the second and third column represent winning percentanges.
Using the Goals Per Game stat, this one proved a little closer, but once again the best defensive teams performed better, not only over the course of the decade but also in seven of the nine seasons measured. Most of the years are so close, though, that the case for defense over offense isn’t overly convincing. Then you take a look at the Stanley Cup winners … NHL Champion / Offense / Defense 2009-10: Blackhawks 3rd 6th 2008-09: Penguins 6th 17th 2007-08: Red Wings 3rd 1st 2006-07: Mighty Ducks 9th 7th 2005-06: Hurricances 3rd 20th 2003-04: Lightning 3rd 11th 2002-03: Devils 14th 1st 2001-02: Red Wings 2nd 3rd 2000-01: Avalanche 4th 3rd Average: 5th 8th *The figures in the second and third column represent rankings.
… and it gets even more confusing,
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especially that a team that ranked 20th in something as basic as defense would end up winning a championship. Still, the best offense never won, while the top-ranked defensive team won twice. While the NHL data proved to be extremely close, it ended up not even comparing to what I found for the NFL. NFL Year / Top 10 Offenses / Top 10 Defenses 2009 .688 .638 2008 .597 .679 2007 .719 .694 2006 .650 .625 2005 .706 .700 2004 .644 .625 2003 .656 .600 2002 .601 .597 2001 .675 .694 2000 .588 .688 2000s .652 .653 *The figures in the second and third column represent winning percentanges.
Unbelievable, right? Let me add another level to this: After compiling the decade win-loss totals for each side, the record for the top ten offenses turned out to be 1042-555. The record for the top 10 defenses? 1043-555. Over ten years, that’s the difference of a field goal clanking off the uprights, a dropped pass in the end zone, a stop on fourthand-inches, or about three thousand other difference-makers that are practically negligible in a single game, let alone a decade. Then I thought of something else: The 2008 Eagles ranked in the top ten in points per game. Remember the game against the Bengals that year when it ended in a tie because Donovan McNabb didn’t know the rules? There’s your difference from the past ten years. Unbelievable. Super Bowl Champion/Offense/Defense 2009: Saints 1st 20th 2008: Penguins 20th 1st 2007: Red Wings 14th 17th 2006: Mighty Ducks 2nd 23rd 2005: Hurricances 9th 3rd 2004: Lightning 4th 2nd 2003: Devils 12th 1st 2002: Red Wings 18th 1st 2001: Avalanche 6th 6th
2000: Ravens 14th 1st Average: 10th 8th *The figures in the second and third column represent rankings. Defense once again holds a slight advantage (not that slight) over offense. While, on the surface, it looks like some defensively brutal teams ended up winning Super Bowls, clubs like the ’07 Giants and ’09 Saints proved that it was possible to succeed with defenses that, while not holistically great, were gifted in specific areas, as the Giants were with rushing the passer and the Saints were with creating turnovers. Inspired by Bill James, I dared to challenge the notion that defense won more games than offense. What did I find? That defense wins more games than offense. For the past decade, anyway. In baseball. And basketball. And hockey. And (barely) football. All the same, I’m glad I asked the question instead of simply assuming it to be true. Even though it did turn out to be true. For all four sports. Timothy is a sophomore. You can reach him at tbernst1@swarthmore.edu.
THE PHOENIX
Sports Volleyball upsets Haverford to reach CC finals swarthmorephoenix.com
BY VICTOR BRADY vbrady1@swarthmore.edu Passion has a funny way of trumping logic. It was match point. Haverford, up two sets to one, was just one point from defeating the Swarthmore Garnet volleyball team again and moving on to the Centennial Conference finals in search of their fifth consecutive Centennial championship. No. 4 Swarthmore entered the conference semifinal coming off of a first-round victory over the Gettysburg Bullets, the second time that the Garnet defeated the Bullets this season. Swarthmore had dropped a four set match to the Fords only 10 days before. Haverford had won 21 of 22 matches against Swarthmore since 1996 before Saturday when the two teams met for the second consecutive year in the Centennial Conference semifinals. In 2009, the Fords won in four sets with the Garnet taking a set for the first time since 2005. “Coming off the loss to Haverford the week before, we had the right fuel to get the fire going for this match,” Sarah Lambert ’11 said. “The match had more on the line that just another win or making it to the finals. It was redemption. It was the rivalry. It was the chance to let our conference know who we are.” Match point. Dig Hillary Santana ’12, set Allie Coleman ’13, kill Kat Montemurro ’13. Even at 24 in the fourth set. Four points later, thanks to two more Montemurro kills, Swarthmore had tied the match at two sets a piece with a 27-25 set-win, forcing a tiebreaking fifth set. After going down 6-4 in the fifth set, it was all Swarthmore as the Garnet went on a 11-2 run to dethrone the Fords on their home floor and completing the upset of the fall in the Centennial Conference. “When playing Haverford, there's always the added intensity due to our rivalry so it made the victory that much sweeter knowing we knocked the defending champs out of the tournament in the semis, in their gym and in front of their crowd. It felt unbelievable and was definitely the biggest win of my career thus far,” said Montemurro. The win against Haverford was several years in the making and part of the development of the volleyball program which has improved from six wins in 2008 to 19 wins in 2009 and 20 in 2010. With the development of the team in the past two years, the players could feel the momentum in the rivalry starting to swing in their favor. In the regular season matchup between the two teams last year, which Haverford took in three sets, the team found itself sitting on its heels, waiting for plays to happen rather than attacking the Fords. When the team took a set in the semifinals last year, “it set the standard that Haverford was not invincible,” said Sarah Lambert ’11, who was knocked out of last year’s regular season match by a vicious ankle sprain. And so, on Saturday, the Garnet came out and attacked with fire, taking the first set 25-20. But the Fords responded, winning the next two sets 25-17 and 25-20 before Swarthmore won the final two to take the match. The Garnet became just the second team in the history of the Centennial Conference playoffs to come from behind two sets to one to win a match. “To finally beat Haverford, in their gym, in the playoffs, it's very hard to put into words what that meant to myself and my team,” said Lambert, Swarthmore’s
tHe pHoeniX
lone senior, who dropped two aces and added nine digs for the Garnet in the semifinal win. “There hasn't been a single thing that we've done so far that was better than Saturday. The gym felt like it was ours. The fact that it was during conference semifinals was a large added bonus,” Lambert added. Danielle Sullivan ’14 and Montemurro led the Garnet against the Fords with 12 kills apiece while Genny Pezzola ’12 added 11. Pezzolla was also one of three Garnet players with double-digit digs as she posted 12 with Santana coming up with 20 and Sullivan adding 10. “We weren't just playing with them this time. We made them keep up with us,” Montemurro said. In the Centennial Conference championship game on Sunday against the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats, the Garnet dropped three close sets 25-18, 25-22, 25-22 to finish second in the conference. Down 22-16 in the third set, the Garnet rallied to tie the set at 22 behind Lambert’s serve before the Diplomats ran off three points for the championship. Coach Harleigh Chwastyk, the defending Centennial Conference Coach of the Year, doesn’t believe that there was any letdown in play in Sunday’s championship match. “Saturday was physically taxing and emotionally charged, and I think that Franklin & Marshall has a little bit more depth than we do and they are the best serving team in the conference and they showed that too.” Entering the 2010 season, the team had set goals for the year — to play as a team, to play with heart, to beat Haverford and to win the Centennial championship. Though the team fell just short on the last one, the composure, passion and positive enthusiasm displayed by the team all year indicates that this year’s success is just a harbinger of a bright future for the program. It was that composure and class that shocked the Fords, who were able to bend the Garnet will in the middle sets but never break it as Swarthmore succeeded in roaring back. “Fundamentals, Haverford may have that on us. Size, they may have that on us too. Heart and passion, they don't even come close,” Lambert said. Chwastyk urges her players to outwork their opponents in every match. “Outworking means that you have to be extremely disciplined and you just need to keep pushing, and being a good sport and holding yourself to a higher standard can take a lot out of you, so the focus and composure are key and we did that so well on Saturday. We play a lot older than we really are.” Despite the defeat, the Garnet earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern College Athletic Conference South tournament and began tournament play on Wednesday against DeSales. The Garnet dropped the first set 25-21 before dominating the next three 25-22, 25-17 and 25-16 to take the match. Swarthmore recorded 104 digs in the match with Santana and Sullivan each posting 20 and Pezzola and Coleman adding 19 each. On offense, Pezzola and Montemurro paced the attack with 18 kills a piece. Pezzola and Montemurro also contributed two service aces each and Coleman registered 49 The 2010 season will conclude this weekend as the Garnet travels to St. Vincent College in Latrobefor the semifinals and finals of the ECAC tournament. The Garnet takes on Bethany in the semis.
Photo courtesy of Ray Scott
The Garnet celebrates during Saturday’s five set upset of Haverford on Saturday.
sports in brief
Langley, Colombo earn Centennial honors Morgan Langley ’11 was named the Centennial Conference men’s soccer Player of the Year and Megan Colombo ’11 was named the Centennial Conference women’s soccer Player of the Year for the 2010 season Langley and Colombo are the first Swarthmore players in their respective sports to win Player of the Year honors. Joining Langley on the AllCentennial first team are juniors Fabian Castro and Micah Rose. Gage Newman ’11 and Pierre Dyer ’12 were second-team All-Centennial performers. For the women, Hannah Purkey ’11 was named to All-Centennial second team and defenders Alexa Ross ’13 and Liz Mills ’11 were Honoable Mention performers. Langley has established himself as one of the top players in all of Division III men’s soccer. The senior currently leads the nation in assists per game, is second in total assists, and is fourth in the coun-
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try in points and points per game. Langley has 14 goals and 13 assists on the season and was dominant in Centennial Conference play. In conference matches, Langley led the Centennial with seven goals, 19 points, and five assists. Colombo has earned All-Centennial honors in each of her four years at Swarthmore and is the 17th player in Centennial history to be named to the first team in three seasons. She finished the year with nine goals and twenty points to lead the Swarthmore offense. Swarthmore also had one selection to the All-Centennial field hockey teams with senior Sophia Ferguson earning second team honors. Ferguson posted a career high nine goals and 24 points this year and led the Garnet to it’s best season since 2007. Hannah Purkey is a sports columnist for The Phoenix. She had no role in the production of this article. BY VICTOR BRADY
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Sports Men’s soccer wins 2010 Centennial Championship swarthmorephoenix.com
BY SAM LACY AND VICTOR BRADY slacy1, vbrady1@swarthmore.edu On Sunday, surrounded by boisterous Garnet fans, the Swarthmore men's soccer team announced its return to the NCAA tournament with a classic chorus of "Ole" after sophomore Kieran Reichart's golden goal. Reichart’s onetimer in the 106th minute capped the Garnet's second straight comeback victory and clinched Swarthmore's second Centennial Conference championship in three years. The Centennial Conference tournament was held at Swarthmore, as it was in 2008, when Swarthmore won its first Centennial soccer championship. During Saturday’s two semifinal matches and Sunday’s Championship, Clothier Field witnessed 306 minutes of suspenseful soccer, with 1544 fans, four overtimes, a round of penalty kicks, and even a couple tears. “In my lifetime, I had never cried with joy until [Sunday] night” admitted head coach Eric Wagner. The win was extra special for Wagner because his parents Richard and Lois were in attendance for the first time since Swarthmore’s game against Amherst in the third round of the 2008 NCAA tournament. The Garnet lost that game in heart-breaking fashion but have not lost at home since–a streak of 25 games. The home unbeaten streak was in jeopardy Saturday night in the semifinal match against Johns Hopkins, but the Garnet advanced thanks to a late goal by senior Philippe Celestin and a spectacular penalty kick win. In Sunday’s championship against Muhlenberg, Swarthmore fell behind once again in the first half. This time, Micah Rose ’12 came to the rescue with a goal on a penalty kick setting the stage for Reichart’s overtime heroics. The Garnet has gone down 1-0 only to tie the match at one in five straight playoff contests. Swarthmore has won four of those five, the only defeat coming in the Sweet 16 of last year’s NCAA Tournament in penalties to Transylvania. On Saturday, Swarthmore’s senior captain Gage Newman, battling knee and ankle injuries, was ruled out during warmups before the Hopkins game. Next man up: Toby Heavenrich ’12. In his first career start, Heavenrich filled in admirably, anchoring the Swarthmore defense for 87 minutes on an injured ankle of his own. According to Newman, Ayman Abunimer ’12 christened Toby, ‘Ludwig Van Heavenrich,’ because he is so composed in the back." Despite the efforts of Heavenrich and the rest of the Garnet defense, Hopkins struck first. In the 37th minute, the Blue Jays’ Scott Bukoski found the far post off a Kevin Hueber cross to take the halftime lead. The Garnet burst out of the gates, outshooting the Blue Jays 9-2 in the second half. In the 74th minute, Garnet senior Philippe Celestin ’11 delivered some of his trademarked November magic. After a Hopkins foul near midfield, Fabian Castro ’12 drove the free kick deep into the Hopkins box. Rose elevated above the crowd to win possession for the Garnet. After a few bounces, Celestin found the ball under pressure and at hip-height drilled a rocket over the head of Hopkins’ goalkeeper Ravi Gill.
22
Jakob Mrozewski Phoenix Staff
The Swarthmore men’s soccer team celebrates after winning the 2010 Centennial Conference Championship over Muhlenberg. The Garnet advances to the 2010 NCAA Division III Tournament and will open play at 5 p.m. Saturday vs. DeSales on Clothier Field. It was Celestin’s third career goal and first since sending the Garnet into the Sweet 16 of last year’s 2009 NCAA Tournament with an overtime goal against Hobart. "We have a lot of people who can get the ball in the back of the net, so I tend to focus on other things, but it's nice to know that when the team needs me, I can still score,” Celestin said. After two scoreless overtimes in which Hopkins outshot Swarthmore 5-2, the teams went into penalty kicks. The Garnet was convinced that the result would be different than in the game against Transylvania. “Shootouts are nerve-racking, but we train for them almost every practice and we were pretty confident. D’Annunzio is a beast [at defending penalty kicks]. There’s no way any team can score five against him,” Newman said. Rose took the first Garnet kick and was stopped by the Hopkins keeper, to the shock of Rose’s father who had never seen the junior miss a penalty. Hopkins quickly responded to go up 1-0. After successful kicks from Reichert and David Sterngold ’12, Hopkins senior Scott Bukoski, who has the most goals in Centennial Conference Tournament history, blasted a shot over the cross bar. With the kicks level at two, Roberto Contreras IV ’12 found the back of the net and D’Annunzio made a sprawling save to his right on Hopkins’ Danny Reategui. Up stepped Castro, who, having been stopped on a penalty against Franklin & Marshall earlier this season, calmly drilled the netting as the Garnet advanced past Hopkins. When Muhlenberg and Swarthmore met in Sunday’s championship, the Mules sought their sixth Centennial title, the Garnet their second. Once again, Swarthmore fell behind early. In the 29th minute, the Mules’ Mike Williams drilled a ball over the head of D’Annunzio, stunning the Garnet and the home crowd. Repeating their second half surge from the Hopkins victory, the Garnet fired 18 shots to Muhlenberg’s 7 after the break. Said Wagner, “That second half
was all heart and character to be able to dominate [like that]. We never panicked and that’s the mark of a mentally tough team.” The gutsy work of the Garnet defense was integral to the second half dominance. Led by the return of Newman, the Garnet limited Muhlenberg’s star midfielder Cody Antonini to shots from distance and from poor angles. Another key was the determined support of the home crowd. Said Celestin, “I don't know if we could have fought back without the crowd. The adrenaline and motivation our fans provide is irreplaceable.” Late in the second half, the relentless Garnet attack finally broke through. Henry Ainley ’12 came off the bench and pestered the Muhlenberg defense, dribbling and controlling the ball deep in the Mules’ zone. In the 75th minute, Ainley drew a hard tackle in the box, winning a penalty for the Garnet. The Garnet went back to Rose. Despite the miss the night before, Wagner never questioned the decision to pick the junior. “There’s a reason he’s a captain, there’s a reason his teammates voted him team MVP as a sophomore, there’s a reason he didn’t come out of the game all weekend. Micah Rose is an absolute force of nature.” The captain calmly tucked the penalty inside the left post, knotting the score at 1-1. The Garnet kept the pressure on in the first overtime, nearly ending the game as Morgan Langley’ 11 buried a ball off a corner one second after the horn. “I knew the game was ours after [Langley’s near-goal]. I could see it in one [Muhlenberg] defender’s face. His hands were on his head and his face was white,” said Celestin. Six minutes into the second overtime, the Garnet found the game-winner. A Muhlenberg foul gave the Garnet a free kick in a position similar to the one that set up the Celestin goal. Another beautiful Castro service found a skying Newman just outside the 6-yard box. Captain Newman headed it out of the pack to a streaking Reichert, who etched his name in the Centennial
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history books with just the second golden goal in a final in Centennial Conference history. With the win, the Garnet automatically qualified for the NCAA tournament. Once again, Swarthmore will host the first two rounds, earning the ever-important home-field advantage. “We’re home in November, I love it,” remarked an elated Wagner. Swarthmore was able to win its two matches this weekend without a single point from Langley, who is first in Division III in assists and fourth in total points. On Tuesday, Langley was named the Centennial Conference Player of the Year. “I could never have imagined being Player of the Year when I came in as a freshman,” Langley said. It is an honor to be Swarthmore's first of many and to be voted Player of the Year by my [opponents]. “To have our leading scorer, a senior who has helped lead this team to the Centennial Conference Championship and into the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year, recognized by the Conference like this is a testament to the quality of this program,” Wagner said. “Morgan is a top-level college soccer player, a stellar performer, and has been the most dangerous player in the conference all season. He deserves this award and we are all extremely proud and excited for him,” Wagner added. Castro and Rose were also named first team All-Centennial while defenders Newman and Pierre Dyer ’12 were named to the second team. The Garnet returns to action in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, hosting DeSales Saturday at 5 p.m. The matchup of Rochester and Medaille will follow at 7:30. The winners will square off Sunday at 6 p.m from Clothier Field. When asked what he knew about Swarthmore’s opponent, Celestin calmly answered, “What we know about Desales is what we know about any team we face at this point. If we lose to them, its over, and that’s all we need to know.” THE PHOENIX
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Second Rounds
First Round
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stitutions
#Messiah (18-1) 6 p.m. **Montclair St. (13-4-3) 7 p.m. SUNY Maritime (13-8-1) *Swarthmore (15-1-3) 5 p.m. DeSales (15-4-2) 6 p.m. Rochester (NY) (10-2-5) 7:30 p.m. Medaille (15-4-2) &New York U. (11-2-4) 5 p.m. Brockport (13-2-3) 7 p.m. Merchant Marine (10-2-5) 7:30 p.m. Kean (10-10-3) *Stevens Institute (14-1-3) 11 a.m. Hunter (10-7-3) 1 p.m. Muhlenberg (11-2-6) 1:30 p.m. Keene St. (14-4-2)
#Washington-St. Louis (14-1-4)
**Loras (15-6) 7:30 p.m. Greenville (15-5-2)
&Wis. Oshkosh (16-0-3) 5 p.m. Carroll (WI) (12-6-1) 6:30 p.m. North Park (12-4-2) 7:30 p.m. Hope (13-5-2) *Wis.-Whitewater (12-2-3) 5 p.m. Macalester (14-4-1) 6 p.m. Augsburg 15-4-1) 7:30 p.m. St. Scholastica (17-3-2) &Calvin (15-2-3) 1:30 p.m. Ohio Northern (17-4-1) 1 p.m. Dominican (IL) (18-1-1) 11 a.m. Thomas More (11-5-2)
NOVEMBER 11, 2010 • THE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER OF SWARTHMORE COLLEGE SINCE 1881 • VOLUME 133, ISSUE 11
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PHOENIX
Inside: Men’s soccer wins second Centennial title Volleyball defeats Haverford in Centennial semi 2010 Division III men’s soccer bracket contest