The Signal: Spring '16 No. 13

Breaking news, blogs and more at TCNJSignal.net.

Vol. XLIV, No. 13

April 27, 2016

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Campus takes back the night

IMM majors win Polansky Fellowship

By Khadijah Yasin Correspondent Junior interactive multimedia (IMM) majors Chris Lundy and Ryan Laux both received the Polansky Fellowship. The grant will be used to fund two basic filming and editing seminars led by the duo that will be available for both the College and Trenton, N.J., communities.

Their seminars are now possible because of the $2,000 grant donated to the Department of Communication Studies by Andy and Maria Polansky. The donors started this fellowship with the hope that their money would go toward endeavors focused on engaging the community — something the recipients’ proposal embodied.

According to Laux, neither he nor Lundy are new to the world of filmmaking and editing.

“I started doing videos and animation stuff when I was around 12 or 13,” Laux said about his journey into film. “I wanted to learn how to do it, so I did a lot on my own time. In high school, I went to an academy school… and I learned… all of the programs we need to know kind of ahead see GRANT page 6

David Colby / Photo Assistant

Students walk across campus to show support for survivors of sexual assault.

By Elise Schoening Features Editor When asked if you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or harassment, the answer is likely yes.

Such was the case at Take Back the Night on Tuesday, April 19. The annual event is celebrated at college campuses across the nation during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. Take Back the Night is an evening

dedicated not only to supporting survivors, but also to encouraging them to share their stories in an effort to dispel the stigma surrounding the issue of sexual assault. This year, students and staff members alike gathered in the Business Building Lounge to show their support for the cause.

“I doubt there is a woman in this room who does not have a story of a time she experienced unwanted sexual attention of any kind,” said Rosie Driscoll, a

sophomore women’s and gender studies major and the executive chair for Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL) , the organization that hosted the event. “So if you or a woman you know was catcalled, sexually harassed or assaulted, please stand up.”

Everyone in the room, regardless of gender, rose from their seats and stood in silence for a few moments as the gravity of the matter sunk in.

With such a high level of

sexual assault on college campuses in the nation, it’s not surprising that everyone in the audience that night had been personally affected by the issue in some capacity.

“If we look at the data that shows roughly one in five women and one in 19 men will be victims of sexual violence while enrolled in College, that’s roughly 2.2 million women and 424,000 see WILL page 12

College competes in Campus MovieFest Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha returns

The top four films will be screened in Atlanta.

By George Tatoris Sports Assistant

Journalism and interactive multimedia (IMM) double major Sorraya Brashear-Evans spent the night of Sunday, April 10, glued to a computer.

She slept not a wink — her deadline

INDEX:

was on the horizon.

In a few hours, she would need to hand in her film for Campus MovieFest (CMF), a national college film festival that gives teams one week to produce, shoot and edit a film. The four best from each college will be screened at a film and video game event called Terminus

Nation & World / Page 7

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The Signal @tcnjsignal

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

Editorial / Page 8

in Atlanta this year. Brashear-Evans only just wrapped up filming for her entry, “Raine,” about a super-powered renegade, that same day in Loser Hall.

The script was a year in the making, taking inspiration from “Avengers: Age of Ultron” to hip-hop albums to BrashearEvans’s own life experiences.

“If I had to describe it, I would say that film is like my teenage angst in five minutes,” she said. “Plus, she has powers.”

One scene called for a hospital setting — Loser’s nursing wing made a perfect fit. But, when she asked to film in Loser, she was told she could only film on Sunday, a day before deadline.

Her actors, who included IMM adjunct professor Kevin Cassel, rehearsed the scene so they could get it right in as little time as possible.

But the job was not completed quite yet. Brashear-Evans was on a team of her own. Every little job most people spend a career mastering — editing, special effects, sound — fell on her

Opinions / Page 9

By Morgan Lubner Staff Writer With the return of spring, the foliage and flowers are not the only things coming back to life on campus.

The College’s chapter of Phi Mu Alpha, a specialized music fraternity, was rechartered on Sunday, April 3.

The College’s chapter was last active when the last pledge class was accepted in 1977, according to Phi Mu Alpha Secretary and sophomore music education major Erik Johnson. After spring of that year, no additional members were added due to a lack of interest, which led to the disintegration of the chapter, he said.

The rechartering of Phi Mu Alpha has been in the works for about a year and a half, but Phi Mu Alpha President and senior music education major Michael Barbieri spent an additional year making phone calls and filling out documents to get the process started, according to Johnson.

The actual rechartering time was spent “juggling paperwork, fulfilling event requirements and interacting with other chapters in the region,” Johnson

see CMF page 18 Features / Page 12

see PHI page 6

Arts & Entertainment / Page 18

Sports / Page 24

AVI’s love letters College honors sexual violence survivors

Trenton ArtWorks Students and Trenton residents present work

Lacrosse Lions enjoy a seven-game win streak

See Features page 15

See A&E page 19

See Sports page 21

page 2 The Signal April 27, 2016

Open forum held to discuss student conduct

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Chong addresses student concerns regarding sexual assault.

By Alex Kooistra Correspondent

Sexual harassment is an issue that affects people around the world, including students at the College. Communication studies Professor Susan Ryan, who serves as the chair of the Committee on Student and Campus Community, organized two open fora to discuss changes to Title IX — a policy that examines sexual assault on campuses and how colleges can address it — and the Student Conduct Code.

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Angela Chong led the discussion during the first forum held in room 117 of the Physics Building on Wednesday, April 20, at 11 a.m. Five students, eager to learn about the changes, attended this forum.

Vocabulary was a main topic of discussion, as the definitions of words in the policy were clarified. Specifically, the definition of a “responsible employee” was clarified throughout the forum.

“A ‘responsible employee’ has the

responsibility of reporting instances of Title IX gender-based discrimination to the Title IX coordinator, whether that be sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic or dating violence, or stalking,” Chong said.

Certain employees on campus are required to report sexual assault to the authorities if a student mentions it to them, while others have the ability to keep it confidential if the student wishes, Chong said.

Attendees sought clarification on who is a “responsible employee” and who is not.

After some debate, it was determined that anyone who is a staff member of Student Affairs, a club leader or adviser is classified as a “responsible employee.”

Despite all the discussion regarding the definition, students at the forum were still confused.

“I would have liked if the definition for ‘responsible employee’ was clearer. Perhaps a list of employees that fit the definition,” junior physics major Brianna Santangelo said.

Chong also explained that privacy and confidentiality are still rights that students

have. That way, students will feel more comfortable reporting sexual harassment and assault.

“No one outside (of those) who need to know in order to resolve the issue will receive the information,” Chong said.

Among the terms cleared up at the forum were the definitions of a “reporter” and “respondent.” A “reporter” is a student who reports a sexual assault, harassment or other Title IX offense, whereas a “respondent” is one who is accused by the “reporter.”

After going over definitions, Chong discussed the process of filling out a Title IX report. Instead of a formal hearing, it follows an investigatory model in which information is collected from all parties and a trained investigator makes a decision. The dean of students will review this decision, and if they approve it, both the respondent and reporter have the ability to appeal, Chong said.

Title IX strives to make safety key, and measures will be taken to ensure all parties involved in the incident feel safe, according to Chong.

Students will be separated from the same room or class as their respondents and receive academic and housing accommodations to ensure the people involved do not have to interact. If an employee is involved in the incident, measures will still be taken to ensure everyone feels safe.

Chong emphasized that the majority of this process has already been in place at the College, but it just had to be cleaned up and put into words.

For Santangelo, the Title IX portion of the forum was a success.

“I do believe that TCNJ does more than the average college to prevent sexual assault, but I don’t think there is ever enough prevention,” Santangelo said. “Sexual assault is a serious issue that should be discussed at every appropriate opportunity.”

After discussing Title IX and opening the forum up to questions, Chong moved on to discussing changes to the Student

Code of Conduct because many changes to the code were already discussed regarding the Title IX. Definitions of words in the code, such as “student,” were clarified. With certificate programs available on campus, it was previously undefined whether participants in these programs were students or not. If one is not a student but is paying money to complete a certificate program, the same conduct expectations are still in place.

Another piece of terminology that was changed was “complainant” to “reporter.”

Chong and the attendees agreed that “complainant” has a negative connotation, implying that a student reporting sexual assault is complaining. As a result, it was agreed upon that “reporter” is a more appropriate term.

Additionaly, “breaking and entering” has always been part of the Student Conduct Code, but it mainly applied to oncampus buildings and not off-campus houses or businesses. The wording has now been changed in order to include off-campus buildings.

Chong ended the meeting by informing the attendees that students can petition for administrative deletion of misconduct from their record. This ability is not available at most colleges.

If a student commits a lower level violation early in their college career, such as underage drinking, a student can campaign to have it removed from their record when applying to a graduate school or job.

Chong emphasized that this is not a getout-of-jail-free card, though. Personal abuse issues and property damages are permanent, along with suspensions and expulsions.

The attendees, including Santangelo, thought this forum was informative.

“Title IX and the Student Conduct Code affect everyday life on campus, and it’s important to know what the College’s policies are,” Santangelo said.

A second forum on these topics will be held on Tuesday, April 26, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in room 230 of Kendall Hall.

Professor proves science rules, creates self-aware robot

By Abby Burns Correspondent The schools of Engineering and Science recently co-sponsored a presentation by Columbia University mechanical engineering Professor Hod Lipson in Mayo Concert Hall. On Wednesday, April 20, Lipson spoke to a group of students and faculty at the College about his research on self-aware and self-replicating robots.

He started his lecture with a story of how he got to where he is now at Columbia University, saying that it took years and “a lot of serendipity and research.” He coauthored the award-winning book “Fabricated: The New World of 3-D Printing” and directs the Creative Machines Lab at Columbia University, where he discovers new ways to make machines that are creative and innovative.

Lipson focuses his research on evolutionary robotics, a branch of robotics that uses processes inspired by biological evolution to “breed” new robots, rather than design them manually.

While researching robotics, Lipson learned the one major weakness of all robots — their inability to adapt to change. From then on, he made it his main goal to create robots that are self-aware and able to adapt to the world around them.

The first two approaches Lipson discussed to building these self-aware robots were the “adapting in simulation approach,” in which the robotics scientists evolve the controller in a virtual simulation before trying it in reality, and the “adapting in reality approach,” where the scientists evolve the controller in reality with no virtual simulation. After trying both of these approaches to building new robots, Lipson found problems with each — the first resulted in a “simulation-reality gap,” as the virtual simulations did not perform the same in reality, and the second approach took too much time and resulted in worn-out robots.

“It’s always suprising to see new systems evolve or learn on their own.”

—Hod Lipson

Columbia University professor

Instead, Lipson combined the approaches to make the “simulation

and reality approach,” which is essentially a cycle of evolving and collecting data. The first step is to evolve the virtual simulator, then evolve the robots and try it in reality to collect sensor data — what the robot does and feels. The data is used to breed better simulators and the cycle continues until all of the necessary data is collected.

Lipson used this approach to build a four-legged robot, which had to be self-aware and figure out how to move on its own. It took a few days of trial and error for the robot to learn about itself.

“It does not know what it looks like. It wouldn’t even know if it was a snake or a tree,” Lipson said.

However, after four days, it figured out that it had four legs.

Lipson played a video of the robot forming a self-image — learning what it looked like without being programed to do so. The audience watched in amazement as the robot learned how to move forward on its own.

Next in the video, Lipson decided to test how the robot performed with damage recovery by removing one its four legs. Remarkably, the robot’s dynamics changed and it adapted to find a new way to move forward without the leg.

In an interview on columbia.edu, Lipson discussed what it felt like to

Photo courtesy of the School of Engineering

Lipson details the process he went through to create the robot. watch a robot he built be self-aware.

“It’s always surprising to see new systems evolve or learn on their own,” Lipson said. “Seeing a robot learn to do something you didn’t program it to do is a pretty amazing experience.”

During the lecture, Lipson also discussed the artificial intelligence software he created called Eureqa, which finds equations and mathematical relationships in data. The software is available for anyone to download on nutonian. com — the Website aimed at professionals looking to accomplish the work of data scientists — and is used by thousands to detect difficult calculations in large

amounts of data. Machines with this software can formulate hypotheses, design experiments and interpret the results to discover new scientific laws.

Robots and machines that can model themselves have huge practical implications in the real world, Lipson said, and he hopes to continue to evolve self-aware robots over time. He believes that he is on his way to creating the holy grail of robotics, which would be a robot that is selfaware right out of a 3-D printer.

“I don’t know if we’ll get there in my lifetime, but we’re on the path that will eventually lead there,” Lipson said.

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 3

Club hosts Former history professor discusses book walk to benefit Panel of students provides feedback Parkinson’s victims

By Natalie Nunez Correspondent

By Chelsea LoCascio News Editor

On the gray, rainy morning of Saturday, April 23, TCNJ Society for Treatments and Awareness of Neuromuscular Disease (STAND) enlightened the College about Parkinson’s disease.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., three people participated in STAND’s Walk for Parkinson’s Disease by walking around the Metzger Drive Loop to raise money and awareness for the National Parkinson Foundation, according to STAND President and senior communication studies major Bryan Steward.

“I (hoped) people (would) attend just to show that people really care about things like Parkinson’s disease and show that people are willing to go out… to a fun event to raise awareness,” Steward said. “It’s a laid back event. They can come, they can donate as much they want per mile. They can walk, they can run. It’s just an event to have fun and show support.”

In total, the participants raised $14.

According to Steward, STAND was started in Spring 2014 by alumnus Mark Eisenberg (’15), who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Steward said that Eisenberg started it to not only raise awareness for muscular dystrophy, but also other neuromuscular diseases, such as Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

STAND held this event to continue to support Eisenberg’s original intentions when he started the club.

“There’s a lot of research going on now and it’s an important time to raise money and raise awareness,” Steward said.

Daniel W. Crofts, a former history professor at the College, held a student panel discussion on his book, “Lincoln and the Politics of Slavery: The Other 13th Amendment and the Struggle to Save the Union,” on Thursday, April 21, in room 106 of Loser Hall.

The panelists — all former students of Crofts who helped edit the book — offered their critiques of Crofts’s novel and raved about how amazing and inspiring Crofts was as a professor. They also spoke about the impact he had on their experiences at the College.

In his book, Crofts said he made a point to depict history in a realistic sense, as opposed to portraying what students are typically taught in their textbooks.

“We are admirers of Lincoln,” Crofts said when discussing what history meant to him.

The panelists had positive feedback about Crofts’s depiction of history. “(The book is) the perfect combination between the familiar and unfamiliar in history,” panelist and senior secondary education and history dual major Stephanie Pappas said.

The hidden history that

Crofts’s book details topics related to the Civil War. most people do not know is the part that stood out the most to Crofts’s students after reading the book. It pushed them to “search for a history that Americans can be proud of,” panelist and senior elementary education and history double major Sarah Drozd said.

In his book, Crofts highlighted many key aspects of the Civil War and offered a new side of history that most people would never tell.

Each student in his Fall

2013 class, HIS 460, Reading Seminar in History: Modern North America (Abraham Lincoln), read the book in manuscript form and Crofts took each student’s opinion into consideration when revising.

He made a point to take notes regarding what his students wanted to see in the final form of the book.

Crofts’s book also provides a detailed physical description and background for all of the significant historical figures

David Colby / Photo Assistant

during the Civil War. “As a historian, I believe we cannot underestimate the lesser known figures who played such big roles,” Drozd said.

Drozd, along with the other panelists, believed their involvement with this book taught them the importance of questioning history, and that their participation in the panel brought a new understanding of the time period and how they will learn about history in the future.

Organizations receive recognition from SG members

SG debates over passing bills.

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

By Alyssa Sanford Web Editor

The TCNJ Ski and Snowboard Club and the TCNJ Political Union both earned Student Government (SG) recognition at the Wednesday, April 20, general body meeting, amid votes and debates about bills.

TCNJ Ski and Snowboard Club, which is “on the border of being a club or a club sport,” according to club representatives, is open to students of all skill levels. The club has already obtained a club sport insurance policy, as well as approval from Director of Recreation Robert Simels, before meeting with the Governmental Affairs (GA) committee on Sunday, April 3.

Club representatives intend to book biweekly weekend trips to mountains near the College, including Blue Mountain and Spring Mountain in Pennsylvania, with the help of Student Finance Board (SFB) funding. Should SFB be unable to fully fund the club’s request for busing every other weekend, members plan to fundraise or have members with

cars transport the club to the resort.

Based on the club’s flexibility and the charter member list that boasts 28 freshmen, 20 sophomores, 14 juniors, eight seniors and one graduate student, SG voted to approve the club.

TCNJ Political Union seeks to “increase and sustain student involvement in the political process” by engaging students, staff and faculty, regardless of political affiliation, according to the GA report. The club itself is nonpartisan, but it encourages members to express diverse political viewpoints, club representatives said.

The club has been recruiting members to write posts for The Signal through its “We, The Campus” blog. It has also been forming alliances with organizations like the Center for Community Engaged Learning & Research, Residential Life and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life in order to reach as many students as possible. Next semester, according to representatives, the club wants to work with Lions Television to increase engagement.

The club will also host biweekly panels on political issues that resonate with the College community and bring in speakers. They will need SG recognition to reserve space for events and obtain funding from SFB to book speakers.

General body members passed the club without debate.

Next, Vice President of Governmental Affairs Ceili Boles presented B-2016-03 — a bill that would repeal the Fall 2015 semester’s “General Member Bill” (B-F2015-06) and relax requirements to join SG as a general member. Under the new bill, students would join by emailing the SG account to be recognized as a general member with no additional requirements.

A spirited debate broke out, with some members arguing that relaxed requirements would not bode well for SG’s status as a reputable organization with highly involved members.

Ultimately, with no proposed replacement for B-S201603 in place, general body members moved to table the bill.

B-S2016-04, or the repeal of the “Student Teaching Bill” (B-F2015-05), would allow any members with academic commitments, like student teaching posts or internships, to be excused from general body and governance meetings as needed. The bill did not pass, so B-F2015-05 remains in effect.

Finally, B-S2016-05 would redefine the role of SG’s parliamentarian, who oversees debates and familiarizes the general body with SG’s constitution. The bill would allow them to vote and debate. However, the bill was tabled indefinitely after much debate.

After the presentation of the three bills, Boles announced that the Wednesday, April 27, general body meeting will be held at the New Jersey State House. It is an annual meeting that general body and elected members attend each spring semester.

“The State House is beautiful, and we get to be all fancy and have our meeting there,” Boles explained to prospective SG members in attendance.

Student Trustee Kevin Kim announced that on Tuesday, April 26, at 2:30 p.m., College President R. Barbara Gitenstein held a public session in room 106 of Loser Hall for the Board of Trustees annual tuition hearing.

The meeting was open to students who could learn about upcoming changes to tuition costs.

Adviser Elizabeth Bapasola updated the general body on the College’s search for the first Director of Student Involvement — a position that was created after former Director of Student Activities Tim Asher retired in February 2016. The Office of Student Involvement resulted from a merge of the Office of Student Activities and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, according to Bapasola in a Signal article from Tuesday, March 22.

“It’s a really important hire and we value student feedback,” Bapasola said.

The finalists for the new position will visit the College for open fora with students, faculty and staff on Monday, May 2; Tuesday, May 3; Monday, May 9; and Tuesday, May 10, according to Bapasola.

page 4 The Signal April 27, 2016

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April 27, 2016 The Signal page 5

College alumnus, former Signal editor wins Pulitzer

By Tom Ballard Opinions Editor Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., alumnus James Queally (’09) knew that he wanted to be a journalist, but he never saw himself playing a role in winning a Pulitzer Prize.

But that was exactly what happened when the 28-year-old journalist found out on Monday, April 18, that he and the staff of the Los Angeles Times were being awarded the Pulitzer Prize in breaking news coverage. The staff won the honor for the newspaper’s coverage of the San Bernardino shootings that took place in San Bernardino, Calif., on Wednesday, Dec. 2. The attack resulted in 22 people injured and 16 people dead, including both suspects, according to the LA Times.

“I was kind of muted, quite frankly,” said Queally, a staff writer for the Times who typically writes about crime-related events. “(It didn’t sink in until) my managing editor walked up to me, gave me a big hug and said, ‘Thanks for keeping us all together.’”

Queally, who said that he is typically out in the field reporting on stories, said that he spent most of his time working on the story at his desk, checking information coming in from reporters, local authorities and the federal government.

According to Queally, he worked around the clock trying to piece together information as it was coming in while also looking into new leads that were constantly changing.

Queally said that when the story first broke, there was initial confusion about whether or not the shooting actually took place and what kind of shooting it had been.

Despite winning one of the most prestigious awards in journalism, Queally was humble and said that the LA Times worked as a team to report on the story.

“I’m just a part of it,” Queally said.

“I’m trying to keep it in perspective.”

The Pulitzer Prize is named after famed

journalist and publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is awarded to writers of exceptional journalism since 1917. In addition to journalism, the Pulitzer Prize Board also gives out awards in other areas, such as literature, dramas and music, according to the Prize’s Website.

The LA Times edged out the Baltimore Sun’s coverage of the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, a black man, and the riots about possible police brutality that ignited in the city afterward, as well as the Post and Courier of Charleston, S.C., for its coverage of the shooting of Walter Scott, a black man, by a police officer, who has been indicted for murder.

Queally cites the wider reach of the San Bernardino shooting as the reason for why he thinks the paper ultimately won.

“I know it’s tough to be (a journalism) major right now... but if you grind... you will be successful... Just work, don’t say ‘no’ to anything.”

—James Queally staff writer, the LA Times

“The (Sun and Post and Courier)... all did excellent work,” Queally said. “Our story was really taking place in all different arenas… we

Authorities respond to the San Bernardino mass shooting. had a wider scope of reporting, (but)… I don’t think that we did superior reporting.”

Donna Shaw, associate professor and coordinator of the Journalism and Professional Writing Program, said that she remembers Queally, despite him having graduated nearly seven years ago.

“He was brash and strong-willed,” Shaw said. “But he understood without anybody telling him that the way to be a good journalist wasn’t just to go to class, but to actually be a journalist.”

In addition to serving as a sports and arts & entertainment editor for The Signal for most of his college career, Queally also served internships at multiple papers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Times of Trenton and the Star Ledger. After graduating, Queally was hired by the Star Ledger, where he worked in different positions, including as statewide law enforcement reporter, for five years until 2014.

During his time at the College, Queally said he was constantly motivated to work hard

AP Photo

by the faculty to become a better reporter.

“Donna (Shaw) is excellent,” Queally said. “She was an incredible reporter… it was really valuable to have someone like her.”

Queally encouraged current journalism students to work hard in order to make it easier to secure a job once they graduate.

“I know it’s tough to be (a journalism) major right now,” Queally said. “But if you grind and do all the jobs that nobody wants to do, you will be successful… just work, don’t say ‘no’ to anything.”

Shaw said that she is proud of what Queally has been able to accomplish and hopes that other journalism students can learn from the steps that Queally has taken.

“I hope (what current journalism students) take away is not settling for just doing your homework. It’s not enough to just come to class and do your assignments,” Shaw said. “That’s not just true for journalism, that’s true (for all majors). If you want to be really good at what you do, you have to work at it and that was what he did.”

Retired detective talks gangs’ impact on schools

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

Messina speaks about gangs’ increasing influence on youth and the steps needed to prevent this spread.

By David O’Keefe Correspondent

A third-grader walks to his elementary school in the heart of Trenton, N.J. Bright yellow evidence markers draw his eye to the gleaming metal jackets of spent shell casings as he makes his commute.

Anthony Messina, a retired detective, described the scene of a shooting that took place along the same route children take while walking to school. Messina is fond of using movie analogies to illustrate his points, but what he described was not taken from a movie scene.

“The world needs good teachers because in this day and age, there are a lot of young people who are a rudderless ship,” Messina said.

Messina, now retired and serving a second term on the Ewing Township Board of Education, spent 26 years as a law enforcement officer. During that time, he said he watched

gang activity explode across New Jersey’s urban centers.

That is why the College’s Student New Jersey Education Association (SNJEA) reached out to Messina, who lectured in room 115 of the Education Building on the evening of Wednesday, April 20.

Senior elementary education and English double major Julia Albretsen, who serves as president of SNJEA, said that before the presentation began, she heard a version of the night’s presentation Messina had previously given at a middle school. Based on that, she hoped that his words would have an impact that night at the College.

Others seemed unfamiliar about the subjects Messina would broach. Sophomore special education and sociology double major Becky Freeborn was keen to hear Messina speak, but expressed unfamiliarity with gang activity in the locations she was has been in herself.

Ewing, N.J., has a reputation for being a sleepy suburb, but Ewing’s border is not a barrier that insulates the town

from gang activity, according to Messina.

“The light turns green and you’re in (Trenton),” he said in reference to Parkway Elementary School, located in Ewing.

Much of the presentation focused not just on the rampant growth of gang activity in Trenton, but its increase throughout New Jersey.

In 1995, he said, drug dealers were independent. That independence faded as organized criminal gangs rose to power in the early 2000s, according to Messina. An explosion of violence punctuated the emerging presence of Bloods, Crips, Latin Kings and other gang organizations in New Jersey.

He compared the suddenness with which these organizations appeared to an infestation of cockroaches.

“If you have a presence, you have a problem,” he said.

“If you see one cockroach, it’s a problem.”

But according to Messina, in the early 2000s, law enforcement officers, educators and community leaders saw the presence, but didn’t see the problem until it had already festered into an infestation.

Messina said that he sees an abundance of youths indoctrinated into gangs. As a detective, he saw kids coerced into joining a gang, especially those of low socioeconomic standing tempted by money or the promise of belonging to a family unit.

According to a 2010 State Police survey titled “Gangs in New Jersey,” 46 percent of municipalities across New Jersey that reported a gang presence said that gangs were also present in the schools.

“It was really eye-opening,” Freeborn said after Messina cited that statistic.

As the presentation reached its conclusion, Messina spoke of educators being a pillar in the effort to reduce criminal gang activity. Because teachers spend so much time with students, they form a special rapport with their young pupils and can come to recognize warning flags that a child might be associating with known criminal elements before it’s too late to make a difference, according to Messina.

The presentation concluded the same way it began — by Messina pointing out that “the world needs good teachers.”

page 6 The Signal April 27, 2016

Phi / Music fraternity returns Grant / Students win award Group hopes to hold annual concert continued from page 1

said. “I can personally say it has been very rewarding and has definitely built very strong bonds between our brothers.”

The fraternity currently has 21 members, five of whom are seniors and will be graduating this May. New member and freshman chemistry major Trevor MacKinnon said he joined Phi Mu Alpha for the camaraderie he found among the brothers.

“I rushed because I was looking for a social group of close guys, and I was already close with a lot of them,” MacKinnon said. “My favorite part is being so close with a bunch of diverse guys who all love music and can just mess around and hang out.”

Since being initiated, new members have participated in a few concerts, conventions, community service opportunities and a music mission — when the members sing to senior citizens.

“Our ultimate goal is to advance music in America, and so we sponsor music-related events throughout the academic year,” Johnson said.

These events include an annual concert

featuring the music of American composers, as well as working to improve the conditions of the music libraries in the Music Building. On Saturday, April 23, Phi Mu Alpha was going to host a Music-a-Thon that featured six hours of continuous chamber music to fundraise for its philanthropy — the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.

However, the event was canceled due to the inclement weather and a GoFundMe page was set up in its place.

“I can personally say it has been very rewarding.”

—Erik Johnson

sophomore music education major “(The organization is) a unique blend between a specialized fraternity and a social fraternity that puts us in a special place in TCNJ’s Greek community, allowing for a fresh perspective on what Greek life really stands for,” Johnson said.

continued from page 1

of time,” Laux said.

Similarly, Lundy said he started very early on, with his video camera attached to his hand and constantly filming. He even started up his own YouTube channel with his friends called TheBCNnetwork, which has almost 500 videos and a following of nearly 10,000 subscribers. This is where Lundy began an extensive process of editing his own videos, which has carried through to college.

Lundy and Laux’s proposal is not the first time their work has been recognized and praised. They are in charge of developing footage for the College, such as the wellknown “Welcome to TCNJ” video. They also created short films for competitions like Campus MovieFest, which their team won last year in the category “Best Special Effects” for their film “Paramnesia.”

“This year… we made our film ‘Lucidity,’ which premiered on (Monday, April 18)... and we won top four again,” Lundy said.

According to Lundy, this means their team gets to move onto Terminus, the national version of Campus Moviefest, in which they will compete with colleges all over the country.

This recognition has led to even more opportunities for both of them, including an internship at DreamWorks Animation

this summer, where they will be producing videos for the Brand and Marketing departments in Hollywood, Calif.

As for their upcoming seminars, this duo hopes to share their filmmaking skills with the College and Trenton communities.

“Our proposal was to do a video workshop… for the main purpose of teaching people that are not too familiar with video and video editing the technical aspects of it (and) to give them the tools basically to make a video to tell their story,” Laux said.

According to Lundy, this knowledge can be utilized by College students and the general public as a promotional tool or just to send that person’s message.

“It’s an extension of the things that we do,” Lundy said. “We always use film and video to tell all of our crazy stories… (and) our favorite part about it is the emotion we get from people watching it… so when you apply (your story) told through that format, it could actually make a difference.”

The tool of filmmaking can be very powerful and can help the community have an impact on the rest of society, Lundy said.

According to Laux, this seminar can be expected sometime during the Fall 2016 semester and may be split into multiple days. It is completely free and available to everyone in the College and Trenton communities.

Concrete block causes contractor to call campus cops

By Chelsea LoCascio News Editor • Campus Police responded to a report of underage drinking in Lot 14 at 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 16. Upon arrival, police met with a security officer who stated that he saw two females walking on the driveway to the rear of Decker Hall and that one of them appeared to be intoxicated and could barely walk, police said. Upon approaching the females, one of them did appear to be visibly intoxicated, have a speech impairment and smell of alcohol.

She admitted to drinking a half of a fifth of vodka. The other female did not appear to be intoxicated, but admitted to consuming four alcoholic beverages a couple of hours prior, according to police reports. The less intoxicated female said the pair was heading back to Cromwell Hall after attending a formal dance. She said they started drinking at a party thrown by Theta Phi Alpha, according to police.

TCNJ EMS assessed both of them and determined that the less intoxicated female did not need further medical attention. The visibly intoxicated female needed to be transported to a hospital by Ewing EMS for further medical treatment, according to Campus Police. Both females were issued underage drinking summonses, police said.

• Campus Police responded to a report of possible criminal mischief at the rear of Decker Hall at 1:30

a.m. on Sunday, April 17. Upon arrival, police met with a TCNJ EMS member and a resident who said she was in her room when she heard a noise outside her window. The witness said she looked outside her window and observed two males throwing what appeared to be rocks at a TCNJ EMS vehicle and Decker Hall, according to police reports. She stated that she observed one of the males enter the vehicle, remove a wheel lock and throw the wheel lock from the TCNJ EMS vehicle onto the ground.

According to police, she said she saw the two males get into a navy blue sedan and drive away. The witness was unable to see the license plate on the sedan, police said. The witness, along with Campus Police and the TCNJ EMS member, did not observe any damage to the TCNJ EMS vehicle, Decker Hall or the wheel lock, according to police. Both the TCNJ EMS member and witness were advised to contact Campus Police if they acquire any more information on the issue, police said.

At approximately 2 a.m., a second witness called Campus Police in reference to criminal mischief in the rear of Decker Hall. According to police, he said that at approximately 1:30 a.m., he saw a sedan at the scene of the crime. He could not recollect the color of the sedan, but observed the first three digits of the license plate to be “K12.” Around 2:20 a.m., police called the

second witness to obtain more information, which is when he told Campus Police that he did not see what the individuals were wearing, but did witness a driver in the vehicle and an individual getting into the back seat of the driver’s side of the car, according to police reports. The witness said he was unable to see if there were other occupants in the car.

• At 6:25 a.m. on Monday, April 18, Campus Police were dispatched to the College’s parking lot on Carlton Avenue meant for construction workers. Upon arrival, police met with a contractor who said that between 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15, and 6:25 a.m. on Monday, April 18, both the bodies and mirrors of the driver side and passenger side mirrors were broken on a white Ford ES350 van, according to police reports. Campus Police said that the rear window on the driver’s side was completely broken out and a concrete block was laying on the back seat next to the window. The contractor said that there was nothing missing from the vehicle since it is only used to transport company workers to and from the construction site and the parking lot. He said he notified his supervisor of the damage to the vehicle, according to police.

Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.

SFB OKs updated proposal for Funival’s comedy show

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

The board approves a request from Chi Upsilon Sigma for its Summer Retreat.

By Roderick Macioch News Assistant During its weekly meeting on Wednesday, April 20, the Student Finance Board (SFB) concluded its fiscal year by funding two retreats and hearing an update on the

College Union Board’s (CUB) Funival.

The first student organization to present a proposal was Chi Upsilon Sigma, which requested funding for its Summer Retreat. According to the request form the sorority presented, “It is essential for Chi Upsilon Sigma to have (its) annual

retreat in order to allocate time to prepare and plan (its) events and activities for the fall semester.”

A motion to fully fund the retreat, in the amount of $750, passed. This funding will cover the group’s hotel bill.

The retreat will begin on Wednesday, June 15, and will end on Friday, June 17.

Representatives of Blackout StepTeam presented their plan for the team’s retreat. As stated in Blackout StepTeam’s request form, the event will give the members of the team a chance to “bond as a team, build stamina, brainstorm new ideas for the 2016-2017 year and train new e-board members.”

The board voted to fund the event, in the amount of $756.31, to pay for food and various team-building activities.

The retreat will take place from Saturday, May 7, to Sunday, May 8.

The final order of business was CUB’s updated proposal for its comedy show

feature at Funival. Funding in the amount of $9,945 had been granted in a previous meeting to cover the cost of an appearance by comedy duo Jake and Amir. However, since then, CUB has been informed that Jake and Amir will not be available to perform at Funival due to prior commitments. To replace them, three currently unannounced stand-up comedians from CollegeHumor will be performing.

The price will not be affected by this change and $9,945 will still be allocated to pay for the performances.

Funival is scheduled for Friday, May 6. The comedy show will be held in Lot 6 and will begin at 7:45 p.m. and end at around 9:15 p.m. *Even though SFB agrees to finance certain events, there is no guarantee these events will take place. The approval only makes the funds available.

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 7

Nation & W rld

Georgetown seeks to make amends for past

School to recognize its faults from over a century ago

By Camellia Carbonaro Staff Writer

In the fall of 1838, Georgetown University’s early presidents, Thomas F. Mulledy and William McSherry, organized a large slave sale in an effort to pay off some of the college’s debts that were incurred under their poor leadership. Two hundred and seventy two slaves (consisting of men, women and children as young as two months old) were forcefully loaded onto human cargo ships and sent to Washington, D.C., where they were put up for auction and sold off to plantation owners. Saturday, April 16, was the 178th anniversary, according to the New York Times.

Last fall, a large protest erupted at the university’s heart after the reopening of its student residence buildings, Mulledy and McSherry halls. Georgetown students demanded that the college change the names of the residence buildings so as not to commemorate these men. In addition, activists asked for the creation of plaques for the slaves’ unmarked graves still on campus, an annual program to openly explore Georgetown’s slave-related history, and mandatory diversity training for professors. Due to financial constraints, however, Georgetown President John DeGioia announced in November that while the school will not be able to meet all of the protest demands, it will

change the names of the buildings to Freedom and Remembrance halls, as requested, according to Georgetown’s Website.

Georgetown is one of many premier institutions coming under fire for its past ties to slavery.

Calhoun College, one of Yale’s 12 residential colleges, was also met with protests after it was discovered that it was named after John C. Calhoun, one of the 19th century’s foremost white supremacists who promoted slavery as a “positive good.”

Similarly, Duke and East Carolina universities had to recently remove the name Aycock from their buildings because the man they were named after was another white supremacist, the New York Times reported. Vanderbilt University also tried to change the name of its Confederate Memorial Hall, but was legally stopped by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who paid for the building’s construction.

The New York Times reported that for universities established in the 18th and 19th centuries, a link to slaveholding is unavoidable. Most of the Southern institutions were built and tended to by slaves. Jody Allen, a visiting professor of history at the College of William and Mary, explained how we tend to not realize the fact that churches, businesses and universities owned slaves because it’s not openly shared, according to BBC. Mark Auslander, a history

professor at Brandeis University, said universities like to focus on “their abolitionist, anti-slavery history and not talk about their connection to slavery” partly because of embarrassment, but also because they know that if the truth came out, a race war would ensue.

Within the last decade, historians have begun to unearth these ill-shaped roots, forcing some institutions to answer for what they had previously ignored or denied.

CNN reported that, in 2003, Brown University was the first college to publicly acknowledge its relations with slavery.

In order to do so, its university president, Ruth Simmons (the first African-American to lead an Ivy League school), created The Committee on Slavery and Justice, composed of faculty, students and administrators who were tasked with investigating and preparing a comprehensive report about the university’s historical relationship to slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

The committee discovered that 30 members on Brown’s governing board at some time or another had owned or captained slave ships, as well as accepted donated slaves from wealthy parishioners to help with the university’s construction. The Brown family itself had owned slaves and engaged in the slave trade, with the exception of one abolitionist family member.

The slaves’ descendants may get an apology.

Upon learning this, Brown set out to repair and improve relationships with their neighboring communities by setting up an education fund for children in Providence, R.I., and building a memorial for the enslaved.

In the words of Adam Rothman, a historian at Georgetown, “the university itself owes its existence to this history.” Rather than deny its past, Georgetown is looking to acknowledge what happened and try to make amends. In the end, it comes down to the

AP Photo

question of whether or not the college is doing enough.

As of now, the New York Times reported that the Georgetown administration is working hard with its professors, students, alumni and genealogists to find the descendants of the 272 slaves and to determine what has to be done to make things right. Among these reparative possibilities, the administration is considering everything from a formal apology to scholarships for the descendants.

Ethiopian forces grapple with lethal armed attack The cross-border raid inflicts terror on hundreds

AP Photo

Ethiopian troops march to secure the border after the recent attack.

By Rohan Ahluwalia Staff Writer

Armed men from South Sudan have killed around 140 people, including women and children, and kidnapped a number of others in a cross-border raid in Ethiopia last Friday, April 15, according to the Ethiopian government, the African news Website TesfaNews.net reported.

The perpetrators from South Sudan

were part of the Murle tribe, according to the Daily Telegraph. The tribe is based in the western South Sudanese state of Jonglei and often raids Ethiopia to steal cattle.

“The attackers came from South Sudan and killed civilians, including women and children,” minister of communications Getachew Reda told the Associated Press.

“The Ethiopian defense force is currently chasing after the perpetrators. Our defense forces have so far killed 60 members of

the attackers.”

Reda also added, according to the New York Times, that the attackers did not have links to South Sudan’s government or its rebel fighters and that Ethiopian forces might cross into South Sudan to pursue the gunmen.

The attack took place in Jakawa, a village in the Gambela region of Ethiopia, according to Reda.

A number of children were abducted and taken into South Sudan, he told the New York Times.

Gambela, the region that is approximately 30 miles from the South Sudanese border, is home to the Nuer, one of the two main ethnic groups within the country. The Gambela region is also the home of thousands of refugees from South Sudan who fled the country after war broke out there in December 2013. It is also the home of armed and dangerous Ethiopian and South Sudanese groups that attack government installations and soldiers, according to the New York Times.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Ethiopian “forces have been in pursuit of the attackers and they decimated scores of them,” Ethiopian foreign ministry spokesman Tewolde Muluteg said, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Muluteg would not say, however, whether or not the Ethiopian forces have crossed the South Sudan and Ethiopia border, according to TesfaNews.

“I have no details on this. This is a developing situation,” Muluteg said. “In border areas, cattle frauds and raids are not uncommon. Of course, something of this magnitude is different.”

Many of these raids have occurred in the Gambela region since South Sudan won independence from Sudan in 2011, the Daily Telegraph reported. Since its independence in 2013, the country went to war and thus set off a cycle of retaliatory killings that sliced the poverty-stricken country along ethnic lines.

The Daily Telegraph reported that more than 150,000 South Sudanese people have fled their homes due to the violence that has occurred in the country and over 2 million people have been displaced since the war began.

Ethiopia has been heavily involved in the South Sudan peace process over the last year, according to the Daily Telegraph, due to the risk that the conflict in South Sudan could destabilize Gambela further and cause more raids and crossborder attacks.

page 8 The Signal April 27, 2016

Editorial

Don’t slack off in the final weeks of the semester

Seventy degree weather, bright sunny days and the click-clack of flip flops as they snap along sidewalks — summer break is right around the corner.

With just two weeks left until the end of the semester, it is as important as ever to stay focused on classwork, regardless of any distractions that may arise.

For many, the end of April means graduation and the “real world” are just ahead, so why not give the last of your college career your all? Hand in those final papers and projects. Finish up your thesis and practicum assignments. Study for the ever-dreaded final exams.

Ultimately, how an individual performs during these final weeks will directly affect their course grade. Don’t slack off now.

Though the warm weather we thought would never arrive is finally burning upon us, it’s not yet time to relax on a beach for days on end. Since elementary school, as soon as it gets hot outside, the motivation level to stay focused quickly diminishes. Each hour that ticks by is more painful to sit still during, but somehow, we just have to get through.

Soon enough, we’ll all be able to take road trips down the shore and spend hours sunbathing in the sand. We will trade sitting outside in Alumni Grove for sitting in an outdoor oceanside restaurant with a cool breeze blowing on our faces. For now, though, it is still time to complete classwork and uphold extracurricular responsibilities.

A key part of any college experience is getting involved with organizations on campus. Taking on leadership roles and being active in those clubs are often highlights of an individual’s time at school.

While many enjoy the often strenuous tasks that come with holding a position, everyone reaches the point where they may want to quit.

Just keep going. Everyone picked their organizations to be a member of for a reason and while the pressure to complete classwork, search for an internship or job and even maintain active social lives may build, just remember why you started in the first place.

While going through election season for many clubs and organizations, remember the excitement you once felt when trying to first be elected. No matter how badly you may want to rush through things and pass off the torch, someone is relying on you to make the best decision possible. For some, they will be voted into their top choice position and will be able to walk away feeling victorious, yet for others, utter heartbreak may ensue.

Take the time to focus on classwork, yet devote time to the clubs and organizations that have consumed parts of your life for the past few semesters. Regardless of how stressful these last few weeks may be, now is not the time to give up. Distractions will come in the way, but don’t let them get to your head and potentially ruin everything you have worked toward accomplishing.

With a change in weather may come a change in the drive to pursue schoolwork and extracurricular activities, however, it is important to stay focused. Everything an individual has been working toward this semester, and those prior, is bound to pay off if a strong work ethic is followed through to completion.

— Ellie Schuckman News Editor

Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo, Sports, Review and Social Media editors and the Business and Production managers, unless otherwise noted.

Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.

AP Photo

While warm weather might tempt some students, it is important to focus on your workload as the end of the semester nears.

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“Sexual harassment happens here. It happens around the loop. It happens at Rho plenty. It happens off campus.

We can’t deny that.”

— Rosie Driscoll, sophomore women’s and gender studies major, executive chair for Women’s Learning and Leadership

“I joined Student United Way because I wanted to have a voice... Student United Way wants to engage our school community with our local community. Whether people realize it or not, they are making a difference — even if it’s just one person’s breakfast.”

— Raffaella Soriano, junior early childhood education major, president of Student United Way

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 9

Opinions

Enterprise CarShare trumps competition

By Sydney Shaw Managing Editor

Living on campus without a car was quite frustrating during my first two years at the College.

That all changed when Enterprise CarShare came to Campus Town.

The program offers services and flexibility with which TCNJ Rideshare can never compete.

“Right now, we have the Enterprise car rental…” Political Science Department Chair and Associate Professor Brian Potter told The Signal, according to last week’s issue. “I think it’s underused, so Enterprise might pull it simply because it’s not profitable for them.”

After reading this quote, I began to fear that my new routine of renting the Enterprise car would come to an abrupt end, resulting in unexpected challenges for next semester.

Potter was advocating for TCNJ Rideshare, a new application that aims to push students to carpool with one another, reducing carbon emissions and allowing students without cars to get from point

A to point B. TCNJ Rideshare is also free, while Enterprise has a registration fee and an hourly rate to rent a car.

I have yet to use TCNJ Rideshare, but I’ve utilized the Enterprise CarShare program often. Just this semester I’ve rented the Enterprise car several times to go grocery shopping.

I’ve rented the car three times to drive to concerts and once to drive to an important interview.

I’ve rented it on afternoons that my housemates and I are craving Chipotle and on late nights when someone suggests a spur-of-themoment trip to the diner. I’ve even rented the car to drive to Staples so I could purchase ink for The Signal’s production.

The thoughtfulness involved in the development of TCNJ Rideshare is admirable, and perhaps if it gains popularity on campus, it could result in reduced carbon emissions. It will never effectively replace the Enterprise CarShare program, though.

I doubt I would have been able to find another student on campus to drive my friend and me to two

Photo courtesy of Jonathan Sheridan

TCNJ Rideshare lacks effectiveness and ease-of-use compared to Enterprise CarShare. different concerts on back-to-back nights in Philadelphia just this past weekend. When my housemates want to go out to dinner, I imagine it would be awkward and inconvenient to open the TCNJ Rideshare app, try to find someone who is also planning to go to the same restaurant at the same time and then drive there with strangers.

It is far easier to rent the Enterprise car through its Website, walk to the

car and drive away.

There used to be two Nissan vehicles available to rent through the Enterprise CarShare program in Campus Town. All semester, though, every time I’ve visited the Website to rent a car, only the Nissan Sentra ­— and not the Nissan Versa — is listed for rental. Whenever I walk past the designated Enterprise Carshare parking spots alongside Pennington Road, I only see the

Nissan Sentra.

I’m not sure if the other car is always rented by someone else or if Enterprise has already scaled back its Campus Town CarShare program. If it is the latter, I hope the company doesn’t eliminate the program entirely. It is a costeffective, easy way for students to leave campus independently and it can’t be replaced by a carpooling system.

Make major-shaming a thing of the past

By Kelly Corbett

Daily conversations between my best friend — a biology major — and me — a journalism major — consist of her enlightening me with her anecdotes about the flies she’s mating in the lab, the long hours she spent reading about DNA last night or some scientific jargon about molecules or enzymes or mitosis I — and if I’m lucky — mitosis II. I’ll quip back about how I don’t have a solid nut graf in my article or how I have a story due in two hours and I still haven’t been able to get a hold of the person I need to interview.

Many individuals rank science and math majors above the arts, communications and social sciences majors. Major-shaming is a thing and it needs to stop.

We’re best friends even though we don’t understand what the other one does in class for over 12 hours a week. While she may spend more hours reading a textbook, I spend more time typing away while trying to slip in some clever vocabulary words and spice up my sentences. Science majors definitely have a load of work on their back, and she definitely does more studying than I’ve done this semester, but I wouldn’t say that downgrades my major.

Earlier this week, I was doing a group project in one of my liberal learning classes and one of my groupmates asked me, extremely last minute, to “help” him with his part because he’s a science major and had a couple exams for which to study.

And that’s what grinds my gears — don’t assume that I have an easier workload just because I’m not studying formulas and labeling test tubes on the daily. And don’t assume I’m not as smart because I’m constantly writing stories.

We’re all smart and talented in different ways. Some of us will be doctors, some of us will be musicians and some of us

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Students often judge the difficulty of majors even though they don’t know the amount of work students put in.

will be teachers. Some might excel in writing but can’t solve a problem past 10th grade algebra. Some individuals might be creative, while others think in numbers and graphs. Some might struggle to write a research paper, and others might struggle to conduct research. Where would scientists be if the media didn’t cover their newest breakthroughs? You need us and we need you, and I think we both need that paycheck.

Regardless of what my major is, I’ve had my share of late nights in the library and feeling like I’m drowning in a whirlwind of assignments. We all have.

We all came to college to launch a career path for ourselves. We are the future lawmakers, physicians, reporters, book publishers, business people — the list goes on. We shine in certain fields but struggle in others. What we decide to study in school, our passion, shouldn’t be judged because it isn’t what everyone else is studying. It just means you took a different route — but never an easier route. Hard work in any field is what builds a successful candidate. Just because you study something differently than others doesn’t make you superior. Just because you spent eight hours on a paper and your roommate binge-watched Season 2 of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” for eight hours because they were assignmentfree doesn’t mean her life is easier. Worry about you, your GPA and your future.

Don’t belittle others because they don’t share the same vision as you.

Policies The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors.

The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via e-mail to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office.

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page 10 The Signal April 27, 2016

r o f t i d e r C t e G r e m TCNJ | Leads the Way m u S r u o Y ! k a e r B Graduate Studies

It’s your move.

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S OF CLASSE , Y T IE R A V A WIDE al Science vironment OSE FROM

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Lit, En h, and in English s e s r king, Psyc u a o e c p S c li Take b e! , Math, Pu us or onlin p m Marketing a c n o – many more G MMER LON ug. 8 U S L L A G A RUNNIN e 29, and n u J , 3 2 y egin Ma Sessions b

classes at r o f h c r a Se n.edu www.ocea

Find out more by visiting www.tcnj.edu/tcnjgrad Or call 609.771.2300

732.255.0400 • Toms River, NJ Check with your advisor to make sure your credits transfer back to TCNJ.

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 11

Students share opinions around campus Enterprise CarShare or TCNJ RideShare?

Are some majors more valuable?

“Yes, different majors give you different opportunities in the work force.”

“The RideShare (app).”

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

Diane Danch, freshman elementary education and psychology double major.

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

Juan Bermudez, sophomore economics major.

“I think as of now, the RideShare (app) shows more appeal.

It seems more causal, (and) it’s free.”

“Some majors are more valuable in terms of job market... That’s how I look at it.”

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

Tom Ballard / Opinions Editor

Brandon Agalaba, sophomore communication studies major.

Vincent Gialalone, senior interactive multimedia major.

The Signal asks...

Who should speak at the College for graduation?

Diane: “Somebody from New Jersey, like a senator, (such as) Corey Booker. We have a very small school, and almost everyone is from New Jersey.”

Juan: “I would pick someone that has something to do with (politics) because it shows that we have relations with people who make important decisions.”

Vincent: “Someone that works at Disney Imagineering (because they) know a lot about how to get things done and inspire people.”

Brandon: “(Someone) like an alumnus that graduated a while ago, just to inspire the graduates.”

The College does not bring a famous face to campus during graduation.

Rob Birnbohm / Cartoonist

page 12 The Signal April 27, 2016

Features

Mystique mixes modern and classic dance Performances showcase variety of Asian cultures

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

Left: Mystique is the largest student-run production at the College. Right: The event includes both musical and dance performances.

By Emily Solinski Staff Writer Providing the College with a compilation of acts showcasing Asian culture and heritage, the Mystique of the East production was held on the evening of Saturday, April 23, in Kendall Hall.

Encompassing 14 different acts stemming from a variety of Asian cultures, this year’s Mystique of the East was styled in the theme of “The Hunger Games,” with each “district,” or act, bringing its own talent to the stage. The districts included performances from TCNJ

Taiko, Maglalatik, Sher Bhangra, TCNJ Jiva, Tinikling and TCNJ Saathiya, among others.

Organized by the TCNJ Asian American Association, Mystique of the East has been in production for the last 24 years. As such, it the largest student-run culture show here at the College, according to a note from the chairs who worked on the event’s production.

From drumming to dancing to rapping, each performance displayed its own distinct flare from various Asian cultures.

Donning coconut shells tops, the male dancers of Maglalatik

presented a traditional Filipino war dance. The group incorporated the practice of hitting the shells against one another to create a fast-paced beat, which is a signature aspect of the customary dance. By simultaneously working contemporary hip-hop songs into the act, the performers were able to connect their culture to that of modern day.

“Believe it or not, we only put about three hours into choreography and practicing our routine,” said Dave Nacianceno, junior finance major and the act leader for the group Maglalatik. “Our act has a lot of comedic elements in it, so we

actually prefer it to not be extremely polished — it adds to the effect.”

The comedic elements incorporated into the performance elicited laughter from the audience, as dancers added modern moves, like the whip, to the traditional dances.

Keeping to more of a traditional routine was TCNJ Taiko, a Japanese drumming ensemble formed at the College in Fall 2007. The group performed during the opening and closing acts of the show.

TCNJ Taiko opened with a fun and energetic piece and closed their act with a more powerful piece titled “Ikusa,” which depicts the

hostility seen in battle, according to the show’s playbill.

The show included a variety of other talents, from a Korean hiphop solo to a fashion show featuring clothing from Asian cultures including those of China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Pakistan and India.

Collaboration within the PanAsian Alliance provided the opportunity for the various clubs to come together to form the Mystique of the East production, which successfully blended Asian cultures together in an way entertaining to all students who attended.

WILL / Students march against sexual assault continued from page 1

men who are likely to be victimized,” said Jordan Draper, the Title IX coordinator for the College.

“This data does not include members of the LGBTQ community,” Draper continued.

“But research shows that they are two to three times as likely to experience sexual violence while trying to pursue an education.”

Sexual assault on college campuses is an issue that is rarely discussed or acknowledged, but certainly not because it doesn’t happen. Instead, an overwhelming number of students don’t report their sexual assault.

In this way, Take Back the Night offered an opportunity for survivors to share their stories in a room free from judgment and disbelief. Stationed in the last row of seats were a number of faculty members ready to offer support to anyone in need.

“This event is to tell students that there are people who believe them and listen to them,” Driscoll said. “Many people don’t ever talk about their assaults, and we’re trying to shift from a culture of shame to a culture of support.”

After discussing statistics and available sources, the event moved outside for an active march around campus. Together, students of the College traveled past Eickhoff Hall and the freshman dorms, all the while chanting, “Hey hey ho ho, sexual assault has to go.”

David Colby / Photo Assistant

The annual event includes a march around campus, led by WILL. “The purpose of the march portion is to make the event visible to community members who did not attend,” Driscoll said.

“Sexual harassment happens here. It happens around the loop. It happens at Rho plenty. It happens off campus. We can’t deny that.”

The group then returned to the Business Building for the final portion of the event — an open mic where survivors were invited to share their stories. Four brave students stepped forward. Two told personal tales of rape and repeated abuse, while

the others spoke of friends who had been victims. For one student, the event marked the first time she publicly acknowledged or spoke of her rape.

“Personal stories are so important. They put a human face on what would otherwise just be a number or statistic,” said Casey Olesko, an alumna of the College and current communication manager for Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey, who returned to campus to attend the event. “Every story is real and valid and

deserves to be heard if and when the storyteller is ready to share. By sharing stories and building safe spaces like this one, we can combat the misinformation and spread truth and awareness.”

Considering the statistics, there were likely more survivors sitting in the audience who were unready or unwilling to share their stories — and that’s OK. Speaking out about the issue isn’t for everyone.

The purpose of Take Back the Night was not to force victims into the limelight.

Instead, Driscoll said WILL organized the event this year with the goal of showing students that there are support services available on campus if they so choose to utilize them.

“I don’t think that everyone’s healing process needs to include reporting their assaults,” Driscoll said. “Because justice and healing mean different things to everyone depending on their situation, but I do think that we still don’t have a campus culture that is proactive in understanding how normalized sexual violence is.”

It is through events such as Take Back the Night and the Anti Violence Initiatives’s Love Letters to Survivors, which took place throughout the same week, that members of the College are working to build a supportive community for their peers. These events not only raise awareness of sexual assault, but also spark a discussion centered on how the College can take a proactive role in addressing and preventing the issue.

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 13

Month of April raises awareness for autism

By Daniel Kleinbard Correspondent

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, organizations from the College worked together in an effort to spread awareness for autism and raise funds that would aid those with the condition.

Alpha Xi Delta (AXiD) sorority and the student organization Best Buddies planned a series of events throughout the month that allowed students to learn more about the developmental disorder and give back to the cause.

AXiD hosted a week of events, starting on Monday, April 4. Each event worked to raise money for the sorority’s philanthropy, Autism Speaks.

During the week, the sisters of AXiD could be found around campus selling Autism Speaks bracelets and ribbons, as well as distributing puzzle pieces containing facts about autism. The sorority also held a bake sale in order to raise additional funds for the non-profit organization.

The philanthropic week concluded with a soccer tournament, Kicks For A Cause. The tournament, which was set to generate the most money of all the events,

Flickr.com

AXiD and Best Buddies work together throughout the month to support Autism Speaks. was postponed to Saturday, April 23, due to inclement weather.

In addition to their Autism Awareness Week, the sisters of AXiD co-sponsored several events with Best Buddies throughout the month of April.

“It was a really great experience,” said Johnna Ellis, a junior deaf education and English double major and philanthropy chair for AXiD. “Best Buddies

reached out to us, and we were really excited to partner with them to raise awareness and support for the same cause.”

The two groups organized their own events for the month, but co-sponsored and supported one another. One of the more impactful events Best Buddies hosted during the month was a lecture from the award-winning speaker and author, Kerry

Magro, in the Library Auditorium on Monday, May 18.

Magro, who was diagnosed with autism at age four, visited the College to speak to students about the struggles of growing up with autism while wanting to find true love. In the lecture, Magro discussed how autism continues to affect children as they mature and become adults, which many people fail to comprehend.

“Children with autism will become adults with autism,” Magro told the packed audience.

“You need to be ready for that. It does not stop at age 21.”

Magro also revealed some alarming statistics about the large-scale impact of autism. According to Magro, there are over 70 million people living with autism worldwide, 500,000 of whom will reach adulthood in the next decade.

AXiD has already raised over $4,000 for Autism Speaks in this semester alone, according to Ellis.

“I’m honored to be a part of the cause,” freshman elementary education and iSTEM dual major James Fiocco said after participating in Kicks For A Cause.

“Through this event, I was able to play the sport I love and contribute to a cause that means so much.”

Members of Best Buddies and AXiD were happy to see that their events brought the campus community together for a good cause.

“Getting to raise money and support for an organization that does so much is a rewarding experience,” Ellis said. “When we get to see the effects of all our philanthropic efforts, it makes all our hard work worth it.”

Earth Week teaches students sustainability

Left: Plants are distributed at the environmental festival. Right: Students sign a pledge to be more environmentally conscious.

By Cara DiMaggio Correspondent

The TCNJ Environmental Club hosted its annual Earth Week from Monday, April 18, to Friday, April 22. The week was filled with five days of activities and events, which culminated with the celebration of Earth Day. This year, the club decided to focus on sustainability. Between one and three events aimed at educating the student body on environmental issues and providing them with potential solutions to use in their daily lives were held each day.

“Sustainability is a term that is often thrown around,” said Melissa Natividade, a sophomore journalism and graphic design double major and member of the TCNJ Environmental Club. “But really, sustainability is reducing your footprint, both on a communal level like this and on a personal level. So reducing meat consumption is huge. Another thing is reducing light usage, and reducing the amount of water you

use is huge, as well.”

On Monday, April 18, the club showed a screening of the documentary “Cowspiracy.” The celebrated film explores how much energy goes into the production of meat and the impact the meat industry has on the environment.

Later in the week, chemistry Professor Michael Aucott discussed the importance of reducing the amount of harmful emissions released into the environment. While some of the events held throughout the week were more serious, others allowed students to play games and tackle environmental issues in a more lighthearted manner.

During the environmental festival and energize event, students were able to pot plants, design reusable bags and make bracelets out of recycled materials. Those in attendance were also given the opportunity to make personal pledges to go green.

Various organizations participated in and co-sponsored the weeks’ events, including the environmental festival, Bonner bike sale and campus-wide clean up. The

latter event marked the end of the week and was arguably the main attraction.

“We have everyone sort the trash and recycling into two separate bags. Then they bring it back and we weigh each bag separately on a scale and tally up the weight,” said Eric Mauro, a senior electrical engineering major and president of the TCNJ Environmental Club. “We actually do this every other Sunday and keep track of the amounts so we can figure out how much garbage we picked up at the end of the year.”

Participants in the Earth Week cleanup collected 28.2 pounds of trash and 13.2 pounds of recycling from the campus grounds, according to Mauro.

While the week provided students with a fun way to get involved in environmental issues on campus, the TCNJ Environmental Club hopes that students will apply what they learned during the week to other communities as well.

“Our main goal is to spread the word and get people to think about their actions and

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

how they’re impacting the environment,” said Katie Dickson, junior chemistry major and vice president of the TCNJ Environmental Club. “Focusing on the small steps that people can take without changing their lifestyle is important.

“Of course everyone has heard ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,’ but within that, we want to try to promote ‘reduce’ and ‘reuse’ over ‘recycle,’” Dickson said. “It would definitely be more effective to reduce our waste and reuse what we already have.

We do education throughout the semester, but I was really surprised to see how little people actually even knew about the rules of recycling.”

The TCNJ Environmental Club believes that small, incremental action can lead to lasting impacts and hopes the message of sustainability will stay with students.

“We’re wasting so many resources, and resources are limited,” Mauro said. “So we’re trying to just make it so that we can be better off in the future by saving resources (now).”

page 14 The Signal April 27, 2016

: Nov. ‘04

Campus Style

Pagan spotted on campus

PD: To the gym, I’ll wear Adidas joggers with my Nike Roshe Runs and casual Tshirt or a nicer athletic shirt from Nike or Under Armour.

JK: Where do you get your style inspiration from?

PD: No person in particular. I just keep my eye on what’s trending. I mix classic styles with modern influence. After a while, you just develop an eye for what looks good.

JK: What’s the most stylish country you’ve ever visited?

PD: France. It’s a stereotypical answer for a reason.

Elise Schoening / Features Editor

Lewis makes a name for himself as the token pagan on campus.

Every week, Features Editor Elise Schoening hits the archives and finds old Signals that relate to current College topics and top stories.

With the end of the semester approaching quickly, stress levels are at an all-time high and students may appear more disheveled than ever. In 2004, one student roamed campus grounds with a cape and walking stick inhand. But the unusual outfit wasn’t due to finals insanity. Will Lewis was one of a handful of practicing pagans on campus at the time.

When Will Lewis strolls around campus dressed in a Scottish kilt and flowing cape, carrying an oversized walking stick, heads turn — and he likes it that way. Lewis’ unique style has caused him to be the subject of glaring eyes, hushed whispers and confused stares around campus. If students don’t know him by name, they definitely recognize him by sight.

But the sophomore English education dual major doesn’t mind the attention. In fact, he dresses in the manner he does in part to raise awareness about his religion — paganism.

“It gets people to ask me questions,” he said. “I like to combat ignorance. (Paganism) is really a faith like anything else.”

Although many pagans are not as easy to identify as Lewis, there are more practicing pagans in the United States than people might realize. A June 2001 study performed by the Graduate Center at the City University

of New York showed that there is an estimated 140,000 pagans in America today.

It is commonly believed that the number is even larger since many pagans are still “closeted” about their faith in fear of being outcast and ridiculed by society. There’s even a small number of pagans at the College.

Lewis stressed that pagans are not evil devil worshippers and do not act like characters in the popular movie, “The Craft.”

Still, because many people hold such negative opinions of pagans, Lewis is always somewhat on edge when he tells people about his faith.

“It’s almost frightening to say you’re a pagan to people because you never know ow they’ll react,” he said.

Although Lewis has been a practicing pagan for six years, he was actually raised Catholic. Lewis turned to paganism after his faith was shaken when he was studying for confirmation.

Brandon Pena, junior interactive multimedia major, converted to paganism a year ago after he too began to question his Christian faith.

“I was tired of the Hell, fire and brimstone of Christianity, Pena said. “I researched a lot of different religions and I found that paganism was the best fir for me.”

Celebritease

Springsteen pays tribute to Prince at a concert.

By Mackenzie Cutruzzula Columnist

In sudden and shocking news, it was announced on Thursday, April 21, that iconic pop star Prince had passed away. The “Purple Rain” singer was 57 years old and the location of his cremated remains is to be kept private. The outpouring of love and support from all different celebrities and artists, including Anne Hathaway and Bruce Springsteen, showed how important Prince was to the music industry and the magnitude to which he influenced popular culture.

Photo courtesy of Jordan Koziol

Degnon prefers to dress up.

By Jordan Koziol Columnist Name: Patrick Degnon Year: Junior Major: Finance

JK: What are you wearing?

PD: A light denim shirt from UNIQLO, green jeans from JACK & JONES, Chippewa Apache boots and Ray-Ban aviators.

JK: Where do you shop?

PD: I like to shop at J. Crew, Banana Republic and UNIQLO. JK: What’s your favorite accessory?

PD: Ties. They’re versatile — you can go the classic route, more business casual or mix it up a little. They allow you to be classic and modern at the same time.

JK: What’s your go-to campus outfit?

PD: A solid button-down, jeans, khakis or chinos and Sperrys, depending on how the weather is.

JK: Tell us about your athleisure game.

JK: What’s one trend that you will just never understand?

PD: Sperry’s with high-top socks and anytime someone wears cargos. Actually, I hate dressing for spring in general. You have to be preppy or you just look stupid.

JK: How do plan to you incorporate style into the workplace?

PD: Where I’m headed with my career, I’ll probably end up in a suit and tie every day.

I love suits, so it’s great. I’m not a fan of the monochrome black look though — it’s too formal. I’ll probably go with navy or lighter gray depending on the season and weather.

You have to pair them with nice shoes, and then mix and match with the shirt and tie.

JK: How crucial do you think a haircut is to a man’s style?

PD: Very important. I don’t think it’s hard nowadays to get a decent haircut, as long as you go to a good barber. They’re very in tune with modern styles. I usually look up a hairstyle and bring in a photo.

While I was abroad, I rocked a man bun, but I recently cut it. Now my hair is short on the sides and longer on top. When it comes to hair, I think it’s important to have a classic, American look that will always be in style.

: Stars remember Prince

Twitter.com

On Saturday, April 23, Beyoncé asserted her dominance on popular culture by releasing “Lemonade.”

The hour-long hybrid of music, visuals and spoken word debuted on HBO before it was released exclusively on the music streaming service, Tidal. “Lemonade” features both staged and candid footage from Beyoncé’s life. In it, she touches upon womanist matters and her marriage.

Much of the album reflects Beyoncé’s marital struggles with husband Jay Z that have been plastered all over the news. The songs reference an unfaithful man, who she

compares to her own father for being promiscuous. During the track “Sorry,” Beyoncé calls out the other woman as “Becky with the good hair.” Fans have speculated that the lyric may be a reference to fashion designer Rachel Roy, and many went on to infiltrate her Instagram with hateful comments.

“I respect love, marriages, families and strength,” the designer tweeted on Sunday, April 24, “What shouldn’t be tolerated by anyone, no matter what, is bullying, of any kind.”

Later on in the album, Beyoncé sings of rekindling her marriage and growing out of the strife.

As the internet broke due to the “Lemonade” launch, Kim Kardashian West attempted to steal some thunder from Queen Bey. While attending the wedding of LIV/Story/Komodo club owner Dave Grutman and Isabela Rangel, Kardashian West posted 15 photos from the wedding to her Instagram, but these were no ordinary kissy-face selfies. The black and white photo set featured Kardashian West and her husband Kanye, along with other guests of

the wedding, looking sultry and sexy while eating ice cream. West also posted a number of close up photos of various body parts.

While Kardashian West was busy being the queen of Instagram, the actual Queen of England turned 90 on Thursday, April 21. To commemorate the milestone, a new stamp was revealed featuring all the royals in line to take the throne.

This of course included the adorable Prince George perched on a stack of books, holding his father’s

hand. The youngest prince took his cuteness to a new level when the president and first lady of the United States visited the Royal Family during the past week. George was spotted sporting a fluffy bathrobe and riding a rocking horse gifted to him

by Barack Obama.

The joy on a child’s face is always a nice reminder as finals approach, so be like the young prince and wear your comfiest clothes, and maybe even act like a child, if you have to.

The royal family is featured on a new stamp.

Twitter.com

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 15

Students unite for charity competition Organization hosts third annual PB&J race

Aaron Wilson-Watson / Staff Photographer

The competition includes four rounds of sandwich making.

By Jillian Santacroce Staff Writer

An average Friday night for many college students often consists of going out with friends, hitting up local bars or just staying in for a movie night with roommates. However, for some, this Friday night was different On Friday, April 22, 10 teams gathered in room 212 of the Education Building for Student United Way’s third annual PB&J Race. The beat of popular, remixed music roared as students filed into the space to find their designated stations.

Loaves of bread topped

each table, plastic knives and latex gloves were set for each participant and jars of peanut butter and jelly were allotted for each pre-registered group.

During this year’s event, students from the College took an hour out of their Friday night to assemble PB&J sandwiches for the local community. In addition to Student United Way, a number of other campus organizations participated in the event. The different teams worked quickly to make as many sandwiches as possible in the given time and ensured that members of the Trinity Cathedral Food Pantry of Trenton and the Rescue Mission of

Trenton would have a quality meal to look forward to.

“I joined Student United Way because I wanted to have a voice,” junior early childhood education and English double major and Student United Way President, Raffaella Soriano, said. “Student United Way wants to engage our school community with our local community. Whether people realize it or not, they are making a difference — even if it’s just one person’s breakfast.”

The hour-long event was split into four parts: the resource round, a second round during which every table was responsible for assembling 30 sandwiches,

the creative round and another resource round.

During the first resource round, each group was tasked with finding out what was wrong with its table’s set-up and had to “rob” other tables to gather the necessary supplies. The second round forced participants to stand on one leg or use one hand while putting together the sandwiches.

Students were then given five minutes before the start of the third round in order to brainstorm ideas for the creative round, where they were given free reign to make personalized sandwiches just for fun. The night ended with another resource round, in which Student United Way

challenged each table of students to make as many sandwiches as possible within the allotted time.

Members of the host organization were stationed at the head of each team’s table. The results showed that Sigma Kappa sorority won the first round and Latin sorority Chi Upsilon Sigma won the second round. The third round went to Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity with Phi Alpha Delta fraternity winning the final round.

Freshman psychology major Kayla Loukides participated in the event with other members of one of the College’s community service organization Circle K. Loukides said that she

enjoyed the event because it gives a chance for students of the College to come together for a good cause.

“We get to make a direct impact on our community,” Loukides said.

This year marked the third time Student United Way has hosted the charity event, but it certainly won’t be the last.

Soriano said she has big hopes for the next PB&J Race. She would like to increase publicity for the event next year so that more students are encouraged to take part in the competition. Soriano said she would like to see at least 20 teams compete and has considered making the event a day-long affair.

Aaron Wilson-Watson / Staff Photographer

This year marks the third annual PB&J race at the College.

Letters lend love and support for survivors

An art display in the Library Atrium offers words of encouragement.

By Elizabeth Zakaim Staff Writer Colorful, hand-written letters decorated boards in the Library Atrium all week long in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The event, Love Letters to Survivors, was sponsored by the College’s Anti-Violence Initiatives (AVI).

According to AVI’s online mission statement, the program

“leads the campus effort to address issues of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking. (It) works with community partners to create a campus environment that is intolerant of abuse and responsive to needs of victims/survivors.”

The letters were showcased for all students to examine and read over, whether or not they had been personally impacted by sexual assault.

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

“They are put on display in the Library Atrium for the campus community to read and learn more about how to support survivors,” AVI Coordinator Michelle Gervasi said. “Love Letters to Survivors is a call to survivors of sexual assault, their loved ones and TCNJ community members to publicly celebrate survivorship and create an environment of support.”

Gervasi works hard to educate

students of the College on sexual assault, consent and bystander intervention. She also provides counseling and other support services for survivors.

According to Gervasi, the placement of the letters on the first floor of the library was intentional. She hopes that the display will spark a dialogue about the issue of sexual assault on college campuses.

“The best way to spread awareness about power-based personal violence and prevention is to talk about it. We want to raise the visibility of the issue by having intentional conversations with students, faculty and staff,” Gervasi said, hoping the art display would leave a lasting impact on the College community.

“Let others know that addressing violence matters to you. Tell those impacted by power-based personal violence that you believe them and that you’re here for them.”

Students studying in the library or passing through on their way to class could take a moment to admire and read the letters. Many responded with positive feedback.

“The letters are really nice,” senior biology major Syndi Barish

said. “(They) illustrate the prevalence of sexual assault and that the victims are not just victims.”

Instead, the event referred to “victims” as “survivors” in an effort to empower those affected by sexual assault.

“I think the letters are extremely heartfelt and bring attention to a serious issue,” sophomore English major Alexa Zupko said. “I definitely believe that it helped (raise) awareness due to its position in the library and the colorful letters. There is no way to ignore the display board and thus, there is no way to ignore this ever-growing problem on college campuses around the United States.”

Zupko said she was proud of the College’s efforts to spread awareness of sexual assault on campuses. By showing support for sexual assault survivors, she hopes her peers will feel more comfortable speaking out and sharing their stories.

“The majority of campus assaults go unreported,” Zupko said. “So I think that victims who are unable to report their assaults due to the fear of being shamed or of not being believed will feel brave and gain the strength to take action if they want to.”

page 16 The Signal April 27, 2016

Hellenic Society hosts annual ‘Greek Fest’

Event features traditional food and dance performances

By Salvatore Ferraioli Correspondent When you hear the term “Greek life” around campus, the first thought that comes to mind generally involves fraternities and sororities. What you may not know, however, is that there is a Hellenic Society on campus dedicated to Greek culture and cuisine. On Thursday, April 21, the organization hosted its fourth annual Greek Fest.

Dozens of students gathered in room 212 of the Education Building to celebrate Greek lifestyle with authentic food, music and dancing. The Hellenic Society spared no expense when it came to showing the campus community all that Greek culture has to offer. The room was decorated with Greek flags and blue and white balloons, as well as with photographs of Greek landmarks.

An extensive buffet was offered featuring a dozen different Greek items, such as Greek lasagna, pastitsio, spanakopita spinach pie and dolmades, which are stuffed grape leaves. Baklava pastries complete with nuts and syrup were served for dessert,

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Members of the TerpsiXorians Hellenic Dance group perform in traditional attire. alongside shortbread butter cookies, known as kourambiethes.

“As a proud European, it’s definitely cool to see this kind of stuff on campus,” freshman business major Alec Lipanovski said.

The real treat, however, was a live performance from the TerpsiXorians Hellenic Dance Group of New Jersey. The group specializes

in Greek folk dance and performs at festivals, weddings and other cultural events.

The group’s 45-minute routine at Greek Fest showcased traditional Greek dance moves and apparel. Six men and seven women performed for the audience. Live music was played during the dance by two others, one

of whom played the clarinet while the other played a hand drum. The men sported dress shirts and vests during the performance, while the women wore colorful dresses and matching headdresses.

“It’s a great way to connect to the culture,” said 23-year-old TerpsiXorians member Dean Petikas, who has been doing Greek

From the classroom to the corner office.

dancing for eight years and is a third-generation Greek American.

“That’s hard to do without speaking the language.”

Toward the end of the routine, the TerpsiXorians invited the College crowd to join them.

Members of the Hellenic Society quickly got up and joined the dance circle, clapping and stepping along to the beat of traditional Greek music.

Katerina Lallos, a freshman psychology major and TCNJ Hellenic Society member, said many of the freshman involved in the organization met in youth group during high school. The Hellenic Society allows them to stay in touch with their heritage, as well as one another.

“It’s just a fun way to stay connected,” Lallos said.

The Hellenic Society is open to those “Greek by blood or Greek by heart.” The purpose of the organization is to share and celebrate Greek culture with the rest of the campus community. While Greek Fest is the organization’s only yearly event, its members encourage anyone interested in Greek culture and learning more about it to attend their weekly meetings.

Dr. Kathryn Yeaton, Associate Professor of Accounting, and her class engaged in student presentations.

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April 27, 2016 The Signal page 17

Fun StufF

“The Last Stuff (By Sean Reis)” The Spring Semester’s Dankest Memes

We started with DJ Khaled’s major

So here’s “another one” (or three):

“To succeed, you must believe.

When you believe you will succeed.”

to success...

“Major , get a pedicure and manicure

once a week.”

“The other day the grass was brown, now it’s green cuz I ain’t give up; never surrender.” #blessup.

Cam Newton helped sensationalize “the dab” for all, sports fans and basic bitches alike.

“DAMN, DANIEL!”

Then “Damn, Daniel (Day Lewis)” was “back at it again with the White Vans©” for the worst dank meme all semester.

And Leonardo DiCaprio’s talent was finally recognized, winning his first Acadmey Award for “The Revenant.”

R. I. P. Leo Oscar Memes

(1994 to 2016)

page 18 The Signal April 27, 2016

Arts & Entertainment

CMF / Fest celebrates student creativity, talent

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

Left: Brashear-Evans accepts one of the four Jury Awards during the finale. Right: Ayiloge talks with fellow participants after the ceremony. continued from page 1 shoulders. By the time her film was finished, she was exhausted.

In the end, the effort paid off. BrashearEvans’s film was one of four to win a Jury Award during the CMF finale on Monday, April 18, in Mayo Concert Hall. There, an eager audience of movie makers and fans alike were seated to watch the 16 best films chosen from a total of 67.

“I wasn’t surprised (when she won) because I thought she did a good job,” Cassel said.

The other three winners were “Jasper,” a dystopian thriller from the mind of junior communication studies major Ian Cooley, “The Return of Barbra Jackson: News Reporter Extraordinaire,” a comedy sequel to a 2014 entry by senior communication studies and IMM double major Folake Ayiloge and “Lucidity,” a science-fiction drama from junior IMM majors Chris Lundy and Ryan Laux, whose special effects wowed crowds at CMF finales for two years in a row.

Lundy and Laux weren’t the only veterans. In fact, Brashear-Evans worked with Ayiloge’s team last year, but decided to go solo because she wasn’t sure of her script.

“I had the script, but it took a while for me to really believe in it, so I didn’t want

to slow (Ayiloge) down,” Brashear-Evans said. She also wanted to prove to herself she could make a film.

Ayiloge’s “Return of Barbra Jackson” received the most laughs of the night, but the film ended on a sad note — the title character’s final broadcast.

The ending was symbolic for Ayiloge, who, like the character she portrays, will soon end her career as Lions Television’s (LTV) Station Manager.

“LTV has had an incredible impact on my college career, and I wanted to include that in my final CMF film,” Ayiloge said.

“It’s only fitting that this video ends in the same space that has been my home away from home over the last four years.”

After her debut in 2014, Barbra became a campus cult classic. According to Ayiloge, students would greet her with Barbra Jackson-isms like, “And with a hoot, I’m an owl.” When the clueless reporter first appeared on-screen this year, the audience erupted into raucous applause. With this latest addition to the Barbra Jackson mythos, Ayiloge hoped to display her skillset and make the character more relatable.

“Watching both the original and ‘(The) Return of Barbra Jackson,’ you get the opportunity to see how I’ve matured as a writer, director and editor over the last two years,” she said.

Ayiloge wasn’t the only movie-maker whose talents improved thanks to Campus MovieFest. Lundy and Laux have entered effects-laden films since their freshman year, each film improving on the special effects of the last. This year’s film, “Lucidity,” is about a couple using technology to connect with each other after a tragic accident. Junior communication studies major Gracemarie Loretta, who starred as one half of the central couple, was nominated for the Silver Tripod Award for best actress for her performance.

“We had combined a lot of ideas to form the general idea of using a technology as a way to basically speak to someone for the last time before they pass away,” Lundy said.

Using green screen effects done by Laux and a voice changing effect created by Lundy, the pair turned their actor into an unnerving robotic hologram.

“My favorite thing is when it really starts to break up in some spots,” Lundy said of his work, which earned the duo a nomination for best special effects at Terminus. If they win, it will be their third straight victory in that category.

Not every contestant was a veteran. Despite his remarkably short acting career, senior IMM major Michael Yadvish received a best actor nomination for his role in “Jasper”

as an assassin with a heart of gold.

The director, Cooley, discovered him just three months ago while they were working together on a WWII film. Though Yadvish’s part was small, Cooley thought he would be perfect as “Jasper’s” protagonist.

“He’s this assassin — this ruthless assassin — but he’s still human,” Yadvish said about the character.

Yadvish directed his own top-16 film, as well — “Fight-or-Flight” — about one man’s action-packed fantasy fight with a burglar. The film featured choreographed fights scenes — the topic of his senior thesis.

“The choreography is something I’ve been doing for a long time,” Yadvish said.

“I did karate for over 10 years.”

A mix of experience and skills went into the MovieFest this year, but there was one common factor: not one was a film major.

The College doesn’t have a standalone program, making CMF essential to any student looking to enter a career in film.

It’s already working for some. Even if they win for best special effects this year, Lundy and Laux aren’t going to be in Atlanta to receive their award — they’re going to Hollywood for a DreamWorks internship.

Meanwhile, Brashear-Evans will graduate without having taken a single film class. But then again, neither did one of her heroes: Quentin Tarantino.

‘Ratchet and Clank’ reimagines classic series

By Andrew Street Social Media Editor

The era of the Mascot 3D platformer genre fell off rather quickly when the sixth generation consoles were replaced by newer hardware.

The likes of “Crash Bandicoot,” “Sly Cooper” and “Jak & Daxter,” where players control a protagonist from a third-person perspective, seemed to fade into the past as new trends took center stage.

Despite that, Insomniac Games maintained consistency in delivering its hybrid shooter and platformer, “Ratchet and Clank.” The series saw highs and lows, then disappeared toward the end of the PlayStation 3’s lifecycle. Now, after a three-year hiatus, Insomniac has returned to “Ratchet and Clank” with a complete reimagining of the original game.

The game follows Ratchet, a bipedal, humanoid species — or, a lombax — and his newly acquired robot friend, Clank, as they travel

the galaxy, fending off evil. Fans of the series will be able to draw similarities to the original title, but this isn’t a beat-for-beat retelling of the famed story. Instead, the story mixes old and new planets and story arcs to create a much deeper space adventure. The narrative here certainly isn’t breaking any barriers, but it offers one of the most clever, charming and laugh-out-loud inducing stories of the year. Both long-time fans and newcomers will be welcomed into the tale of two unlikely friends being thrust into a world of danger and crime fighting.

“Ratchet and Clank’s” gameplay has been refined to the point of perfection. The platforming is smooth, while the gunplay is satisfying and downright fun.

Players will amass themselves an arsenal of 15 different weapons throughout the game, each one offering an over-the-top method in which to blow enemies away.

From things like the “Groovitron”

to the “Sheepinator,” the weapons bring an immense feeling of variety. In addition to the platforming and shooting, there are now spaceship flying segments scattered throughout the game. These portions allow you to freely fly around and take down enemy aircrafts, which adds even more variety to the base gameplay.

If there is one thing that falls short in the gameplay department, it’s the Clank segments.

Playing as Clank is novel the first time, but it soon declines into a repetitive cycle. Clank’s puzzles quickly become short and annoying distractions from the ohso-delightful gameplay. Luckily, there aren’t many of them.

Visually, “Ratchet and Clank” is one of PlayStation 4’s prettiest games. The dynamic lighting, particle effects and art design make this game look like a Pixar movie. The color pallet is gorgeously vibrant and each planet offers a lush landscape

filled with colorful enemies. As a longtime fan, seeing my favorite lombax and his galaxy realized in such a visually-stunning manner was amazing.

When it comes down to it, “Ratchet and Clank’s” PlayStation 4 debut is something you don’t want to miss. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer, this game was made to

satisfy both without any sacrifices. Shooting, collecting and platforming is just pure, addictive fun. “Ratchet and Clank” has never looked or played this good. It also runs about $20 cheaper than the average AAA release, a classification term for high-quality video games — so do yourself a favor and play this entertaining game.

The game is suitable for both new and old fans.

Youtube.com

page 20 The Signal April 27, 2016

Sports

Softball

Defense leads to victory against Cougars

By Miguel Gonzalez Sports Assistant The College lost twice at home before sweeping a doubleheader on the road against its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opponents. On Tuesday, April 19, the Lions failed to catch up with the Stockton University Ospreys’s offense in 8-2 and 2-1 losses. With urgency to win conference matches, they defeated the Kean University Cougars in 3-2 and 2-0 victories on Saturday, April 23.

The Lions’s offense marked the scoreboard first when senior infielder Deanna Utter scored on a double to provide the team with a 2-0 lead.

The Ospreys responded in the top of the seventh inning with a whopping five runs to cumulate a commanding 8-2 lead. In the subsequent inning, Ospreys’s sophomore pitcher Hannah Bibeault forced the remaining Lions batters to ground out.

In the second game, both teams competed in a close defensive matchup, with the College ultimately losing, 2-1. Freshman pitcher Sara Bielamowicz demonstrated great potential for the Lions’s future, as she only permitted three hits.

Unlike the first game, the Ospreys had a fast start as senior infielder Samantha Shockey scored two runs on a single to propel the Ospreys to a 2-0 lead. After five scoreless innings, the Lions strived toward a comeback and were one run short. With one out remaining, Utter scored on a double from freshman infielder/outfielder Jess Santelli.

The Lions’s rally fell short when freshman outfielder Gaby Bennett was caught running to home plate.

“By the end of a competitive doubleheader, we are both mentally and physically drained,” Utter said. “It is important to stay engaged in the game from the first pitch to the last out. There is not time to take an at bat or an out for granted.”

At Union, N.J., the Lions’s pitching staff became

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Freshman infielder/catcher Jess McGuire leads off first base in the top of the fifth. instrumental at winning the games against the Kean University Cougars.

During the first match, sophomore pitcher Sam Platt held the Cougars offense to only four hits while the Lions stayed ahead. In the top of the second, Santelli and Bennett scored from a single to give the Lions a 2-0 lead. Sophomore outfielder Madison Levine later increased the lead to 3-0 when she advanced to home plate from a double.

The Cougars countered in the bottom of the fourth inning when junior infielder Amanda Berezny scored off a walk to shrink the Lions’s lead to 3-2. The Lions were able to maintain the lead and win the game with assistance from Platt’s pitching and their defense.

“Offensively, the team had quality at bats and strung hits together, while defensively, we caught the lead runners out,” Utter said.

The Lions followed up with a 2-0 shutout victory. Senior pitcher Kate Hourihan limited the Cougars’s offense to two hits. The Lions’s offense assured Hourihan’s dominant performance would result in a “W” for the team by pressuring the Cougars’s infielders with 10 hits.

“Offense and defense are equally important,” Utter said. “This weekend, we successfully executed in all aspects of the game. Our team has great chemistry and that is very beneficial on the field. We trust one another and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

The Lions will now attempt to capture four more crucial conference match victories at home this week. On Tuesday, April 26, the Lions will compete against the 2014 Montclair State University Red Hawks. Later in the week, on Saturday, April 30, the Lions will try to slow down the 20-10 Ramapo College Roadrunners, who are currently enjoyed a five-game winning streak.

Baseball

Lions still second in NJAC despite pair of losses

By Jessica Ganga Sports Editor The College’s baseball team split their games, going 2-2 against New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opponents. The Lions pounced on Rutgers University-Camden two days in a row on Thursday, April 21, and Friday, April 22, winning the games, 6-4 and 4-0, respectively. The team, which is now 26-6 on the season, fell to Ramapo College in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 23.

The Lions captured their 11th straight win on Thursday against Rutgers-Camden.

Senior catcher Garen Turner had, arguably, the best game of his season so far, hitting a grand-slam in the third inning and opening the door for the Lions to take home a win.

Turner also surpassed the 100-RBI milestone, hitting his 102nd of his career and in grand fashion. His current total stands at 105 career RBIs. In the fifth inning, the Lions added another run to their score. Senior outfielder Patrick Roberts reached base on an error made by Rutgers-Camden and scooted around to third off a bullet to center by Turner who landed on first. Eventually, Roberts tagged up and touched home to score on a sacrifice-fly by sophomore infielder Zachary Shindler.

Sophomore pitcher Brandon Zachary took the mound against Rutgers-Camden and earned the decision, making him 6-0 on the season. Zachary kept his opponents’ bats silent up until the seventh. Rutgers-Camden attempted a rally, scoring four wins in the inning, but it was not enough for the team that currently stands at 21-11 on the season.

The following day, senior pitcher Eric

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Roberts swings for the fences against Rutgers-Camden.

Teesdale stepped on the mound and helped the team shutout Rutgers-Camden, 4-0. The exceptional right-hander put forth one of his best performances on the mound for the Lions.

Teesdale went eight innings, gave up only four hits and struck out four of his opponents.

In true Lions fashion, the team jumped out on the board early, scoring a run in the first inning. Sophomore infielder Patrick Anderson smacked the ball to right-center for a double.

Roberts stepped up to the plate and singled to left-center, allowing Anderson to race home.

During the fourth inning, Teesdale ran into a bit of trouble. Rutgers-Camden loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks.

Teesdale remained calm and got himself out of the jam when his opposing batter flew out to left to end the inning.

The Lions continued their scoring in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh,

the team took advantage of a Rutgers-Camden error. Anderson reached base off the error made by the Rutgers-Camden rightfielder and was able to advance to second, allowing sophomore outfielder Mike Follet and junior infielder Ben Varone, who were both already on base, to score.

Sophomore pitcher Matt Curry came onto the mound at the end of the game in the ninth to shut it down. The 6’4” righthander struck out the first batter he faced and recorded a ground out to third. RutgersCamden put two runners on base with a pair of singles, but it ended there. Shindler, who was in the game as shortstop, fielded a ground ball and executed a flip to second to secure the shutout and extend their winstreak to 12 games.

The win-streak would come to an end when the team faced Ramapo on Saturday

with two crushing losses against the Roadrunners, the first game ending at 9-7 and the second, 11-2. Ramapo came out swinging in the first inning, scoring three runs off of senior pitcher Steven Volpe.

The Lions’s offense supported its strong right-hander in the bottom of the first, scoring five wins to take the lead away from Ramapo. Anderson smashed his second homerun of the season over the trees in left field. Roberts came up to bat and ended up drawing a walk. Turner entered the batter’s box and lasered a single down the left-field line, tying the game at 3. With a single by junior catcher CJ Gearhart and Follet, the tie would eventually be broken, 5-3.

It was not enough for the Lions, who ended up scoring a run in the sixth. The Roadrunners ended the hope of a win when they scored four runs in the eighth inning and another in the ninth.

There would be no luck for the Lions in the second game of the day. The team fell flat against Ramapo who jumped out to another early lead, scoring four in the first inning.

The Lions got on the board in the third inning, scoring the only two runs they had in the game. Anderson doubled to right-center, sending senior outfielder John Rizzi to home. Tuner had another productive game, coming up to bat to single to right field, allowing Anderson to score, but that would be it for the Lions as the Roadrunners continued stacking up runs against the team.

Despite the losses, the Lions remain second in the NJAC standings, 10-4, just behind Kean University, 11-3. The Lions look to continue their success against Cairn University on Tuesday, April 26.

page 20 The Signal April 27, 2016

Sports

Softball

Defense leads to victory against Cougars

By Miguel Gonzalez Sports Assistant

The College lost twice at home before sweeping a doubleheader on the road against its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opponents. On Tuesday, April 19, the Lions failed to catch up with the Stockton University Ospreys’s offense in 8-2 and 2-1 losses. With urgency to win conference matches, they defeated the Kean University Cougars in 3-2 and 2-0 victories on Saturday, April 23.

The Lions’s offense marked the scoreboard first when senior infielder Deanna Utter scored on a double to provide the team with a 2-0 lead.

The Ospreys responded in the top of the seventh inning with a whopping five runs to cumulate a commanding 8-2 lead. In the subsequent inning, Ospreys’s sophomore pitcher Hannah Bibeault forced the remaining Lions batters to ground out.

In the second game, both teams competed in a close defensive matchup, with the College ultimately losing, 2-1. Freshman pitcher Sara Bielamowicz demonstrated great potential for the Lions’s future, as she only permitted three hits.

Unlike the first game, the Ospreys had a fast start as senior infielder Samantha Shockey scored two runs on a single to propel the Ospreys to a 2-0 lead. After five scoreless innings, the Lions strived toward a comeback and were one run short. With one out remaining, Utter scored on a double from freshman infielder/outfielder Jess Santelli.

The Lions’s rally fell short when freshman outfielder Gaby Bennett was caught running to home plate.

“By the end of a competitive doubleheader, we are both mentally and physically drained,” Utter said. “It is important to stay engaged in the game from the first pitch to the last out. There is not time to take an at bat or an out for granted.”

At Union, N.J., the Lions’s pitching staff became

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Freshman infielder/catcher Jess McGuire leads off first base in the top of the fifth.

instrumental at winning the games against the Kean University Cougars.

During the first match, sophomore pitcher Sam Platt held the Cougars offense to only four hits while the Lions stayed ahead. In the top of the second, Santelli and Bennett scored from a single to give the Lions a 2-0 lead. Sophomore outfielder Madison Levine later increased the lead to 3-0 when she advanced to home plate from a double.

The Cougars countered in the bottom of the fourth inning when junior infielder Amanda Berezny scored off a walk to shrink the Lions’s lead to 3-2. The Lions were able to maintain the lead and win the game with assistance from Platt’s pitching and their defense.

“Offensively, the team had quality at bats and strung hits together, while defensively, we caught the lead runners out,” Utter said.

The Lions followed up with a 2-0 shutout victory. Senior pitcher Kate Hourihan limited the Cougars’s offense to two hits. The Lions’s offense assured Hourihan’s dominant performance would result in a “W” for the team by pressuring the Cougars’s infielders with 10 hits.

“Offense and defense are equally important,” Utter said. “This weekend, we successfully executed in all aspects of the game. Our team has great chemistry and that is very beneficial on the field. We trust one another and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

The Lions will now attempt to capture four more crucial conference match victories at home this week. On Tuesday, April 26, the Lions will compete against the 2014 Montclair State University Red Hawks. Later in the week, on Saturday, April 30, the Lions will try to slow down the 20-10 Ramapo College Roadrunners, who are currently enjoyed a five-game winning streak.

Baseball

Lions still second in NJAC despite pair of losses

By Jessica Ganga Sports Editor

The College’s baseball team split their games, going 2-2 against New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opponents. The Lions pounced on Rutgers University-Camden two days in a row on Thursday, April 21, and Friday, April 22, winning the games, 6-4 and 4-0, respectively. The team, which is now 26-6 on the season, fell to Ramapo College in a doubleheader on Saturday, April 23.

The Lions captured their 11th straight win on Thursday against Rutgers-Camden.

Senior catcher Garen Turner had, arguably, the best game of his season so far, hitting a grand-slam in the third inning and opening the door for the Lions to take home a win.

Turner also surpassed the 100-RBI milestone, hitting his 102nd of his career and in grand fashion. His current total stands at 105 career RBIs. In the fifth inning, the Lions added another run to their score. Senior outfielder Patrick Roberts reached base on an error made by Rutgers-Camden and scooted around to third off a bullet to center by Turner who landed on first. Eventually, Roberts tagged up and touched home to score on a sacrifice-fly by sophomore infielder Zachary Shindler.

Sophomore pitcher Brandon Zachary took the mound against Rutgers-Camden and earned the decision, making him 6-0 on the season. Zachary kept his opponents’ bats silent up until the seventh. Rutgers-Camden attempted a rally, scoring four wins in the inning, but it was not enough for the team that currently stands at 21-11 on the season.

The following day, senior pitcher Eric

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Roberts swings for the fences against Rutgers-Camden.

Teesdale stepped on the mound and helped the team shutout Rutgers-Camden, 4-0. The exceptional right-hander put forth one of his best performances on the mound for the Lions.

Teesdale went eight innings, gave up only four hits and struck out four of his opponents.

In true Lions fashion, the team jumped out on the board early, scoring a run in the first inning. Sophomore infielder Patrick Anderson smacked the ball to right-center for a double.

Roberts stepped up to the plate and singled to left-center, allowing Anderson to race home.

During the fourth inning, Teesdale ran into a bit of trouble. Rutgers-Camden loaded the bases on a single and a pair of walks.

Teesdale remained calm and got himself out of the jam when his opposing batter flew out to left to end the inning.

The Lions continued their scoring in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh,

the team took advantage of a Rutgers-Camden error. Anderson reached base off the error made by the Rutgers-Camden rightfielder and was able to advance to second, allowing sophomore outfielder Mike Follet and junior infielder Ben Varone, who were both already on base, to score.

Sophomore pitcher Matt Curry came onto the mound at the end of the game in the ninth to shut it down. The 6’4” righthander struck out the first batter he faced and recorded a ground out to third. RutgersCamden put two runners on base with a pair of singles, but it ended there. Shindler, who was in the game as shortstop, fielded a ground ball and executed a flip to second to secure the shutout and extend their winstreak to 12 games.

The win-streak would come to an end when the team faced Ramapo on Saturday

with two crushing losses against the Roadrunners, the first game ending at 9-7 and the second, 11-2. Ramapo came out swinging in the first inning, scoring three runs off of senior pitcher Steven Volpe.

The Lions’s offense supported its strong right-hander in the bottom of the first, scoring five wins to take the lead away from Ramapo. Anderson smashed his second homerun of the season over the trees in left field. Roberts came up to bat and ended up drawing a walk. Turner entered the batter’s box and lasered a single down the left-field line, tying the game at 3. With a single by junior catcher CJ Gearhart and Follet, the tie would eventually be broken, 5-3.

It was not enough for the Lions, who ended up scoring a run in the sixth. The Roadrunners ended the hope of a win when they scored four runs in the eighth inning and another in the ninth.

There would be no luck for the Lions in the second game of the day. The team fell flat against Ramapo who jumped out to another early lead, scoring four in the first inning.

The Lions got on the board in the third inning, scoring the only two runs they had in the game. Anderson doubled to right-center, sending senior outfielder John Rizzi to home. Tuner had another productive game, coming up to bat to single to right field, allowing Anderson to score, but that would be it for the Lions as the Roadrunners continued stacking up runs against the team.

Despite the losses, the Lions remain second in the NJAC standings, 10-4, just behind Kean University, 11-3. The Lions look to continue their success against Cairn University on Tuesday, April 26.

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 21 Lacrosse

Lacrosse extends winning streak to seven

By George Tatoris Sports Assistant

The lacrosse team is flying high after toppling New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rivals Rowan University Profs from their perch, 9-0, on Tuesday, April 19. With this win, the Lions’s win streak extends to seven and they remain undefeated, 4-0, in the conference.

“Having a seven-game winning streak gives us confidence while letting us learn something new each time, but we never underestimate any team,” freshman goaltender Miranda Chrone said.

An impressive play from sophomore attacker Emily Kratz opened scoring for the Lions. After sweeping up a ground ball in the Profs’s defensive zone, Kratz swiped at the goal, putting the College on the scoreboard at 3:24.

The College’s offense was spurred by performances from senior attacker Cortney Natalicchio and sophomore midfielder Amanda Muller, both with two goals apiece. After Kratz’s goal, the Lions were caught in a 10 minute drought that was broken by a goal from Muller.

Not three minutes after Muller’s goal, sophomore defender Elizabeth Morrison swiped the ball from a Prof by causing a turnover. Like lightning, she dashed 40-yards into the Profs’s defensive zone herself, striking the back of the net for the Lions’s third goal.

Goals from junior attacker Mia Blackman, freshman midfielder Kathleen Jaegar and a set of goals from Natalicchio brought the score up to 7-0 at the half. Natalicchio had assists from Jaegar and senior midfielder Megan Devlin, who was honored by the NJAC for her performance the week prior against Rutgers UniversityCamden and now third-ranked Salisbury University.

With 15 seconds on the clock, the Profs swarmed the Lions’s net, but a key save from Chrone prevented Rowan from making a mark in the first half. After two more goals in the second half, the game came to a close with a Lions victory, 9-0. Chrone and the defense earned the shutout with six saves.

Photo courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Chrone records six saves en route to a Lions victory.

“Coming into the game, I knew it was going to be a battle, so I just wanted to get whatever I could,” Chrone said. “My defense did a very good on not letting them get any uncontested shot so none really stood out.”

With this win, the Lions have a seven-game win streak and are undefeated in the NJAC, but they aren’t letting that fact go to their heads.

“We were very happy with our win and our performance for the game,” Natalicchio said. “It is very exciting to be undefeated in the NJAC so far, but we do not want to take

it for granted, as we still have two more conference games coming up, followed by the tournament.”

As the NCAA tournament approaches, the secondranked Lions are preparing to face the very best lacrosse teams in the nation. The State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland is currently number one and is the only team to beat the 14-1 Lions.

“As post season is coming up, we are really focusing at practices and in our games to make sure we are reaching our highest potential as a team,” Natalicchio said.

Track and Field

Tennis

NCAA / Lions in the hunt Track / College grabs wins Runners ready for NJACs continued from page 24

Photo courtesy of Sports Information Desk

August battles illness to compete against Vassar College.

continued from page 24

“We had just come off our lowest moment in the season,” Dicheck said. “It says a lot about the guys to bounce back and to get the wins. We knew once we started getting momentum, it could really take over. That’s just what happened.”

According to Dicheck, the Lions needed to beat Vassar College on Wednesday to have any chance at NCAA Tournament.

August — still battling an illness — returned to the doubles competition with Stanley, his partner.

“He gave it a go in doubles, but he was not going to play singles,” Dicheck said.

“That’s what happens this time of year.”

The Lions won courts two and three, while August and Stanley dropped their matchup, 8-4.

As the College nursed a 2-1 lead, Cooper and Sanders won their singles matches in straight sets. With the chance to clinch a Lions win — and the playoff implications

that accompanied said win — Stanley battled through a second-set tiebreaker.

With the 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) win, the Lions had finally met their season’s goal.

With the win already clinched, the Lions dropped courts four and five, which made the final score, 6-3, in favor of the Lions.

“We beat a lot of really good teams that we needed to beat,” Dicheck said.

“At this point, we’re very optimistic that we’re going to make it. We have two matches this week. I think we should be in good shape.”

The College lost, 8-1, against Stevens Institute of Technology on Monday, April 25. Their final regular season match will be against Kutztown University on Wednesday, April 27.

Dicheck and his team couldn’t be happier about being in the hunt.

“We’re just ecstatic,” he said. “The guys really have put ourselves in a very good position for NCAAs.”

the finish line in first with an impressive performance in the 400-meter hurdles. She clocked in at 1:05, ranking her 16th nationally amongst Division-III competition in that event.

The 100-meter hurdle event included two top 10 finishes by sophomore Megan McGourty and freshman Danielle Cozzarelli. They placed sixth and ninth at 15.51 and 15.93, respectively.

Sophomore Danielle Celestin put forth two tremendous top 10 performances. She took eighth out of 66 runners in the 100-meter dash, with a time of 12.79. She returned to the track with a ninth place finish in the 200-meter race with a season-best time of 26.01.

“The 100-meter race this weekend was a bit frustrating for me because I know I have the capability to perform better, but the time and execution didn’t reflect that,” Celestin said. “On the bright side, I know what I need to continue to work on in practice so I can put my best effort forward in the next couple of meets and the conference meet, especially.”

Celestin was proud of the performances she had on the track and was even close to gaining a PR. “I was really happy with the 200-meter race. I feel like I was able to refocus after the 100-meter and perform the way I should be at this point in the season,” Celestin added. “The time (26.01) was very close to a PR, so I was very excited about that.”

Senior Joy Spriggs sprinted to a fourth place victory in the 400-meter race with a time of 57.87.

In the distance events, freshman Madeleine Tattory represented the Lions with a secondplace finish in her 5,000-meter debut with an impressive time of 18:24.21.

Junior Laura Straub represented the Lions

in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a third place time of 11:45.

On the field, freshman Stephanie Wolfer threw a distance of 34.97 meters in the javelin to place seventh. Freshman Erin McHugh placed 11th with 31.77 meters.

Senior Courtney Paciulli had a third-place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 10.90 meters. She currently has the first-place seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) in the event.

In the pole vault, junior Tracy Prentice placed third with an impressive height of 3.26 meters.

“Based off of this weekend and past meets this spring season, I think the team is really gearing up for championship season,” Celestin said. “We’ve had a lot of PRs come early in the season already, so I think we’re going to continue to put on a very strong showing at meets as we get into the championship portion of the season and especially at NJACs.”

Photo courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Celestin cracks the top 10.

page 22 The Signal April 27, 2016

4 6

LIONS

April 27, 2016 The Signal page 23

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

George Tatoris “The Ref”

Kevin Luo

Otto Gomez

Staff Writer

Staff Writer

Sean Reis

Production Manager

In this week’s edition of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” George Tatoris, asks our panel of experts three questions as they play for a championship spot in our Wednesday, May 4, issue: Is the NFL Draft order going to be affected by the Eagles trading up? Can the Washington Capitals keep up their playoff momentum and how should World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Superstar Chyna be remembered?

1. Now that the Eagles have the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft, do you believe the top draft prospects may be altered?

Otto: The only reason any team ever trades up for the No. 1 overall pick is to get a quarterback (QB), and the same can be said for the second overall pick. Keeping that in mind, I do have to adjust my mock draft predictions because I am absolutely sure that QBs Jared Goff and Carson Wentz will be the first players chosen, but not in that order. My prediction is that Goff goes first, as he has had a lot more college experience than Wentz and is more NFLready for a team that desperately needs a QB. Wentz will be chosen by the Eagles and be placed in a backup role for his team in hopes that he will mature and learn by watching QB Sam Bradford play ahead of him. At No. 3, the Chargers have to go with tackle Laremy Tunsil. He’s too good of a prospect to miss and they desperately need to protect QB Philip Rivers.

Kevin: After the Rams traded up to No. 1,

AP Photo

I figured QBs would be the top two picks in the draft. It was just a matter of time before someone traded up to two to take that second QB. Therefore, I have the two QBs going off the board at one and two

— probably Goff at one and Wentz at two.

Then I think San Diego will try to trade out of three, but if they can’t, they’ll take Tunsil to anchor their line. Dallas will round out the top four by taking who will

potentially be the impact player in this draft: cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Sean: While the two top draft picks being traded could certainly be considered rare — an occurrence that would normally affect the draft dramatically — I do not believe these trades have altered the top draft prospects this year. Previously, I had Tunsil go first overall, but now, I predict he will be selected only two picks later by the San Diego Chargers, unless they decide to stay defensive with defensive end Joey Bosa. I also predicted with the second pick that the Cleveland Browns would select Goff or Wentz, the top two QB prospects. Now, following the traded picks, I would not be surprised to see both of these QBs selected first and second overall, however, who will be picked before the other I do not know. My gut is telling me it’ll be Goff before Wentz.

Furthermore, anything could happen and these trades may lead to much more excitement, but I doubt it.

Sean gets 3 points for mentioning someone other than Goff and Wentz. Otto gets 2 for saying Rivers needs protection and Kevin gets 1 for Ramsey.

AP Photo

2. Given their spotty record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, can the No. 1-seeded Capitals maintain their momentum going forward?

Otto: I don’t think the Capitals can maintain their momentum in the playoffs,

mainly because of the opponents they will be facing. Assuming they get past the Philadelphia Flyers, they will face either the Penguins or the Rangers in the next round, both opponents they struggled with

during the year, going 2-3 against Pittsburgh and 3-2 against New York. More importantly, Capitals star Alex Ovechkin did not score against the Penguins, finishing with a plus/minus of -1. Ovechkin was able to score five goals in five games against the Rangers but still finished with an even rating. It’s also important to note that he did not record an assist in the 10 games against those teams, meaning he did not have a big impact. If Ovechkin continues to be shut down by the opposing defenses, it’s going to be a long series for the Capitals.

Kevin: I think the Capitals can have a strong postseason run this year, despite past failures, because they just seem like such a well-rounded team this year. They were second in the NHL in both goals scored and in fewest goals allowed. Their defense is anchored by Vezina Trophy front-runner Braden

Holtby, and their offense is led by three 70-point scorers in Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Evgeny Kuznetsov. I think this is the Capitals team that can make some noise this postseason.

Sean: The Capitals were my pick to win the Stanley Cup at the start of the playoffs, and I stand by that decision. Yes, the team has been spotty, but the Flyers were a much better team than they were credited, and the Capitals played very well during the entire series. There may have been moments of poor play, but at the end of the series, on Sunday, April 24, the Capitals kept their composure for one final, well-fought victory. The Penguins will make for quite the matchup next round, but the Capitals will maintain momentum. Ovechkin will continue to lead by example, and the team will gain even more momentum that will lead them to their first Stanley Cup win.

Sean gets 3 points for giving the Flyers some credit. Otto gets 2 for New York and Pittsburgh and Kevin gets 1 for listing leading Capitals players.

3. How should the tragic life of WWE Superstar Chyna be remembered in the organization’s history after her recent death?

Otto: Chyna was the best female wrestler of all time. It is important for the WWE to recognize that and pay some sort of respect to her in the upcoming weeks. I understand all the bad stuff — or at least the stuff that the WWE doesn’t want to associate itself with: the porn films and the tumultuous relationships. But the impact that Chyna had on thousands of young women cannot be overstated. She did things that no woman had ever done before and hasn’t done since, and that means a lot. She paved the way for all women in wrestling and showed all her young fans that they are just as strong as men. She made tall, muscular women feel proud of the way they look, and her impact rivaled her actual wrestling rivals. It’s easy to remember the recent issues that we might not want to think about, but Chyna, in her prime, was a national superstar who needs to be acknowledged for her contribution to a lot of people in my generation.

Kevin: Chyna will be remembered for being a

major pioneer in the world of women’s wrestling. After all, she was the first real female wrestler. You can see the profound impact she had on the sport by some of the supportive tweets being sent by past and present female wrestlers. She brought an attitude, a dominance and a new flavor to the sport. The ninth wonder of the world will be sorely missed.

Sean: The new year has not been kind to celebrities. From Alan Rickman to David Bowie to Prince, many talented individuals left us way too soon. Before each passed away, though, they made lasting impressions on the lives of many, as well as their respective industries.

Unfortunately, Chyna recently reached the same fate, though she will be remembered in the history of the organization similar to these other celebrities I have mentioned. Known as “The Ninth Wonder of the World,” Chyna was certainly a wonder for many to watch.

Although many criticize the WWE for being fake, as a form of entertainment and also as a sport, WWE is a lifestyle for fans. Starting at a very young age, WWE fans never forget their passion for the game, nor will they ever forget Chyna, for she will go down in history.

Otto gets 3 points for putting things in perspective. Kevin gets 2 points for Chyna’s nickname and Sean gets 2 points the most important thing about any sport: the fans.

Sean wins Around the Dorm 8-7-4.

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Sports

Tennis keeps NCAA Tournament hopes alive

Left: The Lions extend their winning streak to four games. Right: Prezant steps up in place of the ailing August.

By Connor Smith Social Media Editor

Reaching the NCAA Division III Tournament was always the goal for the men’s tennis team. After their disappointing loss to North Carolina Wesleyan College, the Lions were faced with the harsh reality that their season’s entire purpose was reduced to nothing more than a pipedream. However, their shutout wins against Lafayette College and Christopher Newport University gave the College one final spark

of hope: If they won against Ursinus and Vassar colleges, they would be in position to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

On Tuesday, April 19, the Lions did just that, keeping their season alive with a shutout win over Ursinus College. With a shot of cementing their case for an NCAA Tournament berth, the Lions (9-5) extended their winning streak to four games on Wednesday, April 20, when they beat Vassar College, 6-3.

“It’s been a very positive year,” head coach Scott Dicheck said. “Even when

we’ve had some tough losses, we fought back. You learn a lot from winning and losing and I think these guys have done just that.”

The Lions were without junior Jack August — who was sidelined due to illness — in their matchup with the Ursinus Bears. Senior Jason Prezant stepped into August’s shoes in doubles and was paired with junior Mike Stanley. The first-time duo did not miss a beat as they won court two, 8-4.

Senior Pierce Cooper and freshman

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Mitchel Sanders extended their winning streak to six. They sported a commanding 10-1 doubles record. On court three, freshmen Matt Puig and Tim Gavornik continued their success with an 8-4 win of their own.

Leading, 3-0, the Lions would not relent. A singles lineup of four freshmen, sophomore Chris D’Agostino and Cooper combined to shutout the Bears. They did not drop a single set in the entire match. see NCAA page 21

Lions track down new personal records for season

By Nicole DeStefano Staff Writer The men and women’s track and field team delivered numerous impressive performances amongst a large pool of competitors this past weekend at the Widener Outdoor Invitational in Chester, Pa. The senior duo of Laron Day and Michael Larkin made a statement in the 400-meter hurdles.

Day and Larkin secured a first and second place finish, clocking in at 55.16 and 55.98, respectively, out of 37 competitors.

“I felt I ran well,” Larkin said.

“The time is pretty consistent with what I’ve been running all year, so it is nice to know I’m getting in PR (personal record) shape. I just need to put everything together.”

Senior Scott Savage represented the Lions in the 5,000-meter race. He finished 16th out of 90 runners with a time of 15:29.38.

Lions’s Lineup April 27, 2016

I n s i d e

Day excels in the 400-meter hurdles race.

The 400-meter race was highlighted by freshmen Nathan Osterhus and Thomas Livecchi, where they competed against 92 other

runners. Osterhus placed 16th with a time of 50.81 and Livecchi came in at 19th with a time of 51.01.

Junior Zach Hubner sprinted

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

to a 12th place finish in the 100meter race. He posted a quick time of 11.20.

Senior Brandon Mazzarella

put forth an impressive performance in the 800-meter race with a 10th place finish out of 82 competitors. He clocked in with a time of 1:57.69.

Freshman Matt Saponara also contributed a 10th place finish for the Lions in his 3,000-meter steeplechase debut. Saponara clocked in at 10:45.19.

In the field, junior Chris Guglielmo secured second place with a clear of 4.20 meters in the pole vault event. Sophomore Andrew McNutt landed a distance of 14.14 meters in the trip jump to place sixth.

“I feel like majority of us are beginning to peak at the right time and that we are progressing well,” Guglielmo said about the team’s performance. “We’re starting to build a team chemistry that will hopefully lead us to big performances.”

On the women’s side, senior Kristen Randolph crossed the see TRACK page 21

46 53 Around the Dorm page 23

Lacrosse page 21

Baseball page 20

Softball page 20