The Signal: Fall ‘17 No. 4

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Vol. XLVII, No. 4

September 20, 2017

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

CUB brings petting zoo to campus

CUB’s ‘Zooner’ helps students relieve stress.

By Ariel Steinsaltz Correspondent If you walked past Green Lawn on your way to class on Friday, Sept. 15 you might have come across some adorable farm animals padding around their cages.

The cute and fluffy animals were all part

Randell Carrido / Staff Photographer

of the College Union Board’s “Zooner,” the petting zoo part of its Nooner series of events that take place during the middle of the day.

There were a variety of animals present — chickens, crescent ducks, goats, deer, a Scottish Highland calf and a camel. Those who stopped by the parked truck

could even pet a dog that was sitting by the window.

Charis Matey is the owner and operator at Peaceable Kingdom Petting Zoo, the company that provided the animals.

According to Matey, the calf, Cooper, is only five months old. The deer’s names were Taffy and Truffles. The tortoise, named Dozer, is a 12-year-old African Sulcata tortoise. The camel, Percy, is four years old.

“It’s a very popular event,” said Willem Kline, a sophomore communications major who helped organize the program.

“People love animals. This event has happened every year for the past three years, and that the purpose is to have something fun for students to do. The timing, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., is so that people can stop by between classes.”

Rachel Reedy, a freshman psychology major, said she and her friends had to stop themselves from giving into the temptation of stealing the animals, adding, “(My friends and I) already picked out the goat we want, named it Barry.”

When asked if the event was a good

College appoints director of Diversity and Inclusion

By Miguel Gonzalez Sports Editor The College has appointed Dr. Don Trahan Jr. to be the director of the newly established Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion within the Division of Student Affairs.

The Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion prioritizes building diversity, equity, access and inclusion within the College, according to Elizabeth Bapasola, the assistant vice president of Student Affairs. The director is tasked with executing initiatives to increase student inclusion on campus and collaborating with Academic Affairs to strengthen learning opportunities for students.

Trahan comes from Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he served as the director for the Office of Enterprise Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement. For over a year, Trahan gained experience in fostering inclusivity.

“I developed and implemented an Enterprise Diversity Education Platform and I launched an enterprise-wide call to action (for example, the Inclusion Advocates) in order to foster inclusive excellence across the organization,” Trahan said.

see ANIMALS page 13

see TRAHAN page 2

College holds discussion on TCNJ Clinic’s fate

By Kristen Frohlich Staff Writer

The College held two public forums for students and members of the community to express their opinions on the potential closing of the TCNJ Clinic on Monday, Sept. 11, and Tuesday, Sept. 12.

The forums were facilitated by Tim Fowles, the clinic director for psychology at the University of Delaware, and Yvonne Castillo, the director of the Counseling and Training Clinic at Texas A&M University. These two external reviewers “have no correlation with the College” and were there “to gain perspective from as many diverse perspectives as possible,” according to Fowles.

Fowles and Castillo asked the audience to answer two general questions about the clinic: “What do you see from your perspective and what is your perspective?”

Cassandra Jackson, an English professor at the College, expressed her concern of the potential closing of the clinic. Jackson said that she is currently in a position where she “finds students in situations that are in need of long term care,” but that she is unsure of where to send students due to the possible closure of the clinic.

Jackson said that she is worried that with the impending closure of the clinic, students will not have a simple solution to their health care needs. Jackson is “struggling” to figure out solutions that will not be too costly on copays or transportation for her students.

“The clinic is an on-campus resource for students who need long term care and

INDEX:

Nation & World / page 7

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expertise,” Jackson said. “Many students are worried about stigma and are worried about their parents knowing their mental health, therefore, they rely on the clinic. It is also an affordable and accessible way for students to receive the help they need.”

The closure of the clinic will impact students involved with the marriage, couple and family counseling and therapy graduate program at the College. Jean Banti — who runs the non-profit organization, Contextual Family Services — has been in the Ewing, N.J. area for 17 years. Banti said that students would do work at the clinic and then come to Contextual Family Services after completing their work with the clinic.

In order to work in the field of marriage counseling and to obtain a marriage license, one must have a certain amount of experience, according to Banti. With the closure of the clinic, “students will not have the opportunity to work in the field due to the lack of clinical training.”

The potential disappearance of the TCNJ Clinic is impacting the freshman class, according to Madhav Patel, a junior biology major and community advisor who deals with many anxious freshmen during this time of year.

As a CA, Patel helps freshmen receive the help they need. Without having an on-campus resource to send his residents, Patel feels that their needs are undervalued.

“The closure of the clinic sends a message to the community that TCNJ doesn’t care about the mental health of their students,” Patel said.

Evan Bianco, a freshman interactive Editorial / page 9

Castillo facilitates the forum as an external reviewer. multimedia major, stated that he has positively benefited from mental health resources before coming to the College. Bianco worries that with the closure of the clinic, many students won’t be as lucky as he was to find care somewhere else.

Bianco also highlights that many students “may not have room to spend money on offcampus resources.”

Josh Trifari, a freshman music major, is concerned about the potential closure of the clinic. Although Trifari is new to campus, he worries that “the closure of the clinic is going to disproportionately affect the TCNJ and Trenton community.”

Trifari emphasized that the clinic is a worthwhile resource for the community

Opinions / page 10

Features / page 13

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

despite the expense of keeping it open.

“The clinic may seem not profitable or even a waste of money but in the end, it helps people in the community,” Trifari said.

Chris Loos, a junior history major, supported the TCNJ Clinic in its ability to offer low cost counseling services to students at the College and the surrounding community. “(The clinic is) an enormous resource on campus, price cannot be put on it,” Loos added.

A final decision on the potential closure of the clinic will be made no later than Oct. 31, pending a self-assessment from the Department of Counselor Education and a written report from the School of Education’s Dean’s office.

Arts & Entertainment / page 17

Sports / page 24

Asian Culture Night Students get a taste of Asian traditions

Brown Bag Series College hosts first Brown Bag of semester

Women’s Soccer Lions beat No. 9 Blue Jays in overtime

See Features page 13

See A&E page 19

See Sports page 24

page 2 The Signal September 20, 2017

SFB gives full funds for deaf ‘Baby Driver’ actor

SFB funds Jones’ perfomance at Deaf Culture Night.

By Eric Preisler Production Manager

Fresh off his performance in the summer hit “Baby Driver,” actor CJ Jones’ performance at Deaf Culture Night was among four events that received full funding at the Student Finance Board meeting on Sept. 13.

The Deaf Hearing Connection was funded $4,087 for its Deaf Culture Night, which is planned to be held at the College on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Jones, a deaf actor, will be performing an 80-minute comedy routine at the event. Food and drinks will also be provided.

Explaining the significance of the event, Julianna Kamenakis said that, “(the event will) showcase Deafness as the culture that it is … rich with a gorgeously captivating language and its own beliefs and morals as well.”

Kamenakis also expressed excitement for the event saying that the organization looks forward to allowing “TCNJ students to gain awareness about Deafness as a culture and to provide students an opportunity to interact with people from the Deaf community — including our guest speaker CJ Jones!”

TCNJ Musical Theater was granted $4,800 for the rights and royalties to

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

perform “Spring Awakening” during the spring 2018 semester.

Kelly Ganning, a junior graphic design major and co-production manager of “Spring Awakening,” explained that “Spring Awakening” was chosen by TMT’s members because of its mental and creative ,which differ from the family-friendly productions of “Legally Blonde” and the “The Addams Family” last year. “‘Spring Awakening’ is a musical about coming of age and the navigating teenage sexuality, and deals with themes such as sexual violence, teenage pregnancy and censorship,” Ganning said. “It will definitely be a challenge TMT hasn’t faced in a while but I’m sure our actors and designers will grow from the experience.”

TMT is optimistic about the challenge of the production.

“In the upcoming months I can’t wait to see what creative minds will eventually be working with us, and what ideas they will come up with to make this a groundbreaking show for TMT as well as TCNJ,” Ganning said.

Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Society, Inc. was funded $491.75 for its Week of Wisdom Event, which will consist of a variety of events from Monday, Oct. 2, to Friday, Oct. 6. Funding will cover the expense

of personal trainers for Cussie Bootcamp, which will provide instruction for intensive exercise and healthier lifestyles. Additional events will include DIY terrariums and the Cussie Luau.

The proposal explains that the Cussie Luau program will teach students the meanings and representations of certain movements in Hawaiian culture. Describing the significance of this, the application explained that participants will have a better understanding of the Hawaiian culture by being able to communicate using the important things that Hawaiians enjoy from their culture.

When asked what she is most looking forward to, Cenadra Gopala-Foster, a sophomore deaf education and biology double major and a sister of Chi Upsilon Sigma, said that, “the wide range of programs we are doing all in one week.”

While Chi Upsilon Sigma’s Week of Wisdom requires complex planning, the sisters are excited to participate in various programs throughout the week.

“When we were planning it during our retreat we knew it would be difficult, but we have really stepped up to the challenge

and I’m excited to learn more about the programs and topics that I’m not personally running and bringing new topics and discussions to the campus community,” Gopala-Foster said.

Chi Upsilon Sigma hopes that students and community members will broaden their global perspectives by attending the event.

“I think students will gain a new perspective on a wide spectrum of topics that we decided to focus on, such as the Polynesian culture through their traditional dance, to creating an entire terrarium that can thrive within a dorm room, and in (a) way show the power human beings have over the environment and vice versa,” GopalaFoster said.

The Class of 2019 received $8,741.25 for bussing, venue, food, parking, and security fees for their formal, which is planned to be held on Friday, Oct. 29, from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. at the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey.

“The Aquarium formal will be a class unity event for the class of 2019,” according to the event’s proposal. “(The formal) will build cohesion in a unique environment.”

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

The Class of 2019 receives funding for a formal at Adventure Aquarium.

Trahan / New office sets social justice goals for College

continued from page 1

According to Sidney Kimmel Medical College, a part of Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, the Office for Enterprise Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement collaborates with the Center for Urban Health and Pipeline Programs to “reduce health and education disparities, increase student body and faculty diversity, and promote an inclusive environment for the entire university.”

Because of his range of experience, Trahan feels prepared to tackle his new position at the College.

“To date, I have worked with and led various divisions that adhere to the needs of the campus community under the aegis of change management,” he said. “Specifically, I have endeavored to promote and create an inclusive climate within the institutions I have been affiliated, with an emphasis on systems thinking, which positions me to understand all from a holistic lens.”

In addition to his dedication to inclusivity and his emphasis on systems thinking, Trahan said he has established relationships “with key stakeholders and community liaisons in order to create pipelines and assess growth processes as necessary for the organization.”

By establishing these relationships, Trahan has developed skills that may aide in promoting diversity and inclusion policies at the College.

“Such engagements have significantly influenced my lens as a transformative leader,

researcher, and subject matter expert,” he added. “As such, I have developed the expertise necessary to oversee all facets that relate to diversity and inclusion and organizational change management.”

As director of the College’s Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion, Trahan will be responsible for advocating for marginalized students, overseeing the Office of Institutional Diversity’s Sustained Dialogue program, advising specific student groups and implementing a campus-wide diversity and inclusion curriculum in addition to other various responsibilities.

A big part of his role at the College also relates to creating and maintaining social justice, which he defines as “the manner in which we collectively recognize that all have civil liberties and basic human rights that should be upheld and honored, regardless of the intersection of one’s cultural identity.”

Trahan discussed how students can be proactive in achieving social justice.

“Like diversity and inclusion, social justice is not limited to racism and other social constructs but rather a framework to understand our society from a holistic lens,” he said. “In order to be proactive, we have to avoid being reactive. It means that we need to continue being mindful, at all times, that regardless if inequities directly impact us, we have a responsibility to speak up and hold each other accountable as a society.”

The introduction of the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion is part of the College’s strategic plan, TCNJ 2021: Bolder,

Better, Brighter. Specifically, the office will help achieve the plan’s goals detailed in “Priority I: Attract and retain talented students, faculty, and staff into a diverse, inclusive, and healthy campus.”

According to the College’s Center for Institutional Effectiveness, in 2015, 4,405 white students accounted for the total undergraduate population of 6,758 students, or roughly 65 percent. In contrast, African American/Black, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, Native Hawaiian, not reported, non-residential alien and students of two or more race accounted for 2,353 of the total

undergraduate population, about 35 percent.

Trahan is hopeful that the College’s Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion will make a profound impact on campus.

“I look forward to making history at TCNJ,” Trahan said. “I’m excited about fostering forward-thinking education, being innovative, and positioning TCNJ as a model for inclusive excellence in contemporary society. Most importantly, I look forward to being a beacon of support for the students at TCNJ, ensuring that equity is at the cornerstone for how we will be ‘bolder, better, and brighter’ as a campus community.”

Photo courtesy of Don Trahan Jr.

Trahan encourages students to be proactive instead of reactive.

September 6, 2017 The Signal page 3

Inmates share their stories at Project PRIDE

The Petey Greene Program provides tutoring services for the incarcerated.

By Erin Kamel Correspondent

As a part of the College’s event, “Behind the Wall: Project PRIDE and the Petey Greene Program,” four speakers — all current inmates at state correctional facilities — shared their stories and gave advice for those in attendance.

As students piled into the library auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 14, they were greeted with a sign that read, “The worst thing that you can do is to establish a criminal record.

Avoid it at all costs.”

Project PRIDE, a program provided by the New Jersey Department of Corrections, brings current inmates to schools and allows them to talk about their experiences with incarceration. All of the speakers emphasized the vital importance of staying smart and focused, surrounded by positive people with similar aspirations.

Evan, 29, played high school football and studied for two semesters at his local community college. However, he became “curious about the wrong things” and lost track of his goals.

Smoking and drinking at parties with friends on the weekend turned into experimenting with pills and other drugs.

Eventually, Evan found himself struggling with a heroin

Meagan McDowell / Staff Photographer

addiction. Desperate for money, Evan broke into a neighborhood home and stole money, guns and drugs. When the mother and son of the family arrived home, they found Evan in their house with a gun. Evan knew the family and said the look of fear on their faces still haunts him today. He is currently serving a three-year sentence.

Donna, 32, described herself as the shy, good girl in high school. Following high school, Donna began a new job and later fell in love with a man who introduced her to cocaine.

While she initially only did cocaine on the weekends, she soon found herself using drugs on a daily basis.

Donna ultimately quit her job at a local nursing home.

She was living on the streets, addicted to heroin and robbing people to get her next fix.

“I never in a million years imagined I would be this person,” she said.

Donna is nearing the end of her four-year prison sentence.

Adrian, 29, was born in Kingston, Jamaica. His strict father raised him until he was nine years old, providing him with a well structured life. But when he moved in with his aunt and cousins in Newark, New Jersey, his life changed drastically.

His aunt worked a lot, so Adrian lost his structured schedule and adult supervision. He resorted to selling drugs.

He described himself as having “one foot in school and one foot in the streets.”

Despite playing on the basketball team and initially earning good grades, Adrian was eventually kicked out of Rutgers Newark. He was later arrested and sent to prison after dropping his friends off where, he found out later, was the last place they were seen before they committed armed robbery.

He refused to give their names up, so he was convicted of conspiracy. He is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence.

Monique, 28, was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Although she got pregnant at a young age, joined a gang and got kicked out of high school, she still managed to get back on track and earn her high school diploma. She was even offered a scholarship to go to medical school. After a year and a half, she began struggling to help her girlfriend financially. Turning to drugs to cope with her emotional stress, she one day committed armed robbery while hallucinating. She is currently serving an 8 1/2 year sentence.

All of the speakers shared common experiences — experimentation with alcohol and drugs and loyalty to the wrong people.

With their lost freedom, they and others like them are trying to turn negative situations into more positive futures.

While behind the wall, many incarcerated students are productively employing their time to obtain college degrees.

The event was sponsored by the Bonner Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, the Criminology Department, Students for Prison Education and Reform, and the Petey Greene Program.

The Petey Greene Program provides volunteer tutoring services to incarcerated people enrolled in educational programs at correctional facilities. Most of the program participants are college students, which includes students from the College.

According to Kevin Mann, a division manager at the Petey Greene Program, “incarcerated students utilize tutors to dive into subjects that are uniquely challenging to them.

TCNJ students get the opportunity to learn more about the American criminal justice from Petey Greene trainings and events, but more importantly, through experiential learning inside prison walls.”

During his time speaking, Adrian stressed the importance for college students to become involved with programs such as Petey Greene.

“Please consider signing up for the program so y’all can help the people that’s behind the walls that want to be better,” he said.

SG discusses changes to homecoming spirit week

By Michelle Lampariello News Editor

SG passed two resolutions and began discussions on changing the structure of homecoming spirit week at its meeting on Sept. 13.

Resolution F201701, which supports a bill making its way through the New Jersey General Assembly calling for a $500 gross income tax credit for full time students and a $250 gross income tax credit for part time students, passed. SG also passed resolution F201702, which called for an official welcome for the College’s new Director for Diversity and Inclusion, Don Trahan Jr. “I don’t think it’s any secret that TCNJ

has some deeply rooted issues when it comes to diversity and inclusion,” said Baldween Casseus, SG’s vice president of diversity and inclusion and a senior marketing major. “I think that Dr. Don is going to be a much needed and valuable asset to our community, and I think that being that we are a very welcoming community, that this is a very good way for Student Government to reach out and welcome him, and let him know that we value him on our campus.”

Director of Student Involvement Dave Conner and Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life Colleen Dallavalle spoke at the meeting to propose changes to homecoming spirit week.

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

SG seeks a solution for the lack of enthusiasm toward spirit week.

Rather than following the tradition where student organizations form teams to compete in spirit week challenges, Conner and Dallavalle proposed that students would instead form teams based on their class for Spirit Week 2017. This change was proposed as a result of lack of excitement about spirit week on campus and declining involvement from student organizations spirit week activities.

When Conner began working at the College 10 years ago, he noticed that students were not particularly interested in participating in spirit week events.

“Homecoming spirit week, when I first got here, was not the most popular of events. We had very few teams that competed,” Conner said.

In order to foster more interest in the event, Conner particularly encouraged fraternity and sorority life to participate in homecoming spirit week.

Over the years, the College has seen fraternity and sorority life become the major players in this program. However, in recent years, the success of having student organizations compete against one another has once again become limited.

“We’ve never really been successful to spawn a new team that not only will compete for the entire week but will come back the next year. We kind of saw that as a continual fail to the program,” Conner said. “My biggest concern that I would present to you today is that homecoming spirit week has lost its spirit.”

Conner elaborated on how he feels as though homecoming spirit week no longer brings student organizations together, but instead pulls them apart. In

order to reverse this divisiveness, Conner proposed a new team structure to SG. “Student Government (should) consider shifting to a model having a first year, sophomore, junior and senior class team or teams that would compete during the week, and kind of shifting the model where the winning student organization used to get a cash prize… looking to reinvigorate that cash prize concept but as a fundraising donation to that class’ fundraising efforts towards their senior sendoff program,” Conner said.

Conner stressed that fraternity and sorority life could still enjoy a week of competition, even with the new class-based model, because of Greek Week in the spring. Nonetheless, some students are concerned about changing the model because they feel a stronger connection to the organizations that they belong to than they do to their class.

“You don’t have the same connection to your fraternity or sorority that you do to your class, I feel. It’s much tighter with your organization,” said Alvin Tran, vice president of operations for the 2020 class council and a sophomore psychology major. “If I had the choice between going between Alpha Phi Omega and my class, I’d probably go with Alpha Phi Omega.”

SG was divided on changing spirit week teaming for this year.

“As a fellow greek, I am still in favor of the class council model,” said senior deaf education and history double major Priscilla Nuñez, SG’s Student Trustee. “We don’t have any other option — we should be going in favor of this. I feel that greek life is hesitant for this new change because they want to keep the exclusive community within their own organization.”

page 4 The Signal September 20, 2017

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 5

Student loses fake IDs, finds police summons

By Brielle Bryan Opinions Editor

Found wallet leads to suspicious discovery On Sept. 11, at approximately 9:30 a.m., a Campus Police officer was dispatched to Wolfe Hall on a report of a found wallet.

Upon arrival, the officer retrieved a brown leather Polo Ralph Lauren wallet, police said. The officer opened the wallet so that he could locate a state driver’s license in order to identify the owner. Upon looking in an interior pocket, the officer retrieved one New Jersey State Driver’s License and two identical Connecticut driver’s licenses.

The Connecticut driver’s licenses belonged to a male student, according to police reports. College Dispatch reported an Nlets lookup of the Connecticut driver’s licenses. Nlets is the premiere interstate justice and public safety network in the nation for the exchange of law enforcement, criminal justice and public safetyrelated information. Both licenses returned as not being on file in Nlets, police said. The licenses were photographed and retained in the evidence safe at Campus Police Headquarters.

The male student was contacted at approximately 10:25 a.m. and stated that he would come to Campus Police Headquarters immediately to retrieve his wallet and belongings. The male student arrived at Campus Police Headquarters at 10:35 a.m. Campus Police explained to the male student that he was going to be placed under arrest for possession of two fraudulent Connecticut driver’s licenses, Campus Police said. The male student was handcuffed and searched incident to arrest.

The male student was fingerprinted, photographed and issued a summons, police said. The male student was released from custody at 12 p.m.

Bagel and eggs distract student from laptop placement On Sept. 8, at approximately 1:55 p.m., a Campus Police officer was dispatched to Campus Police Headquarters to take a report of theft. Upon arrival, the officer met with a male student who was seated down the hall.

According to police reports, the male student stated that his laptop was stolen when he went to Eickhoff Hall between 10 a.m. and

10:20 a.m. with his friends to eat.

The male student said he might have put his computer case containing his laptop on the floor when he went to get a bagel. His laptop was in a black carry case with silver trim on the flap, police said. Then, the male student located a table to sit at by the wok and ate his bagel. He then got up from the table to get some eggs, returning to the table with his friends, Campus Police said. He stated that when he went to leave at 10:50 a.m., he noticed his computer bag was missing. The male student was unsure if he had left it on the floor when he got his bagel, or if he brought it to the table when he sat by the wok and it was taken when he got up to get his eggs, police said.

The male student searched Eickhoff Hall and was unable to locate his property.

He was advised to check with the Brower Student Center, as well as Eickhoff later in the day to see if his property was turned in, police said. The male student was provided a copy of the Victim Notification Form and instructed to contact Campus Police should any new information come forth.

Stolen ID evokes police concern On Sept. 8, at 4:15 p.m., a Campus Police officer was dispatched to the Library Café on a report of a fraudulent attempt to use a student ID to purchase products from the cafe.

Upon arrival, the officer spoke with a female employee who stated that she attempted to serve the female individual when she noticed that the individual did not match the photo on the ID, police said. The female employee then asked for another form of payment from the individual. The female individual supplied another form of payment, retrieved her coffee and ran from the building.

The female individual was described to be a female with long black hair, wearing glasses and a long floral print dress with long sleeves, Campus Police said. The female employee stated that her transaction with the female individual took place at 3 p.m. Another officer arrived on scene. As Campus Police conferred outside the library, the female employee came outside after 10 minutes and told them she thought the suspect was seated in Alumni Grove, police said.

Two Campus Police officers spoke to the suspect who stated that she purchased coffee

at 2:30 p.m. and produced a receipt to verify. An officer showed the female suspect a ID card from the College, and asked her if she attempted to use it. The suspect replied, “No.” The suspect had long black hair, glasses and wore a long floral dress, Campus Police said. The officer went back to the Library Café to speak with the female employee to verify how certain she was about the female suspect being the individual who attempted to use the ID card.

At 5:35 p.m., College Dispatch was able to contact the victim to inform her that they were in possession of her ID card, police said. The victim stated that she was in class and would come pick up her ID after class ended.

Male student drinks alone On Sept. 8, at approximately 11:40 p.m., two Campus Police officers responded to Wolfe Hall in reference to an intoxicated male, police said. Upon arrival, Campus Police met with two community advisors.

One of the CAs stated that he was doing a walk-through on one of the floors in Wolfe Hall when he overheard distress in one of the rooms, Campus Police said. He stated that an individual opened the door to that room, at which time he observed a male hunched over the bed, appearing to be intoxicated.

The intoxicated male was identified and came out of the room, attempting to walk down the hallway, police said. Campus Police observed the intoxicated male to have difficulty walking, as well as slurred speech. Campus Police ordered the male to go back into the room and sit down. Campus Police asked the intoxicated male how much he had to drink, and he stated that he had approximately 11 shots of Smirnoff Vodka, Campus Police said.

The two female residents of the room where the intoxicated male was found stated that the male had been drinking by himself.

According to police reports, the female residents stated that they weren’t sure how much alcohol the intoxicated male had consumed.

TCNJ EMS and Ewing BLS arrived on scene. The intoxicated male was transported to a hospital for further treatment, police said.

The male was issued a summons for consumption of alcoholic beverages while underage.

Tool taker strikes STEM building On Sept. 9, at 10:30 a.m., two Campus

Police officers were dispatched to the STEM building on a report of a theft. Upon arrival, Campus Police proceeded up to one of the rooms where a male individual was in his office. According to police reports, the male individual stated that he noticed that his black canvas tool bag containing small hand tools was missing out of his lab at approximately 9:45 a.m. on Sept. 9. He estimated that the tools were valued at $199.

Campus Police went to the male individual’s lab where he showed them where his tools were placed in the closet and removed, police said. The male individual said he last saw the tools at the end of the previous week.

The male individual was advised to contact Campus Police should he have any further information on the theft or if he noticed anyone suspicious in the building.

Lost bicycle finds its way home On Sept. 12, at approximately 2:10 p.m., a female student arrived at Campus Police Headquarters to report that her bicycle had been taken. The student described her bicycle to be a purple Magna Great Divide Mountain Bike 21 speed, police said.

The female student stated that she was at her residence at 10:15 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. The female student stated that she last saw her bicycle at 10:15 a.m. before going up to her room, according to police reports. She said she heard her bicycle bell make a noise while upstairs, and that it was taken by the time she came downstairs at 12:15 p.m. Campus Police asked the female student if any of her housemates possibly borrowed her bicycle, and she stated that she did not speak to any of her housemates while at her residence between 10:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. and did not know if it was borrowed.

Campus Police circulated the campus in an attempt to locate the female student’s bicycle, police said. Campus Police recovered the student’s bicycle outside of the Brower Student Center on the bicycle rack. According to police reports, the bicycle was safely returned to the female student. The female student was advised to contact Campus Police if she obtained additional information about the theft of her bicycle.

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

Art department funds course on community projects

By Mia Ingui Staff Writer Carolina Blatt-Gross, assistant professor of art education at the College, has been awarded a NJM Insurance Group Urban Innovation Fund grant to fund a new art course for the spring 2018 semester, entitled “Community Engaged Art.” The course will explore many aspects of art in the local community, including how to create art with a diverse population and the controversial history of public artwork. Students will also be required to create of a piece of art as part of a “global participatory project,” according to the College’s Department of Art and Art History’s Facebook post on the new course from Sept. 7.

“The chance to both learn more about the community where we work and live and to partner with some of Trenton’s finest artists and leaders is exciting,” Blatt-Gross said. “Hopefully students and local participants will finish the project feeling more grounded and connected to their community by

making a visible, positive impact on the world around us.”

This is only Blatt-Gross’ second year at the College, where she teaches “Foundations in Art Education” and a seminar for student teachers in art education. Before coming to the College, BlattGross was an assistant professor of art at Georgia Gwinnett College, where she, “pioneered their public art program and worked with the community on many service learning projects.”

Blatt-Gross is no stranger to teaching the power of art. She believes that this new kind of art, one more community-based than individual, could teach a greater lesson that it did even before.

“My research focuses on art and cognition, so I have always been interested in why we make art and how the brain responds to art making,” Blatt-Gross said.

“Because our brains are really attuned to information that has social relevance and art has historically often been done collectively, it makes sense that collaborative and community-based art might do something special for

the human beings.”

Blatt-Gross believes art can bring people together and strengthen community bonds.

“At the same time, I’ve become concerned about the lack of a strong sense of community in contemporary society and how that might be contributing to some of the violence we so often see in the news,” she said. “In ancient times, people likely felt bonded together in part because they made art together and worked toward a common goal. If we look at that as a model, I think collaborative arts have the potential be a big part of making our communities more cohesive today.”

The course will focus on the creation of meaningful public art and its effects on society.

“The aim of the class will be understanding the dialogue and process required to create meaningful public art in collaboration with a community,” Blatt-Gross said.

Blatt-Gross, eager to connect students at the College through art, was thrilled when she received the New Jersey Manufacturer’s Urban Innovation Grant. The grant will

fund the development and implementation of the class, project materials and a subsequent study of the effects of the project.

As a culminating project for the course, students will partner with local artists and community leaders to participate a global street art project initiated

by French artist JR, according to Blatt-Gross.

JR has been acknowledged recently for his piece at the U.S./ Mexico border. The large photographic piece portrays a child peeking over a border fence from the Mexican side, in reference to Trump’s retraction of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which protects children of undocumented immigrants from being deported, according to Colossal.

Blatt-Gross feels that the course will bring students at the College closer to the world in which they live.

“This type of engagement would allow students to grapple with the potential impact of public artwork on communities and encourage them to attain a sensitivity

to the particular needs and issues of Mercer County in general and the city of Trenton in particular, which is so full of opportunity. Experiences like this are what make TCNJ an amazing and dynamic place to study,” she said.

The course will be initially offered as a special topic course, but if interest is high, Blatt-Gross hopes to develop it into a regular offering. In the long term, she hopes the course will strengthen the College’s effort of developing a rapport and partnership with the Trenton community.

Blatt-Gross also emphasized the importance of understanding art regardless of a student’s major.

“No matter what your major, I think everyone should take as many art classes as possible because the arts require a unique set of cognitive skills that we often don’t get anywhere else,” she said. “Students at TCNJ in particular should take art courses because we have so many faculty doing exciting work in art and art history and their teaching reflects their incredibly rich and vast bodies of knowledge.”

page 6 The Signal September 20, 2017 page 6 The Signal September 20, 2017

Physics colloquium kicks off string theory seminar series

Left: Kalb describes microscopic matter. Right: String theory is the only modern theory that quantifies gravity.

By Heidi Cho Nation & World Editor

A sunny Friday afternoon was juxtaposed with a discussion of string theory on Friday, Sept. 15, in a physics colloquium. Michael Kalb, an adjunct physics professor at the College, gave the first presentation of a seminar series with the working title “String Theory Seminar.”

“String theory is the theory of the universe,” Kalb said. “It makes the assumption that most microscopic matter are filaments.”

According to string theory, these filaments have a specified length, and intersect each moment of time at a specific point. Most objects in the world can be visually represented by a world-line. That line would have a path through planes of time, like a string threaded through a pile

of printer paper, and each plane or paper would be like a coordinate graph to plot the location of the object. It is only a visual aid, but it still demonstrates how string theory can graph the universe.

It is also the only modern theory that manages to quantify gravity, according to Kalb. Since strings can vibrate, gravity becomes quantifiable because all strings can vibrate at the mode of a graviton — a hypothetical particle used to measure gravity in theoretical quantum physics.

This is remarkable because when it comes to creating an unifying theory, gravity is the problem child out of the four fundamental forces of nature. Kalb remarked that it refuses to quantify, and it doesn’t cooperate, refusing to be wrangled into the same formula as the other forces.

Kalb went on to explain the thought behind the search for a unifying theory. 3.8 billion years ago everything was so close together, so hot, that there was only space enough for one force. That one force then split into the four forces sometime when the universe expanded and cooled down.

Kalb admitted there was no firsthand evidence that the four forces were ever once one force just as unabashedly as he admitted string theory is not yet a mature theory, and not yet experimentally verified.

Due to the theory’s infancy, it is rare for it to be academically offered to undergraduates who appreciated the series as “a window into the state of modern theoretical physics,” according to Chris Lovenduski, a sophomore physics major who attended the seminar.

Kalb listed nine possible predictions string theory could make.

One problematic contingency was that there would have to be either 10 or 26 spatial dimensions for string theory to be plausible.

Another contender for what could eventually lead to a unifying theory, the standard model, is not flawless either. It has approximately 20 unidentified parameters, while string theory has one identified parameter of minimum string length.

With those unidentified parameters, Kalb joked that four of them could be an elephant, and with the fifth parameter, you can twist the trunk of the elephant, emphasizing how drastically the theory could change due to the missing factors.

Though neither theory is close to unifying all of physical phenomena,

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

there is a pattern with ground breaking theories and the important scientists, like James Clerk Maxwell, Albert Einstein, or Isaac Newton, that make them.

These scientists unite together seemingly disparate parts of science from clouds to black holes and allow for accurate predictions of the universe by building on top of each other’s theories.

Science is an ongoing process, and the most important takeaway from this seminar for Lovenduski was that “the unification of all physical observations is not some defined moment.”

“String theory might be the next step in revising existing theories to fit more physical observations,” Lovenduski said, “but if proven correct, it will not be the end of the line for theoretical physicists.”

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September 20, 2017 The Signal page 7

Nation & W rld

Mexico endures strongest earthquake in centuries

By Miguel Gonzalez Sports Editor

An 8.1 magnitude earthquake impacted off the coast of Chiapas, Mexico, on Thursday, Sept. 8, at midnight, killing 98 people, according to The Guardian.

The Mexican southern states Chiapas and Oaxaca endured most of the devastation. The states have a combined total population of nine million people and are the most impoverished areas in Mexico, according to CNN. Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat stated that 76 people died and 11,000 homes were destroyed or damaged in Oaxaca. At the same time, approximately 5,000 homes were destroyed in Chiapas, according to The Washington Post.

The earthquake’s impact reached as far as Mexico City, where lamp posts and the Angel of Independence monument shook, according to The New York Times.

The United States Geological Survey reported at least six aftershocks exceeding 5.0 in magnitude. During the initial impact, around 1.85 million homes lost power, but 74 percent of them were restored within

hours, according to CNN. “The power of this earthquake was devastating, but we are certain that the power of unity, the power of solidarity and the power of shared responsibility will be greater,” said Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto as he declared three days of mourning on Friday, Sept. 8, according to the Los Angeles Times.

As a result of the earthquake’s damage, Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department

announced that Mexico will be withdrawing aid for Houston, according to ABC. “Given this situation, the Mexican government will channel all available logistical support to the families and communities that have been affected in Mexico and has informed the Texas and U.S. governments that, unfortunately, on this occasion, it won’t be possible to provide the assistance originally offered,” Mexico’s foreign ministry

Soldiers remove rubble from a partially collapsed municipal building.

AP Photo

announced, according to Politico. “This decision is due to the fact that conditions in both countries have changed and that Texas’s need for assistance has fortunately diminished.”

Mexico has not endured a harder earthquake since the 1985 earthquake that rippled Mexico City, according to The New York Times.

The earthquake killed at least 9,500 people, injured 30,000 people, and caused $4 million in infrastructure damage in Mexico City, according to LiveScience.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump offered condolences one week after the earthquake hit and blamed poor phone reception for his timing.

“Spoke to President of Mexico to give condolences on terrible earthquake,” Trump tweeted on Thursday, Sept. 14. “Unable to reach for 3 days b/c of his cell phone reception at site.”

On Saturday, Sept. 9, category one storm Hurricane Katia landed on the coast of Veracruz, Mexico, and killed two people. The Los Angeles Times reported that Hurricane Katia slowed down relief efforts for Chiapas and Oaxaca.

Trump temporarily keeps DACA after deal with Dems

By Heidi Cho Nation & World Editor

President Donald Trump decided not to terminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Thursday, Sept. 14, temporarily, according to The New York Times.

This decision also hits close to home, as approximately 12 of those DACA beneficiaries are on campus, according to an email from the College’s President R. Barbara Gitenstein.

Gitenstein addressed the campus community stating the point of view she held on the subject since last fall.

She reiterated her support for the “dreamers” on campus and her hope for them to stay legally, and that she would continue advocacy for the cause in the email.

The New York Times reported that former President Obama signed an executive action able to protect minors illegally brought to America from deportation, and

with the appropriate papers, study and work in the United States as well. DACA beneficiaries are also called dreamers.

Trump ordered that DACA end on Sept. 5, under extra pressure from the threat of a lawsuit by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent in June 2017. The letter was cosigned by officials from 10 other states, according to USA Today.

The New York Times reported the rationale of Trump and Attorney Jeff Sessions for behind the termination was the concern for “the millions of Americans victimized by this unfair system” that gave jobs to illegal aliens over Americans.

This decision would impact more than 750,000 dreamers across the nation who used DACA to “have received work permits and deportation relief,” according to the Pew Research Center.

Others showed their support for the dreamers by protesting in front of the White House and the

Justice Department soon after the announcement was made, according to The New York Times.

Sixteen democratic and nonpartisan state attorneys came together on Sept. 6 to file a suit.

The suit had five parts depicting the unconstitutionality of Trump’s decision. The lawyers made sure to point out the discriminatory nature of the decision against Hispanic and Latino people comprising most of the DACA recipients, according to CNN. Trump rescinded his decision to terminate the program on Sept. 14 over dinner with Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Nancy Pelosi. DACA was to be brought back in exchange for approval of better border security, excluding the wall, according to The New York Times.

The College’s interim vice president for student affairs, Angela Lauer Chong, emailed the campus community on Friday, Sept. 15, to

reiterate the recent announcement of changes to the DACA program.

According to the College’s additional sources on DACA, the federal government will only accept renewal applications for eligible DACA beneficiaries through

Oct. 5, 2017.

In response to the reinstatement of DACA, Trump supporters publicized their criticism over the action by posting videos of burning their “make America great again” hats, according to CNN.

AP Photo

DACA advocates protest outside of an immigration office.

Florida weathers wind and water from Hurricane Irma Bay, Florida area during the evening of Sept. 10, according to The New York Times.

Hurricane Irma has started heading north since early Sept. 10. As the eye gets closer, it will only get more dangerous as it is accompanied by a deadly storm surge, according to The Washington Post.

CNBC reported that Hurricane Irma spanned the west coast from Tampa to St. Petersburg, Florida.

Hurricane Irma made its first landfall on Sept. 10, at 9:10 a.m. at Cudjoe Key. The storm was moving at eight miles per hour, while winds blew close to 130 miles per hour. The second landfall occurred at Marco Island at 3:35 p.m. the same day, according to The Washington Post.

Tampa was hit the same Sunday late in the night.

The wind reached up to 100 miles per hour, according AP Photo to The New York Times.

A homeowner looks at the remains of his trailer.

St. Petersburg was hit with wind gusts up to 60 miles

By Joanne Kim per hour on Sept. 10 as well, according to The Times.

Correspondent Irma’s maximum sustained wind speed was 185 miles per hour. It came close to breaking the record set Hurricane Irma is coming close to causing destruc- by Hurricane Allen with wind speeds up to 190 miles tion to Florida, Georgia and other states in its path. The per hour, according to The Washington Post. winds from Irma started coming down on the Tampa Hurricane Irma did break West Palm Beach’s rain

record of 3 inches set in 1904 by an additional 1.18 inches however, according to Palm Beach Post.

Because of the heavy damage, 4.4 million Florida Power and Light customers were without power as of Sept. 13, according to NPR. Victims may be without electricity for days or weeks, relying solely on phone battery to stay updated on the storm, according to The Times.

Due to the storm, more than 5 million people were trying to find a place to live as of Sept. 11, according to The Washington Post.

The American Red Cross, Airbnb and Unicef were collecting donations for the victims of Hurricane Irma as of Sept. 11, according to NJ.com.

Recommended donations are water, non-perishable food, toiletries and cleaning supplies, according to the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

To help low income families in the path of Irma, the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services made food stamps available before schedule. Georgian recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can access September benefits through electronics benefits transfer cards as of Sept. 11, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

page 8 The Signal September 20, 2017

Exploring the Obesity Epidemic: How Did We Get Here?

Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017 • 5:00 pm • Mayo Concert Hall

Dr. Todd Hobbs

Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Novo Nordisk in North America The first of four lectures in the 2017-2018 TCNJ-Novo Nordisk Lecture Series on the theme:

Understanding Obesity: A Multidisciplinary Challenge

Presented by Novo Nordisk and TCNJ’s School of Science; School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science; and School of Business

For more information, visit tcnj.edu/obesity

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 9

Editorial

Students should not be afraid to make mistakes Last year, I gave up on making my dorm feel like home. Cinder block walls on the 10th floor of a crowded, sweltering tower can only feel so welcoming. This year, perhaps inspired by spending the summer interning with interior designers, I decided to make an effort to decorate my room in a way that would actually make it feel like home.

After I tasked my family with making sure my bulletin boards were evenly spaced on the wall, I spent the morning of move-in day carefully pinning up pictures of smiling faces from beach trips, concerts and memories of a time without deadlines and homework. I also decided to mix up the pictures of friends and family with some of my favorite quotes. Right above my pillow, I pinned my favorite phrase: “better an oops than a what if.”

Taking a leap of faith sounds exciting until you consider what it is that you need to leap over.

As much as taking a chance can lead to something great, there is also the potential to be burned by negative consequences. I try my best to not let the fear of being hurt by a decision I make inhibit my ability to take a risk. But I’m human — and that makes it almost impossible to not be afraid to take a chance.

I keep the quote on my bulletin board to remind myself that sometimes the worst consequence that can come from deciding to take a chance is to not take the chance itself. But as much as I try to follow the quote’s advice, I still sometimes find myself being held back by wondering what other people will think or the embarrassment of making a mistake.

But it’s these mistakes, these “oops” moments, that help us grow. I would not be who I am today without the mistakes I have made. Submitting my first article to The Signal riddled with errors taught me how to follow a certain style and be receptive to edits. Tripping in the 5-inch heels I decided to wear to my prom taught me to embrace my stature and stop trying so hard to look like everyone else.

Was I afraid to make these mistakes? Of course. I read over my first submission to The Signal more times than I re-watched “Snow White” as a child… which is an excessive, borderline obsessive, amount. I painstakingly scrutinized my prom dress and accessories so much that I became a slave to analyzing everyone else’s choices to make sure that I would blend in when we took pictures.

No matter how hard I tried to prevent myself from making these mistakes, I still made them. My article had errors. I tripped on the uneven pavement outside of my friend’s house. But, I wouldn’t change the way either of these events happened. If I had let fear get to me, and let these moments stay as a “what if,” I would not be writing this today.

“Oops” moments are just about the most unpleasant feeling on the planet. They’re full of embarrassment, regret and wanting to pretend they never happened. Although the feeling of making a mistake may be painful, it’s worth it. Fear is one of the worst reasons to miss out on doing something great. That’s why at the end of every day, I remind myself that “oops” moments may not be fun, but they are certainly better than missing out on taking a chance.

— Michelle Lampariello 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.

Photo courtesy of Marina Marshall

Stepping outside one’s comfort zone is the best way to gain life experience.

Correction

tcnjsignal.net Email: signal@tcnj.edu Telephone: Production Room (609) 771-2424 Business Office (609) 771-2499 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu

Editorial Staff Connor Smith Editor-in-Chief smithc57@tcnj.edu Thomas Infante Alyssa Gautieri Managing Editors infantt1@tcnj.edu gautiea3@tcnj.edu Michelle Lampariello News Editor lamparm2@tcnj.edu Maximillian C. Burgos Miguel Gonzalez Sports Editors burgosm2@tcnj.edu gonzam23@tcnj.edu Ashton Leber Features Editor lebera1@tcnj.edu Elizabeth Zakaim Arts & Entertainment Editor zakaime1@tcnj.edu Brielle Bryan Opinions Editor bryanb2@tcnj.edu Kim Iannarone Jason Proleika Photo Editors

Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Forcina Hall The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 iannark1@tcnj.edu proleij1@tcnj.edu Heidi Cho Nation & World Editor choh2@tcnj.edu Lily Firth Review Editor firthl1@tcnj.edu Eric Preisler Production Manager preisle1@tcnj.edu Kyle Elphick Web Editor elphick1@tcnj.edu Danielle Silvia Maddi Ference Social Media Editors silviad2@tcnj.edu ferencm2@tcnj.edu

In an article published last week entitled “Biennial IMM exhibit showcases faculty art,” it was mistakenly referred to as an IMM showcase when it was presented by the art department.

Quotes of the Week “I think having all the animals around is a great way to destress after coming back to school. I like the bunnies the best and the ducks were really cool, too.”

— Kelly Ganning, a junior graphic design major.

Emilie Lounsberry Adviser lounsber@tcnj.edu Thomas Munnia Business/Ad Manager tmunnia@gmail.com

page 10 The Signal September 20, 2017

Opinions

Cinema inspires students to pursue their passions

By Darian Scalamoni

Autumn is my favorite time of the year for many reasons, which includes preparing for the holidays and celebrating my birthday. But the biggest reason I enjoy fall is because it is also Oscar season, a period of time in which Hollywood studios releases their most critically-acclaimed films of the year.

One of the most prestigious filmmakers of our time, Guillermo del Toro — most famous for being at the helm of “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “Hellboy” — had something to say to the audience at the Venice Film Festival. Within the closing moments of the festival, del Toro won the Golden Lion award, which is Italy’s equivalent to the Academy Awards for Best Picture.

“I believe in life. I believe in love. And I believe in cinema,” del Toro said as he accepted the award.

When I first read this quote on my Twitter timeline, I thought that it was such a nice thing to say. As the days went by, I began to think of the impact and importance of del Toro’s quote. I realized that his quote not only applies to young filmmakers, but to everyone.

We currently live in a society where tragedy and natural disasters can take over our lives. In times of trouble, it’s important to remember that love and

Del Toro motivates the audience at the Venice Film Festival. happiness are the building blocks of society. Every now and again we must separate ourselves from real life through creative outlets and storytelling.

Through my own personal experiences with depression and anxiety, as well as my eight years of education as a film student, I can honestly say that art is a blessing. Whether art is expressed through music, painting, drawing, photography, poetry, movies or television, all forms of art serve the same purpose — to inspire millions of people.

The simple three sentence quote by

AP Photo

del Toro has truly summed up the importance of cinema in our lives. Cinema can educate us on ourselves and others, teach us about love and happiness and give us a deeper understanding of life itself. Cinema is a reflection of what we have achieved, wish to achieve and will achieve in the future.

Depending on how you look at it, cinema can be a thriving business or a dying business. While ticket prices for movie theaters go up, and more streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu begin to build ground, the once normal

theater watching experience is beginning to diminish rather quickly. Binging television shows has become a national pastime that many thought was only done by college students. However, a poll conducted in March 2016 revealed that 70 percent of Americans bingewatch television shows, averaging five episodes per marathon session, according to Variety.

Whether we’re watching a movie in theaters or streaming it on our laptops, there is always a lesson that viewers can learn.

Film is a form of expression that helps us open our own eyes to what we are passionate about, as well as what is hurting us in our personal lives. Film is an easy way for us to connect and relate to other people who come from different backgrounds, cultures and upbringings. Film helps us piece together our lives in ways that we never thought would be imaginable.

When we’re feeling down about things that might be going on in the world around us, or in our personal lives, we must think about the three things that del Toro believes in: life — the thing that keeps us breathing, motivated and fighting for what we’re passionate about; love — the burning sensation in our gut that we can truly get for only a handful of people; cinema — stories that make us laugh, cry and feel certain emotions that will stick with us forever.

DACA’s near-recision causes concern among students

Students defend young immigrants by supporting DACA.

By Megan Smith The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a policy from the Obama presidency focused on helping illegal young undocumented immigrants. The goal of DACA is to provide working permits and protect undocumented immigrants from deportation. On Sept. 5, the Trump Administration made the nonsensical decision to rescind DACA, according to the New York Times.

DACA provides opportunities for nearly 800,000 individuals, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Everyone who applies to DACA

AP Photo

has to go through a tedious process of proving who they are in order to feel safe from the chance of being deported. The requirements to be eligible for DACA include the applicant to either be in high school, have graduated from high school or have their GED. The applicant must also be able to prove that he or she has continuously lived in the United States since June 15, 2007 and is under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012, among many other requirements, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

One of the most significant requirements, in order to be approved for DACA, is that an

applicant must have committed no felonies or serious misdemeanors, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

This means that everyone approved for DACA is not a threat to society and abides by the law.

By ending DACA, the country would have been effectively hurting thousands of innocent children and adults whose only offense is assimilating into American society without having been born in the United States. On Sept. 14, the Trump Administration went back on its decision to end DACA, according to the New York Times. It is absurd that the Trump Administration was willing to end a program that has done nothing to put the United States in harm’s way.

The worst part about the decision to end DACA is that there was no replacement plan.

The Trump Administration was willing to leave it entirely up to Congress to devise a backup plan within six months, according to Fox News. DACA was put into place by executive action, which means that Congress played no role in crafting

the policy, according to USA Today. Congress has failed to pass any significant legislation to help the undocumented population — one of its most notable failures being the DREAM Act. By leaving the decision up to Congress, Trump forgoed any viable immigration plan to put in place of DACA. I cannot help but wonder why the Trump Administration felt that it was acceptable to leave the futures of 800,000 people up in the air. Beneficiaries of DACA have become contributing members of society by paying taxes and paying into government social programs,

not collecting any benefits such as social security and medicaid or medicare. Many DACA beneficiaries have been here since they were children, and to deport those who are as much of a U.S. citizen as we are would be inhumane.

The decision to end DACA would have caused a lot of damage. Although we won this round, the fight is not over. I encourage everyone to take time out of their day and call up their U.S. representative, and speak out on this issue. The 800,000 individuals relying on DACA deserve a chance to continue living in the United States without fear.

AP Photo

Trump insists Congress should be responsible for immigration.

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 email 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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September 20, 2017 The Signal page 11

Students share opinions around campus ?”

Brielle Bryan / Opinions Editor

Brielle Bryan / Opinions Editor

Kevin Hurler, a senior physics major.

Brandon Barge, a junior criminology major.

“It’s starting to become a lost art form. It’s not as popular as it once was.”

“It used to be. It doesn’t have as big of an effect as it did in the past.”

“Are you aware of Trump’s original stance on DACA?”

Brielle Bryan / Opinions Editor

Brielle Bryan / Opinions Editor

Juan Carlos Belmonte, a sophomore accounting major.

“Yes, there were service men and women who were protected under DACA and now they’re not.”

Dylan Jonas, a freshman interactive multimedia major.

“Yes, I am aware of his decision.”

The Signal’s cartoons of the week...

page 12 The Signal September 20, 2017

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 13

Features

Animals / CUB makes Friday ‘Hump Day’

Randell Carrido / Staff Photographer

Left: Students pet animals on their way to class. Right: CUB’s event has a stellar turnout. continued from page 1 way to destress from classes, she said, “Heck yeah. I love animals so much. It’s making me so happy.”

She wasn’t alone. Kelly Ganning, a junior graphic design major, said, “I think having all the animals around is a great way to destress after coming back to school. I like the bunnies the best and the ducks were really cool, too.”

Seana Cleary, a freshman nursing major, was glad she came across the event on her walk through campus.

“I saw a sign, and I love animals, so I came,” Cleary said.

Clearly also loved “the fact that there’s food so you can feed them.”

The petting zoo wasn’t the reason for the huge crowd –– there was also a raffle for a large stuffed animal giraffe. It is the first raffle to be done at a Zooner event, according to the CUB members running the raffle.

Many people entered to win the giraffe, including Chloe Yelle, a senior urban education and English double major.

“I need more stuffed animals in my room,” Yelle said.

“Don’t have a large giraffe yet, so I think it would be a good addition. And it’s adorable.”

In addition to the petting zoo and the raffle, attendees could try to ride a mechanical bull. This was no easy task, and several students struggled to get onto the bull.

Some students did rather well, such as Zachary Russell, a freshman mechanical engineering major, who lasted an impressive 56 seconds on the bull.

“It was a tough one, it took a lot of effort, but in the end, it got me,” Russell said. “It was a good run, though.”

Students get a taste of Asian cuisine and culture

By Gabriella Parracho Correspondent Asian Culture Night helped break down stereotypical barriers, where students gathered in the Brower Student Center on Tuesday, Sept. 12, to try new food, enjoy cultural performances and learn about the various organizations that make up the College’s Asian community.

TCNJ Barkada, the Filipino student association on campus, hosted the event. Other organizations involved included the Asian American Association, Chinese Students Association and Korean Students Association.

Nicole Bulawin, a sophomore nursing major and vice president of Barkada, said the purpose of the organization is to “represent the Filipino culture and share it with everyone on campus.”

According to Barkada’s mission statement on Facebook, the organization “(promotes) greater recognition and awareness of

the Filipino culture, history, and heritage to the TCNJ community.”

Not only does the club promote the Filipino heritage, but it also focuses on creating meaningful friendships amongst its members.

“Barkada in Tagalog, one of the Filipino dialects, means ‘a group of friends,’” said Joseph Ballesteros, external affairs vice president of Barkada and a junior nursing major. “Barkada serves as an important place for Filipinos to gather. You find people who grew up with similar and even different experiences.”

Even students who are not of Asian descent are invited to join Barkada and other Asian organizations at the College.

“It’s a place for people that are not Filipino to come and learn about our culture and find a new family on campus,” Ballesteros said.

Alyssa Jackson, a junior communications studies major, is a member of Barkada who is not of Filipino descent. She

Emily Lo / Staff Photographer

Students seek new opportunities within the Asian communities.

Aikido promotes the use of peaceful self defense. agreed that she felt accepted and included by the club.

“The people here are really fun, I feel like I really found my family in this club,” she said.

The Chinese Students Association was also at the event offering a variety of food and its dance ensemble, Dragonflies.

Hubert Hsu, a senior nursing major and vice president of CSA, was enthusiastic to discuss the organization’s mission and what the night meant to the club.

“We enjoy working with other cultural clubs, especially like Barkada,” Hsu said.

“We do events like this to spread awareness of our cultures and we want our members to intergrade with members of other cultures.”

Hsu added that CSA hosts several events throughout the course of the year such as CSAT House and Chinese New Year to spread the organization and Chinese heritage

Emily Lo / Staff Photographer

around campus.

Kokikai Aikido, another organization present, promotes using self defense peacefully. According to the club’s profile on Lion’s Gate, its goal is to “equip the community with self defense skills, as well as confidence, personal understanding, positive attitude and a respect for others through martial arts.”

Alena Osborn, a junior biology major and member of Kokikai Aikido, explained the positive impact that club has made in her life.

“What we learn in class is also very applicable to everyday life,” Osborn said.

“One of the points we learn in class is one body one mind, it’s about maintaining balance in your own life as well.”

Asian Culture Night showcased a variety of performances that brought together both the College’s Asian community and students wanting to learn more about the culture.

page 14 The Signal September 20, 2017

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 15

New wizards sorted into Hogwarts housing

Students are initiated into the club with a sorting hat.

By Viktoria Ristanovic Correspondent

Attending Hogwarts, casting wizard spells and competing in “Harry Potter” themed activities has become a magical reality for students at the College.

The Order of the Nose-Biting Teacups, the “Harry Potter” club on campus, hosted its annual sorting ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 12, in Trenton Hall.

Miguel Gonzalez / Sports Editor

The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as new members were placed into their Hogwarts houses as an initiation to the organization.

During the ceremony, members were called to the front of the room, seated in a chair and had an authentic “Harry Potter” wizard hat placed upon their head.

Each member was then called into one of the four houses — Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin, according

to Anna Chervinsky, the club’s publicist and a junior technology engineering and education double major.

Chervinsky, who is a member of the Hufflepuff house, said that promoting inclusion is the main purpose of the organization.

“We try to do many mixed meetings and gather all the houses together,” Chervinsky said. “This club has an accounting system.

All the houses each have points that are collected over the year. There’s a victory feast at the end of the year after all the points are gathered.”

According to the club’s website, the Order of the Nose-Biting Teacups is a registered chapter of the Harry Potter Alliance, an “international nonprofit with a goal to advocate worldwide for education, literacy and LGBTQAI+ rights.”

The president of the organization, Kelly Bobchin, a senior psychology major and Ravenclaw, discussed how accepting the club is to new members and the lifelong friendships formed with one another.

“It makes it easier for more nervous people to reach out and make friends,” she said. “Almost all of my friends in college are from this club, you meet really cool people through it.”

With the stress of school, exams and quizzes, students find the club to be an escape from reality.

“It’s a very welcoming environment and something nice to look forward to after class,” said Maria Degenova, a sophomore fine arts major.

Other members chimed in with their opinions and stories of the club.

Em Triolo, a junior biomedical engineering major, described herself as the ultimate “Harry Potter” fan growing up.

“I was super into ‘Harry Potter’ in middle school and I came here and found this club. I joined it because it was a way for me to meet friends,” she said.

The club meets every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., and incorporates several activities for its members to enjoy, including themed scavenger hunts, movie nights, craft night, potions night, improv night, and a grand Yule Ball — which is an elaborate dinner held on Christmas night of a tournament year in the “Harry Potter” books — during the holiday season.

“We invite other clubs to join us for the events we plan out,” Chervinsky said.

“Last year, we teamed up with the swing club for the Yule Ball.”

From die-hard “potterheads” to anyone who’s dipped their toes into the wizard world, The Order of the Nose-Biting Teacups is always looking to share its beloved wizarding world with a new class of students at the College.

Armenian Assembly of America hires intern College student works with government leaders

Left: Bekarian works with various representatives. Right: Making connections is crucial for future employment.

By Jennifer Goetz Staff Writer

Internships can serve as a valuable learning tool for college students, but not all of them provide the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on Capitol Hill alongside our nation’s leaders.

This past summer, a student from the College traveled to Washington D.C. to partake in the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly Internship Program at the Armenian Assembly of America.

Shant Bekarian, a senior psychology major, was one of 14 college students selected to spend eight weeks learning about the policy-making process in the nation’s capital.

The organization has helped more than 1,000 participants learn in-depth about their Armenian heritage while finding careers in D.C. such as in congressional offices, government agencies and media

outlets, according to the Armenian Assembly of America’s website.

The internship involved several office tasks, researching and writing memos, and other responsibilities.

“One special aspect of the Terjenian-Thomas Assembly internship is the alumni who visit the interns and share their own experiences and advice,” said Danielle Saroyan, public affairs associate at the Armenian Assembly of America.

The Armenian Assembly of America states that the internship program is open to all college students of Armenian descent. After securing the internship, students are given responsibilities and tasks that coincide with their education level and performance ability.

Joseph Piatt, the internship program director, said that it is important in providing students with real-world experience and creating future leaders for the ArmenianAmerican community.

“We do this particular program

to develop the next generation of leaders and build our contacts in D.C. through positive work and connection,” Piatt said.

During his time with the Armenian Assembly, Bekarian spent six weeks interning at the Office of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic with representative Robert Avedisyan.

Bekarian also had the opportunity to work on Capitol Hill with representatives Jackie Speier, D-Calif., and Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis. “I got a huge insight into the U.S. political system and how politicians think,” Bekarian said.

Some of the additional activities included meeting with senators and other government leaders in their offices in Capitol Hill.

In those meetings, interns could talk to America’s elected officials about current events and topics that are important to the ArmenianAmerican community.

“Lecture Series” were also offered as a part of the internship

program for students to ignite discussion about Armenian-American issues and what can be done to resolve them.

“Here at the Armenian Assembly, we advocate year-round promoting public awareness of Armenian issues, including national reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, foreign aid to Armenia and Artsakh, and a peaceful resolution to Azerbaijan’s aggressions against the citizens of Artsakh,” Saroyan said.

According to the Armenian Assembly of America, its main objective is to “secure universal reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide.”

On April 24, 1915, the Young Turk government organized the genocide of Armenians from the Ottoman Empire.

The Armenian Assembly of America states the genocide lasted from 1915 to 1923, and “resulted in the deportation of nearly 2,000,000 Armenians, of whom

Photos courtesy of Shant Bekarian

1,500,000 men, women, and children were killed.” “(The Armenian Assembly) wants to get the Armenian genocide recognized in the U.S.,” Bekarian said.

One of Bekarian’s many assignments was to make a digital copy to preserve the information about the genocide.

Although working an unpaid internship isn’t always ideal, Bekarian said that his experience made everything worth it in the end.

“My roots play a huge role in my life,” he said. “My strong ties to the Armenian community are why I decided to take an unpaid role in D.C.” As he took on new challenges, learned about U.S. policies and fought for change, Bekarian was able to gain a new perspective.

“Working for a non-profit really opens yours eyes, and you see a really humane side of people. People really looking to make a change,” he said.

page 16 The Signal September 20, 2017

: N o v . ‘ 01

Campus Style

Flu vaccines in high demand

Ashton Leber / Features Editor

The College community shares concerns about the influenza virus.

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

The flu returns to campus year after year, impacting the students, faculty and staff of the College community. With vaccinations in high demand for prime cold and flu season, the College’s Student Health Services held a flu shot clinic last week. There will be another clinic open for all members of the College to get protection from the influenza virus next week on Sept. 28. In 2001, flu vaccinations were overwhelmingly popular, as the annual flu shot clinic sold out of all 300 of its vaccines. Because the flu spreads like rampant wildfire, students should take necessary precautions to prevent the illness from taking over their immune system and ability to attend class.

The College saw an increased demand for the flu shot this fall when all 300 of the vaccinations available at last Tuesday’s annual clinic sold out.

“I never saw people respond as fast as they did this year,” said Marilyn Bowers, a registered nurse who worked at the clinic held in the Student Center from 12 until 3 p.m. “People were waiting even before (the clinic opened).”

Bowers attributes the high demand to recent reports of possible vaccination shortages and an increased awareness of public health in light of the anthrax scare.

“Getting the vaccine may make people feel safer,” said Bowers.

Early anthrax warning signs are very

similar to flu symptoms, according to Holly Heller, nurse practitioner.

Heller said, however, that the College does not face any real risk of anthrax exposure. “(People at the College) are very concerned about their health right now, but they are not at risk. The most important things is to not overreact,” said Heller.

The Center for Disease Control said that the public might actually be at risk for anthrax exposure now that people who hold neither governmental or postal worker positions were diagnosed last week.

Opening mail may pose a risk of getting anthrax, according to Jeffrey Koplan, director of the CDC. “The risk isn’t zero. It’s very, very small, but we can’t say it’s zero,” said Koplan.

Some faculty, staff and students said the recent CDC warnings and calls for increased health awareness affected their decision to get the flu vaccination.

Barbara Urcinas, a graduate elementary education major said that the anthrax scare was one element that affected her decision to get the vaccination.

“The CDC said anthrax has flu-like symptoms,” said Urcinas. “So if I develop symptoms, I’ll know its not the flu and will have ruled out that uncertainty. It sets my mind at ease.”

Paul Stephens, of the office of global programs, said reports of a heavy flu season prompted, him to get the vaccination this year.

The Culinary Club Presents...

Lions Plate

By Julia Dzurillay Columnist

Living away from home all on your own at school can be difficult, especially when it comes time to prepare dinner.

I especially miss my mother’s home-cooked meals every time I bite into a cheese sandwich or soggy french fry. With limited dining options and home-style cooking scarce, it’s a challenge to uphold a fulfilling diet as a student living away from home.

Luckily, this quick and easy recipe is here to help solve your cooking problems. If you’re craving something sour, sweet and refreshing, try Mom on Time Out’s recipe for microwavable lemon bars conveniently made in your dorm room microwave. Within an hour, you’ll be remembering all the foods, flavors and feelings of home — just in time to finish that essay you forgot is due.

Flickr

Left: Sandals paired with distressed jeans create a trendy fall look.

Right: T-shirt dresses can be both casual and formal.

By Lexy Yulich Columnist

With the leaves beginning to change colors, the aroma of pumpkin fills the air. From pumpkin infused drinks to scented candles, it’s impossible to escape the autumnal vibes that are about to hit campus.

But, before you start swapping your summer dresses and sandals for sweaters and boots, I have some advice when it comes to transitioning your wardrobe. Instead of purchasing new fall items, these summer pieces can be transformed to create an effortless fall look. The best part is, you probably already have these fashion staples in your closet.

Denim Skirts: There’s no need to pack away your favorite denim skirts just yet. Instead of pairing that chic skirt with a bodysuit, pair it with a warm-toned shirt and a cardigan. For shoes, break in the booties early and add a gold dainty necklace for an accent.

Crop-style Tops: My favorite fall item is a classic army green utility jacket from Lucky Brand.

It’s warm, trendy and gives off major fall vibes. Pair a bomber jacket, faux leather

jacket or distressed denim jacket with your summer crop-style top to keep in style this fall.

Jeans: You can take your distressed boyfriend or skinny jeans into fall by adding a sweater and throwing on a pair of sandals. A light flowy shirt also goes great with a warm cardigan and knee ripped jeans for an edgier look.

T-shirt Dresses: T-shirt dresses are soft, comfortable and a cute wardrobe necessity. Throw on your favorite T-shirt dress with a long cardigan and cute sneakers for the perfect fall everyday look.

Ankle Cropped Pants: Transition your summer internship clothing into the next season with ankle cropped pants and a closed toed heel. Grab a blazer to throw over your short sleeved blouse and you’re ready to go.

Dresses: Don’t forget about your summer dresses, they can easily be styled with a blazer or swapped with a fun leather jacket for office to nighttime attire.

: Zestful lemon bars

Zest of 1 lemon Ingredients (For Filling): 1 cup of granulated sugar Zest of 2 lemons 3 large eggs 1/3 cup of lemon juice 1 tbsp of flour 1/2 tsp of baking powder 1/2 tsp of salt

Serving size: 25 lemon bars

Directions (For Crust): 1. Use butter to lightly grease a 9x9 inch microwave-safe baking dish.

2. Whisk flour, sugar and lemon zest together in dish.

3. Stir in melted butter to create the crust.

4. Press crust into the prepared baking dish.

5. Microwave for three minutes, or until crust is firm.

6. Set aside and prepare filling.

Ingredients (For Crust): 1 cup of flour 3 tbsps of powdered sugar 6 tbsps of melted butter

Directions (For Filling): 1. Beat together sugar, lemon zest, eggs and lemon juice.

2. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Continue beating for 2-3 minutes.

3. Pour the filling over the crust and microwave for three minutes. Filling should be set with a little jiggle. If it hasn’t set, microwave for an additional minute.

4. Refrigerate the lemon bars for several hours, or overnight.

5. Cut into squares, dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle additional lemon zest for flavor.

6. Keep refrigerated.

7. Enjoy!

Powdered sugar makes for a tasty topping.

Flickr

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 17

Arts & Entertainment

Old Gray draws crowd for CUB Alt show

Jason Proleika / Photo Editor

Left: Boucher screams passionately as Old Gray dominates the stage. Right: Heart Attack Man engages the audience with their emotional indie rock sound.

By Raquel Sosa Correspondent

Three bands took the stage in the Brower Student Center this week — Downer, Heart Attack Man and headlining band Old Gray.

CUB Alt’s third concert in their series started off in true alternative rock band fashion — loud.

Earplugs were seen on those who knew to bring them, and those who didn’t experienced the concert raw.

Hailing from local Tabernacle, New Jersey, Downer opened the event with a bang. The lead vocalist, Josh O’Hara, reached higher registers than one would expect for an alternative metal band.

The audience seemed to identify with some of Downer’s more raw themes, such as battling depression and internal struggle. Music fan Kenny Byles also acknowledged his vocal range, which soared to extreme highs and ignited the audience.

“I’ve never seen Downer before. The lead singer’s vocal range is crazy,” she said.

The lights came out when Heart Attack Man took the

stage next. Green neon signs that read, “Heart Attack Man” and “The Manson Family” and bathed room 100W in a soft green glow.

Once Heart Attack Man began to set up, it was apparent that the audience would be in for a “different indie vibe,” as described by audience member Gabby Fils-Aime, a freshman at Rider University.

The first three songs the two band members, Eric Egan and Adam Paduch, performed left the audience buzzing.

“It’s sort of haunting,” said Ashley Sweeny, an avid follower of the band, who traveled to the College to see the show.

The track that gained the most reaction from the audience was the band’s song, “The Manson Family.” The crowd swayed with feeling in typical indie fashion.

Topping off the night was the much anticipated Old Gray.

Audience members seemed to resonate with this band, as the crowd grew more and more anxious by the moment.

A few fans followed the band’s lead singer, who plays in another pop punk band named Sorority Noise.

As the show progressed, the crowd grew, seemingly unaffected by the sheer volume of each performance.

Lead vocalist, Cameron Boucher, showcased his own vocal capacity in “Everything is in Your Hands,” an emotionally driven song. The song’s closing lyrics, “I can haunt you too if you want me to,” stuck with the band’s last chord of the night.

The audience diversified as the night drew on, many coming from all over New Jersey to see Old Gray perform.

“It was totally worth the drive,” said Kate Orsini, a sophomore at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

Old Gray intoxicated the crowd with mesmerizing and lyrics that alluded to depression and self loathing that many could empathize with. Their song, “Razor Blade,” caught the attention of many with lyrics about a suicidal friend in desperate need of help.

By the middle of the night, there was no question that Old Gray was a great hit within the rock and indie-loving niche in this community. The sheer volume of these bands was not the only aspect heard outside of Brower, as many outsiders piled in to see their favorite bands play.

“It’s really poetic,” audience member Adam Charles IV said. “A lot of people here came from other place.

Old Gray is universal like that.”

Rhett’s record rings with classic country sound

Rhett’s relationship with his wife inspires his lyrics.

By Sabrina Axelrod Staff Writer

Country superstar Thomas Rhett dropped his third studio album, “Life Changes,” on Sept. 8. The album takes fans on a journey through Rhett’s personal and professional life.

Similar to his past hits, the album focuses on

Universal Music

his love for his wife, Lauren.

Fans have taken to Twitter to express their love for their favorite artist upon hearing the new album.

“Do guys love girls like Thomas Rhett loves his wife or is he the only one in the world like that,” and, “If Thomas Rhett’s music doesn’t make you want to love a girl

with all your heart then there’s somethinwrong with you.”

Rhett begins the album with his hit single featuring Maren Morris, “Craving You.” The song immediately puts listeners in the country mood when the drums begin blasting and Rhett’s southern boy twang reaches its full effect.

Next is “Unforgettable,” another instant Rhett classic. Much like the song, “Get Me Some of That” off of his album “It Goes Like This,” Rhett paints the picture of a special night where he connects with his love.

Describing the night, he sings “Girl, that night was just like you — unforgettable.”

Rhett’s next track, “Sixteen,” was also released as a single prior to the album’s full release.

This track also harks back to the past as Rhett recalls his time learning how to drive, using a fake ID and buying his first legal beer.

While every track is about his love, that is not all the album has to offer. “Drink a Little Beer,” is a laid-back song that has all the country basics covered — beer, tan lines and pretty country girls. His father, Rhett Atkins, is also featured in this song.

Rhett Atkins doesn’t sing on this track, but he does speak at the end of the song.

He makes fun of his son, claiming, “I

taught you everything you know son, but not everything I know.”

Another song that veers off the course of his normal theme is “Marry Me” — which has a more depressing tone, talking about not ending up with the one you love. But hey, all his songs can’t describe the bliss of love as he does in “Die A Happy Man.” The following songs, “Leave Right Now,” and “Smooth Like the Summer” are catchy songs, perfect for driving around town with the windows down. Yet, nothing compares to his track, “Life Changes.” This song sums up the meaning of the whole album in just three minutes.

Each verse is about a different stage in his life. In one verse, he sings “I bought a ring and she said I do, but everybody else said man you’re 22 what you tryna prove?”

He continues with, “Hey, why don’t you wait? Cause I’ve been waiting on her since the second grade.” Instant chills.

The following songs through the end are a mix of upbeat and slow tempos but all are of course about love.

“Life Changes” is a fun album with personal messages that perhaps is best summed up in Rhett’s words in the track, “You make your plans then you hear God laughing. Life changes, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

page 18 The Signal September 20, 2017

Center for Student Success

The Center was established to provide students with access to personalized coaching and advisement with the goal of strengthening their academic performance and promoting student retention. The staff is dedicated to the academic success and development of the whole student. CSS also houses the PRIDE Mentoring Program, which is a targeted retention program.

Services Provided: Personalized Academic Coaching - Students can be coached on various academic success skills and techniques to

suit their individual needs. Academic coaching topic examples include; time management, effective reading and note-taking, test taking, academic motivation, and much more!

Supplemental Academic Advising - Serving as a supplement to the Departmental Academic Advisor, CSS can provide resources and support for students seeking guidance in areas such as course selection, transition and major exploration.

Extensive Academic Success Workshops - These workshops teach innovative academic strategies and techniques to assist students with their own unique challenges and experiences.

CSS Fall Workshop Series Wednesdays, 2:00pm-2:50pm, Roscoe West Hall Room 201 Wednesday, September 20, 2017 Time Management

Wednesday, October 18, 2017 Reading & Note Taking Tips

Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Preparing for Presentations

Wednesday, October 4, 2017 Seven Steps to a Successful Semester

Wednesday, November 1, 2017 Goal Setting

Wednesday, November 29, 2017 Preparing for Finals & Test Taking

For more information on the content of these workshops, visit the CSS Lions Gate page.

CSS Peer Advising Coaches Not sure what questions to ask your advisor?

Want help navigating PAWS and departmental websites?

Need clarification on college policies and procedures?

CSS Peer Advising Coaches can help!

Helps students prepare for advising appointments (which supports faculty/staff-advisee relationships) Provides student-focused guidance for scheduling questions, researching programs, and policy/procedure clarification

Peer Advising Coaches will be available during peak advising/registration times!

(No Appointment Necessary!)

Mid-October through Mid-November Location: Roscoe West Hall Lobby PAC@tcnj.edu

pac.pages.tcnj.edu

Roscoe West Hall 131, 609-771-3452 Email: css@tcnj.edu, Website: css.tcnj.edu tcnjcss

facebook.com/tcnjcss

@TCNJ_CSS

For more information on the PRIDE Mentoring Program: Email: mentor@tcnj.edu, Website: css.tcnj.edu/mentoring @TCNJ_PMP tcnj_pmp

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 19

New Foo Fighters album goes for gold

The band’s head-banging record is a tribute to classic rock and roll.

By Nicole Zamlout Correspondent

Foo Fighters, the ’90s postgrunge rock band, released its latest album “Concrete and Gold” and it’s the kind of head banging, guitar screaming and all-around rock album that continues the rock genre’s evolution from the days of KISS, to Dave Grohl’s work in Nirvana and beyond.

The album’s songs contain

themes most rock songs cover — lost love, heartbreak, fond memories of simpler times and a few good middle fingers to ‘the man’.

It’s not one coherent story — it’s more of a collection of snapshots the band is showing us so that we can understand how it got here today.

However, the music and lyrics take these themes and make them new, which is quite a feat.

The lyrics are full of passion and really stick to you.

RCA Records

The music makes you bob your head and rock out, but at the same time, the lyrics make sense and have a lot of meaning.

Music these days is either get up off your seat or sit a minute and reflect, but this album is able to do both seamlessly. The quick pickup of beats is great if you need a song to cheer you up, but the soft moments still give energy and allow for a nice contrast.

It’s good old fashion rock and roll with a new twist – it’s not just

screaming, it allows you to feel something a little different than the music of its predecessors.

It’s this strange combination of calming and powerful that make this album one to listen to.

The little bits of screaming vocals really help punch up the songs and brings attention to the beautiful instrumental tracks.

The guitar and drums bring everything to life as each song unfolds its story into a nonlinear narrative. The music amplifies each emotion until you can’t help but understand what the artist is feeling, which is the integral part of why music is so compelling: it allows us to understand one another.

This album proves that you don’t need a heartbreaking melody to be understood. Music as a whole is a world of understanding.

“Concrete and Gold” is good for anyone who wants a new set of head banging songs.

It’s also a good example as to why this type of music works — no matter what form it takes, it leaves you feeling soothed and heard. This may not be traditionally soothing, but it depends what you’re looking for in a song. The album is full of surprises. So, plug this in and rock right along. After all, who says rock ‘n’ roll can’t soothe the soul?

Brown Bag packs an educational lesson

By Julia Marnin Staff Writer

The College kicked off its Brown Bag Series on Friday, Sept. 15, with alumnus Robert LaPlaca (’06) as the first speaker of the semester.

LaPlaca was a graduate of the interactive multimedia program — before IMM became a department within the school of Arts and Communications. He is now a software engineer at Etsy.

He has also worked for various big name companies including Barnes and Noble, R/GA, Nike, Verizon, Lexus and Pepsi.

While on center stage in Mayo Concert Hall, LaPlaca presented his experiences working in New York City in the last decade. LaPlaca reflected on how his failures geared him toward his successes, and spoke of the insightful knowledge he gained along the way.

Assistant Dean of the School of Arts and Communications James Day introduced

LaPlaca’s lecture, and said he would gladly share “how he learned wisdom from failure and how he left his comfort zone in order to grow.”

For LaPlaca, who previously lived on the Jersey shore, working in the city was completely new for him.

“One day I made a weird decision,” he said of his decision to pursue work in New York City.

LaPlaca began his journey in New York City with many interviews, including his first interview with Barnes and Noble, which did not go as planned.

While he felt really comfortable with his software skills, LaPlaca was thrown a curveball during the interview when he was asked to write difficult code on the spot.

LaPlaca admitted he couldn’t write the code.

Following the interview, he proceeded to study that new skill afterwards.

“What I learned was that interviewing is

LaPlaca’s admirable work ethic contributes to his success.

Jason Proleika / Photo Editor

tough but you have to go for it,” he said. “I’ve tried to adapt and learn from those mistakes.”

Ultimately, the insight LaPlaca gained from interview failures helped him land a job as a software developer at R/GA. A position at R/GA involved having a “broad skill sets,” according to LaPlaca.

While nearly 100 developers at R/GA were flash developers, changes in technology challenged the developers’ pre-existing expertise.

“Things changed because in 2007 the iPhone came out, which didn’t support flash at all, and I wondered how we adapt and what to do,” LaPlaca explained. LaPlace believes in the importance of diversifying one’s skill sets.

“If something is changing, learn to adapt,” he said.

While working at R/GA, LaPlaca’s friend reached out to him regarding a job at Etsy.

“Sometimes opportunities just appear,” he said. “You have to figure out if you’re ready for that.”

Etsy was an opportunity he decided to pursue. During his interview for Etsy, LaPlaca asked to see the job description. Noticing there were various skills listed that he was not wholly familiar with, LaPlaca decided that honesty is the best policy.

LaPlaca shared his concerns with his interviewers, and his honesty was rewarded.

“The people I was talking to said ‘don’t worry about it we’ll teach you,’” he said. “If I didn’t leave my comfort zone, I don’t know what I would be doing right now.”

At Etsy, LaPlaca is on the Maker Innovation Team, specializing in building software. Transitioning into the Q&A portion of the presentation, Assistant Dean Day asked LaPlaca how he viewed his potential career while he was a student at the College.

“I don’t think I had a clear vision,” LaPlaca responded. “I never had a moment where I knew very young.”

Miles Cumiskey, a freshman interactive multimedia major, felt that he benefited from LaPlaca’s presentation.

“I thought (the talk) was really awesome,” he said. “Having speakers that create things and do code in this new age is really important for IMM majors.”

This week, WTSR Assistant Music Director EJ Paras highlights some of the best new music that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.

Band Name: Tigers Jaw Album Title: “spin” Release Number: 4th Hailing From: Scranton, Pennsylvania Genre: Alternative Rock/Emo Label: Black Cement Tigers Jaw’s latest album is a hit in the Philly alternative scene. It’s a solid combination of the jangle of old indie rock, the modern stylings of new indie rock, and the simultaneously introspective and communityminded concerns of the current emo scene. The band is continuing their “equal parts Fleetwood Mac and Brand New” trajectory that they laid out for themselves on 2014’s Charmer. Their song, “June,” was a big hit with their fans. Brianna Collins sings a chorus that adds a lot of power to the song.

Must Hear: “Followers,” “June” and “Escape Plan”

Band Name: Portugal. The Man Album Title: “Woodstock” Release Number: 8th Hailing From: Portland, Oregon Genre: Psychedelic Indie Rock Label: Atlantic Records Some fans dub this “Sellout. The Man,” but with this release, Portugal. The Man have hit the stratosphere. Their hit “Feel It Still” is a colorful and polished release from the Alaska/Oregon band. With toe-tapping basslines and catchy choruses, the band never fails to keep their audience entertained.

Combining modern rock glitz with EDM (at times) and lyrics about societal and political unease, you get “Woodstock.”

Must Hear: “Feel it Still,” “Rich Friends” and “So Young”

page 20 The Signal September 20, 2017

Fun Stuff

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 21

Sports Football

Football’s struggles continue against Wesley

Photo courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Cowperthwait is part of the offensive line that encountered a tough Wesley defense.

By Maximillian C. Burgos Sports Editor

The Lions dropped a conference match at home against the No. 24 Wesley College Wolverines on Saturday, Sept. 16.

The Wolverines won 33-0 at Lions Stadium and dropped the Lions’ record to 0-3 this season. Wesley improved to 1-1.

The Lions received the ball to start the game. The offense was forced into a three-and-out in quick order, the first of many. Senior quarterback Trevor Osler was heavily pressured during the whole drive and the offense could not get anything going. Wesley managed to block the punt on the fourth down, adding insult to injury.

The Lions defense limited the Wolverines to a 34yard field goal attempt that went wide to the right. The

momentum from the stoppage of the Wolverines and the Wolverines’ missed field goal did not translate back to the offense, which for the second time went three and out. The Lions then managed to get a pretty solid punt.

Wesley, in quick order, took the ball down field and punched into the end zone with an authoritative running game that would cause the Lions trouble the entire game. However, Wesley struggled to make the extra point, striking the left upright post and deflecting the ball back to the offensive line, hitting a player on the helmet.

On their third drive, the Lions started moving the ball more consistently. The offensive line still struggled to aid the run, but senior running back Khani Glover showcased his acting abilities by faking a running back drive that fooled the entire defense, allowing Osler to hit a wide receiver screen to gash the Wesley defense. The Lions yet again stall at the Wolverines 39-yard line.

With a well-finessed punt, the Lions managed to pin the Wolverines back on their own 10-yard line, but to no avail as the Wolverines drove the ball 90 yards on three plays to punch it into the end zone in less than a minute and 10 seconds. The Lions fans booed and fell silent as Wesley climbed out to a 13-0 lead towards the end of the first quarter. The only positive to come from the drive was senior defensive back Alshamiere Fields chasing and tackling down Wesley sophomore running back E.J. Lee to prevent a touchdown drive. Lee had ran for 76 yards before. The tackle would be for naught though, since the Wolverines punched it in two plays later on a vicious buck sweep run to the right.

Wesley’s lead only climbed from there, capping at 33 in the fourth quarter. The Lions defense was plagued by missed tackles, and their offense faltered with indecision paired with inconsistent line play. Head coach Casey Goff commented on the offensive line play after the game.

“I think they are coming along. Obviously, there is progress to be made,” Goff said. “We have to continue to get better on both sides of the ball. I still think it’s a matter of learning new systems and the terminology. If we are going to have any success, the guys up front have to get it done. We have to continue to improve.”

Senior offensive lineman Jake Cowperthwait and junior

offensive lineman Ryan Signora also commented on the line’s performance after the game.

“Well, they were what we thought they were going to be,” Cowperthwait said. “They were strong kids, quick with the ball and they’re ranked whatever they were ranked for a reason. We have to be better on pass protection and be more physical up front.”

“There’s no denying they are a good team,” Signora added. “They have a lot phenomenal athletes out there, but we can’t let that be an excuse for a poor performance. We have to go back and look at the film to fix the problems for upcoming weeks, so we can keep getting better.”

The Lions had their opportunities to score during the game. Right before halftime, the Lions offense drove down the field and threatened to score in the red zone. They threw the ball twice, one to sophomore wide receiver Vincent Guckin, who had the ball in his hands in the end zone for a split second before a defender ripped it out. After Osler took a punishing sack, they went for it again right before the clock ran out. Osler delivered a strike to his receiver’s outside shoulder, but the defender managed to make a play on the ball for the defensive stand.

Though the Lions were shutout in the game, the team fought hard throughout the entire contest, showing a lot of heart. They kept their heads up the entire time, making nothing too easy for the Wolverines. The Lions also did manage to get some takeaways on defense. Goff spoke about his teams performance.

“If we go out and execute, god, if we go out and tackle, this game would be different,” Goff said. “If our kids had the confidence to make plays against a team like this, we could put ourselves in better positions.

“We’ve made some personnel changes. A big part is that some people have come back from injury. Today we had guys in positions that we have to make plays. We have to get back to fundamentals.”

The Lions fall to 0-3 for the season, but they have shown an immense amount of heart so far this year. They will face off against Salisbury University next Saturday, Sept. 23, at noon at Lions Stadium. Goff expressed confidence in his team and their ability to jump back into the groove of things, but only time will tell.

Men’s Soccer

Lions see both ends of shutouts, drop first conference match

By Miguel Gonzalez Sports Editor

After a 3-0 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham on Wednesday, Sept. 13, the men’s soccer team found themselves on the opposite side of a shutout when they lost 3-0 to the William Paterson University Pioneers at home on Saturday, Sept. 16.

The Pioneers scored twice in the first four minutes. When the Pioneers received a corner kick in the first minute, senior midfielder JP Gonzales crossed straight to the net. Junior defensive back Charlie Lizardo jumped on top of Lions defenders and headed in the Pioneers first goal.

Then the Pioneers scored again on the next play. Sophomore midfielder Cameron Allen received a pass from freshman midfielder Jordan Rosenblum and ripped a shot into the back of the net.

“The team came out flat against the Pioneers,” head coach George Nazario said.

“They took advantage and knocked in an early goal.”

The men’s soccer team could not counterattack as often as the Pioneers. Pioneers such as sophomore midfielder/defensive back Keysean Brant-Sharp and Gonzales were constantly intercepting passes and winning one-on-one confrontations.

In the 25th minute, sophomore midfielder Michael Maltese landed the team’s first shot on goal.

Maltese took advantage of a breakaway from the Pioneers defense and shot at the

Dresch battles for possession against the Pioneers. right side of net. However, Pioneers sophomore goalkeeper Kyle Quigley leaped forward and caught the shot for a save.

Twelve minutes later, the Pioneers landed their third goal when Allen tapped in a shot to the bottom left of the net. Despite the 3-0 deficit, freshman goalkeeper Michael Kayal recorded two crucial saves in the first half.

The Lions were a different team in the second half with more physicality

Miguel Gonzalez / Sports Editor

and aggressiveness.

Senior captain forward Michael Kassak set the tone as he ran past Pioneer defenders, secured a cross and shot closely at Quigley. Five minutes later, senior midfielder Kevin Nelan leaped in for a header shot off a corner kick from senior midfielder Peter Dresch.

Despite their aggressive play, the Lions offense continued to struggle. In the 57th minute, junior defender Nick Sample

dribbled to an open space at the left side and ripped a hard shot high off the right goal post.

“For our offense, it was tough trying to get through the net mainly because of shaky rebounds,” Nazario said. “Our team had a hard time with possession and William Paterson simply knocked off scoring opportunities.”

With six minutes remaining, freshman forward Abdullah Afridi laid out another speedy shot at Kingley. The Pioneers immediately countered when sophomore forward Kyle Adams launched a cross to the middle of the Lions penalty box until freshman midfielder Ryan Vazquez slid in and blocked it.

The Lions ultimately lost their first conference match against the Pioneers, 3-0.

The loss drops the Lions to a 4-3 record.

Meanwhile, the Pioneers extend their win streak to six games and record their fifth consecutive shutout.

“Our team definitely learned today that soccer is a 90-minute sport,” Nazario said.

“Even though we were quickly down by halftime, our team got back on its feet and started defending and taking more opportunities. We will definitely continue this resilient playing into our next match against Drew.”

The Lions will remain at home on Wednesday, Sept. 20, as they take on Drew University at Lions Stadium starting at 7:30 p.m. Later on Saturday, Sept. 23, the team will travel to Jersey City, New Jersey, for a conference match against New Jersey City University.

page 22 The Signal September 20, 2017 Cheap Seats

Carton scandal ushers in end of an era

AP Photos

Carton resigns from WFAN amidst ponzi scheme accusations.

By Michael Battista Staff Writer The month of September has been unforgiving to WFAN Radio host Craig Carton. After celebrating the 10th anniversary of his immensely popular morning sports talk show “Boomer and Carton,” with co-host and former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason, he was arrested for an alleged involvement in a million dollar ponzi-scheme. On Wednesday, Sept. 13, Carton resigned from the station.

“Unfortunately, the unfounded legal issues currently plaguing me will only be a distraction to everyone at WFAN and the show I helped build,” Carton said in a statement on Twitter. “With that in mind, I have

submitted my resignation to the station and they accepted. I am sad to see this chapter of my life close but know that it will allow me to focus on my family, my well-being and clearing my name, while giving the show the best opportunity to succeed without further disruption.”

He’s been accused of stealing millions of dollars by selling fake concert tickets in order to pay his own gambling debts. Although the crime is terrible, it still stings to see someone who was such a large part of my life fall from grace in such a hard fashion.

On the air, Carton was loud.

He was brash and sometimes downright mean to people, but to me he was always entertaining.

During the 10 years he was on the air, I would wake up in the

morning before school to hear him and Esiason.

The cycle was simple. Wake up and hear Carton bash a team, usually the New York Mets ever since he started “Mets Fans for Yankees” — an effort to convert Met fans away from the inevitable suffering of late season Mets baseball. Then it was eat breakfast and get dressed while hearing the duo take callers live on air. Finally, get in the car for the 40-minute trip into Jersey City for highschool, flipping back and forth between E Street Radio and WFAN. For years I’ve always said the radio hosts on WFAN were one of the reasons why I got into sports.

Every host offered a different perspective. Late nights with WFAN radio host Steve Somers

were a slow and relaxing discussion with a emphatic and wellspoken host. Middays with Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts are two loud mouths to keep you going during the hump of the day.

Boomer and Carton had the classic funny man routine.

It was amazing listening with my dad and hearing his different reactions to different people on WFAN, especially Carton. “He’s a loudmouth” or “He doesn’t let people finish” were common gripes, but I always stood by hosts like Carton by saying “But, Dad he’s funny!”

I learned so much about broadcasting from the duo. I learned how to be knowledgeable and respectful from Esiason, but I learned how to be loud and make my presence known from Carton.

I credit my personality changes over my life to a lot of things, but the Boomer and Carton show was no small part.

Anyone can be a writer or personality in the sports world because everyone can have an opinion. But to be successful you have to stand out and make people notice you. Whether they are annoyed or entertained, they know who you are and what you do.

With the “Boomer Show” now kicked off and looking for a permanent co-host, I can now safely end that chapter of my life. I never really thought of Carton as a “good person” and he should never be any one person’s role model in life. But here’s hoping someone else can make an impact as big as he did.

Women’s Soccer

Soccer / Lady Lions extend hot streak

Photos courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Left: Levering fights for possession. Right: Bertolino dribbles the ball. continued from page 24 “I told them at halftime to catch (their) breath,” Russo said. “The way we played the game was so frenetic and it was 900 miles an hour… We wore them down by keeping possession and going wide.”

Even with the increased offense, the Johns Hopkins squad kept the College back, putting pressure on any possible breakaway chances and forcing both teams into overtime.

The Lions didn’t allow overtime to go on long, as sophomore defender Ally DeRiggi chipped a shot passed the defense to set up a breakaway goal by Levering, giving her team the 1-0 victory.

Russo said that his team, even after

beating such a high ranked opponent, has to look ahead to the next game.

“We’ve already dismissed it,” Russo said. “We have to go to Patterson on Saturday and get three points in the conference. There can’t be any bit of a hangover from what has taken place tonight to what is going to happen on Saturday. First conference game, tough place to play and they’re always well coached so we need to go there and get three points.”

The Lions trip into Patterson was met with little resistance from the Pioneers in their first New Jersey Athletic Conference game of the season.

The team outshot William Patterson by a total of 16 to 0, with the Lions backline keeping the Pioneers at bay through

the full 90 minutes.

The College shot six times in the first 16 minutes of play, with the last one coming in the 16th minute and reaching the back of the net. Bertolino received a pass from Levering on the right wing and bashed the ball next to the left post, earning her first goal this season. Less than two minutes later, senior midfielder Elizabeth Thoresen took a long shot from 20 yards out, hit the underside of the crossbar and increased the Lions lead, 2-0.

The Lions first half rout was put on halt for about ten minutes and the Pioneers defense blocked and saved multiple shots, but confusion in the box gave the Lions another chance at the net. Sophomore midfielder Despina Lianidis found

herself with the ball at the top of the box, she slickly passed the ball to an open Richman on the left wing who sunk her third goal this season.

In the 84th minute, one young Lion had her moment. Freshman midfielder/ forward Caroline Rubin saw the Pioneers goalie bobble the ball inside her own box. Acting quickly, she possessed the ball and shot into the open net to give her team the final score of the match, 4-0.

The Lions returned to the field Sept.

19, when they traveled to Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham. On Saturday, Sept. 23, the Lions are at the College’s Soccer Complex for a conference match against New Jersey City University starting at 1 p.m.

LIONS AROUND THE

D RM

September 20, 2017 The Signal page 23

Bryan Penney-Hadewycz

“The Ref”

Michael Battista

Staff Writer

Maximillian C. Burgos

Sports Editor

Sean Reis

Staff Writer

In this week’s edition of Around the Dorm, “Ref” Bryan Penney-Hadewycz asked our panel of three experts — Michael Battista, Maximillian C. Burgos and Sean Reis — three questions: Should the NBA draft lottery be reformed to prevent teams from tanking? Have the Los Angeles Dodgers lost momentum after going through a 10-game losing streak? Will Deshaun Watson be a good quarterback for the Houston Texans?

AP Photo

1. Should the NBA draft lottery be reformed to prevent teams from tanking?

Michael: Yes, the NBA needs to reform the lottery badly. In no other sport is tanking that bad of an issue. The Philadelphia 76ers have been a mainstay in the top of the draft since 2014. Before that, “trusting the process” hasn’t done them any favors. Teams should not come into a season ready to tank for a top pick. If

teams start to do this by excessively resting players, they need to be punished whether it is being fined or reducing their chance of getting into the Top 3 of the draft. Fans and rookies deserve so much better.

Maximillian: If teams play badly because of their rosters, they should be able to have high draft picks. The NFL has a similar drafting system to the NBA and it works

for them. The Cleveland Browns burned a season, made some really good offseason moves and with the draft, they will be competitive within the next few years. Just because a team gets high draft picks doesn’t mean they’ll be that much better next year.

Teams should be punished for purposely tanking, but I don’t think the system is in need of total reform.

Sean: Although I do believe that the NBA draft lottery needs to be reformed, I do not think that a new system would prevent teams from tanking to get higher draft picks.

In any popularized draft system, the teams that do the worst either get the highest draft picks or in the case of the NBA, the teams have the best odds to get the highest draft picks. The NBA system currently enters the bottom 14 teams into the lottery, a number of teams far too high, so I do offer two possible solutions. The NBA should either cut the number of teams entered into the lottery in half or the league should remove the lottery system in its entirety.

AP Photo

Maximillian gets 3 points for comparing drafts between sports. Sean gets 2 points for offering a solution. Michael gets 1 point for poor examples.

2. Have the Los Angeles Dodgers lost momentum after going through a 10game losing streak?

Michael: And here I thought the Rams would be the biggest dumpster fire in Los Angeles, but for a while it turned out a team with an actual stadium filled that role. The Dodgers definitely have lost momentum and they could not have picked a worse time to do so. This team is lucky that pitchers liked Alex Wood and Rich Hill have clawed their team to wins in the past few outings. Their bats were tired and they have little time to refuel every aspect of their team before October. Their home field advantage could have been in jeopardy with the Bryce Harper-less Nationals on their tail. But they are pretty much guaranteed a spot in the playoffs because they went on a 10-game losing streak and still hold a nine game lead in their division!

Maximillian: The Dodgers have lost big

momentum, but they are still a solid team.

They have the pitching talent to turn their destiny around in a hurry. Baseball is a game of trends and numbers. Kershaw is still one of the league’s best pitchers and the Dodgers are still firm contenders. They are just in a slump right now. Losing 10 games hurts any team, but they’ll be fine going into the playoffs.

Sean: Ask me the same question one week ago while the Dodgers were currently in the middle of the 10-game losing streak and I would likely answer with a concerned “yes.” However, following a turnaround during the team’s recent road trip, the Dodgers appear to be back on track. The Dodgers still sit atop the National League West with one of the best records in baseball, virtually clinching the team a spot in the playoffs and as long as the team continues to win during these last couple weeks, I see no reason why the Dodgers won’t go on a playoff run.

AP Photo

Maximillian gets 3 points for not doubting a team that has already proven itself. Sean gets 2 points for good analysis. Michael gets 1 point for being confusing.

AP Photo

3. Will Deshaun Watson be a good quarterback for the Houston Texans?

Michael: I don’t think so, but it won’t be through any fault of his own. Watson proved himself during his time in college with Clemson. Against Alabama in the 2016 College Football Playoff Championship, he threw for 405 yards, made

four touchdowns and ran for 73 yards in a game where his team lost, 45-40. The next year he lead his team back to the promise land, losing only one game in the regular season to Pittsburgh and beating both Ohio State and Alabama in the playoff on their way to the trophy. He went on to become the 12th pick of this year’s

Michael gets 3 points for bringing up collegiate success. Maximillian gets 2 points for an easy take on the situation. Sean gets 1 point for no elaboration.

NFL draft. Watson is good, but I’m not sure he’ll excel and dominate in Houston. With the team letting up 10 sacks in week one and barely winning against the Bengals in week two, Watson may be too hammered with Texans and may not shine like he should.

Maximillian: Deshaun Watson will be great for the Texans. When he is on the field, the Texans are a different team. They have a dynamic that opponents are not used to. Just look at his 47-yard run against the Bengals.

He was solid. When he stepped in against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he put up points.

If his offensive line cleans up their play and the wide receivers catch key balls, the Texans will be scary. Their defense is terrifying

already. Deshaun Watson will be successful.

He has a championship pedigree that not everyone can boast. He will help lift the Texans to new heights. Just watch.

Sean: Could any quarterback possibly be a successful quarterback for the Houston Texans? No. Just kidding, obviously an elite quarterback could manage to lead the Texans to a successful season. However, could an average quarterback be a successful quarterback for the Houston Texans? Definitely not. Watson is an average quarterback, at best. He’s a rookie with minimal upside, in my opinion, and while he may get the job done at times, it is likely that the Houston Texans will see little success with Watson at quarterback.

Winner’s Circle

Maximillian wins ATD 8-5-5 Tom wins ATD 9-5-4 “You of the shots it “My miss name100% is Maximillian, you don’t stands for take”Faccus the greatest.repe Don’t

forget it!”

No. 5 Lions pull past Blue Jays, roll over Pioneers

Photos courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Left: Thoresen dribbles past an opposing defender. Right: Lions score consistently this season.

By Michael Battista Staff Writer The women’s soccer team increased its undefeated streak to five games last week. The Lions defeated Johns Hopkins University, 1-0, in their home opener on Sept. 13, in overtime before earning their first conference win against William Paterson University, 4-0, on Saturday, Sept. 16.

The recent history between the nationally No. 5 ranked Lions and No. 9 Blue Jays has been well documented. Coming into Wednesday’s game, senior forward Christine Levering knew that.

“They’re always a good fight,” Levering said. “We just know coming in that it’s going to be a hard, physical game…

Every year it’s always a tough one.”

Levering herself has the most experience against the Blue

Jays on the Lions roster. In 2013 during her freshman year, after both sides played to a draw during regulation, Levering scored the game winner 13 seconds into the second overtime period. After a 2-1 loss in 2014, the teams have drawn in their yearly match-ups in both 2015 and 2016.

The most recent meeting between the two ranked powerhouses nearly ended the same way. The first half of the game was evenly contested in the middle of the field with neither team getting many chances. On the wet turf of the Lions Stadium field, neither team could control the ball for long or with much confidence. In all, both teams combined for six shots in total in the first 45 minutes, with the Lions getting four.

In the 37th minute, senior forward Hannah Richman was able to bring the goalie out and get past her. With an open net, the Blue Jays backline pressured her into shooting the ball wide keeping the score level at nil.

In the second half, the Lions offense immediately became the dominate force in the contest.

Just four minutes in, senior midfielder Jessica Goldman sent a corner right to senior midfielder Kayla Bertolino. The latter took a shot that seemed to be going to the net, but senior goalkeeper Bess Kitzmiller was able to make an incredible jumping block to send the ball over the crossbar.

In the first 15 minutes of play, the Lions took 15 shots.

Kitzmiller saved two of those shots. The Blue Jays defense was busy as three players had to step in front of shots and block them with their bodies. In all, the Lions put up 17 shots in the second half compared to their opponents’ three. Head coach Joe Russo said the difference between the two halves was tempo.

see SOCCER page 22

Field hockey fails to resurrect offense against Messiah

Photo courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Peterson scores the Lions’ lone goal.

By Connor Smith Editor-in-Chief Normally 11 saves and a second-half shutout are both signs of a rout for the No. 4 ranked Lions. But the Messiah College Falcons aren’t a normal opponent. Despite one of the strongest defensive efforts of the season, the Lions fell 2-1 to the No. 1 Messiah Falcons on Saturday, Sept. 17, at Lions Stadium, which dropped their record to 3-1.

This could’ve been a statement win for the Lions, matched up with the defending national champions and current National Field Hockey Coaches Association ranked leaders.

But the Falcons’ unforgiving attack — which included 17 total shots, and 13 on goal — chipped the Lions down early and often.

“We like to look at every game with equal importance but I think we’re all really hyped

Lions Lineup September 20, 2017

I n s i d e

up for this game in particular,” said senior goalkeeper Christina Fabiano two days before the game. “Given the season they had last year, we’re really excited to show that we can compete with the best.”

The Falcons opened up the game with a few strong possessions. After several turnovers, the Falcons scored at the 12:27 mark on a loose ball shot from senior forward Taylor Holt.

The Lions answered back with a few promising possessions, but they couldn’t convert. With just under 11 minutes left in the half, a turnover in front of the goal netted junior forward Kezia Loht a score of her own and extended the Falcons lead to 2-0.

After the score, Lions coach Sharon Pfluger called a timeout. Pfluger, who leads all NCAA Division III field hockey coaches in active wins and winning percentage,

Football page 21

didn’t want Messiah to run away with the momentum, and stopped the clock for a quick pep talk.

“Coach has been in this position time and time again, so she’s as prepared as a coach can possibly be,” Fabiano said. “It’s a great experience playing for someone who knows the magnitude of the game, but also wants us to play relaxed and have fun.”

Whatever Pfluger said must’ve worked, because the Lions fought right back and immediately kept each play inside Falcons territory. Less than three minutes after the timeout, sophomore forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson scored on a penalty corner to give the Lions some life and cut the deficit to one score.

With a renewed sense of energy, the Lions continued to push the Falcons back. They took a shot and attempted a penalty corner, before the clocked ticked down. At the end of the period, the Lions got another penalty corner attempt, which led into another penalty corner. Unfortunately for the Lions, neither netted a score and the half ended with the Falcons on top, 2-1.

The Lions defense was a major force in the second half. Senior goalkeeper Christina Fabiano dipped and dove her way to eight saves in the second half alone, for a careerhigh of 10 total saves in the game.

The offense couldn’t do much against the equally potent Falcons defense, which broke up several scoring opportunities and kept the majority of possession time in favor of the Falcons. The Lions squandered the few opportunities they had. They sent a few shots too wide late in the game, and

Men’s Soccer page 21

Cheap Seats page 22

were forced off the ball in a crucial breakaway opportunity.

Once again, the Lions found themselves in a penalty corner situation with seconds remaining. The Lions passed the ball around, but their shot was blocked and the Falcons ran out the clock and secured the win.

Players and coaches did not stick around for post-game interviews. After an emotional meeting at midfield, the Lions packed up, marched straight out the away entrance and headed home to reflect on the heartbreaking loss.

Despite the loss, the Lions gave Messiah one of its closest matchups in a year. The offense will have 12 more regular season matchups to grind for a possible appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

With Messiah out of the picture for now, the Lions will focus on winning another New Jersey Athletic Conference title.

While they’re the favorites in the NJAC, the Lions must still play out each game in the coming weeks.

The field hockey team returns to Lions Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 19, against Gwynedd Mercy University. Then on Saturday, Sept. 23, team will play Salisbury University at Lions Stadium at 6 p.m.

By shutting Messiah out in the second half, the Lions proved they can roll with the best team in the nation. They know they were a few missed shots and a turnover or two away from a monumental upset. Even with a loss, what the Lions learned against Messiah should be critical to their success this upcoming fall.

Around the Dorm page 23