Daniel Hollis

Emerson College’s student newspaper since 1947 • berkeleybeacon.com

Thursday October 3, 2019 • Volume 73, Issue 5

Sophomore dies after altercation at party in Allston Stephanie Purifoy, Beacon Staff Sophomore Daniel Hollis died on Wednesday at 5:32 p.m. after a Saturday confrontation in Allston sent him to a local hospital with extensive injuries to his brain, according to a statement from the college.

Hollis and his friends were leaving a party around 1:20 a.m. on Sept. 28 when they were confronted by another group of college-aged men. Hollis sustained injuries to his head when he was hit and fell on cement, according to an email from President M. Lee Pelton to the community.

“Our deepest appreciation goes to all who have kept us in their thoughts and prayers,” family members wrote in journal entries on caringbridge.org. “We ask you now to turn those prayers and good wishes to the many friends and family who have to learn how to live with a little less sunshine.”

Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County District Attorney Office are currently conducting an investigation into the assault.

“This office is working closely with the Boston Police Department as the investigation into this tragedy continues,” a spokesperson for the Suffolk County District Attorney wrote in an email statement to The Beacon. “We offer the victim’s family our heartfelt condolences and will provide more information when, or if, it is appropriate.”

The marketing and communications major played on the men’s lacrosse team as a goalkeeper. Matthew Colombini, the coach of the team, said he met Hollis for the first time in September 2017.

“I remember meeting Dan for the first time in person and knowing immediately that he was the perfect fit for our team and community— instantly he was someone that I wanted to be around and coach,” Colombini wrote in a statement to The Beacon. “Day in and day out

Daniel Hollis (center) played goalkeeper for the men’s lacrosse team.

Photo courtesy of Kate Foultz

Ethan McDowell, Beacon Staff

See Bond, page 8

Cassandre Coyer, Beacon Staff

Caroline Bond (left, No. 20) sets the ball for an Emerson outside hitter.

Rachel Culver / Beacon Staff

INSIDE THIS EDITION

Managing mental wellbeing in the colder months. Pg. 5

stephanie_purifoy@emerson.edu

Junior raises thousands for local homeless man

Freshman setter wins NEWMAC award after strong start When the women’s volleyball team lost its first two conference matches of the season, Caroline Bond said she refused to panic.

The Lions’ freshman setter dominated the team’s next three games on her way to a New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week award. She tallied 111 assists and 14 kills, setting the team up for three straight wins.

“We had a lot of conversations about what was going wrong,” Bond said in an interview.

“We weren’t really getting the outcomes that we wanted, and I think we boiled it down to we were just thinking too much.”

Bond said the turning point of the season came against Babson College when the Lions pulled off a shocking upset against the nationally ranked team. Bond tallied 45 assists in the match.

Head coach Ben Read said Bond’s development played a large part in the Lions’ success this season.

“She’s really listening to the feedback we’re giving as far as looking at matchups on the other side of the court, changing the tempo with the ball, and adjusting her sets based on the hitter,” Read said.

Moira Brennan ‘19, the team’s setter for four years, totaled 3,025 career assists and averaged 9.29 assists per set in her senior season. When she graduated, Bond occupied her starting spot.

he provides energy and laughter, an upbeat presence that is needed during a long season.

Everyone around him was better because of it.”

Hollis underwent surgery on Saturday which was initially successful, according to the journal entries. Doctors later said Hollis had suffered irreparable brain damage and would not recover.

“In speaking with Jennifer Kelly, Dan’s mother, I learned what a precious and effecting gift he was to all who were privileged to know him and count him as a friend,” Pelton wrote in his email. “He moved through the world with uncommon authenticity and humility. He had a generous heart. He was a giver, not a taker.”

Hollis attended Hopedale High School and played hockey and lacrosse throughout his years there, Hopedale Principal Derek Atherton said in a phone interview.

“Dan was a great kid,” Atherton said. “A very conscientious, very caring individual. He’s a really great guy who was always very respectful and responsible. People just gravitated to him, he had that energy that made you want to get to know him.”

Pelton said the college plans to hold a celebration of Hollis’ life in the coming weeks but did not include any further details.

His email included the operation hours for ECAPS and the Center for Spiritual Life.

According to the statement, Rev. Julie Avis Rogers will lead a vigil in the Semel Theater on Oct. 3 at 12 p.m. The college plans to keep the theater open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for quiet reflection.

Hollis is survived by his father Jason, his mother Jennifer, and his sister Kate. According to the family’s latest journal entry, Hollis chose to be an organ donor.

“We pray that his gifts will prevent other families from experiencing the heartbreak we are currently experiencing,” the family wrote.

The Beacon online

Freshman center back comes to Emerson after seven years in Ukraine. Pg. 8

berkeleybeacon

Junior Karigan Wright, like many students, walks by the 2 Boylston Place alley everyday when hustling through the crowded sidewalks to get to class. A couple of weeks ago, Wright noticed a homeless man standing by the alley entrance, telling every passerby to have a good day.

“I had, like, passed by him a couple of times,” Wright said. “And every time, he was like, ‘Have a good day.’ And I just thought that he was so sweet. So I think one day I found a $20 bill in my bag or something. So I gave him some money. And then I asked him if he needed food, so he told me what he wanted and I went and got it. He said he would eat anything but sushi.”

After stopping to give him food and money a couple of times, Wright still felt like her actions were not substantial. Wright decided to start a GoFundMe for Smiley—the nickname the man requested to be referred to instead of his legal name for safety reasons.

“When I went up to him, I expected him to be like,’ ‘Oh, I already have one set up,’” Wright said. “I was like, ‘No one’s done this yet?’

Which I thought was crazy.”

Wright created the GoFundMe on Sept. 25.

The next morning, donations reached $80.

Wright said she shared the page on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and talked about it with friends and in classes.

See housing, page 6

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October 2, 2019

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SEAL reports EmConnect data to Student Government

Andrew Brinker, Beacon Staff The Office of Student Engagement and Leadership spoke with Student Government Association members about the progress of EmConnect, the college’s website for student organizations, during their weekly joint session meeting on Tuesday.

SEAL Director Jason Meier and Assistant Director Andrew Donahue led the discussion, focusing on the website’s recent growth and features that could be useful to students and organization leaders.

The college introduced EmConnect three years ago during the fall semester of 2016 with the intended purposes of making involvement more accessible to students and streamlining interactions between students and organiza-

tions.

One of the website’s key features is its space that same period in 2019, the website’s page viewer count nearly tripled to over 95,000 page for event postings. Student views, according to SEAL. organizations created and Donahue cited a recent shared 1,380 unique events “We’ve seen some pretty decrease in Facebook use on EmConnect during the among younger generations as 2018-19 academic year, staggering growth across a possible explanation for the Donahue said. site’s growth.

SGA also used the the board in student use Prior to EmConnect’s incepwebsite for its 2019 spring tion in 2016, and even in the elections, which drew 875 of EmConnect,” three years following, organizastudent votes. tions often shared information “We’ve seen some pretty -Andrew Donahue about membership and events staggering growth across on Facebook. the board in student use of However, Meier said comEmConnect,” Donahue said during the session. munication through Facebook is not inclusive “Even in just this last year.”

From Aug. 26 to Sept. 30, 2018, EmConnect to new students.

“When you’re not posting things in a public had approximately 32,000 page views. During

space, you’re not being inclusive to students who don’t have that Emerson social network,” Meier said during the session. “If we’re able to post things in a place that’s equitable, in that all people have access, then you can get that [information] in the hands of people.

Tuesday’s meeting also featured a presentation by Executive Treasurer Abigail Semple on the Financial Advisory Board and its practices.

Semple’s presentation focused on Annual Budget Requests and denoted that SGA allocated $806,995 in ABRs at the end of last year.

Semple additionally noted that SGA’s appeals account currently holds a balance of $245,770. andrew_brinker@emerson.edu

College removes long-time WEBN faculty advisor Dana Gerber, Beacon Staff The Journalism Department removed the faculty advisor for WEBN, Marsha DellaGiustina, after receiving student feedback from students in the program, according to a college official.

Chair of the Journalism Department, Janet Kolodzy, said this decision follows a survey that students participating in each of the journalism co-curriculars filled out last school year. The survey asked what students found beneficial about their programs and what they thought could be improved.

In February, Kolodzy sent a report summarizing the feedback to the student leaders in these organizations and to their faculty advisors, to allow them to decide what changes to make in their programs.

The department released the announcement of Della-Guistina’s removal soon before the beginning of the 2019 fall semester. DellaGiustina, 72, still maintains her position as a journalism professor at Emerson.

“Concerns and issues had been raised over the past year [in the survey],” Kolodzy said.

“The number one goal was to say, hey, I love these co-curriculars. I know the students and faculty do, too—how might we look at information where things might be able to move forward?”

Kolodzy said two journalism professors, Moses Shumow and Stephen Iandoli, filled the advisor position. Della-Guistina had held the faculty advisor position for over 20 years.

Kolodzy clarified that while the survey did spark discussions between student leaders and faculty advisors, the decision regarding DellaGiustina came down to Kolodzy herself. She declined to say specifically why she removed Della-Giustina.

“We have in this department—as all departments—special contracts in relationships to curricular support activities,” she said, which she noted included who holds the faculty advisor position. “And the special contracts are something that are determined by the chair.”

Della-Giustina could not be reached for comment after multiple attempts over phone, email, and in person.

WEBN is one of the college’s journalism cocurriculars, meaning that students can receive school credit for their work at the organization.

WEBN focuses on digital media, specifically

broadcast journalism. The staff covers local events, as well as events like the Oscars, the Emmys, and the Presidential Inauguration.

During Della-Giustina’s career as a freelance television news producer, she earned a Gracie Award, two Emmys from the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences, and a Society of Professional Journalists National Advisor Award.

Junior Angel Salcedo, one of the student news directors for WEBN, said that while he and his coworkers value Della-Giustina’s contributions to the organization, they’re looking forward to continuing their work.

“It’s going to be a transition period, because Marsha Della-Giustina was very important to the organization—she was the glue,” he said.

“Everyone is going to miss her. But we hope that—we know that WEBN will continue to move forward.”

Salcedo said Della Giustina’s leadership was collaborative with the student leaders.

“She was a great advisor. She gave us what we wanted out of the organization,” he said. “To say that the organization was perfect is far from the truth. Every organization has its own quirks, its own flaws. But there was always a sense of, ‘We’re here to do journalism as not only an organization, but a family.’”

Salcedo said he believes the responsibilities of running the wide-scale operation of WEBN were difficult to handle.

“There were many periods of time where WEBN was in a state of uncertainty, and she kept it together. I don’t think anyone can really understand what anyone could’ve done better to help run this organization,” he said. “The fact that she was running it alone shows how much she cared about it and how much it really was her baby.”

Moses Shumow, one of WEBN’s new faculty advisors who most recently taught journalism and digital media at Florida International University, said Kolodzy wanted to usher in new organization leadership.

“Every organization, at a certain point, needs some refreshing,” he said in a phone interview.

Shumow, who received his master’s degree from Emerson, for journalism, in 2001, said the students have expressed interest in taking on more editorial responsibilities independently from the faculty advisor.

“My impression of Marsha is that she was heavily involved,” he said. “But I have a very busy schedule and lots of other responsibilities.

Students will be able to use both meal swipes and Board Bucks in the new dining space.

Matt Barrett / Beacon Correspondent So I would like the students to take on some of those editorial positions.” their new advisors.

Shumow added that he hopes to implement “What is done behind-the-scenes is above some of these structural changes after getting our control, and we’re going to do our job his feet wet with the organization. regardless. Whether it’s with Marsha Della“For me, it is going to be just a matter of Giustina as our advisor, or with Moses Shumow learning all the ropes,” he said. “From there, and Stephen Iandoli as our advisors, we’re hopefully, you know, addressing some of the going to do our job as students,” he said. “We concerns that students have, or looking at some trust the Journalism Department to do their job, of the procedures and policies—and listening to and we’ll do ours.” them.”

Although the decision to remove DellaGiustina was out of the students’ hands, Salcedo dana_gerber@emerson.edu said they are looking forward to continue with

Honors Program scholarship increases by $1,000 for freshmen Diana Bravo, Beacon Staff The honors program changed its scholarship for first-year and future students, granting them approximately $1,000 more than returning students in the program.

Angela Grant, director of financial aid, cited an attempt to reach enrollment goals and help students understand how much money they receive in the Honors Scholarship for the change in policy. The decision does not apply to older students because they entered their scholarships under different terms than current first-years.

Grant said a committee including herself,

enrollment leadership, the director of admissions, and Vice President of Enrollment Management Ruthanne Madsen made the decision to change the scholarship distribution in Fall 2018.

The funding for the honors scholarship stems from the college’s financial aid budget, Grant said. The money to fund the change in distribution came from an increase in the department’s budget, including the Honors Scholarship.

“What we want to do is to help students to understand the exact value of their scholarship for their time here because a half-tuition scholarship is less clear than a set dollar amount,” Grant said.

Director of the Honors Program Wendy Walters said the honors program scholarship remains at half of the $46,560 tuition for returning students. According to the college’s website, the Trustee’s Scholarship—the scholarship given to honors students—is at $24,000. First-year students receive $25,000 per year, but that money does not increase throughout their Emerson careers.

Walters said she was not involved in the decision to change the scholarship, but was informed of the change by Grant.

“Hopefully, students have their financial needs met,” Walters said. “If they’re not, I know that financial aid wants to work with them.”

Junior Ainslie Cromar is a member of the

honors program who formerly had outside scholarships which made attendance affordable.

Those scholarships were non-renewable and, to make up for the loss of funds, she took four jobs—three off campus and one on campus.

Cromar is glad that younger students are receiving the funds, but she said she is upset about the lack of consideration given to the finances of older students.

“It bothers me that they’re not thinking about how they could share that funding or at least explaining why they haven’t shared the funding,” Cromar said. diana_bravo@emerson.edu

The Berkeley Beacon

October 2, 2019

News

3

Student employment software switch causes paycheck delays

Student workers experienced paycheck delays of up to three weeks when the college switched to Workdays for student employment.

Lizzie Heintz / Beacon Staff Aaron J. Miller, Beacon Staff The college implemented a new online application system for on-campus jobs over summer 2019 that caused delays in student payment for up to three weeks.

Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid Eric Glaskin said the new online student employment system, Workday, combines all aspects of the previous student employment system, People Admin, into an online program designed to streamline the process of hiring students for on-campus jobs. “[Workday] has actually made the process easier, especially for our office, because it’s all in one system,” Glaskin said. “Prior, students would apply for jobs and be hired in one system and we would have to do all of the data entry into another system to get them timesheets.

Everything is in one system now and it’s much Sambucini said she could not buy items for her dorm room. The college compensated her easier to go from one process to the next.” for all of the hours she When junior worked, but it took Allison Sambuchi nearly three weeks to returned to her process, she said. position as a welcome “Honestly, it desk assistant at “I found that the lack of comwas a very rocky the start of the Sambucini semester, she didn’t munication from the school transition,” said in an interview. get paid until nearly “We had to wait for three weeks later. was the main issue,” our managers—the Sambucini said when residence directors— she and her friends Alexa Bodner to rehire us. It tried to submit their seemed like a lot of timesheets for their miscommunication first work week, the between student system did not work. employment and While she did not need money to buy groceries or pay bills, residence directors because it took a while for

us to get back in the system.”

In the old employment system, People Admin, system supervisors would post job positions and students could apply through the program. The student employment coordinator then took the information gathered in People Admin and transposed it into Banner, which generated a timesheet and payroll information.

The financial aid office had students fill out I-9 and W-4 forms in person and staff then uploaded them into eCommon to set up direct deposit.

Glaskin said many students did not submit updated I-9 forms to the student employment office this fall, which caused the payment delay.

Junior Alexa Bodner worked on campus during the summer as a member of the core staff of student orientation and said the hold on payroll affected her income.

“I found that the lack of communication from the school was the main issue,” Bodner said. “I didn’t understand from the emails they were sending me that I had to bring in new documents and that’s why I didn’t end up getting paid for three weeks [over the summer].”

Apart from making the hiring procedure easier for the student employment office and students, Glaskin said Workday also allows supervisors to have more control over their own hiring process within Workday. “[Supervisors] are able to put their jobs online and take them down rather quickly,” Glaskin said. “If they want to freeze [the hiring process] temporarily because they think they have enough [workers], they can do so. They can move students through interviews and work offers very quickly.”

Sambucini said she was one of the students who had problems re-submitting information, but the program is currently working properly and is starting to show promise for the hiring process.

“Now that everyone seems to have a better understanding of the system and that we’re all on the same page, I haven’t had any problems,” Sambucini said. “It seems to be very user efficient. There was just a lot of miscommunication in hiring people back, which is understandable when you are using a new system, but also frustrating when you are on the other end of that.”

Tomas Gonzalez contributed reporting to this article. aaron_miller @emerson.edu

Performing Arts department works to remove voice lesson fees Carlee Bronkema, Beacon Correspondent Incoming first-years will no longer be required to pay for voice lessons starting in the fall 2020 semester.

Performing Arts Chair Robert Colby said the Musical Theatre Department is restructuring their curriculum with the hope of eliminating the $5,500 average that musical theatre majors pay to obtain their degree by including voice lessons in the classes.

The change is happening gradually so the school has the chance to budget for it. This year’s freshmen still have to pay the extra money to take their voice lessons as a zerocredit class because there is not enough room in their schedules, according to Colby.

Colby said students already in the musical theatre major will still follow the system they started under.

“We’ve tried to be clear and schedule some extra meetings with the first year students,” Colby said. “I’ve received at least one phone call from a parent saying that this was an unexpected $1,100 charge. We are really sorry that happened. There has been some confusion with the transition.”

Students must take eight semesters worth of

voice lessons in order to receive their degree said. in musical theatre. Current students have two The information about the charge was options for their mandatory voice lessons: included in the 2019 Musical Theatre Student Either pay $1,100 and have them considered Handbook which was not emailed to the firsta zero-credit class, or use two of the 16 credits years until Sept. 7, but Dodds said she doesn’t already paid for with their tuition for the voice mind the extra charge. lessons.

“It doesn’t annoy me because $1,000 a Freshman musical semester is probably what I theatre major Lauren Dodds would pay for voice lessons said many musical theatre at home,” Dodds said. “I students choose to do the really like that the MT staff “I don’t think it is two-credit classes because is really in our corner about they do not cost extra. getting the lessons to be Dodds said they also like being explained well to free because it is required. I taking their voice lessons love the program, and I am the freshmen,” as a class so that they get happy that they are trying to graded on their work. do what is best for us.”

- Taylor Wade “It would be more Senior musical theatre beneficial to me as a student major Taylor Wade said her and as a performer for them graduating class has always to grade us and track our known they would have to progress,” Dodds said. pay extra for voice lessons.

Colby said he wishes the system would “We didn’t have to pay extra money till our change overnight and that students would no sophomore year,” Wade said. “It was expected longer have to pay extra for voice lessons. of us that we would continue to pay for it “As chair, I am going to argue next year to see sophomore to senior year, every semester.” if the college can afford to move immediately to The choice between having voice lessons that option and fold that into the courses,” he as a zero or two-credit class also affects

upperclassmen.

If upperclassmen take voice as a two-credit class, they must pair it with another two-credit class. Usually, musical theatre students take a dance class, from which Wade said there are plenty to choose. Generally, seniors have more freedom to decide which classes they want to take, but they are restricted by having to take the two-credit classes to not have to pay extra.

“I don’t think it is being explained well to the freshmen,” Wade said. “It barely was explained to us and we are still confused about what is happening, but it doesn’t matter to us because we are seniors anyway.”

After complaints from students, the Performing Arts Department, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the School of the Arts Dean, the Provost, and others in the Registrar’s office worked together to re-evaluate the situation.

In the meantime, the school has removed the former maximum of only taking four two-credit classes so that it is possible that students never have to pay additional money for voice lessons.

“It’s a good idea that they won’t have to pay extra and [the classes] will fit into their carlee_bronkema@emerson.edu

Incident Journal: 2 assaults reported to ECPD The Emerson College Police Department provides the Incident Journal to The Beacon every week. Beacon staff edit the Incident Journal for style and clarity, but not for content.

Wednesday, Sept. 25 A student reported being assaulted while walking on the sidewalk in the vicinity of the Ansin Building. The student was not injured

during the assault.

A student reported being harassed near the Boylston Street MBTA station.

Thursday, Sept. 26 ECPD responded to an apparent elevator entrapment at the Paramount Theatre. Upon arrival, ECPD discovered that a person had hit

the emergency button in the elevator because they needed assistance and was not trapped inside an elevator.

Saturday, Sept. 28 An officer found that someone had vandalized the drywall stairway connecting the first and second floors of the Little Building. There were significant gouges made to the drywall.

Facilities Management was notified for repair.

Sunday, Sept. 29, A student reported being assaulted near the MBTA station inside Boston Common. The student was not injured.

A student reported that someone had stolen their cellphone while at a party in Allston.

Editorial

The Berkeley Beacon

Respect college employees with improved communication

Over the summer, the college switched college life as classes, extracurriculars, their employment software from their and social events. They’re putting the old system, People Admin, to a new hours in to provide the college with a software called Workday. In the process service, and not only do they deserve of implementing this new system, many compensation for that service, they students employees and faculty members deserve treatment that shows the college did not receive their pay as scheduled for respects them. Ensuring this huge part of three weeks. campus life is up to students’ reasonable College officials clarified in interviews standards should be paramount—behind with The Beacon that the issues stemmed only the quality of our classes, activities, from the transition and that the new and professors. system would ultimately streamline the While faculty members at Emerson process. But the glitches left employees have a formal union to negotiate and without income that they rely on for come to terms with the college over everyday needs—students and faculty their pay, students do not have the same alike. luxury. The Emerson College Student The college Union advocates needs to prioritize on students’ “The college needs to fixing the behalf and employment recently released prioritize fixing the experience as a a “Disorientation whole on campus. employment experience as Guide” for new Students and students outlining a whole on campus. faculty expect to their goals as an pass reasonable organization. But Students and faculty hiring practices as a collective, and be provided expect to pass reasonable student employees with an efficient lack bargaining hiring practices and be system to schedule power. In this and work hours. the provided with an efficient relationship, Most importantly, college holds they deserve to be a great amount system to schedule and paid promptly and of power in work hours. Most impor- their ability to fairly for the work they do. determine pay tantly, they deserve to be We understand rates and hours for that following employees, paid promptly and fairly student this period of without any clear uncertainty over form of recourse for the work they do.” paychecks and for dissatisfied reporting hours, students. the college is resolving issues with the It is vital that the college improve its new management system to return things communication with student and faculty to normal. The fact remains however that employees when it comes to serious three weeks is too long of a time to leave matters, like paychecks and hours. The your employees without pay. college had all summer to prepare for The issue with Workday is not the first the transition to a new employment time students and faculty have battled the system, and instead it left their employees college over employment issues. Over confused and upset over what should the summer, contract changes for resident have been a smooth transition. assistants caused controversy among students. In fall 2018, students complained that the Office of International Student Affairs was unresponsive when students sought internship and job help, and The Beacon previously reported on financial struggles for college union members in 2017.

Collecting a timely paycheck from an on-campus job is a necessity for a Editorials are written solely by large sect of people employed by the Editor-in-Chief Chris Van Buskirk, college. In a city with an exuberantly high cost of living, and at a school with Managing Editor Abigail Hadfield, a steadily growing tuition cost, many students have no choice but to double and Opinion Editor Diti Kohli as tap-desk assistants, library workers, and receptionists for different college without consultation from other staff offices. Student employment supplies an oftentimes crucial source of revenue for members, and does not influence any tuition and spending money. Repeated issues with hiring practices, scheduling stories. Op-Eds reflect the views of systems, and payroll front a significant issue for students employees. only their authors, not The Berkeley Plus, for a number of students, working on campus is as much a part of their Beacon.

October 2, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by the Editorial Board illustration by Ally Rzesa

Emerson College students find every way to use The Beacon— except read it.

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The Berkeley Beacon

October 2, 2019

Opinion

5

Seasonal Affective Disorder: Overcoming the winter blues

“After hearing Miami natives detail the northeastern winter, I began to wonder if I’d experience SAD when freezing temperatures hit Illustration by Ally Rzesa / Beacon Staff Carlota Cano Cano is a sophomore communications major and a Beacon correspondent.

Growing up in Miami, I practically lived in a bikini and flip flops, savoring warm temperatures and sunny days year-round. Now that I live in Boston, I’ve made the switch from flip flops to boots. Realistically, I was three years old the last time I experienced a prolonged cold climate. I went from digging my toes into the sand every other day to walking around the red-bricked buildings in Boston.

In the coming months, students across New England will see the leaves fall and temperatures drop significantly. For students like myself that come from warmer climates, it can be difficult to adjust. Shorter days and colder temperatures can make students like myself feel extra homesick, or even make them experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, also

known as SAD. hometown friends that moved to Boston and In 1985, the American Psychiatric Association had a hard time adapting throughout the tough described Seasonal Affective Disorder as “a winter. After hearing Miami natives detail the condition characterized northeastern winter, I by regularly occurring began to wonder if I’d winter depression experience SAD when “As winter transforms frequently alternating freezing temperatures with summer hit. into spring, students hypomania.”

The Essentially, being National Institute of used to warmer climates should remember that Mental Health details and susceptible to the common symptoms homesickness increased there are people support- my fear of experiencing of SAD as losing energy, becoming SAD after my transfer. ing you.” socially withdrawn, I realized students like and developing myself should keep a hypersomnia. According to the American couple of things in mind. In order to prepare for Academy of Family Physicians, approximately the winter, I have gathered advice from friends four to six percent of people can experience already living in Boston and other remedies to winter depression. help ease into the winter.

I initially heard about SAD from my As winter transforms into spring, students

should remember that there are people supporting you. A new environment should never let you believe you are too far from home.

I’ve ensured I have a support system built from family and friends who can guide me in the more somber days. I FaceTime my family every day because it’s hard to end the day in an empty home. In Miami, I’d always have my family to accompany me and provide an immense amount of support, no matter the situation. Talking to them virtually makes me feel closer to home and helps counter the fact that I now live alone.

Apart from the freezing temperatures, the lack of sun exposure is also one of my greatest concerns. I used to spend an extended amount of time under the sun, whether I was at the beach tanning or running by the shoreline. Seeing the sunlight fade at an early time reminds me of the short days I’m going to experience in the winter.

For that reason, many of my friends from Miami that live in Boston have recommended using UV lamps.

The UV lamp is supposed to help reinforce the amount of sunlight we are exposed to and act as a natural antidepressant. According to the study from the National Institute of Mental Health, artificial light “approximates that of sunlight measured at a window on a clear spring day.”

Moreover, it is important to remember that the snow eventually melts away and reveals the ground again. Despite being worried about SAD, there are many things I’m looking forward to experiencing this winter. I have yet to experience my first snowball fight!

With the help of artificial light, excellent winter gear, and my family’s support, I know I will be able to adapt smoothly to the harsh winter here in the northeast. Staying in touch with my family is what is going to bring me real warmth during the winter. If you’re like me, you need to be prepared for the worst.

After all, winter is coming. carlota_cano@emerson.edu

Prepare students for the unglamorous sides of career-building how these services enhance psychological preparedness and career adaptability.

Career adaptability is measured by a student’s concern about preparing for the future, ability to Last year, I opened my laptop and showed take responsible action, motivation to explore, Kate Privert, the assistant director of the Career and confidence to overcome obstacles. I felt Development Center, my papers in my first like I had to figure these out alone, without the cover letter and resume review appointment. Career Development Center’s help.

Privert gave helpful recommendations like There are some skills students can learn from adding more detail to my work experience. By instructors and advisors, like how to write a the end of the 15-minute appointment, I asked good cover letter. However, in the competitive her if I stood a chance to get a good journalism world of internships, resilience needs to be internship in my junior year. taught too.

She said I did.

I spent the rest of my junior year constantly I left the office feeling confident and applying for internships and never hearing back, professionally ready to earn a prestigious only to scroll on Facebook to see another student internship. I did not know that conversation earn that Boston Globe Co-Op position or any of foreshadowed a whole year of seemingly the other internships for which I applied. I felt endless rejections, career pressure, and like every student around me had an amazing questions of self-doubt and motivation. The internship, and that increased the pressure for Career Development Center prepares students me to get one even more. But it was difficult to well on paper, but not for the psychological take control of my career when I constantly lost struggle that comes with entering the internship my motivation and confidence. world.

These psychological pressures didn’t end Emerson’s Career Development Center once I secured an internship the day before the ranks as the fifth best application deadline for college career center a for-credit internship. on BestColleges in The date is almost two “I felt like every 2019 and the 15th on weeks before classes the Princeton Review. start and earlier than student around me had when most companies The office conducts 15-minute resume select their interns, an amazing internship, according to Intern reviews and one-on-one mock interviews with Queen. To apply for a and that increased the students. They also aid for-credit internship, students’ job searches, students also have to organize internship pressure for me to get one submit a proposal. This fairs, provide credit for means students have to even more. “ internships, and offer secure an internship, online resources. While register for the the center’s extensive internship course, and services are appreciated, I believe the office submit an Experience Proposal in record time. falls short on addressing students’ psychological During my job interview, I embarrassingly had preparedness when pursuing their career goals. to ask when I would hear back from them just so According to a study by the University of I could meet the deadline.

Wisconsin, research on career services tends to I luckily made the deadline, but it got me focus on students’ utilization and satisfaction thinking—what about other students who were with the resources. But it rarely highlights focused on their summer job or internship who Melissa Rosales Rosales is a senior jounalism major and a Beacon correspondent.

“In the competitive world of internships, resilience needs to be taught too.” • Illustration by Ally Rzesa / Beacon Staff couldn’t make it?

I thought I could finally relax after going through these steps. I thought I would not have to deal with any more pressure, competition, lack of self-confidence, or impending deadlines.

But I realized I was wrong after my first week of the online internship class.

The online journalism internship class aims to help students develop a sense of professionalism and news media companies awareness through written assignments and readings, as well as self evaluation and weekly discussion threads. The first discussion thread requires students to post about themselves, their internship, and campus activities they are involved in. I thought this was fun until I read other students’ posts.

Students posted about the internships I knew I got rejected from and about some companies where they previously interned. I read posts from students who not only had internships and classes, but were also heads of student organizations, active news directors, reporters, and some even had their own show. Because

students are required to respond to at least two other posts, I was pushed to feel subpar and pressured as I compared myself to other students.

While the internship class focuses on teaching students to be professionally prepared and aware of their intern rights, the discussion threads and mandated student interactions add stress and competition. The internship class should be a healthy environment for students to solely focus on their internship and develop professionalism.

If it truly is the Career Development Center’s mission to empower students to realize their potential, they should collaborate with Emerson Counseling and Psychological Services to educate students on career adaptability. By then, I hope students never have to spend a whole year alone mentally struggling to find an internship like I did.

melissamarie_rosales@emerson.edu

Living Arts

The Berkeley Beacon

October 2, 2019

6

Former journalistic endeavors inspire alum’s graphic novel Dana Gerber, Beacon Staff At only nineteen years old, Gaby Dunn ‘09 spent her nights waiting at hospitals to find out the status of shooting victims or driving to the scene of fires where houses had burned to the ground.

As a journalism major, Dunn had scored a coveted opportunity: a position at The Boston Globe through the co-op program. She worked as a nighttime crime reporter, covering Boston’s most brutal from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. with the help of a police scanner. It was Dunn’s memory of this journalistic zeal that inspired her latest book, Bury The Lede, set to be published on Oct. 8.

This will be Dunn’s third book released in 2019; Bad With Money came out in January and Please Send Help, co-authored by Allison Raskin, came out in July. Claire Roe illustrated Bury The Lede, and Miquel Muerto served as the colorist. Comic book publisher BOOM! Studios will release the book as the debut of their new line of graphic novels geared toward adults.

Bury The Lede, Dunn’s first graphic novel, follows a young reporter named Madison Jackson at the fictitious Boston Lede newspaper.

Jackson attempts to cover a murder story while becoming entangled with the possible killer.

“I think a lot of what I do is put out as entertainment, but it is reporting,” Dunn said in a phone interview from New York City. “My dad is always like, ‘You’re using your degree.

Yay!’” While Dunn no longer works as a journalist, she said that she believes many of her ventures still include a journalistic edge. For example, in her podcast Bad With Money, she interviews financial experts, and Bury The Lede required her to look through her old newspaper clips to make the main character’s story more realistic.

“I think it would be a waste if I didn’t use these experiences,” Dunn said. “If I didn’t use my insider knowledge of this world for something.”

Bury The Lede’s editor, Dafna Pleban, said the concept for the novel—which she described as a “Devil-Wears-Prada-meets-Hannibal” story—struck her immediately, and Dunn’s execution of it was no less compelling. “[Dunn] told me a bit about her experience as a cub reporter in college, and I was thinking,

Gaby Dunn ‘09 drew inspiration from her studies as a journalism major for her newest book, a queer-centered graphic novel. • Courtesy of Robyn Van Swank ‘Man, that’s awesome. Let’s explore that,’” Pleban said in a phone interview from Los Angeles. “At the time, we both were really kind of jonesing for flawed, female main characters.”

Dunn said that, although she always liked comics, she decided to embark on creating a graphic novel for more pragmatic reasons.

“I like diversifying,” she said. “I like having my work be in different mediums. I felt like, ‘I’ve never done a graphic novel. Why not?’ I want to learn how to do as many mediums as possible, just to make sure that in case anything collapses, I have others, too.”

She said that, in addition to fictionalizations of her Boston Globe experiences that made their way into the pages, her former co-workers also served as sources of inspiration.

“I sometimes would watch reporters that were there and be just so in awe of their work, and so in awe of how they handled these crazy situations, and how they wrote about these things. And so I wanted to kind of pay homage to that,” she said. “There were a lot of reporters there that were just these really cool, badass women, and I was obsessed with them. I would just study them.”

Dunn, a self-professed “bicon,” or bisexual icon, also wanted to use this novel as an opportunity to amplify queer representation, which she said popular media often leaves out of the narrative.

“Almost every character in the book ends up queer,” she said. “How many graphic novels or shows exist where everyone is straight and nobody says anything?”

Pleban noted that Dunn’s ability to create compelling, three-dimensional characters made the queer representation all the more meaningful.

“Every single character, their motivation is a mix of wants and needs, and she’s created a story in which those wants and needs come into conflict,” Pleban said. “True representation is being given a platform to show your complications, to show that you’re more than just your identity.”

Pleban said that, in addition to Dunn’s writing abilities, the dynamic relationship between Dunn and the two artists, Roe and Muerto, helped bring the story to life.

“Comics are an endless conversation between everyone involved,” Pleban said. “It’s

that kind of holistic storytelling that… I think only really happens in contact between a writer, an artist, and a colorist.”

Dunn said she agreed that the book’s inherently collaborative process was an asset.

She said she mapped out the storyline with Pleban, and described scenes of Boston to Roe in order to capture the spirit of the city.

“She was able to fill out Boston the way that it looked to me, which was amazing,” Dunn said.

Due to scheduling conflicts, Muerto was unable to participate in a phone interview.

He wrote in an emailed statement that even though he entered the project after the primary illustrations were finished, he dove in head first once he was a part of it.

“When Bury the Lede was presented to me with a great script and breathtaking art, I didn’t think twice about jumping in,” he wrote.

He said that he chose his colors in an effort to complement and highlight the tension of its narrative.

“After reading the script, I envisioned a more natural color palette in order to give realness to the story,” he wrote. “That helped to achieve a really good balance between what we see and what we’re told.”

Muerto also noted that he appreciated that the queer storyline came from a place of authenticity, rather than from shock value.

“I love how the tropes are demolished from the start and the moments of LGBTQIA+ representation are not treated like special occasions or a major plot reveal,” he wrote.

“They’re just there because they don’t need an excuse to exist.”

Dunn, who will embark on a four-stop book tour following Bury The Lede’s release, said that while many of her current career endeavors stray from her journalistic roots, creating this novel showed her the value of her experiences in the world of news.

“If I have the experience of something, I want to write about it if it’s outside of the traditional entertainment sphere,” she said. “I didn’t go to school for screenwriting. I didn’t go to school for filmmaking. I went to school for journalism.

And I have found that that’s an asset, because I have things to write about.” dana_gerber@emerson.edu

Junior raises money to help homeless men secure winter housing Continued from page 1 “Now it is,” she paused and searched in her bag for her computer. “I’ll check. It’s very high.”

At the time of the interview on Sept. 27, the GoFundMe reached $1,655. A few days later, donations are now close to $3,000. At the time of publication, Wright said she has no idea when the GoFundMe will end.

All the money raised through crowdfunding will go to Smiley and his two friends to help them afford housing. Currently staying at homeless shelters nearby, they hope to get a four-room home outside of the city before winter comes.

Three of the rooms will be for them to live in, and the extra room will be dedicated to helping others in similar situations get back on their feet.

Wright said the three friends have bank accounts set up, so she will transfer the money directly into their accounts.

“I was expecting $200,” Wright said. “I have like a cat-sitting job next weekend and I told my boyfriend, I was like, ‘If this fails, I’m just gonna give him all the money I make.’

And that’s like $100. I did not expect it to get anywhere close to $1,000.”

When Wright shared the GoFundMe with the Emerson community, many immediately identified Smiley and expressed affection towards him.

“He told me the other day, he was like, ‘I don’t stand out here and shake my cup of change and, like, ask for money. I talk to people, tell them to have a good day,’” Wright said. “Because he wants to do whatever he can to spread kindness, which I thought was amazing.”

When junior Jacob Solkoff came across the

GoFundMe for Smiley, he didn’t hesitate to donate $20 and encourage his friends to do so.

Spending the summer in Boston, Solkoff said he interacted with Smiley regularly.

“He’s just such a nice person,” Solkoff said.

“He says hello, good morning, and he always has a smile on his face. Even when I can’t give him money, he’s still just as nice.”

Wright said Smiley told her that if they do find a place to live, he intends on coming back to campus to thank Emerson students who helped him and his friends.

Smiley has been homeless since November and is hoping to find housing before it becomes a year. Wright said he never shared how he became homeless with her.

Wright continuously updates Smiley on the rising donations. She told him when they hit $1,000. She visited him again when they had reached $1,600.

Senior Isabella Pelletiere, one of Wright’s best friends, shared the GoFundMe on her social media accounts last week to encourage other students to donate.

“I’m so proud of her,” Pelletiere said. “And this is going to change these guys’ lives. And without her, this wouldn’t be possible.”

Wright said the GoFundMe is a perfect opportunity for students passing by Smiley every day to help him.

“Obviously a lot of people have seen [Smiley] sitting at the corner, the entrance of the alleyway, but [Wright] was nice enough to go up to him and have a conversation with him and really get to know him and his situation,” Pelletiere said.

Wright said she initially reached out individually to donors as donations were coming in to thank them. With now over 200 donors, she couldn’t keep up.

‘Smiley’ said this is the second time ever he has willingly been photographed.

Jakob Menendez / Beacon Staff “I just want to thank everyone for spreading it and sharing it,” Wright said. “Even if people don’t have money to donate, they’re posting it on social media. And I just think it’s really great that our school community could come

together to do something so amazing. And I’m so grateful for everyone who’s donated and shared it.” cassandre_coyer@emerson.edu

The Berkeley Beacon

October 2, 2019

Living Arts

7

The Emerson Hip-Hop Society wraps up summer mixtape Melanie Curry, Beacon Staff

and Talbot. The rappers included seniors Owen Elphick and Trevor Kelly, juniors Dani Sophomore Ademir Monteiro sat in his Jean-Baptiste and Devin Davis-Lorton, and closet and looked through The Emerson Hip- sophomores Monteiro and MJ Smith.

Monteiro said he found the process of making Hop Society’s Google Drive folder to choose a beat. Once chosen, he grabbed his phone the mixtape stressful and time consuming because of limited and his lyric-filled communication notebook, took a over the summer. deep breath, and Those working on rapped his verse “We didn’t want to go away the mixtape mostly for The Hip-Hop communicated Society’s summer for the summer and come back through Slack, mixtape.

Monteiro said.

The Hip-Hop “[The mixtape] Society released a in the fall. We wanted to keep is one of those ten song hip-hop that you and rap mixtape doing stuff, keep the name out things do that you don’t titled Society realize how hard Summer over the there, [and] keep the name it would be,” course of summer Talbot said. “I was 2019 starting June going.” working two jobs 23 to Aug. 25. The and living on my Hip-Hop Society own for the first released a new track -Ademir Monteiro time, so trying to on SoundCloud coordinate with every week on people to produce Sunday.

“The reason why we wanted to do something [and] mix stuff was really challenging.”

Monteiro said creating a mixtape began as was to keep ourselves out there—keep ourselves visible,” Monteiro said. “We didn’t want to go a collaborative idea between the members of away for the summer and come back in the fall. The Hip-Hop Society. The name of the mixtape We wanted to keep doing stuff, keep the name came from its release date—summertime.

“It’s a mixtape in the truest form because out there, [and] keep the name going.”

Junior John Talbot, a producer for Society it’s a collection of songs under one name,” Monteiro said.

Summer, said every To promote the week, a rapper mixtape’s release, from The Hip-Hop “It’s a mixtape in the truest Monteiro said The Society would Hip-Hop Society look in the Google form because it’s a collection of used various social Drive beat folder media platforms. and select a beat “We utilized they liked. Next, the songs under one name.”

The Hiprapper would record Hop society’s their voice over -Ademir Monteiro Instagram, the beat and send a Facebook, and recording of their Twitter page,” rap and beat to the producer to mix. The producer would combine Monteiro said. “Whenever there was a new the rapper’s audio and beat to create a track to song out, we’d have a post and it’d be like, ‘Listen to the new song out.’’’ release the following Sunday.

Talbot produced four songs on Society Talbot said the Google Drive beat folder comprised beats chosen or produced by Summer including “Show Off,” “Don’t Make members of the organization. Members who Me Laugh,” “Beautiful Day,” and “Only created beats are known as producers, Talbot Human.” said.

“Only Human” is Society Summer’s most Six rappers and two producers worked played song with 147 plays on SoundCloud. on Society Summer, according to Monteiro Featuring Jean-Baptiste and Elphick, “Only

John Talbot (left), Devin Davis-Lorton (back), Dani Jean-Baptiste (front), and Owen Elphick (right) all collaborated to create the mixtape. • Greyson Acquaviva / Beacon Staff Human” addresses ideas of vulnerability, sensitivity, and Elphick’s senior semester at Emerson. “‘Only Human’ was about me [rapping] about fears and insecurities of my future,” Elphick said. “Stuff that has been [happening] to me over the summer in terms of like my life progressing, my personal life at home, and my tenure at Emerson.”

Last March, The Hip-Hop Society released an 11-track album called Chapter One: Enter the Society on Apple Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud, making Society Summer The Hip-Hop Society’s second original music release project.

Mixtapes contain free beats while albums contain either original beats or artists’ beats for a price. When using other artists’ beats, a rapper must have permission and may have to pay royalty fees, depending on the streaming service, Talbot said.

“In the hip-hop world, specifically, mixtapes

are albums that are released for free, so that the artists can use samples without having to pay royalties on them and get the samples cleared by whoever has the copyright on those samples,” Elphick said.

Elphick said The Hip-Hop Society released the mixtape exclusively on SoundCloud to avoid paying royalties. By using SoundCloud as the streaming service, The Hip-Hop Society did not make any revenue off the mixtape compared to their album, which made around $20, Monteiro said.

Elphick said The Hip-Hop Society is in the planning stages of their next album, which they expect to release spring 2020.

“My hope for the album is that it’s going to be even better than the last one,” Elphick said.

“That’s always your goal. I think it’s going to be even more polished [and] have even more songs.” melanie_curry@emerson.edu

Person of Color Column: What’s in a number?

Abigail Hadfield is a junior writing, literature, and publishing major, The Beacon’s copy managing editor, and this week’s POC columnist.

My least favorite part of standardized testing has never been the test itself. For that matter, my least favorite part of starting any new job, applying for an internship, or submitting a college application, comes within the first page of questions—when you’re asked to check off the category for your race or ethnicity.

If you’ve ever looked closely at the racial or ethnic categories on a census form, college application, or employment form, you’ll notice the same categories repeated as options: American Indian or Alaska native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiin or Other, Pacific Islander, and White. But if you look closely at the “White” category, you’ll notice the definition—according to the U.S. Census, this category is for, “A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.”

Every time I have to check off the box for “White,” even though I’m checking it off for the Middle Eastern qualifier, I still feel like I’m erasing part of my identity.

Including Middle Eastern and North African people in the same category as white Americans is not an arbitrary decision. It can be traced back to legal decisions made in federal courts in the early 20th century regarding how people of Arab and Middle Eastern descent should be classified.

At the time, due to the Naturalization Act

of 1790, being categorized as white meant that you were eligible for citizenship in the United States—so naturally, Arab immigrants wanted to be classified as white. Through a series of court cases, such as Dow v. the United States in 1915 and Ex Parte Mohriez in 1944, it was eventually decided that certain people from certain regions of Asia and North Africa were counted as “white” persons.

While it may have been beneficial to be counted as white and earn all the privileges and benefits of that classification in the early-to-mid20th century, living in a post9/11 society has entirely changed the meaning of what being Arab in America entails.

According to the estimates from the U.S. Census in 2010, there are a little over 2 million Arab Americans living in the United States. However, adjusted data from the Arab American Institute Foundation puts that number closer to 3.6 million.

That’s 3.6 million people who are being counted as white, even as they face discrimination for the color of their skin or country of origin. The problem here arises in the fact that the census provides data on where ethnic

communities are located and what resources they need. Without this data, there’s no concrete way to designate resources for largely Arab American communities to help with language assistance, health research, education statistics, and various public assistance programs.

My grandmother grew up in a strong Lebanese community in Easton, Pennsylvania.

To this day, a large portion of the population is still of Lebanese descent or origin— there is even an annual festival to celebrate the Lebanese heritage of the community.

But if you were to look at the census data for this region, it would be counted as a predominantly white community.

B e y o n d the statistics and economic disadvantages of counting Arab people as white, it also erases an important part of people’s identity. When I applied to my current job, the application asked for my ethnicity to have an accurate representation of diversity among their employees—and I had to check off white. Even though I don’t want to be used as a diversity statistic in some database, it’s still important to me that I be recognized for my identity, especially when that identity has a complex history.

“Even though I don’t want to be used as a diversity statistic in some database, it’s still important to me that I be recognized for my identity, especially when that identity has a complex history.”

So in America, Arab Americans and their descendants are stuck in a limbo that feels impossible—the law tells us that we should count as white. However, when it comes to how we’re perceived in daily life, Arabs are called terrorists, told to go back to their own country, and routinely “randomly selected” for no reason at security checkpoints.

Strangers ask me, “So where are you/your parents from?” or “So, what are you?” when they see my skin color. I got stopped and frisked repeatedly at airports while studying abroad, while my white friends all cruised through without a problem. So, every time I have to check off “White” on an application, a census form, or a questionnaire, I feel like I’m erasing part of my identity and experiences. It hurts me to deny my family’s history, my own experiences, and my pride in my ethnicity to just call myself white.

There is a strong movement in America to add MENA, Middle Eastern or North African, as an option on the U.S. Census. The Census Bureau already announced that the 2020 census will not add it as a category, but activists are still fighting to have it included on future censuses.

Activists like Omar Masry have run campaigns such as “Check it right, you ain’t white,” and plenty of other individuals have spoken out on how they feel misrepresented.

The 2020 census categories may already be decided, but individual institutions can make their own changes in the meantime. It’s time for Arab Americans to be properly counted— because it’s more than just a number. It’s our identity.

abigail_hadfield@emerson.edu

Sports

The Berkeley Beacon

After spending seven years of his life in Ukraine, Bo Feekins decided to spend his next four as a member of the Emerson College men’s soccer team, where he is adjusting to life in the United States as a college athlete.

“Everyone is super welcoming, which is super nice, especially on the soccer team,” Feekins said in an interview. “When I lived in Ukraine, the big difference was that I was the foreigner, I was the outsider. Coming back here, it’s definitely a different life and a different perspective.”

While Feekins is a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom, he lived in Ukraine because his parents worked there. He said he wanted to play college soccer in Boston due to his family connections in the area.

“My mom, she’s American,” Feekins said.

“She’s originally from Massachusetts, so I’ve got family all over the area. I have an aunt and uncle that live in Boston, so I was looking at schools around Boston to be close to them.”

Feekins searched for a school to help him meet his athletic goals and pursue a sports communication degree.

Before stepping foot on campus, the Lions’ coaching staff had never seen him play in person. Head coach Bryan Harkin said the staff relied on film and the testimonies of other coaches when evaluating Feekins.

“He was very diligent in following up with us,” Harkin said. “It’s hard to get to see international players play live, but on the phone he handled himself very well. He knew what he wanted to do.”

After the evaluations by the coaching staff, Harkin invited Feekins to a training camp this summer. Harkin said Feekins’ performance earned him an invite for more of preseason training and eventually a spot on the roster.

Due to injuries on the Lions’ defense, Feekins received playing time early in the season. Feekins played center back for the first nine games of the season and assisted on a goal by sophomore forward Clark Dean against the University of Massachusetts Boston on Sept.

10.

Harkin said one of Feekins’ strengths on the field is his versatility.

“He can also play as a defensive [midfielder],” said Harkin. “He’s good on the ball, he’s got good instincts, and he’s got a good feel for the game.”

While searching for center backs for the 2019 recruiting class, Harkin identified Feekins as someone who could fill that void.

“He’s certainly on the verge of maybe starting or getting significant minutes,” Harkin said. “He’s a big frame, a big body, and he can deal with the physicality and the speed of the game. You can see signs that he’s developing in training, and now he can bring that over into

MEN’S SOCCER: Emerson at WPI, 10 a.m., Saturday WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: WPI at Emerson, 1 p.m., Saturday WOMEN’S SOCCER: Smith at Emerson, 6 p.m., Tuesday WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL: Emerson at Wheaton, 7 p.m., Tuesday

games.”

Harkin also said Feekins shows a commitment to improving his game during training.

“He’s coachable,” Harkin said. “That’s fundamental as a coach, if you’ve got a player that wants to listen and is willing to do that extra work and go those extra yards. We’re very pleased in terms of that.”

In addition to his skills on the field, Harkin believes Feekins’ maturity makes him a good fit on the team.

“He’s the type of character that we want in this program,” Harkin said. “He’s a good ambassador for our soccer program, and I think a good ambassador for Emerson College in general.”

As the team continues conference play with a 2-6-1 record, Feekins said the team’s mentality remains unwavered. He thinks the team will begin to see more success on the field.

“We have the talent,” Feekins said. “We know we’ve got the work ethic. It’s just about taking that next step and improving the little things. I think we’re close. We have a talented group. We work hard, we play for each other.

The next big thing is just turning all that hard work and talent into results.”

ethan_mcdowell@emerson.edu @_bballupdates_

Bond earns conference award

Caroline Bond (center, No. 20) sets the ball for an Emerson outside hitter. • Photo by Rachel Culver / Beacon Staff Continued from Page 1

Remembering our friend, Dan Hollis Aaron J. Miller, Beacon Staff When I walked into my Introduction to College Writing class during my first semester at Emerson, the professor asked us to pair up to do interviews as an icebreaker—something I thought would be awful after hearing stories from upperclassmen.

That icebreaker activity ended up being one of the most memorable moments of my freshman year.

I paired up with the person sitting directly next to me so I wouldn’t have to get up. Since I am a journalism major, I opted to interview first and asked simple small-talk questions.

I learned that my partner’s hometown was 30 minutes outside Boston, he was a marketing communication major, and he played lacrosse for the college. However, I forgot to ask him for his name.

In the next class, I walked back into the classroom and sat next to the same person. I felt ashamed that I didn’t know his name because I’m sure he knew mine, but I asked anyway.

“Hey, sorry, I totally forgot to ask you for your name last class,” I remember asking.

“Dan,” he responded. “Dan Hollis.”

Dan and I became friends and worked on most of our in-class assignments together. We got to know each other throughout the semester and built a relationship stronger than an inclass friendship through his passion for playing lacrosse and with me covering the team as a sports editor.

I quickly found out that Dan and one of my freshman year suite mates were best friends, so I frequently saw him after class and got to know him even better. From my love for sports to Dan’s light-hearted personality, we got to know each other so well that his friends became my friends, and vice versa.

This past Sunday, three of Dan’s friends on the lacrosse team visited my suite unannounced, which typically doesn’t happen, so I could tell something was wrong. We all asked each other how we were doing, but I noticed someone was missing.

“Where’s Dan?” I asked.

“You haven’t heard?” I remember one of them asking me.

That’s when I found out that the first person I met and had a genuine connection with at Emerson was in a medically induced coma after undergoing emergency brain surgery. I was told that he got into a fight outside a party in Allston and was hurt, but that he would be all right.

I was initially shocked and terrified about what happened, but I told myself that everything was going to be okay because I had never experienced something like this before. I told myself that Dan would be practicing on Rotch Field in no time and that everything would be back to normal.

I found out that Dan’s condition worsened significantly Sunday morning and that he was going to die. I couldn’t believe it. Dan was always committed to what he believed in, whether that was on the field or off. He never gave in to hardship and always looked for the best in anyone. I’m going to miss visiting Dan and his roommate to talk about sports and our drastically different taste in music.

I will remember Dan as a caring, compassionate, athletically talented, and downto-earth person. I wish Dan’s family the best in finding the road to recovery after this tragedy.

“I felt like I was letting the team down because I didn’t think I was playing my best,” Bond said. “Then I had a realization and was like ‘Okay, just do what you know how to do.

Just play volleyball.’”

Read said he could tell Bond would fit well on the Lions when he saw her at Winterfest, a recruiting event, during her junior year in high school. Read said Bond was on a list of prospects he was evaluating at the event.

“I hadn’t reached out to her because she was a junior at the time, and I was so focussed on the senior class,” Read said. “I was going to reach out to her a couple weeks later.”

Before Read could reach out Bond, she emailed him. Her familiarity with the school impressed Read.

“As a downtown Boston school like us with a volleyball program, we get interest from a decent amount of people, but sometimes they haven’t quite done the research,” Read said.

Now that she has assumed a starting role on the team, Read said he trusts Bond to run the offense.

“The setter is touching every ball, she is running our offense, and she’s the quarterback of the team,” said Read. “[She is] the Offensive Player of the Week Award because she is leading our offense to [wins] on the court.”

ethan_mcdowell@emerson.edu @_bballupdates_

aaron_miller@emerson.edu @theaaronjmiller

Women’s Volleyball

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Women’s Tennis

Emerson 3, Clark 0

Eastern Nazarene 2, Emerson 0

Wesleyan (Conn.) 3, Emerson 2

Emerson 8, Southern Me. 1

Tuesday, Oct. 1

Tuesday, Oct. 1

Tuesday, Oct. 1

Sunday, Sept. 29

Bond said she does not feel any stress on the court despite being a freshman with a significant role in the offense “I think it’s healthy pressure,” Bond said.

“I put pressure on myself because I want to perform the best that I can for my team. I try to come out every time and give it my all.”

Not only is she a standout player statistically, but Bond’s stats are ranked close to the top of the conference. Her 433 assists places her fourth in the NEWMAC, and she is third in assists per set with 9.02.

When assessing her play so far this year, Bond said she started off strong but began to struggle once classes began.

8

UPCOMING ACTION

Dual citizen joins men’s soccer Ethan McDowell, Beacon Staff

October 2, 2019

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