THE
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OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Thehudsonian.org
Volume 68, Issue 13
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December 15th, 2015
Vice President finds inspiration through adversity
By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief By overcoming personal difficulties, Student Senate vice president Bryce Kirk finds his biggest inspiration through his family. “Through tough times, they have never let adversity get them down,” he said. “I try to base myself everyday off that idea,” said Kirk. Kirk is a sophomore at Hudson Valley majoring in business. He is also the vice president of the student body, secretary of the Entrepreneurs Club, director of research in the Investment Club and is part of the Faculty Student Association Board of Directors. Kirk also engages in athletics with Hudson Valley’s bowling team. “I didn’t know what I really wanted to do after high school,” said Kirk. “My mom who came to Hudson Valley talked highly of it, so that’s why I picked this school,” he said. After learning about the student government on campus, Kirk decided to join the Student Senate in the middle of his second semester. When the opportunity for an executive board position opened up, he ran for Student Senate vice president and won. Kirk plays a broad role on campus as vice president. The majority of his role comes in the organization of events on campus. “I run the programming meetings which plans all the events that go on the campus for students,” said Kirk. Throughout his time at Hudson Valley, Kirk’s favorite part of college life is the people he has met. “I made more connections in the last year than I have in my entire life,” said Kirk. He hopes that all students can be active on campus and take advantage of what the college offers. He believes that some people don’t fully embrace what they want to do. “My grandmother just passed a few weeks ago and she was one of those people who had a regret of
not doing what she wanted to do. I want to be one of those people who wants to say, ‘I want to try this today, and this is what my heart is telling me what to do’,” said Kirk. Before Kirk arrived at Hudson Valley, his family went through tough times. “My dad was always the person that followed his heart,” said Kirk. His father, Steven, got a degree in planning from the University at Buffalo and worked for the city of Utica for a while, until he decided he wanted to start his own business. “He started his own planning business which he ran for about 25 years.” According to Kirk, his father got put out of business by being blackballed by the state. The shift from upper middle class to almost poverty became difficult for Kirk and his family. “I was a junior in high school and I didn’t really know what to do in that situation,” said Kirk. “Seeing something like that happen to someone you love is really hard, so I had a hard time deciding where I wanted to go next.” Kirk’s parents had to sell their 4,000 squarefoot house and move into a smaller apartment. “[My dad] never showed he was affected by it,” said Kirk. “That really stuck with me because it shows how much his attitude towards life was always that it’s going to get better.” Kirk is continuously looking into his future after Hudson Valley. He is looking to attend Cornell or the University of North Carolina and major in either engineering or finance. “When choosing a major, I had a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut,” said Kirk. “Now I’m deciding whether I want to go to school for aerospace engineering or finance,” he said. Kirk thanks his mother and father for where he is today, and the kind of person that he has become. Despite the low points and family struggles, Kirk’s positive attitude and strong heart have never let anything get in his way.
Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN
Inside News
Inside Features
Inside Sports
Senior Class President
Suicide attempt
Massachusetts
Alex Shannon fills vacant position.
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After nearly facing death, Mia Murphy celebrates life. Page 8
Four hockey players come from the bay state. Page 11
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December 15th, 2015
NEWS
The Hudsonian Hudson Valley Community College 80 Vandenburgh Ave. Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 518-629-7568 Email: hudsonian@hvcc.edu
Entrepreneurs Club fails to scoop out fundraising goal By: Rebecca Jordan Junior News Editor
Editor-in-Chief Matt Whalen Managing Editor Tyler McNeil Business Manager Patrick Gareau News Editor Durgin McCue Sports Editor John C. Longton III Photo Editor Marison Topinio Copy Editor Dae-Jin Yuk Junior Editors Jenny Caulfield Rebecca Jordan Staff Writers Sam Kobylar Staff Photographers Mikey Bryant Stephanie Saddlemire Faculty Adviser Rachel Bornn Letters to the Editor Letters can be delivered to CTR 291 or emailed to hudsonian@hvcc. edu. Readers may have their letters published anonymously as long as their identity can be verified. Letters will be edited for grammar, style, libel and length.
The Entrepreneurs Club fell short of its fundraising goal this semester but hopes to make a comeback in the spring. The club sold gift cards for 16 Handles, a frozen yogurt franchise, to students, friends, and family in the hopes of raising the $300 it needs for its trip to SUNY Plattsburgh for the Speak-off competition. “We wanted to find a creative way to fundraise,” said Brody O’Connor, the secretary of the club. Students did not have to be members of the club to participate in the sales process and could form teams of between one and four people for the SUNY Plattsburgh Speak-Off competition. Sales ended on Dec. 9. Prior to the tallying of the results, Entrepreneurs
Club advisor Johanna Mather was optimistic: “I think it’s a great fundraiser right before Christmas because there’s always either a little stocking stuffer, or somebody you need a gift for that you’re not really sure what to give them, and instead of giving them the typical Dunkin’ Donuts gift card or Starbucks, it’s kind of a different gift.” The club agreed to a 16 percent return on all proceeds. To earn the $300 it needs for the SUNY Plattsburgh trip the club had to sell $2,250 in gift cards. Sales only totaled to about $375, meaning that the club got to keep $60. The leading salesman was Trevor Lloyd, who won with $130 in sales and took home a $100 16 Handles gift card. “The fundraiser didn’t turn out as well as we planned,” Mather said in an email. “I think we needed a longer time for the contest and perhaps have a table
with pre-loaded gift cards in the campus center a few more days.” Even though the fundraiser did not produce the desired results, the Entrepreneurs Club is making some adjustments and is making tentative plans to relaunch their efforts in the spring. The owner of the 16 Handles located by Hudson Valley on Route 4, Scott Noel, has been a close, enthusiastic partner with the Entrepreneurs Club. In addition to speaking at one of the Entrepreneurs Club meetings and providing a $50 gift card to the club at the conclusion of the fundraiser, Noel offered Lloyd an internship. “He’s been great with our students as far as internships; he’s really good at customizing an internship to fit what the student needs and what he or she is interested in,” Mather said.
Calendar of Events December
Tue 15
Mindfulness Meditation 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Siek Campus Center, room 220 (Interfaith Prayer Room)
Yoga 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm Siek Campus Center, Suite 270
Wed 16
Yoga 12:00 pm – 12:50 pm Siek Campus Center, Suite 270
Fri 11
Fall 2015 Last day of instruction
Wed 23
Holiday- College Closed
Thu 24
Holiday- College Closed
Fri 25
Holiday- College Closed
Thu 31
Holiday- College Closed
Editorial Policy All views expressed in this paper are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the The Hudsonian or the College. The Hudsonian is the exclusive student newspaper of Hudson Valley Community College. It is published every week. To join The Hudsonian, attend our weekly meeting on Mondays at 2 p.m. in ADM 107.
Weather TUESDAY High/Low 55/36 WEDNESDAY High/Low 46/36
Mikey Bryant | THE HUDSONIAN Entrepreneurs club memebers fundraising on the second story of the campus center across from Chartwells.
THURSDAY High/Low 52/41 FRIDAY High/Low 47/31 SATURDAY High/Low 41/29
The Hudsonian’s next publication will be Tuesday Janurary 19th.
SUNDAY High/Low 39/28
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December 15th, 2015
NEWS
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Alex Shannon appointed Senior Class President By: Rebecca Jordan Junior News Editor Alex Shannon plans to promote the interests of the senior class through hard work and dedication. “I think being dedicated and working hard are probably the biggest two characteristics of a leader. If you’re going to be involved with the government, I think that you should be willing to put in extra time so that you put the school and the kids you are representing in the best position,” Shannon said. Nobody ran for senior class president during general elections this past academic year, leaving the spot open. Student Senate laws dictate that if a position remains unfilled, the president can appoint whomever he or she thinks would be a good fit for it, granted that the Senate approves the chosen candidate with a majority vote. Student Senate president Everett McNair decided to open the position up to senior senators by creating an application that would assess potential contenders. “I wanted to see who was interested and willing to put the work in because if somebody’s not interested in putting in the work to fill out an application, then it’s a good indicator of their possible future work ethic when they’re in the position,” McNair said. There were three key areas McNair said he focused on while
making his decision: the history candidates had with the Student Senate, their reputations among their peers, and whether he thought they would accurately represent the senior class. Three senators applied for consideration, but McNair ultimately chose Shannon to fill the vacancy. The Senate has approved the appointment by a majority vote to have Shannon officially hold the class president’s office. Shannon is a senior who is currently enrolled in the business program at Hudson Valley and has high hopes for what he can accomplish as the president of the senior class. “I’m no longer just representing a small group on campus; I am representing half of the students here,” Shannon said. Shannon has strived to be involved during his time with the Senate. He is the chairperson for the advertising committee, a member of the Sock Drawer, and is on the food pantry committee. “I need to go out and get the opinions of the senior class because that’s what I am representing: their opinions, not my own,” Shannon said. Shannon plans on visiting campus clubs whenever he can, as well as organizing new events for students in order to make his face known and meet people. Shannon will hold the senior presidential office until the next general election of officers has been decided and the position changes hands on June 1.
Marison Topinio | THE HUDSONIAN Alex Shannon will hold the senior class president position until June 1 of next year. The previous senior class president was Adam Day.
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Jenny Caulfield | THE HUDSONIAN Members of Sisters lncynch (Sisters in Need of Companionship or Sisters promoting unity/togetherness) congregate in the office of advisor Tamu Chamers.
PREVIEW
Sisters Incynch looks to celebrate diversity among women By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Sisters Incynch looks to unite women on campus next semester through imagery, storytelling and music. “Women have a voice and it’s important that this society listens to it,” said Sisters Incynch secretary Claudia Alferez-Walden. Last Monday, Sisters Incynch club leaders discussed presenting an educational drama, or edudrama, celebrating women of character and commitment next March. Along with AlferezWalden, five other presenters are set to discuss their cultural backgrounds during Women’s History Month. A Mexican immigrant who has been in the country for ten years, Alferez-Walden plans to talk about her life, from family influences to the future ahead of her, at the Mar. 4 event. “It’s about empowering other women and I can represent the Latin group,” she said. Karen Ferrer-Muniz, associate dean of instructional support services and retention, will also discuss her Latin American roots on the panel. “You really need to be humble to remind yourself who your parents are and where you came from,” said Ferrer-Muniz. She first arrived in the United States over two decades ago from Puerto Rico to
pursue her education at UAlbany. “With our panelists, as women, we all have a story to tell based on our different racial and ethnic background so my whole point is to bring everyone together,“ said Sisters Incynch advisor and assistant professor Tamu Chambers. She hopes the March event could develop into a SUNY-wide travelling edudrama. After the last presentation, Sisters Incynch members will form a circle, pass down a torch among each member of the group and recite poetry. “For those who have achieved success, we’re obligated to pass the torch onto the next generation for the betterment of society,” said Chambers. Along with stories, cultural music and dance will be included at next semester’s event. Former Sisters Incynch vice president Ashley Dunbar came back to meet with the club last week to work on choreography for the event. Since leaving the organization over a year ago, Dunbar has kept in touch with Chambers. “We’re all in this together in this together at the end of the day,” she said. After exploring different cultures through the club this semester, Sisters Incynch president Brianna Reed said that the club helped change her perspective. “It’s not a club where you participate because it’s something to do, but you actually begin to feel it,” said Reed.
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December 15th, 2015
NEWS
Carlino family founds $1,000 yearly scholarship By: Rebecca Jordan Junior News Editor The Anthony ’55 and Marilyn Carlino Memorial scholarship has been endowed with $25,000 by Michael Carlino and his wife, Stephanie, in memory of Michael’s parents. The Anthony ’55 and Marilyn Carlino Memorial scholarship will award $1,000 annually to a student in the Electrical Technologies: Electronics Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) program.
Additional funds will be added every year for the maintenance of the fund, and other family members may contribute, though nothing of that nature has been finalized. Anthony received his Associate in Applied Science degree in Electrical Technology in 1955 after an honorable discharge from the Army in 1953. He was a member of the first graduating class at what is now Hudson Valley Community College, and his degree allowed him to pursue a successful career
at General Electric. Among other achievements, Anthony worked on the Apollo Lunar Module in the Spacetrack Space Surveillance Network program. “I would imagine that even in this day and age, there are people who are the first in their families to attend college and graduate, so that would make them especially happy if that was the student’s situation, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Deborah Renfrew, communications and marketing specialist. Any student looking to
receive the Anthony ’55 and Marilyn Carlino Memorial scholarship must first be enrolled in the electrical technologies program. Scholarship guidelines state that if no student in this program qualifies, any student in the School of Engineering and Industrial Technologies is eligible. Financial need, indicated by the FAFSA, is the main basis for eligibility, though the student must be in “good academic standing” to qualify. Renfrew said, “With this particular scholarship, they
weren’t necessarily looking for high grades because the wife of the man who established it works at a college and understands that when kids are under stress, no matter how smart they are, they might not do well.” Though the scholarship was officially approved by the college and funded by October of this year, students can apply for this scholarship in January when the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation begins accepting financial aid applications.
Center for Careers and Transfer office provides opportunities beyond campus By: Samantha Longton Staff Writer The Center for Careers and Transfer (CCT) provides students with counseling that helps them plan for their future after Hudson Valley. The CCT is located on the second floor of the Siek Campus Center. “I started out at a community college myself. I was a good student but I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. I got a lot of help trying to navigate the whole process and I wanted to do that for other students,” said Center for Careers and Transfer counselor Annie Garwood. “When you graduate from Hudson Valley you have two choices: you get a job or you transfer to another school to continue your education,” said Garwood. The CCT is available to students who need assistance with transferring, interview preparation, resume enhancement, on and off campus career opportunities, and much more. The counselors have also given students advice on choosing and studying in a certain major program. “I went there a couple times when I was switching my major,” said Dan Fisher, bioscience major. The counselors there helped him choose the right path for focusing on his major. “They gave me the idea of what I can do,” said Fisher. The departments, originally two separate facilities, were known as the Center for Careers and Employment and the Center for Counseling and Transfer, but
were combined and renamed to Center for Careers and Transfer in August. “We made the decision in late August, so only a few weeks before school. We’re still [transitioning],” said Garwood. There are currently four employees in the department. Director Gayle Healy, counselor Annie Garwood, coordinator for job location and development Melissa Melucci, and secretary Susan Smith. The counselors give advice to students on the transfer process, show how to fill out applications, and begin to get the students thinking about what they want
to do in the future. “It’s never too early to start the process,” said Garwood. She also said that main thing colleges look for in transfer students are the grades. Students need to have good grades to have more options when it comes to continuing their education at four year schools. Garwood said that the counselors at the center see more than 200 students per month seeking out assistance in career and transfer planning. They are trying to accommodate appointments as many as they can but as the semester comes
to a close the open time slots are getting tight. She said that next semester they plan on hiring more counselors to accommodate the growing number of Hudson Valley students. The Center for Careers and Transfer also hosts events like the part time job fair and the transfer fair on campus. They schedule on campus college and career recruiters so students can begin networking and planning their future. The previous transfer fair, held in Fall 2015, had about 87 different representatives and colleges that came to make
The faculty inside the Center for Careers and Transfer.
connections with students looking to transfer out to a four year school. The counselors maintain connections with various SUNY and private colleges. The CCT provides job opportunities to students on campus. Jefri Nazri, individual studies major, got a job as an orientation leader and tour guide on campus through the CCT. “I had a job interview this past summer and I was very nervous about it. The CCT helped me build up more confidence before going to my job interview by providing me with a ‘mock interview’ to prep for mine,” said Nazri. “It’s hard enough to get a job as it is so getting help on campus is always nice,” said Carson Harris, engineering science student. Harris plans on using the center to help him take the right steps to transfer to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in nearby Troy. Although the department is based on campus, some programs and utilities they provide are open to people who aren’t students. Garwood said that the center helps Hudson Valley alumni perfect resumes and prepare for professional job interviews. They also provide counseling for high school students who are interested in furthering their education at Hudson Valley. Garwood said that her favorite part of her job is helping students choose a professional path. She plans to continue working with the Center for Careers and Transfer and hopes that the center will expand so it can accommodate the growing Hudson Valley student body.
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December 15th, 2015
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Certificate program combats cyber attacks By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Greycastle Security, in partnership with Hudson Valley’s Workforce Development Institute, expects the college’s latest certificate program to help fight growing cyber threats. “One of our biggest challenges today is recruiting. It’s finding good security talent so our hope is that we can recruit out of the class,” said Reg Harish, cofounder and CEO of Greycastle Security. A 50-hour non-credit program, available next spring, will help meet a growing demand for cybercrime workers in the Capital Region, according to Greycastle Security. Harnish hopes the program will attract prospective students to Greycastle Security internships and full-time employment opportunities.
Currently, the cyber security industry has a zero percent unemployment rate according to the US Department of Labor. “If you’re looking for a job you will find one,” said Harnish. He mentioned that since its founding in 2011, the number of people employed by the company has doubled yearly. The course, Cybersecurity 101, will cover subjects from software security to human resources security. ”It’s such a broad area that a person could get skills and market themselves anywhere,” said Richard Bennett, associate dean of continuing education, summer sessions and the Workforce Development Institute. “I really feel like the Workforce Development Institute is the best kept secret on our campus because students are not well aware of what they can do with non-credit specific,
workforce industry training,” said Bennett. Hybrid classes will be available next year at Hudson Valley’s Rensselaer Technology Park location despite the Workforce Development Institute’s office suite moving to campus. Six months ago, the Workforce Development Institute reached out to Greycastle Security to put the course, costing $1,295 in tuition, together. A $240 tuition subsidy by Greycastle Security has been planned for the first three students that register for Cybersecurity 101 by Jan. 8. The college hopes to have additional classes in cybercrime by the summer. There will be between three and four 200hour additional courses. “There’s a lack of cyber skills out there. You have too many threats and too few professionals,” said Linda Wheeler, Hudson Valley technical assistant.
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Pedophillia discussed from analytical perspective By: Durgin McCue News Editor A workshop led by professor John Ostwald drew a crowd of about 50 students to Brahan Hall on Monday. The workshop, titled “Pedophilia: a Compassionate
View,” was Ostwald’s last at the college before his retirement at the end of this semester. Ostwald began the discussion by asking for words people assosiated with pediphilia. “Disgust,” “fear,” and “anger” were three responses given. “As a parent I don’t think it’s right. It makes me fear for my
Marison Topinio | THE HUDSONIAN John Ostwald, who spoke at “Pedophillia: A Compassionate View”, aims to retire this year.
children. I’m scared that there are people like that out in the world,” said one Hudson Valley student in attendance. “I don’t look at it as being a mental disability, I think it’s all about people who end up making poor choices,” said Xavier Miller, liberal arts student. “I think repressed sexuality can play a part. If somebody is not allowed to show a side of themselves as a child they will [as an adult].” Ostwald replied, “That’s an old theme we see a lot in psychology. The ‘minister’s daughter’ becoming promiscuous as an adult.” Ostwald then moved the discussion onto viewing pedophilia from a biological perspective. “Perhaps the brains or endocrine systems of pedophiles are different from everybody else’s,” he said. “I’m not trying to justify being a pedophile, but in college sometimes you have to
separate emotions from research.” Ostwald asked the audience whether they thought pedophillia was worse than murder. Four audience members responded that murder was worse while two said pediphilia or sexual offenses are greater crimes. Miller, who thought that pedophilia was worse, said, “A child has to relive that trauma over and over every day in their head.” The discussion concluded with Ostwald recounting his own personal experiences with a sexual offender as a child. He was an altar boy at the age of 11 and was sexual assualted by a priest. According to Ostwald, this is not an uncommon theme among men his age. “Now 40 years later I can still remember what he smelled like.” he said. Closure for Ostwald was only a few miles away in a Schenectady cemetery. “I found the priest’s
grave, and I peed on it,” he said. “I’m asked periodically to come up with provocative topics to get students interested in talking and expressing their thoughts,” said Ostwald. “Many of you will get diplomas when you leave here, but to me that is a very small part of college. College is for personal growth, and being able to address controversial issues.” “One way of being compassionate is having a real understanding of a topic from a research perspective,” he said. This is not the first time Ostwald has attempted to bring controversial discussions to Hudson Valley. Ostwald spoke about trying to get controversial Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan to speak at Hudson Valley a few years ago. “I thought it would be good to expose students to that sort of radical thought. College is for controversy.”
LETTER FROM EDITOR
The journey slowly ending with The Hudsonian By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief
The Hudsonian has been a journey that I have greatly appreiciated.
Going into my last semester with the paper, I have realized all the great times I have had so far. I have come a long way from a small staff writer, to Layout Editor, and now holding the
Editor-in-Chief position. I am very lucky to be working with such a talented group of editors and staffers. I don’t think I could ask for a better group of students to run this paper with.
Being able to grow this paper and being recognized by the school so many times as well as on a national level is a great honor. On behalf of the Hudsonian Editorial Board, we want to thank
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everyone that has supported us and helped us keep the paper running strong. We look forward to a strong final semester in the spring.
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BEST OF HUDSON VAL
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December 15th, 2015
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Failed suicide attempt gives student ‘another chance at life’ By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Mia Murphy was dying on her bedroom floor while blood drained from her wrists, slit to the bone, during August of last year. Once her shih tzu started barking at her, Murphy’s sister shortly entered the bedroom in horror, screaming and crying. Tears and blood were falling on the wooden floor. This was the last time Murphy expected to see her sister. After her sister went downstairs to call 911, Murphy’s world faded to black. Later that night, while laying in a hospital bed, Murphy’s eyes opened. She had tried to end her life and failed. “I basically got another chance at life,” said Murphy. “I want to do something, and I want to go as far as I can with that,” she said. For the first time, after suffering several months of trauma, self-destructive behavior and depression, Murphy was thankful to be alive. Missing her first semester at Hudson Valley to receive inpatient care at Four Winds, a psychiatric hospital in Saratoga, and Albany Medical Center, Murphy took several months to reflect on her attempt. “It was a long process,” she said. After inpatient treatment last year, she was determined to move forward. This January, Murphy had the date of her suicide attempt and “I am not afraid. I am born to do this” tattooed on her rib cage. “If I ever get down, I just look at that and it’s just a reminder of
how positive things will be,” said Murphy. Throughout high school, Murphy faced increasing negativity from other students. She was bullied at South Colonie High School in the hallways and online. “I was very vulnerable. I didn’t want to let anyone down and if someone was disappointed in me, it would make me really upset and want to fix it,” she said. After a March 2014 breakup, Murphy’s high school experience took a turn for the worse. “It was awful. My high school was awful,” she said. Murphy faced regular harassment from her ex-boyfriend and his friends.
Dealing with increasing torment in school, Murphy started coping with stress through self-harm. “At first it wasn’t to kill myself. That was the only pain I could really control,” she said. As she continued to face harassment, Murphy ran away to Lake Champlain to hang herself. She was tracked down to her cabin before attempting suicide. Following the incident, Murphy was sent to several weeks of inpatient care at Four Winds. “As soon as I came out of there, everything just hit me again,” she said. Although she recalled feeling better after being discharged, she started facing harassment
once again after coming back to Colonie. “When I graduated in June I thought it would end, but there’s still social networking and stuff so... it didn’t,” said Murphy. Before going back to Four Winds in the summer for an intentional pill overdose, Murphy was subject to physical and emotional trauma. She recalled being reclusive, selfharming and losing weight. Murphy started expressing suicidal thoughts on social media. Waking up around 6 a.m. on Aug. 13 of that year, she wrote out a suicide note on Facebook, nine hours before attempting suicide. Over a year after her attempt,
Tyler McNeil | THE HUDSONIAN Mia Murphy hopes to pursue a career working as a fashion graphic designer.
Murphy now uses the web to post about suicide awareness. She uses personal experiences to help people in her life struggling with depression. “Girls that I’ve met at Four Winds actually contact me a lot when they’re are getting depressed,” she said. After missing a semester, Murphy was determined to focus on education. “I’ve maxed out my credits for the semesters to get everything done on time,” she said. As a result of missing a semester for being in treatment after attempting suicide, Murphy has taken a heavier courseload since last semester. Living through a suicide attempt, Murphy now positions her goals on a higher pedestal. “I don’t want to be just any other graphic designer,” she said. Hoping to get accepted in Sage next academic year, Murphy dreams of eventually living in New York City to specialize in fashion-related graphic design. In school, she has based many of her graphic design projects around her own experiences with depression. “I try to turn the negative things into something very positive,” she said. From graphic design projects to assisting strangers coping with depression, Murphy remains open about her past moving forward. “I’m sure there’s tons of people [at Hudson Valley] that when you look at them you think ‘oh, she’s just another person’, but everybody has their own story. Everybody has something,” said Murphy.
Thirty-year-old punk student endures chaos on the road By: Jenny Caulfield Junior Creative Editor Colin Betor has had unique experiences within the last 13 years, from a record deal offer at the age of 17 to touring in weather 65 degrees below zero. Growing up with punk influences, Betor knew from a young age that nothing would stop him from being a punk rocker. He learned to play the guitar by seventh grade and later taught himself the drums and bass guitar. “The older I got, the more I wanted to play music,” said Betor. Experiencing an intense concert as a teenager, Betor knew what he wanted to do with his life. “I realized, ‘You know what could be better than this? Being [the band] and making people act like animals’ and that’s been the goal ever since,” he said. At the age of 17, he started playing drums for his first band, The Sleaze. They already began recording their first demo during his second week in the band. The band almost had a record deal, but it fell through once the bassist and vocalist had a falling out. Moving on to his second band, Scag Rotter, Betor saw a darker side of the punk scene. “We were all drunks, we were all
ridiculous -- we just lived off of beer,” he said. Betor started to hang around “Punk Houses”, houses where punk rockers reside, with his band members. After visiting a Punk House called “The Panic Zone”, he witnessed his first knife fight. He found himself in a newfound world of drug use. Although Betor never did crack cocaine or heroin, he used various other drugs. “I used to eat a bunch of mushrooms, eat a bunch of pills, blow coke, drink a lot of cough syrup. We pretty much did whatever,” he said. In 2009, Betor formed Neutron Rats. The
band soon released their first demo which was well-received. With their immediate success, they had their first two-week East Coast tour which was was problematic from the beginning. During their first stop in Boston, they had to scramble to find gear once their bassist’s basshead cut out during their third song. Neutron Rats tried to play on a loading dock in Raleigh, N.C., but were removed by police. “It was one shitty thing after another,” he said. One of Betor’s favorite tour memories was during a show’s cancellation in Hartford, Conn. in a motel when the band’s driver, Joey, who was intoxicated, started to prick himself with a button
taken off of his jacket. He took down a painting to write “Rats” in his own blood on the back of the painting. “We’re hoping somebody finds it eventually, and obviously makes them uncomfortable,” said Betor. Mayhem didn’t stop at the band’s first tour. During a midwest tour in January 2014, the band ended up in the middle of a polar vortex in a van without heat. “The windchill was freezing over so fast on the windshield, I kept scraping it off so our driver could see,” he said. During their six hour drive, the band stopped at every rest stop they could to find heat. “I had two pairs of socks on and my combat boots and I still felt like my feet were submerged in ice water,” said Betor. At the moment, Neutron Rats are playing for audiences of 50-60 people and are struggling to get by. “We’re a DIY punk band, we’re not making any money,” said Betor. “Hopefully we’re breaking even, that’s the idea.”
Even though Neutron Rats are making little money, it doesn’t stop them from sharing their music. Betor loves the feeling of being able to play with the people that influenced him so much as a child. “I get to play with bands that I still listen to regularly,” he said. Mikey Bry-
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Four players have mass contributions on the ice By: Sam Kobylar Staff Writer Every year, Hudson Valley Community College has many different students who come to this school from many different states and even from different countries. But it is not often where four students knew one another in high school, grew up in the same state and played the same sport. Four freshman, Chris Breault, Scott Brun, Adam Hosmer, and Sean Sphor all grew up in Massachusetts just within an hour and a half from one another. Now they find themselves as teammates in college outside of their home state at Hudson Valley and making huge contributions for the Vikings Ice Hockey team. Two of these four players were actually teammates before coming to Hudson Valley as defenseman. Hosmer and forward Sphor both went to high school together and were teammates on their hockey team at Westfield High School in Westfield, Mass. Since these two knew each other growing up, they have developed a great chemistry together both at high school and at Hudson Valley. “I feel like we know each other’s play pretty well and we have pretty good chemistry out on the ice together,” said Sphor.
“I played with him for a couple of years and we actually won the state championship when we were on the same team in high school. He is a good player to play with, he sees the ice well and plays good hockey and he works hard,” said Hosmer. While playing at Westfield, both Sphor and Hosmer did meet the other Massachusetts hockey players on the Hudson Valley hockey team, Breault and Brun, before coming here. “I played against Scott Brun in my sophomore year of High School. It was a semifinals game for state championships,” said Sphor. “He was on Hudson and I was on Westfield and we played against each other.” “I actually played hockey against Chris for a year but I played with Chris a couple years before that playing junior hockey.” said Hosmer. “I never played with Scott but I played against Scott once or twice.” Freshman defenseman Brun said, “[Playing hockey in Massachusetts] is a completely different game. Here, everybody likes to hit, there is not as much stick handling. In Massachusetts it is more of an individual game, where it is more of a bunch of individuals working as a unit of five, to continue one individual play. It is not as much passing back home, it is a lot of stick handling.”
Sean Spohr
“It was different, it was competitive. There was a lot of people that went to the games and supported you, so it was like a real semi pro-environment. The stands would be packed, we had almost 600 people alone at our finals game which was very cool. It was exciting.” said freshman forward Breault. While playing high school hockey in Massachusetts, each of these players had memories while playing that they would remember forever. “Winning the Massachusetts state championship in my junior year in high school is probably my best hockey memory,” said Hosmer. Breault said, “My favorite hockey memory would probably be from last year when our high school won the Western Massachusetts finals and it took them like three to four years just to get to the finals and last year, in my first year playing high school hockey and we end up making it and we won and then we went on to states which we sadly lost, but it was just a cool experience.” “In 2012, I won a state championship with my high school team which was a lot of fun,” said Brun. Like most athletes who play a sport at this age in their life, most of these players started playing sports at a very young age. “It all started when I was
Adam Hosmer
about 6 years old. I played soccer and I moved [to Massachusetts] from Germany when I was a little kid. I was too young to start on a [soccer] team so I was looking for something to do and I ended up just getting some skates and playing [hockey] and just fell in love with it ever since.” said Sphor. Hosmer and Brun also started playing hockey at a very young age. Hosmer was just three years old when he started skating while Brun was four years old when he started skating. However, Breault didn’t start playing hockey until a later age. “[I started playing] probably when I was about eight years old. I started off learning to skate then I learned to play hockey, then after that I played competitively,” said Breault. Men’s Hockey coach Matt Alvey was a big reason why these four men from Massachusetts have decided to come to college at Hudson Valley over any other as Alvey has done a nice job recruiting players for the hockey team. “I came here and took a look around and talked to coach Alvey and I really liked coach and I liked the campus and I liked the facilities they had to offer,” said Hosmer. Breault said, “Coach Alvey came up and talked to me after one of my junior playoff games and he was interested in me
Scott Burn
coming here and playing with the team and hopefully getting better and that was my main decision.” While Hosmer and Breault both really like Alvey as a person, Brun really likes Alvey because of the type of system Alvey runs. “Coach Alvey is a lot like my Dad in the sense that they coach in the same style but the philosophies are different. Whereas coach Alvey is going to let me play hockey a little more,” said Brun. “I had two other schools that were asking me to go but when I was talking to the coaches their systems were more like you go here and you go here, it wasn’t much of a challenge and didn’t quite show who I was as a hockey player.” Alvey has done a nice job recruiting players for this year’s team as the Vikings hold a record of five goals, one assist, and four total points in nine games played so far this season. Brun and Breault each have at least one point throughout their appearances. Brun has one goal and one assist for a total of six heading into their month long winter break. The Massachusetts players and the rest of the Vikings will take their 5-6 record into their next game on Sunday, Jan. 17, as the Vikings go on the road for two games in a row against Erie Community College on Jan. 17 and 18.
Chris Breault
Sports writers wanted!
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SPORTS
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December 15th, 2015
Which comes first: students or the athletes?
Alston sister’s work in the Learning Assistance Center to help out other student athletes.
By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor Hudson Valley has rules put into place that prevents its student athletes from becoming academically ineligible and every year it seems that athletes slip through the cracks and put their whole teams in jeopardy. Is the system good enough? Or is Hudson Valley going to repeat this trend because it’s an institution used by good athletes with bad grades? In order to be academically eligible, an athlete needs to have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. To help the player achieve this goal, the school has an athletic retention program, known as the “start” program. Each coach decides the number of hours their players have to put in, but it’s mandatory for each athlete to have a certain number of hours
they need to spend in the library or with a tutor in order to play. For the football team, coach Mike Muehling’s system requires each athlete to spend at least six hours a week studying in the library and working on academics. Every year, the team loses between 10-20 players for their final game because of the timing of the midterm grades being released. There is a system put in place, but it’s up to the athletes to hold up their end of the bargain. “We have class checks and have teachers fill out progress reports,” said Muehling. The coaching staff preemptively tries to get a grasp on who is in academic trouble way before the grades come out. Muehling and his staff try to prevent their players from missing games, but at the end of the day, it’s on the athlete to be a student.
In some cases athletes who are academically ineligible one year will come back the next year and try to lead by example. “We’ve had second year players that were ineligible that came back the next year and speak to the team and help them learn from their mistakes,” said Muehling. Athletes check into the Learning Assistance Center downstairs in the library and are required to do schoolwork for a couple hours at a time. While checked in, the athletes have the choice of seeing a tutor, using a computer or sitting on a study table to work on their assignments. Since there isn’t enough personnel to keep tabs on everybody, it is an honor system on whether the athlete does school work or just shows up to kill time. “If I notice someone not working on schoolwork I won’t
My’Asia Alston led the vikings with 28 points agianst Delhi last year.
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sign their timesheet,” said Don Frament, tutor in the LAC. “It’s an absolute good faith policy that you tell me that you’re studying.” Whether the athletes cheat the system or not, Frament believes that it is a good system. “We know it impacts the students,” said Frament. Athletes that were enrolled in the start program who took it seriously have went on and become tutors for the LAC. “I’ve had three or four different players from different teams become tutors for me,” said Frament. “There’s that connection down here to know how to become really good students and be able to become tutors.” Other coaches take different approaches on how handle the student part of their athletes. “All 1st semester freshmen have to get five hours of study hall a week and any player who does not have
over a 3.0 has to as well. After the first semester and thereafter any player from a 3.0 to 3.49 needs 2 hours and anyone with a 3.5 to 4.0 doesn’t need to go,” said Men’s Basketball head coach Mike Long. Long has a smaller number of players to monitor so he doesn’t use the blanket system that the football team has. In terms of how the school handles its academic policy Long says, “I think the people here at HVCC do the best they can to keep the coaches informed. Progress reports at different times during the semester certainly are a big plus but that is up to us coaches to get done.” The system certainly can be tweaked, but it’s ultimately on the players themselves if they want to be just as much of a student as they are an athlete.
December 15th, 2015
SPORTS
Vikings Sports Schedule Bowling
Sunday 12/27/15 Roto Grip Keystone Classic @ TBA (Away)
Bowling
Monday 12/28/15 Roto Grip Keystone Classic @ TBA (Away)
Men’s Basketball Tuesday 01/05/16 vs. Rockland @ 5p.m. (Home)
Women’s Basketball Thursday 01/07/16 vs. Clinton @ 2p.m. (Away)
Men’s Basketball Thursday 01/07/16 vs. Clinton @ 4p.m. (Home)
Vikings Scoreboard Men’s Ice Hockey Dec. 9 HVCC v.
WIN Mohawk Valley 2-1
Women’s Basketball
LOSS
Dec. 9 HVCC v. Onondaga 39-106
LOSS
Dec. 13 HVCC v. TC3 44-79
Men’s Basketball
LOSS
Dec. 9 HVCC v. Onondaga 93-104 Dec. 13 HVCC v. TC3
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