Spring16issue10

THE

Hudsonian

OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE Volume 69, Issue 10

Election Edition FREE | Extra Copies, 25 cents

Thehudsonian.org

April 19, 2016

Pages 4-8

Inside News Chancellor’s Award Students recognized for their excellence.

Page 2

Inside Features Daniel Kusky Student enteres secular world.

Inside Sports Baseball Page 5

The Vikings start off regional play 7-1.

Page 12

2

April 19, 2016

NEWS

The Hudsonian Hudson Valley Community College 80 Vandenburgh Ave. Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 518-629-7568 Email: hudsonian@hvcc.edu Editor-in-Chief Matt Whalen Managing Editor Tyler McNeil Business Manager Durgin McCue News Editor Rebecca Jordan Creative Editor Jenny Caulfield Sports Editor John C. Longton III Photo Editor Marison Topinio Copy Editor Dae-Jin Yuk Web Editor Richard Bonomo Staff Writers Brandon Hladik Sophia Jamil 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.

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.

SUNY recognizes five Hudson Valley students By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Five new portraits will receive the honor of being awarded the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence, adding their names to nearly two decades of student influence on the library wall.

Erica Shudt Women’s basketball captain and 2016 recipient Erica Shudt was impressed by the diversity of students nominated for the Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence.

“It shows people that, no matter where you come from, you can always get an education,” she said.

Chancellor’s Award recipients must be involved on and off campus while maintaining a 3.2 minimum average GPA. Along with being captain of women’s basketball team, Shudt has served as vice president of the psychology club. She is a Phi Theta Kappa member and has worked as assistant coach for the Uncle Sam Lady Hoopsters basketball team.

Josiah Dillon Student Senate treasurer Josiah Dillon’s award considered his achievement symbolic of a turning point in his education.

When he was at Ballston Spa Central High School before coming to Hudson Valley, most of his grades were below average, and Dillon wasn’t focused on getting involved.

“It was just an exciting recognition that there was a turning point,” he said.

Along with student government, Dillon has balanced positions on the Alumni Foundation and as Investment Club president. Throughout the last two years, while being involved in student life, Dillon has been named to the President’s List three semesters in a row.

Since last spring, inspired by previous Senate officers receiving the award, Dillon was determined to go after nomination. Last semester, he joined the cross country team in hopes of coming closer to being nominated.

“It was on my mind and I definitely wanted it so I was happy when I got it ,” he said.

Erika Pelletier Having graduated from a class of 85 students in rural Rensselaer County with belowaverage grades, Erika Pelletier did not expect success in a pool of over 400,000 SUNY students.

During her first semester, her confidence changed.

“When I came to Hudson

Valley, people were looking at me for the answers, and it was almost a shock to me thinking ‘Oh, I do know stuff. Oh, I am smart,’” she said.

Along with maintaining her 4.0 GPA consistently each semester, Pelletier has pushed volunteer efforts on and offcampus, working with six different clubs. Before leaving campus, in November, Pelletier helped coordinate an effort to renovate a child’s room at the Saint Catherine’s Center for Children Copson House.

“Really, Hudson Valley developed me to be confident and to use leadership skills to put the [Copson House] project together,” said Pelletier.

Taylar Delisle Being the second captain of the the Cheerleading Club to receive the award in two years, Taylar Delisle believes the club’s next captain will be under pressure to make a larger impact on campus this fall.

“In my opinion, there’s a lot of pressure on her, not just with the Chancellor’s Award, but also to get the community together,” she said.

Her role in community functions expands beyond campus. She has worked with nonprofit organizations such as

Chancellor’s Award Recipients

Weather TUESDAY High/Low 65/48

Taylar Delisle

Josiah Dillon

Brody O’Connor

Erika Pelletier

WEDNESDAY High/Low 64/40 THURSDAY High/Low 70/52 FRIDAY High/Low 67/46 SATURDAY High/Low 60/40 SUNDAY

Erica Shudt

High/Low 61/38

HUDSONIAN.ORG

the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and Avery’s Angels, along with being an assistant coach for Watervliet Pop Warner.

“It’s a lot about bringing your community into where you go,” said Delisle.

Brody O’Connor Along with receiving the Chancellor’s Award, Student Senate secretary and student trustee Brody O’Connor has been placed on a national stage.

O’Connor spent part of last week in Chicago, being one of 20 two-year recipients to receive recognition as one of the top community college college students across the country.

Currently, he works multiple positions across campus as Entrepreneur Club president, Investment Club vice president, Student Senate secretary and student trustee. Three of his positions are shared with other Senate officers including Dillon, which he has known since fourth grade. He has considered working alongside Dillon as a motivating factor towards reaching his goals.

“We feed off each other’s energy and motivate each other to do better,” he told the Hudsonian earlier last semester.

April 19, 2016

NEWS

3

Crowd mourns over campus community deaths By: Rebecca Jordan News Editor The campus memorial service last Monday gave the college community a chance to remember the students, faculty and friends that it has lost in the past year. “[The memorial service] reminds us of our common humanity. It reminds us that we will all one day pass, and again, it gives us a chance to support one another and love one another,” said Cylon George, campus chaplain.

“Sometimes in an institution, the word ‘love’ doesn’t enter into our daily conversations, but I think in times like this, we realize there is love.”

Family, friends and coworkers gathered in the BTC Auditorium for the service. Each deceased acquaintance Students: Michael R. Dormin Jerry J. Faine Marie Grimes Maria Christina LaBate Heather E. Ladanye Marcus Mendez Robert E. Prior Zachary R. Unser

Follow us: facebook.com/hudsonian

of the college had a representative. A white rose was given to each of these representatives, and as the names of the deceased were called, their representative went to the front to place the rose in a vase.

Prayers were read from Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Native American traditions. According to George, this is to honor people of all faiths in their times of grief.

“When people mourn, they usually turn to whatever faith or spiritual traditions that they have to comfort them. Some people have none, but others do, and so it’s just a way of recognizing that this is a diverse family.

You can participate in whatever way you wish in this mourning,” he said.

George led the service, and different college administrators participated by reading passages or eulogies. Two songs Faculty and Staff: George R. Baker Yvonne Bland Melanie Bleich Gregory W. Crawford Michael S. D’Agostino Virginia Jonas Dersch George J. Genevive Jr. Mark Gentner

were performed by vocalists as well.

The floor was then opened for any service attendees to share memories about those who passed.

“I’m always struck each year when I come up to this event at how many names of people I’ve worked with over the last 30 plus years are on this list and how difficult it is to come and to mourn them,” said Lucille Marion, executive director of the Educational Opportunity Center. “But I think that this is a wonderful event, and I thank the college for having it for us annually.”

There were refreshments for the attendees served after the ceremony.

George said, “I think [the memorial service] demonstrates that this college is a family. When we lose members of our family, we take time out to remember them, and so I think that’s why this is important and special.”

Alexander R. Grone Nancy Langhart John Nicholas Pignatelli Bruce Reardon John S. Rebel William A. Schieffelin Marco J. Silvestri Stephen Veselka Sr. Kenneth B. Williams Jr.

Visit us at hudsonian.org @HudsonianHVCC

@thehudsonian

Early Childhood Studies Birth to Age 5 Earn your Bachelor of Science through SUNY Cobleskill’s degree completion program at HVCC.

Office of Professional and Continuing Education 518-255-5528 • pace@cobleskill.edu

www.cobleskill.edu/hvcc

HUDSONIAN.ORG

Meet the candidates

4

April 19, 2016

MEET THE CANDIDATES Senior Class Presidential candidate: Jad El Khoury

Name: Jad El Khoury Party: Surprise Party Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada High school: Niskayuna High School Major: Business Administration Age: 18 Clubs/Organizations: Student Senate and Foreign Language & Culture Club.

What made you want to run for this position?

Overall, what is your greatest asset?

I am a very patient and accepting person. I will go to a certain extent to get to know those that I work with. I have the ability to essentially see the value in everyone and respect people as they are. Since I am an accepting person, I am very interested in seeing the perspective that others have in order to have some type of balance and order.

Moreover, I am the type of person that goes after something if I seriously want it. I am very persistent.

I honestly was approached by Emma Dillon and asked if I was interested in being part of her party. I had been looking for new ways to put myself out there and get involved. I figured that it would be a great idea to run for Senior Class president because it would allow me to represent my class and reach out and actually help my fellow classmates reach new heights.

Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on with your position?

Team up with other clubs to help host events to raise awareness.

Enhance student services.

Welcome package for new students.

Improve student unity and spirit.

Fundraising.

What has been some of your greatest experiences during the race so far?

I believe that meeting new people is something which is incredibly important due to the fact that it will help you broaden your knowledge. I feel privileged to work with such a diligent group of fellow classmates. It’s refreshing to meet people who share the same goals as you with regards to wanting to make the school a better environment for us all. One of the greatest experiences would be when we meet and actually take this election seriously. We all bring positive qualities which shows that we all have a lot to offer. We all want to work hard and make this campaign as successful as possible.

What are your qualifications to run?

I have been in positions of leadership inside and outside of school. I am a crew trainer at work. This position allows me to train those who I work with and learn along the way with them. In addition, I was VP of language clubs at Niskayuna. This helped learn how to enhance my communication skills and work effectively with other people.

I’m also a very patient and dedicated person. I can balance school and work along with extracurricular activities.

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudon Valley?

No comment.

N A SF R T

AW

TION NC

DISTI R E

ARD

GREAT NEWS FOR STUDENTS TRANSFERRING TO

WESTERN NEW ENGLAND UNIVERSITY!

Your associate’s degree now guarantees you our highest transfer scholarship of $13,000 a year. Phi Theta Kappa recipients can receive an additional $2,000 per year, guaranteeing your total award of $15,000.

Who is Eligible: All full-time transfer students who have earned their associate’s degree at an accredited community college, have earned at least a 2.5 college GPA, and meet Western New England University’s admissions criteria.

So finish what you started with a great education at Western New England University.

VISIT WWW.WNE.EDU/DISTINCTION TO APPLY TODAY. HUDSONIAN.ORG

Meet the candidates

April 19, 2016

5

Daniel Kusky finds life after religion By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Cultural diversity, calculus and tattoos were considered part of a separate world before Daniel Kusky entered Hudson Valley.

Over a decade ago, Kusky was a devout Orthodox Jew growing up in St. Louis. Although his father worked as a geology professor, faith overshadowed academics.

Until college, Kusky’s knowledge of mainstream American culture mostly came from movies. Having limited exposure to diversity outside of the Jewish community, he previously believed non-Jewish people were less civilized.

“I’ve never really been in a secular environment until Hudson Valley,” said Kusky.

After his parents divorced and his father moved to China in middle school, despite lacking secular knowledge, Kusky started openly questioning his faith.

He became eager to get a public education towards the end of middle school, despite his mother having other plans for him.

Questioning his faith, Kusky’s mother sent him away to Yeshivas in eighth grade to restore his diminishing connection with the religion. He wasn’t allowed to come back home until he fully associated with Orthodox Judaism, but following his own beliefs, Kusky never returned.

“She doesn’t accept that fact I can’t really appreciate [Judaism] as much as her” he said. “And for some reason, that is enough that she doesn’t want to be a part of my life if I can’t have being Jewish be a part of mine.”

Kusky disliked boarding at Yeshivas. Some school days lasted from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with much of the time dedicated to Hebrew studies.

Devoting much of his time to studying sacred texts, Kusky claimed some of the schools he went to had low academic standards.

Despite heavy religious studies, Kusky did not assimilate to Orthodox Judaism. From Wisconsin to New Jersey, Kusky was frequently kicked out of Yeshivas for openly questioning his faith and straying from the culture.

“It was a little bit too much for me and I had some bad experiences with the people in it, mainly because I was kicked out of so many Yeshivas,” said Kusky.

At 16-years-old, Kusky briefly left Yeshiva studies to work at a nursing home in St. Louis. Being unsure of

his faith and not receiving any formal education at the time, Kusky took an offer to decide his future with the religion in Israel.

Getting kicked out of Yeshivas frequently, after staying in Israel for less than a year, Kusky chose to move away from Orthodox Judaism. At the time, he had his ears stretched and his tongue pierced as acts of defiance against the culture, getting him kicked out of a Yeshiva for about a month.

Throughout his travels, members of the Jewish community, often friends, would give Kusky food and shelter when he was kicked out of Yeshivas. After his trip to Israel, while not accepting the faith, Kusky continued to live mostly among members of the Jewish community.

“It’s a tight community so even though I wasn’t really associating, if I was in a troublesome spot -someone would help me out,” he said.

Back in St. Louis, Kusky worked three jobs.

Looking towards a future outside of Jewish community, he poured most of his money into savings. By the end of his stay, Kusky had over $10,000 in savings.

Much of his savings went to expenses such as tuition when his aunt in Averill Park offered to take him in and guide him towards pursuing a secular education at Hudson Valley.

“Hudson Valley has kind of formed the person I am today, which I believe will be better for a professional environment,” said Kusky.

The transition from Jewish studies to secular academics left Kusky with a 2.5 GPA in his first semester. His highest grade was a B. “It takes time, dedication and just a willingness to learn,” said Kusky, who earned a 4.0 last semester.

While Kusky adjusted to courses such as calculus, it took him about two years to adjust to the culture.

Having associated with a “hardcore” group of friends, his first perception of secular culture largely focused around body modifications. Over the last two years, he got tattoos and a face dermal which he currently regrets.

Despite moving past tradition and disassociating himself with religion, he still believes in God. Instead of burying his beliefs completely, Kusky makes an effort to make faith less integrated into his lifestyle.

“School, I think, has formed the person I am today which will be a better person in the professional environment,” said Kusky.

Tresorial candidate: Daniel Kusky Name: Daniel Kusky Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri High School: Yeshivas Major: Individual Studies Age: 20 Clubs/Organizations: Investment Club, Entrepreneur club, Student Senate What made you want to run for this position?

Well Hudson valley has really been a turning point in my life, and I owe a lot of that to the student activities here. In my opinion student senate are the people who incorporate student activities. Because of what student activities has done for me I would like to help do the same for others. I feel treasurer specifically is where I could have the greatest positive impact. As treasure it would be my responsibility to represent the voice of the student body while assisting in the annual budgeting of student activities, as well as receiving special fund requests for student activities. My responsibilities, if I win the position of treasurer, would have an immediate impact upon how activities and club budgets are implemented. That is why I feel treasurer is where I can have the greatest positive impact on the social, cultural, and educational experiences of my peers.

What are your qualifications to run?

I am the current treasurer of the Entrepreneurs Club and have written the club’s budget. Therefore, to an extent,

I’ve already been familiarized with how the Hudson Valley budgeting system works. Furthermore, I’ve had to do extensive, comprehensive budgeting for myself during the past seven or so years.

Overall, what is your greatest asset?

All the past classes I’ve taken at Hudson Valley.

3. To enhance the social, cultural, and educational experience of the students at the college.

4. To increase the presence of student senators at school events to raise the student awareness of what student senate is and what we bring to the experience of the school.

5. To come to the most fair and unbiased response while equally keeping everyone’s requests and interests in mind, for any requests that come before me.

What has been some of your greatest experiences during the race so far?

I really enjoyed the petitioning part of this election.

It really had me put myself out there and meet a very large amount of students here, which gave me the opportunity to talk to a lot of new people and hear their opinions on the school.

Mikey Bryant | THE HUDSONIAN Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on with your position?

1. Fairly and equally represent the opinions and values of the student body.

2. To bring the student body together as a whole to enhance the time spent here.

HUDSONIAN.ORG

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley?

Well honestly I don’t really think there are any problems with the student life at Hudson Valley. However, as mentioned earlier, I believe student senate could have more of a presence at school events to raise the student awareness of what student senate is and what we bring the experience of the school. So to answer that question I would say there aren’t any issues with the student life at Hudson Valley, yet student life could always be enhanced further.

Meet the candidates

6

April 19, 2016

Candidate focuses on making ‘some kind of a difference’, daily By: Tyler McNeil Managing Editor Shane Batcher went from living a sedentary lifestyle to centering his life around community activism.

“I’ve always enjoyed knowing that when I get done with the day, I’ve had an impact on someone,” he said.

Schooling Being homeschooled throughout his childhood in the Catskills, Batcher adapted to his mother teaching him around the clock while she ran a pottery business. He would explore his interests such as snowboarding and attending running events alongside his family.

When his mother started working full-time when Batcher was 13 years old, he was often alone during the day with less schooling. Coping with isolation, he devoted most of his time to playing video games on his computer.

“For me, I wasn’t progressing. I was standing still, playing games all days and not doing anything specific with my life,” he said.

New challenges Four years of being preoccupied with gaming stopped when his parents’ marriage ended. The divorce inspired Batcher to seek happiness through work. Batcher started working parttime at a childcare program and began pursuing a GED at Schenectady County Community College.

Despite moving forward, living at home with his father following the divorce pushed him backwards with his emotions.

He would frequently clash with his father.

“If I would walk away to get myself to calm down or remove myself from the situation, he would come back and follow me so he was the biggest trigger for the longest time,” said Batcher.

Although Batcher said his current relationship with his father is stable, tension with his father at 17 years old pushed him away. After several months living with his father during that time, Batcher moved out.

A new life “Living on your own at 17, you don’t know what to do. You don’t really know anything about being an adult,” he said.

Moving became frequent for Batcher.

Over two years, Batcher lived with a friend, his mother, his father and his ex-girlfriend. Batcher was challenged with budgeting, relationships and moving back in with family.

Moving back in with his mother and stepfather after his relationship ended with his ex-girlfriend, Batcher felt little control over his anger. During that time, over several months his mother helped him gain awareness of his temper. Today, Batcher said, he seldom raises his voice because of his mother’s guidance.

“Even in a normal conversation that would get a little more intense, my voice would go from a normal talking voice to an elevated voice quickly and she would be like ‘Shane, what are you doing?’” said Batcher.

Involvement Last semester, Batcher moved from computer science to engineering after taking a summer class at Union College.

Transferring his credits to Hudson Valley, Batcher was motivated to explore student life after two years lacking involvement at SCCC. The now-22-year-old student spends 10 to 14 hours on campus studying, working as a tour guide and being active in clubs across campus.

“What motivates me is that I don’t know what’s next and I don’t know everything, but I like that I know things and I like to know that I could make some kind of a difference,” he said.

Through organizations such as the Engineering Science Club, under the organization’s outreach program, Batcher worked alongside students with similar interests and children.

Since the age of 14, Batcher has frequently worked with children through camps and volunteer work.

“I really enjoyed being able to show kids that they can have fun and be able to learn,” he said.

Aspirations Being friends with Student Senate president Everett McNair through the engineering science program, Batcher was encouraged to join the Student Senate. By February, after less than a month on the Senate, he considered running for the presidency to make a larger impact.

“That allows me to be a public figure for the students and have the positive impact I want to have,” he said.

After Hudson Valley, he hopes that all of his efforts on campus will pour into his dream of being an entrepreneur and designing a super computer which would provide internet access for families in developing countries.

“If people like us didn’t have dreams that we’re always reaching for, really big things wouldn’t really happen,” said Batcher.

Presidential and Trustee candidate: Shane Batcher Name: Shane T. Batcher Party: Independent Hometown: East Berne High School: Homeschooled Major: Engineering Science Age: 22 Clubs/Organizations: Student Senate, Engineering Science Club, Math Club and the Tour Guide Club.

What made you run for this position?

I decided to run for this position when I realized that I wanted to have a greater impact on the Hudson Valley student body.

What are your qualifications to run?

I am qualified to run from my past and current leadership opportunities. I used to work in the childcare field, inspiring kids to be successful in life. During my time in childcare I learned how to assess a situation and guide the children towards success. I was a Peer Tutor at Schenectady County Community College, and now I am a Peer Tutor and a tour guide here at Hudson Valley. Being a tutor has taught me the importance of open communication.

I have learned that I cannot help a student if I have not

fully listened to the problem. This experience with open communication will help me to be an effective Student Senate President. Being a tour guide has allowed me to progress in my public speaking skills which are crucial/key to being a successful student leader/advocate/president. I also volunteer my time to a children’s camp and a nature center because I love to help others. While volunteering for the children’s camp I learned that my actions can have a lasting positive impact on others. This is what made me want to run for Student Senate president.

Overall what is your greatest asset?

My greatest asset is my ability to listen. A great leader MUST be emotionally intelligent. The number one thing an emotionally intelligent person must be able to do to lead effectively is listen to their peers so they can understand the best way to help them succeed.

Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on with your position: Peer Mentoring Program.

Helping the Senate go green by utilizing free online resources (Google Drive, Google Calendar Etc.).

Communications Committee.

Marketing Committee.

Student Awareness.

HUDSONIAN.ORG

What has been some of your greatest experiences during the race so far?

I have never had the opportunity to run for a position like this before, so being able to learn the process and how to effectively campaign has been a great experience. I also must say that running against great opponents such as Emma and Dan has been an awesome experience in itself thus far and I’m sure will continue to be throughout the rest of the campaign.

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley?

In my opinion, the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley is ineffective communication between the administration, senate, and student body. The student body needs to know what is happening on campus, what events are coming up, what services are available and so on. From my personal experience as a transfer student I have noticed gaps in the communication of opportunities to students, and I believe that I can effectively work towards bridging that gap.

April 19, 2016

Meet the candidates

7

Presidential and Trustee candidate: Emma Dillon Name: Emma Dillon Party: Surprise Party Hometown: Ballston spa High School: Ballston Spa High School Major: Individual studies Age: 16 Clubs/Organizations involved in: Entrepreneurs Club, Investment Club, the Sock Drawer committee and Student Senate.

to do that is by hearing from them and going from there. Their initiatives are my initiatives.

What has been some of your greatest experiences during the race so far?

What made you want to run for this position?

It’s been my goal since the first semester I started classes here. I really do want to help continue the school on the path to greatness, but I also know that this position will help me as well. It will strengthen my leadership skills which I think is a necessary skill to be a beneficial part of society. In addition to that, I think it’s a great way to be heard and to be able to advocate for something you feel strongly about.

What are your qualifications to run?

In high school I ran many conferences as a student leader in NCBI (National Coalition Building Institute), which is an advocacy organization for basically anyone that is discriminated against, whether it be the LGBTQ community or minorities and many more.

Overall, what is your greatest asset?

I have been outgoing since I was five years old just meeting people and telling them “yeah we’re going to be friends and have a sleepover at your house tonight.” I love talking to people and hearing from people and I think that’s why this job is such an amazing fit for me.

Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on with your position?

This question is a very common one that we are asked as candidates. I will tell you that I don’t have an answer for you. The reasoning behind that is because those initiatives should be what the students want. I want what the body wants. As President it will be my job to cause change and to better the campus but the only way I see that plausible is by discussing with the student body and asking them what they want me to do. Anyone, no matter how involved or not involved, on campus should have a say in the direction our college turns. Especially with a campus as diverse as ours, where the average student is not necessarily an 18-year-old straight out of high school. A 28-year-old single mother with two children will have different concerns than the traditional student. I am a traditional student. However, I want to make Hudson Valley better for students of all ages ranges and backgrounds. The only way

Honestly, working with my political party has been so incredible. As a freshman class president candidate I ran alone and the difference between the experiences is huge.

Running in a party allows you to delegate certain obligations to others and also, opens up the realm of creativity.

Several of my party members have had amazing ideas that I could have never thought of alone, or even accomplished alone. Not to mention, my party in particular is very supportive and intelligent and I just hope I get to work with them in the future.

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley?

There’s a gap between the Senate and the average student. Most of that stems from communication issues. I’ve talked to several people and their first reaction is “We have a Senate?”. Being a new student can be nerve racking, so they should not have to look for us. We should approach them. Most people are looking to get involved or inflict change but just don’t know where to start. Once we can break down that communication barrier and spread the word about Student Senate and educate people about the opportunities that students have through us on campus, Hudson Valley can really thrive.

Vice Presidential and Trustee candidate: Stephen Pelletier Name: Stephen Pelletier Party: Surprise Party Hometown: Berlin, N.Y. High school: Berlin High School Major: Criminal Justice Age: 17 Clubs/Organizations: Student Senate, The Hudsonian, Community Service Committee, Foreign Language & Culture Club

ple person. I have had no trouble striking up conversations with people around me which is something I’m sure many can testify to while I was petitioning. The importance of being a people person to me is not essentially to be well liked by many people, but to understand the needs and wants of my constituents.

What are your qualifications to run?

Overall, what is your greatest asset?

I would say that my greatest asset is that I am a peo-

What has been some of your greatest experiences during the race so far?

My greatest experience thus far has been working with my party (the Surprise Party) from our humble beginnings of just Emma and I last semester to the well qualified team of five people currently running. It has been an amazing time working together and finding out how each of our strengths can contribute to putting together the best executive board possible for the upcoming academic year.

What made you want to run for this position?

I decided to run because I thought that it would be one of the greatest ways to get involved with my school. I hope that if I’m elected I can help anyone else become more involved with the school and its clubs if they so wish

My qualifications to run are my experiences in not only past positions held, but life experiences as well.

Throughout my life I have been involved in many activities that have taught me skills in leadership as well as the importance of community. I can rattle off many titles that I have held but they do not mean as much as the lessons learned from them, the lessons I plan to utilize if elected student trustee and vice president.

tainly take advantage of them. That being said, the rest of my agenda fluctuates with the desires if the people I represent. I would like to understand the wants of all on our campus to make sure my decisions are made with the best intention for all of our diverse students at Hudson Valley.

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley?

Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on with your position?

This is a very standard question that many candidates no matter the position are asked. While a certainly valid question, I would say that my plans for the next academic year (if elected) are to increase the awareness of the vast opportunities on campus and how students should cer-

HUDSONIAN.ORG

To me, the biggest problem on campus is lack of awareness of activities and opportunities on campus. While petitioning I found that many students were completely in the dark that there was even a Student Senate or what their student activities fee was going toward. This is why I wanted to run for vice president and student trustee; to ensure that the students at Hudson Valley can make the best out of their time here.

Meet the candidates

8

April 19, 2016

Secretarial and Trustee candidate: Manik Elahi Name: Manik Elahi Party: Independent Hometown: Tokyo, Japan High School: Beaconhouse UK School System Major: CIS Age: 19 Clubs/Organizations: Speech and Debate Club, Foreign Language and Culture Club, Hudsonian and Student Senate.

What made you want to run for this position?

It was a moral and rational call for me. I saw that this position was open to be filled. Given the fact that I have always helped student government in all their endeavours.

This is just a mere extension of that. In all honesty, I can’t wait to be given the honor to serve in the positions of secretary and student trustee with the help of my amazing fellow peers.

with different types of people but at times even speak the same language. And most of all, I love talking to people, taking in their input on issues. And this, I believe will help me even the road with Student Government, regardless of the outcome of the election.

Furthermore, I can proudly say that my affiliation with the Senate dates back to almost four semesters now.

I have served in many different roles at various points in time during my tenure. I’ve seen two different government leaderships, all the issues they faced and how they handled them. I’m the most experienced candidate on the ballot.

I have faith in the people that they will not let personal affiliations come in the way, but choose the best person for the job.

Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on with your position?

-Making the Senate more transparent and approachable for the student body.

-Club empowerment.

-Coordination with student leaderships of other nearby colleges for better outreach.

-Social work programs.

-Further expansion of programs for students (Food Pantry, CDTA service, etc).

What has been some of your greatest experiences during the race so far?

It’s just all the people. Having the opportunity to talk with our students who belong from a plethora of backgrounds. Just the fact that I have this grassroots movement is the most amazing yet humbling part of this whole race.

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley?

What are your qualifications to run?

The lack of participation. And I don’t blame the students. The reason for that is that we as a senate need to push our resources to the limit to advertise and invest in every event. That is something which I have planned for the future as well.

Experience, communication and enthusiasm for a better tomorrow!

Overall, what is your greatest asset?

I have always thought that my diversity and experience are my strong suits. Given the fact that I’ve lived in so many different countries and have been with people from such different cultural backgrounds. Not only can I relate

Secretarial and Trustee: Sam Paradise Name: Sam Paradise Party: Surprise Party Hometown: Valatie, NY High School: Ichabod Crane High School Major: Environmental Science Age: 19 Clubs: Student Senate

to know about these so that they’re getting the most out of their tuition fees.

- Any decision that gets made in student senate should be posted online so that students know of any changes that are being made.

What has been some of your greatest experiences during the race so far?

What made you want to run for this position?

Stephen originally recruited me to run for secretary with his party, and since then I’ve developed a passion for it. I want to do what I can to improve HVCC and make the students here happier with their college experience. I want to do what I can to disprove the idea that a community college can’t measure up to a 4-year school.

What are your qualifications to run?

I have the discipline, passion, and comprehension needed to be a great senator. I know how to put my own interests aside to make sure that I am fighting for the interests of the students.

Overall, what is your greatest asset?

I’m very outspoken; if I ever think that something going on is unfair to the students, I will not be afraid to call someone out on it, and I’m a very persuasive arguer.

The greatest experiences so far have just been the interactions I’ve had with students I’ve never engaged with before. There were times while petitioning where I’d sat with a group of people for half an hour, just talking. I got to know so many cool people. By far the best thing about HVCC is the people who go here.

Name five initiatives you’d like to focus on with your position?

- Students should be surveyed and asked what trips they’d like offered. Everyone I’ve talked to has told me that they’re sick of the NYC and Boston trips. They want something new.

- I want to make sure that every student knows about every service that is offered on campus. Free dental, car service, volunteer work assistance, etc. Every student needs

HUDSONIAN.ORG

What is the biggest problem with student life at Hudson Valley?

My biggest problem with student life right now is the inefficiency of campus updates. The weekly reminders are very nice, but they’re often cluttered and easy for student to overlook. There has to be a better way to inform students of on-campus events.

April 19, 2016

FEATURES

9

COMMENTARY

How I became part of a Trump rally fight By: Brandon Hladik Staff Writer

Never before in my life had I been surrounded by so much hate and bigotry until I attended the Donald Trump rally at the Times Union Center last Monday.

Despite attending the rally with no intentions of trouble or protest, I was involved in three separate altercations at the venue. I cringed at Trump’s multiple utterances of the words “get him out” after watching the first protester in the venue being screamed at, badgered and pushed.

Besides myself, another teenager who attended the rally was protesting down the aisles of the venue, only to find himself in a sea of violence. The boy was pulled from all angles, being grabbed and pushed by people twice his age. In an attempt to help the teenager, I decided to share my thoughts by yelling, “this is not how you get that man elected,” and “you cannot do this through violence, You have to vote.”.

Little did I know just this act of speech would lead to being pushed by an older man, despite my efforts to de-escalate the situation. Finding my way

back to my seat, the fear for my safety didn’t end, with two men discussing whether or not they wanted to punch me. My first reaction was not of fear, because I wasn’t afraid of being hit by anyone, it was more the shock of the intense rage within the venue.

The anger towards me only got worse after my reaction to the end of Trump’s rally. Trump concluded his rally with one question: “Is anyone voting for someone other than me?”

Although I had gone into the rally not wanting to start trouble, the acts I had seen within the Times Union had bothered me so much, that I decided to speak

out by saying things like, “first amendment.”

This not only gathered the anger and attention of people in the audience, but also made Trump focus in my direction from my noise and clapping. After saying the things I did, I was only left with being called offensive things and yelled at with violent threats.

Being surrounded by so much hate and offensive slurs being shouted in my direction made me feel the need to exit the venue. However, exiting didn’t seem to make much of a difference, as violence proceeded into outside the Times Union

Center.

Surrounded by protestors, I witnessed two other altercations outside the venue. My friend and I found ourselves attempting to break up a fight between three men outside the venue, which ending in Albany Police officers showing up to diffuse the situation.

I left the rally of Donald Trump with scarring across my hand, but worse than that, a distorted view on my country and its people.

Hudson beauty: Students make the most of makeup By: Sophia Jamil Staff Writer Trying to be a student and looking good at the same time might come easier to some than others.

Some Hudson Valley students will go above and beyond to do their daily makeup. Although students might not wish to put in a effort for their appearance, despite the costs, these students make it a part of their daily routine.

Tori Alberino, an entrepreneurship major, goes as far as wearing false eyelashes every day.

“For me, wearing fake eyelashes daily is not hard. I’m used to it and I love it,” said Alberino.

Alberino takes about 30 minutes to do her makeup every day and will not leave her home until she has met her makeup standards.

Alberino, who shops at stores like Ulta and Sephora for her favorite products, is no stranger to beauty products and doesn’t mind the finances or money that her makeup consumes.

“I’ve always loved wearing and experimenting with makeup ever since I could remember,” she

said.

Health science major Shaylyn Faulkner is divided for her opinion on makeup.

“I either go all out and slay with my wing liner and blind people with my highlight, or I wear no makeup and just walk out of the house with a sports cap,” she said.

Faulkner likes to go all out with her makeup if she does decide to put it on for the day.

When she does put all of her effort in, it takes approximately 40 minutes to finish off her look.

Faulkner has a balance of drugstore makeup as well as high end beauty products that are in her makeup collection. With her diverse makeup collection, her favorites stores to show are Sephora and Walmart.

“My foundation will be a simple Loreal $10 foundation, but I could be wearing a 40 dollar highlighter on top,” said Faulkner.

Haley Styer, a mortuary science major, takes about 15 minutes for her to finish her makeup every morning.

“I don’t like leaving the house without makeup on,” said Styer.

When Styer wears makeup, her must have item are false eyelashes.

“I love wearing fake lashes,” she said.

Styer’s favorite beauty store is Ulta, but she does mix her products from high end to drugstore beauty products.

Individual studies major Kristen Keloy dislikes makeup

due to her self image.

“I don’t see the point in wearing makeup. It looks bad on me but that’s okay because I love how I look without makeup anyway,” she said.

Being part of Hudson Valley’s theatre club, Kristen said that she has to sometimes put on makeup to play some roles, but prefers not to wear makeup on a daily basis.

Saint Rose accepts up to 70 credits earned at two-year colleges and up to 90 credits from four-year colleges. Merit Awards range from $8,500 – $14,500 and PTK scholarships are available.

All accepted transfer students receive a merit scholarship.

Stephanie Saddlemire | THE HUDSONIAN Tori Alberino takes about 30 minutes working on her makeup everyday.

HUDSONIAN.ORG

STROSE.EDU/APPLY

SUMMER SESSIONS BEGIN

550+ COURSES,

200+ ONLINE

May 23, May 31 and July 5.

ONLY $171 PER CREDIT

W O N L L O R N

E

www.hvcc.edu/summer

April 19, 2016 Vikings Sports Schedule

SPORTS

Softball coming together after rough start By: Matt Whalen Editor-in-Chief

Men’s Baseball

Thursday 04/13/16 vs. Schenectady @ 2p.m. (Home)

Men’s Baseball Sunday 04/17/16 vs. Adirondack @ 12p.m. (Home)

Women’s Golf

Sunday 04/17/16 vs. Adirondack @ TBA (Kingswood)

Vikings Scoreboard Men’s Baseball March 26 HVCC v.

WIN Thomas Nelson 3-0 March 26 HVCC v.

LOSS Thomas Nelson 2-5 Women’s Softball

WIN

Apr. 10 HVCC v.

Monroe 9-8

LOSS

Apr. 10 HVCC v.

Monroe 1-8

11

After a slow start, the Hudson Valley softball team is coming together putting together a 3-1 record last week.

“Over this past week as a whole we are meshing much more, our bats are starting coming alive,” said sophomore infielder Shannon Johnson.

The Viking’s traveled to Mohawk Valley splitting the series against the Hawks. On Saturday, the team traveled to Broome sweeping them in both games extending their record to 6-4 on the season.

“We had our bumps along

the way, but we worked out some kinks, tweaked some stuff and we’re all working together now,” said sophomore infielder Hannah Hoffman.

The team dominated against broome with power pitching as well as power hitting.

Dana Julian recorded six strikeouts against Broome getting her third win on the season.

Ashley Robinson also picked up her third win of the season against Broome only allowing three hits.

The bats came alive as leading hitter, Hannah Mochrie who sat in the second game against Mohawk Valley due to injury came back and hit her fourth and fifth homer of the season against Broome later that week.

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN

Johnson recorded her first homer of the season against Broome after getting hit by pitch several times against Mohawk Valley.

“Personally, with the help of coach fitz, I am working on tweaking the little things that I need to do in order to get more solid hits,” said Johnson.

“Specifically at Broome, I felt like my bat was coming along. I am beginning to mature as a player and preparing to play at my four year school.”

Adding to the teams latest success is speedy Mercedes Martell and Courtney McDonnell who lead the team in stolen bases both in double digits. The two have also contributed several

homers as well.

The team has eight returning players from last season that know what it feels like to play in Nationals and knows what it takes to get there.

“The biggest difference between this season and last season is that we know we are talented enough to make it to Nationals,” Said Hoffman. “Last year we thought it was out of our reach until we started winning games, and earning our spot in Nationals.”

The Viking’s head into this week with six games. They will face Clinton on Tuesday away, Fulton-Montgomery on Thursday at home, and end the week away against Corning.

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN

By the numbers

13 Team homeruns on the season 29 Team RBI’s on the season .463 Team batting average

Men’s Lacrosse

LOSS

Apr. 9 HVCC v.

Delhi 4-16

LOSS

Apr. 10 HVCC v.

Dean 5-14 Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN

HUDSONIAN.ORG

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN

April 19, 2016

SPORTS

12

Baseball off to a red hot start By: John C. Longton III Sports Editor The baseball season is officially underway and the Vikings have started to put a stamp on their season. They are 7-1 after a four game set with both the Schenectady Royals and the Adirondack Timberwolves this past week.

Nick Teitter set the tempo for the week when he took to the mound in the home opener against the Royals on Wednesday, Apr. 13. Teitter threw a no-hitter in his first game at the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, going five innings and striking out 10 batters as the Vikings mercied the Royals 10-0.

“It was my first time and my first home game so I really wanted to get out there and get the job done,” Teitter said after the game.

Teitter was efficient toeing the rubber averaging a strikeout for about every seven pitches thrown. Throughout the game the thought of pitching a no-hitter was in the back of his mind.

“I was always thinking it, but I knew if they got a hit, no big deal,” said Teitter.

His performance hinted at the dominant week that the team had.

In the second game against the Royals, the Viking bats picked up right where they left off, driving in 13 runs and surrendering six as the team took both games on the day. Garret Klahr went 2-3 and contributed a team high five RBIs in the game.

On Thursday the team traveled to Schenectady for face the Royals for another two game set with a similar outcome. In the first game is was the Darren Conte and Joseph Zabbara show.

Conte pitched five innings and got the win on the mound while going 3-3 and driving in four RBIs. Zabbara hit two solo home runs as he and the Vikings made a statement to the Royals after getting swept on that same field a year prior.

In the second game the Vikings once again showed their dominance by downing Schenectady 13-5.

Conte kept it rolling at the plate going 3-4 and driving in three runs, bringing his total up to 12-14 on the series. Garret Klahr added another three RBIs while Zabbara and Brandon Cellucci both had three hits and drove in a run.

The Vikings scored 44 runs to the 12 they gave up to the Royals in the series.

Last year, tempers flared as the Royals posed a problem for the Vikings. This year, however, they went fell to the hands of a Viking team that is deeper and more driven.

On Saturday the Vikings took to the road and traveled north to play the Adirondack Timberwolves for a two game set.

They didn’t skip a beat and let the rest of the league know that they came to play this season.

The Viking bats totalled over 30 hits on the day and Andrew McCullough and Clayton Leisenfelder both only surrendered two hits in their respective starts. The Vikings won the first game 15-2 and the second 11-1. They seemed as if nothing could stop them before hosting Adirondack for another two games on Sunday with their ace planning to start the first game.

The Timberwolves gave the Vikings a bit of trouble in the first game as Hudson Valley seemed to come back to reality.

Nick Teitter didn’t threw a decent game, totalling six K’s, but the Timberwolves seem to have very timely hits. They roughed him up for three runs before he was taken out and went on to win the game 5-0.

The Vikings battled back in game two as Caleb Gregg threw a complete game and only surrendered a run as the Vikings cruised to a 3-1 win. Zachary DeThomasis, Brady Fallon and Connor McDonough all had an

RBI in the third inning and that put the game away there.

The Vikings went 7-1 on their opening week and made a statement to the rest of the league that they are here and a force not to be reckoned with. Darren Conte hit close to .800 this week, a year removed from winning the NJCAA regular season batting title and looks to have another big season.

“I’m seeing the ball pretty good,” said Conte. “I’m just trying to take what the pitcher gives me thats all.”

Darren is currently leading the nation in batting average and on base percentage and with his game it doesn’t seem like he’s going anywhere.

“Darren’s hitting the crap out of the ball and he threw a gem on Thursday,” said head coach Alex Jurczynski, commenting on Conte’s impact on the team.

Besides Darren there are some newcomers that are also making major contributions as this team goes through growing pains to try to find their stride.

“It all comes down to the fact that we have to keep playing our game and if we keep doing that we’ll win,” said Jurczynski. “We’ve got the arms to do it. It’s just a matter of time.”

Pitcher Nick Teitter threw a no-hitter in his first game at the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.

Matt Whalen | THE HUDSONIAN Head Coach Alex Jurczynski talks to his teammates before their home opener.

HUDSONIAN.ORG