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Volume 73, Issue 06
March 7, 2018
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Spike Lee presentation powers sense of community
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OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
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By: Emma Hall Staff Writer
The presentation “African Americans in Film: A Tribute to Spike Lee” emphasized the role of community and its ability to bring about change last Tuesday. Before the speaker, professor Donald Hyman, a writer, actor and self-proclaimed “cultural broker,” among other vocations, started his presentation about the famous director, energetic hip-hop music coursed through the room from selected YouTube videos. Just before Hyman’s presentation began, students began to file into the room and sample the food that had been provided. Hyman warmly greeted them and asked them to take their seats. He then opened his presentation by talking about the music he had been playing and how it related to
PHOTO CAPTION!!
Professor Donald Hyman invites positive energy and unity by encouraging everyone to wave their hands in the air “like they just don’t care.”
the culture of African Americans in 1980s Brooklyn and helped to give them a voice. As the students continued to attack the food, Hyman interrupted the presentation to ask them to save it for later. “You think it’s the Super Bowl all over again, right?” Hyman quipped. He then called the students up to the front to take a picture with him, joking that he wanted to send it to his mother so she would know he wasn’t locked up. After the picture was taken, Hyman began to speak in earnest about Spike Lee, whom he refers to as a “Renaissance man,” helping us understand the impact he had through his movies, which include “Malcolm X” and “Do the Right Thing,” to introduce the inner city African American cul-
SCHOOL SHOOTINGS TRIGGER CONVERSATION ON GUN CONTROL COURTESY OF GUNS.COM
By: Joseph Lyle Junior Creative Editor Stoneman Douglas High School was a victim of an active shooter on Feb. 14. The event has brought the hot topic of gun control back into mainstream focus. Whether you believe gun control is the answer or not, Hudson Valley students weigh in on the sen-
SEE SPIKE LEE PAGE 5
sitive issue. Liberal arts major, James Cain said, “We 100 percent need stricter gun laws.” Cain went on to mention how it was surprising to him that the Parkland individual was able to get his hands on a firearm after he was reported to the FBI on numerous occasions. Cain also understands the use of handguns as a mean of self-defense, “In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need handguns. But, we don’t live in a perfect world sadly.“ Cain however, believes that assault rifles should not be accessible to civilians. Cain also be-
SEE GUNS PAGE 5
NFL player returns to Hudson Valley COURTESY OF ALCHETRON.COM
Former Hudson Valley football began playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2007.
By: Zoe Deno Staff Writer “I used to watch the NFL playoffs when I was a youngster, and I told myself that I was going to do everything possible to put myself in a position where I had a chance to play for them,” said former Hudson Valley football player Darnell Stapleton. In 2008, Stapleton won Super Bowl XLIII with the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals. “You hear stories about Super Bowl championships, but to be apart of it and to see what it took
INSIDE NEWS: Shakespeare & Company returned for ninth residency PAGE
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to get the championship, that was special,” Stapleton said. Stapleton was a reserve for the first four games of the 2008 season. He began starting for the the final 12 games at right guard in place of an injured teammate. This included the team’s three playoff games, including the Super Bowl XLIII. After Super Bowl XLIII, Stapelton signed with the New England Patriots. When he was in training he suffered a knee injury and ended up being waived. Stapleton doesn’t regret any-
SEE DARNELL PAGE 12
Darnell Stapleton pictured at the Hudson Valley hall of fame induction ceremony on Oct. 7.
INSIDE CREATIVE: PHOTO BY DAVE ANDERSON | HUDSONIAN
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Life as a ‘Strongman’ PAGE
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INSIDE SPORTS: PHOTO BY DAVE ANDERSON | HUDSONIAN
Winter season recap PAGE 14
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March 7, 2018
NEWS
LEAD@HVCC discusses midterm elections
This Week’s Events
Wed 07
Thurs 08
Fri 09 Mon 12
Business and Liberal Arts Job Fair 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Siek Campus Center, First Floor No Borders, No Walls: Exploring Truth, Beauty and the Creative Self 12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium Foosball Competition 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Siek Campus Center Lobby Engineering and Industrial Technologies Job Fair 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Siek Campus Center, First Floor Mindfulness Meditation 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Wellness Center, Siek Campus Center Suite 270 June Millington – Island Girl in a Rock & Roll World 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium Transfer Information Table: EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Siek Campus Center, first floor lobby Spring 2018 MidSemester Grades Due 10:00 a.m. Stress Management Workshop 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Siek Campus Center, Room 270
By: Richard Decker Staff Writer What does it take to lead? LEAD@HVCC seeks to answer this question with a series of workshops held weekly in the newly-constructed Student Leadership Conference Center in Siek 202. The weekly topics include leadership development skills workshops and critical conversations that debate current issues. On Feb. 19, LEAD@HVCC presented the first of these workshops, “The Impact and Importance of the Mid-Term Elections.” Professors Robert Whitaker and Alan Joseph, both from the History, Philosophy and Social Sciences Department, talked about the history of the midterm elections, their significance, the political stakes and the impact midterm elections can have on the influence of presidential leadership. Discussing the structure of the midterm elections, Whitaker stressed the size of the midterm election. “Every single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is on the ballot — all 435 of them — and a third of the Senate,” Whitaker exclaimed, also noting many local and state elections would also be decided in November. Joseph believes the key to getting the voting public to understand the midterm election is to make everyone believe their votes are equally important. “One of the most frequent arguments that comes up is, ‘My vote doesn’t matter,’” Joseph said. “Yes, it does, and to see that, just look at Virginia, where the winner was decided by picking a
Next in the Lead@HVCC series Monday, March 19 All of the series workshops are in the Leadership Conference Center
name from a hat.” Joseph continued, “Every single vote counts — town judge, town supervisor, state or federal congress or the president — every vote counts.” Whitaker highlighted a reason as to why midterm elections are so important, which is that they decide policy. “The people we put in office determines what government really does or does not do,” Whitaker explained. “Whitaker continued, “It’s up to voters to think about the policies they want to see and vote in accordance with what they feel most comfortable. Casting the ballot is not the end of it. It is just the beginning.” Joseph agreed, adding, “Who gets appointed to agencies — the EPA, SEC, Supreme Court and all the Court of Appeals and trial courts — is all determined by who we vote for in November.” About halfway through the presentation, the professors fielded questions from those who attended. Q. Starting the question
and answer session, one student asked, “How do you suggest we properly educate ourselves on the subject?” A. “Step one is registering to vote,” Joseph responded. “Once you are, there are plenty of ways — talk to people, read some articles. There are locally produced radio and television shows, and you can always talk to a professor who would love to talk about it!” Q. Student Senate Secretary Kyle Hudson asked, “With social media, one of the upcoming features is contributions directly through things like Facebook. Are we expecting there to be more engagement than we have in the past because of this?” A. “You’ve got two things going on,” Whitaker offered. “Thanks to social media, not only is it easier to learn about the candidates, but the candidates can learn about you, and from that [they] can ask for donations. It’s much easier, honestly, to ask for money now than it was years ago.” Q. Louis Coplin, Director of Student Life, asked, “Based on your expertise and opinion,
where do you see this year’s midterm elections compared to other presidents’ tenure? How do you compare this year’s elections to those of another year?” A. Joseph responded, “The general rule of thumb is whoever is in power tends to take a beating and lose seats, but not always,” Joseph said. “During the anti-Nixon/Watergate election, Republicans lost their majority but gained it two years later.” Whitaker added, “In 2010, the Democrats lost 63 seats, the first midterm election under Obama, so that would also refute the rule.” LEAD@HVCC will continue their series of workshops with their next critical conversation on the topic of Title IX (Domestic Violence and Sexual Harassment). Campus Title IX and Coordinator of College Judicial System Sandra McCarthy, Director of Health Services Claudine Potvin-Giordano and Terry Buchanan, a campus security officer, will lead a discussion on how students can identify, prevent and report if they are being sexual harassed or are victims of domestic violence. ONPOINTPRESS.NET
Smarter Robots in Manufacturing and Beyond 2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. Bulmer Telecommunications Center Auditorium Student Senate Meeting 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Leadership Conference Center
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The Hudsonian Hudson Valley Community College 80 Vandenburgh Ave. Troy, NY 12180 Phone: 518-629-7568 Email: hudsonian@hvcc.edu Editorial Policy All views expressed in this paper are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the The Hudsonian or the College.
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March 7, 2018
NEWS
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New 20-hour course prepares students for solar energy workforce By: Nick Fisk Staff Writer Hudson Valley is using the recent $25,000 grant it received from Cypress Creek Renewables to reduce the cost of programs for students taking renewable solar energy classes. This investment will go toward several solar photovoltaic classes, including the first announced funding for the PV Installation Basics in-classroom 20-hour basics course that began last Wednesday. The course is described as a way to give interested students the chance to learn skills necessary to succeed in the solar energy field. As stated during the company’s presentation, the funding is planned to go mainly toward women, veterans and others in order to bring more underrepresented groups into the working field. This is to expand upon their opportunities with other plans in the area. Cypress Creek Renewables is also planning more projects and creating partnerships throughout the region, which, as revealed in their presentation, will bring in approximately 1,500 jobs in construction alone. PV Installation Basics is available to those in the college’s Workforce Development Institute. Students looking to develop a good base knowledge in this field will learn several valuable concepts through this course in its attempt to teach students to “safely and effectively perform installation tasks as a trained, entry-level worker does in the field,”
according to the official course description. To that end, the program covers multiple facets of the field, including basic electrical safety, PV module handling and installation and more. It also ensures students know proper use of both hand-held power tools and measuring tools. In accordance with teaching about workplace safety, students entering the program were expected to bring multiple materials and follow safety protocols.
Students are required to bring work boot and gloves with them to classes, and they must also be ready to follow common safety protocols. The Workforce Development Institute has been in a partnership with several companies in the field to help bring proper training and technology to more students and locations in order to create and install fields of solar panels. Increased partnerships could mean more jobs available along with the increase in energy.
Students in the program are expected to have a minimum 10th grade-level ability to read and perform math. A 10-hour OSHA Construction Safety Training course was also required for entry. Those students completing the 20-hour course will receive two continuing education credits, or CEUs, toward their majors. The course began on February 28th, and it is set to run until March 17. Students taking the course meet at the college’s TECSMART building in Malta every
Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. as well as on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuition before any investment credit was $375. Along with the PV Installation Basics course, this investment is expected to apply to other Workforce Development Institute classes in the future. These classes would give students better opportunities to get into the program at lower prices, something they, as well as both Hudson Valley and Cypress Creek would mutually benefit from. GRAPH BY JULIO RODRIGUEZ | HUDSONIAN
Average salary of select engineering careers compared to the average salary of all U.S. jobs.
CAMS building continues with additional grants By: Richard Decker Staff Writer Hudson Valley has plans to construct the Gene F. Haas Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skill with the intent of doubling its enrollment in the Advanced Manufacturing Technology (A.O.S.) degree program. The new building will meet an urgent workforce demand for skilled employees within the Capital District. The demand for machinists and computer-controlled machine operators and programmers is projected to grow by anywhere from 14 percent to 35 percent by 2022, according to estimates from the state Department of Labor. In 2016, the Albany-Schenectady-Troy had the fifth fastest-growing manufacturing sector among the nation’s largest 100 manufacturing metros, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics estimates. The region added 26,300 manufacturing jobs in 2016, up 3.5 percent from the previous year. However, the skilled labor force population has not been able to keep up with this growth. With the construction of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing Skills, Hudson Valley is poised to help fill the shortage of well-trained, skilled craftspeople and help manufacturing firms to expand, create new jobs and contribute to economic growth. The Center, a $14.5 million 37,000 square foot building designed by Troy-based architecture firm Mosaic Associates, will
serve as a model for the country preparing students to operate computer-controlled lathes, mills, grinders and three-dimensional printers in two years rather than a four-year apprenticeship. By doubling the enrollment of manufacturing students and the addition of a new facility, the project also will give the school enough space to give other students technical training to prepare them for careers in marketing, management and sales. Currently, nine out of 10 students enrolled in the school’s advanced manufacturing program receive job offers before they graduate from General Electric, Simmons Machine Tool Corp. in
Menands, P1 Industries in Schenectady and Kintz Plastics in Howes Caves. The fundraising arm of the project has largely been handled by the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation, securing more than $3.5 million to date. Among the private investors are: the Gene Haas Foundation, the building will bear his name; Simmons Machine Tool Corporation (part of the NSH Group), for the construction of a state-of-theart electro/mechanical industrial maintenance lab; General Electric Power, to develop a Student Advisement Center named in the memory of GE Human Resources Manager, Gale O’Gorman, who
was instrumental in creating and sustaining GE’s machinist program; and the Hearst Foundation as a contribution. In recent months, however, Regina LaGatta, Interim Executive Director of the HVCC Foundation, alongside President Motonak and President-elect Ramsammay, have campaigning for state and federal funding. In December, a $2.9 million grant was announced by Governor Cuomo through the New York State Regional Economic Development Council award and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced $1.5 million in federal funding for the facility as well. Shovels are expected to break ground sometime this year. COURTES Y OF HVC
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March 7, 2018
NEWS
Alumni share transfer experiences
GRAPHIC BY JULIO RODRIGUEZ | HUDSONIAN
From to
By: Zoe Deno Staff Writer What is it like transferring from Hudson Valley to an Ivy League school? An average of more than 40 percent of Hudson Valley graduates transfer to four-year colleges. Every year, a handful of Hudson Valley students who are looking to transfer find themselves being accepted into Ivy League schools. Julita Barszczewska, who is studying biology, and Grace Harrison, an Applied Economics and Management major, both transferred into Cornell University. Harrison, who started her first semester at Cornell in Fall of 2015, said she was initially intimidated when she transferred to Cornell. “Transferring to Cornell from Hudson Valley was not that big of a jump. Hudson Valley prepared me not only to attend, but also to succeed at Cornell,” said Harrison. “In many respects, I think I was better prepared for Cornell than some of my fellow students who came to Cornell straight from high school,” she said. Barszczewska also felt very prepared for Cornell when she started her first semester at Cornell in fall 2017. “All of my professors from Hudson Valley pushed me to work hard and encouraged me to put in the time and effort to study for exams.” She remembers receiving extra help from her physics professor, Susan DiFranzo, when she was struggling in her class. “[DiFranzo’s] positive attitude reminds me to this day
that anything can be achieved/ understood if you keep trying. She taught me to not give up-and that is something you need here at Cornell. School can feel overwhelming and you need that attitude to keep you going,” Barszczewska said. Barszczewska said that professors at Cornell are just as eager to help you as the ones at Hudson Valley are. She said the professors are eager to help you, however at Cornell it is harder to get help. “I loved that at HVCC classes were much much smaller in size and it was easier to connect with each of your professors. That is possible here as well, but it requires more effort and is sometimes difficult to do with the amount of time studying and homework takes,” she said. “A class is a class no matter where you are, but at Cornell the courses require a lot of extra time and dedication,” Barszczewska said. Cornell students seem more than ready to take on the additional workload, according to Barszczewska. “I have noticed the passion for education here at Cornell. Everyone is always studying and prioritizing classes. [Students at Cornell] are always looking to do more and be more involved, no matter how much they already be on their plate,” she said. Harrison also noticed this as well, she said that students at Cornell tend to come from privileged backgrounds and have an extreme work ethic. She said they are very eager to take advantages of the many opportunities Cornell has. She said that this was different than Hudson Valley. “Hudson
Do you want to transfer to Cornell? If so, you could consider the SUNY affiliated College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
• Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers an articulation agreement to Hudson Valley students. • An articulation agreement matches coursework between schools and is designed to help students make a smooth transition when transferring to CALS. Valley is more diverse and friendlier,” Harrison said, “because it serves so many people of different ages and backgrounds, you get a sense that it’s a true representation of the local community and of real life,” she said. Transferring to Cornell or
another Ivy League school may not be the path for every Hudson Valley student who is trying to transfer to a four-year college. Regardless of a student’s goals, Barszczewska encourages students to make the most out of their time at Hudson Valley.
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“I always took HVCC seriously and I strongly encourage everyone else to do so as well,” she said. “Many of the things I learned there are very relevant at Cornell and I know that if I had taken my two years there as a joke, I would not be where I am today.”
March 7, 2018
NEWS
5 PHOTO BY DAVE ANDERSON | HUDSONIAN
FROM PAGE ONE
SPIKE LEE ture of Brooklyn to the rest of the country. “Up till Spike Lee comes along, you don’t get a Black film that portrays the inner city and the people there like he does, so this is a unique moment in history,” Hyman said. Lee’s films also helped many African American actors break into the acting scene, in addition to helping to spread African American culture through the country, Hyman explained. At the end of his presentation, Hyman showed the 1989 movie “Do the Right Thing,” which was filmed on a block in Brooklyn with the actual houses and people from that block being involved in it.
“It’s his most important film because this is the one that gets him off the ground,” Hyman said. Throughout his presentation, Hyman showed how Spike Lee helped the world to see that Brooklyn’s African American “community has a voice [that often] doesn’t get represented in the media until you get someone that gets robbed or gets killed or gets shot, and that’s a very negative image. And what [“Do the Right Thing”] is showing is that this is a community that has unity, that has families and has people, and it has hopes and dreams and ideals and goals.” “African Americans in Film: A Tribute to Spike Lee” conveyed the power of community and how groups across the globe can express their goals and desires. Professor Donald Hyman discussing directors that helped promote African American equality in the 1980’s.
COMICS
FROM PAGE ONE
GUNS
lieves there should be more regulation of ammunition as well. Cain blames the FBI’s failure to detect Nikolas Cruz as a potential threat to society during his background check to obtain an AR-15 for the events in Parkland, Florida. Cain believes that if Cruz had been identified as a threat, that the Parkland shooting would never have happened. Many people on social media have been calling for arming school faculty such as teachers. Cain believes this would just cause more problems. He claimed that in the heat of the moment
COMIC BY FERNANDO CARABALLO | HUDSONIAN
teachers may not be able to act accordingly with a firearm and could end up causing more harm than good. On the other side of the spectrum is exercise science major, Mitchell Giffin. “At the core of it, it’s not a gun issue, “ Griffin continued, “It’s a societal issue.” Griffin believes that guns are not the reason that events like these happen. Griffin believes it is society’s poor handling of certain people’s mental states that are the issue. He compared Parkland to events such as New York City and even 9/11. Those individuals did not have firearms and still caused damage. Though he wasn’t making light of any of these events, he
made a good argument as to why guns are not the problem. Griffin also shared Cain’s opinion of how the FBI had handled the situation and blames them as well for their lack of action to prevent such a tragedy. Griffin also believes that arming teachers is not the answer. His reasoning for this was that teachers are not trained to handle firearms. Instead, Griffin believes that it would be a better idea to have armed guards or police officers patrol or stationed inside schools. Sarah, of whom wanted to remain on a first name basis, is a criminal justice major at Hudson Valley. Her opinions more closely resembled that of Griffin’s. Sarah
also doesn’t think gun laws are the problem. She believes there are already so many laws in place. Sarah claimed the best thing to do is to modify the current process that people undergo to obtain a firearm. Sarah also suggested that increasing cybersecurity would help find and prevent people like Cruz from obtaining a firearm. She explained that people who have done similar things in the past had shared extreme views on their social media accounts. Sarah believes that in conjunction with the current restrictions and process, individuals should also detail the intended use of the firearm at the time of purchase. Sarah is in support of arming school officials as long as they receive the proper training and pass background checks and psychiatric evaluations. “There’s a disconnect, “ said Sarah. This was in regards to the people who actually know what to do and whether or not they do the right thing. Sarah also believes that adolescents are most unstable in secondary school. She feels that if these young students are able to obtain the help they need, whether it is medication or counseling, these events would be less likely to occur. More recently the Parkland students have come out to publicly push for more gun control. Cain is glad that these individuals are stepping up and being active in the push for gun control. Cain is frustrated that there are many individuals attempting to silence and shut down the Parkland students. Griffin understands that the Parkland students went through a terrible event. “Who knows what I would think if I experienced it first hand, “ Griffin said. He is worried that some of the individuals advocating for gun control might be accepting money from politicians to help push an agenda. He recognizes this may not be true, yet it is still a concern.
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Griffin believes that the Parkland students are looking for the quickest way to attempt to fix the damage that has been done. “Guns did this, get rid of guns.” Griffin thinks this might be the thought process of the Parkland students and sees at a valid response to such a tragic event. Sarah however, thinks that the Parkland students are missing the whole picture. “They know that something needs to be done. They just might be a little off target, “ said Sarah. She thinks it’s great that they are trying something and trying to get the people who can help to listen. She just thinks they are asking for the wrong thing. In the unlikely event of an active shooter on campus, the Director of Public Safety, Fred Aliberti urged students and faculty to follow the actions described in the Emergency Prep Manual. The Emergency Prep Manual can be found on the Public Safety website. The manual explains that individuals should try to run and get to a safe area. If this is not an option then the individuals should try to hide. The best places to hide are in windowless rooms that lock. If a room has windows then individuals are encouraged to stay away from them as much as possible. Many doors on campus, do not lock. The manual has a procedure for this as well. The manual explains that individuals should try to barricade the door with anything they can. Most importantly, the manual mentions that individuals should cooperate with law enforcement. Aliberti cautioned the actions of fighting back. Aliberti strongly feels that fighting back should only be a last resort in a life or death situation. Aliberti’s personal advice for students and faculty in this type of situation was, “Be alert and aware [of] your immediate surroundings.”
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March 7, 2018
NEWS
Phi Theta Kappa offers profitable opportunities to students COURTESY OF PTK.ORG
By: Isabella Kokoszko Layout Editor Students looking to transfer from Hudson Valley after to another college after graduation can earn up to $14,000 in scholarships by joining Phi Theta Kappa, an elite honor society for two-year students. “Any student is eligible, whether you are part-time or earning high school credits at Hudson Valley,” said Gayle Healy, former adviser for Phi Theta Kappa. “It’s a great résumé builder and can get you some really great scholarships if you’re transferring for further education.” Gayle Healy has helped students run the honor society at Hudson Valley for about seven years. Her office is located in the Center for Careers and Transfer. She encourages students to take advantage of all the scholarships and perks Phi Theta Kappa has to offer. A number of four-year colleges and universities in the area offer scholarships to Phi Theta Kappa students. Siena offers a
A 3.7 GPA or higher could mean up to $14,000 in scholarships for Hudson Valley students.
$14,000 scholarship to students with Phi Theta Kappa distinction. With a minimum 3.0 GPA and 12 credit hours, members looking to transfer this fall to the Sage Colleges can receive up to $12,000 per year. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute offers a $5,000 scholarship, which is redeemable each year. Hudson Valley students are invited to join this organization upon receiving a cumulative grade point average of 3.7 or higher. Students eligible for membership should expect an email to join the chapter at the college.
To join, students must pay a one-time membership fee of $80, and they are then able to attend an induction ceremony. At the ceremony, new members receive cords they can wear at graduation and a certificate of membership. If a student is inducted and falls below a 3.5 GPA, they have a semester to bring it back up. If they are not able to raise it during this probationary period, they are then removed from the honor society. To rejoin, they must restore their grade point average to a 3.7 or above. “The main focus of Phi The-
ta Kappa is an honors-in-action project,” Healy said. “From guidebooks, they choose different themes, which lead to a college project during that semester. This year, the project that the officers chose was ‘Accepting Diversity’ and they held a movie night in the fall which collected donations for the local food pantry.” Although there are no regularly scheduled meetings for members, students are invited to be active in the chapter and pursue officership. These officers decide on different events to host for the campus and organize com-
The truth about getting your doctorate By: Joseph Lyle Junior Creative Editor There are many Hudson Valley students studying towards a doctorate degree. But, how much work is it to obtain a doctorate? “It takes a lot of intensive and original thought, focus and creativity coupled with hard work, motivation and perseverance to earn a Ph.D.,” said an automotive professor. Professor Ernest R. Rugenstein teaches honors courses at Hudson Valley. Dr. Rugenstein obtained his Ph.D. in Cultural History from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Rugenstein also has a masters degree in Religion and European History and a Bachelors in History. He is a published author, Akwesasne, Divided by more than the St. Lawrence River. This book is used as a textbook in one of his classes. Dr. Rugenstein decided to pursue a doctorate degree to further his education. Dr. Rugenstein
also needed a doctorate to perform the type of jobs he wanted to do. He is currently investigating an archaeological site in the Adirondacks. “I was very interested in history and archaeology, ” Dr. Rugenstein continued, “I was very interested in the cultural aspects of history.” His interest in these fields helped to fuel his desire and drive to obtain a doctorate. Dr. Rugenstein claimed that the hardest part for him was the writing of his dissertation. A dissertation is a unique study that has never been done before. It is the final part of the doctoral process. After six years of schooling, he wrote his dissertation. His dissertation was the basis of his book. Dr. Rugenstein said, “Know where you want to go [in life].” This was his advice for aspiring doctorate students. He also recommended that it is best to get the doctorate as young as possible. Each year there is more and more competition as there are more and
more people with doctorates. Another Hudson Valley professor with a doctorate is Dr. Alice Malavasic. She teaches American history I and II as well as a course on World War II. Dr. Malavasic wasn’t always a teacher for Hudson Valley. Dr. Malavasic was heavily involved in politics working for many individuals including some from Congress. Dr. Malavasic decided she wanted to go back to school for teaching. She was eventually offered a scholarship to UAlbany and earned a Ph.D. in American History. Dr. Malavasic also has a masters in teaching and an undergraduate in history. It took Dr. Malavasic a total of four and a half years to obtain her doctorate. Only two of which were years spent attending classes. Dr. Malavasic’s struggle during her time of obtaining a doctorate was that she was a returning student. This meant that she had other responsibilities such as a husband and a job
munity service. The officers meet once every other week. Students will be emailed about membership when they achieve a minimum 3.7 GPA. If a student is eligible and does not receive an email, they should contact the current Phi Theta Kappa adviser, Shawna Case. She is a counselor in the Center for Careers and Transfers and can be reached by phone at (518) 6297326. For more information, please contact ptk@hvcc.edu or go online and visit their website, https://www.ptk.org/Home.aspx. COURTESY OF MASTERSDEGREE.NET
Be prepared for dedication to your craft because it’s a long road to achieve a doctorate.
teaching at Hudson Valley. While writing her dissertation, which also became the bases of a book, Dr. Malavasic had a lot of setbacks. She would frequently have to pack up her research and unpack it at the end and start of every semester. Her dissertation later became The F Street Mess, a published book. Dr. Malavasic chose to pursue a doctorate in American History because of her parents. Both her parents were teachers. Her father was a history teacher and her mother was a science teacher. This meant that she was constantly exposed to these fields of study. “As bad as I am at technology, without it, I would never have been able to finish my Ph.D. or my book.” Dr. Malavasic said. Technology was a huge help for her. Dr. Malavasic moved around a lot and that limited her access to
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many locations that she needed to be. Dr. Malavasic was able to get a lot of her information for her book from online sources at the Library of Congress. Dr. Malavasic advice for future doctorate holders was a bit different from Dr. Rugenstein. Dr. Malavasic recommends that students wait a bit before jumping straight into the program. She believes that the added life experience one would get would greatly benefit them in their journey of obtaining that degree. She also stressed the importance of never giving up. Whether you follow Dr. Rugenstein’s advice or Dr. Malavasic’s, it doesn’t matter. Both have their merits and their shortcomings. It is up to the individual to decide which is best for them. This decision will be different for everyone for a variety of reasons.
March 7, 2018
NEWS
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Touring company ‘Shakes’ up campus with ‘Othello’ COURTESY OF HVCC.EDU
COURTESY OF HVCC.EDU
Shakespeare and Company will be coming back to campus next year for their tenth stay at Hudson Valley.
Tragedy strikes at the end of act four.
By: Grace Sgambettera Managing Editor
Hudson Valley’s own Maureen Stapleton theater saw an invasion of a dramatic scale when the touring cast from Shakespeare and Company came to stay for their annual week-long residency. This residency, the company’s ninth annual stay at Hudson Valley consisted of a week of workshops open to all Hudson Valley faculty and students that was rounded out by a free performance of Shakespeare’s “Othello” open to the public. The performance itself drew a wide audience of Hudson Valley students and faculty, as well as outside members of the community, and even a couple of little kids on their winter break.
“Othello” is considered to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies--a play about love, hatred, jealousy, and loss. It’s set in 16th century Venice and Cyprus in the middle of war. Othello himself is a distinguished black general of the Venetian army who marries the beautiful and kind Desdemona, a white woman. Iago, a long-time supposed friend of Othello becomes incredibly jealous when Othello gives the promotion he feels he deserves to someone else and swears revenge. He plants suspicion in the mind of Othello that Desdemona is being unfaithful to him, in a plot that eventually destroys much more than just a marriage. Shakespeare and Company’s set was simple but effective. Made up of curtains, posts, and a couple
of wooden boxes, it still managed to surprise when one of the characters appears at the top of the ten foot curtain as if it was a balcony. Where the set was utilitarian, the costumes were bright and appealing. Designed by Govane Lohbauer, the costumes are regency era pieces that are reminiscent of Pride and Prejudice. They were also impressive in how quickly they were able to be switched when needed, often no easy feat for stage productions. Most of the seven touring actors in the show had to double up on roles in the show, portraying two or sometimes more characters from scene to scene. At one point, actress Caitlyn Kraft ran off stage as Iago’s wife Emilia only to come on seemingly instantly as Roderigo, Iago’s “partner
in crime.” Though these lightning-fast character changes were no secret from the audience, it did not feel confusing or disjointed at all as the play developed. All of the actors in this show were strong performers, but perhaps none stood out quite as much as Desdemona, played by Kirsten Peacock and Iago, portrayed by Greg Boover. Peacock’s Desdemona is the true strength of this production, portrayed with both the gentle loyalty Desdemona is known for, with just a little more of a backbone that makes this portrayal interesting and likeable. Boover’s Iago is unassuming and almost comical--until he becomes unglued, that is. The power is in the moments when Iago loses control, and Boover plays that on
the most animalistic, physical way he can. It’s refreshing to see Iago as not so much a mustache-twirling bad guy, but a true villain nonetheless. Othello, played by Kai Tshikosi was strong in his emotional weakness. In a scene where Othello is confronted with the idea that his wife may be unfaithful, his heartbreak can be almost physically felt by the audience. And Tshikosi’s chemistry with Peacock is so natural and delightful, making it all the more heartbreaking by the finale. Shakespeare and Company will be coming back to campus next year for their tenth stay at Hudson Valley, with a different show that will hopefully be just as good. COURTESY OF HVCC.EDU
Shakespeare and Company will be coming back to campus next year for their tenth stay at Hudson Valley.
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From classroom to weightrack: By: Mike Alber Web Editor Exercise science major, Mitchell Griffin, is a strongman on Hudson Valley’s campus. He has competed on a national scale at 18 years years old, and plans to compete in multiple competitions this year. The sport of the strongman competition, where athletes test their strengths in different ways, has been gaining national recognition recently. Griffin started out his interest through arm wrestling classmates during recess. “I was always kind of naturally strong, so I started beating kids and I was like, ‘Hey this is pretty fun,’ so I discovered that arm wrestling was actually a professional sport in itself.” he said. “Granted they’re not like
football or baseball players, they don’t make a lot of money, but it was a sport, and initially it was what I wanted to do.” he added. At first, he wanted to compete in arm wrestling, but then he discovered the Strongman Corp. and United States Strongman competitions through clips online. Griffin said “Being on the internet and Youtube, you discover a lot of things, that’s where I came across powerlifting, so I started watching videos on that, ultimately brought me to Strongman videos, and I took to that immediately and said ‘This is what I want to do.’” Griffin’s interest in strongman was able to grow from support between his family, friends, and his gym teachers. While attending New Lebanon Jr./Sr. High School, he used the high school weight room every
day after school, and eventually co-founded a fitness club during that time. “A year after I started messing with weights at home, and whenever I could, when the weight room was open I would go in there. That turned into starting a fitness club with Mr. Christiansen. It wasn’t big, but we did get t-shirts made for the club made and everything,” said Griffin. He’s said that even after high school, his efforts have left has an impact on his alma mater. According to Griffin, some students there displayed interest in getting more fit, and possibly even competing in competitions as well. He gained the trust of the gym teachers there, saying “I even taught some gym classes in the weight room actually, when the gym teacher wasn’t there,
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Mitchell Griffin is a Strongman they’d have a class in the gymnasium, and they would have me in the weight room with some kids to teach there.” After a couple of years lifting weights and testing his strength as a hobby, Griffin soon came across a local competition in Syracuse, where he signed up as a novice, and won first place in his class. Griffin said, “It was April of last year, and I was looking online for strongman competitions, because I was curious and never seen one in the area before. I was actually able to look at the events there were going to be, and the weight classes, and the weight they would have to be able to lift.” Griffin continued, “I realized that I could do this, so I went to my mom and she said ‘Oh, you want to go see the competition?’ I said ‘No I want to be in the
competition.’ I was as surprised as her to have that come out of my mouth.” After his win in the novice class, it gave him the confidence to be a real competitor in the open class. Once someone wins first place in the novice class, they are no longer able to compete as a novice anymore. Later that July, he tied for first place in an open class competition in New Hampshire. Due to tie-breaker rules though, he placed in second. Soon after, he qualified to compete in the Strongman Corp. Nationals over in Las Vegas. He was competing with 200 other strongmen all around the nation with his mother in the audience through those days of competition. “It was different from anything I’ve ever experienced, it felt like I was in a movie or something.” said
Griffin. “It was never dark there because there’s so many lights on all the time, like you’d be out there at midnight and it would be really bright there.” he said. “It was nice, but it was stressful. There’s all this stuff going on around me and I was there just to compete.” Griffin ranked in one of the last positions during the competition, however that’s not going to stop him from this year to qualify for the nationals once again. He said, “I’m going to compete as a teen this year, because nationals was fun though I was competing against anybody, and it didn’t go so well.” He added, “I plan to win, but I don’t anticipate qualifying outside of the top three.”
“Being on the internet and YouTube, you discover a lot of things, that’s where I came across powerlifting, so I started watching videos on that, ultimately brought me to Strongman videos, and I took to that immediately and said, ‘This is what I want to do.’” - Mitchell Griffin
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March 7, 2018
COMMENTARY
I’m a Dinosaur: Living with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DAVE ANDERSON | HUDSONIAN
By: Joseph Lyle Junior Creative Editor About 13 percent of people in America are disabled. I am one of those people. I was born with a disability known as Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita, commonly referred to Arthrogryposis” or simply “AMC.” It’s a disability that affects about 1 in every 3,000 people in the United States. Arthrogryposis does not discriminate on ethnicity or gender. AMC is a condition that affects multiple joints and is present at birth. The joints are often stiff or locked in place. This causes limited range of motion, if any, in the joints. The condition will never get worse and in many cases, including mine, can be bettered through occupational therapy. Some conditions that often accompany Arthrogryposis are clubbed feet and scoliosis — a curvature of the spine. My condition is somewhat more rare than that of most people with Arthrogryposis. I was born a twin and was the only one affected. Arthrogryposis also only affects my arms. I am missing both biceps and have an elongated growth plate in my left wrist. This means my wrist curves outward. I have limited range of motion in my shoulders and elbows. When I was about 14, I found out I also had scoliosis.
Arthrogryposis is something that I have struggled with for most of my life and will continue to struggle with. There is no cure other than corrective surgery. I have decided that these surgical procedures were not for me. They aren’t a guarantee and may end up making things worse. So, I have decided to just stick with the cards I was dealt. I have limitations because of my arms. However, I try to not let that stop me. I am constantly trying new things and learning new ways of accomplishing my tasks. When I was younger, I would use door knobs to help me take off my shirts and dress myself. Now, I will lean on a wall even though I do not need to. I can drive a car, have worked a job and am currently studying to eventually obtain a Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering. My arms are not a roadblock. They are an obstacle, and I will overcome them. When I was younger, in primary school, I had to deal with being bullied about my arms. I never let it get to me then, and looking back I realize it was because those kids couldn’t properly understand. They could see I was different and that I do things differently, but they weren’t quite sure why. Eventually, the bullying subsided as I grew up. There are lots of people who think it’s rude to ask about someone’s disability. Personally, I dis-
Joseph Lyle often refers to himself as a T-Rex due to the appearance of his arms.
agree. I would much rather you come up to me and ask me about my arms than to just sit back and ignorantly stare at them. When children ask me what’s wrong with my arms. I will often skip the complex medical definition and tell them I am a dinosaur. My arms somewhat resemble the arms of a Tyrannosaurus Rex. I am not the only person with Arthrogryposis that calls themself a “dinosaur.” This resemblance between prehistoric reptile and myself has led to somewhat of an obsession with them. I have a collection of
dinosaurs at home on my dresser, and I will often get something just because it has a dinosaur on it. My friends and family will often call me T-Rex, and I encourage it. It appears offensive at first, but I just look at it as making light of a somewhat depressing situation. I also have a fascination with outer space and anything that has to do with it. That is why I want to become an aeronautical engineer. I want to go and work for American aerospace company SpaceX. I am attending Hudson Valley in hopes of transferring to RPI. I realize that because of my
condition I will probably never get the opportunity to go into outer space, so I would like to be the one to send others to space instead. Overall, my arms are not something that hold me back. They are a challenge, and like any great challenge, they are something to overcome. I encourage everyone to look at their disabilities this way. I view my condition not as a disability, but as a “diff-ability,” which means I just have to do things a little differently.
ALBANY OFFERS GOOD EATS AND GAMES PHOTO BY ZOE DENO | HUDSONIAN
The Hollow is host to live performers every Friday and Saturday.
By: Zoe Deno Staff Writer Just ten minutes away from Hudson Valley, Albany’s reputation for being boring keeps many students from exploring it for themselves. But if you are just looking to kill some time, or you actually want a new find, here are a couple of Albany’s highlights you might be missing. The Hollow Bar + Kitchen Established just a few years ago in 2013, The Hollow Bar +
Kitchen provides an enjoyable dining experience on a budget. All of the dishes offered are under $30 and a lot of them are under $20. They serve standard restaurant fare like burgers and fries. They also offer a variety of more adventurous options like the “Ahi Tuna” or the “Hummus Board.” The Hollow also boasts a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Exposed brick walls compliment the dark wood of the tables and a variety of lighted glass
jars hang from the ceiling and give the room a cozy feeling. The stage in the front of the room adds to the already pleasant environment and live music plays on Fridays and Saturdays for anyone to enjoy courtesy of the restaurant. There’s also a bar in the back for customers 21 and up. The Hollow is located at 79 N Pearl St. Zero Gravity Laser Tag On the outskirts of Albany, there is a little building in a small plaza that is easy to miss. While the outside of the building may seem unassuming, the inside of the building is anything but. The bright lights of an arcade greet you as soon as you walk into Zero Gravity. Beyond the arcade is a hall that will lead you to the separate laser tag arena. Players are separated into different eams and are let into dark blacklight room full of ramps and places to duck behind. Your score is displayed on the laser gun you are given when you enter the arena. If you forget to check your score during the heat of the game, a final ranking along with winning team is displayed on
a screen in the arcade. It is not uncommon for people to expect laser tag to be more expensive than it is at Zero Gravity. The regular pricing for 15 minute games are $10. If you have a student or military ID you can play for just $5. The Iron Gate Along the tightly packed businesses that line Washington Avenue, a large iron gate stretches across an break in the buildings and a restaurant named after them. The Iron Gate serves a variety of homemade soups, salads, wraps and sandwiches prepared for people looking to buy breakfast or lunch. The establishment makes a point of offering a variety of options for people with dietary restrictions. The Iron Gate was set up in what used to James Holroyd Mansion on 182 Washington Ave. Two of the dining rooms have the same 19th Century design as when the mansion was built was constructed in the 1890’s. Customers can choose to dine on the patio garden in front of the restaurant or they can pick one of the unique dining rooms inside the building for a rare din-
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ing experience. Silver Fox Salvage Out of all of the places on the list, Silver Fox Salvage is perhaps the most strange. Located on 20 Learned St., this Albany based business sells architectural salvage, lighting, antiques and custom-designed furniture crafted from reclaimed materials. Approaching the fenced enclosure is like approaching something out of a book. Statues, pieces of buildings, a gargoyle and other odds and ends surround the small the building. If you go inside, you will find hundreds of chandeliers dangling from the ceiling. The walls are crammed with an assortment of antiques and furniture. Despite the initial impression of chaos, everything is sorted meticulously. There are sections for everything sold, from paintings to antiques. In the back of the building there is a workshop where customers can request custom furniture to be made to be made out of salvaged materials. Even if you do not plan on buying anything, Silver Fox Salvage is a place that is definitely worth exploring.
March 7, 2018
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Fine arts student draws inspiration from natural world By: Jacob Pitts Staff Writer “I really wasn’t much of an artist before enrolling in HVCC’s fine arts program,” student artist Joel Olzak admitted. “I couldn’t draw as much as a table when I started college.” Though Olzak wasn’t always predisposed to art, he said he grew up in a very creative family. “I definitely had more art education than many people as a child,” he said. “My family would take trips to museums, and I can remember traveling to New York City to see my older sister’s photography show there.” Two of Olzak’s siblings are working with art and music, and lots of his extended family are musicians. Once Olzak, now in his third year, started at Hudson Valley, he said he began coming into his own as an artist. “I would say I’ve improved a lot—now I can accurately paint forms with realistic color and depth.” Olzak said he thinks his strengths are more on the “conceptual” side. “I focus on the meaning of a piece, and how it fits into what I’ve been working on,” said Ozak. The fine arts major said his main artistic endeavors lie within the fields of oil painting and artist’s books. Out of all of his works to date, he said he is most proud of his painting finals. “They’re just of a still life, but they represent probably almost 70 hours of work each,” he said. “That’s pretty typical for a well-realized final in our studio classes, although I’m not the fastest work-
er here.” He confesses that his greatest weakness is figure drawing, but hopes to keep practicing. Olzak describes the artistic process as very lengthy, and existing solely mentally for quite some time. “I spend a lot of time thinking about a work, how to make it mean what I intend. So I can have things brewing in my mind, but not actually begin it for awhile,” said Olzak. Olzak said he will typically plan a piece out in his sketchbook and work out how I will assemble it or just what size it needs to be. He said a painting can take several days for a simple one, or several weeks for a complex one and a book can only be worked on on the page it’s open to. “If it’s being painted or glued in, it’ll need time to dry before it can be worked on more, so, time varies a lot,” said Olzak. A recurring motif in Olzak’s artwork is nature, which he is very much in tune with. He said he enjoys hiking in his free time, a fact that is clearly reflected in his creative output. Olzak said, “Bookmaking has become a huge part of my practice. I hand-bind a book and fill it with appropriated images, paint, and even raw materials such as dried leaves, wood, and other plants.” Olzak said his major is very focused on painting, but that he’s also becoming more of a sculptor as of late. “I tend towards natural materials, dead plants, stones, and whatever else is needed for the piece.” In particular, Joel’s work
considers the social aspects of nature, like its relationship with humanity. He has even covered Native-American history. “I have touched upon some of the terrible things that the U.S. has done, in particular the destruction of the indigenous people of this land. I want to explore this more in my work, I’m just focusing on other things right now,” said Olzak. Olzak’s favorite art movement is land art, because it protested the commercialization of art and explored our connection with nature, as he aims to do with his own work. A prominent influence of his is Anselm Kiefer, who he learned about earlier this school year. “He’s a post-war German artist, so he’s dealing with the collective guilt of their nation. He does so in an often primal or cosmic way, and his works feel timeless. The way he uses raw materials has informed much of what I have been working on,” said Olzak. Now in the midst of his final semester at Hudson Valley, Olzak is deciding on his next course of action. He’s applied to five schools thus far—SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Purchase, Maine College of Art, MassArt, and Brown University, and eventually hopes to get a Master of Fine Arts. “I’d really like to teach at the college level, though I enjoy working in galleries or museums as well. As for how HVCC has prepared me, I feel that I have a good idea of what awaits me in the job market,” said Olzak. Olzak currently has a job on campus at the Teaching Gallery for the duration of this school
year, and assists his art professor with installing shows and other gallery-related tasks. “I think this experience has made me career-ready, and I’m only half-done with college,” Olzak said. Olzak said he would have advised his younger self to get started drawing much earlier. “My high school had an optional art class I always took, but I never felt like I was naturally gifted. I’ve
had to work at it.” So far, Olzak’s work has been featured in the campus gallery as well as last semester’s SUNY Student Art Exhibition. This was a great honor to him, because the selection was very exclusive and they had a fantastic opening. This summer, his art might also be displayed at the sculpture park at OMI International Arts Center in Ghent, where he works. PHOTO BY GRACE SGAMBETTERA | HUDSONIAN
Fine arts major Joel Olzak describes his artistic inspiration and the betterment of his craft at Hudson Valley.
‘Mom’ juggles books and baby bottles PHOTO BY RICHARD DECKER | HUDSONIAN
By: Richard Decker Staff Writer
Mila Roe describes the time commitment and scheduling that is required of a parent in college.
Earning a degree may be difficult enough for anyone, but many students at Hudson Valley face extra challenges—pursuing their studies while also living with the responsibilities of parenthood. In 2017, Mila Roe enrolled at Hudson Valley, after earning her certificate from Branford Hall to be a medical assistant working alongside the staff of Planned Parenthood, all while taking care of her two children. Roe, a freshman individual studies major looking to join the art program next year, is one of the 4.8 million college students who are parents of dependent children. “I’m also a wife, so it’s not just my kids; I have pretty much three, but technically two,” she said. Despite having a loving family and support system, Roe said living in the two worlds of parenting and student life is still a strug-
gle. “I’m a mess, honestly, but I’m a good mess,” said Roe. “I’m organized but then I get lost in the mess of it all, and suddenly, I’m not organized anymore.” The disorganization disproportionately falls on her academics, Roe said, as her top priority is her children. “It’s a tug-o-war,” she said, describing the balance between organizing her kids’ life versus her own organization. “At home in the kitchen, I have a big board that has what we are eating throughout the week, who’s going to clean what, and everything,” she said. “I don’t have a schedule for my homework, but I should, it’s the kids first, my husband, school, me, and lastly, my art,” she said. One issue student parents often face is affording daycare. Luckily, Roe said she has a strong support system who is always willing to help ensure she does not miss important lectures or exams. “It’s always tight financially but my family are my biggest supporters,” she said.
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While her oldest child attends school and her youngest child attends a set daycare, Roe said problems arise when the schools close. Her husband sometimes must miss out on his business and care for the children to ensure Roe’s academics do not suffer. Fortunately for Hudson Valley students who may not have the same circumstances, the College offers The Viking Child Care Center. Tuition for children of parents attending Hudson Valley Community College is determined by a sliding scale fee based on family gross income. There also are several scholarships to assist with tuition costs for those meeting certain criteria. While student parents face many struggles others don’t, Roe said the experience can still be exciting. “I’m just trying to chase dreams, that’s it. I am getting thrown around in the process, but it’s cool.”
FEATURES
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March 7, 2018 COURTESY OF HVCC.EDU
FROM PAGE ONE
DARNELL
thing, despite his career being short lived. “I lived the dream. So many people want to be able to say they made it to the NFL,” he said. Stapleton said that the NFL is everything that it is made out to be. “There are a lot of eyes on you and a lot of competitiveness. It is the type of environment that reminds you If you don’t do your job, you could be replaced.” “That’s why I think the people who play [football] are built differently, they have a competitive side to them that makes them strive everyday to be better than they were the day before,” Stapleton said. For Stapleton, that’s what he believes makes football players successful; breaking routine and doing something different. “I remember that when I attended Hudson valley, me and my friend would pass reps in the hall after math class. People probably thought we were crazy but it made us better players,” Stapleton said. Stapleton came to Hudson Valley because he had messed around in high school and graduated with a poor GPA. His perspective on academics changed once he reached Hudson Valley, he worked hard and ended up on the dean’s list the two semesters he attended Hudson Valley. “I used to tell people, ‘If you don’t know why you came to Hudson Valley, that is your first mistake.’ You were either there to gain something athletically
Pictured from left to right: Emmanuel Marc, Robert Jojo, President Andrew Matonak and Darnell Stapleton at the Oct. 7 for the athletic hall of fame induction ceremeny.
or gain something academically. Once you figured what you had to use hudson valley for, and how to use it as a stepping stone then you had a chance to be successful,” Stapleton said. Playing for Hudson Valley’s team was different than anything Stapleton had experienced before. “It was a really diverse team, but we all had a common goal. We all were striving to be division one athletes. It created an environment that was kind of competi-
tive, but it also made us keep each other in ballance when it came to academics and keeping up with training,” said Stapleton. Stapleton played for Hudson Valley for two seasons. During his first season in fall 2003, he earned second-team all-league honors. He started 11 games in Spring of 2004, and was a first-team All-Northeast Football Conference selection and a preseason NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American.
After his season season at Hudson Valley, Stapleton transferred to Rutgers University, where he would eventually be scouted for the NFL. Stapleton learned a lot during his brief time at Hudson Valley. “It taught me that I was both mentally and athletically tough and that I can handle a lot,” he said. “I used to tell people, ‘If you don’t know why you came to Hudson Valley, that is your first mistake.’ You were either there
to gain something athletically or gain something academically,” Stapleton said. Once you figured out why you were at Hudson Valley, he said, you could use the school as a stepping stone to get where you wanted to go. In Stapleton’s case, he used Hudson Valley as a step on his way to the Super Bowl.
ings that [go] along with baseball. Not just the game itself, but the hidden lessons you learn,” Zuba said. He explained these lessons were respect, courtesy and teamwork. According to Zuba, teamwork is one of the most important lessons a player can learn from the sport. Last season, he pitched 44.2 innings and had 26 strikeouts. Zuba had 5.24 strikeouts per game. Zuba is currently in his fifth semester at Hudson Valley. He came to the college two years ago, but he didn’t start playing baseball until his second year. The pitcher first attended Buffalo, but he ultimately decided that it wasn’t the best fit for him. Zuba said his love for Hudson Valley stems from the ease of preparation and the faculty. Zuba wasn’t always a marketing major. He started out his studies as an exercise major. Zuba later decided he wanted to go for something different instead, marketing. He found that marketing suited him best. He also said that his family has worked in marketing. After Hudson Valley, Zuba plans to transfer to a four-year school. Zuba is looking at schools close to the area. He will be con-
tinuing his studies to obtain a bachelors in marketing. Through his experience, the baseball player developed a system to manage his athletics and academics. Zuba and his team make trips to the lower level of the library for study sessions. The players have an unwritten rule that they must spend five hours a week studying. Zuba appreciates the open-availability for Learning Assistance Center workers. When he’s not playing or
studying, Zuba spending his free time hanging out with friends and family. He spends a lot of time in the athletic department clubhouse where he and his friends tend to play ping pong and video games. Through all of his pursuits, Zuba said he strives to improve himself. He is always looking for some way to get better at baseball or his academics. Zuba said pitcher is the best position for him on the team. As a pitcher, Zuba is able to play in every inning. He also likes that he’s
able to interact with every player on the team. Zuba mentioned acting in the position requires a reciprocal trust with the team. He said pitchers must have their teammates ready for whatever throw they devise. As pitcher, Zuba said he has a lot of pressure on him. It is his job to make sure that the batter on the opposing team is unable to hit the ball. He understands that failure is always lurking and that no one is perfect.
Zuba pitches for spotlight
COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
Baseball player Nicholas Zuba.
By: Joseph Lyle Junior Creative Editor “It is one of the easiest positions to learn from your mistakes,” said marketing major Nicholas Zuba. “It’s not a mistake if you don’t learn from it.” The 20 year old pitcher has been playing baseball since the age of four. Zuba said he loves to be the center of attention when he plays baseball. Baseball is his father’s favorite sport and therefore helped fuel Zuba’s love for the game. Zuba said, “I was a one sport athlete.” Meaning he never played any other sports. “I enjoy all the little mean-
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COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
Hudson Valley’s 2017 baseball team.
March 7, 2018
SPORTS
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MEN’S BASKETBALL ENDS SEASON WITH THRILLING VICTORY COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
The men’s basketball final game ended with a score of 91-84 against Fulton-Montgomery.
By: Will Reed Staff Writer The Hudson Valley men’s basketball team won their season finale against the Fulton-Montgomery Raiders 91-84 in a thriller Wednesday, Feb. 21. Sean Degraffenreid had 17 points for the Vikings, including the go-ahead three-pointer with
just under 40 seconds remaining to put Hudson Valley up 83-80. Dave Reo had a team-high 20 points. After the game, Reo said the team was able to take advantage of the different defensive schemes the Raiders were playing on the court. “With all of these looks they were giving us, I think we did a good job of attacking them and
making them have to guard us, which is why I think they had to switch up their defenses so much,” Reo said. He also said this game displayed the toughness that the team has developed over the course of the season and that they proved they can compete with playoff-caliber teams even though they did not make the playoffs.
Head Coach Mike Long said the team was able to battle back from being down using their toughness and improving on defense. “When we got behind, we just talked about continuing to play hard and cleaning it up on the defensive end a little bit which I think we did,” he said. “It was just a great effort by all eight guys that were there to play,” he added. The first half saw the Vikings start the game on a 6-0 run, but both teams got into foul trouble early, and both were in the bonus before the halfway point of the half. They combined for 20 firsthalf fouls. The Vikings led 39-34 at halftime. Fulton-Montgomery went on a 10-0 run to start the second half with the help of Darren Demmitt and Dante Morgan who were the team leaders in points for the Raiders with 17 and 15 points, respectively. The Raiders built themselves a lead, with the Vikings slowly battling back, until Taylor Slatterly hit two freethrows to give them the 75-74 lead heading into the final minutes. The teams traded shots until
Degraffenreid’s 3 with just under 40 seconds put the Viking in front for good. Raheem Duncan also came up big in the final minute, with a clutch block to protect Hudson Valley’s lead and then a dunk on a fast break in the ensuing possession to put the game away. Duncan finished the game with 19 points. Before the game, the Vikings players and coaches, along with President Drew Matonak, honored player Justus Simon, who was diagnosed with cancer earlier this season. Mantonak and the team were able to present Simon and his family with the resulting check from the school’s fundraising campaign for over $7,400. Dave Reo said Justus Simon was the source of the team’s inspiration down the stretch of the season. “Everything that we’ve accomplished this season was for Justus,” he said. Coach Long said having Justus at the game put a fire into the team to get the win. “It was just a great night all the way around and to finish with the win it couldn’t have ended any better,” Long said.
Women’s basketball blow out Fulton-Montgomery By: Will Reed Staff Writer The women’s basketball team finished out the regular season with a 75-55 win over the Fulton-Montgomery Raiders Wednesday, Feb. 21. Hannah Kreiger scored a game-high 27 points, including six three-pointers, for the Vikings, who snapped their four-game losing streak with a definitive win. After the game, Kreiger described how the important this game was to the team, and to their playoff seeding. “Before the game, our coach had given us an ultimatum and I think for one of the first times all season, as a team, we were all on the same page,” Kreiger said. Kreiger also explained what the game meant to her personally. “Basketball is my life and I knew how important the game was to not only me but my teammates and I made sure I left everything I had out on the court,” she said. Taylor Engster contributed 24 points and Kali Szczepanski added 10 for Hudson Valley. Head Coach Robert Coleman said the game was important for the
team’s confidence and drive moving forward into the postseason. “All season we’ve been learning how to win, and that experience is important in the one and done regional playoff format,” Coleman said. Coleman also stressed the importance of finding team identity, something they have been working on all season. “Knowing who you are as a team is even more important in the postseason,” he said. The start of the game was delayed due to an electrical issue with one of the backboards in the McDonough Sports Complex. Once the issue was resolved, a technical foul was called on Hudson Valley for an equipment malfunction, and the Raiders received two free-throws before the game started. It was all Vikings after that, who opened the game on a 13-2 run. Taylor Engster hit back-toback threes at one point, and Hudson Valley led by as much as 13 in the first quarter. The team then led by 10 at halftime. The Raiders were able to cut the Vikings’ lead to four in the third quarter, but that’s as close
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The women’s basketball team ended their season with a 75-55 victory over Fulton-Montgomery.
as they would get. The Vikings quickly jumped back up to a tenpoint lead behind Kreiger and Engster, and Fulton-Montgomery never came back, getting outscored 22-12 in the fourth quar-
ter.
The Raiders had three technical fouls called on them in the second half, leading to one player’s ejection and Hudson Valley opening up an 18-point lead.
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Hudson Valley’s (18-10) season came to a close on Feb. 27 after they were defeated in the NJCAA Region 3 quarterfinal round 65-60 at No.2 North Country.
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WINTER SPORTS RECAP COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
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Men’s basketball forward, Mitchell Dame.
Women’s basketball guard, Hannah Kreiger.
By: Skylar Blankenship Staff Writer Along with the month of February, the Viking’s winter season has come to an end. The men’s basketball team finished their 27 game season with an overall record of 12-15 and their conference record was 6-8. The team was lead by head coach Mike Long as well as assistant coaches Ed Pierce, Phil Sellers and Maxwell Weaver. This season, the men’s basketball team averaged 76.6 points per game and had a field goals average of 41.0 percent. They also had a free throw percentage of 67.6, had approximately 39.9 rebounds per game and averaged 13.9 assists per game. Sophomore guard Dave Reo, an exercise science major, along with sophomore guard Mitchell Dame, a forensic science major, were both named to the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference All-Conference Third Team. On and off the court the team, the team rallied around their teammate freshman business administration student Justus Simon who was diagnosed with cancer. “I would say the low was dealing with Justus Simon’s illness and the high was our 6 game winning streak to go along with the upset of Herkimer within that streak. But I would say the real high was having Justus come back for our final game and be able to sit next to me as we beat Fulton Montgomery.” said Long. The women’s basketball team finished their regular season with an overall record of 18-9 and continued on to play in the NJCAA Region III postseason for the first
time since their 2014-2015 season lead by head coach Robert Coleman as well as assistant coaches Sheena Harrington and Jacquelin Hotaling. During their regular season the women’s basketball team averaged 70.4 points per game and had field goals made average of 35.9 percent. They also had a free throw percentage of 64.8, had approximately 37.4 rebounds per game and averaged 14.4 assists per game. “We started out a little slow because we didn’t really know each other as players or as people … I think overall we have had a
really good season overall.” said freshman guard Hannah Kreiger, an individual studies major, Kreiger was named to the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference All-Conference First Team and the NJCAA Region III Second All-Region team after 93 made three pointer shots and ranking third in the nation. Freshman guard Taylor Engster, a physical education major, was named to the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference All-Conference Third Team and the NJCAA Region III Third All-Region team “My goals for next season in-
dividually would be to get some of our girls scholarships to 4-year schools that’s one of the things that we preach. That’s starts in the classroom obviously but you know it also takes place on the basketball court.” said Coleman. The women’s basketball team finished their post-season in the NJCAA Region 3 quarterfinals against No. 2 North County with a score of 65-60. The men’s and women’s bowling team finished their season at Nationals lead by head coach Joe Prest and assistant Catherine Bell. Before the men’s and women’s went to Nationals they were
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Women’s bowler, Kyla Day.
Men’s basketball forward, Mitchell Dame.
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at the NJCAA Bowling Region Tournament in Utica, N.Y. The men’s team placed fourth out of eight teams with a total of 8,831 pins. The women’s team placed 2nd out of eight teams with a total of 7,7991 pins. “First time in 5 years that both teams qualified for this premier event. Next year is a rebuilding year for the women. Losing 4 out of 6 to graduation. On the men returning 5 out of 7 players... the men and women teams might be the most fun I have had in coaching in a while. Both teams get along so good,” said Prest before the team went off to Nationals. At Nationals, the men’s bowling team placed 7th out of twenty teams and the women’s team placed sixth out of sixteen teams. The men’s team knocked down a total of 11,937 pins and the women’s team knocked down a total of 10,523 pins. Freshman Donald Baker was named to the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference All-Conference team. Sophomore Garrett Bartlett, a HVAC major, was named to the NJCAA Region III All-Region team. Freshman Spencer McClellan, a civil engineering major, was named to both the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference and NJCAA Region III All-Region teams. Sophomore Kyla Day, a criminal justice major, and freshman Gina Patricelli, a polysomnography major, both were named to the Mountain Valley Collegiate Conference All-Conference team and the NJCAA Region III All-Region team.
March 7, 2018
Vikings Sports Schedule Sun. March 11
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Lacrosse coach Matt Johnson strives for national title COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
Men’s and Women’s Bowling (Away) Intercollegiate Championships Sectional Qualifier 7:45 a.m.
Wed. March 14 Men’s Lacrosse (Away) Brookdale CC 4:00 p.m.
Sat. March 17 Men’s Lacrosse (Away) Union County 12 p.m.
Baseball
(Home) Westchester CC 1 p.m. 4 p.m.
Tue. March 20 Baseball
(Away) Ulster CC 3:30 p.m.
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Lacrosse coach Matt Johnson.
By: Skylar Blankenship Staff Writer How have you prepared for the season? “We are very excited for the 2018 lacrosse season. We have spent a lot of time in the fall and spring making our team both mentally and physically tougher. We focus a lot on the training of the U.S. Navy Seals as their mental toughness is second to none,” said Johnson. Johnson is confident in the team’s abilities because of the dis-
played strength of returning players. Johnson said, “We have the benefit of having fantastic Sophomore leadership in Aaron Thorpe (Attack), Luke Abbot (LSM), Mark Calicchia (Midfield), Trae Dussault (Midfield), and Kyle Quinn (Defense).” Johnson said that he and the coaching staff worked the past few months to prepare the players for the season. “This team is more advanced than teams we have had in the past because every player on the team not only knows their role but embraces it,” said Johnson. Johnson highlighted the importance of the high-intensity regimens the players practice to remain ready for field performance. “One of the toughest challenges we face as a coaching staff is elevating the intensity of these short practice segments as the energy needs to come primarily from our players. All of our players, both freshman and sophomore, have really exceeded our expectations in this respect and we couldn’t be more happy with our preseason,” said Johnson. What are your goals for the
season? Johnson said the teams ultimate goal for the season is to win at the National Championships. “We try to play a style of lacrosse that is similar to the Iroquois Native Americans. On the world stage there are really only three teams that are competitive at the highest level: USA, Canada and Iroquois,” Johnson said. Johnson continued, “The population of the US is about 331 million, Canada is about 36 million and the Iroquois Nation proudly has 125,000. Obviously, the Haudenosaunee People are doing something different than the other nations otherwise they wouldn’t be competitive with only an eight millionth of the population of our country.” Johnson said the style of play comes from both their tradition of lacrosse (as the originators of the game) and their modern day focus on box lacrosse which is a much more physical style of lacrosse played on a hockey rink with turf. “This is something the coaches have been slowly implementing more of over the last four years, and with the hockey team at Hudson Valley gone we are re-
ally hoping the ice rink might be converted to turf. That would be a huge benefit for all of the athletic programs and student rec groups as well,” said Johnson. Johnson said that many old school lacrosse coaches discourage the use of Native American style lacrosse. “To them, it appears to contradict the fundamentals of lacrosse as they learned them, but I believe that backhands, behind the backs, twisties and highlight reel moves can be taught with the same fundamental techniques other coaches are still clinging to,” said Johnson. Johnson played box lacrosse for the Akwesasne Indians on the Akwesasne Indian Reservation and learned the style from some of best current lacrosse players in the world. Johnson said, “I think that playing this creative, fast, and free flowing style of lacrosse has been a huge draw for the tremendous talent we have been able to recruit to the program.” Johnson continued, “Although the team has an ultimate goal, we still take the season one practice at a time, one game at a time, never overlooking a single opponent.”
Viking bowlers named to All-Conference COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
Vikings Scoreboard Men’s Basketball Wed. Feb 21 HVCC v. Fulton-Montgomery
91-84 Women’s Basketball Tue. Feb 27 HVCC v. North Country
60-65 Men’s Lacrosse Sun. Feb 25 HVCC v. Northern Virginia CC
30-2
For more information, visit athletics. hvcc.edu
By: Hunter McIntyre Junior Sports Editor The 2017-18 season is winding down to an end and both the men’s and women’s teams experienced stellar performance this winter. On Feb. 18, the men’s bowling team finished fourth at the NCAA Region III tournament. The tournament was hosted by Mohawk Valley in Utica, N.Y. In the baker games, the team finished fifth with a combined score of 1,035. In the singles, the Hudson Valley took all three top spots. Freshman Donald Baker (Ravena/Ravena-Coeymans/Selkirk) took first at the regional tournament scoring an impressive 842 pins. Freshman Nathan Laustrup (Troy/Lansingburgh) claimed second at 822 pins. Sophomore Garrett Bartlett (Brunswick/ Tamarac) followed behind them gaining a score of 820. Spencer McClellan (Troy/Lansingburgh) also had a good showing, coming in sixth on the overall standings. The next stop for mens bowling was at the NJCAA National Tournament starting March 1st. Garrett Bartlett was named to the All Region team and Donald Baker to All Conference. Spencer McClellan was named to both teams.
Garrett Bartlett, Spencer McClellen, and Donald Baker helped lead the bowling team to fourth place at the NJCAA Region III Tournament.
The women’s bowling team also performed well at the tournament. They women’s bowling team compiled 7,991 pins. Their performance was enough for second place at the tournament. They also finished first in the region for the baker games with a tournament high 1,022 pins. Sophomore Kyla Day (Hoosick Falls/Hoosick Falls) placed third in the overall standings with a total score of 1,657. Day also came in first for the singles section of the tournament. She had a total
score of 903 beating schenectady’s Lauren Piotrowski by only 85. Freshman teammates Gina Patricelli (Troy/Lansingburgh) and Shannon Bristol (Troy/Lansingburgh) came in third place for the doubles section of the tournament. They finished with a combined score of 1,392. Patricelli placed 6th overall with 1,457 pins. She was named to both the all conference and all region teams. Bristol also finished in the top 15 placing 13th overall with a score of 1,348. The women’s team
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also headed to Utica to play in the NJCAA National Bowling Region Tournament on March 1. The men’s bowling team participated in and placed fourth at the NJCAA Region 3 bowling tournament. The women’s team also participated and secured sixth out of sixteen teams representing their schools. Also please remember that it’s not too late to sign up for spring sports. Roster spots are open for multiple sports, so if you are interested, sign up ASAP.
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March 7, 2018
SPORTS
Men’s lacrosse captured victory at season opener
By: Skylar Blankenship Staff Writer The men’s lacrosse team faced up against Northern Virginia and Potomac State to mark a successful start to the season. “The Vikings boarded a bus at McDonough Sports Complex at 5:30am on Sunday to drive almost seven hours to Northern Virginia and play a game that same day. Despite the long drive, the boys kicked off the season in dramatic fashion with a 30-2 statement against the Owls of Northern Virginia Community College,” said Head Lacrosse Coach Matt Johnson. Johnson was impressed with the teams performance in V.A. He said the team excelled in every facet of the game. “Three different faceoff specialists combined to win 31 of 35 faceoffs, and a perfect 12 for 12 on clears. The team picked up 57 ground balls and had nine different players contribute to the scoring line,” said Johnson. Johnson continued, “Sophomore Aaron Thorpe from Ballston Spa dominated by scoring 8 goals and adding 6 assists for a school record 14 points. Freshman Lateke Murray out of Albany wasn’t far behind scoring 6 goals and adding 3 assists for a 9 point day.” Johnson highlighted the noteworthy plays by select players on the field that day. “Nate Bruce (Scotia) and Jose Gomez (Bethlehem) each added 4 goals and Mark Calicchia (Shaker) and Darren Nagy (Saugerties) added a hat trick on the day as well. The Vikings scored 20 goals in the first half which forced a running clock for the second half where they added their final 10
goals,” said Johnson. The team then traveled three hours to Keyser, W.V.A. for their game the following day. Johnson said, “Immediately off of the bus, the team was focused on their next game grabbing a quick ice bath then heading right down to the conference room to go over the scout for their game against Potomac the next day.” The game kicked off at 2pm. Soon after the game kicked off at 2pm, Johnson said Potomac jumped out to an early lead by taking advantage an unsettled play and throwing an unusual zone defense which the Vikings had not prepared for. “At the end of the first quarter, we drew up a new zone offense that the team had not seen before and the team did an outstanding job implementing it, resulting in the Vikings outscoring their opponent 9-2 in the remaining three quarters,” said Johnson. According to Johnson, Aaron Thorpe and Lateke Murray again led the team with 6 points a piece. Darren Nagy added two goals of his own and Nate Bruce finished with one. As a result of the weekend games, several Vikings can be found in the national top ten in several categories. Aaron Thorpe is leading the country in goals, assists and points with his line-mate Lateke Murray right behind him standing second in total points. The Vikings will play a game against Brookdale on March 14 for their home opener against Brookdale, then the team will face-up at another home again on March 17th against Union County.
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The team experienced a successful start to the season after two consecutive wins. COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
Men’s lacrosse claimed a 10-5 win against Potomac State. COURTESY OF ATHLETICS.HVCC.EDU
Lacrosse coach Matt Johnson leading a team huddle.
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