September 1, 2023

Northeastern’s global expansion efforts add more campuses, unexpected challenges

NU Around the Globe

Northeastern acceptance rate drops to 5.6% after record number of applications

By Emily Spatz | Deputy Campus Editor

Skyrocketing application rates to Northeastern — which have risen almost 50% in four years — resulted in a record number of undergraduate applications to the university for fall 2023.

students to pursue a Northeastern education.”

By Marta Hill | Editor-at-Large

While some students are returning to Boston for another year of their Northeastern education, others are flocking to Northeastern campuses across the country and world to start their school years. Undergraduate and graduate students call more than 13 campuses and partner institutions home every year.

The school’s official satellite campuses include Arlington, Virginia; Boston; Burlington, Massachusetts; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Nahant, Massachusetts; Oakland, California; Portland, Maine; Silicon Valley and Seattle in the United States, as well as London, Toronto and Vancouver abroad.

Northeastern is not alone in its quest for global expansion — colleges started pursuing this type of expansion about 25 years ago, according to Terry Hartle, senior fellow at the American Council on Education.

“When globalization first became the rage, we saw a number of schools actually build physical campuses,” Hartle said. “As Tom Friedman’s book, ‘The World is

Flat’ became so visible, people were thinking, ‘Well, you know, this is one way to help further connect the globe, is to connect educational opportunities.’ And so we saw schools doing that.”

Of the approximately 4,500 colleges and universities in the United States, 1,000 of them are community colleges that are not interested in global expansion, and another 1,000 are private liberal arts colleges just trying to hang on, Hartle said.

“You do have a number of institutions that have the visibility and the financial resources and the desire to expand their footprint,” said Hartle, who has an honorary doctor of laws degree from Northeastern. “You see them establishing campuses or finding other ways to deliver educational opportunities to students. And Northeastern is clearly among them.”

Northeastern’s expansion, while gradual, has become more vigorous in the last 10 years. Boston is the university’s flagship location, and began offering classes in 1898.

In Nahant, the Marine Science Center has been in operation for

at least 50 years. The school’s first true satellite — in Charlotte — launched in 2011, followed by the Seattle campus in 2012. The remaining 10 locations have been announced over time since 2015.

Northeastern isn’t the only school expanding at an increasing rate — the Arizona State University and Northeastern are the leaders in the “effort to advance their educational footprint[s],” Hartle said.

“Arizona now has over 100,000 students online and in Tempe,” Hartle said. “Both Northeastern and Arizona are very exciting institutions to watch because of the ways in which they are trying to expand their ability to deliver high-quality education.”

Since the ’80s and ’90s, Northeastern has undergone an extraordinary evolution, transforming from a second-tier commuter school into one of the most selective institutions in the country, Hartle said. This change can be attributed, at least in part, to the co-op program, according to Hartle.

Northeastern accepted 5.6% of applicants from a record-breaking 96,327 applications for the incoming freshman class, down from 6.7% in 2022, according to a Northeastern spokesperson.

Northeastern officials attributed the appeal of the university to a global, research-centered education. The school has expanded to include a network of 13 campuses in recent years and offers “professional experience in 146 countries and on every continent,” according to a Northeastern Global News article. In February 2023, the university announced it would begin accepting students to the Oakland and London campuses for all four years in addition to long-standing alternative admissions programs such as N.U.in and Global Scholars.

“The global university system has absolutely enhanced the university’s brand. The opportunity to study, research and participate in co-op and other experiential learning programs remains very attractive to families,” a university spokesperson told The News in an email. “We are excited to have multiple entry points for

Aarushi Gupta, an incoming first-year student pursuing a computer science and biology combined degree, didn’t apply to any alternative programs but was accepted into the Oakland Global Scholars program — something she cited as both a pro and a con.

“I think my biggest con [of going to Northeastern] was that the first year will be in Oakland,” Gupta said. “I wasn’t expecting to have to move to both opposite ends of the country, but the more I think about it, the more excited I am to get a chance to live in both the Bay Area and Boston.”

Gupta applied to the university for its renowned co-op program, something many prospective students are drawn to, and said for her, it was a large factor in favor of attending. She was enticed by the opportunities and resources the university offers, as well as its study abroad and experiential entrepreneurship programs.

John Kuropatkin Jr., an incoming political science and economics combined major, will be spending his first year abroad at the London campus. Like Gupta, he didn’t apply to an alternative program and said he felt like he was given an “ultimatum” on whether to attend.

ADMITTANCE , on Page 3

GROWTH, on Page 2

Photo by Jessica Xing

Illustration by Angelica Jorio

Photo courtesy Minds Matter Boston

Photo by Mika Podila

University spreads outside of Northeast to mixed reviews from students, faculty

“[Expansion] is just the next step in the evolution of [Northeastern],” Hartle said. “It is increasingly becoming a national institution. The focus is always going to be Boston — that’s the mothership, that’s the home campus — but students are going to have just an array of offers.”

Student experiences across the campuses seem to be mixed, with many encountering application confusion and a lack of clear communication, but many also appreciating the travel opportunities and valuable campus programming.

Last school year, the Mills College campus in Oakland first hosted Northeastern students through N.U.in and NU Bound, now known as Global Scholars.

“I have a video of me getting accepted. It said ‘congratulations,’ but it said NU Bound and we were like, ‘What even is this?’” said Isabella Kun, who was an NU Bound student in Oakland last year. “We really had no idea and there wasn’t any information for a long time. But it’s been wonderful.”

When applying to Northeastern, Kun, a second-year business administration major, remembers checking the box asking if she would like to start her college experience abroad. While she did want to begin her studies abroad to spread her wings more,

she wasn’t sure what being an NU Bound student in London entailed.

“It’s been great to be here for a long time to be away from home,” Kun said in an interview last spring.

“I think it’s great to be here for a whole year and experience really as much as you can versus just one semester.”

Being placed at a campus across the country or across the ocean came as a surprise for some students starting college in the fall of 2022.

“I was glad it was Northeastern, but then I was like, ‘Is this actually worth it?’” said Vishwa Madhusudhanan, a second-year pharmaceutical sciences major who studied at the Oakland campus last year. “Because this is my dream school, … I had to justify it properly. In my head I was like, ‘Okay, okay, I guess I’ll live on both coasts.’ … Also, I was like I’ll have fun no matter what I do. I can make the best of it.”

Some incoming students this fall have already faced unexpected application results, housing reassignments and it remains unclear what — if any — challenges students outside of Boston will face.

What is next for Northeastern?

Though it is unclear where Northeastern’s next global campus will be, it seems unavoidable another

campus will pop up soon.

“I suspect — particularly since Northeastern has been opening campuses in other cities and particularly with the experience with Mills — that Northeastern hears about once a week from some small college that would like Northeastern to take them over,” Hartle said. “If Northeastern wanted to expand very rapidly they could.”

The university is also making smart decisions in how it is expanding, Hartle said, pointing specifically to the university’s tendency to rent instead of buy buildings, expand to economic hubs and stable countries abroad.

“Northeastern is building campuses where the economy is growing and where the jobs are,” Hartle said. “From everything I’ve been able to tell, they’re doing it thoughtfully, carefully and trying hard to get it right even if they could do it faster. They’re emphasizing getting each one established before they move on somewhere else.”

Opening campuses isn’t a money-maker for Northeastern in terms of student tuition, Hartle said. Rather, adding to the global network enriches the possibilities for cooperation that can help keep the university in a solid financial state.

“What opening the other campuses does is it enriches the student

experience. And therefore it makes it a campus that good students from around the world want to be a part of,” Hartle said. “[It also] expands the opportunity for connections with local communities and business groups and corporations that can provide programs and assistance to help the operation.”

Northeastern has transformed itself into a top-tier research university with campuses scattered across the country and the world, bringing in record numbers of undergraduate applicants every year. The expansions have added value to

a Northeastern education in some people’s eyes, but also presented new challenges.

“I think Northeastern is on an extraordinary course. They really mapped out a plan that is going to continue to expand the richness of the educational and career opportunities that are available to students. It is admirable,” Hartle said. “It’s very desirable in the marketplace and for students that happen to be there now. It’s a good thing. Are there going to be glitches? Sure. So ask questions, ask questions, ask questions.”

Graduate workers to hold September union election after eight-year effort

By Sonel Cutler Campus Editor

After an eight-year effort to unionize while facing sustained university opposition, Northeastern graduate student workers received authorization from the National Labor Relations Board July 14 to hold a vote in September deciding whether a union should represent graduate workers in bargaining talks with the university.

In a consequential victory for the Graduate Students of Northeastern University, or GENU-UAW, the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, has allowed workers to hold a vote determining whether they want to be collectively represented by the United Automobile Workers union, the union announced on Twitter in July.

“IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!” the tweet from @nugradunion read. “After an 8 year battle with admin obstruction, Northeastern grad workers are finally having our union election.”

Calls for a union vote began in the summer of 2016, but the Northeastern administration’s refusal to voluntarily recognize the union or support a union election stymied graduate organizers for years.

By the 2017-18 academic year, the union had a majority of student workers sign cards of support needed to file a petition for a union election, according to an organizer with the union. But graduate unions across the nation held off on filing under the Trump-appointed, anti-labor rights NLRB, fearing a case would give the board the opportunity to overturn

precedent set in a 2016 decision at Columbia University classifying graduate workers as employees.

After his January 2021 inauguration, President Joe Biden began nominating Democratic members to seats on the NLRB, and, by August, Democrats had achieved a majority on the board. With revived confidence in a pro-union board, organizers then renewed efforts to get a majority of graduate students to sign union cards.

Momentum picked back up during the 2022-23 academic year amid a surge in graduate worker unionizations nationwide as organizers with GENU-UAW partnered with undergraduate campus organizations to decry university attempts to stifle graduate workers’ advocacy. The union also earned the attention of Boston’s city council, which unanimously passed a resolution in May condemning the university’s alleged anti-union practices.

“Northeastern has been trying to stop us at every single turn,” said Hunter Moscowitz, a fourth-year PhD student studying history and an organizer with the union.

Moscowitz said Northeastern hired a private firm that repeatedly appealed decisions from the NLRB ruling in favor of the union, but ultimately the board “decided everything that we wanted in our favor. They rejected all the university’s arguments.”

According to legal documents Northeastern filed with the NLRB challenging grad students, the university argued graduate workers should not be classified as employ-

ees and given the labor protections accompanying that status. “They are not ‘directed’ in the same way that an employer directs or controls an employee’s work,” the document reads. “They are not students and employees. They are students.”

The argument was not compelling to the NLRB, which ruled that graduate workers are entitled to unionize as employees of the university under precedent set by the 2016 decision at Columbia University.

“[Unionization] gives workers a voice in the decisions that are made about their work lives. … The employer doesn’t have complete control over the worker in a unionized environment,” said Seth Harris, a senior fellow at Northeastern’s Burns Center for Social Change, which publishes the “Power at Work” blog covering collective worker power.

Graduate student workers at Northeastern’s Nahant and Burlington campuses are eligible to vote in the election deciding whether GENU-UAW can be represented by a union, but must travel to Northeastern’s Boston campus to cast a confidential ballot. Undergraduate students are not eligible to vote.

If the union is certified after the election, the university and the union must work towards a collective bargaining agreement to negotiate a contract in good faith.

But both parties “can disagree, and they vigorously do disagree. In fact, some unions win elections and never get a first contract,” said Harris, who previously served as deputy assistant to the president for labor and the

economy and as deputy director of the Biden administration’s National Economic Council.

Priorities for graduate workers include improving working conditions and pay, which Moscowitz and other graduate workers told The News is not a sustainable level of income for workers living in Boston.

“I’m tired of seeing people having to move every single year because they can’t afford rent because our stipends don’t go up with the cost of living, and it’s crazy in Boston,” Moscowitz said. “I’m tired of seeing people not being able to afford basic things like dental care, take care of their teeth. … This is about improving people’s everyday lives and making their [lives] better and their situation[s] more livable in Boston.”

In response to the announcement of the election, David Madigan, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, sent eligible graduate students an email detailing the significance of the decision. A webpage linked in the email enumerates possible negative outcomes of voting in favor of a union, including “You lose your individual voice in your graduate experience,” “Limited flexibility” and “There are no guarantees in collective bargaining.” A “Points of View” section of the website links 26 articles highlighting the negative outcomes of unionization.

“It is reasonable to ask what the value in pursuing a union is if many SGAs (student graduate assistants), including some of the union organizers, will no longer be graduate students at Northeastern by the time an

agreement is reached,” the provost’s website reads.

According to Moscowitz, graduate students are disappointed with the university’s behavior throughout their unionization effort and their refusal to acknowledge student workers as employees.

“We teach classes, we do all the research, we do grant writing, we operate programs. There are even graduate students who serve on hiring committees. Every single part of the university functions because graduate students are doing the work,” Moscowitz said. “And we’ve seen time and time again that they will take the most extreme measure they can to fight graduate students instead of recognizing that there are issues that they can help us fix.”

The election is set to take place at a yet-to-be-determined location on the Boston campus Sept. 19, 20 and 21. Voting will take place between 10 a.m. and noon., as well as between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Although the election is a triumph for union advocates, a long road lies ahead for graduate workers, who will engage in collective bargaining with the university if workers vote in favor of the union.

It can sometimes take months or years to reach a contract agreement, according to

“Winning the election is a necessary first step and an important first step, but it’s not the end,” Harris said. “There then is going to be bargaining, and bargaining can be very difficult. Very, very, very difficult.”

Harris.

GROWTH, from front

Northeastern’s Boston campus dominates any bird’s-eye view of Huntington Avenue. Although Northeastern’s expansion efforts showed no signs of slowing in recent years, the university’s presence in its home city simultaneously became larger than ever.

Photo by Jessica Xing

University admission rate sees steep decline, historic application stats

10%

68% 22%

“I feel like [alternative admissions programs] are a positive, but being forced into a program you didn’t apply for seems a bit jarring,” Kuropatkin Jr. said. “I felt like there was no changing what I could do. However, if you chose to take this experience, I’m sure that it’s nearly impossible for there to be a negative experience.”

Kuropatkin Jr. applied to Northeastern for its breadth of academic paths and resources to “discover [his] passion.” He is a Boston native and also chose the university because of his love for the city and familiarity with it. This made it harder for Kuropatkin to decide to enroll in the London program, along with missing the “traditional” U.S. college experience, cost and lack of facilities like a gym.

“One blaring [negative] reason is spending my first year of college in another country. It is a massive leap,” Kuropatkin said. “However, despite this and a few other personal negatives, the experience is invaluable and is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Around 2,600 students matriculated to the Boston campus for the fall semester, with another 200 to 300 at the school’s London and Oakland campuses.

The university did not provide an acceptance rate for Early Decision applicants and did not clarify whether the 5.6% admit rate included those accepted to alternate campuses when asked in an email interview.

According to the aforementioned Global News article, students were

asked to select their preferred undergraduate campus on the application for the first time.

Despite the university’s claims that a global education makes the school more appealing, many students still cited the school’s Boston campus as their main allure to the university. Thomas Mourier, an incoming mechanical engineering and bioengineering combined major, was accepted into the Boston campus.

A Boston native, he chose Northeastern because of its proximity to home, financial aid offerings and strong engineering program compared to other schools in the area.

“I wanted to be at a school where I could really focus on my major but still be close by because I think [Boston] is a perfect college town to go to,” he said.

Mourer will be commuting to campus, something he said was a positive due to overcrowding problems the university has faced in recent years. Northeastern currently houses around 10,000 undergraduate students on the Boston campus and provides resources to those moving off campus after their second year, according to a university spokesperson.

“The university is currently working with the City of Boston to secure 800 additional on-campus beds through a proposed residence hall at 840 Columbus Avenue. Additionally, the university’s London and Oakland campuses are serving undergraduate students,” a university spokesperson said. The school also recently became a permanent tenant at the Sheraton Boston Hotel, providing additional housing to 854 students.

Vanessa Joseph, an incoming economics and business administration combined major who will

be on the Boston campus in the fall, said going to the main campus was an important factor in her attending the university. To her, the “city and the school feel intertwined,” and while study abroad opportunities are important, no experience can replace the Boston campus.

“I think it’s an overall positive and allows for many people to study abroad who might not have once on campus already,” Joseph said. “But I do know a few people who got into N.U.in who didn’t go because of that. I’m just hoping it helps balance housing out.”

Regardless of which campus they are on, undergraduate students can expect to pay around the same attendance price — including tuition, housing, fees and standard dining plan — of $81,472 for the 2023-24 academic year.

This includes those on the Boston and Oakland campuses and students in the N.U.in, Global Scholars and London Scholars programs. The price includes $62,392 in tuition and fees, up from $59,752 for the 2022-23 academic year.

“Experiential learning continues to be a highly attractive value proposition for families. Each year, Northeastern enrolls a remarkably talented and diverse group of students and each year the pool to select from is increasingly outstanding,” a university spokesperson said. “Whether or not the total number of applications continues to grow year over year, we are confident that the academic rigor, global experiential learning programs, research enterprise and opportunities for mobility across our network of campuses will continue to attract the best and brightest applicants.”

Photo by Jessica Xing

Graphics by Jethro R. Lee

Source: Northeastern Global

Nichols House Museum shows visitors the life of a historic Boston family

By Rachel Lee News Staff

As one of the most historic cities in the United States, Boston has no shortage of attractions that show off how the city shaped the country’s growth since its birth. Locals and tourists alike may not, however, know of the Nichols House Museum, a small museum that aims to educate visitors about 18th and 19th century Boston through the lens of a single family.

Tucked away behind the Massachusetts State House, the museum is a historic home that highlights the sociocultural and political issues that concerned the Nichols family — such as the women’s suffrage movement and women’s involvement in politics — through preserved artifacts at their Beacon Hill home.

By taking a tour at the Nichols House Museum, visitors can learn more about Elizabeth and Dr. Arthur Nichols, as well as their three daughters Rose, Marian and Margaret. The Nichols daughters were notable for their engagement in politics, civil service and higher education at a time when women were not widely encouraged to attend university or run for office.

“It was Rose’s decision that this house be left as a museum,” said Camille Arbogast, public engagement manager at the museum. “She wanted, I think, to provide an opportunity for people to be able to come into a Beacon Hill house.”

Apart from being a historic home, Arbogast said the Nichols House stands out from other Boston-area museums by capturing an underrepresented time period in Boston’s history.

“It’s my experience that often the history of Beacon Hill, there’s not much of it told about what happens after the Civil War. … Our focus here is really on the late 19th century and early 20th century,” Arbogast said.

“We have such a profound focus on women’s history here. … I think that’s a slightly different angle than many of the other historic sites in Boston.”

The Nichols House is open only through guided tours and museum-sponsored programs — an uncommon choice considering many museums in Boston offer general admission. However, Arbogast says it has good reason for its admission policy.

“It is because we don’t have any labels on anything. We don’t have those signs, so that’s kind of what the visitor service representatives here are providing. … [They are] walking around and giving you that context that museum labels would give you in an art museum,” Arbogast said. “The wonderful thing about walking around with a visitor service representative is that they really can tailor the tour to your interests.”

The Nichols House has also become a point of attraction for many historic home bloggers, who appreciate the site’s distinct presence in Boston’s museum scene. Lindsay Heller is one such creator who has amassed over 93,000 Instagram followers for her

content on historic houses across the United States.

“Obviously I am a house enthusiast, but the Nichols House was particularly interesting to me because it covers an interesting part of Boston history,” Heller said in a statement via email.

“I’m fascinated by the creation of Beacon Hill by essentially lopping off the top of a larger hill and the sort of life that was created there.”

Through future initiatives, the Nichols House Museum hopes to expand its research on the historic home beyond the experiences of the Nichols family to spotlight the stories

of the working-class people who were employed there.

“Part of being a city means that Boston has always been multicultural, multi-ethnic, as well as representing multiple economic classes. … You’re going to have people who are working to support that wealth structure and who are difficult to find sometimes in a traditional historic record,. … but that makes looking for their stories and recognizing their stories much more important,” said Rosalie Wilbur, the museum’s development and administration coordinator.

Wilbur acknowledged that Beacon Hill may have been historically white and wealthy but emphasized that the residents of the neighborhood and Boston as a whole have always been diverse in race, ethnicity, culture and socioeconomic class.

“If you’re not talking about everyone who was present in a place, then you’re not talking about history, you’re talking about a made up story,” Wilbur said.

Nichols House Museum is open 10 a.m. through 1 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Visit nicholshousemuseum. org for more information.

Organization grants accessible college preparation for low-income Boston students

By Alexis Algazy Deputy

The college process is a complex balancing act that students often need help navigating, but college preparation resources tend to be expensive and exclude students from low-income families. That’s where Minds Matter Boston comes in.

The volunteer-run organization started helping low-income students with college preparation in 2003, and has since grown to serve 225 driven

students in their journey toward higher education.

Through partnerships with over 20 high schools in the Boston area, Minds Matter Boston seeks out determined students from low-income households to spend their Saturdays with the organization. High school guidance counselors work with Minds Matter Boston to find students that may qualify for the program.

Each Saturday at Minds Matter is filled with programming that helps

students achieve their future goals, including ACT test preparation, mentoring, writing support, college advising and more.

“We call ourselves a high-touch, high-yield program, meaning our supports are very personalized, they’re very consistent and they have a lot of longevity to them,” said Lindsey Alves, director of programs for Minds Matter Boston.

The organization begins working with students during their sophomore year of high school and continues

to work with college students on postgraduate career paths.

“We have folks working on university campuses. We have folks working for the City of Boston. Minds Matter’s reach goes really far, and that’s one of our goals: preparing students to become the future leaders of the community,” Alves said.

Oftentimes, students that participated in Minds Matter during their time in high school and college return to the organization to become volunteer mentors or staff members, Alyssa Perea, a programs associate and former Minds Matter student, said.

Perea returned to work for the program following her graduation from Williams College, an institution she does not believe she would have found without assistance from Minds Matter during her college application process.

“I found my way back to Minds Matter after [college] as a staff member because I wanted to work with students that were in a similar position that I was in when I was in high school,” Perea said.

Perea is not the only Minds Matter Boston student who feels passionate about returning to the organization to give back to those now enrolled in the program. Wiener Douyon, a Minds Matter Boston student and 2023 Colby College graduate, also said he felt inclined to give back to other students.

“Minds Matter has provided the ultimate gift: opportunity. It is also why I will be returning as a mentor after graduating from college. I believe that every student should have that same gift I was privileged to have,” Douyon said.

While Minds Matter Boston is now a staffed organization, it is still volunteer-driven, with over 400 volunteers each year. The program continues to look for new volunteers who have a college degree and can volunteer onsite each Saturday.

In addition to onsite support each week, students at Minds Matter attend two summer programs on college campuses, funded by Minds Matter Boston. These summer programs allow students to get a better understanding of what life at certain institutions might look like.

According to a fact sheet from Minds Matter, of the organization’s 577 alumni, 97% have graduated or are enrolled in college in comparison with the 41% of high-achieving low-income students to graduate from college nationwide.

As alumni venture into the working world, Minds Matter Boston stays in contact, granting students connections in their community that will prove valuable in the future.

“Students are part of the Minds Matter Community forever,” Alves said. “We stay in touch with our college students and alumni after the fact.”

Former students of Minds Matter Boston pose for a photo wearing apparel from the colleges they have committed to. The organization has provided low-income students with college preparation assistance and resources since 2003.

Photo courtesy Minds Matter Boston

City Editor

A name tag that reads “Dr. Nichols.” sits on a desk in the Nichols House. The museum shared future plans to devote more research towards the Nichols family’s working class employees to educate visitors on the diverse economic classes of the time.

Photo by Rachel Lee

‘It’s been a wild summer’: Boston summer is cooler, wetter than normal

By Marta Hill Editor-at-Large

When she moved to Boston nine years ago, NBC10 meteorologist Pamela Gardner figured she was leaving the tornadoes and severe weather typical for the Midwest behind her — but this summer begs to differ.

Not only has the summer of 2023 been one of the coolest and wettest on record, but it brought with it more severe weather than in previous years.

“We’ve had a lot of severe weather and it seems like every other day we have a risk of severe weather,” Gardner said. “I keep joking with our weather team saying ‘it’s like the Midwest is now in the Northeast.’ It’s been a wild summer.”

Boston’s average temperature from the start of June through mid-August this year was just over 71 degrees, almost 3 degrees lower than in 2022, and precipitation was up more than 13 inches for the Boston area, at 17.72 inches compared to 4.42 inches in 2022, according to data from the National Weather Service.

The increased level of precipitation is due in part to the higher than normal number of storms.

“I travel a lot and I have alerts set up for the various parts of the world that I care about. And what was interesting is normally those are other parts of the U.S. and I was starting to get them for the Boston area,” Brian Helmuth, a marine environmental sciences and public policy professor at Northeastern, said. “It did feel like a summer of extremes here.”

Bostonians can thank the North Atlantic Oscillation, a weather pattern that usually brings nor’easters and heavy snowfall to Boston, for the severe weather this summer.

“The North Atlantic Oscillation is actually negative and we’ve been that way since the middle of June. What it means is we get a very stormy weather pattern, lots of precipitation and cooler

than average [temperatures],” Gardner said. “It’s weird that it’s set up in the middle of June. This is something that usually shows up in the winter.”

Because of the increased frequency of severe weather events, some of the risks that come with them are elevated, like the chance of flash flooding, Gardner said. The ground is already saturated from previous storms, so flooding is more likely.

“A lot of cities and towns are trying to figure out how to make sure the water goes where they want it to go,” Gardner said. “When it comes down to it, with all these frequent, high rainfall amount storms that move through, we’re bound to get more and more flash flooding, unfortunately.”

People who live in the heart of the city can be hit hard by flooding, Gardner said, especially as the storm drains reach their capacities. Many cities are facing storm drain issues that can lead to water contamination and the closure of beaches, said Loretta Fernandez, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and marine and environmental science at Northeastern.

“When Boston was built … the sanitary sewer, which is what takes wastewater away from homes and businesses, was the same pipe that was used to carry stormwater … or [the two pipes] were built near each other so that during a storm, if the storm drains were overwhelmed by all this water coming in on the roads, they would combine with the sewer water and they’d all go down the same pipe,” Fernandez said.

This has the potential to overwhelm water treatment plants, Fernandez said. Most systems were built with an overflow valve that, when triggered, would drain all the water, including the sewage, off into a river or the ocean. This happened this summer a little more than 10 miles from Boston in Lynn, when sewage overflowed into Lynn

Harbor and King’s Beach during an August rainstorm.

“It was closed much of the summer because of all this runoff that was carrying E. Coli from land, but then there was this combined sewer overflow and that means that the beach now has to be closed for even longer,” Fernandez said.

Beyond elevated precipitation, Massachusetts has also faced tornadoes, which have been spotted seven times in the state this summer, Gardner said. While tornadoes may be more common, the systems used to detect them are also more advanced now, Gardner said.

“Over the last even 10 years, the detection of rotation in a storm has gotten amazing. But it’s 50/50 whether or not it’s going to hit the ground,” Gardner said.

As climate change progresses, Boston is likely to continue to see its effects first hand. While specific events, like a recent tornado in Weymouth, can’t be directly tied to climate change, experts can see that there are different factors at play that are contributing to more rainstorms in the Northeast, Gardner said. The changes to our overall climate, which is defined as a 30 year average of weather, are affecting more than just the Massachusetts area, Helmuth said.

“We are seeing water temperatures that we’ve never experienced before. We are seeing large scale die-offs of animals like mussels that we suspect are at least partially related to changing temperatures,” Helmuth, who studies coastal ecosystems, said.

The Gulf of Maine, for example, is warming faster than 95% of large bodies of water on Earth, Helmuth said.

“People are definitely being impacted, both directly and indirectly. You see it with the incidence of extreme weather events, like heat waves, where there are all sorts of health issues related to heat exposure, but also indirect effects,”

Helmuth said. “Any fishery species is going to be temperature sensitive, and so the location of where fisheries are able to get fish, how many there are out there — all affect market price and availability.”

As a coastal city, Boston also has to contend with rising sea levels, Fernandez said. Coastal cities often have infrastructure that is below the water table, like subway systems, that are prone to flooding.

“Our water treatment plant is essentially on a sandy island. Is that wastewater treatment plant able to deal with sea level rise? Or energetic storms? These are all things that have to be planned for,” Fernandez said.

While large-scale change is needed to address many of the things at risk from climate change, that can’t be done without acknowledging the interconnectedness of society and the environment, Helmuth said.

“There’s this push towards systems-thinking that takes a socioeconomic systems approach,” Helmuth said. “Rather than looking at the physics of climate change or ecology independent of humans, it’s looking at those in a really integrated context where you realize that anything humans do impacts the environment, but the environment impacts humans.”

Addressing climate change is often done through resilience plans, in which different hazards and threats are identified and then plans are put in place to mitigate those effects.

David Sittenfeld, the director of the Center for the Environment at Boston’s Museum of Science, pointed to community science as a tool to help develop effective mitigation strategies.

“We try to engage and work with community partners and people living and working in these areas to help us understand vulnerabilities through participatory science,” Sittenfeld, who received his PhD in law and public policy from Northeastern

in 2022, said. “People know their neighborhood. They know which areas often flood during a high tide and they know where extreme precipitation events are going to affect vulnerable locations or populations. They know which areas of the city become hottest because they live through that.”

At a city-wide level in Boston, climate change is being addressed in part through Climate Ready Boston, the city’s initiative to prepare for the effects of climate change. Launched in 2016 with a 306-page report, the initiative tracks progress on a number of targeted areas, including heat and coastal resilience.

“Each of these possible resilience plans comes with ethical and societal trade-offs. It’s important that everybody has a right not only to help inform resilience planning, … but also it’s really important that these folks had a chance to weigh in on what proposed resilience strategies can mean for them,” Sittenfeld said. “What does it mean for a community, for example, to put in a seawall or to consider what it might mean to transform an area through changing the electrical grid? … Each of these decisions is intended to do good for the community, but it’s going to manifest itself on different people in different ways.”

While planning for the effects of climate change is underway, just like how no one can fully predict the weather, no one can predict the effects climate change will have in any given place. What does seem likely, Gardner said, is that Boston will continue to see some unusual weather.

“El Niño has developed in the Pacific and it’s forecasted to be pretty strong this fall and winter, so that would mean a more active winter for us here in the Northeast as well,” Gardner said. “I think the weird weather is going to continue, and we’re going to see more and more extremes too as we go down the line, unfortunately.”

How a century of history made the 104th St. Anthony’s Feast possible

By Rachel Umansky-Castro News Staff

In the heart of Boston’s North End, where the steady beat of cobblestone streets meets the powerful scent of Italian delicacies, an annual celebration like no other comes to life. Welcome to St. Anthony’s Feast, a vibrant Italian street festival that transforms the historic neighborhood into a carnival of culture, faith and flavor.

In 1919, Italian immigrants in Boston founded San Antonio Di Padova Da Montefalcione, Inc., a non-profit, religious and cultural organization. Since then, the organization’s annual festival has evolved into the largest religious festival in all of New England.

From Aug. 24 to Aug. 27, the 104th St. Anthony’s Feast once again turned the North End into a bustling hub, hosting nearly 100 vendors. The festival began at 5 p.m. Thursday with the opening ceremony and pro-

cession of the Feast of Santa Lucia.

Then, at noon Friday, more celebrations continued until the anticipated first appearance of the St. Anthony statue at 7 p.m.

“There’s food, lots of people, cooking demonstrations and music all weekend long — there’s really something for everybody,” said Michael Bosco, a member of the Feast Committee for the past 18 years.

There are 130 members of the San Antonio Di Padova Da Montefalcione organization, and nine are selected to be members of the Feast Committee who work closely to plan and organize the St. Anthony’s Feast. These people play a pivotal role in curating a celebration that bridges generations and cultures.

The St. Anthony Society is supported by various organizations and charities within the community and Greater Boston that embody the spirit of St. Anthony. This year, there were sponsors, such as Regina

Pizzeria, Filippo Ristorante, Polcari’s, Stella Artois, Massimino’s Cucina Italiana and Ducali Parziale’s Bakery.

“I support the feast and what it stands for … the religious aspect, being a proud Italian — it truly brings a community together,” said Bobby Eustace, owner of Polcari’s and sponsor of St. Anthony feast for the past 38 years. “Lots of members of the [feast committee] comes to my coffee shop.

… It’s nice, I develop a relationship with these life-long North Enders.”

In 2013, the Boston A-List honored St. Anthony’s Feast with the distinction of “best festival.” This recognition was the result of over 81,000 votes, establishing St. Anthony’s Feast as the premier festival among the 28 hosted across Greater Boston. Throughout its history, St. Anthony’s Feast appeared in numerous publications; notably, the National Geographic bestowed upon it the title of the “Feast of all Feasts.”

This feast is unlike any other

because of its continuous retention rate. The committee expects around 300,000 attendees over the course of the weekend. “A lot of folks that used to live on the North End come back specifically for the feast. It’s the tradition, it’s the culture. And for many folks, this is a family reunion in many ways,” Bosco said.

However, the main attraction of the weekend is the 10-hour procession of the St. Anthony statue at noon Sunday, which pays tribute to the patron saint.

“[The festival] has just been part of my life and my family’s life for as long as I can remember,” said Jason Aluia, a member of the feast committee for 30 years. “My windows where I grew up in the North End faced the feast, main stage and the bandstand, where we have our entertainment. And I remember from a little kid always making a donation, being lifted to the statue during the grand procession to give my family’s donation.”

For Aluia, the festival was a time to celebrate a beautiful summer weekend with family and friends.

“There’s many festivals in the neighborhood, but St. Anthony’s Feast was always seen as the biggest and last feast,” Aluia said. “You anticipated it all summer long, especially in August when the festival lights went up. … When you saw the lights go up, you knew the feast was coming.”

All entertainment is free and open to the public. So, whether you’re a passionate foodie, a history enthusiast or simply seeking to immerse yourself in the contagious joy of a centuries-old celebration, St. Anthony’s Feast promises an unforgettable experience of Italian culture.

“You see people that you haven’t seen all year, and it’s a good time to get together and enjoy each other’s company and also pay respect to the traditions that our families brought with them from Italy to Boston,” Bosco said.

‘He leaves a great legacy’: Eric Yost drafted to the San Diego Padres

By Sarah Popeck News Staff

Eric Yost just added his name to the list of Northeastern greats.

On July 11, the San Diego Padres selected Yost in the 17th round of the MLB Draft. Just six days later,

the right-handed pitcher made the decision to go pro.

“Baseball is something I’ve been doing my whole life, and getting drafted was my goal,” Yost said in an interview with Northeastern Global News, or NGN. “So, once I had that opportunity, I don’t think I could’ve

League and summer ball. While attending Fordham Preparatory School, Yost earned three varsity letters for baseball and served as captain of the team for two seasons. Northeastern’s student-athlete balance, paired with its baseball program and prime location, drew him to the school.

“I can still remember the first time he threw a bullpen for us at Northeastern. It was not a typical freshman bullpen,” said head coach Mike Glavine. “He had great command — he wasn’t nervous, and he looked like he fit in right from day one. You could see this kid was going to be a great pitcher.”

Yost’s impressive freshman season earned him a CAA Rookie of the Week title and a spot on the 2021 All-CAA Second Team. He was fourth in the CAA in saves with four to his name and recorded 12 scoreless appearances. He only improved in 2022, holding the best earned run average, or ERA, on Northeastern’s team with an incredible 2.48. He pitched 20 games that season, throwing 719 pitches in 61.2 innings.

In his junior season, Yost pitched 78.2 innings with a 4.23 ERA. He walked a mere 14 players, striking out 57 and tossing a career-high nine strikeouts against the University of Delaware in April. He was a significant part of the efforts that led the Huskies to the CAA championship game in 2023.

“This past season was awesome. We had a great group of guys and

had a lot of success. As a pitcher, I’m excited for what I learned this year and how it’ll help me at the next level,” Yost told NGN.

Many of his 15 starts were alongside senior catcher Gregory Bozzo, who worked closely with Yost during his junior season.

“It was definitely special. I loved catching him, and he loved throwing to me because we were on the same page mentally 99 percent of the time,” Bozzo said. “I always knew what he was trying to do, and he trusted me to make it look good.”

While Yost has a diverse set of pitches, his team knows there is one pitch in particular that is a standout in his catalog.

“Yost has a great fast ball, but his breaking ball is pretty devastating,” Bozzo said. “I always told him, I think it’s going to be his pitch for him as he progresses in his career.”

Following the Huskies’ exit from the NCAA tournament in early June, Yost joined the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod Baseball League for a second season. On the third and final day of the MLB draft, while preparing for a game, he received a call from his advisor alerting him to the Padres’ decision. Once he decided to sign, Yost flew to Peoria, Arizona, where the Padres practice for spring training, to sign his first professional contract.

On Aug. 1, Yost made his minor league debut with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, the High-A affiliate of San Diego. Three days later, he was assigned to and activated by the

Lake Elsinore Storm, joining former Husky right-hander Thomas Balboni on the Padres’ Single-A affiliate. Balboni was picked by San Diego in the 15th round of the 2022 draft.

Glavine called him an hour after the draft to congratulate him and is excited to see his success in the major leagues.

“It is one of those situations where you hope you get your player back but realistically, you really want him to go on and play professional baseball,” Glavine said. “That’s what every baseball [kid dreams to do].”

His teammates are also proud of him and have been inspired by him not only as a pitcher but as a “great guy.”

“We’re gonna miss his dominating performances on the field, but we’re gonna miss hanging out with him off the field just as much,” Bozzo said. “He’s on a great track, and I have all the beliefs in the world for him.”

Yost leaves the Huskies as the 59th Northeastern baseball player to be drafted and the 12th since 2019. During his three years, his teammates and coaches said he always had a smile on his face to match his positive work ethic and mindset, stayed selfless to prioritize the team’s goals and earned tremendous respect from his teammates and coaches.

“I’m thankful that he chose Northeastern and came here. He embodies everything we try to do here at Northeastern and as a baseball program,” Glavine said. “[I] look forward to following his success in professional baseball.”

Northeastern Club Roundnet shines across the board at 2023 Nationals

By Amelia Ballingall Deputy Sports Editor

You’ve probably seen people playing roundnet at the beach or a neighborhood barbecue, but likely never knew that the laid-back game is also a rapidly growing competitive sport.

Northeastern is home to one of the most successful collegiate teams in the nation.

In May, the Northeastern Club Roundnet team traveled to Richmond, Virginia to compete in the 2023 Spikeball Roundnet College National Championships. It brought both a DI and a DII team, each placing highly in its division.

“I think DI was going into it knowing they were super competitive and fighting for a spot,” said Thomas Estella, a fourth-year bioengineering major and the president of Northeastern Club Roundnet.

After facing off against the 14 other schools that earned a bid to nationals, the DI crew finished fourth, just shy of the top three slots claimed by University of Akron, University of Texas and Ohio State University, respectively. Although Northeastern defeated Texas in the semifinal, it fell to Ohio in the following round and was ousted from the podium.

In the next series down, Northeastern’s DII team claimed the title, earning first place amongst a group of 16 with a perfect 10-0 run.

“We were pretty confident going into DII that we would have a run for the finals, having enough Premier players to fill up a second team with some of them,” Estella said. “That was kind of unheard of before this year.”

The Spikeball Roundnet Association designates athletes as Premier when they claim top positions in Spikeball Tour Series competitions. Northeastern has 12 active Premier players, a rare feat for a collegiate team. This made Northeastern the only team to have two Premier players on its DII roster at nationals.

The Spikeball Tour Series piloted a big change this past season, incorporating five pairs into one DI squad — three open, one women’s and one mixed. Previously, DI had only included the three open teams.

Two of those women were Malia Wanderer and Abby Lamontagne,

a third-year bioengineering major, who represented Northeastern well in their championship debut. The pair only lost one match and played a big role in the team’s high finish.

“It was really cool to have the addition of the two teams,” said Wanderer, a third-year computer science major. “It carved a path for us [to] have more of an impact in the club.”

Both Wanderer and Lamontagne were relatively new to the sport when they stepped onto the field for their first practice, but were able to thrive with the top level of the club after the new format was introduced.

“Everyone’s really positive and welcoming, and everyone just wants to get better at the sport,” Wanderer said. “And a lot of us have this year, which is cool to see how we all grew. Espe-

cially starting from where we started our first year, having zero experience playing competitive roundnet.”

Wanderer and Lamontagne left the tournament with a 15th place ranking worldwide, and both will still be eligible to compete next season.

“They showed up at the tournament, no one knew their names, and they left the tournament [with] everyone talking to them and wanting to get to know them,” Estella said.

This comes just a few years after Northeastern’s club team introduced tryouts to its schedule. Growing from just a few nets on Carter Field at the club’s start in 2017 to approximately 120 active members in just a few years, the team continues to attract and produce high-profile players.

In fact, one athlete, Sunny Gu, a Northeastern alum who graduated

with a degree in computer engineering and computer science this past May, but was still able to finish off the season with his team, was one of just four members of the collegiate roundnet community featured on an ESPNU documentary about the sport. The network followed him around during the tournament, highlighting both his experience as a first-generation Chinese-American in the sport and his weekend at nationals.

And although many of the members of Northeastern’s roundnet team enjoy the competition, the focus is simply playing together as a community.

“Spikeball is a backyard game. Not many people take it seriously. ... No one really knows how intense and competitive it can get,” Gu said. “But with the communal aspect of the sport, everyone has that like ‘we want to win,’ but overall we care about having a good time.”

Members of the team practice formally three times a week but play their own pickup games outside of practice. Some have even traveled to competitions outside of the collegiate season with friends from the team.

“Our club is Spikeball, but I don’t want you to feel like this club is just for the sport,” Gu said. “It’s also for the people as well.”

Northeastern’s DIIw roundnet squad huddles mid-tournament. The team placed fourth nationally after a hard-fought weekend.

Photo courtesy Sunny Gu

Photos courtesy Jim Pierce

Graphic by Emma Liu

Meet the newest members of the 2023 men’s soccer squad

By Julia Yohe Sports Editor

Following a devastating onegoal defeat by Drexel University in the CAA Quarterfinals last season, the Northeastern men’s soccer team graduated six players and saw five others depart for a variety of reasons.

The team took hits up and down the pitch, losing four forwards, three midfielders, two defenders and two goalkeepers. As a result,

GUS MENDIETA

Freshman Defender

the Huskies spent the summer reorganizing and rebuilding their squad.

Northeastern brought on two forwards, two midfielders, four defenders and a goalkeeper to replace the bodies they lost.

With nine new players of varying ages and positions, the Huskies look to strengthen their play and advance to the semifinals round for the first time since 2014. Here’s a look at the nine Huskies joining this year’s lineup.

Gus Mendieta, a Charlotte, North Carolina native, joined the Husky troop after a wildly successful senior season at Carmel Christian School. In his final season at Carmel Christian, Mendieta set a school record by scoring five goals in one game. The 5-foot10-inch freshman defender earned three varsity letters, scoring 13 goals and eight assists throughout his high school career. Mendieta also played two seasons with Queen City Mutiny U19 squad — an MLS NEXT program — scoring four goals in his MLS NEXT career. His father, Steven Mendieta, was a goalkeeper for UNC Chapel Hill and co-founder of Queen City Mutiny.

#12

Sophmore Midfielder + Defender

Kade Tepe, a sophomore, joined Northeastern’s roster as a transfer from Indiana University — Purdue University of Indianapolis (DI), or IUPUI. Before playing in his rookie season at IUPUI, the Oregonia, Ohio native had already developed a long list of accolades that includes stints with FC Cincinnati (MLS Academy), the Indy Eleven (USL Academy) and the Mexican National Team. At IUPUI last season, Tepe, a midfielder and defender, led his team in minutes, playing in all 20 of the Jaguars’ matches.

KEVIN OGUDUGU

Graduate Forward

Another graduate student, Kevin Ogudugu arrived at Northeastern as a transfer from the University of Virginia (DI), where he played in 21 games over two seasons. In addition to his time as a Cavalier, the forward from Oslo, Norway spent one year on the University of Portland’s (DI) squad and, as a dual citizen of Norway and Nigeria, was called up to the Nigerian U20 National Team Camp. A mature player with almost 1,600 minutes of college experience, Ogudugu is expected to increase the Huskies’ scoring chances.

Graduate Goalkeeper

Gregor Shaw joined the goalkeeping tandem of redshirt senior Colby Hegarty and senior Owen Kempton for the 2023 campaign.

One of three graduate student additions, Shaw came out of East Sussex, England, where he played for Eastbourne Borough FC, a club in the sixth tier of English football.

In 2021, the 6-foot-3 keeper posted a 90-minute shutout against Saltdean United.

One of two Norwegian additions to the 2023 Huskies, Thomas Vold is a 6-foot-tall defender. Originally from Høvik, Norway, the 21-year-old freshman comes to Boston from the newly promoted club Stabæk, a team in Norway’s primary soccer league, Eliteserien. Though Vold originally played on the Academy level, his speed and versatility proved him fit for Stabæk II in the men’s third division and, eventually, for the main troop.

DEVNANI

Neil Devnani is a 5-foot-9-inch midfielder from Los Altos, Califor nia known for his high soccer IQ. The first recruit of the 2023 class, Devnani spent five years playing for the Silicon Valley Soccer Academy and De Anza Force in the Elite Clubs National League while attending Los Altos High School. In his final season with SVSA, Devnani averaged 77 minutes per appearance.

A versatile athlete who plays both defense and midfield, Mathias Hille is a 19-year-old freshman on this year’s team. Originally from Tanus, Germany, the 6-foot-1-inch footballer most recently played with FC Eddersheim in Hattersheim am Main, Hesse, Germany, appearing in 37 games and making full 90-minute efforts in 34. In 2022, Hille helped Eddersheim to 10 shutouts and even earned Player of the Year honors for his efforts as a centerback.

Graduate Defender

Lucas Baran, a graduate transfer from the University of West Florida (DIII), is a backline defender from Minas Gerais, Brazil. In his career at West Florida, the 6-foot-2-inch Baran helped the Argonauts to 17 shutouts, lifted his team to a Gulf South Conference title and earned a spot on the GSC All-Tournament Team. In his 45 games at West Florida, the Argonauts went 32-8-5.

After two years at Colby College (DIII) in Waterville, Maine, Ethan Franco transferred to Northeastern for his junior season. Franco, a 5-foot8-inch forward, averaged almost 62 minutes per appearance with the Mules and, in his sophomore year, was ranked second on the team in goals. For his impressive eight-goal, two-assist performance, Franco earned NESCAC Rookie of the Year and All-Conference honors.

Undeterred by last season’s ill-timed quarterfinals loss, the Huskies are eager to earn a CAA title. Their appearance in the 2022 conference contest was their second in a row and fourth in the last five campaigns. Despite wanting better than their 6-9-3 record, the 2022 Huskies were outscored just 22-21 across their 18 games, and each of their nine losses were determined by a single goal.

By adding four freshmen, one sophomore, one junior and three graduate students to the roster, Northeastern is not only building on the skill they had, but preparing a legacy of strength and talent for years to come. After a tie with UMass Amhert and a loss to UMass Lowell in late August, the Huskies hope to find their groove in their next game against the University of North Carolina Wilmington Sept. 2.

“I think that Coach Weinrebe has put a really talented group together for this season and our results should show that. I think everyone is super excited for the season.”

— Neil Devnani Freshman Midfielder

NEIL

Freshman Midfielder

MATHIAS HILLE Freshman Defender + Midfielder

LUCAS BARAN

#25

THOMAS VOLD

Freshman Defender #14

#32

KADE TEPE

ETHAN FRANCO Junior Attacker #15

#17

GREGOR SHAW

#0

#11

#6

Photos courtesy Brandon Poli

Review: ‘Barbie’ highlights the harsh realities of womanhood while maintaining humor

By Laura Emde Deputy Lifestyle Editor

Moviegoers flocked to theaters dressed to the nines in pink July 21 to celebrate the release of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.”

“Barbie” received widespread acclaim, receiving a score of 88% and “Certified Fresh” status on Rotten Tomatoes. In addition, the film was an immense commercial success, earning over $1 billion at the box office worldwide, making Gerwig the first solo female director to do so.

The film follows the titular character (Margot Robbie) into the real world as she tries to figure out why her perfect life in “Barbieland” is going awry. Her journey takes a turn when her partner Ken (Ryan Gosling) learns about the patriarchy, abandoning his companion to implement it in Barbieland.

Although many probably went in expecting a lighthearted film about a doll in our world, “Barbie” instead comments on the reality of being a woman in a male-dominated society, emphasizing how jarring the transition from girlhood to womanhood truly is.

Gerwig, who co-wrote the film with Noah Baumbach, juxtaposes the two worlds seen in the film against

each other. The first world, Barbieland, represents girlhood, as all of the Barbies are kind and respectful to one another, only wanting to get along and be friends. Additionally, the residents of Barbieland are quite naïve to what the real world is like, as they truly believe they helped achieve gender equality and that the real world is as perfect as theirs — before Barbie leaves, one of her friends says that maybe every woman will give her a big hug to thank her for everything they’ve done.

The real world, on the other hand, represents womanhood. When Barbie arrives in Los Angeles, she is horrified by the judgmental stares, ridicule and harassment she immediately receives; meanwhile, Ken is having the time of his life. This is a powerful metaphor for how abrupt it can be to grow up and leave the bubble you grew up in, only to discover how awful the world can be.

This theme culminates in a monologue from Gloria (America Ferrera), a Mattel employee who is revealed to be the one accidentally causing problems in Barbieland. Robbie’s Barbie belongs to Gloria, and Gloria started playing with the doll again after feeling unhappy with her job and strained relationship with her

daughter (Ariana Greenblatt), imbuing it with her negative feelings.

While Barbie is despairing over Ken’s patriarchal takeover of Barbieland and wrestling with feelings of inadequacy, Gloria laments the impossible expectations women are held to, pointing out how women must jump through impossible hoops to appease those around them. As Gloria points out, if this all applies to a doll meant to show women can do anything, then how are women in our world ever going to escape these expectations? Ferrera’s delivery of this monologue is stunning and incredibly moving, releasing the pent-up rage of women everywhere as she describes how nothing women do will seemingly ever be enough.

“Barbie” also uses Ken’s character to represent the harsh reality of how easily young boys are able to find misogynistic content online, thus continuing the cycle of sexism. While still in Barbieland, Ken shows only love and admiration towards Barbie, wanting to impress her while still treating her like a person. However, when he joins her in the real world, he is quickly inundated by the patriarchy’s omnipresence, witnessing its impact firsthand through weightlifting, corporate America and horses. Excited at the prospect of

men ruling the world, he brings the concept back to Barbieland by taking Barbie’s dreamhouse and renaming it the “Mojo Dojo Casa House” while objectifying all of her friends, effectively destroying what remained of life as she knew it.

Similarly to Barbie’s experiences in the real world, Ken’s discovery of the patriarchy is a representation of a possible path for young boys as they grow up. An abundance of misogynistic content online (take Andrew Tate, for example), makes them easily susceptible to these harmful ideologies.

This part of the film is where Robbie shines. Robbie beautifully portrays how it feels to see one’s world change before their eyes, and the emotions this invokes are all present on her face — the confusion, the sadness, the denial.

Along with the serious discussions of womanhood and sexism, “Barbie” is still incredibly funny. From recurring jokes about cellulite being the worst thing that could ever happen to Barbie to a full-blown musical number with all of the Kens about self-worth, the humor is what retains the positive tone for most of the movie. If “I’m Just Ken” doesn’t win the Oscar for Best Original Song next year, then something is wrong with the Academy.

The humorous moments throughout are some of Gosling’s strongest performances in the film. After telling his fellow Kens about the patriarchy, Gosling’s Ken is the doll embodiment of a red flag, and it is hilarious. From playing “Push” by Matchbox Twenty at Barbie to telling her she can either be his “long-term, long-distance, low-commitment casual girlfriend” or his “bride wife,” Gosling steals the show in these scenes.

There are, however, moments in the film that break from this tone and are more emotional, like the beautiful montage of girlhood set to “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish, which featured family and friends of the cast and crew.

The marriage of social commentary and humor is what makes “Barbie” work. The message of the film is clear, while still staying lighthearted with quips and one-liners woven throughout. The true highlight of this pairing is the final line of the film after Barbie becomes human, depicting a common experience for many women: “I’m here to see my gynecologist!” The humor, the show-stopping performances and the commentary make “Barbie” one of the best releases this year.

Review: ‘Oppenhiemer’ is Nolan’s greatest achievement, most controversial effort yet

By Yaakov Aldrich News Correspondent

From a filmmaking standpoint, “Oppenheimer” is one of the best films of the decade and a stunning return to form for Christopher Nolan after the baffling anticlimax of “Tenet” in 2020. Politically, however, it is by far his most controversial film, often trading historical accuracy for narrative exigency and sidestepping key ethical concerns at the heart of the movie’s production.

The movie’s plot will be at least passingly familiar to anyone who paid attention in history class: the U.S. military recruits a bright young theorist in the newborn field of quantum mechanics for a top-secret project, in spite of his communist connections.

As Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer leads the Manhattan Project to success in Los Alamos, he is haunted by his choices to have two affairs, engage with leftist activism and, ultimately, create the atomic bomb. Lewis Strauss, played by the irrepressible

Robert Downey Jr., embodies the bureaucratic forces hellbent on destroying Oppenheimer’s public image after the war, but the theorist’s wife and scientific colleagues intervene at the last minute to salvage what remains of his reputation. In the end, the last victim of the atomic bomb is Oppenheimer himself. In close-up after claustrophobic close-up, his hollow, shell-shocked eyes gaze at ghosts that the audience cannot see: the ghosts of his bombs’ victims, and the phantoms of a future war that will end all wars.

“Oppenheimer” waded into the seas of controversy from its very first trailer, and it should be no surprise that critics are circling it now — not in spite of its box office success, but because of it. The necessity of the Allied bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima is still hotly debated, and Nolan’s decision to focus entirely on how they affected Oppenheimer himself, instead of on the horrors Japanese people experienced, has only added to the controversy. After all, “Oppenheimer” is a film most sympathetic to its eponymous protagonist, ending with his political enemies frustrated, his dire warning about the risks of nuclear proliferation ringing true across the decades, and his integrity in the mind of the audience intact. Furthermore, Oppenheimer never apologized for creating the bomb, and his track record of regret for causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of civilians is mixed at best. The film gives him the benefit of the doubt, purporting to depict his inner turmoil that never entered the annals of history.

The easy answer to the critics, of course, is that “Oppenheimer” is a dramatized biopic, not a geopolitical documentary — leave the facts to the historians. Then, they might broaden

their criticism of the film: Why make “Oppenheimer” at all? Was there truly a need for another profile of a famous white guy who killed hundreds of thousands, no less, made by a famous white guy? There may not be a version of “Oppenheimer” that isn’t flawed from its inception, but there is still value to be found in interrogating Nolan’s final product, instead of imagining a world where it never existed at all.

The story of the production of “Oppenheimer” is littered with interesting filmmaking tidbits. For example, Nolan helped invent black and white 65mm film just for this movie, and he claims that there are no CGI shots in the film, including the Trinity test scene. Similarly, Murphy had to lose an undisclosed amount of weight to accurately portray the gaunt Oppenheimer.

The culmination of all these directorial quirks, the sum total of Nolan’s perfectionist style, is a film that moves like a well-oiled machine. The twin narratives of the plot, though separated by years and cut up into interlocking scenes, still fit together seamlessly, pulling the viewer through a dizzying story that Nolan lays wide open for them.

The sound design is punchy, deafening and awe-inspiring in its scope and towering resonance. The acting is haunting when it needs to be, sweeping and grand when history is in the making and always riveting. Nolan exploits every precious millimeter of IMAX film, producing color footage bursting with rich color and tack-sharp detail and black-and-white footage that dances on the razor edge between brilliant light and deepest shadows, exulting in every shade of gray between.

For all its strengths, “Oppenheimer” is not without flaws. The beginning of the movie is abrupt and rushed, almost

amateurishly so. The very first frames show close-ups of the atomic bomb’s awesome power, juxtaposed with the first of many close-ups of Oppenheimer’s face, almost as if to reassure the audience that they are in the right movie theater — Nolan seemingly wanted to make sure nobody could mistake the opening moments of his film for the showing of “Barbie” next door.

The film’s treatment of female characters as emotional obstacles in Oppenheimer’s way leaves a lot to be desired. Their places in the narrative feel tacked on as an afterthought, and the talents of Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh are squandered in their narrow, stereotypical roles.

“Oppenheimer,” set as it is in the past, seems almost inevitable. Even though chance meetings and momentary inspirations sustain the plot when necessary, there can be no true surprises for us in the audience. When Oppenheimer is told about the chance that the Trinity test could set off a world-ending nuclear conflagration, the horror in his eyes cannot truly touch us through the screen. We know that after the dust settled and the echoes faded on that day in 1945, the first nuclear bomb did not set fire to the sky.

Through Nolan’s retelling of history, Oppenheimer is an American Prometheus, bringing atomic fire down from Olympus to the mortal realm. Instead of warming themselves around that fire, though, humanity unleashes it on themselves, incinerating their enemies with a force they don’t fully understand. Oppenheimer alone understands the nature of fire — and he alone must suffer, seeing by that fire’s light a future up in flames, chained for a lifetime to an Earth he has all but doomed and could not save.

Illustration by Emma Liu

Six Boston coffee shops to try out this semester

By Emily Chung News Staff

There’s nothing quite like sitting in a cute coffee shop and romanticizing life. Suddenly, the idea of studying is appealing, responding to emails is no longer a source of dread and spending $8 on an iced latte doesn’t seem so bad. As the fall semester begins, Northeastern students will be on the hunt for a new coffee shop to call their own. Here are six great cafes near campus to help fuel caffeine cravings and get the semester started on a good note!

The best cafes for a study date: While the upper floors of Snell are the perfect spot to frantically cram for exams, coffee shops are the ideal place for a more relaxed homework session — buy a drink, put on some headphones and write that essay.

Caffé Nero — coffee 4/10, atmosphere 9/10, study environment 10/10

Located on the corner of Edgerly Road and Westland Avenue, Caffé Nero’s cozy seating and ambiance make for the perfect study session. There are bookshelves lining the walls, and the whole place feels rustic and homey. The drinks themselves are underwhelming — the coffee is weak and leaves much to be desired, but the atmosphere makes up for it. Regardless of its mediocre brew, Nero is the perfect place to catch up on required

reading, respond to discussion posts, write papers and polish up slides for an upcoming presentation.

Caffé Bene — coffee 7/10, atmosphere 8/10, study environment 8/10

On the corner of Huntington and Massachusetts avenues, Caffé Bene offers a wide range of food and beverage options — coffee, boba, shaved ice and more. The jazzy instrumentals are perfect to get into the studying zone, making studiers feel like a movie’s main character on the verge of some crucial breakthrough. My only grievances are that the wooden chairs are a bit uncomfortable, and the tables are ever-so-slightly too small. Snagging a window seat or a chair at the big table in the back are the best options for optimal studying.

The best cafes for a morning debrief:

These are the places to go to share little life updates with friends. Maybe you finally got that co-op, failed a big midterm or almost hit a pedestrian while biking home and it turned out to be your ex-boyfriend from 10th grade. These coffee shops are for celebrating the biggest wins and making the worst days better.

Farmer’s Horse — coffee 9/10, atmosphere 10/10, study environment 4/10

Farmer’s Horse is an artsy, snug

haven for stressful or rainy days. Their menu features delicious Ethiopian coffee and offers a variety of breakfast and lunch options as well. Every inch of the walls are filled with writing from customers and the decor and seating have a very comfortable feel. Located on Massachusetts Avenue, the small cafe is often bustling with customers, so seating is sometimes hard to come by. Bring a friend to sit at the bay window, eat a breakfast burrito, sip on an iced banana bread latte and talk to your heart’s content.

Phinista — coffee 9/10, atmosphere 9/10, study environment 3/10

This French Vietnamese cafe is a bit further from campus, located on Peterborough Street in Fenway. The pretty, floral wallpaper and clean aesthetic bring an elegant feel to the place. Phinista is a wonderful brunch spot, with Vietnamese bowls and bánh mì sandwiches, sweet crepes and plenty of drinks — including Vietnamese coffee. This is more of a sit-down cafe, rather than a grab-andgo spot, so come on a sunny morning and spend a few hours drinking great coffee and catching up with friends.

The best cafes to bring parents to on family weekend: A bit on the pricier side, these coffee shops are the best ones to go to when someone else is paying! With sophisticated and charming

atmospheres, these places are great to stop at at the beginning of a busy day.

Blue Bottle Coffee — coffee

9/10, atmosphere 7/10, study environment 5/10

There are two Blue Bottle locations near campus — one in the Prudential Center and one on Newbury Street. Both locations are perfect to start a day out and about in the city. Blue Bottle is more of a grab-and-go place and their drinks are delicious, albeit expensive. When parents are in town, grab a coffee here before going shopping or walking around Boston.

Tatte — coffee 9/10, atmosphere 7/10, study environment 4/10

A classic spot right under Marino Recreation Center, Tatte is a great place to go if other shops feel too far. The cafe is brightly lit with natural lighting from the windows and is always busy with students grabbing drinks on their way to class. With delicious pastries and coffee, students can enjoy a sweet breakfast and still make it on time for their next lecture. Bring the whole family on a crisp autumn day and sit outside at the picnic tables to people-watch and give them a glimpse of the true Northeastern student experience — jaywalking with hordes of students across Huntington Avenue. Tatte is the classic, definitive Northeastern coffee shop, and all students should try it at least once.

Northeastern Swifties excited for ’1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ release

By Sarah Popeck News Staff

The last night of Taylor Swift’s U.S. leg of her highly acclaimed “The Eras Tour” brought some exciting news — the Grammy-winning sensation announced that she will be releasing “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” Oct. 27, the ninth anniversary of the original’s release.

“The 1989 album changed my life in countless ways,” Swift wrote in an Instagram post. “[It] fills me with such excitement to announce that my version of it will be out October 27th.”

Swift announced in 2019 that she was rerecording her albums, considering them “stolen versions” after talent agent Scooter Braun acquired the rights to her first six albums through his acquisition of the Big Machine Label Group. Swift wanted to buy back her old master recordings, saying she faced “incessant, manipulative bullying” from Braun, but he refused to relinquish his ownership.

“Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it,” Swift said in a 2019 Tumblr post.

She signed with Republic Records in fall 2018 with a record deal containing a clause that ensured her ownership of master recordings from there on. Since then, she released and holds possession of “Lover,” “folklore,” “evermore” and “Midnights.”

“It sends a meaningful signal to the larger world of music artists to not let their careers be hijacked by

Sept. 9-10

The Boston Arts Festival

Support local artists and musicians while enjoying views of the water.

11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, Free.

Sept. 9, 16, 17

Watercolor Painting Workshops

Practice your landscape painting skills at this fun watercolor painting workshop series.

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Lopresti Park (Sept. 9), Boston Public Garden (Sept. 16), James Kelleher Rose Garden (Sept. 17), Free.

Thursday, Sept. 14

impersonal studios and agencies aiming to take control of their personal stories,” said Samuel DiBartolo, a second-year business administration and economics combined major.

Starting with the release of “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” in 2021, “Red (Taylor’s Version)” and “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” came in the following years. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” will be Swift’s fourth rerecorded album to be released. Her self-titled debut album and “Reputation” will be the last two albums to receive new masters.

The album will feature all of the songs from “1989,” plus five brand new “vault” tracks — songs that were written for the album but did not make the final cut.

“I think we could potentially be getting some of Taylor’s best work on vault tracks,” said Syringa Barenti, a second-year environmental and sustainability sciences and landscape architecture combined major.

Additionally, it dons a new cover photo, replacing the old iconic Polaroid design from the original album with a joyous outdoor photo of Swift smiling.

“She wrote ‘1989’ when she was going through a lot of stuff mentally and physically, so the new cover reflects that it is her version,” said Sarayu Pininti, a second-year business administration and data science combined major. “I’m different now in the same way that Taylor is different in this new era.”

The previous cover was a coveted reference to the song “Out of the Woods” and the redesign choice has sparked controversy on social media platforms. Some fans see it as a sign of her maturity and overcoming challenges — Swift revealed in 2020 that she had struggled with an eating disorder during the 1989 World Tour, which had greatly affected her stamina and health.

“Despite the disappointing choice to step away from the Polaroid format, the brightness of both the picture’s setting and Taylor’s expression present a less fragile individual, finally at peace with who she is and not trying to put up a facade to appeal to the wider public,” DiBartolo said.

Barenti agreed that while she is sad about the change, she likes that Swift kept certain elements, like the seagulls, in the new design.

“Wildest Dreams (Taylor’s Version)” and “This Love (Taylor’s Version)” are already available to listen to, but, in the meantime, Swift’s fans — also known as Swifties — are beyond excited about the release.

“I am so excited to hear her matured vocals on ‘You Are In Love,’” Pininti said. “It is one of my favorite tracks of hers and it’ll feel like I’m getting to listen to it for the first time again.”

DiBartolo became a Swiftie in recent months and is excited for an opportunity to re-experience these releases. Having grown up with her hit music in his childhood, even though he finds “Bad Blood” and

“Shake It Off” redundant, DiBartolo said he is looking forward to forming new memories of his own.

“I think the most interesting part about the rerecordings is the ability to witness Taylor’s vocal growth,” DiBartolo said. “Even as some continue to show disinterest and disregard for Taylor’s music, I feel it’s undeniable there’s something for every mood, moment and occasion.”

Swift’s discography continues to get millions of streams daily, but fans agree that her music is something unique to her that draws them into her fanbase.

“There is so much symbolism, poetry and double meaning in her work that makes it so deep and meaningful to listen to,” Barenti said. “The way she is able to paint a picture with her songs and make you feel all kinds of emotions is something so beautiful that I don’t think every singer is able to do.”

Coolidge Corner Theatre: Rewind! Snack on some popcorn and watch a screening of the 2004 teen film “Mean Girls.”

7 p.m., Coolidge Corner Theater, $12.50 - $15.50.

Friday, Sept. 15

“Loving Vincent” at the Museum of Fine Arts

Watch the Oscar-nominated “Loving Vincent,” the world’s first fully painted feature film.

7 p.m. - 8:45 p.m., Museum of Fine Arts, $15.00.

Sept. 11, 18

SoWa Open Market

Visit an open-air market with local vendors, art galleries, food and beverages and more.

11 a.m. - 4 p.m., 500 Harrison Ave., Free.

Calendar compiled by Kristina DaPonte and Laura Emde. Graphics by Ali Caudle

Illustration by Emma Liu

Op-ed: How political polarization is affecting the climate crisis

production, while Democratic speakers focus on public health and extreme weather. Republican speech continues to focus on the use of oil, coal and natural gas due to campaign contributions made by fossil fuel companies to candidates following the controversial ruling of Citizens United v. FEC in 2010. Many Democrats have emphasized the opportunities that will accompany a “green” economy and the use of renewable sources instead of fossil fuels.

(57%) or their own political leanings (54%) most of the time.

As Democrats continue to be alarmed by climate change and its harm to all life, several Republicans insist there is a “small likelihood” such events will occur.

question whether this proposal is truly necessary as taxpayer dollars are being spent on foreign nations.

Insufferable heat, the development of new diseases, food shortages and underwater nations seem to be a faraway idea only seen in a science-fiction film about the end of the world. However, these descriptions are slowly becoming a reality for many, as the issue of climate change becomes more prevalent in society. As unprecedented summer heat and increasingly intense natural disasters unfold, social, political and economic chaos will ensue as individuals flee their countries and scramble to fix their situations.

Despite this grim reality, some Americans continue to be hesitant about climate change. Our nation remains divided on the climate crisis in large part due to the political polarization in our government. Without unity, we cannot create impactful climate change policy.

The topic of climate change has been a source of debate since its first discussion in Congress in 1996. In the journal Environmental Politics, recent research discussed the language of the two parties regarding climate change. Republican members devote their attention to cap-andtrade policy, climate change denial, international accords and energy

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In early 2022, a viral TikTok showed fans at Tyler, the Creator’s “Call Me If You Get Lost” tour playing duck-duck-goose during the set of the opener, Vince Staples. This is entitled behavior, and we need to do better as a community if we truly care about music.

This first scenario was an affront to the artist, who was expecting to perform for people who care about his music, not to provide ambiance while they play games and sit in a circle. There have always been rude people in public places and there always will be, but there’s been an uptick in recent memory.

Members of the service industry have spoken up about this rise in rudeness, especially coming out of the pandemic. I’ve felt a similar shift in the live music scene. Boston is a

In 1990, the system of cap-andtrade, which allows the market to determine the price of carbon in order for investment decisions and innovation to occur, was introduced in Congress to regulate the emissions of sulfur dioxide, a prominent component of acid rain. The policy has remained a prominent issue in Congress and in the fight for climate change policy. Many Republicans reject the idea of cap-and-trade, and wish to alter the legislation to “capand-tax.” This proposed change would allow numerous exceptions for large companies and allow for loopholes to avoid adhering to the regulation.

Another issue underlying the divide between the two parties is the belief in science. Some people question the true motives of climate scientists and whether they hold ulterior motives for conducting such research. According to a Pew Research Center poll, 55% of Democrats place their faith in climate scientists and their understanding of the crisis. Democrats are also more likely to believe there will be numerous catastrophes that neither policy nor individual changes can stop. Unlike Democrats, Republicans are more likely to believe that climate change research is influenced by the desire of scientists to advance their careers

It is alarming to see that our own government leaders refuse to acknowledge the facts. Some representatives argue against global warming because their states are too cold, as Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said. These remarks and alarming statistics display that education on the climate crisis is necessary for our leaders as the issue becomes more prominent in our daily lives.

In April, President Biden pledged more than $500 million to combat deforestation in Brazil and $1 billion to help developing countries move away from using fossil fuels, regions slated to experience the worst effects of climate change as the crisis continues. Through Biden’s proposal, the $500 million will be distributed over the course of five years and aid the Amazon Fund. The Amazon is home to hundreds of species and plays a large role in the water cycle; however, it has sadly seen a rise in deforestation. Though the plan would be beneficial to the country of Brazil, many Republicans are opposed to the idea of foreign climate assistance. According to a 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine, Republicans often veto climate change legislation. Many

As the United States continues to remain polarized and public policy is halted due to constant discourse of the two political parties, we must recognize the imminent effects of climate change. Each day, citizens experience record-breaking temperatures as well as cataclysmic natural disasters. To end this, we, as a nation, must solve the issue of climate change through education.

Lawmakers and citizens should learn of the effects of the climate crisis instead of minimizing its effects by calling it a hoax. Like in all political matters, both parties must reach common ground and recognize the importance of the issue at hand. As a nation, we cannot resolve our issues by avoiding or denying them. We must learn to come together, trust the facts and set aside our differences to protect our nation, its beauty and its citizens. Earth is our home, so let us learn to care for all its beauty.

Elena Hernandez is a second-year psychology and criminal justice combined major. She can be reached at hernandez.e@northeastern.edu.

lovely musical city that has granted me access to a plethora of opportunities to watch talented people perform. I’ve gotten to experience more shows this past year than any other, like Clairo, Aminé, Steve Lacy and COIN, which I am so grateful for. From basements in Allston to 1,000-plus capacity venues in the city like House of Blues and Roadrunner, I’ve noticed that not everyone feels the same when my favorite artist is performing live. I’ve had too many experiences where fellow concertgoers acted like a bunch of hooligans and made the show unpleasant. I have a long list of grievances, and hopefully, after I address them, we can all become better fans.

This entitled behavior stems from the mindset of “I paid for this concert! I’m gonna do what I want!”

I heard a fan yell this at the person in front of her during a bbno$ show when she asked the fan to stop shoving her. To some degree, I think we all feel that if we pay for an experience, then we better have a good time. This is true! But in order for everyone to enjoy themselves, your pleasure can’t come at the expense of other people’s discomfort. Do not raise your phone for the entire concert. Do not push to the front for your favorite songs. Stop talking over the opening artist. And if you are over six feet tall, do not tap

average-height me on the shoulder and ask to stand in front of me because I “won’t complain as much as the short girls that are behind me.” People holding up their phones and blocking my view to record the entirety of a song is another major ick I have. I’ve gotten to the point where I only take mine out for a picture in between songs or a snippet of 15 seconds at most. I realized that I’ll never be able to capture what I feel and see in that moment on my phone. If I really want to relive a performance, I’ll find a video online that someone with a steady hand recorded from the mezzanine. That guy will always be there for you.

I like to check on the people around me, both for their safety and mine. You might see someone looking like they’re about to pass out, or they lost a wallet and need the crowd to make space. On multiple occasions, I’ve helped someone find their other shoe in the aftermath of a mosh pit. Specifically during the Steve Lacy show I attended at the Roadrunner, 11 people fainted and the crowd needed to make space for EMTs each time. We must always be on alert for our fellow fans, no matter how mellow the music.

I’ve found that the more aggressive or alternative the music, the kinder the fans tend to be. If you ever attend a DIY music show in

an Allston basement, you’ll find a community unlike any other: one that’s inclusive, creative and where the person standing next to you is now your friend. The musicians are talented, the support beams are questionable, admission is cheap and you will have an unparalleled concert experience. Moreover, you can practice being an empathetic concertgoer at the next free show in AfterHours, our on-campus concert venue inside of a Starbucks. Here, you’ll be surrounded by your community of peers, which should motivate the audience members to treat each other with respect.

I should also add that I don’t think rowdy concertgoers are bad people. We’re living in a moment that permits people to crave attention all the time in order to feel gratification, even while in public or at a show, where the attention should never be on you. We’re not conditioned to be empathetic. And while we can only control ourselves, I hope that this inspires you to be a more appreciative fan at your next show. In sum, be kind to others and be kind to yourself, because if you aren’t, that’s really embarrassing.

Jared Haime is a third-year political science and international affairs combined major. He can be reached at haime.j@northeastern.edu.

Photo by Jessica Xing

Photo by Colette Pollauf

Illustration by Angelica Jorio

Op-ed: Beyond white coats and prejudice: How I’m shattering stereotypes in the scientific realm

me through my journey into STEM.

Imagine sitting at the table surrounded by brilliant minds shaping the future of science. Now, picture being the sole Latin American woman amidst a sea of faces that rarely reflect your own. This has been my reality. When I was just 10 years old, I recall sitting in front of the television, hypnotized by the cartoons that portrayed eccentric, old men in white coats that called themselves scientists, gracefully blowing stuff up and out of nowhere creating all sorts of new things. As a kid, I thought, “Uh, perfect! I want to blow stuff up for life. It looks fun, I want to become a scientist.” Deceived by a cartoon, that’s how my passion and love for science started. Although the cartoon concept of being a scientist disappeared over the years, the image of a white-coated white male with glasses stuck with me and haunted

My story in the United States began in 2019, when I made the difficult decision to leave behind my entire family in Colombia and embark on a new chapter in the U.S. This decision was not taken lightly, as my father wanted me to leave the country. He was haunted by the memories of the violent assassination of his brother, his mother and the multiple situations where his life and my family members’ lives were at risk. He wanted me to leave home behind, even if that meant not seeing each other for months. My father and mother gave up their home to finance my first year of university with the promise that I must find a way to fund the subsequent years by working hard. For me, the mere opportunity to study at Northeastern and live abroad, despite the challenges, was and remains a profound privilege.

With hope and determination, I arrived in the fall of 2019 on campus for my first year, eagerly looking forward to my first appointment with my advisor. As I sat at the meeting table, ready to share my beautifully crafted, almost inspirational speech about my goals and gratitude for being there, my excitement quickly faded. Within minutes, my advisor’s ice-cold words pierced through me, echoing the very stereotypes perpetuated

by those cartoons of my childhood. I remember his words clearly, “If you are not a U.S. citizen or a green card holder, and you happen to be a woman searching for a position in the STEM field, the unfortunate reality is that the combination of these factors will most likely prevent you from achieving your aspirations.”

As an 18-year-old student, I expected my advisor to challenge these stereotypes, but instead his words — sadly filled with truth — crushed me. In the months that followed, his words became an incessant presence in my mind, consuming my every thought. I was desperately seeking answers. I reached out to a diverse network of colleagues to connect with Latin American women who came here to study like myself as well as first- and second-generation immigrants, who had firsthand experience working in the STEM field.

Unfortunately, the majority of the responses I received were disheartening. They shared stories filled with complaints and frustrations, recounting the unjust treatment they endured due to pervasive gender stereotypes and racism. In that moment, a profound truth became crystal clear: regardless of my citizenship status or being born a U.S. citizen, the undeniable reality of being a woman who did not conform to the prevailing image of whiteness would

consistently pose obstacles to my journey toward success in the field of science. These narratives painted a grim reality: I felt like a lost child amidst a bustling crowd, desperately seeking a familiar face for comfort. Except this time, I wasn’t a child back in Latin America; I was an adult in a foreign land, yearning for that familiar face who could share a story, a narrative that could challenge and prove my advisor wrong.

A few months after that meeting, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, carrying me into its chaotic grip. I was abruptly forced to leave campus, unsure of where to find a place to live. Somehow, I managed to secure a small studio apartment next to a noisy construction site, barely spacious enough for a desk and a sofa. I never revealed to my parents the challenges that awaited me in the following months.

I struggled to find employment on campus to fund my second year of studies while battling the overwhelming weight of anxiety and depression. To make matters worse, the U.S. president’s comments at the time continued to reinforce harmful stereotypes, perpetuating a culture of misogyny and racism that further deepened the difficulties I faced. His words were the straw that broke the camel’s back and were an endorsement of what my advisor and colleagues had said: I wasn’t welcome here.

You might be expecting this story to take a dramatic turn, to evolve into a tale of triumph and overcome adversity. I wish I could fulfill those expectations and tell you that my journey has been a resounding success. However, the truth is that I, along with countless others, continue to navigate through this ongoing struggle. Yes, there have been moments of success and milestones achieved along the way. But let me be clear — my path to those accomplishments was paved with additional hurdles that many who fit the stereotypical image of a scientist never had to face.

Every interview, every first day on the job demanded that I go the extra mile to prove myself, to break through the preconceived notions and biases that surrounded me. I carried the weight of disproving the stereotypes that threatened to hold me back. Yet, amidst these challenges, I find solace and inspiration in the collective voices of those who share similar experiences. We are a force that refuses to be silenced, determined to shatter the barriers that have limited our potential for far too long.

Melanie Villalobos Garcia is a fourth-year cell and molecular biology major at Northeastern University. They can be reached at villalobosgarcia.m@northeastern.edu.

Op-ed: Northeastern’s poor choice of DEI training fails to provide meaningful education

media without doing anything to support those causes. An example would be posting about the war in Ukraine on Instagram, but not donating, volunteering or doing anything tangible to support the cause. Along with slacktivism, there are at least 11 other forms of virtue signaling that present themselves in everyday life.

for the training, it is safe to assume it was not cheap.

Northeastern University implemented mandatory racial and cultural literacy training for students, faculty and staff in 2021. The purpose of this training was to “better equip our community to combat racism and other systemic inequities,” Provost David Madigan said in a November 2021 email to the Northeastern community announcing the training. This is an issue worth addressing, especially when looking at Northeastern’s student and faculty diversity. Due to its apparent lack of engagement and connection, the racial and cultural literacy training is virtue signaling, as well as a misuse of the university’s financial resources. Virtue signaling is the “conspicuous communication of moral values and good deeds.” Perhaps the easiest observable form of virtue signaling today is “slacktivism,” the act of speaking out about issues on social

I remember completing the racial and cultural literacy training at the beginning of the semester and thinking it was a waste of time. It felt like a chore, and most of the content was extremely self-explanatory. As it turns out, I was not alone, as a Reddit poll in the r/NEU Northeastern subreddit last year found that approximately 89% of 700+ voters thought that the training was “unnecessary/virtue signaling.”

While we must consider the reliability of the source, it is still extremely telling that Northeastern’s own students find their institution’s “anti-racist” efforts to be virtue signaling. Northeastern partnered with Academic Impressions for this training, giving faculty, staff and students access to various resources from their database. According to the Academic Impressions’ website, a 100-user membership would cost $22,500. To put the potential cost into perspective; the collective student and faculty population at Northeastern in the fall of 2022 was roughly 30,000. While we don’t know exactly how much the university paid

It is reassuring to see that Northeastern is willing to dedicate these funds to diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives, but the question is whether this training is the best use of these funds. The impact of this particular training is largely up to how engaged the individual is. Some may try and learn from the training, but there are students who will skip through, trying to finish as soon as possible. The problem with non-interactive online training is that there is no sense of community or discussion. Simply putting the information out there isn’t enough; there must be structure, practice and discussions to reinforce the learnings.

This training could also be a way for the university to deflect accountability in the event of an incident involving racial discrimination or bias. In this case, the university would be able to claim they did their part in educating students, and the offending party acted on their own accord.

If Northeastern is willing to allocate resources to this kind of training, they should at least open the floor to the Northeastern community to have a say in how the money could be best spent. Possible alternatives include implementing week-long DEI presentations in all classes, providing additional funding to the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute, promoting university DEI programs, expanding

mentoring and tutoring for students of color and establishing talent pipelines and scholarships for historically marginalized populations. These are some of my ideas, but the Northeastern community deserves to decide where the funds would be best utilized.

There are also many successful examples of DEI initiatives that the university could attempt to replicate. Amazon’s diversity pledge says, “diversity and inclusion are good for business — and more fundamentally — simply right.” A pledge such as this demonstrates dedication to fostering an inclusive environment and provides a guiding framework for Amazon’s future actions and decisions. While obviously not a university, Amazon’s approach could be beneficial to Northeastern leadership. For example, not only is diversity and inclusion the right

thing to do, but it is sure to attract top students while fostering the growth of the current ones.

It is evident the money used on racial and cultural literacy training could be spent elsewhere. There is no shortcut to achieving DEI goals, which is why virtue signaling will never have a true, lasting impact. Northeastern students, faculty and staff have a responsibility to inform Northeastern leadership about their dissatisfaction with the current DEI training and demand to be part of the conversation about how to move forward to create a community where every member feels like they belong.

Alejandro McClain is a second-year business administration and data science combined major. He can be reached at mcclain.al@ northeastern.edu.

Photo by Jessica Xing

Photo courtesy Alejandro McClain

A Northeastern webpage reads “Racial & Cultural Literacy Trainings.” In 2021, Northeastern implemented mandatory racial and cultural literacy training.

Photo by Elizabeth Scholl

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