The Montclarion 09/08

MONTCLARION MAKEOVER

Hannah Effinger is the Produc tion Editor of The Montclarion. She is responsible for most of the inner workings of our paper, including the process of printing and distribution. From putting our newsletter together to writing witty niche entertain ment articles, Effinger is the jack of all trades for The Mont clarion. To add to her mountain of responsibilities, Effinger took it upon herself to redesign our logo. To introduce the new look, Effinger has provided us with a little background into her process and why we as The Montclarion decided to make this change.

The Montclarion is not only a newspaper but a multimedia platform; which it did. And like it or not I think the pandemic expedited this process, as the paper was forced to transition to a fully online publication from Spring 2020 to Fall 2021.

Now, everyone knows that The Montclarion is multi-plat form, everything is nowadays, but what sets us apart is the physicality of our print paper.

logo falls short in the way that it seeks to cater to digital with out acknowledging the inherent physicality of the format it is mainly presented on, the paper.

Aboutsix months ago, I asked our Editor-inChief, Emma Caugh lan, if redoing the logo was something feasible, to which she responded, “Do whatever, but don’t make it look like the Monster energy logo.”

This might have been her worst decision yet, other than letting me write horoscopes again (check them out on page 14), or letting me and Avery do stand up at the banquet last year.

I did, in fact, make about five drafts that did look like they could be on a special edition Monster can, but after a few rounds of iterations, I figured it out.

As soon as I showed Profes sor George the new design for the logo, she said, “So, you’re trying to do the exact opposite of what the last rebrand hoped to accomplish,” and of course, I said, “yes.” The previous re branding had served the pur pose to emphasize the fact that

Before the paper took up every waking moment of my Wednesdays – and often most other days of the week – I hard ly ever picked up the paper. I’d check The Montclarion’s Insta gram every now and then, read an article one of my friends wrote through the website, or even see one of Avery’s Mont clair State Universitythemed memes on Twitter.

When I was a fresh man, bright eyed and unscathed by a pan demic, seeing an (absolutely horrid) illustration I did for the paper printed in cop ies all around campus was the highlight of my year (that year was really lame).

Anyone can write articles and post them online, The Onion does it, Emily Ratajkowski does it, but it takes a lot of dedicated people to take all these articles and put them all together into a full print paper each week –where we come together as an editorial team, eat pizza, play MarioKart and watch the edi tors slowly lose our marbles each week.

In an attempt to be modern, The Montclarion’s previous

I won’t bore you all with the details of the history of a type face, but in modern culture, blackletter typefaces are most often seen in newspapers and within academia. They have this subconscious influence where they radiate the feeling of credibility, of something for mal and old that’s been around for longer than you or your par ents could remember.

Thus, the return of the logo to something more print influ enced – a modified blackletter typeface reminiscent of The New York Times or the Wash ington Post made sense in the

context of the idea I was seek ing to communicate.

However, (I will bore you all now) the basic style of typeface is one thing, but the smaller more invisible things like width, kerning and the rhythm within the logo are the things that re ally set it apart from its prede cessor.

The elimination of the red color within the logo allows for more of a deviation from the standard Montclair State-based branding, emphasizing that we, The Montclarion, are not a university sponsored organiza tion. We are for the students, by the students; and our branding

should reflect that.

Within the first letter of the full lettermark, M, and the logo used on our social platforms, there is a claw-like motif within the last leg of the letterform. This plays on the idea of the Red Hawk as the overarching mascot of Montclair State, but is also drastically visually differ ent from the branding the uni versity uses throughout its mar keting – linking us in an more indirect way.

So yes, this front page may not be what you’re used to see ing every Thursday in print, or when you check our socials to see what instagram reel the

eboard made this week. How ever, it looks like you’re going to have to get used to it. We prom ise you that this makeover is only the next step in our continuous strive to (look really cool &) bring you excellent journalism while sharing the provocative and lively stories that fill our campus.

Hope you love it as much as I do (or maybe just a little less because that would be weird).

P.S. Huge shoutout to the lovely Emma Caughlan for letting me do this and be ing super supportive, and to Professor Anthony Inciong for answering my con stant messages for critiques and giving me encouragement throughout this re design process. You both rock and I am eternally grateful.

Hannah Effinger | The MontclarionHannah Effinger Production Editor

The Montclarion's new icon.

Hannah Effinger | The Montclarion

The Montclarion's new full logo.

Montclair State Film Students Put On Their Very Own Silver Slate Film Festival Avery Nixon

Online Rumors Have Real World Consequences

Sal DiMaggio

Montclair State Welcomes Class of 2026 on Red Hawk Day Lynise Olivacce

Sam Mills Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Matt Orth

School

Executive Board

Editor-in-Chief

Emma Caughlan

montclarionchief@gmail.com

Editorial Board

News

Jennifer Portorreal

@gmail.com

Managing Editor

Jenna Sundel

NJ.

The Montclarion is a publication of Montelican Publishing, Inc. published weekly, except during the 2020 fall and 2021 spring semesters, examinations, summer and winter ses sions. The Montclarion is funded by student fees distributed by Montclair State University and incoming advertising revenue. The views expressed in the Opinion section, with the exception of the Main Editorial, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Montclarion.

The Montclarion has a commitment to accuracy and clarity and will print corrections or clarifications if information is found to be incorrect. To report an error of fact or a Letter to the Editor, email the Editor-in-Chief at montclarionchief@gmail.com.

Ad Sales Manager

Ashleigh

Business Manager

Cam Wade

All submissions to the newspaper become property of The Montclarion.

We do not print articles from anonymous contributors.

The first issue of The Montclarion, then named The Pelican, was published on Nov. 28, 1928.

Information reported in the Red Hawk Rap Sheet

directly from sheet unless information directly

Social Media Manager

Emma Barber

Assistants

Feature

Sal DiMaggio

@gmail.com

Opinion

Avery Nixon montclarionopinion @gmail.com

Entertainment

Megan Lim montclarionentertain ment@gmail.com

Chief Copy Editor

Kim Lamparello

Video Editor

Katie

Faculty

Web Editor

John Josephsen montclarionweb @gmail.com

Faculty Advisor

Tara George

the police report is incorrect.

the newspaper is given access

can print an up date to the events only

Sports

Matt

Photography

Lynise Olivacce

Graphic Design

Crystal Durham montclariondesign @gmail.con

Production

Hannah Effinger

Red Hawk Rap Sheet

Monday, August 29

Harrasment:

Tuesday, August 30

Recreational Center:

Wednesday, August 31

incident

Harassment:

student reported an incident of cyber harassment

case

Thursday, September 1

Center: Officers responded to Gordon Hall in regards

report

incident

Thursday, September 1

Arrestef: Officers responded to

Anyone

has information

presently under

in regards to a

was was placed under

Maya

President Koppell Welcomes Class of 2026

Lynise Olivacce Photo Editor

Montclair State University's President Johnathan Kop pell kick-started the new semester by welcoming the Class of 2026 to the nest on Sept 2.

The day started with the president of the Student Gov ernment Association (SGA), Richard Steiner-Otoo, amp ing up the crowd by calling people up to dance.

As the crowd cheered on, the best dancers were thrown t-shirts.

Prior to the presidential address, Steiner-Otoo prom ised the crowd a great year as the new SGA president.

“I know that we're [going to] have an amazing year," Steiner-Otoo said. "This is just the beginning."

Afterward, Koppell took to the stage and reminded students of the positive im pact they have on campus and motivated them to have a productive semester.

“The entire campus has a totally different life when you guys show up and you're ready and eager," Koppell said. “And I can't tell you how much it pumps our hearts to be surrounded by all of you.”

He further explained Mont

clair States' motto, “Carpe Diem” which means to seize the day and to make the most out of it.

“Think about who you want to be," Koppell said. "So the ques tion is, what can you do now? How do you seize this day, to put yourself on a path towards that?”

Koppell encouraged students to think about what they want the world to like and how they can get to that world.

“Think about what that world looks like, I mean it,” Koppell said. “And now say, 'How do I need to grow? How do I need to evolve to be that difference maker that makes the world that I want to live in, that I want my friends to live in, that I want my family to live in, that I want, yes, someday your children to live in?' While you're having a good time, keep your eyes on that possibility. And if you do so, [you will] find this [college to be] a magnificent time.”

Dawn Soufleris, the vice pres ident of Student Life and Devel opment, thanked the orienta tion leaders, professional staff and the campus for welcoming the Class of 2026. Soufleris then got the ball rolling by intro ducing Red Hawk Day and the activities it offered.

Kim Lepps Power, a fresh man undecided, loved Koppell's speech and how lively the stu dent body was.

“It was a pretty cool wel come,” Lepps Power said. "I liked how [Koppell] made his speech more of a discus sion rather than just him talking to us. I love to see how interactive everyone is. I was really nervous at the beginning, like meeting other people. But everyone actually wants to interact with one another and I just love the spirit."

President Jonathan Koppell speaks to the class of 2026.

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

A student orientation leader dances to the song 'It's Tricky' by Run-D.M.C.

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

The school mascot, Rocky the Red Hawk, dances with students at the end of the presidential address.

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

Richard SteinerOtoo gives the SGA presidential address.

Montclair State Mourns Biology Professor

Jennifer Portorreal News Editor

The Montclair State Univer sity community is mourning the death of associate professor of biology, Vladislav Snitsarev, who died unexpectedly in his lab.

Snitsarev was 55 years old and a resident of Montclair. He began to work at the university in 2011.

Elena Petroff, an associate professor of biology and Snit sarev’s wife, described her hus band as a motivated person and an exceptional professional.

“[I will remember him] as an original thinker, great scientist and inspiring professor,” Petroff said.

The Chair of the biology de partment, Dirk Vanderklein, said Snitsarev was a kind and helpful individual.

“I would describe him as a warm and generous person who was always willing to help

with anything that needed to be done around the department,” Vanderklein said. “He was very curious and was always looking for interesting ways to teach his courses in animal physiology.”

Petroff shared a similar senti ment.

“[I will remember him] as a happy, kind and driven person,” Petroff said.

Lora Billings, the dean of science and mathematics, also shared her deepest condolences in a message sent to the Mont clair State community sharing the sad news.

"Professor Snitsarev was a dedicated member of our fac ulty who was truly committed to [Montclair State], its mission and to helping students reach their potential," Billings said.

He will be missed by all of his colleagues in the College of Sci ence and Mathematics and the university community will con tinue to keep his wife and family in their thoughts and prayers.

Vladislav Snitsarev, an associate professor of biology, unexpectely passed away on Aug. 23.

Photo courtesy of Elena Petroff

Lynise Olivacce Photo Editor

Montclair State University students gathered around campus to celebrate the annual Red Hawk Day on Sept. 1.

The day commenced with a student involvement fair, which consisted of different organizations and clubs.

Students lined up in front of tables to sign up to get more involved around cam pus.

People danced to mu sic, had a barbecue and went on rides at Montclair State’s first-ever carnival.

Attractions ranged from a Ferris wheel, the Round Up ride, the Roll-a-Ball game, Bean Bag Tosses, the Fun Slide, the Paratrooper ride, a mirror maze and tempo rary tattoos.

Many students expressed

PHOTO ESSAY: Red Hawk Day

how much fun they had being on campus and how ready they are to take on the semester.

Faith Monesteri, a fresh man linguistics major, said she was excited to socialize and meet other people as a new student.

“I’m glad that I have this opportunity to join clubs and organizations and I’m also happy to see that there are differ ent ways that we can so cialize with other people who share similar inter ests,” Monesteri said.

Ashley Barberio, a freshman elementary education major, said having Red Hawk Day is a strong way to start the semester.

“Having a whole carni val a day before classes is so fun and it's a great way to meet new people,” Barberio said.

Students slide down the Fun Slide.

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

Students play a ball game. Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

A student gets excited about her win in a bean bag toss game.

Montclair State University held a carnival on Red Hawk Day to kick off the semester. Karsten Englander | The Montclarion

Karsten Englander | The Montclarion

Students ride the Paratrooper ride.

Students dance together.

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

Karsten Englander | The Montclarion

Peter Di Prospero Fosters Film Community

Avery Nixon Opinion Editor

What makes a college student successful? For some, the answer could be having a high GPA or joining a lot of clubs. However, for Peter Di Prospero, success is found through taking initiative and starting something completely new.

Di Prospero is a sophomore film making BFA student who spent the majority of his freshman year getting involved in student filmmaking, over 40 film sets to be exact.

The Bridgewater Township, New Jer sey native heard advice from a friend, fellow sophomore filmmaking major Andy Cook, who told him to work a little every single day. Di Prospero has clearly followed his advice as he has a plethora of film credits and job experi ence under his belt.

“Coming to Montclair [State], the one thing I knew that I needed to do was to hop on as many sets as I could,” Di Prospero said. “The first big set that I was on was a night shoot with a crew of 35 people in Hillsborough that was 15 hours long.”

With being this involved in the uni versity’s filmmaking program, Di Pros pero has gained many connections, experience and even a job opportunity. He works as a video editor for Mont clair State’s Feliciano School of Busi ness.

Di Prospero learned many things in just a short time being employed out side of his classes and spending more time with the professionals.

“You shouldn’t just look at your films as artistic expressions of yourself,” Di Prospero said. “They should be mar keting materials to get you a job and get you employed.”

One of Di Prospero’s greatest feats

yet is his latest, the Montclair State student-run Silver Slate Film Festival. The festival took place on the first day of classes, Friday, Sept. 2.

The festival had a great turnout, a witty host and a plethora of great films handpicked to showcase thanks to the hard work of Di Prospero. Student filmmakers were able to watch and present their films to one another in a safe and fun environment.

Di Prospero is also credited as the founder of the Instagram account @ msu.filmmakers and the MSU [Mont

clair State] Filmmakers Discord serv er. He utilizes Discord’s tools to create a space for all types of students to be a part of student films and uses the In stagram account to promote and give appreciation to those films.

Di Prospero found a problem in the past system of connecting film stu dents to each other and decided to fix it himself.

“Montclair State used to have a really good system of connecting stu dents through Canvas,” Di Prospero said. “There’ll be a Canvas announce

ment board. So when film students had productions [they] wanted to do, they could announce it on the board, and everyone would see it. The prob lem with that Canvas board was it was just restricted to BFA students.”

One of Di Prospero’s greatest quali ties is his commitment to creating an environment where everyone can thrive, not just himself. Not only do people have nice things to say about Di Prospero, but he has many nice things to say about others. His selflessness and passion for creating a community are rare in such a competitive industry.

One of his fellow classmates and close friends, sophomore film and television major Boone Briegs, com mented on DiProspero’s impact on Montclair State filmmaking students.

“Di Prospero is one of the most tal ented, dedicated and hard-working people I’ve had the pleasure to meet,” Briegs said. “His work ethic and fear less nature to learn and grow as a film maker is sincerely inspiring.”

Di Prospero gained more praise from another student, sophomore ani mation/illustration major Natalya “Ar temys” Kozlovski, who has known him since the beginning of their college ventures.

“[Di Prospero] was one of the first friends I made at Montclair [State] during the Summer Bridge Program in 2021,” Kozlovski said. “He’s a genu ine, caring person who loves his craft and I’m very happy to have gotten to know him over this past year and a half.”

Many people give thanks to Di Pros pero and his innovation and hard work towards giving filmmakers a commu nity at Montclair State as well as an opportunity to showcase their work to one another.

Peter Di Prospero (right) and Natalya “Artemys” Kozlovski (left) have known each other since Montclair State’s Summer Bridge program in 2021.

Peter Di Prospero, a sophomore filmmaking major, founded the Silver Slate Film Festival.

Photo courtesy of Richard Kelemen

Photo courtesy of Liv LaBrie

First-Day Fits: Students Show Off Their Back to School Fashion

On Friday, Sept. 2, Montclair State University held its first day of classes for the fall semester. Students at Montclair State participated in “First-Day Fits,” a time for students to show off their firstday outfits in front of University Hall.

The first day of college can feel very intimidating. For some students, this is where their style plays a big part in how they adapt to different environments. Many students use their style as a way to express their daily emotions or tap into their alter egos.

This hour allowed students to share what their first-day look meant to them and how their style contributes to their overall confidence. Students shared in sight on who and what inspires them to be uniquely themselves.

Mars Adams, a freshman film and tele vision major, shared why her style teach es her to be comfortable with herself.

Adams rocked an oversized hoodie with ripped fishnets and paired it with her favorite Steve Madden platform boots. Adam explains that dressing like this wasn’t always a part of her everyday life style, and how over time she was able to be comfortable in the clothing she truly loves.

“I wasn’t allowed to wear what I want ed in high school,” Adams said. “I’m finally able to wear what I want and do my makeup as much as I want. I feel like the confidence that lives in me expresses through my fashion.”

Several upperclassmen spoke about why it’s important to wear what you want and be true to yourself on Montclair State’s campus.

Courtney Theodule, a senior jurispru dence, law and society major, advices incoming freshmen who want to get into fashion on campus to stay true to them selves.

“Since you’re on campus, be unique and be the one that stands out,” Theod ule said. “Try not to be like everyone else or what everyone else wants to buy.”

Theodule started off her fall semes ter with a brown-toned outfit. She paired her pants and brown button-up shirt

with a “Protect Black Women” bag from the black-owned brand CISE. She then topped it all off with her wildly patterned Adidas sneakers.

Theodule believes on top of every trend doesn’t always make you the one that stands out.

“I like stuff that everyone doesn’t have,” Theodule said. “I just feel like that makes me unique on its own.”

Since the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been a rapid increase in the lack of individu ality. Overtime, people have begun to

latch onto each other’s styles and favorite clothing pieces. While this can be great, it stops people from searching for what they like and don’t like.

Sheridan Harney, a freshman biology major, paired a black and white crop top with ripped low-rise jeans and black Doc Martens. Harney also sported different accessories such as a double grommet belt, studded bracelets and a white star tote bag.

Harney’s style inspiration comes from the early 2000s. She also advised on how others can incorporate things they are

genuinely interested in through their style.

“Look at the media you consume and which parts [of] that you enjoy and just take all of it in,” Harney said. “Just don’t be afraid to express yourself.”

Fashion statements are a way to show off individuality. With the ability to make it their own, these students took pride in what they wore and how they presented themselves on their first day of school.

Sheridan Harney pos ing for her first day photo.

Courtney Theodule show ing off her “Protect Black Women” purse.

Students showed up in style on the first day of classes.

Photos courtesy of Jajone Cuff

Crystal Durham Graphic Design Editor

Photo courtesy of Jajone Cuff

Photo courtesy of Jajone Cuff

Summer Reading Recap: “Where the Crawdads Sing”

“Where The Crawdads Sing” expresses author Delia Owens’ love for nature, for the coming of age story and mystery. Pub lished in 2018 as Owens’ debut novel, it was greeted with highly esteemed praise.

It was the Sept. 2018 pick for Reese’s Book Club, Reese Witherspoon’s official book club that highlights women-driven stories. The book was also adapted into a film that premiered in theaters this past July. It stars actress Daisy Edgar-Jones and features a song written and performed by Taylor Swift titled “Carolina.”

So, knowing the movie was in theaters and knowing the hype surrounding it, I read “Where The Crawdads Sing” this summer. Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. I loved the way the story inter twines throughout the years bringing it all together at the end.

Set in North Carolina from the 1950s to the 1970s, the book is a dual timeline story. On one side, it follows the life of Kya Clark, and on the other the detectives investigat ing the murder of town native Chase An drews.

Kya grows up in the marshes outside of the town of Barkley Cove. Readers fol low her as she experiences growing up, womanhood and the interest of two town natives alone in the marsh. However, to the town, she is known as the mysterious “Marsh Girl” and is excluded and taunted when she ventures into town. The story haunts you with the question of who killed Chase, as the evidence is slowly brought forward throughout the novel.

At its core, “Where The Crawdads Sing” is a character study of Kya. She faces the hardships of living on her own and the new challenges of womanhood. Kya learns in dependence by providing for herself, tak ing care of her home and hunting for mus sels on her own. Due to her time alone in

the marsh, she has very little interaction with others.

The readers see her grow through her acquaintance with Jumpin’, the bait and gas store owner, and his wife Mabel. We also watch her relationship with her childhood friend Tate grow and change throughout the years.

This novel also highlights themes of abuse and neglect seen in Kya’s early years as her mother and siblings face abuse from their father. This, in turn, impacts the way Kya grows up and how she views life after her family gradually leaves. The detailed moments into Kya’s mind slowly reveal themselves as crucial to the plot.

The mystery aspect of this book is writ ten very well. Throughout the novel there are time jumps to 1969 when the detec tives are looking into the case. It leaves

readers guessing as they’re thrown from point to point in the story.

Another enjoyable part of the book was the biology. Owens is a biologist as well as a published author. She spent many years in Africa studying and writing about wildlife. She visited North Carolina frequently as a child and was fascinated by many of the same things as Kya when it comes to nature.

Owens uses beautiful descriptive language throughout the novel to show the marshes, ocean and land of North Carolina. She pro vides details about birds, plants, weather, insects and more. It not only enhances the story but is part of Kya’s journey as she holds this extensive knowledge as well.

An example of this in the story is when Kya examines female bugs and animals and how they survive on their own. Wildlife presents itself as a character in this novel. Without many people to talk to, a lot of Kya’s life les

sons are taken from nature. Kya is an advocate for nature in the book and often fights for the marsh, as most of the characters see it as a wasteland, or look for resources to take from it.

The only critique I have is the court case section toward the end of the book. Owens takes time to cover the case in detail and personally, I thought it took up a lot of page space. If you love court cases and the tech nicality of a crime scene it’s definitely for you, but it’s just not my thing.

However, I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone. It is a murder mystery, love story, coming of age story and historical fiction, so there’s something for everyone.

So, as Swift sings, will you find out the secrets “that only Carolina will ever know?”

Rebecca Bienskie Jackson had quite the thrill while reading “Where the Crawdads Sing” this past summer.

Rebecca Bienskie Jackson | The Montclarion

Rebecca Bienskie Jackson Guest Writer

"Where the Crawdads Sing" also has a movie adaption, which came out in July.

Photo courtesy of 3000 Pictures

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What did you do over the summer?

By Lynise Olivacce Photo Editor

“There was the Summer Bridge pro gram, which I didn’t expect to be that fun but I was able to go with my friend and I had a great time.”

Sebastian Alcalde Freshman Undecided

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

“My family and I fostered some puppies that were in the shelter. We fostered one puppy first that was in a shelter so we rescued her and took her for a couple of weeks and brought her to her forever family.”

Sydney Crain Senior Elementary Education

“My greatest experience this summer was going to Croatia. I was on a small ship and we were able to get into the harbors and sailed from Montenegro to Venice. I had casino night and the French were winning everything. So this woman comes up to me, and the funny part is she goes ‘If you buy me a drink I’ll give you $5,000 to get rid of the French.’ I did get them out.”

Christian Velasquez Sophomore Applied Statistics and Mathematics

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion

“This summer I worked at the YMCA summer camp.”

“This summer I went to Hondu ras which is the country where my father was [born]. It was my first time going and it was really fun. I’d like to go back again. The beaches are beautiful, the peo ple are really friendly – it’s very nice.”

Professor Jon Zawacki Justice Studies Professor

Ariel Ortega Freshman Sports Communiction

Lynise Olivacce

Hannah Effinger Production Editor

Avery Nixon Opinion Editor Colin Luderitz Assistant Opinion Editor Nicky Vidal Production Assistant

The Montclarion Crossword Puzzle and More! Back to School Movies Edition

By Jenna Sundel

Across

5. She played Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde.”

6. He played Charlie in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

7. This movie stars Lindsay Lohan as a student attend ing public high school for the first time.

8. This movie is about a cross-country team in California and their journey to becoming champions.

Sudoku

Down

1. This prequel tells the story of Mike and Sulley’s col lege experience.

2. This musical sequel features the song “Back To School Again.”

3. This 2000s movie follows the Toros cheerleading squad.

4. The all-girl acapella group in “Pitch Perfect.”

Word Search

Backpack Classes Notebook

Study

Syllabus Essay

Laptop

Keeping Students Safe Should Be Montclair State’s Top Priority

Finally, Montclair State University students step onto campus this fall maskless and ready to get back to life similar to pre-coronavirus (COVID-19).

While students are thankful to experi ence college life more freely than in the last two years, that does not mean all is perfect on our Spanish Mission-style architecture campus.

There are a few things that need to be improved this year, same as the many years before. However, as students, we know that change is not instant and over time the institution will continue to improve.

Will Montclair State ever improve to the point where I don’t wait for thirty minutes for a large iced mocha latte from the Blanton Hall Dunkin’? That I am not sure of, but a girl can dream.

Probably the number one rule for any school in America, unless your state government officials receive funds from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and give out a plethora of thoughts and prayers, is keeping students safe.

Campus

Keeping students safe means a lot of things. We still need public health regu lations and guidelines to ensure we can attend in-person classes and receive the educational experience we pay thou sands of dollars for.

Keeping masks optional but recom mended couldn’t hurt anyone. The most important thing is stressing the impor tance of sanitation, personal health and keeping sick students out of class rooms.

However, maybe this semester stu dents who do fall ill from COVID-19 or other contagious illnesses should not be heavily penalized for keeping their fellow students safe. We understand attendance is important, but there’s no use in taking attendance if your whole class has COVID-19.

A lot of professors take attendance seriously, but should probably look into some leeway for the students who are doing the responsible thing and not contaminating the entire classroom.

In addition to public health and safety, Montclair State has a sexual

harassment problem that needs to be eradicated.

We’re aware that sexual harassment may be hard to prove and the investigat ing process is long and tiring, but we can all agree that we cannot sit back and let ourselves be subjected to such cruel abuse.

We ask that more resources go into investigating and defeating this prob lem. Harsher punishments and more mandatory education on what sexual harassment is and why it’s so bad will improve the safety of all students.

Montclair State’s incoming fresh men go through an orientation that does teach about this issue, but most freshmen just try to finish the process as quickly as possible.

It’s evident that this is a serious issue and we have to make sure anyone isn’t falsely accused, but whether it’s a false accusation or not, it has to be taken se riously so the victim of either situation can get justice.

It’s hard to investigate a sexual ha rassment/assault case, but it’s not hard

to put in the work to prevent one.

Speaking of harassment, students have been dreading the day the Key of David Christian Center comes back on campus to call us the most heinous things you can think of.

Some student organizations have to jump through a million hoops just to promote themselves on campus with a table and a few signs. So why two weird men with too much free time get to tell a group of students that they are going to Hell freely is beyond me.

Maybe this year we don’t protect the protestors and we protect the students who are in thousands of dollars of debt just to receive their degree.

In all, we want to make this school year a great one. And we can’t do that without the help of the institution to ensure our safety from disease, harass ment and people who probably spent too much money on poster board and looking up new insults on UrbanDic tionary.com.

By Lynise Olivacce

“I hope there’s stuff to be involved in be cause I was not able to go to orientation coming from Costa Rica. I hope there is stuff to do where everyone can come togeth er and interact as an incoming freshman.”

- Alina Angulo Business Management Freshman

“I just really hope they do better with commu nicating to us when there’s an issue on campus. Montclair [State] needs to do a better job of like handling situations, especially in greek life. Es pecially with that Phi Sig thing. The campus lit erally did nothing about it. I feel like Montclair [State] should’ve said something and they just like kept it silent. I feel like Montclair [State] is more interested in its own reputation than [bet tering] the lives of its students.”

- Jonah Glass Education Junior

“I think Montclair State can do a better job with the management of their money. I think it’s great that they are having these different events on campus, I’m all for student involvement, but it shows that they do have the budget to fix the current state of the campus. Like the roots of the trees seems like it [is] actually coming out of the bricks near the quad and that is a serious safety concern, which I learned from personal experience.”

- Jess Vaccaro B.A. Theatre Studies Senior

Hannah Effinger | The Montclarion

What’s something you hope Mont clair State does in the upcoming semester?

Online Rumors Have Real World Consequences

Sal DiMaggio Feature Editor

Most Montclair State University students know of the Instagram ac count @montclairstateconfessions.

The account, with over 6,000 follow ers, is widely known for posting stu dents’ anonymous confessions about what goes on in Red Hawk Country, from the raw chicken at Sam’s Place to rants against professors. Additionally, the account has been an active voice in speaking out against the sexual as sault claims that come from students and is a strong advocate for victims.

But recently the account has been a subject of controversy for selling an archive of confessions on its web site. In these confessions, the owner of the account does not censor any one named in them, leaving those people subject to any judgment that may come from those confessions.

The problem is that these rumors be ing put out there are just that, rumors.

There is no proof to back them up whatsoever, and yet the owner of the account seems to have no concern about the impact that this may have on many students’ lives.

After facing some backlash, the own er of the account said that the confes sions were not to be taken as fact, but that does nothing in people’s minds. Once a rumor spreads, it doesn’t stop until proven wrong, placing the bur den on the accused to fend for them selves. All because some person on In stagram wanted to make a few bucks.

The fact that the account is

doing this for money raises some ethical questions as well.

Telling people they can see rumors about their peers for cheap if they use a promo code says a lot about how much the person behind the account cares for the consequences. Almost as if they care more about making money than keep ing innocent people’s reputations safe.

Some may question why I am speak ing out against this. “Mind your busi ness,” they might say. “This doesn’t con cern you if you have nothing to hide.”

While I don’t have anything to hide, the reason why I’m so passionate about this is that I know what it’s like to have a false confession made against me.

Now, I wasn’t named in a confession, and this was months before the person now in charge of @montclairstatecon fessions took over. But let me tell you, it does not feel good to have false ac cusations thrown at you online, and to know that someone you thought was your friend broke your trust.

It was right before winter break began, and I remember scrolling through Instagram in my bed. I came across the post, stopped and read it again. It took a second before the real ization set in: the post was about me, and someone I care for very much.

Because I wasn’t named in the post, luckily I didn’t have to deal with any social consequences.

However, the person who had made the post had taken a private conversa tion that I had with someone else and completely twisted it to make me be seen in a negative light. What’s more, they admitted they were thinking of plotting against me to ruin my relationship. And here they were, spilling it out to all of In stagram. All because, as they admitted later, they were jealous of my happiness.

I’m not going to name the person who wrote the confession about me. They deserve their privacy as much as I deserve mine, and I would be a hypocrite to expose them here.

Whatever they are doing now, I genuinely hope they are doing well.

I do know that some of what might be in this archive is true and that the accused don’t deserve to be shielded. But I know firsthand the pain of seeing somebody trying to ex pose and harm you on social media.

Cyberbullying and cyber ha rassment is no joke, and @mont clairstateconfessions’ latest actions raise the question if they are help ing this kind of behavior thrive.

As a journalism major, it’s in grained in me to find the facts be fore releasing information. If a story can’t stand on its own merits, it doesn’t deserve to be published.

While @montclairstateconfessions may not claim to be doing journalism, the owner might want to consider tak ing a page out of our playbook for once. Just because you stand behind the shield of anonymity doesn’t mean you don’t bear the responsibility for what you do.

So here I am imploring that @montclairstateconfes sions stop what they are doing.

I have great admiration and respect for how you are speaking out against sexual assault, and I think you should redirect your focus toward goals like that. But you have to realize that naming people on the internet in rumors has real-world consequences, whether you care or not.

Andrew Tate’s Not Closeted, He’s Just Bigoted

Sofia Acevedo Valencia Assistant Opinion Editor

By now, the whole wide world has heard of the bigoted feats of Andrew Tate.

The former kickboxer and cre ator of the future incels in society has made repulsive claims about women being property, how they “must bear some responsibility” in the unfortu nate case that they are sexually as saulted and countless others that paint women as something less than human beings undeserving of basic rights.

You would assume a bald man with the ego fragility of your average frat boy would take his enterprise to a big ger scale, and you assumed correctly.

Tate’s Hustler’s University aims to “help you create a life plan that will keep you focused” by making income online, rather than being stuck in a nine-to-five job, for only 49 dollars a month. It’s no surprise Tate’s lackeys are struggling financially with such a hefty price for his invaluable knowledge.

I wonder if he teaches them how to become a wanted criminal in five simple steps? You heard that right, the infamous podcast host whose rheto ric we have been force-fed this past year is a human trafficker, allegedly.

Luckily, Tate has been banned from all mainstream social media platforms, in cluding Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitch according to Variety. However, he managed to be

come as big of an active public threat as former President Donald Trump thanks to his large following and content, which seeks to engrain the toxic masculinity mindset into the brains of impressionable young boys.

With this in mind, I would like to shed some light on the way we, so ciety as a whole, tend to react when faced with massive amounts of vio lence, especially Tate’s target: women.

Oftentimes when a conservative or right-wing political ally express es these harmful sentiments, from bigotry and racism to homophobia, transphobia, islamophobia, etc., a per son could be the biggest, misogynis tic cisgender man on the planet and some will blame it on the fact that they’re “secretly gay” or “closeted.”

I used to think this way be cause joking and using it as a coping mechanism was better than accept

ing the fact that some men really do hate women. In fact, they hate anyone that doesn’t align with their traditional masculine lifestyle including BIPOC, LGBTQ+ individuals, those with a different faith or belief, you name it.

All the LGBTQ+ people I know personally deal with internal ized homophobia, myself included.

I assure you that questioning my sexuality and gender fluidity from time to time does not result in me violently bashing my community and making them responsible for breed ing unfeeling, twisted criminals.

Although not intentional, we are un consciously excusing this behavior out of fear that, if we don’t go along with the silence and compliance that’s expected of us, we will be villainized. We are told that women are too sensitive and emo tional, they overreact for absolutely no reason. That kind of mindset is what

gets minorities killed daily. We are not taken seriously until tragedies happen. That’s why I believe we abso lutely must wake up and start thinking of why men like Tate are so influential.

His followers are brain-washed into thinking happiness comes from money and being narcissistic idiots that only look out for themselves. When that type of mentality is enabled, it takes just the right kind of blindly loyal devotee to do vicious acts in the name of their leader.

Trying to see the best in every one is a very kind sentiment, but it’s something that’s going to make you ignore the gravity of the situation. These people don’t deserve a little giggle from our obvious discomfort and, as a result, being let off so easily.

They should be ashamed of having the audacity of making such remarks against women and anyone different from them because, sadly, they’re the very same men that are taking our rights away in Congress. They hold po sitions of power in all segments of our daily life because our patriarchal, capi talist society has exploited those most vulnerable, pushing ruthless people to the top. After all, they would not hesi tate to call your existence worthless if it means they’ll be making more money.

Do not make a dangerous man with life-threatening views like An drew Tate seem like an innocent little lamb because he’s much worse than what he’s willingly showing the world.

SalDiMaggio,asophomorejournalismanddigital mediamajor,isinhisfirstyearasthefeatureeditor for The Montclarion.

Nicky Vidal | The Montclarion

Nicky Vidal | The Montclarion

Men Don’t Care Enough About Roe v. Wade’s Overturn

Sofia Acevedo Valencia Assistant Opinion Editor

v. Wade, a landmark deci sion for reproductive rights, which stated that a person’s right to an abortion is protected by the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution, came to an end after almost 50 years of precedent.

Roe

It has since been overturned by the conservative-packed Supreme Court, courtesy of the orange-skintoned excuse of a man who served our country one long presidential term.

Countless women, transgender men and gender-nonconforming people across the United States have been de nied autonomy over their bodies. This will also disproportionately affect mid dle-class and poor people of color that lack the resources to have an abortion.

Not only that, America has the highest maternity mortal ity rate among all developed coun tries according to The Guardian.

No amount of words can be gin to explain the rage, frustra tion and sadness that I feel.

We might live in a blue, Demo cratic state as is New Jersey, but what about those that don’t have the luxury of that? Those that don’t wish to be pregnant, or have to abort because there are medical factors that put their lives at risk? They will be punished for taking control of their bodies and le gally, so will their doctors and nurses.

And yet, when I log into my so cial media, all I see are those directly

affected by the overturning of Roe and a select few that have taken a small time of their day to step into someone else’s shoes and feel an ounce of com passion for the hardships of others.

However, many of the men I follow and know personally have been quiet about this. Male friends, colleagues and classmates that I respect and admire, that I thought cared about the world around us have chosen to look away. You haven’t even given me crickets to fill in the loud silence that I hear from you. Why have you chosen to turn a blind eye?

I’m here to tell you that I could not care less about your excuses and can only express how disappointed I am in you.

I don’t take pleasure in engaging in a discussion with ignorant, bigoted people because it’s worse than talking to a brick wall. So for you pro-lifers out there, cry me a river. You are way too low in my moral compass for me to even think about acknowledging you.

What angers me is that I know

Hannah Effinger | The Montclarion

of men whose partners take birth con trol and subject themselves to the hun dreds of side effects that make their lives a miserable hell. But when men get vasectomies, they are praised and celebrated while taking their partners’ medical sacrifice for granted as long as they get to have unprotected sex.

While I don’t believe vasecto mies are the bare minimum, as it is a medical procedure with important factors that should be taken into ac count, men are often put on a ped estal for showing basic human emo tions as if they are incapable of it.

I could tell you to not take this as a call-out or a blame game of who’s doing more or less, but as an opportu nity, since men benefit the most from our patriarchal society. To do better be cause I know you are capable of it. To look at the privilege that you hold as a cisgender man, even more, if you are heterosexual and white, and how this is the time to speak up and act. But I am

Why I Converted to Islam

tired of asking for your help to no avail. Why should we have to educate and urge you to care about what’s going on? Why do I find myself thinking about how to appeal to you most so you will think we are worthy of your attention? Why do you have to be told things like “What if that was your mother or sister going through it?” for you to understand? Does a person have to mean some thing to you or serve a purpose in your life in any way for you to give a damn?

I and the entirety of Ameri cans able to become pregnant are not responsible for making you under stand. Your silence makes you ignorant and complicit in the abuse that we are all going through and how this deci sion will affect us in the years to come.

Surface-level awareness about the sociopolitical state of the United States gives the average American enough insight into the fact that Re publicans or Democrats, we have been betrayed by our government once again and this will not be the end of it.

Now that abortion is no longer pro tected as a constitutional right, I urge you to delete period tracking apps as your data is highly sensitive information, be well-informed on abortion resources ahead of time and donate to non-profit abortion funds if you are able. The Na tional Network of Abortion Funds lists several organizations in all U.S. states.

Dear men, I hope you turn to reason and if you cannot truly have a kind and feeling heart, decide to fight for a bet ter future for yourself, your friends and the family that you could have one day.

SofiaAcevedoValencia,asophomorepoliticalscience major,isinherfirstyearastheassistantopinionedi tor for The Montclarion.

Cole Tasgal Guest Writer

I did not have a religious upbring ing, therefore I was exposed to a wide variety of other cultures and religions as I was growing up. Every religion adheres to its unique canon of norms concerning behavior, dress and other aspects of life.

There are monotheistic faiths such as Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Other religions such as Buddhism don’t have one god but have a variety of dif ferent views about life and the hereafter.

The practice of religion is one of the world’s most time-honored customs that is still carried out today.

My decision to become a Muslim came about as a result of a chain of un fortunate circumstances in my life. I was choosing either between the Christian religion or the Islamic religion. Christi anity and Islam are both quite similar religions, and both include important individuals like Jesus in their canons.

Since I was raised in an environment with many Christians and took part in many Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas, I was culturally more famil iar with Christianity than other world religions. I didn’t know much about the different branches of Christianity, such as whether there is something called orthodox or traditional Christianity or whether some Christians are more de voted to the religion than others.

However, the reason I chose Islam was the people who practiced that reli gion tended to be more devoted to be ing Muslim in my experience. I decided to become a Muslim not just so that I could find a solution to my problems, but also so that I could become part of a community.

Since the purpose of religion is to bring people of like faiths and values to gether, it stands to reason that I would not have converted to Islam if it were not one of the most widely practiced re ligions on the planet.

It is not necessary to pray more than five times a day or wear a heads carf in order to be considered a devout Muslim; rather, it is more important to remain faithful to who you are as a per

son and to remain in intimate contact with yourself.

Even though the Quran, which is the most important religious text in Is lam and is considered by Muslims to be a revelation from God, is constantly be ing updated with new interpretations of which behaviors, thoughts and actions are considered haram and which aren’t.

Being a devoted Muslim to me means following your own path, fol lowing your own ethics and doing what you want to do regardless of what other people say, all while having faith that a spiritual figure known as Allah is al ways with you.

Today, Islam is one of the fastestgrowing religions in the world. It origi nated in Saudi Arabia and reached as

far as places like Malaysia and Indone sia. People of all different walks of life convert to Islam, no matter race, ethnic ity, culture, etc.

Islam is one of the most common religions that prisoners who are look ing to reform their life convert to. I for mally converted to Islam at the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Clifton last month, and I plan to go forward with the religion and expect great things of all sorts to happen from here.

ColeTasgal,a sophomorehumanitiesmajor,isinhis firstyearasaguestwriterforTheMontclarion.

Nicky Vidal | The Montclarion

“Did He Just See A Face?”

By Alex Pavljuk

There was a tapping on the window pane that could be heard from across the room. The man, who sat alone on his broken and dilapidated couch, couldn’t be bothered by what he presumed was the constant pitter-patter of the rain storm which hadn’t let up since he put on his movie over two hours ago.

His coffee, which was brewed after the revelation of the killer’s identity in the late second act, now sat cold on his chipped and stained table designed for such a beverage. As the film faded to black, the man looked on silently at the names of those who worked on the film. His uncontested eye contact with the ongoing text against the dimmed lamp light reflecting on the black screen remained unshaken.

Yet the tapping persisted and unannounced to the man. His slipper, which sat just barely on the edge of his foot, bounced amongst the rhythm of the rain. That was until the rhythm fell off its rails with two loud thumps which shook the cold coffee into a ripple. Startled by the disso nance afoot he shot to his feet and shuffled with caution to the hallway just off of the TV room.

At the end of the hallway sat the window in question. The light of the moon’s cascading light bled into the now cav ernous corridor of existentially irrational horror. The rain still came down and leaves blew across the air from a dying oak tree just next to his garden down below.

The wood below his feet creaked and upon reaching the windowsill he looked out but all was but a blur from the wash of the storm. He turned away, but the feeling in his heart still stood cold. He fought the urge to just leave it be but for some reason, he still turned to look and see.

He pressed his hands firmly against the glass and squinted through the darkness of this stormy autumn eve. He hoped he’d notice nothing so he looked quickly and missed the tall individual standing under the orange hue of the single street lamp. The man’s attention was instead drawn to the storm screen on the other side of the window which he now noticed was sporting a splintered laceration that was not there the last time he checked.

Then, with a pit in his stomach, he looked out again to see the face of someone looking back at him. There was a coldness in their brow and frustration in their eyes as they pulled a bloodied knife out from behind their back.

The man fell to the floor and scurried to his cold coffee. He shut the door to the TV den and turned on the cable in hopes that this was just his imagination. Yet upon the first switch of the channel was a newscast. His thumb hovered above the arrow on the remote but he didn’t press it yet.

“This just in, local police are issuing a stay-at-home order as they try to capture escaped killer Howard Lutz. Lutz was originally captured and imprisoned four years back after his string of lethal home break-ins. We will warn you the image you are about to see is…startling.”

Then, from the depths of the TV screen was the face from the road staring back at him. The man, lost in this waking night terror, swallowed sharply before quickly snapping the TV back to darkness.

His breath was heavy, and the rain was steady. However, from the other side of the door once more came two... loud...thumps.

“A Woman’s Torment”

By Avery Nixon

I look back on my life and think about what I did to deserve any of this.

I am literally begging God himself to end my suffering. I can no longer bear to endure the trauma he has burdened me with.

For the first time since freshman year of high school, I con template ending my life as a solution to the mental anguish

I am in.

Every second I stay here, I can feel a piece of happiness in my heart be ripped out and eaten by savage demons while they make me watch. I look at the door and wonder if I ran away I could make it unscathed by this monster. I’m too emotionally drained to even put up a fight. In fact, I’ve almost completely dissociated from reality just to keep my self sane. The things he is saying are almost inaudible in my head and I can barely tell if he’s speaking English to me.

If I don’t make it out of here alive, I want my mom and dad to know how much I love them and how grateful I am for them.

I can only ignore his torture for so long. His words are get ting clearer.

“Okay, so basically the real point of the film is that each character’s story entangles itself with the rest and it’s like all their bad judgment and fate that brings them all togeth er. Personally, I think Tarantino is a genius and he should be thought of as the next Mozart. I saw you started to get a little confused or a little baffled by the end. Don’t worry, I was a little confused my first time watching it too. Any ways, this next movie you are going to love. So, Leonardo DiCaprio plays this dude who has his own brokerage firm, that’s like stocks and stuff, and then he’s like, embezzling from investors and the FBI-”

Please God, please kill me.

Avery Nixon Opinion Editor Montclair State Film Students Put On Their Very Own Silver Slate Film Festival

Thanks to sophomore film making student Peter Di Prospero, film majors and other students got to come together in Montclair State University’s School of Communication and Media (SCM) to celebrate the work they have created.

Taking place on the first day of classes for the 2022 fall semester, many students and film enthusiasts gathered in the SCM’s Presentation Hall to watch hours’ worth of Montclair State student films.

This was the festival’s first year and it was a success.

Hosted by Di Prospero and junior communication and media studies major Nick Najarian, the hilarious pair gave quite the show.

The festival started out giving thanks to those who have helped the festival take its feet off the ground: faculty and staff members Frank Mar tinez, Stuart MacLelland and Krystal Acosta; the BMO Cage; Montclair State’s Video Production Club; The Montclarion and sophomore filmmak ing majors Sean Thrunk and Aidan Ping.

One of the highlights of the first block of films was sophomore film making major Izzy Love’s “The Horse,” a mockumentary starring the host, Najarian, and his character’s journey to discover what a horse truly is.

It is a genuinely hilarious project that was executed by Love as a fresh man, which is quite impressive.

The entire crowd was laughing and enjoying themselves, it was a great start to the event.

After a few films, the students en joyed a quick 10-minute break where they gave insight into their opinions of the festival so far. There was a break between each block of films, with snacks and water outside or a question-and-answer session with the filmmakers being showcased.

Samantha Bussinger, a freshman film and television major, and Salva

tore Sciascia, a freshman filmmaking major, were lucky enough to experi ence this newly-found festival on their first day of classes.

“I think this film festival is very well organized,” Bussinger said. “There are lots of different films, and it’s really cool. I think it’s really creative as well.”

Sciascia commented on how the festival impacted him.

“I think it’s a really cool way to get a feel of some of the films you may be helping to make here,” Sciascia said.

“It’s a really good way to meet some new people as well.”

The second block of films had

hilarious shorts such as “Lets Ride” by senior filmmaking major Hunter Dunn and “There will be nugs” by senior filmmaking major Alex Glover. Both received lots of laughs from the audience.

“Spin Cycles” by junior filmmaking major Colin Hankenson was missing some of the humor that the other films had, however, it stole the spotlight as it was hard to believe it was a film by only student filmmakers. It focused on a laundromat employee getting caught in the middle of a murder who uses the business to save himself and get out of trouble with the felons.

One of the best films shown was by Raina Cagiao, who graduated in May of 2022. Her film, “Oh Children, My Children,” is about a Catholic teenager who finds herself pregnant and has to navigate life while no one is there to help her.

It was moving, shot beautifully and a perfect closer to its block of films.

In all, the Silver Slate Film Festival had a great first year, and it is expected to be an annual event for Montclair State students to show their hard work and dedication to their craft.

Students gathered to watch student films, such as James Lynch’s “The Tutor,” at the Silver Slate Film Festival hosted in the School of Communication and Media.

Katie Lawrence | The Montclarion

Peter Di Prospero (left) and Nick Najarian (right) hosted the Silver Slate Film Festival together.

Avery Nixon | The Montclarion

‘Bodies Bodies Bodies’ Slayed My Expectations

Editor’s Choice

“But I’m Letting Go” takes three of NI KI’s tracks from her latest album, “Nicole,” and turns it into a short film production chronicling the start and end of a young couple’s relationship. Released Aug. 18 on Amazon Prime, the film features Nicole Zefanya (NIKI) and Peter Adrian Sudarso experiencing a series of highs and lows set to the songs “Before,” “Oceans & Engines” and “High School in Jakarta.”

We’ve gotten a few attempts at hor ror specifically tailored to Gen-Z but none quite like this film.

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” opens with Bee (Maria Bakalova) and Sophie (Amandla Stenberg), a new couple ven turing into the hills of an undisclosed location to meet Sophie’s friends at one of their parents’ homes; enter Alice (Rachel Sennott), Emma (Chase Sui Wonders), David (Pete Davidson), Jordan (Myha’la Herrold) and Greg (Lee Pace).

The group is not expecting Sophie – let alone for her to bring a girlfriend in tow, and clear animosity ripples between members of the group as they begin to discuss Sophie’s arrival. Eventually, they decide to play Bodies Bodies Bodies: a game in which one person is assigned to be a murderer and has to silently kill the other play ers. They get through a singular round of the game until it takes an unexpect ed turn to its literal meaning, as one of the players is found actually dead and the power goes out. The group is left in the dark as they take it upon them selves to find the murderer as they try to protect themselves from becoming the next victim.

This has been my most anticipated movie of the year since I saw the teaser trailer in March, and wow was it worth the wait. I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this movie’s one-hour and 35-minute runtime, and since my first draft of this review, I have seen it three more times. It was funny, realistic and suspenseful in a way many horror films have been missing the mark in recent years.

Coming off of A24’s other horror films of the year, “Men” and “X,” I didn’t mind the lack of actual jump-scare, gory horror I had originally expected from this film. The way the suspense builds throughout the movie is more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, but it does this in a way that breaks the predictable jump scare setup – opting for most of the murders to happen off-screen, leaving the find ing of each body and the characters’

fears to drive the film forward.

The entire cast is absolutely phe nomenal. From Bakalova’s quiet intensity and questionable motives to Davidson and Pace’s scarily believable rivalry, every member of the cast really shows up for this film. That being said, Sennott’s Alice and Stenberg’s Sophie are certainly the stand-out performanc es of the film.

Sennott’s comedic timing deserves an Oscar. Truly, this movie would not be as fun as it is without Alice. Sennott has a way of grabbing the audience by the throat and forcing them into the room with her, effortlessly captur ing your attention every time she’s on screen. Despite the fact she is not exactly the main character, she is the backbone of this movie.

Stenberg drives the more serious, emotional part of the film. Sophie regularly gets her dirty laundry aired out in front of her new girlfriend in an effort to smoke out the killer, and see ing Sternberg get to play this kind of unhinged character is truly impressive.

Overall, the plot of this movie isn’t completely anything new. The concept

of seven kids partying in a massive house until someone dies mysteriously is an overused trope, but something about it just feels so fresh, and it gives a surprisingly accurate (albeit obvi ously satirical) portrayal of how kids in their early 20s act.

I’m normally pretty good at predict ing who the killer is and who’s going to die in these types of movies. However, I was really thrown off by the film’s finale.

While I was in the theater, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. I felt like I needed more from something that had such a long build-up (and I also was slightly upset my predictions were wrong). But reflecting on it now, I did end up loving it — it was unique, and it made complete sense within the context of the film.

“Bodies Bodies Bodies” is an in stant cult classic. I wouldn’t be sur prised if it fell into the campy horror canon next to other favorites like “Jen nifer’s Body” (2009) and “Heathers” (1989) in the near future, so definitely see it in theaters while you still can.

As someone that hadn’t listened to the entirety of the album yet and only knew of “Oceans & Engines” prior to watching, the short film did the chosen tracks justice as it visualized the lyrics. Rather than an al bum that only checks off a catchy sound, listeners essentially read into the very pri vate and personal thoughts of NIKI, which still manage to be relatable. The meaning of the lyrics are highlighted through the short film as they’re accompanied by cho reography and pauses between songs for dialogue.

The 29 minute runtime is a tear-jerking experience that’ll only add to your percep tion of the artist’s experiences that she so openly shares in this album.

‘Community’ on Netflix

Photo courtesy of NBC

I might be seven years late, but having just finished the last episode of “Commu nity,” the six-season sitcom has solidified a spot in my top picks to stream over the summer.

The show follows a group of students attending Greendale Community College, each day of school bringing unpredictable, unimaginable shenanigans and scenarios that bring them closer together. This can be anything from intense paintball fights and unproductive study sessions to build ing school-wide pillow forts.

The core cast experiences what any typical friend group does: romance, drama, struggles with classes and harsh teachers and a plethora of personal strengths and weaknesses each character navigates.

Keeping up with their journey as friends until they each follow their individual paths throughout the seasons leaves you feeling attached and missing their dynamic.

‘But I’m Letting Go’ on Amazon Prime

Photo courtesy of Amazon Prime

Hannah Effinger Production Editor

Emma (Chase Sui Wonders) and David (Pete Davidson) get cozy in the calm before the storm.

Photo courtesy of A24(left to right): Bee (Maria Bakalova), Sophie (Amandla Stenberg), Jordan (Myha’la Herrold) and Alice (Rachel Sennott) attempt to search for clues as to who is murdering their friends.

Photo courtesy of A24

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ Is a Classic Superhero Adventure

Maya Niemsyk Guest Writer

With the loss of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man and the “retirement” of Chris Evan’s Captain America, who else remains but Chris Hemsworth’s titular god of thunder as one of the few remaining “original players” in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)?

The past decade has seen Thor experience growth (both as an indi vidual and a hero), heartbreak, grief and loss, and in this film, his struggle with finding his place in a post “Aveng ers: Endgame” world. With so many varying experiences and character arcs that Hemsworth’s god of thunder has gone through, one might think, “What else is there to do with this character?”

However, even with the character’s longevity in the MCU, “Thor: Love and Thunder” somehow finds a refreshing, new way for audiences to experience both Thor’s character and the larger world which encapsulates him. And with director/actor Taika Waititi back at the helm for the fourth installment, the movie is nothing short of a fastpaced, humorous and, at times, heartwrenching journey of rediscovering one’s self.

As previously mentioned, following the events of “Avengers: Endgame,” Thor finds himself in an awkward spot. He’s not quite ready to lead his people, mentally and physically, but he also knows his days of being a hero are behind him.

So what does one do in such a dilemma? Go into space on quirky new adventures with the Guardians of The Galaxy, of course, which is where we find Thor at the beginning of the film.

After a quick workout montage (which yes, is reminiscent of those classic 80’s movie montages) and a strange yet hilarious misadventure with the Guardians, Thor finally

returns to his home of New Asgard after receiving word of a madman who seeks to rid the world of all gods. Along with his ex-love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now mysteriously pos sesses Thor’s old hammer, Mjölnir, as well as Tessa Thompson’s King Valkyrie and Waititi’s Korg, Thor sets out on a quest to defeat the madman, Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale) while rediscovering his purpose in the world.

While this movie has everything one comes to expect from a Waititi film (a.k.a. a plethora of humor), it takes what made Waititi’s last Marvel film, “Thor: Ragnarok,” lovable and cranks it up to a 10, sacrificing storytelling for laughs at certain points and thus,

coming off as a satire of the superhero genre overall. Along with sporadic in stances of serious and grievous scenes sprinkled throughout that feel like a gut punch, “Thor: Love and Thunder” comes off as unsure as to what it wants to be.

I felt that, while marketed as a romance and journey of self-discovery, both of which are paramount aspects that help to make it feel refreshing, the film was, at its heart, a comedy more than anything else. Even so, one no table aspect that broke up this constant humor was Bale’s terrifying portrayal as Gorr the God Butcher. While his character arc was not fully fleshed out, what was shown of him was absolutely spine-chilling and made for a strong

addition to the MCU’s villain oeuvre.

In a similar vein, Portman’s Jane, while an extremely cool character, was also unable to have her arc fully fleshed out, thus diminishing the char acter’s importance and impact in the film overall.

So, is Hemsworth’s fourth outing as the titular god of thunder worth it?

In essence, yes. While fast-paced with its plot and sometimes trad ing its storytelling for a humorous quip, “Thor: Love and Thunder” falls nothing short of the kind of classic, superhero adventure one would expect from Waititi and Hemsworth’s Thor while simultaneously ushering the god of thunder into the next phase of his journey in the wider Marvel world.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) meditates on top of a mountain during one of his many misadventures with the Guardians of The Galaxy.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

King Valkyrie (left) and Jane Foster (right) sit amongst various other gods in Omnipotence City.

Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

Sam Mills Enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022

It was a long time coming, but now Mills gets the respect he deserves.

Matt Orth Sports Editor

Alotof different emotions were felt at the Tom Ben son Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Excitement. Sadness. But most importantly, there was a huge weight lifted off the shoulders of the family of legendary linebacker and for mer Montclair State University football player Sam Mills. Who finally got the ultimate moment in the world of football.

Mills was enshrined into the Class of 2022 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame alongside former Jacksonville Jaguars tackle Tony Boselli, Oakland Raiders wide receiver Cliff Branch, Green Bay Packers safety LeRoy Butler, of ficial Art McNally, New England Patriots defensive end Richard Seymour, Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil and San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Bryant Young.

Sam Mills’ wife Melanie Mills was introduced on stage to a quick embrace from his former coach on the Philadelphia Stars and the New Orleans Saints, Jim Mora, who acknowledged Sam Mills as one of the best play ers he ever coached. And he’s coached Peyton Manning.

Mora hounded down on the perception that Sam Mills was too short to be a linebacker in football and gave an anecdote on how he beat that judgment.

“There’s a saying in football that the low man wins,” Mora

said. “That means if I’m block ing you, whoever has leverage on the other end is probably going to win that one-on-one battle. Sam had that lever age naturally because he was shorter than most of the line backers. He was strong and he was a dedicated player.”

Melanie Mills was present ed by Mora with Sam Mill’s head bust, which was crafted beautifully, and she then gave a short but sweet speech about her late husband.

“If you were working hard at anything, Sam [Mills] would let you know he would appreciate your hard work,” Melanie Mills said. “He would make you feel seen. It’s no wonder Sam inspired so many people, and the [Caro lina] Panthers adopted his motto ‘Keep Pounding’. He was more than just a good football player, he was a great father, friend and husband.”

Melanie Mills ended her speech with an appreciation for the vast amount of football fans and media in the crowd, including the Red Hawk Sports Network. And gave everyone the aforementioned motto Sam Mills is so widely known for in Carolina and amongst our very own Red Hawks.

“Thank you for believing in Sam [Mills] and keeping his story alive,” Melanie Mills said. “Keep pounding every one. That is what Sam would want you to do.”

NBC Sports NFL writer Pe ter King, one of the members who picks the next legendary class of players and coaches for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, knew that a certain part of Sam Mills’ career would help his case compared to the rest of the potential candi dates.

“One of the things I have al ways said about Sam Mills is that it’s called the Pro Football Hall of Fame for a reason,” King said. “His three years in the [United State Football League (USFL)]. While certainly not the only rea son you get into the hall of fame, [Sam] Mills was the best allaround defensive player in the USFL, right along with [Carolina Panthers defensive end] Reggie White, in the league’s three-year history. He was a real big impact player.”

Sam Mills also left an impact during his time playing for Mont clair State from 1977 to 1980. He was a three-time NJ Collegiate Football Writers Defensive Player of the Year, and was also named to the New Jersey Athletic Con ference All-Star Team for all four years with the university. He also set two records; the most tackles in a game and a career.

One of Sam Mills’ assistant coaches at that time was the current head coach of the Red Hawks, Rick Giancola. In his four-decade-plus tenure as head coach, and even longer overall as a coach, “Coach G” recognized how different of a player Sam Mills was.

“We were very fortunate to

get him to come here,” Giancola said. “There was a situation that scared us a little bit because his high school football coach Frank Glazier left Long Branch High School and took the job at Wil liam Paterson [University]. That scared us a little bit because [Gla zier] and Sam [Mills] had a pretty good relationship. And when head coach [Fred] Hill spoke to him about that, Sam [Mills] said to Coach Hill, ‘I give you my hand.’ They shook hands. And Sam [Mills] was committed to Montclair State. That’s the kind of young man he was; a young man of character, he was upfront and honest.”

Giancola said this strong char acter never left Sam Mills during his time at Montclair State.

“He was always doing what he was asked to do,” Giancola said. “But more than that, he was al ways willing to help people. And he played with the gusto and the challenge of a young man who loved football, and that’s the way he played. If you saw him off the field, you would say, ‘Boy, he’s a football player.’”

He was a football player. But on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, one can officially say that Sam Mills, former Montclair State lineback er, is one of the greatest football players to ever grace the field. And even at five foot nine, the Field Mouse can now look over the historic land of Canton, Ohio as a legend. But most important ly, a great man.

Melanie Mills and Jim Mora Sr. stand next to Sam Mills’ head bust.

Photo courtesy of Lauren Bacho/NFL

Erin Blanchfield Hard at Work to Fight in UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden

Rising UFC flyweight contender and Montclair State University student Erin Blanchfield will look to get past the streaking Molly McCann in front of a hometown crowd.

Blanchfield and McCann will meet in the octagon at UFC 281 on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Growing up, Blanchfield always had a dream of fighting at Madison Square Garden.

“I used to train a lot at [Renzo Gracie Academy], it’s literally across the street so whenever I’d go there, I would take the train and have to walk past Madison Square Garden every day,” Blanchfield said. “I’ve always wanted to fight there. All my family is from New York, and it’s also the mecca of combat sports so that’s like the big gest thing for me, I didn’t even care who I fought, I just wanted to get on that card.”

Blanchfield, who is the UFC’s 12th ranked flyweight, is currently riding on a six-fight win streak, half of them com ing from matches within the UFC, and is coming off of an impressive secondround win over JJ Aldrich thanks to a standing guillotine choke.

Blanchfield made her UFC debut last September where she dominated Sarah Alpar in the match to a unani mous decision win and followed up with a record-setting performance against Miranda Maverick as she set

the flyweight takedown record with eight.

On a three-fight win streak of her own, McCann, or “Meatball,” has had an exciting year, to say the least. Her year began with a bang at UFC Lon don in March as McCann registered a devastating spinning back elbow finish in the third round over Luanna Caro lina.

Just four months later, in London again, McCann defeated Hannah Goldy with another spinning back el bow leading to a first-round TKO. Af ter back-to-back incredible finishes, McCann entered the official UFC flyweight rankings at 15th and has caught the attention of the public eye.

With Blanchfield and McCann clashing together with full heads of steam, Augie Matias, Blanchfield’s jiu-jitsu coach, believes this fight is an enormous opportunity for Blanch field.

UFC 281 is shaping up to be one of the best cards of the year and it is headlined by Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira for the middleweight title.

“Every fight is important, but this fight will have a lot of attention,” Ma tias said. “Big pay-per-view card with Adesanya as the main event will have a lot of eyes on [Blanchfield’s] fight. Hav ing a fight at Madison Square Garden in front of her family and friends is big for [Blanchfield] personally. A win at UFC 281 will elevate [Blanchfield’s] popularity I believe. [McCann] brings a

lot of hype which also brings a lot of attention to this fight.”

Both fighters offer unique styles and skills. Blanchfield is comfortable wherever the fight goes but has ultrarare and elite grappling/wrestling for her age, whereas McCann almost always prefers to strike with her op ponents.

Matias has supreme confidence in Blanchfield.

“This matchup is very good for [Blanchfield] and not good for [Mc Cann],” Matias said. “[McCann] does not do well with grapplers and [Blanchfield] I believe is the best grappler in the flyweight division. So I’m not expecting a good night for [McCann].”

The winner of the matchup would

likely end up cracking the top 10 of the flyweight division, which is an enormous step closer to a title shot.

Although McCann has had recent success, Blanchfield believes that the more well-rounded fighter will win.

“She’s a very aggressive fighter and she’s been fighting for a while, she has a good amount of experi ence, she definitely has more fights than I do,” Blanchfield said. “I think I am just a better overall fighter. I think I’m a little more well-rounded than her and it’s definitely going to show in the fight.”

All MMA fans and Red Hawks should stay on the lookout for this huge fight featuring one of our own.

Blanchfield throws a hard punch, something she hopes to replicate at Madison Square Garden.

Blanchfield getting her hand raised after defeating JJ Aldrich at UFC Fight Night 207.

The former Montclair State student looks to win big in front of a primetime crowd

Ryan White Assistant Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Erin Blanchfield

Photo courtesy of Erin Blanchfield

New Jersey Jackals Moving Out of Yogi Berra Stadium After 25 Years

The professional baseball team is leaving Montclair State and their local supporters

Matt Orth Sports Editor

The enthusiastic fans. The booms of the fireworks that go off after weekend games, and can be heard through the dorms of Montclair State University. And the exciting baseball that the New Jer sey Jackals have brought to the Frontier League and Yogi Berra Stadium for two and a half decades. This all ended after Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022.

The team announced on their social media on Aug. 17 that they would be con tinuing their 2022 season at the stadium, and the team would remain under the current ownership and continue to play in the Frontier League.

The statement ends with the fact that the team is “looking forward to the next chapter.” One person within the organiza tion that is embracing this is Reed Keller, the director of sales and media relations for the Jackals.

You could say Keller is the Jack, or Jackal, of all trades for the Major League Baseball-partnered team. He conducts play-by-play commentary for all of the home games, schedules and conducts player interviews, manages the press box and even hires interns.

But one of his other roles is securing sponsorship opportunities for local busi nesses, which goes to show how deep the Jackals are in the Montclair community. Keller has felt a unique connection with that community.

“It has been special, and our loca tion has allowed us to tap into many of the communities around Montclair as well,” Keller said. “I believe the best part about Independent Baseball is the access fans have to players, local sponsors and each other. Regardless of where the franchise ends up, we anticipate being able to cre ate that same connection.”

One of the other things that is lost by the Jackals finding a new place to play

America’s national pastime is the op portunities for some of our very own Red Hawks. Countless students look ing to go into public relations or sports media have interned for the Jackals and get to call games, write articles and get professional work experience while still in school.

Even with this in mind, Keller wants people to know those opportunities will not be lost forever.

“There’s no denying the campus los es convenient internship opportunities and a place to gather after a long day of classes, among other benefits,” Keller said. “The focus, however, will be on providing those same benefits wherever we end up, for Jackal fans old and new.”

One Montclair State student who could be considered a very established Jackal fan is Billy Pinckney, a junior sports communication major, who has been around the organization since he was 10. No, that is not a typo. Pinckney was the bat boy for the team at that age, and now a decade later, he conducts on-camera interviews with players and postgame reports as well.

When Pinckney first joined the family of Floyd Hall in 2013, whose company helped to build Yogi Berra Stadium and the Ice Arena in 1998, they engraved a seat in his honor. This is also done for season ticket holders of the Jackals.

With the organization having such a special place in his heart, seeing the news was not easy for Pinckney to ab sorb, as the team has meant a lot to his journey as a college student and a Red Hawk.

“The Jackals and Yogi Berra Sta dium is where I got my start and greatly contributed to my decision to attend [Montclair State],” Pinckney said. “Be ing a member of this organization for 10 years has been an honor and I attri bute much of my success to the oppor

tunity that the organization gave me.” Pinckney also emphasized how impor tant Montclair State is to the Jackals.

“The reason why [Montclair State] has Yogi Berra Stadium on campus is due to Floyd Hall and the Jackals orga nization,” Pinckney said. “[Berra’s] name and involvement with the fan experience during the beginning years created the identity of the Jackals. His retired Jack als #8 is one of the few impacts his lega cy has had on Jackals tradition.”

Keller also agrees with this sentiment of the team’s history connecting with Yogi Berra Stadium and that it is some thing the organization will pay attention to down the road.

“I’ve worked for the Jackals for a few years, but I grew up at [Yogi Berra Sta

dium] going to Jackals games, so it’s meant a lot to me,” Keller said. “As far as it coexisting with the identity of the team, I would say that it has been a big part of the Jackals and we will look back on that fondly over the last six home games we have this year while looking ahead to what’s next.”

Yogi Berra Stadium has helped form the identity of the Jackals, and has giv en countless fans in the Montclair area and Montclair State students, alumni and friends something to look forward to during the summer.

The exact plans for where the Jack als will move to will be revealed at some point this month, according to their social media.

The fans who go to Yogi Berra Stadium make Jackals games feel even more special.

Infielder Justin Wylie swings at a pitch for the home crowd.

Photo courtesy of New Jersey Jackals

Photo courtesy of New Jersey Jackals

Montclair State Remembers Mike Scala, Longstanding Sports Information Director

Mike Scala will be remembered for his work ethic and care for the student-athletes

For the 23 years in his posi tion, and throughout his life, Mike Scala, former sports information director for Montclair State Uni versity athletics, always had one purpose in mind: to be there for the student-athletes and everyone else around him no matter what.

Scala passed away on Aug. 25 after a long battle with cancer.

Patrick Duffy, the current sports information director for Montclair State athletics, reflected on his friendship with Scala.

“[Scala] always had an answer, whether it was a work or life-relat ed question,” Duffy said. “Any time there was a hard decision I needed to make, [Scala] was one of those people that I trusted the opinion of. He was more than a colleague, he was a friend and a mentor to me.”

Anyone who knew Scala will tell you how much he meant to them beyond working with him. He was an integral part of the operations of every sport here on campus and he will have a lasting legacy here at Montclair State.

Scala began his journey as a Red Hawk as a student study ing computer science, he later switched to broadcasting. Accord ing to Jonathan Edmond in his article from last December about Scala and Duffy, Scala tried to work on anything he could in the athletics department as a student. Clearly, that work early on paid off for him.

Scala would then move on from Montclair State after graduating in 1992, but only for a short stint at Monmouth University as their

director of athletic communica tions. Then, in 1994, he came back to continue his longstand ing relationship with his alma mater.

Scala eventually met his wife, Jaime, at Montclair State, which turned into an over 20-year-long marriage. Together, they had three kids, Jenna, Michael and Joelle.

He even created the athlet ics website we know today as montclairathletics.com, where you can find game recaps, pre views, stats and other stories on the student-athletes and other members of the athletics com munity.

Cameryn Martin, a senior defensive lineman for the foot ball team and the new sports director for 90.3 WMSC Upper Montclair, has developed a rela tionship with Scala both on the athletic side and on the media side. He praised Scala for what he has accomplished with his technological advancements.

“He has made access a whole lot easier,” Martin said. “When I prepare for games for WMSC, I go through Montclair [State] Athletics; it has all the links, you can pull up stats very quick ly. And we all use it, including the Red Hawk Sports Network [RHSN] and The Montclarion. We’re all able to pull up stats in a heartbeat because of the way Scala made it so simple and di rect.”

Another student who has developed a connection with Scala on the media side is pro duction intern and producer

of the RHSN show “Inside the Nest”, Jason Naccarella. Nac carella remembers a recent trip the network had and how helpful Scala was in that process.

“Although [Scala] didn’t travel with us, we met with him to dis cuss plans and logistics for the trip,” Naccarella said. “He was so supportive and loved the idea of us going, which further moti vated him to help us in any way that he could.”

Naccarella shared how he hopes people remember Scala.

“[Scala] made sure things got done in a way that benefit ted everyone and made everyone happy,” Naccarella said. “People should remember the way he im pacted so many lives and helped people on and off the field. He provided so many great opportu nities for students and athletes that allowed for them to go on and do great things in their lives and careers.”

Not only did Scala help mo tivate the students in the sports

communications program, and vice versa, but he was also a major part in motivating home crowds at the Panzer Athletic Center as a PA during men’s and women’s basketball games. Whether sophomore guard Mike Jackson hit a crazy threepointer or senior guard Nickie Carter sliced her way to the bas ket for a smooth layup, Scala brought the energy to every Red Hawk possession.

Graduate student outside hit ter of the volleyball team Carly Waterman had kind words for Scala and his energy at these games.

“A huge part of any game’s atmosphere is the announcing,” Waterman said. “[Scala] was the voice of Montclair State ath letics and it won’t be the same without him.”

Waterman spoke highly of Scala’s work as sports informa tion director as well.

“[Scala] was truly the best at what he did,” Waterman said.

“He cared so much about every one at the university and we all cared so much for him. [Scala] should be remembered for all the work he has done for us and how many lives he has impact ed solely with his personality. No one can replicate the work he has done and we miss him tremendously.”

Martin is the new PA for the Montclair State soccer teams and Scala is one of his biggest inspirations going into his new position.

“Now with the new job I got with the Montclair State soc cer teams for being a PA an nouncer, I want to one day be able to get comfortable enough to the point where I can have the same energy [as Scala] no matter what happens, and try to even exemplify some of Scala’s enthusiasm,” Martin said.

Scala has also amassed a wealth of accolades along side being the voice of Mont clair State basketball games.

Scala with his three kids and wife, who he met at Montclair State.

Matt Orth Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics

Current director of sports information Patrick Duffy (third from the left) describes his former colleague Scala (third from the right) as a friend and a mentor.

Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics

Montclair State Remembers Mike Scala

In 2019, he was named to the Montclair State Athletics Hall of Fame for all of the hard work he put into the Montclair State Ath letic Department.

Duffy remembers that day fond ly.

“My favorite memory was being at [Scala’s] Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2019,” Duffy said. “It was such a well-deserved hon or and it was great to see family, friends and colleagues show sup

port for this honor. That’ll reso nate with me for a while, it was really a great night.”

A year later, Scala had an other great day when CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America, awarded him with the 25-year award, recognizing him for his hard work over a 25-year span with Montclair State. In talking to Jess Liptzin about the award in 2020, Scala mentioned that the

best part of the job is working with student-athletes.

Athletic director Rob Chesney goes in-depth on the care and re spect that Scala had for all stu dent-athletes at Montclair State.

“He made the student-athletes here feel important,” Chesney said. “That’s a unique trait that he had, and he cared about them and each of the teams. Nobody cared about them more than he did.”

The overall impact Scala has left on Montclair State and the athletics program and everyone within it will never be replicated.

He was a special human being who always worked hard on the task in front of him, made sure the people and students around him were feeling their best and, above all else, cared for his wife and three kids along his journey to becoming a Montclair State legend.

Duffy said he will miss Scala and is sending condolences to his family.

“I’m going to miss [Scala], his daily references to ‘Friends’, ‘Seinfeld’ and ‘The Sopranos’,” Duffy said. “There is a major void here at Montclair State, and our hearts are broken. My thoughts are with his wife Jamie and his kids Jenna, Michael and Joelle.”

Former sports information director Mike Scala passed away on Aug. 25 after a long battle with cancer.

Photo courtesy of The Montclarion