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Class of 2020: Welcome to Pitt Alexa Bakalarski | News Editor of 2020. But to give you an idea of who you’ll be joining at Pitt, here’s a layout of first-year and undergraduate students from the 2015-2016 school year.

Pitt has slightly more female undergraduates than male undergraduates — about 51 percent of undergraduates are women. Only about 6 percent of Pitt’s undergraduate

MEN 48%

WOMEN 52%

The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid isn’t quite ready to release the full data on the class

Class of 2019

full and part-time

students are part-time.

For fall 2015’s incoming class, about 54 percent of the students who applied to Pitt were admitted. Out of that 54 percent, about 24 percent of admitted applicants enrolled.

WOMEN 51%

Less than 20 percent of last year’s incoming class joined fraternities and sororities, though more than 95 percent of them lived in Pitt-owned, operated or affiliated housing.

See the adjacent graphics for more statistics on the 2015 student body. The data we’ve highlighted illustrates the wide range of backgrounds, languages and experiences students bring to campus. All of the data was taken from Pitt’s 2016 Factbook, which can be read in full online.

Japan: 28 Turkey: 36 Canada: 48 Iran: 57

Where we are from undergrads 2015-2016

Top ten countries of origin

Saudia Arabia: Taiwan: 87

Undergrads

full and part-time

The United States of Pitt WA & OR: 123

ND, SD & MN: 67

CA 446 CO, AZ UT&NM 143

NJ & NY 2,361 IL OH PA 317 736 18,153 VA MD 392 636

Brazil: 100 TX 158

Korea: 104 India: 324

FL&GA 282

182,903 alumni living in Pennsylvania 110,759 throughout the US 7,432 internationally

China: 1,674 pittnews.com

MEN 49%

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Shumeng Yang| Staff Writer

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About 400,000 people from thousands organizations vibrant of organ aniz izat atio ions — dressed dre ress s ed d iin n vibr ibrantt costumes and wielding anti-fracking and clean energy signs gy sig gns — took to the streets of New City demanding change New Yo York rk C ityy de it dema mand ndin ingg ch chan ange ge aatt th thee 20 2014 14 People’ Peop Pe ople le’’s Climate Clilima mate te March.

Mar arch ch.

It was was a eenergetic nerg ne rget etic ic aand nd iimpassioned mpas mp assi sion oned ed ccall alll to acal action, and Pitt junior Alexandra Stash was in the middle of it.

At biology A the h time, tiime, Stash Stash h was a first-year first-year t biology l major, but she said the march influenced her profoundly — she came back to Pitt with a new outlook l ok on environmental justice. lo “It was one of the most eye-opening events I [ever] experienced,” Stash, now the co-president of environmental envir ironme m nttal group gro oup p Free Fre reee the the Planet, Planet Pl et, said. said sa id. “It “It made me realize that environmental activism and justice was my passion.”

Stash soon chang changed major ged her maj jor from biology to environmental science. Since then, she’s built a rain garden, spoken at rallies for the Clean Power Plan and helped Free the Planet start a fossil fuel divestment campaign.

In the movies, the environmentally conscious friend typically follows the “crunchy granola” trope: a new-age hippie, willing to go to humorous extremes to reduce their carbon footprint and save the planet — think Phoebe from early episodes of “Friends,” Chelsea from “That’s So Raven” or any number of

characters on Fred Armisen and and Carrie Carr Ca rrie ie BrownBro rown wnstein’s “Portlandia.”

But in reality, Stash is one one of many on man anyy students stud st uden ents ts on on Pitt’ Pitt Pi tt’’s campus whose efforts to make Pitt caa greener g eener have been far from comedic. gr Pitt Pitt is one of the U.S. and Canada’s greenest universities, according to rankings by the Sierra Club Princeton Review.

Club aand nd tthe he P rinc ri ncet eton on R evie ev iew. w.

Organizations including Free the Planet, Plant to Plate, Engineers for a Sustainable World and the Environmental Environmenta i t l Committee Commit itte t e on the the Student Stu t dentt GovernGovernment Board often on have mentB B oard oa rdo o ften ft encccollaborate olla ol labo bora rate teo on initiatives init in itia iati tive vess that thath hav avee inspired insp pired serious policy policyy change g at Pitt.

Many of these groups run into each other, exchange ideas and come up with campaigns in the Student off th Stud St uden entt Office Offi Of fice ce of of Sustainability, Sust Su stai aina nabi bilility ty,, ro room om 5510 10 o thee William Pitt Union.

According to Erika Ninos, the Sustainability Program one off Prog Pr ogra ram m Coordinator Coor Co ordi dina nato torr at PittServes, Pit ittS tSer erve ves, s SOOS SOO OOSS is o ne o the best resources for anyone looking to start getting involved with sustainability.

“There, will “T The here re,, th they ey w ililll find find information inf nfor orma mati tion on on on student stud st uden entt organizations and initiatives from FTP, Pitt’s oldest undergraduate environmental organization, to Plant to Plate, Pitt’s community garden group,” Ninos Nino Ni nos said. said sa id.

The office houses plants basking in the sun from the windows and ESW’s soil-free gardening prototype. The walls are lined with posters calling for reducing fossil fuels, or advertising the farmer’s market and Pitt’s Green Team, a group that coordinates and encourages recycling in residence halls during new student move in.

Throughout the year, the Green Team also provides support to composting and recycling efforts across campus and organizes zero waste events, where everything — including plates and cutlery

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— is either biodegradbi odegradable, compostable ble or recyclable.

According to Laura Zullo, Zullo, senior manager of utilities util tilit itie iess and and sustainability, sust su stai aina nabi bilility ty,, Pi Pitt tt recycles more than 40 percent of its re waste w st wa st stream. Much of this is due to the ste single sin si ngle ng le stream str trea eam m recycling recy re cycl clin ingg program, prog pr ogra ram, m, which whi hich ch allows allllow owss stustudents glass, metals paper proddent de ntss to place pla lace ce plastic, pla last stic tic,, glas gl lass, s, m etal et als ls an and d pa pape perr pr prod odducts in a single container, making recycling simpler and more visible.

In the 2016 RecycleMania RecyycleMania tournament,, a competition promoting waste reduction activities, Pitt recycled over 1 million pounds of material over eight eigh ei ght weeks week we ekss of ccompetition. ompe om peti titi tion on.

Last year, ESW focused on four projects: an algae bioreactor that grows algae to convert into biofuels, hydroponics plants without fuel fu els, s ah ydro yd ropo poni nics cs ssystem yste ys tem m to ggrow row ro w pl plan ants ts w itho it hout ut soil, expansions to a rain garden and a wind belt energy collection system. Additionally, the group held open workshops where works k hops whe h re students stude d nts could coulld create their the h ir own solar cellphone chargers.

Plant Plate tries involved Plan Pl antt to P late la te aalso lso ls o tr trie iess to get get students stu tude dent ntss in invo volv lved ed with with its its initiatives ini niti tiat ativ ives es directly. dir irec ectl tly. y. The The club clu lub b holds hold ho ldss weekly week we ekly ly work shifts Oakland Avenue work shi hift ftss at iits ts ggarden arde ar den n on O akla ak land nd A venu ve nuee an and d teaches students how their teac te ache hess st stud uden ents ts h ow tto o gr grow ow aand nd ccook ookk th oo thei eirr ow own n food and how to pass the information on.

“We want to promote sustainable practices throughout the community,” said co-president Gerard Tessier, a junior mechanical engineering major.

While sustainabilityy is becomingg a trendingg issue at colleges throughout the country, Ninos said Pitt stands out for its campus-wide collaboration between students, student organizations, faculty and several administrative departments. ad dministrative d epartments.

“Students have access to administrators, staff and faculty who want to work with them to explore and their ideas, Ninos said. and advance adva ad vanc ncee th thei eirr id idea eas, s,” Ni Nino noss sa said id..

Two years ago, Anna Greenberg, a junior environmental studies major and the sustainability program assistant through PittServes, was one of those students. She cofounded the University of Thriftsburgh, which opened March 2015.

Its goal is to cut down on clothing waste and bring awareness to the detrimental effects of the clothing industry. All revenue goes to Pitt Green Fund, which allocates money to clubs centered around sustainability.

See Sustainability on page 21

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THE COST OF RENT, PITTSBURGH Alexa Bakalarski | News Editor Though first-year students typically live on Pitt’s campus, the price of rent is something to keep in mind as you look at off-campus apartments in your following years at Pitt.

In its most recent national report on apartment rates, apartmenthunting company Abodo found that Pittsburgh experienced a 4 percent increase in rent prices from April to May 2016. The increase put Pittsburgh’s rank at 40 out of the 100 cities in the report.

Sam Radbil, Abodo spokesperson, said seasonality greatly influences rent in popular areas for student housing.

“Often rent rates will rise during the seasons when many students are moving into new places on campus,” Radbil said. “The same concept goes for when students head home for the summer and rent rates decline.”

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Radbil said new developments decrease rent prices overall, The Union on Fifth Avenue, which will be a 94-bedroom apartment in Uptown, is one such development.

“When the supply increases, landlords usually feel pressured to lower prices to compete with new competitors and developments in the area,” Radbil said.

But Pittsburgh is currently facing an affordable housing crisis. An influx of high-priced apartments tend to raise the overall value of neighborhoods and the cost of living.

Data from rental search company, RentCafé , shows an expansion of “luxury apartments” across the country, which “redefines rental markets nationwide.” While Pittsburgh doesn’t make its list of top ten fastest growing luxury markets, you don’t need to look farther than the SkyVue apartment complex under construction near campus for a local example.

According to a March 2016 rent report by Abodo, rent rates for one bedroom apartments in Oakland and neighboring areas such as Bloomfield, Lawrenceville and Squirrel Hill range from $986 to $1,009 per month.

“During the seasonal highs and lows for renting, areas closer to universities and colleges usually follow different trends than those not in close proximity to campuses,” Radbil said. “But during the rest of the year, typically neighborhoods within the same city [follow] similar rent and pricing trends.”

1br apartment Rent Rates, 2016

January: $926 February: $875 March: $978 April: $1,022 May: $1,060

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GUIDELINES AT PITT, NATIONALLY ADDRESS TRANS INCLUSIVITY Zoë Hannah Elizabeth Lepro | TPN Staff

Pitt’s transgender policies have fluctuated in the past few years, following — and at times preceding — national controversy regarding bathroom rights.

In response to what The New York Times called “a searing national debate over transgender rights,” the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice released a directive on May 13 guiding U.S. public schools to allow all students to use the bathroom of their choice.

President Barack Obama backed the statement on May 16, saying the directive represents the administration’s best judgment on how to aid schools struggling with bathroom guidelines.

Following Obama’s entrance into the ring, Reuters reported on may 25 that 11 states, including Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana and Georgia, are suing the president for “rewriting the laws based on administrative fiat.”

But before schools were trying to decide how to best approach the controversial topic and the U.S. government was coming up with guidance, Pitt published guidelines of its own.

Pitt’s Gender Guidelines The Gender Transitioning Guidelines, available on the Pitt website un-

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der Student Health, explain the steps supervisors, professors, students and administrators should take in order to support one another, specifically those transitioning genders.

Pam Connelly, associate vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, said the University’s guidelines are not reactionary, but rather come from a commitment to the community.

“Over 13,000 people work at Pitt … this includes transgender people,” Connelly said in an email. “The guidelines were created to assist our employees transitioning in the workplace, to express support and to make that transition as smooth as possible.”

For the past few years, universities across the country have, in fact, reacted to the heightened tension regarding transgender rights.

In keeping with the evolving nature of diversity and inclusion measures nationwide, Pitt has made changes to its policies regarding transgender students, faculty and staff, including a new policy that allows everyone to use the bathroom of their choice while on campus.

The Gender Transitioning Guidelines, written by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, explain how to act respectfully when someone is mid-

transition and changes their name or pronouns.

The “Words You May Hear” section of the guidelines defines common vocabulary related to gender and transitioning, such as, “Gender NonConforming: Gender non-conforming people have, or are perceived to have, gender characteristics and/or behaviors that do not conform to traditional or societal expectations.”

According to Connelly, the University developed the guidelines throughout 2015 and published the list in January 2016.

“We didn’t find any single policy or guideline that fit our needs, so we created the University guidelines,” Connelly said.

The University’s efforts to be more inclusive have evolved over time, albeit not always fluidly.

In 2015, the University told The Pitt News it encouraged faculty, staff and students to use the restroom corresponding to whatever gender they identify with. Students responded with confusion, asking what bathroom gender nonconforming and nonbinary people should use.

In response, The Pitt News reported that the University changed the language of its bathroom policy and began

May 31, 2016

opening more unisex or single-stall bathrooms.

Enter HB2 Not all state-related universities have the liberty to change their policies one way or the other — at least not without breaking the law.

When North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed a law stating residents could only use public bathrooms corresponding to their sex at birth, he set off alarms around the country.

Of course, in an era of fast-paced technology and instant media posts, that specific sound-off was just one of many in a week, but it rang nonetheless, then re-rang, then rang again, taking shape in opinionated editorials, Facebook posts, tweets and TV news specials.

The Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, or HB2, has been critiqued by some as an explicitly anti-LGBTQ+ measure — a position for which North Carolina is known — and immediately garnered national attention.

Some argue that letting people select the bathroom of their choice will encourage sexual deviancy while others say the rights of transgender people are being infringed upon, which could create dangerous situations for them.

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MEET THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT BOARD Tomasz Swierzewski | For The Pitt News

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year and years after that,∫ Harper said. ™ I also want to create a publication or a space for students from different cultural groups to discuss issues in the world. The name I' ve been using for it is ` This Week In Color.'∫ As the former multimedia editor for The Pitt News, Harper wants to improve accessibility to film and camera equipment for students. ™ Students might need to make some promotional material, or film a video for a project, but I don' t want them to rely on their phones or their friends for a camera,™ Harper said.

She' s basing her initiatives on input from the array of organizations she' s interacted with

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ies

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Sydney Harper Key plans: academic and student group accessibility, diversity initiatives

Rohit Anand Key plan: improve safety on campus Rohit Anand, a senior double major in neuroscience and psychology, is the vice president and chief of cabinet of the new SGB. Anand previously served as the facilities and transportation chair.

As the chief of cabinet, Anand will be the liaison between the Board and the committees. co In the upcoming year, his personal iniurt es tiatives involve the intersection between y transportation and safety. He also wants to make the results of OMETs publicly available. ™ I want to improve SafeRider and safety on campus in general,∫ Anand said. ™ This is in addition to the academic initiatives I' m working on with Joseph Kannarkat º [including] public OMETs – which were mostly his idea – and expanding study spaces on campus.∫ Ro

ER RAPH OG OT PH

with the Pitt community and make changes on campus that impacted each student,∫ Dall said.

In this year' s election, 2,665 students vot-

at the University. ™ I wanted to become a board member as a result of my conversations with students involved with different parts of Pitt,∫ Harper said, noting possible opportunities for broadcast and journalism certificates. ™ I thought that through my experiences... I could bring those things together and do some cool stuff for students at Pitt.∫

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The members of Pitt' s incoming Student Government Board share their plans with The Pitt News.

At a retreat tucked away in southern Pennsylvania, the new members of Pitt' s Student Government Board prepared for a year of working together and making changes. ™ We went over the governing code, trained everybody, did some team-building and a ropes course,∫ Max Knies, vice president and chief of finance, said. ™ We also had a transition meeting with the old SGB where we talked about projects, initiatives and what they were [and/or] weren' t able to complete.∫ SGB, the political organization on campus that advocates for and implements the needs of students, is made up of a president, two vice presidents and eight other board members.

The vice presidents each assume the role of Dall | Will Mi lle either chief of finance or chief of cabinet. The alie rS t T a vice executive president position, filled

by Sydney Harper, is separate from the vice president role and goes to the board member who received the most votes total.

Natalie Dall, incoming SGB president and senior molecular biology major, won 65 percent of the vote, with 1,714 students choosing her over her opponent Matt Sykes. s Knie x SGB' s Allocations Committee hana M dles a portion of the $2.6 million in allocations funds by deciding which student groups on campus will get how much and how often. improving academic adEven if your daily interactions with SGB vising,∫ Dall said. are limited, you should know who' s handling Dall' s platform durso much of your money, making important ing her campaign was decisions – like whether or not to keep Marlargely based on creket open 24/7 – and meeting with adminisating a more cohesive trators on your behalf. sexual assault manual, as well as improving sexual President Natalie Dall assault education and reportNatalie Dall was previously the vice presiing on campus, but it also included dent and chief of cabinet. In these roles, she increased access to academic resources served as the liaison between the board and ™ I' m definitely excited for everything to committees, wrote weekly reports of the start getting planned this summer and for the board' s activities and wrote monthly perforfall semester, ∫ Dall said. ™ We have a really pasmance statements for each board member. sionate group that' s going to do an amazing ™ I first got involved with SGB because it job. ∫ seemed like a great way to become engaged

o

Sydney Harper, a senior political science ed, a drastic drop from the 2014 election, and communication major, will be the vice where 4,127 students voted. executive president for SGB this year. ™ For next year, I really hope to make SGB Last year, Harper worked as a Pathfinder, more visible on campus and get more students which she will continue doing. She has also involved with what we do and giving feedback worked for The Pitt News as the multimedia on the decisions we make,∫ Dall said. editor, interned at Student Affairs, mentored Although the president manages the board for Pitt Women' s Leadership Experience members, serves as an advocate to the student p body and is a student representative y Har er | W and sang in choirs. en e ha Some of Harper' s biggest on various councils and com- dn y plans revolve around Pitt' s mittees, she can also develop Year of Diversity. her own initiatives and as™ I' d like to work on sist her colleagues with a week for women' s theirs' . history ... It would ™ [I] really want to be a good time to get work with different things like this startboard members on imed and make them a proving sexual assault tradition for the next resources on campus and

Max Knies Key plan: simplify allocations Max Knies, a junior majoring in finance and accounting, will be the vice president and chief of finance this year.

Previously, Knies was the vice chair of the allocations committee, which deals with the distribution of funds to student clubs and organizations, and he plans to make it his focus while he' s in office. ™ A lot of students interact with the allocations process, and we want to make sure it' s easy for them to use it,∫ Knies said.

Knies isn' t waiting until the fall semester to step into his new role as COF. ™ I hope I can make a positive impact, and I' ve been looking at what' s done at other universities like campus catering,∫ Knies added. ™ I' ll be back in Pittsburgh early June, and I don' t want to make this a dead summer.

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Women at Pitt: Tracking their history from lantern night to leadership Nikita Karulkar For The Pitt News

In a 2015 speech abroad, First Lady Michelle Obama urged a room full of people not to leave education out of discussions about women’s rights.

“If we truly want to get girls into our classrooms, then we need to have an honest conversation about how we view and treat women in our societies,” she said.

Obama was speaking from Qatar, where nearly 96 percent of women seek opportunities in higher education, according to UNICEF — a statistic slightly higher than in the United States.

In both countries, women outnumber men in secondary education. According to U.S. Census Bureau data collected in 2015, more women than men in the United States were likely to have bachelor’s degrees for the first time in recorded Census Bureau history.

Across the country, conversations about the rights of women have expanded to include sexual assault, pay discrimination and gendered violence.

Worldwide, many women still aren’t granted the opportunity to get a basic education, and it was not long ago that women in the United States were excluded from the hallowed halls of secondary education.

From 1787 to 1895, Pitt was exclusively male, and in 1914, women made up just over 25 percent of Pitt’s population — about 15 years earlier, there were no female students on campus.

Today, women make up about 4 percent more of the student body than men, according to Pitt’s 2016 Fact Book. In the fall 2015 term, 14,948 female students and 13,701 male students were enrolled at Pitt. Women make up about 40 percent of Pitt’s 4,143 faculty members.

Irene Frieze, one of the original faculty members of what is now the gender, sexuality and women’s studies program at Pitt, said even in just the past few years, the University has changed for women.

“I think it reflects the society,” Frieze said.

“Some of the things that have happened in the last five years, we couldn’t have imagined happening 20 years ago.”

More than 10 years ago, on Pitt’s bicentennial anniversary, the Office of the Provost launched a project to document and celebrate the history of women at Pitt.

“Pitt has progressed in step with national conversation about gender, sexuality and women,” said Maurice Greenwald, another original fac-

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ulty member in the GSWS program. “It has embraced the challenge of diversifying the composition of its administrators, faculty and students.”

The information below, except for interviews, is based on information found in the University’s History of Women at Pitt Project.

Pitt’s First Women: 1895 - 1938 In the 1700s, education for women was geared solely towards “womanly duties,” hav-

They were also the first women to receive Master’s degrees from Pitt in 1901.

As Pitt began to admit more women, the University saw increased enrollment in the liberal arts.

In 1910, when Pitt established the School of Education, the number of female students jumped from 30 to about 400. By 1914, 600 women were enrolled at Pitt, making up more than 25 percent of the student population.

An increasing number of female students started forming exclusive clubs. The first sorority, Pi Theta Nu, was established in 1908.

The first woman of color at Pitt was Jean Hamilton Walls. She received bachelor’s degrees in math and physics in 1910. In 1938, she became the first black woman to receive a Ph.D. at Pitt.

Adrienne Washington became the first Afri-

Thrysa Wealhteon Amos Courtesy of the University Archives ing to do with homemaking — highly educated women were considered unusual.

Colleges for women appeared only in the mid-1800s. While some aimed to equip women with the same level of education their male counterparts received, most schools’ curriculums remained conservative.

Until the end of the 19th century, some people still believed that intellectual work for women might have adverse physical consequences, but in the 1890s, enough college women survived the experience to dispel those fears.

Pitt was founded in 1787 as an all-male school. Its first female students were sisters, Margaret and Stella Stein, who entered in 1895 as sophomores after completing their first-year coursework at Pittsburgh’s Central High School.

The sisters studied math, astronomy and surveying and ended up tying for valedictorian.

Jean Hamilton Walls Courtesy of the University Archives can Americans student — of any gender — to earn a PhD in linguistics at Pitt in May 2016.

Women on Staff: Pitt hired the first female faculty member, Blossom Henry, in 1918 to teach modern languages.

According to the Pitt history project, when a reporter asked Henry what she thought of the campus, she said it was “full of men.”

After World War I, female students demanded that Chancellor Samuel McCormick hire a

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Dean of Women. Thyrsa Wealhtheow Amos, from the psychology department at the University of Kansas, took the role in 1919.

She encouraged the formation of more social clubs for women, as Amos said activities “for women only” would provide more opportunities for female leadership. Under her tutelage, the Women’s Self-Government Association, the Girl’s Glee Club and QUAX, an honorary science club, were founded.

In fact, Dean Amos created Pitt’s famous Lantern Night in 1920. It was supposed to be a “sensible” alternative to the hazing associated with fraternities.

In 1968, the Dean of Men and Dean of Women positions were combined to form the position of Dean of Students.

New Women-Centered Programs at Pitt: early 1970s According to the History of Women at Pitt project, in the early 1970s, there was an all-time high of 40 percent female undergraduates at Pitt, but there was a pronounced male influence on campus.

Graduate and professional schools had a male majority, and men occupied most of the administrative positions on campus. Women were generally excluded from leadership roles.

Chancellor Wesley Posvar created the Advisory Committee on Women’s Opportunities in the spring 1970. The ACWO helped address goals of the newly formed University Committee for Women’s Rights and provided advice throughout their processes.

The ACWO helped establish the Women’s Center in 1973 and the women’s studies program in 1972.

The Campus Women’s Center became the Oakland Women’s Center in 1982, ending its affiliation with Pitt.

But the women’s studies program has grown.

It began with three part-time positions: psychology professor Irene Frieze, history professor Maurine Greenwald and English professor Marianne Novy.

“We had to figure out how to set up a new program from scratch,” Frieze said.

According to Frieze, the women’s studies program had difficulty filling classes in its early days in contrast to the high student demand for gender, sexuality and women’s studies classes at Pitt in the present.

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ASKING FOR SPACE What exactly are safe spaces, and are they making colleges more welcoming or more distant from the real world?

Krithika Pennathur| For The Pitt News “Two, four, six, eight — stop the violence, stop the rape.”

“Trump, Trump, Trump.”

The chants from opposing groups mingled with conservative British activist Milo Yiannopoulos’ presentation in the William Pitt Union assembly room on a Tuesday night last semester.

A crowd of more than 350 people joined Yiannopoulos that night for his lecture on free speech — some bringing support, others bringing protest signs and middle finger greetings.

Yiannopoulos is known for his outspoken denial of topics including unequal pay statistics and the necessity of the Black Lives Matter movement.

By the end of the night, Pitt police escorted about 17 people out of the room. A few students left sobbing.

Throughout the night, about 15 students held up signs saying, “My friend who is depressed needs a safe space,” and, “My friend who was raped needs a safe space.”

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The Safe Space Network, an information and resource website, defines a safe space as “a place where anyone can relax and be able to fully express, without fear of being made to feel uncomfortable, unwelcome or unsafe.”

While safe spaces are sometimes thought of as an escape from controversial speeches like Yiannopoulos’, the term has spurred a debate all on its own, especially on large college campuses, where political and social standpoints are frequently flung about in public.

Supporters of safe spaces say they offer a place to get away from prejudices and represent a standard of respect. Others feel that safe spaces shelter young people from the real world and push for conformity to a leftist viewpoint.

Sara Yablonski, a rising junior and the rising Rainbow Alliance president, said respect is at the core of the idea.

“A safe space simply represents an environment where we can strive to respect each other’s

identities and life experiences, and find respect in return,” Yablonski said.

After Yiannopoulos’ visit, other conservative speakers came who prompted similar discussions: a pastor who thinks gender reassignment surgery is a sin and presidential candidate Donald Trump.

But none of them brought national attention

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See Safe Spaces on page 24 like Yiannopoulos, whose colleagues at Breitbart News Network, a conservative news outlet, backed him up by commenting on Pitt’s fiasco.

Charlie Nash, a commentator at Breitbart, wrote that the reactions of Pitt students who called for a safe space from Yiannopoulos’ viewpoints were a sure sign that “academia is failing.”

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Women, pg. 15 According to Greenwald, social movements like the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment – garnered more attention for the program. ™ I would say that the program grew over time in accordance with the mushrooming of women' s involvement in social movements and women academics' persistence in legitimizing the new multidisciplinary field,∫ Greenwald said.

The program was given a ™ modest∫ budget for operating because the expectation was that interested faculty would develop the curriculum, Greenwald said. ™ [Women' s studies] in its early years had to prove its academic worth to the University,∫ Greenwald said. ™ It would take many years before the study of women gained academic respectability and legitimacy.∫ According to Frieze, the mostly male faculty was a bit skeptical of the program at the time. ™ We had to kind of make sure that people took us seriously,∫ Frieze said.

The women' s studies program expanded its scope and changed its name to gender, sexuality and women' s studies in 2014. The GSWS program became a major in the fall of 2015.

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Pitt Women in the Present: Looking Forward Today, women like the Stein sisters, Walls, Frieze and Greenwald pass the proverbial lantern onto millennial women .

As the conversation moves away from just getting women onto college campuses, Sarah Best, the current president of the American Association of University Women, said it' s shifting toward issues like rape culture and transgender rights. ™ I would say on campus, we still really need to work on the sexual assault epidemic and the way universities deal with the issue,∫ Best said. ™ I also think at Pitt and on other campuses, we really need to recognize and respect trans[gender] people.∫ AAUW Pitt' s biggest project to date was the Red Cup Project, where club members used solo cups to visualize national statistics regarding sexual abuse on college campuses.

Greenwald, looking back at the history of women at Pitt, said the resilience of women-centered programs shows that gender and sexuality studies is not a passing trend, but a legitimate part of academia. ™ In the 1970s, a dean of Arts and Sciences asked the women' s studies core faculty how long it might take for the program to put itself out of business,∫ Greenwald said. ™ The past 40 years have clearly demonstrated the vitality and importance of women' s studies at Pitt and elsewhere.∫

Sustainability, pg.7 Greenberg advises students to first bring their ideas to someone accessible, such as the Dean of Students, and work their way up the administration. ™ Pitt is our university, and [administrators] want to see something happen,∫ Greenberg said. ™ If you have an idea and aren' t getting a response from the University, that doesn' t mean you should

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abandon it. Keep asking the University what to fix, and try again.∫ A complete end to global warming, sustainable energy, cars that run on corn oil – they all sound like radical goals, but Greenberg said students are the arbiters of change. ™ If there' s something you want to fix, there' s always a way to make it happen,∫ Greenberg said. ™ There are a lot of gaps where we could making more progress.∫

A volunteer tends to the community garden on Oakland Avenue.

Alex Nally STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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I WAS PRE-MED, BUT...

Why do so many first year students start out wanting to go to medical school but change their minds by sophomore year?

Saskia Berrios-Thomas Staff Writer Gita Venkat always wanted to be a doctor – until she saw what the career entailed outside of the classroom. ™ My sophomore year I volunteered at UPMC Shadyside,∫ Venkat said. ™ I saw blood and freaked out and figured that was a good indicator that I wasn' t meant to be in that field.∫ Venkat, who graduated in 2016 with a psychology degree, was on the pre-med track for her first year at Pitt but changed majors after getting some volunteer experience.

Venkat, like many other students, found an area in the health and helping professions that she enjoyed even more than medicine: industrial psychology. As an industrial psychologist, Venkat will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of employees within companies.

Andrea Abt, director of health professions advising through the Honors College, said more than 1,000 students register for and attend a pre-med information session before the beginning of each school year.

Safe Spaces, pg. 17 ™ These are students who are legal adults and on the cusp of entering the real world, yet they' re in tears over the fact that someone, who they need not even listen to, disagreed with them,∫ he continued.

According to Ben Kew, another Breitbart writer, safe spaces can be the exact opposite of what they' re intended to be, as some student groups attempt to ™ impose∫ safe space policies on others. ™ This can lead to them actually trying to control other people' s right to speak and hold a platform,∫ Kew said in an email. ™ This is an infraction of freedom of speech and the first amendment, a key component of a civilised society and one of the foundations on which America was built.∫ Is the concept of a safe space destroying the sanctity of college campuses, once thought of as breeding grounds for intellectual debate and passionate protest?

According to activist Moira Kenney' s book ™ Mapping Gay L.A.,∫ the idea of safe spaces began in the mid-1960s within gay and lesbian bars. At the time, a safe space was somewhere a

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By the time sophomore year rolls around, many of those students, like Venkat, have dropped the designation. While there are numerous reasons a person might switch majors, pre-med hopefuls, typically at the tops of their classes in high school, are often put off by the sudden difficulty of college biology and chemistry classes. Abt said in the end, about 250 Pitt students actually apply for medical school each year.

Laura Zapanta, a biology and biochemistry lecturer at Pitt, said about 50 percent of the students in her Biology 1 class are pre-med.

The average grade in Biology 1 is between 75 percent and 78 percent, meaning around half of the students who take the class end up failing.

By the time the students reach biochemistry – typically junior or senior year for the pre-med track – Zapanta estimated only about half are still pre-med.

See Pre-Med on page 28 person could be ™ out∫ and resist oppression – until police raided the bar.

The term itself was first used sometime during the Women' s Liberation Movement in the 1960s and 1970s. It was not meant as necessarily a physical space, but a community where women could distance themselves from patriarchal thought. ™ Safe space∫ was used to describe the consciousness-raising groups popular at the time, where women would discuss their lives and how they related to gender inequality.

At Pitt, protests about police brutality, Black Lives Matter and a $15 minimum wage swept through campus on an almost monthly basis last year. And when anti-abortion advocates set up in front of WPU, arguments erupted between the two sides.

It would seem that hearty debate and discussion is still thriving in academia – at least for now. According to Kew, safe spaces would put an end to that and completely destroy the voice of the underrepresented right, which exists in much greater volume in the ™ real world.∫ ™ The negative consequences of safe spaces are that they do not prepare students for the outside world, which is not a ë safe space,'∫ Kew

Students might drop the pre-med designation after struggling in class. TNS

said in an email. ™ As someone who suffers from anxiety, it is my firm belief that creating a ë safe space' where all reference to anything that is possibly ë triggering' Ö only leads to students with mental health issues becoming further enveloped in their own self-pity.∫ Marcus Robinson, the current president of Rainbow Alliance, said acknowledging that you have the power to hurt someone through your words and actions is a part of life as natural as cruelty. ™ That' s not coddling, that' s just basic human kindness to one another,∫ Robinson said. ™ By no means is a safe space a perfect space because no one' s perfect Ö At the end of the day, [it is] just making a space for people that' s as welcoming as possible.∫ Flipping Kew' s argument, Robinson and the rest of Rainbow Alliance have tried to diversify their events based on the ™ real world.∫ ™ We' re acknowledging that these other identities need to exist and that they need to be talked about,∫ he said.

On Pitt' s campus, clubs that support marginalized groups become safe spaces of their own, rising sophomore Jeff Unterberger said. ™ I think any of the safe spaces would be clubs

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that are made to help support a minority group such as Black Action Society or Rainbow Alliance,∫ Unterberger said. ™ They' re important so people Ö can be expressive of their thoughts.∫ Like the spaces that formed naturally in gay and lesbian bars in the ' 60s, Yablonski said organizations like Rainbow Alliance offer a reprieve from discomfort. ™ The first time I went to one of Rainbow' s events during freshman year, I knew instantly that I was in an environment where I did not have to hide or dance around myself,∫ Yablonski said, ™ Their sense of comfort didn' t rely on my conformity to any social norms but on mutual respect.∫ Being an undergraduate, Yablonski said, is taking your first real step into the world. It' s a place where students often claim to lose and find themselves, and each other, in and out of safe spaces. ™ I look at the undergraduate experience as just one avenue a person can take to grow themselves as an individual,∫ Yablonski said. ™ An important part of growing up is recognizing that you will meet other people who are vastly different from you, whose experiences and feelings are real and oftentimes painful.∫

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DEVELOP YOUR OWN CURRICULUM Matt Moret | Contributing Editor

I once read this article about unpasteurized milk. This is going somewhere, I promise.

The article was diagramming the link between illness outbreaks and raw, unpasteurized dairy. Lawmakers had begun to call for greater regulation of raw milk and insist that the health risks associated with the product outweighed a revenue blow to independent dairy farmers.

Shortly after, during my first year here, I took an American history course, and my teacher' s assistant was a woman who happened to own a dairy farm with her husband. After class ended, I saw an opportunity to ask her what she thought of the situation I read about – which led to an hour-long discussion about the intricacies of food distribution and oversight.

That probably seems unbearable, but I assure you, it was one of the most interesting conversations I' ve had and

Pre-Med, pg. 24 According to a 2011 New York Times article, data from the University of California, Los Angeles showed up to 60 percent of STEM and pre-med students either switched their majors or did not earn any degree, which is twice the rate of loss for all other majors.

While it' s not uncommon for a student to switch majors during college, there is no complete data on how often students outside of premed do so at Pitt, according to the registrar' s office.

Zapanta said it is common for pre-med students to find other avenues in health care, rather than going to medical school. ™ Sometimes they discover that they like something [else] better,∫ Zapanta said. ™ They decided, ` Oh wait, maybe I don' t want to be an MD and spend all that money at med school.

Maybe I can do what I want to do and interact with patients as a PA [physician assistant].'∫ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projects that by 2020, the country will face a shortage of 20,400 primary care doctors, which contrasts with data from the Association of American Medical Colleges that show medi-

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Kate Koenig VISUAL EDITOR it would have never happened if I hadn' t taken advantage of Pitt' s media resources.

The milk article came from a copy of USA Today, which I picked up in

the William Pitt Union lobby, along with a copy of the New York Times.

This was an almost daily ritual for me during my first year at Pitt and I suggest you find a similar one. I know

you' re paying an unspeakable amount of money to sit in Pitt' s lecture halls, but an education outside of the classroom is just as valuable.

cal school – about $120,000 for public schools and about $225,000 for private schools, according to the AAMC – enrollment is expected to increase by more than 30 percent by 2019.

Some students, such as Sandhya Subramanian, don' t even make it to the tuition before classwork deters them from continuing along the pre-med track.

Subramanian, a senior health services major, attended a number of pre-med workshops – which teach students about medical school through activities like tours and panels – before coming to Pitt.

She loved biology and chemistry in high school and did well in her high school classes.

The prestige of the medical field and the idea of helping others drew Subramanian to the premed track.

But when she arrived at Pitt, Subramanian found that science courses beyond biology and chemistry were too challenging. ™ I was also very intimidated by labs,∫ Subramanian said. ™ I did really well in the big courses, but the labs were way over my head.∫ Subramanian' s difficulty in labs matches up with a recurring theme students and advisors notice – the difference in workload and the expectations of exams and labs overwhelm

students who were at the tops of their classes in high school.

Zapanta said many students struggling with pre-med courses come into her office hours for informal advising. ™ There is a subset of [pre-med students] who just never had to study [in high school], so they don' t have good study skills,∫ Zapanta said. ™ They' re very good at regurgitating facts, but they' re not very good at synthesizing that information into a conceptual context.∫ McKenzie Warshel, a junior neuroscience major, said she' s known nearly her whole life she wanted to be a physician. Warshel is currently applying to medical schools but remembers having a rough time entering college classes after skating by for so long. ™ [The transition] was very difficult,∫ Warshel said. ™ You went from having to study for 10 minutes in high school and getting an A to º I actually failed my first two exams: chem and bio. I had to relearn how to study.∫ Granted, becoming a doctor shouldn' t be easy. The idea of ™ weed-out∫ classes – or difficult courses students take early on that can effectively whittle the pre-med pool down to only the very best – is popular, but maybe over-exaggerated, Zapanta said.

™ I hate that word,∫ Zapanta said. ™ We don' t intentionally make it in such a way that we' re weeding anybody out. Having said that, it tends to give students a really good gauge of how they will fare in the biological sciences and how they' re going to have to change if that' s really what they want to do.∫ Whether it' s a weed-out class or not, Biology 1 is a future doctor' s first major hurdle. ™ I see them start to reconsider after the first exam,∫ Zapanta said.

Getting into med school takes a substantial amount of work outside the classroom.

For the Health Professions Committee of Pitt' s Honors College to write a letter to an admissions committee on behalf of a student, that student must complete 13 hard science courses, 20 hours of shadowing, 100 hours of clinical exposure, 50 hours of community service and have five strong letters of recommendation.

Sneha Iyer, a junior majoring in psychology on the pre-med track, said she spends most of her free time shadowing, volunteering and acquiring research experience. ™ The one thing I don' t like is there' s just so much to do,∫ Iyer said. ™ It' s just so competitive, and people can be harsh toward each other and I wish it wasn' t like that.∫

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See Moret on page 30

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Gender, pg.10 Perhaps highest on the list of appropriate stakeholders regarding the law’s ramifications is the state’s public universities.

University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings released a statement in mid-April countering complaints from students that the University was supporting the law.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” she wrote. She said she had contacted state leaders, advising them against instating it.

One day later, Sheri Everts, the chancellor of Appalachian State University, issued a similar statement addressing students who were occupying an administrative building in protest.

She noted her opposition to HB2, but said she had no option — as the administrator of a public university — but to comply with it.

Pitt’s Gender Transitioning Team Pitt’s own history regarding bathroom rights has been varied. In 2012, a Pitt official said students had to use the bathroom corresponding to their birth sex, causing a stir on and off campus.

That same year Pitt expelled Seamus Johnston, a Pitt Johnstown student and transgender man, for continually using a bathroom that did not correspond with the sex on his birth certificate.

Johnston sued the University, and his case was settled out of court this past March — four years later.

In just a few short years, Pitt has reversed many of its gender-related rules.

Around the same time as it revised its bathroom policy, Pitt also announced the opening of its first gender-neutral dorm. Kenyon Bonner, now the dean of students, said the dorm was something the University had been “focusing on …

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for quite a while” and was not a result of Johnston’s lawsuit.

Connelly said the gender transitioning guidelines were not a response to the Johnston case but noted a lot of “activity” in the realm of universities adapting to the needs of transgender people.

She highlighted Pitt’s various responses, which include the creation of a gender transitioning team.

The team is not so much a set structure as a group of professionals from Pitt’s Student Health Center who are ready to help students and faculty with the process of transitioning, according to Marian Vanek, director of the University Student Health Service.

“We take a team approach in caring for all of our students, including students who are transitioning,” Vanek said. “So the transgender care team is more of a concept that we deploy across the board to meet individual health care needs.”

She added that one of the physicians in Student Health is training in “subspecialty services for transitioning people” that will allow the Wellness Center to offer hormone therapy treatments.

One of the doctors in the Wellness Center, Melanie Gold, was previously trained to offer hormone therapy, but when Gold left sometime within the past two years, trans students were left without a health care professional trained to administer hormone therapy, The Pitt News reported in February.

Connelly said she expects the gender transition guidelines to continue changing as the Office of Diversity Inclusion learns more about the transgender community.

“We expect that the guidelines will continue to evolve as continued progress in this area is made,” Connelly said.

Moret, pg. 28 Luckily, media organizations hungry to earn the trust and loyalty of wideeyed young adults mean that task has never been easier. From traditional to digital news outlets, there’s no reason to stop learning once you step out of the Cathedral.

Both USA Today and the New York Times are available for free in the lobbies of Litchfield Towers and the William Pitt Union — as well as several other buildings across campus — with a swipe of your Pitt ID. Pitt also offers the Wall Street Journal for free in Mervis Hall and Sennott Square, and copies of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sit on a rack by the entrances to the individual Litchfield Towers. You may need to ask a friend to grab one for you on their way out if you don’t live there.

There’s also the issue of informational variety. Chances are, there isn’t a class focused on every one of your interests. If you’re anything like me, that leaves a lot of ground uncovered.

Gaining insight about the world usually has to fight for time against homework, internships and maintaining a social life. While you’re busy learning about your specific field of study, it’s easy to fall behind on what’s happening outside the textbook.

I’ve been lucky. I love comic books, old foreign films and transatlantic policy analysis, and Pitt offers courses for all of that. Still, the most compelling things I’ve learned in college came from exploring my own interests, not from hearing a professor lecture at me.

Following the news regularly has pretty straightforward benefits. Becoming a regular news-reader brings a greater understanding of world events and how they’re connected through institutional, regional and ideological bonds.

You can read a newspaper on a bus or in between classes, one story at a time.

You’re learning in those gaps — it isn’t a waste. Think of it as an investment in your broader perspective and knowledge base.

You don’t need to carry around the free papers Pitt provides if you prefer digital formats. The New York Times

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offers free daily passes so students can have full access to all of the paper’s online content. You have to renew your access every 24 hours, but all an account requires is your school email address.

The Washington Post also offers free online access for students, and with an Amazon Prime account, you can receive a discount on a full subscription. Both of these publications and many more — including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette — also offer discounted subscriptions to students looking for their own accounts or simply investing in media.

I decided to buy a New York Times digital subscription recently, and it only costs me $1 per week. It’s the best purchase I’ve made all year.

If you don’t like reading — in which case, good luck in college — podcasts also present an enticing informational rabbit hole to fall down. Podcasts are essentially radio shows that you can subscribe to and hear on-demand. They are almost all free and anybody with an iOS device already has an app to download them pre-installed. There are countless free apps for Android users to choose from, and PCs have services, such as Stitcher, that allow you to stream both podcasts and actual radio shows.

After the pop culture success of true crime series Serial in 2014, the number of podcasts available has exploded, which means there is really one for just about everybody.

A friend of mine is interested in ancient history and began listening to a show which devotes two hours to the Byzantines every week, while I regularly poke through my excessive batch of 25 subscriptions to hear shows about politics and hip-hop. Like I said, I take advantage of the free stuff.

Your education can take whatever form you want. Once you graduate, your identity will hopefully not be limited to your occupation, so while you are in college, don’t let it be limited to the topics of your major. We all have interests that exist outside of academia, and we all need a break from the tight structure of school occasionally. That doesn’t mean those times have to be unproductive.

You presumably came to Pitt because you want to learn about something you care about. Take the time to make sure you are.

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Opinions

ISOLATE YOURSELF

FIND YOURSELF Jaime Viens |Columnist

Perhaps you were a sheltered adolescent like I was.

Perhaps you were one of many teens who believed that, despite being supported by your parents in every way possible, teen angst and a resentment of your social, political and economic upbringing exempted you from the necessity of ™ finding yourself∫ in college.

Maybe that' s true. Maybe you are one of the few confident, self-assured individuals who is in touch with themselves inside and out. You still may not know the people and places around you – and, I promise, you' re missing out.

Here' s the barrage of questions and comments you' re likely to face for the next four to eight years: ™ Where do you go to school again?∫ ™ What' s your major?∫ ™ What kind of job will you get with that?∫ ™ You know, I read an article about a girl who studied what you' re studyingº ∫

If you haven' t been on the receiving end of that interrogation yet, you will be very soon.

What you truly want to say is, ™ Thanks for your help, Debra. I' m sure you' re right. That woman' s study of dentistry and my study of cultural anthropology are definitely comparable$ ∫ But all you can really muster is, ™ I have no idea, but it' ll work out.∫ Even if you think you know yourself – that

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your high school experience really was enough to set you up for the rest of your life – you don' t have to know the answers to those questions.

You don' t have to come into school knowing who you are or what you want to be.

But you should come into school with an open mind ready to take on the unknown. You should use college as an opportunity to explore as much as possible.

At the beginning of college I attached myself to the first group of people I met – the ones who lived on my dormitory floor. It was as easy as it was comfortable and they were always a few steps away when I needed someone.

I eagerly signed up for clubs and activities that sparked my interests while promising myself I' d follow through with them. But as each meeting passed, I fell into the same excuses: I have too much work, I' m too busy and I already have friends.

I watched the fresh optimism I once had disappear as I lay in my bed, alone, binge-watching ™ The Office∫ for the fourth time.

I didn' t recognize my mindset as the problem.

Then sophomore year rolled around. I was in a single apartment in a new building about 10 minutes away from campus. It just so happened that I lived in the only room on a vacant floor.

See Comfort Zone on page 44

Mariam Shalaby | Columnist

How you fare in your first year of college is pretty much a matter of life or death. As a seasoned junior, I have taken it upon myself to craft a flawless, three-part guide for your success as a Pitt student. You can thank me later.

Part One: Academics When picking classes, keep your career plans – and only your career plans – in mind.

Statistics have shown there is a 99 percent probability* you will go into the same career you intended to when you entered college. So only choose classes directly relevant to your career goals.

For example, if you want to be an accountant, don' t even look in the direction of that Chinese poetry class.

Take it from me – I' m double majoring, regrettably, in natural sciences and music – you won' t learn much from a course of study outside your field. Stay focused. It' s not like this will be one of the few times you' re in an environment that encourages you to explore new things and challenges your way of thinking.

I' m telling you – liberal arts educations, gen ed requirements and fields of interest that don' t make buckets of money are overrated.

Now, eager first year student, when you jostle into the Chevron Science Center – room 150 – for your first general chemistry class,

May 31, 2016

don' t forget to race for a front row seat. The seat you choose on your first day could determine your entire future.

Say hello to the classmate sitting next to you, and make sure you tell them your major, very loudly. It defines you just as much as the color of your eyes and your opinions on capitalism and sushi. Don' t forget that.

Before you know it, it' s time for your first college midterm – how exciting.

When the doors open, get in there and sweep the competition. If all else fails, just fill your Scantron with option ™ C.∫ It works every time.

When you leave, discuss every question with your classmates. It' s especially confidenceboosting if you continue to think about the questions you got wrong for the next week or so.

Part Two: Extracurriculars Ah, the student activities fair. Get in and get out – don' t linger. And remember to only look for the clubs that will bolster your resum" .

Oh, look. Cultural clubs.

Avoid them. You don' t want to appear unAmerican to graduate schools and employers.

The risk of facing a prejudiced interviewer and discrimination for having differing cultural ties is far too high to afford whatever horizonbroadening information you might gain.

See Discomfort Zone on page 44

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APPS TO KEEP YOU ON TRACK

Isabelle Ouyang | Columnist

Planners and desk calendars are nice in theory, but how often do we keep up with them?

Mobile app technology makes organization much easier by syncing your class schedule with your Facebook events, setting reminders and sharing appointments with others.

These free apps take organizing to a whole new level: Tiny Scanner — Android and iOS Say goodbye to waiting for Hillman Library’s scanners, which are only available on the ground floor. With Tiny Scanner, you can skip the line and just reach into your pocket instead. The app automatically detects page edges and fits the image to size so your notes don’t look like the opening crawl of a Star Wars film.

Above: Evernote Below: Wally

f.lux — All computer devices It’s the night before a big exam. After looking through lecture slides one last time, you decide to tap out — but you can’t sleep.

Sleep scientists recommend turning off your electronic devices a few hours before bedtime in order to reduce exposure to blue light, which imitates the sun and keeps you awake. With f.lux, your phone or computer screen color adjusts according to the time of day: blue during the day and warmer colors at night. The app can be disabled for an hour at a time, or “until sunrise.”

In use, it mirrors your circadian rhythm, and prevents you from staying up too late when you’re not trying to. Although the app is not available for Apple devices, the newest iPhone software has a similar feature, Night Shift, pre-installed so that the screen light adjusts to your environment’s lighting. For everyone else with a laptop, this is a great option.

Evernote — Android and iOS Ditch your notebook.

Evernote is a note-taking platform where you can organize your notes in neat folders or by searchable tags. If it sounds like a glorified Google docs, that’s because it is. Still, something about the easy-to-use interface turns note-taking into an art. For already loyal Evernote users, check out the web clipper extension that allows you to easily group articles and mark them up.

The best feature about this app is it syncs across all devices so you can be working on One-

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Note on your computer and finish up on another device such as your phone.

30/30 — Android and iOS The pomodoro timing method is a strategy that splits tasks into 25-minute segments using a kitchen timer.

If you didn’t bring one to college, 30/30 is a good alternative. The app allows you to customize and loop tasks — 25 minutes of reading, 5 minutes for break, for example —with colorful icons to match. The 30/30 pomodoro loop will keep you time-conscious and on-task, sans the incessant ticking of its kitchen counterpart.

Circle of 6 U — Android and iOS Winner of the White House’s 2011 “Apps Against Abuse” technology challenge, Circle of 6 originated as a tool for violence prevention.

The app sends preformed texts to up to six emergency contacts at the touch of the button.

The text can tell your contacts where you are and how they can help, whether you need someone to give you a ride, interrupt with a call or just talk you out of a bad place. Circle of 6 U allows students to customize hotline numbers to your school’s resources, and the app is disguised to avoid attracting unwanted attention while in use.

Above: Circle of 6 Below: SAM

SAM — Android and iOS It’s hard to make the time for self-care when you’re overwhelmed with balancing school, work, assignments and social activities.

Even harder is knowing where to start. SAM, which stands for Self-Help for Anxiety Management, is a toolbox developed by mental health experts and researchers at the University of the West of England, Bristol. Its most useful feature is the anxiety tracker, which asks you to rate your dayto-day anxiety levels, and then provides an ongoing graph. Seeing a sudden spike may encourage you to reach out for help. The app has several tools including a closed social network of SAM users, guidance on putting self-help into practice, external links and user guidance. While not a replacement for professional help, SAM turns selfcare and stress management into a daily practice.

Find the full story online at

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ADVICE FROM A COMMUTER Jordan Drischler | Columnist

College move-in day: a sense of apprehension about being dropped off mixed with the excitement of meeting your roommate and settling into your new home.

With a feeling of newfound independence, you quickly ease into the college atmosphere and cannot imagine living anywhere else. This was my story and one shared by thousands of first-year students.

Buts the semesters went by and it came time to select housing for my senior year, I decided to do something I' d never imagined.

I decided to move back home to the South Hills of Pittsburgh. In order to save money, I – like three percent of first years last year, according to the Pitt Fact Book Ç – chose to commute.

I was not a first year, but I was preparing to experience college like never before. Now, having commuted to school for two semesters, I' ve learned the advantages, drawbacks and all the caveats to life as a commuter.

While the benefits of commuting – cost saving, being with family, maintaining the stability of life at home – are valuable, there are

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numerous unforeseen disadvantages as well, and some of them have to do with the way Pitt' s resources for commuters are lacking.

One of the most significant yet unexpected hurdles to commuting was the cost. While overall savings on rent and utilities make living at home worthwhile, do not expect it to be outright cheap. I knew I would have to pay for parking and gas, but I never anticipated how quickly these costs would accumulate – especially when parking costs $2 per hour around Pitt' s campus.

Commuters: be sure to budget your money to include extra costs, rather than solely focusing on all the money you' re saving on rent and food.

Remember that time is money, too. Depending on how far you live from campus, traveling back and forth can take up a substantial portion of the day. I commute from a farther distance than most being from Monongahela – about 45 minutes away. This will inevitably cut into time used for studying, not to mention sleeping, if you don' t budget your schedule correctly.

In fact, the key to overall success is to establish a set schedule.

Driving back to Pitt after a day’s work. Eva Fine VISUAL EDITOR Plan out an agenda in advance for homework and for studying – especially if assignments require you to use university equipment such as the computer labs. Remember that as

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a commuter, you cannot afford to ™ wing it∫ as much as someone who has a dorm or apartment to go back to. Devise a plan of attack for the day, and execute it thoroughly.

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SEEK YOUR PERFECT SPACE

Amber Montgomery Staff Writer

I' m a big advocate of sports loyalty points.

It makes sense – rewarding students who support all of Pitt' s sports teams fosters a community with Pitt pride.

Students at Pitt gain loyalty points with basketball tickets, an incentive for those who attend more games throughout the season.

Sometimes, though, I wish we' d apply the loyalty points system to other aspects of college, including the least glamorous but arguably most important part of the experience.

I' m talking about studying.

I' m a Hillman regular all year round. So when it' s finals week and my favorite tables are being taken up by last-minute crammers who haven' t been there all semester, I' m thrown into a bout of rage. It' s kind of like showing up to the most popular athletic rivalry of the year only to realize that your favorite seat in the stands is taken. It' s never an easy defeat when I have to resort to the Wesley W. Posvar Hall, with nothing but a swiftly dying laptop battery to comfort me.

According to the 2014 National Survey of

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Student Engagement' s study, college students spend an average of 17 hours per week studying. While it' s easy to get distracted by floor programs, new clubs and lounging on the lawn in front of the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in the first few weeks of school, it' s important to get your study habits down before you fall behind.

Alas, Hillman loyalty points do not come with the package. But there are plenty of locations throughout Pitt and Oakland for studying – each with their own advantages and setbacks.

Hillman Library is the number one go-to for many students – which makes it problematic. Once it gets crowded during peak panic hours, you' re going to want some more options.

The Barco Law Library is right around the corner with a much quieter, austere environment for rigorous studying. Although it closes at 5 p.m., so law students and legal researchers have it to themselves, there is no better place to get work done during the daytime with minimal distractions.

See Study Spots on page 46

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Alex Nally STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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LET’S TALK POLITICS

TPN STAFF

Some stereotypes are closer to reality than others.

At Pitt, we embrace the perception that college students like to assert their opinions more than just about anything — anywhere from the classroom to a table at Hemingway’s Cafe.

This is especially true during an election year, when the entire cityy is caug caught campaign ght up p in campa p iggn

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work and various other forms of political advocacy. But participation in the political conversation shouldn’t stop once November rolls around.

Whether you’re a political science major whose passion is campaigning or a feminist who wants to empower your female peers, there are a plethora of ways to make your voice heard at Pitt.

Here is a sampling of Pitt groups, in no particular order, that can h help you get involved in i our community’ communi s political scene, as selected by a resident conservative and res a resident libera liberal.

College Democrats: Pitt’s ColD lege Democrats Democra gather weekly to discuss issues regarding current events within the Democratic Party and liberal interests at all levels of in government.

Students g can c take advantage of campaign opportunic ties t and see visiting speakers hosted by the s group.

There is also an gr

annual debate between the Pitt College Democratic and Republican groups.

College Republicans: Pitt’s College Republicans meet to discuss issues regarding current events within the Republican Party and conservative interests at all levels of government. The club also hosts speakers and holds events on cam-pus to engage studentss on topics such as freee speech and free markets..

Students for Liberty: y: Students for Liberty iss Pitt’s student libertarian n organization, dedicated d to discussing topics surrrounding governmentt intrusion on Americans’ lives and student dent rights.

Black Action Society: ty:: Pitt’s BAS serves as the official representative tive organization for the concerns, need and d interests of black students at Pitt. In addition dition to inviting guest speakers throughout hout the year,

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BAS holds weekly events open to everyone, featuring presentations and activities on everything from social issues to culture to beauty tips.

Rainbow Alliance: Rainbow Alliance serves the needs of the LGBTQ+ community at Pitt through advocacy, education and social opportunities. The group hosts speakers and holds informational events on topics such as how to be a good ally and representation in media.

See Politics on page 50

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I AM MORE THAN MY PUBLIC SPEAKING ANXIETY

Lauren Long | Staff Writer

If I had to rank my fears, public speaking would outrank lying on my deathbed tomorrow, sharing a tiny tank with a tarantula, getting caught alone in a pitch black forest with no flashlight and tiptoeing the top of the Cathedral of Learning.

I am part of the 75 percent of individuals who suffer from the most common phobia, ™ glossophobia,∫ or public speaking anxiety.

At 16, public speaking anxiety in the classroom sounded like ™ um,∫ ™ like∫ and long awkward pauses when I was called on unexpectedly.

By 18, public speaking anxiety looked like red hazard lights flashing on my fiery cheeks during class icebreakers. By the time it was my turn to state my name, major, hometown and greatest fear, I forgot everything except, ™ My greatest fear is public speaking.∫ Everyone laughed except me.

At 21, a group of male students noticed the rosy red pigment on my face when they greeted me. One asked, ™ Are we making you nervous?∫ Another, ™ Are you anxious?∫ Another, ™ Your foot is tapping.∫ And another, ™ Your hands are shaking.∫ It was not until then – when I realized my public speaking anxiety affected my academic

and professional life – that I finally sought the help I had needed for years. In my first session, my therapist labeled it ™ good∫ anxiety.

But if ™ good∫ anxiety could make me stutter between my first and last name and forget my major, then what was ™ bad∫ anxiety?

I' ve since learned that ™ bad∫ anxiety is a mental illness called generalized anxiety disorder, and that my generalized anxiety disorder caused my public speaking anxiety.

It' s when your thoughts race to the beat of your heart. It' s a shortness of breath. It' s a fog in your head and sweat dripping down your brows.

It' s forgetting everything you had to say when it' s time to say it.

Public speaking anxiety does not have rules or boundaries. It can hit whenever and wherever, which is why it' s important to be prepared for its onslaught.

I have to work with it. I know that I love owning the room, but I also know that if I don' t plan my whole speech ahead of time, I' ll have a panic attack and put myself and everyone around me in an uncomfortable situation.

According to Lori Drost, a social worker at the University' s Counseling Center, anxiety is a

complex animal and, like any other part of your body or your psyche, one that you should get to know intimately. ™ There is not one way anxiety presents itself,∫ Drost said. ™ To understand the nature of your anxiety, you must first identify what triggers you the most.∫ After I'd identified my trigger – in my case, it wasn' t too hard to do – I decided to tackle my greatest fear the first term of my first year at Pitt. I registered for Public Speaking, a course designed to help students develop speech making skills through theory and practice.

The first assignment on the syllabus read, ™ Getting Your Speaking Feet Wet.∫ The second, ™ Speeches of Introduction,∫ and, in parentheses, ™ To be recorded.∫ I had to give a two to three minute speech to my classmates, professor and the man in the back of the African Heritage Room holding a video camera.

Somehow, I had avoided public speaking in high school, so this was my first speech. Although I thought it went disastrously because I was on the verge of a panic attack, after watching the tape over a few times, I realized those panic attack symptoms did not once meet the audience' s eye.

The moment I realized I could conquer this fear, a weight lifted.

I did not get a handle on my anxiety alone, and neither should you.

The public speaking course introduced me to the Oral Communication Lab, housed in the communication department – 1124 Cathedral of Learning – which serves any member of the campus community to help with speaking skills.

I am a young adult with public speaking anxiety who has taken advantage of the resources Pitt offers, but I am also a full-time student, a writer, a master communicator with a high cultural competency, a tutor, a mentor and a future educator.

I refuse to let my anxiety define me or limit my career.

Having anxiety has taught me that it' s OK to have a mental illness, and it' s OK to ask for help.

Starting college is a constant social experience – we often feel like we' re put on display, which can be nerve-wracking for anyone, but especially for those who live with an anxiety disorder.

Don' t give up on that in-class presentation or in front of new classmates – speak up. Your voice deserves to be heard.

WORK HARD FOR MORE THAN THE MONEY

Sierra Smith | Copy Chief

The last time I was jobless, I was 15 years old.

Well, except the two-month period right after I moved to Pittsburgh and frantically searched Oakland to find a food service or retail job to save money and pay off my student loans – I like to plan ahead.

From working long days at Subway, slinging footlongs to middle school-aged athletes, to working long nights as a hotel bartender, slinging shots of Goose to middle-aged men in suits, I' ve consistently kept my metaphorical nose to the metaphorical grindstone.

And while at times I experience a fear of missing out – FOMO – of the most painful variety, I' m proud that I' ve been able to finance my education and my life in Pittsburgh independently. The only thing is, I thought by working hard to pay off my loans now, my personal and professional life would flourish after college, because I would have one less bill

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to worry about. Turns out, that sentiment was wrong.

When it came time to apply for internships my junior year, a good friend of mine applied for the same program I did. Our resumÑ s were identical, save for a few minor discrepancies, so I naively figured we' d either both get spots or not. Again, wrong.

She got a spot while I was rejected. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. I was doing well in my classes and working rigorously at my restaurant job, saving every penny I could.

What I wasn' t doing was getting involved in the right areas and with activities that truly made me happy instead of just earning me money. And without something that could make me happy – something I could lose myself in – I felt inferior. I felt empty.

In my frantic I-need-an-internship-I' m-asecond-semester-junior state of mind, I found an unpaid internship doing fundraising writ-

ing for the University and I took it, no questions asked. While I had no idea how to create written communication for fundraising campaigns, I figured I needed more professional experience and contacts in order to succeed in the surprisingly varied landscape of the writing industry.

The first few weeks of my internship were different from what I expected. While I had to attend weekly meetings and lived in a tiny, windowless room ± typical for an office setting ± I discovered something about myself: I love helping people.

The work I did was mostly research-based, but I was also able to write short pieces, and on rare occasions, interview prominent donors to write feature profiles detailing their gift history. And I loved it. Talking with donors and listening to the passion they held for their Pitt experience was incredibly rewarding.

Writing pieces for thousands of Pitt alumni and updating them on current fundrais-

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Michelle Reagle | Staff Illustrator ing initiatives made me feel like a direct link between student groups and the successful alumni that really do want to help. To know my words were reaching the ears of others and making an impact – I' d never felt more fulfilled.

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Comfort Zone, pg. 33 It hit me hard. There was no simple way to make friends this time around. So I continued on with the same friends I made from my first- year floor – the only friends I had. Instead of challenging myself to reach out, I took the easy route.

I frequently found myself alone. The more time I spent by myself, the more I realized how little I actually had in common with the people I hung out with the most.

And thus, I began my journey into adulthood and self-sustenance watching ™ SpongeBob Squarepants∫ sprawled across an old roommate' s couch on a Friday night.

My closest friendships were based on a level of accessibility rather than any commonality or connection. I was willfully staying in rather than finding new places to explore. I was doing what I already knew rather than searching for new experiences.

So I made a decision to do something I had never before considered, where I would have no choice but to follow through without looking back..

What started as a fix to my static routine became the thrill of a lifetime: New Zealand. I spent a full semester of sophomore year abroad, and it was the best decision I' ve ever made.

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I made new friends who shared my interests.

We were all equally lost in a new environment.

We spent time with each other because we enjoyed each other' s company, not because it was convenient.

None of us had any idea what we were doing or where we were going. We were left to forge our own relationships, to learn about cultures and to find our own way around. Unlike my first year, I didn' t stop trying once I' d found a few companions. I was in a whole other country, so I kept looking around – I kept leaving my room.

College is not a time to learn ™ independence∫ by locking yourself away and watching Netflix.

College is a time to take advantage of opportunities – most of which you will never be offered again. It' s a time to join clubs, assist in research, participate in a rally or protest, volunteer and work hard.

If you' re a physics major, take History of Jazz.

If you' re a sworn Democrat, sit in on a Pitt College Republicans meeting. If you' ve never dabbled in any religion, check out a local church group. And if you' ve never left the country, study abroad.

You, self-assured college newbie, are making your own calls now. But run them by your parents first before you, inevitably, join the rest of us still supported financially by our parents with only $2.75 in our bank accounts.

Discomfort Zone, pg. 33 An enthusiastic peer, part of a political organization, is handing you a leaflet on liberty in North Korea? You think this is interesting? Snap out of it.

Smile and take the leaflet to be polite, but don' t get involved – you don' t want to be pegged as politically pigeonholed.

What if your opinions change? How embarrassing that would be. It' s better to appear neutral.

An a capella group is recruiting? You can sing – and well, too – but these guys do public singing grams on Valentine' s Day. How mortifying. Not cute. Stay far, far away.

Part Three: Socialization So those friends of your' s – you' re not feeling so comfortable around your bottom-of-the-barrel comrades, huh?

Well too bad, you' re stuck. Most first years aren' t very eager to meet new people, so it' s best to just keep to yourself and the few friends you were lucky enough to snag during Orientation Week.

That woman who sits next to you in chemistry? She might be wearing a shirt bearing the name of your favorite boy

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band, but don' t be fooled, she' s not your friend. She' s just your competition. And like all competition, she must be defeated, swiftly.

Frankly, there' s not much you could learn from other students around Pitt anyway. You wouldn' t want to open your mind and challenge your thinking or anything like that. Trust me, college is about staying as comfortable as possible.

Make sure you keep your circle small and exclusive. And keep it limited to people you can benefit from – If they can' t give you anything tangible, say goodbye.

So, there you have it, freshies. The definitive guide to being the most successful you can be as a Pitt student. Follow my advice exactly, and you' ll be golden.

Don' t email me though. Just because I wrote this advice column doesn' t mean I want to answer your questions or talk to you personally. My email is for professional use only. But I digress – best of luck! *Another piece of advice: don' t take the time to look up accurate statistics, just make something up. The internet is a huge place, there' s undoubtedly some piece of research out there by someone that will support your claim.

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Commuter, pg. 37 In addition to being aware of the time and money commitment of commuting, I wish I had known earlier about the programs and facilities – or lack thereof – that the University provides to commuting students.

Pitt offers a variety of programs and resources for students who find themselves making the trek to campus everyday. Because I' m going on my fifth year at Pitt, I didn' t take advantage of events, including monthly movie nights, or use the commuter lounge in Nordy' s Place for a quiet study spot.

Even so, there are areas where the University is behind when it comes to commuters' needs. Parking is by far the biggest problem area. I' ve been unsuccessful in obtaining a commuter parking pass because too few are available, which has posed a significant inconvenience and increased the cost of commuting.

If the University doled out parking spaces – which we would pay for, of course – in accordance with the number of commuter students, this problem could be easily avoided.

And while Nordy' s Place is a great, central location for a commuter lounge, it' s one of only a few options, and there' s no restrictions

on who can enter, so non-commuter students could be taking up space in the room as well. I would like to see the University add more commuter lounges with spots for commuters to lie down, as not having a place to rest has been an unforeseen challenge of commuting.

It is very possible for Pitt to resolve these challenges by taking student suggestions and working with students not working through the ™ typical college experience.∫ Commuting comes with a distinct set of obstacles, but with a meticulous schedule, a hearty set of time-management skills and a dedication to maintaining your involvement on campus, it

can be an enriching experience for many students. I suggest that you recognize the gaps in Pitt' s commuter options before settling in.

Encourage the University that, since according to the Pitt Fact Book, more than half of Pitt students live off campus and some of those students are commuters, it should recognize and adapt to the needs of its student population.

On your end, potential commuter, make sure to heed my advice, snag a parking permit early and find a nap-worthy spot on campus, and commuting will be an enjoyable and beneficial experience.

Study Spots, pg. 38 One of Oakland' s best and underused resources is the Carnegie Library across Forbes Avenue from the Cathedral. Its marbled, clean architecture is reminiscent of the Carnegie Museums. It has plenty of space, plus individual lamps and outlets at most of the seats – a rare occurrence at Pitt.

Likewise, the libraries in Frick Fine Arts Building and Mervis Hall are two gems starved of the recognition they deserve. Frick is small but beautiful and usually empty, complete with an art gallery and a fountain if you want to take a break and enliven your visual experience. Mervis is a building a lot of students – outside of the College of Business Administration – aren' t even aware of. It' s the one with the mirrored walls across from Bouquet.

The trade-off for these well-kept secrets is their not-so-college-friendly hours. Frick and Carnegie are open until 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. respectively, Monday through Thursday. Mervis is open until 11:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Another petite but cozy study area – with more accessible hours – is the student lounge on the ninth floor of the William Pitt Union. The couches offer a relaxed atmosphere and the surrounding windows overlook breathtaking views of our lovely Cathy.

If you have a meal plan, Market Central is open until the morning hours Sunday through Thursday.

Not only is it great for snacking, you can get all three meals for one swipe if you stay there for the long haul.

Or, if you like to combine studying with a work out, the Petersen Events Center has plenty of tables, chairs and comfy spots by the food court you can plop down in before or after you hit the gym.

Exercise your body, exercise your brain.

Finding what works for your studying habits might take time, but if you keep your options open and are willing to explore a bit, you can find a few places sure to raise your GPA by at least .5 percentage points – but please don' t quote me on that.

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Politics, pg. 40 Campus Women’s Organization: Campus Women' s Organization represents the interests of women at Pitt and around the country, particularly through empowerment, full representation and reproductive justice. CWO' s largest events include the annual Take Back the Night rally and march to eradicate violence against women, the Vagina Monologues and self-defense classes.

Choose Life at Pitt: CLAP is a secular, non-partisan pro-life group that educates students about the pro-life movement and offers support and resources for pregnant women.

Amnesty International: Amnesty International is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about global human rights issues and promoting justice issues worldwide. Pitt has its own chapter of the group, which offers stu-

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dents an invaluable opportunity to learn about and help people in need.

Genocide Relief and Awareness Club: The youngest group on this list, GRAC is dedicated to providing relief and aid to victims affected by systematic and deliberate atrocities committed against targeted groups around the world. Members participate in fundraising efforts and regular educational discussions.

Pitt Political Review: PPR is a nonpartisan, student-run political journal published each semester by the University Honors College. Students spend a term researching a politically related issue of their choice before writing or editing a scholarly piece on the subject.

In addition to their work at The Pitt News, Marlo is currently Secretary of the Pitt College Republicans, while Matt serves as the Editor in Chief of Pitt Political Review.

Smith, pg. 43 Now, I' m working as an editorial intern with a Pittsburgh-based lifestyle magazine, writing short blog posts about small businesses around the city to help them gain exposure and to promote their business, their passion. I still have this incredible feeling of fulfillment.

When we visit the businesses, usually to pick up some products or for a photo shoot, talking with the owners is my favorite part. They' re enthusiastic about their business, and they' re always so thankful to be featured ñ everyone is warm and friendly. The sense of community that exists between these owners is so pervasive, you can feel it radiating from the storefront ñ and it feels good to me, to know I can make a difference, no matter how small the scope.

For once, I can see my significance through my passion.

I feel like I have a sense of direction. While no one can know what is coming for them, it' s nice that a part of me has it somewhat figured out, because it makes the long years stinking of Old Bay and cigarettes after a long night of waitressing finally meaningful.

Many undergraduates enter college un-

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decided or have no clue what they want to do when they graduate ó according to the Mentor, an academic advising journal, 20 to 50 percent of undergraduates begin their college career as ì undecidedî ó and after conferring with a few personal contacts, that seems about right. Maybe I was lucky to find that ì secretî to happiness in my early adult years. Or maybe I' ll change my mind and find a new passion next year.

Regardless, my advice to you: keep working hard. And when you find your passion ó when you' re ì decidedî ó work harder. Because, trust me on this, you' ll want to work harder. Even if you know you' ll make more money skipping class to cover that lunch shift or giving up that unpaid internship in favor more hours stocking shelves at your local Rite Aid, money shouldn' t be your end goal. Make time for things you think are important ó things that drive you, things you' re passionate about ó rather than things that seem more lucrative.

It may suck right now. You may have to work long hours and spend your summers driving between jobs and internships, and your clothes might perpetually smell like Thai food, but when you find what it is that really makes you happy, it will feel all the more worth it.

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Culture

BANDING TOGETHER: PITT-MADE MUSIC Matt Maielli | Staff Writer

Four students, strapped with instruments, are shoved between a pair of speakers in the corner of a Bouquet Gardens apartment as a spectrum of colors stream from a strobe light.

The crowd is stuffed into the rest of what would normally be the living room and kitchen – the first few rows listen intently and everyone else talks over a Beatles cover.

Maybe you were in that crowd, or maybe you were in the crowd weeks earlier, when that same band took a much larger stage on Bigelow Boulevard opening for Walk the Moon at Fall Fest.

™ Playing on that large of a stage for hundreds of people [who] we didn' t know was definitely an experience we won' t forget,∫ band member Roger Toussaint said.

Lacking local traditional venues, it can be hard to find a good show around campus.

Combine that with an ever-changing roster of student musicians, it might start to seem like Oakland' s music scene is non-existent.

In reality, the talent is mostly represented in basement shows that serve as makeshift concert halls, while the University produces its fair share of economics majors moonlighting as rock stars.

The Naughties is a ™ soul jamboree∫ cover band, reinterpreting songs from

the likes of Amy Winehouse, Tom Petty, Earth, Wind & Fire and Daft Punk.

The band' s four members met the way any motley crew of college musicians do – dorm life.

Jesse Wehner, guitar and lead vocals, lived in the same suite as Toussaint – drums and vocals – in Sutherland Hall their first year.

Wehner met Jad Hilal – violin and vocals – when they roomed together abroad in London. Eric Stein – bass – is the only non-Pitt member of the band and joined via a Craigslist ad. ™ Soul jamboree is not so much a genre but a theme, maybe even a lifestyle. It means that whatever we' re playing, it' s going to be a party,∫ said Toussaint, a senior economics and statistics major, whose

entire drum set fits in his kick drum, which is an old plastic suitcase.

Though The Naughties cover a variety of songs, its sound remains consistent. The band brings rock band sensibility to the pop genre, with a guitar solo occasionally swapped for a violin. ™ We' ll take any song that we like, and we figure out a way to make it original and fit our sound,∫ Toussaint said. ™ There' s really no limit.∫ The Naughties, often clamoring for the attention of a distracted college audience, aim to lead listeners into a ™ state of shock,∫ according to Toussaint. ™ Recently a lot of our antics have involved Jad ripping off his shirt and having various

Photos Courtesy of The Naughties, The Ugly Blondes, AllegrA and Yes Yes a Thousand Times Yes

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things written on his chest,∫ Toussaint said – Hilal' s chest notably read ™ H2P∫ at recent campus performances. ™ But we' re looking to get a little more creative in the future.∫ The rambunctious band got to open for Walk the Moon after winning the 2015 Pitt Program Council' s annual Battle of the Bands.

The Naughties recently performed alongside the Pitt Ballet Club during the season finale of Pitt Tonight.

Find The Naughties on Facebook and check them out next fall.

The Ugly Blondes also try to separate themselves from a smattering of pop-rock egos vying for the adulation of a young audience.

The Blondes' four members have been performing and making music since early 2013 with a sound that' s not quite traditional and a full rock ` n' roll noise that doesn' t leave empty spaces. Combined with droning, echoey lead vocals, their sound is reminiscent of a grungier Queens of the Stone Age. Nate Cross, a senior nonfiction writing major and the band' s frontman, expressed a distaste for ™ run-of-the-mill pop rock.∫ ™ Usually, if something we' re working with kind of sounds strange or off-time or something along those lines, we' ll end up making it a song,∫ Cross said. ™ Our inspiration really

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doesn' t come from anywhere else other than asking ourselves how weird [we can] be compared to other rock bands.∫ Cross and the band' s other members – his brother Justin Cross on second guitar, Nick Chesko on bass and Gareth Blyth on drums – played in assorted cover bands in high school, eventually leaving those groups behind for college.

As he worked on songs in his spare time, Cross felt it was time to get a new band together.

One by one, Cross found his crew, and the Blondes jammed in his parents' garage until they hit on a substantial sound. ™ After a while we realized we had some material,∫ Cross said. ™ We really liked everything we came up with, and we love playing together, so we decided it was time to become a real band.∫ In the second semester, the Ugly Blondes won the Winter X Showcase at Pittsburgh' s Hard Rock Cafe. The band has since released new songs and done a takeover of a local radio station.

Cross said he isn' t exactly reaching for the sky – Pittsburgh suits the band just fine for now. ™ All I can really hope for right now is just to

keep pushing, play a bunch of shows anywhere and anytime we can, keep putting out material and hope people like it. If they don' t, that' s okay too,∫ Cross said. ™ We' re not in too much of a rush. Playing in Pittsburgh has been a lot of fun.∫ Listen to The Ugly Blondes' new album when it comes out on Bandcamp and Facebook, and check them out at the Layer Cake and Deutschtown music festivals this summer.

Musicians at Pitt sometimes want to go it alone, which is what senior communications major Allegra Eidinger did when she began what she calls her queer solo project, AllegrA, in 2013. ™ It' s inspired by a variety [of] female artists such as Waxahatchee, Cayetana, Girlpool, Kississippi and Alabama Shakes,∫ Eidinger said. ™ My music is wide-ranging and ever-evolving – it' s difficult to pinpoint any particular source of inspiration.∫ AllegrA' s contralto, a low singing register for females, and honest vocals find a home somewhere in the neighborhood of Laura Stevenson' s raw lyricism and the throaty introspection of Beach House' s Victoria Legend.

While she works on her developing sound, Eidinger also plays bass for the indie rock band Yes Yes A Thousand Times Yes, which she

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called ™ a blend of David Bowie, Tera Melos and Death Cab [for Cutie].∫ The end-product is a collection of pure basement jams. The band' s lengthy name – a line from the movie adaptation of Jane Austen' s ™ Pride and Prejudice∫ – is sometimes abbreviated as YY1KXY. Eidinger has found benefits of both projects, developing her own style and learning to meld it with a group' s collective vision. ™ Being a part of Yes Yes A Thousand Times Yes has been a serious lesson in working towards solid collective sound,∫ she said. ™ With my music, it' s especially rewarding to work organically on my own sound and to feel like I' ve clearly captured my emotions through it.∫ Eidinger has a lot to look forward to musically – YY1KXY is leaving Pittsburgh for a two-week tour along the east coast to promote its newest LP ™ Not Once, Not Never.∫ While the band tours and plans for another LP later in the summer, Eidinger' s considering another foray into the music industry. ™ My hope for the future is to put an all-female band together to play my songs,∫ she said. ™ It may already be in the works.∫ Listen to AllegrA on Bandcamp and YY1KXY' s new album on Bandcamp and Facebook, and find the band on tour this summer.

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LEAVE THEM LAUGHING: CAMPUS COMEDY GROWS Eric Acosta | Staff Writer

One of Pittsburgh’s most recent cultural transformations can be found in the city’s budding comedy scene.

In just the past couple of years, comedy on campus and in the city at large has quickly morphed from a side attraction into the main event. On any given night, the practicing comedian can showcase his or her talents at open mics in bars and theaters all over Pittsburgh and, increasingly, on Pitt’s campus.

Students willing to venture a little bit off campus, like Joseph Feigin, have found creative outlets in Pittsburgh’s developing landscape. Feigin, a rising junior philosophy major, interns and takes classes at the Arcade Comedy Theater downtown.

“Arcade has shown me that comedy is available to everyone — it’s just about finding your niche within it,” Feigin said.

The theater opened its doors in 2013, with the simple goal of enhancing and

Joe Marchi during a stand-up routine in Nordy’s. The Pitt News developing the comedy scene in Pittsburgh. One of its most popular shows, “Knights of the Arcade,” is an on-stage game of Dungeons and Dragons between comedians and improv performers.

Nearby, like-minded organizations, such as the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Comedy Arts Pittsburgh, add to the comedic atmosphere.

But Comedy Arts Pittsburgh moved its attention a little farther up the hill this year, recognizing that a collegiate comedy scene was taking shape at Pitt.

To sum up what the University might call its “Year of Laughter,” this upcoming August, the organization is hosting its third annual comedy festival in the Henry Heymann Theatre on Pitt’s campus.

The four-day festival will take place August 25 through 28, and will showcase improv, stand-up and sketch comedy.

When discussing Pitt’s entertainment culture in general, and especially its comedy-centered one, you’d be hardpressed not to mention Pitt Tonight.

The late-night talk show, hosted by senior Jesse Irwin and featuring a troupe of more than 70 writers and cast members, has quickly garnered neighborhood and national attention, bringing in local celebrities, including Mayor Bill Peduto and original “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” cast member David Newell.

But the show is just drawing on a number of performers and entertainers scattered throughout campus. Before Irwin’s usual national-news-inspired introduction, Ruckus, an improv comedy group on campus, opened Pitt Tonight’s season finale in its usual location in the bottom of the Cathedral of Learning.

See Comedyon page 62

The Pitt News SuDoku 5/31/16 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

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STAFF PICKS: OAKLAND BITES

TPN Staff

In a New York Times feature story earlier this year, writer Jeff Gordinier dubbed Pittsburgh' s burgeoning food scene a ™ cultural youthquake.∫ You might have heard that the Steel City – highlighted by an onslaught of quirky restaurants, including the Fairfield at the Ace Hotel in East Liberty and The Vandal in Lawrenceville – is becoming a great place to eat. But Oakland hasn' t exactly been the epicenter of the foodie renaissance, and as a first-year student, it' s easy to feel left out of Pittsburgh' s big culinary debut.

It' s doubtful, unless you brought a car from home or are from the area, that you' ll make your way out to East Liberty too often to buy a $10 breakfast of one egg and toast. Most days, you' ll be dragging yourself out of bed to get an already-paid-for meal at Market Central or standing in line for another Chipotle burrito.

So we want to give you, the hip and cool newcomers to Pittsburgh' s youngest neighborhood, an idea of where to find more interesting, less crowded options on and right near campus. Editors and writers from The Pitt News have put together some personal favorites that you don' t have to take a bus to find.

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Eva Fine VISUAL EDITOR Ian Flanagan / Culture Editor Peace, Love and Little Donuts, 118 Meyran Ave. — about a 10-minute walk from Cathy Share a pastry with Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Jim Morrison at by far the hippest place to get donuts in Pittsburgh.

Peace, Love and Little Donuts is one of a few locations in the Pittsburgh area, but part of a chain of more than 20 nationwide. Tucked away right off of Forbes Avenue, the walls decked out with trippy, hand-drawn artwork, this place is the easiest way to cure a sweet tooth in Oakland.

Though its product may look small, the dense doughnut holes are filling and come in many variations. Basic styles – glazed, powdered and the like – are covered in the ™ groovy∫ section, while flavored icings like raspberry and chocolate macchiato are under ™ far out.∫ But the ™ funkadelic∫ doughnut possibilities – over two dozen variations – ranging from maple bacon to Fruity Pebbles, are the real reason to visit.

See Food Picks on page 63

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GOING VEGAN YOUR FIRST YEAR

Photo by Lexi Kennell

Lexi Kennell | Staff Writer

After studying countless documentaries on animal agriculture, the environment and our bodies, I decided to make the leap to veganism.

And I’m not the only one.

A Vegetarian Resource Group study found that about 2.5 percent of Americans are vegan and the number is rising. Celebrities including Ellen Degeneres, Mike Tyson, Bill Clinton, Ariana Grande, Russell Brand and countless others have gone vegan, aiding the movement’s rise.

But celebrities likely have access to a litany of resources college students don’t: personal chefs, trainers, food coaches, expensive eateries and groceries. Going vegan is a serious commitment for the average college student who isn’t Ariana Grande, and one that’s not easy to keep without exerting extra energy.

But you should be willing to put in more effort when it comes to your food. Especially since becoming vegan isn’t just a food preference, but a morally guided decision to boycott any and all animal by-products, from suede shoes and leather car seats to mascara and shampoo tested on animals.

In high school, I went through phases of pescetarianism, vegetarianism and even “veganism,” but never for the right reasons. I wanted to lose weight or clear my skin, not help animals or the environment.

It was always a diet and not a lifestyle because I continually returned to the standard American diet — SAD. It was not until my sophomore year of college that I realized the vegan movement isn’t a vain endeavor, but representative of a person’s beliefs and values.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, animal agri-

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culture, which includes the meat industry as well as the dairy industry, accounts for more than 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. All of the world’s modes of transportation, including cars, trucks, planes, ships and trains, make up for 15 percent, which means that raising livestock is worse for the environment than all transportation on earth combined.

Every minute, the equivalent of 48 football fields of forest is being cut down for animal agriculture, according to the World Wildlife Foundation. In addition, about 47 percent of soy and 60 percent of corn in the United States is grown solely for livestock to eat, according to Sustainatable.org.

I have a crazy idea: why don’t we feed that grain to the United States’ more than 10 million foodinsecure households?

Maybe you were already considering a switch to veganism or are now mulling it over and thinking: what do I eat? Navigating Pitt’s campus as a vegan seems difficult, but it doesn’t have to be.

Learning to cook with ingredients from local grocery stores and finding vegan dishes at restaurants is easy with practice.

Almost every food item at a restaurant or in a grocery store contains some sort of egg, milk, cheese or even meat. On top of the obvious foods I had to cut out — pizza, ice cream and yogurt, for instance — I also had to learn to look for lesscommonly known animal by-products like gelatin, animal shortening and a type of red dye, called carmine, that’s made from insects.

Luckily, vegan versions of just about anything exist. In some cases, the alternatives are better than the originals. I have to admit that Ben and Jerry’s new line of vegan ice cream tastes equally as rich as the dairy-version and comes with the feel-good fact that it’s cruelty free.

A common misconception is that going vegan means you’re willing to shell out an insane amount of cash at specialty grocery stores. But eating whole foods at home and getting creative with substitutions at restaurants or at Market Central is a necessity that makes being vegan affordable.

Unfortunately, there is only one grocery store in Oakland, the IGA on Forbes Avenue. It’s pricey and does not have a lot of variety for vegans. The best way to get groceries is by taking the bus or Pitt’s upper campus shuttle to an Aldi, the Giant Eagle Market District on Centre Avenue or the Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s in East Liberty.

See Vegan on page 68

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On the verge of change

Hazelwood is one of several neighborhoods in Pittsburgh facing an uncertain future in a developing city.

Nick Mullen | Staff Writer A walk down Hazelwood' s Second Avenue gives off vibes of a changing neighborhood.

Zipcars are parked in front of the neighborhood branch of the Carnegie Library, which was relocated in 2014 to a newly renovated building across from the shuttered Dimperio' s Market.

Dimperio' s, one of the neighborhood' s last remaining grocery stores, closed in 2008 after almost 80 years due to several robbery attempts and incessant shoplifting.

A long vacant building surrounded by gaptooth lots is remodeled – large bulldozers and piles of dirt sit on the sprawling 178-acre riverfront site south of Second Avenue. The redevelopment is taking place on the former LTV steel mill site, the last in Pittsburgh' s city limits, which was demolished in 1998.

The collapse of Pittsburgh' s steel industry in the 1980' s hit Hazelwood hard. The Second Avenue business district slowly vacated and crumbled, and the neighborhood' s grocery stores and all of its schools went with it.

Hazelwood is just the latest neighborhood in Pittsburgh that seems poised for a revival. In 2002, a partnership of private investors and the Regional Industrial Development Corporation, a privately funded non-profit, bought the riverfront site – dubbed Almono for the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers. Work began in 2015 to prepare the site for development, which is slated to host commercial, industrial and residential development.

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Like many other revitalizing neighborhoods, locals are eager for redevelopment, hoping renewed interest will trickle into the neighborhood itself. But – as is the case with all of Pittsburgh' s development – some harbor concern that change is a false promise and could displace lifelong residents or further os-

there in a few years. This is going to be the next place to live.∫ This tempered optimism is common among residents, who' ve been promised redevelopment for years – which never came – partly due to delays stemming from a looming but now defunct plan to extend the Mon-Fayette Expressway through Hazelwood.

Corey O' Connor, the city councilman for Hazelwood and District 5, said the residents' attitudes about change is one of the challenges of revitalizing the community. ™ There are a couple challenges º one is getting everybody' s mentality to say, ` This is actually coming,'∫ O' Connor said. ™ If you' ve been promised something for 20 years and nothing

We’re going to make Hazelwood the example of how these developments can be done -Councilman O’Connor tracize Pittsburgh' s lower-middle class.

Al Ferguson works the register at Dylamato' s Market on Second Avenue, the neighborhood' s only grocery store since Dimperio' s closed down.

In the four years he' s lived in Hazelwood, he said that he hasn' t seen much change, but believes the neighborhood is poised for a comeback. ™ I would like to see it pick up, and I think it will,∫ Ferguson said. ™ I' d like to see some of the old houses get torn down and rebuilt. It' ll get

happened, it' s hard to see it when it starts unveiling itself.∫ Though development is in its early days, anxiety prevails over the fate of the neighborhood, especially its existing locals. Pittsburgh' s tenuous history of urban development does little to placate resident' s concerns.

Tim Smith, executive director of Center of Life – one of several Hazelwood community organizations – echoed O' Connor' s wariness. ™ For many years, Hazelwood has been underserved, and no one' s been interested... and

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then all of a sudden when development begins to start and people step in to buy houses, there are mixed feelings,∫ Smith said.

Community groups like Homes for All, have sponsored petitions to let the city know locals want to be involved and informed through every step of the Almono development project.

Developers tread carefully, trying not to repeat mistakes made when the Waterfront in Homestead was redeveloped in the early 2000s.

The change essentially bisected the neighborhood and the Waterfront, but failed to revitalize Homestead.

In East Liberty, developers and residents face the struggle to maintain a balance between new developments for higher-income urban pioneers and keeping affordable housing for longtime residents.

O' Connor stressed the importance of urban renewal done correctly, keeping people in place and remodeling blighted properties. ™ I think it' s a great opportunity for ... Hazelwood residents to be on a national level to show how we can have a diverse, blended community from all different ethnicities, backgrounds, heritages [and] incomes all living together,∫ O' Connor said. ™ We' re going to make Hazelwood the example of how these developments can be done.∫ Smith is also the chair of the Greater Hazelwood Community Collaborative, an organization that meets once a month with potential developers, investors and community members, to foster communication and represent the best interests of both the community and the developers. ™ The hope and the vision that we have as a community is that it' s one neighborhood,∫ he said. ™ The way we describe the Almono site is as the South Hazelwood flats. Our vision is not that we' re going to have two communities º we will resist that with everything we have in us.

We don' t want to see another Homestead.∫ See Hazelwood on page 66

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Comedy, pg. 57 The group — made up of a select number of witty students — hosts its own improv shows every Saturday night during the semester, where they use audience participation to play a series of games and skits.

After some of the shows, Ruckus will invite audience members up to participate in an improv jam session, letting students showcase their skills by following the three rules of improv: saying yes, not taking offense and always adding new

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information.

Joe Marchi, a rising senior and industrial engineering major, is an active member of Ruckus and a writer for Pitt Tonight.

“At this time last year, if you wanted to do comedy at Pitt, you had to go to a talent show or go watch a Ruckus show on a Saturday — that was it,” Marchi said.

“Now, you can watch Pitt Tonight, you can write for Pitt Tonight, you can go to stand-up comedy club meetings, you can go watch Ruckus. It’s exponentially more.”

The blossoming number of organiza-

tions means someone with a knack for humor can flex their talent more easily than ever.

“Over the past two semesters, comedic performance has exploded. It’s awesome to see something I enjoy so much gain the traction it has on Pitt’s campus,” said Feigin, who’s also a member of a small improv group called Active Minds.

In a stand-up showcase during the second semester of last year, a tall, redheaded student in a tight black t-shirt breathed heavily into the microphone.

His stylistic performance — choppy sen-

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tences, jarring humor, uncomfortable silences — was one of the night’s hits, bookended by about five other students before and after him.

As a performer and a writer of comedy, Phil Forrence, a rising junior and computer engineering major, has a firm grasp on funny.

Forrence was a staff writer for Pitt’s satirical newspaper, The Pittiful News, before becoming the head writer for Pitt Tonight. He also writes and performs stand-up, a process of about 30 minutes per day where he incorporates observational humor and personal reflections.

“First I think to myself, ‘Is it a funny idea?’ Usually it’s a binary thing where I think it’s funny or not, and then I’ll start to work on what’s funny about it,” Forrence said.

He said being funny with your friends isn’t the same as being able to put a joke together in front of an audience — it takes a different kind of talent.

“It’s because they have funny ideas, but it’s all about getting those ideas to precise ways that affect the audience,” Forrence said.

If there was a hole still remaining in Pitt’s comedy lineup this year, it was the opportunity for working out those ideas, alone. Marchi, along with senior Megan Klein, founded The Comedy Club to fill the void.

The Comedy Club — an organization for aspiring or recreational stand-up comedians — is already hovering around 15 members.

“We started a stand-up club because Pitt has Ruckus, which Joe [Marchi] is in, but that’s just improv. We didn’t have anything for stand-up,” Klein, a marketing major, said.

Wednesday nights during the semester, Klein and Marchi watch performers like Forrence practice in room 219 of the Cathedral — a safe space where students can experiment with their work. The option to experiment with, practice, write and perform comedy has never been more available on campus.

If last year was the setup to Pitt’s comedic potential, this year is sure to be the punchline.

“I just hope we can get more and more people to join in on the fun,” Klein said.

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Food Picks, pg. 58 Britnee Meiser / Staff Writer Beta Bites, 338 S. Bouquet St. – about an eight-minute walk from Cathy Beta Bites is a gem of local eateries. The venue specializes in American and Moroccan cuisine with a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, pizzas, wings and specialty hot bar items.

The newly opened restaurant offers eat-in, takeout and delivery services, but the short walk from campus, as well as the extremely friendly workers, make the trip inside a no-brainer.

Portions are large – my regular is the three cheese panini, and I can never eat it all in one sitting – but the price is reasonable. The absolute best item on the menu? The fries. Cooked crispy and seasoned with a bit of spice, they' re unrivaled throughout Oakland.

Matt Moret / Contributing Editor Szechuan Express, 125 Oakland Ave. – about a seven-minute walk from Cathy The perfect mix of price and speed, Szechuan Express on Oakland Avenue offers a menu so large that its owners can – and do – wallpaper the restaurant with its options.

Customers need not call ahead or order online to be in and out in 15 or 20 minutes, and watching the cashier shout orders into a microphone suspended from the ceiling never truly loses its charm. Most of the dishes cost less than $10 and are easily large

enough to make into two meals, meaning that Szechuan has made up roughly half of my college diet thus far.

The best dishes? The spicy Thai coconut chicken curry and Ma Po tofu that make the menu worth revisiting.

Sierra Smith / Copy Chief Las Palmas, 326 Atwood St. – about an 11-minute walk from Cathy As a first-year Pitt student, you won' t stop hearing about the great debate between Sorrento' s and Antoon' s Pizza. But if you venture into South Oakland just a few more feet, a

single cook and an outdoor, flat-top grill will beat those cheap large pizzas into Shadyside.

My favorite place to grab a quick lunch, Las Palmas, is part Mexican grocery store, part outdoor taco grill – these are the best tacos in South Oakland. Forget Chipotle and Qdoba, Las Palmas offers warm corn tortillas wrapped around a variety of proteins including, but not limited to, chicken and onions, carnitas and, my favorite, prime rib.

The downside is a lack of seating, and a few run-ins with the Health Department, but if you' re willing to risk it for a great taco, you should.

Nick Mullen / Staff Writer Golden Palace Buffet, 3607 Forbes Ave. – about an eight-minute walk from Cathy Golden Palace Buffet is the spot to get exactly what every college student wants: all-you-can-eat Chinese food for $8.

The cost – discounted to $8 for students during lunch and $8.25 during dinner – includes access to the buffet' s standard fare of General Tso' s chicken, lo mein noodles, steamed vegetables, several soups and Chinese donuts. It' s a cheap and convenient way to slip into a sodium coma from the spread of freshly prepared Chinese food.

Fair warning: seating can be limited during the busier lunch hours as students, hospital workers, Pitt faculty and townies alike may be there. Golden Palace also offers a takeout option where you can prepare a to-go box to pay for by the pound.

Amanda Reed / Social Media Editor Opa Gyro, Schenley Plaza – about a twominute walk from Cathy Like most Pitt students, when there' s a rare sunny day in Pittsburgh, I like to grab my sunglasses, a good book and absorb the sunshine in Schenley Plaza.

But if I get hungry, I head to the Opa Gyro kiosk adjacent to The Porch to grab – what else – a gyro. Everything on the menu is under $6 – the most expensive offering is the original and chicken gyro salads, which only cost $5.95 – and, if you aren' t in the mood for gyros, it also serves hot dogs, soft pretzels and, my personal favorite, stuffed grape leaves.

For someone who' s broke, perpetually hungry and likes to do work outdoors, Opa Gyro is a must.

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The Pitt news crossword 5/31/16

Hazelwood, pg. 60 Chuck Christen is a board member of the Hazelwood Initiative, but he' s also been a Hazelwood resident for 15 years. He said his organization and the Community Collaborative are trying to foster camaraderie between intervening organizations and locals. ™ I' ve certainly been excited to see how the foundations have been working with the community to ensure that this is development that is not just separated from the Hazelwood community, but integrated [into it],∫ Christen said.

Not everyone is convinced the neighborhood

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is on a sure path to revival.

Michael Glass, a Pitt urban studies professor, said the Almono development indicates renewal, but it doesn' t indicate how.

Noting other communities in Pittsburgh where development has been uneven or unfinished, Glass said people shouldn' t get their hopes up. ™ I don' t think Hazelwood is revitalizing,∫ Glass said. ™ They' ve barely broken ground on Almono, so come back to me in 15 years. Remember it took East Liberty 20 years between the Home Depot opening to the present angst over Penn Plaza' s redevelopment.∫

Glass also stressed the importance of viewing Hazelwood, and Pittsburgh, in measured context. ™ Gentrification involves displacement of lower-income communities by higher-income newcomers. That is nowhere close to occurring in Hazelwood,∫ Glass said.

He cautioned against ™ highly loaded∫ words like gentrification to describe changing neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.

Gentrification, he said, looks ™ much different in Pittsburgh than º New York, London, Vancouver or other major cities that experience realestate demand at much different magnitudes.∫ Ferguson,when asked about challenges to the redevelopment, stopped and pointed to the bull-

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dozers and dirt patches of the fledgling Almono site. ™ If they incorporate and build Second Avenue into it, it' ll be all right. Otherwise, Hazelwood' s going to be screwed,∫ he said.

Despite the seemingly endless construction, the community' s tempered optimism is a sign the neighborhood is finally on the rebound, if not architecturally then certainly on a personal level. ™ I believe this is the time for Hazelwood to make its comeback,∫ Smith said. ™ People want to see something happen that' s going to benefit the community members, and empower the community members...The brick and mortar is one thing, but the people [are] a whole different story.∫

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DEFINING THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE IN THREE ALBUMS Ian Flanagan | Culture Editor

Whether it’s introspective headphone listening in a dark dorm room, or being knocked out by subwoofers at a loud party, music permeates college life.

Though it frequently surrounds us, music is only truly rewarding when it validates our emotions and shortens the bridge of empathy between friends and strangers. What follows aren’t “college albums” per se, but they have been have been essential to my growth as a person and a listener.

These are the albums that have made Pitt and Pittsburgh feel a little more real and little more like home. And perhaps they can do the same for new students trying to shape the sounds of their lives in a new place.

“Is This It” by The Strokes I grew up with a love for The Strokes, but following a high school obsession, college has minted the band’s debut album as a personal favorite.

The Strokes’ early work was arguably the greatest influence on post-2000’s rock, reinvent-

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ing garage rock and setting a new standard for what cool sounds like.

By running his vocals through a guitar amp,

create a modern classic that would be a creative peak.

With lyrics that sound like fragments of trivial

The Strokes’ ‘Is This It’ and Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Good Kid, M.A.A.D City.’ songwriter and vocalist Julian Casablancas put a contemporary spin on the simple rock band outfit. And with remarkably tight craft and effortlessly catchy melodies, the frontman managed to

conversation — “I can’t think cause I’m just way too tired” — and Casablanca’s convincing Lou Reed impression, the attitude of “Is This It” at times radiates disenchantment, apathy and sexual

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frustration.

But each meticulously composed, instrumentally lean song provided the punchy bewilderment to sell new-age cynicism. In his words, the then-22-year-old provided some sage, albeit cocky, quips about 21st century zeitgeist — “I should have worked much harder / I should have just not bothered” still stands out.

There’s also plenty of nostalgia. “Someday,” their best song and one of their most popular singles, shimmers with sly pop mastery and longing lines like, “When we was young, oh man did we have fun / Always, always.”

And doesn’t, “I’m working so I don’t have to try so hard,” perfectly describes the ironies of college and new adult life?

Wistful, blissful and effortless, “Is This It” doesn’t age, and its timelessness resonates with a college-aged kid in a big city. Its calculated aggression and youthful swagger make it essential and comforting listening to the potentially disoriented, anxious first-year.

See Albums on page 68

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Vegan, pg. 59 A personal favorite of mine for fresh and inexpensive produce is Bombay Mart, an Indian market on Centre Avenue.

Once you’re at the store, make sure to check out the labels. For beginners, the easiest and quickest — but not always the most accurate — way to find out if a product is vegan is to look at the “Allergen Information” on the nutrition label. This will tell you outright if the product contains eggs or milk.

Some of the subtler, non-vegan ingredients that I mentioned before include whey powder, casein, gelatin, lactose, shellac, carmine, bone char, l-cysteine, mono- and diglycerides and lard.

My best tip for any diet or lifestyle is to eat whole plants and unprocessed foods. Not only is this better for our bodies, but it is kind to our wallets and the environment. Sticking to whole, plantbased foods is also the most efficient way to make sure what you’re eating is 100 percent vegan.

Another myth I’d like to bust for all the veganhaters of the world is that I’m protein-deficient from a lack of meat. The only way for someone to be protein deficient is simply by not consuming enough calories, specifically the “right” calories.

Complex proteins come from pairing nuts and seeds with either grains or legumes. For instance: peanut butter and fruit or rice and beans.

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Cooking in dorms my first year proved to be a difficult task, but I made do with foods like microwavable oatmeal, fresh fruits and vegetables, canned beans and instant brown rice.

Adopting a vegan lifestyle in college is not impossible — if you have one now and feel like you might need to give it up, think again. Just remember that you are the arbiter of what goes into your body.

Watch out for tricky non-vegan ingredients, think about where your food comes from, question who sells you what and how they benefit from it.

With time, practice and commitment, it can be virtually effortless to help save the environment, even if it is one chicken at a time.

Albums, pg. 67

“Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” by Kendrick Lamar No doubt you will hear at least one track from this recent masterpiece bouncing off the walls at any given house party during the semester.

“Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” was one of my first great submersions into the art of hip-hop, hooking me to a further obsession with the brief history of music’s currently most popular and controversial genre.

Lamar’s brilliant quasi-biographical LP is introspective and a real banger, often at the same time.

Granted, a dubious number of frat bros are too caught up drinking to the beat of “Swimming Pools Some suggestions around Oakland: (Drank)” to notice its blatant and ironic stance EatUnique, Craig Street against alcohol indulgence.

Spice Island Tea House, Atwood Street Album highlight “Backseat Freestyle” features Red Oak Cafe, Forbes Avenue some career-best verses by the West Coast rapper.

All India Authentic Cuisine, Craig Street The song doubles both as a raw, hard-hitting single, Liliput, Melwood Avenue and, in the album’s context, a semi-satirical adherCafe Phipps, right near the Phipps ence to typical rap staples of guns and misogyny.

Conservatory and Botanical Garden The tact and painstaking structure of its conWhenever I go off-campus to eat, I am sure to cept makes “Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City” worth hit up Shadyside, Garfield or Lawrenceville. I al- revisiting often. Lamar proved his mainstay in the ways check http://veganpittsburgh.org to find res- hip-hop community with last year’s widely actaurants around Pittsburgh that offer vegan cuisine claimed “To Pimp a Butterfly,” so overplayed tracks before I go out with friends. like “B—, Don’t Kill My Vibe” and “Money Trees”

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are likely to be queued and blasted over bass-heavy speakers on the weekends for years to come.

But they’ve held up so far, so no one will mind.

“Merriweather Post Pavilion” by Animal Collective This is based on personal experience, but “Merriweather Post Pavilion” has been a seminal album for my college years and music palette in general.

The most accessible of their discography at the time of its release, the album was still startling to me in my first year at Pitt, as I was bred on relatively safe indie rock in my high school days. The dense, alien-pop of the eighth album by hipster-cred band Animal Collective is intricately produced and — at least to virgin ears — wildly experimental.

This album helped me embrace the challenging side of music, and ultimately convinced me to try and resonate with sounds and situations that may put me off at first or make me feel uncomfortable.

Of course, if you want to stay cool around AnCo fans, you’re better off saying “Feels” or “Here Comes the Indian” is your favorite record, even though “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is objectively one of their best.

Experimentation is a given of the college lifestyle, but you have to actively find the pleasure in weirdness and testing the limits of your taste in order to get the most out of music and college.

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What to do this summer: Local events June

o 3 through 5: 17th Annual Darlington Days o 3 through 12: Three Rivers Arts Festival Downtown Pittsburgh o 4 through August 28: Andy Warhol Ai Weiwei at The Andy Warhol Museum o 4: LGBTQ+ Youth Prom: Disruption at The Warhol o 6: M83 at Stage AE o 10: Indiana Jones ‌ After Dark at Carnegie Museum of Natural History o 11: Lights, Camera, Pittsburgh Movie Tour at Duquesne Incline o 12: 2016 Annual Autism Speaks Walk at Schenley Park o 23: Jazz in the Garden at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens o 25: WYEP Summer Music Festival

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July

o 1: Flavors of Pittsburgh Food Culture Tour at Nicholas Coffee & Tea Co. o 3 through 17: Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix o 4: July 4 Fireworks Blowout at the Carnegie Science Center o 11 through 16: Annual St. Sebastian Parish Festival at St. Sebastian Parish o 14 through 17: 2016 USA Karate National Championships and Team Trials at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center o 17: Feed More Festival at Stage AE o 23: PPG Festival of Color at Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium o 27: Health Fair in the Square at Market Square

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August

o 5 through 7: EQT Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta at Point State Park o 6: The Pittsburgh Cigar Festival at The Carrie Furnaces o 13 through 14: Pittsburgh Triathlon at Point State Park o 18 through 21: Little Italy Days at Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield o 25 through 28: Pittsburgh Comedy Festival at Henry Heymann Theater o 28: Tomato and Garlic Festival: Red, Ripe & Roasted at Phipps Conservatory

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STAFF PICKS: FINDING THE CITY’S BEST MUSIC VENUES TPN Staff

Pittsburgh attracts a variety of bands and musicians – from acts touring on a global scale to the nearby talent of its thriving independent music scene.

We know you' ve heard about Queen Bey and the Biebs making stops in the Steel City this

summer, but living in a mid-sized city means even your favorite lesser-known artists are likely to drop in. You' ll have to find the coolest house shows yourself, but no doubt you will end up venturing to one of the locations listed below to catch a favorite mainstream or local act.

Here' s some staff picks for Pittsburgh' s best music venues:

Sarah Schneider / Staff Writer The Altar Bar, 1620 Penn Ave. — The Strip District The Altar Bar is a small yet laudable concert venue located in the heart of Pittsburgh' s Strip District.

Pittsburgh has a habit of renovat-

ing old churches – into concert locales and breweries, mostly. The Altar Bar used to be the beautiful St. Elizabeth Church and was converted into one of the coolest music spots in town and named accordingly. With its stainedglass windows and organ loft, any concert can quickly turn into something of a spiritual experience.

The Altar Bar itself is modestly sized, yet the venue attracts big names from Snoop Dogg, Hoodie Allen and Mac Miller to Sum 41, the Misfits and Imagine Dragons. At the same time, the venue stays loyal to Pittsburgh' s own prominent music scene and hosts a number of local up-and-coming bands. The Altar Bar' s mission to ™ resurrect live music in the city∫ has helped accomplish that in just five years.

Lexi Kennell / Staff Writer Mr. Smalls Theatre & Funhouse, 400 Lincoln Ave. — Millvale Like the Altar Bar, Mr. Smalls is a former 18th-century Catholic church.

It' s located in Millvale, and can hold up to 650 people – lending to a very intimate vibe. There' s standing room only, but accommodations can be made for patrons with disabilities.

Mr. Smalls is equipped with a fullservice Funhouse Bar and Restaurant that sells draft, craft and imported beers, as well as wine and liquor.

What was once called Mr. Smalls Skatepark is now The Funhouse, an added spot for local artists to perform.

The owners often book a national artist at the theater and a local artist akin in genre at The Funhouse to help local musicians gain traction. Patrons of the bigger concerts at Mr. Smalls Theatre can go to The Funhouse at any point – a simple way to boost the local music scene.

Ian Flanagan / Culture Editor Rex Theater, 1602 E. Carson St. — South Side I was lucky enough to see Rubblebucket, a spirited indie-dance outfit from Brooklyn, perform at Rex last year.

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The band' s ecstatic performance was one thing, especially with the ability to be so close to the musicians. But as the show ended, the band began a free-form drum-circle-esque postlude, filing off the stage and into the crowd to move with the dancing audience.

Part of the lively strip of East Carson Street, Rex Theater' s understated and welcoming ambiance makes it a fine place to catch performances from local and popular independent artists. The theater will be hosting acts such as Aesop Rock and the Melvins this summer.

It' s old-fashioned entrance and main floor – bisected for those under and over 21 – sloping Courtesy of Amazing Books toward the humble stage suggest the place may be stuffy or out of date. But from the full service bar – offering a number of craft beers – to the freedom performers have to interact with the audience, a show at Rex Theater can become remarkably fun.

Alexa Bakalarski / News Editor Amazing Books & Records, 2030 Murray Ave. — Squirrel Hill When you think ™ music venue,∫ you probably picture somewhere bigger, louder and more crowded than a bookstore – but that' s what makes Amazing Books a great change of pace.

Hosting the occasional live jazz jam or wizard rock concert, Amazing Books & Records gives you the chance to do something you don' t normally do at a concert: buy a book.

Amazing Books & Records can' t accommodate anywhere near as many people as Stage AE can, so the smaller setting creates a quaint atmosphere. You also don' t have to worry about jostling through hordes of people or long lines at the merch table. It' s a cozier, more personal venue, where you' re sure to get an up-close view of your favorite underground or indie artist.

Courtesy of Mr. Smalls Theatre

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Sports

STALLINGS & SON: TWO PATHS TO PITTSBURGH Dan Sostek | Senior Staff Writer The Stallings family was sitting around one day in 2012, casually discussing plans for their eldest son Jacob' s upcoming wedding.

Who would they invite? Who were the groomsmen?

Then came the big one, a position that Jacob' s parents Kevin and Lisa had previously thought to be unassigned. ™ And Dad will be my best man,∫ Jacob casually said, continuing down the list of wedding day duties.

His parents were flabbergasted. Kevin could only muster a ™ Really?∫ in response.

Jacob, a catcher in the Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league system, was unfazed. He assured his parents that his best man would

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his dad, then the head basketball coach at Vanderbilt University. The coach' s eyes started to well. ™ It' s just kind of funny, because he began to tear up,∫ Jacob said. ™ And I was like, ` I figured everyone already knew this.'∫ For the groom-to-be, the rationale was pretty simple. ™ My dad is my best friend,∫ Jacob said.

Now, four years after the Pirates drafted Jacob, his path is converging with his best friend' s in the Steel City. ™ Scott Barnes turned my life upside down∫ Four years after the wedding, father and son shared another key conversation. This time, Kevin' s life was the focus.

See Stallings on page 78

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Kevin Stallings and his son, Jacob. Courtsey of Kevin Stallings

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PITT ATHLETICS KICKS OFF WAVE OF RENOVATIONS Meg Millure | Staff Writer

Shiny new uniforms and flashing lights may have diverted attention away from posters bordering the walls at the Pitt script unveiling earlier this month.

The posters featured millions of dollars worth of improvement plans for Pitt’s athletic facilities, some of which have already begun.

The three-year plan to revamp facilities and convert all remnants of the block logo to the new script — a cleaned-up return to the logo that served as Pitt’s primary athletic logo from 1973 to 1996 — is going to cost about $8-10 million, according to Athletic Director Scott Barnes.

Deputy Athletic Director for Internal Affairs Dan Bartholomae said Pitt’s athletic facilities have lacked co-

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hesion for a number of years. “[The logo change] was really the reason we initiated this project,” Bartholomae said. “We’ve never really taken a look at all our facilities before and said, ‘Where do we lack branding? Where do we lack aesthetic updates, and how can we make those consistent across all buildings?’”

Renovations include minor alterations to the exterior of the Petersen Events Center and upgrades to the wrestling competition venue at the Fitzgerald Field House. At the crux of every design is the modern Pitt script.

In addition to the three-year plan, the athletic department has set in place a 10-year master plan to improve athletic facilities across the board.

See Facilities on page 79

Posters previewing the athletic facility renovations. Photo by Meg Millure

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LONG TIME, NO RIVALRY Ashwini Sivaganesh Assistant Sports Editor

One of Pennsylvania' s most storied football rivalries is back – for now.

After a 16-year hiatus, the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Penn State Nittany Lions will battle it out on the gridiron for the 97th time noon, September 10, at Heinz Field.

The long-awaited clash is finally back, but only for the next four years.

This year' s game will be the first of a four-game series, with the Panthers hosting the 2016 and 2018 games, and the Lions hosting the 2017 and 2019 games at Beaver Stadium. The game will air live on ESPN or ABC, but many Pitt students are scrambling to purchase season tickets now to guarantee a spot at Heinz Field when the blue and white comes to town.

The Penn State vs. Pitt series first began in 1893 when the teams faced each other in State College. It was held every year from 1900 to 1931 and 1935 to 1992.

Penn State came out on top in the first game, but Pitt won 14 straight matchups from 1922 to 1938.

Many of the most thrilling battles in the series took place in the 1970s and 1980s, when the two teams were constantly jockeying for a position near the top of the polls and almost always in national title contention. Penn State leads the all-time series, 50-42-4.

Pitt capped off a perfect regular season in 1976 with a 24-7 victory over Penn State on the way to the team' s first national championship in 39 seasons.

Five years later, the Nittany Lions roared back from a 14-0 deficit with 48 unanswered points to shock the previously undefeated Panthers, 48-14, knocking them out of the title game.

After a four-year break, the matchup returned from 1997 to 2000 before disappearing seemingly for good.

Pitt shut out Penn State, 12-0, in the last showdown at Three Rivers Stadium September 16, 2000. The heated rivalry shut down shortly after, when Penn State tried to leverage a disproportionate number of home

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games in the series.

The Nittany Lions' suggestion wasn' t too far-fetched, considering that Pitt has fewer than 20,000 undergraduates on its main campus while Penn State has over 40,000 in University Park, and Beaver Stadium houses roughly 107,000 seats compared to slightly more than 65,000 at Heinz Field.

Penn State had also won seven meetings in a row between the teams before the Panthers' victory in 2000. But Pitt didn' t budge.

The renewal of this intense rivalry is without a doubt the most anticipated home game for Pitt this season. Although it' s not a conference game, bragging rights are at stake for players and fans who want to boast about being the best in Pennsylvania.

Panthers fans especially are itching for a satisfying showdown, as they' ve been left with few notable occasions for smack talk in the past five years.

Once Penn State was no longer a fixture on the schedule, Pitt fans put all their energy into the Backyard Brawl – the nickname for the Pitt-West Virginia rivalry games – but that series discontinued as well when West Virginia moved to the Big 12.

The teams aren' t scheduled to face off again until 2022 in another four-game series.

The Mountaineers won the last matchup in Morgantown, West Virginia, 21-20, in 2011.

Since joining the ACC, Pitt has yet to play a non-conference game against either one of its longtime rivals.

Campus Insiders has both Pitt and PSU ranked just outside the top 25 in its postspring preseason rankings, with Penn State coming in at No. 33 and Pitt checking in at No. 41.

While that means the Nittany Lions are a slim favorite, the Panthers will have the home advantage of a raucous Heinz Field crowd on their side. And since Penn State lost quarterback Christian Hackenberg to the NFL, this year' s matchup is anyone' s game.

Based on Pitt and Penn State' s history, it' s hard to tell how many more chances there will be to catch this rivalry in person, so don' t miss it.

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Stallings, pg. 72 The Stallings family was in Bradenton, Florida, the town that temporarily becomes ™ Pirate City∫ every March. Jacob was taking part in Pittsburgh' s spring training when, after a game, he received a text from a friend. ™ Did you see Jamie Dixon is leaving Pitt?∫ Jacob, an astute college basketball fan, was shocked at first by the exit of the Panthers' longtime coach. On the drive back from the game, he turned to his father in the car and asked him about the job Dixon had just vacated after 13 seasons.

Kevin had just completed his 17th season as head coach at Vanderbilt, losing a play-in game for the NCAA Men' s Basketball Tournament, and he' d heard about Dixon' s leaving.

Jacob attempted to gauge his father' s interest in the open position. ™ Yeah,∫ Jacob remembers Kevin saying, ™ If they want to interview me.∫ Of course, Pitt came calling. ™ I' m down there minding my own business,∫ Kevin said. ™ And Scott Barnes called and turned my life upside down.∫ Pitt officially announced Kevin as the new men' s basketball head coach Easter Sunday.

Jacob, who has still never stepped foot inside

PNC Park, is still getting acclimated with his father' s new position, and having him so close by.

A new goal emerged for the duo. If Jacob makes the major leagues, the two can reach the pinnacle of their careers in the very same town. ™ If he made it, it would be ... a dream come true,∫ Kevin said.

Although Jacob is just one stop away from playing in Pittsburgh, Kevin didn' t factor that into his decision to take the Pitt head coaching job. ™ It honestly had nothing to do with [my taking the job], because he' s in Triple A,∫ Kevin said. ™ Because A, he may never make it the big

leagues. And B, he may never make it to the big leagues in Pittsburgh.∫ Both Kevin and Jacob understand the Pirates are already loaded at the catcher position.

Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart man the backstop in the majors, and two talented catchers await in their minor league system in Elias Diaz and Reese McGuire. ™ It' s fun to think about, but I understand that I need to keep working and keep getting better and just worry about my growth and my progression every day,∫ Jacob said. ™ And if that happens, I' ll know I have a place to stay.∫ The Younger Stallings Jacob Stallings was born December 22, 1989, in Lawrence, Kansas, in the midst of his father' s run as a top assistant for legendary coach Roy Williams.

His father switched jobs in 1993, accepting the head coaching gig at Illinois State before eventually finding a long-term home in 1999 at Vanderbilt University in Nashville.

Stallings enjoyed tremendous success at Vanderbilt, compiling a 332-220 record as the head coach of the Commodores while earning a reputation as one of the premiere offensive minds in the country.

Jacob attended every home game growing up, even taking traveling with his father to road games when he was young.

Like his father, he was a good high school basketball player, earning All-State honors his senior season. Unlike his father, who played for the legendary Gene Keady at Purdue, he wasn' t good enough to play Division I in that sport. ™ I was too skinny and too slow to play in the SEC or ACC or anything like that,∫ Jacob said. ™ So luckily, catcher worked out perfectly.∫ Jacob developed into an elite defensive backstop, attracting Division I attention. Eventually, he narrowed his choices down to two options: the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and his father' s Vanderbilt Commodores.

A recruiter by trade who was now watching his son go through that very process, Kevin would utter the same sentence he had heard out of handfuls of prospects' parents. ™ It was gonna be his decision,∫ Kevin said.

Kevin did say that both he and his wife would maintain some form of influence on Jacob' s choice. But as it turned out, a different Vanderbilt coach, head baseball coach Tim Corbin, had the biggest impact on the catcher' s commitment.

See Stallings on page 92

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Facilities, pg. 75 The money for the updates comes partially, but not “directly,” from an increase in ACC funding, according to Bartholomae. Other sources of funding that go into the Department of Athletics’ operating budget come from private donors — though the amount of money Pitt brings in through fundraising is low right now compared to other ACC schools.

One of the most profitable advantages of switching to the ACC from the Big East was the $3.6 billion ESPN contract, which Pitt got a $17 million share of, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In Pitt’s final year in the Big East, Pitt Athletics made almost $38 million in revenue and spent just over $50 million, according to the University’s 2013 financial disclosure report. Last year, Pitt Athletics made more than $57 million in revenue in 2015 but paid more than $64 million in expenses, according to the University’s 2015 financial disclosure report.

Revenue increased from the 2014 to the 2015 financial year due to the ACC switch, according to the report, which also noted that the cost of “ACC events and activities, equipment and technology upgrades and increased financial aid awards,” accounted for higher expenditures.

Not all future improvements were displayed at the Pitt script unveiling.

A $5.3 million renovation to the Cost Sports Center is happening right now, and the University Board of Trustees approved funds for that renovation on May 24, meaning it is not coming out of the Athletic Department’s operating budget.

The renovation includes a new synthetic turf for football and soccer practices, mechanical upgrades and interior renovations at the sports center.

Barnes has made the branding changes a top priority, along with upping efforts to increase Pitt’s donor participation. An increase in donations would make the branding transition smoother, he said.

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With so many changes happening quickly, Pitt Athletics has not lost sight of the long term. The master plan, a decade-long endeavor, is estimated to cost about $50 million, according to Barnes. “[The master plan]’s the heavy lift down the line. Right now our staff is working very hard on these new smaller projects,” Barnes said.

So what does a rebranded Pitt athletic program look like?

Along with eradicating the block

logo, the hydrotherapy room at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex will undergo a makeover, switching to tranquil beige tile complete with a flat screen television.

New basketball practice gyms will feature the new logo and a wall in the Pete will brandish a mural of the Cathedral of Learning.

In the fall, students will see a new LED ribbon board and hardwood floor on the basketball court at the Pete, coupled with a modernized team room

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and locker room for the swimming team in Trees Hall.

Pitt women’s basketball head coach Suzie McConnell-Serio was involved in the planning for the new basketball facilities.

“I got to sit in on those meetings on what the Petersen Events Center is going to look like and our practice facility,” McConnell-Serio said. “When you look at the details and embracing the tradition of Pitt, I think this is something very special for our programs.”

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NEXT IN LINE: Steve Rotstein | Sports Editor

Just before the start of the Blue-Gold game on April 16, 2016, incoming first-year running back Chawntez Moss had to take a moment to reflect.

Moss was in a corner of the locker room with sophomore running back Qadree Ollison when he was handed his gold No. 26 game jersey. ™ Come on, man, put it on,∫ Ollison insisted. ™ All right, all right, just wait, just wait. Let me soak this moment in,∫ Moss replied.

It was only an intrasquad scrimmage, but it was the first time the Ohio native had a jersey with his name on the back. ™ It was surreal,∫ he said.

Football brothers Whether playing football together, spending time at their Granny Ma' s house or just walking up and down Cleveland blocks from 30th all the way to 79th street, Moss and his brother – separated by only 13 months – were never apart as kids.

Chawntez Latrell Moss was born on November 8, 1997, to Cecil Moss Sr. and Aisha Williams.

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You already know decorated Pitt running backs James Conner and Qadree Ollison. Now meet their future successor: Chawntez Moss

Moss has two brothers and two sisters, but he was always closest with his older brother, Cecil Jr. ™ We crack jokes a lot. We' re just some funny dudes,∫ Moss said.

The two made a dynamic unit on the football field. But when they tried out for their first team – the East Cleveland Chiefs – the coach didn' t realize it. ™ They cut us, because we were scared to hit each other,∫ Moss said. ™ I was six, you know. I didn' t want to hit my brother yet.∫ Two years later, Chawntez and Cecil were back on the field with the Maple Heights Lions. ™ When I was eight, though, I was more competitive º I didn' t really care that he was my brother [anymore],∫ Moss said.

Growing up on the east side of Cleveland in an area known as ™ Down the way,∫ a typical day for Moss meant playing football, watching football and playing football video games. ™ Football was just a big part of my everyday life,∫ Moss said. ™ I think [it] really kept me out of a lot of drama in Cleveland.∫ Moss would wake up at 7:30 a.m., walk to

Chawntez Moss poses next to Heisman Trophy | Photo by Steve Rotstein Bedford High School, lift with his coach, practice, then come back home and devour two packs of noodles. On Saturdays, he' d flip through the channels and watch whatever college football game he could find.

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Any other day, you could find him and Cecil playing the ™ Madden NFL∫ video game into the early hours of the morning.

See Chawntez on page 86

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Q&A: HOMEGROWN SLUGGER Phoebe Gilmore | Staff Writer

After leading Canon-McMillan High School to the PIAA softball championship as a junior, local talent Giorgiana Zeremenko has already enjoyed a record-setting career in her first two seasons at Pitt.

The rising junior — known in the

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clubhouse as “G” — helped the team to its first ACC Tournament appearance as a first-year. The Panthers made it all the way to the finals on their way to their first-ever berth in the NCAA Division I Softball Tournament.

As a sophomore, “G” broke Pitt’s single-season record with 17 home

runs, while also pacing the team with 52 runs batted in, a .392 batting average and an .888 slugging percentage.

The Panthers also made it back to the ACC Tournament for the second consecutive year.

The Pitt News caught up with Zeremenko — who plans to either teach

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physical health and education or go into physical therapy — to discuss making history with her hometown team, goals for the future, pregame superstitions and modeling Pitt’s new uniforms.

The Pitt News: What are your summer plans, and what do you do to stay in good shape during the offseason?

Giorgiana Zeremenko: First off, to stay in good shape over the offseason, our strength and conditioning coach sends us workouts and running plans.

I follow that as best as I can. I’m also going to be working and make some money so I can pay my rent next year.

And just keeping up with my softball skills, practicing a few days a week.

[Other than that], hang out with friends — I like to shop, swim, go to a few amusement parks whenever I can.

That’s about it.

TPN: Do you have any pregame or postgame rituals?

GZ: Pregame rituals: I have to eat a Clif Bar. It has to be a chocolate brownie one. Kaitlin [Manuel], my teammate, has to braid my hair, and my other teammate Ashlee [Sills] has to pick out my bow.

TPN: How did it feel winning the NCAA tournament as a first-year?

What did you do? How was it being part of the first Pitt softball team to make it to the ACC Tournament?

GZ: We freaked out. Watching the show, they got to the last regionals, and we didn’t think that we were going to get in. All of a sudden, we saw our name pop up, and it was exciting. We were yelling and screaming and celebrating. It was unbelievable. No one thought it was going to happen, but then we knew it was go time. We had to show them that we deserved it and it wasn’t a fluke. We were there to play.

Making the [ACC] tournament in the first place was a dream come true.

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Being a little girl and watching it on TV, that’s your goal. That’s the goal that you have for yourself, to make it there one day. And being a part of the first program in Pitt’s history, especially for my hometown, that’s just awesome, to be able to share that with being local. Let alone doing it for a great university and an awesome athletic department, awesome team. It’s just a great experience overall.

TPN: How about this year, breaking the home run record?

GZ: It’s a good stride, and it just shows that the hard work pays off, but it’s not something that I plan to focus on. It is kind of cool to have your name in the record book, but it’s not going to be something that I’ll strive to do. I’m just going to do what I do.

TPN: Why did you choose to come to Pitt, and what does it mean to you to play for your hometown team?

GZ: I mainly chose Pitt for academic reasons and to be close to my family. I’m very family-oriented. I’m from around here, so I was on the campus all the time. I love it, especially with all the views you get around campus. It’s beautiful. Playing in my hometown is awesome because you always get these little crowds of local people coming to watch you play. They’ve watched you and read about you in the paper. To have them there is kind of cool.

TPN: What changes have you made to your game since coming to Pitt, and how have you improved?

GZ: Mainly, I’ve improved offensively just fixing my stance. Coming in, I was very off balance, and I wasn’t very comfortable with what I was doing. So getting in balance and picking good pitches to hit.

TPN: Who is your favorite athlete and why?

GZ: I would have to say Derek Jeter.

Just from growing up and watching baseball, and I have family from New York, so I have a little bit of that background. He’s just one player that always stood out to me. He’s just a legend, one of the best to ever play the game.

TPN: What has been the best mo-

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ment of your softball career so far?

GZ: Going to the NCAA Regional was by far the best experience I’ve ever had. Like I said before, it was a dream come true with the atmosphere and all the fans. They were there to watch you.

You were at the top. It was unbelievable.

Making it to the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Regional, it’s different than the state championship was in high school. It’s awesome to go to the next level with a great group of girls and great coaches.

Winning the championship [in high school] is also a dream I had. I was able to win that with friends I’ve had since I was younger and the same coach I’ve had since I was little. We were just one big family.

Zeremenko modeled one of the two new uniforms on May 18 at the Petersen Events Center along with her teammate, Marissa DeMatteo.

TPN: What do you think of the new Pitt script uniforms and how did it feel modeling them at the unveiling?

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GZ: Modeling was really fun. My teammate [DeMatteo] and I were trying to think of something cool to do. We were a little nervous at first, but once people started going out there, it was fun. And I really like the new uniforms.

I personally like the script more than the block. It’s kind of exciting to have that back. And the uniforms that we tried on, the material was more comfortable than the uniforms we’ve been wearing for the past two years, so I’m pretty excited for that.

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2016-17 SPORTS: MINORS MIGHT OUTDO MAJORS Ryan Reichardt | Staff Writer

Jordan Whitehead (9) will be a focal point for Pitt football in 2016.

The Pitt News

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Although the gray Pittsburgh winter has passed, the fog surrounding the University of Pittsburgh’s sports teams remains.

After several major changes in the University’s big-name sports, including record-setting receiver Tyler Boyd’s departure to the NFL and Kevin Stallings taking over as the new men’s basketball head coach, the future of Pitt’s major sports programs seem shaky at best.

The football team will need second-year head coach Pat Narduzzi’s 2016 recruiting class to live up to expectations, but they can’t be expected

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to shoulder all of the load.

Now that Boyd has gone on to pursue a professional career with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team will probably lean on its defense. Defensive back Jordan Whitehead, a freshman All-American and the ACC Overall and Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, will lead the unit.

A big X factor for Pitt football will be the health of star running back James Conner, who recently announced that he is clean of cancer after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma on Thanksgiving Day 2015.

See Predictions on page 87

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Article, pg. 81 ™ It was just something positive for us to argue about and compete in other than on the field,∫ Cecil said of their Madden rivalry.

On the actual field, their sibling rivalry pushed the brothers to raise each other' s game.

Cecil was a starting safety at Bedford, but suffered three concussions during his junior season.

He decided to get a job as a security guard rather than play in college after the birth of his son, Cha' rod, in November 2014. He plans on going to barber school to make some extra money. ™ Believe it or not, I ran faster than [Chawntez]

and jumped higher than him,∫ Cecil said. ™ But another thing he' ll tell you is that the only reason he got that good is because he was trying to be better than me.∫ Leaving the sidelines After receiving varsity playing time on kickoff coverage as a sophomore at Bedford, Moss would become the star running back and kick returner for the Bearcats during his last two years of high school.

Rivals ranked Moss the No. 35 running back prospect in the country out of high school after he rushed for more than 3,000 yards over his final two

seasons.

As a junior, Moss piled up more than 2,000 rushing yards and a school-record 32 total touchdowns, putting up mind-boggling numbers without even starting the season as Bedford' s lead back.

The Bearcats won their first 12 games that year before falling to Mayfield High School, 34-32, in the Region 3 final. Moss delivered one of his best performances in the loss, rushing for 329 yards and three scores.

Moss' stellar season earned him Lake Erie League Offensive Player of the Year. ™ That was significant for me because I had been playing football for so long and never won an

MVP,∫ Moss said.

But as Bedford head coach Sean Williams tells it, one game from that junior season sticks out above the rest.

Facing Lorain High School, the Bearcats' starting running back went down with an injury in the first quarter. ™ I turned to Chawntez and said, ` I want you to put the backpack on and carry this team. I' m going to feed you until you bust,'∫ Williams said.

Moss' face lit up. The running back strapped an imaginary backpack on his shoulders and said, ™ ` I' m ready, Coach.'∫ When it was over, Moss could barely feel his legs and Cecil had to carry off the field, but it was worth it. He rushed for 294 yards and seven touchdowns on 39 carries in a 55-36 win. ™ He' s as special as I' ve ever seen,∫ Lorain head coach Dave McFarland told Cleveland.com after the game. ™ He' s a hell of a back, I mean they don' t get much better than him.∫ Williams graduated from Bedford in 1994 then enjoyed a brief NFL career as a cornerback with the Carolina Panthers and Kansas City Chiefs before coming back to coach the Bearcats. He said since he started coaching in 2002, he' s never had a running back as talented as Moss. ™ I' ve never had a back that can run, has the vision, can block and catch the ball the way that Chawntez can,∫ Williams said. ™ That' s the thing that separates him, his ability to get in there and knock your Cadillac off and block.∫ “Running Back U” As a kid, Moss was a big fan of former Miami running back and NFL Pro Bowler Clinton Portis – a strong, fluid runner with breakaway speed and a knack for wacky post-game costumes.

But Moss' favorite player, and the back whose shifty, elusive style he tries to emulate on the field? Former Pitt great and NFL All-Pro LeSean ™ Shady∫ McCoy, one of the most agile running backs to ever play the game.

When it was time to decide where to play in college, Moss had scholarship offers from numerous Division I schools.

But Williams steered him toward Pitt, telling him if he wanted to be one of the best running backs in the country, he should go to the place he calls ™ Running Back U.∫ Pitt' s rich tradition of running backs includes McCoy, Heisman Trophy winner and NFL Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett, NFL Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and NFL Pro Bowler Craig ™ Ironman∫ Heyward, just to name a few.

Find the full story online at

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Predictions, pg. 85 As a sophomore in 2014-2015, Conner broke former Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett’s single-season school record for touchdowns with 26 and was named ACC Player of the Year. Any carries he is able to provide after his battle with cancer would certainly be a welcome bonus for the team. And if he returns at full strength for the season opener September 3 — as he’s talked about — the Panthers’ running game would reclaim a powerful punch.

For the first time in 16 years, the Panthers are preparing to take on instate rival Penn State Nittany Lions September 10. The last time the teams met on the field was 2000, when the Panthers ousted Penn State 12-0 at the old Three Rivers Stadium.

Campus Insiders ranks both teams just outside the post-spring preseason top 25, with Penn State at No. 33 and Pitt at No. 41. The Nittany Lions face some uncertainty heading into the season as well, having lost their starting quarterback Christian Hackenberg to the 2016 NFL Draft.

On the hardwood, Pitt prepares for a new era in its first season with Stallings at the helm.

His hiring didn’t come without its share of controversy. Panthers fans took to Twitter in outrage after news of the former Vanderbilt head coach’s signing was released to the public.

After another early exit in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament last year, a fresh start might be what the team needs to return to the days when it was considered a perennial contender.

Still, Stallings didn’t achieve any more success in the NCAA Tournament during his time at Vanderbilt than Jamie Dixon did at Pitt. Stallings’ hire is not likely to immediately propel Pitt basketball back into a national powerhouse, especially competing in the loaded ACC. The team may be harboring hope, but the fans seem to lack faith.

Meanwhile, Pitt’s non-revenue sports teams are moving forward with some

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changes of their own, sans the high-profile media coverage.

Pitt men’s soccer got a new coach late last season when Joe Luxbacher abruptly retired after 32 seasons with the team.

The Panthers went 3-3 in spring games last year under the leadership of new head coach Jay Vidovich — only the third men’s soccer coach in program history. With four home matches scheduled against ACC opponents and a match in State College, Pennsylvania to renew another rivalry with the Nit-

tany Lions, the Panthers are looking at a spectacle of a season.

Incoming freshmen weren’t even born the last time Pitt played Penn State in men’s soccer in 1994.

Also on the non-revenue front, Pitt’s softball and women’s tennis teams were ousted in the first round of their respective ACC Tournaments in 2016. Still, both managed to exceed expectations.

Softball finished the season three wins shy of tying the team’s single-season wins record at 31-21, while women’s

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tennis finished 7-14. Despite playing in the stacked ACC, both of these teams — powered by young, returning leaders — have reasons to get excited in 2016-17..

The new year could be a big one for Pitt’s non-revenue sports, tacking on the future success of the volleyball, wrestling and baseball teams.

But with so many question marks lingering for football and basketball, Pitt’s major sports programs might be another year away from returning to national glory.

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CHAMPION DIVER GIORDANO: NO EXPECTATIONS, NO STRESS Kaitlin Cassidy | Staff Writer

For his first leap, Dominic Giordano splits his legs to reach the edge of the diving board, landing to form a triangle with his left leg first and his right poised with a pointed toe.

Full of momentum from the first leap, he straightens his right leg in the air with his second jump, both toes pointed, preparing for a record-breaking dive.

He hits the board one last time, springing upward, tucking himself into a tight crescent shape and rotating through the air like a pinwheel. He straightens himself into a vertical position just seconds before breaking the water’s surface.

Giordano emerges from the pool an NCAA champion.

A former PIAA class AAA diving champion at Pine-Richland High School,

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Giordano, now a junior, has made a serious splash at Pitt since transferring from Florida State University prior to his sophomore season.

On March 25, Giordano captured the individual NCAA title in the three-meter dive at the 2016 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships in Atlanta.

Giordano is the first Pitt swimmer or diver ever to win an individual NCAA title.

In the process, he qualified for his first U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which will be held June 18 in Indianapolis.

Despite garnering a fair amount of attention off the board, Giordano doesn’t expect to make the Olympic team this year.

The humanities major said he rarely concerns himself with competitive out-

comes as it is.

“It’s really hard to set goals and expectations because if I have an end goal [and don’t meet it], then it is a failure for me,” Giordano said. “And that’s not healthy.”

Instead of setting specific competitive goals — a tactic widely suggested by a smattering of self-help and athletic training books — Giordano actively rids his mind of them, opting instead for a zenlike focus on well being.

“Taking care of yourself emotionally and mentally is massive,” Giordano said.

“It’s such a long season. You need to take care of yourself.”

His method has made him a role model for first-year diver Nathan Crikelair, who admires Giordano’s attitude towards the sport. “[Giordano] is at the pool day in and

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day out,” Crikelair said. “While he sometimes has a bad practice, as everyone does, he manages to work around it and come back the next day with a big smile on his face … And I think that’s what really makes a good diver.”

The junior diver doesn’t just lead by example — Crikelair said he’s frequently ready with a piece of advice for his teammates.

“He also coaches me from time to time,” Crikelair said. “Every time he tells me a little tip, it always works.”

Giordano’s focus on emotional support and not letting the competition blur his good-natured attitude is even visible at meets, according to sophomore diver Meme Sharp.

See Giordano on page 91

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Giordano, pg. 90 Sharp, Pitt' s record holder for the threemeter dive with a score of 342.45 points, said her teammate roots for everyone at meets – including rivals from other schools. ™ [Giordano] is the type of guy that will cheer just as loud for his competition as he does for his teammates,∫ Sharp said. ™ He is very outgoing, upbeat and he wants to see good diving, even if they are his biggest competition.∫ Despite claiming he doesn' t have the competitive edge or goal-minded attitude that

pushes most athletes forward, the awards and records have continued to roll in for the star diver.

Giordano was named the ACC' s Male Diver of the Week three times in October and once in January, swept the 1M and 3M dives at the Virginia Tech and Notre Dame meet and broke a 17-year-old Trees Hall pool record with a 439.73-point 3M dive in a meet against Georgia Tech.

Pitt head diving coach Julian Krug has been preparing Giordano for his Olympic Trials debut. Neither one has expectations of

qualifying. ™ [Giordano] is really not pointing to make the Olympic team,∫ Krug said. ™ It' s an experience thing for him º I want him to perform well for himself.∫ Entering the trials, Giordano has decided to perform a springboard dive, rather than the 10-meter platform.

In the future, Giordano plans on coaching diving – not a surprising career path for the encouraging athlete – and becoming a church musician.

He' s looking forward to the summer, and

not just for the trials. Afterward, he' ll enjoy a few weeks of rest – a longer break than he' s had in a while. ™ I don' t think I have had a real offseason for like eight years,∫ Giordano said.

Krug, despite recognizing that Giordano is likely at the end of his career, is giving his diver one last push. ™ The other thing that I ask him all the time is, ` How do you want to remember this time?' ∫ Krug said. ™ What you do in this year, how you perform, is a memory that will not go south. If you can add to that, more power to you.∫

Dom Giordano won an NCAA title last spring. Courtsey of Pitt Athletics

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Stallings, pg. 78 Corbin' s honesty when talking with the Stallings family proved to be the deciding factor for Jacob. Vanderbilt already had Curt Casali, a catcher currently on the Tampa Bay Rays, who was only a year older than Stallings. Corbin wasn' t going to try to convince the Stallings that Jacob would play over him. ™ [Corbin' s] exact words were, ` I would rather poke myself in the eye with this pencil I' m holding than say this, but he' ll play more if he goes to North Carolina,'∫ Kevin said.

That conversation was crucial to the Tar

Heels landing Stallings, and North Carolina coach Mike Fox knew it.

Fox credited Jacob' s family for what he said was a pleasant recruiting process, citing a 12hour visit with the entire clan, one that culminated in the group downing some dessert in the middle of Chapel Hill. ™ I remember we ended up eating ice cream on Franklin Street,∫ Fox said. ™ It didn' t seem like 12 hours because it was so enjoyable.∫ Despite a smooth recruitment, obstacles were about to take form. Jacob was skilled defensively, but his bat was weak, and he still needed to develop physically. At 6-foot-5 and 178 pounds, he had plenty of room to grow.

™ He looked like a pitcher, was built like a pencil and plays the squattiest position on the field,∫ Kevin said. ™ So no, I had not the slightest idea that he could be a professional.∫ ™ We can laugh about that now∫ Jacob still remembers a call he made to his father during his first year.

He arrived at Chapel Hill in string bean shape. Joining a team with star players including Matt Harvey, Kyle Seager, Adam Warren and Dustin Ackley didn' t bolster his confidence. ™ I remember telling my dad that I was the worst hitter there,∫ Jacob said. ™ He assured me I was not. I assured him I was.∫

This offensive uncertainty was apparent early on. Fox recalled Jacob' s first batting practice in which the young catcher was less than stellar.

According to the coach, Jacob took eight to 10 swings. The ball didn' t leave the cage once. ™ That was the start. Welcome to your first college baseball practice,∫ Fox said. ™ Obviously, we can laugh about that now.∫ The catcher was meek, but Fox said Jacob' s desire to improve and lack of academic stress contributed to his emergence as the team' s starting catcher during the middle of his sophomore year. He added that the younger Stallings also benefited from growing up as a coach' s son. ™ I don' t think there' s any question about it,∫ Fox said. ™ You can' t help but have that, a young kid growing up around it, you can' t help but absorb some of that if you' re paying attention.∫ The work Stallings put in paid dividends.

He bulked up 40 pounds by the end of his college career, and was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 42nd round of the MLB draft after his junior season.

But Jacob returned to the Tar Heels for his senior year, citing a desire to finish his degree and win a College World Series. ™ Unfortunately, he only did one of those things,∫ Kevin said. ™ But at least that one was that he got his degree.∫ Pittsburgh Finish Line The Pirates drafted Stallings in the seventh round in 2012. He would play in several cities, including State College, Altoona and Bradenton – far away from his father in Nashville.

To remedy this, Kevin subscribed to Minor League Baseball' s streaming service. He said that unlike Double A, which didn' t provide broadcasts for every game, Jacob' s current stop in Triple-A Indianapolis means the coach can stream all of his son' s games.

The two have limited face time together during Jacob' s season, but they make up for that when September ends, as Jacob helps out with his father' s season preparation.

As an exercise science major at North Carolina, Jacob has also made a habit of doing some math the past three seasons, assisting his father in the compilation of advanced statistics.

He' ll continue doing so this year, switching from the Vanderbilt University Memorial Gym to the Petersen Events Center.

While Kevin first stepped foot on Pitt' s campus the Monday after Easter, Jacob will visit for the first time when he comes for his statistician duties. The fact that his father got there before him still has Jacob feeling incredulous. ™ I never thought he' d beat me to Pittsburgh,∫ Jacob said.

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