The Spectrum Vol. 70 No. 19

VOL. 70 NO. 19 | APRIL 6, 2022

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

A conversation with Jeff Corwin

‘niceCream’ wins first prize at spring UB Hacking competition

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UBSPECTRUM

Buffalo native’s resilience and work ethic land her in the Olympic trials

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‘The City Talks to Itself’ packs a world of detail into its pieces Johny Chow and Taiitan’s art exemplifies the phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words” ALEX FALTER SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

The Center for the Arts’ atrium walls are impossible to miss.

On either side, attendees are greeted by welcoming pictures that are meant to evoke the excitement of street art as part of “The City Talks to Itself Pt. 2” — an exhibit which launched in September, and will run until May 27.

But the details that pack these excellent pieces serve as more than just a gentle nudge into the world of imagination.

They tell the personal stories of each artist: Buffalo-based creator Johny Chow’s “Chow Monstro” illustrates his love of weapons, while Tayron Lopez, a Master of Fine Arts candidate hailing from New York City, impresses with his mural titled, “An Attempt at Illustrating the Ineffable while Walking to East 163rd St in the Bronx.”

“Chow Monstro” is an eye-catching piece at first sight. A Mickey Mouse body sports a menacing cleaver in one hand, three balloons in the other and an eerie skull where the mouse’s signature smile once was, as Chow depicts a level of duality within the children’s cartoon character.

But to understand the piece, let alone the title, one must first internalize Chow’s

background as a touring musician and artist.

“Chow Monstro” is not the title of one piece. It’s both a series of similarly-crafted paintings, as well as his artistic moniker.

While working with heavy metal group Cavalera Conspiracy, Chow found his peers referring to him as “monstro chow,” and the name stuck, eventually evolving into Chow Monstro.

The Mickey Mouse skulls — a concept Chow was able to copyright with just enough tweaking to outskirt the Disney legal team — dates back to his time living in Los Angeles, where he first began utilizing morbid concepts to make his pieces, ranging from bones to razors. After returning to Buffalo, Chow was inspired to create the first installation of his Mickey-centric mural series, which depicted Mickey holding a hand grenade in one hand and the grenade’s pin in the other. Soon, Mickeys began cropping up around Buffalo and beyond.

For “Chow Monstro,” Chow elected to offset his usual dark imagery by placing three balloons in Mickey’s cleaverless hand, made up of the primary colors. The contrast between morbidness and positivity is designed to confuse the viewer.

“Everybody likes primary colors. It gives me a good feeling with the whole Disney vibe,” Chow said. “And then all of a sudden you see a meat cleaver and you see the

SEE CITY TALKS PAGE 11

Students react to One World Café’s grand opening Culinary additions offer hungry students Indian and Mediterranean-style cuisine JACK PORCARI SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

UB’s vision for a massive internationalthemed café became a reality as Kali Orexi and Tikka Table officially opened their doors to students on March 28.

The café’s seating area has been open since the start of the spring semester, but the grand opening of these two eateries are a part of the “phased opening” the café will undergo through “most likely next fall,” according to UB’s website.

“One World Café not only offers new dining options, which our campus has been asking for, but it’s meant to be another attractive place for students to meet, study and socialize,” Vice President for Student Life Brian Hamluk said. “We are always trying to enhance the student experience at UB and One World does just that by creating a sense of community at the

heart of campus.”

A number of students expressed to The Spectrum that the addition of One World Café marks a much-needed update to the flow of campus life.

Sophomore computer science major Will Marchant says that food lines in the Student Union are sometimes over half an hour long — something he hopes the café’s new eateries will continue to help remedy.

“I’ve noticed that a lot of things kind of thinned out with One World Café,” Marchant said. “I like that they made [the grab-and-go section] more diverse as well because it allows foreign students to feel more at home with diverse foods from their culture, and it also allows local people and people from the U.S. to try differ-

Sai Krishna-Seethala / The Spectrum Students chat over food at One World Café last week.

SEE OPENING PAGE 2

Alex Falter / The Spectrum Johny Chow’s “Chow Monstro” combines the welcoming nature of Disney with the terror of sharp objects and human bone.

Paul&Pang party wins SA e-board presidential and vice presidential elections Amplify UB candidate Alana Lesczynski wins treasurer race GRANT ASHLEY SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

JUSTIN WEISS MANAGING EDITOR

The Paul&Pang party won the race for president and vice president of the Student Association e-board during a five-day election, which ended Friday.

Becky Paul-Odionhin and Sammi Pang will be joined by Alana Lesczynski, who won the race for treasurer under the Amplify UB party banner, on the SA e-board in 2022-23. The Paul&Pang party didn’t run a candidate for treasurer.

Paul-Odionhin and Pang ran on a platform centered around “student wellness, sustainability and community” that included emphasizing student mental health, improved relations with clubs and considering reimplementing the SA’s sustainability pledge to comply with UB’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Paul-Odionhin, a sophomore industrial and systems engineering major, won the presidential race with 544 (37.93%) of a possible 1,434 votes. A.J. Franklin, a junior psychology major and Spectrum contributing writer running with the Amplify party, finished a close second with 485 (33.82%) votes.

Pang, a sophomore business administration major, garnered 554 (38.63%) votes to win the vice presidency. Alexandra Cuatlayo, a junior psychology major, finished a slightly-more-distant second with 472 (32.91%) votes.

Lesczynski, a junior studio art major, won the race for treasurer with 760 (52.99%) votes, a majority of those cast.

Tyler Herman, a freshman economics and political science major, ran with the Blue Strength party as the only other candidate for treasurer and garnered 465 (32.42%) votes. Two hundred nine voters, representing 14.57% of ballots cast, abstained.

Current SA treasurer Austin Wolfgang placed third in the presidential race, with 219 (22.24%) votes. Montana Desabio, the current SA vice president, placed third in the VP race, with 373 (26.01%) votes.

The two current SA e-board members ran together under the Blue Strength party banner, which also included Herman.

All undergraduate students were eligible to vote through the SA’s website. The polls closed at 4 p.m. Friday after five days of voting.

The SA serves as the undergraduate student government, overseeing most undergraduate student clubs, hosting its own events, advocating for the undergraduate student body and providing legal services to individual students. It is funded by the $109 mandatory student activity fee, which students must approve by referendum every other year.

SA e-board members receive annual stipends of $15,750 and oversee a $4.6 million budget.

Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com Email: justin.weiss@ubspectrum.com

NEWS

2 | Wednesday, April 6 2022

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OPENING FROM PAGE 1

ent kinds of food.”

Junior exercise science major Kelvin Huynh says he enjoyed his lunch of butter chicken over rice from Tikka Table.

“It was super quick, the menus really helped and the workers were really friendly,” he said.

Students also say they have enjoyed the new look the areas surrounding the café have as a result of its completed construction.

Sophomore history major Bernadette Goodwin has classes in Hochstetter and Capen Halls and says the café creates a “central spot” for eating, studying and walking from class to class.

But students didn’t love everything about the 55,000-square-foot café. Some said they would have appreciated anything from more charging outlets at first level seating stations to more seats around the fireplaces.

Sophomore exercise science major Faith Aisogun says their dining experience at the Middle Eastern eatery didn’t live up to their expectations.

“One of the issues that I encountered [at Kali Orexi] is very minimal ingredients.

The chicken was really bland, the rice was sticky,” Aisogun said. “I would love to see what else they have to bring. Hopefully it’ll be better. I was just hoping that maybe it was a bad day.”

Matthew Robinson, a sophomore anthropology major, says the café is trending in the right direction.

“It took a while to get all the restaurants open — it was kind of disappointing when they opened this area up,” Robinson said of the phased opening. “It was nice, but also they didn’t have any food for you, it was more of a sitting area. Now that it’s coming with all the restaurants it’s more just nice in general, that’s for sure.”

Sai Krishna-Seethala / The Spectrum Tikka Table (right), an Indian restaurant, opened in late March.

Email: jack.porcari@ubspectrum.com

UB graduate programs rise in latest U.S. News rankings University’s graduate programs continue upward swing KYLE NGUYEN ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Over a dozen UB graduate schools and programs continued their upward trajectory in the latest rankings of America’s best graduate schools released by U.S. News and World Report last Tuesday.

UB’s School of Social Work, which remains among the nation’s top-25 social work programs, was among the highest risers, as it improved its ranking by four spots to No. 21 nationally. UB is ranked No. 10 in social work among all public universities.

“We are incredibly pleased our school rose to the prominent ranking of 21[st] among schools of social work in the U.S. Our deep commitment to students, re-

search, community partners, and alumni is a major part of our school’s success. We embrace an inclusive mindset which is reflected in all we do,” Keith Alford, dean of the School of Social Work, said in a press release.

The School of Public Health and Health Professions climbed 10 spots to No. 31 in the public health rankings. UB ranks No. 19 among public schools on the list.

UB’s Graduate School of Education climbed six spots to No. 53, which continues its four-year climb in the rankings.

UB’s full-time MBA program, offered through the School of Management, rose five spots to No. 72. Among public universities, UB’s MBA program is ranked No. 38 nationally. It is also among the top 10% of business schools accredited by AACSB International — a professional organization that provides accreditation to business schools nationally.

“Our focus on creating outstanding

Sabrina Akter-Nabi / The Spectrum Some UB graduate programs moved up in the U.S. News and World Report

rankings last week.

learning experiences and providing quality career development while recruiting highcaliber students and top faculty is gaining recognition,” Paul Tesluk, dean of the UB School of Management, said. “It’s gratifying to see our success reflected in the upward trajectory of these rankings and in our global reputation.”

Other UB programs highlighted in the rankings included: The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, which ranked No. 62 among all universities and No. 35 among public universities.

The School of Law, which remained among the top 100 programs in the nation and rose four spots from last year to No. 94.

The School of Nursing’s doctoral program, which ranked No. 52 in the country and No. 39 among public universities.

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, which rose one

spot to No. 90 among primary care programs and seven spots to No. 74 in medical research.

Every year, U.S. News & World Report ranks graduate school programs in business, education, engineering, law, medicine and nursing, as well as concentrations within each area.

The rankings of America’s Best Graduate Schools from U.S. News & World Report are based on expert opinions on program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students.

Data for the rankings in all six disciplines came from statistical surveys of more than 2,150 programs and reputation surveys sent to more than 23,200 academics and professionals in fall 2021 and early 2022.

Email: kyle.nguyen@ubspectrum.com

ubspectrum.com

OPINION

Wednesday, April 6 2022 | 3

Take me home, suburban roads Distance makes the heart grow fonder for your small town

KARA ANDERSON SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

Growing up, Johnson City, NY was a lot of things to me — the place I was born, a village no one outside Broome County would recognize and most importantly, a place to get the hell out of as soon as humanly possible.

Johnson City, and the greater Binghamton area in general, was a decaying wasteland in my teenage eyes — a dwindling suburb that offered nothing but cloudy skies and depression.

My hometown was lovingly referred to as “Johnson S—tty” by the locals, and less affectionately as “Bumf—k” by downstate

transplants.

The latter sentiment usually left me laughing because, if the Binghamton area was bumf—k, then what would these people think of the actual upstate countryside?

But that first sentiment, the one’s that locals held about the reality of Johnson City, well, that wasn’t necessarily something I could disagree with.

Until I moved away.

And s—t, I kind of love Binghamton now that I live 180 miles away from it.

Adolescence isn’t easy in a small town: it’s a lot of boredom. Abandoned parking lots serve as hangout spots, the only mall within an hour’s driving distance is crumbling to pieces as stores continue to close and there’s about two things to do besides egregious amounts of underage drinking: go bowling or see a movie.

The monotony of small-town life felt like a black hole in my youth — it sucked people dry of ambition, of fun, of anything that made life worthwhile.

If you can’t tell, I suffered a bit from a “big fish in a small pond” mentality growing up — one thing small towns will nurture are big egos.

It’s all too easy to develop a superiority

complex in a city that has been in economic turmoil since the 80s boom and to grow up thinking everywhere is better because everywhere is not here.

But I was wrong.

I wasn’t better than my hometown and my hometown wasn’t (and isn’t) this demonic force of stagnation and hopelessness.

It’s actually pretty great.

There’s a kind of comfort in the static way of life that small towns offer, a certain predictability that isn’t evil and lifestopping, but loving and gentle.

When everything at school sat in front of me like a heavy fog, from quarter-life crises to bone-crushing anxiety about grades, I was able to find my own clarity in the familiarity and easiness of Binghamton.

I knew exactly what diner was best to eat at for breakfast when nursing a mild hangover. I knew which cafe was tastiest for lunch and I knew that the workers there weren’t always the nicest. I knew which restaurants could host a party of nine and which were better for only a few friends and family.

Where the sprawling city of Buffalo made me feel isolated,with a 20 minute

Me, my thoughts and the moon On my depression-driven nocturnal cycle and how I’ve started stepping into the sun

DYLAN GRECO STAFF WRITER

I feel empty.

There’s nothing, I’m nothing, I don’t want to do anything.

I wake up at 2 p.m. only to wish I had slept more. My room is pitch dark.

What’s the point of getting out of bed?

I ask myself. The sun is already starting to set and I’ve wasted more than half my day.

My friends ask me to get food but my mind has convinced me that all their offers are empty. That they put on this illusion that they like me, but I know they only ask me to hang out because they feel obligated.

I think I’ll just stay inside today. I have food at home anyway.

I don’t want to go to the kitchen right now; I’m too tired. I’ll just wait ‘til dinner time and eat with my family.

Three hours go by and I haven’t moved a muscle. My mom yells from downstairs, “Dyl! Dinner’s ready!”

I ignored her the first time. I’m watching South Park and I’m almost done with this episode.

“Dyl come down, now,” she beckons.

I painstakingly throw myself out of my bed and hobble downstairs. I’m wrapped in a blanket and I have dark purple circles around my eyes.

I take my seat at the table. My sister looks at me with disgust and sneers, “Ugh, you smell.”

She is trying to get a rise out of me, but I pay it no mind. My mom asks, “When’s the last time you showered, Dyl?” I respond with a monotone: “I don’t know.”

I can feel my mom’s beady eyes staring me down. I’m trying my best not to make eye contact; instead, I stare at my plate.

“I shouldn’t have to tell you to shower, Dyl. You’re 18, this is ridiculous now, it’s disgusting.”

“Ok mom, I’m sorry,” I respond.

For the rest of our meal, my family talks about all types of things. They talk about fishing, my cousin’s wedding and my

brother’s recent lacrosse game. No matter how much talking is done, it all just feels like white noise. I don’t say a word the entire evening.

I finish my meal, clean up after myself and excuse myself from the table. On the way to my room, my mom stops me and asks, “Where are you going?”

“Back to my room,” I say.

“Not without a shower first.”

My family laughs at her sarcasm as I hang my head and hobble back to my room. I get right back under my covers and continue to watch South Park.

I lay awake at 3 a.m. I’m not going to bed anytime soon.

Everyone else is asleep. I have no one to talk to. I might as well have this show keep me company.

Before I know it, it’s 7 a.m. and my brother has awoken for school.

He asks me, “What time did you go to bed last night?”

“I didn’t.”

With wide eyes, he mutters, “Jesus Christ.”

He leaves for school and, after another 30 minutes, I finally fall asleep.

I wake up later that day at — you guessed it — 2 p.m.

Depression is a sickness. It’s a universal disorder that affects some of us for days,

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF WEDNESDAY APRIL 6, 2022 VOLUME 70 NUMBER 19 CIRCULATION: 3,000

Do you have an interest in journalism, graphic design, photography, social media, advertising, cartoons or copy editing? The Spectrum is always looking for enthusiastic students who want to be part of our team. Join our 45-time award winning independent student newspaper for hands-on, realworld experience in your field.

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The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Opinion section of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.

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Reilly Mullen MANAGING EDITORS Justin Weiss Dan Eastman, Asst.

NEWS/FEATURES EDITORS Grant Ashley, Sr. Jack Porcari, Sr. Julie Frey, Sr. Kayla Estrada, Asst.

Kyle Nguyen, Asst.

ARTS EDITORS Alex Falter, Sr. Kara Anderson, Sr.

drive from nearly all my friends, I had my aunts and uncles, my grandma and my cousins just across the street from me in Johnson City.

My life outside of Binghamton often feels like a tsunami- everything and too much coming at me all at once; returning back here is like wading in the shallow waters of the oceans, a place of relative safety and calm in the chaos of young adulthood.

It’s a place where all the roads are mapped into the veins under your skin, a place where you almost always know what’s around the next corner.

It’s home, and it will always be home, even if you no longer live there.

I think of my drives back to Binghamton, when the flat Western New York skyline grows into the rolling hills of the Southern Tier.

The sight of sprawling tree-lined hills was never one I imagined missing, and now, everytime I see it, I feel as though Mother Nature is embracing me herself, welcoming me back to a place that will always hold a piece of my heart.

Email: kara.anderson@ubspectrum.com

some of us for years.

To me, depression feels like you’re snuggly wrapped in shag carpet; you’re suffocating and overheating but there’s some sort of sickly comfort in it that makes you reluctant to unwrap.

It’s important to recognize signs of depression among your peers/family members and to check in with the people you hold dear. Whether you grapple with hygiene, excessive sleep or self isolation — I see you, and my heart goes out to you.

You’re not alone and you are loved. I promise you that. It might be hard to believe it in the moment, but there are people who care for you.

It’s important to speak up about your emotions; merely vocalizing your thoughts out loud can take significant weight off your chest. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to go to therapy.

One positive that sprouted out of the COVID-19 pandemic is that we can have Zoom calls with therapists and not have to show our faces — something that can make it easier to talk about what’s wrong.

What’s important is that you stick around. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

SPORTS EDITORS Anthony DeCicco, Sr. Sophie McNally, Asst.

Kayla Sterner, Asst.

MULTIMEDIA EDITORS Sabrina Akter-Nabi, Sr. Sai Krishna Seethala, Sr. Moaz Elazzazi, Asst.

ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Jenna Quinn, Sr. CREATIVE DIRECTOR Paolo Blanchi, Sr. Jiayi Zhang, Asst.

COPY EDITOR Andrew Lauricella

NEWS

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UB Sustainability provides a month of sustainable activities Earth Day is April 22 and UB and the community is celebrating JULIE FREY SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Fifty-two years after the first Earth Day, news of Earth’s impending climate change doom dominates the news. The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, was meant to raise awareness of the environmental issues of the day.

Throughout April, UB Sustainability is hosting events focused on the celebra-

tion of a more sustainable future while acknowledging the challenges of the present. Each event during the month corresponds to one of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Erie County and local nonprofits are also hosting events:

rights a sustainability issue under the 10th Sustainable Development Goal of reducing inequalities.

April 23

April 15

April 12

Health Promotion is hosting a meditation group in the Student Union courtyard from 3-4 p.m. During the month of April, Health Promotion is tailoring its weekly meditation sessions toward easing students’ anxieties about climate change through mindfulness.

The Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Garden is hosting its inaugural Earth Day celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets for students cost $12.50 and various vendors, nonprofit organizations and environmental educators will partake in the event.

Pride March and Mixer

The Intercultural Diversity Center is hosting a Pride March in celebration of Pride Week from 3-6 p.m. starting at Knox Hall. UB Sustainability considers LGBTQ

Climate Change Stress Relief

April 21, 22 and 24

Tifft Nature Preserve

Tifft Nature Preserve is inviting volunteers to help plant trees and shrubs from 12:30-4 p.m. Tifft is located along Buffalo’s Outer Harbor, a five-minute drive from downtown Buffalo, and is complete with five miles of trails and boardwalks.

Pre-registration is required and Tifft encourages participants to wear clothes and shoes they don’t mind getting dirty.

April 23

ESW Spring Sweep

Engineers for a Sustainable World is partnering with UB Sustainability and Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper to clean up the area around Bizer Creek, next to the Center for Tomorrow lot. The clean-up is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and volunteers will meet in the Center for Tomorrow lot.

Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Garden

April 27

GRoW Your Network

UB Sustainability and the Career Design Center have partnered to present a sustainability networking event in the GRoW Home Clean Energy center from 4-6 p.m.

Students interested in environmental- or sustainability-related careers can expect a “casual night of networking.”Anyone who attends has a chance for tickets to the WNY Sustainable Business Roundtable Summit.

April 30

WNY Earth Day Challenge

The Erie County Department of Environment and Planning is hosting a monthlong challenge ending April 30. The grand prize is a bike from Bert’s Bikes and other smaller prizes. The challenge includes activities like reading a book about sustainability, planting native species, and visiting local trails and parks.

Email: julie.frey@ubspectrum.com

Joe Bannister / The Spectrum The award-winning GRoW Home, which moved to North Campus in 2020.

The Elli charges up to 200% more than competitors Basic sanitary items and food are priced higher than nearby Wegmans and Walmart JULIE FREY SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

When the CVS in the Commons closed its doors in January, The Elli convenience store in Ellicott Complex became the only place on campus where students could purchase dish soap and a snack in the same transaction.

But with little competition came a steep price tag.

The Elli is as much as 200% more expensive than the Wegmans on Alberta Drive and the Walmart Supercenter on Sheridan Drive, according to a Spectrum analysis that compared The Elli’s prices to that of its competitors (The Spectrum analyzed six common products sold at Wegmans and five common items sold at Walmart).

Campus Dining and Shops tries to keep prices at The Elli and its other campus eateries as low as possible, but struggles due to the lack of buying power and storage that other bigger name stores have, CDS marketing and communications director Raymond Kohl said in a Feb. 7 interview with The Spectrum.

The Spectrum compared the prices of a dozen eggs, a half-gallon of whole milk, StarKist canned tuna, a 10-count box of Tampax tampons, Amy’s Thai Pad Thai — a microwavable meal — and a bag of Lay’s original potato chips at The Elli against its competitors.

A dozen eggs at The Elli costs $4.99, which is 85% more expensive than the same quantity of eggs at Wegmans ($2.69) and 200% more expensive than 12 eggs at Walmart ($1.66).

The price discrepancy frustrates Arianna Marquez, a sophomore civil engineering major who lives on campus and “stress bakes.” She does not have a car and goes

to The Elli about once a week to grab “basic things.” “[The Elli has been sold out] a couple of times,” Marquez said. “Usually late at night [when] I want to make dinner or need it for tomorrow or I want to bake — I do a lot of baking so I need a lot of butter.”

On Monday, The Elli only had two boxes of 10-pack Tampax tampons left in stock, at $5.29 apiece. The Elli was out of stock for other brands and sizes of tampons but was well-stocked with a myriad of pads.

Wegmans carries the 20-count version, instead of the 10-count, of the same brand and style of tampons for $3.79 — 40% cheaper than The Elli.

StarKist canned Tuna is $2.89 at The Elli and $1 at Walmart. A half-gallon of whole milk at The Elli sells for $2.99, 25% more expensive than Wegmans’ and 66% more than Walmart’s. Amy’s Thai Pad Thai frozen meal runs students $6.99 at The Elli, two dollars more than at either Wegmans or Walmart.

UB’s Parking and Transportation offers a Mall-Market bus route to several stores — including Wegmans and Walmart — on Saturdays. It also runs a dedicated Wegmans trip on Wednesday evenings.

Fiona Lombardo doesn’t live on campus, but the junior theatre performance major also doesn’t have a car. She says The Elli is the only place she can grocery shop without hitching a ride or using Instacart, though she is not a fan of the store’s prices. “[The Elli’s] prices are always so inflated, and you can’t get any fruits or vegetables,” Lombardo said. “I think the idea of an oncampus [convenience] store is great but I don’t know if Ellicott is the best place for it because it’s out of the way unless a student has classes or lives here.”

Prior to its closure, CVS lacked a large selection of fruits and vegetables, carrying only apples and bananas.

Email: julie.frey@ubspectrum.com

Elise Cassidy / The Spectrum Students line up in The Elli, a convenience store inside Ellicott Complex.

Jiayi Zhang / The Spectrum Comparison of prices at the Elli and nearby

grocery stores.

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FEATURES

Wednesday, April 6 2022 | 5

A conversation with Jeff Corwin Popular wildlife biologist talks conservation efforts, new ABC show JULIE FREY SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

JUSTIN WEISS MANAGING EDITOR

Jeff Corwin doesn’t think his roles as a conservationist and an entertainer conflict.

Instead, the popular wildlife biologist and TV host sees both jobs as essential to raising awareness about the dangers of habitat loss and climate change and encouraging people — young and old — to act swiftly in combating it.

Corwin sat down with The Spectrum before his appearance as part of the 35th Distinguished Speaker Series to talk about conservation and his ABC show, “Wildlife Nation”: The Spectrum: Why is it important for UB students to learn and care about environmentalism? Why are you talking to this audience in particular?

Jeff Corwin: “This is a great audience because of the importance of the Buffalo community, the student community and everyone who lives in this area. We know the role that this community has played in industry and politics and history. There’s an important message to be shared here just about where we are today at ensuring that the next generation inherits a biologically rich and healthy planet. It’s in doubt that we will be successful, unfortunately. I very much enjoy these programs because I spend most of my year on the road, filming and being in remote areas. This is a chance for me to interact with people and share [my] thoughts. There are opportunities to highlight the avenues of hope and inspiration that could instill an interest in someone to be a part of the solution.”

TS: For your career, you travel a lot, do you consider your traveling to be

Sai Krishna-Seethala / The Spectrum Spectrum editors Justin Weiss (left) and Julie Frey (right) spoke to Jeff Corwin for 20 minutes prior to his Distinguished Speakers Series presentation Tuesday.

sustainable?

JC: “Yes, because I live very sustainably. I have a very limited carbon footprint and walk just about everywhere I go. So although I must travel a lot, and there’s some carbon exchange there, when I live my life I try to do it in a way where most of the resources that we get are regionally based. I live on a little island in New England, we have a farm and until recently we had bees and chickens … I try to live a sustainable life and it’s very important to me. I feel that my mission is to share those stories when I’m on the road. The conservation stories and experts and heroes that

I cover in my series, particularly my Wildlife Nation series, which is all about North American wildlife habitats.”

TS: How do you stay optimistic when you hear about endangered wildlife and dramatic climate change?

JC: “I think that my positivity and hopefulness come from people who are doing incredible things. We can look at our history and see where we’ve taken species that we thought were extinct and recovered them, like the black-footed ferret.

Sixty years ago there were only 648 Bald Eagles in the lower 48 [states] and today

there are tens of thousands. Wild turkeys and deer — so many species that were compromised have recovered. Those successes allow us to weather the storm of our challenges and our failures. You can go to places not far from here where you can see wilderness and wild species and intact ecosystems. Not so long ago, they might not have been there. Where I live in New England, the waters are healthier now than they were a century ago. So through the lens of uncertainty, we have to focus on those successes, small and big.”

Email: julie.frey@ubspectrum.com Email: justin.weiss@ubspectrum.com

@uboutcold finds humor in the exhausted nature of college life A new Instagram account highlights students napping on campus KAYLA ESTRADA ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

College students are no stranger to sleep deprivation.

Midterms, finals and infamous 8 a.m. classes leave Student Union tables feeling like pillows, One World Café booths looking like mattresses and Tim Hortons coffee tasting like melatonin.

But what once was a campus that enabled students to nap whenever and wherever they wanted, is now being patrolled by the self-proclaimed “sleep police.”

The Instagram account, @uboutcold, launched in November 2021 and has been featuring photos of unsuspecting students passed out in public places around campus ever since.

In that short period of time, @uboutcold has accumulated nearly 3,000 followers and has featured more than 70 “sleepers,” a.k.a. resting students who were photographed mid-nap.

One of these “sleepers,” freshman psychology major Nicole Oliva, was featured on the account in November, shortly after its launch. Her post-partying nap on the Stampede bus was captured by a friend who submitted the photo to @uboutcold.

“My friend sent in the picture as a joke, and then it got posted,” Oliva said. “I was coming back from South [Campus] early in the morning after being out at a party,

and I got on the bus and laid down across the seats and passed out.”

Oliva says she didn’t expect her photo to be posted to the account. But when she noticed her flexible napping habit had finally received its 15 minutes of fame, she got a good laugh from the situation.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect to be posted.

I don’t know how many submissions they get in a week, so when I saw myself asleep on their page I thought it was funny,” Oliva said. “I had no problem with it at all.”

As a featured “sleeper,” Oliva appreciates the humor the account spreads and enjoys relating to other students’ exhaustion.

“I think the account is funny and relatable in some ways,” Oliva said. “If you think about it, we’re all exhausted and drained as students — and passing out in the middle of Lockwood or in Capen is just something that happens every once in a while.”

Oliva isn’t the only person who recognizes the popularity of public naps among college students. John Martinez*, one of the students behind the Instagram page, noted this common occurrence last semester and planted the seeds for @uboutcold soon after.

“Last semester I would see people sleeping all around campus and I would send pictures of them on my Snapchat because I thought it was funny,” Martinez said.

“After a few weeks I realized that I had a substantial amount of people sleeping on campus, so an idea popped into my head. I was sitting in the [Natural] Sciences Complex and decided to make an account and

I always ask myself if I would be OK with myself being posted in the same situation and if the answer is no, I won’t post it.

started posting the photos that I already had.”

Martinez says it wasn’t long before students “started sending in photos like crazy,” in the hopes of having their funny pictures featured on the Instagram page. But the posting process is somewhat selective, Martinez says, with the student admins working to ensure no “inappropriate” or violating photos make it onto the page.

“Submissions are reviewed in our direct messages,” Martinez said. “We do see every DM that is sent to us, however we post in order of quality. Unfortunately, we also receive some photos and videos that are not OK to post — we just delete them.

There are hundreds of photos in our DMs, so we try to post frequently to keep up with the number of submissions being sent in.”

This selection process also attempts to filter out any highly “embarrassing” photos, so that the featured “sleeper” doesn’t feel as if their privacy has been compromised. The student featured is also not tagged in the photo to keep their identity anonymous. This sifting process has kept the account operating smoothly, according to Martinez.

“It’s rare that someone wants to be re-

moved from our page,” Martinez said.

“We usually do a good job deciding what’s appropriate and what’s not appropriate to post on our page to avoid that problem. I always ask myself if I would be OK with myself being posted in the same situation and if the answer is no, I won’t post it.

Posting photos of someone sleeping on public property is legal as well, so we aren’t breaking any privacy laws.”

These precautions are taken in order to keep the account light-hearted and fun, Martinez says. @uboutcold launched with the hopes of becoming a source of humor for a busy and bustling campus filled with stressed students — something it has largely achieved.

“This account was started to make an impact on the UB community by spreading good vibes and laughter,” Martinez said. “Especially since we get the bulk of our submissions during exam week when students are usually more stressed out. It’s good to make students feel like they are not alone when it comes to wanting to pass out in the middle of a lecture.” *The page’s admin requested anonymity to preserve their secret identity.

Email: kayla.estrada@ubspectrum.com

Courtesy of Nicole Oliva A photo of Nicole Oliva passed out on the Stampede bus landed on the @uboutcold Instagram account.

6 | Wednesday, April 6 2022

FEATURES

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Twenty-eight UB students have died by suicide since 2007, with 10 having occured since the fall of 2019 Many factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, led to the recent increase, experts say GRANT ASHLEY SENIOR NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Content warning: This article contains sensitive information about suicide. If you are in crisis, please consider calling the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or dialing 988.

Twenty-eight UB students have died by suicide since the fall 2007 semester, with 10 of those deaths having occurred since the start of the 2019-20 academic year and three during the 2021-22 academic year, according to data from UB’s Office of Student Conduct and Advocacy.

The number of completed suicides among students has trended upward since the 2007-08 academic year, the earliest year for which data was available.

The rate of attempted suicides and reports of suicidal thoughts peaked in the 2019-20 academic year and have since decreased.

Of the 840 UB students who completed a needs assessment with Counseling Services between the start of the 2021-22 academic year and Jan. 21 of this year, 1.3% reported having attempted suicide within the past 12 months, and 10% reported having seriously considered suicide within the past 12 months. Both those figures represent reductions from their peaks during the 2019-20 academic year, when 3.1% of the 1,668 UB students surveyed said they had attempted suicide within the past 12 months and 17.1% reported seriously considering suicide.

UB appears to have rates similar to those of other universities across the nation. A representative survey conducted by the American College Health Association in 2019 found that 2% of college students nationwide had attempted suicide within the last 12 months, compared to 1.9% of UB students. The same survey found that UB students were somewhat less likely to report seriously considering suicide than their peers, 10.9% compared to 13.3%.

The suicide rate among those aged 1524 has also increased since 2007, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics.

Suicide was the second-leading cause of death in the U.S. among people between the ages of 10 and 34, according to data from the National Insitutes of Health.

The causes of any given suicide are com-

Paolo Blanchi / The Spectrum

plex and “come down to very individual needs,” but the pandemic and other stressful national events may have contributed to elevated rates of suicide and suicidal thoughts at UB in recent years, according to Director of Counseling Services Sharon Mitchell and professor of counseling, school and educational psychology Amy Reynolds.

“People were more isolated [and] maybe not able to access some of the support that they needed,” Mitchell said. “We’re in New York State, and we were hit hard at the very beginning [of the pandemic], and there’s a lot of grief and loss going on, which can cause people to feel hopeless. These are all just hypotheses, because without really knowing what was going on, it’s hard to say. But it’s been a hard couple of years, so it doesn’t surprise me that people were feeling more hopeless.”

Still, the upward trend of completed suicides among UB students is “highly concerning” and indicates that some students “feel completely hopeless and helpless,” Reynolds said.

“Despite the outstanding job being done by UB CS [Counseling Services], it seems like the institution needs to provide even more resources and support,” Reynolds said.

Counseling Services has increased the size of its staff by 20% in the past five years, bringing it to a total of 21 full-time counselors and three interns, Mitchell said.

(The student population increased by 7% during the same five-year period.)

The department has also started an “embedded counselor program” to expand students’ access to counseling, which has so far placed counselors within the Medical School, Engineering School, Law School, Dental School and Athletics Department.

In addition to therapy, Counseling Services hosts or helps host events like international tea time, stress management programs in conjunction with Campus Living, QPR (question, persuade, refer) workshops and Suicide Prevention Week events aimed at reducing stress before clinical intervention becomes necessary.

Counseling Services “closely monitors demand for services,” which it uses to “advocate for additional resources,” Mitchell said.

Counseling Services isn’t the sole department on campus responsible for student mental health. For example, the Students of Concern Team, spearheaded by officials from Student Conduct and Advocacy, reaches out to and assesses students whom University Police officers, Campus Living officials or UB community members have identified as “students of con-

cern.”

Elizabeth Lidano, director of Student Conduct and Advocacy, declined a request for an interview.

UPD, another key component of UB’s mental health response system, responds to mental health calls, takes students in crisis to Counseling Services and transfers students exhibiting “very disturbing warning signs” to Erie County Medical Center, according to Deputy Chief of Police Josh Sticht.

UPD is the only on-campus department authorized by state law to hold someone involuntarily. UPD transferred 33 individuals to Erie County Medical Center for an involuntary psychiatric evaluation in 2021.

Somewhere between 65 and 70% of UPD officers and all UPD dispatchers have received Crisis Intervention Team training, which is now required to complete basic police training, Sticht says.

Officers with Crisis Intervention Team training are UPD’s “first choice” when responding to a mental health call, but officers without that training still have a “basic level” of crisis response training.

UPD also trains RAs and other Campus Living officials, who are often the first to respond to a student experiencing a mental health crisis, at the beginning of every academic year.

Brian Haggerty, senior associate director for Residential Life, didn’t respond to questions from The Spectrum in time for publication.

In addition to department-specific initiatives, Student Life has launched a communications campaign called “Taking Care,” which aims to educate students about oncampus “wellness-related resources” and is planning a wellness program for the 2022-23 academic year with the Student Association and Residence Hall Association, Vice President of Student Life Brian Hamluk said in an email to The Spectrum.

But some students, like Grace Verwerie, a junior legal studies major and president of UB’s Active Minds club, an organization focused on mental illness and mental health awareness, would like to see UB do more to address mental health.

Verweire commends UB for communicating with professors about creating less stressful classroom environments, transitioning back to in-person classes smoothly and providing “excellent” academic resources that work to reduce stress. But she says administrators need to engage with the conversation surrounding mental health, hire more counselors, increase the number of available counseling appointments, provide an on-call counselor and train 100% of UPD officers in CIT, among other reforms, to address students’

needs.

“One [suicide] is too much,” Verweire said. “It shouldn’t come to that at all. But as a university, we have the resources to explore these [new] options. We have the resources available to us to be trailblazers, to be on the front lines of this battle against mental illness.”

Students also hold long-standing concerns about Counseling Services’ 10-appointment limit on individual counseling sessions per academic year. Exceptions to that limit “have been made on a case by case basis,” and students can attend an unlimited number of group therapy sessions, Mitchell said.

“Students, faculty, and staff need to have greater awareness of the comprehensive programs and services offered not just by our office but by a variety of offices to help promote students’ self-care and mental health,” Mitchell said via email when asked how Counseling Services can improve.

Warning signs that someone may be considering suicide include wanting to die, feeling like a burden, strong feelings of guilt or shame, hopelessness, extreme sadness or anxiety, researching methods of death, withdrawing from friends, extreme mood swings, increased drug or alcohol consumption, taking dangerous risks and more, according to the National Institute of Health.

Men, veterans, Indigenous Americans, white Americans, LGBTQ+ individuals and people with disabilities have higher-than-average rates of suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At UB, international students may be at higher risk due to “unique adjustment issues,” Mitchell said.

Suicidal thoughts can be treated with coping skills, support, therapy or a combination of the above, according to the Mayo Clinic.

If you or someone you know is dealing with a mental health emergency or an after-hours concern, call University Police immediately at 716-645-2222.

If you are stressed or in need of someone to talk to, contact UB’s Counseling Services at 716-645-2720 and Michael Hall at 716-829-5800. If you are in a crisis situation, contact Crisis Services of Western New York’s 24/7 hotline at 716-834-3131. Students can also text the Crisis Text Line by sending “GOT5” to 741-741.

Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com

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Wednesday, April 6 2022 | 7

‘niceCream’ wins first prize at spring UB Hacking competition Forty-six teams vied for a $6,500 prize pot at UB’s student-run, 24-hour hackathon challenge KYLE NGUYEN ASST. NEWS/FEATURES EDITOR

Nick Brown sat among the bleary-eyed crowd drumming their hands in anticipation at the Agrusa Auditorium in Davis Hall Sunday.

His gaze mirrored those around him, transfixed on sophomore computer science major and UB Hacking co-director Rebecca Ramhap as she prepared to crown the champion of the UB Hacking 2022 competition.

The drumroll rumbled to a crescendo.

Then, Ramhap spoke. The entire room seemed to snap its gaze onto Brown, erupting into applause and congratulatory hoots as the junior computer science major’s expression lifted into a delighted, albeit exhausted, smile.

UB Hacking 2022, an annual 24-hour computer engineering competition hosted by the UB Hacking club, ran from last Saturday to this Sunday. Teams of up to four competitors were tasked with writing a code based on a computing concept or issue of their choice and had to submit it to a public open-source repository in less than a day. The event — sponsored

by M&T Bank, Stark & Wayne LLC and Blackstone Launchpad — included the hackathon and preceding career fair.

A total of 46 projects were submitted by the Sunday noon deadline, all pining for a cut of the $6,500 prize pool and other individual honors. After submissions closed, participants pitched their projects to a panel of judges consisting of event organizers. Each project was judged on creativity, usefulness, technical challenge and polish.

“I’m very tired. I’m running on like two hours of sleep,” Brown said after accepting his award. “It’s unreal. I’m very happy.

I got to do everything I wanted to do to a tee.”

Brown’s magnum opus, “niceCream,”

won first place and earned him an accompanying $1,500 check. As a one-man team, Brown developed a “proof of concept” for cryogenically freezing system memory to read stored data on another system.

Prior to his experiment, the phenomenon had only been observed in a lab-controlled environment.

“Water Gun Fill-Up Game,” an interactive game parodying the water gun shooting race designed by senior computer engineering majors Dean Radlauer, Gabriel Yengle, Avi Tombak and Austin Reichert, snagged the $1,000 second place prize. Instead of a stream of water, players shoot a laser out of a nerf gun at a phototransistor embedded in a pinhole target.

“HappyMeal,” an AI-powered food conservation application, won computer science graduate students Saj Maru and Tanuja Joshi the third place spot and a $500 prize. The pair cited their shock at the amount of leftover food waste at UB and across the nation after recently joining CDS. Their solution was to create an app that would connect restaurants with leftover food to individuals in need of a meal.

The remaining prize pool was divided among several additional sponsor awards, including the UB Hacking Best Freshman Hack, UB Hacking Failure to Launch Prize and UB Hacking Spirit of the Hackathon Prize, each of which received $500.

UB Hacking co-director and junior computer science major Max Farrington says the event is a worthwhile opportunity for all UB students.

“There are people from all sorts of majors that sign up for the hackathon, and not all of them are in STEM despite what you might think,” Farrington said. “So long as you have an idea, you can use this time to figure out how to make it a reality.”

Prior to the event, attendees also had the opportunity to network with representatives from sponsor companies and other industry professionals during a career fair.

Faculty and hackathon alumni floated around the workspace to aid participants and hold informational workshops as they worked.

Two canisters of liquid nitrogen, a RAM stick, two motherboards and some basic

ingredients for ice cream were enough to investigate a potential cybersecurity loophole in established notions about data erasure, Brown says, eerily aware of the potentially nefarious uses his program could foster.

“You’re doing basically what I showed [freezing data], or you are a malicious attacker trying to get an encryption key for a storage device out of running memory,” he said. “So, unfortunately, the place where this would be implemented is not the greatest thing.”

But Brown maintains that the concept itself is still intriguing enough to pursue.

“It [RAM] works like a capacitor where you fill up a charge and you have to continually refresh it in order for the data to stay as you expect it to be,” Brown said.

“My hypothesis was that if you cryogenically freeze it, you can remove the power, physically remove the RAM, put it in another system, and read it back and be able to get most of the all of the data back from it.”

Brown says he feels indebted to the event’s organizational leads for making the experience as special as it was.

“I’m very grateful, especially for the event staff who have been more than accommodating for me, like the fact that I was able to bring the liquid nitrogen — it’s awesome, I’m very pleased,” Brown said.

Freshman computer science major and Spectrum staff writer Shreyas Sridhar echoed the sentiment, citing the event as a positive experience.

“This is my second time [entering the competition] and it’s the first time in the spring, so it’s a bit of a different experience,” Sridhar said. “But it’s a very welcoming group and it’s pretty fun. It’s very challenging.”

Sridhar teamed up with fellow freshman computer science majors Ria Gupta, also a Spectrum staff writer, and Eric Xie, to develop “Rate My Courses,” a site designed to streamline course selection specifically for computer science majors at UB. “I think the most important part is you get to work as a team,” Sridhar said. “Most of software development is working with other people. We get to know how you

Kyle Nguyen / The Spectrum First-place winner Nick Brown (center) poses for a photo with event co-directors Max Farrington (left) and Rebecca Ramhap (right).

adjust yourself to other people, how we work together.”

Many participants, like Brown, opted to compete solo. Senior computer science major William Krasnov worked alone on “Media Mogul,” a scanner or submissionbased index which identifies media content like movies and TV shows. This was his second hackathon, but his first time going it alone.

“It’s a lot more stressful than being on a team. You have to do all of the work,” Krasnov said of his lonely all-nighter — save for a 7 a.m. nap. “I mean, it’s been really fun. It’s been stressful, though. After midnight hits, it’s pure work and it gets draining. But it’s a good experience.”

Krasnov says working solo doesn’t have to mean missing out on the benefits of attending the hackathon, and he offered a word of advice for UB students considering next semester’s competition: “Honestly, there’s no idea that’s too small, no matter what [projects] come into the hackathon,” Krasnov said. “There’s always fantastic conferences and stuff for presentations, you have the opportunity to network and talk with so many others, like teams and groups and companies.”

Sridhar echoed that sentiment, also advising students not to be intimidated by their expectations.

“There are people who know absolutely everything about extremely complicated topics, and they’re building really intricate programs and there’s going to be people who, like me, are building pretty basic things,” Sridhar said. “No one’s judging you based on that; it’s about having fun and learning.”

Krasnov says there’s no harm done in auditing the experience as well.

“I would personally recommend most students to just go to one. You don’t have to make a full 24-hour commitment,” Krasnov said. “Check it out and maybe if you’re up for it, make something cool.”

Planning for the fall iteration of the UB Hacking 2022 event is underway, according to Farrington.

Email: kyle.nguyen@ubspectrum.com

8 | Wednesday, April 6 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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UB’s spring production season promises weeks of entertainment KARA ANDERSON SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

With spring in full bloom and the end of the semester around the corner, performances by various UB groups promise to end the school year with a bang.

From witchcraft to pop-music-infused Shakespeare, here is a list of some of the most highly-anticipated performances happening on campus in the coming weeks:

Twelfth Night

Center For the Arts, April 21-24 Directed by clinical assistant professor of theatre Danielle Rosvally, UB’s production of “Twelfth Night” seeks to bring Shakespearean theater to a modern audience via popular music.

“Twelfth Night,” an early 17th century play by Shakespeare, is a romantic comedy focusing on the twins Viola and Sebastian; in the play, Viola disguises herself as a boy, leading to a series of “zany” events.

UB’s production will focus primarily on the return of joy to a post-isolation pandemic world.

This sentiment resonates particularly well with “Twelfth Night” due to the fact that the play itself makes references to the Bubonic plague, according to the CFA website.

Tickets are $10 for students and seniors, and $20 for the general public.

Vinegar Tom

Katharine Cornell Theatre, April 29-30 Directed by Kelli Bocock-Natale, “Vinegar Tom” is a 1976 British play that focuses on the gender and power dynamics of the 17th century witch trials in England through the character of Alice, who is accused of practicing witchcraft along with her mother.

The play acts as a feminist piece of work, acting “as an allegory for women’s lives in the 20th century” by examining ways in which women who go against the status quo may be accused of “witchcraft.”

All seats for the play are $5.

Violet

CFA, May 5-8 Directed and choreographed by guest artist Terry Berliner, “Violet” is UB’s spring musical, centering around a young disfigured woman as she embarks on a journey to be healed and “right the wrongs of her past.”

The musical is based on the short story, “The Ugliest Pilgrim,” by Doris Betts, and has been performed on and off Broadway.

The cast and designers for this production are students in UB’s Department of Theatre and Dance.

Tickets to the musical are $10 for students and seniors and $20 for the general public.

Tristan Gellatly / The Spectrum The Center for the Arts will host a number of events the rest of the semester.

Royal Pitches Concert

Student Union Theatre, May 7 Since 1996, the Royal Pitches have been UB’s only all-female a capella group.

The group holds a concert each semester and performs at various UB events. In the past, the group has opened for Distinguished Speakers John Legend, Hillary Clinton and former-President Barack Obama.

For this semester’s spring concert — the group’s first show following “Unplugged” on March 12 — the Pitches will be bidding farewell to five of their seniors.

Tickets to the concert are $8 for students and pre-sale and $12 at the door.

The Enchords spring concert

The Enchords are UB’s newest and all-gender a capella group, established in 2013.

The Enchords work extensively with UB’s other a capella groups — the Royal Pitches and Buffalo Chips — and host public and private performances, educational outreach performances and performance workshops.

This January, the group released an EP, titled “Resilience,” which is available on all music streaming platforms.

The Enchords spring concert is the group’s second of the year and first of the semester.

Students who would like to attend can RSVP via UBLinked.

Email: kara.anderson@ubspectrum.com

SU Theatre, May 13-14

A rom-com not so out-of-this-world “Moonshot” delivers a fun, but forgetful interplanetary romance KARA ANDERSON SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

Movie: “Moonshot” Director: Chris Winterbauer Starring: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures Rating: 7.5/10 Broke barista and college student, Walt, thought his dreams of traveling to Mars would never come true: he was rejected 37 times by the Student Mars Program and private tickets cost nearly $1 million.

That was until a trespassing cat inspired Walt to stow away on a billionaire’s rocket ship with the expectation of hiding out in the air ducts for weeks on end.

However, what he found instead was a 35-day adventure involving identity theft, dwindling oxygen supply and most surprising of all, a love affair with fellow wealthy student Sophie Tsukino.

Chris Winterbauer’s “Moonshot” follows Sophie and Walt’s relationship, after Walt uses Sophie to stow away on a spaceship headed to Mars in the year 2049.

While each character originally goes to the Red Planet to reunite with a significant other- Sophie with long-term boyfriend Calvin and Walt with new fling Ginnywho already live there, the pair forms a close friendship and eventually falls in love as they try to keep from alerting authorities of Walt’s illicit travels.

However, where platonic chemistry succeeds in the film, romantic chemistry fails.

Sophie and Walt’s friendship develops naturally, with the pair bouncing off each other in a manner that often feels more reminiscent of siblings than lovers.

There’s bickering and frustration, but also fun and delight.

What’s lacking is a sense of yearning, a feeling that Sophie and Walt are actually falling in love with one another.

All too often, the characters — played

by Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse — seem to be coming to terms with themselves and who they are rather than coming to terms with their developing feelings.

Sophie struggles to outgrow her longterm relationship with Calvin, played by Mason Gooding, and the fact that his family took her in after being orphaned at the age of 14. By contrast, Walt stumbles through life, trying to succeed with his dreams of adventure, while living a life of mediocrity.

Their internal struggles evolve as the focal points of the narrative.

As such, the romance nearly becomes a secondary plot, the film acting more as a coming-of-age for the two main characters than a true love story.

That isn’t to say there aren’t moments that evoke all the perfect mushy-gushy feelings of cheesy rom-coms.

“Moonshot” does well in hitting the traditional markers of nostalgically cliché romances, from a messy meet-cute to the obligatory fake-dating trope.

Still, despite hitting all the sweet spots of a Friday night-in flick (perfect for curling up with a pint of ice cream, a cozy blanket and a few friends), the lack of romantic tension between Sophie and Walt renders these typically feet-kicking moments into something more lackluster.

Another issue with “Moonshot” comes in the form of the wavering utilization and intrigue of actual secondary plots.

At times, the movie presents its audience with compelling tidbits of information that nearly overshadow its romantic feel — from its pseudo-commentary on the environmental impact of human waste to Sophie’s own traumatic, but largely unexplored, backstory.

Then, at other times, “Moonshot” fails to provide any details or explanations of interest, such as the actual reason behind Walt’s desire to go to Mars.

While rom-coms are rarely meant to be cinematic masterpieces, they should still

come across as three-dimensional pieces of work.

With that said, “Moonshot” definitely has its shining moments: Condor brings Sophie’s character to life with great sincerity, providing the perfect demeanor for a story of goofy, but also sentimental, ups and downs; Zach Braff ’s billionaire Leon Kovi brings out the best of the movie’s comedy, riffing on the ultra-rich’s superficiality and insincerity; and Gary, the robot side-kick, acts with perfect condescension

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures “Moonshot,” a 2022 film on HBO Max.

to provide levity in tenser moments.

All in all, while not the rom-com genre’s most compelling film, “Moonshot” proves a worthwhile watch for those looking for a shorter, more easy-going film.

Not nearly as groundbreaking as the science it features (after all, terraforming on Mars is pretty radical), “Moonshot” exists as a happy gem, perfect for casual watching.

Email: kara.anderson@ubspectrum.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Wednesday, April 6 2022 | 9

Choreolab returns to the stage for the first time since the start of the pandemic The second-ever “Choreolab” featured eight pieces from UB’s Dance program ALEX FALTER SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, UB’s Center for the Arts Drama Theatre showcased an array of displays last weekend in the form of Choreolab, a showing of dances by various choreographers from UB’s Dance Program.

Consisting of five undergraduates, one Masters of Fine Arts candidate, one professor and one guest artist, applications for choreographer positions — as well as casting for dancers — began at the tail end of last semester.

But for Jenna Zavrel, a clinical assistant professor in UB’s Department of Theatre and Dance, heading the project meant so much more.

“It was really close to the point that we were going to run into tech week, which is where we add the lights and the costume and the sound and we put it in the theater,” Zavrel said. “So it was almost into full production. And so we never actually got to that point. But the pieces were works in progress.”

“Choreolab” featured a wide variety of themes thanks to the creative freedoms each choreographer was given.

Theo Qu, a senior dance major, choreographed his piece “Acquaint” in order

to illustrate how people get to know each other with the movements of water.

“What I’m trying to convey, whether the audience would know or not, is that we get to know ourselves through the media of water, and without self-knowing, that gives us the capacity to know each other.”

While Qu had hoped to use more dancers, he was limited to two due to demand from other choreographers, forcing him to alter his vision.

“I changed the theme completely because I knew that the idea I wanted to use was for a group piece,” Qu said. “At the start of the semester, I knew that I only had two people, so I just changed the structure and the theme of the piece completely and decided to work on something else.”

Even so, Qu found both perks and challenges to having only two dancers.

“Everything gets magnified and you have to carefully present these two dancers because the audience will have more energy,” Qu said. “[The audience’s] eyes will be on [the dancers] the whole time versus [in] a group piece. You see the whole picture.

But a duet is a more intimate experience.”

Featuring dancers moving in a cultish elegance evocative of the 2019 horror film “Midsommar,” “Cultivator” closed out the first act of the show.

The all-female cast mirrored an intense acoustic tune, before silence and then a heavenly transcending song overtook the air, lulling the audience back to reality.

The next piece rang much more famil-

iar with the audience. Titled “Just a Sweet Song,” the dance was backed by the Ray Charles classic, “Georgia on My Mind.”

Multiple tap dancers performed in synchronization, as each dancer altered their speed, or even sat down, in the interest of focusing on one another.

As they exchanged their spotlights, the group formed a circle-esque clump, blooming in and out like petals on a flower.

Eventually, they each made one final move before the dance ended like it began, with a spotlight on a lone tap dancer.

The penultimate performance came in the form of “Armonia,” which told a fascinating story on the elements: earth, fire, water and air.

One quote covered the screen on the side of the stage: “One who neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, fire, water and vegetation disregards his own existence, which is entwined with them” – Mahavira.

With five dancers gracing the stage — one acting as a centerpiece, the other four each representing an element — each was given their own moment to shine and express their respective represent.

But despite the differences among the dancers, they acted as cogs in a machine, demonstrating how every element is needed to make Earth a habitable planet.

Yet, the most vibrant piece came in the finale. Choreographed by Ruby Abraham, a senior dance and environmental studies major, “Paradise Garage, 1972” paid homage to all things disco and was set to three

Sabrina Akter-Nabi / The Spectrum Dancers pay homage to the disco genre with a performance to the songs of the music legend Gloria Gaynor.

Sabrina Akter-Nabi / The Spectrum The dancers gather for a finale reminiscent of a club in “Paradise Garage, 1972.”

iconic Gloria Gaynor tracks.

“I was really looking into how the disco that we know from Saturday Night Fever and all those big classic shows came to be, how that culture came together,” Abraham said. “I really wanted to create an atmosphere that was very celebratory, that uses a lot of historical movement from all different pockets.”

Sporting outfits the most eccentric of outfits, the dancers energetically moved to Gaynor’s “Never Say Goodbye,” against a disco-esque purple backdrop.

That backdrop eventually turned green, as the dancers happily strutted to “Real Good People.”

But the final moment felt like the climax the audience deserved.

As dozens of voices filled the auditorium, the world-renowned Gaynor track “I Will Survive” came on, sending the audience into a cheerful frenzy. Dancers from every piece mobbed the stage, resembling a wild night out on the town, as a disco ball descended from the ceiling.

As each dancer gave their final bow, the curtains came to a close, capping off “Choreolab’s” first showing since 2019.

To Abraham, working with this group was an experience unlike any other.

“It’s very buzzing, very supportive and high energy but also a very safe place to express things to everyone. Everyone’s very supportive,” Abraham said. “No one’s afraid to push anyone or tell them what they mean. It’s just very open.”

Email: alex.falter@ubspectrum.com

10 | Wednesday, April 6 2022

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ubspectrum.com

The love and loss of high society “Bridgerton” shines as an honest testament to accepting one’s past SOPHIE MCNALLY ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Pretty flowers, afternoon tea and marrying your cousin.

Season 2 of “Bridgerton” was the nearperfect testament to English summertime, and as The Spectrum’s resident Brit, I felt I needed to step up to the plate.

In a lovely testament to love and loss, “Bridgerton” adopted a slow-burn approach toward guilt complexes and the inner turmoil of whether we should put our responsibilities to ourselves or not.

Although it sacrificed many of the longing gazes and steamy sex scenes of its first season, “Bridgerton” Season 2 didn’t lose all its heat, thanks to bee-sting-inspired intimacies and inadvertent viscount wet tshirt contests.

At the same time, the show retained its status as a pioneer for diversity on the small screen, giving the traditionally allwhite historical fiction genre a refreshing and much-needed re-representation.

It did so with more than just visible representation, too, as the show included indepth looks at different cultures and customs, like the Indian wedding tradition of Haldi.

Once again, “Bridgerton” leads the way for all to follow as we enter a new era of representation in the creative industries.

But it isn’t only the range of the cast that elevates the show.

The gorgeous scenery of high society’s London playground, its flamboyant frocks and elegant balls provide the perfect burst of color to this period romance.

This series’ plot trumped its 2020 prede-

Courtesy of Liam Daniel / Netflix “Bridgerton,” a streaming TV drama on Netflix.

cessor, with a much more fleshed-out storyline — giving viewers meaning besides just hot Dukes and far-fetched play-byplays of fake schemes imbuing real love.

The enemies-to-lovers trope is forever a staple, and for good reason.

But the enemies-to-lovers trope amidst a familial love triangle is even better.

The unsolicited tension and stolen looks were a credit to this season’s angle and gave the near-trauma-bonding of Viscount Anthony Bridgerton and Miss Sharma an intriguing spin.

But Viscount Bridgerton, Miss Sharma and Miss Edwina Sharma’s complicated connections facilitated a sense of onedimensionality at times in the Sharma sisters’ characters.

Both sisters were so resolute in their opposing stubborn and submissive natures that the main storyline of the viscount’s proposal-turned-secret-love-affair with the sisters didn’t seem realistic enough.

The producers clearly wanted this halfhearted engagement to be a testament to the viscount’s painful past — highlighting his unwillingness to ever make anyone suffer the burden he did when his father passed. But his unwavering oath to duty was overplayed and didn’t have the desired effect.

Though other characters didn’t get a chance to shine, like the diamond of the first water they were, at all.

Lady Sharma’s perspective seemed to be forgotten about, and her character seemed kind-hearted at best from the sheer lack of screentime the actor was given.

The season’s other main shortcoming centers around Lady Whistledown.

Despite Julie Andrews’ honey-dipped vocals, the way Lady Whistledown plays out this season leaves a lot to be desired, to say the least.

The reveal of Penelope Featherington’s involvement as Whistledown was the big gasp moment of last season — ending that chapter of the show with a bang.

But that bang soon turned into a dud.

Penelope’s character was irritating from start to finish and was completely underdeveloped. With no real understanding of Whistledown’s writing process or motivations, bar an offhand Irish accent and angry snips at Eloise Bridgerton’s detective skills, this plot point only served to smear the intrigue behind the clandestine writer and tee-up a lazy narrative device.

In that vein, the new take on Whistledown gave us respite from the niceties of Mayfair, taking us to the streets of Bloomsbury and the “common people.”

People like new love affair Theo Sharpe.

His character introduced a love born out of mutual passions and a wish to better the world around him and Eloise. Not in a cliché or annoying way, but an endearing one that isn’t founded in lust or prearranged marriages.

Eloise’s description of her care for Theo was one of the most beautiful scenes in the entire series.

“When I read something new or interesting or provoking, it is you who crosses my mind … you I would like to speak with about those thoughts,” she warmly said.

The Bridgerton daughter provided a constant breath of fresh air this series, with eye-rolls and cutting cynicisms of the polite society around her.

As always, every episode of “Bridgerton” was a joy to watch this season, from Benedict’s tea-infused illegal highs to Lady Bridgerton’s gentle tones, Colin’s heartbreak to Gregory’s questions about what his late father was like.

Despite this, Anthony’s depiction was the most endearing of the Bridgeton clan’s.

He grew from the big-ego brother who can easily down a drink or challenge you to a duel, to someone with much more substance.

Jonathan Bailey really gave depth to this series’ protagonist, allowing him to flourish through his vulnerabilities. With scenes like Miss Sharma’s bee sting inducing his head-spinning panic attack and teary-eyed gaze, to his attempts at gluing the pieces of his grief-stricken mother back together — the acting was raw and made me tear up just as much as the characters themselves.

But much more importantly, this season thankfully saw an end to the Bridgerton brothers’ bushy sideburns.

Even last season’s star made hefty appearances.

Daphne didn’t just show face; she also meaningfully contributed to this season, guiding Anthony toward unreservedly following his heart.

Though the duke was certainly amiss, at least we got to see the couple’s new Oggie.

As always, “Bridgerton” seems to strike the perfect balance between its lighthearted moments of high-class frivolity and its deep-dive into heavier topics. From silly games like pall-mall sequencing right into conversations surrounding sexism, being outcast from society, loved ones’ deaths and the responsibilities older children must shoulder.

The acting was sublime from all, especially from the leading ladies — Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran — and the ferocious icons — Lady Danbury and the Queen of England herself.

This season had a depth, sincerity and diversity to it that drove it far past the typical trending Netflix romance story.

Email: sophie.mcnally@ubspectrum.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ubspectrum.com CITY TALKS FROM PAGE 1

skull and it’s almost like he’s inviting you in there, ‘Come on, come with me. Let me chop your head off.’”

Additionally, Mickey is accompanied by a pillar dotted with Mickey heads, PacMan ghosts and Gucci stripes. This pillar, like Mickey, evokes feelings of comfort and morbidness.

Regardless of the brand he chooses to reference, Chow’s pieces have always had the same overarching intent: familiarity.

He compares his work to a picture, “Kiss Kids on Coke,” which depicts the metal band Kiss as children, while they hold Coca Cola cans.

“What pulled me into ‘Kiss Kids on Coke’ is the usage of the lettering of Kiss for the Kiss kids, and then the coat is written in the coat,” Chow said. “I wanna have pieces that will pull people in, and familiarity always draws people in.”

But just a few feet away is a piece that tells a very different story: “An Attempt at Illustrating the Ineffable while Walking to East 163rd St in the Bronx,” drawn on mounds of cardboard, is filled with a variety of pictures and symbols that work together to demonstrate what Lopez would see and hear while walking up and down the titular street.

The title itself evokes strong emotions, as Lopez found the word “ineffable” while creating it.

“I was ultimately trying to depict something that I couldn’t explain to words,” Lopez said. “And so that’s why I chose the word ‘ineffable’ and that long sentence, but I also like the titles to be pretty long because I like them to direct people to what the work is about and also to kind of function as a work of art in itself.”

While the symbols and settings depicted are divided within creatively constructed borders, Lopez credits much of his inspiration to manga and poetry.

Each section of the work ultimately captures a specific moment or feeling and represents part of Lopez’s life growing up on East 163rd Street. He says he thinks being away from his hometown while attending UB actually helped strengthen the vivid ideas the piece paints.

Furthermore, Lopez says he feels geographical differences in sound played a huge role in making his piece.

“The absence of sounds like helicopters or the presence of police cars, ambulances or people in general making noise in the street, there wasn’t a lot of that here [Buffalo],” Lopez said. “And so it allowed for deeper contemplation and allowed for a deeper level of thought.”

Never one to let viewers off easily, the cardboard contains interactable properties

Wednesday, April 6 2022 | 11

which reveal darker pieces of work, which even near the grotesque with images of body parts like a chest cavity or a heart.

The juxtaposition serves to do more than just shock onlookers. It essentially represents that there is always “more to the story,” even if the viewer cannot see it. “[The hidden section evokes] the idea that this piece continues even if [the front section] was removed,” Lopez said. “Now ultimately, there are some parts where it shows that’s not the case. But the idea still stands, [that] there’s more to the story; the story continues.”

Email: alex.falter@ubspectrum.com

Alex Falter / The Spectrum

his exhibit acts as a culmination of the life of the artist,

Tayron Lopez.

Alex Falter / The Spectrum Johny Chow combines different brands and elements to form this accompaniment to the “Chow Monstro” piece.

Shenseea and Lunay to headline first Spring Fest small show Popular performers will take the stage next Saturday JUSTIN WEISS MANAGING EDITOR

Lunay and Shenseea will headline the Student Association’s first Spring Fest small show, according to a Friday post on the SA’s Instagram account.

The two popular performers will take the stage next Saturday for what SA is dubbing “Island Fest.”

Chinsea Linda Lee, known professionally as Shenseea, is a popular Jamaican dancehall performer with more than 5.4 million Instagram followers and roughly 3 million monthly Spotify listeners. Her January song, “Lick,” features Megan Thee Stallion and is one of 14 tracks on her new album, “ALPHA.” Shenseea was nominated for a Grammy in 2022 for her collaborations on Kanye West’s “Donda.”

Jefnier Osorio Moreno, known profes-

Shubh Jain / The Spectrum Audience members sway to the music during Spring Fest 2019.

sionally as Lunay, is a Puerto Rican singer/ rapper who became popular through the Latin and reggaeton scene. He has 10.2 million Instagram followers and nearly 15 million monthly Spotify listeners. His 2019 album, “Épico,” peaked at No. 79 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

“Island Fest” is expected to be the first of three Spring Fest shows. The remaining shows are expected to include a country or electronic dance music (EDM) performance and a main show that would be a “mixture of genres,” according to a Feb. 15 email to the student body from SA President Nicholas Singh.

In that email, Singh asked students to share their opinions on the genres and performers. Singh said the main show will feature “serious Rap/Trap artists,” but that “we cannot guarantee the attendance of any artist” students ask for.

Saturday’s show will mark the first Spring Fest performance since spring 2019.

Email: justin.weiss@ubspectrum.com

12 | Wednesday, April 6 2022

s she stares down at the glassy blue water from the edge of the 3-meter board, Tori Franz bops her head to Owl City’s “Verge,” talks to her coach about the ice cream she ate for breakfast and models each of her dives at least twice over.

When she is on the diving board, Franz’s energy is positively infectious.

But behind her seemingly carefree demeanor is a much more woeful reality.

Franz has Crohn’s disease, a rare, chronic inflammatory bowel illness.

Three million Americans suffer potential life-threatening complications and an array of symptoms from anemia to ulcers, vomiting, fevers and fatigue as a result of Crohn’s.

Every airborne twist and turn is a plunge into the unknown.

Franz, a junior diver from Buffalo, has suffered from Crohn’s disease since the age of 10, enduring debilitating pain and weakness that can only be remedied by the slew of medications and medical specialists at her disposal. She undergoes a backand-forth hour-and-a-half drive to and from the University of Rochester Medical Center for her treatments, while meticulously watching every single thing she puts into her body.

The fact that she is here — a Division I student-athlete with even greater aspirations — is a testament to her resilience and dedication.

“I didn’t think that my body would hold up as well as it has. So every day now is just a bonus round,” Franz said in an interview with The Spectrum.

Franz views her illness not as a barrier to success, but as a motivator that can elevate her to an even greater level. She has pushed through mental and physical barriers time and time again to reach the gold standard of athleticism: the Olympic trials.

“The sky [is] the limit for her with her physical talent for the sport of diving,” UB Diving Coach Russ Dekker told The Spectrum.

And Franz doesn’t just excel in the pool; aside from 20 hours of intensive weekly DI training as a member of UB’s diving team, she also juggles getting her biomedical engineering degree and has a 3.4 GPA. “She’s constantly doing everything she needs to do to be the best person and the best athlete she can,” Franz’s mother, Linda Franz, said.

‘We tried to find something else’

Franz’s first sport was gymnastics, as the eager 8-year-old tumbled and somersaulted her way into budding stardom at Tonawanda’s Gleason School of Gymnastics.

No stranger to hard work, the gymnast practiced for three hours a day, six days a week, and loved every second of it.

That all changed in 2011.

Day by day, Franz’s body grew steadily

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weaker. Her knees regularly caved in as she struggled to match her usual energy levels.

Her bones began to stick out as she lost significant weight. Her body immediately rejected everything she ate.

This left Franz in a year-long state of pain and suffering.

She cried on and off for almost an entire year, lying in hospital beds and facing the looming threat of surgeries and the potential of getting even sicker.

A confusing reality no 10-year-old should ever have to face, and no medical professional seemed to have direct answers for.

“It was heartbreaking, honestly,” Linda said. ​​“She was so sick, she had just turned 10 and she was only 30 pounds because she couldn’t keep food in and nobody knew what to do or how to help her.”

Gymnastics became unviable for Franz.

It made her symptoms consistently flare up and made it almost impossible for her to cope with her disease. So, sensing the inevitable end of her gymnastics career, the young athlete decided to retire her leotard and search for a new passion.

As the years went by, doctors began to understand Franz’s condition better. For the first time, her medications started to be tailored to her Crohn’s and her diet was being closely monitored and was starting to return to its normal breadth.

As she started to regain her energy, Franz also began regaining the athletic craving that she had held as a gymnast.

So, equipped with Infliximab — an immunosuppressive drug more popularly known by its brand name, Remicade — and her trademarked smile, Franz decided to go down a different route: diving.

“Once my mom got tired of me jumping off the couch and climbing up the walls, we kind of tried to find something else,” Franz said.

Like everything else she has done in her life, Franz dove right into the sport.

She became involved in the Wings Diving Club — where Dekker is a coach — and the Jr. Griff ’s Club, which is run through Canisius College. She started attending four weekly training sessions and gave the sport her absolute all.

Her natural athleticism and foundation in twisting and turning provided her the perfect springboard into the blue waters of the diving scene.

Her background as a gymnast also gave her the ideal introduction to the board, with textbook experiences behind her.

“I got to basically do all the same things, even though the mechanics were very different … in gymnastics you want to land on your feet, [in] diving you want to land on your head,” Franz said, as she bellowed with laughter.

But it still wasn’t an easy transition.

Franz had a crippling fear of heights.

This push-and-pull between her body and her mind proved to be challenging for the new diver.

ubspectrum.com

Courtesy of UB Athletics Junior diver Tori Franz competes in the 2021 Mid-American Conference Championships.

“Diving is 90% mental and then the other 10% physical, because it’s like, ‘Oh, let’s just jump off of a building,’” Franz said.

Her first three years in the pool, Franz wasn’t able to do many of the dives expected of someone her age.

“A lot of kids give up if they can’t do a dive for a week and she couldn’t do a bunch of dives for three years and here she is,” Linda said.

Those three years of struggles may have forced other divers out of the pool, but not Franz. “[It’s] when you know someone could be so amazing at what they put their mind to and literally the only person stopping them [is] themselves,” Wings Diving Club coach Joshua Larcom said about why he never gave up faith in Franz’s diving ability.

‘Terrifying or not, try and do it anyway’

Through all the highs and lows of life, Franz has embraced one idea: growing comfortable with the uncomfortable.

She has accepted the stomach-churning that either makes her mind race and body tense, or forces her to run to the toilet and vomit.

Franz quickly employed her secondto-none work ethic in her new sport to overcome her life-defining condition and fear of heights. “She was the first one at practice and she was the last one that left,” Larcom said. “She [would] literally push herself nonstop.”

Franz says this is just the way she lives her life.

“If there’s something you want to do or somewhere you want to go, even if it’s terrifying, you should try and do it anyway,” Franz said about her mantra for persevering through adversity.

com — two of her coaches at the Wings Diving Club, and collegiate coaching rivals at UB and Canisius, respectively.

But despite receiving a number of college offers, the Buffalo native acted pragmatically, deciding to major in biomedical engineering at UB and dive for the Bulls.

UB’s proximity to home and her alreadyestablished relationship with Dekker made her decision to stay in the Queen City and compete for her mentor easy.

Franz also chose to live at her family home for the duration of her college career, which allowed her to put her health above all else.

“I knew I wanted to stay close to home just with my situation,” she said.

Though all of this would never have been possible without a single phone call.

A call to Olympic swimmer Kathleen Baker, who has battled with Crohn’s too since the age of 12.

“It was nice to like, talk to someone who gets it,” Franz said. “If I didn’t have that conversation, I don’t think I would have dove in college because I wasn’t sure if my body could handle it.”

‘I gotta make some plans’

In college, Franz faces 7 a.m. alarms and 20 hours of seven-day-a-week training, in 8-10 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. time slots.

Between hard-hitting training and Navier-Stokes equations, Franz barely has time to catch her breath — let alone cater to an unforgiving disease.

“It’s not entirely realistic sometimes with this kind of disease where you know it beats down your body. Or any disease for that matter,” Franz said about managing her commitments.

But a cautious attitude is no match for her ambitions and drive.

If there’s something you want to do or somewhere you want to go, even if it’s terrifying, you should try and do it anyway.

As a 17-year-old, Franz found her stride.

She settled on the more palatable 1-meter and 3-meter dive heights, and in the process, became a six-time USA Diving National Qualifier. It was then that she started to seriously think about her options for DI-level diving.

“Once we got over some of [the mental blocks], she really took off and progressed at a fast rate,” Dekker said.

A number of DI programs reached out to the budding star as she was about to venture into college: “she had a lot of interest all across the country,” Linda said.

Her recruitment even promoted a friendly battle between Dekker and Lar-

“It’s a good kind of hard,” Franz said about balancing everything on her plate.

Now, Franz has surpassed many of the very same athletes who bested her on the diving board as a kid.

This season alone, Franz has managed to clinch the Mid-American Conference Diver of the Year award — making waves as the second Bull to ever do so — and placed first in the 1-meter dive at the MAC Championships.

This enabled her to qualify for the coveted NCAA Championships in Atlanta, where she finished in 30th place in the 1-meter dive and in 41st place in the 3-meter dive against competitors from top pro-

ubspectrum.com grams like UCLA and Stanford.

But the real highlight of Franz’s year was still yet to come.

May 2021 brought Franz’s biggest success to date, as the diver finally clinched the goal she and Dekker mapped out when she was 15 years old: an invitation to compete at the Olympic trials.

The 10-year-old girl who teared up at a future filled with late-night medical visits and early-morning doses of medications she could barely pronounce had made it.

The 13-year-old girl who stood breathless and immobile every time she attempted a dive had made it.

A feat of prime athleticism was under Franz’s belt, all while she battled her body and mind every step of the way.

Her first port of celebration wasn’t the usual drinks with friends or a big cake and meal out with her family.

It was a workout on her trampoline to get ready for the big day.

“I was like, ‘Oh! OK, I gotta make some plans,’” Franz said about her initial thoughts.

“You just think back to her in a hospital bed with such a sad face with tubes coming out everywhere. From that to this is just, I can’t put it into words,” Linda said.

Franz’s goal had long been to make the trials — “even more so than making the Olympics,” Linda said. “She wanted to make the trials just to show that she could compete and even though she wasn’t healthy, that she could work hard enough … and deal with enough obstacles to be there with the best.”

Both Dekker and Larcom (who spent 2020-21 as UB’s assistant diving coach) were able to accompany Franz to Indianapolis.

“It [is] an extremely hard meet to qualify for, for anyone,” Dekker said of Franz’s participation in the trials.

Franz placed 24th out of 25 participants in the 3-meter springboard at the Olympic trials — not the best result, but an impressive accomplishment nonetheless for a diver from UB. Her success is largely born from her

SPORTS work ethic and stubbornness, her coaches say.

“When she sets her mind to something, she will make sure she does everything she can to get there, regardless of what it is.

Because her stubbornness will not let her do anything else,” Larcom said.

Affectionately calling her “nugget,” Larcom and the rest of Franz’s coaches, teammates, family and friends have given her the stability and security to freely pursue her dreams — chronic illness or not.

Whatever the diver feels she needs, those around her facilitate and trust her judgment. Even UB’s swimming staff — head coach Andy Bashor and assistant coach Morgan Bullock — is always ready at her side, “even though we’re on separate sides of the pool,” Franz said.

And it’s not just her coaches and teammates who have her back; it’s also her mother, who Tori counts as her biggest supporter.

“We’re a really good team,” Linda, who is constantly by her daughter’s side keeping an eye out for her health, said.

‘Anything could happen tomorrow’

Franz is open about her illness to an extent, with her teammates being fully clued in and ready to support her should she need it.

“They’re some of my best friends for sure … we’re really able to have a tightknit little family right there, inside a little family of swim and dive,” Franz said.

UB’s five current divers “definitely know my situation. It’s not something I hide. If I have to run to the bathroom, I have to run to the bathroom,” Franz said with a laugh.

Despite her vulnerability, Franz is hesitant to reveal the full extent of her pain.

Linda says Tori has a “close couple of friends that she can kind of pour her heart out to,” because “she doesn’t want to come off as somebody who’s a whiner.”

Franz wonders if and when this suffering will become too much to bear. “She really does have a great outlook and it’s

Courtesy of Linda Franz Junior diver Tori Franz prepares to hit the water during the U.S. Olympic trials in Indianapolis.

Wednesday, April 6 2022 | 13

Courtesy of UB Athletics Junior diver Tori Franz strikes a “horns up” pose in a preseason photoshoot.

You just think back to her in a hospital bed with such a sad face with tubes coming out everywhere. From that to this is just, I can’t put it into words. very real and very honest, brutally honest actually, because this could disappear any day,” Linda said.

Franz acknowledges her reality and the blessings she has had so far.

“I’ve been really lucky so far,” Franz said. “In the last few years, I’ve been pretty much as close to remission as I can be.”

But the diver is quick to see if, and how fast, her luck could run out in the future.

“There’s very few people that know the real magnitude of things … even a simple ear infection, you know, it can turn into something much more complicated,” Linda said.

Franz could wake up any day now and be immobile on the board, unable to pursue her passions in life through no fault of

her own.

With possibilities of becoming a diving coach and a biomedical engineer very much on the cards if Franz can’t go on with diving, the young athlete still smiles just as broadly.

Franz’s hope and enthusiasm will forever outweigh her statistic as someone living with Crohn’s.

Living day by day, she never takes anything for granted.

“So we’re gonna take these wins as we get them and we’re gonna just enjoy every minute,” Linda said. “Because we don’t know what tomorrow’s gonna bring.”

Email: sophie.mcnally@ubspectrum.com

14 | Wednesday, April 6 2022

SPORTS

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Georgia Woolley and Saniaa Wilson to join Softball goes 2-1 against Western Felisha Legette-Jack at Syracuse Michigan, improves UB loses the reigning MAC Freshman of the Year and a valued role player to SU KAYLA STERNER ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Former UB women’s basketball head coach Felisha Legette-Jack will be joined by two Bulls in Syracuse next season.

Shortly after entering the transfer portal, an SU press release announced that freshman guard Georgia Woolley and freshman forward Saniaa Wilson will be joining the Orange next season.

Woolley — the reigning Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year — was an integral part of Buffalo’s scoring game alongside junior guard Dyaisha Fair, who has entered her name in the portal but has not announced where she will be playing next season.

The Brisbane, Australia native started in the final 24 games of the season and averaged 14.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.9 rebounds per game. She also recorded 73 steals in 34 games.

The 6-foot guard netted 29 points in the MAC Championship Game against Ball State, which sent UB to the NCAA Tournament. She notched at least 20 points in 12 games last season.

“Georgia is the most angle-smart defensive player I’ve coached in a long time.

She’s a fantastic scorer from three different levels – layups, mid-range, and threeball,” Legette-Jack said in the release. “She is tough as nails and smart as they come.

We are so excited to have her join the best school in the country.”

Six-foot forward Saniaa Wilson will reunite with Woolley in The Salt City. In 14 competitions, Wilson averaged 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 points and 10.9 minutes per game.

The Rochester native had six points,

three rebounds and one assist in UB’s first round NCAA Tournament loss to Tennessee.. The highlight of her season came against Central Michigan, when she put up a double-double with 10 points and 13 boards.

“The world has not yet seen how good Saniaa will be,” Legette-Jack said in the press release. “She is a back-to-the-basket post who loves contact. Saniaa has a great IQ for the game and is a fantastic passer that knows how to win. She is an even better person than her basketball accolades.

I’d like to welcome her to the best school in the country.”

By welcoming in a promising group of freshmen, Legette-Jack is setting the groundwork for what will be a rebuild at Syracuse. The Bulls have yet to name Legette-Jack’s replacement, but the decision is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Email: kayla.sterner@ubspectrum.com

‘We’re really starting from a blank piece of paper’: football kicks off spring practices Maurice Linguist gets his first full offseason in Buffalo ANTHONY DECICCO SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

When Maurice Linguist was named Lance Leipold’s replacement as UB’s head football coach last spring, things were immediately chaotic.

Linguist was hired in May (most coaches are hired in December or January) and was left with less than four months to assemble a staff, establish a recruiting class, retain potential transfers and evaluate the talent on his team before the season kicked off in early September.

And given the nature of that turbulent offseason, the results of the 2021 season (4-8, 2-6 MAC) weren’t particularly surprising.

But, over the past few months, Linguist — one of the nation’s most talented young recruiters — has brought in over 20 new players and the highest-ranked overall recruiting class in school history.

The 2022 offseason is his first full chance to work with his new team. “[I’m] really proud of what we were able to do from a recruiting standpoint and bringing in a very talented group of guys,” Linguist said after UB’s first spring practice last Tuesday. “Now listen, we have a lot of work to do with this team. Talent’s one thing, we have to adhere to a certain set of standards and daily discipline to really move the needle the way we want to move it.”

With a new group of talented transfers — junior cornerback Caleb Offord (Notre Dame), graduate cornerback Elijah Blades (Florida), sophomore quarterback Cole Snyder (Rutgers) and graduate receivers Justin Marshall (Louisville) and Jalen “Boobie” Curry (Arizona), to name a few — as well as some of the highestranked recruits in program history, expectations are high for a UB team that made it a habit of qualifying for bowl games during Leipold’s tenure.

“There was a lot going into it,” graduate wide receiver Quian Williams said, referring to the start of spring practice. “From when the season ended, all the guys, we couldn’t wait to get back up here and get to work. The excitement builds up, the hype builds up, now we’ve just got to do a good job of just keeping it up there and improving everyday.”

Here are some notes from UB’s first week of spring practices:

New coaching staff

The offseason didn’t just see multiple players transfer out of Buffalo; it also saw a number of coaches leave the Queen City.

After struggling immensely on the de-

Elise Cassidy / The Spectrum Members of the offensive line crowd receive instruction from their coaches on a recent day of spring practice.

fensive side of the ball (the Bulls ranked ninth in the Mid-American Conference in points allowed and gave up 38.5 points per game during the final four games of the season), UB parted ways with defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen after just one season.

Linguist tapped Brandon Bailey, who spent the last three seasons as a defensive assistant at Texas A&M, as Cauthen’s replacement.

Linguist says the Bulls are taking it slow in revamping the defense under Bailey, who’s in his first go-round as a Division I defensive coordinator at UB. “We’re really starting from a blank piece of paper, but we were able to have a lot of uninterrupted time through January and February and really the half of March to lay out the scheme and present it in a very digestible way [to the players],” Linguist said.

While Bailey’s schemes differ from Cauthen’s, the coaching staff is looking to hammer home fundamentals in spring ball. Linguist mentioned concepts such as block shedding, form tackling and rallying to the ball as skills every successful defense should emphasize in its early stages.

“Obviously, when you change coordinators, things change,” Linguist, a former safety at Baylor, said. “But the fundamentals of defensive play stay consistent.”

UB also hired three new assistant coaches in running backs coach Greg Knox (who most recently coached at Florida), wide receivers coach Kevin Sherman (Murray State) and linebackers coach Kevin Corless (Samford). The three bring a combined 90 years of coaching experience to UB and are working on both on- and off-the-field concepts with the players, Linguist says.

“I’m really pleased with what our coaching staff has done over the last seven weeks,” Linguist said. “Being able to sit guys down, teach them the X’s and O’s, yes, but also get to know guys on a very personal level, which we think is just going to always add to what we’re doing.”

Quarterback competition

Quarterback talk has heated up since Kyle Vantrease, UB’s starting quarterback last season, entered the transfer portal and elected to play at Georgia Southern in early January.

With four quarterbacks on the current roster (Snyder, senior Matt Myers, sophomore Casey Case and redshirt freshman Brian Plummer), the Bulls have a quarterback competition on their hands.

Myers and Snyder got most first-team reps in on Tuesday, so everything indicates the starting job will come down to the two of them. Linguist spoke highly of Snyder when UB announced its recruiting class in February, and considering Snyder’s Power Five experience, it could make sense to start the transfer quarterback next season.

But Myers is the longest-tenured quarterback on the roster with prior starting experience at UB. While he couldn’t beat out Vantrease for the starting job last season, he’s among Snyder’s stiffest competition.

Linguist said it would be “unfair” to name a starting quarterback at the beginning of spring practices and that UB will allow its quarterbacks to compete and earn the starting role.

“Who’s our starting quarterback? The film’s gonna decide that, the players are really gonna decide that,” Linguist said.

“What we have to do is put the ball down and allow them to play and make it very transparent and make it very equal at the beginning in terms of a rep count and how we go about structuring practice.”

“All four quarterbacks, they’re all great and they’re just gonna keep getting better,” Williams said. “It’s gonna be great to see what happens with our quarterbacks this year for sure.”

Replacing Dylan McDuffie

Junior running back Dylan McDuffie declined to answer questions about his transfer status last Tuesday, and it’s now clear why.

to 13-10

UB won its second consecutive series over the weekend MIKE MAHAR STAFF WRITER

UB softball (13-10) went 2-1 this weekend against Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan (13-18) to improve to 13-10 overall and 5-2 in conference play.

UB’s 13-10 record marks its best start since 2014.

UB split its Saturday doubleheader at Kenmore East High School, winning its first game 9-7 and falling 4-2 in the second game. Sophomore infielder Rachel Steffan homered in the third inning of the first game to give Buffalo a 3-1 advantage, but the Broncos responded with multiple home runs to take a 4-3 lead.

The two teams traded leads as senior catcher Olivia Kincanon hit a home run in the sixth inning and had a walk-off home run in the seventh to give the Bulls a 9-7 victory. Kincacon went 2-for-3 with five runs batted in, a walk and three runs.

Graduate outfielder Anna Aguon also showed out as she went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk. Sophomore pitcher Julia Tarantino got the win in the circle, to improve her record to 6-5 on the season.

The Bulls dropped the second game of the doubleheader 4-2. Sophomore third baseman Madison Fernimen recorded the team’s only two RBIs and went 1-for-3 at the plate.

UB charged back on Sunday to win its second series in a row, defeating the Broncos 2-1. Steffan produced two of UB’s five hits and drove home an RBI in the winning effort.

The Bulls will travel to Olean, NY on Wednesday to face St. Bonaventure (5-20) in a doubleheader. The first pitch is set for 3 p.m.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Despite being made available to the media following UB’s first spring practice, McDuffie reentered the transfer portal just two days after practice began.

After initially entering the portal on Dec. 31, McDuffie withdrew his name from transfer consideration on Jan. 31 only to reenter on March 31. The sixthleading rusher in the MAC last season (1,049 yards), McDuffie has since received offers from Virginia, Duke, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic and the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) in the last five days.

UB must now shift its attention to finding McDuffie’s replacement, and whether the Bulls elect to replace McDuffie with one player or do so by committee, there are multiple viable options.

Senior running back Ron Cook Jr. ranked second on the team with 440 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 88 carries last season. The Washington native was also named All-MAC as a kick returner, averaging 21 yards per return in 2021.

Redshirt freshman Mike Washington appeared in three games last season and rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, while senior Tajay Ahmed had six carries and a touchdown while contributing on special teams.

Redshirt freshman Al-Jay Henderson saw action in two games last season, sophomore Caron Robinson missed all of last year with an injury and freshman Jackson Paridis looks to be in the backfield mix in his first year at UB. While Cook’s numbers stand out among the pack on paper, he stands at 5-foot-9 and weighs 187 lb., so Linguist and Knox could look into splitting carries between backs as the season approaches.

Email: anthony.decicco@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @DeCicco42