The Spectrum Vol.69 No.04

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THE SPECTRUM VOL. 69 NO. 04 | SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

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

Impacting lives Florence Ayeni: a student entrepreneur with a desire > SEE PAGE 4

UBSPECTRUM

Humans of UB: Read your classmates’ stories

UB soccer wins first home game, ties in second

> SEE PAGE 5

> SEE PAGE 8

UB student fights for life after plane crashes into home Hannah Bocker’s brother, UB community describe Puzzling her as humble, intelligent and a fighter PathBRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

in critical condition at Westchester Medical Center but her breathing improved on Sep. 3, according to the Facebook page Sarah updates daily. The crash remains under investigation. Wil said growing up, though three years apart, he and Hannah were “joined at the hip.”

HANNAH BOCKER IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT WESTCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER AFTER A PLANE CRASHED INTO HER HOME A WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL STARTED. COURTESY OF WIL BOCKER

Hannah Bocker, a junior civil, structural and environmental engineering major, sustained life-threatening injuries when a twin-engine Cessna 303 aircraft crashed into her home on Aug. 17 in Union Vale, N.Y. This happened just a week before she was getting ready to make the seven-hour road trip back to Buffalo to begin her junior year with her father, Gerard Bocker, who died on impact in the crash. “Hannah is still with us, and she will continue to fight,” Wil Bocker, Hannah’s brother, said. “She won’t let this change her mindset or determination one bit, she’s still going to be exactly who she always was, stubborn as all hell for sure, and a testament to perseverance.” The plane crashed into the Bockers’ home just after 4 p.m. killing Gerard and the pilot of the plane on impact, while Sarah Bocker, Hannah’s sister who was also in the house at the time of the crash, only sustained minor injuries. Hannah is

“She was my best friend, we would go to harvest festivals, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, get apple cider donuts, stomp down at the creek by our house and catch frogs,” Wil said. “We always had a lot of fun together.” Wil knows Hannah as “painfully intelligent” and one of the most humble people he has ever met. He recalled one of the last conversations he had with his father, who told him Hannah was in the driveway replacing her own exhaust system on her car. “She learned a lot about things she didn’t know how to do beforehand, and that was her push, her drive,” Wil said. Hannah loves her cat, brain games, geometric art and building, according to Wil. She also loves Buffalo. “My dad first took Hannah up to Buffalo and they both fell in love,” Wil said. “I don’t know how many times my dad came back from Buffalo and was like, ‘You know, it’s a really nice town up there, you

The rise of G Premacy UB alum and former track star crafts his future in hip-hop JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

G Premacy remembers his first concert in Brooklyn. At the time, he was still a UB student. Unlike Buffalo venues where supportive friends dominated the crowds, the rapper –– ‘11 alum, Eugene Kennedy –– looked out at a crowd of unfamiliar faces. “I remember my first song, and they didn’t boo,” Kennedy said. “I got midway through, and they started rocking their ‘aye’ so I started to gain a little more confidence.” Since then, Kennedy’s career has taken off. He’s toured internationally, left a mark in Denver, CO winning the “Colorado Solo Artist of the Year Award” and this summer, Kennedy signed a deal with Equity Distribution: an independent label as-

sociated with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. He even has plans to perform at the tailgate for the Bills’ home opener. And it was the Brooklyn crowd that gave Kennedy the confidence to invest in his craft. “That’s when I got that confirmation,”

should check it out some time.’” Anthony Tessari, Hannah’s advisor at UB, said he remembers his first advisement meeting with Hannah, when she walked in with a “meticulously organized” binder. “The binder contained her career aspirations, courses mapped out through her senior year, plans to join student clubs and a well thought-out list of questions to ask,” Tessari said. “I still remember thinking I was probably the one who needed advice in that meeting.” Luis Hernandez, a family friend who grew up on the same street in the Bronx with Gerard, said Hannah took the brunt of the injuries but he’s grateful she survived. “It’s everyone’s worst nightmare, the family is so displaced right now and we’re all concerned about their welfare,” Hernandez said. “I wouldn’t wish this upon my worst enemy.” Hernandez remembered Gerard as “the most considerate person” who sent him a care package when he moved to Toronto. “It was from the bottom of his heart, it

HANNAH BOCKER AND HER BROTHER, WIL BOCKER. WIL SAID GROWING UP HIM AND HANNAH WERE ATTATCHED AT THE HIP. COURTESY OF LUIS HERNANDEZ

was so kind and caring because that’s the type of person he was. And his children inherited that,” Hernandez said. Loved ones set up a Facebook fundraiser for the family to help pay for Hannah’s medical bills and for the family to find a new home. Thirty people have already raised $1,234 out of the $500,000 goal to support the family, as of Sunday afternoon, just five days into the fundraiser. “Whatever anyone feels heartfelt to donate would be huge for her and the family and just send prayers and support in a time like this,” Wil said. “We’re all humble people and are extremely grateful for any contributions, whether it be physically, spiritually or financially.” Wil said Hannah is “the strength everybody should look toward” when they’re going through tough times, because she survived something she “never should have.” “Things are serious, but she’s as tenacious as ever,” Wil said. “She’s got a long road ahead of her, but she’s a fighter.” The Bocker family fundraiser can be found at https://www.facebook.com/hghfight/. Email: brittany.gorny@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @BrittanyUBSpec

HANNAH BOCKER AND HER FATHER, GERARD BOCKER, WHO DIED ON IMPACT IN THE CRASH. COURTESY OF WIL BOCKER

Kennedy said. “You don’t necessarily need confirmation –– it depends on where you are personally in your life, whether you need that confirmation or not –– but I wasn’t completely there yet. So I needed that confirmation to help get me through.” Kennedy didn’t always expect his life to turn out how it did. > SEE G PREMACY | PAGE 6

UB named No. 31 public university in U.S. Wall Street Journal/Times ranks UB in 2020 college rankings BRITTANY GORNY SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

UB is No. 31 among the top public universities in the U.S., according to the 2020 Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education College Ranking. This year’s ranking is seven spots higher than last year’s ranking of No. 38. UB also jumped to No. 110 out of 801 total U.S. universities, up ten spots from the 2019 rankings. UB ranked No. EUGENE KENNEDY — G PREMACY — PERFORMS AT BUFFALO’S MUSIC IS ART FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, SEPT. 7. PHOTO BY VINDHYA BURUGUPALLI | THE SPECTRUM

> SEE UB 31 | PAGE 2


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The Spectrum Vol.69 No.04 by The Spectrum Student Periodical - Issuu