UBSPECTRUM.COM
MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2016
PROTESTING THE PRESIDENT-ELECT P.4
VOLUME 66 NO. 26
DANCE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE UB P.6
UB WRESTLER HAS BREAKOUT SEASON P.8
UB student stabbed near South Campus
THE WINNING MOMENT
Buffalo Police investigating robbery and assault, student in fair condition ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM
UB student Joey Santa Lucia was diagnosed with a skull-based tumor when he was 16. Since then, he’s trained to become a body builder.
UB student overcomes skull tumor, wins body building competition HANNAH STEIN SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Joey Santa Lucia received an urgent phone call during school saying he needed immediate brain surgery. He had a panic attack and thought he was going to die. He didn’t think he would be able to smile, speak or work out again. He found out he had a tumor in his skull. He was afraid and helpless. He got used to vomiting every day and always had a shortness of breath. He never thought he would get his endurance back. Then one day, he did. Santa Lucia, a sophomore business marketing major, used his recovery to change his lifestyle. He competed in a Natural Muscle Association bodybuilding competition on Oct. 28 and won three trophies. He’s now moving forward in co-owning a videography company with David Santa Lucia, his brother and UB alum. Fighting for a healthier body and mind changed his life. The diagnosis When Santa Lucia was 16-years-old, he was diagnosed with a skull-based tumor of his cranial nerve number 10, a “major” nerve that controls swallowing, breathing and voice.
At the time he was a senior at Canisius High School and was told he had asthma, but his inhaler never helped. It was quite the scare for Santa Lucia who was a high school wrestler. Surgeons thought an abscess was going to burst. They thought they would have to cut the nerve, which would mean he would have to eat out of a G-tube for the rest of his life and breath through a trache. “All the surgeons pretty much scared the sh*t out of me,” Santa Lucia said. Santa Lucia lost at least 20 pounds from stress, was on a liquid diet for six months and had a droopy smile. His anxiety worsened as his fitness goals plummeted. Once he got a cat scan, the surgeons realized they had to cut through his neck to get into his skull base to get the tumor out. Santa Lucia said there was no known cause. Recovering and rebuilding The surgeons told Santa Lucia the tumor was most likely growing inside of him for years. “The fact that I was into physical fitness allowed me to figure out that I had a tumor,” Santa Lucia said. “If I wasn’t involved, there’s a chance I wouldn’t have gotten the symptoms and I wouldn’t have gotten a cat scan, so that’s how fitness changed my life.”
After the surgery, Santa Lucia went to multiple therapists for help his speech and droopy smile. “I had the mindset to just keep going. I really had to come to a stage of acceptance where I had to acknowledge that certain things in life happen to certain people,” Santa Lucia said. “It’s for a reason but there’s really no one to blame for it. It taught me to appreciate things and not take things for granted and to always be grateful.” Santa Lucia still experiences a constant numbing sensation on the left side of his face, but over the course of six months, his nerves regained strength and “reverted back to normal.” “I’m grateful for that though because it could have been a lot worse,” Santa Lucia said. “It was a learning experience that no one else can understand unless you have had a serious health issue.” Santa Lucia couldn’t complete 50 hours of required community service in high school because of the surgery. But he was motivated to be his best and become physically fit again. “I wanted to come out stronger than ever and prove to myself that I can get through anything and that’s when my transition to my fitness phase happened,” Santa Lucia said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
NEWS DESK A UB architecture student was stabbed in the chest by an unknown attacker Thursday evening on Lisbon Avenue near South Campus. On Friday, the victim’s father, Jim Riley, spoke with WGRZ and said his daughter is in fair condition at Erie County Medical Center. “Her progress has been phenomenal,” he said. “She certainly is very shaken up by the whole event.” Buffalo Police are investigating the robbery and assault. The suspect is described as a black 5-foot-4 male wearing a camouflaged jacket and may be connected to other robberies that occurred in the last month. Riley is offering a reward in hopes of catching his daughter’s attacker. He asked people to look at the police surveillance of the suspect to try to identify him. The university cannot provide updates on the student’s physical condition, but UB’s student affairs team is in close contact with the student and her family, according to UB Spokesperson John Della Contrada. Riley said friends and family have visited his daughter in the hospital and she will hopefully be released in a few days. Riley said his daughter is looking for a new place to live. University police are patrolling the South Campus area heavily, according to a press release sent out on Friday. The release advises members of the university to stay alert, not walk alone, keep residence hall rooms locked and contact UPD if they see any suspicious activity. email: news@ubspectrum.com
President Tripathi sits down with The Spectrum Tripathi discusses sanctuary campuses, Dennis Black replacement GABRIELA JULIA EDITOR IN CHIEF
President Satish Tripathi wants all students to know how visible he is on campus. He attends basketball games, has dinner with students and said he is attentive to their needs. “I’m not just someone on the fifth floor of Capen that students can’t come and talk to,” Tripathi said. Tripathi sat with Spectrum Editor in Chief Gabriela Julia Wednesday afternoon in his
presidential office. He was cheerful and smiled when talking about the success of the university. He takes pride in UB’s place as one of the top public universities in the nation and said UB2020 and the new General Education requirements are “something to be proud of.” He also acknowledged there needs to be improvements, such as renovating more facilities and hiring more minority faculty. “These are not weaknesses, but these are things that we can continuously improve,” Tripathi said. Tripathi was adamant about the campus being a place for “meaningful and safe dialogue.” He urges students to talk to him if they are fearful -- particularly students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
ubspectrum.com
CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
KAINAN GUO, THE SPECTRUM
President Satish Tripathi sat with The Spectrum Wednesday afternoon in his presidential office. He was cheerful and smiled when talking about the success of the university.
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OPINION
Monday, December 5, 2016
THE SPECTRUM
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Gabriela Julia
MANAGING EDITOR
Tori Roseman COPY EDITORS
Saqib Hossain Emma Medina Margaret Wilhelm Grace Trimper NEWS EDITORS
Hannah Stein, Senior Ashley Inkumsah, Senior Sarah Crowley, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS
Kenneth Kashif Thomas, Senior Evan Grisley ARTS EDITORS
Max Kaltnitz, Senior David Tunis-Garcia, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS
Michael Akelson, Senior PHOTO EDITORS
Kainan Guo, Senior Angela Barca Troy Wachala, Asst. CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Pierce Strudler
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley
ADVERTISING MANAGERS
Lee Stoeckel ADVERTISING DESIGNER
Derek Hosken
THE SPECTRUM Monday, December 5, 2016 Volume 66 Number 26 Circulation 4,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion and Perspectives sections 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. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at 716-645-2152 The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100
New nuisance law ruins partying, ignores widespread violence in University Heights A UB student could have died Thursday evening after being stabbed in the chest in the University Heights. Yet the community still seems to be more concerned with breaking up house parties. Tuesday, the Buffalo Common Council unanimously passed a “nuisance party” ban. After the law is put into effect, students can be fined up to $1,500 or placed in jail for 15 days. We get it – partying is a problem. Students throwing red solo cups on the street and blasting EDM music at 1 a.m. is a disturbance. Underage drinking is illegal and urinating on people’s front lawns is vile. But does a student have to die before the community and the university realizes that regulating robberies and assaults is more important than breaking up house parties? The nuisance party ban is causing uproar in the UB community as students express their frustration. The law states that a gathering can be considered a “nuisance” if there is “unreasonable noise,” or includes unlawful activities such as destroying property, serving alcohol to minors or urinating outdoors. What is too much noise? How many people are allowed to gather? The rules are unclear yet the consequences are intense. What student has $1,500 lying around? What students can afford to miss two weeks of school for throwing a party? Where’s the ban on damaged houses that go unfixed for years
SPECTRUM FILE PHOTO
The University Heights is home to hundreds of UB students. The new “nuisance party” ban has caused an uproar in the community after a UB student was stabbed Thursday on Lisbon Avenue.
that pose a danger every day for the students who inhabit them? The university cannot have a hands-off approach. Students are living in fear. President Satish Tripathi said in an interview with The Spectrum that his administration has never thought about investing money directly into the Heights because UB “invests in its students and faculty, not real estate.” Instead, there is a loan forgiveness program for UB faculty who live in the Heights for five years. But how is more faculty in the neighborhood going to improve the atmosphere? Are they
moving their families into these Heights homes? Are they renting their homes to other students? Do they feel safe themselves living on a street where police cars can be seen from every angle? Some students simply cannot afford to live on North Campus. Are they supposed to suffer because they aren’t financially capable of living in on-campus apartments, the Villas or Sweethome? It’s time to plan a new living space for UB Greek organizations. It’s time to make sure all homes in Heights have working security systems. It’s time to think about transporting students to Elmwood,
Allentown and other Buffalo areas for late-night entertainment. These changes need to be put into affect – just like the nuisance party ban. The community and the university is naïve to think partying in the Heights will stop. It can be controlled, but not stopped. It is part of the college experience. Getting robbed, assaulted and stabbed is not. It’s clear UB does not have all the answers as to how to improve living conditions in the Heights. But students are afraid and the focus can’t be on punishing them. email: eic@ubspectrum.com
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Response to ‘Finding a Focus’
While the author of this article does due journalistic diligence to his main concern, namely the availability of video equipment in Media Study outside of university courses, he misses the point as to what this offer is intended for. Media Study is not an equipment rental service. Media Study Buffalo is not and never has been a film finishing school. The department is dedicated to experimental art prac-
tices of all flavors. As the field of media arts has expanded over the last decades, the department too has expanded consistent with its history of pushing the boundaries of media. Film and video remain an extremely important medium in our curriculum and we continue to offer a variety of courses in this territory. We have new visiting faculty on board (Sama Waham) with international accolades in film and
video. And we do have a record of ambitious graduates going on to successful careers in film and video production. But what we really aim for is to offer students literacy in multiple fields, from visual media to games studies to computational media and theory. That approach enables students to respond with requisite flexibility to the unstructured world of mixed media. Mainstream media has always fed off the innovations of those working at the borders. Media Study is, and wants to be, at the edge. The lack of hands-on ed-
ucation the author laments is ingrained into higher education in general. This can lead to frustration for students whose expectations are more vocationally focused. Nonetheless, Media Study should do a better job at making internship opportunities available. Pointing out this fact is the only saving grace of this one-sided article.
Marc Böhlen Chair of Media Study Department
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Students: The Council of Advocacy and Leadership is an organization consisting of all seven student government Presidents, the Chief Justice of the Student Wide Judiciary, and the UB Council Student Representative at the University at Buffalo. Our purpose is to provide resolutions on key issues at every level of the University hierarchy affecting any and all student governments and their constituencies. Collectively, we represent all 30,000 students at UB. In light of the recent Presidential election, a series of events have occurred across college campuses, both throughout SUNY and the nation. As the elected rep-
resentatives of the entire student population, we want to make our message clear: we support equality for ALL. Equality for all students of color, equality for all religious denominations, and equality for all sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities. We will not tolerate a campus environment that accepts or allows discrimination, much less one that actively promotes hatred, harassment, and an unsafe environment. Every student has the right to free speech, but what we have witnessed goes far beyond that right. Regardless of your stance on the results of the Presidential election, it is important to recognize and understand the minds of those surrounding you. Some students feel excitement; others feel fear.
As students, educators, and future leaders, it is our place to encourage positive discussion and growth that benefits our community. We cannot be complacent in striving for unity in our ever-changing society, particularly in this time of transition. We commend UB students on their methods of sharing their concerns and the respect shown to their peers. Do not be afraid to speak truth to power and always stand up for what you believe in, for our voices are the tools through which our future is crafted. Should you have any questions, concerns, or ideas to share, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely, The Council of Leadership and Advocacy Tanja Aho, President, Graduate Student Association Connor Arquette, President, Medical School Polity James Corra, UB Council Student Representative Nicholas D’Angelo, President, Student Bar Association Jacob Henning, Chief Justice, Student Wide Judiciary Jeffrey Morrisey, President, Graduate Management Association Sara Perrone, President, American Student Dental Association Matthew Rivera, President, Undergraduate Student Association Taylor White, President, School of Pharmacy Student Association
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NEWS
Monday, December 5, 2016
THE SPECTRUM
Protesting the president-elect My experience protesting the election result at Trump Tower in New York City
MADDY FOWLER STAFF WRITER
When I finally gathered enough emotional strength to watch Hillary Clinton’s concession speech, I sobbed the whole way through. One line in particular resonated with me: “Please never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it.” I wrote that sentence in my journal over and over again and hung the page above my desk. Even though the unimaginable had happened, I refused to accept defeat. I refused to let Clinton down. In that moment, I promised myself that no matter how hopeless things may seem over the next four years, I wouldn’t ever stop believing that fighting for what is right is worth it.
I woke up on Nov. 8, 2016 with a smile on my face because I believed I would be celebrating the election of the first woman president that evening. When the election results started rolling in declaring Donald Trump the winner of state after state, it didn’t feel real. I didn’t think a hateful, offensive man could actually become our president. This man is endorsed by the KKK, has been accused of sexual assault multiple times, believes he has the right to touch women inappropriately, referred to Mexican immigrants as rapists, proposed a ban on Muslims, mocked a disabled reporter and insulted our veterans. This man also selected a running-mate who signed a bill to jail same-sex couples seeking a marriage license and diverted funding from HIV treatment to gay conversion therapy, which is a pseudoscientific and abusive practice that is discredited by the American Medical Association and American Psychological Association. As a woman, bisexual person and survivor of sexual assault, as well as an ally to racial and religious monitories, I am absolutely disgusted that these men now hold the highest elected offices in our country. When the race was officially called in Mr. Trump’s favor, I fled from my dorm so as
not to disturb my sleeping roommate and bolted to the stairwell so I could finally let myself cry. I called my mother and I asked her how this could happen. She didn’t have an answer. I remember lying on the floor of the stairwell at 3 a.m., hot tears pouring down my cheeks, feeling like this must be some sort of horrible nightmare. I spent the next day in a fog, unable to process what was happening in the world. It wasn’t until I heard news of protests happening across the country that I felt a glimmer of something resembling hope for the first time in twenty-four hours. I spent Nov. 9 feeling like my country had turned its back on me and the people I care about. It was tremendously comforting to see people using their First Amendment right to protest this egregious injustice. Newly empowered by Clinton’s inspirational words, I knew it was time to take action. I saw my friend from Manhattan had RSVP’d to a Facebook event for a protest at Trump Tower that Saturday and without so much as a second thought, I immediately purchased a train ticket to New York City. Clad in my Planned Parenthood t-shirt, clasping a rainbow flag and armed with a sign featuring my newfound favorite quote from Clinton,
I was ready to stand up and fight back. As I marched down Fifth Avenue in pursuit of Trump Tower, the crowd grew larger and larger by the second. I got goose bumps as I realized I was a part of history in the making. A lyric from my favorite musical, Hamilton, popped into my head: “History is happening in Manhattan and we just happen to be in the greatest city in the world.” I thought about how appalled Alexander Hamilton would be to see Donald Trump elected to the presidency and how he would be the one exuberantly leading the protests were he still alive today. I felt tears in my eyes as protestors chanted, “This is what democracy looks like.” For the first time in what already felt like ages, I felt some pride in my country as well as gratitude that I have the right to stand up for what I believe in without fear of persecution. The protest was incredibly peaceful and there was such a strong sense of solidarity and compassion mingled with feelings of power, strength and resistance. Standing in that crowd of 15,000 people, I felt slightly less afraid to face these next four years, because now I know with certainty that I’m not alone in my vision of a diverse and accepting America. Because now I can see that we won’t let our rights be taken away quietly. We’ll be there to stand up against injustice at every turn. And we will never stop believing that fighting for what is right is worth it. email: mmfowler@buffalo.edu
President Tripathi sits down with The Spectrum CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
President Barack Obama created the DACA program to give relief to undocumented people who came to the U.S. as children. English Professor David Alff and other faculty wrote a petition for UB to become a sanctuary campus and protect undocumented students. Tripathi issued two statements in regard to the petition, but said he cannot make the university a sanctuary campus him-
self; the SUNY Board of Trustees has to. Tripathi said the university does not keep record of students’ immigration status and university police will not ask students for this information. “Students cannot be arrested if they don’t commit a crime,” he said. “We don’t provide information to any agency unless required by law.” There were other topics Tripathi was not
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so open about. He did not comment on former vice president Dennis Black’s sudden departure from the university in July. In mid-October, The Buffalo News revealed Black is the center of an investigation that is looking into hundreds of thousands of dollars of questionable expenditures. Tripathi said Laura Hubbard, vice president for Finance and Administration, has taken over Black’s duties and has “done a good job taking on a double-duty job.” He said the university is looking for one individual to take Black’s place. He doesn’t know who it will be or when they will take over, but said there will be a replacement “soon.” Tripathi also had little to say in regards to UB’s place on the federal watchlist for allegedly mishandling a sexual assault case in May 2016. UB is one of 202 colleges under review across the nation. When asked why the university never sent out a UB alert or notified the community of the assault, UB Spokesperson John Della Contrada said university police didn’t see this assault as an immediate threat. “In some cases the assault is reported days later or there’s an acquaintance, so police don’t see it as an immediate threat,” Della Contrada said. Della Contrada and Tripathi said they could not comment “on the particulars of the crime.” Tripathi also took a moment to clarify that he does not have all the power some may think he has. In response to Professor and Faculty Senate Chair Philip Glick’s proposal for shared governance in the UB Foundation – a private foundation that handles $1 billion in donations – Tripathi said the Foundation “does everything it’s required to do” and he “doesn’t see a problem.” “The board makes a decision as a board and the Foundation has determined they are transparent enough,” Tripathi said. “It’s not my decision, it’s the board’s decision.” Tripathi said the UB Foundation is a separate entity and focused the discussion on what’s to come for the university. He said the downtown medical school is still under renovation and will open next fall for the start of classes. “It’s the best thing for medical students because they will get educated next to the hospitals and can go back and forth and provide the best treatment to the patients,” he said. When asked about renovating houses in the University Heights near UB’s South Campus, he said his administration has never thought about putting money directly into improving these houses. “We don’t have money to do that. If we have money we invest in students and facul-
ty, but real estate we don’t do,” Tripathi said. He said the university has invested money in housing inspections for students’ homes. He mentioned the university has also invested in a program where a staff member’s loans will be forgiven if they live in the Heights for five years. He said 28 faculty have bought houses in the area. “It’s a great way to get faculty and staff to live there,” he said. “It changes the composition, it changes the living, environment and housing itself. I think it’s working.” Tripathi repeated that all three UB campuses are under renovation as a part of UB2020, along with new study abroad programs and the hiring of a couple hundred faculty members. Tripathi acknowledged that the number of minority faculty at UB is still low. Three to 4 percent of tenure-track faculty at UB are black and those numbers have been the same at UB for years and are similar nationwide. Tripathi said this low percentage is “not a good situation” and his administration, along with UB Equity and Inclusion, are working to hire more minority faculty, but it is dependent on the pool that is available. “If you look at how many PhDs are coming out that are African American in a particular field, the numbers are much smaller and we have to go back and think how many are actually going through college and finishing high school,” Tripathi said. In regards to gender diversity, Tripathi said having five deans who are women out of 12 is “good” and it’s “progress.” Tripathi recognized there is progress to be made in other areas of the university. He said the decreasing enrollment in the arts and humanities is a national phenomenon and his solution to increase enrollment is to educate students on all of the majors and minors the university has to offer. He said the new General Education requirements “puts the arts in the center.” “It’s important for us to educate students on all of the options, we don’t need to force anyone to major in something they don’t want to and a lot of them make a decision before knowing what else is available.” Tripathi also said he is committed to UB as a Division 1 school. He said UB football’s 2-10 record this season will not determine whether or not UB should be D-1 and said UB student athletes graduate with higher GPAs than the average non-student athlete population. “You win some and you lose some,” Tripathi said. “You don’t look at what happened this year compared to last year… It’s not about wins and losses.” email: gabriela.julia@ubspectrum.com
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NEWS
Monday, December 5, 2016
THE SPECTRUM
THE WINNING MOMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Santa Lucia’s brother David who is a body builder motivated him to get back into the gym. He now feels he can sympathize with anyone. “Someone could be going through something that you would have no idea. It’s all around us,” Santa Lucia said. “I know a girl who has Lupus, she’s a super nice and mature person. The people that go through those kinds of experiences are the realest kind of people. They are the most genuine. They are the ones that are truly there for you so I feel like [this experience] made me into that kind of person.” The wingman David, who is also a fitness model, won first place in the Mr. Rochester bodybuilding championship in 2014. David has trained Santa Lucia inside and outside the gym. David provided Santa Lucia with meal plans and his workout routine. During competitions, David oiled Santa Lucia’s body and buttoned his competitor number onto his shorts. Even in Spectrum interviews, his brother was behind the camera filming and verbally guiding Santa Lucia. “He really inspired me to be a better person as far as physical fitness wise. He inspired me to push myself to limitations where I wouldn’t be able to do alone,” Santa Lucia said. “It was a combination of seeing what he was doing, modeling and fitness and all the great things he was doing and I wanted to hop on board immediately.” When it was time for Santa Lucia’s competition, David was on stage with his camera, “jumping up and down rejoicing,” Santa Lucia said. David and his brother were workout partners. They inspired each other. When one was too tired, the other would pick him up. Exceeding expectations Santa Lucia was motivated to move beyond the gym and compete. His brother’s first place title inspired him to live a healthy lifestyle. Santa Lucia competed in three divisions of the Natural Muscle Association Men’s Physique “Olympus” Competition on Oct. 15 while most people only compete in one. Going into this competition, his fitness
ANGELA BARCA, THE SPECTRUM
Joey Santa Lucia, a sophomore business major, trains five days a week to maintain a healthy lifestyle. He often trains with his older brother David Santa Lucia who is also a bodybuilder and fitness model.
level was exactly where he wanted it to be. “Honestly if I go into something or if I prepare myself for something, I make sure that I go all out. If someone tells me to do something, I always make sure I do it to a whole other level,” Santa Lucia said. “I’m that kind of person. I’m a huge risk taker.” He ate chicken and rice every day five to six times a day and trained five days a week. Dieting was most essential and time consuming for Santa Lucia. “That’s the thing many students don’t really understand,” Santa Lucia said. “They think they can go to the gym and toss around all these weights and think they are going to have optimal muscle growth, but that’s not going to be the case if they are not dieting correctly.” On Mondays, he worked his chest and triceps, Tuesdays was his leg day, Wednesdays he worked his back and biceps, Thursdays, his shoulders and Fridays were his “all arm day.” He took the weekends to recover and prepare for the next week. He describes himself as “over prepared,” but he knew there could be men who were more physically fit. “I believed in my mind I could go in there and take first place and that’s exactly what I did,” Santa Lucia said. “I set my own goals in my own mind and didn’t pay attention to what anyone else was doing.” Santa Lucia took first place in Teen’s Physique, took second place twice in Men’s Open Short and Men’s First Time. The competition involved a series of poses he had to endure for “long periods of
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time” and it also involved “water and carb depleting.” Santa Lucia said he felt super dehydrated when he took the stage but had to maintain a confident, friendly look. He said the way he carried himself set him apart from other competitors. “I’m not about arrogance. I’m not about self-absorption. I’m probably the most humble guy you will ever meet. I would say that’s a huge quality that sets me apart from them,” Santa Lucia said. “I have had people come up to me and ask “how are you so humble?” Wrestling in high school, playing football and softball gave him the “endurance” to compete in the competition. Santa Lucia wasn’t nervous because he went in “very confident, not overly confident but confident enough.” David said he might compete with his brother one day since they are the same height. “Whether he wins or I wins, we would be equally proud because we’re a team,” Santa Lucia said. Relationships and personal setbacks Santa Lucia and David found many people trying to deter them. In the beginning, Santa Lucia found his socialization and family life struggling as a result of his training, competing and staying focused. David said they’ve spent a long time with people not believing in them. They told them they’re wasting time and should be doctors instead. He lost his family’s support and his friends vanished because he could no longer go out with them on weekends. “That’s what kind of sets the difference between someone who’s serious about what they do and someone who’s not serious. The person who’s not serious is going to make those kind of sacrifices, do what they have to do to better themselves versus partying and having a good time,” Santa Lucia said. The training made his schoolwork difficult to get done, but he said it wasn’t “impossible to do.” As soon as his classes finished for the day, he would go to the gym and then do work. “My first priority is to keep me sane by going to the gym,” Santa Lucia said. His biggest weakness is timeliness. He said while doing a lot of “hustle and bustle,” it’s sometimes easy to lose track of time and become late for things. He had to make sure his organizational skills were on point so he could fit everything into his schedule, which was “very tough but doable.” He said his family was ecstatic when he won his first competition. “They knew ahead of time with my mentality and my focus I could take gold,” Santa Lucia said.
Tim Winder, UB sophomore engineering major, said Santa Lucia has been there for him since they met in third grade. Winder supported Santa Lucia through his skull tumor diagnosis and knew Santa Lucia would be “the exception.” John Chiarenza, Santa Lucia’s softball and football coach, coached him from seven to 14 years old. Chiarenza said Santa Lucia’s biggest growth is his fight through his adversity. He described him as dedicated, intelligent and always caring and smiling. Moving to achieve David and Santa Lucia are also co-owners of Santa Lucia Global LLC videography company. Santa Lucia hopes to see his company expand nationwide and become “majorly successful.” “It was a mixture of my brother and his fitness competition that prompted it and also the fact that he was he was into modeling and so we kind of took those ideas and thought what more can we do this and figured that professional videography as a production team was probably the best route for this,” Santa Lucia said. They moved to Las Vegas on Nov. 28 because they felt more videography opportunities are available and it is “the center of attention.” Santa Lucia “can’t make any guarantees” but he plans to stay enrolled in UB and take online classes for as long as he can. “We are the experts and we want people to know that we are the experts,” Santa Lucia said. Santa Lucia and his brother work with a representative from Colorado to expand their company. They plan to create promotional videos for models, work with music videos and work in casinos. Santa Lucia described him and his brother as “crazy thinkers” and sees himself going somewhere “where no one can ever possibly imagine but in our own heads we understand we’re going to get there.” Santa Lucia emphasized in surrounding oneself with people who “think big.” Santa Lucia thinks his move will positively impact his bodybuilding career because he feels there are more Natural Muscle Association shows out west. He hopes to compete in more shows in the spring and become a professional bodybuilder. “If you really want to do something, just do it and don’t let what anyone else says influence you because that’s going to kill you,” David said. email: hannah.stein@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @HannahJStein
6 Dance continues to inspire UB students Monday, December 5, 2016
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE SPECTRUM
MIRANDA ALBINI STAFF WRITER
Haley Bjorn realized she couldn’t live without dance when she was a teenager. It was her passion, her outlet. She wanted to see it come to life. She decided to come to UB and since then, her vision has flourished through an annual showcase. The Emerging Choreographers Showcase on Friday night highlighted many dance majors’ talents and helped them explore what will soon be their career. The showcase is held every year as an opportunity for undergraduates to choreograph their own pieces that are performed by other dance majors. The event shows students what it’s like to work with advanced dancers and put together their own pieces. Last year’s showcase was Bjorn’s first time putting together a full dance routine. This year, the senior BFA dance major choreographed both a group routine and a solo that she performed herself. “My group cast was an absolute dream, constantly working their hardest and providing their own artistic perspectives throughout the rehearsal process,” she said. Bjorn explored new choreographing techniques while creating her group dance. Instead of planning the whole dance out ahead of time, Bjorn came to each rehearsal with little to no material prepared. She used her time to play with the music and the cast and see what came together and was “extremely proud” of the outcome. Before Bjorn considered choreographing, she was a dancer who performed throughout her entire childhood. The art of dance remains extremely important in Bjorn’s life. As she finishes up her senior year at UB and continues to look toward her future, Bjorn feels extremely lucky to be a part of the dance field. “I look forward to what lies ahead with the strong foundation that the UB Dance Department has provided me,” she said. Jessica Caraciolo, a junior dance major, was another choreographer featured in the showcase. Caraciolo fell in love with dance at an early age and danced at her studio back home.
UB holds annual Emerging Choreographers Showcase
KAITLYN FILIPPI, THE SPECTRUM
Friday’s choreographing mixer allowed UB dance students to choreograph their own dances and show them off to industry professionals. The event previewed what students may do in the professional workfield.
“It was a place to escape everything else that was going on around me and put all of my focus and energy into one place,” Caraciolo said. She had never choreographed her own piece for a cast before, but when she was given the opportunity to create a routine for the showcase, she took it. Caraciolo found inspiration for her group dance through her Modern 3 class UB where she learned about improvisation. “I was fascinated by the different ways two bodies could move together and started noticing it in all different styles of dance,” Caraciolo said. Caraciolo had always considered performing in her future. After this experience, she seriously considers choreographing as a career. Whichever path she chooses, she knows that she will remain in dance. “I would love to continue to make pieces and watch my ideas and visions come to
life,” Caraciolo said. Madison Rutherford, a junior dance major, has decided to continue pursuing dance. “Growing up, I actually fell in and out of love for dance, as everything has its good and bad,” Rutherford said. “In college, I realized that I knew I could do this and be successful, although that is a back and forth struggle that I deal with every day.” Rutherford decided that she wanted to take the opportunity to choreograph a piece for the showcase because she did not have much choreographing experience. “The piece that I have created for this show is about growing up and embracing who we are as women,” she said. Rutherford had trouble finding confidence in her work. She struggled with doubting herself and wondered if her creation was good enough. “[As choreographers] we’re constantly
Your weekly collection of Buffalo’s sonic selections BENJAMIN BLANCHET STAFF WRITER
Finals are now upon us. If you yearn to get away from the heavy workload and intense studying sessions in Capen, consider seeing a concert in the next couple of weeks. Some acts to look out for include singersongwriter Rick Springfield and soul singers the Platters. Fill your December with every musical evening the Queen City has to offer.
Wednesday, Dec. 7 Sawyer Fredericks - Waiting Room Singer-songwriter Sawyer Fredericks – former winner of “The Voice” – is coming to town. Fredericks, who grew up in Upstate New York, made it big with the help of Pharrell Williams on the singing competition show. The singer’s rendition of “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” won the hearts of millions around the nation, eventually leading to his debut album this May. Most recent-
ly, Fredericks’ folk style has found him travelling the Northeast and performing songs such as “Take It All.” Fredericks represents the power of Upstate’s music scene, so don’t skip this mellow evening.
Thursday, Dec. 8 The Platters - Seneca Niagara Events Center The Platters, a doo-wop group out of the west coast, blessed the charts with countless hits in the ’50s and ’60s. The Platters’ harmonious cuts like “The Great Pretender” and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” are just some of their many soulful arrangements. In addition to their classics, the group is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Today, the Platters are made up of all new members but still continue to impress fans around the nation. Check out this equally mellow collective of singers downtown on Thursday night.
Tuesday, Dec. 13 Kenny G - Riviera Theatre The biggest alto-saxophonist in the game is coming by for a jazzy evening. Kenny G, known for his smooth playing in the ’80s and ’90s, is one of jazz’s jewel performers. One of the artist’s most popular songs, “Going Home,” has become a phenomenon in China. The song plays at closing time in most establishments to gesture for people to hit the road. On Tuesday, the performer is set to play a mix of holiday classics as well as all his hits from the past. Down a cup of eggnog and head to North Tonawanda next week for a merry evening. Thursday, Dec. 15 Kissmas Bash – The Chainsmokers, JoJo and more KeyBank Center The Chainsmokers are back in Buffalo as part of Kiss 98.5’s Kissmas Bash. The Chainsmokers, an EDM pair from
worried about what the audience is going to think, our teachers and mentors, and if the dancers themselves like the movement,” Rutherford said. After working through the struggles, Rutherford created a piece she is proud of and shows her love for dance. Her passion will remain as she looks ahead into her future as a dancer. The showcase has opened Rutherford’s eyes to the world of choreography. “I’d love to be living in LA or NYC or Chicago someday dancing professionally and perhaps teaching as well,” she said. “Dance is the number one priority in my life and has completely shaped the person I am today.” email: arts@ubspectrum.com
New York City, are most famous for their hit “Closer” with singer Halsey. The duo performed earlier this year at Spring Fest and to much fanfare, playing crowd favorites like “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Roses.” The Chainsmokers will be joined by an array of other pop acts, most notably pop artist JoJo. JoJo is known for her 2004 pop hit “Leave (Get Out)” and was only 13 when she made it big. The singer has remained relevant in a challenging industry and continues to record R&B-centric records. JoJo’s latest album, Mad Love, dropped in October and has received positive reviews. Other artists like DNCE and Jake Miller will also be on hand, making this concert a great chance to ring out the fall semester with friends.
Friday, Dec. 16 Rick Springfield - Riviera Theatre Former-Zoot singer will make his presence known next Friday in the area. Rick Springfield is an Australian singer known for songs like “Jessie’s Girl” and “Don’t Talk to Strangers.” Springfield, one of the memorable performers of the ’80s, found success in the pop-rock market. Most of the singer’s albums went platinum during the decade such as Working Class Dog and Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet. In addition to his musical success, Springfield is also famous for his portrayal of Dr. Noah Drake on the soap opera General Hospital. Count on Mr. Springfield to close your semester out in style in what will be a stellar performance. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
7
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Monday, December 5, 2016
THE SPECTRUM
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8 UB WRESTLER JAMES BENJAMIN
SPORTS
Monday, December 5, 2016
HAVING BREAKOUT SEASON
COURTESY OF UB ATHLETICS
James Benjamin wrestles for UB. He is having a breakout year this so far this season.
BRIAN LARA STAFF WRITER
James Benjamin initially came to UB for academics reasons. But when John Stutzman came into the picture, Benjamin decided to wrestle. UB wrestling head coach John Stutzman used to coach at Bloomsburg University before he came to UB. At the time, he was trying to recruit Benjamin, a senior 197-pounder, to Bloomsburg. However, Benjamin didn’t like the school. After Stutzman came to UB, Benjamin decided to wrestle for him. “He’s just a very humbled kid and just works really hard and is very grateful for the opportunity,” Stutzman said. UB wrestling is currently 1-2 on the sea-
son. Yet, this record isn’t indicative of how the matches went. The team faced nationally ranked Cornell where they almost won. The final score was 18-15. They faced a nationally ranked Princeton, where the final score was 28-12. To prepare them for these tough matches, Stutzman has an interesting way of getting their mindset right. “To be quite honest with you, I tell them you’re not supposed to win, you’re from the University at Buffalo,” Stutzman said. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe that, I know we’re gonna win, but a lot of people don’t believe that we’re supposed to win.” Whether or not you believe this system works, it’s been showing results. Currently, UB wrestling has two nationally ranked wrestlers. These wrestlers are 133-pounder Bryan Lantry, and Benjamin. They are both
ranked 17th in their respective weight class. “We got two nationally ranked guys and a handful of others who are on the cusp of being nationally ranked,” Stutzman said. “I think we’re faring well.” Stutzman likes the success, but the coach doesn’t want his wrestlers to get ahead of themselves. It’s only December and the season isn’t close to ending. “We can’t let our highs get us too high. We gotta stay humble and keep progressing,” Stutzman said. With respect to Benjamin, he has recently been ranked and received a lot of praise for his Princeton match. He scored an upset against a wrestler ranked in the top five. At the time of the match, Princeton wrestler Brett Harner was ranked fourth nationally. Benjamin won the match 7-5 in overtime.
THE SPECTRUM
The match ended pretty quickly. Brett Harner took a sloppy shot, which allowed Benjamin to finish with a takedown. Stutzman saw the initial shot from Harner, but knew the match was over. “It was over. I knew we won…The guy had literally 10 seconds of energy left in his body, so after he shot we knew we were gonna get it,” Stutzman said. After the match, Benjamin became ranked nationally. He was also named MAC wrestler of the week, FloWrestler of the week and TheOpenMat’s wrestler of the week. He wrestled Harner last year, as well. However, the match ended differently. “I mean coming from last year, he beat me pretty bad. He pinned me,” Benjamin said. Benjamin knew he had to focus on what he was best at when going into the match. His style is described as being unconventional though. “He’s a goofy wrestler. He’s hard to wrestle,” Stutzman said, “Where he’s good at, nobody is good at, so it’s very unorthodox.” Benjamin is an unorthodox wrestler because he’s flexible. He finds himself in scenarios where he has the opportunity to hit moves that no one practices. Stutzman lets him run with his skill set because he has success with them. “We don’t drill them, we don’t teach him, it’s something he’s learned from I think, the type of athlete he is,” Stutzman said. Originally in the match, Herner was winning 7-5, but he had points from a takedown called back. This gave Benjamin the opportunity to win the match in OT. “Really came in and really just decided that I was gonna win this one this year,” Benjamin said. Although this match helped Benjamin become nationally ranked, he’s still focused on the bigger picture. He doesn’t really care for the national rankings if the ultimate goal isn’t achieved for college wrestlers. “It’s nice having some recognition, but in the end, it’s not going to matter. What’s going to matter is winning the national championship,” Benjamin said. email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Relentless in the paint Women’s basketball power forward Brittany Morrison sheds light on relentless rebounding
THOMAS ZAFONTE STAFF WRITER
Brittany Morrison wants to be scoring insurance for the UB women’s basketball team. If the Bulls (6-0) miss a shot, three, or layup, the sophomore power forward wants to be there. Morrison has garnered a reputation amongst her teammates and coaches as a ruthless rebounder, despite her size. Morrison’s rebounding plays a fundamental part in the team’s success, not just for second chance points, but for team confidence. “Rebounding is my thing,” Morrison said. “I just want to be the foundation for the team and do the dirty work. We want to be relentless on the boards so the guards feel confident in their shot.” It is that confidence that Morrison looks to preserve every time she goes out and plays. She makes up half of the core rebounders alongside junior center Cassie Oursler. They both want the guards trust them to get the board when they miss. Morrison sets goals for herself every time she plays. Morrison is a 5’ 9” power forward and she is often outsized. Morrison knows she is undersized and feels many players underestimate her because of it. “It starts a fire underneath me. When I
TROY WACHALA, THE SPECTRUM
Brittany Morrison is a player on the women’s basketball team. She is a rebounding specialist.
hear people think I am not capable of doing certain things, it makes me go harder to prove them wrong,” Morrison said. That fire is essential to Morrison’s game. If she doesn’t outwork and outmuscle her opponent, she won’t achieve her goals. But as the season goes on, she has not gotten the results she wants. “I know what my best is… and I haven’t seen the start I was looking to have. I want to do better then freshman year and with each game it is getting better,” Morrison said. The key to start getting the results she wants is to focus on fundamentals. If Morrison can effectively box out and push back, then she feels her goals for the season can be reached.
“I hope every game is a double-double on the boards. Just three offensive boards is not good enough for me… Second chance points are key, that is why the coaches are so big on us rebounding,” Morrison said. Head coach Felisha Legette Jack said Morrison plays “monster strong at the board.” Even though Jack knows she is capable, she always expects more from her. “They have two choices, they get the rebound or they get benched. That is what they are here for and our guards are so confident that they are going to be there for them, or die trying,” Jack said. That die-trying mentality is what Morrison prides herself on, but she didn’t always have it. When Morrison first arrived in UB, she
was dealing with the adjustment process. She had not yet found the confidence in herself to start playing to her fullest. That confidence came to her when she started to believe that she was good enough to play at that level. That confidence came to her when she fully realized her rebounding ability. “I expect it from all of our players, I just think that everybody has the green light to be something significant,” Jack said. Morrison made the most of her green light when she moved up to the starting power forward position last season. But that doesn’t stop her from trying to get better. Morrison is trying to develop a better understanding on how a ball will bounce off the board and the rim quicker. “I have to make sure that every practice I am working hard and earning my spot. I have to set goals for myself, in practice my goal is to go hard 100 percent of the time,” Morrison said. Now with Morrison struggling to get the results she wants, it will be interesting to see how she adjusts. To Morrison, it is a matter of staying real with herself while taking “baby steps” to get her game there. “I’m very tough on myself,” Morrison said. “But I will always strive for greatness and I won’t stop until my better is my best.” The Bulls play their next game on Dec. 8 at Canisius. email: sports@ubspectrum.com