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Nov | 2023 WWW.KUTOWER.COM
TH E I N DEPEN D EN T VOI C E OF K E AN U N IV E R S IT Y
Sorrow over Death of How The Israel-Palestine Conflict Actor Matthew Perry is Affecting Kean University Spans Generations By Tyra Watts By Ridimerb Diaz-Ramirezs Fans mourn celebrities' deaths, like Matthew Perry’s, almost like when they lose a family member. Perry, who died at the age of 54, was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi. His cause of death was initially determined to have been drowning, but now further investigation is
The current Israel-Palestine conflict dates back decades, and it is still ongoing today. Thousands of people have died, and it is unknown when it is going to end. The Israeli’s aggressive military campaign has led to a humanitarian crisis in Gaza that the world is
educated and show support to anyone who is affected by what is going on. “When we are inclusive of those from different backgrounds or religions, we build understanding instead of hate. We can start doing that here at home,” Repollet said in the email. “Please reach out to your friends or colleagues who have ties to Israel, Gaza, or the region and check on them. Don’t just let them talk; truly
“When we are inclusive of those from different backgrounds or religions, we build understanding instead of hate. We can start doing that here at home,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D.
"Israel National Flag" by Kudumomo is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Israel Flag
"Matthew Perry 2010" by greginhollywood is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Perry’s silly smile
continued on page 4
condemning. Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., in an email to the Kean community, expressed his prayers and support. He suggested that the community become
Photo by Flag of Palestine (1948–1964), by Sakiv is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Palestine Flag
listen. You will almost certainly learn something that informs your own perspective.” continued on page 8
2 THE TOWER November, 2023
How Wenzhou students celebrate Thanksgiving By Brittany Fuentes
“Every American celebrates Thanksgiving because Thanksgiving is a holiday for all families to get together so I think it has the same meaning as the Spring Festival in China,” says Zhu Kaixin
Photo by Brittany Fuentes
From left to right: Zhu Kaixin, Wu Jingyu
Thanksgiving brings families and friends together to celebrate and rejoice in the holiday season, to reminisce and be thankful for the year they have had with food and laughter, but that is not the case for everyone. While college students are beginning to set up their plans with their families and friends for the upcoming Thanksgiving break, some students, like the Wenzhou students at Kean University, who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving have no family to spend time with. Junior Public Relations majors, Wu Jingyu and Zhu Kaixin have no plans for the break as of now because they can’t even go back home like students usually do. The flight to and from China can be anywhere between 12 hours for a direct flight and 22 hours for a flight with
layovers. Therefore, it is not a viable option for Wenzhou students Wu and Zhu to plan a trip back home for such a short period of time. However, that doesn’t stop the students from making plans of their own with friends. Some students are planning to travel a little bit and take trips to Boston or Miami to visit different places while they are here and can do so. Other students will stay more local and make shorter continued on page 9
How Do You Celebrate Thanksgiving? By Isabelle Guthrie When it comes to Thanksgiving, families come together and feast over foods like apple and pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and a big, roasted turkey. But what is it like internationally? How do others celebrate it? In the United States, the very first Thanksgiving dates back to 1621. For others, traditions had started on different dates, but in times even earlier or after ours. Not all feast on the roasted turkey and desserts we know, but it is centered around celebration and giving thanks in their own significant traditions. Some don’t celebrate Thanksgiving; instead, they treat it as an ordinary day. At Kean University, many diverse students are planning their usual traditions for the holidays. Nan Liao, an exchange student for one semester and a senior majoring in management science, states that Thanksgiving is not celebrated in China. “It is a pity that we do not celebrate Thanksgiving in China, and I cannot spend this holiday with my family "Caldo Verde" by MSVG is licensed under CC BY 2.0. because I am in the United States,” Portuguese Caldo Verde Liao said. Liao stated instead of celebrating the holiday in China, they have certain foods she eats during the holiday season. “In China, it gets colder and colder at the end of November, and we like to eat dumplings and hot soup to keep warm. They will also eat mutton because the Chinese
believe that mutton and mutton soup can drive away the cold and nourish the body,” Liao said. Unfortunately, some students cannot see their families for the holidays and must make other arrangements. Sofia Veloso, senior business management major and marketing minor at Kean, states what Thanksgiving is like for her and her family, being Portuguese. “In my family, we call it “Dia de Peru,” which translates to “Turkey Day.” We’ve kind of adapted to some of the “American” traditions, such as roasted turkey, potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and vegetables. We don’t really eat corn, cranberry sauce, or yams,” Veloso stated. Although Veloso adapted to traditional American food on Thanksgiving, she also included her cultural foods into the mix. “What we’ve adapted into our family is Castanhas (roasted chestnuts), Arroz de púcaro (rice and chorizo cooked in a clay pot and then roasted), Caldo Verde (Callard green soup with chorizo), sometimes instead of mashed potatoes, we have roasted potatoes,” Veloso stated. "File:Ven pongal.jpg" by Raksanand is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. “Rissois de carne (Portuguese version Southern India Ven Pongal of empanadas, made with ground beef or sometimes with shrimp), Pasties de nata (custard cups), and Bolos de coco (coconut cupcakes).” Interestingly, Thanksgiving is called Turkey Day instead. Veloso’s Turkey Day will be continued on page 9
November, 2023
By Justin McDaniel
THE TOWER 3
Residence Dorm Life
Being at the midway point of the semester and midterms flying by there is no better feeling for students than getting out of your last class and heading home. For students living on campus, returning home to the dorm is never a tough walk, but some students feel different than others. “ Throughout my time at Kean, I’ve lived on campus in the quads for 3 years now and I do enjoy living on campus for the most part. It feels like my home away from home even though I don't even live that far from Photo by Kean University Webpage the university,” A look of Kean University’s Quads said Johan Civil who majors in media/film. “Living in the dorms I’ve never had a major problem only with
minor fire drills in the middle of the night. I live in the quads, so our building gets more issues than the new upper or the freshman buildings, but honestly, it's not that bad.” Created in the 70s Kean’s Quads residence halls are the oldest residence halls on campus. However, being the oldest residence halls though students still live and even host events in the dorms often. While new upper, cougar, and freshman halls are all the newer residence halls, the quads still receive updates and get renovations often. Just this past semester the quads had brand new washing Photo by Kean University's YouTube page Another look of Kean University’s Residence halls machines and new rugs installed into all of the quads.
“I have lived on campus for a year and a few months and I enjoy living on campus”
continued on page 8
Inside Kean Student Life: Electric Scooters By Adaora Nnakwe Kean students who own electric scooters have an easier and more convenient way of getting around campus. Electric scooters have been seen all throughout campus, but nobody can really get a hold of the students who actually own one since they're always on the go. Teagan Powell, a junior communications major owns a Segway F30 electric kick scooter that she uses to get to class every week. The ninebot Segway maxes out at 25 km/hr, which is about 15.5 miles per hour. It features a sport and eco-friendly mode and comes with an app for Android and iPhone. Electric scooters can vary in price from as low as $200 to $1,200, depending on the brand. “This scooter is very convenient to me and makes my life so much easier,” Powell said. She said with her tight schedule that has back to back classes and practice twice a day, it makes traveling from building to building a lot quicker and more efficient. “Overall, this scooter has been a life saver for my day to day routine,” Powell said. Students can rely on electric scooters to take them all around campus as long as they’re charged properly and out of the way of student traffic. There’s been instances where students have been told that they weren’t allowed to bring their scooter inside buildings like the Nancy Thompson Library and Hynes Hall. “I actually had an officer on campus warn me about getting banned due to charging,” Powell said. “I make sure to have my scooter charged everyday before going to school.”
Photo by Teagan Powell
Teagan with her scooter
continued on page 4
4 THE TOWER November, 2023
Sorrow over Death of Actor Matthew Perry Spans Generations continued from cover
being done. While he had a successful career, Perry battled addiction and recently wrote a memoir about it. The television show “Friends”, which is about a group of 20-somethings making their way in New York City, originally aired in the 1990s, yet some members of Gen Z are as attached to the series as Generation X and Millennial-era fans are. Many students considered Gen Z – the Generation born roughly since 1996 devoted to Perry and other characters on the TV series. Perry’s character on “Friends”, Chandler Bing, was so loved that some argue that he made the show. “I was shocked, and I was like sad….” said Safiyyah Hunter, a sophomore majoring in public administration. “Chandler was like the funny one; he made the show.” Hunter said she built a bond with Perry’s character because he made her laugh. Victoria Gomez, a junior majoring in communication studies, said that she too built a connection with Chandler. She said she felt like he was there for her in the way a friend is there for a person. “I will always watch friends growing up, and I will always watch reruns,” Gomez said. Allison Edgley, Ed.D., a communication professor explained that while she doesn’t have special feelings for celebrities who are closer to her age, she does understand
why others go through this range of emotions. “I believe that we as a society get attached to characters who we identify with, who make us laugh, and even those who make us cry,” Edgley said. “ People think they know the celebrity and can feel deeply connected to the person through their portrayal of their roles or the other talents they possess.” Christopher Lynch, Ph.D., a retired Kean professor who teaches popular culture in the Communication department, said Gen X was the first generation to grow up with both parents working at the same time, and when divorce was also on the rise; society was rapidly changing – a situation that still exists today. Lynch believes the changes caused some type of scarring in Gen X. According to Lynch, these factors led to the generations becoming attached to the characters of Friends' sarcastic type of sitcom because they were able to relate to the dysfunctionality. Lynch explained that Gen X, Millenials, and Gen Z are all dealing with the same societal trauma, which explains the reason why the show remained popular through the generations and led to other generations also building a bond with the characters. “We feel it almost like a personal loss because we come to believe that we know these individuals,” Lynch said, explaining that fans identify with the celebrities. “When one of them dies suddenly, it’s like we
“We feel it almost like a personal loss because we come to believe that we know these individuals,”
"Matthew Perry 2013" by Policy Exchange Follow is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Matthew Perry
mourn the loss of all this potential that this individual has,” Lynch said. “We are more aware today of our brokenness.” n
Inside Kean Student Life: Electric Scooters continued from page 3
Due to fire safety concerns, all battery powered types of transportations (scooters, skateboards, hoverboards and battery powered bicycles) are strictly prohibited in all campus buildings. If any of these are found in campus buildings, they may be confiscated. “Any lithium battery powered device should not be charged in any part of a building used for residential purposes due the potential case of a fire,” said Leonard Dolan, managing assistant director for fire safety. Students who own battery powered transportation should know that certain buildings on campus won’t allow it due to the fire hazard restrictions and it’s for the safety of everyone. “Only use the charger and battery that comes with the scooter,” Dolan said. “Do not buy after market batteries or chargers not approved for that particular piece of equipment.” Dolan said students who own electric scooters shouldn’t attempt to modify or mix the chargers or
“Overall, this scooter has been a life saver for my day to day routine,” Powell said.
Photo by Adaora Nnakwe
Random scooter in Hennings Hall
use a larger capacity battery to extend riding time before recharging. “This will greatly increase the risk of a fire,” Dolan said. It’s important to be mindful that there’s a responsibility apart from just owning an electric scooter, it’s the safety of yourself and others. More recently, scooters have been on the scene from students, especially commuters and it’s getting more attention aside from hoverboards, which became popular in 2015. Electric scooters are the new hoverboards of the 2020’s. n
November, 2023
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2022 Common Read on List of Banned Books By Nefertiti Nzameyo Kean University's Fall 2022 Common Read "All Boys Aren't Blue" was added to the growing collection of banned books. Of the list, the book is ranked one of the most restricted in the United States. Author George M. Johnson, who identifies with they/them pronouns, shares memories of their past that served as pivotal moments concerning identity and understanding the world around them. Johnson invites the reader to how they perceive themselves at different life stages and encourages people to take power in their respective journeys to self. Being a member of the black and queer community are recurring themes in Johnson's memoir. The book was published originally on April 28, 2020, and since then, it has received mixed reviews about its presence in the classroom and on shelves.
“I always question whether the people who call for the banning of this book have read the book to its entirety…” Photo by Nefertiti Nzameyo
Book cover of “All Boys Aren’t Blue”
"I've been fighting for LGBTQ rights for as long as I can remember because, in turn, I'm fighting for myself and fighting
Photo by www.kean.edu
Author at Kean's Common Read event in 2022
for people like me…Writing is a form of activism... And any time you do something that's a form of activism, there's going to
be another side that doesn't like it," said Johnson in an NPR interview. The controversy circulating Johnson's continued on page 6
What’s it like being First-Gen at Kean? By Josephine Carrillo In honor of Nov. 8 being the official date for the National First-Generation College Celebration, The Tower asked Kean University first-gen students to share their experiences on college and get an insight into their perception of college. “Growing up with a single mother who couldn’t continue her education path because of becoming a mother at a young age was very humbling. My mom made it a goal to support me to go to college and get a degree to help me achieve my career goals,”said Angie Benitez, a senior majoring in public relations at Kean. Benitez also mentioned one of her biggest struggles was applying for college, which was her mother growing up and doing most of her schooling in El Salvador. Her mother was not familiar with the process, and it was her friend’s parents who helped her apply and gave her advice on what the college experience would be.
Meanwhile, Senior Zulimar Bermudez, majoring in Communications at Kean, shared her story as a first-generation
always advised me that going to college and being an educated woman was the key to being successful,” said Bermudez.
“Growing up with a single mother who couldn’t continue her education path because of becoming a mother at a young age was very humbling. My mom made it a goal to support me to go to college and get a degree to help me achieve my career goals,” said Angie Benitez, a senior majoring in public relations at Kean.
college student after being born and raised in Venezuela. “My parents always influenced me to go to college, even though they did not have the same opportunities that I have, they
According to The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, there are four different types of challenges first-gen students stumbled upon while in college; psychological challenges, academic
challenges, financial concerns, and social challenges. Psychological challenges consist of family conflicts and guilt, shame, confusion, and anxiety; first-gen students feel guilty over having an opportunity that their family members did not have, this causes confusion and anxiety since they are setting an example for younger generations and going into a completely different world with none to little knowledge about the college experience. Academic challenges can affect the college experience for first-generation college students since the academic system is new to them and may not have been properly explained to them when they began their college journey. This can cause students to feel less confident about their academic progress. Sophomore Juan Tobon, majoring in Theather Perfomance with a minor in Acting in Film, opened up about his experience so far at Kean as a firstcontinued on page 7
6 THE TOWER November, 2023
2022 Common Read on List of Banned Books continued from page 5
book reveals the ongoing battle of minority communities, like the LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual), continue to encounter in their daily lives. Despite the legislative, judicial, and social milestones that have emerged in
and even better tomorrow,” said Lester. Proponents of book banning identify aspects including explicit language, sexual content, and other taboo concepts in literature and express passionate disapproval with shared efforts to revoke the spread of the book.
Department of Communication Kean University Center for Academic Success 1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083 Telephone: (908) 737-0470; Fax: (908) 737-0465 Email: thetower@kean.edu; www.kutower.com
The Tower is an independent, laboratory newspaper of Kean University’s journalism option in the communication major program. It is published monthly through the regular academic year and supported by advertising and the Department of Communication. The Tower is not responsible for claims made by its advertisers. The Tower is a public forum and is free from censorship and advance approval of content by the university administration. The Tower staff is responsible for its content.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: T YRA WATTS
Photo by Kean University
The PRISM student organization is dedicated to representing members of the LGBTQIA+ community
recent years, they still struggle to speak of their experiences and be accepted. Still, Johnson and those in support of his work defend its relevance. At an Illinois hearing in early September, government officials gathered to address the heated debate about the books young students can read. Senator John Kennedy expressed dismay with the anti-book ban bill signed by Governor J.B. Pritzker. “Librarians alone shouldn’t get to decide whether the two books that I just referenced should be available to kids,” Pritzker said. To support his argument, he cited sexual scenes from two novels, Johnson's being one of them. Kean University recognizes the importance of promoting diversity. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and the PRISM student organization are committed to ensuring all University members have representation and a judgment-free space where they are heard. Erin T. Lester, coordinator for the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, explains censorship and how it reflects how fragile our national, intrapersonal, and individual egos are when we feel threatened by the truth of people who experience differently. “Since our Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion inception, we defend the freedom to author, learn, and explore work that celebrates and challenges our students, faculty, and staff. Critically thinking and engaging in dialogue is what makes us a world-class University today
The resistance authors face drastically alters the ease of communicating with their intended audiences. Deborah Caldwell-Stone, the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom director, explains to CNN that we see less than what used to happen. Individual parents would see their student read a book and ask questions about it through a teacher or librarian to have discussions. “What we are seeing now is organized political advocacy groups go to school boards with an agenda with a long list of books they want to be banned because those books don’t fit their political, moral or religious agenda,” said Caldwell-Stone. Despite the opposition faced by Johnson's book, its role in challenging social norms by exposing a different perspective has also gained positive feedback from students. Sarah Rosales, a sophomore majoring in communications journalism and minoring in English, explains how Johnson’s book contains a meaningful message that may have been overlooked by the people who banned it. "I always question whether the people who call for the banning of this book have read the book to its entirety and have it sink in for what it actually means…,” said Rosales. “Johnson's story teaches empathy for people who don't align with those identities, and to write their story off as one that should be hidden away for 'the sake of children' just seems so incredibly one-dimensional." n
NEWS EDITOR: ADAORA NNAKWE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT/ FEATURES EDITOR: JUSTIN McDANIEL FEATURES: ISABELLE GUTHRIE SPORTS: KERVIN COLEMAN ONLINE EDITOR/ SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: JOSEPHINE CARRILLO STAFF WRITERS
JOHN DEFREITAS RIDIMERB DIAZ-RAMIREZ BRITTANY FUENTES-SAENZ JAIDON HARRIS-MORALES LAYAH LOPES NEFERTITI NZAMEYO MATTHEW SIERRA COLIN WARD PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEO: COLTEN GOTTLOB OPINION PIECES AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
The Tower welcomes guest columns and letters to the editor from any source. Such material should be submitted to thetower@kean.edu or left at The Tower’s offices. To verify sources of written material, submissions must include the writer’s name and contact information. Students should include their class (sophomore, graduate, etc.) and major. Faculty and staff should include campus title or position. On request, names may be withheld from publication if The Tower staff determines there is a legitimate reason to do so, but no anonymous letters will be accepted for publication. The Tower reserves the right to edit, and refuse publication of any submission.
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What’s it like being First-Gen at Kean? continued from page 5
generation college student in a Colombian household dropping out or missing out on the opportunity of growing decided to create a plan, I would take the spring semester “One of the biggest challenges that I encountered when their social network. off to decide what I wanted to do and get the mental health I first started college was managing my time between “My junior year in the fall semester was a very tough that I needed.” shows, rehearsals, Benitez says and homework,” switching her major to said Tobon. “I would communications and sometimes get home taking that semester off at midnight just to do was the best decision my homework so that she ever made and was stressful at times. saved her college career. Getting 3 hours of sleep “I have never thought is not fun at all.” about leaving college,” Financial concerns said Bermudez, are a major challenge “Sometimes college is for first-gen students, difficult but leaving has which may lead to never been an option them getting student for me.” loans to get an On top of being fulleducation, or applying time students, Tobon, for scholarships and Benitez, Bermudez maintaining the and Chiarella are part required grades the of clubs/ organizations scholarships ask of at Kean or have other them to receive the responsibilities outside aid they need for their of campus. Photo by Christina Chiarella Photo by Angie Benitez education. Tobon is apart of the Christina Chiarella is a first-generation college student majoring in Sports Angie Benitez is a first-generation college student majoring in Christina Chiarella, Kean Theater Council, and Event Management communications/public relations. a senior majoring Benitez is apart of the in Sports and Event Morris Ave PRSSA and Management and a a Social Media Manager minor in Marketing, for Southfield Plainfield shared that one of her Soccer Academy, biggest challenges was Bermudez has a partthe application process. time job, and Chiarella “The FAFSA process, is the Vice president of getting financial aid and Kean Sports Business other things regarding Club and a Kean that,” said Chiarella, “I Athletics intern. think this is because When asked what is my parents have never a piece of advice they gone through this would give other firstthemselves and I’m also gen students, the four the oldest child so they students agreed that didn’t know how to time management is a help me so I was left to must in order to stay on do it alone.” top of your academics Social challenges also and extracurricular play a big role in firstactivities. gen students’ concerns “I think I would tell Photo by Zulimar Bermudez Photo by Juan Tobon and struggles since other first-gen students Zulimar Bermudez is a first-generation college student majoring in Juan Tobon is a first-generation college student majoring in Theater most if not all first- communications at Kean that they aren’t alone. performance gen students may have It’s ok to ask for help,” to deal with stigma and discrimination at some point in time for me, mentally, I wasn’t doing well,” said Benitez. “I said Chiarella “Utilize your connections and resources and their college journey, such negative encounters may lead was a speech pathology major here at Kean, and with the take advantage of all the opportunities around you. It took to isolation or the feeling of not belonging to the campus pandemic and lack of mental healthcare at the time, I was me until my senior year to really get involved and I regret environment, in worst case scenarios, leading to students super close to even dropping out of college. My mom and I that.” n
8 THE TOWER November, 2023
How The Israel-Palestine Conflict is Affecting Kean University continued from cover
Shaquille Thomas, president of Kean’s Muslim Student Association, said that Dr. Repollet was smart not to choose a side. “He was neutral. Not to name any particular university, but opposition to other schools who directly or automatically supported Israel, that kind of displaced a lot of Palestinian students on campus,” Thomas said. “He was very strategic…I think it was good what he said.” Kean Political Science Professor Gilbert Kahn, Ph.D., who has researched the Israeli conflict and Gaza, called the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 barbaric. “If Hamas has a problem, you don’t come into a country and slaughter men, women, children, elderly, babies…” Kahn said of the attack. Meanwhile, Thomas said that the Israel-Palestine conflict is affecting the Muslim community in the area, especially the Muslims who have a basic knowledge of what has been happening in the past hundred years in Palestine. Thomas said he knows people who are Palestinian and whose families are directly affected. “Me, I don’t have any family in Palestine, but I know friends, but knowing what’s been happening on social media and seeing how the media, the Western media, skewed the narrative of what’s happening, it’s kind of hurtful,”
Thomas said. Thomas says seeing the conflict on social media has been pretty hard, so it has been very difficult for him to cope with what is happening. Despite this, Thomas says that his religion gives him hope and hopes that God will change the situation and that things get better. Thomas said he was not surprised when he first heard the news about the conflict because he felt as though it had been happening throughout history, not just for Palestinians, and that when people are oppressed, they are going to lash out eventually. According to Al Jazeera, the Israel and Palestine conflict goes back to November 2, 1917, when Britain’s then-foreign secretary, Arthur Balfour, wrote a letter addressed to Lionel Walter Rothschild, a figurehead of the British Jewish community, that committed the British government to “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people” and to facilitating “the achievement of this object.” Fast-forward to 1948, Zionist paramilitaries started a military operation to destroy Palestinian towns and villages to expand the borders of the Zionist state that was to be born, also known as Israel. Many Palestinian men, women, and children were killed during this operation, and on May 15, 1948, Israel announced its establishment.
By 1967, Israel occupied the rest of the Palestinian land, and since then, the land that was once Palestinian was taken over by Israel. In December 1987, the first Palestinian Intifada erupted in the Gaza Strip, and protests began with young Palestinians throwing stones at Israeli army tanks and soldiers. This incident led to the creation of the Hamas movement against the Israeli occupation. The Intifada ended with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993. Despite the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993, the violence did not end there. Al Jazeera states that Israel has launched four military assaults on Gaza: 2008-09, 2012, 2014, and 2021. On Oct. 7, Hamas attacked Israel by surprise and killed an estimated 1,200 men, women and children. Israel struck back with bombs and now a ground war that together so far has killed an estimated 10,000 Palestinians. However, what surprised Thomas was that the Muslims were labeled as terrorists by the Western media immediately without looking into what had been happening, which he felt was not right. “Every Muslim in their right mind would not support the killing of any innocent person, whether it be a Jew, Muslim, or Christian,” Thomas said. “ Our religion doesn’t teach us that, but
we do believe that everyone has a right to defend themselves, Israel or Palestine; it doesn’t matter, and I think that the media kind of took that right away from the Palestinians because this conflict didn’t start October the 7th; this conflict has been going on for the past 75 years.” What Thomas wants people to do about the conflict is to educate themselves on what’s happening so that people will not be biased, and from there, people can choose who they want to support. When it comes to whether this conflict will end, Thomas states it probably will not end, but it could be suppressed. “To say that it would end, I don’t know if it’s going to end because looking at things now, it’s a power struggle,” Thomas said. “The only way I could say it can end is if the Palestinians get their rights, they get the land they were supposed to get. It’s probably how it can end.” Thomas’s overall thoughts on the conflict are that he just wants people to stop dying. “By international law, it’s a crime. Everyone knows it, all the countries are seeing it,” Thomas said. Whether you support Israel or Palestine, thousands of innocent civilians are getting killed each day as this conflict goes on, and it is something that no person should ever go through. n
Residence Dorm Life continued from page 3
“I have lived on campus for a year and a few months and I enjoy living on campus, I think it’s very convenient to live near everything. And being someone that has lived in both the quads and in upper the only difference I notice are air conditioning at times and that I'm closer to the dining hall now since I live in upper now,” said Samantha Pepe a Psychology major. “ Besides that, I’ve enjoyed living in both.” Being that we are coming on to the cold months of the year having suitable heating is very important in making sure students will be comfortable and safe. And while
some students have said its been an issue some cant say the same. “ I enjoy living on campus. Even though Kean is primarily a commuter school, I think they provide a pretty good amount of amenities and events for people who live here,” said David Cooper who is majoring in public relations. “I live in the quads and haven’t lived in any other dorm at Kean, but I lived in a dorm at Penn State, and there were a lot of issues. We didn’t have AC in my building, and the bathroom maintenance interrupted people’s schedules a lot. Having your bathroom is a great part of living here,
and I appreciate the spaciousness of the living spaces.” Many students when asked claimed the only real problems they come into are air conditioning. But despite that, some students still enjoy living in the residence halls quads despite those issues. “ At times the air conditioning can be bad when it's hot out but besides that, no issues,” said Johan Civil. Campus life while at times can be crazy residence life has proven to be great no matter which one of the 7 you choose.
n
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How Wenzhou students celebrate Thanksgiving continued from page 2
trips into NYC to explore the city and go places like the MET museum which they haven’t had the chance to go to yet. Executive director for the Center for International Studies, Jessica Goldsmith Barzilay, says the center for international studies is in the process of planning something for the international students for the thanksgiving break.
are similar to Thanksgiving and are as important to them as it is to most Americans. The Spring Festival is the closest celebration in China to Thanksgiving where families come together to spend time together and celebrate. “Every American celebrates Thanksgiving because Thanksgiving is a holiday for all families to get together so I think it has the same meaning as the Spring Festival in China,” says Zhu. It is so widely celebrated in China that people who work get a week off to celebrate while Kean University students have winter break Wenzhou Kean campus in accordance with the Spring Festival. are studying on the Union campus. The time of celebration varies slightly every For those who aren’t able to go home to celebrate, year because it follows the lunar calendar so the they get together with their friends to eat hotpot, a spring semester at the Wenzhou Kean campus dish consisting of soup accompanied by a variety of also varies every year and usually doesn’t start ingredients that are added to the soup. until after February. They also have video chats with their families as a way “Thanksgiving is aiming to thank something, for the students to have a feel of home without actually "腊味煲仔饭 Chinese Sausage and Cured Pork Hotpot Rice - First Taste" being thankful for each other but for the Spring being there. by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Festival we are aiming to celebrate the upcoming Hotpot, a dish consisting of soup accompanied by a variety of ingredients “Some kids might be studying abroad like us, some that are added to the soup. new year, embracing the new year and stepping parents might be working in another province or into our new lives,” says Wu. another place but they come back to their families and It is not always possible for students to be with get together with a big dinner, with many dishes,” said While the Wenzhou students don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, they do have their own holidays that their families during the Spring Festival especially if they Zhu. n
How Do You Celebrate Thanksgiving? continued from page 2
It’s different everywhere, but in the end, we all share the same idea of being grateful for what we have and giving thanks to our loved ones.
filled with unforgettable flavors of her country. Many cultures have their own unique ways of celebrating Thanksgiving. It is fascinating to see how every holiday is so diverse.
"黄焖羊肉 手拉面 Stewed Mutton Noodles - 家家乐 Noodle Kingdom Russell St" by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Chinese Mutton
For example, in Japan, they celebrate Kinrõ Kansha no Hi or "Labor Thanksgiving Day" every Nov. 23. Like Labor Day in the U.S., Kinrõ Kansha no Hi is a public holiday to honor workers in the community, according to Country Living. They don’t have big meals or parades, but one of the most significant events is the Nagano Labour Festival, which encourages discussion on environmental and human rights issues. In South India, they host a four-day festival. Southern Indians, the Tamil, are thankful for the Sun god, nature, all animals, and everyone who supports agriculture. Their traditional dish is Ven pongal, which translates to “overflowing.” It consists of milk, ghee, and rice, according to Country Living. It’s different everywhere, but in the end, we all share the same idea of being grateful for what we have and giving thanks to our loved ones. n
SPORTS
10 THE TOWER November, 2023
The Future of Esports Without Its Original Members By John DeFreitas By all accounts, eSports is a blossoming program at Kean University and has thrived from its inception, but as the original executive board members graduate this fall, change is likely to happen as it so often is in collegiate sports. Amy Yang, who graduates in December, is the final remaining member of the original executive board as the eSports club secretary.
or three years that our players can actually get sponsorships or we can get overall PC upgrades.” Although Yang will be moving on from the program soon there are still others that have been around and grown with the program, like player-coach Jhordy Jaramillo. Jaramillo is a graduate student at Kean and is both a competitor and coach of the Overwatch team. Jaramillo brought up developing eSports players and finding ways for potential gamers to be involved beyond being part of a certain
Photo by Amy Yang
Amy Yang
Photo by Matt Bayuuk
Jhordy Jaramillo gaming on the right
The eSports program came from small beginnings, once just a classroom with computers in the Green Lane Academic Building 208 just beside where the current eSports arena resides. Yang got to reminisce about her time with eSports and what those humble beginnings were like. “When I leave, I’m gonna miss this place…,” said Yang. “It was just regular desks with PCs on them and we’d just play… we did Wii sports in the old arena for fun.” Yang recognizes the need for exposure, for the arena, and for trying to bring in new players or workers to the eSports lounge. “This semester especially we have had a lot of tours from high schools,” said Yang. “They get to try the equipment they get to have a little fun… that has helped us get more publicity for high school students to try and actually want to apply to Kean.” Yang has her own plans for the future and hopes for what positive traction in eSports could mean for the program and those playing within it. “I plan on visiting,” said Yang. “I want to try and pursue something eSports-related or close enough… I’m hoping in the next, maybe two
eSports team regardless of whether someone makes or does not make a team like Overwatch or Rocket League among other games. “It’s a community at the end of the day,” said Jaramillo. “It’s not just about, can you make it on the premiere team… we want you to stick around, we want you to come to the games, we want you to have fun.” Jaramillo continues to echo this when he speaks about being a coach in ways that help direct an Overwatch team to victory and also allow players to learn skills beyond what can be used in the arena. “Helping people grow has always been one of my favorite things,” said Jaramillo. “It’s awesome to see new people come in wanting to learn… Being able to pass that on to people, self-discipline, or self-drive is really cool.” Jaramillo spoke about his hopes for what being a member of eSports could look like for members who are players. “I hope that within the next year or two a lot of the new players are not only hungry to get better and play to win but also to give back to the community or do more than just play,” said Jaramillo. continued on page 10
November, 2023
THE TOWER 11
The Future of Esports Without Its Original Members continued from page 10
Jaramillo added that going that extra step as a player to be involved could mean a difference in improving the live stream or taking care of the arena which in turn would improve others’ experiences there as well. Both Yang and Jaramillo express their thoughts on improving the technology in the
eSports and naturally needs to be supported just as much as athletes hold together teams across different games. Sarnoski brought up exposure for eSports at Kean and some ways that could help increase viewership both online and in person.
“My concern is giving the students the best opportunity… that's the goal, that’s what I see eSports being for Kean.”
Photo by Kean.edu
Head Coach Joseph Sarnoski
Photo by Colten Gottlob
eSports Arena
arena and show their passion and care for the program when they talk about the people and the community that is built within this esports program. That same care for the program and its students is echoed by head coach Joseph Sarnoski. “It’s the problem with college sports is you lose institutional knowledge every four years,” said Sarnoski. “So you have these great students… especially somebody like Amy who works in the arena and knows how the computers work… you lose that and it's heartbreaking.” Sarnoski also added what it means for Yang to leave the program as someone who helped form eSports. “For someone like Amy who helped build eSports at the University,” said Sarnoski. “It’s like you’re leaving your baby.” With change always occurring amongst the student body in the program Sarnoski also mentioned the point of having his position as head coach be something that is full-time. Something he believes that the program deserves. “eSports you’re an athlete for a couple of years and then you move on,” said Sarnoski. “Getting that experience behind the scenes can walk you into an internship or a job with the Giants or the Jets or within an eSports corporation.” This also relates to Jaramillo’s point of sticking around regardless of being an athlete. eSports has more going on than just trying out or gaming. Broadcasting is a key feature of
“What I’m encouraging our conference to do is actually make games earlier,” said Sarnoski. “Our games start at eight O’clock and that’s because we play all different time zones.” The world of eSports at the collegiate level is relatively new and not always as organized as it is at Kean. Many schools do not have an arena or have teams that are run by students and not faculty. “For Kean, I want to see a bigger investment into our social media,” said Sarnoski. “I want a table at every open house until we are big enough to be self-sustaining. That’s our future goal…where we don’t have to recruit players, players come to us.” This also means getting more high school players to come to the school like from Garden State eSports. Allowing more high school students access to the arena could allow a more consistent flow of members for the program. Sarnoski wants to promote the program but also wants members to use their experience in esports, whether in the capacity of a player or someone behind the scenes, to springboard them into life outside of the program and outside of college. “My concern is giving the students the best opportunity,” said Sarnoski… “Then when you walk out of Kean as the commentator for the eSports program… the board person… that gives you the job, that gives you a career path… that's the goal, that's what I see eSports being for Kean.” n
SPORTS
12 THE TOWER November, 2023
Former Division 1 Athlete Lands a Home with Kean University
By Layah Lopes
“Brandon fits like a glove. He has an even demeanor and calming influence to his team,” Kilduff said.
Junior Brandon Upshaw, a former guard on the court at Fairleigh Dickinson University, has been warmly welcomed by the Kean Cougars Basketball team. Seeking a change in environment and wanting to find a campus with a stronger sense of community, Upshaw embarked on an intense search which soon led him to the Kean campus. After his tour of Kean University, he got a chance to see the sublime campus and what it has to offer. It was from that moment that he and his parents knew this was the place for him. Upshaw saw the tightknit community that Kean had and wanted to partake. In contrast to his last academic residence, he felt there was a wealth of events and activities Photo by Brandon Upshaw Photo by Brandon Upshaw taking place on the Kean Seeking a change in environment and wanting to find Kean Junior Brandon Upshaw campus. a campus with a stronger sense of community, Upshaw The player sensed embarked on an intense search which soon led him to the that Kean had the best Kean campus opportunity athletically and academically. transition has been seamless. as the year progresses, a growth in comfort He explained that many FDU practices “We’ve been meshing well,” Upshaw said. level between Upshaw, his team, and the were intense and long, illuminating that the Assistant Basketball Coach William Kilduff coaching staff will continue to grow. players would begin training in July for a six- seemingly agrees that Upshaw has found his Despite Upshaw's transition from a week session, taking a brief two-week break, match. Division 1 college, the expectations have and then starting back up when the semester “Brandon fits like a glove, he has an even remained equally high. began. demeanor and calming influence to his “You have to start with the notion that Upshaw expressed that he felt like there team,” Kilduff said. basketball is basketball, and as coaches we was a high emphasis on preparation for Given the loss of two point guards from the upcoming season, with players having last year's team, Upshaw's skill set has fit in expect nothing different from our players an immense amount of stress put on their to fulfill that need. Kilduff has noticed that than does a D1 coach,” Kilduff said. Overall, Upshaw is brimming with bodies. Upshaw doesn't rattle easily and has been In terms of fitting in, Upshaw is content. able to adapt to any situation he's faced with. excitement for the upcoming season “We have high expectations and we’ve got He has found a strong connection with his He understands that with fitting in comes time and growing pains but he is sure that teammates and coaches indicating that the to live up to it.” he said. n