The Tower - The Independent Voice Of Kean University - November 2022 Issue by The Tower

The JETS: Experience Is Back On Campus

By Andrey Nalbantov

Kean University announced that The JETS: Experience course will return for a second spring semester in a row.

Students who have completed 75 credits by the end of Fall 2022 and are majoring in either communication, marketing, graphic design, or management, are eligible to apply for the course.

The course offered as part of the university partnership with the NFL team will offer students the opportunity to have an almost work-like experience in the form of a class.

The Jets will task the students with a problem and require them to solve it. For this upcoming course, students will have to figure out how the Jets can build their fanbase in the United Kingdom.

Students will be divided into teams, simulating and stimulating a competitive environment. At the end of the semester, each team will

have to present their solution at MetLife Stadium for the Jets' management.

The solution involves a mixture of marketing, business management, design, and communication tools. Students will be able to use their individual skills in one of those areas in order to successfully contribute to the final product.

Suzanne Schwab, communications professor, said, “Each team has a task and each student must use their experience from the classroom, internships and any lectures from the JETS class to help solve the problem.”

Schwab is one of the three professors that teaches the course. While Schwab focuses on the communication aspects of the course; Dr. Shweta Singh, marketing program coordinator, covers the marketing and management aspects of the course, and professor Denise Anderson, is responsible for the designs and brandings. The course has an interdisciplinary

The Importance of Social Media

By Tyra Watts

The usage of social media has increased within the last ten years or so. It has created a surge of influencers and content creators across various platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and many others.

While social media can help connect people based on niche interests, it can also help people get jobs and connect with businesses and companies in hopes of a prosperous career.

The importance of social media is shown here at Kean University’s School of Communication, Media, and Journalism, where they have a social media minor program and a social media course, COMM 3533.

When minoring in social media, you have to take 18 credits. You are required to take COMM 3533, and you can pick two courses to take between these three options: COMM 2503 mass media, COMM 2920 introduction to journalism, and COMM 3660 public relations.

You also can select three courses to take out of the following: COMM 2403 production foundation, COMM 3917 sports writing, COMM 3920 specialty writing for the web, COMM 3675 media advertising, COMM 3915 feature writing, COMM 4620 public relations writing, COMM 3003 media journalism, COMM 3503 media criticism, and COMM 3910 advanced journalism.

Gina Gili, a communications lecturer that teaches social media at the Kean

continued on page 11

Photo by Tyra Watts

Instagram

Kean’s

Content Creation Network’s

Page, @kean_ccn

Photo by Kean University Website Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., on the field at MetLife Stadium

“There is a beauty and a tragedy of this existence that we have with social media,” Nicoletti stated.

continued on page 14 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF KEAN UNIVERSITY WWW.KUTOWER.COM Nov | 2022 visit us at kutower.com @KeanTower

NJ's 2020 #1 college newspaper Field Hockey Page 18 Closing of Dining Hall Page 4

“The synergy between the 3 professors was incredible and it allowed us to guide the students to complete success”

Awarded

Celebrating National Gratitude Month at Kean

By Julia Strugala

Each November, the United States observes National Gratitude Month as a time to reflect on what we are grateful for. Gratitude is much more than having good manners; how often do we say thank you without actually taking a moment to feel thankful?

As young children, everyone is taught to give thanks with a gift or a small gesture. It is a social norm to extend gratitude to those that help us, but it is just as important to recognize the miniscule, everyday things.

According to Harvard Health, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

Kean Ocean is celebrating National Gratitude Month with weekly self-care

worksheets. Each worksheet contains self-care tasks to complete and reflect on. At the end of each week, students are to fold up their papers and place them in a basket on the Kean Ocean campus life table.

Students that participate are entered in a chance to win a Kean Ocean prize. The person with the most completed self-care practices and most thoughtful reflections will be awarded weekly.

Kean Ocean’s Wellness Network is hosting self-care events throughout the month of November, from energy mind mapping to meditation.

As for the Kean Union campus, one out of ten students were aware that November is National Gratitude Month. Most were not planning to celebrate in any way besides Thanksgiving.

Jessica Czapalski, a sophomore at Kean with a major in psychology said, “now that I know it is National Gratitude Month, I will probably restart my gratitude journal as that’s something I’ve been meaning to do.”

A gratitude journal is a great way to see a transformative change in your mental well-being. Studies from National Public Radio have found that giving thanks and counting blessings can help people sleep better, lower stress and improve interpersonal relationships.

Keeping a gratitude journal has also

Kean students prepare for Thanksgiving Post-Pandemic

By Adaora Nnakwe

The holiday season is here. It’s about that time to wear flannels and uggs again. The clock’s are set back, the leaves have fallen, and pumpkin spice lattes are back on the menu. This year on Thursday Nov. 24, Thanksgiving will bring families together once again to join around the table for a grand holiday feast.

Whether the main course involves turkey, chicken, ham with gravy or even non-traditional dishes, there’s a lot to be grateful for leading up to the final months

how he’s looking forward to the holiday break and celebrating Thanksgiving this year.

“I’m looking forward to being around family and friends and all the different varieties of food from different cultures,” Pierrevil said. “Thanksgiving will be less stressful with all the vaccines. People are more aware and careful.”

With people more aware of the health precautions such as wearing a mask while indoors, social distancing, and washing their hands, this year is expected to make

of the year. Students and staff should all take this break to relax and reflect on the importance of Thanksgiving.

Ricardo Pierrevil, a sophomore majoring in physical education, expressed

the holidays feel like life is adjusting to the new normal.

Daniel Osorio, a junior communications media and film major, says that covid isn’t the biggest concern.

“I definitely believe that during Thanksgiving this year, covid is going to be less of a factor. People will be able to have bigger thanksgiving celebrations while still feeling safe,” Osorio said.

“That’s what I’m looking forward to this year, being able to slow down and have a long relaxing weekend with family and good food.”

continued on page 13 continued on page 10

Photo by Kean Ocean Connection National Gratitude Month event flyer Photo by Adaora Nnakwe Hynes Hall

“I am thankful for my family and friends who support me and are there for me,” Pierrevil said.

2 THE TOWER November, 2022

“Now that I know it is National Gratitude Month, I will probably restart my gratitude journal as that’s something I’ve been meaning to do,”

I Chose Kean, and I’m Glad I Did! Kean Student Captures Airplane

Emergency Landing at Newark International Airport

By Anthony Reyna

A United Airlines flight departing from Newark International Airport en route to Sao Paulo, Brazil was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff once sparks began to shoot out from the back of the plane.

Murtalla Mbacke, Kean University Student and Aviation Photographer was able to witness the event live and capture footage of it.

“I finished my shift at work and planned on doing some night aviation photography. I love aviation, it’s a pretty cool field. I naturally took up photography as a result,” Mbacke said.

“Due to the nature of aviation photography, I constantly check a flight tracking app called Flightradar24.

flight when he noticed the plane was letting off an orange glow in the sky.

“My initial reaction was that it was an engine failure, which is major,” Mbacke said. “I instantly pull out my phone and still in shock, I start recording.”

Footage of the plane was immediately posted to Mbacke’s instagram story in hopes to get the word out about the ongoing incident. According to Mbacke, he has connections with multiple pilots who fly in and out of Newark International Airport regularly.

Fortunately, air traffic control was already working on fixing the issue by the time Mbacke was able to speak to somebody.

The 8 hour flight which takes place daily from Newark to Sao Paulo, had 256 passengers onboard. The pilots were forced to circle over the Atlantic Ocean near the

By Davaughnia Wilson

High School is supposed to be momentous. When we walk across the stage at the end of our high school careers, we are promised a brighter future and a successful journey by our administrators.

For me, it was no different.

I had an idea of what I wanted to do with my life and the journey I wanted to take to accomplish my goals. If you would have told me on graduation night that I would be where I am today, I probably would have laughed and said “I wish.”

Well, my wish came true.

January 18, 2019 was the day I was introduced to endless possibilities. That was the day I received my acceptance letter to Kean University.

Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica and raised by my grandmother, I have faced many challenges and have overcome many obstacles on my path to success.

Living in the inner-city, life was hard but I was constantly reminded that education is the key to success, and that was my way out. I have to be hungry for success and fight for my seat at the table.

I isolated myself from the toxic and violent community that I lived in by simply staying inside my home and not socializing and interacting with certain members of my community.

While in school, I introduced myself to a group of people that were nurturing, had a positive attitude and were just as hungry for success as I was. That however was short-lived as my path to success meant that I had to leave them behind.

After graduating high school and moving on to Sixth Form, a two year A-level program, I knew that it was time to prepare for a life abroad. My mother and older brother lived in the United States and it was only a matter of time before I migrated also.

process. I was either defeated by the high costs of tuition, its distance from my soon-to-be hometown, or my safety as a person of color.

Life has a funny way of showing us what was meant to be. For me, it was an Instagram post.

While casually scrolling through my instagram feed, I saw a post made by a graduate from my alma mater. In the picture, taken in a bathroom mirror, she was wearing a blue T-shirt that read “KEAN.”

What is Kean? I thought. So I googled it.

Kean University. Founded in 1855, Kean is a public, diverse, innovative and world-class institution that offers more than 50 undergraduate majors, over 70 options for graduate students and six doctoral programs in multiple disciplines.

Kean offers a four year undergraduate degree in communication with a concentration in journalism. The pieces were starting to come together.

I saw on the app that UA149, which is the flight headed to São Paulo, Brazil, was on the runway preparing to take off.”

Mbacke was setting up in his usual location to capture some images of the

New Jersey border for about an hour and a half to burn enough fuel to be under the required landing weight before they finally returned to the ground around 1 a.m.

Preparing for my new life meant that I had to work twice as hard and gain the strength and courage to face the unknown. I was determined to get accepted to a four-year undergraduate degree program and I was dedicated to academic success by taking SAT night classes after school.

Finding a university in New Jersey that I wanted to commit to was probably the hardest task throughout the entire

Within a few months, I settled in my new hometown and attended a summer information session and tour at Kean.

After my first visit, I knew that I belonged at Kean. I submitted my application with pride and confidence and it was one of the best decisions that I have made in my adult life.

I chose Kean, not because of how close it was to my new hometown. I chose Kean because it felt like home. I knew

continued on page 12 continued on page 16

Photo by Ian Alfano Davaughnia Wilson Photo by Murtalla Mbacke The path that Flight UA149 had to take before returning to Newark International Photo by Murtalla Mbacke Sparks shooting out of Flight UA149 Photo by Murtalla Mbacke

initial reaction was that it was an Engine Failure, which is major. I instantly pull out my phone and still in shock, I start recording.” November, 2022 THE TOWER 3

Flight UA149 upon returning to Newark International Airport

“My

New Closing Time for Campus Eateries Leave Students Upset

By Keyon Gardner

The Dining halls located in the Miron Student Center and the Nancy Thompson Library are closing approximately 3 to 4 hours earlier this semester leaving students with very few options after a long day.

Eating throughout the day is very essential for students as it helps them gain the energy they need to function properly inside the classroom and on their assignments.

Smashburger, Auntie Anne’s, Jersey Mike’s, Bamboo- Asian Fusion, Chef’s Corner, Knead Pizza, Piccola Italia, and

Sono all of which are located in the Miron Student Center closes at 4 p.m. Cougars Den now closes at 7 p.m. compared to its former 11p.m. closing time.

Starbucks and the commuter cafe are all

Between juggling classes and work, the students of Kean University find it convenient to stop at one of the campus eateries to grab a meal. The adjusted operating hours of the eateries not only

Jordan Fenner, a junior and Information Technology major said, “The early closing time affects more than the way I eat, it affects the way I move throughout my day.”

closing early now too. Not to mention, the Starbucks on the third floor in the Center for Academic Success has not reopened since students returned to campus post pandemic.

forces Kean students to find somewhere else to eat, but it also doesn't give students enough time to buy food if their classes exceed the closing time of the restaurants on campus.

Fenner shares his concern that he won't be able to find a meal once he gets out of his 4 p.m. class. His only options would then be to eat at the residents dining hall, grab a meal from Cougars Den, eat off campus or just stay hungry for the remainder of the day.

Eddie Bradley, a senior majoring in accounting is furious that the school decided to inconvenience them into

The Ukraine War Through the Lens of a Kean University Professor

By Lenny K. Mata Cuevas

A few years ago, On February 10, 2017, Kean University received the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine at Wilkins Theater. An approximately two hour event listening to Rachmaninoff’s, Sibelius’, and Stravinsky’s classic compositions.

In the same year, Kean University Professor Jacqueline Silberbush visited her grandparents’ homeland, a small town in Europe’s western region named Buchach.

“At the time, it was Poland, but the borders changed, so now the town exists in Ukraine,” Silberbush first explained via email. “My grandparents were Jewish and left right before the Holocaust, and I was interested to see what remained of Jewish life in that region if any.”

For Silberbush, the trip was a success. She made great friends and memories, and it was not a surprise that she returned to the United States hoping to visit once again. Now, five years after the bands’ performance, most of what we hear on

campus about Ukraine is news about the War and its consequences.

The same news motivated Silberbush to return to her roots, ironically what made her grandparents leave in the first place. Nevertheless, this time she was not there just as a granddaughter but as a storyteller, artist, and photographer.

“While I was there, I made a few really good friends and stayed with

many wonderful people,” Silberbush remembered. “When the war started, I felt drawn to go back. It was hard to watch from afar a country that I knew and loved turning into shambles. I felt like maybe if I went, I could help in some small way.”

By June 2022, Silberbush was helping in the only way she knew, with her Leica camera documenting the stories of Ukraine’s

atrocities of the war. She met with men, women, and children living in Lviv, one of the largest cities in the western region and the sixth largest in Ukraine.

Though connecting with them was not always an essay task, she soon learned that in the circumstances like the current ones, there are two kinds of people: the ones who don’t want to share anything at all and the ones who can’t wait to find the right medium to tell the world their stories.

“Some people don’t want to share anything. They are really going through a traumatic experience. They don’t want to be pictured in that way; they don’t want to be remembered in that way,” Silberbush said. Then there are the people “who want to share and were interesting into sharing their story. People who want to get that information out.”

With such a mindset, the artist began visiting places and shooting along the way. Her images immortalized the new normal for Ukrainians, beyond its collapsing buildings and walls destroyed by gunshots.

civilians –victims of the

continued on page 16 continued on page 11

Photo by Jacqueline Silberbush Retrieved from @j_silber Photo by Jacqueline Silberbush Retrieved from @j_silber

“When the War started, I felt drawn to go back. It was hard to watch from afar a country that I knew and loved turning into shambles. I felt like maybe if I went, I could help in some small way.”

4 THE TOWER November, 2022

The early closing time affects more than the way I eat, it affects the way I move throughout my day,” said Fenner.

Costa Rica Spring Internship Travelearn The Wave of Emotions Seniors Feel as Their Last Semester Approaches

By Brittany Fuentes

The Give Back Abroad Internship is an internship and travelearn introduced by Kean University for students where students can earn two credits while they travel to Costa Rica. The Center for International Studies offers information regarding this internship as well as various other opportunities abroad.

their time there and patrolling the beach for animals on kayak.

Due to the fact that students can receive two credits for this travelearn, the cost is included in the tuition as a class, in hopes to make it accessible for as many students as possible.

All students are highly encouraged to seek out more information regarding

By Elaine Amico

Students across all Kean campuses are now eligible to register for spring semester classes which start on Tuesday, Jan. 17. While registration for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors is nothing out of the ordinary, seniors across campus feel differently about this particular registration.

For seniors, the upcoming spring semester is their last semester at Kean. While many are already counting down the days till graduation in May, some students are being hit by a wave of emotions.

“As I hit that register now button, I sighed and felt so relieved, but then so nostalgic. Did I really just register for my last semester?”

Francheska Kubacki, senior communication major said. “I don’t think I’m ready to not come here anymore.

I am a little sad, but definitely proud of myself and my journey here at Kean. It’s bittersweet. ”

Maggie Lambusta, senior communication major at Kean, has been very involved during her time here. She has held numerous positions on the Ocean campus, including her current role as Student Assistant for Student Affairs.

Lambusta feels that her involvement in on-campus activities has made her

This internship is set to occur during spring break 2023, from March 4 until March 11. This is an opportunity for students to focus on learning about sustainability and social consciousness while exploring a different country.

By participating in this internship students will spend some of their time collecting scientific data for whales and dolphins. They will also be visiting a nongovernmental organization animal rescue center to learn more about wildlife and animals.

Students will also be able to visit many other agricultural places during the time that they are there, such as a coffee plantation. Students will be participating in teaching while teaching English during

international studies and the options that are available to them.

Brittany Bursa, the international studies advisor said, “Students who are interested in studying abroad are encouraged to sign up for an advising appointment with their study abroad advisor, no matter if a student is a freshman or senior there can be study abroad opportunities available for them.”

A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required to be eligible for this internship and a minimum of 15 students will be accepted for the internship, with a maximum of 30 being accepted.

The internship will be led by Jessica Barzilay, the Director for the Center for International Studies. She is an enthusiast

Kubacki’s nostalgia for her time at Kean is not uncommon, in fact, many students are feeling the exact same way.

“Time flew too fast. It feels so much more surreal registering for my last semester,” Kevin Woodworth, senior communication major said. “It feels like last year I was just getting my associate's degree and transferring over to Kean, but that’s actually coming up on two full years now.”

Statistically, students have strong emotional ties with where they go to school. When it’s time to move on, students have a difficult time leaving behind the life they have lived for the past four years. According to The National Society of Leadership and Success, students closer to graduating college face increases in anxiety, feelings of loneliness, and depression.

time go faster at Kean. Registering for her last semester wasn’t easy, as she feels school has provided her with numerous opportunities, long-lasting memories, and forever friendships.

“Registering for my last semester at Kean was a reality check. The fact that I will no longer be in school is a hard pill to swallow and made me realize I should cherish these last moments as a student, although it may be difficult,” Lambusta said. “I’m going to miss all of my favorite faculty and peers that made going to school exciting and fulfilling!”

Students have been able to register with ease, and have had no major issues getting the classes they need for the spring. However, if you or someone you know have a hold on

account,

your

you need to contact your advisor to get it lifted. n

continued on page 13

Photo by Kean Ocean Campus Life Instagram Wellness Warriors mindfulness day on the Kean Ocean Campus Photo by Kean Center for International Studies Study Abroad Flyer Photo by Kean Center for International Studies Costa Rica Internship Flyer

“As I hit that register now button, I sighed and felt so relieved, but then so nostalgic. Did I really just register for my last semester?”

November, 2022 THE TOWER 5

“Students who study abroad are shown to grow in both hard and soft skills, such as learning intercultural communication, adaptability, and gaining new perspectives.” Bursa said.

Kean

By Steven-Ross Bugayong

On October 22, 2012, Hurricane Sandy became one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States affecting 24 states, including the entire eastern seaboard.

Thousands of Americans were left with no power or running water and were asked to evacuate their homes. The effects of the hurricane caused an estimated 65 billion dollars in damages.

nothing, hoping the power and water would work again."

The shore was massively affected by Superstorm Sandy, and to this day, the shore has not fully recovered. Houses were destroyed, items were lost, and local landmarks became unrecognizable.

"It's crazy seeing what happened to seaside heights," Lignant continues. “So many of the places people visited over the summer,

Ten years later, reminders of the damage caused by Sandy still affect us today. On the storm's tenth anniversary, the Kean community reflects on the superstorm Sandy tragedy.

Robyn Epstein, a junior majoring in communications, recalled her experience as scary.

"After Hurricane Irene, I didn't know what to expect," Epstein said. "I heard terrible things were going to happen, and they did. However, I was fortunate to live in an area where the storm didn't hit me as much as other people in the state."

Superstorm Sandy officially hit the state of New Jersey On Oct. 29. The storm ranged from high winds, heavy rains, and high tides, which caused most of the damage.

Justin Lignant, Kean alum and Toms River resident, remembers being out of power for several days.

"It was a scary time," Lignant said. "The rain just never stopped. There was flooding everywhere, and we couldn't leave the house. I remember just staying indoors doing

boardwalk rides people were used to seeing, were suddenly gone. The shore doesn't feel the same. Even though some repairs happened, the effects of Hurricane Sandy still have a lasting impact on our state."

The truth of the matter is that New Jersey still remembers the effects of Superstorm Sandy. The state still see’s constant reminders of what happened before and after the storm. From abandoned houses that still have structural damage to real estate leases still struggling to sell homes near the waterfront. Superstorm Sandy still causes fear in the eyes of the state of New Jersey.

Justin DoSantos, a senior psychology major and Ocean County resident, who has a restore the shore sticker on the back of his car, still holds on to the hope that one day the shore can recover.

"I know many people whose houses were damaged during Sandy, including mine," DoSantos said. "Lucky for me, it was only flooding and losing power for a few days. But

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CAMRYN AURIEMMA HECTOR MORALES LENNY MATA CUEVAS KERVIN COLEMAN EDIZ MONROY ANTHONY REYNA KEYON GARDNER VICTORIA CIFELLI BRITTANY FUENTES JA'BRIA LASTER TYRA WATTS STEVEN-ROSS BUGAYONG WAYNE DAWES JUSTIN MCDANIEL JALEN GAYNOR ISAIAH JOSEPH LOGAN GERMANO JOSEPHINE CARRILLO ADAORA NNAKWE STAFF WRITERS EDITOR IN CHIEF: DAVAUGHNIA WILSON NEWS EDITOR: JULIA STRUGALA FEATURES EDITOR: ELAINE AMICO SPORTS EDITOR: RUBEN NIEVES ONLINE EDITOR: ANDREY NALBANTOV

Community

Sandy on it’s

continued on page 16

remembers Hurricane

10th anniversary

Photo by Eric Haftel Photos from Sandy 10 years later Photo by Eric Haftel Photos from the storm

family grew up near the shore and so did I. I hope one day that families and people out of state can come back to the jersey shore and see it as it once was, not as it used to be" 6 THE TOWER November, 2022

‘My

Staff and Students De-stress at Kean Ocean Community Yoga

By Logan Germano

On Tuesday afternoons throughout the fall semester, Kean Ocean academic specialist Taryn Schlosser welcomes students and faculty to join her inside Room 108 of the Hovnanian Health Sciences Building at Ocean County College to put their schoolwork aside and unwind.

“People come here as a safe space to escape from the stressors of everyday life,” Schlosser said.

Schlosser is the instructor of Community Yoga sessions at Kean Ocean. She began teaching yoga at the campus last semester when the Yoga Teacher Training Certificate Program first came to campus. The program is a 10 credit program that allows students to obtain

their 200 hour registered yoga teacher certification in two semesters.

Schlosser is grateful for this program, as she learned about the history of yoga, meditation, breathwork, physical posture, and gaining the experience of being a yoga teacher.

“I became interested in yoga 10 years ago and I fell in love with it when I did the certificate program,” Schlosser said. “This program is well worth it and adds to the experience at Kean Ocean.”

At these sessions, Schlosser enjoys communicating with people on how they’re feeling about themselves and connects with them to help relieve stress.

“Yoga helps me recenter myself and escape from a clustered mind of everything happening in my life at once,”

Kean Celebrates National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

By Jalen Gaynor

The Office of Computer & Information Services (OCIS), and the Center for Cybersecurity at Kean hosted a webinar on Oct. 25 in honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

President George W. Bush and congress first declared October to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month in 2004. The month was established to help individuals protect themselves and their private data online.

Kean’s webinar was not only about raising awareness for cybersecurity but also informing those in attendance about the tools and resources available at the university.

Kean has been making several changes recently in an effort to fortify the university’s cybersecurity. One of the

major steps in that process was bringing in Dawn Dunkerley, Virtual Chief Information Security Officer at OCIS.

Dunkerley has helped create a formal cybersecurity policy and plan

to help assess the potential risks the university may face.

“Everything from understanding what's on the dark web to are we patching our systems appropriately keeping them

implementation Dunkerley went over is Carbon Black Endpoint Detection and Response. This is an important tool because it provides protection in the event bad things happen and the systems are affected negatively.

“A piece of software that sits on the individual systems that allows us to when something gets through shut it down,” Dunkerley said. “Having the next generation capabilities like Carbon Black is absolutely essential.”

which includes integrating multi-factor authentication and the implementation of Bitsight Monitoring solution and Carbon Black Endpoint Detection and Response.

Dunkerley spoke highly of Bitsight monitoring, explaining that she uses the tool pretty heavily in her current position

up to date, do we have any file sharing from places that shouldn’t be taking place,” Dunkerley said. “It assigns a credit score based on the risk that the university is currently at based on the implementation of many of these factors.”

Another important new

The university is showing through these additions that they are committed to protecting the students, faculty, and staff's private information. This webinar is important because of how frequently phishing emails are sent out to

students and staff asking them to input

continued on page 12

Photo by @keanyoga Instagram Taryn Schlosser (center) and Kean Ocean Community Yoga class Photo by Logan Germano Kean Ocean Community Yoga Photo by Kean Website National Center of Academic Excellence Photo by Kean Twitter Kean OCIS logo Photo by Rafaela Teixeira Kean Center for Cybersecurity

“I love how she is building a culture of health and wellness at the Kean Ocean campus.”

continued on page 12 November, 2022 THE TOWER 7

“Everything from understanding what's on the dark web to are we patching our systems appropriately keeping them up to date”

Human Rights Institute: Aftermath

By Victoria Cifelli

The Human Rights Institute Gallery at Kean University is showcasing Aftermath, an exhibit curated by Sara Terry and Teun van der Heijden, to show life after war and the sustainability and human rights issues that accompany it.

The Aftermath Project features images of people in time of loss, resilience, need, and turmoil. The exhibit is scheduled for Oct.10 through to Dec. 7.

Lynette Zimmerman, executive director of galleries at Kean said, “The story does not end. Nothing is shown after the cameras leave, stuff still moves; conflict is everywhere. Humanity transforms, and life goes on.”

One photo at the beginning of the gallery shows nine women who were raped during the Liberation War by members of the West Pakistani army. They were given an honorific term, ‘birangona’, which roughly means ‘war heroine’.

This term later became a shameful term as the women would be turned away by their family members when they learned that they had been raped.

Another photo in the gallery shows a woman dressed in paintball gear, ready for a game in the shooting field. This field was shared by women, men, and children alike. Paintball games have been used for many occasions and

life turning events; including birthday parties, farewell parties, and school outings. The paintball company had made everyone equal on their field.

An image of an Afghanistan school, located in Herat,

“These girls want an education, they value learning. These people would do anything to learn,” Zimmerman said.

One photo in this gallery shows protests caused by the 10 rounds of presidential elections in Iran. After Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared President of Iran, people used the city of Tehran and other Iranian cities to protest the declaration. There was much suppression from security forces in the country when these protests took place.

“The gallery made me feel like I was being caught up in pieces of history that may have passed me by in my daily life. The gallery as a whole is a very calm environment,” John Defreitas, a junior communication studies major said. “I think it really gives a perspective on what has been going on around the world that we often do not see living in the U.S. One of the main things that stood out to me was anguish and oppression.”

holding nearly 13,000 girls who want an education was also on display. The girls were in an underground room and in tents to get an education, despite there being scorpions hiding around.

The Human Rights Institute Gallery’s website shares lots of insight behind the photos in the gallery. Behind sustainable development goals, which include gender equality, poverty, peace, and quality education, there are massive effects shown within sustainability with the aftermath of war and living in a warzone.

Women’s Speak Up Event

By Ja’Bria Laster

The Women’s Speak Up Event has been held annually since 2018. It is also an organization which is a diversion of Abbysoul Productions, a platform and management service that helps artists, businesses, poets, and all creatives that are in the New Jersey and New York area.

The goal of Women’s Speak Up is to find the right people to connect to whether that is professionally or personally. Also to encourage women to be positive while they search for their purpose or make spiritual connections with others.

Women Speak Up has been able to provide many internships for the past two years, especially this year to give back to college students to be a part of this organization.

Yanel Rivera, creative director, helps orchestrate this event for resource exposure and campaigns that are provided for any one who needs to get connected to the right companies and programs.

Rivera has worked in the communication

business for eight years and has had the pleasure in creating programs to help women to know what other resources are available around the listed states.

The thought of this organization came about when Rivera was 19-years-old, and she was diagnosed with cancer. She had a

full time scholarship to Rutgers University but because of her health she did not have the chance to attend college.

“I met someone through the ability of going to Chemotherapy and she was the only girl my age and the only person who was on the same path as I was. She inspired this event to come to life,” Rivera said.

At this event there were artists, poets, guest speakers, and over 13 small businesses that are owned by women showcasing their products and services on Oct. 9.

A donation close to $500 was made to a woman based cause. This year a donation was made to the Maige Woman’s Foundation and Research which

benefits

continued on page 13 continued on page 16

Photo by Victoria Cifelli This is a photo of nine women who were raped in Bangladesh in the gallery. Photo by Professional Photographer Table at the event with empowerment stickers Photo by Professional Photographer Yanel Rivera

“We are grateful that for the past 5 or 6 years we have been expanding, but this year was different because we have provided a free admission for any college student here at Kean University,” Rivera said.

8 THE TOWER November, 2022

“I think it really gives a perspective on what has been going on around t he world that we often do not see.”

Jumpstarts Coloring Book Event for Involvement Week

By Justin McDaniel

Throughout Involvement week Kean has had great events planned to find new ways to get Kean students not only involved but other ways for students to help out.

Over at the Technology Lounge located in the Miron Student Center, Jumpstart for Kean hosted their Create a Coloring book event for Involvement week. Hosted by Ben Antoine, a member of the Jumpstart team, students were asked to help create coloring books that would go out to children to use and draw in themselves.

Students came throughout the early hour event and helped work on some of the coloring books. When having time before or after classes. Most students that came out spoke about how almost even therapeutic it felt to get that break from class.

“I'm mad I couldn't stay for long because I had a class coming up but It was nice to get a break from your regular day and to just take a moment to chill out,” Moise

Cineussaid a senior student said.

Amanda Alvarado, Interior Design major said, “The event was fun, it was nice to see that we are reaching out to kids that need the extra resources that we can provide. Not only are we helping them material-wise, but

essential. I personally love working with kids, I'm a camp counselor during the summer and enjoy doing things like this.”

While the event only lasted an hour, students still had enough time to get a good portion of the books done before it came time for the event to settle down. Helping those in need has been one of the keys of involvement week this year and Jumpstart has been doing its part with events such as these.

“Because I commute, I haven't been involved as much as I want to be. But seeing all the different opportunities Kean has to offer, I definitely want to make time to participate.” Alvarado said.“I think it's a great way to be a part of a community. This experience honestly made me want to look into joining Jumpstart.”

With the University and Jumpstart coming up with new evidence throughout the weeks expect Kean students to continue to be involved even past Involvement week. n

Kanye is at it Again and This Time he is Doubling Down

By Isaiah Joseph

Kanye is at it again, this time he isn't holding back.

Rapper, designer, and multi-grammy winner Kanye West known as Ye has been caught with his pants down once again, and this time he is doubling down.

Without a doubt, the public isn't surprised about Ye's behavior in the last couple of months. From going on a tangent about his recent divorce and his ex-wife dating actor Pete Davidson, to him wearing a “White Lives Matter” shirt for his YZY season 19 fashion show.

But this is where the rapper is seen truly expressing himself to the public.

Last month Ye was seen ranting on Twitter about his Gap and Adidas partnership until he decided to sprinkle a few anti-Semitic comments about the Jewish community.

He announced stereotypes regarding Jewish authority and dominance, including in the entertainment industry, media, politics, and business as well as regarding Jewish greed and the impulse that Jewish people manipulate and demoralize others for monetary gain.

Ye’s conceptions about Jews are profoundly repugnant and immortalize these harmful stereotypes.

Quintin Dilworth, a senior biology major, is a fan of Ye but lately he has been against his behavior.

“I don’t think he’s wrong with the statement, can it be

considered dismissive to the BLM movement? Of course,” Dilworth said.

Not too long before the Twitter controversy, Ye persists to intensify anti-semitic views and conspiracy. During a discussion on Revolt TV’s “Drink Champs” series that was posted and then removed a few days after.

On the podcast, he mentioned how Back Lives Matter was nothing more than a scam and that the death of George Floyd was due to a fentanyl overdose.

“His goal is to put attention on himself. To be honest, Kanye lately during his rants and episodes has come off as narcissistic and plain arrogant,” Dilworth said. “Hopefully he can understand the position he is putting himself in, I know he is for our people and the culture but it seems like he has been against it.”

Adonys Conde, a junior psychology major, is a member of the Jewish community and thinks Ye is finally going insane.

“I wouldn't say I am a religious Jew but more culturally, my family is Jewish, have you seen Hispanic Jews before? I'm just kidding,” Conde said. “But yeah Kanye is defiantly off the s****”

The Black community was outraged about not only the White Lives Matter apparel but also the comment on

this promotes community, support, and growth which is George Floyd which resulted in the family wanting to sue the rapper, for disrespecting and degrading his name in death.

“I feel like everyone isn't taking it seriously, people are

Photo by Patrick Kovarik Ye’s Anti-Semitic tweet Photo by Justin McDaniel Miron Student Center Technology Lounge, where Create a Coloring book was held Photo by Justin McDaniel The Coloring book students were given Jumpstart for Kean hosted their Create a Coloring Book event

continued on page 12 November, 2022 THE TOWER 9

Without a doubt, we aren’t surprised about Ye's behavior in the last couple of months

of the Dead” Celebration at Kean University

By Josephine Carrillo

The Student Government Association of the class of 2023, 2024, and 2025 held the Day of the Dead Celebration in the Miron Student Center on Nov. 1.

Day of the dead (Dia de los Muertos) is far from being the same as Halloween, an American holiday, where it is believed that evil spirits will come back to life to harm the living.

Halloween is celebrated worldwide with people wearing costumes to scare ghosts away, decorating their houses with spooky ornaments, carving pumpkins, and going trick-or-treating.

Day of the Dead is a ritual to remember loved ones that are no longer on earth and are on their journey to find eternal peace.

Day of the Dead is also known as “All Saint’s Day” or “El Dia de Todos los Santos” and is celebrated all over Latin America.

“Day of the Dead is a great way to remember family members that are no longer with us,” Nicole Gomez, a junior at Kean University said. “I never got the chance to meet my maternal grandfather, but every time my family would get together to celebrate All Saints’ Day, I

would hear stories of what a good father and husband he was, and it felt like I personally knew him.”

This celebration gathers families

a cultural exposure for Kean students, to familiarize and learn more about the different cultures and traditions.”

According to History.com, the dead

Earth.

On Nov. 1, the ghosts of children reunite with their families at midnight and celebrate their traditions together.

On Nov. 2, the ghosts of adults will reunite with their families and be able to collect the offerings their loved ones brought for them to ease their journey.

Even though the celebration of the Day of the Dead is being lost in certain countries over time, it is still one of the biggest celebrations in Mexico.

Students that attended the event were provided with a little ceramic white skull and different color paintings, so they could decorate their skulls however they like.

together to celebrate and keep the memories alive of loved ones that sadly departed from their side. The stories told about them will forever live through generations, keeping the memory of them alive.

“I’m Peruvian, I grew up in a Hispanic household,” Alexander Salazar, Senator of the Class of 2023 said. “Back at my old school, we used to celebrate the Day of the Dead. I believe this event is

have to go through nine challenging phases before getting to the gates of their forever home to finally rest.

Their families reunite and put together altars with their pictures, food, and whatever tools they might need in order to motivate their souls to keep going until they reach their destination.

It starts on Oct. 31, when it is believed that the gates of Heaven open their doors and let the ghosts of the dead return to

Celebrating National Gratitude Month at Kean

been found to decrease materialism and bolster generosity among adolescents. The benefits of gratitude are endless and can positively impact physical, mental, and emotional health.

Kaisey Stoddart, a senior at Kean with a major in biology, plans to spread gratitude this month, ‘through words with loved ones, giving random just-because gifts, and paying it forward.”

Paying it forward is one way to cause a domino effect of kindness throughout a community. If someone does something kind to help you, take that energy and put it towards someone else that may need it. That person may feel inspired and continue on with their day by helping others as well.

Paying it forward can also apply to paying for the person behind you in

drive-through lines. It is a simple gesture that can make a stranger’s day, and they might even continue the chain.

Gratitude is as simple as recognizing the little things that made the day brighter. Taking the time to spread kindness will make all the difference. n

As you looked around the room, you could see students laughing, sharing their stories about their loved ones that passed away, and enjoying the time together while decorating their skulls.

Events like the Day of the Dead celebration are important to the Kean University community. They bring together different cultures and unites them, spreads awareness, and emphasizes the importance of learning about different cultures and traditions around the world. n

continued

from page 2

“Day

Photo by Josephine Carrillo Day of the dead (Dia de los Muertos) skull Photo by Josephine Carrillo Alexander Salazar, Senator of Class of 2023 and Angie Ramirez, Senator of Class of 2025 Photo by Josephine Carrillo “Day of the Dead” Celebration at Kean University Photo by Josephine Carrillo Skulls decorated by Kean students at “Day of the Dead” celebration on Nov. 1st Photo by Kean Ocean Wellness Network Self-care & Mindfulness events being held at Kean Ocean throughout November and December

10 THE TOWER November, 2022

“I never got the chance to meet my maternal grandfather, but every time my family would get together to celebrate All Saints Day, I would hear stories of what a good father and husband he was, and it felt like I personally knew him”

The JETS: Experience Is Back On Campus

learning environment because it is taught by three professors. The involvement of four disciplines let students experience a dynamic learning setting, in what was an entirely different and new course experience when it was offered last Spring semester.

“The Jets: Experience course was the first experiential-based course of its kind to be offered at Kean University,” Singh said. “Where students worked with a real-life client, The New York Jets, in an interdisciplinary environment.”

According to Schwab, the teamwork that the three overseeing professors had throughout the semester was a key point in the success of the course and the students who took it.

“The synergy between the 3 professors was incredible and it allowed us to guide the students to complete success,” Schwab said. “We offered the energy and the encouragement that the students needed to get to the finish line.”

Each semester the problem that the students face is different. Last spring semester students were given the task to expand the youth market fanbase. Some

of the ideas that students had in order to satisfy the need for youth exposure were a digital mascot and a video game studio at the MetLife stadium.

The task for the upcoming Spring 23 course will be to expand the team’s exposure in the UK. In order to work

on this task students will have to acknowledge which regions they should promote the marketing platform, and what potential sponsors to attract.

For Saint Mikel White, a senior majoring in Supply Chain and Information Management here at Kean,

the course was an experience that helped them with their career goals and gave them an opportunity to understand what are some of the problem-solving skills real-world corporations require. It was also a fun and spontaneous experience with room for creativity.

“The class helped to bring clarity,” Mikel White said. “It was a glimpse into the inner workings of a company that is often not exposed to the public,” White said.

So why should students, especially those who want to go into sports, apply for the course? According to Schwab, this course offers the experience and opportunity to present in front of a professional team.

“Kean University has provided such a wonderful opportunity for these students,” Schwab said. “It's unreal!”

The now-changed deadline to apply for the course is Nov. 8 in order to let more students register. Prior to that, it was Nov.1. Students who have applied and been chosen will be then interviewed in order to be completely accepted for the course. n

The Ukraine War Through the Lens of a Kean University

The stories of moms and their children at shelter centers, nurses and volunteers in hospitals, children in recovery camps, soldiers saying goodbye to their families, and funerals, so many of them, she explained.

“When I first went to the cemetery, I was really overcome with emotion just because of how fresh everything was,” she recalls. “There were just more graves and more graves, and I had never seen anything like that before, where you see five people dying every day and mounts of dirt just waiting for people to be buried.”

Though her visual essay was taking shape and she knew it was her responsibility as a photographer to make those images public, she couldn’t help herself from battling emotional burden and moral conflict. The closeness with the subjects and their stories made her question the rightness of her doing.

“It was weird at times to have a camera out and photograph people whose lives have

Professor

been destroyed,” she said. “Having to photograph them like that can be uncomfortable but also just really very sad.”

As an individual, the professor also dealt with fear, she had to worry for her safety, as well. She explained that when she first arrived, she downloaded an app that would alert her if something was happening. However, after the app failed to work effectively, she turned off the notifications until she could find someone to help her translate the warnings correctly.

One day while traveling by train from Kyiv to another city, the same app started ringing in other passengers’ phones. She was surprised when her phone started making noise as well, thinking she was sure her app was off.

“That was really unnerving because I had turned off the alerts, I had turned off my alarms,” She said. “I realized that this was a much more serious alert. Based on tracking of my phone, they could figure out that I was in the region or there was some serious

continued from cover continued from page 4

Photo by Lenny Mata Humans Right Gallery Photo by Jacqueline Silberbush Retrieved from @j_silber Photo by Kean University Foundation Website

November, 2022 THE TOWER 11

Students presenting their project in front of the Jets representatives

Staff and Students De-stress at Kean Ocean Community Yoga

Schlosser said.

Some students attend class as a leisure activity rather than a stress reliever.

Tonya Coccio, a public administration major, says that these yoga sessions are a way to get credit for another class without any pressure.

“I use this class as an opportunity to get participation points for my Transfer Transitions class,” Coccio said. “I feel relaxed whenever I leave each session.”

Dr. Jessica Adams, the Dean of Kean Ocean, actively participates and finds time to attend sessions whenever she can. She is proud of how far Schlosser has come as a yoga instructor.

“I come here to support Taryn on her journey as a yoga instructor,” Adams said.

“I love how she is building a culture of health and wellness at the Kean Ocean campus.”

At the main campus in Union, the yoga sessions are no different. Tara Bogota has been a yoga instructor since 2013 and received her yoga certificate

I Chose Kean, and I’m Glad I Did!

continued from page 3

that I was making the right choice by applying to this illustrious university and I have succeeded beyond my own expectations.

Fall 2019, was the beginning of a new chapter in my life and I made a promise to myself that I would stay strong, focused and succeed. Kean has provided me with exceptional learning opportunities and a quality education.

I have always been goal-oriented and Kean has helped me to accomplish goals that I thought were hard to fulfill. I have gained leadership skills that I will carry with me

at the Institute of Progressive Therapies in San Diego, CA. Her favorite parts of instructing the classes are teaching

mindfulness and watching students put their bodies at ease. She recommends for students of any major to consider taking Yoga 1, a one-credit free elective course to anyone who is interested in practicing yoga.

“I think this course will benefit students because it is designed for self care and helping students de-stress,” Bogota said.

Community yoga is a service that Kean University provides for students to live a healthier lifestyle. The challenges that come from a work overload, the ongoing stress that is happening in the personal lives of students, and an opportunity to get involved are all what make the Kean community choose this activity. n

throughout my professional career and I have developed my journalistic writing.

I was inducted into multiple honor societies including Lambda Pi Eta, and I have been awarded internships in social media marketing, in public relations at a PR firm and in journalism at a major newspaper publication.

My time at Kean is coming to an end as I will be graduating in Spring 2023. One Instagram post changed my life for the better and the endless opportunities that followed my acceptance to Kean has allowed me to grow into an amazing leader and student. n

continued from page 7 continued from page 9

personal information.

The information given at this event informs individuals about the steps they can take to recognize these dangerous messages and the ways they can combat these attempts to violate them.

Kean was designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency earlier this year. The university was given this honor due to its academic programs and practices to address the shortage of trained cybersecurity professionals in the workforce, a rising national crisis.

Back when the acknowledgment was announced, Stan Mierzwa, Managing Assistant Director and Lecturer at the

Center for Cybersecurity, voiced his excitement about what it means for Kean.

“Kean University is contributing toward successfully training and educating the future workforce for positions in the highdemand cybersecurity field,” Mierzwa said. “This validation will help the university further its efforts to develop and expand its cybersecurity programs, aiming to provide greater opportunities for our students and graduates in this growing field.”

Between their designation by the National Security Agency and this webinar, Kean has shown that they are committed to cybersecurity awareness and want people to feel confident in their safety on and off campus. n

saying it's wrong and they're against it but it's almost like they say it because as a social construct we've decided it's wrong to say such things,” Conde said. “What he said about George Floyd was highly disrespectful but it seems like this is an act and he just wants to stay within the public eye as much as possible”

As a result of all the controversy, Ye lost his partnerships with Adidas and Gap which made his net worth plummet from 1 billion to 400 million. According to Forbes, Ye is no longer a billionaire.. n

continued from page 7

Kean Celebrates National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Kanye is at it Again and This Time he is Doubling Down

Tree pose

Photo by Logan Germano

Admissions Letter

Photo by Davaughnia Wilson Photo by Twitter/Candance Owens Ye and Candance Owens wearing “white lives matter” Tees

12 THE TOWER November, 2022

Photo by @keanyoga Instagram Kean Ocean Community Yoga information

Kean students prepare for Thanksgiving Post-Pandemic

In the last two years, the pandemic put a hold on travel and family gatherings due to travel restrictions and COVID-19 guidelines. According to the CDC, all travelers are recommended to be fully vaccinated before traveling domestic and internationally.

Students must take health precautions during the holiday season to avoid the transmission of infectious viruses and diseases.

However, students will be looking forward to the Thanksgiving break to enjoy making memories with

Costa Rica Spring Internship Travelearn

continued from page 5

when it comes to traveling who wishes to push as many students as possible to take opportunities like these and makes sure these opportunities are always available.

“Students who study abroad are shown to grow in both hard and soft skills, such as learning intercultural communication, adaptability, and gaining new

Human Rights Institute: Aftermath

continued from page 8

“I work directly with the director of the galleries here at Kean. We try to focus on topic, medium, and timing of exhibits,” Zimmerman said, “This exhibition is showing moments when people realized the devastation and damage of the war.”

In a photo shown in the gallery, a woman is looking at a photo of a victim killed by the Guatemalan Army. The people of Guatemala honor people who were lost at a former military base in Comalapa.

“It was a photo of a businessman holding the bazooka which to me represents more of how the rich can be enticed by war or destruction while it is the poor that really pay for it,” Defreitas said. n

These were

gallery.

perspectives.” Bursa said.

Spending time away and experiencing new things in different countries can help broaden the knowledge that students can learn as they attend college. It is also a way for students to be exposed to different cultures and the environment of things other than the ones they are

family and friends. Pierrevil says that he’s prepared to celebrate the break and didn’t have extended family members that missed out last year. The important thing to remember about Thanksgiving is to be grateful and thankful for what we have and the people in our lives that matter the most.

“I am thankful for my family and friends who support me and are there for me,” Pierrevil said. n

normally in.

“Some students express that their time abroad was their favorite portion of their studies. When students study abroad, the world becomes their classroom,” Bursa said. n

Photo by Victoria Cifelli This photo in the gallery shows a woman looking at a family member who passed away in the war. Photo by Victoria Cifelli This is a photo in the gallery that features many women trying to get an education in Afghanistan. Photo by Victoria Cifelli riots occurring in Iran, featured in the Photo by Adaora Nnakwe Kean Campus

continued from page 2 November, 2022 THE TOWER 13

Photo by Adaora Nnakwe Cougar Walk

The Importance of Social Media

continued from cover

Ocean campus, explained that she teaches the class by bringing in local business owners who do not have a social media presence.

“I teach the students how to organically put together a social media campaign,” Gili said. “We do different inventories of big companies and look at what they have and what they do, and because of that, my students can find jobs.”

Gili also mentioned how she and the class work with Hootsuite, a social media management platform, and their education team. She explained how every student that takes the social media course can get a Hootsuite certificate and it can be used on things such as a resume.

Gili also adds that she and the students create their social media campaigns and pitches, they run campaigns, make up fake campaigns and create those, and see where they do well and what they need to work on.

As for social media becoming a career, Gili stated that everyone nowadays wants to be an influencer and that no matter what field you are in, everyone wants to be a Kardashian. She explains that there’s good and bad with it, and expressed how on the good side, they’re good at making a lot of money, but the bad is that you don’t want to put your eggs in one basket.

Despite this, Gili says that social media platforms can help you, depending on the algorithm, become famous. She goes on to explain that we can have something go viral unintentionally and cites TikTok as an example of this.

Gili compares TikTok to making the average person go viral for being authentically themselves to much bigger apps such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, where you would have to be someone of importance.

For example, Gili said that you would need to have a verification check and the algorithm to work in your favor to be seen.

“Social media has caused us to put an imaginary value behind things,” Gili stated. “Because someone who is verified is more important than us, so what they think matters, they belong to the top of the chain, not us.”

Despite this, Gili loves the idea that anyone can become viral as long as the content is there, but you can have something great but not have enough people see it, hence why things are pushed out more than others.

In terms of how serious social media is

becoming now that it is being offered as a minor and a course at Kean, Gili says that Kean and other universities are focusing

The Importance of Social Media

even if you delete it people could have screenshotted it and will always remember your posts.

Nicoletti even starts off his class with the question of whether or not social media is bad to hear what they think, because there is no answer. While Nicoletti highlighted some of the good with social media, there are also some of the bad with social media, and he cites cyberbullying being one of them.

“There is a beauty and a tragedy of this existence that we have with social media,” Nicoletti said.

Nicoletti agrees with how serious social media has become now that Kean offers it as a minor and course, and explains how there are so many jobs and opportunities, and ways to connect. He also wants his students to get jobs and realize that if they’re good at tweeting and understanding a brand and what they want, that’s not only a job but a career.

If a student wanted to use and apply social media in their career path, Nicoletti suggested that if students can put forward the identity that they want to and interact and engage the way they want to in the communities that they want to, that’s how you connect with people.

He further goes on to say that if you have the right skill set for it, no matter what your major is, you can get involved and make a job out of it.

On the topic of social media being a career path, Nicoletti stated that although there are too many influencers nowadays, social media is still a career path and an opportunity. He notes that his students mention the Wendy’s Twitter page as an example and how fun their tweets are, but he also adds that it’s a person behind those tweets and that if it’s something that you want to do, then go chase it.

While influencing and content creation may not be the ideal career for most people, the members of Kean University’s Content Creation Network (CCN) freely express themselves to grow their businesses and brand, and social media plays a big role in the organization.

The organization’s president, Oluwasegun “Segun” Ologundudu, believes that social media is the direction that the world is heading towards, citing businesses and independent entrepreneurs and creators using social media as their main platform.

He also tells a story about how he had a conversation with his advisor about social

media.

“I remember I was talking with my advisor and he was like, ‘With me and my old age, I still stick to newspapers and magazines,” Ologundudu said. “But he’s talking about how now, with the young kids and young adults, social media is at the direction where news and businesses are being conducted.”

As someone who runs the CCN, Ologundudu knows that being an

they make or the video that they made. I remember one of my friends, his name is Stephan, he makes rugs, and then a new member, he makes custom hats, so whenever they make content, I repost it on the page so that everyone can be represented,” Ologundudu explained.

As for his own experiences growing up with social media, Ologundudu says that he has learned a lot through social media. He explains how when he was ten, he would watch WoodysGamerTag, a content creator on YouTube that plays Call of Duty and gives life advice. Ologundudu would take his life advice and apply it to his life.

Ologundudu also used YouTube Academy, where he learned how to produce music and record. He watched YouTube videos on how to edit, as well as videos for entertainment value. He then pointed out how the trends always change, and how people who were popular back then fall off and a new generation comes in.

The Ukraine War Through the Lens of a Kean University Professor

continued from page 4

matter that was beyond some application you have in your phone.”

It was unsettling whenever the sirens went off to alert the citizens they should seek shelter to protect themselves, but on the train, there was nowhere to go and nothing else to do but to wait, Silberbush explained.

“You tense up when the alarm goes off because you don’t know what will happen. You don’t know where it’s going to hit,” she said.

Fortunately, nothing ever happened. At least not near her. Until this day, she couldn’t tell for sure what made the sirens turn on that day on the train.

influencer is one of the most popular careers that people want to tend to, but it’s also one of the most difficult ones due to oversaturation, which is one of the reasons why he started the Content Creation Network.

“The reason why I started the club is because of people that want to get into social media,” Ologundudu said. “It’s difficult to navigate it by yourself, and when you’re doing it alone, it’s very difficult to spread your brand, spread your message, whether it's music, whether it’s your business, whether it’s a clothing line, it’s hard to do it by yourself.”

He also adds that the purpose of the club is for Kean students to get together and make content so that they won’t get burnt out and have like-minded people join together.

Ologundudu incorporates social media into the CCN by promoting the members' content on the Instagram page, @kean_ ccn. For example, if someone were to make a TikTok video, Ologundudu would ask that person if he could post it on the CCN Instagram page and if they say yes, he would then post it on the page.

He also provides another example, this time an individual trying to promote their business.

“If someone has a business that they’re trying to promote, I’ll see the content that

Ologundudu cites KingBach, a content creator who got his career start on Vine, a video-creating app that was founded by Twitter, as an example, and explained how there’s a new generation that’s taking his place.

For the Content Creation Network, Ologundudu’s goal is that once the members graduate, they will still be able to post and build their businesses. He always tells the small business owners in the club that if they continue to work, this could be their main career once they graduate. The same goes for the content creators in the club as well.

Ologundudu also adds that if members still focus on school, they can focus on school, and if they want to continue their passions, they can continue their passions if they want to.

Outside of the Content Creation Network and Kean, Ologundudu makes music content in his spare time.

Although he hasn’t been making much content lately, Ologundudu plans to start vlogging again, something that he used to do back in high school.

“One of my ideas is to just go into different restaurants and review the food, go to a food festival and review the foods, I think that’ll be fun,” Ologundudu said. “Currently I plan on getting back into music again and spreading that content.” n

In the same way, Silberbush photographed moments of fear; she had the chance to photograph moments of joy. Shooting in recovery camps for children, at weddings, ballet, and even a salsa dance class.

The images collected during those brief moments of happiness project another face of Ukraine’s ways of life. It also helped her to understand how they confront the situation as a united country.

“The unity of the country is something we don’t have here right now,” she said. “[Overthere], everyone is on the same side right now. Watching that happen and people bent together was just a unique experience.”

Her pictures resulted in a photographic essay titled “Through the Lens,” recently presented at the Human Rights Institute as part of the Galleries at Kean series. She talked about her expectations towards the project and what she would like people to consider it.

“I want people to connect with the photos in a way that isn't just out of pity but more as a community,”Silberbush said. “This could happen anywhere, and it could happen to any of us. We are far removed from it, but I want people to feel common humanity.” n

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Photo by Kean University

November, 2022 THE TOWER 15

School of Communication, Media, and Journalism logo

Women’s Speak Up Event

the changes in a woman’s body.

It is important for women to know what happens to their bodies and what health risks could be living amongst them so that they could receive the right treatments to continue to be healthy.

The mission statement of Women’s Speak Up is that they want to give women and men the space to feel creative, feel at ease, but also learn new things when moving forward in life.

Many times the internships that are provided by the Women’s Speak Up and partner organizations are created so that people could get the experience on what it is like to run these companies on the backend.

“We are grateful that for the past 5 or 6 years we have been expanding, but this year was different because we have provided a free admission for any college student here at Kean University,” Rivera said.

This is now a global organization which is open to anyone. Every year there has been a growing audience, especially through LinkedIn which provides resources of jobs and careers everyday.

“As a Kean University Alumni, I am always grateful for the connections that I’ve made from school, which is another reason why I am where I am today,” Rivera said. n

New Closing Time for Campus Eateries Leave Students Upset

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looking for other alternatives.

“I think it is completely unacceptable that the eateries on campus are closing a bit early because now you’re expecting students to buy food when a lot of students aren’t working … as a Kean student, where am I supposed to spend money that I do not have,” Bradley said.

The hours in the resident dining halls were extended at the beginning of the semester to allow students who finish classes late, or for athletes who finish practice late to have a meal. This forces a handful of students to either eat off campus or pay a little extra money to eat in the dining hall where they are spending anywhere from $12 to $15.

dining hall because the quality of the food is not the same when compared to the upbrand eateries on campus.

Ayana Gilbert, a junior majoring in criminal justice at Kean is very upset that her options are now very limited and voiced her distaste for meals prepared by Gourmet Dining..

“I have to eat earlier than what I usually eat because they close way too early and you're only limited to just eating the nasty diner food in the cafe,” Gilbert said .

Tom Mcclane, a Junior transfer majoring in graph design, shared his opinion and feels as though the early closing of the campus eateries wouldn’t make that much of a difference than it closing at a later time.

I know some people who weren't as lucky as my family and me at the time."

The effects of Hurricane Sandy are a tragedy, from homes being destroyed to lives lost. Nothing can ever fix the pain and suffering caused by the storm. Ten years later, people reflect on the past while looking forward to the future. n

Kean Student Captures Airplane Emergency Landing

continued from page 6 continued from page 3

Despite following many aircraft accidents online in the past, this was the first that Mbacke had seen unfold live.

"Never I would've imagined that I would witness one in real life... I was pretty shocked." he told ABC News 7 Eyewitness News.

Following the incident which took place on Sept. 22, The Federal Aviation Administration has begun an investigation and released the following statement,

"United Airlines Flight 149, a Boeing 777-200, landed safely at Newark Liberty International Airport shortly before 1 a.m. local time today after the crew reported an emergency. The flight departed Newark and was headed to Sao Paulo, Brazil before it returned. The FAA will investigate."

The FAA has yet to provide an update on the situation or what could have caused the malfunction to occur. n

After speaking with a couple of Kean students, it was made clear that the students of Kean are outraged and upset that the campus eateries are closing early. Some students were not even aware and were shocked about the early closing times.

Vanessa, a senior majoring in global business, is worried that her long days on Kean will be a struggle since the eateries are closing early.

“I have long days here, and with the early closing of restaurants on campus, it will affect my eating schedule because anywhere else would be too much of a distance,” said

Kean students have argued that they do not like eating food in the cafeteria or

“For the food services they have around campus, I feel like closing around 4 or 5 is a reasonable time given that these aren’t the main catering services on campus even though they are everybody's favorite places to go to because of the better quality of food,” Mcclane said. “I feel like it shouldn't have that much effect on students unless they have a mid-day class.”

The early closing of the campus eateries has impacted half of the Kean students and while some feel as though there is no major difference made, this will only force more students to not eat campus food. n

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Photo by Professional Photographer Yanel Rivera looking at photos Photo by Keyon Gardner Jersey Mikes at Kean University Photo by Keyon Gardner Smashburger at Kean University Photo by Keyon Gardner Auntie Annes at Kean University Photo by Professional Photographer Live DJ

Kean Community remembers Hurricane Sandy on it’s 10th anniversary

Photo by Eric Haftel Trees ripped from the ground

16 THE TOWER November, 2022

at Newark International Airport

By Hector Morales

For the first time since February 4, 1986, the Kean Women’s Swimming Team defeated the defending New Jersey Athletics Conference Champion and preseason favorite Rowan University Profs with a final score of 148-114.

“I’m really happy that we have gone so far and looking forward to seeing what comes next,” fifth year head coach Chris Swenson said.

Sophomore swimmer Teagan Powell touched first in both the 100 yard and 200yard breaststroke events. Her time of 1:07.57 in the 100 yard is the fastest in the NJAC and second-fastest in the Met Conference so far this season.

Her time of 2:30.65 in the 200 is also the fastest in the NJAC and third in the Met. This strong performance earned Powell her first NJAC Player of the Week award of the season and her second overall for her career.

“It’s really awesome, but I couldn’t have done it without my team and the support from all of them,” Powell said.

Kean is one the youngest swimming teams in the NJAC this season. Including the NJAC Rookie of the Week three recipient, Abby Burns is a freshman majoring in interior design. Burns is the second Cougar to earn

NJAC Rookie of the Week, after freshman swimmer Ashley Konz who won the award in week 1.

“It’s really exciting,” Burns said. “I wasn’t expecting it so it was a shock, but I’m happy about it.”

SPORTS Kean Swimmers Win NJAC Awards as Winning Streak Continues

Burns touched first in both the 100-yard butterfly (59.58) and 200 yard freestyle (1:59.96), both of which ranked as the fastest times in the NJAC this season and second-fastest in the Met Conference.

Swenson was pleased with Powell and Burns earning their awards and he is looking

forward to the talent they will have to offer.

“Obviously I was very proud,” Swenson said. “We have swimmers who earned NJAC honors, and they deserved it the way they swam against Rowan.”

Even though Kean is one of the youngest

Kean Men's Basketball Team Prepare for New Season

By Wayne Dawes

Assistant Coach Jerry Henderson has been a part of the coaching staff for the men’s basketball team for three seasons.

To prepare for a new season, Henderson and the other coaches start during the off season as recruiting plays a big part in bringing players in and fixing any weaknesses the team suffered from the

previous season.

“We address our weaknesses and find a solution of how to make it a strength,“ Henderson said.” Talent wins with good coaching.”

With the men’s team making the NJAC tournament last year during the 2021-2022 season, the expectations for the 2022-2023 season have gone higher.

“Our goal was by the 2022-2023 season we capture the NJAC title and play in nationals,” Henderson said. Not only does the

team have expectations to win the NJAC title and play in nationals, returning players such as Letrell West, a forward who was 2nd team all-conference and guard Jalen Jamison give the Cougars confidence in having another great season.

Joining them will be Griffin Baker, center from Seattle Washington, Tyheem Burno, a point guard coming in from Union County College, Corey Thelisme, a small forward is a transfer student from Bloomfield College and DJ Alicia, a 6’2 guard from Georgian Court University.

The basketball team has improved over the past few years, doubled their wins, and made the NJAC tournament last season and to capitalize on that accomplishment the coaches went out and got players who

continued on page 20 continued on page 20

Photo by keanathletics.com West tabbed All-NJAC second team selection Photo by Kean Athletics Chris Swenson Photo by Kean Athletics Teagan Powell & Abby Burns Winning NJAC Awards

“Obviously I was very proud. We have swimmers who earned NJAC honors, and they deserved it the way they swam against Rowan,”

Photo by keanathletics.com

November, 2022 THE TOWER 17

Second Year Head Coach David Turco has begun the turnaround of the Kean University men's basketball program as the Cougars notched double digit wins (14-10) for the first time since 2013-14 and qualified for the NJAC Tournament with a full season schedule since the 2013-14 season.

The Great leadership of Coach Lafronz and the Great Team Chemistry Among the

By Wayne Dawes

Leslie Lafronz, head coach for the women’s field hockey team, has been passionate about her experiences with her players for the past 14 years, watching them work hard, portray team spirit and evolve on and off the field.

Lafronz expressed that it is much deeper than just coaching field hockey, it is about building lifelong bonds with the players and staff.

“I really enjoy watching the team work hard and seeing them excel on and off the field,” Lafronz said. “It is amazing to see our student-athletes mature and develop as players, teammates and human beings.”

The women’s field hockey team is exceptionally talented and maintaining their national rank this year, it proves that coach Lafronz’ impact on the players and the hard work they put in is being noticed and awarded.

“We have some very talented individuals with some exceptional individual stick skills and some excellent goalkeeping,” Lafronz said. “This year, I believe that our team is very balanced and that is why I think that we have excelled.”

Leading and training new players is a task awarded to veteran players in most sports. The most experienced players, usually seniors or fifth year players are typically the ones who guide freshmen and new players teaching them the ins and outs of the sport and how they should conduct themselves.

Lafronz agrees stating that it is crucial for veterans to set the tone for the team by displaying exceptional leadership qualities. Veteran players set a positive example and communicate expectations

for the team to the younger players. A critical step to accomplish team chemistry and success.

“Without this, it would be very difficult to sustain any type of success, ”Lafronz said.

Team chemistry established by the women’s field hockey team has been effective as the team won 14 games and

Not only is Mann on pace to break school records but going overseas with Lafronz to work on her game shows how dedicated and committed she is to the sport.

Ja’Carra Jackson, a senior who is majoring in Biomedical Engineering and a forward for the women’s field hockey team, said being a member of the team

important aspects of why I love Kean so much! There are many reasons why this program is one of the best in Division III field hockey,” Mann said. “From freshman year to right now, I have met and gotten to play with teammates who I would not trade for the world.”

Mann recently reached 100 career points this season on senior day and her response shows that she is focused on getting the win for the team instead of personal accolades but at the end of the day is proud of reaching that goal.

only lost four. They are nationally ranked and made the NJAC tournament before falling to The College of New Jersey on November 2, 4-3.

When it comes to leadership and leaving a legacy, Peyton Mann is a senior majoring in Elementary Education K-6 with a TSD (Teacher of Students with Disabilities), Lafronz is exceptionally proud of the player and person Mann has become. Mann has been a four-year starter known as a quiet leader and a great teammate on and off the field.

“Peyton received the NJAC Offensive Player of the Year in our conference which is an impressive accolade as the NJAC is one of the strongest conferences in the country, ”Lafronz said.

Winning NJAC offensive player of the year is considered a great achievement but over the last two seasons Mann has stepped up as a player, scoring many goals to help the cougars win important games.

“Peyton traveled overseas with me the past two years on international field hockey tours which really elevated her game, '' Lafronz said. She currently has 23 goals and 8 assists which puts her on track for the Kean goal scoring record.”

has been challenging balancing both field hockey and academics, but it has also been a great experience.

Going into the NJAC tournament the women’s field hockey team had a successful season and for Jackson team dynamics and improvements will help the team get far during the season and the tournament.

“Being able to reflect and improve as we move forward in the season. Also creating a better team dynamic that allows us to lean on each other and have fun,” Jackson said.

Lafronz has her players improve on weaknesses and try different things that can make the team successful for future games.

Jackson said they work on areas that needed improvement in previous games and experiment different techniques that may be useful and successful in future games.

Mann has made her mark throughout the past four years and has been a huge contributor to the field hockey team's success.

“ My time with the field hockey team has been the best and one of the most

“It took my dad and Coach Lafronz after the game to make me realize that I hit 100 points. It definitely was a great moment to reach that 100th point,” Mann said. “If you asked me my freshman year if I thought I would be reaching 100 points during my college career, I would probably say I don't know if I could do it. But, what's most important is that the team contributed to each of those 100 points.”

When a decision had to be made of where Mann was going to go to school and play field hockey, her cousin Chelsea who also played field hockey at Kean had a strong relationship with coach Lafronz and Mann really liked coach Lafronz ever since they met for the first time in 2014.

“Coach Lafronz has taught me so much over the past couple of years of knowing her. I met her when my cousin, Chelsea, played here back in 2014. I always loved coming to watch my cousin play here, and I really liked Coach when I met her for the first time,” Mann said. “I got to play in the spring tournament, here, at Kean with some players who were going to be coming here, as well as came to the

summer camp that upcoming summer.”

Coach Lafronz teaches her players

Field Hockey Team

Photo by keanathletics.com ECAC Announces 2022 DIII Field Hockey Championship Field Photo by keanathletics.com Mann Tallies 100th Career Point as #11 Field Hockey Dispatches Stockton on Senior Day Photo by keanathletics.com Two Collect Major Awards as Field Hockey Earns Five All-NJAC Selections

continued on page 20 18 THE TOWER November, 2022

“I

really

enjoy watching the team work hard and seeing them excel on and off the field.

is amazing to see our student-athletes mature and develop as players, teammates, and human beings”

Kean Women’s Basketball 2022-23 Season Preview

By Kervin Coleman

The Kean Cougars Women’s Basketball team season is approaching, and they’re set to tipoff Nov.9, 7 p.m. vs Stevens Institute of Technology. It will be their first nonNJAC test of the year as well as their home opener; first of three straight games at home.

The Cougars will begin their season with Head Coach Mandy King entering her eleventh season of that honor. King leads the charge with a bolstering 126-117 record and coming off of four straight NJAC tournament appearances.

King led the Cougars to a dynamite season in 2021–2022. Kean had a 17-8 record and a 16-2 record in NJAC, in route to claiming the NJAC Regular Season Championship and the top seed in the NJAC Tournament.

Fifth year senior and Art Education major Shannon McCoy was selected as NJAC Player of the Year, and King received her first Coach of the Year nomination.

Along with winning player of the year, McCoy was also chosen to the All-NJAC first team for the fourth consecutive year, and Sophomore and Accounting major Brittany Graff made the second team.

Following his selection to the D3hoops and ECAC All-Region teams, McCoy also earned a spot on the WBCA All-America squad. Additionally, the group received a special mention in the WBCA Academic Top 25 publication. With all the success, came sorrow as the Cougars fell to The College of New Jersey in the first round of the NJAC tournament.

“Our chemistry is really strong, and I

think that’s very important to win in the NJAC,” Natalie Mileski, senior guard and

improvement.

“We’ve all been working on our shots

percentage.

Brittany Graff who’s Olivero’s backcourt mate, played and started in 25 games and averaged 12.1 points, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds per game. She had a 33.8% field goal percentage, a 23.6% three-point percentage and a 54.5% free-throw percentage. She looks to repeat and elevate after making the all-NJAC second team last season.

Fifth year senior and Biology Health Profession major Kayla Anderson played and started in 25 games and averaged 7.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. She posted a 41.1% field goal percentage and a 79.0% free-throw percentage.

forward said. “When the lights shined on all of us, we got scared and stopped in the moment.”

The Cougars are going to go as far as their veterans will take them. This team has four new freshmen and eight seniors, as well as 14 players returning overall. One of the four freshmen is Jordyn Keating, a transfer student athlete from Division II East Stroudsburg University.

To take the next step the Cougars must continue their strides and build off of what they accomplished last season. They ranked 6th in the NJAC in average points per game with 61.2 PPG and fourth defensively with 58.6 PPG allowed respectively.

Marlee Sumsion, a Junior forward gave a breakdown of her outlook on the team's

and finishing on the offensive end, that was our downfall,” Sumsion said.. “We’ve been getting in 1,000 makes outside of practice a week, each because it’s crucial to our development.”

An outstanding goal for Sumsion is to maintain a healthy student athlete balance and have a high team GPA and to get recognized as regionally ranked for it.

The Kean University women's basketball team was named to the Division III special mention portion of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 team honor rolls.

The Cougars ended the 2021-22 school year with an average 3.418 GPA.

Outside of the classroom and back onto the court, the Cougars are filled with talented players from top to bottom. The players to look out for goes as follows

Fifth year senior and Criminal Justice major Sarah Olivero who played and started in 24 games and averaged 8.0 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. She posted a 30.0% field goal percentage, a 27.8% three-point percentage and a 55.1% free-throw

Shannon McCoy made All-MET First Team, WBCA All-American Honorable Mention, All-ECAC First Team, D3Hoops All-Region IV First Team, Jostens Trophy Finalist, NJAC Player of the Year, All-NJAC First Team, CoSIDA All-District, NJAC Player of the Week (12/6).

McCoy completed and started in all 25 contests and averaged 16.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. She managed a 31.9% field goal percentage, a 24.6% three-point percentage and an 85.4% free-throw percentage.

As of current standing going into her final season, she stands as the Cougars 3rd all-time leading scorer with 1,449 points scored and trailing Melissa Beyruti with 1,974 points who played from 200510 and Marajiah Bacon with 1,587 who played 2015-18 respectively.

“Our expectations are to learn from the mistakes we made last year. Everybody wants to win an NJAC championship and it’s an attainable goal for us” Senior Morgan Dietz stated confidently. “We’re chaotic, a controlled type of chaotic, where everybody does their own thing, and we love each other. Everybody brings something special to the table.” n

Photo by Kervin Coleman Morgan Dietz, Marlee Sumsion, Natalie Mileski pictured together at Kean Women’s Basketball Media Day Photo by Kervin Coleman Kean Women’s Basketball NJAC Championship Banner

“Our expectations are to learn from the mistakes we made last year. Everybody wants to win an NJAC championship and it’s an attainable goal for us”

Photo by Kervin Coleman

November, 2022 THE TOWER 19

Scrimmage vs Eastern, 11/4/2022

Kean Men's Basketball Team Prepare for New Season

they feel like can take Kean to the next level which is the NJAC title.

Building a culture is extremely important if you want to have long term success and for the men’s teams all of the coaches want to set a standard of winning and belief within the program.

“All the coaches on the team come from winning programs and we have the same vision”, NJAC title or bust”, Henderson said.

During the season, it is important that both the coaches and players are on the same page so they can go out and win ball games, whether that is going over film, putting up shots or going over the scouting report.

“The players are usually tuned into their music while preparing for a game.” Henderson said.

West, a senior for the basketball team was asked if there were any new goals as a team since they made the NJAC tournament last season.

“ The goals this year are to play together as one cohesive unit,” West said.” Staying positive and focused on our future goals to win the NJAC tournament and play in the national tournament.”

When it comes to personal goals, West is all about the team building their chemistry so they can potentially become an unstoppable team as he believes they have the weapons and firepower to take over games and exceed expectations.

“I’m looking forward to the heights this team can reach as we are so strong and have so many weapons that can go off and explode for a big game at any given

time,” West said. “The team is full of great energy, and I believe once we completely understand how to play with each other we will be unstoppable.”

With transfer players such as Baker, Burno and Thelisme coming to the team along with West and Jamison returning from last season, the team has the talent and leadership to go for in the NJAC tournament and win more ball games during the regular season.

“ All of our new players are great additions and have had such a big impact on our team. I’m very excited to see what we look like when all of them get comfortable with the system players and our play style,” West said.

For the basketball team personal stats are the last thing on everyone’s mind, as a team they just want to go out and compete to their best ability and build chemistry

with each other on and off the court.

“ The energy off the court is great and the energy on the court is even better. The driving force is our will to win and that’s the only thing we care about out on that floor.” the stats, the individual accomplishments are not important, we want to go out and win a championship and that’s the energy and effort we give every day.” West said.

Winning a Championship is the expectation the players and coaches have for this year's team. Everyone is excited to get the season started and build a culture that has huge potential to exceed expectations. n

Kean Swimmers Win NJAC Awards as Winning Streak Continues

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teams in the division, their team chemistry is what Swenson believes will help them succeed moving forward..

“This is by far the closest team we have

she had made new friends with, and she is excited of what she and her team is going to accomplish for the rest of her swimming career.

Teagan Powell

had,” Swenson said. “It allows us to have better training.”

The coach added that the team has more freshmen than returnees and "they did a really good job of blending in."

Powell will push herself to her limits as she will enjoy her Kean career with the team she loves swimming for.

“It’s fantastic,” Powell said. “I don’t think I have ever been closer to a team before.”

Burns was amazed by the teammates

“I just can't wait to see what everyone does,” Burns said. “I feel like we are all working hard right now and we’re going to improve a lot in the next couple of months.”

The Cougars now have a 4-0 overall record and a 2-0 conference record as of Oct. 30. Swenson and his team will prepare themselves for week 4 as they get ready to face another conference rival, Montclair State University RedHawks on Nov. 12. n

The Great leadership of Coach Lafronz and the Great

Team

Chemistry Among the Field Hockey Team

continued from page 18

valuable lessons on and off the field, and for Mann these are lessons she can carry for the rest of her life on and off the field.

“One of the things is how much your mindset plays a factor in everything that you do. She instilled that what you believe in yourself is what impacts your success or failure,” Mann said. “I can say that, when I came to play in college, I had more confidence in myself than before because I had that positive mindset that I can be successful.”

Mann not only loves the field hockey team but also has been intrigued by the student life at Kean university and her time as a student.

“I have really enjoyed my time at Kean as a student! I have learned a lot from

many of the classes that I have been in, and I've met some great professors, as well! There are so many opportunities to help with succeeding as a student both in and out of the classroom,” Mann said. “Kean has provided many ways to ensure you are doing well in the classroom and make sure this is your home away from home.”

Coach Lafronz has built long lasting relationships with all of her players; she teaches them valuable lessons that will help them on and off the field. Jackson and Mann are huge contributors to the field hockey team's success and both players have set their legacy in the sport. n

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Photo by Larry Levanti Photo by keanathletics.com Jamison notches season-high as Men’s Basketball sweeps Season Series with Rutgers-Camden

20 THE TOWER November, 2022

“Our goal was by the 2022-2023 season we capture the NJAC title and play in nationals”