The Towerlight (Final Print Edition - Fall 2021)

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Illustration by Victoria Nicholson and Meghan Hudson/ The Towerlight

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Fall 2021

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Editor-in-Chief Meghan Hudson

Senior Editor Grace Coughlan

Associate Editors Cory Kefauver Jacob Shindel

Asst. Editor Julia Fluke Alisha Hancock

Senior Staff Writer Jordan Kendall

Staff Writers Anna Hovet

Photo Editor Macy Dowla

General Manager Mike Raymond

Social Media Managers Rileigh Hartman Gabriel Ortiz

Special thanks to Victoria Nicholson and all of our alum who contributed to this edition.

Looking back on where we came from, to what we will become MEGHAN HUDSON Editor-in-Chief

8000 York Road Enrollment Services Room 117 Towson, MD 21252 (410) 704-5153 editor@thetowerlight.com thetowerlight.com The Towerlight print edition is published by students of Towson University.

The Towerlight is owned by non-profit Baltimore Student Media Inc., BaltimoreStudentMedia.com.

We encourage letters to the editor and online feedback. Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorials express the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper.

The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2019 by The Towerlight, 8000 York Rd, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved.

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Getting to be the editor-in-chief for The Towerlight during our transition from print to online has been one of the hardest but most rewarding experiences in my life so far. As crazy as it is to admit, sometimes even more exhausting than those long days and nights spent creating print issues every Monday.

Reflecting on what will be 100 years of production in 2021 plus bookending our print era with this issue, I can’t help but think of two people who I’d say are on all of our alumni’s minds as well.

This paper would not have seen the successes it had, at least in the last 20+ years, without our walking search engine himself, Mike Raymond, our General Manager.

From rushing all the way across the Bay to hand deliver missing pages to our printer the night before issues hit the stands, to supporting our team in the office every single week, he’s truly the glue that binds us all together.

Sarah Breitenbach has also been an amazing mentor and supporter of our paper. Formerly our editorin-chief in 2003, she now serves as the President of our publisher, Baltimore Student Media. Likewise for all publications, it’s the people behind the scenes who serve as the backbone to the content you see.

There are of course many more people to recognize. Whether they were a columnist for one week or an editor-in-chief, every paper was filled by the work of these individuals. Special shout out to the editors; putting together a newspaper, especially for those of you who did so before we turned to software, it’s a major production to handle. It was exhausting and

stressful, but from what I hear the mass Chinese food orders made it all worth it, and in my experience goofing off in the office was always a time I looked forward to.

When I first became the editorin-chief at the beginning of this pandemic, learning that I’d be heading into the position without weekly print issues was daunting …

I mean we’re a newspaper, what do we do now? I knew nothing else.

Our first semester online, functioning with a brand new, smaller editorial board we definitely got our butts kicked. Our process was shaky and our writers were experiencing major school-related and emotional burnout having a semester online, from home.

Huge shoutout to Grace Coughlan, who is now our Senior Editor, and Victoria Nicholson, our former Art Director and Marketing Manager from 2017 to 2021. We put the pedal to the metal in terms of restructuring our entire production. Every tiny

aspect of producing an online newspaper — outreach, training, organization, communication, branding, editing, etc., we reevaluated and made major changes to, all while #StayingAtHome.

The reason I share all of this isn’t to brag about the work we put in, but to paint a picture of what the future of The Towerlight looks like. We have nailed down training and production processes. We’ve studied social media algorithms and expanded to bring on two social media managers.

We’ve figured out how to connect with the student body online — and that’s where they all are anyways.

I’m not far removed from my first year of college and the younger staff members continue to surprise me with their ideas and tech savviness.

The future’s looking bright for us.

Thank you to all of our alumni who submitted notes and pictures for our final print issue. Let’s get back on campus and get back out there, journalists!

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Letters

Fall 2021

Former staff members share their Towerlight memories - Michael Moritz, News Editor 1996 - 1997

- Jennifer Lehman Keir, News Editor 2004

- Camille Goleb, Proofreader 2007 - 2011 - Shamus Kelley, Video Editor 2009 - 2013

- Sarah Breitenbach, Editor-inChief 2005

- Eva Neissner, Film Columnist 2010 - 2012

- Ron Snyder, Sports Editor 1997 & 1999, News Editor 1998, Editor-inChief 1998

- Paul Snyder, Senior Account Executive & Circulation Manager 2001

- Tyler Waldman, Associate Arts Editor 2008 - 2010

- Sean Welsh, Associate Sports Editor & Circulation Manager 2005

- Carrie Wood, Arts Editor 2013, Editor-in-Chief 2014

- Danielle Frater, Art Director 2012 - 2014 - Matt Sprague, Staff Photographer 2008, Associate Photo Editor & Photo Editor 2009

- Lauren Svrjcek, Proofreader 2005

Photo Courtesy of Ana Martinez Chamorro

Photographers Matt Sprague and Ana Martinez Chamorro cover Tigerfest 2012 for The Towerlight. The duo still shoot together to this day.

- Kristi Moore, Senior Editor 2006 - Jenn Laumann, Art Director 2008

Continues on pg. 5.

Letters

continued from pg. 4. bed before 2 a.m. on Wednesdays and Sundays. Happy 100th anniversary, The Towerlight. I may be biased, but I know which four years were my favorites.

- Lauren (Slavin) Bavis, Editorin-Chief 2012 Photographing Tigerfest and getting to meet lifelong friends!

- Ana Martinez Chamorro, Photographer 2012

Fall 2021

could do anything as a team. On a stressful deadline Mike would always tell us not to worry, “the paper will go out, it always does.”

And though we are now seeing the end of the print edition, the spirit of that mindset will continue in the stories and scoops of future Towerlighters. Also, long live the quote board. TowerLife.

- Carley Milligan, Editor-in-Chief 2016 My favorite memory is coming

Working with the team late at night, putting out the paper was an experience I will never forget. Designing the covers when historical events happened and redesigning the paper from top to bottom, we’re some of my favorite memories. I am forever grateful for the experiences gained at the Towerlight.

- Devin Smith, Art Director 2012 I made some of my closest friends at The Towerlight! I think one of my favorite memories was getting to interview Jane Elliott when she spoke on campus. Our weekly ed board meetings were always a good time — plus the sigh of relief end of a long production day.

- Sarah Rowan, News Editor (on staff 2015 - 2017) I mean, there are just so many.

There was documenting how Towson University students were involved in the Baltimore Uprising after the death of Freddie Gray.

There was exploring how the campus was reacting and changing after Donald Trump was elected in 2016. There were the times sitting in court, listening to students and experts testify. There were the Public Information Act requests, and the rush of getting to read the documents we had requested. We

by such friendly faces! I will also remember how welcoming the environment was and how it was a space for me to succeed. Print editions will be missed!

- Victoria Nicholson, Art Director 2017 - 2020, Marketing Manager 2020 - 2021 Attending a protest about antisemitic violence on campus - Megan Clark, Contributing Writer 2018 Working with editorial board and getting to learn more about the community.

- Marcus Whitman, Staff Writer 2018 - 2020 The best thing about my college experience was The Towerlight.

I will be forever grateful to The Towerlight team for welcoming me with open arms my freshman year, when I needed them most. Through The Towerlight, I was able to grow so much — personally and professionally. I

was able to make great friends and had a true support system and safe space I could go to all throughout college. The Towerlight allowed me to do what I love — write and express my creativity, learning from talented peers and alumni in the process.

The Towerlight also allowed me to get out of my comfort zone and have truly extraordinary, empowering experiences. From interviewing celebrities, to going to events I would otherwise never go to (and learning so much from them), to heading on road trips to conferences with our amazing staff, and even working on stories and passing out newspapers with Towerlight will always hold such a special place in my heart.

- Bailey Hendricks, Editor-inChief 2019 - 2020 One of my most distinct memories At the start of the pandemic, I was the Assistant News Editor and I remember my phone shooting off with groupme messages from all the editors talking about a possible outbreak at Towson. I was in class, but was able to get some solid information from someone about case at Towson. Then, myself and ran around campus to get someone else to verify the email so we could run a story about it. The best part? I was able to do all this and still make it back to class in time.

- Sophia Bates, Associate Editor 2020

While there’s so many moments to choose from, I’ll never forget the feeling that came with accomplishing the near impossible with a newsroom full of my best friends. From putting together an entire paper after a server justice until 3 a.m., it felt like we

Photo Courtesy of Towson University

Schatzel bids farewell to print, welcomes online era Dear Editor, I’ve been an avid reader and proud supporter of student journalism throughout my career in higher education, and I’m proud to have gotten to know so many wonderful plus years at Towson University.

The Towerlight plays an important role on our campus, just like so many student publications do around the nation. Freedom of the press is important, and here at TU, we treat The Towerlight like any other professional journalism outlet, because, well, the student journalists make it one.

At the start of each academic year, I get the opportunity to speak with the editor in chief and one or two other members of The Towerlight’s editorial staff. I always enjoy getting to know them as students, hear their opinions and questions, and understand even more about the student experience at TU through their eyes. I always appreciate the work they do to tell the stories and news about our campus community. Those meetings continue through the year, and I often get to learn of the next steps in their commencement approaches.

I’ve developed a unique relationship with many of the journalists at The Towerlight over with a local news outlet when it was announced that I would be the 14th president of Towson University was with a Towerlight journalist.

Towerlight alumni are everywhere!

Local media I’ve given interviews to: Towerlight alums. National TV network anchors: Towerlight alums. Our season ticket holders and supporters of the RISE campaign: Towerlight alums. Members of my cabinet: Towerlight alums.

In this edition, you’ll hear from

and all my best memories of being at The Towerlight are connected to that. I would not be who I am today without it.

- Cody Boteler, Editor-in-Chief 2016 - 2017

impact The Towerlight has made on their lives. TU has been right at the center of those experiences. For that, I am proud and grateful.

Photo Courtesy of Lauren (Slavin) Bavis

Rachel Fauber, Editor-in-Chief of 2010, leads an editorial board meeting at The Towerlight’s former office in the University Union.

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story waiting to be told about the opportunities here on campus and our impact as an anchor institution

in the region and state. There are indeed many more Towerlight stories to be told and university milestones to be acknowledged.

At TU, we have expert and dedicated faculty that provide real world experience through instruction and critical dialogue within our academic spaces. And while The Towerlight is an independent newspaper without faculty advisors, it isn’t lacking for faculty mentorship and guidance.

At TU, we have been evolving to provide a talent pipeline to our state State Normal School and today creating opportunities in many areas of study, from education to kinesiology to political science. Today’s TU is a national leader in inclusive excellence, and an anchor institution for greater Baltimore, providing leadership for the public good.

In many ways, The Towerlight has not only documented those adaptations and transformations over the past century, it has also Maryland and its citizens.

I’m proud of the legacy of this student news organization. And it is a news organization—not just a newspaper. So, while this is appearing in a commemorative print edition, I know the legacy of the many years of Towerlight publications will carry forward in a digital only format. After all: The Towerlight will adapt.

Today, as much of the information we gather and consume unfolds not only on a screen, but on a screen in the palm of our hand, I can say I look forward to supporting our student journalists in their pursuits going forward.

I applaud The Towerlight’s journalists for all they’ve provided to TU over the past century, and I look forward to what is to come this academic year and beyond.

As I so often say about TU, I think it also applies to The Towerlight: There is much to be proud of, and working together, there are indeed great things ahead.

Sincerely, Kim Schatzel, Ph.D. President, Towson University

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News

Fall 2021

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News

Fall 2021

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Residence halls stripped of names MEGHAN HUDSON Editor-in-Chief

After years of student petitions, Towson University’s (TU) dorms formerly known as Carroll Hall and Paca House, have been stripped of their names. Until new names are decided on, the name “West Village 1” has replaced Paca House while “West Village 2” has replaced Carroll Hall.

As previously reported by The Towerlight, in Sept. of 2016 student Bilphena Yahwon, a member of Towson’s Organized Network of at a Maryland regents meeting to diversify these “insensitively-named” University buildings.

Following resolutions passed by three consecutive SGA administrations requesting a committee be formed to review the names of Paca House and Carroll Hall, Schatzel formed a 10-person committee in June of 2020 in accordance with TU Policy 06- 04.00. In May of 2021, the committee concluded its 12-month review.

In agreement with findings from the committee and the Academic Senate, Schatzel sub-

mitted a request to rename the buildings to the Maryland Board of Regents. By a unanimous vote, TU was granted permission to move forward with the renaming on June 17.

Chancellor Jay Perman also took time at the meeting to speak on his expectations regarding racial and social justice within USM. “The only valid response to hate is not more words denouncing it, but sustained action that starves it of fuel, that renders it weak and, in time, irrelevant,” Perman said.

“That’s the work to which the USM and its people are committed: securing equity for all members of our communities, demanding justice on their behalf, and defending the principles on which this country was founded and which it still struggles to honor.”

The University now plans to renaming process and will ancommittee during the Fall 2021 semester.

“This fall, we will begin work to establish names for the buildings, guided by and in compliance with TU’s policy on naming of facilities,” Schatzel wrote in a letter to the TU community following the approval of her request.

As outlined by the naming policy, building names are to be consid-

ered based on the following points: 1. Philanthropic efforts of an individual; 2. Profession of an individual; 3. Activities/opinions as they relate to diversity and inclusion; 4. Unethical, immoral and illegal behavior of an individual; tivities of an individual; 6. Historical activities that occurred at a given place (included for proposed names inspired by prominent geographic entities); and 7. Locations and landmarks where heinous acts occurred shall not be considered.

Saddened to learn about the sigsenior Avery Qassis says replacing the names has been long overdue.

“The amount of time it took for this to happen is a little disappointing considering the fact that students wanted the names to be taken down eight years ago,” Qassis said. “At least it’s happening now rather than not at all. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with [the temporary names]. I’m sure it’ll be confusing for those moving in, but they’ll quickly adapt to it.”

As of now the building names have been covered up and temporary names can be found on TU’s online map.

Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight

Meghan Hudson/ The Towerlight

ON-CAMPUS DESIGN STUDIO & LARGE-SCALE PRINTING Branding, posters, signs, brochures, flyers, catalogs, banners, print & web graphics and much more.

DESIGN + GRAPHIC SERVICES

towson.edu/artservices 410.704.2276

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News

Fall 2021

Campus to see major renovations in the next 5 years JULIA FLUKE Asst. Editor

GRACE COUGHLAN Senior Editor

Towson University (TU) is in the midst of expanding its campus, by building up-to-date facilities for different areas of study and welcoming students to new, completed buildings.

The College of Health Professions (CHP) will be receiving a new building come summer of 2024. Many classes under CHP are taught all across campus, including Linthicum Hall, Van Bokkelen Hall, Burdick Hall, and Towson Center.

According to CHP Dean Lisa students to go eliminates the separation from each other.

“The goal of this building is to bring together the majority of the college’s programs into a central lo-

cation with state of the art facilities CHP has been housed in older spaces built for different kinds of programs, but will now get a new building. selves into spaces that do not easily accommodate our equipment and The new building features state of the art clinical simulation facilities which can function as professional healthcare environments.

“What this space should look like is a small hospital wing,” said building will give them access to multiple laboratories. For nursing and physician assistant programs, there will be health assessment labs and nursing foundational skills labs. In addition the building will host two occupational therapy oriented labs, one specializing in pediatrics, the other in activities of daily life.

Sophomore Melanie Dobrovic is majoring in Healthcare Management and says she is excited for the addition.

“I think this update will allow the health profession students to get the high quality education that

they deserve,” Dobrovic said.

TU’s Science Complex opened in Spring of 2021, but classes in the building were limited because of COVID-19 protocols. Students who did not take labs or took them remotely last semester will be able to use the new building this fall semester.

According to Professor Jay Nelson at FCSM, the new Science Complex is much needed as Smith Hall is starting to deteriorate.

“We’ve endured sewage leaks, lots of broken and decaying infrastructure and climate control is abysmal,” Nelson said. “The water will often run the consistency of chocolate milk with a tint of orange juice.”

The Science Complex includes 50 teaching laboratories, 30 research laboratories, 50 classrooms, eight lecture halls, 10 student spaces, an outdoor classroom, a rooftop greenhouse, planetarium, and observatory.

“For students, there are a lot more places to congregate and socialize or work,” Nelson said. “It certainly is more visually attractive than Smith.”

Sophomore Alexis Panagoulias is majoring in Biology and is looking forward to using the new complex.

“I am most excited about being in a new lab for my science classes such as chemistry and biology,” Panagoulias said. “The building itself

is beautiful and has many new aspects to it to keep students engaged and further their interest in the subjects being taught.”

Panagoulias believes that TU stuComplex.

“A student’s environment truly holds a big impact on how they learn,” Panagoulias said. “When being a new state of the art building, students have access to many opportunities to grow together and as individuals. The collaborative spaces allow students to come together to brainstorm and help each other and the research labs can lead to amazare going to thrive here.”

TU has plans to renovate Smith Hall to accommodate the College of Fine Arts and Communication.

“We are excited to contemplate the move of three departments; Mass Comm, EMF and Comm Studies, into Smith Hall with a proposed move in date at or around pending funding - for the Fall of 2026,” Dean Regina Carlow said.

Smith Hall was built in 1965 and lacks the latest technology the college needs.

“Many of our buildings on campus weren’t built with infrastructure to support high tech demands,” Car-

low said. “So, we need a space that will accommodate some of our higher tech requirements.”

Plans of renovation are still being contemplated but Carlow listed a general idea of needs the department is hoping for.

“Our wish list includes: Film and media content production space, Newsrooms, Audio production rooms, Screening facilities, A sound effects studio, Broadcast journalism studio,The Public Communications Center, Speech and Debate suite, TV Studio(s), Green screen studio and VR/Animation Space,” Carlow said.

Carlow explained her desire to have a place for the TU students and faculty to connect.

“I look forward to this renovated space becoming a collaborative place for not just COFAC faculty, staff, and students but an example of how a university puts its support behind innovation, creativity, and important career directions for students,” Carlow said.

The new College of Health Professions building, Science Complex, and Smith Hall renovations are just a few examples of what is anticipated on campus within the next 10 years. The University plans to release updates to their 10-year master plan this fall.

Arts & Life

Fall 2021

Shannon O’Brocki (2010)/ The Towerlight

Derek Windsor (2005)/ The Towerlight

Rachel Candela (2014)/ The Towerlight

TOWSON UNIVERSITY

Sarah Becker (2012)/ The Towerlight

POST OFFICE

Providing mail service for all of the TU campus

Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm postoffice@towson.edu 410.704.2260 towson.edu/mail

Justin Smulison (2001)/ The Towerlight

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Timeline

Courtesy of Jennifer Lehman Keir

Timeline

Fall 2021

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Arts & Life

Fall 2021

GRACE COUGHLAN Senior Editor

Andy Karl

pating in local shows, Beatty got involved in the costume design side, helping with the wigs for the performers. She graduated from TU in 2006, after completing her BFA in acting and costume design.

During her time at TU, she directed shows and participated in an internship at Baltimore Center Stage specializing in wardrobes.

in his singing career.

Towerlight alum Brian Stelter studied journalism at TU and served as Editor-in-Chief of The Towerlight from 2005 to 2007.

While at school, Stelter created a news blog called TVNewser.

He then sold the blog to another company which then became a part of Adweek. After graduating TU, he went straight to working at The New York Times at the age of 21. Stelter’s next stop was CNN. At age 28, he became the news anchor for “Reliable Sources.”

He often praises TU and the community for helping him further his career.

“To me, there’s such a straight line from being at Towson, working on the school paper, being in my journalism classes, to here - to me being at CNN,” Stelter said.

“All the things I was picking up at school are directly connected to what I’m doing now.”

nominations for the show.

Schumer debuted the movie scene with her 2015 movie “Trainwreck,” which she received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Comedy for. Not only has Schumer dabbled in TV and tion memoir titled “The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo.” For two weeks, the memoir sat on The New York Times Bestseller List.

Mike Rowe

Amy Schumer Courtesy of Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon

Courtesy of Timothy Sage Baltimore native Andy Karl is a Tony-nominated Broadway the world of theater by joining a local youth performance group.

After attending Towson High School, he continued pursuing theater by studying at Towson University (TU). Karl’s pursuit of a professional career in theater was inspired by TU director Todd Pearthree, who directed a summer production of “Grease” at TU. In 2000, Karl debuted in “Saturday Night Fever” on Broadway.

After returning to Broadway in 2006, Karl starred in various shows, including “The Wedding Singer,” “Legally Blonde,” “9 to 5,” and “Wicked.” From 2011 to 2013, he took on a major role in Broadway’s “Jersey Boys” as Tommy Devito. Karl took to TV in 2015, playing Sergeant Dodds on 15 episodes of “Law and Order: SVU.” He’s been nominated for three different Tony awards, and has won two Outer Circle Critics Award, one for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and one for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.

Katie Beatty From small time productions to one of the nation’s most popular late night shows, Katie Beatty completely transformed her love for theater into a full time job.

After spending summers partici-

Karl Reimer/ The Towerlight Beatty has worked on 14 different Broadway shows and six Tony Award shows during her time in New York City. She has also worked on the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated show “Billions” while working as a wig designer for “Saturday Night Live” (SNL).

According to Beatty, her studies and summers during TU productions allowed her to connect with multiple people in the wig design business.

“My time at Towson has been really positive,” Harmon said.

“I’ve experienced a lot of acceptance and freedom to express myself here. The faculty at Towson have been really amazing and supportive.”

Brian Stelter

Screenshot by Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight Best known for his work on “Dirty Jobs,” Mike Rowe transferred to TU in 1982 from a local Baltimore community college.

Rowe decided on a communications major after taking multiple classes in various majors. “[Towson] was just a place to go

Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon Jeremiah Lloyd Harmon, a transfer student to TU, participated in Season 17 of American Idol competition in 2019. Originally from Catonsville, MD, Harmon had a popular audition tape that gained a lot of popularity on social media. He made it to the Top 6, where he was eliminated from the competition. While on the show, Harmon performed with singer-songwriter Katy Perry. She even tweeted about his audition Harmon gave a lot of credit to the support of the TU community

Courtesy of Peter Yang

Screenshot by Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight

Actress and stand-up comedian Amy Schumer graduated from TU in 2003. At TU, Schumer studied as a theater major. Part of the reason she chose to attend TU was because she believed that TU had a strong theater program.

In 2013, Schumer helped create, write and produce her own show called “Inside Amy Schumer.” With four seasons, she re-

the hell to do,” Rowe said.

After graduating from TU in 1985, he took a job with the then-Baltimore Opera Company.

He spent six years performing but then auditioned as a salesperson for QVC. It wasn’t until 2005 when Rowe started working with The Discovery Channel, where he eventually worked his way to a steady series of “Dirty Jobs.”

In this series, Rowe explored the reality of jobs all over the world.

The series ran for eight seasons before ending. As of 2021, Rowe launched “Six Degrees with Mike Rowe” on Discovery+.

eArts & Life

Fall 2021

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Sports

The Division for Student Affairs offers the

Student LIFE Line

Patrick Smith (2006)/ The Towerlight

File Photo (2003)/ The Towerlight

Sam Friedman (1996)/ The Towerlight

This telephone line assists students with any question they may have about the University. LIFE Line is staffed and ready to assist callers Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Brendan Felch (2019)/ The Towerlight

After these hours, a voice mail message can be left and will be responded to on the next business day.

You can also contact us with your questions via e-mail at studentaffairs@towson.edu.

(5433) 410-704-LIFE (54 33) E-mail: studentaffairs@towson.edu Christopher Curry (2012)/ The Towerlight

Sports

Fall 2021

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Tigers reveal the reality of being a college athlete in 2021 CORY KEFAUVER Associate Editor

With COVID-19 protocols and cancellations, Towson University (TU) athletes have been challenged in forming team chemistry as well as overcoming mental hurdles throughout the past year.

Many TU teams found their seasons postponed at the start of the 2020 school year. Fall sports team’s seasons were mostly rescheduled for the spring.

Unlike the majority of fall sports, whose seasons were rescheduled, the Tigers football team’s season was cancelled after players voted to preserve the eligibility of senior players for their 2021 season.

Graduate student and tight end Jason Epps says while players still need to remain vigilant against the virus, he is still excited for the upcoming season.

“We’ve got to be smart,” Epps said. “COVID[-19] is still going

around. As a football player and as a team we’ve just got to be smart about our decisions off the field. One slip-up and you could test positive and then you’re out for maybe a game or two.”

The TU Men’s Basketball team was hit hard by the virus last season. The team had its season suspended multiple times for COVID-19 outbreaks. These outbreaks limited the amount of time the team was able to spend together.

Redshirt junior guard Nicolas Timberlake is looking to form more of a bond with his teammates this season.

“It was definitely the least amount of time I’ve spent with a team ever in my whole basketball life,” Timberlake said. “It’s crazy to see how much closer we are already, we’re already closer after six weeks than we were a whole season.”

According to Timberlake, there was a general fear of contracting COVID-19 last season after having to deal with outbreaks multiple times. Even going to restaurants gave them

pause. Members of the team would often eat out or dine on campus at the cafeteria quickly to avoid exposure.

“We didn’t even know what a social life was last year,” Timberlake said. “We just didn’t want to get shut down because we had to deal with that multiple times and that 14 days just sitting in your room by yourself puts a toll on you.”

Team chemistry building was an issue for more than just basketball. The Tigers Baseball team also ran into issues with forming bonds between teammates, especially newcomers.

Redshirt sophomore shortstop Danny Becerra played his first season at TU last spring. Becerra played in all 57 of the Tigers’ games last season, but explained that being a transfer during the pandemic made it hard to form chemistry with teammates.

Becerra moved from San Diego, CA to Towson last year, noting the move was especially tough having limited interactions with his teammates while being so far from home.

Screenshot by Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight

Tigers football wide reciever Jabari Allen as seen in Towson Athletic’s 2021 campaign video revealing the team’s new look. Allen enters this fall season with a 2019 CAA Preseason Honorable Mention under his belt.

Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

The baseball team continued to practice through the spring of this year masked up and social distanced. Players are seen raking the field.

“Trying to meet all the new guys, trying to meet even all the returners was kind of tough because the only way I would see them was at lift for an hour and at the field for a couple minutes,” Becerra said. “For me personally, moving across the country for the first time and trying to go to school was pretty tough because it was just me and my roommates.”

Becerra says the team is hoping for a return to some normalcy and has a goal of forming stronger bonds with one another.

“We lost a lot of seniors last year, which means we have a lot of new kids on our team,” Becerra said. “Getting those new kids acclimated and feeling comfortable with Towson and the rest of us is important to our success.”

Epps believes team chemistry shouldn’t be an issue for Tigers football this coming season.

“I think we became a lot closer since the pandemic,” Epps said.

“There’s not a lot of cliques on

the team, I think we’re a well bonded team.”

He added that it was hard watching Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams play last fall while Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) schools like Towson had to watch from home.

“As a senior I just wanted to play my senior year,” Epps said.

“I got another year of eligibility. I was just motivated to keep working and have the best senior year as possible.”

Timberlake says that the pandemic brought about a day-today mentality where every day was another chance to play.

“It was just looking forward to the next day of playing because you really didn’t know when or if you would ever play again,” Timberlake said. “Any day you could get into the gym with the team felt like a game day.

TU will be allowing full capacity attendance at sporting events this year. Students have access to TU home games at no additional cost.

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Sports

Some former Towson athletes that rose to the pros JAKE SHINDEL Associate Editor

Kionna Jeter: WNBA player

Despite not getting selected in the 2007 NBA draft, Gary Neal ended up getting a second chance in 2010 and became only the second player in NBA history to go undrafted and then be named to

lie said that his time at Towson helped prepare him for the fast paced game and a different playbook than he was used to in Belgium, where he was born. Debaillie started in nine games for the

In two seasons at Towson, Neal averaged 25.7 points per game, along with four rebounds and 3.2 assists. Neal went on to have a seven year career in the NBA, playing for six different teams.

His most notable time in the league was with the San Antonio Spurs, who he played with for his

and then signed with the Edmonton Elks in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

File Photo by The Towerlight all-CAA, Frank Beltre had brief stints

File Photo by The Towerlight

Screenshot by Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight The Las Vegas Aces picked Towson alumni Kionna Jeter with the 36th overall pick in the 2021 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft, solidifying Jeter’s legacy in Towson histo-

He had a career batting average of .249, with eight home runs and 79 RBI. Rubeling had the most pinch-hit at bats in the National League during the 1944 season.

Gary Neal: NBA player

the WNBA. Jeter’s 23 points per game during the 2020-2021 season ranked 10th in the country. She also averaged 5.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.5 steals across 21 games. A very decorated collegiate career for Jeter saw three All-Colonial Athletic Association

Brendan Felch/ The Towerlight

Screenshot by Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight

CAA All-defensive honors.

Al Rubeling: MLB player Al Rubeling enjoyed a four year career in the MLB from 19401944, playing for the Philadelphia Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Rubeling cemented his spot in to enter the MLB. Rubeling, a part of Towson’s class of 1932, was inducted into Towson Athletics Hall of Fame in 1971.

Over his four years in the league, Rubeling played second

a spot in the CFL. Beltre would not change anything about his collegiate career, and that his number one rule is to never be comfortable.

“Right when you feel comfortable, that’s when bad things happen; especially in the sports world,” Beltre said.

Jermon Bushrod: NFL Player

Richie Palacios: MiLB Player

Jermon Bushrod is probably the most well-known Towson alumni in professional sports history, making it to two pro bowls and winning a Super Bowl in 2009 as the starting left tackle for the New Orleans Saints.

Bushrod was selected in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Saints, where he played for seven seasons. At Towson, Bushrod was a four year starter, and ended his career with 38 consecutive starts.

Richie Palacios was taken in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians, and he has played for their minor league

Tibo Debaillie: CFL Player

Screenshot by Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight

Debaillie only recently signed with the Elks, who are just three games into the 2021 season, so he has yet to get much playing time.

However, as the season goes on, the 23 year-old will look to make a larger impact on the team.

Tibo Debaillie is the most recent player to make a professional debut, with his last season at Towson being in 2019. Debail-

year at Towson, he hit .301 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. In the minors, Palacios has a career average of .320, with 12 home runs and 72 RBI. Palacios chose Towson because he knew he would play right away, and had aspirations, since being a young kid, of getting drafted.

“When I went to college, I knew that’s what I wanted to do, and I told the coaches, and everyone, to keep me accountable to that,” Palacios said.

Frank Beltre: CFL Player

Screenshot by Grace Coughlan/ The Towerlight Beltre has played for three teams in six seasons in the CFL, recently signing with the Ottawa Redblacks.

In the CFL, Beltre has recorded career numbers of 110 total tackles,

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