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Monday, October 5, 2020
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President’s Lawn is pictured on Oct. 1.
Talloires Network marks 15th anniversary, rebrands global coalition by Yiyun Tom Guan News Editor
The Talloires Network of Engaged Universities, previously formally known as the Talloires Network, celebrated its 15th anniversary on Sept. 17. With an updated name, logo, mission and values, the Tufts-led global coalition of universities renewed its commitment
to incorporating civic engagement in higher education and building a community of practice. Lorlene Hoyt, executive director of the Talloires Network, remarked that the updated mission is a more accurate representation of what the Talloires Network has already embraced. “The messaging framework we’ve issued … is really a reflec-
Career Center launches Career Communities program by Alejandra Carrillo Executive News Editor
The Career Center recently launched the Career Communities program, which will grant students the opportunity to meet with generalist advisors or specialist career community advisors based on their emerging interests, according to Donna Esposito, the interim executive director of the center. The new program model will be adopted in phases. Esposito explained that the office has worked for several years to develop a new model to support students in defining their career paths. “We’ve looked at best practices in our field, seen what works at peer institutions, and created a model that is customized for the Tufts community,” Esposito wrote in an email to the Daily. She added that the Career Center has adopted a phased approach to launching the Career Communities model this semester. “In Phase 1- we are currently offering more options for
career-field specific advising … we are excited about these enhancements to career advising and look forward to Phase 2, the launch of our new website, later this fall,” she said. Esposito shared that while a generalist advisor supports students in exploring their interests, skills, values and options, a specialist advisor focuses primarily on connecting students with others within their specific career community. The career communities include, but are not limited to, Communications & Media, Education, Finance, Arts, Healthcare, Life Sciences & The Environment and Engineering, Technology & Physical Sciences, according to Esposito. “This new model will allow us to highlight opportunities and alumni of interest for particular career communities, in turn, giving students greater access to “insider tips,” opportunities to connect to professionals within specific career fields, and job and internship postings,” she said. see CENTER, page 2
tion of where we are,” Hoyt said. “Given all of those changes that are happening around the world, with [COVID-19] but also around issues of social justice, etc., we needed to revisit our language and our messaging.” The fight for social justice, especially around issues of race, is now explicit in the Talloires Network’s messaging framework.
“We have now publicly stated that The Network takes the position that racial justice is not a political issue but a human rights issue,” Hoyt wrote in an email to the Daily. “Movements for justice and other forms of activism are worthy of attention from a scholarly perspective.” According to Hoyt, the updated mission statement defines uni-
versity civic engagement, a concept that includes actions such as community-based research, social entrepreneurship and political activism, among others. She also recognized that the extended name, “Talloires Network of Engaged Universities,” clarifies the intent of the Network as an see COALITION, page 2
Headlines from off the Hill Trump team sends mixed messages following president’s COVID-19 diagnosis President Trump announced early Friday morning that he tested positive for COVID-19, after downplaying the severity of the virus for months. Leading up to his diagnosis, Trump held a ceremony to announce his Supreme Court nominee. Since then, many other prominent figures and aides, including First Lady Melania Trump, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Utah Sen. Mike Lee have tested positive for the virus. On Saturday, Trump checked in at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he is receiving access to the country’s best care and has been participating in an experimental antibody treatment. Since being hospitalized, there have been inconsistent reports regarding Trump’s health. His doctor, Sean Conley, expressed cautious optimism, while Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, reported that the president’s condition is more severe. Trump campaign Senior Advisor Steve Cortes said the campaign will “vigorously proceed” and is confident Trump will make a full recovery.
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict continues, hundreds killed from violence On Sept. 27, Armenia reported that Azerbaijan launched air and artillery attacks on NagornoKarabakh, a disputed region between the two neighboring countries, while Azerbaijan maintains that it was conducting a “counter-offensive in response to military provocation.” The United Nations considers the region the official territory of the Muslimmajority Azerbaijan, though Christian-majority Armenia has been financially and militarily supporting Nagorno-Karabakh since the 1990s. Resulting violence from the centuries-old conflict over the region, chiefly escalated by the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and its leader Joseph Stalin, has killed more than 100 people this past week. The United States has remained largely silent on the issue. Close to 18,000 ballots rejected in the Massachusetts primary election According to data from Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin, 1.3 million voters cast ballots by mail or during the early voting period for the primary, amounting to over half of the total ballots submitted. Of those ballots, 17,872 were
SPORTS / back
ARTS / page 5
OPINION / page 8
Fresh off undefeated regular season, women’s basketball reflects on building community, family
‘Ya’: Kiniwe brings Ghanaian music to Massachusetts
Support new Tufts community members
rejected, due to failed delivery or failure to sign the ballot envelope, among other reasons. Despite the multitude of rejected ballots, Galvin, the state’s top election official, describes Massachusetts’ first attempt at widespread mail-in voting as a “tremendous success” and warns that the number is misleading as “98% were successful in getting their ballots counted.” North Carolina senate race spirals into chaos The North Carolina senate race has been upended as the two leading candidates, incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis and Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham, have grabbed headlines. On Friday, Cunningham admitted to sending flirtatious texts to a woman who is not his wife. This is likely to strain his campaign ahead of the final debate. On the other side of the race, Tillis announced on Friday that he tested positive for COVID-19. Tillis was likely exposed to the virus at President Trump’s Supreme Court nomination ceremony last weekend; several other attendees, including the president, have also tested positive for the virus. So far, Tillis reports that he is only experiencing mild symptoms. — Jilly Rolnick NEWS
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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Monday, October 5, 2020
THE TUFTS DAILY Alex Viveros
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Career Center to revamp website, add more features for students
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CENTER
continued from page 1 Robin Kahan, associate director of engineering career services, expressed excitement at the various opportunities the program will provide for students. Kahan believes the dynamic communities under the program will encourage students to recognize that their majors do not define their career paths. “They will be able to see how the skills and competencies they want to use and the interests they are cultivating are important in a variety of industries,” she wrote in an email to the Daily. Echoing Esposito, Kahan emphasized that the Career
Community model will allow the center to organize information related to jobs, internships and other resources for students. The center is also working on enhancing its website, which will offer various specialized sections based on the user’s specific career communities. “We’ll be able to have a website with online “homes” for each of our seven career communities. You’ll find information from Handshake, including virtual events and fairs, jobs, internships, research and volunteer opportunities curated for each particular community,” Esposito said. She added that the communities on the website will display
blog posts, other career resources and community subgroups with suggested tools for searching for jobs and internships, exploring careers, networking and researching employers. Sophomore Dayana Chumburidze shared her enthusiasm for the program’s ability to more easily connect students with alumni in their specific fields of interest. “As someone who does not particularly enjoy networking with professionals in the field, I would definitely find it more comfortable to communicate with people who have something in common with me,” she wrote in an electronic message to the Daily.
Junior Ashley Aron, who is majoring in international relations, explained that the new program can help further define her career path. “I would definitely take advantage of this program because I feel like there are so many different career paths for people in international relations and I often draw inspiration from the paths that alumni take after college,” Aron said. Kahan offered a specific example of how students will be able to take advantage of the program. “A Chemical Engineer could follow the Healthcare, Life Sciences & The Environment community, the Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences community … based on a possible interest in creating environmentally friendly and long-lasting batteries,” Kahan wrote. Esposito explained that the Career Communities program differs from The Herd, a mentoring program intended to connect students with alumni in various industries. A student will have the opportunity to follow a certain career community, and then contact alumni in The Herd in a more streamlined way. Esposito shared her goals for the program this year. “Our goal is to better support students at all stages of the career development process, giving them a more customized experience with access to enhanced resources, increased specialized guidance, better access to competitive industry connections and professional communities,” she said.
Talloires Network has grown to include 406 members from 78 different countries COALITION
continued from page 1 anchor of civic engagement, while keeping the “Talloires Network” name its members already felt attached to. She added that the new logo was the result of a design competition within the Talloires Network, and the winning logo was created by a member from Mount Kenya University. The Talloires Network was first created by then-Tufts University President Lawrence Bacow, who held a conference in 2005 with 29 university presidents, vice chancellors and directors from 23 different countries, and served as chair of the Talloires Network’s Steering Committee. Hoyt explained that the institutions discussed the roles of civic life and social responsibility in higher education during the conference. Members also signed the Talloires Declaration and committed to enhancing the role of civic life in their institutions, as well as establishing a global network as a shared space for the exchange of ideas. The Talloires Network of Engaged Universities has now grown into a coalition that includes 406 university members from 78 countries. It is chaired by University President Anthony Monaco and is located in the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life.
Hoyt explained that Mark Gearan, the former president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges who replaced Bacow as the chair of the Steering Committee, helped define the goals and mission of the Talloires Network early on. “Mark Gearan at the 2011 Madrid [Talloires Network Leaders Conference] gave a speech about how important it is to work with the Global South and to learn from the Global South, so that really became a top priority for the network,” Hoyt said. “[Now] a lot of our programs are focused on the Global South.” Mapendo Mindje, a former student representative for the Steering Committee, underlined some of the reasons why people want to join the global community. “I think more members are being engaged to the Talloires Network because as a coalition of more universities across the globe, there is a lot of success stories to share and learn from for respective improvement,” Mindje wrote in an email to the Daily. Mindje added that working with peers and collaborating with others are critical skills to becoming civically engaged. In an effort to connect the global community in person, the Talloires Network hosts the Talloires Network Leaders Conference (TNLC) every three years, according to Hoyt.
“[The TNLC] is an opportunity for people who are doing [civic engagement] work in the Global South and the Global North to come together face to face, to share ideas, knowledge and strategies and, importantly, to make these human connections,” Hoyt said. Donald Bodzo and Phil Mlanda, co-founders of paNhari, an organization that works closely with the University of Zimbabwe, a member institution of the Talloires Network, echoed Hoyt’s statement. “All these engagements [at the TNLC], we always find them very rich and very engaging,” Bodzo said. “You get to learn, you get to also hear what other universities are doing.” Bodzo and Mlanda’s organization was one of the winners of the University Award for Innovative Civic Engagement, which provides financial support to projects that address public health problems in the Global South related to COVID-19. This grant is one of the many initiatives under the Talloires Network’s Action Research program, according to Hoyt. “We structure those programs in a way that the participants are tracking the decisions they’re making, they’re reflecting on their [practices], and then we document those case studies,” Hoyt said. Another Action Research project under the Talloires Network
is called Communities Of Virtual Alliance and Inter-Dependence (COV-AID). Instead of providing funding to institutions, COV-AID directly supports undergraduate students around the world who initiate projects that address the impact of the pandemic. Catherine Mumo, one of the winners of the COV-AID Student Engagement Award, founded Nawiri Sist3rs, an initiative that educates young women about menstrual health and hygiene. She has been able to continue the organization’s critical work during the pandemic due to funding provided by the Talloires Network. In addition to the Student Engagement Award, COV-AID also consists of a six-week webinar series where student and university leaders within the Talloires Network discuss ways to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in their respective communities. Mumo expressed gratitude for the connections and community she has built through the Talloires Network. “Interacting with the other college Student Engagement Award winners has also been quite inspiring … getting to hear the work they’re doing … sharing stories, making new friendships [and] interacting with the Talloires Network’s team members,” Mumo said.
Features
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Student performance groups move forward despite COVID-19 obstacles
ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Granoff Music Center is pictured on Aug. 28. by Madeleine Aitken Deputy News Editor
Because Tufts has placed restrictions on gatherings of over 10 people due to COVID-19, performance groups on campus are facing challenges. The beginning of the semester is a crucial time for groups to recruit new members and hold auditions, but that process is unable to go on as it usually does. Sarabande Dance Ensemble has transitioned to an online format for its auditions. The group’s members filmed videos of themselves doing choreographed combinations, and dancers who auditioned recreated the choreography and sent back their own videos. “We had two required videos, and then four optional videos where people could choose up to two of those videos to do and really show us their different styles and what they might be good at,” Cat Ahola, a senior and public relations chair of Sarabande, said. This is different from Sarabande’s typical audition process. In past years, the group has had auditionees participate in an entire day of dancing. “It’s pretty different not to be able to see people learn choreographies and dance in real time,” Ahola said.
For a cappella groups, holding auditions, even in a virtual format, is nearly impossible due to Tufts’ decision to prohibit singing on campus, even when alone in one’s dorm room. For the Jackson Jills, Tufts’ oldest all-femme a cappella group, this was a tough blow. “Since the university banned singing in our dorm rooms, we can’t host virtual auditions or auditions whatsoever,” Miley Xiao, a senior and president of the Jackson Jills, said. Even though the Jills can’t hold auditions, Xiao said the group is still working on recruiting interested students for the future, when auditions will be possible. The Jills shared an interest form and hosted a virtual table at the student organization fair. Despite the decisions of the Jackson Jills and other a cappella groups on campus to hold off on auditions for now, Shir Appeal, Tufts’ Jewish mixed-gender a cappella group, has decided to forge ahead. Max Price, a junior, is Shir Appeal’s music director and oversees the group’s audition process. Shir Appeal had a creative idea to get around Tufts’ regulation on singing without breaking any technical rules. “If people were on campus, they [went] off campus
to Zoom into an audition outside, social-distanced, wearing a mask, to comply with all the Tufts guidelines in the best way possible,” Price said. Price said the process went fairly smoothly, and that they have inducted three new members into the group. He said Shir Appeal understood and respected other groups’ decisions to delay auditions, but they ultimately decided that holding auditions, albeit in this different way, was best for them. “Our number one priority is the maintenance of the group and making sure it outlives us, and so it was definitely important to us to have a new generation of people joining Shir Appeal,” Price said. HYPE Mimez, the only award-winning collegiate mime troupe in New England, is planning to hold auditions as it typically would. “We’re going to be having auditions just like normal in person,” Ruth Greenfield, a returning member of HYPE Mimez, said. There will only be three people — two returning members and the auditionee — in the room at a time, and masks will be worn to comply with Tufts’ guidelines, Greenfield, a sophomore, said.
“Our plan is to sit a couple rows back, so we’ll be maintaining distance,” Greenfield said. Like HYPE Mimez, Cheap Sox will be holding in-person auditions. Cheap Sox, an improv group, has six returning members and is planning to accept two or three new ones. “We’re hoping to maybe put up a tent and have them do what they’d normally do, just keeping social distance,” Tessa Abedon, a senior and co-captain, said. Both HYPE Mimez and Cheap Sox will remain with under 10 members, which allows them to practice together in person, a privilege that larger dance and a cappella groups don’t have. Going through the process of gaining new members is crucial to the future success of all of these performance groups. For instance, at the end of this school year, the Jackson Jills will have many fewer members than they’d like to have because they weren’t able to hold auditions this fall. “That will leave us with seven girls after we graduate, so that’s a little concerning because that’s not a lot of people,” Xiao said. As a result, they are actively recruiting students and hoping to keep their interest. If the singing band remains for the spring semester, the group is planning to hold virtual auditions over
winter break, when students are home and the rule won’t apply. Although these various different kinds of auditions aren’t ideal, they do have some positives, according to Ahola. “These virtual auditions give people the chance to really think over the choreography and work on it, and then decide what else they can bring to it, which we really value,” Ahola said. Regardless of how groups are handling the audition and recruitment process, a common challenge is staying connected as a group during this time, especially because in-person performances, usually highlights of the semester, will likely not be happening. “We have been scheduling social distance hangouts between current members of the group and new members, just so that we can sort of get to know each other. Like I said, community is the big thing here,” Price said. Despite the many obstacles and challenges performance groups have to work around, these students will take any chance they get to continue doing what they love. “Sarabande really helps balance out the stress of our academic classes so we just wanted to keep going and have this creative outlet,” Ahola said.
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THE TUFTS DAILY | Features | Monday, October 5, 2020
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TCRC addresses the importance of community-centered research
NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Barnum Hall is pictured on Oct. 1. by Colin Kennedy Staff Writer
Within the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life exists a unique collection of professors, community organizers and students who gather through the Tisch College Community Research Center (TCRC). The TCRC’s approach to research involves the community being studied in all aspects of the research. David Gibbs, executive director of the Community Action Agency of Somerville and a member of the TCRC Steering Committee, discussed how typical approaches in academia and research are often too removed from the people they are studying. “It’s very much an outsider looking at and making judgments about a community,” Gibbs said. “Community-centered research turns that inside out and says, you know, let’s study ourselves. What are the questions that matter to us as a community? And let’s work together to find those answers.” Gibbs discussed a project that featured his organization, the Community Action Committee of Somerville, which is an anti-poverty organization that does work across the city. “We were approached by Laurie Goldman, a professor at Tufts, and she wanted to look at questions of displacement … and talk about our study of how people were being displaced from their homes as a result of gentrification.” According to Gibbs, the project exemplified the difference between traditional academia and the community-centered research of TCRC because it relied on partnerships with com-
munity organizers and local residents to collect data. “A traditional academic approach might be to study city tax records and land records and draw conclusions from that data,” Gibbs said. “[Goldman’s] approach was to put together a group of community organizations and local residents to come up with a set of questions, a survey tool, and then to fund local people to go around and administer that survey tool to their friends and neighbors.” Gibbs spoke to the importance of involving the community in that research project and how it added value to the study. “There was an opportunity for people to share their stories directly about how gentrification was affecting them,” Gibbs said. “We certainly got hard data on the numbers of people having to move … but we also got the surrounding human element of it much more richly than I think we would have otherwise.” Elaine Donnelly, director of the TCRC, discussed the history and the scope of the TCRC, which first started awarding grants in the 2008–09 academic year. The center has given out nearly $250,000 in grants since then, according to Donnelly. “[The grants] go to projects that are co-led by community partners, faculty and students, predominantly in our neighboring communities, such as Somerville, Medford, Chinatown, Boston Fenway and in the Grafton-Worcester area,” Donnelly said. Donnelly also spoke to the role of students in TCRC. This semester TCRC awarded three “micro” grants to students who are studying working on early STEM education, disparities in
end-of-life care and learning with formerly incarcerated individuals. Students held a Zoom presentation over the summer on the lessons learned from their community-centered research. Donnelly discussed this summer’s student presentation and the importance of student research. “This summer, we piloted the presentation of student research projects over Zoom,” Donnelly said. “[We wanted] to raise the visibility of this community-engaged research of students. And at this time, we wanted to highlight that research itself is a kind of activism where people are really engaged and want to make change. Research is not always in the lab, it’s in the world.” She continued by saying that the TCRC wants to attract more students who are already engaged or want to be engaged in community-centered research. “We’re looking … to have monthly sessions with a student moderator and student presentations that focus on community research. We want to raise the visibility of it and get students thinking about research, particularly when they’re earlier on [in] their college career,” Donnelly said. According to Donnelly, the TCRC is also different from other community-centered research projects at other universities because it attempts to create lasting connections with communities through an institutional framework, instead of solely relying on individual relationships. “There is a lot of good community-based participatory research [at other universities]. But generally, it’s on more of an individual basis, where you have faculty partners and community partners who have developed
these long-term relationships,” Donnelly said. “TCRC is trying to build infrastructure around that, instead of it being individual and ad hoc.” Donnelly continued by describing the process for giving out seed grants and the role of the Steering Committee, which facilitates faculty and community partnerships to produce community-centered research. “Each seed grant requires a Tufts faculty member, and we go through every single department for interested faculty … The other key piece is the community partner,” Donnelly said. “We have a director of community partnerships, a person who has extensive connections … throughout Eastern Massachusetts. We leveraged her connections as well as our Steering Committee, which is about 15 people, half of which are community partners.” Penn Loh, a member of the Steering Committee and a professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, discussed how he became involved with the TCRC as a community organizer. “I was on the community side before coming to teach. I was the director of a community-based environmental justice organization based in Roxbury for about 13 years and did a lot of work with different universities,” Loh said. Loh described some of the issues with university and community partnerships that he experienced while part of the Roxbury environmental justice organization. According to Loh, some of the issues were related to the way the institution is set up. “Students have courses they have to take, and they’re on a semester schedule. They might do something really awesome
with you for a semester, and then they’re gone … Or they come and do a project with you in the summer, and then they turn over,” Loh said. Loh also described issues that would arise because of the way the research is funded and the disconnect between universities and community organizations. “So many universities that would call us up and say, ‘Hey, we need a community partner for this grant that we’re going for. It’s due next week, would you like to partner?’” Loh said. “I always said to them, ‘Unless I already know you, and we already have a working relationship, why don’t we just have a meeting to get to know each other first.’ Unfortunately, the folks who called with that in mind never called back. But … Tufts was always different.” According to Loh, TCRC is an organization that tries to avoid these issues by bringing together students, professors and community organizers. He spoke to his experience on the Steering Committee, which allows people to build relationships with each other. “Being part of the Steering Committee means that I’m not just working with people in my own department. I’m getting to meet people who are working across all the different schools as well as students on our Steering Committee. We also are getting to know all kinds of community partners,” Loh said. Loh discussed how his relationship with TCRC has incentivized him to stay at Tufts. “Part of the reason I’m at Tufts and have stayed for so long, is because I’ve had an opportunity at Tufts to really create the kind of university partner that I always wanted when I was on the community side,” Loh said.
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Monday, October 5, 2020
Kiniwe: ‘Are you ready?’ by Megan Szostak
Executive Arts Editor
In semesters past, those who have found themselves on the ground floor of the Granoff Music Center will likely have heard the entrancing rhythms of Kiniwe, the African music and dance ensemble of the Tufts music department. Taught and directed by Professor Emmanuel Attah Poku, Kiniwe is a course offered to Tufts students who are interested in learning about and participating in the traditional music, drumming and dancing of Ghana. Poku, an esteemed master drummer from the Ashanti region of Ghana, was born and raised at the Ashanti king’s palace and has led a musical life; he was 5 years old when he began training with his grandfather, and learned music primarily by ear. “My grandparents, they’d demonstrate, and then you’d have to do the same. They’d ask ‘Hey, I’m gonna play. Can you play this
for me?’ So I got it from them,” Poku said. West African music is seldom — if ever — notated, which Poku explained makes it difficult for musicians with different backgrounds to become accustomed to the tradition of playing by ear. “[Traditionally] we learn music by our ears. People here learn music by notation… [In Kiniwe], we are learning it in two ways: the traditional, which is how the Ghanaian people do it, and also how people do it here,” he said. This strategy allows students to understand the music more deeply. Kimani Bishop, a second-year graduate student studying ethnomusicology who is holding the position of teaching assistant for Kiniwe for the third semester, explained that despite coming from what he describes as a “somewhat West African tradition,” Kiniwe has been a new and illuminating experience. “I was born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, and my musical background is steel pan and soca calypso music, which is like a com-
ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Granoff Music Center is pictured on Aug. 28. bination of West African music and Caribbean music,” Bishop said. “At first [Kiniwe] was somewhat, believe it or not, kind of foreign [to me], although there are connections with calypso music and West African music in Ghana … It didn’t come as easily, at least at first, to me,” he said. Trying to adapt and get that in order to perform my duties as a TA was challenging. But eventually I developed that skill. Once I got
it, I just fell deeper in love with it and I wanted to learn more.” Bishop shared that working with Professor Poku has allowed him to learn a great deal about the diversity and depth of West African culture. Although Poku is from the Ashanti region of Ghana, Kiniwe performs music and dance from all 16 regions of Ghana. The term “Kiniwe” is a word from the Voltarian people’s language, which is one of 49 in Ghana.
“Kiniwe means ‘Are you ready?’ And then you have to respond with ‘ya,’ which means ‘yes, we are ready,’” Poku said. Kiniwe is an integral part of the music department, and is a large (and growing) community. According to Poku, the ensemble has even traveled to other locations in Massachusetts such as Worcester to perform at special events, in addition to holding regular concerts on campus. “[Kiniwe] is becoming very popular and I hope it continues to grow and become more popular, and that opportunities can be opened to Professor Poku to expand,” Bishop said. “It would be very good for the Tufts and Boston communities.” Bishop also expressed that his connection to and passion for Kiniwe has been steadily growing since he began his involvement with the ensemble. “The more I learn, the more I understand and the more I understand, the more I want,” he said. “So far it’s been an unquenchable desire.”
Leadership of Comic Relief, TFL speak on importance of representation in comedy by Stephanie Hoechst Arts Editor
In the past five years, Comic Relief, a comedy group for students of color, and TFL, a comedy group for marginalized gender identities in comedy, have emerged as a way to provide a space for traditionally underrepresented voices in comedy. According to junior Alex Soo, TFL was formed in 2016 from conversations in a group chat of women in existing comedy groups who felt they weren’t being properly represented in the comedy spaces at Tufts. In the fall of 2018, Trina Sanyal, a senior, started Comic Relief after a number of conversations in the Women’s Center about her frustration with the majority-white spaces of existing comedy groups. TFL was originally formed as Tufts Funny Ladies, but its name was abbreviated so as to include all non-cisgender male gender identities. “I just think back to when we’re doing our club fair, and every single non-cis male that passes, we talk to them, and they’re like, ‘Oh, I’m not funny.’ And so many of them say, ‘I’m not funny,’ which is so so sad, because I feel like we’re just taught that we’re not funny,” Soo said, speaking on her experience with recruitment for TFL. Sanyal echoed similar sentiments. “In most of the [comedy] spaces I felt very much like I was speaking into a little bit of a void because I felt it was hard for the writers’ room to reflect the writing that was happening, and it was hard to get critiques of my work or have the courage to present work in majority-white spaces … I ended up feeling like I didn’t really have a voice,” she said. “My goal was to make it as accessible as possible, so it wouldn’t have
KYLE LUI / THE TUFTS DAILY ARCHIVES
‘Comic Relief’ is pictured at its first show on Mar. 8, 2019. anything to do with auditions or experience, because I knew that a lot of people were really funny but just hadn’t been given the platform or the chance,” Sanyal said. Neither Comic Relief nor TFL hold auditions so as to make their groups feel more welcoming to people who may not be as confident about their skills in comedy. Since then, both clubs have become full-fledged performance groups dedicated to providing spaces for people to share their stories outside of traditionally white cisgender male spaces. “Comedy is a traditionally cis male space, and I don’t think it’s malicious, but when it is a lot of cis guys they do tend to be quite loud and to dominate the room,” junior Anne Savage, one of the other leaders of TFL, said. “I feel like when you’re in a space that is meant for
people who haven’t traditionally been the face of comedy that you do have more of an opportunity to speak, and it is more democratic and frankly fun.” Sanyal shared similar thoughts: “I also feel like white men do speak loudly, and so they just speak over people a lot of the time, and that kind of humor is valued in a really specific way. But I think that all of the people I’ve met through Comic Relief are just so funny because they are so brilliant, because everyone has such a specific experience and also nobody is trying to talk over anybody else.” Soo, Savage, Sanyal and senior Campbell Simmons, another member of Comic Relief, all spoke to the importance of spaces like TFL and Comic Relief to encourage newer and more thoughtful kinds of comedy that come from having people
in marginalized identities speak on their experiences. “I definitely think we have a certain slant to our comedy, and it’s not supposed to be shock humor, but it’s more thoughtful and intentional … and maybe a way to address issues or aspects of certain people’s lives that they wouldn’t normally get to address,” Savage said. Soo echoed this idea: “So many jokes have been done about the same things and people just use the same things but we really push to think critically about a topic so the humor is fresh and meaningful.” Simmons said, “There is something about making light of the enormous amount of s--- that you have to deal with as a person of color that is so powerful … being able to take those experiences and turn them on their head is so gratifying, and it just makes you feel like,
‘You know what? People can say whatever the f--- they want to me because I will laugh at them and I will get a whole audience of people to laugh at them.’” Soo said that her personal experience with comedy had been incredibly gratifying as well. “Doing stand-up for the first time was really empowering for me, especially since I had just gone through a breakup, so I channeled my breakup into my stand-up and had everyone laughing along with me, and also having it be such a success and being supported every step of the way — it was a great experience.” Both groups stressed how comedy can be such a useful tool for coping with the seriousness of the current times. “Stand-up comedy is so important for catharsis in this time and a way to survive in this time because there are so many heavy topics, and I think you can still talk about them comedically, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to do it,” Soo said. Sanyal said, “I think a lot of the narratives around diversity and marginalized students have been about all of the ways in which we suffer at Tufts, which is super valid and all very true … but I think I always find it a little more livening to focus on the ways that I can find joy in all of my identities, so it’s definitely given me the confidence, and that’s one of the reasons why I think it’s important, because it’s also important to focus on what makes us laugh.” Comic Relief and TFL are still operating this semester, and both groups continue to encourage interested students to reach out about joining. As Sanyal said, “Anyone can write, and everyone is funny because everyone has perspectives.”
THE TUFTS DAILY | Arts & Pop Culture | Monday, October 5, 2020
Maeve Hagerty Maeve’s Music Mondays
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British rock is the best
t was a few weeks ago, as I scrolled through my various, carefully curated, rock ’n’ roll Spotify playlists, that I realized I almost exclusively listen to British rock. This was rather striking to me because I would consider myself to be a rock ’n’ roll fanatic and because the genre was originally pioneered by Americans. Though there are some notable exceptions to my unfounded British rock obsession (such as Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, Fleetwood Mac, etc.), there is a far larger British influence in the genre to which I find myself gravitating. But why? Honestly — why? The British rock invasion of the 1960s, heralded by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, among others, and everything that followed, became one of my favorite music periods by pure quality and coincidence. There’s something about the soaring guitar solos from Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, and the psychedelic experimental rock vibes of Pink Floyd’s airy lyrics and saxophone riffs that get me every time. The Kinks tell us to “Give the People What They Want” (1981), and the Smiths’ Morissey croons about how heavenly it would be “if a double-decker bus crashes into us.” Maybe it’s the ingenuity that has impressed me so thoroughly. Elton John needs no introduction, and neither do the Beatles nor David Bowie. Queen and the Rolling Stones have written some of the most unforgettable songs in history, and the Eurythmics’ dance-rock synthetic strings pair perfectly with Annie Lennox’s rich vocals. I could talk for hours about these artists, but instead I’ll quickly dive into a few of my favorites. Despite their often satanic messaging, Black Sabbath has produced some of my favorite guitar and bass riffs as pioneers of heavy metal. The warbling bass guitar intro for “N.I.B.” (1970) is an authoritative spotlight for the often-overlooked instrument. Joy Division’s post-punk style, especially in “She’s Lost Control” (1979), is perfect for head-bopping. Mumford & Sons’ modern folk-rock banjo and guitar melodies joined with Marcus Mumford’s rough voice are simultaneously nostalgic and angsty, as in “I Gave You All” (2009). The current, popular Arctic Monkeys are a refreshing mix of garage and indie rock, exemplified in the successful album “AM” (2013) (of which my favorite song is “I Wanna Be Yours” because “I wanna be your vacuum cleaner” is the best opening lyric to any song ever). But my all-time favorite is Led Zeppelin, though I must acknowledge controversy about their songwriting and some of their individual behaviors. Jimmy Page is one of my most beloved guitarists (second only to Jimi Hendrix), and the band’s combination of blues and hard rock is only slightly tempered by their massive egos. The lyrical guitar solo in “Achilles Last Stand” (1976) and John Paul Jones’ mandolin in “Going to California” (1971) are exemplary of the band’s talent and versatility. British rock is, to me, the best. It spans dozens of subgenres within rock ’n’ roll and each is heavy with intricacies. And more than that, it’s really, really catchy. So, until next week, happy listening!
Chinese fusion dance group Wuzee talks combining styles, building community
COURTESY KIRT THORNE
Wuzee, a Chinese fusion dance group, performs at the Parade of Nations on March 3, 2018. by Christopher Panella Arts Editor
Founded in 2014, Wuzee is a Chinese fusion dance group that strikes a balance between traditional Chinese dance styles and more Western contemporary styles. Its dances range “from very traditional Chinese/ethnic dances to ballet and hip-hop components,” senior and co-captain Claire Liu said. Liu explained that Wuzee’s fusing of various styles results in a celebration of culture and modernity, which is evident in the group’s history. Over the past six years, Wuzee has grown into a versatile and popular group. It hosted its first showcase in 2017 titled “Through the Looking Glass,” which was inspired by English author Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” series (1865– 71). Since then the group has performed at events like the International Club’s Parade of Nations and the Tufts Ballroom Team’s Winter Showcase. “We would have a showcase every year,” senior and co-captain Zihan Yu said, “and we had dance practices where each dance group would meet and practice once a week at least.” Wuzee’s social aspect looks similar to many other Tufts
clubs. Liu, who was social chair, explained that the group “[tries] to have whole team bondings” to build community among the members. She described a few events, including the group’s white elephant gift exchange in December. Wuzee also attempted a family structure in the group to build connection among members, but the group has noticed that dance bonding activities worked better. “Members meet with their dances and get a great opportunity to get to know them better,” Liu added. The group has seen strong membership and participation since growing from being a subgroup of the Tufts Chinese Student Association in 2016 — especially this past academic year. “We had 10 to 15 students,” Yu explained, “and this past year, we doubled that.” Wuzee’s increasing popularity could be attributed to many things — including increasing visibility at campus showcases and performances — but it’s truly a testament to their focus on welcoming dancers of any and all backgrounds and experiences. “We’re very open and we don’t hold auditions. And we encourage anyone who’s interested to join the group, so you don’t need to be Chinese or
have any sort of dance experience,” Liu elaborated. She says that most of Wuzee’s current members don’t have major dance experience and are taught by senior members, captains and other more experienced dancers. The dances themselves range in size, so there are plenty of opportunities for new members to get the spotlight and for senior members to show off. “Our big group dances, which usually the whole team does together, are led by coaches who choreograph them,” Liu said. And as for smaller dances, leaders are in charge of teaching the choreography to the team. While the team learns and practices, other members research costumes, music, design and other elements to make performances feel polished and exciting. But it’s ultimately a collaborative process to create and present the five to eight dances that Wuzee performs at its showcases. Wuzee’s collaborative spirit isn’t just felt in its creation process; the group regularly performs at other events, and has other groups perform at its own showcases. “They’re usually other cultural performance groups,” Yu said. “We’ve had Spirit of the Creative, Sarabande, Middle Eastern
Dance and Full Sound, the Chinese a cappella group.” Of course, Wuzee’s in-person work has changed thanks to COVID-19. “All of our dances have moved online,” Yu said, “and we did a virtual general interest meeting.” Like previous years, members sign up for the dances they want to participate in. But learning the dances — some of which are from last year — involves asynchronous tutorial videos and office hours for members to work individually on dances. Wuzee is also hosting a showcase this year, but it’s unclear whether or not it will occur in person or virtually. “We would probably do an online screening that’s synchronous and would involve people watching it and then giving feedback,” she added. Wuzee’s resilience to keep the group popular and engaging throughout COVID-19 is certainly admirable. The group’s focus is to adapt as best as possible for the current times and keep the group’s presence as an important intersection of cultural and artistic expression. “It’s a really welcoming group and such a place where we can have a really supportive and great community,” Liu said.
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Maeve Hagerty is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Maeve can be reached at maeve.hagerty@tufts.edu.
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Monday, October 5, 2020 | Fun & Games | THE TUFTS DAILY
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LATE NIGHT AT THE DAILY Rebecca: “Can I not be the late night every time? Can everyone else just get funnier?”
Fun & Games
SUDOKU
LINDA C. BLACK ASTROLOGY
Libra (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) An educational challenge presents obstacles. Illusions have faded, with truths revealed. Now you can see what you’re up against. Adapt plans and find another road.
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Friday’s Solution
CROSSWORD
8 Monday, October 5, 2020
Opinion
tuftsdaily.com
EDITORIAL
Tufts, prioritize community among first-year and transfer students During the past months, we returned to a campus very different from the one we left in March. In some ways, our community came back more united and resilient than ever; in others, we remain separated by screens and health precautions, and many are left isolated and disconnected from the Tufts community. This experience is amplified for first-year and transfer students, who must navigate an entirely new campus on top of the pandemic. In order to properly integrate these new members into our community, Tufts must facilitate safe social gatherings, increase accessibility to student organizations, revise orientation programs and fully support its new students. For first-year and transfer students living on campus, dorms provide a home base for attending online lectures, studying and spending time with friends. However, being confined to residential cohorts, while a safer alternative, can be isolating. Especially given that students spend more time in their living spaces, resident assistants must continue building community in these spaces by sponsoring socially distanced gatherings for cohorts, such as outdoor meals, walks to Davis Square and virtual bondings. In addition to residential halls, student organizations allow new students to meet like-minded individuals. However, virtual club meetings and recently implemented protocols, such as the prohibition of singing and playing wind instruments, pose significant barriers to forming relationships in these organizations. Joanna Strogatz, a first-year, hoped to join an a cappella group on campus this year. “I was really hoping to come in and meet people through those groups,” Strogatz said. Getting involved with student groups poses greater challenges for remote firstyears and transfers. Those in different time zones may face heightened barriers to attending general interest meetings, club meetings and bondings. Tufts students and administrators have also fallen short of fostering an inclusive and flexible extracurricular environment for remote firstyear and transfer students. In order to accommodate these students, Tufts administrators and student organization leaders must offer accessible
BY ANNABEL NIED alternatives for meeting and participating in student life. This could include offering alternative meeting times and recording virtual events. While necessary to foster community among first-years and transfers, it is important to consider the differences between these groups and the distinct resources they require. While both communities are new to Tufts, transfer students may feel particularly isolated as they enter an environment where their peers are already acquainted with Tufts’ cam-
pus. Due to these differences, some expressed concern with grouping first-years and transfers during Tufts’ virtual orientation. “The orientation was clearly catered for first years,” sophomore transfer Logan Chin told the Daily. “There was nothing specifically for transfer students to help us get oriented once we got here.” Instead of impersonal, grouped orientation sessions, Tufts should offer transfer students a comprehensive guide tailored to their needs. Tufts
must revise its orientation programs to account for differences among new students and include relationship-building techniques that facilitate interpersonal connections before coming to campus. During this semester, residential directors, Tufts administrators and resident assistants must continue fostering connections and ensure that residential cohorts welcome transfer students into the Tufts community. Additionally, Tufts could develop a mentoring program in which older
transfer students offer advice and moral support to younger transfers, similar to programs at Boston University and University of California, Santa Barbara. First-year and transfer students are vital to Tufts; they offer perspectives essential to the growth of our community. It is crucial that we make an active effort to support these students as they navigate both the adversity and excitement of uncovering what the Hill has to offer, now and for years to come.
The Tufts Daily is a nonprofit, independent newspaper, published Monday through Friday during the academic year, and distributed free to the Tufts community. The content of letters, advertisements, signed columns, cartoons and graphics does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Tufts Daily editorial board. EDITORIALS Editorials represent the position of The Tufts Daily. Individual editors are not necessarily responsible for, or in agreement with, the policies and editorials of The Tufts Daily. OP-EDS The Op-Ed section of The Tufts Daily, an open forum for campus editorial commentary, is printed Monday through Thursday. The Daily welcomes submissions from all members of the Tufts community; the opinions expressed in the Op-Ed section do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Daily itself. Opinion articles on campus, national and international issues should be 600 to 1,200 words in length and submitted to opinion@tuftsdaily.com. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, space and length. All material is subject to editorial discretion and is not guaranteed to appear in the Daily. Authors must submit their telephone numbers and day-of availability for editing questions. ADVERTISING All advertising copy is subject to the approval of the Editor in Chief, Executive Board and Business Director.
Op i n i o n
Monday, October 5, 2020 | Opinion | THE TUFTS DAILY
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF
What makes Tufts a community for you? “What makes Tufts a community for you?” When I think about my answer to this question, my mind immediately goes back to about a year ago, when members of Tufts and its surrounding neighbors came together to gather on the Academic Quad for our annual Tufts Community Day. I remember watching a variety of our talented student groups perform, taking pictures with Jumbo to send to my mom and talking to dining workers I recognized who came out to celebrate our Tufts community. My dad had traveled to spend the weekend with me, and as we sat down to find a table to eat our delicious Dewick-style burgers, we started talking to a couple who was living in the Medford area. The couple told us about how when they moved to Medford over 40 years ago, Tufts was tiny. In the years that followed,
they saw an enormous growth of both the landscape and the community of the school. As they told their stories, I understood that the Tufts community extends far past the boundaries of our campus. Locally, nationally and globally, the impact that Jumbos have is expressed through our countless stories and experiences. In this issue, we tell just a few of the many stories of how members of the Jumbo family have found community at Tufts. By no means are the stories told in this issue meant to be all-encompassing — everyone at Tufts has a unique experience, and it is the duty of any student newspaper to capture these stories today and every day. Rather, this issue is an invitation to reflect upon how we can continue to foster community even when we can’t see each other face to face. Thoughtful inclusivity is particularly cru-
cial for our first-years, transfer students and students studying remotely. With this in mind, for the rest of the semester, the Daily invites our readers to submit a Letter to the Editor answering the following prompt: “What makes Tufts a community for you?” Letters to the Editor, which are traditionally 150–300 words long, are a great way to use your voice to openly respond to content in the Daily. Our hope is that with your responses to the prompt, not only will we get to capture community in a unique way, but someone who may be searching for community at Tufts may be able to find it too. As for me, I’ve found a caring and supportive community at the Daily. Coming into college, I barely understood what a newspaper was comprised of, thinking even less that I’d ever be a part of one. So when one of the members of the managing
board warmly welcomed me to the Daily and asked which section I’d like to be a part of, I committed to the first section that came into my head: “Sports!” Looking back at it, my spurof-the-moment decision to join the Sports (or as we like to call it, “Sprots”) section was one of the best ones I could have made as a first-year. I have my executive sports editor at the time, YJ Chee, to thank for that. He accompanied me to my first interviews, giving me notes afterward, and some of my favorite memories at Tufts involve going to women’s basketball games together. To this day, I still have a copy of every paper I’ve written in for Sports, and the Sports section Rookie of the Semester Award that I received during cocktails of my first year hangs proudly on my wall. As time has gone by, the Daily has been a place where I’ve found community time
and time again from a variety of people. From watching 49ers games in the basement of Curtis Hall to celebrating our 40th anniversary with our network of devoted alumni, the support I’ve received from the Daily has empowered me and inspired me with memories I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. For that, I am grateful, and I welcome anybody who would like to find community at the Daily to reach out at any time. Finally, if you’re someone who’s looking for community on campus, I suggest reaching out to any of the leaders of our 300+ clubs. The great thing about Tufts is that no matter what, there’s always a place for you, and the people you’ll meet here are eager to welcome you home. — Alex Viveros, Editor in Chief Editor’s note: To submit a Letter to the Editor, email opinion@tuftsdaily.com.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
The Tufts Daily offers civic, empathetic community Watching from the short distance of a recent graduate, I have been heartened by the strength, resolve and innovation within the Daily community. As the pandemic rages on, the Daily has found a way to thrive. I believe it is one of the brightest lights upon the Tufts Hill.
The Daily is made up of a unique set of individuals all committed to the highest quality of journalism. At the Daily, you’ll find first-years taking on rigorous projects and upperclassmen willing to help; you’ll find chemistry majors, architecture majors, many political science majors and a whole lot
of others. I met so many people at the Daily that I would have never otherwise met. The friendships made at the Daily enrich students’ social lives well beyond graduation. Yet the Daily was not established for itself alone; it is an active, outward-facing community. The Daily’s mission is
to keep the Tufts community informed and to speak truth to power. It did a stellar job showing the links of Tufts to the Sackler family and Purdue Pharmaceuticals and have kept the community updated on COVID-19, to name just a few things. This is a place where civic engagement and
participation in the Tufts community begins. As Tufts tries to create a new normal, I believe the Daily is a model for what an exceptional community can be. I know the Daily will continue to surprise me as time progresses. — Aidan Menchaca, Class of 2020
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THE TUFTS DAILY | PHOTO | Monday, October 5, 2020
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Photos on the Hill — Week of Oct. 5
PHOTO CREDIT (LEFT TO RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM): ZOE GARDERET / THE TUFTS DAILY; NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY; NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY; LYDIA RICHARDSON / THE TUFTS DAILY; NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY; ANN MARIE BURKE / THE TUFTS DAILY; NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY
Sp o r t s
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With an 8-year, 225–25 record, women’s basketball builds champions BASKETBALL
continued from back of our success over the years,” Briggs said. “A lot of the alumni have left a tremendous legacy that we’ve all tried to build upon.” Being one of the smaller teams on campus allows for the basketball team to build close relationships with one another from the minute the first-years step on campus. “Being on the basketball team, it’s really awesome. Being an athlete in general, it’s awesome. You have an automatic group of friends and for me, the basketball team was really inclusive and welcoming,” Rosa said. “I felt like
I had a family coming into Tufts, so that was really reassuring to have a group of people that you could count on already even though you barely knew them.” Butler added, “It was definitely really awesome to come in with a group of people that had similar interests and being able to interact with the older girls who had experience at Tufts and were able to guide me through my first year here was really awesome. I think that I benefited a lot from coming into a community that was already established.” In addition to their own team, the players also note how the greater athletic community at
Tufts has played a big role in their overall college experience. “The unique thing about being a part of a team is you are a part of something greater than yourself, and it’s a really awesome experience,” said Briggs. “I think the athletic community at Tufts is super supportive of other teams. A lot of us are always going to different sports games and supporting our friends, which is really awesome to see.” When asked about their favorite part of being on the Tufts women’s basketball team, the players credited their teammates as well as the ability to compete at a high level.
“They are my best friends, they’re my family here, they’ve made me feel welcome,” Rosa said. “It’s really awesome to be able to play at such a high level with your best friends and go through all of these experiences with them. Playing at such a high level with your best friends is something that you’ll always remember and that’s what’s been super special for me about this team.” These relationships with teammates translate to both on and off the court, whether that be in the classroom, living together or simply supporting each other. “I’ve met my best friends through Tufts athletics and Tufts
basketball,” Butler said. “A lot of my favorite experiences here have been connected to Tufts basketball and Tufts athletics, so it’s definitely been really enriching for me. It’s great to have a support system away from home where I feel like I can turn to any one of my teammates if I need something, and that’s definitely been super comforting.” Briggs said, “My favorite part is just competing with my teammates day in and day out and hopefully winning championships, but I think also just seeing them around campus and getting together — those are definitely moments I don’t take for granted.”
The University Chaplaincy is here for you. Contact a chaplain if you have something on your heart or mind.
Each chaplain and advisor on our multifaith team is trained to be a confidential, affirming, supportive presence to any member of the Tufts community. We offer our services to everyone, regardless of religious or philosophical worldviews.
The Reverend Elyse Nelson Winger University Chaplain
Imam Abdul-Malik Merchant Muslim Chaplain
Azmera Hammouri-Davis Africana Spirituality Advisor
The Reverend Dan Bell Protestant Chaplain
Lynn Cooper Catholic Chaplain
Rabbi Naftali Brawer Jewish Chaplain
The Venerable Priya Sraman Buddhist Chaplain
Preeta Banerjee Hindu Advisor
Walker Bristol Humanist Chaplain
We are available for pastoral care, grief counseling, and just to check in. Chaplains offer space for compassionate, non-judgmental listening, as well as guidance around questions of meaning and theology. You can schedule with a chaplain by contacting them directly. The QR code below brings you to the University Chaplaincy Contact page to find their email address. If you don’t have a preference, you can be connected with a chaplain by e-mailing chaplaincy@tufts.edu.
Take good care, we will be here.
Contact a Chaplain
Sports
12 Monday, October 5, 2020
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Women’s basketball on building culture of winning, competition, family by Ananda Kao Sports Editor
Boasting an impressive 225–25 record over the last eight seasons, the Tufts women’s basketball team has successfully cultivated a culture and community that breeds winning. However, the players note that the culture of the team is centered around family and playing for one another even more than it is centered around winning. “We’re always extremely loud in practice, in lift, in any aspect and just cheering each other on,” senior guard/forward Emily Briggs said. “I think you see that in our alumni, too. They’re always coming back to support us, always coming to our games and they’re always willing to lend a helping hand in terms of our careers post-Tufts.” Even with a coaching change last season, the team did not lose its stride, finishing the regular season undefeated and coming up just short in the NESCAC finals. Despite the postseason being cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team was on track to make a deep run in the NCAA playoffs.
COURTESY DONALD MEGERLEV
The 2019–20 Tufts women’s basketball team is pictured. “Around basketball, we’re super competitive, we play for one another, which is the best part,” junior guard Sofia Rosa said. “On the court we have a lot of fun, and that’s part of the reason why we’re such a good team.”
Senior forward Katie Butler added, “Our team is definitely a team that likes to have fun and we enjoy each other’s presence, but we have a good balance between seriousness and having fun playing basketball. I think that a lot of teams are special in that regard at
Tufts — we have fun together, we enjoy each other’s presence, but we also know when to focus on the task at hand.” Players credit previous coach Carla Berube for building this team culture as well as new head coach Jill Pace for con-
tinuing it and further instilling it in her team. “Coach Berube and now coach Pace instilled this culture of just competing, winning and teamwork, and that’s definitely been a big part see BASKETBALL, page 11
Community, strength, endurance on Tufts Marathon Team by Arpan Barua
Assistant Sports Editor
As the sun rises on a brisk New England morning, the streets of Packard Avenue and Professors Row are sound asleep. The streets are hallowed, empty and serene. The only audible sound is that of sneakers of the Tufts Marathon Team hitting the pavement. While the rest of us were fast asleep on Sunday mornings, there was a special herd of Jumbos who were not only awake, but also pushing themselves to the extreme of physical endurance. The Tufts Marathon Team, a club sports organization, used to meet three mornings a week to run. This is a community of Jumbos whose love for running pushes them forward with every step. The club is comprised of undergraduate students, graduate students, Ph.D. candidates, professors and other faculty members — even former University President Lawrence Bacow attended practices. However, what distinguishes this club is its training for the local Boston Marathon. This unique opportunity allows 50 members of the Tufts community to take part in this special event each year. Members do not need to qualify for the race, which is often a process that is incredibly difficult because of the intense competition surrounding the race. “It’s a once and a lifetime opportunity,” junior AJ Pandina said. However, it isn’t the Boston Marathon that brings this extraordinary group of athletes together: it is the magnetic connection among the team members which enables them to pull together in the mornings, with each mile bringing them closer together. “The best thing about running is that it’s a really social thing. It’s the people
COURTESY AJ PANDINA
The Tufts Marathon Team is pictured. that make you want to come back, even though the practices are so early,” sophomore Rayn Schnell said. Director of the Tufts University President’s Marathon Challenge Don Megerle, more commonly known as coach Don, remains the centerpiece of this community. He is one of the reasons so many find their motivation in running. Megerle is known as a man full of exuberance, life and selflessness, with an infectious spirit felt by every member of the team. “Coach Don is absolutely the best. He is in my corner 100%. He believes in me,” sophomore Sam Schrage said. “There is something about running alongside someone, enduring that pain together. You may not know the person next to you, but you feel that connection that we’re in this together,” Strich said.
The Tufts Marathon Team is a testament to the power of shared passions, endurance, pain and satisfaction. There is nothing like it, and it is clear that this is a group encapsulating the most extraordinary feats of human emotion. Of course, with the rest of the world, the Tufts Marathon Team came to a halt in March due to COVID-19. The community was further apart, the intricacies of running as a group were lost and numerous events were cancelled. Members who did not receive one of the 50 bibs for the Boston Marathon were set to participate in the Providence half marathon which was also cancelled. The cancellation of both races was devastating; however, knowing the seniors had lost the event they had worked toward for years was an even tougher fact to deal with.
“It’s a four-year thing that you work for. That last practice was incredibly tough to go to,” sophomore Elli Sol Strich said. Much like the rest of us, the team’s running world was confined to isolation, with marathons done virtually. Despite the challenges, members of the team found many ways to keep pursuing their passions. Through coach Don’s exuberant emails and use of the app Strava, a social media platform for runners, members of the Tufts Marathon Team found motivation to not let go of their passion for running. For Schnell, it was discomforting not having a goal to work towards, but the friendly competition helped her train and run harder. Their reliance on community was evident and served as a bedrock throughout the challenging times. However, the team’s philosophy of training has helped them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps the most personal perspective came from Strich and Schnell who emphasized how much sacrifice is required when running a marathon, as there is nothing glamorous about running long distance. “Running and life doesn’t always feel good,” Rayn said, “but knowing you’re working towards the right goal makes it all worth it.” It is perhaps these lessons that we must take as all of us, whether it be students or faculty, prepare for the next year of this reality. The team acknowledged that the run itself is never easy, that the strain that you put on your body is immense and at times unbearable. Yet, it was clear that there was one feeling they all shared: the satisfaction of finishing a race is unbeatable.