Photos from Homecoming â–ş Page 6
THE UMASS LOWELL
Serving the Student Body Since 1976
October 25, 2016
River Hawks dealt first defeat by Clarkson
In This Issue
Andrew Sciascia
‘Mafia III’ comes in average
â–ş Page 4
SWE opens doors for female engineers
â–ş Page 6 Volleyball picks up road conference win
George DeLuca/Connector
Connector Staff
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Final River Hawk Scores Team
Score
Overall Record
Field Hockey at New Hampshire
L 2-1
6-10
Hockey vs. Clarkson
L 4-3
3-1-2
Hockey vs. 12 St. Lawrence
W 5-2 3-0-2
Volleyball at Hartford
W 3-2
6-16
Problems flowing in Lowell canals Gabriel Bettencourt Connector Contributor
When the water levels of the Merrimack River in Lowell are at a high point, the Pawtucket Canal which stretches throughout the city is drained to prevent overflows. During this period, locals of the city and students at UMass Lowell witness the sight of the barren canal similar to its previous drainage: a wasteland of trash. Locals of Lowell say the scene looks like “a depressing sight to gaze upon� while UMass students echo their viewpoints and believe it should not be the hardest thing in the world to manage. Lori Weeden, a professor of the Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences department for UMass Lowell, has expressed similar feelings towards the canal’s appearance. “It makes me sad,� Weeden said. “It has such an amazing potential to be a beautiful waterway.� Each year, tons of trash finds their way into the canal either by act of nature or illegal dumping. Since the canal littering issue rose, the community has taken strides to organize volunteers to clean up parts of the canal. Carolyn Mecklenburg, stewardship and education manager of the Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust, has said how grateful the city of Lowell is for the work she and the organization has done preserving spots all
After a full three-period back and forth scoring bout, the UMass Lowell River Hawks fell 4-3 to the Clarkson University Golden Knights, not only suffering their first defeat of the season, but also their first regulation loss to Clarkson in their last 10 out-of-conference meetings. “It was a good hockey game. I thought we played good in the first period‌ But we made some critical errors at key times and they scored on the power play to win the game,â€? said UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin. The third period began with a score of two goals apiece, but ended with a decisive power play goal. The goal was scored by
Junior forward C.J. Smith (left) netted two goals Saturday night to bring his teamleading point total to 10. Smith also tied the team lead for goals on the season with four.
Clarkson University senior winger A.J. Fossen. Fossen’s second goal of the night, a tip in, came in the closing minutes of play off a slap shot from the point by James de Haas. Though the River Hawks desperately
fought to bring the game into overtime, their late period efforts were to no avail and their first loss was in the books. “I thought we were on our heels in the first period. That first goal really set us back. It kind of
â–ş See “Hockey,â€? page 7
Nintendo flips creative Switch Sarah Noone Connector Contributor
After months of speculation by gamers everywhere, Nintendo finally released the first trailer of their brand new game system: the Nintendo Switch. One of the most important things to make note of regarding this new console is its unique features. Instead of just a single console that can only be played on a TV, the Switch has on-the-go capability that makes it possible for gamers
to detach the system from the dock and play it anywhere. This is seen early on in the trailer, where a gamer is playing the new “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild� on a TV, when suddenly he detaches the remotes and plays it on the go using the tablet feature. This means the possibilities are endless for the Nintendo Switch. In such a busy world where people are always on the move, it will be exciting to have a system that can do everything in one.
â–ş See “Trash,â€? page 3
Sections News.............................3 Campus Life..................6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 7
got us back on our heels. They were phenomenal that first period,� said Clarkson University head coach Casey Jones. The first period was, for the most part, controlled by UMass Lowell.
Courtesy of Nintendo
“Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild� has been announced for the Switch.
One large question that the trailer for the Nintendo Switch poses is whether or not it replaces the Nintendo 3DS. It appears as though this console is fully portable, being able to play no matter how far away the player is from the television. Also, Nintendo is apparently switching from disks to cartridges, like the 3DS currently uses. This could open up a lot of opportunities for Nintendo. Could we see a “Pokemonâ€? game on the Nintendo Switch? There is a lot of buzz about the new game system going around the UMass Lowell campus ever since the release of the trailer. Alex Mauricio, a mechanical engineering major believes that the Nintendo Switch has a lot of potential due to the developers that have backed it. “The Switch has caught my interest. A lot of AAA developers have backed it, developers who in recent years only made games for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Now that makes me think that â–ş See “Switch,â€? page 5
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October 18, 2016
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
THE UMASS LOWELL
Twitter: @UMLConnector Serving the Student Body Since 1976
UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR
EDITORIAL BOARD COLE FITZGERALD Managing Editor
MARLON PITTER Editor-In-Chief
KATRINA DESROSIERS MICHAELA GOSS Copy Editors OPEN Web Manager GEORGE DELUCA Photo Editor ALEXA HYDE DAN RAFFERTY Social Media Managers OPEN Graphic Designer ELIZABETH WING Advertising Manager
OPEN Operations Manager
TAYLOR CARITO News Editor HANNAH MANNING Sports Editor SHANE FOLEY Campus Life Editor JEN DESROSIERS BRENDAN JACQUES Arts & Entertainment Editors ALEXANDER J. SALUCCO Multimedia Director JONATHAN SILVERMAN DAVID MCGRAW Advisers
Email | Connector@uml.edu Website | www.UMLConnector.com Phone | 978.934.5017 ext. 45017 Address | University Crossing, Room 241 220 Pawtucket St. Lowell, MA 01854 General: The UMass Lowell Connector is a non-profit student public forum serving the University of Massachusetts Lowell community. The paper is published weekly and distributed to the university community every Tuesday. Business hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be aware that members of the University community are entitled to free newspapers. Please take one! All UMass Lowell students, regardless of major, are invited to join the Connector staff. Interested students should contact an editor or manager listed above, or visit the Connector Office in University Crossing 241. Advertising: The UMass Lowell Connector advertisements reach an estimated 16,000 UMass Lowell students--their friends and families. To tap this group of
future high-income earners, contact our Advertising Manager at 934-5017. DEADLINE for ALL advertising (TO INCLUDE STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS and ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES OF THE UNIVERSITY) is Thursday, 12 p.m. for the following Tuesday’s publication. No exceptions will be made. Late submissions WILL NOT be accepted. Classified advertisements are free for students. The UMass Lowell Connector does not endorse, promote or encourage the purchase or sale of any product or service advertised in this publication. Advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The UMass Lowell Connector disclaims all liability for any damage suffered as the result of any advertisement in this newspaper. The UMass Lowell Connector reserves the right to refuse any advertising. Editorial: Letters to the editor must be less than 500 words in length and may be
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The Connector meets every Monday at 6 p.m. in University Crossing 241 in the Club Hub. All are welcome to join! submitted via campus mail, e-mail, or in person. All letters must bear the author’s name, relationship to the University and student body, and a phone number. The author may request to have any part of this information withheld, if published. Opinions expressed in individual columns, the Opinions Section, advertising, and/or features are those of the author, NOT of the Connector. The Opinions and Editorials section will not be edited in any way, to include spelling/grammar mistakes. Submission: The deadline for all submissions (to include Letters to the Editors and Opinions) is Friday at midnight for the following Tuesday’s publication. Submissions must be e-mailed to Marlon_Pitter@student.uml.edu, attached as a Word document (any version). Accompanying visuals must
be submitted separately; do NOT include graphics in Word file. All press releases, articles, advertisements, and photographs submitted become the property of The UMass Lowell Connector and will not be returned. The Connector reserves the right to edit or refuse all submissions for copy, content, and length. The Connector will make every effort to prevent inaccuracy, but assumes no responsibility for errors in advertisements or opinion letters. The Connector will reprint without charge any advertisement which is incorrect. Credit for errors are made only for first insertion.
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October 25, 2016
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NEWS Why bee species are dying more rapidly than ever Taylor Carito Connector Editor
As many people are aware, there has been a steep decline in bee populations all across the world. The certain bee species populations in Hawaii are so low, that on Sept. 30 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that seven species found in Hawaii are now on the endangered species list. With seven species now dwindling down to extinction, there is increasing concern for the future of all bees and awareness of their importance. The Hawaiian bee species becoming endangered is believed to be the first of many other species. “It wasn’t a surprise,” says John Hamblet, local beekeeper and Vice President of Merrimack Valley Beekeepers Association. “Honey bees have had a very difficult time over the last 20 years, and sooner or later, as a result of either climate change or [diseases and mites] that have been brought from overseas, something was gonna happen.” Hamblet believes there are
three forces that are making up for the majority of the bee population decline. The first being varroa mites, which are tiny mites that attach themselves to the bee’s joints on the exoskeleton. The mites inject viruses into the bees, but they are typically not harmful to the bee when attached. Where these mites become a driving force in population decline when the mites fall off the bee, they leave holes in the exoskeleton which leaves the bee exposed to all kinds of other viruses and diseases. The second driving force in dropping bee populations is a virus called Nosema Cerrona, originally from Asia. This virus causes bees to die within eight days of contact. Typically not a problem, but, due to the holes left from the verroa mites, more and more bees have died. The third and perhaps strongest contributor to the decline of bee population is a neuro-toxin used as a neuro-pesticide called neo-nicotinoids (neo-nics). “You take a kernel of corn, dip it in the neo-nic, and when it grows, it
grows inside the plant,” said Hamblet. When the bees go to pollinate the corn or other plant, the poison comes into contact with the bees and they bring it back to the hive. “Combine that. Now you’ve got poison in the hive, you’ve got holes in your body from the mites. It’s like taking a nicotine patch and putting it right on an open cut,” said Hamblet. According to Hamblet, with all these contributing factors combined, it leads to the theory of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This occurs when the majority of the worker bees fail to return to the hive. As a result, the queen as well as the other bees die. This can be due to several things, but Hamblet says that bees can only find their hives if they are in their exact location, but with a neo-nics affecting their brain function, many of them are unable to find their way back. Hamblet said bees provide many benefits to how we live today. The utmost important benefit is pollination. Through pollination, bees are
able to assist in the growth and spread of plants and are essential to their survival. Honey bees were brought over to America for the sole purpose of pollination. “The number one benefit is one out of three things you eat is the result of a bee pollinating them,” says Hamblet. “[Bees] provide us food.” Products from the hive such as beeswax, propolis and honey are extremely beneficial to people as well. Honey has many purposes, including being used to treat and remove radiation scars, and many other benefits. “There are all sorts of really wonderful things about natural honey,” says Hamblet. In regards to saving the bees, Hamblet has many tips to promote bee health and population. “Don’t use pesticides, find organic alternatives, plant bee-friendly plants. Bees need a variety of flowers (and the honey tastes better),”says Hamblet. It is really hard to pinpoint the number one cause of bee depopulation. Although theorized that pesticides and neo-
nics are a driving force, Bayer AG and other companies who produce neo-nics and pesticides have put thousands of dollars into supporting their claims that their products have any effect on bees. “They will deny to their last dying breath that neo-nicotinoids they create (synthetic nicotine) do anything harmful to bees,” says Hamblet, “France banned neo-nicotinoid usage last year, and in one year their bee population came back.” Despite the popular conception that all bees are steadily decline to distinction, in recent polls over the last two years they have discovered that the number of bee populations and hives has actually gone up. Human intervention and the increased number of beekeepers appear to be a driving force in keeping the bees alive, however, wild bees are still declining due to the factors that are making survival very difficult.
Trash in Lowell canals causing problems for entire city ►Continued from front page
over Lowell, including cleaning works such as the River Meadow Brook and the Concord River. She too felt the trash in the canal has deprived the beauty of the city at times. She even said how it has affected wildlife in the waters, mainly fishes. “Foreign objects are introduced into an ecosystem, it’s not going to be very helpful for the life that’s there,” says Mecklenberg. In addition, the trash taints the water in the canal making it undrinkable. Apart from the Lowell Parks and Conservation Trust, the Lowell Canalwa-
ters Cleaners, a non-profit organization established with local volunteers and students alike, take the time to go into the Lowell waters and extract as much debris from the rivers as possible yearly with much success as they post the results of the clean ups on the Facebook group and calls on the help of others to aid them in their mission to sanitize the waters of the canal. Unfortunately, just because people notice something is wrong, that does not mean they have the right to take the task on themselves, especially when it comes to legal territory. Boott Hydropower, LCC,
the company which privately owns the Pawtucket Canal, has never felt comfortable with volunteers cleaning the canal as mentioned in a letter written to the city in 2005 stating that they would no longer tolerate the efforts as Jonathan Dollard, Boott project manager, said, “Doing so will be considered trespassing and BHI will take appropriate action to prevent unsafe activities.” Despite the warning, the LCC continues to clean areas of the canal privately owned without any known charges against the group. Although the letter was written more
Taylor Carito/Connector
Trash and other waste pollute water in the canals of Lowell.
than a decade ago, it can still apply today as Prof. Weeden elaborated on the company’s viewpoint. “They’re more worried about the liability if somebody gets hurt.” Students and locals alike bring up a valid point that since the company owns the canal, they should bear the responsibility of maintaining it. Sadly, for the company, it’s easier said than done as there would be more to it than just climbing down and remove every piece of debris from the soil. It would involve a huge budget to drain the canal longer than the usual period and even if successful in extracting trash from the canal, it would have to be closely monitored to prevent more trash flowing in which is not fully guaranteed in the long run. Despite these shortcomings, the canal is much cleaner than it was 20 years ago and cleaning it even further would have positive benefits such as boosting the waters vividness, increase tourists activity and even increase enrollment at UMass Lowell just by the beautiful sight of these locations which Lowell has been remarkable for improving the appearance of such colorful
locations. Meklenburg sees the potential of improvement for the waters from a hopeful standpoint as does Prof. Weeden, seeing a possible collaboration with the support of UMass Lowell as well as the owner of the canal and local businesses as they could be the source to the solution. She also noted that it could take much time and patience for a large-scale cleaning to happen. She says “Until you have the buy-in of all of those groups, it makes a difficult process.” UMass Lowell also encourages students to get involved with local organizations to help with the beautification of the city. “I think there would be a lot of benefit both to the city and the university,” Weeden said, “It would attract more people to the school.” The issue has gone unnoticed to the general population, but when acknowledged does inspire change. More and more people are getting involved and are encouraging others to do the same. Many people are striving to make the canals cleaner and the city better.
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October 25, 2016
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Connector Contributor
An album comprised of funk, dance, indie pop, vaporwave and the 1980’s makes up Two Door Cinema Club’s (TDCC) “Gameshow.” The band’s third album has a slightly familiar feel to previous albums, but the listener can hear there is some progressive effort made. It almost feels as though TDCC was going to reinvent themselves on their third album, but did not fully commit. As a TDCC album, they do not completely throw out their style from previous releases “Beacon” and “Tourist History.” However, the album tries to be something it only partially achieves. The album’s title track, “Gameshow,” takes TDCC’s sound in a different direction not only from their previous two albums, but also from the album it has been released on. The song could be mistaken for a track by Cage the Elephant. There are guitars sputtering alongside a fed up Alex Trimble singing about being unwanted. This is one of the strongest songs on the album, however it is far different than the other songs. There is a semi-disco feel to this album, but most songs do not fully deliver this sound. “Fever,” including a catchy Bee Gees chorus mixed with a modern melody, almost achieves disco status, but fails to do so during the breakdown. “Are We Ready (Wreck),” the album’s lead single, tries to combine the bridge vocals with the chorus at the
end of the song. It does not quite work. Along with this fault, it also does not live up to the indie pop anthems their previous lead singles provided. “Bad Decisions” comments on the overuse of cellphones Courtesy of Parlophone
This is the band’s third album since their debut in 2010.
with the chant of “Generation Information,” but is overpowered by scattered, busy guitar solos. The
Connector Staff
The story of La Cosa Nostra, or the Italian Mob, has been a staple in classic American film since before the time most current students at UMass Lowell were even a thought. In recent decades, the trope has died out. People just do not care about the mafia anymore. The classic gangster story just does not sell the way it used to. Fans of the genre, however, were introduced this last week to the latest installment in a videogame series meant to pay homage to those classic American films like “The Godfather” or “Good Fellas.” The third installment in the 2K “Mafia” series is here, and for some it has been long awaited. Though the long-awaited “Mafia III” takes a new approach to the classic gangster story, and does so with a beautiful and strong narrative, the game itself just does not hold its water. “Mafia III” follows Lincoln Clay, a mixed-race male returning to the states after service in Vietnam. Lincoln was an orphan raised by a preacher in the racially charged city of New Bordeaux, Louisiana. Searching for family and respect, Lincoln enlists for Vietnam as a special forces operative. However, upon returning home he finds that the family of a childhood friend is having trouble with ties to the Haitian and Italian Mob in New Bordeaux. Witnessing a massive betrayal, the death of the only family he ever truly knew, Lincoln swears revenge. The rest of the story revolves around
Lincoln building his own mob family to overtake the Marcano family. The story of Lincoln Clay is positively stunning. Like previous installments in the series the narrative is not played out as it occurs, but presented in documentary format. Cut scenes consist of interviews, audio files and old tapes as you would see in any History channel documentary. The voice acting is stellar. Everyone in the cast provides their character a unique voice, style and motive. Everyone has an angle; everyone is driven and you come to know every character that is introduced to the point of truly caring what happens to them. Despite the story being a generic revenge tale, it sets itself apart from anything of its sort. It pays homage to greats like “The Godfather” with a character looking to prove himself and take care of his family after returning to the U.S. from a foreign war. The narrative struggles with southern racial tensions and the idea of family in a way most stories cannot. It is positively brilliant. Where the rubber hits the road? Not so brilliant. Starting with the low hanging fruit, the gameplay is stale. If you have played one sandbox, over the shoulder, third person shooter you have played them all. The gold standard is “Grand Theft Auto V.” Everything else is just noise, and this game happens to be adding to the noise. It does what your typical third person shooter does, but incredibly badly. The player cannot customize Lincoln in any way shape or form. There are no clothes,
Page 5
‘Westworld’ fascinates as HBO’s new thriller Kathryn Leeber Connector Staff
song exemplifies TDCC’s take on the 80’s, but it’s tiring to hear about instant gratification due to cell phones. Not living up to their previous works, TDCC does not produce a powerful single from the album. On their first album, the singles that launched the band into fame, “Something Good Can Work” and “What You Know,” were two anthems that pumped up the crowd at concerts and festivals. However, not all is lost from the sound that TDCC had created in the past. “Ordinary” has high stringed guitar melodies that can be found on previous albums. Three songs into the album, it begins similarly to Fleetwood Mac’s “Everywhere.” “Gameshow” is not like the previous TDCC releases. Compared to the band’s first two albums, it is, for the most part, slowed down. Songs do not have the pulsing beat that fans are used to. Fans will enjoy the A–side of the album. The indie-pop funk that the album’s main focus appears to be, sizzles out on the B-side. As a whole, “Gameshow” is not a failure. TDCC fans may be disappointed by the band’s attempt at a different route, however. The album may end on a strange, haunted merry-go-round inspired “Sucker,” but there are tracks on the album for all listeners. Listeners who enjoy indie pop and dance will find something to enjoy on TDCC’s hectic new album.
‘Mafia III’: A masterful story let down by gameplay Andrew Sciascia
UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
‘Gameshow’ doesn’t quite light up the world Christopher Romano
October 25, 2016
In the science fiction world, artificial intelligence never seems to work the way scientists want it to. This is true in HBO’s “Westworld,” the latest sci-fi hit revolving around lifelike robots that begin to deviate from their expected behavior. “Westworld” is based on the 1973 movie of the same name and has the same premise as the movie, just a bit more modern and expanded. Marketed as a technologically advanced theme park, it gives affluent clients the opportunity to transport themselves to an old western society where they can do absolutely anything they want. This society is filled with “hosts” which are robots designed and programmed by the geniuses behind Westworld. The hosts are programmed with various narratives that tell them what to say and how to interact with the “guests,” the real-life people placed in this world. At the end of the day, the hosts go to sleep and wake up to do it all over again. Ideally, when they wake up, the robots are supposed to have no memory of their previous days; everything seems new, and they repeat the phrases and storylines as they are programmed to. However, the central plot to “Westworld” is that some of these robots are actually starting to remember events and people from their past, causing them to become even more human-like, and possibly rebel against their creators. Dr. Robert Ford, played by Anthony Hopkins, is the intelligent mastermind behind Westworld. It is, however, his mistake in the programming that leads to many problems with the hosts.
One of the lead programmers, Bernard Lowe, played by Jeffery Wright, works diligently to fix it as he tries to cover for Dr. Ford. Evan Rachel Wood and James Marsden star as two of the main hosts. In the first episode, it is rather difficult to distinguish between who is a host and who is actually a real person. Marsden’s character seems like a real guest, but we come to see that he is a host. Their storylines and narratives change a small amount throughout the first few episodes, sometimes depending on how the guests end up
but in “Westworld,” it just complicates an already elaborate story. Conversely, none of the characters stand out especially well. For such a detailed storyline, the characters feel really flat. Almost all of the people working at Westworld have the same personality type; controlling, rude and self-centered employees. As for the hosts, they are obviously all robots, but none of them have anything that really makes them stand out. It is only when they start to gain their memories that they show any real emotion or personality. Courtesy of HBO
“Westworld” is a remake of the 1973 film of the same name made by Michael Crichton.
interacting with them, which is very interesting. Despite the interesting storyline, it can, at times, feel too complex and intricate. For viewers who may not know what exactly the premise of the show is, the first episode can come across as rather confusing. The show tends to display the aftermath of certain events first, and then later on it gives the backstory as to how the characters ended up in that situation. This is a common attribute in TV shows,
What does work for this show, is just about everything else. The visual effects and scenery are absolutely amazing. Although there is really only one setting in this alternate society, it seems to accurately portray the old western environment, as do the hosts’ attire. There are beautiful scenes of vast fields and expansive mountains juxtaposed with violent battle scenes. Even with a possibly too-complex storyline, it is a very unique concept that perceptively weaves in allegories
and allusions to historical works. The very first episode has references to Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Along with more references in other episodes, it is the subtleties of the characters that viewers really need to pay attention to in order to piece together certain parts of the plot. There are so many aspects to Westworld that are interconnected and woven together, but none of them get lost in the smaller scenes. Some moments seem rather boring and trivial, but they typically end up contributing to a larger idea in the show. One of “Westworld’s” producers is J.J. Abrams, known for his work on various science fiction hits, such as “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Lost” and “Fringe.” Abrams is very talented and knows the keys to a successful television show. With so much hype and excitement around this show, it is sure to pick up the pace as the storyline develops. All in all, this show has the ability to grow into a wonderfully intricate story and only has room to improve. The complexity of the show is what makes it so unique, and while it may turn viewers away at first, giving it a chance past the first few episodes will certainly pay off. As the episodes progress, more and more information is revealed, while simultaneously throwing in new problems and ideas. With stunning visuals, design and effects, there is more to enjoy than just the story. The actors do an incredible job of accurately portraying this time period. “Westworld” is the product of many talented producers and writers, and has garnered a lot of excitement from sci-fi fans. “Westworld” airs Sunday nights on HBO.
Nintendo reveals its newest home console Courtesy of 2K Games
“Mafia III” is the first game directed by longtime “Star Wars” writer Haden Blackman.
hair styles, etc. There is a lack of variety in terms of weapon choices. The cover mechanic is the wonkiest thing you have ever seen. When Lincoln crouches into cover, he cannot move cover to cover. He must detach, sprint to the next cover, then duck in again. Sometimes the game gives an indicator that Lincoln can turn the corner on the cover he is using. Sometimes. Barely. Never when you need it. The driving is beyond average. Steal any vehicle. They are all lousy. The gameplay is a wonky rehash of the same thing the industry has seen countless times. The fatal flaw came in world building. New Bordeaux could have been a character. Driving around, getting a feel for each of the city’s nine unique districts, the bayou, listening to fantastic 1960s music on the radio and just looking around you can tell the city was supposed to be vibrant. It is not.
The graphics are just plain mediocre. The textures are lacking. The game renders poorly. You cannot see detail at distance whatsoever. The game looks like it is running on a PlayStation 2. The water is flat and shiny; the sun’s glare is appallingly distracting. Weather and day/night shifts happen almost instantaneously. There is almost no transition. The entire feel of the map is just mediocre. All in all, the game had so much potential. The story was phenomenal. It would have been welcomed with open arms as a film by fans of the gangster film genre. The graphics, gameplay and overall feel of the game are mediocre at best. It is playable. It is passable. At times, it is even fun. It is, however, far from great.
►Continued from front page Nintendo might be coming back to the frontline of consoles, and they’re bringing their experience with mobile gaming to the table.” Another question the Nintendo Switch trailer raised was the question of ports. Several games that are not sponsored directly by Nintendo were seen being played on the Nintendo Switch in the trailer, including “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” and “NBA 2K17.” This would be an anomaly from Nintendo, who has typically only released games that were made in-house, save a couple of ports on the Wii U. Does the trailer indicate that Nintendo will be more open to working with other game developers? Perhaps, does this hint at more third party representation? Due to the fact that the Nintendo Switch will also be able to play games such as “Skyrim,” it gives gamers a lot of hope for the console’s future. James Wilson Joutras, a fellow student here at Umass Lowell is looking forward to this, as well as its flexible features. “I was really excited because it looks really cool. It’s awesome that you can take out games on the go. I was a little taken back because it’s different, but it’s still really cool.” We can only hope that between now and the March 2017 release, Nintendo will fill us in with the intricate details regarding the system.
Courtesy of Nintendo
The Nintendo Switch is Nintendo’s seventh home console since their foundation as a toy company back in 1889.
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October 25, 2016
CAMPUS LIFE
Jumpstart: Providing experience in an essential field Bridget Fehily Connector Contributor
Children transition from learning how to read to reading to learn in the third grade. Most children of under resourced families are falling behind their more affluent peers as early as the age of two and have no hope of catching up. These children will not be on the same level in terms of literacy and language skills. In the third grade children transition from learning to read to reading to learn. If a child was not properly taught how to read they are going to struggle for the rest of their schooling. An on campus program called Jumpstart is working with kids all over the United States to help preschool children in under resourced neighborhoods to be prepared for kindergarten and to close the achievement gap. The program trains college students to go into classrooms to help children develop their language and literacy skills. Jumpstart began in 1993 with only fifteen children as well as college students actively working in the classroom known as Corp Members. It has now expanded across fourteen states and has served 76,000 kids. In 2016, Jumpstart still has many aspirations, some being short term while others look farther into the future. “A long term goal would be to see the program continue to grow. Every state has a rea-
son to have us and every kid should have access to Jumpstart” said UMass Lowell Site Manager Cassandra Hopkins. As for a short term goal Hopkins would like to see Jumpstart expand to New Hampshire. She is hoping to see that happen within the next few years. This program also allows for UMass Lowell students to learn about the community they are living in. Members of Jumpstart connect with not only the teachers and the kids but the kid’s families as well. Students get to see Lowell outside of East, North and South Campuses. “It was an eye opening experience. I did not know how much of an achievement gap there is for children living in under resourced neighborhoods” said UMass Lowell student and Corp Member Sarah Johnson. Jumpstart works to spread awareness about early childhood education issues. If children are not given the proper education at a young age they will fall behind. The unfortunate reality is that once a child falls behind they are very likely to stay behind. Jumpstart is working towards the day that every child enters kindergarten prepared to succeed. Being from an under resourced neighborhood should not define a child’s education. Every child should have an equal opportunity to be successful. When joining the program corp members commit
to serving three hundred hours over the course of the entire school year. Members also have options as to what days and time they would like to go. Jumpstart works with even the busiest of schedules. The program is not limited to people interested in education. Anyone is welcome as long as they share the common goal to improve children’s language and literacy skills. Johnson said she joined Jumpstart because she “loves children and has worked with them before.” However, it is okay to not have worked with children before. This program is an opportunity to find a new love for children and realize how important Jumpstart is to them. Many people remember their preschool teacher or the person that first taught them how to read very clearly. Early child educators are a vital part in a student’s education. They set up the foundation for the rest of a child’s educational career. A goal for Jumpstart is that when a child they worked with is a college student they look back and remember their Jumpstart friend who came and read to them twice a week. A Jumpstart Corp Member has the opportunity to teach a child how to improve their language and literacy skills as well as stick with them for years to come.
Images from the Campus Recreation Center during homecoming
The CRC featured a human hamster ball.
A large bouncy gym was a popular addition.
bamboo trees were also given at the event.
Society of Women Engineers lifts up women in the field Hannah Manning Connector Editor
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) provides a haven for the underrepresented in the field of engineering. By hosting networking luncheons, philanthropic events, professional development sessions and social events, the club aims to encourage women in engineering to reach their full potential in their line of work. Women engineers of numerous concentrations are invited to gather in Southwick 240 on Mondays at 5 p.m. for a general body meeting. Most members are mechanical engineering majors, with many electrical and computer engineers as well. President Emily Boehm, a senior majoring in chemical engineering, is one of numerous chemical engineers making their mark in the club. SWE not only focuses on college students but prospective engineers still in high school. The group hosted the Women in Engineering Luncheon for aspiring engineers on Sunday, Oct. 23. The event, held in Lydon 110, centered around networking opportunities and appealing to anyone interested in pursuing engineering as a career path. The club is gearing up for the SWE National Conference in Philadelphia, which will be held from Oct. 27-29. The event, which is held yearly in dif-
ferent cities across the United States, is an opportunity for the club to connect with other chapters in the United States and even around the world. It features workshops, seminars and a massive career fair. “Those experiences are once in a lifetime. It’s like 8,000 women together for one cause. It’s really, really awesome,” said Boehm. The number of attendants from UMass Lowell’s chapter of SWE is slowly increasing. Boehm said that 20 members are going to Philadelphia this year. Last year’s attendance was also 20, and the previous year’s was nine. Previous dalliances have had the group travel to Los Angeles and Nashville. Not even a 10-hour delay at Logan Airport could keep SWE from attending the National Conference in Los Angeles two years ago. “We got [to L.A.] at 6 a.m.; the conference started at 7. And we literally just showered and went to the conference. No sleep. Like ‘alright, let’s do this,” said Boehm. Needless to say, the club hopes that situation will not happen this year. At the core of the group is comradery. SWE hosts study sessions during their general meetings at around midterms so that members can carve out
an hour to devote to their studies, while also leaning on the experience of the older members. Vice President Jacqueline Noel, a senior chemical engineering major, says that she personally enjoys helping members that are younger than her with their coursework. Many of the members have to take the same classes, so the senior members can interject with advice as well as guide the freshmen and sophomores in their work. “When I was a freshman, I used to say, ‘What was it like? What was it like? Help me’ But now that I’m here I’m like, ‘I can do it; I can help,’” said Noel. Both Boehm and Noel have been with the group for all four years. They became the secretaries of the club their sophomore year and served for four semesters before eventually earning the positions of president and vice president. For the past four years, membership in SWE has been steadily climbing. There are over 200 members on the mailing list, and about 50 of those members are considered “dedicated,” where they attend at least one meeting a month and two outside events, or simply come to as many meetings as they are able to. These members are allotted privileges such as an invi-
tation to the National Conference as well as other perks. Boehm says that watching membership rise is one of the most rewarding experiences for her as a SWE member. “I became secretary of SWE my sophomore year, and it was a really small group then. We were meeting in a classroom on the fourth floor of Ball [Hall] that’s a closet now. And between then and now, it’s grown four times the size,” said Boehm. “It’s rewarding to be a part of such a society where many people are working towards the same goal. There aren’t a lot of women in engineering, so it’s cool to be a part of something so rewarding,” said Noel. Both women say that involvement with the group has personally helped them to assert themselves and taught them to speak in front of a large group of people. Boehm, who used to be “so, so, so, so shy” by her own account, is able to conduct entire meetings. Noel believes that SWE helped to give her a voice. “I feel like it’s shaped me into a person with a voice. I’m not afraid to state my opinion anywhere. I have confidence in what I do and I take pride in what I do. It’s cool to say that I’m studying engineering, and this is what [SWE] is doing,” said Noel.
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October 25, 2016
SPORTS Men’s hockey picks up first loss of season against Clarkson University Golden Knights 4-3 ► Continued from front page
ell lost control of the game. “They had a lot more urgency than we did, and usually that’s not an issue for us, but it was today,” Coach Bazin said of the second period of play. Although Clarkson’s surge did not come immediately, the second period ended in a 2-2 tie. Wings Devin Brosseau and Jordan Boucher both scored in the second. UMass Lowell answered with multiple rush attempts, but nothing broke through and the final period was necessary to decide the game. The third period was a back and forth battle. It kicked off with a power play goal from Clarkson’s A.J. Fossen which was assisted by Jordan Boucher, his second point of the night, and Evan Campbell (8) shoots into a Clarkson screen while Gage Hough follows play. Sam Vigneault. Despite having difficulties settling focus and get back to fundamentals, the puck and getting things going on and I think that’s going to be the key the main advantage, the River Hawks to us,” said coach Bazin. answered just after the midpoint of With two games coming in the next the third. Smith scored his second weekend against the strong Univergoal to knot the game at three with a sity of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, wrist shot over the shoulder of Clark- coach Bazin says that UMass Lowell son goaltender Jake Kelly, assisted by intends to tighten up on fundamentals Mattias Goransson and Captain Mi- and special teams in hopes of coming chael Kapla. Despite a strong effort, away with a couple of wins. HomeUMass Lowell was finished with A.J. coming weekend resulted in a win, a Fossen’s second goal of the night and loss and lessons learned for the upwalked away with the loss. coming games against University of “I don’t think anybody played at the Nebraska. top of their game… We’ve got some The River Hawks will return to the guys who have got to simplify their Tsongas Center on Nov. 4 for a weekgame to have success. There’s a lot to end series against the University of work on. Sometimes a loss can work Vermont. All photos by George DeLuca/Connector as a reset button. You have to really Defenseman Niklas Folin (27) tangles with A. J. Fossen (26).
Despite the ability of both teams to shut down play in the neutral zone, the River Hawks were able to find holes in the defense and exploit them twice. The first goal came from junior winger C.J. Smith on the power play and was assisted by freshman defenseman Mattias Göransson and junior forward John Edwardh. The second goal put UMass Lowell ahead by two. A long pass from junior forward Gage Hough across the neutral zone came to Ryan Lohin, who connected with Kenny Hausinger across the crease for the score. The second period began with a strong lead from UMass Lowell. After a few minutes, however, UMass Low-
River Hawks pick up first America East win at Hartford UMass Lowell Athletics
LOWELL, Mass. -- Freshman outside hitter Madi Bell (Port St. Lucie, Fla.) tallied a career-high 17 kills to lead the UMass Lowell Volleyball team to a 3-2 come from behind victory in five sets at Hartford on Saturday night at the Hartford Volleyball Gymnasium. The set scores were 25-20, 20-25, 2325, 26-24 and 15-7. The River Hawks improve to 6-16 overall (1-6 AE), while Hartford falls to 5-15 (2-5 AE) with the
loss. “The team worked extremely hard tonight and pushed to play one point at a time,” said UMass Lowell Head Coach Resa Provanzano. “Several players contributed on offense and it was nice to see us serve aggressively and control the net with solid blocking. Most importantly were able to regroup after the second and third sets, stay mentally strong in a close fourth set, and play with great confidence at the end. It was definitely a fun match and there were a lot of positives to build on for next week.”
Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics
Freshman outside hitter Madi Bell notched a career-high 17 kills against Hartford.
Bell’s kill total was also a team-high on the night to go along with a .200 hitting percentage, 17 digs and three total blocks. Senior middle blocker Lauren Bennett (Wilmington, Mass.) also had a solid night with 13 kills, with a team-best .323 hitting percentage and eight total blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Haley Shimon (Des Moines, Iowa) also chipped in with 11 kills in the victory for the River Hawks. Sophomore middle blocker Lade Adeniyi (Springfield, Ill.) and junior outside hitter Masha Yelsukova (St. Petersburg, Russia) each posted seven kills, which included Adeniyi’s clinching kill at the end of the first set. Sophomore setter Delaney Mendez (Phoenix, Ariz.) totaled 48 assists and six digs running the River Hawks’ offense, while sophomore libero Lindsey Visvardis (Homer Glen, Ill.) amassed 23 digs in another strong defensive performance. Katherine Claybaugh (Danville, Calif.) and Elima Ahzi (Chula Vista, Calif.) each registered three service aces in the match against the Hawks. The River Hawks had a match-high 13 kills in the first and fourth sets, while the team posted seven kills and .333 hitting percentage in the decisive fifth frame. The River Hawks return to action on Friday, October 28th against Binghamton on “Kid Takeover Night” in America East play. Match time from Costello Athletic Center is 7 p.m.
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October 25, 2016
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SPORTS No. 5 River Hawks fly by St. Lawrence University 5-2 Hannah Manning Connector Editor
The No. 5 UMass Lowell men’s ice hockey team, the only undefeated team in Hockey East, notched another win onto their record with a 5-2 victory over No. 17 St. Lawrence University on Friday Oct. 21. The first period ended in a 2-2 tie after St. Lawrence scored two goals in 43 seconds to come back from a 2-0 deficit. But the River Hawks charged out and took the Saints to task for the remaining 40 minutes, scoring three goals and outplaying their opponent. “[The River Hawks] made the most of their chances… they were quick, they were strong and they were assertive,” said St. Lawrence head coach Mark Morris. This match was an opportunity for the River Hawks to try out their special teams. Thirty-six of the 60 minutes were spent with a player in the penalty box; there were numerous occasions in which there was 4-on-4 play. At one point in the second period, the River Hawks played with two men down and killed the penalty. Coming into the game against Clarkson, the River Hawks boasted the best power play in the nation, with a 40.9% success rate. While they were unable to score on the power play, they more than made up for it with their penalty kill. Assistant captain Joe Gambardella and junior forward John Edwardh each notched a short-handed goal. “If anyone gets a shorthanded goal it’s a big boost for us, obviously. We’re always kind of looking for it,” said Edwardh. Both Gambardella and Edwardh were awarded with stars of the game honors. Edwardh earned sec-
Freshman Ryan Lohin defends against Carson Gicewicz.
U P C OM I N G
River Hawk Games
ond star with his five shots on goal. Gambardella’s Tuesday, Oct. 25 6 p.m. MSOC at Boston College two-point night got him the first star of the game. Sophomore left wing Ryan Dmowski opened Friday, Oct. 28 7 p.m. Field Hockey vs. Vermont the scoring with his third goal of the season at 3:57 in the first period. The River Hawks posted Friday, Oct. 2 8 p.m. VB vs. Binghamton another goal at 12:57 in the first period, as Tyler Mueller nabbed his first goal of the year, deflectSaturday, Oct. 29 10 a.m. MHOC at Nebraska-Omaha ing a shot from Mattias Göransson. While killing a penalty midway through the Saturday, Oct. 28 7 p.m. MSOC vs. UAlbany second period, senior defenseman Dylan Zink 4 p.m. MHOC at Nebraska-Omaha Sunday, Oct. 23 cleared the puck out of the River Hawks defensive zone. Gambardella trailed the puck into St. LawFor more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com rence’s offensive zone, matching the St. Lawrence player trying to play the puck stride for stride. As the puck trickled towards the goal, Gambardella swiped the puck and sent it skyward over Saints goaltender Kyle Hayton’s shoulder for a shorthanded goal. Head coach Norm Bazin dubbed the play “vintage Gambardella.” “I was just trying my best just to get there first—to get a touch,” said Gambardella. The River Hawks were assertive in following up on opportunities, taking a lot of chances to get shots on net. At the end of the night, they had racketed up 38 shots on goal and 64 shot attempts. By contrast, St. Lawrence had 13 shots and 34 shot attempts. In his third start for the River Hawks, freshman goaltender Tyler Wall saved 11 shots. After allowing the two St. Lawrence goals, Wall shut the door, locked it and leaned against the door for good measure. Junior goaltender Kyle Hayton, the starter for the Saints, was pulled after allowing the fifth goal. Hayton lost control of the puck which gave junior right All photos by Matt Dwyer/Connector wing Gage Hough the opportunity to slam it home UMass Lowell’s Michael Kapla looks to connect with a for his first goal of the season. teammate as he skates up the ice. While Hough pumped his arms in gratification and excitement, it was time for Hayton to head to so you want your guys to be resilient and persevere the bench. His replacement, Arthur Brey, made 13 through some of the momentum shifts. You actualsaves and did not allow the puck to get past him ly expect those things, especially when you get into until the clock winded down to zero. penalty trouble. We killed four straight tonight, and Coach Bazin said that he was most satisfied with I thought that one of the keys to the game was some how the River Hawks managed the special teams, key blocks by all types of guys: upperclassmen as and how they allowed only 13 shots on goal. well as underclassmen. We have several freshmen Although the Saints took advantage of a late first killing penalties,” said coach Bazin. period lag, the River Hawks bounced back in the “Anyone who blocks a shot or scores a shortie, it’s second and third periods. “There’s a bunch of mo- very inspiring for the rest of the team,” said coach mentum shifts in hockey over the course of a season, Bazin.
Depth the focus for River Hawks at CCSU Mini Meet UMass Lowell Athletics
NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The UMass Lowell cross country teams turned in a couple of hard working performances, Friday afternoon in Stanley Quarter Park, at the Central Connecticut Mini Meet in New Britain, Connecticut. “We were pleased with the younger kids and the kids coming back from injuries,” said UMass Lowell Head Coach Gary Gardner. “We’ve were looking to see who would grab the final spots as we prepare for the conference championships next weekend.” The event, a 5K for the men and a 3K for the women, was an opportunity for the coaching staff to look at the potential depth on both the men’s and women’s teams. Freshman Juleanna Schultz (Dudley, Mass.), who missed a year and a half of competition after hip surgery, was the top River Hawk woman. She completed the 3,000-meter course in a time of ten-minutes, 45.24-seconds. It was good for 30th position
in a field of more than 100. “She’s a tough kid,” said Gardner. “You don’t come back from an injury like that without being tough. She’s going to be very good, but you can’t rush it.” Schultz ran what was described as a “smart and tough” race by her coach and may very well have earned herself a spot on the team that will represent UMass Lowell at the America East Championships next Saturday at UMBC. “She needed this for her confidence,” said Gardner. “You could see her confidence grow as the race went on. She ran well.” Sophomore Abby Hogan (Bridgewater, Mass.) and junior Lydia Lyman (Hudson, N.H.) were the next two across the finish line. Both showing signs of growth as they work to build off a solid track season a year ago. Hogan clocked in at 10:51.39 and Lyman hit the finish line three seconds later at 10:54.69. They took 41st and 46th place respectively.
Sophomore Katherine Murray (Woburn, Mass.), continuing to work back from a broken ankle, was 54th in a time of 10:57.76. Freshman Christopher Langer (Glen Cove, N.Y.) was the top scoring River Hawk man. He finished 37th in a field of more than 100 runners, in a time of 15:46.97. Sophomore Chris Skelly (Pepperell, Mass.) was 49th in a time of 15:56.06. “This was good experience for these guys,” said Gardner. “They’re young and down the road these guys can score some points for us.” Junior Daniel Schmith (Bellingham, Mass.) finished 51st in a time of 15:57.66. For Schmith, a middle distance runner, it was more of a work out than a race as he prepares for the upcoming indoor track season. Junior Timothy Poitras (Dracut, Mass.) may have earned himself a spot on the team that goes to the conference championships with a time of 16:11.36. He’s a grinder, he’s a hard worker,” said Gardner. “He just keeps working.”