The Connector - January 24, 2017

Women’s March takes Boston by storm ► Page 3

THE UMASS LOWELL

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

January 24, 2017

Donald Trump takes office as president

In This Issue

Andrew Sciascia

J. Cole disappoints

with new album

Connector Editor

â–ş Page 5

First-year students recount fall semester

â–ş Page 6 Hockey swept by Providence

â–ş Page 8

Final River Hawk Scores Team

Score

Women’s Basketball at UMBC

L 79-72

Overall Record 3-17

Men’s Basketball vs. UMBC

L 102-86

Hockey at Providence

L 3-2 15-7-3

Hockey vs. Providence

L 4-3

8-13

15-6-3

Wuilito Fernandes drafted in third round by FC Dallas UMass Lowell Athletics

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – UMass Lowell senior forward Wuilito Fernandes (Praia, Cape Verde) became the first player in program history to be drafted, when he was selected by FC Dallas in the third round with the 62th overall pick at the MLS SuperDraft. “It is an honor being drafted by FC Dallas, a great organization with a history of success,� said Fernandes. “I am looking forward to begin this opportunity and be with the team and make an impact. I want to thank the team for believing in me and giving me this chance to compete at the highest level of soccer in the country.�

The senior spent last week at the MLS Player Combine in Los Angeles after being one of the initial 53 NCAA invitees in December. “Anytime you have a member of your program drafted, it’s an outstanding accomplishment by that individual,� commented Head Coach Christian Figueroa.

The hard work Wuilito has put in over the last four years, and the dedication he has shown, makes me incredibly proud to have coached a player like him. He has been a terrific ambassador for our program during his time here and we will certainly miss his leadership, but I am grateful knowing that he has left this program in a better place. This community is

“We are one nation and their pain is our pain.

Their dreams are our dreams. And their success will be our success.

We share one heart, one home and one glorious destiny.�

These words were said by the once real-estate mogul and television personality, President Donald Trump, in his first opportunity to officially address the nation as president. These words encapsulate the sentiment of the address, which laid out Trump’s apparent vision for his America: an unapologetically patriotic and united nation.

Following what was possibly the most antagonistic and controversial elections in U.S. history, the newest standard bearer of the Republican

Jessica Kergo/Connector

Citizens packed Washington D.C. to watch the inauguration of Donald Trump.

platform was sworn in Friday, Jan. 20 by Chief Justice John Roberts on the stairs of the U.S. Capitol building. “It was amazing. The atmosphere was so positive, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people in one place united by one cause. This is something myself, my col-

leagues, and millions of people across the country have worked so hard to achieve, and being able to finally see the end result is just incredible,� said UMass Lowell College Republicans President David Morton, who attended the inaguration on Friday and worked with the Trump campaign in

â–ş See “Inauguration,â€? page 3

‘Rogue One:’ A story not worth telling Owen Johnson Connector Staff

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story� is the first film in a lineup of standalone movies set in the Star Wars universe. As the entire premise of having stand alone movies in this particular franchise sounds like a poorly thought out idea, it is very fitting that the first stand alone movie eloquently reflects that.

Due to her father’s involvement with the construction of the Death Star, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) is recruited by the Rebellion in an act to stop the Imperials from using the newly developed battle station. “Rogue One� is simply two hours of recognizable things from the Star Wars universe that are plastered on screen in place of story or characters in an attempt to get the audience excited by

â–ş See “MLS Draft,â€? page 8

Sections News.............................3 Campus Life..................6 A&E.............................. 4 Sports........................... 8

New Hampshire.

Coming off of a long election cycle riddled with name-calling and controversy on either side, from the Clinton email scandal to racial tensions, the Access Hollywood tape to “fake news,� #NeverTrump, and Benghazi, the optimistic

Courtesy of Disney

“Rogue One� is the eighth “Star Wars� film and was released on Dec. 10, 2016.

seeing something they liked from the previous films. Some of these things fit, like certain characters and ships, but most of it is used for fan service in place of legitimate reasoning. For no reason at all there are pointless inclusions of C-3PO, R2-D2, a horrendous CGI Princess Leia, the two guys from the bar in “A New Hope,� and even a needless shot that stays focused on blue milk.

Because of the interest in fan service in place of more important elements, the characters and the story suffer significantly. This was already a hard story to do, considering anyone who watched “A New Hopeâ€? knew the gist of what was going to happen, but nothing is added in to justify why the story was told. It certainly was not to introduce these new characters, who were all blank slates with little to no charisma or enthusiasm. The characters were so underwritten that even the sarcastic and joking robot (Alan Tudyk) was somehow dull. â–ş See “Rogue One,â€? page 4

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January 24, 2017

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS On a level playing field Alex Salucco Connector Editor

Turning point -- a time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results.

In February 2013, UMass Lowell announced that all of its athletic teams will compete in Division I as a part of the America East Conference. For most, a turning point yields immediate results. For UMass Lowell, they were required to go through a mandatory four-year transition period when they made the leap to Division I. This rule is in place to help universities adapt to the changes in complexities of being a Division I program.

Do I agree with the rule? The short answer is no, I do not. However, after observing the various teams’ ups and downs on their perspective playing surfaces, it is more beneficial than it seems.

With the UMass Lowell hockey team being at the D-I level when they joined Hockey East in 1984, the university was no stranger to how things worked. The transition period also allows the university to fast track a team after two years. Given the D-II success of the field hockey team, it was no

surprise that Shannon Hlebichuck’s squad got the nod. They competed in their first conference championship tournament this fall season.

Going into this academic year, these two teams were the clear outliers.

Looking at the success of the teams during this transition period, you would be hard pressed to find one with a legitimate gripe regarding no postseason play. That was until the men’s soccer team put on a show this season on their way to the first America East Regular Season Championship.

This caused a bit of local uproar because, by NCAA rules, they were not permitted to play in their conference tournament or the NCAA tournament. A team that finished 13-1-2, as high as 11th in the nation and as high as 4th in the RPI was not allowed to compete in postseason play. As Stephen A. Smith would say, that is just blasphemy.

But as I stated before, there will always be teams that find success at the D-I level quicker than others. As much as UMass Lowell die-hard/fan boy I am, there is no denying that, for most teams, the transition period has proved difficult. Volleyball is a perfect

THE UMASS LOWELL

example of that.

With a record of 14-102 over the 4-year transition period, talent has been the issue. The young core of Lindsey Visvardis, Haley Shimon and Madi Bell will undoubtedly turn the tide in the coming years as they gain more experience facing top competition. Every program needs something to build upon, and I think this team has found its pillars.

Rebuilding is one thing, but creating something from scratch is something entirely different. 2015 was the first year UMass Lowell offered lacrosse since 1989, and only a men’s team was fielded. A combined 6-58 record between both men’s and women’s does not look good, but they are in the hardest position of any sport.

Moving over to the diamond, softball has struggled. With an overall record of 41-105 they are looking to go over .500 in their final season of the transition period. Baseball has also struggled to get above .500 but have a more respectable record of 57-80 over their first three seasons in D-I play.

The teams on the hardwood have had to deal with more than just the transition; they are trying to make the Tsongas Center a permanent home.

The latter of the two will take some time, but the former has treated both teams well. With the perfect man for

the job, Pat Duquette, the men are floating just under .500 in conference games over three-and-a-half years of D-I play while the women sprinkled in a fourteen-win season in the 201415 season. Both teams have had impact freshman in the past two seasons headlined by Isaac White, Ryan Jones and Megan Hendrick which speaks to the appeal of UMass Lowell.

Women’s soccer has made strides in each season since the transition. After a 1-16-1 in year one, they have since combined for 16 wins over the last three seasons. With the team searching for a new coach, the baggage of not being playoff-eligible is no longer an issue.

Behind Gary Gardner’s leadership, the cross country/track and field teams have taken off over the past two seasons. After being regionally ranked for the first time over the fall season, bigger and better things are on the horizon.

All of the athletics at UMass Lowell will benefit from being playoff eligible. Not only will more fans be interested in showing up, but the allure of coming to a program with no playoff restrictions will be enticing to recruits.

Of course this is all set to happen when I graduate. Grad school, here I come.

Serving the Student Body Since 1976

UMASS LOWELL CONNECTOR

EDITORIAL BOARD OPEN Operations Manager

MARLON PITTER Editor-In-Chief

KATRINA DESROSIERS MICHAELA GOSS Copy Editors ELIZABETH WING Advertising Manager ALEXA HYDE DAN RAFFERTY Social Media Managers CHRISTINA LADEROUTE Web Manager MATT DWYER Photo Editor OPEN Graphic Designer

ALEX SALUCCO Managing Editor

TAYLOR CARITO News Editor HANNAH MANNING Sports Editor BROCK JOHNSON Campus Life Editor BRENDAN JACQUES Arts & Entertainment Editor OPEN Multimedia Director JONATHAN SILVERMAN DAVID MCGRAW Advisers

Staff NICK BRAMANTE MARY CONNELL ANDREW HAVERTY OWEN JOHNSON BROOKE KEATING JESSICA KERGO

KATHRYN LEEBER CHRISTOPHER ROMANO MARILYN SAHA ANDREW SCIASCIA

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January 24, 2017

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NEWS Thousands attend Women’s March for America Taylor Carito/Nick Bramante Connector Staff

American descent, explaining that people must continue to be progressive.

“We have come a long way, and we have a long way to go, but we come here today to say we are not going back,” said Hammond.

Following the open speech, Claudia Fox and her daughter, Savannah Fox, spoke about their upbringing as Native Americans. They both have been peacefully protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock and said they were very proud to be speaking before the mass of people to share their story.

Several other speakers joined the stage including Boston’s mayor, Marty Walsh, and U.S. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren. All were very empowering, ensuring the crowds to fight and advocate to continue to progress on several social issues. “We can whimper, we can hide, or we can stand and fight back...I’m here to fight back,” said Warren during her speech.

“We are in marches to say we are

fighting back.”

Warren continued to fire up the crowd by chanting the social issues she hopes to continue progressively fighting for and what it means to be at the march. Her words raised highpitched approvals from the supportive crowd. “We will not build a stupid wall,” said Warren, “We believe that sexism, racism, homophobia and bigotry have no place in this country…

We believe diversity makes our country stronger.”

Attendees of the event had just as much to say as the scheduled speakers, with people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and even nationalities more than willing to express their thoughts on both the event and the political climate of the country as a whole.

More speakers entered the stage and took the People’s Oath which begins with “I do solemnly swear to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States to ensure…” and continues with a personal statement.

UMass Lowell alumna Olivia Rich-

Over 100,000 people flooded Boston Common on Saturday in attendance of the Women’s March for America Boston following Friday’s inauguration of President Donald Trump.

With a sea of attendees covering a majority of the Common space, exuberant chants and applause echoed throughout Boston’s streets and alleys. For every chant that resonated throughout the area, there were just as many inquisitive and colorful signs sported by the crowd, bringing up commentary on a variety of topics considered relevant to this year’s political climate.

UMass Lowell students and faculty attended the event by bus and left from University Crossing. A second bus also left from South Campus sponsored by the Gender Studies program. Both reached the common in time to participate in such a momentous event of equality and acceptance.

Thousands of people wore the signature pink hat that has become a symbol for the march and its supporters.

Generating an energy that endured throughout the entire march, the attendees heard from various speakers and witnessed many performances on stage before finally flooding the streets and marching around the Common.

The ceremony began with Mariama White-Hammond, the master of ceremony, who spoke about what it means to march and why the celebration was held. In her speech, she said, “We are part of a global effort, with marches in every single state in this nation, and we stand as women, as men, as people of conscience.”

Courtesy of Taylor Carito Continuing on with the ceremoCourtesy of Taylor Carito/Connecor ny she spoke of her heritage as both a woman and as a person of African Thousands gathered at Boston Common with signs and signature pink hats.

ard was one of many who took the People’s Oath on Jan. 21. She said that on Feb. 25, 2009 “[her] life changed forever,” as she suffered a spinal cord injury.

Richard recalled that after proceeding down the road of recovery, the day of the Boston Marathon Bombing “changed [her] life,” coming to the realization that “there’s probably 200 new people that just joined our community: the community of people with disabilities.”

It is because of this community that Richard decided to attend events such as the Women’s March; “I’m here to fight for women with disabilities and to fill the intersections in all of our communities because the disability community has been silent. It’s time for us to reach out.”

Kathryn Bonfiglil, an attendee who was caught in the middle of the massive crowd, said that she was attending “because I believe in the constitution.” Concerned about some of the patients and family members she knows that rely on the current health care system, Bonfiglil said that we have to “take care of everybody.”

The march began in conclusion to the speakers, with waves of people funneling into the streets of Boston.

Following Sen. Warren who stood at the front were several other speakers, police, volunteers and activists; thousands of people marched the one mile around the Common to show their support and dedication to their personal causes. “[The march] makes me feel proud, but we need to do more than rally. We need to get to work. We need to take action. Trump said that the action starts now, well I’m with him; the action starts now,” said Bonfiglil.

Trump’s inauguration generates different responses ►Continued from front page

and proud outlook of the inauguration was a breath of fresh air.

Despite the peaceful, ceremonial passing of America’s highest office, the controversy surrounding a Trump presidency has not subsided. In fact, the nation, at every level on every issue, appears to be more divided than it was prior to Nov. 8.

With the possible defunding of Planned Parenthood and various comments made on the campaign trail, the inauguration of the 45 president has America’s women at odds.

“By having him in office, we are saying that it is okay to bully people. We’re saying that it’s okay to discriminate against people because of their race, sexual orientation, gender and many other qualities of human beings that cannot be controlled,” said senior Becca Crivello, who went on to express her serious concerns for how women and LGBTQ individuals will be treated in America under the new administration.

Yet other women have come to different conclusions about the 45th president. Freshman Isabella Cacioli said, “This was such a triumphant day. I’m overjoyed… I see a strong person as one who can stand up and profess his/her beliefs and aspirations proudly amidst backlash and opposition. I couldn’t

be happier to call him my president.”

The sheer amount of controversy and division surrounding the election of Trump has embedded itself deeply in the public dialogue. Some have gone so far as to regard him as an “illegitimate” president.

The “Not My President” movement has also, however, been met with a massive amount of opposition. Seeing the defiance, many Trump supporters are expressing outrage. Some are worried this will result in another four years of gridlock in Washington D.C. One such individual was junior Joseph DiGloria who said, “This is not a peaceful transition of power that we have cherished for so long, election after election, which is vital to our Democracy’s existence.”

With so much resentment it is hard to see how America could move forward and make economic and individual progress in the coming years. At the close of the address even some staunch Democrats appeared to be at ease by Trump’s sentiments at the Capitol, finding hope that President Trump may reach across the aisle and work with the Democrats to benefit the people.

“There is a glimmer of hope. After watching his inauguration speech today at University Crossing with my fellow students, he emphasized in his

speech the idea of ‘returning power back to the people’ and ‘putting America first.’ Those ideas resonate with me… My hope is that Trump rises to the occasion, unites the people, and bridges partisan divides,” said junior Michael Lombardo, who noted holding an immense distaste for Trump throughout the election season.

An optimistic address put to rest some of the worries of many doubtful citizens and it is important that the president follows up on one key ideal. “At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States, and through our loyalty to our country, we will also rediscover our loyalty to each other,” said Trump.

Whether Trump will return industry, unity and pride to a divided America will remain a mystery.

But as he has promised before, the American people can hope he will mend a divided nation by reinvigorating the economy and returning the government to the American people, which is a goal all Americans can find hope in and work towards.

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January 24, 2017

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Connector Staff

From indie-developer Eric Barone and publisher Chucklefish Games comes “Stardew Valley,” an isometric roleplay game (RPG) that gives fans of franchises such as “Harvest Moon” or “Animal Crossing” a fresh take on the farming simulator subgenre.

Released in February 2016 on Windows with ports later bringing the game to other systems, “Stardew Valley” delivers a familiar, community-based farming simulator packed with enough twists and nuances to distinguish it from other games in the same genre. Since its release, the game has seen an incredible amount of success for an indie game of its caliber, and rightfully so.

With the charming original soundtrack and simple yet beautifully detailed pixelated graphics appearing almost immediately as the game starts, one may find it difficult to not feel an immediate positive response. Having grown tired of the monotonous life that comes with an office desk job, the game begins with the player being left a small plot of nearly deserted land and a few coins to their name, charging them with the responsibility of creating a new life out in the countryside.

At its core, “Stardew Val-

ley” is a farming simulator.

Seasons change, crops are planted, grown and harvested over time, and the player can find satisfaction in the fruits of their labor (literally) paying off. However, beyond the farming is where many of the title’s smaller details begin to

It is important to keep in mind that if one is looking for an intense, action packed adventure, “Stardew Valley” may not be that game. Though death does incur a relatively heavy penalty in the game, it is a factor that is not encountered often. The gameplay

and building may seem monotonous, but the game’s world is one of discovery and secrets; every time the player thinks they know what to expect, another veil is lifted and interest is almost immediately rekindled.

However, this concept does

Courtesy of Chucklefish Games

Since its release, “Stardew Valley” has sold over two million copies on PC and Mac alone.

really shine. With various other activities available almost immediately such as fishing, mining and adventuring, players are encouraged to carefully plan out their limited time and energy available each day, only to be left scrambling back to their home before they pass out from exhaustion because they could not fight the urge to explore one last dungeon level or harvest one more row of crops.

experience may vary based on the initial choices the player makes, such as choosing to live in the much more dangerous wilderness as opposed to the “standard” farm world, but generally “Stardew Valley” proves to be a relaxing and relatively stress-free game. The focus is more on building both a home and relationships with other characters found within the town.

After a while the farming

seem to work against the game at certain points, with some game mechanics being revealed a bit too late and leaving the player moderately frustrated in realization of how much time they could have saved in earlier gameplay. Regardless, while nearly every part of the game has been broken down and explained on Wikipedia pages and forums since its release, “Stardew Valley” is a journey

Page 5

‘4 Your Eyez Only:’ Not 4 me better experienced blind. Discovering for oneself where the world Eric Barone has created is a much more rewarding experience than simply reading about it online.

Even after over 40 hours into “Stardew Valley,” the player will still feel as if they have only scratched the surface, with exciting and mysterious items, characters and locations that still have depths left to be traversed. It is a game that appropriately encourages a slower pace, with it being largely left to the player how the time given to them is spent, tying in well with the game’s narrative of leaving the hustle and bustle of city life for a more meaningful and peaceful existence.

Always left wanting more, players will grow along with their farms. They will feel satisfaction and even a bit of pride when they finally reap their first harvest, build their first barn or produce their first block of cheese for sale.

Though not for everyone, “Stardew Valley” is a game with a wealth of secrets, charm and relaxation to offer, provided players are willing to put in the time it may take to experience them.

“Stardew Valley” is available on PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One and PS4 for $15.

Final Grade: A

‘Rogue One’: A generic story ►Continued from front page

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Indie game spotlight: ‘Stardew Valley’ Nick Bramante

January 24, 2017

Courtesy of Disney

Benjamin StPierre Connector Staff

Jermaine Cole, also known as J. Cole, is a rapper defined by his drive to create meaningful, message-laden hip-hop in an age where artists like Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert find success in creating fun music. J. Cole attempts to communicate stories that last with his listeners, and this is especially true on his latest album “4 Your Eyez Only.”

Unfortunately, for all the stories he tells, and no matter how informed and impassioned he is regarding the problems he tries to make sense of, that passion does not seep through to make this album an engaging, provocative listen. There is an undeniable sense that J. Cole truly knows what he is talking about, but the way in which he communicates his frustration and unhappiness is neither original nor inspiring.

For example, in “She’s Mine, Pt. 1,” the instrumental is slow and lacks any life. He attempts to sing, or more accurately, tries a singing-talking mixture that comes off as way too quiet and subdued.

There is certainly the possibility that his delivery is intentionally slow and bleak to establish his sadness about the subject, but that does not change how boring and numbing it is to sit through it. Around the midpoint of the song, a little percussion kicks in in the background, making it seem like something will happen or he will finally burst through the wall of monotony and free his emotions, but it fades out around 25 seconds later and the slowness continues until the end of the track. Unfortunately, slowness and quietness are present on nearly every track in

the album, from its opening “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” to “Ville Mentality” to “She’s Mine, Pt. 2.”

The absolute worst song on the album and one that has made rounds on the internet as a musical punching bag is “Foldin Clothes.” The premise of the song - that J. Cole wants to ease his lover’s Courtesy of Electric Lady Studios

‘4 Your Eyez Only’ is J. Cole’s fourth studio album.

burden by folding clothes for her - only makes the slightest of sense if it is a sarcastic commentary on how men believe any domestic help is commendable. But folding clothes does not make you a good guy. It makes you a regular, responsible person.

With all that being said, J. Cole definitely knows

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While none of the characters were anything special, the only awful one in the movie was the antagonist, Director Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), who was nothing more than an incompetent Imperial officer whom Darth Vader would have logically force choked to death for his ignorance and failures a long time ago.

In all technical terms, the movie does not do anything wrong, but it has nothing to elevate its mediocre existence. The story does not add anything that would give new insight into the precursor of “A New Hope.” None of the characters are worth adding to the ever expanding list of memorable characters that the Star Wars franchise has created.

The actors were all passable in their roles, but none of them elevated the material. The directing and the writing (other than Darth Vader’s pun) were done competently enough, but none of it stood out as being impressive or even above average.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is a dull, dreary and unimaginative movie that is more interested in throwing things onto the screen that the audience will recognize as opposed to actually doing anything beneficial to itself or the entire franchise.

Final Grade: C

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As of Jan. 22, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” has grossed over a billion dollars in ticket sales worldwide.

how to write songs. He has an ear for music - the glistening strings, horns and jazz instrumentation throughout the album show a refined taste.

Songs like “Immortal,” “Change” and “Neighbors” have interesting instrumentals, faster paces and are alluring. Cole’s voice is still quiet and calm, but boom-bap influences (“Immortal” and “Change”) and a trap flair (“Neighbors”) are complemented by telling imagery and sharp flows to make these tracks more engaging listens.

Those songs are well-done. He is quite capable of bringing more energy and livelier paces to all his tracks, like the previous three, yet he chooses to try to sing to strip songs to their bare bones, and to convey the seriousness of social issues by sounding like being on the cusp of falling asleep.

If he wants to illuminate the direness of the situations he is writing stories about, he needs to bring more intensity. He needs to communicate more passion and flair, as he clearly has passion for the issues he raps about: racism, crime, inner city problems, incarceration and systemic injustices. He needs to make his songs faster and his delivery more energetic. He has to combine his ear for jazz and blues and strings and horns and lovely instrumentation with louder vocals. He needs to craft songs that, atmospherically, communicate his anger and intolerance for what is wrong with the world; he cannot only write lyrics about it.

To become a truly great artist and to shed his reputation for being corny or overrated, J. Cole needs to create great songs, not just write stories. He is capable of it, but he does not do it on this album.

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January 24, 2017

CAMPUS LIFE

MLK Celebration Week takes over UMass Lowell Taylor Carito Connector Editor

our students are responding to,” says Zohlman.

The Food Pantry Donation Challenge consists of groups of up to 10 people collecting non-perishables to donate to the UMass Lowell Navigators Food Pantry in University Cross-

called “Our Story:” a collection of students’ stories and who they are to promote ally ship.

As the week progresses, men’s basketball and hockey will be hosting an MLK celebration including performances and a video collaborated by

Just over 50 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. diligently worked while taking a stand for what he believed in, and to this day, encouraged millions of other Americans to do the same. In honor of his inspiration and dedication to his beliefs, UMass Lowell’s Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) is launching MLK week from Jan. 23 to Feb. 3.

The events go deeper than just a celebration of Dr. King Jr. This week is not only for Dr. King Jr., but for his legacy that still influences people in 2017. “This is a national honoring and celebration,” says OMA faculty member Leslie Wong.

Other faculty members behind the event include Elsie Otero, Michelle Zohlman, Allyson Lynch and Francine Coston, who have all worked tirelessly creating events to promote inclusion and community. “There’s offerings for basically everyone based on interest level and how comfortable Courtesy of The Source they are,” says Zohlman.

Martin Luther King Jr. waves at the crowd following his notorious “I have a Dream” MLK week kicks off Monday, Jan. 23 with a Service Day. It varies every ing. The team with the largest dona- OMA and the Athletics Department.

The largest event offered during year, and for this MLK week OMA is tion wins a cash value prize to the focusing on promoting the new food River Hawk Shop. Teams can consist the week is the MLK dinner, which pantry with a competition. “Our ser- of anyone in the UMass Lowell com- is open to students, faculty and the Lowell community. The dinner takes vice day has evolved over the years, munity.

This first event will also include the place every year, and OMA collaband we always take a look at what are the current needs our community and official launch of OMA’s campaign orates with Markland Elementary

School and Stoklosa Middle School to produce thematic pieces that students work on throughout the year.

The fourth graders at Markland create paintings while the eighth graders at Stoklosa write essays.

“The visual arts teacher takes a theme and builds a lesson around it.

They work on this lesson for about two months, and then the final product is displayed in Moloney [Hall].

We get about 100 pieces of art from the fourth graders,” says Otero, “All of them are invited to the dinner and their parents. It’s a nice way to celebrate them.”

“It also builds confidence for them,” says Lynch. “They get really excited.”

RSVPs for the dinner will be taken until Jan. 27.

Perhaps the most highlighted portion of the dinner is the announcing of the MLK Service Award recipient.

This award is given to a faculty member, staff member, student or member of the Lowell community who presents the ideals of service as Dr. King would.

Events following the dinner include a panel of students from OMA’s campaign to share their stories and a trip to the Showcase Cinemas in Lowell to see a showing of “Hidden Figures.”

The RSVP date is by Jan. 27.

RSVPs and questions can be sent to multicultural_affairs@uml.edu.

Freshman perspective: First semester takeaways Nick Bramante Connector Staff

With the dawn of the New Year comes the official end of the first semester for many freshmen attending UMass Lowell. The first semester experience is crucial in preparing freshmen for their remaining time at UMass Lowell, serving as a point of either successful or disastrous transition presenting challenges both academically and socially. The real question is, how did UMass Lowell’s freshmen fare last semester? .When it comes to academics, the first semester at UMass Lowell can either make or break a student, with experiences varying widely between peers.

However, it would seem that one issue reigns above all: time management. As freshman Marino Dipietrantonio said, he experienced “so many all-nighters [without having] any sense of time management,” constantly battling the clock in attempt to “[motivate himself] to get the work done early and not the night before the entire thing was due.”

Freshman Emily Teague responded in the same spirit, saying she struggled with time management.

“I just tended to underestimate how much time I would need for an assignment,” she said.

On the other hand, Freshman Kayla LaPan found difficulty in some of her professors, and said, “Sometimes you don’t click with a certain professor’s style of teaching and that can make the class exceedingly more difficult.” As a whole, it would seem that the academic content found in UMass Lowell’s classes is not the issue for many first semester freshmen, but rather the time required in order to master them is what stumps some. .On the other side of the metaphorical freshmen coin, social interactions can be both a very encour-

aging and demoralizing experience when it comes to that exciting first semester. Freshmen seemed to have quite a mixed experience with their first semester, with people like LePan who said, “[I] made friends quickly. Even if they didn’t stay close throughout the semester it was nice to see familiar faces around campus.” Others had a more difficult time with comfort zones, such as freshman Devin Lucey, who said she had “a bit of a struggle.”

Lucey said, “The hardest social challenge I faced was probably forcing myself to step outside of my comfort zone and be in situations I’d rather not be in.” On a lighter note, Dipietrantonio was relatively

proud of his social accomplishments, and he said, “From last semester to this semester I changed as a person socially. If my freshman high school self saw me today, I’m pretty sure he would be proud of who he’ll become.” .Despite the setbacks some of this year’s freshmen have experienced, it seems a general consensus that they are going into next semester with their heads held high. As to be expected, some freshmen have more gracefully executed their leap into the college-dominated lifestyle than others, though it would seem that all are excited for the new opportunities for improvement the new semester promises.

Courtesy of Navitas at UMass Lowell

A UMass Lowell student ponders the endless possibilities in her future while admiring the canal.

SPORTS

UM ASS L OWELL C ONNECTOR

January 24, 2017

Page 8

SPORTS Men’s hockey falls to Providence 3-4 in Hockey East Semifinal rematch Kathryn Leeber Connector Editor

Despite a strong start for the River Hawks, the Providence College Friars came back with an aggressive third period to secure the 3-4 win.

The loss snapped a seven-game win streak for the River Hawks, and was the first time the two teams have met since the Hockey East semifinal last year, in which the River Hawks pulled out a win after a triple-overtime contest.

UMass Lowell fell to a 15-6-3 record, with a 7-4-1 conference record.

UMass Lowell had three different players score, including senior defenseman Dylan Zink who scored during a power play in the final period to give the River Hawks a chance by bringing the score to 4-3. But ultimately, it was not enough.

“It’s certainly not the result we were looking for. I liked the way we started; I liked the fact that we got up and got out of the gate pretty well and it didn’t go well from there,” UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin said.

Even with Providence winning the initial face-off, the River Hawks held most of the Matt Dwyer/Connector

Senior defenseman Dylan Zink celebrates after scoring a third period goal.

possession for the first period.

UMass Lowell’s freshman forward Kenny Hausinger scored his fifth goal of the season with assists from freshman forward Ryan Lohin and junior defenseman Tommy Panico.

Strong defense from both sides prevented either team from getting near the net following this goal.

After stealing the puck from the Friars, sophomore forward Ryan Dmowski scored for the River Hawks. This was also his fifth goal of the season, and it gave UMass Lowell a 2-0 lead.

After the second UMass Lowell goal, Providence became more forceful in their defense and in offensive attacks. This led to the River Hawks increasing their efforts, which resulted in two penalties.

Sophomore forward Nick Master received a penalty for tripping. It was during this power play that the Friars were able to score their first goal. Sophomore Scott Conway scored his eighth goal of the season, assisted by Erik Foley.

UMass Lowell freshman goaltender Tyler Wall had many crucial saves throughout the game.

He ended with 16 saves, nine of which came in the second period.

Providence goaltender Hayden Hawkey had eight saves in the first period and ended the game with a total of 22.

The second period continued the intensity from the first, and had far more penalties as a result. UMass Lowell’s junior defenseman Chris Forney received two within minutes of each other. The latter penalty allowed the Friars to score again off a power play. Freshman forward Vimal Sukumaran scored his fifth goal of the season, tying the game 2-2.

The Friars held more possession in the second period.

The team had nine shots in their five power play opportunities, while UMass Lowell was unable to shoot during their three power plays.

Despite the strong control, Providence also struggled with penalties, but they only had three as opposed to the River Hawks’ five.

In the final five minutes of the period, Wall had over four saves.

The last minute saw multiple efforts from UMass Lowell to try and take the lead, but they were unsuccessful.

The final period continued with a lot of back and forth action, but no goals were scored until the eighth minute. Providence’s freshman forward Kasper Björkqvist scored his second goal of the season, with assists from Brian Pinho and Jacob Bryson, to take the lead.

The Friars were able to quickly follow up with a goal from sophomore defenseman Vincent Desharnais, advancing their lead to a score of 2-4. The goal was disputed and reviewed by the referees, who ultimately determined it a good goal.

The River Hawks were unable to regain control until the last few minutes. Zink sent a long slap shot into the net during a power play in the thirteenth minute to cut the Friar’s lead and make the score 3-4.

Although UMass Lowell continued their attempts to even the score, they were unsuccessful due to a strong defense by Providence.

The last minute of play interrupted momentum, due to frequent whistles by referees, which led to faceoff after faceoff in the UMass Lowell offensive zone.

U P C OM I N G

River Hawk Games Wednesday, Jan. 25 11 a.m.

WBB vs. UNH

Wednesday, Jan. 25

7 p.m.

MBB at UNH

Friday, Jan. 27

7 p.m.

XCTF at BU

Friday, Jan. 27

6 p.m. MHOC vs. Northeastern

Saturday, Jan. 28

2 p.m. MBB vs. Fisher College

Saturday, Jan. 28

7 p.m.

MHOC at BU

For more sports information and full game schedules visit goriverhawks.com

UMass Lowell player selected in MLS Draft ► Continued from front page

extremely proud of Wuilito and will always be here to support him.”

Fernandes completed his collegiate tenure as a MAC Hermann semifinalist and a NCSAA First-Team All American after setting career highs with 11 goals, five assists and 27 points and helping UMass Lowell capturing the school’s first America East Regular Season Championship. The River Hawks finished the year 13-1-2, and were ranked No. 19 and No. 4 in the final regular season NSCAA Top 25 and RPI rankings, respectively.

“I’d like to thank my family, friends, coaches, athletic trainers, teammates and the UMass Lowell community,” continued Fernandes. “This has all been possible because of you, I truly mean that, and I would not be here without you all.”

As the team’s leading scorer, Fernandes led the conference with 1.69 points per game. He finishes his career eighth in total scoring (60 points) and eighth in career goals (25). The forward also tied the thirdbest scoring mark in a single season with 11 tallies.

He earned America East Striker of the Year, America East All-Conference First Team and NSCAA AllEast Region First Team accolades, as well.

No. 5 River Hawk hockey swept by Providence UMass Lowell Athletics

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The No. 5 ranked UMass Lowell Hockey team was defeated at Providence College, 3-2, on Saturday night in the Hockey East series finale at Schneider Arena.

With the loss, the River Hawks drop to 15-7-3 overall (7-5-1 HEA), while the Friars up their mark to 12-8-4 overall (4-6-2 HEA) with the victory.

Junior forward Tommy Panico (Wall, N.J.) scored just his second career goal for the River Hawks with a slapshot from the right point with 10:12 left to play in the opening period to open the scoring in the game. The Friars’ Ryan Tait struck back to make it a 1-1 game less than seven minutes later.

Freshman netminder Tyler Wall (Leamington, Ont.) made his 19th collegiate start for the River Hawks, finishing the night with 32 stops, includ-

ing 12 saves in the third frame. Hayden Hawkey managed 19 saves in his 12th win of the season for Providence.

The teams traded goals in the second as junior forward John Edwardh (Calgary, Alta.) notched a power play tally with a wrister from the right faceoff circle just 4:23 into the second to give the River Hawks a 2-1 advantage, but Kasper Bjorkqvist tied the game at 2-2 with 4:26 left in the middle stanza.

Providence’s Scott Conway recorded his ninth goal of the year for the game-winning marker with 9:01 left to cap off the scoring in the game.

Senior forward Evan Campbell (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) led the River Hawks with 14 faceoff wins in the losing effort. Senior forward Joe Gambardella Courtesy of UMass Lowell Athletics (Staten Island, N.Y.) also chipped in with 12 faFernandes, from Praia, Cape Verde, has started 50 of 65 ceoff victories. games at UMass Lowell.