The Honors Herald The New York City Pforzheimer Honors College at Pace University
Pace University 163 William St. 5 Floor New York, NY 10038 P: 212 346 1697 th
Volume 3 Issue 1 Fall 2013
A Guide to Lower Manhattan Free and Low Cost Things within Walking Distance of Pace By Jessica Sutton, Associate Editor Everyone at Pace seems to know about or has been to the Sea Port or City Hall Park. Do you ever wonder what else there is to see and explore near Pace? This article will tell you all about free and low cost things that you can do. Everything can be walked to from Pace so you won’t even have to pay for a subway ride!
FREE CITY PARKS Battery Park –Composes the southernmost tip of Manhattan. The park has large green spaces, memorials, Castle Clinton, and views of the Harbor (including the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island). Battery Park City- Has walkways perfect for strolls and runs with views of the Harbor, Hudson River, and New Jersey. Bowling Green Park- Has benches for a quick and peaceful resting spot. Foley Square- Perfect for hanging out or eating your lunch on one of the many benches.
MUSEUMS/HISTORICAL SIGHTS Castle Clinton National Monument- Located in Battery Park. Go here to learn about early NYC history. Admission is free. Federal Hall National Memorial- Located on Wall Street. Stop in and learn about Washington’s Presidential Inauguration. Admission is free. Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel- Take a free tour at each church to learn more about NYC and 9/11 history. Free and open to the public. Skyscraper Museum- Located just outside of Battery Park City. Student Admission is only $2.50 Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian- Located next to Bowling Green Park. Admission is free.
The Honors Herald
December 2, 2013
9/11 Memorial Site– Go and see the memorial reflecting pools. Reserve free tickets in advance online. Herald Staff Pamela Marianelli Agbulos Editor-In-Chief
Leopoldo Orozco Associate Editor
Alvi Rashid Associate Editor
Jessica Sutton Associate Editor Dr. Ida Dupont Director
Herald Contributors April Benshosan Melissa Bowley Sierra Chandler Dr. Ida Dupont Garrison Hall Nancy Hoang Jackie Ignatowitz Jaclyn Kopel Dr. Bill Offutt Leopoldo Orozco Andrea Ragadio Jamie Saunders Erkinaz Shuminov Jessica Sutton Amandine Tristani Rachel Wandishin Catherine Weening Dr. Emily Welty
The Honors Herald is a student run newsletter circulated to the students of the Pforzheimer Honors College at Pace University on the New York City Campus. The members of the Herald Staff review all articles. The opinions of the articles do not necessarily reflect those of the staff or the Pforzheimer Honors College. Pforzheimer Honors College th 163 William St. 5 Floor New York, NY 10038 www.pace.edu/honors-college ma29746n@pace.edu
Note: Search any of the above online for more information including hours and directions.
CLASSIC NYC LOCATIONS Wall Street – Walk down to Wall Street and see the Stock Exchange Building, Federal Hall, and the famous Bronze Charging Bull. Little Italy and Chinatown- From fresh pasta and a cannoli to fried rice and bubble tea, a short walk up to Canal St. and Mott St. offers eating options for all palates. Brooklyn Bridge- Take an afternoon or evening walk across this 130 year old iconic bridge, and enjoy the views of NYC.
FREE TRANSPORTATION Staten Island Ferry- This 30 minute trip to Staten Island provides free views of the Manhattan Skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Ikea Ferry – Free on weekends from Pier 11/Wall St. Enjoy a free view of Manhattan, explore Ikea, and eat some meatballs! Downtown Connection Bus Service- This is a free bus shuttle service that runs across Lower Manhattan. Hop on board for free and check out many of the sites listed above!
OTHER PLACES Regal Battery Park Stadium 11 – Located in Battery Park City, this movie theatre is perfect to catch a movie after class. Post Office- The closest Post Office is located at 90 Church St. NY Public Library: New Amsterdam Branch- Located across City Hall Park at 9 Murray St. To get a library card talk to a librarian and bring valid I.D. www.nypl.org
We are seeking Commentaries, News, Photographs, and Poetry for the March 2014 Issue of The Honors Herald. ALL SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 17
Email them to the Editor-In-Chief at
pacehonorsnewsletter@gmail.com.
December 2, 2013
NEWS
The Honors Herald
The Situation in Syria By Jackie Ignatowitz One hundred thousand people. Since opposition forces started the fight to overthrow President Bashar Assad over two years ago, more than 100,000 people have died. With fights and chemical attacks, with the rebels attempting to topple Assad’s regime, and with Assad fighting to remain in power, the war persists today. The civilians are ultimately suffering the most from the current attacks. Sarin, napalm, and nerve gas – three different types of chemicals – have been used on civilian targets within the last month. In late August, a plane dropped a napalm bomb on a Syrian school, an act prohibited by the United Nations. As a point of reference, the boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius. Napalm, the chemical with which school children were bombarded, can create temperatures ranging from 800 to 1,200 degrees Celsius. It is claimed by the rebels that this was an act orchestrated by the government. The act resulted in ten deaths and dozens of injures. Almost seven million Syrians are in need of help. This is comprised of five million Syrians that have been displaced, on top of two million that left for another country. This means that over 25% of the Syrian people had to leave their homes, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to get the people remaining in Syria the help that they need. Supplies need to be delivered regularly, and not be stored in warehouses, as they could get stolen. Rebels are competing over the resources that are being provided, which makes it difficult and dangerous to supply the people with aid. Robberies, murders and kidnappings have increased as well, elevating the challenge to get the aid to the people who truly need it.
Photos from AFP blogger Patrick Baz
One of the main questions when it comes to Syria right now is what is the United States going to do? Obama pledged to give another $340 million to the humanitarian efforts in Syria, which increases the total funding for Syrian assistance to $1.4 billion. The US-Russian deal, which began as a way to keep the United States from attacking Syria, had Syria release a list of all of their chemical weapon programs, and ordered inspections of Syrian stated locations. By June 30 of next year, the chemical weapons arsenal is to be destroyed. It is expected for American and Russian experts, along with United Nations experts, to be involved in the removal and destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons. Henry Kissinger, a former Secretary of State, predicted a 90 percent acceptance from Syria to the deal.
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NEWS
President Obama is willing to attack without the mandate of the United Nations, if it comes to that. President Obama wants Assad punished for the poison gas attacks that occurred. If there were to be U.S. soldiers sent into Syria, more American lives would be in danger because, yet again, the United States would be involving itself in another foreign conflict, that not only the country cannot afford, but that the country is not involved in. This would be an immoral act according to international law, since there is no threat that the United States needs to defend itself against, and an act of recklessness. It is time to take a step back and begin to understand that it is not the responsibility of the United States to fix everyone else’s problems. Yes, something needs to be done about this awful situation, but does that mean that the United States needs to be thoroughly invested and involved in it at this point in time? With the national debt approaching $17 trillion, and the military already in Iraq and Afghanistan, is it really necessary to go into Syria as well? It is time to come to the understanding that not everybody wants the help of the United States, and that the United States cannot be responsible for taking over every time there is an alleged tyrant in another country. This situation is comparable to Vietnam, and I find it hard to believe that that is something that the country wants to go through again. The US government must to listen to its people, and the people oppose the Syrian attack.
Syria and Pace: Bridging the Gap By Erkinaz Shuminov “The more I heard about rebellion, the more I saw foreigners.” Unlike most of the attendees of Dr. Bolton’s Syria discussion, Gabriel, who lived in Syria, does not view the Syrian uprising as a political revolt against the government. In fact, he thinks the civil conflict is “more like an invasion than a rebellion.” He disagrees when a student refers to the Syrian government as a dictatorship. To begin the discussion, Dr. Bolton expressed a similar yearning to understand what his audience thought about the Syrian situation. He asked us all what the conflict in Syria meant to us. One student explained that if the United States spends its tax dollars to intervene in
The Honors Herald if the United States spends its tax dollars to intervene in Syria, then one has an obligation to understand the conflict. Another student believed that by invoking responses from foreign powers, the conflict strongly affects international law and should therefore be studied. Dr. Bolton then asked the audience what they thought of when they heard the word Syria. The answers reflected the media coverage surrounding the conflict: oil, civil war, Assad regime, violence, chemical weapons, Russia, the United States, and propaganda. Challenging us, the professor then asked that we examine the associations we make with Syria. “Why did none of you say poetry or art?” he asked, and “why did you think of Russia and the U.S. when you heard Syria?” It became clear that many of us knew little about the country that we kept hearing about in the news. Dr. Bolton explained that most outsiders see Syria as an “abstract entity” and a “vague group of possibly violent people.” He cautioned that our negative and uninformed perceptions of Syria may bias our responses to the Syrian conflict. If “Syria somehow represents for us death,” he continued, “then naturally we wouldn’t expect a peaceful resolution to the conflict.” A significant portion of the opposition participates in nonviolent activism, yet the Syrian revolt somehow provokes violent images. To end the discussion, Dr. Bolton offered six action steps that we can take to better understand the Syrian conflict and our country’s role in it. First, he stressed that we should never stop discussing—there is always information to uncover. Secondly, he encouraged us to understand that a conflict is never neatly divided into two sides, such as the regime and the opposition. Third, “no conflict erupts out of nothing.” Similar to his first point, his fourth point stressed awareness and education. He recommended accessing Al Jazeera and BBC for reliable, unbiased, and thorough information. His fifth step suggested that we identify the problem before we devise a solution. Lastly, the professor reminded us of our relevance to the Syrian situation. Though we are in another country, we are still connected to the conflict. Dr. Bolton’s wants students to realize that “you’re part of the ‘we’” in the question “What should we do?”
FEATURES
December 2, 2013
The Honors Herald
University for Peace MUN Conference: A Torrent of Global Solutions An interview with Kimberly Alonso’ 13
“I always find it so interesting to see how my friends around the world, ones that I met at different MUN conferences, react on Facebook whenever a major world event happens. It may seem silly, but it always reminds me to think of how my position in the world affects my opinions of it.”
By Leopoldo Orozco, Associate Editor
HH: Can you tell us a little about what University for Peace is?
“...to stimulate cooperation among peoples and to help lessen obstacles and threats to world peace and progress....” is a fragment of the mission of the University for Peace, and a pursuit that should serve as an axiom for institutions and individuals globally. This purpose was eagerly sought by 13 Pace University students last semester at The 11th Annual University for Peace Model United Nations Conference (UPMUNC) in Costa Rica. Kimberly Alonso, a Pace University alumna (’13), led the group of students as head delegate this past March. In an interview, the recent graduate discussed her remarkable experience with The Honors Herald.
The University for Peace is unlike most other higher learning institutions in the United States. The university was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1980. Some of the main goals of the University for Peace is to promote peace, acceptance, and progress in the international community through education. While we were there, you could really tell that the goal of students is to truly learn how we can improve the international community by peaceful means.
Honors Herald: What was your role in the conference? At UPMUNC, I represented the Huffington Post as a print media journalist.
HH: You were a Model UN delegate in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Geneva and New York. What made this conference different from the previous ones? This conference felt a lot different for many reasons. Unlike the conferences in Geneva, New York, Philadelphia, and DC this conference included a “crisis simulation.” This meant that at any moment, committees would receive updates about an emerging crisis that would directly impact their topics and resolutions. As a media journalist, I often knew the updates prior to
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FEATURES
The Honors Herald
committees. Watching delegates try to react to each update was actually stressful. One minute they would have this detailed and well thought out plan on how to approach their topics, and then I would bring them a news update that would force them to start all over. It made me realize how hard it is to draft a piece of international legislation when everything in the world can change minute by minute. HH: What were your objectives when you decided to take Model UN? Were they fulfilled? At first, I wanted to merely fulfill the requirement of my political science minor, and Model UN seemed like the most interesting class to do that. After my first semester, my objective turned into “how can I turn this awesome hobby into a career?” Each semester I participated in Model UN I would learn about more and more career opportunities in this field. I had never had a class at Pace that held a discussion panel at the end of the semester with different professionals in that career field, which I think is so important to do. HH: Did the “going abroad” factor help create a better sense of what the job of professionals in this field requires? Going abroad opened my eyes to how young people my age all over the world share the same passion that I do. I met people from so many different countries that share this belief that we can do something to either improve our communities or to be a part of change. It helped me realize that even though the world might be a scary place, you can still find people who share the same outlook as you. Calling a different country “home” isn’t something that should deter people from going into international careers.
HH: 150 students from 49 different countries took part in the conference. How does involving in dialogue with such a culturally diverse group of people affect the dynamic of the discussions? Saying you are “culturally tolerant” or “accepting” of other people, and then actually being in a room with people from 49 different countries are two shockingly different things. For example, the idea of climate change is commonly debated about in mainstream media. At UPMUNC, I met a student from the Maldives for whom climate change is a serious concern to her life and her home. When you meet people from so many different countries, the topics become so much more serious. It makes you question the things you stress about in an average week, and reflect on what someone in a different part of the world thinks about every day. HH: As a recent graduate, what was the impact of the conference on your collegiate experience as a whole? I still tell people about how important Model UN is to me! Without this experience and all of the amazing opportunities I had because of Model UN, I wouldn’t be where I am today. A lot of students feel lost while in college, and a lot are unsure of what to do in the future once they graduate. While I was a part of Model UN, I meet so many amazing people and it helped me figure out what I wanted to do in the future. I currently work at a nonprofit called MOUSE in New York City, and I definitely would not be here if it was not for Model UN. The only thing I regret is finding out about Model UN as a junior and not as a freshman!
FEATURES
YOU’RE
GOING TO LOVE By Jackie Ignatowitz, Contributor While most college freshmen are worrying about making friends, adjusting to living away from home and studying for exams, Honors freshmen Bianca Carpio and her friend, now business partner, Tiffany Edson, have added the stress of starting a business. Founders of Smitten PR, a public relations company, the girls work to create a unique, memorable image for companies and individuals. While eating lunch together one day, Carpio and Edson made the decision to start their company. They wanted to do something fun, Carpio says. “We wanted to do something adorable. Not only make social media more accessible and helpful, but make it cute and fun.” While many people complain about how social networking sites are distracting or not helpful, the Smitten PR founders want people to realize that it is a good thing, if it is used in the right way. Carpio has had an interest in public relations for a while. She loves connecting with people, posting online and blogging; it is more than just a hobby for her – it’s a passion. Edson has not had the on-going passion for
marketing through social networking, but she has indirectly been interested in the field for some time. She did not know that it was an actual field to go into, but after spending time with Carpio, she learned more about, and together they are working towards putting their company on the path to success. The company handles social media marketing through websites like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. Even though they do not use traditional marketing right now, they work hard to provide exposure for up and coming companies. They focus on the younger generation so the people who want to get their name out there, be noticed and known in their industry, but don’t have the resources to do it can still be successful. A
goal of the company is to redefine what social media is, for the younger generation in particular, and make social networking a way to connect with businesses. This way social networking sites can be used for the original intention: networking. Carpio and Edson want to make a contribution to society. They want to help people with their advertising, and they “get to make things look pretty,” which Edson said was an added bonus. They are happy when they make other people happy, so the company is very rewarding for them.
Just over a month old, Smitten PR already has several clients that they were working with. Both Carpio and Edson are excited for their business to take off and make an impact. Edson says she loves how the company can use their blog “to impact the world.” When asked what her favorite part of the company is, Carpio says, “I see on Twitter that there’s a bunch of marketing nuts that are all the same. It’s a name and a face and that’s it. That’s who you’re going to work with. We have a persona for ourselves as these two cute girls. We’re going to help you. Our project is to not just make money, but to help people understand social media. We are going to take the social media and brand it so you have all that you need for now. Then we will give it back to you and teach you so you can do it yourself, or we can continue doing it for you. We’re here to help you. It’s different.”
CONNECT WITH SMITTEN PR:
smittenpr
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FEATURES
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DRESS TO IMPRESS On Interview Day By Nancy Hoang, Contributor On interview day, consider your outfit an investment into your future. Dressing appropriately shows employers that you are mindful of the professional atmosphere the job entails and you are willing to put in the effort if you are hired. Getting the interview is only the first step. Step two is remembering that you are on their time; don’t waste it by looking as if no effort was put into your outfit. When you dress well, it helps to project a confident and professional image. In turn this will help you during the interview process - it’s no secret that those who are confident have a stronger chance of landing the job. Pace University’s Career Services are firm believers that one’s professional dress is vital to one’s career. To prove this belief, they put on a fashion show in the Student Union on April 3rd, 2013. With fellow students as models, they strutted down the runway in the basics of professional wear. The show had a mixture of office appropriate dresses, skirts, and pant suits for women. What these outfits all had in common were conservative colors, neat and flattering blouses, mid-heeled shoes, pattern-less stockings and natural makeup. Men wore single breasted black, grey, or navy suits, long sleeved button down shirts, ties with conservative stripes or small patterns, black or brown polished shoes, with solid dark socks matched with the outfit. With the right suit and a firm handshake, the chances of being hired are in your favor. (And don’t forget to pack your résumé!)
AFTER CLASS WITH Dr. Emily Welty
WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH PEACE & JUSTICE STUDIES? What I love about Peace and Justice Studies (PJS) is that it provides a way to engage with big, complicated profound questions of conflict, injustice and human suffering through a variety of different disciplines. I am excited by the way that PJS offers a way for everyone to connect to these complex issues through different disciplines. The most pressing problems of our time – violence, injustice, environmental destruction – are too important and too complicated to be addressed by just one field or profession. We need nurses, teachers, computer scientists, entrepreneurs, historians, economists, biologists, lawyers, artists, writers, actors, political scientists and more to share what each of their fields of knowledge can contribute to these human problems. Peace and Justice studies is a scholarly, interdisciplinary field that brings together these different bodies of knowledge and different methodologies. PJS scholars seek to understand the causes of violent conflict, develop new ways to transform conflict and address the root social causes that lead to conflict. These root social causes are described by PJS scholars as structural violence (sometimes also called institutional or cultural violence) and include racism, classism, sexism, heterosexism and other forms of injustice. Peace is not defined simply as the absence of war or the absence of conflict; in fact, most scholars agree that conflict can actually be a productive, healthy way of exposing societal orand personal and injustice. The relationship between Sausage Spinachgrievances Bread RECIPE TheHonorsHerald peace and justice is therefore critical. Without justice, peace is false; without peace, justice can be destructive.
December 2, 2013
OP-ED
The Honors Herald
Why Hammerhead Sharks Are More Feminist than You By Sierra Chandler, Contributor We see them in movies, magazines and other sources of pop culture; however, most of you probably do not actually know anything about sharks beyond their teeth. Today, that changes because I am going to tell to you something you probably didn’t know about Hammerhead sharks. They had a feminist revolution. The first thing you should know is that hammerhead sharks have larger frontal lobes than any other shark. This means they have highly developed social skills. The Bonnethead Shark in particular seems to be ahead of the rest in the evolutional process, taking tremendous advances from the biological realm to the social realm. A study in 2004 at the Guy Harvey Institute in Florida found that Hammerhead sharks are the only ones to practice monogamy. Most sharks will 100% of the time have polyandrous mating practices resulting in each litter having multiple paternity. In other words, there would be more than one babydaddy for each pregnancy. This study found that when they tested the paternity of Bonnethead Hammerheads 81% of litters were the results of genetic monogamy. In other words, there was only one babydaddy. This begs the question, “why?” Dr. Demian Chapman at the PEW Institute for Ocean Science believes the answer lies in the violent nature of shark sex. Mating among sharks is essentially gang-rape. A group of up to a dozen male sharks will attack a lone female and hold her down while they all take turns impregnating her. Not only does the female suffer potentially dangerous bites from her attackers but shark penises have spurs at the end to help him clamp onto her. These spurs will cause internal damage to
her body and can kill her. This is why most sharks will have multiple fathers in single litters. Therefore, Dr. Chapman believes that because Hammerheads have developed social behaviors the females decided to band together to fight the rape. He discovered that large schools of hammerhead sharks are mostly female. At the center of these groups are the older, dominant females. On the outskirts are the young females and males of the school. If a male shark attempts to mate with a female against her will the other female sharks will turn on him and kill him. Because of this the female Hammerheads choose who to mate with and when, resulting in genetically monogamous litters and much happier females. I find this so fascinating because sharks as a species represent the apex of evolution. Their skin has evolved so perfectly that no barnacles can grow on them and their sense of smell and spatial reasoning are unmatched in any other animal. These magnificent creatures have been on this planet in their current form since the age of the dinosaurs. And yet, they remain one of our most mysterious neighbors. Dr. Clenley said it best: “We are just starting to hit the tip of the iceberg of what these animals are capable of.” And maybe the next time you watch JAWS you will wonder what his penis looks like.
FOOD
GOT BEEF WITH BURGERS? Surprisingly, the American staple, ground beef hamburgers, weren’t this popular before World War II. After the Second World War, barbecuing became the popular method to sizzle meat, and so an American craze erupted when McDonald’s introduced the sensational patties sandwiched between two sesame buns. Just like today, people back then were delighted of how cheap these sold for, which was a fraction of the cost we pay today. According to Business Insider, McDonald’s sells over 75 hamburgers each second, that’s 4500 burgers a minute! Although burgers are a fun part of a national holiday feast or just an on-the-go meal, they pose a substantial threat to human health. These so called “beef burgers” aren’t exactly made of beef. In fact, the supposed meat patty is hardly pure meat at all; it is mostly remnants of the cow such as its bones and feces, contaminated flesh, and basically, garbage… literally. Not only does it affect us horribly, the environment’s health is at stake as well. The production and transportation of the cattle are accountable for the release of millions of tons of greenhouse gases, such as methane, that contribute to global warming (yes, cow farts really do raise the mercury on our planet’s thermometer) as well as less fresh water available for our use. We must also take into account the extreme maltreatment of these innocent animals. But, of course, as a majorly capitalist world, McDonald’s continues to reign supreme, and with revenue of $32 billion from its franchises, it surpasses Ecuador’s economy (Business Insider). Undoubtedly, our taste buds are to blame as well. So next time you “drive thru” those double golden arches, allow them to remind you that not all that glitters is gold.
BEATING FRESHMAN
15
By Melissa Bowley, Contributor
Urban Dictionary defines “Freshman Fifteen” as, “When a first year college student (usually a female) eats a ton, and proceeds to sit on her butt and gain 15 lbs.” Due to a myriad of reasons, freshmen can’t help but gain some weight – and that eventually leads to a pattern of weight gain. Who has time to plan what they eat around the food pyramid anyway? With class, homework, and extracurricular commitments making time for physical activity becomes a forgotten priority. Across the country, gaining weight while attending college is not difficult to do. At Pace, we have one cafeteria. But we have access to an entire world of food with one swipe of a metro card. I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want. And I can choose not to eat my vegetables. There’s also the late night open Starbucks in the cafeteria that caters to students’ caffeine cravings. So, what’s stopping me from engaging in all of these edible temptations? The answer is simple - absolutely nothing.
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FOOD
The Honors Herald
Living in a consumer world is complicated. If we want things, we go out and buy them. And when these products run out, they are replaced with exact replicas that will also be consumed and replaced. In terms of eating, I can consume all day long, and no one will tell me to stop buying food. That routine repeats itself and becomes a curse. What do I suggest to all of the freshmen here at Pace? Listen to your body. No one is going to change the way you feel physically but you. It comes down to how you decide to take
Here are five simple tips specific to Pace to help you avoid the “sitting on your butt” situation. care of your body.
1. Think fruit and vegetables. Think of fruit as “healthy candy”, and mix it into your dessert. Discover what you’re favorite vegetables are and incorporate them into your three meals.
2. Don’t be afraid to sweat.
A lot of us have “gymxiety”: anxiety about going to the dorm gyms. But nobody in the gym is going to care whether you are or aren’t sweating. The people in the gym are there to exercise and destress. The gyms here at Pace aren’t scary. Take advantage of them.
3. Go for a walk or run on the Brooklyn Bridge. With its convenient location right next to Pace, you’re guaranteed to fulfill your daily dose of exercise while taking in the beautiful Lower Manhattan skyline.
4. Take the stairs.
You’ll feel a slight burn in your legs, but why not count that as a mini work out? With the time it takes elevators to get to each floor, you’ll probably get to your destination in a shorter amount of time.
5. Have your friends join in on your workout sessions. For some people, that’s great motivation. You didn’t pay to come to college to stay in your dorm – go outside and get some fresh air. Above all, no one but you can tell how you feel in your own body. So don’t agonize over weight gain, just be proactive. “Working out”, no matter how you do it, will definitely give you that little seed of motivation to continue to work out. Ready? Now go to work.
A THANKSGIVING RECIPE
FOR THE DORMERS By Catherine Weening, Contributor When you think of Thanksgiving, you probably think of food. I don’t know about anyone else, but whenever Thanksgiving rolls around, I make it a point to stay far away from the kitchen to avoid the stress-caused wrath of my mother, because making all those different dishes is pretty hard. For any Honors student staying on campus, or for anyone who got suckered into preparing a dish for your upcoming feast at home, here’s a family recipe of mine that’s simple to make- mostly because half the work is done for you (which is probably why my mom likes making this so much).
Sausage & Spinach Bread Before you do anything, go to your local pizzeria and tell them you’re making a pizza and would like to buy dough from them. Yes, this works. And yes, my family gets dough from different places every year - so apparently we’re not that weird in doing this. (Photo courtesy of foodnetwork.com.)
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The Honors Herald
SAUSAGE & SPINACH BREAD Serves 4 to 5 people Ingredients:
prepared pizza dough 5-7 sausage links 2 cups of spinach a few heads of garlic some oil (preferably olive oil) 1 cup of mozzarella cheese
Generation Why
Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 2. Make the sausage. Cut each link in half and place the halves in a frying pan, set on medium heat. Every few minutes turn them over. You’ll know they’re cooked once they turn brown, which should be after approximately ten minutes. 3. While the sausage is cooking, sauté the spinach and garlic. Chop a head or two of garlic and, in a pan, put in a few teaspoons of oil and sauté the garlic for a minute or two. Don’t let the garlic get too brown. A good way to prevent that is to keep the pan on medium heat. Next, add the garlic and toss the two together. Cook for two to five minutes until the spinach appears wilted, and stir the pan’s contents while it’s cooking. 4. Roll out your dough in a circular shape, like you’re making a pizza. 5. Dice your cooked sausage and place in the middle of the circle, in a straight line. Make sure there is some space at the top and bottom of the circle. 6. Add some mozzarella cheese on top of the sausage. This will help keep the bread’s contents together. 7. Put the spinach on top of the sausage and cheese, and add some more cheese on top. 8. Fold the dough like you’re making a huge burrito. Place the stuffed dough on a baking sheet covered in foil and put in the oven. 9. Check on the bread every 15-20 minutes. After 30 minutes or so, the dough should appear browned and the bread can be taken out of the oven.
Opinions and Editorials
Cut when cooled, and enjoy! Most meats and vegetable taste great with pizza dough, so it’s easy to put anything you want into your bread.
Theatre for Social Change By Jamie Saunders, Contributor When I was accepted into Pace University's BA Acting program as a part of the International Performance Ensemble, I didn't know much about it. I knew that I would be able to not only act, but experiment with other aspects of theatre. And I knew that we were going to travel. I had no idea that we would create our own theatre ensemble, Generation Why, and how special it would be. The BA Acting/ Directing International Performance ensemble is the program that gave birth to Generation Why. The title of our group is a spin on the label our generation has been given; but it shows how we aim to use theatre to ask questions and to shed light on prominent societal and global issues. Generation Why is one of two ensemble devised theatre groups that was created this school year. An ensemble devised theatre company The Htheatre onors erald makes their own by H taking an idea and working collaboratively to expand it. In our case, we will
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expand it. Then we will eventually have a show to take abroad for our sophomore year. On Wednesday November 20, Generation Why performed excerpts from Eve Ensler's "A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant, and a Prayer". This performance was an example of site specific theatre, meaning that it took place in various places around the school (such as staircases, courtyard, and lecture halls) as opposed to onstage. Site specific theatre helps to inform the kind of piece being presented, which makes it not only very real for the actors, but the audience as well. In this performance, I had the opportunity to act in several scenes as well as direct a scene. It was challenging trying to split the rehearsal time, but I'm glad I got to do both. I'm really proud of the work as a whole, especially seeing how my friends were able to work on their own scenes. In the end, it all came together as one performance. Larissa Jeanniton, a Generation Why? ensemble member, says: “I can honestly say that this program is perfect for me as an artist. We get to create our own work, develop our movement and acting skills, collaborate with others, as well as create theater for social change. It is amazing to be surrounded by people who are not only as passionate about theater as I am, but also concern themselves with world issues and the human condition.” I'm so excited to grow with these people and this work, because I know that I'm where I need to be.
The Honors Herald
A Penned Preposition By Catherine Weening, Contributor
I can make you immortal. I can give you glory. I’ll write you a ballad; I’ll write you a story. Use me to learn; Use me to teach. Or, if you prefer, lecture Or even just preach. Draft a new law; Write up a plan. Protest, assemble, and Bring down The Man. I may look thin, But I can be strong. Use Me when you’re right And when you’re wrong. All I need is paper and Your ability to think. No, I’m not the penI’m the ink.
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https://www.facebook.com/GenWhyPace https://twitter.com/GenWhyPace Generation Why cast group photo. Photo courtesy of Generation Why.
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December 2, 2013
ARTS
The Honors Herald
Hikouki By Andrea Ragadio. Illustrated by Amandine Tristani. It’s almost four—the air has a tangerine glow. She’s been staring at the same rubber speck for about four minutes. Some newspaper pages flutter by, crackling in the wind, scuttling across the ground. The swing whines softly. She squeezes the metal cords and smiles, letting loose a sigh. I have the park all to myself, she thinks. She giggles, pushes herself back, and tilts against the breeze, watching her feet as they plunge into the sky, and the ground rushing back like the wings of a bird.
wrinkled, she notices. She’s watched Mommy iron so many times before, but still can’t get it right. She almost burned Daddy’s pants last time; she got in trouble, and big brother laughed. But he felt bad afterwards, and gave her a piece of candy. I miss him, she thinks. I miss you so much. She stops swinging again.
“Daddy,” she cries. “Look at me, I can do it by myself!” she doesn’t turn her head, but she knows he’s smiling at her, nodding, turning the page of his newspaper. He was always quiet in the afternoon. If Mommy was here, she knew he’d be laughing with her, talking about all those boring things that didn’t matter yet, or whispering of those frightening things that she pretended not to listen to, because she knew they didn’t want her to notice. A triangle of black dots appears against the clouds. Her smile fades slightly—they look too much like airplanes. Big brother doesn’t think so, she muses, remembering their argument over it. He’s so stupid sometimes. Of course birds look like airplanes, way high up airplanes. They just don’t make the scary noise. She skids her feet over the rubber ground, about to get off the swing and ask Daddy when big brother is coming to the playground, too. Before she does, though, she hears a chorus of screams. Her eyes shoot up and she frowns again. The other children are coming, she thinks. If I get up, they might take my swing. I don’t want to share today. I always have to share. She grips the chains more tightly as a boy runs up to the swing set; she is prepared to be mean to him, even though he is older than her - maybe as old as her brother. He smiles and bows to her. She giggles in reply. What a funny boy, she thinks. He turns around and goes to the see-saw instead, and she starts to swing again as more kids stream into the playground, still in their uniforms. One of the boys’ uniforms is quite
Her eyes water; she rubs them with one hand and sniffles, looking up at the sky. She gasps. There is an airplane. She wants to call Daddy, but she’s too scared. Her body stiffens. Why isn’t it making the noise? Her eyes dart around at the smiling faces of the other children, running, screaming, laughing, climbing, and their parents sitting on the benches— nobody noticing, nobody listening. I have to be brave, she thinks. If big brother sees me crying, he’ll make fun of me again. Then Daddy will get angry at him for laughing at me. Mommy will start
ARTS crying, making big brother sorry, and making Daddy scared. If Daddy is scared, who will protect us? She thinks frantically. I have to be brave. She squeezes her eyes shut, holding her breath, as the muffled whir fades into the distance. She feels a tap on her arm and turns to the face of the funny boy. He seems to have gotten much shorter.
sky and the clouds; she likes to point at the families of birds flying in arrow shapes. Big brother likes to lie down beside her too, unless he’s still in school uniform. Now he’s kneeling above her, frowning, mouth slightly open. He only ever does that when he’s really worried. I guess I fell down, she thinks. She doesn’t remember. A man offers his hand.
“Why were you crying?” he asks softly.
“Are you alright?” she doesn’t answer, but takes his hand and stands up, eyeing the strangers still watching her with those worried eyes. Even the other kids have stopped playing. She turns to the swing and sighs in relief—nobody’s taken it from her. Not even her brother. Again, the man gently squeezes her hand. She continues to stare at the swing, listening to the calming creaks. Above the song, there are more scary noises; she sees red lights in the distance, more people running into the playground toward the swings. Her free hand reaches to grasp the chain. The breeze stirs her hair without a sound, and her fingers unlace, for the running men look so scared that it breaks her heart. If they are scared, she thinks, who will protect their little girls? She decides she can share. Yes, she says to herself, and nods. I’ll share so they won’t be afraid. “Come this way, you’ll be alright,” the man puts a hand on her shoulder. She finally turns to the kind voice, staring into his eyes while he smiles and nods. She puts her hand on his face.
“I wasn’t crying,” she says, and frowns. “I saw you.” He shakes his head. “Are you ok now? Does something hurt?” “I wasn’t crying,” she snaps. “I’m not a crybaby!” The tears come again, this time followed by a dull ringing in her ears. The boy’s eyes open wider. “Get away from me,” she screams. The whirring invades her ears. “Get away from me,” she whimpers. “Get away from me,” The ground rushes back like the wings of a bird. “Mommy, help,” she cries. “Help me!” The ringing stops. Everything stops. The air and its tangerine glow are nearly silent. There are so many faces around her now, noticing, listening; some are whispering, their heads covering the sunlight. She’s lying down on the rubber ground. She likes to lie down and watch the
“Daddy,” she beams. “Is it time to go home now?”
Photos courtesy of Program Coordinator & Office Manager Jaclyn Kopel.
December 2, 2013
ARTS
The Honors Herald
The Power of Details By Amandine Tristani, Contributor As far as I remember, I have always had a pen in my hand. As a child, I principally reproduced images or scenes I saw. Later on, I began to understand that drawing is not only about exactly reproducing what others did. It is also about reproducing their drawings in the way you see them.
A joyous drawing to celebrate the start of the fall 2013 semester.
Then came high school. I took many history classes and discovered satirical drawings. I became passionate about how innocent looking illustrations could have power in such a subtle way. It is fascinating to me how an image can have various meanings depending on the interpretation we make of it, and the cultural and historical background of the person looking at it. Like many other forms of art, the essence of drawing is something that comes naturally to any passionate artist. It is something hardly explicable. After the drawing’s first blurry representation comes a logical process. This process is the picking of imagery the audience can relate to. It is even more important for my “field” of art - the making of cartoons and satirical drawings. This article presents some of my work and explains the process and reasoning behind it. Too Smart For You
This drawing was inspired by the animated movie Coraline. In Coraline, some characters have buttons in place of their eyes. For adults, imagining a person with such a characteristic would be terrifying; but children do not seem to see it as choking. I wanted to represent that gap of interpretation between adults and children’s representation of horror. The drawing shows a doll with big eyes, long eyelashes, red lips and rosy cheeks. She would seem inoffensive to a young soul. However, an adult would be drawn by the used of dark colors, and the diabolic look she gives.
This is an example of the process of character creation for a short comic. This character represents intelligence, but in an arrogant way. Notice how the girl is dressed in a very classy and detailed style. She has the attire of the perfect little girl, enhanced by the use of blue and pink colors. Moreover, she is also wearing glasses - a common representation of intelligence in comics. Her eyes are closed as though she does not want to hear others’ opinion. She asks for attention by pointing her finger up. As you can see, there are two versions of the character. The first colorization was too blurry; so I created a second character, with a smooth and shiny texture, to emphasize the idea of perfection and clarity.
ARTS
December 2, 2013
The Honors Herald
My New Heart This is my first satirical drawing. I wanted to illustrate Henry Fountain’s New York Times article, “A First: Organs Tailor-Made With Body’s Own Cells”. The article discusses the possibility to create new organs with a patient’s own cells. For this drawing, I took inspiration from one of my favorite French satirical artists, Plantu. The drawing is in black and white (without too many shadows) to not distract the reader’s attention. The man holds the heart as if it was his baby, since it was as well created from his own flesh. He is thin, pale and bold, which are common signs of illness. The heart is represented in darker shades to attract attention, and beats in a lively way to represent life.
A Sad Reflection This is one of my first creations made thanks to GIMP, a computer software to color drawings. Eyes closed and head down, the girl attracts the eye because of her red towel. However, another figure stands in the background. A woman with a distorted appearance is crying. Her legs are crossed as if she cannot find balance. There are many painful angles to her silhouette, and the more we go down her body, the more the lines become fuzzy.
Honors Student Aide Devina getting festive with the new water cooler.
HONORS COUNCIL PAGE
December 2, 2013
The Honors Herald
Letter from the Honors Executive Board
Dear Honors Students, We are so excited to be your Honors Council E-Board for the 2013 to 2014 school year. We’re working hard to bring you many fun events and worthwhile newsletters.
Above, left to right: Public Relations Committee Co-Chairs Katie Klein and Tatiana Milcent. Programming Chair Gabriella Ferrera. Bottom: Newsletter Co-Chairs Jessica Sutton, Alvi Rashid, and Leopoldo Orozco.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the events we’ve hosted so far: such as the Honors Colloquiums, Breast Cancer Bake Sale, Open Mic Night, ePortfolio workshop, Diana’s Research Fundamental workshop, and Broadway show tickets giveaways. Have an idea for an event? Send it our way! We want to make it a memorable year for you. Your involvement means everything to us. Without your support, we would not have been able to raise $80 at the Breast Cancer Bake Sale or donate several boxes of canned goods to the Bowery Mission for Thanksgiving. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions and/or ideas. Email President Rachel at rw00600n@pace.edu. Good luck with the rest of the semester! We wish everyone the best of luck with finals. Signing off, Your Honors E-Board
Throwback to a few Honors Events Photographer credits to Jaclyn Kopel, Garrison Hall, and Rachel Wandishin.
BILL’S CORNER
December 2, 2013
The Honors Herald
D’S
Bill’s Corner
We are now near the end of this semester, and that was when I had to pay for a semester’s worth of procrastination. The novelty has worn off on many courses, and the work seems overwhelming. One of your rights as an Honors student is to have fun, but sometimes the fun isn’t apparent, sometimes college is a grind.
"This Broadway's got/It's got a lot of songs to sing If I knew the tunes I might join in I'll go my way alone, I’ll grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown in New York City Subway's no way for a good man to go down Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown And I thank the Lord for the people I have found I thank the Lord for the people I have found” - Elton John, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Recent performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmTcnpwcPtw Full lyrics/Studio version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OthHVnG9EKg )
Questions or Concerns about Honors? Email Bill at:
billoffutt@aol.com
There are two opposite pieces of advice I need to give as you launch yourself into these last weeks. First, when the grind seems to be overwhelming, that’s when you should draw on your fellow Honors students, and on me. If you need help in a course, ask someone in your class, or ask the List (yes, you can use the e-mail list to ask for help), ask me. More importantly, if you’d just like a break, take it with friends, take it with other Honors students, or just hang out in the Honors
College is not merely about competing for grades and jumping through hoops—it’s more about shared knowledge and shared experiences. And in the latter, I hope you can be thankful for the people you have found. lounge.
And second, to make it through the next weeks with success, find a place that you can be alone to work for long, uninterrupted periods of time. To do that, you must find a cave, a place where no one can find or disturb you for hours on end. You should disappear and go underground (metaphorically), where there is nothing to distract you. Turn off the cell phone, ignore the distractions on-line, ignore family, friends and temptations, and don’t schedule anything for 2, 3, 4 hours at a stretch. There are caves all around, but you must find one now. Your family, friends, significant others will still love you in two weeks; value yourself and your future by finding a cave to work in. And in this effort, you will ultimately not have to go your way alone.
December 2, 2013
A MESSAGE FROM DR. DUPONT
The Honors Herald
D’S
A Message from Dr. Dupont Hi everyone, It is that time of year when we give thanks, enjoy time with friends and family, stuff ourselves silly, and sleep late. But no sooner than we put our Thanksgiving forks down, we are catapulted into finals, papers and holiday preparations. For some of you, thesis presentations and graduation are right around the corner. Whatever your situation is, I am truly proud of all of your accomplishments. As Honors students, much is expected of you and you have risen to the occasion time and again. May the New Year bring you joy and well-deserved relaxation!! Sincerely, Ida Dupont
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