THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF BENTLEY UNIVERSITY SINCE 1963
THE VANGUARD VOLUME LVII ISSUE II
BENTLEYVANGUARD.COM
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2014
Bentley launches PreparedU Project Experts meet in New York City to discuss millennials in the workforce With hopes of beginning a discussion about millennials in the workforce, Bentley University launched the PreparedU Project on Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at Bloomberg Media headquarters in New York City. “We’ve all heard the stereotypes—millennials are too entitled, self-involved, lack work ethic, don’t know how to communicate beyond their social media accounts and have no company loyalty,” explained President Gloria Cordes Larson in a statement, “However, like most stereotypes, we knew there had to be more to the story.” Bentley University commissioned KRC Research, an independent, third-party research firm, to conduct the research project to help uncover some of the truths and beliefs about preparedness in
the workforce. The research resulted with The Bentley University Preparedness Study, which has become one of the most comprehensive and broad surveys on the subject of workplace preparedness. KRC Research conducted
the research in October 2013 and surveyed more than 3,000 respondents. The respondent group was comprised of nine different stakeholder groups: business decision makers, corporate recruiters, higher education influential, parents of
high school students, college students, recent college graduates and members of the general public. By partnering with Bloomberg, Bentley hopes to bring the discussion to the national level and begin
Jeff Breault/THE VANGUARD
BY JEFF BREAULT
Former EDITOR IN CHIEF
The panel discussed the results of The Bentley University Preparedness Study.
a movement to close the preparedness gap. “We want our survey to serve as a springboard to engage all the players in a larger, multidimensional national conversation that will ideally help bridge the preparedness gap,” said Larson in her statement. “Together, we can find a way to ensure we’re delivering a return on investment to college graduates, while improving U.S. businesses and strengthening our workforce.” Instead of conducting research on the problems and issues associated with millennial preparedness, The Bentley University Preparedness Study also identified and tested 16 possible solutions to begin the efforts of closing the preparedness gap. The research then focused on four primary solutions that target four main stakeholders. The first solution focuses on the role SEE PREPARED, PAGE 6
BY USAMA SALIM
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
On January 28th 2014, the president of the free world took to the stage to deliver the yearly national address, also known as the State of the Union. With a positive start, President Obama praised the country on all the good it did in the past year. From national oil production exceeding imported crude oil, to 50,000 new jobs being created in the auto industry, the successes of the United States were met with applause by the audience. The president then went on to set a few goals for the upcoming year in 2014, including the pullout of troops from Afghanistan, a comment which was whole heartedly welcomed by a standing ovation. The president also urged the members of both the democratic and republican parties to put aside their differences and unite in making America a better place. “The budget compromise should leave us for a year to focus on creating new jobs,
not creating new crises.” The reference, of course, being made to the government shut down of 2013 which caused massive losses to the Federal government. “We’re not doing right by the American people,” said President Obama, hinting on an indirect apology the people of the United States for the shutdown. The president showed great disapproval towards the current condition of the middle class, where even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working too hard just to get by, and some aren’t even working at all. The job of congress is to reverse these trends, said the president, and indicated the presence of a few concrete plans that he had in mind to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class and build new ladders of opportunity. Some require congressional action, but whatever steps can be taken (without any legislation) for the benefit of families, will be considered. Opportunity is exactly what the United States stood for, and that was something
he plans to protect. A cut down on bureaucracy, as well as reducing taxes that force U.S. companies to outsource, shall also be focused on this year. The loopholes causing businesses to move out shall be closed and incentives for businesses to stay local shall be provided. In the light of such job creation and innovation, the Obama administration has launched two hubs for high tech manufacturing, where businesses have been connected with research universities. The administration is aiming to launch another 6 hubs this year. The president also urged businesses to raise wages. Lower government officials don’t have to wait for congress to pass the bills, he said. They can do it on their own, with the full support of America. The president shall deliver an executive decision in the next few weeks to raise the minimum wage for those working for the federal government to $10.10 an hour. He asked congress to say “yes” to an increase in the federal wage
Courtesy of source latimes.com
State of the Union: The past, the present and the future
President Obama delivering the State of the Union address. from $7.25 to $10.10 for the rest of the American population. Talking about energy, President Obama focused on promoting not only local natural gas production, but also an increase in funding for alternative sources. He also aimed for more energy efficiency by reducing the amount of money spent on gas by installing more economic fuel systems in cars and trucks. Carbon
pollution over the past eight years in the United States, said the president, had been reduced by more than any country in the world. The president is to work more on reducing the carbon pollution by introducing new carbon pollution standards. “Climate change is fact,” he said, refuting any debate about the phenomenon. SEE union, PAGE 5
Bean Boots
Sobering Up
Baseball
The Bean boots are more than a fashion statement.
Advice to start thinking about your career early.
Baseball team travels to Florida to kick-off the season.
FEATURES 7
OPINION 12
SPORTS 15
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THE vanguard
February 6, 2014
THE VANGUARD 2014 EDITORIAL BOARD Bentley University, Waltham, MA 02452
Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor General Manager
MELISA KOCARSLAN ‘16 BRENDAN GERETY ‘17 VICKY LIN ‘15
Copy Editor
Jesse Darrow ‘17
News Editor
MICHAELA STEPHENSON ‘15
Campus Life Editor Features Editor Sports Editor
zack O’malley ‘14 SAI HE ‘16 Matt gustus ‘14
Business Editor
jasper huang ‘15
Photography Editor
VIRGINIA DUFFY ‘17
Director of Production and Layout
STEPHANIE SEPUTRA ‘17
Director of Advertising
USAMA SALIM ‘17
Director of Online Services advisor
Editorial CAMPUS EVENTS
Three events you don’t want to miss
1 2 3 100 Days ‘til Graduation Pub Night
Activities Fair
Day: Thursday Time: 9:00 p.m. Location: The Pub Host: 2014 Class Cab
Day: Friday Time: 4:00 p.m. Location: Student Center Host: ABA
The class of 2014 comes together to celebrate their last 100 days of being undergraduate students.
The Activities Fair showcases our more than 100 student organizations. It is agreat opportunity for you to meet with representatives of organizations you are interested in.
Susatinability Film Series Day: Tuesday Time: 7:00 p.m. Location: AAC 165 Host: Office of Sustainability
Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet.
vACANT Nicole Chabot-Wieferich Director, Student Activities
Staff Writers Emily ellis ‘15, jd towers ‘17, ethan hall ‘17, jess hughes ‘14, nick toselli ‘17, lacey nemergut ‘14, stephanie seputra ‘17, megha ryan ‘14, megan lieu ‘17 Columnists ANGELA HARt ‘14, KEVIN LARYEA ‘15, STEPHANIE SEPUTRA ‘17, USAMA SALIM ‘17 Production AssistantS Sarah egner ‘17, Brendan Gerety ‘17, JUlie Keedy ‘16, USAMA SALIM’17 Photographers Alex yuan ‘17, Shiyu Xu ‘17, Mark Tsyporkin ‘17, Hongyi Jin ‘17, Garrett meccariello ‘17, angela su’17, amanda rose ‘17, michelle ghozali ‘17
Editor’s pick Super Bingo Day: Friday, February 7th Time: 8:15 p.m. LocAtion: Dana Center
Super Bingo - a high-stakes, exciting, and entertaining Bentley bingo game for the ages. Come on down to Dana and take a chance, because if the right numbers are called, you could win one of several awesome prizes on show.
BentleyVanguard.com email GA_Vanguard@bentley.edu mail Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, Waltham, MA 02452 USA phone +1 781.891.2912
...find more campus events at events.bentley.edu
The Vanguard is the official student newspaper of Bentley University. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the University administration; Bentley University is not responsible for statements herein. The columns found in this newspaper are written by individual authors and do not reflect the opinion of The Vanguard, its Editorial Board members or the University. Comments regarding the columns may be directed to the author and/or The Vanguard. The Vanguard is published every Thursday of the academic year, excluding examination periods and holiday breaks. It is distributed free to all students, faculty and staff of Bentley University. Circulation is 3,000 copies. Funding for The Vanguard is provided in part by the Student Activity Fee, but relies on advertising revenue to cover the majority of its costs. Advertising rates are available upon request by contacting (781) 8913497. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement; only publication of an advertisement constitutes final acceptance of the offer to advertise. The Vanguard welcomes reader feedback, letters to the editor and online comments. We reserve the right to edit all copy for grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, libel and length. The Vanguard welcomes reader feedback, letters to the editor and online comments. We reserve the right to edit all copy for grammar, spelling, punctuation, style, libel and length.
EDITORIAL
Not sure if Class of 201X Facebook group…or spambot central When we submitted the $500 deposit that officially announced our intent to attend Bentley University, many of us logged onto Facebook as our next move. We updated our “Education,” posted a get-more-likest h a n - I ’ l l - e v e r- g e t - a g a i n status and requested to join the Bentley Class of 201X group that corresponds with our year of graduation. The next day, we would log in and receive a notification that one of the group administrators, most likely Pablo Ruiz, had accepted our request. We were in! Time to scope out the class hotties, find potential roommates, aggressively add everyone in the group, follow said hotties on Twitter and Instagram and discover others with similar interests! And boy we did. Some of us more than others, but we all did our fair share of creeping. Without hesitation, we replied to every “Let’s get to know each other better!” post, eagerly sharing personal details with strangers. Strangers who have become some of our best friends, strangers who remain strangers, strangers who we’ve gotten to know and now shudder
at the thought that they now have access to, in the deep dark annals of the group archive, information about us we definitely don’t want them to know. We thought the group would be a welcoming community embodying the essence of diversity; students posting links to campus events, organization meeting information, selfpromotional activities and textbook buy/sells. And it is! But it sure is hard finding pertinent posts amidst the swarm of spam that inundates the group. The most common unwanted posts include promotions for StudentRate, essay writing services (read: pay to plagiarize) and Amazon Prime. Aside from the blatantly unethical paid essays, the majority of these promotions pan to our common mentality as the “broke college student.” It sure would be swell to have free 2-day shipping for six months, wouldn’t it? Here is the dirty little secret: each of the URLs is actually a referral code. That is, for each person who signs up for a service through that URL, the person who posted the code receives “x” amount
of money and or perks from the company. Basically, we are involuntarily feeding the wallets of bottomfeeding “entrepreneurs.” A quick look at the Bentley University Class of 2017 Facebook group shows 1,421 members. Even when taking into consideration Bentley upperclassmen who join to promote their organizations, transfer students (coming in and going out) and miscellaneous other Bentley-affiliated people, the math doesn’t add up. There are potentially hundreds of these greedy cretins infiltrating what should be Bentley-only communities. So the next time you visit the Facebook group of your class and notice a “Curtis Reed” or “Lara Myers” posting a “no scam or hype, everything’s legit” link, do our community a favor by hovering over the top-right corner of the post and clicking on “Report/Mark as Spam.” Together, we can restore the sanctity of our respective class groups and make it easier to do what we do most in these groups: find and view the profiles of classmates we find attractive but have never spoken to.
BULLETIN
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
MaJOR: Management MINOR: Accounting and Finance HOME TOWN: Brockton, MA
What is your favorite event on campus? Spring Day How are you feeling about graduation? Bittersweet; excited to move on, but sad to say goodbye.
What are your plans for the future? I plan to work in the Washington DC area and invest in residential and commercial real estate.
What is the most valuable lesson you have learned at Bentley? The most valuable lesson I’ve learned here at Bentley is to look at the bigger picture. It is easy to get caught up in the monotonous tasks we are faced with every day, but when you can see that all the hard work and dedication pays off it motivates you to do the best you can. As individuals we can only control so much, it is important to recognize what our contributions are to organizations and society as a whole.
What are your goals for this year? I want to make the most out of my last semester here at Bentley both academically and socially.
Advice to seniors/ words of wisdom Work hard but enjoy your time while you still have it. The year blows by far too fast!
What can Bentley do to help you with this year? At this point I feel everything is up to me. Bentley has done an excellent job preparing me for this next step of my life.
LEY UNIVERSITY BENT
SER
VE AND INFO
THE
VANGUAR
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What are you involved in at Bentley? Project Manager for the Bentley Service Learning Center, Student Facilitator for First Year Seminar, S.T.E.P. Student.
What are you looking forward to this year? I’m looking forward to learning real information that will benefit me and prepare me for my new career.
TO
Courtesy of Chris Andrews
Chris Andrews
D
COMING SOON...
STUDENT CONDUCT SUMMARY September 9 - September 18 24 Total Number of Cases 34 Total Number of Individuals Involved 0 Individuals Dismissed from Responsibility 32 Individuals Admitting Responsibility 7 Number of individuals found responsible by Conduct Board 7 Number of educational sanctions given 0 Number of Work Sanctions 4 Number of Parental Notifications $500 Cash total of fines given 12 Number of students given a Verbal Warning 16 Number of students put on Written Warning 6 Number of individuals put on Probation 0 Number of individuals put on Disciplinary Probation 0 Number of individuals who lost 15 housing credits 0 Number of individuals who lost 30 housing credits 0 Number of individuals put on Suspension (Housing) 0 Number of individuals put on Suspension (University) 0 Number of individuals expelled Provided by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs
HEALTH AND WELLNESS TIP OF THE WEEK: Catching a cold or the flu can have serious impacts on academics. Avoid getting sick by washing your hands frequently and staying away from sick people. If you are unable to wash with soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Stay healthy, Falcons!
We are currently investigating the potential of our new police log writers. Check back next week for the verdict. We thank you for your patience.
Rhodes Hall - Ground Floor bentley.edu/health
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THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
SNOW DAY
Falcons made the best out of snow storm.
VISIT THE VANGUARD AT THE ACTIVITIES FAIR. FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED WITH THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF BENTLEY UNIVERSITY! Spring Activities Fair - Arts and Media Section Friday, February 7, 2014 4:00-6:00 p.m. - Student Center
Brendan Gerety & Stephanie Seputra/THE VANGUARD
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UNION
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
One of the focuses of the address was to fix the broken immigration system. In 2011, immigrants started 28% of all new U.S. businesses, despite accounting for only 13% of the U.S. population. The president pushed for immigration reform to be completed by the end of 2014, asking the house to approve the reform. The Vice President will be acting on behalf of the president, increasing the amount of training for workers in the United States, filling up jobs as they come up. Partnerships with community colleges are expected to start soon. Congress can help, said the President, by funding such projects, but before that happens, they would need to reform unemployment benefits and give back 1.6 million Americans the benefits they rely on every year. He called on business leaders to make the decision to hire long term unemployed workers, because “we are stronger when American fields a full team.” Focusing on training tomorrow’s workforce, the president aimed at the betterment of education. There was heavy praise from the president towards lenders who have made a college education easier and better. The president also urged for better support systems for teachers as well as
new ways to test how well children can think, not how well they can fill a bubble on a test. Research suggests one of the best investments that can be made is investment in high quality education. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon have pledged to help connect 20 million students to the internet over the next two years without adding a dime to the deficit. The gap between what women and men earn is nearly 23 cents to the dollar, and although the gap has decreased by 17% over the past 50 years, it’s still an embarrassment, said the president. The average woman will have lost $431,000 over her lifetime due to this gap. “I believe that when women succeed, America succeeds.” This statement was received by the audience with applause and loud screams, welcoming the aim to reduce this earnings gap to a dollar for every dollar. The president also praised the first lady, Michelle Obama, on her active role in working with different partners, including schools, businesses and local leaders, on her Lets Move program to reduce the levels of child obesity for the first time in 30 years, bettering lives and reducing medical care costs for years to come. The first lady has also worked on the Joining Forces alliance with Jill Biden, encourag-
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
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Courtesy of defense.org
NEWS
Sergeant First Class Croy Remsburg receives a standing ovation for his service to the nation. ing employers to hire or train nearly 400,000 veterans and military spouses. A lot of the president’s talks were based on true story’s to help people relate. Flanking the first lady were doctors, people looking to change the world, the CEO of GM, as well as two of our own Bostonians who survived the tragic 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, Carlos Arredondo and Jeff Bauman. The 27th of January would mark the rollout for the MyRA, which is set to assist people who don’t have pensions, with investing in new savings bonds. Other local efforts have been ways to increase voting. A reform proposed by Governor Mitt Romney’s
campaign lawyer as well as Obama’s campaign lawyer aims to reducing voting waittimes down to 30 minutes. The president reserved the last 10 minutes of the speech to talk about America’s international policy. These included trying to reduce efforts of Al Qaeda, shutting down Guantanamo Bay, helping Syria to a democracy as well as promoting peace between Israel and Palestine. The main focus though of the international outlook of the United States, was Iran and its nuclear program. The negotiations between Iran and the international community are not built around trust, said the president. Any long term deal agreed to must be based
on verifiable actions convincing the world that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon. If Congress tries to derail these negotiations, they will be vetoed by the president. The president finished off with a heartwarming story of a ranger who nearly lost his life during his 10th deployment. The president quoted the ranger saying “My recovery has not been easy. Nothing in life that is worth anything is easy.” The room, for the first time during the whole speech, stood up to face someone other than the President. Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg had the attention and respect of the select few that run the most powerful country in the entire world.
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
PREPARED
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
of higher education and suggests that colleges and universities need to combine academics with hands-on learning and technology. The role of parents is the second solution, which proposes that parents should play an active role in encouraging their children to take business classes. The role of business, the third solution, urges businesses to partner with colleges and universities in developing business curricula while imparting “real-world expertise” to students. The final solution, the role of students, advises that students commit to being life-long learners both inside the classroom and beyond. The project launch last week was the official release of the study findings and included a panel discussion co-hosted by Larson and Bloomberg’s Carol Massar. The panel included David Burstein, millennial writer, filmmaker and speaker, Scott Jaschik, editor of Inside Higher Ed, Alexandra Levit, workplace author, generational speaker, columnist and consultant and Mike Metzger, CEO and president of PayScale. Andy Lack, chairman of the Bloomberg Media Group, welcomed the participants and those in attendance in his keynote. The discussion first focused on how stakeholders define preparedness and the mixed signals that employers are sending to recent graduates. The survey found that 24 percent of respondents defined preparedness as education, while 23 percent defined it as skills. Larson explained that in
the current job market, many employers are quick to say, “I’m going to take the kid who can walk in tomorrow and do the job. I’m not sure I trust millennials to be loyal anyway—that they are going to stick around for more than two to three years so I want the person with the hard skills who can do the job today.” Larson was quick to note that this sends the wrong message because employers also need to be concerned with soft skills and broad skill sets to be successful in a long-term career. The panelists were sure to address the misunderstandings and the misconceptions that surround millennials. Burstein suggested that, “for the first time in a long time, the younger employees actually understand more about big pieces of the business and the industry and the world than older people do.” Burstein added that this realization by older employees would understandably be uncomfortable for the members of the older generation that have been working for many years at a company. Recognizing this, the panel suggested that millennials want to hold a meaningful leadership position within the company. Larson agreed that it is important to break down the hierarchy within the workplace. Another mixed signal that employers are sending is what they expect employees to know when they arrive at the job. During the recession, many companies cut training programs in an effort to save money. Millennials, however, value training because it helps them to clearly understand what is expected of them. Burstein added that, “Employers have a very different idea of what work is compared to what people in
NEWS this generation [millennials] do. I think there is a gap between what it meant to enter the workforce five years ago and what it means to enter the workforce now.” Without proper training programs and clearly defined expectations, some millennials may feel that their needs are not being addressed and their skills not developed. When discussing whether or not millennials are disloyal, some panelists disagreed. Levit explained that, “There is no such thing as permanent employment anymore, whether you a millennial or a member of any other generation,” noting that the average length of employment for millennials is under one year. The survey concluded that 62 percent of recruiters say that retaining millennials is an issue for their organization while 68 percent said that it is difficult for their organization to manage millennials. Levit continued by saying, “I think one of the misconceptions about the millennial generation is that they are disloyal and that they just want to job jump. When the truth of the matter is millennials are job jumping because they are not finding what they need.” Levit described how millennials value meaningful work in many different facets of the business. Millennials also value companies that invest in their training and help build a foundation for a career. If these needs are not tended to, they feel unsatisfied and jump to the next job. Burstein disagreed with Levit, saying that millennials are discouraged because there are few opportunities for them to rise through the ranks as “one of the chosen few.” When discussing internships and hands-on experience, all of
Jeff Breault/THE VANGUARD
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The panel was co-hosted by Carol Massar and President Larson. the panelists agreed that both are necessary to help close the preparedness gap. There is significant value in the, “real world, on the ground experience that students need to get as soon as possible,” argued Levit. “There is no way that when you are 21 or 22 years old that you know what you want to do for the rest of your life.” Burstein added that during the recession many companies also eliminated internship programs, creating a crisis that has made it more difficult for millennials to obtain internships. Levit urged students to seek other opportunities beyond internships, such as job shadows, to gain insight into what the job is like and what kind of workplace culture exists. Before concluding, the panel agreed that the issue of millennial preparedness is indeed an urgent issue that needs to be addressed. Of the recent graduates that were surveyed, 66 percent agreed that unpreparedness is a real problem among their own cohort—and 60 percent blame their lack of preparedness on
themselves. Levit reminded the audience that, “we solve big lofty issues by looking at things one small step at a time. Focus on the low hanging fruit—there are little things that we can do to advance these issues forward.” While the issue of millennial preparedness may be a complex issue, it is important to begin the conversation and work toward a solution. Millennials will comprise 46 percent of the workforce by the year 2020, composing the largest work force in U.S. history. Bentley invites stakeholders to provide input and join the conversation by sharing feedback, publishing opinions, sharing experiences and providing suggestions for solutions. “We at Bentley believe this is exactly the kind of engaged conversation our country needs and we intend to continue the discussion,” said Larson. Visit www.bentley.edu/ prepared to learn more about The PreparedU Project and the ongoing efforts to close the preparedness gap.
FEATURES
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
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An ode to the L.L. Bean Duck Boot BY Sai he
features editor
I remember the first time I noticed them: I was in 11th grade, having just transferred from a public school to prep boarding school. It was early November, the spry breeze coercing down the sparse, withering foliage that stubbornly resisted the precipitous downpour of the night before. There I was, laboriously walking across campus in my skulland-roses Converse hitops, staring scrupulously at the ground as to avoid stepping in mud or water. The Bean Boot is more than a pragmatic piece of winter footwear. As I neared the dining hall, a gaggle of girls sprung through the wooden doors, boisterously discussing their upcoming JV-puck tryouts. “Dangle” this, “celly” that; the exact details of their conversation have long been forgotten, buried deep in the annals of typical prep school chatter. What I do remember, however, is the girls’ footwear: each and every one of them donned a pair of duck-shaped two-toned boots. Curious, I turned my head around to follow their footsteps, watching as they blatantly trampled up a sloggy hill, as if their boots were an impenetrable fortress against the elements (spoiler alert: they are). During my momentary lapse in discretion, I somehow managed to firmly plant my left Chuck into a puddle. The Bean Boot is more than fashion statement. Unbeknownst to me at the time, that autumnal day marked the onset of “Bean Boot Season,” a term I have coined to describe the fivemonth stretch, spanning early November through early April, where the L.L.Bean duck boot reigns supreme at prep schools across New England. Soon after, I began seeing the waterproof leather-and-rubber rain stompers everywhere. Almost every girl and faculty member owned at least one pair, while a not insignificant percentage of intrepid guys rocked them as well. The Bean Boot is an integral piece of the fabric that constitutes what it means to be a New Englander. Drawn up by Leon Leonwood Bean in 1912,
the components, design and production of the Bean Boot have remained largely unchanged in the hundred-plus years since its inception: a simple leather upper triple-stitched to a dark brown rubber sidewall, encapsulated by a rubber chain-tread outsole and lovingly crafted by skilled workers in Freeport, Maine. Therein lies the boot’s intrinsic attraction: a timeless product, made in the U.S.A., with a silhouette that epitomizes both form and function. The Bean Boot will last you a lifetime. Literally. To quote L.L.Bean, “a customer is not an interruption of our work…he is the purpose of it.” Every
pair of Bean Boots comes with the company’s ironclad lifetime guarantee: if the product no longer provides 100% satisfaction, simply return it for the appropriate refund, exchange or store credit. Normal wear and tear is included. Recently, the leather upper on my 6” pair separated from the sidewall; I biked to their Dedham store and was promptly issued store credit equal to the current price of the same product. Using this credit, I was able to buy my current pair: the 8” allred special edition beauties. Alternatively, if you wear down the outsole but have grown attached to the glorious, intimate patina of the upper that can only be
achieved through years of loving use, you need not worry: simply ship your worn boots to L.L.Bean’s factory in Maine and a worker will remove the sidewall and outsole and restitch the upper to a brand new bottom, all for a reasonable fee. Your Bean Boots will keep on truckin’. Here on campus, the boots have really caught on. Every journey up the Smith stairs in between classes promises a few sightings. I always get a little giddy whenever I walk by someone else wearing them, knowing that we are members of an increasingly popular fraternity who know something that the Timberland guys and Uggs gals don’t. If you have
been considering purchasing a pair but haven’t yet pulled the trigger, you may have to exercise some patience: a quick glance at the company’s website reveals that many versions are backordered until March, with some of the more popular configurations unavailable until late April. I hope that you too will experience the tangible and intangible benefits you get from owning these boots. I’m not a paid salesman; I’m just an extraordinarily satisfied customer giving thanks to a product and company that will never let me down. Through my highest of highs and lowest of lows, I know that my Bean Boots will follow me wherever I go.
When Sarah won the European Windsurfing Championship, our global team was celebrating right along with her fans. Their focus on innovation, quality and results created the device that kept her heart going strong for the win. Join the team that makes a world of difference to Sarah and millions like her. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our success as a team is driven by our diversity and patient focused global culture.
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
ENTERTAINMENT
CAMPUS VOICES
Definitely not a Nashville Party The emergence of pop-country and southern materialism
Falcons share their thoughts.
What is your favorite Superbowl food? yuqing lin ‘15 MaJOR: masters of science in accountancy Courtesy of facebook.com
I would have to go with chips and salsa.
Taylor Swift brought country music to the mainstream. BY sai he
features editor
akbar noorani ‘17 MaJOR: undecided
Definitely wings!
malykah lopes ‘16 MaJOR: managerial economics LSM: society and diversity
Both pizza and wings!
ryan messana ‘16 MaJOR: accounting
I’d have to go with wings.
Blame it all on Taylor Swift. With her debut album in 2006, the now 24 yearold man-eating songstress singlehandedly introduced country music to the mainstream. Both “Teardrops on My Guitar” and “Our Song,” the highest charting singles from Swift’s eponymous release, were rearranged and re-recorded; gone were the sparse guitar-and-banjo accompaniments, replaced by punchy electric guitar rhythms and cascading percussion. These decidedly more radiofriendly mixes were then packaged and shipped off to Adult Contemporary and Top 40 formats worldwide, exposing audiences across all demographics to the new genre of pop-country. Swift’s album has sold over 5.5 million copies worldwide, while “Teardrops” and “Our Song” topped out at 13 and 16 on Billboard’s Hot 100, respectively. Her next album, 2008’s Fearless, has fared even better: over 8.6 million units sold, with three singles peaking above the top 10. Swift’s brand of pop-country has really resonated with the younger generation. However, with each new album, Swift’s songwriting draws less and less from her country roots, instead becoming increasingly reliant on pop
and R&B influences. Her most recent release, Red, is billed as a “country” release. This is a misnomer; categorizing Red as “country” is akin to labeling the spendthrift Yankees as “contenders.” The success Swift has encountered is paving the way for myriad country artists to achieve crossover status. Luke Bryan, Toby Keith, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, the list goes on and on. Each of these self-described “country” acts has imbued mainstream culture with their unique pop-influenced songs. Some of the above acts had to adapt their sound, while others set out from the getgo to make pop-country. Whatever their process, one thing is blatantly clear: today, there is an enormous market for pop-country music, and artists would be foolish not to tap into this pool of disposable income-wielding #millennials. The popularization of country music is not merely reflected in the Top 40 and AC charts. Country has permeated our daily lives, manifesting itself in many ways: an uptick in cowboy boot ownership, a resurgence in the popularity of plaid shirts and an overall attitude of approval for the hardworking country aesthetic. Country Fest, an annual 2-day celebration of all things country hosted at
Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium, has rapidly become a mustattend event for college students on the East Coast. Frats are hosting “Flannels and Handles” themed parties. Guys and girls retweeting @ Country_Words, a Twitter account with over 980,000 followers that procures twoline lyrical wisdoms from well-known country songs. Indeed, country has become so ingrained in our culture that artists are now essentially crowdsourcing their songwriting. Faced with stiff competition in an increasingly crowded market, pop-country musicians are trying to appease the masses by incorporating tried-andtrue words, themes and catchphrases. Driving pickup trucks down an “old dirt road.” Picking up girls wearing blue skinny jeans. Calling their girls “girl.” Bringing them to a riverbank at sunset and drinking alcoholic beverages while lamenting the loss of moonlight. Indeed, just as hip-hop has its holy trinity of women, drugs and money, pop-country has its version with “girls,” booze and pickup trucks. Many country artists have tried to enter the world of popcountry with songs that do not have to do with pop-country’s holy trinity. “Pontoon,” a single by the quartet Little Big Town that reached Number One on the Billboard country charts, is one such song. The laidback tune with a feel-good vibe has to do with spending a day on the pontoon. However, songs like “Pontoon” are the exception rather than the rule; most every charttopping country hit is inundated with references to the pop-country holy trinity. There is certainly some irony at play: the very things that placed country music on the mainstream map are the ones constraining country artists and limiting their selfexpression. But hey, just look at the revenue figures these artists are drawing. If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. Right?
cindy ho ‘14 MaJOR: cfa MINOR: cis
Probably Buffalo wings.
Courtesy of facebook.com
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BY virginia duffy photography editor
Little Big Town’s “Poontoon” defies the pop-country holy trinity.
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february 6, 2014
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THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
BUSINESS
Spotlight on Service: Volunteer with City Year Spotlight on Service is a series of articles in the business section that seek to shine a light on nonprofit, NGOs and similar businesses in that work towards the betterment of society as a whole. This week, we’re highlighting City Year, a national educational nonprofit that serves twenty-five school districts across the country, including the Boston Public Schools. Recruitment manager Liz Barney spoke to the Vanguard about her efforts and the organization’s efforts to curb drop-out rates of students. City Year was founded in 1988 in Boston with the intention of general community outreach, helping in homeless shelters as well as in school systems. In the last five years, they’ve moved towards a more focused approach on educational programs, especially dropout rates. They are now tracking data on educational performance and drop-out rates. Their mission is now to use “human capital” to be a support system for teachers
in schools, and peer role models for students. The program has now spread nationwide, with affiliate programs also available in London, England and Johannesburg, South Africa. Barney says there is no such thing as a typical day for City Year volunteers, since there are so many different aspects to the job. Volunteers work in teams of 8-15, typically greeting students in the morning. They help prevent students from dropping out by contacting chronically tardy and absent students at home, leading tutoring sessions in classrooms, and leading after-school programs and lunch leadership programs. Each program is designed to make students feel that there is somebody watching out for their education. Barney says that volunteers make a real difference amongst students; personally she’s seen students grades go from Cs and Ds to Bs and As, as well as students achieving higher rates of class participation with City Year volunteers in the classroom. The groups of individuals who volunteer with City Year can be very diverse. While
there are future teachers within the group, there are also those who go onto careers in medicine, law and business. Some stay with the City Year program as well, applying for a second year of service to become a Senior Corps member or entering a staff position at the organization. City Year makes sure that volunteers get professional development during their year of service, and they help volunteers build their network, management
skills and resumes. Bentley’s partnership with City Year extends to the Give-A-Year program, started in 2008. This program allows individuals who volunteer with City Year eligible to receive a $20,000 scholarship to Bentley. Bentley University was one of the first schools to offer this program, which has spread to eighty other colleges and universities. City Year maintains its relationship throughout the school year through partnerships with the
Service Learning Center and recruiting events on campus. The common thread Barney finds amongst students coming back from their year of service is that they say it was one of the most challenging experiences they’ve ever had, while also one of the most rewarding. The next deadline to apply to City Year programs is February 15th 2014 – interested individuals can contact Liz Barney for more information at 617-927-2489.
Courtesy of cityyear.org
BY MeGHAN RYAN
Vanguard Staff Writer
The City Year Milwaukee posing for a picture.
Why January should be renamed the “golden month of stocks” BY USAMA SALIM
Vanguard Staff Writer
on who to invest more in and who to pull out of. Investors would rather compare the difference between Apple’s 2012 sales and 2013 sales to Samsung’s sales in the same time period, than to compare Apple’s September 2012 to September 2013 to Samsung’s 2012-2013 sales. Trades happen over the time period of seconds, investors typically do not hold on for 4 months to compare sales results and put off potential gains/or make potential losses. The time gap between the two is
Courtesy of blog.z-word.com
Throughout the year, whenever we open the news, at some point or the other, we hear something like “The Yen today went up by six basis points,” or “Microsoft opened at an all-time high at $32.00 today.” All in all, every day of the year can be a golden day to invest and make a lot of money by trading on any of the markets, be it OTC, the NASDAQ, Forex or any of the other markets out there. But that’s all they are,
golden days. You will rarely ever find golden weeks, but January has claimed the title to be the golden month of money making in stocks. Out of all the reasons there are to invest in January, this piece will focus on three. First off, the yearly sales results come out. It doesn’t really matter if Apple’s fiscal year ends on September 31st; it’s the yearly sales that really matter. Why? Because the 31st of January allows investors to compare the firm and all of its competitors, and then make a decision
The NASDAQ: The world hub of money making.
just too long for investors to hold; decisions have to be made within those seconds when the trades happen. Investors also get to compare targets that they had set earlier during the year and see if they were right about them. These targets include the previously mentioned sales targets, along with any asset changes they had predicted, or any goals they had set for a company’s stock price to reach. These comparisons are game changers for companies. Exceeding the sales target by 3% or a loss by the same amount can electrocute the company’s stock price; rise to the point where the sky’s the limit or drop dead. The other reason why it’s the perfect time to invest in January is that most companies chose 31st December to be their fiscal year end. All the K-10s (annual reports) therefore come out in January, and usually in quick succession of each other. Q-10s aren’t as important as K-10s. Given that quarterly sales results are important to see if the company is on track or not, but the K-10 is the game changer for many companies. Penny stocks have seen 100% to 3,000%
increases over the span of a few days, and in some cases, even over the span of a few minutes. Normal stocks have changed anywhere between 4% to 16% over days after their reports were released. What does this all mean to an investor? It means that they should be ready to go either way. Anyone who was smart enough to short Apple’s stock would’ve ended up making a nice little profit for themselves. Anyone who would’ve bought Google would’ve made a nice little profit too. In the most basic terms, you need to day trade in January. There is no holding period, there is no make money in the long term. There are the two polar extremes: buy all you can, or sell all you can. What does this all mean for an investor? Well, because we attend business school, we should start gearing up for the next golden month – this way, when January comes around, again we will be ready to be smart and make some money. Disclaimer: The writer of this article and the Vanguard do not take any responsibility for any decisions made based on this article. Any investments made/not made are a personal choice of any investor.
OPINION
THE vanguard
NOTES FROM ABROAD rebecca hyatt
glasgow, scotland
e n experienc Describe a e ou overcam in which y ost e in your h a challeng
Due to the giant snow and wind storm that hit the country at the beginning of January, my flight to Glasgow was canceled and because of it, I was not present for orientation week at the university. I missed out on a lot because of this, and had to make up for all the information that I would have received had I been at orientation. One example is registering for classes. I did not get to do this until after classes had already started. When I did start classes I had missed the introductory lectures to some of my classes, so I had to dive right in, without knowing who my professor was. Second, when I first moved
ersity Bentley Univ treet 175 Forest S A 02452 Waltham, M
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in, I was blindsided by the fact that my flat is coed. I was shocked to learn that there are two men living in the same flat as me, for I was not expecting this at all. It took some adjusting on my part, but now I’ve gotten used to it. Most of all I knew I’d have to explore my surroundings in order to get comfortable with them. And while it was tempting to just sit in my room and watch Netflix, I vowed to meet some fellow study abroad students from the United States. We all ventured out and roamed around. Some of them had made it to orientation on time and had gotten a tour of the town, so they helped me get to know Glasgow better, as well as other students like me.
Courtesy of Tara Dooley
country?
february 6, 2014
Tara is studying abroad in Grenoble, France.
I would say one challenge that I had to overcome was grocery shopping and cooking in my small apartment. Produce (fruits and vegetables) is easy to distinguish, and some things you can just look at pictures, but the choices and varieties
are not the same. Pastries are a big thing here, and Nutella instead of peanut butter. There aren’t many large grocery stores like Shaw’s, but there are little markets and butcher shops everywhere to buy vegetables and meat for the day. I only have a small hot-plate and micro-wave to cook with in my apartment, so
I have to be very creative and can’t really cook fancy meals. I’ve been travelling a good amount too, which makes it hard to find cheap prices for healthy meals, and there are many temptations to try all the unique foods and pastries in each country! However, I’ve been able to manage and I’m enjoying trying new delicacies!
Courtesy of facebook.com
tara dooley
grenoble, france
The famous Scotland undergound. alexandra delong
Courtesy of facebook.com
gold coast, australia
A serenic view of Australia’s beaches/
One thing that I often take for granted is the ease of using the T in Boston, where getting from one point to the next is a simple matter of getting on the correct colored line. Here in the Gold Coast, the bus is the primary way of getting just about anywhere and I have struggled with it more than I would like to admit. For example, a few of us wanted to go to Surfers Paradise to spend a day relaxing under the hot sun. When the bus we thought would take us there arrived, the bus driver informed us that it was the other bus entitled 750- they had the same name but went to different places. So we waited another 20 minutes for the next
bus to arrive and hopped on, only to find that this also was the wrong bus. Exasperated, we decided to tan and swim at another beach that we had inadvertently arrived at (I know, it is a hard life we live.) Since that ordeal, I make a point of using the wonderful Google Maps to help me get anywhere. And since there is often no Wi-Fi outside of campus, I have become a professional at reading the often confusing and inconsistent bus schedules posted at each stop. It has certainly taken practice, but learning to navigate my new home has been one of the more adventurous things I have done so far. And if I weren’t challenged while abroad, what would be the point of coming?
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THE vanguard
OPINION
february 6, 2014
A LETTER TO INTERNATIONAL FRESHMAN
STARTUP STORIES
Sobering Up
Blue Apron
Let’s face it, you shouldn’t even be drinking in the first place, you are probably under age after all. You may think, “I am a freshmen, I got another three or so years ahead of me, being responsible can wait.” But if you are an international student at Bentley, looking for employment in the U.S. after graduation, it can’t actually wait. You need to start thinking about your career and making the right moves early on. Even though you might think that you will be an excellent student, and despite the fact that Bentley is great school, looking for a full time employment as an international student won’t be easy. So, let’s take a look at some of the forces that will be pushing against you while you work to land that full time position. Work Authorization: “W ill you now or in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the U.S.?” You will encounter this question when you apply for your first job or internship in the U.S. For some, your answer to that question is yes. Sadly, that will sometimes matter more than your extracurricular activities or those few extra points in your GPA. As an international student you require an HB-1 visa to work in the U.S. But what does this means for companies who would like to hire you? It means more legal paperwork, use of extra human capital and a financial cost (up to $7,000) for the whole procedure. The Economy: Although the unemployment rate has certainly been falling, most of that drop can be attributed to people dropping out of the labor force and/or an increase in part time work. Fulltime hiring overall is still considered weak with only 74,000 jobs added in last December. That could be explained through labor hoarding, a process where companies do not lay off employees during a recession and as a result they do not hire many new employees during the recovery. You’ll learn more about that in your economics classes, though. Lack of Network: Sometimes parents, close family, family friends or even neighbors can become extremely helpful as we are trying to land a job. In your case, they could live thousands of miles away, so your network will rely purely on your efforts. And you can never start too
DANIEL KAZANI A senior majoring in EconomicsFinance. early, in building that list of contacts. Try to get in touch with Bentley Alumni that work in the position that you are looking for. Also, you can always try to get in touch with professionals, in Boston, New York or wherever you wish to work, that are from your home country. Ask your parents if they have any friends or distant relatives in the U.S. And for a detailed guide on networking read “Power T ies: The International Student’s Guide to Finding a Job in the United States” by Dan Beaudry. Unlike any material you will find online or from Career Services, this novel is particularly tailored for international students. The 98 percent: 98% of the students who graduate Bentley get hired within six months after graduation. Some of you might have relied on that number when deciding on which college you would attend. However, here is how my thought process went, “There is no way, I, out of all people will be the 1%.” Well, I could very well be mistaken. After graduation, you don’t have six months to continue your job search; your OPT (Optional Practical Training) does allow you to remain jobless in the U.S. for up to 90 days, but you won’t hear about OPT until junior year. So, overall that statistic carries little significance to you. I did not present all this information to overwhelm or discourage you. I am only here to tell you that you need to take on more responsibility from day one. You will find Bentley, your friends and your professors to be very helpful in guiding you through what to do to improve your chances of landing that first job. Some of my favorite pieces of advices are: decide what you want to do, start early, network, read relevant news and develop relevant skills for your dream position. However, if I could give you only one tip it would be that if you want a full time job in the U.S., look for internships in the U.S. and not in your home country. Even during your freshmen year, look for internships in the U.S. like your full-time job depends on it, because it just may.
Matthew Salzberg and Ilia Papas are professionals who had a common problem, one that actually haunts many other professionals in the United States. The problem: both realized that there is an embedded benefit of cooking at home, but both reasoned that they don’t actually have the time to make it happen and they were left with two options – eat out or take out. As time passed, this selection increasingly became less and less attractive for the New York based duo. They wished that there was someone out there who provided a service that would go out, plan great recipes and get the ingredients required so that cooking at home becomame a fairly easy thing to do. At the time, there were none. That is until their business instincts kicked in and they came up with a solution to their own problem. They had a good idea, but even with Salzberg’s venture capital expertise and Papas’ e-commerce experiences the start-up still lacked one important ingredient to be successful: someone who actually knew food and the industry inside out. Enter Matthew Wadiak, a private chef who not only cooked but also did some catering and wholesale. After successfully convincing Wadiak, the three went on to work together – laying
the groundwork of their startup which ranges from business-oriented work like establishing the right connections and supplier base to culinary-oriented work like coming up with the recipes. Finally in 2012, the hard work of these three individuals finally comes to fruition and Blue Apron was launched. The origin of the name Blue Apron itself is one that is worth exploring. Apparently in the culinary world, the distinction between an apprentice and an executive chef lies with their apron. More specifically, those who just started don the blue ones whereas the more experienced cooks sport black and white striped aprons. Interestingly, more and more culinary icons – namely Julia Child and Charlie Trotter – decided to do away with the tradition and put on the blue apron instead. Wadiak explained that these icons did it for a greater purpose, “It’s a symbol of the lifelong pursuit in learning for food. It’s a modest way of reminding yourself that you are never done learning in the kitchen.” Wadiak added that the three of them picked the name Blue Apron because they wanted their customers to adopt a similar state of mind. As a startup, Blue Apron also embodies this idea of lifelong learning. For instance, even
STEPHANIE SEPUTRA A freshman with an undecided major. though they have come up with and consequently served a lot of great food, the company rarely repeats a recipe – they even employed a whole team whose sole task is to brainstorm culinary ideas! This reflects Blue Apron’s dedication to its customers and the measures they are willing to take to make sure that their subscribers would never get tired of their product. In addition, in its attempt to make sure that each and every one of their subscriber can prepare their meal with ease, Blue Apron cuts food that takes more than 35 minutes on average to prepare or requires advanced skills or special tools beyond salt, pepper, a knife and pans off from its roster. And last but not least this idea of constant self-improvement is also reflected through Blue Apron’s conscious effort to continuously introduce its customers to new ingredients (for instance frekeh, millet and kale). This makes it very interesting for Blue Apron’s subscribers who would always be in for a surprise every time a kit is delivered to their front porches!
SUSTAINABILITY
Bentley Named Finalist for Climate Leadership Award At Bentley University, students are very familiar with the “triplebottom-line” – people, planet and profit. The concept is being proliferated throughout the curriculum by faculty but is also being practiced on-site through the Office of Sustainability. Thanks to all of these efforts, Bentley was nominated for and selected as a finalist for Second Nature’s Climate Leadership Award. Second Nature is an organization governing the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). There are currently 679 colleges and universities around the country who have signed on to the ACUPCC and in doing so have committed to: reducing greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations, increasing sustainability knowledge in students, faculty and staff and further integrating sustainability and energy education into the curriculum. The Climate Leadership Award nominees were evaluated on three major categories. These categories included “student preparedness” assessing whether the institution is preparing students in the learning environment for climate change and the new green economy; “climate innovation” assessing whether the institution has initiated projects to reduce greenhouse gases and prepare for the effects of climate change on the planet; and finally “creating opportunity” assessing
whether the institution has invested in conservation, efficiency and clean energy production. Bentley has been making strides to increase the amount of energy education courses available within the curriculum. Students can take numerous classes that are focused on sustainability within a number of different departments. There is also an Earth, Environment and Global Sustainability LSM available to all students. This concentration gives students a good background about Earth and environmental systems as well as the challenges of global sustainable development. Currently, Bentley University is working toward a carbon neutrality plan established in 2010 with a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030. Many universities and businesses are creating plans similar to Bentley’s to become carbon neutral in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the major cause of global warming. The goal is ambitious, however, based on the approach it is an achievable goal. The plan includes implementing a building retro-commissioning “tune up” and an energy efficiency upgrade program including continuous upgrades of building control systems to operate heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems more efficiently. Bentley is also committed to educating and engaging students, faculty and staff in energy conserva-
VICTORIA HANCOCK A sophomore majoring in Marketing. tion and sustainability efforts. Lastly, the school is purchasing renewable energy through GreenE Certified renewable energy certificates (REC’s). REC’s are an environmental commodity generated by renewable energy facilities. By purchasing 25,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of wind RECs, Bentley is guaranteeing that 25,000,000 kWh of clean, renewable wind electricity is supplied to the American electrical grid. The various steps Bentley is taking to our carbon footprint are a main reason for Bentley’s nomination as a climate leader. Bentley’s sustainability goals include increasing energy efficiency on campus and reducing its carbon footprint as much as possible. In addition, the university feels it is important to teach students about climate change and the importance of sustainability. By teaching the future business leaders of America the importance of sustainability it will ensure that it remains a top priority within companies. These factors are going to be helpful to Bentley in its hope to win the Climate Leadership Award sponsored by Second Nature. The ACUPCC will announce the winners of the award in the spring.
OPINION
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
13
A NICKEL FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
On Winter Winds As a native Floridian, this was my first winter. It’s not that we use a different calendar, or that we have different titles for our seasons. It is the fact that “winter” is much more than a season, it is an experience. It is an experience altogether missing from life in the panhandle, especially as far south as Miami where I grew up. It is because I grew up so very far away that I am able to see and appreciate some of the finer subtleties of a New England winter. You take the things you grew up with for granted. Call it desensitization, habituation, acclimation, or any of the other words that comprise the myriad of psychological terms which refer to getting used to things. It’s human nature – we are adaptable creatures, and we learn to deal with things. Soon after that, we forget about those things with which we contend, and so we begin to take them for granted. I have experienced enough sunshine and coconuts to write a book about Hawaii. I’ve battled swarms of mosquitoes
and seen lawns littered with plastic flamingos (the state bird). I have seen manatees lolling about lazily, huddled together in the various canals which dot the city. I’ve endured hurricanes and the resulting weeks without power (and no AC in Miami is brutal). In Miami, a cold front means weather in the 50s or 40s. The rare 30s are few and far between, and fleeting. The last time we had snow was February 9th 1973, a whopping 21 years before I was even born. Even on that historic day, the snow melted before it even hit the ground. Children in Florida have never had a snow day. How depressing is that? From the time we are little, the holiday movies and cartoons which air during “winter” are filled with heaps and bounds of snow. Snow days, snow ball fights, snow forts and snowmen. Floridian tykes watch with envious eyes as kids from across the country (and cartoon depictions of them) zip down hills and sleds, get pelted by snowballs and
explore the wintery wonder of the great outdoor world after a decent snowfall. All of our Christmas trees are imported, all of our ice skating takes place in indoor hockey arenas and most of our homes don’t even have fireplaces. As a New Englander, as most of you readers are, you may have grown to see snow as a nuisance. Perhaps, after roughly two decades on this planet, you’ve grown to despise winter. You’re older now, and now snow means chores – shoveling snow and scraping off your cars. It means black ice and miserable walks to class. I means frozen hands and ears and a muddy mess come spring. Now think of your childhood. Think of every Christmas (or whatever wintery holiday your family does or does not celebrate) and the traditions you have. Remember the joy you felt, and the smuggest of smiles you wore when you found out school was canceled. Remember the sledding, the zooming dashes and the glorious
crashes. (I went sledding for the first time in January, as I spent part of my winter break with my roommate who lives in Newbury and I am not too proud to proclaim that I endured, and enjoyed, many a wipeout). Think of the times warming up by the fireplace, or the roasted marshmallows. Think of the penguin plunges or the January Jumps or whatever crazy title your town gives to jumping in an obscenely cold body of water. Even if your family or friends had different traditions, ones I altogether unmentioned, are there not wintery memories you hold with nostalgia? What you may not realize my dear New Englander is that winter symbolizes hope. When you’re little, it means high hopes for snowy days, school delays and riding sleighs. It means anticipation for frozen precipitation (and the resulting elation). It means snow ball fights, reindeer flights and fields of white. From the knitted sweaters, to the Santa letters, winter is a blessing.
NICOLAS BULGARIDES
A freshman with an undecided major.
Now you’re big. You’re tired of the cold and winter’s grown old. But there is more to winter than just snow to look forward to. There is the unity of family and the beaming eyes of joy that you’ll see on the rosy faces of younger family members. There is your family’s cooking, and the traditions you’ve grown up with. Not to mention the high hopes for springs arrival and with it warmer days. Don’t disregard your inner child. Everyone, to a varying degree, has an inner youth (albeit some are too proud to admit it or show it). Hold the nostalgia in your heart and remember the olden (and golden) winter memories you made as a child. Perhaps they’ll warm you up on the way to class. And the next time there’s good snow; throw a snowball at a good friend. Do it for the Floridians.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Billionaire Fun! wouldn’t be surprised if I lost sleep over the security of my belongings. The security problem has another angle to it. I’m pretty sure that somewhere along the way to becoming billionaires, people must have gotten on someone’s nerves. Or, when drunk with the power of being a billionaire, said the wrong thing to the wrong person. See, you rarely get to the top without trampling on someone below you. So personal security will also be an issue. Now those bodyguards I’d hire wouldn’t be for looks only, but I’d also need them for my
own security. Instead of paying $100 a day for some guys I found at the gym, I’d need to find professionals and end up paying them $900 a day or even more. I know that kind of money is meaningless in a billionaire’s life, but personally, even as a billionaire I’d stay conservative with my money. Social status is something else I would consider being a problem. As a billionaire, you’re expected to do a few things. You’re meant to act a certain way, live a certain lifestyle and talk in a certain way. You’d basically end up changing yourself for money.
And that’s fine if that’s the life you want, but I’d like to be able to have a bit of choice left in my life. And please don’t get me started on how your life might become a public resource thanks to some of the media out there. You’d have to watch your every step even more, and if someone were to say something about you, you’d be a public figure, not even able to defend yourself against people talking about you. Well, I don’t think I need to explain that one at all. The last problem I think I might have is figuring out where to put all the money. If
Courtesy of luxurious-estates.com
I’ll blandly put it out there. I want to be a billionaire. Heck, I’d even settle for a millionaire. Of course I’m the type of person who wishes god dropped a few billion in his lap, but nonetheless, I want to be a billionaire. The cars, the luxury, the country clubs, I have my billionaire lifestyle set out. I have already picked out my house (it’s a 7 million dollar multi-story house in Boston) and my car too (Maybach Exelero). I’ve even picked out the car for my 8 bodyguards who will follow me everywhere and give their lives at my command. I realize I dream a lot, but dreaming is what gets people places. Anyway, my argument today is why not to be a billionaire. The very first reason I’ve already given in the price of the things that I want. Billions of dollars’ worth of cars and homes and god knows what else I’d buy with the money I’d have. Although it won’t be easy stealing a house, but cars, expensive art and even the clothing I intend to buy will all need safeguarding. I wouldn’t be able to go into a normal neighborhood without feeling insecure. Instead of my Maybach I’d have to drive a Toyota Camry, and instead of my Gucci suit, I’ll have to live with Zara, just so that people don’t steal my things. I’d be so afraid and paranoid, that I
The writers dream home.
USAMA SALIM A freshman with an undecided major. I put it in a vault, then there’s the pain of building a vault and hiring all the extra security and paying for the system upgrades that would occur. The other way is to put it in a bank and make it their problem. But then, if you need a substantial amount of money for something, then how do you get to it? With withdrawal limits, it’ll be another long process. Or worse, if the banks do what Greece did, then I’d be losing a ton of money, so sometimes safe heavens aren’t so safe. The last way to save your money is to invest in stocks. But there’s a limited amount you can invest before it becomes too much… well, there are a lot of problems with the placement of money. Now don’t get me wrong, I’d want to be a billionaire. If it were a job, I’d apply for it in a heartbeat. But till I do actually become a billionaire, I think all these negatives will help me sleep at night from time to time. Oh if any of you readers are billionaires/become billionaires, don’t forget your friend here. Even if you’re a millionaire and just want to give me a couple hundred thousand, I’d happily accept.
14
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
SPORTS
BY KUUNAL MURTHY Vanguard Staff Writer
Fresh off a monumental 900th win, the women’s basketball coach Barbara Stevens and the Falcons continued their success with a win over Saint Rose last Wednesday. Leading the way was forward Lauren Battista who finished with 20 points, while also grabbing five rebounds and dishing out five assists. An early run by Bentley paved the way for an easy win as the final score ended up being 80-49. The win also kept the ladies undefeated this season and helped cement their status as the #1 team in the nation for D-II. While statistically Battista has led the team this season,
she was not alone on Wednesday. Guard Courtney Finn as well as senior Caleigh Crowell helped in the effort. Finn finished with a doubledouble, getting 19 points and 10 rebounds while also shooting 67% from the field. Crowell had her share as well. In her 18 minutes on the floor she recorded 13 points and also had a steal and a block to her credit. After giving fans a great show at home, Bentley headed on the road to face foe Pace University. A hardfought game ended with another win for the Falcons as they won 60-45. Bentley forward Jacqui Brugliera made her presence felt as she scored 22 points, all the while being aggressive and drawing fouls. She went to
the charity stripe multiple times, hitting 14 free throws on the night. The Falcons needed every one of those points as they led by only one at halftime. It was one of the worst statistical halves the falcons have played this year, as Bentley shot a disappointing 28 percent from the field. The offensive game was still very weak in the second half, but using its grit and stingy defense, Bentley was able to come out on top in the end. Not only did the Falcons outrebound Pace, but they also forced 22 turnovers, which helped Coach Stevens go to 20-0 for the season. The Falcons will be back in action next Tuesday with a home encounter against rival Merrimack.
Courtesy of the Sports Information Office
Top teams in the AHA battle it out for supremacy
The falcons dominated the rink. BY Matt Gustus Sports Editor
For the past few weeks, Bentley fans have had the Falcons trip to conference leader Mercyhurst circled on their calendars. The two game series would ultimately prove who deserved the top spot with four weeks left in the regular season. The first game of the series played out as advertised, with neither team dominating the other. Neither team was giving an inch, until Mercyhurst was able to sneak one by Falcon goaltender Branden Komm three minutes into the second period. Then, 12 minutes later, freshman evened the score with a goal of his own. With the score tied 1-1 coming out of the second intermission, senior forward Brett Gensler gave the Falcons their first lead of the night. While being hit by the Mercyhurst defenders,
Gensler was able to score his 17th goal of the season. While the Falcons fought hard to hold on to their lead, Mercyhurst was able to tie the game up. This goal came on a rebound that was cleaned up by forward Kyle Cook. Neither team was able to find a game winning goal in regulation or overtime and the teams were left without an answer as to who belonged in the top spot. However, the next night had a slightly different ending. The teams got back out on the ice and began the game much like they had in game one. Neither team was able to score in the first period as the teams took a scoreless game into the intermission. Once again, it was Mercyhurst who was able to get on the board first. A little over four minutes into the second period, Cook
and Mercyhurst teammate Nardo Nagtzaam finished a 2-on-1 break with a goal to break the deadlock. Impressively, the Falcons responded yet again with a goal of their own forty seconds later. Assisted by Gensler and junior forward Brett Switzer, junior forward Alex Grieve was able to put home his 17th of the year. Three goals in the third doomed the Falcons, including one empty netter as Komm was being pulled from the net. With only coming away with one point from the weekend, the Falcons will be looking to get back on track and keep some distance between them conference foes. This weekend the team will play the University of Connecticut in a home-and-home series, with game one being played Friday at UCONN and game two at the JAR on Saturday.
Virginia Duffy/ THE VANGUARD
Women’s Basketball heading into the final stretch of the season
The Women’s Basketball team continues their success.
SPORTS
THE vanguard
Falcon begins season with a trip
TEAM SPORTS STANDINGS
BY Matt gustus
FOOTBALL
sports editor
NE-10 STANDINGS
School NE-10 Overall American Int’l 8 1 0 9 3 0 Stonehill 8 1 0 8 3 0 New Haven 7 2 0 8 3 0 Assumption 6 3 0 6 5 0 Merrimack 5 4 0 7 4 0 Bentley 4 5 0 6 5 0 LIU Post 3 6 0 5 6 0 Southern Conn. 3 6 0 3 8 0 Saint Anselm 1 8 0 1 10 0 Pace 0 9 0 0 11 0
FIELD HOCKEY Courtesy of Sports Information Office
NE-10 STANDINGS
Sean Keady second baseman Burton Deady to pick up an RBI each. The Falcon lead would be short lived, however, as Tampa tied the game in the bottom half of the second. Freshman starter Ray Rowell walked his second batter of the game, who also turned out to be the second Tampa player to cross the plate three batters later. Runs in the fifth and eighth innings for Tampa put them ahead 5-2, and the Falcons were unable to muster any more runs that day. Tampa then went on to complete the sweep of Bentley the following afternoon. By scoring at least one run on three of the four Falcon pitchers, Tampa built a 6-0 lead. The most damage was done in the seventh inning, as Tampa batted through the order while scoring four runs on five hits. The Falcons managed to respond in the eighth with their first run of the game, but it proved to be inconsequential. While the team was unable to find their first win of the year, there were several bright spots in the lineup. Through the first three games, Keady is hitting an impressive .400 (4-10) with one run and no strikeouts. Also, fellow senior Nate
Courtesy of Sports Information Office
The Bentley baseball team began their season last weekend with what has become an annual trip down to Florida. During a weekend of mild weather, the team faced off against the defending Division II national champion University of Tampa in a three game series. In game one, Tampa got on the board early with a run two batters into the game. After a leadoff triple to start the bottom half of the inning, the Tampa second baseman Orlando Rivera hit an infield groundout that put his team on top. Two innings later, Bentley starting pitcher Ryan O’Connor surrendered the second run of the game on an outfield double. The inning would be the last for O’Connor, who finished the day allowing seven hits for two runs over three innings. The game would remain scoreless until the top of the sixth, when the Falcons would cut the Tampa lead in half. After a change on the mound brought Tampa reliever Preston Packrall into the game, senior center fielder Sean Keady greeted him with a single to get a Bentley rally started. After a successful bunt and a fielder’s choice advanced Keady to third, senior right fielder Tom Nagy’s ground out to first was enough to get the speedster home. While the Falcon bullpen was able to keep the Tampa lead within striking distance, the team was unable to score another run and ultimately fell by the score of 2-1. Game two of the Saturday doubleheader was filled with runs early. Tampa jumped out to another first inning lead on a sac fly that drove in a run. After being hit by a pitch, the leadoff batter for Tampa stole second and third before being driven home. The Falcons responded quickly, however, and took a lead of their own. A pair of leadoff singles by Nagy and senior shortstop Will Brennan led the way for sophomore catcher Bryan Rocha and freshman
Nate Wikowski
february 6, 2014
Witkowski put on a strong performance at the plate, batting .364 (4-11) while accounting for two of the team’s three extra base hits. Witkowski also proved his versatility as he pitched an inning of relief in game three. In what is the 46th season of Falcon baseball, the team will be looking to build off last year’s success. Last year, the team advanced to the second round of the Northeast-10 Conference tournament for the first time since 2002. In the tournament, the team took down Southern New Hampshire in style, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory. In the next round, which was double elimination, the Falcons dropped back to back games by only one run, including an 11-inning defeat at the hands of New Haven. Per usual, the Falcons will be spending a lot of time this season in the Sunshine State. After taking a weekend off, the team will travel to play a three game series with Rollins College. Last season, the Falcons were able to take two of three, including a dominant 14-3 win in the middle game. Upon returning, the team will have some time to regroup and continue to improve before taking one last Florida trip during spring break. During that stretch, the Falcons will play three-game series against fellow Division II opponents St Thomas Aquinas and Bridgeport in Winter Park, Florida. Around the league, the Falcons were given moderate respect as they were picked to finish fifth in the Northeast Division of the NE-10. Key series for the Falcons include March 28th, when Southern New Hampshire visits Waltham, and then on April 26th when the Falcons travel to take on Franklin Pierce. Franklin Pierce and Southern New Hampshire, two dominant forces in the conference, were selected to finish as the best and second best teams in the preseason poll. The Falcons will play their first home game on March 26th in a conference battle with Merrimack.
School NE-10 Overall LIU Post 10 0 0 21 1 0 Merrimack 9 1 0 14 6 0 Stonehill 8 2 0 18 4 0 Bentley 5 5 0 11 8 0 Adelphi 5 5 0 11 9 0 Saint Anselm 4 6 0 6 11 0 Southern Conn. 4 6 0 5 14 0 American Int’l 3 7 0 8 10 0 Assumption 3 7 0 7 11 0 St. Michael’s 3 7 0 6 12 0 Franklin Pierce 1 9 0 3 15 0
MEN’S BASKETBALL NE-10 STANDINGS - NORTHEAST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall Franklin Pierce 11 3 0 16 3 0 Saint Anselm 11 4 0 13 6 0 St. Michels 9 5 0 14 5 0 Bentley 8 7 0 14 7 0 Southern N.H. 8 7 0 11 8 0 Merrimack 6 9 0 8 12 0 Assumption 3 11 0 6 13 0 Stonehill 3 11 0 5 14 0
NE-10 STANDINGS - SOUTHWEST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall Southern Conn. 13 2 0 19 2 0 New Haven 10 5 0 15 6 0 Le Moyne 9 5 0 12 8 0 St. Rose 7 7 0 10 10 0 American Int’l 6 8 0 9 12 0 Adelphi 2 12 0 4 16 0 Pace 2 12 0 4 16 0
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NE-10 STANDINGS - NORTHEAST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall Bentley 15 0 0 20 0 0 Stonehill 10 4 0 13 5 0 Assumption 8 6 0 12 7 0 Franklin Pierce 8 6 0 11 8 0 Merrimack 6 8 0 10 9 0 Saint Anselm 6 9 0 10 10 0 Southern N.H. 5 9 0 7 12 0 St. Michael’s 2 12 0 3 15 0
NE-10 STANDINGS - SOUTHWEST DIVISION School NE-10 Overall New Haven 9 5 0 15 5 0 Adelphi 9 6 0 14 7 0 Le Moyne 8 7 0 12 9 0 Southern Conn. 7 7 0 13 7 0 St. Rose 7 7 0 11 9 0 American Int’l 4 10 0 9 11 0 Pace 3 11 0 4 16 0
VOLLEYBALL NE-10 STANDINGS
School NE-10 Overall New Haven 14 0 0 28 5 0 St. Rose 11 3 0 19 5 0 Bentley 11 3 0 17 10 0 Adelphi 10 4 0 19 13 0 Franklin Pierce 9 5 0 14 9 0 Stonehill 9 5 0 18 14 0 Merrimack 9 5 0 17 15 0 American Int’l 8 6 0 14 16 0 Southern N.H. 7 7 0 12 12 0 Southern Conn. 5 9 0 17 13 0 St. Michael’s 4 10 0 12 12 0 Le Moyne 3 11 0 9 17 0 Assumption 3 11 0 6 17 0 Saint Anselm 2 12 0 7 20 0 Pace 0 14 0 4 26 0
HOCKEY NE-10 STANDINGS School NE-10 Mercyhurst 13 2 4 Bentley 11 4 4 Connecticut 11 5 3 Airforce 10 6 3 Robert Morris 10 6 3 Canisius 9 8 2 Niagara 8 8 3 Rochester Inst. 7 10 2 Holy Cross 6 10 3 American Int’l 6 12 1 Sacred Heart 6 13 0 Army 3 16 0
Overall 15 10 5 13 9 4 13 8 4 15 9 4 10 13 3 10 14 2 8 15 3 8 14 4 7 16 3 7 18 1 7 19 0 3 20 0
15
16
THE vanguard
february 6, 2014
SPORTS
Peter Belanger, co-captain of the men’s swim team, aims to win the NE-10 championships. BY emily ellis
Vanguard Staff Writer
Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have had quite successful seasons to date. Bentley’s men are currently 7-4 and are hopeful about their success in the upcoming Northeast-10 Conference Championships in New Haven, CT this weekend. Co-captains of the men’s team, seniors Steve Sylvia and Peter Belanger said their biggest team goal of the season is to win the NE-10 championships. According to Sylvia, he feels “very good about the season so far. We had some very close meets and tough losses to Le Moyne and St. Rose, but where able to turn things around a few weeks ago with a three point victory over one of our biggest rivals, Babson. That meet has really shifted our momentum in the right direction as we move forward into championships.”
With regards to the upcoming championships, Sylvia commented, “Everyone will have to swim their absolute best, but I think this team is capable of anything.” When asked about what the secret was to their success, Sylvia and Belanger accredited team chemistry. They continued to explain, “you find that in a sport like swimming, no one competes on this team because they think it’s fun to swim the mile. What drives us to compete to our fullest potential is the teammates that surround us.” As co-captain, Sylvia takes responsibility in keeping that chemistry intact. As Sylvia explained, both him and cocaptain Belanger “ensure that the winning culture and competitive atmosphere carries from season to season.” Sylvia assures that “From the top down, the chemistry that our team possesses has carried us through tough double sessions and now
FALCON FACT:
9
Nine athletes on the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams were recognized this week received recognition from the Northeast-10 this week. NE-10 Swimming Athletes of the week were awarded to juniors Nadine Edwards and Rene Faria, while NE-10 Diving Athletes of the week were awarded to sophomores Nicola Mancini and Colton Bridge. Rookies of the Week honors were awarded to Kaitlin McGahie and Davis Wilson. Finally, the men’s relay team, made up of Faria, senior Steven Sylvia, junior Luke Mason and sophomore Nick Toselli were selected as the conference’s top relay team.
gives us good footing in our pursuit of gold at NE-10s.” The women’s swimming and diving team is also gearing up for what should be a successful end to their season. The women find themselves 9-2 at the end of the regular season and are very hopeful to continue the winning streak this upcoming weekend at the Northeast-10 Conference Championships, along with the men’s team. Senior co-captain of the women’s team Amelia Suda opened up about her team’s goals for the season: “Going into the season I was hoping for the women’s team to get as close as we could to an undefeated season. Going into championships we will have only lost two meets this whole season which is a great accomplishment for our team.” As a veteran on the team, swimming in her last competitive season ever, she also shared her personal goals. They included
“swimming personal best times, specifically in long distance events like the 1650 yard freestyle and the 400 I.M.” Suda explained how she is excited for the NE-10s mainly because her team “as a whole has been swimming very fast these last few meets. We are a team that trains hard and rests well which is a perfect combination for us when we swim at championships. I am excited to see how fast our team can swim this year!” Similarly to the men’s team, the women also credit much of their overall success to team chemistry. Suda continued to say “I think this year we have had a great team dynamic. We all support and motivate each other throughout practices and meets. Not to mention we are all really great friends with each other which makes the team atmosphere very positive and fun.” “Our team chemistry is a
reason that I’ll miss the team so much when I graduate because they were like family to me,” said Suda. All that’s left to do now is set their eyes on the championship and let their times do the talking. In order to continue their winning streak and find victory at the upcoming championship, the men’s team is “resting up both physically and mentally,” said Sylvia. “The work has been put in, so now it is time to trust our training, our teammates, and ourselves to be ready to compete.” The Northeast-10 Conference Championships are comprised of a four day meet spanning from February 6th to the 9th. Both the men’s and women’s teams have been preparing for this all season, working hard to get to this point and have both the desire and the drive to win.
Courtesy of Sports Information Office
Courtesy of Sports Information Office
Falcons get set to make a splash at the NE-10
Nicole Mancini caption caption caption
FALCON OF THE WEEK
TYLER MCFARLAND MEN’S BASKETBALL
t. mcfarland YeAR 2016 HOMETOWN ROCKPORT, MAINE POSITION FORWARD
Tyler McFarland, a sophomore forward on the Bentley men’s basketball team, has been named the Falcon of the Week after continuing his string of solid performances. During a 1-1 week, McFarland averaged 23.5 points, six rebounds, 1.5 assists and a block while shooting .485 overall and .867 from the foul line. He powered the Falcons to a 95-87 win over Saint Rose with 25 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks, and had 22 points in the loss at Pace. For the season, McFarland is producing 19.3 points and 7.3 rebounds a game for the 14-7 Falcons, with his scoring average the best by a Bentley frontcourt player since Joe Hart’s 20.4 in 1989-90. He’s fifth in the Northeast-10 in scoring and is also third in free throw shooting, sixth in threepoint accuracy and eighth in field goal percentage.