Women’s hockey loses first Finals in decade
Is there strong community at Plattsburgh?
ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA/Cardinal Points
Kingsley Arms contractors excavate the hot water line near deFredenburgh, Wilson and Moffitt halls Monday, March 4. The line had ruptured Saturday, March 2. Tower Way was closed off for the repairs.
Six campus buildings — four of them dorms — spent half a week without heating and more experienced disruptions during repairs.
Hood, deFredenburgh, Moffitt, Sibley, Wilson and Clinton Dining halls lost heat from Saturday, March 2 to Wednesday, March 6. The hot water line that carries heat from the Central Heating Plant to buildings ruptured underground at the intersection of Rugar Street and
Sanborn Avenue. Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance Todd Moravec notified the campus community of the incident Saturday morning via a mass email and has since sent 12 updates, averaging three a day. The updates also appear on a web page specially created on the SUNY Plattsburgh website Monday, March 4.
Students in the affected residence halls were given the option to move to an unaffected residence hall and provided with blankets. College Auxiliary Services and
Shine On!’s annual conference took an astronomical twist, complete with a planetarium show. The conference hosted 120 girls overnight March 2 and 3 in SUNY Plattsburgh’s Memorial Hall. In anticipation of the total solar eclipse April 8, this year’s conference theme was “Eclipse the doubt. Let your light shine out.” It featured 12 workshops aimed at building character strength, communication skills and media literacy. Eight were held at Memorial Hall and four at Hudson Hall, including a show at the North Country Planetarium.
Since 2017, confidence in girls between fifth and 11th grade has declined, with the biggest declines being recorded among the youngest of 17,502 girls, according to a 2023 report by Ruling Our Experiences, an organization that
has been researching girls’ mental health since 2006.
Shine On! is a program based in SUNY Plattsburgh dedicated to building confidence and resilience in girls as well as preventing or reducing mental health issues in the future.
Besides the 120 girls from grades third through fifth, the conference had 20 presenters — some of whom brought their own daughters — and 32 SUNY Plattsburgh student mentors. Most of the activities fell on the first day. Themed workshops at Memorial included both physical activities and discussions. The physical activities were rock climbing, lessons in self-defense and an improv session in which girls acted out a skit illustrating a personality strength using props. The discussions centered on online safety, social media presence and which spaces the girls felt safe, unsafe and brave in.
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Chartwells provided snacks and hot beverages. Administration created a special email address for students to contact with questions or concerns, deanofstudents@plattsburgh.edu.
Facilities, Maintenance and Operations investigated the issue and the state Office of General Services engaged Kingsley Arms, a contracting company based in Schaghticoke, New York.
Moravec reported that the root cause of the rupture was identified the next day, but did not specify what it was.
As repairs began, other buildings and residence halls along Rugar Street experienced disruptions in heating as well. Indoor temperatures measured in affected buildings stayed in the 60s.
Samuel D’s and the Child Care Center in Sibley were closed from
Monday, March 4 to
Wednesday, March 6. Sibley faculty and staff were assigned alternative work locations and faculty who teach at Sibley were advised to make other arrangements.
Heat was expected to be restored to all buildings by Tuesday evening, but
contractors found a pinhole leak in the line. They worked into the night to repair it, further delaying the heat returning. After contractors repaired the leak Tuesday night, they started to fill it with the 12,000 gallons of water it needs to function. Heat returned to all buildings by noon and as of the update 4 p.m.
Wednesday, all buildings’ heating services are running uninterrupted.
SUNY Plattsburgh’s community expressed it wants a provost and vice president for academic affairs who values arts programs and seeks to connect with all college populations while understanding their needs.
The search for a new provost and vice president for academic affairs began with community members sharing their expectations of candidates at two public listening sessions on Zoom
Friday, March 1.
Although there are two roles to fill, SUNY Plattsburgh is looking for one person. Brent Carbajal, who holds both positions in the interim, described in an email how he understands the roles based on his experience of seven months at SUNY Plattsburgh and nine years in the same roles at Western Washington University.
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March 1
University Police filed a report for a sex offense of fondling, which occurred Feb. 11 at Whiteface Hall. The incident was closed by investigation.
March 4
UP reported harassment at Wilson Hall. Investigation is still pending.
UP filed another report for a fondling sex offense that had taken place Feb. 2. The two incidents have no connection to each other, UP Chief Patrick Rascoe wrote in an email. Investigation is still pending.
To celebrate International Women’s Day March 8, staff writer Brionne Thompson asked students about women on SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus who inspire them.
Jenica Charles named her professor in the counselor education program Portia Allie-Turco (right). Allie-Turco is also the director of the Ward Hall Counseling Clinic.
Charles said Allie-Turco is an experienced educator who is passionate about her work, open to sharing and is “really cool.”
SPORTS:
1) The article “In the Cards: Kolesar overcomes injuries for hoop dreams” incompletely describes Caitlin Kolesar’s conversion insufficiency condition: Kolesar had to see a neurologist for the condition.
Besides being unable to handle harsh light, Kolesar could not handle any sort of sound. In addition to a baseball cap and sunglasses to protect her from light, Colesar used ear plugs to protect her from sounds.
If you see an error in Cardinal Points, email cp@cardinalpointsonline.com.
“She really wants to get to know you on personal levels, and she wants to help you understand the material,” Livsey said.
is “a very open-minded and lovely woman.”
“She’s very smart and she’s a tough businesswoman,” Breuk said. “She knows what to do and what to say.”
“She is very encouraging with her students and wants them to be comfortable and participate in her class,” Ward said.
“She is very kind and makes the material easier to grasp,” Grant said.
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Other activities at Memorial included Cosmic Cash, a hopscotch-based game teaching responsible spending habits, and Cosmic Clicks, a session exploring falsehoods on social media. Inspired by the video game Among Us, the goal of Cosmic Clicks was for girls to find the social media “impostor” — an image in their worksheet that has been edited or AI-generated. In Cosmic Clicks, girls could also have a polaroid taken of them, to capture them without a filter.
Hudson featured a 30-minute planetarium show explaining the different kinds of eclipses and what the total solar eclipse on April 8 might look like. The remaining three workshops established connections between scientific principles like the solar system and phases of the moon, artistic expression and personal growth.
On Day 2, the girls participated in a scavenger hunt. They also had a penpal activity, in which they wrote a letter to another girl from their group assigned to them. This letter allows the girls to stay in touch with each other after the conference.
“When they go home, they get to open up the letter and see who it’s from,” said Kimberly Ramsaroop, Shine On!’s public relations specialist. “It’s kind of sweet, because we’re helping them stay off of social media.”
To navigate the activities, the girls were split into eight groups with 15 girls and four mentors each. The groups followed a rotation, moving from one workshop to the next.
All 120 girls and their women mentors spent the night in one of Memorial’s indoor game courts, using the sleeping bags they brought with them. Shine On!’s planning committee slept in the main lobby, serving as “guard dogs,” Ramsaroop said.
Girls left with keepsakes, which included an eclipse-themed button, eclipse-viewing glasses, a T-shirt, a drawstring bag and any prizes they won during the workshops.
“Whenever we have little games like this, we do have prizes for the winners, but we try to make sure everyone’s a winner by the end of the day,” Ramsaroop said.
The activities were designed with three prin-
ciples in mind: safety, learning and fun, Shine On! Founder Colleen Lemza said. The student members of Shine On!’s outreach team and planning committee intentionally planned the activities to include physical activity and plenty of social interaction. After all, parents aren’t allowed to send their girls in with any phones or electronics.
“We don’t want them to be completely glued to their phones or their iPads,” Ramsaroop said. “We want them to be active, which is why we’re also incorporating a lot of physical activities. … We also take into account that we want them to meet new people and to be social.”
The student team de-
signed the activities to keep girls engaged with shorter attention spans in mind, as well. Members learn from girls, too. Ramsaroop said that seeing the girls gaining more and more confidence throughout the day as they get comfortable with the people around them gave her some confidence of her own. Shine On! Committee Chair Molly Nelligan sees the fruits of the group’s labor.
“You don’t realize how much it means to them, putting on an event like this,” Nelligan said. “When you’re sitting there, looking at all of them having such a good time, it’s one of those things where you step back at what you planned
and you just see how much it means to them and their families.”
Active for more than 15 years, Shine On! has become a pillar in the North Country Community, and its annual conference is in high demand. This year was the first that Shine On! was able to offer everyone on the waitlist a spot. Nelligan and Ramsaroop recalled conference spots sometimes being filled within 15 minutes of registration opening.
“Even if you open (registration) like a minute late, the parents will literally flood the email, flood socials — ‘Where is it?’” Nelligan said.
Shine On! announces the date to register for its annual conference on its
social media in advance, and the link is available on its website, shineongirl.org. It also does outreach to local schools, providing them with flyers to give to parents.
Sometimes, girls attend Shine On!’s conferences multiple years in a row. Ramsaroop noted at least one girl who arrived wearing a shirt from last year’s conference, also held in Memorial.
Shine On! budgets up to $10,000 for its conference. In the semester leading up to the conference, student members practice grant writing and outreach to sponsors.
Email ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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The provost assists the college administration with strategic planning — they’re usually the one to chair planning committees and may serve as acting president when the president is away. The vice president of academic affairs is responsible for the budget that supports academic programs and whom deans and other academic leaders report to.
Program funding directly impacts student experiences at SUNY Plattsburgh. For example, the bachelor of fine arts program stopped accepting students because there weren’t enough faculty to sustain it.
Two representatives of the higher education executive search firm Storbeck Search led the listening session to get a
feel for what kind of candidate to look for, Managing Director Steve Leo and Senior Associate Vicki Henderson.
Leo and Henderson invited responses from community members under the promise of anonymity. Prompts included what makes SUNY Plattsburgh unique, issues and needs a provost should be aware of and which styles of leadership, management and engagement work best. Some respondents allowed Cardinal Points to use their names via email.
At the listening session, Regan Levitte, assistant director of the Learning Center, said she would like to see a provost who emphasizes collaboration and is good at breaking down silos — barriers between academic departments.
“We have amazing people in all divisions of our college and sometimes it’s really hard for all of us to get together and know what we can do to support each other, and that requires a lead-
er who is good at and thinks strongly about collaboration — someone who understands that this is a school that needs teamwork encouraged in lots of different ways,” Levitte said. “There’s a lot of amazing folks here, but we are so scattered across missions that it can be a real challenge for our provost.”
Levitte also said she would like a provost to value SUNY Plattsburgh’s arts and humanities programs and understand their struggles.
“(Arts and humanities programs are) still very valuable, especially in the age of AI,” Levitte said. “We have fantastic STEM programs, but we’re a liberal arts college, and that’s important to know about the education we get and we give students.”
Professor of history Gary Kroll said he’d like to see a provost with a trait that he admires about President Alexander Enyedi — seeking out connections with all levels of
the university, from administration to students.
“We’re a campus that’s really thirsty for provostial leadership,” Kroll said. Director of Graduate Admissions Carrie Woodward said she would like a provost to see the “untapped potential” in SUNY Plattsburgh’s graduate programs, which have seen an 80% increase in enrollment, as well as online and continuing education programs at all levels. The ideal provost would also have experience establishing and growing these kinds of programs.
Another major change a provost should consider is Clinton Community College’s move to the SUNY Plattsburgh campus.
“A provost that can really get a grasp on Clinton Community College coming to campus is very important, sensing a lot of stress and anxiety with a lot of people on campus with this transition happening, so
someone who is able to come in and really aid the college with that transition and help maybe smooth over some people’s anxieties over the unknowns,” said Clara Tribunella, assistant director of Annual Giving at the office for institutional advancement.
This month, the position of provost and vice president for academic affairs will be advertised and Storbeck Search representatives begin direct search efforts. In early to mid April, the recruitment committee will vet the initial candidate pool, with phone interviews being conducted at the end of April into early May. Some of the candidates will then be selected for in-person interviews to be held on campus May 5 through 16.
Many say that women’s rights began with the suffragettes, but feminist pioneer Sally Roesch Wagner opposes this saying, “That is a major myth. The reality is that women had political voice on this land a thousand years ago.”
In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion organized a film and discussion session featuring the short documentary “Without a Whisper” by Katsitsionni Fox, a member of the Bear Clan of the Akwesasne Mohawk nation. The event took place at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6, in the Alumni Conference Room at 5:00 in the afternoon.
“One of the things I wanted to get across in the film is the difference in worldviews. The stories that you’re told and the roles that women play in your culture make a big difference in how you view yourself and how you carry yourself,” Fox said in a public webinar hosted by Great
Blue Hill, a Massachusetts radio station.
She shared her insights, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the diverse worldviews that shape women’s roles and perceptions. The documentary sheds light on the significant yet untold contributions of Native American women to the American women’s suffrage movement.
Before the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, European colonial women lacked basic rights, such as the right to own property or obtain divorces. But well before America’s colonization, Haudenosaunee women held potent political and spiritual authority.
The film follows Mohawk Bear Clan Mother Louise Herne and aforementioned feminist author Sally Roesch Wagner as they work to correct the historical narrative about the origins of women’s rights in the United States. Wagner highlighted the importance of acknowledging that history is shaped by those who tell the stories.
Editor’s Note: Victoria Campbell reports on #HealWithIt’s Art Expo as a member of #HealWithIt.
Wellness Week brought several activities and events to SUNY Plattsburgh’s campus. #HealWithIt was one group that joined in.
This campaign’s goal is to spread mental health awareness on campus.
Specifically, the different elements that can impact one’s mental state and emphasizing the importance of self-care. The group highlights the eight pillars of mental wellness: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, vocational and financial.
“The eight dimensions are important. As the years go on, people undergo a lot of mental health issues,” said Ziaire Ferrell, a member of #HealWithIt. “Just being aware of the eight dimensions can help you through it.”
The student-run campaign had its first event this semester from 1:30 to 5 p.m. on March 1: an Art Expo. The event had music and art activities like coloring and alcohol painting, as well as other activities like making essential oils. The group also collaborated with the Plattsburgh Association of the Visual Arts in mandala making.
The Art Expo touched on several of the eight dimen-
sions of wellness, such as physical, emotional, social, spiritual and intellectual.
The event started at noon with a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation circle in the H.U.B. The plan
Since the pandemic, #HealWithIt has had a hard time getting students to come and participate in the events and learn more about mental health. One of their goals is to increase
for the circle was to encourage students, faculty and the community to open up and grow together.
“For the first event, there was a lot to like,” professor and group leader Michelle Ouellette said. “Like with a lot of events on campus, I would like it if there were more people.”
student participation and show how these events can also be fun while being educational.
Once 1:30 p.m. hit, the art activities started.
Essential oil making was in the H.U.B., while food, coloring, karaoke, and the Plattsburgh Gospel Choir performance were in Burghy’s Lounge. PAVA
also hosted isopropyl alcohol painting in conjunction with the event.
Ouellette said the goal of these events is for people to understand that self-care can be fun but is also essential.
“Karaoke was one of my favorite activities offered at the event,” Ferrell said.
Emcee Kaliyah Green was impressed by the event’s outcome but wished more students had attended.
“I joined #HealWithIt because I wanted to learn more about mental health and struggles that occur within students and how I can contribute to it,” Green said.
Educational reminders were shared about the eight dimensions, and refreshments were offered.
Mental health awareness is essential. It does not need to be a touchy topic; it can be educational and engaging. These activities allow students, community members and faculty to open up about their struggles in a welcoming, positive environment.
Find out more about the eight pillars of mental wellness and how to get involved with #HealWithIt at https://www.plattsburgh. edu/plattslife/get-involved/ heal-with-it.html.
“History is not what happened, it’s who tells the story. These women had to see something that told them that it was possible,” Wagner said.
Following the screening, DEI organized a word cloud prompt for small-
group circle discussions. Participants were asked to submit one word that summed up their overall thoughts about the film.
With tie-dye and good vibes, the Plattsburgh Associa tion for Visual Arts host ed a tie-dyeing event on Thursday, Feb 29, which brought both art and nonart majors together.
PAVA, an organization working to bring art to the community, has been rapidly growing this semester after the devastating hit the club took from the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of this is thanks to its current e-boards effort, which has been working to build the organization up.
“The e-board is for all art minors and majors,” said PAVA secretary Abigail Duquette, while tie dying a PAVA T-shirt. “We really wanted an art club back on campus to get away from structured art and to have fun and be free.”
The event involved taking pieces of canvas and then using rubber bands to fold designs into the fabric. Following this, participants started dyeing their canvas from a large assortment of color options. Finally, the canvas would be placed into bags to later be rinsed out
vealing the unique art that was created.
The event also offered an enjoyable and friendly environment where people got to relax and be creative together.
“When I participate at the events, I have a lot of fun. I enjoy the people around me,” PAVA member Abraham Nunez said. “I like doing new things. I’ve never dyed canvas before.”
PAVA president Mckenna Brazie, chimed in and explained that the events help build community on campus.
“It’s super fun,” Brazie said, about the events that PAVA hosts, “and everyone’s invited.”
PAVA meets every other Thursday at 7 p.m. in Myers 224.
Email KOLIN KRINER cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Comparisons are commonplace in this world of unrealistic expectations about body types. Many experience poor self-image and body dissatisfaction because of it, but some may face eating disorders.
Finding a community is a huge resource for these individuals.
Delta Phi Epsilon is a sorority that provides a community based on service and growth for students at SUNY Plattsburgh. The sisterhood values philanthropy and volunteerism and aims to empower women
in their education. It held various events commemorating Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, or ANAD, Week, which was held during the last week of February.
ANAD is a free peer support community that helps individuals who are struggling with an eating disorder.
Anorexia nervosa and associated disorders are eating disorders that affect people of all genders, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and weights. According to ANAD’s website, an estimated 9% of the U.S. population, or 28.8 million people, will have an eating disorder
within their lifetime.
“It’s so important to spread eating disorder awareness, not only during ANAD week but every day,” explained Dphie president Kaitlyn Burns.
“There are so many people who suffer from eating disorders, and it’s crucial to acknowledge them and support them.” She said.
The sorority spread awareness and support throughout the week through afternoon tabling in the Angell College Center and educational events around campus.
To open ANAD Week, Dphie hosted “I Am Better than Bar-
bie Because” Monday, Feb 26, which called for people to write positive post-it notes celebrating their inner beauty. The messages were posted on a poster and showcased.
“We wrote reasons why we don’t need to look up to Barbie, like why we are just great in our own ways.” Community Service and Philanthropy Chair and Vice President of Programming Saveria Somma said at the activity.
The sisterhood hosted “Trash Your Insecurities,” Tuesday, February 27. Students were invited to write out their insecurities on a note card and throw them in the trash.
“You are literally trashing your insecurities. You’ve wrote it all out on a piece of paper and crumpled it in a trash can — that makes you feel good.” Somma said.
It also hosted “Treat Yourself to a Sweet Treat.”
“We gave out sweet treats, so it’s not always about dieting.” Godfrey said.
On Wednesday, February 28, the sorority wore purple for ANAD awareness.
The affair was a collaboration between Dphie and Chartwells, where dessert snacks were handed out to students on Friday, March 1.
“You should be able to indulge in a sweet treat whenever you want; who cares what I’m thinking about and what everyone else is thinking about?” Said Somma.
Delta Phi Epsilon also held a vigil in the Cardinal lounge on
Friday. Among candlelight, the sorority recognized those facing active eating disorders as well as those in recovery, those recovered, and those who have lost their lives to the disorders.
Closing out ANAD week was “Stronger Than Eating Disorders,” a push-up competition for charity that goes toward ANAD’s philanthropy.
The activities and initiatives focused on reducing stigma and misconceptions surrounding the disorders encourage individuals to seek treatment without fear of judgment.
“Body positivity is respecting and caring for our bodies, and we should always promote that,” Burns said.
Raising awareness also contributes to the promotion of healthy body image and allows people to develop a positive relationship with their bodies and prioritize overall well-being over appearance.
Find Delta Phi Epsilon at https://instagram.com/dphieplattsburgh?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==.
Learn more about Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders and find resources at https:// anad.org/.
Find support through ANAD’s eating disorder helpline at 1 (888)-375-7767.
Celebrate women’s art with an immersion during March at the Downtown Arts Cellar in Malone.
Support Women Artists Now, SWAN, is a month-long celebration, organized by The Thrive Project, a committed supporter of the arts, aims to champion and promote the work of women artists across various disciplines.
Tina LaMour, The Thrive Project vice president and initiator of the month-long celebration, expressed excitement about the initiative.
“We are thrilled to bring together our community in this celebration of SWAN,” LaMour, chair of the Art Department at North Country Community College, Malone campus, said.
“Our community has a wealth of artistic talent, and this series of events is a testament to the diverse and vibrant arts scene that exists here.”
The SWAN events will feature captivating exhibitions, interactive workshops, and engaging talks dedicated to celebrating the diverse voices and perspectives of women artists. Through this initiative, The Thrive Project seeks to create a platform that not only recognizes the accomplishments of women in the arts, but
also empowers and inspires the next generation of creators. The organizers encourage everyone to participate, fostering a sense of unity and appreciation for the arts.
“Traditionally, SWAN Day is the third Saturday in March,” LaMour said.
“It developed as a day to give attention to women artists. I saw this prior to the pandemic, and then, of course, chaos ensued. I was talking to Jenn Bilow, and she was very interested in seeing this happen. We went from one day to why not make it a month of events that feature women artists. What a great thing to do, right? So that’s what we set about doing. She’s been very supportive of using the space in her gallery and going through The Thrive Project, which is really exciting. The Thrive Project is a nonprofit that is really focused on engaging the community in the arts.”
The project began with workshops with local children.
“We paired them with an artist,” LaMour said.
“It was printmaking and a sculpture workshop and various workshops. It was a lot of fun. So now, it has become a focus for the Downtown Artists Cellar. We have included in these events some workshops that are open to the community and to the children.”
Visiting Artist-in-Residence Melanie Yazzie will come to Malone at the end of March.
“She not only has a presentation of her work at the Downtown Artists Cellar, but she will be visiting a couple of local schools in Malone and also on campus at North Country in Malone. So, we’re really excited about that. Everything.
I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. There are a lot of variation in the events
that are happening.”
March 8 is the opening reception for “Out of the Box” Exhibit,” which showcases exceptional regional women artists at the Downtown Artist Cellar located at 410 East Main St., Malone.
Proudly sponsored by North Country Public Radio, this unique exhibition is hosted at the Downtown Artist Cellar, offering a carefully curated selection of regional women artists. What sets these artists apart is not only their exceptional talent but also their unwavering commitment to originality, pushing the boundaries of conventional artistic expression. The featured artists include Cyndy Barbone, MJ Bray, Diane Fine, Susan Hoffer, Annoel Krider, Anastasia Osolin, and Noreen Sadue.
“We are thrilled to showcase the extraordinary talent of these women artists who continually redefine the artistic landscape,” Kathy Parker, president of the Thrive Project, said in a press release.
“Their dedication to pushing boundaries aligns perfectly with the spirit of SWAN, and we are grateful for the support of North Country Public Radio in making this exhibition possible.”
The exhibit runs from March 1 to April 6, with a special reception on March 8, which is part of an Art Walk, in collaboration with the Foothills Art Society, and will also feature new artwork in DAC’s Member Gallery, enhancing the celebration of art creating community.
The exhibition invites art enthusiasts to witness the unique perspectives and groundbreaking work of these regional artists throughout the SWAN cel-
A Community Drum Circle will be held March 10 from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at DAC.
Moving Prints Workshop will be held March 13 and March 20 from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the North Country Community College, Malone Campus, at 61 Williams St., Malone, BM-206.
“We have workshops at North Country Community College for the Moving Prints Exhibition on March 29,” LaMour said.
“You come in and make some prints, and they’ll hopefully be incorporated into the pop-up exhibit at the end of the month.”
“Meet Your Inner Muse Workshop,” led by Evelyne Verret, will be held March 24 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at DAC.
“It’s focused on expressing yourself – journaling, sketchbook, and things like that,” LaMour said.
“And then, Melanie’s here.”
Melanie Yazzie is professor of art practices and head of printmaking at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colo.
Her works belong to many collections such as: the Denver Art Museum, Anchorage Museum of History & Art, the Art Museum of Missoula, the Institute of American Indian Arts, the Kennedy Museum of Art and the Rhode Island School of Design Museum.
She has exhibited nationally and internationally and in countries such as, New Zealand, France, Russia, Canada, Estonia, Northern Ireland, Korea, China, United Kingdom, and Australia.
Yazzie is known for organizing print exchange projects that connect communities across the
world. She makes prints, sculptures, paintings, does surface design and jewelry design. She has been represented by the Glenn Green Galleries in Santa Fe, New Mexico since 1994.
“She will be here from March 26 to 29,” LaMour said.
“During that time, she’s going to be working with
Words like “empowering,” ‘faithful,” “truth,” and “respect” emerged, reflecting the profound impact of the documentary. The discussion delved into why these words resonated with the audience and what they learned from the film.
Fox had previously said she hoped for the film to reach both secondary and higher education, “This could totally change the way people think about the women’s rights movement. I think that’s why it’s so important for us, as filmmakers, as teachers,
students in a couple of Malone schools. She will be on campus at North Country. That week will culminate with a presentation of her work on March 28 at the gallery.”
as educators, as artists, to start sharing some of this history of the indigenous people on the land,” Fox said. The screening of “Without a Whisper” provided a platform for the SUNY Plattsburgh community to engage in meaningful conversations and gain a deeper understanding of the historical contributions of Native American women to the women’s rights movement. The event served as a reminder to acknowledge and celebrate the diverse stories that have shaped the struggle for gender equality.
ebration.
Totality
Learn about eclipses and why they happen and stay for a Solar Filter Workshop.
104/108 Hudson Hall from 6 - 9 p.m.
Thrift Stop
Get a ticket for $5 at the ACC Information desk and find some cool goodies.
Adirondack Hall-Entrance from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Empowering Women Panel
Join Fuerza: The BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Student Union.
Yokum 206 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
CTG MTG Night
Join the Cardinal Tabletop Guild in playing trading card game Magic the Gathering.
ACC Meeting Rooms 6 and 8 from 6 to 9 p.m.
French as “the Common Language of the Québec Nation”: Legislating Language and Identity in Contemporary Québec
Featuring Dr. Yulia Bosworth, President, American Council of Québec Studies, Associate Professor of French and Linguistics, and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at Binghamton University.
Krinovitz Recital Hall, Hawkins Hall at 2:00 p.m.
Botany club meeting
Learn more about plants with the Botany club.
Hudson 209 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Aries (Mar. 21 – Apr. 19)
The Queen of Pentacles card is about stability. This week you may be committed to nurturing and providing for others, fulfillment comes with this.
Cancer (Jun. 21 – Jul. 22)
The Nine of Cups card symbolizes satisfaction. Indulge in life’s pleasures and joys, you will get what you want this week.
Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)
The Death card indicates transformation. Embrace change by detaching from old, unfinished business that may be holding you back.
Capricorn (Dec. 22– Jan. 19)
The reversed Ace of Pentacles is about loss. An opportunity may risk falling through due to a lack of planning or greed, take your time to assess the feasibility of your plans.
Taurus (Apr. 20 – May 20)
The reversed Emperor card represents immaturity. You may be facing challenges with commitment or confidence which is leading you to shy away from meaningful connections and opportunities. Use introspection to move forward.
Leo (July 23 – August 22)
The reversed Eight of Wands card refers to panic. You may be charging ahead with a plan that doesn’t seem right. Remember to take a step back, slow down and reassess.
Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)
The reversed Four of Pentacles card depicts instability. Reevaluate what is most important to you related to wealth and prepare for possible financial insecurity.
Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)
The reversed Justice card refers to dishonesty. Related to your self critic you may be avoiding responsibility for a poor action. Be more honest with yourself and others, but do not be too hard on yourself about it.
Gemini (May 21 – Jun. 20)
The Three of Pentacles card entails dedication. This card encourages hat you are on the right track. Continue making progress and your hard work will be rewarded.
Virgo (Aug.23 – Sept. 22)
The reversed Sun card signifies negativity. False impressions and a lack of clarity may lead you to overconfidence. Stay grounded and limit your spending this week.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)
The Seven of Wands card represents enthusiasm. Have faith in your capabilities this week as you may need to defend yourself. Do not hold back, you know your worth.
Pisces (Feb. 19 – Mar. 20)
The Two of Wands card indicates strategy. Believe in yourself as you are making the right decisions, have confidence in your observations and knowledge.
Thursday, Feb. 29 at Memorial Hall
Photos by Cinara Marquis & Jayne Smith
Presented by College Auxiliary Services
Camp, the University Police dog in training, welcomes belly rubs from student attendees on the first floor of Memorial.
Plattsburgh just finished an overwhelmingly successful season. It won 21 games, swept two NCAAbound teams in the regular season, and won two overtime playoff games.
Out of 28 games, the Cardinals’ season may be defined by one.
The third-seeded Plattsburgh Cardinals (21-5-2, 12-3-1) lost to the fourth-seeded Cortland Red Dragons (18-8-2, 105-1) 2-3 in overtime in the SUNYAC Championship Final at home at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena
Saturday, March 2.
Plattsburgh’s season is now over, as it was not one of four teams chosen for one of the at-large bids in the NCAA Championship. It finished the season 12th in Pairwise rankings, a mathematical formula the NCAA uses to order teams.
Cortland received the SUNYAC’s auto bid to the NCAA Championship after winning the conference for the first time in program history. The Cortland women’s team won their championship in the same rink just hours earlier.
Cortland men’s Head Coach Joe Cardarelli told ESPN Ithaca, “We’re a hockey school now.”
Cortland beat the first-seeded Geneseo
Knights on the road en route to the Final. Plattsburgh Head Coach Steve Moffat knew it wasn’t an upset.
“The competition is better than it’s ever been,” Moffat said. “The quality of players is better. It’s a tough league.”
Plattsburgh beat Cortland in both regular season matchups — 6-1 at home Dec. 1, 2023 and 5-4 on the road Feb. 9.
“
The competition is better than it’s ever been. The quality of players is better. It’s a tough league. “
Head Coach
Steve MoffatThe loss was Plattsburgh’s fourth-straight overtime game. The Cardinals beat Fredonia 2-1 at home Feb. 17 to keep the Blue Devils out of the playoffs. Plattsburgh then hosted Potsdam in the first round of the playoffs and won 3-2 Feb. 21. The Cards advanced to play on the road, beating the Oswego Lakers 3-2 in the semifinals Feb. 24.
MHKY > 10
Plattsburgh’s conference title run is over.
For the first time in 10 years, the #1 seed Cardinals are ending the season without a conference trophy after losing to the #2 seed Cortland Red Dragons 1-2 on the first shot of overtime Saturday, March 2. Cortland secured its first-ever spot in the 11 team NCAA tournament by handing the Cardinals its first loss at home all season.
“I hope to god we see them next week,” graduate student Julia Masotta said after the game as Cortland’s players screamed in celebration on their way to the locker room. “This is their Stanley Cup here, so hats off to them.”
Cortland has steadily improved as a hockey program over recent years. Since recording three wins in the 2016-17 season, it has won more games in nearly every season since, peaking with back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
“They’ve been getting better,” Plattsburgh Head Coach Kevin Houle said. “They’ve been knocking on the door for a while and for them to win this championship, it’s certainly a big deal for their program and they’ve earned it.”
The defense for both teams headlined the game. Both teams came into the Finals averaging 36 shots a night. Plattsburgh was held to 27 shots. Cortland shot just 21 times.
Neither team gained an edge over the other’s full-strength defense in regulation. The playoff atmosphere fueled skaters who jostled for positioning and tossed each other to the ice or against the glass regularly. Despite brief attempts to
appeal to the referees, there were only three penalties and all of them came in the second period.
The first came at the five-minute mark of the second period when first-year defenseman Adrianna Urban was called for tripping. With the game still scoreless, Cortland had its first good chance to score.
“
They’ve been knocking on the door for a while and for them to win this championship, it’s certainly a big deal for their program and they’ve earned it. “
The Cardinals, who killed 10 of its last 12 penalties, smothered the Red Dragons, denying it a single shot on goal through the two-minute penalty.
Head Coach Kevin Houleimpressive saves throughout the game. Nease caught several fast shots with ease. Gorgen was diving on the ice, and made athletic saves all night, including a shot she juggled out of the air with her stick. Neither was willing to give the opposition an inch of the net. The pair hold the top spots in the SUNYAC for goals against average, save percentage and win percentage, and are second and third in total saves this season.
In goal, Plattsburgh’s Lilla Nease and Cortland’s Molly Gorgen traded
WHKY > 11
1 - UW-River Falls
2 - Gustavus
3 - Adrian
4 - Plattsburgh
5 - Amherst
6 - Middlebury
7 - Cortland
8 - Hamilton
9 - UW-Eau Claire
10 - Nazareth
11 - Colby
12 - Utica
13 - Saint Mary’s
14 - Elmira
15 - Trinity
Reg. Season + SUNYAC Playoffs
Plattsburgh’s women’s lacrosse team season is already off to a great start. It’s first game of the season was against Russell Sage College, with Plattsburgh taking home a win and the end 18-5 Feb. 27th.
This season, the Cardinals have a lot of new things to offer. First thing is that the team is more freshman/sophomore-based. Until Lilla Nease finishes the hockey season, the team will have two new goalies hold down the net: Hannah Lowder and Jess Loch.
“I’m really confident in them, they come ready to work every practice
and it’s nice to see new faces and see how they’re excited for their next four years,” senior defenseman Samantha Lombardi said.
So far, each of the goalies have started in one of the team’s two opening games. Both played in each game.
“I have a lot of trust in them, they both came in with a lot of good experience and they’re really strong players and they help us out a lot. We have a young team this year, it’s also a very new team but every year we grow more and more so I’m excited to see where we take the program this year and see it grow more and more in the future with every class that comes in,”
A new season means new opportunities. The Plattsburgh State men’s lacrosse team is looking to capitalize on these new opportunities in 2024.
Coming off a disappointing 2023 campaign in which the Cardinals went 2-13 and scored only 122 goals while allowing 217, the program looks to flip the script this time around.
The Cards’ 2024 season is off to a good start. It has won three home games already, beating Mount Saint Mary, SUNY Canton, and Russel Sage, eclipsing their total wins from last year. Plattsburgh also notched 21 goals against SUNY Canton, more goals than they scored in any game last season.
“Every team we play, I want them to remember when they played SUNY Plattsburgh,” Head Coach Darry Thornton said.
Thornton is entering his second season coaching the Cardinals. While it’s only his second year coaching at Plattsburgh, he’s not new to the coaching game. Thornton, a former player at SUNY Oneonta, coached lacrosse at several different programs before he came to Plattsburgh.
Along his coaching journey, Thornton has coached
at Hartwick College, Queen’s University, Mount Saint Mary College, Lees-McRae College, Brevard College, and Marian University.
After coaching in multiple different states, Thornton had always wanted to return to coaching in New York.
“Once I saw the job open, as a poker player, I had to put all my chips in the middle and go for it,” Thornton said.
Senior attacker John Eisman will headline the Cards’ offense going into the 2024 season. Eisman was a bright spot during Plattsburgh’s dark 2023 season, leading the team with 26 goals — nine more than the secondleading scorer. Eisman also tallied 11 assists, which was good for second on the team.
The Cardinals are also led by senior midfielder Logan Jones, junior attacker Donald Woods, senior goalie Dan Clements and senior attacker Anthony Faber. Along with the seniors, Plattsburgh has been seeing great things out of some of its younger talent, such as freshman attacker Fynn Whitlock, who has started every game for the Cardinals so far. A big part of this early success comes from team continuity. For multiple upper-class lacrosse players, Thornton is their third head coach. Constant coaching
changes haven’t allowed the Cardinals to get used to and grow in a stable program.
“We trust in what we do a lot more this year, and we’re a lot closer as a group,” senior Logan Jones said.
Plattsburgh has a newfound team chemistry they haven’t felt in the past few seasons. Jones stressed that the team being much closer has helped its play on the field. It allows the players to be more confident on the field and lets everyone be more comfortable with each other off the field.
“We hang out with each other a lot more, and we play for each other a lot more,” Eiseman said.
This season, Plattsburgh looks to maintain its hot start to the season and make a strong push towards the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The Cardinals also hope to accomplish goals that go beyond their play on the field.
Thornton stressed that player growth off the field is his most important goal. He wants his guys to continue to work on their community service, working hard in class toward graduation and leaving a legacy off the field.
“I don’t put numbers on specific wins, losses, goals, all conference stuff,” Thornton said. “I just want to continue to grow, fight and compete.”
senior midfielder Janey Adams said.
New faces on the team include attackers Abby Guasconi and Mckenzie Francis-Chubb, midfielders Isabella Girard and Anna Myers and defensemen
Sloane Carr, Maddie Carros and Chase Calandra.
Plattsburgh also has a new assistant coach this season. His name is Josh Walker and he’s coming in with new and great energy. Walker comes to Plattsburgh after coaching at Mount Mansfield Union High School. Prior to his time there, Walker coached the UVM club team. He led the team to an undefeated season and a national championship in 2017. “I like Coach Josh, he’s very positive at all times and he brings excitement to the team and practices and games in general,” Lombardi said.
Head Coach Kelly Wall entered her third year in the position this season. Last season she helped lead the team to a program best record of 7-8.
With Walker bolstering her coaching staff, the team is excited to improve.
One of Plattsburgh’s
biggest goals this season is to make it to the postseason, which has not yet happened in the program’s short history.
“I’m hopeful, I’m hopeful every year that we’ll make playoffs and I think that we have a pretty decent chance this year. I think that everyone is coming to the season ready to work, so I hope that pans out into making playoffs this year,” Lombardi said.
Last year, Plattsburgh missed the playoffs by a hair when the team lost in overtime to Oneonta April 19.
“I feel like we have a chance, we’ve been inching more and more towards the playoffs since my freshman year when the team was still new and I think we’re pretty well established at this point so we definitely have more of a shot this year,” junior midfielder Rachel LaMar said.
The team has set the goal to take wins against Potsdam and Oneonta, Adams said.
To earn a playoff spot, Plattsburgh will have to earn a top-four spot in the conference and will have to overcome tough Cortland, Geneseo, New Paltz and Oswego teams to get there.
“I love winning more than anything in the world,” Jones said. “All I want is one playoff win.”
The team has 10 attackers on the roster: first years Dylan Irvine and Justin Ortiz; sophomore Lucas Longhitano; juniors Mike Walsh, Donald Woods, Ryan Weaver and Logan Vilardi and seniors Zach Derhak, Anthony Faber, and John Eisman.
Plattsburgh has eleven players taking the midfield: first years Jamie Gipe and Dylan Zambito; sophomores George Rhatigan and Tim Keenan; juniors Jimbo Farrelly, Ely Buhns and Jab
Ten defensemen will suit up for the Cardinals: first years Flynn Whitlock, Timmy Wood and Matt Nystrom; sophomores Kevin Murray, Connor Vanella and Joe Barcher; juniors Matt Gannon, Kyle Ruland and seniors Max Lamitie and Matthew Tomlinson.
Four goalies will defend the Cards’ net: first years Zachary Nacheman and Cole Orehosky, sophomore Jack Mulcahy, and senior Dan Clements.
Continued from page 8
Its run came to an end back at home. A season high of 2,188 fans packed the Ronnie B in the biggest showing since the 2016 Final, also the last time Plattsburgh hosted the game.
“It was a pretty good atmosphere to play in,” sophomore defenseman Lonan Bulger said.
Sophomore forward Ryan Bonfield scored both of Plattsburgh’s goals, doubling his conference total on the season.
Both teams had three power play opportunities — the Cardinals scored its first power play goal in three weeks, while the Dragons came up empty-handed.
Plattsburgh led in shots 43-34.
Jacob Hearne started in the crease for the Cardinals, saving 31 shots. Hearne started all three playoff games for Plattsburgh.
The first period was a complete deadlock. Both Cortland and Plattsburgh failed to convert on a power play each and shot on goal nine and 11 times respectively.
The Cardinals had an opportunity early in the second period, when Cortland’s Sam Nichols committed a slashing penalty 2 ½ minutes in. While man-up, Plattsburgh won two faceoffs and shot seven times to no yield. To that point, it was its 17th straight empty power play.
Cortland struck first, 11:28 into the second. A Red Dragon carried the puck around the back of the net and simultaneously first-year Cardinal forward Tio D’Addario hit a Red Dragon in front of the crease. The Cortland player collided low with Hearne, leaving the goalie splayed out on his stomach to the right. The left side was wide open for Red Dragon Colby Seitz the score.
D’Addario’s hit was called for cross checking, and so Plattsburgh was immediately mandown after the score. The Cardinals successfully killed the penalty, facing a single shot.
Plattsburgh had killed 16 of its last 20.
Bryer, before Bryer skated behind the goal right to left. Bonfield passed it back to Bryer, who set his feet on the left side goal line. Bryer sent it back across the ice to Bonfield, who juggled the puck inside the right faceoff circle.
Bonfield brought the puck to the high slot and shot the puck under a defender and through the five hole. The line raced to the bench in celebration, after scoring just a minute into the period.
“Bonny’s a sniper,” Moffat said. “He shoots pucks, and they tend to go in.”
Both teams traded momentum for most of the rest of the period, with shots coming in big waves of offense. Plattsburgh kept the puck in the attacking zone, taking shots and winning faceoffs, then traded with Cortland who did much of the same.
The deliberation ended with 3:38 left in the period. The Red Dragons won a faceoff on the Cardinals right circle, getting the puck immediately to Nate Berke in the high slot.
Berke hit a one timer straight past Hearne.
“ Bonny’s a sniper. He shoots pucks, and they tend to go in. “
Head Coach Steve Moffat
Late in the period, sophomore forward Brannon Butler went to the box for boarding, putting the Cardinals down for a third time in the period. Plattsburgh killed the penalty for a minute and a half, when Butler was joined by a Dragon, initiating four-on-four. The period ended with both off the ice.
Plattsburgh won the faceoff to start the third period, skating down to its own end to await Butler’s return seven seconds later. Senior defenseman Kevin Weaver-Vitale initiated the play like a quarterback.
The Cardinals ran a play to Bonfield, who sent a puck off Cortland goaltender Jack Riedell’s leg pads from the right faceoff circle. Cortland sent it back down the ice, but Weaver-Vitale worked it back up.
Weaver-Vitale sent it to senior forward Paul Bryer up the right-side boards, who gave it back to him.
Weaver-Vitale passed it to Bonfield, who was skating left to right along the boards behind the goal. Bonfield collected along the goal line, to the right of the goal.
Bonfield played hot potato with
Continued from page 9
The team will face Oneonta as the away team April 17. Plattsburgh will make its trip to Potsdam for the final match of the season April 24.
“As a team our goals are to progress. We’ve been doing a lot the last four years and have just been getting better and better so that’s what I would like to do this year,” Lombardi said.
The team has six attackers on the roster this year: first years Abby Guasconi and
Unable to generate shots, Plattsburgh pulled Hearne in favor of another skater with 1:15 left in the period. The Cardinals shot three times with an extra skater, with only one hitting Riedell. Moffat called a timeout to draw something up for the offense.
Plattsburgh returned to the ice with 40 seconds remaining. Jirousek took the faceoff on the right side. Jirousek won, getting the puck to D’Addario inside the circle. D’Addario passed off to senior forward Bennett Stockdale, who sent it back to junior blueliner Jack Ring.
Ring lofted the puck to the right corner, where D’Addario sat waiting. D’Addario faked a collection, rocketing the puck to Stockdale entering the left circle from the high slot. Stockdale found a hole and fired, hitting Riedell.
Riedell sat left of the goal, almost entirely out of the crease. The puck found Bonfield waiting on top of the crease. He never had a more open look.
Bonfield jumped on the student section glass, piled on by teammates after tying the game with 31 seconds remaining.
Hearne, back in, saved a shot before the period ended.
Plattsburgh was well familiarized with playoff overtime.
“We felt good,” Moffat said.
Mckenzie FrancisChubb, sophomores Cynthia Barnosky and Erica Dickinson, junior Maddy Garcia and senior Fiona Fitzgerald. Plattsburgh will have seven players playing the midfield: first years Isabella Girard and Anna Myers, sophomores Taya Balfour and Ava Parsons, juniors Nicole Resnick and Caitlin Nash and Rachel LaMar. The Cards have six defensemen rostered: first years Chase Calandra, Maddie Carros and Sloane Carr; sophomore Lillian Gilroy and seniors Janey Adams and Sam Lombardi. The Cardinals will have
“Scoring late, you get some momentum. They were down a little bit.”
The Cardinals hit the ice ready, opening the fourth period in a dead heat. Both teams shot six times in the extra stanza, and neither strung together more than three in a row.
Nine minutes into overtime, Cortland broke the stalemate. The Red Dragons won a faceoff in the right circle. Cortland drew action to the left boards where it regained possession of the puck.
With Cardinals out of position, a Red Dragon hit Anthony Bernardo in the high slot. Bernardo had Hearne on a desert island. Plattsburgh defenseman Spencer Bellina dove at the puck in a desperate attempt. Bernardo maintained control and put the biscuit in a puck-sized hole between Hearne’s pads.
Hearne and Bellina stayed down. Graduate student forward and captain Adam Tretowicz threw his stick in frustration.
Red Dragons threw theirs in celebration. Cortland players collected along the left boards, already having ditched their helmets and gloves. They threw arms around each other, cheered and celebrated.
Cardinals stayed on the ice with hands on their knees. Tretowicz remained on the opposite end, kneeling on the ground. His five years at Plattsburgh was over. Plattsburgh players then congregated to Hearne in comfort.
Bonfield, Hogg and Stockdale earned All-Tournament honors and goalie Eli Shiller won the SUNYAC Elite 20 award, this year’s men’s hockey honoree.
Plattsburgh ended its season with its second-straight season with at least 20, something not accomplished by the program since the 2014-15 and 2015-16 season. The Cards also finished with its most wins in a single campaign since 2009.
“We’ve been a really tight knit group this year,” Bulger said. “It’s been great.”
Maintaining significant regular season success and receiving national recognition from polling bodes well for the future of the team — the season, in the big picture, was a win for the program. But it certainly didn’t feel like that to thousands in the Ronnie B Saturday.
WHKY - Seven Cardinals received allleague honors this season, including Julia Masotta, the SUNYAC Player of the Year.
MHKY - Jacob Hearne’s save pct. of .928 is tied with Mathieu Cadieux’s 2011-12 season for sixth best in program history.
WLAX - Cynthia Barnosky scored nine points in the season opener. The mark is good for second most in program history.
MLAX - Plattsburgh scored 21 goals against Canton Feb. 28. The most the team scored in a game last season was 11.
What has been your most rewarding experience being a part of Morgan’s Message?
“My most rewarding experience has been seeing the impact that we have made on campus.”
Has being with the athletic training staff given you a unique perspective on college sports and/or student athletes?
“I get to see a little bit of what goes into each team’s practice and games, it gives me a cool view on how different sports train and prepare to compete.”
If you could make any rule change to women’s lacrosse, what would it be?
“I would get rid of the green card. It stops the play way too much, and the refs won’t give a warning before immediately issuing one.”
What’s the nastiest injury you’ve gotten in lacrosse?
“My nastiest injury had to be my concussion... I couldn’t see very well for a few days.”
Peter Basile wrote this op-ed to recount his personal experience. It is written from his first-person perspective.
Everybody wants the perfect life. They want to be able to shoot for the stars in whatever they are doing, but the harsh reality is that life is filled with bumps, bruises and unavoidable obstacles.
That’s what makes life a journey and such a beautiful experience. The bumps along the way are what shape people into who they are and it shows the true character of that person.
In my case, I have had many positives. But I’ve also had and am still having hardships and obstacles that I am going through. My story is one of triumph and perseverance.
I will forever think of it to get me through my best and worst days. This is the story of my Lyme disease and how it has affected me in my athletic life, but most importantly, my mental health.
My name is Peter Basile and I am a junior at SUNY Plattsburgh. I’m a fitness and wellness leadership major. I am a part of the cross country and track teams at the school. I have been running since I was in fourth grade, so you can say I have been doing this kind of thing for a long time.
One of the most important parts of this story is understanding what Lyme disease is. Lyme disease is an infectious illness caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected black-legged ticks, commonly known as deer ticks.
The disease can range in many symptoms, some worse than others. If it is not treated and caught on quickly, it can affect your nervous system, joints and organs.
Lyme disease cannot be cured, but it can be treated to the point where it goes dormant. Once you get it, you will always test positive for it, but it does not mean it is active.
I had no symptoms of the disease until it was too late. It got to the point that it affected my joints.
In seventh grade, I was playing with my friends at an event. While we played, I fell down and felt a pop in my knee. It did not really hurt so I thought nothing of it. Over the next couple of days, my knee swole to the point where I could not see my kneecap.
Both a general practitioner
Continued from page 9
and an orthopedic doctor told me simply that there was fluid in my knee. I just left it and waited to see if the fluid would go away.
My primary doctor recommended I get my knee drained of the fluid. The doctor told me that a normal adult usually gets 45 cubic centimeters of fluid drained, while my knee needed 55 ccs of fluid removed. The doctor could tell it was Lyme simply by the color of the fluid.
I was put on antibiotics and the fluid went away. I was good to go. It went dormant until my junior year in high school, and that’s where the nightmare truly began for me.
During my junior year of cross country I was at the peak of my athletic ability and was in position to go to states as an individual runner. Midway through the season, I developed horrible pains in my legs. I could barely run.
The pain took me out for the rest of my high school career.
In December of my junior year, I went to a doctor to get a blood test and got heartbreaking results. I was told that the Lyme had “reactivated” and that it was back. I was crushed by the news.
I saw four to five doctors before one was able to figure out the source of my leg pain. The doctor determined that I had chronic Lyme disease, which gave me tendinitis in both of my knees.
I almost cried after hearing someone finally figure out what was wrong with me. Now that I knew what was wrong, it was time to take the beast down and get the treatment I needed.
The first thing that I needed to do was get the Lyme under control and put it in a dormant state. I started treatment in the Stram Center, a specialized facility for treating Lyme.
One of the forms of treatment was using a hyperbaric chamber, which is a pressurized container that flows oxygen to your body. The HBOT has been shown to elevate tissue oxygen, which can be lethal to Lyme bacteria, increase white blood cell activity and enhance antimicrobial responses.
Oxygen is essential in the killing of bacteria and by exponentially raising oxygen levels through the body, the efficiency of bactericidal action of white blood cells can be enhanced dramatically.
Another form of treatment I pursued was heavy antibiotics. They were so heavy that they had to be given through an IV.
I had to do this treatment for about five weeks and go two to three times a week.
In order to not poke me every time, they kept the port in my arm and took it out at the end of the week. It was very challenging also because the treatment took between 90 minutes and two hours.
My next step was physical therapy in order to strengthen my legs since they were so crippled from Lyme.
My treatment was during my senior year of high school. As I ran, I was still going through plenty of pain. It was hard being a senior and not being able to compete the way I wanted to. During the cross country season, I was a captain of the team, which was nice, but didn’t last long. One day, my coach pulled me aside and told me I was a negative influence on everyone because of what I was going through and stripped me of my title.
When my coaches began to doubt me because of my disease, it broke me. I tried to be the best person possible through my struggles and my coach thought I was a negative influence because of my disease. My senior year of high school was one of my darkest times, until I was given the opportunity to be on a college team. I am still so grateful for the opportunity to do it and that’s where the battle would continue for me.
When I first started college, I was still going to the trainers and having to strengthen myself because my knees were still weak. When I first started, I
kill another penalty to keep the lead.
Cortland provided a more potent offense on its second power play. Cortland shot early in the penalty’s timer from the blue line, and Nease sent the puck into the sky, colliding with the net above the rink.
Between the strong play and the brick walls in goal, no offense came easy. The first period was scoreless.
Halfway through the second period, the Cardinals got its chance when Red Dragon Meggan Cramer was sent to the box for tripping. Senior forward Mae Olshansky won the face off after the call, and the Cardinals passed the puck around the zone before Masotta found senior forward Ciara Wall behind the goal line. Wall sent a picture-perfect pass across the crease to find Olshansky inches from the right side of the net in perfect position for the goal.
Olshansky has provided huge value for the Cardinals in power plays. The goal marked her second power play goal against Cortland this season.
Two minutes later, with just eight minutes left in the period, the Red Dragons pushed the puck into the Cardinals’ zone. A slapshot was put on Nease, who fended the shot out of the goal with her stick. Junior defenseman Mattie Norton, trying to throw off the shooter, got tied up in contact, and they both hit the ground sliding into the wall. Norton was penalized with two minutes for high sticking.
Cortland had another shot with the extra skater, and the Cards needed to
Winning the face off, the Red Dragons put pressure on goal again immediately. It scored in the same manner as the Cardinals. A Red Dragon behind the net made a pass to a teammate in the crease who slapped the puck into the back of the net.
1-1, tie game.
“It’s hard to kill them all,” Masotta said.
Plattsburgh held the Red Dragons to just two shots in the third period, while taking eight shots of its own, but neither team got through the conference’s top tenders.
Overtime lasted two minutes, and came to its peak when Nease snagged the puck from a Red Dragon trying to move around the net. The following faceoff in the Cardinals’ zone was bounced out from between the two player’s sticks, and was collected by Red Dragon Elena Eichmann who turned and fired the puck through the five hole for the first shot on goal in extra time.
The Cortland bench erupted onto the ice in celebration.
The Red Dragons coalesced into a celebratory swarm against the glass as the Cardinals skated slowly to its blue line for all tournament awards.
could not run a mile without severe pain. Eventually, I started to get stronger and I was able to run without pain. It felt so good. I began to heal physically, but I began to suffer mentally.
Years later, I am still dealing with it mentally. It’s like a lingering demon that haunts me. If I got any pain in my legs, I would shut down and think that the Lyme was coming back, which was not the case. This happened this past cross country season and it started to eat me alive. I felt trapped and I thought there was nothing I could do.
When I thought all hope was lost, I realized that I was surrounded by a good group of people who had my back and were there for me. They do not know how much they have helped me through this long battle, but now they are going to know now. So, I am going to shout out all the people who have helped me and are continuing to help me through this journey;
Nate Alexander, Noah Bonesteel, Michael Brockway, Zander Brown, Matt DeJuilo, Nick Gelsomino, Sean Grady, Jeremy Gundrum, Evan Howe, Erik Kucera, Justin Kumrow, Matthias Lauvau, Lukas McIntosh, Graham Richard, Denali Rodriguez-Garnica, Logan Van Buren, Faris Webber, JT Zimmerman, Grace Boyle, Natalia Castro, Marissa Colvin, Sophia Gambino, Kailyn Ginter, Kayla Grant, Ginny Lucchetti, Jodie May, Lillian Moran, Julia Robinson, Anya Sloth, Sarah Smith, Jayelee Southwell, Coach Jordan Naylon, and
Coach Andrew Krug.
All these great people are the reason why I have been able to fight this and get through it. They have been there for me through all of this and have made it so easy to battle this demon head-on. They also never stopped believing in me, which I thank them for. I am so grateful that I have them in my life and I just wanted them to know that. Even if you think you had a small part in it, you were a huge part for me and I am so grateful for you all. I love these people so much and I would put my life on the line for them. They showed me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
I also want to shout out my parents and my family for being there also and making sure I got better. I would not be in the position I am right now without mentioning everyone so thank you again. You mean the world to me and my life would be empty without all of you.
The lesson that I learned from this is to be patient and trust the process. When facing adversity, trust that the storm will pass and that a beautiful path will follow. Everything will be OK and things will get better. That was something that I struggled with a long time and had to learn. Never give up on your dreams and never back down from a fight.
back. This is motivation for us and I’m confident in our team.”
with the SUNYAC Elite 20 award for outstanding academic and athletic performances.
“We’re going to be fine. We have great leadership, we have a great coaching staff, we have great goaltending,” Masotta said. “We’re gonna bounce
The Cardinals’ received an at-large bid and will be competing in the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. Plattsburgh will be facing No. 7 Middlebury at home Saturday, March 9.
VICTORIA CAMPBELL Staff Writer
March 8 is a significant day, not just because it is a Friday –- International Women’s Day empowers women and highlights their achievements and struggles worldwide.
This day brings explicit awareness to the ongoing issue of gender inequality and how we need to advocate for women as a society.
We have come far, but there is much room for growth. When the United States was first established, women were considered property to men, with zero civil rights. It took years of activism for the country to enact.
According to the website Your Dream, women’s rights were suspended during marriage. The husband and wife were considered one person. In the United States, by 1777, women’s rights to vote were revoked.
It took the United States more
than 100 years to grant women the right to vote in state elections, and New York was one of the first to do so.
The U.S. has continued to grow but has slightly gone back to its old ways. In 2022, the Supreme Court decided to rule that the Constitution does not confer any right to abortion, meaning some states continue to have laws against it or have limitations.
As far as the United States has come, this news is detrimental to women. It creates a belittling society. Everyone has different views on abortion, but women should always have the freedom to choose.
Whether one agrees or disagrees is not the issue — it’s the fact that in some states, women do not legally have the choice.
Each year SUNY Plattsburgh welcomes students who are drawn to the smaller size of the campus. With more than 60 clubs on campus, several sports teams and an active Greek life scene, students seem to have many chances to branch out and get to meet new people. Boasting a population of around 4,000, it seems guaranteed that students will get to
know people more intimately as they see them around the campus so often.
Freshman Allyson White, who’s a social work major, shared that meeting people has been rather easy for her. She attributes her ability to connect with her peers to her extroverted personality.
White said that despite her busy schedule, she wants to dedicate more time to being involved on campus and form new bonds by making a full commitment to a club that interests her.
White has seen and heard about the variety of clubs and organizations that the campus has to offer.
“I mainly go to other people’s club meetings and help my friends in a music club and help them set up for something, even though I’m not in the club,” White said.
Although White goes out of her way to be involved on campus and connect with others, she said that isn’t always reciprocated.
“I would actually say hi to people and they wouldn’t ac-
knowledge me, or they had their headphones in, or they would look at me weird. I would get hurt by it,” White said.
It can be intimidating trying to get to meet and know people in college, especially if you’re new to the campus.
“If you’re just sitting in the corner, nothing’s going to happen. But if you’re actually going up to people and being like ‘Hey, we’re doing this thing, come on, come join us,’ it’s a lot more welcoming. You don’t feel very awkward walking into a
room alone,” White said. Some people, however, do not share the same sentiment. Some students feel a disconnect from their peers. Some feel like outsiders, while others are just disinterested.
Arroyo, a sophomore biology major, shared the expectations he had before officially enrolling. Like many freshmen, he was eager and optimistic to step foot on campus.
BY CINARA MARQUIS Arts & Culture Editor
When an individual decides to go to college, they are thrust into a new world of unfamiliarity. They face a multitude of choices: Is college actually right for me? Which college should I go to? Do I stay in-state? But the biggest question these people face is: What should my major be?
When a student decides their major, they don’t just decide what they want to study during their academic career but also what they want to do with the rest of their life.
This is a huge choice. It is something that impacts you forever, and with the cost of college tuition on the rise, it is made even more important. The weight of the decision adds yet another layer of pressure to someone’s already busy life.
However, there is a way to alleviate these burdens and provide students with the opportunity to discover their true potential without binding them to uncertainty — requiring students to wait a year before declaring a major.
By delaying the pressure of choosing a major, students may avoid the stress and burnout associated with feeling locked into a path that may not align with their long-term goals.
Having all college freshmen claim no major allows them to explore dif-
ferent academic avenues and find their own passion through experimentation with no strings attached.
Students would no longer have to commit to premature decisions but instead think freely and embark on their own journeys. Instead of navigating the foreign environment of college academics with stress, students will be empowered to experience new things with curiosity.
Without the pressure of having to immediately decide on a major, students can focus on adjusting to college life and building a strong foundation.
Taking a range of introductory courses exposes students to different fields of study. While it allows them to make more informed decisions when selecting a major, it also equips them with transferable skills like critical thinking and creativity, skills that go beyond disciplinary boundaries.
Not only that, but it also encourages self-reflection, personal growth, and confidence through support from academic advisors and participation in extracurricular activities and clubs.
This approach offers assurance that a student’s informed decision is right for them and leads towards a fulfilling future.
BY NADIA PASCHAL Opinions EditorCollege lasts four years, and although that sounds like a long time, it flies by rather quickly. Students have only so much time to finish all of their required courses and many are eager to start early and graduate on time, so being able to declare a major as soon as one would like is highly beneficial.
Being made to wait before declaring a major could help some students, but for those who are certain in what they want to do, this could hinder them. Most take general education courses their first few semesters, but some students like to get as much of a head start as possible.
By not being able to take courses integral to their major in the first year, it may take some longer to graduate. This is important as some classes are not offered every semester. It would take the student longer to complete prerequisite courses that are needed to enroll in more advanced classes.
Waiting could also be a buffer and deter students from continuing their education. Some may lose interest in school entirely, if they come to college and have to take courses that emulate what they learned in high school. College is supposed to be a time where specialized learning takes place.
By choosing within the first year, students can get to know their professors within the department, and start building connections and get experience under their belts. This sets them up with
opportunities to be a part of studies and receive internships that those who waited did not have.
Students often change their major as they discover what they like and don’t like, as well as their strengths and weaknesses. Even if a student ends up not liking their original major, by realizing that during the first year, they will still have time to correct this choice.
If they switch majors early, they can still have time to graduate as early as possible. This process of trial and error is crucial to the experience of a student’s journey and their satisfaction upon graduation.
Personally, I have switched my major many times. I was originally a biology major, but have since completely shifted away from that as I realized early on that field was not for me. If I had not had the opportunity to declare a major early on, it would have taken longer to discover what I am truly passionate about. My time at SUNY Plattsburgh would be extended even further.
Nobody is locked into any major they choose. Exploration of fields and courses should be encouraged. Not everyone knows what they want to do during their first or even second year of college, and that is perfectly fine. However, it would not be fair to make all students wait, as there are some who are exceptions and their education journey should be taken into consideration as well.
Weaving itself into a web of poor storytelling and bland characters, “Madame Web,” directed by S.J. Clarkson, is one of the most pitiful excuses of a superhero film.
With long drawn out scenes of Pepsi cans and a finale that takes place at a Pepsi factory, it seems like an elongated ad. This film brings nearly nothing to the table.
The screenwriting is lazy, the characters are not only boring but unlikable, and each scene feels trivial. On top of all of this, the only supersuit consistently seen in the film is worn by one of the worst supervillains in film.
Even a bad movie can be saved by the cast, but despite how star-studded it was, with massive names such as Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney, no one delivers noteworthy performances.
Johnson leads the cast, playing Cassandra Webb, and it is quite obvious that she did not want to do this film. It feels like she is barely trying. Her character is also ruined by her dialogue, which feels elementary.
The movie has only a handful of scenes, all of which take place in the future, where characters actually have powers and supersuits. However, past the few minutes of screen time these honestly cool powers and suits get, the rest of the movie just feels like filler.
If anything, this film would work better as a prequel to already established characters. If they made a film based on the actual superhero based scenes of this movie, it would be easier to have some level of respect for this film.
The movie quite literally serves as a two-hour waste of time to introduce a character whom literally no one cares about, including the actor who played her.
I do not recommend this film as I didn’t even want to keep watching it. You might as well watch “Final Destination.” It’s essentially the same thing, just good.
Email KOLIN KRINER cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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“It’s college. Everyone hangs out with everyone. You meet a bunch of new people, and that’s the time where you finally get to evolve,” Arroyo said. Arroyo was a part of the Educational Opportunity Program, which provides aid to students who need financial and academic support. Students arrive during the summer and spend time as a group getting acclimated to the campus as
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well as getting to know each other.
“We all experience the same thing, we all had the same struggles growing up,” Arroyo said. “Once we actually got to SUNY Plattsburgh, we finally saw the real student demographic, which was the complete opposite of what any of us had to go through.”
Arroyo still mainly talks to those he met through EOP, as he finds he connects to them on a deeper level than those who weren’t in the program. He feels that without being a part of
it, he would not interact with many other students on campus.
“It’s a lot less problems to deal with, way less drama. You only have to worry about the people who care about you and the people you care about,” Arroyo said. When Arroyo first came to campus, like many new students he explored all the different clubs that are available to join. Some made him feel welcome, but several did not.
“It’s just hard sometimes because there’s already pre-made
groups,” Arroyo said.
Because Plattsburgh is a small town, it has a tighter knit community than other places may have.
Students who grew up here and live locally often choose to stay close to home, giving them a better sense of the town and the school.
According to Gray Associates, 15% of the students on campus are from Clinton County. However, the culture may be a shock to those who are not from the area.
“It’s such a small place up here. Every-
one already knows a little bit about each other. Everyone probably already has (issues) with each other,” Arroyo said.
Although we’re not in college forever, by taking the time to branch out, you could meet people you really connect with whom you may not have met otherwise.
As both a smaller campus and a smaller town, we should strive to strengthen the bonds between fellow Cardinals.
Email NADIA PASCHAL cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Unequal pay is another issue that has been around for decades. Women are not paid nearly as much as men, even when working full-time, according to the Department of Labor. Women working full-time all year are paid only 83.7% of what men are paid. This is a disappointment. Women being paid 16% less than men is horrifying in this age.
The United States is not the only country needing improvements in women’s rights and equality. Accord-
ing to Oxfam America, an organization that aims to end poverty and injustice, 153 countries have laws which discriminate against women economically. Additionally, in 18 countries husbands can legally prevent their wives from working.
Not only will these laws create dependent tendencies, but they will also prevent women from making something of themselves.
In 2023, Oxfam America also reported that one in three girls and women worldwide experience abuse or violence in their lifetime.
We have had years to improve treatment toward women, and I think the outcome is disappoint-
ing. Around the world, the mindset that a woman’s job is to stay home and clean and take care of the kids is and will continue to impact women’s treatment. It needs to change. Awareness needs to continue to be spread to improve these issues for equality and women’s rights. Some of the best countries for women’s rights are Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Finland and Luxembourg.
If women’s rights do not expand or change, women will continue to face unequal treatment in the workplace and be denied opportunities to learn and to lead. Due to these unfair actions, many women continue to live in
poverty. In New York state, 17.6% of adult women live in poverty, according to the Institute for Women’s Policy.
Women’s achievements are something that should be recognized daily, but also the struggles that continue to impact women, whether it is unequal pay, unfair treatment or violence.
Internationally, we need to change and continue to grow so women have a better chance in the world and feel that they can always succeed without gender being considered.
Email VICTORIA CAMPBELL cp@cardinalpointsonline.com