Cardinal Points Issue 8 Spring 2024

FRIDAY, APRIL 19

WHAT’S INSIDE:

SPRING 2024 | ISSUE 8

A&C

SPORTS

OPINION

Holi drenches campus in water, color

Athletes host Special Olympics events

Apps harm college dating culture

SA finalizes most election candidates, extends deadline Elections for the 63rd legislation of the Student Association will be held Thursday, April 25.

The deadline for students wanting to run in the Student Association’s general elections was April 15, but has since been extended to noon today, April 19.

Candidates were required to submit packets containing their information and signatures from peers in order for their name to appear on the ballot.

The following is the list of students who have submitted packets by 5 p.m. April 18.

CINARA MARQUIS/Cardinal Points

PRESIDENT

Kalema Gooding Chaun’J Ramos Jonanthony Tarlen

VICE PRESIDENT Naomi Adebayo

COORDINATOR OF STUDENT AFFAIRS AND DIVERSITY

COORDINATOR OF ACADEMICS

COORDINATOR OF ARTS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

SENATORS

Nekaybaw Ross

Cameron Greaves Abraham Nunez

TREASURER Sydney Wise

Lot 27 makes up a quarter of all available parking spaces and will be closed throughout the summer.

Kacia Coke Arshita Pandey

Charmi Asodariya John Carguello Romita Chakraborty Tasmayee Jagtap Shahad Monir

Student creates peer support group for student caregivers

BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News + Managing Editor

In her final semester, a student started a support group she wished she had as a first-year.

Human development and family relations major Hannah Schmeelke

knows firsthand the challenges of attending college while taking care of a relative with Alzheimer’s, dementia or other form of memory loss.

In her first year, Schmeelke had to balance two totally new experiences — college and caregiving. She found the re-

sponsibilities on both ends difficult to balance as she went home to Whitehall, New York, every weekend to care for her relative.

Later on, Schmeelke learned about some of the support resources available on campus, but said she wishes she’d used them sooner.

“It was just really special to do something like this for students,” Schmeelke said. “That’s why I was so excited to start this, if I could help somebody else through it. I would have loved a group like this, you know?”

PEER > 3

4 parking lots closing today for upgrades

BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News + Managing Editor

On-campus parking may become harder to find as one of the off-campus student parking lots closes tonight, April 19, for improvements.

Lot 27 near Banks Hall is one of the four lots closing for maintenance and updates. Two of the parking lots — Lot 9 outside of Kehoe Administration Building and Lot 28 near

Champlain Valley Hall — serve faculty and staff.

The last affected parking lot is Lot 10, which allows for 15-minute parking outside of Kehoe.

Lots 27 and 28 will be closed throughout the summer, according to email responses from Robert Trombley, manager of Capital Planning & Construction, and Robert Boal, assistant director of Facilities.

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Guest essay

Professor Christy tells tale of two totalities

BY ANDREW CHRISTY Assistant Professor of Psychology

Andrew Christy wrote this guest essay from a first-person perspective to reflect on his experiences viewing two total solar eclipses.

After the April 8 total eclipse darkened our skies, I can now say that I have witnessed two of these unique celestial events.

Almost seven years earlier (though the memory feels fresher than that), some grad-school friends and I traveled from Texas to Wyoming to put ourselves in the path of the last “Great American Eclipse.” I’d like to reflect on these two experiences and the similarities and differences between them.

2017: TEXAS TO WYOMING

The total eclipse in 2017 occurred August 21, which happens to be my birthday. I was in grad school at Texas A&M University at the time, between the fourth and fifth years of my PhD studies in social and personality psychology.

College Station, Texas, was nowhere near the path of the eclipse. However, my close friend and classmate Anna suggested that we might travel to her home state of Wyoming, where the total eclipse would be passing through the northwest corner of the state.

My summer calendar in 2017 was already pretty jam-packed.

I would be helping my partner, McKay, move from Texas to Rochester, New York, in June, then attending back-to-back academic workshops in July in Chi-

cago and Los Angeles, but the opportunity to see a total eclipse on my birthday was too special to pass up. I was motivated to claim a small piece of this busy summer “just for me” before my final year of grad school.

Anna and I drove the roughly 1,400 miles from College Station to the Bridger-Teton National Forest in northwestern Wyoming, picking up our friend Jane along the way and meeting up with Anna’s family. Her folks had a big camper, and we all pulled our vehicles out onto a big open field by the Green River and set up camp for the weekend.

We arrived early and spent the days leading up to the eclipse exploring our scenic surroundings — on foot, by car and by river raft — and enjoying our quite luxurious campsite. Anna’s father-in-law made moose burgers one night, which both tasted good and made me feel like I was getting the genuine Wyoming experience.

Eclipse day came, and we simply walked up a low hill immediately adjacent to our campsite. We had seen more and more people arriving in the area over the preceding days, but there was plenty of space for everyone and no other groups were very close to us. This allowed us to spread out a bit within our group: Each of us set up a camp chair and we settled in to await the eclipse, sipping our morning coffee.

The partial eclipse began shortly after 10 a.m., and through our eclipse glasses we watched the moon steadily cover up more and more of the sun’s face for the

next hour and change. The quality of the sunlight didn’t change noticeably until the sun was almost completely obscured, at which point the light dimmed to a golden pre-sunset glow.

The total eclipse began at 11:36 a.m., when the moon blocked out the last tiny sliver of the sun’s face. Darkness fell, stars shone in the cloudless sky and it got chilly — my most vivid memory is of how quickly the temperature dropped. Each of us gazed rapturously up at the sun’s corona, an otherworldly ring of silvery light in the darkened sky. I don’t remember what anyone said, if indeed anyone said anything at all.

The total eclipse lasted about two and a half minutes, but it felt longer than that. In that time, I experienced a complex set of physical and mental reactions: I felt giddy and thrilled with joy and excitement; chills ran down my spine. I was overwhelmed by the vast scale of what I was seeing and afraid at a primal level.

Even though I knew intellectually that the sun would return, part of me was worried that it wouldn’t. Tears filled my eyes as I thought about how I was sharing an experience with untold numbers of people and other creatures — not only those viewing this eclipse, but all those who had ever seen an eclipse at any previous time in our planet’s history.

After the intense transcendence of the total eclipse passed, we were all in quite a state. We hugged, laughed and struggled to express what we were feeling (the word “wow” was used a lot).

Provided by Andrew Christy

Andrew Christy and his group view the 2017 eclipse in its totality while set up in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in northwestern Wyoming.

We continued to watch the partial eclipse until it concluded, though less attentively than we had watched its beginning.

After that, it was time to pack up camp and begin our journey back to Texas, joining the long, slow-moving lines of cars exiting the National Forest.

Car trouble required us to stay with Anna’s folks in Rock Springs, Wyoming, for a couple of extra days. Under ordinary circumstances this might have been a stressful inconvenience, but after the experience we had shared we were glad to have a reason to prolong the trip and delay our return to “normal life.”

2024: ADIRONDACK ADVENTURE

This time around, the solar eclipse came to me.

McKay and I hosted several guests at our home in Plattsburgh, including Jane, who had been on the Wyoming trip with me. I had started planning for this eclipse quite a while beforehand, scouting out several possible viewing spots in the summer of 2023.

If possible, I wanted to see it from a wilderness location again because that was part of what had made my previous experience so special. I also wanted to be on a mountain or other elevated viewpoint, in hopes of seeing the eclipse shadow approach and recede more fully than we had been able to in Wyoming. These considerations led me to select Catamount Mountain, about 40 miles southwest of Plattsburgh and close to the center of the total eclipse’s path.

TALE > 3

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▪ News Editor Aleksandra Sidorova

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NEWS

Friday, April 19, 2024

Student Association

March 30 The glass wall in Whiteface Hall’s study lounge was reported damaged. The case was closed by investigation.

April 5 A student in Wilson Hall reported that his Discord account was hacked. Investigation is still pending.

Stalking University Police updated two reports of stalking — one from Nov. 15, 2023 and one that occurred Feb. 22 but was reported March 4. Both were referred to Title IX.

April 10 University Police reported aggravated harassment, which is still being investigated.

Clubs turn to alternative sources for event funding

BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News + Managing Editor

The Student Association Senate approved the club African Unity’s event funding request at its meeting April 9. The amount is the least the club has requested from the SA this semester as clubs turn to alternative means of funding events.

African Unity requested $892 for its 11th annual King & Queen of Africa pageant — the least it has requested this semester, Senator Naomi Adebayo said.

In addition to SA additional allocations, African Unity received funding from College Auxiliary Services and the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

As a member of the Finance Board, Senator Arshita Pandey encouraged senators to approve the

voting because she is a member of African Unity.

In previous meetings, Adebayo noted that several prominent clubs’ use of alternative funding sources may mean less club support for the SA. The SA’s current primary focus is campaigning for the SA fee to pass in the upcoming referendum April 25, Executive Council and Board of Election members have said at meetings.

The SA fee referendum is a vote that happens every two years, in which students decide whether to keep the SA fee JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points mandatory. The fee supSA Vice President Kalema Gooding calls the SA Sen- ports clubs, the shuttle, on-campus events, trips, ate meeting to order April 9. peer tutoring services and request in order to use up allocations, and I don’t extended library hours. the remaining funds for think we will have a lot the semester. At the start of requests from here on, of the meeting, the SA had so why not just go ahead $5,461 left in additional al- with this?” Pandey said.

Email ALEKSANDRA locations for the semester.

The request was unanSIDOROVA “We have a good imously approved. Adecp@cardinalpointsonline.com amount of additional bayo abstained from

Student takes comedy stage

BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA News + Managing Editor

To advertise with Cardinal Points, email cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

CP Corrections SPORTS: 1) A cutline for a softball photo misidentified Morgan Ormerod.

If you see an error in Cardinal Points, email cp@cardinalpointsonline.com.

GOT A NEWS TIP? Contact the news editor at cp@cardinalpointsonline.com.

A student in SUNY Plattsburgh’s teaching program is taking a break from studying and teaching to make people laugh.

Jordan Perna, a graduate student studying childhood education and special ed, will perform their comedy special — “John Deere 3:16” — at Olive Ridley’s 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 24. Comedian Franky Jebb from Ticonderoga, New York, will open for the show. Perna performed their first show at the venue almost exactly a year ago.

Perna describes their humor as dark but silly.

“My job is to be able to make you laugh at something that you’re probably not going to laugh at,” Perna said.

Perna bases their material on personal experiences, such as their upbringing in a Catholic Italian family and stories from the classroom that preserve their students’ privacy. Perna also discusses their mental health on-stage.

“I talk about therapy, I talk about how some people have dark thoughts,” Perna said. “You don’t, obviously, act upon them, you have them. You say stuff

when you are a kid and people say, ‘You’re not supposed to say that’ — I like to go up on stage and say those things, to an extent.”

Joking about mental health can be healing — Perna said that sometimes, audience members talk to them after a show to exchange experiences with mental health. It becomes something to laugh about rather than dwell on, Perna said.

“Helping someone out and connecting with people, I love to do that,” Perna said.

Although Perna’s jokes can stem from deeply personal experiences, not every word they say is a reflection of their off-stage character. Perna said they got a “Drama King” award in high school for their tendency to exaggerate and dramatize.

Sometimes, this trait upsets audiences, but Perna sees it as a fun exercise in the boundaries of free speech and the art of comedy.

“I get to try to see, can I cross the line with these jokes? How far can I cross?

I’ve gotten offended at jokes, and it’s hard for me to do that now, as a comedian, because I try to guess the punchline,” Perna said. “I do not apologize about jokes because they’re jokes. They’re just

LOTS Continued from page 1

Reconfiguration will provide more parking spaces, chargers for electric vehicles and new sidewalks and curbs.

Lot 27 makes up 148 of the 584 parking spaces designated for off-campus students, according to Parking Manager Gail Recore. There are 1,008 active permits for off-campus student parking.

Lots 9 and 28 make up 169 of the 796 lots for faculty and staff parking that serve the 958 faculty and staff with active permits. However, neither all off-campus students nor all faculty and staff are parking on campus at any given time, Recore wrote over email.

Provided by Jordan Perna

Jordan Perna performs stand-up at an open mic night hosted by Radio Bean in Burlington, Vermont. words. I put the work in, laughed at it, so that’s oband if somebody says that viously your perspective.” something’s not funny, JOKES > 3 well, these other people

In addition to parking lots marked for certain groups, there are 342 additional parking spaces at Sibley Hall available for all permit holders, which can help make up for the 317 total parking spaces that will be temporarily unavailable.

Lots 9 and 10 will be closed until April 26 for testing. If testing is completed earlier, the lots will open sooner, Trombley and Boal wrote. The two lots will later close again May 20 for construction to commence.

The project’s timing may be inconvenient for students and staff, but it is the best for construction considering the local climate.

“Living in the North Country, it is important for outside projects to take advantage of an early break in the weather to help maximize their efforts to complete the proj-

ect in a timely manner,” Trombley and Boal wrote. “Later starts often lead to the project running into the colder months and would cause a delay in completing the work.”

Further information will be communicated to the campus when the contractor supplies a detailed schedule of the work, according to Trombley’s notice posted in the Student Digest.

“We understand the inconvenience these closures may cause and appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to make improvements to campus,” Trombley wrote in a Student Digest listing.

Email ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

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JOKES

TALE Continued from page 1

Continued from page 2

Besides social norms, Perna also navigates societal expectations of teachers.

“I know there is an expectation to (the job of a teacher), and I understand that expectation, but at the end of the day, they’re just jokes,” Perna said. “These aren’t my actual thoughts that I feel about the world. … I just try to make some funny things about the world that I live in — that’s all that I try to do.”

If anything, comedy helps Perna engage students in the classroom while they teach, they said.

Perna is from Broadalbin, New York, and said they came from a funny family. They had always wanted to tell jokes, but didn’t have the courage to do so to large audiences until, coping with a dark time in their life, they went to an open mic event at the Vermont Comedy Club, Perna said.

“I did three minutes and I did a really good job,” Perna said. “I’ve been addicted ever since.”

Perna first proposed the idea of filming a comedy special to Olive Ridley’s in August 2023 and spent the time since perfecting the set. They rewrote the setlist to start off gently and gradually turn dark, testing the material on audiences in Vermont and Massachusetts. Then, Perna bought the equipment — lighting, a microphone and cameras to capture multiple angles.

The special will be available on Perna’s YouTube (@Perna703) and Spotify

by July. Perna will post further updates and content on their Instagram (@jpernacomedy).

Email ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

▪

NEWS

News Editor Aleksandra Sidorova

This choice of destination did pose some challenges. Getting there would require traveling on the day of the eclipse, and I wasn’t sure how feasible that would be given the levels of traffic.

Early April is also a strange season in the Adirondacks, with a mix of spring and winter conditions.

The heavy snowfall the week before the eclipse made me question whether our group would be able to get up there, and even if we did, we would need to be prepared to keep ourselves warm and comfortable for several hours on an exposed mountainside.

Our Plan B was to view the eclipse from a field across the street from our home in Plattsburgh. But after a final recon trip with a friend the Saturday before the eclipse, we decided we’d go for it Monday and make the best of it.

Overall, the plan worked out well. We didn’t hit any traffic on our way to the trailhead, and our entire group got up to the viewing spot we had selected by about 1 p.m., well before the partial eclipse began.

That is not to say we had zero challenges. The conditions required us to start out in snowshoes, which we removed once we reached the steeper sections of the trail that feature some fairly difficult rock scrambles, but we all made it up, and the creature comforts we had hauled up in our heavy packs came in handy.

We got quite comfortable on the open rock ledge with our pads and blankets and enjoyed a little picnic lunch as we waited for the eclipse to begin. We were not the only people who had the idea of going to Catamount — there were a couple of other groups up there when we arrived and more came up afterward.

I had anticipated this and selected Catamount in part because its abundance of open rock offered space to spread out. So while nobody else was right on top of us, we were closer to other groups than we had been in Wyoming, and our own group was clustered together more tightly.

This made for a bit more chattiness as the partial eclipse began and progressed. We had a lot of

PEER Continued from page 1

To form a group, Schmeelke, an intern at Student Support Services, reached out to Megan Monica, regional care manager for the Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Support Initiativel.

Within a day or two after meeting, Schmeelke and Monica decided on a schedule for the peer support group to meet.

“We thought, let’s start up with students being able to talk to other students because their journey in caregiving is going to look much different than a wife at age 65 going through caregiving,” Monica said.

Ashley Durocher, associate director of Student Support Services and adviser to the Student Mental Health Initiative, said eight to 10 students of her caseload of 100 are caregivers for family members with memory loss, which made it harder to adjust to a college environment.

“They were noticing the changes and not really feeling like it was something that’s openly talked about on campus, or just in general with their friends and peers,” Durocher said.

Durocher and Schmeelke were both caregivers in college, so the support group is a “passion project” for them, Schmeelke said.

Student caregivers might have to call the family member, send them reminders and help them cook or clean on top of balancing

Provided by Andrew Christy

Andrew Christy’s group views this year’s solar eclipse in totality from the top of Catamount Mountain in New York. fun commenting on the changing shape of the obscured sun — from “Pac-Man” to “croissant” to “fat banana” to “regular banana” to “thumbnail.” The light began to change and it grew noticeably colder during the final 15 minutes before the total eclipse.

As I had hoped, we could see the approaching total eclipse on the horizon to the southwest. It looked like an incoming storm or a patch of night’s shadow drawing ever closer.

When totality set in, the wind died down, which helped offset the further dip in temperature.

For a second time, I saw the otherworldly silver ring of the sun’s corona. From our elevated vantage point, we could more clearly see parts of the so-called “360-degree sunset” that accompanies a total eclipse — warm orange-yellow light could be seen on every visible horizon.

Again I felt that mix of exhilaration and fear and a degree of sadness or wistfulness, which was not unpleasant. McKay and I held each other’s hands tightly and pulled closer together. I was so happy to be sharing the experience with her this time around and it was delightful to see her excitement and wonder.

Being up on a mountain meant that we had to get ourselves out of there once the eclipse ended.

The conditions made what is always a somewhat challenging descent even more difficult.

The steep, rocky trail was full of slushy melting snow that made some parts a bit treacherous, but just as we had made it up, we all made it out safe and sound (though not without some grumbling and some less-than-graceful sliding on our butts).

academics, work and a social life, Monica said.

“That’s a lot of pressure on its own, and not having an outlet if you’re struggling with this back at home can probably make it feel like your world is getting pretty small or pretty overloaded,” Monica said.

The meetings aim to provide an environment to freely chat with peers with similar experiences. Schmeelke or Monica also attend and can help start, guide or redirect conversations.

“I don’t put the pressure on people of ‘Let’s go around the room introducing yourself’ — that type of setting, because not everybody feels comfortable sharing,” Monica said.

“Some people come to listen because that’s what they’re comfortable with at this time, and that’s fine, too.”

Snacks, such as chips, are also available, along with a goodie bag featuring brochures with support resources, materials containing general information about memory loss and care and activities both the caregiver and care recipient can enjoy, including a coloring book and a recipe book.

“I think this was a really cool packet to get,” Schmeelke said.

A successful Young Caregiver Support Group would create a network of student caregivers by connecting them to each other directly. No students have come to the meetings so far.

“I think it’s going to connect them with others on campus kind of going through the same things that they are, which is oh so great, because can I share

COMPARING, CONTRASTING

More than anything else, I feel deeply fortunate to have witnessed two total eclipses at this point in my life. These experiences have sharpened my love for nature and my understanding of the vast scale of our universe, in which our Earth floats like “a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam,” to quote the astronomer Carl Sagan.

These reminders of our world’s smallness can be scary, but recognizing that we and all that we hold dear are small, temporary and fragile parts of this inconceivably huge cosmos can also make us appreciate and cherish them more.

I also find some comfort in the knowledge that most things in the universe do not depend on me. I may royally screw some things up in my own small life, but all of that cosmic clockwork will continue its elegant movements no matter how dramatic my failures. I think we can find a certain kind of acceptance in the universe’s indifference — the cosmos does not insist that we must be anything other than what we already are.

Both experiences also brought me closer to people, deepening my bonds with the friends and family I directly shared them with and making me feel more connected to all humanity — indeed, to all living things. From that perspective, the things that we share with each other as human beings and even as lifeforms on Earth start to become more prominent than the things that divide and differentiate us.

When we begin to understand the size of the universe, the differences in culture, ideology, and identity that loom so large in

Friday, April 19, 2024

our everyday lives start to seem a bit trivial by comparison. We are all small parts of this larger cosmos, and we all share equally in the fate of our planet. I wouldn’t say the cosmic perspective completely erases or negates our differences, but it contextualizes them in a way that makes the gaps between us seem smaller and more possible to bridge.

Some of the main differences between my two eclipse experiences stemmed from my social role in each. In particular, I was more of a passenger “along for the ride” on the Wyoming trip, whereas I was playing host and doing much of the planning for the New York eclipse. This made the Wyoming eclipse a bit more carefree — I was able to go with the flow and didn’t have to work very hard to make anything happen.

In contrast, there was a bit more stress involved in the New York eclipse: We had to make sure our guests were comfortable and I had some reservations about making everybody scramble up a difficult trail when we could have just stayed home and viewed the eclipse from here. My greater responsibility may have made it a bit harder for me to just be “in the moment” during the New York eclipse, and the need to hike in and out also made it a bit less leisurely than the Wyoming trip had been.

The closer proximity of other people during the New York eclipse also made it somewhat different from my Wyoming experience — in particular, it was less private and personal. I was not as alone with my own thoughts and feelings as I had been during the first eclipse. This didn’t make the New York eclipse worse, just different. While my inner experience may have been less intense as a result, it was also fun and rewarding to hear and see other people’s reactions (“Wow, look at the sky over there!”), particularly McKay’s. Certainly, sharing this second eclipse with my beloved was a special and unique aspect that had not been part of the Wyoming experience!

Continue reading Andrew Christy’s guest essay online at cardinalpointsonline.com.

CAMERON GREAVES/Cardinal Points

two people’s phone numbers?

Absolutely not, but if they meet up naturally at support group and end up exchanging information so they can talk more … they can talk through that together,” Monica said.

The Young Caregiver Support Group meets at noon the fourth Wednesday of every month.

Its next meeting is April 24 in Sibley 514, located in the Center for Neurobehavioral Health and Science, which can be accessed only from the outside, through the door on the back of the building, closest to Plattsburgh High School.

Students can also attend general meetings and events held

regularly at various locations in the six counties the Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Support Initiative serves. All meetings and events are free. Learn more at wehelpcaregivers.com.

Email ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024

Voices unbound in healing circle

BY PHILO YUNRUI WANG Contributor

JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points

Students playfully shower eachother in colorful powders, known as gulal, outside of Kent Hall at noon, April 14.

Colorful celebration: Happiness in Holi

BY CINARA MARQUIS Arts & Culture Editor

Known for its colorful powders, or gulal, water balloons and joy, Holi is a popular Hindu festival that marks the coming of spring. Also known as the Festival of Color, the occasion is marked by coloring family and friends in gulal and drenching people with water.

Holi is usually celebrated in March, on the day of the last full moon of the Hindu lunisolar calendar month, Phalguna. It typically lasts for two days.

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Holi celebration was a collaboration between Club International and Community Advocates. It was hosted April 14 outside of Kent Hall.

“It’s a joyful festival known for its vibrant colors, lively music and delicious food,” Sumeet Vish-

wakarma, president of Club International, wrote over email. “During Holi, people come together irrespective of caste, creed or social status and celebrate with joy and enthusiasm. Holi promotes unity, brotherhood and the spirit of togetherness among people, making it one of the most beloved and widely celebrated festivals in India.”

ORIGINS

People celebrate Holi for many reasons, as the festival’s origins are found in a variety of stories. One such story is that of the triumph of good over evil — the legend of Prahlad and Holika.

Prahlad, a devotee of Vishnu, was saved from his aunt Holika, who tried to burn him alive. Instead of burning him she ended up burning herself.

Consistently serving as a platform for students to celebrate their diversity, embrace cultural identities and promote inclusivity on the SUNY Plattsburgh campus, FUERZA: the BIPOC Student Union and Truth, Racial, Healing & Transformation presented a TRHT circle April 4 in the H.U.B. The TRHT circle provides students with the opportunity to recognize and value each other’s cultural backgrounds and languages every month. Participants were encouraged to celebrate their heritage, connect with their roots and strengthen their sense of belonging within the community.

The event commenced with a circle opening where attendees introduced themselves by sharing their names, pronouns and greetings in their first languages.

Guided by the TRHT touchstones, participants agreed to uphold group agreements that emphasized authenticity, mindfulness, compassion and respect for diverse perspectives.

The theme for this circle was multicultural healing.

Throughout the session, attendees engaged in meaningful discussions in pairs, reflecting on the significance of multilingualism and the experiences of living in a multicultural campus or community.

HEAL > 5

JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points

HOLI > 5 Jana Bar enjoys the Holi festivities covered in green and purple.

Lost in translation, Rebuilding safety awareness, resources retired SUNY prof. finds second act

BY PHILO YUNRUI WANG Contributor

BY ROBIN CAUDELL Press-Republican

Translating Persian literature to English is the second act of retired SUNY University Distinguished Professor Emerita Patricia Higgins, PhD, of Plattsburgh.

Her trajectory began inauspiciously enough when Higgins wanted to learn Persian better.

“Because Persian was my field language as an anthropologist,” she said.

“I was conversational, and I could read and write a little bit but not very well.

I wasn’t very sophisticated in the language. So, I got in touch with Islamic Studies Institute at McGill and asked if I could audit their Persian classes. They were extremely welcoming.”

At McGill University in Montreal, the Intermediate Persian class was taught by Pouneh Shabani-Jadidi, PhD, who is now at the University of Chicago.

“She was very welcoming that I could come

in and sit in the classes,” Higgins said.

“So, I did that for a couple of years. I took basically all of her classes. After that, she was trying to translate this book, the political commentary. She especially wanted to translate it because it was written by her father. I offered to edit it or take a look at it. She shared a chapter with me. Because I knew Persian or I could kind of read the Persian too, and I had done a fair amount of editing in English, she was so pleased with what I did she said, ‘Well, why don’t you be my co-translator. It sort of started from there.

“We enjoy working with each other. So, when we finished this one book, then we started thinking about what other projects we could do. So, that got us into the other three and now the fourth one we’re working on.”

BOOKS > 5

said. “So I’m thankful for people for being here, because I think a lot of it is going to transition so people know where to go, feel seen and are heard.”

One focus of the discussion was the LGBTQ+ Resource Committee, which is tasked with overseeing the situation on campus to ensure no student falls through the cracks. The members of this committee would collaborate closely with students to identify potential issues and ensure that they receive the best and most adequate resources.

Lindsey Bradley, cochair of the LGBTQ+ Resource Committee, talked about their job and the future of the committee.

“We are building the LGBTQ+ Resource Committee up and it’s very important for us to have the student principal. We always want to make sure that you’re safe talking about your authentic selves being here,” Bradley said.

Another important issue is how to increase students’ awareness of and access to campus resources. Some students in the discussion pointed

out that despite receiving campus safety training, they still lack awareness of available resources.

“A lot of people have come to the UPD when they probably never would have before, they just didn’t really know where to go,” Facteau said. “So we heard a lot of different stories and feedback. It was an interesting time for us because people were coming to us, even the general public, faculty and staff. It helped us grow in the sense of this work.”

In a joint effort to prioritize student physical safety and empowerment, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the University Police Department hosted a discussion centered around dating safety relationship red flags and situational awareness. The Tuesday, April 9 event also focused on advocacy and finding one’s voice within the LGBTQ+ community.

The discussion aimed to provide valuable inSAFE > 5 sights and resources on how to improve campus safety and resource support systems. The LGBTQ+ committee recognized that college students may feel helpless when facing challenges like this.

University Police Investigator Jessica Facteau spoke at the event, explaining what happened on her side.

“When someone comes to the police and tells us, ‘I didn’t know where else to go,’ I know that it must be terrifying because somehow they made their way to the last place they would have ever found PHILO YUNRUI WANG/Cardinal Points themselves,” Facteau Students and faculty sit in the H.U.B. and discuss LGBTQ+ student’s physical safety.

5

▪ Arts & Culture Editor Cinara Marquis

SAFE Continued from page 4

These reports raised the UP’s awareness of the problems on campus, Facteau said, but they could not handle everything.

To address this issue, committee leaders planned to strengthen students’ awareness of resources by providing more face-to-face training and workshops. They also plan to use digital content and online platforms to convey important information to students so they can access help and support whenever needed.

In addition to increasing resource awareness, the discussion also emphasized the importance of campus culture and community consciousness. Some students expressed feeling unsafe or discriminated against on

▪

ARTS & CULTURE

campus, so they hope to see more educational and awareness-raising activities to promote inclusivity and understanding.

Committee leaders said they will strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment while ensuring everyone can freely express themselves on campus without fear of discrimination or attack.

“I remember when I was on campus, there were a lot of student-driven discussions about LGBTQ+ needs. We had a committee called RADIUS, which organized events for the queer community, giving voice to different identities and subgroups.

COVID disrupted things, but each student’s input will drive our rebuilding efforts,” Facteau said.

The discussion was a call to action for attendees to utilize the resources and support networks available to them on campus, including coun-

seling services, Title IX assistance and UP. “Hearing from another student is going to be much more powerful and impactful. We can co-facilitate these workshops and discussions.

This April is my first opportunity to create a calendar of events around sexual assault awareness and prevention,” Title IX Coordinator Kim Irland said. “We can do so much more and have an impact when we focus on prevention rather than reacting to harm that’s already happened.”

By fostering a culture of support and solidarity, committee leaders plan to work further with students’ endeavors to create a campus community where every individual feels valued, heard and empowered to thrive.

Email PHILO YUNRUI WANG cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

HOLI Continued from page 4

The tale is about the power of devotion over malice and encourages those celebrating the Festival of Color to mend what is broken and forgive what is passed. The story is celebrated with commemorative bonfires.

Another legend linked to Holi is the legend of Krishna and Radha, which is where Holi’s other name, the Festival of Love comes from.

“According to Hindu mythology, Lord Krishna, the playful deity, used to celebrate Holi with his beloved Radha and other gopis, or cowherd girls, in the region of Vrindavan. Their playful throwing of colored powders and water became the inspiration for the colorful celebrations of Holi,” Vishwakarma wrote.

CELEBRATIONS

“The event was successful even though the weather was not good.

It was a little cold and raining outside, but more than 100 people showed up for the event,” wrote Sandesh Poudel, DeFredenburgh CA and SA Senator, over email.

At the event, people played with gulal and splashed each other with

HEAL Continued from page 4

Throughout the session, attendees engaged in meaningful discussions in pairs, reflecting on the significance of multilingualism and the experiences of living in a multicultural campus or community.

Participants shared personal anecdotes about moments when others had preconceived expectations about their identities, exploring how such encounters impacted their cultural sense of self. In the closing segment, the group collectively reflected on the insights gained from the discussions and proposed changes they would like to see in their campus or community. Ideas for fostering greater inclusivity, understanding and connection were shared, underscoring the collective commitment to building a more welcoming and supportive environment for all.

JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points

A family plays with colorful powders together. water balloons and water guns. A DJ played music and South Asian refreshments were provided.

The hosts also provided complimentary T-shirts to those who bought a ticket for the dinner event.

“We ordered food from Chartwells, but it was delicious because some members from Club International and Nepalese at Plattsburgh volunteered for several hours to prepare the food for the event, and we truly appreciate them.”

Vishwakarma wrote.

There was a variety of unique, delicious dishes from South Asian cultures connecting attendees further to Holi.

“One attendee even gave us feedback, saying, ‘In the span of four years, this is the best food we’ve had at an event,’” Vish-

For more information about Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation Campus Center, visit https://www.plattsburgh.edu/ about/centers/trht/index.html.

Email PHILO YUNRUI WANG cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

ALEKSANDRA SIDROVA/Cardinal Points

DEI hosts housewarming at the H.U.B. in 2023.

JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points

Colorful powder fills the air outside of Kent Hall.

be felt to this day, according to poetryfoundation.org.

As the author of numerous ghazals expressing love, spirituality, and protest, he and his work continue to be important to Iranians, and many of his poems are used as proverbs or sayings.

“It’s kind of a historical novel based somewhat on the poet Hafez who lived in Iran in the 14th century,” Higgins said.

“Hafez is still an extremely famous and read and recited every day all over the Persian speaking world, but very little is known about him except for his poetry. The author of this book imagines Hafez as a young man and he puts him in a setting,

wakarma wrote.

“It was gorgeous but cold,” said attendee Isabella Johnston. “I felt like it was a great event to get the Plattsburgh community immersed in Hindu culture.”

Vishwakarma wrote that he wanted to spread awareness and understanding about South Asia through the event.

He also wanted to advocate for inclusivity.

“Think of festivals like the Festival of Colors, where people put colors on each other regardless of gender, and when covered in colors, there’s no difference between individuals,” Vishwakarma wrote.

“Through events like this, you can learn a lot about origins, history, and significance out of curiosity.”

Not only did the event introduce some people to Holi, it also gave South Asian international and non-international students a feel from home.

Vishwakarma explained that he was one of the happiest people at the festival.

“Seeing everyone enjoying themselves, indulging in the delicious food, calling their friends to join and running around, I was speechless. The sight of people attending the event, the whole ground filled with colors and happiness — it was truly a remarkable moment.” Vishwakarma wrote.

Email CINARA MARQUIS cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

what actually was going on in “We did her two later novels the cities that he lived in in 1354. that are kind of connective with “Everything else is kind of one another. It’s kind of a seimagined events of his. The quel. Those were fun books to Continued from page 4 imagination is also based on work on.” the poetry, and the novel inFor Higgins, translation has Books published to date are: cludes a lot of been a pleasure.

- 2023: The Bewildered CameHafez’s poetry.

“It keeps my leer by Simin Daneshvar. Mazda.

The story imagmind active, and - 2022: Island of Bewilderines him sitting I sort of have this ment: A Novel of Modern Iran, around with his entertaining thing

by Simin Daneshvar. Syracuse friends quoting to do,” she said.

University Press. things.

That’s “It usually - 2021: Hafez in Love: A Novkind of an undoesn’t have a el, by Iraj Pezeshkzad. Syracuse usual thing for a deadline.

When University Press. (Winner of novel to have so we have a pubthe Lois Roth Prize in Literary much poetry inlisher and their Translation from Persian.) terspersed in it.” editing is done - 2018: The Thousand Fam“The Island of and they want us ilies: Commentary on LeadBewilderment” is to proof pages or ing Political Figures of Nineset in Tehran with whatever, then teenth Century Iran, by Ali a college-educatthere’s deadline. ed young woman, So, you have to who is trying to kind of work hard be independent on it. For me, it’s and make her very compatible own choices in life with retirement from the pressures because basicalof her society. ly I have my own “One of the reaschedule.” sons that I really With Shabaenjoyed doing it is ni-Jadidi in Chiit’s set in the 1970s, cago, the transwhich is when I lators collaborate was in Iran,” Hignow primarily by gins said.

Skype and email.

“I could almost Provided by Press-Republican “We enjoy workhear my friends ing together, and talking in this book. we’ve become reSo, it had a very kind of a personal ally good friends through the connection for me. I enjoyed do- process,” Higgins said. ing those for that reason.”

Daneshvar is known as the first woman to have a novel published in Persian.

“That first one was pubProvided by Press-Republican Email ROBIN CAUDELL Patricia Higgins, and Pouneh Shabani-Jadidi, introduce their first translated book, “The Thousand lished in 1969 and became a rcaudell@pressrepublican.com bestseller,” Higgins said.

Families: Commentary on Leading Political Figures of Nineteenth Century Iran” by Ali Shabani.

BOOKS

Shabani. From Antiquity to Modernity: Studies on Middle Eastern Society Series. Peter Lang Publishing Inc. NY. “We’ve been translating mostly novels, three novels, and we’ve translated also political commentary that was our first one,” Higgins said.

“We actually have another one that we’re sending out to publishers right now. We kind of got into this translating project and enjoy doing it.”

“Hafez in Love” is about the Persian lyric poet Hafiz, born Khwāja Šamsu d-Dīn Mu’ammad Hāfez-e Šīrāzī), who grew up in Shiraz and is one of the most celebrated of the Persian poets, and his influence can

Friday, April 19, 2024

6

▪ Arts & Culture Editor Cinara Marquis

▪

ARTS & CULTURE

Friday, April 19, 2024

CARDINAL CALENDAR: April 19 to 26 Friday, April 19

Monday, April 22

Tuesday, April 23

Personalized Portraits for Seniors at the Samuel F. Vilas Home

Club Volleyball

Domestic Violence Awareness with BHSN

Help create meaningful connections by making personalized portraits of seniors. Art supplies, pizza, and sodas are all provided.

Come watch or play volleyball with Club Volleyball.

Memorial Field from 5 to 7 p.m.

Samuel F. Vilas Home 2 to 4 p.m.

Sponsored by Delta Phi Epsilon Behavioral Health Science North will educate and emphasize the importance of domestic violence and its detrimental impact on the victims and community.

Warren Ballroom from 6 to 7 p.m.

Wednesday, April 24

Thursday, April 25

Friday, April 26

Beginner’s Flip Book Animation Work Shop

No More Cancer Rally Carnival

Freaknik with the Black Student Union club

“PAVA and Anime Club collab to give a presentation on flip books and the basics of 2D animation. A short demo will be followed by some animated tv shows of the people’s choice.”

Enjoy some carnival games and food to help raise money for St. Jude’s Amite Plaza from 3 to 6 p.m.

Featuring elements such as music, dancing, socializing, and educational components that highlight the significance of Freaknik within Black culture.

Outside of Kent Café from 3 to 7 p.m.

Yokum 206 from 7 to 9 p.m.

Aries (March 21 – April 19)

Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)

The Seven of Cups card signifies opportunities. You may find yourself in a situation where you have to decide something important this week. Daydream, imagine and contemplate your thoughts —then decide.

The Six of Swords card depicts transitions. This week there will be lots of movement, be sure to release your previous baggage so that progress is smooth.

The Nine of Pentacles card refers to abundance. Your journey to self-reliance and financial independence is finally being rewarded. Treat yourself this week and (mindfully) splurge.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22)

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22)

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22)

The Five of Wands card refers to conflict. Inner struggles may be plaguing you, so embrace honesty. With self-reflection, you can begin to strive for personal growth.

The High Priestess card signifies intuition. Trust your instincts and dig deeper to access wisdom within and outside of yourself. Ask questions, especially about what you find uncomfortable.

The reversed King of Swords card represents manipulation.

Do not misuse your authority for personal gain, so instead, listen to others and learn to create a balance between self-assertion and understanding.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22)

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21)

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21)

The reversed Queen of Swords card is about apathy. It will only lead to bitterness if you allow your emotions to control you. Set boundaries with individuals that you disagree with in order to prevent isolating yourself.

The Knight of Swords card is about ambition. Trade impulsivity and foolishness for confidence. Be assertive about your values, your perseverance will pay off.

The reversed Three of Cups card entails vindictiveness.

You may have a tendency to let your emotions control you so do not let yourself manifest malicious motives this week.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19)

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18)

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20)

The Seven of Wands card refers to a challenge. Push through this week with enthusiasm, because your skills will be put to the test. You know you’ve got it.

The Emperor card depicts sovereignty. Confront difficult authorities in your life and act with confidence and competence against their potential mistreatment.

The Seven of Swords card signifies contemplation. Take this week to think about how to manage interpersonal conflicts without betraying your own happiness. You need to strategize to get what you want.

7

▪ Photography Editor Jayne Smith

PHOTO SPREAD

This week in photos: Sunday, April 14 in Holi celebration front of Kent Hall.

▪

Friday, April 19, 2024

Read more about the festival on page 4.

Photos by Jayne Smith

Sumeet Vishwakarma has his face smeared with pink-colored powder.

Isabella Johnston and Graphics Editor Cameron Greaves smile.

Attendees dance in a cloud of purple dye. The tradition of throwing colored powders celebrates the coming of spring.

Attendees enjoyed South Asian snacks, including samosas.

Web Editor Yuki Ouchi squirts at Dhir Jain, Anshika Sharma and Ankita Mane.

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024

MICHAEL PURTELL/Cardinal Points

Ladan Graves shoots a free throw in the second game of the night April 12. The crowd filled the overlook, the balcony and the sidelines to watch the tournament.

Manhattan wins Battle of the Boroughs

BY KAMIKO CHAMBLE Staff Writer

The Battle of the Boroughs tournament featured students representing boroughs in New York City in a basketball bracket for the title of best borough.

Plattsburgh’s Fuerza: The BIPOC Student Union hosted its eighth annual tournament — which it’s hosted since 2016 — in Memorial Hall on April 12.

The history of the tournament has seen several boroughs win. No team won more than once until 2023, when Brooklyn won both 2022 and 2023’s tournaments.

Five teams competed: Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.

Each was coached by a member of Fuerza.

Games were 15 minutes long and teams who lost in the first round were given a second chance through a losers bracket, where they would need to beat the reigning champs Brooklyn.

The first game of the night was Manhattan against the Bronx, which was quick as Manhattan took the win 28-12.

Playing on Manhattan were returning players from previous years Ethan, Siri Thom-

as, Damian Hunter, Darren Wright and Franklin Infante.

There were two new players in Willard Anderson Jr. and Bely, with Ashley Rufino coaching.

Wright, Infante and Anderson play for the Plattsburgh men’s basketball team, making the Manhattan squad an intimidating matchup.

Playing on the Bronx were returning players Koree, Rah Irving and Francisco Lautere.

Making their first appearance for the team was Jaiden Butts, Wykeem Brown, Kam and Daniel, with Isabella Rozon coaching.

BATTLE > 10

Stockdale goes pro

Photo by Mae Olshansky Maine Mariners forward Bennett Stockdale plays at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls, New York on April 14.

Bennett Stockdale is a senior at SUNY Plattsburgh who is finishing his degree online after signing with the Mariners on March 7. Stockdale played his final game as a Cardinal, the SUNYAC Championship Final against Cortland, on March 2.

Stockdale was named to the All-SUNYAC First Team and CCM/AHCA All-America Third Team in his senior season. He finished his Cardinal career with 48 goals, including 15 game-winners, and 41 assists for 89 total points.

RESULTS Sunday, April 14

SOFT @ Buffalo State.

G1: L 5-6 G2: L 2-8 BASE @ Fredonia W 16-2 (7 inn.)

JAYNE SMITH/Cardinal Points

Timothy after snagging a steal against the Bronx on April 12.

Baseball

Cardinals move into playoff picture

BY JUSTIN RUSHIA Staff Writer

The Plattsburgh State Cardinals baseball team continues to fly high heading into the back stretch of its season.

The Cardinals beat the non-conference Clarkson Golden Knights in the home opener 7-1 Thursday, April 11 and swept SUNYAC competitor Fredonia in a three-game

series Saturday, April 12 and Sunday, April 13.

With its three-game sweep over Fredonia, Plattsburgh moved to third place in the SUNYAC standings, putting it in the playoff picture.

“We put ourselves in a position to control our own destiny,” Head Coach Sam Quinn-Loeb said.

BASE > 10

UPCOMING Tuesday, April 16

Wednesday, April 17

Friday, April 19

Saturday, April 13

Tuesday, April 23

BASE vs. Middlebury L 5-14

BASE @ St. Lawrence.

G1: W 10-9 G2: L 0-9

SOFT vs. Oneonta G1: 3 p.m.

G2: 5 p.m.

T&F @ Middlebury Outdoor Invitational 11 a.m.

BASE vs. Oswego 3 p.m.

SOFT @ VSU Castleton G1: W 7-2 G2: L 6-15

BASE vs. Oneonta 3 p.m.

WLAX vs. Oswego 11 a.m.

MLAX vs. New Paltz L 6-11

WLAX @ Oneonta L 6-19

BASE vs. Oneonta G1: 12 p.m.

G2: 3 p.m.

SOFT vs. New Paltz G1: 12 p.m.

G2: 2 p.m.

MLAX vs. Brockport 3 p.m.

▪ Sports Editor Michael Purtell

9

▪

SPORTS

Friday, April 19, 2024

Regular season as of 4/18

STANDINGS

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

TEAM

SUNYAC

OVERALL

TEAM

SUNYAC

1-Cortland

9-0

19-8-1

1-New Paltz

6-0

OVERALL

20-4

2-Oswego

4-2

14-9

2-Buffalo State

6-2

11-10

3-Plattsburgh

5-4

17-9

3-Geneseo

6-2

9-15

4-New Paltz

5-4

17-10

4-Cortland

5-3

15-5

5-Brockport

4-5

15-10

5-Fredonia

3-3

8-14

6-Fredonia

3-9

9-16

6-Potsdam

2-4

9-11

7-Oneonta

3-9

13-16

7-Oneonta

2-4

8-14

8-Oswego

2-6

7-15

9-Plattsburgh

1-5

7-15

10-Brockport

1-5

7-17

Provided by Mae Olshansky

Members of both teams share a moment during halftime of the Unified Championship week basketball game April 11.

M. LACROSSE

W. LACROSSE

TEAM

SUNYAC

OVERALL

TEAM

SUNYAC

OVERALL

1-Oswego

4-0

8-3

1-Cortland

7-0

10-4

2-Cortland

4-0

8-4

2-Geneseo

5-1

11-3

3-Geneseo

3-1

8-5

3-Oswego

5-2

8-5

4-Oneonta

2-2

6-6

4-New Paltz

5-2

12-2

5-Potsdam

1-3

6-5

5-Brockport

4-3

7-5

6-Brockport

1-3

3-9

6-Oneonta

3-3

5-9

7-New Paltz

1-3

5-7

7-Buffalo State

2-4

6-6

8-Plattsburgh

0-4

4-9

8-Plattsburgh

2-5

3-10

9-Fredonia

0-7

4-10

10-Potsdam

0-6

3-8

BY MICHAEL PURTELL Sports Editor

STATISTICS MEN’S LACROSSE GOALS

#

ASSISTS

#

POINTS

#

J. Eiseman, A

28

D. Woods, A

17

J. Eiseman, A

37

D. Woods, A

16

T. Keenan, M

15

D. Woods, A

33

C. Morin, M

13

J. Eiseman, A

9

T. Keenan, M

24

GB

#

FO%

F. Whitlock, D

46

J. Duval Lapaix, M .411

J. Eiseman, A

40

J. Farrelly, M

.402

K. Ruland, D

38

D. Zambito, M

.214

#

SAVE%

#

D. Clements

.492

WOMEN’S LACROSSE GOALS

#

ASSISTS

#

POINTS

#

C. Barnosky, A

31

C. Barnosky, A

11

C. Barnosky, A

42

M. Garcia, A

12

F. Fitzgerald, A

9

F. Fitzgerald, A

13

Dickinson, Nash

8

LaMar, Nash

4

M. Garcia, A

13

GB

#

DC

#

SAVE%

#

S. Lombardi, D

22

L. Gilroy, D

54

H. Lowder

.366

S. Carr, D

20

J. Adams, D

32

L. Nease

.352

L. Gilroy, D

18

C. Nash, M

24

J. Loch

.333

AVG

#

OPS

RBI

#

A. Diltz, UTL

.376

A. Kornblau, INF 1.090

A. Kornblau, INF

21

A. Kornblau, INF

.367

C. Gonalski, OF

.943

J. Di Rocco, INF

19

J. Di Rocco, INF

.319

J. Di Rocco, INF

.917

Diltz, Cergol

17

ERA

#

WHIP

#

IP

#

A.Veit, SS/RHP

3.28

K. Mordecki, RHP 1.23

A.Veit, SS/RHP

35.2

K. Mordecki, RHP 3.60

A.Veit, SS/RHP

1.57

C. Santic, LHP

35

C. Santic, LHP

C. Santic, LHP

1.89

K. Mordecki, RHP 35

BASEBALL

6.69

#

SOFTBALL AVG

#

OPS

#

RBI

#

J. Golino, P/INF

.364

G. Noll, C

.911

J. Golino, P/INF

18

G. Noll, C

.338

S. Isaacs, INF

.882

S. Isaacs, INF

16

S. Isaacs, INF

.329

J. Golino, P/INF

.849

M. Manalo, INF

10

ERA

#

WHIP

#

IP

#

M. Ormerod, P

3.00

M. Ormerod P

1.00

M. Ormerod, P

48.1

S. Milyko, P

4.04

S. Milyko, P

1.71

J. Golino, P/INF

38

J. Golino, P/INF

8.08

J. Golino, P/INF

2.44

C. Gemmett, P

30

In the third game of the Fredonia series, the Cardinals ended the game in seven innings after going up 16-2 against the Blue Devils.

GAME OF THE WEEK

FRE PLA

BASE vs. FREDONIA

Charles Cypress has the best time in the conference for the 200m dash and the 400m dash, and is tied for the best time in the 100m. He was named SUNYAC athlete of the week.

0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2

3 1 2 2 1 3 3 4 0 5 3 6 4 7 16 Final

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Cypress’ times: 100m: 10.78 sec 200m: 21.78 sec 400m: 48.56 sec

CHARLES CYPRESS

Athletes host Special Olympics SUNY Plattsburgh’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is a steady presence throughout the lives of campus’ student athletes.

The student-run committee hosts events in support of the community, teaches athletes important organizational and leadership skills, pushes for new initiatives to improve the lives of student athletes and brings Plattsburgh Athletics to new demographics.

Most recently SAAC paired with Special Olympics North America and hosted two events on campus in celebration of Unified Championship Week.

SAAC invited special olympics athletes to participate in sports activities for the Unified Field Day April 6. The second Unified Championship Week event was a friendly basketball game between two teams made up of SAAC members and members of Peru High School’s unified basketball team April 11.

The field day consisted of activities ranging from team sports such

Provided by Mae Olshansky

Burghy’s penalty kick shootout at Unified field Day April 6. as basketball and soccer to backyard games such as cornhole, all hosted in the Plattsburgh State Field House.

Burghy made an appearance as well, hosting an impromptu penalty kick shootout with special olympics athletes.

“The environment was just so positive,” SAAC Co-President Michaela Schaffer said.

The goal of the event was to include all athletes in the sports which SAAC members participated in on campus, SAAC Co-President Lily White said. The day was free of a schedule or rigid structure, and was focused on simply hanging out and having fun.

“The greatest success was seeing all of our

athletes intermingling with the special olympics athletes and seeing how much fun everyone had,” White said.

The basketball game the following Thursday continued the “good vibes,” White said.

No matter which team scored, the competing athletes had bright faces and the crowd erupted into cheers.

The game took place in Memorial Hall, and the spectators — composed of Cardinal athletes and unified athlete family members — filled the entire half of the gym’s bleachers end-to-end.

“It was awesome and really, really cool to see,” SAAC Adviser Kelci Henn said. “6 o’clock at night on a

Thursday and our athletes showed up in numbers.”

The events were brought to campus by White and SUNYAC NCAA Division III National SAAC Representative Amanda Cohen. The inspiration came when the duo had attended the NCAA SAAC convention and the SUNYAC SAAC retreat, both of which stressed the importance of celebrating the Special Olympics.

“We knew that it was achievable on our campus,” White said.

The success of the event led White and Henn to hope the celebration of Unified Championship Week will become an annual event for SAAC, who hosts several other annual events for the sake of building community through Plattsburgh State Athletics.

Other communityfocused events that SAAC holds annually include Trunk-or-Treat for Halloween, an egg hunt for Easter and a leaf-raking day for Plattsburgh residents in need of a helping hand in the fall.

SAAC > 11

Ask an Athlete: Rachel LaMar

BY COLLIN BOLEBRUCH Editor in Chief

Rachel LaMar, a junior midfielder and captain for Plattsburgh State women’s lacrosse, has maybe the most rewarding experience of any student athlete on campus.

Last year, Rachel applied for and was accepted to become an official ambassador for Morgan’s Message, a national organization dedicated to raising awareness for mental health in sports. Rachel has worked with multiple teams on campus to host Morgan’s Message dedication games.

Her team will play theirs at 11 a.m.

Saturday, April 20.

Rachel is an avid outdoor enthusiast, and can often be found on the slopes or trails of the Adirondacks. Rachel has reach all across athletics, as she is a former member of Plattsburgh State’s women’s soccer team. She can also play a mean flute.

COLLIN BOLEBRUCH/Cardinal Points

Rachel LaMar during halftime against the Fredonia Blue Devils on March 30.

Q: You have a free Saturday band here, but it just wouldn’t fit — where are you going on a into my schedule. hike?

Q: What’s a responsibility A: There’s a ton of beautiful places up here but my favorite day captains have that most people hikes would have to be flume falls wouldn’t think of?

A: I think there’s a few unspoken This question and answer was con- and cobble lookout in Wilmington.

Poke-o-moonshine is always a good responsibilities that I didn’t realize ducted with Rachel over text April 16. one too. Especially in the fall, you right away, mostly having to do with Question: What is the coolest can’t beat the workout or the views! communication off the field. For example, having to be very accessible place you’ve seen Morgan’s Q: What song could you play throughout the day when questions Message reach on campus?

Answer: Honestly just spotting best on the flute right now? Do and other things come up from Coach people in my classes who I’ve never you miss your wind ensemble or my teammates last minute. I’ve also found myself having to lead met wearing Morgan’s message days? bracelets feels super rewarding. It’s A: Wow really exposing me here some difficult and sometimes unbeen really cool seeing the lacrosse but I played a lot of songs from pop- comfortable conversations in order to team in their new apparel too. ular movies for my wind ensemble, keep the team on track and moving in Getting the men’s teams involved like Star Wars, Moana, etc. The Har- the right direction together. has been a goal of ours for a while ry Potter theme song I could probnow, their input in the mental health ably nail. I do miss it and actually conversation on campus is so crucial. looked into joining the symphonic

Email COLLIN BOLEBRUCH cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

10 ▪ Sports Editor Michael Purtell

BASE Continued from page 8

APRIL 11

7 1 CLARKSON

Plattsburgh played strongly on both ends of the diamond against the Golden Knights.

The Cardinals’ offense came alive after two scoreless innings, scoring seven runs through the game.

With a critical SUNYAC matchup against Fredonia on the horizon, the Cardinals wanted to ensure that all of their pitchers were well rested and ready for the series, leading them to use multiple pitchers throughout the contest.

“We have a very good pitching staff. When we get up on a team, it makes it very hard for them to come back,” Quinn-Loeb said.

The Cardinals used six different pitchers over the nine innings. Plattsburgh’s pitching staff pitched eight runless innings, with the only run from Clarkson coming in the third inning.

GAME 1

5

of the seventh inning before Plattsburgh turned to its bullpen in the top of the eighth inning. The pitcher also struck out six batters along the way.

“I try to focus on one batter at a time and not think about anything else,” Mordecki said.

The start earned him SUNYAC pitcher of the week, his second of the season, and lowered his season ERA to 3.60, the fourth-best mark in the SUNYAC. Leading up to its matchup against Fredonia, the Cardinals wanted to focus on improving their situational hitting and translating that into game scenarios, graduate student Conner Gonzalski said.

“At any point during the game, we know that we can score runs if we stick to our batting approach and try not to do too much,” Gonzalski said.

After a scoreless first inning, the Cardinals got the bats rolling in the top of the second and third innings, scoring a run off of an RBI double in the second and a solo shot over the wall from Gonzalski in the third.

Fredonia struck back in the eighth inning and scored two runs. One run came off of Mordecki, spoiling his scoreless outing, and the other came from reliever Dylan Bass after the Cardinals went to its bullpen to finish the game.

Both teams went scoreless to finish the game, giving Plattsburgh the 5-2 win in game one of the doubleheader.

GAME 2

2

7

FREDONIA GAME ONE

Plattsburgh started its threegame series against the Blue Devils with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 12.

Junior Kolby Mordecki took the mound as the starter pitcher for the first game of the series.

Mordecki pitched seven strong innings against the Blue Devils, allowing only one run in the top

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SPORTS

6 FREDONIA GAME TWO

“To go out and win two games in a row can be a tough task,” Mordecki said.

The Cardinals were up for the challenge and beat the Blue Devils 6-5.

Friday, April 19, 2024

COLLIN BOLEBRUCH/Cardinal Points

Junior pitcher Logan Avin throws a ball in the game against Clarkson at home April 11.

Plattsburgh got on the scoreboard in dramatic fashion, as Alex Kornblau stole home to put the Cards up 1-0 in the first inning. Plattsburgh scored again, putting them up 2-0. Starting pitcher Chris Santic allowed zero runs while striking the last two batters out to round out the inning.

“When the pitchers are doing their job and doing it well it makes it much easier for us hitters to score runs for them,” Gonzalski said.

Fredonia responded, and scored a run off of an SAC RBI in the bottom of the third inning. The Blue Devils also kept the Cardinals from scoring, cutting Plattsburgh’s lead to one.

Both teams cooled down, not scoring until the top of the seventh, where Plattsburgh notched a run. The Blue Devils didn’t match.

“With the good pitchers we have in our bullpen, we knew it would be very hard for them to come back,” Quinn-Loeb said.

Plattsburgh came out hot in the eighth inning, scoring

four runs thanks to good situational hitting and sound baserunning. The Cardinals bullpen allowed two runs, making the score 7-3.

With the game seemingly out of reach, the Blue Devils did not accept defeat easily.

It started its ninth inning by shutting down Plattsburgh’s offense. Fredonia scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth, almost completing the comeback. The game ended with a 7-6 Cardinal victory.

GAME 3

16 2 FREDONIA GAME THREE

Sunday’s final game of the series went in Plattsburgh’s favor. The team earned a massive 16-2 win and finished their sweep of Fredonia.

The Cardinals’ bats were hot right from the start, scoring three runs in the first inning,

two runs in the second, one run in the third, and three runs in the fourth.

Andrew Veit took the mound for the start of game three.

The pitcher went six innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. Plattsburgh’s reliever Nick Goldberg pitched one inning to close out the game, with the Cardinals winning by mercy rule in the seventh inning.

Plattsburgh is in third place in the SUNYAC, and looking to clinch a playoff berth this season. Their next few SUNYAC series against Oneonta and Oswego are crucial for securing their spot.

“We’re in a good spot where we can control everything,” Quinn-Loeb said.

Plattsburgh’s home series against Oneonta will begin with one game Friday, April 19. The teams will then face off in a doubleheader Saturday, April 20.

Email JUSTIN RUSHIA cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

BATTLE Continued from page 8

“I expected (my teammates) to play better. I felt like I was the only one out there trying to do anything,” Lautere said. “We all thought it was going to go a different way but when it came down to it they got scared because they saw a couple of basketball players on the other team.”

The next game was Staten Island against Queens, which ended with a 29-24 Staten Island win. This game was competitive, but Staten Island pushed through and took the victory.

Coaching Staten Island was Fuerza member Zaniah Smalls. Returning players included Levi Delaney, Justin Blanchett, Laden Graves, Mussa Kone, Nathan and Orlando Dawkins, with one new addition to the team in Jeremy Jolly. Jolly, Dawkins and Graves are all rostered on the Cardinals basketball team.

“Preparing for the game, I workout everyday regardless, that was non negotiable for me. Mentally preparing, I just came home from work and relaxed, drank water and ate right,” Jolly said.

Ivonne Diaz coached Queens team. Returning players included Khanye Liggan, Jonah Baker-Flora and George Brito. New players joining the team were Damien, Anu, Timothy and Joseph.

The first game of the losers bracket was the Bronx against Queens.

Queens took a close win 22-20 and eliminated the Bronx.

In the fourth game, Staten Island faced Manhattan. Manhattan took another dominant win 37-24.

“I feel like we played a lot of oneon-one basketball and we should’ve never tried to play at their speed. We took a lot of shots, a lot of contested midrange and threes — it just wasn’t worth it,” Jolly said.

Manhattan punched its ticket to the final game with the win. The team’s success came from every one of its members, Thomas said.

In the fifth game, Queens competed against the reigning cham-

3 T&F - Charles Cypress leads the SUNYAC in three events: the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash.

15 BASE - The Cardinals have scored 15 or more runs in three conference games MICHAEL PURTELL/Cardinal Points

this season.

Siri Thomas throws down a transition dunk against the Bronx on April 12. pions Brooklyn. Brooklyn, coming off of a first round bye due to their status as reigning champs, won the game 35-23. Brooklyn was coached by Nekaybaw Ross. Matt Kone-Bradshaw and Anthony Williams Jr. returned from last year’s winning team. New additions to the team were Ant, Jeremiah LoveSmith, Irwayne Connell, Anthon Brown, and Ike Ezike. Williams, Love-Smith, Kone-Bradshaw and Ezike also play for Plattsburgh’s men’s basketball team.

The crowd was amped up to see the returning champs in action, creating an electric environment.

Onlookers filled the overlook, the balcony in the rec gym, and the sidelines of the court. Hundreds of students attended the event.

The championship game was the two-time champions Brooklyn against a rolling Manhattan. Man-

hattan completed their day of dominance with a 32-22 win.

Manhattan won every game they played by double digits.

Brooklyn was shocked to have lost, unable to complete the Battle of the Boroughs three-peat.

Manhattan knew it had what it took to upset Brooklyn.

“I did expect to win. I felt confident, I liked my team, and I liked what we were going against. So I was really confident,” Thomas said.

The large crowd kept the energy up throughout the event with cheers, keeping the games fun even in a loss.

“I feel like we could’ve done better,” Love-Smith said. “It was still fun though, there were a lot of people.”

Email MICHAEL PURTELL cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

13/54 WLAX - Lillian Gilroy set the Plattsburgh State high for draw controls in a game with 13 and in a season with 54.

11 MLAX - The Cardinals will be celebrating 11 seniors for Senior Day on Saturday, April 20.

11 ▪ Sports Editor Michael Purtell

▪

SPORTS

Friday, April 19, 2024

Catron follows uncle’s lead to Plattsburgh

BY COLLIN BOLEBRUCH players from a few different states, not Editor in Chief including Mark’s home A young man from state of Delaware, he Delaware finds himself recalled. That didn’t in Plattsburgh. Aaron stop him — Mark tried Catron has been trained out under his friend’s to play his whole life and New Jersey address.

He was one of the first his future is bright. He’s now with one of the most to sign on. The team prestigious Division III struggled to find talent programs ever — the beyond the first few signees.

Plattsburgh Cardinals.

“Most expansion In 1984, 40 years ago, another young man from teams aren’t very good, Delaware lived in the but at least it would same city. Mark Catron get publicity as an allwas naive and hungry American team,” Mark to prove himself in the said. “It seemed like a harsh world of junior real hard thing of getting ice hockey. He fought to quality players.”

Mark, just 18 years old, be noticed on the worst juniors team of all time — was relocating without the Plattsburgh Pioneers. a billet. The area was The sport of hockey completely new to him, brought a man and his and the locals were nephew to the same already attached to city, 400 miles from the Cardinals. He was home, to become not just immediately welcomed by the city. professionals, but men.

“The guys loved “You have to not only figure out hockey, but now Plattsburgh. The people it’s the first time you’re on were awesome,” Mark said. “We had a lot of fun your own,” Mark said. there — not so much in the rink, but out of the MARK North Country hockey rink, getting along with first joined the national people and making a lot of friends.” stage in the early 1980s.

Mark lived with Team USA defeated the his teammates, now USSR in the greatest game comparing the situation of hockey ever played for the gold medal in Lake to a college dorm. In a Placid in 1980. Plattsburgh house full of teenagers, State’s fledgling program Mark had to learn how to earned its first NCAA live on his own.

“You were thrown into a Championship berths in living situation where you 1981 and 1982. have to cook for yourself, do The sport lit the region your laundry,” Mark said. on fire.

The Pioneers first hit S i m u l t a n e o u s l y, the ice at Plattsburgh the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, State’s Field House — now a Canadian juniors named Ronald B. Stafford league, was eying its first Ice Arena — because Crete expansion into the United Memorial Civic Center, its States. Plattsburgh, just intended home, wasn’t 60 miles from Montréal, ready yet.

The team’s debut was a top candidate. game ended in Mark was playing U18 overtime, losing 6-7 to hockey for the Seattle the Hull Olympiques Breakers when he got on September 15, 1984. wind of the news.

The league introduced The matchup featured the Plattsburgh Pioneers a bench-clearing brawl in 1984, made up that included Mark at the completely of American bottom of a dogpile.

“That first game we players.

Without an played was really a fun expansion draft, the one,” Mark said. “I wish Pioneers could sign

COLLIN BOLEBRUCH/Cardinal Points

Aaron Catron sports a replica of his uncle, Mark Catron’s, Plattsburgh Pioneers hockey sweater. we were that competitive all the way through.”

Plattsburgh lost the next 16 games by a combined score of 49178, moved rinks and folded before November.

The team has since been hailed as the worst ever.

The Pioneers and Mark faced plenty of future NHL talent, including Jimmy Carson, Claude Lemieux and Stéphane Richer.

Mark notched one of his two goals of the season against the Granby Bisons at the Ronnie B. on October 11. It was a score he never forgot — the victim was future Hockey Hall of Famer and greatest goalie of all time Patrick Roy. “He was really good then, but you never knew he was going to be what he was,” Mark said.

Mark, like his teammates, was playing to be recognized. When the team folded, he signed with the Virginia Lancers of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League.

“I told Aaron, ‘We were the worst junior team in the history of junior teams,’” Mark said. “‘But there were still four of us that got out of there and made a living out of it.’”

AARON

Aaron first hit the ice away from home in Indiana.

“I don’t remember putting on my skates for Provided by the Press-Republican the first time,” Aaron said.

A 1984 Press Republican article precedes the arrival of There, Mark, and his the Plattsburgh Pioneers and Mark Catron (center). father, Matt, owned a rink

SAAC Continued from page 9

These events help articulate to the community what SAAC — and the student-athletes of Plattsburgh State as a whole — are all about, Henn said. Since her time as a student SAAC member, “It has always been about the service aspects.” “(SAAC) shows the community that they’re more

than just athletes that go to practice or play in games. They do a lot for their communities and are active on their playing fields and outside of their playing fields,” Henn said.

SAAC has had a busy year. In addition to hosting community events, the committee has made strides in improving the lives of present and future Cardinal athletes through the Athletes Supporting Athletes initiative and a push to get SUNY Plattsburgh to adopt

that hosted Indiana Jr. Ice. “Aaron would literally spend his day on the ice.

That was our babysitter.

Threw him on the ice,” Mark said. “That’s all he did. He was that obsessed.”

When Aaron was growing up, Mark landed a job as the head coach and general manager of the Philadelphia Little Flyers of the Eastern Hockey League. Aaron found himself in Mark’s camps both as a volunteer and participant.

“His coaching was greatly extended to me,” Aaron said.

Eventually, Aaron landed a roster spot with the Little Flyers, playing in two games for the club in 2021. He then signed with the Boston Jr. Bruins of the National Collegiate Development Conference in the United States Premier Hockey League.

Aaron played 96 games with the Junior Bruins.

When his second season in Boston ended in 2023, he was brought on by Philadelphia for the playoffs.

“It was fun for me to coach him in his last games of youth hockey,” Mark said. “I loved coaching him, having grown up from a baby and then the whole way up.”

Mark made some calls and reached Plattsburgh Head Coach Steve Moffat, trying to put him on to Aaron, knowing Steve liked players like Aaron — fast and skillful.

priority registration for student athletes.

The Athletes Supporting Athletes initiative has been a response to the smaller crowds from the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative asks a percentage of each sports team on campus to attend as many of their peers’ games as possible for points.

The result of the initiative was a deeper appreciation among athletes and team culture building, Schaffer said.

COLLIN BOLEBRUCH/Cardinal Points

Aaron Catron celebrates his goal against Cortland during the Casella Teddy Bear Toss on Dec. 1, 2023.

Steve and Aaron communicated, and there was a time when Aaron was ready to move on from Plattsburgh as an option. Both sides ultimately decided Aaron would be a Cardinal. “(Mark) never told me he played in Plattsburgh until right before I committed,” Aaron said.

“I actually never visited.”

Mark thought Plattsburgh was Aaron’s best choice — a storied program and a great community. Aaron would be a first-year for the 2023-24 season.

Though Aaron, now 22 years old, was a little older than his uncle when Mark arrived at Plattsburgh, this was the first time he’d be on his own. Aaron is spending this season on-campus with his teammates.

“The guys really made me comfortable,” Aaron said. “It’s such a nice area.”

Adopting priority registration at Plattsburgh was another result of the SUNYAC SAAC retreat. When Cohen and White saw other SUNYAC schools allowing priority registration, they knew it was something they wanted to push for at Plattsburgh State, White said.

Talks are still ongoing, but SAAC has worked hard to bring the proposal in front of the school president and get it considered, Henn said.

Steve likes to play his first-years, and Aaron took advantage of his opportunities.

In 28 games, Aaron scored six goals and six assists for 12 total points. His future as a Cardinal is bright.

Off the ice, Aaron’s come to like Plattsburgh and the fanbase. The 2,188 fans recorded in the Cardinals’ SUNYAC Championship Final loss is a far cry from the 800 in the Pioneers’ finale.

During Aaron’s first season, the old Crete Center was demolished.

Mark is still trying to find the time to return to the North Country and watch Aaron play on the same ice he played on, at the Ronnie B. “You’re far north,” Mark said. “But the town is awesome.”

Email COLLIN BOLEBRUCH cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

SAAC’s role in encouraging student athletes to better their communities is made evident through Cohen and White’s push to plan the Unified Field Day and the priority registration initiative, Henn said.

“It is really awesome to see your students be passionate about things and take the initiative to set it up,” Henn said.

Email MICHAEL PURTELL cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024

CAMERON GREAVES/Cardinal Points

Female role models changed over time

BY NADIA PASCHAL Opinion Editor

Pop culture is constantly evolving, and it can be hard to keep up with what or who is in or out. However, one thing has remained constant, and that is the importance of role models.

It’s especially important for there to be women to fill these roles, so that young girls, or women of any age, can look up to them.

There are various definitions of what exactly a role model is, but there are a few common features that they possess. Ambition, confidence and a positive attitude are just a few attributes that they have to offer.

Kaitlynn Lehr, a junior at SUNY Plattsburgh, was involved in competitive dancing as a child and found most of her role models within that field. She looked up to the professionals in that field, and in terms of celebrities found herself relating to some of the stars of the television show “Dance Moms,” such as Maddie Ziegler and Chloe Lukasiak.

“It was nice to see someone going through the same thing,” Lehr said. “Their pro-

fessionalism at that age and how amazing they were at dancing (was inspiring).”

The status and image of the ideal role model has changed drastically over the last decade or so, especially for women.

Many female idols, such as Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus, had whole brands that revolved around being wholesome, family-friendly and just overall being “America’s sweetheart.”

Studios and managers pushed them to fit a certain mold so that they would fit an image they could sell. It was all about what made them the most money. Famous women were held to different standards than famous men were.

“People are very careful about the way that they present themselves to people now versus back then. Now we are all about being inclusive and celebrities really want to make sure they’re not hindering that inclusivity in any way shape or form,” Lehr said. “So they’re very cautious and careful about what they like, what they comment on and what they share on their platforms. Back then they would just like whatever.

They did not really think about the inclusivity as much as they do now.”

With that in mind, female role models of past generations should not be completely denounced. They paved the way for those who are currently considered role models, and worked hard to get to where they were, inspiring young girls to also pursue their dreams.

This showed that women could achieve anything that they set their mind to.

One thing that many look for in a role model today is authenticity. Individuality and nonconformity appeal to Gen Z, and many look for women who emulate those traits. We’re in a time that’s focusing heavily on female empowerment but in a more genuine sense than we’ve seen in the past.

Lehr said she feels there is authenticity among idols and role models, but in a way that can be considered carefully crafted.

“There is a sense of fake authenticity, but they are standing up for what they believe in at the same time. Not necessarily that they’re fake in everything that they do is fake, but they go

about it in careful ways to make sure everyone is included and they aren’t harming anyone,” Lehr said.

Lehr said that female role models and new celebrities these days can be found on TikTok, YouTube and in the music industry rather than traditional forms of media such as television shows. However, the status of these icons is ever changing, as people move from trend to trend and are drawn to the newest and hottest thing.

Although the amount of media we consume on a daily basis can be overwhelming, many modern role models can actually be found online.

The rise of social media offers a whole new breed of idols that are easier to connect with and more relatable than the typical celebrity. Their images may also be carefully crafted, but you can still get a sense of their values and their personality, as they connect directly with their audience.

There are still celebrities who are considered timeless, setting good examples for a long time.

Women such as Taylor Swift and Beyonce have been in the

public eye for many years and continue to be revered.

It was inspiring to talk to other women about who they considered role models, and what qualities they find important. It made me reevaluate who I look up to and what I find important.

Personally, I look up to women who fight against injustice no matter the cost, such as Jane Fonda, Angelina Jolie and Audrey Hepburn. They are not afraid to use their platforms or upset people in order to speak up and defend what’s right and get involved directly with the causes they fought or fight against.

Women have been fighting to express themselves for years, and it seems like progress has been made rapidly over the past few years.

There are many great examples of women across multiple industries for girls of any age to look up to and see themselves in. No matter what field or interest you look into, there are women who push boundaries and make change.

Email NADIA PASCHAL cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Greek life on resume affects hiring process

BY VICTORIA CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Greek life in the media is often portrayed as being superficial and full of partying. It can offer a more fulfilling college experience. However, college students may be hesitant to include Greek life on their resume because it can leave an impression that is not always positive.

Putting a fraternity on a resume is debatable, depending on what you put into the experience, according to Jason Lynch, SUNY Plattsburgh alumnus and brother of Delta Sigma Phi. For Lynch, being in a fraternity and putting it on his resume did not affect his ability to get a job.

“I think it definitely can be (good) for some people as it shows your ability to balance school work and fraternity obligations while building connections,” Lynch said.

Being in a fraternity has several positives in regards to getting a job, including attending conferences and networking.

An employer’s perspective is essential, especially if you want to win them over with your resume and experience.

“I don’t think they necessarily would be impressed, but it does not hurt to have on a resume to show you were involved in the community,” Lynch said.

However, some employers can easily Via Adobe Stock overlook the experience and focus on According to a poll done by Gallup, over 50% of Greek life alumni reported being the stereotypes of Greek life. This can hired within two months of graduation easily ruin one’s chance in an inter-

view or cause them to move on to the next potential employee quickly.

Someone can potentially overlook hiring someone affiliated with Greek life, Lynch said, as some people have a negative stigma about Greek life, but he does not think it is the make or break of a resume.

Lynch does not think being in a fraternity is a deciding factor in getting a job, especially if there is no relation to the career.

Most employers want more job-related experience, which, depending on the position, can be beneficial. For example, being the treasurer of your organization can be an advantage if you were going into a financial related job.

Everyone who went to college or has had an experience with Greek life will have their own opinion about whether they like it.

An employer should not step away from hiring someone if they see it on a resume, but they could potentially ask more complex, more detailed interview questions. This could allow the company to see what someone got out of their experience in Greek life as well as any skills they may have developed.

A resume should include every related experience that could help one’s career. Still, without a role within the fraternity or sorority, it could be more beneficial to mention during the interview if it relates to the position.

Email VICTORIA CAMPBELL cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

13 ▪ Opinion Editor Nadia Paschal

OPINION

‘Immaculate’ slow, boring

BY KOLIN KRINER Staff Writer

After watching the disappointment that was “Imaginary,” I was set on watching a movie that I assumed I would enjoy. “Immaculate,” directed

by Michael Mohan, did not deliver, despite its misleading name.

A very slow burn with very little reward, the film offers 20 minutes of immaculate imagery being the icing on an incredibly dry, tasteless cake that is the remainder of the film. Hollywood is overusing the nun religious horror, and it’s frankly getting boring.

Oh, where to start on the problems with this film? How about the lead actress? After watching the worst superhero flick I’ve seen — aka “Madame Web,” — I was hoping this movie would shed better light on Sydney Sweeney’s apparent acting abilities.

Yet, this movie left me questioning whether those abilities are there.

The entire movie is just Sweeney (Cecilia) running around screaming while other irrelevant characters do uninteresting things.

The screaming felt so forced I genuinely laughed at how ridiculous it sounded and looked. The camera held long shots of her face as she essentially takes the role of a banshee.

A boring main character doing nothing for the boring, predictable plot.

The plot on paper feels like an interesting concept, paying homage to 1968’s “Rosemary’s Baby.” That film, however, is a masterpiece. This movie decided to give a weak attempt at this amazing idea and failed miserably in producing a movie that is immaculate.

The movie is genuinely good for about 20 minutes, mostly thanks to the gore, which felt splattered in to disguise how messy the plot is. It was confusing while simultaneously being so boring I could barely stay awake to pay any attention to it.

The movie tried to be a psychological thriller but lost the “thrill” part of

▪

Friday, April 19, 2024

Editorial Board Editor in Chief Collin Bolebruch

Managing Editor Aleksandra Sidorova

News Editor Aleksandra Sidorova

Arts & Culture Editor

Sports Editor Michael Purtell

Opinion Editor Nadia Paschal

Graphics Editor Cameron Greaves

Photography Editor Jayne Smith

Multimedia Editor Jacob Crawford

Yuki Ouchi

Cinara Marquis

Web Editor

Public Relations Chair Jacob Crawford Faculty Adviser Jack Downs

Contact CP cp@cardinalpointsonline.com 118 Ward Hall SUNY Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, NY

Via IMP Awards

that and just left me psychologically distressed that I wasted 89 minutes of my life watching it.

The film also uses the most cliche and cheap jumpscares that weren’t scary. This movie isn’t even frightening, honestly, it’s a comedy because it’s laughably bad.

Don’t waste your time watching this boring movie lost in the uproar that is the current trend of nun hor-

ror. The trend is getting old and is really showing the downfall of originality in modern movies.

Remember, you’re trying to watch a psychological THRILLER, not a psychological snooze fest — which is all “Immaculate” is.

Email KOLIN KRINER cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Awards CAMERON GREAVES/Cardinal Points

College dating culture harmful

BY VICTORIA CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Online dating apps are growing in popularity in the college environment.

Convenience has become a primary reason why several people use apps like Tinder and Bumble.

With so many profiles available, it seems guaranteed that someone would find a connection amongst them. However, the risks of using these apps may outweigh the benefits.

Hailee Jennette, a sophomore at SUNY Plattsburgh, uses both Tinder and Bumble.

In Jennette’s experience, these apps tend to have a negative feel because they are not natural, as you’re swiping based on someone’s appearance rather than meeting in-person based on personality.

“I think these apps can harm the dating culture just

because people are starting to think that life revolves around hookups and no relationship will come out of it,” Jennette said. “It’s a one-and-done deal.”

The dating culture has the potential to become unemotional and impact the definition of a relationship. Online dating can ruin the dynamics of a relationship and expectations.

Online dating may also cause side effects, such as depression, rejection issues and anxiety, it can negatively cause low self-esteem, according to Embark Behavioral Health, an organization that offers mental health services.

While several college students use these apps, there are precautions one should take. Catfishing has increasingly been a problem for Jennette.

“I have been catfished and sexually assaulted by someone I met there,

which leaves a traumatic experience,” Jennette said.

This experience has impacted Jennette’s habits of using online dating. A report done by UK Finance reported that roughly 27% of users experienced being catfished within the last year.

Jennette said using dating apps is not a good idea if looking for a longterm relationship.

Not only can it impact one’s self-worth, but it is socially unhealthy. People get used to talking over a screen, and when meeting face-to-face, it can cause anxiety and awkwardness because it is not the traditional way to meet someone.

“People are starting to feel unworthy, and online dating does not allow you to get out of your comfort zone and talk face-toface,” Jennette said.

People tend to be much harsher over a screen, which can impact one’s confidence,

especially since these dating apps have become increasingly used for hookups.

Unless you are looking for a hookup, these apps are unsuccessful, Jennette said.

Meeting friends or significant others can be difficult, especially if you get used to talking through text or social media.

Online dating might not be successful because people want different things, whether a relationship, hookup or fling.

It can be easy to give off the wrong impression, and people are more likely to swipe on people they are physically attracted to over personality or things they might have in common.

Online dating will continue to give college students a false sense of what dating is.

Email VICTORIA CAMPBELL cp@cardinalpointsonline.com

Cardinal Points has received the following awards from the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP): ACP Hall of Fame Inducted in Fall 2010 All American Spring 2018, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2016, five Marks of Distinction Spring 2014, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2012, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2011, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2010, five Marks of Distinction Fall 2009, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2009, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2008, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2005, four Marks of Distinction Spring 2004, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2003, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2002, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2001, four Marks of Distinction Fall 2000, four Marks of Distinction First Class Spring 2013, three Marks of Distinction Fall 2012, three Marks of Distinction Fall 2011, three Marks of Distinction Spring 2010, two Marks of Distinction Spring 2008, three Marks of Distinction Spring 2007, one Mark of Distinction Fall 2007, three Marks of Distinction Pacemaker Recognition Fall 2010, Honorable Mention 2006-2007, Newspaper Finalist