SUNY Plattsburgh’s independent student newspaper since 1997
FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021
VOLUME 105 - ISSUE 11
CARDINALPOINTSONLINE.COM
Chancellor resigns BY ALANA PENNY Editor in Chief
AUDREY LAPINSKI/Cardinal Points Archives
Sixty-four campuses have used the SUNY COVID-19 Case Tracker application to monitor cases, leading to an award recognized by Government Technology Magazine.
COVID-19 Tracker wins award BY MIA MORGILLO Associate News Editor
Ever since COVID-19 infiltrated campus, the SUNY COVID-19 Case Tracker has been used by thousands of students, faculty and staff within the SUNY system. This system has gained national attention, recognized by Government Technology Magazine as the “Best Application Serving the Public.” Through a team of analysts, programmers, web designers and IT experts in SUNY’s Office of Innovation and Technology, 64 SUNY campuses have been able to use the application to monitor cases and make safety decisions. While this fall semester has seen the lowest number of positive COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the outbreak, there are still precautions the school
is taking to keep everyone safe. Throughout the pandemic, there have been many moments of uncertainty. From new variants to sudden outbreaks, COVID-19 can be destructive in unexpected ways. Dr. Kathleen Camelo, the director of the Student Health Center, said that “institutions can utilize that data to see what’s going on at other campuses.” This is especially helpful so that different universities could reach out and learn from one another in times of success or crisis. Her team at the Health Center has been responsible for submitting the data that would eventually make its way into the tracker system. Michael Caraballo, the Emergency Management Director at SUNY Plattsburgh, has been very hands-on during times of crisis here at campus.
“Around August [of 2020], we learned that SUNY was coming up with the dashboard so we can all see how COVID is affecting each campus,” Caraballo said. Since then, he has been responsible for the input of SUNY Plattsburgh’s data for the Case Tracker website. Beyond tracking cases on a daily basis, the Case Tracker displayed information on different types of tests administered, daily and weekly test data, available quarantine and isolation space, and hospitalizations. In a SUNY press release, Chancellor Jim Malatras said, “When reopening our campuses last fall, real-time information was an essential part of SUNY’s best defense so that we could see emerging cases and take steps to keep our communities safe. Thanks to our award-winning COVID-19
Case Tracker — and the incredible efforts of our students, faculty, and staff — SUNY campuses were and remain among the safest places to be.” University Police Chief Patrick Rascoe has been working in conjunction with Camelo and Caraballo to look at the data the Case Tracker provides, and form policy here on campus. Together, the three of them were able to use the tracker to “provide a sense of climate on campus as well as what was going on in the rest of the state in order to make informed decisions to keep the campus safe,” Rascoe said. Together, Rascoe, Camelo, and Caraballo handled the COVID tracker data and analyzed it into policy. Email MIA MORGILLO cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras resigned Dec. 9, effective Jan. 14 2022. This came after both the Faculty Council of Community Colleges and the Student Assembly of the State University of New York Student Assembly called for his resignation in the past week. “The recent events surrounding me over the past week have become a distraction over the important work that needs to be accomplished as SUNY emerges from Covid 19,” Malatras said in a letter to the SUNY board of trustees. “I believe deeply in an individual’s ability to evolve, change, and grow, but I also believe deeply in SUNY and would never want to be an impediment to its success.” The “recent events” he is referring to is the new evidence Letitia James, the state attorney general investigating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, released that included text messages between Cuomo and Malatras from May 2019. Malatras was transitioning from his role as president of SUNY Rockefeller Institute to president of Empire State College at the time. The messages made unprofessional comments about Lindsey Boylan, a former economic development official who criticized Cuomo’s family leave policy on Twitter, in a group chat that included several of Cuomo’s staff, including Malatras. One of Cuomo’s aides, Rich Azzopardi, wrote in the
group chat, “I thought we outlawed bathsalts?” Malatras liked the message and responded “let’s release some of her cray emails.” Boylan tweeted: “I was the only mother of young children on senior staff in my last job in politics. They didn’t ‘get it’ even with all the ‘right’ policies. It was a toxic and demoralizing experience. Now I run my own company full of especially moms.” Malatras later tweeted “I saw someone Twitterbombing about family life on the 2nd Floor to get some attention for unrelated political purposes. That’s their prerogative. Is working in the chamber tough? You bet. Long hours? Yes. It should be. But my son was often a welcomed part of it so I could serve.” Boylan responded to his tweet, calling him tone deaf. Malatras wrote in the group chat, “Malatras to Boylan: go f*** yourself.” A year and a half after Boylan’s tweets about the workplace culture of Cuomo’s office, she accused Cuomo of sexual misconduct. The text messages were released in late November, resulting in backlash from students, faculty and state legislators. The SUNY board of trustees released a statement supporting Malatras, recognizing that an apology was necessary, but pointing to his COVID-19 response as an example of his competency as SUNY chancellor.
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Over 200 donations, #PlattsGive BY SYDNEY HAKES Staff Writer
The Plattsburgh College Foundation, a nonprofit organization established to receive and redistribute all financial gifts given to SUNY Plattsburgh, hosted their annual campaign for Giving Tuesday. The day-long event took place Nov. 30, with a goal of 200 donors by the end of the day. The first Tuesday following Thanksgiving was dubbed “Giving Tuesday” in 2012 by Henry Timms of the 92nd Street Y, a cultural and community center in New York City. It was co-founded by the United Nations Foundation, with strong support from BLK SHP, a guild of artists and innovators with a goal of social good. SUNY Plattsburgh’s version of #GivingTuesday, stylized as #PlattsGive, hopes to encourage as many alumni as possible to give back to their alma mater. Paula Bachman, the director of annual giving for the Plattsburgh College Foundation, organizes two large donation events every school year: #PlattsGive in the fall and Game on for Giving in the spring, a campaign that works alongside the athletics department to challenge each team to raise the most money. There are around 400 designations within SUNY Plattsburgh that the money can go to, including specific departments and clubs. Donors have the ability to choose where their donation goes, and if not, it goes to the highest priority decided by the Plattsburgh College
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The annual #PlattsGive fundraiser took place after Thanksgiving to raise money from alumni. Foundation staff. “All the money goes back to the students. At any given time, it can go to scholarships, career support, students who may need financial support, internships and so many other things,” Bachman said.
By the end of the day Nov. 30, the total number of donors was 217, and Bachman said it was likely a higher number with donations still being counted the following day. Following the 2020 #PlattsGive, where many were struggling in the midst of the
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pandemic, Bachman said, “This was a great year. Even if COVID wasn’t hovering over people’s heads, it would still be a successful year for us.” There are roughly 70,000 alumni from SUNY Plattsburgh. The foundation reaches out to as many as they are able through mail and networking. They encourage future graduates to keep contact with SUNY Plattsburgh and continue being a part of a network they chose to join when first attending. One former student, Hayley DeweyHagborg, who graduated in 2016 with a biology major and chemistry minor, donates to the college every year. This year she split her donation between the biology department and the high priority. “I have a special place in my heart for the biology program. I was able to do undergraduate research through this unique twelve credit, one semester program where I got to present my research at the end of the course. This and taking neurobiology have led me to success in my career today,” Dewey-Hagborg said. She now works as an associate scientist at Intellia Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For those who look at their loans or the amount they already paid to attend their school and wonder why the school would need more money, Bachman stressed that just growing the network of alumni supporting the college in this way is important.
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NEWS
News Editor Olivia Bousquet
Friday, Dec. 10, 2021
Nov. 15 University Police were notified by a CA in MacDonough Hall of broken Exit sign on the first floor in the stairwell. The central heating plant was notified.
Nov. 15
A global education staff member reported to University Police of an email she received from a student indicating he heard of an individual threatening other students. The investigation is closed.
Nov. 18
A student requested to speak to a UP officer after his DoorDash food had been stolen four times in Macomb Hall. The investigation is closed.
Dec. 4
UP was notified by a CA in Wilson Hall that a resident’s food delivery was taken before he could pick it up. The investigation is still open.
Dec. 6
A staff member in Wilson Hall requested UP to retrieve what appeared to be a taser, which was found by a student in a couch cushion in the basement.
Dec. 6
The Colchester Vermont Police Department reported stalking involving a SUNY Plattsburgh student. A non-student suspect was located and arrested.
Dec. 8
A student reported missing clothing from the laundry in Harrington Hall.
Weekly Meme
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Campus COVID-19 Tracker Number of positive COVID-19 cases within SUNY Plattsburgh community:
16 CP Corrections In Issue 9, the article “ Annual holiday parade welcomes CEES,” there was a misspelling of Associate Professor Mary Alldred’s name. If you see an error in Cardinal Points, email cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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Jonathan Smith, Haley Redlecki and Megan Phelps are all freshmen in the HON189 class participating in the course’s final project, a clothing drive.
Honors class gives back to community BY ALEKSANDRA SIDOROVA
Contributor
As a final project, students of HON189 Democracy and Education: Banned Books, taught by Professor Jean Ann Hunt, hosted a clothing donation drive Dec 3. One of the students, freshman history major Jonathan Smith said that the class collected 20 garbage bags of clothes. The project pushes each student to participate in their community, which is an important part of a democratic society. “The big thing we talked about in creating democratic schools is being able to, in your educational experience, go out into your community and work to make change in it,” Smith
said. “See what your community needs and address those needs.” The drive was held at Angell College Center from 5:30 to 8 p.m. All the students in the class took shifts managing the table and accepting donations. Some students, like Smith, brought clothes they had collected from their family during Thanksgiving break. Another student in the class, Cassandra Levy, a senior nursing major, donated a bag of clothes from an elementary school where she completed a clinical rotation. The organizers encouraged students to bring fall clothing, but they received all kinds of clothes, including shoes, shirts, hats, socks and underwear. Smith reports
that there were particularly many coats among the clothes donated. The goal of the project was to “make a lasting impression” on the community, Levy said. The students decided on clothes because of their immediate effect as compared to money, and the constant need for clothes in the community. “It’s one of those things you can see its initial effect, because as soon as you give it, it can be used, and it will always be used,” Haley Redlecki, a freshman nursing major in the class, said. Smith thought that donating clothes was an option most accessible to college students, as students are more likely to have clothes they no longer need.
“I know there’s a food drive [on campus,] but as a college student, I don’t have a lot of excess canned food,” Smith said. “Everyone has clothes, everyone needs clothes.” The event was developed, promoted and run entirely by the students. “All the times we were brainstorming and planning, [Hunt] wasn’t involved,” Smith said. According to Levy, the class has not yet decided where the clothes would go, but suggested that they would be distributed among some of the local schools, churches and charity organizations.
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SA discusses finals week and approvals for club requests spoke with another club member on how this event is targeted for beginners and is “safe and manageAs finals week approaches, the able” and “a good opportunity to Learning Center will extend to 24 try something new.” It costs about hours open from Dec. 10 through Dec. 16. The Student Association will be providing coffee and tea most evenings throughout finals week. In other SA news, the Ski and Snowboard Club was unanimously approved of their $740 approval so each member can get a club hat. The hat cost about $11 and there are around 65 members. These estimates were used by the club treasurer when she spoke at the SA meeting. The SA board also approved their $1,400 request for $44 for equipment rentals and lift their annual ski and snowboarding passes and with the club, beginner students get a free lesson. event Feb. 12. The SA also approved the $800 Kerri Murphy, ski club member, BY KATIE KALLAMNI Staff Writer
request by the College Theatre Association for more event staff and a technical crew for the play this past weekend called “Calvin Berger.” Mason Barber, president of the CTA, stressed how important the money would be with being able to properly put on the production. Barber also brought up how Myers Fine Arts building still has the initial COVID seating and how no changes have been made to its true fitting capacity. The larger capacity would greatly benefit the CTA for allowing space for more shows and practices, which have been moved to other facilities, such as the ACC and Hawkins.
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FRIDAY, DEC. 10, 2021
‘The Power of the Dog’ best of year BY CAMERON KAERCHER Contributor
As 2021 winds down, Netflix is preparing a strong slate of award season hopefuls. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, “The Lost Daughter,” stars Olivia Coleman in a disorienting thriller adapted from the novel by Elena Ferrante. “Don’t Look Up” is an apocalyptic satire with a cast that ranges from Leonardo DiCaprio to Ariana Grande. The first film released by Netflix this December is Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog,” a western set in Montana in the mid-1920s. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil Burbank, a rancher who has a rocky relationship with his brother. George Burbank, played by Jesse Plemons, is much quieter and kind-hearted than his brother. One day, the Burbank ranch rides into town and feasts at a restaurant run by Rose Gordon, played by Kirsten Dunst. Her reserved son, Peter, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, waits on the men and is subjected to Phil’s harsh jabs at Peter’s lisp and effeminate mannerisms. George falls in love with Rose and asks for her hand in marriage. As George brings her back to the Burbank ranch, Phil becomes increasingly hostile while trying to suppress deeper seeded feelings of romantic connection. Adapted from Thomas Sav-
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age’s 1967 novel, “The Power of the Dog,” is an emotionally reserved story of masculinity and jealousy. The character of Phil Burbank is as intimidating as he is well-loved by his fellow cowboys, but the first interaction between him and Peter plays out like a thriller. So much of the film is about suppression and lashing out. The film simmers with scenes
that deprive specific characters of saying how they truly feel. Just a glare from Phil can put fear in the hearts of the audience. When Rose becomes quieter and quieter at a dinner party, it is clear that this house is not a home for her. The ghost of Phil’s mentor, Bronco Henry, haunts the Burbank ranch. A corner of the barn is dedicated to a vigil for Bronco, with his saddle still polished of-
ten by Phil. When he does rub it down, there is an intimacy that hints there was something more to Phil’s relationship with Bronco. Could that be why Phil acts so callous to anyone that isn’t hyper-masculine? Is Phil intensely repressing his homosexual feelings? His fostering relationship with Peter can be seen as a way to return to Phil’s glory days, or is he act-
ing out against Rose who he feels is taking over his home? So much of the film is left open to interpretation, so much is left unspoken. When things are unspoken, the soundtrack deepens the drama. The score by Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood is typically phenomenal. The lead guitarist turned composer is quickly becoming one of the strongest voices in modern film music today. The echoing french horns in the song “The Ravine” feel ominous and match Peter’s feeling of getting swallowed up by the sprawling western landscapes. Then the solo violin in “West Alone” contrasts that with a feeling of mourning, it reveals Phil’s emotional core as he longs for the good old days when he wasn’t alone. Some of the pieces of music like “Miss Nancy Arrives” recounts Greenwood’s work on previous films. Those harshly played cello strings were also used in his score for “There Will Be Blood.” “The Power of the Dog” is one of the best films released this year. The story challenges the hypermasculine values of the classic western genre. If this is any indication of what the rest of Netflix releases will be like for this year, they are setting themselves up for more Oscar nominations this awards season.
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Chappelle’s comedy sparks protest BY CARLY NEWTON Associate Opinions Editor
Comedy has changed considerably in recent years, for both better and for worse. As the world moves toward political correctness, comedy has followed right along with it — with the exception of comedian Dave Chappelle. Chappelle, who has been a comedian for several decades now, has made a living off of offending as many people as possible. To appreciate his style of comedy, people have to be willing to laugh at themselves sometimes, which nowadays, people do not want to do. But, throughout his entire career, Chappelle is consistently testing the boundaries of how much he can get away with in the name of comedy. Which leaves many people wondering, where should the line be drawn? Well, some people would argue the line should be drawn at his new Netflix special. Chappelle’s latest controversy surrounds his stand-up special “The Closer,” that premiered Oct. 5. In “The Closer,” Chappelle does not hold back with his offensive jokes. This time, he set his target on the transgender community, and he was swiftly met with deserved backlash from many people who felt he took it too far. At one point, Chappelle declared himself a member of “team TERF,” which stands for trans-exlusionary radical feminists. Members of team TERF do not believe that trans women are actual women. It sounds more like Dave Chappelle is hiding his hate for the transgender community by passing off his remarks as comedy. Since this is not the first time he has targeted the transgender community, it probably won’t be the last. It seems like he is trying harder to be controversial than he is trying to be funny at this point. After the release of the special, hundreds of Netflix employees staged a walkout Oct. 20 to protest Chappelle and his transphobic comments, due to the potential violence his jokes could incite against the marginalized community.
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Despite this, Netflix still allowed “The Closer” to air on its platform. After facing much criticism, Netflix still did not see anything wrong with the special. “Several of you have also asked where we draw the line on hate. We don’t allow titles on Netflix that are designed to incite hate or violence, and we don’t believe The Closer crosses that line,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in an internal memo acquired by Vanity. “Some talent may join third parties
in asking us to remove the show in the coming days, which we are not going to do,” Sarandos wrote. “Chapelle is one of the most popular stand-up comedians today, and we have a long-standing deal with him. His last special Sticks & Stones, also controversial, is our most watched, stickiest and most award winning stand-up special to date.” Netflix seems to be supporting Chappelle and sticking by him for the money. It’s sad to see, but it’s not a surprise.
This is why comedy has changed so much in recent years. Comedians should be able to joke about what they want, but they also have to realize that their jokes could potentially harm entire groups of people. Dave Chappelle is a good comedian, but he can become even better if he doesn’t have to put others down to make people laugh.
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Opinions Editor Alexa Dumas
Friday, Dec. 10, 2021
Editorial
Safety measures should be met in gun owners homes Madisyn Baldwin, age 17. Justin Shilling, age 17. Tate Myre, age 16. Hana St. Juliana, age 14. These are the names and ages of the victims in the Oxford High School tragedy. These students should be remembered as individuals, not just as statistics of continued gun violence. They had lives, families and friends, and they will be mourned. Nov. 30 saw the deadliest U.S. school shooting since 2018. The community of Oxford Township, Michigan is mourning the loss of four students. Six students and a teacher also suffered non-fatal injuries during the shooting and are currently seeking treatment. The school released a statement posted on their website stating, “[a]s we grapple with the horrific tragedy in our school community, we grieve the students who lost their lives and we ache for all those who have been injured and impacted.” The trauma from this tragic event has affected students all across the country. After spending a year learning remotely, students did not fear being gunned down in a classroom. This fear has always been persistent in the U.S., as students participate in lockdown drills in anticipation of an active shooter on their campus. It is a depressing fact that students anticipate for a tragedy to occur in their schools. The classroom is a sacred place for learning and should not be filled with fear. Time and time again, this fear becomes a reality. The gunman, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbly, was charged as an adult and pleaded not guilty to the charges of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Crumbly was seen searching for ammunition on his cellphone and drew bloody images in his classes Nov. 29. He was then removed from his classroom and met with a guidance counselor. His parents were called and counseling was recommended for the assailant. The parents had 48 hours to comply or Child Protective Services would be contacted, to which they failed. The next day, he opened fire. The district superintendent, Tim
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Throne, wrote in a letter to parents and staff in the Oxford school district to explain events that lead up to the tragedy. “When the parents were asked to take their son home for the day, they flatly refused and left without their son, apparently to return to work,” Throne wrote. Crumbly is guilty, and so are his parents. James and Jennifer Crumbly were taken into custody after a manhunt occurred. The parents of the assailant were also charged with involuntary manslaughter, to which they pleaded not guilty. A judge set their bond for $500,000 each after their plea. The charge of the parents is unusual in school shooting cases, but this was the necessary move. The gun that was used in the shooting, a 9 mm Sig Sauer SP2022 semi automatic pistol, came from the family home and was purchased four days prior by the suspect’s father. The mother
posted on Facebook that the gun was a Christmas present for Ethan. According to the Associated Press, “[w]ith some very limited exceptions, minors in Michigan aren’t allowed to possess guns. But there is no Michigan law that requires owners to keep guns locked away from kids.” All 50 states should have secure gun storage laws to prohibit the access of a firearm without parental permission for minors. However, only 15 states have CAP, child access prevention, laws that hold an adult liable for injury if a minor has access. The Oxford tragedy could have been prevented if Michigan was on the list. The parent’s attorney, Shannon Smith, said the gun used was locked. However, there was no clear answer on how Crumbly had access to it. Based on further details leading up to the tragedy, it seems that this notion of safety could be a facade. Not only was a gun accessible for the assailant, but he showed signs of acting out. His parents ignored these signs and are responsible for enabling him. Children should not be able to have open access to firearms without proper adult supervision. If you are pro-gun, you must be pro-safety. Safety precaution laws are the answer to the gun violence epidemic. These precautions include storing all firearms unloaded, ammunition stored separate from the gun and locked gun safes in every home with firearms, especially with minors present. Parents should also educate their children on the possible dangers of using a firearm, as well as the appropriate times to use it. The Oxford High School tragedy could have been avoided if the parents did not ignore the warning signs and enable their son to have his own firearm. Safety and responsibility could have saved the lives of Madisyn, Justin, Tate and Hana. Instead, they became another statistic of gun violence in America. The parents and gunman have been held accountable for their actions, but now it’s time for state and federal legislators to step up. Thoughts and prayers are not enough.
‘New Super Mario Bros. Wii’ has cult-like following BY JONAS WARD Staff Writer
“New Super Mario Bros. Wii” was a stepping stone for any player looking to get into a modern Nintendo-produced Mario Bros. game. Developed by Nintendo and released in 2009, “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” was a landmark success for Nintendo and also the Wii platform, offering players a true taste of classic Nintendo meat and potatoes. The main story for “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” is something that will sound familiar to hardcore Nintendo fans. The campaign starts off with Princess Peach’s birthday. She is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, which is the world the Super Mario series takes place in. Mario and his brother Luigi were planning to bring a cake to Princess Peach’s birthday party. Little did they know the cake they thought they made was actually rigged as a booby trap by the evil turtle Bowser and his minions the Koopalings. Princess Peach was shoved into the cake and kidnapped on Bower’s airship. Mario and Luigi were unable to save Princess Peach at that moment, but they decided to set out across the Mushroom Kingdom and save her with their friends. All together they travel across eight worlds and fight anyone who gets in their way to save Princess Peach. The gameplay for “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” is something classic Nintendo fans are not used to. This installment in the Mario video game series is the first one that incorporates multiplayer. Up to four players are able to play at once with their
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Editorial Board Editor in Chief Alana Penny
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News Editor Olivia Bousquet
Opinions Editor Alexa Dumas
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friends across the Mushroom Kingdom. Each player can select who they would like to play across each level with equal opportunities for power ups and different attainable treasures on each map. Players can smash mystery bricks and attain power ups, lives, gold coins and other goodies which keep players on their toes. Hidden passageways across the maps force players to explore and discover new things in each world. The boss fights are difficult. The more players play together, the easier it is to defeat enemies. Hidden worlds and abilities can also be unblocked the more players progress in the game. The main power players have in “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” is throwing fireballs, ice balls and harnessing rainbow energy from stars, which make players temporarily invincible. “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” is a 2.5D side-scrolling video game. Players and some of the interactive objects on the
screen are true 3D, but the background is a traditional 2D layout. This allows players to navigate the platform while incorporating modern graphics technology. Players are immersed in a world that is incredibly colorful and easy on the eyes. Nintendo’s development always does a good job when it comes to having a reliable graphics base with no glitches on each level. The world of Mario is easily one of the most recognizable graphics styles in pop culture. Players will truly enjoy the game, solely based on the amazing graphics on the Wii platform. The controls for “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” are traditional Nintendo controls. Players must hold the Wii remote sideways, which is reminiscent of the controller layout on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System from the 1980s. There are three buttons players must get to know well. The touchpad moves the character they are
playing as, the A button allows your character to jump and the B button allows the character to interact with whatever they are doing. This simple controller layout is easy for children to grasp, while being exactly what Nintendo fans are used to when it comes to a Mario Bros. game. “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” is a staple redefined retro game that has charmed players and Ninendo fans since its debut in 2009. The game received critical acclaim for its graphics on the Wii platform and it spawned a sequel to the story titled “New Super Mario Bros. 2.” Super Mario Bros. is the most successful video game series in history, with more than 200 titles produced by Nintendo on multiple platforms. “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” is easily one of the most recognizable and appreciated Nintendo games produced in the last 20 years. Email JONAS WARD cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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Award Winning
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 Pacemaker Recognition Fall 2010, Honorable Mention 2006-2007, Newspaper Finalist
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NEWS
“I hope that my little contribution can help aid someone to the success I have found thanks to my great experiences at SUNY Plattsburgh. I feel incredibly fortunate that I am able to give back this young Continued from page A1 and plan to continue this gift as long as I can,” Dewey-Hagborg said. Smaller campaigns also occur throughout the year, “It is not about the amount. Many more factors rely and the foundation encourages gifts at any time. They on having a strong alumni network, including the rep- can be made by selecting ‘Make a Gift’ on the SUNY utation for the school. Your alma mater has an image Plattsburgh website. that is valued by potential employers and supporting your college will support that image,” Bachman said. Being a recent graduate, Dewey-Hagborg acknowlEmail SYDNEY HAKES edged it is hard for those more recently out of college cp@cardinalpointsonline.com to add a financial gift atop loans and debt.
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This Week in Photos: Track & Field Photos By Dakota Gilbert
Above: Kristen Boerke raises the bar during the high jump event last Saturday.
Above: Michael Brockway sprints to the finish line in the most recent track meet in St. Lawrence.
Above: Kelsea Greenthal clears the hurdles with speed.
Above: Deanna Zoch settles in a the start line for her race.
Above: Aislyn McDonough (6) breaks ahead of the pack during her race. To the left: Jared Davidson bounds forward quickly during his event. To the right: Spencer Trudo uses his strength to throw shotput.
The SUNY Plattsburgh team competed in its first event of the season Dec. 4 in St. Lawrence for the Holiday Relays. Men’s placed third of five teams, and women’s placed second of five.
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FRIDAY, Dec. 10, 2021
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Kevin Tabb (1) Looks to find space on the floor against the Potsdam Bears.
Men’s basketball falls to Bears BY LIAM SAMPLE Contributor
The Plattsburgh State men’s basketball team lost their SUNYAC conference debut against The Potsdam Bears 84-80 Nov. 30 at Memorial Hall. In the first half, the teams nearly went score for score to start the game. Junior Erik Salo hit back to back layups to bring the score to 19-18 in favor of Potsdam with 8:35 re-
maining in the half. The Bears proceeded to take over, going on ten point run while only surrendering three. This was capped off by a three pointer from freshman guard Jeff Williamson to put his team up eight with 4:36 left. Potsdam continued to capitalize and finished the half leading 38-29. To start the second half, Plattsburgh attempted to get back into the game with a 7-0 run with 16:46 left. However, they had
trouble handling the Bears offense. Freshman forward Parker Kelly secured a layup to put Potsdam up 22 with a little over 11 minutes to play. The Cardinals began to chip away, after bringing the score to 71-54, they went on another 7-0 run that ended with senior forward/guard Sheriff Conteh drilling a three to bring the deficit down to ten. With 2:18 remaining, Salo hit another layup to bring the Potsdam lead down to six.
On the next possession, first year guard Franklin Infante hit a three to make it a one possession game, with a score of 77-74. Infante finished the game with seven points. The Bears called a timeout and came out of the break scoring four straight points to slow down Plattsburgh’s momentum. After the Cardinals nearly completed the comeback, they struggled in the final minute, allowing Potsdam to finish the
job. They won the game by four points. After the rough first half, shooting 32.43% from the field and 8.33% from three, the team improved to 46.81% from the field and a three point percentage of 25% in the second. They pressured Potsdam into thirteen turnovers. Salo led the team with 22 points and 11 rebounds, despite starting the game on the bench. Behind him was first year guard Kevin Tabb who tallied fifteen
points and six assists, which was a career high and tied for the team lead. Potsdam brings their record to 2-2 and starts their conference games with a win. Plattsburgh’s record goes down to 1-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Their losing streak extends to four games.
Email LIAM SMAPLE
cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Cardinals swoop away with win BY LIAM SAMPLE Contributor
The SUNY Plattsburgh Women’s hockey team took to the road this past weekend with two conference games ahead of them. Their first stop was Potsdam, with a matchup with a North Country rival Dec. 3. The Cards rolled against the Bears, scoring early and often. They would take the win on their first stop, 6-1. With that win, the Lady Cardinals have now won 31 consecutive games vs. Potsdam, dating all the way back to 2008. Their next stop was Canton, New Yorkfor another Northeast Women’s Hockey League conference opponent. The SUNY Canton Roos hosted the Cardinals this past Saturday afternoon, a game in which Plattsburgh played as strongly as the night before. Plattsburgh would win the game 4-1 and collect two conference wins on the weekend. Dating back to before the road trip, Plattsburgh had hosted the annual Cardinal/Panther Classic tournament, from Nov. 27 to Nov. 28. The Lady Cardinals got a bit of a wake up call in that tournament, after winning their first six games to start the year, they lost in their first round matchup of the tourney, vs. Endicott College in overtime, 4-3. The next day, they took on Elmira College in the consolation round, where they would also drop in overtime by the same score, 4-3. “Losing both those games was tough,” said forward Annie Katonka. “I thought we played really well on Sunday against Elmira. So coming into practice, we had a lot of momentum and energy and everyone was pretty hyped up because we had just lost. I think heading into that weekend’s game vs. Potsdam everyone was
Nicole Unsworth (20) controls the puck in a win against Canton. excited to avenge the losses and get back out there and on the winning track.” On Dec. 3, the women sought to get back to their winning ways and showed they were up to the task early. In the first period junior Ivy Boric scored the opening goal five minutes into the period off an assist from first-year student Mattie Norton. They didn’t let up either, as just
six minutes later senior Nicole Unsworth found the back of the net, assisted by graduate student Kaitlin Drew-Mead, to extend their early lead to 2-0. “We were able to get out to that early lead because we kind of just stuck to the game plan. I mean, we knew that if we could get one goal past we could get a couple goals past,” Katonka said. “They
DAKOTA GILBERT/Cardinal Points
had a freshman goalie so we needed to take advantage of her inexperience, and I think that helped us get out to the lead, just continually getting pucks on net.”
WHOCKEYl B3
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CARDINAL SPORTS
Sports Editor Garrett Collins
Friday, Dec 10, 2021
Men’s Hockey
Men’s Hockey Fri. v.s. Potsdam @ 7p.m. Tue. v.s Norwich @ 7p.m.
Women’s Hockey Fri. at Potsdam @7.p.m Sat. at Canton @ 3p.m.
Women’s Basketball Fri. v.s. Oneonta @ 5:30 p.m Sat v.s. New Paltz@ 2 p.m
Men’s Basketball Fri. v.s. Oneonta @ 7:30,p.m. Sat v.s. New Paltz @4.pm
School Geneseo Cortland
Record SUNYAC 8-0-1 4-0-1 5-1 3-0-2-1-1 Oswego 5-3-1 3-0-1-0-1 Plattsburgh 5-4-1 3-1-2-0-1 Brockport 6-3 3-0-2-0-0 Buffalo State 4-5-1 2-0-1-0-0 Fredonia 4-3-1 2-0-1-0-0 Morrisville 3-6-1 0-0-5-0-0 Potsdam 0-7 0-0-6-0-0
Women’s Basketball
School
Record SUNYAC0-1 Cortland 4-2- 0-0 Potsdam 1-3-1 0-0 Buffalo State 5-0-1 0-0 Oswego 4-1-0 0-0 Oneonta 1-2-1 0-0 Fredonia 0-4-0 0-0 New Paltz 2-0-0 0-0 Genesseo 2-1-2 0-0 Brockport 4-2-0 0-0
Plattsburgh 3-3
Men’s Hockey Goals
Bennett Stockdale Joey Mancuso Marcus Mitchell Assists Mitchell Hale Jack Ring Jacod Modry
9 7 6
Goals
Annie Katonka Ivy Boric Nicole Unsworth Assists Ivy Boric Sara Krauseneck Mattie Norton
Save Percentage Ashely Davis
Men’s Basketball
Women’s Baskeball
Points (avg.)
Points(avg.)
Assists(avg.)
Plattsburghs, Erik Salo(10) is second on his team averaging 15 points a game this year.
9 7 4
Save Percentage Anthony Del Tufo .891
Kevin Tabb Erik Salo Axel Rodriguez
DAKOTA GILBERT/Cardinal Points
Women’s Hockey
Axel Rodriguez Kevin Tabb Marion Todd
15 14.3 10.7
3.8 2.4 2.2
DAKOTA GILBERT/Cardinal Points
Deja Beuford Misa Dowdell Payton Couture
Assists(avg.)
Kayla Doody Mya Smith Payton Couture
8 7 7
12 10 10
.921
Men’s Basketball
School Record SUNYAC New Platz 2-1 2-0 Cortland 3-1 3-1 Plattsburgh 1-1 1-3 Oswego 1-2 1-2 Brockport 0-1 0-1 Fredonia 0-2 0-3 Geneso 0-0 1-0 Oneonta 0-0 2-0
Women’s Hockey
15 14 13.7
5.5 2 1.3
School Cortland Geneseo New Paltz Plattsburgh Brockport Buffalo State Fredonia Oneonta Oswego Potsdam
Record SUNYAC6-2 1-0 3-5 1-0 4-5 1-0 5-3 1-0 8-2 0-1 2-4 0-0 3-4 0-0 1-6 0-1 4-5 0-1 2-3 0-1
DAKOTA GILBERT/Cardinal Points
The two captians number 18 Matt Araujo and number 12 ben Thompson line up for the Number 7 Kevin Weaver-Vitale gets to work on the boards agienst Potsdam. opening faceoff.
Cardinals escape with close win BY LIAM SAMPLE Staff Writer
The Plattsburgh State Men’s Hockey Team took down the Portland Bears 1-0 in a defensive battle Dec. 3 at Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena in a conference game. Plattsburgh came into this game with a 5-4-1 record, coming off a tough 5-2 loss versus No.6 Norwich University Nov. 28 in their final game of the Firstlight Shootout at Middlebury, Vermont. In comparison, the Bears are winless on the season. The first two periods saw back and forth play between
the teams with opportunities on both sides of the ice, but no team got one into the back of the net. Plattsburgh led 17-16 in shots heading into the break. In the third, Plattsburgh finally broke the stalemate. Just after the fourteen minute mark, sophomore forward Joey Mancuso kept the puck in the offensive zone after an attempted clear by Potsdam. Mancuso pushed it ahead to Sophomore Forward Thomas Maia, who skated into the red circle and ripped the puck top-shelf to make the score 1-0. This game was the Casella Teddy Bear Toss Night to aid the Clinton County Christmas Bureau. After the goal, the ice was covered with teddy bears from the fans.
This goal was Maia’s second of the season and sixth point, Mancuso picked up the sole assist on the play for his seventh this year. He leads the team with fourteen points. Sophomore goaltender Anthony Del Tufo made twenty four stops for his sixth win of the season. This was his first collegiate shutout and came in a crucial win for his team.Plattsburgh finished the game with a 26-24 shot advantage over Potsdam. They moved to 6-4-1 on the season with a 4-2-1 record in the conference and currently sit at fourth in the SUNYAC men’s hockey standings.
Email LIAM SAMPLE
cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
WHKY
Continued from page B1 The Lady Cards didn’t let up either, as halfway through the second period sophomore Mae Olshansky tacked on another goal, off assists from Unsworth and junior Kendall Wasik. However, two minutes later both Norton and senior Taylor Whitney were sent to the penalty box on separate penalties, and the Bears were able to capitalize. Potsdam’s Kaylee Merrill scored the 5 v.s. 3 goal to put them down 3-1. The Cardinals responded and in dominant fashion. Whitney kicked the lead back up to three goals just before the end of the second period with a goal assisted by senior Sara Krauseneck and graduate student Erin McArdle. From there it was all Plattsburgh, as Unsworth and Drew-Mead each scored a powerplay goal in the final period to finish the game on top by a score of 6-1. “It was good for us to get back on the winning track. We wanted to just kind of keep that momentum going with more conference points on the line the next day,” said senior goaltender Ashley Davis. The Lady Cardinals certainly did keep that momentum going, as once again they were the team to strike first in the opening period of their game Dec. 4 v.s. SUNY Canton. First-year student Lily Stumm scored at the 11-minute mark, off assists from senior Holly Schmelzer and Drew-Mead. The major trend in this game started in the first period, as the Cardinals outshot the Roos 15-3 in the period and 47-13 in the afternoon. “I think we were able to capitalize in certain situations and kind of control most of the game,” Davis said. “But that came with its own set of challenges, compared to some of the tighter games we played the weekend before.” Taking a 1-0 lead into the second, Plattsburgh was able to build on their advantage with a goal four minutes into the period by Krauseneck, assisted by first-year student Riley Calhoun. While again the team outshot Canton 18-5, there was no scoring for the rest of the period, and they headed to the third frame up 2-0. However, to open the third period Canton’s Sarah Kosnaskie scored a shorthanded goal to cut the lead in half. “It definitely got us on our toes a little more but we definitely didn’t have any letdown,” McArdle said. “We just wanted to keep pressuring them and keep playing it as best we can and go from there and hopefully get the lucky bounces.” Plattsburgh made sure this game didn’t slip away, as Krauseneck and first-year student Bridget Orr each scored to close out the period and take more points away from a conference opponent, winning the game 4-1. While the offense thrived on the weekend, combining for 10 goals, it is also important to highlight the Lady Cards’ defensive unit which allowed just two goals combined. “We have a little bit of a goaltender rotation going on right now. So we’re all getting some time and it’s good to see Lilla [Nease] and Chloe [Beaubien] get some time in net and see them do well,” Davis said. Following these past two massive road conference wins the team had a week in between games before they rematch Elmira, in their first matchup of the Norwich East-West Hockey Tournament. These will be their last games before the winter holiday break. “We’re just kind of working on our zones and working on our systems,” McArdle said. “Just working on those little things and critiquing them, making sure that we all know and are on the same page with our system.”
Email LIAM SAMPLE
cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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Sports Editor Garrett Collins
CARDINAL SPORTS
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Friday, Dec. 10, 2021
Beat and bruised by Bears BY GARRETT COLLINS Sports Editor
The Cardinals returned home versus the Potsdam Bears in Memorial Hall Nov. 30. It was a game that grinded out to the very end. The team looked better on defense than they showed when they were down, as they were able to shed a nine point deficit going into the fourth quarter. Unfortunately they weren’t able to hold on to the comeback and fell to the Bears by a score of 67-63. The Cardinals and the Bears both went back and forth during the first quarter. The Bears had a nice run during the middle of the first quarter, at one point leading the game 15-8 with 3:16 left in the first. Two three pointers from Mya Smith and Brinley Inglee kept the Cardinals away from falling behind and the Cardinals were able to take the lead in the final couple minutes of the quarter, ending it with a score of 19-17 in favor of the Cardinals. The Cardinals early game shooting woes were something that wasn’t a factor throughout the first quarter going 7-12 and 2-3. The second quarter saw another close matchup between the two teams. The largest lead of the quarter was held to three points and that was held by the Potsdam Bears. The Cardinals kept pushing, keeping close to the Potsdam offense who was held to 29% from the field. Another thing that was being pushed around was Plattsburgh, as they started getting physical on the floor. One player that was beat around, was senior guard Kayla Doody. “We knew going into the game that it was going to be physical, Potsdam and us have always had a competitive rivalry,” Doody said. “We talked about staying together and playing as a team, not letting the physical side affect how we played mentally. I thought we did great as a team working past that and staying together.” The first half ended with the Cardinals down to the Bears 34-32. Plattsburghs shooting looked good but not nearly as effective as they were in the first quarter shooting 6-19 but the 1-6 from three point distance left something to be desired, but the Cardinals were still in striking distance after one half of play. The second half of the game started with a 7-0 run by the Bears which extended their lead to nine within the first 2 minutes of the third quarter. Two three pointers from Mya Smith cut the Bears lead to just three points. The Bears extended the lead they had slowly but surely, ending the quarter with a 9 point lead at the end of the third, leading the game 53-44. The Cardinals shot ok from the field as they went 5-14, but was once again abysmal from three point range making just 2 of their 7. The 4th quarter opened up with the Bears, who were nursing a nine point lead, immediately went to work scoring the opening basket. But after that, the Cardinals woke up. A timely three-pointer from Inglee and 2 jumpers from Peyton
DAKOTA GILBERT/Cardinal Points
The Cardinals were pushed around during a loss to the Potsdam bears. Couture closed the gap just in time for a late run for the Cardinals. With 6:36 left in the game, the Cardinals found themselves in a spot that seemed unlikely in the beginning of the quarter. They were down by two and a fastbreak foul drawn by Inglee closed the lead to just one point with 6:17 left. Two minutes later, with 4:18 left in the game, Mya Smith for the Cardinals found the bottom of the net from a clutch layup, to finally take the lead and seemingly finish the comeback. Two brutal turnovers for the Cardinals allowed the Bears to reclaim the lead 6460. Couture put the Cardinals in striking distance once more with 47 seconds left with the Bears holding on by a string to a one point lead. The Cardinals found themselves in a position to force overtime when it came down to the final free throws. The Cardinals failed to convert the tying free throw and found themselves in a free throw game in which the Bears won. The Cardinals would lose the game 67-63. One thing that was apparent was the change of pace on defense. The team looked a whole lot better at being able to bottle up the opponents offense. One player that made a huge impact on that side of the ball was forward Misa Dowdell. She put up 4 blocks and put up 14 points. Defence is something that she prides herself on and finds that the team plays well when they lock it down. “As anyone would say, defense wins games. Being able to stop your opponents from scoring gives the team opportunities to capitalize,” Dowdell said. “Even if offensively the team is off, we know that by getting a stop we get in the heads of our opponents which just gives us the oppor-
tunities we need to score.” Dowdell made a return to the lineup for the first time this season and was noticed by the whole team, especially fellow forward Couture. “She’s a strong powerful force inside,”Couture said. “I think we played solid defense for most of the game.” within the first 2 minutes of the third quarter. Two three pointers from Mya Smith cut the Bears lead to just three points. The Bears extended the lead they had slowly but surely, ending the quarter with a nine point lead at the end of the third, leading the game 53-44. The Cardinals shot ok from the field as they went 5-14, but was once again abysmal from three point range making just 2 of their 7. The 4th quarter opened up with the Bears, who were nursing a nine point lead, immediately went to work scoring the opening basket. But after that, the Cardinals woke up. A timely threepointer from Inglee and 2 jumpers from Peyton Couture closed the gap just in time for a late run for the Cardinals. With 6:36 left in the game, the Cardinals found themselves in a spot that seemed unlikely in the beginning of the quarter. They were down by two and a fastbreak foul drawn by Inglee closed the lead to just one point with 6:17 left. Two minutes later, with 4:18 left in the game, Mya Smith for the Cardinals found the bottom of the net from a clutch layup, to finally take the lead and seemingly finish the comeback. Two brutal turnovers for the Cardinals allowed the Bears to reclaim the lead 64-60. Couture put the Cardinals
in striking distance once more with 47 seconds left with the Bears holding on by a string to a one point lead. The Cardinals found themselves in a position to force overtime when it came down to the final free throws. The Cardinals failed to convert the tying free throw and found themselves in a free throw game in which the Bears won. The Cardinals would lose the game 67-63. One thing that was apparent was the change of pace on defense. The team looked a whole lot better at being able to bottle up the opponents offense. One player that made a huge impact on that side of the ball was forward Misa Dowdell. She put up 4 blocks and put up 14 points. Defence is something that she prides herself on and finds that the team plays well when they lock it down. “As anyone would say, defense wins games. Being able to stop your opponents from scoring gives the team opportunities to capitalize,” Dowdell said. “Even if offensively the team is off, we know that by getting a stop we get in the heads of our opponents which just gives us the opportunities we need to score.” Dowdell made a return to the lineup for the first time this season and was noticed by the whole team, especially fellow forward Couture. “She’s a strong powerful force inside,”Couture said. “I think we played solid defense for most of the game.”
Email GARRETT COLLINS cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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FUSE Editor Adeeb Chowdhury
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FUSE
Friday, Dec. 10, 2021
Shahzad uses leadership skills, serves community BY ADEEB CHOWDHURY FUSE Editor
While describing some memorable moments during her childhood, Beenish Shahzad recalled that she had gotten into a fight with her principal during her first week of school. Her principal had said something she didn’t quite agree with, and instead of simply nodding along, Shahzad stood her ground and made her thoughts abundantly clear. Although she laughed about it now as she thought back to that incident, that moment actually serves as an interesting illustration of the traits that would define much of her life to come – her willpower, resolve and a sense of stubbornness that would get her exactly where she needed to go. Shahzad was born in Islamabad, Pakistan, and raised in Ahmedal, a village in the Punjab province of the nation. She described herself as being very close to her family, which consisted of her parents, grandparents and five siblings, among whom she was the third child. “A lot of my childhood was spent with my grandfather in our family’s farm, where I’d go almost every single day,” Shahzad said. “We had a lot of cattle, and I’d spend my time playing with cows and baby goats or collecting mushrooms.” After her grandfather passed away when she was nine years old, she shifted more toward academics and schoolwork. “In my village, there were very few schools,” Shahzad said. “And the ones that were there, didn’t have the most opportunities. There was no college in the village. Some of the teachers in the local schools were inexperienced. Fortunately, I was able to attend a private school, which was the best school in the village.” Despite the lack of opportunities in Ahmedal, Shahzad took advantage of every academic resource and extracurricular platform she could find. She kept herself busy by engaging in various sports, such as marathons and badminton, as well as writing and debate competitions. However, in her school, most extracurriculars were a once-a-year event – such as an annual debate competition – as opposed to year-round activities like those in the United States. A pivotal moment in her life was the board exams she took in fifth grade, which all the students in her district took part in. Shahzad was the second-highest scorer in her entire district and became the first person in her school to receive a scholarship. This motivated her to continue achieving at a high level, and she committed herself to academic excellence throughout the rest of her career as a student, becoming a top scorer in her class. Another source of motivation for Shahzad was her eldest sister, Komal. “Komal is really my role model, and I’ve looked up to her since I was young,” Shahzad said. “She’s a gold medalist in her finance major during both her Bachelor’s and her Master’s, and she has a great job right now. She’s one of the people that genuinely inspire me.” Accompanying Shahzad’s reputation as an excellent student was her “stubbornness.” One of her defining qualities is her steely determination and ability to stand up for herself, even to authority figures. She noted several moments during her childhood when she openly disagreed with teachers and school officials and made her own opinion clear, debating them in a respectful manner. “If I think someone is wrong about something, I won’t hide that,” Shahzad said. “I’ll make my thoughts be heard.” When Shahzad was 18 years old, she moved to the city of Rawalpindi, where her life dramatically shifted. The village where she had grown up was known to be deeply conservative. Most women and many men did not end up attending university, because the emphasis was on getting married and having children. This social pressure was
ROHAN NASRE/Cardinal Points
Shahzad plans to use lessons learned in America to help her community in Pakistan. especially exerted on women, who often did not have much of a say in the matter, as most marriages were arranged by their parents and relatives. “Although my village was very conservative, my family had their own values,” Shahzad said. “My father encouraged me to pursue my career and make my own decisions in life.” In Rawalpindi, where she attended university, Shahzad felt that her whole perspective on life shifted in many ways. She was exposed to the “real world”, meeting people of various backgrounds and learning more about the way the world truly worked. It was also her first time attending a co-ed institution. Shahzad also started a job at an institute for special education, where she worked with students with various disabilities, ranging from hearing impairments to developmental disorders. Her experience working at this institution was eye-opening and humbling, inspiring her to further pursue a degree in psychology. During her university years, she helped establish a local Community Service Society, of which she was the vice president. Professor Ume Siddiqa, one of Shahzad’s instructors, noted her constant drive to use all resources available to her. “Beenish is one of her own kind,” Siddiqua said. “The kind of student who is always passionate and always working hard. She is the kind of girl who sure knows what she wants in life and would work day and night to make sure she achieves it.” Shahzad has also been involved with the organization Acts of Kindness, which hosts a project called “Medkhidmat” (meaning “to serve”). This project, which has treated over 40,000 patients, involves setting up free medical camps with teams of doctors, psychologists and
other healthcare professionals in various regions in Pakistan. Shahzad has worked with teams of psychologists at such medical camps across the nation. “It was a very valuable experience to be able to work as part of Medkhidmat,” Shahzad said. “A lot of our patients were people living below the poverty line, and it opened my eyes to the conditions they live in. I was happy that they felt comfortable talking to us about their lives and the issues they face, and I’m glad I was able to help in any way I can.” The founder of Acts of Kindness, Ateeq Afridi, emphasized Shahzad’s genuine willingness to serve her community. “Beenish Shahzad has been working with us for years now, and it had been a great experience so far,” Afridi said. “She’s been an active volunteer throughout whether it comes to participating in the event or spreading awareness about it. She is dedicated to serve the society, and make a difference. We have seen her grow throughout these years.” During a campaign about the usage of plastic bags, Shahzad met a girl who told her she would be a good fit for an exciting opportunity known as the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (UGrad), which sponsored university students across the world in attending a semester in the United States. Immediately intrigued, Shahzad applied in 2019 and became one of the 140 students from Pakistan selected among over 16,000 applicants. The selection process was based on academic excellence, leadership and communication skills, and a statement of purpose, which Shahzad used to talk about her interest in doing social work and community service. “It was a dream come true for me to study in the United States,” Shahzad said. “I found out I would be attending SUNY
Plattsburgh about a month before I came here, and I spent that whole month going through the university’s Instagram and YouTube pages because I was so excited.” Her family and community was equally delighted to hear the news. “My parents are really proud that I got selected,” Shahzad said. “People in my village are excited too, and they ask my parents when I’ll be coming back. I hope me being selected makes it easier for other girls in my community to apply and be allowed to go.” Once in Plattsburgh, Shahzad immediately took the initiative to become involved on campus. She joined the Women in Leadership Society and the Academic Affairs Board of the Student Association. Her work with the SA has taught her a lot about efficient communication and organizational structure, and it has inspired her to start a Student Association at her own university in Pakistan once she returns there. “I’ve learned the value of proper communication between students and higher authorities, and I think the SA is a great channel of communication that accomplishes that,” Shahzad said. “I’m planning to build an organization like that back home.” Shahzad has also been involved in professional research work in the field of psychology, and has been published in a scientific journal. In 2020, her research was published in the International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare, on the topic of “psychometric development and validation of ostracism experience scale (OES) across samples of young adults in Pakistan.” In simple terms, she used objective measures to assess the psychological effects of social isolation on young adults in her country. “It was overwhelming to have my research be published in a reputable journal,” Shahzad said. “It definitely motivated me to continue in the field of research.” Shahzad is working as a research assistant for a SUNY Plattsburgh professor. She currently cannot provide details of the project due to the discreet nature of the work being done. Another goal of hers in Plattsburgh is to represent her country in a more authentic and correct way. “I know there’s a lot of paranoia and fear in America about a country like Pakistan,” Shahzad said. “But I want to show that the media’s portrayal of my country is completely wrong, and I want to show the true face of Pakistan. Even if I change a few people’s minds about my country, I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot.” One such moment occurred when Shahzad delivered a presentation about Pakistan to a team of Girl Scouts and their parents, and one of their parents emailed the Global Education Office voicing their appreciation for how much they learned about the country. Ruba Khan, a fellow exchange student from Pakistan currently studying at SUNY Plattsburgh, celebrated her own and Shahzad’s dedication to positive representation of their country. “Beenish is amazing, and working with her has been a joy,” Khan said. “I love that we can help improve people’s perception of our country here.” Looking to the future, Shahzad said she wants to pursue more experience in social work and helping those who need it most. “In Islam, helping other people is a sacred duty,” Shahzad said. “It’s one of my most important priorities in life.” Shahzad will be leaving Plattsburgh in about a week and a half from today. Looking back on her time in the U.S., she is confident that she can take what she learned back to Pakistan and continue serving her community however she can.
Email ADEEB CHOWDHURY cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
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FUSE
FUSE Editor Adeeb Chowdhury
Friday, Dec. 10, 2021
JCAP Continued from page B6 JCAP is an organization dedicated to educating students about Japanese culture and lifestyles. By hosting showcases of various aspects of Japanese culture and events that encourage students to directly participate in traditional activities, the club aims to inspire curiosity about Japan and its people. So far, JCAP has hosted various events throughout the semester, most notably a large picnic open to all students. The picnic featured a variety of traditional Japanese food items and over 30 people were in attendance at the event. “The picnic was one of the best events I’ve been to this semester,” senior Alex Borodin said. “I learned a lot about Japanese cuisine and made a lot of new friends in the club.” JCAP Treasurer Yuri Chikuda highlighted the traditional food items that were prepared for the picnic. “We prepared rice balls called onigiri, sandwiches and some snacks,” Chikuda said. “We were pleased that people could have so much fun there.” Other events have included an anime night, a Japanese 101 lesson and a Japanese virtual tour. The last event of the semester was a presentation
Photo provided by Hanna Nishizawa
The Japanese Cultural Association of Plattsburgh during their picnic, where they served traditional Japanese dishes. on special places in Japan for tourists to visit. Taking place in Feinberg 105, the meeting showed members pictures and videos of the most extraordinary spots throughout Japan, as well as what they can expect to see people eat and wear in the country.
Hanna Nishizawa, the JCAP president, spoke on the importance of the club to herself and to SUNY Plattsburgh as a whole. “I’m so proud that we can bring Japanese culture to Plattsburgh and showcase parts of our traditions,” Nishizawa said.
“I love educating people about my country’s history and what it’s like today. And I’m so happy to see so many people take an interest in it.” The JCAP Instagram page also has various resources for those interested in learning about the
country and its culture. There is a section dedicated to the basics of the Japanese language, with videos and short clips on the alphabet, how to write letters and how to say common phrases. There is also a section called JPOP in which
members share their favorite Japanese songs and music for everyone to enjoy.
Email SERENA GANESAN cp@cardinalpointsonline.com
Sex and the SUNY collects stories about funny, gross, and just plain memorable juicy experiences on campus. If you want your story to be featured, submit it anonymously at cardinalpointsonline.com. We’ve heard enough abt music playlists during sex. So what abt the best movie to watch before/during /after doing it? - Anchorman - My Cousin Vinnie - Pirates of the Caribbean (great theme song) - Rocky 1, 2, and 4 (NOT 3) - Tangled - Aladdin - Space Jam - Live action Scooby Doo - 8 Mile - Twilight - Zombieland - Superbad
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I get that some of y’all are horny af but pls IN THE BACKSEAT OF THE SHUTTLE?? y’all need to watch yourselves
LEO
You had access to Gemini’s Spotify account and secretly streamed Drake every night while they slept because you can’t stand their massive ego and wanted to watch their whole condescending facade crumble before your eyes.
ARIES
You don’t know this yet, but Pete Davidson is dating you too.
TAURUS
The person you’ve really liked for a long time and desperately wanted to be with, is actually more interested in your best friend than in you. In fact, they would rather go out with anyone but you. But don’t worry. This is just because you’re not very attractive.
VIRGO
Your room will inexplicably smell like cow poop during all of finals week. No one else’s room, just yours.
GEMINI
You constantly pride yourself on having “elite” and “different” music taste and “being born in the wrong generation.” Your entire sense of identity and superiority will crumble when you find out your #1 artist on Spotify was Drake.
LIBRA
Your significant other is comparing hand sizes with someone else right now.
March 21 - April 19
April 20 - May 20
May 21 - June 20
CANCER
June 21 - July 22
It will be revealed that you were the person who was listening to Dixie D’Amelio while having sex. Your social life will never recover, people will look at you weird on the street, and no one will sleep with you again.
July 23 - Aug 22
Aug 23 Sept 22
Sept 23 Oct 22
SCORPIO Oct 23 Nov 21
You are an amazing person, Scorpio :) You’re so smart and cool and funny, and you will achieve all your goals. You’re literally perfect.
SAGITTARIUS Nov 22 - Dec 21
CAPRICORN Dec 22 Jan 19
AQUARIUS Jan 20 Feb 18
PISCES Feb 19 March 20
Due to the butterfly effect, you did something very minor three weeks ago that you didn’t even think twice about, which actually put in motion a series of events
You will have the opposite of a growth spurt and wake up 4’9.
: You will be arrested and convicted for screenshotting an NFT.
[Due to the disturbing and distressing nature of events in your near future, this horoscope has been retracted.]
Haunted Maze B4 Cardinal Watch B4
Japanese Cultural Association celebrates traditions and lifestyles BY SERENA GANESAN Contributor
On Dec. 2, the Japanese Cultural Association at Plattsburgh held their final meeting of the semester. The audience of at least 30 people – from both within and outside the club and with members from over 10 different nationalities – was a testament to the wide reach of the organization and the legacy it has built over the semester. (continued on B5)
NGHI TO/Cardinal Points