Union College has, in the past half a century, remained committed to the importance of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, which states: “No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program
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When considering treatments for mental disorders, psychedelics might not seem like the obvious first choice. But for one Union alumnus, these frequently stigmatized molecules are a key part of changing how we treat the mind.
David E. Olson ’06, researcher and professor of chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular medicine at University of California, Davis, and co-founder of the company Delix Therapeutics, is pursuing the development of a possible schizophrenia treatment from
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On April 28, a new security protocol was established on campus. All Union buildings, with the exception of Reamer, the Nott, and the entrance to Grant Hall, require a Union ID to enter. Locking campus doors ensures comfort that comes with safety in work spaces. With all this, the investigation of this article is to highlight which doors stay unlocked. Reamer houses multiple organizations that have felt the heat of increased security risk in the recent months. With hate crime incidents rising nationwide, one wonders why the building hosting most religious and spiritual life offices would not also be locked to help promote campus safety.
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At 7:35 A.M. on April 21st, 2025, the morning after Easter Sunday, Pope Francis I, head of the Catholic Church and spiritual minister to more than one billion faithful, died from complications arising from a stroke suffered through the night. After nearly twelve years at the helm of the largest religious organization in the world, his passing comes after several years of troubled health, including frequent hospital stays for lung infections, and public appearances revealing the Pope’s use of supplemental oxygen. As Catholics across the globe mourn his loss, many of us may ask who was Pope Francis and what will come of his passing after over a decade of world leadership?
Born Jorge Mario Bergolio on December 17th 1936, he was born into a family of Italian immigrants in Buenos Aires, a background in chemical research would make the
then 22-year old seem an unlikely candidate for clerical life. However after a period of time working as a night-club bouncer, a food packer, and being forced to break up with his then-girlfriend by her father, his faith in the Catholic religion inspired him to enter a seminary where, eight years later, he was ordained as a priest in 1969. The following decades would see him rise through the ranks of the Catholic Church, becoming a cardinal in 2001, participating in the election of Benedict XVI in 2005, and subsequently being elected to the papacy himself after Benedict’s resignation in 2013. Upon his election he took the name of “Francis” after St. Francis of Asisi, a Catholic saint renowned for his service to the poor and charitability, virtues which would go on to define his time as pontiff. For over a decade after his election, Francis would go on to write essays and books criticizing the state of both global politics and the Catholic Church’s complacen-
cy in global policy. His doctrine attempted to shift the Catholic Church toward inclusivity and acceptance, instead of divisiveness and separation. One such famed statement made early in his papacy came in response to president Donald Trump’s promise to erect a border wall between the United States and Mexico, stating: “A person who thinks about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not a Christian.” The pope also took up similarly progressive views relating to divorce and LGBTQ+ issues on which the Church had largely stagnated in recent years. His death comes as a shock to Catholics both here at Union and around the world, with many struck with its symbolic nature in proximity to the celebration of Easter. The Catholic community on campus is both disheartened with his loss and hopeful of a swift and successful election which will decide another pope who may continue Francis’ journey.
“It’s a strange time to live through,” said first-year Susana Diaz “this is the first time any of our generation have lived through something like this, and we can only wait and see what will happen.” Voting starts May 7th, and the 135 cardinals eligible will vote 4 times per day in three day blocks until a pope is chosen via two-thirds majority.
Union College has, in the past half a century, remained committed to the importance of Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, which states: "No person in the U.S. shall, on the basis of sex be excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal aid.” This extends to gender-based violence, misconduct, and harassment, all of which falls under the oversight of the Title IX office and directorship of Ann Ciancia.
April is the month of sexual assault and sexual violence awareness, and It’s Up to U in conjunction with Planned Parenthood and other student groups as well as the Title IX office have created initiatives and programs to spread awareness about these crucial issues.
One such program was It’s Up to U’s seven-part “Reel Talk” series analyzing sexual violence in media. This series featured Michaela Coel’s Emmy-winning show “I May
Destroy You,” and Dick Wolf’s Law and Order, Special Victims Unit, and helped expand upon exactly what role violence plays in the work and how it is depicted.
Another initiative taken in solidarity of victims of sexual violence and abuse was the Clothesline Project.
Done every year at the beginning of the month, It’s Up to U invited students to write their most supportive messages for survivors on shirts, which were then hung in clothesline-fashion in the McClean Family Atrium in the Peter Irving Wold Center.
The month culminates with It’s Up to U’s Sexapalooza in Old Chapel, where Planned Parenthood members will join up with group organizers to provide an interactive and informative experience. Games and prizes are included in order to teach participants about the importance of consent, sexual health, and sex positivity.
In all, the office and faculty of Title IX at Union College work, through the month of April and throughout the year, to educate students about the importance of sexual violence awareness and acceptance, and encourages those who
may be struggling to reach out to both themselves and the resources available at the Eppler-Wolff Counseling Center in the Wicker Wellness Center. Wicker Wellness can be reached at (518) 388-6120 and the Office of Title IX can be contacted at (518) 388-6865 or by email at titleix@union.edu.
Ryan Cudworth Staff Writer
On April 28, a new security protocol was established on campus. All Union buildings, with the exception of Reamer, the Nott, and the entrance to Grant Hall, will require a Union ID to enter year-round.
This new information was supplied to the community via email from the Office of Communications, stating that the change does not come from any recent threatening activity in Schenectady, however, “it comes from ongoing conversations with members of our community, many of whom have expressed that they would feel more secure in their work or classroom space if this change was made.”
There is no doubt that safety, both the perception and especially its reality, is an important goal for a college campus. Still, I am confused by the decisions of which buildings are becoming locked or not. While the Nott is a historic building and designated a National Historic Landmark, and Grant Hall being our admissions building necessitates that both of these buildings remain open, Reamer is a little different. The building houses a few dining options, offices that support Residential and Greek life, and the bookstore.
Due to the dining services, Reamer constitutes a restaurant, requiring the doors to stay unlocked. With these few offices and food services, Reamer leans more similar to Old Chapel or Olin, than the
unlocked spaces of Grant Hall and the Nott.
However, that is not the main purpose of this article. What Reamer does house is affinity groups and organizations that have felt the heat of increased security risk in recent months. Speaking with a source familiar with the policy change discussion mentioned the increased hate crime incidents rising nationwide, and both antisemitic and anti-Muslim violence rising at staggering rates in recent years, and how these events have added to pressure to locking more builings on campus with Union ID access. Although,
one would wonder why the building hosting the offices of religious and spiritual life, as well as the Office of Intercultural Affairs, would not also be locked to help promote the security we would expect in the library or ISEC..
Furthermore, the increasing incidences of ICE deportation and detentions have gained much presence in the news, and rightfully so. President Trump’s fantasizing about deporting people to El Salvador regardless of citizenship status, as well as recent reports of many deportees having been ripped from their communities “on accident”
due to “administrative error” should give pause to all of us. The warrantless arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, with ICE agents erroneously claiming that his student visa had been revoked – only to find that he was a lawful permanent resident, a status they would also claim had been rescinded – should also concern anyone interested in political organizing on campus for Palestine or any other cause.
There is a way that Union could help prevent these unlawful acts, which would involve locking all doors – as ICE agents cannot enter locked buildings without a warrant. Notably, as of the writing of this piece, the Reamer Campus Center would not be locked.
Safety for Union students has been taken more seriously with these lockings, however, safety policies must be consistent. It’s truly a delicate time in the world, and it’s valuable for the campus community to access the same safety standards in all buildings – or be informed further about ICE raids. Speaking with some admin about this policy change, it’s clear the school must be forthright that this policy is meant to protect people from deportation, as you can not protect a community with thought without telling them you’re doing so. If we are going to lock buildings based on safety, we should do so in a manner that protects people both from theft in the library, and the extrajudicial deportations increasingly becoming emblematic of the Trump administration, equally.
Naomi Nayor Satff Writer
Union College is known for having ABET-accredited engineering programs, as a liberal arts school. It is one of the few schools that offers engineering in the form of a liberal arts education. Many students will commit to Union for this integration. When committing to Union, I was thrilled to be a part of a community that fostered both STEM and the humanities. However, after a few months of being on campus, I began to alter my excitement.
This all began with jokes from other peers when I told them I was majoring in English. They would make comments saying how I would never get a job or that I had it easy. I knew they were kidding, but when more and more people would make similar jokes, I started to feel as if I weren’t being taken seriously.
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An anonymous interviewee stated, “I feel like I was falsely advertised to when applying to Union. I’ve been talked down to when I share that I am majoring in Psychology.”
This proves other students have faced similar instances, even leading them to believe that Union isn’t exactly what they advertised for.
It is important to note here that psychology is technically a STEM field. However, many students consider it to be a “soft science” because it requires less quantitative reasoning. “Hard sciences” include areas such as engineering and natural sciences. So, it is not just the humanities that are looked down upon, but also the social sciences.
According to Union’s common data set for 2024-2025, 27% of students are majoring in the humanities. For a school that claims it values the integration of the humanities and STEM, this is a notable low number of people who focus on the
humanities. This is not just the case for Union, however. A lot of other colleges face the same issue of a lack of students who have an interest in the humanities. According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, “The number of bachelor’s degrees conferred in the historical categories [humanities] has been falling more quickly than for the field as a whole—with a decline of almost 37% from 2012 to 2022.”
Schools all around the United States are losing interest in the humanities, and trustees are high-
ly aware of that. This means that funding for humanities departments starts to decrease.
“Schools seem to have given up, which leads to them taking funding away from the humanities field,” commented English major Alex Sano ‘28. Although education buildings and their needs alter with catering towards certain majors, there is a notable trend that STEM buildings are taking over campus. There is even a new building in progress for engineering. All this highlights the limited resources and finances being put into the humanities.
Alex
Concordiensis welcomes letters to the editor on its coverage and school-related issues. Submissions are selected by the editor (including from comments posted to our social media pages) to provide a variety of opinions and voices and all are subject to editing for accuracy, clarity and length and to remove personal attacks. Letters may be emailed to concordy@union.edu. The writer’s full name, class year and e-mail or phone number must be included, but only the name and class year will be published.
Overall, there is a substantial loss of interest in the humanities, not just at Union but at many other colleges. Due to this, the field is losing funding and resources. Many do not realize how important the humanities are, and if this continues to happen, the future will lack creativity, critical thinking, and inspiration.
Sienna Chambial Pop/Culture Editor
This past Sunday, April 27, Union College woke up to a grand stage set up on West Beach for the annual Springfest concert. The event also welcomed the first white tents of the season—considered across campus the unofficial sign that spring has finally arrived. One of the most anticipated events of the spring term, Springfest is arguably the biggest pop culture event of the year at Union.
While the rain and wind made for less-than-ideal weather conditions, they didn’t stop students from dressing up in their favorite outfits and soaking up the fun.
The Springfest lineup continues to be one of the bestkept secrets on campus, typically not revealed until just two or three days before the event. In past years, Union has host-
ed renowned artists like Charli XCX, Anne-Marie, 24kGoldn, and DNCE during the peaks of their musical careers.
This year, the headliner reveal was especially creative: students received mustard packets with the name of DJ and record producer Dijon Isaiah McFarlane—better known by his stage name, Mustard—printed in bold letters. The packet also listed the other performers on the lineup: hip-hop duo MKTO and singer Leah Kate.
“I was kinda nervous at first because I had no idea what it would be like, since it was at a random noon on a Sunday,” said first year Chase Nelson. “But it was so much fun, especially Mustard’s set—getting to hear all the hits he’s produced was so special.”
DJ Mustard, known for collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, Travis Scott, and Drake, delivered a captivating performance filled with
familiar tracks from everyone’s childhoods. From hits like “Fein” and “Not Like Us” to “Plain Jane” and the nostalgic “Party in the U.S.A.”, his set lived up to the hype people were expecting to see.
“It was so much fun to scream the lyrics of every song played,” expressed senior Vaishali Srinivasan. “He played old-time classics, new hits, and had them coming at us back to back to back. He was the best artist to end these incredible four years of Springfest,” she added as she got emotional about her last Springfest at Union MKTO’s performance received equally enthusiastic reactions. Sophomore Prakriti Pradhan shared a core memory associated with the band, “I remember first hearing MKTO’s ‘American Dream’ on my 2016 school trip, and we blasted that song on loop. I got a rush of nostalgia hearing it performed live!”
Sophomore Paige Fox added, “As soon as they walked out on stage it felt like a fever dream. It didn’t feel real seeing them perform after so many years.”
Many students barely made it to the venue in time to catch Leah Kate, who kicked off the day’s lineup. “I made it just as Leah was asking someone about their ex and calling them out through her viral song ‘10 Things I Hate About You,’” said freshman Narayani Yogi. “I thought that was iconic, to say the least.”
Overall, this year’s Springfest exceeded expectations— not just because of the artists, but also because of the energy and enthusiasm that radiated on campus due to their presence. Whether students were longtime fans or hearing the songs for the first time, everyone seemed to enjoy.
SIENNA CHAMBIAL, POP/CULTURE EDITOR chambias@union.edu
Naomi Nayor Staff Writer
Springfest is one of Union’s most anticipated events wherein the school brings musicians from all over to put on an iconic performance for the students.. Naturally, it is no surprise that the students love to dress up for this significant day on campus. Fashion is a crucial element of Springfest for many students.
Union students see this day as a way to express themselves and have a fun excuse to go all-out with their outfits. This year, there were a lot of common themes in people’s attires: most outfits were vibrant, patterned, bohemian, and chic. Many students embraced the “spring-themed” look with their outfits, using the season as an inspiration for what they wore, while others dressed up to match the vibes of the artists in the lineup.
Outfits saw varying levels of masculinity and femininity, colors, fitting, styles, and accessories. We at Concordiensis talked to a few such students to take a closer look at what they wore and what these outfits meant to them, to uncover the fashion significance of this event on thee Union community.
Junior Maia decided on her aesthetic before she decided on an outfit. She knew she wanted an alternative and Indie look. Since her friend was wearing a “bomb outfit”, she had to bring the same energy to the event. She settled on vibrant eyeshadow, gems, a printed tube top, and burgundy flare leggings. bringing her artistic vision to life.
Senior Nickky Obay adorned
a cropped, long-sleeved, eopard-printed shirt with dark blue skinny jeans, and a golden body chain. She stated that the outfit was “impromptu besides the body chain,” Getting ready for Springfest in an outfit she loved so much made the event even more fun for her.
First year Caleb Hill wore a black cropped tank top and white crochet pants. At first, he had
planned on wearing a crochet cardigan. However, it didn’t work as well as anticipated, so he went for a more bohemian and chic “Coachella-inspired look.”
Another first year Kate Andre settled on vibrant, flowy pants with an elaborate print paired with a white shirt to match the spring aesthetic that was starting to engulf campus.
Junior Edgar Pastran wore a beige shirt with a colorful and patterned button-down, and black shorts. He didn’t have a firm plan about what he would wear, but knew he wanted a pop of color to match the season. Students outdid themselved with their outfits even beyond the people we were able to talk to, making Springfest a festival of fashion.
However, many psychoplastogens are also hallucinogens.
Abby Trzepla Sci-Tech Editor
The psychedelic drug lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD.
After graduating from Union College with a degree in Chemistry and a Biology minor, followed by a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Stanford University, Olson went on to research the creation of new medicines capable of targeting a wide variety of brain disorders, a field that combines chemistry with medicine and neuroscience for real-life applications.
His current work focuses on psychoplastogens, small molecules capable of promoting neuroplasticity, or the growth of neurons and neural connections. These compounds can be employed to help improve physical damage associated with brain disorders and create lasting behavioral effects, rather than just treating the resulting symptoms.
This specific achievement, recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, uses molecular changes in LSD to create a more specific and beneficial response. Currently named JRT after the former graduate student who first synthesized it, the new isomer had to be made from scratch, requiring a total of 12 steps.
“The development of JRT was quite challenging because the chemistry was not straightforward,” Olson describes. His team had to identify and adjust the specific parts of the molecule that interact with brain receptors and cause hallucinations, but preserve its natural growth-inducing properties. Olson and his research team ultimately swapped the position of only two atoms in the LSD molecule.
In pre-clinical trials, this small change in structure has been shown to reduce LSD’s hallucinogenic properties, while maintaining its powerful ability to increase neuron growth and alter pathways
in the brain. JRT is highly selective to certain receptors, promoting therapeutic effects in cognition and depression alongside neuron growth. These changes appear to make it both more effective and safer, something critical for patients with diseases like schizophrenia in which hallucinogens would be harmful. Olson elaborated on the significant investment of time and effort, explaining, “It took us a half a decade just to synthesize it, and after that, we performed several years worth of biological testing.”
When asked how his time here at Union prepared him for or impacted the work he does now, Olson credited the faculty that guided him. “At Union, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to do undergraduate research with Prof. Joanne Kehlbeck.” He explains, “She really encouraged me to pursue interdisciplinary research using organic chemistry to solve problems in biology—exactly the kind of research that led to the development of JRT. Her mentorship really set the trajectory for my entire career.”
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Structures of LSD and its analogue JRT compared
Despite the time and distance between Union and University of California, Davis, Olson’s undergraduate experience has had a lasting effect. Professors and peers that support the pursuit of new ways to approach problems and combine
disciplines are impactful beyond the time on campus, helping lead to discoveries like these that could change the way we approach treatment itself.
ANGELINA MARTINELLI, NOTICES EDITOR martina2@union.edu
Editor-in-Chief
Matthew Lowry ‘27
News Editor
Alexander Sano ‘28
Opinions Editor
Gillian Paseka ‘27
Sci/Tech Editor
Abigail Trzepla ‘27
Sports Editor
Noor El Maayargi ‘28
Pop/Culture Editor
Sienna Chambial ‘27
807 Editor
Ryan Cudworth ‘25
Notices Editor
Angelina Martinelli ‘28
Photo Editor
Kavita Trivedi ‘27
Staff Writers
Naomi Nayor ‘28
Allyson Bennett ‘26
Finance Chair
Aaradhya Sharma ‘27
Concordiensis is the official student newspaper of Union College since 1877 and is published on Thursdays; weeks 2-9 during Fall, Winter, and Spring terms.
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By Allyson Bennett Staff Writer
During this hockey offseason, the Union men’s hockey team has gained three players from the transfer portal and seen six other players enter the portal. Defensemen Will Felicio ‘28 and Tyler Dunbar ‘27 will suit up for Union this October. Felicio and Dunbar have confirmed their transfers to Concordiensis staff. Cameron Korpi ’28 will also transfer to Union, as previously reported by Concordiensis.
Felicio spent his first year at Michigan, where he played in 25 games, scored 2 goals, tallied 11 assists, and blocked 6 shots. Felicio is the third Michigan player to transfer to Union in the past two years; goaltender Cameron Korpi ‘28 will transfer with him, and defenseman Brendan Miles ‘26 joined Union this past year.
Notably, Felicio is eligible for the 2025 NHL draft. If drafted, he would be Union’s first NHL draft pick since the 2017 draft, when forward Parker Foo ‘21 was drafted in the 5th round, 144th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Saturday saw the last regular season games of twenty-five student athletes. It was a day of celebration the teams came together to honor the senior student-athletes of four sports teams: men’s tennis, women’s tennis, baseball, and men’s lacrosse.
Baseball seniors combined for an RBI and a home run. Kyle Zaslaw also had his tenth home run of the season. This win maintained Union’s a third-place rank in the division, setting up a road series
In Monday’s doubleheader against SUNY Potsdam, Carra Cleaves threw a no-hitter—the program’s first since Allyson Staats ‘15 in 2015—and became the first freshman to accomplish the feat since Catherine Ferrara ‘11 in 2008. The team gave Cleaves early support with seven runs in the first inning and an additional two in the fourth. The game ended afer SUNY Potsdam failed to score in the top of the fifth. Union split the doubleheader with SUNY Potsdam, falling 4-3 in the opener, but Cleaves’ gem ensured the team ended the day on a historic high note. Now with a 11-18 win/loss record, Union looks to build momentum heading into conference play.
He’s looking for a guarantee, and we were not able to provide that for him.
“From the first phone call I had with the coaches, we had a good connection, and the opportunity there was great. I also wanted to get a strong education while playing!” Felicio said about transferring to Union.
The team will also gain Dunbar, who spent his past two years at Colorado College. The defenseman played in 31 games while in Colorado, recording a goal, an assist, and 16 blocked shots. He will reunite with defenseman DJ Hart ‘27 and Assistant Coach Mike Zannella, who played with him in the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL).
In addition to gaining players from the portal, six players on Union’s roster this past year have entered the transfer portal. Defensemen David Côté and Joe Messina, forward Eli Pilosof, and goaltender Lucas Massie have all entered the portal and are not officially
committed to other schools.
Côté played in 12 games and recorded 3 blocks, and Messina played in 26 games, scoring a goal, assisting on 3 goals, and blocking 8 shots. Pilosof only saw action in the exhibition game against Providence this season. Massie played in two games, had an 80.5% save percentage, and a 5.73 GAA. Concordiensis confirmed Massie is transferring to Robert Morris University.
In addition, goaltender Kyle Chauvette, who started 35 out of 36 games, has entered the transfer portal. This past season, Chauvette recorded 18 wins, had a 2.80 goals against average, a 89.6% save percentage, and one shutout. Chauvette is not officially committed to another school.
“We added Cameron. We had a talk with [Chauvette] about how that would affect his time. [I] was hoping
for the conference crossover.
Men’s tennis ended their season with a 6-1 loss to Skidmore. Despite the lost, Ben Jacobs and Austin Gregory secured wins in their final matches. Women’s senior Paige Tromblee did not play on Sunday against Skidmore.
The Men’s lacrosse seniors are officially the fourth-winningest class in Union history, with 46 career wins. Noor El Maayergi
he would want to stay here and compete and see who won the job. But he’s looking for a guarantee, and we were not able to provide that for him.”
Head Coach Josh Hauge told The Daily Gazette about Chauvette’s decision to enter the portal.
Graduating senior defenseman Josh Phillips ‘25 entered the transfer portal and will spend a year skating for Canisius University. He has one year of NCAA eligibility remaining because he did not play in the 2022-2023 season. This past season, Phillips played in 18 games, assisted on Josh Nixon ‘25’s second goal at the Mayor’s Cup, and blocked 10 shots. Canisius is located in Buffalo, NY, Phillips’ hometown.
When the dust settles in the transfer portal, the team will begin play at Mohawk Harbor Events Center in October. The only confirmed home games thus far will take place on October 17 and 18 against Niagara University, according to a press release from the women’s team on February 20.
