November 22, 2024

Volume 93 • Issue 10

A fRAMily friendsgiving

November 22, 2024

FSUgatepost.com

Marcos Miqueta carving a turkey at the “Friendsgiving” dinner in the McCarthy Dining Commons on Nov. 21.

FSU and WPI partner on transfer agreements and accelerated master’s programs

By Kaitlin Carman Asst. News Editor President Nancy Niemi and President Grace Wang of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) celebrated their universities’ transfer agreement for FSU’s undergraduate pre-engineering students and three new Collaborative Accelerated Master’s Programs (CAMP) at an official signing event on Wednesday, Nov. 6.

The pre-engineering track at FSU, which can be completed either as a 2+2 or 3+2 program depending on the course of study, enables students who

meet a specific GPA, determined by the partnering university, to have guaranteed admission to their engineering program.

Because FSU does not currently offer an engineering program, pre-engineering-track students must transfer to an engineering program to complete their degree.

Prior to its current transfer agreements with Mass. Maritime, UMass Lowell, UMass Dartmouth, and WPI, students had to apply to other programs like any other prospective students. However, admission was not guaranteed.

Niemi said, “I think it really is a unique opportunity for students and for the University to help propel our students to places in society by virtue of being in all these engineering professions that they need to be.

“We educate people who will then turn around and make our whole community even stronger and safer and more beautiful, depending on which kind of engineering they choose,” she said.

Niemi added, “It’s really a lovely, powerful way to serve our mission. And I’m proud of that, and I want to do even

Spirituality is the connection formed between your body and your spirit and the acknowledgment that those separate vehicles come together in this moment to create an individual.

If you have practiced meditation or you’re a spiritual person, you understand this connection all too well. Sofia Wilson experienced it for the first time during a sunrise in Kalimpong, India.

Framingham might be where Wilson spends most of her time, but she has traveled over 30,000 miles.

Wilson doesn’t consider herself a

world traveler, but most would, as she has been to India, Portugal, and Canada in just the past two years.

She is a senior majoring in both English and political science with a digital humanities minor who dreams of becoming a lawyer when she “grows up.” Her passion for being a lawyer is inspired by a need to advocate for the underrepresented. Wilson is a strong advocate for “what is right” and helping those in need. Being a lawyer is one way to do that while also using her research and critical thinking talents that have been sharpened as an undergraduate.

On each trip, she has discovered a part of herself - her spirituality in India,

News COLLEGE OF DISTINCTION pg. 4 ALL UNIVERSITY MEETING pg. 5

Opinions ROBESPIERRE pg. 10 OPTIMISM pg. 10

Sports

See ENGINEERING Page 6

Around the world with Sofia Wilson

By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief

Maddison Behringer / THE GATEPOST

her ancestral roots in Portugal, and her identity in Canada, all while being an accomplished student at Framingham State.

Wilson said these trips have shaped her into the person she is today and may have altered her path in life.

Wilson’s first trip was to India in 2022, her sophomore year, during the FSU Faculty-Led Study Abroad J-Term program, which provided her the opportunity to undertake a shortened version of study abroad. The experience was service-based and culturally immersive, though there was no academic credit.

See SOFIA Page 17

Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST MEN’S ICE HOCKEY pg. 12 FOOTBALL pg. 13

Arts & Features

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST THE STITCH pg. 20 ALEX WARREN pg. 21

INSIDE: OP/ED 8 • SPORTS 12 • ARTS & FEATURES 16

NEWS

2 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Gatepost Interview Patricia Horvath

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Sophia Harris Associate Editors Maddison Behringer Ryan O’Connell Copy Editor Emma Lyons News Editor Dylan Pichnarcik Asst. News Editors Kaitlin Carman Adam Harrison Opinions Editor Izayah Morgan Sports Editor Sophia Oppedisano Asst. Sports Editors Riley Crowell Izabela Gage Arts & Features Editors Raena Hunter Doty

Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez

Asst. Arts & Features Editors Owen Glancy Bella Omar Photos & Design Editors Adrien Gobin Alexis Schlesinger Asst. Photos & Design Editor Meghan Spargo Illustrations Editor Ben Hurney Asst. Illustrations Editors David Abe Emily Monaco Staff Writers Jesse Burchill Sarah Daponde Liv Dunleavy Bella Grimaldi Paul Harrington Christy Howland Taylor Kimmell Dan Lima Antonio Machado Daniel Meade Erina Operach Spencer Pearson Anthony Pintado Alexandria Rose Emma Schor Anthony Sims Kyra Tolley Michael Trueswell Celia Williams Staff Photographers Meg Dame Oné Green Patrick McMahon Travis Plummer Staff Illustrators Ronnie Chiu-Lin Charlotte Fabrizi Marcus Falcão Advisor Desmond McCarthy Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Editorial Staff

Professor of English

What is your academic and professional background?

I have an M.F.A. in creative writing from UMass Amherst in fiction. I write fiction and … what’s called creative or literary nonfiction, which are personal essays - memoir, in my case. I taught at Hofstra University in Long Island for many years. I ran the M.F.A. program in creative writing there and the administration at some point decided to no longer fund that program, at which point I came here, and I have been here since the fall of 2015. I teach a number of creative writing courses in the prose genre - life writing, fiction writing, 200-level intro to creative writing, a 200-level writing fiction and creative nonfiction course. I teach a seminar in creative writing which I think is the only course that focuses on once students have a finished piece - what to do with it, how to find a market for it, how to research that and send it into the world. I also developed a course for the University called Disability in Literature, which looks at how disabled bodies have been defined in literature and who makes those decisions, and what the literature of disability has to say about differently abled bodies over the course of many, many years.

What projects are you working on?

I’m almost done with a book. I had a book about a couple of years ago and I’m almost done with a new one. It’s a memoir in a series of essays, and it has to do with my experience. I write personal essays. So a few years ago, my husband and I were both diagnosed with cancer a few months apart. So it’s about simultaneously being a cancer patient and a caretaker, and it’s also a little bit about survivor guilt because I survived and he did not. And so as I was going through this experience, which overlapped with the pandemic, I was thinking a lot about what does it mean to survive this experience? What do I mean by survive? And what do I even mean by me? Will I even be the same person coming out of this experience as going into it? So they’re really a series of essays about ordinary things like hurricanes, or pizza, or subway dances, but I’m looking at this through the lens of health and healing

Courtesy of Patricia Horvath and cancer and survivorship. And there are 14 - they are structured around the seven deadly sins and the seven virtues.

There are 14 essays and I am currently at work on the 14th. That is what I’m working on now. A few of them have been published. That was not easy, but the easy things aren’t worth writing about, I think. They’re already resolved.

No conflict, no story, right?

Do you have a favorite book or piece of literature?

As a child, I think one of the books that really moved me was this book called “D’Aulaires, Book of Greek Myths,” and I like how weirdly illustrated it was, like how the monsters look like baked potatoes and it’s just strange. But I also really liked that there was space for women, because I grew up in the era of the superhero, and all the superheroes were male and all the cartoon characters were male. But here was this book, and here’s Athena, and here’s Artemis, and they’re just, you know, powerful and wild. And I thought, “Oh, there’s space here for female protagonists.” So I loved that. And I also loved “Little Women” because it was about a young woman who grew up poor, and wanted to be a writer, and so I identified with that. And as an adult, I cannot get enough Virginia Woolf in my life.

What are your hobbies?

I like to cook. I like going to farmers’ markets and seeing what’s in season and inventing things from it. And during the pandemic, when we all couldn’t go anywhere, I started paying attention to birds, and I like birds. Now I walk around and I look at birds and listen to them, and it was a way of trying to stay calm and focused in a crazy world. I wouldn’t call myself a birder. I don’t think I’m that far along, but I like just walking around, paying attention to different types of birds, noticing them, taking pictures, and listening to their songs.

What advice would you offer students?

Do what you love. And if you don’t know what you love, college is such a great opportunity to try a whole bunch of different things, because when else could you get to do that? And then you can find what you love and do that. Life is short, and you don’t want to spend your life doing what you love third best.

CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ ffernandezrodriguez@ student.framingham.edu

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NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 3

SGA discusses plans to expand

By Sophia Oppedisano Editorial Staff

Student Government Association President Evelyn Campbell announced plans to expand SGA membership at a meeting Nov. 12.

Campbell said SGA is “ideally looking for student representation from each department on campus,” along with student-athletes, residents, and commuters.

The plan is to post on social media to promote the senate expansion, according to Campbell.

Campbell also announced plans for the eBoard to hold a social Nov. 19 to decorate the SGA office as a recruitment event. She encouraged students to bring friends to the social.

To begin the meeting, Vice President Cesar Matos moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting before shifting focus to open forum, which was allocated 10 minutes.

During this time, Senator Anais Vasques presented a new organizational layout for the SGA office, including work spaces and desks for new officers that are shared with the senators. Each desk has a corresponding board as well as snacks and bubbly water.

Senator Alix Ayoub said they will meet with SGA Advisor Rachel Spezia to discuss fundraising for hurricane relief. They are looking for volunteers to help with a fundraising event for Nov. 23 and Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. both days.

Their efforts have raised $232.80 with fundraising set to conclude Dec. 12.

SGA has been raising money for hurricane relief since September 2024.

The proceeds from their efforts will go to Greater Good Charities, a non-profit organization.

Matos moved on to new business and discussed constitution changes proposed by the Student Affairs Committee.

A motion to remove the position of outreach and event coordinator and install two positions for ‘event coordinator’ and ‘publicist’ passed unanimously.

Campbell began the officer reports by praising everyone for their “help and support” at their first Club Representative Meeting Oct. 29.

Campbell said she met with President Nancy Niemi Nov. 4 to discuss ways for student life to be “more intermingled” with academics. Campbell is working with Provost Kristen Porter-Utley to discuss this matter further.

Student Trustee Jeremy McDonald reminded everyone of the Board of Trustees dinner Nov. 13. He said sign-

Newly installed senators at the Oct. 1 SGA meeting. ups for the dinner were available via Campbell.

Secretary Jazmany Reyes said he would be emailing Art Club President Paige Rainville about their art supply fundraising proposal.

Matos met with the Muslim Student Association during the week prior. He said the meeting was “regarding the Big Budget pre-meeting.”

Matos said SGA has “already met with three clubs.

“We are not meeting with every club, but we are looking for clubs who want to change grouping. If they want to change, they must communicate.”

Matos also gave a “big thanks” to FinCom members.

Plans for a Culture Week were announced by Diversity and Inclusion Officer Ana Julia Riberio.

Riberio said Culture Week will bring different foods from different cultures for a week to promote more inclusivity

Weather

Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez / THE GATEPOST

on campus. She said she is looking to promote the event.

Culture Week will be held in the Center for Inclusive Excellence or in the Dining Commons, Riberio said.

Publicist Jaelynn Moon wants to post another “day in the life video for SGA socials.” She said it would be just one Instagram Reel.

Moon is also looking for more recruitment content and will be notifying everyone to post small pieces of content.

Advisors Spezia and Meghan Larkin announced that the Food Science Club has officially been formed and recognized.

The Marketing Club has been reactivated for AY 2024-25, and Youth Project has been deactivated as of Oct. 2024.

They reminded those attending the SGA social to bring a friend to build the senate.

Campbell concluded the meeting by giving the “U-Rock” to Matos, who recently stepped up to fill the treasurer vacancy.

“This person has gone above and beyond in their roles and has taken on another role due to a vacancy. This person has grown so much within the past few months and I am excited to see where the future takes them,” Campbell said.

She also announced that SGA will start naming a “Senator of the Month” and an “eBboard Member of the Month” at future meetings to recognize those who have gone above and beyond in their positions.

The next SGA meeting is Nov. 26 on Zoom, at which Shawn Brooks and Patrick Almeida will “hopefully” be sworn in as senators, Matos said.

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA OPPEDISANO soppedisano@student.framingham.edu

Forecast provided by the National Weather Service www.weather.gov

Sunday night Nov. 24 Mostly clear, with a low around 30. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday night Nov. 25 A chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Tuesday night Nov. 26 Mostly clear, with a low around 30. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday night Nov. 27 Partly cloudy, with a low around 30. West wind up to 5 mph.

Monday Nov. 25 Mostly sunny, with a high near 55. West wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday Nov. 26 A chance of showers before 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 60.

Wednesday Nov. 27 Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Nov. 28 Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

NEWS

4 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Framingham State recognized as college of distinction

By Bella Grimaldi Staff Writer Framingham State University has received recognition as a College of Distinction for AY 2024-25, according to a press release from the University.

Colleges of Distinction is a non-profit founded in 2000 with the mission of recognizing colleges across the United States “with a unique strength to offer the next generation of college-bound students,” according to their website.

The University was recognized as an overall College of Distinction, as well as a College of Distinction in the areas of public colleges, career development, diversity and inclusion, business, and education, according to the press release.

The award acknowledges institutions that “deliver on four overarching distinctions” and help prospective college students find schools that are right for them, according to the Colleges of Distinction’s website.

The four overarching distinctions are student engagement, teaching, community, and outcomes.

President Nancy Niemi said the Colleges of Distinction does not rank colleges but grants them recognition.

“The Colleges of Distinction awards, we found, are … more specific to different areas of emphasis in the University, and they do a much better job,” Niemi said.

“Unfortunately, with U.S. News & World Report … those rankings come out, and inevitably, the richest schools in the country, for the most part, are always at the top,” she added.

The “authenticity” of the Colleges of Distinction award was the main reason the University applied. “That’s what I like about the Colleges of Distinction… they are much better at assessing the kinds of things that we value,” Niemi said.

Niemi said Iris Godes, vice president of enrollment management, and Dan Magazu, executive director of marketing and communications, discovered and applied for the award.

Godes said she knew about the award from previous work with other colleges and thought the University should apply.

tinction. Then, applicants have the option of applying for specific recognitions such as Diversity.

Godes and Magazu coordinated with different members of the U n i v e rsity’s

executive staff to pull data to submit to the Colleges of Distinction, according to Godes.

According to Magazu, promoting this award to prospective students will reinforce “the quality of the education we provide.”

Niemi said the Colleges of Distinction validates the U n i versi-

ty’s

claims about the work being done and the programs offered. “We are distinctive in the areas that we claim we are, a n d someb o d y e l s e has also “We found us basicalto be disly filled tinctive in out this big those ways,” application, I she said. actually sent it “No matter what Ben Hurney / THE GATEPOST around. It was a awards you have, Google Doc, and no matter what you various offices contributed to it based say on a tour or what friends you have on their area of expertise. From there, who go here, you don’t know what’s it was approved, and we became a going to ultimately attract people and member,” said Magazu. whether or not one particular thing “It was really just making all those makes a bigger difference than anothconnections around campus, getting er,” Niemi said. that application completed, submitting According to Niemi, the University it, and then we waited, and the turn- has developed a page on the FSU webaround time was pretty quick,” Godes site that shows all of the awards the said.

University has won. “We have a lot of According to Magazu, there is an eyes on our University and on our work, annual fee the University will pay. This and we are proud of being able to show

versity that’s being recognized for excellence,’ and that should make you feel good. You’re at a great place.”

Jeffrey Coleman, vice president of diversity, inclusion and community engagement, said, “It’s reaffirming that the work that we’re doing is needed and it’s also reaffirming that the work that we’re doing has a societal presence.

“I think it’s just going to motivate us to raise our bar even higher. … I’m always looking at, ‘How can we be even better? How can we have an even larger impact? How can we be even greater?’

And so each year, we strive to do it even better,” added Coleman.

Freshman Derrick Yancey Jr., said he believes this award is deserved, especially the recognition for diversity at the University. “There’s people from all backgrounds here. I’ll look outside the window - I’ll see people from all across the world, all in one spot.”

Freshman Emma Schor said, “There are a lot of things within our University that are great and definitely deserve this award. Are there some things that could be better? Yes, but I feel like for the aspects that we have so far, it’s definitely deserving.”

She added she thinks diversity is a notable quality of the University. “We have quite a few deaf and hard-ofhearing people at this school. As somebody who is a hearing person, but also involved with American Sign Language and learning about the Deaf culture, I like how this school is able to recognize those differences and advocate for them as well.”

Junior Tahnyia Black said, “I have seen an increase in diversity since I’ve been here. I got here in 2021, and I feel very comfortable here. I feel like I’m seeing people that look like me all the time. It’s great.”

Junior Sarah Campbell said, “I think that we’ve got a very diverse population as well as diverse courses and programs.”

Freshman David Forgione said, “The campus is a good community. There’s not a lot of fighting or people getting in trouble. I think it’s a lot of people trying to get a degree. I think it’s a good school.”

He added this award is a good representation of how hardworking professors, students, and staff are.

“I think it’s just going to motivate us to raise our bar even higher. … I’m always looking at, ‘How can we be even better? How can we have an even larger impact? How can we be even greater?’

And so each year, we strive to do it even better.”

- Jeffrey Coleman Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement Godes said the Colleges of Distinction organization reached out to her inviting the University to apply.

“They’ll reach out to schools if they think you’re a good candidate that meets their requirements, and then you go through an application process,” Godes said.

According to Godes, the application process took multiple stages. First, applicants apply to be a College of Dis-

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

fee of $3,600 allows the University to be promoted on the organization’s website as well as FSU’s. The funds for this fee will come from the University’s marketing budget.

Magazu added, “The Colleges of Distinction’s website gets a fair amount of traffic from prospective students, so now that they will see us on there when they’re looking at colleges. I think it stands out on our web page.”

it off.”

Godes said the award is another aspect of the University she will be able to communicate to prospective students and their families. “I added, for example, a new slide to our open house welcome presentation, and the slide was just filled up with all of the icons of all of these different things.”

Godes added, “We all get pride in this. You get to feel like, ‘I am at a Uni-

Freshman Aubrey Waterman said, FSU has a “very good community, and it is very diverse. They are clearly a public school, but they pride themselves on academic achievement.” [ Editor’s Note: Emma Schor is a Staff Writer for The Gatepost. ] CONNECT WITH BELLA GRIMALDI igrimaldi@student.framingham.edu

NEWS

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 5

President Niemi discusses changes in Higher Education

By Sophia Harris Editor-in-Chief President Nancy Niemi discussed potential changes in higher education due to the election, including rollbacks in DEI efforts and Title IX as well as financial aid jeopardy at the All University Meeting on Nov. 19.

“There could be a lot of work ahead again for the changes in Title IX, with regard to transgender rights and due process rights,” Niemi said.

She added, “We are in a protected state in some regards and I don’t know how many times you might have thought, ‘It’s a good thing we’re living in Massachusetts,’ but that doesn’t mean we can rest. I think we need to be cautious.”

Kim Dexter, assistant vice president of human resources and equal opportunity, said the timeline for changing Title IX regulations can typically be about four years, “so maybe two years into an administration, we might see the review and comment process. …

But then there’s a lot of time that that gets revised, and then new regulations are implemented.”

Dexter said, “But for now, we have adopted the 2024 regulations.”

To provide education about the regulations, Dexter said hopefully, training will be launched in the next couple of weeks “to help folks understand what the current responsibilities, obligations, and policies are.”

Niemi also touched on the change in financial assistance for students in higher education. “Financial aid, work-study, Upward Bound, Pell expansion, any of those things could be in jeopardy, as well as low-debt relief,” she said.

“I think it’s important that every time we think, ‘Oh, it can’t happen to us.’ I think it could. I think everything we’re thinking about could, in some regard. So I don’t think it’s wise to dismiss anything,” Niemi added.

She said undocumented students as well as international students could also be threatened under the new administration.

Niemi said she is relieved that FSU does “not ask who our undocumented students are. So if we are asked, we can rightly say, ‘We don’t know. We can’t give you any names’ because we don’t know who they are, and I believe that’s common throughout Massachusetts.”

She added some universities are already telling their students abroad, “‘Make sure you’re home before Jan. 20.’”

Niemi said she does not believe the Department of Education will be completely dismantled but “that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be weakened.”

She said, “We need to keep focusing on our mission. That doesn’t change and nothing about the change in Washington can take us away from that.

That reassures me when I think about what can be coming down the pike, and I hope that at least it gives you some comfort to know that you’re with people in a University, in a community, in a state, who fully believe, as we have, that the jobs that we are doing are focused on public good and changing for the better through equity and all the work we’ve been discussing.”

Niemi said on Sept. 27, FSU’s accreditation for the next 10 years was approved.

President Nancy Niemi at the All University Meeting on Nov. 19.

She said some of the steps the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) asked FSU to undertake are to submit a two-year update on strategic plans, enrollment, and finances; evaluate academic programs, including international and distance education; improve the data management system; demonstrate that FSU is providing appropriate support services to ensure the success of its increasing-

which was wonderful,” on Oct. 22.

The immediate strategic priorities for 2024-25 are to adapt and adopt programs to meet the evolving needs of students; create a strategic framework to coordinate, track, and assess DEl initiatives across campus; implement services and pedagogical practices to improve student enrollment, retention, and persistence; diversify, fortify, and invest in strategic priorities for the

“We need to keep focusing on our mission. That doesn’t change and nothing about the change in Washington can take us away from that.”

- Nancy Niemi President of Framingham State

ly diverse student population; and to submit an interim (fifth-year) report in 2029.

She said, “The next time we will have this meeting will be in 2034, which feels like it’s light years away, but they want to hear from us between now and then.”

Niemi said the Board of Higher Education approved the strategic plan for the next five years “unanimously,

future; and intentionally grow university-community relationships.

She said the University will be looking at a holistic approach to both the strategic plan and NECHE priorities because most of the goals overlap.

Professor of Chemistry and Food Science Sarah Pilkenton asked how FSU plans to be competitive financially against free community colleges as well as the UMass system, stating that

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST any student who comes from a family with an income under $75,000 a year will be offered free tuition and fees.

Niemi said, “If we are just talking tuition and fees at about that income level, we come close to being free or free as well, depending on whether or not you qualify for Pell.”

Iris Godes, vice president of enrollment management, said for a student to qualify for MASSGrant plus and MASSGrant plus expansion, their family’s income has to be below $85,000, and University tuition and fees would be free of cost.

She added, “However, that is not the regulation. You have to be eligible for a Pell Grant. We have at least 100 students here with incomes below $85,000 who do not qualify for a Pell Grant. Therefore, they do not qualify for MASSGrant Plus, and free tuition and fees.”

Godes said this caveat can be confusing for students when choosing to attend a university.

Godes added all of the state universities are struggling with this, but she and Robert Totino, vice president of finance, technology, and administration and chief financial officer, are “looking at a lot of data right now to see where the institutional funding is going and how much we can actually offer our students. So this is taking quite a bit of work.”

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS sharris9@student.framingham.edu

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6 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Engineering Continued from Page 1 more.”

Santosha Adhibhatta, environment, society, & sustainability professor at FSU, said this new agreement with WPI is an “amazing” opportunity for pre-engineering students to earn an affordable education at one of the most competitive engineering programs in the country.

Through conversations with her students, she said she noticed two significant barriers that students have faced when considering private colleges, including WPI, prior to the agreement.

“Number one: It is the financial aspect that actually hinders many students. Number two: There are so many applications for engineering. …

There are so many students who are pre-engineers… [and] most of them are first-generation students.

“They are worried they might not get in, but the thing about this transfer agreement is they start at Framingham State, which is very cost-effective and has smaller class sizes - so they get used to college - and then they are ready to move on to WPI,” added Adhibhatta.

During their initial 2 to 3 years at FSU, students can build upon foundational skills, prepare themselves for rigorous mathematics requirements, and explore a variety of engineering fields before having to commit to competitive, and, oftentimes, expensive programs at private institutions, according to Adhibhatta.

She said, “Not everybody knows what engineering they want to do in the very first semester [of an engineering program]. … What we are trying to do here is give them at least a basic idea of what each engineering looks like with the different visits to the different schools and the different labs, so the students, by the time they leave our campus, they at least know what they want to do, and they continue to follow that path.

“It’s important for somebody who wants to really be successful as an engineer, but doesn’t know where to start,” she added.

If students decide to attend WPI through the transfer agreement, some of the fields they can pursue include chemical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, bio-medical engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, fire protection engineering, and architectural engineering, according to WPI’s website.

So far, three students have transferred this fall, said Adhibhatta.

The transfer agreement and CAMP with WPI is “a path forward” for students, according to Niemi.

She said, “I think a lot of times, first-generation students don’t always assume that they have just as much right to a highly respected … university or a program like this, that they don’t feel a sense of belonging in the way that they should.

“They have every right. And so I think this is a major step to show them, ‘Yes, you are capable, you are welcome, and we encourage you by doing this,’” added Niemi.

FSU biology professor Aline Davis, who is a WPI alumna, was a key figure in designing the CAMP with WPI, and said she is excited for the opportunities these programs will provide for

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NEWS students.

Through the CAMP, students can complete their undergraduate degree in four years at FSU and transfer to WPI to earn their master’s degree in data science, neuroscience, and medical chemistry in one year.

Davis said these three concentrations have higher student enrollment numbers and reflect the projected job market growth within their corresponding fields.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, data science jobs are expected to grow 36% from 2023 to 2033, with an average of 20,800 projected openings for data scientists per year.

Although FSU does not offer a data science major, computer science, math, or business majors can take it as a minor, according to Davis.

She said, “One of the reasons we created the data science minor was to kind of help the students get their necessary prereqs done so that they could walk into the data science program.”

As for medicinal chemistry, Davis described it as a “huge, booming industry that is primarily made for students coming out of our chemistry program or our biotechnology program because of the types of classes.”

However, Davis explained, “Medicinal chemistry is specialized a little bit in cannabis research, and given that that’s a $1.8 billion industry in Massachusetts … the majority of jobs that people are looking for behind the scenes are in terms of cultivation, analysis, verification of strands and doing more research on the different compounds and what they can do.”

Davis said she “loves” the neuroscience minor not only because of her personal experience as a neuroscientist, but because of its interdisciplinary properties.

She said FSU and WPI “created it because neuroscience is an overlapping field between biology and psychology.

“It actually has pathways for both bio majors with more, say, ‘sciency’ type and lab courses coming in, but there’s ways for psych students to come in for it as well,” she added.

The first year of the master’s overlaps with the last three semesters of the students’ curriculum at Framingham State to ensure a “seamless” transition to graduate coursework, according to Davis.

Creating an opportunity for our students to go … to a school that I have great respect for - did so much for me - I volunteered instantaneously,” she said.

Davis explained, “When we were working with WPI, we said, ‘OK, here are the specialized classes that our students, who are juniors and seniors, are taking. Let’s match them to either the WPI classes that they had or a related topic that would be appropriate for the students. “‘And then likewise, there are some introductory WPI classes that the students will take, and they will fulfill requirements for their junior and senior year back here at FSU,’” she added.

Although FSU is not the first university to have a CAMP with WPI, Davis explained that the University is actually the first public institution partnering with WPI. WPI’s Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences, Carolina Ruiz, said the other institutions they have CAMP with are Assumption University, Utica Univer-

sity, and the College of the Holy Cross. FSU’s pre-engineering transfer tracks.

According to Davis, WPI incorpo- The Pre-Engineering program is a rates lots of project-based work, cur- close knit community that supports riculums, and capstones within their students and allows them to flourish. “ W h i l e programs much like transferFSU. ring, FSU S h e guides you s a i d , through “When I the process was interand ensures viewing your fufor Framingham ture sucState, c e s s . and I E v e n learned after about transt h e i r f e r program ring, and how multithey have ple procapstones fessors and rehave contin search - it ued to help me Marcus Falcáo / THE GATEPOST reminded apply for internme so much of WPI and how much it ships and jobs,” she added. made me successful, and showed me “Dr. Adhibhatta’s engineering the scientist that I could be. courses played a crucial role in my suc“The fact that we had a similar pro- cess so far,” said Kearny.

She said she frequently uses knowlgram here is the reason why I came to Framingham. State - because it re- edge acquired from Adhibhatta’s classes in projects and internships she minded me of WPI,” added Davis.

According to Ruiz, the required is involved with at WPI. GPA for CAMP is a 3.00. However, she “Asking for help and having a strong said WPI “understands that there are foundation of engineering made my certain circumstances in life that, for transfer easier and gave me confidence some reason, a student is below that, in my abilities to succeed at WPI,” addso, we allow students with a GPA be- ed Kearny. low 3.0 to petition for an exception deFreshman Bavly Abdou, a pre-engipending on the circumstances.” neering student, said he was accepted She described the process of design- into UMass Lowell’s engineering proing the CAMP with FSU as being “a re- gram, but decided to start his underally collegial collaboration. graduate career at FSU to better pre“We all have in mind the best inter- pare himself for success. est of the students,” added Ruiz.

“I was going to go to [UMass] Lowell.

Although data science, medical I got accepted to [UMass] Lowell, and chemistry, and neuroscience are the then I looked at Framingham [State], only CAMP being offered, WPI is open and I saw that a lot of my friends who to considering adding more based on took engineering went to Framingham student interest, according to Ruiz. and then went to Lowell - they’re doing She said, “As we see interest from well at Lowell. So I was like, ‘I might as the students, we might create new well follow their footsteps and do the ones in other areas that might be in- same thing,’” said Abdou. teresting for the students.”

Adbou said he is excited about the According to an FSU press release, new transfer agreement because “It’s the University’s neuroscience minor interesting and will provide [students] at FSU “consistently has the highest more experiences. … You go to differenrollment for the interdisciplinary ent colleges and tour them, too, while minors, thus indicating high student you’re taking pre-engineering classes. interest.”

“We went to WPI and we are going Ruiz described the CAMP as “Win, to [UMass] Lowell next semester. You win, win initiatives because it’s a win can really see the difference between for the students, it’s a win for WPI, and here and over there [WPI],” he added. it’s a win for Framingham State.

Senior Esther Ngaippe thinks the “The other thing that is great is that CAMP with WPI is a great opportunity synergy in terms of academic advising, for FSU students. the transition is very smooth, because Ngaippe said, “I was looking to you are starting to plan your master’s study data science, but I couldn’t find degree since you’re an undergrad with a program here. Then last year, I saw support of your professors at Framing- that they have a geospatial and data ham State, so that you know what are analysis [program]. I wasn’t sure if that’s something that I wanted to learn the best course selections.”

Ruiz said the appeal to earn your - like the geo-technical part of it.

So I think that it’s cool that they can degree from WPI is not only the quality of the education students receive [complete their undergraduate degree there, but also the career options and still get a master’s] in data science,” she added. post-graduation.

Freshman Anna Ferrari said, “I think “WPI has a really extensive network of industry and academic partners. So that is great! I think we have a similar students come to the master’s degree, [agreement] with Sulfolk [Universiand then they can use that network to ty Law School] for the 3+3 program and [UMass] Dartmouth. It is good for actually look for jobs,” she added.

Deirdre Kearny is one of the most them. WPI is a really good school and recent FSU pre-engineering graduates so are their engineering and science and said she attributes her experience programs.” in the program to her ongoing success at WPI. Kearny said, “I highly recommend CONNECT WITH KAITLIN CARMAN kcarman@student.framingham.edu

NEWS

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 7

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8 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

OP/ED THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Don’t forget to say “Thanks!”

As you walk into the McCarthy Center aimlessly scrolling on your phone, heading to a communal space, and unwinding from the long day, you may catch a glimpse of a dark red shirt or a white apron.

It’s easy to miss these outfits - or the folks with the Dunkin’ hats, groundskeepers in their blue shirts, or any other of the dozens of workers in black and gold regalia.

Yet these are the unsung heroes of Framingham State, the people responsible for keeping our University functional.

With Thanksgiving around the corner, we’re all encouraged to think about what we are grateful for in life. That list should include all those who help make our experience in college so enjoyable.

It is easy to acknowledge the person who hands you your coffee in the morning with a brisk “thanks.” What is difficult is actually taking time to really appreciate the work being done and genuinely mean it when you say “thank you.”

For anything we normally expect at FSU - fresh meals, clean bathrooms, and smoothly running events, for example - there are a number of people behind the scenes working to make it happen.

You should thank our maintainers for keeping our campus clean. They ensure our trash is taken care of and our bathrooms remain sanitary throughout the year.

During the cold winter months, they also work overtime to remove snow from our parking lots and to keep our sidewalks accessible.

You should thank the staff of Dining Services for their efforts to provide diverse meal offerings each day, and their commitment to offering suitable meals for anyone with dietary restrictions or allergies.

There are many more workers in dining services who do not cook but still ensure our meal services run smoothly - those who wash the dishes, sweep the floors, and restock table supplies, for example.

Dining Services creates an environment in the McCarthy Dining Commons that fosters our community - it is a place to gather and enjoy a meal with friends and colleagues. Dining Services’s themed meal nights throughout the year provide members of the FSU community opportunities to celebrate milestones with their fRAMly. You should thank our Campus Events workers for helping events run smoothly - everything from Bingo nights to SGA. You will find a Campus Events liaison prepared to answer questions and assist with any technology troubleshooting

at every event.

Campus Events staff not only set up tech for events - they help provide enough chairs for the audience, set up tables, and stay for the entirety of each event to help with any issues that arise.

You should thank the staff at the Health Center for their work assisting any of us who are feeling under the weather and for offering immunizations conveniently on campus in early fall.

Every member of the Health Center does everything they can to promote student health on campus - from offering clinics on how to use life-saving equipment to running the S.E.A.L.S. program.

The students involved in S.E.A.L.S. also deserve thanks for hosting tables i n the McCarthy Center throughout the semester to promote student health. The S.E.A.L.S. peer mentors also stock the self-care vending machine on the third floor of the McCarthy Center, where students can access sexual- and menstrual-health products and over-the-counter medicine for free.

Yo u should thank members of the Counseling Center for providing us accessible and free mental-health counseling in a safe and inviting space.

They offer ongoing counseling as well as walk-in appointments for students to have the mental health support they need.

You should thank the staff members of the Henry Whittemore Library for providing us with a range of comfortable study spaces and access to all the academic resources we need to succeed in college.

The library staff revamps the building’s appearance by decorating for each holiday. They offer non-academic resources, such as the seed library and the rejuvenation room - making the space even more welcoming for the entire campus community.

There is so much on campus that seems to be done automatically. But remember: there is a person, or a team of people, who do the work to ensure ST THE GATEPO / y e rn u campus is the way it is. Every time H n Be you notice the grass is freshly mowed or the dining hall has clean dishes, know there is a campus worker behind the scenes making FSU hospitable for you.

To all of the unseen workers on the Framingham State campus, The Gatepost Editorial Board wants to extend the biggest thanks we can. Though we may not say it often enough, we really do thank you for all of your hard work.

So again, as Thanksgiving approaches, be thankful to everyone who helps make our campus flourish.

And be sure you say “Thank you” to everyone.

Have an opinion?

Feel free to email it to: gatepost@framingham.edu Opinions should be about 500 words. Anyone can submit.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Gatepost Editorial reflects the opinions of the newspaper’s Editorial Board. Signed Op/Eds reflect the opinions of individual writers. @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

OP/ED

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 9

Sticks and stones and harsher tones

By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer I don’t remember a lot of my childhood. I mostly can recall highlights of holidays and a few bits and pieces of days where I was happy and didn’t know about two-factor authentication.

I don’t know how common it is not to recall middle school, but I just blame it on a trauma-blocking response. I mean, getting verbally bullied by every kid at school and made fun of by teachers, friends, and family - maybe my brain was just trying to keep me safe.

Middle-schoolers are ruthless, and high school just gets worse. You never truly can escape life’s harsh reality words hurt.

Well, when I was younger, there was this hit popstar sweeping the nation and taking over the world. You might have heard him in passing, Justin Bieber?

Although it’s funny, this national sensation, this worldwide superstar, he wasn’t allowed to have fans. Considering he literally created a mass hysteria labeled “Bieber Fever,” which has legitimate scholarly articles written about it, you’d think that being a fan of him would be a good thing, something relatable.

Well, you’d be wrong. It was something to be ashamed of, something laughable. I got ruthlessly bullied for my interest in him. It may seem silly to bring this up. It may seem pointless.

You may think, “OK, you liked some cringe popstar? How is that our fault?”

I never got physically bullied when I was in school, and I am grateful for that, but have you ever heard the phrase “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”?

That phrase is honestly laughable to me, because when you are a middle-schooler, every word hurts you. I was hospitalized in eighth grade.

It was my last year in middle school. I should’ve been celebrating. I should’ve been excited for this new step into high school. But I couldn’t take it anymore.

I was in eighth grade and I was already diagnosed with anxiety disorder and

depression. I wanted out of school. I wanted out of society. I was a wreck.

I was an eighth-grader.

It wasn’t my first rodeo at an inpatient. I hated it. They had very strict rules, no phones, no computers, strict bedtimes and schedules. You have to keep your room door open at all times - for safety, of course, even when sleeping.

They allowed radios and CDs. I brought my favorite Justin Bieber CD. They would make me close my door at night because they didn’t want to listen to my “garbage.”

These types of experiences - certain snide comments and jabs - stuck with me. I can still feel the pain I felt, the way they sneered at me while saying them.

Middle-schoolers are ruthless. I decided I would stop showing my outward affection for my interests and hobbies.

All it ever did was hurt to have something I loved, that I wanted to share with my friends,

learned some new vocabulary. Bullying was now less about my celebrity interests and now focused on my mental health and my sexual orientation.

I thought I could escape it if I just started to be less interested, tone it down, or just start hiding away altogether - people might leave me alone.

But I couldn’t - I had my teachers nicknaming me. I had students calling me slurs.

It started to make me annoyed instead of sad. What did their opinion truly mean to me?

Who even were these kids, the teachers, random people on the street who would yell out profanities at me? Who were these people to me? They were not my friends, they were not anyone with any power over my emotions.

I felt my skin thicken, metaphorically speaking. I stopped taking the jabs from them, and I owned it.

I owned it and I felt a shift. It was like my world tilted on its axis.

I stopped accepting

toxicity and I embraced Ronnie Chiu-Lin / THE GATEPOST community instead. I found my crowd.

I found friends who would support me with my family, with new classmates, and hype up my interests because they shut down and ignored - or worse, made had the same love as I did.

Creating a space, be it online or fun of and ridiculed.

It wasn’t all just celebrity drama. in-person, where you have people who When I got to high school and started you feel connected to and cared for figuring out who I was, and growing and with, is so important. We all need peolearning about myself, students also ple in our lives who will always raise

us up and be there for us when we are down.

I started to find that bubble of people, and when I did, I felt like I could start living. (A tip from me: going to events, finding someone new to sit with at lunch, and joining clubs is a great way to start expanding your bubble!)

Since then I have become someone I am proud of. I have found my people.

Yes, I - constantly - deal with hate and bullying. It doesn’t end because I stop focusing on it. I found new things to be bullied about, don’t worry.

It follows me wherever I go, and it still hurts sometimes. Sometimes it will still give me a flashback of 12-yearold Liv, standing there while everyone pointed and laughed because I got excited about something they found cringe.

I think about high school Liv, who sat in the bathroom and cried when she didn’t know why she was the target of so many hate comments from classmates online just for being who she was.

And all I can do is hug myself tight because she went through so much. She went through hell and back over stuff that wasn’t even bothering anyone.

But I now have the strength to stand up to it. And I certainly have the strength to stand up to it for others. I do not stand on the sidelines or shrink anymore.

And neither should you.

It took me a long time to learn how to advocate for myself, to speak up when someone spoke down to me. I still struggle sometimes. But I also use that strength to help others. I no longer stay silent when I witness bullying.

It hurts just as much to watch others be silent in the face of bullying.

Verbal or physical, it happens every day. And it’s different now, with technology. You can hide your face, your name, your whole identity behind a profile.

It may seem like it’s not worth saying something when it happens so often. But speaking up for someone especially in a verbal bullying situation can change their life. Words have consequences.

Words have power and they can stick with you for a long time.

Don’t be the reason someone feels the way I did then. Be the change.

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OP/ED

10 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Robespierre is not for your ‘eat the rich’ jokes

By Kate Norrish Staff Writer In today’s culture of distrust of billionaires, and the increasing discussion of rich politicians in the American election, the events of the French Revolution have become a common subject of gallows humor.

While I find most of these jokes, such as over-the-top imaginings of guillotining billionaires, to be harmless, I become concerned when historical figures involved in the revolution are brought into the conversation, especially Robespierre.

The cultural idea of Maximillian Robespierre, a major political figure during the French Revolution, is that he was a tyrant and terrorist who was involved in the execution of thousands of people. However, while researching 1700s European history on my own time, I found the information about him, even among respected resources, to be incredibly contradictory.

From the primary sources I could find, he was heavily against the death penalty. To quote a speech he wrote, as translated by Mitch Abidor, “In the eyes of truth and justice these scenes of death that (the state) orders with so much ceremony, are nothing but cowardly assassinations.”

Additional research using scholarly sources seemed to indicate that the vast majority of the crimes he was accused of were the results of scapegoat-

ing to cover other politicians’ actions.

This is discussed thoroughly in the book “Robespierre and Conspiracy Theories” by Geoffrey Cubitt of Cambridge University Press, as well as the Encyclopedia Britannica’s webpage on him.

“Misgivings about Revolution” by Barrington Moore of Harvard University.

He was guillotined as a result.

However, the belief that he was a terrorist has been used for real-world harm.

The belief that he was a terrorist originates from his radical beliefs toward how human rights should alter the functions of government, something which was corrupted and misinterpreted by his political rivals, according to

Many consider Robespierre to have been the moral center of the revolution, focusing much of his leadership on Jewish and Black rights. Therefore, there has been speculation that by ignoring this, the romanticization of the French

Revolution has led to violent crimes.

For example, in France, words often attributed to him - specifically “liberté, égalité, fraternité,” or “liberty, equality, fraternity” - have been used by the far right to gain large amounts of political control, according to Liberites.eu, and there has been speculation that this has led to an increase in police violence in the country, according to Time Magazine.

Additionally, both during his life and after, elements of his personality, such as introversion, a dislike of being touched, and habitual behavior, have been used to villainize him. I have seen him described as narcissistic, in a way which implies that people with narcissistic personality disorder are inherently violent. These traits, which are common among people with various neurodiversities such as autism, are used to dehumanize him.

Therefore, in context, these jokes, many of which imply that “maybe Robespierre was right to kill all those people,” feel incredibly damaging, perpetuating a ripple effect that is used against racial, religious, neurodivergent, and mentally ill minorities.

If you do your own research and subscribe to the belief that Robespierre was a terrorist, I think you can agree that romanticizing such actions is incredibly dangerous. If you agree with my research, please let a scapegoated, brutally executed man rest.

A case for optimism

By Anthony Sims Staff Writer Optimism is a philosophy rarely covered in today’s society, as many great philosophical thinkers gravitate more toward pessimism, absurdism, and so on.

I disagree with their notions of worldview, and posit that a resilient variety of optimism makes for not only a better outlook on life, but a better and more successful person.

To understand my optimism, one should understand its opposite, pessimism.

Pessimism posits that life is meaningless, full of suffering, and that the world is more full of pain than pleasure.

The idea that life is meaningless ignores the capacity for human intervention, as existentialist thought counterclaims that man can make their own meaning.

Pessimists may rebut that free will doesn’t exist, thus decisions and meaning we make hold no significance. I believe that fundamentally, free will is irrelevant.

Each individual person has an effect on the world around them, and with or without free will, only those cognizant of this may utilize it. Awareness of our footprint allows us to better navigate suffering and desire.

Life does have suffering, and sometimes it may dwarf or snuff out joy.

Buddhists believe that suffering comes from desire, and both fall under the cat-

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

egory of dukkha, or dissatisfaction.

While connected, I disagree that suffering and desire must be discarded in pursuit of the higher form of satisfaction that they call nirvana and then parinirvana. A full life requires both the happiness of achieving desire and the suffering that comes with it, as the divergence lends to a more meaningful life.

Personally, I was diagnosed with arthritis in 2022 and have dealt with physical suffering each day since. At first, I was incredibly depressed, but to-

I believe that one should live their life finding meaning in their pursuits, even if truly unachievable - go out swinging. Pursue what makes you happy, regardless of outcome, opening the door more fully to desirable results.

Nobody stumbles on their dreams accidentally, dreams demand work, easier done with an optimistic lens.

Therefore, to achieve satisfaction and happiness in their life, one must believe it’s possible.

Furthermore, allow yourself the luxury of big dreams. Quoting Ellen John-

day, I have never been happier.

Since then, I have found happiness believing that I can and will work through things, and find joy in that struggle. These days, I try to play guitar every day, my bench press increases with each gym visit, and I try to live in the sunlight, laughing with whomever I have the privilege.

son Sirlea, the first woman to be elected head of state in an African country, “If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.”

If you start putting effort toward goals each day, you will be surprised at how much you can achieve.

“What’s the point?” pessimism asks, “Why should I try when there’s no point

in this absurd world?” Some may still feel disheartened by the uncertainty of the universe, but I challenge this notion - “What would one actually do if it wasn’t?”

“Direction is good,” some may say, but is it? What if the end that the world pointed to was something undesirable?

As a thought experiment, it’s a valid consideration.

The idea of a universe where we are rejected, defunct, or wish against its designs is a world worse than ours. While things may be better if aligned differently, the notion that each person holds the ability to make of it what they will is heartening.

There are too many unknown variables to say for certain whether the world would be better with a clear purpose. Is it not great then that we have an impact, as objects in motion? Free will or not, we have the capacity to carve our own paths, and that’s not so bad.

“One may only achieve their goals if they believe they can” is the crux of my optimism.

We can do what we wish, should we play our cards right - with a bit of luck admittedly. If not, we can do as we like in our struggles. It’s all in our hands, and to me, that is the mark of a kind universe.

And so, when I consider how to think about life and existence, I can only smile and say that life is worth living, and I wish it on other people.

OP/ED

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 11

Campus Conversations

By Emily Monaco, Editorial Staff and Alexandria Rose, Staff Writer

“Who are you most thankful for at FSU?”

“I’m most thankful for Dr. Lawrence McKenna. He’s my advisor and a staff member that I look up to a lot. I’ve taken a lot of classes with him, and he’s really great at it.”

- Zachary Sorel, junior

“I’m thankful for my counselor here. Her name is Christina. She’s very awesome. She helped me out when I really needed it with school and everything. So, I’m really thankful for that and helping me get back on track with what I needed to do.”

- Keira Fecteau, freshman

“I’m most thankful for Professor Kristin Chon. She’s my physics professor. She’s really cool.”

- Monnavi Un, junior

“I’m most thankful for Dr. Shelli Waetzig. She’s been my advisor. I’ve done a research project with her for three semesters, and she is always positive and so helpful. I don’t think I would be in the place I am right now if it wasn’t for her. I just really appreciate that. I’m super thankful for all of the time that she’s given me and all of her help.”

“I’m most thankful for Dr. Jen Lin. She is an awesome professor, and I have taken multiple classes with her. I’m always impressed and look forward to taking a class with her in the spring.”

- Liv West, junior

“One person I am thankful for at this school is Meg Larkin. She works at Student Experience and she gave me the opportunity to become an orientation leader earlier this year.”

- Khoa Bui, sophomore

- Raffi Elkhoury, senior

Meanwhile, in Sodexo...

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12 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

SPORTS

Men’s ice hockey supports future generation of skaters

By Izabela Gage Asst. Sports Editor The ice rink is more than just a place to compete for the Framingham State men’s ice hockey team. The ice became a second home for every player as they began to fall in love with skating and stick handling.

The Rams have used the opportunity of sharing Loring Arena with the City of Framingham to build connections and inspire the next generation of hockey players.

The men’s ice hockey team hosted a hockey coaching event with the Framingham Flyers Mite A’s on Nov. 15.

The Rams spent 30 minutes with the young skaters - doing drills, working on their shooting skills, playing short games, and encouraging them.

Head Coach Michael Bailey said, “We spend so much time at the rink with these kids. … We are able to get to know them at a level where we’re friendly and know each other. It just creates a better environment to come to the rink every day.”

Bailey said even though many of the Rams come from all over the country, “They all come from a community that was strong in support.”

He said planning events like these benefit the Rams as much as the Mite A’s and “it helps put things into perspective. It makes them well-rounded student-athletes.”

He added the team is always focused on trying to win and get better.

“But, at the same time, you realize that it’s just a game, and there’s no better example of that than when you see a

little kid smile from scoring a goal just in practice.”

Kaleb Kinskey, a graduate student, said, “If we can build the next generation to be bigger and better, that’s what it’s all about.

“They just enjoy us being around.

They want to be us someday. … They just want to play as long as they can.

like the Bruins to them. They see these guys every Friday night. … So when we come into the rink every Friday night, they get excited. They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s the college guys,’” she added.

Applebaum said this type of event is full circle for all of the skaters. “I’m sure those guys were out there as little kids one day - their moms and dads

Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST A young Framingham Flyer Mite A skating toward the net while her teammates and Rams cheer her on Nov. 15.

They want to be a part of something like us,” he added.

The team left a lasting impression on not only the young skaters, but their families as well.

Gretchen Applebaum, a Framingham Flyer Mite A’s hockey mother, said the team planning this clinic means a lot - not only to the kids, but the parents as well. “I want to say all these kids have grown up in the rinks since they were days old.

“The Framingham State Rams are

were waking up at 5 a.m. to go to practices and making sure their education was good so they could get into college, and then they’re lucky enough to actually play the sport in college.”

Bailey said every player has a role model who impacted them growing up.

“Some of the high school kids where I grew up would come and help out. That was my dream - to play in high school.

It gave me some direction, some focus, and something to reach for.

“The best thing you can do is return

the favor and maybe do the same for a little kid. … It goes full circle,” he added.

Brady Rossbach, a sophomore, said when he was younger, he always looked up to the “older guys who were bigger, faster, and play at a high level.

And you want to do that someday, too.

“I skated with some junior hockey players who were in my town and I always looked up to them. I wanted to play for their team and play college hockey,” he added.

Applebaum said it was more than just a practice for the kids. “This is probably the highlight of their little lives tonight. The head coach and his team went beyond our expectations - the way they did the drills, the way that the guys interacted with the kids, all of the morale. They did the most amazing job ever.”

Kinskey said, “These little kids look up to us and if we get to go out there and make their day and just make them smile - that’s everything.”

Rossbach said, “Hopefully, they can play where we play. We want to help their dreams come true and help them get better at hockey.”

Kinskey said, “Giving back to the hockey communities is what we look forward to.

“We want to give back as much as we possibly can,” he added.

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu

Men’s basketball looks to next game following loss

By Daniel Meade Staff Writer The Framingham State Rams fell to the Roger Williams University Hawks 70-54 Nov. 20. With the loss, Framingham’s overall record falls to 4-2 on the season.

Framingham entered the game on a three-game winning streak. However, this game presented the Rams with a tough task - slowing down Hawks’ star guard Mac Annus, who averaged 24.5 points per game coming in, and a team that averages 96 points per game and went to the NCAA Tournament last year.

Halfway through the first half, the score was 20-18 Hawks. The Rams’ defense was able to slow down the offense of the Hawks, hoping their offense would capitalize on the other end.

Unfortunately, they were unable to do so. A series of buckets by the Hawks, capped off by a 3-point shot by Annus with 3 seconds left in the half gave the Hawks a 40-28 lead. Annus led the team with 15 points.

The Rams struggled offensively with the team making only 11 shots in the first half and committing 10 turnovers. Their highest scorer was senior

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captain Adonis Vashon with 7 points.

Framingham got on the board first to start the second half with freshman forward Marshall Kerley making a 3-point shot to make the score 40-31 Hawks.

The Hawks responded quickly by going on a 7-0 run to give them a 16-point lead before Framingham called a timeout with 15:04 left.

Vashon made a layup coming out of the timeout, hoping it could spark a run for his team. However, the deficit proved too large for the Rams to overcome. Their offense continued to have a rough shooting night and the Hawks capitalized on defensive breakdowns.

“We game-planned to cut off their back doors, and so that gives them open threes. We had to talk more, and we did not do that tonight, and they had a lot of open looks,” Vashon said.

The Hawks’ lead stretched to 20 points, with Annus scoring his final 8 points before heading to the bench with the score 62-42 Hawks with 6:49 remaining in the game. He finished with 28 points in 28 minutes.

“A guy who can knock down shots, make the right cut, and make the right read definitely makes it tough to play against,” Vashon said of Annus.

Framingham ended the game on a 12-8 run, making the final score 70-

54. Despite the loss, the Rams held the Hawks to their lowest-scoring game of the season.

While the Rams were able to slow down the offense for the Hawks, it was their offense that took a step back in this game - a sentiment echoed by Head Coach Donald Morris Jr. “I think the problem is that we were too stagnant with the ball, and we spent so much time working on slowing them down that we started to play slowly,” Morris said.

Their 54-point performance was their lowest of the season so far. The team shot 34% overall and 26% from three-point range.

Framingham hopes to look ahead to their next game. Vashon said, “I want us to leave this one behind. Next game, I want to bring more energy for sure.

We can improve on all fronts.”

Morris said, “We cannot let one game dictate the next four or five games, especially with a young team where there will be highs and lows. We let one slip away today, but on Saturday, we are going to come in, and we are ready to go get back on the winning side.”

The Rams will try to bounce back on Nov. 23 at 12 p.m. versus Lesley University.

Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST JD Okafor going for a layup during game against Roger Williams Nov. 20.

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH DANIEL MEADE dmeade3@student.framingham.edu

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 13

Rams run wild, defeat Worcester St. in football season finale

By Riley Crowell Asst. Sports Editor The Framingham State Rams defeated the Worcester State Lancers 3020 in a thrilling MASCAC matchup at Bowditch Field Nov. 16.

This game was both the season finale and Senior Day for Framingham.

The Rams’ seniors were celebrated before the game and given a happy sendoff by getting back in the win column in their final game.

With the victory, Framingham concluded their season with an overall record of 3-7 and a conference record of 3-6.

Worcester received the opening kickoff and returned it to their own 34yard line, where they would begin their first offensive drive.

On the first play of the drive, Lancers’ quarterback Cam Ayotte completed a pass to a wide-open Lance Williams in the middle of the field, who outran the Rams’ defenders to the endzone for a 66-yard touchdown, giving Worcester a 6-0 advantage in the blink of an eye.

The next four drives were scoreless for both teams. Framingham’s two drives ended in a turnover on downs and a punt. Worcester’s two drives ended in an interception and a punt.

On fourth-and-goal of the Rams’ next offensive drive, they attempted a trick play in which the ball was handed off to senior offensive lineman Bryant Bowman, but he was turned back by the Worcester defense at the goal line to preserve the Lancers’ 6-0 lead.

Although Framingham turned the ball over on downs, it left Worcester in a tough spot. The Lancers had to begin their next drive from their own 1-yard line.

The disadvantageous field position immediately hurt Worcester. Ayotte attempted to sneak through the Rams’ defensive line, but was tackled in his own end zone by freshman defensive back Tyrell Fuller, resulting in a safety and cutting the Lancers’ lead to 6-2.

The following offensive drive for the Rams was productive, but ended in an interception. The Lancers regained possession with 10:08 to play in the second quarter, but it wouldn’t last for long.

After picking up a first down due to a Framingham holding penalty, Worcester attempted to run the ball on first-and-10. Freshman safety James Wilder ripped the ball out of the arms of the Lancers’ running back, forcing a fumble that was also recovered by Wilder to quickly give possession back to the Rams.

Framingham started their next drive at the Worcester 41-yard line with 9:01 remaining in the second quarter.

On first-and-10, senior quarterback EJ Nichols looked to pass and was given all day to throw by his offensive line. Nichols spotted sophomore wide receiver Stephen Gallant running down the sideline and completed a 35-yard pass to him, setting the Rams up for first-and-goal at the Worcester 6-yard line.

After two 2-yard runs by senior running back BiBi Ramos, Nichols ran the ball into the end zone for a Framingham touchdown and gave the Rams an 8-6 advantage over the Lancers.

Nichols said rushing the ball as a quarterback is one of his biggest

strengths and he enjoys improvising on the fly.

Senior kicker Matt Farley converted the extra point to extend Framingham’s lead to 9-6 with 7:02 remaining in the second quarter.

Worcester’s next drive resulted in a punt, giving the ball back to Framingham at their own 30-yard line with 3:35 to play in the second quarter.

After an 8-yard completion by Nichols to sophomore wide receiver Ayden Ramirez, junior running back Camari Glasgow received the handoff on second down and explosively ran up the middle for a 24-yard gain, requiring the efforts of five Lancers’ defenders to bring him down.

Nichols then completed passes to sophomore wide receiver Noah De-

a comeback. The Lancers found themselves in excellent field position following an interception and 41-yard return by linebacker John McMasters that allowed them to begin their drive at the Framingham 15-yard line.

A 14-yard run by Drew von Klock and a 1-yard run by Nico Holmes led to a touchdown for Worcester. The extra point by kicker Manuel Freitas cut the Rams’ lead to 23-13 with 10:01 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Framingham received the ensuing kickoff and picked up two first downs on their next drive, but turned the ball over on downs when Nichols was turned back by the Worcester defense at the line of scrimmage on fourthand-2.

The Lancers regained possession

Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST Nolan Mulcahy (front) lifting EJ Nichols in celebration during game against Worcester St. Nov. 16. moranville, Glasgow, and sophomore wide receiver Alex Maia to advance the Rams to the Worcester 17-yard line.

On third-and-1, Glasgow received the handoff, dodged an attempted tackle at the line of scrimmage, then shifted left and weaved his way through the defense to reach the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown rush.

Farley once again booted the ball through the uprights for the extra point, extending the Rams’ lead to 16-6 with 1:11 remaining in the second quarter.

On Worcester’s next drive, two sacks by freshman defensive lineman Mitchell Purter and one by junior defensive end Kymauny Roland shut down the Lancers’ attempt to score before the half ended and sent the Rams into halftime up 16-6.

Framingham received the ball to begin the second half and immediately got to work.

A 10-play, 74-yard drive filled with productive runs by Nichols and Ramos was capped off when Nichols completed a pass with pinpoint accuracy over the middle of the field to Ramirez, who ran the ball into the endzone for a 28yard completion and Rams touchdown.

Farley’s extra point gave Framingham a 23-6 lead with 10:19 remaining in the third quarter.

On Worcester’s fifth play of their next drive, Ayotte fumbled the snap.

The ball was immediately dived on by freshman defensive lineman Korrey Barron to give possession back to the Rams.

Both offenses would fall flat over the following five possessions. Drives ending in interceptions, turnovers on downs, and a punt held the score at 23-6 Framingham with 10:47 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Following the offensive lull from both teams, Worcester began to mount

of the ball with 3:39 remaining in the fourth quarter and began the drive from their own 32-yard line.

Worcester marched the ball down the field thanks to consecutive pass completions of 14, 37, and 16 yards, which set up a first-and-goal at the Framingham 1-yard line.

Holmes received the handoff from Ayotte with an open path to the endzone and took it in for another Lancers touchdown. Freitas’ extra point cut the Rams’ lead to 23-20 with just 2:17 remaining in the game.

On the following kickoff, chaos would ensue as Worcester attempted an onside kick.

The Lancers recovered the onside kick, but the referees ruled that the ball had only traveled nine yards before being recovered, one yard short of the required 10.

Worcester players and coaches pleaded with the referees to change the call, but to no avail. Framingham regained possession of the ball at the Worcester 44-yard line.

On first-and-10, Glasgow received the handoff from Nichols and ran right, before cutting to his left and finding a gap that allowed him to run the ball 39 yards to the Lancers’ 5-yard line.

Following two Worcester penalties, the Rams were set up for first-and-goal at the Worcester 1-yard line.

Nichols received the snap and ran the ball into the end zone for a Framingham touchdown. Farley’s extra point gave the Rams a 30-20 advantage with 1:37 remaining in the game.

On the Lancers’ final drive of the game, Ayotte attempted a pass that was intercepted by senior cornerback Bryce Williams to cement Framingham’s win over Worcester.

After a season filled with growing pains and struggles, the Rams shared how good it feels to end the season

with a win.

Nichols said, “It feels great. … That was the ultimate goal coming in.”

Roland said, “It always feels good.

You can never take that away.”

Glasgow said, “There’s no better feeling. Giving it your all for everybody who sacrificed from camp to now - there’s no better feeling than going out with a win.”

Head Coach Thomas Kelley said, “I told the team before the game that I was proud of them. When I met with them after the game, I reiterated how proud I was. I’m so happy for the seniors.

“I asked them to dig down, it was one of those seasons where they could have packed it in at any time, but they didn’t. They kept on coming to work and hard work paid off,” he added.

Framingham’s 30 points in the victory is the most they’ve scored in a game this season. Their 354 rushing yards is the most they’ve had in a game since 2021, when they had 358 rushing yards in their matchup with Worcester.

Glasgow entered the game with 98 rushing yards this season and more than doubled his season total with his 137 rushing yards against Worcester. He said the keys to success were “trusting my offensive line, trusting coach’s play calls, and just staying true to my game.”

Kelley said, “We’ve been decimated with injuries. … We needed to run the ball today. BiBi Ramos was back [from injury], so we spread it out a little bit. I just think it was some great effort, not only by Glasgow, but the entire offensive line.”

Nichols finished the game with 196 passing yards and one passing touchdown, along with 77 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Kelley said, “He stepped up. If that wasn’t a character game for anybody else, it certainly was for him. He just showed his leadership and what kind of athlete he is. He did what it took to win this football game.”

Upon concluding his career with the Rams, Nichols said his biggest takeaways from his experience at FSU are “family connections and coach reiterating responding to adversity. We always get knocked down and get back up. We always figure it out. … That’s really what I have to take into life.”

The superb efforts of Nichols, Bowman, Barron, and freshman punter Makoto Uchikawa earned them MASCAC Second Team All-Conference honors this season.

Looking ahead to the 2025 season, there is a sense of optimism regarding the future of the FSU football program.

Roland said the community can expect more wins in his senior campaign next season.

Kelley said, “We’re in stage one of a total rebuild. … If these guys stick with the program and what we’ve got them doing, this is going to be a special group.

Glasgow said, “Expect me to be back.

Expect me to come back better. Expect the RB [running back] room to be better. Expect the team to be better. We’re coming for everything next year.”

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH RILEY CROWELL rcrowell@student.framingham.edu

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14 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

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SPORTS

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 15

Women’s basketball welcomes back Flannery O’Connor

By Izabela Gage Asst. Sports Editor Flannery O’Connor, 24, has made her return to Framingham State as a volunteer assistant coach of the women’s basketball team.

She wasted no time to trade her uniform in for a clipboard after just graduating last spring. The announcement that she would be joining the staff was made Sept. 12.

O’Connor said her new role in the Framingham State Athletics Department is really special to her. “The choice to come back was super easy.

“Our assistant coaches that we have had the past few years have made the experience such a game changer. …

[They] do everything - they go above and beyond every single day.

“So if I can make a difference in any of these girls’ lives, like they have for me, then I would love to be part of it,” she added.

She said she couldn’t wait to start coaching. “I would always throw hints about coming back to Coach [Walter] Paschal during the season, and he’d be like, ‘All right, let’s focus on what we have right now. You’re still playing,’ and I’d say, ‘Oh yeah, I forgot.’”

She added that she never felt unsure about her choice to return. “I drive three hours a day to get there and it’s super worth it, honestly.”

“The moment Coach said it for real, I was like, ‘I’m 100% if you’re in,’” she

added.

O’Connor said the main reason she wanted to come back as a coach was to be able to stay involved with basketball.

She added that she’s had fantastic relationships with every coach she’s ever had. “They continued to grow my love for the sport.”

O’Connor said her favorite memory from when she started playing basketball was “being outside with my dad and my brothers. My mom would come outside and she would be like, ‘Don’t let them push you around.’ And that’s always been my motto.”

She said she helped coach third, fourth, eighth, and 10th grade boys basketball in the spring. “I just coached a season of AAU basketball with Jenna Tavanese ’24 and the other assistant coach, Raegan Mulherin ’18. … It was very different from girls basketball, but it was very fun.”

In her four years as a Ram, O’Connor recorded 1,654 points, with a 52.5 field goal percentage and a 77.6 free throw percentage.

O’Connor was a health and wellness major, with minors in child and family studies, and biology. She was also a captain of the basketball team for her junior and senior years at FSU. She said her favorite basketball memory was this past season. “Winning our championship just felt like the icing on top of the cake. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to end my

basketball career - especially doing it with Gwen [Carpenter] and the rest of the girls.

“Gwen and I have been playing basketball together for five years, and we spent every single day together. So just doing that together was super special,” she added.

She said she has many favorite parts of Framingham State Athletics, but number one is how Framingham is a “very close-knit group. I feel like a lot of the athletes find support in each other, because we’re all going through something very similar. So having that type of community was definitely one of my favorite parts.”

O’Connor said getting to see the teammates she got so close with over her athletic career at FSU is really special to her. “To see them working so hard at the sport that they love is definitely very rewarding.”

On Nov. 20, Framingham State Athletics updated the women’s basketball 1,000 point scorers banner that’s hanging up in the Logan Gymnasium with O’Connor earning second place as an all-time scorer.

O’Connor said she had no idea it was happening. “I showed up for practice a couple minutes late, and the whole team started clapping for me, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, they’re making fun of me because I’m late.’

“Then Coach pointed at the banner, and everybody kept clapping. And it was super special,” she added.

She said it was sweet to have some of the girls there who were her teammates while she made her mark on the program. “Getting passes from Katie, Kelsey, Gwen, all the girls - it doesn’t mean anything without them.”

Courtesy of Hannah Stearns Flannery O’Connor Women’s Basketball Volunteer Assistant Coach Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu

Women’s ice hockey falls to Worcester St.

By Taylor Kimmell Staff Writer

The Framingham State Rams were defeated in a conference matchup against the Worcester State Lancers Nov. 15.

Just 34 seconds in, WSU attempted to score, but were turned away with a save from FSU’s goalkeeper Anna McGinty, a freshman.

The Rams attempted to capitalize on the momentum of this save, as freshman Petra Cernicek brought the puck down the ice and shot on Worcester’s net. The Lancers’ goalkeeper refused to let anything by.

Just 30 seconds later, the Lancers sped toward the Rams’ net, once again facing a deflection from McGinty.

Worcester’s first goal came at 2:56.

Following this goal, FSU won 2 of the next 3 faceoffs, but were unable to use this to their advantage.

Four minutes into the game, Framingham freshman Kalina Cochran was put in the penalty box for body-checking. Worcester utilized this opportunity to take 4 shots, all blocked by McGinty.

McGinty saved three additional shots before the Lancers netted their second goal of the game.

Two minutes later, FSU freshman Ruby Boucher took a shot on net, but was turned away by WSU’s goalie.

McGinty held off the Lancers’ offense for 3 more minutes before they scored their 3rd goal of the game.

Rams freshmen Ceira Garrity and Lila Amarante took shots on goal shortly after.

Boucher, Cernicek and Cocheran each had one more attempt on goal during the 1st period, while Worcester

netted their 4th goal.

In the first 20 minutes of gameplay, McGinty saved a total of 20 of 24 shots, giving her a save percentage of 0.833.

The Rams had the first shot on goal during the 2nd period. The shot came from Sarah Lewis, a freshman. Cocheran made an attempt on goal less than a minute later.

WSU had five shots during the next 2 minutes, all of which were stopped by goalkeeper Brigid Milligan, a freshman.

The following minute, FSU regained possession, allowing Amarante, Garrity, and Cernicek an opportunity to shoot on net.

Seven minutes in, Milligan had another save against a hard shot from Worcester.

The Lancers scored a goal at 10:27.

Milligan saved four more shots before WSU’s offense was able to score again.

Over the next 4 minutes, Milligan stopped nine more shots from Worcester. During this time, Cernicek also had a shot on goal.

Worcester ended the 2nd period with one more goal at the 19-minute mark.

Milligan defended against 19 of the 22 shots from WSU during the 2nd period, earning a save percentage of 0.864.

Freshman Adriana Rizzotto had the first shot of the final period, followed

by Boucher roughly 7 minutes later.

During the first 10 minutes of the final period, goalkeeper Lila Chamoun, a freshman, prevented 13 of Worcester’s scoring attempts.

Freshman Finley Hogan fired a shot on net a minute later, but could not find an opening.

The Lancers attempted 17 more unsuccessful shots against Chamoun before netting the puck again.

FSU followed this goal with two shots from Cernicek and Jamie Webster, a freshman.

After three more impressive saves

by Chamoun, Worcester netted their final goal of the game.

Cernicek made one final attempt to score, but could not make it past Worcester’s goalie and the game ended with a final score of 9-0 in favor of the Lancers.

During the final period of the game, Chamoun saved all but two of the 35 shots from WSU, earning her a save percentage of 0.943 for this game.

“We knew it was going to be one of our tougher games. We kept up with them pretty well the whole night,” Chamoun said.

“We get unlucky bounces pretty often, so I don’t think the score really shows how well we played,” she added.

The Rams have faced several tough opponents so far this season. Lewis said the team has worked on staying motivated in the face of this adversity.

“I think we are a relentless and hard-working team. One thing we are continuing to improve on is staying positive in tough games,” Lewis said.

Many of the teams Framingham has played so far are more experienced.

Most recently, the Rams traveled to Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) for a conference game, losing the match by only three points.

Lewis said, “We are facing teams with girls 3-4 years older than us. I think the MCLA game proved to us that we are capable of competing with these teams, considering we won two out of the three periods.”

Patrick McMahon / THE GATEPOST Emma O’Regan skating during game against Worcester St. Nov. 15.

Despite the hardships that come with being a new program, the Rams are excited for the remainder of their first season on the ice.

Chamoun said, “I think it’s cool to just be able to all be together and learn as a group so that in the next few years, we’re able to look back on our first year and see the improvement.”

Lewis noted, “We have a lot of potential and I think we are going to start seeing results soon as long as we keep at it!”

The Rams travel to Suffolk University for a non-conference matchup Nov. 23.

Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com

CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL tkimmell@student.framingham.edu

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ARTS & FEATURES

Muslim Student Association hosts dinner with guest speaker

By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer The Muslim Student Association held their first event, “Dinner + Dialogue: Come Learn About Islam” on Nov. 19 in the Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE). The event featured guest speaker Taimur Khan and dinner.

Hadiya Jallow, one of three co-founders of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), began the event with the Islamic greeting, “As-salamu alaikum” meaning “peace be upon you” in Arabic. She then thanked the attendees and introduced the two other co-founders, Taimoor Khan and Abdallah Mohamed.

She said the MSA recently formed “in hopes of creating and building a Muslim community on campus while educating everyone here.”

Jallow then introduced Taimur Khan. She said, “He is originally from Pakistan, but raised in Burlington, Massachusetts - a son, a brother, a father.

“He’s a graduate of Northeastern University with a bachelor in science and accounting and finance, and he works as an AGM in the transportation industry with a focus on data analysis and performance management,” she added.

“He’s involved in Islamic circles across Massachusetts and nationally, and working to bridge the gap between Islam and the local communities. His goal is to make education accessible to the masses locally and internationally, while adhering to Islamic practices and social justice, which would contribute to the betterment of society,” she continued.

Taimur Khan opened by stating one of his goals when he conducts talks is to make the talk very informal. He said he prefers it to be “sort of a discussion rather than a speech or a talk.”

He mentioned that co-founder Taimoor Khan messaged him the day prior asking for an introduction and he struggled to come up with something on the spot. Taimur Khan added, “By the way, we share the same name. It is a common Pakistani name.

“I have two young kids. I dedicate a lot of time to them. I try to be connected to the Masjid [mosque] because I feel that is where I can really build my morality, and my personality is being close to Allah, being close to God, and being close to the Masjid,” he then added.

After reciting a few verses of the Quran in Arabic, Taimur Khan thanked “the one and only lord and God for allowing us to be here today - everything we have, because everything we have is really a privilege. It’s not really a right that we have.

“We thank him for our life. We thank him for the comforts that we have. We thank him for our health. We

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST Hadiya Jallow, co-founder of the Muslim Student Association, speaking at the “Dinner + Dialogue” event Nov. 19. thank him for our safety and security. We thank him for our family and our friends. We thank him for the network of our colleagues that we have.

We thank him for the positions we hold. We thank him for the immense amount of opportunities we have.”

He added, “Opportunities in education, opportunities in our career, opportunities in entrepreneurship, humanitarian opportunities - because so many of the people around the world don’t have these opportunities.

“So many of the people around the world are living under very difficult situations - oppression, poverty, hunger. We are probably the few individuals living like kings, right?” he asked.

Taimur Khan told a story about a friend of his, who, after having three sons, wanted a baby girl with his wife.

They were then blessed by Allah when Allah gave them a baby girl recently.

He said that as he was driving home from work a few days ago, his friend called him and they chatted about his daughter, and his friend said she was doing well.

The day before the event, Taimur Khan received a phone call from a mutual friend inquiring about this friend, asking if he had heard from him. He replied that he had just spoken to him a few days ago. The mutual friend then replied that the father’s daughter had passed.

Taimur Khan said, “Our moments are precious. There is no guarantee that any of us will live another day.”

He added, “Every moment, every interaction is very precious. Every second, every breath, every blink of the eye, every beat of the heart is precious.

“I know we take it for granted - it’s human nature - but if we really sit down and reflect, everything we have around us is precious,” he said.

Taimur Khan asked if any non-Muslims in the room had noticed how a lot of Muslims look or dress similarly, with long robes, varying styles of headscarves, and different lengths of men’s beards.

He pointed out also that non-Muslims may notice Muslims bowing and carrying prayer mats to pray in different settings.

“There is a perfect response to all of this, and the response is that all of the Muslims, the 1.6 billion to 2 billion Muslims in the world, we all work tirelessly.

“We work hard to be like the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and everything - all of these actions you see - are lessons that he has taught us on how to live our life to be successful in this world and in the next life.”

He added, “How to be excellent students, how to be excellent businessmen, how to be good fathers, how to be good community members, how to be leaders, how to be good neighbors, how to deal, how to talk, how to stand, how to sit.

“He has taught us all this, and we work hard because we have this conviction that our key to success is following that example,” he said.

Taimur Khan explained the story of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, his beliefs, his values, and his life.

He shared that Muhammad, peace be upon him, grew up with moral excellence. He was a soft-spoken person

who never met the eyes of someone unless it was out of respect. He treated all with kindness, and made sure that the people he interacted with felt valued.

Muhammad, peace be upon him, was precise with his words, but articulate, and they had a lasting impact.

Regardless of age, he gave everyone proper attention, Taimur Khan said.

“He really disliked oppression. …

He hated when somebody like the weak didn’t have anybody to stand up for them, so he would stand up for them,” he said.

He added, “When he was blessed with the opportunity of prophethood … a prophecy was made that, as respected as he was, he would be boycotted - he would be shunned.

“When he started preaching his message, that’s when everything changed. … He lost his supporters. He lost people who took care of him, he suffered from grief and pain and hunger. But despite all that, he is referred to as a mercy to mankind,” he added.

“What’s his message? His message is the same message as all the prophets before him,” Taimur Khan said.

“The message is that there’s no God except one Allah, one God. “Allah means God. And the message [Muhammad] proclaimed, that he preached, that he propagated, was that there is nothing else that has created us, that preserves us, that maintains us, except Allah, except God. He has created us, and it is up to him when he wants to take us back,” he said.

CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY

odunleavy@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 17

Sofia Continued from Page 1 Twelve students and two trip leaders took three airplanes over two days, followed by multiple taxi trips to the oasis of Kalimpong, India.

Spending just under three weeks in India as part of the experience, Wilson traveled to Kalimpong and Darjeeling in West Bengal, and the tourist cities of Agra and New Delhi. With each new location came a different experience that shaped how she would view India forever.

When she arrived in Kalimpong, after an approximate six-hour drive from New Delhi, it was around 10 p.m.

“Our hosts were still up, and they fed us, and then they showed us our rooms, and I remember, not panicking, but I was nervous, because I was like, ‘Oh God, I don’t know how I’m going to remember where everything is,’” Wilson said.

On her first morning in Kalimpong, Wilson said she experienced a deeply spiritual moment while sitting on the mountainside.

“I woke up super jet-lagged and I just remember waking up super early in the morning, and I didn’t know what to do because everyone was asleep, so I just went outside and I sat on this little bench, and it was really nice. It was a really nicely contemplative moment for the first day,” Wilson said.

Although she said it was hard to put into words exactly what she was feeling, she experienced “one of those moments” when she felt a “distinct spiritual connection to where I was.”

At that moment, Wilson said she knew

Courtesy of Sofia Wilson this was going to be a life-changing trip.

“It was really peaceful. I saw a hummingbird, and I was like, ‘Oh, I like that,’” Wilson said.

Over two weeks, she connected with a family in the community, who showed her their way of life. For example, clothes were washed outside under a small faucet against a rock with slivers of soap. Food was cooked

Courtesy of Sofia Wilson

over a small fire outside or over the warmth of a portable stovetop. She said she learned how much Americans take for granted.

In Darjeeling, Wilson completed some service learning. Here, over three days, she worked with young monks at a monastery. These children were surrendered to the monastery by their parents and ranged in age from 2 to 18. Parents who could not financially support raising a child or who wanted their children to have an overall better life surrendered their children to the monastery to become monks. If at any time they were able to support their children again, they could come back to retrieve them, but most children stay there until they turn 18.

Only boys and men reside in the monastery, so the younger children were very drawn to the female students in the group, sensing maternal affection. Despite the language barrier, Wilson and the children communicated through “laughs, hugs, and the occasional sticking out of a tongue when one of the children beat me at yard games or soccer,” she said.

Wilson said during her time at the monastery, she led painting classes and outside games and joined them in their daily routines.

“I don’t think at any point we knew what the other person was saying when we were talking to them,” Wilson said. “In one-on-one interactions, it was more just like gesturing and reading each other’s body language.”

Wilson said the monks, who dressed in orange or yellow garbs and had shaved heads, led “very simple lives.”

They did not have any worldly possessions other than two outfits and their beds.

“That was the biggest difference.

I remember looking around the temple and the monastery, and looking around the rooms, and I thought, ‘This is a very simple life, but they’re having so much fun.’ I kind of envied the simplicity of it,” she said.

Wilson said one of her favorite experiences during the trip was playing tag and Fire on the Mountain with the young monks.

“The two youngest monks were really funny, and I got to bond with them a lot because they were climbing all over me,” she said.

Although she was not able to know their names, she said she named them Red and Orange “because one was wearing a red coat and the other was wearing an orange coat,” she said.

She remembered that “Red would just hit people and if he wasn’t like 2 or 3, I’d be like, ‘Oh no, no.’ But it was really funny when Red would hit people because he made a fun game out of that.”

Orange, on the other hand, “was a lot more shy, but he was really funny.”

Lisa Eck, chair of the English Department, who organized and attended the trip along with Rachel Spezia, assistant dean of students, said, “One monk would jump into her arms and another would be hanging on her leg.”

She added although they did not speak the same language, they spoke through the universal language of competition.

During a soccer competition, Eck remembered how Wilson made “the game fun because she would yell out.

She would chase the ball with the monks. Overall, she was just extremely enthusiastic.

“The most touching part is that whenever you make a team, every

See SOFIA Page 18

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18 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Sofia Continued from Page 17 goal was celebrated with high fives.

You know, just the fact that you can go from being strangers in the morning to being a team by the end of the day was amazing,” said Eck. She said Wilson stood out the most to her on the trip because “she threw herself into it with her full body and her facial expressions. She was so excited.”

Wilson said, “Culturally, India stands out the most just because of how far away it is from us and how different the culture is.”

She said, “The food was probably my favorite. I get Indian food here all the time, but it’s not even close. It’s still good, but it doesn’t beat going to India and eating. Culturally, that’s definitely been the most impactful just being able to hear a completely different language and eat different food, meet different people.

“We had a lot of vegetarian food, which I appreciate because I just tend to prefer vegetarian food. We had a lot of potatoes, lentils, and dal that was really good. A lot of the desserts are really good, too,” Wilson said.

Eck also remembered while they were at the monastery, she looked over her shoulder and saw Wilson eating lunch with the monks - eight of them all huddled around her.

“Everyone’s got a silver bowl, elbows on the table, but I think she had them, somehow, all laughing at her jokes.”

In June 2023, just five short months after venturing to India, Wilson traveled to Portugal to study at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP).

With Wilson’s intellect also comes an intense curiosity. She said she wants to explore the corners of the world, leading her to discover parts of herself, information she would not have uncovered without traveling tens of thousands of miles.

This trip was not only academic as Wilson is half-Portuguese, so she wanted to deepen her connection to her heritage and cultural identity. She said her family is from and still lives in northern Portugal. Wilson wanted to travel to deepen her knowledge of the language and be able to use it colloquially.

She said she only had a month in Portugal, and making friends was a bit challenging. She said her studyabroad program was structured in a way that left little room for socializing. She remembers walking around campus, feeling like an outsider, a fleeting shadow among familiar faces.

But everything changed one evening when she stumbled upon a group of students also visiting the campus to study abroad.

Wilson said they were from Notre Dame, and as fate would have it, they welcomed her into their circle.

She said she chuckled at the irony that even thousands of miles from home, she forged friendships with a group of students who were from the United States.

Wilson studied in southern Portu-

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ARTS & FEATURES gal. She explained there is a cultural divide between the north and south, just as there is in the United States.

“I’m from the northern part of Portugal, up near the mountains. The south considers the northerners to be a little more vulgar and a little more out there. Our Portuguese sounds different,” she said. “In my opinion, ours just sounds harsher in the pronunciation.”

While she was taking Portuguese classes at UCP, she said she distinctly remembered a lesson in which she said the word “butt” because, at the time, the class was learning the vocabulary for anatomy.

“It was really funny because a lot of what I thought were correct words are just swear words - it’s hilarious,” she said.

She said learning about herself from a different perspective was very meaningful to her and deepened the connection she had with her family’s heritage.

“I got to see the stereotypes that I didn’t really know existed,” she said.

The south of Portugal is more reserved and politically correct than the north, where people weave curses into their sentences and talk with more freedom. The north doesn’t hold back, Wilson said.

felt like a haven, filled with family photos and stories from the past.

“It was two very different vibes,” Wilson said. One vibrant and new, filled with laughter and city lights, and the other warm and familiar, steeped in love and memory. She visited the villages that her grandmother and her family lived in so many years ago, walking the same paths they had.

She said as she reflected on the beauty of these connections, she wove a tapestry of experiences, a vibrant mix of friendships and family ties that would stay with her long after she returned home.

She said she has found that even

Courtesy of Sofia Wilson During the lesson, her professor turned to her and said, “You shouldn’t, you can’t say that!”

Wilson was confused because she had a fairly good grasp of the vocabulary for parts of the body. “Why?” she asked.

“Why?” he answered. “Because that’s a swear!” Wilson said she was flabbergasted, not being someone who would use inappropriate language.

She paused before answering. “But that’s what my grandmother taught me,” she told the professor.

Wilson said he smiled and asked, “Yeah? Are you from the north?”

She hesitantly replied, “Yes?” Her professor answered, “Ah, I see. They swear a lot.”

One of the lessons Wilson learned during her time in Lisbon was that some of the language she grew up learning is not socially acceptable - at least not in the south.

The people reflect the landscape of their regions. The landscape of the north is treacherous and mountainous - as rugged as its people. The south has flatter landscapes and a Mediterranean climate consisting of hot, dry summers and mild winters.

The people are milder as well, according to Wilson.

Wilson said she found the regional differences between the north and south of Portugal very interesting because she spent her childhood visiting her family’s region, but studying in a different region gave her an opportunity to view Portugal in a more nuanced light.

Another part of her journey was visiting her grandmother, who lived just a few hours north, and whom she hadn’t seen in four years.

She said she made the trip one weekend, and the moment she stepped through the door, her cousin’s home

in a short time, she could create lasting memories and friendships that bridged the distance between two worlds, whether between the north and south of Portugal, Portugal and Massachusetts, or her grandmother’s house and her friend’s dorm.

Wilson found a space to learn about her identity and a way to shrink the size of the world in each place.

Most recently, Wilson spent a summer in British Columbia, Canada, working on a digital humanities internship at the University of Victoria.

This was an experience planned entirely on her own, unlike her last two trips.

Wilson funded her trip through a Fulbright scholarship and the Mitacs Globalink internship program. “I would say that was kind of stressful,” she said, referencing the application

See SOFIA Page 19

ARTS & FEATURES Dancers moved rhythmically, their joy contagious.

Wilson said being in Canada during Pride Week felt like stepping into a different world - one where love and acceptance took center stage. She said she realized how important it was to feel safe and embraced for who she is, and this experience filled her with hope. It was a reminder that, while struggles exist, there are also communities where love reigns supreme.

As the summer came to an end, she said she left Canada with more than just memories - she carried with her a renewed sense of self and a deeper understanding of the power of community.

That first Pride was not just an event. “It was a celebration of identity, a testament to resilience, and a beautiful chapter in my journey of self-acceptance,” she said.

Wilson always knew who she wanted to be when she grew up. She had always dreamed of becoming a lawyer and being able to help those in need.

The last two years of traveling have changed that.

Now when she looks out of her dorm window at Framingham State, she sees many possibilities of who she can become.

“It has made me more open to

change. I’ve always wanted to go to law school after graduation, but traveling abroad has made me more open to the fact that if that doesn’t happen, it’s OK,” she said.

Wilson said she could see herself working “almost anywhere.”

“I want to go to law school, but if a really, really great opportunity comes up halfway across the world, I’m more likely to take it now,” she said.

Now, Wilson can see herself working in editing or publishing and pursuing poetry and writing on the side.

She now even sees herself working at an animal shelter and eventually opening her own shelter with lots of space for the animals that need it.

And none of this has to happen within the United States - something she never would have dreamed about when she first enrolled at Framingham State.

Traveling opened her eyes to an entire world of possibilities, and Wilson said she learned it is OK to divert from what she had planned.

Her only plan now is to ask the question, “Where will I go next?”

$30,000 grant for technology in the classroom

Professor of Communication, Media, & Performance Bob Oei-Clark asked about the logistics of using the grant to purchase more cameras for film production classes in the Communications Department.

Oei-Clark said currently there are only three cameras shared by multiple classes, and this causes a number of problems. When using the cameras, “It’s kind of easy for some of them to hide, or the one student [with the camera] doesn’t share,” he said.

Courchesne said even though that project might not benefit every student at FSU, it’s an example of one that aims to improve the classroom experience for dozens of students, and would still be worth submitting to ETO. He clarified grant proposals are judged on three main criteria - relevance and pedagogical factors, design, and sustainability - but even great proposals may not meet every bullet point in each category - “scalability possible” under sustainability, in this example.

Courchesne fielded questions for the remainder of the event, which included the logistics of purchasing a fleet of high-level GPUs for the Center for Digital Humanities, the ability to propose two grant projects for completion in one semester, and back-up procedures, among others.

He added the ETO is happy to speak and collaborate with anyone who has an idea for a grant, and he is the first point of contact for any questions.

The deadline for submission to the Innovation in Teaching with Technology Grant is Jan. 16, 2025.

Sofia Continued from Page 18 process.

The Fulbright grant covered her flights and travel expenses, and then Mitacs Globalink covered the rest.

Through this digital humanities internship, she worked on encoding works of Shakespeare and digitizing them. She worked alongside Kristen Abbott Bennett, professor of digital humanities.

“I started out doing a lot of research for Bennett, and then I started working on encoding and remediating ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost (Folio 1)’ on Oxygen, where I just checked the encoding text to make sure it matches up with the LEMDO and TEI guidelines,” Wilson said.

Bennett said Wilson “really excelled” in Canada and by the time she returned to Framingham, Wilson was teaching her how to use the software.

Bennett said it was no surprise that Wilson was so successful in her internship. She said she had the privilege of having Wilson as a Rams Peer Mentor in some of her classes. Through this experience, she worked with Wilson on a personal and an academic level.

Bennett said, “Sofia is an extraor-

dinary role model for other students.”

She added she has seen how Wilson has become “a lot more adventurous” through the trips she has taken over the last four years.

“She is simply an amazing human with a great sense of humor,” Bennett said.

Wilson said the most memorable moment of her summer in Canada was when she participated in events during Pride Week.

She said it was her first Pride celebration, and she felt lucky to be spending it in such an open and safe place in the world.

Growing up in the U.S., Wilson said she had felt the weight of societal pressures and the pervasive undercurrents of homophobia. While it exists everywhere, the atmosphere back home felt particularly tense, making the thought of fully embracing her identity daunting. But Canada promised a different experience, a breath of fresh air, she said.

She said the festivities lasted for an entire week. The highlight, of course, was the grand parade at the end of the week.

Wilson said she experienced a very strong sense of belonging while standing in the streets, as floats glided by, bursting with color and music.

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 19

outlined by Educational Technology Office

By Ryan O’Connell Associate Editor The Educational Technology Office (ETO) discussed the Innovation in Teaching with Technology Grant, a program which awards a combined $30,000 to projects aimed at experimenting with methods of using technology for learning, Nov. 20.

ETO Director Steven Courchesne led the panel, which also included brief testimony from Music Professor Christian Gentry, a current recipient of the grant, and jumping-off points for project ideas from Senior Instructional Technologist Mary MacDonald.

Courchesne said the grant, which has been awarded since 2014, is undergoing a change this year to allow for more flexibility in what professors can propose.

“It used to be that you needed to apply for bigger ticket items,” he said.

“And the expectation was that we were helping you to buy technology. … One change that we are making to the grant is to allow for other types of projects.”

He added a new type of project might be one where the technology may already be owned by the University, and the proposal outlines a new way to integrate that technology into the classroom.

Courchesne said the grant has two pathways.

The first is the same as it was in previous years, requiring faculty submit a proposal which spends between $5,000 and $20,000, typically on procuring new technology such as VR

headsets.

The second, newly introduced this year, requires a proposal to spend between only $750 and $1,500.

In this model, $750 is paid to the faculty member proposing the change as compensation for their curriculum planning after completion of the class, and the other $750 may be allocated to software subscriptions, he added.

Christian Gentry then spoke about his experience going through the grant request process.

Gentry said this semester he is implementing a grant proposed last year, which was for equipment to create a podcasting studio in the Henry Whittemore Library for the Art & Music Department.

“If you have an idea that requires certain technology or changing some things in order to teach better, the best thing is to start putting that [proposal] together now, but also to start talking with ETO about the process,” he said.

Gentry added it’s important to first know the scope of the project.

He used the podcasting lab as an example - an outline too general would say “we need more podcasts on campus,” and an outline too specific would clarify only students of the Art & Music Department could use the lab, he said.

“Think of your stakeholders right away and who could benefit from your idea,” Gentry added.

Gentry said his proposal has resulted in two studio spaces, each with a capacity of four people and all the

equipment and room treatment required for a professional studio.

He added he also brought on two interns who are acting as audio engineers, helping to finalize raw recordings from students in the studios.

Gentry added scalability is also a big goal with the grant, and said English Professor Bartholomew Brinkman, who was also in attendance,had brought two of his RAMS 101 courses to the podcasting labs to learn the equipment.

Brinkman said in reflections submitted by his students, the most common response was initial hesitancy, but then an enjoyment of using the equipment.

“And it facilitated collaboration in a group and project management and just a lot of other things,” he added.

Mary MacDonald then shared some brainstorming ideas for grant projects using readily available technology, which would be fit for the new $750 to $1,500 proposal model.

These ideas included researching methods to increase engagement in a digital learning environment, creating AI-proof assignments, and incorporating new Canvas technologies - such as Lucid, a software similar to Google Jamboard - among many others.

MacDonald said these were only rough ideas of topics that would be encouraged under the new reduced-cost proposal model.

Courchesne then asked attendees about their ideas for the grant so the ETO could offer some early advice on their concepts.

CONNECT WITH SOPHIA HARRIS

sharris9@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH RYAN O’CONNELL

roconnell1@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

ARTS & FEATURES

Who are your biggest style inspirations?

Definitely some of my favorite NBA players, like Allen Iverson from Philadelphia. More recently it’s been a lot of rappers like Tyler, The Creator, Smino, Young Thug - also, he’s home from prison now. So that’s a good thing.

OST GATEP

This Wednesday The Gatepost celebrated the 21st birthday of Izayah Morgan, our illustrious Opinion Editor. His expressive blend of streetwear and high-end silhouettes has made him a noteworthy style guru on campus - here’s what your favorite CIE Diversity Peer Influencer has to say about his wardrobe.

flamboyant. usually go for the So obviously, black

need t o l o o k more professional, I’ll put on a turtleneck and blazer - I can also do that. I would describe my style as But I neutrals. or white

are the first layers, and then I try to put on a cream, brown, or gray and try to go along with it. I really dislike bright colors. They’re just a little overstimulating for me, so that’s why I tend to go with more neutral tones.

Walk me through today’s outfit.

My dress shoes are from Steve Madden.

These black slacks are from Macy’s, and then I got this turtleneck from Banana Republic. This coat I’m pretty sure is from Michael Kors. I top it all off with my Apple Watch! I wanted to expand my style to look more presentable. I like a tailored, fitted look. And when I was trying it on at the store, I was like, “Damn, I feel really good in this.”

When I was younger, I didn’t really like tight-fitting shirts. I still usually don’t.

But for something like a turtleneck or a cardigan, I was looking in the mirror, and I was like, “Gosh, I love t h i s fit right now.”

E GATEPOST

By Bella Omar Asst. Arts & Features Editor

HE mar / T Bella O

Zay’s Slays

How would you describe your personal style?

I think it’s very adaptable. It can fit whatever I need it to.

So if I need a more casual look, I’ll do a fitted hat, a hoodie, sweat pants - I can d o that.

B u t if I

Bella Omar / TH

20 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Where do you usually shop?

Macy’s - their clothes are very affordable, and they have all the cologne that I love too. So I can get everything in one place. I usually wear Polo Ralph Lauren, 1 Million

by Paco Rabanne, and sometimes Valentino. For my shoes, it’s usually Foot Locker or Journeys.

If you could give out one piece of style advice, what would it be?

Do what fits you.

Don’t conform to what anybody else’s style is. I mean, obviously, draw inspiration from other people, right?

But at the end of the day, you gotta be by yourself.

So if you don’t like what I personally wear, don’t mimic that. [ Editor’s Note: Izayah Morgan is Opinions Editor for The Gatepost. ]

CONNECT WITH BELLA OMAR

bomar@student.framingham.edu

Pink goes great with green in the new adaptation of ‘Wicked’

By Antonio Machado Staff Writer Since the golden age of “Chicago,” “Dreamgirls,” and “Hairspray,” the Broadway adaptation movie musical has become a drastically hated genre of film, and it is not without reason.

Though they may seem similar, Broadway and film are vastly different mediums of storytelling, and in adapting one into the other, massive aspects crucial to the narrative can be lost in translation. “Mean Girls,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” and the most unfortunate of all, “Cats,” lost the charm that made their stage versions appealing when translated into film.

“Wicked,” however, defies gravity and takes the musical genre to new heights.

The long-awaited film adaptation of the stage musical “Wicked” has released in theaters after spending nearly 10 years in production hell and it paid off.

The musical reimagines the events of “The Wizard of Oz.” Beginning with a glorious celebration of the Wicked Witch’s melting, Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande-Butera) formerly Galinda - recounts her days at Shiz University before the Wicked Witch was wicked and, instead, was just her roommate, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo).

In exploring the beautiful intricacies of the relationship between these two women, the film is unabashedly political, delivering poignant commentary on fascism and otherizing people for looking different - commentary that feels very relevant in

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Fiyero is “swankified” and hypnotizthe contemporary world.

The stage musical has been split ingly charming. “Dancing Through into two parts, making the two acts Life” is an absolute spectacle. Dancers into a movie each. Though it is just parkouring within a gyrating bookthe first part of “Wicked,” the film shelf over Bailey’s magnetic vocals tells a complete and satisfying story. glue your eyes to the screen, but it’s Director Jon M. Chu slows the break- not until Erivo’s Elphaba takes center neck pace of the musical to further stage on the dance floor that you can develop and enhance the plot without hear the film’s heart beating.

Erivo is exceedingly spectacular ever straying from the yellow brick road by keeping the adaptation faith- and altogether quite impossible to describe as Elphaba, bringing nuancful to its source material.

Though the film is long, sitting es to the character incapable of being at a 160-minute runtime, it is rare- demonstrated on stage. Erivo has an ly noticeable in the grandiosity of innate understanding of the character the practical sets. The world of Oz is - and it rings true throughout the film brought to life at the hands of Chu - as she slowly peels every layer of her “thrillifying” sets provide an immer- terribly misunderstood green skin.

As expected of an Emmy, Gramsive experience with everything in the world feeling tangibly, rich with my, and Tony award-winning a c history and every single detail being tress, Erivo knows exactly what tools are at her disposal and when to use clearly thought out. them. She traverses the world with Upbeat musical seher guard up, and when she is fiquences with remarknally able to let it go and able chocome into her reography own, she literand immense ally soars. ensembles have The wide-eyed the dazzling hopefulness of charisma and “The Wizard And theatricality I” becomes from the stage heartbreaking versions beautiwhen confully translated sidering the to the screen, foreboding war and they’re only cry of “Defying enhanced by Gravity,” and the performErivo sells both ers, who sang numbers with an all the music otherworldly volive. cal.

Jonathan B a i l e y ’s Charlotte Fabrizi / THE GATEPOST

Grande-Butera’s Galinda is a tour de force - an absolute standout in a film studded with stellar performances. Her comedic timing was exemplary, making audiences erupt in laughter at every zinger. Even in moments where Galinda was the mean girl, her unadulterated slapstick comedy made it impossible not to enjoy seeing her on screen.

Following “Dancing Through Life” may seem like an insurmountable task, but Grande-Butera’s “Popular” sends it away with a plethora of high kicks. Hair flips and key changes galore, Grande-Butera gives a heartwarmingly hilarious performance that will have audiences exclaiming, “She’s been ‘Best Supporting Actress-ified.’”

The self-assured theatricality of “Wicked” serves as a new standard for any and all stage-to-screen adaptations in the future. The film is a marvelous love letter to any and all iterations of Oz that came before it, and it never once loses faith in its music nor its message, and for that I must say, thank goodness.

Rating: A+ It’s gonna be “Pop-ular” CONNECT WITH ANTONIO MACHADO

amachado4@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 21

Alex Warren - turning trauma into tunes

By Alexandria Rose Staff Writer

Alex Warren released his debut album, “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1),” on Sept. 27. It consists of only 10 songs for a total of 30 minutes. However, the experience immerses you in the soundtrack of his life, giving it a timeless quality.

Alex has never hidden where his roots stem from. Since his rise to fame, he has shared even more about his experience losing his father, his abusive and alcoholic mother kicking him out, resulting in him becoming homeless at 18, how he copes with it through his music, and how it led him to meeting his now wife.

Alex is the first to speak about his experience living in the Hype House, an infamous social media content house that came crashing down, through the release of his newest song, “Burning Down.”

In the wake of the release, former members of the house have come forward with comments about their NDAs expiring and they will soon be able to speak out about their experience.

Many have been able to relate this experience with their toxic family household and claim it perfectly encaptures their experience.

Ironically, the internet also bullied him into releasing the version he promoted on social media and he released it as a single newly titled,

ically be there during monumental “Burning Down (Alex’s Version).”

The difference between the album milestones in his life. He saves empty version and single is miniscule. How- seats for his parents as a symbol that ever, both are equally worth the praise he will be saving a seat for them for the rest of his life. they receive.

He has stated that he will be savHe has numerous songs dedicated ing a seat for to his wife, Kothem in the vur. Their reladelivery room tionship startwhen he has ed when Alex a child. He was sleeping in wants to be his friend’s car. able to look Instead of runover and ning away, she know that jumped in the they are lookpassenger seat. ing down and Their relationwatching ship is loved by over him. millions on the The song internet rootis a personal ing for their reflection of ongoing and his thoughts, well-deserved feelings, success. and coping Alex wrote David Abe / THE GATEPOST “Carry You with grief. He Home” as the song for their first sings, “I wonder if the ones who go dance. After their wedding, the cou- miss the ones who stay.” On the podple publicly shared their vows, spark- cast “The Squeeze,” he stated this is ing an outpouring of love and support the only song he has ever written that that flooded their comments, with makes him “break down and bawl his many admitting they had to take a eyes out.”

“Chasing Shadows” is about chasmoment to compose themselves.

The songs dedicated to his wife are ing the ghosts of the pasts, of those nothing short of beautiful and heart- who are no longer present in his life. felt. They are lyrical works of art that He reflects on the ache of longing for a home that no longer exists and the capture the essence of his emotions.

His song “Save You a Seat” is ded- reluctance to say goodbye. icated to his family that won’t physThe album’s title serves as its clos-

Find ‘Sanctuary’ in TXT’s new album

By Liv Dunleavy Staff Writer The world may just be healing, folks. TOMORROW X TOGETHER has released their seventh mini album, “The Star Chapter: Sanctuary,” and all I can say is - this “Danger”-ously catchy album has taken me “Over The Moon” to “Heaven.”

No, actually, it has taken me “Higher Than Heaven,” and I just can’t “Resist” listening on repeat, not even taking “Forty One Winks” to stream the entire album on repeat all day long.

OK, enough with the track puns.

Getting down to business, as a MOA (moments of alwaysness/the name of TXT fans), this album has delivered the TXT standard and beyond.

I feel like after their last release, “minisode 3: Tomorrow,” one might think, “Can it get any better than this? Can Taehyun sing any higher notes? Can Beomgyu, Soobin, or Yeonjun resist? Is Heuning Kai going to inevitably bias-wreck me?” The answer is yes. To all of them. Yes. If you haven’t had a chance to experience heaven on earth, my first recommendation is “Resist.” It is actually criminally catchy. I can try to explain but words can’t do justice to the earworm you will experience after

the first four lines are sung sweetly into your ear holes.

Scream into my face with your beautiful voice, Beomgyu. Scream straight into my heart, and honestly, just take it while you’re there.

The lead single for the album, “Over The Moon,” is the perfect blend of enchantment and electricity that

MOA. You cannot review this album without mentioning “Danger.” It would be a felony, I think. In rare TXT fashion, they’ve managed to get us all trapped in their web with a funky beat and an old school K-pop vibe.

It is so nostalgic to me as a thirdgen K-pop fan, and just makes me

Emily Monaco / THE GATEPOST has you bumping to the beat but swaying to the sweet melody.

The post-chorus lead by Soobin is like finally breathing air after being trapped underwater, or in this case I guess it is more like after returning to Earth’s atmosphere.

The music video release had me glued to my TV, my face smooshed up against the screen to see the angels closer. TXT never disappoints in their visuals. With vocals and choreography this stunning, I don’t see anyone resisting very long from becoming a

groove around no matter where I am.

They’ve got me in danger, the song is just too good.

You might see me driving down State Street with this song blasting, and I’d advise you to steer clear, because we are both in the danger zone.

“Higher Than Heaven” was the pop-rock punch I needed to scream to when I’m in the car going maybe a smidge over the speed limit, or more.

It honestly gave me a flashback to Benson Boone’s “Cry,” with a similar post-chorus to him. I really love it

ing piece, a dedication to his younger self. Instead of allowing his hardships to define him, he turned each challenge into a stepping stone toward something beautiful. He made his tragedies a work of art.

His father inspired him to start creating content. Alex’s father had previously fought three battles with cancer. After being diagnosed for the fourth time, they didn’t know which day would be his last. Due to the uncertainty, he wanted to capture every memory they were creating and they now get to cherish it for a lifetime to come.

He sings, “Growing up is not easy but it’s going to get better,” referencing his hard childhood and ends with the reassurance, “You’ll be alright, kid.”

Alex Warren’s album tells the story of a beautiful tragedy, highlighting some of the most defining moments of his life. Not all storms drown the garden - some wash away the pain to reveal hidden roots.

Rating: A Can’t wait to see what this diva puts out next

CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRIA ROSE

arose5@student.framingham.edu

and I think more artists need to try screaming their feelings.

I love that this album has a more soft and ethereal aura, especially with songs like “Forty One Winks” and “Heaven.”

These two tracks are much slower and I really like that they have two different but similar vibes and can be on the same album so seamlessly - a slow song that makes you want to shimmy a little.

Though most of the songs are upbeat, they don’t become too harsh or extreme where I can’t feel relaxed listening to them.

I really enjoyed this whole album, as I do with every TXT release. This one takes the cake as of recently, though.

Every song was a hit for me and I can’t wait to hear them live if they go on tour. I highly, highly recommend you listen to TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s “The Star Chapter: Sanctuary” whenever you have time.

Rating: A+ I can’t “Resist” streaming this album

CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY

odunleavy@student.framingham.edu

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

22 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

ARTS & FEATURES

‘House of the Dragon’ ignites Season 2

By Michael Trueswell Staff Writer “House of the Dragon” explores Rhaenyra and her half brother Aegon Targaryen struggle for the iron throne. After the anticlimactic ending of the “Game of Thrones” TV series, many viewed a return to Westeros with skepticism. But two years ago, the first season of “House of the Dragon” reset fantasy expectations with its adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s book “Fire and Blood.”

The new eight-episode season delivered the first battles of the war the last season built up to. The first few episodes have good pacing with its characters receiving consequences for missteps and tangible payoffs to their actions.

The new season continues the first season’s momentum only slowing after the fifth episode. Unfortunately, the remainder of the season lags, spending a majority of its remaining time building toward an unsatisfying cliffhanger.

As the leading characters in each faction struggle to secure loyalty and prevent their power from being subverted or usurped, both claimants are supported by their own coalitions, as they traverse the internal power struggles that made “Game of Thrones” so captivating.

The impressive quality of costuming and visual effects was maintained this season. With the dragon’s de-

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structive ability on display, we are shown repeatedly how dangerous and intimidating these animals are, highlighting the devastating consequences of war.

The relationship between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower was given needlessly more screen time in this season, with the majority of the new interactions b e -

the audience with him through his sorrow, shame, and regret. His personal losses and anguish at first mirror his sister Rhaenyra, but to his detriment he goes down a different path and takes revenge. Glynn-Carney developed a monstrous character, showed him at his lowest points, and made the audience pity an ignorant evil character.

Unfortunately, all the actors’ hard work was diminished by this season’s blunt writing and contrivances in the plot. The conclusion of the second season felt unfinished, especially after having started so strongly, beginning the war that the first season was building toward.

Although the second season of “House of the Dragon” started strong, it struggled to maintain its momentum and fizzled out in its final episodes.

for the first time in this season, massively developing her character by the end. Although not enough to justify its inclusion in an already limited season, Cooke and Emma D’Arcy complement each other’s performances on screen.

D’Arcy’s range in their performance as Rhaenyra was an underappreciat-e d take away in this season. tween D’Arcy’s the two acting spent parrange roting pregave a vious mod e e p ments. er layIrritatinger to the ly, these interc h a r a c t e r. actions are only Rhaenyra possible because starts the season of contrivances in in deep mourning the show’s plot, and subsequently breaking immerMarcus Falcão / THE GATEPOST Rating: Bdiscovers herself sion.

Exploring this relationship more felt unneces- as a leader, futilely attempting to preThe season burned sary. As this season had fewer epi- vent more bloodshed. bright - until it burned D’Arcy has excellent chemistry sodes, it wasted valuable screen time out that would have been better spent de- with nearly all of the cast. However, veloping minor characters’ relation- little time is spent elaborating on Rhaenyra’s relationship with Mysaria ships with Alicent or Rhaenyra.

Olivia Cooke managed an overall and her family, specifically her husoutstanding performance as Alicent band Daemon and eldest son Jacaerys.

Tom Glynn-Carney’s performance CONNECT WITH MICHAEL TRUESWELL connecting with emotional and somber moments. Alicent asserts herself as Aegon II is emotional and carries mtrueswell@student.framingham.edu

Puzzles

ARTS & FEATURES

ACROSS 1. Analogy words 5. ___ jim (lockpick) 9. Texter’s “I can’t believe this” 12. Hold responsible 14. Make amends 15. “Woo-___!”

16. Host’s tips at a singles event?

18. Plank muscles 19. Significant others 20. One who might say “knackered” 21. Dog command 22. Food critic’s tips for doing a batch of reviews?

25. Bring together 27. French tower name 28. “Am ___ late?” (“Is it over?”)

29. Small apartment 33. Saxophonist’s tips on how to play that funky music?

39. Nike logo 40. Car rental company 41. Swimwear brand 45. Seize forcibly 46. Costume designer’s tips for snap pants?

51. Smart TV brand 52. Blues guitarist Baker 53. Document that allows for extraction 55. An ___ up one’s sleeve 56. Dunks and layups ... and a hint to this puzzle’s theme 59. Paving goop 60. Neighbor of Togo 61. Heck of a bargain 62. Pigpen 63. Many a student driver 64. Singer Guthrie or Parks DOWN 1. Tech co. that invented the hard disk drive 2. Put on, as a nightgown 3. No ___ without representation 4. With 9-Down, “Doctor Zhivago” actor 5. ___ raving mad

NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | 23

6. Tons of, casually 7. Business abbr.

8. “Didn’t impress me” 9. See 4-Down 10. Kind of phone 11. Backpacker’s lodging 13. Doorway Puzzle solutions are now 14. “I’ll second that!” exclusively online.

17. Genetic molecule with A, C, T and G bases 20. Pal 4 life 21. Clubs or spades 23. (I’m a horse!)

24. Christian of fashion 26. ___ machine (stage effect source) 29. Attach, as a patch 30. Confucian philosophy 31. Cinco menos cuatro 32. Deg. for a canine expert?

34. Beef-grading org.

35. Rowboat propeller 36. Supervisor 37. Like a gut feeling 38. “Como ___?”

41. Comfy pants, informally 42. Litter box user, maybe 43. Diner or bistro 44. Historic time 45. Small songbirds 47. Lorna ___ cookies 48. Easy basket 49. North Carolina college 50. “Moonlight” actor Mahershala 54. “___ boy!” (“Well done!”)

56. Insta hashtag whose middle letter stands for “back” 57. Tiny 58. ___-pitch softball

FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM

PHOTOS

24 | NOVEMBER 22, 2024

Glamorous “Garb”age Photos by Associate Editor Maddison Behringer, Photos & Design Editors Adrien Gobin and Alexis Schlesinger, Asst. Photos & Design Editor Meghan Spargo, and Staff Photographer Oné Green.

Fashion Club hosted its annual “Trashion Show” on Nov. 21.

Spread by Photos & Design Editor Alexis Schlesinger

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