Reduce. Reuse. Runway!
By Antonio Machado Copy Editor
Fashion Club hosted the first “Reimagine Trashion Show” alongside a thrift pop-up shop in the Dwight Performing Arts Center on Dec. 3.
The trashion show featured garments from six designers, each one constructed out of a selection of donated upcycled fabrics.
Fashion Club President Aili Schiavoni said, “The textiles that we got for the designers to select from for this competition all came from textile donations of some kind to our department.
“We put out a request for damaged, unwanted, or scrap textiles to our fashion department to see if there was anything that we already had that people would be interested in giving a new opportunity to have a life,” she added.
Fashion Design & Retailing Professor and Campus Sustainability Coordinator Ruirui Zhang said, “This year is very unique and special because they are really trying to promote the philosophy behind it, which is reimagining fashion from a functionality and sustainability perspective.”
The thrift pop-up was held before doors opened for the trashion show and opened again after it concluded. The pop-up featured various clothing, jewelry, and accessories - all donated by students, faculty, or “really nice and wonderful people,” according to Fashion Club Social Media Chair Emily Crossin.
Prices were kept below $10, excluding some vintage and designer pieces, said Crossin. “We wanted to make sure that we were creating a price list that was affordable to college students.”
All proceeds from the pop-up event will be going to the student study tour to Tokyo and Vietnam, said Crossin.
“Although the trip is expensive, we want to make sure that all students can equally afford it, not just the lucky few,” she added.
By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Editorial Staff
The University announced the Framingham State Tuition Promise, a commitment aimed at helping lower-income families afford college, on Nov. 24.
Iris Godes, vice president of Enrollment Management, said Massachusetts students with a household income of $85,000 or less will have no out-of-pocket cost for tuition and the University fee.
According to the University’s website, students are eligible if they are a Massachusetts resident, their household income is $85,000 or less, they complete the FAFSA, they are a fulltime student, and they have not earned a prior bachelor’s degree.
Godes said, “We are going to look at your federal financial aid eligibility, your state financial aid eligibility, and if that doesn’t
cover it, then we will use our own institutional Framingham State money to cover whatever balance you still have for your tuition and [the University fee].”
This does not cover housing, meal plans, health insurance, or other expenses, she added.
Godes said loans are not part of the program, and anyone who qualifies will “receive enough financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants to have their tuition and the University fee paid. The financial aid will come from federal, state, and university funding sources.”
She said students may still need loans for other expenses, such as housing and meal plans.
President Nancy Niemi said, “It is a very succinct way to tell people about what we can offer to students and their families.”
The concept of funding tuition for lower-income students is not new and became popular in the higher-education com-
munity last year, she said.
Back then, she did not want to commit to such a program because she was not sure the University could fulfill it for everyone, she said.
“We did the financial calculation to make sure that it was true that we could do that,” Niemi said.
She said another reason she was unsure at first was she did not want to sound too “gimmicky.”
Niemi said, “I don’t see it as a gimmick at all. I see it as a real promise to our students and their families.”
She said she hopes it will convince more students to choose the University.
Niemi said the Tuition Promise program reflects the University’s confidence in its education and its financial health.
By Izabela Gage Sports Editor
By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams hosted their first NCAA playoff match in program history against the LaGrange College Panthers on Nov. 22.
FSU concluded their regular season as the 2025 MASCAC Champions, boasting a conference record of 7-2 and an overall record of 7-4.
Winning the opening coin toss against LaGrange, the Rams chose to defer to the second half.
Senior kicker Dillon Mangus kicked the ball 42 yards to LaGrange’s own 23-yard line. Panthers’ tight end Mychal Stillwell received it, returning the ball 13 yards before he was tackled.
LaGrange’s quarterback, Henry Brodnax, connected on a pass to Stillwell for 11 yards, then completed a pass to running back Kolby Crawford for 8 yards on the following play.
The Panthers could not progress further, as a defensive play by FSU sophomore Brennett Kissi and an incomplete pass by Brodnax forced the team to punt. With the ball at the Rams’ 16yard line, Framingham had a lot of ground to make up. Though sophomore running back Jaheim Daniels rushed the ball for two short gains, LaGrange’s defense eventually forced FSU to punt.
LaGrange’s next drive was cut short by plays from Kissi, sophomore Gabe Grzyboski,
and freshman Zimari Omosefe. Forced to punt, the Panthers sent the ball back to the Framingham 30-yard line.
Short rushes from Daniels and sophomore Januel Perez, as well as a completed pass from freshman quarterback Michael Marcucella to junior wide receiver Alex Maia, proved ineffective against LaGrange’s defense, and possession swapped once again.
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Sarah Akinbuwa, Isabelle Dolezal, Stephanie Fordjour, Danelle June, Devin McFarlin, and Elijah Hansen at Fashion Club’s trashion show on Dec. 3.
E ditorial Board
Editor-in-Chief
Sophia Oppedisano
Associate Editors
Adrien Gobin
Dylan Pichnarcik
Copy Editor
Antonio Machado
News Editor Bella Grimaldi
Opinions Editor Izayah Morgan
Sports Editor
Izabela Gage
Asst. Sports Editor Taylor Kimmell
Arts & Features Editors
Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez
Owen Glancy
Asst. Arts & Features Editors
Sarah Daponde Liv Dunleavy
Photos & Design Editor
Alexis Schlesinger
Illustrations Editors
Ronnie Chiu-Lin
Marcus Falcão
Staff Illustrators
David Abe
Staff Writers
Zaynab Ahmed
Jesse Burchill
Kristel Erguiza
Julien Fernandez
Paul Harrington
Cole Johnson
Dan Lima
Kate Norrish
Wenchell Pierre
Andrew Ramirez
Avery Slavin
Kennedy Thompson
Staff Photographers
Corban Allen
Meg Dame
Christy Howland
Onyx Lovely
Advisor Desmond McCarthy
Asst. Advisor
Elizabeth Banks
Graduate Advising Asst.
Emma Lyons
Gatepost Interview Yumi Park Huntington Professor
By Liv Dunleavy Editorial Staff
What is your academic and professional background?
My academic background is art history, specifically focusing on ancient American art. But my dissertation is specifically focusing on the northern coast of Peru. The culture’s name is Cupisnique. … I focused on analyzing the ceramic vessels from the Cupisnique culture and the interpretation of all their head motifs. … That was my specialty. But at the same time, I also trained to teach Asian art in general. I also taught in various places, such as the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and also various community colleges. I also taught where I was working for my Ph.D. program, which was Virginia Commonwealth University. And also, I was a ceramics artist in Korea, because I studied ceramics in Korea, so I had a B.F.A - Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics - but I came to America to study art history.
What drew you to Framingham State?
I got my Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University, and I applied to two jobs: one in Grand Rapids, [Michigan] and the other in Jackson, Mississippi. And I got both jobs, but I decided to go to Jackson, Mississippi for my first job. So I got my tenure from there. It was a tenure-track position, so I was working there as an assistant professor and I became an associate. But I wanted to challenge myself. So I applied for the job in Framingham, and I got the job here.
How was your transition to Framingham State?
It was a big move and a big change, too, from the Deep South to Massachusetts. So the environment - interacting with faculty members - that type of environment had totally changed. And it’s not about the physical move. We are nomadic people, we’re always moving around. Nowadays, we hardly stay in one place. But it was a pretty big move in terms of the learning curve and the different environment and freedom of how I want to teach. The pedagogical approach was a big change for me. It was really helpful for me to change my working environment, and I’m very, very happy about my decisions.
What inspired your passion for fine art?
The reason I majored in ceramics is due to the texture of clay. I love to handle the soft clay, and when I’m looking at the metamorphose way of changing ceramic, it’s incredible. It’s a soft and watery substance, and suddenly, it becomes this solid form, and after baking it in the kiln, it becomes an extremely strong material. When I’m seeing that change of texture and material, it just fascinates me. So I became a ceramic artist in Korea. But I really wanted to study the theoretical understanding of all the craft in depth. That’s why I came to America to study craft theory. I took another undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Art in Art History. There were a lot of different classes that I must take, but when I was taking
of Art History
a non-western art history class, I was assigned to go to the museums to see the artifacts. I chose to go to the Natural History Museum in New York. And when I went, I started to see totem poles, and then Olmec heads from the Mesoamerican culture. And that really fascinated me - and I forgot my mission, why I came to America. I changed my mind. “OK, I’m going to study this ancient American art.” So that was the moment I totally, totally changed because these artifacts grabbed my heart, telling me, “Study me!”
Do you have a favorite memory at FSU?
One just happened a few minutes ago. In my survey art history class, when I shared about the Gothic architectural buildings with images, lots of students started to shout, “Oh my god!” or “Wow!” and that type of reaction makes me really, really excited. It gives me the reason that I would like to keep this job for a long time. Their reactions, whenever they are sharing their reactions in the classroom, it gives me amazing energy and dynamic power that I can keep doing this - lecturing and creating a very different, innovative pedagogy - and that I can actually keep working with my students. So I’m simply sharing the very current memories, but it’s all coming from the classroom, and that’s an amazing memory. But I also have great friends on campus! From the
Psychology department, Mirari Elcoro, and the Biology department, Cara Pina, they’re really, really close friends and also, the coordinator of the Arts & Ideas Program. … Frankly, there are lots of close friends. Ann Johnson from the Nutrition and Health department and then, my God, I cannot list all of my best friends. I feel like I am a very huggy person, and people are very accepting of my hugs. So I can be myself on this campus - not only with students, but also with my friends and colleagues as well. So it’s a very lovely campus to be myself.
Do you have advice for students on how to build a connection with their professors? I want all students to simply communicate with their professors, whenever they have a certain issue. We are all here to help them. I love that kind of SOS message from my students. When they are having an SOS message, I’m here to help! That kind of interaction is extremely important, so I want all students to not have that fear of talking to your professors. They’re here to help you. So remember that.
Courtesy of Yumi Park Huntington
SGA approves funding for Model UN Conference
By Kristel Erguiza Staff Writer
SGA approved $8,016 for FSU’s Model United Nations to attend Harvard’s National Model United Nations Conference at their final meeting of the fall semester on Dec. 2 via Zoom.
President César Matos said the Model UN conference will be held in late January and early February next semester, which will be attended by six students and one staff member from the University.
In a written statement, Mod-
at universities in Boston, Matos said. The cost to send students to the previous conference was $6,786.
According to Matos, funding for the trip will be taken from the unallocated funds from the Student Activities Trust Fund, which currently has $49,183.
According to SATF Treasurer Khoa Bùi, SGA started the year with $58,000 in the SATF.
Parliamentarian and Model UN member Grant Alleyne said the conference is the largest collegiate circuit conference with international students and larger sponsors in attendance
haven’t experienced the conference,” Alleyne said.
Alleyne added the increased cost for this conference compared to the previous one is due to the need to transport participants to the Harvard conference.
Additionally, the funds will be used for food and housing accommodations at the conference.
A motion was made by Senator Cam Rokes to approve the allocation. It was seconded by Senator Nathan Piette.
The motion passed 12-0-1.
SGA also approved six club
Motions to approve these clubs’ constitutions passed unanimously.
Piette reminded SGA members about Fashion Club’s Reimagined Trashion Show, which was held Dec. 3.
SGA also had one officer report from Diversity and Inclusion Officer Ana Julia Ribero. She said that members of the Diversity and Inclusion ad hoc committee will be meeting on a regular basis starting January.
SGA had no Advisor’s Report or committee reports, according to Vice President Shubham Valand.
el UN President Jamie Kuenzel said, “The conference will benefit our club because members will have the opportunity to debate, further develop their public speaking skills, and work with students from around the world.”
According to Matos, this is the second conference Model UN has attended this year.
Both conferences are located
Police Logs
Monday Dec. 1 4:28 Medical Emergency, McCarthy Center Refused Medical Treatment
Weather
Saturday, Dec. 6
as well as overall “better opportunities for students who are going.” Attendees will include students in the Model United Nations class.
He added this conference is the first major event of the Model UN’s year of activities.
“Outside of eBoard members, we would try to have new members come who haven’t gone and
Monday, Dec. 1 6:09 Assist Citizen Power Plant, State Street.
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Sunday, Dec. 7
Partly sunny, with a high near 40.
constitutions pending edits from the Center for Student Experience and Career Development: Skateboarding Club, GEMS (Growth, Empowerment, Motivation and Success), Photography Club, Student Association of Caribbean Ancestry, Asian Student Union, and Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization.
Wednesday, Dec. 3 5:11 Special Assignment Campus Wide
Monday, Dec. 8
Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.
Tuesday, Dec. 9 Mostly sunny, with a high near 30.
There was no senator or eBoard Member of the Week, according to Events Coordinator Alix Ayoub and Vice President Shubham Valand.
CONNECT WITH COLE JOHNSON cjohnson20@student.framingham.edu
Wednesday, Dec. 3 10:16 K9 Community Outreach, Whittemore Library
Wednesday, Dec. 10
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Thursday, Dec. 11
A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Alexis Schlesinger / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Ling Zhang, Shubham Valand, César Matos, Luke Yubeta and Rachel Spezia at SGA’s Nov. 7 meeting.
FSU Promise
“Even though $85,000 is a high income, it is still something that we want to put our support to for those families and their students,” Niemi said.
Godes said current students are not eligible until the next fall semester, as this year’s money has already been allocated.
Some money was allocated to helping new students coming next semester, so they will be eligible in Spring 2026, she said.
Dartmouth’s “Dartmouth Deal” are similar programs, but their cap on income is $75,000.
However, the University could not match Bridgewater State University’s “Bridgewater Commitment,” she added.
Their income cap is $125,000, according to Bridgewater State University’s website.
She believes students should choose the school that is the “best fit for you, and not necessarily the cheapest place for you to go,” Godes said.
“We are trying to make it as accessible as possible for our
benefit when they return to Framingham State in Fall 2026,” Laurie said.
She said out-of-state and international students are not eligible because their tuition costs are different.
“While there is financial aid available for out-of-state students, FSU is not able to fully subsidize their tuition,” Laurie said.
She said she hopes this program shows the University’s “commitment to providing students access to high-quality education regardless of their so-
doesn’t have to be.”
Totino said, “I believe something that is really important to the mission of Framingham State is accessibility, that we make ourselves available to students who want to pursue a baccalaureate degree, so not only accessible, but affordable.”
Junior art education major Paige Rainville said they hope “high schoolers will hear about this and they can pursue their education that they may want, but may not be able to afford.”
Freshman nutrition major Luke Coutu said he knows “a few of my friends are coming here because of [the Promise].”
Sophomore computer science major Valerie Hernandez said she believes the program will help “people from diverse backgrounds, especially immigrants.”
“It is a very succinct way to tell people about what we can offer to students and their families.”
-
Nancy Niemi President of Framingham State University
Sophomore ASL interpreting major Emma Schor said, “In my opinion, [the program] should also include out-of-state residents or people who are not from Massachusetts because we are paying more to go here.”
Freshman art education major Io Phillips said, “There should be a little bit more aid for out-of-state students, if possible.”
Sophomore studio art major Marian Awuah said this will relieve some of the pressure
She added many current students already receive enough financial aid to cover their tuition.
Students must complete the FAFSA or the MAFSA to be eligible for this program, assuming they meet the rest of the criteria, Godes said.
Out-of-state students are not eligible for the Tuition Promise program, but some financial aid is still available, she said.
She added the University offers awards related to out-ofstate tuition and out-of-state housing, and while they may not cover the full costs, they do reduce the costs considerably.
“Unfortunately, we do not have enough funding to fund all of what would be their gap in the costs,” Godes said.
Godes said UMass Boston’s “Beacon Pledge” and UMass
lower-income students to be able to have that choice,” Godes said.
She said the University set the income cap at $85,000 based on how many students are in that range and what the University could afford.
Some prospective students do not realize they qualify for significant financial aid, so she is hoping this will encourage them to apply, she said.
Caitlin Laurie, director of the Office of Financial Aid, said she worked with Godes to determine what the cost of this commitment would be and how many students could be helped.
In order to expand the program to include current students, she has “started the software programming to identify the current students who will meet the criteria to receive this
cioeconomic background.”
Robert Totino, vice president of Finance, Technology, and Administration, said he worked with Niemi and Godes to help make the University a more affordable option.
The cost of attending a school is part of the decision process for many students, he said.
The Tuition Promise program takes into account the financial aid students receive from the federal and state governments, including initiatives such as the MASSGrant Plus Expansion, he said.
If that does not cover the tuition and the University fee for eligible students, the rest of the money comes out of the University’s budget, he said.
He said he hopes families that potentially believe that the cost is a difficult hurdle realize “it
students get when paying their tuition.
Junior elementary education major Estrella Barbel said the program will decrease stress for students who pay for tuition on their own, including herself.
“It’s something that’s really nice because I can actually afford to come here now, and I’m not stressing out more about paying my tuition,” Barbel said.
Freshman pre-engineering major Aesyn Lane said, referring to the program, “That’s pretty awesome. It enables people who might not have a lot of income and those who don’t want to get a huge amount of debt to be able to access a school.”
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
Carsten Harinxma-Toelg crossing the stage at the 2025 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony.
THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL
FSU needs emergency response supplies on hand
Framingham State is a place half our students call home during the academic year.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond the control of the average student, employee, or administrator, incidents can occur on campus that are unexpected and cause the day-to-day life of students to come to a halt - incidents like the small fire in room 671 of Corinne Hall Towers, which occurred in November.
Due to an electrical malfunction in a student’s room, residents of Towers were awoken in the early hours of Nov. 12 to the sound of fire alarms. Most students evacuated the building promptly.
Thankfully, no one was injured, all emergency response equipment performed as expected, and the fire was quickly snuffed out by the building’s sprinkler system.
Additionally, top members of the University’s executive staff, including President Nancy Niemi; Meg Nowak Borrego, vice president of Student Affairs; Robert Totino, vice president of Finance, Technology, and Administration; and Ryan Hacker, associate vice president of Facilities and Capital Planning; Glenn Cochran, assistant vice president of Student Affairs; Stephanie Crane, director of Residence Life, and Deputy Chief Martin Laughlin, arrived on campus to assess damage and support students throughout the night.
Early that morning, Dan Magazu, executive director of Marketing & Communications, released a statement on behalf of Niemi and Nowak Borrego.
The statement read, “In moments like this, we are reminded of the strength and compassion that define the FSU community. We take care of one another - through challenges big and small - and it’s that sense of unity and care that makes our campus such a special place to call home.”
By taking action to support students in the wake of this troubling event, members of the executive staff showed our community the power of unity and taking care of one another. The Gatepost Editorial Board thanks the executive staff members for their response that evening.
However, it is also pertinent to acknowledge there is always room to improve our emergency response preparations.
On the night of the fire, students were exposed to the nearfreezing temperatures of a November evening while evacuating Towers and awaiting instructions from Residence Life staff before being granted temporary access to Hemenway Hall.
Most students departed Towers quickly, leaving with only the clothes on their backs - most likely pajamas - their cell phones, IDs, and wallets.
Given the harshness of the New England climate, the University should consider purchasing items to have on hand to keep students warm in the event of late night evacuations such as this.
Accidents happen - students should anticipate they may need to evacuate a residence hall for an unexpected reason - but the University should try to make these uncomfortable experiences tolerable by having supplies on hand to support them.
A supply of blankets could be kept somewhere on campus, either in the hands of the Framingham State Police, who are the first to respond when an incident like this occurs, or in each Residence Hall, to accommodate students who may be impacted by an emergency evacuation.
Mylar Thermal Blankets are inexpensive, space efficient, and can be disposed of after they are used. The University should in-
vest in a supply.
Rain ponchos would also be useful should an emergency occur during inclement weather.
Being exposed to either cold or wet conditions could cause students to become ill, especially if they are outside in wet clothes for an extended period of time.
Ponchos could also be used for outdoor events. They could also be branded with an image of Sam the Ram or the FSU Logo so they could be handed out at sporting events or other gatherings during inclement weather.
In the event of an emergency evacuation that takes place outside the normal business hours of the University, small items should be kept in storage by the University such as granola bars, Gatorade, water bottles, and first-aid kits to assist in keeping students feeling comfortable as emergency response crews take action.
On the night of the fire, some students were unable to retrieve items from the building until later in the day. These items may have facilitated a more comfortable stay in Linsley.
While the Rams Resource Center is open during the day for students to access bedding and toiletries, if students are relocated late at night, they should be brought to the Center to grab anything they urgently need.
After the fire department departed campus, and the damage to Towers was surveyed, students who lived on floors that were not impacted reoccupied the building with strict instructions to remain on their designated floors for the remainder of the evening
If a student did live on one of the impacted floors, they were relocated to Linsley Hall while repairs were made to Towers.
FSU is fortunate to have a “spare” residence hall not occupied by students during the academic year. However, with the ongoing updates to Linsley Hall, which will turn it into affordable housing, the University won’t have this luxury for much longer.
Where does the University intend to house students should another incident like this happen once Linsley is unavailable?
The University should consider keeping rooms open in the residence halls in preparation for an emergency so long as this does not bar students who wish to live on campus from doing so.
There should also be a designated area for students to gather should the need arise during an emergency.
If an emergency occurs in one of the residence halls on the northern side of campus, Hemenway Hall should be a designated meeting spot to have all impacted parties in a central location, to ensure everyone is accounted for and in a safe, temperaturecontrolled environment.
The McCarthy Center is a central building on campus, and a short walk from Peirce, Horace Mann, and West halls and should be used for the same purpose.
And students: if you hear a fire alarm - whether it be a drill or an actual emergency - depart your building as quickly as possible.
The Gatepost Editorial Board is alarmed to know that some students do not evacuate their residence halls during fire drills. If you don’t do it then, will you do it if there is an emergency?
What matters most is you - your safety on campus. Items can be replaced, residence halls can be reoccupied, but no member of the FSU Community should be put in harm’s way by not following evacuation orders.
Go Further
By Izayah Morgan Opinions Editor
The college experience is defined differently by everyone.
Some just scrape by on C’s and D’s, while other people pass with ease in all their classes. Personally, I’ve had classes where I struggled and others that were easier than high school.
It’s a mix of experiences which all heavily rely on the professors.
Some professors are lovelyin fact, most professors are that way. Being a master of their respective subject, a good professor is also fueled by unrivaled passion.
However, some professors leave a negative impact on me and other students. Some are so passionate about their subject that they often leave students behind in terms of expectations.
For example, if you are taking a specific subject in sociology or psychology, 15 weeks is not enough time for a student to master the entirety of the subject to the degree of the professor who has studied it for their entire lifetimes.
Even if professors don’t expect you to master the entire field within the semester, from the students’ perspective, the constant bombardment of tests, quizzes and projects makes them feel the opposite, which causes an immense amount of stress.
The rising cost of not just this college, but college in general, has given me stress for some time.
I get a generous financial aid package to help the fact that I am paying for school by myself. However, I know other students
that pay up to $15,000 a semester, creating an environment where they have to take multiple part-time jobs to pay for school.
Yet the expectation universities have is for students to spend copious time outside of their classes on their academics. However, if we have an environment where they need to spend 20-40 hours on top of their schedule to pay for school, how can we expect them to put their all in?
Throughout my senior year,
I found my own places of comfort, such as my department or my on campus friends. Though the things I have experienced on this campus are appalling.
Professors, current or past, who have said the n-word who were not Black. People who have said slurs, even though others in the room said they were uncomfortable with them. Those words and feelings weigh not just on me, but other people on this campus.
I think part of my college ex-
it seem that my college experience has been overly negative. My department, psychology, along with other departments such as the English department, have given me tremendous support. Financial aid has given me the opportunity to do something neither of my parents was able to do.
I have seen both the good and the bad from students, faculty, and staff, which isn’t surprising, but has made me numb to negative interactions. Instead of being appalled, it has just become an expectation to have negative experiences.
My love for collecting DVDs
By Owen Glancy Editorial Staff
My love for collecting DVDs
Of the many things people collect, DVDs and Blu-rays have slowly become one of the most popular. With the rise in frustration with streaming services and the abundance of companies pandering toward nostalgia, old technology has suddenly found itself in very high demand.
From the return of vinyl records and CDs to the Pokémon card boom, people are getting back into collecting the things that were popular when they were younger.
Of these many things, DVDs and Blu-rays were what I chose to collect.
It started when I was in seventh grade at my grandma’s house where I first watched the 1989 “Batman.” I fell in love with it and thought to myself, “I need to be able to watch this at home.” So using my meager allowance, I went to Barnes & Noble later that day and bought the DVD for the film, marking the first DVD I ever purchased with my own money. Little did I know that one purchase would lead to hundreds more.
Collecting anything always starts small and inexpensive -
one item here and there - but it quickly grows far out of proportion. For me personally, space has become a thing of the
perience and a part of most people’s is a wake up call.
As I’ve risen through the ranks, a slow realization is that the magic of college slowly disappears as you get older and the real world slowly seeps in.
Though I don’t want to make
past as the DVDs and Blu-rays have taken over bigger and bigger shelves. However, I welcome that loss of space if it means owning so many incredible works of art, and also “The Boss Baby.” However, the biggest question I receive is not, “Wow that’s so cool, how many do you have?” It’s “Oh my God, why are you doing this?” The answer is simple, because I love art and want to truly own it.
It seems like every day more and more films, TV shows, and mini-series are being taken off
streaming services, especially those that are more obscure or older. While services like Mubi and The Criterion Channel are rare exceptions to this, most of these platforms put original programming first and only have small handfuls of classic or more artistic works. It was this lack of availability and necessity to have multiple streaming services to watch all sorts of classic films that led me to collect DVDs and Blu-rays, but it’s since grown beyond that. Seeing a shelf full of DVDs and Blu-rays brings a level of satisfaction that’s hard to truly describe. It’s the ultimate form of self-expression, and the titles I choose to collect say a lot about me.
I tend to focus on classic cinema and anime when I collect, as seen in my abundant collection of Criterion films and in the multiple anime series scattered throughout. However, in my collection, I also have films
My friends have supported me and my jobs on campus have given me immeasurable professional experience and practical skills. I have had the opportunity to travel the country and meet world leaders, such as Ndaba Mandela. College has given me the ability to go further than my father, who unfortunately couldn’t finish his degree due to his early passing. My mother, who became disabled at a young age, gave birth to me and gave me the ability to attend university and be on the journey to prosperity and wealth.
FSU has given me the opportunity to explore and seek the truth.
I hate such as “Leprechaun,” “The Boss Baby,” and “Labyrinth,” but that doesn’t mean those are exceptions to the rule. I wanted to own certain films that I hate because I hate them.
It’s important to expand your tastes by exposing yourself to films you don’t like, and I wanted to reflect that in my collection.
This philosophy behind my collecting has led to quite a few instances of people expressing interest in wanting to collect themselves, which is always great, but it’s important to have your own reason for collecting.
Trying to emulate the collection of a friend, family member, or someone you saw online can be a good way to start, but ultimately you should collect for your own, more personal reasons!
Collecting is such a rewarding hobby that can give more meaning to purchases than simply buying stuff you need to live, as well as being a physical manifestation of your passions, and DVDs and Blu-rays are just a small part of that!
Pursue your passions, for whatever reason you want, and don’t be afraid to share them with others!
Courtesy of Izayah Morgan
Courtesy of Owen Glancy
Campus Conversations
“What is your favorite snow day memory?”
By Owen Glancy and Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez, Editorial Staff
“There’s this big hill in Franklin, behind one of the older schools, and I remember one time, these older kids built a ramp, and my brother flew off of it.”
-JJ Johnson, sophomore
“Seeing my dogs just jump straight into the snow.”
-Truman Shulga Morskaya, freshman
Jelani: “Jumping into the snow and playing in the snow piles.”
Trinity: “Yeah, probably sledding in my backyard.”
-Jelani Nicasio and Trinity Gosselin, freshmen
“Probably making a snow fort with my brother and having a
fight.”
-Marina Botte, senior
“Playing with my cousins, making a snow fort and throwing snowballs outside at each other.”
-Diego Abzun Urrutia, junior
“Mainly just playing in the snow. Burying myself in the snow.”
-Zachary Morrison, junior
snowball
SPORTS
Men’s ice hockey conquers Ravens in overtime
By Izabela Gage Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams earned an on-the-road overtime 3-2 win over the Franklin Pierce University Ravens Nov. 25.
This win brings their overall record to 3-4, while their conference record remains at 1-2.
Despite the opening faceoff being won by the Ravens, sophomore Michael Kennedy took the first shot on goal of the game, followed by a shot by sophomore Devin Shepherd less than 40 seconds later, both of which were saved by Franklin Pierce’s goaltender, Theo Jacobs.
Freshman goaltender Benjamin O’Keefe stopped the Ravens’ first goal attempt less than 3 minutes in.
The Ravens tried to slot the puck past O’Keefe’s pads twice, but freshmen Jeremy Zecher and Jonas Oesterle blocked their attempts.
After 2 minutes of fighting for possession, freshman Aidan Elbrecht won the following faceoff, and freshman Connor McLachlan tried to send the puck past the goal line, but Franklin Pierce’s Austin Pick blocked his shot.
O’Keefe’s defense held strong despite the Ravens taking two shots on goal, and he saved both attempts.
Framingham took control offensively in the next minute and a half, with Zecher, freshman Grig Kaagan, and Assistant Captain Scott Bugarin, a junior, taking a shot on goal each, and junior Nathan Gines tallying two, none of which could get past Franklin Pierce’s defense.
FPU took the puck into FSU’s defensive zone, and junior Cameron Craig blocked a goal attempt before the Ravens were called for interference, giving the Rams their first power play.
With a 5-on-4 advantage, Bugarin tried to find the back of the net, but the shot was wide. Senior Sam Larkin went for the rebound shot, but the puck went right past the goal post.
Captain Jake Barcelou, a senior, remained aggressive on offense and shot the puck toward the goal, but it was blocked by Franklin Pierce’s Chase Leivian. Oesterle attempted to net the rebound shot, but it was saved by Jacobs.
Freshman Cullen Lacey took two back-to-back shots after the next faceoff, both of which were blocked by the Ravens.
Franklin Pierce kept possession of the puck for the remainder of the period despite Framingham’s efforts.
The Rams were strong in their defensive zone, with O’Keefe making five saves, and senior Jack Ennis blocking a shot before the clock ran out.
The second period started with FPU winning the faceoff and taking a shot on goal less than 15 seconds later, but it was blocked by Barcelou.
Bugarin made a wide shot on net, and senior Robert Bernier tried to use the rebound shot to the Rams’ advantage with two back-to-back shots of his own, but Jacobs held up defensively.
A hooking penalty on the
Rams gave the Ravens a power play, and Franklin Pierce stayed hot in front of the net, firing off four shots in the next minute, but junior Brent Scott blocked two shots, McLachlan blocked one, and O’Keefe saved the last.
The teams traded quick shots and blocks for several minutes, with O’Keefe tallying two saves and Jacobs tallying three.
Following a shot by FPU that Lacey blocked, Franklin Pierce’s John Sterling went for the rebound shot, but it was deflected off O’Keefe’s pads. Sterling followed up, though, and found a gap in O’Keefe’s defense, giving the Ravens a 1-0 lead.
Possession of the puck went back and forth between the teams, with O’Keefe stopping two goal attempts and Jacobs stopping one.
Franklin Pierce gained momentum and made four backto-back shots on goal, but three were wide, and one was blocked by Bugarin.
The Rams were put on the power play following a boarding penalty by the Ravens, and Oesterle tried to find the back of the net, but Jacobs didn’t let up.
The game was back to even strength after Scott was called for a hooking penalty, and Bugarin made a shot on goal, but was unsuccessful.
Another penalty on Framingham made the game 5-on-3, and Franklin Pierce was able to find three possible scoring opportunities, but came up empty-handed after O’Keefe stopped two, and the last was sent wide of the net.
After a hot by Kaagan, a penalty was called on Franklin Pierce for slashing, and one was called on Framingham for highsticking, and the game was even strength with 4-on-4.
Both teams tallied two shots on goal, but neither could earn a point by the time the penalties were complete.
The Rams took the puck down the ice, where Bernier attempted to put the Rams’ first point on the board, but it was blocked by
FPU’s Drew White.
FSU was put on the power play after a boarding penalty on FPU, and Ennis made two attempts to net the puck, but one was blocked, and the other was wide.
The second period ended with one last shot by Oesterle, which Jacobs didn’t let past the goal line.
Franklin Pierce won the first faceoff in the third period, but Framingham didn’t falter. The Rams took possession of the puck and Larkin took two backto-back shots on goal, both of which were blocked by the Ravens.
Kaagan tried to shoot the puck past Jacobs’ pads, but was unsuccessful, and Shepherd collected the rebound before passing it to Barcelou, who slipped the puck past the goal line to tie the game 1-1.
The Rams used this momentum, and Craig took three consecutive shots on net, all of which were blocked by Franklin Pierce’s Liam Crowley.
O’Keefe and Franklin Pierce’s subbed-in goaltender, Jeffrey Reda, both tallied a save before a hooking penalty left FSU shorthanded again. O’Keefe made two saves, and junior David Hassell blocked a shot during the kill.
Just 24 seconds before the end of the penalty kill, Franklin Pierce scored to take the lead 2-1.
The Ravens kept consistent pressure on offense, but O’Keefe stayed strong, making five consecutive saves.
After a series of wide shots from both teams and two more saves by O’Keefe, Framingham was back on the power play after a cross-checking penalty was called.
The Rams set up in their offensive zone, and Bugarin passed the puck to Craig, who broke through Reda’s defense to tie the score once again.
Both teams fought for control of the puck, but Franklin Pierce was assertive in the offensive zone and tested O’Keefe’s defense with five shots over the
next minute and a half.
Kaagan and Barcelou each tried to break through Reda’s defense, but were unsuccessful.
O’Keefe stopped four more goal attempts by the Ravens before the Rams took the puck into Franklin Pierce’s defensive zone, where Larkin, Bugarin, and Bernier all tried to find the back of the net.
The third period ended with one last save by O’Keefe.
Overtime opened with Bugarin’s 11th clean faceoff win of the game.
Craig passed the puck to Bugarin, who broke away and only 17 seconds into overtime, he shot through a narrow lane and scored the game-winner, ending the game 3-2.
Bugarin said his mindset going into overtime was “to get my team possession and use my speed to generate an odd-man chance going up ice.”
Bugarin said, “With some adversity in the way of penalties, our team’s penalty kill stepped up in a big way to keep up in that game, and that includes our freshman Ben O’Keefe, who made some huge stops.”
O’Keefe said the team was locked down on their penalty kill, and they were strong with blocking shots, which was a “huge factor” in their defense against the Ravens.
Bugarin was named MASCAC Player of the Week Dec. 1 for his overtime game-winning goal, as well as tallying an assist and five shots on goal in the win against the Ravens.
Bugarin said the conference recognizing him “speaks a lot to our preparation as a team going into this season. I definitely push my teammates hard to be the best they can be, and they have done the same for me all season. I owe my success to the guys I get to battle with every day.”
O’Keefe earned a spot on the MASCAC Weekly Honor Roll Dec. 1 for making 43 saves on 45 shots in the win, recording a .956 save percentage.
O’Keefe said, “It feels good to be recognized by the league. The whole team has been working hard since day one, so any recognition I get goes to every member of the team as well.
“Our defense did a great job keeping all the shots to the outside and from deep, allowing me to make easier saves,” he added.
Bugarin said being 3-4 in the season now is “huge for us. Every point counts, and it helps to feel some wind under our sails after a few wins in a row. Now we have the ability to reach above .500 before Christmas break.”
As of press time, the Rams traveled to Worcester State and fell to the Lancers 5-1 Dec. 4. This loss brings their conference record to 1-3 and their overall record to 3-5.
The Rams face the Salem State Vikings on their home ice for another conference matchup Dec. 6.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST
(Left) Benjamin O’Keefe celebrating with Owen Swanbon after overtime win against Franklin Pierce on Nov. 25.
Football
Continued from Page 1
Despite Framingham’s strong defense, the Panthers were able to break through on their next possession. After two rushes and a completed pass moved LaGrange to Framingham’s 37yard line, the team tried for a field goal that sailed perfectly through the posts to put the first points on the board.
After LaGrange’s kick, Framingham began their next drive from the 28-yard line. Marcucella completed passes to junior Stephen Gallant and sophomore Adrian Sarette for gains of 7 and 17 yards, respectively.
Short rushes and another completed pass positioned Framingham on the LaGrange 37-yard line as the clock ran down to end the first quarter.
The Rams had a rough start to the second quarter. Marcucella attempted two passes - the first incomplete and the second intercepted by LaGrange defender Messiah Scandrett, who ran the ball to the Framingham 31-yard line.
The Panthers’ drive was cut short by plays from Omosefe and sophomores James Wilder and Tyrell Fuller.
The Rams, with the ball on their own 28-yard line, began to make up the ground with four completed passes by Marcucella to junior Mathias Fowler, sophomore Ty Kelley, and Maia.
On the next play, Daniels rushed the ball for a decisive 37yard gain, breaching the endzone for a Framingham touchdown. A kick from Ty Kelley secured the extra point, bringing the score to 7-3 in favor of the Rams.
LaGrange’s next drive was slowed by Framingham’s impenetrable defensive wall, only making it to the Rams’ 27-yard line.
FSU’s next possession yielded similar results, with short gains only moving the Rams to the LaGrange 44-yard line before the ball was returned to the Panthers.
With 3:21 left in the half, the Panthers set their sights on a lead change. Strong passes coupled with several short rushes situated the team at first-andgoal.
A quick 2-yard rush on the next play, followed by a successful kick for the extra point, turned the match in favor of LaGrange 10-7.
FSU junior Khalil Erazo received LaGrange’s kickoff, returning the ball to the Framingham 38-yard line.
On the next play, the Panthers’ defense forced a 2-yard loss for the Rams, ending the half.
The second half opened with a reviewed and overturned targeting call on LaGrange before their kickoff went out of bounds, placing the ball at Framingham’s 35yard line.
Following the Rams’ opening drive, they were forced into a quick three-and-out after sophomore running back Makoto Uchikawa was stopped for a loss, and a blocked punt set LaGrange up at the Framingham 24-yard line.
On the Panthers’ secondand-10, LaGrange running back Tacaris Bozeman broke free for a 24-yard touchdown, extending the Panthers’ lead to 17-7.
After Marcucella completed short passes to Daniels and freshman running back Ransford
Adri, possession was turned over to LaGrange after a 29-yard punt by Sarrette, and the Panthers advanced steadily from their own 35-yard line.
Although the Panthers moved as far as the Rams’ 18-yard line, a sack by senior defensive end Kymauny Roland halted the drive, and LaGrange missed a 39-yard field goal.
Framingham responded with a longer possession, starting with Marcucella connecting on a pass to Sarrette for 16 yards.
Daniels added a 2-yard rush, but the Rams were forced to punt again after two incomplete passes.
Another defensive stand from the Rams held the Panthers to only a 5-yard gain on their next series.
The Rams seized momentum at their own 10-yard line, and Marcucella found Sarrette for a 3-yard gain.
Marcucella then connected with Ty Kelley for a 59-yard completion to LaGrange’s 28yard line.
A 9-yard rush by Marcucella, followed by a series of short passes, set up a 15-yard touchdown pass to Sarrette with 1:22 remaining in the quarter, narrowing the deficit to 17-14.
LaGrange tried to answer, driving from their own 41-yard line, but they could only reach Framingham’s 35.
Early in the fourth, the Panthers pushed inside the 30 but were stopped after a pair of incompletions, turning the ball over on downs.
Framingham’s next drive was strong, with Marcucella completing a pass to Stephen Gallant for 17 yards, but a holding penalty and a sack halted their momentum.
The Rams were forced to punt again, and LaGrange regained possession at their 36.
After a three-and-out and another Framingham punt, LaGrange put together one of their longest drives of the game.
A sequence of rushes, combined with a completed pass by the Panthers, brought them to Framingham’s 2-yard line. Boze-
man made a 2-yard rush, giving LaGrange a 24-14 advantage.
Framingham refused to give up. Starting at their 36-yard line, the Rams moved quickly as Marcucella found Maia and Sarrette on consecutive plays.
After converting a fourthand-5 and finding Fowler for 33 yards, Marcucella ran it in from the 2-yard line with 23 seconds left, and Ty Kelley made the extra point kick, bringing the score to 24-21.
The ensuing onside kick was recovered by LaGrange, allowing the Panthers to run the clock and secure the win despite Framingham’s late push.
Marcucella said the team emphasized focusing on the controllables against the Panthers. “That’s what I tried to do all game - control what I can control.”
Marcucella earned MASCAC Rookie of the Week for the third time this season, and Ty Kelley earned MASCAC Special Teams Player of the Week Nov. 15.
Junior defensive back Amari Williams, sophomore defensive lineman Korrey Barron, and Roland earned a spot on the All-Conference Defensive First Team, while Fowler earned one on the All-Conference Offensive First Team.
Wilder was named to the AllConference Defensive Second Team, while sophomore offensive guard Dylan Burdick, Maia, and Daniels were named to the All-Conference Offensive Second Team.
Marcucella said “total team effort and complementary football” contributed to the team’s success this season.
“When we played a full game in all three phases, we rarely lost games. It also helps to have the defense we had making plays all year,” he added.
He said from week one to facing LaGrange in the playoffs, the team has grown with “handling adversity individually and as a team. We learned throughout the year that calls and other things aren’t always going to go our way, and we chose to just fight through that.”
Marcucella said this game “was huge for me. I know the history of this program and how much it means to so many different people. I took pride in playing at home.”
Head Coach Thomas Kelley said, although he wanted the outcome to be different, “The football team represented themselves very well. We could have won the game, for sure. We’re competitive.”
He added, “It was a really weird week of practice, as the team is so young and they don’t know what they don’t know. So, I think they were a little nervous and anxious. … I didn’t know what the outcome would be, but they stood tall.”
Thomas Kelley said every year comes with “different circumstances, and the adversity that these kids have faced this year, they just can’t buy that experience.
“I played on the first team here, and I’ve seen every team that’s gone through. I’m not exaggerating when I say no team worked harder from January to November than this team. … It is the hardest-working team that has ever come through. That’s a fact,” he added.
He said he can’t be prouder of every player on the team “because the players do it, not the coaches. … People always ask me, ‘What’s your formula for success?’ It’s simple. You surround yourself with good people, and good things happen.”
He added, “The future looks bright, but we’ve got to get better. We’re in stage three of a total rebuild, and I’m not letting that go. We’re trying to raise the bar every year and bring in better players, and that’s what we’re trying to do now.” Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE igage@student.framingham.edu
CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL tkimmell@student.framingham.edu
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST
Michael Marcucella throwing the ball in NCAA playoff loss to LaGrange College on Nov. 22.
Women’s ice hockey shuts out MCLA
By Taylor Kimmell Asst. Sports Editor
The Framingham State Rams trampled the MCLA Trailblazers 6-0 in a shutout conference matchup Nov. 22.
This victory brings the team’s conference record to 1-4 and their overall record to 1-6.
Sophomore Finley Hogan won the initial faceoff, allowing the Rams to maintain possession for the first minute of the game.
Sophomore Alyssa Tansek shot the first puck, but her attempt was blocked by MCLA’s goalkeeper, Katherine Moose.
With the puck landing back on her stick, Alyssa Tansek shot again three seconds later, but Moose was right there to save it.
After an unsuccessful faceoff for FSU, the Trailblazers took possession, sending in a shot at 1:18 that was blocked by Framingham’s goalkeeper Lila Chamoun, a sophomore.
MCLA shot again 20 seconds later, but sophomore Bella Nappi saved the puck with her stick.
MCLA had two more shots before sophomore Sarah Lewis won the next faceoff for the Rams.
The next 2 minutes yielded five more shots from the Rams - two from freshman Alexis Brown, and one each from freshman Molly Murphy and sophomores Adrianna Rizzotto and Ruby Boucher.
Despite the Trailblazers’ success on the following faceoff, the Rams took possession, allowing shots from Hogan and sophomore Petra Cernicek.
Over the next 7 minutes, Chamoun accumulated seven saves in the net, while the Rams’ offense continued to pressure
MCLA’s side of the ice.
After Chamoun’s next save, FSU quickly brought the puck down the ice and, on a pass from sophomore Amy Tansek, Lewis scored the first goal of the match at 18:41.
Lewis said, “I think the first goal I scored got us rolling and motivated us to take more shots and create traffic in front of the net.”
Hogan and Boucher each attempted a goal before the final 2 minutes of the period ticked down, but both shots were blocked by Moose.
In the wake of Lewis’ goal, the Rams returned to the ice for the second period motivated, with freshman Rose Brien netting a goal in the first 49 seconds, scoring not only the second goal of the match, but the first of her collegiate career.
MCLA tried four more times to score on Chamoun, but each one was saved.
When possession returned to Framingham, Hogan shot three times before crossing the puck to Amy Tansek, who netted it to bring the score to 3-0.
The Rams held control of the game for the next minute with shots from Alyssa Tansek, Rose Brien, Lewis, and freshman Katie Creath.
When MCLA gained possession, Chamoun blocked all three of their shots.
Framingham regained control on offense for four more shots before the Trailblazers tried for a short drive, sending in two shots that were both saved by Chamoun.
At 9:06, Rizzotto was called for interference, putting MCLA on a power play.
Despite being down a player, FSU scored their fourth goal with a strong shot by Lewis on an assist from sophomore Lily Wilson.
The remainder of the second period saw more success on Framingham’s side, outshooting the Trailblazers 19-14.
Lewis won the first faceoff of the final period, leading to a shot from Amy Tansek that was saved by Moose.
Boucher was sent to the penalty box for hooking 50 seconds in, forcing Framingham into a penalty kill.
A shot from sophomore Jamie Webster and one from Hogan, and three saves by Chamoun and one by Wilson, took place before Boucher returned to the ice.
Rizzotto, Brown, and Murphy each took turns shooting on goal, but each of their attempts proved unsuccessful.
Freshman Sophie Brien sent in a shot, but also struggled to find the back of the net.
Three minutes later, MCLA had a string of shots on Framingham’s goal, but all six were saved by Chamoun.
For the next 8 minutes, both teams swapped possession. Then, at 17:53, on a chain of passes from Rizzotto to Sophie Brien, the puck was sent to Webster, who sent it to the back of the net for FSU’s fifth goal.
With just 2 minutes left, the Rams continued to keep play on MCLA’s side of the ice, pressuring the net.
Assisted by Alyssa Tansek and Hogan, Boucher netted the puck with a minute left on the clock, and the game ended with a score of 6-0 in favor of Framingham.
The Rams outshot the Trailblazers 54-42, which Lewis said
Nov. 19.
“paid off with the score. That is something we will want to keep doing every game.”
She added the team also moved the puck well, which will be important to continue to focus on as the season progresses.
Lewis said, “We put work in over the summer and so far this year in the gym, which isn’t always easy, but is something we recognize will help us win games like these.
“It was nice to see this hard work pay off, and I think it will motivate us to keep working hard off the ice in order to win more games this season,” she added.
The Rams travel to Albertus Magnus College for a non-conference matchup Dec. 5.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL tkimmell@student.framingham.edu
Men’s basketball takes victory over Dean College
By Avery Slavin Staff Writer
The Framingham State Rams were victorious over the Dean College Bulldogs in a non-conference matchup Dec. 3.
This brings their overall record to 5-4.
After an unsuccessful attempt at a 3-pointer from junior Ja’Quin Taylor, junior Joshua Saint Jean put the first two points on the board with a layup.
After a missed layup and a failed 3-pointer attempt from Framingham, the Bulldogs made their first basket with a 3-pointer, putting them in the lead 3-2.
The Rams retaliated and scored three points with a jump-
shot by junior Fallou Koite, assisted by Taylor.
Thirty seconds later, Dean tied the score with a layup.
Taylor earned the Rams another three points, putting Framingham back in the lead.
Koite made another 3-pointer before Dean was able to take possession of the ball and score one as well.
Dean’s Xavier Boyd scored two points on free throws, and the Bulldogs surpassed the Rams by one point with a layup afterwards.
Neither team scored for the next two minutes until graduate student AJ Thompson assisted junior Isiah Alexander in a 3-pointer.
Junior Lorenzo Washington scored on a free throw, but the Bulldogs were able to tie the score with a 3-pointer.
After Framingham scored on a jump shot and a layup, the score was brought to 20-15 and Dean began to fight back.
Senior Vondre Chase made a layup, and the Bulldogs came back with a jump shot.
Still trailing after a free throw by Koite, Dean scored on a layup. Twenty seconds later, Koite struck back with a layup of his own.
Dean scored on a jump shot, but it wasn’t enough to catch up to the Rams, especially after Chase made two free throws.
After one last attempt to get ahead of Framingham, Dean scored on a layup, and the first
half ended with a score of 29-25 in favor of the Rams.
Starting off the second half, Koite scored on a layup.
Dean fought back, also scoring on a layup, but missed their next two layup attempts.
Being fouled by the Bulldogs, Koite earned two points on free throws.
Eight seconds later, the Bulldogs were successful on a layup, but Koite earned two more points on free throws after being fouled again.
Dean started catching up to Framingham, scoring on a layup and a 3-pointer.
With a 35-34 score, the Rams continued to hold up under the pressure from Dean.
Washington scored on two free throws. Following that, though, the Bulldogs also earned two points on free throws.
With Dean still behind by one point, Alexander and Koite scored on 3-pointers, widening the Rams’ lead.
Continuing to ride this wave of momentum, Saint Jean and Koite scored points on layups, and Saint Jean made two free throws.
Even with a jump shot, free throw, and two 3-pointers from Dean, they still couldn’t catch up to the Rams.
Junior Domonick Victor scored on two free throws, and Dean scored on one.
Victor made a 3-pointer, the Bulldogs made a layup, and junior Makyle Hayes made a free throw.
After a timeout from Framingham, Dean made a jump shot and brought the score to 55-54, still in favor of the Rams.
Washington and Alexander scored two points each, and Saint Jean scored two free throws.
Koite made a 3-pointer and kept the Rams 10 points ahead, and three layups later, Dean just couldn’t keep up.
Saint Jean made a dunk and two free throws.
In the last minute of the game, Koite made three free throws and the game ended with a score of 77-65.
Junior Dyree Rogers said, “The team has proved to be tough and gritty. We have a group of fearless competitors that strap in on defense. As we continue our season, we’re working to become a better shooting team and build overall trust with each other. We’re a relatively new group, but we know our talents and capabilities, and I know we’ll continue to get better the more we play together.
“The only thing stopping us is us,” he added.
Framingham defeated the Elms College Blazers 70-54 in a non-conference matchup Dec. 4.
The Rams travel to New England College for a non-conference matchup on Dec. 9.
Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com
CONNECT WITH AVERY SLAVIN aslavin1@student.framingham.edu
Izabela Gage / THE GATEPOST Sarah Lewis skating with the puck in loss to Worcester State on
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST Joshua Saint Jean dribbling the ball in win against Dean College on Dec. 3.
ARTS & FEATURES
Are you a good movie? Or a bad movie?
By Antonio Machado Copy Editor
It has been quite a few clock ticks since the world became “obsessulated” with “Wicked” last year, leaving everyone looking toward the western sky, waiting to see what would happen next.
Now, 12 tide turns since the Wicked Witch took off, “Wicked: For Good” has been released in theaters, serving as an adaptation of the second act of the stage musical and continuing the story of the first film.
Once again directed by Jon Chu, the movie is an absolute marvel. A visual step up from the first film’s innocent beiges, beautiful sets are colored with every shade of the rainbow - and at times, the entire rainbow itself. The shift to a more enhanced color palette symbolizes the shift to a much more matured, darker tone in the story.
Where “Wicked” was about character choices, “For Good” is about consequences.
Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande) now serves as a political figurehead, a beacon of hope for the Ozian people in their fight against the Wicked Witch of the West, who Glinda knows as Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo).
In her campaign to expose the Wizard and free the Animals from their torment, Elphaba struggles to defy the gravity of political propaganda and is faced with the turmoil of going against her old friends and new gingham-patterned enemies.
Contemporary does not begin to describe the political messaging of this film, and it’s incredibly important for a blockbuster of this magnitude to be so unadulterated in its loathing of fascism.
However, although the messaging is at the forefront of the story, it is always second to Elphaba and Glinda’s relationship.
These characters are the dream roles of countless theater kids, and the proper casting of them was imperative to the success of these films - so thank goodness for Grande and Erivo because there is absolutely nobody else in this world who could’ve done what they did here.
Toto, I’ve a feeling she’s not just a pop star anymore because Ariana Grande’s performance in this film is nothing short of “astoundifying.” Where Galinda (with a Ga) was a beautiful touch of comedic relief in the first movie, Glinda is the bleeding heart of this one.
Every second she is on screen is heart-wrenching. Grande has an innate understanding of being a public figure and suffering countless tragedies within a bubble of success, and she draws upon those experiences to let audiences truly see the suffering Glinda through the opalescent surface.
The first half of the story allowed audiences to witness the tender heart underneath the Wicked Witch, revealing a woman scorned by the world for the color of her skin. And in this movie, we see that tenderness melt under waves of rage
Elphaba endures.
Erivo is able to convey so much with simply just her eyes. Rebellion has not freed her from her oppression, but instead bestowed upon her a tremendous melancholy. Her tornado of anger commands the screen because of the very subtle hurt that rests within the eye of the storm.
In every scene where the pair are apart, the absence of either one is felt, and it makes the moments in which they are united so much more specialand oftentimes, so much more upsetting. It is nearly impossible to leave this film without shedding a tear at the beautiful (and partially improvised) closing number, “For Good.”
Unlike the first film where musical numbers were major ensemble pieces, upbeat and eye-catching, “For Good’s” music is introspective, touching, and intimate - every number unveiling a new layer to the characters the world grew so fond of.
“No Good Deed” caused multiple audiences to erupt in applause. Emmy, GRAMMY, and Tony winner Erivo can sing, no doubt about it, but to roar in anguish with such a polished sound is not something that can be taught - she truly is magic.
As one of the biggest modern-day pop stars, Grande is not unfamiliar with breaking down on camera, so when she spends a majority of “Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier” in a single-take close-up shot at the verge of breaking down, it feels natural - and she
sounds amazing.
The film is not without faults. It struggles to find its pacing and begins to fall apart if you think of it too much as an adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz,” but those are inescapable issues baked into the source material.
“Wicked: For Good” is a film with a tangible love poured into it, made by and for fans of the source material. Chu had the courage to adapt this behemoth and he poured his heart into it - as did all of the performers. This is not just a film, but an experience - one that anyone with a brain would enjoy.
Liv Dunleavy / THE GATEPOST Ronnie Chiu-Lin / THE GATEPOST
Rating: AI’m off to see ‘Wicked,’ the wonderful ‘Wicked: For Good.’
CONNECT WITH ANTONIO MACHADO amachado4@student.framingham.edu
‘Series 20,’ Article 1 - ‘Horne’s staying on task’
By Liv Dunleavy Asst. Arts & Features Editor
Welcome to this article! A piece of writing where I shout my love for British people embarrassing themselves at you, and you read it and laugh. Laugh!
Recently, my mind, body, and soul have been consumed entirely by the British comedy gameshow “Taskmaster.” A show created by someone who once told the Taskmaster, Greg Davies, that “on a childhood visit to a fruit farm he once sneakily ate so many strawberries that he achieved the holy grail, the 3-foot-long stool.”
It’s… Little Alex Horne! Formerly known as Alex Horne, the mastermind behind “Taskmaster” has crafted now 20 series of gilded gold goodness that continues to appease the masses. He sits below Greg’s towering throne as the Taskmaster’s Assistant, and their banter is nothing but agonizing! I love it!
This series, the 20th series, stars another five funny European comedians willing to tank their own careers for a chance to win some homemade garbage, a heated snuggie, a mixtape cassette from a contestant’s childhood suitor who sounds like he invented the telephone? - and at the end the big winner gets a gold (gilded) bust of what looks somewhat like Greg Davies. I hope they’re proud of themselves.
But now let’s give a nice big
round of mental applause for the contestants of this season, oops, I mean series! Ania Magliano, Maisie Adam, Phil Ellis, Reece Shearsmith and Sanjeev Bhaskar are our decadent lineup of decades, showing truly throughout the series what a difference in ages can do to a person’s willpower. Where in the very first task we see not only Ania’s willpower but also her will to live. As she runs freely, chasing Alex for the QR code on his suit, unfortunately not at her top speed, we see her liveliness and silly nature. On the other hand… Sanjeev genuinely could not have been bothered to walk more than a centimeter per hour.
If you are unfamiliar with the format of this show let me clear it up before we continue. The show focuses on tasks. Each live “Taskmaster” episode starts with a studio task called a “prize task,” where the contestants bring in something for a given topic, such as “a very soft thing which would be most beneficial for Greg Davies.” After the points are awarded the show continues with usually three to four pre-recorded tasks filmed over the course of months before the live studio filming.
The five contestants are made to compete for up to five points during each task according to a set of instructions that, most of the time, are very vague. And let me tell you, you would think it’s a sim-
ple task, or you could complete that for sure, but these are very educated people who become seemingly absolute idiots in 5 seconds when Alex blows his whistle.
Speaking of idiots, Phil is absolutely unhinged. In the show, Alex usually gives tasks that make the contestants look like fools, so anytime contestants can use their tasks to make him look like a fool, it’s just like giving candy to a baby.
Phil takes every opportunity he can to completely embarrass him, by embarrassing Alex, licking yoghurt off his shoe, making him uncomfortable, just a mess honestly. But the thing about “Taskmaster” is Alex probably likes it.
Sanjeev Bhaskar, my favorite contestant in this series, did not come here to win. And I respect him for that. Not only did he not win a single episode in the series, he almost did not even win a single task. With the exception of one he didn’t even have the will to live enough to even do the actual task, and one team task so - very minimal effort. But if there’s anything to learn from Sanjeev, it’s less is more. He didn’t win the show, but he won my heart.
From eating olives and grapes to race horses, and fingerpainting a lying blue-nosed chef, series 20 was another example of why Alex Horne should probably be investigated by someone? Maybe the police? A psychiatrist? The tasks were incredibly hi-
larious, the quotes will be part of my vocabulary for the next month, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget the pure discomfort of a grown man washing another grown man in a plastic tub while he sucks on his thumb. Nor will I ever forget the catlike scream of Anya when she purposefully ran away from a balcony she was tethered to. Now then, I ask you all to head over to “Taskmaster’s” YouTube channel and subscribe. You have 60 seconds. Your time starts now.
Liv Dunleavy / THE GATEPOST
Rating: A+
“All the information is in the article.“
CONNECT WITH LIV DUNLEAVY odunnleavy@student.framingham.edu
Trashion
Continued from Page 1
Fashion Club Vice President Emma-Claire Vanderslice said, “Our trip is going to be educating us about garment manufacturing, sustainability, and business, and I felt that this sort of event would really encapsulate all of those kinds of qualities.
“It was really a collaboration with the Fashion Club. We advertised garment donations, and the faculty and staff in particular really showed up and showed out, providing so much inventory for us to sell,” they added.
Schiavoni said over $500 was raised, and they “had over 150 attendees, which is huge for our club.”
The Fashion Club intends to have another upcycling event with any leftover fabric and accessories not sold at the thrift pop-up in the future.
Following the pop-up, doors opened for the trashion show and Nathan Piette took to the stage to host the competition.
Piette said he “became familiar with the Fashion Club when [their] paths during a community cleanup on campus.”
Piette said he is the president of the Volunteers Club which organizes “groups on campus to volunteer through various charitable causes - one of them is sustainability. And on that day, between us, the Fashion Club, and Keep Framingham Beautiful, almost 20 people took a whole bag of trash each off this campus.”
Schiavoni said, “I actually worked very closely with the department chair on trying to realize a new vision for what the trashion show could be in
terms of sustainability.
“Dr. Ruirui Zhang of the [Fashion] department just became our campus sustainability coordinator, so in honor of a sustainability project that she hosted in spring of 2024, we decided to emulate a similar process of using textiles that are provided to the designers themselves … instead of buying more materials for themselves,” Schiavoni added.
Crossin said, “Each year, more than 60 million tons of fast fashion garments end up in landfills, contributing to greenhouse gasses. As designers and merchandisers, we are responsible for our impact on the environment to remain
but they will be judged on the sustainability of the design, whether they used all or as much as possible of the selected material.”
The show was judged by Zhang, President Nancy Niemi, Fashion Professor Pamela Sebour-Cable, and Independent Association of Framingham State Alumni member Judy Fitzgerald.
Competing in the show was Senior Courtney Shires-Freeman, Senior Christian Taylor, Freshaman Devin McFarlin, Junior Stephanie Fordjour, Junior Isabelle Dolezal, and Freshmen Sarah Akinbuwa.
After a brief runway, a QR code was displayed to allow au-
mindful and educated on the implementation of sustainability within the fashion industry.”
Crossin said designers in the trashion show will “not only be judged on the general execution of the design, if it was clearly purposeful and wellplanned, the overall creativity of the garment, its complexity and intrigue, and the designs functionality, whether it’s complete and well-structured,
dience members to vote for the winner of the Audience Choice.
Once the voting period closed, Dolezal was announced as the Audience Choice.
Dolezal said, “I didn’t even know that was a thing, so I’m honored.”
She said she found inspiration for the quilted design of her garment through the lens of computer pixels. “When I saw them I was like, ‘Oh my God! They look like computer
pixels,’ and so I feel like our generation is one of the last to have a childhood where not everything is digitized. … I wanted to take that influence of living in between both worlds.”
The voting board named Taylor the first-place winner of the trashion show, followed by Shires-Freeman in second and Fordjour in third.
Taylor said the burden of thinking of the trashion show as a competition he had to win is a mentality he had to shed. “For me, when I looked at it that way, when I started this show in particular, it was too much on my shoulders. … It should be just a free, fluid way of designing.”
Taylor said his design was based on the structural armor of an armadillo, with “flowy pants” to contrast the structured, asymmetrical top.
Niemi said the Fashion Club provided a rubric for judges to utilize when deciding winners. “I’m so pleased that, as a judge, I got to use this because then you’re not guessing. … When we got the four of us [judges] talking, we had pretty much all agreed on exactly the same things and the order, so because [the rubric] was so well done, we knew how to focus the conversation.”
Zhang said, “We have students who are freshmen right now participating without a lot of experience, but they put so much time and effort to make everything happen. I think the most beautiful thing is they put in the effort despite finals and all the pressure they have. They still made time to do this, and that’s the best thing ever.”
CONNECT WITH ANTONIO MACHADO amachado4@student.framingham.edu
Adrien Gobin / THE GATEPOST (Left) Elijah Hansen and Christian Taylor at the “Reimagine Trashion Show” on Dec. 3.
By Owen Glancy Arts & Features Editor
Of all the classic anime from the late 1970s, “Mobile Suit Gundam” is still the most popular and influential. As the first “real robot” mecha anime, “Gundam’s” themes of the dehumanizing effects of war and the price of freedom brought an element of realism to the typically fantastical mecha genre and made it the premium way to tell anti-war stories in the medium of anime.
However, “Mobile Suit Gundam” was not always a household name. In the early 1980s, the series was at risk of ending permanently. The popularity of action series like “Fist of the North Star” and “Dragon Ball” took the spotlight away from the more realistic and harrowing “Mobile Suit Gundam,” and the series almost never got it back.
end.
“Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack” served as the end to the original stories of Amuro and Char, the hero and villain of the original “Mobile Suit Gundam.” With the momentum of the recap films and the recent popularity of the “Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam” and “Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ” shows, “Char’s Coun-
terattack” was set up to be the biggest anime film of 1988.
The film released the same year as “Akira,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” and “Grave of the Fireflies,” three of the most influen tial and pop ular
ly became simply a footnote in the success stories of two of the medium’s most important releases.
However, that’s not to say we should ignore the film all together. “Char’s Counterattack” is a phenomenal movie that acts both as a fun sci-fi action film and a deeply moving character study of the two leads who brought
tle, incapable of truly loving or getting close to anyone.
Char has become so haunted by the death of Lalah Sune, his love interest from the original show, that he’s lost sight of his original purpose of freeing the people in the space colonies from the rule of Earth and now wants to destroy the planet entirely.
The relationship between these two characters is what makes this film so excellent today. They’ve both abandoned so much that by the end of the film, neither of them really remembers why they started fighting each other in the first place, but neither of them can back down after having come so far.
Amuro and Char are backed up by a great supporting cast as well, notably Bright Noa and his son Hathaway.
Hathaway serves as the film’s source of innocence meant to ground the viewer, and he does a great job of it. His desire for things to come to a happy ending clashes with the nature of war and offers one of the most devastating character moments in the entire series.
alone anime. While “Char’s Counterattack” was the first of these films to release in March of that year, the Studio Ghibli double feature that created both their mascot and their most harrowing film released less than a month later.
You can stream “Char’s Counterattack” on Crunchyroll. ‘Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack’
That is, until the series creators made the decision to re-edit the original series into three recap films and release them in theaters in the mid’80s. These films single-handedly brought the “Gundam” franchise back from the brink of extinction and reminded audiences of the heart-wrenching story of Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, stories that were about to be brought to an
It was by no means a box office bomb, but the film that should have become the crowning achievement for the “Gundam” franchise financial-
The film follows Amuro Ray as the star Mobile Suit pilot of Londo Bell, a new organization created by the Earth Federation, as he combats the threat of Neo Zeon, led by Amuro’s old rival Char Aznable who has come out of hiding with the intent to render the Earth uninhabitable.
By this point in the timeline, Amuro and Char have both been chewed up and spit out by the universe. Amuro had his childhood ripped away from him by the One Year War and is now obsessed with bat-
The Lexicon: Three cheers for Tiberius
By Alexis Schlesinger Editorial Staff
Tiberius, the alternative-indie-country band and beloved pillar of the Boston music scene, celebrated their fifth album, “Troubadour,” with a beautiful show in Somerville on Nov. 15.
Tiberius consists of lead vocalist Brendan Wright, bassist Kelvin “KP” Polite, drummer Sam Blumenstiel, pedal steel player Pat King, and recently joined guitarist Colin Boyd.
According to Tiberius’ website, the band started out as Wright’s solo project, and has evolved over the years into a community favorite.
“Troubadour” didn’t just get one show to celebrate its release, it got six. Warehouse XI was the third stop on this short tour, just a day after the album’s release date.
Tiberius was joined on Nov. 15 by local acts Winkler and Gollylagging. Both indie-rock bands have performed alongside Tiberius previously, and made for strong opening acts before Tiberius’ set.
Warehouse XI was a great choice of venue, giving the show a very intimate atmosphere. The venue is fully general admission, and standing room only. The only thing filling the space aside from bands and fans are two merch tables, and a small bar in the back corner of the room.
The layout of the venue puts fans at eye-level with the band, as the stage area is just the back of the room set to the headliner’s liking.
The stage set-up for the Tiberius show resembled a living room, complete with standing lamps, house plants, and a few large rugs. The choice of decor, combined with the warm, dim, light of the standing lamps perfectly complimented the emotional and nostalgic feel of the band’s new album.
loudest moment of the night. This line makes for a special interaction between the band and their fans, as the three cheers are now not only directed toward “Elliot,” but the members of Tiberius as well.
“Char’s Counterattack” is a beautifully animated, compelling, and entertaining conclusion to one of anime’s most iconic rivalries that never got, and still doesn’t get, the attention it deserves. While it does require watching the original “Mobile Suit Gundam” recap films at the very least, this is still well worth that effort.
As Wright started off the song on solo vocals and guitar, Polite and Blumenstiel squeezed together on the drum seat, and rocked back and forth behind Wright’s back.
Having seen Tiberius perform many times before this show, and after giving “Troubadour” a listen when it was released on Nov. 14, I already had high expectations for this show.
Despite not playing the album in order, the setlist still flowed very well. “Troubadour” as an album is already very strong lyrically, and musically, but is something extra special live.
Other particularly standout songs were “It has to be true,”
Every Tiberius show I’ve seen has topped the last, and this was no exception.
Tiberius’ set started off their full playthrough of “Troubador” with “Sag,” one of the band’s most iconic songs.
“Sag” was first released as a single on July 18, and has become a beloved part of Tiberius setlists. Aside from the crowd’s consistent and well-deserved applause for the band, “Sag’s” opening lyric “three cheers for Elliot!” is always the crowd’s
and “Barn.”
The friendship and humor shared among the members of Tiberius are both major factors in the elevation of their live performances.
Before starting “It Has to Be True,” Wright mentioned to the audience that every time the band had played the track live, Polite and Blumensteil had come up with choreographed motions for the first portion of the song, but they had never turned around to see what the two were doing.
In a heartwarming moment, Wright turned around to watch their bandmates choreography for the first time, and paused as the room filled with quiet laughter.
The rest of the band joined in shortly after for the rest of the track.
“Barn” was the final song, both for the show, and for the album. Wright’s earnest lyrics along with the song’s soaring trumpet created an indescribably beautiful atmosphere that left the audience wanting more.
As the song ended and the band announced the end of their set, the audience begged for an encore.
The band gave in to the cheers, and got set up for just one more song.
Wright called Winkler back to the stage to join them for “Fish in a Pond,” another one of the band’s most well known tracks, released in 2023.
Seeing such a large crowd come together for the “Troubador” release show, and come together as loudly as it did, showed how much of a staple Tiberius has become to the Boston scene.
Tiberius, you are loved to the bone.
CONNECT WITH ALEXIS SCHLESINGER aschlesinger@student.framingham.edu
Courtesy of Alexis Schlesinger
Marcus Falcão / THE GATEPOST
ACROSS
1. Golden Arches coffee chain
7. French pal
10. U.S. health org.
13. Kuwait’s peninsula
14. Giant coffee container
15. “This can’t be good ...”
16. *Drop-in from Clark Kent’s alter ego?
18. Mama’s mama
19. Dedicated poem
20. CPR expert
21. Sunscreen, for one
23. Audacity
26. Grammywinning “Dr.”
28. Bump on a toad
29. *Dracula’s words of hesitation about his next meal?
33. Meal on a blanket
36. “Raggedy” doll
G
37. Absorbs, with “up”
38. Genetic messenger
39. Meadow
41. Chicken ___ king
43. “Golly!”
44. Spanish for “east”
46. Home plate official
48. Increase in size, as the universe
50. *Thieves who steal “Shark Tank” proposals?
53. Wee bit of whiskey
54. Ctrl-Alt-___
55. What a pedometer counts
59. “Another brewski, please!”
61. Adversary
63. Kitten’s call
64. Laundry unit
65. *Comment after discovering a tiny bug on your pug?
69. Sounds of disapproval
70. Sea-___ (Wash. airport)
71. “S” in the NATO alphabet
72. Lines on city maps: Abbr.
73. “Yes, sailor!”
74. Doubt-raising question, and a hint to the transformation applied to each starred clue’s answer
DOWN
1. ___ jar
2. Like unrefined oil
3. Goofy prank
4. Prez on a five
5. Fragrant evergreen
6. Roof overhang
7. Vienna’s country
8. Hosp. scan
9. The “I” of IHOP: Abbr.
10. Meditative exercise done while sitting
11. Warning on a door
Word Hunt
12. Gemma of “Crazy Rich Asians”
15. Removes from an online post
17. _nternet _ovie _ata_
ase
22. Possess
24. Delivery vehicle
25. Name hidden in “five miles”
27. European volcano that erupted in June
2025
30. Freeze over
31. Cove or bay
32. Secondhand
33. Get ready
34. Pixar movie that makes you experience five emotions at once?
35. Rewards for a good kitty
40. Surrounded by
42. Lines on graphs
45. Online greetings
47. Book introduction
49. Winter hrs. in LA
51. “Lemme see...”
52. Tons
56. Middle Eastern rulers
57. ___ dish
58. Output from working out
59. Crispy sandwiches
60. “Tell Mama” singer James
62. Canadian gas brand
66. Farm bales
67. Broadcast
68. ___ fun (Chinese noodle variety)
LIVE AND WITH LEX LOCAL
DANCING WITH DJ DEAF TUNEZ
On Nov. 21,
the FSU ASL Club hosted their ASL Ball in the McCarthy Center Forum. Music was provided by DJ Deaf Tunez.
Photos and Spread by Photos & Design Editor Alexis Schlesinger