Issuu

Volume 95 • Issue 3

FSUgatepost.com

October 2, 2026

FOR HIRE: New VP of Equity and Inclusion By Dylan Pichnarcik Editor-in-Chief

Coleman served as Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement By Avery Slavin from January of 2023 to June of News Editor 2026. His departure from the University was announced by University officials are be- President Nancy Niemi on June ginning the search for a new 16 in a campus-wide email. Vice President of Equity and InIn her email, she wrote, “I clusion following the departure am grateful to Jeffrey for his of Jeffrey Coleman. contributions to our University

over the past three and a half years and wish him success in his future endeavors. “As we look ahead, the University remains firmly committed to continuing our development as a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive campus environment for all members of our community,” Niemi said in her email.

The posting for the new Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement, which has been rebranded as the Vice President of Equity and Inclusion, was posted on Sept. 8. See HIRE Page 3

Men’s soccer hopeful after draw By Avery Slavin News Editor

The Framingham State Rams played to a draw against the Salem State Vikings ahead of a nor’easter on Sept. 26. This brings their overall record to 3-5-1, and their conference record to 2-1-1. Just short of the first three minutes, sophomore goalie Colin Holt made his first save. Salem attempted again to score, but Holt stayed strong in front of the net and blocked the ball. Senior Gustav Hemmingsen tried to score for the Rams, but Salem’s goalie, Thomas Youden, didn’t allow FSU to get a point on the board. Senior Captain Thiago Magalhaes’ header shot was too wide to let the Rams take the lead. See MEN’S SOCCER Page 10 Attendees at Fashion Club’s “Dress to Impress” Styling Contest.

Rose Hamilton / THE GATEPOST

FSU lecturer earns spot in finals of Massachusetts Poetry Olimpics Hannah Baker-Siroty excited for upcoming work By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Associate Editor

Hannah Baker-Siroty is a visiting lecturer in the English department.

Professor Hannah Baker-Siroty is a visiting lecturer at Framingham State. She mostly teaches Composition courses and graduate courses, and she occasionally substitutes for other classes. She’s also in the finals of the “Massachusetts Poetry Olimpics,” also known as MAPO, this year. This annual poetry competition was established in 2025. Olimpics is spelled this way in order to avoid trademark infringement according to LD Green, founder of the MAPO. He said MAPO is run as four events, with nearly 190 registered poets taking part. Baker-Siroty said the state was divided into three regional teams - Western, Central, and Eastern - and poems were submitted for a monthly category for four Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST months. See POETRY Page 12

INSIDE: OPINION 6 • SPORTS 9 • ART & FEATURES 11

News GPI pg. 2 SGA pg. 4

Opinion SCHLESINGER pg. 7 THE VERDICT pg. 8

Sports VOLLEYBALL pg. 9 WOMEN’S SOCCER pg. 10

Arts & Features AUTHOR pg. 11 BLUE VELVET pg. 12

NEWS

2 | OCTOBER 2, 2026

Gatepost Interview Rachel Spezia

OUR STAFF Editor-in-Chief Dylan Pichnarcik Associate Editors Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez

Associate Dean of Students

Antonio Machado

By Antonio Machado Associate Editor

News Editor Avery Slavin Opinion Editor Alexis Schlesinger Sports Editor Taylor Kimmell Arts & Features Editor Sarah Daponde Photos & Design Editor Onyx Lovely Asst. Photos & Design Editor Christy Howland Illustrations Editor Tobias Cotton-Selman Copy Editor Cole Johnson Staff Illustrators Grace Doyle Abi Little Marcus Falcão Staff Writers Desiree Ambila Jesse Burchill Julien Fernandez Dan Lima Kate Norrish Nathan Piette Izabela Gage Heather Luster Andrea Zereski Louie Ranieri Staff Photographers Julien Fernandez Rose Hamilton Meg Dame Advisors Desmond McCarthy Sabrina Grammatic Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks

N PE

TH E G A T E

Asst. Advisor of Digital Engagement Ben Watanabe

T TH EGATEPOS

100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu

What is your academic and professional background? My undergraduate degree is from Illinois State University. I have a bachelor’s in psychology and sociology, and that’s where I got interested in student affairs because I was a resident assistant. And then my master’s degree is from Boston College in higher education administration. I started out working at Lasell University as a hall director, and I also worked in student activities. And from there, I got really interested in student activities, and started here at Framingham State Oct. 2, 2000. When I was here, I started as the director of student involvement and had an office of three people and during the time I’ve been here, I’ve had different experiences. At one point, I oversaw Campus Events. We also did the Student Transportation Center. I’ve worked with club boards, and all kinds of different opportunities have come up. And then in 2014 or 15, I was promoted to assistant dean and shifted out of student activities.

Courtesy of Framingham State

and programming, so still, a lot of the work with students, so like Homecoming and Family Weekend. I also work on leadership programs like Emerging Leaders and the Women’s Student Leadership Network. So a lot of outreach and engagement type programs. I also work with our assessment and strategic initiatives through Student Affairs. So the division of Student Affairs - I coordinate their assessment goals and orgaWhat is your favorite part nize that. about working here? There’s quite a bit, actually. I What motivates you? stay, really, because I enjoy the I like to change things up and students I work with. I’ve met so be creative and try different many amazing students over the things, but also I think it feeds time that I’ve worked here, and off of the people who are involved they really make it interesting in helping me plan things when and fun and challenging. To see they get excited about it or bring someone start out as a new stu- new ideas. It reminds me it’s aldent and then get to watch them ways good to have a different graduate is really rewarding. But set of eyes and to refresh things. those relationships have been re- So I think it’s both things - my ally fulfilling. And then I have a own desire to change things up lot of really wonderful colleagues and keep things different and be - from faculty members that I’ve creative. But also, I really enjoy gotten to know really well to col- working with people and to help leagues who have stayed around them facilitate what their ideas the whole time that I’ve been are. So, for example, I supervise here. But I work with some really the Ram Engagement Ambassagreat professionals, who I would dors. So watching a team of stualso call friends. … I do know that dents come up with ideas is really I’m incredibly fortunate that I re- exciting to me and helping give ally love the work that I’m doing. them the tools to execute their I can’t say that every single day ideas because they know betis amazing and that there haven’t ter than I do a lot of times about been stressful times. But finding what’s exciting and interesting, something that you’re really pas- or like, I advise student govsionate about and that you enjoy, ernment. So really just kind of I know is something that doesn’t guiding their interest and what happen all the time. Like, some- they’re advocating for keeps me times people just have jobs, but fresh in the work that I’m doing. I really enjoy the work that I do. And eight times out of ten, I’m What advice would you give happy I’m at work. to FSU students? I think you have to own your Tell us a little about your job experience here. It’s up to you to and responsibilities. kind of challenge yourself to try I’m the associate dean of stu- something new. Even the smalldents, and the executive director est thing has a butterfly effect. of student experience and career Something small like if a friend @T HEGATEPDr. OST Sara Long Galdevelopment, says, “Hey, go to this event with legos reports to me, so that area me,” just stepping outside your of career development, student comfort zone to go. So I think a experience, that’s a direct report lot of it’s just being OK with the to me. My job itself, I oversee discomfort. Because in life, that’s some different campus traditions what happens. Like there’s all

these hundreds of thousands of little tiny opportunities and experiences that come up and you can’t take all of them, but you have to be able to be okay with being a little uncomfortable because that’s where the real learning, and the exciting stuff can happen. Even if it doesn’t seem like it right away. Do you have any hobbies or ways you like spending your time away from the University? Well, one thing I didn’t mention has been part of my job, which also spurred an interest in me, is traveling. I go to India with a group of students with Dr. Lisa Eck, which has been fantastic. That’s really opened my eyes to travel and not in a canned, touristy way, but just going out and experiencing places. So when I can, I try to travel and go places. I’d like to do more of that. When I’m not here, you know, I have two kids. Well, they’re basically young adults now. So I do spend time with them. I tried to garden in the summer and it was an epic fail. … I was trying vegetables, and I did successfully grow a lot of hot peppers. It never works. It never works. … Something I read, I think it was, I’m not trying to be super cheesy, but I think it was the author Kurt Vonnegut, who said, “You don’t have to master everything you try.” You know, sometimes you’re just trying to try it. You’re not going to be great at things. It’s about just taking the opportunities. I took a pottery class once - I’m terrible at pottery. I’ve taken Latin dance lessons - I’m a little bit better at that. The gardening, which is shameful because I’m from the Midwest and I come from farmers. But it is what it is. … I’m also in the middle of updating and renovating where I live. I guess I dabble in different things, but I also really like to be active and exercise and things like that. CONNECT WITH ANTONIO MACHADO

amachado4@student.framingham.edu

Police Logs Monday, Sept. 28 7:14 Slip and Fall Medical Church Street

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Tuesday, Sept. 29 5:45 Fire Alarm Larned Hall

Wednesday, Sept. 30 3:30 Suspicious Activity Dwight Hall

NEWS

Hire

OCTOBER 2, 2026 | 3

Continued from Page 1 This position comes with an annual salary of $175,000 to $188,000 commensurate with experience and credentials. This is a full-time, exempt, benefits-eligible, non-unit position. Niemi said she, along with other members of the University’s Executive Staff - those who oversee the respective divisions of the University - spent time during their annual retreat rewriting the job description and discussing how they wanted to re-envision the role. “We took off the community engagement because it didn’t fit with the position. People got confused both internally and externally as to what the focus of this division was.” She added the change was meant “to be very clear about what the role and responsibilities of this division would be.” Leadership for community engagement is shifting to other administrators. A reserve fund, previously overseen by the division’s vice president, was used for donations to local initiatives, including the YMCA and the City of Framingham’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebrations. The process for distributing these funds to community organizations has moved to David Halbert, director of external affairs. Niemi said the vice presidency is not “a political position. It certainly has political elements to it. But the job is not to go to our neighbors, for example, and talk about equity, but to work on our own organization and how, in every area we have, we manifest our belief in equity through education.” Niemi said, “The division headed by the new person will be responsible for establishing with us, with our community, but really advancing a clear, actionable vision for equity, inclusion, belonging, justice, and grounded in evidence-based practices, relevant scholarship, and existing institutional frameworks. So, advancing the vision that we know we already operate on - it’s our DNA.” The vice president of Equity and Inclusion will report directly to Niemi and is expected to lead the University’s efforts surrounding equity, inclusion, and belonging, according to the position description. The new vice president will oversee the Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE) and work with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners to

Gatepost Archives develop initiatives that address equity and inclusion across the University. Currently, the CIE and the staff managed by the vice president of equity and inclusion are reporting to Vice President of Student Affairs Meg Nowak Borrego. The vice president will maintain a visible campus presence, facilitate difficult conversations, mediate conflicts, and respond to concerns involving inclusion. According to the position’s posting, the University is seeking a candidate with substantial higher education experience, an advanced degree in a related field, and strong strategic, collaborative, and communication skills. The position requires regular campus presence, including evenings and weekends. Niemi said a candidate who would be well suited for the role is “somebody who is really will-

ing to roll up their sleeves and be part of the community, even as you’re leading.” Beyond the posting’s qualifications, she also emphasized respect for faculty, understanding the realities of a small institution, and the ability to move between big-picture strategy and hands-on campus work. “That ability to see and know the big landscape, to really understand what higher education and equity’s commitment needs to look like in conjunction with those of us on the ground, and to really go back and forth between that big picture and what’s needed here will be critical,” Niemi said. The University has launched a nationwide search for a candidate to fill the position, which has already yielded applicants. A priority deadline of Oct. 8 has been set to submit a cover letter, resume or curriculum vitae, and the names of three profes-

sional references. A committee to select a candidate is currently being formed and will include faculty, staff, and students. CIE Director Jerome Burke is also a member of the committee, he said. The committee will be responsible for selecting finalists, while the ultimate decision to hire the respective candidate lies with Niemi. Senior Caitlin McGrath said she wants to see “someone who listens to student experiences and takes the feedback to create everyday changes on campus.” Senior Ezana Zemene said he is looking for “more inclusive events and ideas that involve students on campus.” CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK

dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu

CONNECT WITH AVERY SLAVIN

aslavin1@student.framingham.edu

Weather Saturday, Oct. 3 Sunny with a high near 70.

Monday, Oct. 5 Mostly sunny with a high near 70.

Sunday, Oct. 4 Mostly sunny with a high near 65.

Tuesday, Oct. 6 Sunny with a high near 60.

Wednesday, Oct. 7 Sunny with a high near 60.

Thursday, Oct. 8 Sunny with a high near 70.

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

4 | OCTOBER 2, 2026

NEWS

Concerns over new fitness center discussed at SGA By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Associate Editor Students discussed changes in the size and location of the University’s Fitness Center and shared concerns regarding the lack of access at SGA’s meeting on Sept. 29. The University recently relocated the student fitness center to the former campus store. Now, what was the student fitness center, located on the upper level of the Athletic Center, is a facility reserved for athletes. The campus store was recently relocated to the McCarthy Center. Senator Vilmarie Santana said several students had asked her if something could be done about the new fitness center, which is the one non-athletes are allowed to use. Mirrors and certain machines are now only available in the original fitness center, which is now restricted to athletes only, she said. Previously, machines were available to everyone, she said. The grand opening of the general student fitness center is on Oct. 2, Santana said. Senator Cam Rokes said the Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez / THE GATEPOST restriction for the original fitness center impacts more than Newly inaguarted members of SGA at their first meeting on Sept. 29. just non-athletes. He said, “I only found out today - I believe that top space is the problems. He said the amount is similar Club. Senator Evelyn Richter only for varsity athletes.” Senator Jayden Jefferson said to what has been approved in moved to approve the constituAccording to the FSU Athlet- she’s working on forming a fo- previous years, and that in the tion of the Pre-Veterinary Club. ics website, the original fitness cus group to interview in order Finance Committee, Model UN It was seconded by Senator Louspace upstairs is now called the to get a better sense of the sit- brought information explaining ie Ranieri. The motion passed Varsity Fitness Center. uation with the fitness centers. the market-rate prices. unanimously. Rokes said many of the stuIn an interview with The Senator Gracie Wyatt moved Piette said the Safety and dents he spoke to in the fitness Gatepost, SGA Vice President to allocate the amount of Security Ad Hoc Committee, center were frustrated about the Nathan Piette said the Senate is $1,991.25 from the 2026-2027 which was created to run the change. deciding on their best course of SATF unallocated funds. It was Safety Walk and look for any The changes involving the action. seconded by Senator Jamila safety needs, is planning to folold fitness center, the new fit“We at Senate had some con- Daikha and passed unanimous- low the same route and process as last year. Wyatt, Richter, Ranieri, Daikha, Santana, Jefferson, Desiree Ambila, Troy Edebiri, Kercheena Pamphile, Kerri Graham, Jadelyn Bailey, Jayla Ross, Gladys Sanan Espinoza, and Marian Awuah were sworn in as senators at the meeting. Piette said three more senators are planned to be sworn in next Tuesday. - Nathan Piette The final number of senators in total will be 27, which is close to the maximum capacity of 30, SGA Vice President he said. In terms of the clubs with funding requests and the Pre-Veterinary Club’s constitution, he said they are now waiting for the next steps from EXP. ness center, and even the book- cerns brought to us by at least ly with one abstention. “EXP is very on top of it and store were abrupt, he said. five people about the new fitPiette said the Volunteers of is doing a great job,” Piette said. The game room was removed ness center being split into FSU requested funding of the Ranieri, in an interview, said and “they put the school book- two sections - one for varsity same amount that had already he’s happy to be at a universistore there, and all of a sudden athletes and one for everybody been approved for their first ty that has a community that they just put all of the old equip- else,” Piette said. weekly “meeting meals.” wants change. ment down a floor and called it He said the conclusion at the Piette added he is president of “That’s really cool to see that a gym,” Rokes said. moment is “this was a surprise. Volunteers of FSU and Rokes is there are kids willing and wantSuch a sudden change would This is not ideal, and the stu- their treasurer. ing to make a change, because a definitely upset people, he add- dents inside and outside SGA Volunteer organizations typ- lot of kids now just sit back and ed. have begun talking collectively ically feed their volunteers, he say someone else will do it,” RaHe said he wanted to discuss about how to bring those con- said. nieri said. how to potentially upgrade the cerns to admin forum.” “We are a volunteer club. We new space. SGA does not have an official are a work club. Our fun thing is [ Editor’s Note: Nathan Pi“We can’t necessarily get back stance on the matter, he said. serving others. We do a bunch ette and Louie Ranieri are staff into the upper space, but we can In her report to the Senate, of work in the volunteer space. writers for The Gatepost. ] figure out how we can make the Kuenzel said a member of the You’re expected to have food for community gym more commu- Board of Trustees will likely be volunteers,” Piette said. nity-friendly,” Rokes said. at the admin forum meeting. Senator Cameron Higbie Student Trustee Jamie Kuen“The member who will be moved to allocate the amount zel said there was an issue with coming, or who will most likely of $1,800 from the SATF unallothe contractors regarding the be coming, is also an alumna,” cated funds. It was seconded by mirrors, but they are planned to Kuenzel said. Senator Kennedy Thompson. CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO be installed in the future. Piette said Model UN requestThe motion passed 20-0-6. OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ She also said she can speak to ed funding for their trip to the The Senate discussed a proffernandezrodriguez@student.framingham.edu the director of athletics about Bar Model UN Conference. posal for a new Pre-Veterinary

“This is not ideal, and the students inside and outside SGA have begun talking collectively about how to bring those ideas to admin forum.”

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

NEWS

OCTOBER 2, 2026 | 5

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

6 | OCTOBER 2, 2026

OPINION THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL

Let’s provide more resources to support students’ mental health

eptember is nationally recognized as Suicide Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the individuals whose lives tragically ended too soon, while also thinking about the importance of one’s mental health. It’s always important to put your body and mind at the top of your list of priorities. However, given the complicated nature of living in the 21st century, this isn’t always easy. Fortunately, support systems are in place for when you just can’t get out of your own head. Above all, remember, you’re never alone - it’s never a bother to ask for help. At Framingham State, the Counseling Center is your first stop if you ever feel as if you need mental health support. Located next to the McCarthy Center in Foster Hall, the Counseling Center’s hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Students can schedule appointments at no cost by calling (508) 626-4640, emailing counselingcenter@framingham.edu, or just stopping by. The Counseling Center offers same-day appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Unfortunately, because a high volume of students rely on it, you’ll likely need to book ahead. The Counseling Center is an important resource, but mentalhealth support at Framingham State cannot end when the workday does. If the University expects students to seek help when they need it, it must make that help accessible outside traditional business hours. Eight hours of available appointments Monday through Friday is a great start, but what about the rest of the day? There are 16 hours between 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. Sixteen hours when the doors of Foster Hall are closed to the public and the dedicated mental health professionals on this campus are away. The Gatepost Editorial Board sees a jarring issue with this lack of direct campus support, especially when these are the hours students likely spend away from classes, friends, work, and the normal distractors that keep one’s mind occupied throughout the day. If 16 hours feels like a long time, just think about how long it is between the time the Counseling Center closes on Friday and the time it reopens Monday morning - it’s 64 hours. On any given weekday, the windows overlooking campus from Foster Hall are filled with the buzzing energy of students, faculty, and staff. Hundreds of people walk by hourly, and people spend afternoons perched in the shadow of May Hall across the street it’s a picturesque and idyllic campus community. But come back to FSU on a Saturday afternoon, you’ll see a much different atmosphere. A significant percentage of the University’s student population leaves on weekends, whether that be just to visit family or, for commuters, choosing to spend their Saturdays away from campus. This leaves significantly fewer students on campus - for some, their entire friend group might disappear on Friday afternoon, only to return Sunday evening. What do we have to offer these students left behind if they are in a crisis?

The University website points to external mental health resources for students. In the event of an emergency, students are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988, seek support by calling the 24/7 Advocates Community Behavioral Health Crisis Hotline at (800) 640-5432, or utilize Togetherall, an anonymous chatroom monitored by mental health professionals. These are all great options, but how much better would it be if the University had its own on-call mental health professionals outside normal business hours? Additionally, could the Counseling Center offer some evening hours? Perhaps a counselor could be in the office from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. a number of weekday nights, in case a student who let their day escape them happens to experience a wave of depression or anxiety. If a student were struggling and they saw a light shining brightly across campus, they just might walk over - instead of making a decision that could lead to a tragedy. After these hours, an FSU mental health professional should be on call if something happens to a member of our community in the late hours of the night. Students can be assured that regardless of the hour of the day, there are always employees of Framingham State on duty. Even if we, The Gatepost Editorial Board, are advocating for more mental health support for students, you currently will receive the care and attention you may require in the event of a crisis during non-business hours. In your building, a Resident Advisor is on call to assist you if you ever need support. As a student, they may not always be able to provide guidance or a solution to whatever you may be facing, but they can contact professional staff members who are actually closer to campus than you might think. Each Residence Hall at Framingham State is overseen by a Resident Director or Area Director, depending on the size of the building or geographical location on campus. These individuals live on campus, and one is always on duty in case of an emergency. They then report to an administratoron-call, who is the chief point of contact if anything out of the ordinary occurs on campus outside of working hours. This person is off-campus, but as we’ve seen in situations such as the fire in Corinne Hall Towers last fall, the administrator-on-call can quickly be summoned to the University if needed. University Police is always on call and can respond quickly to any emergency on campus. These individuals who already serve in on-duty positions likely have some background in mental health support, but as kind as they all are and as willing to help any student they might be, the support of someone who has professional expertise in the mental health field will be able to provide so much more assistance. We already have two positions that work on an “on-duty” schedule in the evenings. Why not add a third? Funding for oncall, University-employed mental health professionals should be a high priority given the prevalence of mental health issues among college students. Changes to the University’s staffing regarding mental health support must come from the top. Students don’t always have the opportunity to come down off the hill, but that doesn’t mean we should be excluded from the community we inhabit. The City of Framingham is a vibrant and diverse place with so much to offer students. Our community is their community, and we should be a part of it. Someone just needs to connect us. In creating this discount program, the University failed to realize the point of the Rams Rewards Program. It isn’t about providing coupons. It’s about introducing two communities that already live harmoniously with one another.

Unsigned Editorials reflect the opinion of The Gatepost Editorial Board, signed Op/Eds reflect the opinion of the writer.

The Gatepost welcomes signed letters to the editor sent to gatepost@framingham.edu. All letters are subject to review. @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

OPINION

OCTOBER 2, 2026 | 7

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

IAFSA honors scholarship recipients State Alumni held its Scholarship Reception to honor the students who received these awards. Despite the miserable weather, 25 of our 47 scholars came and brought friends and family, totaling 60 guests in all. The day began at Alumni House with coffee, tea, and goodies, where scholars and their guests mingled and chatted with IAFSA Board Members and scholarship donors. On a cold and rainy Sunday, Due to space constraints, Sept. 13, the Independent the ceremony moved to the Association of Framingham Ecumenical Center, where each

student was recognized for their achievement and where family could take lots of photos. One highlight of the day was when the five students who were awarded Bernard Scholarships got to meet and have photos taken with Susana Bernard and her husband, Clark. It was hard to tell who was more excited to meet one another: Mrs. Bernard or the students who received her scholarships. In an ironic twist, Susana didn’t even go to Framingham State. She was inspired to create a fund by her

good friend Joan Murtaugh ’61, who sponsors a scholarship of her own. The day ended with some guests returning to Alumni House to continue chatting over another cup of coffee. The IAFSA Board Members were very excited to see so many people come to support and cheer on their student scholars. Patricia Doherty Berlandi ‘70, G’85 Dorothy O’Donnell Verdy ‘78

Courtesy of IAFSA

ALEXIS SCHLESINGER COMMENTARY

Creating art takes actual intelligence Like many artists, I’ve become increasingly frustrated with the presence of generative artificial intelligence in creative fields. There are a lot of excuses for it, and they’re all pretty lame. There are people who will generate graphics for their event or business, always with the same crowded, lifeless look as every other AI generated slop flyer, and say it was “so much faster and cheaper” than hiring a designer. There are hundreds of free templates you can find and fill in online. Canva and Adobe Express are free to use. There are likely hundreds, if not thousands, of easily accessible graphic designers online who will create a graphic for you for less than $20. Send me an email. I can give you some contacts. If you need a graphic or flyer for your event or business, and you somehow only have one minute before your deadline, and the absolute only thing you have time for is typing in a prompt for instant delivery, you are not ready to be running an event or business of that scale. I would consider your time management skills to be incredibly poor in that case, and would not assume your event or product to be of very high quality. You probably treat other aspects of your event or business with the same attitude you have

for your advertisements. Faster is better. Always. Isn’t it? No matter how poor the quality, no matter how ugly. Not only are AI generated graphics lazy, boring, and ugly, you, as a human being who wants other human beings to interact with you for your benefit, are refusing to interact with other human beings because it would take longer. But no, I’m sure that A. flyer will get everyone to attend your mediocre Tuesday night DJ set or buy that $25-beforetax-and-tip burger from your couple-with-a-dream food truck. If you truly believe any form of A.I.-generated media is the better option, you should seriously reevaluate your qualifications to do whatever it is you’re trying to use that generated graphic for. One of the most unintelligent excuses I have heard people use to excuse their use of A.I. generated graphics is their own inability to create. “Well, I don’t know how to draw/paint/write/film/ photograph/design that, but I have the idea in my head, so this still counts as my own art.” “I wrote the prompt, so I created art.” You didn’t create anything. You didn’t give life to anything. You did not bring anything new into this world. What you generated is not

original. Generative A.I. is not this magical mind-reading technology that goes into your brain and puts your vision into reality. Generative A.I. collects data from what already exists, and is a technology entirely dependent on what came before it. When you type in a prompt to whatever generative A.I. software you use to “bring your creative vision to life,” it becomes a steamrolled version of thousands of real people’s creative visions that are being stolen from. There is no life in your A.I. generated cyberscapes and corny web comics because there is no discernable personality or life behind it. “But I can’t -” Learn how. Pick up a pencil and a piece of paper and start drawing, even if it’s terrible. It’s yours. You’ve created something. Pick up your phone and start filming that short film you want to make. Maybe your video quality isn’t cinema level, but you’ve created something. Read a book! Please, for the love of anything, go to the library (it’s free) and please read a book. Look up YouTube tutorials online on how to get started on making art in your desired medium. Ask your friend who makes

Courtesy of Alexis Schlesinger real art for tips. Ask to hang out with them while they work. Ask to talk to them. Ask the same things of a stranger who creates art. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much people will be willing to share with you in order to bring more real art into the world. You will gain so much more substance as a person by interacting with other people. You will actually create something if you make the choice to care about other human beings and their creations. Alexis Schlesinger is the Opinion Editor of The Gatepost. She is a senior communication arts major. she can be reached at aschlesinger@student. framingham.edu

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

OPINION

8 | OCTOBER 2, 2026

SLAVIN AND ZERESKI - THE VERDICT

K? K. letter that actually holds a lot of uncertainty. When we receive that response, it gives us the impression that they just couldn’t be bothered to spell out the word, or that they h a t e us.

since

our

generation doesn’t care to use punctuation (and can’t use it properly, in most cases), it jumps out at us when it’s used randomly over text. You can’t be bothered to spell out “okay,” but you take the time to add a period? Right. We think we need to bring back speaking in complete sentences over the phone. We’ve witnessed many occurrences where arguments have taken place because of an assumed tone over messages. Both of our mothers are repeat offenders of using “K,” and we both have expressed our

dislike of that letter to them. You raised us and you can’t even spell out the word? We have actually gotten into our own quibbles about this exact issue. To us and others around us at least, using “K” is a huge no, but sometimes, we slip up and use it in a pinch. However, we will follow it up with an emoji or an exclamation point in hopes of no hostility being detected. We think that people need to be more conscious about their texting. We have remembered every single time someone has hit us with a “K.” And we hold grudges. Our verdict: just spell it out and be grateful you don’t have to handwrite letters anymore. Use your technology wisely and kindly!

T OS EP AT EG TH

We are a fan of saying “ k k , ” because when we feel the need to drop the O, we think we should replace it with something that automatically makes it seem a little more light-hearted. “KK!” just seems a lot sweeter than just “OK” or “K.” And don’t even get us started on adding a period after the letter “K.” There is no situation where you would be saying “K” with a period and be typing it with a smile on your face. “K.” That is so menacing! We have gotten so used to no punctuation that when it is used, it gives a bad vibe. We are not looking down on punctuation, of course. This doesn’t apply to someone who

uses it correctly. But,

r/ ge sin hle Sc xis Ale

As of recent years, the development of internet slang has conditioned us to look at abbreviations differently. “LOL!” has turned into “lol,” and the enthusiasm we used to see when texting in the past is gone, portraying a negative tone through the screen. First, we should analyze the recent implementation of lowercase letters. Many have lost the appeal of proper sentence structure and capitalization. There is a setting on most phones that allows you to turn off auto-capitalization, which we saw a lot in 2019-2020 when people really started caring about their online aesthetics. The lowercase letters and the lack of punctuation give the impression of nonchalance and disinterest. For example: the difference between “Sure!” and “sure.” The exclamation point indicates the vibe of the entire message, while the lowercase letters leave the mood up to interpretation. For a generation that overthinks everything, it’s ironic that we’re putting ourselves in the prime position to not only overthink other peoples’ tones, but make others overthink ours. An almost universal word that has many different variations is “okay.” A simple enough word that surely can’t have a negative connotation, right? Wrong. The most common version of the phrase that irks people is “K” - a seemingly innocent

T h e Verdict is a reoccuring column written by Avery Slavin, news editor of The Gatepost, and Andrea Zereski. They can be reached at aslavin1@student.framingham. edu and azereski@student. framingham.edu

Campus Conversations

“What did you do during last weekend’s Nor’easter?” By Alexis Schlesinger, Opinion Editor, and Nathan Piette, Staff Writer

“I went to Spirit Halloween. I went to Savers - fun stuff … I had dinner at my house because I went home, and I made the best out of the storm.”

“I worked a lot - during the worst parts of the storm.” - Cameron Rokes, sophomore

- Grace Delisle, sophomore

“A lot of staying in my room. Saturday, I commentated some of the sports games down at Maple which they somehow still played. I don’t know how. After that, mostly bed-rotting.” -Jacob Bearce, junior @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

“I was mainly here. I walked around in the storm out here because it was just really exciting to see all the rain and stuff. I did drive at one point also, which was kind of crazy.” - Alexis Barber, freshman

“I ate ice cream in my dorm all day. I hung out with my friends, and I went shopping.” - Laniya Martin, freshman

“I literally just chilled inside with my girlfriend every day.” - Franz Gros, freshman

OCTOBER 2, 2026 | 9

SPORTS

Women’s soccer wins with last-minute goal

Gatepost Archives

By Taylor Kimmell Sports Editor

neither team proving capable of penetrating the other’s defense, until Serrano broke through for a The Framingham State Uni- shot that sailed wide. In the 83rd minute, a Framversity Rams earned their third conference win of the season ingham foul occurred and Salem with an on-the-road victory earned a corner kick. Within the against the Salem State Univer- same minute, Salem’s offense managed to fire off a shot, but it sity Vikings Sept. 26. This 1-0 shutout improves was fended off by the Rams’ deFSU’s conference and overall re- fense. With less than five minutes cords to 3-0-1 and 5-2-1, respecof the match remaining, the Vitively. The Rams played a heavily of- kings sent in their third shot of fensive game, keeping the ball on the match, but Finley was there Salem’s side of the field early on, to make the save. Framingham went back on the and sending in a shot just over five minutes in. The attempt by offensive, and, with only 20 secsophomore Sophia Thimm was onds on the clock, Serrano made saved by Salem goalkeeper Lau- a pass to Yorsten, who buried the game-winning goal in the back of ren Wilson. Another FSU shot followed the net, scoring for the first time only three minutes later, when in her FSU career. With no time left to make a senior Ana Serrano made an attempt on goal that sailed over the move, the Vikings surrendered in a shutout loss. crossbar. Yorsten said scoring her first Salem’s first offensive move came 11 minutes in, with a corner goal was “amazing, especially kick they were unable to convert. being a freshman and scoring Salem’s offense struggled to in the 90th minute to win the bring the ball close enough to game. I was so excited, and seeFramingham’s side to take any ing how excited my teammates shots, but the Rams maintained and coaches were was such a a steady drive, with a shot on great feeling. It is a moment I’ll goal by freshman Eliza Contreras definitely remember.” Fischer said FSU was able to diverted by Wilson. Twenty-five minutes into the secure the victory because “we first half, Captain Isabella Fisch- stayed composed on the ball and er, a junior, tallied FSU’s fourth communicated throughout the shot, sending the ball just wide of whole game. The other team did have opportunities up top, but the post. Serrano’s shot at 28:23 was our strong defensive line did a saved by Wilson, as were Fisch- great job at helping us regain er’s shot at 31:18, Contrera’s at possession and work up through 33:01, and freshman Rachel Yor- the midfield and through the strikers.” ston’s at 34:24. Finley said the weather conDespite the persistent pressure from the Rams, Wilson remained ditions interfered with certain diligent in SSU’s net, blocking aspects of play, noting in the two more shots, one from Yor- second half, “We were playing sten and one from junior Be- against the wind, which meant yonce Gray, before the end of the playing long balls was not an option. Eventually, we realized we first half. Salem’s first drive of the match needed to find feet and make the came 15 minutes into the sec- simple passes.” Yorsten said, “Salem made it ond half, with a hard shot on net saved by the Rams’ sophomore difficult for us to score, but our passing really helped us cregoalkeeper, Amelia Finley. The Rams and the Vikings trad- ate opportunities. Even with the ed fouls for the next 22 minutes, wind and rain, we did a great

job connecting passes. We kept so far,” she added. pushing until the end, and I was Fischer said the Rams pride lucky enough to score in the 90th themselves on the closeness of minute to get the win.” the players. “We have so much On Sept. 29, Finley and Yor- trust in each other and all want sten were named MASCAC’s De- to put in work for not only ourfensive Player of the Week and selves but the person next to us Rookie of the week, respectively. as well.” Finley said receiving recogniGray said the team’s greatest tion from the conference is al- strength comes from “playing ways great. for each other. If you look at our Yorsten said she was surprised warmups on the bottom of every when she found out, and that shirt it says ‘Framily’. We take Captain Abigail Pratt had been pride in how close we all are. We the one to tell her, after having all love the game and each other. kept it a secret. We have a great bond and I think Yoursten said she had been that’s really motivating us to play sitting next to Pratt while she well and work hard for one anwas making the post. “She was other.” keeping it a secret, so I had no Yorsten said she has enjoyed idea. When I found out it was her time with the Rams so far. “I me, I was honestly shocked and honestly didn’t think I was going so excited. It meant a lot to me, to go to college, so having a group especially because my family and of girls who are so welcoming has team were so supportive and ex- made a huge difference. Between cited for me too.” team bonding, team breakfasts, Fischer said this win, as well and getting to know my coaches, as the Rams’ strong performance I’ve really enjoyed being part of early on in conference play “sets the team and getting to play socan amazing tone moving for- cer.” ward. It not only gives us confiGray said, “It’s only been our dence, but it shows that all of our third year with [Coach La Franhard work has been paying off. cesca] and I truly believe as we We want to build off of this and continue to grow as a team we’ll continue to keep improving as only get better and better. You the season goes along.” can already see a major change, The Rams added seven new especially with the games we freshmen to the roster this year, have played. Our goal is to always which Fischer said has only add- leave Framingham better than ed to the team’s success. “Every we found it, and we continue to single freshman has brought do that.” their own strengths. … As reThe Rams host the University turning players our main goal is of Maine at Fort Kent for a nonto make the incoming freshman conference matchup Oct. 3. feel as welcomed and included as Yorsten said, “It’s really excitpossible.” ing to be part of a team that’s off Gray said the integration of to such a strong start. It’s given freshmen on the team has been me a lot of confidence, and I great. “We’ve always been about think we’re all motivated to keep not just being a team, but a fam- working hard and see how far we ily. We’re all super close and try can go this season to hopefully to be open especially when the win MASCAC.” freshmen come. “It’s definitely a hard switch from high school to college, so we always try to help make the Stats sourced from fsurams.com transition as easy as possible. and MASCAC.com The freshmen this year have truly helped us improve and have CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL contributed a lot to our success tkimmell@student.framingham.edu

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

SPORTS

10 | OCTOBER 2, 2026

Men’s soccer Continued from Page 1

game. The Vikings sent two more Before the end of the first half, goal attempts Holt’s way, one Salem sent the ball too high over sailing too high and the other bethe net and Holt made two more ing stopped by Holt. saves on goal, keeping the score During the last 15 minutes of 0-0. the game, there was not much Opening the second half, Holt movement from the Rams to get saved another shot from the Vi- a point on the scoreboard. Holt kings before sophomore Michael saved two more goals from SaMacdougall tried to score a goal lem. of his own, but it flew too high After two more unsuccessful over the net to earn Framingham shots from Salem State, the game a point. concluded in a scoreless draw. A header shot from Salem Although the game did not recouldn’t break Holt’s defense, sult in a win, the Rams are conleading to his sixth save of the tent with the fact that it wasn’t a loss. Senior captain Kaio Santos Da Silva said not losing the game was important to the Rams. “Obviously, we wanted to win, but protecting our home field was huge. Our defense performed really well and kept us in the game. Due to some key players being injured, we couldn’t have the success we usually have offensively, so improving that is really important for these next few games, but I’m very happy with the team and the way we performed,” he said. Magalhaes is also happy with the team’s performance, espeIzabela Gage / THE GATEPOST cially considering the circumstances. Landon Medeiros jumping to recieve a pass in loss against Roger Williams on He said he thinks the team Sept. 29. “handled the game pretty well

considering the weather this cluding Tanner Lockwood, who weekend. It was a very unusual said the collegiate level brings game.” a “competitive intensity” he As captains, Santos Da Silva thrives in. and Magalhaes said they work Although he’s been struggling hard to motivate the team to with injuries, he said he felt reovercome any challenges thrown ally motivated to help the team their way. in any way he could. Magalhaes said he hopes He said, “The players had an to have everyone on the team incredible game defensively and “healthy and available for games. ultimately, that got us the result. Even though some injuries are The rain and weather made for expected, I would like to see ev- difficult playing conditions, but eryone ready to play because our our team brought the energy. squad is stronger when we have “We really came together and everyone available. got a good result against a strong “We’ve had some bad luck with opponent, so for me, it was a very injuries earlier in the season, but valuable game,” he added. our trainers are doing an amazMagalhaes said he thinks ing job helping us get back on chemistry is the biggest factor of the field as quickly as possible,” a successful team. he added. He has been “trying to make Santos Da Silva said regard- everyone feel as comfortable as less of injuries, everyone was possible with the environment well prepared for the game. and their teammates, especially “We had really good practices the new players.” before, and everything our coach The Rams worked together asked for was there,” he said. and put up a tough fight against Hemmingsen said he also Roger Williams University on thought the team was well- Sept. 29 but ultimately lost 1-0. equipped ahead of the Salem FSU takes on Rhode Island game. College Oct. 2 on home turf durHe said they stuck to their plan ing Homecoming Weekend of playing strong defense and going forward, the team is collec- Stats sourced from fsurams.com tively looking to improve on at- and MASCAC.com tacking and scoring more goals. The newest Rams have been CONNECT WITH AVERY SLAVIN adjusting well to the team, in- aslavin1@student.framingham.edu

Volleyball defeats Fitchburg

Victory marks 400 career wins for Casali By Taylor Kimmell Sports Editor

25-12 Framingham. deiros, and freshman Victoria A kill by Dobbins started the Welzel brought Framingham’s second set, but Fitchburg quickly lead to 23-4. In a conference matchup responded with a kill and a serFitchburg forced three errors against the Fitchburg State Univice ace for an early 2-1 lead. from Framingham, but with two versity Falcons Sept. 30, the A Reynolds kill, a service ace more defensive sets by FramingFramingham State University by Lowe, and a bad set by the ham, the Rams cinched an overRams cinched a quick 3-0 vicFalcons allowed the Rams to re- whelming 25-7 victory, wrapping tory. gain a solid lead. up the match 3-0. Overwhelming the Falcons in Fitchburg scored on a kill This win stands as a significant all three sets, the Rams improved on the next play. Then, kills by moment in Rams’ volleyball histheir conference record to 4-0 Reynolds and freshman Mcken- tory, marking Head Coach Richand their overall record to 11-3. zie Kastner allowed the Rams to ard Casali’s 400th win with the A service ace by sophomore pull farther ahead. program. Kristina Santiago-Alers jumpTwo Rams’ errors followed, Casali said this milestone has started FSU’s momentum. which were offset by kills from really allowed him to reflect on Fitchburg broke through for a Kastner and Captain Jamie his 23-year career with Framingkill on the next volley, but a serMoniz, a senior. ham State, as well as “the people vice and an attack error awarded Framingham had two more er- and players who made it possible. the next 2 points to Framingham. rors before embarking on a sub- I appreciate the support of our After Fitchburg tied the score stantial 8-point run, scoring on administration and staff as well 3-3 with back-to-back kills, the six Fitchburg errors and a pair of as all the other athletic teams. Rams went on a hot streak, scorservice aces by Santiago-Alers. “Four hundred wins could ing 7 consecutive points. Two Framingham errors al- not be possible without the hard Each team then scored on serlowed Fitchburg to put points on work of my 20-year assistant vice errors. the board. Then, two Cedrone- coach, Chelle Manganello.” Despite another Fitchburg serassisted kills by Dobbins broke The Rams undefeated streak in vice error, the team managed a through. early MASCAC play has, accord4-point run, scoring on a Rams’ The Falcons put up 3 more ing to Cassali, given the team a error, two kills, and a service ace. points during the second set, but lot of confidence, “but it is only Framingham closed it out hast- a start. Big challenges lie ahead. ily, forcing four Fitchburg errors Being on top of the league now is and earning points on two kills great, but not an assurance of fuby Kastner and one by Reynolds. ture victories.” The second set closed 25-12 in faHe said, “We are led by five vor of the Rams. seniors. They have been strong Framingham came out hot in throughout the year and are good the third set, scoring 5 quick- leaders. The younger players get points. These points came from energy from them and are prothree service aces by Santiago- gressing well.” Alers and a kill each by Lowe and Casali said the team is deterReynolds. mined to make it to the champiThe teams traded errors before onship as well as the NCAA Tourthe Rams put up an 8-point run, nament. scoring on kills by Reynolds and The Rams travel to take on Cedrone, service aces by DiVir- Dean College for a nonconfergillio, and several Fitchburg er- ence matchup Oct. 3. rors. Three Framingham errors al- Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com lowed Fitchburg to gain some Meg Dame / THE GATEPOST momentum, but kills by ReynCONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL (Center) Natalie Reynolds preparing to strike the ball in win against Curry College olds, Kastner, junior Sarah Me- tkimmell@student.framingham.edu on Sept. 19.

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

A Falcons’ error ended their streak, and the Rams scored on another error and a service ace by freshman Rachel Hoerig. Framingham’s service error on the following volley allowed Fitchburg a point. Then, the Rams scored 3 consecutive points with kills by senior Jaimee Lowe and senior Emma Dobbins, both assisted by junior Madysen Cedrone, and a service ace by Santiago-Alers. Fitchburg scored on a Framingham error to bring the score to 21-11, giving the Rams a 10-point advantage. Cedrone assisted the Rams’ next two kills, one by Reynolds and the other by Lowe, to bring Framingham within two points of a first-set victory. Fitchburg managed another kill the next play, but were unable to overcome the substantial deficit before the Rams scored their final two points of the set - one on a Falcons’ attack error and one on a service ace by Lowe. The first set ended with a score of

OCTOBER 2, 2026 | 11

ARTS & FEATURES

Talia Adry pulls back the curtain on ‘Complicit’

Discusses writing process and new memoir with fellow English faculty By Sarah Daponde Arts & Features Editor CELTSS hosted writer Talia Adry to discuss her memoir, “Complicit,” with author Bryan Counter on Sept. 25 in the Heineman Ecumenical Center. The event was part of the Scholarly and Creative Showcase Series. Sam Witt, English professor at Framingham State and Adry’s husband, moderated the discussion. Both Adry and Counter lecture at Framingham State. “I think the Framingham English Department is lucky to have both of these minds in the classroom,” said Witt. Adry began the event by reading the preface and first chapters of “Complicit,” a collection of memories of her childhood trauma and early adult life. Witt said Adry incorporated “normally peaceful people and innocent imagery into a violent setting.” He said the memoir became increasingly difficult to read as the subject matter became more solemn, and asked how Adry was able to reflect on the difficult subjects present in her memoir, such as being groomed and sexually assaulted by an adult man when she was a young teenager.

“The difficulty of reflecting is the feeling of wanting to be as accurate or as authentic as possible,” she said, adding that her old diary helped her remember certain details of her childhood. Adry said she views writing memories as “collaging.” “Just grabbing all of these separate things and trying to … nail something in,” she added. She does not remember much of her childhood, and feels almost no relationship to her younger self when looking at old pictures. “It’s also confusing to write from different vantage points,” said Adry. Focusing on the movement and landscapes in her memories helped to ground her writing and create more completed scenes. “You don’t have to remember the exact day or even a conversation verbatim. It’s about recreating the experience, recreating the moment,” she added. Adry said her title, “Complicit,” does not refer to herself only, but to the societal framework that allowed her to be taken advantage of as a child. Adry said the man who groomed her was married, and the father of one of her friends. At times, she felt like she chose to be with him and felt cooperative in his crimes. She said she feels differently

about the situation as an adult than she did when she was younger. “For many years, I did feel complicit … I lied to my mother, I lied to my brother.” Adry said she has a strong tie to journalism and research, as well as poetry and lyricism. She described the creation of her memoir as “weaving” between the blunt facts and poetic deliverance. Adry did not write her memoir to end with a moral lesson to avoid being artificial or inaccurate. “That is so stale,” she added. She said she believes there should be a secret built between the author and the reader in every book. Witt described this secret in a book as “something inexpressible, almost literally monolithically inexpressible. Otherwise, why would you write it?” Counter said he believes there is no formula for writing, and it is always personal, even in analytical works. Counter said what makes a piece of work true literature are the moments that cannot be “captured by a summary.” English Professor Jennifer De Leon encouraged not only her creative writing students, but all of her students to attend the event. “We get to see the curtain pulled back on the process of

writing … in a way that will be published as creative work and scholarly work. What I think is so neat is that the writers are going to talk about their process, and we don’t always get a window into that.”

CONNECT WITH SARAH DAPONDE

sdaponde@student.framingham.edu

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ARTS & FEATURES

12 | OCTOBER 2, 2026

Poetry Continued from Page 1. In May, MAPO accepted elegies; in June, villanelles; in July, sonnets; and in August, free-verse, according to their official website. Baker-Siroty said she wrote a poem for each of the four months for the Eastern Massachusetts team. She said she received an email recently that stated she was a finalist in the competition. The final competition date and awards ceremony is Oct. 25. There, Baker-Siroty will have to share a new poem and will either win bronze, silver, or gold in the sonnet category. Green said that in the competition, the top three poets in each category qualify for the finals. The finals will be at Smith College in Northampton, he added. Along with the medals for individual poets, each of the teams will also receive awards, he said. Baker-Siroty said she has been working on sonnets in general for the past two years. The one she wrote, “Have a Coffee, Write a Sonnet,” doesn’t follow the strict sonnet form, she said. Her sonnets still have 14 lines and have a “turn,” but they don’t follow the rhyming pattern, she said. “I’m not very interested in rhyming poetry very much, personally… I’m not compelled by it, so I don’t write it,” Baker-Siroty said.

Green said Baker-Siroty’s work is fun to read. “Usually when I read a poem non-linearly, the substance evaporates, and the poem is lost. But with ‘Have a Coffee, Write a Sonnet,’ the art of her language and the message of her piece are still there,” Green said. Acting Chair of the English Department, Lisa Eck, said she isn’t surprised Baker-Siroty is a finalist. She said Baker-Siroty shared some of her sonnets during last year’s week of poetry. “We were just so moved by someone writing contemporary sonnets and keeping the tradition, but not being reined in by all the rules,” Eck said. She added she’s proud to live in a state that has these kinds of competitions. She’s happy that Massachusetts “honors its poets and helps to make poetry more visible, more audible,” Eck said. Baker-Siroty said she’s glad a poetry-centered competition is in Massachusetts. She said she hasn’t done a writing competition like this before. “Honestly, I’m just excited about getting bronze,” Baker-Siroty said. If she wins gold, that’s “icing on the cake.” Before all of this, she said she was having some trouble with submissions. “It’s hard being a writer, and so this was like a good positive reinforcement for me,” Baker-Siroty said. Baker-Siroty was an associate English professor at Pine

Manor College before it closed in 2022. “Right after the pandemic. And I’ve been here ever since! I really love it here!” Baker-Siroty said. She has an MFA in poetry, but she’s also studied screenwriting and fiction. “I really like incorporating creativity into the classes that I teach,” Baker-Siroty said. Some of the classes she has either taught or filled in for at Framingham State include mythology and creative writing, she said. One of her former students, sophomore English major Margaret Hoar, said she’s excited for Baker-Siroty. “She has such a passion for literature and for poetry,” Hoar said. Baker-Siroty was one of Hoar’s first professors here, and she helped her feel welcomed, Hoar said. The professor has “a love of writing, a love of communication,” she said. Baker-Siroty said her interest in writing has been with her since childhood. She’s dyslexic and has some learning disabilities, so she had a difficult time learning to read and write - except for poetry, she said. “Instead of it being something that was holding me back, I found a way through poetry to push me forward to a place where I wanted to study English and become an English teacher, and talk about writing,” Baker-Siroty said. The creative side of writing

spoke to her more than traditional literature study, she said. “I really love to play with language.”

CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ

ffernandezrodriguez@student.framingham.edu

40 years of ‘Blue Velvet’ - life inside a strange world By Dan Lima Staff Writer In the wise words of actor Kyle MacLachlan, “There are opportunities in life for gaining knowledge and experience. Sometimes it’s necessary to take a risk.” Certainly, everyone takes risks for knowledge and experience. In MacLachlan’s case, this phrase couldn’t ring more true during the filming of “Blue Velvet.” The creative genius of the late David Lynch will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. A man of many talents and a devout lover of all things surreal, Lynch quickly made Hollywood history through his unconventional and experimental filmmaking. He made his directorial debut in 1977 with the body horror cult classic “Eraserhead,” which gained traction through midnight movie runs. Operating under that same creative wave, he released “The Elephant Man” in 1980, a heart-wrenching feature film telling the real-life story of Joseph Merrick. In 1984, however, Lynch struck out of luck when his adaptation of “Dune” bombed at the box office. Following that failed experiment, he set out to develop a more “personal story,” resulting in the neo-noir masterpiece “Blue Velvet.” MacLachlan takes the lead role in his second Lynch film following “Dune.” He plays Jeffrey Beaumont, a college student returning to his hometown of Lumberton, North Car-

olina, to visit his father in the hospital following a stroke. He comes across a severed human ear on his way back and reports it to the authorities, who tell him to stay out of the case. With the help of the detective’s daughter, Sandy Williams (Laura Dern), Jeffrey uncovers a criminal conspiracy involving the mysterious lounge singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) and the vicious mobster and drug lord Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper). The back of my T-shirt says it best: “Blue Velvet is a detective thriller. A love story. A hate story. A comedy. It’s a movie landmark whose impact may reach far beyond its own era.” A detective story that will leave you with one phrase on your mind: “It’s a strange world, isn’t it?” Much like the rest of Lynch’s catalogue, “Blue Velvet” leaves it up to the viewer to decipher the themes, symbolism, and mystery displayed on screen. Things like “context” and “explanation” are too out of character for him. The key lesson to take away is that things aren’t always what they seem on the surface. The movie itself is presented as a mystery film, but can also be seen through many different lenses. Lynch uses filmography, storytelling, and atmosphere to juxtapose the charming air of small-town America with morbid imagery of sex and violence, reflecting what happens behind closed doors. Symbolism can be found anywhere, from the use of lighting to the soundtrack featuring songs like “Blue Velvet” by Bobby

@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com

Vinton and “In Dreams” by Roy Orbison. Calling back to my opening quote, many people involved in “Blue Velvet” took risks during the production. Laura Dern had to drop out of UCLA two days into the semester for shooting. But it all turned out for the best, because “Blue Velvet” is now part of UCLA’s film curriculum. When “Blue Velvet” hit theaters Sept. 19, 1986, the reception was quite polarizing. Some viewers were particularly intimidated by Hopper’s performance and the humiliation of Rossellini’s character. Some reportedly walked out, and one man even fainted and had to have his pacemaker checked. Over time, the film has been re-evaluated, and it is now considered among the best American films. Lynch’s rise to stardom would bleed into the next decade, where he and MacLachlan would join forces once again to Tobias Cotton-Selman / THE GATEPOST create the surrealist mystery show “Twin Peaks” in 1990. however, release the follow-up Other releases of that decade final season for “Twin Peaks” include “Lost Highway” and in 2017. the Twin Peaks prequel “Fire Lynch unfortunately passed Walk With Me.” away just last year on Jan. 20, Lynch released “Mulhol- but his cult fanbase keeps his land Drive” in 2001 and “In- creative spirit alive by cherishland Empire” in 2006 before ing his masterful work. “Focus retiring from filmmaking com- on the doughnut, not on the pletely, his reasoning being hole” as he’d say. a lack of inspiration paired CONNECT WITH with the industry’s growing DAN LIMA focus on blockbusters. He did, dlima2@student.framingham.edu

ARTS & FEATURES

OCTOBER 2, 2026 | 13

Word Hunt T

W 1. Whale

8. Turkey

2. Cat

9. Mouse

3. Dog

10. Spider

4. Eagle

11. Duck

W 5. Bears

12. Goat

D 6. Wolf

E 7. Dove

13. Sheep

14. Ram

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

PHOTOS

14 | OCTOBER 2, 2026

(Left) Magnus Handren and Xaviana Finklea preparing to dress up a mannequin at Fashion Club “Dress to Impress” Styling Contest on Sept. 30. Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST

(Below) Addison Oxman dressing a mannequin at Fashion Club “Dress to Impress” Styling Contest on Sept. 30.

(Left) Xaviana Finklea and Cody Zhen dressing up a mannequin at Fashion Club “Dress to Impress” Styling Contest on Sept. 30.

Chris ty Ho wlan d / TH E GA TEPO ST

(Right) Yazmeen Hyvarinen picking out clothes at Fashion Club “Dress to Impress” Styling Contest on Sept. 30.

Christy Howland / THE GATEPOST

Spread by Photos & Design Editor Onyx Lovely and Asst. Photos & Design Editor Christy Howland

@The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com