NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 43, No. 34
MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015
nyunews.com
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS
NYU breaks applicant record
Sexton talks NYU baseball revival By BOBBY WAGNER Sports Editor
NYU President John Sexton’s relationship with baseball is rooted in his childhood in Brooklyn. It is appropriate, then, that things have come full circle when he threw out the first pitch for NYU baseball at MCU Park. Decked out in purple and white, he stared down NYU head coach Doug Kimbler as Sexton prepared to throw out the first pitch of their home opener against Brandeis University. He wound up and tossed what, with the help of a frame job from Kimbler, could be called a strike by some generous umpires. Sexton grew up playing and watching baseball with his father. By chance, his father became friends with legendary Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey, who made history when he signed Jackie Robinson, the first black major
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By MARITA VLACHOU News Editor
STAFF PHOTO BY SHAWN PAIK
NYU President John Sexton holds the game ball from the baseball team’s last club game on April 27, 2014.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
VIA NYU.EDU
Housing hunt leaves students distressed Many NYU students are upset about their housing assignments, with some Washington Square students placed on NYU’s Brooklyn campus for housing. STORY on PG. 3
Picking classes?
VIA NYU.EDU
Check out this list of classes to take next semester. From happiness to the Supreme Court, NYU’s most popular classes cover a range of topics. STORY on PG. 4
Take a wage hike McDonald’s ILLUSTRATION BY JOURDAN ENRIQUEZ
WSN Editorial Board: McDonald’s workers deserve more. STORY on PG. 7
NYU announced Thursday that it has received a record number of applications for the 2015-2016 academic year. More than 60,000 students applied, but only 31 percent were admitted, making the class of 2019 three percentage points more selective than the class of 2018. The class of 2019 will comprises students from 50 different states and 139 countries, making it NYU’s most diverse class yet. The freshman class at the New York City campus will include a total of 5,600 students, while NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai will welcome 310 and 300 new students, respectively. Approximately 250 students will spend their first semester at one of NYU’s academic centers abroad including Florence, London, Paris and, for the first time, Washington, D.C. Between 15 and 20 percent of the incoming freshman class will
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FEATURES
Student songs top charts in China By LINGYI HOU Contributing Writer
While largely unknown to American audiences, the television drama “You Are My Sunshine” has become an overnight success in China, reaching 6 billion views since its premiere in January. The popularity of the program has contributed to the success of Shan Gao, a student in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development Master’s of Music in Songwriting, whose two songs “The Road Not Taken” and “All Stars Are Falling On My Head at the Moment I Meet You” became number one hits in China after being featured on the show. Gao, however, said she started writing what would become hit songs not to become famous, but for more personal reasons. During her junior year of high school, Gao wrote her first song “The Road Not Taken” for a student movie. As a freshman in college, she
wrote “All Stars Are Falling on My Head at the Moment I Meet You” as a birthday gift for a close friend. It was only when Gao’s producer introduced her work to the music director of “You Are My Sunshine” that her songs started attracting attention. Nevertheless, Gao still retains a sense of relatability when she writes her music. “I really enjoy writing songs and creating emotional connection with people through my music,” Gao said. “I am a very nostalgic person, so I always want to snap those moments that make our life different.” As an independent singersongwriter, Gao creates music that draws inspiration from indie-folk, jazz, electronic and pop music. Steinhardt graduate student Suri He praises Gao’s songs for their ability to capture her emotions. “Every time I listen to her music, I feel like I am totally falling into it,” He said. “The melody is so unique and the
lyric is really saying something to your heart. It is hard to forget once you listen.” Gao’s music career started in high school, when she formed her first band. After high school, she attended Peking University in Beijing, where she studied advertising. Drawing on the knowledge of media and branding she got while studying advertising, Gao has developed a unique perspective on today’s music industry. “The digital media has changed the game entirely,” Gao said. “It is hard to cut through the clutter, but it is also a time that great music wouldn’t be buried. So the key is to create compelling music.” Despite the offers of Chinese record companies who were willing to sign Gao as a contracted singer, she ultimately decided to pursue her passion for music in New York City. Phil Galdston, a faculty member of the Steinhardt film
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