Issue 6 (FA17)

Volume XXIV, Issue 6

December 13, 2017

PenmenPress.com

Manchester, NH

Domino’s Dishes Out Devastating News: Pie-Hards React Nick Klotz Online Manager

December 13, 2017: National Violin Day

News | Front & 3-5

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Editorials | 2 Penmen Abroad Feature | 6 Opinion | 7 Arts & Entertainment | 8-9 Penmen Abroad | 10-11

Nick Klotz

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What's Inside:

In no uncertain terms, pizza is essential to any college student’s survival. Students’ options for a late-night bite have now been cut in half, as Domino’s has made the decision to cease delivery to SNHU’s campus. This decision was made effective on the 24th of last month.

“Dominos was that booty call at 2 a.m. Not always your first choice, but it’s always there, and it always delivered.

Now that booty call has transferred or even worse dropped out,” said senior Mike Largenton.

“Many years ago, we didn’t deliver to the college,” said Carl Vaillencourt, manager of the Lowell Street Domino’s location. “We expanded our delivery area back when our sales were very low. Through the years, our sales have increased so much that we just

can’t handle going out there just because it’s so far away…

We lose drivers for 45 minutes at a time, and it’s just impossible to deliver to all of our customers.”

Alissa Butt, a senior and delivery regular does not anticipate ordering pizza for takeout from Domino's. "In my opinion, they just lost a lot of business... I probably won't get pizza as often because I don't like Pizza 9-1-1 as much" Even those who did not claim to be such frequent consumers expressed a concern regarding this decision for Domino’s sales. Senior Nick Urban said, “Not a huge Domino’s guy, but them deciding not to deliver to SNHU anymore is a huge business mistake. They are missing out on thousands of dollars’ worth of deliveries every weekend.”

It is not only weekends, however, that have been cited as the primary source of patronage for Domino’s. Nicole

As of November 24, Domino’s no longer delivers to campus.

Noons, Monadnock Residence Director, shared that Domino’s has been a staple for the Office of Residence Life for the past few years.

“Residence Life spends a lot of money on programming, and we spend a lot of money on Domino’s in particular,” Noons said. “[Domino’s] has always had such great customer service, as well as multi-pizza, drink and dessert deals.”

While students and faculty on Southern New Hampshire University’s campus may feel

as though they are suffering a loss, Pizza 9-1-1 is gearing up for an increase in orders.

“It is a challenge at times [to keep up with the volume of orders] … but we’ve been doing it now since we opened and it’s been a great part of our weekend and late-night business,” said John Roy, owner of Pizza 9-1-1. “We do a lot with SNHU, we are one of the athletic sponsors. We appreciate having SNHU up the road for us because it has been tremendously valuable to our business.”

the 82nd Governor of New Hampshire, and is currently the youngest governor in the United States. In his first trip to SNHU since becoming governor, Sununu’s opening remarks focused on the general philosophies with which he approaches his position and his life.

“It’s just about getting stuff done,” Sununu. “At the end of the day, you just gotta get stuff done.” As one of the only two governors in the United States that serves for terms of two years, Sununu discussed how this can often affect a public official’s mentality, as though he must begin campaigning again for governor as soon as he arrived into office. Sununu stated that he and his team

tried to avoid this thinking, instead simply focusing on what he hoped to accomplish.

“We can’t think of everything in two-year chunks… you [need to] think 5, 10, 20 years down the road.”

Following his opening statements, Sununu answered questions from the audience which covered topics ranging from sustainable energy and drug prevention programs to immigration and STEM education.

Reagan Murphy, SNHU junior and representative from the New Hampshire Teen Institute, a local nonprofit dedicated to “empower[ing] teens

governor chris sununu speaks with students

Sports | 12

Megan Palmer Editor in Chief

Featuring:

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu joined the Southern New Hampshire

University Community on December 8 for an open discussion regarding his important initiatives and visions for the state.

Sununu is serving as

Innovation Lab Spotlight | Page 3 Restaurant Spotlight | Page 4 Culinary NYC Trip | Page 5 Three Billboards Review | Page 8 European Cuisine | Page 10 Photo Contest Winners | Page

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Chris Sununu

Penmen Profile: Trisha Luis | Page 12

Students Dan Passen and Ashlee Lindsey with Governor Sununu.

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Please continue to page 2

editorial the penmen press staff 2017-2018 CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF Ginny Fagan virginia.fagan@snhu.edu CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF Megan Palmer megan.palmer@snhu.edu ONLINE MANAGER Nick Klotz nicholas.klotz@snhu.edu MANAGING ASSISTANT Ryan Evaul ryan.evaul@snhu.edu EVENTS COORDINATOR Tyler Leighton tyler.leighton@snhu.edu EXECUTIVE COPY EDITOR Gabe Carrio gabriel.carrio@snhu.edu CO-COPY EDITOR

NOW HIRING EMAIL FOR MORE INFO

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NEWS EDITOR Nicole Clark nicole.clark2@snhu.edu OPINION EDITOR Thomas Cahalan thomas.cahalan@snhu.edu ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Addison Thyng addison.thyng@snhu.edu

The Weight of Student Leadership

We are living in the era where anxiety is the top presenting concern among college students as compared to depression. We have been living in this climate for three to four years now, since the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors found that 41.6 percent of college students experienced some form of anxiety (American Psychological Association, 2013).

While consistently, we have addressed that anxiety affects a large portion of our students, oftentimes this falls short in intentional, consistent attention. Southern New Hampshire University is lucky in that it has a significant number of offices and organizations that have the time and resources to bring coping and prevention methods to the student population throughout the year.

As student leaders, however, there seems to be a gap

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PENMEN ABROAD EDITOR Rebecca LeBoeuf rebecca.leboeuf@snhu.edu

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Wyndee Man jingyin.wen@snhu.edu FACULTY ADVISER Jon Boroshok j.boroshok@snhu.edu

The Southern New Hampshire University Penmen Press is a news publication produced

by Southern New Hampshire University students and funded largely by the Student Government Association of the University. It is our responsibility to inform the SNHU community about events on and around campus. The Penmen Press will print any material found to be factual and in good taste by the editorial staff of the paper. The views published do not necessarily reflect the views of Southern New Hampshire University. The Penmen Press is published biweekly during the academic year and is printed by the Concord Monitor. To contact the newspaper, please e-mail us at penmenpress@snhu.edu.

We are looking to fill several editorial positions for the 2017-2018 academic school year. We would like to fill these positions ASAP in order to provide the proper training. Positions that are available for application and interviews are: Staff Writers | We are always looking for new staff writers and contributors to the Penmen Press! No interview or application for these positions necessary.

If interested, please e-mail penmenpress@snhu.edu with your information!

your shoulders every minute between waking up and going to bed. It is feeling like you can’t sit still through class because you should be answering emails. It is holding together your ship with bubblegum and duct tape. At times, it is too much.

Student leadership, in any form that it may take, can take up all of your life and your identity. Though we talk about it as often as we can within our organization, we don’t even fully have an answer for how to make it easier. Maybe there isn’t one.

Maybe the answer is just recognizing that these students still struggle and can still fall through the cracks just because it is assumed that we won’t. Maybe it’s having these conversations with your own e-boards, advisors.

Maybe it’s remembering that you don’t have to do it all.

Maybe it’s remembering that we won’t always be right.

And that’s okay too.

sununu at snhu . . . . . . .

SPORTS EDITOR Catherine LaChance catherine.lachance@snhu.edu LAYOUT EDITOR Emma Sheehan emma.sheehan@snhu.edu

in our education and attention, and this is in regard to our roles as student leaders. Running and maintaining clubs, organizations and communities may feel like an extension of self most of the time. It is assumed that these things come naturally and that when they don’t, we can figure it out. What this fails to recognize is that leadership has a learning curve.

So much of what undergraduate student leaders is learning on the job.

Student leadership often means feeling like a thousand eyes are on you at all times, both from within your organization and from outside. Student leadership often means never knowing if you are doing enough, if you are leaving enough behind, if you are being the best you that your team needs.

Very quickly, it is no longer about the club, about that day-to-day. It is about the weight that you feel on

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to lead healthy lifestyles and create stronger communities through community-focused prevention and leadership workshops,” asked the governor about his commitment to addiction prevention.

“There are a lot of schools in the state that don’t have prevention programs. So my plan is to put a prevention program from first to twelfth grade with an evolving message,” said Sununu. Their “internet-based” program will be unique in its technological aspects and accessibility, with one of the main intentions being consistency of message, regardless of school or location.

Sununu discussed placing the ownership of this message on those it was targeted at. “I created a youth prevention council,” he shared, “where I brought in youth from all across the state and I said,

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‘Look. A bunch of bureaucrats and even marketing folks are not the ones to tell you how to talk about drugs. You are. You design the message. You write the narrative.’”

As the question and answer period came to a close, University College President Patty Lynott moved away from strictly New Hampshire and policy-based questions to tackle something observed on a larger scale. “I’m witnessing something in society that I never thought I would witness in my lifetime: the #MeToo movement,” Lynott said. “Is this a ‘blip’, is this a ‘change’… is the world going to change?”

“It’s a really great blip,” Sununu responded. “I’ve been very outspoken when it comes to sexual harassment: Zero tolerance. I don’t have any tolerance for any of it, any time it’s a public official, you have to resign immedi-

ately… I don’t care what the politics are; I don’t care what your business is. What I think is happening is an incredibly positive thing, and I hope everyone else sees that. We’re finally changing our culture to say ‘Speak up. It’s okay to speak up, we’re going to support you to speak up.” There’s clearly people who for years, decades, never felt the power to speak up. And you have a society that says, ‘Now we’re going to listen.’”

Sununu’s approach to governorship isn't too different from that of his every day life.

He told students of the most important lesson he learned hiking the Appalachian Trail when he was young.

“Leave it better than you found it. Leave the room you walk in better than you found it, leave the business you engage in better than you found it, so that’s our purpose.”

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Rivals bond over Jazz in the pub Travis Burke Staff Writer

Jaelle Matthieu

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On Friday, December 1, the SNHU and Saint Anselm’s Jazz bands congregated in the Last Chapter Pub in front of a packed house.

The crowd consisted of both students and non-students alike, a convening of jazz enthusiasts. The room was void of the “academic vibe” that so often consumes on-campus events, and it was apparent that the attendees weren’t there due to obligation.

The Saint Anselm Jazz Band began playing at 5 p.m. and put on a half hour set. The dozen-member group played a few jazz standards, as well as a couple holiday tunes, such as “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and “Blue Christmas,” the latter of which being sung by Saint Anselm senior Ryan Dumont.

When Ryan Dumont was asked half-jokingly, if he felt any tension on rival grouWnd, through a smile, he answered, “On the basketball court and the hockey rink, for example, SNHU and Saint A’s are huge

rivals. As for the music scene, we’ve never felt tension. It’s great to get together with the SNHU Jazz band, which doesn’t happen too often due to conflicting schedules.”

At about 5:30 p.m., the smaller SNHU Jazz Band took the stage. The lineup consisted of piano, bass guitar, drums, saxophone, clarinet and cornet.

The chemistry amongst the members exuded throughout the performance. Each member took turns soloing, and each was constantly communicating through eye contact and body language, even while playing.

Doug Gavelek a third-year student at SNHU said, “If you want to be a good jazz player, you have to be around and play with other good jazz players.”

He emphasized how “soloing only works if the support of the whole group is there.”

Second-year SNHU student Hailey Francouer offered a standout performance on vocals, though she also offered her drum talent.

When asked about her musical talents, Francouer said,

The SNHU Jazz Band performing some stellar hits from their repertoire.

“Drums and vocals are my primary instruments, meaning I spend the most time practicing and performing on those.

I also play piano, guitar, and I can play a bit of trombone and flute.”

Francouer acted as the SNHU Jazz ambassador, buttering up the crowd in preparation for tunes. She shared with the pub, “As jazz musicians, you never quite know what’s gonna happen until you get on stage.”

For many, the highlight of the night was Hailey Francouer’s heavenly scat singing.

When asked if the scatting is planned, or created on the spot, Francouer said, “Scatting is the vocal form of improvisation, so everything that I did was completely improv. In some cases, vocalists will use scat syllables to sing a melody without lyrics, and in that case it isn’t improvised. The only difference between my scatting and a horn player’s is that

I don’t have buttons so all the notes I’m hitting I am hearing within what the piano and bass are playing for chords.”

After playing a number of jazz standards including “Take the A Train” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” SNHU Jazz rocked the house with a cover of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes that fluctuated between loud, soft, louder, softer and ended with a booming finale.

In all, the Innovation lab is there as extra aid to the students. There is a class called Tech and Art which includes a few projects that have to be done in the Innovation Lab. It gives one a familiarity with the equipment and teaches a lot about how the process is conducted. “This course always proves to be a good time,” Henley stated.

The Innovation Lab is a space students can take advantage of, and one that will be seeing new technologies up and running throughout the year. In addition to what is already available, the Innovation Lab is looking to include drones in its technology line up. Current amenities include the 3-D printer, engraverm and Students even have the option of renting out a GoPro for their own use.

Rachel Dembek Staff Writer

the year, or any recent jobs that have not yet been added to their resume would be a great start.

One should update their resume every couple of months, so they don’t forget anything that they’ve accomplished.

Even when looking for a Summer internship, Winter break is a great time to access SNHU Recruit and start searching. Internships can give students a great advantage because it gives them the necessary skills they need in life after college to receive a job in their field.

Check out SNHU Recruit for the latest internships and job postings. Also, those searching mustn’t forget to make an appointment with a career counselor to receive feedback on their resume or direction they should take when looking for internships or jobs.

Innovation Lab Spotlight

Maria Celli Staff Writer The Innovation Lab located in the Shapiro Library is a place for creation and trying out new ideas. Students are able to visit whenever they please after taking the short quiz and getting the certification. The space was created to teach students new IT skills and techniques that they might not have been able to learn otherwise.

Professor Henley says, “It’s a place that everyone should utilize considering the free nature of machine use.”

Henley works as a professor at Southern New Hampshire University and spends a good amount of her free time making things in the Maker Space.

According to Henley, “The

3D printers are super cool. I’m glad to be able to show this technology to the students.”

In the Innovation Lab, students are able to do anything from engraving a piece of wood, to printing a threedimensional object. The products are only limited by the students’ imaginations.

“I make all of my personalized Christmas presents here,” Henley laughed. “It saves you a lot of money.”

The Innovation Lab posts different availability times within their tab on the Shapiro Library website. The times indicate its’ open hours and staff availability to assist the students and answer any questions. Students are able to go in and work on whatever projects they wish to while there is an employee working there.

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Winter is Coming

It is almost time for winter break; a time where students relax and try not to think about schoolwork too much; but this is also a great time to start looking for internships and job opportunities, and update one’s resume.

Seniors should start looking for career opportunities for after they graduate in May, and SNHU Recruit is a great place to start looking for them.

For seniors, odds are they still have a lot of things they can do to improve their chances of receiving a job or internship.

Updating one’s resume is easily one of the most important things a student can accomplish over winter break.

Updating relevant projects that one has worked on during

News

culinary students take on new york city Rachel Romeo Staff Writer

On December 1, Southern New Hampshire University students participated in this year’s New York City Culinary trip. Members of the Culinary Student Association (CSA) coordinated the trip that took place over a 3-day period from Friday, December 1 to Sunday, December 3.

The trip is designed to

allow 27 SNHU students the chance to travel with CSA to New York City.

Once in the city, students are encouraged to experience the food culture prevalent within that area.

Sophomore and CoPresident of CSA, Molly Corson, was one of the trip coordinators for this year’s event. “NYC is a food trendy city, from gnocchi to cupcakes to doughnuts.

We are going to eat our way

NickVonSchantz-Ricci

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Nick VonSchantz-Ricci

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through all the trends.”

Freshman Ricky Pulisciano originally signed up for the trip to experience both the culinary aspect and the opportunity to familiarize himself more with the city. At the conclusion of the trip Pulisciano said, “I enjoyed being with friends, trying new things and getting back to my Italian roots.”

Students in attendance took a bus into Boston, and from there into New York City. Friday night allowed for the participants to explore the city on their own. Saturday consisted of the students traveling into Brooklyn, where they walked along the Brooklyn Bridge and visited various markets such as Dekalb and Chelsea Market. On the last day of the trip students went to Doughnut Plant, Pickle Guys, and Katz Delicatessen before heading back to SNHU. Christina Cruz, sophomore and Co-President of CSA, also helped coordinate the event. “My favorite part of the trip was on Sunday when we went to the Doughnut Plant. We were all standing on the side-

Students visited many restaurants in the city.

walk sampling two dozen donuts. It was really nice to see all of us together having fun, laughing and eating doughnuts,” said Cruz.

“Overall, this trip was very fun, it was great spending the weekend with students and our Chefs just eating our way through the city!”

over seventy-eight thousand New Hampshire residents were born outside the United States in 2015, and that number continues to grow each year. The Center strives to support the local, regional effort to create a safe space for immigrants and refugees.

The center itself is located inside the New Hampshire YWCA and is projected to open in early 2018.

“We are in the process of a ceremonial ribbon cutting. We’ve refurbished the whole ground level of the YWCA,” said Davies.

The Center is run by SNHU staff and support will be offered by YWCA staff. SNHU students and faculty who are interested in aiding the cause are encouraged to volunteer. They can do so by contacting Davies at H.Davies@snhu.edu.

Those involved with this brand-new initiative are excited about the impact that it will make. “I would like to see us serving all new Americans in our community regardless of age. My long-term vision is to have a vibrant hub of educational opportunity,” said Davies.

SNHU CENTER FOR NEW AMERICANS PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES Nick VonSchantz-Ricci Staff Writer

Settling down in an unfamiliar country is incredibly challenging for many immigrants and refugees, and finding support services and educational opportunities can be difficult.

Southern New Hampshire University is attempting to make this transition easier by supporting the formation of an influential new resource.

SNHU has partnered with YWCA New Hampshire to establish the Center

for New Americans, a center where refugees and immigrants can find the support services they need to guide their transition to the area.

Helen Davies, Director of Community Relations, has worked directly with the New Hampshire branch of the YWCA to make the inception of this center possible. “The goal of the work is to create new opportunities. We are looking to break down the barriers to education,” said Davies.

The center will offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes

which will help enable students to gain Test of English as a Foreign Language certification (TOEFL).

Additionally, the center will offer programs emphasizing cultural education, interpretation of laws and utilizing personal potential.

The center is also collaborating with other local youth agencies, such as INTI Soccer Academy, Safari Youth Club and Bring It, all three of which are afterschool programs in the Manchester community.

According to the American Immigration Council,

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Dancing Lion Chocolate provides Top-Quality Chocolates Nick VonSchantz-Ricci Staff Writer

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Amy Sumsion Staff Writer It is almost time to start filing taxes and that means that it is almost tax refund season as well! Tax refunds are not free money and should not be considered as such. Taxpayers should instead think of it as money that they overspent that could have been utilized, not as a means for extra splurging. There is only short-term value in a shopping spree, so here are some smart ways to use tax refunds that will provide some longterm value.

Save for emergencies. It is important to always have money set aside for emergencies because they can happen at any time and there is no way to predict how much that emergency will cost. To be safe, this fund should have about six to eight months’ salary worth that is easily accessible. This can either be through a savings or money

brownies,” and other treats. A different lunch special featuring chocolate is available each week.

The shop’s homemade croissants have gained a cultlike following. “I got back from France and I couldn’t find a croissant worth eating,” said Lowry. They are generally offered one weekend a month and are available in multiple flavors, such as chocolate and chocolate almond.

Classes focusing on chocolate making and croissant making are offered and no prior experience is needed The cozy shop has gained the attention of Dessert Professional Magazine, who named Tango-Lowry one of the top ten best chocolatiers in North America in 2016.

The shop has also gained the attention of a few celebrities.

“The lead singer of Styx (Lawrence Gowan) comes in every year to buy chocolate,” said Tango-Lowry.

market account. While a percentage of every pay check should be deposited into this fund, it may take years to earn six to eight months’ worth, therefore the tax refund will deposit contribute a significant amount.

Pay debts. Having debts such as student loans, mortgages, or even car loans, a tax refund is a good way to pay off a large amount of the principal balance without having to pay interest. It is especially beneficial to pay towards debts that have a high interest rate like a private student loan. This will allow people to reduce the future amount that they would have to pay in the future. Even if the loans are private and do not have high interest rates, it is beneficial to get several payments ahead to reduce the amount of payments that will need to be paid in the future.

Buy something that is needed. If one is having car trouble or needs dental work,

a tax refund is a good way to pay for, or towards, large expenses that cannot be pushed off much longer. Day to day expenses, like food or rent, may take priority with regular paychecks but a refund is a good way to pay for essentials that are a little more expensive.

Donate to charity. With tighter budgets, as mentioned, the day to day expenses take priority over other items that people need to spend money on. However, with a tax refund, there might be a new opportunity to give back to the local community in ways that people were unable to do so previously. Not only will this make the donator feel a sense of pride, but it also serves as a benefit to society. This donation, if claimed, can be used as a tax reduction in the future as well.

Invest. Investing is a good way to turn money into more money. Whether a small amount or the full amount of

Nick VonSchantz-Ricci

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Chocolate is undoubtedly among the most beloved foods among people of all ages.

Many of us are accustomed to pedestrian forms of chocolate, such as candy bars and chocolate cake, but at Dancing Lion Chocolate, a little shop in downtown Manchester, the goal is to craft wildly inventive chocolates made from high quality ingredients.

Master Chocolatier Richard Tango-Lowry opened Dancing Lion in 2007. “I was originally a physicist, but I always loved chocolate,” said Tango-Lowry.

After graduating from Ecole Chocolat, a chocolate school in Vancouver, Canada, Tango-Lowry earned Master Chocolatier designations in Italy and France. He decided to bring his passion and expertise to Manchester, and his shop has gained an enthusias-

tic following.

Tango-Lowry sources the products he uses from small, mainly South and Central American companies. He uses these products to make beautiful, artisanal chocolates that are meant to be savored.

Tango-Lowry specializes in chocolate bars and bon bons that are available in a variety of different flavors and colors. Every item sold is made in the store and the offerings are constantly changing.

For those coming in for the first time, Tango-Lowry recommends trying his Mayan Drinking Chocolate, a spiced, frothy chocolate drink that was first enjoyed in Southern Mexico and Guatemala thousands of years ago. The “Lions Waltz” is a white chocolate version featuring maple and ginger.

Dancing Lion also offers an assortment of baked goods, including cookies, “zen

Dancing Lion Chocolate has many specialty chocolate products.

The passion Tango-Lowry has for his craft is evident when you walk into his shop.

Every item sold is completely

original and treated with care and precision. A trip to Dancing Lion is essential for any serious chocolate lover.

the tax refund is used to invest, the money will start multiplying over time and create more than what was originally earned in the refund to begin with. Investing in stocks is an easy and common way to get started. There is also the possibility for people to invest in taxable accounts. These accounts may include brokerage accounts, index funds, or even mutual funds. These are typically diversified investments that have low expenses and will again start to earn more money than the refund originally provided.

Open an IRA. It is never too soon to start saving for retirement, and the sooner the better. If people start saving small amounts at a young age, they will ultimately save more money in the long run because of compounding interest as compared to someone who started saving more money later. The longer money sits in an investment account, such as an IRA, the

more interest it will accumulate. This is one of the safest and most dependable ways to start saving money as well.

Create a fun spending account. While it is important to ensure that needs are being met, it is also important that people have fun and relax as well. Whether that means going on vacation, starting a new hobby, or even learning an instrument, it’s necessary to spend money on things that make us happy. Creating a separate savings account that a tax refund can be deposited into will allow for there to be a guilt free way of having fun.

These tips allow for refund money to be set aside and used for long-term future needs and wants rather than short-term luxuries.

Doing something that is fun and makes you happy is also important; just be sure to spend within your means and to resist any unnecessary spending.

7 Smart Ways to Use Tax Refunds

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Penmen Abroad Feature Setting a Global Example in the Face of Terrorism Nick Klotz Online Manager Rebecca LeBoeuf Penmen Abroad Editor

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case-by-case basis.

The office’s first step is to contact the U.S. Embassy in the country of stay and obtain communications to relay to the students and to their families. If necessary, the office will maintain additional lines of communications, providing students with telephone numbers and safety advice, providing updates to and answering questions of parents, and updating SNHU Top Management. The office also keeps direct contact with the Head of the International Office at the Partner’s Institution in order to obtain any decision the school could take in accordance with the local authorities. Finally, the office has correspondence with a direct contact at the Department of State for monitoring the situation.

To cover their bases, the office will also reach out to their travel agency contact in case the departure date for students’ tickets must be changed. In the unlucky event that an evacuation needs to be considered, the Study Abroad Director would contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to discuss any measures that the U.S. is taking to protect or evacuate American citizens. The final decision to evacuate students is made in accordance with the SNHU University College President.

Though these are all methods that are taken in the event of an emergency, students abroad can also practice per-

Sarah Schoenbeck

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In the past few years the threat of terrorism has been an unavoidable constant in news coverage, both domestic and internationally. According to Reuters, the number of attacks resulting in fatalities in Western Europe has risen from two in 2014 to 23 and 30 in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

It’s not a surprise that families have concerns over sending their children abroad.

“My family definitely had apprehension, especially my mom,” said Ericka Broderick, a senior studying at the Florence University for the Arts (FUA) in Italy. “But strangely enough, that topic was kept out of the conversation for the most part when I decided to do this. It's more like an unspoken fear that everyone has. We don't want to talk about it because we don't want to think about it happening.”

Stefano Parenti, director of study abroad programs at SNHU, often speaks with parents regarding their concerns over international incidents.

“This is a fundamental topic that the [I] discuss almost always during the family meeting. I would say that around 90 percent of the families have reasonable safety concerns as a consequence of the increase of the international instability,”

said Parenti.

In some cases, students are travelling to locations that have experienced acts of terrorism in the past year. On September 15, a bombing in a London subway station resulted in at least 30 passengers being injured. Last December, at a German Christmas market, a truck plowed into a crowd, killing 12 and injuring 48 others. In between, there have been shootings, bombings and other violent incidents occurring across Europe.

“I feel like due to the recent terrorist attacks in England people are more on edge than ever before,” said Isaiah Banker-Reynolds, a sophomore studying at the University of Essex. “Everyone tries to be assure of their surroundings before leaving their home. Also, now you rarely see people on their own. You often see them in groups with other people.”

Both SNHU and the universities they partner with for the abroad programs have safety measures in place. For example, FUA requires students to submit all travel plans for trips outside of the city of Florence.

This includes dates, cell phone numbers and accommodation details. Similar travel logs are necessary for students to complete at other universities, like the University of Limerick in Ireland.

Back home, the Study Abroad Office is always on call in the event of an emergency, and manages the situation on a

Sarah Schoenbeck exploring Machu Picchu in Peru, in her free time.

Kristen Boyd

Today’s global climate has not stopped Boyd from traveling around Europe while studying abroad.

This photo was taken in Munich, Germany.

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sonal safety measures on a daily basis. Broderick and her friends make communication key. “When I leave my friend’s apartment to go home at night, we always make the promise, ‘text me when you get back.’”

She also lets her roommate know if she will be out late or away for the night.

Some other students including Sarah Schoenbeck, a junior at Universidad Viña del Mar in Chile, Kristen Boyd, a senior at the University of Limerick and Lindsey Grayson, a sophomore at the University of Essex, chimed in with the importance of staying aware of one’s surroundings. This goes for everywhere, not only for students studying abroad.

Terrorism and other acts of violence occur everywhere, including in the U.S. Fatal events like the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016, the Las Vegas music festival shooting in October and, more recently, the November Sutherland Springs church shooting in Texas have left people dead, injured and anxious.

However, rather than being crippled by fear, many SNHU students have positive outlooks on the world and their study abroad experiences.

“If we let terrorism make us afraid to live our lives, the terrorists win. Life's too short not to do the things you've always dreamed of now while you can,” said Broderick.

Parenti echoed this sentiment, believing it’s up to students to set an example in the face of violent ideology.

“We can make students aware by telling them to avoid crowded places or certain events. However, our students set a good example, an example of hope,” according to Parenti.

“Therefore, we want our students to go overseas, to be exposed to differences as a foundation for critical thinking.

Maybe we can think of those differences in terms of alternatives.”

SNHU students and faculty alike don’t want today’s global climate to negatively affect a student’s decision to study abroad.

“I don’t think there is ever going to be the perfect time to travel,” according to junior Brianna Ouellette who just finished her semester at Otago Polytechnic in New Zealand. “There will always be a reason for you not to travel, but you can’t let it stop you because there are hundreds of reasons why you should travel.”

OPINION

THE ELF ON THE SHELF, MORE LIKE THE NARC IN THE DARK Megan Palmer Editor in Chief

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particularly masochistic) your children are under the impression that they are under constant surveillance, as though there are eyes everywhere. The role of the elf is to report back to Santa about the naughty things that children do. From a parenting standpoint, this is simply problematic and can create behavior problems farther down the line due to the consequence and reward system you have created.

Now, sure. You can say

that you don’t have to have the elf report only bad things, maybe he could tell Santa about the good things children do. I’ll let you have that, but we all know at heart that nobody’s parents tell their kids Santa will hear about the good deeds; your mom only pulled the Santa card when you were acting out in Walmart.

Next. The Elf on the Shelf is a hypocrite. Every night, the elf comes in, makes a mess of your house and does a

whole slew of naughty things, but this is supposed to teach your kids not to do naughty things? And on top of that, it isn’t really the elf making a mess, I would have to make the mess. And clean it up.

And then make another mess again the next night! The elf does not pay rent; the elf does not do chores. What is that teaching my kids? Just that some people can do whatever they want and snitch on other people for doing the same thing. Snitches get stitches

In a way, this semester gave me a great deal of personal growth. Going into this semester, I was living in an apartment style situation with three other people, which I assumed would be something up my alley; however, I realized an essential aspect of my personality: I need space.

Living with other people can be great and some people love it.

Others like myself come to discover that it’s suffocating at best.

Granted, I’m far from perfect and come with my own set of quirks, but at least I remember to flush.

Usually I prefer to suck it up and tough things out. That wouldn’t be the case this time.

Some other individuals in my position may have chosen to call it a lost cause and to keep forcing themselves to delight in living a painful lie.

For my case, I was curious to roll the dice and see if lady luck would be kind of enough to give me a boon. Thankfully, she took pity on me and let me have a single that does indeed feel like

a home away from home. Privacy in my own space is a value that’s next to impossible for me to compromise on, for better or worse.

While one can easily drown in the black abyss of bitterness and let hatred dominate the soul, that’s not the ideal way to come to terms with this necessary life lesson. Instead, I accepted the

fact that even though I have no desire to bow down like a dutiful dog and be friends with this person, I can at least swallow my pride, forgive, and let go.

Challenges aside, there can also be a great deal of positives leading up to winter break like realizing how home wasn’t as bad as your adolescent self might’ve thought it was, rediscovering an

old passion that leads to a change in major that corresponds to that passion, and being thankful for the few close friends you have in life, while everybody else just has a superficial clique.

All in all, it’s time for a vacation. Let’s hope everyone has a great holiday and a fantastic vacation.

Until next semester, Penmen!

The Huffington Post

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Let’s not beat around the bush here: I hate the Elf on the Shelf.

I know what you’re thinking. “Megan, you love Christmas and are a pure bundle of joy when it comes to spreading Christmas cheer; how could you not support one of the most cherished Christmas traditions celebrated by families across the world?”

It’s really not that complicated.

One. The Elf on the Shelf teaches children to fear big government and grow up in the throes of the panopticon for one of the most magical times of the year. Okay, maybe it is a little complicated. The thought that there is, what can can only be described as, a spy is living within the comfort of my own home terrorizing my own children is absolutely absurd.

For the whole month of December (or even from Thanksgiving on if you’re

and I’m not setting my kids up for medical bills ten years down the line.

And lastly, it is not as though yet another aspect of Christmas needs to be commercialized and consumed by the chomping maw of capitalism. Not every family can afford an Elf on the Shelf or has the time to maintain one. This feeds into many of the issues I have with Santa, in which children of lower income families are not living in the magic of the same shadow of a Santa with more economic resources.

So in short, Santa represents The Man, the Elves on the Shelves are his minions of death, elevated on an undeserving pedestal, and your children are products of the capitalist system on the Christmas to prison pipeline.

(All that being said, I also do still love Christmas, and if the Elf on the Shelf makes yours more magical, by all means have Pippy or SkipBob or Flower make snow angels in powdered sugar; I totally support you.)

Winter Break is near: Hang in there, folks

Thomas Cahalan Opinion Editor

The News Wheel

Well, the anticipated moment is finally in sight. This anticipated moment is one that can only be achieved through passing the gauntlet known as fall semester.

For those that don’t have the best interpretation skills or were too lazy to read the title, the anticipated moment is the one and only Winter Break. Make sure to put special emphasis on the break. Whatever the major, everyone at SNHU has earned a decently long break.

I don’t know about you, but this semester certainly required a certain amount of will power derived from the heavens above.

After all, academics aren’t the only challenges one can expect to face during the fall semester.

That’s not to diminish the importance of academics, but as a person with a great deal of wisdom once said, life can get in the way with its ups and downs.

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arts and entertainment "Hey Arnold" is a return worth the wait Samantha Aguilar-Hernandez Staff Writer

Nickelodeon

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The long-awaited Nickelodeon’s feature length film “Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie” premiered on November 24th, 2017 and longtime fans’ questions were finally answered.

The hour-long series finale of “Hey Arnold!” aired in 2002 and left viewers with quite a cliffhanger. On the last episode, Arnold finds his father’s journal and a map of his parents' last trip to San Lorenzo, where Arnold believes he might find clues to uncover the mystery behind his parent's disappearance.

The film picks up just from where the finale ends. The plot focuses on what happened to Arnold’s parents when he was a baby, and the journey Arnold and his friends go on to figure out how and why they vanished.

Rumors of the film’s production went on for a few years,

but faded away when Nickelodeon canceled it and decided to leave the series unresolved.

This upset fans, and the idea of a film seemed only like a fantasy. Luckily for them, Nickelodeon officially announced its collaboration with Craig Bartlett (“Hey Arnold!’s” creator) on November 23, 2015, and their plan to develop a two-hour long movie event set to premiere in late 2017.

(Caution: Spoilers Ahead) Fans were hit with waves of nostalgia and resolution after finally witnessing the longawaited reunion of Arnold and his lost parents. Questions were answered, and fans felt closure.

It was great to see a childhood cartoon return to our television sets with a different style of animation, making the characters and backgrounds completely stunning.

The original cast reprised their iconic roles in the film and relationships between characters remained the same, which almost made it seem like the

time between the final episode and film hadn’t even passed.

The result of this being that “The Jungle Movie” keeps that 90’s essence by keeping its characters true to who they were as well as the content of the story. Surely, the level of excitement that 90’s kids had over this movie is incomparable to anything else.

The film didn’t just answer questions from the original series, it also left the door open for a potential new season of “Hey Arnold!.” It would be interesting to see new episodes with Arnold’s parents included.

Additionally, some fans might want to see how Arnold’s relationship with Helga develops now that there’s some romance

between the two of them.

If news about an upcoming season were to be released, fans would forever be grateful to Nickelodeon. Although history has shown that a reboot of an old television series isn’t usually a good idea, “Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie” surely made an example of a reboot done well and for the fans.

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These three billboards are worth reading Zach Meisel Staff Writer

The rage and lust for justice spawned by murder and sexual assault are at the forefront of “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri."

Director Martin McDonagh (“Seven Psychopaths” and “In Bruges”) shows his skill of combining tragedy and comedy without glorifying the subject matter.

The story is centered

around Mildred Hayes (Frances McDormand) months after her daughter, Angela (Kathryn Newton), was raped and murdered. Mildred, unsatisfied with the police’s investigation into her daughter’s case, rents three billboards to display her feelings for the world to see.

Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Woody Harrelson) is called out for arrests not being made in the investigation. This also sets the local police force and

most of the town's inhabitants against Mildred, but she doesn't stop there. Plenty of violence, comedy, and heartfelt emotion are part of the aftermath of the billboards.

Actions have a big part to play in the story. One person's actions can have a dramatic effect on other people.

Sitting around will not solve your problems. While many rash actions are taken by Mildred to find justice, the end message is clear that some-

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times you must scream to be heard.

On the same note, morality plays a big part in making characters feel real. Right and wrong can be subjective and changes from the different characters' perspective.

Mildred thinks it's right to put up signs calling out the Sheriff for not solving the case. While from Sheriff Willoughby's perspective, he's done everything he's legally allowed to and just has to hope more evidence comes up. It's refreshing to see a film with opposing sides not paint one as completely good and the other as completely bad.

Some outcomes of events feel too good to be true, though. For instance, Mildred commits multiple crimes, and while she always finds an excuse they consistently let her go and seem to avoid going after her as a suspect.

Though the outcomes may feel unbelievable at moments, it doesn't detract from their impacts and importance.

The acting from the en-

tire cast was excellent and made the story really come to life. Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson both gave some of their best performances. Sam Rockwell as Officer Jason Dixon gave a fantastic performance as somewhat of a clown of a character. Along with some strong supporting actors such as Willoughby’s wife Anne, played by Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones as the man who rents the billboards to Mildred, Lucas Hedges as Mildred's son dealing with his sister's death, and John Hawkes as Mildred’s crude and abusive ex-husband.

Director Martin McDonagh deftly weaves comedy into the compelling and poignant moments, ensuring everything doesn't end up feeling too melancholic.

With fleshed out characters, hard-hitting moments and plenty of humor along the way, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" deserves to be seen and pondered by everyone.

arts and entertainment Justice League Helps revive DC's Reputation... Somewhat Kevin Guimond

Staff Writer

“Justice League” was a decently enjoyable movie to watch despite some weird story developments and character portrayals. The moments that led up to the incredible pulse-pounding action felt somewhat forced, and characters like Batman and The Flash could have been portrayed better. The villain was kind of just okay and didn’t stand out a ton other than the fact that he was so strong that he had to have the entire Justice League formed to defeat him, and he brought the

good story element involving capturing cubes that would be used to unleash a powerful terror.

Batman’s portrayal in this movie was somewhat lackluster when compared to others. While Ben Affleck could play a good Bruce Wayne, he didn’t represent Batman as someone who was really a force to be reckoned with.

Despite solidifying himself as the group leader and the one who ultimately brings the Justice League together, Batman’s fighting skills aren’t really that great.

He uses a gun to kill a bunch of generic minions at one

point while the rest of the Justice League are going beyond just that. He knew how to fly his ship and drive his car, but it seems pretty minimal compared to what someone like Wonder Woman could do. The thinking might have been that if he were made the leader, maybe it would make up for his weak fighting skills. Unfortunately, the creators are mistaken if that was the intent.

As for the other characters, they did mostly well in their portrayals. Cyborg was somewhat cliché, as he was the typical “I don’t want to fight, but I guess I’ll do it anyway” type, but he fit in

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with the group fairly well.

The Flash could have had his powers used in a much more powerful way as opposed to how they were used in this movie. He was portrayed as someone who could barely socially interact with anyone, never mind put his life in danger. He was timid to help out at many points in the movie, which undermined the potential power he could have provided for the group. Aquaman was pretty fun to watch, despite most of his fighting not occurring in water and mostly with his trident. I felt it didn’t really represent Aquaman that well, as he was more like “Guy with large spear” rather than “God of the Oceans.” Regardless, he was still a fun character to watch.

Wonder Woman was most definitely the best character to watch in this movie, as many would agree.

She showcased her skills in this movie by showing off her day job, fighting both crime and working a regular job. She pulls off a ton of great moves versus the enemy in fighting the main villain along with other bad-

dies, as well as being a great unifier for the group.

While “Justice League” was indeed a fun movie to watch, there were some plot elements that stood out as questionable in the movie.

Let’s just say the Justice League didn’t quite have what they needed to defeat this main villain, and they wanted assistance. What leads up to getting this assistance was somewhat hard to watch; however, the end result of getting this assistance is awesome, with great action as well as a great ending that leaves viewers on a high note when the movie is over.

“Justice League” was overall a fun movie to watch, and a notably good attempt at trying to make up for the failures of “Batman v. Superman” and “Suicide Squad.”

Though some story elements stood out as either unnecessary, strange, or hard to watch, as well as some lackluster character portrayals, the movie still proved to be enjoyable. Intense action along with how the Justice League comes together as well its end result make for a fun watch.

Ivar, the boneless, taking charge for ragnar Troy Robinson

Staff Writer

On November 29 the sons of Ragnar Lothbrok raided television screens across the nation. Picking up where season 4 left off, “Vikings” continued its epic of Ivar, the Boneless and how he became a great leader. If it wasn’t obvious: Spoilers Ahead.

The season begins approximately an hour or two after Ivar kills his brother Sigurd, Snake in the Eye. The remaining brothers, Bjorn Ironside, Hvitserk and Ubbe all confront Ivar on his actions and declare their coming action. Simply put, the brothers choose separate paths. Bjorn de-

cidesto travel back to the Mediterranean, and Ivar wants to invade York and establish a legitimate colony there.

It is unclear what happens to Sigurd’s body, but we are given a formal introduction to the newest threat: Bishop Heahmund.

Heahmund (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) was given brief screen time at the end of season 4. During that small window he was leading the processions for a funeral.

The pacing of the premiere allows for many things to be set up, with the season hitting the ground running. There also seems to be a time skip of sort as well. We are introduced to a young King Alfred whilst

he is currently ailing.

While caring for Alfred, hard times seem to have fallen on King Aethelwulf as he is now living the life of a peasant. His current situation gives way to him becoming a much humbler person. The King Aethelwulf we are introduced to this season is a completely different person from the one in previous seasons.

In terms of Ivar coming into his own, he’s dealing with a lot. The premiere reminds us that Ivar is still essentially a kid growing up fast without the use of his legs. A trusted friend of Ragnar’s and now Ivar’s, Floki, has decided to set out on his own and let the gods lead the way. During Ivar’s

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last confrontation with Floki, he essentially breaks down.

Ivar, though he’s a ruthless man with ambition, he seems to struggle with the reality that everyone is leaving him. His relationship with Floki fills a void in his heart ever since the loss of Ragnar and Aslaug.

Despite Ivar being a great strategist and leader it is clear within this premiere that he feels like people will abandon him. The human side of him is coming out which is interesting, as well as the death of Sigurd.

The plot is currently moving at a steady pace, even with it being on the first episode. Lagertha faces a hard decision protecting

her people as the Queen of Kattegat, while also constantly having to protect herself if Ivar were to ever attack.

Heahmund is ready to lead an army against Ivar and his men, and Floki arrivesan an unknown land.

The land Floki has travels to could very well be close to Mt. Vesuvius.

Everyone has a goal at the start of this season, some good and some bad, but overall the premiere was great. The thing that wasn’t as great was the way Alfred “saw” his father immediately knew that Aethulwulf, his step-father if you will, needed to be with Heahmund to lead his people against the sons of Ragnar.

PENMEN ABROAD Culinary Major Dishes Out Details on European Cuisine

Rebecca LeBoeuf Penmen Abroad Editor

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Amanda Richard

A traditional pasta dish with wild boar ragout.

the bread that I eat has significantly less gluten than the bread in America,” according to Richard.

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) are illegal in Italy, and the use of pesticides are uncommon, making the quality of food better in Italy than in the U.S., according to Richard.

Products from independent farms are typically sold in farmers markets in Florence. “It is also much more flavorful and less expensive because the food does not have to travel far to its destination,” Richard said.

While in Europe, Richard had the opportunity to travel to Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland where she indulged in traditional food and drink in each place. She experienced the authentic cuisine because she visited people she knew in each location.

She went on two trips to Germany, the first to attend Oktoberfest and the second to visit her grandmother.

At Oktoberfest, Richard had a wurst and a pretzel that paired well with the beer she was drinking. “The beers at the festival were some of the best beers I have ever had,” she said.

With her grandmother, Richard experienced a raclette-style meal, “which consists of a hot stone placed in the center of the table in which individual portions are cooked by each member participating in the meal.” This meal, which is actually a Swiss tradition, also involves vegetables and cheese and is “meant to be enjoyed with the family over a long period of time,” Richard said.

In the Netherlands, while visiting her best friend’s sister, Richard sampled cheese and ate a pannekeok. “The ones [cheese] that stick out most in my mind were the fla-

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Amanda Richard

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Amanda Richard, a culinary management major, is spending the first semester of her senior year in a country known internationally for its cuisine.

While she has not had the opportunity to cook in her host family’s kitchen, she experiences Italian homecooked dinners five nights a week and has sampled other foods around Europe.

In Italy, meals are separated into four courses There’s antipasto, first course, second course and dessert. “The antipasti section almost always features bruschetta and a meat and cheese board with prosciutto and Tuscan salami,” Richard said. “The first course consists of pasta dishes, soups and salads, and the second course is protein based.”

One of Richard’s favorite antipastos is tomato bruschetta. “The tomatoes here have so much more flavor than the ones in America, and when they are drizzled in a high-quality olive oil, tossed with fresh basil, and topped on toasted Tuscan bread it is fabulous,” she said. She also learned she likes chicken liver pate, which has a pasty texture.

Her favorite pasta dish in Italy so far has been a

freshly made pici pasta drizzled with high-quality extra virgin olive oil. “The flavor of the oil really highlighted the dish and was refreshing, slightly spicy and herbaceous,” Richard said. “I was not expecting something so “plain” to be full of flavor—but hey, this is Italy!”

Her host mother always has dinner ready at 8:30 p.m., a typical time for Italians to eat. Lunch happens between 2-3 p.m.

The typical meal her host mother prepares for her consists three quarters of vegetables and starch or grains and one quarter protein, which abides by the Mediterranean diet.

One meal her host mother makes that she enjoys is zucchini frittata.

Richard is completely gluten free at home, but she has successfully eaten sandwiches, pizza and pasta in Italy with only three minor reactions this semester. While she still carefully limits how much gluten she consumes, she is able to eat more products in Italy than she is in the U.S. because the food is less processed.

As opposed to bread in the U.S., which is made with all-purpose white flour, “breads in Italy are produced with many different flour blends with varying gluten levels, so most of

A traditional meat and cheese platter from Tenuta Di Vaira, a vineyard in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany.

vored goat cheeses. I tried coconut goat cheese, pesto goat cheese, red pepper goat cheese and lavender goat cheese, which I loved so much I bought,” Richard said. A pannekoek, or Dutch pancake, “is like an American pancake combined with a French crepe, and the result is this thin, yet fluffy Dutch delight.”

She ate hers with banana, apples, cinnamon and house made molasses syrup.

While in Ireland, Richard tried Irish dark beers including Guinness, Murphy’s and Beamish, although her favorite drink was an Irish coffee. “It is made with hot coffee, brown sugar, Irish whiskey, and topped with fresh whipped heavy cream,” Richard said.

Sometimes selecting a restaurant in an unfamiliar location may be difficult, but Richard suggests looking restaurants up online on Instagram, Trip Advisor and Yelp. “Personally, I never read any reviews,” according to the culinary major. “I only look at the pictures of the food. If it looks good, then I feel confident about going to

that restaurant.” She also pays attention to the restaurant’s atmosphere and whether many people are eating there.

One thing to note when visiting an Italian restaurant is that the servers are not involved in the dining experience and often add a service charge to the bill, making tipping unnecessary.

“The servers are very uninvolved and only go to the table if absolutely necessary,” Richard said.

“They also do not bring the check automatically after dinner or dessert. They only bring the check when it is requested by the customer.”

Despite the culture shock Richard experienced when she first embarked on her study abroad journey, emerging herself into a completely new culture.

“I am glad I did it because it has been very educational. I was able to learn a lot about food culture and language through my host family.” Richard said. “I am living a reality that most people dream about and I am thankful being able to do and see so many things I never thought I would.”

PENMEN ABROAD news

Iew Photography contest winner announced Rebecca LeBoeuf Penmen Abroad Editor The winners of the International Education Week (IEW) Photography Competition were contacted on Monday, November 27.

There were four categories and three overall winners, all pursuing their master’s in information technology.

Warseem Akram Pension Honnur won two categories: Home is Where the Heart is and My Favorite Place.

The Going Global category was won by Divya Paripati’s photo and Vishwal Shah’s photo won A Picture is Worth a Thou-

sand Words.

According to Leanne Bowden, the student success coordinator for the International Student Services (ISS), the winners will receive SNHU swag.

The photography competition was promoted by ISS and the Study Abroad Office to students who may have photos from their lives abroad.

The competition received 73 submissions, and students were able to submit up to three photos.

During IEW, a photography exhibit was held where students, staff and faculty were invited to vote for their favorites in each category.

“This photo gives me a memory with my friends,” Paripati said. She captured this photo at the Chicago Bean in Illinois while meeting with friends.

Paripati has no background in photography, but enjoys taking pictures of what she sees as beautiful she said. “And this photo was one among them.”

Warseem Akram Pension Honnur Category: My Favorite Place Photo Title: Route to my Home is Always Colorful Location: Manchester, NH

Pension Honnur took this photo on a walk with her roommates near Colonial Village in Manchester.

“I felt the railway track so colorful and it made me re-

member about those college days when me along with my friends used to hangout next to the railway track, click pictures and have so [much] fun there,” Pension Honnur said.

Vishwal Shah Category: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words Photo Title: Developing India Location: Vadgaon Budruk, Pune, MH India

“This picture brings the perfect combination of life in the developing part of India during the monsoon season,” according Shah.

“There is Shepherd, a poor

guy on a bicycle, a couple college students on a motorbike, and a car which symbolizes a rich man.” and, “to be honest, it’s a paradise for photographers,” Shah said.

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Divya Paripati Category: Going Global Photo Title: The Chicago Bean and its World Location: Chicago, IL

Black Warseem Akram Pension Honnur Category: Home is where the heart is Photo Title: Homam, a Hind Indian Ritual Location: Hyderabad, India Homam, a ceremonious Hindu tradition, is the subject of this photo by Pension Honnur.

She captured the photo when she witnessed the tradition for the first time at a friend’s

housewarming function.

Pension Honnur started taking pictures at five years old and has a gallery on her Facebook page, Waz Photography.

Her advice to aspiring photographers is that “it is all about the passion towards photography which will make you come up with different ideas.

There is no rule that you have to get trained in photography; it comes along with the practice. So, grab a camera and start clicking.”

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Sports

penmen profile: Trisha luis Catherine LaChance Sports Editor

SNHU Penmen

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While most athletes experience anxious jitters before a big game, SNHU senior soccer player Trisha Luis remains as calm as a summer sea. She perceives every game as the same, whether it’s an exhibition or a championship game, and possesses a strong, positive attitude. Her mentality and talent earned her the Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player and the recognition of being SNHU’s top scorer.

Although her journey to gaining this mentality had its challenges, she found her inspiration and love for soccer.

Luis is from Lowell, Massachusetts and has been playing soccer since she was three years old. Growing up, she would watch her older sisters play soccer as they were also very active in the sport. Luis loved watching them play, so much in fact that she decided to try it out, too. When she kicked a ball for the first time, she fell in love with the sport.

“My sisters really inspired me to get out on the field,” Luis said. “They really like soccer and it seemed like a really cool sport from when I was watching. And from the moment I started kicking a ball around, I knew I was going to play it for the rest of my life.

I love soccer so much; I can’t imagine my life without it.”

Luis started looking into colleges in late high school.

After much consideration, she narrowed her search down to two schools: Southern New Hampshire and UMass Lowell. She was originally going to attend UMass Lowell, but after visiting SNHU to watch the women’s soccer team practice, UMass Lowell was no longer an option.

When she arrived at SNHU for the practice, she was blown away by the eccentric and positive atmosphere SNHU possesses. It was in that moment she knew SNHU would be the best fit for her.

“I really liked the SNHU soccer team’s grit,” said Luis.

Most Valuable Player Trisha Luis chases after the ball.

“They wanted to work hard, and they were always working hard. I saw their commitment to the team and how they got along. Plus, I noticed a lot of people cheering on the sidelines; it wasn’t even a game.

People were just excited to see the girls play. It was amazing. It was that energy and the commitment from the girls that let me know SNHU was the place for me.”

Luis’ choice to attended SNHU was also greatly influenced by current head SNHU coach, Elie Monteiro. Before coaching at SNHU, coach Monteiro coached the UMass Lowell women’s soccer team for 13 years. Because she’s from the area, Luis attended many of his games. She loved the strategies Monteiro used, and was amazed by his commitment and dedication to the sport. She met with Monteiro over the course of her senior year to discuss where she would fit in on the team if she were to join. She even promised him she would attend UMass Lowell the following year, but when she visited SNHU for the women’s soccer practice, Luis no longer wanted to go to UMass Lowell, but was disappointed she wouldn’t be playing for Monteiro.

Southern New Hampshire was looking for a head women’s soccer coach the same

year. As a graduate of SNHU, Coach Monteiro jumped on the opportunity as soon as he found out. Monteiro’s ties to the school and commitment to the sport set him apart from other candidates allowing him to earn the job.

Monteiro’s first year at SNHU was also Luis’ first year at SNHU. When they met on the first day of preseason her freshman year, Luis and Monteiro shared a laugh. Luis was pleasantly surprised to find Monteiro working at SNHU. She was very happy being able to play under Monteiro’s leadership as she wanted to play for him since her senior year of high school.

“It was really funny when coach Monteiro switched to coach SNHU,” Luis said. “I’ve always wanted to play for him because of his style and his commitment he has for the game. He was a great coach of UMass Lowell. He has accomplished so much with the team and playing under him was something I wanted to do.

Luckily, he came here the same year I did and I couldn’t have been any more excited. I’m thankful I got to spend four years playing with him. He’s a really great guy. I’ve definitely loved playing for him. I’m really going to miss him.”

“She’s a great player,” Monteiro said of Luis. “Hav-

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ing her play for me has been a great experience. No words can explain how thankful I am to have coached her. She is very talented and is somebody who doesn’t have to have the captain title because I know she’s a leader. She is a wonderful person and I can’t wait to see where she ends up next year.”

Luis has now finished her final season as a Penmen for coach Monteiro. This year, the Penmen captured their first Northeast-10 title since 2012, and won their first-ever game in the NCAA East Regional Tournament. Luis was a major help for these accomplishments, racking up a career high 11 goals, including 5 game-winning goals, and 5 assists. Luis also earned 27 points, went 4-4 in penalty kicks, and shot two goals in a 3-0 blanking of New Haven on September 27.

In a ceremony held on Larkin Field after the Northeast-10 championship game, Luis received the Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player award for her hard work and devotion to the sport. She was humbly honored to receive this award and beyond pleased her hard work and training paid off.

Being awarded Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player meant something extra spe-

cial to Luis. It assured her everything she worked for her whole life did not go unrecognized. Unlike some people, Luis’ journey to earning MVP honors was not a smooth ride.

She had to overcome family disputes and personal issues to get where she is, and often times, those situations weakened her mental state. To release tension, Luis would head down to the field and kick a ball around. Soccer was her priority and only outlet.

Earning the Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player award was the “greatest way” to cap off her college career, she said.

Getting the award was a major accomplishment for Luis. It let her know all her hard work was accounted for. Because she had a difficult path getting there, she is beyond grateful for the honor.

“I never thought I’d get it coming into the season,” Luis said, referring to the award.

“It’s a great feeling that says all the work I’ve done to prepare myself for this season has paid off. I changed my attitude and it worked. I’m honored. Getting that award was getting something extra. It is the best feeling.”

Now that her college soccer career has come to an end, Luis is considering playing soccer post-graduation as she is not ready to give it up just yet. Coach Monteiro is helping Luis join a professional soccer team in Finland. Monteiro is speaking with the proper authorities to ensure a successful transition. Although it is uncertain if this opportunity will pan out, Luis is considering the application of her criminal justice major, hoping to become a police officer.

“Soccer has changed my life in more ways than I can express and I don’t want to see it end just because I'm graduating college. It’s helped me through the tough times and its been here through the good. It’s an amazing sport that has taught me so many lessons. I hope Finland works out, but if not, there will be other opportunities.