Issue 7 (SP18)

Volume XXIV, Issue 7

February 7, 2018

PenmenPress.com

Manchester, NH

Oh Snap! What’s New with Belknap

Rachel Romeo Penmen Abroad Editor Anna Laugelle Staff Writer

February 7, 2018: Rose Day

News | Front & 3-4

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Editorials | 2 Feature | 5 Veteran Spotlight | 6 Opinion | 7 Arts & Entertainment | 8-9 Penmen Abroad | 10 Sports | 11-12

Featuring: Drag Show Preview | Page 3 Restaurant Spotlight: Local Moose Cafe | Page 4 SGA Conference | Page 5 The Commuter Review | Page 8 Study Abroad: Location Highlight | Page 10

Anna Laugelle

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What's Inside:

Over the recent years SNHU has been making major advancements throughout the Manchester campus. The latest installment of these renovations has been the Belknap Building, housing the School of Education.

As of now ,the new building is officially complete except for a few pieces of additional furniture set to arrive in the near future. Before the renovation, Belknap hall consisted of small office spaces and a limited number of classrooms. With the new renovations, this space has completely transformed to successfully accommodate the desired learning environment for education students.

With the help of a design team and several architects, SNHU was able to effectively create an open and welcoming space for its faculty and students. According to Raymond McNulty, Dean of the School of Education, “Learning happens everywhere (not just in classrooms) and our space was

Belknap Hall's renovations include a brand new exterior entrance.

designed for groups of students and faculty to sit and just think together.”

Along with a new exterior, Belknap has also been equipped with upgraded technology giving students the opportunity to effectively apply their skills. The classrooms are also organized differently, providing a new learning experience for its students.

“All furniture is on wheels, so classrooms and other learning spaces can constantly change to meet the needs of unique learners and learning situations. There are a lot

of spaces designed for collaboration, as we realize the importance of collaboration to foster communication and deeper learning,” said Catherine Stavenger, Associate Dean of the School of Education.

The design of the building has allowed for the growth of a true educational community where administrative staff, faculty and students can constantly interact together in a shared space.

The School of Education plans to use their new space as a welcoming center for partner schools and other individuals

interested in seeing the space.

Partner schools in the area have been encouraged to provide artwork to hang within the new building. An open house will be scheduled when the weather improves to showcase the unity provided by the new renovation.

“The School of Education is very excited about the new opportunities Belknap Hall will now provide. We are very grateful to President LeBlanc, the Board of Trustees, and all of the other SNHU stakeholders who made this possible,” said Stavenger.

PUBLIC SAFETY ADDRESSES CONCERNS ABOUT GATE CLOSING

Megan Palmer Editor in Chief Maria Celli Staff Writer

SNHU students living on the west side of campus - particularly in Washington or the Townhouses, may be very familiar with “The Gate,” located between the Hospitality building and the Green Space. Policy surrounding when this gate is open and closed, however, seems to be less well-known.

“I would guess it closes at 11:30 [p.m.],” said Jamie Griffin (‘19).

“10 o’clock… question mark?” said Evan Wolz (‘19).

“8 p.m.?” said Tirron Pierce (‘21).

Executive Director of Public Safety, Jim Winn, shared that this gate typically closes each night around 11 p.m. to create only one point of access onto West Side, but closing it can be affected by many different factors.

“For example,” Winn said, “sometimes when we’re

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doing snow removal operations, facilities may ask us to keep the gate open longer for them to have easier access in or out. Another thing is, if there’s an event on campus, we may keep it open a little later. Probably the thing that impacts us closing the gate at 11 [p.m.] most is other occurrences that may be happening on campus. If we’re busy handling calls or service for students, closing the gate at 11 [p.m.] will slide lower down the priority pole, so it may be later in the night be-

fore we get to it.”

The gate’s closing and opening does not only affect Public Safety; it affects those living on that side of campus.

“It’s a real entrance to campus for the people who live in that area, and it’s a more central location as well.

The other entrance by Athletics is located on an end, where [this] gate feels more in middle,” said Harry Ames (‘20). “I know my friends in . . . . . . . . . . .

Please continue to page 2

editorial

letters to the editor

the penmen press staff 2017-2018

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Now that the semester is well underway, we would like to take this opportunity to CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF Rebecca LeBoeuf remind the SNHU commu rebecca.leboeuf@snhu.edu nity that The Penmen Press offers many opportunities to CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF Megan Palmer have its voice heard, includ megan.palmer@snhu.edu ing through Letters to the ONLINE MANAGER Nikki Fain Editor.

nikki.fain@snhu.edu With constantly changing technology (and a still SENIOR BUSINESS MANAGER Ryan Evaul relatively new and centrally ryan.evaul@snhu.edu located office), The Penmen Press is becoming consisJUNIOR BUSINESS MANAGER Sultan Akhter tently more accessible to not sultan.akhter@snhu.edu only the immediate SNHU SENIOR NEWS EDITOR Nicole Clark community, but those across nicole.clark2@snhu.edu the world. Evolving media is lending itself to a more JUNIOR NEWS EDITOR Rosa Valente community based approach, rosa.valente@snhu.edu and in 2018, free speech and press are more important JUNIOR NEWS EDITOR Thomas Cahalan thomas.cahalan@snhu.edu than ever. Therefore, we are hoping to best empower our OPINION EDITOR Laana Depina community to tell us what elaana.depina@snhu.edu you think.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Troy Robinson troy.robinson2@snhu.edu

In tandem with our organizations Constitution, “The Penmen Press will accept all responsible articles and Letters to the Editor, and print them as space permits. All submissions and letters must be typed, double spaced, signed, and include contact information. All submissions and letters are subject to editing and must meet the standards of quality and values as set by the editorial board."

Content we deem unacceptable in accordance with our Constitution include libel, excessive profanity, intolerance, hostility and selfpromotion.

The role of The Penmen Press is to serve the university community and to dedicate ourselves to being a voice for and by the people.

While we have always ac-

. . . . . . .

cepted Letters to the Editor, it has been an underutilized function of our newspaper, and it is our hope that we can encourage the SNHU community to speak out on the issues that affect and are important to them.

Letters to the Editor can be sent to us here at the Penmen Press at penmenpress@ snhu.edu or mailed to SNHU at 2500 N. River Road Hooksett NH 03016, attn. Penmen Press, or dropped off directly to our office located in Student Center 113; come visit our awesome editorial staff during their brand new office hours.

We love having to the opportunity to tell SNHU’s story, but we also hope to open the door for members of the SNHU community to write their own.

gate closing

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PENMEN ABROAD EDITOR Rachel Romeo rachel.romeo@snhu.edu

Continued from page 1

SPORTS EDITOR Catherine LaChance catherine.lachance@snhu.edu SENIOR COPY EDITOR Gabe Carrio gabriel.carrio@snhu.edu SENIOR COPY EDITOR Ginny Fagan virginia.fagan@snhu.edu

LAYOUT EDITOR Emma Sheehan emma.sheehan@snhu.edu PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Wyndee Man jingyin.wen@snhu.edu VIDEO MANAGER Eddie Sam eddie.sam@snhu.edu SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

Tyler Leighton tyler.leighton@snhu.edu

EVENTS COORDINATOR Maddie Covino madison.covino@snhu.edu FACULTY ADVISOR 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 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.

Rebecca LeBoeuf

JUNIOR COPY EDITOR Nick VonSchantz-Ricci nicholas.ricci1@snhu.edu

The gate at the West Side of campus closes at 11:00 most nights.

Washington always get really frustrated when it’s closed late at night and they just want to get back.”

While some students are concerned with the timing of the gate’s closing, others have concerns about the policy in general. “I personally don’t understand why it’s ever closed,” said Wolz.

When asked why creating “one point of access” is important, Winn explained why this has not been a concern or change for the east side of campus, which was built to be more open and does have more entrances.

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“As the campus has evolved things are different than they used to be. For example, years ago, when we first started building residence halls on East Side, because the campus is much more open, one of the things that we did was to make sure that we beefed up the security features on in terms of camera coverage and putting another public safety office on the East side of campus [in Hampton].”

Moving forward, Winn recognizes that many things on campus, particularly in close proximity to the gate,

will be changing in the near future.

Cranmore and Sunapee are being torn down to begin construction on the new College of Engineering, Technology and Aeronautics (CETA) building, Kingston will be opening in the fall of 2019 and the Washington parking lot will become home to another green space.

With these changes, Winn said, “One of the things we’re talking about… is how do we create better roadways on West Side of campus so that we have a better interior roadway.”

News news

Parking Changes: How They Affect Students and What SNHU is Doing About It Rosa Valente Junior News Editor

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Maria Celli Staff Writer

Jaelle Matthieu

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In January 2018, SNHU’s Public Safety office established new policies relating to resident and commuter parking on campus that would affect students and staff in the spring semester.

These parking changes were made based on recent surveys done by Public Safety officers which measured how many cars were parked in each lot. These surveys ensure a better understanding of which parking lots are being utilized, which ones are being ignored and what times of day parking is the most concentrated.

“It helps us to make projections,” said James Winn, Director of Public Safety. “We also go back towards the end of the semester to make sure that things are holding true as far as the parking usage.

So, based on those numbers and any changes that are happening on campus, we may make an adjustment like we did in this case.”

Winn went on to explain the different factors that were considered when deciding how to best manage the lack of parking on campus. He brought up how a lot of commuter parking was lost in the lot in front of Washington Hall due to the expanding construction of Kingston Hall.

In their pursuit of rectify-

The newly designated commuter lot next to Larkin Field. ing this issue, the Public Safety office found that resident lots 5 and 10 near the lower suites were heavily underused, with over 100 spaces being open on a typical day. Meanwhile, resident lot 18, which is located near Exeter and New Castle, had 45 open spaces.

So, in an attempt to make the parking arrangements more efficient, Public Safety designated lots 5 and 10 as resident parking for all students living on the West side of campus and lot 18 is designated as a commuter parking lot.

Another important parking change that was made this semester regards Monadnock residents.

Winn revealed that when Public Safety performed their parking survey last semester, they found that the installment of the Monadnock building caused a much higher demand for parking on

the East side which resulted in not many spaces being available.

Once they discovered this, Public Safety began working towards a solution that would allow for a more equal distribution of parking near the apartments.

“When [Monadnock] opened, for the first time ever we had more students living on the East side of campus than we did on the West side,” he said. “Years and years ago, all of our buildings were only on the West side of campus. It’s really been within the last fifteen years we’ve started to develop the East side,” he said.

Public Safety decided to designate a section of lot 26, which is located behind the Monadnock apartments, as a resident lot for those living in the building. Lot 28, near the new tennis courts, is also available for Monadnock

year. Participants dress up in their best drag to turn themselves into an alter-ego. During the last show there was a comedy act done by one of the performers, which they will be doing again. This event at SNHU gives LGBTQ+ students an opportunity to express themselves in any ways they might not normally have the means to do.

Dee Dube (’18), President of GE explained, “This event is a great way for us all to come together and just have fun.”

The Drag show gives students the chance to dance and express themselves. Each person is able to perform up to three times, and they are also allowed to perform with somebody else.

“This show is just as much

for the performers as it is for the audience,” Matis said.

The Drag show is an opportunity for students of any identity to show off their lip syncing and dancing skills by dressing in different drag costumes and taking on stage names.

The show is like any spectacular stage show with tons of music and fun.

This is an event for not only the performers, but also the audience to feel comfortable in an accepting space to have a good time.

Generation Equality welcomes all students to come and enjoy the event and to think about participating in upcoming years; for more information reach out to generationequlity@snhu.edu.

residents, however Public Safety encourages students to park in lot 26 instead to allow visitors and commuters the spaces available in lot 28.

Winn explained that these parking changes are only temporary, and that the university is working to fix the issue. They have already made a contract with a design firm, and finished the permitting phase for construction on new parking lots which will be available in the 2018 fall semester.

This construction project should begin in late spring and will establish approximately 500 new parking spaces throughout the campus.

Many students have thoughts about how the parking changes set in place this semester affects them.

“It’s beneficial on the weekends for outside people who want to watch games and go to other events. It is good parking for parents and visitors, but as a student living right there in New Castle, it is not ideal when you have to walk up a giant hill when you’re paying to live on campus,” said Jenna Fitzgerald (‘19).

Chris Holmes (‘21), a commuter student, also had thoughts on the current parking arrangements.

“Right now, if you don’t get to school by 9 o’clock, you have to park in the huge commuter lot in the way back usually, which is a pretty good walk from main campus, which in bad weather can be annoying,” he said.

After construction on the parking lots is completed, students and faculty can expect to see 100 new parking spaces in lot 26, 100 parking spaces replacing the old tennis courts near the athletic complex, 100 spaces near the College of Engineering, Technology and Aeronautics (CETA) building, 50 new spaces in the lower suites parking lot, 40 new spaces in lot 13 behind the townhouses and another new parking lot behind Monadnock with over 100 spaces.

“Any impact that anybody is feeling right now, I would say that we really appreciate their patience and understanding,” said Winn.

Generation Equality hosts annual Drag show

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Generation Equality

Generation Equality (GE) will be hosting the annual Lip Sync Drag Show again this semester. The show will be on Saturday, February 10 at 8 p.m. in The Last Chapter Pub. Students and Faculty alike are welcome to come to the pub and enjoy the show. This event is meant to be an allaround fun experience, from the support, to the type of community environment it exhibits.

River Matis (’20), the event planner for GE said, “we do the drag show because it is an amazing form of self-expression that everyone can enjoy.”

There are a variety of performances happening this

John Chapman-Frauwirth performing in last year's Drag Show.

News

Farm-To-table fare at The Local Moose Café

Nicholas VonSchantz-Ricci Junior Copy Editor

There are a few essential qualities that a great café must possess. Such qualities include top-notch coffee, creative eats and a comfortable, stress-relieving atmosphere.

These ideals are embraced whole-heartedly at The Local Moose Café.

Located on Queen City Avenue in Manchester, The Local Moose is a little café churning out specialty coffee drinks, sandwiches made from provincially sourced ingredients and baked goods.

Established in 2015, The Local Moose is the creation of co-owners Natalia Umpierrez, Bo Tong and Marc Lee. “For me, I wanted to have a space in Manchester where people could go for farm to table [products] and coffee,” said Umpierrez.

down.

For those uninterested in resolutions, the café also offers fresh baked goods including homemade, creatively-flavored doughnuts on the weekends. Past flavors have included maple bacon, mimosa, gingerbread and cookies and cream.

The café also takes their coffee as seriously as their food. All the coffee is sourced from the nearby A&E Roastery.

“We have your typical espresso menu; we also have Vietnamese-style coffee, which is double-shot espresso poured over sweetened condensed milk,” said Umpierrez.

The art-adorned, woodaccented space is an ideal place to relax after a hectic week or to study for an upcoming exam. A chalkboard displaying where all the in-

igrad: a tool for financial success

gredients are acquired is proudly displayed for all to see.

When asked where she envisions The Local Moose in five years, Umpierrez replied, “We would love to source all of our ingredients locally,

The Hungry Goat sandwich at The Local Moose Cafe is a vegan option that fits with your New Year's Resolution.

get involved at snhu

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Rachel Dembek Staff Writer

Whether students want to learn more about what a credit score is, how to manage student loans or how to start saving money and start a budget, iGrad has the learning tools students need.

No one person has the same goals, knowledge or background when it comes to personal finance, which is why iGrad’s personalized approach helps users learn exactly what they want and need to learn. This approach is helpful for the user, rather than providing the same stale information for all users. The best part is that it is free and available to all SNHU students and staff.

This free to use platform allows users to customize, after a brief registration, the experience and information that is displayed. iGrad is not a standard financial advising website. Users can learn through games, modules, articles, webinars and even

It is the start of the new semester, and everyone is looking to make the most of their time here at SNHU. How does one make sure that they are getting as much as they can out of their college experience?

Joining clubs is an easy way to fill up one’s time here at SNHU, and is a great way to build one’s resume. Students can join a club and work their way up to an executive board position. This shows leadership ability, as well as the ability to successfully work in a group setting.

Another way to stay involved on campus is to find a work study job. Those who are awarded a work study can find jobs on campus.

These jobs help to earn valuable transferable skills that one can add to their resume.

Events held by the Career & Professional Development Center help students network themselves by meet-

iGrad

Amy Sumsion Staff Writer

watching videos, allowing users to learn in ways best suited to their learning styles.

Students can use these tools to learn more about credit cards, identity theft prevention or investing.

There is even a scholarship platform to help search and apply for scholarships that students might qualify for.

Users can filter the scholarships by deadline, eligibility, and geographic location.

Calculators are another helpful tool provided, and there are calculators for almost every need that a user might have, like preparing emergency funds, estimating savings growth, calculating loan payments or learning what it takes to become a mil-

lionaire. iGrad rewards users for progress through the use of badges. There are 50 badges that can be earned, giving users something to strive for and challenge themselves to see just how many they can earn. iGrad is both easy to use and easy to find through mySNHU. On the mySNHU homepage in the applications section select the “Financial Success Powered by iGrad” link. It can also be found under the “Student Financial Services” tab by selecting the link “iGrad” located at the bottom left of the screen.

Check it out; planning for a healthy financial future begins today.

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increase sustainability and get the community more involved."

The Local Moose is a café with a conscience; a café that recognizes the value of supporting local vendors and sustainable products.

Nicholas VonSchantz-Ricci

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Many of the products utilized come from local purveyors. The milk used for lattes comes from Hatchland Farms in North Haverhill, Massachusetts and the sustainably-raised chicken is sourced from the locallyfamous Misty Knoll farm in Vermont.

Umpierrez’s favorite sandwich on the menu is the Bahn Mi. “It is a Vietnamese style sandwich with local pork, pickled root veggies and sriracha mayo on a house-made baguette. ”For those looking to preserve their new year’s resolution, The Hungry Goat is a vegan option featuring raw beets, pickled carrots, cucumber, microgreens and roasted red pepper hummus on a baguette. The clean, fresh flavors and array of textures make for a delicious combination that won’t weigh you

ing employers. As the saying goes “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

The more students network themselves while they are in college, the better off they will be after they graduate.

College is all about gaining new experiences and learning how to be professional. SNHU provides students with many opportunities to maximize their time here and make sure that each and every student is successful after they graduate.

The Career & Professional Development Center can help students succeed by presenting them with internships, networking and resume building opportunities. To set up a meeting with a counselor, or if students have questions, they can email the Career & Professional Development Center at careerdevelopment@snhu. edu.

Students can also call the Career & Professional Development Center at (603) 6459793.

Feature

Rebecca LeBoeuf Editor in Chief

SGA Proposes Conference policy changes

Rosa Valente Junior News Editor

Sheena Ware

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The Student Government Association (SGA) is proposing a solution to the recent over-expenditures to the conference budget in which a club’s approved request and up to 10 percent of overages will be covered by SGA. Each year, SGA allocates $100,000 to send clubs and organizations to programs, seminars and expos, and covers the cost of airfare, hotels, food and transportation.

This budget is distributed on a first come, first serve basis with a cap of $15,000 per club, which can be used for up to two conferences per year. For the last three years, the amount of money spent on conferences has increasingly exceeded the budget, requiring SGA to pull money out of their reserves.

Last semester alone, $141,718.92 was spent on conferences for the 2017-18 school year, meaning clubs and organizations who want to attend a conference must wait until the budget resets in the fall.

Gavin Telfer, the director of the Office of Student Involvement and chief executive officer of the SGA, thinks that more clubs are interest-

Student Air Traffic Controllers Association at the National Museum of the United States Air Force and Aviation Heritage National Park.

ed in going on conferences now than in years prior, which could be the cause for the increase in spending.

“On the one hand, it is nice to see so many clubs wanting to do conferences,” Telfer said. “I stop short of saying it’s a good problem to have, because for me it’s not a good problem if there are clubs who can’t get the funding to be able to go.”

Another reason for the quick over-expenditure comes from the fluctuation of airfare and hotel prices.

“Between the time that [a

club] asks for the money and the time that they actually book all the hotels and flights and stuff, costs usually go up and Budget and Finance in the past has said that we’ll cover all the expenses it goes up by,” the SGA Chief Financial Officer Elisha Borden (‘19) said.

This results in an unexpected increase in price which the SGA does not currently have a cap for. “What I’ve run into this year is not knowing how much other people are going to spend over, so then I was like, 'I

Michelle Fortin

Psychology Club at the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies College Reading and Learning Association Conference.

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don’t know how much we have left in the account to use,' so that was an issue,” Borden said.

Telfer elaborated on what SGA would be considering in their search for a solution to this issue: “How do we make it accessible, and not penalize clubs for being on top of it and doing good things, but also open that up so that other clubs are able [to go on conferences]?” Telfer said.

Borden recapped the solution proposed at the SGA retreat at the Sandbox on Saturday. While the group discussed solutions such as requesting an additional $50,000 from the Student Activities Fee Committee to supplement the trend of excess spending, and limiting the number of people who can attend the conferences, they decided the best solution is to only cover 10 percent of conference overages.

For example, if a club is approved to spend $10,000 for a conference, SGA will spend up to $11,000.

To account for any additional overages, SGA will

recommend that additional money comes from the club’s liability account and fundraising, or from club members’ pockets. “[What] our advisor told us is SNHU students are very fortunate. So usually, at other schools, the [students] have to pay at least a little bit to go on conferences,” Borden said. “Everything is covered [at SNHU]."

The SGA Senators on the Policies and Procedures Committee are taking this proposed solution to revise conference policies. In March, the revisions will be reviewed and voted on at a Senate meeting in preparation for the fall conference requests to start coming in that month.

“We’re trying to make it more fair and available so that all... clubs can go throughout the year,”Borden said.

Borden also believes SGA will request for additional funds to allocate for conferences next year. Clubs and organizations that attended conferences in the past found them constructive for their personal and collective goals. “I definitely think this conference is beneficial because it is a great place for networking,” said Samantha Weck (‘19), president of the Animations and Art Forms club. “I have personally made business connections at Anime Boston last year, as well as other members.”

Game Design Club Vice President Herman Lejter (‘19) thinks “the budgets should be increased if the demand is high enough, and the proposed conferences are deemed valuable by the SGA.”Regardless of what the changes may be, SGA and clubs alike realize that something needs to change in order to preserve the opportunity for as many clubs to go on conferences as possible.

For a complete list of the SGA approved conference allocations in the past three years, visit PenmenPress.com.

veteran spotlight "i'm trans first, vet second."

Nikki Fain Online Manager

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for trans people."

New Hampshire does not offer a way to change your gender on your birth certificate or provide anti-discrimination laws or even have the phrase "gender identity" in their legislation. There is currently an anti-discrimination bill in the works for transgenders that does include the phrase "gender identity." House Bill 478 would ban discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations. According to the Union Leader, this bill would define gender identity as "a person's genderrelated identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that ... is different from that traditionally associated with the person's physiology or assigned sex at birth." However, a similar bill was defeated last year.

It wasn't until this past August though, at age 28, that Aurora made the decision to enroll atSNHU to study her true passion: Game Art with a secondary major in Game Programming.

"I remembered the SNHU commercials from when I was a kid. SNHU is a great college.

They really put everything back that they get. I mean, they are a nonprofit school, but they do a lot of charity events and then they put a lot of their money back in the school. Which is why this is such a great school to go to."

She did admit that it can be weird at times to be in class with those a decade younger than her, but being older is a commonality among most student veteran. While some students attend for the social aspect of college, Aurora is dedicated to her studies. The moments she struggles with the most though, as an older student, are dealing with the ignorance of those around her who haven't been exposed to diversity.

"I have mixed feelings being in classes with younger students. I tend to just let things flow however they need to flow. Some kids who are younger understand. Then

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Rosaline Aurora

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People enlist in the military for a variety of reasons.

Generally, civilians assume it's for honor and patriotism, but this usually is not the case and was not the case for student veteran, Rosaline Aurora.

After years of tension and strain between Aurora and her family, she left. She didn't want to follow their goals for her by going to college, studying a subject she wasn't passionate about, and taking over the family business.

"I enlisted for multiple reasons. The main was to stop being homeless and get a sense of income to help get me back on my feet. The second one was to find a community to belong in." Aurora served her country for nine years in the Army National Guard from 2007-16. From 2011-12, she was deployed to Kuwait, a tiny country just under Iraq.

She spent seven months doing missions in Iraq that were focused on withdrawing from the war. The last five months involved doing missions in Kuwait. She was discharged as a sergeant. She now remains classified as "Inactive Ready Reserve.”

"If anything were to go down and they need people to deploy and they had no volunteers, they could call me up," Aurora shared. However, because of her identity, she said it's unlikely they would ever take advantage of this.

"But they won't, because they're not going to call up a trans person to deploy."

Throughout her life, she always had an inkling that something was different about her. "It's always kind of been there. It really solidified when I was eight or nine, right around the time your body starts changing,”Aurora said.

“I felt different and like it was the wrong thing. Why wasn't the other thing happening?"

It wasn't until about halfway through her deployment that she discovered the word "transgender" and began to

research it. Slowly, this was the beginning of her journey through transitioning. Upon returning from deployment, Aurora had become isolated from her unit. She went into therapy, which helped reaffirm that she had a support system. At this point in time, the Chelsea Manning scandal was happening. Manning is the transgender U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst who shared confidential documents with the public by releasing them to WikiLeaks. To Aurora, she's a hero.

Eventually, she approached her leadership to discuss how she could still serve while being transgender.

The military's policy with the LGBT+ members, "don't ask, don’t tell", was repealed in September 2011. This meant that LGBT+ could serve while openly being themselves.

They discussed making special rooming arrangements and avoiding overnight drills.

Unfortunately, the rest of her unit found out without her consent.

"After I came out as transgender, the communication with everyone was so sub-par.

Nobody wanted anything to do with me. Even my own leadership kept me back with a 10-foot pole. After I got out of the military however, they were willing to bend over backwards for me to get everything I needed, to make sure that I could get my benefits and all that stuff."

In late 2015, after she stopped drilling with her unit, Rosaline moved to New Hampshire from her home state of North Carolina to start over. In 2016, she officially discharged. Moving to New Hampshire though has been a comfort.

"Moving up here was a culture shock. It was one of the few culture shocks I've had that was kind of nice. Even though we don't really have protections up here, I still get to be myself here more than I did in North Carolina. We're the only New England state that doesn't have protections

you have the wealthier, white kids who come in, whose parents are very much conservative, who are like ‘no, that's not right.’ People need to start thinking for themselves for once."

This paradigm has given Aurora the opportunity to see a divide in SNHU's student body, particularly in diversity as well as socio-economic status.

"There is a massive population of white students here,” Aurora said. “I feel like the white, wealthy students have been prioritized here over the impoverished students who aren't really given a chance. I see that, and it upsets me."

According to SNHU's Consumer Information, 54 percent of students identify as white while 20 percent remain unknown. Meanwhile, 66 percent of students are receiving financial aid and 56 percent of students are using student loans.

But she feels as if college is an opportunity for those more unaware to be socially

educated. "A study was done about how a lot of people who don't go through college have a higher prejudice rate against things they don't understand versus people who go to college, get met with all kinds of diversity, and become less prejudice,” Aurora said. “So, when someone is prejudice in college, they're basically equating themselves as being uneducated...You might have that degree, but you're not socially educated. And that, in my opinion, is just as bad."

She continued by saying, "No one should be shunned for who they are. I don't let being a vet affect my identity. I honestly keep my vet status hidden...Personally I've been verbally attacked for saying that I was a veteran and being transgender at the same time.”

But if you ever feel like you're alone too, Aurora wants you to know that you have a friend in her. "Find a space that is safe. If you can't find one, come find me.

I will help you find a space that is safe."

OPINION

Why I Hate Valentine’s Day Catherine LaChance Sports Editor

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Laana DePina Opinion Editor

lace for another girl. He even went so far as to spell out her name, while mine was just this basic necklace that had no special meaning. I was his friend, and he didn’t want me to feel lonely on the one day of the year when everyone is supposed to have a significant other. It was yet another Valentine’s Day with no one to share it with.

As I went through high school and into college, Valentine’s Day became much

high pressure “holiday” put forth by the media to lure people into buying gifts for their significant others. But if you’re like me, and don’t have a special someone in your life on Valentine’s Day, you’re forced to sit back and watch all your taken friends celebrate with bouquets of flowers, movie nights and candle lit dinners. Not to mention the countless Instagram and Facebook posts we see from everyone, showcas-

foil ball out of the wrappers.

This year is my first V-day in a relationship, and it is safe to say, I’m excited! My girlfriend and I share the same enthusiasm, and even though there is some pressure around making sure everything goes

well, we’re both just excited to spend a day gushing over each other.

To me, Valentine’s Day is more about being authentic about love and all the ways it can be expressed rather than the actual act of gift giving.

It’s important to tell the people you care about that you love them as often as you can, but I feel that Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to embarrass them while letting them know exactly how much they mean to you.

Palentine’s Day (Cause We’re Friends) Even without proclaiming my love to my ten closest friends, Valentine’s Day still has its perks. The sweets are abundant. Pastries, cupcakes, cookies, candy and too much chocolate to handle. What’s not to like?

Candy is a staple of the Valentine’s Day diet. The skittles with To: and From: on their individual pouches.

The Fun-Dip that only comes in red, with white hearts on the hard-to-open packaging.

My personal favorites are red and white M&M's and aluminum-wrapped Hershey’s kisses. M&M’s are always customizable, but there is something nostalgic about unwrapping a Hershey’s kiss and making an aluminum

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I don’t get why people hate Valentine’s Day. There is something to be said about people giving each other cheesy cards and showing their love in the most public way possible. I love it.

The pink and red color palette brings me joy, especially when it’s directed at me.

For years, even when I was single, I celebrated Valentine’s Day. My friends and I would have a secret Santaesque gift giving escapade.

We would find lovey-dovey gifts from the dollar store and write joking love notes to each other to place in the glittery bags.

more significant than it had previously been. It’s more than making necklaces and eating candy from all your classmates. No more chalky letters spelling out meaningful messages like “U R A QT” and “Be Mine.” Everyone at least felt somewhat included back then because we were forced to deliver cheesy, store bought cards with TV or movie characters on them for everyone in the class.

Now, Valentine’s Day is a

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Although a day of mouthwatering chocolates, romance, and giant teddy bears may be great for those who are in relationships, Valentine’s Day is a cut through the throat for us single people.

Being single on February 14 is a disappointing reminder that we do not have a “special someone” in our lives. For 19 years, I have been watching friends and family gush over how beautiful the concept of Valentine’s Day is, but I have never been able to understand why this day is so important.

The closest thing I’ve had to a valentine was in elementary school when a friend of mine made a beaded necklace for me during craft time on Valentine’s Day. I thought that was the most gorgeous creation any man could give me.

I was hopeful that he would be my Valentine until I saw him making a neck-

ing their love for their partners. I get it. You’re dating.

You love each other. I don’t need to see your mushygushy love fest in my feed.

Not only is it painful for me to watch, the hype of the day can also be very stressful for those in relationships.

Valentine’s Day started off as a day to celebrate the love shared between two people, but has grown into this overly commercialized, dramatic shindig. It’s a spectacle put together by florists, greeting card companies, jewelry companies and the makers of stuffed animals. Valentine’s Day is a scheme set forth by these companies to bribe anxious people into getting overpriced gifts for their significant others.

Valentine’s Day is a gimmick. February 14 has no special meaning to it. It should be just like any other day, when single people don’t have to question why they’re single, and taken people love their significant other unconditionally regardless of any external influences.

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arts and news entertainment Waterparks’ “Entertainment”- Pop Punk Perfection

Emma Sheehan Layout Editor

lationship. The lyrical rawness throughout the album signals the maturation of the band as a whole.

One exceptional part of Waterparks’ music is their stellar use of electronic effects. An especially well-done example is

in the autotune-heavy “Crybaby,” a deep cut from the album.

Instead of compensating for vocal ability, the effect gives lead singer Awsten Knight’s voice an almost haunting emotional quality.

What really sets “Enter-

Jawn Rocha

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Originating in Houston, Texas, up and coming trio Waterparks are back on their newest album, appropriately titled “Entertainment.”

The band’s sophomore LP solidifies their unique brand of electronica-driven pop punk and proves the band is here to stay.

Following the musical path set out by the band’s 2016 debut “Double Dare,” this album does not differ much in general sound, but does seem more mature.

Produced in part by Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden, “Entertainment” offers 10 songs that recall the fun and upbeat sounds of bands like All Time Low and The Summer Set. “Entertainment” mainly tells the ins and outs of luck and love. This is immediately

present in the album’s opening track “11:11” – “I must’ve caught you from 11:11 / My lucky number 7.”

It’s not all sweet and happy though. “Blonde” tells the struggles of touring, “We Need To Talk” describes a failing re-

tainment” apart is each song’s unique flair – no two really sound the same.

“Tantrum” shows more of an edge, “Lucky People” is totally acoustic. Some songs are slower (“Crybaby” and “We Need To Talk”), some are upbeat and danceable (“Blonde”), and some are just super catchy (“Peach (Lobotomy),” “Not Warriors”). The album has a good variety in pace, but is still sonically similar enough to be a unit.

At its heart, “Entertainment” is just fun. Running at a total of 33 minutes, the album leaves no space for filler, and is a quick, easy listen for those looking for new music.

While it is a major improvement from their first album, there is still room for the group to grow. “Entertainment” will definitely entertain you, but will leave you craving more.

“The Commuter,” An Intense, Action-Packed Thriller Kevin Guimond Staff Writer

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But the movie failed to even show their death. If a movie is going to inform us that a character we like is not going to make it, they should at least make up for it with an appropriate tragic death moment.

“The Commuter” was an

Lionsgate

Once again, Liam Neeson has impressed viewers with his abilities in an action-filled movie as an aging actor. Similarly done in “Taken,” Neeson delivers an impressive performance in “The Commuter.”

With countless minutes of adrenaline-filled fight scenes that keep viewers on the edge of their seats, Liam Neeson certainly packs a punch at the age of 65 in this action-thriller flick.

Prior to the main events in “The Commuter,” there appears to be a hefty amount of setup for what happens during the film. The movie provides viewers with numerous reasons why Michael (Neeson), the protagonist of the film, ends up risking his life on the train.

The audience learns that Michael has just lost his job at a very inconvenient time, just short of retirement and still struggling financially. He then encounters a woman who approaches him with a vague yet tempting offer: Find $100,000 right now and it’s yours. But it’s not all that it seems.

The action ramps up almost immediately. Some examples

of the creative and enjoyable action that follows would be Michael battling somebody with a guitar, being stuck underneath the train as it moves, and having to jump from an exploding train car into another one. As Liam Neeson’s character fights as well as strategically maneuvers on the train for his survival and cash payout, viewers see just how heavily invested Neeson’s character is in the moment.

This film does contain a few flaws that fans of action movies had reason to look down upon. One to note is just how much of a stretch the plot was overall. What if Michael didn’t accept the vague offer from the strange and shady woman? The events that occur in this film simply wouldn’t have happened.

Another flaw that I found this movie held was in the death of a certain character. In action movies, we know that a lot of people tend to die, and we gain attachments to certain characters that we like. With that, it often interests us which of our characters can survive and which we have to watch a painful death for. One character however, likely died from an exploding train after not jumping out, unlike Michael.

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overall enjoyable film, with many great moments of pulsepounding intensity coming from an aging, yet well-performing Liam Neeson. The story that unfolds is one that is unique, with viewers gaining sympathy for Michael,

who finds himself in more of a rough situation than he bargains for. Fans of action movies will find “The Commuter” to be an enjoyable watch, so long as they don’t mind how much of a stretch the story comes out to be at moments.

Arts and news Entertainment "Molly's Game" is Worth Playing

Zach Meisel Staff Writer

STX Entertainment

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In a world full of fake, Hollywoodized true stories, director Aaron Sorkin keeps “Molly’s Game” entertainment value high while ensuring the facts stay true to the real story.

Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) began ranked third in North America for women’s skiers with seemingly nothing in her way. When an accident happens on the slopes costs Molly her Olympic career, she takes some time off to figure her life out.

Through some questionable life decisions and certain happenstance Molly ends up the proprietor of a high stakes poker game. A couple of years after she has stopped hosting poker games the police come and arrest Molly, take her money, and force herself to defend herself with nothing.

Molly meets many interesting people throughout her time running poker. They range from members of the Russian mafia to famous Hol-

lywood actors. The most interesting being the man portrayed

by Michael Cera named Player X, who in real life is Tobey Maguire. One of the biggest pulls “Molly’s Game” has is a factual peek behind the veil of the rich.

Aaron Sorkin shows his years spent writing for movies like “The Social Network,” “Moneyball,” and “A Few Good Men” makes him a perfect match to transition into directing. With seamless transitions and pacing that keeps the film moving but doesn’t lose the small details, Sorkin knows how to command the screen and keep the audience interested.

Sorkin followed the source material and Molly Bloom’s own input to ensure the story was told truthfully. The only notable factual discrepancy is Idris Elba’s character Charlie Jaffey, to make a simple court case more interesting and emotional.

Though the constant narration can, at times, feel unnecessary because of what’s on the

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screen, this comes with the difficulty of adapting a memoir.

The jumping between events that happened in the book and dealing with Molly’s court case can grow a bit tiring, but Sorkin does a good job of keeping both stories interesting.

Jessica Chastain is as fantastic as always along with Id-

ris Elba (Charlie Jaffey), who plays Molly’s lawyer. Kevin Costner, who plays Molly’s father Larry Bloom, does a great job as a stern father figure.

Chastain and Elba carry the story with their passion and care for the source material.

The story of Molly Bloom is both interesting and sur-

prisingly uplifting. Watching her lose everything not once, but twice and continue fighting and never playing the victim was the biggest take away from the movie for me. That along with Sorkin’s directing and strong performances from Chastain and Elba make Molly’s Game worth viewing.

virtual chats allows the user to speak and be heard using a headset or a microphone of some sort.

Ugandan Knuckles essentially spawned on VRChat when GAZTONS and another member began to talk using exaggerated African accents.

To further the uprising of this

meme GAZTONS just so happened to be sporting an avatar that resembled the Sonic character Knuckles the Echidna.

The meme itself was born.

From that point forward people caught on to the success of Ugandan Knuckles and it took off. GAZTONS, the creator of the meme, had his account banned because of the following he was able to gain and VRChat became a home for the new meme.

As time progressed, Ugandan Knuckles began to take on other cultures as well and embraced their stereotypes. For example, a Russian Knuckles was created that appears wearing the U.S.S.R hat as well as having his legs replaced with a tank; the users would typically yell with a Russian accent. The point of this is that, while the meme had great intentions, it ultimately became a way to exploit other cultures in a way that plays on all of the stereotypes altogether. One of the taglines for Ugandan Knuckles is “You have to have Ebola to know de way.” This clearly plays on the stereotype that

all people from Uganda seem to have Ebola, which just isn’t true. In the case of memes this meme was a refreshing meme for the world, but the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

From that point forward multiple users that took on the role of Ugandan Knuckles, created an avatar that resembled either Knuckles the Echidna or Sonic the Hedgehog. These users would run around the virtual world and approach people and state their signature phrase, “Do you know de way?” and in most cases would appoint a random user, usually a female, as their Queen. They would follow the Queen wherever she went and listen and do whatever she’d ask.The meme has garnered a lot of attention and even getting a trap remix by 15 year old artist Benji Kameya. Furthermore Ugandan Knuckles has also found itself being intertwined with past memes like Shooting Stars and earning its own snapchat filter.

The meme itself has come and it’s on it’s way out but it’s still leading de way.

Ugandan Knuckles, A Meme That Made History

Troy Robinson Arts and Entertainment Editor Toward the end of Winter Break the internet was relatively bland and the world and memes were the same. However a man with the account name of GAZTONS would start up one of the world’s most influ-

ential memes. VRChat along with GAZTONS gave birth to the meme formally known as Ugandan Knuckles.

VRChat is a Virtual Reality Chat that allows the user to create their own avatar and explore and create virtual worlds and make friends. Now this chat unlike other online

The Queen

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penmen ABROAD Welcoming Russia as a New Partnership

Rachel Romeo Penmen Abroad Editor

St. Petersburg Polytechnic University

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The Study Abroad Program at SNHU strives to provide students with the opportunity to travel the globe while continuing their education. The program works diligently to create partnerships with various countries.

As of now, SNHU has welcomed students to study in continents including Europe, South America and Asia.

Recently SNHU has created a new partnership with Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, located in Russia. This new destination was officially finalized in November of 2017.

“It took around two years, and different meetings at the annual International Education Conference (NAFSA)” said Stefano Parenti, Director of the Study Abroad program.

The partnership was made

The new St. Petersburg partnership encourages students to gain a new perspective on Russia.

to give SNHU students the opportunity to develop new perspectives on the world around them. The Study Abroad program hopes that with the inclusion of Russia, students can embrace differ-

ences between countries, and develop their educational outlook within the changing world.

“Because we continue to dream for a world of peace, freedom and inclusiv-

ity, founded on more awareness… We believe that, unfortunately, most of the Western mainstream gives a “daily” false and propagandistic representation of [Russia],” said Parenti. “The Study

Abroad [program] at St. Petersburg is a concrete way to go above and beyond this narrative, the not-inclusiveidea of “comfort zone,” to open a real window on this important part of the world, to give to our community and the students an opportunity to be part of those who want to build “bridges” and get other perspectives rather than to be just a silent spectator.”

Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University has also been noted as one of the most prestigious universities in Russia. High esteem is placed in the subjects of economics, humanities, and engineering.

Offered as a summer program, students are encouraged to attend the one to four week exploration into the country of Russia where they can learn more about the city of St. Petersburg and its unique history.

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Students Cash in on Spending Money Abroad Lindsey Montpelier Staff Writer

Studying abroad gives students the chance to learn in another country, while also allowing them the opportunity to travel. Unfortunately, spending money while abroad can be a bit overwhelming.

Not only are students spending money on weekend trips around the world, but they also want to make sure they have some money for extra spending. Luckily, many SNHU students who have had the opportunity to study abroad have come back with advice on how to budget.

Three students in particular, who survived and thrived during their semester abroad, had a lot to say about their experience with money. Breana Diaz (’18), a fashion and merchandising major, spent last semester abroad in Florence, Italy

and was a bit worried when she first heard about bringing money with her while abroad.

“Before signing up for going abroad I had a meeting with the study abroad office, and I was told how much I should bring minimally.

The second I saw $4,000 I thought, never mind, I would never be able to afford that,” Diaz explained.

“I wanted it bad enough that I worked so hard over the summer and worked on Excel to figure out a budget plan while I was out there.”

Stephanie Anderson (’18), who spent last semester abroad in Limerick, Ireland, and Ericka Broderick (’18), who also spent her time abroad in Florence, Italy, had very similar ideas on saving up money the summer before their semester abroad. Broderick explained her strategy by saying, “I pinched every penny I made with my summer job to save

as much money as possible.”

Anderson, who had some experience with traveling and spending money abroad, elaborated more about her first thoughts by saying, “I didn’t feel that the school pressured me money wise at all, to me it was very much bring what you can and how much you want to.”

Another topic that two of the women touched upon was the idea of getting all the trips you want to take while abroad planned before leaving. Diaz elaborated more on how she accomplished this by saying, “I also pre bought almost all my trips so that I had saved money instead of waiting until while I was over there.”

“I think one of the best things I did was booking my larger trips in the very beginning of the semester,” Anderson said, “I highly recommend doing this. It allows you to have something

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to look forward to throughout the semester and it also is a way to make sure that you have room in your budget for the places you most want to go.”

All three students also gave their insight on how to budget while being abroad.

Broderick felt as though her experience with money while abroad was a bit more hectic and unplanned.

“I wish I budgeted more.

Some days you feel so selfconscious about spending because you want it to last and other [days] you get excited and want to treat yourself or get a gift for your family,” she said. “But I think creating a budget plan would’ve eased some stress.”

Diaz on the other hand, had her monetary expenses drawn out after doing some basic research. When asked for some advice on budgeting, she said, “Make columns for trips, food, shop-

ping and any outside bills, think of it all so that you have a smooth transition into a beautiful country.”

“Spending money while abroad is just like spending money here at home. You spend it on the things you want to do and like doing, but you have to be careful how much you spend and also make sure your information is safe,” Anderson said.

All in all, each student agreed on having a balance in regards to spending. Whether that be from trips to other countries, buying gifts for loved ones or spending some money on yourself while shopping or eating unique, cultural foods.

Broderick’s final thought on bringing money abroad was, “sometimes you have to give yourself permission to treat yourself because it’s a once in lifetime experience.”

SPORTS

SNHU Alum Devin Gilligan Travels to Sweden to Play Professional Basketball Catherine LaChance Sports Editor

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[our] own accomplish their dream. Devin deserves every opportunity that has come his way. In [my] 33 years coaching at this university, [we] never had anyone work harder to improve their game.

He’s a great teammate, leader, student, who represented everything that this university stands for.”

“Coach Spirou and the rest of the staff helped me in many ways,” said Devin, reflecting on his time at SNHU with Coach Spirou. “But the most important part for my

development was he let me play through mistakes and be myself on the court. There were plenty of times my first two years that he could have gotten frustrated with me and went in a different direction, but he always trusted me to bounce back from mistakes and give my all to help the team. That trust that he had in me built up my confidence and was huge in me getting to this point.”

Devin has always known he wanted to play professionally, and his drive, talent and

work ethic have allowed him to achieve that goal. Devin looks forward to playing with Sweden’s KFUM Nassjo Basket and looks to continue improving his game.

“Basketball has taught me work ethic,” said Devin. “If you want something, you have to be willing to work harder than everyone else. I’m hopeful that I will be playing basketball a long time, but whenever it ends, I will be able to use the work ethic I have developed through years of playing to strive for new goals.”

Nassjo Basket

While most of us ponder what occupation will best suit our futures, SNHU graduate and former star basketball player, Devin Gilligan, has his career figured out. Ever since he was a child, Devin knew he wanted to be a professional basketball player. When he was young and would go to his grandparents’ home in Vermont and shoot hoops, excitement and joy would fill his veins every time he made a basket. He always said that basketball was something he wanted to do as a career, and on Thanksgiving Day, 2017, he made that dream a reality.

He flew to Sweden to live out his dream where he now plays for a top professional team.

Devin, who is from Amherst, New Hampshire, is playing for KFUM Nassjo Basket, a well-known professional Swedish team that participates in the country’s toptier premier basketball league, the Basketligan League. There are only eight teams in the Basketligan League, each one being just as competitive and talented as the others, whether ranked first or last.

When Devin first joined KFUM Nassjo Basket in November, the team sat in the eighth spot; however, after much training and teambuilding, Devin and KFUM Nassjo Basket knocked off first-ranked BC Lulea in their first game of the season to place them higher in the Basketligan rankings.

Before he travelled to Sweden, Devin was drafted by the Delaware 87ers, a top competitive team in the NBA. He went to training camp with them and met nationally recognized players such as 2004 NBA Rookie of the Year, Emeka Okafor. Unfortunately, he did not make the final roster; the 87ers chose a veteran

roster instead of welcoming new faces to the team. Even though he did not make the team, Devin gained knowledge about the professional aspects of basketball that he later carried over to his career in Sweden.

“I was the only player who hadn’t played high NCAA D1 basketball,” Devin said.

“While I was disappointed they ended up going with a veteran final roster, I left camp with new knowledge about how the game is played at that level. The most important part of camp for me was confirming my belief that I could play at a very high level.”

Devin traveled back to Manchester where he trained for the next step in his career after his release from the 87ers. There, he received a call from his agent, Andy Bountogianis, who said there was an opening on a team in Sweden, which he described as a “good fit” for Devin.

After much thought and consideration, Devin decided to accept the offer as he thought it would be a major step in the right direction for his career. Andy worked out the details of the contract with the coaches, and on Thanksgiving day, Devin set off to Sweden to pursue his lifelong dream.

“So far, I am loving Sweden and playing on this team,” Devin said. “My current contract runs to the end of this season but I could definitely see myself staying here for years to come if that’s what the best decision for my career is. My goal is to become the best player I can be and play for as long as my body allows, so I’m just planning on going one day at a time and seeing where that takes me.”

SNHU head basketball coach Stan Spirou is very happy with Devin’s accomplishments. He says that “as a basketball family, [we] are beyond proud to have one of

Gilligan plays for the Norrkoping-Dolphins for Sweden's KFUM Nassjo Basjet League.

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SPORTS

penmen profile: chris moquin Catherine LaChance Sports Editor

SNHU Penmen

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Whether it’s a person, a sport or an activity, everyone has a first love. Young or old, we all experience that compelling, unforgettable sensation of falling in love for the first time.

It fills the heart with passion and endearment.s. It makes the sun shine brighter, the grass grow greener and the ocean shimmer bluer. It leaves one’s heart feeling ten times bigger than it was before. Senior and Hooksett native Chris Moquin experienced his first love when he was just a young boy. At age three, he stepped onto the ice for his first hockey practice. He watched all the other boys in his class pass pucks back and forth in an organized fashion while he skated around the rink by himself, and the more he skated, he said, the more he “loved the sport.”

“While all the other boys were participating in an organized practice, I was skating around doing my own thing,” Moquin said. “At the time, I didn’t really want to participate in any drills or anything like the other kids were; I just wanted to skate around by myself. And I can’t tell you at what moment I was like, ‘Ok, I want to do this.’ But that was when I fell in love with hockey.”After taking his first steps on the ice, Moquin’s hockey career developed at an astonishing pace before ultimately earning him a key forward position on the SNHU hockey team. When he joined his first team, the New Hampshire Avalanche in Hooksett at age four, he grasped the importance that drills and organized activities have on his playing ability, while learning to greatly appreciate them. Following the Avalanche, he finished his youth career with the Seacoast Spartans in Exeter. Then, at age 14, he played two years of varsity hockey for Trinity High School in Manchester. During his second year, he helped lead the Trinity Pioneers to a New Hampshire state title.

The following year, he caught the attention of the

Senior captain Chris Moquin carries the puck up the ice.

New Hampshire Monarchs, a Tier III premier junior hockey team out of Hooksett. The Monarchs are part of the U.S. Premier Hockey League (USPHL) in the North Premier Region. In Moquin’s first season with the league, the Monarchs captured the Tier III National Hockey Championship with a win over the Mass Maple Leaves in 2012. This is a moment he describes as his “greatest achievement” as a hockey player. He continued to play for the Monarchs for two years, including a post-grad year after graduating from Trinity.

As one of the most well recognized teams in the country, the Monarchs have a positive reputation for preparing athletes like Moquin for college level and professional level hockey through proper coaching and physical training. Without the Monarchs, he said, playing collegiate hockey at the NCAA Division II level would have been a challenge, but through his three years training with the Monarchs, he became abundantly cultured in the sport of hockey.

“Playing for the Monarchs was really fun and just a really great program to play for,”he said. “It developed me into a more mature hockey player. I also had the best coaches. They

just really knew how to connect with the players. I started working out for the first time with them, getting in the gym and connecting hockey with the physical training, so that was a big start.”

Throughout his career as a SNHU Penmen, he has scored 22 goals, 11 Power Play goals, and made 22 assists and 1 hat trick . This season alone, he has scored 13 goals, made 3 assists, and made 7 Power Play goals, the most of any Penmen. He is ranked third in the country by the NCAA in Divisions II and III for most power play goals in a single season.

“I’d always been in a position where I was dependent on putting up points,” he said in reference to scoring goals. “I enjoyed doing my job and not worrying about other things because my teammates would take care of them.”

Not only does he score the most goals, Moquin acts as the lone head captain of the SNHU Penmen. This role encourages him to set an example of what a leader looks like both on and off the ice.

“I think leadership has been big,” he said. “I’m setting an example. I keep things light; I do not get too stressed out, but I also don’t let things get out of hand. There's a time

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to joke around and there's a time where you gotta reel it in and be focused. Or whether its nightlife on the weekends, you gotta be responsible. I think guys have seen me set that example. Since I’ve got this leadership role, we’ve been doing well on the ice, contributing to the community and staying out of trouble.”

Leadership is Moquin’s biggest priority as captain. He sets a positive example of a successful leader by making sure every player stays on task while doing the job they are required to do. With that leadership comes the responsibility for maintaining a mutual respect for every player on the team. He believes a transparent field of communication is ideal for a team to succeed. To do so, he has a strong individual relationship with every player.

These relationships will in turn result in a stronger, more wellconnected team.

A lot of Moquin's leadership and success stems from his father, Craig Moquin.

Craig was always a hockey lover, but was unable to play.

Due to monetary restraints, Craig’s mother did not allow him or any of his brothers to play organized hockey as children. So instead being enrolled in a learn-to-play hockey pr-

gram, they picked up the game by themselves. When they got older and started having children, Craig and his brothers were ready to have a hockey player in the family.

When Chris was born, they pushed him into playing the sport at a competitive level. Chris is thankful they did because he ultimately fell in love with the sport and never looked back.

Moquin looks at his father as an inspiration and a warrior. When Chris was a young boy, his father was diagnosed with cancer. Doctors said he’d be cancer free after the first bout, but it came back seven times. He was in and out of the hospital before the doctors were certain the cancer would never come back, and has now been cancer free for three years. Despite this hardship, he kept a positive attitude and never gave up, and that is a quality Chris has admired and obtained.

“My dad and I have a special relationship,” Chris said.

“Throughout all of his life, he was never complaining, never depressed about his situation.

It was like you never would’ve known. It was like he wasn’t sick at all. My dad’s sickness has taught me a lot about obstacles life will throw your way.

He taught me to never give up and keep pushing no matter how difficult times may seem.”

Chris now looks to the next chapter of his hockey career.

Now that he’s graduating, he is looking at options to continue playing hockey. Because he has another year of NCAA eligibility left, he is considering staying at SNHU for grad school in the fall. He is also looking into men’s leagues in the area, as well as professional teams in Europe.

“There's a lot of pro leagues and a lot of European teams out there, so there could be a spot for me,” Moquin said, contemplating his future. “I want to drag this thing out as long as possible. It has never done anything wrong to me, and I’d say until that happens, I’m going to love it forever."