Penmen Press Volume XXIX Issue IV

Penmen

Six Companies Bid To Be SNHU’s Dining Vendor

Chris Tutt Co-Editor-in-Chief

SNHU’s contract with its current dining vendor, Sodexo, is coming to an end after 14 years. Sodexo is the only vendor SNHU has had because prior to their contract, SNHU did their dining services in-house. Currently, there are six companies bidding to take on the role; this creates the question: who is going to be feeding SNHUdents in the future?

The six companies vying for a contract are as follows: Aladdin Campus Dining, American Dining Creations, ARAMARK, Compass Group - Chartwells, NEXDINE, and Sodexo. Of these six companies, three are national vendors and three are regional vendors. The typical length of a contract

is 10-12 years; however, because of COVID-19, SNHU’s extended its contract with Sodexo until the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30, 2023.

“There’s a committee formed with Sue Elsass [Associate Dean, Student Affairs & Campus Initiatives], that’s reviewing bids for companies who would be interested in filling SNHU’s dining needs. SGA has representatives on this committee that are advocating for the best possible student experience,” said SGA President Stephanie Matte (‘23).

Students from this committee will travel to four locations where the dining vendor is different than Sodexo. The committee will include

SGA members, international students, and athletes, among others. These students will have a chance to represent the student body and give feedback on each vendor option.

While the contract is up in June, the University hopes to transition in May, with the 2023-2024 school year being the last deadline. The dining plan format will also be a part of the contract and has not yet been decided upon.

No decisions have been made regarding the contract. It is possible that Sodexo could renew with the school. Until the University makes a final decision, SNHUdents will need to remain patient about the future of their dining experience.

SNHU’s Academic Calender

Lillian Nelson Lifestyle Editor

SNHU started its Fall ‘22 semester on August 29 and is currently progressing through the 2022-2023 academic calendar. The fall semester ends on December 18 and final grades will be available on December 20.

SNHU observed Veterans Day on November 11 by canceling all classes and closing offices. Thanksgiving break began on November 22, when dorms closes, and ended the following Sunday, November 27.

Online classes, which are eight-week courses, started on October 24 and will end on December 18. Online and oncampus students have the same end date for the fall semester.

Dorm halls close on December 16.

The Spring ‘23 semester for undergraduate students begins on January 2, 2023. Students can return to campus on January 1 and classes will resume on January 2; the term ends on April 23. Spring classes began on January 3 last year, but students only returned to campus following a two-week remote period after the holidays.

Spring Break this year is the week of March 13, which is also when the senior trip will take place. Next academic year, Fall ‘23 students will return to campus on August 28 and the fall semester will run until December 17. Dates are subject to change.

Summer courses this year will run from May 1, 2023 to August 20, 2023.

Graduate students at SNHU are also in the middle of their semesters. SNHU’s graduate calendar this year is as follows: Graduate programs consist of 10-week terms and the 2023 graduate schedule is starting in January. The January 2023 term starts on January 30 and ends on April 9. The April term starts on April 17 and ends on June 25. The July term begins on July 3 and ends on September 10.

More information on both the undergraduate and graduate academic calendars can be found on SNHU’s website, snhu.edu.

Meet Dine SNHU’s New Dietitian: Chelsae Gordon

Yona Voss-Andreae Staff Writer

Chelsae Gordon has taken over as Campus Dietitian at Dine SNHU as of October. After working with Sodexo at the Parkland Medical Center based in Derry, NH, she began her new role.

Chelsae is a Registered Dietitian. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in nutritional science from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, as well as a master’s degree in public health.

In her role on campus, she engages in many facets relating to health and wellness. Some of these responsibilities include managing the SNHU refueling station for student-athletes. She also oversees the operation of the allergen-free “Simple Servings” station in the dining hall, which prepares meals free of the seven most common allergens: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, and gluten.

However, the part of her job that she values most is using her education and experience to help students.

“I counsel students on a number of different topics, ranging from eating disorders, weight management, medical nutrition therapy, food allergies/intolerances, sports nutrition, and overall healthy eating,” said Gordon. “This type of work is my favorite, as you can really get to know the student and individualize your nutrition recommendations to really suit their needs.”

Events that build community and teach students the best ways to make healthy decisions have also been brought to campus. At last month’s session, students got to make their own trail mix bars.

“These sessions are great to get out there and meet more students, as well as provide a fun study snack,” said Gordon.

On October 25, students were able to get their hands on local apple varieties and focus on sustainable nutrition as part of Sustainability Week.

Gordon is just getting started on campus and is looking forward to hitting the ground running. “I’d love to get more involved in campus life; perhaps more nutrition education sessions or even cooking demos,

that type of thing,” Gordon said.

Gordon also wants students to know that she is there for them. “Come drop by and introduce yourself. Let me know what I can do to help. I encourage any student with nutrition questions or concerns to reach out to me via email to set up a meeting,” said Gordon. Her office is located in the Dining Center, next to Just Desserts.

Students can follow her Instagram @ChelsaeRD or send her an email at chelsae.gordon@ sodexo.com.

New dietitian, Chelsae Gordon. (Image courtesy: Meg Cook)

A&E & Opinion

“Mastermind” Taylor Swift Releases Latest Original Album

Taylor Posik Co-Editor-in-Chief

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s latest musical project, “Midnights,” was released on October 21. It is the long-awaited first new album to be released since “Evermore” (2020), bringing her collection to ten albums.

The artist hyped up her fans in a social media post, stating, “Midnights, the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life, will be out October 21. Meet me at midnight.”

Swift revealed the titles of her songs in a mini-series, “Midnights Mayhem With Me,” that can be found on the Instagram account @taylornation.

The album contains thirteen songs, with musical artist Lana Del Rey being featured in her fourth track, “Snow On The Beach.” She also released a “3am Edition,” which offers twenty songs. In addition, her Target exclusive “Lavender Edition” offers three bonus tracks for listeners to enjoy.

“I think ‘Midnights’ is Taylor’s best album she has created, lyrically and musically,” said Dolores Perry (‘24). “My favorite song is ‘Anti-Hero’ [because] it has a catchy, upbeat melody that I cannot get out of my head.”

On October 31, Swift made history by filling the top 10 slots on the Billboard Hot 100, with her number one song being “Anti-Hero.”

“I think that Taylor filling up the Billboard Top Ten is a huge accomplishment and a great legacy she has created for many new artists who are trying to get into the music industry,” said Perry.

During the summer of 2022, the artist released her single, “Carolina” (2022), which was

featured in the film adapted from Delia Owen’s “Where the Crawdads Sing” (2018). It was only a matter of time before Swift dazzled her fans with the release of a full album containing fresh, original music.

For the past couple of years, Swift has been releasing her Taylor’s Version albums, including “Fearless: Taylor’s Version” (2021) and “Red: Taylor’s Version” (2021), along with rerecorded singles “Wildest Dreams” (2021) and “This Love” (2022). This is in accordance with the deal she made with her previous record label, Big Machine Records, after her rights of ownership for her first six albums were taken away.

“When Taylor was not given the option to purchase her own music, [it] left me so sad for her since she has worked so hard to own and write the music that she created in the first place,” said Perry. “My favorite album I am waiting for is ‘1989.’ My favorite songs are between ‘Out of the Woods’ and ‘Bad Blood.’ These two songs are both catchy and both have very popular music videos. I am excited

to hear what her new version of this album would sound like.”

Now the only question that remains is, what is Swift’s next move? Fans of the artist (Swifties) can only speculate if she is planning to release a new rendition of either “Speak Now” (2010) or “1989” (2014). All Swifties can do is continue to watch out for clues the singer-songwriter may drop.

While fans wait for her next collection of music, they also have something else to look forward to; Swift recently announced her upcoming tour, The Eras Tour.

“I am thrilled about the new concert. When the album first came out, I told my boyfriend that she is going to announce a huge tour since she hadn’t in over four years,” said Perry, who also stated that she will be signing up for presale tickets upon announcement.

SNHUdent Swifties can look forward to her upcoming tour. For now, her latest album and other musical works can be listened to on streaming services or downloaded from the iTunes store.

Taylor Swift’s Midnights vinyl. (Image courtesy: Emily Blais)

Lifestyle

SNHU’s Campus Master’s Programs and Being a Graduate Student

Taylor Posik Co-Editor-in-Chief

With the end of the Fall ‘22 semester approaching, graduating students are preparing for the next steps in their careers. For many, this includes putting in applications for master’s programs.

SNHU has a select number of offerings for on-campus programs. Degrees students can earn include a Master of Science (MS), a Master of Education (MEd), a Master of Fine Arts (MFA), a Master of Business Administration (MBA), or a Master of Arts (MA). Additionally, students have over 100 online Master’s programs to select from, which can be found at https:// www.snhu.edu/online-degrees/ masters.

During the application process, there are several factors that play into acceptance, according to the Assistant Director in the Office of Graduate and Transfer Admission, Ron Pedro. Students looking to earn their MEd must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 in their undergraduate program, provide their transcript and resume, and go through an interviewing process. While a background in education is not required, it is recommended to have some experience with education and children.

The clinical MEd in elementary education, special education, early childhood education, and early childhood special education is a “sixteen-month dual certification program, which means students will come out of the program being certified in an area of special ed as well as either elementary or early childhood,” said Pedro. “The tuition cost is

$700 a credit, but what is really nice is that in the elementary and general special education (SPED) program, they are getting $1000 monthly stipends that will really help them as they go along.”

Meanwhile, there are other paths students can take; Julio Betar (‘22), a Resident Assistant in Kingston Hall, is going for his MS in Business Analytics.

“I just started my master’s this fall, and I started online because I’m graduating in a year...this semester I’m doing four classes. I did one in the first term and three throughout this semester,” said Betar. “I’m enjoying it a lot. It’s definitely challenging, but I think that’s what all of us want. There’s no point in taking a class or pursuing your master’s if you’re not willing to challenge yourself.”

Betar also described that, while the workload is more difficult, the course schedule is more flexible than that of an undergraduate student, who commonly takes five to six classes per semester.

Being a graduate student on campus also allows for participation that an undergraduate student would have. “Playing football [soccer] this semester, too, and getting a new job as an RA, it’s very demanding but I’m definitely glad,” said Betar.

Other graduate students, such as Xander Williams (‘22), Kingston RA and Brewed Awakening Cafe Manager, also take campus courses and remain active on campus.

“I did my undergrad in a threeyear bachelor’s program here. I did that in business administration and I felt that I wanted to continue

my education a little bit further before going out full-time, and so since I did my undergrad in three years, I figured why not take what would’ve been a typical fourth year to complete my bachelor’s degree,” said Williams.

Williams, who is working toward his MBA with a concentration in Marketing, went on to explain why he returned to campus.

“I feel really connected to the campus community,” said Williams. “I’ve lived on campus the whole time I’ve been at SNHU, and so that was really important to me to maintain that sense of community. I also find that I typically learn better in person - online I also am able to succeed - but I really value the time with professors that do inperson instruction.”

Williams also offered advice for students looking to work toward their Master’s. “Time management is a skill to hone in on before starting your program. I would say look at your program evaluation and keep connected with your grad advisor; they’re all super helpful, they’re definitely here to help you,” said Williams.

As students continue their studies, Betar encourages them to enjoy every moment of college.

“Planning is good, but then not stressing about it, like it will come as it goes. Appreciating the time that we have in college with our friends, teammates, and everyone [else] because it’s fleeting,” said Betar. “Don’t let that stress you out because you got great things coming, especially with all the hard work you put in learning from college and applying yourself.”

Women’s Tennis Captures First NE10 Title Since 2011-2012 Season

Chris Tutt Co-Editor-in-Chief

The SNHU women’s tennis team won the NE10 championship against Franklin Pierce on October 23, with a final score of 4-3. It is the first NE10 championship for the women since the 2011-2012 season.

Team captain Magdalena [Maggie] Hubickova (‘23) sees the championship win as a full circle moment after working towards it for such a long time.

“Winning the NE10 was such an amazing experience,” said Hubickova. “I was working towards this since my freshman year, and I am a senior now. It was even better than I expected. Everyone on the team [contributed].”

The entire team contributed to the championship, and it took full effort for the entire season to get there.

“As a team, we really came together and showed how strong we are; not only at the NE10 championship, but through the whole season,” said Hubickova. “The whole season was amazing. We didn’t lose a match and it was incredible.”

Head Coach Greg Coache, who took over coaching duties in 2007, observed qualities in his team that he considers special, though he still feels nostalgic from years past.

“They couldn’t have performed better, this was a magical year in many ways,” said Coache. “It brought back memories from 2012 when we won an NE10 and were undefeated as well. They were very good last year, but we fell a couple [of] games short in the semifinals. It was stunning to me

that [that] happened with such a strong team. This year, we are just as strong, and they really did come through.”

Hubickova’s tenure at SNHU has been a journey, but what she values most is the time spent here. Coache’s impact on her has helped her succeed during her time here at SNHU.

“I can’t believe it happened this quickly. This is my first normal year [after COVID-19], since the first part of my freshman year, and the experience has been just amazing. I think I grew as a tennis player, but also as a person here at SNHU,” said Hubickova. “[Coache] is amazing with how positive and supportive he is. I think now that we are a little bit older, we don’t need that much [help] with technique, but it is now more mental toughness and he’s really there for us.”

As captain, Hubickova has taken on important roles both on and off the court, and Coache enjoyed watching her flourish here at SNHU.

“When we made her captain, she really embraced that position more than anyone I’ve seen in the past,” said Coache. “She really embraced that [role] and instantly went to organizational stuff. She is always talking to the girls and is very motivating. Maggie was Player of the Year, so we already know how good she is. On the other hand, she always has very tough matches. There’s been a couple where they could have gone either way and [she] just fell short. What is great about her is that she didn’t mope, she just grabbed her

bag and went to the next court and started cheering... that is tremendous leadership.”

With the fall season finished, SNHU will begin preparing for the spring season, where they look to add more wins.

“Women’s tennis here at SNHU has a dual season, so [the NE10 championship] is in the fall, but we have regionals and nationals in the spring,” said Hubickova. “We will focus on what we did during [the regular] season which is doubles. Getting that first doubles point is very important to us. We will also focus on mental toughness.”

Having just taken home her second NE10 Player of the Year award, Hubickova said that, while she appreciates this award, she couldn’t have done it without her teammates.

“I am so happy that I got this award. I am working hard every day on the court and to get this award is really nice. However, it is not about me, this award goes to my team. They are the ones that are practicing with me, cheering me on off the court, and without them, I don’t think I win player of the year,” Hubickova said.

The team’s success was never-ending on the court; however, Coache noticed what went into the team’s achievements.

“I love their personalities, I love their team bonding, and they had a really good work ethic, practicing-wise,” said Coache. “The team bonding really pays off, they were a really solid unit, and all-in-all, it was the formula for success this year.”

Women’s XC Wins First Championship

Adam Dufault Sports Editor

The SNHU women’s cross country team won the NE-10 championship for the first time in program history at Saint Michael’s College on November 6. Graduate student Ashley Corcoran (‘21) and three other runners finished in the top ten of the championship race.

Heading into the weekend of the NE-10 championship, the Penmen were set as the favorites to win.

Corrina Obernesser (‘26), a rookie on the team, finished 28th out of the 107 competing runners, with a new personal best 6K time of 24:16.0, according to SNHU Penmen. Having won NE-10 Rookie of the Week for the week of October 26, she spoke on the team’s dynamic and the success she has had this season.

“Our team has really great

chemistry this year. We have been working together really good this year… We have a shot to go to Nationals, so that’s exciting. I feel very confident in our team’s ability,” said Obernesser.

After winning the NE-10 championship alongside her fellow runners, Obernesser sees what it takes in order for the team to be successful, which includes a good coach.

“Our coach has really been keeping the energy up lately,” said Obernesser. “He’s really encouraging every single lap. He’s yelling off our splits, and the energy at practice has just been really exciting recently. We’re working hard and working together every single practice, so it’s been fun.”

For the team to have obtained the title of NE-10 champions,

every runner had to contribute to maximize points. It was a historic season for Corcoran, who won the championship race.

The same week Obernesser won NE-10 Rookie of the Week, Corcoran took home NE10 Player of the Week; this honor tallied her fourth weekly award of the 2022 season

With a time of 21:27.7, Corcoran ran the third-fastest 6K in program history. Her time was six seconds behind the meet record set last year, and she has run the four fastest distance times in program history, according to SNHU Penmen.

With a season of strong chemistry and championship experience behind them, the women’s cross country team looks to repeat their success in years to come.

The Women’s XC team. (Image courtesy: Matt Obernesser)

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 monthly during the academic year and is printed on campus by Copies Plus. To contact the newspaper, please email us at penmenpress@snhu.edu