Issuu

Volume XXVII

Issue 5

February 5, 2021

penmenpress.com

THE

PENMEN PRESS Writing SNHUâ€™s Story

Blackout Week Returns To SNHU

Fall Sports Canceled but Spring Sports Hopeful

Why SNHU Should Reopen In The Fall

2 | News

MEET THE

STAFF Co-Editor-in-Chief Grace Mage

Co-Editor-in-Chief Daniel Hopler

Business Manager

Events Manager

Marketing Manager

Sports Editor

Senior Copy Editor

News Co-Editor

Lifestyle Editor

Layout Editor

Online Manager

A&E/Opinion Editor

Faculty Adviser

Julie Armstrong

Bailey Arnold-Fuchs

Hailey Tremaine

Eliza Fandel

Stefan Karlberg

Ryan Barrett

Kyle Griffin

Andrew Wilson

Now Hiring!

Sofia Barassi

Now Hiring!

Jon Boroshok

The Penmen Press | 3

THIS MONTH’S

EVENTS

Sunday, February 7

Friday, February 12

Tuesday, February 23

Theta Phi “Sleepover”

Among Us with SNHU Gaming!

CAPE Late Night Podcast

Join the sisters of Theta Phi Alpha for a self care night!

Get your tasks ready for some Among Us with Gaming Club! Don’t worry, this announcement isn’t sus, we wrote this in electrical.

Come join CAPE’s first student Podcast! With your host Leo, Nick and Justin introducing themselves, why they chose SNHU and their SNHU experiences. We will be streaming live on Twitch so if you have a question for us pop it in the chat!

7:00PM - 8:00PM

Monday, February 8 Vintage Disney Game Night with Phi Psi

2:00PM - 5:00PM

https://meetings.ringcentral. com/j/1493738355

7:30PM - 8:30PM

Monday, February 15

Tuesday, February 9

Spill the Tea About the Bachelor

CAPE Late Night Podcast 10:00PM - 11:00PM

Wednesday, February 10 CAPE’s Weekly Bingo 8:00PM - 9:00PM

8:00PM - 10:00PM

10:00PM - 11:00PM

https://www.twitch.tv/capesnhu

Wednesday, February 24

Come spill the tea with the sisters of Theta Phi Alpha about who will get a rose on this episode of the Bachelor!

CAPE’s Weekly Bingo

Tuesday, February 16

https://meetings.ringcentral. com/j/1488211131

CAPE Late Night Podcast 10:00PM - 11:00PM

Come to Bingo for a chance to win some awesome prizes!

https://www.twitch.tv/capesnhu

https://meetings.ringcentral. com/j/1488211131

Wednesday, February 17 CAPE’s Weekly Bingo 8:00PM - 9:00PM

Come to Bingo for a chance to win some awesome prizes! https://meetings.ringcentral. com/j/1488211131

8:00PM - 9:00PM

Come to Bingo for a chance to win some awesome prizes!

Friday, February 26 My Best Friend’s Wedding Movie Trivia 8:00PM - 9:00PM

Join Penmen Press and CAPE for a Kahoot trivia night after watching My Best Friend’s Wedding on Zoom with CAPE! Play for a chance to win awesome prizes!

4 | News

News

The Penmen Press | 5

Why You Should Apply for Scholarships and Learn About Your SNHU Bill Stefan Karlberg News Co-Editor Even though the spring semester just began, it’s time for students to start thinking about paying next semester’s tuition. That can be a very scary thought, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many ways to reduce your bill. It’s important to understand how student loans work. Applying for scholarships and learning about smart student loan practices can make the process much less intimidating. SNHU has many internal resources that can help you understand and reduce your bill. SNHU’s Making CENT$ Financial Literacy aims to help students learn more about all the different parts of your bill. Their Facebook page regularly gives students tips and resources to help them understand good saving habits, loan repayment and where to find scholarships. Following them on social media will also make sure that learning about smart financial practices will always be on the front of your mind. In addition, they host events for students to learn more in-depth parts of their finances. SNHU also offers financial literacy courses hosted by iGrad,

which are available on my.snhu.edu. These courses aim to give students a deeper knowledge about financial success and are highlighted by classes teaching loan management and smart loan borrowing. SNHU offers their own scholarships, which are free to apply for and are open to all SNHU students. Right now, there are 58 available scholarships across all of the SNHU schools under Named and Endowed Scholarships. The due date for applications is March 15, 2021. The scholarships require an application including a unique essay. Each of the scholarships have specific requirements for applicants, so students can easily find the scholarships that apply to them. External resources are also available to help students reduce their bills. There are many websites and books that list hundreds of scholarship opportunities for college students. It can be very overwhelming when faced with all of these resources, though. All of the scholarship services advertise themselves as the best, but some of them are better than others. You may be familiar with The

College Board for their standardized testing, but they also are host to a large scholarship database. They allow you to narrow down the scholarships to make sure they work not only for you, but also SNHU. They let you search by major, location, club membership and even religious affiliation. Another good database is scholarships.org. Once you set up an account scholarships will be sorted by how likely you are to win them. This makes sure that you only spend your time and energy on the scholarships most worth it. Scholarships can be hard to find, but utilizing these websites can greatly help in the hunt for tuition money. Finally, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a staple of college financial aid. Submitting a FAFSA application is key to getting government student loans. You will need to pay loans back, but the application is free. After filling out the application once, it becomes much easier to apply in following years. Student loans can be scary, but with these resources you can be sure that you’re making smart student loan decisions.

SNHU Financial Hub. (image courtesy: my.snhu.edu)

6 | News

What is happening with Study Away and NSE? Andrew Wilson News Co-Editor The Study Away and National Student Exchange programs were canceled due to COVID-19 for the Spring 2021 semester. Only a few students have attempted to sign up for the program for this semester due to the dangers of traveling abroad and the fact that many countries’ borders are still closed. For this reason, not many people were affected by the decision. However it begs the question of what is happening with both programs going forward. In August of 2019, former Director of SNHU, Laura Malito, stepped away from the position and Allyson Snell took her place. As the new Director of International Programs and Experiences, Allyson set to work to digitize the Study Away and NSE programs. The goal is to make the application process as easy as possible for a future, post COVID SNHU. With the SNHU Study Abroad Program webpages under construction, the hope is that taking the time to work on infrastructure will make restarting the program much easier when it is no longer dangerous to travel. Additionally, a new program

National Student Exchange. (image courtesy: nse.org) has been started to give students an opportunity to have an international college experience. The program is called Virtual International Exchange, and it is currently in the testing phase to see how it will work. The idea is to pair up professors from different countries with SNHU professors and have them work together to teach a group course. This would not replace the Study Away or NSE programs, rather it would be another project to try and

offer opportunities to those that can’t participate in a semester abroad due to time or financial reasons. As unfortunate as it is that international travel is shut down and that travel from state to state is restricted, the future of the international study programs looks bright. When travel is no longer a risk, it seems like the ability to do so through SNHU will be more accessible than ever.

NSE travel flyer. (image courtesy: National Student Exchange)

The Penmen Press | 7

Blackout Week Returns To SNHU What You Need To Know Taylor Posik and Callie Gibbs Staff Writers During the previous fall semester, staff and students alike were given the opportunity to utilize a week off from scheduled classes. This was known as a Blackout Week but is now being called a Catch-Up Week. The upcoming Catch-Up Week will take place during the week of February 22. Just like last semester it will not be mandated for professors. This time off will allow staff and students to take a mental break from the stress of balancing remote learning and personal lives, and to get caught up in their work. Unfortunately, last semester, the optional time off did not have the positive results that were expected. After the Blackout Weeks, “faculty felt that students ‘lost momentum’ or ‘fell off the rails’...even though everyone also needed the time to catch up,” said Allison Cummings, Professor of English. Several students have reported having a harder time getting back into a routine, while others were still strained with an overload of class work. “What professors see on screen is not even half of what is going on in someone’s life,” said Andrea McEvoy, ‘23. Meanwhile, various students claim to have had a positive experience, such as Julia Brau, Vice President of the SNHU Psi Chi organization. “Last semester’s Blackout Week went well. I think it was a good opportunity to take some time to catch up on work, but also to take a break from obligations that require screen time. It’s good to be able to step away for a while to bounce back from Zoom fatigue,” said Brau. Previously, first-year students were excluded from catch-up week due to the new Innovation Scholars program. Students in this program take their courses through SNHU’s Global Campus, an online environment with asynchronous lectures, which are classes that don’t

have virtual meetings. “The CatchUp Week doesn’t really apply for the Innovation scholars [because] they don’t have class meetings to begin with,” said Michael Evans, Vice President of Academic Affairs. Some students, like Alison Bell, ‘24, have to deal with the demands of being a full-time student as well as a part-time employee. “As a student at SNHU, I feel as though all students should be able to benefit and relax with a Blackout Week, regardless of the year or major they belong to,” said Bell. “All I know is that a week to relax and recoup during a very stressful and scary time would be perfect.” It has not gone unnoticed the Catch-Up Week is scheduled close to the annual spring break, which will take place between March 8th and 19th, a week after the end of

the optional break week. Faculty are concerned that the scheduling “will throw students off track,” said Cummings. However, the university explains there were no other better times to schedule the Catch-Up Week due to considerations for eight-week courses. The university wanted to schedule the break far enough into the semester for it to “feel particularly welcome,” said Evans. “I do wish that the [Catch-Up Week] was a bit further from spring break. I think it would be more beneficial for the two weeks to be spaced out so that students can manage their time more efficiently and be more productive at different points in the semester. Regardless, I do think the extra week will be beneficial,” said Brau.

Relaxation. (image courtesy: exploringyourmind)

8 | Sports

Sports

The Penmen Press | 9

Fall Sports Canceled but Spring Sports Hopeful Sofia Barassi Sports Editor The NE10 canceled fall sports for the 2020-2021 season, including championships, on Wednesday, January 13. This comes as the spring semester commences for SNHU. The Conference Council of Presidents made this decision after a recommendation from the NE10 Athletics Council, according to Penmen Athletics. In addition, SNHU will not participate in any athletic competition that reside independently from the conference. With athletes having been hopeful that they would play their canceled fall sports during spring, hopes will have to be continued for the fall 2021-2022 season. The Women’s Soccer team was unable to play last fall, which adds to the long list of cancellations. “As unfortunate as it is, there has been a lot of things canceled this year and a lot of letdowns, so I feel like I tried to not get my hopes up too much. It definitely seems so crazy

that another season was canceled,” said Danni Desruisseaux (’22), SNHU women’s soccer player and Army ROTC cadet. “I am looking forward to the game day feels and the unexplainable thrill of getting to compete. I miss being in the locker room and working for each other at practice every day and our team lifts and honestly everything. It makes me look forward to ensuring that I don’t take my senior year for granted,” continued Desruisseaux. Fall athletes have been unable to practice, workout, or bond with their teammates in person. “Our coaches have supplied us with gym lift programs and home gym lift programs. They expect us to train and hold ourselves accountable because ultimately, it’s about how badly we individually want it because of how separated we all are. They do hold team meetings and check in on our emotional

SNHU Penmen up to bat. (image courtesy: snhu athletics)

and mental health frequently,” said Desruisseaux. “I just want to get back into what I love and have done every day for the past 17 years which is play and be with my team.” When the pandemic struck during the spring semester of 2020, spring athletes had their season canceled as well. Since they were not able to participate in any form, the Conference is engaging and supporting a return for spring competition this 2021 season, as stated by Penmen Athletics. Alex George (’23) was unable to play his freshman 2020 baseball season due to the pandemic, but remains hopeful for the spring of 2021. “Last season being my freshman year, I was extremely disappointed about not having a full season and having my first year at college cut short. I was looking forward to us, as a team, being able to show off all the hard work that we put in since the early fall and get the opportunity to start playing at SNHU at our home field,” stated George. Having been almost a whole year since the baseball team has been together, they have had the offseason to work on their skills in their respective hometowns. “I know everyone on the team is working hard every day academically and on developing and fine-tuning our baseball skills,” said George. “Whenever we get the good news that we are hoping for, we all will be ready to start working together as a team again,” continued George. Although there has been a constant feeling of disappointment with the cancelation of sports and competition, athletes across all of SNHU’s athletic teams eagerly await the return of the 2021 spring and 2021 fall seasons.

10 | Lifestyle

Lifestyle

The Penmen Press | 11

How Being Social and Active Cultivates Academic Success Julie Armstrong Business Manager

2019 Involvement Fair, (L to R) Lance Legere, Silvana Terranova, Troy Robinson, Mike Couture, and Nelson Campos (image courtesy: Kyle Griffin) As the online spring semester starts, students encounter higher levels of anxiety around balancing their hectic lifestyles throughout the pandemic. Many students work throughout the week, have familial duties, and balance social lives in addition to their academic responsibilities. While it is important to perform well in classes, there are more strategies that can help ground students other than attending class and taking notes. Getting involved on campus, being active and learning new skills are all great ways to improve your day to day life, while also maintaining academic success. Having downtime with peers is relaxing and beneficial. Joining clubs is a great way to meet new people and make connections at SNHU. At SNHU, there are more than 60 clubs to join and tons of new people to get to know. Having this to look forward to every week enforces better time management skills, since every organization meets at a regular time. There are also many events held for students every week. These can be a nice break from the weekly schedule, and are a great way to try new things and learn about different

organizations on campus. Going outside and being active is one way you can get energized to accomplish overly-procrastinated work. While taking a walk around your neighborhood might be easier said than done, especially in these winter months, the benefits are well worth it. A recent study conducted at Michigan State University (MSU) found that students who were regularly active had higher GPAs than students who weren’t. They also had higher retention rates and dropped fewer credits than students who weren’t active. The same routine day after day for a whole semester can become boring or tiring, so getting outside, seeing new things and boosting your heart rate are all healthy ways to overcome the stress that builds from classes. Another way to feel productive at home is to learn a new skill. While at home, there are many new skills and hobbies that can help spice up your daily life, while also keeping your brain sharp. Learning to play an instrument is a great way to feel accomplished, learn new things, and help your academic success. SNHU even offers music lessons that can take place virtually! A study done by The University of

British Colombia found that students who play an instrument performed noticeably better in their academics when compared to students who didn’t play any instruments. Learning to play an instrument can help eliminate boredom while also setting the foundations for a better semester! Learning a new language is another great way to set yourself up for success, while also having fun. SNHU offers beginning level courses for a few languages, like French, Spanish and Mandarin. A 2015 study by the Journal of International Students found that students who spoke multiple languages tended to have higher GPAs. Learning new languages also welcomes unique experiences, such as the ability to communicate with new people and engage with foreign media. In addition, learning a new language is a great idea for students who are hoping to travel abroad in the future. Your semester doesn’t have to be a boring cycle of going to class, doing homework, and repeating the same thing everyday. Joining clubs, getting active, and learning a new skill can curb your boredom and help you do better in school.

12 | A&E and Opinion

A&E and Opinion

The Penmen Press | 13

SNHU Community Reacts to WandaVision Elizabeth Lemieux Staff Writer

WandaVision. (image courtesy: Disney) The whole world seems to be talking about WandaVision, and the SNHU community is no exception. When the first trailer was released, it was clear WandaVision would not be an ordinary Marvel project. With Wanda’s realitywarping abilities and a lack of clarity regarding the plot, anything was possible. Disney+ released the first two episodes of Marvel’s new series on January 15. Since then, the internet has been going crazy with reactions and theories as to what may be going on in the show. Several SNHU students and alumni have weighed in on what they like about WandaVision, sharing theories they have on what may be revealed in later episodes. “I think it’s great and hilarious so far,” says Sam Caswell, ’22. “I expected it to be weird, but I wasn’t expecting it to be funny.” “I knew it would get weird, but I was still not ready for the sheer confusion that Marvel was going to

bring to the table,” says Jacob Butler, ’21. “I thought it was very silly and reminiscent of old cheesy sitcoms like I Love Lucy but as you continue watching the show, you notice cracks and ripples of the facade of everything,” says alumnus Jerlin Quinones, ’18. One strange aspect of the show is the sitcom element. Each episode follows Wanda and Vision in a different decade of situational comedies. These episodes mirror elements of existing shows such as The Brady Bunch, Bewitched, and The Dick Van Dyke Show. There are also several films and shows that seem to have influenced WandaVision. As laid out in a NewRockstars YouTube video titled “WandaVision HORRIFYING Secrets! Wanda Trapped in a Nightmare,” movies such as The Truman Show, Pleasantville, Cabin in the Woods and shows like The Twilight Zone have similar vibes that nothing is as it seems.

The Truman Show and Pleasantville even tackle being trapped in a TV show as WandaVision hints at in the first three episodes. While the fate of Wanda, Vision and the town of Westview is still up in the air, fans are formulating theories that could explain everything. “One theory I had was [that] a supervillain named Mephisto, who is basically the Marvel version of the devil, [will appear]. In the comics he gives some of his power to Wanda to help her give birth to her twins,” says Quinones. “I think Magneto and a version of Quicksilver will appear. I’m also thinking Ultron will possibly return,” Caswell offers. Regardless of what happens, WandaVision is sure to shake things up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the whole world will be watching. New episodes are released Fridays on Disney+ at midnight, Pacific time.

14 | A&E and Opinion

Why SNHU Should Reopen In The Fall Shubham Oza Staff Writer When SNHU shut down all non-essential campus activity in March of 2020, it shifted its gears toward a more accessible online learning environment for oncampus students. This shift sparked widespread adoption of digital platforms like RingCentral, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams as the primary means of delivering education. Now, as the university approaches its one-year anniversary of adopting virtual learning for its on-campus community, the discussion of when it would be appropriate to reopen the campus remains at large. While both proponents and critics diverge on the argument to varying degrees, the key to solving this problem is not to combat another virtual semester, but rather to resume normal campus activities in the fall for optimal student and faculty health. In fact, a growing number of concerns from the SNHU student body strongly suggest that the longterm effects of online learning are more detrimental than beneficial to student and faculty well-being. Transitioning to virtual classes has been, “a lot different than I thought it was going to be,” explains Luke Zemianek, a second-semester innovation scholar majoring in sports management at SNHU. “We [innovation scholars] don’t have scheduled class times, so we have to do the work for the week by ourselves,” he adds. As a strong visual learner, Zemianek believes that his professors’ weekly class assignments have been taking a serious toll on his greater motivation to continue learning. For him, effective digital communication regarding his studies or, “having your teacher meeting with you once a week would be helpful,” but he has not, “met anybody yet, and that’s definitely one of the reasons why being off-campus is tough.”

SNHU Arc. (image courtesy: SNHU External Affairs and Communications) Similarly, on-campus educators at SNHU have found it equally as challenging to teach classes that are both engaging and interactive for their students in a remote academic environment. Like the professors at the School of Arts and Sciences have been struggling significantly for the past year to modify common course content to fit online academic settings, especially coursework that deals with lab experiments. When chemistry students perform hands-on experiments at home, “sometimes roommates knock over their [the students’] items, other times they run out of materials, and sometimes their moms need the kitchen for cooking,” details Jessica Burl, a chemistry instructor and science lab administrator at SNHU. In Burl’s case, lab courses have not been the same since academic classwork has become virtual. “We’ve lost all that connectedness,” she explains, “and sometimes it just feels like I’m talking,” instead of lecturing a class of college students. For lab professors like her, it is upsetting because, “lots of students

are afraid to speak up,” and, “they just try to pass – not get that A.” Having witnessed students and faculty battle academic hardships over the past 2 semesters, Burl sees returning to campus in the fall as the most rational option. Her excitement would be through the roof and, “nothing would make me worried,” she exclaims. “Even if the virus is still rampant, we can wear masks,” Burl states, “and I hope the vaccine becomes available soon, so more of us can be vaccinated.” For staff and students, not only does returning to an educationally driven, in-person learning environment sustain mental and physical well-being, but it also enhances the academic performance of the student, by promoting general efficacy in instructor communication. Provided that SNHU upholds strict obedience towards COVID-19 safety guidelines, it seems clear that the most beneficial action that SNHU can make for its faculty, staff, and students is to reopen its gates during the fall semester of 2021.

The Penmen Press | 15

SNHU branded bike rack. (image courtesy: SNHU External Affairs and Communications)

The Penmen Press |16

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