Penmen Press Volume XXVIII Issue IIII

Volume XXVIII

Issue 4

December 10, 2021

penmenpress.com

THE

PENMEN PRESS Writing SNHU’s Story

06

09

14

Staying safe on campus

Why SNHU Decided to Reverse the Mask Mandate

Men’s Soccer Calls it a Season

2 | News

MEET THE

STAFF Co-Editor-in-Chief Sofia Barassi

Co-Editor-in-Chief Stefan Karlberg

Business Manager

Events Manager

Online Manager

Senior Copy Editor Bailey Arnold-Fuchs

Andrew Wilson

Lifestyle Editor

Julie Armstrong

Ryan Barrett

Now Hiring!

photo Manager

media Manager

NEws Editor

Sports Editor

A&E Co-Editor

A&E co-Editor

Opinion Editor

Layout Editor

Faculty Adviser

Orlagh Skafas

Devin Pouliot

Christopher Kelly

Jack Drolet

Taylor Posik

Jon Boroshok

Hannah Black

Now Hiring!

Joshua DiNapoli

The Penmen Press | 3

BREAKING

NEWS Spring Semester to Begin with Remote Learning Taylor Posik A&E Co-Editor Following winter break, SNHU’s ‘22 spring semester is going to kick off with two weeks of remote learning campus-wide. Students return to classes on January 3.

Remote learning is scheduled to end on January 14.

“When looking at previous national and state patterns, the first two weeks of January have been a time of sharp increases in community spread. Additionally, we know that our students and employees will likely be at increased risk over the holiday break due to gatherings and travel,” said Executive Vice President Don Brezinski.

When the shortened winter break was first announced, there were concerns over not having the proper amount of time to quarantine after the holidays. Beginning the semester with remote learning will allow staff and students to quarantine according to the CDC

recommended time frame.

“New and returning resident students will move into their campus housing on Monday, Jan. 17. There will be no classes and most University offices will be closed on Monday, Jan. 17, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Inperson classes on campus will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 18,” said Brezinski.

There are concerns among students who have already made travel plans for the return to campus, including Lauryn Hall (‘22). “How would this work with people who have flights? Like, I’m from Arizona, planning to go home during break and [I] can’t really change my flights to stay longer,” said Hall.

While the plan is meant to last for two weeks, this brings up the possibility for remote learning to be extended. With cases of the Delta variant and Omicron variant on the rise, it increases the chances

of campus being shut down to slow the spread.

This decision also affects housing. Most students will begin classes at home, however, some will be allowed to move in for emergency housing.

“SNHU will allow a small number of students to return to campus as early as Sunday, Jan. 2. We will prioritize those who are faced with unsafe housing or students who are unable to learn effectively in a remote environment due to unreliable access to the internet and technology, family and personal obligations, and other hardships, as well as students who are required to be in person for various experiences such as athletics or labs,” said Brezinski.

Students who fit the criteria may fill out the “Two-Week Remote Housing” application on MyHousingDirector by December 15.

e 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. e Penmen Press will print any material found to be factual and in good taste by the editorial sta of the paper. e views published do not necessarily reect the views of Southern New Hampshire University. e 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

4 | News

News

The Penmen Press | 5

ESports Arena Opening Andrew Wilson News Editor The SNHU ESports Arena is open to the public. It opened on October 8, delayed due to COVID-19, but it is now in full swing hosting ESports matches. It is located in the Green Center.

The arena is a community space on campus, made to support the Varsity ESports programs offered at SNHU as well as all other students on campus.

Tim Fowler, Director of ESports, said, “In it, we have 18 gaming PCs, 2 Xbox/PS5/Nintendo Switch stations, a production room, viewing area, and commentator desk.”

The computers in the arena come equipped with I9 CPUs, RTX 2080 graphics cards, 32 GB of RAM, Logitech Gaming peripherals, and 165 hz monitors. Most games are already installed on the machines and simply require students to make an account

to use.

The arena is staffed by students primarily, with Fowler directing the program along with Robert Wiemer, Content Manager, and Sultan Akhter, Operations Manager.

The arena is open from noon to 5 pm on weekdays and 6 pm to 10 pm on Saturday nights. Students are welcome to go enjoy the hardware made available to them for free by the arena and are also welcome to cheer on their school’s teams.

SNHU hosts 5 varsity teams, totaling 40+ players all together. There are teams for “Valorant,” “Overwatch,” “League of Legends,” “Rocket League,” and “Super Smash Bros.” There are currently not any JV teams. Fowler said, “I would really love to see students get together and found an ESports club to coordinate practices,

learn and get better at the games they love, and advocate for club teams similar to the club sports on campus.”

Matches are streamed on Twitch (SNHUesports) where they can be caught live. They are commentated and recorded by students.

“The Arena has been an extremely fun place to hang out, play games, watch competitive matches, or even just get some homework done in our viewing area. Our community has grown so much since we’ve opened the doors to the space, and I really encourage everyone to come by and check it out!” said Fowler.

To find out more about the ESports Arena, students can visit in person, follow the ESports Twitter @esportssnhu, or join the SNHU ESports Discord at https://discord.gg/ snhuesports.

ESports Arena (image courtesy: Matthew Hross)

6 | News

Staying Safe On Campus Lillian Nelson Staff Writer Concerns have recently arisen from students about safety on campus.

With sexual assault reports on the rise in schools across the country, students want to be sure that they are able to stay safe on campus.

Public Safety issued a statement in response to questions asked about the blue lights. It said, “SNHU Public Safety, Facilities, and ITS have been working diligently to repair inactive blue light phone lines around campus that were damaged due to mice.

Currently, 2 of the 42 blue light phones are out of service. Both phones need replacement hardware which has already been ordered.

Blue lights are a pole with a blue light on top and buttons that are emergency phone lines put out for safety. They can be found all across campus, but some of them weren’t operational since the start of the semester for a few reasons.

“SNHU Public Safety, Facilities, and ITS have determined that several factors contributed to the issues with the blue light phone lines around campus, including impact from weather conditions, mice getting into the phones and hardware failures,” the statement said.

Public Safety was asked about how students should feel safe with the days

shortening and the sun setting at 4pm, making it dark when some people are leaving or coming back to campus.

“We have not seen any up ticks or differences in incidents on campus since the November time change.

As always, we encourage students to be aware of their surroundings when walking on campus, use the buddy system when you can, have access to your cell phone and take advantage of our escort service if you are uncomfortable walking alone,” the statement said.

“The safety and well-being of all our students, staff and faculty is our top priority. We make sure the campus is well lit at nighttime and we have more officers on duty and extra public safety patrols between 9:30 pm and 2:30 am.”

If a student feels unsafe at any time and is in need of a person to walk with, Public Safety also mentioned services they have for that. Public Safety officers provide a walking escort service for those who do not want to walk alone on campus. However, students who have been on campus for a while may remember that Public Safety used to offer rides as a part of their escort service, for special cases and students feeling unsafe. When asked, Public Safety neglected to comment on this

change.

Public Safety also provides opportunities for people to learn how to protect themselves including a hands-on self-defense course and a personal safety program offered in January by the Women’s Center, Title IX office, Community Standards office and Public Safety.

Public Safety has a campus climate survey coming to students soon in spring of 2022. All SNHU students will receive word about how to participate in the survey.

“While students are encouraged to directly report any concerns to either Public Safety or the Title IX office now, if they choose to remain anonymous, this campus climate survey is another available tool to share any concerns that they have about campus safety,” the statement said. The University will also be posting on the website the results of the campus climate survey, mentioned above, once the results are received.

If a student ever feels unsafe or uneasy, they can find the nearest blue light wherever they are or go to Campus Safety, which is located next to the library and dining hall.

Students may call Public Safety at 603-645-9700 to request a safety escort.

Out of order blue light (image courtesy: Andrew Wilson)

The Penmen Press | 7

A&E & OPinion

8 | A&E and Opinion

Netflix’s “Arcane” Earns Positive Reviews Devin Pouliot A&E Co-Editor Since the final episode of its first season, the Netflix original series, “Arcane” (2021), has received praise for its unique story. The show is based on the “League of Legends” universe, a game developed by Riot Games.

“Arcane” takes place during the clash between the two cities of Piltover and Zaun. It follows the story of two sisters, Vi and Jinx, fighting on opposing sides of the conflict. This conflict also functions as a backstory for these characters and many other characters from the game, such as Jayce, Caitlyn, and Heimerdinger.

The nine-episode series is divided into three-episode acts. Act One follows Vi and Jinx as children

while Acts Two and Three show both characters as adults.

The show also features famed actors, such as Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell, who voice Vi and Jinx respectively.

IMDb gave “Arcane” an overall score of 9.3 stars, with every episode scoring well on a ten-point scale.

The first episode received the lowest score of 8.9 out of ten while two following episodes received a 9.8 out of ten.

IGN gave the show a ten out of ten, with IGN writer Rafael Motamayor calling the show “a classic in the making” and one that breaks “the so-called ‘video game curse.’”

“Arcane” has also received

good reviews among the SNHU community. Brendan McGuire (’22) said he loved the show. “It was an amazing series and had some of the best animation and sequences I’ve seen in a while. The characters were also executed amazingly,” he said.

Ryan Burns (’22) also praised the series. “I like the animation style,” he said. “I’ve also been a big fan of Hailee Steinfeld and was happy to see her be a voice actor in the series.”

According to inverse.com, a second season of “Arcane” began production on November 20 and will continue the current storyline with the same characters. It is expected to be released sometime after 2022. The complete first season is available to watch on Netflix.

Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” Remake To Release Logan Mock Staff Writer Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg’s remake of the 1961 romantic musical, “West Side Story,” will have its anticipated worldwide release on December 10.

“West Side Story” was adapted from the 1957 Broadway play written by Arthur Laurents. The story was originally inspired by Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.”

The play is about the rivalry between two gangs in 1950s New York City: the Sharks and the Jets.

The main plot follows the forbidden romance of Jets gang member, Tony, and María Vasquez, the sister to the Sharks’ leader, Bernardo.

The original play and movie

garnered several prestigious awards. The Broadway musical won two Antoinette Perry Awards (Tony Awards) for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, including choreography and set design. The film adaptation won several Academy Awards (Oscars), including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Score.

Both productions were praised by critics. Film critic Whitney Williams said in Variety, “’West Side Story’ is a beautifullymounted, impressive, emotionridden and violent musical which, in its stark approach to a raging social problem and realism of unfoldment, may set a pattern for future musical presentations.”

Students are fond of the original production, including Emily Stevens (‘25). When asked about her thoughts on the first movie, Stevens said, “It was a good story that was told in musical context, and I liked the movie, too.”

Other students such as Kearsten Imboby (‘24) agree. “I like ‘West Side Story’ for its iconic songs like ‘America’ and ‘I Feel Pretty.’ I [also] like the costuming of the time [period]. And overall, I like the storyline, the clashing of the two gangs, and the Romeo and Juliet story,” Imboby said.

The film will star actor Ansel Elgort as Tony and actress Rachel Zegler as María. It will be playing only in theaters when it comes out.

The Penmen Press | 9

Why SNHU Decided to Reverse the Mask Mandate Joshua Dinapoli Opinion Editor After being lifted for two weeks, the mask mandate has returned to the SNHU campus following Thanksgiving break. While it is an unpopular policy amongst students, the reversal of the mandate was unanimously agreed upon by the campus leadership team under Senior Vice President Don Brezinski.

“My goal is to keep the campus open; keep students in person,” said Heather Lorenz, Vice President of Student Affairs. “I feel like our cases are relatively lower, but it is continually rising.”

Lorenz emphasized the reasoning behind reinstating the mask policy was multifaceted. In particular, the concern centered around three factors: the uptick in COVID cases on campus, the positivity rate of New Hampshire, and the potential rise in cases after students returned from Thanksgiving break.

Administrators such as Lorenz constantly engage with CDC guidelines when tracking state cases. “The pandemic itself has been very fluid. There is no right or wrong strategy,” said Lorenz.

“There was never a set plan for removing the mask mandate...The data and guidance will shepherd the response to things.”

According to the CDC, colleges with a nearly fully vaccinated populace should wear masks indoors when transmission has reached “substantial or high levels.”

Substantial transmission is defined by a positivity rate from 8-10%.

By the time SNHU reinstated the mask mandate November 19, the positivity rate of New Hampshire cases had reached a high level of 11%, according to the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

While the reversal and reinstatement of the mandate seems abrupt, it is consistent with

SNHU masks (image courtesy: Redbubble) the university’s goals of following COVID data. When plans to lift the COVID policy were announced on October 21, the positivity rate had dropped to moderate transmission (7%) and would continue dropping until it plateaued at 5% on October 27.

However, by the time the mask policy was lifted on November 1st, the positivity rate of New Hampshire cases had already reached substantial transmission of 8% and has been rising ever since.

The decision to implement the mask policy as a mitigative strategy has been prioritized by Lorenz and the administration over other procedures. “Other policies include go-only dining, decreased density in common spaces, allowing no one from outside on campus, no indoor events or meetings.” Fortunately, having a high vaccination rate coupled with the concurrent number of positive cases makes these policies unnecessary.

When announcing the reversal of the mandate, the administration mentioned how on-campus cases reached a level that was aligned with high-transmission (per CDC guidelines).

However, paying attention to the high transmission of New Hampshire cases (and how it contributed to the decision to reverse the mandate) would give most students and faculty a broader view of the dire situation.

On the other hand, it’s vital that more students actually utilize the COVID dashboard as it provides data that the campus is following and how the trends in positivity rate have developed over time.

While determining the policy according to the COVID data can maximize safety, the administration should wait longer than a week to see if rates remain consistently low before lifting the mask policy. By doing so, the campus can hopefully avoid an erratic swing between making masks required or optional.

10 | A&E and Opinion

Are Changes Coming to SNHU’s Gen-Ed Course Offerings?

Yona Voss-Andreae Staff Writer What factors determine whether a class appears as a general education requirement as opposed to falling in the free elective category?

Courses eligible for general education credit fall within a diverse array of curriculum ranging from photography to English. The conversation surrounding what is included in this curriculum is an essential one to have as students partaking in studies at SNHU are mandated to take a variety of these courses to fulfill their educational requirements.

The director of general education at SNHU, Dr. Susan Cook, was interviewed to understand the process. There were three goals for the interview. Firstly, to know who sets the requirement for gen-ed curricula.

Additionally, to determine if course offerings are flexible. Finally, to know the process for adding new courses to the already existing general education landscape.

Dr. Cook explained that for the last decade, SNHU has had a committee tasked with deciding what classes count towards gen-ed credit. Their members include faculty alongside university administration. The committee’s mission is to provide students with a well-rounded educational experience while ensuring the classes properly fit New England standards for accreditation. Gen-ed programs seek to enrich students with skills in communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. Additionally, they are meant to provide students with an understanding of responsibility, reasoning, and culture.

Ever since CETA was added to the SNHU umbrella three years ago, there has been a moratorium in place that prevented the gen-ed curriculum from being altered. However, the moratorium’s days are numbered as its planned end date is next year. This means the committee will be once again open to re-evaluating gen-ed with an

updated course catalog, after which “all courses will have the opportunity to propose to be part of [the gen-ed] program,” says Dr. Cook.

If new courses can become eligible for the gen-ed curriculum then what is the process for getting new classes offered? The good news is that a diverse range of topics can be considered for participation in gen-ed. Professors can petition the gen-ed committee for their class to be added as credit for general education; however, whether that happens depends on factors like prerequisite requirements or the ability for the class to take on additional capacity.

Given greater leeway in customizing their own educational experience, students benefit from a degree more tailored to their unique goals.

Consideration given to expanding the scope of what general education means in an SNHU context has the potential to go the distance in setting new heights for student involvement.

Student Lauryn Hall (image courtesy: Devin Pouliot)

The Penmen Press | 11

Students Petition for an Extended Winter Break Joshua Dinapoli Opinion Editor Winter break is fast approaching and the argument over its shortened length was reignited. Last year, SNHU shaved a week off from the holiday from three weeks to two.

From the university’s perspective, the two-week vacation was used to align the start dates of the campus and online programs. However, many campus students criticized the small break. A Change.org petition outlines some of the grievances students had with the break length. By December 5, it had over 300 signatures and continues to rise.

“Two weeks is not enough time to recover from burnout and prepare for the upcoming term,” said Hadley Labbe (‘23), the creator of the petition.

Labbe outlined some of the main reasons students were petitioning for an extended vacation. For instance, there was a struggle of returning to internships over the summer and a limited amount of time for international students to spend time with their families. Another grievance with the two-week break was the negative impact on mental health.

“With only two weeks to celebrate the holidays and reunite with friends and family before returning to school immediately after, the start of the semester will be rocky and hard to navigate,” said Labbe. “Motivation and mental health are already low at this point in the term, and we won’t have time to reset before starting back up.”

While the petition had received a fair amount of attention, Labbe understood that there probably won’t be any substantial change to the schedule with the vacation so close.

However, she expected a response from the administration with at least some recognition of student frustration.

Even if administration doesn’t respond to the petition, the 300-plus signatures proved that it had gained traction among students. So far, the university has continued its plan for a two-week vacation. Regardless, this petition restarted the conversation on how SNHU schedules its break and created the potential for an extended holiday in the coming years.

SNHU enterence gates (image courtesy: Wolak Learning Center Facebook)

12 | Sports

Sports

The Penmen Press | 13

SNHU Hockey Team Looking To Get Back On Top Chris Tutt Staff Writer The past four years have been a whirlwind for the SNHU Hockey Team. From winning the NE-10 Championship during the 2018-2019 season to not making the playoffs the next season, these Penmen are looking to get back on track after their 2020-2021 season was canceled. As of December 3, the Penmen are 5-0 in the conference and 6-3 overall.

George Thurston (’23) has his goals for the remainder of this season, but there is one thing that he has his mind set on. “[This season] is all about winning as many games as possible,” said Thurston. “My freshman year we didn’t get into playoffs, so I am hoping we can get into playoffs this year.

Individually, I want to do whatever I need to do to help the team. Whether it’s offensively or defensively, I just want to impact the game whenever I can.”

The junior forward has three times more goals than anyone else on the team, but he gives all the credit to his teammates.

“My teammates helped me out a lot and found me in the right areas. I don’t really pay attention to [the goals] much because I am more focused on

winning,” said Thurston.

Off the ice, Thurston points out his team’s chemistry and the connections that he has made with his teammates.

“We’re all different characters; we have guys from everywhere. We have a guy from Sweden, a couple kids from Georgia, a kid from Iowa, so we’re coming from all over the world.

We all mesh together because we’re so different,” said Thurston. “We are a very tight-knit group; I think that’s our best trait.”

Head coach Sean Walsh believes his seniors are crucial to the success of the team.

“The seniors deserve a lot of credit for taking in the freshmen and the sophomores who haven’t been on campus. They’ve gotten everyone on the same page which has been a huge factor of success. They are hungry and we have gotten off to a decent start.

Our leadership has been very good so far and the enthusiasm to come to the rink every day has been there, so that’s a huge plus,” said Walsh.

In the NE-10, there is never a lack of competition, but Thurston believes that there are two teams who will bring out the best of them.

“There’s a lot of good teams this

season. St. Anselm always get skilled players because they have a nice facility. Saint Michael’s is going to be good this year, so they are also going to be big competition,” said Thurston.

Walsh isn’t one to look too far ahead and emphasizes the importance of living in the present.

“What we’ve done so far is good, but we need to continue to get better off of what we’ve laid down so far,” said Walsh. “Our focus right now is taking it one game at a time.”

When you have a group of athletes who work well together, the job as a coach is much easier.

“They are a super close group, they are competitive, and they want to win. They show it in practice and it’s contagious. It is a lot easier to go into a game when you have each other’s backs,” said Walsh.

Adversity is always present in sports, but how it is dealt with is crucial to team success.

“I’m excited to see where the season takes us as far as adversity and how we overcome it,” said Thurston.

“Not everything is going to go smooth in a season and there’s going to be bad times, but do we crumble or pick each other up?”

The SNHU hockey team faces off against St. Anselm College (image courtesy: Jack Drolet)

14 | Sports

Men’s Soccer Calls it a Season Adam Dufault Staff Writer What factors determine whether a class appears as a general education requirement as opposed to falling in the free elective category?

Courses eligible for general education credit fall within a diverse array of curriculum ranging from photography to English. The conversation surrounding what is included in this curriculum is an essential one to have as students partaking in studies at SNHU are mandated to take a variety of these courses to fulfill their educational requirements.

The director of general education at SNHU, Dr. Susan Cook, was interviewed to understand the process. There were three goals for the interview. Firstly, to know who sets the requirement for gen-ed curricula.

Additionally, to determine if course offerings are flexible. Finally, to know the process for adding new courses to the already existing general education landscape.

Dr. Cook explained that for t The SNHU men’s soccer finished an impressive season after a loss in the Northeast-10 semifinal match on November 10 against Franklin Pierce University.

Advancing to the semifinals was no small feat. With an 11-6-1 record following a year full of COVID, any playoff run had been appreciated by the team and Penmen fans. However, they exceeded expectations, and after the 2-1 loss to FPU in the semifinals, the team is ready to seek vengeance next season.

Rafael Raposo (‘22), a member of the team, spoke on what this season was like and what it entailed.

He mentioned what it was like not playing soccer for a year, and what it was like as the team came together to rejoice. The team had similar aspects to a family, which they missed during a year of online schooling.

“It was very strange to not be around the game for so long. We had a very abrupt ending to our spring season, and no one was expecting to be away from school that long. It was more exciting than anything to be back with the team though,” said Raposo.

In preparation for the return season, the team worked vigorously to ensure that this season would have been worth the longer-than-usual wait. However, they had to remember that they weren’t the only team anxious to get back on the field.

“The conference was just as competitive as always. Every game was a battle, and it seemed every team put in their best effort since they haven’t played competitively in so long,” said Raposo.

The stands were filled in anticipation for the men’s soccer team to come out strong this year, and that was what they did. The season was the most exciting of recent memory because of the team’s year off.

“We set our expectations very high every year… Anything less than a ring is always disappointing, but after being away from the game for so long we must keep our heads held high

as there were many positives to take away from the season,” said Raposo.

Players put their cleats on with a single goal in mind: winning.

That was not possible without the leadership and guidance of coaches.

The team, led by coach Joshua Taylor, was fortunate to have a supportive coaching staff.

“The team came in every day and competed… We just need to keep pushing and improving on a daily basis,” said Taylor.

Coach Taylor acknowledged where his team thrives and where they needed work. That willingness to work on things was what made the team great, and the desire to practice, because practice made perfect.

“With the season over, the focus turns to recruiting and developing.

The current rosters starts our offseason program and the coaching staff hits the road recruiting,” said Taylor.

There is a lot of preparation necessary to ready the team for every season, but after such an exciting playoff run, the team would undoubtedly return with a championship on their mind.

“I have a lot of confidence in this program that we can make a deep run each season. It takes a daily commitment and just focusing on what you can control each day. Just staying in the moment. The work starts now for the 2022 season,” said Taylor.

After a much awaited season, one that resulted in plentiful winning and goals scored, there is only one direction to look now: ahead.

SNHU men’s soccer embracing during a match (image courtesy: Jim Stankiewicz)

The Penmen Press | 15

Cross Country Star Ashley Corcoran Races to Nationals Taylor Posik A&E Co-Editor Graduate student Ashley Corcoran (‘21) of the SNHU women’s cross country team qualified for the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championship in Tampa, FL. During the regular season, Corcoran’s personal best for the 5K was 18:20.4 minutes at the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association (NEICAAA), where she placed 21st. In addition, she placed first at the 6K Shacklette Invitational with a time of 23:29.3 minutes.

When asked how she wanted to improve as a runner, Corcoran said, “Just being consistent. I think you can always get better, whether that be physically in your performance, as a leader on your team making my team better, I think overall just being better, not only for myself but for my team is my goal.”

Corcoran was initially recruited as a member of the women’s track and field team. Her coaches encouraged her to train on the cross country team. “I really loved it, and I loved my team and the coaches, and I turned out to be a pretty good distance runner,” said Corcoran. “It was kind of a ‘meant to be’ situation.”

Since then, she has been on the team for three years and still has one season left. “I just want to make the best of it,” said Corcoran.

Cross country was a “very demanding sport,” according to Corcoran. They trained every day and didn’t get an off-season. “I think it mostly comes with mental challenges and just keeping yourself motivated all the time to run 60 miles a week and continue to work out even when it’s snowing.”

The most memorable moment for Corcoran was in 2019 when her team qualified for the National Championship in Sacramento, CA. “It was just, like, a very surreal

moment for me, accomplishing something I never thought was possible even a year before that.”

Prior to the National Championship, Corcoran said, “I’m excited to compete with the best of the best in the country. It’s always a very surreal experience just running with people that are all at your level and are all really fast, so that’ll be a crazy race, for sure. But it will be exciting just to be a part of it.”

Advice Corcoran gave to her teammates and aspiring runners was, “Always challenge yourself, and push yourself as much as you can. Do it because you love it, and find the good in it. Find why you love it and how it helps you grow.

I always try to think about it in the bigger picture of life and what running has given me even though it can be hard sometimes. It all just comes back to, like, the mental state and how much you love it.”

Ashley Corcoran at Cross Country Nationals (image courtesy: Ashley Corcoran)

16 | Sports

Men’s Cross Country Crosses the Finish Line Adam Dufault Staff Writer After competing in regionals at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York the weekend of November 6, the men’s cross country team hung up their spikes, tying the knot on the 2021 season.

The team finished 15th of 21 at a regional cross country race which took countless miles and hours to accomplish. Mastering a comfortable running pace is something that is worked on year-round and takes a great deal of time, but SNHU cross country has done it.

SNHU veteran runners JT Gulick (‘23) and Liam Walker (‘23) spoke on what this season was like, and the preparation it entailed.

Gulick worked his way to the second-fastest on the team before injuring his Achilles early in the

season. He described the team dynamic, stating that he believes most of the team is very similar in skill, and that there is a significant comradery between the runners.

“There’s a chunk of us that’s all within 10 to 15 seconds of each other,” said Gulick.

Whether at practice or in race, the team prefers to stick together as a collective group. It’s not uncommon that students at SNHU see the team running around campus to practice.

However, their routes are much more complex than meets the eye.

“We run into [Manchester], and Hooksett, too. We have a fivemile loop, eight-mile loop, sevenmile loop, twelve-mile loop, and a fifteen-mile loop,” said Gulick. It is a whole lot more than simply running

from one residence hall to another.

Students may not be aware of all the running that the team does.

When asked about what the season was like for him, Walker noted the work ethic that is required to do well in such a sport.

“It definitely starts early on. We’re training all summer long… I got up to 70 miles per week,” said Walker.

With the team competing at regionals, the pressure was on.

“I think it was one of our better performances of the year… Our goal was to kind of have a close spread between each other,” said Walker.

“This was kind of like a building year for us,” said Walker. With hope and determination for what the future holds, Gulick continued, “We’ll come back next year.”

Women’s Cross Country Finishes Strong Chris Tutt Staff Writer The SNHU women’s cross country team has been on the rise. With no freshmen on this year’s squad, the veteran presence has been one of the biggest reasons for this incline.

Graduate student Jill Couto (‘22) has been on the team since the 2016 season and has seen the development of the team first-hand.

“The team has developed greatly,” said Couto. “When I came in, we weren’t very fast, and we weren’t very high in the rankings at all. We were building the SNHU [cross country] program up from the bottom. Each year we have progressively gotten better. This is the best team that we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

While cross country may seem like a purely individual sport, teamwork is the essence of it. The relationships built outside of practice have led to the growing success of the squad.

“We’ve all been able to work off of each other with the relationships that

we’ve built outside of cross country.

When we come to races, we are able to work together to achieve our team and individual goals,” said Couto.

Graduate student Ashley Corcoran (‘23) was a captain last season, however, this season a title was no longer necessary.

“This year we decided to do away with captains because our coach felt that we had leadership on the team that didn’t need to have a title,” said Corcoran.

Corcoran and Couto feed off of each other’s energy on the course.

This is because it stems from their relationship off the course.

“I think we have grown close because we are roommates. This is really our first season together because COVID threw a wrench into things. When I first got to SNHU, Jill redshirted, then COVID happened so this is the first year that we are running together. It’s been nice to

have Jill there because we are at the same level and she always keeps me going,” said Corcoran.

The Penmen finished in fourth place at Regionals and, unfortunately, will not go to Nationals as a team.

Corcoran, however, has qualified as an individual for the second time in her SNHU career.

“My best personal race ever was Nationals in 2019. That’s where I had my fastest 6k and became an AllAmerican,” said Corcoran. “It was the best day of my life and was very emotional for myself and my team.”

The opportunity to run at the Division II level is one that not many people get. This being Couto’s last season, emotions are high.

“There’s so much I can say,” said Couto. “I wouldn’t be the person or athlete I am today without being in this program with my teammates and my coaches. This program has been the best part of my life.”