Volume 136 No. 3

The Springfield Student Est. 1910 scstudentmedia.com // @TheSpfldStudent

September 23, 2021

Volume 136 No. 3

Winners/Finalists for five Society of Professional Journalist (SPJ) awards in 2021

Rebuilding After Hurricane Ida

See page 4 Photo courtesy of Jennifer Denardi.

inside Page 6

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Page 3

Springfield College hosts José González poetry reading

What’s up, Dog?

CAB hosts Fall Fest

And more...

Campus News

September 23, 2021

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Campus Rec hosts annual ‘Dog Day’ fesitivites The event helps with mental health and was fully outdoors this year because of the pandemic. __ By Hayden Choate __ @Choate_Hayden

On Monday, Sept. 20 during common hour, Springfield College was host to a group of furry friends. The annual “Dog Day” was back on campus as students, faculty and members of the college community could take a break from their day and meet some dogs.

The event was put on by campus recreation and was back this year after not taking place last year due to COVID-19.

Diana Curtis, the Fitness and Wellness graduate assistant for campus recreation helped the event take place again this year.

“We used to do Dog Day pretty much every year until obviously COVID happened and then this year we wanted to renew it so we decided to have it purely as an outdoor event,” Curtis said.

Along with the dogs, campus recreation brought an ice cream truck on campus to give people a nice break from their potentially stress-

A group called Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Inc. brought several dogs to the Springfield College campus. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College).

ful day.

“It’s just a way to help people’s mental health especially at the beginning of the year when it can feel very overwhelming,” Curtis said.

The dogs were brought to campus by a group called Bright Spot Therapy Dogs Inc. a non-profit organization founded in 2004 in which volunteers bring their therapy dogs to

different places.

Bright Spot’s mission statement is “dedicated to placing well trained certified therapy dog teams in meaningful programs that provide comfort and caring

through the human-canine bond.”

This was the first event in the community that Bright Spot was able to be a part of since the COVID-19 Pandemic began.

Brian Schick and his 6-year old golden retriever and cocker spaniel mix, Jeeves, were happy to greet members of the Springfield College community Monday afternoon.

“I enjoy coming,” Schick said. “We go here, we go to Baypath, we go up to Umass Amherst, it’s good.”

Colleges are not the only place the therapy dogs and their owners go to make people more relaxed and in a better mood.

“We go to a local elementary school for kids who have trouble reading they come and read to the dogs and then we go to Bradley Airport, they let us walk around the departure areas so people that are nervous See DOGS continued on Page 8

Campus News

September 23, 2021

A taste of fall

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The Campus Activities Board hosted its annual ‘Fall Fest’ where students painted pumpkins, threw axes and more.

Fall Fest was held on Friday from 5-7 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College).

__ By Chris Gionta __ @Chris_Gionta

Springfield students passing by the campus’s signature Naismith Green on Friday, Sept. 17, were welcomed with the feeling of autumn.

Anyone within proximity was overwhelmed with the aroma of freshly fried dough. They could then be welcomed by one of the many smiling faces representing the Campus Activities Board, and be asked which selection of treats/activities they would like first.

Springfield’s Campus Activities Board hosted ‘Fall Fest’ on Friday from 5-7 p.m.. This event lived up to its name. On the green, a collection of ripe, bright orange pumpkins could be retrieved and eventually decorated by anyone who wished to host one in their living space. When visitors continued onward, they were offered various autumn delicacies. Whether it was apple cider, apple cider donuts, or fried dough,

Springfield College students were able to taste the change of seasons.

Perhaps the biggest outlier of offerings on Friday was an axe throwing station. Wood fixtures with painted-on black targets faced the Springfield College senior walk.

Anyone who wanted to toss the weapon for a bullseye was welcome to with the assistance of an instructor.

“I was just passing through campus and I saw

the sign for axe throwing, and I was like ‘I have to get in on this,’” said sophomore Fall Fest attendee and axe throwing participant David King. “So the instructor helped me out and I got to throwing, and it was definitely hard at first, but eventually I got close to a bullseye.”

Overall, this small event generated more excitement for what may be the best season to be on a college campus.

“Fall really is the best,

Required for First-Year Exploratory Studies Students

Sponsored by the Academic Advising Center

so it makes sense that they’re having an event like this,” said King. “I mean when I saw all the donuts and cider, it got me amped for fall.”

In the New England area, no one can deny the excitement of this season. It is what makes the general region special during this time of year, and Springfield’s Campus Activities Board represented this specialty to the best of their abilities this past Friday.

Campus News

September 23, 2021

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Flooded with tragedy Christopher Santa Barbara’s family home was destroyed by flooding from Hurricane Ida in early September. The family has to rebuild, starting with the foundation, and hasn’t been granted insurance money. _ By Irene Rotondo _ @irenerrotondo

As water poured in through the windows of his basement on the night of Sept. 1, Christopher Santa Barbara and his family stood close together and watched the impending disaster.

Linda, Chris’s mother, had rushed her three sons and husband down to the basement when a tornado warning from the governor of New Jersey came across their screens around 9:30 p.m. that night. The family was prepared for a storm from Hurricane Ida, but they were unable to predict just how catastrophic the water and winds would be to their small New Jersey home.

Within two minutes of being in the basement, the water levels outside rose and pressed into the windows. Mud and debris overflowed and spilled inside while the Santa Barbaras helplessly watched their home fall apart.

“The house was built sixty years ago, and the foundation was made out of cinder block,” said Chris, a senior on the men’s lacrosse team at Springfield College.

“The cinder block started cracking down -- the joints of the cinder

Chris Santa Barbara holds up a pair of his baby shoes, one of the only personal items his parents were able to save from the destruction. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Dinardi).

block broke, and the water started coming through, and then the entire foundation started to fall out. We were seeing it start to fall, and we finally just watched it fall over and cave in,” he recalled.

After the foundation of their house collapsed in mere minutes, the Santa Barbaras knew

their lives were in serious danger. Chris and his brother picked up their 90 lb. yellow labs that had been hiding from the storm with the family in the basement and made a break for the driveway.

The rest of the family followed, wading through the standing water in front of their house to their cars. Chris

and his youngest brother put their dogs into their dad’s truck, and the family abandoned their home to head for higher ground. They formed a line in their cars, staying close to one another and following each other to safety.

“They just -- they panicked, it was a panic situation, because nobody

expected it,” said close family friend Jennifer Dinardi. “We all knew the hurricane was coming through, but nobody expected flooding.”

After evacuating to a safe area to park for about 45 minutes and communicating through their cell phones, Chris and his dad chose to head back to the house and gather what clothes and essentials they could before deciding where to spend the night.

Their house was clearly not an option.

When the pair returned, the water in their basement was up to the ceiling and an inch was spread across the first floor.

“At that point, we knew the basement was completely flooded, but we didn’t know the severity of what it actually was,” said Chris.

The family began calling friends and loved ones to find a place to stay for the night. Dinardi remembered her call with Linda, pleading with her to find a way to get to Dinardi’s home.

“All I kept saying to his mom was, ‘Get to us,’ but she couldn’t,” said Dinardi.

With all surrounding

Campus News

September 23, 2021

roads in the area under inches of water, the Santa Barbara family was unable to drive to any of the loved ones or friends who had promised safety for the family in their own homes. Every turn they took through their town of Hillsborough was a dead end.

Finally, Linda called the dental office she works for as a hygienist to ask for help. The owners, who live in an attached home to the office, readily opened their basement to the Santa Barbara family. It was the only place they could get to, and that was where they slept the first night.

Dinardi was in contact with the Santa Barbaras throughout it all, and drove to the dental office in the morning on Sept. 2 to ensure they had a clear path back to her home where they have been staying for the past three weeks. Before going back to her house, though, the group returned to the Santa Barbara home to assess damages.

“In the moment, we were expecting to come back to the house just being gone, that was just our expectation of what was going to happen,”

said Chris.

The reality was not that the house was gone, but it was destroyed to the point of no structural integrity. Chris’s father, a carpenter, immediately began pumping the water out of the basement with the help of uncles, friends, teammates, neighbors and other members of the Hillsborough community.

However, as the water seeped away from the basement, the family was left with an even bigger issue: the missing foundation wall.

“As the water went down [from draining], the water pressure that was holding the wall up, you could see the house start to sag, and our kitchen started becoming out of level,” remembered Chris.

Linda’s brother, a hotel contractor, came over the following day with house jacks to keep the family home from completely collapsing. With the wall being held up by jacks, they were able to remove the mud and ruined family possessions that had collected on the floor of the now-empty basement.

The family has lost

The Santa Barbara’s basement after the water was drained and the cleanup process began. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Dinardi).

countless important belongings, including baby pictures and clothing, Linda’s entire winter wardrobe, expensive skiing, mini-biking, hunting, and fishing equipment, bicycles, and their dad’s carpenter tools.

Their sewer system was left unusable after the flood, and the electric panels were completely wrecked. They lost the large back porch their dad had built for the family, fencing in their backyard, their storage shed, their heating and air conditioning units, and their water heater.

With the loss of everything that makes their house a home, the Santa Barbaras filed for insurance coverage to rebuild.

The insurance company denied them any money due to the family not having flood insurance, even though their property is surrounded by bodies of water.

“There’s a two-acre pond behind our house, and then there’s a pond across the street, and the two connected [during the storm],” said Chris.

“We don’t technically have flood insurance; even with both the ponds across the street and behind the house, we’re not technically in a flood zone, so we weren’t required to have flood insurance. Any way you word your claim, the only word it comes back to is ‘water,’” he added.

Fortunately, though the family is struggling financially, they have had an outpouring of support from their community, family, and friends. Volunteers, along with the

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The foundation wall in the basement caved in. (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Dinardi).

family themselves, have been working around the clock alongside contractors and masons to cut costs and give the family financial assistance however possible.

Dinardi, who has been best friends with Linda since the third grade, has been housing the Santa Barbara family in her home since that terrible Sept. 1 evening. She said she would do anything to help her friends.

“I just want them to be safe and comfortable,” Dinardi said through tears.

“Linda Santa Barbara has been my safety my whole life, she has stood up for me. She’s my very best friend, my family that I chose, so having them at the house feels very natural.”

Now, the family has their basement cleared and are waiting for the mason to finish reconstructing the foundation wall. They’re hoping FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will give them the full award of $35,000 to cover rebuilding ex-

penses, but Dinardi said the damages they have will cost them well over $100,000.

Dinardi started a GoFundMe campaign with a $50,000 goal because she knew the humble family would not have done it themselves. Currently, $15,010 has been raised, but it’s nowhere near the amount of money the family will need to rebuild and replace all they have lost.

“They’re such good people; kind, hard working, lovely people,” said Dinardi.

“Just a small donation, anything would be appreciated, and if they can’t make a donation they could share it on social media. The more that word gets out there, the better we’ll be,” she added.

If anyone is interested in donating to the Santa Barbaras, the GoFundMe link can be found at the top of this article or at https://www.gofundme. com/f/help-the-santabarbaras-rebuild-theirhome.

Campus News

September 23, 2021

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Taking a break

Students are able to experience new cultures while engaging in community service during school vacations through the Alternative Break Club. __ By Carley Crain __ @carley_crain12

Getting out of one’s comfort zone isn’t always easy. In fact, it’s one of the harder things to do in life.

However, personal growth has been linked to breaking down the barriers that are put up when opportunities seem overwhelming or scary.

The alternative break club on campus does just that. Traveling to new places, exploring different cultures, and forming new relationships within the community at first can bring some nerves, but it almost always pays off.

“The reason that alternative break trips were designed was for it to be an emerging experience,” explained Charlene Elvers, adviser of the alternative break club. “It is really designed for students to take a significant amount of time and immerse themself into learning about another community or social justice issue.”

The alternative break club offers different trips during school vacations to Springfield students who are interested in

community service and social justice. Each event is facilitated by a student trip leader who plans and coordinates activities for the specific service trip, which is usually centered around one main social justice initiative.

The trips usually run during spring break in March, but in the past others have been offered in January and May. Most recently, the club is focusing on always having a local trip that stays in the city of Springfield, so students can have the opportunity to learn more about the place they call home for four years. For Executive board member Kyla Boyns, the Springfield trip has been one of her favorites.

“You don’t just go and do service. You’re completing service but also learning about the community that you are a part of, which is something I really love about the experience. It’s not like you go for a week, do whatever, and then you’re done.

I have learned so much

Students give back to the local Springfield community during an alternative break experience.

(Photo courtesy of Kyla Boyns).

about Springfield through the club in general,” said Boyns.

The pandemic has halted the amount of air travel and flights, so this year the club is working on offering more trips that are within driving distance from the college, with the theme of environmental justice. The club hopes to offer service trips in different parts of the country soon, but with the pandemic still in full swing, the timeline for those trips is up in the air at the moment.

Some favorite trips from alternative break

club members include the Together Campaign in Guatemala from 2015, the Breaking Boundaries San Diego Trip from 2017, and the Youth Empowerment trip to Haiti in 2017.

Many students from these trips spoke about how the experience was a “wake up call”, as it was really the first time they broke out of their privileged bubble.

“When I went to Guatemala my freshman year it was a wake up call.

It was the first time I left the country and my first time seeing a third world country,” said Devon Rivard, a student who vis-

ited Guatemala with the alternative break club. “I fell in love with the people there and how they radiate positive energy and friendliness even through the odds against them.”

Applications for this year’s trips will be coming out towards the beginning of next semester.

For more information about joining the club and the application process, contact Charlene Elvers by email, celvers@springfieldcollege.edu.

September 23, 2021

News Campus

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Get writing help at the Hub The Writing Hub is one of several educational resources offered to students in the Learning Commons. __ By Cait Kemp __ @caitlinkemp09

Coming back to school this fall, students have been met with a somewhat normal looking semester.

Most classes are back in person, which means a normal workload is piling back up. Many are feeling the stress of this normalcy and are overwhelmed with homework, assignments, and essays that seem to be neverending.

Luckily for Springfield College students, there are amazing resources available right within the Learning Commons that they can take advantage of whenever help is needed.

The Writing Hub is one of these resources for students to use when they need that little extra support. Overseen by Anne Wheeler, Writing Program Director, the Hub is an opportunity for students to better their writing and learn how to grow in the field as well. It has a

staff of professionals who excel and are knowledgeable about all types of writing who are available for one-on-one appointments for students to meet with. They also respond to drafts via email, and make it as easy as editing your essay through that.

The Hub is located in the Academic Success Center, which is on the third floor of the Learning Commons. There are other resources located there as well, such as tutoring, disability and accessibility services, academic coaching and MTEL assistance. There is a broad range of options to best suit the students of Springfield College to help them succeed and reach their fullest potential.

Writing can be difficult, especially for majors that may not focus on it as much as English and Journalism. After taking

To get help from the Writing Hub, request a meeting online to have a face-to-face conversation.

(Photo courtesy of Springfield College).

labs and science and math classes, the writing skills may be a little rusty. The Writing Hub allows students to really hone in on these skills and get help that will be valuable to them moving forward.

According to the Writing Hub page on Springfield College’s website, the Hub looks to encourage students to work through a writing process, use collaborative agenda setting, and offer standalone or ongoing support in order to give students the tools and knowledge they need to flourish in their writing on their own in the future.

So, the Hub not only helps students with a specific assignment, but promotes self-growth so that they can succeed without their assistance moving forward.

It is also a great way for students to bond and connect with faculty members that they may

have not interacted with otherwise. The staff includes four exceptionally profound writing professionals.

Elizabeth Mikesch is an author of a short story collection, and has worked with students for over 10 years. She is well-versed in the literature and writing department and is available to help students with whatever they need.

Joining her on the Hub staff is Joel Simundich, a lecturer in the Literature, Writing, and Journalism (LWJ) department and teaches Writing I and II courses. He has experience in many different areas, such as working for a writing center, an academic journal and has been an instructor at several different institutions.

Mike Spry, an adjunct professor at Springfield College, teaches Composition I and II and also assists with the Writ-

ing Hub. He also has an impressive writing resume, like writing for The Toronto Star, The National Post, MTV and even wrote several books.

Wheeler rounds out the quad of specialists.

As aforementioned, she is the Writing Director as well as the Assistant Professor of Composition and Rhetoric in the LWJ Department.

With this outstanding group of professors to help, the Writing Hub proves to be a reliable source to make students better. To get help through the Writing Hub, visit https://gulick. springfield.edu/writinghub/ to request a meeting via Zoom, to have a face-to-face conversation, or submit a draft to get written feedback.

September 23, 2021

DOGS continued from Page 2

about flying or kids that are bored stiff sitting in the lounge, they appreciate having dogs around,” Schick said.

Schick and Jeeves have been going to Bright Spot events for four years now and remember coming to Springfield College two years ago. Schick is excited and hopeful that

this is the beginning of getting back to visiting the different places with Jeeves.

“We’ll be starting back at Bradley Airport next week,” Schick said.

“Then the school where we used to go said they wanted to resume it, so we should be back to normal I think by next month.”

It was a beautiful day outside on Monday

Dogs

which led to a lot of people attending Dog Day. In addition to Dog Day, campus recreation is also bringing back goat yoga which will also take place on Naismith Green during common hour on October 4th. Curtis was impressed with the overall turnout to Dog Day being one of the first events campus rec-

reation has put on this semester.

“Obviously it’s being received very well,” Curtis said. “This is always one of our biggest events but I guess the biggest thing is we appreciate everyone coming and we appreciate them bringing the dogs for us.”

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September 23, 2021

Sports

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José González puts Hispanic Heritage Month into perspective with poetry __ By Cait Kemp __ @caitlinkemp09

José González has presented his poetry at several impressive venues such as the Smithsonian in Washington D.C., the Poetry Foundation Chicago, Bryant Park in New York City, Notre Dame University, Harvard University and many others. He is also a contributor to NPR, and has been featured on Univision.

Friday afternoon, Springfield College welcomed González for a poetry reading in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which began Sept. 15 and goes until Oct. 15.

National Hispanic Heritage Month began as a week-long celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and continued as a month-long tradition later on in the 80s with President Ronald Reagan.

It begins in the middle of the month due to the significance of the date, Sept. 15. That date is the anniversary of several Latin American countries’ independence, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico follows up with its independence day Sept. 16, and Chile Sept. 18.

Each year, this month is celebrated by parades, art exhibits, festivals, community gatherings and more celebrations to honor the Hispanic heritage and the contributions made to society by hispanic figures throughout history.

González spoke to Springfield College students, faculty and community members about the importance of recognizing and embracing diversity, and he shared his poems that metaphorically compare his life after moving to the U.S. and the life he could have been living if he had stayed in El Salvador.

It discusses the struggles he had to overcome being hispanic in a school system where kids were just simply mean, but the blessing he had to be there as opposed to living in the violence that was occurring in his homeland at the time.

His poems put into perspective the unnecessary struggles people like him have to deal with just because of the color of their skin and the accents they may have from being born somewhere different.

He worked hard to gain knowledge and get the

best education he could.

“They had uncles named Sam, well I had one named Eduardo...he learned that the trick to running was to sprint… he hurdled over the U.S/ Mexican border on the second try, and kept his feet going…” read lines from one of González’ poems.

This poem was about an assignment in school that he had about illegal immigration and its affect on the nation. He observed the dominantly white classroom he sat in, and thought about how easy it was for them to answer this question. For him, it was a different story. He had a close connection to this issue, and saw it quite differently than the others.

González also emphasized the importance of recognizing the flaws and struggles people hold as human beings, as it has helped to get people to where they are today.

After leaving El Salvador, González and his family lived in Connecticut housing projects. Yet, as a child he did not see the negative aspects of this community, and was just grateful to be somewhere safer than he had come from.

“I believe that it’s

José González speaking on Friday afternoon. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College).

important for us to take pride in that, yeah, we lived there and we’re thriving. So, here I am, living in these projects, and I’m just amazed I get my own room,” he said.

His most impressive poem was one that he saved for last. It was titled “The Autobiography of a New England Latino”, and it discussed the struggle of being latinx in a white man’s world of education.

He explained how in school, people looked down on him because he was hispanic. He then worked hard to get his education, and suddenly when working in inner-city schools, he wasn’t “latino enough” for them, because he was now educated and in their eyes trying to be someone he wasn’t, even though he was just doing what made him happy and what he was good at.

The way he presented this poem was very engaging and entertaining, as he read it quite fast, and used the word “brown” to describe it, saying how he was “too brown”, or “not brown enough,” and everything in between.

Before beginning to

read this poem, he said, “It is about me, but I also want these lessons to be about, like where you’re headed, who you’re going to be working with. If you have an immigrant coworker, or student next to you whose parents were immigrants, or coworkers or supervisors, that you internalize this a little bit.”

González put emphasis on this idea that no matter where one may go in life, they will most likely encounter people of color, immigrants, or other types of minorities whether it’s as a coworker or supervisor as he said, a student, a colleague, or some other figure in life.

Because of this, he said it is important to appreciate, learn, and understand the culture and heritage of latinx and hispanic people, and be able to work with them in order to make the country a more inclusive place.

“An important word to hear, I think, is perseverance... I always associate the word ‘immigrant’ with perseverance, do you?

I would argue that you should,” said González.

September 23, 2021

Sports

Gould Named Finalist for LGBTQ Student-Athlete of the Year Springfield track & field athlete Lily Gould continously aims to spread an inclusive message across campus, and is being nationally recognized for it.

Lily Gould (left) at Springfield College’s first ever Pride Parade in the spring semester of 2021.

(Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletics).

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___ By Collin Atwood ___ @collin_atwood17

After dedicating all of their time to academics, athletics and social justice issues, Lily Gould has been named a national finalist for the NCAA Division III LGBTQ Student-Athlete of the Year award.

Gould is a junior at Springfield College majoring in psychology.

In their time here Gould has made themselves a leader on the track and field team and in the LGBTQ community.

However, Gould didn’t plan for it to go this way when they came to Springfield College.

“I came in not even being out with my sexuality… right into my first few months [at Springfield College] I came out,” Gould said.

Springfield College really helped Gould figure out who Gould was.

“I think it’s just the vibe of this place. Ever since I stepped foot on campus, as a recruit even, I got that stereotypical feeling of this is your new home,” Gould said.

That feeling only got reassured when Gould arrived on campus and saw the growth in the community.

“I think calling everybody a leader here does something. I think it sets us apart from other campuses,” Gould con-

tinued.

Gould originally came to Springfield College thinking about advocating for women’s rights like they did during highschool. “Since then I can’t even say that I’m an advocate for just women’s rights because I am non-binary.”

Ever since, Gould has immersed themself as an advocate for the LGBTQ community. They immediately joined the Springfield College Gay Straight Alliance club and quickly became an E-board member. That was just the start of Gould’s impressive resume.

Over the summer, Gould appeared on NBC where they talked about LGBTQ rights in the athletic world and also helped organize the college’s first ever Pride Parade this past April.

“It was one of the events we could do in person and to see faculty, students, athletes and anybody come together like that, that’s what it’s all about,” Gould said.

The junior hasn’t stopped fighting for LGBTQ rights. Over the past few semesters Gould, with the help of other students, was working on setting up a new club on campus called Athlete Ally.

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September 23, 2021

Athlete Ally is a non-profit organization that helps make athletic communities more inclusive and Gould started a chapter with them here on Alden Street.

“We started a chapter with them officially this semester,” Gould said.

Something exciting that Gould and the rest of the club are working on is getting pronouns on athletic rosters across the NCAA. “Not everyone just uses she/ her or he/him pronouns on this campus and we’re trying to get more inclusive with pronoun use.”

Gould has been in talks with some major schools across all divisions to try and make this happen and if she does that will go down as another great accomplishment.

Being nominated as a finalist for the LGBTQ

Student-Athlete of the Year is a great achievement considering that there are only five people nominated in the country for Division III sports.

Gould applied for this award during the summer and was very surprised when they had been nominated. It wasn’t until Gould saw a post by Springfield that they were aware of the nomination.

“I didn’t even know until Springfield posted about it on their Instagram and I got all these messages flooding in.”

Hopefully Gould will be waking up to more messages congratulating them on the victory.

Gould is just as involved in their academics as they are in the social justice world. Gould has made the Dean’s list many times and is looking to do so again this

“

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Gould is a thrower on the Springfield College track and field team. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletics).

Goals this year would be definitely to get to know myself better and the community better...”

- Lily Gould -

semester. More importantly, Gould is excited about the classes they are taking and wants to see what they can get out of them.

“I’m in a queer history class right now which is really cool. I can bring that to my clubs and teammates,” Gould said.

Gould is also very intrigued to get familiarized with the new freshman on campus this year.

“Goals this year would definitely be to get to know myself better and the community better

because we have a lot of new freshmen this year.

I think a lot of freshmen are in the GSA this year which is really cool.”

Gould’s main goal for the semester though, is to have people be more active in their support for the LGBTQ community.

September 23, 2021

Sports

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Making the most of his eligibility Springfield graduate student Derick Arhin was born in England and played soccer at the University of Rhode Island before competing for the Pride. ___ By Garrett Cote ___ @garrett_cote

Derick Arhin was introduced to the game of soccer, or football, as his home country calls it, a smidge late in his youth days compared to most young athletes. The English-born graduate transfer from the University of Rhode Island (URI) did not touch a ball until he was 10 years old. For adolescents, especially in a country where soccer is king, that started Arhin off at a bit of a disadvantage.

“All my friends did was play soccer whenever we had free time. I just naturally wanted to join in on the fun, and I turned out to be pretty okay,” Arhin stated.

Arhin moved to the

United States when he was 12-years-old, where his parents, his younger sister and himself settled into a home in Connecticut. He joined the club Oakwood Academy, an academy associated with the U.S. National Soccer Association, in Glastonbury.

He played there throughout all of his high school years, where he was introduced to several Division I coaches as his sustained success on the pitch landed him on their radars. Oakwood held many showcases for these coaches to come watch and meet the players. That is exactly where Arhin was introduced to URI, and he

(Photo courtesy of Lucy Hamilton/Springfield Student.

eventually made his decision during his senior year to play Division I soccer for the Rams.

Four years later, Arhin was staring the “real world,” right in the face, with a choice to forgo his remaining eligibility and find a job, or continue on with school and look elsewhere to play.

Long lasting connections are one of the many reasons why Springfield College is so special, and that is exactly how Arhin slowly worked his way here onto Alden Street.

“I knew I wanted to do sports psychology by my junior year,” Arhin began. “We had a sports psychologist that year

who was actually an alum of Springfield College, Dr. John Sullivan, and he really became my mentor.”

“I looked up to him a lot and I kind of just wanted to follow his path and do something similar. I still wanted to play soccer and be competitive while finding a program that can help me achieve my dreams of being a sports psychologist, and that’s when I found Springfield College.”

Arhin was adamant to continue his playing career wearing ‘THE jersey.’ During his senior campaign at URI, Arhin saw what he thought was his final collegiate season be ripped away from him

as if it were a linebacker forcing a fumble.

He knew there was more left in his tank.

“I definitely wanted to play soccer here. I knew after my four years I wasn’t ready to just stop abruptly, especially when my senior season was taken from me. Before I even applied [to SC], I immediately contacted coach Crabill and was wondering if I would be able to play here. I wanted to come to a school where I could do both,” Arhin declared.

Numerically and geographically speaking, the University of Rhode Island and Springfield College are nowhere near the same. Going from a

September 23, 2021

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(Photo courtesy of Springfield Athletics)

school where there are around 20,000 students to one that has only 4,100 (undergrad and graduate students) may be difficult, and certainly might take an adjustment period, one would think.

“I guess I never really thought about [the differences in size],” Arhin recognized. “Although Rhode Island was a very big school, it was a very close knit community. I was very used to everyone knowing and supporting each other, so coming to Springfield, to a smaller setting, I was excited because I knew it would embody those same features.”

Flipping to the soccer aspect of that notion, Arhin was surprisingly pleased with the commonalities between not only the level of soccer, but the willingness to be great from each and every member of the Pride

soccer team.

“If I’m being honest, I thought it would be such a complete change and I was worried about how I would fit in,” Arhin admitted. “But from the first day of preseason to now, I haven’t noticed that much of a difference, because coming into the season, everyone had the same characteristics that I did. Everyone wants to win and everyone has that competitive aspect to them. Every aspect that I felt at URI, I have been feeling here, so it doesn’t feel like that much of a transition.”

Thrilled is an understatement when describing how Pride head coach Tommy Crabill and company feel about having Arhin on board, and as for fitting in, he seems to be nestling his way in perfectly, in large part because of the family vibe this team gives off,

according to Arhin.

“Everyone was so welcoming, I felt like one of their own very quickly.

The coaches and staff have a lot of trust and confidence in me, and they give me a lot of freedom to play the way I want to play, and really let me just enjoy myself when I’m out there,” said Arhin.

His No. 3 jersey has been seen flying around the field making play after play thus far, accounting for two goals and two assists on the young season. Arhin will still have one more year of eligibility, making him clear cut the oldest member of the club.

“Just being a resource for the boys whenever they need it,” Ahrin remarked about being the veteran leader. “I think they naturally look up to me just based on my age and experience, so

I think it’s important to always have those role models on the team, especially for the younger guys whenever they have questions or need anything in general.”

As much as Ahrin accepts being a resource himself, he has never seen anything quite like the resources here on campus that Springfield has made available for student-athletes.

“The resources that have been given to us as athletes are amazing. It isn’t common to see, I have never seen resources to this extent on any team I’ve been on. I go out to the field and we have two athletic trainers at our disposal, we have the strength and conditioning coach watching our practice, and all these people are so engaged in what we are doing.

It really helps our team to reach our goal of

winning the NEWMAC or even going further,” Arhin explained.

The URI graduate transfer is undoubtedly thankful for each and every opportunity that comes his way, and surely looks to continue to build relationships the Springfield College way. Arhin is looking to attain his masters degree in clinical mental health counseling, with the ultimate goal of becoming a sports psychologist.

Derick Arhin has accumulated, and embodies, each and every trait you need to be successful on Alden Street in such a short period of time. He is here to stay, and he will forever be a part of the Pride family.

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September 23, 2021

Sports

PAGE 14

Spreading his story National sports radio host, JR Jackson, came to Springfield College campus to talk about the media industry, his success story, and how students can forge their own path.

__ By Carley Crain __ @carley_crain12

Students and faculty gathered in Judd Gymnasium on Monday afternoon to listen to CBS Sports radio host J.R. Jackson share his wisdom on the media industry and his experiences as a Black journalist.

Jackson is a wellknown figure in the sports world, ever since he started his YouTube channel, J.R. Sports Brief. From there, he was able to grow a platform and has worked in different media outlets such as television, broadcasting, and radio, while also focusing on diversity and inclusion.

Springfield College is the first stop on his “Media for the Movement” College Tour, which was created by Jackson to help students across the country who

are interested in sports journalism and marketing. Over the course of the next 11 weeks, Jackson will be traveling to universities like UCLA and the University of Georgia, focusing on informing students on how they can succeed in the ever-changing sports media world.

The lecture kicked off with an introduction from Communications/ Sports Journalism professor Kyle Belanger before the mic was passed to Jackson. His calm and bubbly personality was immediately affectionate as he stood tall with his black sweatshirt and boots, almost looking like a college kid himself.

He opened his presentation by speaking about his early success on his Youtube channel, and how that translated into opportunities within the sports industry. Jackson

JR Jackson spoke to students at Springfield College on Tuesday, Sept. 21, kicking off his ‘Media for the Movement’ College Tour. (Photo courtesy of Springfield College).

emphasized the importance of consistency and how that helps build a solid foundation.

“It is all about connecting with people.

For me, I have utilized sports as a way to help other people. It’s such a people business what we do,” he said.

Building relationships and having good communication skills were common themes throughout his lecture.

Jackson spoke about how branding is key. He introduced the thought of selling yourself like a brand, emphasizing finding your niche.

“If you are looking for an opportunity, a lot of the time that means building it yourself,” he said. “It really is just a matter of branding as well as what spin you can put on yourself. No matter what idea anybody comes up with, we are all individuals and

have something that makes us different and special.”

Jackson spoke for about 40 minutes, and then moved on to a question and answer session where he went into even more depth about his personal experiences as a journalist. He shared a story about how many times people don’t believe he is an actual reporter, as oftentimes he is mistaken for being a part of the camera crew, which is just one example of a microaggression he has experienced as a young black man in the media.

Small comments like this have built up over time, which in a way sparked his passion for promoting diversity and inclusion.

While Jackson’s main job is talking on-air about sports, he is also very involved with the Special Olympics. He

believes everyone deserves a chance and the opportunity to succeed.

“My end goal isn’t to be on radio or TV till I have gray hairs in my beard,” he said. “We all have an expiration date, nobody will be here forever. The way I view life is the same way I view business. What can I do now to support my family? But also what can I do to make someone else’s life just a bit easier?”

At the conclusion of his lecture, Jackson spoke with students and staff individually from the communications and sports journalism program, offering more insight and advice.

Later on Monday night, Jackson recorded his show at the radio station on campus, which aired nationally on CBS.

September 23, 2021

Sports

PAGE 15

__ By Joe Arruda __ @joearruda9

With Springfield College sports finally being back in full swing, it is time for The Student to make an exciting announcement. This is something I’ve wanted to do since I became Sports Editor in 2019, but we all know what happened after that.

It is incredible that now, if we can continue to protect our campus from Covid, we will be able to complete a fall season for the first time in two years. Football, women’s volleyball, soccer, field hockey, cross country, golf… everything.

The heart of this campus is back.

Blake Arena has been filling up, most recently for the blackout game against Babson – which the Pride won in four sets, pushing their record to an undefeated

10-0. Brock-Affleck Field is seeing tons of soccer action, while Stagg hosts field hockey.

Students are waiting with high anticipation for Oct. 9 when the football team will finally play in front of the home crowd again. It has been over 676 days.

That being said, it is with great excitement that we introduce The Springfield Student Athlete of the Week Award.

Here is how it’ll work: Every Sunday, myself and a group of our editors will look through the week’s top performances. We will decide on four male and female finalists.

Then, on Sunday evening voting will be opened. There will be two ways to vote: 1. On Twitter @TheSpfldStudent – We will send out a poll for Male Athlete of the Week, and one for Female Athlete of the Week.

2. On Instagram @TheSpfldStudent – An additional poll will be posted on our story for each award.

Both polls will be closed at 10:00 a.m. every Monday morning.

We hope to feature the winners of each week in our paper and on social media with special coverage of their performance.

SPORTS The Springfield Student

VOL. 136 NO. 3

A Long Road to Alden Street English-born graduate student Derick Arhin transferred from a Division I program to play for Springfield.

See Page 12

Springfield track & field athlete, Lily Gould was named a finalist for NCAA Division III LGBTQ Student-Athlete of the Year after becoming a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community on campus.

(Photo Courtesy of Springfield Athletics)

SEPTEMBER 23, 2021