The Signal: Fall '15 No. 13

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Vol. XLIII, No. 13

December 2, 2015

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Students in College unites in push for peace Paris during attacks

By Colleen Murphy Managing Editor

Friday, Nov. 13, was a normal day for most students at the College. At around 3 p.m., some students might have still been sitting in class, packing to go home for the weekend or even getting ready to see Dave Coulier talk that night in Mayo Concert Hall. Friday, Nov. 13, was a completely different type of day for the four students from the College who were studying abroad in Paris, France. While at 3 p.m., the College community was starting to wind down for the weekend, it was 9 p.m. in Paris, and the students studying there were about to experience a worldchanging event first-hand.

Between 9:20 p.m. and 9:53 p.m. that day, eight coordinated terrorist attacks were orchestrated throughout Paris. The news shocked the world, including students on the College’s campus, but for the students from the College who were spending the semester in Paris, the attacks hit on an extremely personal level.

Junior psychology major Ashley Demoleas and junior communication studies see PARIS page 2

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Students join hands in Quimby’s Prairie, symbolizing strength and unity.

By Sean Reis & Tom Ballard Staff Writer & News Assistant

While the world has recently been stricken with tragedy — from the attacks in Paris and Lebanon, to the protests at the University of Missouri and unrest at other colleges across the nation — the College hopes to start a push for peace. To do so, the College is focusing on starting conversations many feel “uncomfortable” talking about — primarily race and religion.

The College’s movement began in

the middle of November, when the leaders of various clubs on campus — including the College’s chapter for the National Association and Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Black Student Union (BSU), Haitian Student Association (HSA) and the Association of Students For Africa (ASFA) — organized a “blackout” on Monday, Nov. 16. Students were asked to wear all black to show solidarity with those at the University of Missouri who were in the heat of a battle for equality. However, following the horrifying events that transpired in Paris and around the

globe the previous weekend, organizations at the College felt that there were too many issues that could not be ignored.

“If they wear black for hate, why don’t we wear black for peace and love?” said AFSA President Peter Okoh, a senior biomedical engineering major. Okoh knew that although they originally planned to show solidarity with the University of Missouri, their movement must now also focus on other current issues in society.

Later on Monday, Nov. 16, in an open discussion entitled “50 Shades of Black,” hosted by BSU, HSA and ASFA, students discussed how they felt about racial tension on campus. The open forum allowed for all students to discuss situations in which they felt they faced prejudice from fellow students and faculty.

“In wake of the events that happened at places like Mizzou and Ithaca… (we said,) ‘Let’s talk about some of the other issues in the country,’” said BSU President David Brown, a senior communication studies major. “We don’t talk about (racial tension) unless it happens here, and so it was time to get the conversation started.”

In addition to race, students who attended the discussion also talked about religion, gender and sexuality. However, no matter what the topic of discussion was, the underlying theme of oppression due to misunderstanding was prominent and heard.

“If you’re going to take a test and you see PEACE page 3

HONY creator encourages creativity in talk Mental health

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

Stanton details the importance of following your passion, no matter what.

By Sydney Shaw News Editor

After losing his job as a bond trader in Chicago and announcing to his family that he wanted to become a full-time

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 11

Follow us at...

The Signal @tcnjsignal

photographer, Brandon Stanton left everything behind and moved to a place he had visited only once before — New York City.

His goal: to photograph 10,000 strangers on the streets for a photoblog that came to Editorial / Page 13

be called “Humans of New York” (HONY).

Stanton posts photos of these strangers, accompanied with snippets of their stories.

Today, the Humans of New York Facebook page boasts almost 16 million likes.

Stanton spent the evening in Kendall Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 17, to share his own story with the College and to encourage students to familiarize themselves with failure.

“I would never have done Humans of New York if I hadn’t had put myself in the position to fall on my face in front of all my family and friends,” Stanton said in an interview with The Signal. “I moved to New York with nothing but a history degree and two suitcases and told all my family and friends I was gonna be a photographer… I set myself up for failure. I had no experience.”

While attending the University of Georgia, Stanton decided to major in history because of his love for biographies.

“If you think about what a biography is, it is a personal history,” he said. “So by falling in love with biographies, that’s where I decided that I wanted to be a history major. So if you extrapolate to photography being kind of a stepping stone

talks sparked in meeting

By Julie Kayzerman Editor-in-Chief

In a packed Mayo Concert Hall, students, faculty and staff at the College were asked to stand up if they agreed with the statements being read aloud.

“Please stand if you have ever felt overwhelmed by everything you have to do.”

The entire audience stood.

“You are not alone,” said Dean of Students Angela Chong and Vice President of Student Affairs Amy Hecht alongside the tune of Sheryl Crow’s “I Shall Believe.”

It seems like everytime I try to make it right, It all comes down on me.

With these questions, the audience bravely admitted that they had, at times, felt so anxious that they couldn’t get out of bed. They admitted to knowing people who struggle with mental health issues or addiction. They even stood up to say that they would consider reaching out to a resource for support and

see HONY page 3

Opinions / Page 14

Features / Page 18

see HEALTH page 6

Arts & Entertainment / Page 22

Sports / Page 32

Former inmates Speakers share stories of past hardships

‘Godspell’ TMT presents bi-annual musical to sold-out crowd

Wrestling 5-0 Lions ranked sixth in the nation in new poll

See Features page 20

See A&E page 22

See Sports page 27

page 2 The Signal December 2, 2015

Paris / Studying abroad, students experience attacks

Photo courtesy of Laura DeLucia

DeLucia visits the Eiffel Tower for a memorial service in the days following deadly acts of terrorism.

continued from page 1

major Laura DeLucia shared an apartment in the same district where most of the attacks took place.

“The Bataclan theater, where the hostage situation occurred, was down the street next to my own (street). The shootings at Republique were a 15 minute metro ride from my apartment. The Stade de France was a bit further, but only about 20 minutes away by car,” DeLucia said. “I started to get really scared when I realized the attacks were happening right where I lived in areas myself and other young people often frequented.”

According to Demoleas, before all the information had been verified, it was believed that there was a shooting at the metro stop on the two students’ block. However, this was later found to be false.

The program in which Demoleas and DeLucia studied abroad through had actually organized a trip for all its students to the France-Germany game in the Stade de France, where three suicide bombs were detonated. The two friends had forgotten about the scheduled game and booked a trip to Germany for the weekend instead, and so were not in Paris for the attacks.

“We didn’t know what was happening at first, and didn’t understand the extent to which the attacks would happen... What terrified me was when I realized the soccer game that was attacked was the one that all my friends were at,” DeLucia said. “I immediately texted them in a panic while I started receiving texts and phone calls from friends, family and our program leaders. It was a chaotic few hours and it felt like every hour there was news of more attacks, deaths and threats. Thankfully, everyone in my program made it out of the stadium and back to their homes safely.”

A third student from the College who was studying in Paris

was one of those to make it out of the stadium safely. Junior psychology major Margaret CyrOhngemach said that she heard the bombs go off while in the stadium, but everyone remained calm, unsure of what exactly had happened or what was going on in other areas of the city.

After leaving the stadium, it took Cyr-Ohngemach and her friends two hours to get home because of the blockades of ambulances and police in the areas where people had been killed.

“We were all walking with our friends in a large group, but quickly,” Cyr-Ohngemach said. “We suddenly heard shouting and I look into the direction we are walking and masses of people are running and screaming back in the direction we were walking... So we had a split second to turn around, as there were people being trampled. There was a definite air of uneasiness and fear, you could almost smell it. Everyone was on edge.”

Cara Silvestri, a junior international business and marketing double major, was the fourth student studying abroad in Paris this semester. She, too, was not in Paris at the time of the attacks.

However, she says that even while she was spending that weekend in London, she was living in a heightened sense of caution. When she returned to Paris on Monday, Silvestri said that the city had a different atmosphere than when she had left it.

“When I got to Paris, everything was very tense. It was quieter, and there were policemen with their guns out everywhere… It was kind of really hard, and I had to go to class and I didn’t really want to so I just felt very uncomfortable that whole day,” said Silvestri, who had spent a night at the Bataclan just two weeks prior to the attacks. “The rest of that week, it slowly started to get better. All the Parisians are taking it well so we are taking comfort from them.”

Demoleas also said that time and the Parisians’ unity helped comfort her upon her return home from Germany.

“The Parisian people have reacted to the attacks defiantly,” Demoleas said. “For me, personally, the attacks definitely frightened me right after they occurred. The first time I took the metro after the attacks, I was so paranoid that I started tearing because a man was walking too close behind me. At first you’re so skeptical of every single person you see and every bag that’s placed on the floor, but as a few days passed, it all faded very quickly… I feel like people assume that it’s chaotic over here, but honestly it seems as though nothing’s changed.”

DeLucia also recognized the resilience that Parisians have and thinks that it will help in strengthening the people’s spirits for the future.

“Although I felt Paris was different after the attacks, the unity and strength that the people of Paris displayed after the attacks amazed me,” DeLucia said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Paris will recover from this terrible tragedy and come out stronger than before.”

According to the College’s Center for Global Engagement’s Director Jon Stauff, the College let the students decide whether to stay in Paris or come home early and finish their exams on campus. While Silvestri and CyrOhngemach decided to finish their exams in Paris, DeLucia and Demoleas returned to America to finish their classes.

“Deciding to leave Paris was extremely hard. I fell in love with the city and loved everything about living life there. There’s truly no other place like it in the world. What made me come home was my own fear, but mostly the fear of my family and friends,” DeLucia said. “Although I wanted to stay for the last three weeks of my program, the risk of being in Europe was too great... I felt it wouldn’t be the same experience, and I decided it would just be better to be home.”

Leaving Paris was also a hard decision for Demoleas to make.

“I wanted nothing more than to stay in Paris for the rest of the semester. After the attacks, Paris seemed like the safest city to be in, in Europe,” Demoleas said.

“No one knows if, when or where the next attack will be, so with the heightened security in Paris, it

doesn’t feel unsafe or unstable by any means. But my parents have been freaking out and dying to get me home and the easiest solution to keep them sane was to comply.”

While Silvestri says that she no longer feels safe in Paris, she decided to stay because she is travelling enough where she won’t be staying in the city too often.

“My ticket to come home is the 23rd of December, but judging by how my parents feel, I might come home a couple days after my exams are over, which is the 10th,” Silvestri said. “My dad actually really, really wanted me to come home. I felt bad saying no, but I think he overall understood.”

Cyr-Ohngemach also decided to stay in the country.

“It comes down to that I really like living here,” she said.

According to Stauff, because students who were studying abroad in other countries happened to be visiting Paris for the weekend, the College had to work with the international institutions to ensure that all students in Europe were safe and accounted for.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Paris will recover from this terrible tragedy.”

—Laura DeLucia

junior communication studies major

The Center for Global Engagement will use the attacks in Paris to evaluate the safety of the country, like the center does for every destination each year.

“We are certainly concerned with world issues. We have a wide variety of sources of information to provide us with information about safety and security, including from the U.S. Department of State,” Stauff said. “I think it’s fair to say that we have terrorist incidents over the past 15 years in Spain, France, England, Germany, Italy, and I’ve just given you the top five destinations for TCNJ’s study abroad students. We weigh each relationship we have with our international partners.

“Individually, we ask our partners about concerns they may have. We ask for annual security updates to find out what crime may have been reported in the midst of our study abroad partner institutions in a given year. We are not going to send our students to a war zone… But it’s a very fluid situation from one year to the next and we’re going to continue to monitor each and every location where we send students. We will shut down certain locations if we don’t feel it’s safe, as we have done in Mexico over the past several years. And we will give the student as much information so that she or he can make an informed decision about where they will choose to go.”

Stauff pointed out that last year, the College had 29 of its students in the same part of Madrid that witnessed one of the biggest terrorist attacks in recent history in 2004. “(The attack) was on March 11 in the train station Alcalá, yet this is a place that is relatively suburban, very safe and our students are very happy there. So situations change over time, and we monitor them and make the best decisions we can,” Stauff said.

Stauff also said that limiting where students can study based on attacks like the ones in Paris can be seen as hypocritical.

“I’ll be really honest with you, we had 9/11 in our backyard, and for us to say that we don’t want to send students to certain parts of the world, at the same time encouraging students to come to New Jersey to study with us, it would cast us in a hypocritical light,” Stauff said.

Both Demoleas and Silvestri compared the Paris attacks to the attacks that occurred on 9/11, with Silvestri saying that she can imagine that the sense of unity that Parisians had to muster after their city’s attacks, even with the constant thought of another potential attack, was similar to how America reacted after 9/11. All four agreed that experiencing terrorism so close to home definitely had a huge impact on their lives.

“Time has helped. I don’t know how to put this into words, just, it was a very scary experience then, but it got better,” Silvestri said. “I’m trying to see the good in it. Walking down the street, you still find people coming out and about and really enjoying life and after all that’s happened, you really have to appreciate that and not take anything for granted.”

AP Photo

President Barack Obama and French President François Hollande place flowers at the Bataclan, one of six sites that were under attack on Friday, Nov. 13.

Peace / Events held display harmonious unification December 2, 2015 The Signal page 3

Solidarity shown for those facing social injustice

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Students read a poem to the crowd, encouraging others to make a difference. continued from page 1 haven’t studied, you’re going to get an ‘F’ and there’s no way around it,” sophomore communication studies major Mete Eser said. “So it’s like, how are you going to know about Islam, or Christianity, or Buddhism or anything if you don’t go out and you don’t talk to the people that actually practice these religions?”

Other students expressed similar views to Eser and expanded on his analogy.

“I think that (‘50 Shades of Black’) was a great example of how we can (get out and learn about what is happening),” sophomore communication studies major Nolan DeVoe said. “Whether it is going to the BSU meetings or the rally, and even the panel that was on Thursday, and all things like that, I suggest to get out of your comfort zone.”

At the peace rally held on Wednesday, Nov. 18, students read a poem titled “It’s Up To You.” The poem concludes, “One life can make a difference / You see, it is up to you.”

Following the reading, Casey Dowling, the student body president and a senior biology major, spoke in regard to the poem before leaving the podium.

“Today is not the end of the conversation,” she said. “It has only just begun.”

Kerri Thompson Tillett, the associate vice president and chief diversity officer

for the College, told students that they represented students all across the country.

“We stand here today in support of the students at other institutions across the United States who are having to exist in environments of discrimination and (hostility),” Tillett said. “We stand together today as allies who are committed to ensuring that (the College) is an institution that affirms and respects the basic dignity of members of our community.”

After the speeches concluded and before the audience dispersed, all of the attendees, both students and faculty, held hands and formed a circle around Quimby’s Prairie in order to show that they “stood united” against prejudice and discord.

“I felt like the circle brought a sense of unity to our campus,” freshman finance and political science double major Justin Brach said. “It was incredible seeing students of different backgrounds come together to support such a critical movement in our time.”

“Everyone holding hands to encircle Quimby’s Prairie was incredibly symbolic and powerful,” Vice President of Student Affairs Amy Hecht said. “It showed that (the College can) stand together and that collectively we are not willing to tolerate injustice toward any individuals or groups.”

The College was not the only higher educational institution in the state that held events in the wake of the recent events.

Kean University in Union City, N.J., and Princeton University in Princeton, N.J., made headlines as well.

According to Kean’s Facebook page, the university received threatening tweets from an anonymous Twitter account on Tuesday, Nov. 17, following the students’ own peaceful demonstration for the events that occurred at the University of Missouri. According to an nj.com article from Wednesday, Nov. 18, the university’s president, Dawood Farahi, vowed that the school will do all that it can do to find the source of the threats.

“Hate will never succeed,” Farahi said in the same article. “It will always fail.

(The university) stands behind (student demonstrators) when they peacefully use their constitutional rights.”

According to the New York Times, 200 students at Princeton University walked out of their classes to protest the university’s approach to racial sensitivity and a campus organization, the Black Justice League, presented a list of demands to the university.

Fifteen students also occupied Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber’s office on Wednesday, Nov. 18. Those students occupied the office overnight, and the following day, Eisgruber promised to sit down with the student demonstrators in order to hear their demands.

“Today is not the end of the conversation... it has only just begun.”

—Casey Dowling

student body president

At the top of the list of demands, according to a New York Times article from Friday, Nov. 20, was renaming the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs to “publicly acknowledge the racist legacy” of the 28th U.S. president and former university president. Other demands included having staff members attend diversity sensitivity training, along with providing

housing and a meeting space for students interested in black culture.

In his meeting with students, Eisgruber said that while naming decisions are up to the university’s board of trustees, he promised to remove a large mural of Wilson that is currently placed in the school’s residential dining hall.

With tension getting closer to home, certain events that have taken place at nearby institutions have become personal for some students at the College.

“It breaks my heart, because in 2015, I never thought that I would see students being threatened, not being able to attend something as important as education,” Brown said.

He then compared the events with the demonstrations of the Civil Rights Movement.

“For me, I can’t believe that (racial unrest at colleges) is happening and it makes me think back to the literature that I have read or the documentaries that I have watched (about the Civil Rights movement),” Brown said.

Senior psychology major Queneisha Jones, the president of the College’s chapter of the NAACP, said that the students at the College are grateful for administration’s support in regards to student demonstration.

“Luckily, we have the support of our institutional president, too, and I don’t know how many other schools have that,” Jones said. “So it is really up to the student body to combine their collective thoughts, but I think in terms of making an actual change, a systemic change or institutional change at their college, (colleges experiencing racial unrest) are going to need more support from people in places, not to say (who) matter, but (who) have a stronger say so.”

In a statement released to The Signal by the College’s spokesman David Muha, President R. Barbara Gitenstein expressed support for the events of the week.

“The actions of our students… exemplify exactly the kind of leadership that we all should show in expressing our concerns about fair treatment for people,” Gitenstein said. “At (the College), we value diversity and strive to foster an inclusive community, but we do not take it for granted.

We recognize that elsewhere, many do not enjoy the same degree of respect and that compels us to speak up.”

HONY / World-famous blog begins with simple idea continued from page 1

to telling people’s stories… it goes from (studying) history to telling people’s histories.”

The photo captions on the Humans of New York page have not always included the subjects’ stories, though. The evolution of Stanton’s blog can be seen by comparing his two No. 1 New York Times bestselling books — “Humans of New York” and “Humans of New York: Stories,” released in 2013 and 2015, respectively. The books contain a compilation of Stanton’s photos from his photoblog.

“When the first book came out, it was mainly just photographs,” Stanton said. “So in the six months it took for that first book to be published, the blog had changed so much that when that first book came out, it didn’t even look like the blog anymore.”

In the captions of his photos, Stanton has begun to include longer quotes from the people he photographed. Over time, he realized his knack for approaching strangers

and quickly developing a rapport with them.

“It’s just always changing and it’s always evolving,” Stanton said. “It just comes out of me doing it every single day… I just keep getting more and more detail and more and more depth to these people’s stories, and the stories get longer and longer and longer.”

While the depths of the stories Stanton includes on the page have evolved, so has the impact of the page itself.

“The first time I found out that Humans of New York could really raise money was the first time I tried to raise money,” Stanton said. “Hurricane Sandy was the very first fundraiser we did. We raised a quarter of a million dollars.”

Since then, fans of Humans of New York have collaborated to raise money for those featured on the page, including a Pakistani man whose tractor was destroyed in an accident, to help end bonded labor in Pakistan and, most

famously, for Mott Hall Bridges Academy in Brooklyn, N.Y. The page has also evolved into a tool, spreading empathy across the world.

“I remember, people used to always come up to me on the streets and say, ‘My mom was so terrified of me moving to New York, but then I just showed her your blog and now she feels better,’” Stanton said. “I realized that through stopping random people on the street and meeting these strangers… it had a very empathizing, ameliorating effect on the image of a person, a neighborhood, a city and a place.

“Once I realized that power of Humans of New York, the more I started thinking, ‘Where could I apply that? Where is somewhere that is feared that I can go and photograph random people?’”

The first place Stanton traveled to was Iran in the summer of 2012. Since then, he has collected photographs in nearly 20 countries, including Iraq, Pakistan and Mexico.

“The reception of that was so

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

Symone Yancey answers Stanton’s questions in a demonstration of how he interviews people on the street. amazing,” he said.

Stanton ended his lecture by sharing a secret with the 800 or so students in the audience.

“I’m working on a film,” he said. “I’ve done about 150 days of filming and nobody’s seen any of it. I’ve filmed over 600 HONY interviews.”

While he didn’t reveal a possible release date for the film, Stanton told audience members that it’s “awesome.”

“There’s a story in all of us that is filled with enough excitement, tragedy, love and heroism that it can captivate millions and millions of people,” he said.

page 4 The Signal December 2, 2015

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 5

Commission meets to discuss college affordability

Photo courtesy of Courtney Wirths

Many find themselves studying hard, struggling to maintain good grades, in order to retain scholarship money.

By Matt Green Correspondent

The College Affordability Study Commission recently held a public hearing at the College to discuss potential improvements to the affordability of college tuition and providing financial aid for New Jersey residents.

On Wednesday, Nov. 18, in the Business Building Lounge, concerned students, parents and members of the public were encouraged to come and voice their opinions at the meeting. Many individuals even traveled significant distances to share their perspectives and personal experiences with paying for higher education.

Created as the result of a law enacted in February 2015, the commission is responsible for “examining topics such as the state’s student loan program (NJCLASS), the state’s 529 college savings programs (NJBEST), accelerated and affordable degree programs, a Pay It Forward Pilot Program and any other proposal that may make college more affordable in New Jersey,” according to the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU).

Frederick Keating, the president of Rowan College at Gloucester County and chairman of the College Affordability Study Commission, explained the agenda for the meeting. The commission would

first hear testimonies from current college students, many of whom have struggled with affording higher education. Then, it would move on to a presentation from the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA). After that, the commission would resume listening to attendees’ inputs and conclude with a presentation from Guided Pathways to Success.

The board seemed confident in the financial aid programs that currently exist, such as the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and HESAA, deeming them helpful and effective. Reinforcing the commission’s certainty in these projects, some students explained how EOF, HESAA and similar financial aid programs have made it possible for them to attend college and be successful.

“I am so grateful for the EOF program, especially the one here at TCNJ,” said Olivia White, a junior urban childhood education and sociology double major.

“Without their financial support, I would not be in college, but what I think is equally important is the emotional and academic support they provide.”

White’s first two years of college were paid for as a result of the EOF Promise Award, the N.J. Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) and the Federal Pell Grant. Her tuition, housing, meal plan and textbooks

were paid for through these aids.

Unlike White, many other students are not as fortunate with receiving financial aid.

David Hughes, a professor of anthropology and president of the Rutgers Council of American Association of University Professors Chapter (AAUP), gave an example of one of his financially struggling students.

“Her mother is mentally ill,” he said. “She is working 20-30 hours per week. She’s taking care of her mother in the evening...

She’s trying to pass my course and a bunch of other courses before her financial aid runs out.”

Hughes stated that this type of situation is not uncommon for college students.

The issue that students repeatedly explained to the commission is the lack of information they were given about their college affordability opportunities.

Sabrina Cruz, a senior at Georgian Court University, explained that she did not find out about EOF until years after high school, and she is not alone.

Many students talked about the lack of financial literacy education they received in high school and how that influenced their abilities to select and pay for colleges. As a result, many struggle with juggling multiple jobs while attending college, which

hurts their ability to focus on their studies.

HESAA Executive Director Gabrielle Charette explained the process through which they impart information about financial aid opportunities.

“We do over 600 Financial Aid Nights per year,” she said. “We have 74 high schools and 33 colleges participating in ‘Real Money 101.’ We are coming to the conclusion next month of our guidance counselor training institute, which we host every fall at this time — nine sessions across the state. Approximately 900 high school guidance counselors participate each year, so we are definitely trying to get the word out.”

While there were no definitive solutions to the college affordability issue that has plagued New Jersey residents, the commission has heard various perspectives, received a multitude of proposals and attained significant amounts of research.

This is the second of three public hearings that the College Affordability Study Commission is conducting. The final hearing will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at Rowan University in the Chamberlain Student Center’s Eynon Ballroom at 10:30 a.m. All students, parents and members of the public are welcome to attend to express their views to the board.

SFB allocates funds for comedy shows and concerts

By Jackie Delaney Production Manager

The College Union Board presented for a string of shows for the upcoming spring semester at the Student Finance Board’s Wednesday, Nov. 18, meeting.

The board allocated $30,096 for CUB’s Welcome Back Comedy Show — a change from the Welcome Back Lecture typically offered by CUB in the spring semester. The group said it made a “conscious decision” to change to a comedy show this year because of rising popularity for CUB comedy shows and “humorous lectures,” according to the information packet.

CUB is hoping to bring Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz or Ross Matthews to campus for the event. Middleditch, a Canadian actor, comedian and television writer, is best known for his role as Richard Hendricks on HBO’s “Silicon Valley.”

Actor, comedian and writer Ben Schwartz is known for his role as Jean-Ralphio Saperstein on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation,” as well as Showtime’s “House of Lies.” CUB said it has the option for Schwartz to perform a traditional comedy show or for him to perform improv comedy with his acclaimed troupe “Snowpants.”

Ross Matthews is an American television personality who has starred on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” as well as “Celebrity Fit Club” and “Chelsea Lately.”

The comedy show is planned for Wednesday, Jan. 27, Saturday, Jan. 30, or Sunday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m. in Kendall Hall Main Stage. CUB hopes to host the event to “celebrate students’ arrival at TCNJ after Winter Break,” the information packet said.

CUB was allocated $37,435 for the Welcome Back Concert, which aims to provide “a fun and entertaining environment to students upon arrival for the spring,” according to the information packet.

Possible talent for the concert is rapper Waka Flocka Flame, R&B/hip-hop singer/

songwriter Kehlani or rapper Danny Brown.

The concert is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 30, or Sunday, Jan. 31, at 8 p.m. on the Kendall Hall Main Stage.

CUB’s request for $2,740 for its 2016 Super Bowl Celebration was fully funded by the board. The group traditionally holds the event for students to watch the game as well as “enjoy a photobooth, desirable raffles and delicious food,” the information packet said. The request included funding for pizza, wings and a variety of raffle prizes, including gift cards and football fan apparel.

The event will be held on Sunday, Feb. 7, at 5 p.m. in the Lion’s Den. CUB was funded $219,143 for the Spring Concert, its annual large-scale event that attracts a large portion of the student body every year.

CUB’s top picks for the concert include Jason Derulo, Fetty Wap, Chance the Rapper, Kid Cudi or The Chainsmokers.

“We aim to make this concert one of our largest and most high-energy events of the year,” CUB wrote in the information packet. CUB said it aimed to present a show that offers a range of genres, arranging a concert that a large portion of students would be interested in.

The concert is scheduled for April 2016.

Lastly, CUB was allocated $55,596 for the annual Spring Comedy Show. The top choice headliner is Bo Burnham, the wellknown comedian and singer/songwriter who gained popularity from his YouTube videos. CUB’s second choice headliner is comedian and actor Chris D’Elia, who currently stars in NBC’s “Undateable.” CUB also cited comedian, actor and author B.J. Novak as an option. Novak has written for and starred in “The Office.”

Openers for the show are still to be determined, as well as the date, according to the information packet.

The TCNJ Treblemakers received $313 for its annual Winter Concert to be held on

David Colby / Staff Photographer

The board hears proposals of talent for spring events.

Saturday, Dec. 5. The event, which is open to the campus community and the public, will showcase the music the group has “arranged and learned over the course of the fall semester,” the information packet said.

The request included funding to book Mayo Concert Hall, which includes expenses for student staff, ushers and Mayo Hall supplies. These supplies include microphone and sound system fees, according to the Treblemakers. The concert, which is free, will run from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

I-Tunes A Cappella was allocated $361 for its Winter Concert, which aims to “provide students with cultural music from around the world performed using a cappella arrangements,” according to the group’s information packet.

“We like to try and give music from around to the world to students,” said I-Tunes member Cameron Schiff, a senior accounting major. The multicultural a cappella group said that it hopes the concert can provide stress relief for students before finals. It will be held in Mayo Concert Hall on Sunday, Dec. 6, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Leadership Development Program (LDP) was partially funded $1,309.89 for Leadership Lock-Up, an annual event that includes workshops, presentations and group activities to build communication, team building and cooperation skills. The event, which is in its 12th year now, is traditionally “attended by all sorts of organizations such

as CUB, Greek Life and many other student leaders,” according to Jackie Kaletski, a member of LDP. The board discussed the requested funding, $4,700, for the guest speaker, Tyson Wooters. Wooters, a mascot for the University of Oregon and motivational speaker, was selected by LDP because of his engaging nature.

“When we were looking for a speaker, we didn’t want someone who would just talk to an audience… we wanted someone who would engage and really pass on these lessons,” Kaletski said.

The board was torn on the funding of Wooters. Some members felt the price was not justified for a speaker that may not be well-known, while others argued that the guest speaker was not a draw for the event.

The board fully funded the event except for the speaker, tabling the request and asking LDP to return with three speaker quotes for comparison.

Leadership Lock-Up is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 23, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Business Building Lounge. Students who participate are allowed to move in a day early, since the event takes place before the spring semester begins, according to LDP. *Even though SFB agrees to finance certain events, there is no guarantee these events will take place. The approval only makes the funds available.

page 6 The Signal December 2, 2015

Health / College cares about students’ wellness continued from page 1

pledge themselves as part of the caring community at the College.

Please say honestly you won’t give up on me, And I shall believe.

With the rain pouring down from dark skies on Thursday, Nov. 19, students could stand up to admit their struggles — without being alone. The next aisle over, they could see their professor standing up to signify feeling the same ways. In the wake of a cluster of tragedies with five deaths by suicide at the College in the past three years, students, faculty and staff stood united at the first-ever Mental Health and Suicide Awareness Town Hall meeting to spark the discussion of mental health.

“We do not sweep things under the rug at The College of New Jersey and we’re ready to have those tough conversations,” Hecht said.

Response to tragedy The meeting highlighted psychiatrist Dr. Victor Schwartz from the Jed Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes emotional health and suicide prevention, who talked about the issue on a national level.

The meeting was then brought down to a local level, in which a discussion panel allowed audience members to share questions and concerns with Chong, Schwartz, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Dr. Mark Forest and Associate Dean of Students Kelly Hennessy.

“We’re thinking about this all the time behind the scenes,” Forest said. “(We’re) trying to develop protocols and procedures, and prevention and intervention and strategies.”

Over the past few years, the College has taken several steps behind the scenes to restructure the way it handles tragedy. The meeting was held, in part, to share with the campus community what the College has been doing in response to the cluster of suicides.

“We realized kind of early on that (we) were doing a lot of work, but we were so busy doing the work that we (were) doing (it) without telling our story,” Chong said.

The Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Task Force was formed in the summer of 2014 with the purpose of developing prevention, intervention and postvention strategies. This task force includes faculty, students and staff from several different organizations, including the TCNJ Clinic, Residential Education, Athletics and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).

A Strategic Response Team was formed specifically to handle postvention. The team convenes following a death in the community to determine the best way to notify the campus. The Care Team was established as a campus-wide team that meets biweekly to review student cases related to social, mental health, academic and behavioral concerns. According to Chong, the Care Team is committed to supporting students that are oftentimes faced with difficulties by providing them with vital linkages to both local and on-campus resources. The College also

Campus Resources

Anti-Violence Initiatives: (609) 771-2272 Alcohol & Drug Education Program: (609) 771-2572 Campus Police Department: (609) 771 2345 Counseling & Psychological Services: (609) 771-2247 Dean of Students (609) 771-2201 Disability Support Services: (609) 771-3199 EEO/Title IX Complaints: (609) 771-3139 Residential Education & Housing: (609) 771-3455 Student Health Services: (609) 771-2889 TCNJ Clinic: (609) 771-2700 TCNJ Cares: 609-771-2273 Concerned about a friend? Submit a report at: sa.pages.tcnj.edu/student-of-concern utilizes the Behavior Assessment and Response Team (BART) to assess whether a student is at a significant risk of harm to themselves or to others and take a proactive and collaborative approach in managing situations that might arise, according to Chong. Schwartz spent the day with the different teams, validating their recent work and highlighting areas for improvement.

“We decided that we were really going to re-brand and emphasize that you are all part of a community that really does care about this College,” Hennessy said.

The Care Team, chaired by Hennessy, has already implemented several new practices at the College. There has been a 30 percent increase to staff in CAPS with regular psychiatric hours increasing from four to 20. Chong also reorganized the Office of the Dean of Students and hired a case manager, Noryba Ritman, a trained social worker to handle individual students’ cases. According to Hennessy, the Office of the Dean of Students now acts as a “one-stop-shop” to help point students in the right direction for resources that can be most beneficial to them.

In addition, the Care Team has put signs in the parking garages of Lot 7 and Lot 10 that include resources and the number for the 24/7 NJ Hopeline for suicide prevention for people to call if they need help. The College is also in the process of developing barriers in the parking garages as a way to restrict students’ access to suicide, Chong said.

According to Hecht, the health and wellness of the campus community isn’t just about getting counseling, but rather practicing healthy lifestyles on a daily basis. The College has made several moves in improving the overall health and wellness of the campus community, including building a new recreation center, purchasing new spin bikes and having a nutritionist on campus alongside mindful recipes in Eickhoff Hall to encourage students to eat healthy and exercise — an important part of maintaining mental health.

Mindfulness Meditation has been newly emphasized on campus, as well, with meditation classes of different time lengths offered at least five days a week in the Spiritual Center.

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Schwartz, Chong, Hennessy and Forest discuss mental health.

Hennessy also introduced the formation of an 099 level course to “talk about health and wellness and how to stay healthy and well especially during stressful times.” She also discussed a “don’t cancel that class” initiative that is in the works for students to have a substitute class on mental health and wellness when a professor can’t make it in. The College is also looking to implement a Health and Wellness certificate program, as well, according to Hennessy. In addition, the Care Team has also designed stickers with resources for students that have been placed in every dorm room on campus. Magnets with more in-depth directions and resources have been distributed to all faculty.

As of late, faculty, staff and several student leaders of organizations have also undergone various trainings on how to deal with mental health issues. Specifically, several faculty and staff members have undergone CONNECT training.

“You strive to be open and have the trust of your community without doing harm... it’s a delicate balance.”

— Angela Chong Dean of Students

“We’ve probably trained over 300 people on campus, 200 faculty, some students who are in leadership positions and people who have direct interactions with students, for people who deal with students in high-risk situations,” Forest said. The Care Team hopes to reach every single group on campus with these trainings, he added.

The panel then opened up the meeting to students, giving them a platform to voice their concerns or ask questions to the task force.

Concerned about the prevalence of suiciderelated deaths on campus, students challenged the task force with new suggestions. Other students gave valuable perspectives, speaking from their own struggles with mental health or personal issues with their CAPS experiences.

Other students posed suggestions for the administration to take into consideration.

Senior English and women’s and gender studies double major Jennie Sekanics suggested that the College mandate a line to be put under the integrity policy of each class syllabus with the information for students on who to contact if they feel that their professors are not practicing empathy or prioritizing students’ mental health. According to Hennessy, a line on the syllabus including

this information was already approved over the summer to be mandated in upcoming syllabi and will take full effect very soon.

“Of all things, I am grateful for the fact that TCNJ is listening,” Sekanics said. “When we spoke up about the language of the email, it was changed immediately. When we asked for more mental health awareness, TCNJ Cares Week was initiated and run by students who are connected to and passionate about mental health awareness.”

According to Sekanics, who is also a community advisor (CA), Residential Life started the Community Care Task Force in order to obtain a CA’s perspective on how to not only prevent suicide, but how to best respond to trauma and re-create a community.

“I am privileged because I am able to see firsthand how the administration and professional staff plans to respond to our feedback,” said Sekanics, who is part of the Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention Task Force. “I am honestly just so happy — honored really — to go to a school with faculty that will recognize their faults and mistakes and ask, ‘How can we make this better? How can we improve ourselves and our institution for our students?’”

Several audience members bravely challenged the administration and expressed their concerns, and while each question was different, one message became clear — the College is aggressively working towards improving the mental health and wellness of the campus community.

Safe Messaging The College’s administration and task force members have been rigorously training and researching the best practices of how to handle postvention in the wake of a death on campus.

“Good postvention is excellent prevention,” Chong told The Signal.

After completing several trainings, including CONNECT and researching methods from the Jed Foundation and utilizing the postvention guide from A Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA), the College has adopted the practice of safe messaging.

“It helped us shift our understanding that the role communication can have in preventing further loss is extraordinary,” Chong said of the CONNECT training. “When communicated well, it can prevent. When communicated irresponsibly, it can be very harmful.”

Studies have shown that certain wording of messages in response to a death by suicide can actually pose as negative triggers to others.

For example, safe messaging says to report on suicide with the wording of “death by suicide,” instead of saying “committed suicide.”

“It’s a really strategic balance that you strive to be open and have the trust of your community without doing harm to your community. It’s a delicate balance,” Chong said.

“Every word of every message of communication… is very carefully thought out with that balance in mind.”

Committing itself to the practice of safe messaging, however, has at times put the College under fire in a negative light. Feelings from the campus community have included the idea that the College has been insensitive after a recent loss or looking out for its reputation. Yet, it is simply practicing safe messaging.

“A lot of the things that are best practice for postvention seem almost counterintuitive,” College spokesman Dave Muha told The Signal. “On campus, there’s not awareness that when there is a death by suicide, that we’re actually being very thoughtful. Having sat through, unfortunately, a number of these meetings, I can tell you that the reputation of the College does not come up at all… the only thing that we’re considering is what’s best for our community.” see TALKS page 7

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 7

Talks / People feel pressured to be perfect continued from page 6

After a death in the College’s community, the postvention team gathers to determine the safest way to relay the information to the campus. The team uses “concentric circles” to first notify groups of people who have had the most direct interaction with the person who passed, before emailing the entire college community.

The College has focused on dealing with the aftermath of being a survivor campus in the best way possible, research has shown, Hecht said. However, the problem lies in the conflict between what the research says to do and what the campus community feels it needs.

According to Muha, safe messaging dictates that holding memorials for those who have died by suicide can sometimes negatively affect the prevention of others following in suit. After the death of former assistant provost Pat Donohue, the postvention team decided that following safe messaging by not having a memorial wasn’t best for the campus. Therefore, a tribute to Donohue was held as a “Day of Service” to honor him, while shifting the focus from a memorial to the survivors. It was held in an interactive way for participants to pay tribute, while engaging in community service themselves.

“From a community standpoint, I can see where people feel the College isn’t being sensitive because we’re not doing (certain

things), but we’re not doing (certain things) on purpose,” Muha said.

Culture Shift The College is a survivor campus, according to Muha, and by starting an open and transparent conversation about mental health on campus, the task force hopes to shift the culture.

“One of the things that we want to convey is that we’re really trying to change the culture here at TCNJ to focus on helping one another, having each other’s backs so that we’re all in this together,” Forest told The Signal.

In an interview with The Signal, Hecht noted that while the College is a rigorous and high-achieving institution, the pressure students feel to succeed is not unique to this campus.

“That desire for perfection is unfortunately in our society and I think it’s gotten worse with social media,” Hecht said.

“Your academics are absolutely important, but not at the expense of your health.”

Hecht explained that academic achievements won’t garner success without a person’s mental and physical health.

“We’re trying to graduate students who have the education and the knowledge, but also the leadership and the self-awareness to be successful,” Hecht said. “It isn’t always what’s on your academic transcript, it’s about your ability

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Chong, right, assures students that failing is an important part of life. to interact with others, to have enough emotional intelligence to know what it is that you need to be successful, when you need to take a break… we want students to be able to do that for themselves.”

Chong added that while students might feel the need to be perfect, there is a significant value in failure.

“I think there’s a societal pressure to appear like you’ve got everything together,” Chong said. She used the metaphor of a duck looking serene above water, but under water, furiously kicking just to stay afloat. “And that’s something that is rewarded… I really like that we’re trying to shift… (and focus on) the power of vulnerability. You’re a stronger leader if you

can show that you’re not always that duck.

You have your moments of vulnerability, you have your moments of failure and what you choose to do with that is going to have a greater impact on those around you than you pretending that you’ve got it all together all the time.”

Hecht added that students must learn to take some of the pressure off of themselves and allow for some leeway to take a break and take care of themselves.

“That is just as valuable and important as studying and finishing that paper,” Hecht said. “This is just the beginning of our work together. We all have a role to play as we seek to create a more healthy and well campus.”

Students share gratitude for their ‘helpers’

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

Bias thanks the person who has helped him most.

By Ellie Schuckman News Editor

With a packed audience, dim lighting and solemn composure, six students took center stage, reading personal letters aloud to individuals who helped them in times of need.

The College’s Student Alliance to Facilitate Empathy (SAFE) hosted “Dear Helper” on Wednesday, Nov.

18, in the Physics Building to show individuals that even in the darkest times, they are not the only ones struggling.

“It’s important to know you’re not alone,” said SAFE Vice President Laur Plawker, a junior psychology major.

“While no two struggles are the same, it’s nice to know you’re not alone.”

The monologue-style event allowed students to speak openly and share their stories about a time when empathy and compassion was extended to them. Participants spoke in the form of an open letter addressed anonymously to their “helper” — the person who comforted them in a time of need.

“The letter was to someone that has been dear to me my entire life and to share the story of how much he had helped me through the most difficult times in my life felt as though I was passing his memory to my friends,” senior English major Mark Bias said. “It helped me to know that there are spaces and people on this campus that come to hear you speak without judgement.”

Bias, along with other students, took the opportunity to thank his “helper” — something he had not been able to do previously.

As the students continued to read their letters, the audience became captivated by the stories told and some even teared up, like some of the presenters were also doing during their presentations.

“I thought it was a good experience for everyone,” senior psychology major Michael McLaughlin said. “It was cathartic for the people presenting.”

Jen Snyder, a senior nursing major, shared her story of having failed a class and needing to stay an extra year at the College. She detailed the pain of having to look her father in the eye while breaking the news to him and the pressure she felt to pass every class.

“I’m lucky to say that I’m not living in a tragedy... but life is hard,” she said, fighting through tears. “I have you to walk me through life when I feel like I’m drowning in it.”

Recounting her past struggles, Snyder thanked her helper for supporting her at her lowest point.

“You followed me everywhere that week, reassuring me that I was your angel and that I was one angel that needed to stay on the ground,” she said. “Thank you for saving me.”

When the event concluded, those in attendance applauded the speakers, showing support for what they had been through.

“I believe that ‘Dear Helper’ does more than just spread empathy,” Bias said. “It brings people together in ways that no other event can. We heard many letters and shared our own personal stories with friends and strangers and in the silence of the room, we felt at home.”

There’s vomit on his PJs already, not Mom’s spaghetti

By Colleen Murphy Managing Editor

• A wallet was stolen from the Campus Town gym sometime between 5:30 p.m. and 6:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, according to Campus Police. The student placed her wallet on the elliptical machine she was using and accidentally left it there when she went back to her dorm. When she realized she had left her wallet at the gym, she returned and looked around, but could not find it. The wallet and its contents were valued at $120, including $40 in cash, police said.

• Campus Police saw a student riding in a vehicle on C Street holding a plastic bag up to his face as if vomiting on Saturday, Nov. 15. The same male was then seen on I Street, where police approached him at 12:39 a.m. Police said that the male

seemed to be sick from having too much to drink. The student had vomit on his pajama pants and T-shirt and was holding a yellow plastic bag full of vomit.

TCNJ EMS arrived to evaluate the student who said he had consumed several beers at an off-campus party on Pennington Road. According to police, the student was issued an underage drinking summons.

student had four shots of Bacardi Rum at an unknown location before going to a party, and then had three shots of Everclear and three cups of Jungle Juice while at the party.

The student was unsure of how he got back to Centennial Hall. Police said they issued the student an underage drinking summons.

• Campus Police were dispatched to Centennial Hall at 3 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, in reference to an intoxicated male. Another student had already carried the intoxicated male from the first floor bathroom into his dorm room, where police observed the male lying on his bed, apparently intoxicated.

TCNJ EMS also arrived to evaluate the student. According to police reports, the

• Campus Police were dispatched to Wolfe Hall to meet with a community advisor (CA) who had reportedly seen a student exit the hall’s elevator with what she believed to be a bag of marijuana. When the CA asked the student what was in the Ziploc bag, the student said “oregano” and exited the elevator.

Police met with the student in question and the CA in the hallway of a seventh

floor room where the student removed a Ziploc bag containing “a green leafy vegetation believed to be marijuana” from his left pocket. According to police, the student was placed under arrest.

• An unknown liquid was poured onto a student’s car parked in Lot 13 sometime between 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, and Saturday, Nov. 14, Campus Police said. The car was parked on the second floor, near the elevator area, and the liquid was poured on the car’s hood, windshield, roof and driver side door handle. There is no monetary damage to the vehicle and the student will wash off the fluid. Police took photos and told the student to contact them if the vehicle was damaged further, reports said.

Anyone with information can contact Campus Police at 609-771-2345.

page 8 The Signal December 2, 2015

Panel fights to dispel immigrant stereotypes

By Tom Ballard News Assistant Undocumented immigrants do not pay taxes. They take away jobs from documented Americans. An overwhelming majority of immigrants are Latino. Immigrants only have children in America in order to secure residency or citizenship. It is easy to become a U.S. citizen.

Those were the stereotypes that the sisters of Lambda Theta Alpha (LTA) and the El Centro team at the Bonner Institute seeked to dispel in their inaugural Immigration Panel Discussion held in the Education Building on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

The discussion featured a diverse group of panelists, including Roberto Hernandez, the director of El Centro, a division of Catholic Charities that aides mostly Latino immigrants into adjusting to life in the U.S.; Alberto Carbonilla, a cross-cultural management professor in the School of Business at the College; Sandra SepulvedaKozakowski, a psychology professor at the College who teaches a course about power and oppression; Talia Martinez, a senior business management major and Bonner scholar who works at the El Centro site teaching English classes and senior mathematics major Aracely Vivanco, a sister of LTA. Throughout the event, LTA posed a number of polls that asked the audience whether or not they agreed with the stereotypes. Mayra Aburto, a senior business management major and president of LTA, notes that while the polls only allowed for 25 of the over 75 member audience to respond, they still provided a great way to see what the audience actually felt.

“People come here and make their own business, they don’t take (away jobs).”

—Aracely Vivanco senior mathematics major

“Immigrants pay approximately $11.7 billion in taxes,” Hernandez, a graduate of the College, said to the audience.

“I want you to look at the value of it… along with the value to this country.”

The El Centro director later revealed that 24 percent of poll respondents agreed with the statement, “Undocumented workers do not pay taxes,” whereas 76 percent of respondents disagreed.

The audience was more spilt when asked if “the overwhelming majority of immigrants are Latino,” with 32 percent of the respondents agreeing and 68 percent disagreeing. Aburto noted how much of what people see about immigration comes from the media.

“There were people who agreed to it where someone in the audience responded that her perspective was based on what she saw on T.V.,” Aburto said.

Hernandez said that immigration in the U.S. is not just a Latino issue.

“The biggest increase of immigration is from Asia,” Hernandez said. “This is about human rights. It is not a Latino issue, it is not an Asian issue.”

When asked whether or not undocumented immigrants take away jobs from documented Americans, 4 percent of the respondents agreed, while 96 percent disagreed.

Members on the panel quickly dispelled the stereotype by saying that the statement lacked substantial validity.

“People come here and make their own business, they don’t take (away jobs),” Vivanco said.

Hernandez noted how the general influx in the population leads to the increase in available jobs.

“When you have an increase in the population… then obviously you have a better chance at getting a job,” Hernandez said.

The term “anchor baby” sparked an intense discussion by panelists and audience members when they were asked if immigrants only had children in the country to secure a path to citizenship. Twelve percent of the poll’s respondents said that they agreed with the statement, while 88 percent disagreed.

The term “anchor baby” is used to describe the children of undocumented immigrants who are born on U.S. soil and can get their parents residential rights in the United States due to their child’s status as an American citizen.

“It’s not fair to simplify the life decision to have children in one sentence,” said Carbonilla, who immigrated to the U.S. as an adult 20 years ago. “It’s simplifying something that shouldn’t be simplified.”

Hernandez said that parents, particularly mothers, have good reason to come to the U.S. “Moms are special,” Hernandez said. “You know what they come here for?... They come here to make a better life for them and their children.”

Martinez, the child of Hispanic immigrants, said that the term “anchor baby” has no validation and should not be used.

“You hear people with very conservative views that say, ‘This only happens in the United States,’” Hernandez said. “That’s not true. There are 30 or 35 other countries that give automatic citizenship.”

The panel concurred that becoming a U.S. citizen is not an easy process, something that 100 percent of the poll’s respondents sided with when they disagreed with the stereotype that gaining U.S. citizenship is an easy process.

“I urge all of you to look into the immigration processes of different countries,” Carbonilla said to the audience. “(The U.S. immigration process is) a torturous, difficult path where even getting to the next step doesn’t guarantee (citizenship).”

Carbonilla then explained what it feels like to go through the immigration process.

“It’s like having somebody borrow your limb, an arm (or) a leg, without the promise of having it returned... and hope that one day you are going to have that limb returned to you,” Carbonilla said. “It’s like pawning part of yourself… and you don’t have to ability to buy it back.”

Students in the audience were highly receptive of the message that the panelists were trying to convey, some are even immigrants to the U.S. themselves.

Tom Ballard / News Assistant

Students engage in lively discussions.

“I think it’s unfortunate (that people believe the stereotypes) because I think a lot of Americans don’t (understand) why immigrants come to America,” said Gayle Manayi, a freshman international studies major who immigrated to the U.S. from Kenya at the age of five. “It’s is not just a free ticket. People leave behind their families and their lives… to obtain citizenship.”

Sepulveda-Kozakowski encouraged students to be proactive if they hear the stereotypes used in public.

“When you hear a comment like (immigrants don’t pay taxes), one of the things you can do is interrupt it,” Sepulveda-Kozakowski said. “Be thoughtful about the tone you use… you can have a respectful, thoughtful and controlled tone… to combat the stereotypes that already exists.”

Members of the panel emphasized the important role that college students play in bringing about change in society. “(Immigration) is not necessarily a big issue everywhere,” Hernandez said. “Any kind of movements that have gathered fire has started at the college level.”

Hernandez noted several social movements, including the civil rights movement, in order to show the impact that young people have had on shaping social change.

Aburto said that LTA and the El Centro Bonner team decided to host the event in response to the current media attention surrounding the topic of immigration. “(With) the presidential elections (being) right around the corner, and the constant media attention to Donald Trump, I think (the media’s attention on immigration) definitely triggered something on my team where we knew we had to do something and make our voices heard,” Aburto said. “Our passion to serve our students, our passion to educate and our passion on immigration where each of our members has a story to share made this possible.”

According to Aburto, LTA and the El Centro Bonner team plan on hosting a similar event in the spring, as well as building upon this event for next fall.

Fraternity forms free clinic for local residents

AP Photo

Following Hurricane Sandy, DEPsi now hosts an event providing medical care.

By Kyle Elphick Staff Writer

The College’s chapter of the Delta Epsilon Psi fraternity recently hosted its fourth annual “Delta Clinic,” providing uninsured and underinsured Trenton and Ewing residents with primary health care.

On Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Trenton Rescue Mission, attendees were offered free hygiene kits assembled by the fraternity brothers and complementary medical services, including flu shots, glucose checks, blood pressure checks and HIV checks — all essential services for those of a low socioeconomic status, according to junior

industrial-organizational psychology major Kiran Patel, DEPsi’s recruitment chair.

In addition to medical services, the clinic also provided insurance education, stress-relieving board games with prizes and a station dedicated to getting residents’ medical records on a portable flash drive for emergency purposes.

Started in 2012, the annual clinic was formed in response to the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, serving as a means to provide further help to the poorest of the storm’s victims, Patel said. With extensive and costly damage to homes and property, it became even more difficult for many to afford pricey medical expenses, according to the fraternity.

Though the hurricane has since long passed, the need for medical assistance that the clinic complimentarily provides has not.

As a result, the fraternity has turned the clinic into an annual event.

According to Patel, they find community outreach events, such as the “Delta Clinic,” to be essential. Through the

clinic, the fraternity seeks to showcase the College’s commitment to promoting health awareness. Furthermore, the organization seeks to illustrate how this commitment extends beyond the College’s campus bubble and into the cities that surround it, namely Ewing and Trenton. The brothers hope to build upon their success, having even more participants in coming years, Patel said.

While the clinic was chiefly run by DEPsi, non-profit organizations, such as BlueCross BlueShield, Trenton Health Team, Planned Parenthood, Be Jersey Strong and the Hygiene Project, were also there to support health care for the benefit of those in need.

Though some were hesitant to trust the medical services provided, Patel and his fraternity brothers attribute this reluctance to the trouble low-income people have had dealing with the medical system in the past. The brothers hope that the clinic will help renew community hope in the American medical system as a whole.

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 9

Pre-med track hard to fulfill before graduation

Elise Schoening / Review Editor

Students on the pre-med track have most of their classes in the Science Complex.

By Elise Schoening Review Editor

What happens when you can’t get into the college courses necessary to prepare you for graduate school and a subsequent career?

Students with plans to attend medical school after completing their undergraduate degree in a discipline outside of the hard sciences have asked themselves this question far too many times, as many of their required courses are reserved strictly for those within the science department. After years, these students will tell you they’ve learned the hard way that there’s nothing you can really do but wait — that is, join a waiting list as soon as possible and hope that a seat will open up once the hold for non-science majors has been lifted.

Junior psychology major Nishawn Rahaman is all too familiar with the arduous process of registering for pre-med classes at the College.

“Every semester, I struggle to get into the sciences courses that are required for the pre-med track,” Rahaman said. “I think this is an issue on campus because the school does not

recognize non-science pre-med students. Therefore, they do not cater to us. As a result, we go through a lot more stress than the average student when scheduling our classes.”

Rahaman has gotten used to the routine of waiting until the end of formal registration to sign up for these courses. This flawed process allows students who have earned less credit, such as sophomores and even freshmen, to enroll in pre-med courses before their peers, although the underclassmen have more flexibility when it comes to scheduling.

Rahaman is not alone in her frustration. This issue reemerges for all non-science majors every time the dreaded registration period rolls around, which is already stressful enough for the average college student.

“I’ve gotten a great education here, but it’s frustrating,” senior psychology major Melanie Orr said. “It’s stressful signing up for these courses, but mind you, these are some of the most stressful courses (at the College).”

The prevalence of this issue may be due in part to the fact that students today do not have to major in the sciences in order to go on to medical school. In fact, many graduate schools encourage potential students to diversify their studies with other majors. As such, it is especially important that the requisite classes are open to students outside the science department and that the registration process is as simple as possible.

“I knew that being a science major would have made it easier for me, since all the pre-med courses are in the science department,” junior psychology major Arianne Ramos said.

“But after I realized that I could major in literally anything and still take pre-med classes, I decided to pursue my interest in learning about human behavior with the psychology major.”

While Ramos said she does not regret her decision to major in psychology, she certainly has had to work a lot harder to stay on track for medical school. She listed 10 classes offered by the College that she had to fight for a seat in.

“The school tends to emphasize that we have the freedom to major in anything we want and still be pre-med, and yet, we encounter difficulty when we try to take these classes,” Ramos said. “I know that the science department does what it can semester to semester to accommodate the extra number of students who want to take these classes, in addition to those who need them for their major.”

With a swarm of students bombarding advisors’ offices each semester, it is safe to assume that the School of Sciences is well aware of this prevalent issue. What’s not clear, however,

is whether or not changes can and will be implemented in the near future.

“The School of Science plans very carefully and works hard to accommodate all students who desire to take the school’s courses,” the Dean of the School of Science Jeffrey Osborn said. “Our top priority is to ensure that the students who have specific science and math courses as degree requirements get seats first, otherwise, these students will not be able to complete their majors in four years. As of this date, all students who placed their names on wait lists have been seated into the courses (for the spring semester).”

Of course, registration does not go this smoothly every semester, as there will not always be enough available seating to accommodate non-science majors. Orr explained that her peers on the pre-med track often cannot take specific science courses when needed and, as such, have had to stay for an extra semester at the College and even push back their Medical College Admissions Tests (MCATs).

“I know many people who have needed an extra semester or needed to take summer classes,” Orr said. “I’ve needed to take summer classes (myself).”

Still, Orr said she could see the value in the current system, flawed as it may be.

“It does make sense. Reserves make sense,” Orr said. “I’m not going to sit here and say it doesn’t get figured out, because it does get figured out if you’re persistent about it and down everyone’s throat like me, it’ll work out. But it shouldn’t be such a stress. I don’t know what the solution to this problem is.

This is a problem above me that I wouldn’t be able to handle.”

Elise Schoening / Review Editor

Pre-med course registration can be frustrating.

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page 10 The Signal December 2, 2015

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 11

Nation & W rld

Suspect in Colorado shooting surrenders

By Jennifer Goetz Staff Writer

The suspect in the Planned Parenthood shooting, which occurred on Friday, Nov. 27, in Colorado Springs, Co., and left three dead and nine injured, told law officials, “no more baby parts,” after his surrender, according to USA Today.

The suspect, Robert L. Dear, has been found to express anti-abortion sentiment, but authorities say that alone is not enough for a motive. It was Black Friday when a gunman opened fire in a parking lot and aimed at officers arriving at the scene, the New York Times reported. The gunman, alleged to be Dear, came to the clinic and surrendered after SWAT teams crashed armored vehicles into the lobby, according to USA Today.

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers told reporters that they can draw their own conclusions about why Dear allegedly opened fire near the clinic, USA Today reported.

According to the New York Times, Dear, 57, surrendered to authorities almost five hours after the shooting initially

began at 11:30 a.m.

Dear had been held in a Colorado Springs jail, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office told CNN, and he was due in court on Monday, Nov. 30. As of Nov. 30, Dear had not been charged, but USA Today reported that this incident created controversy over both gun control and abortion.

Three people were killed in the incident, including Garrett Swasey, a University of Colorado-Colorado Springs police officer who rushed to the clinic to help. Ke’Arre Stewart, 29, and Jennifer Markovsky, 35, were also killed in the shooting, according to CNN. USA Today reported that neither of them were Planned Parenthood staff.

President Obama released a statement in light of this shooting on Saturday, Nov. 28, according to CNN, in which he said that the gun violence “is not normal. We can’t let it become normal.” He told the American people that “we have to do something about the easy accessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them.”

AP Photo

The Colorado Springs community supports the Planned Parenthood clinic.

Vicki Cowart, president of the Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, believes that this attack “was motivated by opposition to safe and legal abortion,” CNN reported.

Planned Parenthood is a clinic for women’s reproductive services and abortions. It recently faced political and social opposition, according to CNN, after eight undercover videos released this

summer which alleged fetal organ sales.

CNN reported that Planned Parenthood maintains that the videos were highly edited and inaccurate.

This is the second shooting in a month for Colorado Springs USA Today reported. Last month, a gunman killed three people in the city’s downtown area before being shot and killed by police officers, according to USA Today.

Massive pharmaceutical companies converge

Pfizer will combine with Allergan.

AP Photo

By Roman Orsini Staff Writer On Monday, Nov. 23, Pfizer and Allergan, two large pharmaceutical companies, agreed to a merger which stands to create the world’s largest drug company by market value at $300 billion, according to the Economist.

The value of the resultant corporation will exceed the

stock market value of Johnson & Johnson, the current largest drug and medical device producer, according to Forbes.

The merger will see Pfizer purchase Allergan for $160 billion. By completing the merger, Pfizer looks to expand its market capitalization and cut operating costs by broadening the scale of its services while reducing its tax burden considerably.

Pfizer is a heavyweight within the pharmaceutical industry — one of the largest of its kind in the world, according to the Economist. The company is based out of New York City and has been listed in the Dow Jones Industrial average among the largest publicly traded U.S. corporations for over a decade.

Allergan has been based out of Dublin, Ireland, since 1950. The company is most noted for its invention of Botox, a chemical compound which affects nerve tissues, used for both cosmetic and medical purposes, BBC reported.

Perhaps the most significant consequence of the merger will be to effectively end the American corporate “citizenship” of Pfizer, as it becomes one with the Irish company, Allergan, the New York Times reported.

Upon the merger’s completion, Pfizer will move its headquarters from New York to Dublin and, consequently,

will no longer be subject to America’s corporate tax rate, at roughly 40 percent. In the past, Pfizer has publicly railed against America’s corporate taxation and how such high rates hinder the ability of U.S. corporations to compete globally, according to the New York Times.

Ireland, by contrast, has a corporate tax rate of 12.5 percent, according to Forbes, which saves its corporations much of their profits and lends to greater competitiveness, especially in the global market of scale.

The trend of American corporations moving operations abroad to dodge tax obligations has been well established in recent years and has been identified as a major issue in the 2016 presidential campaign, CNN reported.

In fact, just before Pfizer sought the merger with Allergan, the company was looking to acquire British drug company, AstraZeneca, presumably to take advantage of Britain’s low corporate tax rate, according to CNN. Corporate mergers are becoming increasingly prevalent, as well, as companies look to combine their operations to increase their scale and reduce costs by relocating to countries with more favorable tax policies.

This month has also seen the announcement of a new merger for the beer industry between AB InBev and SABMiller, the makers of Budweiser and Miller, respectively, according to BBC.

Paris attacks lead French president to reach out

By Gabrielle Beacken Nation & World Editor

French President François Hollande talked with leaders from around the world during his international tour this past week in order to gain multilateral support for heightened attacks on the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS), the New York Times reported. After the November terror attacks in Paris, which France said is a result of carefully coordinated ISIS violence, Hollande has been conducting a diplomatic route to try to rally other European leaders to join France against the Islamic State.

Hollande met with President Obama in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 24, according to CNN. Obama vowed to support France and intensify military attacks on ISIS, CNN reported.

“We love France for your spirit and your culture and your joie de vivre (joy of life),” Obama said in a joint press conference with Hollande, CNN reported. “Since the attacks, Americans have recalled their own visits to Paris... They’re part of our memories, woven into the fabric of our lives and our culture.”

Though the two leaders’ strategies may diverge when it comes to Russia’s level of involvement, the press conference was a symbol of unity and encouragement.

On Thursday, Nov. 26, Hollande met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

While the two countries agreed to share intelligence with one another, Russia insisted that their efforts in Syria remain separate. The two leaders drastically diverge when it comes to dealing with Syrian President Bashar-al Assad. Russia claims

that Assad and his army are important tools to fight to ISIS, while France said Assad should have no future role in Syria, New York Times reported.

Later that same day, Hollande met with strong diplomatic ally Great Britain Prime Minister David Cameron.

“Every day we fail to act is a day when ISIL (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) can grow stronger and more plots can be undertaken,” Cameron told Parliament, attempting to induce lawmakers for airstrikes in Syria, the New York Times reported. “That is why all the advice I have received — the military advice, the diplomatic advice and the security advice — all says, yes, that the risks of inaction are greater.”

While Cameron believes he can garner airstrike support after the Paris attacks, several members

Obama consults with French President Hollande. of Parliament still remain skeptical about “an extended bombing campaign,” the New York Times reported. Trying to convince Parliament, Cameron said the Paris attacks “could have been in London.

If ISIL had their way, it would be in London.”

While a number of European

AP Photo

countries’ leaders join Hollande’s campaign against the Islamic State, leaders are still very aware of the potential repercussions of the involvement.

“Britain is already in the top tier of countries that ISIL is targeting,” Cameron said, the New York Times reported.

page 12 The Signal December 2, 2015

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December 2, 2015 The Signal page 13

Editorial

Reflecting on a career at The Signal

I first picked up a copy of The Signal during a Junior Visit Day at the College, when attending school here was just a dream. That issue of The Signal sat on my desk through my senior year of high school as I applied to the College in hopes of getting in. When my acceptance letter came in the mail, I found that Signal, read through it and knew that I wanted to be a part of it.

I’m a journalism major, so it was a no-brainer that I would write for The Signal. But even so, I had no idea how much I would grow to not only love the paper, but how I would grow into a driven and passionate journalist because of it.

The first article I ever wrote was about a Brown Bag lecture. I wrote my story and descended down the hot stairway of the Brower Student Center basement to find a dingy office with writing all over the walls and a couch that belonged nowhere else but a dumpster.

I sat with the managing editor at the time, and within minutes, my article had been marked to shreds. The editing was intimidating, but I had learned more than ever before about journalistic writing in those 40 minutes and I’ve been hooked ever since.

From then on, I worked up through different positions at the paper, learning how to design my section, mange writers, copy edit and write more impactful stories. I was even given the opportunity to be the beat writer for the College’s club ice hockey and learn the logistics of sports journalism — the very thing I plan to make a career of.

After several semesters as a section editor, I decided to take on the leadership side. I became managing editor at The Signal before taking over as editor-in-chief this semester — and that’s when I truly discovered the rewarding feeling of hard work and dedication.

I knew coming in that The Signal would give me so much in terms of skills, but I had no idea how much more I would gain. I’ve been given real work experience right here on campus where I have learned the ins-and-outs of running a newsroom and the challenges of managing a staff. I have grown tremendously as a writer because of the time and dedication that editors before me took to teach me. It’s been an honor to have the opportunity to pay that forward, and do the same to help grow my staff and teach others what I’ve learned — and nothing has been more rewarding than that.

While my editorial side on The Signal has come to an end after six semesters, I couldn’t be more proud of the content we’ve worked so many hours to produce. But I’m most impressed by the paper’s ability and resiliency over the years to commit to ethical journalism and be an accurate source of news for the campus.

While production nights have drained me of sleep, forced to eat way too much pizza and ended with me belting out songs while dancing with a Swiffer, I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my Monday nights anywhere but The Signal office, with anyone else but my staff.

While I’m sad to leave, and maybe a little excited to get some more sleep, I know The Signal will thrive on as an award-winning paper full of rich content from passionate students. I’ve written more stories for The Signal than I can count, but really, I’m just grateful for the opportunity I was given to be a part of The Signal’s story.

— Julie Kayzerman Editor-in-Chief

Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo and Sports editors and the Business Manager, unless otherwise noted.

Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.

Photo courtesy of Sean Reis

As the fall semester comes to a close, The Signal staff prepares to say goodbye to the editors who won’t be back on staff in the spring.

Quotes of the Week tcnjsignal.net Email: signal@tcnj.edu Telephone: Production Room (609) 771-2424 Business Office (609) 771-2499 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu

Editorial Staff Julie Kayzerman Editor-in-Chief kayzerj1@tcnj.edu Colleen Murphy Managing Editor murphc16@tcnj.edu Sydney Shaw Ellie Schuckman News Editors shaws4@tcnj.edu schucke1@tcnj.edu Mackenzie Cutruzzula Michael Battista Sports Editors cutruzm1@tcnj.edu battism3@tcnj.edu Kimberly Ilkowski Arts & Entertainment Editor ilkowsk1@tcnj.edu Jessica Ganga Features Editor gangaj1@tcnj.edu Chelsea LoCascio Opinions Editor locascc1@tcnj.edu Kim Iannarone Photo Editor iannark1@tcnj.edu

Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Forcina Hall The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Gabrielle Beacken Nation & World Editor beackeg1@tcnj.edu Elise Schoening Review Editor schoene1@tcnj.edu Jackie Delaney Production Manager delanej2@tcnj.edu Alyssa Sanford Web Editor sanfora1@tcnj.edu Olivia Rizzo Kelly Corbett Social Media Editors rizzoo1@tcnj.edu corbetk2@tcnj.edu

Emilie Lounsberry Advisor lounsber@tcnj.edu Ricky Zhao Business/Ad Manager zhaof1@tcnj.edu

“I am honestly just so happy — honored really — to go to a school with faculty that will recognize their faults and mistakes and ask, ‘How can we make this better?

How can we improve ourselves and our institution for our students?’”

— Jennie Sekanics, senior English and women’s and gender studies double major

“At (the College), we value diversity and strive to foster an inclusive community, but we do not take it for granted. We recognize that elsewhere, many do not enjoy the same degree of respect and that compels us to speak up.”

— President R. Barbara Gitenstein

“It was an honor to represent TCNJ basketball... on the AllTournament team.”

— Eric Murdock Jr., sophomore guard

page 14 The Signal December 2, 2015

Opinions

Being PC: necessary for a diverse society

By Chelsea LoCascio Opinions Editor

American citizens have engaged in a heated civil war over speech. The divide between the two sides continues to widen as they argue over being politically correct (PC).

Being PC has acquired a negative connotation and is severing a bond between the American people. This hatred toward being correct all the time might stem from not understanding the phrase. According to merriamwebster.com, “politically correct” is defined as “agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people.”

Some, particularly people from the older generation, argue that Americans have become too sensitive and, as a result, have become too watchful of how they talk and act toward others. This is understandable since it can be difficult to feel like you are being yourself when you have to watch everything you say all the time.

However, why are you allowed to speak freely when the other side can’t? Sure, you can say your racist or sexist remarks, but you have to accept that people have now become more comfortable with calling out hurtful words. People of color, females or members of the LGBTQ community have been suppressed from fully exercising their first amendment rights up until very recently (and you can find some comfort in how much we have progressed by watching “Mad Men”).

If someone is offended by your speech, they should be allowed to say something, since now most people have the ability to freely speak their minds. While I don’t condone being a jerk, you can say all the offensive things that you want. However, just be open to discourse because you are certainly going to get backlash from your insensitive actions.

The only situation in which I would expect there to

reporter Serge Kovaleski, who has arthrogryposis — a disability that impairs his arm movement. In the same CNN article, a video shows Trump saying, “now the poor guy, you have to see this guy,” while flailing his arms and making himself sound stupider than normal.

(Who knew that was possible?) Luckily, Kovaleski called Trump out for his actions.

Worship Trump or loathe him, but this says more about him than his political plans or business background. The presidential candidate is obviously not politically correct, which is why people love him.

However, he couldn’t care less when he publicly

AP Photo

Donald Trump is known for causing controversy.

be insensitivity, and actually encourage it, is in comedy.

Whether it be in film, television or stand up, comedy is an artform dedicated to making fun of anyone and anything. This is not a genre suited to the those who are easily offended, as you should expect crude jokes and humor meant to point out people’s differences.

While comedians and people in general are entitled to say whatever they wish, the one thing that I would strongly encourage is not making fun of people who can’t defend themselves, like the disabled. Most people who are disabled can definitely defend themselves, but a lot of them are less likely to call you out because average people don’t understand what it is like to have a disability.

A majority of people don’t understand the sting of the word “retarded” or the pain of someone acting like they have a disability for laughs.

If you don’t believe it to be bad, then check out the latest of Donald Trump’s recent escapades. According to money.cnn.com, Trump made fun of New York Times

“You can say all the offensive things that you want. However, just be open to discourse... from your insensitive actions.” humiliates the reporter for a disability he can’t control and I think that is repulsive.

People think that those who push for political correctness are avidly attacking Trump to take him down, but he is doing it to himself. Politically correct or not, it is about being a good person. Be empathetic and try to understand what it is like living as a different race, religion or sexuality, or what it is like to be blind, mentally impaired or just different.

It’s true that some people take being politically correct too far, but the underlying message is the same.

It really just comes down to trying to be a decent human being by understanding the different types of people that make up such a diverse and complex society.

College bookstore should be more affordable

Decrease price tags for college students on a budget

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

From clothes to pennants, the bookstore sells school spirit.

By Gerard Freda If the College wants to continue to attract the best students from New Jersey and elsewhere, we need to make as many people aware of our name as possible. I know there are occasional sales, but lowering the price of school gear at the College’s Barnes & Noble bookstore for an extended amount of time would undoubtedly increase purchases

and, in turn, the amount of people wearing the letters “TCNJ.” This would ideally increase the general public’s awareness of our school.

The College’s bookstore, like almost any other college bookstore, is over-priced, and we all know that. But few colleges could benefit more from a donation to subsidize prices on apparel and school memorabilia in their bookstore than ours.

When asked by a relative or

a friend where you go to school, how many times have you heard the response, “Oh, I never heard of that” and then you proceed to explain it used to be called Trenton State? Or how many times has someone asked you where you go to college and you get the response “Oh, you mean NJIT?” Explaining to people that you go to “TCNJ,” “The College of New Jersey,” “it used to be called Trenton State” or “no, not NJIT,” can get redundant and annoying, but it speaks to the larger problem that after almost 20 years, many people simply do not know about the College.

Recently, the College delved into the largest fundraising campaign in the school’s history.

The $40 million campaign includes initiatives on student support, academic enrichment, student experience and capital improvement goals.

With continued state funding cuts, these areas of need are obviously more immediately important

than making our school clothing and memorabilia less expensive.

But what is also important is the long-term goal of getting the four letters “TCNJ” easily recognizable to the public. A donation to this cause would be much more noble than to a general fund to get your name on a building.

Hopefully, a small portion of our fundraising campaign can go towards making the bookstore less expensive. Maybe then, next holiday season, more of us could wear those “ugly” holiday sweaters and just point to our chest when Uncle Bob asks us where we go to school.

Or maybe not.

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

The bookstore is covered in College-themed merchandise.

Policies The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors.

The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via e-mail to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office.

Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 300 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason.

All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs.

The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or e-mail us at signal@tcnj.edu.

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 15

Students share opinions around campus Is it good to be PC?

How extreme is Black Friday?

“It’s getting to a point where it’s very ridiculous… now it’s a safety hazard with people going out and ruining holidays for potentially good deals.”

“You don’t want to offend people and hurt their feelings. I think it’s important (to be politically correct).”

Chelsea LoCascio / Opinions Editor

Tom Ballard / News Assistant

Aniyyah Maney, sophomore accounting major.

Terry Schuh, freshman physics major.

“Our culture is too politically correct… I wish we were more comfortable with one another and more accepting of other people’s cultural practices.”

“Oh God! The deals are usually not worth it… I went to Best Buy the night of Thanksgiving… and they had an ambulance on standby.”

Tom Ballard / News Assistant

Tom Ballard / News Assistant

Justin Brach, freshman finance and political science double major.

Jeffrey Sabo, freshman computer engineering major.

The Signal asks...

How do you feel about campus construction?

Aniyyah: “I wish they would stop building. I think all the buildings are fine. They just need Wi-Fi. They could knock down Forcina (Hall), I guess.”

Justin: “I love campus construction. I think that the College is investing heavily into its students by providing more resources for students to live and learn in.”

Jeffrey: “(Campus construction is) very annoying because you can hear it at night and it’s not pretty, either… I’m sure that it will look pretty when it’s done, but not now.”

Terry: “I don’t think (the construction) looks attractive right now, but I think the College did a good job planning it out… I think it’s a necessary evil.”

The College is often joked to be the ‘The Construction of New Jersey.’

Raphaëlle Gamanho / Cartoonist

page 16 The Signal December 2, 2015

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 17

People take Black Friday shopping to the extreme

Cyber Monday a safer alternative for everyone involved

AP Photo

Millions of shoppers pack retail stores across the US every Black Friday.

By Kevin Shaw

Thanksgiving is a time to get together with the ones we love, eat the food we enjoy and be thankful for the things we are lucky enough to have — until 6:00 p.m., at least, when stores like Walmart and Target open their doors to Black Friday shoppers.

Thousands of Americans, and people all over the world, push, shove and smash their way toward fantastic deals on commercial goods mere hours after being thankful for everything they already have.

During the holiday season, Black Friday shouldn’t be so prevalent.

According to a CNN article from Nov. 28, 2012, in that year, more than 306 million people went shopping over the long weekend and collectively spent $59.1 billion. That is “a 13 percent increase from $52.4 billion last year” and roughly $423 more spent per shopper.

In addition, consumers are going out earlier and earlier in the morning to pick up products.

“About 10 percent of this weekend’s shoppers were out at stores by 8 p.m. on Thursday and an estimated 28 percent of weekend shoppers were at the stores by midnight,” the same CNN article said.

That means that the employees of these stores have to be at work earlier and earlier each year.

TheBlackFriday.com shows that some people have to be up and at work as early as 4 a.m. after Thanksgiving. These insane hours could potentially ruin people’s holidays by forcing them to leave their family and friends early to be back home in time for work, or not allowing them to go to relatives’ houses at all, depending on how far the drive is. The worst thing is that Black Friday doesn’t just ruin people’s holidays. It is potentially life-threatening.

Putting a large amount of rowdy

people in a confined space, like a mall or department store, is not a good idea.

Throw in a limited amount of 80 percent off televisions or buy-one-get-threefree video games and you have a recipe for disaster. And disaster is exactly what happens year after year.

BlackFridayDeathCount.com, an aptlynamed website, tracks online articles featuring injuries, and even deaths, caused by this massive sales event. Since 2006, 98 people have been injured and seven people have died in Black Friday-related incidents.

Seven deaths out of the hundreds of millions of people shopping is a small percent, but that percent should be zero.

Imagine if every time you went to the food store you had a small percent chance of being trampled to death as the cookie shelf was being stocked, or being stabbed

over the last package of hot dog rolls.

You wouldn’t go shopping, at least not in person, which is why many Americans are turning to online websites to purchase their holiday gifts after Thanksgiving.

Cyber Monday is similar to Black Friday in the sense that people can receive extraordinary deals on products they want.

The major difference is they get to do it with a click of the mouse from the comfort of their own home.

People can still buy all of the televisions, blenders and power tools they want, but with a significantly lower chance of death; workers don’t have to wake up at the crack of dawn to break up fights or mediate lines; and nobody gets hurt.

Cyber Monday is a much safer and efficient way to shop for the holidays, and you can stay alive in the process.

AP Photo

Black Friday shoppers fight through crowds in order to get the ‘best deal.’

page 18 The Signal December 2, 2015

Features

‘Hunger Banquet’ simulates social inequality

David Colby / Staff Photographer

The event highlights how different experiences can be depending on social class.

By Jessica Ganga Features Editor

By Sydney Shaw News Editor

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

The sisters of AXiD host an all-you-can-eat buffet for students.

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 19

College holds holiday feast

Campus Style

By Patricia Wilcox Columnist Name: Christine Yarish Year: Senior Major: English and secondary education This week, I asked Christine Yarish, a senior English and secondary education dual major, about her style for the upcoming transition from fall to winter.

Elise Schoening / Review Editor

College employees and alumni dress up for Thanksgiving dinner.

Signals that relate to current College topics and top stories.

The College shut down all residence and dining halls early Wednesday, Nov. 25, for Thanksgiving break. Students packed their bags and headed home to feast with their families. In 2004, howeving” feast for current students and alumni.

The community event dates back to the 1950s and was brought back in 2004 for the College’s 150th anniversary.

As part of the College’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, the College reintroduced its “Thanks for Giving” Feast, which last took place during the late 1950s, and prompted the return of sevThe feast originally took place in the Hillwood Inn, the College’s old student center, which was located where the Forcina parking garage, Lot 12, currently stands. Female students who lived in Allen, Brewster, Ely and Norsworthy Halls, in what was called the Priscilla Procession, dressed in pilgrim costumes and served as hostesses.

“We don’t really know (exactly) when or why the tradition stopped,” Janis Blayne Paul, major events director and For the modern-day setting in Eickhoff Hall, many of the alumni and current College employees — including Blayne

Paul — dressed in pilgrim costumes.

“I’m not one who dresses up for Halloween parties,” Len Tharney, coordinator of Emeriti funding, said “but for this opportunity, I said sure.”

The meal took place a week prior to Thanksgiving, on Nov. 18, between the usually scheduled 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. dinner hours.

In addition to the impressive menu, the “Thanks for Giving” Feast featured turkey carving lessons by Sodexho chefs.

“The sense of commitment at that time — I’m happy to bring it back,” Tharney, a graduate of the College’s Class of 1954, said. “I’m delighted the College made this possible.”

According to Coleman-Boatwright, “There was a disconnection with campus traditions before Sesquicentennial Celebration. “Everyone searched for ideas, and this was one,” she said.

The Sesquicentennial Celebration was not the only reason for the dinner’s return, though.

“We are always looking for ways to bring the community together,” Blayne Paul said.

“With each event, we try to incorporate meaningful traditions. Since it is our 150th (anniversary), this is a wonderful opportunity to bring back lost traditions that were a special part of our history.”

Celebritease

Adele’s new album is a hit with celebs and everyday fans.

If you’re like me, you’re probably still crying from Adele’s latest blockbuster album “25.” In tearing fans’ hearts apart, Adele has shattered records by selling 3.38 million copies of the album from the other side of success, Adele has celebrities and fans alike entranced in her words.

Even Britney Spears posted a video to Instagram on Sunday,

PW: Who is your style inspiration?

CY: I really can’t think of anyone in particular. I follow a lot of fashion blogs and I’m on lookbook.nu spiration all over the place.

PW: What can you be seen wearing as it gets colder?

CY: When it gets cold out, I live in turtlenecks and wool socks. I also bought a bunch of big, comfy blanket scarves that make me happy.

PW: Can you make any recommendations for how to dress for the weather, but also stylishly?

CY: It’s all about the coat. A coat or jackwith a scarf, which is a cheap and practical way to avoid a cold-weather uniform.

I have tons of scarves and change it up every day. But really, it’s all about what people don’t see. I wear layers of socks underneath my cute boots and thin, long sleeve thermals under my sweaters and tops. No one knows how warm and comfy I really am!

PW: What is your favorite winter accessory or article of clothing?

CY: I’m very attached to my navy Ellie Tahari wool boucle coat (it’s my baby).

PW: What did you wear this Thanksgiving/what are your usual plans?

Photo courtesy of Patricia Wilcox

Yarish radiates style despite the rain.

CY: I spend Thanksgiving with my extended family and we are all extremely casual for the holiday. Black Since it’s Thanksgiving, I’d probably make it special by wearing a dark lipstick. We’ll probably take a walk to the nearby park to play some football so my black slip-ons are my fashionable stand-in for sneakers.

PW: Did you shop on Black Friday?

CY: I avoid Black Friday like the plague, but this year I’m working it. Pop in to Ur-

PW: What is the best way to approach Black Friday shopping?

CY: day (black leather purses, work pants, simple pumps). These items don’t usually go on sale often, but most other items you

PW: What articles of clothing will be on your Christmas list?

CY: I really need a new pair of black ankle boots. I’ve worn mine to death.

: Adele shatters records

AP Photo

By Mackenzie Cutruzzula Sports Editor

PW: Describe your style.

CY: Minimalistic with an edge. I try to keep things simple, but like to add a unique twist to whatever I’m wearing.

Nov. 29, of her twirling around to Adele’s latest single.

“I could dance to this song a Million times,” Spears captioned the video.

Adele’s songs aren’t the only things her fans are obsessed with this week, as they got a good look at her new bodyguard. Peter Van der Veen, who formerly protected Adele as she continues to promote her new album. Has he stolen the limelight from the ballad queen?

Not quite, but the shaved-headed,

stylish bodybuilder is creating an Internet fan base of his own without even realizing it. Although Adele is happily in love with her boyfriend, Simon Konecki, fans are calling for a remake of “The Bodyguard” starring Adele and Van der Veen.

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Chelsea Peretti certainly won’t be needing Adele’s somber words this week as her boyfriend of two years, Jordan Peele, proposed on Saturday, Nov. 28. The “Key & Peele” star proposed to Peretti during what she described as her family talent show, according to her Twitter. Peele kept his announcement short by simply tweeting Peretti’s Twitter handle, along with a diamond ring emoji. up about her own dating struggles in InStyle UK. The star revealed that she would love to date older men, but feels her young face is a turn off. Despite that, she wants to move on completely from long-time on-again, off-again

was recently spotted on Friday, Nov. 20, with Bieber in a hotel bar where he serenaded her to a ger wants to talk about that part of her life. Rather, she is focused on moving on. dating rumors with former One Directioner, Zayn Malik. She added of dating in Hollywood weird. said to InStyle UK. “I’m weirded out by the idea that a guy has that has happened.”

Teigen continued to show why they truly exemplify “relationship goals” on Saturday, Nov. a 30th birthday party. There was no drink in Teigen’s hand, unlike at most celebrity birthday bashes, as her baby bump was on full display. Dave Chapelle provided entertainment for the night, treating guests to his stand-up comedy.

Another actress sporting a baby bump is none other than Oscar winner (and my inspiration) Anne Hathaway. She is expecting her Shulman. The star sparked baby rumors during the red carpet premiere for her movie “The Intern” in September. Needless to say, the good hands.

As stars gear up to bring babies into their nests, Kobe Bryant announced that he is ready to leave his “baby” — basketball. Bryant released a statement through The Players Tribune that after 20 seasons of professional basketball, this season will be his last.

Signing off with a poetic goodbye to basketball, I resonate what he will do next after what is thankfully the end of a tough seremember you have all of winter break to try to become Internet famous, so maybe I’ll be writing about you soon.

page 20 The Signal December 2, 2015

Redberry serves frozen treats with a smile Features Assistant Two kids race to the front door and rush inside the shop with wide smiles stretching from ear to ear. Their mother follows closethe brim with frozen yogurt — every kid’s

it’s impossible to choose just one. So they heading over to the toppings bar.

The choices are seemingly endless, with over 50 toppings available, including fruit, candy, chocolate and even sprinkles. The kids top off their yogurt and head over to the register, where the owner comes over to greet the family. When they leave, the kids are laughing and bursting with excitement, all because they just made their very own frozen yogurt treat at the new Redberry in Campus Town.

The frozen yogurt and smoothie bar recently opened in Campus Town, which will transform into a bustling town center for the College and Ewing Township in the coming months.

For now, Redberry is one of the only open businesses in the area. Although the weather is getting colder and the prime season for frozen yogurt is long over, Redberry is thriving. The small business is packed from 8 p.m. to midnight most nights of the week, though it opens at 11 a.m.

“I think it’s exciting that Redberry and restaurants to open (in Campus Town).

It’s really hyping everyone up,” junior communication studies major Kaley Stockhaus said. “The selections are great. My favorite times. It’s really good.”

Redberry is a family-owned and operated business with three locations, two of which are located in Bucks County, Pa., and

Kim Iannarone / Photo Editor

The new Redberry location offers smoothies, as well as frozen yogurt.

Plainsboro, N.J. The Plainsboro location is privately owned by an outside party.

“My wife is from Ewing, so we were excited to open a store here,” Redberry owner Art Havier said. “Campus Town is nice (and) clean, what’s not to like? We are the ing shops, it will bring more of the community out here. Overall, it’s a win-win situation for everybody.”

Since it opened last month, Redberry has held a fundraiser almost every night for the College’s various student organizations, as well as Ewing Township’s public schools.

“We’re happily inundated with fundraisers,” Havier said. “We have one almost every day, without any effort on our part. We get just phone calls all the time for fundraisers, and we’re happy to do each and every one of them.”

Havier, who has been in the restaurant and food industry for over 30 years.

“There was a time about two and a half years ago where I wanted to expand for my family and get another store,” Havier said.

“I knew there was an opportunity going on

here. I knew it was the right opportunity to be on a college campus and it seemed like the right product to be on a college campus. It was the right timing for myself and for the people I am leasing from that it just worked out.”

Redberry is family-friendly and open to the entire Ewing community. However, Havier says he likes to keep the college Campus Town Redberry is the only location with a smoothie bar. The names of the smoothies are witty and daring from “Freshman 15” to “Walk of Shame.” Even the sizes of the smoothies have a creative spin to them, being tagged as either a Minor or a Major size.

There is something for everyone — from

words, has it all.

“There was a lot of planning when I was going to open up this shop,” Havier said.

“This is a very unique type of store for us.

Most frozen yogurt shops are not open until 1 a.m., but we are in a college campus.

That’s what we need to do. We are really

catering to the kids.”

With the student in mind, there are USB ports and lounge seating scattered throughout the restaurant. There is also a television that usually plays MTVU, but students can suggest to watch sport games and various other programs. With plenty of chairs and tables available, Redberry is a good spot for students to get together with friends or do some studying.

Redberry has embraced the College culture and proudly placed a stuffed lion on a high shelf to show their support to the College’s mascot, Roscoe. Pictures of students are hung on the wall and an on-going photo reel shows students and community members enjoying the wide variety of frozen yogurt available.

In an anecdote of the wittingly named Pixel boba balls, Havier shared, “We were walking around campus, my son and I. We saw these big balls on campus, and we were like ‘what is that?’ and one of the students said ‘well that’s a pixel.’”

After the student explained the history behind the College’s pixels, Havier and his son decided to incorporate them into the new Redberry branch.

“We had the boba balls that we have in our other stores, but we were like ‘oh yeah, we got to call them pixels’ just to be apart of what’s going on here,” Havier said.

When planning to open the store in Campus Town, Havier asked the College about hiring student employees. He received over 100 applications from students and wanted to hire a large number of them.

Currently, Redberry has 24 employees, with 15 being college students. He also hired high schoolers and other members of the local Ewing community.

“It’s very family oriented and I like that,” said sophomore business management major and Redberry employee Stephanie Agnes. “Other families come in here too, not just students. It’s a good atmosphere.”

Program provides prisoners with new possibilities

Flickr.com

At-risk youth and inmates get a second chance at Rutgers.

By Alexa Kelber Staff Writer Three individuals sat in front of the Library Auditorium on Wednesday, Nov. 18, their statures calm and composed, but with eyes that told a much deeper tale of how they arrived at this very moment. They were three formerly incarcerated people who turned their lives around, despite the struggles they endured and the disparate odds that worked against them.

The Rutgers Mountain View Program gave them the chance that society had neglected to afford them.

The program’s purpose is “to work with at-risk youth and

inmates through direct contact by way of mentoring, tutoring, conducting seminars and providing alternative opportunities that promote the pursuit of higher education,” according to the group’s website.

“I came today because I want to express that education can transform somebody’s life.

There is a lot of wasted potential in prison,” panelist Adam El-Sherbeini said. “Some of the best people I’ve ever met were in prison.”

El-Sherbeini served 42 months in prison for a laundry list of crimes, including drug possession and aggravated assault.

Amarilis Diamond-Rodriguez spoke of how she spent

10 years in the streets as a drug dealer, but is currently working as an academic and transitions counselor in the same facility in which she served her time.

“Prisons make it easier for you to come back than easier to be successful on the outside,” she said, commenting on the high rates of recidivism. “It’s very unfortunate for the rest of the people who aren’t going to get this type of chance…

It’s easy to say to not commit

Bronx, (N.Y.), I somehow knew how to do time before I went in,” Gilestra said. “The place taught me a lot. The place affected me a lot. No one leaves out of there unaffected… People go in wounded and damaged and with a lot of issues... I could not normalize the experience. I was so dehumanized by the prison industrial complex, but sometimes you have to manipulate fear to survive.”

All three ex-inmates’ crimes

people who only have that type of choice.”

The third panelist, Ivelisse Gilestra, had perhaps the most jarring story: she shot a police

to a discussion about how even though white people deal and use drugs at a higher rates than minorities, people of color are convicted of crimes ten times more often than whites.

“Communities that are low income tend to have more violence and maybe they need more policing,” El-Sherbeini said. “I’m from Plainfield, (N.J.), which is mostly black and Hispanic. Police presence at Rutgers is very different from Plainfield.”

Rodriguez shared El-Sherbeini sentiments regarding the differences in policing from town to town.

“White drug dealers don’t stand on the corner. We’re on the corner,” Rodriguez said.

“That’s one of the reasons we’re over policed… Racism can be felt throughout the

explicit” with her after she was pulled over. She served 13 years as punishment.

“I do understand that what I did was wrong, but he did touch me,” Gilestra said. “To this day, I still wouldn’t know how to handle this effectively. I want to know ways (that) I can deal with situations like this.”

Their contrasting stories all meet at a precipice of controversy: all three individuals are minorities and all feel as though it is especially challenging to navigate the criminal justice system when considering factors such as race.

“Because I grew up in the

whole system. From the time you get apprehended, all the way until you go to prison, you can see racism.”

The fact that 95 percent of prosecutors in the United States are white and 83 percent of them are males is another component that the panelists think plays an important role in the justice system.

“To a person of color, that’s scary as hell,” Rodriguez said.

Incarcerated people are also extraordinarily ill-equipped to return to the real world after spending time and adjusting to life in prison, where they are stripped away from their own personal freedom of choice.

Ninety percent of people in prison will return there within a year or two of their release.

“I want you to leave here remembering that the three of us up here are an exception,” ElSherbeini said. “The majority of people who come out, usually go back.”

Gilestra agreed with El-Sherbeini, adding that many re-entry programs are lacking.

“I feel like they should’ve preday I got to prison because they knew I was getting out eventually,” she said. “Six months left, you

see POSSIBILITIES page 21

Possibilities / Prisoners share their experiences

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 21

AP Photo

Rodriguez discusses the role of racism in mass incarceration. continued from page 20 This is not enough to encourage, let alone ensure, success in life after prison.

To end mass incarceration, Rodriguez suggests something simple: “Stop acting like there’s no white privilege and (like) there’s no racism.”

She said that if she had it, she would be using white privilege to help those incarcerated.

“One key thing that has to change is, if you guys haven’t noticed, this country runs on money,” El-Sherbeini said. “Money is what creates change. Prison has to stop being

run prisons, are undeniably tied to the American economy. Inmates produce cheaper labor. Canoes, Applebee’s staff shirts and jeans are among the products made by inmates.

Victoria’s Secret even owns shares in some private prisons.

“Mass incarceration is not going to end until it stops making money,” El-Sherbeini said.

For those on the outside who are inspired to action in combating these injustices, empathy

is important, according to Rodriguez.

“People are willing to listen to you guys,” Rodriguez said. “Do the work that needs to be done. There’s so many different things you can all do and you know what they are.”

El-Sherbeini encouraged students to “vote for politicians who want to end the war on drugs” and “if given an opportunity to employ someone, don’t turn them away just because they have a record.”

The three rehabilitated individuals found their path in life because their peers were willing to take a chance on them. ing window of opportunity.

In a sobering moment, Rodriguez summed up the importance of second chances.

“I can count on one hand how many friends I have from high school that are still alive,” she said. “I met the president of the United States two weeks ago. I’m not trying to brag, but I’m saying this because I’m here, because people took a chance on me. Educanow. I am indebted to programs like this and the people who took a chance on me.”

WINTER SESSION AT TCNJ! JANUARY 4–22

Travel, blended and online courses may start sooner.

Check for summer courses, too.

Visit: www.tcnj.edu/intersession

page 22 The Signal December 2, 2015

Arts & Entertainment

TMT casts a ‘spell’ on packed audience

Heiner Fallas / Photo Assistant

Left: ‘Godspell’ is known as a challenging musical for its cast and crew. Right: The cast rocks collaborative and individual performances.

By Kelly Vena Staff Writer

The Don Evans Black Box Theater was filled to its capacity during the Tuesday, Nov. 17, through Saturday, Nov. 21, performances of this year’s TCNJ Musical Theater (TMT) fall musical, “Godspell.”

The famous musical, created by Stephen Schwartz and debuted on Broadway in 1971, details the teachings of Jesus to his disciples, according to the Gospel of Matthew. “‘Godspell’ is known to be one of the most challenging shows to develop, especially for us and the actors,” director and senior communication studies major Sarah Jennings said in reference to herself and her co-director, senior elementary education and history major Sarah Drozd. “It is almost entirely up for interpretation, which means we needed to have a very clear vision throughout the entire process and be able to work with everyone on executing the vision.”

The vision decided upon by the cast and crew was to take a more modernized approach to the show and to follow the 2012 revised

version of the musical.

“More than half of the show was more or less created through collaboration, improv and ad-libbing between the actors, which proved to be more difficult than expected,” Jennings said.

The ad-lib and improvisation turned out to be a huge success with the audience. References to elements of pop culture, such as the obsession with Chipotle and smart phones, and an a cappella rendition of “Uptown Funk,” elicited loud applause and laughter. “‘Godspell’ is very dependent on audience reaction,” said senior biology major Kenneth Abes, who played Jesus. “No two shows are the same.”

The show opened with a powerful number, “Prologue,” which was performed by the entire 10-person cast. It thoroughly demonstrated each actor’s singing and dancing talents to the audience.

The cast flawlessly executed collaborative, as well as individual, performances. All the cast members had their own numbers in which they sang the major parts in order to demonstrate various parables that

Jesus taught the disciples. Judas, played by junior industrial/organizational psychology major Melissa Albert, was the first disciple to do so. Albert’s rendition of “Prepare Ye” left the audience with chills as her voice expertly hit both high and long notes throughout the number.

Abes, however, admitted it was not easy learning the songs and collaborative dances.

“It was really challenging, but worth it,” he said. “We had a wonderful music director and choreographer who helped us out a lot.”

“Godspell” provided not only life lessons, but also entertaining and engaging scenes for the audience. One of the most memorable moments of the show included the cast choosing audience members to participate in various scenes throughout the show.

“Many who went to see the show said that they had a lot of fun, even though they might not all be ‘theater people,’” Drozd said. “The stories, dancing, singing and jokes made it a really fun experience for everyone.”

Despite the fun atmosphere put on by the cast for the majority of the show, they were forced to get

serious for the very end of the plot.

Following the Bible exactly, Judas betrays Jesus by turning him over to be crucified for 30 pieces of silver. Before his execution, the rest of Jesus’s disciples question his teachings as well, and the disciples circle and torment Jesus, causing him to utter pained cries and shouts that left the audience speechless.

After realizing the err in their ways, the disciples individually said heart-wrenching goodbyes to Jesus. Senior Nicolette Naticchione stole the scene as her tearful goodbye to Jesus caused audience members to tear up as well.

“Godspell” concluded with the crucifixion of Jesus and then the disciples carrying his body out of the Black Box Theater while collectively singing “Prepare Ye.” “I am thrilled with the end result and all of the hard work that the cast put into the show to share the vision that Sarah Jennings and I had,” Drozd said. “‘Godspell’ is all about community, love and simplicity. I think that throughout the process, the cast took their characters’ development to heart and really tried their best to convey those messages

during each moment on stage.”

The success of this show hinged not only on the cast’s performance, but also on the set. Composed of wood and metal to create an earthy, natural feel, it was exactly what the set designers envisioned. “‘Godspell’ is a really special show because each time it’s produced, it’s set somewhere new and the vision is unique,” junior journalism major and set designer Jonathan Edmondson said. “Therefore, myself and my co-set designer, Natalia Byrdak, talked extensively with the directors and collaborated on a vision. They saw the show being set in a park in the middle of a fast-paced city.”

The cast and crew’s hard work paid off in the end, because all six shows wound up completely sold out.

“Everyone put their heart and soul into the production and made it so unique,” Jennings said. “What is so amazing about our show is that we guarantee that you have never, and will never, see a production like ours again, and this is because every person involved put a piece of themselves in the show.”

‘Rocky’ returns to the silver screen in ‘Creed’

By Connor Smith Staff Writer

Director and screenwriter Ryan Coogler has reinvigorated the “Rocky” franchise with a surprisingly heartfelt spin-off centered around Adonis Creed, the illegitimate son of Apollo Creed, in the new film, “Creed.”

“Creed” tells the story of a young Creed, who was adopted by his father’s widow after bouncing between foster homes and juvenile detention centers. Creed always displayed an eagerness to fight, which was a major concern for his adopted mother.

Creed, now in his 20s, put aside his lavish lifestyle to pursue his own dream of being a fighter like his father.

Creed struggles to be taken seriously, as most trainers refuse to give his dream a chance. Determined, Creed seeks out his father’s closest friend and rival, Rocky Balboa, in an effort to learn from the boxing legend.

Although Balboa is initially reluctant, Creed’s persistence pays off and the two develop a relationship that is the centerpiece of the film.

The relationship between Balboa and Creed is both compelling and sincere. As Balboa transitions into the fatherly figure that Creed was missing his entire life,

AP Photo

Balboa becomes the father figure that Creed was missing all his life.

Creed helps fill the void in Balboa’s heart left by the loss of his friends and family.

Creed also develops a romantic interest with an up-and-coming musician, Bianca.

Their relationship is rocky at first, but eventually blossoms into a worthwhile romance.

Although the film implores a number of clichés and common film tropes, the characters are what makes this film so appealing. Sylvester Stallone’s portrayal of an aged and worn-out Rocky Balboa is some

of his finest work to date. Almost all of his interactions with Creed are meaningful and Balboa is a walking illustration of the finite nature of time itself.

Throughout the film, Creed’s perseverance is rewarded while Rocky’s sagely guidance helps Creed mature as a boxer.

When commentators learn of the true identity of Creed — who had been using his mother’s surname, Johnson — he is offered a title shot against the world champion

boxer, Ricky Conlan, in an effort to generate revenue by advertising the Creed name.

Creed struggles to make a name for himself, as he constantly is living in the shadow of his father. It is his fiery passion for fighting that ultimately carves a path for himself.

The film also discusses the undeniable hardships boxers must endure, such as brain damage, injuries and emotional pain.

“Creed” manages to sprinkle nods to the original “Rocky” movies while still maintaining a strong sense of independence.

Creed’s character is well realized and his struggles are relatable, despite his fortunate upbringing.

In the end, “Creed” is a labor of love from start to finish. From the writing to the acting, the charm of the original “Rocky” is well represented, while still managing to set itself apart with a modern awareness and unique characters. Rocky fans will be pleased to see a film that recaptures the magic of the Academy Award winning film. With that said, it will be interesting to see how Coogler handles the demand for a “Creed” sequel.

One thing, however, is for sure — Stallone’s magnum opus is in the hands of talented, dedicated individuals.

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 23

The Wonder Years share signature sound

By Mark Bias Correspondent

Following the critically acclaimed record “The Greatest Generation,” The Wonder Years have released an album that is trickling with regret and bursting with passion. “No Closer to Heaven” is emotionally difficult to endure, but what makes the record so appealing is the subtlety of hope that builds with every song.

Right from the start, The Wonder Years make it clear that “The Greatest Generation” was only the start of their massive trek to the top. The song “Brothers” opens the album with chanting gang vocals and the repetition of the line: “We’re no saviors if we can’t save our brothers.” Then, the song “Cardinals” smashes through the somber tone of the opener and The Wonder Years show their signature pop-punk

energy for which they have become known.

After the first two songs, the album does tend to have its peaks and valleys. The instrumentation in songs like “Cigarettes and Saints” and the lyrics in songs like “I Wanted So Badly to Be Brave” are vast improvements on previous efforts.

Dan Campbell passionately yells, “My whole generation got lost in the margin. We put our faith in you, you turned a profit and now we’re drowning here under your waves.”

The album is filled with these spine-tingling moments, and it is because of these extreme highs that, when certain songs become too generic, they stand out much more. Songs like “A Song For Patsy Cline” and “Palm Reader” weigh down the album due to their conformity to generic sounds and uneventful lyricism. However, in its entirety, “No Closer To Heaven”

serves as a solid release that is not so much a step up from previous albums, but a step in a new direction as the band sheds the pop aspect of their sound and explores other influences, such as emo and post-rock.

After getting through the emotional roller coaster that is “No Closer To Heaven,” the final song and title track ends the album much differently than expected. If listeners remember “The Greatest Generation,” the one thing that probably stood out was the incredible ender that revisited all of the highlights.

Instead, The Wonder Years chose to do a soft acoustic song that perfectly captures the gloomy feeling of losing a loved one and trying to find meaning in one’s life once again. Campbell whispers, “It feels like the day before something important. It feels like the first snow

Kimberly Ilkowski / Arts & Entertainment

The Wonder Years deliver an emotionally-driven album.

of a season that sticks. It’s how I’ll always feel like a failure in the back of my head, no matter where I’ve been. But the future feels bright,” which leads me to believe that The

Wonder Years know exactly what they are doing. Despite the low points of the album, “No Closer To Heaven” brings The Wonder Years that much closer to the top.

Fans give final farewell to beloved NJ band

Sydney Shaw / News Editor

The Stone Pony is one of the band’s favorite places to perform.

By Sydney Shaw News Editor

Please forgive them, they want to go home.

All past and present members of River City Extension returned to the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, N.J., for their sold-out, sixth annual Simple Gifts Thanksgiving Eve show. The evening marked the last time the indie-folk unit from Toms River, N.J., would play together as a band.

River City Extension’s sundry compilation of guitars, basses, violins, keys, a cello, a viola and percussion has proved to be a powerful presence across the band’s eight years, propelling it from the shore scene onto the national stage. In a performance that was both heart-rending and wildly exuberant, the longtime friends wasted no time once they began their show on Wednesday, Nov. 25.

“We recently put out a record called ‘Deliverance,’” frontman Joe Michelini told the crowd. “And here it is.”

With that, the band launched into its latest LP, playing all 10 songs in order.

“The right thing to do was to play ‘Deliverance’ all the way through,” Michelini said in a phone interview with The Signal after the show. “We felt like that record’s cycle got cut short, but it’s not like that, either… I think it ended at the right time.”

The first track, “Something’s Gotta Give,” is reminiscent of ’70s rock ‘n’ roll, complete with electric guitar and a toe-tapping rhythm.

“Ohio” was a standout as a raucous singalong, while “I’m Not There” opened with Patrick O’Brien’s melancholic keys and Michelini’s crooning.

“I watch my family growing older, I

brace my body for the tide,” he sings on the track.

Enter Shane Luckenbaugh on drums as the song builds, while Nicole Scorsone’s elegant violin playing provides a beautiful backdrop through the bridge.

Notwithstanding its artistic strengths, “Deliverance” failed commercially, a contributing factor in the band’s decision to call it quits.

“If the band had seen some sort of wild success, then we would continue to play every song on ‘Deliverance’ for years, but that wasn’t the case,” Michelini told The Signal.

A more significant blow, however, struck in December 2014 when 27-year-old drummer Steve Tambone died suddenly. While Scorsone played a soaring salute on the violin, the rest of the band placed their respective instruments down and turned to face the vacated drumset.

“Everyone has their own demons,” Michelini said through tears during the show.

“But my memory of Steve is perfect. I hope you all remember him that way.”

Michelini announced the band’s final show via social media on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

“This is just the end of our first big art project,” he told The Signal. “We did River City Extension. We put out four records and toured the world. Now it’s time for us to do something else. Calling it ‘River City Extension’ was hurting us more than it was helping us because so much had changed.”

Throughout the evening, a pensive Michelini reflected on the band’s history, from breaking into the scene to pouring his heart into the band’s fourth record. Years back, River City Extension opened for the folk rock outfit The Avett Brothers, a show

Michelini remembers as a pivotal point in the early years of his music career.

“I heard their songs and I was blown away,” he said. “I thought, ‘I could write a song like that,’ so I went home and wrote this song.”

Michelini was right. When he stepped up to the mic and began “If I Still Own a Bible,” the track reduced hundreds of fans to tears.

“I wonder if I still own a Bible,” he sang.

“If my fingerprints still sit on that page — the one about love, and why it’s so patient, and why I have lost it with age.”

Over the years, 15 members have performed under the umbrella of River City Extension.

At its largest, in 2010, the band released its third record, “The Unmistakable Man.” That LP was released between the “Nautical Sabbatical” EP in 2009 and “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Your Anger” in 2012.

The bubbly ditty “Elephant” was the only track off of “Nautical Sabbatical” to sound through the Stone Pony during the second part of the show, but an even mix from their other two records sent fans into a rock ‘n’ roll rave. It was also the band’s final song before the musicians disappeared backstage.

Asbury Park wasn’t ready to let them go so soon, though. Chants begging for “one more song” summoned the folkers back for an epic encore.

“For the first time ever together on stage, please welcome the Unmistakeable Band,” Michelini said, using the affectionate nickname bestowed upon the band after the release of its third record.

The encore included, appropriately, “Ballad of Oregon,” as Michelini sang, “One more time, singing over the line…” The familiar vocals of Sam Tacon dovetailed against Michelini’s, for just one more time.

The penultimate performance of the evening was “Everything West of Home/ Brooklyn Reprise,” a poignant song introduced with passionate “hey-hey-heys.”

“I have promises to keep,” Michelini sang, “and miles to go before I sleep.”

For the finale of their final show, the band joined hundreds of fans on the concrete ground for an unplugged singalong of “Bone Marrow Twist and Shout,” an unrecorded track.

“Not every band gets closure like that,” Michelini told The Signal after the show.

“We were lucky enough to get it.”

When all was said and done, River City Extension stepped outside into the freezing November night. One fan approached Michelini with an extended hand to thank him for all he’s done. “Tonight was an experience,” he told Michelini.

The musician smiled and shook his hand. “Thank you so much,” he said, “but it’s time for a new experience. It’s time for a new adventure.”

For Michelini, his new adventure comes in the form of American Trappist, his current musical project.

“I’m not trying to reach for something in my songwriting that doesn’t come naturally to me, so some of it might… sound similar to River City,” he told The Signal. “I feel an artistic freedom doing this.”

River City Extension fans will earnestly be waiting to see what new adventures lie in store for the rest of the bandmates, but in the meantime, they have no doubt that the Unmistakeable Band will be OK. After all, in the new song “White Blackmail,” Michelini sings, “And when the curtain finally falls, it won’t have bothered me at all.”

Sydney Shaw / News Editor

Throughout the set, Michelini reflects on the band’s history.

page 24 The Signal December 2, 2015

‘Fallout 4’ holds its own in series

Players have full control over the game.

Youtube.com

By Sean Reis Staff Writer

At this summer’s E3 2015 Press Conference, Bethesda Studios announced its latest installment in the “Fallout” series and hype immediately ensued. Set in the year 2287 in post-apocalyptic Boston, Mass., also known as the Commonwealth,“Fallout 4” may not have lived up to every fan’s expectations. Following countless hours of gameplay, however, I must disagree.

First and foremost, I feel the need to write to the haters. All I ask is, “What did you expect?”

At the end of the day, “Fallout 4” is a sequel — another “Fallout” title and merely an updated installment in the series. To expect anything else would be simply outrageous. I understood this before I bought the game.

I also understood I could not compare “Fallout 4” to “Fallout 3” — one of the most innovative video games in history — and I

will not make such comparisons. Instead, I will pretend as though “Fallout 4” was the first of its kind with no predecessors, in which case it receives a 10 out of 10.

In “Fallout 4,” the player has full control over the entire game, and although there is a strict plot to be followed, the various ways for the player to eventually “beat the game” are seemingly endless. Not only are there multiple sides to choose from, but as you complete the story, you can also wander around the Commonwealth, an area large enough to explore for days of gameplay with no end in sight.

With another settlement to trade with or another building to scavenge around every corner, you can do whatever you want in the post-apocalyptic city of Boston. As the lone survivor of Vault 111, you can continue as a lone wolf, you can have your choice of companions fight by your side or you can even start your own town.

If starting your own town seems like it might be too much work, know that I originally thought so, too. However, like many other aspects of the game, I quickly found myself lost in establishing my sanctuary for all, despite the little interest I previously had, because the game does a very good job at pushing you to try it.

Whether or not you will enjoy starting a settlement as much as I did, I do not know, but I highly recommend taking at least some time away from the story to do so. I will warn you, though, that finding time away from the story will be difficult because you will be emotionally enveloped.

When I said you will be “emotionally enveloped” in the story, I meant it. Never have I ever taken a break from a video game because I felt I could not decide whose side I was on. Meanwhile, for “Fallout 4,” I had to take a two-day hiatus to finally make up my mind. I didn’t even complete side quests during this time — that was how emotionally conflicted I was and that is what put this game over the top for me.

“Fallout 4” is my pick for the game of the year. Though I promise I won’t spoil the ending for you, promises mean nothing in the Commonwealth, where I hope you enjoy exploring over winter break.

Professor asks ‘Who Makes Games?’

By Alyssa Gautieri Staff Writer

Studies have shown that video games utilize different parts of the brain, according to game designer Josh Fishburn, who is an interactive multimedia associate professor at the College.

“This is what I would tell parents ­— that every game is an educational game, in a sense,” he said During his Brown Bag presentation on Friday, Nov. 20, in Mayo Concert Hall, Fishburn discussed the challenges he has experienced when designing games.

Fishburn said he does not believe that violence in video games has drastically negative effects on children.

“I think it becomes a problem when that is the only type of game available and played,” he said.

Fishburn said the key to a healthy user experience is diversity. When both designing and playing games, he values variety.

“Designers of video games have something in common that originators in other art forms do not,” Fishburn said. “That is, that they are not dead yet!”

His presentation, entitled “Who Makes Games?,” showcased various artists’ opinions on the matter.

Fishburn’s graphic design friend, Rick Griffith, told him, “We don’t ‘make’ games.

We ‘design’ games, and it is in the act of designing interaction, opportunity, conflict, competitive frames, stories and use of time for people that games are made.”

Another of Fishburn’s colleagues said that anyone can make games: It is as simple as deciding to shoot baskets with a crumbled up piece of paper into a trashcan at work.

These responses helped Fishburn to think of all of the challenges making or designing games posed for the ambitious group of game designers.

Fishburn gave several examples of challenges that can be presented to the game designers, including developing a personalized platformer (a platform game in which users guide an avatar to jump between suspended platforms), making a

game with one button, simulating an entire universe, incorporating realism, making the fourth dimension known, showing what depression is like to those who have never experienced it or telling a story of gender reassignment.

According to Fishburn, new media is not replacing other forms of media, but it is changing the way media is consumed.

“It is new in some sense, but for a lot of games, (it is) an extension of storytelling,” he said.

Fishburn showed the audience an example of storytelling through video games.

When tackling the challenge of “how to tell a story of gender reassignment and hormone therapy.” Fishburn showed a game that took a very serious subject and turned it into a game anyone can play.

“The game really beautifully tells this personal story,” Fishburn said as he recalled the individual who inspired the game.

When designing a platform game to be original, there can be challenges. According to Fishburn, a game called “Mushroom 11” has been in the works for over four years. The game creators have been polishing and altering the game ever since the original prototype was created in 2011.

The prototype for “Mushroom 11” tried to use realistic physics to create a new experience, Fishburn said. However,

when he played the prototype on the large screen for the audience, his character died almost immediately. Four years later, after the game had experienced massive changes, the platform moves quicker and smoother, and Fishburn is able to play more easily. The designers have also added colors, music, options, levels and new updated features. However, the overall idea of “Mushroom 11” has remained the same. Through the demonstration, Fishburn illustrated the strenuous amount of time and effort that is spent in developing an original game.

Fishburn also discussed how to show what depression is like in a game for people who haven’t experienced it.

“Most games want you to feel like you can do anything and make you feel like you’re powerful,” Fishburn said.

However, in the game “Depression Quest,” the game presents the player with a number of options, but limits which options they are able to choose. The game strips the player of power and gives them a sense of what depression can be like for those who struggle with it.

Fishburn said game designers bring whatever personal stories and individual skills they have to the table and their goal is to create original and entertaining games that tell a story.

David Colby / Staff Photographer

Fishburn discusses the challenges of modern game design.

This week, Nick Landolfi, WTSR assistant music director, highlights some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.

Band: Beat Connection Album: “Product 3” Hailing From: Seattle, Wa. Genre: Shimmering Indie Synth Pop Label: Anti-Records Seattle quartet Beat Connection comes through with its third release, “Product 3.” The group has been known for upbeat, glossy pop beats and synth-drenched hooks. This album has a lot of those vibes, plus a bit more. You can also hear some more guitar work on these songs. There’s some new percussion work, pounding with a tropical and exotic urgency, that has you bouncing back and forth as you listen. A lot of these songs also feature more soulful sounding vocals that truly resonate with listeners. This album mixes a lot of funk with synth-pop, which breathes a fresh life into the cluttered genre.

Must Hear: “Another Go Round,” “Illusion,” “So Good,” “Reality TV” and “Rosealene”

Band: Cold Fronts Album: “Forever Whatever” Hailing From: Philadelphia, Pa. Genre: Filthy Indie Pop Rock Label: Sire Philadelphia’s Cold Fronts is a modernday band for every college kid out there.

Fronted by the slightly insane Craig Almquist, the band pumps out thrashy guitars mixed with dazzling and piercing synth work. Each song is like a party that refuses to slow down. Bands like this give a bright and youthful punch to the industry in the best way possible. The album’s lead song, “Buschleague,” grabs your attention immediately and doesn’t let go, starting off the album on a party-ready foot. The song “Catch” grooves that party into its place and builds a catchy melody around itself. The track “Primetime” is a pop song for today’s youth that is chockfull of glittering guitars and goofy drums that make it all the more fun.

Must Hear: “Buschleague,” “Catch,” “Primetime” and “Radio”

Foo Fighters release new EP, ‘Saint Cecilia’ December 2, 2015 The Signal page 25

AP Photo

The band overcomes many challenges on tour, like Grohl’s broken leg.

By Kimberly Ilkowski Arts & Entertainment Editor

If Foo Fighters want fans around the world to know one thing, it’s that music has the power to unite us during our most challenging times.

Although the band has been working on new material since October and was teasing big news to fans via a mysterious countdown clock on the band’s official website, the message and purpose of its new five-song EP, entitled “Saint Cecilia,” has changed drastically.

Following the Friday, Nov. 13, attacks in Paris, where over 100 lives were lost during a shooting at an Eagles of Death Metal concert at the Bataclan, the community, the music industry and the world struggled to cope with the senseless act of violence that took place.

With the Foo Fighter’s latest release comes a renewed message of hope, discussed by frontman Dave Grohl in an open letter on the band’s website. The site also featured a link to The Sweet Stuff Foundation, which helps musical communities and their families during times of sickness and disability. “‘The Saint Cecilia’ EP was put into motion… as a celebration of life and music,”

Grohl wrote in the letter. “The concept being that, as our world tour drew to a close this week, we wanted to share our love of both with you in return for everything you have given us. Now, there is a new, hopeful intention that, even in the smallest way, perhaps these songs can bring a little light into this sometimes dark world. To remind us that music is life, and that hope and healing go hand in hand with song. That much can never be taken away.”

As fans eagerly waited for the clock to strike midnight on Monday, Nov. 23, when the countdown would reach its end, they were given just that — five stellar songs that sound like a time capsule of all the greatest periods in the band’s 20 year history.

The EP, which features collaborations with such artists as Gary Clark Jr, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Ben Kweller, bursts to life with the ethereal rock opening track “Saint Cecilia.”

Reminiscent of the songs on its latest fulllength release, “Sonic Highways,” “Saint Cecilia” offers the same grassroots lyricism found on key tracks of the album. The song takes inspiration from, yet certainly does not mimic, the song “Congregation,” which was

Want to be on the other side of this paper?

recorded in Nashville, Tenn., with Zac Brown of the country group, Zac Brown Band. Both songs are instant anthems with booming instrumentals and catchy choruses.

The next track, “Sean,” would fit perfectly on the band’s first self-titled release, which featured the quick-paced grit that jumpstarted the band’s career. Although faster and more jerky, “Sean” has touches of the quirky lyricism of “Big Me” and could easily follow the album’s opening track “This Is A Call” in terms of musicality. The song breathes a youthful energy into the EP, especially with its mid-song breakdown, during which the band continually shouts “Sean!”

The EP’s third track, “Savior Breath,” keeps energy levels high as it displays the same urgency and anger felt on the band’s 2011 album “Wasting Light.” Similar thrashing guitars and wails are found on “Savior Breath” as on the older album’s “White Limo,” which is like a bullet train that rips through the airwaves.

“Iron Rooster” slows things down a bit a la much of the music on the band’s 2007 LP “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace.”

The constantly mellow song displays a quiet confidence, never feeling the need to puff out its chest to prove its worthiness on the

track listing. Though the song doesn’t ever pick up its pace, it doesn’t need to, showing itself as one of the Foo’s smoothest jams.

The “Saint Cecilia” EP comes to a close with the song “Neverending Sigh,” which could easily find its home on the band’s 2002 album “One By One.” The band finishes strong with speedy, hard guitars and pounding drums. During the chorus, Grohl growls, “No one lets everyone in,” with the same menacing grip as heard in the opening lines of “All My Life.”

The EP is indeed a collection of once unfinished songs dug up from throughout the span the band’s career, some just months old while others date back decades. While each could fit well on previous Foo releases, the songs ultimately work together the best, creating a scrapbook of sorts showing just how much the band has evolved musically.

Like many other prominent artists, such as U2 and Prince, Foo Fighters decided to cut its European tour short in the wake of the Paris attacks. That does not mean, however, that the band will back down from its message.

As Grohl closed his letter to fans, he stated, “We will return and celebrate life and love with you once again someday with our music. As it should be done.”

AP Photo

The ‘Saint Cecilia’ EP offers sounds from throughout the band’s career.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR NEXT SEMESTER!

We’re looking for: Writers—Be the one who brings the story to the campus.

Photographers—Capture the events and bring the story to life.

Assistants—Join our staff and help make this paper happen.

Contact us: signal@tcnj.edu Located in room 204 in Forcina Hall Meetings every Sunday at 5:30 p.m.

page 26 The Signal December 2, 2015

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 27

Sports

College remains undefeated on the year Wrestling

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Left: The Lions host and sweep a quad match on Saturday, Nov. 21. Right: The team warms up before a meet at the College.

By Connor Smith Staff Writer The Lions continued their hot start on Wednesday, Nov. 19, with a 34-12 victory over King’s College and followed it up on Saturday, Nov. 21, by beating Gloucester (44-3), Middlesex (53-6) and Camden (40-9) county colleges en route to a quad match sweep.

The wrestling team now sports an undefeated 5-0 record, along with a top six ranking in the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III poll.

“We just thrive off of each

other,” senior Doug Hamann said. “We love seeing each other do well.”

The College fell to an early deficit against King’s College before sophomores James Goldschmidt (133) and Ryan Budzek (141) put the Lions ahead by scoring a decision and a 2:33 pin, respectively.

The Monarchs battled back by scoring a 4:55 pin at 149, but the College followed it up by dominating the next five bouts, which included two major decisions, two pins and a technical fall.

Senior Antonio Mancella got the streak started by scoring a major decision at 157 to put the

College in the driver’s seat. Junior Nick Herring kept the momentum going with an impressive victory by technical fall at 165.

“We just gave our Lion Strong award to Nick,” coach Joseph Galante said. “The award honors character and dedication.”

The Lions kept on rolling as senior Joe Paton scored a major decision at 174. Junior Dan Wojtaszek had a dominating 1:21 pin at 184, and sophomore Constantine Rissiotos made it back-to-back pins with a 2:55 victory by fall at 197.

The final score was 34-12, in favor of the College.

The team put an exclamation

Men’s Basketball

point on their impressive start by routing Gloucester, Middlesex and Camden county colleges by 30 points or more.

“This is a great tool for us because we have 40 prospective student athletes competing from local community colleges,” Galante said. “These are guys that are going to be looking to come to a four year institution. If we can capture some of this talent — academically and athletically — the College would benefit greatly.”

The Lions certainly impressed many with their strong wrestling mentalities.

“These guys make you want

to be better,” said Hamann, who went 3-0 by fall, major decision and forfeit during the quad match.

“I just do the best I can every day.”

The College scored seven pins on the day, amidst a sea of major decisions and forfeits.

“We’re focused on continuing to train and be healthy,” Galante said. “That’s getting it done on the mat and leading to victories.”

The Lions look ahead to the New Standard Invitational hosted by York College on Saturday, Dec. 5, where the wrestling team will once again have a chance to prove themselves against some of the nation’s best.

Fantasy Football

Lions improve record ‘Fitzmagic’ for fantasy Sophomore honored

By Sean Reis Columnist

By Otto Gomez Staff Writer

After starting the season, 1-1, the Lions came home and battled Western Connecticut State University for a 83-82 overtime win on Wednesday, Nov. 18. The team followed by splitting their first two New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) games of the year — falling to Montclair State University, 83-63, on Saturday, Nov. 21, and beating Rutgers-Camden University, 93-66, on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

In the game against the Pioneers, the Lions gave the crowd a great start to the season in their first home game of the year. The Lions stayed with the Colonials all throughout, with the game coming down to the wire. Down two points with 13 seconds left in the game, sophomore guard Eric Murdock, Jr. drove to the rim and drew contact, sending him to the charity stripe.

He was able to connect with both to send the game into overtime, where the College picked up the win, 83-82, over a cheering crowd. Murdock finished with 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

For their first NJAC contest of the year, the Lions traveled to Montclair to face a 1-0 Red Hawks squad. Similar to their last game, the Lions were down at the half, this time by 16 points. Even with the help of junior guard, captain Eric Klacik’s pair of three pointers in the second half, his team wasn’t able to fight off Montclair as the final score was 83-63.

In their second NJAC game, the Lions

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Sophomore Elias Bermudez attacks.

were able to bounce back in a strong way against Rutgers-Camden with a convincing 93-66 victory. The team was leading at the half by a huge margin of 50-21, a period where three Lions scored in double digits.

Murdock scored 15 in the first half and ended with 26 points and 10 rebounds, continuing his very strong start to the season.

A few weeks prior, Murdock was named to the All-Tournament Team of the Wheaton Tip-Off Tournament.

“First, I would like to say that it was an honor to represent TCNJ and the basketball program on the All-Tournament Team,” Murdock said. “The early success comes from the confidence that my teammates and coaches have in me to lead the team. Being a starter as a freshman and now starting as a sophomore has given me confidence within myself to make the right plays and be a vocal leader on the floor.”

The Lions’ next game is on Tuesday, Dec. 1, against Skidmore College at home.

With this being the final issue of the fall semester, I decided to take a slightly different approach than past columns.

Rather than focusing on DraftKings and the weekly picks, I felt it would be better to discuss players who I think will be the best to start as your league playoffs near.

At quarterback, I think the No. 1 player to start is obvious — Tom Brady.

He proved this past weekend that he can put up superstar numbers, no matter who he is throwing the ball to and no matter what defense he is facing.

Nonetheless, there is one specific quarterback that I feel has flown under the radar this season — Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In Week Four, I was in trouble, 0-3, and sitting in last place. I needed someone to spark my season and, looking at my quarterback first, I decided to pick up Fitzpatrick. I then went on to win six out of my next seven games and I am now likely looking at a playoff position. Fitzpatrick is only owned in 23 percent of Yahoo leagues and he may have the ‘Fitzmagic’ your team needs.

At wide receiver, it is definitely tougher to define the No. 1 player, but I think Julio Jones has the best argument. Like Brady, he is unfortunately owned in 100 percent of Yahoo leagues, so looking for possible receivers to pick up as playoffs approach, I highly suggest Kamar Aiken, Rueben Randle and Cecil Shorts III.

All three of these WRs are not owned in a majority of Yahoo leagues, and if you are currently in need of a reliable receiver, I would trust any of these WRs in the rest of the season.

At running back, I still believe Devonta Freeman is the best back in the league, but I also would like to note that I do not like Darren McFadden or Todd Gurley in the playoffs. Both RBs have seemed to have fallen off as of late and I no longer trust either. With that being said, however, I would still start both, but remember I warned you.

As for less-owned backs, I suggest Alfred Blue (owned in 53 percent) and Shaun Draughn (owned in 28 percent).

I also love Theo Riddick, but only in points-per-reception leagues.

At tight end, only if Rob Gronkowski is seriously injured, I say Tyler Eifert is the No. 1 end in the league, but the other top tier TEs are all trustworthy as well. If you need another TE in a pinch for the playoffs though, it is quite risky so I have a few various options to pick up, Benjamin Watson, Charles Clay and Jacob Tamme.

None are pretty pick ups, but if you really need a TE for the playoffs, one of these three names will likely be a free agent and I believe they will be your best bet in desperation.

Lastly — and sadly — for kickers and defenses, I have zero suggestions because both are week-to-week picks based on matchups. I bid you adieu and I wish you luck in your playoffs and for finals as well!

page 28 The Signal December 2, 2015 Women’s Basketball

Lions struggle early in NJAC competition

By Anthony Caruso Staff Writer

The College’s women’s basketball team has lost all three games over the past two weeks, all within a week span before the players and coaches went on Thanksgiving break.

The first two losses came on the road, the first being on Tuesday, Nov. 17, against Moravian College, 76-53, and Saturday, Nov. 21, against Montclair State University, 66-48. The final came in the team’s home opener against Rutgers-Camden on Tuesday, Nov. 24, falling short, 74-71.

Coach Dawn Henderson thinks a few things are keeping the Lions back in their games.

“It’s a combination of things,” she said. “We’re young and we’re trying to figure that out. We’ve also played very good teams — and a few of them got away from us. Widener got away and we could have upset Scranton.”

The game against Moravian was close in the first half, before the Greyhounds pulled away in the second.

The Greyhounds scored 48 points in the final two quarters, while the Lions scored just 23. The College shot 26.7 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from the three-point line. They were 16 of 18 from the free throw line for 88.9 percent.

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions will try to regroup after a difficult stretch of games to start the season.

Junior guard Taryn Corrigan led the College with 12 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal. Forward Christina Merlin and guard Angelica Esposito, both seniors, had eight each and Merlin also had five rebounds. Esposito added six rebounds and an assist in the game.

Junior Kim Dana and sophomore Cindy Napolitano, both guards, had six points each. Dana also had three rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Charlotte Schum, senior Jess Lynch and junior Gina Barrett, all guards, contributed two points each, while sophomore forward Nikki Schott had a point.

On Saturday, Nov. 21, the Lions dropped to 0-4 on the season when they lost their first conference game of the season against the Montclair

State Red Hawks.

The Lions led going into halftime, as the score was 36-29. The team had a game-high 22 points in the second quarter.

Much like the game against the Greyhounds, the Lions were outscored in the second half. The Red Hawks outpaced the College, 37-12, in the final two quarters, as they could only muster five points in the third and seven in the fourth.

In this game, the Lions were 32.2 percent from the field. However, they were just 12.24 percent in the second half. They were 32 percent from the three-point line and 2-3, for 66.7 percent, from the free throw line.

Esposito and Schum led the team for 10 points each. Esposito also had

five rebounds and two assists, while Schum had three rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Napolitano added nine points, while Dana had five and Merlin and Corrigan had four each. Napolitano added two boards, while Dana had three rebounds and four assists. Lynch, Scott and freshman forward Allie Dunn had two points each.

On Tuesday, Nov. 24, the Lions played their first home game of the season against RutgersCamden, but fell short as the final buzzer sounded.

The Scarlet Raptors held a 39-32 halftime lead, but were outscored, 39-35, in the final two quarters of the game.

With 15 seconds left, Esposito made a three-pointer to cut the

Track and Field

Scarlet Raptors’ lead to 72-71.

Schum fouled Raptors’ forward, senior Kamari Talley, who made back-to-back free throws.

Instead of taking the final shot, Esposito passed the ball to Napolitano, who was not guarded by two players, and missed a three to end the game.

The Lions shot 50 percent from the field and 47.6 percent from the three-point line. They were seven of nine, making for 77.8 percent, from the free throw line.

Esposito led the team with 19 points, and added five rebounds and two assists. Lynch added 14 points with six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Dana had 13 points with three rebounds, four assists and a steal.

Corrigan came off the bench with seven, while Amato added four. Merlin and Napolitano added three each, as Schott and freshman guard Kate O’Leary had two each.

“It’s hard to be 0-4, 0-5 as doubt starts to creep in,” Henderson said. “When doubt creeps in, you lose your composure. I thought we lost it a little bit towards the end of the first half. I also thought we lost our composure a little bit in the middle of the second half. That’s going to hurt you, so we’re a work in progress.

The team continues its season on the road against Stockton University on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Cheap Seats

Lions are ready to run Soccer / Value in DIII Nationals a team goal continued from page 32

By George Tatoris Staff Writer The men’s and women’s indoor track teams are training hard for their opening meet, the New Year’s Invitational hosted

by Princeton University, which will be held on Friday, Dec. 11.

The meet will feature teams from all three divisions and will not be scored.

At last year’s invitational, the women’s team excelled thanks to the efforts of its senior class, with 10 top 10 finishes.

Four of those top 10 finishes were achieved by seniors and the winning relay team was comprised of three seniors.

In the 4x400 relay, then-seniors Michelle Cascio, Joy Spriggs and Katelyn Ary, along with then-junior Kristen Randolph, took eighth place, with a combined time of 4:03.91.

The relay team eventually competed at the NCAA Division III Championships in March 2015, earning All-American honors in the process.

With so much talent loaded at the tail end of the age range, the pressure is on the incoming freshman to keep the team alive in years to come.

Freshman Erin Holzbaur, who had a promising debut in cross country this past semester, believes she will see more progress this coming winter.

“I am confident that the success we had during the cross country season will transfer over to the track,” Holzbaur said.

At the same meet last year, then-junior Jake Lindacher finished fifth overall in the 60-meter high hurdles with a time

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Senior Laron Day prepares.

of 8.39 seconds.

Lindacher would go on to qualify for the NCAA National Championship, as well, finishing 13th overall in the event with a time of 8.35 seconds.

While the season will just be beginning for sprinters, hurdlers and field athletes, distance and mid-distance runners have a season of cross country under their belts to warm their gears for the winter season.

The College’s men’s and women’s teams fell short of Nationals this year, though both claimed ninth in the Atlantic Regionals Championship.

The difference in track is that the cross country runners will be spread across several different races instead of one single race.

“What I do like is how there are more options than just the 6K, so I’m excited to change it up and try different events,” Holzbaur said.

After the New Year’s Invitational, the next competition won’t be until Friday, Jan. 8, at the Villanova Open in Staten Island, N.Y.

smaller in DIII, the quality of the sport does not decrease.

“The quality of soccer and competitiveness does not tremendously drop from DI to DIII, so I still got to play at a high level while keeping a balance in my academia and social life,” Lindacher said. “People do not understand Division III sports and tend to put them down as if they are not as good as other divisions when, in fact, we (the Lions) have defeated DI and DII teams. DIII is misunderstood and actually plays for the love of the game rather than scholarship money.”

Lindacher mentions how academics and social lives can be evenly balanced in DIII, and that is something that really sets DIII institutes apart.

According to scholorshipsstats.com, in 2013, the total value amount of athletic scholarships given out in DI schools reached two billion dollars, with the average scholarship for women athletes being $14,660.

Since DIII schools don’t pay studentathletes scholarships, their funds can be used to improve other facets of college life, including academic and social parts. The College was just recently named a national exemplar by the Council of Undergraduate research (CUR), which according to a Signal article from Wednesday, Nov. 4, was awarded “highlighting campus efforts and resources devoted to such studies.”

Lindacher believes titles such as this, in addition to athletic accomplishments, make institutes like the College more appealing than other schools that just highlight one or the other.

“As highly academic as TCNJ is, we are also known for great soccer, too,” she said. “As an athlete, when making my

college decision, I had to think about both academics and soccer. TCNJ had both high quality education and soccer, so it was an easy choice.”

She also explains how the struggles of being a student-athlete are not dulled by being in a lower division.

“Being a student-athlete at TCNJ is not easy, but with time management, there was never an issue with assignments and soccer,” Lindacher said. “If I had to miss class for a game, I knew it was my responsibility to complete any work that I missed. There was never a time I thought soccer wasn’t as important as my grades because I came here to put forth my whole effort into both. The division has nothing to do with school over soccer or vice versa. I could have gone DI or DII, but I chose TCNJ because of it’s balance of high academics and quality soccer.”

While the divisions may differ, the quality of the sport still lies on the player.

Considering the fact that the College’s women’s soccer team has made it the tournament two decades in a row, that should show just how qualified the program is.

There are schools in different divisions that are better than the College, and some that are not. The College may be looked over in some aspects to places like Rutgers or other big DI schools, but on its own in women’s soccer, it does stand out among the rest.

“TCNJ is a legacy just simply based on facts,” Lindacher said. “(We) have won three national titles and have been to the Final Four 12 times. Coach (Joe) Russo (placed) fourth for most wins in all divisions of college soccer. So, I believe, in the soccer world, we are a powerhouse. In our division, we are a stand out team and one of the biggest games on everyone’s schedules. We can certainly play with other divisions, regardless of us being Division III.”

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LIONS

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 29

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Otto Gomez “The Ref”

Matt Bowker

Matthew Ajaj

Second Seed

First Seed

Michael Battista Wildcard

In this week’s special championship edition of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Otto Gomez, asks our panel of experts — seeded by their number of wins this semester — three questions: What can stop the Golden State Warriors? What do the off-the-field issues mean for the Patriots legacy and what caused Rhonda Rousey’s first loss?

1. The Golden State Warriors seem unstoppable right now. What matchup strategy could another team use to even be competitive with them come playoff time?

Matthew: On both sides of the ball, the Golden State Warriors outmatch their opponents with superior hustle, sheer ability and height advantage at nearly every position.

What keeps the Warriors clicking, however, is their scheme. Their rapidly-run offense relies on quick possessions with perimeter passing to set up the right man for the shot, and the “right” man is every man as they can pretty much all shoot the three. Trying to outrun the cheetah, teams continue to fall prey to the relentless Golden State attack because they play the predator’s game: fast-paced basketball. It is impossible to stop the Warriors, but they can certainly be slowed. Opponents must prioritize playing at their own pace as the Warriors become uncomfortable when forced to accept a sluggish pace. Patient play is the Warriors sole weakness — slow the game down and victory is possible.

AP Photo

Matt: There may not be a solution to stopping the Warriors’ small ball. To stop it, a team needs to have an elite post-up center with solid shooters. Golden State was able to run the table in the playoffs last year with ease because no team could stop it. They also did not play the Spurs, maybe the only team

in the conference that could stop them. In the wise words of the unwise coach Chip Kelly, “big people beat up little people.” When the Warriors go small and athletic, the Spurs should go big. The ageless wonder, Tim Duncan, and highly-touted newcomer LaMarcus Aldridge can score at ease against the small

Warriors. The problem for them is stopping the Warriors’ shooting on the outside, which may be impossible. I’m not saying the Spurs can beat the Warriors, but there’s a chance.

Michael: If anything is going to stop Golden State, I think the best bet is time. Yes, they are hot now, but the real test will be if they still are after the mid-point of the season. This team is good, and right now, I think only a handful of teams (the Thunder, the Pacers or the Spurs) can give them a challenge. They have hustle, giving them advantages when it comes to breaking through defenses easily or going for three-pointers. But what happens if Steph Curry or Klay Thompson goes down injured?

Can the team still play without their big dogs?

Right now, at this moment, I believe the only thing that could stop them is solid defense that can handle Curry, be quick enough to stay with him but also avoid double covering him and leaving an opening somewhere else. Other than that, the long NBA season will need to take a toll on the Champs if any team wants to find a chink in this armor.

Matthew gets 2 points for noting every player as a threat. Matt gets 1 point because outside shooting isn’t an issue and Michael also gets 1 point for not mentioning the other players.

AP Photo

2. What does the off-the-field issues and repeated success of the Patriots say about the team and the roles of the team leaders?

Matthew: Winning trumps all. The New England Patriots have remained the best organization in football throughout the current millennium due to their unparalleled ability to win

games. Robert Kraft has been selling out the stadium since becoming owner in 1994, and since he hired head coach Bill Belichick, the Pats have gone on to take the division title 80 percent of the time. Tom Brady has four Super Bowl rings and a couple of MVPs to show for his past 15 years of service. Controversy

cannot supersede the sheer dominance of the 2000s Patriots, made possible by the minds of these three men. Only the San Francisco 49ers teams of the 1980s can match modern Patriots’ accolades, and many a debate can be had between the superiority of their respective owner, coach and quarterback.

Matt: There is no doubt that when it’s all said and done, Brady and Belichick will be the best to have ever done it at their respective posts.

Kraft is just along for the ride, with Belichick largely in control of the organization. Sure, there has been plenty of controversy, but winning cures all, and the Patriots win a lot.

Deflategate was blown way out of proportion and didn’t really even affect the outcome of the game. It was a witch-hunt by Goodell to repair his image after his mishandling of the Ray Rice scandal. Nice try, Roger. Spygate was a clear-cut example of cheating and one that should have been handled severely. But, as usual, Goodell mishandled the punishment.

Hate them for cheating, but hate Goodell more for not putting an end to their cheating.

Michael: They are the best, and they have the rings to prove it (well except Belichick, he’s missing one thanks to Vladimir Putin).

The Patriots are not Pete Rose — the things they have done (or not done) don’t over shadow the feats they have accomplished. Belichick is the George Patton of the grid iron, he’s calm and knows how to strategies under pressure. Tom Brady is America’s golden boy, and his play has always been great. Even if he has a bad game, he shoulders the blame.

Kraft is... OK. Honestly, he has never been the main focus of the franchise and that isn’t really an issue since he gives the team the reigns it needs to succeed. The organization will be seen as a high point of the NFL in the 2000s. Vince Lombardi’s Packers, the Steelers’ Steel Curtain, the Super Bowl Shuffle Bears and Belichick’s Patriots can go down on the NFL’s mount Rushmore.

Matt gets 3 points for hating Goodell. Matthew gets 2 points for noting winning’s importance and Michael gets 1 point for forgetting about Joe Montana.

3. Explain what caused one of the biggest sports upsets ever this last Saturday when Rhonda Rousey lost to Holly Holm.

Matthew: I don’t know anything about professional fighting. However, this lack of education on the matter is precisely the cause of Americans’ shock waves of surprise following Ronda Rousey’s defeat. When she came onto the scene and exuded such dominance within her sport, the public fully embraced her. All we had ever seen was this highly vocal, personable figure crush her opponents within seconds. Rousey was the embodiment of women’s fighting. Thus, when we saw her fall to that mighty kick by Holly Holm, it was like seeing The Road Runner get caught by Wile E. Coyote — we were in disbelief. At some point, we forgot she was human, consequently causing our brains to blow up upon learning that Ronda Rousey could, indeed, fail. Nonetheless, Holm’s victory proves the sport is much more than a one-woman sport.

Matt: I’m not going to pretend like I know anything about women’s mixed martial arts.

Does anyone? Everyone knows Ronda Rousey, though. She’s that fighter that goes on all of

the talk shows. She was in “Entourage!” The point is, she’s a celebrity. Maybe that played into her defeat. Maybe she overlooked her opponent and focused too much on the celebrity life. Probably not, though. She seems to have worked hard to become the top in her sport.

Even the best teams and athletes have an off night. That’s what happened to Rousey. She ran into a motivated opponent and for one night she wasn’t the best in her sport.

Michael: A brutal kick to the skull. That’s what caused it. Ronda was off her game that entire match and I’m not actually sure why. Holm dominated the distance game, not allowing Rousey to get close and pin/submit her. Nine of Rousey’s 12 wins were by submission, so keeping her back was key. What caused this was honestly one battle strategy beating another. I can’t speak on Holm’s past fights, but Rousey’s formula was always get close and attack the arm, or KO. This upset may have been huge, but it’s great for the sport, as the pay-per-view with “Rousey-Holm II” will be massive. If Rousey loses again she either has Hollywood or WWE and Holm has a career in front of her that I think can go places.

Michael gets 3 points for analysis of both fighters. Matthew gets 2 points for noting reactions and Matt gets 1 point because she’s not a celebrity, she’s a fighter first.

Matthew wins the Around the Dorm Championship 6-5-5.

AP Photo

page 30 The Signal December 2, 2015

December 2, 2015 The Signal page 31 Cheap Seats

Australian soccer team on the rise in sport

By Rohan Ahluwalia Staff Writer In sports, you have your personalities. Some of them are controversial, while others are seen as just plain silly. Then you have those who have a burning passion for the game they play and would do anything to see it succeed. For soccer in Australia, that personality was a man named Johnny Warren. The former international soccer player, who was nicknamed “Captain Socceroo,” — a play on the national team’s nickname and children’s television show “Captain Kangaroo” — was the man that wanted more than anyone to see Australia do well in international soccer. His famous quote, “I told you so,” was something he wanted to say to officials when Australia qualified for a World Cup, and later became a slogan for Australian soccer.

Unfortunately for soccer fans in Australia, Warren never had a chance to say his quote to officials, as he passed away from cancer in November 2004, a year before Australia qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. On that night on November 16, 2005, Australia defeated Uruguay in what was one of the most tantalizing penalty shootouts in World Cup qualification history.

Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer saved two penalties that night

while midfielder John Aloisi shot in the winning penalty kick to propel Australia to international success.

“All I remember is the kick, the screaming and the thought flashing through my head that I should mention the great one, Johnny Warren, and his line that “He told you so,” game commentator Craig Foster said. “Johnny Warren told you so, Australia” was the plan. I was so choked up, so delirious with ecstasy, all I yelled was ‘Johnny Warren.’”

Australia had always flirted with World Cup qualification. Playing in the relatively weak Oceania qualification group, the team always seemed to have had an easy road to the World Cup. However, once they got into the playoff round against a South American or Asian country — the final hurdle separating the Socceroos from being a part of the biggest spectacle in soccer — Australia seemed to fail.

None of the defeats in qualification hurt Australia more than the playoff match against Iran in 1997.

Australia dominated the match against their Asian opponents and eventually found themselves up, 2-0. However, right after the second goal, an Australian citizen named Peter Hore ran onto the field and tore down one of the nets in the goal, causing the game to be delayed.

Many pundits argue that this delay allowed Iran to regroup. Once play

resumed, Iran managed to score two goals, both within four minutes of each other. Yet again, Australia was eliminated from a World Cup qualification campaign on away goals.

After a good performance during the 2006 World Cup, in which the team was knocked out by Italy, Australia has since managed to qualify for the following two World Cups with ease and doesn’t look to be stopping soon.

It has been 11 years since the death of Johnny Warren and 10 years since Australia qualified for their first World Cup since 1974.

Since then, soccer has seen a steady rise in popularity in Australia. The sport has gone from being played by just the Greeks and in poorer, rustic areas of Australia to an accepted sport among the general population.

In 2004, the soccer federation in Australia launched a new professional soccer league, the A-League. Since then, the league has seen good fanbases come together for teams such as Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers.

In January 2006, in an effort to increase their competitiveness, Australia switched from the Oceania soccer confederation to the Asian soccer federation. In Asia, the Socceroos faced tougher countries while also popularizing soccer in Australia through

Field Hockey

Hockey / Team looks back

Seniors have valuable season

The Socceroos are Australia’s powerhouse team.

facing better nations.

In 2014, the Western Sydney Wanderers defied all the pundits by becoming the first Australian soccer team to win the AFC Champions League. This win meant the Western Sydney Wanderers were crowned as the best club team in Asia. It also was a good advertisement for soccer in Australia, giving the fans a reason to root for their country’s teams.

In January 2015, Australia successfully hosted and won the AFC Asian Cup, the biggest tournament

AP Photo

in Asian soccer. The team defeated South Korea, 2-1, in overtime in front of 75,000 people in Sydney.

The Asian Cup victory meant Australia became the best soccer nation in Asia. Flash forward 10 years from the night Australia qualified for the World Cup, the nation has gone from flirting with qualification to becoming one of the best soccer nations in Asia. They are now a step closer to Warren’s dream of seeing Australia become a worldwide soccer powerhouse.

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January 7th Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Wagner reflects on a great field hockey career with the Lions. continued from page 32 games, such as the overtime home victories against Messiah College and Salisbury University. Altogether, the Lions recorded 12 shutout victories and the defense conceded only 18 goals. Schlupp finished the season with 64 saves. At the same time, the team scored a whopping 88 goals and was never shutout during the season. The team’s leading scoring players were Smith (21 goals), Douglas (17 goals) and senior forward Alicia Wagner (17 goals).

With senior players Wagner and Mikayla Cimilluca graduating soon, Smith commented on their greatest attributes during the time on the team.

“Mikayla and Alicia are more than just exceptional field hockey players.

They are both phenomenal leaders,” Smith said. “Mikayla is central to our midfield and Alicia has a way of scoring goals in the most important situations.

Both Mikayla and Alicia have been an integral part of the program over their careers, especially last season. We would not have been as successful as we were this season or last if it weren’t for both Mikayla and Alicia.”

With the defeat in mind, the Lions will approach the subsequent season with more experience and determination than ever before. The mission? Bringing home championship number 10.

Find out more by visiting www.tcnj.edu/tcnjgrad Or call 609.771.2300

Signal

Sports

Field hockey falls short in NCAA match

Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Left: Morrison and Wagner try to help the Lions’ offense. Right: The team celebrates making it to the NCAA tournament.

By Miguel Gonzalez Staff Writer

In a rematch of last year’s NCAA tournament semifinal, the College’s field hockey team was defeated by the Middlebury College Panthers, 4-1, on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The Panthers capitalized early in the match and barricaded the Lions’ offense.

In the fourth minute, the Panthers earned a penalty corner and sophomore defender Caroline Knapp passed the ball to the top of the circle. Senior defender Shannon Hutteman received the pass and shot it to the far post. Meanwhile, junior forward Pam Schulman rushed to the box and scored off a deflection.

Five minutes later, the Panthers scored again when freshman midfielder Grace Jennings dribbled through the left side and sent a pass to sophomore midfielder Annie Leonard. Leonard then completed the goal with a fast shot toward junior goalie Kelly Schlupp.

The Panthers continued to put pressure on the Lions’ defense with three more shots. The Panthers later extended the lead to 3-0 in the 28th minute when Knapp scored off a rebound on the far post. Immediately, freshman forward Elizabeth Morrison gained possession from the Panthers and shot toward the box. Panther junior goalie Emily Miller ran out and kicked the shot for a save.

The Lions had two more chances to score with shots from freshman forward Taylor Barrett and junior defender Lexi Smith.

The Lions were able to tally their side of the scoreboard in the second period.

However, it was too late for a comeback.

In the 42nd minute, Panther forward Schulman dribbled toward Schlupp.

Schulman instantly slid through Schlupp and poked the ball to the near post. With a 4-0 deficit, the Lions scrambled for a scoring opportunity.

With the seven minutes remaining in the second period, the Lions scored their first goal when junior midfielder/forward Jaclyn Douglas shot the ball to the far post with an assist from Morrison. Despite the late push,

the Panthers ultimately won the match, 4-1.

The Panthers then went on to defeat the Bowdoin College Polar Bears, 1-0, on their way to winning the national championship.

While the Lions did not fulfill this year’s goal of defending their championship title, much was accomplished throughout the season. The Lions helped head coach Sharon Pfluger earn her 1000th career victory with a dominant win against Gwynedd Mercy University on Thursday, Oct. 1. The Lions were able to extend the previous season’s winning streak to a mounting 27 games. The season was also abundant with memorable see HOCKEY page 31

Division III women’s soccer in need of more attention

By Michael Battista Sports Editor

Early November is both an exciting and challenging time when it comes to fall collegiate sports. The season begins to wind down, conference playoffs determine who will play for the championship and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) begins to make the brackets of its national tournaments.

Two New Jersey programs earned the right to play in their respective NCAA tournament. The College’s Lions played in their 25th straight tournament after receiving an at-large bid thanks to their national ranking and record before being eliminated in the second round. Meanwhile, Rutgers University’s Scarlet Knights clinched their first-ever second seed tournament spot and are competing in the elite eight of their bracket.

However, one thing separates the two programs, and while both may be skilled and deserving of credit, only one of them will receive attention from this turn of events.

Lions’ Lineup December 2, 2015

I n s i d e

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Division III sports, such as the College’s women’s soccer team, need more recognition.

Rutgers, which is a Division I (DI) program, play against the most skilled and competitive schools in the nation. The College, on the other hand, plays in Division III (DIII), a cheaper alternative to DI that does not supply student athletes with any athletic scholarships.

But why is it that when talking about powerhouse teams in the NCAA, many never mention any

other division besides DI? Programs, such as the ones in place at the College and Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., — who is hosting the NCAA DIII women’s soccer tournament this year — are both top talents in their relatively smaller competitive groups. The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), in which the College plays, has many other

competitive and talented teams, such as Montclair State University and current NJAC champion, Rowan University. But it also includes many teams with few wins in their programs, with team stats and records being relatively low.

The same goes for Williams College, which plays in the New England Small College Athletic Association. Teams there have

won six conference championships and have been to 11 finals, overall, while four teams have never even made the final.

The College’s women’s soccer assistant coach Katie Lindacher, who played women’s soccer all four years while she was a student at the College, thinks the chance to play in the NCAA every year is a good thing.

“I believe there are many benefits of playing for a DIII school over a DI school, but one mainly being that I got the opportunity to compete for a national championship every year, while still having the time to balance school, friends and family,” Lindacher said. “I could have gone DI just to say I went DI and won nothing but a couple of games.”

You can be a big fish in a small pond, or you can be a regular sized fish in a large ocean filled with other fish.

However, Lindacher also mentions that while the pond may be see SOCCER page 28

46 53 Around the Dorm page 29

Wrestling page 27

Women’s Basketball page 28

Track and Field page 28