Fall '24 Issue No. 6

The Signal

Vol. LIV, No. 6

https://www.tcnjsignalnews.com/

November 15, 2024

Serving The College of New Jersey since 1885

‘Everybody Talks’ about Neon Trees’ fall concert at TCNJ

By Alena Bitonti Arts & Entertainment Editor

College Union Board hit campus with a wave of nostalgia as Neon Trees headlined its fall concert on Nov. 12.

Known for their debut single “Animal” and 2012 hit “Everybody Talks,” the band proved they can still bring the energy that made them an iconic act of early 2010s pop rock.

Before the show, students lined up on the sidewalk outside the Recreation Center to secure a spot at the front barricade.

“I came here at 5:30 because I love being first,” said Sammie Zhu, a senior interactive multimedia major. Zhu and her friends sang Neon Trees songs while waiting in line to hype themselves up for the performance.

Also waiting near the front of the line was Sophia Barats, a freshman psychology major. “I saw that they [CUB] posted that Neon Trees was coming to TCNJ, and I was like ‘Oh my gosh!’” she said, adding, “I bought tickets like as soon as the tickets went on sale.”

The Rec Center doors opened at 7:30 p.m., and students quickly made their way toward the stage. According to CUB, the concert sold 1,300 general admission tickets, including both student and guest tickets. Tickets were available to purchase from Oct. 29 until the day of the show.

Riya Patel, a freshman special elementary education and psychology major, appreciated the affordability of

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

Lead singer of the band, Tyler Glenn, drew everyone in with his energy. the event. “I think it’s great because as a college student, you’re not able to just afford tickets for concerts and stuff,” she said. “It’s cool that it’s only $5 and the fact that you could bring a guest for $10 makes it so anyone you know can come.”

Student DJ Wilmer Amaya played a 30-minute set to build anticipation until student band Eventide took the stage.

Eventide earned the opportunity to open for Neon Trees after winning CUB Alt’s Battle of the Bands event on Oct. 22, which was decided by a live crowd vote.

The band performed covers including Green Day’s “Basket Case” and Creed’s

Former President Donald Trump wins 2024 presidential election

By Aliyah Siddiqui Nation & World Editor

Former President Donald Trump won the 2024 Presidential Election over Vice President Kamala Harris, setting him to become the 47th president of the United States. Only needing 270 electoral votes to become president, as of Nov. 11, Trump obtained 312 electoral votes as compared to Harris’ 226, according to the Associated Press.

In addition to winning the electoral votes, Trump is also set to become the first Republican president to win the popular vote in 20 years.

In his victory speech at his campaign’s election night watch party in Florida, Trump thanked his supporters and promised to fight for Americans.

“And every citizen, I will fight for you, for your family and your future, every single day I will be fighting for you with every breath in my body,” Trump said. “I will not rest until we have delivered the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve.”

The College’s president, Michael Bernstein, said in a statement to The Signal that he was “proud of our community for its participation in Tuesday’s election.”

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“Regardless of political affiliation or feelings about the outcome of the vote, I’d encourage everyone to remain engaged,” Bernstein said. “A democracy requires the active participation of its citizens.

That is a collective responsibility and privilege.”

The president also addressed how the results of the election may impact the national higher education environment.

“There was a lot of rhetoric during the campaign about higher education,” Bernstein noted. “It’s too early to speculate on what the new administration may prioritize in its policy agenda. We will certainly be paying close attention and will be engaged as appropriate.”

According to NPR, going into the election, both campaigns focused on key battleground states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

Democrats were hoping that Harris would win the “Blue Wall” states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as well as some of the other Sun Belt states.

In 2020, President Joe Biden was able to gain victory by winning the electoral votes from the “Blue Wall” states as well as Nevada, Arizona and Georgia.

FEATURES

Election Perspectives

See TRUMP page 10 page 5

The Signal asked various students at the College to share their feelings about the 2024 Presidential Election in one word.

OPINIONS

“Higher,” along with a newly released original song, “Headspace.”

Neon Trees began their performance with “Losing My Head” from their newest album “Sink Your Teeth,” released on Sept. 20. Throughout the show, the band played a mix of new songs, classic hits, a cover of the Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” and a brief cover of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.”

Although many of the students may not have known the lyrics to some of the band’s songs, they matched the enthusiasm of Neon Trees’ performance. Tyler Glenn, the group’s lead singer, drew everyone in

with his energy, making it easy for firsttime listeners to enjoy their music.

Their closing song was the fanfavorite “Everybody Talks.” The crowd could be heard singing every word as the band wrapped up their set.

In an interview with Ally Uhlendorf, CUB’s travel chair and The Signal’s managing editor, the band reflected on performing on college campuses.

“I mean, it ages us because we feel like, ‘Whoa, we’ve been around for a minute,’” Glenn said. “It’s fun to recognize that people your age probably were listening to us when you were little, and now you’re in college seeing us play.”

The concert would not have been possible without the work of CUB’s student crew. The student organization is responsible for the organizing of the event, from booking the artist to handling event logistics.

“We do a lot of running back and forth between the student center, the Rec Center and just getting things generally set up for the concert,” said CUB Executive Director Stefan Stojanoski, a senior English secondary and special education major, in an interview with The Signal. “It’s pretty rewarding and really bittersweet, especially it being my last concert.”

Although nothing is officially announced, Neon Trees shared that they plan to continue performing their new record in summer 2025 and headlining music festivals in the future.

‘Be Kind 4 Michael’: Staff member honors late son with painted rocks around campus

Photo by Victoria Gladstone

The bench at Lake Sylva is dedicated to the late Michael Zuccarello.

By Victoria Gladstone Former Editor-in-Chief Scattered around campus, you can find painted river rocks crafted with joyous messages and colorful designs. These pieces of hope are placed by one of the College’s very own staff members looking to spread an important message.

Heather Boccanfuso, a facilities business operations manager who has worked at the College for 17 years, lost her son Michael Zuccarello this past June to suicide. He was 16 and a rising senior at Lawrenceville High School.

With hopes of spreading positivity on campus, Boccanfuso began painting rocks to be placed anywhere in sight of students. She uses painting as a way to channel her grief and thinks about Zuccarello and his interests when creating page 6

Language Requirement

Incorporating a foreign language requirement into The School of Business will better prepare students for life postgraduation.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

her designs.

“Sometimes I’ll walk over to the bench and I’ll see some students there and I’ll just hand them out,” said Boccanfuso. “I just feel like Michael needs to keep going in this world.”

Many of these rocks are painted with the phrase “Be Kind 4 Michael,” the saying now used to continue Zuccarello’s story and remind others to stay kind to others.

In remembrance of Zuccarello, a bench dedicated in his honor was placed on campus facing Lake Sylva, at a spot where he and his brother Mark would spend time and fish.

Using leftover teakwood from old benches on campus, the facilities department made it by hand, including a sunset design intertwined to showcase Zuccarello’s favorite time of day.

See MICHAEL page 4 page 12

‘Carrie: The Musical’

TCNJ Musical Theatre delivered a dark and emotionally charged performance to the stage with their latest production, “Carrie: The Musical.”

SPORTS

NJAC Title Defense

page 16

With the start of the basketball season, the College’s men’s team is setting their sights toward defending their 2023-2024 NJAC title.

page 2 The Signal November 15, 2024

TCNJ introduces new mobile tour app: Visit TCNJ

The Visit TCNJ app is available on both iOS and Android.

By Lake DiStefano Arts & Entertainment Editor The College recently launched Visit TCNJ, a new app that allows families to virtually tour the campus themselves.

The app features a virtual map of the campus in which different buildings show descriptions and videos when interacted with.

“Campus visits are a huge part of college admissions, and during the year we have ambassador-led tours,” said the College’s Associate Vice President for College Advancement David Muha in an interview with The Signal. “We have open houses, and we encourage families to participate in those. But there are portions of the year where we don’t have any tours running, and sometimes that doesn’t always coincide with the times that we do have tourists.”

Photo by Andre Paras

Before the Visit TCNJ app, there were other methods of self-touring for families at the College, but most proved impractical and unsustainable.

Muha explained how around seven years ago, the College used to produce a tour book, with about 16 different stops on it. However, a one to two year supply of those would cost about $20,000 to print, whereas the cost to produce the app was “probably less than a hundred dollars,” according to Muha.

It was also difficult to keep the tour book current, because Campus Town’s shops change periodically.

This cost of the app is mainly made up of the fees related to hosting the app on the Apple and Google Play stores, along with the licensing fees related to using Google Maps within the app’s navigation systems — which is a “fraction of a penny” per use, according

to Muha.

Inspiration for the app came when Muha was walking over to Armstrong Hall from Green Hall. While on the path between Kendall Hall and the math and physics building, he was almost run over by a woman in a Jeep Cherokee.

“She was a visitor to campus, and she had put in a specific building on campus, and Google Maps was driving her to that building,” Muha said.

After this, Muha proposed a challenge to a member of his staff, Adam Holsten, a front-end web developer for the College.

“I asked him if he would consider taking on a challenge to kind of migrate the campus tour, that we had been doing physically, to an app that would marry Google Map navigation technology with our campus buildings and allow a family to come to campus and give themselves a tour,” Muha said.

The app has been in the works since then, with its release now allowing future prospective students this alternative means of touring the campus.

“It’ll certainly be integrated into the Visit TCNJ website that admissions has, and that page highlights the different ways to visit campus,” Muha said.

Muha clarified that the app’s purpose is not to replace the already existing inperson tours, but to merely accommodate those whose schedules are unable to align with that of the open houses.

“I imagine that when a visitor arrives at Trenton Hall, at a time when tours aren’t available, that there would be a sign, maybe with a code that would allow somebody to download the app,” Muha said. “Ultimately, we would want a visitor to engage with the admissions office and a live person.”

There are plans to continue to update and develop the app in response to user

feedback, as the app is still in its infancy.

“The videos that this app features, my team developed a few years back during the pandemic. My team worked with admissions and the ambassadors to film those videos as a way of letting families then tour the campus remotely,” Muha explained.

The app is intended to eventually feature tours tailored to specific interests about the campus. Muha mentioned one such planned development would be having a specific tour for the athletic related facilities on campus for any curious student athletes.

Despite the app’s target audience mostly being prospective students, current students can still engage with it if they are keen on learning about the various buildings on campus.

“I love that the images of the school are high quality,” said Kaitlyn Balestrieri, a sophomore mathematics and secondary education major. “It is also very easy to navigate, which is great for students who may not have knowledge about the college application process.”

The app is also able to get students in contact with admissions, acting as another avenue for prospective students to express interest in the school, and ask any questions regarding touring.

However this secondary purpose is a smaller focus, as the open houses still exist for this reason.

“I went on the website and registered for a Lions Day visit, which was really self explanatory, and the school followed up with me,” said Madisen Stearns, a senior public health major, when asked about if the open houses were difficult to navigate to begin with.

The app is currently available for download on both the Apple and Google Play stores.

exceeds 2024-25 acaTCNJ receives $37,000 hunger-free campus grant TCNJ demic year enrollment goals

By Parisa Burton Opinions Editor

The New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education announced its Hunger-Free Campus Act grants for fiscal year 2025, awarding $1.2 million to 34 institutions. The College received $37,000 of this sum, reflecting this cycle’s competitive nature, as program applications increased by 150% this year, according to a Nov. 7 OSHE press release.

The Shop @TCNJ is in charge of allocating the money received by the grant, being the primary addressor to food insecurity on campus. It is located in Campus Town and provides food, household items and hygiene products at no cost. There is no requirement for individuals to demonstrate financial need to have access to this resource.

Shop Manager Nicole Harris initially submitted a proposal for a Hunger-Free Campus grant for $75,000 through the OSHE. However, a recent survey found that over one in three students in New Jersey lack “consistent access to adequate food resources,” resulting in a wider allocation of the grant money across more schools and a smaller sum to each institution. According to Harris, OSHE also had a greater total of $1.5 million to give out last year.

“Although it was less, we’re still thankful for it,” Harris said. “We had to adjust the original budget that we had put together for $75,000 down to $37,000.”

According to Harris, the budget is as follows: $23,100 will be spent on student salaries, $1,440 on professional cleaning services, $9,000 for shop replenishments, $500 for marketing, and another $500 for gift card incentives for the annual survey. An additional $2,500 will be set aside, which will likely be put towards

fundraising.

“We are a free choice pantry… So it’s more like going to a store versus a food pantry where you go once a week and they just hand you a bag of food,” said Harris.

The Shop essentially functions as a funnel to raise awareness about broader food insecurity, and this funding helps support those efforts. Since The Shop operates as a department and not a registered student organization, funds need to be allocated for tabling and bringing in any outside resources.

“The Shop is a food pantry in the basic sense, but offers everything between bringing in specialists who work with United Way of Trenton to talk to students about applying for SNAP benefits, partnering with Trinity United Methodist Church to do a grab-and-go lunch where students can come and get hoagies, and paying for the space in the Stud in order to facilitate this,” said Harris.

One of the greatest challenges that The Shop faces is increasing its awareness, despite all programming efforts, according to Harris. Over the summer, Harris tabled for four days in the Brower Student Center, speaking to about 900 first-year students about the resource. However, she noted that when asked in a subsequent presentation if they knew what The Shop was, very few first-year students raised their hands.

While boosting awareness has proven difficult, Harris believes that it is important to recognize its incremental progress.

Last year, in September and October, the number of visits was less than 100; this year, they reached 200.

The Shop has been receiving grants through OSHE since FY2023 where it received $99,000 and was given an additional award of $25,000 in the summer of 2023. In FY2024, it requested a grant of

$75,000 and was awarded $69,000. This year, its proposal for $75,000 fell short by $38,000.

The Shop is currently awaiting responses from two key partners, having applied for a $30,000 grant with Mercer Street Friends, who supplies it with eggs, produce and frozen meat. The funding will be used for replenishments, and The Shop is also exploring the possibility of smart lockers to provide access to resources during closed hours. The team is also awaiting a response on a $6,000 grant application to Swipe Out Hunger.

Harris has also been working on Campaign 193, where professional staff can support The Shop with a one-time monetary donation, a continual donation of $5 per pay period or $130 annually.

“The idea is that if I can get 193 people to donate consistently through Campaign 193, this would bring $25,000 to The Shop annually, where we can have an endowment with the Office of Advancement which would give us an annual income,” Harris said. She added that this initiative would help to make The Shop self-sufficient in the long run without relying solely on grant funding.

While the shop is extremely grateful for the funding it has received from OSHE, one thing remains clear: it needs more financing to sustain and expand its operations.

Hunger is not a choice for students, and food insecurity remains an ongoing issue. According to the Government Accountability Office, about 23% of students in the U.S. experienced food insecurity in 2020.

“If we’re filling the gap and helping students fill their bellies, then they’re able to be productive students,” Harris said.

“You can’t be the best student when you’re hungry.”

for transfers, Pathway students

By Brinda Patel Staff Writer

The College exceeded its enrollment goals for the 2024-25 academic year, despite a nationwide decline in college enrollment.

According to Lisa Angeloni, the College’s vice president for enrollment management, the school met its freshmen enrollment target of 1,600 students. 300 transfer students were welcomed into the College, as well as 313 Pathway students. In recent years, approximately 250 transfer students and 200 Pathway students have enrolled each academic year at the College.

“There’s just more interest in TCNJ. Our cost is really excellent, we offer merit and need scholarships to students, and for a public college that’s really great,” said Angeloni. “And of course, we have a beautiful college. When we generate more applications, we typically get better students in the applicant pool.”

Considering the drop in undergraduate enrollment nationwide, the College has beaten the odds for its freshman class, according to Angeloni.

An initiative that has enhanced student engagement and academic improvement this year is the College’s Pathway Program. Angeloni mentioned that it has been a crucial factor in the increase of undergraduate retention and overall graduation rates.

The Pathway Program is an academic path designed for non-matriculated students to register in a maximum of three courses during their first fall on campus and experience what the College has to offer both academically and socially.

Read more on our website!

November 15, 2024 The Signal page 3

Cop Shop: Trespassing chef, spooky smoke, more fire alarms

By Isabella Darcy News Editor The Signal and Campus Police work together on a weekly basis to inform the campus community about crime on and around campus. All records given to The Signal are public records and do not contain personal information. Some information provided may be triggering for some students.

Oct. 29: Hand injury A student was transported from outside of the Brower Student Center to Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell after cutting her hand around lunchtime.

The student was walking near the BSC with a glass cup when she tripped over a cornhole board. She fell and braced her fall with her hand, which caused the glass to break and cut her.

When Campus Police arrived at the scene, two off-duty TCNJ EMTs and one former TCNJ EMT were treating the injured student.

Ewing Township EMS then arrived and transported the student to the hospital.

Oct. 30: Trespassing chef A student repeatedly snuck into Norsworthy Hall to cook food in the building’s first floor kitchen throughout October. The student, who lives in a different on-campus dorm, was confronted by community advisors and Campus Police on multiple occasions about his use of the kitchen.

A CA called Campus Police on the student on Oct. 10 after the student acted aggressively toward the CA, who told him that he could not be in the building since it is not his residence hall. Campus Police told the student that if he kept sneaking into the building, then a police

investigation would start.

The student continued to sneak into Norsworthy by waiting for others to unlock the doors and following them in. A Norsworthy resident called Campus Police on Oct. 30 around lunchtime when they saw the student in the kitchen. Officers responded and confronted the student, and told him that he was not allowed to be in the building.

The student said that he goes into Norsworthy to cook food because his residence hall does not have a kitchen, and that a CA had told him that he could.

Campus Police told the student that he could not be in Norsworthy, but could speak with his residence director and see if they could make an accommodation for him to use a stove to cook food.

The student then left Norsworthy.

Oct. 31: Scary start to Halloween Two vehicles were involved in a crash in front of Trenton Hall just after 9 a.m.

The driver of a 2023 gray Subaru Forester slammed on their brakes when a person began crossing the street in front of their vehicle. A 2012 silver Toyota was following behind the Subaru and did not have enough time to react, which resulted in the Toyota rear-ending the Subaru.

Neither driver was injured.

Oct. 31: Spooky smoke Students noticed smoke coming from a Centennial Hall dryer machine just after noon, and told a building services employee that something was burning in the laundry room. The employee unplugged the dryer and called Campus Police.

Ewing Township Fire Department, Prospect Heights Fire Department and Campus Police responded to the laundry room. Firefighters who inspected the dryer suspect that a faulty belt, motor or both

caused the machine to smoke.

The machine was placed out of order.

Nov. 1: Elevator burnout part two Travers and Wolfe Halls were evacuated in the mid-afternoon after a smoke detector in the Travers elevator penthouse activated and caused fire alarms to go off.

Ewing Township Fire Department, Prospect Heights Fire Department and Campus Police responded to the towers.

Emergency Preparedness Manager Daniel Posluszny and an Otis Elevator technician also responded.

When police officers were checking for signs of smoke or fire in the elevator penthouse, they noticed that something smelled like it was burning on the first floor of Travers. Officers then observed the same burning smell in the elevator penthouse moments later, but found no signs of fire.

Firefighters inspected the elevator penthouse, determined that there were no threats to life or property and decided that the alarm could be reset.

Posluszny, the technician and Ewing firefighters suspect that a burnt motor caused the alarm and burning smell.

Nov. 2: More fire alarms Travers and Wolfe Halls were evacuated in the late afternoon after a smoke detector in a Travers Hall bathroom activated and caused fire alarms to go off.

Ewing Township Fire Department and Campus Police responded to the towers.

The responders found no signs of smoke or fire, but the bathroom smelled like a vape had been used in it.

The buildings were deemed safe to reenter.

Nov. 3: Another hand injury

A student was transported to Capital Health Medical Center in Hopewell after a field hockey ball struck and injured her hand. The student was playing in a club field hockey game in the afternoon when she was injured.

Campus Police and Ewing Township EMS responded to a report of a hand injury. The student told responders that she was experiencing pain and tingling in her hand and fingers. She was able to move her fingers and could feel when they were touched.

After EMTs completed an evaluation, the student was brought to the hospital to receive further medical care.

Nov. 6: Too much tequila A severely dehydrated student thought he was having a stroke in Eickhoff Hall.

Campus Police responded to a report about the student in the early afternoon.

While waiting for EMTs to arrive, the student told Campus Police that he was experiencing tingling and numbness in his upper body, and that he had consumed two 750ml bottles of tequila the night prior.

Capital Health EMS then arrived, cared for the student and transported him to Capital Health Regional Medical Center.

Nov. 10: Trouble in Travers A campus-wide temporary power outage caused a Travers Hall elevator to get stuck soon before midnight.

Campus Police responded to the trapped elevator, which was near the second floor and had students inside. The students told officers that they were OK and not in need of medical attention.

The Ewing Township Fire Department then arrived and reset the elevator. Once reset, the students were able to get out safely.

Read more on our website!

Bernstein breaks down new budget updates, initiatives at Student Government

Photo courtesy of Julia Cappello

President Michael Bernstein gave a presentation at a Student Government meeting.

By Raeanne Raccagno reduction in the budget, which Bernstein Staff Writer mentioned is “roughly” what other higher education institutions in the region are President Michael Bernstein gave a doing. So far in the College’s 2025 fiscal presentation at the Student Government year, it has saved $3 million, which leaves general body meeting on Nov. 6 where he $7 million left for the LIONS plan team to discussed accomplishments, next steps in identify permanent reductions. the LIONS plan and the College’s budget Bernstein estimates that from working before the body recognized three clubs. hard this year, FY26 will allocate a little The College’s budget was the main more than $7.5 million in savings from the topic of Bernstein’s presentation. LIONS plan, leaving the remaining gap The president noted that stabilizing shy of $3 million. the College’s funding means making Bernstein addressed the increased deductions and generating more revenue. number of students in courses this fall and “We’re operating on a sustainable the changes students face in scheduling. path as a college, but also in the future “We can talk about some of the to hopefully generate resources to use for stresses and strains around that, but that’s further investment in things we want to generating savings for us and we have to do — either things we’re currently doing continue that effort to reach our overall that we’d like to continue to do, or expand $10 million target,” Bernstein said. or new things that we want to try to do,” Students have been voicing for more Bernstein said. collective spaces in the library, according Focusing on the reduction part of the to Bernstein, and the library coordinated budget, Bernstein said the administration action team from the LIONS plan is is pursuing $30 million in reductions for working on administering them. Bernstein expenses — $20 million in administrative said that while the College needs to make and $10 million in academics. The cuts in the library, it also wants to update College’s operating budget is around $260 the building to meet the needs of new million a year. students.

Altogether, the cuts make around a 9% In terms of revenue, the president

talked about the College’s new School of Graduate, Global and Online Education, which will generate income and benefit new populations of students. He also discussed the profit from the Mercer County Community College partnership which allows students to reside on campus and encourage them to transfer in. The College is also working on establishing a similar relationship, without housing, with Brookdale Community College.

The College is also experimenting to see if it can establish some three-year bachelor’s degree programs.

The Dashboard coordinated action team is working on creating a real-time dashboard for budget updates, enrollment, operations and academic outcomes. The last team is devoted to housing, which Bernstein said wasn’t focused on much last year.

According to Bernstein, initiatives for housing include figuring out the future of Travers and Wolfe Halls, continuing to renovate and upgrade dorms, and how they may think about future on-campus and off-campus housing.

“I also want to emphasize that our college is not simply about spreadsheets and budgets,” Bernstein said. “Our mission is education, degree conferral, preparing people for lives and careers and missions of their own. We do that incredibly well.”

The president also said that the College is dedicated to gaining support from alumni and other foundations and how they will continue to do so, and he hopes a lot of the sponsorship will be focused toward scholarships.

He also commented on how all higher education institutions in New Jersey did not receive their desired funding for this year. The state provides the College with about $35 million right now in direct support.

After Bernstein concluded his

presentation, he opened the floor for questions and received one about plans for increasing endowments. Bernstein informed the general body of his frequent meetings with John Donohue, vice president of college advancement, where they have been discussing a campaign launch within the next few months to help build endowments.

Another student asked the president if he thinks the first-year residency requirement will deter potential students.

“Some students are going to be deterred by that,” Bernstein said. “They’re going to look at TCNJ and say, ‘I don’t want to be in a residentially based school’…they’re going to select a different institution, so we accept that fact. We’re not accepting that [and] making a criticism, we’re just saying it’s all about finding the right fit for all of you.”

One student brought up how a big portion of the College’s student body feels access to needed classes is deteriorating due to shrinking faculty sizes. Bernstein said he met with Abby O’Connor, president of the faculty senate and chemistry professor, and had a long discussion on this issue.

Bernstein said how they need to think more fluidly about the issue now, which may require professors to teach heavier course loads some years to help combat the number of students who need specific courses.

“I don’t want to minimize the challenges we’re facing. I know you’re all feeling it, I wish it were otherwise,” Bernstein said. “I keep saying to people I’m not expecting you all to jump up and cheer about all of this news. But we have to work together to get that done because we don’t want to jeopardize the future of the College.”

Read more on our website!

Features

Student sociologists directing their dedication toward the planet

Photo courtesy of Maria Hourihan

Students working together to grow more native plants on the College’s campus.

By Raeanne Raccagno Staff Writer When first-year students get dropped off at college for the first time, they may be thinking about what classes they’ll be taking and future friendships. Most students expect to complete another academic milestone, unsure if they will be able to propel solutions for current campus problems.

This was the case for a group of sociology students, until they were presented with environmental concerns on campus and tasked with solving them during the course, Climate Justice and Social Action.

After Miriam Shakow, an anthropology professor, informed her students last spring about current environmental troubles at the College, they teamed up to combat the issues depending on their interests. Three groups were created: composting, native plants and organic land management, the latter of which consisted of eliminating RoundUp and other harmful pesticides used on campus.

The students against RoundUp, who called

themselves RoundOut, consisted of about 11 people who started their pilot program in April.

The group tested different native plants with different soils in a patch of land behind Decker Hall, past the bridge near Lake Sylva.

RoundUp, a weed killer, has a main ingredient called glyphosate, which the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans” in December 2015.

“I will say like our first time doing the pilot, it was not as successful as it could have been, but that’s just because you got to learn the process,” said Jenna Needham, a sophomore sociology major and a Campus As A Living Lab intern. “You can’t just go out and do it right away. And your first time is not always going to be a success.”

After planting their seed of environmental justice, the students are now taking their results from the early stages of their pilot program and tweaking the conditions to yield different outcomes.

Karen Kim, a senior sociology major and Campus as a Living Lab intern, said that

without a specialist on campus, the interns conduct outside research on their own, because finding and hiring someone has been tough, as Campus as a Living Lab is supported by a grant.

According to Kim, Shakow has been a supportive mentor during the trial, helping the students with various methods to make the plot of land successful. Needham noted that since plants are unpredictable, results are unpredictable and nothing will be perfect.

“There’s also the part where you can start fresh by spraying RoundUp and clearing everything out of the way, and that would help us be so much more successful with starting it,” Kim said. “But then it goes against our whole cause of we don’t want to be using those chemicals.”

Along with their pilot program, students also came up with three recommendations for the College’s administration: 1. Start a three-year pilot program and begin facilities education by April 2024, including circulating baseline chemical usage to students and the Environmental Sustainability Council.

2. Reach 50% organically managed campus land by August of 2028 (One year after the three-year pilot).

3. Attain platinum certification for the Re: Wild Green Ground by May 2030 (95% of the campus being organically managed) The students successfully crossed off number one on their list. During the Student Government general body meeting on Oct. 23, Shawn Cappellano-Sarver, associate vice president for facilities management, announced the College will stop using RoundUp on the soil.

“But you know, we got to keep going,”

Needham said. “Just because it’s RoundUp free doesn’t mean all the work stops. You can keep going, keep making changes on campus.”

Cappellano-Sarver’s choice to stop the usage of the harmful pesticide came after the interns showed them the results of their study and program.

Despite no longer being in Shakow’s class, the students’ drive to better the campus environment has continued to blossom.

RoundOut now handles multiple projects to help better the College’s eco-health and is more commonly associated with Campus as a Living Lab. Now that RoundUp will be gone, their current projects stem from the students’ interests.

Some of the interns’ work includes placing pollinator gardens and native plants on campus, grant proposal writing, event planning, assisting first-year seminars for Campus as a Living Lab courses, outreach and social media.

In addition to working with Campus as a Living Lab, the students bridge together some of the environmental organizations at the College. The students participate in the environmental club and the Environmental Sustainability Council, where they work as the Organic Land Management subgroup.

“I’d say we have a lot going on. It’s just a matter of getting more students involved with pushing those projects forward,” Kim said.

With different roots of solutions setting place at the College, the overall mission the interns continue to water is keeping their momentum going. Part of doing so involves getting more students who want to participate in environmental issues.

Read more on our website!

Eddie’s Edventures: Switzerland MICHAEL / TCNJ staff member’s son honored

By Eddie Young Former Sports Editor

Eddie Young, The Signal’s former sports editor, is studying abroad in the United Kingdom this semester and will chronicle his travels each print edition.

If you can see any mountain range during your lifetime, go to the Swiss Alps.

The best views I have ever seen in my life came from here during my visit. From the moment I left, I have been and will always be planning my trip back to Switzerland.

My Switzerland trip started and ended in Zurich, though, not the Alps. As the nation’s capital city, Zurich had a lot to offer for a nice day trip. It is situated at the end of Lake Zurich, which gives great photo opportunities and has a lovely boat tour that lets you see the city and other surrounding towns.

For many people, when they think of Switzerland, they think of banking and money. When you are in Zurich, you see why. Whether it’s UBS, Credit Suisse or some other Swiss bank, you will see one in an extravagant building on every street corner.

One of the city’s biggest landmarks is Bahnhofstrasse, its main street. It is lined with a ton of high end shopping outlets, making it one of the most expensive areas in the world. It was nice to window shop as I walked down the street, but every single store I saw was so far outside of my price range that I did not dare to step inside one.

A Switzerland trip will hurt the bank account. High prices were a common theme. This was the most expensive place I have ever been to, and that stayed true even when I left Zurich for the Alps. There is no such thing as a cheap meal in the country (at least to an American college student), and you have to be willing to splurge a little if you want to do anything. Swiss banking has

made this a rich country, and this wealth can be seen in the prices on the menus of every restaurant you visit.

Zurich was clean and felt safe when I was there. However, I found it forgettable.

While the lake was nice, I felt that nothing really stood out to me more so than anything in any other city. I enjoyed the FIFA Museum and the boat tour, but I left having no real intentions of ever returning.

However, all of that changed the moment I made it to Interlaken. A small town between two lakes and in the middle of the Alps, Interlaken is a hub for people making trips to the mountains. The town only has a population of about 6,000, but it is constantly filled with foreign tourists that crowd the streets and the mountains.

It seemed as though there were multiple hostels or hotels on every single street, and it became obvious that the town thrives on tourism.

Harder Kulm is Interlaken’s mountain, and my first order of business in the Alps was hiking up it. I had arrived at night and was unable to see much in the dark, and it was foggy every morning I was there, so for my first 12 hours or so in Interlaken, I did not get a view of the Alps.

However, when I first broke through the fog while hiking up Harder Kulm, the resulting view was one that made me realize my entire trip was going to be well worth it. I was surrounded by these massive and beautiful mountains, and the seemingly never-ending blue sky set a perfect backdrop for the view. While scaling Harder Kulm, I took many breaks to take in the magnificent sights I was lucky enough to be seeing.

After two hours of crushing wet leaves, losing and re-finding the trail, and even navigating around some cows, I had finally reached the peak of Harder Kulm and earned myself the best view of the day.

Read more on our website!

Photo by Victoria Gladstone

Michael’s favorite quote etched onto the bench honoring his life, along with a recent portrait.

Boccanfuso told The Signal in an interview that “Michael grew up at TCNJ,” and he frequently visited campus with her when he was younger. He loved walking around campus to visit the planetarium, create things at the wood shop and eat at Eickhoff Hall.

Zuccarello loved the College and had intentions of applying to the institution upon his high school graduation, according to his mother.

Ella Shevchuk, a freshman history and secondary education major, frequently sits at the bench to find peace. On one special day, she discovered a new friendship in Boccanfuso.

Shevchuk met Boccanfuso on an afternoon at the bench when both individuals were having particularly hard days. The pair ended up sitting together and talking for hours about life. Since then, the two have remained in contact and often meet at the bench made for Zuccarello.

“After meeting with Heather for the first time, my perspective changed almost entirely,” said Shevchuk. “Our relationship and close friendship has first [handedly] demonstrated the power of unconditional kindness and compassion. Her immense kindness and love she has shown me even throughout her grief is inspiring.”

Since meeting, Shevchuk says Boccanfuso and the “Be Kind 4 Michael” movement have uplifted her spirit and inspired her to do the same on campus.

She intends to start a club centered around painting rocks as a symbol of remembrance for Zuccarello.

“I find it easy to get lost in work and I tend to struggle prioritizing my mental and physical health,” said Shevchuk.

“However, after seeing Heather’s immense dedication and commitment to spreading Michael’s message of being kind to ourselves and others, it helps me to take a step back.”

Boccanfuso is currently in the process of starting “Michael’s Mission,” a program she wants to create to help ensure all students at Zuccarello’s high school can afford lunch. Boccanfuso explained that her son would use his own lunch money in school to buy food for his peers.

For now, a fundraiser has been launched to begin raising money to start the initiative. To donate, the fundraiser can be found at GiveAHand.com/fundraiser/ michaels-mission.

Boccanfuso, along with painting rocks and making beaded bracelets for her son, has also created an Instagram page, @ Kindness_Rocks_For_Michael, to further spread her message.

November 15, 2024 The Signal page 5

TCNJ students share their post-election feelings in one word

Photos by Tristan Weisenbach

Carl White, freshman electrical engineering major

Ruby Tran, sophomore psychology major-

“Shell-shocked.”

“After just seeing the results, I really had to take a step back and say, ‘wow, this is the election, this is how it went down,’ and then thinking about me as a freshman, these are the next four years of my life.”

“Despondent.”

“With how the election started, he was already in the running lead, but I had the smallest hope that maybe I would wake up and it would be different, and then it wasn’t. And I already know Project 2025 and such, and we can only hope from here honestly.”

Jared Williams, senior political science major

Mia Shustack, freshman undeclared major

Rishi Nagireddy, sophomore political science major

Carl White, freshman electrical engineering major

“Startled.”

“It’s not exactly what I expected, especially in terms of it being a landslide victory for President Donald Trump, so I was pretty startled to see that the election turned out that way. I thought it would be more closer.”

“Horrified.”

“It’s hard to believe that over half of America voted for the person that they did.”

“Super happy.”

“I’m just happy that the election went our way, meaning Donald Trump, he had a great turnout in this election — he won most of the swing states, he changed his approach from the last time he ran.”

“Weary.”

“I don’t know what to expect of the next four years of the next upcoming presidency, and a lot of people have been having a lot of mixed reactions.”

John Van Horn, freshman history secondary education major

“Confident.”

“I feel confident that regardless of political affiliations or who you voted for that relationships will be kept. Keep your friends close and we’ll get through this together.”

Kate Clifford, senior nursing major

“Disappointed.”

“I’m disappointed because I thought as a country we were in better moral standing, and I didn’t really think it was a possibility for this to be the outcome.”

Alumni Adventures: Terence Odonkor makes strides on Broadway

By Nicholas Steinhauser Correspondent

Terence “T” Odonkor ‘22 has achieved a lot since his graduation from the College. From working on Broadway to orchestrating musical pieces, Odonkor has become a well-known figure in the music industry.

Odonkor has already made a big impact in orchestrating music right out of the College, and his path to success serves as a testament to how important applying oneself and learning from important mentors can be.

Odonkor told The Signal in an interview that has always been interested in music, and he started playing the saxophone in sixth grade, which is still his primary instrument. From that point onward, he became obsessed with music. Odonkor has since learned how to play the flute, bass, guitar, ukulele, and most recently, the piano. He has also recently started playing percussion instruments.

“I have always struggled with piano and just recently started taking lessons,” Odonkor said. “I have learned most of the rhythm instruments, but not the piano, which seems like the instrument I should have learned first.”

Since graduating from the College with a bachelor’s degree in music, Odonkor has made major steps in his career. He mostly works on Broadway, developing and orchestrating shows. He has also assisted other composers with their works as a musical arranger and orchestrator. He began practicing this in high school with the jazz band, writing charts and some original pieces and arrangements of existing pieces.

Odonkor became more involved in music arranging during his time at the College, when he joined the a cappella group called The Trentones. For most of his time in the organization, Odonkor served as the primary music director. This job got

him interested in vocal arranging, which transferred to his orchestrating skills.

Looking back at his time at the College, Odonkor attributes his experience with the Trentones as a major catalyst for his current career. Working with the Trentones helped him learn how to effectively lead and direct a room as an orchestrator and arranger.

“When I am writing and orchestrating, I am really attributing the things that I am writing to how a voice would approach, even if it is not a typical vocal line,” said Odonkor.

“A lot of my heavy arranging abilities and understanding of arranging pedagogy came from vocal writing and lessons from Dr. Leonard, a music professor at the College,” Odonkor added.

Spending time observing voices has also helped Odonkor learn how to better write for voices and for instruments.

Odonkor worked as an assistant conductor on “Here We Are,” the last musical worked on by Stephen Sondheim before he died in 2021. When he was still a student at the College, Odonkor was on the music team for “A Strange Loop,” written

by Michael R. Jackson, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2020 for Drama and also won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2022.

Since graduating from the College, Odonkor has also worked on “Back to the Future: The Musical,” served as the associate orchestrator for “The Heart of Rock and Roll,” and currently works as the vocal arranger for the new Andrew Lippa show called “Leap.” He is also orchestrating “Love Somebody Now,” another Andrew Lippa show.

Odonkor was an associate orchestrator for the 75th Tony Awards, a month after he graduated from the College. He has also worked as an assistant orchestrator for Alex Lacamoire, a well-known composer and winner of multiple Tony Awards.

“Alex Lacamoire is probably my

biggest mentor and has taken me under his wing,” Odonkor said. “He has taught me not only about the musical aspects of the industry, but also has crafted the way I view myself as an artist and a member of the community.”

Odonkor has also worked on concerts and at private events for some philanthropists. He recently was the arranger and orchestrator of a large-scale musical event for Dennis and Phyllis Washington, two philanthropists. He has also worked with 16-time Grammy award-winning producer David Foster and orchestrated an entire event for him.

Odonkor has also worked and become friends with famous figures in the music industry such as David Foster, Josh Groban, Tom Kitt and Kristin Chenoweth.

All of the musical and professional advice Odonkor has learned has greatly influenced how he approaches his job as a composer and the decisions he has to make.

“My saxophone quartet with Kathleen Mitchell, an associate professor and saxophone instructor at The College, greatly impacted me,” Odonkor said. “Ms.

Mitchell was one of the most important people to me musically and taught me a lot about patience, humility and how to work with and lead other people.”

Odonkor attributes much of his success to his practice and inspiration from The College. Many of the principles and behaviors that he currently practices are due to his education, and these are also responsible for his early success in the music industry.

“I really pride myself on the principle that no matter who you are, you must really understand what you do, how you do it, and how to make important decisions that command respect and excellence both musically and respectfully,” said Odonkor.

“I think this is the most important philosophy that I learned from the College.”

Odonkor said he plans to continue working on Broadway in the future and wants to start working on more major projects. To him, orchestrating and arranging musicals helps him to bring the ideas of composers to life — and he hopes to continue doing this for years to come.

Photo courtesy of Terence Odonkor

Terence “T” Odonkor (right) with the music team of “Here We Are.”

There should be a language requirement for all business majors

Photo by Brooke Zevon

Language learning is invaluable to all.

By Parisa Burton Opinions Editor

As per the College Core, all programs within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences require students to take a second language to graduate. Select majors across other schools implement this requirement as well. However, no single major in the School of Business under the Bachelor of Science currently requires a foreign language to graduate.

Learning a foreign language is only required for Economics – Bachelor of Arts, Global Business I, which combines a business major and International Studies Minor, and Global Business II, combining a business major with a dual major in IS. It is also required for students who wish to achieve a business certificate in Spanish, Chinese, French, German, Italian or Japanese. Nearly all business majors, including accounting, finance, interdisciplinary business, management, marketing and economics — Bachelor of Science, do not have a foreign language requirement.

I always found it surprising that I, a marketing major, would not need to take a foreign language during my time at the College. Yes, it’s less work for me, but I never considered it quite fair for my friends in other schools, where a foreign language seemed less applicable to their

future career.

Select majors in the School of Arts and Communication are required to take a foreign language to graduate. Interactive multimedia, also known as IMM, majors, for example, are required to take three semesters of a second language unless they have tested out through a placement exam or with AP scores. With its emphasis on technology and digital media, I can’t quite grasp how a foreign language requirement fits in this context, but not a business context.

“IMM primarily focuses on developing creative technological skills and communication skills to understand user experience,” said Kyle Duverger, a junior IMM major. “There are positions where having an extra language in your arsenal can be helpful, but through my past internship positions, it’s never been a skill searched for or needed to get the job done.”

On the contrary, nearly all business majors will likely face a global opportunity in their future careers that will require at least a basic understanding of international markets. According to the School of Business itself, “Even a primarily domestic firm can encounter an unexpected opportunity – a new supplier or customer – outside the United States.”

“Even a basic grasp of another language builds cultural awareness, which is invaluable when working with people of different backgrounds,” said Valerie Heifez, a junior finance major. “This awareness helps avoid misunderstandings and builds trust, qualities that really set business professionals apart.”

While taking a foreign language will not turn a native English speaker into a bilingual genius, it can provide them a foundation for success. This requirement will offer an incentive for students to continue learning a foreign language, even

after they satisfy the requirement. Those that chose this route will likely achieve higher success in the business world and build stronger relationships with international clients. According to Workforce Essentials, multilingual people earn five to 20 percent more on average compared to monolinguals.

“The world is becoming increasingly interdependent, and knowing multiple languages can open the door to significantly more career opportunities, such as international trade, marketing and consulting,” said Omar Roldan, a junior finance major.

While language-learning is a great opportunity, I also recognize how its curriculum is not tailored to different majors, which can lead some students to question its relevance.

Economics – Bachelor of Arts is currently the only major in the School of Business that requires a foreign language.

“I took three semesters of French and learned nothing that relates to my major…I feel like there should be a class on how certain majors look in different countries,” said Evan Fisher, a junior economics major. “I feel like if I took a class on the economy of France or a French speaking country I would have gained more.”

While country-specific business courses would make this requirement even more rewarding, I can imagine this would be quite difficult to implement considering how many different disciplines there are at the College. However, even if a student never becomes fluent in the language, this knowledge will still foster a sense of cultural appreciation and understanding that will carry into their business career.

Potential clients outside the U.S. will prefer to work with someone who is open-minded and receptive to diverse perspectives, rather than someone who insists their viewpoint is the only valid approach.

While not every student will pursue learning outside the classroom, those that do will make all the difference in creating a more dynamic business environment.

Although there is an international business requirement in place for business students, I believe that this should be complemented with a foreign language requirement as well.

My experience studying abroad in Italy taught me the value of language learning. Initially hesitant, I took a two-week required Italian language course that changed my perspective. By being immersed in the language and culture, I felt inspired to learn more, especially being surrounded by native speakers. I felt more respected when I at least made an attempt to speak the language instead of relying on locals to accommodate me in their country.

In the business context, I believe that even simple gestures like greeting individuals from different backgrounds in their native language can make a significant difference. People value mutual respect, and making an effort to help people feel more comfortable can foster more meaningful connections and ultimately generate more clients.

“It’s more than just the language itself — it’s about understanding the nuances that foster an inclusive, respectful atmosphere,” Heifez said. “It demonstrates a willingness to meet others halfway, creating warmer, more respectful first impressions.”

I am convinced that incorporating a foreign language requirement into The School of Business would help students develop a deeper understanding of a second language and inspire them to broaden their skills or refresh their memory whenever they come across a client or coworker of this background.

The world hates teenage girls and their interests

Teenage girls are overly criticized for their interests.

By Tasnim Oyshi Correspondent Fanning over boy bands. Watching “Twilight.” Reading young adult romance novels. These are the favorite pastimes of a stereotypical teenage girl. They are also a few of the most ridiculed activities in the world. With the only commonality of such actions being that they are shared by girls between the ages of thirteen and nineteen, it only makes sense to attribute the cause of mockery to the hatred against teenage girls.

The animosity against these young girls is not a recent phenomenon. For centuries, teen girls have suffered in their roles as the butt of society’s unfunniest

Photo courtesy of Flickr

jokes. The music they like, the films they watch and the books they read are all constantly referred to as not “real” art and “trashy.” Even The Beatles, who are considered music legends by today’s standards, were once seen as a horrible band simply because their first fans were the teen girls of the 1960s, according to Vox. The same was true for more recent boy bands like One Direction and BTS. The fandom culture of teenage girls, whether it’s centered on popular boy groups or suggestive vampire and werewolf novels, remains one of the main criticisms of this group. They are considered “hysterical” or “obsessive” with their love for such mainstream forms of entertainment.

It is true that fandom culture can go too far. Oftentimes, celebrities can end up having stalkers or people who harass and even doxx them through social media.

In Nov. 2023, rapper Nicki Minaj had to tell her fans, also known as the Barbz, to stop threatening people on her behalf, according to an article in Rolling Stone.

However, it seems that people only find fault with fandom culture when the “culprit” is teenage girls. The traditionally masculine sports fandoms are never as often discussed when it comes to their toxicity and violence.

According to a 2023 survey by Sportsbook Review, 39.2% of NFL fans have been witnesses to crimes like physical violence, public intoxication and disorderly conduct around the NFL stadium. While teen girls are often all stereotyped and treated as crazy, out-ofcontrol fangirls for their interests, sports fans rarely get an equally bad rep.

Not only is the socially acceptable resentment of young girls harmful to their self-esteem, but it also serves as an unfortunate breeding ground for internalized misogyny. Over the past couple of decades, there has been a surge in the types of women who are hated and belittled. The “Karen,” the “VSCO” girl, the “pick me” girl and the one who’s “not like other girls.” While most people recognize these names, there are frustratingly few, if any, male equivalents that they can name.

The memes of these undesirable women set up standards for young girls

on what not to be. These terms are used as insults by many, who can play fast and loose with them and refer to a woman as one of these insults when they don’t like the way she acts. Teenage girls see the hatred for these types of women and learn to hate them too, trying their best to never emulate a semblance of their personalities. In turn, this causes serious repercussions to the mental health of these girls.

About 20% of teenagers experience depression by the time they reach age seventeen, according to a 2021 report by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Of the teenagers residing in the U.S., girls were found to be twice as likely than boys to face clinical depression.

Teenage years are a hormonal and insecure time period of self-loathing for many teenagers, especially girls who have to deal with severe bodily changes like menstruation, as well as the mental strain that comes with them. Surely, ceaselessly being taunted and even disliked for having hobbies does nothing to alleviate their self-hatred and depression.

Much of what teenage girls do is not harmful to others nor should it be a cause for scorn. Young girls are at a point in their lives when they are mentally vulnerable.

Expressing disdain for them based solely on their interests is not only damaging to them, but also to the teen girls who will come after them and have to face the same cycle. This cycle has been going on for far longer than it should and it is time the world gives teenage girls a break.

November 15, 2024 The Signal page 7

America prefers an unqualified man for president over two women

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Women can be leaders

By Tasnim Oyshi Staff Writer

Nov. 6th, 2024 marks the date that Donald Trump was declared the winner of the latest presidential election. This was Trump’s third time running for president and his second time winning. In both of the elections he found success, Trump’s opponents were women.

Within the next three months, he will embark on his journey as the 47th president of the U.S. For many, it is a peculiar and concerning fact that Trump has managed to beat two perfectly qualified female candidates despite his lack of political experience and the multiple felonies he has been charged with.

In May of this year, Trump was found guilty on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York, according to NPR. All jurors on his case agreed that he used false

business records to hide his $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress who claimed she had an affair with him in 2006. This makes him the first U.S. president, sitting or former, to be convicted of criminal charges.

This was only Trump’s most recent criminal case. So far, Trump has been impeached twice and indicted four times, including for his hush money trial. His other indictments involved accusations of keeping and attempting to hide classified documents, interfering with 2020’s peaceful transition of power through the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and trying to stop proper certification of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election, according to CBS News.

Trump has even promised to pardon those involved in the Jan. 6 attack despite his indictment, according to BBC. In comparison, neither Kamala Harris nor Hillary Clinton have been indicted even once despite accusations on social media in 2016 by a Kentucky republican that Clinton deserved to be for allegedly mishandling classified information as Secretary of State, according to USA Today.

The various charges against Trump should be enough to prove that he is less than qualified to run a country. If they aren’t, his lack of political experience should have put him at a disadvantage against both

The power of light and love in a world of darkness

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Be the light in a world full of darkness.

By Lacey Okamura Staff Writer

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that,” Martin Luther King Jr said.

These past few months, our country has seen a lot of change. This past July, we saw the first woman of color become the Democratic candidate on the presidential ballot.

More recently, we witnessed a former president re-elected for a second term, being only the second president in U.S. history to serve non-consecutive terms. We also saw, and experienced, indescribable amounts of division, fear and hate throughout the presidential campaigns, as well as after.

The hate that has plagued our country, not only in recent weeks but over the past few years, goes against the very principles upon which our country was built: “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all. There can be no progress and no change when we are burdened by our own divisiveness.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a tremendous light in a time of great darkness. In the face of adversity, he chose love. He taught us that we can peacefully and courageously enact change, even when the odds are stacked against you. He spoke out when people tried to silence him, and continued to march when people placed roadblocks in front of him.

King’s legacy is solidified in the way in which he carried himself, and encourages us to do the same. When they go low, we go high. When they swing their fists at you and spew hate, we remain strong, faithful and most importantly, we remain kind.

There was a simple rule that we learned in kindergarten: treat others how you want to be treated.

But how easily do we forget this basic principle the older we get? If we want to feel happy and secure, we cannot do so by preventing others from feeling the same. When someone treats you poorly, our instinct is to return the sentiment, but it’s important that we remember, two wrongs don’t make a right.

Loving your neighbor means standing in solidarity with them.

Loving your neighbor means not just acknowledging but appreciating your differences. Loving your neighbor means accepting and respecting people for who they are.

It takes a strong person to stand up for what they believe in. It takes an even stronger person to continue to love their neighbor even when that love is not reciprocated. By treating others with love and respect no matter how they treat you, you are taking away their power over you. Words can only be weaponized when we believe them.

I know that words can only do so much. The challenges we face today and will face in the future have physical implications on our ability to live our lives. But in darkness, it takes just one spark to make a fire, to make a light for others to see.

Progress is slow. MLK Jr. didn’t achieve his goals overnight; he didn’t even live to see them come true. But we can create that spark right now, in how we act and how we treat others. Show them who you are. Show them that hate does not affect you.

Be the spark. Be the change. Be the love.

Clinton and Harris.

Prior to the 2016 election, Trump had been a businessman through his control of The Trump Organization and a celebrity who owned the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA beauty pageants and hosted the reality show “The Apprentice,” according to BBC. While he had shown interest in politics throughout the years by joining the Reform Party in 1999, and even considering going against Barack Obama in the 2012 election, his first term as president was the only experience he has had in the political sphere, according to the Miller Center. In fact, Trump is the only former president to not have held seats in any political offices or been an army general.

Trump’s first presidential opponent, on the other hand, had even more experience than Obama, according to Vox. In addition to being a former first lady that had knowledge of the White House, Clinton was a secretary of state for four years, a junior senator from New York for eight years, and one of the few Cabinet members with considerable awareness of foreign policy in the postwar era.

In Harris’ case, she has been the attorney general and senator for California, as well as been a part of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Both of these women have spent more time in the American political system than Trump has and still lost to him.

With their level of competence, it came as a surprise each time Trump won against them considering the amount of traits that add to his incapability to be president, including his age. Currently, Donald Trump is 78 years old. When Biden took office as president four years ago, he was also 78.

Since then, Biden has faced backlash and has been perceived as an unqualified fit for president due to his age. His endorsement for the 60-year-old Harris was celebrated by many and she has released her medical records since then. In August, Trump had promised to do the same, but still has not despite being the age that Biden was once criticized for, according to Time.

The disadvantages that Trump has as a presidential candidate are significant and yet, he has been selected to serve as America’s 47th president. His female opponents have proven their worth as presidential candidates through years of experience and lack of criminal activity. Even compared to Biden, Harris has the qualities of a better president. Trump’s only loss to a man begs the question: Will America ever be ready for a female president, no matter how qualified she is?

Modern Christmas music doesn’t hold up

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

Modern Christmas music isn’t the same.

By Ashley Ragone Staff Writer It seems like every artist today has a Christmas song in their repertoire, with an overwhelming assortment of covers and interpolated remixes across all genres. I believe this is unnecessary.

On Nov. 1, Jimmy Fallon released “Holiday Seasoning,” his first overtly holiday-themed album. On first listen, not only did I dislike just about every song, but I felt that none of them had anything new or interesting to add to the canon of holiday music. Some of their features, including Meghan Trainor and the Jonas Brothers, were a saving grace, but, overall, I felt let down.

Similarly on Oct. 11, actor Jeff Goldblum released his single “Let It Snow / Blue Christmas” with Veronica Swift and The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. While I appreciated the arrangement and homage to classic melodies, Goldblum’s vocal performance left me disappointed and the cover almost felt unnecessary.

So why are audiences like myself struggling to connect with new Christmas music? There clearly is something that older singers did right, as the classic melodies have stood the test of time, evidenced by the queen of Christmas herself: Mariah Carey.

“All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey’s lead single from her 1994 album “Merry Christmas,” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, 25 years after it was released. It was the second Christmas-themed song to reach that spot in all of the billboard’s history, according

to TIME. Every year around the holiday season, Carey’s song peaks and re-enters the Billboard 100 as streams increase. So what makes her song, and other older tunes, more successful?

According to Berklee College of Music’s forensic musicologist Joe Bennett, it’s all about the nostalgia. In 2017, he analyzed the elements of holiday music that bring in the most monetary and commercial success, including Spotifycharting hits during the week of Dec. 25. From a lyrical standpoint, they all had an element related to “the home, being in love, lost love, parties, Santa or reindeers, snow or coldness, religion, and peace on Earth.”

It is clear most people desire songs that are comforting, transporting listeners to an idealized version of Christmas past with universal themes of joy and warmth. New releases are not meeting this mark and cannot deliver the kind of warm nostalgia that a Bing Crosby tune executes so well.

In his iconic song “White Christmas,” Crosby longs to return to a simpler, more idyllic time: “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas / Just like the ones I used to know / Where the treetops glisten and children listen / To hear sleigh bells in the snow.” With its fluttering flute and gentle piano, the song evokes a warm fireplace and fall of snow.

However, one artist who I think does not fall into this category of failed contemporary Christmas is Laufey, an Icelandic jazz singer.

She delivers covers of classics with beautiful accuracy of the original songs while bringing a fresh new production. Having been classically trained in violin and piano, she has a deeper understanding and implementation of the older sound we have grown to love. Her background in jazz and Norah Jones-inspired style distinguishes her from the many pop singers attempting to stake their claim in the niche of holiday music.

Ultimately, we do not need more Christmas tunes from today’s musicians. The nostalgic charm and fond memories tied to the past bring an unmatched element of ambience to these songs that new releases lack. For those who want to enjoy such classic Christmas music, I would suggest turning to the greats of Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Ella Fitzgerald. For a taste of the holiday spirit with a modern twist, I would recommend Laufey’s newest EP, “A Very Laufey Holiday.”

Editorials The Senate should pass the PRESS Act to protect journalists

Photo courtesy of Flickr

The PRESS Act would protect sources from being forced to reveal their sources.

By Tristan Weisenbach Managing Editor The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bipartisan bill, the Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act, in January that would grant reporters widespread federal protections.

The legislation, known as The PRESS Act, would prevent the federal government from using actions such as subpoenas or search warrants to force journalists to provide identifying information about confidential sources or other news-gathering records, except in special circumstances relating to national security and terrorism, according to the Reporters Committee.

Since the bill’s passage in the House in January, it has sat idle in the Senate awaiting a vote. With just months left in the Senate’s current term, time is running out to pass this crucial legislation.

The First Amendment of The U.S. Constitution grants us the right to freedom of the press. This includes reporting on sensitive or secret information, which is sometimes gathered by people who speak to the press anonymously to shield their identity in

order to protect things such as their safety or employment.

Additionally, the right for the press to keep their sources and news gathering tactics confidential prevents the government or other outside agencies from intervening with reporters and their work, eliminating the suppression of information. This is a core principle of a healthy democracy.

Some states, including New Jersey, already have laws that protect journalists from being forced to provide confidential information about their sources. These laws, called shield laws, have been enacted in 40 states, according to the Reporters Committee.

By signing The PRESS Act into law, it would show journalists across the country that the state they live in should not dictate the level of rights that they have as a journalist.

Because our Constitution — and freedom of the press — applies to all citizens in the country, laws that protect reporters should do the same.

The Signal urges the Senate to pass The PRESS Act as soon as possible before its term ends in January. Doing so can issue a new era of importance for journalism in the U.S. — an era that is needed now more than ever.

The Signal

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Editorial Staff Matthew Kaufman Editor-in-Chief Ally Uhlendorf Tristan Weisenbach Managing Editors Isabella Darcy Kate Zydor News Editors

Alena Bitonti Lake DiStefano Arts & Entertainment Editors Parisa Burton Opinions Editor

Rebecca Heath Features Editor Aidan Mastandrea Sports Editor Aliyah Siddiqui Nation & World Editor

Administrative Staff Elizabeth Gladstone Multimedia Coordinator Ela Kirimca Social Media Editor Jenna Weldon Web Editor Liam Simonelli Editorial Cartoonist Kathleen Webber Faculty Advisor

POLICIES The Signal is published bi-weekly during the academic year. It is not financed by the Student Activity Fee but solely by advertisement revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal.

The Letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed.

The Signal willingly corrects mistakes. If you think we have made a mistake, contact us signal@tcnj.edu.

Thanksgiving Crossword

Seasonal Self-Care Word Search Breathe Hydrate Reflect Cozy Sleep Nourish Exercise Meditate Comfort Rest

TRUMP / Former president to return to office after sweeping swing states

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Trump obtained 312 electoral votes as compared to Harris’ 226 votes.

Continued from page 1 typically have in these urban areas. Trump also gained voters in counties with collegeHowever, in the 2024 election, Trump educated voters, which typically vote for won Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Democrats.

Carolina, Michigan and Georgia and is The Guardian also reports majority currently leading Harris in Arizona and Black and Latino counties also shifted to Nevada, as reported by the Associated supporting Trump. Exit polls showed that Press. in 2020, Biden won Black votes by a 92%While polls predicted close races in each 8% margin over Trump, and Latino voters of the swing states, there were unexpected 65%-32%. However, in 2024, Harris only results across the nation, according to won Black voters by a 86%-12% margin political analysts. For example, The and Latino voters by a 53%-45% margin.

While Harris did not respond to Trump’s Guardian reports that Trump gained a larger number of votes than expected cities, victory during her campaign’s watch party including New York, Miami and Chicago, at Howard University, Harris called Trump reducing the advantage Democrats to concede on Nov. 6, making a speech

later in the day where she thanked her supporters and encouraged them to “not despair.” She also promised to continue to fight for democracy and freedom.

“And America, we will never give up the fight for our democracy, for the rule of law, for equal justice,” Harris said, “and for the sacred idea that every one of us, no matter who we are or where we start out, has certain fundamental rights and freedoms that must be respected and upheld.”

According to ABC, various world leaders have also responded to the election results, congratulating Trump on his win and expressing commitments to the relationship between the U.S. and their countries.

“The EU and the U.S. are more than just allies,” Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, said in a social media post. “We are bound by a true partnership between our people, uniting 800 million citizens. So let’s work together on a strong transatlantic agenda that keeps delivering for them.”

Other leaders, such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have also congratulated Trump for his victory.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin has not released an official statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that it would “work with the new administration when it ‘settles’ in the White House, firmly defending Russia’s national interests and focusing on achieving all the goals of the

special military operation.”

According to the Associated Press, Trump’s victory comes alongside Republicans gaining control of the Senate.

As of Nov. 6, Republicans have 52 Senate seats, three of them having been switched, while Democrats have 44. Four Senate seats remain to be determined. This is the first time Republicans gained control of the chamber in four years.

Republicans also took control of the House of Representatives. They are thus in a similar political position as they were when Trump first became president.

While Trump has revealed a number of plans for his first 100 days in office, the new Congress will have to work with Trump to address the nation’s debt limit and confirm Trump’s judicial and Cabinet nominees.

According to NBC, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson reported plans for Republicans to reform the Affordable Care Act. They also hope to close the U.S.Mexico border, repeal climate subsidies, enact mass deportations and reclassify federal staff members. According to NPR, Johnson has promised that Republicans would work “aggressively” to support Trump’s agenda.

“As I told President Trump, I said, Mr. President, you could be the most consequential president of the modern era because we have to fix almost everything,” Johnson said. “And it begins first with securing the border, which the American people demand and deserve. Right after that, we get straight to the economy.”

Republicans take majority in the House Republicans take control of the Senate

By Aliyah Siddiqui Nation and World Editor

Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives in the 2024 election. According to the Associated Press, Republicans have won 218 seats while Democrats have 208 seats, with 9 races yet to be called. In order to have a majority, a party needs 218 seats.

To date, most of the races that have yet to be called are from California, where mail ballots can be received up to seven days post-election day. Races in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Ohio and Oregon also have to be called.

According to CBS, all 435 seats in the House of Representatives were on the ballot, with the majority being slim for whichever party wins the majority.

With the Republicans winning the House, they will have control of both chambers of Congress, as Republicans won enough Senate races to take back the majority.

The Cook Political Report, which measures the competitiveness of the House elections, predicts that 22 races are the most competitive, with either party having a chance of winning.

CPR measures competitiveness based on the district’s political makeup, the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and the current political landscape on both a state and national level.

Already, Republicans have gained and maintained seats in several close elections. For example, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) and Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) were able to beat their Democratic incumbents, while in the swing state of Pennsylvania, Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Rob Bresnahan were able to gain seats over the Democrats.

With Republicans in the majority for the 119th Congress, Speaker of

the House Mike Johnson, has already announced that they will work to advance Trump’s agenda of increasing security across the U.S.-Mexico border, implementing mass deportations and regulating education.

In a speech delivered outside the House with other GOP leaders, Johnson declared that a Republican-controlled Congress would have a “mandate” and they would “hit the ground running to deliver President Trump’s agenda in the 119th Congress.”

“The American people want us to implement and deliver that America First agenda,” Johnson said, “and we must do that while we have that energy and that excitement, beginning on the very first day of the Congress in the new year.”

According to The Hill, however, even if Republicans take control of the House, there still may be some obstacles.

For example, in the past two years with Republicans having a thin majority control over the House, intraparty issues have led to delays in legislation. For example, in 2023, Republicans spent weeks trying to find a new Speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the position.

Regardless of potential issues the new Congress may face, the current Congress still has a number of tasks to fulfill. According to the Associated Press, Congress still needs to pass a bill for government funding and spending bills for the current fiscal year.

Congress also needs to work on replenishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster relief fund, much of which was depleted during Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The current Congress will also be working on a defense policy bill and confirming President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Republican Party garnered 53 seats while the Democratic Party totaled 47 seats.

By Brinda Patel Staff Writer The Republican Party won control of the Senate in the 2024 election. In order for a political party to declare a majority, they must win at least 50 seats. As of Nov. 13, the Republican Party garnered 53 seats, gaining four seats, according to the Associated Press. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party totaled 47 seats, losing four seats.

In the 2024 election, 34 seats were up for grabs, with there already being 28 Democrat and 38 Republicans in office.

Two incumbent Independent candidates, Bernie Sanders and Angus King Jr., kept their seats in the Senate.

West Virginia, Montana, Ohio and Pennsylvania flipped seats to red.

Along with the Senate, the presidency and a majority in the House of Representatives went to the Republicans as well. As of Nov.13, Senate Republicans have elected South Dakota senator, John Thune, as the next majority leader.

The results from the Senate races in some states surrounding the College are listed below: New Jersey: Democratic candidate Andy Kim won the against Republican

Curtis Bashaw and Independent candidates Christina Khalil, Patricia Mooneyham, Kenneth Kaplan and Joanne Kuniansky.

Kim focused his campaign on issues that highlighted women’s reproductive rights, protecting the LGBTQ+ community, better healthcare, environment protection, affordable housing, inflation reduction and supporting small businesses.

New York: Incumbent Democratic candidate Kirsten Gillibrand won the seat against Republican Michael Sapracione and Independent Diane Sare. Gillibrand focused her campaign on immigration reform, school-based mental health services, better healthcare, clean air and water, supporting veterans and service members, long-term care workers to help older Americans, revitalizing rural communities and gun safety.

Pennsylvania: Republican candidate Dave McCormick flipped the seat in the Senate by a majority defeating Incumbent Democrat Bob Casey, Libertarian candidate John Thomas, Green Party candidate Leila Hazou and Constitution Party candidate Marty Selker. A national abortion ban, right to bear arms, benefits of cryptocurrency and protecting veterans are a few key issues McCormick focused his campaign on.

November 15, 2024 The Signal page 11

Good News Lion: Travel, Hawaii reforestation and drink spike test kit within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 calendar days for other forms of payment.

Airlines for America, an American trade association and lobbying group, said in a statement, “we support the automatic refund rule and are happy to accommodate customers with a refund when they choose not to be rebooked.”

Graphic by Sandra Abrantes

The theme of this week’s article is traveling for the upcoming holiday season.

By Janjabill Tahsin Staff Writer The Good News Lion is the Nation & World section’s biweekly news segment, highlighting positive news in the country and around the world. The theme of this article is traveling for the upcoming holiday season.

U.S. airlines must automatically refund passengers for canceled flights The Department of Transportation’s automatic refund rule went into effect on Oct. 28, where U.S. airlines are now required to offer passengers cash refunds — not vouchers — when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, even if that person does not explicitly ask for a refund. They

are implementing the major change only a month before the upcoming holiday travel season.

ABC7 News reported that the new rule mandates airlines to automatically process refunds if a passenger’s flight is canceled or significantly changed and they do not accept the changed flight, rebooking or alternative compensation. This includes flights delayed by more than three hours domestically or six hours internationally, according to USA Today.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg posted, “Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them-without headaches or haggling.”

The Department of Transportation says airlines must refund passengers

Hawaii receives $9.1 million to support reforestation Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) announced that Hawaii will receive over $9.1 million in federal funding in order to support reforestation projects within the state. The goal of the projects is to ultimately fight against climate change and also restore local ecosystems.

“Restoring our diverse ecosystems is critical to both mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and ensuring a healthy environment,” Schatz said.

“This new funding helps continue our work to preserve our environment in Hawai’i and boost our resilience to the increasing risks we face from climate change.”

According to Ground Truth, about $4.2 million will go to the organization, Terraformation, which is Kailua-Kona-based reforestation company. The company hopes to use the money to produce technology that can capture carbon and help local plants and crops to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Terraformation already has a Terraware platform that allows the company to track forest growth in realtime and will simplify this project.

“Terraware translates sciencebacked methods for managing and measuring forestry projects into simple, accessible data and digestible action steps for forestry

organizations,” said Yishan Wong, the founder and CEO of Terraformation.

“This type of technology is a missioncritical component in the global effort to combat climate change through reforestation and that is why we made a conscious decision to make it available to everyone.”

The other $4.9 million will fund projects spearheaded by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Division of Forestry and Wildlife. These projects will restore forests by planting native trees and removing invasive plant species.

Ultimately, this will aid in habitat building for endangered species.

New drink testing kit could save lives On Oct. 28, Overdrive Defense, the first and only test kit to detect all three of the most common date-rape drugs: GHB, Rohypnol and ketamine, was released.

Founder Brian Bordainick discovered that many drink spike tests on the market were ineffective, often detecting only one or two drugs or lacking scientific reliability.

“After months of rigorous R&D, our Drink Spike Defense kits are setting a new standard with superior sensitivity and reliability,” Bordainick said in an interview with Nylon.

According to the brand, Overdrive’s test is 99% accurate when used correctly and is 24 times more sensitive for GHB and more than 250 times more sensitive for ketamine than leading competitor tests.

Overdrive’s Drink Spike Defense packs are available online through Amazon, GoPuff and their website, overdrivedefense.com. They can also be purchased in-store at 5,000 CVS stores nationwide.

Devastating flash floods in Spain cause billions in damage, hundreds lose their lives

By Fiona Espinoza-Castro Staff Writer

Southern and eastern Spain, including cities such as Murcia, Malaga and Valencia, were hit by intense rainfall beginning on Oct. 29, accumulating to a month’s worth of rain. As the rainfall built up, it escalated from a calm storm to flash floods that swept everything in its path.

Time Magazine reported that the rain centered around the Magro and Turia river basins, and even in the Poyo riverbed, caused water to overflow the riverbanks. Several survivors recounted an error in a drainage canal; it took 15 minutes for it to overflow, which led to a disastrous aftermath.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Flooding started on Oct. 29.

According to France 24, cars piled on one another, trees were uprooted, power lines were destroyed and household items were scattered throughout the Barrio de la Torre.

According to the New York Times, the vast majority of the deaths were located in Valencia, a popular tourist destination. ABC News reported that at least 219 people were pronounced dead and 93 others were classified as missing. Of those, 211 deaths occurred in Valencia, while seven were reported in Castilla La Mancha and one death in the southern part of Andalusia.

The estimated cost of damage is reportedly in the billions. Although the entire extent of the damage is unknown, it is said that the Consortium for Insurance Compensation will spend $3.8 billion in compensation for insurance claims, according to ABC News.

One family in the Valencia region captured the attention of the media and the rest of the world. Victor and Marta Matias, parents to two young children, Izan and Ruben, had gone through their normal routine, but when the storm arrived, it changed their lives forever.

The family’s next-door neighbor, Jonathan Perez, said that during the storm, parked trucks were swept up and smashed against the Matias family home, causing water to pour in. This led Victor to try to grasp his children, but he lost his grip and they were torn from him. According to BBC, the children are known as “Los ninos desaparecidos,” or “the missing children,” as search efforts continue.

The public is struggling with why

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

At least 219 people were pronounced dead and 93 others were reported missing. this disaster occurred — and it can be traced back to climate change. Climate scientists and meteorologists found that the cause behind this tragedy was a “cut-off lower-pressure storm system that migrated from an unusually wavy and stalled jet stream,” as reported by Time magazine.

The system known as Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos, or DANA, is familiar to meteorologists in Spain.

It occurs when cold air blows over Mediterranean waters, causing hot air to rise quickly and form dense clouds that remain over one area for countless hours, as reported by meteorologists in Reuters.

Much of the criticism and high death toll is because the Valencian government failed attempts to issue timely alerts. According to Andalou

Ajansi, the government issued alerts after the worst of the floods had already happened which led to many victims getting caught in the storm’s rapids.

Protestors have also highlighted the slow response in providing aid, with some towns isolated for days before they received any assistance.

Despite this tragedy, various volunteers, troops and police came together for rescue operations.

According to ABC News, one operation included 8,000 soldiers and 9,200 police officers from all over Spain.

Ordinary citizens also volunteered to assist in cleanup efforts. Within the first week, ABC News reported that authorities had fixed the electricity of 147,000 homes and distributed 178,000 bottles to areas in need.

TCNJ Musical Theatre presents ‘Carrie: The Musical’

Photo courtesy of Anna Holland

“Carrie” ran in the Don Evans Black Box Theater from Nov. 6 to 9.

Osbeck, comes from her sympathetic

By Ashley Ragone friend Sue — until Carrie commits the Staff Writer ultimate act of revenge during their senior TCNJ Musical Theatre delivered a dark prom.

Through striking red lighting that and emotionally charged performance to the stage with their latest production, mirrors Carrie’s increasingly fragile mental state and the powerful vocals of the “Carrie: The Musical.”

Based on Stephen King’s 1974 novel, cast, the show truly brings audiences into the show discusses themes of isolation, the heart of the horror story.

The show is told through the religious oppression and the supernatural.

The musical centers around Carrie White, interrogation of Sue Snell, played by played by sophomore elementary education junior accounting major Ella Malatesta. and English double major Megan Hurley, Malatesta’s character narrates the show, a shy high school student whose growing sharing flashbacks to her experiences with telekinetic powers and pressure from her Carrie while recounting the events leading God-fearing mother outcast her from her up to prom night, foreshadowing the peers. atrocities committed.

Her only solace from the mean-spirited “Sue is an extremely dynamic bully Chris, played by junior elementary character…It took a lot of time for me to education and music double major Ella define the contrast between the bubbly,

Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘GUTS World Tour’ movie

Photo courtesy of IMDb.

Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” world tour hit Netflix on Oct. 29.

By Mia Shea Staff Writer

With the Netflix release of Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS World Tour,” which featured hits such as “vampire,” “bad idea right?” and “get him back!” on Oct. 29, fans now have the opportunity to watch the concert from the comfort of their own homes.

The film is a recording of a show performed at the Inuit Dome in Inglewood, California. This was the tour for Rodrigo’s 2023 album, “GUTS.” The movie begins with Rodrigo and her backup dancers backstage before the concert, with the show opening with the song “bad idea right?” From the get-go, her energy is high as she makes her way around the perimeter of the stage.

She maintains this energy as she moves onto “ballad of a homeschooled girl.”

Vocally, Rodrigo is toying with a more poppunk and angsty style than she does on the version on the album.

She then scales back the performance with the lead single on the album, “vampire,” which is a slower ballad. This then sets the tone for “traitor,” a hit from Rodrigo’s first album, “SOUR.” Sticking to the same mood, Rodrigo plays piano while performing her debut single “drivers license” and continues with the mellow tempo “teenage dream,” a song about the fear of growing up.

While she performs “teenage dream,” clips of her as a young child performing are projected behind her, which was a nice touch from her and her production team.

The slower section of songs Rodrigo plays here embodies her versatility as an artist, as well as showcases her vocals and energy even during slower songs. It allows her to demonstrate her talent not only vocally, but also her ability to play the piano and guitar Picking up the speed and energy again with songs from “GUTS,” Rodrigo performs “pretty isn’t pretty” and “love is embarrassing,” where her backup dancers feed off her energy.

Her dancers are phenomenal and enhance her performance throughout the whole show. However the few moments where Rodrigo is on stage by herself show how entrancing she is as an artist. She is able to command the attention of the 18,000 people in attendance and those watching from home as well.

The next section of the concert consists of Rodrigo being seated on a moon, floating around the stadium where she is able to see everyone in the audience. By doing so, she is able to create a more intimate moment with the audience.

Read more on our website!

popular, teenage Sue in the high school scenes versus the still, emotionally stunted Sue in the interrogation scenes,” Malatesta said.

Differentiated with her hair, we see the carefree, high school Sue with her hair down and loose, and the older, traumatized Sue with her hair clipped and tense, fitting her demeanor.

The show’s narrative is also told through the ensemble. Other high school students who taunt Carrie while also facing their own insecurities in secret. Through the song “In,” the audience sees their social anxieties come to light as the ensemble echoes, “And I worry / What if I stand out one bit? / I worry / What can I possibly do to fit in?”

For Jeneily Ruano, a freshman early childhood education and Spanish double major, this program allowed her to finally find the home that her character Frieda and others are searching for. Through joining the program and acting in her first TMT production, the experience was “beyond welcoming” after she first “really struggled to find [her] place.” When asked about her favorite part of the show so far, Ruano said she has enjoyed “all the choreography and the dance numbers” along with the TMT members she worked alongside.

Malatesta noted as well how “having a smaller cast made each rehearsal more intimate and gave us all the opportunity to create strong bonds.”

The emotional climax of the musical takes place during the iconic scene “The Destruction,” where Carrie is crowned prom queen after a rigged election, and Chris drenches her in pig’s blood in front

of all her classmates. Humiliated and enraged, she takes revenge on everyone through murder by telekinesis.

The scene was stunning and executed exceedingly well considering the constraints of a small theater, with each character’s death unfolding in a dramatic and chaotic fashion. The blood-stained Carrie has now descended into a full psychotic state.

Under the direction and stylistic choices of TMT president and “Carrie” director Alyssa Hemsey, a senior communication studies major, the production came to life beautifully. She shared that the final scenes, particularly “Destruction,” were her favorite part of the show to work on, as they brought a “moment of reflection for the audience” as we realize the gravity of Carrie White’s actions.

The fact that TCNJ Musical Theatre is entirely student-led adds a layer of uniqueness and pride for those involved.

“There’s something so surreal about watching your visions translate to the stage being magically brought to life,” Hemsey said. “TMT allows for students to build upon their leadership skills through their talents, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch peers come together for their shared passion of theater.”

“Carrie: The Musical” stands as a testament to the talent, creative drive and endless dedication of the TCNJ Musical Theatre program. With powerful performances, effective visual aids and an emotional narrative, the production not only pays homage to the original text but infuses the nuanced creativity of the College’s students.

TCNJ Orchestra charms crowd

Photo by Andre Paras

“Carrie” ran in the Don Evans Black Box Theater.

By Mia Shea Staff Writer As a part of the School of the Arts and Communication’s new series, “Communication for the Common Good,” the College’s orchestra put on a showstopping performance.

Pamela Barnett, dean of the School of the Arts and Communication, opened the concert by sharing that this series is centered around promoting “healthy, democratic discourse for the big questions, the hard and complex issues that face our country that so often divide us.”

The first piece of the night was titled “Lincoln Portrait,” composed by Aaron Copland. The program for the concert stated that Copland composed this piece after he was asked to write a “portrait of an eminent American” to “celebrate the American spirit.” It was scored for both an orchestra as well as a speaker.

This moving piece featured Christopher Fisher, interim dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, as the speaker. According to the concert’s program, the speech portion of the piece was “composed using speeches and letters from Lincoln along with descriptions of his appearance and demeanor.”

This symphony was reminiscent of

everything that Abraham Lincoln stood for and was a reminder of the common good series’ ideals: freedom and bringing together the American spirit.

Lauren Holmes, a junior music education major, said she thought the concert was wonderful and she loved the level of patriotism in “Lincoln’s Portrait” in particular.

“It was really cool seeing the dean of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences do the narration,” Holmes said. She also thought “it was cool that they used Aaron Copland, who is an American composer.”

The next part of the concert was Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95, composed by Antonin Dvořák in America, although Dvořák was a Czech composer.

This piece is also referred to as “The New World Symphony.” In terms of the series, this piece was representative of forward-thinking and integration. The piece also contains spiritual Native American influence.

“The New World Symphony is just a timeless piece and there is a reason it’s performed so often, and the orchestra did it very well,” said Holmes.

The orchestra was versatile as they played the softer, quieter parts of each piece and transitioned to the fast-paced, hardhitting climaxes.

Freshman English secondary education major Abby McCool shared that she initially came to the show to support her friend, Grace Lampmann, who played the violin.

“I thought it was incredible. I really liked the first piece because I’m also a big history nerd,” McCool said. “So I thought that the integration of the speech was really interesting and really beautiful overall and they all did such a good job.”

The concert itself was beautiful and the concert hall was packed with spectators indulging in the powerful symphonies. The College’s orchestra did a spectacular job incorporating the message of finding the common good in everyday situations.

November 15, 2024 The Signal page 13

A look at the ‘Something between air and light’ exhibit

Photo by Erin Reilly

Artists Simona Prives and Juyon Lee premiered their art in the College’s Art Gallery.

By Abigail Holliday Staff Writer Walking into the College’s Art Gallery, you will find the mesmerizing sculptures and canvases by artists Simona Prives and Juyon Lee. Open until Dec. 6, the “Something between air and light” exhibit features prints and sculptures made from glass, resin, lights and images, all brought together to illustrate a sense of time and space.

The gallery is transformed to house the canvases and sculptures designed by Prives and Lee. Dark colors swirled on canvases paired with suspended sculptures illuminated with LEDs bring to life a sense of the extraterrestrial and a mature atmosphere.

Prives is a visual artist who uses paints, sketches, and multiple textures and shapes on

canvases to illustrate the growth and decay within man’s relationship to organic matter, according to her Instagram.

The Brooklyn-based artist received her master’s degree in fine arts from Pratt Institute and has gone on to receive many important fellowships, such as Santa Fe Art Institute Thematic Residency, 4Heads on Governors Island and Scuola Internazionale di Grafica di Venezia.

When Prives isn’t working on her own projects, she is teaching art and design at the Parsons School of Design, New York University and Hostos Community College in the Bronx.

Lee is a South Korean artist who split her childhood moving between the east coast and Seoul, South Korea.

“Being in between multiple places has allowed me to reflect on many things I had

taken for granted,” Lee said in an interview with The Signal. “In a way, it gives time to distance myself from the familiar and to rethink about them in different points of life.”

Lee expressed her interest in time, space and interconnectivity through her work by using lights, colors and imaging to imitate ethereal structures such as air and light.

“I began working with resin and glass because of their transparency and duality in permanence and impermanence. As I experimented more and more with resin, I noticed that it has its own pace of movement, especially with variations in temperature,” Lee said. “Even when I work with materials that seem very concrete and permanent, I tend to use them in ways that make them seem fleeting and not easy to grasp. It reflects my interest in change and perception and passage of time.”

Lee received her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and her master’s from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. Her exhibits have been featured in many renowned locations, such as Tufts University Art Galleries and the NARS Foundation Main Gallery.

“The series of exhibited works in TCNJ reflect on connection and disconnection experienced through communications-based digital technology. The woven images are from text messages I exchanged with my family during my grandfather’s funeral,” Lee said. “Interconnection is a condition that any being is born into. I think it is more the matter of in what moments one becomes more aware of how all things are related to one another.”

The exhibit will remain open until Dec. 1 in the Art Gallery, located in the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building, from 12pm to 7pm on Tuesdays through Thursdays and 1pm to 3pm on Sundays.

Producer and music legend Quincy Jones dead at 91

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The music mogul leaves behind a legacy spanning over 70 years Theater.

By Sky Pinkett Staff Writer Grammy-award winning producer and music icon Quincy Jones died on Nov. 3 in his Los Angeles home at the age of 91.

His family broke the news in a statement saying, “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”

The music mogul leaves behind a legacy spanning over 70 years, during which he produced the hits of other music legends such as Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and more.

Born on March 14, 1933, Jones grew up running with gangs on the south side of Chicago. According to Britannica, his mother was institutionalized after suffering a schizophrenic breakdown, and Jones struggled to live in these conditions without his mother until he discovered his love for music through playing the piano.

Despite his attachment to the piano, Jones started out his musical career as a jazz trumpeter. He would play for the band that supported Elvis Presley’s early songs before accepting an opportunity to go on tour with Dizzy Gillespie in 1956. In 1957, he briefly moved to Paris to become the music director at Barclay, a French record company.

It was in Jones’ early days that he would befriend an unknown blind pianist by the name of Ray Charles. The two established a lifelong friendship and professional partnership that produced some of Charles’ most famous songs such as 1961’s “One Mint Julep.”

Jones soon gained an impressive reputation for arranging and composing songs for various 20th century icons such as Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Lionel Hampton and Ella Fitzgerald. In 1964, he arranged Frank Sinatra’s album “It Might As Well Be Swing,” which produced Sinatra’s most famous song to date, “Fly Me to the Moon.”

Jones’ growing reputation, along with his relentless determination, was what helped him overcome the racial barriers at the time to become vice president at Mercury Records in the early 1960s.

Jones broadened his production capabilities when he crossed over from jazz to pop music. He produced hits and albums such as Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me” and “It’s My Party,” George Benson’s “Give Me the Night” and Donna Summer’s 1982 self-titled album. Jones proved that his musical prowess crossed over multiple genres as he worked with rappers, R&B singers, pop artists and jazz musicians.

Around this time, Jones began to compose for various movies and TV shows. He produced the theme of “Sanford and Son,” “Roots” and the memorable theme to Will Smith’s “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” His music and production contributions to Stephen Spielberg’s “The

Color Purple” helped earn the film 11 Grammy nominations. Jones composed over 35 film scores, including “In the Heat of the Night” and “The Wiz.” The musical set of “The Wiz” is where Jones first met a young Michael Jackson, who was playing the part of the scarecrow.

The two music titans began a collaborative relationship that would produce some of the most record-breaking songs and albums, not just in Jackson’s career, but in music history. These albums included “Off the Wall,” “Thriller” and “Bad.” In 1985, Jones, along with musician Lionel Richie, gathered a group of megaartists to record “We Are the World,” a song intended to fundraise relief for those suffering from famine in Ethiopia.

Those included in the group were Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Cyndi Lauper, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Willie Nelson and more. The song raised over $60 million dollars and won four Grammy awards.

Jones did not start out as an activist in his early years. However, after attending the 1968 funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and befriending Rev. Jesse Jackson, Jones’ dedication to philanthropy would grow along with his fame. According to the Associated Press, Jones was quoted as saying, “The best and only useful aspect of fame and celebrity is having a platform to help others.”

Jones stayed true to his words by using his platform to raise awareness and relief for the AIDS/HIV epidemic, promoting education for children, and providing for those living in poverty around the world.

Jones was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013. He is survived by his seven children and three siblings, and leaves behind a legacy so expansive that any lover of American pop culture would be hard-pressed to find at least one of their favorite songs, shows or movies that have been left untouched by the talents and influence of Quincy Jones.

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Thanksgiving Tunes Vince Guaraldi Trio: Linus And Lucy Sunday (1994): Mascara Catherine Feeny: Mr Blue Megan Moroney: Bless Your Heart Jeff Buckley: Grace Halsey: Panic Attack Chappell Roan: Picture You Clairo: Bags Tyler, The Creator: I Think Fleetwood Mac: Dreams

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Song suggestions?

page 14 The Signal November 15, 2024

‘Here’: An ambitious and emotional one-shot angle film

By Andre Paras Staff Writer

Film director Robert Zemeckis has reunited with the stars and crew of “Forrest Gump” for his latest movie, “Here,” released on Oct. 31. This is Zemeckis’ fifth film collaboration with actor Tom Hanks.

The movie’s gimmick is that it’s all filmed at one spot, with the same angle for the film’s entire duration. The camera only moves once, and as a result, it feels like a play directly adapted to a movie.

Centered around a New England home’s living room, this ambitious story spans from the dawn of time up until present day, with a focus on the 20th century to today.

It follows different families who’ve lived at this house, with the main focus on costars Hanks and Robin Wright, who play the married couple, Richard and Margaret Young.

“Here” is also an adaptation of Richard McGuire’s graphic novel of the same name, capturing the same place over time. This film pays homage to that nicely through transitions that look like photographs, navigating similar sentiments that characters face in different eras.

One particular scene I loved was the wedding between Richard and Margaret, soundtracked with a TV playing a live performance of The Beatles’ song “All My Loving.” The sound and TV were carried over from a previous scene’s transition but continued to play throughout the wedding.

Zemeckis is a director known for pushing the boundaries of filmmaking technology. Along with “Forrest Gump,” he’s also famous for the time traveling “Back to the Future” trilogy, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” combining animation and live-action and “The Polar Express,” the first full-length film to use motion capture animation.

With this, it makes sense that Zemeckis is eager to explore new technologies in his films, and boldly take on this type of singular perspective for storytelling. In this vein, “Here” uses artificial intelligence along with its filmmaking.

“We couldn’t make the movie five years ago, so it was very, very fortunate that this tool arrived right when we needed it,” Zemeckis told The Hollywood Reporter.

“Here” uses AI aging and de-aging to cover this long-term relationship between Hanks and Wright. What’s important is Zemeckis’ use of AI as a creative tool — not something to replace another artist.

However, with such a big age gap, the de-aging process ends up looking more uncanny than realistic as you watch 68-year-old Hanks run around as a teenage boy with the same voice he has now.

Understandably, some audiences have been pretty upset with this choice.

Still, Hanks and Wright have dynamic performances, acting as young as teenagers to as old as senior citizens, while having to emulate those specific mannerisms and movements.

Katie Gavin is melancholic and reflective: ‘What A Relief’ review

Photo courtesy of IMDb

Gavin’s first solo project was released on Oct. 25.

By Ashley Ragone Staff Writer

Katie Gavin, frontwoman of the indie pop band MUNA, released her debut solo album “What A Relief” on Oct. 25.

This is her first individual music endeavor since meeting her bandmates Jo Maskin and Naomi McPherson in 2013, and is an extensive acoustic journey of self-discovery. Despite her album’s solo debut, her bandmates received production credits, along with a Mitski feature on “As Good As It Gets.”

Over seven years in the making, the 12-track album finds inspiration from pop giants like Alanis Morissette and Fiona Apple, being referred to by Gavin as “Lilith Fair-core,” a reference to the female-fronted music festival of the 1990s.

The album captures a pivotal chapter in Gavin’s life, marked by what she calls a desire for connection and facing “all the obstacles that stood in my way… patterns of isolation or even boredom with the real work of love,” according to her interview with Line of Best Fit magazine.

The songs, which Gavin lovingly referred to at first as a “MUNA discard

pile,” rely heavily on acoustic guitar and light drums for a stripped-down feeling.

As indie pop music falls more into the stereotype of “sad girl music,” with emotional lyricism and mellow instrumentals, Gavin’s album presents a more dynamic array of songs of acceptance and intimacy.

The album’s opener, “I Want It All,” sets a sweet, mellow tone with tender harmonies and soft guitar. There is a deep sense of yearning from Gavin, wanting the subject of the song (most likely a romantic partner) to pay attention and grant her affection.

“Aftertaste” explores the emotional distance between Gavin and the described love interest, how her “hair got long” while the other person’s “hair got cut.” They try to make small talk as they get through the awkwardness between them, but they resort to “talkin’ ‘bout the weather.” Though the song is more upbeat and aligned to MUNA’s traditional sound, Gavin clings to what is left of a past relationship and the comfortability of old habits.

In “The Baton,” Gavin introduces a more country-adjacent sound intertwined with a melancholic fiddle. The song introduces the metaphor of a relay race to represent intergenerational trauma; each mother passes on the baton to her daughter, and they must run ahead until they have a child to pass it all on to. Although each generation does their best, there is still “so much healing that still needs to be done” in families.

“Casual Drug Use” brings more of a rocking style that sounds like classic MUNA, having been written after a breakup in 2016. Gavin describes how “It’s a little unnerving how fast I’ll fall back in / To fixing my issues with casual drug use,” illustrating the balancing act between love and drug addiction in order to feel something meaningful.

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Of this age range, it was surprising to hear what Hanks found most difficult to play.

“The hardest for us was when we were playing 35. That time when your metabolism stops, gravity starts tearing you down, your bones start wearing off,” he told Entertainment Tonight.

“Here” is a great, quaint and sentimental piece of American history. I was nostalgic for a time I hadn’t grown up in, featuring the transition from radio to television, to projecting your own family videos at home.

Media, whether broadcasted on TV or the radio, is another great way of immersion into the film’s time periods.

As a filmmaker myself, I was inspired by how engaged I could be with a movie all shot and locked in one location with one perspective. It inspires me to try the same with short stories of my own, or to be more observant and appreciative of the same house my own family has lived in my whole life.

It’s easy for those cynical of the movie to be unforgiving with its technological flaws or proclaim it as saccharine, but as an artist, it’s fun to see Zemeckis be bold and challenge the medium, seeing what sticks and what doesn’t.

However, with a $50 million budget, “Here” has only grossed $5 million in its first weekend at the box office, flopping with its mixed critical reception and poor advertising, according to Forbes, Since a lot of the main crew is carried

Photo courtesy of IMDb

“Here” uses artificial intelligence aging and de-aging.

over from “Forrest Gump,” this film tackles history, romance, family and the passage of time really well. It does this in arguably corny or overly sentimental ways at times. However, if you’re prepared to accept this while watching the film, it’s a really tenderly made and charming flick.

With all the sentiments I hold with “Here,” I hope to see it gain more legs in the future — or at the very least, see some critical reevaluation down the line. It was a great family watch for me, and something I’d also recommend for the holiday season.

Growing older and facing unfulfillment: The Cure’s ‘Songs of A Lost World’

By Andre Paras Staff Writer

After 16 years, the legendary postpunk rockers of The Cure are back with their long-awaited album, “Songs of A Lost World,” released on Nov. 1.

Five years in the making, the record was originally set to release in 2019 with the working title “Live From The Moon,” However, Smith kept returning to the LP with new changes, preventing it from seeing the light of day until now.

With The Cure active for nearly 50 years, you’ve likely heard some of the band’s biggest hits of the 20th century.

For longtime fans, there are similarities to past sounds and even self-referential moments to the band’s old tracks.

However, instead of the group’s bright love songs, “Songs of A Lost World” is a trip to the band’s gothic and melancholic side of its songwriting and instrumentals. This was sparked by lead singer-songwriter Robert Smith’s recent family tragedy.

“It’s very much on the darker side of the spectrum. I lost my mother and my father and my brother recently, and obviously it affected me,” Smith told NME in 2019. “It’s not relentlessly doom and gloom. It has soundscapes on it, like ‘Disintegration,’ I suppose.”

The LP opens with the lead single “Alone,” giving listeners a grand, extended introduction to the album’s dreamy yet eerie and ghostly ambiance.

Lyrically, this song was inspired by the poem “Dregs,” from poet Ernest Dowson.

After the entire band of instruments comes in, and a lulling piano melody comes in and out of the song, Smith’s vocals enter around halfway through.

As someone only familiar with the band’s older work, I thought Smith’s vocal performance still sounded as great as it used to. His inflections

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

The LP opens with the lead single “Alone.” haven’t changed and are reminiscent of their 1989 release “Disintegration,” as mentioned previously.

“It’s the track that unlocked the record; as soon as we had that piece of music recorded, I knew it was the opening song, and I felt the whole album come into focus,” Smith stated in a press release.

Up next is track two, “And Nothing Is Forever,” with a nice piano intro.

The track overall is slow and features a lot of strings throughout. Smith writes and yearns for an unconditional lover to stay with until the end.

Through all of its passion and lyrical imagery, it presents these ideas in a high-stakes fashion. The phrase “However far away” is repeated throughout the song, likely referencing “Lovesong,” one of the group’s greatest hits from 1989.

“Drone:Nodrone” spices things up in its sound as a total glam rocker.

It features a lush guitar shredding throughout with a heavy wah-wah pedal effect and even its own solo. It is unlike any song from The Cure I’ve heard before.

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November 15, 2024 The Signal page 15

Women’s soccer repeats NJAC title with win over Montclair State

The Lions finished the season undefeated.

By Fiona Espinoza-Castro Staff Writer The College hosted Montclair State University for the NJAC championship final. The Lions entered the game with high expectations as reigning champions, aiming to solidify their dominance in college soccer this season.

Ultimately, the College secured a decisive 4-1 victory.

The Lions had won the NJAC two times in the past four years; last Saturday’s win increased that

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

to three. Their opponent, Montclair State, entered the game with a record of 11-5-5 and was hoping to win their first NJAC title in four years.

As the first half began, the atmosphere in the stands was intense — the Lions’ priority was to pressure their opponents and take advantage of the chances created. With freshman kinesiology and health sciences major Ellen Williams in goal, the Lions were prepared to take on their opponent.

Within the first few minutes, Victoria D’Imperio, a senior business

One ‘Giant’ problem in New York

By Joe Caruso Staff Writer In 1925, Tim Mara founded the New York Giants football team for just $500.

Nearly 100 years and three generations of the Mara family later, the Giants franchise is still under the firm control of Mara’s grandson, John Mara. Only the Chicago Bears have been owned by a single family for longer, and the Giant’s tradition has been a staple of their culture, all the way through their 100th season.

The legacy of New York’s football team can compete with any franchise in National Football League history. With four Super Bowl titles, a plethora of hallof-fame players, and coaches and continued success through the 20th and early 21st centuries, the Giants have been one of the most storied and respected franchises in any sport.

With that being said, calling the last decade of Giants football subpar would be an understatement to an egregious degree. From Ben McAdoo benching Eli Manning to break his consecutive starts streak, the infamous boat picture before New York fell flat in Green Bay during the playoffs or Joe Judge’s tenure as a whole, the Giants have left a lot to be desired. Only the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars have been worse in the last ten seasons than the Giants, who have garnered just one playoff win in that span.

Since the departure of the Super Bowl-winning pair of head coach Tom Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese, the Giants have cycled through six different coaches and general managers, who have each faltered to the point of getting fired.

Now, as the Giants have yet again found themselves at the bottom of the league in 2024 with a record of 2-8, the current regime in head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen seem to be staring down the barrel just as those before them. However, is it their fault?

From a personnel perspective, the Giants have a lot of issues. A shaky secondary, inconsistent skill positions on offense and below-average offensive line play. However, among all of them, is Daniel Jones, who is somehow in his 6th year starting for the team, despite being consistently underwhelming as the team’s quarterback.

He has never passed for more than 3300 yards and has more turnovers than games played in his career. Nonetheless, he finds himself in the third year of an inexplicable $160 million contract, so someone has to be held accountable for Jones still being under center for New York. Despite Schoen not being the one to draft Jones, and being urged by ownership to extend him, he would be the one to face the music and lose his job.

The Giants were featured in the “Hard Knocks: Offseason” television series on HBO over the summer which documented all of the things that led to the Giants roster construction in a now lackluster 2024 season. Despite Schoen holding the title of head decision-maker, it was the overwhelming presence of Mara that loomed large.

Although he has denied that he has the final say in football decisions, his brother, Chris Mara, being the Giants’ senior vice president of player personnel certainly raises doubts that the ownership has nothing to do with football decisions.

As the President, John Mara is in charge of hiring the general managers and is heavily involved with the coaching search as well. Whether it be Dave Gettleman, Joe Judge or Ben McAdoo along with many others, there is a clear trend of Mara pushing the wrong button, and it has set the franchise back a significant amount.

With Schoen and Daboll possibly on their way out, the Giants are going in circles, all at the hands of the Mara family.

It is safe to say that it is time for 69-yearold John Mara to step away from making football decisions, as it would most certainly benefit the struggling Giants.

marketing major with a stellar record, tested the Red Hawks with a header but it was saved by their goalie, Salange Bell. The Lions continued to press offensively in the first half, making multiple attempts to break through Montclair State defense.

Near the fifth minute, a corner kick from Rachel Robichaud, a senior biology major, nearly opened the scoring for the Lions, but it hit the post, narrowly missing the goal.

Four seconds later another shot by junior kinesiology major Abby Najdzinowicz was also saved by Bell.

Despite Montclair State’s solid defense, the Lions managed to break through in the seventh minute when Najdzinowicz scored the first goal of the game with a header, assisted by a senior management major Rachel Burkhard. This marked Najdzinowicz’s second goal in her career at the College.

Midway through the first half, several players including senior business marketing major Ella Van Dine and sophomore undeclared major Alyssa Alfano, took shots on goal. Van Dine’s shots went wide and high, while Alfano’s attempts also failed to get past Bell.

In the 21st minute, the Lions were left shocked as the Red Hawks’ Aileen Cahill scored an equalizer, leaving both teams tied as the first half concluded.

As the second half began, both teams sought to gain the upper hand.

D’Imperio tried to score with a header in the 45th minute, but Bell once again kept it out of the net. Bell’s great play did not stop the Lions from scoring. In the 67th minute, Allie O’Keefe, a senior elementary education major, broke the tie with her first goal of the season, putting the College ahead.

“The team was good at sticking to our training and staying focused, in the second half especially,” said Ava Curtis. “Our mindset was that we had to win.”

The Lion’s momentum continued as Alfano scored her third goal of the season two minutes later, extending the Lions’ lead to 3-1. Alfano proved to be a powerhouse on the field, securing another goal in the 76th minute with an assist from O’Keefe, putting the Lions up 4-1.

The Lions celebrated their first consecutive NJAC crown since their three-year run from 2017 to 2019.

“I’m so proud of the team for staying undefeated so far this season. We have been continuously improving and I’m excited for the postseason,” Curtis said. “It feels great to win it again, this team has been working so hard this season and it feels well deserved. Also, I think it gave us some confidence for the start of NCAAs.” With this victory, the Lions now have an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, and will host first round games on Saturday, Nov. 16.

Field hockey loses during annual Play4TheCure game

Lions player controlling the ball.

By Olivia Trasser Correspondent The College’s field hockey team faced off against No. 2-ranked Salisbury in a game that went beyond the scoreboard. Saturday’s regular-season finale was the Lions’ annual Play4TheCure game, where players, coaches and fans came together to support the fight against cancer. Both teams showcased their competitive drive, but Salisbury ultimately emerged with a 1-0 victory.

Lions players set aside their usual navy socks for game days, instead wearing pink socks in tribute to those affected by breast cancer.

For over a decade, the College’s Play4TheCure game has embraced the mission of using sports to give back, channeling their competitive drive into a cause that transcends athletics.

Despite the single-goal setback, the College performed admirably, outshooting Salisbury 10-9 and putting constant pressure on their opponent.

Salisbury, who conquered seven nationally ranked teams this season, scored the only goal just 3 minutes, 55 seconds into the game. Regan Nacrelli netted the goal, tallying it as her fourth of the season.

The Lions responded with determination, especially during the first half. Senior nursing major Rayhanah Ahmed led the Lions’ efforts with four shots on goal, while teammates Claire Engebreth and Isabel Maher both contributed two attempts. This helped

Photo byElizabeth Gladstone

the College keep pressure on Salisbury’s defense throughout the match.

Salisbury’s goalie Abbey McIlvain blocked the Lions’ best attempts, recording four saves and securing the shutout.

The Lions defense stiffened, with junior goalkeeper Brigitte Racey making five key saves to take her save tally to 58 on the season, keeping the Lions within striking distance.

Salisbury capitalized on penalty corners, claiming a 10-5 advantage in that area, but the Lions’ resilience was evident up until the final whistle.

As the College heads into the NJAC tournament hoping to hoist up a trophy at the end of it, they’ll look to bring the same tough mentality Sharon Pfluger teaches the team to bring to the field every game.

Entering her 39th season as head coach, Pfluger has been recognized as the winningest coach in all of Division III sports. The victory over William Paterson on Saturday, Oct. 12 earned Pfluger the record for the most wins in Division III history.

Coach Pfluger and the Lions look to pursue an NJAC championship title, a key step toward advancing in the NCAA Tournament.

While the game against Salisbury may have ended in defeat, the Lions walked off the field with heads held high, knowing their efforts extended far beyond the final score.

Saturday’s matchup meant more than a win or loss on the scoreboard; it was about coming together as a community to support the impact of playing for a cure.

Men’s basketball focused on preparation it looks to defend NJAC title

The Lions have a record of 2-0.

By Aidan Mastandrea Sports Editor As the calendar has hit November and basketball season is set to get underway, the College’s men’s basketball team will be looking to carry the momentum from a year ago.

After a solid regular season, the Lions went on the road for all three NCAA tournament games, culminating in their first NJAC title since 2020.

There will be no more flying under the radar for a squad that is full of talent and experience, led by head coach Matthew Goldsmith. Coming off of a championship can be tough for some teams, with a sense of complacency naturally seeping into some players’ minds. Goldsmith has spent the offseason making sure that does not happen.

“Our concern has been the loss

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

of a chip on our shoulder, so we are trying to cultivate that while keeping that confidence or swagger that comes with winning a championship and returning so many guys,” said Goldsmith.

Maintaining confidence should come naturally as the Lions are returning their leaders in almost every major stat category. Juniors Nick Koch and Matthew Solomon both earned All-NJAC honors and should only get better with yet another offseason of preparation under their belt.

Koch led the offense from the point guard spot, averaging 17.7 points to go along with 4.5 assists last season.

Solomon anchors the back court, putting up gaudy numbers almost every night a season ago. He ended the season averaging a double double with 11.6 points and 10.5 rebounds

per game.

“Having those guys back and having them be the most willing to be really coached up…it spreads throughout the whole roster,” said Goldsmith.

Senior wing Matthew Okorie is also a major part of this Lions squad.

After a fairly slow start to his college career, the 6-foot-7-inch engineering science major took a major leap in 2023-24. Starting all 26 games, Okorie averaged 11.6 points and 7 rebounds a game. With his size and length, Okorie is a tough matchup for any of the College’s opponents and should continue to have success night in and out.

While what Goldsmith labeled as the team’s “Big 3” is returning, the College lost two heavy contributors in fifth year players James Beckwith and Jason Larranega. The Lions roster is deep and they will be able to replace the production on the court, but the leadership of those two will be missed.

“Luckily for us, [Beckwith] and [Larranaga] taught us a lot about leadership,” Solomon said. “The coaches have done an amazing job of creating a culture where we all hold each other accountable, whether that’s a senior to a freshman or vice versa.”

There will be a familiar face on the bench for the Lions as the season kicks off. Former star and 2023 graduate Danny Bodine is back in a graduate assistant coach role.

It has become a custom for many of Goldsmith’s former players to

venture into coaching and begin their journey with the College. Point guard Eric Murdock ‘18 was an assistant on the 2020 championship team, while PJ Ringel ‘21 was on the bench for last season’s title.

“They understand what we stand for, what we are about, what matters to us versus what doesn’t,” said Goldsmith. “The experience at the school itself, I think it lends itself to a really easy transition and is always beneficial to the program.”

The College hasn’t faced expectations as high as this since the 2021 season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The championship is a great accomplishment, but the NJAC is one of the best conferences in the country and will be full of tough matchups for the Lions. Programs like Stockton, Rowan and Montclair State are always competitive and this season will be no different.

“My main goal is to be in a position to make the NCAA tournament no matter what happens in the NJAC,” said Goldsmith.

In order for that to happen the Lions will have to outperform their regular season record from last year, but with more experience under this roster’s belt, the goal is certainly attainable.

The NJAC title defense began with two wins against Centenary University and Drew University, respectively. The Lions will have their home opener in Packer Hall on Friday, Nov. 15 against Baruch College.

TCNJ football lock up first winning season in over a decade

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

The College finish their season against Christopher Newport.

By Tyler Morello Staff Writer With a victory against William Paterson University on Saturday, Nov. 9, the College’s football team claimed their first winning season since 2011.

It was not quite the showing that fans have seen from the Lions’ offense as of late, but they were able to convert timely downs while the defense was able to keep the now 1-8 Pioneers at bay to win 21-14.

The Lions were perhaps seeking a blowout win against a William Paterson squad that has had some serious struggles in conference play this year. The Pioneers dropped to 0-5 against schools in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, and the Lions moved to 3-2.

William Paterson came out of the gates with a different type of intensity than they have had in previous games, as they were still searching for their

first conference win.

The Lions were immediately on upset watch when the Pioneers returned a fumble to the house on the very first drive of the game. This matchup may have been one that was overlooked within the College’s locker room, but this early wake up call shifted the mentality of the Lions sideline.

Then down 7-0, the offense strung together a seven-play 67 yard drive, highlighted by a 32-yard completion to junior tight end Patrick Obrey, followed by a one yard rushing touchdown from senior running back Jayson Schmidt.

The College’s defense then forced the first of many three and outs on the Pioneers’ offense. They received great field position at their own 43 yard line, and got down into the red zone thanks to a long catch by fifthyear tight end Thomas Burke.

Schmidt ran in for his second

touchdown of the game to put the Lions up 14-7 midway through the first quarter. Senior Amir Vick came up with his second interception in as many games when the Pioneers were in the red zone early in the second quarter.

Both offenses seemed to stall out at this point, as the score went unchanged into halftime.

Toward the end of the 3rd quarter, Schmidt punched in his third touchdown of the game from the five yard line.

What seemed like a comfortable lead quickly shifted after a 52-yard kick return from the Pioneers to start themselves off into the Lions’ territory.

After a couple of runs to get down to the Lions’ seven yard line, the defense was up for a crucial third down. They were able to stand strong and come away with a fumble recovery. Junior Christian Bennett forced the fumble while junior Dave Giulian recovered.

The Lions were able to chew out most of the clock in the fourth quarter, before the Pioneers scored a 69yard touchdown on a deep prayer on fourth down. The Lions successfully recovered the onside kick try and knelt out the final seconds of the game.

Fifth-year quarterback Trevor Bopp had an uncharacteristic stat line for his standards, only completing 13 of his 29 pass attempts without any touchdowns. He was effective in those 13 completions, however, throwing

for 231 yards.

Fellow fifth-year Malin Jasinski was coming off three straight contests with at least 10 receptions, 100 yards, and a touchdown, but failed to reach any of these marks.

The winning season was secured, and now the College’s attention turns to their final matchup of the 2024 season against Christopher Newport University on Saturday, Nov. 16, as they try to put an exclamation mark on a terrific season.

TCNJ Athletics Schedule Men’s Basketball Friday, Nov. 15, 5 p.m Home against Baruch College Football Friday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m Away at Christopher Newport Women’s Swimming Friday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m Away at Kean University Cross Country Saturday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m Metro Region Championship Women’s Soccer Saturday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m Home against Kean