Spring '25 Issue No. 11

The Signal

Vol. LIII, No. 11

https://www.tcnjsignalnews.com/

March 28, 2025

Serving The College of New Jersey since 1885

College hires Tyler State budget proposes cut in funding for TCNJ The Moody as head football

Photo by Victoria Gladstone

Gov. Phil Murphy proposed the state budget on Feb. 25 for the upcoming fiscal year.

By Victoria Gladstone Former Editor-in-Chief The College may see less state funding this upcoming fiscal year than previous years, according to the current draft of the New Jersey state budget.

The proposed amount of funding for the College in fiscal year 2026 is $32.5 million, despite it requesting $84 million from the state, according to the state’s budget detail.

Last year, the College received $34.4 million.

“While the governor has proposed cuts, we will be working through the legislative process to advocate for adequate investment

Beloved community restaurant Stella’s Pizza closes after 44 years

By Aidan Mastandrea News Editor

Stella’s Pizza, a mainstay in the Ewing community, closed for good on March 17 after over 44 years in business.

The store was opened in 1981, named after the late Stella Giordano who owned the store with her husband Pete. Stella sadly passed away in May 2020, and her obituary states that her and her husband’s goal when opening the store was “to treat each customer like family and to put love into everything that came out of their kitchen.”

Stella’s was located in the Glen Roc shopping center on the corner of Scotch and Upper Ferry Roads.

Its location never changed in its 44 years of existence. Other restaurants such as Metro Grill and Deli Licious also call the Glen Roc shopping center home.

See PIZZA page 2

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in higher education,” said Luke Sacks, head of media relations at the College, in an email statement. He says the College will continue to “strongly advocate for additional financial support from the state.”

Changes may be made to the budget if lobbyists are able to persuade the state to provide more funding for the College.

Gov. Phil Murphy first introduced this state budget proposal during his final address at the State House on Feb. 25. The state will provide $685.2 million in funding to “ensure stability and future success” for New Jersey’s public institutions, according to the budget in brief.

Jennifer Keyes-Maloney, executive

director of the New Jersey State Colleges and Universities Association and previous lobbyist for the College, is now working alongside many others to advocate for more support than what’s currently allotted for several institutions, including the College.

“The need is great out there right now,” said Keyes-Maloney in a phone interview, speaking to the vast majority of high education institutions in need across the state.

Montclair State University’s state appropriations in the budget for FY 2026 decreased by 9% and Rowan University saw a proposed 8% decrease in potential funds.

With the looming question surrounding what federal funding might look like under the Trump administration, legislators like State Sen. Andrew Zwicker, a Democrat from South Brunswick, are concerned about how potential federal cuts to research grants and student aid might affect New Jersey’s higher education institutions.

“A small liberal arts college, at its core, is multi-disciplinary and trains in a variety of [studies] like philosophy and English,” said Zwicker, who labeled himself a proud graduate of Barton College, a small, liberal arts school in upstate New York. “In the end, these are all critical thinkers that enter our economy and become these wonderfully productive members. But these are attacks on critical thinking itself.”

During the next few weeks, the state legislature will work to make changes to the proposed budget and look to finalize it in June. Advocates may be able to adjust the amount appropriated for the College among other universities, but ultimately the future of higher education funding is still very much up for debate.

coach

By Joseph Caruso Staff Writer The College officially welcomed Tyler Moody as the 14th football head coach in school history, Director of Athletics Liz Shatkus announced on Monday, Feb. 24.

Moody spent 14 years at Stonehill University, now a Division I program, where he worked all over the ball — coaching quarterbacks, offensive line and linebackers. He was the offensive coordinator for the past nine years, simultaneously acting as the associate head coach for the previous four seasons before his departure.

Despite most of his coaching experience coming on the offensive side of the ball, Moody is confident in his abilities to be a balanced head coach, not just on the field, but as a leader and example for players.

“I want to be the head coach for all, to be more of a player ’s head coach, not necessarily an offensive-minded or defensive-minded or anything like that,” Moody said.

“Football is tough and competitive, I just wanna win ball games. I think a lot of people think I’m coming into this being an offensive head coach, I’ll take that — also I’ll take being a defensive head coach, and I’ll take being a line coach, and I’ll take being a guy who just wants to run fast and hit hard.”

See FOOTBALL page 16

Margo DelliCarpini appointed TCNJ’s provost and vice president of academic affairs

By Tristan Weisenbach Editor-in-Chief Margo DelliCarpini will be the College’s next provost and vice president of academic affairs beginning on July 1, according to an email sent to the campus community from President Michael Bernstein.

Feedback from the campus community after DelliCarpini’s campus visit earlier this month was “extremely positive,” the email said.

“I am thrilled and honored to be joining TCNJ as the next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and look forward to working with President Bernstein and the campus community,” DelliCarpini said in a statement provided to The Signal. “The mission of TCNJ is aligned with my own professional values and commitment to public higher education that truly transforms lives and values access, affordability and excellence.”

DelliCarpini will be leaving her position as vice president for commonwealth campuses and executive chancellor at Pennsylvania State University, which she began in 2023. Previously, she was

FEATURES

Nina Branchizio

page 5

Womens basketball star took home the NJAC player of the year award.

OPINIONS

Penn State Abington’s chancellor and a professor of linguistics, beginning in 2021.

She departs Penn State at a time when the university is exploring the possible closure of a number of its commonwealth campuses. In a Feb. 25 message, Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi announced that the university had “exhausted reasonable alternatives to maintain the current number of campuses.”

In the message, Bendapudi said that she was appointing three administration

officials, including DelliCarpini, to co-lead a group that would produce final recommendations on the “future composition of the Commonwealth Campus ecosystem.” Penn State currently operates 20 commonwealth campuses.

At the College, DelliCarpini will be taking over the role of departing Interim Provost Suzanne McCotter, who has accepted the position of dean of graduate programs at Bank Street College of Education in Manhattan, New York.

DelliCarpini will begin her role on July 1.

Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania State University

page 6

National language order

President Trump’s recent executive order aims to designate English as the United States’ official language.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

page 13

Selena Gomez Album

Review of Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s new album “I said I love you first.”

SPORTS

page 16

Swim National Championships The College’s swim team produced 10 All-Americans at this years national championships.

page 2 The Signal March 28, 2025

NJEJA representatives discussed environmental justice initiatives during presentation

Photo by Raeanne Raccagno

Shabazz and Harris taught the audience about environmental injustice.

By Raeanne Raccagno Copy Editor Two representatives from the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance gave a presentation on March 12 at the College about environmental injustice and how affected communities and others are fighting against it.

Halimah Shabazz, Green Careers program manager for NJEJA, and Quiya Harris, Green Careers vista for NJEJA, shared their experiences of living in areas that were not as environmentally friendly compared to surrounding residences.

“Although I lived across the street from a park, there were so many things around me that let me know that my neighborhood was not as cared for as the surrounding neighborhoods,” Shabazz said. “Due to things like lots of trash and the sewers and catch basins, there weren’t really a lot of trees.”

According to their website, NJEJA is a coalition of New Jersey-based individuals and organizations who are united to “identify, prevent, and reduce and/or eliminate environmental injustices that exist in communities of color and low-income communities.” Some of their efforts include supporting impacted neighborhoods’ efforts to rebuild and remediate.

The primary focus of the presentation discussed the struggles current overburdened communities are facing and some of the efforts underway to help release them. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes overburdened communities as low-income, minority, tribal and Indigenous populations with a greater exposure to environmental hazards, potentially experiencing disproportionate environmental risks.

Shabazz described New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law as a “huge win.”

It requires the Department of Environmental Protection to assess possible impacts some firms could bring to overburdened communities’ environmental and public health.

The development of overburdened communities is a result of redlining. Redlining is the practice of withholding services, especially mortgages, to those who live in neighborhoods declared as “hazardous.”

Harris said the term “hazardous” came from the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation, which ceased in 1951. In 1968, redlining was outlawed with the Fair Housing Act, and Shabazz said environmental justice was essentially born in 1970.

The start of environmental justice came from a middle-class Black neighborhood in Houston, raising questions about a solid waste

facility in their area. According to Shabazz, 80% of the waste tonnage that was in Houston was in Black neighborhoods, and at the time, only 25% of the city’s population was Black.

Harris quoted a news article by NJ Spotlight News that said Camden was a redlining hotspot in the U.S. “This just underscores that the practice still exists, even if it goes by a different name or no name at all, or if people are still taking elements of the original practice of redlining and applying it today,” Harris said.

She also explained the multitude of social, economic and environmental challenges that formerly redlined neighborhoods face, including health issues like increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, asthma and diabetes, reduced life expectancy and increased reproductive risks, especially during pregnancies.

Redlining is also the biggest contributor to sacrifice zones, which are populated areas with high pollution levels and environmental dangers. The pollution comes from nearby toxic industrial facilities or brownfields, which are former commercial sites that are unusable from pollution.

Discussing the surrounding area, Harris said that one of Trenton’s biggest environmental injustice issues is brownfields due to its industrial history. She said that the decontamination process is very difficult and takes years to complete.

“I do want to note that a lot of these issues and their impacts are felt outside of the city confines of Trenton, especially air pollution, because the air is not going to stop at a city border,” Harris said.

The pair also showed a trailer for a documentary, “Sacrifice Zone,” which highlights the Ironbound neighborhood in Newark, one of the neighborhoods in New Jersey with the most polluting facilities.

The two also shared their involvement with recent Newark community efforts against the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission starting a fourth gas-fueled power plant in the city.

The approval to begin the power plant was given by New Jersey’s DEP in February. Mayor Ras J. Baraka of Newark stated in the same month, “In a city struggling to dig out from under decades of environmental injustices, the

state’s greenlighting of Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission’s construction of Newark’s fourth gas-fueled power plant comes as an assault that we are prepared to fight in court.”

The Ironbound Community Corporation, founded in 1969, along with other environmental leaders, has been speaking out against the construction, and recently the company has decided to table the decision.

Along with local efforts to combat environmental injustice, Shabazz and Harris also encouraged students to take advantage of their school’s resources to learn more about the issue and to help navigate interest in a green career.

“All work towards it [environmental injustice] is useful,” Shabazz said. “That goes by engaging with those people in the community, engaging with people in your community, not just doing something that you think is helpful, but asking, ‘hey, what is actually helpful here?’

That’s how you make it more meaningful and so it doesn’t feel like it’s for nothing.”

Another focus of the talk was the mental health attacks that residents in environmentally underserved areas experience and how to incorporate emotional support in environmental justice actions.

“These different types of air pollution can cause a lot of different types of mental health effects,” Harris said. “The biggest one being chronic stress in high levels of cortisol, because that can absolutely ruin your body in so many different ways. A lot of them also cause anxiety and depression.”

She also explained during the presentation how a mixture of pollutants in the air can have unpredictable effects on medication, since residents will not know what type of exact contaminants they’re breathing in, and how contaminated air can cause cognitive decline, particularly in older generations. Contaminated water in districts can also lead to cognitive impairment and developmental issues in children.

“What messages are you sending to children that grow up in these communities?” Kathleen Grant, associate professor of counselor education and organizer of the event, said during the forum. “And just putting on a mental health lens, how that can impact children’s feelings of worthiness in the long run.”

Increase in car boots issued to students with unpaid parking tickets PIZZA / Closed

Graph by Victoria Gladstone

There have been 34 boots issued so far this academic year.

By Victoria Gladstone Former Editor-in-Chief Campus Police has reported an increase in the number of car boots issued to students with three unpaid parking tickets compared to previous years at this point in the semester.

There have been 34 cases of car boots issued on campus this academic year, according to Campus Police, a figure close to surpassing the totals from the last two school years of 36 and 35, respectively.

Officer Claude Mastrosimone believes that the police station’s new parking management system AIMS, which was put into use as of last August, has made the ticketing process more organized and

therefore easier to track those who are considered “bootable.”

It costs $50 to remove car boots, along with the payments of the other unpaid tickets. Parking tickets can vary from anywhere between $25 to $100 based on the severity of the violation.

Mastrosimone says that while he understands the higher initial cost of parking passes, it will save students the trouble of dealing with parking penalties.

Undergraduate commuters pay $88.50 for a semester pass or $159.93 for a full year.

“It stinks because they’re not cheap, but to avoid getting the tickets and being inconvenienced with a boot later on late at night, it’s a lot easier doing it this way,” said Mastrosimone.

Students of the College who have unpaid parking fines will now also have holds on their PAWS account for fall class registration, according to an announcement by parking services on March 24.

Special education graduate student Gabriela Thomas said she was booted last month when she parked in the roundabout by Lot 17, located at the education building. She described the day it happened as “awful” because it immobilized her car for a few hours after she paid the tickets and forced her to miss her work shift as a behavioral therapist in East Windsor.

Despite having already been ticketed multiple times for parking in designated visitor spots around campus, Thomas insists that she will be parking at the closest places on campus to where her classes are. She got a parking pass for the semester the day she got the car boot.

“I need my car to be accessible,” said Thomas. “I can never find any spots [in Lot 17]. It’s better than having to walk far.”

Photo by Andre Paras

Parking tickets range from $25-$100.

Continued from page 1

“I already moved away from my childhood hometown, but this just felt like another piece of my childhood home is gone,” said 27-year-old Madison Stewart, a former Ewing resident who now lives in Michigan.

“I usually would come back and visit and I would always stop at Stella’s, so I feel as if I’ll never get my last chance to do that.”

Stellas wasn’t just known for their pizza; their menu donned specialty sandwiches such as a meatball parmesan or cheesesteak hoagie.

The front of Stella’s menu sported a simple but meaningful quote from the owners: “We appreciate your business - Giordano Family.” While short and to the point, the quote rang true and the Ewing community felt that appreciation from the Giordanos.

“I’ve been going to Stella’s for as long as I can remember,” said Stewart. “Stella and Pete were the nicest people. I would run up and down the shopping center visiting them.”

While Ewing is chock-full of places to get a slice of pizza, the impact that the Giordano family had on the community through their store will be missed.

“Stella’s felt like you were visiting your Italian family’s house for dinner,” said Stewart. “They will truly be a missed staple in Ewing.”

March 28, 2025 The Signal page 3

Student Government gets an update and demonstration on new training sessions

Photo courtesy of Tasneem Omar

Robert O’Keefe, fire safety specialist, taught the general body how to perform CPR.

By Raeanne Raccagno Copy Editor Representatives from the College’s Office of Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Medical Services informed and demonstrated emergency situations to the room before the Student Government general body discussed bills and resolutions on March 5.

Recently, the College’s Facilities team started giving familiarization training sessions with the tools after taking suggestions from SG’s Oct. 23 general body meeting. Alexander Brenner, an EMS member and training captain at the College, gave a presentation on AEDs, Narcan and

Stop the Bleed kits.

In his short presentation, Brenner stressed the importance of these devices and having the knowledge to address a medical emergency.

“On average, the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivability rate is less than 10%,” Brenner said. “However, there is a review study done that showed that medical layperson, bystander CPR where an AED was used and defibrillated, there is a median survivability of 53%.”

Every building and athletic field has an AED and Stop the Bleed kit, but outside spaces do not have Narcan due to the temperature fluctuations causing chemical instability. Brenner also said that AEDs are made for

Trenton-Mercer Airport claims label as ‘shortest walk’ amid renovation plans

Photo courtesy of Wikkimedia Commons

The Trenton-Mercer Airport handles around 85,000 flights a year.

By Aidan Mastandrea News Editor With a rumored $300 million expansion on the horizon, the TrentonMercer Airport currently holds the title as the airport with the shortest walk from the entrance to the gate in the United States, based on a study done by Kuru Footwear.

Kuru’s findings show that the TrentonMercer Airport’s walking distance from its entrance to the gate was only .003 miles. In comparison, the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, which was found to be the longest walk, had a distance of 1.50 miles from entrance to gate.

“We just put this out a couple of years ago and it has really resonated with people. Travel has had this huge bounce back since COVID,” said Kuru’s Media Relations Specialist Victoria Schmid.

The Trenton-Mercer Airport sits only 3.5 miles from the College’s campus, off of Sam Weinroth Road.

“The short distance is amazing,” said Kelly Connely, a University of Florida graduate and Ringoes resident. “You don’t have to go to the airport so early and when you’re in the line for security, you can see the gate.”

The airport may be small, but it handles approximately 85,000 take-offs

and landings per year, according to the airport’s website.

“Looking back on my time in that air travel hub, I think very fondly of my experience,” said Joseph Sei, a graduate of the College who used the airport a few times every year while in Ewing.

The airport will reportedly have a different look coming in 2026. According to the Bucks County Herald, the renovations will include a new terminal and air traffic control tower, among other amenities.

Upon hearing of the renovations, Sei hopes they will “increase the amount of terminals so they can fly more flights out of it,” while “also adding more options for food and drink.”

The Federal Aviation Administration approved the renovation plans back in 2022, and according to phillyburbs.com, the airport’s current terminal is 25,000 square feet and was built in the 1970s.

There has been backlash from local residents regarding the expansion regarding noise and other complaints, according to the Bucks County Herald, but the renovation plans will continue.

“Every time I’m flying, I look at TTN flights first because of the convenience of it,” said Connely.

those not medically educated because they will articulate the steps to the user.

While covering Narcan, Brenner said how the reverse opioid overdose medication “is not life-saving” and how it’s important to call 911 or the campus police line.

He explained that the respiratory rate during an overdose is decreased, and the body will not be providing oxygen properly, so someone will be barely breathing or not breathing while also being very pale with a blue face, lips or extremities.

Students can take a 20-minute state college training for Narcan, take a picture of their certificate and present it to Student Health Services to get two free naloxone doses.

Brenner then discussed Stop the Bleed kits, which have a tourniquet, sharpie, gloves, compact trauma bandage and an instruction pamphlet.

Before explaining how to use the tourniquet, Brenner addressed a common belief that applying a tourniquet means you will lose the limb, which he claims is somewhat false. He said the tourniquet could be on for two to three hours before permanent tissue damage occurs. The sharpie in the kit also marks the time on the tourniquet when it was applied.

The training captain also highlighted the importance of wearing gloves while helping someone bleeding out.

“Whenever you’re helping

someone, you need to make sure you don’t get injured yourself or harmed or sick or whatever,” Brenner said.

“Because if you get injured, then you can’t help that person.”

After explaining all the instruments to the general body, Brenner then invited students to come up to the front of the room to try the training devices out themselves. Robert O’Keefe, a fire safety specialist, and Andrew Iannaccone, a campus police officer, also helped out with instructing.

When students were practicing with the tourniquet, they were surprised at how compressed the contraption gets. Brenner illustrated how it will cause discomfort to the injured person, but said how being in pain from the tightness is better than dying from bleeding out.

While practicing CPR, students encouraged each other by singing “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, a song known for having the beat at which CPR should be performed.

“I thought TCNJ EMS did an amazing job with an approachable, hands on, educational, and (above all) potentially life saving presentation,” said Eitan Halevi, student governments vice president for advancement, in a text message to the Signal. “I encourage all students to engage with the many trainings that they host. Though we should always hope for the best, you never know when you might need it.”

page 4 The Signal March 28, 2025

Cop Shop: Steals, scams and sausage sandwiches

By Alena Bitonti Arts & Entertainment Editor

The Signal and Campus Police work together on a weekly basis to inform the campus community a b o u t c r i m e o n a n d a ro u n d c a m p u s . A l l re c o rd s g i v e n t o T h e S i g n a l a re p u b l i c re c o rd s a n d d o not contain personal information.

S o m e i n f o r m a t i o n p ro v i d e d m a y be triggering for some students.

Booted vehicles Between March 3 and March 25, there were seven booted vehicles on campus. A vehicle is eligible to be booted if it has three or more unpaid citations. Campus Police has reported an increase in the number of car boots compared t o p r e v i o u s y e a r s , l a rg e l y d u e t o A I M S , t h e p o l i c e s t a t i o n ’s n e w parking management system.

M a rc h 3 : B u r n t b u r r i t o Campus Police were dispatched to Allen, Brewster and Ely Hall at approximately 9:34 p.m. on the report of an activated fire alarm.

Upon arrival, the fire alarm panel read an activated smoke detector c o m i n g f r o m a r o o m i n B r e w s t e r.

The resident advised that he was attempting to heat a burrito in the microwave, got distracted, and left the burrito in the microwave for too long.

The Ewing Fire Department responded shortly after to assist, and confirmed the cause of activation was due to careless cooking. The fire alarm panel was reset.

M a rc h 5 : S t e a m l e a k At approximately 10:23 a.m., Campus Police were dispatched to the Science Complex for an activated fire alarm. Strobes and audibles were active upon arrival, and evacuation was in progress.

No smoke or fire was present in the area.

The Ewing Fire Department responded and determined that a steam leak in the basement of the Chemistry building had triggered the alarm.

H VA C personnel arrived shortly after and resolved the issue.

M a rc h 6 : N o s e b l e e d An employee working at the Brower Student Center was experiencing a nosebleed at approximately 2:54 p.m. Campus Police were dispatched to the Student Center and met with the employee who was holding a paper towel to her nose. She stated she had been holding her nose for about 15 minutes.

EMS arrived on scene and transported the patient to Capital H e a l t h R e g i o n a l M e d i c a l C e n t e r.

March 7: Just add water On the report of an active fire alarm, Campus Police were dispatched to Norsworthy Hall at approximately 12:50 a.m. Upon arrival, the fire alarm panel advised that the smoke detector in a room on the second floor was the activation point. A burnt odor was present in the hallway of t h e s e c o n d f l o o r. C a m p u s P o l i c e observed smoke throughout the room that was created by charred mac and cheese shells in a microwaveable cup.

Ewing Fire Squad arrived on scene at approximately 12:56 a.m.

and agreed the cause was careless cooking. The alarm was reset, and Norsworthy residents reoccupied the building. Residents were reminded by Campus Police to use water when microwaving mac and cheese.

M a rc h 7 : M e d i c a l re p o r t At approximately 5:15 a.m., Campus Police were dispatched to Phelps Hall on the report of a student having trouble feeling her legs. After speaking with the patient, who was in a wheelchair at the time of arrival, Campus Police were informed that she had been feeling numbness in her legs and was unable to stand. The patient was also feeling dizzy and nauseous.

Lions EMS and Ewing EMS arrived on scene shortly after to assist. Ewing EMS transported the patient to Capital Health Hopewell for further care.

M a rc h 8 : C a n d l e A f t e r a c a n d l e s e t o ff a r e s i d e n t ’s s m o k e a l a r m , C a m p u s Police were dispatched to Decker Hall at approximately 2:52 a.m.

Upon arrival, a floral-like odor was present throughout the f l o o r, a n d a n a u d i b l e a l a r m w a s sounding inside the room. The resident had already disposed o f t h e c a n d l e b e f o r e o ff i c e r s arrived.

Ewing F i r e Squad 30 arrived at 3:02 a.m., inspected the room, a n d

confirmed there was no smoke or fire. The fire alarm was reset, and the building was deemed safe.

It was determined that the resident had removed a piece of the smoke detector in an attempt to stop the alarm and was advised not to tamper with it in the future.

Fire personnel reattached the piece before clearing the scene.

M a rc h 1 0 : A d a n g e ro u s g a m e At 8:37 p.m., Campus Police responded to a medical call at the Rec Center for an intramural basketball player who had injured his left ankle. Upon arrival at C o u r t 3 a t 8 : 3 8 p . m . , t h e p l a y e r ’s l e g w a s e l e v a t e d o n a c h a i r, a n d ice was being applied to his ankle.

He reported no other pain. Lions EMS arrived at 8:42 p.m. and assumed patient care. The patient refused further medical attention.

Later that evening, at 9:24 p . m , o ff i c e r s r e s p o n d e d t o C o u r t 2 in the Rec Center for another medical incident involving a player with a dislocated right kneecap. The individual was sitting in a chair with ice applied to his knee upon the arrival of Campus Police. He stated that he felt his knee pop upon landing from a jump but reported no other pain. Lions EMS arrived

at 9:28 p.m. and assumed patient care. The patient refused further medical attention.

M a rc h 11 : M i s s i n g c a s h A student reported a theft at t h e C a m p u s To w n F i t n e s s C e n t e r at approximately 12:38 p.m. He stated that he had placed his belongings in a locker without a lock before working out, and upon returning, he discovered that $150 in cash was missing from his book bag. He believed the money may have been taken by a white male, approximately 5’9” and 150 pounds, with brown c u r l y h a i r, a s t h i s i n d i v i d u a l w a s present in the locker room at the time.

H o w e v e r, t h e s t u d e n t c o u l d n o t positively identify the suspect.

O ff i c e r s i n f o r m e d t h e s t u d e n t t h a t there are no cameras in the locker room or gym area and advised him of the case number and complaint procedures.

M a rc h 1 3 : S c a m After a student began receiving messages and calls from an unknown suspect, Campus Police were contacted. The suspect began sending the student a photo of themselves, suggesting they had been following the student on Instagram. They then demanded $500, threatening t o r u i n t h e s t u d e n t ’s l i f e a n d report t h e m to the FBI. The suspect also c l a i m e d they would distribute n u d e p h o t o s of the student to everyone at the C o l l e g e , i n Tr e n t o n , a n d t o t h e s t u d e n t ’s f r i e n d s a n d f a m i l y. T h e s u s p e c t i n s t r u c t e d the student to purchase a $500 Apple gift card, but the student d i d n o t s e n d a n y m o n e y.

O ff i c e r s p r o v i d e d t h e s t u d e n t w i t h a r e p o r t n u m b e r, a v i c t i m notification form, and an email to submit screenshots of the conversation.

The student was advised to block the s u s p e c t ’s n u m b e r a n d c e a s e a l l communication. A search of t h e s u s p e c t ’s p h o n e n u m b e r i n CLEAR, which contains public record information and is also used for law enforcement and investigations, revealed no name a s s o c i a t e d w i t h i t . H o w e v e r, t h e number was linked to Greenfield, California, with a fraud score of 85. The number was flagged as being associated with scams, r o b o c a l l s , a n d f r a u d u l e n t a c t i v i t y.

M a rc h 1 4 : O v e r l o a d Campus Police responded to t h e l a u n d r y r o o m i n To w n h o u s e East for a report of smoke coming from a washing machine. Upon arrival at approximately 3:46 p.m., strobes and audibles were not activated, but the room was filled with smoke and a burning odor was emanating from washing

machine 15. The machine was unplugged, and the fire alarm pull station was activated at 3:50 p.m., prompting the building evacuation at 3:55 p.m.

The Ewing Fire Department arrived shortly after and determined the burning odor was caused by an overloaded machine.

The fire alarm was reset and students were allowed to re-enter the building.

M a rc h 1 5 : B a d c o o k A caller contacted Campus Police to report that the smoke a l a r m w e n t o ff i n h e r a p a r t m e n t at 100 Metzger Drive at 5:50 p.m.

U p o n a r r i v a l a t C a m p u s To w n , o ff i c e r s o b s e r v e d l i n g e r i n g s m o k e near the residence. The resident explained that she had been a t t e m p t i n g t o c o o k a h a m b u rg e r when the cooking got out of control, triggering the alarm.

B y t h e t i m e o ff i c e r s a r r i v e d , the smoke alarm had stopped sounding, and no other alarms were active in the building. The E w i n g To w n s h i p F i r e D e p a r t m e n t arrived at 5:51 p.m. and confirmed there was no threat present.

M a rc h 1 8 : S t o l e n w a l l e t Campus Police were dispatched t o t h e Ve r i z o n s t o r e i n C a m p u s To w n a t 1 2 : 5 0 p . m . o n M a r c h 1 8 for a report of a stolen wallet.

The victim, an employee, stated that his wallet had been taken during his shift on March 16 but was unaware until he finished work. Security footage showed two men entering the store at 3:02 p.m., spotting the wallet on a desk, covering it with one of their items, and removing both at the same time.

The suspects were described as Black males, one wearing black and white sneakers, tan workout pants, a black hoodie and a red flat-brimmed baseball cap, and the other wearing a navy blue t-shirt. The stolen wallet, valued at approximately $10, contained debit and credit cards that were later used for multiple fraudulent purchases, including a $271.99 transaction.

An attempted purchase at GameStop was unsuccessful after the victim reported the cards stolen.

Campus Police investigated a t a To t a l Wi r e l e s s s t o r e , w h e r e the owner confirmed a fraudulent $271.99 transaction matching t h e v i c t i m ’s b a n k s t a t e m e n t .

Surveillance footage linked the same two suspects from the Ve r i z o n s t o r e t o t h e f r a u d u l e n t purchase of an iPhone 13 at a n o t h e r To t a l Wi r e l e s s l o c a t i o n o p e r a t e d b y t h e s a m e o w n e r. T h e investigation is ongoing.

M a rc h 2 4 : B u r n t s a u s a g e On the report of an activated fire alarm, Campus Police arrived at Allen, Brewster and Ely Hall a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 11 : 4 0 a . m . T h e point of activation was a room in Brewster Hall, but upon arrival, no audible alarms or strobes were active. A burnt food odor was present, and the resident stated that the alarm was triggered after overcooking a sausage sandwich.

The Ewing Fire Department a r r i v e d o n t h e s c e n e a t 11 : 4 6 a.m., confirmed that the alarm had stopped, and determined that no further action was needed.

Features

Senior guard Nina Branchizio caps off historic season

Photo by Arion Owes

Senior guard Nina Branchizio won the NJAC Player of the Year title.

By Olivia Trasser Staff Writer Capping off a season filled with unforgettable moments and record-breaking performances, senior guard Nina Branchizio cemented her legacy in the College’s women’s basketball program.

Branchizio finished off her career with a New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Year award and multiple program records. As the Lions closed out their 2024-25 season, Branchizio’s

leadership, sharpshooting and relentless drive defined a season filled with milestones and success.

Branchizio’s final season in the College’s uniform was nothing short of spectacular. She also secured a spot on the All-NJAC First Team, solidifying her place among the conference’s elite performers. Throughout the season, Branchizio’s presence on the court was undeniable, and she etched her name in the record books in emphatic fashion.

In a decisive victory late in the season against

Alumni Adventures: Nicole Kirgan returns to TCNJ as adjunct professor

By Olivia Consuelo Ramos Correspondent Nicole Kirgan ‘13 returned to the College to become an adjunct professor this semester to teach on the same campus that inspired her to become a reporter.

Kirgan, who majored in journalism and professional writing at the College, wanted to teach a JPW course. She launched Non-Profit Communication, a new course that focuses on how to effectively convey the mission and values of an organization to gain supporters and mobilize resources.

Kirgan transferred to the College after graduating from Ocean County College in 2011. While she originally intended to become a Spanish teacher, an Introduction to Journalism course sparked her interest in the field.

“I have all of that collective insight and knowledge that I took along with me and here I am today able to impart that wisdom and knowledge onto students that can use that to discover their own interests and passion,” Kirgan said.

Kirgan’s interest in communications inspired her to get involved in journalism websites both on and off campus. She was an editor for the College’s Her Campus chapter, a national magazine written by student journalists from many different institutions. She was also an intern for SarahScoop, Lovelyish and Bauer Media Group.

During her last semester at the College, she was required to write articles for the Times of Trenton. She landed her first job out of college writing for that newspaper, at which she once wrote an article about the creation of Campus Town.

After being employed for several years as a communications manager at the New Jersey Department of Health, she was able to learn more about policy making directly from a

government agency.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Kirgan was then employed with The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education of New Jersey, where she was able to optimize her knowledge of government policy. She directed communications relating to the pandemic and helped modify public policies to better inform the public.

“I had a very valuable opportunity to sit at those meetings and understand how programs and laws were shaped and what considerations were considered when crafting public policy,” Kirgan said.

Kirgan currently serves as the senior director of communications at Taft Communications.

This public relations firm works with businesses to train their workers to communicate through social media. Their other main focus is to help businesses understand their goals, demographics and how they want to communicate with other businesses and their communities.

“I could be on call with a client talking about health, and the next call could be about sustainability and the next call after that could be about anything under the sun, so you really get a different flavor for multiple different industries, different thought leaders that we get to work with to help shape their own communication style,” Kirgan said.

She credits her time at the College and her journalism career for teaching her skills and providing mentors that helped her succeed. She was able to apply these lessons to her current career in the field of public relations.

Kirgan said she is delighted to have the opportunity to help guide students to discovering what they want to take from their education at the College.

“I’m just so thrilled to be back on campus sharing the insights that I gathered along my journey, to really help students discover their passion,” Kirgan said.

Montclair State, Branchizio made history by breaking two significant program records. Her six three-pointers in the game pushed her career total to 273, making her the all-time leader in career three-pointers at the College. Additionally, she set the single-season record for made threes with 85, surpassing yet another milestone in her standout career.

“It definitely felt full circle being named POY and passing those records with my 3s,” said Branchizio.

Branchizio expressed gratitude for her

journey and the team around her. “I’ve put a lot into this sport over the years, and it just felt really rewarding to finish it off in that way. I’m really thankful to play with the team I do; they supported me all the way through.”

In addition to her dominance from beyond the arc, Branchizio also climbed the program’s all-time scoring list, finishing with 1,126 career points. She became just the 18th player in the College’s women’s basketball history to reach the coveted 1,000-point milestone, a testament to her consistency and scoring talent throughout her career with the Lions.

Branchizio’s contributions extended far beyond individual accolades.As one of the driving forces of the team and co-captain with teammate Arianna McCleod, her leadership played a pivotal role in guiding the College through a competitive season. Her work ethic and dedication set the standard for the younger players, while her ability to lead by example also never went unnoticed.

Branchizio shared advice to future Lions players looking to leave their own mark on the program, emphasizing perseverance and relationships.

“I would say to just stay consistent. There are going to be ups and downs throughout your career, but managing them is key to being successful. I think the best thing I got from this program was my best friends,” said Branchizio.

“While leaving your mark is something everyone looks to do, it’s really the friendships you make that are the most valuable.”

While her time in the blue and gold has come to an end, her records and achievements will be remembered for years to come, alongside the relationships and friends she’s made throughout her career as a Lion.

You still have the power

By Raeanne Raccagno Copy Editor Most people have the notion that the climate crisis of our planet is out of our hands, but there are still everyday swaps or habits you can do to accomplish your part in helping keep a cleaner Earth. “You still have the power!” is a bi-weekly column in The Signal advising on the little things you can do to become more eco-friendly.

Topic of the week: Lower personal footprint to reduce air pollution Enjoy the scenery and slow down while driving. You can reduce your carbon emissions and make your gas last compared to speeding. On top of that, before you zone out in your parked car, don’t forget to turn it off so you’re not leaving it running for an extended amount of time.

Get involved with your local community, or

campus, gardens to plant more trees to help you and your neighbors breathe cleaner air. More trees help lower the air temperature, along with cleaning out pollutants.

As the weather gets warmer, make sure any backyard bonfires burn wood only and not trash.

According to Waste 360, studies have shown that burning household trash in burn barrels can release more toxins than municipal incinerators. The lowoxygen trash burns also last longer, releasing more chemicals into the air.

BBQ lovers, try using propane or another natural gas alternative instead of charcoal. It’s still emitting air pollutants, but it’s cleaner than charcoal, which can contribute to smog.

At home, look into natural lawn alternatives or consider raking instead of a leaf blower. Studies from the Environmental Protection Agency have found that natural gas-powered lawn tools account for a huge portion of the United States’gasoline emissions.

Graphic by Brooke Zevon

The US should not have an official language

By Natalia Tomczak Community Outreach Coordinator

“This is America. Speak English.”

This phrase is now backed by an executive order that was signed by President Donald Trump on March 1, which designated English as the official language of the United States.

The White House expressed that this executive order is symbolic to the nation’s founding documents, and therefore American culture. It also indicated that the action will promote unity and assimilation with new Americans.

I’d argue it does the complete opposite. This executive order is quite intentional with its wording — making it just contradictory enough that you may have missed the real meaning behind it.

The White House’s official website states that “this order recognizes and celebrates the long tradition of multilingual American citizens who have learned English and passed it to their children for generations to come.”

Rather than celebrating multilingual American citizens by preserving their linguistic heritage, this is a celebration of assimilation to American culture. This does not celebrate multilingualism and multiculturalism, but rather celebrates the loss of one’s non-American identity.

This executive order does not celebrate immigrants; it alienates them.

Through this order, the government has explicitly revoked executive order 13166, signed in 2000 to improve access to services for people with limited English proficiency.

The aim of this order was to enforce

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on a person’s national origin.

The White House’s official website says that agencies do not need to get rid of services they provide for languages other than English, but that they may “make decisions as they deem necessary.”

Essentially, upholding this civil right is no longer mandatory. Communication is made optional, and U.S. citizens are left unprotected against language-based discrimination. This order is an inherent undoing of previous protections, but it is promoted in the name of unity and liberty.

This order reflects American nativist mentalities that those who are born in America are superior to those who come to America from another county, and therefore speaking English is the superior mode of communication.

This mentality discourages the use of minority languages and promotes the English language as a part of national identity.

Beyond what this implies for speakers of languages other than English in the U.S., what does it imply for those who are disabled? Who may need interpreters, who are non-speaking or who may use alternative communication devices?

Beyond nativist undertones, this order has ableist implications.

To make English the official language of the U.S. is at odds with American principles and its history. As of March, the U.S. has been added to the international watchlist for nations with declining civic freedoms, and this executive order is a reflection of this decline.

There is a best fries spot on campus

Photo courtesy of Shane Gillespie

There are many places to get fries on campus.

By Greg Wolferman Correspondent I love a good food debate, and the College has no shortage of dining options, whether it’s Eickhoff hall, Blazin’ J’s or my favorite late night option, T-Dubs. There’s something for everyone. Many of these places have french fries, and with so many options to choose from, which one is the best? I have decided to give my two cents.

First up found in Campus Town is Blazin’ J’s. Now, I know they sell amazing chicken, but this is about the fries, and what I can say about their fries is they’re really good. The hand-cut fries could use some salt and maybe a bit of a fiery touch. Other than that, the southern seasoning on them is straight fire. On other hand, the fries can be hit or miss because they can taste amazing, but also be soggy. For this ranking, I will say 8/10.

Now onto the Brower Student Center.

We have two places here.

Starting with Traditions, I’m personally a big fan of this dining option. I love how their milkshakes are similar to Chick-fil-A, and just like Chick-fil-A, Traditions has waffle fries.

However, unlike Chick-fil-A, Traditions fries can be hit or miss. Sometimes their fries taste delectable, while other times they taste fine. I have had the experience of my fries tasting hard on the outside, but mushy and possibly cold on the inside. However, there is a silver lining for them — you can dip your fries in your milkshake for more flavor. By themselves, Traditions fries would be a 6/10, however the milkshake combination pushes them to about an 8/10.

Also in the stud is The Original Burger Company. OBC’s fries are always hot and crunchy. They aren’t too thick, nor are they too thin. They’re the perfect size for crispy but still firmly soft fries.

I do think they can be salty sometimes, but other than that they are delectable.

OBC gets a rating of 9/10 Now we go to Eickhoff Hall’s C-Street Grill. The fries here, if they’re even here at all, are usually very warm and firm. However, they could always use some salt and they do leave a little to be desired. They’re average — not overly fantastic but not incredibly terrible. The lack of salt and just “Eickyness” of them reduces their overall rating to a 7/10.

Read more on our website!

The U.S. was founded upon ideals of freedom and has always been full of diversity. The English language is full of loan words from Native American languages, Spanish, African languages, Italian, German, French, Yiddish and more.

Not only do they enrich the English language, they enrich the culture of the U.S. founding documents like the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, focused on principles of liberty, diversity and the rights of citizens.

To make English the official language would restrict the cultural and linguistic freedoms of citizens by imposing uniformity, not inclusivity.

English has become the dominant, or de facto, language of the U.S., but to make it official will cause an increase in linguistic discrimination, backed by the federal government.

Language is inextricably tied to identity. The number of people in the U.S. who speak a language other than English in the home has nearly tripled from 1980 to 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

When Latino adults were surveyed in 2011, 87% said Latino immigrants need to learn English to succeed, while 95% said it is important that future generations of U.S. Hispanics learn to speak Spanish.

As a Hispanic American, language is one of the most important ties I have to my culture. The mother tongue usually dies within three generations, and often Spanish disappears among Hispanic Americans.

Encouraging English discourages people from using their language of heritage, and in turn, separates them from their Hispanic identity. While as-

similation can be helpful for success in American society, it’s important to ask why.

Why must someone lose ties with their heritage in order to find success?

Why would the U.S. want to promote this by making English the official language, instead of celebrating diversity?

Promoting English disintegrates the cultural pride of non-English or multilingual Americans, urging them to prioritize English and the culture of the U.S. by forgetting their own. In reality, cultural pride and American pride can exist side by side, and Americans should not have to choose between the two.

Non-English speakers will always exist in the U.S. They will exist whether or not English is the official language. They will exist whether or not they are protected legally. They will exist, whether or not current non-English speakers learn English. Non-English speakers do not simply go away.

Diversity is part of American culture, whether the government wants to celebrate it or not. We often describe English learners’ way of speaking as a so-called broken English. It’s not broken. And they’re not going anywhere.

I have relatives who have lived in the U.S. for longer than they have lived in Argentina, yet their English will forever be described as broken.

Should American citizens be alienated simply because they weren’t born in America? Alienated because English is not their first language? Does it make them less of a U.S. citizen?

Promoting assimilation by othering non-native English speakers does not unify, it divides.

Editorials

Neutrality, the true purpose of journalism, is not apathy

As a student-run newspaper, we serve the role of giving the campus a voice and an outlet to relay information.

By Signal Editorial Board The White House announced last month that it plans to handpick which journalists are allowed entrance to its press conferences for coverage, with the selections being based on preferences for the media outlets they represent.

This comes following many other turns toward questioning the established media outlets we have, even at the expense of smaller yet dedicated journalistic institutions — l i k e o u r o w n n e w s p a p e r.

In times like these, we find it important to highlight what

journalism means to us, and what we feel our role is as reporters in this regard.

The initial accusation that often surrounds our profession is that o f j o u r n a l i s t i c i n t e g r i t y. W h i l e there is admittedly a push toward more opinionated-style takes in some forms of media, as opposed t o m o r e r e s e a r c h e d o ff e r i n g s , w e maintain that such a practice is l a rg e l y a n t i t h e t i c a l t o w h a t w e d o as journalists.

We p u t s o m u c h e ff o r t i n t o stripping ourselves of our biases for the sake of being neutral vessels of the truth. It would be

Photo by Andre Paras

so much easier for us to be as reactionary and resentful as the White House seems to think we are.

This insinuation, that our stories are crafted and designed t o m a k e o n e f e e l a c e r t a i n w a y, i s s i m p l y n o t r e a l i t y. A n y t i m e a w r i t e r ’s o p i n i o n i s b e i n g purposely communicated, it is clearly communicated as such — either being labeled an opinion or editorial article.

By the same token, neutrality i s n o t a p a t h y. W h i l e i t m a y b e interpreted as such, a lack of a biting tone in articles about

The Signal

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Editorial Staff

Tristan Weisenbach Editor-in-Chief Ally Uhlendorf Isabella Darcy Managing Editors

heavy hitting subjects is not born out of lack of care or empathy — but rather our continued commitment to being messengers for information, regardless of our personal feelings on events.

The fact such content is i n t e r p r e t e d i n t h a t w a y, w h e r e any story void of strong emotion i s s i m p l y d e e m e d a s h o l l o w, i s a concerning example of how journalism has been misrepresented on a wide-scale, recently furthered due to the polarized nature of our current political climate.

Our job is not to provide hot takes, or even searing indictments.

Even our most pointed stories are only an optical illusion based on your — the reader — preconceived notions while reading.

Journalism is about relaying and reporting information. Whatever narrative drawn or sentiment inspired by that information is meant to be something left to the r e a d e r. A l l w e a i m t o d o i s u n c o v e r and platform information for outside judgments to be informed from.

W h i l e t h e l a rg e r f o r c e s w i t h i n o u r c u l t u r e c o n t i n u e t o w a r, T h e Signal will continue to stand firm in striving toward our mission of nurturing an informed public, as well as upholding our code of ethics as we have done in the past.

In this era, support for journalism — especially local and student journalism — could not be more important. In doing so, you help keep yourself informed about the topics and issues that are most important to you and your daily life.

Administrative Staff Elizabeth Gladstone Multimedia Coordinator Andre Paras Video Editor Raeanne Raccagno Copy Editor Ela Kirimca Social Media Editor Amanda Incalcaterra Social Media Assistant

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Alena Bitonti Ashley Ragone Arts & Entertainment Editors

Liam Simonelli Sky Stewart Editorial Cartoonists

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Rebecca Heath Features Editor Eddie Young Sports Editor Parisa Burton Nation & World Editor

Natalia Tomczak Community Outreach Coordinator Kathleen Webber Faculty Advisor

POLICIES The Signal is published bi-weekly during the academic year and not financed by the Student Activity Fund, 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 at signal@tcnj.edu.

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Trump issues executive order to dismantle the US Department of Education

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

New executive order aims to dismantle the Department of Education.

By Briana Keenan Correspondent President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 20 with the goal of dismantling the United States Department of Education, according to AP News.

Under the U.S. ED, laws surrounding discrimination are protected and schools are able to receive money for low-income students, among other benefits, according to AP News. What continues to remain in question is how the department’s mandated functions will be divided throughout the government and states after its closure.

According to NPR, Trump wants to move federal student loan management and programs for students with disabilities to other federal agencies “immediately,” but oversight of them still remains unclear.

“We will systematically unwind unnecessary regulations and prepare to reassign the department’s other functions to the states or other agencies,” Linda McMahon, U.S. Education Secretary, told AP News.

In the executive order, Trump stated, “Closure of the Department of Education

would drastically improve program implementation in higher education” and that its functions “can, and should, be returned to the States.”

AP News reported that teachers, students and parents likely won’t see impact from the U.S. ED closing in the short term, but it is hard to predict what will occur longterm. Congress is also required to act in order to eliminate the department entirely, but Republicans are facing opposition from Democrats within the states and at the federal level, and from other organizations.

“This is not a minor bureaucratic reorganization — it is a fundamental redefinition of how our country treats children with disabilities,” Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, told NPR. Other parents agree with Trump’s executive order, and think that benefits for students with disabilities and other funding will be attained more easily, according to Spectrum News.

“The Department of Education never controlled curriculum or what was taught, but they were able to tie requirements to their funding,” Brooke Weiss, Moms for Liberty Mecklenburg chapter chair, told Spectrum News. “Funds are still going to come through, probably with less strings attached.”

On Feb. 27, the Trump Administration sent a letter stating that the U.S. ED could cut federal funding from schools that continue to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum, according to AP News. However, many schools with a DEI curriculum are continuing to teach it, despite these executive orders.

According to The New York Times,

the U.S. ED was “created by an act of Congress,” so only Congress can shut it down, according to Article I of the U.S. Constitution.

The New York Times also said that it is unlikely that an executive order alone could shut down the U.S. ED. If Congress, a court ruling or another action takes place resulting in a shut down, then the department’s responsibilities would be distributed to other agencies or departments.

“I’ve decided that the SBA, the Small Business Administration, headed by Kelly Loeffler, a terrific person, will handle all of the student loan portfolio,” Trump said, according to NPR. Under the Trump Administration, the Institute of Education Sciences was also “gutted,” according to AP News. This institute tracked the nation’s academic progress through data collection.

In addition to AP News reporting that dozens of contracts were cut for being too “woke” or “wasteful,” Trump laid off nearly half of the U.S. ED’s staff, according to AP News. Only around two dozen workers remain after the approximate 100 who started working there before Trump took office for his second term.

According to AP News, the U.S. ED will have half of its original 4,100 employees remaining after all of the layoffs.

“I truly don’t understand how a handful of offices could handle the entire country,” Michael Pillera, a senior civil rights attorney for the Office for Civil Rights, told AP News.

In addition to concerns about federal funding and relocating other ED tasks, people have expressed concerns about programs for students with disabilities,

according to AP News.

“We have to physically go to schools,” Pillera told AP News. “We have to look at the playground to see if it’s accessible for kids with disabilities. We have to measure doorways and bathrooms to see if everything is accessible for kids with disabilities.”

Kai Brown, a mother from Charlotte, North Carolina, told Spectrum News that she is unsure how she feels about the department’s dismantling, specifically how it could affect her 17-year-old son, DJ, who has autism and is non-verbal.

“The country will struggle because we don’t value the educators from the beginning,” she told Spectrum News.

One federal law that is protected under the U.S. ED is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, according to NPR. This guarantees a free and appropriate education to students with disabilities and ensures that funds to pay for services are administered by the Secretary of Education.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posted on X, stating that his department is ready to take on the responsibilities under this act that support individuals with disabilities, according to NPR. Despite Kennedy’s offer and Trump’s plan to give the SBA student loan responsibilities, there is still a lot of uncertainty and debate among the dismantling of the U.S. ED. “Will it distract us from the ability to focus urgently on student achievement, or will people be figuring out how to run the train?” said Margaret Spellings, former Secretary of Education under President George W. Bush, according to AP News.

Good News Lions: Bees protect farms from elephants, fishing bans save African penguins

Graphic by Sandra Abrantes

The theme of this week’s Good News Lions article is human-wildlife interactions.

By Parisa Burton Nation & World Editor The Good News Lions is the Nation & World section’s bi-weekly news segment, highlighting positive news in the country and around the world. The theme of this article is human and animal collaborations.

Beehives deter elephants from Kenyan farmland In Kenya, critical farmland has been destroyed by elephant roaming, creating dangerous interactions between humans and the seven-ton mammals, according to the BBC. After decades of research, beehive fences have proven to be an effective elephant deterrent.

There has been a long history of understanding of elephants’’ hatred of bees,

as even just the buzzing sound causes large groups to retreat from an area. The beehive fence barrier provides a non-violent solution for swaying them out of critical farmland. This tactic is spreading in other parts of the world, such as Mozambique and Thailand.

Elephants are a problem in Kenya, where there is a growing demand for resources amid population growth, and human-inhabited regions are overlapping with elephant browsing.

In Southern Africa, the elephant population has grown 0.16% annually in the past quarter century, according to Science Advances. This presents a problem for growing areas in Kenya, leading to a “greater chance of conflict between humans and these giants,” the BBC reported.

“Wherever there are elephants, there

are instances and information coming through of human-elephant conflict,” said Francesca Iori, an Ethiopia-based elephant conservation advisor. She added that the limited large spaces available, which these vast creatures require, leads them to human settlements.

Most farmers in these areas are of poor backgrounds, and farming is crucial to their livelihoods. Lush, highly nutritional crops are appealing to elephants and draw their attention to these areas.

“People take a lot of time caring for their land, then the elephants come … everything is gone,” said Emmanuel Mwamba, a farmer from Mwakoma, Kenya, a village at the frontline of humanelephant conflict.

Farmers can even die from trying to stop elephants from destroying their crops and elephants can risk getting killed by humans as well. Women are disproportionately impacted by this conflict, as they often work the farms and risk their lives trying to scare the elephants away.

A nine year study, published in 2024 by Lucy King, coexistence director at Save the Elephants and her colleagues, analyzed the effectiveness of beehive fences in two villages in South Kenya that are heavily dependent on crops like cabbage and maize, which are both highly attractive to elephants.

The study found that of the 4,000 elephants that approached the beehive fences, 75% were deterred. Farmers also benefited from the honey produced, making $2,250.

“I think it’s ingenious,” said Graeme Shannon, a wildlife ecologist at Bangor University in Wales, U.K. “You’ve got this natural mechanism by which you can deter these animals from approaching farms. I just think it’s brilliant.”

A commercial fishing ban could save endangered South African penguin species A recent court order in South Africa banning commercial sardine and anchovy harvesting in six penguin breeding colonies could be the key to saving the endangered species, according to Good News Network.

On March 18, the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds and BirdLife South Africa achieved a victory when the Pretoria High Court issued an order following a settlement between the two NGOs and state-endorsed commercial sardine and anchovy purseseine fishers.

According to the SANCCOB, “The six closures work together to secure biologically meaningful foraging areas for African Penguins in each of the west coast, southern Cape and Algoa Bay regions to help bring the species back from the brink of extinction.”

Protected areas include Robben Island, Dassen Island and the Stony Point Nature Reserve. The court’s decision has been a result of hard work and negotiations between the conservation NGOs and the commercial sardine and anchovy fishing industry.

Today, there are fewer than 10,000 breeding pairs of the critically endangered African penguin, which is why conservation groups are ecstatic at the court’s decision to protect the species’ feeding areas.

According to Alistair McInnes, Seabird Conservation programme manager, this order will not only help conserve Africa’s sole penguin species, but will also benefit other marine species like cape gannets, cape cormorants and other fish that prey on sardine and anchovy.

page 10 The Signal March 28, 2025

Forever 21 closing its doors after filing for bankruptcy

Forever 21 will be closing its stores after filing for its second bankruptcy.

By Brinda Patel Staff Writer After filing for bankruptcy six years ago, Forever 21 is ready to close its doors in shopping malls after filing for bankruptcy again earlier this month.

On March 17, the fast fashion retailer filed for bankruptcy for the second time. If the company is not bought out in the coming weeks, its remaining 354 United States locations will close their doors for good as of early May.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Forever 21 has been in decline for years due to competition from other fast fashion retailers like Shein and Temu.

Brad Sell, chief financial officer of Forever 21, released a statement in Business Wire about filing for chapter 11 bankruptcy again and economic challenges that led to this decision.

“Following the conclusion of our strategic review and after careful deliberation, we made the decision to file for chapter 11 to implement a court-supervised marketing process

Detective killed, officer injured by 14-year-old suspect during Newark shootout

By Zo Terrana Staff Writer A Newark, New Jersey detective was killed and another officer critically injured after being engaged in a shootout with a 14-year-old suspect on March 7. The teenage suspect has been taken into custody on murder charges, according to USA Today.

The pair were part of a team tasked with investigating “a report of illegal firearms,” according to NBC New York.

During the investigation, gunfire was heard by witnesses around the area of Broadway and Carteret Street after police ran across a commercial strip located near the Passaic River.

Detective Joseph Azcona, 26, has been identified as the deceased victim. The injured officer has been left unnamed, according to CBS News. Azcona and his police partner were shot while the police car pulled up to the scene. The 14-year-old suspect shot Azcona while still in the vehicle and Azcona’s partner was shot while outside the vehicle, according to the New York Post.

The suspected shooter was shot as well. The injured suspect is not in critical condition, but remains hospitalized.

Both Azcona and his police partner were transferred to University Hospital in Newark. Azcona died at 2:34 a.m. He was surrounded by his mother, father and brothers. The officer’s body was transported from the Newark hospital to a local funeral home, according to NJ.com. Officers from across New Jersey came to Newark to show their respects, lining the streets in solidarity with the police community. Azcona’s partner remains in the hospital with gunshot wounds

but is not in life-threatening condition.

Azcona worked at the Newark Police Department for five years as a decorated detective, according to the New York Post.

He leaves behind a prestigious career which saw him garner multiple awards. In 2023, Azcona was given a medal for excellence, Newark Lodge Officer of the Month in 2022 and Newark 4th Precinct citation in 2020.

The teenage suspect’s firearm was recovered at the scene and four other individuals have been taken into custody for questioning by police and county investigators, according to NBC New York.

Ras Baraka, mayor of Newark, stated that the shooting was “heinous” and a “disregard for humanity,” according to NBC New York. Baraka spoke on how this incident wasn’t a police issue, but rather was a “collective issue” on the part of himself and the surrounding community. The mayor drew attention to the community by saying how the families of the youth have to do better in making sure minors don’t have access to guns.

In a joint statement provided by the city of Newark and produced by Newark Public Safety Deputy Mayor Lakeesha Eure, Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery Director Kyleesha Wingfield-Hill and Brick City Peace Collective Director Jessiah Paul, the officials reflected their condolences to the fallen officer’s family.

“Newark’s strength has always lain in collaboration, partnership and collective healing. Today is no different,” the statement said. “We will continue working with our partners in law enforcement, community organizations, and residents, to foster solutions that prevent violence before it begins.”

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

to solicit a going concern transaction, and, in the absence of such an arrangement, an orderly wind down of operations,” wrote Sell. “As we move through the process, we will work diligently to minimize the impact on our employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders.”

Sell continued to express his gratitude to all of Forever 21’s employees and their commitment to their customer base.

The company website will continue to run and the U.S. stores will continue to hold liquidation sales as operations

start winding down, according to 9News.

According to the Los Angeles Business Journal, the retailer plans to lay off 358 employees from its headquarters in Los Angeles beginning April 21. PIX11 has made a list of closures around the tri-state area, with 21 stores set to close in New York and 15 stores in New Jersey.

Nicole Craig, a professor at Arizona State University and former senior buyer for Forever 21, wrote a post on LinkedIn about the original founders’ hard work after the second bankruptcy was filed.

“The original owners were really good at what they did and so they were ramping up at warp speed,” Craig said.

“They were very successful for a long time, but sometimes it can be hard to take a teen brand and make it bigger.”

Forever 21’s performance revenue peaked in 2015 at $4.4 billion, according to the Seattle Times. They moved aggressively into department stores after Mervyn’s, a now-defunct clothing chain, went out of business in the early 2000s. According to Dallas News, Forever 21 is $1.58 billion in debt, after losing more than $400 million over the past three years. $150 million was lost in 2024 alone.

After the first bankruptcy filing in 2019, the company was acquired by Simon Property, Brookfield Property Partners and Authentic Brands Group, according to 6abc Philadelphia.

“Forever 21 is a powerful retail brand with incredible consumer reach and a wealth of untapped potential,” said Jamie Salter, founder and CEO of ABG, after acquiring the fast fashion chain in February 2020. However, Salter later stated in 2024 that “Forever 21 was probably the biggest mistake I’ve made.”

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Danielle Morrow: From ‘iCarly’s’ kidnapper to Hallmark screenwriter

Photos courtesy of IMDb and Danielle Morrow

Morrow played Nora Dershlit on the Nickelodeon show “iCarly.”

By Tristan Weisenbach Editor-in-Chief Actress Danielle Morrow may never have expected that her iconic role as Nora Dershlit, the crazy, pet chicken-owning super fan and kidnapper of “iCarly,” on Nickelodeon in 2010 would be so intriguing to fans.

In fact, her character was so popular that she even made a guest appearance years later as Nora on the spinoff series “Sam & Cat,” when she used her conniving tactics

yet again to kidnap the character Dice.

However, her career as an actress and screenwriter goes far beyond the mischievous persona that she once played 15 years ago. She discovered her love for acting early on in her childhood.

“I was one of those kids that loved performing. I loved acting and making people laugh, so that was something I always loved to do,” Morrow said in an interview with The Signal. “If there was a play at school, I had to audition for it, so it was definitely something that I have

always felt a connection to.”

Growing up in Thousand Oaks, California, Morrow spent much of her time at The Groundlings Theatre — an improv and sketch comedy venue in Los Angeles with many notable alumni, such as Kristen Wiig, Will Ferrell and Maya Rudolph.

She was also a part of another community theater in Agoura Hills, California, where she improved on her comedic timing skills under the leadership of Ellen Marano, the mother of actresses Laura and Vanessa Marano.

It was here that Morrow met the casting director of “iCarly,” as the director’s children also took classes there with Morrow.

“She had me audition [for “iCarly”], and I went in there, I auditioned, and she really worked with me and helped me out with fine tuning things,” Morrow said.

“And then from there, I sent it in and they liked what they saw and very kindly asked me to come perform and be Nora, and the rest is history.”

Morrow described the set of the show as fun and energetic, and was surprised to see how realistic the set design looked inperson. She also said the show provided her with good comedic acting experience, too.

“You were just being thrown things and you have to go with it, so it was a great experience in terms of really learning how to be on a comedic set, how to go with the flow when things are being thrown at you,” she said.

After making other appearances on “Sam & Cat” and “Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn,” Morrow returned to The Groundlings Theatre to continue her sketch work in a program called The Sunday Company. She worked alongside other individuals to write, pitch and perform brand new sketches every Sunday — an activity she described as “very time consuming, but very fun.”

After performing there for some time, Morrow decided to take a step back to focus on her family. Now married and a mother, she has since settled down and shifted her focus toward screenwriting.

She and her writing partner, Vanessa Marano, found a shared interest in exploring the romcom genre after Marano starred on ABC’s “Switched at Birth.”

“I feel like this year we’re kind of getting in our groove of where our voices and our strength as writers are, and presenting that out to other people,” Morrow said.

While she couldn’t share many details at this time, Morrow said she is currently working on a Hallmark Christmas project, as well as another romcom project that is “steps away from possibly getting the OK to be greenlit and made.” wScreenwriting in the age of digital streaming services has its difficulties, according to Morrow. She said that despite there being so many platforms to watch content on, many services are hesitant to take risks.

“They really want the whole package before they put in more money, and so that’s been hard because you really have to convince so many people to get on board for one potential project just before you can even sell it somewhere where it would have a chance of surviving and being made,” she said.

However, she stressed that rather than viewing our increasingly digital society as an obstacle, those who are interested in pursuing a career in acting or writing should use social digital platforms like TikTok and Instagram to their advantage to build an audience and form a community.

“Just building a community and not judging it, not being so harsh [on yourself] and just forcing yourself to just do the act of acting or writing or improvising or anything like that is going to really benefit you,” Morrow said.

Playboi Carti is a fraction of the rapper he used to be on new album ‘MUSIC’

By Andre Paras Video Editor Almost five years out from the release of Playboi Carti’s divisive album “Whole Lotta Red,” the Atlanta-based rapper is finally back with the spontaneously released LP titled “MUSIC.” Longtime fans will know that Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, has become notorious for constantly teasing the release of this record and repeatedly delaying it. This all began four years ago in March 2021, just months after “Whole Lotta Red.” “LeTs dr0p thiS new Album . w3 noT done,” Carter posted in his stylized writing in a now deleted Instagram post, according to Vulture.

And in these past four years, he’s hyped up and changed the name of the project in the process. The album began under the name of “NARCISSIST,” in August 2021. Later that year, Carter debuted a Narcissist clothing line in September and a now-cancelled “NARCISSIST” tour the month after. It was in April 2022 that Carter declared the name of the record as we know it today.

“I was about to name my album ‘Music’ because that’s where I’m at, you know what I’m saying?” Carter said in an interview with XXL Magazine. “‘Music,’ because that’s all it is at this point.”

With the latest release date slated

for March 14, 2025, it was looking like Playboi Carti again failed to deliver on his promise come midnight. However, in his typical late fashion, he later delayed and released the album on March 14 at 3 a.m. EST instead.

One notable change fans will notice on this album compared to previous works is Carter further exploring his deeper voice inflections, as opposed to his high-pitched baby-like voice that kick started his career. He’s tapped into this side of his rap performances on recent collaborations with The Weeknd and Travis Scott for example, but this is the first time he’s done it on his own released record.

“MUSIC” clocks in at one hour and 16 minutes, and boasts a lengthy 30song tracklist. There is a lot of filler not memorable enough to discuss, however I did want to talk about some of the highlights.

“POP OUT” is the opener and sets the tone for the album with its familiar abrasive, rage anthem sound, reminiscent of Carter’s earlier big hits.

“EVIL J0RDAN” is a song I’ve heard countless times through its previously released snippet on social media, but as a full track this one lived up to its hype sound. Playboi Carti goes off on his unique lifestyle and aesthetic as a rapper in connection to his distinct fashion choices and emo influences.

Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar shines on three different tracks on

this record, using his recent slew of collaborations to experiment with modern rap flows and respond to events in hip-hop culture. On “BACKD00R,” he opens up about his quick rise to the top of the music world, his continued confidence as being the best rapper in the game and even subtly references Drake.

The list of features was hidden on streaming services on release day, but includes Future, Jhené Aiko, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Uzi Vert, Skepta, Travis Scott, Ty Dolla $ign, The Weeknd and Young Thug, according to Genius. A good amount of the tracks were also worked on by notable producers like Kanye West and Metro Boomin.

Now, with quite the wait and a well decorated list of both performers and producers all across the record, you wouldn’t expect Carter’s lowest quality work to come from that. And that’s to attribute to a few major problems that majorly affect this listening experience.

For starters, this album certainly should have had an edit. There’s many songs I’m indifferent toward, and the tracks that are quality suffer in the process. Either it became this way over the years of “MUSIC” and its realization, or was intentionally stuffed to boost streams.

The sound and production of this record was also a major gripe of mine.

Despite the long list of renowned producers, there’s something about these beats that feel cheap to me. I feel like

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

Playboi Carti released “MUSIC” to streaming platforms on March 14.

I’ve heard productions of similar quality created by fans on social media. It felt like any half-decent rap producer or friend I know could hop on their platform of choice and churn out beats worthy of putting on this record effortlessly.

I think this follows the trend of Carter’s recent label mates of Opium, a rap collective which he founded, capitalizing on the sound that got Playboi Carti famous in the first place. Carter is just playing a clone of himself on this record in a personality crisis blending the sounds of label-mates like Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang.

With “MUSIC,” Playboi Carti loses that unique X-factor that caused his initial rise to popularity and separated him amidst the cloud rap scene in the first place.

March 28, 2025 The Signal page 13

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco release album “I Said I Love You First”

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

“I Said I Love You First” is Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s debut album together.

By Mia Shea Correspondent Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco share their own experiences with love through their new album “I Said I Love You First.” This 14-track record was released on March 21 and incorporates themes of heartbreak and true love.

Gomez was the singer on the album with Blanco as the producer.

The singer-producer couple announced their engagement on Dec. 11, 2024 through an Instagram post. Their relationship is rumored to have started in the fall of 2023.

The two shared that the album title came from Gomez saying “I love you”

first immediately after coming out of surgery under anesthesia. Blanco shared with Today that he had an elaborate way of wanting to say “I love you” to Gomez but he shared that “she steals my moment.”

The 34-minute record begins with the title track “I Said I Love You First,” which is a voice recording of Gomez in an interview talking about how grateful she is to have all of the support that she has to help her grow.

The next track is a slow and sad ballad. “Younger And Hotter Than Me” is one of the four singles featured on this project released before the album, along with “Scared Of Loving You,” “Call Me When You Break Up” featuring American singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams and “Sunset Blvd.”

On March 21, Gomez and Blanco released the music video for “Younger And Hotter Than Me.” The set design of the music video heavily resembles the set of Gomez’s Disney Channel TV show, “Wizards of Waverly Place,” where Gomez gained great popularity and fame as a teen.

“Call Me When You Break Up” featuring Gracie Abrams is the next track to follow, and its upbeat and catchy chorus certainly makes this song a fan favorite.

Track 4, “Ojos Tristes,” which translates to “Sad Eyes,” is almost entirely in Spanish, a great contrast from the rest of the album.

The single track titled “Sunset Blvd” is undeniably a love song with sexual innuendos that lighten the heaviness of the heartbroken mood thus far in the album. The main chorus sings, “I know

you’re awfully shy, but I can’t wait to hold it, to hold that, your big big hard… heart!”

The following tracks, “Cowboy” and “Bluest Flame,” also consist of sexual innuendos centered around being in love.

The mood in this record as a whole provides a good balance of heartbreak and emotional turmoil with tracks such as “How Does It Feel To Be Forgotten” and “You Said You Were Sorry,” as well as lighthearted love with tracks like “Sunset Blvd” and “Bluest Flame.”

Track 12 is titled “I Can’t Get Enough” and features Colombian singer J Balvin and Puerto Rican record producer and songwriter Tainy. This song is partially in English with Gomez’s vocals, and the features in Spanish.

“Don’t Take It Personally” is about the complexities of a relationship and dealing with jealousy within a relationship. There is something so satisfying about the blend of the lyrics and melody in this song, making it beautiful.

The album’s closing track is “Scared Of Loving You.” This sweet and sentimental track exemplifies pure love. The chorus sings, “Cause I’m not scared of loving you, I’m just scared of losing you,” which is such a charming sentiment. It truly wraps up the album in its entirety and the theme that love is not always easy, but you work through it for someone that means a lot to you.

“I Said I Love You First” carries themes of love and vulnerability as well as heartbreak and hardship. This record is streaming everywhere and truly gives the listener a deeper look into Gomez and Blanco’s relationship.

Japanese Breakfast is reflective on ‘Snow White’ gets a modern makeover of audience, with the old Disney lovers and their fourth album Italy was invaded by French troops… new ones getting a taste of Disney magic for

Photo courtesy of Apple Music

The fourth studio album from the indie band released on March 21.

By Ashley Ragone Arts & Entertainment Editor Off the success of their third album “Jubilee” and New York Times bestselling memoir “Crying in H Mart,” both released in 2021, Japanese Breakfast is back.

In “For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women),” released on March 21, band frontwoman Michelle Zauner takes a darker approach, with a heavy guitar focus as compared to her electronic-pop background. In an interview with NPR, she describes themes of yearning explored on the album through various storylines. “All of these characters succumb to some sort of temptation or disrupt a balance in their lives and are then grappling with the consequences or regrets of that decision-making,” she said.

On the first track, “Here is Someone,” Zauner expresses a desire to escape the fastpaced music industry, retiring to a calmer life with the person she loves. This described person most likely refers to bandmate Peter Bradley, who she married in 2014.

The lead single off the album, “Orlando in Love,” refers to the consequences of misguided temptation. Zauner’s discussion with Uproxx explored the inspiration and meaning behind this song.

“The title comes from an epic poem

by Matteo Maria Boiardo called Orlando Innamorato, which ends abruptly…because

After writing it, it felt like the perfect thesis statement for an album that is largely about people, often men, who find themselves seduced by temptation and are duly punished for it,” Zauner said.

Zauner’s musical focus on people goes beyond yearning and temptation though, also continuing to reflect on her heritage following her mother’s passing, the topic explored further in her memoir. “I think especially after my mother passed away, I’ve felt like I’ve just been running through life trying to do everything I can because I’m so much more aware of how short it is,” she said.

“Honey Water” brings more bittersweet guitars and strings, detailing a lover who only seeks out the sweet temptations, displaying no loyalty to Zauner. This partner is compared to an ant, both drawn in by the sweet smell of honey water and traveling in a colony. With short verses and repetition of the final lyrics, Zauner packs an emotional punch without many words.

Toxic masculinity becomes the main thread in “Mega Circuit,” with imagery of guns, cars, and “incel eunuchs.” The swinging, brighter tone juxtaposes with Zauner feeling sorrow for the young boys being misled by toxic societal norms.

Sadness and misplaced emotion lead to the unchecked anger of several generations of men.

Both “Little Girl” and “Men in Bars” are more overtly sorrowful and reflective, seeing the consequences of destructive habits and their effect on relationships. “Little Girl” is written from the perspective of a father to a daughter, who regrets his actions and seeks forgiveness. Zauner found inspiration in her estranged father, who she grew distant from after her mother’s death.

“When people grieve or go through a great loss, there are just ugly parts that come out of people when they’re in survival mode,” Zauner said in regards to the track. “Men in Bars” sees a narrator who additionally regrets her actions, a dysfunctional relationship pushing them to find comfort in the arms of strangers.

Read more on our website!

Photo courtesy of IMDb

“Snow White” is brought to life in a new colorful and light-hearted way.

By Heather Halperin Correspondent

Disney’s most recent live-action adaptation, “Snow White,” tells the classic story of the fairytale with a fresh twist.

It is a blend of traditional Disney magic with a modernized plot line. However, this timeless story continues to express the ideas of vanity, jealousy and the power of kindness.

“Snow White” was released in theaters on March 21. It stars Rachel Zegler as Snow White and Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen.

The story of “Snow White” begins with a young girl who is determined to forge her own path in a world that has her constrained by tradition and societal expectations. As she navigates her journey of self-discovery, she joins forces with an unlikely group of loyal companions.

A group of seven unique dwarfs and rebellious bandits come together to help Snow White face the sinister threat of the Evil Queen before Snow White’s home is destroyed forever.

This story brings to life the magic of Disney movies using visually stunning sets, captivating acting performances and a nostalgic soundtrack. This adaptation blends a timeless fairytale with 21st-century values — that young women do not need a man to always save them.

This movie aims to captivate every type

the first time.

“Snow White” was a quick and pleasant watch. It was visually and musically fantastic. Every set and costume of the original film was brought to life in a colorful and captivating way. Each song, the original along with the new ones, was both lively and enchanting.

The fairytale was further captured on screen by the outstanding acting of all those involved in the cast. Zegler captured the original Snow White’s purity and kindness while also bringing a more progressive tone to the character.

Gadot also delivered a captivating performance as the Evil Queen. She showed her ability to play mesmerizing and multifaceted characters. She managed to blend elegance and menace as she delivered her lines with a precise and sophisticated demeanor. She brought to life an iconic villain every Disney fan hates to love.

However, the plot at times fell short, as the traditional storyline of the prince was taken out of this retelling. While it did not destroy the movie, there is typically a classic love story in every Disney princess film.

In addition, there were times the movie drifted away from the original, especially when new characters were thrown into the film.

It is hard to ignore the amount of controversy that followed the announcement of this film. Newsweek stated that the changes made have forced the movie to go “woke.”

Many also had an issue with the casting of Zegler as Snow White. Zegler is a Latina actress, and this sparked a debate over racial representation. Newsweek also explained another issue that sparked over Disney only casting one of the Seven Dwarfs with an actual actor with dwarfism.

Zegler received hate with her press interviews regarding this film. Dailymail reported that Zegler shared her thoughts and explained how “extremely dated” the original film is, and they wanted to change that this time around.

Read more on our website!

page 14 The Signal March 28, 2025

TCNJ Orchestra premieres the ‘Centuries of Drama’ symphony concert

By Abigail Holliday Staff Writer TCNJ Orchestra performed its “Centuries of Drama” concert on March 7 in Mayo Concert Hall, a beautiful portrayal of dramatic symphonies led by conductor Uli Speth.

Starting the concert was an overture to “Ruslan and Lyudmila” by Glinka.

According to the playbill, Glinka was a composer outside of Russia during the 19th century. “Ruslan and Lyudmila” was a Russian poem first written by Alexander Pushkin, noted as the “Father of Russian Literature.” The poem told the story of Ruslan, a brave knight, who attempted to save Ludmila, his lover, who was abducted by an evil wizard.

Next was “Danza delle Ore,” or Dance of the Hours, from “La Gioconda” by Amilcare Ponchielli. “La Gioconda“ is based on the play “Angelo, Tyrant of Padua” by Victor Hugo and includes a ballet interlude.

“Danza delle Ore” is a light reprieve from the drama “La Gioconda.” “The ballet is split into five sections, each representing a part of a day starting with a quiet, peaceful morning. The piece then transitions into the day part, with the most recognizable tune played by the upper strings. In stark contrast, the celli plays a serious, pompous melody to usher in dusk and play through the night,” according to the playbill.

According to the playbill, all of these pieces make the Dance of the Hours a “timeless classic” among orchestras.

The strings performed in unison to create a magnificent rendition of “Danza delle Ore,” a song most famously heard in Walt Disney’s “Fantasia” in 1940.

Then came Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 “Pastoral” by Ludwig

Photo by Abigail Holliday

TCNJ Orchestra reenacted the works of Beethoven, Wagner and more at its concert led by Uli Speth.

Van Beethoven. “Sturm und Drang,” or “Storm and Stress,” was a “proto-romantic movement” in the late 18th century inspired

by Maximilian von Klinger who created “some of the most dramatic music” pieces that were born to introduce the romantic period, as written in the playbill.

During this time, Beethoven composed “Pastoral” which is made up of five movements; played at the concert were “IV. Thunder, Storm” and “V. Shepherd’s song. Happy and Thankful Feelings After the Storm,” which succeeds three peaceful movements. This symphony was revolutionary because it differed from the usual make-up of the three lighter movements and has a triumphant finale.

The final two movements are filled with drama, urgency and emotion, according to the playbill.

Speth’s arms were flying, baton in hand, conducting the orchestra through this dramatic performance.

“I really enjoy working under professor Uli Speth. He truly devotes so much of his

life into music and his passion for it shows, whether it’s talking to him one on one or when he’s conducting the entire orchestra,” said senior biology major and principal second violin player Cecelia Lawyer. “He is extremely supportive and as a nonmusic major in the orchestra, I will always appreciate the welcoming environment he provides for those like me.”

Following Beethoven was “Siegfried’s Funeral March” from “Götterdämmerung”

by Richard Wagner. According to the playbill, Wagner was the original drama queen. Detesting the title of “opera,” he labeled his works as musikdramas.

“Götterdämmerung“ is the last and longest work in his musikdrama series — five hours long and split into three acts. “Siegfried’s Funeral March” is the climax of the show where Siegfried has been betrayed by a friend. He was given an amnesiac potion by a god, given the antidote to remember his wife, Brünnhilde, for only a moment, for he died soon after.

Wrapping up the concert was an

overture from “Orphée aux Enfers” by Jacques Offenbach. “Orphée aux Enfers” tells an Opéra Bouffon, or comic opera, version of the tragic and beautiful story of Orpheus and Eurydice. In Offenbach’s version, Orpheus is happy Eurydice was taken away and the reluctant Orpheus has to ask permission to get her back.

This “Centuries of Drama” concert consisted of beautiful storytelling renditions from the works of some of the most famous composers in history. The orchestra put on a riveting one hour performance that kept its audience captivated and entranced. Lawyer described the show as very exciting.

“Those who are invested in orchestral music would have been familiar with the Offenbach piece as it has the famous Cancan theme,” Lawyer said. “It was also fun performing Ponchielli’s Dance of the Hours as I had listened to the piece for years but never been able to perform it.

Other than those pieces, the Wagner clearly evokes the feeling of solemness, which added to the drama of the concert.”

PAA Bae: A night of talent and community with a cause

Photo courtesy of Jeffery Ju

Contestants showcased talents as members of the PAA community.

By Olivia Harrison Correspondent The College’s Asian American Association hosted its annual PAA Bae Pageant, featuring seven contestants from AAA, Korean Students Association/ Kohesion, Chinese Students Association/ Dragonflies, Japanese Students Association, Barkada, Indian Student Association and the Vietnamese Students Association.

The contestants included freshman graphic design major Caleb Chung, sophomore biology major Tyler Jones, freshman political science major Lyna Chachine, sophomore biology major Likitha Thiriveedi, senior computer science major Mohammed Islam, freshman electrical engineering major Katrina Alcalde and freshman international studies major Amila Zheng.

Contestants got to showcase their talents, cultural wear and reflect on their identities as Asian-Americans. In addition,

participants were also raising money for a charity of their choice. Notable charities included the PUSO Foundation, TELL Japan and Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation.

“My first year experience has been so amazing and I’m grateful to have this opportunity,” said Zheng. “I wanted to participate, represent VSA and share cultural connections with others.”

The evening was filled with a vibrant tapestry of cultural expression, showcasing the diverse talents of the College’s Pan Asian Alliance community. From playing the piano, traditional Vietnamese, Chinese and Indian dances, a Thai vocal performance and a modern twist on Tinikling, contestants lit up the room and captivated everyone present.

“I think it’s cool to see everything and all the cultures together in a short period.

It’s really immersive,” said freshman biology major and audience member Jesse Yu. “All the contestants were so amazing.

I met so many talented people. What I did the entire time was hype people up. I was so glad that everyone was supporting each other,” said Alcalde.

There were many standout performances of the night, including stunning vocal performances by Chung and Jones and traditional classical Indian choreography by Thiriveedi.

However, the night’s standout was when contestants were asked pageant-style personal questions about their identity and what it meant to be Asian-American.

It allowed students to be vulnerable and reflect on their cultural experiences inside and outside the College.

For example, when asked who their most significant role model was, many contestants said their parents and family members.

“We live in a time with so much toxic masculinity but I’m grateful to my dad for teaching me that it’s okay to say ‘I love you,’” Islam said to the crowd. “He taught me that strength isn’t silence but rather being there for others. I truly believe that I won the lottery with my dad.”

Another overarching theme explored by contestants was finding their place in the world, especially within the Pan-Asian Alliance. Contestants and audiences cited that PAA felt like “a family” to them, made up of their closest friends and biggest supporters. For many, PAA is a place where students have found themselves fitting in both emotionally and culturally.

“I like the environment and the people.

It’s always a good time at PAA Bae. PAA Bae shows the importance of the community we have [at the College],” said alum Navdeep Khiara ‘24.

The question and answer session was filled with authenticity, and the shared experiences resonated across the room, no matter the cultural background of the

participants and audience.

Thiriveedi of ISA took home the crown at the night’s end, with AAA passing the duty of hosting the pageant to the Indian Students Association. This was only the second year a contestant from ISA has won in the three years they have been considered a part of PAA Bae. “It feels very surreal. I was very happy I got to perform in front of my friends. I think PAA is a great way for people to show their cultures and talents,” said Thiriveedi.

Beyond the entertainment, this year’s PAA Bae was a powerful reminder of the importance of how strong the College’s AAPI community is. Freshman special early childhood education and history major Sophia Kim, one of the night’s emcees, cited that all the PAA organizations need to come together.

“I think it’s nice for the other PAA orgs to come together. It’s important being together as a community, especially at TCNJ since there is not a lot of representation,” said Kim. PAA Bae was more than just a charity event; it was a celebration of culture, talent and community. It was a night that left attendees and participants feeling inspired and happy, knowing that they had contributed to a good cause while also

Photo courtesy of Jeffery Ju

This year, sophomore biology major Likitha Thiriveedi took the crown home.

March 28, 2025 The Signal page 15

Florida weather helps baseball get hot, going 6-3 on trip

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

The Lions impressed in their nine games in Florida during spring break.

By Jhett Laurie Staff Writer The College’s baseball team took its annual trip down to Florida to compete in the RussMatt Invitational over spring break.

Competition was stiff, facing three teams nationally ranked within the top 10. The Lions finished the week with a strong 6-3 record.

“The Florida trip was a significant boost for the team,” said Interim Head Coach Joe Godri. “Our team’s focus was locked in on baseball strategy and competition. Warm temperatures and sunshine made it a fantastic week for the ball club.”

The College started their week off strong, taking down Milwaukee School of Engineering in a 4-1 game. Senior pitcher Jackson Malouf had yet another strong outing, tallying nine innings, 10 strikeouts, four hits and one earned run, bringing his ERA to 0.90 through three games.

MSOE took a one-run lead in the fourth inning. However, the Lions rallied in the fifth inning with an RBI double by fifth-year Gianni Marano. The team never looked back, securing the win. Junior Jack O’Donnell went 3-3, recording two doubles and two RBIs. Sunday, March 16 saw the College take on Illinois Tech, and they handily defeated them 20-2. Junior Tyler Provost started the beat down early in the second inning with a two-run home run to put them up 2-0.

Marano cleared the bases with a three run

double in the same inning, setting the score to 5-0 in the second.

The College’s offense exploded in the fourth inning, tallying 10 runs through a combined effort by the whole team. They were assisted by fifth-year Ryan Goodall, who hit a single and a double, collecting three RBIs to make the score 18-0.

Fifth-year Ben Amon gathered his first win of the season with five innings pitched and two earned runs. Goodall and Provost both went 2-2 and had six combined RBIs. On Monday, March 17, the Lions took on No. 3 Johns Hopkins. The College went down quickly, with the Blue Jays hitting a homerun on the first pitch they saw. They used the momentum, combined with an error, to take a 4-0 lead.

The Lions would surge in the second inning, putting up three runs backed by a two-RBI double by O’Donnell. This would prove to not be enough as the College would give up another five runs in the second to make the score 9-3.

Johns Hopkins would continue to pile up points, with the score being 14-3 going into the sixth. O’Donnell would continue to have an outstanding day, singling to left field to score two runs, making the score 14-5 to keep the game alive. Hopkins would score the final run in the eighth inning to enact a mercy rule.

The College would cap off its first portion of the week with a doubleheader against Saint John’s (MN). Marano had a phenomenal day,

pitching five innings, striking out six and letting up two runs while also going 2-3 at the plate.

Faced with bases loaded, senior Zach Hochheiser came through with a single in the third inning to score two runs.

Saint John’s attempted to rally in the second half of the frame, tallying two runs on a home run. The College would add some insurance in the top of the fifth, with Goodall and senior Andrew Fernandez each recording an RBI. Hochheiser would record a career high four RBIs to lead the Lions to an 11-3 win in the first game.

The second game of the day was a thriller, as Saint John’s and the College would trade blows before the Lions pulled away in the sixth inning.

Saint John’s set the score to 2-1 in the top of the fifth. Hochheiser ripped a single into left field in the bottom of the inning, bringing Marano home to tie the game.

Sophomore pitcher Evan Frank would enter the game in the sixth inning. He threw the remaining two innings, only allowing one hit and striking out five of the eight batters he faced. This would prove to be more than enough for the win.

Senior Zach Weiner would lay down a bunt, and the Saint John’s pitcher overthrew the first baseman, allowing Weiner to advance to second and scoring Fernandez.

Hochheiser would continue to dominate the Johnnies, as another single would score his sixth and seventh RBI of the day.

The Lions beat Saint John’s 5-2, bringing their record at this point to 4-1.

Wednesday was the only day off that the team would get on their trip before taking on No. 4 Endicott on Thursday, March 20.

A series of early miscues by the College left them in a deficit that they wouldn’t be able to overcome. A throwing error by the catcher combined with a balk that each brought in a run would put the Lions down 2-0 in the first inning.

Endicott would score an additional six runs in the third inning, bringing the score to 8-0.

The Lions struggled at the plate and faced a perfect game through the first three innings.

Freshman pitcher Ryan Greenstein would make his debut in relief during the fifth inning and dazzled the highly ranked Gulls.

He would throw three innings, letting up only one hit and striking out two. Greenstein was

awarded the Rookie Pitcher of the Week by the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

The College put up its lone run in the eighth inning with Senior Justin Marcario collecting an RBI. Endicott scored two more runs in the second half of the frame, making the final score 10-1.

Friday, March 21 saw the College play a doubleheader against Kalamazoo College.

The Lions would play strong baseball in both games, leading to their second doubleheader sweep of the trip.

They would combine for 13 hits and nine runs in the first game, with a standout performance from Marano, who tallied two doubles and four RBIs. Amon would throw a complete game, letting up two runs with six strikeouts. Senior star second baseman Mike LaGravenis would gather his 150th career hit in a healthy 9-2 win.

During the second game, the Lions would go down 3-0 in the first inning before the bats woke up in the second. Goodall had a home run in the inning to start the scoring before the Lions offense blew it open in the third.

Provost and Fernandez led a five-run inning that saw the score swing in the Lions favor, 6-3. Goodall would nearly hit for the cycle, as a triple in the fourth and a double in the sixth would put him a single shy from the achievement.

The College would continue to put on the pressure, adding some cushion to their lead in the fourth and sixth innings, making the score 10-3. Eventually, the College claimed an 11-4 victory.

In the final game of their Florida trip, the team would take on No. 7 Denison with Malouf on the mound. He threw an impressive game, allowing only one earned run and striking out six.

The College struggled to find open grass after taking a one run lead in the second inning. The team would be hitless until the seventh inning when Marcario would record a single. This would not prove to be enough as the College would wind up losing 8-1 against a strong Denison squad.

After finishing their trip 6-3, the Lions look to use the momentum to play strong baseball as they play their first conference game at home against William Patterson on Saturday, March 29. Coach Godri says that he is “looking forward to seeing what the Lions achieve in the coming month,” and that there are “exciting times ahead!”

Women’s lacrosse wins four in strong homestand Track NCAA

By Tyler Fennell Staff Writer

Championships

The College’s women’s lacrosse team went 4-1 in their five straight games, starting with their home opener against Scranton.

The College’s first win of the stretch against Scranton on March 5, was a solid 15-10 win with strong performances from fifth-year Ally Tobler, sophomore CJ Kole, junior Marissa Lucca and junior Veronica Campbell. All four players had at least 4 or more points.

Fifth-year goaltender Julia Charest also had a strong performance with a .545 save percentage while facing 34 shots, playing a full 60 minutes.

The College’s second win was a dominant performance against Kenyon on March 8 in a 17-3 victory. Tobler had a stellar seven-goal, eight-point game. The College dominated in every metric from shots, shots on goal, saves, ground balls and draw controls, and they had fewer turnovers.

The College followed this win with another dominant 23-6 victory over Moravian on March 12.

Tobler and Lucca both had six-goal games, with Lucca also having six assists for 12 total points. Sophomore Gabriella Roosa also had a strong four-goal, five-point game.

The College dominated with 35 shots, 30 of which were on goal, only nine turnovers, 15 ground balls and 18 draw controls.

By Joseph Caruso Staff Writer

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

Sophomore midfielder C.J. Kole was instrumental in the four wins for the Lions.

This four-game winning streak, including their season opener, was unfortunately broken by the No. 1 ranked team in the country, Middlebury on March 19.

Despite the loss, Tobler had a four-goal game, with Lucca having a three-point game. This would be the fifth game in a row where Tobler has had four or more goals.

The College rebounded with a 15-7 victory over the University of Chicago on March 21. Tobler and Lucca yet again had standout performances, with Tobler having yet another four-goal game. Lucca also had a spectacular game with six goals.

The College’s 5-1 record puts them as the No. 11 in the country. While they did suffer one loss, that loss was also to the

current No. 1 team in the country and serves as a good measuring stick for what the team needs to improve on.

Facing 45 shots in a game isn’t going to result in a win most of the time. The team has shown they can put up prolific offensive metrics, with Tobler’s current six-game streak of at least four goals being evidence of that.

Once they sure up the defensive side in minimizing shots allowed more consistently, this is a team that can be a legit threat come playoff time.

Regardless of the small flaws the team has, their recent performances should get students excited about where this team can go.

The College’s men’s track and field team qualified for and raced in the NCAA Championships on March 14 and 15, finishing in 39th with five points.

On Friday, fifth-year Ray Schmitt qualified for finals on Saturday with a 6.77-second 60-meter dash, breaking his previous program record, while freshman Maxim Rychkov ran the 200-meter in 21.66 seconds to qualify as well.

For Schmitt, his final year at the College has padded his already impressive resume, now being a twotime NCAA All-American after his performance in the Championships on Saturday, as well as already being named first or second team All-New Jersey Athletic Conference on eight different occasions since 2022.

Rychkov was a part of the 4x400-meter relay team that also included freshman Noah Traverso, freshman Anthony Senatore and sophomore Jack Attali.

They completed the race in 3:15.75, finishing fourth, and were qualified to run for the National Championships.

Read more on our website!

Moody takes over the Lions for his first collegiate head coaching gig.

Photo by Andre Paras

New Coach, New Mood

FOOTBALL / Moody looks to build a winning football program for the College Continued from page 1 This past season, the College reached a positive record for the first time since 2012, and Moody understands the expectations that come with that achievement.

“I just want to do things at a high level, that’s all I’m concerned about,” Moody

said. “To get that first winning record this past season, that’s a bar that was set — [I’m] trying to push that thing.”

Moody’s experience as a coach and a leader is much needed. Having played four years of Division III at Centre College, including being a team captain during his senior year, Moody understands what he wants from his guys on the field.

“Your leaders are guys that are just passionate about the game of football, and going about it the right way,” Moody said. “Really what I’m hoping for and trying to do is identify who are the guys that when we are in between the lines are present, and going about it the right way with energy.”

The Lions’ successful season last

year saw them go 6-4, including winning three of their four home games. Fifthyear seniors Thomas Burke, Malin Jasinski and Trevor Bopp were all major contributors that earned a plethora of awards, with Jasinski even taking home NJAC Offensive Player of the Year.

With all three of those players having played their final games for the College, it will be a welcomed fresh start for Coach Moody. Now, as a new head coach, he understands the new responsibilities the job brings.

“Now that I get to be a head coach, there will be head coach things that I have to do — I’ve thought a lot about the challenge of becoming a head coach, decisions will be different, and that is ultimately the biggest thing.”

Moody will bring his extensive recruiting experience to the College, having managed recruiting areas in California, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Colorado and Ohio during his time at Stonehill.

“You’re just trying to find highly motivated dudes that want to be high achievers and get them to realize that going to TCNJ can allow you to do that in all areas of your life, and it has nothing to do with how many Roman numerals are after the Division — there’s so much talent out there,” Moody said. “My mission is to help guys pursue two things: A life with football and a life without it.

TCNJ allows me to live up to that mission — it’s one of the only places that can do that at a high level.”

Above all, the College’s newest coach wants to bring everybody together.

“I personally don’t have an agenda — it’s not about me,” Moody said. “I just like to try to bring people together, I want all of the results to be a byproduct of being a caring, thoughtful and present person.”

Men’s swimming takes 10 All-Americans in NCAA Championships

By Eddie Young Sports Editor The College’s men’s swimming and diving team finished tied for 17th place in the Division III NCAA Championships in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Lions had 10 All-American performances in the championships, giving them an impressive way to have ended their season.

Seniors Ryan Higgins and Ryan VanDeVeen led the Lions on the weekend, with each being involved in four All-American swims. They were also the only two Lions to earn first-team All-American honors, with Higgins getting the title in two events and VanDeVeen in one.

Higgins’ first first-team AllAmerican honor came in the 400-yard individual medley. He came in sixth place in the event, swimming the final in 3:52.21. It was Higgins’ third straight year with an All-American finish in this event and his second straight first-team All-American.

Junior Gavin Formon also earned All-American recognition in that event, swimming it in 3:55.92 and coming in 13th place. It was also Formon’s third straight year earning All-American honors in the event.

Higgins’ second first-team AllAmerican came in the 200-yard backstroke on the final day of the championships. In his final swim as a Lion, Higgins broke a program record in the event, finishing in fourth place with

a time of 1:45.00.

Higgins earned second-team AllAmerican honors in the 200-yard individual medley, where he placed 10th with a time of 1:48.18 in the final.

He also teamed up with freshman M.J. Hoban, sophomore Steven Bendoraitis and Formon to get secondteam All-American in the 800-yard freestyle relay, coming in 13th with a time of 6:41.17. This was Formon’s third All-American in this event and everyone else’s first.

Higgins finished his career as a Lion with seven All-Americans.

“Ending my career on a high note like I did was all I could really ask for,” Higgins, a mathematics major, said.

“The 200 back is my favorite event so to close out my career with that event, that way, meant a lot to me.”

VanDeVeen earned his first-team AllAmerican in his final swim as a Lion, like Higgins. After setting a program record in the preliminary round, he finished in sixth place in the 200-yard breaststroke after finishing in 1:58.74.

He also earned another individual AllAmerican in the 100-yard breaststroke, coming in 12th after swimming the event in 54.40.

VanDeVeen was a part of two secondteam All-American relay teams, too. On the first night of the event, he joined junior Andrew Kidchob, freshman Joe McChesney and Hoban to come in 16th in the 400-yard medley relay, finishing in 3:17.36.

The four of them ran it back two days

Photo by Elizabeth Gladstone

The Lions finished their season well at the National Championships. later to get another All-American finish in the 200-yard medley relay, this time moving up a few places to 13th with a time of 1:28.47.

VanDeVeen’s four All-Americans this year helped to give him nine during his tenure as a Lion.

“There’s no better feeling than being able to end my career the way I did,” VanDeVeen, a business management major, said. “Being able to break some school records and get All-American status in some of my final swims is really special to me, and getting to be a part of the nationals team the last three years has been an amazing experience.

From not even qualifying for NCAAs my freshman year to getting on the

podium has shown me how much hard work can pay off.”

Bendoraitis got second-team AllAmerican in the 500-yard freestyle.

He finished the event in 12th place and swam it in 4:26.17.

All seven of the swimmers the College sent to the national championships earned All-American honors in at least two events.

The losses of Higgins and VanDeVeen will hurt the Lions, but things will still look bright for them next season. Formon already has one year of captaincy under his belt, and he and Kidchob will look to lead the team to a fifth straight conference title during their upcoming senior seasons.