March 2023 Issue

Provost Eric Turner emerges as final presidential candidate

The community had not received an update on the Presidential search since December. On March 3, Lori Hindle, Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Chair of the Search Committee, informed the community that current Provost Eric Turner was the final candidate for the position.

Over the next few weeks, Turner will hold meetings with different constituents within the community to answer their questions directly. Following these meetings, the Board of Trustees will use the feedback to make their final decision.

Turner began his work at Lasell as a member of the Board of Overseers. Over the course of the years, Turner served four terms as a member of the Board of Trustees, acting as Chair and Treasurer, and serving on Lasell Village’s Board of Trustees. Those 25 years of volunteer experience resulted in Turner officially joining Lasell as an employee in 2017 as the Vice President of Graduate and Professional Studies and member of the Senior Management Team.

Hindle held multiple listening sessions throughout the fall semester to gather information on what the community was looking for in their next President. In the announcement of Turner as the final candidate, Hindle describes these qualities as “honesty, passion, a commitment to equity, and a responsibility to maintain the connection with who we are as an institution, even as we continue to evolve.”

Dean of Curricular Integration and the faculty representative on the Presidential Search Committee, Dennis Frey, echoed Hindle when describing what the community wanted and what was listed in the job profile, describing the candidate should be committed to connected learning and community but also prioritizing innovation.

“Lasell has always innovated and changed and been entrepreneurial,” Frey said. “The next President should continue that trend… [Turner] is a good match to that description.”

Frey also emphasized the long-standing relationship Turner has with the institution. Not only has Turner been a part of many roles at Lasell, but he acted as the Chair of the Search Committee that yielded President Michael Alexander in 2007. “[Turner] has an incredible relationship with Lasell, going back 30 years… He’s been with the institution, with the community for a very, very long time which is really good,” Frey said. “In other words, he knows the place, he knows the board, and he knows so much about how the place operates and its connected learning heart, you know, its mission.”

In addition to applying directly for the role,

Turner received multiple nominations from members of the community. Turner said those nominations were “humbling” and says his long history with Lasell indicates “a certain level of commitment to the institution.”

“I’ve been able to utilize my background and experience to the benefit of the institution. And frankly, I hope to continue to do that, you know, if and when I am named as the President of the institution,” Turner said. “I was very much appreciative of what folks have done, to express confidence in me to be able to do this.”

Student Government Association President Michael Woo, the undergraduate student representative on the search committee agrees with

Frey, saying, “Turner has so much experience with Lasell…He understands our community well and leverages that knowledge as a well-respected campus leader.”

In addition to Woo, other students approve of Turner’s possible promotion and believe he is cut out for the role. Sophomore Jeffrey Serrano Sanchez had Turner and Frey as professors in SOC104: Equity and Intersectionality.

Serrano Sanchez had a relationship with Turner prior to taking his class and as a first-generation student, enjoyed being able to talk with someone of authority. “[Turner]’s a great person to speak to about professional development… He’s a great resource to have and just having a

person that is also up in authority is a great connection to have,” Serrano Sanchez said.

Serrano Sanchez not only approves of Turner in the President role, but sees it as an important step forward for people of color on campus, especially male students. “He brings diversity. He would be considered the first black President in I don’t know how many years of Lasell, which is just an outstanding accomplishment,” Serrano Sanchez said. “He’s a very strong advocate for [social justice] and I think him being there and seeing his efforts he puts in…means a lot to students.”

Frey agrees, saying Turner pays attention to the things that matter to the community. “He is a great administrator in that he keeps his eyes on the most important aspects… [Turner has] a wealth of experience dedicated to [Lasell], a deep love and concern for [Lasell] that he brings to campus every day,” Frey said.

The goal for Turner as President is to see Lasell and the community continue to “evolve for the better”, by introducing new programs for both current undergraduate and graduate students, but the students of the future.

“That means continuing to change and introduce new programs for our students, programs that are in line with what’s going on out there, in industry, and in the so-called real world,” Turner said. “You know, we have a very strong connected learning philosophy, a very strong ethic and, and set of operations around career preparation, and career readiness. And clearly, those things need to continue. Because we can see that the need for prepared students isn’t going to subside in the near future.”

The plan for preparing students extends to early college education, assisting with dual enrollment for high school students and youth innovation programs for middle school students.

Turner’s goal remains simple and aligns with the hallmark of President Alexander’s mission, according to Turner: “our culture of collaboration and respect.”

“I like for us to continue our culture of being innovative and trying new things, because I don’t think any institution, you know, survives or, or thrives without continuing to reinvent itself continuing to try new things, you know, continuing to try new things and to fail, because you learn from those things,” Turner said. “And if we can continue that strong foundation of how we treat each other, how we generate ideas, how we evolve, you know, we’ll be here for a long time to come for others to then continue to build on that.”

Foster no longer enrolled at university, set for May court date

KAIE QUIGLEY co-editor-in-chief

After being charged with stealing close to $1 million dollars from a jewelry store where she worked, Ariel Foster is no longer enrolled at Lasell University, according to Director of Communications Ian Meropol.

The former first-year track athlete is set to appear in court on May 5 for a pretrial hearing after pleading not guilty to charges of larceny over $1,200, and being released on $1,000 bail at her arraignment in Woburn District Court on March 10.

Head coach of the track-and-field team Ben Biello gave no comment, and the Athletic Department diverted questions to Meropol.

Foster was an employee at Lovisa Jewelry at the Burlington Mall, and allegedly used store merchandise to refund money onto her own credit card, according to Burlington PD.

Middlesex Assistant District Attorney Julien Gelly said during the arraignment, “[a]n item was scanned onto the register, and the item price was altered to heighten the loss. The item would then be refunded onto a

credit card,” belonging to Foster.

A subpoena to Foster’s bank account uncovered records of Foster reportedly using the funds to make purchases from Tesla, Delta Airlines, a hotel in Hawaii, and Louis Vuitton. According to Detective Brittany Zaccagnini of Burlington PD, there was “evidence to show Foster spent approximately $99,000. We also know that there is a significant amount of money in her accounts. These funds are all currently frozen and being held at this time.”

Court documents obtained by CBS Boston said campus police informed Burlington PD that Foster had been “...the subject of multiple investigations for similar... issues in the last year in regards to using fraudulent credit cards to pay for tuition.”

Meropol has publicly stated that the university is “gathering all the facts,” and that as a policy, the university does not release police reports.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC TURNER

PHOTO BY BOB CARBONE

REBECCA OSOWSKI co-editor-in-chief

Turner, current Provost, speaks at a professional development conference in Boston in 2014.

Foster competing in the GNAC Indoor Track-and-Field Championship, which took place at Boston University on Feb. 12.

EDITOR’S CORNER

The future is nigh?

Opinion & Editorial

Did we miss out on Greek life?

RAYANA PETRONE

Yes: The idea of looking at a college with Greek life was something I shied away from during my college search. I never had a problem making friends growing up through sports and other activities I was a part of and thought that I didn’t need to pay thousands of dollars in order to make friends in college.

However, as a graduating senior at a university without Greek life, I can most definitely say that I have a much different opinion on the topic and recognize that there are more benefits to Greek life than just going to a plethora of events and parties every weekend.

As I get ready to enter the workplace, I often think about how beneficial it would be to have a network of sorority sisters not only at my university, but at colleges across the country in my corner. Those who I know who are part of Greek life at other colleges are beyond passionate about their sororities and fraternities. The passion and sense of pride that comes from be-

ing a member of one of these organizations is meant to last a lifetime.

While having a network of people to share something in common with would be the logical benefit of being part of Greek life, there is also the social factor that has to be acknowledged. I can confidently say that nightlife on campus would improve if Greek life existed here.

Having to go out to bars on the weekend because nightlife on campus is lackluster to say the least is expensive. If more happened on campus, students would be able to save money and socialize with each other in one place.

While one might argue that Greek life is dangerous, I would argue there are both good and bad apples in every aspect of life. There is no reason that Greek life as a whole should experience backlash for the actions of a few when the majority experience nothing far from greatness and leave college with a lifetime of memories.

lasell university 1844 commonwealth avenue newton ma, 02466

co-editors-in-chief

Rebecca Osowski

Kaie Quigley

art director

Mike Maruk

copy editor

Pat Carbone

managing/news editor

Kait Bedell

opinion editor

Alexandra White

features editor

Samantha Vega-Torres

arts editor

Payton Hebert

print sports editor

LJ VP LaFiura

digital sports editors

Nico Manganiello

Karissa Gaughan

digital editors

Hanna Babek

Rayana Petrone

staff

Michael Curran

Matt Jacobson

Harley LaCardo

Elliot Pototsky

illustrators

Pat Carbone

I have no idea what the future holds for me. Everyone wants to know what is next. I believe that as a senior this is a common experience, but I have come to dread these questions. One of the most prominent questions that I am facing right now is about job opportunities.

There is a huge pressure as commencement looms. The answers to where I will be living and working are still up in the air.

I am trying my best not to become discouraged with the countless cover letters I am sending out, but I also do not want to disappoint those in my life that have supported me this far.

I want to be a journalist. That is something that I have been working towards since I was in high school. I have been regularly applying on sites like Indeed and LinkedIn, and yet it just feels as though I am falling behind.

I thought I would have a lot more figured out by now, but it would not be adulting without a few bumps along the way.

Almost every job opportunity in journalism requires three to five years of experience in a major market or publication. For some reason, these are marked as entry-level positions. This of course narrows my job market to the actual entry-level positions I am applying for.

The job market continues to evolve and the requirements that graduates need in order to be hired out of college fully depends on the desired career choice.

Before, an entry-level job would provide the experience needed to build a career. Now it appears that internships have begun to replace the experience of an entry-level job.

I have only had two internships in my time here at Lasell University, which is typically the norm for most majors on campus. However, my two semesters of internships do not provide the required length of experience to get me an entry-level position in the field of journalism.

This is what I appreciate most about my time with my extracurriculars on campus like the 1851 Chronicle, POLISHED Magazine, and the Student Government Association. All of my extracurriculars have exposed me to different mediums in the field of communications. They assisted in gaining my internship opportunities and preparing me for my future more than any course here has.

I am still holding out hope that I will have a job opportunity by the time that I graduate, but I am more conscious now than I was in my first year at Lasell on just how difficult entering the workforce will be.

KAIE QUIGLEY co-editor-in-chief

No: Realistically, this story only needs to be two words— “absolutely not.” While the pitch to hop into a ready-made social clique, belong to a “brotherhood,” and drink your years away may sound tempting to some, I’m happy to have avoided this toxic lifestyle.

Some fraternities have their benefits, I know, and not every member is a stereotype taken straight out of “Blue Mountain State.” However, some of them are, and I think having Greek life would encourage a culture that would damage the student population.

Belonging to a community, and finding friends to help you in your path “forever forward,” sounds great on paper, but we also have

to acknowledge the undoubtable dark side.

A study published in 2018 by Rutgers University found that “Spending time with peers who are accepting of sexual violence leads men to be accepting of sexual violence themselves,” and that individuals interested in fraternities “scored higher on proclivity to perpetrate sexual aggression and some rape myths than non-interested nonmembers.” In addition, according to the study, the socialization process within fraternities “reinforces feelings of male dominance and control.”

A twisted world view and alcoholism— that’s what being in a frat would have gotten me. So, am I sad I missed out? Can’t say I am.

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Biden saves us today, fails us all tomorrow

There has been recent conversation regarding President Biden’s student loan debt relief plan, recently heard by the Supreme Court. After its announcement in the summer of 2022, the plan would provide $10,000 of relief to those who make under $125,000 and $20,000 to recipients of the Pell Grant. It quickly was blocked by lawsuits by six states and an injunction by the Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. Regardless of the Supreme Court’s decision, it is crucial to recognize that this policy may improve life today, only to hurt us all tomorrow.

The Biden Administration’s student debt relief plan is a dangerous path for the federal government. The plan would provide at least 450 billion dollars to borrowers. This grotesque amount of money is called a one-time opportu-

nity for those currently struggling with the cost of American colleges and universities. In reality, treating the symptoms of growing debt instead of the source will only further justify the next debtors to push for the same out of precedent. Future borrowers will call for the same, and the next candidate eager for votes will indulge them. Once this precedent is set, universities are liable to raise their rates knowing that this money may come in for students. This will not only put more students into dependence on government funds but also create infrequently considered impacts on the already ballooning national debt.

The excitement about this opportunity is understandable. For many, this is a big step towards moving on with life after college. As a borrower personally, I will take advantage of this, it is fool-

ish not to. Benefits however, do not make things right. The venus fly trap smells sweet to its prey, but it isn’t until they are inside that they see the danger that there always was. As Americans, we must understand that comfort now is not worth damaging the future.

When Biden unveiled his student debt forgiveness plan, it was met with immediate pushback from across the nation. A plan to lessen the debts of millions of college students and graduates is honorable but provides a massive bill for American citizens to foot with no guarantee it won’t get larger. As nice as the opportunity sounds, it will fail us and our children in the future. Debtors must understand that the future of our great society is more important than their current comfort.

SAMANTHA VEGA-TORRES features editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAMANTHA VEGA-TORRES

GRAPHIC BY PAT CARBONE

New budgeting has clubs doing more with less

KAIT BEDELL & ALEXANDRA WHITE managing/news editor & opinion editor

The Student Government Association (SGA) has been using a new system for club budgets this year. The new system allows for clubs to request money on Laser Involvement. Clubs can now request the money they need at any point in the semester, instead of having to do so at the beginning of the year.

Previously, select members of SGA’s Financial Affairs board would hold meetings with clubs to review budgets and evaluate what the clubs’ budget would be for the entire year. Senior finance major and SGA’s Vice President of Financial Affairs, Michael Palumbo says the new process does not require clubs to meet with the board to go over the club’s budget for the entire year. “We have semesterly meetings to like explain the budget process, but we don’t meet with them for individual budget requests and needs,” said Palumbo. “Unless of course they need the information then we do meet with them. [Clubs] just need to request it on Laser Involvement, we don’t need to meet.”

Palumbo says this new system makes it easier for clubs to receive money they need for events or projects. “Now it’s way easier for clubs to just request when they need money, so it’s easier for clubs to get money, and it’s easier for us to give…money so it works out for us in terms of the process,” said Palumbo.

Senior accounting major and Campus Activities Board (CAB) President Victoria Savluk says CAB’s budget decreased, but because they are not funded by SGA, they can not use the new

budgeting system. “The budget cuts did have a slight impact on CAB…the CAB budget was slightly altered which did have an impact on what events we could and couldn’t do,” said Savluk. “However, as a group, we were able to make our budget work as we are still able to host our most well-known event.”

Savluk says while CAB was affected by the decreased budget, she does not see this being a problem in the future.

“These budget cuts may still have a slight impact on CAB but since we were

able to work with our budget this year, I don’t see this being a big problem for CAB in future years.”

Coordinator of Student Activities and Orientation Nathan Kozach said the Finance Committee members have been doing a “really good job” tightening the budget with this new program and that it has helped the board fund “pretty much everything.”

Kozach said the purpose of implementing the new program was not necessarily to reduce cost, but that they

have seen less money being wasted.

“It turns out it has been, to an extent, that it has definitely allowed for some clubs to have some larger scale programming because we’re budgeting kind of on a month by month basis…” Kozach said.

Although Kozach said he would love to be able to allow all clubs to run high-expense events, he said that “there’s only so much we can do with less money.”

“Our country’s in a tough financial situation, so there’s…a lot of it is out of Lasell’s power in terms of how much money the whole school has and how much money our department gets,” Kozach said. “Everybody wants money. Everybody wants more money than we have, so we try to do our best to allocate things within our budget so that student clubs and organizations do get a fair enough chunk.”

Kozach said everybody always wants more money, but this new program has helped to enable clubs to do more with the money they are given.

“By simplifying the process, we’re able to kind of put every student on the same playing field, every club, every organization on the same playing field,” Kozach said. “So there’s definitely some equity there. There’s breaking down the barriers, making it easy to do the things that you want to do, which is definitely something that we’re trying to make possible in all facets of how we operate as an office.”

Parking Office: Committee meeting will address complaints

KAIT BEDELL managing/news editor

Last year the Parking Office made new changes for resident student parking on campus. As the current academic year comes to an end, they plan to reassess the parking policy and address student concerns.

Since this new policy was implemented, students have two garages to choose from for parking: North or East/West garages. In addition to this, parking for students holding a surface lot permit has also changed.

As opposed to surface lot permit holders being assigned to one specific lot, a student with this permit has been allowed to park in any lots that are considered surface lots. These include Carpenter, Klingbeil, Forest Ave, McClelland, Maple Terrace, Plummer, Van Winkle, Rockwell Daycare, and Grove Street.

According to the Parking Office, the Student Government Association has worked alongside them as they have reviewed parking on campus.

“A lot of time and effort went into these changes with the help and support of the SGA. We appreciate their continued support,” the Parking Office said.

SGA President Michael Woo said SGA often collaborates with various offices on campus to enhance the student experience.

According to Woo, an SGA member served as a student representative on the parking committee that approved this year’s parking policy.

“...We have aired student concerns about the Rockwell lot’s under-utilization to the Campus Police Command Team and Derek Pinto, VP of Administrative Services,” Woo said. “Our hope is that the parking

committee is reinstated with student representation to discuss potential improvements next year.”

Woo said to his knowledge the committee has not met again since implementing the newest policy, however, Campus Police Captain Robert Manning said a committee is set to meet to discuss parking policy again after the academic school year.

Manning said the Parking Office has already recognized the concerns students have over the Rockwell lot, and that it will be discussed during the upcoming committee meeting.

“The biggest feedback we’re getting is from a small group of students who live up in Forest and Rockwell,” Manning said. “They see that lot in the optics, and they don’t understand there are other things in consideration. They only look at a lot that appears to have a lot of open spots,” Manning said.

Since the lot is located close to Grellier Field, Manning said the area serves as a multi-purpose lot which is “great” for handling athletic events. After hearing student concerns, however, Manning said the

issue will definitely be talked about moving forward into next year.

Manning said the Parking Office tries to use “discretion” when it comes to parking violations on campus as they understand that parking is an issue, but students also need to do their part by abiding by the rules as much as possible.

“I wish people would all follow the rules,” Manning said. “It would be nice if everybody abided by the rule, but they don’t.”

Manning said that it’s “not fair” for students who pay to park on campus for students without a permit to be parking in their spots.

While Campus Police tries to enforce parking violations, Manning said they are not perfect and they are trying to do what they can to help make the situation better.

“Are we 100 percent? Probably not,” Manning said. “But we’re pretty good at helping people out and I don’t think that gets relayed a lot.”

Manning said that the Parking Office is always looking to make improvements as best as they can, but that he encourages people to reach out to them with any issues.

“We try to deal with what we have and what’s presented to us as best we can with this, with the understanding that everybody has a concern over the parking,” Manning said. “I wish if people do have questions or problems to come and talk because we are open to trying to make sure we’re helping the members of the community out every day and not fighting them.”

PHOTO BY KAIT BEDELL

The Parking Office meets with a committee each year to discuss changes to the parking policy on campus. Following the new policy effective this year, Captain Robert Manning said that the committee will meet to reassess surface lot parking guidelines.

GRAPHIC BY PAT CARBONE

PDC: Progress made to expand DEI in course evals

KAIE QUIGLEY & HANNA BABEK co-editor-in-chief & digital editor

Since 2020, the Student Government Association (SGA) has been working with faculty to change the course evaluations that students complete at the end of each semester. These surveys are used by professors to determine adjustments to improve the student experience, as well as in areas surrounding faculty members’ contract renewal and promotions.

The proposal of adding questions centered around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was first brought up in the fall of 2020 to ensure inclusive and welcoming classrooms.

SGA Vice President of Academic Affairs Celeste Hunter-Pines says that the addition of these questions will fulfill the call for DEI improvements on campus. She says, “It allows students to give more of a response about how they feel in the classroom, how it pertains to how they’re learning and relationships with their professors.”

Psychology professor Dr. Sarahbeth Golden has been working on the project since its proposal. She says, “I can understand students and particularly SGA’s frustration if they’re frustrated about, like ‘Where is this?’ because I share that. I’m like, ‘Yeah, where is it?’ And I also get why it hasn’t happened yet, but I get it and I also think that it needs to be updated.”

“Faculty governance has a procedure and process that must be followed in order to make changes to important matters that impact faculty,” said Chair of the Professional Development Committee (PDC) Amy Maynard. “All members have input and give feedback. From there, the PDC meets again to discuss, the Executive Committee gives input, and then it returns to faculty.”

Golden is on the committee revising the evaluation and says, “[An] evaluation is meant to get a sense of the learning environment for students. You don’t learn very well if it’s like a super anxious, hostile environment. And I don’t think my colleagues create those types of environments, but I do know that there’s been some experiences that students have had that have not been good. And how are we going to do better if we don’t know what those experiences are so that we can make adjustments?”

In the spring of 2021 the faculty assembly voted to form a task force to look at peer reviewed research on the best practices in evaluating student learning experiences in a way that minimizes bias against minority instructors.

They spoke to faculty and SGA for staff and student perspective about what did and didn’t work with the evaluations. With that information, the task force put together a report with recommendations that they revise the evaluation.

The task force then assigned the PDC, which Golden is on, to revise the evaluation. The course evaluation is typically overseen by the Professional Affairs Committee, however the task force decided that this project was better suited to be taken over by the PDC.

“The faculty initiated a desire for an evaluation that more effectively gave us information about the courses we teach,” said Maynard.

The first step in revising it was to add one pilot item to the already existing evaluation. Golden says this item was “A scale item that evaluates, or attempts to evaluate, students’ experience of the classroom as a welcoming environment, regardless of the student’s background or identity.”

SGA President Michael Woo says, “I think making sure that our classrooms are inclusive and building that inclusive classroom experience for all the academic experiences that students have is crucial.”

This item was included on the fall and spring 2021 evaluations. While that was running, the Professional Development Committee continued to work on a new evaluation. According to Maynard, this new iteration is “not merely ‘new added questions’ but is in fact, a completely new evaluation, containing approximately six open response questions that ask student feedback on specific aspects of the course.”

“The overall structure of the evaluation has been revised,” said Maynard. “The new evaluation will allow students to have more input into specific aspects of the course itself through the open responses, which I think supports the experience of all students in our classes.”

There was a soft rollout of this new

evaluation on a volunteer basis. In the fall of 2022, 25 professors volunteered to send their students the new survey in place of the current one, which had 15 questions instead of the usual 10.

While the current survey is made up entirely of scale questions, the new version has multiple open comment sections for students to explain their answers, and questions specifically related to DEI and the value of the course material and assignments.

“By and large, the feedback was positive from people, and faculty liked it,” Golden said. “And again, these are the people who said, ‘sure, I’ll volunteer.’ So it’s a biased sample.”

According to Maynard, the PDC has been revising the evaluation based on faculty feedback. “We had a survey of the 25 faculty who volunteered to complete the pilot, we held two focus groups, and will have a second rollout of the pilot in Spring 2023.”

“We’ve shared the new version with the full faculty and they’ve looked at it and there’s, you know, it’s not perfect. I don’t think it’s perfect. I think it’s a lot better than the last one, but not everybody agrees with that,” Golden said.

The next step in replacing the cur-

rent evaluation with the revised one is holding a faculty vote. If approved, Golden hopes it will be implemented in the fall of 2023. If it is rejected, she isn’t sure what the future of the evaluation will look like. Golden believes the current evaluation may remain, or be replaced by the first piloted survey.

While the new evaluation is not yet set in stone, Maynard said “the faculty has voted yes to a specific question regarding the role of faculty in being welcoming to students of all backgrounds and identities. That question has been included in the evaluation as a pilot since fall 2021 and will continue to be included in the current course evaluation, as we continue moving forward with the pilot.”

“We are moving forward on all fronts,” said Maynard. “This process is more complex than I personally anticipated. I am confident, however, that we will emerge with a stronger evaluation that gives faculty feedback on all aspects of their courses and allows students to feel confident that their voices are being heard.” Maynard said next fall, the PDC will request that the whole faculty participate in the pilot.

DECA hosts craft fair to fund Florida conference

something you’re interested in,” said junior marketing major and Co-President of DECA Meaghan Csongor. “We competed against schools in Massachusetts, and then we all advanced, so now we’re going to internationals in Orlando next month, where we compete against schools from all over the world.”

DECA hopes the craft fair will bring together members of the community and generate enough interest and support to help gain the funds necessary to attend the conference. “We want to have as many people as possible come to the event. If they want to come and support, help, or donate to us to attend ICDC that’d be great. But yeah, just coming and supporting us is what we’re really looking for”, said Csongor.

“The fact that all of us, even our new members, can go to ICDC is awesome. It’s honestly our goal, we were really hoping that nobody would have to stay behind,” said Almeida.

Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) will have a craft fair on March 31 in the Science and Technology Center (STC), to fundraise for members of the club to attend the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Orlando, Florida, next month. The event is open to all community members and includes 25 vendors, food, and crafts. The admission fee for community members is $15, or $5 for students to attend

the craft fair.

Lasell’s chapter of DECA aims to develop business and leadership skills in students through academic competitions. DECA is open to students of any variety of majors and interests. The club competes against other schools in Massachusetts with the hope of making it to ICDC.

“You compete against other schools in different categories… it could be just

The club has competed at the ICDC in past years and has had success, which the club hopes to continue this year. Of the seven students who competed at the last conference, two placed top three in their categories, and an additional two students placed within the top ten. Now, the number of DECA members representing Lasell has grown to around fifteen, which is additional motivation for the club to compete in the conference according to sophomore business administration and management major, and Vice President of Education Bianca Almeida.

Almeida also emphasized the opportunity the conference provides for members to make connections with professionals as well as other students. “DECA is great for establishing business skills like negotiating and public speaking and networking. Being able to talk to students from schools across the country and internationally and make connections with the judges, who are often industry professionals, is really important. I think it’s great to start building a repertoire and get to know people from schools, especially ones in the area. I’ve met a bunch of kids from Bentley, UMass Dartmouth, and Endicott that have provided me with internship contacts” said Almeida.

DECA has a goal to raise $5,000 for their trip and the money will be used for registration fees, hotels, and transportation costs. Aside from the craft fair, the club also has a GoFundMe, which has successfully raised around $2,600 in donations so far. For those looking to attend the craft fair, it will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m. in the STC.

GRAPHIC BY PAT CARBONE

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEAGHAN CSONGOR

Members of DECA competed at states last month, and have advanced to the International Career Development Conference (ICDC).

PAYTON HEBERT & ALEXANDRA WHITE

Sophomore Spencer Villinski is booked and busy

MICHAEL CURRAN 1851 staff

eration (NRF) foundation student program. He also received the NRF Rising Star Scholarship. “I went to New York City along with a bunch of different classmates. We were just meeting retail executives and retail personalities, and listening to keynotes and getting some networking. That was definitely a standout trip for me,” said Villinski.

close to Boston too.”

Spencer Villinski is a sophomore fashion merchandising and management major who hopes to land a career in the world of merchandising. He is a hurdler on the Men’s Track and Field and Men’s Cross Country teams, a Resident Assistant (RA) in Woodland Hall, a member of Lasell University’s Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapter, involved with studio1851 as sales manager, and a writer and editor for POLISHED Magazine.

As a member of DECA, Villinski traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, last year for the International Career Development Conference (ICDC). In January of this year, he went to the National Retail Fed-

Villinski’s passion for fashion began in middle school when he began to notice how his peers, particularly his older classmates, were dressing. These fashion examples are what inspired him. “From there I started dressing a lot more deliberately or gave much more thought to what I was wearing. I started going to thrift stores with my mom like Goodwill. Then it turned into picking up fashion magazines and reading about the industry more” says Villinski.

During his college search, he decided on his major, and started looking at programs and schools that were relatively close to his hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Villinski says, “I definitely wanted a school on the smaller side as well. I can remember from high school it was always classes with those smaller groups that I thought I was most successful. I liked that personalized time with the teacher or professor.” Lasell checked all the right boxes he was looking for. Villinski says, “It was a closely knit community. It definitely was good for me that it was

He hopes to be a merchandiser or a buyer and work his way up to luxury brand management once he graduates he is hoping to be in a metropolitan area like New York City and either work right away, or enter a master’s program, “I think a merchandiser or buyer combines the left brain and the right brain. It’s a position where you’ve got to be analytical, and you’ve got to understand consumer behavior, you’re traveling, you’re going to these trade shows. I think that’ll be cool.”

Assistant Professor of Fashion Merchandising and Management, Krisitin Kinsky, who is also the supervisor of studio1851 says she and Villinski met when he was printing the syllabus for her course. Kinsky learned that she and Villinski came from the same hometown. “Spencer continues to be someone determined to experience everything he can through the opportunities he steps up to take, whether in the classroom, within DECA, or on industry trips to New York. It’s a great thing to see in a student and makes him a pleasure to have in class,” said Kinsky.

As an RA in Woodland Hall, Villinski is an extension of the Office of Student Affairs. He communicates to residents and puts on programs or workshops to increase student engagement.

Area Coordinator Kevin Castiglioni says, “Spencer is a wonderful Resident As-

sistant and cares deeply for his residents as well as performing well in the position. Spencer is attentive, prompt, and diligent in his work. As a person, Spencer is lovely to talk to, he is always positive and engaged. Spencer and I meet once a week to talk one-on-one and I always look forward to our chats.”

Following his approval from Lasell University, Villinski is awaiting his acceptance from the London College of Fashion for fall 2023.

“While acceptance is likely, it is not guaranteed. For the time being, I need to make sure I get all my application materials in and on time. Ultimately though, I am confident I will be studying in London in the fall,” said Villinski.

Crew club hoping Boomer’s Regatta helps recruitment

PAYTON HEBERT & HANNA BABEK

The club crew team, under new head coach Djuna Perkins, is looking to expand the amount of people involved in the sport through events like the upcoming Boomer’s Regatta. Perkins was recently promoted to head coach at the end of the fall after taking on an assistant role for the semester.

The team currently competes with only five members, four of whom are seniors. This issue has created many challenges for the team as they look to continue competitions.

“Our greatest challenge is that the pandemic really destabilized the program and decimated our numbers. We need more members—both rowers and coxswains,” who steer the boat but don’t row, said Perkins.

Despite this, the team has created tightknit bonds that have contributed to their success, which the members credit to Perkins.

“She’s really committed to building this

program back up. She’s already made a lot of adjustments to the boathouse. So it’s good to have her lead us because for a while, it was just us captains leading things,” said senior member and event management major Kaitlyn Gargas.

Boomer’s Regatta is just one of the initiatives the team is taking to try and generate student interest. The event will take place on Sunday, April 23 at the Stoller Boathouse, and allows teams of up to five people to compete in a race down the Charles River. The team will host practices beforehand for those unfamiliar with rowing, and also encourages spectators for those who want to be a part of the event without being too involved.

Coach Perkins hopes the event showcases not only how fun the sport is, but also some of the unique resources the club has to offer, such as the Stoller Boathouse.

“Not many students at institutions of Lasell’s size have the opportunity to learn to row (or to get better at it) on such a beautiful, quiet, protected stretch of river so close to campus. It’s the best-kept secret around, but I don’t want it to be a secret anymore! I’m hoping the Boomer Regatta will show everyone at Lasell not only how good rowing is for your body and mind, but also how much fun it is,” said Perkins.

Senior marketing major and team member Maddie Bailey says the regatta serves as an opportunity for students to learn about the program and get involved. She said, “Our whole goal of doing this whole regatta is to have people like, understand what rowing is.”

In addition to hosting Boomer’s Regatta, the team hopes to compete in more regattas. They attended the Charles River All Star HasBeen (C.R.A.S.H.-B.) Sprints, the Internation-

al World Indoor Rowing Championships in March. Competing in multiple races held at The Track at New Balance in Brighton, Massachusetts, the team got the chance to compete against international rowers from countries such as Ukraine and New Zealand. Bailey says, “We got to see a lot of races and a lot of people from all around the world, which was really cool.”

Bailey believes anyone considering joining the team should reach out to Coach Perkins. “I think that if you’re even slightly interested in joining, you should just try it out for one day because it’s a lot of fun. It’s a great workout. And I know for me, when I was going in as a freshman, I was a little nervous about joining clubs but I definitely recommend just stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new,” Bailey said.

PHOTO BY SOPHIE ELGORT

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAITLYN GARGAS

The crew team sitting at the 7, 10, and 12 row-erg spots right before the start of the open 500-meter sprint.

Spencer smiles for a headshot at the NRF Student Program at ClickHouse NY in January.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPENCER VILLINSKI Villinski competing in a relay race mid-track meet.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KAITLYN GARGAS (L-R) Djuna Perkins, Kaitlyn Gargas, Maddie Bailey, Mike Maruk, and Nico Manganiello stand together after the races at The Track at New Balance.

Inhaler Music Review

Arts & Entertainment

Yamawaki “Music Lab” in development for students

digital editor

Since the fall, a group of students, led by professor and Interim Dean of the School of Communications and the Arts Ken Calhoun, have been working to create a space for student musicians to gather and connect.

The project has taken root in an empty classroom in the basement of Yamawaki Art and Cultural Center. Prior to the pandemic, it was used for music classes and as a rehearsal space, but has remained mostly untouched since. Now, it is being transformed into a place for musicians to record and jam.

Calhoun says the room has the potential to connect the currently distant music community on campus with the opportunity to serve as a focal point for the musicians to be drawn to and find each other through.

Inhaler is an Irish indie rock band that was formed in Dublin in 2016. The band consists of four members: Elijah Hewson (vocals and guitar), Robert Keating (bass), Ryan McMahon (drums), and Josh Jenkinson (lead guitar).

Elijah Hewson, the band’s frontman, is the son of U2’s lead singer Bono. Despite his famous lineage, Hewson has made it clear he wants Inhaler to be judged on its own merits and not just because of his family connections.

Inhaler’s music draws from a variety of influences, including post-punk, new wave, and indie rock. The band’s sound is characterized by driving rhythms, catchy hooks, and Hewson’s distinctive vocals. Their songs often deal with themes of youth, identity, and love.

Inhaler has gained a reputation as a powerful live act, and they have toured extensively in Ireland, the UK, and Europe. The band has also been praised for their high-energy performances and strong stage presence.

In 2021, Inhaler released their debut album, “It Won’t Always Be Like This”, which received great praise from critics. The album features 11 tracks, including lead singles “When It Breaks” and “My Honest Face”, and showcases the band’s diverse musical influences and marks a strong debut for the young Irish band.

This February, Inhaler released their most recent album, “Cuts & Bruises”. I got the opportunity to attend their concert, and hearing them live was life-changing. I’ve gathered a few songs from their album that specifically stuck out to me and I believe are worth the listen.

“The

Things I Do”:

The beginning of this song is blaring with loud piano chords, separating it from the rest of the album and giving the song a more funk-rock beat. When listening to this song, I am met with an overwhelming feeling of love and warmth, even though the lyrics aren’t necessarily uplifting. The use of piano chords and background beats change the whole layout of the song and overall give it a positive energy.

“So Far So Good”:

This song gives more of a rock vibe to the album. The use of the guitar and background noises, along with the lyrics, make you want to get up and scream. The lyrics are uplifting as well as the background noises, but there are moments of calmness, which I find refreshing.

“Valentine”:

The lyrics of “Valentine” are about a tumultuous relationship and the struggles of trying to make it work, despite the ups and downs. The song is about that feeling of wanting to be with somebody and not knowing if they’re going to stick around. Overall the song has a great melody and an infectious energy.

While many have praised the band’s songwriting abilities and dynamic live performances, this album marks a promising journey for Inhaler, and suggests they have a bright future ahead of them in the indie rock scene.

“If the material is good, then there’s no reason to think that stuff our students create in that room can’t be a viable product, you know. So that’s what we’re looking for and really to make sure that this building is the center point for creativity and the arts on campus,” said Calhoun.

He was initially approached by student Carter Phillips, who was looking to create a space such as this one. Calhoun and Phillips were soon joined by sophomore graphic design major Paige Mesropian and senior communications major Joshua Varghese, also known as Joshua Sweet. Mesropian and Sweet are two of campus’s resident musicians, and regulars to the music lab.

Right now, the room contains a drum set, keyboard, and other equipment that Calhoun refers to as “outdated.” He hopes to expand resources to include recording equipment. Next semester, a Rock Workshop course (MUS210X) taught by touring musician Flynn Cohen will be offered in the lab from 5-7:30 p.m. on Mondays.

Without a current space for musicians to gather, some have mixed feelings on the sense of community they experience.

Sweet says he has experienced some difficulties as a musician on campus. In re-

gards to the attitudes of those around him, he says, “They don’t want to see people around them succeed. They all have such big dreams and no motivation, so when they see that someone has both they want to destroy it.”

However, Sweet also credits Lasell with the opportunity for his first concert. He believes the music lab will help students develop their artistry and it is a chance to “Revolutionize the musical aspect of this school.”

Mesropian has been releasing original music since before she became a Laser, and says coming to college has allowed her to experience music in a different light.

“I’ve been meeting people that also share that same passion. Playing, being able to play with other people, it brings people together, helps form connections.”

She says her peers have supported her as she’s continued to release music. Following the release of a new song last year, she says, “I just posted about it, and some

people walked up to me and were like, ‘Oh, I heard your song, it’s so cool’ and all this stuff. It was a cool community feeling. It was really awesome.”

Calhoun hopes the addition of the music lab will help musicians form a stronger presence and community on campus. “We’ve had bands come out of here before, but it always seems like it’s kind of just a thing that happens very organically and almost accidentally, so we want to help it along, you know,” he says.

“I think being a musician in a college setting is exciting and cool because it gives you a kind of outlet for creativity, a way to make friends, a way to connect.” says Calhoun.

Calhoun believes this is another opportunity to help students succeed, saying, “If they have resources here that support them, not just a hobby but really a pathway to their dreams, you know, then we should be able to provide that.”

Schoolwork to scripts: Stark flourishing in internship

PAYTON HEBERT & HARLEY LACARDO arts editor & 1851 staff

Lily Stark has made an impact on campus since her first year here, breaking out as a field hockey star and setting the record for most goals in a single season. Now the junior is looking to break out into the professional world, finding a place for herself on the west coast.

Stark is currently working for Heroes and Villains, a management company in California, as an intern through a program at Boston University (BU). The company reviews scripts sent by its clients and evaluating which ones are suitable for television or film. This is something that has generated interest for Stark, who, as a Radio and Video Production concentration, has spent a lot of time behind the camera in the production aspects of the television industry.

“Since coming out here, I’ve gained more interest in screenwriting, reading over the scripts, and getting more into the background of the production. I spend most of my time in the office, and I don’t really get to go on the shoots or be on set, but so far, I have really enjoyed it,” said Stark.

As for the role Stark is playing for Heroes and Villains, she is currently tasked with reading over scripts, summarizing them, and noting whether or not they would be viable for the company, which has been a rewarding experience.

“Reading scripts is by far the easiest way to make an impact in this industry for interns because it allows you to get your input out there which is something that usually doesn’t happen until you are

hired full-time somewhere, so it’s been a very cool experience,” Stark said.

This is not the first time Stark has worked on a set professionally. In her sophomore year, she worked on the set of Roswell spinoff Baron and Toluca as a Production Assistant. Both of these opportunities she credits to the connections she has been able to make through her experiences, as she received one internship through a prior connection and another through her enrollment at BU.

Being currently enrolled at BU has come with some challenges for Stark. “I definitely didn’t know anyone coming here since it’s all BU students, so it was challenging to find connections. You find your way eventually but it was definitely a struggle at first,” said Stark.

Traveling to the west coast has offered Stark great opportunities to connect with higher-ups and experience working in different atmospheres. “My biggest takeaway has been all the connections that I have made while being out here. The company that I work for, along with BU, has given me the opportunity to meet and talk to some of the top people in this industry which really would never happen otherwise,” Stark said.

While Stark has no definitive plans for after college, she intends to return to Lasell for the fall semester, with hopes to return to California after graduating.

“Hopefully, I can make enough connections while I’m out here so that when I am finished I can get a job on the west coast because we pretty much have to be over here for what I want to do.”

HARLEY LACARDO 1851 staff

GRAPHIC BY HARLEY LACARDO

PHOTO BY HANNA BABEK

HANNA BABEK

Paige Mesropian and Ken Calhoun rehearse for their performance at Empty Bowls.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LILY STARK

Lily Stark in New Mexico on the set of “Baron and Toluca,” a sequel to the hit show Roswell, as part of an internship she did in the fall of 2021.

Arts & Entertainment

Fashion, Styling, and Photography club; the name says it all

Attack of the Clones

As students at a university headlined by its fashion program, there is an expected interest in fashion that has translated into many clubs and extracurriculars. One of these clubs, the Lasell Fashion, Styling, and Photography club, has expanded largely in recent years, becoming a great opportunity for students to gain experience in various roles related to the fashion industry.

The club offers a variety of positions for those interested. “You can be a stylist, which means you put garments together for the models. We usually pair up two stylists to each model. We usually have three or four models per shoot, and then we usually have two photographers per shoot, plus people for hair and makeup,” said club President and senior fashion media and marketing major Shelby Cranston-Weaver.

The club currently has an astounding 95 members. With so many members and a limited number of people in each shoot, getting everyone involved throughout the semester is an important goal for creative team members.

“My goal for the club as Vice President is to make sure that everyone feels seen and heard and can work collaboratively with the other students on campus. As a senior, I feel as though I have a sense of responsibility to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to express their creativity,” said Vice President and

senior fashion merchandising major Jacqueline Minasian.

Another major goal of the club is sustainability, which is something junior fashion merchandising major and Treasurer Sydney Veilleux emphasizes. “We really have a sustainability message behind us. So the clothes that we use either come from a thrift store, which we then return back. Or they come from our own closet. This semester especially we’ve been really using our own closets,” said Veilleux.

While having so many different roles within the club can make photoshoots hectic, the creative team strives to keep an uplifting environment on set. “Shoot days can be a little stressful just because we have to get everything done. But overall, I’d say they’re really fun. I think the models and stylists have a great time posing and just seeing their vision come to life,” said Veilleux.

This environment is something club advisor and Associate Professor of Graphic Design Stephen Fischer can attest to. “The times I have visited the sets for the shoots the atmosphere is quite lively and the spirited collaboration that happens offers so much to a positive creative experience for the students,” said Fisher.

The club strives to do two to three photoshoots each semester, allowing for all members to get involved and have a

chance to build their portfolios. While the opportunity to build a personal portfolio is a perceived benefit of the club, Cranston-Weaver notes the work produced in photoshoots often also makes its way into global magazines.

“One of our biggest accomplishments is that we got into Vogue Italy magazine, for our ‘In Bloom’ shoot. We also got into the magazine Proficient for our shoot ‘Unorthodox Promenade’,” said Cranston-Weaver, “It means a lot to me that we have accomplished something that is more than just a school club. We go above and beyond and have achieved things that a lot of people even outside of college have trouble doing. It just makes all the hard work worth it because at the end of the day we know we’re good enough.”

For those interested in joining the club, the creative team encourages students to reach out over Instagram or e-mail to see how they can get involved.

“If you’re interested in fashion, styling, photography, make-up, hair, behind the scenes, this is your club. Even if you’re not interested in any of those, we’d love to see what you can bring to the team. We want as many team members to feel a part of this club as well as join such a great and positive environment,” said Minasian.

Given the two month stretch which included the release of country album of the year favorites like “Bluebird Days” by Jordan Davis, “One Thing At A Time” by Morgan Wallen, and “Gettin’ Old” by Luke Combs, the natural choice for a music review would be to look at one. That’s what I thought until I heard “Fast Car” on “Gettin’ Old”. Covers have been an integral part of country music for many years, putting the stylistic choices of country music onto rock and pop numbers. Here’s a look at some country covers that are iconic or soon may be.

“Fast Car” - Luke Combs

The newest on the list, originally written and recorded by folk rock artist Tracy Chapman. In “Fast Car,” the narrator speaks to their significant other, speaking of their dreams to break out of the life and circumstances they currently know. When I saw this on “Gettin’ Old” I couldn’t wait to listen to it in album order because of how good a fit it is. A song such as “Fast Car” deserves a little grit to it to match the desires of the narrator and the song had yet to be done by someone with a gravelly voice such as Combs. I sincerely hope this becomes the go-to version and one of the most successful country covers out there.

“Hurt” - Johnny Cash

Despite most of his best work coming before the 1970s, Cash’s most iconic number came in 2002 on the album “American IV: The Man Comes Around”. Cash’s rendition of “Hurt” is bare, vulnerable, and yet at the same time confident and driven. Few performers are capable of creating this atmosphere and that’s why it’s become so commercially successful, featured in productions such as “Colombiana, Smallville”, and the trailer for “Logan”. Surely star power does not carry Cash’s rendition of Nine Inch Nails’ song.

“Life Is A Highway” - Rascal Flatts

“Through all these cities and all these towns, it’s in my blood, and it’s all around.”

Like Johnny Cash, “Life Is A Highway” is a country cover that’s also a band’s most popular song. The country rock band covered this song in 2006, featured in “Me And My Gang” and Pixar’s “Cars”. The latter allowed the song to become a mega hit and synonymous with Pixar’s greatest film. There’s not much else that needs to be said about this song, it quite simply slaps. Maybe it’s my age but I can’t help but have a good time with this song and Tom Cochrane’s version just is not the same.

Honorable Mentions

“Ol’ Red” - Blake Shelton, originally by George Jones

“Landslide” - The Chicks, originally by Fleetwood Mac

“Heaven” - Jason Aldean, originally by Bryan Adams

“Strawberry Wine” - Breeland, originally by George Jones

In modern music, most are insistent on recording original work, which feels quite foolish. Music is unique as an art form as it is made to be recreated, edited, and improved. I love few things more than when artists look at other work and come at it with another perspective that unlocks things that we didn’t previously know were missing. Enjoy these unique takes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHELBY CRANSTON-WEAVER

Creative team (L-R Sydney Veilleux, Jacqueline Minasian, Nicole Reusch, Shelby Cranston-Weaver) pose for a photo.

PHOTO BY PAYTON HEBERT

Model Jenna Bazow getting a touch up from Vice President Jacqueline Minasian before photo with photographer Anthony Stancato.

GRAPHIC BY LJ VP LAFIURA

PHOTO BY PAYTON HEBERT

Model Casey Salvatore looking through clothes.

Coach’s Corner: Jeff Vautrin

BY MATT JACOBSON

What a Day! EJ receives numerous honors

BY KAIE QUIGLEY co-editor-in-chief

Men’s and Women’s Volleyball coach

Jeff Vautrin might be one of the most interesting people on campus.

Aside from helping propel both teams to new heights, he currently plays for and helped found the Boston Bounce Volleyball Club. The Bounce is a professional team and member of the Volleyball League of America (VLA).

He was approached about the offer after his time playing volleyball in Hawaii.

“They were starting another league called the Volleyball League of America and they wanted me to be a part of the Boston-based team,” Vautrin said. “So now I am also the owner of Boston Bounce VLA.”

He compares the VLA to Major League Lacrosse in a financial sense.

“It’s professional but not making money in a crazy amount or anything like that,” Vautrin said.

Senior Men’s Volleyball player Riley Grenier says despite how busy his coach is, he knows that he loves coaching.

“It’s definitely a ton of work for him but he loves the game and when your work is something you love it’s less like work,” Grenier said. “He’s a super busy guy but he loves what he’s doing,” he added.

When asked about how he manages time for two NCAA teams and his professional team, he was very blunt.

“I will tell you that I have very, very limited time,” Vautrin said. “Overall the weekends that I have free are basically for Boston Bounce, and then the weekends when they kind of overlap I try to prioritize Lasell, and then as soon as Lasell’s over I quickly try to go to a Boston Bounce practice or tournament,” he added.

For most, this would be extremely stressful, but first-year libero Autumn Walker says Vautrin knows how to keep moving forward without stressing.

“As a freshman, I came into our season really nervous about the whole experience and he always found a way to keep me calm and push me forward,” Walker said. “He showed me the value of hard work and dedication,” she added.

As a coach, his players have nothing but great things to say about him.

“Jeff works a ton behind the scenes trying to recruit the right pieces and make our program the best it could be,” Grenier says. “Just a few years ago we wouldn’t break the top 3 in the conference and now we’re competing with the best teams in the nation.”

“I’m really grateful to have Jeff as my coach at Lasell,” Walker said. “I do not think that I would be the same as a player and I don’t think this program would be the same if Jeff wasn’t our coach.”

The conclusion of this year’s men’s basketball season coincided with the end of fifth-year guard EJ Day’s legendary Laser career. He led the nation in scoring for Division III with 25.8 points per game in his final year, and accrued an extensive list of awards and honors; All-Great Northeastern Athletic Conference (GNAC) First Team, GNAC Player of the Year, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III All-Region First Team for District I, NABC All-America Third Team, finalist for the national Jostens Trophy Award.

“It’s been an honor to coach EJ. He deserves all the recognition he has received,” said head coach Aaron Galetta, who was also an NABC All-American and Jostens finalist when he played at Union College in 2002. “The Jostens Trophy recognizes basketball ability, academics and community service, so for him to be a finalist is something to be really proud of. That award is the true definition of what it means to be a student-athlete.”

Academically, Day finishes his undergraduate, and graduate degree in criminal justice with a 3.3 cumulative GPA, which juxtaposes his beginnings with the program. Galetta said the Lasers recruited Day out of high school. “We loved his game and thought he could help us right away. Unfortunately, and I can tell this story now, he wasn’t accepted to Lasell out of high school.”

Instead, Day played his first collegiate season at Western New England University (WNEU), where

he said the program wasn’t for him. “There’s nothing I could have done or could do about it,” Day said. “It was more so like a system like you’re more of a second option third option and I knew I was a better player than that so I just really didn’t want to settle for that.”

Galetta said after his freshman season, Day reached back out and was interested in transferring.

“[The WNEU coach] let me go,” said Day, “he woke me up and showed me… what a situation can’t be and how a player has to be in the right situation to achieve things and prosper… Once I was free, I just flew. And I think I flew a lot farther than people were expecting. I think I did a lot more than people thought I was going to do.”

Making an immediate impact on the floor upon arrival, Day averaged 25.1 points in his sophomore season. As an underclassman, there were three older players on the roster that Day said helped mentor him— Kevin Nunez (‘22), Kevin Vanderhorst (‘22), and John Friberg (‘22).

“They had the experience, they were a lot more mature than I was… that’s really like my biggest growth period was playing with those three guys, on the court and off the court like in life and basketball, they just really taught me a lot to help me grow in life, and then to be the leader,” Day said.

After that year, he didn’t slow down, averaging over 20 points per game each season as a Laser, excluding the 2020-21 pandemic year when the team

played just two games.

Galetta said Day is one of the most competitive players he’s ever coached and has “evolved over his career from being a player just looking to score, to someone doing whatever it took to win games.”

This year in particular, according to Galetta, Day stepped up as a leader and elevated his teammates.

While he credited his upperclassmen influences and dedication from coaches for much of his success, Day made sure to also acknowledge his younger teammates for their character and contributions, especially Conan McCusker and Quinton Partee Jr., who played significant minutes for the Lasers all year. “I wouldn’t have been able to score 26 points [per game] if it wasn’t for them. Because I needed them just as much as they needed me,” said Day.

With Day’s departure, the torch is being passed to returning veteran guard Demerrick Warren. “I’m looking forward to seeing him lead and what he took from me and then what he brings to the guys next year,” said Day.

“I think he always wanted to come here, and I knew EJ would thrive in a community like Lasell,” said Galetta. “I’ve been fortunate to coach a lot of really good players here at Lasell and EJ is definitely on that list. He was a special player for us and we always had a chance to win with EJ on the floor. I look forward to continuing our relationship after graduation and following his future successes.”

Men’s lacrosse aims for third straight GNAC final

PAT CARBONE

copy editor

After falling to the Norwich University Cadets in the 2022 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) championship game, the men’s lacrosse team is looking to reach their third straight championship game. Despite being ranked third in this year’s conference rankings, head coach Dieter Treusdell is not worried about the predicted finish.

“You gotta go out and play the games and prove where you are throughout the season. So we don’t really give that a whole lot of attention,” Treusdell said.

In an effort to prove their dominance to the rest of the conference, Coach Treusdell has added some key pieces to continue the team’s success.

“We’ve gotten in a few transfers that have been contributors for us in these first few games and have shown really well for themselves,” Treusdell said.

One of those transfers includes junior long stick midfielder, Francis Pino. Pino spent his sophomore year at the University of Tampa, transferring

from Lasell after his first year. “I felt too much like a little fish in a big pond over there,” said Pino. “I would catch myself down at UTampa some nights watching old lacrosse videos… I missed being on a team.”

Now back with the Lasers, Pino and the rest of the squad are all on the same page regarding the task at hand. “Our goal is the GNAC championship, and if we don’t hit that, then the seasons a wash,” Pino said. Pino missed the Lasers’ most recent matchup against St. Joes with a separated AC joint, however, he expects to be ready for the next game.

Coach Treusdell credits the team’s ability to come together on the culture that has been built outside of the game. “We do a lot of community service and things outside of our season to bring that team culture up and just show people what type of people we are on campus,” Treusdell said. “It definitely shows up for us and how we play the games, just how close of a team we are.”

The team’s close-knit bond also shows through their contributions in the game as well. With balance all over the field, with newcomers including goalie Michael Catalano, midfielders Matthew Carbone and Adam Haytayan, attackmen Jack Tauson and Patrick Mulhern, and the experienced starting defense have all had their hand in the team’s success this season.

Treusdell also credits the success to the additions of assistant coach Kyle Laforge and defensive coordinator Scott Kessler to the coaching staff with their, “wealth of knowledge and experience.”

Against St. Joseph’s on Tuesday, the Lasers kept the game close until the very end until the Monks pulled away and grabbed the win 13-10. The Lasers currently sit at a record of 5-5 and 3-1 in conference games. They’ll have a week-and-a-half break in between games before they take on the Rivier Raiders at Grieller Field for their senior day.

PHOTO BY JOE GIACCO

EJ Day dribbling near the logo in the March 14 matchup against Dean College. Day scored 18 points while adding 5 assists and 3 steals.

PHOTO BY ROB PAPAZIAN

Sophomore attacker Kieran Oliver drives toward the net during the Lasers’ White Ribbon game against Anna Maria College.

PHOTO BY ROB PAPAZIAN

Sophomore midfielder Will McCarthy cradling the ball in the 24-5 victory over Anna Maria College.

PHOTO BY JOE GIACCO

Jeff Vautrin surrounded by the Men’s Volleyball team during their March 7 match against Emerson College.

PHOTO BY JOE GIACCO

Day takes a free throw in a regular season game vs. Regis College.