March 2022 Issue

March 2022 • Volume 16, Issue 5

www.The1851Chronicle.org

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Campus classrooms become mask optional

PHOTO BY MIKE MARUK

(L-R Juliana DeMuro ‘22 and Jack Drees ‘22) diligently working in a mask optional classroom environment.

PHOTO BY MIKE MARUK

A pile of extra masks Professor Marie Franklin has for her students who are still looking to stay safe in the classroom.

CLAIRE CRITTENDON & KAIT BEDELL co-editor-in-chief

& news editor

After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic impacting decisions made around campus, the Lasell community will no longer require masks in the classroom.

The COVID-19 Task Force announced in an email to the Lasell community from Dean of Student Affairs Dean Hennessey that the mask policy in classrooms would be selectively optional, effective March 28.

According to Hennessey, the decision was based on the decrease in positive cases locally and nationally. The COVID-19 dashboard currently states that there have been no positive cases in the last seven days.

The email also stated that the vaccination and booster rate of Lasell is over 98%, which factored into the decision.

“Lasell’s campus remains one of the saf-

est places in the entire country and this decision is one based in science, with the physical and mental health of our community at the forefront,” Hennessey said.

Under the new policy, those who still wish to wear a mask may do so, and professors have the authority to continue requiring masks in individual classes.

Deputy Title IX Coordinator and Assistant Professor Karin Raye chose to continue to mandate masks in her classes.

In a Canvas announcement to her CJ335: Sexual Violence Advocacy class, Raye said, “I have chosen to keep masks mandatory in our CJ335 classroom through the remainder of the semester because I have not had COVID yet and want to be very careful about getting it and bringing it back to my family.”

She continued, “as you know, we have had folks on Zoom during the semester because of COVID and I want to do everything in my power to keep you safe and in the classroom.”

Students and faculty members with approved vaccination exemptions will still be required to wear masks inside all buildings on campus including classrooms.

“I think the mask mandate is important for all of us after a long hard couple years with COVID,” said sophomore exercise science major Katrina Abouzied. “It brings some joy to the campus that there is hope we can have a completely normal year soon,” she said.

Senior fashion design and production major Nicolas Brown offered a different

point of view. “I personally think it’s a bad and unsafe decision to make masks optional in classrooms. We are actively still in a pandemic and with the newest variant BA.2 being even more transmissible than Omicron, it puts everyone in danger of contracting COVID,” he said.

The Task Force said students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should visit Health Services immediately, while faculty members should stay home and contact their doctor.

“As throughout the pandemic, we will continue to monitor conditions on our campus and in the surrounding community and adjust our practices as circumstances dictate,” the Task Force said.

Take 3 & Boomer’s Grill

Campus Police crack down on parking KAIT BEDELL & JOSH WOLMER news editor

& 1851 staff

After an increase in parking violations, Lasell’s parking office announced on February 28 that there would be some drastic changes to Lasell’s parking policies beginning in March.

In an email sent out to Lasell’s residents, it stated that there were numerous students with parking permits that were parking in the wrong lots and numerous that were parking on campus without permits.

According to the email, residents who were in the wrong lots would be warned by a ticket. The second time it occurs, their car may be towed at their own expense. Guests who are in the wrong areas without a permit would be towed at their own expense without warning.

There were also issues going on with students parking in handicapped spots as well as fire lanes. Lasell announced that those who violated that policy would no longer pay the $100 fee as it was increased to $200.

Campus police officers Robert Manning and Michelle Leblanc said that they noticed there has been an increase in parking violations since COVID-19 started.

Since fewer individuals were on campus last year, there were temporary parking permits being offered to students who wouldn’t normally receive a pass.

Leblanc and Manning said that they believe the students who previously held a temporary pass have contributed to the increase in parking violations as they feel “entitled” to a parking spot even though they no longer hold a pass.

Although they said that students have been violating the rules less since the recent campus police emails, they are still noticing violations.

“I feel like the students have been a bit more compliant,” Leblanc said, “However, we do still find students that are being blatant-

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

KAIE QUIGLEY & MIKE MARUK co-editor-in-chief

PHOTO BY JOSH WOLMER

Campus Police cracks down on ticketing unregistered and incorrectly parked vehicles on campus as parking violations increase.

ly disrespectful with parking wherever they choose.”

Senior journalism major and Co-Editor-inChief of The 1851 Chronicle Claire Crittendon who holds a valid parking permit for the Van Winkle lot said she has received a lot of tickets this year, mostly for parking in the wrong lot.

“When I get back from rehearsal late at night, it seems that the Van Winkle lot is [often] full. I feel silly calling campus police over something like this. As a result, I would go and park in the McClelland lot which always seems to have spots open and is very close by,” Crittendon said.

Crittendon also said that she thinks it would be a wise idea in combining the Van Winkle lot and McClelland lot into one since they

Time to change Torchlight Parade?

Page 2

are basically the same.

Sophomore public health major Annarita Sanfilippo holds a parking permit for the Rockwell Daycare lot and said that she’s had to call campus police before because her assigned lot was filled up with unregistered vehicles.

“I have faced many frustrations while trying to park in my assigned lot,” Sanfilippo said.

Sanfilippo said she thinks this issue is because many students, including upperclassmen, struggle to obtain a parking pass which is what she thinks causes the violations.

“The biggest issue with parking at Lasell is how limited the parking spots are in general,” Sanfilippo said. “They struggle immensely trying to find an appropriate amount of spots for both students and faculty.”

Sunflower of Peace: Q&A with Iryna Saks Page 5

& art director

As students were getting ready for a long-awaited spring vacation, Dining Services were gearing up for an interesting change to their dining options.On February 24, Diane Parker sent out an email to the student body regarding dining options on campus.

Inside, was a link to a Google form with a list of questions about food satisfaction, dietary requirements, and more.

Also included were questions about 1851 Late-Night, Take 3, and Boomer’s Grill.

The answers received from students resulted in the return of Boomer’s Grill as the primary late-night option, as well as a relocation for the option of Take 3 from the Glow Lounge to the lobby of the Science and Technology Center, according to Diane Parker.

This was a big surprise to many, as they never saw the survey sent in the email prior to leaving for spring break, or didn’t understand that it would cause such a massive change. However, in the defense of Dining Services, the majority of the surveys sent out in the past have been more about food satisfaction rather than food location, which may have contributed to confusion over the email.

Lasers say goodbye to Ricky Igbani Page 8

2

March 2022

EDITOR’S CORNER

Make the most of it

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAYANA PETRONE

RAYANA PETRONE digital editor

Coming to college as a first-year in 2019, I never would have expected things to turn out the way that they have. As I wrap up my junior year and head into my final year this fall, I find myself looking back with sadness that my time as an undergrad student is almost up.

Most of my college experience has taken place throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected me in more ways than I might’ve ever thought it would. I chose to return to campus in the fall of 2020 when the university gave students the choice to reside on campus, commute, or study remotely.

Choosing to live on campus last year is something I am so happy I did at the end of the day, despite all of the ups and downs that came along with that decision. COVID-19 restrictions on campus limited social interactions, which presented me with a lot of challenges personally. I found myself struggling to meet new people outside of those I had already known as a first year, and having a hard time with the restrictions on campus.

Instead of continuing to feel sorry for myself, I made the conscious effort to try and make the most of the situation I was in and push myself to be more social among those I was able to interact with. I joined the student-run newspaper that year, which allowed me to meet so many wonderful people who shared similar interests with me. I also began working in the admissions office as a Blue Key Society (BKS) ambassador where I met so many students with a variety of interests and expanded my knowledge about the university.

Looking back, I am beyond glad that I forced myself out of my shell in such a difficult time because of where it led me now.

I’m not sure I would have survived the craziness that was last year without these two organizations. Luckily, I have had a much more “normal” year this year, and have grown in my roles both in BKS and on the Chronicle, where I now serve a section editor.

I am looking forward to next year and am excited to see what else is in store for me, but in the back of my mind I am still sad about the time I’ve lost in college. However, I am planning on continuing to embrace the mindset of making the most of it, and am going into my senior year happier than ever to do just that.

Opinion & Editorial Time to change Torchlight Parade?

PAT CARBONE

1851 staff

Lasell celebrates the end of the academic year with the Torchlight Parade. Students will carry a lit tiki torch and make their way down Woodland Road as seniors pass their torch to an underclassman, which is supposed to represent the underclassman continuing that senior’s legacy at Lasell. Although it has a lovely and sentimental meaning, I believe it is time for Lasell to change the look of its famous Torchlight Parade. I say this because torches have long been associated with race supremacy groups and the Torchlight Parade bears a strong resemblance to past events such as the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

In August of 2017, white supremacists took to the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia for two days, carrying tiki torches yelling antisemitic and racial chants, as they protested the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue. Protestors wore Nazi symbols and also carried Confederate flags and weapons in this horrific event. On the second day of the rally, a white supremacist drove his car into a sea of counter-protestors, killing one and injuring 35 others.

But that is only one of many events over the past 150 years that carry racial and antisemitic views. The tiki torch has been a part of these events dating back to post-Civil War USA. And the fact that Lasell is allowing and encouraging their students to walk around campus with these torches is not a good look for the university. It seems very difficult to deny the similar look of the Torchlight Parade and these terrible rallies.

I completely understand what the Torchlight Parade signifies and the history it has at Lasell. I love the idea of an event where the Lasell community can come together and celebrate their graduating seniors and their rising underclassmen. Yes, I know that the parade has nothing to do with racial supremacy. But is there a better way of celebrating students than having students march down the street with lit torches at a predominantly white school?

I am not saying that we need to completely do away with the Torchlight Parade, more change the look of it. We could possibly substitute the torches with

ILLUSTRATION BY FELIPE BIDA

lanterns for instance. It may not be the best idea, however, it is a great way for Lasell to distance itself from this disturbing-looking celebration.

Villager connections are crucial ALEXANDRA WHITE 1851 staff

Last year I interviewed Charlotte Winslow, a Lasell Village resident with a deep knowledge of education and the community. Before this experience, I didn’t know much about Lasell Village. After attending a few Village events, and learning more about the residents, I wondered, why aren’t Lasell students more involved with the Village? Lasell Village and its residents provide on-campus employment opportunities for students, career advice, and can improve students’ experiences at Lasell.

Working at the Village is one of the main job opportunities for students on campus. This also leads to good connections between students and members of the village. This is such a crucial part of the Lasell community because it gives students the opportunity to get to know members of Lasell Village and form a deeper understanding between students and Villagers.

Earlier in the semester, the Student Government Association and the Student Alumni Association worked with Lasell Village to create a career panel for students.

At the event, Villagers shared their career

experiences in various fields. Members of the Village gave heartwarming and helpful advice that students, no matter the major or interest, could use in their professional lives. This event was beneficial and reassuring for students who learned about the long careers Villagers have had and provided an opportunity to network with Villagers.

When students can connect with other members of the community, it creates a meaningful college experience. Creating connections with Villagers can be rewarding for students and members of Lasell Village.

Several of the members of Lasell Village spoke at the career panel about how forming relationships is an important step while working towards personal or career goals.

Villagers always love to talk with students, and it can help students or Villagers who are feeling isolated feel less alone.

While students may not have the time to be involved in Lasell Village, students should recognize that they are a large part of our community. The Village is filled with people who would love to connect with students and are valuable members of Lasell.

Painting politics pink, for what?

CLAIRE CRITTENDON co-editor-in-chief

With the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the question of how best to lead is on everyone’s mind. Would a woman in power lead to different results? Do we need more women in government? Actually, I don’t think we do.

The word “representation” has lost all meaning. Instead of pouring our resources into forming a “more diverse government,” the American government should try minding its own business. What will having more women fueling the war machine do? We need a new system, there is no fixing the problem by painting it pink and paying it less.

Since its founding in 1776, America has spent 92% of its existence at war.

According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, American troops are currently deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, Colombia, Bahamas, Japan, South Korea, Guam, Australia, Singapore. Philippines, Palau, Thailand, Taiwan, Germany, Italy, United King-

lasell university

1844 commonwealth avenue newton ma, 02466 co-editors-in-chief

Claire Crittendon Kaie Quigley art director

Mike Maruk copy editor

Rachel Shepard news editor

Kait Bedell opinion editor

Holly Feola features editor

Rebecca Osowski arts editor

Abi Brown sports editor

Taylor Viles digital sports editor

Kaie Quigley digital editors

Bailey Klingaman Rayana Petrone

dom, Spain, Belgium, Greece, Netherland, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Norway, Hungary, France, Bahrain, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Diego Garcia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Kenya, Jordan, and Djibouti; 42 total countries.

If these wars were declared by women, these occupations led by women, would the deaths abroad mean less? The suffering, carnage, children growing up without their parents - would this be easier to stomach if the bombs were dropped by women?

Representation is important, people should see themselves reflected in the media and the worlds they interact with. Accurate media portrayal, equally accessible opportunities, and gender equality are things we as a country should be striving for. That is all true, and also not what this conversation is about.

There is no “gender equality” possible in preventable deaths.

staff

Hanna Babek Griffin Bryan Pat Carbone Karissa Gaughan Harley LaCardo LJ VP LaFiura Zack Laware Nico Manganiello

Samantha Vega-Torres Alexandra White Josh Wolmer

illustrator

Felipe Bida Photographer

Mike Maruk faculty advisor

Marie C. Franklin printing services provided by:

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March 2022

News

3

LGBTQ students embrace the outdoors

ALEXANDRA WHITE & REBECCA OSOWSKI

1851 staff & features editor

On March 3, The Donahue Institute and alum Ana Seiler (‘20) hosted a Zoom event titled, “Queer Inclusivity and the Outdoors: Intersectionality on the Trails.”

The event was aimed at bringing awareness to the Queer and Transgender community’s accessibility to the outdoors, language surrounding the outdoors and indigenous groups, and seeing nature as an extension of ourselves, rather than a separate being.

The event was organized by Chief Diversity Officer Jesse Tauriac who stayed in contact with Seiler after she graduated.

“She’s shared with me some of the updates on her career,” Tauriac said. “We talked a little bit about finding a position at an organization that really aligns with her values. When she shared that with me, I felt that it was very important that people consider that and invited her to speak.”

Tauriac said events for students involving LGBTQ inclusiveness are important for members of the community.

“It’s critical that we are very intentional

about fostering an environment where queer folks can have a sense of community and can know that they can be safe enough to enter spaces that unfortunately, they haven’t always felt safe to enter,” Tauriac said.

Seiler, who is now an employee at the Venture Out Project, an organization aimed at creating community for the LGBTQ community through relationships with the outdoors, wanted to come back to speak in order to be the person she did not have while at Lasell.

“I wish that there had been more opportunities at Lasell, to hear from… outdoor leaders, from folks that work in indigenous sovereignty,’’ Seiler said. “Part of the reason I wanted to come back to Lasell to talk was to be able to be that person that I wish I had. I wanted to provide an avenue of thoughts and ideas and provide a little bit of hope that even though we don’t necessarily have an outdoor leadership program major, that it’s possible to get into things that you didn’t major in after you graduated.”

Conversations about queer inclusivity ar-

en’t only important for members of the LGBTQ community. “This event is important because it raises awareness, and it helps people to realize that unfortunately, there are real threats out there that people face,” said Tauriac. “Our cis, and straight students need to understand that these issues are very real and meaningful and important. And unfortunately, oftentimes, people from advantaged backgrounds aren’t always aware of the challenges that folks from minoritized backgrounds are facing.”

If there is one thing Seiler wanted attendees to take away from the event, it is that “we all have to shift our mindsets around what being human means in the grander plan of the ecosystem and actively playing a role in it, not just expecting nature to abide by whatever we want to do.”

According to Tauriac, more events are coming for the LGBTQ community in the future such as the Queer Prom night and an LGBTQ Alumni panel organized by the Student Alumni Association and PRIDE.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANA SEILER

Ana Seiler (‘20) featured on her outdoor adventures.

New environmental living and learning community

CLAIRE CRITTENDON CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

On February 28, President Alexander announced he and Professor Stephen Sarikas will be founding a new project called The Environmental Justice Living and Learning Community (EJLLC).

The EJLLC is open to both commuter and residential students. These residential students will all live together in a house along Maple St, namely Pickard, Chandler, or Keever, depending on the number of undergraduates who join.

“I think it’s a very important topic,” Professor Sarikas said. “I think we need to really make changes, not just locally, but nationally and globally from wanting to save the Earth. I don’t think

there’s enough political inertia to do that right now.”

According to the email, the focus of the program is to “research and social action related to the effects of climate change and environmental disruption on people and other living things, with an emphasis on those people and living things least prepared, by virtue of resources or limited defenses, to withstand or mitigate those effects.”

These goals will be met through a multitude of activities including group discussions, relevant readings, state and federal lobbying, guest speakers, social organizing, field trips, and creating art.

Students who participate in these activities are eligible for linked credits.

Professor Sarikas said the idea was spearheaded by President Alexander, with the support of the administrative council meeting and management council meeting. The current rollout is a simpler version of the final project, to accommodate the unpredictability of the pandemic.

Balance of work and student life is a priority for the program. “I don’t want to overburden students, because they have other things they have to do. There’s a level of commitment expected,” Sarikas said. “There are a lot of different ways we

can do things.”

If any current first-years, sophomores, or juniors are on the fence about joining, Professor Sarikas says, “my intuition tells me that there are a lot of people on campus who have interest in this topic. I will just say, if they are interested or if they have questions, they should feel free to contact me. And I’ll be very happy to sit down with them and talk to them more about it.”

He can be contacted via email at ssarikas@ lasell.edu or by phone at (617) 243-1114.

Alumni reconnect with community during career panel KAIT BEDELL news editor

Lasell Alumni from the communication and graphic design departments returned to campus to reconnect with the Lasell community during the March 8 alumni panel.

Students in the School of Communication and the Arts were invited to attend the panel where speakers working in graphic design, videography, broadcast journalism and others discussed their experiences in the workforce.

Jared Giurleo (‘21), a radio and video production major alum, was among one of the panelists who spoke to students.

Giurleo said Lasell’s small class sizes offer a unique opportunity to build strong connections with professors which is helpful in networking for their future careers.

Giurleo said that “connections are great” because it’s “nice” to have people working together to help each other out.

In addition to the connections he built while attending Lasell, Giurleo said to the students at the panel that getting involved on campus has also helped him in his life after college.

“I got to learn hands on how to use the radio station, conduct a TV studio and that sort of thing so those skills were very valuable,” Giurleo said.

PHOTO BY BAILEY KLINGAMAN

(L-R Professor Marie Franklin, senior Taylor Viles, Emmalyn Anderson Reid ‘11, Mary Rand ‘21, Amber Rose Murphy ‘20, Gregg Casazza ’19) all speak as part of the panel on March 8.

“Even if you’re not a part of the major, just learning new skills and having something that you’re passionate about is really important especially once you’re out of college,” he said.

Giurleo said a lot of the questions from students centered around how they can make connections for the future. He said that he strongly advocated the use of tools such as LinkedIn to get a head start on networking skills.

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” Giurleo said.

Sophomore communications major Lisa Ortiz said the event had a lot of alumni from both recent years and further in the past which she enjoyed.

“It was interesting to see where life led them and it was nice to see how many of them were happy with their academic and career achievements,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz said she got a lot out of the event and that she received a lot of contact information from the speakers that she thinks will help her search for internship opportunities.

“I think I got a new perspective on how I want to approach my future,” Ortiz said. “It helped show me that everything I’m doing and feeling right now is valid. It was definitely the assurance I needed.”

Speed of Change progress and plan for next five years HANNA BABEK, ALEXANDRA WHITE & HARLEY LACARDO

1851 staff

On January 31, President Michael Alexander updated the Lasell community on the Speed of Change plan created in Spring 2021.

This plan details what changes the Lasell administration would like to see within the next five years, and the steps they will take to create those changes.

While the plan spans over five years, goals are set for every 12 to 18 months for change to be implemented gradually.

Some of the short-term goals include increasing the use of consortia courses and infusing industry-recognized credentials into all majors. A few short-term goals have already been met within the athletic department.

“We have increased with more full-time coaches, the assistant athletic director, the lights on the field, adding teams, doing additional support for the rugby clubs, and adding more and more recreational and intramu-

ral activities,” Alexander said.

Director of the Rosemary B. Fuss Teaching and Learning Center Dean Dennis Frey said the five year plan allows the school to follow a path and adjust it as needed.

Provost Eric Turner was a part of the group that helped create future goals for the university and is focused on academic goals such as developing the First Year Seminar (FYS) program. Plans include grouping students into their FYS by residential housing and having students earn industry-recognized credentials while enrolled.

“We were trying to come up with ideas that were, you know, the most important to the institution,” Turner said. “We vote as a group as to whether or not they are achievable. Will they stretch us far enough? Will they in fact, be something that gets us to where we need to be in five years?”

One change the strategic plan brought was the revision of the Individuals and Society Knowledge Perspective requirement, which now takes the form of Sociology 104: Equity and Intersectionality. A required course for second semester first-years, this class focuses on inequality at various levels.

“We were looking for a structured way to make sure people get exposed to people who come from different backgrounds and have different lived experiences,” Alexander said.

Frey said the prior classes were mainly focused on the students’ majors, and they were unable to reach the goals of making individual and societal connections on a worldly level outside of their own experiences.

“Our objective is meeting the needs of our students and trying to make sure that our students have a really high-quality experience,” Turner said. “That means everything

from the classroom to clubs and activities, to residential life, to the dining hall. The idea is that the whole experience should be educational, and it should be high quality.”

GRAPHIC BY FELIPE BIDA

4

March 2022

Arts & Entertainment

2022 Runway preview: It’s back Pat’s Party

CLAIRE CRITTENDON & SAMANTHA VEGA-TORRES co-editor in chief

& 1851 staff

ties include making sure the scene Mark your calendars— May 7 runs smoothly and also which orand 8 is the return of in-person der the garments are presented in.

Runway to Lasell!

Elise Stanbury, a senior fash​Fashion Marketing and Merion design major, was given the chandising Professor Kristin Kinrole of senior show representative. sky is teaching fashion event proWhile working on her own senior duction, and working in tandem collection, she acts as a liaison bewith her students and Fashion tween the event production class Design Professor Lynn Blake to and senior fashion design class. pull off the first in-person RunStanbury is excited to see the runway show since 2019. way in-person again, where she will This show will combine the be presenting her senior collection. successful virtual elements of “My collection is based off of Runway 2021 with the classic Aththe evolution of jazz and celebratletic Center takeover the commuing Black creatives. I grew up in nity has come to know and love. a family where both of my older According to Professor Kinbrothers are both musicians, so I sky, tickets will be first-come grew up in a very creative and mufirst-serve, and sold online for sical family. Now all of it’s just been $27 each. The expected capacity PHOTO BY CLAIRE CRITTENDON inspired by them,” said Stanbury. is 400 to 420 for each show.

“That’s kind of how I came up with Kinsky continued to say, (L-R Kyla Dodge-Goshea, Madison Cormier, Lauren Barbuzzi , Sophia Madison Whiteley, Grace Redwine, Kim Potter, Chloe McAumy collection of staccato which is “how impressed I am with the Cannata, liffe, Kaitlyn Duarte) Members of the Event Production class. basically like hard hitting notes.” fashion students, both the de“I basically oversee all of the video-ed“I really love, you know, working with signers and the students in the production iting that takes place. We actually just went the seniors, particularly this year’s group is, class. How, once again, they’re taking it to the through our first round of video-editing…

I’m very, very particularly fond of this group,” next level, again, and just how much I love Those will probably be up on the website for said Professor Blake. “And I’m just hoping that this course.” the first virtual show,” said Duarte. students will stay and support their fellow deOne of the students of the event producDuarte also has a responsibility as one of sign students and come to the show that we tion class, senior fashion merchandising mathe scene managers for the special occasion have to be great to have.” jor Kaitlyn Duarte, is the video-editing managscene for the fall garments. Her responsibilier for the show.​

MassArt Art Museum review

ABI BROWN & RACHEL SHEPARD arts editor

& copy editor

The MassArt Art Museum (MAAM) is a contemporary art museum in the Massachusetts College of Art and Design that features the work of professional and student artists.

The museum is open from Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., and Thursdays from noon to 8 p.m. Admission is always free but requires advanced registration. The museum has stated that it will continue to follow COVID-19 regulations, with masks required for all visitors, and no groups over five people.

MAAM has only been open for two years, and is self-proclaimed as “Boston’s newest museum,” on their about page. Its opening day was February 22, 2020, 13 days before the COVID-19 lockdown.

Because of this, all exhibitions on display are available to view through a 3D Tour, as well as past exhibitions. Paving the way for virtual platforms, MAAM has integrated modern technology such as augmented reality (AR) to allow users to access the exhibits in real time via search engines.

Currently, there are three shows on display: “Valkyrie Mumbet” by Joana Vasconcelos, “Video Games & Contemporary Art” by Game Changers and “Ghost of a Dream” by Yesterday is Here.

“Valkyrie Mumbet” is a sculpture-based format and the artist’s first U.S solo show. Vasconce-

los based the exhibit around Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, a formerly enslaved woman who fought for her freedom in court in 1781, and helped make slavery illegal in Massachusetts. Each piece in the exhibit is centered around what Vasconcelos considers a “powerful woman.”

“Game Changers” explores the boundaries between real and virtual. It allows viewers to explore coming subtleties between the two, and venture into the new technological world we approach. This interactive exhibit features multiple artists that explore the veil between each reality.

The lobby of MAAM showcases the “Yesterday is Here” exhibit, put together by the artist collective, Ghost of a Dream. Art pieces are focused on individuals’ hopes and dreams and the pursuit of them, culminated by splicing images taken by the collective for over 30 years.

The museum is located at 621 Huntington Ave, Boston which was previously Wampanoag and Pawtucket land. The parking lot is at 20 Museum Road if you plan on arriving by car. If you plan on taking public transit take the green line E train from Heath Street, and get off at the Museum of Fine Arts stop.

PHOTO BY ABI BROWN

The entrance of the Mass Art Art Museum

The March watchlist-ical

MIKE MARUK & LJ VP LAFIURA art director &

1851 staff

“Moon Knight”: The first of many big projects on Disney+ is Marvel Studios’ “Moon Knight.” In this six-episode series, Oscar Isaac takes on the role of Marc Spector. After being granted power from the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu, Spector now must protect the innocent in his name. With this addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel will grapple for the first time with a character actively suffering from mental illness. Spector suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder, meaning we will see multiple sides of the character, including Moon Knight and Steven Grant, who appear in the trailer.

Disney has also added The Defenders Saga to their library after its six original programs first appeared on Netflix.

GRAPHIC BY MIKE MARUK

As we approach the end of March, we rounded up a list of television shows and movies available on a variety of streaming platforms to get you through the last few months of school.

“The Adam Project”: New to the collection of Netflix Originals, The Adam Project is a sci-fi narrative that takes you into the life of Adam Reed, played by Ryan Renolds. Reed makes a crash landing in the year 2022, where he meets his 12-year-old self. Along with the old and young “Adams,” Mark Ruffalo joins as their father, Louis Reed who team up on older Adam’s mission to save the future. There is also a great soundtrack to add to the action-packed storyline.

“Halo”: The newest release to Paramount + is “Halo,” based on the top-rated, long-running video series. This show will go more into depth following the now drama-filled storyline of the conflict between humanity and the alien force of the Covenant army. Along with the famous Master Chief and Cortana characters, there will also be the introduction of a variety of new ones to add to the storyline and drive home the initial plot of Halo. After a couple of spin-off movies and smaller fan-made television shows, this long-awaited live-action storyline is one that you won’t want to miss.

“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”: This ongoing drama on HBO Max takes the viewer inside the 1980s Lakers. Significant figures include Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and John C. Reilly as the owner, Jerry Buss. Watch one of the NBA’s premier dynasties be made.

“Welcome to Flatch”: This new Fox comedy carries on the mockumentary tradition with a brand new subject. “Welcome to Flatch” dives into the small town of Flatch, Ohio, and the relationships between its colorful residents.

While new episodes are released weekly on Fox, the first seven episodes are available on Hulu.

Playlist

PAT CARBONE

GRAPHIC BY PAT CARBONE

1851 Staff

Now I understand that many of you might not like these songs in general or don’t consider them party songs. But that’s why the playlist title is “Pat’s Party Playlist” and not “Your Party Playlist.” Listed below is a quick list of some of my favorite party songs.

If you enjoy the playlist, or at least a few of the songs featured, a QR code is attached to find the playlist on Spotify.

“Clarity” - Zedd I absolutely love this song. Quite honestly, this may be my favorite song on this playlist. A good throwback from 2012, this song will bring you back 10 years to when times were good, and you didn’t have a care in the world.

“Hello” - Martin Solveig, ( feat. Dragonette) This song is one of those you don’t remember exists until you hear it again. And when you do listen to it again, all you want to do is stuff I can’t say in the school newspaper because it’s the school newspaper.

“Memories” - David Guetta, ( feat. Kid Cudi) Who doesn’t love a good David Guetta song? Who doesn’t love Kid Cudi? Put them together, and you get a fantastic piece that still goes hard 13 years later. And yes, that’s correct, this song came out 13 years ago.

“See You Again” -. Miley Cyrus I understand it might be weird to love a song Miley wrote when she was 15 years old. But so what? I had an awe-inspiring third place finish in my high school cross country race when I was 15. We all have our accomplishments. Miley’s just happens to be an outstanding chart-topping pop song.

“Gimme!, Gimme!, Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” - ABBA This one needs no explanation.

“Pepas” - Farruko This one’s from my buddy James Falzone. I trust James’ judgment when it comes to party songs. Plus, I’ve loved it everytime I’ve heard it. Shout out to James.

“Does & Mimosas” - Cherub Like my second song on this list, all this song does is make you want to have a good time. The chorus is unreal, and you can’t help yourself but sing along, even if the guy in the car next to you gives you a weird look.

March 2022

Arts & Entertainment Fashion Focus: Meet Sydney Pesaturo KAIE QUIGLEY & TAYLOR VILES co-editor-in-cheif

& sports editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF SYDNEY PESATURO

Sophomore Sydney Pesaturo models her own hand-made garments.

Following the graduation of Creative Director Emma Ingenohl (‘21) in December, POLISHED Magazine spent little time in naming her replacement.

Sophomore fashion merchandising and management major Sydney Pesaturo was the easy choice. She has been on the POLISHED staff since her first year. First a stylist, then promoted to lead stylist, and finally trained under Ingenohl in the fall of 2021 to lead her to her new position.

Ingenohl first met Pesaturo as a co-worker in the Brennan Library. The two met one shift, and according to Ingenohl, “instantly got along and related to each other on multiple things.” When forming the friendship, one of the things the two related about was their love of fashion.

At the time, Ingenohl was the lead stylist for POLISHED, and encouraged an

already interested Pesaturo to apply to be a stylist for the club. Junior fashion media and marketing major Josh Michna, who held the Creative Director position at the time, helped make the decision to bring Pesaturo on as a stylist in Fall 2020.

“Sydney was great in the interview,” said Michna. “She was very present on social media and really knew what was going on in terms of trends. I figured that she would help move POLISHED in the right direction, because she was a good blend of knowing what the people wanted and also pushing something that was new and exciting for POLISHED.” POLISHED advisor and Professor of Fashion Lynn Blake said Pesaturo impressed her from the moment she joined the club. “Some students hop on to what I call my radar screen, I was like, ‘I gotta keep my eye on this one.’ The first time I met her, I felt like that. She just had a real poise and a real sophistication, but she was funky and creative.”

It’s “funky and creative” that Pesaturo strives to identify her brand “Sydpes” with; another qualification that helped earn her the position of Creative Director.

She said when she was still experimenting with her style in high school, she would get bullied for the “crazy fits” she would wear; but this didn’t matter to her.

“That’s when I started my brand and really experimenting with my style and not caring what people thought about what I wear,” said Pesaturo. “[I would just style] whatever I wanted and however I wanted. That really helped me become a creative individual.”

Pesaturo is an enthusiast for upcycling. She not only focuses her brand’s ideals, but wants to continue advocating for fashion in general to turn to more sustainable methods. “I really care about the environment,” she said. “The people that live on our planet need to be more educated on sustainability and the harmful effects of fast fashion and the chemicals that come with synthetic fibers.”

Michna said Pesaturo’s passion for sustainability and upcycling was one of the reasons he thought she would excel with POLISHED. According to Michna,

POLISHED used to focus more on a “traditional” sense of beauty, while in recent years the magazine has transitioned to a more youthful, trendy image. In his view, Pesaturo is the best person for the job to preserve this new identity.

“The fashion industry is moving that way, being more conscious about those things,” said Michna. “When you’re picking people to add to a team that are going to affect the POLISHED direction for next years, you want to pick people who are going to think about that, and Sydney would definitely have that in mind.”

Aside from sustainability, Pesaturo says she works to make her visions relatable when it comes to creating POLISHED each semester. “I try to relate the photoshoots and the clothing to real life and what we’re going through as a community and a fashion community.”

When it comes to this particular upcoming issue, Pesaturo couldn’t be tempted to share its vision or creation, but said the process of working on her first issue as Creative Director has been long and rewarding. The magazine is “looking really good, I can say that,” she said.

Over the next couple of years, Professor Blake hopes Pesaturo can give POLISHED a boost. She explained that over COVID-19, it was difficult to create the projects her team wanted to. “I’d love to see her really take it to the next step visually and find a little bit of a twist, a contemporary twist…and I think she’s the person to do it.”

Ingenohl has no doubt of what Pesaturo is capable of in POLISHED and following graduation. “I think she will go very very far in her career and life,” said Ingenohl. “She attracts great energy, she is good energy, and being young is the best part about it. She has so much room to grow. It’s crazy to see how she’s so young but… she’s already doing so many things that we all aspire to do and aspire to be.”

“She’s got all the tools and she’s only a sophomore. She’s just going to grow exponentially into a superstar,” said Blake.

5

Griff ’s Style Corner: Fabrics blooming this Spring GRIFFIN BRYAN 1851 staff

GRAPHIC BY GRIFFIN BRYAN

As spring rolls around and we begin unpacking our warm-weather clothes, we are often frightened to find a plethora of outdated garments hiding under our bed. It is essential to update our wardrobes if we hope to stay in fashion through the change in temperature. A terrific way to curate a unique style is by adding new fabrics to your collection.

Here are four trending textiles that are sure to get you ready for the season.

Thermal: This textile is most often knit in a delicious manner with a waffle or honeycomb pattern. The tight weave of this fabric is designed to trap body heat in between the fibers. Thermal garments provide unrivaled and dynamic comfort during the unpredictable weather experienced in the spring. There is also the chance to create unique moments when layered underneath simple pieces such as shorts and tees.

Hand-knit: Inspired by the western world’s shift towards sustainability there has been a drastic increase in the number of handmade textiles circulating in the industry. These yarn-based weaves emulate the organic and natural elements of Mother Earth making them ideal for spring. handknits come in all shapes and sizes drawing on traditional techniques like crocheting. The implication of this material may just be what you need to perfect your style.

GORE-TEX: GORE-TEX is a proprietary material created to withstand the elements. This sleek and strong material sports both waterproofing and windproofing. The popularity of this textile has been driven by the rise of the Gorpcore aesthetic. The sturdy drape makes for a futuristic and technical look while providing amazing utility.

All-Over Prints: These novel patterns are a funky and fun way to liven up your wardrobe for the upcoming season. This textile is commonly used in conjunction with smooth materials such as silk and cotton. These patterns tend to reflect the elements that define spring, such as flowers, the sun and sugary treats. While it may be intimidating to wear such loud garments they are an awesome way to express yourself and practice confidence.

Regardless of the aesthetic or style you are attempting to achieve, exploring new materials is certain to breathe new life into your wardrobe.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SYDNEY PESATURO

Pesaturo holds a pop-up event in Boston for her brand Sydpes.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SYDNEY PESATURO

Pesaturo shows off the FW 2021 edition of POLISHED, of which she is featured on the front cover. This issue was her first as Creative Director.

6

March 2022

Features

Goodbye SoCa Day, hello ComArts Conversations REBECCA OSOWSKI & RACHEL SHEPARD features editor

& copy editor

Previously known as SoCa Day, The School of Communication & the Arts hosts a series of lectures annually for students to attend. Now, it’s been rebranded as ComArts Conversations. This year, the lectures run on Tuesdays from March 1 through April 12 and focus on a combination of communications and design.

Organized by the Chair of the Graphic Design Program and Associate Professor, Ken Calhoun, there are still two talks available to attend.

ComArts Conversations are available to students outside of the School of Communications & the Arts. Calhoun expressed these lectures offer bridges between majors and schools.

Free Design Tools for the Non-Designer Catrina Gardner (‘14), returns to Lasell as a Communications Manager at Vision Advertising on April 5 from 5 to 6 p.m. at Arnow Campus Center. Gardner will show students options for graphic design pursuits outside of the Adobe Creative Cloud in template-based systems.

Social Media Storytelling Panel Emily Crume, Director of Strategy for Social Media Examiner; Lauren Prociv, Vice President and Strategic Planning Director at Martin Agency; and Raj Rawal, Content Lead at Tastemade will be hosting a panel on April 12 from 5 to 6 p.m. via Zoom. They will share their expertise in combining visual design and communication through social media platforms.

When asked what he hoped students would gain out of these last lectures, Calhoun said, “why not show people you can make attractive visual communications without having a deep knowledge of pho-

toshop.”

“For designers, this is taking jobs, so what I think the graphic designers need to understand is how they are not going to be easily replaced. Embrace skills that are their own, and cannot be replaced by a template-based system,” said Calhoun.

Events hosted prior to Spring Break included two guest speakers, Nneka Enurah at Amazon Ads and Jessie McGuire from the brand design company ThoughtMatter. Each shared their experience in the marketing field as well as tips and tricks for students starting their post-graduation job search.

An alumni panel was featured after McGuire’s talk, where nine alumni spoke about their experiences at and after Lasell.

The alumni panel was moderated by Associate Professor of Journalism Marie Franklin, Assistant Professor of Art and Graphic Design Deborah Baldizar, senior Taylor Viles, and senior Anna King. A reception was held afterward to allow students to connect with the alums.

More information on the alumni panel can be found on page three.

The most recent event was held on March 22 by Lisa Marie Russo. Russo is currently an Executive Producer and Independent Filmmaker and discussed the ins and outs of producing.

Recordings of previous talks are still in the editing process but will be uploaded to the Symposium website at a later date. Enurah and Russo’s Zoom calls have both been recorded by Calhoun and can be made available upon request.

PHOTO BY BAILEY KLINGAMAN

Jared Giurleo (‘21) speaks at the Life After Lasell alumni panel alongside Kierstan Hywell (‘19), Jenna Mucci (‘16), and senior Anna King in the Yamawaki Auditorium on March 8.

PHOTO BY BAILEY KLINGAMAN

Jessie McGuire (R) discusses her journey to becoming Managing Director of brand design studio Thought Matter with Program Chair of Graphic Design Ken Calhoun (L) on Tuesday, March 8 in Yamawaki Auditorium.

Lasell Day returns to in-person for accepted students SAMANTHA VEGA-TORRES 1851 staff

Boomer addresses families at Lasell Day.

The Office of Admissions takes pride in Lasell Day, its largest accepted student event on campus. Lasell Day is an all day event that connects accepted students and their families with current students, faculty, and staff.

The Office of Admissions also hosts Laser Days, an event across three weeks filled with various classroom shadowing opportunities and ending with lunch in the dining hall. Lasell Day, however, is their most collaborative event.

“We have to work with basically everyone on campus in some capacity to get that event going,” said Emily Stanley, Senior Associate Director of Admissions.

With the university being a large enrollment-driven institution, events that get students on campus are incredibly important to increase chances of enrollment.

“Much of our revenue is based on how many students come here. So it is, especially Lasell Day, it’s an investment, but especially because we know that there will be a return, because we yield so highly from that event specifically,” said Stanley.

She continued, “we do of course keep our budget that we get in mind and thankfully we’re able to work with everyone on campus like dining and Patrick O’Connor, [Director of Conference and Auxiliary Services].”

The event thrives the most off of the students already on campus that come and volunteer to pass on what they know to the incoming

PHOTO BY CORINNE MCDOUGAL

class.

“Basically everyone at Lasell Day is someone that they would interact with or might potentially interact with in their future. The fact that everyone that they might possibly interact with is willing to show up on a Saturday and talk to them, and they’re happy about it? That’s just a small testament to what they would experience at Lasell as a whole,” said Stanley. “I would hope that they would see just from the four or five hours that they’re on campus that we do care a lot about our students, even if they haven’t enrolled yet.”

Helping out on Lasell Day are Blue Key Society (BKS) members. BKS members are student representatives who work for the university.

While some of their responsibilities are tasks around the office, and guiding tours to prospective students and families, they also attend accepted student events such as Lasell Day. Junior management and marketing major Michael Woo has not attended an in-person Lasell Day since he was an incoming student. He represented BKS at a student-to-student panel in the Arnow Campus Center.

“It’s an opportunity for admitted students to ask questions to current students. It’s a really student to student panel,” said Woo. Woo was excited to be able to see the students in person and express why he chose Lasell.

Senior elementary education major Melaney Jenkins is another BKS member that was

The Dance and Cheer teams dance in confetti at Lasell Day.

PHOTO BY MIKE MARUK

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY STANLEY

Prospective students take advantage of lawn games and the student activities fair in the Arnow Courtyard.

excited to see the accepted students visit and she hoped they took a lot away from the event.

“I think as current students we forget why we chose Lasell and what makes us different. The admissions staff does an incredible job in making

sure that all students and their families felt just as welcomed too,” said Jenkins. “Lasell should really be your home away from home!”

Features

March 2022

7

Sunflower of Peace: Tuesday’s Sandwich Q&A with Iryna Saks Makers program

ABI BROWN & ALEXANDRA WHITE arts editor

& 1851 staff

PHOTO BY ALEXANDRA WHITE

A bouquet of flowers and the colors of the Ukrainian flag hang on a bridge in Newton.

Sunflower of Peace is a Boston based non-profit organization founded in 2014 with the goal of improving the lives of people in Ukraine. During the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, Sunflower of Peace has been collecting monetary and physical donations that are shipped directly to Ukraine. Sunflower of Peace has raised over four million dollars since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Iryna Saks, a volunteer at Sunflower of Peace, is from Ukraine and has been working tirelessly to ship donations to volunteers in Moldova, Poland, and Romania.

Q: How did you get involved with Sunflower of Peace?

A: “My son goes to school with this boy who I randomly got in touch with his mom, and she works at a Newton School and they were doing a fundraiser; so she asked me to record a clip to be shown at their charity event. I recorded that, I sent some pictures, so I just tried to help out, you know, whenever I can. I’m going to go to the warehouse tomorrow and pack more backpacks to ship to Ukraine. On a weekend we’re going to go to the warehouse to again prepare a large shipment of medical backpacks. So just whenever I feel like I can help, I help.”

Q: Where do the donations go after someone donates money or after they donate an item from Amazon?

A: “When you purchase something, it goes directly to our warehouse where we pack our backpacks and then the shipments are prepared to be shipped to Poland, Romania, and from there, we have contacts in those countries. From there we have volunteers transferring those shipments through the Ukrainian border. And then we

KARISSA GAUGHAN 1851 staff

have our brave volunteers in Ukraine who transfer things back throughout Ukraine to the cities where they’re most needed at the time.”

Q: Why are local volunteers helpful?

A: “There is a lot of help that is needed.

We packed so many backpacks and it’s a lot of…labor for hours and hours throughout the week. And we’ve been really fortunate with the people who came to help…We have a team that gets medical supplies and we are all volunteers who are just donating their time and their energy, their skills, and because of that it’s been so successful.”

Q: What types of donations are needed?

A: “Items that we mostly need right now are Israeli bandages. They tend to be out of stock in many places right now. Luckily, many organizations are trying to help Ukraine so this is when we’ve been trying to find more of. Tourniquets are probably the number one priority item… Going on Amazon and purchasing something is really helpful, as well as donating because these funds you know, we use them to buy everything we need to pack those medical backpacks.”

Sunflower of Peace provided many helpful resources for those who wish to help with the efforts in aiding Ukraine. If you are a student, professor, or citizen who wishes to help, you can log on to their website https://www.sunflowerofpeace.com/ to make a physical donation via Amazon wishlist, a fiscal donation, or to find volunteer opportunities. The organization also wished to emphasize that students, no matter their budget, can get involved through volunteer efforts. A link to their volunteer sign up form can be found on their Instagram, @sunflowerofpeace.

PHOTO BY SOPHIA OLIVERAS

A painting of a sunflower with the colors of the Ukrainian flag hangs outside of Brennan Library.

PHOTOS BY KARISSA GAUGHAN

Students and staff prepare sandwiches for the Community Day Center of Waltham (CDCW).

Volunteer Ventures MA has partnered with Lasell in support of the Community Day Center of Waltham (CDCW ), by servicing a sandwich makers program on campus. The program, meeting on select dates throughout each month, strives to feed Waltham’s homeless community and teach students more about food and housing instability.

Individuals or groups can sign up through Laser Involvement and meet in the upper lobby of Valentine Dining Hall. A QR code is available for students to scan and receive volunteer credits through the university.

Students and cafeteria staff work together in making 40 bagged lunches to be distributed at the Community Center to Waltham’s homeless community. Run like an assembly line, participants are in charge of making ham and turkey sandwiches, as well as veggie wraps with a drink and a bag of chips.

Byrd Hughes, Associate Director of the Center for Community-Based Learning (CCBL), picks up the lunches the next morning and brings them to CDCW to distribute to those in the program.

The first offering of the Sandwich Makers Program was in the fall of 2021 for the Men’s Lacrosse team. Hughes said it was such a positive experience she scheduled five more dates during the spring semester to involve the wider campus community.

“We know that food insecurity is a big issue in society as a whole… On college campuses, we know that students struggle with it as well,” said Hughes. “Academics is import-

ant, but also understanding the role that what they’re doing here plays in larger society… I think it’s really important for institutions like us to create the spaces for students to gain awareness about what the inequities and injustices are that they are stepping into, and what is the role that they can play in disrupting those things.”

COVID-19 exposed a lot of homelessness and poverty in the area. Reports by the Boston Globe at the start of the pandemic highlighted this as tents were set up in the city commons.

CDCW is the only community drop in center for those living in the Metrowest. Students can also volunteer directly with CDCW as they have in the past.

“It’s great to reestablish this connection while also developing our new relationship with Volunteer Ventures,” Hughes said.

Volunteer Ventures MA aims to assist its partners in reaching out to help their communities. The nonprofit-based organization communicated with the CCBL at the start of the academic year, and although the organization is fairly new, it has been supporting the CDCW through a sandwich-making program since May 2020.

Remaining dates this semester for Tuesday’s Sandwich Makers Program include April 11 and 25, starting at 3 p.m. All classes and majors are welcome to participate. COVID-19 protocols and safe handling practices will be followed during the event.

Students start Black Student Association on campus KAIT BEDELL & ABI BROWN news editor

& arts editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BSA & JALYNN HILTON

Students attend the Gala in celebration of Black History Month hosted by the Black Student Association in de Witt Hall.

The Black Student Association (BSA) is a new organization introduced this semester that focuses on providing a safe space for those within the community on campus.

According to the organization’s Instagram page, their goal is to “promote unity among Black students on campus through social and cultural events.”

The Association also said they provide a “safe environment for students to discuss socio-cultural issues and belonging supports.”

Advisor of the organization and the Associate Director for Equity & Inclusive Initiatives, James Perry said the environment has assisted in strengthening a sense of purpose.

“Black Student Associations nationwide have historically created space for unifying Black students on college campuses and successfully advocating for social change,” Perry said. “The Lasell BSA will enable centering Black student experiences, honoring Black culture, and building community.

Perry said he is both “humbled” and “proud” to serve as the advisor for BSA. “The opportunity the BSA has to create and sustain change in this capacity at Lasell is

indispensable,” Perry said.

Vice President of the association Jalynn Hilton (‘24) said she felt it was necessary to start BSA in order to give students a platform for their voice.

“We knew it was going to be hard because we go to a predominantly white institution,” Hilton said. “We didn’t want to make it seem like we aren’t appreciative of these things we have, it’s just that sometimes we need our own space to connect.”

Hilton said BSA has a lot of goals in its first semester running on campus, including giving students a sense of community.

“Sometimes as a Black student on campus it can be hard to find your footing and your identity,” Hilton said. “That was one thing we wanted to make sure people had.”

The Association has already hosted a Gala for students in De Witt Hall where students came to honor Black History Month.

Hilton said this first event was successful and there was a large turnout of around 70 people which was much more people than they had anticipated.

The organization is set to host an “I have

a dream” event which will give Black students a platform to talk about their career goals.

They will also partner with the Multicultural Student Union and ALPFA chapter to hold a “Culture Block Party” that will have different events and food trucks available to students on campus.

Among other goals, Hilton said the association aims to build networking for students and to make the community “united as one.”

The club meets every other Thursday on the upper floor of the Arnow Campus Center to discuss current issues (domestic and international), ways to improve our campus, and how to improve equity within our campus community and greater Boston.

If you wish to get involved with BSA, please reach out to @lasellbsa on Instagram, president Claudine Jules (Cjules@lasell.edu) or vice president Hilton (Jhilton@lasell. edu).

8

Sports

March 2022

V-ball uses Hawaii connection to perfection

TAYLOR VILES sports editor

where their sport is less popular?

The answer?

Coach Vautrin.

“Jeff is really good at recruiting people, it’s incredible,” said backup setter Burkett.

“He is just very young and I feel like he can talk to us like a normal dude. He’s very chill.

Obviously, that’s attractive to a young dude playing division three college volleyball.”

Vautrin grew up spending summers in PHOTO BY JOE GIACCO Hawaii with a childJesus Garcia prepares to serve during a recent three-set sweep hood friend before against Emerson College. reconnecting with the The men’s volleyball team is currently islands during his time at Lasell. During an in the midst of its most successful season in alumni weekend, Vautrin met Hawaii native five years. It’s the team’s first full season since Micah Aiu (‘11). The two connected right away and it was the beginning of a friendship that 2019, and Jeff Vautrin’s (‘17) as head coach.

Diving into the roster, fans will see the the volleyball team continues to benefit from team is made up primarily of first-years and today, as Aiu has been instrumental in finding juniors. Look closer and find four teammates recruits to help send Vautrin’s way.

Following his graduation, Vautrin moved who all hail from the state of Hawaii. Those players are junior Jesus Garcia, and first-years out to Hawaii to continue following his volleyball dream and coach at a premier club in Zak Burkett, Lee Naea, and Carter Phillips.

Hawaii is known for its volleyball, the Honolulu. He was planning to coach the 17’s same cannot be said about Boston. “Hawaii team (a volleyball club team made of 17-yearjust has so many Olympians and division one olds), recruiting players like Garcia and future all-Americans that go back home after they’re two-year Laser Charles Lavoie. But then Lasell done playing and they start to coach,” said Vau- came calling again and the young coach moved trin. “[In Hawaii] you’ve got to be a part of the back to Auburndale to become an assistant community, no matter who you are, no matter coach. He left the team in good hands as his how much of a big wig you are... I think that’s friend Aiu took over the reins.

This was how the relationship between the big reason why they have such success over Hawaii and Lasell began. Vautrin made sure to there.”

How did four promising volleyball players recruit Garcia and Lavoie (who has since left get persuaded to move over 5,000 miles away for California) once they finished high school from home to play for a Division III college and eventually secured three more recruits for the Lasers’ 2022 season.

“Once I came here, I realized this is like where I want to be,” said star setter Garcia, who sits second in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) in assists with 581.

Garcia has been playing since he was four years old and it’s easy to see how his tremendous ability is positively affecting his team. Vautrin says this is no coincidence.

“I try to recruit certain positions from certain areas [of the country],” he said. “Typically, Hawaiian volleyball players have really good ball control, really high volleyball IQ and they’ve been coached really well for a long amount of their life.”

Burkett, who is likely to take over primary setting duties once Garcia graduates, displays good court visibility and knows how to “perfectly set up” his teammate Phillips for a spike.

The two have been playing together since high school and when Vautrin was trying to recruit Burkett, the high school senior made sure Vautrin looked at his teammate.

When Vautrin saw Naea play for the first time, he knew he was special. “If you see Lee jump it’s pretty spectacular. So once I saw him jump, I was like ‘I’ll start talking to this guy.’”

Naea said he was nervous when he came to Lasell, but soon realized he could look to his other three Hawaiian teammates if he needed a reminder of home. “Having those three core [guys] makes it a lot easier because I can kind of be myself around them,” said Naea.

The four Hawaiian players along with talents like junior Jan Baranowski, and first-years Jordan Shinaut, Theo Zaharewicz, and Alex Weinhaus, give the Lasers one of the best rosters in the GNAC sitting top three with a 9-2 conference record.

Vautrin said he is expecting at least one more Hawaiian recruit to join his team next season and will continue to find talent from the islands in the future. “We’re looking forward to continuing that pipeline,” he said.

Expectations still high for young baseball team NICO MANGANIELLO & ZACK LAWARE

1851 staff

PHOTO BY BETH RIOLES

First-year Tyler DiNezza stretches to make the play at first base in a close play.

After a heart-breaking 7-6 loss in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) semifinals last season, the baseball team returns to play with 16 first-year athletes. But despite the inexperience of the team, expectations are still high. “Our goal is to win the [GNAC],” senior captain Matt Bischof said.

Head coach Billy Uberti also believes this team is capable of achieving great success. “I truly believe that we could win the conference this year. I don’t want to call it a rebuilding year, I know a lot of people expect me to say that, but I think the conference is up for grabs,” Uberti said.

Having a roster filled with many new faces can be a challenge, but Uberti used the spring break trip to Fort Myers, Florida to learn more about his team. “[I worked on] figuring out the right pieces and who to put where. Learning as we go, with who we can depend on in the bullpen, starting games on the mound, different positions, moving guys around,” he said. “I think the biggest challenge is just figuring out the right formula for success for us.”

Both Uberti and Bischof are pleased with the improvement the team has shown early in the season. “These guys have already learned a ton in the first two days here and we have seen improvement every single game,” Uberti said.

The comradery is another aspect Uberti is ap-

PHOTO BY BETH RIOLES

Head Coach Bill Uberti discusses a gameplan with one of his assistant’s during the team’s spring training trip to Florida.

preciating early in the season, as well as the support from the upperclassmen for his young team. “The comradery seems very strong. Obviously, there is going to be frustration from upperclassmen when you see guys make these mental mistakes [that] a junior or senior would never make. But they have been patient and supportive,” he said. “They understand for us to play at our highest level we are going to need these [first-years] because they do have some talent, a lot of talent... They know what they are capable of, they know how high the ceiling is.”

On the field, Uberti is excited to see what the team can prove and accomplish, especially with its deep pitching staff. “We’ll have a lot more cards in the deck to play within conference weekends,” he said. “We built this team around pitching and defense. At the end of the day, we believe that’s what it takes to win the conference.”

First baseman/pitcher Pierce Clare is one of the many new faces on the roster for the Lasers.

Clare has appreciated the help from more experienced players and how they have made it easier to adjust to the college lifestyle.

“As a [first-year], I had no clue what to expect.

When the second semester first started, one of our captains, Bryan Baumann, gave me tips on how to manage my school work and baseball,” Clare said.

“The Florida trip taught me a lot. I was set to live in a room for that week with three players I was

friendly with, and we bonded together every day.

The whole trip is one I will never forget and learn from every day.”

Another first-year, Tyler DiNezza, played well during the Florida trip and is .233 on the season.

Perhaps more impressive is his fielding. The first baseman is third on the team in putouts so far (39) and has .977 defensive percentage.

Bischof has been sure to be a mentor for the first-years. “Staying on them, making sure they are doing their stuff, holding them accountable. Talking to them, getting their perspective, how they see things, then trying to give them mine as I’ve been here for four years,” Bischof said. “We just tell them ‘hey, it’s baseball we’re going to fail - it’s a game of failure and just got to learn not to focus on the failure.’”

With a new group of players this year, Uberti and company look to make an impact in the GNAC this year and make the rise to being one of the top contenders for the conference championship. “I am excited to see what this team, this group is capable of especially being so young, I am very excited honestly looking to the future 2-3 years I think we are going to be exceptionally good… but I really do think we can compete in the conference at a very high level this year,” said Uberti.

Lasers say goodbye to Ricky Igbani LJ VP LAFIURA

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PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANKLIN TORRES

Ricky Igbani speaks with junior Zachary Kirsch and sophomore Franklin Torres. during a cross country meet.

After going on leave in January, track and field head coach Ricky Igbani officially resigned February 24 because of a family matter. He has spent the last two semesters in charge of the cross country, indoor, and outdoor track and field teams.

“Coach Ricky pushed me to become a better athlete each and every day and held me accountable so that I was actually getting the work done and getting better each day,” said senior throwing captain Elise Stanbury.

Igbani is a Lasell alum, graduating as a part of the class of 2014. As a student, he was a member of the baseball and men’s track and field teams under James Martin.

After graduating, Igbani worked in high school athletics and opened his own athletic training company, ‘Ije,’ in 2020.

In less than a year, Igbani improved the quality of the team in front of him. During the indoor season, the men broke four school records. They also surprised many with a strong showing at the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Indoor Championships. After the GNAC coach’s poll picked the Lasers to finish sixth out of six teams, the men finished fourth.

Igbani’s impact on his players transcends their athletic achievements. “He showed me what it looks like to have a coach who really dedicates a lot of time to not only building a good program but also caring about his athletes,” said sophomore runner Franklin Torres.

Ben Biello (‘21) will take over the head coaching duties left behind by Igbani for the time being. As a former program member, Biello took on an assistant coaching role this season. He worked primarily with the sprinters until Igbani’s absence required him to take on a larger role in the interim.

“It was kind of like a test run for me to be able to manage the team and coach the team in season,” said Biello. “Obviously, I’m looking to get better every day, and there’s so much more to learn about the sport, but I at least know I can handle it. And that’s I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Although short, Coach Igbani’s legacy as a Laser will always be tied to the culture he built during his tenure. In addition, the family dynamic that he created within the program is what many players attribute to the team’s rapid growth.

“I’ve seen it since Coach Ricky came around, my team gets together and hangs out more often, and they care more about team bonding than they did before,” said Torres. “You can just see it out on the campus like they’ll say hi to each other more often and interact more closely. And it’s definitely something that we can continue building on. Coach Ben has continued to want to build upon that and continue that legacy.”