The Spectrum Vol. 71 No. 22

‘If you survive, tell our story… so it will never happen again’

Holocaust survivor Sophia Veffer spoke at UB to discuss prejudice, racism and repairing the world

April 17 at an event hosted by the Jewish Student Union. After working as a special education teacher for 25 years, Veffer now tours area schools to share her story of survival. Her key message: when something is wrong, speak out.

“When the war was over and the gates opened, we thought, ‘The world will see, and will see this can never happen again,’” Veffer said. “But we are still having genocides. That does not mean we should stop talking — we should be talking more.”

Veffer recalls starvation and fear — but perhaps most of all, boredom. With no radio and no access to a library, she read whatever she could find.

“If you had married in a Catholic church, the married couple would always get a Bible from the church. And so wherever I went into hiding, there was a Bible,” Veffer said. “So I read the Bible from page one to page 500 — it was something to read.”

Once, a woman in the resistance brought Veffer to see her grandparents. When she arrived, her 83-year-old grandmother was waiting with a small black bag. The bag was packed with food, “in case they [Nazis] picked her up right there.”

Sophia Veffer was 11 years old when Nazi soldiers knocked on her front door. The agents took everything — her father’s business, her family’s furniture and heirlooms, even her piggy bank.

Veffer and her family — and thousands of other Jewish people — thought they

would be safe in Amsterdam. Now, with no other options, Veffer’s family entrusted her to strangers and sent her into hiding. She hid for four years and moved 12 times before the war ended. Others were less lucky: few had the money to go into hiding, and many who did were betrayed

Tuition hike for SUNY schools not included in state budget passed by legislature

Gov. Hochul proposed a 3% tuition increase for all SUNY schools in January VICTORIA

The 3% tuition increases at SUNY and CUNY schools proposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul did not make it into a budget approved by the New York State Legislature on May 2, according to New York State Public Media.

Despite support from SUNY Chancellor John King, state legislators nixed the proposal.

Gov. Hochul wanted to increase tuition by 3% with an additional 6% increase for SUNY’s university centers (UB, Binghamton, Stony Brook and Albany) to ensure that the institutions can “reliably invest in their long-term futures as costs rise,

while prioritizing the evolving needs of students, ensuring academic excellence, and continuing to maintain low-cost and stable tuition rates for in-state residents,” according to recommendations from the Division of Budget.

John Della Contrada, a UB spokesperson, said that SUNY, UB and other public universities advocated for the 6% differential tuition increase, which was intended to “benefit students” by providing mental health resources, “recruiting world-class faculty,” and expanding internship and research opportunities, and more. That differential would’ve generated $50 million per year over the next five years for the university centers.

by creaking floorboards or suspicious neighbors. Veffer lived just five minutes from Anne Frank, who was only 10 days older than her.

Veffer, now 94, spoke about her years in hiding to a packed room of UB students and Buffalo residents in O’Brian Hall on

Veffer says the sense of freedom was overwhelming once World War II had ended, but antisemitism still remained. For months afterward, she had no place to live. Her father finally found an apartment in Amsterdam for her to stay at, which he paid for while continuing to search for his own residence.

Nazi Germany’s grip on Europe had

Special election for UB Council student representative held after winner turns down the job

Five of the original seven candidates will run in the special election which ends Friday at noon GRANT

Next year’s UB Council student representative will be chosen in a ranked-choice special election after the winner of the original race declined the position.

Five of the seven original candidates — Yaide Valdez, Joey Sechrist, Alika Turton, Matthew Jackson and Brennan Gorman — are running in the special election. Instead of just being able to vote for one candidate, students will be able to rank their top three choices in this round of voting.

The yet-to-be-identified winner of last week’s race originally accepted the position but later declined it, triggering the special election, Assistant Director of Student Engagement Thomas Vane told The Spectrum in an email.

Vane did not say who the original winner was, but two candidates from the original election — Srikar Kolukuluri and Will Eaton — don’t appear on the special election ballot.

Students can vote in the special election on UBLinked until noon on Friday.

The UB Council is the “primary oversight and advisory body” to UB administrators and reviews “all major plans and activities of the university,” according to the council’s website. Nine of the council’s 10 members are appointed by the governor to seven-year terms. The remaining member, a student, is elected by the student body to a one-year term. All members are unpaid.

Email: grant.ashley@ubspectrum.com

PHOTO: SOL HAUSER / THE SPECTRUM

CREATIVE CONTROL AND INCLUSIVITY TAKE THE STAGE AT THE DANCER’S WORKSHOP

UKRAINIANS AT UB REFLECT ON LOSS, HEROISM AND RESILIENCE

TWO UB FOOTBALL PLAYERS HELP STUDENT ATHLETES FIND IDENTITY AND PURPOSE

Upcoming events to remember victims of the May 14 Tops shooting

Events include panel discussions, book readings and worship services

A.J. FRANKLIN ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

It has been almost a year since the May 14 shooting that killed 10 people at a Tops on Buffalo’s East Side.

The city of Buffalo has put together several events to remember the victims of the mass shooting as a part of what the city has named “5/14 Remembrance Weekend of Reflection, Healing & Hope.”

In December, Mayor Byron Brown announced the creation of a 5/14 Remembrance Committee to bring about community healing and remember the victims of the shooting.

“As the first anniversary of the tragic May 14 mass shooting approaches, we remember the innocent lives taken on that unfathomable day,” co-chair of the 5/14 Remembrance Committee Dr. Michael Edbauer said in a press release. “We are also reminded of the trauma that still exists in our community.”

Beyond Hate: A Panel Discussion

Friday, May 12 from 9 a.m. to noon at Roswell Park Comprehensive Center

Open to the public, this event will be held in the first-floor conference room of Roswell Park.

Melissa Harris-Perry, host of National Public Radio’s “The Takeaway,” will moderate the event. Imbari Kendi, a New York Times best-selling author and director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, will serve as the speaker. Panelists include Brown, SUNY Chancellor John King, Spelman College President Helene Gayle and Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. Seats are limited. Those interested in attending can register on Eventbrite.

May the Fourth be with you: Ranking the best films of the ‘Star Wars’ franchise

How do the films from a “galaxy far, far away” stack up?

RYAN TANTALO SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Happy “Star Wars Day!” May the Fourth be with you. Let’s celebrate by ranking the best films from a galaxy far, far away…

Educational Day of Healing & Restoration

Friday, May 12 at 9 a.m. at Buffalo Toronto Public Media

With a focus on school-age students, this event will consist of book readings, a virtual healing circle and guest speakers who will deliver “uplifting” messages. The event is organized by Buffalo Public School District, Erie 1 Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and Buffalo Toronto Public Media. There will also be a live stream.

Community Gathering for Reflection, Healing and Hope

Saturday, May 13 from noon to 4 p.m. at Johnnie B. Wiley Amateur Athletic Sports Pavilion This event will consist of prayer, healing-related activities, community resources, expressionists, food and vendors.

Moment of Remembrance

Sunday, May 14 from 2-2:30 p.m. at Tops Friendly Market on 1275 Jefferson Ave.

The moment of remembrance will be led by Brown. Church bells will ring at 2:28 p.m. — the time the shooting commenced.

Memorial Service for Healing and Hope

Sunday, May 14 at 6 p.m. at Elim Christian Fellowship

The worship service will be led by Jamal Bryant, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Email: aj.franklin@ubspectrum.com

UB community members condemn white supremacist stickers on campus

Antisemitic and transphobic messages have also been seen

SOL HAUSER STAFF WRITER

Antisemetic, anti-trans and white supremacist propaganda have appeared at multiple locations around UB’s North Campus in recent weeks.

Stickers, posters and drawings on campus signs and lamp posts displayed messages such as “white unity” and “the way to victory: white solidarity.” The stickers promote the National Justice Party, which the Anti-Defamation League describes as “a virulently antisemitic white supremacist group.”

Rabbi Sara Rich of Hillel Buffalo — an on-campus Jewish organization — says she has seen several of these hateful antisemitic postings throughout campus. She says that while the stickers are likely posted by people outside the UB community, other recent incidents, such as swastikas drawn on chalkboards in the Student Union, are more likely to have been created by students.

“I am disappointed to see yet another instance of cruel and dangerous ideas being promoted on campus,” Rich said in an email to The Spectrum. “Hillel is here to support students who are upset about these incidents. We stand ready to work with the campus community to promote constructive dialogue that builds relationships and leads to tolerance and understanding.”

In a statement, UB spokesperson John Della Contrada denounced the stickers, as well as anti-trans posters that have ap-

peared on campus.

“Unfortunately, the university periodically has to deal with this public display of hateful rhetoric and we in no uncertain terms denounce it — every time,” Della Contrada said. “Based on past experience, these postings are often the act of someone from outside the UB community. They were certainly not sanctioned by any recognized group at the university.”

These hateful messages aren’t the first to be seen on North Campus. UPD investigated a number of antisemitic and racist posters found on campus over the Hanukkah holiday in fall 2021.

In 2019, the New York State Police Hate Crimes Task force investigated racist, antisemitic and homophobic symbols and slurs found on a Knox Hall bathroom stall.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

As one of the highest-grossing movie franchises of all time, the “Star Wars” saga has been a staple of pop culture for almost 50 years. Fans will debate their favorite films for hours, and critics relish the opportunity to dish their intergalactic takes to the world. In honor of May 4, here’s the “Star Wars” saga ranked, from best to worst:

“Episode IV: A New Hope” (1977)

The movie that started it all. Five decades later, this film remains one of the greatest and most influential of all time, in any genre. It introduced iconic characters like Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, Han Solo, Chewbacca and featured one of the greatest soundtracks in film history. It’s hard to imagine a world without the original “Star Wars.”

“Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)

Episode V — arguably one of the greatest sequels ever — ranks only behind “The Godfather Part II” on IMDB’s best sequels. Given the success of the original film, it’s especially impressive that “Empire” lived up to the hype and cemented “Star Wars” as a juggernaut movie series. And of course, no “Episode V” review would be complete without mentioning one of the most shocking and shockingly misquoted twists in film history — “No, I am your father.”

“Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005)

Although the prequel trilogy is hated by many “Star Wars” fans, “Episode III” aged particularly well. The epic lightsaber battles, Vader’s backstory and 21st-century technology make this film a necessary evolution of the franchise that kept it relevant nearly 30 years after the saga’s debut.

“Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” (1983)

“Episode VI” is a fantastic finale to the original trilogy that gives closure, redemption and revenge to fans and characters alike. It picks up from the rebellion’s low point in “Empire” and flips the script, with family and the good triumphing over evil. “Jedi” is a feel-good ending to a legendary run of films by director George Lucas.

“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016)

“Rogue One” is easily the best of the Disney-made “Star Wars” films. This movie earns a top-five spot for the “Vader Rage” scene alone, but it also introduces new, lovable characters that show there is so much more to the “Star Wars” universe than a Skywalker bloodline that’s been milked dry by George Lucas and Mickey Mouse.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015)

The best film of the sequel trilogy but dragged down by the films that followed it.

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”

Cool for bringing Luke Skywalker back, but this film strays so far from the originals that it takes viewers out of the action.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story”

Forgettable. Harrison Ford is the only Han Solo.

“Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999)

Ambitious reboot of the franchise but held back by child Anakin. Darth Maul stole the show in this one.

Episode II: Attack of the Clones

“I don’t like sand.” Space politics and ghastly acting by Hayden Christensen drag this film down to one of the saga’s worst.

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”

By far the worst plot of the franchise.

Email: ryan.tantalo@ubspectrum.com

TUITION HIKES

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

But UB will still see some additional funding from the state.

“We are receiving additional operating funds, which is preferred to tuition increases, and other funding, both of which will provide the revenue we need to achieve adding programs, resources and facilities for students and faculty,” Della Contrada said.

The SUNY Student Assembly (SUNY SA), a SUNY-wide student government organization, lobbied against the tuition increase.

“These costs should not fall on the shoulders of students,” Brennan Gorman, the Executive Director of Policy for SUNY SA and incoming MBA student, said. “They already pay enough to go to school. These additional costs to make sure that our SUNY system is operated should not be another burden.”

The SUNY SA instead proposed in-

creasing operating funds by $250 million in place of the tuition increase.

According to the State budget briefing book, the average tuition and fees at New York State’s four-year public institutions was $8,556 in 2023, 22% lower than the national average for four-year public institutions. In-state UB undergraduates paid more than that — $10,782 — in tuition and fees during the 2021-22 academic year, according to the UB Factbook. State funding for SUNY institutions has stayed virtually flat for the past 10 years, according to the UB Budget Book.

Email: victoria.hill@ubspectrum.com

Email: kiana.hodge@ubspectrum.com

Dear professors, use your passion to make us care

If professors want students to care about what they’re teaching, they need to cater to their audience

shaven fellow with purple headphones is watching anime in the back of the lecture hall, the sorority girl is perusing Sephora on her laptop, and the oblivious frat dude is drooling while he stares at the floor. Some look at these people and laugh at their lack of effort in these classes, but can you blame them?

went to college with a different goal but settled on becoming a teacher after graduation.

No matter the circumstance, these are not excuses for a lazy lesson plan. The amount of effort that a professor puts into their lesson plans is the same amount of effort they should expect from the students in their class.

we need to employ an interactive approach that demonstrates how much thought we put into our presentations.

Now in college, we’re watching university professors do exactly what our high school teachers told us not to do.

DYLAN GRECO OPINION EDITOR

When I walk into a classroom at UB, I know what to expect.

If it’s a general education class in Knox 20, I know I can slack off and hide behind my computer screen. Half the class won’t show up, and the professor has a microphone on for no reason.

If it’s a smaller English class in Clemens Hall, attendance might be a little better, and I may not have the luxury of blending into the crowd.

The one thing these classes have in common? Boring, uninspired lectures with the blandest slides imaginable.

A typical, general education, classroom setting at UB goes as follows: the un-

It’s baffling how many UB professors’ lectures contain blank slides, plain Arial font, black text and one stock image of a textbook diagram per slide. As an educator, it’s a professor’s job to deliver engaging lectures so their students retain as much information as possible.

It’s impossible for us to be enthusiastic about our education when we’re receiving lazy, unmotivated lectures.

It’s worth mentioning that some instructors on campus don’t just teach. They might teach one or two classes on top of research responsibilities, an administrative job or an off-campus career. These instructors can read from a textbook for the duration of a lecture, put no effort into their lesson plan, and make some extra cash. There are also the professors who

If a professor has typos in assignment instructions, boring slides and lesson plans clearly taken from Chegg, why should we put any effort into their class?

While students are paying attention to what’s being taught in the classroom, they’re also analyzing their professor’s overall demeanor. We notice our professors’ posture, tone of voice and facial expressions. We factor these communication skills into how much we care about the class. If a professor fails to deliver an engaging lecture, they’ll lose our attention.

This isn’t anything new. When we were tasked with giving a presentation in high school, teachers would tell us to do more than “just read our slides.” If we wanted our audience to be engaged, they told us,

Teachers should personalize lesson plans and let their personalities shine during lectures. Maybe they use pop culture references to help us remember key definitions, or relate elements of college life to what’s being taught in class.

Some professors may prefer to keep their lesson plans on the serious side to maintain student focus, which is also acceptable! But these more serious lectures should be accompanied by engaging distribution of content and a powerful, enthusiastic voice.

Even if teaching wasn’t their first choice, professors need to show more pride in what they do. When professors convey just how much they care about their fields of study, we tend to follow suit.

Email: dylan.greco@ubspectrum.com

It’s time to break up with fast fashion

global carbon emissions, totaling more than the emissions produced by all international flights and maritime shipping combined. At this rate, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, it’s estimated that the industry’s emissions will surge more than 50% by 2023.

A trip to H&M or a new Shein haul may seem harmless, but the cost of your latest clothing haul is much higher than the price tag.

Spring is upon us, and with warm weather comes the annual bombardment of advertisements demanding that we update our wardrobes.

“Up to 50% off warm-weather faves!”

“Limited Time!”

“Last Day!”

And on and on it goes.

In a world dominated by fast fashion and the money-thirsty industry that drives it, it’s hard not to fall into the cycle: buy cheap, buy more, throw away, repeat.

This year, as Buffalo thaws and we shed our winter coats, it’s time we also shed a bad habit.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all

The environmental cost of production alone is devastating, but that compounds with common consumer practices to make the fast fashion industry even more dangerous.

Clothing sales spiked from 100 to 200 billion units a year between 2000 and 2015, while the average utilization of clothing per item has starkly declined by 36%, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. We’re buying twice as many clothes and wearing them less often, all in the name of consumerism.

With fashion trends constantly changing and an influx of social media influencers promoting the “latest and greatest” products, it’s hard to keep up — and do it sustainably.

While there’s no simple, overarching solution to extinguish the fast fashion fire, there are some steps you can take on an individual level to combat the industry’s waste.

Donate. Don’t dispose

Thinking about throwing away old clothes? There’s a much better, more sustainable and more charitable option: making a donation.

Donating your old clothing prevents consumerist waste and gives another person the opportunity to use and access a much-needed commodity. Instead of ending up in a landfill where the clothes will take years to break down, your old clothing can be used to benefit the people in your community.

Upcycle old clothes

Have a pile of old clothes that you’ve outgrown, outworn or otherwise neglected? It’s time to get crafty. Instead of throwing away that old t-shirt or fraying sweater, you have the power to give it a new life. Upcycling your old clothes can extend their lifetime and give them new purpose. With countless possibilities, you

can create your next quilt, cropped t-shirt, patch or whatever else you can think of. Upcycling is a fun and easy way to counter the vicious cycle of buying, wearing and disposing.

Go thrift shopping

Thrifting is a fun way to experiment with fashion and indulge in the latest trends without expending the environment or your wallet. Whether it’s Goodwill, Savers or a consignment shop like Plato’s Closet, you’ll be met with a wide selection of clothes, all available for far less than the cost of most fast fashion retailers.

Buying secondhand clothes gives you the freedom to try out different styles affordably and sustainably. You never know what gem you’re going to find as you rummage through the racks. It’s a win-win situation without the guilt of feeding into the fast fashion industry. So go find your next favorite outfit while knowing you’re making a positive impact on the environment. The opinion desk can be reached at opinion@ ubspectrum.com

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023 VOLUME 71 NUMBER 22 CIRCULATION: 3,000

Do you have an interest in journalism, graphic design, photography, social media, advertising, cartoons or copy editing? The Spectrum is always looking for enthusiastic students who want to be part of our team. Join our 45-time award winning independent student newspaper for hands-on, realworld experience in your field.

Anyone interested in joining The Spectrum’s editorial staff can email Anthony DeCicco at: eic@ubspectrum.com.

The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Opinion section of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.

For information on advertising with The Spectrum: VISIT: www.ubspectrum.com/advertising EMAIL US: spectrum@buffalo.edu

The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100

ALEX OLEN STAFF WRITER

‘I did that in a blink of an eye’: UB seniors prepare for graduation

The last pre-COVID-19 cohort of undergraduates reflects on the transition to remote learning during freshman year and entering an ever-changing workforce

KATIE SKOOG FEATURES EDITOR

UB seniors sit at tables in the Student Union lobby and decorate their caps for graduation. Stencils, glitter, paint, gems, flowers and cotton balls are scattered across the tables as students decorate meticulously while chatting excitedly with friends.

The “Trick Out Your Tassel” event, hosted by Student Engagement and the Class of 2023, took place last Tuesday afternoon. The Spectrum asked students how they feel about graduating in a post-COVID-19 world with a constantly changing workforce.

According to the Pew Research Center, 62% of Americans think that artificial intelligence (AI) will have a “major impact” on all workers within the next 20 years, while just 13% believe that AI will help more than hurt workers.

As of January 2022, 59% of Americans are working remotely from home, according to the Pew Research Center. Although 64% of workers believe working remotely makes their work life and personal life easier to balance, 60% of workers feel less connected to their co-workers.

Kennedy Parks, a health and human services major and D’Youville transfer, says she learns and interacts best in-person. Before transferring to UB during her junior year, she had trouble learning online as a nursing major.

“It was the semester I was supposed to be doing clinicals and I was doing practice IVs over Zoom on a pop can in my living room, so it was not practical,” she said. “I was going to have to go back to make up those in-person hours for nursing because you need those in New York State anyway. That whole thing was not counting for me, so I ended up taking a semester

off, transferring to UB [and] re-getting my footwork back in.”

Parks recently started her job hunt to have something lined up for post-graduation. She feels nervous because her job prospects say she needs three to five years of experience in the field.

“My major at UB doesn’t require an in-

lege would be like since she came to UB during the pandemic.

Her cap reads, “I did that in a blink of an eye,” alluding to her short time here at UB.

D’Antoni says she applied to about 200 jobs and is waiting to hear back from employers.

ences, giving her at least four more years before she has to worry about searching for jobs.

Although her anxieties are at ease for now, she says she will miss One World Café and the convenience of having food readily available to her.

Anameze says she didn’t mind doing classes remotely during COVID-19 because her organic chemistry and physics labs were all online. She also didn’t feel lonely from the isolation.

“I wasn’t really negatively affected because I had my sister with me,” she said. “A lot of people did feel isolated. I was never isolated since I always lived with my sister.”

Ashrida Jampana, a management information systems major, doesn’t feel ready to graduate just yet. She’s going to miss the overall environment of UB the most.

UB introduced her to “university life” because her college back in India wasn’t nearly as large.

“At UB, every day it’s one or the other that’s happening between people, entertaining apart from your academics, which is actually very much relaxing,” Jampana said. The campus, the environment — it’s just beautiful. I have never seen a campus that is as beautiful as this.”

She says finding a job is “really tough,” but is grateful for her professors’ assistance and guidance.

ternship, so I technically don’t have any connections with anywhere for anything in my degree, so that makes me a bit nervous,” she said. “But I’m excited to be working with something with my degree hopefully soon.”

For Marissa D’Antoni, a environmental studies major, COVID-19 “hit perfectly” during her senior year of high school. She said she had no expectations of what col-

“I’m excited to see what happens,” she said. “I’m not really too nervous about it because I know eventually I’ll get a job, the first thing is just getting that first step.”

While uncertainty is a familiarity for many seniors, that isn’t currently the case for Chidera Anameze, a biomedical sciences major. Anameze will be pursuing a Medical Doctorate (MD) at UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sci-

Despite the uncertainties of life postgraduation, Jampana says that keeping a positive mindset is crucial to succeeding. Glued on her cap, surrounded by white flowers, are the words: “A grand adventure is about to begin.”

Email: katie.skoog@ubspectrum.com

MOAZ ELAZZAZI / THE SPECTRUM GRADUATING SENIORS CAN LEAVE THEIR MARK BY SIGNING THE CLASS OF 2023 BULL IN THE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT OFFICE

‘A community can change everything’: Founders of It’s On Us UB discuss sexual assault awareness and community

The club aims to educate and engage students of all genders and backgrounds

JASMIN YEUNG SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR

Music plays quietly in the background as members of It’s On Us club file into their weekly meeting. Students talk among themselves as they grab a slice of pizza and claim their seats at the circle of chairs in the center of the room.

With meetings every Tuesday from 7-8 p.m., UB’s It’s On Us chapter is one of 275 college chapters under the parent organization.

Launched in 2014 through the Obama administration’s White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, the organization aims to “build the movement to combat campus sexual assault by engaging all students, including young men, and activating the largest student organizing program of its kind in grassroots awareness and prevention education programs,” according to its website.

It’s On Us’ mission struck a chord with senior law and political science major Saumya Gilra, who decided to found a chapter at UB.

After co-organizing the Buffalo Women’s March last year, Gilra was inspired to create “something more permanent” at the university.

“That’s when I was like ‘I want to do something at UB,’” she said.

Gilra and her friend, senior psychology major and It’s On Us UB president Nicole

Culmone, believe the name of the club would comfort potential members who may feel “uneasy” about a club name that directly mentions sexual assault.

The club sees a “good mix” of genders and identities, something that the parent organization emphasizes.

“I think young men are often overlooked as not being [part of the demographic that is] sexually assaulted,” Culmone said.

“They’re like ‘This is only a woman’s fight,’ but it’s really not… it’s everyone’s fight.”

At the club’s recent “Tough Topics” meeting, members shared their perspectives on a wide range of topics, encompassing everything from safe sex to actions UB could take to better support its students.

“I think that we as a society need to [have a] further discussion… especially here on campus because there’s such a severe underreporting of cases that do occur because of the stigma that does exist,” first-year graduate communication student Natalie Barcia-Varno said, noting the “hoops” survivors have to “jump through” to report assault and stay safe at UB.

More than two out of three sexual assault cases go unreported, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).

“That’s one of the main reasons why we did this — because the school will always have conflicting interests [in taking action

on reports of sexual assault],” Gilra said. “We wanted students to support other students, we wanted [them to] feel the love of the community while on campus… the school environment is not always what’s best for the survivor. The survivor may not even want the school involved in the first place.”

All academic faculty members — including those in academic advisement, career services, continuing education, financial aid, instructional support, athletics, residential life or student activities/affairs — who have knowledge of a student who has experienced sexual assault are mandated to make a report to the Equity, Diversty and Inclusion (EDI) Office, according to its website.

The club ran into trouble with the university when they attempted to host a selfdefense workshop through UPD. They were told that class attendance was limited to only women, something Culmone describes as “absolutely absurd.”

“First of all, there’s not only two genders, so how does that come into the equation?” Gilra said. “What about people who are trans or questioning, what happens there? Are we going biologically based on what was assigned at birth?”

21% of transgender, genderqueer or nonconforming (TGQN) college students have been sexually assaulted, and one out of every 10 rape victims are male, according to RAINN.

Culmone contacted UPD again to ask if the policy could be waived, but was instead given the offer of a “self-defense discussion” without the hands-on training.

“I’m not going to tell men they can’t show up,” Culmone said. “Am I supposed to tell my treasurer, someone on the eboard, that he can’t [come]?”

Beyond open discussions and workshops, It’s On Us UB aims to foster community and educate students with events ranging from health trivia to their self-care night collaboration with UB Women’s and Wellness Association, which Gilra described as “amazing.”

“I didn’t even know how much it would affect me,” Gilra said. “But I was smiling, and everyone was too. We had coloring, we had [therapy] dogs, and people were just relaxing.”

Although the pair are graduating soon, they hope the next generation of e-board members keeps It’s On Us UB going for the students who need it.

“I feel like a community can change everything,” Gilra said. “People were afraid to come out and share their story… and a supportive community can bring that all out of you. I saw it with myself. I saw it with my friends. I saw it with random people that I’ve never met before. That’s what I was trying to do here.”

Email: jasmin.yeung@ubspectrum.com

Local artist AJ Fries wants people talking — no matter what they say

Fries’ paintings explore both explicit and childlike themes

JULIA MARCOTULLIO STAFF WRITER

Buffalo painter AJ Fries, known for his hyper-realistic paintings and bold personality, isn’t afraid of criticism.

If anything, he embraces it.

Fries’ work was criticized for being too edgy at a recent gallery, and the local artist didn’t have a quibble about it.

“The gallery said I was going to hell, and I was like, ‘Thank you! That’s the nicest thing you could say to me,’” Fries said. “You dislike my work so much that you don’t just seethe about it, you actually call a third person to say, ‘That artist is a piece of s—t.’ I am your piece of s—t! That’s flattering.”

While pushing the limits with his subject matter, one thing that always remains constant is his impeccably detailed paint textures.

His oil paintings of Fisher Price’s “Little

People,” Monopoly figures and Twinkie packages charm viewers with nostalgia and tempt them to reach out and feel the familiar shapes. An element of shock emerges when these childlike paintings are contrasted with their adult counterparts: portraits of a different kind of toy.

Fries made countless pieces that play with this dichotomy, first creating combinations of a childhood toy and an adult toy. This was followed by a series of large paintings of coloring book images with sex toys on top.

“I wanted the sex toys to be big and shiny and in some way take the stigma away from them,” Fries said. “You know,

same inner desire, but how it manifests and how it is satisfied is different,” Fries said. “It just changes as you get older.”

All his artwork — whether childlike, explicit or anything in between— connects to Fries’ main goal: sparking conversations.

“Art, culturally speaking, is low on the totem pole to the general public,” Fries said. “I want there to be any kind of reaction other than, ‘Oh, that’s cute.’”

Fries says that as long as he leaves an impression and gets people talking, he couldn’t care less about how audiences feel about his art.

“I’d rather be hated than ignored,” Fries said. “Ambivalence is the worst thing in the world.”

Fries’ art also celebrates the small joys of life. According to him, one of these joys is using a good curse word. He highlights his favorite word, “f—k,” in a painting where the four letters are spelled out in shiny, pink mylar balloons.

Fries’ paintings honor powerful language and challenge society’s idea of what constitutes a “bad word.”

blue wet, glossy gel spelling out words like “c—k,” “prick,” “wang” and “c—t,” just to name a few. He specifically chose words that target masculine and feminine genitalia to play with differing perceptions. Fries again challenges his audience to face these words head-on and contemplate what really makes them so taboo.

“‘C—t’ is bad but ‘can’t’ isn’t,” Fries mused. “So what? It’s the vowel that makes it bad?”

Fries isn’t ashamed to admit that he’s imperfect — he’ll even make a massive painting honoring this fact. In a yet-to-be finished “self-portrait,” Fries painted the words “Mediocre White Guy” in plastic letter refrigerator magnets. Fries knows his work can’t please everybody, but showing respect is still always part of the job.

“I read a book about second-wave feminism called ‘C—t: A Declaration of Independence.’ I actually wrote to the author asking her what she thought about me doing this as a white, straight male,” Fries said. “She was just like, ‘F—king go for it.’”

“Go for it” he did, depicting the dirtiest of words in shiny, cursive gel.

No matter the subject, one constant in Fries’ work is the fascinating creation of texture. Even standing mere inches away from the canvas, it’s hard to believe the materials are made from nothing but paint. From rich desserts to vintage glassware to soapy bubbles, Fries has mastered the art of realism — though he doesn’t think so.

go drive down any street — there’s probably one in every house. But oh my God, you can’t talk about it!”

The concept behind this collection was the feeling of desire.

“What I was putting forth is that it’s the

“I just love that word, f—k. I use it a lot. It’s every part of speech,” Fries said. “It’s positive, it’s negative. It’s awe-inspiring. It’s all these things, all in one simple word that’s supposed to be a bad word.”

Fries’ ode to expletives was highlighted in a 2016 series of paintings exploring taboo words with unique textures. The composition contains nothing but a pink or

“I don’t think of myself as hyperrealist or even photorealist,” Fries explained.

“The gallery that represents me, the artists there are blindingly better than me. I’m just banging rocks together compared to them.”

Fries continues to critique his own work as he strives to become flawless at his craft.

“It’s funny because I’m horrifically lazy. I try any shortcut I can,” Fries said. “It just turns out that the s–t I pick ends up having a bunch of texture and I’m pissed at myself.”

Creative control and inclusivity take the stage at the Dancer’s Workshop

The 46th Dancer’s Workshop will be held from May 12-13 in the Katherine Cornell Theater

AMY MASLIN SPORTS EDITOR MERET KELSEY SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

Dancer’s Workshop, an entirely studentproduced dance showcase, debuts May 12 at UB’s Katherine Cornell Theater.

But Dancer’s Workshop isn’t your average department-run performance. This one’s all about the students — they’re given complete creative control over everything from choreography and costumes to lighting and sound.

The show is directed by senior dance major Juliana Guiffrida along with assistant director and junior dance major Lily Colligan. The title of the show is “Breaking Free,” inspired by High School Musical. Guiffrida picked the theme after choreographing an all-boys piece for last year’s Dancer’s Workshop to the song, “I Don’t Dance” from “High School Musical 2.”

The opening number is set to “A Night to Remember,” a pedestrian piece, a dance that is performed by less experienced dancers. Guiffrida is choreographing another all-boys dance to “The Boys Are Back,” and the closing number will be to “Fabulous.”

One of the other highlights is a piece

choreographed by senior dance major Brennah Woollis to a song called “Daylight” by David Kushner, which has gone viral on Tik Tok. Guiffrida’s twin sister Alisa Guiffrida is also a choreographer for a piece to the song “Tom’s Diner” by Suzanne Vega.

There’s a certain camaraderie among the dancers, many of whom have been working closely together for years at UB. Watching Woollis and her dancers practice “Daylight,” an emotional, lyrical piece, the trust and connection between everyone in the studio is clear.

Woollis worked one-on-one with each dancer, working out the intricacies of each move, as the others sat and watched. The studio is quiet, but not without an occasional joke and burst of laughter.

With over 100 student dancers from inside and outside of the Dance Department, the intensely collaborative performance stresses artistic freedom and inclusivity.

Unlike most UB dance performances, it’s not just dance majors taking the stage this time. Anyone can audition for Dancer’s Workshop — in fact, choreographer Brennah Woollis says some of them

“haven’t danced a day in their lives.”

The show is uniquely lighthearted and low-pressure, drawing participants of various skill levels from all over UB. Woollis takes pride in sharing the creative outlet of dance with people that don’t typically partake in it.

“It’s just like a fun communal space — we bring everyone together. And we just want to see them show their artistic side, because we do all the time,” Woollis said. “[Dance majors] are bored. Let us do it for other people. Let us work with biomed engineers, or civil engineers, or mathematicians, or nurses.”

Guiffrida mentioned that the pedestrian pieces are “typically everyone’s favorite.” One of her most beloved moments is watching the dancers step out of their comfort zones and “kill it.”

Dancer’s Workshop gives dance students a greater level of creative freedom than they would typically receive in their performances .

“I always appreciate faculty input and faculty advice, but at the end of the day every choice is mine,” Guiffrida said. “I’m really flexible with what the choreographers want to do and the dancers. It allows

Spitting bars while studying: UB student pursues rap career

Leale didn’t begin rapping with the intention of selling out stadiums, or getting big record deals, or getting millions of downloads.

Her creative spark came from something much more personal, and much more tragic: the death of her grandfather to cancer. Leale was 12 at the time.

“As a kid, you don’t really know how to deal with things like that,” Leale, a junior business administration major, said. “Writing my feelings just made sense, just writing them down because I didn’t feel like talking to people and having them ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at me… it turned into poetry, and I realized I really had a knack for it.”

Leale’s vulnerable poems evolved into eight bars, then 10 bars and then, eventually, full tracks in the style of music her friends and siblings all listened to: rap. Her solitary “venting on paper” turned into a two-year-long writing process. During that time, Leale kept her raps close to her chest.

At age 16, though, Leale put her selfdoubt aside and shared her music on social media. Today, her TiTok following is approaching 300,000. One of her viral raps about the Buffalo Bills even landed her on Channel 2, Channel 4 and several podcasts.

Her short clips, freestyles and trendy videos garnered attention on thousands of “for you pages,” but Leale wanted more. She wanted to release real music.

Leale dropped several singles and an

EP, “Truthful Execution.” She was finally releasing full songs, but Leale’s Internet fame came at a price, one that she quickly brushes off her shoulders. While attending Olean High School, some classmates made sly comments.

“That’s what happens when people step outside of the box,” Leale said. “They’re always going to have something to say.”

But messages from the people who’d found her music made it easy to tune out the hate.

“There are people messaging me, ‘You really saved my day.’ I save people’s lives. That’s hard for me to say because it’s hard to even believe,” Leale said. “So if somebody at school is making fun of me, why would I even care?”

The up-and-coming rapper’s recognizability motivates her to keep going. Snide remarks are the result of notoriety, but so is the UPS delivery man who passed her in Elmwood Village and told her he loves her music.

Although Leale’s larger-than-life dreams seem within grasp, not everyone is as excited as the young rapper. Her parents, despite their support of their daughter, worry about the scale of her ambition.

“It’s hard to see your kid chase a dream like this,” Leale said. “I’m in rooms with a lot of big people, a lot of people older than me. I’m a young female in the world of hip hop. It’s a vulnerable situation, and they see how driven I am about it. I think

it scares them.”

Her parents’ fears aren’t entirely unfounded. Leale says that at ages 17 and 18 she ran into situations where others tried to take advantage of her. She sees having “a chip on your shoulder” as a necessity in this industry.

“You never really know what people are trying to use you for, especially as a woman,” Leale said. “They could say they’re interested in your music, but you don’t really know that’s the case.”

Leale says being a white female makes it challenging to establish herself in the genre. She has to constantly prove herself to her peers. When she walks into a room of other rappers, “nobody” is expecting her to rap.

“But it’s cool because when they do hear me rap, it’s like, ‘Oh, shoot! She can rap!”

Even though Leale’s head is full of daydreams about all the possibilities — selling out arenas, playing Spring Fest and touring everywhere from Australia to Bali — she continues chasing her passion in the present as a full-time student. She works on her craft at least once a day, whether it’s planning events, making flyers or reaching out to sponsors. She hopes her business studies will allow her to build her own brand.

Even with the demands of earning her degree, Leale always finds time to rap for an audience. Last week, Leale performed a 15-minute set for a packed Center for the

everyone to really find this creativity that we might not have in a more structured setting.”

While the typical department-run performance is all about preparing students for the intense, professional world of dance, Dancer’s Workshop is an opportunity for dancers to do what they love in a relatively stress-free environment.

“[Usually] you’re being looked at as a professional choreographer, whereas DW [Dancer’s Workshop] is like, ‘No, you’re a student. You’re making a dance. It’s for fun,’” Woollis said. “If it’s a rough process, then you’re just not doing it right. You’re supposed to enjoy doing this.”

Dancer’s Workshop takes place the same weekend as the Senior Showcase for dance majors. Emotions will be running high as the seniors partake in their last weekend of college dance, before heading into the professional world.

“I’m going to cry almost every day,” Woollis said. “We actually have a senior piece that’s in DW. That’s all like the dance major seniors. We do a dance together. And I’m just going to be a puddle.”

Email: amy.maslin@ubspectrum.com

Email: meret.kelsey@ubspectrum.com

Arts (CFA) Mainstage Theater as a part of UB Blackstone LaunchPad’s “Panasci.” She shared a spoken word piece, brought the heat with her lyricism, ran into the audience and hyped up the crowd with calland-response chants.

Even with her TikTok fame and highenergy performances, Leale’s authenticity as an artist is at the heart of what she does. Following a “messy spring break” where she was “all over the place,” Leale headed straight to a studio session in Utica where she recorded “Patience.”

“You have those times or people or things in your life that just take your patience too far,” Leale said on the song’s simple, relatable message.

Leale writes her own bars — no ghost writers necessary. She hopes her down-toearth and real approach to rap will resonate with more listeners. This persona-less rapper is determined to shine for her lyrics and authenticity instead of cheap gimmicks.

“The world is gonna tell you loyalty is key,” Leale said. “But remember to be loyal to yourself. Because life’s gonna try and get you to change, get you to switch up, get you to do something that isn’t you.

“I want to prove that just by being who you are, and sticking to your story and finding what gives you peace, you can do anything you want.”

JADE

‘Cinderella’ conjures magic on stage

UB’s ‘Cinderella’ enchants audiences with a fairytale dream come true

ALEX NOVAK ARTS EDITOR JULES EVANS STAFF WRITER

UB’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” created on-stage magic, no fairy godmothers necessary.

The show’s larger than life characters were matched by equally extravagant costumes, props and scenery at six shows this past weekend.

Sophomore music theatre major Jack Catena said there’s one thing that makes the production extra special: the costumes.

“They’re all frickin’ amazing and expertly crafted,” Catena said. “They’re all well put together, and there’s so much to do, so much dancing, that they could easily fall apart, but they don’t.”

Costumes play a major role in the show’s most iconic scene: Cinderella’s bippity boppity transformation from rags to riches, from pauper to princess. In the musical numbers “Impossible” and “It’s Possible,” Crazy Marie (junior music theatre major Valentina Rodriguez) transforms from a kooky old woman in a raggedy quilt-like dress into the elegant, eye-catching fairy godmother.

Both Rodriguez and Cinderella (junior

music theatre major Isabella Gomez-Barrientos) used tearaway dresses to transform on stage. Their original, simple garments were ripped off with a spin, revealing the sequined, flashy dresses underneath.

The stunning costumes even had performers pondering use of the “five-finger discount.” Sophomore musical theatre major and not-so-evil stepsister Sophia Vessecchia wished she could take her “fabulous” costume and shoes home, but resisted the temptation.

Similarly, fox and raccoon puppets transformed behind the curtains into Cinderella’s acrobatic and dancey carriage drivers. Catena (the fox-turned-driver) bounded onstage with a series of tumbles, cartwheels and jumps.

For a final wow factor, the curtains lifted to reveal that the fairy godmother’s yellow pumpkin had morphed into a glowing, golden carriage, complete with warm twinkling lights.

Everything about this scene — from special effects and costume changes to Cinderella’s pimpin’ ride — left performers with a lot to balance when maneuvering this scene.

“It’s scary. You just want to make sure

that it’s right every time,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just a lot of trust in myself, and everyone.”

The show’s Prince Charming, Topher (junior music theatre major Glen Chitty) — who is “not like the prince that everyone remembers from the [Disney] movie” — slayed both literally and metaphorically: killing a giant and a dragon while singing his opening number, “Me, Who Am I?”

Those monsters, portrayed with colored lights and projections of a giant green eye or flying beast onto a circular screen in the sky, were no match for Chitty who dragged the offstage “giant” down with an enormous rope and knocked the “dragon” out of the sky with his trusty slingshot. During these battles, Chitty’s character reflected on his royal-sized lack of identity and purpose. But with little time to wallow in self-doubt, Topher hops on his loyal steed, Buttercup the motorcycle.

Buttercup was originally supposed to be a horse, but the crew found a motorcycle sound effect that was too good to pass up.

“That was a decision we made on Tuesday,” Chitty explained. “On Sunday, it was a horse, and then on Monday, it was a horse. And then on Tuesday, it was the

motorcycle, and then, now it’s a motorcycle.”

But Chitty reveled in more than just his “stallion” and the show’s special effects. He also loved interacting with kids after the show, a task that comes naturally to him given his side hustle of dressing up as Spiderman and Batman for children’s birthday parties. Other cast members also had a blast with their young fans, who found the show especially magical. Kathryn Lloyd, redeemed wicked stepmother and junior music theatre major, saw “two little kids” hugging Cinderella at the beginning of the show, a scene she described as “so cute.”

“It took a lot of work, but I think it really paid off,” Catena said. “That’s my favorite part of the show: just getting to see everything put together, to see the actual magic of the show and the magic of theatre.”

“Cinderella” continues this weekend with four more performances in the Center for the Arts (CFA) Drama Theater from May 5-7.

Email: alex.novak@ubspectrum.com

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

rocks the Spectrum newsroom

The

MERET KELSEY SENIOR ARTS EDITOR

The Buffalo iteration of the band played their first gig at a talent show for UB’s Filipino American Student Association last November — before they had even decided on a name for the group.

“We went up without a band name, a song name, or anything,” Turner said. “Then we realized we were probably gonna place somewhere in the talent show, and we were like ‘s—-t.’”

mental.

“I hate talking about it because it sounds so f— king pretentious,” Turner said of the song’s meaning. “But it’s like a critique of money-hungry people.”

These days, Turner counts acts like The Strokes and Car Seat Headrest as his primary influences, but the multi-instrumentalist describes his early songs as “angsty teenager type of stuff” inspired by 90s alternative. Though Turner’s music has matured since then, he still finds ways to revamp some of that early material.

young age,” Turner explained. “It didn’t happen to me… I could be manifesting something terrible, though.”

The song starts out as a relatively soft ballad, but builds in volume to a dramatic peak. It was a fitting closer for the set, as the track spotlights each member of the band’s musicality: Petkus’ steady six-string bass riffs, Reesor’s intricate drum fills and a bluesy guitar solo from Turner as the song’s grand finale.

The future of Orange Dog Club is relatively uncertain, but Turner looks forward to releasing a possible EP later this year.

Orange Dog Club, the Buffalo-based musical project of UB student Tim Turner, visited The Spectrum’s newsroom last week for an intimate performance of stripped-down, guitar-driven indie rock.

The trio, also featuring bassist Quinn Petkus and drummer Matt Reesor, performed special arrangements of three of the band’s own original songs: “Give Me My Money,” “Feel Inside” and their newest single, “Untitled,” which will be released Friday.

Turner, a junior computing and applied math major, started writing and producing music out of his bedroom in Caledonia, New York as a teenager. The project eventually turned into a full-fledged band with a rotating lineup of musicians, some in Buffalo and some back in his hometown.

The band had to think on their feet, so they resorted to a random band name generator. Orange Dog Club was officially born.

The group has played other shows here and there, one at SUNY Fredonia and another for Late Night at UB. They’re just getting started with live performances. But given the musical chemistry between the members of the band, it seems like they’ve been performing together forever.

The group opened their performance for The Spectrum with the sardonic track “Give Me My Money,” a single that has racked up over 100,000 streams on Spotify since its release in December.

“Why do you give your peace to some guy who doesn’t wash his sheets?” Turner sang over an upbeat garage rock instru-

“[The early songs were] very much like Nirvana rip offs,” Turner said. “‘Feel Inside,’ I wrote the chords for that when I was 14, but it was like a grunge song. So it sounded nothing like this. There are some things I’ll reuse… Not everything’s terrible, but a lot of it is pretty terrible.”

The studio version of “Feel Inside” has that classic, distorted indie rock feel, with Turner putting on his best Julian Casablancas-esque rasp. But the arrangement they performed in the office is something else entirely. Turner and his bandmates call it the “Latin version” of the track, but it could pass for reggae with its bouncy rhythm section and clean, bright guitar.

The band slowed it down with an as-yet unreleased (and unnamed) track, “Untitled.” Turner calls the lyrics abstract and impersonal.

“It’s about your soulmate dying at a

“We’re not there yet, but I think we will be,” Turner said.

Turner says the band is not quite ready to tour just yet, and is instead focusing on racking up a steady fanbase. But they have some local shows lined up, including one at Buffalo’s Mohawk Place this summer.

“I’d like to take it as far as it’ll take me,” Turner said. “I believe in us. I believe in the things I write… hopefully we just keep getting better.”

Orange Dog Club’s full performance from The Spectrum’s newsroom can be watched by following the QRcode below.

Email: meret.kelsey@ ubspectrum.com

indie rock musical project delivered the latest installment in The Spectrum’s performance series

‘Still alive’: Ukrainians at UB reflect on loss, heroism and resilience as Russian invasion continues

More than one year after Russia’s invasion, a UB student grieves and a cousin fights

Everything ached.

Sergey Romanyuk pondered this as he patrolled. One foot forward. Another foot in front.

The air nipped at his exposed face. A cotton beanie offered his head only a thin reprieve from the cold. He was otherwise clad in camouflage navy, tandem bands of blue and yellow emblazoned on his right shoulder.

Romanyuk walked purposefully. Elsewhere, distant artillery blotted the air with the echoes of explosions and screams.

Then something whistled above him.

He didn’t bother to look. After months of pulling distraught civilians from the rubble of their shattered homes and trading gunfire in the ashen husks of hospitals and elementary schools, he could tell what was coming.

It rifled into the ground as he grit his teeth, bracing for what would come next. Silence.

He opened his eyes to a towering missile. It jutted out of the pavement a meter or so from his boots.

Romanyuk considered this thoughtfully. Then he lit a cigarette and reached into his vest.

Thousands of miles away in Buffalo, a phone buzzed.

Anna Klymkovych peered down in alarm and amazement.

She has since grown accustomed to such exchanges.

Horror

Klymkovych, a junior nursing and global affairs major, is part of a Ukrainian community at UB that has endured more than a year of agonized prayer for their loved ones after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Though Klymkovych was born and lives in the U.S. with her parents and brothers, the rest of her family remains in the crosshairs of war. The junior has relatives residing throughout Ukraine, Russia and Crimea, a Ukrainian territory that was annexed by Russia in 2014.

Relatives living in Ivano-Frankivsk, a

city in western Ukraine, had been the first to tip Klymkovych to the invasion after the city’s airport had been bombed.

Each day since has been haunted with fear for her loved ones, cornered overseas by the raging conflict, she says.

“There’s just this constant horror,” Klymkovych said. “Russia is bombing apartment buildings, they’re bombing daycares, they target places where people just want to buy food.”

She shuddered, recalling fears that family members, going hungry, would venture out and be killed in the earliest onslaughts of artillery.

“Going to UB during all of this was grueling,” she said. “Trying to deal with the fear that anything, anywhere could blow up at any point, and that I could lose more family members than I already had… it’s just horrifying.”

One of the most harrowing realities of war, Klymkovych says, is being unable to grieve together as a family in moments of loss.

Klymkovych’s aunt passed away in August 2022. She had been battling cancer, waiting in Crimea for her son to return from the frontlines of the war in Ukraine.

Months later, in November 2022, Klymkovych lost her grandmother after she suffered a stroke while traveling through Russia.

With travel restrictions leveled against American and Ukrainian citizens in Russia and Crimea, Klymkovych’s family couldn’t reconvene to grieve.

“It was hard… it was so hard,” she said. “I was barely handling the first loss. They were so recent to each other, what happened in August, and what happened in November. And there was nothing we could even really do about it.”

Heroiam slava

But Klymkovych feels most devastated for her cousin overseas.

Romanyuk had been fighting on the frontlines of the war when his mother — her aunt — had passed.

He had already been serving in the Ukrainian army before Russia invaded last February. But after hearing the news of

Holocaust Survivor

ended, but antisemitism hadn’t. The Dutch government refused to return stolen property to Holocaust survivors, and acquaintances whom Jewish families had trusted to safekeep their belongings during the war often kept valuable items for themselves.

Veffer spent her first summer of freedom studying. By the time the school year began in the fall, she had caught up to her grade level. She met her first husband, another Holocaust survivor, and the two

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

tried to establish a life together.

By 1954, Joseph Stalin started jailing Jewish doctors in Russia, convinced they were trying to kill him. Veffer and her husband feared a repeat of the Holocaust and left for the U.S.. The couple first moved to New York City, where her husband secured a job at a Macy’s, before settling in Savannah, Georgia.

Veffer says that while Savannah was one of the most beautiful places she had been, she was shocked by the prejudice and seg-

his mother’s illness, Romanyuk had been counting down the days until his release from the army.

The first skirmish broke out between Russian and Ukrainian forces in Luhansk Oblast on Feb. 24, 2022 at 3:40 a.m., Kyiv time.

Romanyuk departed for the frontline.

“I had the most anxiety about my cousin at the beginning of the year because he was sent right back within those areas that were being bombed the worst to try to help fend off soldiers and get civilians out,” Klymkovych said.

The junior shares a special relationship with Romanyuk, who has known her since she was a baby. Though wary of making phone calls in light of security concerns, the pair keep in touch by texting each week.

“The first picture [he sent] was literally him with a missile about to fall right next to him,” Klymkovych said. “He decided to take a selfie with it and was like, ‘Oh, I’m still alive.’ And that’s my cousin for you. Very confident in himself. No fear.”

Nothing has changed since Klymkovych’s first memories with him, the junior says.

“He was always a really cool guy, that epitome of a guy who wears leather jackets and rides a motorcycle,” she said. “Everyone knew that he’d have their back. Whenever my grandma would need to lay down or whenever my grandpa would feel tired, he’d always offer to help milk the cows and take care of the chickens. He’d help as much as he could. It was never a question they needed to ask.”

News of Romanyuk’s mother’s passing wrenched Klymkovych’s heart. As an enlisted Ukrainian soldier, there had been no way for Romanyuk to return to Crimea before her passing.

Instead, he fought, she says, in hopes of one day recapturing the annexed territory and reuniting with his mother.

“He never got to say goodbye to her,” Klymkovych said. “It happened when he was on the frontlines, and it’s actually devastating to even see he wasn’t allowed to go bury her or even see her when she was sick in the hospital.”

If Romanyuk was shaken, he didn’t show it.

“My cousin was in shock. But I don’t really hear sadness much in his voice,” Klymkovych said. “I think men, especially in Ukraine, are raised where you don’t really show as much emotion or you try not to. He definitely tries his hardest to not show that it hurts him.”

The pair continued to chat, but they focused on other things. Klymkovych would ask him specifics about the war. Romanyuk would be happy to oblige.

Then in March, Romanyuk announced that he was being stationed further from the heat of battle. Klymkovych recalled the moment with relief but a pang of sorrow.

“Last time I spoke to him, he was telling me that ever since he was moved to the safer zones of Ukraine, it’s so calm and peaceful — even though there are still raid sounds,” Klymkovych said.

She continues to grieve, thinking back to what she might do differently if she could do it all again — to speak to them more often, to give each one a last hug.

“The saddest reality about that was that [my aunt] never reached out when she got sick. No one had any idea she was sick and in the hospital — no one in my family,” Klymkovych said. “To think that because of the situation and the annexation of Crimea, she was literally all alone the whole time. And most likely also in the time of her death.”

She echoed that sentiment about her grandmother, who had been traveling back and forth between America, Ukraine and Russia. Klymkovych cited her courage in trying to keep their family together during a time of war.

“My grandma was very brave,” Klymkovych said. “But I would have asked her not to go. I would have tried to convince her not to go back to Russia. I would have asked her to — I don’t know. I definitely would have tried to stress to her how much I loved her. I probably would have tried to say a more meaningful goodbye.”

Read more at ubspectrum.com.

Email: kyle.nguyen@ubspectrum.com

regation she saw there.

“We were moving books, and a Black woman helped us out,” Veffer said. “We ordered a pizza and sliced it up. She picked up her plate and went to the kitchen — she couldn’t eat around the white people… I had just come [to Savannah] — I was dumbfounded.”

Veffer says she has heard countless stories of prejudice in her years of conversations with students and attendees of her talks. Her goal, taken from the Torah: “Re-

pair the world.”

“Everyone who’s been born should do one good deed in the world,” she said. “If everybody would do that, thousands of years from now, we’d live in paradise. Perhaps two years from now, life will be better.”

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

‘We all play the sport of life’: Two UB football players’ mission to help student athletes find identity and purpose

Jovany Ruiz and Max Michel began working on their nonprofit, Sport of Life, in early 2023

RYAN TANTALO SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Jovany Ruiz had seven knee surgeries in three years.

Max Michel ripped his groin off the bone and tore his labrum in the same season.

Combined, they’ve had nearly a dozen surgeries and over $300,000 in medical bills. They’ve experienced the highs and lows of college sports.

Motivated by their circumstances, Ruiz — a former UB wide receiver — and Michel — a defensive end entering his sixth season — joined forces in late 2022 to create a nonprofit, Sport of Life, dedicated to helping other athletes find an identity outside of sports.

But there’s so much more to their stories.

Ruiz comes from a Puerto Rican town of 2,400 people. He grew up without running water. His mother was the only person he knew who could read and write.

Despite this, Ruiz says he was always grateful.

“What we lacked in money, we [made up for in] mental [strength]. We were very positive people,” he said. “I feel like we were always on the other side of a mission trip… we always got help from the government or people just volunteering… giving us food and stuff. I got to a mindset of gratitude and a mindset of giving.”

In 2017, Ruiz took the opportunity of a lifetime and walked on to UB’s football team. But when injuries piled up, he began to lose sight of his identity and self worth.

“I was feeling bad for myself, I was feeling sorry,” he said. “It wasn’t until I got injured multiple times… I had a lot of time to just reflect on myself and see who I truly was beyond an athlete, and I went back to my old [mindset]. I am so grateful to be here.”

Ruiz confided in one of his football coaches, who suggested he visit a “rough area” of Buffalo to open his eyes to the struggles of others.

“I went to this park, and I could feel the stress on these houses, kids walking around with no parents… syringes on the ground,” he said. “I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m truly blessed. People care about me, even though I’m not producing on the field right now.”’

Michel had a similar feeling of “depression” while recovering from a “freak accident” groin tear, among other injuries. He went from a team leader and starter to “the shadows.”

“The show keeps going on without you,” Michel said. “You’re so used to being in the spotlight and being that guy, it takes a toll on your identity.”

Michel focused on service to remind himself that there’s more to life than football. He particularly found purpose in community work with the UB football team, where he organized a coat drive to benefit the Buffalo City Mission.

Like Ruiz, Michel credits his upbringing — especially his mother — for his giving nature.

Michel grew up in New Jersey, where his mother founded a nonprofit daycare

their own experiences (and those of their peers) they embarked on a journey to help other college athletes become more wellrounded, confident and prepared for life after athletics. What began as The Perspective Project, an initiative to get college athletes involved in community service to improve their mindsets, grew into Sport of Life. Its mission statements are “helping athletes find an identity outside of sports” and “the more you give the more you gain.”

Ruiz and Michel founded Sport of Life in early 2023 and have since worked to flesh out ideas for community service trips

Sport of Life was the passion that the founders have for this mission,” GNF cofounder Susan O’Rourke said, adding that Ruiz and Michel are working to solve “a problem that thousands of student athletes face.”

According to an International Olympic Committee report, 45% of former athletes suffer from anxiety and depression after transitioning out of sports.

78% of NFL players and 60% of NBA players face serious financial hardships after retirement, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute.

“Sport of Life was a no-brainer for us,” O’Rourke said. “[GNF] is focused on businesses that give back to the community… and [Sport of Life] has that built into their program.”

Like Ruiz and Michel, the GNF saw that there was a lack of resources for college athletes. While many universities emphasize a balance between sports and academics, the reality is that workload of sports dominates the lives of student athletes.

“I spend around eight hours plus in the facility, just to take care of my body, practice and do all that stuff. And then I have class after that, and then I have my own personal stuff,” Ruiz said. “So we never have a true chance in terms of a fair playing field.”

Michel echoed that sentiment, saying, “I don’t think it’s the fault of any athletic programs or the NCAA… that athletes might be feeling a little unprepared… but I do think something needs to be done about it. So that’s exactly why we’re doing what we have to do.”

Ruiz and Michel expect Sport of Life to gain 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in the coming weeks, and have already begun marketing and pitching their idea to community partners, including Operation Hope, which teaches financial literacy skills.

called Harmony Education and Life Partners (HELP) that specialized in harboring underprivileged children.

“She would make it so that these kids had just a better opportunity… There were kids that had never been to the zoo, never been to the beach, and she would take them there, and take them to museums,” he said. “You would see these kids’ faces light up, their grades will start getting better, all that stuff.”

While recovering from their injuries in the training room, Ruiz and Michel realized that they weren’t alone in their search for meaning beyond football. Drawing on

and educational seminars for college athletes. They plan to partner with universities around the country — starting with UB — to teach athletes mental health, professional and financial skills. They hope to host their first service trip next spring.

In April, Sport of Life received a $1,000 microgrant from the Good Neighbor Fund (GNF), a Buffalo organization that helps “under-resourced entrepreneurs.” Michel and Ruiz got in touch with GNF through UB Blackstone Launchpad and earned the grant through an “elevator pitch” competition.

“What appealed to us most about the

Ranking the top 5 UB athletes of all time

The list includes two NFL players

HAYDEN AZZINARO

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

UB’s first football season in 1894 was rough. The university went 0-2, even losing a game against a high school team.

UB’s come a long way since that winless season. Some incredible athletes have passed through the university and have shattered records, become leaders and made names for themselves in the Queen City.

But even among the greats, five legends stand out with their performances at UB.

5. James Starks

James Starks is one of the best running backs in UB history, playing from 2006-08. Fresh out of high school, Starks was asked to lead a football team that only won 10 of 79 games between 1999 and 2005, the second worst win percentage in NCAA football.

Starks didn’t disappoint. During his tenure at UB, he rushed for over 3,140 yards, racked up 898 receiving yards and over 30 touchdowns. Starks also has the single game rushing yard record with 409 yards.

The Green Bay Packers would ultimately draft Starks with their sixth round pick

in the 2010 NFL Draft.

4. Jaret Patterson

Patterson, yet another running back, played for UB from 2018-20. He made waves his freshman year after being named Mid-American Conference (MAC) freshman of the year after rushing for 1,013 yards and scoring 14 touchdowns.

During the 2019 season, Patterson broke the program’s single season records for rushing yards (1,799) and touchdowns (19).

Patterson really shined in 2020, during UB’s 70-41 win over the Kent State Golden Flashes. Patterson rushed for 401 yards and scored eight touchdowns, tying the NCAA record for rushing yards in a game.

Patterson cut his UB career short in 2021, signing as an undrafted free agent with the NFL’s Washington Football Team after three seasons in Buffalo.

3. Branden Oliver Arguably the best running back to set foot in UB Stadium, Oliver still holds the school’s record for career rushing yards. Oliver only rushed for 200 yards his first season, but he made up for it during his

sophomore season with over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns.

But the best was yet to come: in his senior year, Oliver rushed for 1,535 yards, scored 15 touchdowns and averaged 5 yards per carry. All in all, Oliver rushed for 4,049 yards, racked up 655 receiving yards and scored 71 touchdowns during his tenure.

Oliver would sign a three-year contract with the San Diego Chargers after going undrafted in the 2014 NFL draft.

2. Dyaisha Fair

Fair is one of four women in program history to win All-American honors. In her freshman year, Fair averaged 22 points, 5.9 rebounds and two steals, earning herself MAC freshman of the year.

Fair followed that up with a terrific second season, ranking sixth in the nation in scoring and starting all 24 games. She earned First Team All-MAC and All-Defensive Team.

In her junior season, Fair led the Bulls to the MAC Tournament, where they beat Ball State in the championship game, thanks in part to the her 30-point outing.

By the time she transferred to Syracuse

Michel plans to return to UB for his sixth season in 2023, and Ruiz is currently training in Tampa, Florida with hopes of making a professional football roster. All the while, the two are focused on helping other athletes and filling the gaps they see in college sports.

Ruiz and Michel hope to reach athletes from around the nation to unite under a mission of self discovery and improvement.

“Yes, we all have our individual sports, but we all play the sport of life,” Michel said.

Email: ryan.tantalo@ubspectrum.com

for her senior season, Fair recorded 2,035 total points, 224 steals, 377 assists and 486 rebounds in just three seasons at UB.

1. Khalil Mack

Mack started as a redshirt for UB, but quickly became a starter and one of the most productive and efficient players in the country. He had 68 total tackles his first year, including four sacks, 14.5 tackles for losses, eight quarterback hurries and 10 breakups.

His sophomore season, Mack led the team in forced fumbles, sacks and tackles for losses. Mack would ultimately be named to the All-MAC First Team that year.

Then, in 2013, Mack won MAC Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Bull to win the award. That year, Mack had 100 tackles, including 19 tackles for losses, 10.5 sacks, three interceptions, one pick six and five forced fumbles. Mack would record 327 total tackles, 28.5 sacks and 186 solo tackles in his career at UB.

After declaring for the 2014 NFL Draft, Mack was selected fifth overall by the Oakland Raiders.

Top 4 moments from the 2022-23 UB athletics season

With the athletic year winding down, there are a few moments that stand above the rest

BRANDON COCHI ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

As another year of UB athletics wraps up, there are plenty of moments and milestones that stand out across all sports. From football’s bowl win and the women’s soccer team’s success in the fall to the dominance of track and field this spring, the 2022-23 year has been eventful from start to finish.

While women’s soccer was the only team to bring home a Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship this academic year, there were still a number of highlights and landmark moments that will be remembered for years to come.

In no particular order, here are four of the best moments from UB athletics this year:

The MAC Championship win to cap off women’s soccer’s historic season

Finishing with an overall record of 152-4, the women’s soccer team had one of its best seasons in program history, winning the MAC Tournament and making it to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in team history. (The team first made the tournament in 2014.) The team strung together an astonishing 17-game undefeated streak that lasted from the start of September through the MAC Tournament in the middle of November.

Twelve players were named to the academic All-MAC Team at the season’s end, and two players were named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America team. Fifthyear goalkeeper Emily Kelly was named to the All-America second team, while fifthyear midfielder/defenseman Hannah Callaghan was named to the third team.

UB defeated Ball State in the MAC Championship Game before falling to Pittsburgh in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Football’s third bowl game victory in four years

After starting off the season with three

straight losses in non-conference games, things looked bleak for the Bulls and second-year head coach Maurice Linguist.

But following losses to Maryland, Holy Cross and Coastal Carolina, UB rattled off five straight wins, highlighted by a thrilling last-second victory over Miami (OH). The Bulls were able to get back over .500 with a record of 5-3 before finishing the regular season with a record of 6-6 (5-3 MAC).

But a .500 record was all it took for UB to become bowl eligible after a sluggish start to the season.

UB earned a bid to the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama for the second time in three seasons, where they ultimately defeated Georgia Southern — and former Bulls quarterback Kyle Vantrease —

A breakdown of UB’s undergraduate athletics fee

The fee’s other uses include costs related to athletic facilities and support for some student groups

RICARDO CASTILLO STAFF WRITER

The $265.75 per full-time undergraduate student athletic fee is used by UB to fund scholarships for 500 student-athletes, among other stated uses, according to UB’s website.

That total includes 205 UB studentathletes on full scholarships, UB spokesperson Jay Rey told The Spectrum. Other athletes are eligible to receive aid at the discretion of their coach.

Many students seemed to be previously unaware that this was one of the allocations of the fee.

“I feel like that shouldn’t be coming out of my pocket. Definitely not,” senior environmental studies major Lauren Fodor said. “What am I gaining from that?”

Rey says that student engagement with UB Athletics can enhance the student experience. He said when UB teams perform well, they generate excitement on campus, which aids in student recruitment, alumni engagement and a sense of pride that continues long after graduation.

“Well I don’t like paying money, but I know UB prioritizes their sports. But I don’t understand why they need that much,” sophomore psychology student Skyler Turpin said.

“I think that they [student-athletes] should be given the opportunity to succeed, a lot of them should. But I don’t believe that that should come from me or the rest of the student body.”

The athletic fee also funds UB’s gyms and fitness centers, some of which are reserved for student-athletes year-round, such as the Morris Sports Performance Center and the Alumni Arena Sports Performance Center. The rest of the student

body only has access to the Alumni Arena Fitness Center and other recreational amenities, such as the Alumni Arena pool.

Student frustration with the quality of athletics facilities hasn’t gone unheard by UB.

“The university has acknowledged the need to modernize its health and recreation facilities and has already announced its intent to invest heavily on both the North and South campuses,” Rey said.

The university has plans to build a new wellness and recreation center — complete with a pool, basketball courts, multiple fitness centers and an elevated running track — on North Campus, and renovations planned for South Campus’ recreational facility Clark Hall. Both projects are said to still be in their early stages.

“They really should have some sort of voting for how much you should pay, they’ve got to give [the students] some input on that, make it more optional,” sophomore computer science major Justin Podbielak said.

The athletics fee also funds free access to all regular season games for UB students, programs for students and support for student groups like cheerleading and marching band, according to UB’s website.

In addition to expenses such as tuition and housing, UB undergrads are required to pay 11 different “fees.” In the spring 2023 semester, each undergraduate student paid $1,855.75 in applicable fees, including the technology fee and the transportation fee.

But of the 11, the $265.75 athletics fee is the second most expensive one, behind only the aforementioned technology fee.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

23-21. The football program has now won three bowl games in the past four seasons.

Track and field members break school records

Members of both the men’s and women’s track and field teams broke a pair of school records just over two weeks ago at the Bison Outdoor Classic, hosted by Bucknell University.

Junior Evan Hilbert narrowly broke the men’s 1,500-meter record of 3:42.66 set by Brian Crimmins back in 2016, running the race in 3 minutes and 42.64 seconds.

In the women’s long jump, fifth-year high jumper Christina Wende emphatically set the new school record with a jump of 20 feet 5 ¼ inches. The previous record in

the event was 20 feet 3 inches, set in 2009 by Fatimah Hill.

Swimming and diving’s NCAA Championships appearance

Three members of the UB swimming and diving team qualified and competed in the 2023 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in March.

Senior Victoria Franz and sophomore Marialis Kwak competed in both the 1and 3-meter dives, while graduate student Toni Naccarella participated in the 50 and 100 freestyle. Naccarella also competed in both events two years ago at the 2021 NCAA Championships.

Email: brandon.cochi@ubspectrum.com

to Northern Illinois

Softball loses final home series

Bulls drop to 12-35 overall after losing sixth-straight series

UB softball (12-35, 6-17 MAC) dropped two of three games over the weekend against the Northern Illinois (NIU) Huskies (24-24, 13-12 MAC). UB split two games of a Saturday doubleheader then lost the series finale — the final home game of the season — 2-6 on Sunday afternoon.

In Saturday’s first game, UB narrowly lost 3-2. Star Bulls pitcher and senior Alexis Lucyshyn (6-17) allowed three earned runs in her seven-inning start. Freshman outfielder Mia Mitchell led UB with two hits, two RBIs and one run scored. The Bulls couldn’t muster any other offense, and Northern Illinois scored in the fourth and sixth innings to secure victory.

In game No. 2, the Bulls offense exploded in the first inning to take a 4-0 lead. Freshman firstbasewoman Abbey Nagel (one RBI), Mitchell (two RBI) and freshman catcher Lyla Ambrose (one RBI) all

drove in runs in the first frame. That offense proved to be all UB needed, as the team rode a complete game from junior pitcher Julia Tarantino to the victory on the Bulls’ senior day.

The rubber match of the series, and final home game of the Bulls’ season, took place on Sunday at Nan Harvey Field. Although the Bulls matched NIU’s two-run first inning, the Huskies added two more in both the second and seventh innings. Lucyshyn’s rough series on the mound continued, as she allowed four earned runs. Lucyshyn and junior infielder Madison Fermimen both hit home runs, scoring the Bulls’ only RBIs.

UB dropped to 5-9 at home and 12-35 overall. The Bulls matched their highest loss total since going 18-35 in 2021. The team currently sits second-to-last in the Mid-American Conference standings.

UB will play its final series of the season next weekend at Ohio (29-19, 19-7 MAC).

Email: ryan.tantalo@ubspectrum.com

RYAN TANTALO SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR

Moaz Elazzazi / ThE SpEcTruM SucceSSeS in women S Soccer, track and field, football and Swim and dive were all highlightS of the 2022-23 athletic year