[The Stute] March 4, 2022 (Issue 17, Volume CXIX)

The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck.

What’s an avocado’s favorite music?

Guac ‘n’ roll

We write Stevens history VOLUME CXIX No. 17

HOBOKEN, NJ | MARCH 4, 2022

STEVENS MUSICIANS TAKE THE STAGE

www.thestute.com Instagram @thestute facebook.com/stevensthestute NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904

Select Launchpad ventures capture funding awards

BY BENJAMIN KNOBLOCH, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHLOE BRENNA

See more from the Music Feature (pages 4 - 7)

Green for Division of Ian day IT launches

BY TASHA KHOSLA, new service CONTRIBUTING REPORTER catalog Green for Ian Day is an annual tribute to the life of former Stevens student Ian Rahimi, an electrical engineering major. According to Dr. Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, “Student Affairs participates in Green for Ian day every year in time for February 13, which was Ian’s Birthday and is now ‘Green for Ian’ day.”

The For Ian Foundation was created after the tragic passing of Rahimi, who suffered from SDHB-Deficient Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (SDHB GIST), which is a type of digestive tract cancer. Rahimi passed away on November 15, 2015, but his memory lives on with the For Ian Foundation, which “is a public charity dedicated to raise funding for scientific research towards management and possible cure of SDH-deficient cancers including GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor), Paragangliomas, and other related cancers. For Ian Foundation more specifically targets research of SDHB-deficient GIST.” The foundation also serves other purposes such as getting patients connected with experts in the field, advocacy

SEE GREEN PAGE 2

BY ARIANNA GEHAN, STAFF WRITER

BY CHRISTA RUIZ, CONTRIBUTOR

Earlier this year, Stevens Division of Information Technology (IT) released their new Service Catalog. In an interview with Michael Scalero, Senior Director of Client Support and Learning Technology Services, and Morgan Kellogg, Manager of IT Communications and Training, they discussed how this service will benefit the Stevens community. The new system features a front-facing area where everything can be accessed by the public, including descriptions of each service, who can access it, and how an individual can get more information on a service, such as through a knowledge base or ticket request.

They are also aiming to more directly help incoming students with IT Ready, a quick checklist of the required software and services they need access to, so rising freshmen can know they are ready to start their first semester.

Both the Service Catalog and IT Ready work with Attila, the new 24/7 AI chatbot.

Located at the bottom right

Stevens Men’s and Women’s Swimming teams competed in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Championships from February 10 to February 13. Earning 1480.5 points, 13 gold medals, two silver medals, and three bronze medals, the men’s team won their third consecutive MAC Men’s Swimming title. With 1138 points and nine medals, the women’s team finished in second place.

In an email interview with The Stute, Head Men’s and Women’s Swim Coach Adam Schneider, 2022 MAC Men’s Swimming Coach of the Year, spoke about the championships and the group of swimmers he trained throughout the season.

“Our mindset going into [the] MAC Championships was that of being an underdog,” Schneider said. He stated that though the men’s team was projected to win, the women’s team was projected to finish fifth. Despite the teams not having the best seedings going into the meet, Schneider stated that both he and the teams were “confident in our training” and knew

SEE IT PAGE 2

NEWS (2)

FEATURE (4-7)

Men’s swimming wins third consecutivetitle, women’s swimming takes second The Stevens swimmers bring back 25+ medals.

Stevens’ music artists arise out of COVID-19 pandemic

Pulse (3)

Read answers from the Stevens community to our Roving Reporter, plus solve our weekly puzzle and sudoku

Men’s swimming wins third consecutive title, women’s swimming takes second

The music scene is booming here at Stevens. Check out what’s rocking with newly formed bands and alumni.

SCIENCE (8-9)

Stevens’ mask policy Learn more about the current status of the Stevens mask policy and other covid-19 updates.

that they could significantly drop their times. Schneider spoke positively about the swim teams that he became head coach of this past year, and stated that both were “so much fun to be around day in and day out, [which] made the season really fly by.”

Going into the MAC Championships, Schneider remarked that he felt “very confident that both teams, leading into the meet, had the potential to win.” He believed that the men had a little more of a cushion since they were the projected winners, but acknowledged that they “matched up well against the competition in a lot of our deepest events.” With respect to the women’s team, he stated that they had “a lot of time to drop and places to move up,” and though a win would have been the best possible outcome, “finishing in a solid second place was still a great accomplishment,” especially considering they were projected to take fifth.

Regarding the competition, Schneider said that on the women’s side, the Messiah Falcons “really came to race and did so fantastically,

SEE MACS PAGE 2

10 student products involved with the Launchpad@ Stevens program have been selected to receive a Thomas H. Scholl Award, Stevens has announced. The chosen projects have earned funds that can be used to help lift the ventures off the ground.

Launchpad@Stevens is an entrepreneurship incubator founded and directed by Stevens professor Dr. Mukund Iyengar. After pitching a problem they would like to solve, Stevens students work to create a viable business in 12 months with the guidance of Dr. Iyengar and other community entrepreneurs.

The Thomas H. Scholl Awards are granted every year to the 10 ventures judged to have the most potential. Attached to the awards is funding that is intended to cover the projects’ initial costs. At the end of the semester, projects that have made the most progress towards their goals will receive a second, larger funding award. Thomas Scholl, after whom the award is named, is a high-tech entrepreneur who joined the Stevens Board of Trustees and created the Thomas H. Scholl Lectures by Visiting Entrepreneurs series.

This is the second year since the establishment of the Scholl Awards. One of last year’s winners is Quae, a community voting app that has since been used by multiple Stevens organizations, including the Student Government Association and The Stute. A poll on Quae helped push the S. C. Williams Library to make the decision to extend its hours late in 2021.

Launchpad projects tend to belong to a diverse array of disciplines, including healthcare, music, education, and quality of life. This year, the winners were selected from a pool consisting of more than 90 ideas that were pitched to the incubator.

The full list of winning ventures is: A51, a virtual reality photo platform founded by Benjamin Hayden.

DiAlerts, a personal assistant to help manage diabetes founded by Arianna Gehan.

Tir-One, a personalized virtual learning environment

founded by Anthony Mauceri, Harris Spahic, and Devlin Stein.

Bucket, a history-discussion portal founded by Gianangelo Dichio.

Dynato, which produces prosthetics with sensors founded by Angel Clavijo.

Ghyubepd, a job application and interview assistance tool.

Intrium, a copyright infringement-avoidance tool for musicians.

Jolk, a “platform that incentivizes civil discourse on sensitive topics.”

Podsee, an interactive podcast service founded by Burak Yesil.

Vvoy, a project which aims to help those who feel isolated by encouraging them to explore local environments founded by Ursala Oddo-White and Carly Walker.

The Stute learned more about the first three of these projects from their founders.

Launchpad emphasizes the need to identify “pain points,” or personal problems that an entrepreneur wishes to solve, as the first step to building a successful product. It is a strategy that is reflected in each of these teams and their burgeoning business ideas.

Ben Hayden and his business partner Bronson Shepherd created A51 after Hayden, a photographer, noticed that existing photo storage infrastructure did not prioritize the photo-viewing experience. “Ultimately, people take photos because they want to capture an experience they’re having. But then it gets reduced to a three-second vision on Instagram,” he explained.

In contrast to social media, A51 is intended to lengthen and deepen the experience of viewing photos, whether they be your own or someone else’s, by simulating a studio space that you might find in a museum. Eventually, Hayden said, A51 will even allow photographers to turn their virtual galleries into marketplaces, allowing viewers to purchase photos right on the platform.

A prototype demo of A51 and a survey for potential customers of the platform are available at a51.studio. (Note: the demo is not compatible with mobile devices.) Hayden said that his and Shepherd’s immediate plan is to rebuild

SEE LAUNCH PAGE 2

PHOTOS COURTESY OF @FOLLOWSTEVENS ON INSTAGRAM

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News Masthead Volume CXIX No. 17 Executive Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF..............................SANJANA MADHU ‘23 BUSINESS MANAGER.......................JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23 MANAGING EDITOR............................. KEENAN YATES ‘24 LAYOUT EDITOR.........................................ISABELLA ZIV ‘24 OUTREACH CHAIR...............................KATIE BLOOMER ‘25 DIGITAL MANAGER...............................BEMIN SHAKER ‘23 SECRETARY......................................ZANE THUMMBORST ‘23

Editorial Board NEWS EDITOR.....................................TREVOR DAMEIKA ‘23 SCIENCE EDITOR............................RAYNA INDELICATO ‘22 OPINION EDITOR............................ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 HEAD COPY EDITOR.....................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24

GREEN

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 groups, and other resources to learn more about GIST and SDH-deficient diseases and cancers. Additionally, the foundation “ensur[es] that tumor samples from patients undergo the most rigorous and comprehensive testing and evaluation that is available today.” According to the foundation, “It’s our hope that solving the mysteries of these diseases, like many other scientific problems, is a matter of time and statistics.

The more researchers, labs, tumor samples, mouse xenografts, and hopefully cells lines, the greater the chance of success.” The projects are done in association with the For Ian Foundation are meant to gain a better understanding of these diseases

and introduce “a number of cancer researchers who were not previously involved with SDH mutations and related diseases.”

As for the success of the foundation, the Ian GIST Project has “managed to produce a mouse xenograft of the disease,” which was not accomplished by any of the institutions involved in the research prior to joining the Ian GIST Project. These “mouse models” are being studied at multiple institutions, thus furthering the main objective of the foundation by expanding research of these GIST and SDH-deficient diseases cancers. Moreover, Dr. Victor Velculescu and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins University, “developed detection of circulating tumor DNA for GIST and SDH-deficient GIST by examining changes in plasma DNA through targeted as well as

whole genome methods.”

Evidently, the For Ian Foundation has made great strides in working with researchers to work towards understanding these diseases and cancers in order to better improve the quality of life of the patients. The For Ian Foundation asks supporters to wear green on February 13 every year, donate, and send pictures as “a tribute to a remarkable young man who left this earth way before his time.” These tributes, “allow us to sponsor meaningful scientific research towards SDHB deficient cancers.” Regardless of donation, wearing green and taking photos is appreciated by the foundation.

So, next February 13, join Student Affairs in wearing green and paying tribute to Ian Rahimi’s memory and the great work of the For Ian Foundation.

STUDENT AFFAIRS WEARING GREEN FOR “GREEN FOR IAN” DAY

Operations Board HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER...........CAROLINE MONTANA ‘22 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER............VANESSA HUERTA ‘23

Staff & Contributors Arianna Gehan Benjamin Knobloch Chloe Brenna Christa Ruiz Grace Miguel Julia Dwight Julia Wierzbicki Katie Ng Kayden Cannilla

Lauren Garrett Matthew Brantl Melissa Kosar Nicole Giardino Natalie Todaro Quentin Jimenez Tasha Khosla Zoe Hack

IT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Contact Us GENERAL.........................................EBOARD@THESTUTE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.........................EDITOR@THESTUTE.COM ADVERTISING.............................BUSINESS@THESTUTE.COM OFFICE......................................STUDENT CENTER ROOM #303

Corrections Staff Box: Kayden Cannilla*

NOTICE A MISTAKE? Email us at eboard@thestute.com.

Disclaimer All opinions and editorials reflect the views of their respective author(s). No Part of The Stute may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. Cited references of The Stute are permitted.

Policy on Letters to the Editor All members of the Stevens community are able to submit a Letter to the Editor to be published in The Stute. Letters must refer either to a piece published in The Stute or to The Stute in general and must be between 400 – 800 words in length. Submit letters to editor@thestute.com with your name and title (when applicable) or using our Google form. For writers who wish to write a Letter to the Editor anonymously, please see our policy on anonymity.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to choose whether or not to publish a submitted Letter to the Editor based on a majority rule vote, and additionally reserves the right to edit letters for clarity or request authors to revise. Provided that the author approves the final version, The Stute reserves the right to edit letters according to our copy editing procedures, defined in our policies.

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corner of the screen, Attila allows users to easily ask questions about their password, Stevens Networks, support, security, and more, or users can type in their own questions.

One important aspect of a service catalog is to be flexible and constantly have new services. The Service Catalog was created as a foundation, where more features and assistance will be added to the platform as more resources become available. In the summer, the Service Catalog will be integrated with Freshworks, ideally evolving the system to one-click automation services. Freshworks, a unified service management service, is moving quickly as an upcoming technology in Information Technology Service Management, and it will introduce more automation, provid-

MACS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 [which pushed] our women along the way.” He also stated that for both the men’s and women’s teams, the Widener Lions added pressure, which facilitated a faster swimming environment. When asked what his reaction was to the teams receiving first and second place, Schneider stated, “I was extremely happy and proud of both our Men’s and Women’s Teams’ performances.”

Schneider also acknowledged some of the swimmers who significantly stepped up and had big swims in different events throughout the

LAUNCHPAD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the platform in the Unity engine and work towards implementing photo upload functionality.

Arianna Gehan described her project, called DiAlerts, as a “personal assistant to help manage diabetes.” Inspired by her own experience as a college student living with Type 1 Diabetes, Gehan created DiAlerts to tackle the mental health challenges that come with juggling a busy schedule and the monitoring of blood sugar.

“The goal of DiAlerts is to make living with diabetes less exhausting and less stressful,” she said. “The main portion of the app is a calendar that allows users to input their plans, and based on the events logged, they will receive personalized recommendations to help them prepare for their day in terms of managing diabetes. For example, if you have a sports practice at night, you will be reminded to take a snack before you go so your blood sugar does not go dangerously low. Additionally, users will be able to put in other reminders relating to their diabetes, such as

ing service management, knowledge management, change management, and problem management.

Scalero cited a recent humorous image published in The Stute that highlighted the struggles students were having with Wi-Fi. He stated that this would fall under the problem management category, as there was a pattern of many students having difficulty with the technology.

Prior to the launch of the Service Catalog, Stevens did not have a robust service catalog; users would just use TeamDynamix and the ticketing system. In the future, with Freshworks, these options will still be available, but the processes will be streamlined. When someone contacts the service desk, the desk will be able to see what assets an individual already has and can give them more relevant information, meaning the client will have to do less work.

Additionally, the Division of Information Technology recently launched a 24/7 support line through the Technology Resource and Assistance Center (TRAC), available at (201) 380-6599. Students can call this number at any time and speak to somebody on the team. If their issue is not resolved, a ticket will automatically be created, and someone from the team will contact them during regular business hours. Their team is working to provide more in-depth answers when students call and improve their abilities to point students to the right resource, such as Apporto or relevant documentation. This service is aimed to further assist online and international students.

“Calls which come in regarding a room emergency are prioritized to our Academic Multimedia team and will reduce wait time for a classroom emergency.”

meet. He highlighted senior Ali Kolenovic in the 200 Backstroke, as he broke the school record by 0.08 seconds, and earned an NCAA Selection time of 1:47.00, which the two of them “had been working toward all year;” Schneider commented that “to see it come to fruition was great.”

He also said that sophomore Heather Maclachlan’s 200 Butterfly was “a great race.” Maclachlan battled through injuries throughout the season, and Schneider explained that to see her win “one of the hardest events in swimming really spoke volumes about the type of competitor she is.” He also mentioned sophomore Claire Hannan, who took gold in “an amazing” 200 Backstroke, sophomore Phong Tran and freshman Ol-

ivia Shusta with their “outstanding” 400 Individual Medleys (IM), and freshman Sophie Patz’s win in the 200 IM as being “special.” Schneider stated that “the list really goes on and on, [but] I think everyone had at least one swim that really shined.”

Schneider reflected on his experience with all the swimmers this past season, stating, “I can’t say enough positive things about our athletes, they all worked so hard, swam so fast and truly earned all the drops they achieved. With this being my first season as Head Coach, there is no doubt that this team in particular will always have a place in my heart.” He looks forward to the teams becoming tandem MAC Champions next season.

reminders to refill prescriptions or take medications.”

Anthony Mauceri, Devlin Stein, and Harris Spahic created Tir-One, a personalized tutoring platform that caters to individual learning styles. “We are inspired to build Tir because we have all suffered from the structured learning environment that school promotes. Each of us has a different learning style and believe that it should be up to the student to choose how they learn,” wrote Mauceri. “That’s what Tir is - the platform that we wish we had.” He said that the group’s current primary goal is to build a minimum viable product (MVP) for use by Stevens students.

The teams also spoke about their experiences working in the Launchpad program with Dr. Iyengar.

Hayden lauded Dr. Iyengar for turning innovation and entrepreneurship into “a science.” He said, “I’ve wanted to start a company for a really long time. I didn’t know what it was going to be, or how to do it, but Mukund and Launchpad have pretty much made that process go from total abstract to something actually obtainable and kind of turn it into a process that can be achievable.”

Hayden described Launchpad’s

individual guidance and its use of checkpoints and milestones as particularly valuable assets.

“Launchpad@Stevens has really challenged me to see how I want to make a difference in the world,” said Gehan. “It has been great to connect with other motivated and passionate peers in the program, and the mentors are incredibly helpful as their experiences are invaluable. Professor Mukund has inspired us to really look into our lives and think about what we want to improve.”

Mauceri described the Launchpad courses as “intense.” “We attend retreats, give pitches, form companies, make connections with industry professionals… the list goes on,” he explained. “To top things off, the community is the best part. To be surrounded by so many people committed to making a difference, and actually taking steps toward that goal. It’s very inspiring.”

Ultimately, even with the experience and guidance of Dr. Iyengar and Launchpad, it is the talent and hard work of the entrepreneurs that make successful creations possible.

“Launchpad is what you make of it,” said Mauceri, “The more you put in, the more you get out.”

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Campus Pulse

Ethan Kleschinsky ‘24 “‘I’m Still Standing’ from the Sing soundtrack.”

Luke Muhnicky ‘24

Claire Hannan ‘24

“The last song I listened to?

I forget. Oh. ‘Bohemian Rhapsody.’”

“‘Little Words’ by The Happy Fits.”

ROVING REPORTER Keenan Yates ‘24 “‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’

by Mariah Carey. Don’t sleep on it.”

Kelcie Keenan ‘23 “Mine was Nothing New, it’s depressing.”

Sudoku

“What was the last song you listened to?”

Luke Magette ‘24 “Be honest? ‘24’ by Kanye West.”

Valerie Calligy ‘25

Jake Saracinello ‘23

“Oh no. This actually isn’t that embarrassing, it’s Destiny’s Child.”

“My song was ‘Work This Time’ by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. It’s like stoner rock, it’s awesome.”

LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD ANSWERS:

Medium Puzzle: 0.49 difficulty

LAST WEEK’S SUDOKU ANSWERS:

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Feature

AEC PRESENTS: FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC, VALENTINE’S DAY OPEN MIC THE LINEUP: 1. Chris Nitti (band) 2. Porchlight 3. Alec Pagano and Tyler Soiferman 4. Emily Ng 5. Hart Tecson 6. 622chaos 7. Chloe Crosnier 8. Classifyde 9. Randy Zoquier 10. Jack Hamilton 11. Beekeeper 12. 1140 House Band 13. Sofie Lopez 14. Paraselene 15. Bruce (band) 16. Apricot (band) 17. Coffee @ Midnight (solo) 18. Sean Donohue & The Friends We Made Along The Way (band) 19. The Momma's Boys (band) 20. Shalom and Friends 21. My Chemical Bromance

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHLOE BRENNA

Participants: Chris Nitti, AJ Kasper, Aaron Lerch, Jack Piccirillo, John McDermott, Sam Sherwood, Alec Pagano, Emily Ng, Hart Tecson, Zacharay Berkowitz, Chloe Crosnier, Rian Chowdhury, Danny Gregory, Randy Zoquier, Jack Hamilton, Anthony Paolant, Trevor LeDue, Travis Dengler, Sofie Lopez, Shelly Ferina, Thomas Ward, Jack Scerban, Oscar Diaz, Maghan Slate, David Van Hise, Brandt Ryan, Harley Grossman, Jackie Suarez, Sean Donahue, Ethan Donna, Mark Huggins, Kiera Kennedy, Shalom Romero, and Taran Miller

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Feature Phoneboy: A Stevens prodigy

BY NICOLE GIARDINO, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER Phoneboy, a band with millions of streams on Spotify and many fans, first sprouted at Stevens.

Their first performance of their hit song “Acid Girl” was performed in front of Walker Gymnasium on June 4, 2018, while their most recent performance of this song was on tour with the popular band, The Happy Fits at the end of 2021.

“Acid Girl” was the first song that the band released, and since dropping the song on December 14, 2018, it has gained over 1.7 million streams on Spotify.

Stevens graduate, Wyn Barnum, who studied music technology and marketing, started “Phoneboy’’ during his sophomore year (December of 2018). The band currently consists of four members: Wyn Barnum and Ricky Dana on both vocals and guitar, James Fusco on bass, and Jordan Torres on live keyboard and background vocals. Barnum and Fusco were childhood friends and music collaborators and grew up together in San Francisco, California. Barnum arrived at Stevens and met Dana, and it took them over a semester after they met to begin to realize that they shared musical compatibility with one another. Barnum, Fusco, and Dana all worked together to create Phoneboy’s debut album, Phoneboy.

Phoneboy currently has their self-titled, debut album out on all streaming platforms. Debuting on April 23, 2021, the album has 10 songs and is 32 minutes long.

Their most popular song, “1987,” currently has over 1.85 million streams on Spotify. In 2021, their music obtained 3.3 million streams, and Phoneboy accumu-

lated 523.9 thousand listeners.

After Barnum and Dana graduated from Stevens, they moved down to Toms River where they currently reside, while Fusco is located in NYC, and Torres is in Hoboken. The band is not their full-time job yet because Barnum and Dana work as servers for a breakfast restaurant in Brick, NJ called “Taylor Sams,” and Fusco and Torres are still in college.

(Fusco is finishing his last semester at Fordham, and Torres is finishing hers at Stevens.)

Phoneboy had the opportunity to join The Happy Fits for a few dates on their “What Could Be Better” tour. They told The Stute that The Happy Fits were the “nicest dudes ever” and that “it was crazy fun joining them.” They also remarked that “M.A.G.S was also performing in the lineup- they ripped!!” The tour was an amazing experience for them and they are so happy to have had their first tour experience with The Happy Fits. “It was our first tour ever and we got a healthy dose of fun, learning, and one case of pinkeye.”

Knowing people actually listen to and enjoy their music is incredibly rewarding for them, and “even though it can be stressful at times (i.e getting stranded with no hotel room in a state we’ve never been) we know it’s all gonna pay off.” A second album is in the works for Phoneboy, who stated that they are “really excited to share our second album (hopefully not toooo far in the future).”

Phoneboy is set to announce a short supporting tour in a few days. They request that everyone keeps checking their Instagram and Twitter @phoneboymusic for the supporting tour announcement and any other future updates on their band.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF @PHONEBOYMUSIC ON INSTAGRAM

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Feature Stevens’ music artists arise out of COVID-19 pandemic

BY TREVOR DAMEIKA AND TASHA KHOSLA After the onset of COVID-19, concerts and other music events were put on hold indefinitely. But despite the effects of the pandemic, Stevens students continued to create, produce, and publish music whether it be as an amateur or an experienced musician. Many current students and recent graduates have shared their music with the Stevens community through on-campus events and also ventured to share their music on social media and audio-streaming platforms.

Chris Nitti is a senior Music and Technology student who is a singer and guitarist. Nitti writes and plays indie rock and is a verified artist on Spotify. In an email interview with The Stute, Nitti shared that he “takes most enjoyment in writing, recording, and performing [his] own songs.”

When asked how his time at Stevens has shaped his artistry, his coursework came to mind. His courses helped expose him to different styles by requiring him to collaborate with others. This required collaboration taught him how to “blend styles and meet-inthe-middle.”

As far as his accomplishments go, “making the music itself” is what Nitti considered to be his greatest feat. “I know a lot of people who want to write and release their own music, but find it hard to bring themselves to actually do it. I’ve somehow been able to overcome that barrier and released an EP, a couple singles and 3 albums,” Nitti elaborated.

As he plans another album release, Nitti’s advice to aspiring musicians is, “It’s easy to get discouraged, and you may feel inadequate at times, but you must realize that doesn’t matter […] If you’re having fun, that’s what matters.”

Similar to Nitti, Zachary Berkowitz is a junior Music and Technology major pursuing a minor in Finance. Berkowitz has been creating music on an audio workspace called Logic Pro X for seven years. Currently, Berkowitz uses a drum machine that imitates the sounds of many percussion instruments rather than using his computer to make music.

Berkowitz referenced the heights he hopes to take his music to, stating, “I plan to take my act around the globe […] in a post-pandemic era we need as much togetherness as possible.

I want my music to create a safe community for everyone by bringing them faith through beats and breaks, while honoring the local creatives in each city I play in.”

With his time at Stevens, Berkowitz had a daunting thought that peers within his own major were not “into” electronic music.

“Most of them play acoustic instruments,” he stated. However, as he was listening to bands play in the Kidde 350 studio, and getting to know each member individually, he realized that they were all unified. Berkowitz asserted that “Stevens is a community full of budding creatives, and every year I get more and more impressed with the M&T majors and the risks they take in pursuit of their goals.

It inspires me to keep going hard and doing what I do.”

On the other hand, Chaitha

Dasari, a junior studying Quantitative Finance, just started creating music, under the name “Chaitha,” at the start of the COVID pandemic. Dasari is currently releasing music on all streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. According to Dasari, “on Spotify I have amassed 1.5 million streams and 100,000 monthly listeners.”

The growth of Dasari’s music has exceeded personal expectations. Dasari explained, “It is my true passion and in just a year and a half of making music, I have accomplished more than I could’ve ever dreamt of.” Furthermore, despite his major being unrelated to his passion for music, Dasari remarked that Stevens inspired him to start sharing his music. Dasari met two friends at Stevens who led him to freestyling and eventually a song recording. His friends posted Dasari’s music on Instagram and “The reaction received was so overwhelmingly positive and from there all of this came to be.”

As an alumnus, Kiera Dillon, a Music and Technology major, is working as a live sound engineer and a freelance songwriter. With her music on all streaming platforms, Spotify gives Dillon around 125,000 streams. Dillon is planning a few personal releases for the end of the year.

Referencing her time at Stevens, Dillon reflected, “I’ve always considered myself a musician but never would’ve attached the title ‘producer’ or ‘engineer’ if it weren’t for Stevens.” Dillon dedicates her current professional mindset to the faculty of Stevens, which provided, “a lot of confidence to pursue music.”

CHRIS NITTI COURTESY OF HIMSELF

TOP: KIERA DILLON, MIDDLE: CHAITHA DASARI, BOTTOM: ZACHARY BERKOWITZ. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THEMSELVES

603 Washington Street, Hoboken NJ 07030

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Feature Newly formed bands at Stevens rock the stage

BY KAYDEN CANNILLA, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER

TOP: PORCHLIGHT BOTTOM: TYLER SOIFERMAN AND ALEC PAGANO

Hoboken’s roots in the music scene came from the iconic venue Maxwell’s, which peaked in popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s and closed for the second time in February 2018. Today, Stevens fosters the independent music scene through the music and technology program and student-organized events through clubs like Stevens’ Underground Music Awareness Committee and the Audio Engineering Club. Here are three independent musicians at Stevens that are worth checking out.

Porchlight Porchlight is an alt-rock band formed in 2020 when Jack Piccirillo (Music & Technology 2/4, lead vocals) asked John McDermott (Computer Engineer 3/4, guitarist/vocalist) for directions in the Hoboken train station. AJ Kasper (Music & Technology 4/4, guitarist), Sam Sherwood (Music & Technology 2/4, bassist), and Aaron Lerch (Mechanical Engineering 4/4, drummer) joined later to fill out the rest of the band. Currently, they’re listening to Hozier, Beach Bunny, and local indie artists Seeing Double and Cool and Good.

Piccirillo says that “being at Stevens put us in a great place for collaborating with other musicians.

There are so many talented people at this school who are waiting to work together on musical projects with others.” Porchlight recorded demos for their EP “The Goods are Odd” using the studios at Stevens.

Their musical influences are Jack White, the Foo Fighters, the Backseat Lovers, Van Halen, Derek and the Dominos, and The Beatles. They are currently working on more music to release in the future, and are looking forward to playing live shows in Hoboken. You can keep up with them on their Instagram @porchlightbandnj.

DJ Spina Another budding artist is fi-

nance major Michael Spina, who has been producing house music under the name DJ Spina since he was 13. He taught himself FL Studio and piano without prior music experience. His early influences are Avicii, Martin Garrix, KSHMR, Tiesto, and his uncle Anthony, who is also a DJ and music producer.

“My music has reached over 40 countries and accumulated thousands of plays between YouTube and Soundcloud,” said Spina, who has done many collaboration tracks with producers around the world. Other achievements

by Spina include his song “Aquileia,” which hit number four on the Spinnin Records Talent Pool Charts this past November.

You can find Spina on YouTube and Soundcloud @DJ Spina, and on Instagram @djspina_music.

The duo of Tyler Soiferman and Alec Pagano Computer science major Tyler Soiferman and music and technology major Alec Pagano met in an English class during their second semester at Stevens. According to Soiferman, “upon hearing that [Pagano] plays guitar I messaged him and asked if he’d like to perform with me at the upcoming open mic; we clicked and the rest is history!” While Pagano is an expert with the guitar, Soiferman takes on the role of vocalist.

Both Soiferman and Pagano quickly learned that they had similar interests and tastes in music.

“Some of our overlapping favorite artists are John Mayer and Nirvana,” explained Soiferman.

Soiferman appreciates being a part of the Stevens community; “Stevens has a wonderful music scene full of talented musicians and audio engineers; as someone who would like to get into making my own music I couldn’t be happier that I’m part of a community with so many awesome people!”

Both Soiferman and Pagano are beginning to write and record their own music, and are excited for the process ahead.

ATTN: Students & Faculty!

Mention This Ad When You Call or Use Promo Code Stevens10 When You Order Online

8

Friday, March 4

Science Stevens’ mask policy

BY KAYDEN CANNILLA, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER With Omicron cases on the decline, college campuses across the nation are taking everything they’ve learned over the past two years to implement post-pandemic policies. The CDC “continues to recommend that you wear the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently” and highlights that “any mask is better than no mask.” However, mask mandates have been dropping gradually locally and throughout the country.

Hoboken lifted its mask mandate on February 9, removing the requirement for businesses to mask indoors. On March 7, NJ public schools and child care facilities will remove their mask mandate, allowing school districts and parents to choose whether or not to continue masking children.

The Stute reached out to Dr. Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Students Affairs, and Mr. Warren Petty, Vice President for Human Resources for information regarding any potential changes to Stevens’ COVID-19 policies. Klein responded that “Stevens leaders are having conversations with various campus constituencies—as well as continually seeking expert guidance from health professionals, including our Health Advisor,

Hackensack Meridian Health—to determine whether the masking policy should be revised in the coming weeks. We will share any changes in policy with our community as soon as decisions are made.” Stevens’ current policy is that masks are required indoors, except when eating or drinking, and vaccinated lecturers are allowed to unmask as long as they are six feet from students.

Stevens does not have a requirement on which type of mask to wear, though the policy does state that a “cloth mask alone does not appear to provide strong protection against the Omicron variant.”

Klein points to information from the CDC that shows “vaccines and boosters are the best protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from the Omicron variant.”

Johns Hopkins University has decided to keep its mask mandate despite local masking mandates being lifted on March 1, 2022. Johns Hopkins requires N95, KN95, KF94, or a double layer of surgical and cloth masks to be worn at all times indoors and distanced seating is required for meals. Conversely, Louisiana State University removed their mask mandate on February 10, stating “Masks are not required indoors or outdoors, but are still encouraged.” LSU samples 25% of the unvaccinated population weekly and monitors wastewater

to find where COVID-19 is most prevalent. The CDC developed the National Wastewater Surveillance System in September 2020, as wastewater surveillance captures the “presence of SARS-CoV-2 shed by people with and without symptoms” serving “as an early

warning that COVID-19 is spreading in a community.”

Stevens mask policy is in place with students’ best health in mind.

Klein reminds the campus population “Students must remember that some members of our community are immune-compromised

or at a higher risk for severe disease. Although the majority of our students are young and healthy, it is important to remember that masking is not only for our own benefit, but it is for the benefit of others in our community.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATALIE TODARO FOR THE STUTE

Next booster appointment?

Recent studies say not for a while…

BY ROSHNI REVANKAR, OPINION EDITOR Now armed with what may essentially be stronger immunity against whatever variant may develop in the coming weeks, many wonder the likelihood of getting a fourth booster shot. For some—like myself—the prospect of enduring another three-day

whiplash of COVID symptoms only to realize it's your body ramping up its immunity sounds grisly. However, according to new studies by scientists across the globe, our bodies may have developed ample immunity with either two or three doses of the vaccine for not possibly months, but maybe years ahead.

E. John Wherry, Director of

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHLOE BRENNA FOR THE STUTE

the Institute for Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania stated that there are “diminishing returns on the number of additional doses,” after the second vaccine shot, and even more after the third booster. In early November, the rise of Omicron variant cases in the U.S. comprised more than 73% of cases in the country.

The variant caused federal health officials to recommend retrieving a booster shot on top of two vaccine doses. The reasoning behind the recommendations is a result of a few key players in your body’s immune system.

Key Players: Antibodies, memory T-cells, memory B-cells, and your own genetics Vaccines contain “weakened or inactive parts of a particular [antigen] that triggers an immune response within the body.” This means that when the vaccine enters your body, your body’s first line of defense, lymphocytes, produce the antibodies that create a virtual wall of defense against viral invasions. Antibodies recognize two or three pointers on a virus’s protein spike and start to develop immune responses on it.

It's an immediate response and as such reduces in quantities as time progresses and exposure to a virus wanes. A large reason behind the third booster recommendation is to fortify that quick immune response and develop a wall of antibodies that won’t allow another variant to evade and attack an individual’s immune system.

However, new studies show that after the third booster shot, our body is now capable of possibly remembering and destroying future variants of the virus over the next few months—possibly

years. This powerhouse is generated by the joint collaboration between two other lymphocytes, memory T-cells and memory B-cells.

T-cells are responsible for, “directly killing infected host cells [viruses], activating other immune cells, and regulating the immune response.” T-cells that are produced from vaccines by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, J&J, and Novavax are stated to be “80% as powerful against Omicron as other variants.” This study is supported by past studies on the SARS coronavirus epidemic in Asia which, in 2004, showcased that those T-cells “have lasted more than 17 years,” and the immune cells for the current coronavirus could also “decline [in T-cells] very slowly.” T-cells are also more powerful than antibodies because they recognize many more parts of the spike, and are more likely to develop a stronger immune response against future mutations.

The second half of the dynamic duo is memory B-cells. Memory B-cells are “long-lived plasma cells that secrete protective antibodies for a lifetime,” and can “elicit improved and enhanced responses upon new antigen challenges.” Vaccines encode the memory of viruses in B cells which can develop new antibodies within four or five days of exposure to the virus. A combo of memory B-cells and T-cells allow for greater immunity in individuals. Recent studies also show that the germinal center, where B-cells are produced, remains active for at least 15 weeks after the second vaccine dose. These B-cells continue “to mature and the antibodies they produce keep gaining the ability

to recognize new variants.” Even though the vaccines are not created for new mutations, “more than half of the antibodies seen one month after a third dose were able to neutralize Omicron,” studies have found.

Finally, some may be able to fend off or easily relapse to new variants simply because of genetics. Genetics continues to play a big role in the immunity of an individual, as a recent study by King's College London reveals, “nearly three-quarters of immune traits are influenced by genes.”

Likewise, for those who may believe an infection would provide a stronger immune response to a booster, immunity generated by infection “varies quite a lot, while the vaccine response is much more consistently good,” said Marcus Buggert, an immunologist at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden who led the study.

Feeling sick after a booster? You are not alone!

The most likely reason for people to face more symptoms after the second or third dose of the vaccine is likely a result of your body's immune response ramping up antibody production. According to Dr. Zucai Suo, Ph.D., Professor of Biomedical Science at the Florida State University College of Medicine stated that “unfortunately, some of the immunized people will experience severe side effects from the antibody amplification stage.” However, the reason for this is largely dependent on how your genetic immune system responds to viral infections and how your body tolerates them.

Whatever the case may be, it is important to take the necessary rest for your body for at least 24 hours after the vaccine.

INTERESTED IN SCIENCE JOURNALISM? Join our Science writing team!

Reach out to Rayna Indelicato, Science Editor (rindelic@stevens.edu) for more information – No experience necessary to write • thestute.com/category/science –

9

Friday, March 4

Science Catching international criminals using elephant DNA

BY QUENTIN JIMENEZ, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER More than 30,000 elephants are killed by poachers each year, driving the species closer to extinction while fueling the billion-dollar global ivory black market. While it is very difficult to catch ivory as it is imported, it is even harder to track down those responsible, often criminal organizations originating from rural Africa. With recent innovation in genetic technology, a paper from Nature details how genetic researchers along with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are using the same technology that was used to catch the Golden State Killer to monitor international wildlife trafficking organizations.

The forensic genetic technique they used is known as familial searching, where investigators can match an unknown individual’s DNA sample to a known genetic sample of a family member. This can link the unknown DNA to a match, and lead investigators to a conviction without first acquiring the suspect’s DNA. The researchers used this same process in their study but modified it for use in elephants instead of humans.

When a shipment of illegal ivory was detected and confiscated, the team would analyze samples by cutting small pieces off and inspecting the elephant’s DNA. This would be cross-referenced with DNA from previously acquired samples, allowing researchers to compare and determine where the Ivory originated from.

Over the 17 year study, the researchers analyzed over 4,000 elephant tusks from 49 different confiscated shipments. This allowed Dr. Samuel Wasser, a conservation biologist at the University of Washington and an author of the paper, to build the robust database required for familial identification, and also obtain a large enough sample to acquire ivory from distinct elephant herds across Africa.

While not every tusk in every shipment could be analyzed, due to the high cost of the DNA analysis process, Wasser developed a method to make sure a sound geographic representation of the shipment could be acquired. As more shipments are collected and analyzed, Wasser’s database will only grow and make it easier for investigators to convict ivory traffickers.

Using familial searching, Wasser and his team were able to identify 600 tusks and match their DNA to that of other seized shipments from around the world. This allowed investigators to combine known evidence, such as communication records and shipment orders, with the recently acquired DNA evidence to catch the organizations responsible for ivory trafficking.

Through this, the DHS was not only able to monitor the inner workings of the trafficking organizations, but also how their operations evolved over the study’s lifespan. The research showed how the same cartels have been operating the ivory trade for decades since elephants from the same area have been shipped and packed the same way for years. The study also showed how these rings evolved as trafficking laws became more strict, moving their exports from country to country, with investigators following them the entire way.

While this research is very promising when it comes to catching ivory traffickers, it also lays the groundwork for future investigations into other illegal trafficking operations, with the technology already being deployed for use in illegal timber and pangolin trades, with Wasser saying, “What we’ve learned from elephants has pioneered a whole new field of investigation.” Hopefully, this new era of genetic innovation leads to the capture of these illegal trafficking rings, allowing the population of the African elephant to rebound beyond near extinction.

PHOTO COURTESY OF AFRICATIMES.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILDSOULCONSERVATION.COM

Your obsession with Wordle, explained

BY KATIE NG AND RAYNA INDELICATO Grids of green, yellow, and gray squares have recently flooded your Twitter feed, and before you know it, you too have fallen into the allure of today’s most viral game: Wordle.

Wordle is a simple word game that features a random five-letter word every day. Players have six attempts to guess this word, and the accuracy of each guess is denoted by color-coded tiles. A green highlight indicates that the letter is in the word and in the correct

position, yellow indicates that the letter is found somewhere in the word but is in the wrong position, and gray indicates that the letter is not in the word at all. For five to ten minutes each day, millions of players take a break from their daily routine to guess a mere five letters, and we can’t help but wonder: is there an explanation for our obsession with Wordle?

Matt Baldwin is a social psychologist and professor at the University of Florida who has broken down what exactly has caused Wordle to be so addicting. He first points to the “aha” moment. Even if you lose the

puzzle, the answer being exposed provides a “sudden influx of fluency” which is a feeling we seek as humans in many different aspects of our lives.

Another reason Baldwin points to is our shortened attention spans. It is no surprise that the pandemic has affected our attention spans in a very significant way. Wordle is the perfect word puzzle that makes us feel like we are “training our brain” without taking too much effort or attention.

Furthermore, Wordle allows you to share your results after you have completed the puzzle.

Seeing it all over social media

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEOPLE.COM

has definitely led to its success. It also serves as a bonding factor as everyone is working to solve the same puzzle. As simple as it may seem, it does encourage social interaction in many ways. Not only does it encourage social interaction, but it also allows individuals to see how they measure up to their friends and family, a friendly competition if you will. This website not only allows individuals to feel like they are a part of a group but allows people to compare themselves in a more welcoming way.

As well as its social aspects, it also does not allow for “bing-

ing.” While there have been many other websites developed that have infinite word puzzles, Wordle itself has only one puzzle a day, making it difficult to overplay or get bored very quickly.

Wordle is the short, social-media driven version of the daily crossword that had been around for over a century.

While it may speak to our current generation’s attention span and need for academic validation of sorts, it is undoubtedly an addicting game for many good reasons. And it allows for us all to bond over the ridiculous choice of words.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATHOFEX.COM

10

Friday, March 4

Opinion THE STUTE EDITORIAL

The music that binds Stevens When you abstract music to its basic elements, it’s simply a mixture of different sound vibrations, frequencies, and sometimes lyrics. Somehow, these three items are combined in infinite ways to produce unique listening experiences, and I feel that it’s these unique productions that bind us together as a community.

While I do enjoy listening to music, I would describe myself as a casual listener. Finding new music has never been a priority for me, and I often play music as background noise and shuffle through the same playlists.

There’s a comfort in listening to songs you know well because you know what to expect. But last week, I embarked on a new adventure: broadening my music taste. And while there are certainly more “scholarly” goals I’ve been meaning to get to—starting to listen to a new podcast, reading a book lent by a friend that I promised to read, studying for impending midterms in the coming weeks—I felt a strong and im-

mediate urge to strengthen my relationship with music.

Throughout this journey, I’ve turned to my friends for song recommendations. It’s interesting to see the kinds of songs people share with you, knowing that their recommendations are a representation of themselves. There’s a certain vulnerability that comes with sharing your music with others; it’s like sharing a segment of your soul, which is why I always appreciate it when people take the time to share their favorite songs with me.

More vulnerable than simply giving music recommendations is sharing music you’ve created yourself. And still, Stevens has a large array of talented students who are happy to share their unique music on both small and large platforms. There are numerous ways that students are musically involved on campus. The Stevens Dramatic Society, Stevens A Capella, the Audio Engineering Club, Stevens Underground Music Awareness Committee, the Ste-

vens Orchestra, the Stevens Jazz Band, the Stevens Concert Band, and the Stevens Choir are just a few ways students can practice, perfect, and present their music skills.

Stevens students, however, are not confined by the construct of student organizations, and many of them find their own means of sharing their music, whether that be through open mic events, social media, or even large-scale music listening apps like Spotify. Since the transition back to in-person classes last semester, students have not shied away from sharing their talents. With the hope of promoting Stevens artists’ hard work and dedication, The Stute has featured current bands, singer/songwriters, independent artists, and upcoming music-related events at Stevens in this week’s issue.

It’s quite rare that I think deeply about the music that I’m listening to, but I’m learning that listening to music with intentionality improves the experience.

There are tons of videos on YouTube detailing the history behind albums, websites that examine and interpret song lyrics, and interviews with artists that explain the origins of a song. Understanding the experience behind the song makes it much more meaningful and easier to connect with.

This may be why I’ve felt immediate connections to the music created by Stevens students. Whether they’re my friend, a peer in one of my classes, or a student I’ve never met before, I feel connected to their music regardless of the topic. And I’m willing to bet that many other Stevens students feel the same way.

In one way or another, we’ve all been living the “Stevens experience;” we take similar classes, convene in the same study areas, and going to a small school means that our social networks have a ton of overlap. So if you’re like me and are craving new tunes, listen to some installments by Stevens music-makers and feel the connection. You won’t regret it.

Sanjana Madhu ‘23

MIND OF A FRESHMAN

SENIORITIS

Ghosts on vinyl

My euphoria moment

BY LAUREN GARRETT ‘25 I found some records today. Hoboken curbside posted on their Instagram regarding over 200 records sitting outside of an apartment building off of 5th street. I convinced some friends to go with me, and we grabbed probably just about half of them between the three of us. What surprised me was that these records weren’t primarily classic rock, or 80s pop music, but classical music. Bach, Chopin, Mozart, and dozens more renowned composers, simply sitting on the ground, in old dilapidated cardboard boxes, riddled with water damage and scratches. Many are covered in dirt and dust, while others are missing entire chunks of their covers, having been damaged simply by time. As I was sorting through these artists’ work, I found a memory. George Fredric Handel’s Messi-

ah, completely untouched by any sort of damage, and still wrapped in the plastic it came in years ago. Immediately, I audibly gasped and was whisked away, back to a tiny house on the Kalaheo hillside.

I was about seven years old when my parents got me a CD player. I was playing in my room when they brought it in, along with a bunch of brand new CDs. The collection was composed of biographies of 15 U.S. Presidents, and George Fredric Handel’s Messiah. Night after night I listened to Messiah, holding every single note close to me. I was so in love with the music that I couldn’t help but feel like I was a part of it and that it was a part of me.

Through my parent’s deployments, through elementary school crushes, and through just the growing pains of being a child, I knew that Handel would always be there to listen to when I closed my eyes. I listened to all the CDs for years—over and over and over—to the point where I had completely memorized every note of Messiah, and nearly every word of, specifically, Abraham Lincoln’s biography. But I lost all those CDs, and that CD player after two or three moves across the country.

I haven’t heard Messiah

in years. I would always find myself humming or singing to this phantom music, and I never really stopped to think about where it came from, or what it was. And, sure, you may say that I could just look it up on Apple Music or Spotify and play it anytime I want, but I must admit, I had completely forgotten that Messiah even existed, or had any significance in my life, other than the random humming that would present itself. As a child, you gravitate towards things that have sentimental value, but as you grow, the distractions of life progressively occupy more and more of the space where your childhood memories are stored.

Your brain is constantly trying to make sense of the world, and the vast amount of information it takes in. As a result, some memories may fade over time because they are not as important to your day-to-day life.

Eventually, the things you once cherished become nothing more than faded memories. Thus, you tend to forget some things that were once incredibly meaningful.

But, I have this record in my possession now. As soon as I get home, I know the very first thing I will do: I will lay on my bed, put the needle on the vinyl, and play the music that built my childhood.

People make the world go round. Every day we interact with roommates, baristas, city workers, professors, and the list goes on and on. We surround ourselves with people we enjoy spending time with, and more often than not, our memories are highlighted by the experiences we share with our friends.

Community is something that can be difficult to define: it is the comradery Stevens students have with one another, it is the team you share a mutual love for a sport, it is the people you jam out with on a Tuesday night — it is a sense of belonging.

Being that Stevens is a relatively small school, it isn’t difficult to befriend someone in nearly every social circle. It’s a fun little

game to see how many people you can run into that you know when walking across campus to class. Going to a school where I can see a familiar face at any time of the day is comforting, and it makes it feel like home. While I understand not everyone is a social butterfly, you can find your people — where there’s a will, there’s a way.

One unique group that I have grown unexpectedly very close with is my senior design group — IntelliVeggie. While I knew two out of four of my groupmates prior, I knew we’d get along, but my expectations were far surpassed. We’re a group of software and computer engineers building an automated greenhouse.

We are all passionate about sustainability, the outdoors, and technology.

Clearly, we have common interests, but our unique personalities are what bring our group to life.

A couple of weeks ago, we all went out for a team bonding dinner. I had never grown so close with four people quicker than I did that night. It was like I was living in an episode of the HBO show, Euphoria (Sam Levinson, 2019). We

Setting short-term goals is one of the easiest ways to feel super confident in your progression of any task. It’s great to have an idea along the lines of “I want to get an A on this exam,” but the easiest way to reach that goal is to set short-term goals that will make success more seamless. Maybe three days before the exam is when you decide to plan to finish reviewing all material that will be covered, so you can spend the rest of your time leading up to an exam focusing on the specific topics you want to spend extra time on or are struggling with. Set short time goals that are both achievable for you and also helpful along your road to topic mastery.

4. Office hours, and review sessions If you are ever strug-

gling to understand a concept, don’t hesitate to reach out to your professors! They will more than likely be willing to lend a helping hand. Frequenting office hours is another way to foster good professional connections for your future endeavors, so, if you need help, don’t be afraid to speak up! Additionally, many professors or organizations around campus hold really helpful review sessions for big exams that are a great way to assess your understanding of the material and spend time with others in the same position as you.

5. Ask for previous or sample exams If not already offered, some professors will create or share previous versions of the exam you will be taking, or create a sample of some of the

questions you might see.

Personally, this is what works best for me while preparing for a big exam.

I usually have a lot of test anxiety, so knowing the structure or format of the test ahead of time is an absolute life-saver. From my experience, sample exams and/or previous exams are usually extremely accurate and telling of how the test will look, as well as its difficulty level.

6. Review previous assessments and homeworks Another way to refresh content and familiarize yourself with problems and questions pertaining to a specific topic is by looking through old assignments and tests or quizzes. Holding on to these usually becomes very useful for future exams, or even in your future career.

BY GRACE MIGUEL ‘22

Editor-in-Chief

were cracking jokes, playing with drill guns like we were in a game of COD, and dancing around to “Losing It” like the world was ending. Whenever I look back on that night, the only word that comes to mind is euphoric. Something about our group dynamic just skyrocketed.

It’s the unexpected nights that I cherish most.

The most incredible friendships take shape when you least expect it, just as they should. I have a few other “euphoric” college moments that I hold dear, and I’m sure I’ll have a couple more before my time is up.

You will have to interact with people everywhere you go. In college, you have group projects, clubs, sports, internships, co-ops, work, and so much more. Some of my best friends I’ve met started by just me talking to them in a line at the printer, or through working with them in my classes. You get what you give. At a small school, you can truly create a home away from home if you so choose. The people are what make this school what it is. So, go out there and have your euphoric moment.

LIFESTYLE HACKS

Midterms, again??

BY ZOE HACK ‘24 With the virtual start to the semester, midterms seem to have crept up on us a lot quicker than usual. Not to mention, how is spring break just around the corner? Before spending too much time stressing, give these study tips a read: 1. Make a study plan Create a calendar and mark all of the dates that you have exams. From there, you can back-track and set a timeline for reviewing specific topics in

order to successfully prepare. Make sure you give yourself enough time to spread out the material so you don’t end up cramming! Try to make a little bit of progress every day so you’re not overwhelmed at any given time, and always do something productive with your limited time.

2. Create a study group Don’t be afraid to reach out to other students in your classes to get together to review material before an exam! Collaboratively studying is one of the best ways to increase understanding and make sure that everyone is prepared for success. See if your peers want to meet up in the library, go to a coffee shop, or even hop on a Zoom to review topics and help each other study.

3. Short-term goalsetting

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11

Friday, March 4

Opinion THE COLLEGE GOURMET

OFF THE PRESS

Back to McDonaldland: the old world of fast food mascots

New student org

BY JULIA DWIGHT ‘22 With the return of the Shamrock Shake at McDonald’s, I am once again reminded of the long and winding lore of the fast food franchise. We all know and love this seasonal favorite, with its sweet minty taste and nuclear-green hue.

What you might not know is that it came with a lovable mascot: Uncle O’Grimacey, an Irish relative of longtime McDonald’s character Grimace.

Wait, Grimace?

Yes, Grimace, as in sneer, scowl, smirk. You might know him as the big purple blob with eyes from the side of your Happy Meal box. Originally conceived as an evil milkshake-stealing figure, Grimace evolved into a cuddly character using his dessert-loving powers for (promotional) good.

However, the modern patron is more familiar with the man, the myth, the legend: Ronald McDonald.

Our familiar clown friend was just one of a number of McDonald’s mascots in their earliest days of televi-

sion marketing.

Up until 2003, the restaurant’s advertisements were centered in McDonaldland, a fantasy world inhabited by a cast of colorful characters. Alongside more regular figures like Ronald, Grimace, and the Hamburgler, there was a full B-team of anthropomorphic menu items touting the latest releases between cartoon episodes. While we might consider their puppet-like forms nightmare fuel today, they were the familiar faces of 80s after-school television.

There was extensive lore to go along with them.

McDonaldland was filled with heavily branded fictional destinations like Filet-o-Fish Lake and the Thick Shake Volcanoes.

New characters arrived and evolved to further appeal to children and parents. In 1980, McDonald’s introduced Birdie, the first identifiably female character in the lineup. Everything was bright, fluffy, and decked in warm, rainbow colors.

Today’s food mascots trade out the uncanny valley for saccharine-cute faces and eyesore color palettes. Consider the “yassification” of Gen-Z favorite Chuck E. Cheese. Our beloved cartoon skater mouse of childhood has turned into a Converse and skinny jeans-wearing tween rodent. What happened to cheap animatronics and Jim Henson-esque cos-

tumed marketing ploys?

Oftentimes, they go the way of the dodo when tastes change or problems strike.

In 2003, McDonald’s opted for a major marketing redirection with their now famous “I’m lovin’ it” campaign. It took a stronger focus on quality and appealed to adults using a catchy jingle sung by Justin Timberlake. The early-aughts pop star was a far cry from the costumed characters.

Appealing to children and nostalgia was traded in for “cool” personality and computer-enhanced imagery. It shows a major change in how we sell food to young people, focusing less on family-friendliness and more on what’s new and interesting. While Birdie could sell the McDonald’s breakfast lineup, the new Chuck E. is much better suited to high-resolution restaurant arcade games.

That’s not to say we’re completely without fast

food mascots. Ronald McDonald makes his annual televised appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. And how could we forget Happy, the 2014 Norman Bates-eyed CGI Happy Meal? While my older cousins look back fondly on their memories of McDonaldland, my generation memed Happy to death with names like “McScary.” For weeks, his soulless expression was emblazoned on every image possible. Not exactly a kid favorite.

So for now, the lore of McDonald’s original cast of characters has faded into obscurity, seen in few places other than eBay memorabilia listings. Even as the commercials change, McDonaldland lives on in the rarely-renovated hometown restaurant walls and in basement toy bins everywhere. With the popularity of thrifting and 80s culture, maybe it’s time for a comeback.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MASHED.COM

—SATIRE— Demonstrating the revival of school spirit and campus involvement as the pandemic wanes (although we’re not jinxing it so we’re gonna say we think it’s about to get way worse with a zombie vampire mutation in a month or so), a new student organization has just reached full RSO status. The Main Association For Intelligent Assassins (MAFIA) seeks to raise awareness of, and get students more involved in the world of organized crime.

Their president (whose role is technically “Boss” in the Constitution) points out that while Stevens has a superb job and graduate school placement rate after graduation, having the skills of a hitman like operating well under pressure, proficiency in tracking systems and understanding human behavior patterns could really put a graduate on a management track early.

The club plans to have options for senior design projects such as extorting small stores, breaking into apartments, and making offers that simply cannot be refused. The making offers project is still in the planning stage because currently most of the offers leave the offerer significantly worse off than the offeree, defeating the purpose of making an offer.

One student nearly gave up a car to get a discount on some bagels from ShopRite. They have also reached out to local Hoboken businesses to see which would be willing to let their store be broken into on a preselected date and have

25% of the merchandise taken. It would all be returned after the fact of course.

We were able to attend one of their meetings this semester but we probably won’t be able to go to another because it’s very expensive to get to shady mansions on Staten Island on a school night.

Nonetheless, despite three tests looming the next day, our editor was able to get in.

Despite this meeting occurring before food was allowed at events, the tables were full of the finest cannolis, pasta, and bread. When questioned about this, their Vice President (whose role is officially listed as Underboss in the constitution) told us that one of the first things the Main Association for Intelligent Assassins does is show their members how to break rules they don’t want to follow.

Then, they can break whatever rules or laws they need.

No one was allowed to go to the bathroom during the meeting for fear of a weapon of some kind being planted there before the meeting.

The rest of the meeting was just watching The Godfather and all its sequels.

Despite our journalistic prowess, we here at Off the Press do acknowledge that you shouldn’t take this piece too far due to its satirical nature, and certainly not to infinity and certainly not beyond that. However, you should come to To Bed, Bath, Infinity, and Beyond, our first improv show of the semester tonight March 4 at 9 p.m., and tomorrow March 5 at 5 p.m. in Babbio Center 122. See you there!

more money for a piece that I could pass down to my kids one day, than purchase something for under ten dollars that may not even last me until next month.

In addition to being a highly sustainable brand with 100% carbon neutral operations, FARM Rio has planted one tree for each purchase made since 2019. So far, this has equated to over half a million trees plant-

ed. The love and commitment to nature are unmatched compared to any other brand. Not only is their mission in touch with nature, but the style of their clothes is paralleled in this belief. Wearing a dress from FARM Rio literally FEELS like doing good for the planet.

You can shop FARM Rio on their website, or some select pieces at the local Hoboken boutique, Brooke + Bel.

PASSION FOR FASHION

Sustainable brand feature: FARM Rio

BY MELISSA KOSAR ‘22 Sustainability in fashion is becoming increasingly more important to the average consumer. Of course, as college students, we often look for deals over sustainability. However, as we begin to enter the workforce and our price sensitivity decreases, the brands we choose to shop at are sure to change. Additionally, the current trend of neutrals and monochrome styling is being challenged by bright, vibrant pops of color. As the warmer months of spring and summer

quickly approach, our wardrobes are preparing to flip.

One brand I have my eye on is a Brazil-based collection of fun prints, bright colors, and high quality: FARM Rio. FARM Rio, a Rio de Janeiro brand founded in 1997 believes that “solar rays enlighten the soul.” Their unique pieces might even do the same. They say that a powerful product “inspires positive transformations in everyone and everywhere.” Founders, Katia Barros and Marcello Bastos first featured their clothing at a local independent fashion market in Brazil. It was not long before many fell in love with the brand as it aims to embody the “feminine spirit and vibrant colors of Rio.” Today, FARM Rio is Brazil’s most recognized brand.

Just from browsing through the website, you can recognize the attention to detail and overall craftsmanship that goes into each of their pieces. In a world where blacks, browns, and

beiges flood the market, FARM Rio dares to be different, and it has proved to be successful for them. As of late, much of the industry is incorporating more colors into collections.

Especially as warmer months approach and nature begins to bloom, the lively colors of our world are preparing to present themselves once again. Why not follow suit with the season and begin embracing colorful palettes in our wardrobes? Although FARM Rio is a generally higher price point than many college students are willing to spend, splurging on one or a few of their pieces is sure to pay off in the long run. One statement piece from Farm Rio that may cost around two hundred dollars is certain to last you much longer than any piece from your latest Shein haul.

I know I often speak on the detriments caused by the fast fashion industry; however, I do not think it is something to be taken lightly. I understand the

struggles of being a broke college student and penny pinching to find the best outfits, but shopping at these places not only hurts our world but they are almost guaranteed not to last you. A brand like FARM Rio, whose quality surpasses many, is, in my opinion, a very worthy investment. I believe as consumers we should start shopping with a long-term mindset. I would rather pay

the obnoxious villain.

Being the romanticist I am, I admire fireflies for being such an unwavering symbol of hope. Fireflies shine in the dark—they make light for themselves when there is none—and I always found this sentiment to be so inspiring. Sure, there’s a scientific reason for this firefly function that isn’t so symbolic, but I prefer to delve into a sentimentalized version of existence. Such notions and symbols embedded within the twine of life are what keep me going when times are hard.

If a firefly can shine light through the dark, then so can I. I can be that light for

myself, and I can keep it burning for those around me.

I often think back to this belief when I’m in need of inspiration, or I try to be an optimist and deep-dive into the pool of my infinite thoughts in search of the positive ones.

Occasionally, I latch on to some negative ones too, but I try not to pull them along.

Sometimes I need an outward source of light, though; an outer fount of inspiration.

Kind words from a friend, warm smiles from a stranger, and a prayer that everything will be just fine all rejuvenate me with a jolt of gratification when I feel drained.

Even amongst the chaos of our world, you will continue

PHOTO COURTESY OF FARMRIO.COM

SECOND-YEAR FRESHMAN

Finding your light

BY GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24 What is your inspiration?

In moments of defeat or obscurity, what is that facet of life that never fails to cheer you up?

When people ask me what my favorite animal is, I always give an unconventional

answer. Yes, I love puppies with my whole heart and the sight of any fluffy animal plasters an automatic smile on my face. Yet, I always say my favorite animal is a firefly—and I will always stand by this answer.

I found my love for fireflies a few years ago when my younger brother was unrelentingly swatting at them.

I consider myself a romanticist of life, a day-dreamer, a writer that visualizes a complex story in every moment; so when my brother was pushing away the fireflies in our front yard, I envisioned them as the shimmering tribe of heroes that are on a mission, and my brother as

to find people looking out for one another. The existence of altruism makes me feel less alone, and the prospect of forgiveness gives me a push to try again.

Above all, I reassure myself that whatever hurdle I am facing has been overcome by others. If you look on social media, you can find a goldmine of positive, inspirational quotes—yes, I know you’ve seen them. They’re typically dressed with a pretty background, or decorated with aesthetic pictures that are tailored for your perfect feed. These quotes, or passages, may seem painfully two-dimensional, especially at first glance; but on those

days when everything feels upside down, sometimes reading something so relevant really hits home. Not only do the words help in healing, but the knowledge that someone else has gone through something similar brings with it a sense of comfort and peace.

So, as we approach the halfway point of the semester, it might feel as though you are drowning in the weight of never-ending tasks and exhausting exams. I hope that this column has evoked a sense of inspiration and courage within you, or that at the very least, you now have a newfound respect for fireflies!

12

Friday, March 4

Opinion GIRL TALK

Girl bosses in the music industry

BY JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23 Happy March and Women’s History Month, everyone! While I was taking a walk through Hoboken and enjoying the semi-warm weather, I was listening to my “Feminist” playlist on Spotify. I had an idea to highlight some of my favorite female artists and discuss why I love them so much, as well as talk about the impact they have made on the music industry. So, for this column, I’m going to do exactly that! Here are

my top three favorite female music artists/groups.

1. Megan Thee Stallion One of my favorite music artists of all time is the one and only, Megan Thee Stallion. I got into her music my senior year of high school, and ever since then, I have been listening to every single one of her releases. She became the second female rapper to win the Best New Artist Grammy since Lauryn Hill in 1999. My favorite quote from her is, “Confidence literally starts from yourself. You have to go look in the mirror at yourself. If you don’t like what you see, you’re going to give off that energy.” Megan Thee Stallion is funny, confident, talented, and an amazing performer. She inspires me to love myself and to be the best girlboss I possibly can be. Favorite song: Freak Nasty 2. Blackpink

Blackpink is a Korean pop (K-pop) group consisting of Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa, and I absolutely love them! They have been active since 2016, and they have since then made history. To list only some of their achievements, they became the first female K-pop group to perform at Coachella in 2019, and they are the highest-charting female K-pop group on the Billboard Hot 100. Blackpink is made up of strong women who have taken the music industry by storm, making history for the K-pop genre as a whole.

I had the privilege of seeing them in concert in May 2019, and they are amazing performers. They had the entire stadium captivated by their incredible dance moves and stage presence.

Favorite song: Playing With Fire 3. Taylor Swift What would this list be

SPOILER ALERT

without Taylor Swift? Taylor Swift is a music icon and one of my favorite singers. She has consistently been one of my top Spotify artists for years. Swift is an outstanding artist, and sometimes I can’t believe how she writes exactly what I’m feeling in the form of a song. Swift has sold over 200 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. She has won 11 Grammys and has had eight Billboard Hot 100 number-one songs. Needless to say, Swift is a powerful woman in the music industry and has been an influential icon. As my favorite quote, Swift states, “No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind.”

Favorite song: Haunted If you haven’t checked out these musicians, I

highly recommend them.

They are talented, strong, and forces to be reckoned with. Being a woman in a male-dominated industry is certainly not an easy feat.

According to the article “Just how misrepresented are women in the music industry?” by Grace Braswell, “The music industry has historically ignored women.

A recent study reported that only 21% of all artists are women, 12% are songwriters and only 2% of women are producers.” While I can talk about this issue in greater detail, I wanted to shed light on an issue that is prevalent in the music industry. Aside from being talented artists, all women in the music industry are powerful people as well.

Honorable mentions: Doja Cat, Twice, Rico Nasty, Flo Milli, Dua Lipa, Rina Sawayama, Britney Spears, Marina

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NOT FINANCIAL TIMES (NFT)

The first good film adaptation of Celebrating a musical?!: Tick, Tick BOOM! black women in finance

BY JULIA WIERZBICKI ‘23 Movie musicals used to excite me. I loved the idea of getting to see something I’ve cherished on Broadway and Spotify come to real life on the big screen. But after getting such terrible movies like Cats and Dear Evan Hansen, I was starting to believe that maybe musicals only belonged on-stage.

Into the Woods showed that there was some potential, but it’s still hated by many Stephen Sondheim fans. And after the success of Hamilton being brought to Disney+, I thought that might be the solution to this theatrical dilemma.

But then I watched Tick, Tick, BOOM! Guys —they finally did it. Finally, a good musical-to-film adaptation.

The first great thing TTB has going for it is its leading actor, Andrew Garfield. Although nowadays he’s most well-known for his performance as Spiderman, he’s actually a very talented actor and has taken on some serious roles—including some roles on Broadway. I personally got to see him in the play Angels in America and I cannot rave about his performance enough. I feel like this film expands his acting (and singing) abilities even further.

This was the first time that Garfield sang, either on stage or film, but you’d never know it by listening.

Although heavy autotune seems to be a requirement for songs in film, I felt like I was actually listening to him sing throughout the film. There were a few notes, of course, that sounded touched up, but the majority sounded like they just plain recorded him singing. That, along with his heartfelt portray-

al of Jonathan Larson, makes this a performance to remember.

The other thing that really stood out to me about the film was the cinematography. It was a stunning film on visuals alone, and there were some creative ways to incorporate the f lip-f lopping between past and future. I feel like it felt new and refreshing, but reminiscent of old Broadway at the same time. There was one particular sequence that was clearly an homage to the musical Sunday in the Park with George, and honestly, it brought tears to my eyes. Every shot clearly had thought put behind it and it kept my eyes glued to the scene the whole film. And it seems like most other viewers feel the same. However, I feel like their adoration of the film may not entirely be due to its great acting and cinematography.

I feel like a large reason audiences have been so critical of movie musicals in the past is because they had such a strong connection with the musical before the film was released. If the filmmakers did anything different or changed any sequences,

people would complain that it’s not following the original musical. If they don’t change anything, people would say they should’ve just recorded the show. Compared to other musicals that have been adapted in the past, TTB is not as well known.

I think this meant that audiences came in with a blank slate and were able to simply enjoy the musical and film for what it was. This gave the film an advantage, and honestly, I’m really glad that it received the well-deserved praise.

Overall, I really enjoyed Tick, Tick, BOOM! I consider myself pretty well-versed with musicals (and movie musicals) and this film had all the right beats. Although it included all the same songs as the original production, it had its own twist on it that made it really unique. Whether or not you’ve seen a Broadway musical, I highly recommend checking it out on Netf lix for yourself. I feel like it has something to offer for everyone and if you really like it, it just might inspire you to check out some of Jonathan Larson’s other work.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

BY ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 Last week, I had the opportunity to write a Black History Month (BHM) feature for The Stute, and with the start of Women’s History Month (WHM) this week, I wanted to take the time to bridge between BHM and WHM with my column.

Today, I would like to introduce you to two black women in finance who have made influential strides in markets today: Viola Mitchell Turner and Maggie Lena Walker.

Turner (1900-1988) worked her way up in the industry as a secretary for North Carolina Mutual Insurance (NCMI), and eventually became an influential portfolio manager in the early 1920s. Her education began in a private black school in Macon. She continued her graduate studies at Morris Brown College in Atlanta. There she studied business, pursuing her post-graduation career as a secretary for Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. In 1920, she was hired by NCMI and began developing branches in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Mississippi. In 1924, she received an offer to work for headquarters under one of the co-founders, Charles C. Spalding, as his personal secretary. In this role, she worked on developing investment portfolios of mortgages and government bonds.

NCMI’s headquarters were located on Parrish St. which at the time was known as “Black Wall Street.” Curious and risk-taking, Turner started to work on an investment portfolio composed of stocks — this was something that had not been done before. While Turner had confidence in her investment portfolio, her male colleagues condescendingly named it her ‘little project.’

Turner prevailed, leading

her portfolio to return nearly $20 M in assets for NCMI. Her accomplishment news spread like wildfire on Wall Street, and soon many brokers would request Turner’s financial advice. Despite her success, Turner faced discrimination and unequal pay for most of her career at NCMI. In 1957, she was appointed as Treasurer of NCMI and then went on to be Vice President of NCMI in 1960.

In 1903, Maggie Lena Walker (1863-1934) became the first woman in the U.S. to ever own a bank. Her activism and strength in accounting and math, allowed her to transform the way black businesses would grow in America. She was educated in a local school, and after her studies, she began her career as a teacher.

When she was young, Walker spent much of her time volunteering for the Independent Order of St. Luke’s. St. Luke’s was an organization devoted to helping the sick and elderly in Richmond, Virginia. Within this organization, Walker grew up the ranks as the Editor in Chief of the organization’s newspaper, The St. Luke Herald. She believed that the African American community can build better lives for themselves by establishing their institutions through the newspaper. She said, “No business, no enterprise, which has to deal with the public, can be pushed successfully without a newspaper.” She emphasized the importance of the Black Dollar and how it can empower the black community to grow during a time of heightened oppression in the segregated south. Black codes represented a level of oppression where blacks could not be part of wealth creation in the US. With her strengths in ac-

counting and math, Walker continued to create opportunities for the black community. She built an insurance company for black women. One of her most well-known pursuits is the creation of St. Luke Penny’s Savings Bank in 1903. While she became the first woman ever to charter a bank in the U.S., she showed the power of black self-help in the segregated South. Over the years, the bank expanded to include more than 50,000 members in Virginia and was one of the few banks to have survived the Great Depression.

However, in 1930, the bank was consolidated by Consolidated Bank and Trust, and now it is still in operation as part of People’s Bank. For the remainder of her career, she continued to fight for women’s rights and held many key positions in various organizations like the National Association for Colored Women and the Richmond chapter of the National Association for Colored People.

Turner and Walker are just two of many influential women in the world of investments. As we continue to celebrate women’s history this month, remember to give a shoutout to the wonderful women in your life!

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLACKPAST

PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE