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STUTE THE
The Stute The official campus newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904, and creator of the Stevens mascot, Atilla the Duck.
We write Stevens history.
Volume CXIII • Issue 23
Friday, April 8, 2016
TheStute.com
DuckHacks Domestic challenges programmers to improve campus
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Change to the process for students registering for more than 20 credits by OLIVIA SCHREIBER Staff Writer
Susana Restrepo
by RAMI KAMMOURH Staff Writer
On Saturday, the Society of Professional Engineers and Stevens Women in Computer Science hosted DuckHacks, the first ever hackathon to be
held at Stevens. The event ran from 8 AM to 9 PM, occupied a number of rooms in the EAS building, and offered people the chance to compete to create the most useful software. A number of large corporations, including financial services provider Morgan Stanley,
had reached out to SHPE about hosting such an event at Stevens, since many of these corporations are working towards creating diversity in the computer science field. Although representatives from Morgan
see HACKS • Page 6
SDS presents: Avenue Q The Musical by MARYIA SPIRYDONAVA
Established 1904
The undergraduate student body was notified on March 31 via Stevens Announcements email that there is now a different process for students registering for more than 20 credits in a given semester. Dr. Costas Chassapis, Vice Provost for Academics, explained that the 20-credit limit was specifically chosen to encompass the normal loads for all programs available to students. “If you look at all 8 semesters, the maximum number of credits that the student takes represents the normal load,” said Chassapis. For example, a
Chemical Biology student’s normal load is 18 credits, while a Chemical Engineering student’s normal load is 19 credits. Although students can register for up to 20 credits, any students taking additional credits beyond his or her normal load must go through the new process of registering for additional courses. Students are now encouraged to prioritize classes when first registering online. Dr. Chassapis noted that this change in the registration process is not meant to be “prohibitive,” but encourages students to sign up for their required courses first for the upcoming semester.
see REGISTRATION • Page 6
MMM presents: Robin Hood Men in Tights
Staff Writer
Whether you are a Broadway fanatic or not, chances are you have heard of Avenue Q. Avenue Q is a coming-of-age musical that addresses societal issues and issues of those entering adulthood. However, the show is very unique to other Broadway shows because the cast consists of puppets. Despite this element, Avenue Q is definitely not a show to take children to. They may be puppets, but they have real problems, and convey their issues through raunchy songs. Many might think that putting on a famous and extremely successful Broadway show in a college theater is risky. Yet, the Stevens Dramatic Society handled it as a creative challenge. According to Ian Diguilio, the Producer and Production Manager, this is the most modern show SDS has put on. The material is fun and goofy, yet very true to life. Of course, SDS had to make their own version of Avenue
Maryia Spirydonava
Q unique and stand out from the Broadway production, so it wasn’t just a “rip-off” of the original. The creative juices were definitely flowing for this production. Diguilio said that the student designers were able to get more creative with prospective ideas and then put it into reality through the instructive directions from the director. There are numerous small details in the musical that make it unique to Stevens. Many people probably wouldn’t notice, but the set de-
sign is made to look like Hoboken. In fact, the crew took pictures of actual buildings in Hoboken for the design of the set. Since Avenue Q is meant to be located in more “run down” part of Manhattan, not on the prestigious streets of Broadway themselves, Hoboken seemed the perfect inspiration. Other than the set design, the light design was different to that of other shows, since it required some special atten-
see AVE Q • Page 6
Jeremy Chung
by MARYIA SPIRYDONAVA Staff Writer
Shadowcast has been a part of campus life for quite some time now. For those unfamiliar with what a shadowcast is, it is when actors perform the scenes from a movie while the movie is played in the background. Stevens Dramatic Society has put on eight entertaining Rocky Horror shows, as well as a couple
of spring shows. Because of this increasing growth of the Shadowcast Committee of SDS, it has become its own RSO, named the Midnight Movie Movement. Robin Hood: Men in Tights was the third annual spring Shadowcast, as well as the first show that the MMM has put on since becoming a club. The production was dedicated to a former shadowcast actor,
see TIGHTS • Page 7
Sustainability Symposium inspires earth-friendly innovation by MARYIA SPIRYDONAVA Staff Writer
When people discuss sustainability, usually the concern is, “What are the economic benefits?” The ecological and social concerns are usually kept in the dark. This approach to sustainability was challenged at the Sustainability Symposium, hosted by Stevens Institute of
Technology and sponsored by New Jersey Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (NJHEPS) this past weekend. This was NJHEPS’s first event at Stevens this semester. The event had the goal of raising awareness and learning about different sustainability methods in academia and industry. Many companies market themselves as being “green,” but they don’t incorporate these
ideals into corporate practices. Sonia Mantzouridou-Onasi, a Stevens graduate student who led the event, wanted to bring this to the attention of the attendees, remind them that sustainability is something that comes from the inside, and to present the something people would not expect. Mantzouridou-Onasi shocked the audience by inviting onstage keynote speaker Dr. Car-
los Lopez Cano Vieira, a professor at the Universidad de Algarve in Portugal, and guide for the International Program of the Global Village at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Vieira described how sustainability is trending among companies, schools, and even countries as they attempt to become green. Yet discussions usually revolve around the economic benefits for those companies.
In addition, he mentioned how many scientists and engineers are quick to think of the technological advances in the “green” field, forgetting that humans should care about sustainability because they owe respect to the lives of organisms that are unable to speak up. Vieira wanted to remind the audience the importance of
Roving Reporter How do you feel about CPAC coming?
Front page articles continued
Password strength checkers
Women’s lacrosse and softball topple Houghton
EC hosts comedian Ramey
What to wear in this weather
see SUSTAIN • Page 6
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Supporting our athletes Using the counseling center Time wasting websites Food review: Empanada Cafe
Polling Pierce What prizes would you like at Senior Design Expo?
OPINION 2-3
PULSE 4
Star Spotlight: Tyler Jones
Men’s volleyball sweeps MIT
Off Center’s last improv show before nationals
What WCPR is listening to
Men’s track and field places 12th at Ramapo
NEWS 6-7
OPINION CONT’D 8-9
SPORTS 10
STUTE THE
We write Stevens history.
The student-run newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology since 1904
113th Volume Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Business Manager Managing Editor Membership Chair Systems Administrator
Lisa Mengotto Christian Chiu Phil Fishbein Dave Ovsiew Tarik Kdiry
Staff & Contributors Andy Waldron Christopher Wacyra David Rogers Dennis Stewart Emma Murphy Evan Bedser Gabrielle McCormack Hope Brandes Houston Migdon James Murphy Jeremy Chung Jesse Stevenson
John Horgan Joseph Brosnan Katrina Guido Khayyam Saleem Maryia Spirydonava Mia Hildebrandt Namankita Rana Olivia Schreiber Rami Kammourh Susana Restrepo Tyler Romeo Veronica Pidduck
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Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 2
Opinion The Stute Editorial
A call for athletic appreciation and awareness As usual, I spent last weekend running around campus “event hopping.” If you have ever opened up one of the Student Life Newsletter emails (which you definitely should because there is a lot of information about campus activity in general) or visited the Ducksync Events Calendar, you should know what I’m talking about. There are usually five to ten events (including RSO, Greek, Student Life, UG Academics, and Dining) happening everyday. It’s great that so many groups are working hard to make campus atmosphere active, entertaining, and even educational. However, the one type of event I rarely hear about – or even think about, really – is athletic events. I think athletics fall too far under the radar here, and definitely deserve more attention before they make a big win or claim a title. I realized this on Saturday night, after attending DuckHacks, an eboard meeting, Off Center improv show, and the MMM shadowcast, as I was walking to SITTV for a movie night. The Women’s Softball team was waiting outside Walker Gym. All
of the players looked exhausted dragging their big duffle bags of equipment. I overheard one girl complaining about her elbow. I just thought wow, being an athlete at Stevens is seriously impressive. It is a respectable contribution of their time and energy to Stevens. It’s really selfless to spend so much time practicing and giving your all in a game. Why are don’t people talk about this more? Sure, I’ve heard of the “All Rise” and “Red Out” and “Duck Country.” But what is it that none of my friends ever feel compelled to attend a game? Maybe Canavan Arena just isn’t my scene? Have I been ignoring and under-appreciating sports? I have only attended one game at Stevens, and it was Women’s Volleyball my freshman year. I’m not even sure how I ended up there, I think I might have tagged along with a new friend because I had played a season of volleyball in high school. We sat for only five minutes and then left. I haven’t really thought about going to another game since. Overall, there shouldn’t be a
divide between sporting events and all other campus events. Students who are active in building RSOs and being student leaders want people to go to their events, and I’m assuming students who play sports want people to support them at their games. I think including the sports schedule in the SLN and incorporating home games onto the Ducksync Calendar could be the start of this better athletic appreciation at Stevens. Maybe then students would “get hyped” about our teams and actively support them on their way to claiming titles and winning conferences. Similarly, I hope The Stute and other campus media can better cover our athletic victories. Within my time at Stevens, I really want to see dynamics of campus life transform to include more appreciation for our athletes.
Lisa Mengotto Editor-in-Chief
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Mind of a Freshman
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by GABRIELLE McCORMACK Freshman Software Engineering Major
It’s hard to believe that there is only one month left of classes in my freshman year of college. It feels just like yesterday that I was moving into my dorm
to start this new journey, feeling a sense of excitement and slight nervousness in thinking of what was to come. I remember seeing my parents’ faces as they said goodbye to me for the last time before they would see me over break and I could see in their eyes that they were more proud of me than they had ever been, seeing their only daughter face all of the odds that were stacked against her and come out on top. They were proud that someone they had raised from infancy had the
opportunity to go to a prestigious school such as this, when they themselves did not have the opportunity when they were my age. Keeping this in mind from my first day until now, I know that it is my duty here to do everything that I can to leave a positive impression everywhere I go. From being elected to the Honor Board and working cases, to writing for The Stute and playing on the club lacrosse team, I will try to carry this outlook through to everything that I do. Even
in my academics, I try to uphold this standard for myself, as I realize how lucky I am to be taking the classes that I am here. Not everyone has the opportunity to learn at the caliber we all do here at Stevens even though the course load may be tough at times. Even so, it is in the face of the strongest difficulties that people learn the greatest deal. In the end, I am happy at how this first year has been and I look forward to experiencing the last few weeks of having a “mind” of a freshman.
Senioritis
A little quip on mental health
by JOSEPH BROSNAN
5/5 Civil Engineering Major
I feel that, in today’s culture, talking about mental health is somehow taboo. In the U.S. specifically, where workers are encouraged to put their home lives aside to work 60+ hours a week, the lack of care to one’s men-
tal state and any problems that come with it, does not come to me as a surprise. That same logic filters into the outof-work environment - if you’ve got a mental disorder, it must mean that you’re crazy and that you are somehow broken. Society could not be more wrong - or hypocritical. People, from what I’ve seen over my years, are weird. There isn’t a single person I’ve met whom I could classify as “normal”. The mental quirks and quips about every individual is what makes them unique, and what makes them interesting to be around. It also proba-
bly makes their own lives living hells from time to time. I would argue that every person on the planet, especially in America, has some sort of undiagnosed mental oddity in them - whether or not what it is they have is considered a mental illness yet aside (the list of medical mental illnesses grows all of the time, and our methods of diagnosing them become more and more specific.) But I don’t want to waste this column to support mental illness as a whole - I want to address some mental illnesses in students at Stevens and what they can do about
it. At Stevens specifically, most of us are “weird” in some way or another, and I totally lump myself into that category. From nerds who suffered with social awkwardness in high school, to maybe some athletes who are always under stress and feel like exploding, to lonely people who have trouble making friends, or maybe even people who just feel really angry about nothing in particular all of the time, all of us could benefit from seeing a therapist. Go figure, Stevens thinks so too. Stevens Counselling and Disability Services were invent-
ed to solve this issue, and there are a number of students who silently attend this room on the 7th floor of the Howe Center, probably afraid of what their peers may think if they see them attend. Now, this is the attitude that is wrong. You wouldn’t be worried about letting your friends see a doctor, so why build anxiety from going to a mind doctor (essentially what a psychological therapist is). Now, you don’t have to explain what you discuss, in the same way that you don’t have to explain how your warts got frozen off at the dermatologist’s office, but you shouldn’t be
afraid or anxious to go to a therapist to resolve some mental issues. It is my belief that every single member of the Stevens Community, from the President to the professors to the Compass One workers, to the students, should all have a few sit down sessions with a therapist, just to address any issues they might have. You may think it is a waste of time - you’d be wrong. Imagine how nice it would be to have a confidential person just to talk to and vent about your day? It is pretty relieving. Moreover, SCADS is free. You
see COMPLAIN • Page 8
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 3
Technically Speaking
Sites you should use on your free time
by TARIK KDIRY
Freshman Software Engineering Major
If we recorded each minute wasted or doing nothing, or even small mundane tasks, in a lifetime, we would notice that we spend years wasting time. If we invested that time into our own livelihood, we would be much better humans as a whole. I am not trying to sound like a Tai Lopez commercial, but I do strongly believe in us-
ing extra time for knowledge instead of nothing. There are many apps out there that we would benefit from by using them on our free time. In my personal library I have a large folder of apps to use that covers everything from coding, to language learning, to exercise, and to even brain games. My first recommendation is Duolingo.com. Duolingo, an interactive language learning site developed straight out of Pittsburgh by Carnegie Mellon graduates, offers many languages including French and Arabic. It even offers more unique languages such as Esperanto and Klingon. Users on Duolingo are provided with a set learning plan containing objectives, vir-
tual prizes, and of course, the courtesy email that congratulates you on completing a course section. Duolingo is helpful in the fact that it is offered on mobile devices as well, specifically iOS and Google Play, and that it covers everything from conjugations to greeting etc. Plus, it is available for a price of zero dollars. I, myself, have benefited a lot from it. Je suis tres content de mon temps libre nouve passe. All you need is time and a will to learn something new on your free time. Secondly, I highly recommend reading the news on your free time so that you can actually seem like an informed member of our society. I consider myself old school in the sense that I have old school methods for
attempting to get informed such as reading a physical paper or even watching the news. On occasion, more now than ever, I have been using apps such as Flipboard and Pulse to read up on weekly news. Flipboard has been very unique to me because it allows you to select topics and columns that interest you the most while, at the same time, having the ability to browse anything you want. For example, I selected Technology and International as a couple of my main genres and in seconds I can explore the world of news from my cellphone. After that I have the ability to “flip” between articles and save/ favorite ones I find very intriguing and/or worth reading again. Flipboard is easy to use and has proven
to be a very good thing to do while doing things like eating or pretending to work out. Efficiency! Of course why use these apps when you can just read the Stute for everything. Lastly, so as to not reveal all of my secrets, is brain enhancing apps. These apps can include brain teasers, puzzle games, and quick facts that all contribute to having a healthy brain. For those that appreciate a good puzzle I would recommend Blocks, Flow, and Lara Croft GO. All of these apps provide a very fun and challenging environment where players have to use their critical thinking to achieve victory. While doing a mundane, one-handed task, playing these games prove to spend your ex-
tra time affectively and efficiently. Other apps include Chess and Lumosity. I see the content offered by those apps as more than games as they were specially created to challenge the brain in such a way that small games could not ever be able to do. Though Lumosity is a paid application, it still offers value to your mental health. Using our technology to strengthen our mental skills whiles multitasking with unimportant daily tasks is, in my opinion, the best way to maintain your mind. If we just tried to see our time the same way as we see currency; that is, to see each minute as any amount of money, we would be more wise in how we spend it.
Scientific Curmudgeon
Psychology’s big crisis
by JOHN HORGAN
Director, Center for Science Writings
Times are tough for young psychologists. That’s what I kept thinking during recent meetings with candidates for a psychology position at Stevens. Psychology is undergoing a credibility crisis. Last summer, a group called Open Science Collaboration reported that it had replicated fewer than half of 100 studies published in major psychology journals. The New York Times
declared that the report “confirmed the worst fears of scientists who have long worried that [psychology] needed a strong correction. The vetted studies were considered part of the core knowledge by which scientists understand the dynamics of personality, relationships, learning and memory.” The crisis keeps generating headlines. On Friday, a group of four prominent psychologists led by Daniel Gilbert of Harvard claimed in Science that the Open Collaboration study was statistically flawed and did not prove its claim that “the reproducibility of psychological science is low.” “Indeed,” Gilbert and his co-authors state, “the data are consistent with the opposite conclusion, namely, that the reproducibility of psychological science is
quite high.” Members of the Open Science Collaboration countered that the “very optimistic assessment” of Gilbert’s group “is limited by statistical misconceptions and by causal inferences from selectively interpreted, correlational data.” The exchange suggests that psychologists cannot even agree on basic methods for arriving at “truth,” whatever that is. It gets worse. Over at Slate, Daniel Engber reports that the influential theory of “ego depletion” — which holds that willpower is a finite resource that diminishes with use – might have been “debunked.” Roy Baumeister and three other psychologists presented experimental evidence for the theory in a 1998 paper that has been
Cuisine Corner
Empanadas Cafe
by KATRINA GUIDO
Sophomore Physics Major
Yet another new addition to Washington Street has caused me to break my rule, but for a good reason. Having opened last month at 123 Washington where Crepes and Things was previously located, Empanadas Cafe offers Argentinian fare at a student-friendly price. For those not familiar with the little hand pies usually filled with meat or cheese, I’m sorry for you. My first introduction came during my summer swim league days when one of the moms would bring them
from the snack bar. One bite of these meals in a convenient little edible package, and I was hooked. So naturally when I saw the sign on Washington for an empanada joint, I was quite excited. Walking in, the cafe is a little rustic and a little rough around the edges, but I suppose that works for them. Of course I can’t forget they opened less than a month ago by the time you’re reading this, it will be about a month. There are a few tables, basically the same amount of seating that Crepes and Things had, but based on the number of people that walked in and ordered take out while my partner and I ate, I would say that minimal seating will not be a problem. At the time we went, despite the number of choices on the menu, the only empanada choices were chicken, spicy
chicken, and bleu cheese with walnut, though more would apparently be ready after about 30 minutes to an hour. We chose one of each and decided to throw in a zucchini and egg pie since the sandwich I attempted to order was not available yet either. The empanadas came out warmed on a wooden board, and with my first bite, I was hooked. The bleu cheese was probably my least favorite of the three, but that’s like choosing your least favorite out of a newly born litter of puppies. The salty creaminess of the cheese with the nutty crunch of the walnuts was encapsulated in a slightly crisp but buttery pastry - very rich, and very filling. The chicken in the other two was tender and neither overly fatty nor oily. I preferred the spicy to the regular, but neither was lacking in flavor. One was
cited more than 3,000 times. The theory has supposedly been corroborated by hundreds of other studies, and it underpins the 2011 bestseller Willpower, by Baumeister and journalist John Tierney. But a study of ego depletion involving “more than 2,000 subjects tested at two-dozen different labs on several continents,” Engber says, found “exactly nothing. A zero-effect for ego depletion: No sign that the human will works as it’s been described, or that these hundreds of studies amount to very much at all.” Spelling out the disturbing implications, Engber notes that “an entire field of study—and significant portions of certain scientists’ careers—could be resting on a false premise. If something this well-es-
tablished could fall apart, then what’s next?” Good question, over which all young psychologists are no doubt agonizing. To cheer themselves, they might consider the following four points: First, there’s nothing new about psychology’s credibility crisis. More than a century ago, William James worried that the field he helped create might never transcend its “confused and imperfect state.” Second, all scientific fields struggle with replication issues. Behavioral genetics and psychiatry are arguably much less credible than psychology, and string and multiverse theorists don’t even have empirical results to replicate! Third, psychologists are still doing important,
HOURS of OPERATION Sun. – Thurs. 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri. – Sat. 8 a.m.–3 p.m. enough to fill me up, and at $3 they make the perfect on-the-go meal. The zucchini pie did not disappoint either. The pastry was light and flaky, practically melting in my mouth, and the filling maintained the light feel with the fluffiness of the filling. The flavoring of the egg and zucchini combo was light but satisfying.
empirically sound work. Two who recently spoke at my school are Sheldon Solomon, co-creator of terror-management theory, which predicts how fear of death affects us; and Philip Tetlock, leader of a study on “superforecasters,” ordinary people who do a better job than many socalled experts at predicting social phenomena. Fourth, psychology is arguably healthier than many other fields precisely because psychologists are energetically exposing its weaknesses and seeking ways to overcome them. I can’t wait to discuss all these issues with our new psychology professor. John Horgan directs the Center for Science Writings. This column is adapted from one originally published on his ScientificAmerican.com blog, “Cross-check.”
CONTACT (201) 683-3069 123 Washington St.
To give a sweet finish to the meal, we chose a caramel pastry from the assorted homemade Argentinian desserts. It was definitely good, but the pastry itself seemed slightly tough - nowhere near as good as the actual meal. They also offer coffee and espresso. I definitely plan to go back, as the only real downside was the lack of
selection which I assume will grow with time and may already have. Despite the abundance of Latin American restaurants in Hoboken, Empanadas Cafe still manages to find a previously unfilled niche. Though it is reasonably close to campus and college budget friendly, most important to me, this cafe offers tasty and authentic fare.
Katrina Guido
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 4
Campus Pulse
Roving Reporter So CPAC is coming in two weeks, what do you think of it?
“It’s great that we have it on campus, but I wouldn’t be going because I’m not an anime fan.”
“I’m a freshman but I’m excited to volunteer for it.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Anthony Mates
Bryan Vitz
Devin Belmar
“I think it’s good that the school does it.”
“I’m excited to see what’s going to happen.”
“I’m not necessarily a fan of the group, but if they want to come here that’s fine.
Evan Bazzini
Ruthy Levi
Michael Heck
Polling Pierce
What would you want as a door prize for attending Senior Design Expo? Based on 100 responses
17 5 8 11
Other Food Sleepover at Farvardin’s Duckbills
16 Electronics 26 Stevens Merchandise 20 Gift Cards
Where the Duck? Know where this is? Check out next week’s issue for the answer!
Answer from March 11 Issue: Picture Frame outside of EAS 222
Undergraduate Students BECOME A PEER MENTOR FOR THE CLASS OF 2020
Connect with New First Year Students Help New Students Acclimate to Stevens Community Share Your Knowledge about Stevens & the Area Serve as a Resource and Referral Agent
Applications are Being Accepted Now & Can Be Printed from the ASC Website http://www.stevens.edu/directory/undergraduate-academics/academicsupport-center
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Strips
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 5
News
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 6
Hacks
Registration
Stanley ended up unable to attend, SWiCS was able to co-sponsor the event and work out a partnership with Google. After registering, the eight teams of between two and four students began working on their computer programs. The theme for the event was ‘Make the Stevens community better’. The competitors spent the afternoon working on computer programs that could be useful to Stevens students, as well as attending computer science workshops, which covered topics such as Github and front and back-end web development. By 6:30 PM, the contestants had finished their programs. The panel of judges, which included four Stevens professors and a computer science professional involved with SHPE, then went around see their programs and declare the winners. First place went to Sandra Herrara Diana Galarza, two freshman computer science majors, who created a website that compares different housing options in regards to distance from campus, cost, capacities, and utilities. Second place went to Benjamin Iofel, Andrew Afflitto,
Those who are eligible to take extra courses must wait must fill out the Credit Overload Enrollment Form, found under the Registrar’s website. “[For students] who want to take more courses, we look at their academic progress,” said Chassapis. The form prompts students to list their cumulative and prior semester GPA. Chassapis explained that the cumulative GPA does not always reflect the progress that a student might make, which is why the previous semester’s GPA is considered when granting approval for overloads.
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Ave Q
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tion. Katie Brown, the Design and Lighting Director, had to experiment with the lights more than usual since spot light had to bring out the puppets and certain puppets were bright colors. For example, a blue puppet required different lighting. For a technical school, the production had a lot of creativity in it. Most of the music that is played during the show is performed by merely five musicians, with the help of a musical director, who is also the lead pianist. The actors had faced a challenged with this specific musical, from the unusual obscenity of the material, to working with puppets. Most actors convey the feelings of the characters through facial expressions and through body language, yet for those actors working with puppets this was impossible. The emotions had to be portrayed through projections of
Susana Restrepo Computer science student Christian Santos conducting an Introduction to Website Development workshop covering HTML/CSS/JavaScript.
Aldin Llolla, and Nicolas Nuila, who wrote a Chrome extension that creates an academic schedule based on classes that the user wants to take. Third place went to Nesar Ahmed, Tyler Dingley, Martin Marshalek, and Christopher Hittner, who created an Android app that includes a bulletin board for campus announcements, a gallery for old quizzes, and a forum for users to ask questions and interact. “In Spring 2017, we hope to have a bigger hackathon and invite students from nearby colleges, such as NJIT, NYU, and Rutgers, as well as have more company sponsors,” said Susana Restrepo, SHPE secretary and one of the organizers of the DuckHacks. Not only do SHPE and SWiCS
hope to make next year’s DuckHacks more complete, but they also hope to bring a hackathon to Stevens for high school students during the fall semester. “Right now, what we’re focusing on is not only planning for next year’s DuckHacks, but also planning a hackathon for high school students in the fall,” said Restrepo. With the first ever DuckHacks being such a success, SHPE and SWiCS are committed to making Stevens’ very own hackathon a well-known and more comprehensive event. “It’s great what the students who attended were capable of making,” said Restrepo. “For our first time, having such great attendance, I think all we need to do is grow from here.”
the voice and the slight movement of the puppet. Of course, the actors used their facial expressions a little bit to show the audience the feelings of the puppets, since their eyes couldn’t be closed. Translating emotions into the puppet while remaining physically neutral and putting focus on the puppet is a tough juggling act. Yet, the cast handled it beautifully, as Brown mentioned the growth of the actors. Brown said it might be hard to believe but only several weeks ago the cast was struggling to move the puppets while singing, and remembering their lines appeared messy. The improvement of the cast can be attributed to their diligence and the training by an expert from Broadway. Even if people have seen the original Avenue Q, they should still come to the Stevens production. Everything about the show is special to Stevens. Diguilio stated that the show has received a lot of support from both alumni and current students and faculty. Many
people contacted SDS and offered their help, making the show only that more special. The actors took from their experience of living in Hoboken and put it into the production. The production allowed for a lot of technically-minded people to take a break from all the science, hopefully the audience will feel the same way. When asked how the show is special to Stevens, Kathleen Nevola said that the Broadway show is tidier while this one has more “rough edges” and is more real. There is something for everyone: fantastic singing by actors like Julia Cahn and Kathleen Nevola, humor (the audience is guaranteed to laugh hysterically), and people talking to puppets. The cast and crew have been working on the production since February, constantly trying to improve the show even days before opening night. Mostly the actors are excited, ready to perform in front of an audience, and feed off the energy of the crowd.
Maryia Spirydonava
As per Stevens policy, students with at least a 3.0 GPA for the previous semester can enroll in one extra course. Upperclassmen with at least a 3.3 GPA from the prior semester can take a second extra course, and juniors and seniors can take up to three extra courses if their GPA from the preceding semester is at least a 3.6. Dr. Chassapis noted that all “cost-related poli-
cies have remained the same.” Approval for credit overloads will not be granted the student has fulfilled the stated requirements inclusive of Spring 2016 final grades. The Credit Overload Enrollment Form should be submitted in person to the Office of Undergraduate Academics in EAS 119 or emailed to UGOverload@stevens. edu.
Sustain
Continued from front page
the conscience and not just the technology. “We have to feel life, to understand life.” Humans are an “evolutionary animal,” said Vieira, with the power to continually change the world. He proceeded to discuss freedom and its value. Vieira defined freedom as the power of the mind and the imagination, the ability to rethink life and grow your “superior conscience.” He posited that education lowers the conscience and teaches society to fight for the self and not for the world. Therefore, humans should be constantly questioning everything they know, since the “mind can lie.” After all, one can’t rethink something and improve society, if he or she believes in everything. Vieira told a story of him giving a lecture in a prison, during which he told the inmates, “There are more prisoners outside than inside [the prison],” referring to the fact that humans have gotten into an endless cycle, and don’t stop to think about life. He said power is not in language, but in feeling. Sustainability is not about comparing the work others are doing to oneself; it is about studying oneself and the conscience. There is no final conscience, it should always be continuously evolving. People need to consider the materialistic view versus if they would be happier improving the world. The symposium proceeded with two panel discussions: “CampusDriven Innovation” and “Sustainable Innovation in Industry.” A lot of the conversation revolved around different research and initiatives on campuses and communities regarding sustainability. The second panel consisted of panelists from various industries, such as architecture, healthcare, transpor-
Maryia Spirydonava Guest speaker Dr. Carlos Lopez Cano Vieira, center left, posing with Stevens’ sustainabilty student organizer Sonia Mantzouridou-Onasi, center right.
tation, and education. One common idea was that sustainability has to be brought to people in the terms that interest them. For instance, the healthcare field might be concerned about the detrimental effects of air pollution on premature birth. The only way sustainability will improve is if the stakeholders are engaged and educated. The panel concluded with one question, “What are some things we should be thinking about as we move into the new decade?” The responses stressed finding a passion: there should be analysis, and only then action. After all, many people can discuss ways the Earth can be helped, but the ideas have to be realistic. Some of these realistic ideas were presented
at the student research poster session in the afternoon, at which the top three posters were selected and given prizes. Students from numerous colleges, including Stevens, presented their research on improving the sustainability in either their campus or community. The winning poster was The Living Laboratory presented by Stevens Institute of Technology. Students Andriana N. Herrara, Zachary McKeehan, Taylor Race, and Sabrina Smith worked on the research for the poster. The first sustainability symposium was a success, with 120 registrations and 19 posters. The symposium shined a different kind of light onto the subject that sparked interesting conversations.
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 7
Tights
Continued from front page
Bryan Fitzpatrick. Just like Rocky, Robin Hood encouraged audience participation; however Robin Hood moved away from the audience participation lines and instead allowed the audience to be more interactive with the show. The audience could have simply sat back and enjoyed the show, however the actors were running through the audience, climbing over students, and sent arrows flying through the
crowd. For the bolder audience members, the first row and the aisle seats, also known as the “splash zone,” was the perfect seating, as it allowed them to sword fight and interact with the actors. The MMM chose the material to work with, so it was expected that the event was going to draw a successful crowd. Yet, this didn’t prevent the cast and crew from going above and beyond by taking their own spin on the production and making it unique. The show was lively and there was a plethora of things to watch, especially the
fight scenes that were happening all around the room in Burchard 118. The hard work put into the production was evident, which excited not only the actors, but also the audience. The livelier the cast became, the more fired up the audience got, as they cheered for Robin Hood, Ahchoo, and Blinkin. At the end of the night, both the audience and the cast shared laughs and a good time. If the success of this production is a forecast for the future of the Midnight Movie Movement, then it is safe to say it will be an entertaining future.
Off Center sends off senior members in last improv comedy show on campus
Veronica Pidduck
by TARIK KDIRY
EC welcomes standup comedian Louis Ramey to campus by KHAYYAM SALEEM Staff Writer
On Tuesday night, the Entertainment Committee arranged for standup comedian Louis Ramey to appear in Bissinger, to the delight of the undergraduate community. They kicked off the night with a tasteful opener by New York comedian Mike Burton. He discussed life in New York as an ex-Southerner, his experiences as a comedian, and his encounters with phenomena such as “nighttime toothpaste.” He kept an engaging
rapport with the audience and warmed the students up before Louis Ramey took the stage. Louis Ramey had just completed a 40 country world tour before sharing his talent with the Stevens undergraduate community. In 2014, he won an award for Gilda’s LaughFest Audience Favorite Clean Comedy Award. However, it was certainly clear that he was not trying for that award on Tuesday night. His comedy, though sometimes abrasive and even a little scary, had the audience clutching their guts after every
punchline. He told an entertaining story about his encounter with a “gangster moose” while performing in Alaska, which was certainly an audience favorite. He maintained an ongoing joke with one of the ladies in the audience pertaining to her appearance, which consistently yielded nervous and uncomfortable laughter from the undergraduates without fail. All in all, the event was a good opportunity for students to relax, enjoy some food, and laugh - helping them get them over the midweek hump.
Systems Administrator
Off Center hosted their final improv show of the semester with a short-form on Friday night and long-form on Saturday night. They recognized their graduating seniors, many who have been dedicated members throughout their Stevens careers. Short-form improv consists of short improv games that are based on one word sugges-
tions or write-in lines from the audience. Long-form improv is based on a single audience suggestion or audience member interview for a performance approximately half an hour long. Off Center typically performs in the style of a Harold. Comedians of Stevens Stand-up Society were also invited to open the show. Both shows nights had good attendance, filling Hayden Lounge. Along with celebrat-
ing their last improv show of the semester, graduating seniors in Off Center celebrated their last show here at Stevens before commencement next month. These seniors include Zach Kastner, Kevin Quigley, David Orshan, Ethan Crump, Andy Wiggins, and Alistair Scott. Many of these seniors will be traveling to Chicago to represent Stevens and Off Center in the 9th Chicago College Improv Tournament on April 23.
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Opinion Complain Continued from page 2
only need to sign up and fill out a form (albeit, that form is huge). I’ve seen a bunch of people heading into that room since I myself started going, and I doubt
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 8
any of them would talk about it. I care a whole heck of a bunch less, so I don’t mind. But really, if you’re reading this, seriously consider going to the 7th floor of the Howe Center to schedule up an appointment with a therapist. It is typically a pretty relaxing meeting and makes
you feel a little better if you just owpen up to your therapist about stuff. Aside from one hour out of your day, there is seriously no downfall to it. So go on and get checked up, especially if you think you don’t need it - you’ll thank me later.
Always Right
CNBC and the password strength checker of doom
by DENNIS STEWART Senior Cybersecurity Major
Last week, CNBC ran a piece on how to choose secure passwords. To supplement their article, they included a tool to test how strong your password is. Just type the password in the box, click submit, and CNBC will give you an estimate of how long it would take to crack the password. Unfortunately, the news outlet made a series of blunders with their tool, putting users at risk. How strong is your password. Instead of calculating password strength on the client (your computer/ phone/device), CNBC elected to perform the calculations on the server side. In addition, they did not use HTTPS; the passwords were sent in an unencrypted, easy to intercept format. GET requests are typically used to ask a server for a specific web page, and shouldn’t be used to send data. They consist of arguments added to the end of a URL in the address bar. CNBC sent user passwords with GET request, meaning the passwords were visable to anyone looking over your shoulder or with access to your browser history (ie. employers or internet
service providers). The GET requests were also sent to all 30 third parties (mostly advertisers) when loading the page. To top it off, CNBC claimed that “No passwords are being stored.” Security researchers found that passwords were being inserted into a Google Docs spreadsheet. CNBC has since pulled the article, and has not responded to requests for comment from other news outlets. Password strength checkers are a good concept, although you should never use them. They can be malicious and steal your passwords and other information. Even if they have good intentions like CNBC, they can still screw up their implementation. CNBC’s strength checker tested passwords’ vulnerability to brute force attacks. A brute force attack is like testing every combination on a padlock: it’s slow, but eventually you’ll get it right. While a strength checker can be a useful tool for visualization, I’ll explain on paper, where I can’t steal your information. Picture a lock on a briefcase. I’m imagining three dials, each ranging from 0 to 9. There are 1000 possible combinations, from 000 to 999. Assuming it takes five seconds for me to test a combination, I’ll need 5000 seconds (or about an hour and twenty minutes) to try all of them. Now imagine the lock has four dials. We’ve gone from 103 possibilities to 104, and now I
need almost 14 hours to enter them all. Imagine the dial goes from 0 to 9, and then ‘a’‘z’. We’re now at 36 characters, and four dials. I’ll need over 2,332 hours to try them all, or 97 days. If we add capital letters, we have 62 characters, bringing us to 4104 hours (171 days). Adding two more dials gives us 626 options, which will take me almost two and a half yeWars of nonstop attempts to open the case. When it takes this long to crack a password, I must know there is something valuable in the briefcase for it to be worth my effort. It almost seems like overkill. If we consider that the graphics card in the budget desktop I built 7 years ago as a high school freshman could try every combination in under five minutes, it seems like a joke. Every small increase in length or complexity will greatly improve a password’s strength. Historically, eight has been a common minimum length for passwords. Given the rapid rate of processing power growth we’ve seen over the past decades, I wouldn’t recommend using a password with less than ten characters, with numbers and a mix of upper and lowercase letters. Next week I’ll explain dictionary and heuristic attacks, and go into where I’d find a big lists of passwords. In the meantime, if you want feedback on your password, feel free to email me at dstewar2@stevens. edu. I promise not to store it.
Through Adversity, The Stars
Starring…Tyler Jones
by MIA HILDEBRANDT Freshman Mechanical Engineering Major
The internet is for… checking emails — duh. Trekkie Monster, played by the multi-talented Tyler Jones, is a character from Avenue Q, who has an obsession with certain internet things. If you do not yet know what I am referring to, check out the Stevens Dramatic Society (SDS) production of Avenue Q, which is playing now till Saturday. It was not until auditions for Avenue Q came around that Tyler thought about seeking out a role. Having been told that,“[f] reshman year is the year to do [musical theater],” Tyler auditioned for the musical. A cascade of events followed. While trying out for the role of Trekkie Monster, he was asked to do “the Trekkievoice,” which is, “basically the Cookie Monster voice,” according to Tyler, “and before I knew it, I got the part of Trekkie.” He added, “This is definitely one of the defining moments of my freshman year. It has been a lot of fun!” The performing arts have impacted Tyler in more ways than one. First off, in the sea of engineers on the Stevens campus, Tyler is a first year Music & Technology major who is also minoring in Mathematics. In addition to being in SDS, Tyler is also in the Stevens Choir, Torch Alliance, and Audio Engineering Club. In his free time, Tyler enjoys playing instruments and composing — you can listen at soundcloud.com/tylerjonsi. Originally from Montvale, NJ, Tyler began playing multiple instruments from a young age starting with the drums, and then
Tyler Jones
branching out to playing the piano, some guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, bass, and saxophone. Tyler has been a musician since the age of 9. He was originally part of his school band, and then realized that he wanted to do more with music. He kept exploring new instruments, and soon, music became “more of a hobby, and now it’s my major,” Tyler says. Also at the age of 9, Tyler’s dad got him a Guitar Hero video game, and he started playing that a lot and got really good at it — to the level that he (at the age of 9) won a competition at his local GameStop playing Guitar Hero. This victory marked a critical moment in Tyler’s musical career. A light bulb suddenly went off, and he thought, “But what if I tried this with a real instrument?” It was not long before Tyler got a drum set and began taking lessons. Like most high school students, Tyler, at the time, was unsure about what he would major in in college. He was between majoring in Music or majoring in an Engineering-related field. After applying and getting into Stevens, he was set to study engineering and to focus particularly in nanotechnology, but then the summer going into his freshman year, he changed his intended major to Music and Technology. In explaining how he came to this conclusion, Tyler quite simply stated, “I need to do music. I want
to do music really bad, so I did it!” While attending a school heavily focused on engineering, it is easy to overlook other majors offered — from majors like Music & Technology and Visual Arts & Technology. As discussed in a plethora of scholarly articles, individuals involved in the performing arts are statistically more likely to succeed academically compared to those that are not. Through music in particular, mental agility is required to exercise both sides of the brain. Practicing and rehearsing cultivate memorization skills, which aid in learning not only music, but also facts and figures needed for STEM classes. In addition, “[c]onquering performance anxiety helps with public speaking,” Tyler added, and it even helps with social interactions, “[b]eing in the band helped with social anxiety.” This idea is not new. Recently, the arts, are slowly beginning to be held to the same standard as STEM-related fields as well, which turns STEM + Art into STEAM. “Go for it,” Tyler advises to anyone considering participating in SDS shows or any performing arts group on campus. From blaring three-part harmonies about wishing to go back to college, to songs about people being just a little bit racist, there is no doubt that the Stevens production of Avenue Q will be a hit!
Across the Hudson
Everything matters to someone
by DAVID ROGERS Freshman Mechanical Engineering Major
Walking around Bowery over break, I noticed a small open place across the street within the NYC Parks symbol on the side. There was a statue of a
Chinese man and a small memorial. Even from across the wide & busy Bowery, I could read the inscription on the memorial, which read: “In memory of Americans of Chinese ancestry who lost their lives in defense of freedom and democracy.” As soon as I turned the corner, it dawned upon me how many people that small memorial was commemorating. This tiny place, probably not much bigger than my dorm room, is of incredible significance to the hundreds of thousands of Chinese New Yorkers whose an-
cestors died in our wars. I started thinking about anything small in the city that has any significance to me or my friends. The eagles outside of Penn Station represent a lot of history to me, just like the few other remaining relics of the old Penn Station. The park under the Triboro Bridge, where I go to a drill competition every August, is a highway flyover to 99% of the tristate area, but it’s a sports arena to me. A coffee shop near my high school used to be where my teammates and I went after practice everyday, but to
most people it’s just any other coffee shop, no different than the thousands, maybe even millions, of other coffee shops in the city. Obviously, none of these examples mean as much as a veterans’ memorial, but they still mean something more to me than what the naked eye sees. I’m sure there are many other people who have some type of attachment to seemingly normal things. This isn’t unique to New York, as I’m sure that people in any other city in the country, even the world, have similar
feelings about seemingly normal places or things in their city. However, the memorial made me think about how small these types of things are in somewhere as dense as the city. Based on my experience, it is probably the density. In the small town on Long Island where I grew up, the memorial is much larger than the one in Chinatown. In regards to the drill competition under the Triboro Bridge, there’s a similar competition in Texas, but their venue is always nicer than the shadow of a bridge. Once again, because our
city is so dense, we have to cram everything wherever we can. I’ve only given examples of the things that are significant to me, but there are 8.4 million other people in the city, and 20 million in the tristate area. There are that many more small things that mean a lot to people. This actually somewhat tweaks my perspective of everything I pass by in the city because even though most of the things I pass by hold little to no significance to me, it still changes my perspective knowing that it means something to someone.
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 9
Women in the Tech Spotlight
Women in the Tech Spotlight: Danae Ringelmann
by NAMANKITA RANA Freshman Undecided Engineering Major
The mission of Danae Ringelmann’s first company was simple: to “democratize fundraising”. At the time it sounded crazy, but today it’s become a reality: as co-founder of Indiegogo, Ringelmann is one of the most powerful voices on the crowdfunding scene. Danae Ringelmann cofounded Indiegogo in 2007 and has since helped to propel the company into the world’s largest crowd-
funding platform. Today, Danae leads Indiegogo’s industry development efforts, while steering the company’s employee culture and values initiatives. Danae was listed as one of Fortune Magazine’s 40 under 40, as well as SF Business Times’ 40 under 40 in 2014. ELLE Magazine named Danae to its Woman in Tech Power List in 2014; Fast Company included her in its Top 50 Women Innovators in Technology in 2011. Here’s how she got started: Prior to starting her work at Indiegogo, she worked in the finance industry on Wall Street, and she noticed how difficult it was for independent artists and entrepreneurs to secure funding for their projects. In particular, their struggles reminded her of her small-business-owner par-
ents struggle to find capital while she was growing up. “They never could actually get a loan,” she said. Seeing that story multiplied over and over again deeply affected her. She came up with the basic concept for Indiegogo — a crowdfunding platform where anyone can raise money for an idea or a project — and fine-tuned it while attending business school at UC Berkeley. That’s also where she met her co-founders, Eric Schell and Slava Rubin. They convinced her that the Internet was a better platform for the company, and they introduced Indiegogo in January 2008. The path to Indiegogo’s current success was not smooth. As she told Huffington Post during March of last year, “After we launched Indiegogo in
January of 2008, we were rejected by 92 Venture investors before we raised our first round of traditional investment capital in March 2011. However, with each rejection brought more motivation to make Indiegogo work, as the whole purpose of Indiegogo was to remove gatekeepers from the financing equation and distribute the decision-making power of what ideas should thrive and which shouldn’t to the people.” She also joked, “ I like to say if Indiegogo had been around when Indiegogo needed to raise money to launch, we might’ve gotten a bit of a faster start.” Eventually, Indiegogo connected with a few investors who shared their vision. The rest, as they say, was history. Today Indiegogo has transformed into a smash-
ing success. Indiegogo has hosted more than 250,000 campaigns in 224 countries and territories. And its name — along with that of rival Kickstarter, which began in 2009 — has become synonymous with the crowdfunding movement. Ringelmann’s story is unique for a lot of reasons, but one of them is simply how rare it is: women create only eight percent of venture-backed startups. In an interview with VentureBeat, she was asked directly what it’s like being one of the few female founders in Silicon Valley. Ringelmann replied, “ Indiegogo is helping to level the funding playing field. We know that it’s harder for women to succeed. In venture capital, only three percent of businesses have a woman on their execu-
tive team. Meanwhile, on Indiegogo, 47 percent of campaigns that reach their funding target are run by women. We’re literally changing the industry by showing it without having to talk about it. It’s just happening.” She also noted that Indiegogo is an equal opportunity workplace without even trying to be one. As she adds, “ I left finance because it was biased and created these buddy systems. We’re building a system where everyone has access to equal opportunity. At Indiegogo, half of our employees are women, and half of our leadership is women. None of that was done in a quota fashion. It was organic. I feel a responsibility to share this story, as I’m hoping it will inspire others. We’ll get there.”
Not With Those Shoes
Spring Trends and Wacky Weather
by HOPE BRANDES
Sophomore Visual Arts & Technology Major
Waiting for your summer romance to sweep you off your feet? Maybe this season’s romantic styles will instead. This summer’s feature trends are lace, ruffles and offthe-shoulder tops i.e. the perfect recipe for a date night. The bipolar weather lately also means it’s the best time for layering, so grab your fave spring jacket and let’s get shopping! Lace is easy to tackle because you can dress it up or dress it down, and it works with almost every item from dresses to tops to accessories. I’m also a big fan of “twosies,” out-
fits made from two separate items matching in structure or print. That’s why Abercrombie’s lace crop cami and matching lace shorts are on my wish list. The lace pencil skirt is another versatile piece that can look classy or flirty depending on how you style it. A nice blouse or sweater will give a dressier feel while a crop top or gray v-neck tee will dress it down for lunch in the city or a dinner date. Of course, you can always take the easy route and opt for a pastel or white lace dress and wedges for a timeless summer look. Believe it or not, lace was also one of the recurring trends for men’s fashion on the runway this season. Dare to make it your own? For ruffles less is more, but a few accents can really dress up an outfit. A ruffled top or blouse, though typically formal, creates a happy medium with light wash skinny jeans and a sleeveless trench coat. Ruffles lay-
er nicely with jackets, cardigans and vests that can be worn open, like a blazer or leather coat. To avoid looking like a 5-year-old at a princess birthday party, pick larger, structured ruffles and make it the statement piece of your outfit. Typically a blouse has ruffle extending from the collar down the middle, but a more unique look might feature ruffles on the sleeves, around the hem of the skirt or on a tiered top. It’s time to give your sweaters the cold shoulder because the hottest trend right now is bare shoulders. Whether it be a cutout detail or completely off-the-shoulder style, you can keep cool and look cute at the same time. I can’t think of a store that doesn’t sell this style right now, and it works with almost anything. I especially love cold shoulder tops with maxi skirts or ankle pants to show a little more on top and a little
less on the bottom. One of my personal summer faves is the deconstructed button down. Maybe I’m the only one who admittedly loves oxford shirts, but many designers have reinvented the button down’s summer role. Cropped, sleeveless, ruffled, twisted hem, tie-neck… what can’t you do? All of these and the shirtdress are easy breezy ways to keep your button downs in your closet all summer long. Looking for inspiration? Try Zara’s frilled poplin shirt or Topshop’s Short Sleeve Ruffle Short. Men’s fashion is always a little crazier on the runway and this season was littered with bold patterns head-totoe, jumpsuits (overalls), bowling shirts, and short shorts. What to make of this mess? Bold patterns are in, especially Eastern themes, but pick one pattern as a focal point for a shirt and match it will solid colored bot-
toms and accessories. Do try out some funky, spring patterns though. Florals are not just for girls. From skirts to pajamas to short shorts, bottoms were a little all over. If you’re not feeling as adventurous, try a relaxed fit jean, the more distressed the better. But hey, I’m all for personal style and pushing boundaries, don’t be afraid to embrace the wilder side of the runway! Maybe it’s about time… In the meantime, while we dream of beaches and flip-flops but the weather still demands we keep warm, that doesn’t mean we can’t dabble into our spring wardrobes a little. Your best friends right now are jackets. I’m still pulling out my winter coat for the occasionally freak flurry, but when the sun gets a little brighter our jackets will get a little lighter. Trench coats are both a never-go-out-of-style staple and the love of my life. I love the contrast sleeve
look for girls. I tend to stick to tan or camel but an x-long medium gray duster is currently on my want list. For men, gray was the runway ‘it’ color this spring and singlebreasted rain coats were aplenty. Suede is still in from the lingering 70’s revival so guys can also try a suede zip up or, for super casual rainy days, the Anorak is back. Underneath that, a light sweater layered over a bright or pastel colored button down is a great look for either gender. This is your opportunity to slip into some gingham – my to-die-for pattern. I recently purchased a light gray sweater and pink gingham shirt by Tommy Hilfiger from Macy’s for $30 each. You might not think of dresses as layering items but I swear they work too! A sleeveless dress or jumper look cute paired with a tiefront blouse, turtleneck or simple tee. Don’t forget tights, too!
WCPR ReWrite
THE NEW STYLE: Week of 4/7/16 by WCPR REWRITE STAFF
Thanks to the advent of music recording software that’s as accessible as the channels to distribute the latest Hot Track, it may seem easy to drown in the river of new tunes these days. Here are some choice cuts from your friendly neighborhood college radio staff in case you need a life-preserver: “Counterfeit” by Spree Wilson Bless Saint Heron – the dynamic label started by
Solange Knowles is a reliable resource for content from both contemporary R&B mainstays and promising up-andcoming talent. Case-andpoint: Nashville’s Spree Wilson, whose “Counterfeit” is a minimalist take on the ups and down’s of a new love. Sealed with the same kiss as Frank Ocean’s channel ORANGE (Malay also produced the new Zayn album apparently???), this a fresh addition to any Spring playlist. Bonus points for the intersectional feminist-touting video! – Andy Waldron “If I Had a Dog” by
Frankie Cosmos I’ve been living and breathing all things Great Kline for last six months. There are unmistakable melodies that will not leave my head. I’ll be walking down a flight of stairs and all of a sudden the descent becomes several hops and a skip all to the tune of anything from Zentropy. I had extremely high hopes with the announcement of the new album and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Next Thing is by far my favorite album of year so far. It’s everything I wanted and more, keeping all
of the signature sounds but spinning a new story with another dog song. Besides, what other artist can make me miss a dog I’ve never met? – Emma Murphy “Your Best American Girl” by Mitski When I put this on I immediately transported through time. I’m sitting in a car. I’m younger. I have my right hand cast out the car window and I can feel the wind pulsing between my fingers. My hair dances around my face as the wind comes in stronger and stronger. Between my hair I can see the sun setting as we approach dusk. The
sun is bleeding oranges and reds that fill up the space between the evergreens. I look over to the driver but the light is coming from behind him. I can’t see his face but I know who he is. All I want is to be his best American girl but he’ll never know. I’ll never say. – Emma Murphy “Drone Bomb Me” by ANOHNI There are many moments of suspended disbelief during the four minutes “Drone Bomb Me” occupies; the land mines of Hudson Mohawke’s tectonic production coupled with Oneohtrix Point Never’s
grounding radar blips. ANOHNI’s truly haunting delivery, an immediate resonance left lingering over the last phrase of each verse as it trails off in the distance. Her most arresting quality leaving us in awe, however? The artist’s true mastery, found within forcing us to face debilitating desolation headon through the disturbingly seductive vessel of a love song. – Andy Waldron Be sure to check out these and other staff selections over at the WCPR Spotify page: play.spotify.com/user/ wcpr
Varsity Sports
Friday, April 8, 2016 • Page 10
Women’s lacrosse topples Houghton
HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 2, 2016) – Stevens Institute of Technology women’s lacrosse senior Erika Wilcox scored a seasonhigh six goals Saturday to lead the Ducks to a 16-4, Empire 8 Conference win over Houghton College. The win evens Stevens’ record at 4-4 (1-1), while Houghton fell to 2-7 (0-2). Junior Kathleen Kalbian scored four times in addition to a pair of assists, while junior Jess Leiby scored twice with an assist. The Ducks also saw goals from freshman Mackenzie Metzler, junior Mariel Haubrich, junior Mary Beth Irwin, and junior Laura Roberts. Stevens dominated in shots 41-10, including a 25-6 margin in shots on
Stevens Sports Information
goal, and tallied 31 ground balls to Houghton’s eight. Let by junior captain Betsy Crossland, the Ducks defense forced 13 Houghton turnovers. Wilcox made her pres-
Softball powers its way to sweep over Houghton HOUGHTON, N.Y. (April 2, 2016) – The Stevens Institute of Technology softball team outscored Houghton College 22-6 Saturday in a sweep comprised of 10-2, and 12-4 wins. The sweep moved Stevens’ record to 12-6 (31), while Houghton fell to 5-15 (0-4). Stevens 10, Houghton 2 After a scoreless first inning, Houghton got on the board first with runs in the second and third to grab the 2-0 lead. Sophomore Olivia Gemma got one back with a leadoff homer in the fourth, before junior Amanda DiLeo blasted a two-run shot three batters later give the Ducks the 3-2 lead. Gemma made the lead stick in the circle by retiring the Houghton side in order in the fourth, allowing Stevens to crack the game open with four in the fifth. Sophomore Lauren Shirley and junior Emily Sellitti each singled to put a pair of runners on with one out, and were driven in off a three-run shot from junior Jessica Rees. Junior Gina Schnecker capped the rally a few batters later with an RBI single to score DiLeo. The runs were more than enough for Gemma who retired the side in order again in the fifth before the Ducks put the game away for good with three more in the sixth.
DiLeo led the Ducks offensively with four RBIs and three runs in a 3-for4 day at the plate. Rees went 1-for-3 with there RBIs and two runs, while Sellitti scored three times. Gemma earned her second win of the season after allowing just two earned runs and striking out four in six innings of work. Stevens 12, Houghton 4 Stevens grabbed the early lead after a balk in the first scored DiLeo, and answered a Houghton first-inning run with three in the second. Sellitti’s two-out double scored freshman Julia DeCandia for the inning’s first run, before a Shirley double two batters later drove-in DiLeo and Selltti. DeCandia drove in Schnecker with an RBI groundout, while Sellitti capped the inning with a two-run homer to give Stevens the 10-1 lead. Houghton got one back in their half of the third, but Stevens answered in the fifth with Sellitti’s RBI triple to score DeCandia. Both teams traded a pair of runs in the fifth, but it’s all the scoring Houghton would do as senior starter Brianna Sandone slammed the door on the game by striking out the side in the sixth. Sellitti went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs, while DiLeo, Rees and DeCandia each scored twice. Sandone earned her second win of the season after striking out six in six innings of work.
ence known early with three goals over the game’s first 12 minutes to give the Ducks a three-goal cushion early in regulation. Kalbian assisted on the first, while Haubrich delivered
the feed on the next two. Irwin continued the hot start with a score off a pass from Haubrich, before Houghton got on the board during the eight minute mark to cut the Stevens
lead to 5-1. After being held scoreless over the next minutes, the Ducks ballooned their lead to seven however with three goals over the final 2:22 to take an 8-1 lead into the half. Kalbian and Wilcox converted their free-position attempts early in the second to build the lead to nine, before Houghton answered back with one from Megan Oswald to get within eight. The Ducks responded with a 3-0 spurt though, sparked by Leiby and capped with two from Kalbian. Houghton scored once again during the 13th minute, but Stevens closed the game on a 3-1 run sealed by two from Kalbian to close-out the 16-4 victory.
No. 4 men’s volleyball sweeps MIT, Penn
12th place time of 45.20. In the 1,500 junior Nicholas Zickgraf and freshman Ryan Little notched top-10 finishes. Zickgraf was third with a time of 4:04.51, while senior Shane Chiaravalle ran the 400 in 50.98. In the field events, sophomore Parker Dimock was eighth in the hammer throw, throwing 42.83m. Junior Neil
Friday BASEBALL AT ELMIRA COLLEGE 2:00 PM Elmira, NY
SOFTBALL VS UTICA COLLEGE 3:30 PM Weehawken, NJ
TRACK AND FIELD AT OSPREY OPEN 4:00 PM Pomona, NJ
BASEBALL AT ELMIRA COLLEGE 4:30 PM Elmira, NY Stevens Sports Information
HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 2, 2016) – The No. 4 Stevens Institute of Technology men’s volleyball team swept Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Penn State University-Behrend in United Volleyball Conference action Saturday. The Ducks moved to 27-5, while PSB fell to 7-18 and MIT is 21-7. MIT topped Behrend in the middle game of the tri-match. No. 4 Stevens 3, Penn State-Behrend 0 (25-19, 2517, 25-22) The Lions started things off with a three straight markers, including a service ace by Anthony Sprentz to start the first set. A doubleblock by Josh Oertly and Tyler Fiely forced Stevens into a timeout. But the Ducks roared back after the break, as junior Gabe Shankweiler served up five straight, including an ace. The Lions used a 7-1 rally to go ahead 9-4 in the final set and the Ducks took advantage of a blocking error to cut the deficit to a single point. Behrend did not go away quietly and scored four more in a row. A Thiess kill brought the lead
back to five, but Vaughan recorded seven straight to put Stevens ahead for good. Ferriter ended the match with his 14th kill of the afternoon. Ferriter also led the team with four total blocks, as senior Ayal Ciobotaru was tops with seven digs. Vaughan chipped in 12 kills and five digs, with senior Scott Wright slamming home six kills. Prior to the second match, the Ducks honored Ciobotaru, Wright, Ferriter, Vaughan, Eddins and Etan Bennett as part of senior day ceremonies. No. 4 Stevens 3, MIT 0 (25-21, 25-19, 25-17) MIT raced out of the gates, scoring nine of the first 13 points. The Ducks battled to get within a point, led by a pair of doubleblocks anchored by sophomore Thomas Burrell. With the frame tied at 17, Ferriter launched a kill to start a 4-0 rally giving the Ducks a lead they didn’t give up. Shankweiler ended an Engineer 2-0 run with a kill to end the set. The hosts controlled the second stanza from the get-
go, and used a mid-set 3-0 run to push the gap to 15-8. After MIT pulled to within five on a setting error, the team closed to within 23-15 after a vicious solo block by Ferriter. The visitors scored four straight to get down to four, but a pair of attack errors ended the second set, capped off with a solo stuff by Vaughan. With Stevens up 8-7 in the third set, the hosts would six of the next eight to grow the lead to 14-9. MIT would get no closer than three points, as the Ducks closed out on a 5-0 run, finished with three straight Engineer attack errors. The Ducks hit .479 over the three sets, committing only four attack errors. MIT committed 27 errors, and hit only .101. Ferriter led the way with 10 kills and Burrell had a game-high eight total blocks. Junior Scott Russell dished out 33 assists. The Ducks clinched the No. 2 seed in next week’s United Volleyball Conference tournament, and will meet the winner of No. 3 New York University and No. 6 Vassar College.
Men’s outdoor places 12th at Ramapo MAHWAH, N.J. (April 2, 2016) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s outdoor track and field team placed 12th out of 31 teams at the Ramapo College Invitational. Junior Chris Banko scored six points with a third place time of 15:47.55 in the 5,000-meter, while 4X100-meter relay squad picked up a
ON DECK IN SPORTS
Forrester was 10th in the shot put, and sophomore Nicholas Krute was eighth in the discus, tossing 41.75m. “This was a typical early season outdoor meet for us,” said Head Coach Justin Wood. “We are in a heavy training phase and working through the first few weeks. I liked our effort today and expect to see some top marks soon.”
Saturday MEN’S TENNIS AT ELMIRA COLLEGE 10:00 AM Elmira, NY
TRACK AND FIELD AT OSPREY OPEN 10:00 AM Pomona, NJ
MEN’S LACROSSE VS HOUGHTON COLLEGE 1:00 PM Hoboken, NJ
WOMEN’S LACROSSE AT UTICA COLLEGE 1:00 PM Utica, NY
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL AT VASSAR/NYU 5:00 PM New Paltz, NY
FOR MORE INFORMATION, HEAD TO: STEVENSDUCKS.COM STEVENSREC.COM Stevens Sports Information
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