[The Stute] April 20, 2018 (Issue 24, Volume CXV)

S Volume CXV

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Issue 24

Featured in this Issue: Earth Day, SAVE Terrarium Event, Unity Showcase, State of the Senate, Steaking Out Arthur’s, The Quiet Place, Educating Means Forgetting

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Middle States Accreditation team visits and gives summary report on Stevens

Established 1904

Posters allowed in Babbio Atrium

by MARK KRUPINSKI Business Manager

process has several steps. The institution first does a self-evaluation, after which a Middle States Visiting Team creates their own report. The institution then has a chance to rebut the visiting team report, to which the Chair of the Visiting Team makes a confidential response to the Board

There is no ban on posters being hung in Babbio Atrium.

According to members of Facilities, Student Life, and the School of Business, there is no policy preventing posters in Babbio Atrium. The poster that states “NO POSTERS” is fake news.

When contacted, Dean Kristie Damell of Undergraduate Student Life responded, “We are actually in the process of working with Facilities to update our postering policies and locations over the next year. We just met with Frank LoCastro and David Zimmerman to discuss best practices and locations.

We have also asked for a heads-up when they need flyers removed in certain areas before a large campus-wide event.

Student groups will need to make sure they are not only hanging flyers but also removing them.”

Currently, there is no alert system for when students need to remove their posters before a big event, such as Admitted Students Weekend. Damell mentioned nothing regarding Babbio Atrium currently. She shared the

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Edwin A. Stevens Building |stevens.edu

by MARYIA SPIRYDONAVA Editor-in-Chief

Accreditation is a term that is constantly heard with respect to colleges. Accreditation is a peer review process that educational communities have used since the 20th century for the purpose of self-regulation. The process is voluntary and is intended to

strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. Institutions apply for accreditation status and after being accredited agree to abide by certain standards and take responsibility for self-improvement.

The Middle States Accreditation process, specifically, ana-

lyzes the university’s progress and adherence to certain standards. The Middle States Commission defines, maintains, and promotes educational excellence across institutions with diverse missions, student populations, and resources. It examines each institution as a whole, rather than specific programs within institutions. The accreditation

Businesses hurting from Sixth Street closure

by DYLAN JAMES MOON Staff Writer

The construction closure of Sixth Street between River Terrace and Hudson Street due to the erection of the Gianforte Family Academic Center has been a center of drama among Stevens students and Hoboken business owners. Even before construction began in August 2017, local groups, such as the Hudson Street Alliance, opposed the university’s original plan to build higher than zoning laws permitted. The Hoboken Historic Preservation Commission was upset by the demolition of the Lieb Building, a barrack built in the 1910s to house Navy sailors during World War I. And before Babbio Garage opened, the closure of the Sixth Street Lot and River Terrace disrupted student parking.

Now, the businesses on Washington Street are suffering.

Sixth Street, located among academic buildings, leads to a cluster of popular restaurants on Washington Street, including H&S Giovanni’s, Jefferson’s

Coffee, O’Bagel, and Kung Fu Tea. With the road closed, the walk to those restaurants is extended three blocks unless the EAS or ABS buildings are used as shortcuts. The inconvenience has dramatically reduced student traffic and has put pressure on these businesses.

H&S Giovanni’s, nicknamed “Gio’s,” has long been a favorite among Stevens students.

The restaurant participates in the DuckBills program and is active in the Stevens community, from advertising in The Stute to fundraising for StevensTHON. However, according to H&S Giovanni’s co-founder, Shpend Malota, lunch-hour business has dropped by 80% since the closure of Sixth Street.

Ten to 15 students may trickle in during the early afternoon, said Malota, when formerly a hundred would do the same. “[Gio’s loss of business] is visible,” said Brian Bazergui, a third-year Stevens student.

“You can see it’s a lot emptier in there. It’s not as hopping. It’s saddening. [Gio’s] was the restaurant I went to because it was

so close. I go there more often than not now because I want to keep them in business.”

As construction continues, going out of business is no longer a distant hypothetical. A month ago, Malota watched It’s Greek To Me close down across the street.

A few doors down from the recently vacated storefront, Jefferson’s Coffee is also fighting to retain business amid ongoing construction. The young shop, offering Direct Trade coffee with no tax, tried to hire as many students as possible and has taken to social media to regain business. “We believe students are our biggest asset,” J.Efe Maruflu, the shop’s wholesale partner, said.

Despite pressure from construction, Jefferson’s Coffee continues to offer student discounts.

O’Bagel, for its part, has felt less of an impact. According to one employee, ongoing Washington Street construction and limited parking are larger is-

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Photo courtesy of The Hoboken Journal

D’Amico featured with DPhiE sister Jen Muschello. | Photo courtesy of Delta Phi Epsilon

Beta Theta Pi brother crowned Ted D’ Amico Castle Point King

by NICK BURNS Staff Writer

Delta Phi Epsilon hosted its annual philanthropy event Castle Point King last Saturday, April 14 in Canavan Arena. Ted D’Amico of Beta Theta Pi was crowned king, and Preston Ragonese of Sigma Nu was the runner-up. The Prince of Philanthropy, a title given to whoever raises the most money for the event, was Daniel Lum of Sigma Phi Epsilon, who raised over $2,000.

Castle Point King is a competition among the fraternities at Stevens. Each fraternity sends a brother to represent them in the competition. Each participant is first introduced by the emcees, then shows a video, and finally,

puts on a live performance with help from his fraternity and sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon. This year’s event was spearheaded by Briana Maetta and Christie DiGenova. The purpose of the event is not purely entertainment, but to raise funds for the Delta Phi Epsilon philanthropies, Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF).

This year marked the 20th Castle Point King hosted by the sorority. This year, the theme was “Girl Power”, with contestants creating performance relating to female icons. At the competition, Tommy Daly represented Kappa Sigma as Daenerys Targaryen,

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Matthew Doto was omitted from the staff box in Issue 24.

News Continued Sixth

Continued from front page

sues than the closure of Sixth Street. A chef, noting that the Stevens Lacrosse team continues to make frequent visits, added that students continue to be among the shop’s largest clientele.

But O’Bagel seems to be in a minority, and other quick-service shops, such as Kung Fu Tea, have not-

ed fewer students swinging by between classes.

One student, who asked to remain anonymous, voiced his concern that the Sixth Street closure could be the start of a detrimental trend. Using Gio’s as an example, he explained, “Gio’s was the go-to place for a lot of people. But now with Sixth Street closed, there are going to be at least two generations of students who don’t know to ‘just go to Gio’s.’ And

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 2

when they become upperclassmen, the incoming students will ask where they should go for food, and nobody will say Gio’s because they didn’t ‘grow up’ on it.”

Despite the effects which the construction of the Academic Center have had on local businesses, Robert Maffia, Vice President for Facilities and Campus Operations, said he had not heard directly from any of the shops. According

to Maffia, Sixth Street is expected to reopen in July 2019. However, he added, “If we find an opportunity to open it sooner, with […] Sixth Street not being in the construction zone, we certainly will.”

While an earlier opening of Sixth Street would be a relief to local businesses and students alike, in the meantime, students can continue to visit these restaurants using alternate routes.

StevensTHON is “For the Kids”

by MARYIA SPIRYDONAVA Editor-In-Chief

Since 2015, StevensTHON has been attempting to bring campus together to raise money for kids of Children’s Specialized Hospital. Since its founding, StevensTHON has raised over $50,000 and has received numerous awards, most recently “Best New Dance Marathon of 2017.”

The most important goal of StevensTHON is to do everything that is possible to benefit the kids of the Children’s Specialized Hospital. “Everything we do, year round, is for them,” said Nicole Maetta, Executive Director for StevensTHON. The children in the Specialized Hospital, unfortunately, are not able to experience the comfort of their own homes, and StevensTHON wants to allow the kids to have a childhood.

Organizations like StevensTHON are really important to children’s hospitals. Maetta commented, “Children’s hospitals run on donations, and much of the rehabilitation equipment they require for treatment is obtained through funds raised by organizations like StevensTHON.” StevensTHON is a student run, year round, philanthropic movement which raises money specifically for the New Jersey Chil-

dren’s Specialized Hospital. The students involved work to both raise money and awareness for the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Outside of the movement, other organizations have also shown their support. StevensTHON has partnered with multiple student organizations on campus, including the Indian Undergraduate Association, C2GS, Transfer Student Association, Torch Alliance, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Stevens Health Professionals Club, and many of the Greek organizations. These organization co-sponsored events together throughout the year. StevensTHON invites and encourages all organizations to create fundraising pages on their websites and join the movement.

If students want to get involved, Maetta says that outside of their organizations, they can start by visiting www.stevensTHON.

com. Students can make their own fundraising pages and then share them with their friends. Students can also join the mailing list to be up to date with weekly events such as canning, general body meetings, and other events.

The first Children’s Miracle Network Dance Marathon was held in 1991 at the University of Indiana in honor of Ryan White.

StevensTHON is “…proud to be a part of the Miracle Network Dance Marathon movement” which is a community spanning over 250 schools nationwide, all in support of their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

On Saturday, April 27, StevensTHON will be celebrating its own efforts with a twelve-hour dance marathon, where the total amount of money raised for the year will be announced. Maetta describes, “StevensTHON’s

Dance Marathon [as] truly an experience like no other. For 12 hours, we stand and dance in honor of the kids being treated at Children’s Specialized Hospital.” Some of the kids from the hospital and their families will be attending and sharing their stories, as well as showing how much of a difference hospital treatments can make.

Those who raise a minimum of $62 (the number represents the 62 kids who enter a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital each minute) on their fundraising page will receive a free shirt. There will also be various events through the night, such as raffles and performances from student organizations, as well as a variety of food from Hoboken vendors.

StevensTHON will be holding the Dance Marathon, on Friday, April 27 in Bissinger from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Stevens THON team at last year’s Dance Marathon | StevensTHON Facebook

CPK

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Danny Lum represented Sigma Phi Epsilon as Mulan, Preston Ragonese represented Sigma Nu as Miley Cyrus, Andy Diaz represented Delta Tau Delta as Rihanna, Austin Marchese represented Theta Xi as The Jersey Shore and the Situation, Ted D’Amico represented Beta Theta Pi as Beyonce, and Jonathan Scrivanich represented the Lodge as Gwen Stefani. Additionally, the event featured some performances from non-competitors, including the dance club TECHnique and one of Stevens’ acappella groups, Quackappella.

The contestants were judged based upon his live performance, his prepared video, and the fraternity’s fundraising efforts with Delta Phi Epsilon. Judges, Delta Phi Epsilon alumna Tyanna Hansson, Deputy Chief of Police Bob DiGenova, and Dr. Don Lombardi helped judge each contes-

Above: Brothers of Beta Theta Phi posing with sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon. | Photo courtesy of Delta Phi Epsilon

tant’s live performance and video to select a winner.

“This has been, by far, one of the most rewarding experiences [for] this whole event come together… countless members of our campus and Greek community had put in [hard work] to support CPK and such great causes,” explained DiGenova, about working on Castle Point King.

“Every participant did an amazing job putting on a highly entertaining show

and we appreciate all their hard work and dedication and help in raising so much money,” she exclaimed.

“Every year Delta Phi Epsilon hosts Castle Point King, and every year it just gets better and better,” explained DPhiE President Natasha Rai. “This year, the inclusion of our Hype Week allowed us to raise over $9,000 for our philanthropies, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Anorexia Nervosa and Associated

Disorders. Not only that, but it’s always great to see the Greek houses come together for the event and be able to put on an entertaining show for the community! I’m so proud of our chapter for all the hard work put into making the event successful, and especially [of] our two coordinators of philanthropy, Briana Maetta and Christie DiGenova, without whom none of it would’ve been possible.”

News Continued Poster

Report

Continued from front page

Continued from front page

policies, which are as follows: All student organization flyers must be stamped by the Office of Student Life (OSL).

Do not flyer over existing flyers, expired or otherwise.

Do not hang more than one flyer in a single location.

Do not remove flyers before their expiration date.

Do not post flyers on glass doors.

If you wish to hang flyers in the residence halls, you must coordinate with the Office of Residence Life on the seventh floor of Howe.

When contacted, Nicole Portner, the Outreach Manager for the School of Business, mentioned that she “was not involved in the creation or implementation of this policy” and does not know who is responsible for creating the policy. Additionally, Robert Maffia, Vice President for Facilities, did not know of the policy. No member of the administration is taking responsibility for the policy. Clubs and organizations should be allowed to hang posters in Babbio Atrium; there is nothing preventing them aside from a threatening “NO POSTERS” sign put up by an unknown party.

of Middle States, and the Accreditation Board meets in a month and a half to go over all documents and make a decision. The Middle States team consists of administration staff and faculty from other colleges. Stevens Institute of Technology has just gone through the second step of the accreditation process; the Middle States Visiting Team did their study between April 6 and April 10. Stevens has been continually accredited since 1927.

Stevens administrators were involved with the assessment of the university’s progress, and students provided insight into the progress of the school. Both former and current SGA cabinets were involved in meetings with the accreditation teams, as well as certain campus leaders that were invited by the Visiting Team.

There are seven different standards that were discussed in the Summary Report given by the Visiting Team — Mission and Goals, Ethics and Integrity, Design and Delivery of the Student Experience, Support of the Student Experience, Educational Effectiveness Assessment, Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improve-

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ment, and Governance, Leadership, and Administration. Stevens met all the standards. The Summary consisted of three parts for every standard: the Report, what Middle States found, the Suggestions, what Stevens should work on improving, and the Recommendations, what Stevens must do to better that area.

The Summary Report was extensive and covered a large variety of topics. Stevens did a good job with the self-study and interviews with students and staff. Middle States also pointed out the continuous progress in research and the importance of hiring a diversity educator, Jacquis Watters.

The report also stated that the school does a good job periodically reviewing the University Standards and tracking the strategic plan. The academic early warning system is effective and helps with retention. As far as educational departments go, the College of Arts and Letters is doing amazing. Course data is not only collected but also used to improve classes and departments.

Even the Board of Trustees was included in the report. The Visiting Team assessed that the Board of Trustees has appropriate oversight and that it is good that faculty is included on the board.

The Summary Report

discussed the importance of including a Student Life team, which is the entire Student Affairs department, in the strategic plan and that the values of the team should be reflected in the values of the entire university. At first glance, this appears to be a vague statement, which could be defined in a variety of ways. President of the Student Government Association Lucas Gallo said that in his opinion this means getting faculty and administration more involved in Student Life. Gallo pointed out that there is currently no Vice President of Student Affairs. Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, said that the strategic plan lacks coverage of the student experience outside of the classroom. Currently, the department is working on improving the first year experience for freshmen students and moving the Health and Wellness Center to the Pond House. However, none of these goals are formally listed in the strategic plan.

Dean of Students Kenneth Nilsen said that Stevens needs space for programs to grow. Diversity is mentioned in the plan, but mostly in terms of admission and faculty, which is important, yet, now that different populations are at Stevens, things need to be improved. Associate Director of Student Life

Chris Shemanski pointed out that a lot is required to make students happy on a day to day basis. The summary also suggested that the SGA and Office of Student Life should get more students involved in clubs since only 20% of the students are involved on campus. However, when asked if they knew where this number came from, Gallo, Klein, Nilsen, and Shemanski were all unaware of the origins of the data. Klein mentioned that, to her, that percentage seems wrong, since 40% of students are involved in Greek Life, which is part of Student Affairs.

Mental and Physical Health Services received a positive review in the report. However, there is a stigma around the Health Center being a middleman between students and doctors. Nilsen and Klein say that is the point of a small university health center. The Health Center should be efficient by meeting needs of the students instead of duplicating services that could be provided by doctors that students can see with their insurance. The goal is to take the wants of the students and provide them with efficient services; however, there is no data for what the students actually want. Klein discussed the talks on campus for a women’s health

doctor. She said that even though there was some interest, she wasn’t sure if students would actually use the service. It takes a lot of money to provide health services, and it is important that the money is used properly.

Data and surveying were discussed in almost every standard of the summary report. The report recommended that the 2017 NSSE data, which is a national survey that goes around every four years, should be used to identify ways to improve Student/Faculty relations. Gallo critiqued that the NSSE survey is vague and not tailored to Stevens. The report recommended that Stevens collect and share data from climate surveys. Climate surveys can be more frequent than the NSSE and catered to Stevens. Stevens was critiqued for getting quantitative data but not progressing with the data. Gallo stated that the only quantitative data is from course evaluations and the SGA. He gave the example of the student health survey, to which about 300 students responded. However, departments wouldn’t even use this data because it didn’t represent the entire student body. Gallo hopes that in the future, the data

continued on

thestute.com

Campus Pulse

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 4

Roving Reporter What’s the punchline to your favorite joke?

“Because George Bush stole my backpack.”

“Pork Chop.”

“Kyle Bernades.”

Tamer Asfar

Dylan DiGeronimo

“Kids don’t eat broccoli.”

“Two fish swimming down a river.”

“To get to the other side.”

Alex Louderback

Marley Anstine

Stephen Forte

Sam Coumans

Crossword At this week’s SGA meeting, a bill is being proposed that will dissolve the President Council, a council of organizations that reach across many facets of campus.

The council established a direct line of communication with the SGA President.

Which organizations are in the council? Fill out the crossword puzzle to find out.

Down 1) This organization was created by Thea Zunick its main role is to plan Greek Week 6) This organization is both a subcomittee and a RSO. 7) This organization’s members typically formally recruit.

Across 2) This organization has passed a record number of items this semester, with a number of 45 3) This organization may recieve two new members in the near future.

4) This organization contains all fraternties on campus, aside from the cultural fraternities and one non-cultural fraternity.

5) All potential members of this organization have access to Walker Gym 8) This reviving organization strives to create bonds between students and their professors 9) A building that was recently renovated hosts these programs 10) I pledge to a “student-run” exclusive at Stevens 11) This is the umbrella organization for a LGBTQ+ students at Stevens

CalcuDoku

Calcudoku is similar to traditional Sudoku. Each number can only appear once in each row and each column. The numbers in each box must be composed of a set of numbers that when added or subtracted, must produce the number in the corner. The numbers 1 through 5 may be used.

Try it out below!

Sudoku The Stute’s traditional Sudoku Puzzle is found below. Enjoy!

Advertisements Celebrity Chef Jehangir Mehta Owner of Graffiti Food & Wine Bar

Featured on: Iron Chef America, The Next Iron Chef, Dr. Oz., and The Martha Stewart Show

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 5

Pierce Dining Hall April 26th at 12pm Join us for a Teaching Kitchen with Celebrity Chef.

Limited Spots Only!

Stevens Dining would like to invite you to participate in the Teaching Kitchen, a pop up instruction cooking series featuring Celebrity Chef Jehangir Mehta! Jehangir has been on shows such as Iron Chef, The Martha Stewart Show, Dr. Oz, Chef America, and The Next Iron Chef. He is the proud owner of Graffiti Food and Wine Bar in New York City. Chef Mehta is known for his vegetable-forward dishes with flavors rooted from Indian and Persian heritage. We are so excited that he is coming to Stevens Institute of Technology to showcase his talents. If you would like to participate in this event please reserve your spot by emailing avitale@gourmetdiningllc.com. Spots are limited and it is first come first serve. The Teaching Kitchen will be held on April 26th at 12pm in Pierce Dining Hall. This is a free event for students! Don’t miss your chance to work side by side with a celebrity chef and learn some new cooking tips!

STEVENS STUDENT SPECIALS 2 PLAIN SLICES + SODA - $7 2 SPECIALITY SLICES + SODA - $7.90 10% DISCOUNT FOR STEVENS STUDENTS

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Submit Creative Content Poetry, Photos, Short Stories eboard@thestute.com

Features

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 6

SAVE hosts annual Earth Day celebration

Students enjoying the Earth Day celebrations.| Photo courtesy of Andrew Yager

by MARK KRUPINSKI Business Manager

Sustainability, Activism, Volunteering, and Engineering (SAVE) hosted their annual Earth Day celebration, partnering with numerous organizations on Wednesday, April 18, in Bissinger to raise awareness about the Earth and environment.

At their Earth Day event and surrounding week termed “Earth Week,” SAVE strived to raise awareness about

the environment. “Our goal for Earth Week is to raise awareness about human impact on the environment, celebrate the earth, and learn how to leave the earth in the best possible condition for future generations,” explained Johanna Pluymers, President of SAVE. SAVE traditionally hosts an Earth Day event every year, but the activities typically vary each year. “We have always done a documentary screening during

Earth Week, but this year was the first year we did terrarium making. Instead of terrarium making last year, we did a solar car building event,” said Morgan Gruskin, an E-Board member of SAVE. For Earth Day, SAVE typically partners with other organizations who bring their own booths to the celebration. This year, AAEES taught attendees how to plant seeds, Engineers Without Borders taught about water filtration in third world

countries, and Amnesty International presented about palm oil production. Additionally, outside organizations were invited to participate: Green Mojo Consulting brought rain barrels, a composter, and vertical gardens, Climate Mobilization Hoboken Chapter discussed preventing climate change, and the Citizen’s Climate Lobby sponsored letter writing to Congress asking them to combat climate change.

Aside from organiza-

tions, two bands comprised primarily of Stevens students, In The Works and Frontrunner, performed. SAVE also raffled off two EcoSpheres and planned giveaways of sustainable items such as reusable straws. “I felt the event went very well overall.

We had a lot of students there and a lot of different organizations,” said Gruskin. “We were able to accomplish what we wanted to achieve, which was celebrate the earth and to spread

awareness on how we can better the plant (within our everyday lives and on a broader impact).”

SAVE is the Stevens Chapter of the national organization Engineers for a Sustainable World: an organization in which its members work on design projects focused on sustainability and environmental issues. SAVE holds project meetings every Tuesday at 9 p.m., and their last GBM of the semester will be Tuesday, April 24, at 9 p.m.

SAVE kicks off Earth Week with Terrarium Night

by ELINA TUDER Staff Writer

As a start to Earth Week, on Tuesday, April 17, Sustainability, Activism, Volunteering, & Engineering (SAVE) hosted Terrarium Night in Jacobus Lounge. SAVE provided various glass containers, succulents, soil, pebbles, and decorations to all attendees.

The President of SAVE, Johanna Pluymers, described Terrarium Night by stating that this event “brings everyone together to raise awareness for the club and how everyone should be more sustainable and sends everyone home with a nice little terrarium.”

SAVE also had members of the Hoboken chapter of the Climate Mobilization group speak to the students and show a documenta-

ry about climate change titled How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change. The Climate Mobilization group has been able to push green legislation in Hoboken and bought screening rights for the aforementioned film to show Stevens students at SAVE’s event.

SAVE also has an EBoard position, Committee on Student Interests Representative, which requires the student occupying the position to go to meetings about sustainability with the Hoboken Green Team and the Climate Mobilization group.

SAVE continued the celebration of Earth Week by hosting more events, including Earth Day and a documentary screening, throughout the week.

Pictured above: Student made terrariums at the Terrarium Night. | Elina Tuder

Features

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 7

BSU posing for cameras after winning multiple awards at the showcase. | Photos by DuJuan Kirk

Ethnic Student Council hosts Unity

by AUDREY DSOUZA Managing Editor

The Ethnic Student Council (ESC) hosted its annual Unity Showcase on Friday, April 13 in Canavan Arena.

The Ethnic Student Council is a subcommittee and a Registered Student Organization (RSO) encompassing cultural RSOs. The showcase is each RSO’s opportunity to present aspects of their culture relating to the year’s theme. This year’s theme was “Speak My Language” and featured skits and musical performances from the Latin American Association (LAA), Filipino Association of Stevens Tech

(FAST), Chinese Student Association (CSA), Korean Student Association (KSA), Indian Undergraduate Association (IUA), and Black Student Union (BSU).

The purpose of Unity is for the clubs to “showcase and educate [others] about their culture,” according to Karen Kong, Vice President of ESC. The theme is generally “relevant to current world events,” she explained, and most of the performances are cultural and often include dance numbers.

After all the organizations perform, awards are given out. The ones directly related to the showcase

performance were the People’s Choice, Relevance to Theme, and Best in Show.

All three were awarded to BSU; members of the organization danced and recited poetry that they wrote themselves. The other two awards were Most Improved [Organization] which went to CSA and Most Active [Organization] which went to IUA. Judges included Vanessa Falco from the STEP office, Assistant Director of Admissions Yajaira Pons, Diversity Educator Jacquis Watters, and Desiree Batista, a Stevens alum and former ESC president.

The show requires a lot

of work from both the ESC E-Board side and cultural RSO side.”We spend a lot of time planning and organizing,” Kong explained, “and they spend a ton of time writing [scripts], recording, and practicing.”

She also emphasized that despite the amount of work that needs to be put in to make it happen, it’s “worth it” because of the “great performances that engage the entire campus with the rich and diverse cultures [they] represent.” She also added that it creates a platform for the cultural RSOs to creatively express themselves and their experiences.

Featured: Different members of the ESC posing , IUA , FAST, and CSA performing. | Photos by DuJuan Kirk

Opinion

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 8

The Stute Editorial

Earth Day year round Every year, there is a week dedicated to the Earth, to raise awareness of the importance of preserving our earth. This year Earth Day is on April 22. This week various organizations both at Stevens and outside of the Stevens bubble held various events to talk about how we help the Earth. As important as Earth Day is, I think many people are too focused on celebrating on this one, specific day.

Earth Day is meant to inspire people to want to make a change year round, even the little things such as turning off the light in empty rooms or the water when you’re brushing your teeth. Of course, no one is going to think about how bad the Earth has gotten every day, and neither should you. I just mean that we should think about the big

picture whenever we can.

Is your town proposing a change that will harm the environment? Speak up!

Are you aware of a bill that Congress is trying to pass to improve how waste is treated? Tell your representative of your support!

This year’s Earth Day theme is: “End Plastic Pollution”. Plastic has become a common material in today’s day and age, and it probably won’t be going away any time soon. This is exactly why we need to do something to reduce the amount of plastic waste that we create. “How bad could it really be?” There

are plenty of jaw-dropping facts on plastics (and if you are interested you should totally look them up) but here are three just to show you: 1. 8.3 BILLION Metric Tons (9.1 BILLION US Tons) of plastic has been produced since plastic was introduced in the 1950s. The amount of plastic produced in a year is roughly the same as the entire weight of humanity.

2. Virtually every piece of plastic that was ever made still exists in some shape or form (with the exception of the small amount that has been incinerated).

3. 91% of plastic waste

isn’t recycled. And since most plastics don’t biodegrade in any meaningful sense, all that plastic waste could exist for hundreds or even thousands of years.

That is pretty serious. Yet, as a society we have not yet realized the harm of plastic waste and haven’t really looked at what we can do to reduce the waste. Plastic Road is one company that has. In a brief description, Plastic Roads has a vision to build roads using used plastic bottles as much as possible. Plastic Roads imagines a world where road construction would take days, instead of months, and the

roads would last three times as long. On their website, they explain, “The PlasticRoad concept consists of a prefabricated, modular and hollow road structure made from (recycled) plastic. The prefabricated production, the light weight and the modular design of the PlasticRoad make construction and maintenance faster, simpler and more efficient compared to traditional road structures.” This is an interesting idea and it seems like such a simple and obvious solution. Yet, time will only tell how it works in practice and if companies will actually try

to use this new material instead of the traditional and trusted material.

I guess after all of this, all I’m trying to say is that we need change, the planet needs it, and we should be open to change and new things. If sowmething is untested and different, it is important that we try it out.

It’s time we start thinking of our impact daily, and how we can make a difference outside of just one day a year.

“Is your town proposing a change that will harm the environment? Speak up!

Are you aware of a bill that Congress is trying to pass to improve how waste is treated? Tell your representative of your support!”

Maryia Spirydonava Editor-in-Chief

Senioritis

Educating means forgetting

by OLIVIA SCHREIBER Senior Chemical Biology Major

On the first day of eighth grade English class, my teacher–Ms. Freebody–informed her class that we would be responding to a quote for our first essay. Our responses were to be completed for Friday, leaving me with a mere two days to complete it. My peers and I were anything but pleased.

She ignored our smug looks, turned her back to us and proceeded to

write the following B.F. Skinner quotation on the board: “Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten.”

It would be years before I appreciated the art of writing, so the writing task hung heavily over my shoulders until Thursday evening came around. If I remember correctly, I wrote about the the moral lessons found within novels that have stayed with me, even after the characters and plot fade away. It was a good paper for an eighth grader (at least I choose to remember it this way).

As each academic year comes to a close, I am

always reminded of this assignment. What have I learned? What has stuck? This year exposed me to intricacies of the nephron, fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays, steady-state equilibrium, indifference curves, and coordination chemistry. I have a better understanding of what taking the symbolic interactionist perspective means and can now recognize the systemic flaws that exist within the scientific community. Each course has made its offering, and I have tried my best to steal those precious bits of knowledge that lie like low-hanging fruit.

It is inevitable that we will lose some of the cargo as the brain reaches its carrying capacity. I would be lying if I told you I remember the exact method of solving an O.D.E and I would most certainly give you a blank stare if you asked me to recite the reagents necessary for FriedelCrafts acylation. For me and maybe for some of you, “I don’t remember” feels like a failure, or even worse, a flaw in my own intellectual ability.

I want so desperately to know everything and anything, but I just don’t have the storage.

To be fair, so many of our efforts are aimed at staying afloat by study-

ing for exams. The time to listen, absorb, and play around with theory is basically nonexistent, especially at a school where the norm is to squeeze six courses (some with labs) into a 14-week semester. I have concluded that “full understanding” is that pleasant point we reach when we feel confident for the exam; by no means does it imply that we have mastery of the subject. The testing culture is my one qualm of the college experience, but I do not foresee our academic administrators abolishing examinations in the near future. We learn for the test, pray for a good outcome, and

“The time to listen, absorb, and play around with theory is basically non-exis-

tent, especially at a school where the norm is to squeeze six courses (some with labs) into a 14-week semester.”

forge ahead, often times leaving course material behind so that we free ourselves of unnecessary baggage.

The intricacies and particulars of our coursework are transient, but what is important is the strong foundation in science I now have from Stevens. A bank of semiattached memorized facts might be advantageous on Jeopardy or HQ, but life after college is not a game. The education I leave with goes beyond curriculum: it is a mental fortitude to be critical, analytical, and confident as problems arise. Recognizing a way to arrive at an answer will always trump having the answer on standby. It might have taken a lot of learning and much forgetting to appreciate this truth, but it is an indelible lesson that I will bring with me everywhere I go.

Mind of a Freshman

The One About My Dad

by MARY RUANE

Freshman Business and Technology Major

Over the past few weeks, I have been working hard to put together accounting lunches to help advertise the major here at school. It’s been a lot of work planning with a couple of other students who want to help expand the program on campus.

On Wednesday, I had an event where I brought in

two corporate professionals, both of which have been in my life since before I was born. I am grateful that they were able to make it to success that I wanted it to be, and anyone reading this should look out for an email promoting the last meeting this year.

Though this experience was a lot of fun and was very rewarding, it wasn’t really what I wanted to talk about this week. One of the two industry professionals who came to campus on Wednesday was my father. I know that I technically already wrote an article about him and my mom, but I felt like it was time he got another.

My dad has always been one of the greatest teachers, fans, and best

friends I could ever ask for. When things get hard and I am not sure where to turn, I know there will always be a hug waiting for me at home. He’s supportive of everything I do, is only judgmental of my decisions when he knows they’re going to turn out badly, and cares more about his family than anything else in the world.

When I was younger, I used to do talent shows because I thought I was able to sing (something I now realize I was very wrong about). There was one year when I got on stage and sang “The Best Day” by Taylor Swift for him. He skipped work to come watch me sing, and we went to see a Taylor Swift concert later that year too. But what was

particularly memorable about this situation was that when I was on stage, I heard a couple of kids laughing behind the curtain and my obviously narcissistic self-thought they were laughing at me. As soon as the song was over, I ran off the stage crying. My dad met me at the wing of the stage to reassure me of how much it meant to him that I sang for him despite the tears. I think that was when I stopped

caring about what people thought of me because I knew I was always making my dad proud just by trying.

I don’t think there’s much I could do to disappoint him. My dad always does his best to give me one hundred and fifty percent, and my goal was to come to college and work as hard as possible to make him as proud as possible. I know he’s reading this, so I just wanted to say

that I love you and that I am always your biggest fan in the same way that you are mine. You continue to make me proud too, and I am so blessed to have you as my father.

Thank you for always being my biggest fan (next to Mom, who is probably complaining that I didn’t write about her). As you always taught me, family is a bond that lasts forever.

“My dad has always been one of the greatest teachers, fans,

and best friends I could ever ask for. When things get hard and I am not sure where to turn, I know there will always be a hug waiting for me at home.”

Opinion

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 9

Campus Conservative.

SGA Roundup

Trump makes bigs foreign policy move

by ALEX MURTAGH Sophomore Civil Engineering Major

Donald Trump has had a very interesting foreign policy for the first year and three months of his presidency. He has made big moves in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. In Asia, U.S.-Chinese relations have grown tense, and North Korea is preparing to come to the negotiating table. In Europe, Trump has stood up to Putin calling him out for backing dictatorships and relations have strained with various countries over Trump’s rhetoric. In the Middle East, Trump moved the embassy in Israel, put together a coalition to defeat ISIS, pushed back against Iran, and took major action in Syria. Trump’s actions have been all over the board with isolationist policies, like the newly imposed tariffs against China, and interventionist policies like the military action taken in Syria.

As of right now, I find the actions taken in Syria to be quite interesting.

The Syrian Civil War has been raging for years, with what appears to have been

almost no end in sight.

Under the Obama administration, a “red line” was drawn, crossed, and later ignored entirely. Weapons were sent to the “rebels” fighting back against the murderous dictatorship of President Bashar al-Assad.

These rebels are various groups, sometimes coordinated, sometimes not.

They can include individuals from within Syria fighting to take their country back, or from outside groups like ISIS, Russia, Iran, and the Kurds. There are so many hands in this multisided war, so it’s difficult to boil down what’s going on between who.

Now, under the Trump administration, a clear line has been drawn, and swift action was taken. Both times Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons on his own innocent civilians, the U.S. struck back.

By striking specific facilities in Syria, the U.S. has effectively shut down the ability for Syria to break international law and use chemical weapons. Civilian casualties were avoided, so only those responsible fell victim to the attacks. The only way Syria can now use chemical weapons is if it first obtains them from either Russia or Iran, its two major financial supporters. This unholy and evil alliance between these nations has done nothing but cause death, destruction, and unrest in the Middle East. Trump has finally made the move to put these two nations in the corner against the rest of the world (with the exception of countries like North Korea). The U.K.

and France have moved solidly with the U.S. and are planning to continue doing so. All countries involved are seeking to keep the actions limited to maintaining international law, which is exactly what they should be doing.

This is exactly the foreign policy that I look for from a conservative perspective. It is meaningful and limited. I don’t believe that we should be entering into a full scale war that has nothing to do with the U.S. Our men and women in uniform should never have to die in vain over something that does not have our security interests at heart. However, I do believe that it is up to the U.S. and other nations to uphold the international laws that have been set in place. If we let chemical weapon attacks slide, chances are that future dictatorships will start using them, and the result will be more innocent lives lost.

Although I do support the President’s actions in Syria, I do not support all of his foreign policy actions, at least as of now.

Foreign policy is a tricky and complicated animal that can appear one way at first, but look completely different in hindsight. So there’s the potential that I will regret my current position in the future, but in this case, that doesn’t appear likely.

The only thing I can think of that could change my mind is if Trump uses this situation as a way to put boots on the ground in Syria.

The State of the Senate

by MARK KRUPINSKI

Sophomore Computational Science Major

Let’s take a look at the Senate over the past semester. What has the 104th Senate under President Lucas Gallo done, and are people now interested in the SGA? Starting with the upcoming Senate session, only 14 people submitted the nomination form for Senate by the deadline on Sunday at 1 p.m. Yes, 14 people submitted nomination forms for 33 open seats. Vacancy elections would then be required for numerous seats in every class year. However, the election committee headed by Secretary Reegan McCaulley, with the support of numerous SGA officials, decided to reopen nominations for another two days. Reopening nominations devalues the efforts of those who got all the signatures on time.

If someone rushed and got the signatures at the last minute, they should be rewarded by being nominated. If someone didn’t, they shouldn’t get a free pass.

Just run vacancy elections after this round, even opening nominations during the verification period. It’s the right, and easy, solution.

Now, the SGA, based upon its bylaws, cannot do this. Article 2.3 does not state that the secretary can re-open nominations: she

could only extend them.

But then, how did they extend nominations? Senators Matthew Cunningham and Lisa Mengotto blindsided the student body by proposing a piece of legislation that they created during the meeting and encouraging the Senate to suspend the bylaws in order to consider the resolution. And guess what? The Senate did it. The Senate blindsided the student body. This sets a dangerous precedent; it allows the Senate to create legislation, hide it, and pass it without the student body being aware of it. What if the stipend bill was passed this way? None of the fifty people would have shown up telling the Senate that it was a blatant abuse of power, and it would have quietly happened. A bad precedent for a bad ideal.

And now with the nomination period extended and more nominations accepted, the incoming sophomore senate election, which previously wasn’t a contest, is now a contest.

How is that fair to the people who submitted before the original deadline and weren’t late?

Onto the bigger picture, why did numerous senators decide not to rerun for Senate, and why didn’t new people decide to run for Senate? Most of the current senators are dissatisfied with their time in the Senate, as per a survey to senators sent out by President Lucas Gallo. I attribute this dissatisfaction and the general lack of interest in becoming a senator to two aspects of the progress made by the Senate this semester.

First, Gallo has not communicated solutions to the many issues he has seen and brought up. Anyone can notice an issue, and

the president shouldn’t just notice an issue, but take action. The only thing we’ve publicly seen from his administration in response to any issues is the call for a mental health educator in response to the recent suicides, and a single light behind the field. For people not involved with the SGA, they haven’t seen any real progress. From their perspective, what else is he fighting for?

Some of his inability to find solutions isn’t his fault.

Some members of the upper administration simply do not want to meet with the students. Provost Christopher Pierre wouldn’t meet with him until he had a problem with a student organization that was entirely unrelated to anything Gallo had any control over.

Yikes. What is administration doing?

Second, senators have passed a copious amount of legislation this semester, which may be a reason that many of the current senators do not want to rerun.

This semester, over 45 bills have been considered. Most of these bills were small bylaw changes proposed by Lisa Mengotto, deeming this semester the “Lisa Mengotto Show.” Sure, they are needed, but the sheer number of bills is a problem.

Compile them into a few, larger, bills – perhaps by each article – as the Constitution and Bylaws Committee is currently doing.

Work together, don’t just take things into your hands to make small changes. It’ll only deter people.

Onto the bigger picture, I have made the decision to run for Senate, and don’t worry, I’m not going to stop writing my column if I’m elected. Transparency.

Accountability.

Scientific Curmudgeon

Is science hitting a wall?

by JOHN HORGAN CAL Professor

I just read a paper that has me brooding, once again, over science’s limits. In “Are Ideas Getting Harder to Find?” four economists claim that “a wide range of evidence from various industries, products, and firms show[s] that research effort is rising substantially while research productivity is declining sharply.”

As a counter-intuitive example, the economists cite Moore’s Law, noting that the “number of researchers required today to achieve the fa-

mous doubling every two years of the density of computer chips is more than 18 times larger than the number required in the early 1970s.” The economists found similar downward trends in research related to agriculture and medicine.

These economists are concerned primarily with what I would call applied science, advances in medicine, transportation, agriculture, communication, manufacturing, and so on.

But their findings resonate with my claim in The End of Science that “pure” science—the effort simply to understand rather than manipulate nature—is bumping into limits. Here are my reactions to the paper: *What’s the Big Bang worth? In a couple of respects, I find the economists’ evaluations of scientific progress too stingy. First, they grant surprisingly little value to recent advances in digital technologies. I began my career 35 years ago writing on these contrap-

tions called “typewriters” and doing research in places called “libraries.” I’m still blown away by my ability to access virtually infinite knowledge instantaneously from my laptop. Yeah, fake news, spam, cyberwar, but still.

Second, the economists give insufficient weight to what I consider science’s most valuable achievements, its insights into reality.

The Big Bang theory and Out-of-Africa hypothesis don’t boost gross national product, but they deepen our understanding of the world and of ourselves. Isn’t that, ultimately, what science is about? *When science regresses. In other respects, the economists’ evaluations of scientific progress are too generous. Certain fields are arguably not just slowing down but regressing. Psychiatrists have harmed many patients by over-prescribing medications. The cancer industry, similarly, is overdiagnosing and

overtreating Americans.

In the realm of pure science, many physicists remain stubbornly committed to strings and multiverses, things too small and large ever to be observed. *Too much innovation veneration! Our culture’s growing obsession with “innovation” could be contributing to science’s problems. My former Stevens colleagues Lee Vinsel and Andrew Russell, who are technology historians, have pointed out that “innovationspeak worships at the altar of change, but it rarely asks who benefits, to what end?”

Good question. Innovation veneration, Vinsel and Russell point out, has widened the gap between haves and havenots and led to neglect of the maintenance needed to keep things running smoothly. It has driven up the costs of American medicine without appreciably improving our health. Researchers’ desperation to publish novel results also surely con-

tributes to the replication crisis, the finding by statistician John Ioannidis and others that many peer-reviewed claims cannot be replicated. *Are some fruit too high to reach? Some pundits explain the slowdown of science with the “low-hanging fruit” metaphor. Scientists have solved relatively easy problems and moved on to harder ones, like the mind-body problem and unification of physics.

Here’s a tough question: At what point, if ever, do we decide that some fruit are unreachable? Or, as an economist might put it: How much are we willing to spend on problems that have proven intractable so far? When, if ever, should we cut our losses and quit?

It depends on the problem, of course. We won’t stop investing in research on schizophrenia or cancer until they are eradicated, which might not happen for a long time, if ever. But what about pure-science investigations? To put it

more bluntly: How much are “pure” discoveries like the Big Bang or Out-of-Africa hypothesis worth? I’d like to say they are priceless, but that answer won’t suffice when we’re talking about government funding. Should we spend billions on science with no practical benefits when millions of people lack decent health care, housing, and education?

Some science enthusiasts shun discussion of these issues, and I understand why. Such discussions could embolden anti-science forces, and speculation that some problems are too hard to solve might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

But we must face science’s problems and potential limits. To ignore them is unscientific.

John Horgan directs the Center for Science Writings, which is part of the College of Arts & Letters. This column is adapted from one originally published on his Scientific American blog, “Cross-check.”

Opinion Continued

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 10

Cuisine Corner .

Steaking out Arthur’s Tavern

by MARKO DJAPIC

Senior Chemical Biology Major

One of my best friends here at Stevens is my man Faris. I met him my freshman year in MA 123 and thought he was the most annoying person ever.

Who does this incredibly loud guy think he is, answering questions on the first day of class?

Is this guy really about to clown everybody on his FIRST CLASS and not blink? Needless to say, I fell in love with him the moment I realized, ‘you know what, I’m also a loud guy who answers questions in class.’ It was like looking in a mirror.

So, in conclusion, I’d like to dedicate this article to one of my favorite people here at Stevens, and his recommendation, Arthur’s Tavern.

Arthur’s Tavern is a classic steakhouse spe-

cializing in, well, steaks and burgers. Their menu is what you would expect from a restaurant in the American tradition: a nice mix of salads, steaks, burgers, and seafood to satisfy any business meeting or formal occasion. In addition, their wide selection of drinks would take an experienced pub person to try fully, but that doesn’t mean the inexperienced can’t try.

After getting a little lost before finding the place with my ever iconic friend and ChemBio colleague, we quickly took a seat and started taking in the atmosphere.

The restaurant was open and homey with its strong wood architecture and checkered tablecloths, and the occasional bronze accent glinted dimly in the faint light as if calling out for a former glory. Overall, the entire air felt rarefied, almost dreamlike, and I could easily see the place packed to the gills with all types of people enjoying themselves on a Friday or Saturday night.

To be honest, it was one of the few places that felt charming without being gimmicky.

Both of us ordered burgers, and they were

CONTACT & INFO Arthur’s Tavern 237 Washington St. (201) 656-5009

Mon. - Thurs.

12 PM - 10 PM Friday 12 PM - 11PM Saturday 12:30 PM - 11PM Sunday 12:30 PM - 10PM Service: Food: Location: Marko’s choice of burger at Arthur’s Tavern Marko Djapic

without a doubt some of the best burgers I’ve ever had. The cheese, tomatoes, and onions were classic additions on a staple dish, but the highlight was without a doubt the meat. The quality of the meat patty, if we’re being real, makes or breaks most burgers. It provides

the underlying flavor that powers the rest of the burger and dictates if you’re going to feel good about the meal afterward or not. This time around, the patties were best described as real meat, no jokes, if’s, and’s, or but’s.

On top of the great meat, the burger buns were

also incredibly fluffy pillows that didn’t just flatten into sadness once you picked the burger up. I highly recommend.

Arthur’s Tavern is a classic, no-nonsense steak/burger joint that doesn’t beat around the bush. High-quality food in an iconic locale with a

Price: $$

wide drink menu makes Arthur’s a great place for a multitude of occasions, be it nice dates, business meetings, or formal events. Just be ready to spend a little more than usual; it’s entirely worth it.

Passion for Fashion

Kith Monday Program

by DANIEL KANG

Freshman Biomedical Engineering Major

Kith is the popular fashion brand founded

by Ronnie Fieg in 2011.

The name comes from the expression ‘kith and kin’. There are locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Miami, and Los Angeles.

Kith is also located inside two shops: Bergdorf Goodman and Hirshleifers. The first store was established in Brooklyn. Fieg tapped artist Daniel Arsham and his studio Snarkitecture to design each store. The stores are stocked with streetwear, sneakers, and jewelry. In Soho and Brooklyn, a custom suspended installation of 700 pairs of all white Air Jordan II replicas greets your eyes as you enter the store. The Air Jordan II was the second shoe created for Michael Jordan by Nike in 1986. Floor-to-ceiling stainless steel and glass displays line the corridors of the store, allowing visitors to browse the displays and clearly view the products on the shelves.

Every week, Kith drops a new series of clothing in stores and online. The Kith Monday program has included an Ishiahara Test Classic Logo Tee, slash classic logo, a collaboration with Iceberg for a Mickey Fantasia line, a monarch classic logo, and more. This past Monday on April 19, Kith released a Geo Colors Tee in red, purple, and yellow. The colors were not too bland, but still, it was not to my liking. I like Kith’s physical space rather than most of the clothing it produces.

Fieg’s reimagining of the traditional retail store as an experimental gallery space may have to do with his meteoric rise and Kith’s expansion around the world. Fieg teamed up with Daniel Arsham to install the Arsham/Fieg Gallery, a dedicated art space where artists hold solo exhibitions and invite people to view them while inside the store.

Fieg also founded a snack bar in 2015 called Kith Treats, which offers several cereal and ice cream concoctions created by artist Daniel Arsham, creative Don C, Viceland TV host and rapper Action Bronson, BMX rider Nigel Sylvester, designer Virgil Abloh, street artist Futura, Director of Content Strategy at Complex Media Joe La Puma, and Ronnie Fieg himself.

There are 24 different

types of cereal that can be mixed with soft serve.

The label’s motto “Just Us” is an accurate depiction of the close-knit community that has formed around Kith.

Kith’s unexpected collaborations with brands as varied as Champion, Adidas Football, CocaCola, Bergdorf Goodman, and Disney have surprised many and yet remain appealing. The power of Kith to compel people to stand in line for hours for many of these drops and spend a respectable amount of money for streetwear may attest to the fact that Kith is creating a narrative of its own that is different from what

A selection of items from the Kith Monday Program Photos Courtesy of Daniel Kang

other have brands have tried in the past. I dare make the comparison for

purchasing and wearing Kith to collecting artwork. Even if you may

not agree, that is the reality for this new generation.

Opinion Continued

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 11

Stars of Stevens

Shining Stars

by MIA HILDEBRANDT Junior Civil Engineering Major

This Saturday, April 21, at 8 p.m. in DeBaun Auditorium is the Stevens Orchestra Spring Concert. It is also a time to reflect on a semester of hard work and music, as well as fond memories and friendship. Some of the graduating seniors this semester are Moenika Chowdhury, Louis Di Bonaventura, Sal Finocchiaro, and Caitlynn Reilly. These Stars of Stevens have bright futures ahead of them. Congratulations!

Moenika Chowdhury, a Music and Technology and Computer Science double major, plays the flute in the orchestra. She has been involved all four years at Stevens. She recounted, “Through the years, we’ve been through many conductors, and I find that Larry [the current conductor] has such a passion for our school and talent that it inspires me to be a better musician every day.” After graduation, Moenika plans on going to grad school.

Louis Di Bonaventura has been playing cello since the third grade — that is fifteen years total, and six of those years have been at Stevens. In addition to being passionate about music, Louis is also a Mechanical Engineering major. Louis remembers a fond memory when he was buying his cello. He says, “The shop owner offered me one to play, which I did for a bit and

handed it back, saying it sounded nice. Then he told me it was worth $500,000.”

Other memories include many great rehearsals with Larry (our conductor) and the Stevens Orchestra. After graduation, Louis will be working at UPS as an Industrial Engineering Supervisor.

Sal Finocchiaro has accomplished a lot in music during his time at Stevens.

He has been the concertmaster and leader of the orchestra for the past year and has been a critical part of the Stevens String Ensemble. Other fun memories include playing piano for the first time on stage during the 2017 String Ensemble Holiday Concert, arranging “Cartoon Classics,” which was performed for the Summer Strings Spectacular, and performing the Bach “Double Violin Concerto in D minor” with Mia. Sal is majoring in Biomedical

From left to Right: Moenika Chowdhury, Louis Di Bonaventura, Sal Finocchario, and Caitlynn Reilly. All of them are graduating seniors participating in their last Stevens Orchesta Spring Concert | Photo Courtesy of Mia Hildebrant

Engineering and plans on looking for a job in industry (BME, Electrical Engineering, etc…) but does not want to work right away. He explains, “In the interim, I plan on writing lots of music to make up for lost time and improving my violin skills. I want to learn how to play some

Spoiler Alert

by KOBY GARCIA

Junior Visual Arts and Technology Major

Writing, directing, and starring in a film is no easy feat, but John Krasinski does an impressive job of accomplishing this in A Quiet Place (2018).

The film follows a family of five that is forced to live quietly as they are constantly hiding from creatures that hunt loud noises. The film’s strong concept makes for some creative and unique moments I have not seen on the big screen before. One of the aspects of the film that I found extremely captivating was the use of silence. Moments where the score was completely cut out of the scene were the moments I felt that I was most glued to the screen. These silent moments, followed by some loud noises and even some subtle noises, made hearing the loud noises insanely impactful. That being said, I would recommend filling up on snacks before you go into this movie because you won’t want your ears to be distracted.

There is some pretty enjoyable attention to detail in this film, including newspaper headlines that hint at what exactly happened to the rest of society as well as some explaining of the creatures’ powers. The props and set design that showcase the way the characters reduce the amount of noise they make help place the movie in the “real” world: cloth for monopoly pieces, sand for walking,

pense through sound only to, at times, have it lead to nothing is disappointing.

It also seems like there were some inconsistencies with the sensitivity of the creatures’ hearing abilities as well as their overall strength, speed, and powers. Another thing that was inconsistent and a bit unbelievable was how conveniently calm and quiet the newborn baby was at times.

There were also a couple of shots and moments in the film that were kind of tacky and I think could have been done without.

Of course, just because I had some things to criticize in this film does not mean I did not enjoy it.

Although I will not necessarily go out of my way to watch other horror movies, I was intrigued and subsequently satisfied

by A Quiet Place as I’m sure you will be as well!

Violins and walking into a room filled with violists and violinists that were older than her. Not long afterward, she was playing her first concert, and soon she will be playing her last concert at Stevens.

After graduation, Caitlynn will be working fulltime at Pratt and Whitney.

Letter to the Editor

A Quiet Place lights for communication, and fireworks for distracting the creatures.

There are some inconsistencies that kind of broke my suspension of disbelief, though. For a film that centers around utilizing silence to its advantage and having the characters communicate almost exclusively through sign language, I thought the actual spoken dialogue could have been a bit more valuable and thoughtful as opposed to its cheesy nature.

On the subject of “cheesy,” some of the jump scares in this film took advantage of the suspense that was created only to lead to something pointless, like a hand hitting a window. And yes, I know this is a very popular trope in horror movies and it usually elicits some kind of emotional response from audiences (like a jump, hence the name), but I just feel like for this specific film and its otherwise fantastic use of audio and lack thereof, building sus-

sick tunes,” which include Paganini’s caprices and Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky concertos.

Caitlynn Reilly is a Chemical Engineering major and has played viola for 11 years, four of which have been at Stevens. Caitlynn remembers buying her viola from Atlanta

by ANONYMOUS

When I was around 8 years old, I started taking regular trips to visit my family in Canada where I met my cousin Jacob. He was only two years older than me, and although that feels like a lifetime when you’re 8 years old, we hit it off right away. He was the closest thing I ever had to a big brother, and because of that, I would spend all my summers with him. As we grew older, the topics of our conversations shifted from neopets and superheroes to relationships and first experiences. I remember one summer in particular when I was 13 years old.

He was telling me about his ex-girlfriend and how he would stroke her arm lightly whenever they were alone because she had told him “You really know how to touch a woman.”

After that summer, I didn’t see him again until his entire family came down to visit me when I was 15 years old. I thought we were going to pick up where we left off, but there was something different about him. I desperately wanted my friend back, so when he put his hand on

my knee when he sat next to me in the car, I didn’t shoo him away. When he looked at me across the room with all of our family there and mimed male masturbation with his fingers, I simply looked away. When he reached under the dinner table and took my hand in his and interlaced his fingers with mine, I didn’t pull away. When he put my hair behind my ear while staring uncomfortably into my eyes, I didn’t stop him. I didn’t say no.

He was like a brother to me, so I trusted him, and assumed that what he was doing was normal.

I was excited when he suggested watching a movie together, but I soon realized that my beloved movie buddy had become a strange 17-year old boy laying next to me in bed with the lights turned off.

He ran his fingers gently along the length of my arm, in the same way he had described doing to his girlfriend when I was 13 years old. He kept ignoring the movie and looking over at me in anticipation as if he were awaiting my response. Soon, he was working his way up along my shoulders, tracing my collar bones, inching his

way lower on my chest.

I felt paralyzed. I was afraid to move, afraid to breathe. 15-year old me, having never done more than hug a person of the opposite gender, was now being caressed without her consent. He fondled with my bra straps and ran his hands into the cup of my bra, exploring uncharted territory without a permit. All I remember is how scared I was that he was going to violate me even further and wishing that he would get his dirty hands off of me. It took all my willpower to keep from crying as I calmly grabbed his arm and physically removed him from my shirt: a place his hands never should have been in the first place.

It took me 5 years to be able to call myself a sexual assault survivor. I thought sexual assault survivors were so strong and they had gone through something so traumatic, that I couldn’t possibly take away from their experience by calling what I went through a sexual assault. Sexual assault takes many forms, but regardless of the form it may take, it is never excusable and never the victim’s fault.

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Sports

Friday, April 20, 2018 • Page 12

Softball Sets Program Record with 14th- and 15th-Straight Wins

ON DECK IN SPORTS

Saturday MEN’S TENNIS

VS Elmira College 9 a.m.

Elmira, NY

n

Stevens Sports Information

SSI The Stevens Institute of Technology softball program won its 15th game in a row as the Ducks swept a doubleheader from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

The streak was in peril as Stevens fell behind in game one 3-0, but the Ducks rallied to win that in extra innings and blow out the Devils 9-2 in the nightcap.

Christine LaRochelle allowed those three runs in the first, but settled in to fire seven shutout innings afterward as the Ducks forced extra innings. Corinne Loncar

was the offensive heroine for Stevens, ripping a 3-RBI bases-clearing double to tie the score in the bottom of the fifth.

LaRochelle wiggled out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth despite allowing three hits in the frame, and the teams went to extras still knotted at three.

In the eighth, Stevens started with Nicole Kuzler placed on second base and Ada Heinze walked to put two on with nobody out. Katherine Tirabassi sacrificed them over and Amanda Delorme’s infield single loaded the bases.

Melissa Alfonso drew a bases-loaded RBI walk to give Stevens its first lead of the day. Samantha Schattin followed with an RBI single to give the Ducks some insurance.

LaRochelle sent the Devils down 1-2-3 in the home half to win her eighth game of the season. She struck out four in eight innings.

Loncar had three hits in game one.

Game Two After two scoreless frames, Stevens pounded our five runs in the top of the third. Tirabassi, Ma-

rissa Barnes, and Abigail Circelli all had RBI singles in the inning as the Ducks took control.

The Castle Pointers added three in the next inning. Schattin and Farryl Groder singled and Loncar lifted a sac fly before Tirabassi hammered a 1-1 pitch over the leftfield wall for a two-run homer that made the score 8-0. It was her first dinger of the year.

Cara Napolitano added an RBI single in the fifth to give the Ducks their final run of the afternoon.

Stevens starter Marissa Cappello gave up two

runs in the last inning, but it hardly mattered.

She struck out eight in four innings of work.

Jessica Masur came in relief and allowed just one hit to nail down Stevens’ 15th-straight win.

Cappello improved to 8-1 on the year.

Schattin and Groder both stole bases in game two Up Next The Ducks wil play their final two home doubleheaders this weekend, starting with a first-place showdown with No. 11 Saint John Fisher on Saturday at 1 p.m

Baseball edges Misericordia SSI - Freshman Thomas Paulich delivered a sixth-inning RBI single to snap a 2-2 tie as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team won its third straight game with a 3-2 victory over Misericordia University Wednesday evening in non-conference action at Dobbelaar Field.

Sophomore Patrick Rood began the game-deciding rally, hustling down the line after a dropped third strike on what would have been the final out of the sixth. Catcher Conor Smith was initially unable to locate the ball, and after finally securing it, rushed his throw to first and caromed the ball off Rood’s back. The Stevens second baseman was awarded first and Smith received a throwing error.

Rood moved to second on a Jake Kurtz (1-1) wild pitch and Paulich solidly connected on Kutz’s 2-0 offering, driving the ball into right center to score Rood to give the hosts a 3-2 lead.

The one-run cushion was plenty for Charlie Ruegger (5-2). Returning to a relief role for the second time this season, the tall right-hander was electric, keeping the Misericordia bats silenced over the final 3 2-3 in-

nings. Ruegger earned eight saves as the Stevens closer in 2017. The Morris Plains, New Jersey native didn’t allow a hit and struck out five. Ruegger has fanned at least three in every outing this season.

The win moved Stevens to 19-13 on the year and the Ducks are 12-2 in the friendly confines of Dobbelaar Field. Misericordia dropped its second straight to fall to 19-10.

Stevens received four votes in the recently-released Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division III National Poll.

“Tonight most certainly had the feel of a postseason environment,” said head coach Kristaps Aldins. “We saw excellent pitching from both teams, some big two-out hits and some perfectly executed situational baseball, again from both teams. Misericordia is a quality, wellcoached team and we are happy to walk away with this big win tonight.”

Junior Danny Poidomani drew the start and didn’t allow a hit until the fifth. Sean Boylan spoiled Poidomani’s nohit bid with a two-out single to right, but the Misericordia shortstop was nabbed at first by Matthew Pasko after taking

WOMEN’S LACROSSE

VS Alfred University 11 a.m.

Alfred, NY

MEN’S LACROSSE

VS Alfred University 11 a.m.

SOFTBALL

VS St. John Fisher College 1 p.m.

Weehawken, NJ

SOFTBALL

VS St. John Fisher College 3 p.m.

Weehawken, NJ

MEN’S TENNIS

VS The Sage Colleges 4 p.m.

Troy, NY

BASEBALL

VS SUNY Oneonta 4 p.m.

BASEBALL

Stevens Sports Information

too wide of a turn around first. Poidomani struck out nine in 5 1-3 innings of work and walked two.

The Rochelle Park, New Jersey native is third in the conference with 65 strikeouts.

Kurtz matched Poidomani for the most part. The right-hander allowed just senior Tommy Baronner’s single leading off the game before running into trouble in the fifth. Kurtz plunked Pasko with two outs. Freshman Ambrose Consol placed a perfect bunt down the third base line for a single. Pinch-hitter A.J. Falconite worked a full-count walk in his first plate appearance of the season to load the bases. Baronner placed Kurtz’s 0-2 offering

just inside the right field line for a stand-up double, scoring Pasko and Consol with the first runs of the game. Junior Donny Gherardi lined to left to end the frame.

Misericordia responded in its half of the sixth.

Kenny Jarema started the rally with a one-out single through the right side. Parker Abate bunted for a hit and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Tyler Holzapfel singled through the right side to drive in a run and end the shutout. Misericordia’s three straight hits forced a pitching change. Santo Guinta greeted Ruegger with a suicide squeeze.

Abate scored on the play but Rugger through Guinta out at first by a handful

of steps. Steve Weisensee grounded out to end the inning.

Stevens pitching held the fourth through ninth positions in the Misericordia lineup to just two walks and a single on the evening. Baronner was the only player on either squad to record two hits.

Senior Alex Detweiler went 0-4 to end his 22game on-base streak.

Up Next: Baseball welcomes the State University of New York at Oneonta to Dobbelaar Field for a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday, April 21. First pitch for game one is 4:00 p.m. and between games, Baseball will honor its Class of 2018 in an on-field ceremony.

VS SUNY Oneonta 7 p.m.

MEN’S GOLF

VS Round One TBD Ballston Spa, NY

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD @ Vassar Twilight Invitational TBD Poughkeepsie, NY

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD @ Vassar Twilight Invitational TBD Poughkeepsie, NY

Duck Country Scoreboard Date

Stevens

Opponent/Event

Score

Result

4/17 4/17 4/18 4/18 4/18 4/18 4/18

Softball

@ Farleigh Dickinson University @ Farleigh Dickinson University VS Misercordia University @ Elmira College VS Elmira College @ The College of New Jersey @ The College of New Jersey

9-2 5-3 3-2 22-1 19-2 7-2 0-9

W W W W W W L

Softball Baseball Men's Lacrosse Women's Lacrosse Men's Tennis Women's Tennis

Stevens Sports Information

FOR MORE INFORMATION, HEAD TO: STEVENSDUCKS.COM STEVENSREC.COM