Vol. 98 Iss. 2

THE TEMPLE NEWS

TUESDAY, APRIL 2, 2019

PAGE 1

LATE-NIGHT FIRE DISPLACES STUDENTS, RESIDENTS

A fire at a vacant building near 16th and Oxford streets burned early into Tuesday morning.

Read more on Page 3.

NEWS, PAGE 5 Temple Student Government appointed a director to help students @TheTempleNews meet their basic needs.

VOL 98 // ISSUE 2 SEPT. 3, 2019 temple-news.com @thetemplenews

OPINION , PAGE 9 The Opinion Editor urges students to dismiss negative stereotypes about North Philly.

FEATURES, PAGE 13 A student is building a Minecraft model of Temple’s Main Campus.

SPORTS, PAGE 22 Temple field hockey coach Susan Ciufo switches up her players’ positions in first games.

NEWS PAGE 2

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

THE TEMPLE NEWS A watchdog for the Temple University community since 1921.

Kelly Brennan Editor in Chief Pavlína Černá Managing Editor Francesca Furey Chief Copy Editor Colin Evans News Editor Hal Conte Assistant News Editor Gabrielle Houck Assistant News Editor Tyler Perez Opinion Editor Madison Karas Features Editor Bibiana Correa Assistant Features Editor Ayooluwa Ariyo Assistant Features Editor Jay Neemeyer Sports Editor Dante Collinelli Assistant Sports Editor Alex McGinley Assistant Sports Editor Alesia Bani Intersection Co-Editor Gionna Kinchen Intersection Co-Editor

The Temple News is an editorially independent weekly publication serving the Temple University community.

Unsigned editorial content represents the opinion of The Temple News.

DEVELOPMENT

IBC opens to students The gym added new machines facility houses a three-lane indoor and renovated its entrance, track and outdoor tennis courts.

Jacob Lee, a junior mechanical locker rooms and showers.

BY EMMA PADNER For The Temple News

T

he Independence Blue Cross Student Recreation Center reopened last week after undergoing a renovation this summer.

Adjacent commentary is reflective The renovation, which beof their authors, not The Temple gan May, added new cardio and News. strength-training equipment, reorganized the gym’s layout and updatVisit us online at ed its locker rooms, according to a Michael Moscarelli Dir. of Engagement temple-news.com. university release. It also added two Colleen Claggett Photography Editor Send submissions to gender-inclusive shower rooms.

Jeremy Elvas Asst. Photography Editor letters@temple-news.com.

The university renovated the Madison Seitchik Co-Multimedia Editor The Temple News is located at: facility’s main entrance, added new Jared Giovan Co-Multimedia Editor Student Center, Room 243 1755 N. 13th St. lighting and paint and removed two Kathy Chan Assistant Multimedia Editor Philadelphia, PA 19122 of its four racquetball courts.

Ingrid Slater Design Editor The Board of Trustees budgeted Nicole Hwang Designer $2.7 million for the project in December. Its design cost $202,000.

Phuong Tran Advertising Manager The IBC, on 15th and MontKelsey McGill Advertising Manager ON THE COVER gomery streets, remained closed the Lubin Park Business Manager COLLEEN CLAGGETT / THE TEMPLE NEWS entire summer due to the renovations. Other facilities around campus extended their hours to accommodate students, The Temple News reported.

The university continues to fiCORRECTIONS nalize its renovation in some areas, including the addition of permanent A photo that ran on Page 20 alongside a story titled “Club challenges perception of women’s lockers, which will not be added until late September due to manufacturrugby” incorrectly credited Colleen Claggett as the photographer. Claudia Salvato was the ing delays, wrote John Doman, the story’s photographer. director of Campus Recreation, in a letter to the university community.

In addition to a free weights Accuracy is our business, so when a mistake is made, we’ll correct it as soon as possible. room and group fitness studios, the Anyone with inquiries about content in this newspaper can contact Editor in Kelly Brennan at editor@temple-news.com or 215-204-6736.

News Desk 215.204.7419 news@temple-news.com

engineering major, said he is upset the gym has less equipment for weightlifting, which means longer wait times at squat and bench racks.

“I’m just surprised about how they went from a complex gym with multiple workout options to a gym that’s just machines and cardio,” Lee said.

“I’m disappointed and so are a lot of my friends who use the IBC,” he added.

Ivy Attenborough, a senior mechanical engineering major, wishes that for all the money spent on new equipment, they could’ve added more benches instead of cycling machines, she said.

“The ratio of weights to benches is ridiculous,” Attenborough said.

“The benches are almost always full but the extra machines they put in are rarely ever occupied, there’s too much open space and not enough benches for lifting.”

Sara Valko, a senior sport and recreation management major, usually does her lifting at STAR, but said she will use IBC more following its renovation.

“When I first heard they were renovating, I was nervous because I wasn’t sure what was going to change,” Valko said. “But when I showed up for the first time last Tuesday, it looked so aesthetically pleasing, and I can’t wait to continue working out there.” emma.padner@temple.edu

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NEWS PAGE 3

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

COMMUNITY

Students, residents describe evacuation amid fire The city did not determine the cause of the fire as of early Tuesday morning.

BY COLIN EVANS & GABRIELLE HOUCK For The Temple News A fire at a vacant building off campus displaced Temple students and North Philadelphia residents as the blaze continued burning into Tuesday morning.

The Philadelphia Fire Department contained the three-alarm fire to the four-story building at 1543 N. 16th Street, but it was not under control as of early Tuesday morning.

No injuries were reported on Monday, but residents and students of the 1600 block of Oxford and Willington streets were still not allowed back in their homes as firefighters continued working.

All evacuated students were accounted for, Captain Derrick Bowmer said, but it is unclear how many students and residents were forced from their homes.

The fire started around 8:40 p.m.

City fire marshals had not determined the cause of the fire as of 12:30 a.m.

Tuesday morning, Bowmer said.

Firefighters began attacking the “roof area” of the building and established a collapse zone inside the building, but had not entered the building right away. City officials closed Oxford Street from Broad to the site of the fire and 16th Street from Jefferson Street to Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

The streets surrounding the scene were lit with the glare of fire trucks and police cars as hundreds of police officers, students and residents watched firefighters try to temper the blaze.

Chris Savino, a sophomore civil engineering major, was at his home near 16th and Oxford streets when he noticed the fire around 9:00 p.m. The fire was small at first but grew as the hour went on, he said.

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COLLEEN CLAGGETT / THE TEMPLE NEWS The Philadelphia Fire Deparmtent contains a fre that broke out in a vacant building on 16th and Oxford streets Monday evening.

“The whole roof blew up in flames,” said Savino, who was evacuated around 9:40 p.m.

Students who were displaced were directed to Campus Safety Services’ station at 1513 Cecil B. Moore Avenue where they were told to provide their names, addresses and Temple ID numbers to receive assistance.

As of early Tuesday, students were not yet been told they could return to their homes.

The university is using Conwell Inn, an on-campus hotel, along with university residence halls to house displaced students who could not stay with friends, said Rachael Stark, senior associate dean of students. Students were mostly self-sufficient Monday night, she added, and one student was given hous-

ing by 11 p.m. on Monday.

Corey Jackson, a senior exercise and sports science major, was sitting in his bedroom when he heard the sound of sirens around 8:45 p.m, he said. It was around 10 p.m. when police began knocking on his door, telling him he had to evacuate immediately.

Jackson’s roommate Dan Quirk, a senior finance major, said when they evacuated, they could see that the vacant building was ablaze.

“I can’t really do much about it,” Jackson said. “I mean it’s for our safety that we’re being evacuated, but I still have class tomorrow, so I hope I can go home soon.”

Kamerin Stroud, a long-time resident of the area, lives two houses away from the burning building on 16th Street

but was not evacuated from his home, he said.

But he wasn’t worried because firefighters kept telling him the fire would not spread, he added.

“This is actually the first time we had a fire like this on the block,” said Stroud, who has lived at his home for 25 years.

Tim Howard, who lives close to 16th and Oxford streets, said he first heard sirens and was told to evacuate around 10:00 p.m. Despite being told he could not return to his house as of early Tuesday morning, Howard said he is still going to work on Tuesday.

Charlie Leone, the director of Campus Safety Services, could not be immediately reached for comment. news@temple-news.com @TheTempleNews

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NEWS PAGE 4

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

DEVELOPMENT

Building to bring CPCA, Klein students together

COLLEEN CLAGGETT / THE TEMPLE NEWS A new building for the Klein College of Media and Communication and the Center for Performing and Cinematic Arts is proposed to be built at the former site of Peabody Hall (left) or at the corner of Broad and Norris streets.

These programs currently have some of the lowest space-perstudent ratios on Main Campus.

BY JOHN FEY For The Temple News Not having an available room to practice in Presser Hall is a regular occurrence for Andrew Delnagro, a sophomore jazz music education major.

For Camille Hernandez, a senior film media arts major, crowded film studios with little space to spread all of her equipment are the norm in Annenberg Hall.

The Klein College of Media and Communication and the Center for Performing and Cinematic Arts have among the lowest square-foot-per-student ratios at Temple’s Main Campus, according to a 2019 projection from Facilities

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Management and the Office of Institutional Risk and Assessment.

But that will change with the planned creation of a multi-use building on Broad Street that will house programs from both schools.

The Board of Trustees approved $16 million for pre-construction designs for the building in July.

The building will be better equipped to facilitate learning by having larger classrooms, smaller meeting spaces, an integrated student media center and research equipment, wrote Don Heller, the senior vice dean of Klein in an email to The Temple News.

“All classrooms will be equipped to facilitate learning and with technology and flexible to meet the needs today and into the future,” Heller wrote.

Construction is set to begin at the end of 2020 and will take approximately two and a half years to complete, Heller

said. The university is searching for architects to design the building, he added.

The building will either be at the former site of Peabody Residence Hall at Norris and Broad streets or the green space between Norris Street and Polett Walk and Broad and 15th streets, Heller said.

Hernandez is disappointed that she won’t be around to see the new building.

“I think it’s much needed,” Hernandez said. “A lot more film and [media studies and production] students are becoming more involved in television and media, and it’s very important that we expand our buildings to accommodate them.”

Sam Zeller, a sophomore communication studies major, is happy that Klein is finally receiving attention, she said.

“It’s nice that we’re being recognized by the university more, especially when it seems like all the focus is always on the

Fox School of Business,” Zeller said.

Klein currently provides 15 squarefeet-per-student in building space for its 2,768 students, the lowest of any school on Main Campus, according to the report’s projections.

“We have been looking to the future for the past few years and considering needs and design to meet those needs not only today but for decades into the future,” Heller said.

“The Klein College is overdue for an add on like this,’’ said Larry Stains, the assistant chair of the journalism department. “The school has been discussing this new building for a while. We are all very excited for it to be here and what new opportunities the building has in store for Klein College.” john.fey@temple.edu

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NEWS PAGE 5

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

TSG

Director selected to tackle students’ basic needs AaronRey Ebreo is the first student to hold this position for Temple Student Government.

BY LAKOTA MATSON TSG Beat Reporter Temple Student Government created a new director seat in the executive branch to help students meet their basic needs this semester.

The executive team appointed AaronRey Ebreo, a senior biology major, to be the director of student basic needs for the academic year.

His job is to create and develop initiatives to help students who are struggling with food and housing insecurities, Ebreo said.

“After seeing how much work last year’s administration did with campus, housing and hunger awareness, I wanted to not only continue those initiatives and bring our own initiatives, but also have a director, because it is a prevalent issue,” said Francesca Capozzi, student body president.

Last year, TSG hosted an information session about student food insecurity and eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and hosted a three-day food drive for the Cherry Pantry.

Ebreo is the founder and president of Swipes for Philadelphia, an organization on campus affiliated with the national Swipes for Hunger organization.

The organization uses students’ unused meal swipes and other donated items to give to students and people experiencing homelessness throughout the city.

Ebreo previously helped former student body president Gadi Zimmerman

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CLAUDIA SALVATO / THE TEMPLE NEWS Temple Student Government’s Director of student basic needs AaronRey Ebreo stands at the Bell Tower on Aug. 27, 2019.

finalize the pilot program for students to get emergency meal swipes, Capozzi added.

Ebreo is working to find space on campus to create an emergency clothing closet for students who may be in need of clothing, he said.

“When you go to college you’re supposed to be focusing on studying and it’s hard for some students because they struggle with finances and that affects their access to food, clothes and hygiene

[products],” Ebreo said.

He plans to work closely with the CARE team, a team of faculty and administrative personnel who assist students in times of need, Ebreo said.

The CARE team works to support students who may be dealing with temporary difficult life circumstances, including food and housing insecurity, according to its website. Students can reach out to the CARE team for support or be referred by a peer, professor or

parent. “[Ebreo] really has this as a passion area for him, and without his ongoing persistence, [Swipes for Philadelphia] might not have come to fruition,” said Rachael Stark, the senior associate dean of students and CARE team member. lakota.matson@temple.edu

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NEWS PAGE 6

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

RESEARCH

APA to cite CPH professor’s treatment research The research examines the effectiveness of person-oriented recovery for mental illnesses.

BY COLIN EVANS News Editor The American Psychiatric Association will cite a Temple researcher’s analysis in its guidelines for treating schizophrenia.

The paper, written by Elizabeth Thomas, a research assistant professor in the College of Public Health, in collaboration with researchers at the Loyola University of Maryland and the University of Maryland School of Medicine, examined the effectiveness of person-oriented recovery over functional recovery for those who have illnesses like depression and bipolar disorder in addition to schizophrenia, Thomas said.

While functional recovery is focused on helping an individual manage their symptoms and develop coping skills, person-oriented recovery focuses on helping people work toward their personal goals in life, she said.

“There definitely has been a whole movement around recovery in recent years,” Thomas said. “There’s a shift away from this more medical model of treatment, where the goal is to cure a person from their symptoms, to really helping them live lives that are meaningful to them, despite having ongoing symptoms.”

Person-oriented recovery can include group therapy sessions and personal goal setting with a therapist, Thomas added.

This practice was developed in the 1980s as providers considered whether individuals in recovery felt hopeful or empowered about their treatment, according to Thomas’ study.

The new guidelines have not been published yet but will include

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JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, a research assistant professor in the College of Public Health, sits in her office on Aug. 29, 2019. Her research on person-oriented treatment will be cited in the American Psychiatric Association’s practice guidelines.

recommendations for health care providers to use person-oriented recovery methods to treat schizophrenia, Thomas said.

Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that can cause someone to feel like they have lost touch with reality, often causing hallucinations, disordered thinking, among other symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Thomas’s research analyzes 23 studies on person-oriented recovery and found that treatments which combine individual and group therapy models were the most effective, she said.

Thomas often collaborates with Psychosis Education, Assessment, Care and Empowerment at Horizon House, a Philadelphia nonprofit providing mental health services to Medicaid-eligible young people, she said.

Marie Wenzel, the program’s director, said her clients are encouraged to drive their own treatment and stay active in their social lives, a component of person-oriented treatment.

Person-oriented recovery programs offer more unique, personalized treatments, unlike traditional models, she said. “[We want to] help a young per-

son stay on track to what their life was supposed to be before they developed psychosis,” Wenzel said.

APA’s inclusion of Thomas’ work is an important step toward legitimizing her work, Thomas said.

“It would be the person living a life that’s consistent with what they want, in spite of experiencing the challenge of mental illness,” Thomas said of person-oriented recovery.

“They’re out there doing things that are important to them.” colin.evans@temple.edu @colinpaulevans

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OPINION PAGE 7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 EDITORIAL

A much-needed expansion The Board of Trustees approved a $16 million in pre-construction designs for a building that will house the Klein College of Media and Communication and the Center for Performing and Cinematic Arts, in July.

The building will include an integrated student media center, providing space for all student media outlets to merge together under one roof.

With WHIP Radio currently located in the TECH Center, and The Temple News and Templar sharing an office in the Student Center, the new structure will

provide opportunities for student media to work closely together and collaborate.

The facility promises technological advancements that will serve both students and staff in keeping their education highly competitive and innovative, which is perfect for students entering the constantly changing media industry.

The Editorial Board thanks the university for recognizing these programs’ need for a new space on Main Campus.

EDITORIAL

Don’t write off art museum For years, students in the Tyler School of Art and Architecture were given free access to explore the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Now, that policy is no more.

Due to the growing number of fine art programs in the Philadelphia region, a PMA spokesperson said it became difficult to offer free admission to everyone.

The Editorial Board is saddened by the PMA’s decision to end free admission for arts students at Temple and around the city. We hope that this decision does not create too much of a financial barrier to enjoying art.

We encourage Tyler students

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to take advantage of the museum’s $20 yearly pass discount and continue to visit its breathtaking exhibits.

We also encourage all students to visit the museum during “pay-what-you-wish admission” hours on Wednesday evenings between 5-8:45 p.m. and during first Sunday of each month.

The PMA has and will continue to be an invaluable resource to Philadelphia’s college students.

We should not let this setback deter us from using it to its fullest potential.

THE ESSAYIST

Finding career harmony

Interning as a music blogger helped colorful, vinyl-clad foyer for my interview, I a communications major connect knew it was exactly where I wanted to spend her future career and love for music. my summer.

BY RAE BURACH For The Temple News

I

was raised to believe that music is one of the most important elements of our universe. My parents surrounded me and my older sister with music, making sure we knew all the classics. They took us to concerts as soon as we were old enough for the music to not hurt our ears.

They taught us that lyrics and melodies can be infinitely powerful, and now I couldn’t agree more. I’m thankful to wake up every day with the ability to hear, feel, share and create music.

Most of my background is in writing but I’ve never really known where that would take me. When I say I like to write, people ask, “Novels? Short Stories? News?”

It’s always been none of the above. Writing comes easiest when I’m passionate about whatever I’m communicating.

During my ongoing career search, I learned that there’s no better job than one that combines my writing skills with what I love most.

This past spring, I looked to a passion which never faltered: music.

I applied as an intern for WXPN radio’s music blog, The Key, because it’s a primarily alternative station that plays a lot of the music I like. I had fallen in love with the station’s West Philadelphia concert venue, World Cafe Live. My father’s band even played there when I was young.

As soon as I entered the radio station’s

I wrote posts discussing new releases from local artists, upcoming concerts in Philly or prominent news in the music world.

I discovered music that I would never have found otherwise and learning about fantastic up-and-coming artists, like RFA, Crumb and Mattiel. Simply sitting in the station’s warehouse-sized office immersed me in music, hearing nearby conversations and tapping my foot to whatever my desk neighbor was jamming to.

I absorbed so much live music during the summer.

I attended and reviewed shows from artists like Lizzo, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Ringo Starr. I covered several performances at the xPoNential Music Festival in Camden County, New Jersey, this July, with my favorites being indie rock artist Nilüfer Yanya and folk rock band Dawes.

My writing improved as I learned to describe music in an insightful way. I became familiar with turning feelings into words that readers could connect with.

Being surrounded by hard-working people who live and breathe music was an experience that brought me closer to my career path, but more importantly it connected me with the one thing I’ve loved all my life: music.

I look forward to getting back to music journalism as soon as possible, and connecting to my deep love for music, but for now, I’ll be listening to my alternative tunes. rbur@temple.edu @raeburach

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OPINION PAGE 8

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

POLITICS

Voters: Don’t overlook sexual misconduct at polls Joe Biden’s popularity is increas- ed to plant a big, slow kiss on the back ing among voters, despite allega- of my head,” according to an article she wrote for The Cut in March. tions of inappropriate behavior.

Content warning: This story discusses sexual misconduct.

RACHEL BERSON FOR THE TEMPLE NEWS

It’s misleading to say that our society has made significant progress dealing with sexual misconduct when our governmental system has consistently put pol-

itics before people.

In 2016, I watched a man who was accused of sexually assaulting 17 women become the president. Last year, a man who was accused of raping a woman in high school became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

And this year, I’m watching a man accused of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior toward women become the frontrunner of the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, according to The New York Times poll from Aug. 30.

It’s this legacy of ignoring and disregarding accusations of sexual assault and harassment for the sake of politics that is dangerous to female politicians, staff and interns. But it’s a legacy that we can stop, as soon as we put people before politics.

This starts with acknowledging and acting on the accusations against presidential nominee Joe Biden.

The Washington Post reported in April that seven different women, most notably the former-Nevada assemblywoman Lucy Flores, came forward about Biden’s “unwanted affection” and “inappropriate behavior” toward them.

Flores recounted a situation where the Democratic frontrunner stood close to her, smelled her hair and “proceed-

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Vail Kohnert-Yount, a White House intern, came forward this April about a 2013 interaction with Biden where he put his hand on the back of her head, pressing his forehead against hers, while talking to her and calling her “a pretty girl,” the Washington Post reported.

Biden addressed the accussations in a video from April that he would be “more mindful” of his behavior.

My thoughts go back to Anita Hill’s testimony against Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991, and how those allegations of sexual harassment did little to stop him from getting appointed to the judiciary. The man in charge of that testimony was Joe Biden himself, who was chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, according to The Washington Post.

Nearly 20 years later, we’re at the same place.

It’s difficult to watch Biden soar in popularity despite his numerous allegations of sexual misconduct.

“Women have spoken out about [mistreatment] for decades. The idea that the #MeToo Movement and the Times Up Movement have ushered in an entirely new set of rules is wrong,” said Carolyn Kitch, a journalism professor whose research focuses on gender and mass media.

Yet, despite of numerous allegations of inappropriate behavior, Biden remains the frontrunner of a party that claims to ensure “full equality for women,” according to the Democratic party platform.

“I don’t think that the general public really has a care in the world about that stuff,” said Jordan Laslett, a master’s in public policy candidate.

“There are really important things that Joe Biden has tapped on that stand out more” to voters compared to a pol-

VY LE / THE TEMPLE NEWS

itician’s inappropriate behavior, Laslett added.

David Nickerson, a political science professor, agrees.

“In the context of the primary, most of the candidates share similar platforms on women’s issues,” Nickerson said, and as a result, Biden’s behavior will not make a meaningful difference in how he is viewed by voters.

“There’s [a] strain of democratic voters that all they want to do is beat Trump,” he added. “Joe Biden is an old white guy who they think will appeal to working class voters.”

It seems to be the case that the public cares more about politics than a politician’s inappropriate behavior and I think

we should place greater emphasis on this.

Female politicians, staff and interns should feel safe to go to work, without fears of inappropriate behavior by men in power.

The popularity of Joe Biden is another case of apathy toward sexual misconduct in a history of powerful men getting away with inappropriate behavior simply because of our passivity.

And it’s a history we can change, starting with Biden.

Frankly, the time’s up for excusing sexual misconduct. rachel.berson@temple.edu

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OPINION

PAGE 9

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

COMMUNITY

New students: Disregard false North Philly fears Dismissing off-campus areas as who have spent their entire lives here, unsafe promotes an untrue nar- — at Fresh Grocer, at Rite Aid and all around campus. rative about our neighborhood.

It’s the foreboding warning incoming Temple University students hear: “Don’t go past Diamond Street.”

After four semesters at Temple, I hear — and loathe TYLER PEREZ — that sentiment OPINION EDITOR hurled at nervous freshmen. Whether it be from family, friends, classmates or just word of mouth, our fear of North Philadelphia is ingrained and unwarranted.

Most of all, it’s dangerous to our university’s reputation and to our neighbors living in this community.

This summer, I saw an upsetting Facebook post where a student warned the class of 2023 to avoid off-campus areas north of Diamond Street, neighborhoods with “majority local residents,” or what he called “the hood.”

It was a message I’ve heard and largely ignored nearly every other time, but the way that this post directly targeted incoming students and inculcated them with a deeply detrimental perspective of our community was just too much for me to brush off this time.

If the class of 2023 follows this advice, all we’ll do is reinforce a divide within our community that our student body has created over time.

“It’s damaging to our department, it’s damaging to the Temple image and it’s damaging to students,” said Donna Gray, manager of risk reduction and advocacy services at the Office of Campus Safety Services.

Main Campus is a part of the North Philadelphia community. Every day, we interact with residents — individuals

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And yet, the people who welcome us into their community and who we see everyday, are the same ones we claim are the reason why we stay south of Diamond Street. Why is that?

“We’re perpetuating this stereotype that North Philadelphia is crime-ridden because we’re surrounded by Black and brown faces,” said Matthew Ellis Simmons, a professor of Africology and African American studies.

“I’m not saying that there’s not crime. Crime is everywhere,” Simmons added. “But this stigma that North Philadelphia has is based on how we look at the bodies of Black and brown people surrounding us.”

Our fear of North Philadelphia is one that’s fundamentally racialized from centuries of discrimination.

So when you take a majority-white student body and place their campus in a historically Black neighborhood, our prejudices and ingrained racism are on full display, especially when we talk so injuriously about our community.

It’s a narrative that we have to stop reinforcing, and it’s one we can work to end if we try.

It’s about education, awareness and communication with our neighbors, said Charles Leone, executive director of Campus Safety Services.

“Go walk around, meet your neighbors, get some history, see what’s going on,” Leone added. “Your neighbors here? They all want the same things that we want: they want it safe, they want it clean, they want it well-lit and they want to work together if there’s an issue.

There’s no difference: it’s what you’d do in any other neighborhood.”

When you disregard the misguided advice and imaginary boundaries, you’ll find that North Philadelphia is a beautiful community with great places to visit,

ALI GRAULTY / THE TEMPLE NEWS

like the Free Library of Nicetown-Tioga, the Philadelphia Doll Museum and the Church of the Advocate.

“If you never go over this ‘line of demarcation,’ you’ll never know what’s over there,” Gray added.

But when you dismiss North Philadelphia as inherently crime-ridden and unsafe, and then push those faulty judgments onto new students, it only distances us further and further from this incredible neighborhood.

Temple is not separate from North Philadelphia, and we need to stop setting up arbitrary boundaries as if it is.

We are members of the North Philadelphia community until the day we graduate, and regardless of where they live, it’s time to start treating our neighbors with the respect that they deserve,. tyler.perez@temple.edu @tyler7perez

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OPINION PAGE 10

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

THE ESSAYIST

‘The Devil’s Backbone’: A seminar in socializing A Spanish horror movie helped one freshman come out of his shell and meet new people.

BY JEFFREY BOBB For The Temple News I remember the first time I watched “The Devil’s Backbone.”

Sluggishly sprawled across my living room couch, I was dazzled by director Guillermo del Toro’s impeccable cinematography and impressionist use of color.

But that night, I was even more amazed by the story’s powerful plotline, one that’s stuck with me a lot these past few weeks at Temple.

“The Devil’s Backbone” takes place during the Spanish Civil War, where Carlos, played by Fernando Tielve, is sent to an all-boy orphanage after his father is killed fighting the nationalist army.

It centers around his encounters with characters that defy his expectations and first impressions, something I’m learning is a pivotal part of my college experience.

I’m a freshman at Temple, and like Carlos, this is my first time living in an unfamiliar city surrounded by complete strangers. I am reminded of the character and his challenges meeting new people and forming judgments about them.

Carlos meets people who seem unfriendly or cold, so he spends most of his time alone.

But as he begins to interact more throughout the film, he sees that they are more than what they seemed to be, and that, in reality, everyone around him is kind and supportive.

I need to cast aside my judgments about people I meet and get to know

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VY LE / THE TEMPLE NEWS

them for who they are.

In college, it’s so easy to assume things about people based on how they present themselves. In a 15-second icebreaker, someone can seem stoic and apathetic on the surface, but they could be the most passionate person you’ll meet, and I’ll only know that if I try to forge a deeper bond with the people around me.

A relationship that starts off distant and estranged could blossom into an inseparable friendship.

The way I met my roommate started similarly. After first meeting, we seemed to have very little in common. Between his extroverted personality and love for sports, and my introverted nature and

love for film, we didn’t quite click at first.

It’s difficult starting off your freshman year with a roommate that you might not be compatible with, especially when you don’t know anyone else on campus. It’s a feeling I’m sure Carlos could relate to.

But as I got to know my roommate more, I began to see how kind and supportive of a friend he is. He helped me meet a number of people living on my resident’s hall floor. Through getting to know someone that I’d initially written off as incompatible, I’ve found a large group of friends that are very dear to me.

This film’s theme of meeting new people and having them shatter your ex-

pectations has resonated with me these past few weeks at Temple.

It’s a narrative that feels fitting for a freshman’s fears about connecting with everyone around them.

And now that I’ve spent some time at Temple, my mind goes back to the film every time I meet someone new.

To you, “The Devil’s Backbone” might be just an old horror movie about ghosts and war. But to me, it’s a lesson I’ll never let go of and a story that I can’t help but see myself in. jeffrey.bobb@temple.edu

temple-news.com

FEATURES

PAGE 11

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

ALUMNI

Group running tours showcase Philly’s history An alumnus started his own business giving running tours of Philadelphia.

BY EMMA PADNER For The Temple News

L

ast Wednesday about 50 people lined up on Market and 12th Street at 6:30 a.m., ready to start their stopwatches and take off running.

But the group wasn’t racing, they were getting ready for a tour of Philadelphia, led by Ian Thomas, a 2017 MBA graduate.

After pursuing his masters at Temple, Thomas was bored with his 9-to-5 consultancy job and itched to start his own business. He combined his love of business with passion for running and founded SeePhillyRun, a company that offers themed, guided running tours of Philadelphia.

“I think there’s a certain part of running that’s been in my blood,” Thomas said. “Even at various points in my life when I couldn’t do it as much as I wanted to, it has always come back.”

Thomas said his business allows him to be an ambassador for the city.

Thomas soft-launched SeePhillyRun a year ago. He officially went full-time mid-February.

“People do not want to feel they are getting a big-box experience, people want to feel like what they’re doing is very different,” Thomas said. “We can do it differently every time because we’re on foot.”

Thomas primarily gives tours to individuals in groups but is beginning to book tours for companies, conventions, and large events throughout the city.

Mike Durst, chief technology officer of Inspire, a clean-energy technology company, went on a tour with his coworkers this spring.

“We do a lot of happy hours, team building activities, and it was just start@TheTempleNews

EMMA PADNER / THE TEMPLE NEWS Ian Thomas, owner of SeePhillyRun, shares fun facts about Philadelphia’s history with runners on the corner of 6th and Walnut streets on Aug. 28, 2019.

ing to feel a little dry,” Durst said. “So we wanted to try something different, get people moving a little bit, see parts of the city, so we decided to run.”

To add some fun to Inspire’s tour, Thomas split them into groups and asked Philadelphia trivia questions at each stop, Durst said.

SeePhillyRun offers five different routes throughout Philadelphia, including a Philadelphia Highlights tour, a Rocky Run that travels through South Philly to the Rocky Steps and a Beer Tour. Thomas also offers a customizable run, where customers can create their own route depending on what they want to see.

Tours are about 90 minutes each and range from $30 to $39.

“They’re gonna be experiencing the city in a way that they enjoy which is kind of breaking a sweat, a light jog, seeing things up close and personal,” Thomas said. “You can see a lot of the city in a short amount of time and you

can pat yourself on the back for getting a workout in.”

Dara Solotoff, a Queen Village resident, has done both the Philadelphia Highlights and Rocky Run tours. She said she was drawn to SeePhillyRun because as a runner, she thought it would be a great way to learn more about the history of the city.

“Being able to do them while also exercising makes it really unique, rather than a boring walking tour,” she said.

Solotoff added she enjoyed learning about the different architectural history, like learning that a building on the corner of Walnut and 5th Street was the first state prison in the country.

Barrett Simmons, a senior entrepreneurship major said that one of his favorite things about Thomas’ runs were the interesting facts he shares on the tours.

“After a tour, I’ll go to my friends [and say], ‘Hey did you know that William Penn [on City Hall] actually weighs

27 tons?” he said.

Simmons has worked as Thomas’ business strategy intern since May after Thomas visited his Engagement Management class. The two worked on a finance study for SeePhillyRun together. “[Thomas] is really energetic and really passionate about this company,” Simmons said. “He really embodies what it is to be a successful entrepreneur and … he sees the vision of what he wants to make this company and the way that he wants to move the company forward in the future.”

Thomas said that he liked showing runners that Philly is not just a rougharound-the-edges, gritty city.

“It’s a super enlightened city … and there are a million ways to tell the story,” he added. “This city is way more multifaceted than so many people internally and externally give it credit for.” emma.padner@temple.edu @emmapadner

features@temple-news.com

FEATURES PAGE 12

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

ART

Museum revokes free admission, upsets students Tyler School of Art and Architecture students will now have to pay the standard student fee.

BY MADISON KARAS Features Editor Every time Victoria Van Buskirk visits The Philadelphia Museum of Art, she meditates next to a Buddha statue in the South Asian Art exhibit.

Van Buskirk, a senior photography major, has visited the museum regularly for years, on class trips and with friends — free of charge, thanks to being a Tyler School of Art and Architecture student.

PMA revoked its policy to allow free admission to local art students of eight different Philadelphia-area art schools and programs, including Tyler School of Art and Architecture. The change began on July 1 and has forced students and faculty to adjust to the new policy this semester, which previously gave them free access for 40 years.

When Van Buskirk first learned she was losing her free student admission, she thought the news was an internet hoax.

“I was actually pretty shocked, I didn’t believe it at first, I thought it was just something going around,” she said.

The museum attributed the policy change to the growing number of fine art programs in the Philadelphia region, making it difficult to offer free admission to all programs equally. Tyler students will now have to pay the standard $14 student fee for two-day access upon showing a valid university ID. PMA is also offering a year-long membership to Tyler students for $20, instead of $40, through Dec. 31, wrote Norman Keyes, the PMA’s director of communications, in an email to The Temple News.

Van Buskirk said the policy change will likely affect her future museum visits. “[Students] are not going to have the

features@temple-news.com

PHOTO: CLAUDIA SALVATO / THE TEMPLE NEWS PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: ALI GRAULTY / THE TEMPLE NEWS

money to want to go as often or even on their own if it’s not through school or they’re not being pushed to do so,” she added.

PMA notified Tyler of the policy change in a letter sent in early May, which the school then published on their website Aug. 2.

Hillel Hoffman, assistant dean for strategic communications at Tyler, wrote in an email that PMA has been an “invaluable partner” for the school, and helps make its location attractive for prospective students.

“We are hopeful that a solution can be reached that would give our students the same level of access that they’ve had in the past,” he wrote.

Miguel Jimenez, a senior architecture and community development major, said he feared the fee will discourage students from visiting the museum.

“Art is a right, and everyone should have the right to see art,” he added.

Though the original free admission policy was only intended for Tyler stu-

dents, General Education Arts professors of Temple’s Gen-Ed Program had also used the free admission feature in their curriculums in the past, students told The Temple News.

The Gen-Ed’s PEX passport program still has an agreement for all Temple students to receive $5 admission to The Philadelphia Museum of Art once a semester, according to Dana Dawson, associate director of the general education program.

She was not notified of the Tyler student admission policy change, she added.

Maya Rahman, a junior biology major, had previously visited the museum while on a class trip for an Intellectual Heritage course through the Gen-Ed program.

“I think it’s really disappointing,” she said. “By taking this away, you’re limiting the history and the understanding, and a lot of the learning that could be done.”

The museum’s free admission policy

for ages 0-12 will expand to include ages 13-18, who formerly paid a $14 admission fee, the PMA announced on Aug 28.

The adult admission prices will also raise from $20 to $25, but the $14 student fee will remain the same. These changes will go into effect Oct. 1.

Keyes wrote that a strong relationship with Tyler students and the Temple community is very important to the museum.

“Access is highly important to the museum,” he wrote.

Keyes added that students can still utilize the museum’s pay-what-youwish admission hours every Wednesday 5-8:45 p.m. and the first Sunday of every month.

“Museums should be free,” Jimenez said. “Especially that one, one of the most important museums, if not the most important museum in Philadelphia.” karas@temple.edu @madraekaras

temple-news.com

FEATURES PAGE 13

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

STUDENT LIFE

Student creates Minecraft model of Main Campus

Will Careri plans to have the Minecraft campus done by the time he graduates in May 2020.

BY AINSLEY NUGENT For The Temple News Will Careri estimated that he has spent more than 150 hours so far toiling with Temple University’s campus staples, like the Bell Tower, the Student Center, Richie’s, and Annenberg Hall, in the world of Minecraft.

Careri, a senior public relations major, spent all summer working on rendering a Minecraft version of Main Campus on his Nintendo Switch, a hand-held video game device.

Minecraft is a lego-style video game, where users place blocks, go on adventures and build their own worlds. The game was released in 2009 and had 91 million players in 2018.

He began working on the project in April at friends’ suggestions and plans to have it completed by the time he graduates in May 2020. “[My roommate] originally got me into Minecraft,” Careri said. “I was just joking around about what I should build next. [He] said ‘you should just build the Bell Tower.’”

Careri spent around an hour building the campus’s focal point, and when he was finished, returned to his roommate with the same question.

“After that I said, ‘OK, what’s next?’ to which he replied, ‘The rest of the campus.’ And that’s how it all started,” Careri said.

His friends think it’s hysterical as it started off as a joke, but then progressed over time.

Nick Shupinski, Careri’s roommate and a junior information science and technology major, said Careri “locks himself away” in his room more now to work on the project.

“It’s kind of how Will is,” Shupinski

@TheTempleNews

JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Senior public relations major Will Careri creates his Minecraft replica of the Student Center in his apartment Jefferson and Willington streets on Aug. 29, 2019.

said. “He’s the fun, interesting person at the party because he always has something weird going on, but it’s always the coolest thing that you’ve never thought of… It’s pretty status quo for him.”

Careri is currently tackling the brand new Charles Library along with the TECH Center.

He struggled with measuring the accuracy of campus’ dimensions, which he tries to find using Google Maps’ imaging and measuring tool, he said.

Careri added it is also challenging to match materials in Minecraft to those that make up Temple’s buildings.

“Obviously Minecraft doesn’t have every material, so I had to improvise,” he said. “Getting the color right for Annenberg I had to use mushroom, so An-

nenberg is built completely out of mushrooms.”

The Minecraft mushroom is a common mining material, appearing as a red fungi and matching Annenberg’s facade.

Careri decides the order of his Temple projects through Twitter polls, where he asks his followers which campus building they would like to see next.

He said he built Richie’s solely because of student feedback.

Some of campus colleges have taken notice of Careri’s project, sharing it on their social media.

Don Heller, senior vice dean of Klein College of Media and Communication, said he feels Careri’s project is a good use of his time.

“He was playing video games any-

way, so what he did is say, ‘I’ll still deal with the game, but I’m going to do something constructive,’” Heller said.

“So when I look at it, I see that this is something that would really be nice for Temple to have.”

Once completed, Careri plans to open access on Minecraft for the public to play and explore Main Campus on their own.

“I think it’s another statement about the value of students here to the university, and the mark that they make as they’re journeying through the university and what leave behind,” Heller added. ainsley.nugent@temple.edu

features@temple-news.com

FEATURES

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

PAGE 14

FACULTY

Research program helps commuters with ASD A program teaches people with that connects those who have ASD to ness of the program, according to Am- free monthly passes to those who parAutism Spectrum Disorder to mentor program participants to learn ber Davidson, a research specialist with ticipate in the program. The passes are public transportation safety and com- Pfeiffer. available for all SEPTA transportation use public transportation.

BY TYRA BROWN For The Temple News Reading street signs, crossing roadways and basic street safety are all potential challenges, Elizabeth Pfeiffer found among patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). “[Patients] were having trouble with basic adult roles and they didn’t have much support,” Pfeiffer said. “Transportation for these patients is one of the biggest barriers.”

Pfeiffer, an associate professor in the rehabilitation health and sciences department, had switched her research focus from pediatrics to developmental disability when she realized the age group 18 and oler was having difficulty with basic tasks, like getting around on their own.

Pfeiffer’s answer to the transportation struggle was to develop a transportation peer-support program, in collaboration with SEPTA and the Philadelphia Independence Network. The program follows a peer-to-peer learning model

VOICES

What do you think about the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s new policy of not giving free admission to art students?

features@temple-news.com

muting. Program mentors with ASD are trained by Temple staff on how to effectively teach the curriculum.

Peer support interventionists are hired as Temple University staff and go through training in order to learn transportation safety.

Pfeiffer saw commuting to be the main issue and looked into addressing this problem but couldn’t find any studies related to the subject.

“There were not a lot of transportation-providing curriculums that focus on the ASD population,” she said.

During the first two weeks of the program, participants learn about street safety, street signs and other basic fundamentals of travel. After that follows peer intervention, which is about 10 to 12 sessions of one-on-one traveling on public transportation based on participant’s goals.

Pfeiffer and the research team GPS track the participants by their SEPTA cards and cell phones.

The tracking allows the research team to see if they are moving around more, which helps to test the effective-

She added the curriculum that they have developed is specific to the Philadelphia area and to participants with ASD. Patients for the program need to be at least 18 years old and do not need to be affiliated with Temple. As long as they are from Philadelphia or in regions that SEPTA runs, they can participate, Pfeiffer said.

Participant identities are kept confidential due to their involvement in the program.

The project initially started Oct. 2018, after receiving funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.

“We were very excited when we got the grants because it gave us the chance to get to work on the participation study and inclusion relating transportation,” Pfeiffer said.

Amy Raphael and Catherine Fleming both work as occupational therapists at SEPTA and have been involved with the project since its beginning.

Fleming said that SEPTA provides

platforms and can be used during regular transit hours.

Fleming said she believes that the independence factor the program creates is one of the most beneficial opportunities for those with ASD. She said that her favorite part is seeing participants gain independence, like being able to take train lines they couldn’t before.

“Now they can go to their job or hang out with their friends without depending on their parents,” she added.

Raphael said she also enjoyed seeing the participants’ excitement.

“Some of them haven’t been exposed to something like this before,” she added.

Davidson said the one-on-one sessions are the reason why the program is both special and successful.

“It is such a unique learning participating environment where you can help both sides gain important skills,” she added. tyra.brown@temple.edu @tyrabrown_

KELLY CHRISTMAN Junior ceramics major

ADRIAN CORBEY Senior architecture major

It sucks. It probably will deter a lot of students from going there because college is expensive and that’s just another added expense now.

I’d be much less likely to go within the same frequency I did, there’d have to be something really compelling like some temporary exhibit that is only there for [a] short time.

CONRAD HO Freshman neuroscience major

It seems kind of unfair to the art students because it’s almost like you have a requirement for your major and your education.

CHLOE GEHRET Freshman biology major I don’t agree with it, because especially if you’re an art student you should be able to get in for free but even if you aren’t, I think it would be beneficial if you could get in for free so maybe you can see the art and experience it. temple-news.com

FEATURES TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

PAGE 15

LIVE IN PHILLY

West Philly residents vote on best vegan mac and cheese

MATT ALTEA / THE TEMPLE NEWS

On Sunday, V Marks the Shop, the vegan food store, located between McKean and Hicks Street, hosted its fourth annual “Philly MAC-Down 4 - the Vegan MAC Attack” at the Rotunda in University City. Twelve participants competed for the best vegan mac and cheese recipe. For two hours, the Rotunda’s theatre space transformed into a large winding line where hundreds of people lined up to sample different vegan mac and cheese recipes, ranging from plain to jalapeño popper.

“The idea for the competition came from a friend,” said Carlo Giardina, the co-organizer. “We were eating, and she told me ‘Why don’t we have our own mac and cheese competition?’” The food is vegan, meaning it contains no animal by-products, because Giardina wanted to make the event different and provide options to the vegan community.

Attendees voted for the “Philly’s choice” category. They used their own criteria for their choice of the best mac and cheese, like cheesiness, texture and taste.

Rashanna Wade, a Philly resident, said, “Cheese and flavor are what I’m looking for today.”

Gregory D’s vegan mac and cheese took first place. @TheTempleNews

FEATURES PAGE 16

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

MADE IN AMERICA WORD SEARCH CARDI B TRAVIS SCOTT PHILADELPHIA MUSIC FESTIVAL BAZZI GUCCI MANE LIL UZI VERT

JUICE WRLD KASKADE LIZZO BLUEFACE ROSALIA SICKO MODE MONEY

FOOTBALL CROSSWORD DOWN

ACROSS

2. The offensive back positioned to the outside of the linebackers

1. Temple University’s opening day opponent of 2019

3. Senior offensive lineman #58

6. Temple University’s school mascot

4. Score made by advancing the 7. Player positioned behind ball in the opponent’s end zone the center who eats the team’s offensive play 5. Redshirt senior running back #21 9. Temple University’s football coach 8. Senior linebacker #5 10. Name of Temple University’s football team

temple-news.com

INTERSECTION PAGE 17

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

DISABILITY

Students use support animals to adjust to college Some students use emotional support animals to ease mental illnesses like depression.

BY REBEKAH HARDING For The Temple News

M

acy Garrison lives off campus with her emotional support dog, Stella, that helps her ease depression.

“I have always been someone who has struggled to make friends, and I knew that coming here would be hard for me to adapt, ” Garrison said. “Struggling with depression, I needed something to keep my mind off of it.”

Garrison, a sophomore business management major, hopes to have her emotional support dog certified and approved by Temple.

Emotional support animals can provide support for owners who experience mental illnesses, like anxiety or depression. Temple students can apply to have their animal certified for emotional assistance.

University Housing and Residential Life describes an emotional assistance animal as, “any animal that is specifically designated by a qualified medical provider as affording an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling, provided there is a link between the individual’s disability and the assistance the animal provides.”

A student must fill out a disability request to allow their animal to live with them in university housing. Students must keep up-to-date vaccination forms for their animal, along with maintaining its hygiene and controlling its behavior.

Once the disability request is approved, UHRL meets with the student to review university policies and procedures, said Shana Alston, director of University Housing and Residential Life.

@TheTempleNews

JEREMY ELVAS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Jaleh Javadpour, a junior statistical science and data analytics major, kisses her emotional support dog, Maggie, outside Charles Library on Monday.

Liv Tempesta, a junior art therapy major, went through Temple’s assistance animal approval process to allow her cat to live with her at Johnson Hall. It took her a couple of weeks to receive a letter from a Temple therapist, explaining why she requires an emotional support animal.

The process was straightforward and she benefited from her having her cat with her on campus, Tempesta said.

“Having [an emotional support animal] is just another type of treatment opportunity, especially for people who

love animals,” she added.

Caring for an emotional support animal can help students experiencing mental illness stick to a routine. Illnesses, like depression, disrupt a person’s ability to perform normal activities, because of persistent feelings of sadness, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Jaleh Javadpour, a junior statistical science and data analytics major, said she didn’t know until the end of her freshman year that emotional support animals were allowed in residence halls.

She now lives off-campus with her dog

Maggie, who helps her manage her depression and anxiety. “[Maggie] really keeps me on schedule and keeps me exercising, which goes with the emotional support,” she said.

“When I am feeling depressed and don’t want to do anything but lay in bed, I know that’s not healthy and I have to get up to feed her and take her on walks two to three times a day.” rebekah.harding@temple.edu @bae_kah

features@temple-news.com

INTERSECTION PAGE 18

THE ESSAYIST

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

A home isn’t built in a day

A student describes the emotions she felt when she left home for the first time.

BY ABBEY HELTERBRAN For The Temple News I’ve never been away from my home in Pittsburgh for more than a week before arriving at Temple two weeks ago.

I never anticipated moving away, but I knew Temple was the best option for me. Still, I was hesitant to put such distance between myself and my family.

I have always been very close with my relatives. Half of my family is Italian, so Sunday dinners are a staple with all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins. Many of the family members live on the same street and we see each other all the time.

When the day came, I moved into my residence hall, set up my bedroom and met my roommate. I filled my walls with photos of my friends and family from home. Having decorations with memories posted on them made the space feel like my own, and offered a sense of comfort when I was feeling unsure.

But the reality didn’t set in until my family hugged me goodbye. I was surprised by the overwhelming feeling of sadness I felt. It took over any feeling of excitement for my new chapter in life.

When my mind was idle, I was on the verge of crying, as I was reminded of the foreign city I now lived in with people I didn’t know.

As the days passed, I began to explore my new surroundings, and I developed a new routine. I came to realize that my new home wouldn’t be built in a single day. I would have to find new ways to feel at home.

I found my new study spots and favorite coffee shops, giving me a new sense of normalcy. I won’t pretend to

intersection@temple-news.com

COLLEEN CLAGGETT / THE TEMPLE NEWS Freshman actuarial science major Abbey Helterbren sits in front of photos of her friends and family in her room in 1300 Residence Hall on Monday.

have everything figured out already, but the progress I’ve made has started to make me feel settled in.

There are benefits to starting over, too. Making new friends in college gave me a great deal of concern, but I have already met great people that I can share these new experiences with. They’ve been there when I had an Insomnia Cookie for the first time — something

I don’t have back home. I’ve learned to share things about myself and learn about others over the many meals in dining halls.

But being thrown into a situation where I am expected to be always socialize has been stressful and made me anxious. I had to remember that I am not the type of person who can constantly be social, and realized the importance of

checking in on myself. I had to remind myself that sometimes it’s OK to skip an activity.

Things will keep changing, and I will establish my new normal. I’m looking forward to being challenged by what lies ahead. I will always remind myself that my new home won’t be built in a day. abbey.helterbran@temple.edu

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

THE ESSAYIST

Finding acceptance in the Jewish community A student shares how Temple’s Jewish community made her feel accepted her freshman year.

BY MICHELLE LEVIN For The Temple News During my first year at Temple University, I discovered a number of different people, groups, communities and organizations that made me feel welcomed and allowed me to call Temple my home away from home.

But the Jewish community here stands out in my mind.

Hillel, an organization at Temple that unites Jewish students, gave me a place where I can bond with other students and be myself. Last year, Hillel held a two-day event where incoming freshmen of Jewish backgrounds could gather and explore the city. This is where I met my first friends, many of whom I now call my second family.

Later, I found other Jewish organizations, like Chabad and Meor.

Through these groups, I attended Shabbat every Friday evening. This is a prominent part of the Jewish religion and is a day during the week where you are supposed to relax. It begins with Friday night services at sunset that leads into a big family-style dinner and ends on Saturday at sunset, with another set of services and dinner.

I enjoyed home cooked meals and was surrounded by my closest friends.

We got the chance to relax at the end of the week and not worry about school or other responsibilities for a day.

I participated in a Maimonides fellowship program through Meor that helped me learn more about my heritage and taught me a lot about who I am as

@TheTempleNews

DEMI LI / THE TEMPLE NEWS

a person, as well as a Jew. I got the opportunity to experience all different levels of Judaism. It was amazing seeing everyone of different religious levels, come together as one over the course of the program and even more so over the Shabbaton weekend.

Being involved in the Jewish community at Temple helped me find somewhere I can be surrounded by familiarity.

It’s an amazing feeling to be able around

places, things and people that truly make you feel accepted.

Knowing that I have people around me who share many of the same values as I made me feel a lot less alone at Temple. I know that if I ever have a problem or just need someone to vent to or a shoulder to cry on, I can always count on this community.

As I begin my sophomore year, I am getting more and more involved in

Temple’s Jewish community. I want to introduce incoming Jewish students to these safe spaces where they can make friends who share similar beliefs and interests as them.

I am proud to call Temple my second home and will forever cherish the second family I have made. michelle.levin@temple.edu

intersection@temple-news.com

INTERSECTION PAGE 20

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

STUDENT LIFE

Non-traditional students bring unique perspective Temple students over the age of 24 share their successes and the barriers they face.

BY ALESIA BANI For The Temple News Some students go to college right after graduating high school, but not all students share that path. Some return to higher education later in life.

While seeking their degree, Temple University students older than 24 bring a unique perspective to the university, but also face challenges that come with being a non-traditional student.

Non-traditional students are most often defined by being older than 24 years old. These older adult students have different responsibilities than younger students, like family and work obligations that can interfere with their education, according to a report from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Stephanie McCullough, a 32-yearold legal studies major, was a restaurant manager for eight years after receiving an associate’s degree in business from the Community College of Allegheny.

She is finishing her bachelor’s at Temple now and is on track to go to law school.

“It just took me a little longer than it takes some people,” she said.

Having a different full-time job has made it difficult for McCullough to get involved on Main Campus beyond attending her classes.

“I think back to 10 years ago and I think, ‘Why didn’t I do this then?’ Because I had so much more energy,” she added.

Amanda Parker, a 31-year-old parttime advertising student at Main Campus, attended Delaware County Community College and the Community College of Philadelphia, taking time off in between to work.

“Because I was an older student, going back to school [full-time] was never

intersection@temple-news.com

really an option for me,” Parker said. “I had to pay bills. I had to work. I had to take care of myself, so dropping everything to go to school just kind of wasn’t an option for me.”

Parker came to Temple in 2015 as an engineering major, but switched out because of the program’s time commitment.

“I find with advertising I can really make it work with my schedule,” Parker said. “Engineering was not older student friendly.”

McCullough said she would like Temple to develop an organization for people who don’t fit the description of a typical 18- to 22-year-old living on campus.

“I feel like we’re a forgotten sector,” she said.

Temple had a non-traditional student union, but it is not listed on OwlConnect, Temple’s website for student organizations. Alumnae Jamie Gautheier, Syreeta Martin and Haniyyah Sharpe established the club in 2010 and hosted National Non-Traditional Student Week in November 2011 to celebrate older students, The Temple News reported.

Temple’s website for its branch campuses has an “adult learners” page that outlines specific resources for older students at Ambler Campus, Harrisburg Campus and Center City Campus.

Greg Wechsler, a 30-year-old biology major, returned to higher education after taking a nine-year break. He went to Valley Forge Military Academy and College for a year and served in the Navy. Then he pursued a career in sales and business development before starting a pre-med track at Main Campus this semester.

“My parents always said, ‘You need to either be a doctor or a lawyer. You have the brains to do that,’ and I was like, ‘You know what? Let’s do it.’” Wechsler said. “Temple is close by, it was just an

ALI GRAULTY / THE TEMPLE NEWS

easy choice for me to pick Temple.”

Wechsler said he’s had trouble with his school materials, like textbooks, being almost exclusively online.

“It would be pretty cool if they had [something] like the transfer seminar you have to take, and add in a way to navigate each of these online portals for accessing your textbook and doing your homework and tips and tricks,” Wechsler said.

Temple offers a “Navigating Temple’s Online Systems,” on its branch campuses website to help students use Temple’s online systems, like TUportal, Canvas, email, among others.

Wechsler said no one pointed him to these resources and instead found another older student in his first few days

on campus who showed him how to navigate things like TUportal and wireless internet.

Although they come from different backgrounds, McCullough, Parker and Wechsler said they have learned from their younger peers, while also sharing their own perspectives.

“I’ve had conversations with people who say, ‘Oh, I’m 22, and I’m not graduating until next year. I’m a semester late or a year late,’” McCollough said. “I’m like, ‘Don’t worry. You’ll be fine. There’s plenty of time.’ I don’t think I’ll be done with my schooling until I’m 35, at this point.” alesia.bani@temple.edu @alesia_bani

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SPORTS PAGE 21

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

MEN’S SOCCER

Temple adds six international players to roster Four of the six players have seen the field in the first two games of the season.

BY SHAKIBUR RAHMAN For The Temple News

Temple men’s soccer is welcoming new faces from all over the globe this season.

Since the end of the 2018 season, 17 new players have joined the Owls. Six of the incoming players are from overseas.

Redshirt-freshman midfielder/ defender Mathieu Gadet and sophomore defender Mickael Borger are from France. Freshmen midfielders Lior Nesher and Amir Cohen are from Israel.

Sophomore forward Tyrese Edwards is from Canada, and sophomore defender Esteban Suarez is from Mexico.

Coach Brian Rowland said he started recruiting international players after he was hired by Temple in late 2017.

The international players fit the Owls’ style of play on the field, he added.

“Part of it is us trying to get the players in we feel like can play the style we want to play, and some of it has just been the way the roster has shaped up since I got here,” he said.

International players typically have experience playing for semi-professional teams, giving them an advantage compared to domestic recruits, Rowland said.

Borger believes his experience is part of the reason why Temple recruited him. He played for clubs in the third and fourth levels of the French Soccer Leagues before coming to Temple.

“I bring to the team a lot of experience and played at a good level in France, third division,” Borger said.

While playing in France’s third division for US Boulogne, the sophomore defender tallied five assists

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ERIK COOMBS / THE TEMPLE NEWS Sophomore defender Esteban Suarez holds the ball on the sideline during the men’s soccer home opener against Rutgers University on Aug. 29, 2019.

and one goal. From 2018-2019, Borger played in France’s fourth division for CSO Amneville and contributed two assists.

He joins two other French players on the team: junior defender Pierre Cayet and senior goalkeeper Simon Lefebvre, who both joined the team last season.

The team’s international presence made the newer players feel welcome, Nesher said.

Cohen joined the Owls before Nesher did in August. This made

Nesher’s decision to come to Temple easier, he said.

“I just felt like this is the right place to be,” Nesher said. “We have some good goals to achieve this year, so this is just the right decision for me to be here.”

Borger, Cohen and Suarez started in Temple’s first game against Rutgers on Aug 29. The Owls lost in a 1-0 game decided by a penalty kick in the second half.

Borger, Cohen and Suarez made their second consecutive starts on

Monday during the Owls’ 0-3 loss to Georgetown University. Gadet started the second half for his first appearance as an Owl. The returning players have been receptive and open to the new recruits, Rowland said.

“It has been a great locker room and credit to the guys that have been so accommodating and receptive to the guys coming in,” Rowland said. shakibur.rahman@temple.edu

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SPORTS PAGE 22

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

FIELD HOCKEY

Ciufo debuts position changes in opening games The Owls won their first two and recording one goal and one assist to the right spots,” Gerhart said.

In the Owls’ opening game on games of the season with contri- since 2016, senior midfielder Becky butions from a new midfield unit. Gerhart moved up the field. She will now Aug. 30, players debuted at their new

BY JAY NEEMEYER Sports Editor Goalkeepers are the only players who can be fairly certain they won’t change positions under a new coach.

For field players, their positions aren’t fixed, and Temple field hockey coach Susan Ciufo has taken advantage of this.

In the Owls first two games of the season, Ciufo and her staff changed the positions of several midfield and back players to prepare for a “relentless” style of play focused on gaining and keeping the ball.

After playing three years as a back

be more involved in the team’s offense.

“It’s been exciting,” Gerhart said.

“I played back my first two and a half, almost three years. So it’s something new, and it’s a fun spot to be in.”

Gerhart and junior Dani Batze both moved from back to midfield, while sophomore Nienke Oerlemans changed from both being forward and midfielder to back. Sophomore Annie Judge and redshirt-sophomore Grace Shanton are both backs after playing midfield in 2018.

Batze has recorded two goals during the Owls first two games. In her previous two years at Temple, she had contributed only one goal in 2018.

“I think [Ciufo] has been doing a really good job switching people around

positions, resulting in a 3-0 win at home over Merrimack College.

Senior midfielder Kathryn Edgar played in the back for part of the second quarter, and scored the third goal of the game with a drag flick, which is an important part of the team’s corner options, Ciufo said.

Ciufo said Edgar can play all of the field, so she moved Edgar to the back when senior forward Cristen Barnett was performing well in the midfield.

“Personally, I’m happy to go anywhere,” Edgar said.

The Owls then beat LaSalle on Sunday 3-0.

Players have to build their stamina in their new positions, Ciufo said.

“By going really hard, going 100 percent, you reach excellence,” Ciufo said after practice on Aug. 29. “So a big focus has been our energy, our intensity and our work rate. It’s been really important that those are the pieces that we’re bringing every day to practice.”

Gerhart said Ciufo emphasizes staying with the play, so players have to have a “hard work ethic” to keep up with her expectations.

Batze said conditioning was a factor in their play against Merrimack.

“When you’re a fit team, you’re able to tackle back, get the rebounds,” Batze said. “So making sure that even when you are tired, you’re still making the leads for other people and cycling through.” jay.neemeyer@temple.edu @neemeyer_j

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SPORTS PAGE 23

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Minimal game action leads senior to role off field

COLLEEN CLAGGETT / FILE PHOTO Senior midfielder and captain Molly Tobin (left) directs players on the field during an exhibition match against Lafayette College on Aug. 18, 2019.

Senior and Captain Molly Tobin hasn’t seen the field since the Owls’ first game this season.

BY DONOVAN HUGEL Women’s Soccer Beat Reporter Temple senior midfielder Molly Tobin has not scored since 2016.

She only played 14 minutes in the Owls’ opening game of the 2019 season and has not seen game action since.

But Tobin, who was named a team captain, continues to lead the team in other ways off the field.

“I’ve never wanted to quit. I love this team,” said Tobin, a senior marketing major. “I’m going to do whatever I can

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do for the team. I’ve accepted my role on this team wholeheartedly.”

Tobin helps to run the team on an administrative level. She coordinates team events, organizes digital communication and promotes the team on social media.

She helped freshman players move onto Main Campus last month. When coach Seamus O’Connor asked her to organize this, she told him she had already taken care of it.

“That stuff doesn’t surprise me about Molly because that’s how she’s always been,” O’Connor said. “A lot of times we’ll need stuff organized, and she’s already done it. She’s very committed to the program, not just to herself.”

Tobin was an account management intern in Boston this summer at McCarthy Mambro Bertino, an advertising agency.

She developed professional skills, and she hopes they will translate to the team this year.

“Being a student-athlete actually helped me a lot,” Tobin said. “A lot of those basic skills, like time management, I was already good at, but I really improved on them. It really carried over to the team and has been very helpful.”

Knowing that she might not get into every game, Tobin tries to bring as much energy to the field when possible. She is very vocal on the field and makes hustle plays.

Fellow captain and junior midfielder

Julia Dolan said that the whole team looks up to Tobin. Even on the bench, her positive demeanor makes the team better, she said.

Dolan hopes everyone sees the amount of effort Tobin puts into the team.

“Even though she’s not playing as much as I’m sure she would love to be, she’s still out here every day and puts in the time,” Dolan said. “For underclassmen and upperclassmen alike to see her still put in that effort, it gives them an incentive to put in the same amount of effort.” donovan.hugel@temple.edu @donohugel

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SPORTS PAGE 24

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

FOOTBALL

Owls’ preparation won’t change after easy win

JUSTIN OAKES / FILE PHOTO Redshirt-senior running back Jager Gardner celebrates after scoring a touchdown on Aug. 31, 2019 against Bucknell University at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Owls broke a three-year streak of opening day losses on Saturday.

BY DANTE COLLINELLI Assistant Sports Editor For some Temple football players, Saturday night was the first time they celebrated an opening day win.

The last time the Owls won their first game of the season was 2015, against Penn State.

The Owls defeated Bucknell University, 56-12, at Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, snapping their threeyear-long streak of losing opening day games.

“It is really nice,” redshirt-junior offensive lineman Matt Hennessy said. “I didn’t even realize it until we were just sports@temple-news.com

now in the locker room. I mean my first game was Army and then Notre Dame and then Nova last year. So getting this win was pretty awesome.”

In 2016, Temple lost, 28-13, at home against Army. In 2017, the Owls lost, 49-16, on the road against Notre Dame University. In 2018, Temple lost, 19-17, at home against Villanova University.

Bucknell came into the game on Saturday after finishing the 2018 season with a 1-10 overall record and a 13.36 points per game average, the worst records of an opening-day opponent since the Owls’ losing streak began in 2016. Army had the next worst record of 2-10 in 2015.

The Owls averaged 34.92 points per game in 2018.

Despite having a clear advantage, the team felt pressure leading up to the

Bucknell game, senior linebacker Shaun Bradley said.

“We have been losing the first game a lot,” Bradley said after practice on Aug. 27. “Bucknell, for me, would have been the biggest challenge for us. Coming out, starting strong and getting that 1-0 start.”

Coach Rod Carey doesn’t believe this year’s team will settle after an openingday victory and believes the team will continue to play with “urgency.”

“I have no reason to believe that these guys will not be urgent when we get back out on the practice field on Wednesday,” Carey said. “I have every reason to believe that this group is a driven group.”

Carey said the Owls will prepare for every team the same, despite their record.

“Games are a series of adjustments inside the game plan and how you do with that, that’s how we’re going to attack it,” he said.

The Owls next game is against the University of Maryland (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) on Sept. 14 at Lincoln Financial Field.

Temple has an extra week of practice before this game, during which the team will enjoy the victory, but quickly pivot to preparing for the Terrapins, Carey said.

“We don’t take winning for granted,” Carey said. “We have a strict 24-hour rule and policy. We are going to enjoy it for 24 hours, and then we are gonna dig in and fix the other stuff.” dante.collinelli@temple.edu @DanteCollinelli

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