Friday, September 10, 2021 Print Edition

In this issue...

UC 75th anniversary Homecoming canceled

UC Film Series once again open

New multipurpose turf and athletic field

NEWS | PG. 5

FEATURES | PG. 10

SPORTS| PG. 12

The

TANGERINE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Vaccination rate at UC: Different perspectives prevent 100% immunization

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Wilcox Center is officially open, new scholarships announced

◊ MATTHEW BREAULT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Despite the mandatory COVID-19 v a cc i n a t i o n requirement at Utica College, the campus does not have a 100% vaccination rate amongst students, faculty and staff.

At the start of the 2021 Fall Semester, Utica College added the COVID-19 vaccination to the list of required immunizations for students, as well as full-time and parttime employees of the College.

According to the most recent numbers provided

by Utica College Vice President for Emergency Management Shad Crowe on Sept. 8, the total student vaccination rate is at 94%, the residential student rate is 95%,

Photo: Isabella Hudziak Photo: Alexandria Leland

the student-athletes rate is just under 96% and the vaccination rate for faculty and staff is just above 98%.

Dawn DeGironimo, the registered nurse at Utica College, said although the numbers on campus aren’t 100%, she is still satisfied with the current numbers.

“We are very pleased to see so many students, faculty and staff vaccinated,” DeGironimo said.

“Ideally, a 100% vaccination rate would be great, but we understand there are reasons why it will

never be 100%.”

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease said in a recent interview with NPR that vaccines are effective against both the virus and preventing serious disease or hospitalization. He also added that no matter what study or what country you look at, the statistics tell you the same thing.

DeGironimo agreed with Dr. Fauci about the COVID-19 vaccine being effective in SEE VACCINE PG. 3

◊ ISABELLA HUDZIAK NEWS EDITOR The official dedication ceremony for the Francis A. Wilcox Intercultural & Student Organization Center was held at 3 p.m. on Sept. 8. The new Wilcox Center is now open to students 24 hours a day, seven days a week and houses the relocated Women’s Resource Center.

Faculty, staff and students were joined by the immediate family of Francis A. Wilcox, including his brother Jim Wilcox, sister-in-law Mary, and sister Marilyn

Keehle. His nephew Kevin Keehle and wife Susan offered the final words of the ceremony.

Dr. Anthony Baird, vice president of Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, explained the impact the intercultural center will have on Utica College.

“This gift symbolizes the embodiment of community,” Baird said. “The center is a home for student growth.”

Trevor Anderson, a computer science major, addressed the capability of the Wilcox Center in welcoming SEE WILCOX PG. 4

STAFF PAGE 2

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Fall 2021 STAFF

@UCTangerine @uc_tangerine @UC_Tangerine

UCTANGERINE.COM

Editor-In-Chief - Matthew Breault Layout Editor - Stephen Clark Managing Editor - Hannah Steyn News Editor - Isabella Hudziak Features Editor - Alexis Lyga Photographer - Alexandria Leland Social Media Manager - Sophie Langdon Tangerine Clerk - Charles Buckley Advisor - Mary Christopher About

The Tangerine is published weekly during the academic year by and for Utica College students. To reach a member of the staff, email tangerine@utica.edu or call 315-792-3065. All material printed in The Tangerine is copyrighted. The Tangerine was first published as the Utica College News on Nov. 6, 1946.

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NEWS PAGE 3

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

Before the uprise in cases once again in the local area, Utica College originally said that members of the UC community who were fully vaccinated were “no longer required to wear masks or observe social distancing while on campus.”

But, “if you remain unvaccinated for any reason, masks are still required, in accordance with CDC guidelines.”

VACCINE FROM PG.1

preventing the virus from spreading.

“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe, and the only way we are going to stop this virus in its tracks is if everyone who is able to be vaccinated does,” DeGironimo said.

Alyssa Winberg, a junior health studies and physical therapy major who is a member of the women’s Cross Country team, said she appreciates the efforts being put in by the students, faculty and staff in order for UC to return to full inperson classes.

“I think knowing that most of my professors and advisors are vaccinated makes me feel safe and confident they are doing everything in their power to allow us to return to fully in-person classes,” Winberg said. “I am also a student-athlete and not being able to compete last year for cross country was difficult, so I am really grateful to everyone that did their part in getting vaccinated so that way athletics could continue.”

Despite 94% of students on campus being vaccinated, there are still 6% of students who

UCTANGERINE.COM

Photo: Alexandria Leland

have not received the vaccine for various reasons. One unvaccinated student in particular, who requested anonymity out of privacy and safety concerns, was critical of the way Utica College has handled the vaccination situation.

They said one of the things Utica College could improve upon is testing protocols.

“I don’t disagree with the weekly testing of unvaccinated students, but I was not happy to hear that the testing site was to be placed in

the Strebel Student Lounge,” they said.

“I felt like I was being singled out and discriminated against for my personal choice because during the first week, it was clearly marked that unvaccinated were on the left, vaccinated on the right.

I believe to protect the confidentiality of students and to make them feel more comfortable, UC should move the testing site to a quieter place on campus, a classroom, or a separate building.”

“Being that only 6% are not vaccinated, this group is now considered a minority,” the anonymous source said. “As much as we push for an allinclusive, unified environment, taking the unvaccinated and now marking them by requiring masks, was like placing a scarlet letter on their forehead. Hearing the news that all students and staff had to wear masks coming back definitely put me at ease and made me feel more comfortable to start the fall semester.”

However, some vaccinated students disagree with the claim that Utica College is being authoritative in regards to student vaccination.

“The school did not

force students to get vaccinated, otherwise we wouldn’t have that many students who are unvaccinated who attend classes, sports games, club and organization activities etc.,” Winberg said. “I did not feel forced by the school to get my vaccine. I received my vaccine in February, months before the school made it a requirement, and I got the vaccine to keep myself safe and those that I care about safe.”

Although the college has a high vaccination rate, Winberg said it doesn’t mean they should take COVID-19 lightly.

“Overall, I think that the college is heading in the right direction,” Winberg said.

“However, we still need to remain vigilant and remember that we as UC students and faculty are a part of a broader community.

If UC numbers were to suddenly spike, it would affect small businesses, other schools and the local people that live and work here. I am from here, I grew up here, my family lives here and it is important to me that my community remains safe.”

NEWS PAGE 4

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

UCTANGERINE.COM These include free menstrual health products, sexual health products and collaborations with the Health Center for free STD/STI testing.

WILCOX FROM PG.1

the capability of the Wilcox Center in welcoming commuter students.

Since commuters are not allowed in residence halls, the center is able to offer a space in the residential quad for complete unity of students, he said.

Towards the end of the ceremony, President Laura C a s a m e n t o announced that the estate of Francis A. Wilcox donated $2 million to the creation of an endowed scholarship, which should be available in two years.

The endowed scholarship will offer $5,000 annually for 20 students.

The scholarship is slated to include 10 undergraduates, six returning and four graduate students.

“Uncle France believed education was important to success,” Kevin Keehle said. “His ideas are now a reality at Utica College.”

WHAT IS THE WILCOX CENTER? Nestled among the residential quad is a newly renovated building called the Francis A. Wilcox Intercultural &

Jaydy C. Hernandez, a criminal justice major and administrative intern at the WRC, resources are available for all students and new programs are in the works for unlearning preconceived prejudice.

Photo: Alexandria Leland

Student Organization Center.

Formerly known as the Newman Community Center, the building was once used for Sunday services on campus and the meeting place for faith-based events.

According to a 2019 Tangerine article, the space lost frequent use after the retirement of Rev. Paul Drobin.

Utica College received $900,000 in donations towards the renovation of the Newman Community Center.

The 35,000-square foot building was given several new appliances to create a student lounge and meeting space.

The Wilcox Center houses a main room with a fireplace

located underneath a flat-screen television and speakers. The space also includes an outdoor patio and a fully operational kitchen for student use.

Reservations will be offered for rooms in the Wilcox Center later in the fall semester.

The building doubles as an office for two members of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Division: Meghan Jordan, the DEI program manager and Anasa Sinegal, DEI communications and community relations coordinator.

Along with members from the DEI, the offices of the K. Della Ferguson Women’s Resource Center have relocated to the Wilcox Center.

WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTER RELOCATION The K. Della Ferguson Women’s Resource Center (WRC) is headed by Mark Kovacs and was previously located in the Faculty Center Basement beneath Hubbard Hall.

The WRC was established in the 1990s with the mission of empowering women through education, camaraderie and growth. The center initially was called the Womyn’s Resource Center, but the name received an update in spring 2021.

The WRC offers several resources for students.

“Having an actual building where we have our own office space and a lounge that is more spacious makes a very comfortable and safe place to have those tough conversations,” said Hernandez.

The WRC page on PioHub has been updated with a polished mission statement and meeting times.

Interested students can stop in the Wilcox Center at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays to speak with other volunteers to learn more about the organization and an open house is scheduled from 2 - 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13.

“We want to show the new space and let everyone know who we are as individuals and in a group,” Hernandez said.

NEWS PAGE 5

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

UCTANGERINE.COM

UC 75th anniversary Homecoming canceled, some events for current students will take place full capacity Homecomings have decreased as students have graduated.

Thirdyear students have only been able to attend one traditional Homecoming.

◊ ISABELLA HUDZIAK NEWS EDITOR The Utica College community received notice on Aug. 23 that Homecoming, Alumni and Family Weekend had been canceled.

This marks the second consecutive year where Homecoming festivities have not taken place at Utica College.

President Laura Casamento made the announcement on the college’s social media platforms and outlined the precautionary mindset that prompted the cancellation.

“After careful review of the developments surrounding the Delta variant of COVID-19 and in light of current high transmission rates in Oneida County and much of the Northeast, we have decided not to hold Homecoming, Alumni, and Family Weekend as planned on September 2426, 2021,” according to Casamento’s announcement.

According to the New York Times, there have been an average of 65 cases per day reported

Photo: Isabella Hudziak

in Oneida County.

The increase in case numbers can be linked to the appearance of the Delta variant, which is a new branch of the COVID virus that is considered more contagious by the CDC. The reactions to the cancellation announcement have been mixed, especially since Utica College celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Upperclassmen e x p r e s s e d disappointment at the change, while freshmen, sophomores and recent transfers had fewer opinions on the matter. This is likely because they have yet to experience a collegiate Homecoming and are unaware of what

they’re missing.

Among the student body, there has been some miscommunication regarding what events will still take place. While the alumni and family facets of Homecoming have been completely cancelled, the football game will be open for student spectators.

Other events will be hosted by the Utica College Programming Board for students. UCPB will be sponsoring a casino night, DIY projects and multiple other activities for Utica College students.

According to Jason Francey, the assistant director of College Engagement and UCPB advisor,

some of the events originally scheduled for students will still occur, they just won’t be associated with Homecoming.

“It’s basically morphed into a weekend long series of events for only students with some of the stuff we had planned will still be happening for students,” Francey said. “The events still happening are not being branded as Homecoming because the word has a connotation of family and alumni being involved.”

This is the second year in a row that Homecoming has been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of students who have experienced

MaryGrace Kehrli, a junior occupational therapy major, said she was looking forward to Homecoming because she, like other juniors, haven’t been able to experience the festivities since their first year on campus.

“I was really excited to go this year because I haven’t been in a while,” Kehrli said. “Plus, I have made more friends, so I wanted to go with them, too.”

The original plan for Homecoming included reminiscent events for alumni, a carnival with multiple attractions and nonstudent access to the football game.

Attendees were required to pay a fee for certain events that will be refunded. The new Utica College Science Center was also slated to have an official dedication during the Homecoming SEE 75TH PG.8

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Career and Professional Development Center becomes ‘Career Readiness’ with more changes to come journey,” Murray said.

◊ CHARLES BUCKLEY CLERK

Even with these changes, appointments will still be arranged in similar fashion to past semesters.

Starting this semester, the Center for Career and Professional Development is beginning a new transition and has adopted a new name, now called the Center for Career Readiness.

Along with this name change, many staffing changes were made over the summer as success coaches were hired to target specific professions and career fields.

A donor supported the department’s expansion and formal dedication will be coming in the next few months, said Kailea Murray, the new director of the Center for Career Readiness.

She previously served as interim director of the former Center for Career and Professional Development.

“We changed the name to better capture the scope of the work that we do,” Murray said.

TheCenter forCareer and Professional Development is a place many UC

Photo: Matthew Breault

students have turned to when preparing to enter the workforce, looking for internship opportunities or searching for an on-campus job.

Incorporating career readiness in its name emphasizes what the center wants to be most known for.

“Now that we have a full career development staff to support students’ professional and career development, a full campus employment staff, and a dedicated individual to support co-curricular experiences and Pioneer Pitch-In, our office truly supports students throughout their entire journey to career readiness,” Murray said.

However, the center is still expected to

perform the same way it always has.

“The Center for Career Readiness is fully prepared this semester to best support our students, alumni, faculty, staff and employer partners,” said Victoria Pardee, assistant director of the Career Readiness Center. “Our industrycentric model of career coaches allows the team to be knowledgeable in their industry areas through research, faculty and employer collaborations.”

This semester’s career chats will return as well as new industry-focused networking nights that will be available to all students who wish to participate, Pardee said.

Along with a new

name, another major sign of change is all the new hires that have been recently brought onto the Utica College campus to work in either the Student Success office or in the Career Readiness office itself. Murray said the college has always placed emphasis on making students at this college feel “career ready” and new hires have been made so that every student has a specific career coach they can go to specializing in their field.

“Within the office, we have an industrycentric model, which means that each student has their own personal career coach to work with them on their career and professional development

“With the college beginning to open up and return to a sense of normalcy, students will again have the option to make appointments with our office via inperson, Zoom or over the phone,” Pardee said. “As an office, we plan to continue this flexibility, as many of our students we work with are online students throughout the United States.”

Pardee also said she understands that some students have different comfort levels involving the pandemic, so she’s hoping that also offering the career chats this semester in virtual and in-person settings will help students succeed.

“We can’t wait to connect with everyone throughout this academic year,” Pardee said.

The Center for Career Readiness is located in 115 Hubbard Hall. Dates for career chats will be announced.

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Op-Ed: First Pioneer Pitch-In shows the best of UC and neighboring areas ◊ MICKALE THOMPSON STAFF WRITER The first Pioneer Pitch-In took place on Aug. 26 and the new event brought excitement, growth and purpose, which highlights what it means to be a Pioneer.

The goal of Pioneer Pitch-In is to give first-year students immersive experiences through service projects as they transition into life at Utica College and become introduced to more diverse experiences and people.

About 28 non-profit organizations and entities from the Utica community benefited from the day-long projects.

These agencies included the Utica Zoo, ICAN, The Root Farm, Empower Pathways and Handshake City.

This gave first-year students a chance to get involved and see the community in which they will spend four years of their lives and create memories that will last a lifetime.

“Seeing the residents go to Pioneer PitchIn was exciting

because it was a good opportunity for them to meet offcampus resources and incoming peers,” Area Coordinator Katie Peltz said.

just a few minutes away. It puts things into perspective as to what a community really is and why hard work, dedication and support are all elements that showcase what the people and their community are made of. My experience at Handshake City wasn’t the only one that was great.

Seeing them get involved in the community as a group is important to me because it gave them a chance to explore the area and make friends while giving back to the Utica area.

I had the opportunity to be a part of the Pioneer Pitch-In and work as a mentor to students. I also have the opportunity to do community work with Handshake City, which was founded

by Justin Parkinson and Katie Reilly, who are both members of the Utica community.

Parkinson and Reilly, with help from the community m e m b e r s , transformed a vacant parking lot into a place that people can enjoy.

The place has evolved over the years and serves as a beacon for the community.

Handshake City is host to many events, such as free yoga classes, touch trucks, concerts and many

Photo: Mickale Thompson

more that bring families and the community together and showcases the best of Utica College.

The city is also home to many astounding works of graffiti art.

My experience helping Handshake City was one I will never forget. We all came together to prepare the area of their upcoming event and painted tables and a stage.

Despite the extreme heat, the comradery of the students and the members of the organization made the experience enjoyable because we all wanted to be there

and get to know not only our community, but each other as well. Our energy didn’t just stop at the site, we went out into the downtown Utica area to put up posters. This gave us a chance to see more of the community and learn more about what makes Utica so special.

We went into various stores, hair salons, restaurants and even a bar to put up posters and to engage with community members.

Some had never heard of Handshake City before and were amazed that it was

Some others felt the same way, including mentor Katelyn Calkins who volunteered at Grace Church in Downtown Utica. She spent a large part of the day with children between 3 and 16 years old.

“We did different activities like a scavenger hunt, learned how to play the ukulele and did a dance lesson,” Calkins said. “We also helped out with a couple of labor-heavy activities that the women at the church needed some help with. I think that going and working with the students was really important to them.”

According to Calkins, being a Pioneer Pitch-In mentor was an experience that SEE PIO PG.8

NEWS PAGE 8

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Photo: Matthew Breault

75TH FROM PG.5 weekend.

Dayna Losito, a senior health studies major and a member of Chi

Beta Sigma, said she enjoyed attending Homecoming events as an underclassman.

Although the events aren’t exactly the same now because

of COVID-19, she still shares a somewhat positive attitude for them.

“I went both my first and second year to both the tailgate

and the football game,” Losito said.

“No matter which way you turned your head, the only thing you saw and heard were people.

It was such an upbeat place to be. I’m glad students can still attend the game, but it’s definitely not the same as pre-COVID Homecomings.”

that will last not only a day, but a lifetime.

That is what makes Utica College and the Utica community so special. We keep improving, keep growing and never standing still.

Photo: Utica College

PIO FROM PG. 7 made her a better student. Being able to give back to her community and encouraging her

team of students to get involved in the community was enjoyable. Making connections with other students that

she may not have met before this experience was an important part of this experience to Calkins.

The Pioneer Pitch-

In has created a new tradition at Utica College. It has given students a chance to make a difference in their community

“I never knew much about Utica until this program and I learned about the several organizations that give Utica residents opportunities to learn about their community and gain insight about where they are attending college,” mentor Gigi Demir said.

ADVERTISEMENTS PAGE 9

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

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The F. Eugene Romano Executive Lecture Series

“The Impact of Sports and Tourism on Community Revitalization and Economic Growth” Robert Esche

Robert Esche is the CEO of Mohawk Valley Garden, which encompasses the American Hockey League’s Utica Comets, Utica City FC, ORB Food and Beverage, and Garden Entertainment. Esche also works with local community leaders to continue to grow the Adirondack Bank Center and additional sporting/ entertainment ventures throughout the Mohawk Valley, including the addition of the Nexus Center.

Esche’s experience with the AHL started in 1998, first playing for the Springfield Falcons. He then moved on to the Phoenix Coyotes, then the Philadelphia Flyers. In 2003, he won the prestigious William M. Jennings Trophy, and in 2004 he represented the United States at the World Cup of Hockey. He completed his professional career with teams in Russia and Switzerland.

Thursday, September 23, 2021, 7:00 p.m.

Brvenik Center For Business Education Clark City Center Buses will be leaving Strebel Circle at 6:30 p.m. and returning at approximately 9:00 p.m. join virtually - utica.edu/els-webinar Exclusively for Utica College students T hi s l e c t u re i s p a r t of th e T h e F. E u g e n e Rom an o E x e c u t iv e L e c t u re S e r i e s s p on s ore d b y th e B u s in e s s an d E c on omi c s D e p a r t m e nt of Ut i c a C ol l e g e .

All attendees at indoor campus events, regardless of vaccination status, must wear masks.

Please contact Tracy Pratt at tmpratt@utica.edu with any questions.

FEATURES PAGE 10

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

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UC Film Series once again open to students and community able to relate with the main character, despite their cultures being so different and was able to connect his experiences to her own.

◊ HANNAH STEYN MANAGING EDITOR The Utica College Film Series is once again open, not only to students who aren’t enrolled in the class, but to members of the public, too. Professor Jeffrey Miller, who has run the series for more than 20 years, is thrilled at the change from last semester.

“Under the dark cloud of COVID, the series was just me and nine students, sitting six feet apart in this massive auditorium,” Miller said.

In contrast, there was a large turnout last week, and there are hopes the number will only grow from there.

The Film Series is truly a passion project for Miller.

“The reason I do it is I really do get a lot of pleasure from bringing these films to the college that otherwise students and people from the community might never see,” he said.

Miller compared the feeling of finding a good movie from another country to that of finding a band before everyone else

Photo: UC Film Series

does.

“I know that people come from off campus and I love that, and love to show them movies they would not otherwise find,” Miller said.

“I tend to think of students first and I try to think of what would really open their eyes.

I’m not against The Avengers and X-Men movies, those are all wonderful and I can watch them like any other normal person, but showing a movie that no matter how hard you try you can’t find otherwise, that’s really something special.”

Freshman Ashley Tavarez said when she heard that films from all over the world would be showing, she was thrilled.

“We’re so used to hearing that American narrative about how great

America is, but we never get to hear the outside perspectives,” Tavarez said. “So finally having a class that focuses on cultures that are everything but American is amazing.”

Often, Utica College is one of the only places in the U.S. that the films shown in the UC Film Series are available.

“Undine (showing Sept. 16) is literally an exclusive,” Miller said.

“It took me almost two years to get the rights to show it from a French company, so it takes work, but it is a labor of love.”

According to Miller, often the cultural differences in a foreign movie can be just enough of an obstacle to turn people off, and they would rather not try to understand. As such, before each

showing, he will introduce a film by pointing out some of those differences while providing a lens to help make sense of them.

“There’s always the element of human emotions, which at the core tend to be very similar in all these wonderfully diverse cultures,” Miller said. “Human emotions are human emotions. These films all have different cultures – their foods are different, their clothes are different, their relationships are different, their institutions are different – but they all have emotion.”

Tavarez experienced this in her first film of the semester. “I cried at the end of the movie,” she said.

“Me and my friend were both tearing up throughout it.”

Tavarez said she was

Next week, the Utica College Film Series will show Undine, the modern-day love story of a museum historian in Berlin that is complicated by the fact that she is a mythological water nymph who can only remain human while she is in love with a man, but is doomed to die if he is unfaithful to her. Undine is a German film that was released in 2020 by the director Christian Petzold, according to the UC Film Series website.

This film will be shown on Thursday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the MacFarlane Auditorium to both students and the community.

Admission is free.

“Enjoy the superhero movies and the car crash movies as much as you want,” Miller said. “But if you are willing to challenge yourself a little bit, these films are chosen in hopes of inspiring students to see a bigger world – plus it’s fun.”

FLASHBACK PAGE 11 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

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Terrorists’ acts felt at UC

This article was originally printed on Sept. 13, 2001, two days after the 9/11 attacks.

Compiled from staff reports

On Tuesday, the entire nation was rocked by an unimaginable act of terrorism. Tuesday, 9-11, a date that with harsh irony mirrors the number for emergency assistance.

While the worlds huddled around televisions, reliving the nightmare and praying that friends and loved ones were all right, Utica College pulled together. In a time of sorrow, the campus reacted more like a family than an institution.

All classes, sporting events and meetings across campus were cancelled after 1 p.m. allowing individuals to face the situation without the added stress of a regular school day.

Although the immense scale of the disaster was still unknown, it became quickly apparent that the UC community had been personally

Photo: The Tangerine

touched by tragedy.

Many students and faculty have family in New York City; UC alumni live and work in both Washington D.C. and NYC. Televisions were set up in the Strebel Lounge and Pioneer Café. Tuned into national news, these sites helped people stay informed and gave them a central place to gather for support. The Newman center was opened up for “quiet reflection, meditation and prayer.” Even though the college

had been closed, most of the faculty stayed on to assist the student body.

The administration did what it could to make the ordeal as easy as possible for the students. At the suggestion of one employee, the Office of Business Affairs extended phone service to all students living on campus.

This gave everyone the opportunity to contact concerned relatives and friends.

As the day went on, UC also did its part to become an active

participant in relief efforts.

the

Career Services sent out a call for volunteers to help the American Red Cross in arranging blood bank donations.

A prayer vigil for victims and their families was also organized by a group of students.

Even as things seemed to be settling down across the country, the chaos continued with bomb scares at the Oneida County Office Building on Genesee

Street and the Utica train station. More information on these and other incidents will be forthcoming in the days ahead.

For our part, we have been asked, as a nation, by President George Bush to “unite in our resolve for justice and peace.”

He has pledged to use the full resources of the government to find and punish those who are to blame.

Until then all we can do is hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.

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New multipurpose turf and athletic field nearing completion us to use in practice, especially for long jumps, hurdles and other outdoor events.”

◊ MATTHEW ROBINSON STAFF WRITER It wasn’t too long after the spring semester ended that construction was underway on the new synthetic turf field and outdoor track, which was a $2 million gift commitment to the college.

That gift is coming to fruition as work has been steadily ongoing over the summer and should be wrapping up soon. The target for completion is midOctober according to Athletic Director Dave Fontaine.

Many athletes and coaches around campus were thrilled to hear the news, especially studentsathletes who participate in track and field. This is Utica College’s first outdoor

Having another full-size field means more flexibility with practice, scheduling and game times.

Photo: Matthew Robinson

track and it comes during the College’s 75th anniversary.

Having not one, but two fields along with the Todd and Jen Hutton Sports and Recreation Center, gives Utica College an advantage for recruiting down the road for all sports.

President Laura Casamento made the initial announcement on Nov. 17, 2020, which impacted nearly 700 studentathletes at UC.

James Lemieux, the head coach for men’s and women’s Track and Field said he was thrilled to hear the news that Utica College was getting an outdoor track.

“We’ve never had a place on campus for outdoor events,” Lemieux said. “Myself and the rest of the coaching staff and athletes are all very excited to have a new space we can call home. There will be more space for

Fred Holmes, a junior on the men’s Soccer team said at times it became difficult to have practice because of all the teams using the same field.

“There are days where our practice time gets adjusted because of another team’s practice or game time and it can be aggravating to deal with,” Holmes said. “At times, I’ve had to change my schedule in order to work around the new scheduled time.

Hopefully, it will be ready in time and we

will be able to have some games there.

I’m hoping it’s finished by early October.”

Hosting an Empire 8 Championship on the new outdoor track in the next few years is something graduate student and men’s Track and Field star Chase Pecoraro is very excited about, considering he is back for another year to compete.

“When I heard the news, I was thrilled and I’m happy it will be done in time for the season,” Pecoraro said. “Ever since I heard the news in the spring, it made me excited to be able to compete. Having an E8 Championship in a couple of years should be exciting, not only for the team, but for the parents and fans as well.”

SPORTS SCORES

Sept. 1: Women’s Field Hockey Utica 1 @ Ithaca College 2 Men’s Soccer Utica 1 @ SUNY Delhi 0

Sept. 3: Women’s Volleyball Utica 1 @ SUNY Fredonia 3

Sept. 5: Women’s Field Hockey Utica 2 @ SUNY Oneonta 4 Men’s Soccer Utica 1 vs SUNY Oswego 1

Sept. 7 Women’s Soccer Utica 4 @ MCLA 0

Sept. 4:

Men’s Cross Country 6th Place @ SUNY Poly Women’s Cross Country 4th Place @ SUNY Poly

Women’s Field Hockey Utica 2 vs. SUNY New Paltz 7 @ St. Lawrence University Men’s Football Utica 39 @ SUNY Alfred 21 Men’s Soccer Utica 0 vs. Skidmore College 2 @ SUNY Oswego

Sept. 8 Men’s Soccer Utica 2 @ SUNY Potsdam 1 Women’s Volleyball Utica 1 vs. SUNY Delhi 3

Women’s Soccer Utica 5 @ SUNY Buffalo 0 Women’s Volleyball Utica 0 vs. SUNY Plattsburgh 3 @ SUNY Poly Women’s Volleyball Utica 1 @ SUNY Poly 3