Governor’s Forum Promotes Continued Focus on Women’s Issues in New York
Mt. Vernon Hosts Beyond Black History Workshop
Page 3
Page 7
Page 16
Lady Vikings Buck off Losing Streak, Win Against Broncos
VikingNews
The
WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S PREMIER NEWS SOURCE
Valhalla, NY - vikingnews.net
Spring 2018 Issue 4 - Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
“EMBROID-ME” STITCHES COMMUNITY COLLABORATION INTO INTERACTIVE ART PIECE (PAGES 8 - 9)
Academic Support Center Extends Hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays Center Will Strive to Meet Increased Mid-Semester Demands
by Goran Poljak WCC offers opportunities and assistance to its students in ways that make even top four-year universities appear lacking, and now the college has extended its helping hand yet again with the Academic Support Center’s new evening hours. Located on the bottom floor of the Library, the Academic Support Center will be now open until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. This free tutoring service includes math, physics, science and writing rooms where WCC professors will aid students on studying for an upcoming test or just sharpening their understanding of a certain topic. “As a professor, I am grateful and very
happy that the Academic Support Center is open as it is,” says Laura Senko, a math professor and frequent tutor at the ASC. She also noted that the fact that they are open before class as well as being open throughout the day gives students the flexibility to seek out help whenever they can. Students who are already taking advantage of the center’s services are enthusiastic about the change. “I love how there is a group of professors here at all times,” said one student who chose not to provide their name. “It lets me pick and choose between different types of teaching styles.” This student shared one of the many special aspects of the ASC as the wide variety of the professors that are available are unique
to any tutoring service. The newly placed extended hours were set on Feb. 12. In the beginning of a semester, many professors review material that students may have previously learned, or glance over the topics that they will be diving into later making the first couple of weeks easy to most. When they start the new or more challenging material, students may use the ASC services to be at their best for an upcoming exam. The tutorial rooms each have their own subjects and schedules of when certain tutors are available are posted, as well as the general topics that are being taught during a particular time in the semester. Students can also borrow a textbook from the center at the front desk and log on to any of the computers available to do assignments or study work.
As mentioned before, the wide range of hours for quality tutoring are benefits available to all students, but unique to the ASC is the ability to find out the schedule of a certain tutor and walk in with questions without scheduling a one on one meeting. The ASC is a great resource on campus to help students achieve their educational goals and can be recommended by students and professors. If students are still unable to stop by the main ASC for their provided hours the off campus extension centers each have their own academic support centers to aid students. For more information on the ASC and the extension sites, students can access the ASC page on the college’s website or call (914) 606-7220.
N2
The Viking News
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
NEWS
The Skies of Valhalla
Wednesday 2/28 54/37
Thursday 3/1 47/35°
Friday 3/2 42/35°
Saturday 3/3 45/30°
Sunday 3/4 44/32°
Monday 3/5 46/34°
Weather data courtesy of the The Weather Channel.
COMING UP AT WCC: February 28
Black History Month Culminating Awards Luncheon Student Center Event Room 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
March 1
Poets & Writers: David Amram & Brian Fleming Gateway Center — Davis Auditorium 11:00 am - 12:15 pm; 12:30 - 1:45 pm
March 9
Free Citizenship Drive Gateway Center 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
March 11
Rhythm in the Night: The Irish Dance Spectacular Academic Arts Theatre 8:00 pm
March 12
The Future of Native Trees Classroom Building — Room 200 8:30 am - 3:00 pm
News in Brief Smart Arts Kicks Off Initiative to Develop a “Creative Campus” In efforts of creating a more immersive experience for students and community members the Office of Cultural Affairs is expanding the Smart Arts department to include WCC faculty and students into scheduled performances. The first collaboration will feature Culinary Department students with prepared soda bread for patrons of Rhythm in the Night on March 11 in the Academic Arts Theatre. Congresswoman Lowey Hosts Roundtable on Reducing Gun Violence Following the Parkland school shooting that took the lives of 17 people Congresswoman Nita Lowey held a roundtable discussion with local law enforcement officials and students on how to prevent gun violence in schools. “The bottom line is that students have a right to go to school free from fear, not having to worry about anything other than expanding their horizons and minds,” said Lowey. Lowey also sent a letter to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan in hopes to lift the ban on federal gun violence research. Latimer Names New Head of Consumer Protection Department County Executive George Latimer named County Legislature Jim Maisano to Director of the Department of Consumer Protection. “We are of different political parties, and we remain in different political parties, but we have a shared commitment to the people of Westchester County,” said Latimer. Maisano is charged with the responsibility of overseeing a fair and equitable marketplace for consumers.
“I am so excited and grateful that this Administration has given me this opportunity,” said Maisano. “It is incredible that George reached across party lines to show that the most important thing is the County of Westchester.” 2018 Winter Olympics Come to a Close The 2018 Olympics games held in Pyeongchang, South Korea came to an end Feb. 25. Over the course of the 17 days there were 2,930 athletes who participated in 15 sports. Norway won the highest amount of medals with a total of 39 medals. Germany came in second overall with 31, and Canada trailed in third accounting for 29 medals overall. America placed fourth overall winning nine gold medals, eight silver and six bronze. Governor Cuomo Speaks Out Against Federal Cuts to SNAP With the proposal to slash the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Governor Andrew M. Cuomo called upon Congress to prevent the cuts from taking place. New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance did an analysis which showed that more than 1.25 million households or 2.3 million New Yorkers would have their monthly food assistance drastically reduced under the President’s proposed budget. “This is an unnecessary change to an effective, important program and I urge Congress to reverse this effort to take food away from New York’s hungry families,” said Cuomo. In place of SNAP, the Trump Administration proposed implementing the “Harvest Box” for low-income individuals which has been placed under scrutiny among members on the left to be poor planning and a potential distraction from other bills on the floor.
WCC Foundation Accepting Scholarship Applications for Fall 2018 by Brian Ponte & Amanda M. Gordon For the eleventh year in a row, the Westchester Community College Foundation has begun accepting scholarship applications for the upcoming Fall semester. Founded in 1969 to “meet college and student needs not met by public funds,” the WCC Foundation has granted annual scholarships to incoming, graduating, and continuing students since 2007. Last year alone the Foundation granted a total of more than $1.6 million in scholarships. The scholarship is open to all students, whether first-time, returning, or transfers. Several different scholarships are available to students every year. One of the scholarships available to students is provided by the faculty union. “This is a scholarship that has been donated by the generosity of the faculty members who belong to the Westchester Community College Federation of Teachers (WCCFT), our union,” says Joanna Peters a Coordinator at the Academic Support Center. Each year $6,000 is given away to four students, $1500 per winning student. Typically the scholarships are dealt to three continuing students and one graduating, but will vary on the quality of the essays submitted. This year the topic question revolves around the current value of unions in the workplace, or the role unions play in social justice issues today. “We are hopeful to see students to think about unions, learn about them, find out what the current issues of union involvement are [and] talk about them,” said Peters. Requirements for this award is based primarily on the 500 word essay submitted by students and their interest or connection to unions. A letter of recommendation and GPA is also taken into consideration, but unlike most other scholarships, this is not a needs dependant scholarship. The application can be picked up in the Academic Support Center or found online at researchguides.sunyw-
Students can check WCC’s website for info on how to apply. (Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay.com)
cc.edu/unionscholarship. The deadline for this scholarship is March 30. As for other scholarships offered by the foundation, the priority deadline to apply is March 1, while the last day to apply is April 1. New students, however, have until April 15 to apply. Late applications may be considered depending on whether funds become available. While there is usually no GPA requirement in place to apply, other factors may be considered. Interested students should take into consideration all aspects of how they may appear on their applications. Students who are interested in applying for a scholarship, but are uncertain about certain parts of the process, can attend scholarship application workshops held every Wednesday and Thursday in the months of February and March in the Classroom Building. Information on how to apply is available on both the WCC and the WCC Foundation’s websites.
Statement of Correction to VN Article on CCC Contracts On behalf of the WCC Federation of Teachers Executive Board I’d like to comment on the article entitled “Administration Resolutions under Fire from Teachers’ Union” in the last issue. The College’s contracts with Corporate Cost Control exist primarily to inhibit adjunct faculty members from being able to collect unemployment compensation to which they may be entitled, particularly during the summer. We are very glad that the VN has brought this to the attention of the entire WCC community. It does show that the College has a long way to go to make a reality of its claim that it fully respects the adjuncts (the vast majority of the teaching force). However, we feel it is necessary to point out a factual error and to correct an implication of the overall tone of the article. The survey of faculty satisfaction that the article references was not done by the WCCFT, but by the publication The Chronicle of Higher Education. That survey, from Spring 2016, and other events of the past three years did indicate a high level of tension between the college’s faculty and its administration. But it is not correct to say that the WCCFT feels that the administration has “little to no respect for its staff ” or that “tensions are reaching a critical point”. In fact tensions have relaxed somewhat recently, especially with the resolution of the College’s labor contracts. Issues like the one of adjunct unemployment benefits reveal that the College administration is not making a full-faith serious effort to improve the working lives of its employees. But we do not want to give the impression that things are at a boiling point when, in fact, we believe there is good reason to expect improvement going forward. Mel Bienenfeld, President WCC Federation of Teachers
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
The Viking News
N3
NEWS
Governor’s Forum Promotes Continued Focus on Vision and Values Women’s Issues in New York
Committee Sets Goals to Improve College by Ken Sandoval
The panel consisted of local professionals in women’s health and social issues. (Photo: Brian Ponte)
by Ken Sandoval & Isabella Rosario This is the year of action and women’s empowerment. Rallies and conferences have taken place across the globe, seeking to bring attention to the higher-ups in hopes of change. One such forum was held at SUNY New Paltz on Friday, Feb. 23, addressing women’s issues in New York and discussing an action plan. The forum was part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s larger 2018 Women’s Agenda for New York. The forum covered the fundamentals of intersectionality, education within STEM, workforce equity with economic opportunity, healthcare, childcare, safety, and leadership. The speakers at the forum referred to these as the nine areas of impact. Introducing the forum was President Donald Christian of SUNY New Paltz. The panel consisted of seven women speakers, comprising of leaders from the private sector as well as government officials. Missing from the forum was Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, who was unable to make it to the event. Cuomo, who has a history of striving for gender equality, formed the Council on Women and Girls, in recognition of the 100th anniversa-
ry of women’s suffrage in New York in 2017. “I was impressed by the emphasis that he placed on the continuing efforts to support women,” said Christian. “Here at the college we discuss these problems broadly.” After Christian, the first person to speak was Maria Vullo, the superintendent of the Department of Financial Services. She began by listing Cuomo’s accomplishments regarding women’s equality, such as his 2017 executive orders dealing with pay equity by state employers and state contractors. From there, she began her discussion on the issues women continue to face in New York and the actions Cuomo plans to take to combat those issues, such as his plans to invest in pre-k, and to launch mentorship programs for younger students. Following Vullo’s introduction of the goals of the forum and the council, the other members of the board began to speak on how to tackle inequality in New York. A large portion of the discussion was devoted namely to women’s health issues and issues in the workforce. A major point of discussion as the decriminalization of abortion, which Ruth-Ellen Blodgett, the CEO of the Mid-Hudson Valley Planned Parenthood, devoted a great amount of
time to. Vullo spoke on this issue as well, saying that Planned Parenthood is the best provider of women’s health care. Also discussed was gender based violence, which Shannon Wong of the NYCLU devoted her time to, child care resources, which Kathleen Halas the executive director of the Child Care Council of Westchester spoke about, and racial issues, which Wong and Blodgett both spoke of at length. A point that was emphasized greatly was the need for participation. Halas said the idea that voting does not matter is “just not true” and Vullo said that “tangible results don’t always come right away,” but stressed that perseverance is key. The forum ended with questions from the audience. Questions about topics such as higher education and Cuomo’s executive orders were asked. One question that drew a lot of applause from the audience was asked by a student from new Paltz who asked what the panel thought of the lack of men. The speakers all responded by saying that intersectionality and working with allies is incredibly important. As Wong said, a major thing they were trying to teach was how to be a better ally. She said, the key is to “learn to lead, but also learn to step aside so others can lead.”
New Director of Alumni Engagement Links Past and Present by Renae Morgan A new Department of Alumni Engagement has been established at WCC to reach out to former students. Most US colleges have a dedicated alumni department that seeks to strengthen the connection with their students after graduation and now WCC is no exception. The alumni department at WCC believes that alumni can be beneficial to the college in order to maintain connections with past students and their alma mater, allowing former students to share beneficial experiences with current students who are pursuing their field of study. Newly appointed Director of Alumni Engagement, Michelle Schleibaum is hoping that she can utilize her experience to leverage the Alumni’s effort. “When I was a student in college, I got involved with the alumni office,” Schleibaum said. “We represented the students at all of the alum-
ni events so that the alumni would have an opportunity to talk to us students, and be aware of what was happening on campus.” Schleibaum spoke in detail about how hearing from alumni themselves will be beneficial for current students. “The students have an opportunity to hear about the alumni’s experiences; whether it is their experience as a student, transitioning from being a student to another school or moving into the workforce,” Schleibaum said. “They give a lot of job experience as well, and help students get internships and pursue their own path beyond their time here at the college.” Vice president and Dean of External affairs. Eve Larner, expressed the impact that Alumnis can have on WCC. “All throughout Westchester and the region, there are WCC alumni who are working in all different types of companies,” Larner said. “Some are independent entrepreneurs and
there are many who have strong feelings for WCC and want to know what is going on and enjoy the opportunity to give back while bringing their expertise back to campus from their work experience.”
“The students have an opportunity to hear about the alumni’s experiences; whether it is their experience as a student, transitioning from being a student to another school or moving into the workforce.” — Michelle Schleibaum, Director of Alumni Engagement Larner then elaborated on how establishing connections between students and alumni can provide long-term benefits. “That kind of collaboration be-
tween our outreach with alumni and the programs that career services is providing to students—that is where students and alumni intersect,” Larner said. “Making and forging connections with alumni can be beneficial to students just because we got the connections out there in the world and our students should be able to take advantage of them.” This connection between WCC and alumni is not only a physical requirement, but it also exists virtually to facilitate the connection process. There is an online community that alumni can join, as well as a Linkedin and Facebook page that provides information on various support programs on campus that are still available as a graduate. However, Schleibaum acknowledges that there is room to improve alumni contact via social media. “We hope to do more active posting; it has not been very active,” said Schleibaum.“We haven’t taken full advantage of the ability to post often and to keep alumni informed.”
Since September, a committee within the faculty senate has been meeting to discuss an upcoming summit and survey that will be available to all students. The committee, known as the Vision and Values Committee, is led by Professor Philip McGrath, the curriculum chair of the Culinary Arts department. The committee is made up of representatives from all areas of the college, and McGrath says the unofficial goal is “to improve the culture of the college, to make people understand these values we should live by.” Officially, the goal of this committee is to create a vision statement, which a rough draft of the survey defines as “a statement of the future that the educational institution aspires to achieve,” and a list of values, defined by the survey as “underlying principles [which] guide the institution’s day to day procedures.” The committee thus far has a proposed vision statement and an initial list of values. “It’s almost finalized,” said McGrath. Though things are not set in stone yet, according to McGrath things are moving along. The working statement currently says that “Westchester Community College is a diverse, dynamic educational institution where each student is guided on a path of personal success, intellectual growth, and community engagement.” The most up to date list of proposed values includes values and concepts such as accountability, civic engagement, and diversity. A survey which is set to be released between March 2 and March 5, will be sent out to every single member of the college, including the satellite centers. There’s even work being done by McGrath to try to get the survey to open on every computer on campus whenever anyone logs in, to fully ensure that everyone has a chance to participate in the survey. “This thing is not valuable unless we have participation,” said McGrath. “For better or worse, all colleges and universities are, in a way, a business.” According to McGrath, the students are the clients in this case. He says the faculty senate “feels that the vision statement is important going forward,” and that it’s not simply for current members of the college, but also for any prospective members. According to McGrath, having a codified set of values could potentially “attract students and faculty.”
O4
The Viking News
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
OPINIONS
It Is Okay to Get Down With With Degrees in the Sickness Hand, Graduates Face Uncertain Job Market by Samuel Rowland Imagine that one day, you wake up a little after your last alarm, feeling just terrible. Your throat feels ragged, you’re coughing up gobbets of phlegm, and you’ve got the mother of all headaches. So, the right answer is obviously to take a sick day. Rest, get some medicine and inform your professors that you can’t make it. Or so you’d think. But it’s not always that simple. Last semester, I took a statewide final after spending most of the day throwing up from food poisoning. My reasoning was three-fold. First off, rescheduling and remembering the new date seemed harder than just sucking it up and going on the regular day. Secondly, I was pretty sure that food poisoning is not contagious. But most importantly, I was scared that if I had to delay the final for another week or so, I would forget things and I would fail (this test had 80 percent as the lowest passing grade). Other students and faculty agree that sometimes, a person is either not sick enough to take a sick day or times and circumstances can conspire to make taking time off a danger to grades or, worse, their job. That said, there are more specific points where they disagree. For instance, some students on campus, such as Christine Parris, seem to generally support a college-wide policy on the minimum amount of excused absences for illness and family matters that a teacher must offer. Currently, the college policy is to leave the issue of excused absences up to individual professors, while recommending two excused per credit hour on the Policies page of the website (which may be, as frequently happens with the website, out of date). Not all professors like to give a set number of excused absences though. “Some students have taken ‘Oh well, I’ve only had six absences and this is my seventh,’” said WCC Mathematic Professor Rowan Lindley, “It was like giving them permission to be absent.” Nevertheless, she is not the slave driver this comment might make her seem. “It’s not possible for me to judge
by Daija Stepney
Busy students often have to ration sick days (Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay.com)
whether a person should or should not be absent” said Lindley, “so I don’t have excused or unexcused absences, they should just try to be in class every day.” While it is an individual’s judgement call when to take a sick day, I would add that there are some red flag symptoms that seem to be largely agreed on as good reasons to stay home. Especially in flu season, if a doctor has confirmed that you’re contagious, you need to stay home for your classmates’ sake as well as yours. High traffic public places like schools are perfect breeding grounds for contagious diseases and classmates can then spread the flu or the stomach bug to their families and perhaps their coworkers. Fever, chills, aching and intense, frequent coughs are also symptoms that Health Services Coordinator Janice Gilroy cites as potential signs of flu. Moreover, consider other people’s safety as well as your own. Be wary of splitting headaches, inappropriate exhaustion and other symptoms that could impair your ability to get to campus. We’re a commuter campus and already have a significant accident rate. And if you’re having a mental health crisis, take the time to take care of yourself. A breakdown in class can be just as disruptive to learning as a flu outbreak.
Throughout life, many students thought getting a job would never require a degree. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Many people, including friends and family, give the advice to “go to college and get a degree because otherwise you won’t get a job.” However, many young adults get their degree, but still have a problem finding a job. So what really helps a person get a job after college? From what I’ve learned, good grades, work experience, and connections are important. However, as a college student struggling to make money, I feel like every job expects so much from employees. In other words, you might as well be creative. Use what you’ve learned and start you own business or franchise. For example, people like Miranda Sings played by Colleen Ballinger who creates YouTube videos and has their own custom-made gear and make tons of money entertaining millions of people all over the world. According to an article called “Meet The YouTube Millionaires” on businessinsider.com, Miranda Sings is ranked number nine in top highest paid YouTube stars making over 5 million dollars each year.
“I think jobs being limited is a matter of perspective.” — Matthew Gibbson, WCC student According to the article, “Video game designer, physicist, and 18 other high-paying jobs for creative thinkers,” on businessinsider.com, “there are several jobs that place high importance on creative thinking skills and coming up with new and original ideas, projects, or products where you can earn an average salary upwards of $50,000.” The Career Services Office at WCC focuses on exactly that: helping students find what’s right for them, creative or not. “First off, I’d like to remind you that Alumni of Westchester Community College are still able to utilize the services and resources of the Career Services Office,” said career counselor Gelaine Williams of Westchester Community College. Even though there are services in colleges that help people find a job, what if it doesn’t turn out well? “I think jobs being limited is a matter of perspective,” says digital film student Matthew Gibbson. “There are plenty of jobs out there just the requirements are not being met and we aren’t being educated on how to get the ones available to us. I believe if we are focused more on getting job experience to handle positions, we look more appealing on the market.” For anyone, regardless of degree, grades, or experience, jobs are still going to be difficult to find. Life is not always easy. We all have to find ways to make money in society, but we have to do it the right way for ourselves. The real world is tough and according to Gibbson “the struggle is real.”
The Necessity of Core Classes in College by Daija Stepney
A
s students, we attend college to find a career. “What’s next?” Now, we’re taking the same classes all over again. The conflict is, once we enter college, high school courses come back to haunt us. As college students, we now ask ourselves: “Are these core classes necessary?” As a journalism major, it was required that I take a math course. Thankfully, I passed and got it over with. “You’re spending thousands of dollars on classes you’ve taken in high school,” said WCC student Ethan Marte. “When are we ever gonna use trigonometry in life if you’re a business major or a computer science student?” However, others say that taking these core classes are beneficial, that they will help you in the near future. “I believe core courses are extremely useful,” said WCC Student Development Coun-
selor Damian Trombetta. “Depending on the individual, some course material may be more useful than others, [but generally] core courses help cultivate a well-rounded individual who have problem-solving, writing, and interpersonal communication skills.” According to Trombetta, they provide a basis for establishing principles. “Those principles can in turn assist with the handling of situations that arise throughout life,” Trombetta said. “I truly believe that core courses are more of a benefit than a hindrance.” “I just think there’s some hindrance because of the time and duration of school,” said WCC student Rafa Abubakar. “I am majoring in business administration and one of my core subjects is art.” According to Abubakar, it doesn’t make sense to take a dance class, painting class, or photography. “It is a waste of my time,” Abubakar said. Taking classes that have to do with your
major should be more of a priority than core classes. According to an article from The James G. Martin Center Of Academic Renewal, core classes don’t help students in their field. “Unfortunately, Common Core undermines students’ intellectual growth and leaves many graduates unprepared for true college-level work, as opposed to career training,” wrote Joy Pullman who holds a fellowship with the Heartland Institute. “Common Core requires high-school seniors—those about to enter college or adult life—to read 70 percent nonfiction and 30 percent fiction in school. Younger children start out with a higher proportion of fiction, which gradually declines.” Overall, college students shouldn’t be forced to take core classes on the basis that for many it is a waste of time and money. At the end of the day; students are in college for a reason, and that’s to obtain a career and be successful within that field.
VikingNews
The
WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S PREMIER NEWS SOURCE Valhalla, NY - vikingnews.net Spring 2018 Issue 4 - Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
Editors-in-Chief Amanda M. Gordon Dana Hirsch News Editor Brian Ponte Editorial/Opinions Editor Garrison Marschner Features Editor Annique Mclune Sports Editor Position Available Copy Editor Sam Nadell Website Editor Tom Bylicky Photography Editor Victoria Fennell Gaming Correspondent Position Available Music Columnist Jade Watts Business Manager Jemimah Telford Marketing Manager Rafakatu Abubakar Layout Designer Bozhena Shuplat Office Manager Position Available Distribution Manager Position Available Adviser Rachele Hall Faculty Adviser Joe Sgammato Staff Adviser Matt Beitscher Email us at contact@vikingnews.net, or call us at (914) 606-6223. You can find us in STC-013 Westchester Community College, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, New York 10595. Meetings are held at 11:00 AM every Wednesday.
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
The Viking News
O5
OPINIONS
WHICH OSCAR-NOMINATED FILM IS YOUR FAVORITE? WHY?
Co Op 3 mp en su le m to te m de up er g se to re ss e on & io e ns no ye ar nav de of ai gr la stu bl ee dy e st in u de th re n ts e mo Ca M nt lc ic hs ul r us An Ch obi at em olo om g is try y y Ph & ys P ic hy s si & ol M og or y e
The end of awards season is rolling in with the 90th Academy Awards next in line on the schedule for Sunday, March 4. Arguably one of the biggest award shows, side by side with the Grammys as an honorable award to receive for a music artist, the Oscars never fail to leave fans questioning whether the winnings are deserved. Because of the controversies circling around the motion picture industry from allegations of sexual harassment to lack of diversity, the Oscars may have lost its relevance. A poll was done on Instagram to find out how many people were going to watch the ceremony this Sunday and 70 percent voted no. Only a theory, but nonetheless inconclusive, top grossing movies and popular actors are snubbed for reasons unknown and conjuring conspiracies, which possibly contributes to its pertinence. With only two months into the new year, changes are already underway this award season. The #MeToo movement has not only helped women to get their voices to be heard, but also gaining power through confidence, which was shown on this year’s Screen Actors Guild Award, commonly known as SAG awards. Where in addition to a female host, there were all-female presenters, leading a show that was a first in its history. This year, the Oscars have shown a change with its diverse lineup after arguments of there being all-white nominees in recent shows. The negative attention from prior years brought on the hashtag, #OscarsSoWhite floating around social media, and the attention was quickly brought to The Academy, causing the representation of more people of color on this year’s nomination list.
The Academy announced their nominations for Best Picture and the nominees are: “Call Me By Your Name,” “Darkest Hour, Dunkirk,” “Get Out,” “Lady Bird, Phantom Thread,” “Streep Hanks,” “The Shape of Water,” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” A film in a league of its own, “Get Out,” directed by Jordan Peele, is making another appearance after winning several other awards. Peele is nominated for Best Directing and Writing Original Screenplay. Lead actor of “Get Out,” Daniel Kaluuya is also nominated for Actor in a Leading Role. “Get Out” has been a favorite to many because of its chilling horror, comedic relief, and awareness of modern liberal racism. But in the midst of the movement for women empowerment, it was much too many peoples’ surprise that “Wonder Woman” was not up for nomination after being ranked 3rd in top movies of 2017, but “Logan” made an appearance on the lineup, nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Other nominees, such as Saoirse Ronan, nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role in “Lady Bird,” respectfully earned her spot through pure talent as well as other women, not excluding women of color. Octavia Spencer and Mary J. Blige are up for nomination and also Blige’s first appearance as an Oscar nominee. Aside from the ceremony itself, the red carpet is the best bit. The beautiful gowns and crisp suits by famous designers always spark viewers interest. We all want to know who somebody is wearing and how creative celebrities get incorporating their personal style. And let’s face it, we all love a good gossip and want to see the possibly new couples walking the carpet, tweeting afterwards how they’re “goals.”
GE TA
by Isabella Rosario
HE AD -S TA RT TH IS SU MM ER
Oscars Still Relevant in Spite of Declining Ratings
718.260.5500 • WWW.CITYTECH.CUNY.EDU/SUMMER NEW YORK CITY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
CITY TECH
300 Jay Street Downtown Brooklyn facebook.com/citytech • @citytechnews
www.citytech.cuny.edu
O6
The Viking News
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
OPINIONS
Too Much Fact, Not Enough Fiction, a Dull Student Makes Where the by Lisa Avila Reading for pleasure starts off when you’re young. If you find a good book, you’ll continue to search for new books to enjoy. As one gets older, they notice that finding time to read on their own gets more difficult. Reading for pleasure in elementary school is one thing, but college? Completely different course load. Asking students if they read for pleasure is the question that either threw some people off or caused their eyes to light up as they nodded and expressed that yes, they do in fact enjoy reading for pleasure. Just like how you can’t judge a book by its cover, you’d be surprised by what types of genres different types of people like to read. Take WCC student, Ben Russell. “I tend to read everything from spiritual awareness, growth, motivation, self-help books. Finance to real estate, anything about successful people,” Russell said. “Stories that exemplify what the person is about.” When asked if they’ve read for pleasure lately—after being at school, going to work, finishing homework, etc, everyone seemed to hesitate for a moment on their response.
Reading for pleasure decreases with age. (Photo: Courtesy of Pixabay.com)
“I don’t really have the time anymore,” said student Ava Faulkner. “I’m too busy studying at school to read for fun and usually I’m too occupied reading my textbooks for class during my break or even when I’m at home after a long day. Sometimes when I do have the time to read something that isn’t a textbook I might not even bother.” It seems that reading textbooks is a higher priority for students, understandably enough.
The Viking View Editorial
Would arming teachers ensure safety in schools? The NRA and advent supporters of the Second Amendment argue that having teachers armed would prevent future school shooting tragedies. While it sounds like it would encourage that everyday hero, putting more guns into schools is asking for trouble. Forcing teachers to be armed while dealing with students in any emotional environment does not bode well for the parties involved. It is not safe to have more guns in school for protection because even with proper training, these teachers will still be prone to mistakes that can prove to be deadly. We also have to consider that some teachers may not be comfortable with having a gun on them in the classroom, especially if it could mean potentially aiming it at a person in a dangerous situation. Arming teachers will not solve the problem. What we need is a better practice of our current gun control laws and more accountability of gun store owners. It may help end certain shooting incidents faster once they have already started, but it doesn’t address the root of the issue in any way. The fact is far too many dangerous people are able to obtain guns and carry out attacks and a math teacher with a gun does not do anything to change that. Why is it important that we start including Black History into American History all year round instead of just dedicating one month a year to it? To set a single month aside for Black History defeats the purpose of its intended use of acknowledging the lives of African Americans. Black History is American History. From the earliest days of grade school students can recite a song about Christopher Columbus but don’t hear the tales of the Underground Railroad or touch on Martin Luther King Jr until the month of February and, in some cases, not until they near middle school. Black History should be incorporated into American History because it will expose Americans to the positive contributions African Americans made to the country. Teaching Black History all year round would be a step in a direction where people of color are not treated with insensitivity, disdain, and disrespect. Black History is so interwoven with American culture that it is of utmost importance to include it in the context of teaching students about the history of the United States.
“I’ve noticed that it’s hard with my free time to read for pleasure,” Russell said. “Yesterday I hit my breaking point...It’ll be hard to read another page of a textbook, but if I read a book that I have actual interest in, I’ll burn through it so quick. Reading textbooks makes me feel like I don’t want to read something with the time that’s left in my day.” While there are students that don’t have the time to read on their own, some manage to make
time for it. “I usually read something on my phone,” said Caroline Hager. “I have an hour long bus commute so you’ll usually find me reading while waiting for the bus, or I’ll just pop my earbuds in and read on my phone during my commute.” When asked which is more preferable: paperback or ebook, paperback seemed to be the preference. “I don’t like ebooks,” Faulkner said. “I bought a few but it just didn’t feel right; paperback books are nicer.” “I prefer paperback,” Russell said. “I hate staring at a screen, maybe it’s from conditioning when I was younger since I grew up with paperback books. There’s just this content feeling I get when I turn the physical page of a book. Swiping at a screen doesn’t give me the same feeling.” “I usually read stories online, but if i have the chance to, I’ll grab a paperback book,” said Hager. Despite most of their time being taken up by reading their textbooks, it seems that students who do enjoy reading for pleasure will eventually find the time to do so, and enjoy every moment of it before getting back to hitting their textbooks for their next class.
Netflix Is on but Not All Are Watching by Lisa Avila Walking around campus there are many students with their nose buried in their phone or their laptop. Whilst some are probably texting a friend or updating their twitter status, there are definitely some students that pop in their earbuds and start watching a show on Netflix to pass the time in between classes. But how much Netflix is too much Netflix? “I try and watch Netflix every time I go home; there are good shows on there,” said WCC student, Hakeem Thomas. “A day I watch maybe between 3-5 hours and a week maybe 40 hours because I catch up on the weekend most times since I‘m off from work. Sometimes I’ll watch Netflix on my phone on my long bus ride home, though I try not to do that too often since it kills my battery and uses a lot of data.” There are also some people who use it just to have something playing in the background. “I usually use Netflix for background noise during mid day when I’m either playing a video game or working in my workshop,” said Daniel Reinol, a former WCC student. “It’s not as distracting as music is; so it works for me.” With heavy course loads and Netflix softly in the background, plenty of students have found themselves falling asleep while Netflix is still playing. “I have fallen asleep with Netflix still playing, many times; I kind of use it as a lullaby in a way. When the volume is lower
and the characters are speaking softly it’s pretty soothing and I fall right asleep,” said student Daniel White. “There have been plenty of times that I’ve slept through a few episodes of a show I’m trying to catch up on and then I wake up and have to find the episode where I left off before I knocked out.”
“I usually use Netflix for background noise during mid day when I’m either playing a video game or working in my workshop. It’s not as distracting as music is; so it works for me.” — Daniel Reinol, former WCC student But for some, sleeping with Netflix on is not an option. “I never fall asleep when I’m watching Netflix,” said fellow student Cristian Soto. “Whenever I watch my shows I watch them fully through. I would get really annoyed if I fell asleep while watching my shows because then I would have to keep rewinding it, which shows that I’m not really paying attention to the story so what’s the point?” In the end, it seems that there’s a mixed consensus of how students choose to use their Netflix account. Perhaps binge-watching 16 season shows within a month would be considered too much Netflix, but for those who use Netflix sparingly, or to catch up on their shows on the weekend, they aren’t overindulging at all.
Donkey and Elephant Don’t Venture by Ken Sandoval
During the election season, candidates make for amusing stories to tell people about. People laugh at the ridiculousness of Vermin Supreme and his “free pony” mandate. They tell each other that’d it be a waste of a vote to support any third parties. We always expect the big-name candidates to win. If you stray from the mainstream, you become a fringe candidate, a candidate with little to no chance of winning. It seems though that Donald Trump never received that memo. With a year in office under his belt, the man who came seemingly out of nowhere and stole the presidency right from under Hillary Clinton’s nose, was considered by many to be a fringe candidate. Many news outlets compared his campaign to 1964 Republican nominee Barry Goldwater’s, including the Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and CNN. So what is it that caused Trump to win despite being labelled a fringe candidate? Should we start expecting more and more of these dark horse candidates to start creeping into the public eye? It’s important to note that Trump wasn’t the only previously unknown who got farther than anyone predicted. On the Democrat’s side, Bernie Sanders was a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist. The thought of a socialist, even a Democratic one, winning the presidency, is outright offensive to many Americans. Yet, in the first 24 hours of his campaign, Sanders raised a million-and-a-half dollars, more than his rival, Hillary Clinton. Professor George Keteku, the curriculum chair of the Liberal Arts/Social Science department, said that what allowed them to get as far as they did, involves many variables. Despite coming from polar opposite ends of the spectrum, both relied on popular support, the average working class American. This support stems from “populist sentiments that swept through Western democracies starting with the British voters’ decision to leave the European Union.” Trump especially rode that wave well, focusing his campaign on ending threats from “‘outsiders’ or ‘new comers.’” Keteku points to two factors that allow for waves like that to begin. He says “crises like war [or] economic devastation” and “anger directed at the government in power” often causes voters to turn to less conventional candidates to help solve their problems. He said people “just want change.” According to Keteku, he “will be surprised if this is the beginning of a new trend,” and “the populism that swept through Europe is fading.” He said that due to previous failures from similar candidates, makes him believe that it’s unlikely Trump is the dawn of a new era in America. He acknowledges, however, that “it’s too early to tell” whether 2016 is an outlier or the new norm. A poll from the PEW research center shows that only 18 percent of Americans trust the government, as of Dec. 4, 2017. Here at WCC, that distrust and anger is clearly evident, as a survey shows. Out of the 113 students questioned, only 24 considered themselves politically active, with many who said no naming disgust at current affairs as the reason for their apathy. The wave of populism that shook the world in 2016 may be fading, but the resentment over the state of the world is still very much alive, and it’s difficult to say whether that anger will translate to further extremism on either side. If it does, who knows. Maybe we can expect a Vermin Supreme Presidency in 2020.
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
The Viking News
F7
FEATURES
Mt. Vernon Hosts Beyond Black History Workshop by Annique Mclune WCC’s Black History Month celebrations got off to a spirited start with a collection of events that highlighted and acknowledged the achievements of African Americans culturally, politically, and historically. The celebrations have extended onto the extension sites as the Mount Vernon Extension center hosted Beyond Black History, an interactive workshop held on Monday Feb. 12. The event featured keynote speaker Professor Kevin McGill, with remarks on WCC’s Black History Month proceedings by Ken Jenkins, Westchester Deputy County Executive. According to McGill, Black History Month was the brainchild of Carter G. Woodson, which evolved from Negro Week into a national time to honor the triumphs as well as the struggles of African Americans throughout history. In celebration of the theme of Black History Month 2018, “African American in times of war,” the roles of African Americans in every American War from the Revolutionary War Era to present were examined. McGill highlighted the role of
Workshop attendees discussed the benefits of honoring African American history beyond February. (Photo: Courtesy of Janna Gullery)
the Harlem Hellfighters, an African-American infantry unit in WWI that spent more time in combat than any other American unit. Despite their courage, sacrifice, and dedication to their country, they returned home to face racism and segregation from their countrymen. McGill said that African American History should be taught at every level throughout the educational system. Exploring Black History beyond the month of February has
First Ever Philo Talk Focuses on Love
clear benefits. Professor McGill outlined them by as an avenue to teach as well as expose Americans to the positive contributions of African Americans in an effort to dispel the stigma and stereotypes passed on by misinformed people. For McGill, teaching is a twofold method where children, parents and everyone who interact with a student are exposed to the lesson taught. Closing remarks made by Jenkins implored patrons to research
black history and the importance of exercising one’s civic rights. “We were fortunate to have two speakers, keynote and special guests, challenging attendees to think about some event and public figures that they were not aware of,” said Janna Gullery, event coordinator and Assistant Director of the Mount Vernon Extension Center on the event proceedings and outcomes. “I appreciated Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins at the end who put out a call
to action for attendees to stay civically engaged and enhance their civic engagement as well as its importance.” According to Gulleroy, the event was successful. There was a question and answer feature of the event that was designed to gauge attendees’ responses on the projection of black history beyond the month of February. “I loved that it was pointed out that there are a lot more black women important to African American history than that have typically not being highlighted. I look forward more opportunities to shed light on local women of colour who have made a difference locally as well as on the national level,” said Francine Carl, Director of the Mount Vernon Academic Center. “Publicly, there is interests in African Americans because of the new movies that are coming out, not just ‘Black Panther’ but also ‘A Wrinkle In Time’,” said Carl “I think that those are influencing a greater number of people beyond people of colour to be interested in African American History and to note what achievements have supported the growth of the country.”
Common Read Book Shines Spotlight on Employee Abuse in Food Industry
by Isatou Dukureh
by Annique Mclune
True love is a strong, unconditional, and lasting affection between two people. It is essential to marriage, but love doesn’t obligate marriage, although society dictates it to some extent. On Wednesday, Feb. 14, WCC Philosophia Honors Society hosted its first Philo Talk to exchange ideas about the definition love. The event that coincided with Valentine’s day was the brainchild of the Philosophia Executive Board as a forum to share and discuss interesting topics. “We live in a world where those with different ideas are viewed as ‘the other’ and we struggle to get past this caricature. Hence the idea of the Philo Talk, here at philosophia we are trying to develop an ongoing event where we can discuss hard topics in a kind of ‘safe space for ideas,” said Andrew Loeschner Club Representative on the inception of the event and opening the floor for Philo Talk to have interesting and possibly contentious discussions . The keynote speaker was Honors Philosophy Professor Dr. Dwight Goodyear, who facilitated the conversation.The event transitioned from a discussion on the definition of love to a deeper discussion of its relationship to marriage and other institutions. Some of the key issues mentioned were the purpose of marriage and the progression of traditions such as marriage being rejected or accepted by the youth today. The Philo Talk generated a very lively exchange of ideas and opinions. “I think the discussion on ‘what is love’ and ‘what are your thoughts on marriage’ was interesting and necessary,” said Andrew Loeschner about the event. “They’re both ideas that people are confronted with their whole lives but rarely have the opportunity to sort out within a group discussion. So, there is a lot to take away simply from discussing it with others.” Another attendee, Jamila Desir, said, “It was interesting and allowed us to hear what other people’s perspective on what love was.” According to Desir, she wished the discussion was held differently so that everyone had an equal opportunity to chime in. Paula Abila, a student from the audience, said the event was a stimulating conversation and similar events would be welcomed in the future. Overall, the event provided an understanding of what love is in different perspectives and how it grows in marriage over time.
Each year the college community engages in the Common Read with the goal of providing members with an opportunity to gain a new perspective and create a sense of community through sharing opinions on different topics. This year’s book selection was “Behind The Kitchen Door” written by Saru Jayaraman. In conjunction with the Humanities Institute, WCC hosted a discussion with the author on Feb. 22 in the Hanikin Theatre. “Behind the Kitchen Door,” written in 2013, highlights the inequalities faced by members in the restaurant workforce in the United States, including wage disparity, poor employment benefits, unsafe working condition, and sexual harassment. Jayaraman’s presentation was an overview of the issues in the restaurant industry explored in her book. It is the fastest growing sector in the United States, yet there aren’t any
definitive changes that can be made to curb the discrepancies in the industry due to the National Restaurant Association.
“If we presume that there will be persistent and growing poverty, what does that say about the long-term viability of your residents’ ability to consume and support the economy?” — Saru Jayaraman The aforementioned association is a lobbying organization that proposes legislation and rules that affect the industry, yet they do little to benefit the workers in it. The standard that primarily affects workers is the Fair Labor Standards Act, passed by Congress in 1938, which allowed workers to be paid a fixed wage and make up their pay through tips. This law makes these workers the lowest paid employees because their earnings are sub-minimum
wage in 43 states throughout the country. As such, these food service workers struggle to support their families, live in poverty, and often times receive state aid. On top of that, 70 percent of tipped workers in the foodservice industry are women, who are working under dire conditions and suffer from sexual harassment as explored by Jarayman in her book. The goal of Jayaraman’s presentation was to not only make attendees aware of these conditions but shed light on Organizations and movements that are geared towards making a change in the industry. ”If we presume that there will be persistent and growing poverty, what does that say about the long-term viability of your residents’ ability to consume and support the economy?” Jayaraman asks. Through the formation of One Fair Wage, Jarayman asserted that everyone, including consumers, can join restaurant owners and other advocates pushing for this agenda.
Flu Season Ending but Still Claiming Lives by Austin Sessa Flu season is in full swing, but this year has proven more deadly to vulnerable groups than in recent years. There have been unfortunate fatalities from the flu this year, most recently a sixyear old girl. Her death, among others, has become the topic of local and national news stations. According to the Center for Disease Control, since October of 2017, 97 pediatric deaths have been reported. People age five and younger, as well as patients aged sixty-five years and older are at the highest risk of infection from this potentially lethal virus. According to the Center for Disease Control, symptoms of the flu include hyperventilation, difficulty breathing, a blue tinted skin tone caused by a poor oxygen saturation, constant dehydration and poor orientation, along with lack of comprehension. Other symptoms include congestion, headaches, muscle pains, nausea, and fatigue. “Get your flu shot,” said Mary Barden, the Evening Nurse at WCC. “They are available from the health department, your local physician, or many urgent care places like CVS and Walgreens.”
According to Barden, there is a trivalent and a quadrivalent flu vaccine and individuals should consult their doctor to see which one they need. “Good hand washing is also important and avoid crowds if possible,” Barden said. “It also helps your immune system to eat a nutritious diet.” If you believe you are not feeling well and may have the flu, you should minimize contact with others as much as possible to limit exposure of the virus to others. Additionally, when travelling it is important that you wear a mask if possible. If symptoms feel or appear as if they are taking a turn for the worse, make sure you schedule an appointment with your primary physician to inquire about antiviral medications. This flu season has featured the strain H3N2, or Influenza Type A, as the main variety going around. Reports of the strain stretch from Australia to the continental US and Puerto RIco. The current flu virus vaccine is only proven to be between 40 percent to 60 percent effective, according to Time Magazine. Even as reports are being made that the flu season is coming to an end it’s still recommended to follow proper precautions to stay healthy.
CS8
The Viking News
(Photos: Amanda M. Gordon, Bozhena Shuplat, Viridiana Vidales Coyt)
CENTER Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
R STAGE Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
The Viking News
“Embroid-Me” Stitches Community Collaboration Into Interactive Art Piece by Amanda M. Gordon Westchester County is being stitched together at WCC’s Center for the Arts with the community project “Embroid-Me.” Hosted by mixed media artist, museum educator, and adjunct professor Rukhshan Haque, the project invites Westchester residents and WCC students to create a embroidery piece together. Opened to the public on Saturday Feb. 24 the project and Haque’s solo exhibition, “Interstice – Inter-stitch: The Space Between,” will remain open to the public until March 30. Participants were circled around a large black cloth with the words “Embroid-Me” stitched in, enticing participants to add to the embroidery, regardless of sewing experience. Lacing together words and designs, guests created multiple art pieces upon a single canvas. At the end of each 20-minute session, they would move clockwise, letting go of their unfinished embroidery, and continuing the previous guest’s work. “Traditional textile work is often collaborative in nature,” said Haque. “Particularly [in] large-scale works, where the laborers identities can get “lost” in the work.” Throughout Haque’s work, there
is word play, challenging scale sizes, and use of transparency in the embroidery. Glazed mirrors, the words “see me” stitched into projects, and mixed textile pieces holding multiple viewpoints and scales allow viewers to explore the concept of transparency. Haque’s passion for embroidery can be traced back to her childhood, where she learned a rare stitch called the Sindhi Tanka, a form of embroidery from Sindh, Pakistan. This needle-lace stitch is comprised of two layers, a base layer stitch and a second stitch weaving on top. “It was the first stitch that I felt challenged by,” said Haque. “Most stitches for me are easy but this is a complex needle-lace.” Today, many of Haque’s mixed media pieces include the Sindhi Tanka stitch, from photographs printed on textiles to dioramas that showcase the wide range of stitches that can be used to create art. Haque’s art practice is exploratory and experimental in many regards, channeling growth and connection from her life experiences and the surrounding world around her. Haque expressed that she hopes to do more events similar to “Embroid-Me,” which the Westchester community can interact with.
CS9
F10
The Viking News
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
FEATURES
Healthy Food Bites to Go: Millennials Leading the Charge in the Snackification of Mealtime Just as consumer’s hunger for healthier options rises, retailers are responding by positioning snack items as healthfilled meal options. Nielson, a global data analytics company that monitors global consumer habits and market trends did a 2017 survey revealing that on-the-go produce snacking is a billion dollar industry and growing. This produce sub category includes items intended for single serving, single sitting consumption such as pre-cut fruit and veggies, dried fruit and nut mixes, blender drinks and fruit cups. While fruit owns the major part of those snacking dollars, fresh smoothies and fresh fruits and vegetable snacks packaged with dips, cheese, mixed veggies and nuts is helping drive explosive growth in the produce snacking section. Millennial, vegan and Olympic gold athlete Meagan Duhamel kept her energy up throughout her competition at the 2018 Oympic Winter Games in PyeongChang eating trail mixes, coconut yogurt, bananas, apples, crackers and Munk
by Ronna Corlin There was a time, when if you were asked as a child, “Do you want a snack?”, it was a reference to a light in between meal portion of food to tide you over; to create an energy ‘bridge’ to your next meal. That universally understood phrase is taking on new meaning and being redefined by a new generation. Most Americans are becoming snackified. 18 to 35 year olds who account for nearly ¼ of the total U.S. population are causing consumer shelf space to be gobbled up. Millennials, just too busy to eat a sit-down meal much of the time can’t be bothered to cook. According to data collected by Welch’s Global Ingredients Group and conducted independently by Surveygoo last month, mealtime and snacktime have merged. Half of those surveyed are said to replace a meal with a snack approximately four times per week, while 26 percent snackify meals up to seven times a week. The survey says that 92 percent of this consumer population admitted to seeking a snack instead of breakfast, lunch or dinner at least once a week. 92 percent of this consumer population admitted to seeking a snack instead of breakfast, lunch or dinner at least once a week.
Forty-eight percent of millennials eat snacks at work and 34 percent in the car. The survey also shows that millennials in the US prefer whole food ingredients including whole grains, real fruit pieces and nuts. Young consumers, regardless of their perceived penchant for nuggets, junk food and coffee concoctions on college campuses are impacting the selection and production of healthier snacks in a colossal way. As these influencers are skipping more traditional meals, they continue to look for nutrition and energy to sustain them through the day. Snacks that can fill the potential nutritional space occupied by traditional morning, noon and night meals are experiencing major growth, including grab-and-go yogurts, fruit and nut bars, vegetable and bean snacks and portable dips and blender-style packaged drinks.
Ask Val Hey its Val! Today I would like to say that I feel stuck. Many of us feel this way. We sometimes can feel hindered or stuck in a constant time loop or just stuck onto a chess board with nowhere to go or lack motivation to move forward. But like pieces in a chess game we do have options, but it just takes a while to assess the best fit. It is always perfectly to take your time. As a chess piece, we can: 1) Reflect – We can assess where we are on the board in life and plan accordingly to figure out our next move. 2) Look Back – In chess it is okay to move back and reassess what lies in front of you. In life we should do the same,
for an energy overhaul. The Sriracha Carrot Hummus from Lantana, spotted locally at Shop Rite, Fresh Market and Fairway, is incredible. These folks have innovated the hummus category by preparing theirs with white and black beans rather than as is tradition, chickpeas. This is perfect dipping or spread on anything. Other than the bean section, pulse products can also be found in the pasta and baked goods aisles.
MOO-VE Over, Mozzerella Cheese Snacks If variety prevents you from seeking out healthier eats, check out the alternative cheese sticks and slices now available, in Monterey Jack and Lite Mild Cheddar. Delicious dairy-free options include a personal favorite Smoked Gouda Style Slices from Follow Your Heart. I spy a plant-based Smoked Gouda and Apple Open Faced Grilled Cheese recipe on www.followyourheart.com.
What’s a Snackified Meal Without Dessert?
Pack Fruit Squeezes (her favorite is the Maple Pear Quinoa!)
Where to Go Once You Leave the Produce Aisle to Gather Snacks Worthy of Space on Your Plate?
The chip aisle is now packed with plant-based protein in the form of PULSES - beans, peas and lentils - nutrient dense, edible seeds providing a low-fat source of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. All count towards recommended daily portions of fruit and vegetables. Pulses are easily substituted for refined carbohydrates. Beanfield’s Chips, available is a variety of delicious flavors are gluten-free, dairy-free and contain five grams of protein and five grams of fiber per serving. Pair with healthy dips: salsa, guacamole or hummus. 3 Seed Beet Crackers, new on the snacking shelf at Trader Joe’s is marching to the beet of a better-for-you snack. Top’em, dip’em or snack on them with a warm bowl of soup or a sandwich. The sandwich doesn’t have to include bread at mealtime either. Try rolling freshly sliced turkey breast or packaged turkey breast (reduced sodium made with whole turkey breast) inside large lettuce leaves, with sliced tomato
it is always okay to take a step back and then move two steps forward. Sometimes we need to have a moment where we can feel completely safe to move on. 3) Take the next step – Being stuck in a rut is no fun, and we have to find the root of our intrinsic motivations. Calculate your next moves and see what advantages you can gain. Sometimes we care too much what the other person will think of our move, but we must act for ourselves. Be selfish, it is okay to focus on what is right for you. At the end of the day, the only person you can please is yourself. So, take the next step and capture that other pawn so that you can move forward. 4) Stalemate – Let’s not forget that in chess you can actually get caught in a stalemate and have nowhere to move towards, and you’re out of options. But, remember that the game can always start over. You did not win this round, but you can surely have the opportunity to win the next. A stalemate is not the end but a new beginning. And thrive in that you have that option to still succeed. Know that maybe something did not go right the first time, but you can go back in
PLANT PURE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
1 ripe avocado, pit and peel removed ½ to ¾ water (start with ½ cup and add more if needed to blend) 4 tablespoons natural, non-alkalized cacao powder 6-10 medjool dates, pitted (depending on size and sweetness) Splash of vanilla extract Blend in high performance blender until smooth and chill. With the ever-growing blurring of the line between snacks and meals, and an increasing global penchant for nibbling, it’s a good time to take stock of what’s fueling you. If mealtime is not comprised of the conventional sitdown with a salad and main dish accompanied by sides, take a close look at what’s actually going down. Make sure that if you are set on grab-and-go snacks at mealtime, that fullness and satiety are achieved by choosing real food that’s loaded with dense nutrition and natural color. Not in the mood to cook? A spread of simple, quality snacks can leave you eating healthy without even trying.
and have another shot at it and make sure you do not make the same mistake again. Also, do not take it as a failure, but take it as a learning moment. We really are humans who truly learn by making mistakes. We are not made to perfect, we are made to mess up, and then get back up again, this is the true beauty of life. That we are constantly evolving humans just trying to navigate life. 5) Wear your Crown – Realize that at the end of the day, you are truly the Queen on the chessboard. That you can do whatever you please and go in any direction you like. You have more options than the King and you can rule in that, and without him. You are free to be who you are, and no one can stop the greatness that is within you. The only thing is, that you must have the power to unleash it. As always, I am here as your ally, as your friend, as the anonymous person you can confide in. I am always open to any and all questions. Write me, Don’t Skype me, It’s Val!
To get in touch with Val, write to askval@vikingnews. net. Not all entries are guaranteed to be printed. Feel free to sign your name or give an anonymous pen name.
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
The Viking News
F11
FEATURES
IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR NEWS,
YOU’RE IN THE WRONG PLACE
President Miles and Chester the Viking Flat Earth Proven to Be Drop Mixtape Aerodynamic Debut Album “Viking Days” Breaks Records, Hearts, Other Things by Tom Foolery Power 88.1 is calling it the greatest thing to hit the airwaves since the Eleanor and Anna Roosevelt Program. It’s President Belinda Miles’ and Chester the Viking’s mixtape and it will blow your mind. Taking on the stage names of Dr. Smiles and MC Mjolnir, the two Valhalla figures produced the musical success of “Viking Days,” “It’s just so beautiful,” said Power 88.1 Program Director Jade Watts . “It’s catchy but also holds a lot of values. This album, in my opinion really represents what being in Valhalla is like.” The mixtape hasn’t been released to the public yet but the student radio station was graced with the musical talent of Dr. Miles and Chester during one of the Power Hour sessions. “It really is a dream come true for me,” said Miles in a tweet last week. “While my career is to support student success, my true passion is dropping these dope rhymes.” President Miles made no indication if she would quit her day job to take on a profession in the music industry, but with the athletic department slowing down with the end of the basketball season, Chester will be going on a short tour to promote the album. “My favorite track so far is
Dr. Smiles got bars for days. (Photo: Tom Foolery)
‘Cry Like a Viking’, which is a solo by Chester, who leaves listeners speechless,” said Watts. “I mean Chester is speechless, so the track is literally just static, but you can feel the raw emotion in that silence, you know?” It’s an unlikely duo. One person spends a quarter of their career of speaking into a mic and the other makes even the most devout monks envious of the silence achieved. “It’s really no surprise if you
ask me,” started Director of College-Community Relations Patrick Hennessey when questioned about the album. “The inspiration came at the annual Christmas party where the two preformed a couple of holiday hits. They sang beautifully, anyone who was there would tell you that.” “Viking Days” will be available on itunes and the campus bookstore on the first day of April.
Planet’s True Purpose Discovered by Gary Gabagool
In a new leak from the White House, it has been revealed that the Earth is indeed flat and the reason may be shocking. The Earth was made flat so that the gods may play Ultimate Disc. With now declassified images from the Hubble telescope, we have seen that the Earth is indeed, flat. But what is perhaps even more shocking was the purpose. It was revealed that the purpose of the Earth is actually a giant frisbee and that we are being passed back and forth through the cosmos by gods. And yes that is gods plural, in a shocking twist, it turns out that the world was created not by one true god, but a pantheon. Even more surprising, these are the very same gods depicted in the ancient Greek religion. The Viking News received a press release after sacrificing a goose on the baseball field during the last full moon. “Well first of all, the earth is a ‘disk,’ ‘Frisbee’ is a brand name,” said Hermes, messenger of the gods. He went on to explain that when we see the changing stars in the night sky, we are simply being passed from player to player. The Earth revolving around the sun, ironically was Vatican propaganda.
“Our leagues are made up much like your mortal fraternity houses. Our house is ‘Gamma Omega Delta,’ and our alpha is Zeus, which you mortals got right.” Hermes then had to leave as he was late for a game. He is what was called a “deep-deep.” As to be expected, membership has diminished greatly for many major religions. But what was shocking was the membership bump of the Olympion temples. Membership of the religion has had a massive bump from 2,000 members to around one billion. In response to this, attendance to the Catholic Church has not really changed, and most members have said “we are doubling down.” Others have decided to build an ark and sail off the newly discovered edge of the world. Toga sales as well as Birkenstock sandals sales have seen a massive bump as well. Adidas has seen most profit from this new trend due to in part of top competitor Nike’s recent cease and desist which was a result of a copyright lawsuit from Hermes. In wake of this revelation, the internet has erupted in a massive movement characterized by the #ToldyouSo. It has also been announced that Columbus Day will be replaced by a nationwide Kyrie Irving Day.
S T A F F Appreciation wEEK 75% OFF at the Bookstore Feb. 26 - Mar. 2 school supplies, clothing, & gift items
EntEr into a rafflE to win a gift totE of $100 worth of mErchandisE and goodiEs!
SIGNUP EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6
F12
The Viking News
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
FEATURES
Tone Deaf: What Does the Program Director Listen to? “Black Panther: The Album” by Kendrick Lamar
by Jade Watts When we as a society do not question our standard of media, then we have a problem. The fact of the matter is most people we see on TV or in blockbuster films belong to the same ethnic group, body type, and gender, especially in action movies. From its cast to its soundtrack, the superhero blockbuster “Black Panther” is taking steps to rectify this divide--being one of the first Hollywood films to be almost entirely made by black people. Much like the cast and crew of the film itself, almost every voice heard in “Black Panther: The Album” is black and completely diversified in native lands and disciplines of music. As a result, we are left with one of, if not the, most diverse and representational soundstripe of any superhero film. The true meaning behind its importance of this all-black soundtrack really comes from this history of film scoring itself. To get that epic intensity viewers love while watching an action hero movie, most films choose to work with a talented orestchras for their scoring, but this innovation be-
came when it was used for the first time in one of the most infamous films dividing films ever made. “Birth of a Nation” was the first film in American filmmaking history to use a live orchestra to score its scenes, thus becoming on of the most major influences on modern cinematography. “Birth of a Nation”’s racist propaganda effectively set the tone for the rest of the twentieth-century from the divide it created and the justification it gave to treat minority groups as less than. We come full circle with “Black Panther: The Album” and the film “Black Panther”, an attempt just over one-hundred years later, to reconcile and address African diaspora. What better way to exact revenge than to thrive? This project was spearheaded by the one and only Kendrick Lamar. Lamar is one of the most successful rappers and hip hop artist of recents years, and has managed to become a sort of global phenomena, branching away from the mainstream to the experimental side of lyrics, beats, and time signatures. Even though he is not credited on every song, his watermark is clear deep within each of
The soundtrack was curated by hip-hop icon, Kendrick Lamar. (Photo: Courtesy of Kendrick Lamar, via Twitter.com)
the 14 tracks on “The Album.” After Kenrick, the line-up remains just as star-studded with acts like SZA, The Weeknd, and Vince Staple to name a few. The multitude of different black artists create their own space; a universe of different musical and
life backgrounds come together on this album, establishing their own Pan-Africa collective like the country of Wakanda in the film The fact of the matter is, it would’ve been easy to make the “Black Panther” soundtrack an exclusive joint project between
the TDE and Black Hippy, labels fans have been pleading to collaborate for years. Lamar and SZA reigned atop so many bestof-2017 album lists, and having Black Hippy’s other three founding MCs–Jay Rock, SchoolBoy Q, and Ab-Soul–would’ve worked. Instead, they took a step back and broadened the scope for all those disparate styles and sounds– heard throughout the album simultaneously–resulting in a fusion, a lesson: unity thrives in and through diversity. The songs themselves range in style as far as the artist do, dipping into genres like R&B, pop, trap, UK soul, international hiphop, even South African gqom–a sort of house music derived from the click consonants of the Zulu and Xhosa languages. And the best part is how incredible each of them all are. Seriously, they’re all bangers. As an end to Black History Month and a change in narrative, “Black Panther”, the album and the film, serves as an example of the importance of diverse representation in the media. Why is it such a radical idea to want to be represented equally?
Marvel’s “Black Panther” Is the Hero Movie We’ve Been Waiting For Diverse Cast Sets News Standard for Superhero Films
by Becky Chonigman This Marvel of a movie hits it off with a big bang as we get a thrilling introduction into the vibrant World of Wakanda, bringing with it a more in depth look at the character of now King T’Challa. The movie does a quality job of quickly tying into Black Panther’s previous appearance, so that viewers who did not see “Captain America: Civil War” weren’t left clueless to the pickup point of the movie. For those viewers who saw T’Challa in his first Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance and remember how much he stood out, enhanced the story, and left members of the audience wanting more–this movie definitely delivers everything you’ve ever
hoped for and much more. In “Black Panther,” audience members were able to see the main protagonist’s home life, a whole different side of the character that provided an understanding of his motivations, what grounds the character, and the environment that molded him into who he became. Additionally, viewers see the people in his life and how they have influenced him, and whose characters very much hold up in their own right. Many aspects of the film have kept origins and character stories close to its current comic book source material. The beginning of how he becomes the Black Panther is also kept the same, and the main antagonist’s story follows mostly along the same lines of that in the comics, which is used to
fit the movie’s narrative better. One of the great things about this movie–aside from the characters, designs, and effects –is the storyline, which deals with the difference between being black in Africa and being black in the rest of the world. It is a poignant narrative that gives members of the audience the viewpoint of the Wakandans’ which is that of a world that is a secret paradise, vs. the experience of our main antagonist, which is a world that is strongly consisted of oppression and discrimination. “I feel powerful and acknowledged,” said WCC student Jihad Abdul-Sabar, “they stated a problem that has not really been talked about in movies, and that is the struggle between Africans and African-Americans.”
The talented cast and crew of this movie, which was directed by Ryan Coogler, who co-wrote the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole, does a great job of tackling the issue head on. While also being a funny, thrilling, and an emotionally touching superhero movie, translated from its comic book origins, to the big screen. It brings up the question: Should an advanced society, kept safe mainly by being closed off to the rest of the world, risk its own people and culture and way of utopian life, to help their brothers and sisters who are not so lucky, and suffering all over the world? “It’s great the way it is!” said Andy Tirado, two-time “Black Panther” viewer. “I’m looking forward to when the director’s cut comes out.”
ˇ Experience a program that gives your passion a platform. Quinnipiac’s world-sized classrooms blend rigorous academics and practical experiences to give your fire a focus, preparing you for a promising future in the real world. Attentive faculty create personalized, empowering opportunities for growth, through professional connections and a long record of success. Join us at an Open House: 3/4 or a Transfer Information Session: 3/15, 3/29 Explore your potential at QU.edu
Arts and Sciences Business / Communications Education / Engineering Health Sciences / Law Medicine / Nursing
Hamden, Connecticut
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
V
The Viking News
isionary iking
F13
FEATURES
Why do you look at me like that? You know, with eyes full of concern and kindness, Like you care about me, Like I’m important to you. And why do you speak to me like that? Your words laced with nicotine, A rush of calm that I’m getting addicted to. Why do you laugh like that? Like sunshine and cool breeze, Like thunder, Like God. Why do you hold me like that? Like if you loosen your grip I’ll fall apart … Don’t let go. by Selma Lou Sur
If I open my legs to you now, will you open your heart to me later? Probably not. You were never good at talking with your mouth full. You were always good at hearing with your eyes closed, But never listening. The song in your heart was louder than everything around you, And it was a funeral barrage. You were always so beautiful with all the lights off. I could really see the fire in your veins then, And how it was clogging your arteries, Stopping your heart. You were so adored by me, but you couldn’t see it. You blinded yourself with doubtful expectations. Thus the prophecy was fulfilled by self, yet who is left to blame? The storyteller or the actor? If I open my legs to you now, will you open your heart to me later? Probably. Men are so easily possessed by pussy. Until I’ve had enough, your mouth will be of me and of your heart I will devour. Tragedy laced in our every encounter. Exhaust you without a touch. Weak. You cry for me as I leave, My fun is over. Demanded to your knees for pious worship. In exchange I’d tend to the winds that rattle you. Oh stupid boy How could you not know I am a god? by Anonymous
by Ana Rikki
Chaos disrupted by the roaring of the clouds like a veil lifting, an energy shift sounds that bring upon silence The waters trickling like wooden chimes, gently swaying Gathering, forming a stream along the pavement like a miniature rapid rippling over pebbles and pieces of concrete Birds whistling in the background, cheering on mother nature The thunder crackling through the clouds, puncturing the sky with its deep introduction, making itself known, showing who’s in charge Starting as a subtle murmur, a stutter, like it doesn’t quite know what to say till the words slip out out of frustration into a quaking, a hungry man’s stomach by Black Sheep
S14
The Viking News
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
SPORTS
Strong Chemistry Carries Lady Vikings Through Tumultuous Season Lack of Student Support Does Little to Hinder Team Spirit by Annique Mclune
(Photo: Amanda M. Gordon) Graduating Lady Vikings bid farewell to WCC Athletics.
After a three year hiatus the women’s basketball team was reinstated back into the WCC athletics program. The season was a rough one but with their return the future looks bright for women’s athletics. WCC boosters a strong contingent of female student athletes, The Lady Vikings are a part of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) playing Division II Basketball. This resilient group of female athletes are working in united effort to achieve their shared aspirations and passion for the game. “They are a very tight knit group, with great chemistry off the court, we are working on developing their chemistry on the court to win more games,” said Coach Netsa Felix. “I think as a team we try our best to work together to reach each of our full potential, our biggest advantage is knowing who’s better at what when it comes to shooting or defense,” said student athlete Jada Crump. “Our biggest weakness is definitely communication, once we get that down everything starts to flow better.” “Playing Basketball and working with the team has taught me a lot about the game itself because it is a new experience
The Olympic Athletes Represent America, Not Wonderbread by Jonathan Tate Things I find embarrassing: falling down in front of an audience, spilling a drink on me, and forgetting to introduce myself to people. Things that Fox News Executives find embarrassing; “laundry list of how many African-Americans, Asians and openly gay athletes,” are representing the Olympics. Fox News Executive Editor and Vice President John Moody’s column which criticized the diversity within the American team has since been pulled, but I’d be willing to bet that Fox regrets the backlash and not the viewpoint. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, I get it, but this swing is way too far to the right if you catch my drift. Since the article has been deleted, it’s hard to comment on Moody’s opinion piece without going to second and
third hand sources, but what he said still holds value, even if it was deleted. It matters because in this day and age there are still people who still focus creeds, races, and sexual orientation opposed to how they compete, and given that the conservative news site removed the article, I think it’s safe to say that the context is within limitation. “The question probably needs to be asked: were our Olympians selected because they’re the best at what they do, or because they’re the best publicity for our current obsession with having one each from Column A, B and C?” wrote Moody. The reality is that the athletes who competed in the Olympics had to go through qualifying rounds, competing against some of the best athletes in the country. Even if that were the case, picking out athletes to better diversify the team as a whole, is that such a bad thing?
Making a team to better represent the country as whole. Sports, next to the Military, has been one of the most progressive forces in American culture. On women’s issues, Billie Jean King over took the patriarchy that was embodied by Bobby Riggs, Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in America’s favorite pastime, and then there is Jim Thorpe, who is, to this day, the greatest American Olympic athlete ever. A true Native American who conquered every sport he engaged in. Moody suggested that the U.S Olympic Committee’s motto should be “Darker, Gayer, Different” as opposed to the traditional Olympic model, “Faster, Higher, Stronger. I’d suggest that if we represented the American teams the way that Fox News represents America, be it as a whole or by their newscast, we would never win a game again.
for me,” Crump said. “As for working with the girls, we’re all a bunch of different personalities but even with that, we still get along pretty well.” The women’s basketball program is currently in a rebuilding year having returned to the league earlier last year. These factors are evident in the goals of the program for the remainder of the season and beyond. “We want to produce enjoyable basketball and finish the season very strong and grow our fan base comprised of faculty and students who are excited to watch us play,“ said Felix. Women’s Basketball games have not garnered a large student support system at their games throughout the season and with the hard work the student athletes have put into the program that should change in the next season. “The ladies of the team sacrificed a lot during training, they practice in preseason and seven days a week once the season begins,” Felix said. “The student body should support the ladies who represent WCC and bring another level of excellence as a part of the overall college life.” Although the season has ended for the Lady Vikings, members of the campus community can still show their support to the ladies in the upcoming season, starting in the new academic year.
All Eyes on Kirk Cousins as Free Agent by Alex Wendling NFL free agency is upon us; and if you are a huge football fan like myself, the start of free agency is an exciting time because it is the start of the new league year. Free agency starts on March 14, but teams and players can start negotiations on March 12. This year the market is filled with a lot of big time names such as cornerback Malcolm Butler, tight end Jimmy Graham, and defensive lineman Ezekiel Ansah. Those are just some of the notable free agents available this season but every year it seems that there is that one free agent that captures fans and experts alike, leaving them wanting to know where this player will land. This year that player is quarterback Kirk Cousins. Cousins will now hit the market after his former team, the Washington Redskins, decided to go another direction last month, trading away their 2018 third round pick and young cornerback Kendall Fuller to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for quarterback Alex Smith. Now that Cousins will be hitting the market, he will be looking for a contract on a team where he can compete for a championship run. A lot of fans and experts say Kirk Cousins should come to New York and play for the Jets because one, the Jets are projected to have $73,196,618 in cap space this according to “Over The Cap” and two, the Jets have enough young talent to win. According to Brian Costello at the New York Post, one league source “speculated the Jets could front-load the contract and offer Cousins $60
million guaranteed in the first year of the contract.” Rich Cimini, who covers the Jets for ESPN, says that “money aside, the Jets hope to convince him he’ll have a chance to win in New York. Because of obvious deficiencies on the current roster, they must sell him a championship vision.” People such as Cimini and others close to the Jets organization say that the Jets are very interested in signing Kirk Cousins for their next quarterback. Here is the thing about Kirk Cousins coming to the Jets, in my mind the Jets are obviously the front runners to land Cousins and it seems like Jets General Manager Mike Maccagnan will pay anything to get Cousins. I don’t want Kirk Cousins because I think Cousins is too much money. The Jets might be overpaying for a guy who is not even close to an elite Quarterback and I think Cousins is overrated. Kirk Cousins is a guy who if you surround him with some good offensive weapons and a good defense, he can win you 9 or 10 games and maybe get you in the playoffs as a wild card team. Even knowing the Jets do have an up-and-coming defense, their offense is questionable because who will Cousins be throwing too in 2018 we don’t know what is going to happen with Robby Anderson after his incident in Miami last month and will the jets resign Tight End Austin Seferian-Jenkins. In my opinion, the Jets should spend their money on other free agents at other positions and draft a QB with the 6th pick in the draft.
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
The Viking News
S15
SPORTS
Men’s Basketball Team Looks Back on Successfull Season by Samuel Rowland In my short time as this paper’s newest reporter on our basketball teams, I will admit that I have only seen one season, but I have reason to doubt that all basketball seasons were as amazing as this one. Fighting on undefeated despite knowing that the finals were inevitably out of their reach this year, our team showed a warrior spirit that Chester would roar his approval of. You know, if he could talk. On Feb. 20, the WCC Vikings had their last game of the season. It ended with a 92-83 win for Westchester, capping off the first undefeated season in the program’s history, according to gowccvikings.com, no matter what the official standings say. For those not in the know, due to having only reassembled this year after the transcript scandal three years ago, the team is considered a “freshman” or first-year program, which means they cannot go to the finals under the National Junior College Athletics Association rules. Therefore, eight of their games, all WCC wins, had to be recorded on the books as 0-2 losses. A team of lesser fortitude would have lost the motivation to win with the knowledge that around a third of their wins would be invalidated. But Head Coach Kelly wouldn’t let his team off that easily. And his team and assistant coaches were more than up to the challenge, both on and off the court. “[They’ve] done everything I’ve asked in the classroom,” said Coach Kelly, speaking about the Viking’s determination to overcome the stain on their academic reputation. Throughout the season, there were a plethora of feats and records to be recounted. With a season high of 126 points, the Vikings managed to climb past the 100-point mark in seven out of their 26 wins and get within five points of the mark in another six of them. In fact, the team as a whole beat out their opponents on average by wide margins in almost every stat category except turnovers and three-pointer percentage. The latter was probably due to
The Vikings basketball team has not been outscored once throughout the season. (Photo: Amanda M. Gordon)
the fact that they had the guts to attempt more outside shots than other teams, leading to a lower ratio of successes to attempts but a higher number of points overall. Even in the areas that aren’t tracked by stats, the Vikings could mark teammates that excelled. “Gabriel Cruz does a lot of dirty work that helps us win games,” said Raykwon Fenton. Fenton himself was the team’s leader in three-pointers at 34 across all games. In the match against Rockland Community College I covered on Feb 1, his three-pointers were one of the highlights of the game, helping him achieve
Men’s Basketball Downs Bergen CC to Complete Unbeaten Journey Courtesy of Gowccvikings.com By any conceivable measure, winning 18 games during a basketball season is a historical achievement, particularly for a program taking to the court for the first time after a three-year absence. In fact, with a 92-83 win over Bergen Community College on Tuesday night, WCC officially did just that. However, for anybody who has been around the team this season to experience the first year of men’s basketball at WCC, as the clock ticked down at Bergen CC, a reality set in. All of the technicalities in the world are out the door. All of the interpretations are no longer relevant. Paperwork no longer matters ... the 2017-18 basketball season saw WCC take to the court for 26 games, and 26 times the Vikings outscored their opponent. When it came to the actual competition, WCC went undefeated. It is plain and simple. And nobody can ever take that away from a group of young Vikings who will never be forgotten for their unbeaten achievement. The record book may officially read “18-8” but an entire community will always remember 26-0. An outstanding effort on Tuesday night made sure of it. As usual, a balanced scoring effort led Westchester to victory as four Vikings scored in double figures. As per the norm, the Vikings lived by the three-pointer, converting nine shots from long range. And, like always, Westchester won again. In fact, with the win, seven sophomores exhausted their NJCAA athletic eligibility having never taken the court and lost a game, Tremaine Fraiser (Port Chester, NY/ Trinity Catholic) was one of these soph-
omores, and on Tuesday night continued his mastery of the season, saving his best for last with a career-high 30 points, 21 of which came during the second half of play. Known more as a slasher than a shooter, Fraiser hit four three-pointers against Bergen Community College, every one of which came in handy as the host Bulldogs put up quite a fight. Another sophomore, Raykwon Fenton was absolutely brilliant during the home stretch of the season, a brilliance that found its way to New Jersey on Tuesday as Fenton scored 17 points, including 11 during the first half when the Vikings got off to a slow start, but rallied for a 4535 lead at halftime. And then there were Gabriel Cruz and Pierre Lys. Are there two players on the team who came as far as this duo as the season went along on both sides of the court? Cruz was as good as ever on Tuesday, scoring 12 points, 10 of which came during a huge second half, while Lys finished with 12 points, but did all of the little things as usual to help lead WCC to victory. Overall, 10 different Vikings scored during the win. The only bad news that came on Tuesday night was that the season came to an end. As a first-year team, NJCAA rules prohibit WCC from competing in the postseason. However, if WCC proved anything this season, it is that the playoffs are coming for this program, likely every year, and that this is a program capable of competing on the national level very soon. And when that does happen, history will remember where and when the journey began, it was 11 young men who chose to start the program from scratch in 2017, and never lost a game.
a personal record of 32 points which he then proceeded to top in a later game against Nassau Community College. When asked how he got into basketball, Fenton said that he had watched professional basketball every night as a child, first rooting for the 76ers, but now more of a Timberwolves fan. When asked what advice he would give to students who want to try out for the next season on this distinguished team, Coach Kelly had this to say: “It’s a process to play at a high level in college basketball. You gotta stay in shape.”
YOU HAVE A VISION FOR YOUR CAREER. NOW MAKE IT A REALITY. You’re well along in earning your undergraduate degree, but you’re thinking about ways to set yourself apart. The NYU School of Professional Studies Division of Applied Undergraduate Studies can help you to gain a distinct advantage. Our Bachelors Degrees prepare you with the knowledge and applicable skills that can make your career aspirations a reality. Take charge of your destiny. It’s time to make the NYUSPS investment in your career, your future, and yourself. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE: Applied Data Analytics and Visualization (STEM) • Digital Communications and Media (STEM) Healthcare Management • Information Systems Management (STEM) Leadership and Management Studies • Marketing Analytics • Real Estate BACHELOR OF ARTS: Applied General Studies • Humanities • Social Sciences
VIRTUAL INFO. SESSION - Tuesday, March 13, 7 p.m. OPEN HOUSE - Saturday, April 21, 9 a.m. WALK-IN WEDNESDAYS March 7, 14, 21; April 11, 18, anytime 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Register - sps.nyu.edu/appliedUG/events64
For information: visit sps.nyu.edu/appliedUG/bachelors64 or call 212-998-7100. New York University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution. ©2018 NYU School of Professional Studies.
NYUSPS Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications Job Number: a1718-0823
Pub/Issue Date: SUNY WestchesterCC 2/28/18
S16
The Viking News
Feb. 13 - Feb. 27
SPORTS
Lady Vikings Buck off Losing Streak, Win Vikings Second in Region Against Broncos With Final Score of 77-71 XV Championship by Amanda M. Gordon
Courtesy of Gowccvikings.com
With tension mounted at the end of fourth quarter, out of time and at a tie it became clear. The Lady Vikings were going into overtime. The home game against Bronx Community College (BCC) held on Thursday Feb. 15 resulted with the first win for the women’s basketball team with a final score of 77-71. The victory came after the two teams went into double overtime. “We did what we had to do,” said Shanaya Jones. While the comment could be taken as pure modesty, the Lady Vikings played their hearts out and it payed off. The night was long but filled with unforgettable plays. Of the baskets made by the Vikings, one for the books would have to be the buzzer beater throw Jones made in the first half of the game, which was caught on camera by gowccvikings. One of the most intense moments of the night could have easily been marked in the final minute of the fourth quarter where the Vikings led by a single point but with a foul made the Broncos were given two free throws. With one point scored out of the two, the teams became tied at 55 points. The first round of overtime resulted with déjà vu with only seconds on the clock and the opposing team given another opportunity to take the game with three free shots but tied yet again. Each time the
A successful weekend at the NJCAA Region XV Men’s Bowling Championships saw the doubles team of Anthony Mignone (Scarsdale, NY/John Jay HS) and Michael Matthews (Bronx, NY/Mount St. Michaels) capture a share of the overall doubles championship, as the duo led Westchester Community College Men’s Bowling team to a second place finish, placing just behind Regional Champion Suffolk Community College. Mignone and Matthews combined to knock down 719 total pins in doubles play, tying the Suffolk CC team for tops in Region XV. Overall, the Vikings knocked down 5,479 as a team. On the singles side, freshman Matthew Rice (Lagrangeville, NY/Arlington HS) continued his outstanding run during the 2018 season, finishing fourth in All Events with 1095 total pins, and a 182.5 average, missing third place by only two pins. Also for WCC, two Vikings placed in the top-10 as Mignone finished seventh with 1,011 total pins and a 168.5 average, and Joseph Salierno (Yonkers, NY/Salesian) finished ninth with 988 total pins and a 164.7 average. The Region XV Championships were held in conjunction with the Metro Classic that featured all Region XV competitors, along with Stevens Institute of Technology and Sacred Heart University. The Vikings finished fourth as a team, with Rice placing eighth in All Events, and the Mignone/Matthews doubles team finishing tied for second place. With the Regional Championships behind them, Westchester now has its sights set on the NJCAA National Championships. The Vikings head to Buffalo, New York from March 1-3, where they will face the very best the NJCAA has to offer.
In an intense game, Lady Vikings go into double overtime. (Photo: Amanda M. Gordon)
Bronx player sized up the shot, the Men’s team attempted to throw off the shooter with a booming chorus, audience members pitching in as well. As the teams continued to face off in double overtime the stakes became that much greater, but the Vikings succeeded in outlasting the Broncos, putting enough distance between scores that no free throw to steal away their victory. “I’m really proud of them,” said Alexandria Knight, Captain of the team. “They did awesome and it’s teamwork. We just
work together, we’re like a family.” The lone victory for the Lady Vikings also served at Paige Collins season high who contributed 29 points, 11 in the first half then scored the remaining 18 points in the third, fourth and overtime quarters. The season for the women’s basketball team came to an end Thursday, Feb. 22, with a loss to Monroe Bronx Express. It’s the hope of the Athletic Department, along with many others in the WCC community that the program will expand and improve for seasons to come.
APPEAL
Accelerated Professional Programs for Evening Adult Learners
Education pays. Earnings potential and career opportunities expand with a completed degree. } Accelerated seven-week sessions held in convenient evening and/or
weekend formats. } Flexible — enroll in classes six times per year. } Take advantage of lifetime career services. } Expert faculty — learn from industry leaders in your field of study. } Several dual (bachelor/master) degree options. } Start your junior year with APPEAL.
Raise your APPEAL.
Learn more at our next open house:
Accelerated degrees for those 21 years and older.
Wed, March 14 at 6:30 PM Manhattanville College, Reid Castle 2900 Purchase Street, Purchase, NY
Steep discounts and easy transfer for WCC graduates!
For more information: mville.edu/APPEAL | business@mville.edu | (914) 323-5150