Nov. 7, 2018: Theatre department cancels Beast Thing

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018

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Theatre department cancels Beast Thing By SAMUEL WOLF NEWS EDITOR On Thursday, the theatre department announced the cancellation of its production of the play Beast Thing. The show, written by Aleshea Harris and described by the department as a “play-inprogress,” contained controversial and potentially traumatizing content and was directed in a manner that consistently left many participants feeling uncomfortable, leading to its cancellation. The play was directed by Visiting Assistant Professor in Theatre Shayok Misha Chowdhury, who previously directed The Wolves in the fall of 2017. The play centered on the burdens and consequences experienced by a town that hid away its sins; it was also intended as a platform for actors of color to express themselves outside of a white-dominated theatrical framework. “I wanted to bring Beast Thing to campus because Aleshea Harris’ work pushes back against that internal and external censorship, which artists of color are constantly navigating,” said Chowdhury. The performance would have involved copious violence, including “gun violence, self-harm, nooses and hanging, animal cruelty, silhouetted nudity/sex acts and infant death,” according to the event description. Students involved in the production felt disconcerted with many aspects of the play. One of the actors in the show, Liliana Bierer ’19, emphasized that everyone involved came away with different reactions. “There is no single narrative of how or

PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLIAMS COLLEGE. The theatre department hung posters around campus last week announcing the last-minute cancellation of its production of the play Beast Thing. why [the cancellation] happened, no monolithic experience or conflict with clear sides,” she said. Of the 12 students initially cast, six quit the show within the first few weeks due to issues with the content. “Beast Thing, from the very beginning, was a play fraught with issues,” Onyeka Obi ’21, one of the actors who chose to remain in the show, said. “It was a cast[ing] that aimed to seek out PoC [people of color] from the community and yet ended up a majority white [cast]. This concern … led to a fissure that resulted in an exodus of most of the remaining people of color [in] the cast.” Kester Messan-Hilla ’21, an actor who left the performance, explained his complicated relationship with the show. “My involvement in

Beast Thing mandated the suppression of the self,” he said. This suppression, Messan-Hilla felt, made his continued involvement in Beast Thing untenable. Bret Hairston ’21, another actor who did not continue with the show, described her problems with the theatre department. “Williams College, and by extension the Williams theatre department, is not an institution that holds and supports students throughout the process of creating and displaying this emotionally and historically difficult work that we want here,” she explained. “I quit very early in the process of Beast Thing because of this lack of support I felt. I remember feeling so incredibly gross in my own body because of the work,” she said. For the remaining actors, concerns intensified through-

out the rehearsal process. “Students were expected to commit 20 hours a week, 6-10 p.m., Monday-Friday,” Obi said. “We were involuntarily forced to prioritize this play over all else: our friends, our GPAs, our well-being... I was asked to refrain from attending my grandmother’s funeral in California because I would miss tech [week] the following morning. I had numbed myself significantly to her death and to this play, and hence did not realize what a horrific harm had been committed towards me until I cried in the arms of my friends in the middle of Baxter. I will never, ever forgive myself for placing this show over my family.” Those involved also raised increasing concerns about the heavily violent nature of the performance. “The violence

in this play was unnecessary,” Abigail Stark-Murray ’22, assistant stage manager, said. “When the purpose of the violence was questioned, no one, not even the director, had an answer. Violence without a purpose should not have to be performed by anyone and should not have to be experienced by anyone.” Obi described her concerns about particularly violent scenes. “In one of the technological window facades, a silhouetted depiction of a black actor is hanged in what is supposed to be a reference to an earlier line. But I was filled with a deep sickness that I could not shake off for days.” Bierer was also wary of performing the difficult content of the show. “I could not trust that this audience – a room of my peers, my loved ones, my acquaintances, my community

members – was being considered with care for the multiplicity of potential traumas they hold,” she said. “And it is we, the actors, who would have been held accountable for the harm of the show.” Throughout rehearsals, students felt like they were being continually and toxically cut out of the show’s creative process. “Much of the time, I felt like we were lab rats,” StarkMurray said. “We were told that this play was an experiment, but instead of conducting the experiment alongside the director and the artistic team, I watched the actors being experimented on.” Distress about the performance culminated on Wednesday, Oct. 31, the day before the first performance was scheduled. “After a conversation with the designers and creative team that resulted in various members of the cast exhibiting intense emotional distress, the cast talked privately for almost two hours before [Chair and Associate Professor of Theatre Amy Holzapfel], arrived,” Caroline Fairweather ’20, an actor in the show, said. “She told us to email her and simply state whether we wanted to move forward with the process. We did, and thus the piece was cancelled.” On Thursday, the day that the first performance was supposed to take place, the actors received an email from Holzapfel, responding to a multiplicity of concerns that they had brought up with her. “Having assembled and gone through these responses collectively … I’ve made the decision, with input from faculty and staff as well, to cancel the performances of the show, due in large part to

SEE BEAST THING, PAGE 4

Ballot Questions 2 MinCo advocates for increased funding and 3 pass, 1 fails, incumbents reelected By RACHEL SCHARF MANAGING EDITOR

By SAMUEL WOLF NEWS EDITOR

Yesterday, Massachusetts voters decided on three ballot initiatives that appeared on their ballots alongside candidates for governor, senator and congressperson, among other offices. With 27 percent reporting, results showed voters overwhelmingly in favor of Question 2, which created a Citizens Commission to address the Citizens United Supreme Court case, and Question 3, which reaffirmed an anti-discrimination ordinance for transgender individuals. A large majority voted no on Question 1, which proposed establishing limits on the number of patients that can be assigned to any one nurse. The vote against Question 1, by the margin of 71 percent opposed to 29 percent in favor, prevented a change in nursing practices in Massachusetts. Both Massachusetts senators, Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, were in favor of the initiative, whereas Governor Charlie Baker was opposed. Proponents argued that the change would lead to a more manageable workload for nurses and safer conditions for patients. Those against worried about costs that would come from these limits, as well as an overreliance on one-size-fits-all models. Following the results, Donna Kelly-Williams of the Massachusetts Nurses Association expressed concern with the outcome. "I'm very disappointed by tonight's results and the impact that this will have on our patients," she said. The approval of Question 2, by a margin of 71 percent to 29 percent, will result in the creation of a citizen commission of 15 people that will ultimately propose several progressive amendments to the U.S. limiting campaign contributions

and reversing the acceptance of corporations as people. The commission will form on Jan. 1, 2019, and will issue a report at the end of 2019. Most major political figures in Massachusetts had previously endorsed the initiative. Question 3’s 68 percent to 32 percent approval reaffirms a 2016 law, called SB 2407, that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in public places. Its reversal could have endangered the ability of transgender people to use public restrooms and other facilities. This measure was the first statewide referendum on transgender rights in United States history, and represents a substantial victory for LGBTQ+ people and allies. Approximately $4 million was spent in favor of the initiative. However, the initiative also faced vocal opposition, particularly from the Massachusetts Family Institute and a group called Keep MA Safe. Yesterday, incumbents also won reelection for the governorship and a senate seats. Republican Governor Charlie Baker handily defeated Democrat Jay Gonzalez by a margin of 67 percent to 33 percent, and Warren, the Democratic candidate, defeated Republican Geoff Diehl with 61 percent to 36 percent, with three percent voting for a third party. Massachusetts voters also elected Maura Healey as attorney general, William Galvin as secretary of the commonwealth, Suzanne Bump as auditor and Deborah Goldberg as treasurer. Locally, Berkshire voters reelected Congressman Richard Neal to represent Massachusetts’ first district, Adam Hinds to represent Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hamden in the State Senate, and John Barrett to represent the First Berkshire District as state representative.

This weekend, a document written by the Minority Coalition (MinCo) Steering Committee began circulating, which explained MinCo’s plans to request that $34,000 of College Council’s (CC’s) remaining supplemental funding be allocated towards the MinCo supplemental fund. The fund, which currently consists of $6000, would be distributed to MinCo groups and other groups of underrepresented identities on campus, largely for Heritage Month events. Despite many students’ misconceptions, this document was not intended to be circulated and has brought about several concerns. Last spring, CC passed a resolution and bylaw opening its General Fund (GenFund) to requests from MinCo (“College Council makes more funding available for MinCo groups,” April 11, 2018). However, many

MinCo group leaders have perceived obstacles in their requests to obtain money from this newly available pool through CC’s Finance Committee (FinCom). “Though CC has opened their supplemental funding to MinCo groups,” the document reads, “they have consistently shown an unwillingness to distribute funding to communities on campus that do not adhere to harmfully strict funding policies, in particular affecting underrepresented communities of color that largely cannot afford, emotionally and/or physically, the immense institutional knowledge needed to navigate CC procedures.” The document proposes that, if CC rejects this proposal at its Nov. 13 meeting, the study body overturn the decision by an in-person vote on Nov. 27. According to Article VI of CC’s constitution, a student assembly of 250 in-person votes and the support of one-third of the CC

executive board can overturn a CC rejection of a proposal. The document then requests student signatures of support and commitment to attending the Nov. 27 meeting to participate in an overturning vote. As of press time, this document had 112 signatures of support. While many have assumed that the MinCo Steering Committee purposely began disseminating the document with negative intent towards CC, Min-Co Co-Chairs Rodsy Modhurima ’19 and Tyler Tsay ’19 explained that the document was written in case the situation arose that they would need it, and they did not intend for it to spread. In fact, MinCo has been working closely and productively with CC in advance of the Nov. 13 meeting. “This is something we’ve been collaborating on with CC for awhile, and it’s very much a coalitionbuilding goal that we have together,” Modhurima said.

CHAPTER TWO BOOKS OPENS ON SPRING STREET, REPLACING SUBWAY AND RUBY SPARKS

CC Co-President Lizzy Hibbard ’19 confirmed this, dispelling the misconception that this petition reflects animosity between CC and MinCo. “Because this petition got out, optically [it looks like] it’s CC versus MinCo right now,” Hibbard said. “But we’d already been planning to devote our entire Nov. 13 meeting to CC-MinCo relations and discuss this budget request. We’d already been talking about ways to bring CC and MinCo closer together.” While the petition does not reflect hostility between CC and MinCo, the impetus behind its creation, as well as its reception, do demonstrate genuine concerns about the FinCom process. Tsay and Modhurima explained

SEE FUNDING, PAGE 4

WHAT’S INSIDE 3 OPINIONS Critiquing campus accessibility 5 NEWS Students hold vigil for those killed in recent shootings 7 FEATURES Senior creates student-run opinion platform 8 ARTS Recent WCMA purchases thrill the senses 12 SPORTS Women's soccer finishes second in NESCAC

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2 OPINIONS

The Williams Record

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Sports Editors Cassie Deshong and Charles Xu

Managing Editors Reed Jenkins and Rachel Scharf Communications Director Brooke Horowitch Executive Editors Shaheen Currimjee, Nicholas Goldrosen, Rachel Levin and Jane Petersen News Editors Rebecca Tauber and Samuel Wolf Opinions Editor Haeon Yoon Features Editors Lydia Duan and Jeongyoon Han

November 7, 2018

Photo Editors Katie Brule and Sophia Shin Technology Manager Aki Takigawa Business Managers Rishad Karim and Isabella Wang Financial Analyst Ali Ladha Advertising Manager Nelson Walsh Head of Operations Mehr Sawant

DARIN LI ’21

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Alums on the Quad What's the craziest thing you never got caught for at the College? By KATIE BRULE and SOPHIA SHIN PHOTO EDITORS

CHRIS CARLEY ’18

Keeping a parakeet.

WINTER STUDY COURSES

Ready to spend the next three hours looking at courses instead of doing my homework.

HOMECOMING

We may have lost the game, but hey, free goodies!

PRE REGISTRATION Good luck to those trying to sneak into a course they don’t have the prerequisites for! IS OVER NO MORE GRAB-NGO BAGS LATE RECORD DELIVERY

CHETAN PATEL ’18

A lot of naked laps around Frosh Quad.

Not being fined by the College for tearing up all the paint in my room senior year (by mistake!).

Snuck into the unfinished Sawyer to explore before it opened.

On Halloween nonetheless ... spooky ...

ON THE RECORD

EVAN RINGEL ’17

ALI MICHALIK ’17

Now it’s more like stuff-it-in-your-pockets-andslowly-walk-out...

“I want to make America great again ... Though, for me, that looks a bit different than it does for Mr. Trump: to me, America was great when we had the agricultural and biodiversity that sustained this continent for thousands of years.” Winona LaDuke, during her talk, “Environmental Justice from a Native Perspective,” page 4. “Often at the College, it’s easy to think these acts of hate won’t occur on campus, but I’ve seen it, and perhaps you have too. We, therefore, need to acknowledge that the power provided by unity and solidarity is the strongest governing action against hate. ” Julia Mariani ’21 on how the campus can heal following

the recent shootings in Pittsburgh and Louisville, page 3. “One night at late night a group of boys came running by naked. It was around 2007. I only saw them as they were leaving, so I saw the better part – if you know what I mean. One of my coworkers was having a fit. It was hilarious.” Donna Cuzzone on working at snack bar as told in “Behind the Uniform,” page 7. “The opening shot of Free Solo, the National Geographicproduced documentary about superstar rock climber Alex Honnold, is as gut-wrenchingly vertigo-inducing as it is stunningly beautiful. ” Cecelia Messbauer ’21 in her review of Free Solo, page 8.

FROM THE ARCHIVES (1989) The opinions expressed in signed columns are not necessarily those of the Williams Record editorial board.

Op-Ed and Letter Submission The Record welcomes op-eds and letters from all members of the College community. The Opinions section is designed to reflect the varied views and ideas of the College community, and the publication of any letter or op-ed does not indicate an endorsement of the views contained therein. Submissions should be sent to hy3@williams. edu by Sunday at 5 p.m. for inclusion in the next Wednesday issue. Op-eds range in length from 650-800 words, and letters are 500 words or fewer. The Record will not publish pieces that have appeared in other publications. Pieces submitted to the Record are not guaranteed a spot in the upcoming issue. For Record policy information, please see our website, williamsrecord.com.

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On improving accessibility case or ma i N

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Before the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, many people with physical disabilities simply could not function in society. For these individuals, a single step up to a door may have been an impossible hurdle, and a staircase may as well have been a wall. In accordance with the ADA, public entities and private commercial facilities must be accessible to wheelchair users. New construction must comply with ADA standards, such as including ramps and elevators. Existing buildings have to be modified if doing so is “readily achievable.” Despite these laws, many places in this country are still, to a varying degree, inaccessible. City curbs are often uneven and jagged. If you push a wheelchair up one too fast and hit a bump, the user may go flying. Additionally, some businesses flagrantly violate the law by neglecting to install a ramp on the curb. While this is relatively rare, it is common to come across ramps that do not meet ADA standards because they are too steep. Certain sidewalks and floors are also challenging to navigate with a wheelchair or walker. Cobblestone, for instance, may be intolerably bumpy to roll across. The College, to its credit, is moderately accessible for people with physical disabilities. Campus Safety and Security (CSS) offers a van transportation service around campus to those in need, and administrative and educational buildings are available to wheelchair users through ramps and elevators. While these accommodations are often inconvenient, like the side entrance to Hopkins Hall and the labyrinth of elevators in the Thompson science buildings, I am grateful that the options even exist. However, I see many possible areas for improvement. The lack of accessibility in first-year housing is particularly disappointing. In Frosh Quad, the elevators only go from the basement to the third floor, rendering the fourth floor unavailable to anyone incapable of going up a flight of stairs. These elevators are also not usually running after First Days, so they require a phone call and a wait to access them. Mission is even worse, with an elevator that only runs from the basement dining hall

OPINIONS 3

The Williams Record

November 7, 2018

What I wish I had known

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to the first level. Although many upperclassman housing choices are accessible, at least through a back door, like Wood House, some dorms, such as East College, unfortunately have no entrances without a step up to the door. Others, like Lehman Hall, have multiple floors but no elevator. While the College will assign accessible rooms to students with disabilities who make such a request, these individuals may be unable to visit friends in other spaces. Additionally, visitors and families with disabilities may not get to see their student’s room. The dining halls in Mission and Paresky are accessible, but Driscoll is almost impossible to enter without the use of stairs. The paths around Fitch House and Prospect House both include steps, yet no ramps. The only conceivable option would be to go past Driscoll on Route 2 and head up Driscoll Hall Drive. However, this would require going up the steep hill alongside the Spencer Studio Art Building that a manual wheelchair user could probably not manage alone. A person with crutches or a cane also may not be able to make the trip. Notably absent around this campus are automatic door buttons. Pull doors are challenging – and sometimes impossible – for a person with a physical disability to open on their own. A wheelchair user and some amputees would struggle to get past the first set of doors of Schapiro Hall, Hollander Hall and many other buildings. These buttons also frequently do not work. While this technical issue may sometimes be inevitable, a higher degree of maintenance could prevent this important tool from being unavailable for too long. According to the College’s website, “the College is committed to providing support services and reasonable accommodations to any students who need them.” I believe that some effort has been made. However, considering the cost of a ramp is in the range of $3,000-$10,000, an automatic door operator is roughly $6,000 and adding a floor to an elevator is around $10,000, it seems “readily achievable” to me that a school sitting on $2.5 billion can make this campus more accessible.

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There’s a lot I wish I knew before it happened. This thought seems to reappear in my life over and over again. What would I have done if I had known differently? What would life look like? Who would I be? What pain would I save myself? The “it” changes in different stages of my life. It is easy to look back and know what could have been fixed, and what couldn’t have been. The truth is, my first year was new and beautiful and painful all at once. Reassembling my life was a process of growth and transition. That meant finding a new community, accepting myself more fully than at any other point in my life and trying to open myself up to others. There was an abundance of high points where I lived fully: I went to Boston with my environmental studies class, went to the New York Women’s march during Winter Study and had a multi-hour conversation with Professor of German Gail Newman about adjusting to New England. On top of this, I had friends who stayed up late with me, who talked and discussed things I had never discussed before. I had people who held me, in every sense of the word, when I needed them. It also (not to frighten any current first-year readers) brought me to my lowest of lows, to the depths of my own grief and, at times, a deep-seated depression. Coming from the yearround heat and sunshine of Texas, the cold debilitated me. I was used to wearing open-toed shoes and walking around outside. To be in a space where I could not do that, to be confined to my dorm room, Tunnel or the library, was hard. On top of this, in reassembling myself, I also felt lost: I felt like I spoke another language when I left the terminal for Christmas at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. My family and I clashed (which I regret), and I found myself being frustrated at all the small conversations that seem to happen naturally when you’re in a Texas super-

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market (I also regret this). Williams had changed me in so many ways. I was too New England for Texas and too Texas for New England. This feeling of dislocation was paired with a feeling of grief I have never experienced before or since: spring semester was academically, socially and generally intense. It left me debilitated. I once called my mom to tell her it felt like I was perpetually falling. I remember darting from class to dining hall to dorm room, not wanting to see anyone. The snow and the weather and a feeling of not belonging were weighing me down like sand. When I look back on who I was and how I felt, I realize how alone I was. I was lost and could not get help. I also couldn’t receive it. It’s possible that some of you have felt this way. It’s possible that you are feeling this right now. Here are a few of the things I wish I had known: Let your heart be open — It is easy for us to give up and in, allowing ourselves to self-compartmentalize and dissociate from different social circles on campus. I did this — perhaps I still do? Instead, see others fully, with compassion and empathy. But you owe no one your vulnerability — There’s a tendency at this place to demand that you be vulnerable and raw and “real.” I think that’s bullshit. Be who you are, but don’t let others make you share things that you are not ready to share. Your vulnerability is a gift that should be treasured and gained with trust, not given out to anyone and everyone. Forgive, be gentle — Transition and change are difficult, intense places to exist in. Live in grace for your peers. This is healing for you and them. When we don’t start from the harder, unforgiving place, our hearts are more open. Don’t make assumptions — Outside of just Williams, I have learned to never trust first impressions. So many people whom I could have initially taken to be rude, mean, insular and exclusive have turned out to be wonderful people. Perhaps people have had the same thoughts of me? Perhaps you are thinking about someone else on this campus that

e olle e you have written off. It’s never too late to try again. This is your space — Too often, I have skirted out of the way for people when I had the right of way, averted my eyes and apologized for walking down the street. As a student of color in a predominantly white institution, this happens too often – and with more than just walking down the street. There is a subtext that we should be grateful that we are here. There is an assumption that we are guests in someone else’s space. This is not true. To students of all marginalized backgrounds: this is your space. This is your home. And no one gets to tell you that you must swerve into the street for them. Embrace the uncertain — Yeah, I get it, this one sounds a bit trite. Yet I’ve included it because I think it has held up in my own life. As someone who plans and plans, the thought of uncertainty is genuinely scary. If you had asked me two years ago whether or not I would be a WOOLF leader or gone to the school in the Berkshires, I would have laughed you off. We never know what is coming next. This is a good thing! Tomorrow you could be working at WCFM, or perhaps the day before the application is due, you decide to become a Junior Advisor (JA) (side note: I don’t know the JA application process, so I don’t know how realistic this might be). In either case, the unknown is scary but wonderful. It’s a blank check. What I wish I could tell myself, more than anything, is that life is longer than a moment. That this moment will feel unending. That the weather is rough and the nights keep getting longer, but one day the sun will rise over the hills warmer and more welcoming than you remember it. That you will find people who love you. I wish I could reach back, grab my shoulder and say, “You will survive this. It may feel like you are perpetually falling, but you will not be in this slump forever.” You will keep going. We will. Dominic Madera ’21 is from Houston, Texas. He intends to major in English and political science.

Melvin Lewis ’22 is from Rockville, Md. His major is undecided.

Defining ‘support’ c ri R

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Weeks before move-in day, I sat in the front office of an international college admissions company. I was interviewing for a role at an organization dedicated to funneling its clients towards the most elite schools in the country, the types that appear on glossy magazines promising your future success if only you, too, can find a way in. My interviewer asked how I was doing (good) and how I was finding the organization (also good, though tiresome at times). Then, the topic turned to what college I would be attending after the summer was over. I told her about Williams; she gave me a sharp smile and sat back in her chair. “Williams College,” my interviewer echoed. “It’s a great school. You’ll get a lot of … support there.” At the time, the response seemed simultaneously condescending and justified. Our community is intentionally constructed with small class sizes, a shrinking student-to-faculty ratio and a far tinier student population relative to most other institutions of higher learning. Compared to larger and more bureaucratic schools, “supportive” doesn’t seem totally far from the truth. In theory, labeling the College as a handholding college makes sense. It’s a description prevalent both in interview experiences like mine and the many online forums, college guidebooks and outside resources that are meant to educate prospective community members about our school. But the more time I spend at the College, the more the “supportive” label seems like a misnomer that obscures a diverse set of student experiences. The College, much like peer liberal arts colleges, does provide more opportunities to get to know professors and peers than one might find elsewhere. However, the process of actualizing these opportunities is no different than that of every other college or university in the country. If you want to build relationships with peers, professors and mentors who will make sure to check up on you, then that’s a conscious action

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you need to take. If you don’t seek those people out, they will not find you. The College, as an institution, is not obligated to make sure that you’re getting enough sleep, going to class or adjusting well to college life. There is no mythical “Williams College” that will catch you every time you fall. When you get here, the only thing saving you from yourself – the only one who can build any kind of support system for you – is, ultimately, yourself. This isn’t always an easy realization to stomach. But it’s an important one. Characterizing a small school as unilaterally supportive can deceptively indicate that no one struggles, or, if they do, that they’re somehow doing college wrong. There are many opportunities to seek out support at the College, but nothing on an institutional level will force you to take that leap. In our school of just 2,000 students, the process of seeking out guidance is precisely the same as that of one with 20,000. And like students at larger schools, this absence of authority can be as liberating as it is intimidating. It forces you to think critically about what you need to be successful and how to actualize those needs; it means that you need to advocate for yourself and to meet people who can understand the importance of that advocacy. It prompts you to choose who to surround yourself with and in what ways they can enrich your time here. I never did ask my interviewer what she meant by the “support” of schools like the College. But I do know what I see in the term. The College and its peer schools offer exactly the level of support that one is willing to actively seek out upon recognizing that they need outside resources. The College is supportive to its students in that it contains all the potential of a college community: this can mean life-changing mentorship and formative experiences if one seeks them out. It can also mean neither of those two things. The difference is not really about the community that you’re in. It’s about you. Kristen Altman ’22 is from Killingworth, Conn. Her major is undecided.

DARIN LI ’21

How we can heal as a campus

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Etz Chaim means “tree of life” in Hebrew. It is the name of a place of worship, love and spirituality in Pittsburgh, Pa, the synagogue in which 11 Jews took their last breath. On that same day, two black people joined the 11 while grocery shopping in Louisville, Ky. Both crimes are acts of hatred and violence committed by emboldened white supremacists. These are not just people; they are Maurice Stallard, Vickie Jones, Joyce Fienberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, brothers Cecil and David Rosenthal, married couple Bernice and Sylvan Simon, Daniel Stein, Melvin Wax and Irving Younger. They are parents, brothers, sisters, cousins and friends. Last weekend, hate for Jews and blacks wounded the College community and communities across the nation. We bled, cried and felt pain, yet found ways to heal. On Tuesday, Oct. 30, the Williams College Jewish Association (WCJA) hosted a gathering to bring the community together in this time of fear and anger to celebrate the lives of those who died over the weekend. Immediately after, Williams Catholic held a candlelight vigil and prayer as they proclaimed their solidarity with their Jewish brothers and sisters. On Wednesday, Oct. 31, an Interfaith memorial spearheaded by WCJA for the black and Jewish lives lost brought all members of the community together in solidarity. On Thursday, Nov. 1, the Jewish Federation of Berkshire County held an interfaith vigil at the Congregation Knesset Israel in Pittsfield, Mass. Then on Friday, Nov. 2, WCJA dedicated Shabbat to the 11 who died for observing this very same tradition, and to those who died in Louisville, Ky.

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Through our solidarity, the healing process begins, but I challenge us to embrace our scars moving forward. This past week I engaged with many student and spiritual leaders on our campus, and feel that their emotions and reflections shine the brightest light on the issues we face going forward. Rabbi Seth Wax, the Jewish Chaplain, expressed this sentiment for the Jewish community. “As many others have noted, as Jews, we have learned well the history of anti-Jewish violence that has affected our people and community throughout the generations: pogroms, expulsions and, in the last century, the Holocaust,” he said. “But it’s one thing to learn the history and another to live through it. I think that’s what is most shocking: that this is real and affecting us right now... To be present with each other’s suffering. It’s the only way any of us will begin to heal, and fortunately, it’s something that each of us already has the skills and ability to do.” Rabbi Seth touched upon what is felt by those whom I have spoken with, that the evils of the Holocaust are still presently expressed through white supremacy. Evan Chester ’21 built upon this point, saying, “I hope this powerful moment is not lost in time and that we will be able to continue to gather not only in mourning but in joy as well.” As Evan suggested, it is imperative to hold onto the memory of those lost and honor them going forward. In this time of mourning, many students have sent out a plea for action, for prevention and for change. I agreed with Omar Kawam ’20 when he said, “While we should mourn and wrench at the thought of these murders, we should also direct our thoughts to how we can make change with our limited capacities. It can be overwhelming to see where change may happen when we

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observe the endless, interrelated injustices around us, but students, especially from an institution like our own, should be purposeful in their time on campus and afterward.” Isaiah Blake ’21 also inspired and challenged the community by asking, “How can we resist the nearly inevitable numbing as our people reexperience the trauma of lynching, state violence and white terror? Our resistance rests in the strength of our emotional intelligence. Our resistance rests in the strength of our alliance and solidarity,” he said. “Williams is not separated from these atrocities. The high altitude of this terrain does not block us from the ability to recognize violence and fight against it. We either get active or stay complicit.” Through Isaiah’s words, I inspire us to take action as a community against the evils of white supremacy. As I spoke with students, chaplains and leaders within the community, it became clear to me that the wounds of last weekend’s tragedies cut deep. As much as we work to heal them, the scars remain for many. Yet these scars serve as a reminder to never forget, to actively engage with the social issues plaguing our community and world at large. Often at the College, it’s easy to think these acts of hate won’t occur on campus, but I’ve seen it, and perhaps you have too. We, therefore, need to acknowledge that the power provided by unity and solidarity is the strongest governing action against hate. A dear friend shared a quote by John Steinbeck which leaves me, and hopefully you as well, with a sense of duty going forward: “It isn’t that the evil thing wins – it never does – but that it doesn’t die.” Julia Mariani ’21 is from Locust Valley, N.Y. She intends to major in psychology and Spanish.

NEWS 4

November 7, 2018

The Williams Record

Activist Winona LaDuke provides Native, economic perspective on climate change By TREVOR WERTHEIMER STAFF WRITER The women’s, gender and sexuality studies program, in partnership with the College’s Feminist Collective, hosted internationally acclaimed author, orator and activist Winona LaDuke last Tuesday evening for a talk and book signing. The talk, “Environmental Justice from a Native Perspective,” focused primarily on LaDuke’s work to protect Native lands and ways of life against the threat posed by moneyed fossil fuel interests. It also served as a call to action for members of the College and surrounding community to fight back against the broader threat of climate change. LaDuke, who holds a B.A. in economics from Harvard and an M.A. in community economic development from Antioch, spoke on dealing with climate change as an economic issue as well as a social one. She opened by arguing that society finds itself on the brink of creating what she referred to as “a new economy.” Co-opting contemporary political language, LaDuke spoke hopefully about society’s opportunity to transform the economy away from its reliance on fossil fuels. “I want to make America great again,” she said. “Though, for me, that looks a bit different than it does for Mr. Trump: to me, America was great when we had the agricultural and biodiversity that sustained this continent for thousands of years.” The arc of the lecture focused on the two paths that LaDuke argued society must choose between, which will determine the country’s eco-

nomic course. “It is a time for choice,” she explained. “Either we continue on the scorched and worn path and continue to lose what we have, or we follow the green path.” To follow the scorched path, according to LaDuke, is to continue the current economic course in this country, leading to greater levels of emission and continued climate change. The green path, on the other hand, offers the promise of cleaner air, water and economic development. Changing course, LaDuke explained, requires a shift away from carbon-based development and toward regenerative economies. She has long fought for this change through her organizations White Earth Land Recovery Project and Honor the Earth, which advocate for culturally-based sustainable development, renewable energy sources and environmental justice for Native and Indigenous peoples. LaDuke also emphasized the need for communities to “localize energy,” a means of moving away from fossil fuelbased energy and pursuing more efficient sources. She discussed some of the innovative methods that her community on the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota has instituted to pursue this goal. These include solar-paneled homes and restaurants as well as using other renewables to cultivate local sources of energy. For LaDuke, climate change poses a threat not only to the environment and economy, but also to American civil society. LaDuke documented the collapse of civil society in the northern United States, explaining how police forces armed with military-grade weapons

are being deployed to shut down protest that resist encroachments on their land and the destruction of the local environment. LaDuke used photos to illustrate the abuse suffered by activists who have protested attempts by special interests and companies like Enbridge to construct the Dakota Access and Line 3 pipelines. The economy and broader political structures that uphold it are failing citizens, LaDuke argued. She believes the rights of people are being sacrificed

to benefit wealthy corporations. “My whole life I’ve been told we have to follow the ‘system,’” she said. “Well, I really wish the system would work. I’m sick of having it shoved down our throats.” The policy of extreme extraction pursued by oil companies in North America threatens to further the path of the “scorched” economy, LaDuke argued. She discussed how dependent modern society is on fossil fuels, and how this only feeds the greed of wealthy

corporations who rely on everincreasing consumption. “We rationalize our behavior like addicts,” she said. “And so, our public policy is written by the dealers [the corporations] … and their interests have now superseded those of people.” Despite the forces working against progress, LaDuke remains optimistic that progress is possible. She spoke of the need for communities to come together and achieve change at the local level, explaining that the only way to combat climate change is

for every person to do something productive. LaDuke encouraged the audience to stop waiting for someone else to do the work and fight for what they believe in. Her motto of choice is, “Just do it.” The aim of society, LaDuke concluded, should be to resist the negativity in the world and combat it with optimism and love. She believes in the power of positivity and the ability of all people to be forces for good in society. “There’s a lot of ugly in the world,” she argued. “But let’s be beautiful.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF YOUTUBE. LaDuke discussed two possible worldwide economic models of climate change, the “scorched” path of pollution and the “green” path of environmentalism.

CC, MinCo discuss funding changes Student concerns, harrowing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 that they have been informed of MinCo groups and minority students being treated unfairly by FinCom members, and that this was a large factor in the decision to bring this request to CC, as it would allow MinCo groups to bypass the FinCom space that some have found unwelcoming. This was also a significant factor in the initial decision to draft the petition. Given minority students’ experiences with FinCom in the past, they felt safeguards needed to be put in place in case the proposal was rejected. “It wasn’t our intent for the petition to get out this way. But it’s out there, and we do feel that the consideration itself has a justification behind it because of the treatment of minority students by a few members of FinCom,” Tsay said. In order to gain more perspectives on this concern, Modhurima, Tsay, Hibbard and CC Co-President Moisés Roman Mendoza ’19 sent out a survey to the student body on Sunday soliciting student opinions on FinCom’s procedures. “We would like to call upon MinCo groups, RSOs [registered student organizations] with a membership of majority queer and/or PoC members of campus and others that have requested funding from FinCom over the past four years to complete the following survey on your experience with the College Council’s Finance Committee procedures,” the email read. In response to these measures, CC Treasurer and Chair of FinCom Spence Carrillo ’20 acknowledged these problems while also pointing out the complexity of the situation. “I definitely agree that there are structural issues with the College, CC and FinCom which ultimately serve to make certain spaces less accessible to

certain students,” he said. “At the end of the day, we're doing our best to be as accommodating as possible, but this is also the first year ever we've allowed MinCo groups to access supplemental funding. The process seemingly hasn't been perfectly smooth, but I don't think that's entirely a one-way issue; I also don't think MinCo has upheld its responsibility to properly train the treasurers of its subgroups, and that's led to

as we work MinCo groups into our supplemental process, this demonstration has felt like an artificial and antagonist effort to perpetuate negative perceptions of CC.” Carrillo also pointed out that, by his calculations, FinCom has funded 89 percent of MinCo groups’ requests this year, as compared to only 64 percent of the total amount requested by CC groups. “As such, in a strictly monetary sense (which is not the most important structural issue causing harm to MinCo groups, but it is the one MinCo is claiming), I don't think it's fair for them to claim that we're less willing to fund MinCo requests,” he said. For their part, Hibbard and Roman Mendoza are excited to discuss these concerns and continue working to bridge gaps between CC and MinCo. The first step in this process will be the Nov. 13 CC meeting, which has been set aside to discuss MinCo funding and concerns. “Speaking for Moisés and myself, we completely agree that MinCo has been historically underfunded,” Hibbard said. “Opening the GenFund was a good step, but not a complete [fix,] and we’re very interested in having the discussion on Nov. 13 about giving them the $34,000 and talking about other, larger structural ways to bring the groups closer together in a more meaningful relationship.” Tsay agreed, expressing hope that the process can continue to move forward meaningfully despite the misconceptions brought on by the circulation of this petition. “Lizzy and Moisés have been really helpful, and the CC members we’ve met with have been very open to meeting and discussing ways that we can collaborate funding-wise,” Tsay said. “It’s a little unfortunate what happened, so I’m hoping that we can move forward with a spirit of collaboration from here.”

“It wasn't our intent for the petition to get out this way. But it's out there, and we do feel that the consideration itself has a justification behind it because of the treatment of minority students by a few members of FinCom.” Tyler Tsay ’19 MinCo Co-President misunderstandings of our procedures.” Carrillo also emphasized that he’s been working to respond to these issues by creating a committee to rewrite CC’s funding bylaws with the aim of simplifying and clarifying the process and setting up anti-bias training for members of FinCom. However, he has been frustrated by MinCo’s decision to respond publically and administer this survey rather than approach FinCom directly. “This entire situation has escalated to this point without anyone ever having submitted any type of complaint to me,” he said. “Rather than working cooperatively to deal with the structural and transitional issues at play

rehearsal process lead to cancellation of Beast Thing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 the fact that logistically and timing-wise we are not able to make changes that appear necessary in order for students to desire to participate any longer,” Holzapfel wrote. In an email to the Record, Holzapfel emphasized the theatre department’s focus on thoroughly exploring and dissecting the factors that went into the show’s cancellation. “In the past few days, I, alongside other faculty and staff members, have done little else other than work to hear everyone's perspectives on the experience of the show and our choice to cancel the performances,” she said. Holzapfel also recognized the questions and conversations that will come from the process. “How are we all – students, artists, staff, faculty, administrators – going to feel safe making art on our campus?” she asked. “I don't have a magic answer, but I am open and ready for the conversation.” Chowdhury also sent an email to involved students expressing confidence in the show’s overarching message and regret for the show’s cancellation. For Chowdhury, some of the pushback to the play’s content represented a problematic tendency to question artists of color. “It angers and saddens me deeply that the conversation about care and trauma that is taking place at Williams, which aspires, I believe, toward a better ethics, is resulting in artists of color being silenced and pushed away from campus,” he said. “There was problematic and emotionally difficult content in The Wolves, for example, but those difficul-

ties didn’t prevent the work from going forward. No one asked that playwright to change her vision.” Chowdhury contrasted that performance with Beast Thing. “I witnessed a black playwright and a black video designer and a black actor being asked to revise their project or their image or their performance because it would cause harm to black audience members.” In the email, Chowdhury recognized the emotional toll of the production. “This experience has been harrowing for me and, I imagine, for many of you,” he wrote. “I believe the production we were building was a worthy exploration of Aleshea’s play, and I believe its cancellation constitutes a profound disrespect to everyone who contributed their artistry and worked tirelessly to realize the vision of this project.” Chowdhury also announced that he was withdrawing his candidacy for a tenure-track position at the College, but that he will remain a faculty member for the rest of the year. Students’ views regarding the show's cancellation differed from Chowdhury’s. “In my experience, and I speak for no one else, the cancellation of the show is about both process and a central debate about the place of violence onstage in a community as small as Williams,” Bierer said. “But I think the reason it unraveled so quickly is that throughout the process, we as actors were continually disrespected, silenced and manipulated in the service of an artistic vision, conversations about which we were often not privy to … I think that process has to mirror product. It is not just about what

you make and who makes it, but how it is made.” Obi echoed the disrespect that the cast felt after voicing their concerns. “To demonize me and my castmates for not wanting to continue to make art that has harmed us and would harm our community is absolutely vile,” she added. Fairweather also recognized gaps in the show's production, which she said initially “seemed like a match made in heaven... But the rift between professional and pedagogical, complete and in-progress, and accountability and agency, made it impossible for a successful collaboration to occur. Perhaps our immense trust in the heads of this process had something to do with our reluctance to speak out until the last minute.” However, Obi did see a silver lining in her participation in the production. “I am grateful to have been a part of a production that taught me so much artistically, that exposed me to the great and necessary work of Aleshea Harris and brought me much closer to my castmates and crew,” she said. Bierer also found positivity in the community of students involved. “While I am left feeling guilty, unsatisfied, angry, sad, empty all at once, I am at least heartened by the bold act of collective power building that the students carried out,” she said. “It holds promise for large structural changes at the college, which we desperately need.” All tickets for Beast Thing will be or have already been refunded. Electronic tickets were refunded automatically, and in-person purchases can be refunded by visiting the box office.

November 7, 2018

NEWS 5

The Williams Record

Students, community members hold vigils for shooting victims By SHAHEEN CURRIMJEE EXECUTIVE EDITOR Four days after the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, Pa. and the Kroger supermarket shooting in Louisville, Ky., students, faculty and community members came together in Baxter Hall to mourn and remember the victims, console and comfort one another and inspire hope. The vigil was co-organized by members of the Williams College Jewish Association (WCJA), Williams Interfaith, the Muslim Student Union (MSU), Williams Catholic, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Williams Secular Community, the Black Student Union (BSU) and Refugee Advocates: No Lost Generation (NLG). Students from each group responded to last week’s white supremacist attacks through speeches, poetry and songs. Omar Kawam ’20, from MSU, spoke about the importance of interfaith gatherings. “Regardless of our community, regardless of our background and faith, we need to actively feel a sense of mourning and recognize [these events] as atrocities and not as just recurring events,” he said. Kawam shared a brief verse from the Qur’an in which God informs the children of Israel that killing or taking a life of one person unjustly is as though you are taking the life of all of humanity. “There’s an essential quality in this message … that we have to reflect upon [the fact] that these tragedies affect not only the direct communities, but also communities at large,” he said. Jacob Lezberg ’20, from WCJA, and Caitlin Coyne ’21, from Williams Catholic, recited poems commemorating those who died and reminding the community that in trying times, blessings come in odd forms. In a moving speech, Evan Chester ’21, from WCJA, declared his anger towards the acts of terrorism against both

the Jewish and black communities and expressed his fear that these tragedies will continue. “I’m terrified because on Sunday morning when I walked into the Jewish Religious Center (JRC) on campus, there were Campus Safety and Security officers waiting outside,” he said. “The JRC, an open, religious, safe space, my safe space, needed some form of protecting.” Chester concluded by saying that we need to keep the passion and frustration we feel towards these acts so that we can fight against discrimination and hatred. Judaism teaches that in mourning it is important to embrace not only sadness, but also joy, and to be grateful for the lives of the deceased and the love that they spread. Everyone

hushed as Theophyl Kwapong ’20 took to the stage to sing the hymns, “Amazing Grace” and “Take My Hand, Precious Lord.” After, Coly Elhai ’19, from Williams Secular Community, and Patrick Postec ’21, from Williams Catholic, read out brief biographies of each of the 11 victims from the Tree of Life shooting. Mackenzie Grace ’22, from WCJA, and Isaiah Blake ’21 and Alia Richardson ’19, from BSU, lit candles honoring each of the victims. Later in the service, Emma Lezberg ’20, from WCJA and NLG, spoke on another aspect of the Tree of Life shooting: refugees. The shooter, Robert Bowers, not only targeted Jews because of their identity, but also because of vocal Jewish support for refugees and immi-

grants, particularly through the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS). HIAS, which has helped over 4.5 million people escape persecution, organized National Refugee Shabbat on Oct. 19. Congregations, organizations and individuals across the country, including WCJA, dedicated that Shabbat to refugees. Lezberg noted that National Refugee Shabbat was a catalyst for the gunman’s attack. “The horrific tragedies of last week teach us that we cannot approach issues of hatred and injustice in isolation,” Lezberg said. “AntiSemitism, anti-blackness, racism, discrimination and xenophobia cannot be untangled and must be fought by all of us, together,” Lezberg explained. Michael Rubel ’19, from WCJA, echoed these sentiments,

In recent weeks, the College has switched from compostable paper takeout boxes to reusable plastic takeout boxes at the dining facilities in Paresky. In 2010, with $5,000 from College Council, dining services began providing takeout boxes for students in Whitman’s, Lee Snack Bar and ’82 Grill. Each disposable takeout box cost between $0.20 and $0.30, according to Jillian M. St. John, finance manager of dining services. When mid-day snack bar opened during the 2017-18 academic year, the use of takeout boxes drastically increased. Dining services went over budget for that year and saw the trend continue into

solace in religion. “Music was used throughout the service to uplift the community, and GC's performance at the end of ‘This Little Light of Mine’ served much the same purpose,” Ana Laura Delgado Fernandez ’22, from GC, said. Both vigils emphasized the importance of mourning, taking action and remaining hopeful despite the hatred and terror that have struck communities. They commemorated the shooting victims: Vickie Lee Jones and Maurice E. Stallard from Louisville, and Daniel Stein, Joyce Feinberg, Richard Gottfried, Rose Mallinger, Jerry Rabinowitz, Cecil Rosenthal, David Rosenthal, Bernice Simon, Sylvan Simon, Melvin Wax and Irving Younger from Pittsburgh.

SHAHEEN CURRIMJEE/EXECUTIVE EDITOR On Wednesday, students across campus participated in an interfaith vigil to remember the victims of the Louisville and Pittsburgh shootings. The vigil included speeches, poetry and songs.

Dining Services introduces reusable takeout boxes By ARRINGTON LUCK STAFF WRITER

focusing on students’ roles at the College. “In a country – and especially on a campus – where leaning into the numbness and avoiding the terror seems easier, we cannot be silently hopeless,” Rubel said. “Sweeping, systemic change is necessary, but reaching for progress also depends on the little things. The individual conversations we have with our friends and our yet-to-be friends are the ones that can remind everyone of that core idea which, amidst tragedies like these, seems radical: life has value.” Students from the Gospel Choir (GC) also paid their respects on Nov. 1 at a community vigil in Pittsfield, Mass. During the vigil, religious leaders of different faiths and backgrounds stressed the importance of finding courage and

the 2018-19 academic year. This year, dining services expects to go over budget by approximately $12,000, according to analysis by St. John and Director of Dining Services Robert Volpi. To remedy this situation, dining services made the move to transfer from paper boxes to plastic boxes. The new takeout boxes, while costing $3.86 per container, will cost less in the long run due to their reusable nature. Dining services purchased 2600 boxes and plans to replace them on an annual basis. The boxes are made of polypropylene plastic and are much more durable than their paper counterpart, allowing for the trays to be washed and reused. Volpi noted that, while they are significantly more durable than

the paper boxes, the hinges on the plastic boxes may break after long-term use. Volpi intends for the new takeout boxes to be used in the same way the disposable boxes were, with the primary change being what is done with the boxes after use. Instead of throwing out the takeout boxes, Volpi hopes that students will place the boxes into the bins designated for dining items. Fifty bins are already in place across campus. After students return them, they are washed and reused. This plan fits into the larger Bring it Back campaign with dining services, a strategic initiative to reduce waste and encourage reuse of dining materials. Dining services is looking for a takeout box return rate of 80 percent or higher and

has made strides to ensure that the boxes are returned. In an effort headed by Retail Student Dining Unit Manager Jerry Byers, an advocate of the Bring it Back campaign, the plastic boxes have QR codes on them that can be scanned by phone to alert students of reusable container collection locations. In collaboration with Director of Student Dining Gayle Donohue, dining services is also looking into ways to remedy the issues of boxes being thrown out or left in residences. Volpi said that dining services will monitor the return of the boxes on a weekly basis and assess if the return rate is high enough to make the new boxes worth the change. If the plastic boxes are not more sustainable, alternatives will be considered.

KATIE BRULE/PHOTO EDITOR. Because they are reusable, the new plastic containers are anticipated to save money in the long term, despite costing more upfront than the paper containers.

College increases minumum wage for non-temporary staff By ISABELLE WOOD CONTRIBUTING WRITER On Oct. 19, the College instituted a raise in the hourly wages for regular employees from $14.35 to $15. This change will affect all nontemporary workers, including dishwashers, snack bar attendants, custodians and safety assistants. These employees will also be retroactively compensated for all hours worked between July 1 and Oct. 19 of 2018. The discussion regarding raising hourly wages arose in the Committee for Priorities and Resources (CPR) open forum last spring. “CPR did discuss, and was supportive of, the proposal to raise hourly rates for the College’s lowest paid staff members. We made sure to put this conversation on our agenda early this fall,” Eiko Siniawer, professor of history and chair of the CPR, said. Danielle Gonzalez, director of human resources (HR), elaborated on the change. “While Williams pays above market in these areas, we began conversations with the facilities and dining services departments to address some internal disparities we identified between newer hires and those who have been in their roles for a long time,” she said. According to data presented to the CPR this September, the only pay group that had a minimum wage lower than the $15 mark were dishwashers and snack bar attendants. However, not all these staff members fell in the lowest end of that pay band. The median hourly wage for those positions is currently $17.88 for dishwashers and $16.32 for snack bar atten-

dants. Other dining services staff typically have a median hourly wage of approximately $20, which is similar to the median for custodial staff. A proposal for this raise was made by HR, Vice President for Campus Life Steve Klass and Vice President for Finance and Administration and Treasurer Fred Puddester. Subsequently, it was approved by senior staff, President Maud Mandel and the CPR. Gonzalez emphasized that the College pays more than the market average for these jobs. HR “reviews staff compensation on an annual basis” in relation to “market data and trends, in addition to gender and internal equity,” she said. Klass elaborated on the College’s role in the larger community. “It’s always important that, as a major regional employer, we are consistently analyzing compensation levels for all staff, both relative to regional markets and in terms of internal equity,” he said. The College’s increase in minimum wage helps employees to earn a full living salary. Assuming a full-time College employee works 40hour weeks for 40 weeks a year (i.e., not working during the summer), they will earn approximately $24,000. According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the living wage for a single adult in Berkshire County is $23,571, allowing such College employees to earn a living wage and some change. Similarly, for two adults, the calculated living wage $37,550. Employees with spouses who also earn similar salaries would also earn a living wage.

FEATURES 6

The Williams Record

November 7, 2018

One in Two Thousand By BROOKE HOROWITCH COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Rosie is one of the wonderful frosh of Willy AB. She is always energetic and likes giving us Junior Advisors [JAs] piggyback rides, so I sat down with her to chat about that, Ancient Greek and Vines. We’ll start with a generic question: why did you decide to come to the College? All of the buildings are really beautiful. My favorites are Hollander Hall and Sawyer Library. What do you like about the buildings? The architecture. It’s very clean but also cozy at the same time. The library is why I came here. Do you like studying in Sawyer now that you’re here? No. I never get anything done in Sawyer. [Laughs.] I mean yes. I love studying in the library. Studying in the library is my favorite thing to do. What classes are you taking this semester? I am enrolled in “Intermediate Greek,” “Plato with Footnotes: Ethics,” “The Cell” [Biology 101] and “Introductory Psychology.” Why did you decide to study Greek and Plato? Plato just sounded like a cool class when I read the description on the internet, so I did

it. I’m taking Greek because I’m supposedly a classics major. That is the idea because if you add up all of the years, I’ve taken 10 years of classical languages in high school and middle school. I took Latin from seventh through 12th grade and Greek from ninth through 12th.

ROSIE SOKOLL ’22

What is your relationship with your brother like? My brother! Brudda bear! He’s so cool. He’s into music, and I think a lot of my taste in music comes from him because we share a Spotify [account], and he always plays dope music.

What do you like most about classical languages?

What artists and genres do you two listen to?

It’s kind of dope that you can read stuff that people wrote a really long time ago.

R&B, funk and jazz. My brother actually went to college for two years and majored in classical opera. He’s a singer and has always been the musical one.

Do you think that their true voices get lost in translation and that you need to know classical languages to really understand them? Oh, that’s a deep question. Actually, yeah. I took this class in high school called “Women in Antiquity,” and we talked about how translators put their own spin on it. There are some words that can have multiple translations, so it’s beneficial to know exactly what they’re saying. And there are certain words that mean the same thing, and [sometimes] they use a specific word because it has some sort of underlying message. That’s cool! I also know that you rowed in high school but have transitioned to coxing at the College. How has that adjustment been? It’s super fun. The team is dope. I rowed for five years. But high school rowing is very different from collegiate rowing, and I knew that I didn’t want to row

What do you think you’d like to be when you grow up?

KATIE BRULE/PHOTO EDITOR ROSIE'S HOMETOWN HAVERFORD, PA.

ROSIE'S RESIDENCE WILLIAMS HALL

in college because it’s almost all sweeping, which is rowing with one oar. My high school program [had] small boats sculling, which is rowing with two oars, and I prefer that. I’ve always been pretty small for a rower and initially went into my high school program wanting to be a coxswain. But that was freshman spring, and I had done Learn To Row in eighth grade, so I knew the basic form. When they put us all in the tanks, my form was pretty good, so they were like ‘we’re gonna have you row,’ and I actually liked it. Well, it’s a love-hate relationship, I guess. But I love being a coxswain. It was stressful at

ROSIE'S VINE PICK “CHOPPED” WONTONS

first, but now that I kind of know what I’m doing, it’s really fun. Can you tell me a bit about your family? I have two dads and a brother, and no mom or sister, which is sort of unusual, as I’ve learned over the years. Growing up, it was super normal for me because I didn’t know anything else, but then I was going through elementary school, and each of my friends had a mom and a dad. I didn’t think about my situation until I realized that it was different.

My dads are both doctors, so I always thought [I would] be a doctor, but that means that I have to be pre-med. Oof. If I figure out how to not procrastinate so much, maybe I will be a doctor. You have shown me a lot of hilarious YouTube videos and Vines. Can you recommend a few to our Record readers? A classic is Noah Ritter, ‘the apparently kid.’ At a state fair, this woman [was] interviewing him about a ride, and he [said] ‘apparently’ every five seconds in the funniest way. Also, a favorite Vine of mine is Jimmy Fallon – he says, ‘Vitamin C is Spanish for vitamin yes,’ and that’s it, and his face is just floating in front of a sunset. I don’t know why I find it so funny. [Another one is] the “Chopped” wontons Vine. It’s this woman on the

show, “Chopped,” who is like, ‘I forgot the wontons were still in the fryer,’ and the judge gasps, and it’s so funny because his face is absurd. Another one that my other JA, the one and only William Richard Burford Jr. [’20] quotes all the time is ‘It’s an avocado! Thanks!’ Speaking of funny things, sometimes you like to give Will, Jessica [Gutierrez ’20] and me piggyback rides. Can you tell me why? Here’s a little background: the other Saturday, I was hanging out with my team, and I had one of my rowers get on my back. I then decided that it would be a good idea to squat her because why not? Admittedly, she weighs less than I do. So that was funny, and I like to give my JAs piggyback rides because I think it’s hilarious. I like to scare Will, and it’s really easy to scare him when I have him on my back and run toward something that doesn’t move. Or I throw candy at him. Yikes. Okay, last question: what is the most important lesson you’ve learned during your first two months at the College? I kind of knew this already, but don’t be fake. I don’t want to say, ‘be yourself’ – that’s dumb. But don’t try to be something that you’re not because that’s a lot of energy that you’re expending, and it could be used on much better things, and you’re going to make friends who aren’t really your friends and who don’t make you that happy.

BFAIR bridges gaps in community Stephen Freund and Chad Topaz receive $400,000 in NSF funding By LYDIA DUAN FEATURES EDITOR

The Berkshire Family and Individual Resources (BFAIR) agency wears many hats, but at its core, BFAIR provides resources and creates spaces for neurodiverse individuals to be empowered. The larger aspects of this mission involve community engagement and social integration, aspects that students from the College have helped out with over the years. Paula Consolini, director of the Center for Learning in Action (CLiA), spoke about the itch that students have to venture past a college experience confined between Southworth Street and Park Street. Eph Buddies was one such studentled effort geared at connecting with individuals with disabilities in the larger Berkshire community. CLiA helped facilitate the logistics that could get the project off the ground, from providing transportation to handling conversations between point-people through which students could get involved with BFAIR. “When active, the group helped community members with disabilities feel socially connected through activities such as bowling, campus barbecues, arts and crafts events and bingo nights,” Consolini said. In the words of Jennifer Civello, director of marketing at BFAIR, the organization “runs the full gamut.” Some of its operations include supported employment and day habilitation programs that coordinate different activities. BFAIR also provides clinical services, and residential housing development is an ongoing process. “We work with people of all ability levels, regardless of what their diagnosis be – folks with cognitive disabilities, acquired brain injuries, autism; we also work with elders in the home,” Civello said. “We work with different populations, but the services can be quite similar.” In particular, BFAIR would like to develop community integration. And this, for both Consolini and Civello, is where students can really make an impact. In describing BFAIR’s individualized service plans, Civello emphasized that their clients’ personal preferences and interests are grounds for engagement. A client who

loves basketball, for instance, routine to engage in acts of found an opportunity to work service; now, they can paralongside the women’s bas- take in direct client work. ketball team at the Massachu- “If [people are] hankering to setts College for Liberal Arts. do something … then that’s Civello outlined the range of what we’re here for,” Consointerests and potential entry lini said. “We’re here for you points into the community for to share what you love [with] BFAIR clients. others in the community.” “We look at every person And the opportunities for in our residential program to such engagement abound. see where they [can] find their There are multiple ways in niche in the community,” she which students can get insaid. “Bevolved, from cause not evhosting meals erybody likes to shadowthe same ing clinicians. thing. There’s These oppora group who tunities can walks along also lead to the trails in longer-term North Adexperiences. ams. Some “We are alpeople like ways looking working with for staff peoanimals, so ple,” Civello we could said. “Those Paula Consolini hook them are great opDirector of the Center for up with an portunities animal shelfor college Learning in Action ter. Some students bepeople are cause it gives interested in [them] the their faith chance to get and get involved in a local to know the workings of a nonchurch or synagogue.” profit like this and also for you BFAIR strives to deepen to do some direct client work.” the interpersonal connections Consolini acknowledged between its clients and com- the hurdle in maintaining stumunity members – both local dent momentum when there residents and students from is a lack of structural orgathe College – at large. Bar- nization. Eph Buddies, like riers to student engagement many student-based groups, can include a sense of burden has seen seasons of ebb and in terms of investment of re- flow. It can be difficult, she sources – be that time or en- said, “when people don’t know ergy – or logistical difficulties. where to look.” But both she Fortunately, Consolini views and Civello believe that social CLiA as a way to overcome interactions between BFAIR those barriers by removing and students is vital for difany obstacles that prevent stu- ferent experiences to be seen dents from tapping into their and heard. It is in this living energy to “do some good.” She and growing community that, noted the depth and breadth Consolini notes, social stigof potential student engage- mas can be addressed. ment. “It’s just the challenge “These are folks that are ofat having people realize that ten forgotten. They’re invisible, these are opportunities avail- probably the most invisible, able for them.” and that makes their lives that “If students need trans- much more difficult … there portation, we can get you isn’t the kind of community there. If you want to take center for them to show up,” them bowling, we pay for Consolini said. that. If you want to buy supWhat keeps Civello coming plies, we can provide the arts back to BFAIR are the real-life and crafts… and I have a lot experiential impacts she witof origami books,” Consolini nesses. “People always say to said, laughing. me, ‘You’re the marketing diShe also noted that a stu- rector for a non-profit? What dent hosting a BFAIR client is there to market?’” she said. at an arts performance or “And I say, ‘There are such great a sporting event could go a stories to tell.’ The fact that we long way towards improving have some dedicated staff [and] social integration of BFAIR community members who really clients. Students do not have believe in the work that BFAIR to deviate from their normal does makes my job even easier.”

“We’re here for you to share what you love [with] others in the community.”

By VINCENT JIANG STAFF WRITER Student researchers rejoiced as the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Stephen Freund, professor of computer science, and Chad Topaz, professor of mathematics, grants of $400,000 in total for their research proposals. This grant money will fund their projects for about three years and will allow them to hire more student researchers than they otherwise would. In order to be approved for funding, applicants must go through a rigorous and lengthy process. They have to put together not only a thorough project proposal, but also a summary, a detailed budget, a statement about the possible impacts of the work on their undergraduate institution and a biographical sketch describing their experiences. The application is then peer-reviewed to determine eligibility for funding. Once it has been approved, the NSF provides enough funds to support the research for three to four years. Topaz has applied multiple times. “My research has been supported by the National Science Foundation since 2006,” he said. “I apply every few years and have been very fortunate that my proposals have been funded.” Freund is working with Cormac Flanagan, professor of computer science at the University of California, to improve coding efficiency by producing tools for synthesis – that is, instead of creating their own source code, programmers can use a program that

produces source code based on their descriptions. This is especially useful for programmers like Freund, who often spend hours manually producing code and checking for bugs, and it can be used with software needed to manage multiple processes, from data warehouses to smartphones. As an applied mathematician, Topaz hopes to model two complex environmental systems. He and his collaborators, professors Henry Adams from Colorado State, Andrew Bernoff from Harvey Mudd and Sarah Iams from Harvard, are studying vegetation growth patterns in semi-arid regions as indicators of climate change, desertification and collective behavior in animals, such as schools of fish or flocks of birds. A majority of the funding will go towards hiring summer student researchers, with the hopes that it will increase diversity in their respective fields. “Having the financial support from the NSF gives me the freedom to hire anybody that I happen to think would be a good match for the project,” Freund said. “One of the goals here is to introduce people to what it’s like to do research … with the hope that it’s something that’s appealing so that they go on to graduate school.” “I’m well-versed in issues around equity, diversity and inclusion, so I take every pain to structure my hiring in a way that brings in a diverse pool of student candidates and results in a diverse research group,” Topaz added. Funds will also be used to cover necessary travel and equipment costs.

The two professors also expect their research to enrich the classes they teach. Freund teaches courses on how to use different programming languages and how to build reliable software, both of which are issues he must address in his project. He can also more readily tie in real-world examples of how professional software can solve the problems taught in his lectures. “It not only makes me a moreinformed computer scientist, but [also] presents interesting problems that I can share with students,” he said. Topaz teaches a course on computational linear algebra, where he can incorporate his analysis of the topological data he gathers. He also has an advanced tutorial on partial differential equations where he can tie in his analysis of vegetation pattern models. Both Freund and Topaz are grateful for the funding they received and are excited to begin working. “I’m most excited about the opportunity to continue to involve many students in research so that they learn what applied mathematics research is like,” Topaz wrote in an email. “I’m also grateful that the grant allows me to give them experience with the broader mathematics community by traveling to conferences and interacting with other scholars.” Freund echoed a similar sentiment. “It’s always gratifying to be recognized in this way because it’s an outside affirmation that you’re doing something right, that you’re contributing to a discipline and contributing to the education of students here and involving them in research,” he said.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SOPHIA SHIN/PHOTO EDITOR AND CHAD TOPAZ.

Freund (left) and Topaz (right) will work on coding and modeling environmental systems, respectively.

November 7, 2018

7 FEATURES

The Williams Record

College meme page builds community with edge and humor By JEONGYOON HAN FEATURES EDITOR It was established, as one of the founders put it, in “the bowels of an East [College] thirdfloor den” on Apr. 27, 2017. In just over a year and a half, the group has expanded at a remarkable pace, now “boasting” 2,589 members. Issues raised within the group vary, including commentary about working on one’s acting chops as a “sober” student at Whitmans’ Late Night, rants over course workloads, a petition for making the exterior of the Williams Inn blue and “spicy” call-outs at certain members of the College administration. This is “Williams Memes for sun-dappled tweens,” the premier Facebook page for students to share all sorts of memes commenting on College life and topics important to members of the student body. Any member can post, granted that the post meets the community standards of relevancy to the College and is not racist, sexist or ableist. Despite the group only existing in a virtual space, the beauty of the page lies in the fact that students can come together on “Williams Memes” in an open forum for some cathartic, edgy and humorous content. As Luke Baumann ’19, co-founder of the group, put it, the group’s purpose is “to provide high-quality, hilarious image ‘macros’ to our valued customers.” “Name another institution on campus in which every single person on campus who is a part of the group – and even those who are off-campus – are on equal footing in an open forum, and they are nice to each other for the sake of humor,” Danny Donahue ’19, another co-founder, said. The establishment of the meme page is part of a larger nation-wide movement of students

MEMES COURTESY OF (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT CLOCKWISE): EMILY MCDONALD ’19, AUDREY KOH ’21 AND EVAN CHESTER ’21.

Members of the Facebook page “Williams Memes for sun-dappled tweens” share memes commenting on College academics, life and culture. at institutions of higher education creating Facebook pages in which members can post memes to relate to other students on campus. Inspired by these meme pages, Baumann founded the page with classmates Donahue, Liam Ouweleen ’19 and Mano Sundaresan ’19. The page is also used to criticize the administration on several fronts. Sundaresan said that the four of them were upset by parties “constantly getting derailed by the administration.” Additionally, they cited overspending, administrative bureaucratic decisions and misappropriation of funds – for example, the costly marble blocks in Sawyer Quad – as other criticisms. Memes were an ingenious way to voice such concerns. “It’s a language that the bureaucracy can’t really speak,” Donahue said. “Memes are an

outlet for student grievances. It’s just ridiculous how serious the administration takes itself sometimes; this understanding that this meme is inaccessible to them and that they won’t be able to understand them – that is why the memes are so perfect.” But with the arrival of Maud Mandel as the College’s new president following Adam Falk’s departure, students are excited for the “Maud era.” Many feel that Mandel is a wholesome, kind, relatable and genuine president, and this sentiment is reflected by memes about the administration now being less “sarcastic” and “more wholesome,” Donahue said. One meme even explicitly states in rainbow text: “Friendship ended with Adam / Now Maud is my best friend.” In a broader sense, Onyeka Obi ’21 views the page as a way for a student body to struggle

and laugh together. “I think the meme page is, functionally, a refuge for a lot of the student body,” Obi said. “We’re busy, we’re overworked, we’re tired [and] we’re hungry. But we can take a break and laugh our hearts out over weird stuff we can bond over. Our campus is full of eclectic, different people, and it is very well reflected in the meme page.” Emily McDonald ’19, who posts memes on the page, said memes that play off of College stereotypes, student archetypes or academic habits are some of her favorites. Many students seem to love these memes as well: McDonald’s meme (pictured top left) satirizing course loads across the three academic divisions is the most liked meme on the page as of date, with almost 700 likes or reactions. Obi also noted that the page has provided space for acknowl-

edging what she calls “uncomfortable social dynamics that exist” in campus culture, which can be attributed to the student body’s wide range of life experiences and perspectives. “I make memes making fun of things close to my heart – things I noticed during my freshman year, [like] the social weirdness produced from being from a socioeconomic class completely different from what Williams typically has,” she said. “From my own perspective, [the meme page] facilitates a lot of campus conversations around uncomfortable topics without making people feel horrifically attacked or offended, which is great.” But the page was not always an open and welcoming community for all. In its beginning stages, several students had harsh criticism aimed at the founders, mostly Baumann, citing disap-

proval at the administrators’ power to delete memes that they believed were not creative or good enough to make it onto the page. “We admins liked to exercise a sort of ironic dictatorship-like approach to content moderation; we’d delete things if we didn’t like them and had all sorts of arbitrary rules,” Baumann admitted. Soon, students were making other meme pages in response to the “Williams Memes” founders. During the spring of 2017, the page administrators smoothed rough patches amongst certain members in the page and affirmed that the page was open to all who adhered to simple and straightforward community standards: allowing people to gain joy or some good laughs and not being hostile to members. Ultimately, the page fosters unspoken connections between students at the College, whether it be through discussing more serious issues of racial diversity and privilege or just squeezing in laughs during stressful times. “The meme page is ‘just’ a meme page, but I do think it plays a part in helping the whole Williams community feel a little more connected and help students understand each other better,” Baumann said. “We’re just out here trying to let off some memes,” Donahue added. With the collective creativity and humor of over 2,500 people, “Williams Memes” has a wide horizon ahead. Baumann has a specific vision for the page, which the next wave of administrators could take on once he and the other founders graduate this spring. “In the long-term, we hope to build our audience to over one million, monetize the page and use its income to finance the construction of a gigantic hydroponic cranberry farm on top of LaGuardia Airport,” he said.

College Reaction provides platform for student-driven discourse By NIGEL JAFFE STAFF WRITER The last few years have ushered in a political landscape that is unlike any other in our nation’s history. Meanwhile, access to news media is constantly expanding: Pew Research Center reported in June of this year that 93 percent of adults get “at least some” of their news online, such as through digitized forms of established news outlets or fresh resources often exclusively available online. These two factors encourage students who want to share their opinions to do so through established digital platforms. Enter College Reaction, a groundbreaking website on which college students at almost 50 institutions across the country can publish articles on topics ranging from elections to gun violence to the Fortnite craze. Founded by Cyrus Beschloss ’19 in the summer of 2017, College Reaction is an unparalleled tool both for giving college students a voice on contemporary issues and for understanding how college students think. “We want to help college students enter the national discourse,” Beschloss said. “People care what college students have to say, and we’re giving them a place to put themselves out there. The more that college students do engage, the more we’ll be taken seriously, and the less we’ll have people trying to give us the ‘kids menu.’” The origins of College Reaction can be traced back to Be-

schloss’s own attempts to do just that. As a first-year at the College, he wrote several pieces for The Berkshire Eagle, the regional newspaper in the Berkshires, and was surprised by the reaction he received. “I saw readers engaging with my work,” he recalled. Many students find that their attempts to get involved with such publications are dismissed as sophomoric, with very few finding an audience willing to listen to what they have to say. For Beschloss, that was not the case. “What surprised me was that they weren’t treating me as ‘just a college student.’ It made me realize that there’s an audience out there for college students’ opinions.” With that in mind, Beschloss set out to establish College Reaction, through which students interested in making their voices heard could contribute to a publication dedicated solely to them. He first recruited through word of mouth, building a small network of students at the College with similar goals in mind. Not long after, he reached out to other colleges, including The University of Iowa, Oberlin and Princeton. “I would read pieces by other writers all over the place, and if it seemed like they had something to say, I’d reach out to try to recruit them.” Beschloss’s search process was made easier by the wealth of eligible writers he found: “Just by being a consumer of well-worded, smart college opinion, you’ll find fantastic input everywhere you look.” There are currently 95 students listed as part of the team.

While the platform continues to publish a steady stream of original pieces, College Reaction’s main focus now lies in a slightly different field. “In fall of 2017, we started to shift into polling and statistics,” Beschloss recalled. He saw the potential in using the organization’s presence at colleges and universities to gather data, and after a few trials, the initiative was a success. “We try to gauge students’ opinions as scientifically as possible, as reliably as possible and on a diversity of topics,” he said. Now, College Reaction provides custom statistics on college students’ opinions to organizations hoping to understand this demographic. Whether consumers turn to College Reaction for its studentgenerated content or for its valuable polling insight, Beschloss said the mission of the organization remains the same. “We want to make clear that college students have important, valuable opinions,” he said. Beschloss is dedicated to keeping that principle the focus of his work, even after he graduates in the spring. “I’m planning to keep working on College Reaction even after graduating, but I’ll have to walk a certain line,” he said. “My first priority has to be ensuring that it stays the voice of college students, even when I no longer am one.” Whatever the future holds, College Reaction continues to fill a niche that no other organization does. For students interested in a place where they can be taken seriously when discussing topics of national importance, there is no better resource.

KATIE BRULE/PHOTO EDITOR

Beschloss ’19 founded College Reaction, a site where college students can share their thoughts on current events.

KATIE BRULE/PHOTO EDITOR

Donna Cuzzone, a dining services attendant, has been a key presence on campus for over ten years.

By CLARA LEE STAFF WRITER From the moment I sat across from Donna Cuzzone, I felt at home. She began our conversation with some self-deprecating humor about how she had spilled her coffee right before the interview, and I felt myself relaxing considerably at the sound of her laugh. Cuzzone is a small-town woman who grew up in the countryside. Her graduating class was comprised of approximately 50 people. “[I] loved it because that’s all [I] knew,” she said. “I’ve never lived in a city, and I would never want to. The last time I visited New York City was in the ’70s. It was exciting, but I wouldn’t want to live there.” Despite her familiarity with rural settings, her path to the College was not straightforward. In fact, she did not know Williamstown, Mass. existed until 2002. Cuzzone worked for over 30 years at a company that made toothbrushes and dental floss. Unfortunately, the company was bought out by another, and Cuzzone lost her job soon thereafter. That year was particularly rough for Cuzzone; in addition to losing her job, she lost both her mother and mother-in-law. Although Cuzzone underwent many hardships, one good thing did come out of that year: she and her husband moved to Pownal, Vt., just a stone’s throw away from the College. Her first impression of the pastoral beauty was optimistic. “I couldn’t believe how beautiful the mountains were,” she said.

She started working at Walmart before finding a job working at Whitmans’ Late Night. After juggling both for a couple of years, Cuzzone found a full-time gig on campus, quit her job at Walmart and dedicated all of her attention to the College. I asked Cuzzone if she ever grows bored of the lack of activity here. She laughed before revealing, “I’m a homebody. I don’t go to any movies or even go clothes shopping. I do a lot of my shopping online.” In her own free time, Cuzzone is a social media connoisseur. “I spend a lot of time on Twitter,” she said. “One of my favorite people on Twitter is James Wood, a retired actor. I also love Facebook. I have a hard time getting off it. Once in a while, I post stuff with my high school friends. Facebook is how I stay in touch with people from my past.” As Cuzzone has worked at the College for over a decade, she has witnessed the campus evolve over time. “All the buildings are new,” she noted. “They’re always tearing down buildings. Also, here at the dining hall, we have a new manager every three or four years. Each one is so different from the last, and it’s difficult to keep adapting. We have to teach the new ones that come in how we operate because sometimes they have their own way of doing things that doesn’t work with ours.” As much as she loves her job, Cuzzone admits that she will probably retire in a few years. “I’ll stay in Vermont. I might get a part-time job. I used to do housecleaning, so I might start

that again.” It’s important to her that she remains productive. Cuzzone also hopes to travel. “I’d like to go to Alaska,” she said. “My dream would be just to be able to travel all over the U.S. I don’t care too much about going abroad probably because I’ve never flown in anything other than a piper plane.” This was in reference to a past College program, where Cuzzone had the opportunity to ride a small piper plane. “I got to steer the plane,” she said. “We were flying above the College. I was afraid at first, but it was so cool.” In addition to this College memory, Cuzzone described one of her funniest recollections from night shifts at Whitmans’. Anyone who has braved snack bar at 12:00 a.m. on a Saturday knows how rowdy it can be, and Cuzzone recalled one incident with streaking students. “One night at late night, a group of boys came running by naked,” she laughed. “It was around 2007, [in] ’08 or ’09. I only saw them as they were leaving, so I saw the better part – if you know what I mean. One of my coworkers was having a fit. It was hilarious.” Cuzzone possesses a genuine vigor for the work she does, as well as a bright sense of humor. When I asked her what her favorite part of working at the College is, she said the kids – if only she could remember their names. As I was packing up my things to leave, I joked, “You probably won’t remember my name, but I had such a lovely time speaking with you.” She gave me a warm smile and said, “Of course I’ll remember you, Clara.”

8 ARTS

The Williams Record

November 7, 2018

Alex Honnold leaves audience spellbound in Free Solo By CECELIA MESSBAUER STAFF WRITER Horror films weren’t the only option for experiencing vicarious terror on the big screen this Halloween. The opening shot of Free Solo, the National Geographicproduced documentary about superstar rock climber Alex Honnold, is as gut-wrenchingly vertigo-inducing as it is stunningly beautiful. The sharp-angled, vertical perspective highlights both the absolute beauty of the natural world Honnold immerses himself in, and the almost inconceivable danger of what he is attempting to accomplish. The film, which will be playing at Images Cinema through tomorrow, focuses on Honnold’s years-long obsession with achieving something unprecedented in his field – specifically, free soloing El Capitan, the 3000 foot vertical wall of sheer granite in Yosemite National Park that has been one of the biggest prizes of the climbing community for years. The hook of the title refers to Honnold’s particular brand of rock climbing which is one of the most extreme enterprises a human can undertake: free soloing refers to scaling a wall without a rope, harness or any other protective equipment. Honnold is alone with only his body, mind and some chalk to help him grip the precarious surface – the only thing between him and certain death. The documentary, then, is as much about risk itself as

PHOTO COURTESY OF SNEWSNET.COM.

The National Geographic documentary follows Honnold as he becomes the first person to free solo Yosemite’s 3000 foot high El Capitan Wall. it is about Honnold. How do you film such an extreme act of human risk-taking, and what are the ethical implications? Directors Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi assembled an expert crew of climbers that were tasked with positioning cameras alongside Honnold’s route without breaking his concentration or altering his mentality. Despite meticulous preparation, Chin and his team were clearly torn throughout the process, terrified that any moment could turn their documentary into a record of trauma. The fact that almost every famous free-solo climber has died, and the devastating addition

to that list of Swiss climbing legend Ueli Steck just a month before Honnold’s climb, created a weight of sobering history. This leaves Honnold somber but nonchalant while his friends, including climbing veteran and mentor Tommy Caldwell, are pushed to the limits of what they can bear to risk. Sannie McCandless, Honnold’s girlfriend, is also anxious about Honnold’s fate. Her relationship with the climber is the film’s main B-story. Honnold is openly frank about how dating is not easy given his profession and personality; he isn’t very emotionally open, he won’t

give up his death-defying ambitions for anyone and he doesn’t completely comprehend the degree to which other people care about his survival. Those traits make the relationship less than easy to navigate, but Honnold tempers his more detached tendencies with a blunt and uncompromising self-awareness; he knows how his temperament can negatively affect people, and he makes a deliberate effort to change where he can. McCandless, though, is incredibly patient and cares enough to stick with him through the arduous and terrifying process as he prepares

to do something that might kill him. And while Honnold’s personality doesn’t shift overnight, he does get better at handling the relationship on its own terms – from becoming more open to finally moving into a house after living out of a van which suited his climbing needs for years. Honnold does acknowledge the appeal of traditional masculine archetypes of perfection, ambition and the “warrior mentality,” which have dominated so many athletic cultures and been central to his obsession with risking his life to achieve the seemingly impossible. However, he does

not rely on brazen impulse or raw physicality, and while he is perhaps (from his loved ones’ perspectives) too at peace with what might go wrong, it becomes clear that he does not have a death wish. The process of free soloing El Capitan is as much a puzzle as it is a feat of staggering physical achievement. Honnold scales his preferred “Freerider route” many times with full safety gear, and his meticulous journal entries map out exactly where his hands and feet need to be at every moment, as well as the solutions to the most vexing parts of the climb. One such moment features a lateral move requiring switching thumbs in a handhold only big enough for one, a “boulder problem” that necessitates a karate kick position to stretch himself across a gap. These techniques are as incredible as they are terrifying, and even though the viewer knows going in that Honnold makes it to the end of the film alive, this still cannot completely mitigate the terror of watching him make seemingly impossible history while also knowing that a single mistake will result in failure and fatality. The sensation is compounded by the incomprehensibility of why someone would need to do this, but the emotional high on his face when he reaches the top and takes in the incredible beauty at the end of the gauntlet goes a long way in sending the audience home with the thought, “Oh. That’s why.”

OFF THE RECORD. Tired of listening to the same song over and over again? Looking for some new music? Check out what our editors are listening to around the office!

“BEST FRIEND” REX ORANGE COUNTY

PHOTO COURTESY OF WCMA.

Yi’s exhibit entices all five senses, as she incorporates altered music and overwhelming smells.

Anicka Yi employs biofiction, blurs sensorial limits in recent WCMA purchase By KAIRA MEDIRATTA ARTS EDITOR Step through the front doors of the William College Museum of Art (WCMA) anytime between now and early February of next year, and you will be greeted with a formidable, undeniable menthol scent. Step further into the gallery to your right, and the ‘80s synths of an incomprehensible yet familiar song will similarly invade your ears. Every step forward into Anicka Yi’s Our Love is Bigger than an AIDS Quilt only furthers Yi’s agenda; namely, the fusion of smell, sight and sound into one synesthetic situation. The exhibit initially appears innocuous enough, although spending an extended amount of time within the burgundy walls and partially inclined floors allows the viewer to realize that something is, indeed, slightly off. Perhaps it is the minty scent, which was chosen particularly to trigger recollections of institutionalized personal hygiene (also a personal reference by Yi to the experience of a palate cleanser titled “Mint Pond” at the famed restaurant elBulli – mentholated and matchainfused water vapor sealed below a layer of ice). Perhaps it is the song that plays intermittently, Soft Cell’s “Sex Dwarf,” which was edited to only include the inoffensive instrumentals and exclude the provocative lyrics; or the three freestanding sculptures cloaked with strange translucent sheets made of dried symbiotic colonies of bacteria

and yeast, otherwise known as “Kombucha leather.” Arguably the most riveting aspect of the exhibit is the dimly illuminated circle of light in the center of the gallery, filled with hair gel and hundreds of cosmetic contact lenses. So tempting is this pool, in fact, that one visitor was seduced into sticking a foot into the art, leading museum staff to begin cautioning future visitors from doing exactly that. Described as a conceptual artist by critics, Yi’s work lies at the intersection of fragrance, cuisine and science; she is known for installations that engage the senses, especially the sense of smell, and for her collaborations with biologists and chemists. Beyond the sensorial assaults, Yi is also known for her use of unorthodox, often living and perishable materials, including but not limited to: tempura-fried flowers, canvases fashioned from soap, stainless steel shower heads, fish oil pills, shredded Teva sandals boiled in recalled powdered milk, and bacteria. She is even known to have injected live snails with oxytocin, as she did in her 2014 exhibition Divorce at 47 Canal in New York. Yi’s Asian American identity also often plays a key role in her works, as she was born in 1971 in Seoul, South Korea, before relocating to the United States at the age of two. Impressively, Yi won the prestigious Hugo Boss Prize presented by the Guggenheim in 2016, which was followed by a solo exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

That being said, one cannot discuss this piece without addressing the name itself, which has a lot of implications in its reference to the infamous NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. The AIDS Memorial Quilt, which began in 1987 and was displayed on the National Mall, is an enormous quilt made as a memorial to celebrate the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes. In invoking this monumental work of craft, Yi inevitably forces us to ask questions such as: why is the AIDS quilt being referred to as “an” rather than “the”? Whose love is in question? And could it really be bigger than something that even the National Mall was unable to hold all at once? Regardless of the concerns brought about by the title, which the artist has only explained so far by calling it a “personal reference” or “patches of personal memory,” the piece is undeniably one of the most compelling works WCMA has acquired in a long time. The piece was originally shown at the MIT List Visual Arts Center as part of the exhibition 6,070,430K of Digital Spit. Students who took the Fall 2017 course “Acquiring Art: Selecting and Purchasing Objects for WCMA” were the ones who chose this work. Our Love is a provocative and refreshing addition to the WCMA collection, and it is my hope that, in future purchases, the museum will continue to support both student-led acquisitional initiatives and Asian American artists who break the mold.

“BAD BAD NEWS” LEON BRIDGES

“SUPER KOTO” PONZU ISLAND

“DANG! (FEAT. ANDERSON .PAAK)” MAC MILLER

9 ARTS

The Williams Record

November 7, 2018

Up-and-coming string quartet brings distinctive sound to the College By JULIA CHIANG STAFF WRITER This past Thursday, the world-class Dover Quartet performed in Brooks-Rogers Recital Hall. The program included Beethoven’s Quartet in C Minor, op. 18, No. 4, "From Amber Frozen" by Mason Bates and Tchaikovsky’s Quartet in E-flat Minor, op. 30. The Dover Quartet surged to international fame following its stunning sweep of the 2013 Banff International String Quartet Competition. Since then, it has been named the Cleveland Quartet Award winner and been awarded the Avery Fisher Career Grant, serving as the quartet-in-residence for the prestigious Bienen School of Music at Northwestern. In the past year, the Quartet has performed over 100 concerts around North America and Europe, including appearances with superstar violinist Janine Jansen and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium. The quartet is composed of Joel Link, Bryan Lee, Milena Pajaro-Van de Stadt and Camden Shaw. All of them are graduates of the Curtis Institute of Music, a conservatory with an acceptance rate of 4.4 percent, rivaling that of Juilliard’s. Each member of the Quartet is also an accomplished solo artist. First violinist Joel Link took first prize at the Menuhin Competition; second violinist Bryan

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

The Dover Quartet rose to international stardom after sweeping the 2013 Banff Competition, at which the group won every prize. Lee and violist Milena Pajarovan de Stadt have appeared as soloists with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Tokyo Philharmonic respectively; and cellist Camden Shaw has released a debut solo album under the Unipheye Music label. At their recital last Thursday, the Dover Quartet lived up to its reputation with its opener Beethoven’s Quartet in C Minor, op. 18, No. 4. The piece was full of lightningfast embellishments that skated on top of deep, driv-

ing melodies. As these intertwined and emerged by turns, the Quartet’s virtuosity was made clear. Each player was extraordinarily attentive to each other, while also being sensitive to the piece that they were creating. When the melody was carried between multiple members of the Quartet, the divisions between instruments were seamless and fluid, each rich line flowing smoothly throughout the range. In addition, throughout many pas-

sages that required perfect coordination and synchronization, the Quartet delivered impeccably, with a clear, crisp unison on even the most demanding rhythms. The second piece on the program, Mason Bates’ “From Amber Frozen”, was a unique new composition that distinguished itself through nontraditional techniques, both in the style of playing and in the construction of melody. Shaw, describing the piece, said that he met Bates at a nightclub

when he was trying to compose music that transitioned easily between a setting like that and a formal stage. “Mason is very dedicated to experimenting with new styles in a fresh, original way,” Shaw said. In addition, Bates was heavily inspired by the history of classical music written for string quartets. A specific technique he employed in his piece – namely, distributing a melody across many different instruments so that each instrument only plays a few notes while

contributing to an overarching melody – can also be seen in Beethoven’s late quartets. “It’s a really effective texture that was used all the way back then, but Bates uses it in this new style that’s a lot more relaxed,” Shaw said. The classicallytrained Quartet commanded the unusual piece with energy and ease, including sections which required its performers to use their instruments percussively or even tune down the string while playing them. In addition to Thursday’s concert, the Quartet also joined a music theory class and conducted a masterclass with student chamber groups. To be able to work with as many student groups as possible, the Quartet split up into pairs and spent around half an hour with each group. Helene Ryu ’22, on cello, played Brahms’ Piano Trio in B Major, op. 8, No. 1 for the masterclass with a trio including Dalton Yu ’22 on piano and Ana Strong Garcia ’22 on violin. Ryu enjoyed working with the Quartet, noting that “they were really engaging and lighthearted while still giving some serious and helpful advice.” The College truly serves as a hub for music and the arts, able to play host to world-class artists to the great benefit of students here. “A lot of amazing musicians come to [the College], and it’s truly wonderful that we get to work with them,” Ryu said.

Netflix's Bobby Kennedy for President CROSSWORD PUZZLE: follows legacy of the late senator RECENT NETFLIX By ARRINGTON LUCK STAFF WRITER The third chapter of the Netflix documentary series Bobby Kennedy for President, which played at Images Cinema on Sunday, is bookended by scenes of violence. The show’s opening credits are followed by scenes of the turmoil that plagued America in 1968. Likewise, the first words spoken in the film are “1968 was a year of anger,” and the footage of widespread civil unrest and conflict that follow paints the picture of a torn country. This effect is driven home by the ever-present fault line of race and the ongoing Vietnam War (especially with the Tet Offensive having occurred earlier that year). It is over the images of such violence that the voice of Robert F. Kennedy is first heard. Kennedy proclaims, in answer to the question of whether he is satisfied with the current moment, “I’m dissatisfied with our society. I suppose with our country.” Indeed, Kennedy’s dissatisfaction mirrored that of much of the nation at the time, with Eugene McCarthy entering the democratic primary and opposing Lyndon B. Johnson’s leadership in Vietnam. On the Republican side, Richard Nixon campaigned for his party’s nomination. The historical context of events that led up to Kennedy's campaign for his party’s nomination are masterfully displayed in Bobby Kennedy for President, with the breadth of footage reinforcing the testimonies of both advisors and colleagues of the senator.

The documentary follows a linear series of events, jumping from Kennedy’s interaction with Cesar Chavez during his hunger strike, to the announcement of his candidacy, the primary contests and eventually ending with his assassination. The information on display in the documentary is both thorough and clearly presented. The film makes clear narrative lines and, through interviews with aides who were close to the senator, paints a picture of the circumstances that built Kennedy himself and shaped the campaign. In some ways, the documentary’s approach to its subject is less personal than the title would infer. The aides, journalists and associates of Kennedy illustrate the ideas of his persona more than they do the man behind it. Throughout the film, the viewer feels that it is more of a profile of the moment that surrounded Kennedy, leaving much about the man shrouded in a level of mystery. The documentary style feels much like a straight history, as opposed to a deep and personal look at the famed politician. The pool of interviewees is small, and with the exception of Congressman John Lewis, filled with people who talk about their relationships with Kennedy in much of a professional context. The documentary lacks a personal angle and, outside of two specific instances in the documentary (the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and a segment surrounding Kennedy’s dog), it lacks much insight into what made Kennedy tick.

While his public actions may be fully indicative of his private life, there is no room in the third chapter of the documentary for an examination of his inner self. Perhaps the documentary should be viewed not as a profile of Kennedy, but rather as a closer look at the movement that shaped him just as much as he shaped it. While the documentary lacks a particular personal angle with regards to its titular subject, it amply establishes the conditions that surrounded the 1968 primaries and Kennedy’s ascent. The interactions Kennedy had with his coalition – particularly with the black community, the American working class and Latinx Americans – display his unique ability to channel the energy behind said communities, as well as be a vehicle for the grievances within them. This chapter of the documentary spends relatively large portions of its brief runtime on the subject of Kennedy’s interactions with the communities that made him; the film is at its most effective when highlighting the interpersonal. The third chapter of Bobby Kennedy for President, contrary to what its name would suggest, is more about the circumstances of Kennedy’s presidential campaign than the man himself. With a focus on the connections between Senator Kennedy and the communities that made up his coalition, the documentary succeeds in painting a picture of the circumstances that made him an icon and the movement that may well have died with him.

ORIGINALS

DOWN:

ACROSS:

1. This middle school science

4. Voice actor for main charac-

fave comes to save the world.

ter in a tale of pubescent angst.

2. ________ Gourmet

5. Main character in a tale of

3. Daily Show alum's new venture.

the pubescent occult.

6. The haunted place in this rei-

8. An epistolary title.

magined Shirley Jackson novel.

10. 2017 marked season five

7. An animated show about

for this "unstable" show.

these bridge-dwellers. 9. Per Netflix: "It's awkward. It's impossible. It's infuriating."

WRITE FOR THE RECORD! Come to weekly writers' meetings on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in Paresky 209 OR Email tz4@williams.edu

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMAGES CINEMA.

The third chapter of this Netflix documentary series follows Kennedy's 1968 campaign and assassination.

10 SPORTS

The Williams Record

November 7, 2018

Men’s soccer defeats Hamilton, falls to Colby via penalty kicks By MANDELA NAMASTE STAFF WRITER

liams grabbed an insurance goal in the 82nd minute via a breakaway strike from Eric Hirsch ’19 to seal the victory. Hirsch stole the ball from a Hamilton defender 30 yards out from the goal and advanced on Benson in a one-on-one opportunity. As Benson roared off the goal line towards Hirsch, Hirsch chipped the ball over Benson into the net to give the Ephs a 2-0 lead. Williams netminder Aaron Schein ’19 was the beneficiary of tremendous defense by the Eph backline and was only called on to make but one save recording a clean sheet. Meanwhile, Hamilton goalie Thomas Benson also had a strong performance. Despite allowing two late goals, he saved seven Williams shots. "Solid result against a very tough Hamilton side," commented Williams head coach Erin Sullivan after Saturday’s game." Sunday’s match was as entertaining as any match with zero combined goals could possibly be, with both teams aware of the stakes. Both defenses played especially aggressively, thwarting dangerous chances on either side. In the 29th minute, Jules Oberg ’22 blasted a shot from 25 yards out on the left side towards the bottom right corner, but the ball bounced just inches wide of the net. With eight minutes to go in the first half, Mules player David Howarth curled a rocket from just outside the box, garnering a terrific diving save from Schein to preserve the scoreless half. In the second half, Williams would dribble the ball deep into Colby territory and look primed to finally dent the scoreboard. However, in

Last weekend, men’s soccer (10-5-3, 4-4-2 in the NESCAC) competed in the NESCAC Championship. On Saturday, the men defeated Hamilton 2-0 and advanced to the finals. On Sunday, the men tied with Colby but lost in penalty kick shoot-outs, losing the NESCAC Championship title. While there were no goals in the first half against Hamilton, it was nevertheless an entertaining 45 minutes. Williams recorded two shots on goal within the first two minutes of the match, and a seventh-minute shot from Hamilton’s Luke Eckels, a volley off of a corner kick, hit the crossbar, inches away from a score. Williams played quality soccer; the Eph back-line defenders gave up just two other shots in the first half, neither of which was on goal, and ably contested a staggering seven first-half corner kicks from the Continentals. Despite a scoreless first half and Hamilton’s overall skill and chemistry, the Ephs were primed to strike at any moment. The second half began similarly to the first, with attacking pressure from Williams leading to several legitimate chances to score, as well as a few more breakthrough opportunities from Hamilton. The tenor of the match drastically changed in the 76th minute, however, when midfielder Chris Fleischer ’20 hit a cross to striker Demian Gass ’20, who headed the ball into the lower right corner past Hamilton netminder Thomas Benson, putting the Ephs up 1-0. Clearly not satisfied with just a one goal lead, Wil-

a testament to the ferocious effort of Colby’s defenders, these possessions ended with five outstanding saves from Mule goalie Dan Carlson, four corner kicks, three shots that were either off-target or blocked and zero goals. The most perilous chance came in the 59th minute when Eric Hirsch ’19 tried to head a ball past Carlson. Despite running in the opposite direction, the goalie managed to barely redirect the ball away from net, keeping the match scoreless and proving his reputation as one of the preeminent goalies in Div. III. The first overtime saw several decent chances from each side, including a rocket from Oberg that flew inches over the crossbar, but penalty kicks is where this match was decided. Between the second overtime period and penalty kicks, Colby coach Ewan Seabrook subbed Carlson out for first-year Matt Johnson in what many considered a risky move. After trading misses in the first round and makes on the second, third and fourth rounds, the two squads remained deadlocked going into the fifth and possibly final round of kicks. Colby’s Ethan Fabricant, brother of Williams’ Bobby Fabricant ’20, stepped up to the ball and slotted it right past a diving Schein to put the Mules in the lead. Up to take Williams’ kick, in hopes of continuing the shootout to a sixth round, was Oberg, who had been around the net all match long, to no avail. On this final kick, Johnson guessed right, saving Oberg’s shot and clinching Colby’s spot in the NCAA Tournament.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION.

Chris Fleischer ’20 converted the second-to-last penalty kick against Colby in the NESCAC finals. This win was Colby’s first NESCAC Conference Tournament Championship in its school history. They are the first team to win the tournament as an eighth seed. Schein made three saves in regulation, while Carlson,

fresh off winning NESCAC Player of the Week, was tremendous once again, recording nine saves during the first 110 minutes. Colby secured the conference’s automatic berth in the NCAA Div. III men’s soccer

tournament. On Williams' side, the men still qualified for the NCAA tournament. In the first round, the Ephs prepare to travel to Cortland, N.Y. on Saturday to compete against Elizabethtown College at 7:30 p.m.

NCAA soccer: Div. III 2018 tournament bracket MEN’S SOCCER FIRST/SECOND ROUND (Nov. 9 to 11)

Chicago

Tufts

WOMEN’S SOCCER FIRST/SECOND ROUND (Nov. 9 to 11)

Washington- St.Louis

Williams

Stevens

Westminster Mt. St.Joseph

Transylvania

Gordon

III. Wesleyan

SUNY Geneseo

Trinity

Amherst

St. Thomas

TCNJ

Chapman

Bridgewater St.

Knox

Western Conn. St.

Middlebury

Wis.-La Crosse

St. Joseph’s

Wartburg

Farmingdale

Conn. College

Wheaton

William Smith

Thomas

Northwestern-St.Paul

Westfield

Ramapo

Loras

Dominican

Springfield

Adrian

Penn-St.Behrend

St. Thomas

Montclair St.

Centre

Amherst

Pacific Lutheran

Colby

Wooster

Lesley

Haverford

Chicago

Wis.-Superior

NYU

Grove City

Vassar

CWRU

Messiah

Middlebury

Messiah

Baruch

Me. -Farmington

Centenary

Johns Hopkins

Rochester

Westminster

Wash and Lee

Ithaca

Susquehanna

Kenyon

SUNY Cortland

Swarthmore

Lynchburg

Maryville

Newbury

St. Joseph’s

Piedmont

Williams

NYU

Centre

Elizabethtown

Va. Wesleyan

Penn St.- Berks

Calvin

Rochester

Hardin-Simmons

Chris. Newport

Greenville

Mt. St. Mary

Puget Sound

Staten Island

St. Lawrence

Trinity

Carthage

Brockport

Occidental

Arcadia

John Carroll

Franklin and Marshall

John Hopkins

Otterbein

Penn St.-Abington

Western Conn. St.

Cabrini

Dominican

Eastern

Misericordia

Mary Washington

Rowan

Carleton

Southwestern

6 p.m

1 p.m

8 p.m

1 p.m

Mary Hardin-Baylor Luther Knox Gust. Adolphus

Augsburg

Keystone Capital

Carnegie Mellon

Wis.-Platteville

Lycoming Penn St.-Behrend

6 p.m

1 p.m

2 p.m

1 p.m

1 p.m

5 p.m

7 p.m

7 p.m

’

1:30 p.m

5 p.m

7 p.m

5 p.m

U New England 7 p.m

2 p.m

7 p.m

1 p.m

1 p.m

3 p.m

4 p.m

6 p.m

1 p.m

1 p.m

1 p.m

1 p.m

1 p.m

3 p.m

6 p.m

7 p.m

Stevens

Brandeis

Tufts

MIT

RIT

Emory

Scranton

Hope Bridgewater

November 7, 2018

SPORTS 11

The Williams Record

Amanni Fernandez ’18 takes talents from Eph basketball to Nike By BEN WEINSTEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER A star on the hardwood, former point guard Amanni Fernandez ’18 saw the countless “swoosh” logos on her teammates and opponents’ feet during her playing career. Little did she know she would one day end up working for Nike, the company that designs shoes for superstars like Lebron James and Neymar. Fernandez grew up in the Corona neighborhood of Queens, N.Y. and attended Christ the King Regional High School in Brooklyn, where she was the starting point guard for three years. Christ the King was to some degree a basketball powerhouse in the city, but “it didn’t prepare me for college academically at all,” Fernandez said. “It instilled in me that I had to go to Div. I… Either you choose to go Div. I, or you take on student loans.” For a high schooler born into a lower-income family in the inner city, the prospect of taking on debt was intimidating. But Fernandez asked herself, “Do I really want to go Div. I or do something more academically rigorous?” As an athlete at Christ the King, Fernandez recalled that “you could go to class and show up and get a B+.” Fernandez wanted a more fulfilling education. Her junior year, she looked into transferring to a different school. She fell in love with The Lawrenceville School, a prestigious boarding school in New Jersey, and was faced with a tough decision. On the one hand, at Christ the King, Fernandez already had interest from Dartmouth and Yale, but, she said, “When you commit to a Div. I school, you kind of sign your life away.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION.

AMANNI

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION.

Amanni Fernandez ’18, who scored 1000 points in her Eph career, now works in Nike’s procurement division in Portland, Ore. On the other hand, boarding school was expensive. “My mom was a big advocate,” Fernandez said. The chance to go to an academically prestigious school was incredibly attractive. “I was enamored with the course catalog,” she said. “The only question was, are we going to be able to afford this?” Fernandez decided her education was a priority and transferred to The Lawrenceville School, where she had to repeat her junior year. “That wasn’t all bad, though,” she said. “I really needed it to prepare for college.”

When it came time for her to apply for college, Fernandez turned down all of her Div. I offers. “After I had a very honest conversation with [Williams] Coach [Pat Manning], it was really a no-brainer.” On the court, Fernandez was the Ephs’ starting point guard for all of her four years. At 5’7” — “with shoes,” she was keen to point out — she had always been one of the smallest players on the court. Furthermore, at the collegiate level, “the speed and tempo of the game was at another level. It took me a while to adjust,” she said.

However, Fernandez managed to adjust just fine. “I scored 1000 points,” she said. “Not that many people have done that at Williams.” That being said, she was intent on giving credit to the people around her. “I attribute [my success] to, one, Coach and, two, all of the teammates I got to play with,” she said. Even though Fernandez devoted much of her time to basketball while at Williams, she was always aware of the persistently approaching graduation day. “I knew I didn’t want to be labeled just as a basketball play-

er the rest of my life,” she said. Her teammates reminded her, too: “You’re gonna graduate, and then you’re gonna have to get a job.” Instead of letting it intimidate her, Fernandez felt energized by the possibility of the unknown. At the College, she double majored in political science and music, picking up the viola and the keyboard along the way. When asked why she chose to be a music major, she laughed and said, “We can’t live without music or water.” It was always business that really captivated her. But,

from what she saw at the College, “Everyone was pursuing finance and consulting — do I really want to sit in an office and be micromanaged?” She paused. “That’s not my style.” As a first-year, Fernandez spent a lot of time looking at Fortune 500 companies. A self-described sneakerhead, she was surprised when she discovered that Nike didn’t recruit on campus. “I searched through the alumni database and found a woman who worked in the procurement department,” she said. Fernandez reached out to the alum, Michelle Flowers ’05, at the end of her sophomore summer. “At first I was told that they didn’t have any internships available for undergrads. But then a few months later, I get a call saying they opened up the internship.” Fernandez applied and ended up interning at Nike the following summer. By graduation, she had lined up a job at Nike’s headquarters in Oregon. “Graduation was June 3, my birthday was July 8,and then my job started July 16. I literally moved across the country the day after my birthday,” she explained. Fernandez now works in the procurement division, where she sifts through data and figures out “how to negotiate with vendors on shoe prices and with material providers on the prices of soles, airbags and the other pieces of the shoe.” For Fernandez, living in Portland, Ore. is “a happy medium between crazy New York City and middle-of-nowhere Williamstown.” And even though she’s 3,000 miles away, she said, “All of my Williams friends still call me all the time… Basically, I live in two different time zones.”

ATHLETES OF THE FALL

19

Ryan Cox ’20 was named The Most Outstanding Performer and accorded First Team All-NESCAC recognition for the fastest time of the day (25:27.8) in the 8k at the 2018 NESCAC Championship. Cox has improved over the years and is now the men’s cross country team’s top runner this season. “Ryan Cox is the most consistent high-level trainer of our team,” head coach Pete Farwell ’73 said. “[He] has been one of our two front-runners all season and [has lead] the team through most workouts. He has improved steadily since his first year but this season especially has moved to the forefront not only of our squad, but of all NESCAC. In this championship, he displayed his mastery of a fast start, smart positioning and a long, strong finish with a sprint on the end. He earned this victory, becoming the seventh Williams NESCAC champion in the past 30 years."

RYAN COX ’20

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY TORONTO, CANADA

Olivia Barnhill ’19 showcased her two-time National Champion pedigree in front of the net this season, recording 57 saves in 18 games and posting a 0.877 save percentage. She has shut out opponents in eight full games, anchoring a terrific Eph defense this season. In a 0-0 tie against Amherst in double overtime on Sept. 22, Barnhill had 11 saves. She also shut out Tufts and Middlebury late in the season to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC. "Liv is a ferocious and phenomenal competitor," head coach Michelyne Pinard said. "She loves the challenge of playing in big moments and is one of the best on field leaders I’ve ever had the pleasure to coach. She gets everyone around her believing in what is possible and loving the challenge of big moments too. She is an incredible goalkeeper and one of the reasons our program has had such an amazing run over the last four years."

OLIVIA BARNHILL ’19 WOMEN’S SOCCER NEW YORK, N.Y.

The Office of Communications recommends ...

The Opioid Epidemic in our Midst What does the opioid epidemic look like in northwestern Massachusetts? What factors contribute to the epidemic? Three guest panelists will address these questions and more.

Wednesday, Nov. 7 7 p.m. Paresky Auditorium

For more events, visit: events.williams.edu

In her three years, Emma Herrmann ’20 has steadily improved her times to become the number-one runner on the women's cross country team. At the 2018 NESCAC Championship, Herrmann finished first for the Ephs and sixth overall with a time of 22:47.5, capturing first-team honors and helping her team place second. “Emma is a true endurance athlete who built her mileage volume this summer and is now sharpening that with good speed work," head coach Pete Farwell ’73 said. "She moves up throughout races to reach the top field and is now ready to take them on down the finishing stretch. Her top-notch consistency gives our squad a ’low stick’ in every meet."

EMMA HERRMANN ’20

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY BANGOR, MAINE

LIBBY DOLAN ’19

Libby Dolan ’19 asserted her offensive arsenal early on in field hockey’s season. During the Eph’s first two games, she scored every goal. The All-NESCAC player led the team in goals (13) as well as points (28). In the NESCAC quarterfinals, Dolan came up clutch and scored two of the three goals in the victory. Head coach Alix Barrale ’93 praised the senior. "Libby Dolan was an offensive giant," she said. "She proved herself this fall. Last season, she and Alex Bennett ’18 (firstteam All American) teamed up to be an offensive force in Div. III. While we missed Bennett’s offensive prowess, Libby held her own. She was clutch when she needed to be, and Libby is never one to back down from pressure. We will surely miss her next season."

FIELD HOCKEY BARRINGTON, R.I.

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK “Morgan has been an abso-

“Demian returned from a

lute spark plug for our team this year, always bringing a smile and infectious energy to practice each and every day. Our defensive core as a whole has been phenomenal this season, and Morgan has played an important role in that group!”

serious knee injury in late October and immediately bolstered our team’s attacking capabilities just in time for the postseason. His header against Hamilton in the NESCAC Semifinals was not only a game-winner, but a perfect example of just how lethal he is in front of goal.”

– Head coach Christi Kelsey

– Head coach Erin Sullivan ’96

MORGAN RICHMAN ’19

DEMIAN GASS ’20

Richman recorded a career-high 17 digs in her last match as an Eph, contributing to the intense five-game contest against Amherst on Friday.

In the NESCAC Semifinals on Saturday, Gass broke a 0-0 tie in the 75th minute against Hamilton. His header would result in the Eph’s 2-0 victory and spot in the NCAA tournament.

VOLLEYBALL SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.

MEN’S SOCCER HOUSTON, TEXAS

12 SPORTS

The Williams Record

November 7, 2018

Football’s comeback falls short at Homecoming game By JOE LaROCCA STAFF WRITER On Saturday, football’s furious comeback fell just short as Williams (5-3, 5-3 in the NESCAC) fell to Wesleyan 21-14, despite two touchdown passes thrown by Jackson Bischoping ’22 to Frank Stola ’21 in the fourth quarter. Both sides played a tough, gritty defense, which led to just one score – a seven-yard rushing touchdown by Cardinal running back Glenn Smith – in the first half. The first half was a battle of field positions, with the two teams combining for 10 punts. The lone touchdown came on a drive that started at the Williams 33-yard line, thanks to a nine-yard sack of quarterback Bobby Maimaron ’21 by the Cardinals’ defense and a 12yard punt return. In the first half, Williams led only two drives into Wesleyan territory. The first resulted in a holding penalty that stalled the drive, and the second came at the end of the half. With five seconds to go, Maimaron threw a pinpoint back-shoulder pass to Stola in the front-right corner of the end zone, but a Wesleyan defender broke up the pass at the last second to keep the score at 7-0. “We were moving the ball, but we couldn’t get in the end zone,” head coach Mark Raymond said about the team’s first-half performance. “Obviously, we were in striking distance at [the end of the first half], but we didn’t make the plays we needed to.” In the third quarter, after five more consecutive punts, Maimaron suffered an injury that kept him out of the game. He was replaced by Bischoping, who was not afraid to throw the ball downfield. Bischoping immediately lit a spark under the offense, leading an impressive drive headlined by a jumping, 35-yard catch by wide receiver Michael DeGasperis ’22. But on the very next play, Bischop-

Games this week

Saturday Nov. 10 Women’s soccer vs. University of New England Away, 11 a.m.

Men’s cross country, New England Regionals Away, 11 a.m.

Women’s cross country, New England Regionals Away, 12 p.m.

Football vs. Amherst Away, 12 p.m.

Men’s soccer vs. Elizabethtown Away, 7:30 p.m.

ing’s pass was jumped and intercepted by Wesleyan cornerback Will Kearney, stalling the drive. After a series of punts, Wesleyan quarterback Mark Piccirillo threw a pass deep downfield to wide receiver Hallvard Lundevall, who made a great adjustment on the ball and outran co-captain cornerback Amyhr Barber ’19 to put Wesleyan up two scores with under ten minutes to go. On the next Williams drive, Bischoping was intercepted again – this time for a touchdown – by Wesleyan defensive back Eli Blair-May, giving Wesleyan a commanding 21-0 lead with five minutes on the clock. The lead seemed insurmountable at that point, but the Ephs wouldn’t let up, staying in the game until the final seconds. Bischoping threw a fade to Stola in the back-left corner of the end zone to pull within 21-7 with just under four minutes to go. After a perfect onside kick by Min Kyu Park ’21, Bischoping led the offense on another touchdown drive, this one lasting just four plays. On a similar play to the first touchdown, Stola made an impressive catch on a fade pass, barely staying inbounds but nonetheless putting Williams back into the game, now down only one score. Park’s second onside kick bounced around with a chance for both teams to recover, but was eventually recovered by Wesleyan. However, the Ephs forced a punt and had a chance to tie with 1:29 to go and one timeout. But the stout Wesleyan defense prevented Williams from picking up a first down, sacking Bischoping on third down and forcing incomplete passes on first, second and fourth. The Cardinals then knelt out the clock to preserve the win 21-14. Raymond was impressed by how his team never backed down. “They hung in there, and made some plays, but in the end, we were just a little short,” he said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION.

Frank Stola ’21 caught two late touchdown passes to lead the Eph’s furious comeback effort against the Cardinals at Homecoming. Bischoping, on the other hand, is feeling confident about starting the Amherst game if Maimaron isn’t ready. “I’m feeling good about next week, for sure,” he said. “We’re obviously playing a very tough football team, but I’ve got a lot of faith in my guys and I think we’ll be able to get the job done.” Stola paced the Ephs’ offense with nine receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns, marking the third time

in four games that he’s caught at least nine passes. Linebackers T.J. Rothmann ’21 and Jarrett Wesner ’21 each made nine tackles, with no other Eph recording more than four. For the Cardinals, Piccirillo completed nine of 17 passes for 151 yards, nearly half of which came on the big, 75-yard touchdown to Lundevall in the fourth quarter. Smith logged 16 rushing attempts for a mere 43 yards, but scored the game’s only

rushing touchdown in the second quarter. Penalties were a significant issue for both teams. While Williams recorded 10 penalties for 90 yards, Wesleyan was penalized 14 times for 118 yards. Both teams struggled with third-down efficiency as well, as Williams went fourfor-20, while Wesleyan went just one-for-13. Wesleyan outrushed Williams 121-to-eight (the first negative rushing performance from the Ephs

this season), and recorded two turnovers – including a picksix – while the Ephs had none. It was the sixth win in a row in the head-to-head series for Wesleyan, who had shut out the Ephs’ offense for seven straight quarters before the fourth-quarter comeback on Saturday. Next Saturday, football concludes the season on the road against Amherst at 12:00 p.m., while Wesleyan looks to battle against Trinity.

Women’s soccer looks toward NCAA tournament after NESCAC Championship loss to Middlebury By ALEXANDER CHRIST STAFF WRITER On Cole Field this weekend, No. 2 women’s soccer (15-1-2, 9-0-1 in the NESCAC) edged Tufts 3-2 in the NESCAC Semifinals. On the second day, however, the women lost 1-0 against No. 5 Middlebury in the NESCAC Championship game. Against the Jumbos, the Ephs scored two first half goals and an own goal from Tufts to give themselves a comfortable 3-1 lead at the half. Tufts cut the deficit with a goal in the 50th minute, but the women’s scrappy defense helped them clinch a spot in the NESCAC championship. Aspen Pierson ’21 opened the scoring in the sixth minute after striking a failed clearance towards the net. The ball clipped off a defender, sailing over the head of Tufts’ netminder Emily Bowers. Bowers tried her best to recover, but the ball rolled slowly into the net to give the Ephs an early 1-0 lead. Tufts responded in the 15th minute, with Sophie Lloyd posting her 10th goal of the year. With the game tied 1-1, Victoria Laino ’21 looked to capitalize on a free kick in the 33rd minute. She sent a high arcing shot into air that sailed over Tufts’ wall and found a tight window in the upper-right corner of the goal, putting the Ephs back on top. Despite the cold and rainy conditions that day, Williams continued to find offensive opportunities. In the 42nd minute, with Williams charging down the right flank, Sarah Hollinger ’19 found Rain Condie ’21 on the right side. Condie skipped a pass into the goal box, intending to find a teammate. One of Tufts’ defenders

blocked the shot, but her deflection sent the ball into the net for an own goal. In the following half, the Jumbos’ Sarah Maloney scored with an assist by Hannah Isenhart to shrink the deficit to one, giving Tufts hope for a comeback. Then, in the 61st minute, Tufts had a chance to equalize. After a dangerous pass back, tri-captain goalie Olivia Barnhill ’19 was forced to leave the goal box to dive on the ball. She got there in time, but the ball came loose and was placed perfectly in front of Tuft’s Liz Reed. Reed slammed a shot towards the open net, but Barnhill managed to block it. Tufts would have only one more shot on goal in the half. Williams’ defense in the final 30 minutes secured the 3-2 victory. Tufts ended the day with a 17-15 advantage in shots on goal and a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks. Barnhill had four saves and two goals allowed. Tufts’ Emily Bowers had three saves and three goals allowed. On Sunday, the women lost 0-1 to Middlebury in the NESCAC Championship game due to Panther Ellie Greenberg’s go-ahead goal in the 67th minute. Greenberg, whose speed was a constant threat in the first half, finished what had been an offensive flourish by the Panthers. Jane Devito started the play by putting the ball on the right flank, where Eliza Van Voorhis rerouted the ball to Simone Ameer. Ameer volleyed the ball into the goal box for Greenberg, who knuckled the ball off her leg, sending it into the net. The goal seemed to take the air out of Williams, as they struggled to find an offensive

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION.

Aspen Pierson ’21 scored the first goal to give the Ephs an early lead against Tufts in the championship game. spark. As the game neared the 85th minute, Williams started to take desperation shots. Pierson found space on the left side twice and let the shots fly from 25 yards out, eliciting excitement from the hometown crowd. Unfortunately, both missed the net. Middlebury eventually worked the ball to the corner and ran out the clock, securing its fourth NESCAC title in school history. The game was scrappy, aggressive and hard-fought. Isabelle Hartnett and Caitlin Magruder both received yellow cards – Hartnett’s at 12:05 and Magruder at 33:05.

Williams had dominated the first half, putting eight shots on goal while only allowing two from Middlebury. They had their best chance in the 22nd minute, when Pierson received a pass from Sarah Scire ’20, crossed her defender just north of the 18 and drilled a shot to the left side of the net. Panther goalie Ursula Alwang dove and got a hand on the ball, deflecting it around the right post. In the 33rd minute, Greenberg’s speed created a breakaway chance for Middlebury. Two passes from the backfield pushed the ball to Greenberg who outran her

defender on the right flank. Greenberg took the shot, but Barnhill, who had left her line, slid and blocked the shot with her leg. Alwang had three saves in the match, with no goals allowed. Barnhill would finish with two saves and one goal allowed. The loss was only her second postseason loss in her four-year career. Williams finished with an advantage in shots on goal (15-6) and corner kicks (3-1). Despite the loss, the Ephs return to play in the NCAA tournament. They will open the first round against the University of New England next week.