CLIMBING AS A PHILOSOPHY Climbing team talks about why climbing rocks
SOCIAL MEDIA & THE 2016 ELECTION The new era of political campaigning
NU & IMPROV’D Spotlight on Northeastern’s comedy troupe
CAMPUS CANVAS Northeastern embraces the public art initiative
09
15
08
PRESIDENT
Liam Synan
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shelby Sih
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
McKenna Curtis & Kelley Schneider
MARKETING DIRECTORS
Sami Bartlett & Ashley Thon
WEBMASTER
Katie Williams
ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR Matt Woolsey
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Jordan Mandell
SECTION EDITORS
Katherine Friend, Zoe Gregoric, Christie Macomber & Maxim Tamarov
04
06
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Meredith Peterson
WRITERS
Mariam AlMarzouq, Victoire Cointy, Drew Daylor, Alex Frandsen, Catherine Gong, Leila Habib, Rici Kamal, Alex Kaneshiro, Huimin Li, Emma Paquette, Maxim Tamarov, Monica Vallejo & Corlyn Voorhees
CONTENTS
DESIGNERS
04 Hack Your Way Through College 05 Strong Women, Strong Girls 06 Trot the Globe: NEU Dialogues
FRONT
Brian Ambadjes, Alex Dittrich, Xochitl Lozano, Ariel McDonnell, Devanshi Patel, Marissa Rodakis, Madeline Seraphin, Kim Timbone, Tia Thompson, Tiffany Yu, Cindy Zhao & Laura Zuk
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Meredith Fisher, Jena Goldman, Yashi Gudka, Leila Habib, Waiyan Min, Pranav Nayak, Justine Newman, Lori Nsimpasi, Seth Penna, Loren Po, Sophia Schonwetter & Wyatt Warrell Cover Photography by Justine Newman
14
LIFESTYLE
07 A Different Zip Code 08 NU & Improv’d
COVER STORY
10 Climbing As a Philosophy
WE’RE NORTHEASTERN’S STUDENT-RUN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE. LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? EMAIL US • NUWOOF@GMAIL.COM VISIT OUR SITE • WOOF-MAG.COM
ENTERTAINMENT
FOCUS
12 Social Media and 16 Up, Up, and Away the 2016 Election 17 Service Learning 14 Transgender Awareness: 18 Planned Parenthood: Transitioning to the Fact or Fiction? Mainstream? 15 Campus Canvas
Front • 5
HACK YOUR WAY THROUGH COLLEGE
Written by Victoire Cointy // Photos by Waiyan Min When entering life as a somewhat independent adult, many new college students begin viewing things they once took for granted as a complex — but exhilarating — juggling routine. Listed below are a collection of college-appropriate life hacks that can help add stability to that routine.
Dorm Room Hacks Closet Curtains
For many of us, the closet is very rarely a beacon of color-coded, neatly folded organization. To preserve your wardrobe’s dignity, put a pair of curtains in front of your closet; they can be closed whenever you have guests over.
Washi Tape Frames
Here’s the low-down: washi tape is a Japanese masking tape that usually comes in various colors and patterns. What’s even cooler about this tape is that is leaves absolutely no residue on walls or other surfaces you might want to put it on. That’s right, you get to make your room look like something straight out of a catalogue while still upholding the “don’t damage your room” contract.
Budget Hacks Museum of Fine Arts
As a Northeastern student, you’re reminded daily about how important and useful your student ID is around campus. However, you aren’t told about the other cool things it does, like functioning as a fan in the summer and, more importantly, giving you free access to the Museum of Fine Arts. Cue the sigh of relief from all the artsy Instagrammers who need a cool new backdrop. Photos taken at the Museum of Fine Arts
Amazon Student
The wonderful thing about online shopping is that whenever your package arrives, it feels a lot like Christmas, or a birthday — except you actually know what you’re getting and don’t have to prepare a happy or a surprised face in advance. To get access to online deals and receive free two-day shipping on all orders, sign up for Amazon Student, a version of Amazon Prime. You’ll get a free six-month trial and, when that expires, a 50% discount on membership.
Food Hacks Microwave Mug Brownie
Even the biggest bakers will admit that sometimes, it’s just too tiring to make a full batch of brownies. Plus, it involves washing way too many dishes. Microwave mug brownies offer less washing up, less cooking time, less ingredients and just as much flavor. Before you ask, this definitely isn’t an infomercial. Find a recipe on SimpleRecipes.com.
Iron Quesadilla
For someone without a kitchen, this is easily the mother of all food hacks — if, that is, you know how to make a quesadilla and own an iron. If you’re unafraid of getting worried looks from your roommate, here’s how this works: prepare a quesadilla, wrap it in tin foil and iron it as you would a shirt. Warning note: make sure not to overcook your snack or to leave your iron on. Believe it or not, fire alarms and sprinklers are never actually that much fun.
Study Hacks Soundrown
It’s hard to stay motivated to study or write a lab report without some sort of background noise. While listening to that supposedly studyinspired Spotify playlist seems like a great idea, research actually shows that white noise makes people more productive. That’s where Soundrown comes in. What makes it different from other white noise websites is the variety of sounds it offers — you can quite literally build your own white noise sandwich!
Pocket Points
Whether it’s to text your roommate to buy more milk or to check how the Patriots are doing, most of us can say we’re guilty of using our phones during class at least once. Let’s be honest, very little could dissuade us of continuing with our behavior, right? Wrong. An app called Pocket Points gives cellphone users points for every minute they don’t use their phones in class. These points can then be used to get discounts at various restaurants and stores. See the complete list of hacks at www.woof-mag.com
STRONG WOMEN, STRONG GIRLS Written by Bakari Olivetti // Photos by Yashi Gudka & SWSG Strong Women, Strong Girls (SWSG) was started as a student group at Harvard in 2000 by Lindsay Hyde. Since 2004, it has been a nonprofit organization at universities in Boston and Pittsburgh. At Northeastern’s chapter, undergraduate mentors travel weekly to a school or community center in Boston to work with elementary-age girls. The mentors lead lessons with activities such as reading a biography of a strong woman. In addition to being a mentor, each undergraduate works with SWSG gets their own mentor. Professional women who are connected to SWSG serve as role models for the student volunteers. “It’s cycles of mutual empowerment,” explained Jessica Iocca, a fifth year student and codirector of SWSG. “Anyone really can benefit from having another positive person in their life. And that’s what a mentor is to me,” said Iocca. To her, the mission of the club is “making sure that every girl that we work with knows that she is supported and that people believe in her.” The club aims to empower its girls, and Iocca emphasized that girls are just as able as boys to achieve what they want. Iocca joined SWSG as a freshman. “I wanted to join Strong Women, Strong Girls because I didn’t have a relationship with my mom growing up,” she explained. “I think that particular person in someone’s life is someone they really look up to.” Iocca was also drawn to the fact that the mentees were around her sister’s age — she was nine at the time. Roxanne Anderson, a third year returning mentor, also joined as a freshman. “I definitely wanted a strong group of women that I could be in touch with on campus,” she said. “I did a lot of volunteering in high school with [girls] around this age. I always felt a very strong connection with the girls that I worked with.” Anderson said that the girls are the most inspiring part of her week. “I think everyone tends to take for granted how intelligent young people can be and how aware they are of their surroundings,” she stated. She
added that the girls she works with understand the unfairness of their treatment compared to that of their male peers. Jenie Michael, a second year student, is a new mentor. She loves going to Girl Scout-sponsored summer camp and was drawn to the club because of its similar mentality. “I love the whole [idea of] female empowerment and girls having women to look up to,” she said. “I think it’s super important.”
“I love the whole [idea of] female empowerment and girls having women to look up to,” she said. “I think it’s super important.” Michael is looking forward to “mission-moments,” which she described as “moments when you realize you’re actually having an impact on a girl’s life.” In these moments, Michael said, “[A girl] is changed because of Strong Women, Strong Girls.” Iocca experienced a “mission-moment” when she once returned to a site after summer break. “One of the girls I worked with saw me and she ran into my arms and looked up and said, ‘Jess, I’m so happy to see you,’” Iocca recalled. According to Iocca, mentors begin to genuinely understand their mission in SWSG during these moments. “I feel like no one really knows what they’re getting themselves into when they first join,” said Iocca. “I got everything out of it...my best friends, I’ve gotten to know the Boston community so much better…I can believe in myself a little bit more because of Strong Women, Strong Girls.”
For more information on SWSG, contact swsg.nu@gmail.com. fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
6 • Front
Section Name • 7
TROT THE GLOBE:
NEU DIALOGUES
A Different Zip Code
Read about more dialogue experiences at www.woof-mag.com
ARGENTINA // Language and Culture Dialogue “I was a bit nervous about [my dialogue] at first, because I didn’t know anybody on the trip, but I ended up bonding with everyone,” said Janine Eduljee. “I became more confident in my Spanish. I realized I wanted to travel more, do more exploring. I became more independent and more spontaneous. It totally exceeded all my expectations!” Janine Eduljee Journalism major, Political Science minor
ICELAND // Field Study of Volcanic and Glacial Processes Dialogue “There’s no electricity, or very little, so you’re not on your phone and you’re never on your computer,” said Itxaso Garay. “So to bond we just talked to each other because we [were] with each other 24/7. Camping outside, bus rides together — we were always with each other so we got to know each other very well, and it was a great group of very positive and outgoing people who were ready to do anything.” Itxaso Garay Biochemistry major WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2015
//
Written by Huimin Li and Leila Habib
Exploring the cultural side of Roxbury
Photos by Leila Habib and Alexandra Malloy SPAIN // Global Reporting Dialogue “It was way harder than I expected,” said Alexandra Malloy of her dialogue. “I spent three weeks reporting on just one story, with a lot of phone calls and translations.” But she did grow because of the experience. “It made me fearless,” she explained. “I want to tell my future employer that I pulled it off without speaking their language and I’m proud to show my work to you.” Alexandra Malloy Journalism major
ISTANBUL & BERLIN // Politics of Space: Islam, Gender, and Sexuality Dialogue “The biggest thing I learned about myself was that I really do possess an ability to adapt,” Whitfill said when discussing her dialogue. “A lot of people went on the trip with people they already knew, but I went without knowing anyone and to a place that was so different. It was an amazing experience to be able to make such unique friendships with people I didn’t even know but will definitely never forget.” Mary Whitfill Political Science and Journalism major
GREECE // Then and Now Dialogue “I traveled around Europe for an additional two weeks after my dialogue ended. I have a desire to go everywhere now and experience new cultures,” Courtney Byer said. Byer and her class met the president of Greece, Prokopis Pavlopoulous, when they attended a press conference of his. Byer presented the president with a Northeastern University watch and gave a small speech about the class’ love for Greece. Courtney Byer Communication Studies major
Written by Corlyn Voorhees // Photo by Lori Nsimpasi and Jena Goldman Derek Lumpkins often recalls growing up in Roxbury, a time when he would see buildings with boarded-up, flier-covered windows. The director of Neighborhood Partnerships and Programs with NU Crossing, Lumpkins grew up in the Fort Hill area, right in the middle of a proposed 12-lane highway. Over the course of his childhood, the conditions deteriorated. “The neighborhoods next to it all suffered for a good 20 to 40 years because people were afraid that their houses would get taken away from them,” Lumpkins recalled. “The people in the neighborhoods left or let their properties deteriorate because they had no incentive [to maintain them].” As a lifelong resident of Roxbury who has lived in the neighborhood since the mid-70s, Lumpkins has seen the neighborhood undergo significant change. While some of that change has been negative, he recognizes that the area has come a long way in terms of development. While the condition of Roxbury varied from street to street in his adolescence, ranging from the declining Fort Hill area to the Victorian homes that still stand today, he noted that as the plans for the highway were dropped, the “neighborhoods [that] were hit the hardest and had the most to come back from improved the most.” Today, Roxbury’s community includes people of diverse backgrounds and ethnicities and the neighborhood has access to various resources as the result of this diversity. Small nonprofits like Discover Roxbury have been working tirelessly for almost 20 years to bring culture back to the Dudley Square area. Cultural outlets available to both residents and visitors — such as theatre at Hibernian Hall, the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists and the Roxbury Arts Group – coupled with the wide assortment of restaurants and shops speak to the neighborhood’s growing sense of heterogeneity. “Go up to the United House of Prayer [for soul food],” said Lumpkins. “For Dominican food, I would suggest Merengue on Blue Hill Ave.” He
named Ali’s Roti for Trinidadian food. Lumpkins also recommended Dudley Café, which recently opened in Dudley Square’s newly renovated Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, renamed for the first black president of the Boston City Council. Biplaw Rai, one of the owners of Dudley Café, strongly believes in involving the community in the business. “We’ve tried to blend the old and the new,” said Rai. His organization has worked with Madison Park Technical High School to hire people from the community. Most of the staff is from Dudley Square itself, and most of the workers behind the counter come from the high school. They also try to buy local products and support other local businesses as much as possible.
“Roxbury is a neighborhood packed with culture.” Rai hopes the negative stigma around Roxbury shifts so others who live in or nearby the neighborhood — especially Northeastern students — can see the true community and cultural value it has to offer. “People usually think Roxbury is some dangerous place, like Roxbury isn’t the place to be,” Rai said. But Rai doesn’t think that this perception is fair. “The city of Boston has neglected Roxbury for the longest time — 30 to 40 years,” he said. “I find it interesting how people don’t take the opportunity or chance to explore on their own. I think that’s the common misconception — that it’s dangerous, that’s it’s uninviting, that they shouldn’t go there. Half the [college] community is already in the neighborhood, it’s just the matter of having a different zip code.”
INDIA // Climate Change Science and Policy Dialogue “When you’re studying climate change and learning about it, it can be very gloom and doom,” said Catherine Moskos. “You end up feeling hopeless like the world is messed up and you can’t do anything about it, but the dialogue left you feeling like you could make a difference and you could impact the world.” Catherine Moskos Civil Engineering major
fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
8 • Section Name
Lifestyle • 9
MAD LIBS HUSKY EDITION
NU & Improv’d had never been so claustrophic before. They were getting ADJECTIVE
ready for their very first Bar Mitzvah of EVENT
the semester. The crowd was waiting in
NU AND IMPROV’D It’s 10 p.m. on a Wednesday. Lisa Oakley lies sprawled out on the floor, seemingly unconscious, as Brian Holmes casually reminds Billy Galante that this was one of the hobos the latter had murdered on their trip to Kokomo. This isn’t a scene out of a mobster film — these are members of the NU & Improv’d troupe acting out vacation photo scenes at one of their rehearsals. Coming to an improv show, one must expect the unexpected. An open mind is key — as is thick skin. One of the worst examples of this came during a recent show at Boston University, said Joe Borg, a fourth-year transfer student majoring in media and screen studies. The troupe was playing a game called “Press Conference” in which a character was announcing the release of a new rap album. “The first thing that popped into my head was a rape joke. And the second thing was also a rape joke — and I said both of them.” It was a bad choice, Borg admits. The audience nearly booed the troupe offstage. Yet he had learned an important improv lesson: “I went full pedal-to-the-metal in a direction you should not go,” Borg said, “and it was cool to experience that.” Improv, according to Borg, often has a reputation of being too squeaky-clean. He referred to a scene in “Ted 2,” where an improv troupe is parodied for ignoring the tactless suggestions (such as “9/11”) of the protagonists, as an example of this reputation. “I think that coming to an improv show, people should know that we’re not gonna intentionally try and make sure that no one’s offended,” said first-year engineering major, Coleman Walker. “Since it is improv, ‘nothing is off limits’ seems to be kind of a theme.” Walker has had a few years of experience with improv in high school. Even so, college improv is no cakewalk. As one of three Huskies selected for the team this semester, Walker will face many trials and tribulations. He will perform in monthly shows. He will compete in tournaments, like ImprovBoston, which pits the troupe against fierce rivals such as Boston College and Suffolk University. So how are these competitions judged? “Subjectively,” said Ethan Parets, a second-year journalism and media and screen studies combined major. However, certain clubs seem to have these subjective criteria nailed down. Suffolk’s team, for example, is professionally coached and regarded (at least by the NU troupe) as the best college team at the moment. NU & Improv’d, which is completely student-run, has a rather one-sided rivalry with them. The NU & Improv’d troupe described this rivalry as: “You ever seen ‘The Mighty Ducks’? We are the Mighty Ducks — they’re the Hawks. You ever seen ‘Django Unchained’? We’re Christoph WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2015
gender neutral bathrooms and the players Written by Maxim Tamarov // Photos by Wyatt Warell
Waltz’s character and they are Django. Have you ever read Freud? We’re the id, and they are the collective unconscious.” Parets handles public relations for the club along with third-year communications major Brianna Sedor. Anton Monteleone, a third-year industrial engineering student, is the club’s president, and Borg is vice president — but according to Monteleone, the eBoard is not that important. “The president takes care of reserving rooms and booking stuff,” he explained. “Vice president takes care of running practices. But it’s really a group effort all the way through.” The group effort extends to the skits. For Rachel Coster, a secondyear media and screen studies major, the hardest part of improv is trying not to back her partner into a corner. Improv is all about the “yes, and” mentality. Each member is expected to run with their teammates’ suggestions and actions, no matter how ludicrous. While this sometimes leads to crass humor, it more often leads to great comedy. Watching professional improv troupes will showcase the extent of this. “Last year I had never seen improv on stage or anything, so I watched ASSSSCAT with Amy Poehler,” said Coster, “and I kind of figured some stuff out, but not enough.” Coster, like Walker and Oakley, is a new member of the team this semester, and was selected out of an audition pool of about 40 people. Oakley, the murdered hobo from Kokomo, is a third-year mathematics major who was inspired to join improv after an embarrassing moment in grade school. “I was in sixth grade,” Oakley said. “We were playing ‘what are you doing’ — an icebreaker game where someone asks what you’re doing and you say something that’s not what you’re doing — and I said in front of my class of sixth graders, ‘doing my aunt.’ I almost started crying and everybody started laughing and I got in trouble for it. Way after that I was like, ‘that was awesome — I’m hilarious!’” While quite different from the cultish improv troupe depicted in shows such as “BoJack Horseman,” NU & Improv’d does seem to be a tightly knit group. And the things they have in common are not necessarily quick wit and impromptu acting skills — though most of them possess these skills. Rather, they are bound by their openness and their willingness to go along on even the most absurd tangents. “You can’t carry this ship alone,” Coster said, to which Parets retorted, “Why are we carrying a ship? Put it in the water, goddamn it!”
ON-CAMPUS LOCATION
were corny. Ethan looked out over the ADJ
MEMBER’S NAME
sea of wallabies, with milk dripping down LIQUID
PLURAL NOUN
his/her cornea. These young maids had BODY PART
PLURAL NOUN
been practicing frothily over the past ADVERB
17 eons, and were in the prime of their UNIT OF TIME
Grinch. Brianna was hoping this time NOUN
MEMBER’S NAME
would not be as wet as his his/her last ADJECTIVE
performance behind a dumspter, which LOCATION
was unfortunately swanky. The reviews in ADJECTIVE
Boy’s Life said the show resembled a/an NEWS PUBLICATION
gaggle of guppies that had enslaved. This ANIMAL GROUP
ANIMAL PLURAL
PAST TENSE VERB
time was going to be different. Not only had they practiced woefully, but anyone ADVERB ENDING IN -LY
but Anton had also brought his/her lucky MEMBER’S NAME
razor. They swarmed on stage and the NOUN
PAST TENSE VERB
crowd cheered, “happy-trail!”
LITERALLY ANY WORD
Mad Lib filled out by NU & Improv’d
fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
10 • Cover Story
Cover Story • 11
TO IMPROVE, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS GET ON THAT WALL.
CLIMBING AS A PHILOSOPHY
THE NORTHEASTERN CLIMBING TEAM “Climbing is a universal thing, a language anyone can understand,” climbing team captain Josh Levin explained. Levin, who has been climbing for 17 years, feels that climbing has given him more than he could have imagined in terms of physical and emotional reward, so he wants to “give back to the community”. He wants to instill the enthusiasm that he has for climbing in others, especially children. Showing children that they can be passionate about something is important to Levin, as he believes it lays the groundwork for becoming well-rounded citizens. The team started off with 12 climbers in March of 2014. Within a month of their humble beginnings, the team won the Regionals in Concord, NH. Following that, they placed second in the 2014 Collegiate National Championships in Melbourne, FL against schools such as Tufts, Stanford and Harvard. They plan to compete for nationals again this spring. The climbing team is the brainchild of three engineering majors: Josh Levin, captain; Evan Goldfinger, president; and Sean O’Donnell, vice president. WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2015
Written by Rici Kamal // Photos by Justine Newman
“Getting climbing to be seen as worthy of a club sport was the challenge, and Evan and I worked really hard to make it happen,” explained Levin. “Goldfinger was the catalyst for setting the idea in motion.” Since then, the team has grown exponentially in popularity and accomplishments. This fall, over 115 Huskies showed up for tryouts, and 30 of them made the team after intensive try-outs. Lisa Simon, one of the new recruits, can’t stop smiling out of excitement for being on the team. She is even pleased with her “first blister” from climbing. Simon recommends climbing not only as a sport but also as a social de-stressor. “This is one of those sports that anyone can just jump into,” Simon explained. “To improve, all you need to do is get on that wall.” She also mentioned how happy she is to have found such a support system within the team. According to her, they always make her feel right at home and motivate her to keep striving forward. “The team is like a family, and as a freshman it is a great way of getting to work on yourself while making good friends,” Simon said. The team not only practices for competing
but also climbs just for fun. They travel around extensively and have even gone outside of the country. These trips are often funded by the friends and families of the club members. “Exquisite scenery is definitely one of the perks,” said Goldfinger. “The White Mountains is somewhere we go a lot, but recently we went to Montreal where we were invited for a competition somewhat resembling a mini X Games.” One popular idea about climbing is that it’s an individual sport, but for the Northeastern club, the team factor is most vivid. The rapport that they have built is strong, and they cheer each other on as their teammates climb up. “Climbing is a social sport. It’s all about making that climb and motivating others to do the same,” Levin said. “In moments where you are struggling, the voice of your team members cheering and rooting for you is all that keeps you going.”
fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
12 • Entertainment
Entertainment • 13
TRANSGENDER AWARENESS: TRANSITIONING TO THE MAINSTREAM? Written by Drew Daylor // Photos by Sophia Schonwetter
CAMPUS CANVAS
Written by Alex Kaneshiro // Photos by Meredith Fisher and Seth Penna “Bruce Jenner’s coming out is the Millennial moon landing,” Mitchell Sunderland of Vice magazine wrote last April after Jenner came out as a transgender woman on national television. The ‘T’ in LGBTQ can seem to take a backseat to the wide publicity around gay rights. Caitlyn Jenner, however, sparked media attention by coming out about her transition last April. Her new image has taken center stage on countless magazine covers and TV shows. She was even given her own reality show, “I Am Cait”, in which she displays her transgender experience for all to see. The media has especially been quick to analyze Caitlyn Jenner and her transition. While some people might define Caitlyn Jenner’s transition as the turning point in the acceptance of trans awareness, others may argue there’s still a long way to go. Amila Cooray, a fifth year mechanical engineering student remarked, “Caitlyn Jenner was huge, because she had a huge name already and was already involved in reality TV.” At the same time, Cooray pointed out, “Caitlyn Jenner has it easier, being white and famous and having a lot of money.” As a trans man and an active member of Northeastern’s NU Pride, Cooray has his own unique experience with transitioning. For Cooray, there are other trans figures in the media that he identifies with more, one of whom is a member of the Northeastern community: Lee Schun. Cooray’s sophomore roommate, is the leading character in Northeastern alumnus Jamie Schefen’s short film “Imaginary Lines.” “Imaginary Lines,” winner of the national “Campus MovieFest,” is centered around a silent, trans male protagonist and the commentary of his friends on his gender WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2015
transition. “Some of the stuff his friends were saying… I’ve heard this so many times, they think they know all these things about you,” Cooray said with a smile after re-watching the four-minute film. “I definitely identify with Schefen’s video.” Schefen, a former sociology major at Northeastern, is careful to commentate on the trans experience. “I don’t want to pretend to be an expert,” she said. Schefen was motivated to make the film after seeing firsthand some of her friend’s experiences with transitioning. When asked about trans figures in the mainstream, Jenner was the first name that came to Schefen’s mind. Like a lot of people, Schefen had some mixed opinions on Jenner’s media presence and her new reality show, “I Am Cait.” “It’s dangerous especially for young people, because it’s not reality,” Schefen commented on “E!”. So what, then, is the reality? When asked if her film was a more accurate representation of a particular trans experience, Schefen hesitated to answer. “I just don’t think I’m the person to make that call, you know? I’m just not the person who can say that, and I don’t want to pretend like I can.” Even so, Schefen acknowledged that any media exposure “is good for the trans community.” Cooray agreed. “I think we’re definitely trending towards the mainstream, and that’s awesome.” Cooray’s favorite representation of trans people in the media is Laverne Cox’s character, Sophia, on the Netflix show “Orange Is the New Black.” Cooray commented,“‘Orange Is the New Black’ is a good representation of the trans community, but it’s not network television.” Schefen and Cooray would agree that there are some trans voices in the mainstream,
which is a lot more then could be said 15 or 20 years ago. Even, so Cooray noted that mainstream television might not entirely be ready for trans characters. Is Jenner’s coming out our moon landing? It’s hard to say. But we are making progress, as Cooray confirmed: “We’re living in a time where anyone can turn on their TV and see a transgender person – and that’s a positive.”
Upon returning to Boston this fall, Northeastern students may notice that campus has taken on a newfound urban feel. Thanks to President Joseph Aoun, the school began the Public Art Initiative in 2014. The Initiative invites world-renowned artists to Northeastern to use the campus buildings as their canvases. President Aoun and a small team from the marketing department and Center for the Arts handpick each artist to inspire students with their work. For the latest eye-catching installations on campus, Aoun himself found and recruited artist Jef Aérosol to bring his distinctive sketches to Northeastern walls. Aérosol, a French stencil and street artist, was one of the founding fathers of France’s “street art,” or “urban art,” movement in the ‘80s. In fact, many younger artists cite him as the influence for their own original pieces. He has left his mark on the streets of cities all around the world including Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Rome. Although Aérool honors music legends and other notable public figures, he also often chooses to depict the everyday person in his sketches. Additionally, every Aérosol piece displays his signature mysterious red arrow. His Northeastern pieces are no exception. Aérosol created a black-andwhite Edgar Allan Poe, Jimi Hendrix and some more anonymous figures to display around Northeastern. These portraits are prominently featured on campus walls and hidden in the narrow nooks of building crevices. Aérosol’s sketch-like portraits are piquing the interests of students. Business major Brian Ambadjes said, “We’re a really urban campus so I think the murals add to the urban vibe.” In alignment with Ambadjes’s opinion of Aérosol’s work, business major Emma Boardman noted, “The murals make our campus more unique. They make our campus stand out from the normal Boston skyscrapers and create a more interesting sense of community.” Aérosol’s work can even be found on
Northeastern students’ social media accounts. Kate Dow, a criminal justice major, snapped a photo of Aérosol’s Edgar Allan Poe and John Lee Hooker sketch and posted it on Instagram with the caption, “Spotted some seriously stellar street art on campus today.” Although Aérosol’s work is undoubtedly unique and distinct, the campus’ newest murals have left some students wanting more. Daniel Lim, a music industry major, said, “I think the murals give a nice artistic touch to the campus and are nice to look at. As for the
“We’re a really urban campus so I think the murals add to the urban vibe.”
relevance and understanding what the murals are about, I’m not quite sure. There isn’t much describing what they mean or stand for.” Two students, chemical engineering major Victoria Romulo and international affairs major Alex Esco, agreed that they wish Aérosol’s murals were more colorful in order to stand out to bypassing students. No matter how the new murals are perceived by students, most would agree the push for more public art is a positive. The Public Art Initiative has ushered an air of unique artistic spirit to Northeastern, and many are anticipating the next creative works it brings to campus. Architecture major Leah Karmaker hopes the next installments are “murals that start discussions about current events and social issues.” Next time you’re heading to class, pay close attention to the walls and keep an eye out for the upcoming masterpieces made possible by the Public Art Initiative.
Amila Cooray, pictured here. Lee Schuna pictured above.
fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
Social Media 14 • Entertainment
The 2016 Election
An Op-Ed by Alex Frandsen Photos by Pranav Nayak
WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2015
Entertainment • 15
ocial media is a vortex. It is impossible not to run into the vast, whirling and omnipresent force of social media in your day-to-day life. We are in the midst of the social media boom, and it is no passing fad. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram et al have infiltrated the world to an extent beyond just the trivial. Social media has seeped into the world of politics and rooted itself firmly as a tool and presence in presidential campaigns. It started in 2008, when Barack Obama’s “Hope” slogan and logo went viral and plastered itself all over the Internet. In 2012, both Mitt Romney and Obama made social media a critical part in voter outreach. Now, as the 2016 elections loom, social media has simply woven itself into the fabric of campaigns. A candidate’s ability to grasp and manipulate social networks is no longer a side benefit; it is a prerequisite. The intersection of media technology and elections is not a new phenomenon. From FDR’s radio-transmitted fireside chats, to Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy’s first televised debate, technology has been a critical link between the people and their leaders. Philip D’Agati, an associate professor of political science at Northeastern, thinks there is no doubt about social media being on par with TV and radio in terms of impact. “Social media is providing another medium for campaigns and elections to carry out,” D’Agati said. “Also, on a different level, it’s really allowing voters to reach out to each other.” The numbers back up that assertion too. According to a recent Pew Survey, the percentage of voters who followed a candidate on a social media platform has more than doubled since 2010. And young, tech-savvy voters aren’t the only ones represented in that number; the percentage of voters aged 30-49 following a candidate online has more than tripled since 2010 as well. If the numbers aren’t convincing enough, proof lies in the candidates who have stirred up the most excitement. Bernie Sanders has rocketed into contention with Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton through a keen appeal to the masses via social media. #FeelTheBern and his live-tweeting of GOP debates have led to packed arenas. He takes no money from super PACs and is kept financially afloat entirely through citizen donations. For second-year Conor O’Shea, an international affairs major, this social
media success is due to an understanding of what people really want. “Instead of saying, ‘Oh, young people want to see kids in our Snapchats,’ it’s, ‘Here’s where you can volunteer, here’s where you can get involved’” said O’Shea. On the other end of the political spectrum, Donald Trump has proven to be quite possibly the perfect fit for Twitter and its 140-character snapshots. His controversial soundbites (shots at fellow candidates or the name-calling of the current administration, to name a few) are explosive enough to be all over the Internet and short enough to be quoted and paraphrased in millions of tweets. With more than 4.3 million followers, he has turned politics into entertainment and molded himself into a toupee’d ball of endless attention. Some of the other candidates who have suffered from stagnation or decline in the polls could have their social media presence, or lack thereof, to blame. Clinton, who has maintained relatively high numbers in the polls, has seen her lead wither away in the last few months due to both questions about the private email scandal and an inability to generate excitement. Some think Clinton lacks the “it” factor on social media. “When I look at Hillary Clinton’s twitter, it’s more of a laugh. You kind of have to laugh at it. It comes across as disingenuous,” said O’Shea. Jeb Bush, another established political name, has fallen perilously close to nonrelevance because of similar issues. In a GOP field studded with controversial candidates and theatrical antics, Bush hasn’t been able to distinguish himself on social media. Both he and Clinton have tried to appear savvy and hip, with Bush announcing his intention to run through Instagram and the pair even having a “Photoshop war” on Twitter. Even so, they have seemed to fail in significantly capturing the attention of the online audience, a development that could come back to haunt them at primaries and beyond. “People are more likely to remember what color tie Donald Trump wore yesterday rather than [the candidate’s Twitter] exchange,” said Nathan Gonzales, editor of the political newsletter The Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report, in an August interview with Digiday. With the constant influx of tweets, shared stories and video clips, it is easy to lose track of one paramount question: is the heightened prevalence of social media creating a more superficial election environment?
The answer varies based on who you ask, and most likely, there is not one true answer. According to D’Agati, the appetite for tweetsized pieces of information to hook onto has always been there. “Before, people were looking for the soundbite anyways. Social media has certainly taken the enterprise of, ‘keep it short, keep it quick, keep it simple,’ to another level, but that idea was always there,” said D’Agati. But for Gavin Davis, a third-year journalism major, social media has irrefutably slanted importance away from thoughtful political discussion and more towards attention-grabbing statements. “Look at Donald Trump,” said Davis. “He makes his entire livelihood off of snippets. He’s almost [hiding] from the big issues, and never really says anything real.”
fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
SERVICE-
16 • Focus
Section Focus Name • 17
Creating a lasting impression in the community Written by Monica Vallejo
Up, Up and Away
NORTHEASTERN’S TUITION RISES AGAIN Written by Catherine Gong On April 14th of 2015, Northeastern University announced that the undergraduate tuition for the 2015-16 academic year would be rising to $44,620. This marks another year of continued tuition increase — since the early 2000s, the tuition has been rising at a steady rate, ranging from 4.5% to 6.7% increases. This year’s increase is 4.9%. In their Annual Budget Report, the Office of the Provost outlined where this money would be invested: “New faculty hires, world-class research facilities, educational facilities, and student experience.” More specifically, these endeavors include continued construction on the $225 million Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex; creating “additional tenure-track faculty lines”; constructing a new café in Curry Student Center; adding eighty new study spaces in Snell Library; and bringing technological renovations to classrooms in West Village, Behrakis and Cargill. Some students support how Northeastern is utilizing its capital. “Our school is improving dramatically every year in all aspects — quality of education, student life, and its experiential learning program,” said freshman Kyle Woon. “It’s understandable that tuition will increase to provide the means for this growth.” Others have criticized how the school allocates funds, raising questions about the actual utility of these endeavors. Said Dylan Gaus, a freshman business administration WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2015
major, “Tuition raises need to be cut down and contribute to content rather than appearance.” He also noted that additional funds “appear to affect a certain percentage of the students, but are not allocated heavily towards resources such as NUWave Wi-Fi, NUGO and Blackboard that crash and throw students out of balance.” Students like Gaus view Northeastern’s proposed projects as vanity spending that shifts focus away from academics to “extras”: niceties like dining hall décor and rock climbing walls that catch the attention of prospective students. If this is Northeastern’s goal, it is working: the school received a record-breaking 49,822 applications in 2014. Northeastern has become notorious for supposedly playing the system — Max Kutner’s September 2014 Boston Magazine piece “How Northeastern Gamed the College Rankings” detailed the school’s rise through the US News rankings. According to Kutner, the school’s president from 19962006, Richard Freeland, dedicated himself to improving these rankings, doing everything from reverse-engineering the formulas to walking straight into the Washington DC office of Robert Morse, chief data strategist for U.S. News, to discuss giving more weight to the co-op program. Freeland stepped down in 2006; President Joseph Aoun took his place. Aoun’s public
statements do not put much emphasis on rankings, but Kutner’s investigation suggested that this is an act. Ahmed Abdelal, provost under both Freeland and Aoun, said the two “share the same goal: further advancement in national ranking.” Some students don’t feel that the rise in rankings correlates to a rise in the quality of education. Senior marketing and finance major Tyler Santos said, “The D’AmoreMcKim School of Business received a $60 million donation in 2012, which they stated would go towards attracting better and more experienced faculty members to the school … three years later, I personally feel like I have not seen an increase in faculty competency that would warrant both that donation and the increased tuition costs.” Students like Santos are grappling with whether Northeastern is properly balancing the interests of current and future students. Leila Kiernan, a sophomore physical therapy major, summed up the frustrations that many students endure: “This year both my sister and I are in college for the first time. [Northeastern] says that they review financial changes every year; however, this year, instead of receiving more aid due to the financial stress on my family, I instead got a tuition raise. This made me beyond angry.”
“The last session, Miss Brenda cried,” Dana Wells-Barrett, a third-year human services major, remembered. “She usually seemed tough — could deal with anything — but I distinctly remember she cried that day, and that was a sign to me that we made a difference.” Wells-Barrett was serving at Jumpstart for an early childhood literacy program. Her class is one out of 74 Service-Learning courses offered at Northeastern. The courses work with over 100 different community partners. This is the sixth consecutive year that Northeastern’s ServiceLearning Program was named among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The report is compiled by nominations from school officials; the resulting alphabetical list are those institutions with the most mentions. It is separate from, but related to, the national rankings U.S. News puts together annually. The Northeastern administration places a great emphasis in the U.S. News & World Report’s list of national universities, going so far as to put together a research team to decode the equation used. Northeastern’s steady increase from No. 98 in 2007 to No. 42 in 2014 was only recently tarnished with the 2015 decline to No. 47 overall. While most people would probably refer to the co-op program first when they think of Northeastern’s emphasis on experiential learning, the Service-Learning Program holds its own weight in being a trailblazer within the field. Service-learning education integrates the classroom with the community by engaging students in hands-on service roles or projects for a community partner. The goal is to apply course concepts to a “real world” application that fills a community need, and can range from working with youth on developing math skills to designing a social media plan to increase awareness of the organization. Ultimately, Service-Learning hopes to create an enriched academic experience and inspire community engagement. “When we talk about our program on a national or international stage, we are among many great thinkers and creative minds who are doing exceptional work in the field of service-learning,” said ServiceLearning Director Becca Berkey, Ph.D. Berkey pointed out that the most distinctive areas of the program at Northeastern are the community partnerships, faculty research in Service-Learning outcomes both nationally and internationally and student leadership in teaching assistant roles. “When done well and thoughtfully, it is hopefully a win-win,” Berkey said. “National and international research time and again shows that not only does [service-learning] impact student success and persistence, but also provides services and energy to the communities that surround us.” The service experience for the students often bridges the gap from academic theory into a practical application. For example, in a developmental psychology for working with children and families, students may student the correct procedures to handle behavioral issues. In reality, however, it can look quite different. “You have all these high horse ideals about how a classroom should be run, based on how you were raised or theories you learned in class, but then when you get into the Service-Learning environment, you see how the realities really affect what’s successful,” said Wells-Barrett. Wells-Barrett pointed out that the teachers she interacted with through Jumpstart were often working under a pressure-cooker of conditions.
Long hours, little pay and lack of staff forced them to create their own “effective classroom management style, even though it didn’t exactly fit with what [they] learned.” According to Wells-Barrett, working in the preschool for 300 hours over two semesters gave her team “time to sense what that place actually needs, rather than just do what [they] were sent there to do.” One example of this, she noted, was when the Jumpstart volunteers helped a teacher from their school with her studies when they found out she had decided to continue her education. Not only is the Service-Learning Program making an impact on the community, but it’s also changing the way students look at their career paths as opportunities to make a difference. “Service-learning impacts the community by introducing students to the world outside of campus, where they can engage with people from all walks of life and learn real-life skills in their field or area of study,” said Brooke Schober, a fourth- year cultural anthropology and Latin American studies major
During the 2013-2014 school year,
1,137 students were part of 73 Service-Learning courses working with
87 community partners.
who is currently doing her second co-op as the Service-Learning Program assistant. Schober’s first co-op inspired her to use her major and career interests to make a difference in Boston and at Northeastern. At her previous job, she worked with the Foundation for Sustainable Development in Nicaragua, an organization that aims to end cycles of poverty through grassroots efforts in the areas of microfinance, environmental sustainability, health, education and human rights, among others. “I wanted to come back and get more involved in the Boston and Northeastern communities, as well as help support initiatives and students doing service in the States,” said Schober. The service experience for the students often bridges the gap between academic theory and practical application. For example, in a developmental psychology course about working with children and families, students may study the correct procedures to handle behavioral issues. In reality, however, it can look quite different. “You have all these high horse ideals about how a classroom should be run, based on how you were raised or theories you learned in class,” said Wells-Barrett. “But then when you get into the service-learning environment, you see how the realities really affect what’s successful.”
fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
18 • Focus
Written by Emma Paquette // Photos by Loren Po Not too long ago, Northeastern second-year Monica Bhatia got on the Green Line with her boyfriend and took it to the Babcock Street stop, the closest to the Greater Boston Area Planned Parenthood. Bhatia was there for an IUD, a form of birth control, but protesters outside the clinic saw her holding hands with a boy and assumed otherwise: abortion. After Bhatia’s procedure was finished and she felt rested, she returned outside with her boyfriend. The protesters called out to her retreating back: “God will forgive you!” “It was a really weird experience,” said Bhatia. “Because, I’m like, ‘I’m actually trying not to get pregnant … but okay.’” Planned Parenthood has never been a universally loved institution. Recently, however, the opposition has been more intense, with Republican presidential candidates vying for the position of “who can hate the organization most” and using it as a symbol for broader antiabortion views. “The character of this nation cannot be about butchery of babies for body parts,” said Republican candidate Carly Fiorina at an event this fall at a South Carolina pregnancy center. Fiorina was likely referring to the leaked videos that apparently showed Planned Parenthood employees discussing the sale of fetal parts to laboratories for scientific studies. Despite several investigations demonstrating misleading editing of the videos and no proof that any illegal activities were conducted by Planned Parenthood, these videos have cast another shadow over the organization’s image. “I don’t think it was right for these doctors to be saying things about medical procedures WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2015
outside the office,” said Roxanne Anderson, third year eBoard member of NU Sexual Health Advocacy, Resources, and Education (SHARE) and their Sexual Assault Response Campaign (SARC) liaison. “But the only thing that was wrong was how [the doctors’ comments] were manipulated and spun through the media.” SHARE is a student organization that aims to raise awareness of sexual and reproductive health. SARC is a subgroup of SHARE that works specifically on bringing survivorcentered resources to campus. Their most recent work was on a climate survey released at the end of September, which revealed student’s opinions and experiences regarding Northeastern’s handling of sexual assault. SHARE is a Planned Parenthood affiliated group. Said Anderson, “We get a lot of funding and guidance from Planned Parenthood.” A political attack against Planned Parenthood followed the video debacle, consisting of an addendum to a government funding bill that would have ceased all federal support to the program. It passed in the Republican-controlled House, but was blocked in the Democratic-controlled Senate. This attempt to defund Planned Parenthood shows an escalation of a trend already prevalent at the state level. Alabama, among other states, has already withdrawn state funding for Planned Parenthood centers within their borders, leaving those clinics struggling for funds. So, what is it about Planned Parenthood that draws attack? What does Planned Parenthood stand for?
“I think that people think ‘Planned Parenthood’ and they think ‘abortion,’” said third-year Laney Chace. This association certainly oversimplifies the character of Planned Parenthood. Abortion is hardly Planned Parenthood’s only operation. They also offer STI testing, pregnancy testing, birth control options and other sexual health services. In fact, Planned Parenthood stated in their 2013-2014 annual report that only three percent of services performed are abortions. A check by PolitiFact last August places that number closer to 12 percent, but the sentiment remains the same: most services are not abortions.
“In general, there’s a lot of issues in supporting women-specific health care that are related to sexism and misogyny.” With its many operations, Planned Parenthood can be a helpful resource for anyone — including college students. While Northeastern University Health and Counseling Services offers sexual assault counseling and self-pay STI testing (where no charge will appear on your insurance and no bill will be sent home), its services are simply not as extensive or specialized as Planned Parenthood’s, which include breast and cervical cancer screenings and access to many forms of birth control (such as IUDs). The organization is an effective supplement to
on-campus services, especially because it is relatively close-by. “I was able to schedule an appointment for the next week [after I called],” said Bhatia, remembering her experience. “They have really flexible hours.” Birth control, often used for reasons beyond its implied contraceptive purpose, is especially important for college students with female reproductive systems. According to the American College Health Association in 2012, about 40 percent of female college students use oral contraceptives for reasons ranging from easing menstrual cramps to treating acne. A study by the Guttmacher Institute in 2011 showed only around 42 percent of all pill users in the US take the pill for the sole reason of preventing pregnancy. The other 58 percent take it, at least in part, for their physical well-being. “In general, there’s a lot of issues in supporting women-specific health care that are related to sexism and misogyny,” said Anderson. “It should be just as important as any other sector of our health care system.” These factors raise questions about the accuracy of the information the media gives about Planned Parenthood. “If you’re not informed, you shouldn’t be making a statement
on these kinds of things,” said Chace. “If you read, and you have a non-liberal position, that’s totally fine. Have your own opinion. It’s just the lack of information.” Planned Parenthood does perform abortions, so it’s only natural that some people may be uncomfortable with the organization. However, Roe v. Wade remains the law of the land, and women have the right to have access to abortion services. Furthermore, Planned Parenthood cannot be pared down to a single service when it offers so many others. “I think Planned Parenthood is such a pervasive force in women’s lives in this country,” said Anderson. “No matter how many attacks there are against it, people will continue to support Planned Parenthood because they know that it’s an accessible and comprehensive health care service that’s super necessary.”
LEFT: Roxanne Anderson, RIGHT: Laney Chase
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NU SHARE meets Monday nights at 7:00pm in the Social Justice Resource Center in the basement of 106 St. Stephen’s Street. More information and upcoming events for SHARE and SARC can be found on their Facebook pages.
fall 2015 • WOOF MAGAZINE
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