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(03/12/19 3:46pm)
By Alexandra Parado and Lily Firth
Social Media Editors
Over the past few years, global warming and environmental change have been at the forefront of many political conversations. Most experts agree that the Earth’s temperature is rising — a phenomenon that could ultimately put human life at risk.
According to NASA’s website, the planet's average surface temperature has risen about 1.62 degrees Fahrenheit because of higher levels of carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Ice sheets in the poles are shrinking at an alarming rate, with Greenland losing an average of 286 billion tons of ice per year. The global sea level rose approximately 8 inches in the last century and continues to rise.
Humans have contributed to global warming in countless ways –– overpopulation, deforestation and reforestation as well as other activities that contribute to pollution such as, smoking, driving and producing waste. Although some have taken action to fix this, the problem still persists. An easy way to help the planet is by recycling, yet many are still unaware of how important this practice is in the long term.
According to the Compactor Management Company, recycling leads to fewer landfill sites, which pollute the air when products decompose. Recycling also lessens energy consumption — it takes more energy to create new products than it does to recycle old ones.
Because of the positive environmental effects of recycling, many colleges nationwide such as Rutgers University, University of California Los Angeles and Arizona State University have developed recycling initiatives to keep their campuses more green and environmentally friendly.
At the College, recycling efforts are done through a partnership with Solterra Recycling Solutions, which properly sorts out items collected throughout campus. These items are collected by Building Services, which prepares compiled recyclables to be picked up by Solterra Recycling Solutions. The College’s grounds team does the same, but for all of the outdoor containers across campus.
The College is an Energy Star Partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As an Energy Star Partner, the College shares data, ideas and benchmarks with additional institutions and is kept aware of new environmental initiatives.
Amanda Radosti, the environmental programs specialist at the College, gave insight on current efforts to improve recycling at the College.
“We have recently started tracking our recycling volumes,” Radosti said. “(The College) recycled just over 129 tons during the last 12 months. We are working with Solterra to collect data on our non-recycled refuse so that we can understand recycling as a percentage of our total waste and so that we can find opportunities to continue to improve.”
She also said that there are several upcoming events that will include food waste demonstrations and a big push to improve recycling during move out at the end of the spring semester.
In an effort to increase the amount of items recycled on campus, the College implemented single-stream recycling in 2010. Single-stream recycling allows all recyclable items to be put into one recycling bin, which makes the process simpler for members of the community. Once the College became single stream, students designed a single-stream sticker that was applied to the recycling containers on campus to help educate users, according to Radosti.
The College has been implementing a multi-year project to place exterior recycling containers next to every exterior trash container. These containers have specific lids and lid decals that detail what should be placed in them for recycling.
Prior to single-stream recycling, the various types of recyclables needed to be disposed of in separate recycling containers, which created more opportunities for recycling containers to be contaminated.
Radosti also highlighted how the College is attempting to reduce carbon emissions.
“The College carefully monitors the natural gas and electricity that we purchase and are always looking at ways to improve our energy performance,” she said. “The College tracks our energy use through our Key Performance
Indicators. In order to normalize the data over time, we use the internationally recognized “‘Energy Usage Index’” metric and have a goal to reduce our EUI by 10 percent from 2018 through the end of 2020.”
Radosti explained that some of the strategies that the College uses involve replacing inefficient light sources with more efficient ones, setting back or turning off equipment during periods when buildings are empty and improving insulation and building facades.
The biggest contributor to the campus’s overall efficiency is the TCNJ central utility plant that has a Heat Recovery Steam Generator. The HRSG uses natural gas to make electricity and then collects all of the wasted heat from that process to make steam, which helps heat all of the buildings. This works even in the summertime – the College has steam-powered air conditioning equipment and does not rely solely on electricity-powered equipment.
Missy Greenberg, a senior sociology major and sustainability sales intern for Sodexo, has noticed the efforts the College has taken toward becoming a green community.
“I think that (the College) is doing pretty well from an environmental standpoint,” Greenberg said. “In just two short years here, I have seen so many amazing environmental initiatives that I didn’t see at my previous college. I think we’re still a long way from perfect, but I am happy that (the College) is trying at all.”
Greenberg also commented on the progress of recycling at the College.
“Our recycling program is good, but I think it could be better,” she said. “The fact that we do single-stream recycling is really great from a student standpoint. It takes the thinking out of the equation, and I know that recycling isn’t always the first thing on students’ minds.”
According to Greenberg, students need to be properly educated on the difference between trash and recycling.
“I would like to see more recycling education campus-wide, as I know a lot of people still aren’t sure exactly what can and cannot be recycled, which can still lead students to just throw something in the trash,” Greenberg said.
Throughout campus, there are brochures, flyers and stickers that promote recycling. Despite the College’s efforts to supply information, there is still a disconnect between students and the proper ways to recycle.
As a community adviser, senior biology major Madhav Patel said that he is knowledgeable about the College’s recycling efforts through his training with Residential Education.
“We had to do recycling training as CAs because it is important to help encourage our residents to recycle properly,” he said. “Some people still do not know which things to recycle or where to put their recyclables and it’s our duty to teach them.”
Although he has noticed improvements, Patel wants the College to place more of an emphasis on recycling.
“I think the College is doing better, but it can still make more of an effort to encourage students to recycle,” Patel said. “Recycling is one of those things everyone knows they should be doing, but it’s so easy not to. Putting more of an emphasis on encouraging students to recycle and doing it properly, or even creating fun initiatives to do so, would benefit the campus community a lot.”
The administration can emphasize recycling as much as it wants, but according to Patel, it is up to students to listen.
“Recycling is tough because so much of the process is invisible to us, but if we focus on educating students on their ecological footprints, we might be able to get more people involved,” Greenberg said. “The first step to caring about something is to learn about it.”
Patel stressed that when thinking about environmental issues, people must consider the conditions future generations will be forced to experience.
“As a biology major, we learn a lot about environmentalism and the largely negative impact humans have on ecology,” Patel said. “It gets frustrating sometimes because people like to focus on tiny actions that make them feel good about recycling … At the end of the day, (there are) major corporations still pumping tons of plastic and chemical waste into the ocean, and me switching to metal straws realistically won’t make even a drop of a difference.”
Although he is skeptical of significant change, Patel has hope for the future, as long as people do their part. It is up to members of the community to partake in recycling and cooperate with the College to become a more environmentally friendly campus.
“Real environmental action won’t take place until we hold these corporations and companies accountable for the huge damage they’re doing,” Patel said. “By choosing what corporations we give our business to as a college campus, and by getting politically active and voting, we still have a shot at stopping and reversing all the environmental damage we’ve done. We have to start now though, and as college students, we are in a good spot to do that.”
(12/04/18 6:00pm)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
On Thanksgiving night on Nov. 22, 21-year-old Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. was shot in the face by an off-duty police officer working security at Riverchase Galleria Mall in Hoover, Alabama, according to NBC News.
According to the initial report, Bradford was engaged in a fight with an 18-year-old when he pulled out a gun and shot the young person. A 12-year-old bystander was also wounded during the incident, NPR reported.
The officer’s name has not yet been released, but according to NPR, his actions were initially seen as “heroic” by his peers. They later retracted the statement, saying that it was unlikely that Bradford was responsible for firing the shots that injured those people.
Bradford, an Army veteran, held a permit to carry a weapon, his family reported to CNN. After hearing gunshots in the mall go off, Bradford pulled out his gun in attempt to help people get to safety. Without issuing a warning before opening fire, the police officer fatally shot Bradford.
Bradford received no medical attention from police after the shooting, according to NPR.
CNN reported that the real shooter is still at large. Hoover police and Mayor Frank Brocato expressed his sympathy for Bradford’s family. Though they offered sympathy, Hoover police has not issued an apology to his family for the incident.
According to NPR, the officer who shot Bradford has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Bradford’s family members were not immediately contacted by Hoover police about the death of their son. Instead, the family found out about his death through social media, according to NPR.
E.J. Bradford Sr., Bradford’s father and a retired correctional officer, called Hoover police at 12:30 a.m. the night of the shooting and was told they would call him back. Hoover police gave a media briefing before reaching out to the Bradford family. In an article published by CNN, Bradford Sr. demanded that investigators immediately release all video of the incident.
All evidence of body camera videos have been handed over to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to lead the investigation according to NBC News. ALEA will decide when to release the evidence.
Bradford’s family has hired an attorney, Ben Crump, to represent them. Crump has also represented other black men who have been killed by police or others, including Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, according to NPR.
On Nov. 27, five days after the shooting, his family eventually received a phone call from Hoover police, Crump explained to The Guardian. They also received their son’s body in preparation for his funeral, according to The Guardian.
(11/13/18 4:53am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
There comes a day when every athlete will clean their lockers one last time.
For many college athletes, playing a sport has consumed their lives. From a young age, hours of their day have been spent on tracks, courts, fields and weight rooms enriching themselves so that they can pursue the opportunity to play at a higher level.
In some cases, their lives revolve around the sport they play, often robbing them of other social opportunities — “I can’t, I have soccer practice.” “I can’t, I have a tournament that weekend.” “I can’t, I have physical therapy.”
Sports were my life, and I know I missed out on a lot of events because of my commitments as an athlete. I’ve identified myself as an athlete since I was a kid, and after my last track meet, I questioned my identity because it was hard to imagine life without sports.
After competing in my final track meet during my senior year of high school, there was a period of transition that I know many other student athletes endure.
Change is the only thing in life that is constant. Although I felt excited that I had more free time, I often felt a sense of loss. I had achieved a lot of athletic success and I did not know where to put my energy and effort that I had always channeled into sports.
When I started my first semester in college, I felt like something tremendous was missing. I missed being a part of a team and having a routine of waking up before the sun to get a lift in in the weight room. It felt abnormal to be alone in an unfamiliar setting when I was used to having an entire team with me.
I never thought that life after sports would leave me bereft of so many relationships. I had always had teammates to laugh with and coaches to push me to be the best person I could possibly be.
After spending a lot of time reflecting about the big changes in my life, I realized that in order to feel complete again, I had to find a new “team.” This awareness lead to the understanding of what was different about my life and it helped me make the right choices and move forward.
Although my days of competing came to an end, there are valuable things I learned as a player that helped me move into the next part of my life.
By reapplying my interests, skills and passions in a different avenue, I was able to spend time finding a place where I could use my skills and put in effort. Though it’s not sweating together in a gym, I have found a new team –– a team of editors who work so hard to produce The Signal every week, a team that will go through the ups and downs with me, together.
The end of an athletic career is bittersweet –– it’s the closing of an incredible journey but the start of new experiences that life has always had in store. One door has closed, but there is another waiting to be opened.
Even though I’m not a part of an athletic team anymore, I am still an athlete. Because once you’re an athlete, you will always be an athlete at heart.
(11/13/18 2:45am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
Ranked seventh by the NCAA, the Lions competed for the championship title in the NCAA Championship tournament, but could not make it past the quarterfinals.
In the first round of the tournament, the team faced Keystone College and went on to the second round against Vassar College. The team was defeated by Middlebury College in the quarterfinals, which took away its chance to be champion.
On Sunday, Nov. 11, the team swept Keystone with a 3-0 triumph in the opening round of the NCAA tournament.
Sophomore forward Tori Tiefenthaler got the Lions on the board by scoring a goal off an assist from junior forward Cayla Andrews. Andrews was able to get a goal for herself, earning her seventh NCAA tournament goal.
In the second half, junior forward Jordan Allegretto scored the final goal of the game, extending the lead to 3-0.
Junior goalkeeper Maddie Beaumont only faced one of Keystone’s attempted shots, but she rejected the ball from going into the net. Freshman defender Lauren Cammarata and senior defenders Sidney Padilla and Jackie Schwartz held down the defensive side to prevent Keystone from scoring.
The Lions outshot Keystone 42-1 with 32 of those shots being on goal.
The team then traveled to Middlebury, Vermont to continue the tournament.
On Saturday, Nov. 10, the College overpowered Vassar College in a close game of 2-1.
Late in the first half, Andrews scored off of a penalty corner by junior forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson.
Vassar did not score until the second half, forcing the game into two overtimes. Neither team was able to score, which resulted in nine shootout rounds in attempt to break the tie. After battling for eight rounds, junior forward Tori Hannah broke the tie in the ninth round and Beaumont made a stop that soon lead to victory.
Beaumont recorded a new career-high of 18 saves this match.
The Lions moved on to the quarterfinals against Middlebury College on Sunday.
It was difficult for the team to score in the first half of the game, and Middlebury scored three points within 10 minutes of the start of the game.
The second half started with a hot pair of goals by Middlebury, giving them a 5-point lead until Padilla scored the Lions’ only goal.
Middlebury outshot the College 20-5 and Beaumont made eight saves for the team.
The fight was not enough as the Lions fell to the 2017 NCAA Field Hockey Champions, 5-1. The team wrapped up its season on Sunday, Nov. 11 with an overall record of 16-5.
(11/06/18 1:32am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
This past week, the field hockey team participated in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament as the third-seeded team in the league. The Lions first faced Montclair State University in the semifinals and moved on to the final round against Rowan University.
On Oct. 31, the Lions succeeded against Montclair State in a close game of 2-1.
Scoring late into the first half, junior forward Tori Hannah slashed a pass from junior forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson into the net. Hannah gave the Lions the lead they needed with just 4:08 minutes left in the first half. This marked Hannah’s 11th goal of the season.
The Lions lead at halftime 1-0. It wasn’t until the game was midway through the second half that Montclair State broke the lead.
With under 20 minutes left in the game, Montclair State’s senior forward/midfielder Kailey Dalgauer took advantage of a penalty corner and fired the ball into the left side of the net.
The 1-1 tie lead to three overtime rounds. Both teams fought to advance in the tournament.
In the first overtime, Montclair State outshot the Lions 7-1, but Beaumont protected the net and made three saves to stop them from scoring.
With no progress made from either team, the game continued to a second overtime. Sophomore midfielder Samantha Reed took a shot off a corner, but Montclair State defender Marissa Siconolfi blocked the ball from reaching the net, which lead the game to a shootout.
In a best-of-five shooting competition, Reed and junior forward Cayla Andrews allowed the team to lead 2-0 in the shootout. After Montclair State evened out the score, each team was allowed five more attempts before the deciding final round.
This period had several chances for both teams to break the tie, but it was a challenge for all to score a goal. In the final round of the shootout, Andrews was able to score off her own rebound to give the Lions the lead they needed. On the defensive end, Beaumont needed to protect the net while Montclair State made an effort to break the Lions’ lead. Beaumont’s pair of saves concluded the long fight toward earning the NJAC Championship title.
The Lions advanced to their sixth NJAC Championship final round in a row, but did not leave as NJAC champions.
The team traveled to Glassboro, New Jersey for a 1 p.m. battle for the NJAC title on Saturday, Nov. 3, where they were dominated 2-0 by undefeated Rowan University in the final round in the NJAC tournament.
Early in the game, Rowan’s sophomore midfielder Molly Gorczyca gave her team a lead that the Lions could not meet — the team could not come close to scoring.
Rowan extended the lead to 2-0 halfway through the second half, and the Lions could not respond. Reed attempted to score, but her shot was saved by Rowan’s goalkeeper.
Though the Lions were outshot 15-11, the team had seven shots on goal that Rowan was able to block. The goalie for the Lions, Beaumont, made four saves for the team.
The field hockey team ends its season with an overall record of 14-4 and will move on to compete in the national tournament.
In the first round of the NCAA Division III field hockey tournament, the Lions face Keystone College on Wednesday, Nov. 7. The winner of the challenge will move on to the second round to play against Vassar College on Saturday, Nov. 10.
(10/25/18 6:30pm)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
The men’s soccer team holds an overall record of 9-6-2 as a result of a tie against Stockton University, two wins over New Jersey City University and Brooklyn College and defeats by Stevens Institute of Technology and Montclair State University.
On Oct. 10, the Lions faced New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent Stockton at home.
The Lions had a few opportunities to score, but both shots on goal attempted by sophomore midfielder Ryan Vazquez and sophomore defender Sebastian Leon were denied by Stockton’s goalkeeper.
The team was outshot by Stockton by 15, with four shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Daniel Mecadon protected the goal and denied all four shots that came his way.
The defense unit was comprised of junior defender Matt Decker, freshman defender Dante Bettino, senior midfielder Jeorge Jauk and junior midfielder Michael Maltese.
The game was forced to settle for a 0-0 draw.
On Oct. 13, the Lions hosted another NJAC opponent, NJCU, in the College’s Soccer Complex.
The team had plenty of shooting opportunities during the first half of this match and ultimately outshot NJCU by a 30-9 differential.
With just 15 minutes remaining, Maltese netted his first game of the year off of an assist by freshman midfielder Ryan Santos.
Minutes later, Maltese sent in a corner kick that was headed into the goal by Jauk, resulting in the final score of 2-0.
Mecadon stopped four shots on goal out of NJCU’s nine attempted shots, recording another shutout game for the Lions.
One shutout game was not enough for the team, as it succeeded in its sixth shutout victory against Brooklyn College on Oct. 15 in Brooklyn, New York.
Senior midfielder Nick Sample scored off an assist by Leon to quickly give the team a lead. Just a few minutes later, freshman defender Dante Bettino scored his first collegiate goal with help from Sample.
The team closed the first half of the game with a lead of 4-0 after goals made by sophomore midfielder Kevin Esteves and sophomore defender Dylan Teixeira, the latter being Teizeira’s first goal of his career.
In the second half, Teixeira and Bettino each scored another goal while sophomore forward Abdullah Afridi, sophomore midfielder Kevin Ordonez and freshman midfielder John Taylor each added a point each to advance the Lions.
Freshman goalkeeper Nolan Cloney saved the only two shots he faced on goal to earn the team’s shutout victory.
The Lions broke their winning-streak on Oct. 17 against Stevens.
Stevens captured an early lead against the Lions, scoring two minutes into the game. The team could not seem to make its shots in the goal the entire first half of the game. The first half closed with a 2-0 advantage by Stevens.
In the 63rd minute, Bettino received the ball from Maltese and smoothly kicked it in the goal, scoring the Lions’ first point.
The team could not break the lead, as Stevens shot its third goal to end the game with a final score of 3-1.
On Saturday, Oct. 20, the Lions journeyed to Montclair, New Jersey and fell 3-4 against Montclair State.
First to put itself on the board was Montclair State after scoring on a penalty kick. Tying it up, Sample responded with a goal a little more than two minutes later.
The team went back and forth as Montclair State scored again, and Vazquez again for the Lions.
With both sides netting two goals by the end of the first half, the second half of the game was full of intensity.
Vazquez scored again off an assist by Maltese, but Montclair State quickly got rid of the Lions’ lead. Scoring twice, Montclair State gained a lead that it did not give up. The game ended with a score of 4-3.
Montclair State outshot the Lions 28-13, while Mecadon reached his career high of 11 saves this game.
The Lions face NJAC opponent Rowan University on Oct. 24 in Lions Stadium for the team’s senior night and final game of the season.
(10/25/18 6:10pm)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
The College’s nationally ranked field hockey team challenged three New Jersey Athletic Conference opponents in the past few weeks — the Lions fell against Montclair State University, 1-2 and again against Rowan University, 2-3.
After two losses, the team recovered with a shutout victory in a challenge against Kean University with a final score of 5-0.
On Oct. 13, the Lions hosted Montclair State for a 1 p.m. match up. Coming in strong, the team endured against Montclair’s defense throughout the contest.
Sophomore forward Tori Tiefenthaler scored the first goal of the game. This goal was part of a team effort by sophomore midfielder Samantha Reed who drove the ball into the arc, and junior forward Cayla Andrews who assisted Tiefenthaler’s goal.
Less than five minutes later, Montclair State responded, tying up the game 1-1. Neither team found the opportunity to score again, but the Lions’ defense was resilient throughout the rest of the game, outshooting Montclair State 17-9.
The game was forced into overtime and Montclair State had two shots that went wide. Later, opponent senior forward/midfielder Victoria Rossi went against junior goalkeeper Maddie Beaumont on a breakaway and scored the game-winning goal, finalizing the game with a score of 1-2.
The team traveled to Glassboro, New Jersey on Oct. 16 to challenge Rowan, who defeated the Lions 3-2. This defeat advanced Rowan’s ranking to fourth in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III Coaches Poll, and placed the College fifth.
Andrews scored the game’s first goal early in the seventh minute.
For the rest of the half, action was heavy on the Lions’ territory, but Beaumont kept the Lions’ lead by having five saves in the first half.
Rowan scored a pair of goals to open the second half. With 16 minutes remaining in the game, Rowan scored another goal off a corner, resulting in a final score of 3-2.
With the team losing two conference games in a row, there are lessons to be learned from for the future.
Junior forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson and saw the losses as an opportunity for the team to grow stronger.
“These two losses were tough but it just gives us an extra competitive edge that is very important as we begin to wind down from regular season and into post season play,” Peterson said. “We will hopefully see both of those teams later in the season in the conference championship tournament and I think we will be able to learn from the last games to come out strong against them and be able to come out on top this time.”
On the defensive side, Beaumont achieved a career high of 10 saves for the Lions.
On Saturday, Oct. 20, the team bounced back from two close losses and triumphed against Kean with a score of 5-0.
Andrews was able to give the team an early lead, scoring off a deflected shot by Tiefenthaler. Just minutes later, junior forward Jordan Allegretto scored off a penalty corner.
The Lions were ahead 3-0 by the end of the first half with Andrews scoring two of the three goals.
In the second half, Peterson scored immediately, obtaining her 13th goal of the season. Peterson later assisted the game’s final goal made by junior forward Iris Schuck.
The Lions outshot Kean 18-8 and Beaumont accounted for the four shots on goal made by Kean.
The team is now 11-3, and 3-2 in the NJAC. On Saturday, Oct. 27, the Lions will host Stockton University for their Homecoming and senior day. This challenge will be the team’s last in-season game.
(10/09/18 3:42am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
The field hockey team extended its winning-streak to six, crushing William Paterson University 8-0 at home on Saturday, Oct. 6.
The Lions now move on to owning an overall record of 9-1, and an undefeated record of 2-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
With just five minutes into the game, senior forward/midfielder Caroline Quinn scored the first goal of the game, which boosted the team’s momentum.
Shortly after the first goal, the Lions went on a five-goal run and took a 6-0 lead going into halftime. Goals were accomplished by junior forward Jordan Allegretto, sophomore forward Tori Tiefenthaler and junior forward Tori Hannah. Both Tiefenthaler and Hannah finished the first half with a pair of goals.
During the second half, all of the action was on William Paterson’s side. The Lions were hungry and eager to keep sending shots to their opponent’s goalkeeper.
The College outshot William Paterson by 37 shots, while the opponent only had two shots the entire game.
In the final 10 minutes of the game, junior forward Cayla Andrews scored off of her own rebound, collecting her ninth goal of the season. Moments later, junior forward Iris Schuck received a pass from Quinn and made her way to the arc with ease and fired a shot that the opponent’s goalkeeper did not see coming.
Junior goalkeeper Maddie Beaumont denied the single shot on goal attempted by William Paterson. This contest marked Beaumont’s fourth straight shutout of the season.
The team improved its record and completed its sixth shutout in 2018.
This weekend, the team will host NJAC opponent Montclair State University on Saturday, Oct. 13 for a 1 p.m. match.
(10/02/18 4:19am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
Having the right attitude about a “no” can go a long way toward receiving a “yes.”
Being turned down can be easily discouraging, but there are some people who take rejection in stride and even use it to their advantage — Irene Yoon is an example of such a person.
Yoon, a junior deaf education and fine arts double major, started her freshman year as a deaf education and biology double major. Ceramics has always been an important part of Yoon’s life, but since she came to the College, she began to integrate this hobby into her academic life.
Every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Yoon holds a ceramics workshop in the AIMM building that is open to all students and faculty.
“When I was a freshman, I hadn’t had access to a studio since high school,” she said.
Yoon begun taking ceramics classes during her sophomore year in high school at The Art School at Old Church in Demarest, New Jersey. This interest was sparked by a family friend, who recommended Yoon to take ceramics classes to develop well-rounded skills.
“Clay to me is very therapeutic,” she said. “If I didn’t have clay, I would probably need a therapist. It’s just meditative. I was very stressed because college just started and I knew if I had clay, I would be less stressed.”
Yoon contacted the art department and requested to use the studio. Even though she was refused access, she was determined to try again –– she needed ceramics as her therapeutic and creative outlet. To strengthen her argument, she collected a handful of photos of her work and made an informal portfolio to send back to the department.
“The chair at the time asked me to hold workshops and in exchange, I could use the studio whenever I want,” she said.
Every Wednesday at the beginning of class, Yoon greets each student without fail, even if she is in the middle of creating something on the wheel that requires great attention to detail.
“She makes me feel so welcomed,” said senior accounting major Brigitte Vuong. “The friends who brought me to the workshop have only been there once before me, and Irene already knew their names and did her best to remember mine.”
Sofia Roman, a senior psychology major, heard about Yoon’s workshop through a flyer posted on Snapchat and has attended every class since the beginning of the semester.
“From the first day, I loved her class,” she said. “Since then, she has been a really great teacher trying to help us progress in a natural pace. She knows a lot about ceramics. She was very informative about it while also making the class really fun.”
Yoon always makes sure to play music during class, which helps create a lively environment. As students are focusing on perfecting their clay creations, they are also singing along to Ed Sheeran.
“It’s hard not to have a good time in her class,” Roman said. “When I’m not focusing on shaping my clay on the wheel, my friends and I are laughing… how else do you respond when Irene tells you to throw the clay down on the wheel really hard as if you were mad at your boyfriend? She has a great sense of humor.”
Students appreciate the opportunity to learn a new skill while bonding with their friends in a fun, welcoming environment.
“It’s a great place to learn and socialize,” Vuong said. “I’m so glad my friends introduced me to the ceramics workshop because I’ve met new people while playing with clay — something I don’t normally do.”
The studio’s eight wheels fill up quickly at the beginning of each class, and students make sure to get there early so they do not have to wait to use a wheel.
In a room filled with students at different levels of ceramics experience, there is still a united atmosphere. Whether there is a beginner learning how to center their clay or an expert finishing an advanced project, students encourage each other to improve.
Instead of comparing or competing with each other, students are reminded to create and love the craft. The outcome of their efforts may at times be uncertain, but for Yoon, the process itself is worth it.
“My favorite part is the doing,” she said. “I don’t make to have something at the end. I do it because I like the process.”
(09/25/18 4:03am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
The Lions traveled to Salisbury, Maryland on Saturday, Sept. 22 to face Salisbury University, ranked No. 6 in the Division III field hockey group by the NCAA, and left with an astonishing victory.
The game was full of action — Salisbury was quick to shoot, but junior goalkeeper Maddie Beaumont blocked off any shots she faced. Six minutes into the game, Salisbury slipped a shot under Beaumont, giving the Lions’ opponent a 1-0 lead.
Salisbury’s lead was short lived, as junior forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson scored five minutes later. From the top of the circle, Peterson hit a shot that bounced off a Salisbury defender and into the net. This goal tied up the game, leaving the Lions to fight hard to break the tie.
Moments later, Peterson received the ball from senior forward/midfielder Caroline Quinn and gave the team a one-point advantage, collecting her second goal of the game.
Taking a shot on a penalty corner, senior midfielder/defender Sidney Padilla attempted to score, but her shot was saved by Salisbury’s keeper. Sophomore midfielder Samantha Reed found the loose ball and gave it to Peterson, who again found an opening in the net and ripped the ball through traffic for a hat trick.
The second half was scoreless on both ends. Beaumont played a remarkable game especially in the second half when she refuted seven shots taken by Salisbury, maintaining the lead and bringing the game to a close.
The Lions are back in action on Thursday, Sept. 27, when they face Ursinus College at home for a 7:30 p.m. contest. On Saturday, Sept. 29, the team will travel to Mahwah, New Jersey to challenge New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent Ramapo College.
(09/25/18 3:51am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
The men’s soccer team underwent two losses this week, ending its undefeated record and resuming the season with a new record of 7-2.
The Lions faced Drew University on Wednesday, Sept. 19 and Ramapo College on Saturday, Sept. 22. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t break the ties and fell to both teams after fighting to win during overtime.
The Lions suffered their first loss of the season against Drew with a final score of 4-3.
It was a slow game, but the Lions took the lead with a goal in the 20th minute of the game. Sophomore midfielder Ryan Vazquez scored his ninth goal of the season thanks to an assist by senior midfielder Nick Sample. Drew quickly responded and performed a three-goal streak during a seven-minute span.
Drew led 3-1 until Vazquez struck again with 14 minutes left in the game. Junior midfielder Michael Maltese sent the ball to Vazquez who took a shot that went past the keeper, making it a 3-2 game. About ten minutes later, Vazquez dashed in front of the net again for a hat trick.
During overtime, Drew scored off a header shot nine minutes in, breaking the 3-3 tie, unfortunately giving the College its first loss of the season.
Despite the loss, Vazquez now has 11 goals this season and sophomore goalkeeper Michael Kayal collected five saves against Drew.
On Saturday, the College was not capable of getting a lead and suffered another defeat, this time by Ramapo with a final score of 2-1 after overtime.
Ramapo put itself on the scoreboard 23 minutes into the game. The Lions were unable to score in the first half, but sophomore goalkeeper Daniel Mecadon blocked three shots to keep the score at 1-0 to close the first half of the game.
In the second half, Ramapo did not score any additional goals. Instead, sophomore defender Matthew Nastarowicz received a beautiful pass from Sample which he punched into the net, resulting in a tied game of 1-1, forcing the close game into overtime.
With under three minutes left in overtime, Ramapo was given a penalty kick which led to their final goal, closing the game and leaving the Lions in defeat.
The team hopes to recuperate from last week’s losses and prevail this week when they get on the road to face two New Jersey Athletic Conference opponents.
On Wednesday, Sept. 26, the team will challenge Rutgers University-Camden in Camden, New Jersey at 7 p.m. The following Saturday, Sept. 29, the Lions will travel to Wayne, New Jersey to go against William Paterson University for a contest scheduled for 5 p.m.
(09/18/18 4:51am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
The field hockey team broke its undefeated streak in Grantham, Pennsylvania when it fell to Messiah College, 4-2 on Saturday, Sept. 15.
The College, ranked No. 3, falls behind second-ranked Messiah College in the New Jersey Athletic Conference rankings. Last season, the Lions concluded their 2017 season with a one-point deficit against Messiah in the NCAA Tournament semifinals.
Messiah repeated history and succeeded against the Lions, keeping its record undefeated while receding the College’s record to 3-1.
Messiah striked early and put themselves on the scoreboard just a little over five minutes into the game.
In the opening half, both sides remained aggressive even though neither team was able to score a goal. The score remained 1-0 going into the second half of the game.
The Lions put consistent pressure on Messiah during the beginning of the second half. This perseverance resulted in three penalty corners and three shots, but two shot attempts were blocked and one was too wide to make it into the net.
This burst of force was not enough to flip the score, as Messiah was able to score three more times in the second half of the game.
With five minutes remaining, the Lions scored a pair of goals less than a minute apart from each other. Senior forward/midfielder Caroline Quinn responded to Messiah’s fourth goal by taking the opportunity to shoot, which resulted in the Lions’ first goal this match. Fifty five seconds later, junior forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson striked off a penalty corner kick for the team’s second and final goal of the afternoon.
Messiah outshot the Lions 14-8, marking the first time the field hockey team has been outshot by an opponent this season.
The Lions hope to bounce back this week when they travel to Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania to face Gwynedd Mercy University on Tuesday, Sept. 18 and Salisbury University in Maryland on Saturday, Sept. 22.
(09/18/18 4:44am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
The women’s soccer team faced two opponents last week: Johns Hopkins University and Rutgers University-Newark. The Lions fell to Johns Hopkins 1-0, but prevailed against Rutgers-Newark, 4-2. Their undefeated record has been changed and they now hold a record of 3-1.
The Lions traveled to Baltimore, Maryland for a Wednesday night game on Sept. 12. In a matchup of top-10 teams, eighth-ranked Johns Hopkins shut out the College, which is ranked fourth by the NCAA for Division III sports.
Both teams struggled to score in the first 20 minutes of the game.
Johns Hopkins made efforts to score, and junior goalkeeper Nicole DiPasquale could only block two of the three shots she encountered. Toward the end of the half, freshman defender Jess Hall had an opportunity to score, but her shot was blocked by Johns Hopkins’ keeper. By the end of the first half, Johns Hopkins led 1-0.
The Lions put on an offensive outbreak in the second half attempting to tie the game. Hopkins defense made play after play to keep the Lions’ score at zero. Hall had a shot that rolled past the keeper but was blocked by a defender. After chasing and controlling the rebound, Hall took a second shot, this time blocked by the keeper.
The Lions tried to score in the second half of the game, but Hopkins’ defense was so absolute that the Lions were unable to score a goal. This unfortunate defeat was the result of strong defense.
The team bounced back from their loss and succeeded against Rutgers-Newark on Saturday, Sept. 15.
The Lions immediately came out strong as soon as the game started. It was evident that the goal that night was to leave the field as winners.
Shots were fired at the Rutgers-Newark keeper, and finally, sophomore forward Julianna Bertolino booted in the ball from 10 yards out. Bertolino was assisted by sophomore forward Julia Obst and freshman forward Randi Smith.
In the 37th minute, the Lions doubled their advantage 2-0. Freshman forward/midfielder Nikki Butler scored her first collegiate goal and shot the ball in the upper-right corner of the net.
The first period ended with a goal by Rutgers-Newark, which brought the score to 2-1.
The second half started just like the first one — the Lions were fired up and continued to send shots at Rutgers-Newark.
Butler gained her second goal of the season, scoring off of a feed from freshman midfielder Lauren McLaughlin. Shortly after, Smith determinedly scored her first collegiate goal after fighting through a pair of defenders.
With just minutes left in the game, Rutgers-Newark scored another goal but ran out of time to catch up to the Lions. The game concluded with a final score of 4-2.
After a week of traveling, the team hosts Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham in Lions Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 19. On Saturday, Sept. 22, they will travel to Mahwah, New Jersey to face Ramapo College.
(09/18/18 4:40am)
By Alexandra Parado
Sports Editor
Two games for the men’s soccer team means two wins to add on to their undefeated record of 7-0.
The Lions protected their territory this week, hosting Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham on Wednesday, Sept. 12 and Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday, Sept. 15.
In a non-conference match against FDU, the Lions triumphed 2-0.
The Lions opened the game with four shots, but unfortunately the ball could not seem to find the back of the net just yet. Shots were taken by FDU, but freshman goalkeeper Nolan Cloney rejected the shot to keep the game scoreless.
Neither side could make a goal, but the Lions broke the silence in the 44th minute when senior midfielder Nick Sample took a deep shot from 20 yards out to end the first half. Sophomore midfielder Ryan Vazquez assisted Sample with this goal to put the Lions on the scoreboard.
To start the second half, junior midfielder Michael Maltese sent freshman midfielder Ryan Santos a cross from the left corner, which Santos shot into the net, resulting with the final score.
FDU took 17 shots this game, with four on goal. Cloney repeatedly denied anything that came his way and earned this victory’s shutout.
The following Saturday, the College dismissed Rutgers-Newark after going double overtime and concluded the battle with a close score of 4-3.
This match was a back-and-forth affair between each team.
The first goal was a team effort, Santos found Vazquez and sent him a pass that was immediately shipped to Sample who dispatched the ball into the net from the left side.
The Lions’ lead vanished 53 seconds later when Rutgers-Newark scored a goal. Six minutes later, Rutgers-Newark struck again and put themselves ahead of the Lions. To end the half, Santos aggressively scored to break the lead and bring the score to 2-2.
The second half was filled with intense action, but neither team could hit the back of the net until the 82nd minute, when Rutgers-Newark took a 3-2 advantage.
The Lions continued to fight and scored a goal with four minutes and 40 seconds left on the clock. Sophomore forward Abdullah Afridi sent sophomore midfielder Ethan Mueller a pass from the left side, which Mueller then sent into the goal to secure another tie and go into overtime.
In the first extra period, Rutgers-Newark attempted to score, but Maltese did not allow it.
Early in the second, Vazquez received a cross pass from Maltese which he headed in the back of the net, concluding the game with a wild celebration.
The men’s soccer team is off to its best start since the 1994 season. They hope continue to collect wins this week when they face Drew University in Madison, New Jersey on Wednesday, Sept. 19 and return home to face Ramapo College on Saturday, Sept. 22.
(05/02/18 2:06am)
By Alexandra Parado
Staff Writer
After two successive victories against Stockton and Kean Universities, the nationally top-ranked Lions captured their eighth consecutive perfect conference season, finishing top seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.
On April 24, the Lions journeyed to Galloway, New Jersey and left with an 18-1 win over Stockton. The match started with a 3-0 lead with goals from sophomore midfielder Allie Gorman, freshman midfielder Erin Jaffe and sophomore midfielder Alexandria Fitzpatrick. After a goal by the opponent, the Lions responded by firing six straight goals to conclude the first half, 9-1.
In the second half, the Lions made nine unanswered goals, closing the game 18-1.
The team had a few days of rest before getting back on the road to travel to Union, New Jersey on Saturday, April 28 for its final game of the regular season against Kean.
The game began with a goal from Kean, but the Lions responded with eight goals, demonstrating the team’s resilience on the field. Junior midfielder Kathleen Jaeger scored half of the goals in the first half, and later finished with five goals in total.
In the second half of the game, the Lions added 10 more points on the scoreboard. This triumph resulted in the advancement of their record to 15-2 overall and 6-0 in the NJAC.
Junior goalkeeper Miranda Chrone was named the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association National Defensive Player of the Week for games played between April 16-22. That week, Chrone aided the College to a triad of wins.
In the first win of the week against Rowan University, Chrone tied a career-high of nine saves. Not only did she protect the net, but she was active outside of the cage with six ground balls and three turnovers. Chrone also prevailed to a 10-1 victory over Salisbury University, which was top ranked in the NJAC at the time. In the net, Chrone held Salisbury to a single goal for the entire game, which marked the first time in history this occurred. In the final victory, Chrone had five saves against Rowan University.
Chrone ended the season as second all-time in program history with 53 career wins, and is the NCAA all-time leader in career goals.
The College and Kean face each other again on Wednesday, May 2 in the opening round of the NJAC tournament in Lions Stadium.