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(02/26/13 5:00pm)
While students are guaranteed on-campus housing for their freshman and sophomore years, juniors and seniors are not granted this luxury.
Last year, all students who applied for housing received a time slot, even with Cromwell Hall being closed for renovations.
This year, however, approximately 140 rising junior and senior students did not receive a time slot in the upcoming lottery, according to Emily Dodd, Communications Officer for Media Relations & Marketing.
“Students that did not receive a time slot but remain interested in on-campus housing are encouraged to apply to the housing wait list,” Dodd said. “We have been very successful in moving through our wait list and I suspect that will remain consistent this year.”
However, students who do not wish to wait for on-campus housing are encouraged to visit the housing webpage for off-campus living, where a link is provided to local landlords to post vacant properties.
Students can also consult with current students who live off-campus or visit ewingrentals.com to view available listings.
Sophomore psychology major Gabriel Rojas applied to housing, but because he did not receive a time slot, has applied to the wait list.
“I’m also looking into off-campus housing but I am going to study abroad in the spring so I’m not sure how that will work out,” he said. “I also don’t have a car to get to campus so hopefully I can get a time slot from the wait list.”
Katie Seaman, sophomore psychology major, also had a similar experience.
“Depending on my spot on the (wait) list, I’m going to wait to see if anything opens up,” she said.
“If not, I’m going to start looking for houses in the neighboring area with other students who did not receive housing. Hopefully luck is on my side!”
According to Dodd, students are encouraged to do their research when investigating off-campus rentals, as off-campus housing is not endorsed or approved by College officials.
“Historically, we have always had more students apply for housing than the number of available beds,” Dodd said. “However, this year we weren’t sure if that would be the case considering the closure of Cromwell Hall for renovations. There was no way of knowing for sure how many students would come back on campus.”
(02/19/13 6:30pm)
Over the years, we’ve seen both books and plays get turned into movies, some done successfully, and some done not so successfully. However, what’s extremely rare is to see a play and a book get turned into a thrilling, beautiful movie with little to no flaws. “Les Mis” did just that.
It’s no secret that “Les Mis” was the first ever musical movie to be sung live — a risk that undoubtedly paid off. But, as successful as that was, I believe that “Les Mis” is Oscar worthy for reasons beyond that — it incorporated aspects of both the musical and the book in a way that no other musical movie has done before.
“Les Misérables,” written by Victor Hugo in 1862, consists of 1,463 pages. Certainly, it was no easy task to turn a novel of that length into a two and a half hour opera. And, although I hold the belief that “Les Mis” is the greatest musical production ever written, there were some vital parts of the book that had to be cut.
Although “Les Misérables” the movie cut out parts of the musical, another risk made by director Tom Hooper, it made up for it in relevant parts of the book that were brought to life through the movie.
Early on in both the musical and the book, Jean Valjean, the noble character and escaped convict, demonstrates his immense strength by lifting a collapsed cart, which saves a man’s life. Later on in the novel, when Valjean is forced to escape devoted policeman Javert, Valjean and Cosette seek shelter at a convent where Fauchelevent, the man who Valjean saved from the cart, works as the gardener. Without Fauchelevent, however, a man such as Valjean would not have been permitted to live in a convent.
The musical, on the other hand, cuts the convent out completely, leaving confusion as to how Valjean and Cosette safely escaped from Javert and essentially “disappeared” from the law. The movie, however, incorporates this aspect into the storyline, thus closing that crucial gap.
However, the significant aspect of both the musical and the book, which is often overlooked, is the importance of the bishop. It is, in fact, the bishop who tells Valjean “to become an honest man,” thus completely changing the course of the escaped convict’s life.
In the end of the movie, but not in the end of the musical, the bishop comes back when Valjean dies and goes to heaven, which brought me to tears (and I’m definitely not one to cry during movies).
In addition, they simple could not have cast a better man to play the bishop in the movie than the one and only Colm Wilkinson, the Valjean in the 1985 London production and whom the part was originally written for.
When Wilkinson was cast as Valjean, he simply responded, “My life has come full circle,” emphasizing the importance of the character. (This response also brought me to tears.)
Other aspects of the musical were changed as well. Some parts were cut, some parts were added, and some scenes and songs were moved around — and they were all done extremely successfully.
The acting was impeccable, risks were taken, and the true meaning of both the book and the novel was flawlessly conveyed. “Les Misérables” is certainly deserving of an Oscar for Best Picture of the year.
(02/05/13 7:03pm)
Two former students from the College were sentenced to probation on Thursday, Jan. 31 for sexually assaulting a freshman woman on campus in the fall 2010 semester, according to The Times of Trenton.
Samuel Sarpeh, 22, of East Orange, N.J. and Christen Solomon, 21, of Irvington, N.J., were both suspended from the College after the incident.
According to prosecutors, the girl had attended a party in Sarpeh’s dorm room that evening. She was intoxicated and asked if she could stay over so she would not have to walk home. During the night, Sarpeh and Solomon sexually assaulted the girl. She reported the incident in late September of 2010 and both men were arrested.
On Thursday, Sarpeh pleaded guilty to criminal sexual contact and Solomon pleaded guilty to inappropriate touching, according to the Associated Press.
Sarpeh was sentenced to five years’ probation while Solomon was sentenced to three years’ probation.
The woman and her family were present in court and Sarpeh and Solomon used this as an opportunity to apologize for the agony that they caused.
“I’m sorry and for whatever that happened that night, I know that it has held both of us back and our life is never going to be the same,” Sarpeh said, according to The Times. “I have learned my lesson and nothing like that will ever happen again.”
The two men were also sentenced to 40 hours of community service and both will have to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation.
(01/30/13 5:53pm)
Princeton is definitely my go-to spot if I’m in the mood for either fro-yo or cupcakes, but I’d never really considered going out to dinner there simply because most of the restaurants are too expensive for the average college student. But after walking by a little restaurant that advertised $7 paninis and fries, I decided to give it a shot.
Massimo’s Pizzeria & Cucina Napoletana is located right in Downtown Princeton on Nassau Street and is only about a 20-minute drive from campus. However, it is definitely not worth the drive unless you’re already in Princeton.
Although the restaurant wasn’t crowded, it had a very warm and welcoming atmosphere when we first walked in. I’d say it was a nice mix of pizza place and sports bar — the bright orange walls were covered with Princeton paraphernalia as well as that of other nearby colleges.
Within just a couple of minutes of being there, however, we were the only customers left in the restaurant, which made us feel a little uncomfortable. In fact, the only two workers there came out in the middle of the restaurant and sat on a bar stool to watch whatever game was on TV. It was a little awkward and we felt like we couldn’t talk at a normal volume.
Luckily, the wait for food wasn’t very long at all.
I ordered the Stewart Panini, which consisted of grilled chicken, mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers, baby spinach and onions topped with lemon, pepper and olive oil. It was definitely a good sandwich that I would eat again, but I wouldn’t say it was anything special. The lemon and olive oil dressing was particularly good, but the mozzarella cheese wasn’t melted, which probably would have made the sandwich a little better.
My friend, on the other hand, decided to play it safe by ordering a buffalo chicken cheesesteak. (And I admit to wishing I had ordered that as well.)
It’s kind of hard to screw up a buffalo chicken cheesesteak, so of course it wasn’t awful. However, my friend said that it wasn’t much better than something he could have gotten at T-Dubbs.
Both of our sandwiches came with fries, which is always nice. But they were mediocre and we weren’t given a very generous portion.
Although the sandwich prices were fairly reasonable, the entrées on average were about $15 each, so that’s something to consider as well. I wouldn’t say that Massimo’s was a bad place to eat, but if I could go back, I probably would have just gone to House of Cupcakes for dinner instead.
(01/29/13 5:03pm)
Here for Home, a campaign that is dedicated to helping aid in Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, officially began at the College on Nov. 1, 2012. On that day, approximately 45 people, the majority of whom were students, attended Here for Home’s first meeting and were eager to help.
During its initial weeks, the campaign responded to requests for assistance from towns including Belmar, Point Pleasant Beach, Hazlet, Manasquan, Toms River, Neptune and Brick. Volunteers participated in multiple service activities which included gutting homes, removing debris, door-to-door canvassing and installing sheetrock, according to Pat Donohue, assistant provost for Community Engaged Learning Programs.
However, the program is now focusing its efforts on Union Beach and Ortley Township.
“The unemployment rate in Union Beach was 20 percent before the storm,” Donohue said. “And Ortley Beach is home to 1,600 full-time residents, who were among the last to have access to their properties on the Barrier Island due to the level of destruction.”
On Saturday, Jan. 26, a group of volunteers from the College spent the day at Union Beach gutting five apartments in a senior citizen’s complex that have been uninhabitable since the storm.
“I really loved breaking down and ripping out walls,” said Tarika Mahal, sophomore history pre-med major and Bonner Scholar. “It felt great to see our progress and help those who physically could not do this work for their homes.”
Although difficult, volunteers believe that spending their days rebuilding areas of New Jersey that have been affected by the hurricane is incredibly important.
“I am a busy college student who could have definitely used the extra hours of sleep on a Saturday morning, but instead I woke up at 7:30 and smashed drywall. And ripped up carpets. And broke tiles,” Mahal said. “All these things were so much more memorable and beneficial to myself and others than my few extra hours of sleep.”
Since its initiation, the Here for Home campaign has greatly expanded. According to Stephanie Kraver, ‘12, an AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow for the Bonner Center, 296 volunteers have signed up to be on the campaign’s regular mailing list. And to date, more than 300 people have participated in nearly 20 service days or events, totaling approximately 1,400 hours of service.
However, these figures do not include the work of other clubs and groups that have started their own volunteer projects. In fact, to date, Here for Home has 1,668 members in its Facebook group, according to Kraver.
“I firmly believe that volunteering is our civic responsibility. TCNJ prepares us for our future professional life, but does so much more than that,” said sophomore psychology major and Bonner Scholar Regina Zick.
Here for Home was also very successful last semester. Students and faculty donated over 4,000 pounds of supplies, donations through the dining service’s card swipe campaign raised $3,195 worth of supplies, and the student-designed ReNew Jersey T-shirt sale raised $1,387 in cash. All of these funds help cover the costs for service supplies, such as gloves and garbage bags, as well as transportation.
In addition, the Student Finance Board has allocated $15,000 that will send 15 busloads of volunteers to work on relief projects throughout the spring semester, according to Donohue. Here for Home is also planning to create an Alternative Spring Break trip for students to engage in relief efforts.
Also, last semester student groups and organizations held various fundraising events such as a Zumbathon held by TW fitness instructor Carmella Holl, a caroling fundraiser held by LDP, and various other events held by numerous sororities and fraternities.
“I am extremely impressed with the campus’s capacity to unite under one cause. We have worked with countless groups on campus, expanding to different individuals, and even to some freshman floors that have consistently helped out,” Zick said.
For students and faculty who wish to volunteer, there will be sign-ups in the Brower Student Center the week of Jan. 28 in order to reserve a seat on one of the 15 buses going to the shore during the spring semester.
“We as people have a common obligation to help our fellow citizens in times of need,” Mahal said. “There is no better cause than this.”
(12/06/12 3:20pm)
This past weekend, my family came up to the College for a little visit. So, of course we wanted to go somewhere really good to eat. Although I had never eaten there before, I had heard good reviews about Metro Grill and decided to try it and test it out for myself.
(11/28/12 5:56pm)
When you really know someone, when you really give a damn about them, you want to know what their passion is, as Dustin Lance Black said during the Fall Multicultural Lecture at the College on Tuesday, Nov. 13. He explained that when getting to know someone, you want to know their “why” and you want to understand where they come from and where they want to go in the future.
“What I want to talk about a little more today is not what we do, but why,” said the Academy Award winner for best original screenplay “Milk” at the beginning of his presentation. Black stated that for many members of the LGBT community, himself included, it’s easy to find their “why” in what he calls the coming out story.
“(The coming out story is) that one time when we told our personal story when we had the most to lose,” he said.
Black then continued to describe his own personal story of when he came out to his conservative, Mormon family during winter break of his senior year of college.
In addition to having a very conservative mother, Black compared his relationship with his “tough” older brother to “oil and water.” He said, “I always wondered, would my family ever love me for me?”
On that Christmas Day, Black’s mom came to his bedroom with the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy on her mind. However, she explained that she wasn’t upset over the possibility of excluding someone from the military — she was instead distraught at the idea that these “sick” and “broken” people were allowed to be a part of the United States military. Black tried to hold back tears as she said that, but couldn’t, and he could see the heartbreak in his mother’s eyes.
After the holiday, Black flew back to Los Angeles, with a visit from his mother expected soon after. Yet, his friends were unaware that his mother was conservative and not understanding of the LGBT community.
However, after dinner with his friends, the majority of which were gay or lesbian, his mother finally showed some understanding and compassion.
“I felt myself light up inside, I felt something inside of me that I had never felt before,” Black said. “For the very first time in my life, my mother loved me for me.”
Black believes that through communication, change can happen.
“It’s the power of our personal stories that change minds and change lives,” Black said, which inspired him to pursue writing and storytelling. In fact, when he first heard the story of Harvey Milk, he had the passion and the belief that it could change minds.
“It’s not an easy job and it’s not an easy task, and the films that I choose to write aren’t the ones that, you know, the studios are necessarily looking for,” Black said in an interview.
After the success of “Milk,” Black’s “tough” older brother came out to him over the phone, which came as a huge shock. Afterwards, Black and a group of other activists decided to sue the California government against Proposition 8, which forbids the homosexual marriage in the state of California. Approximately one year ago, they won. However, the news of success could not be shared with Black’s brother, who died of cancer just a few months earlier.
These days, Black’s goal is to gain full federal equality in all states, so that no brothers and sisters are left behind, which means taking the fight to the federal government.
“When I come to these schools and meet with young people, it’s not that I just get to share my ideas, but afterwards we get to discuss new ideas. I learn so much from (their) generation, from the ideas that young people have right now,” Black said.
He described the U.S. as a checkerboard nation, where some people are free and some are not. Black is dedicated to changing that.
“That’s why I do what I do,” Black said. “That’s my why. That’s my passion.”
(11/13/12 11:41pm)
It’s easy to find a great nearby pizza place in order to satisfy those late-night cravings. Finding good Mexican food, on the other hand, is a tad more difficult.
Mexican Mariachi Grill, located just minutes from the College in Ewing, offers a great variety of fantastic, authentic Mexican food. And although Mexican isn’t my favorite type of cuisine, I’d say it was pretty darn good.
In order to sample as much food as possible, I ordered the Mariachi Plate, which includes a medium-sized pork burrito, a chicken tostada, two flauto tacos, a small quesadilla, rice and refried beans. Basically, A LOT of great food.
My friends ordered a large amount of food as well. Between the four of us, we had the Mariachi Plate, a pork burrito, a surf and turf burrito, a chicken torta and a chicken tostada. And all of it was really good.
When I first got my plate, I didn’t even know where to begin — there was so much food. I eventually decided that the cheese quesadilla was a good starting point. I wouldn’t say that it was anything special, but it’s hard to go wrong with a quesadilla.
Next, I decided to devour the pork burrito. Although it was good, there were a lot of beans in it, which I wasn’t expecting. It did, however, beat any burrito that you could find on campus.
The chicken tostada was a little difficult to eat, but it was definitely worth the mess that it created. The chicken to lettuce to bean to cheese to sour cream ratio was perfect.
In addition to the great entrees, Mexican Mariachi Grill offers free chips and salsa with every meal. The chips are unlimited, but you’re only allotted two small cups of salsa per meal. However, since the portions here are so large, all those extra chips aren’t necessary.
Mexican Mariachi Grill also has a very authentic atmosphere, and the workers are very friendly. As soon as we walked in we felt very welcomed.
It was also fairly inexpensive, especially for the amount of food that we got. My meal, which could have easily fed two people, was only $10.
Even though I’m only up for Mexican food every once in a while, I’m pretty sure my friends are planning to make a trip to Mexican Mariachi Grill a weekly tradition.
(11/13/12 11:32pm)
When John Donohue first heard about the College, he didn’t know very much about it. But as he read more and talked to various people, he was soon impressed and began to wonder, “Why don’t I know more about this institution?”
Donohue most recently served as executive vice president for development at the United Negro College Fund, but for the 13 years before that worked on college campuses heading college advancement programs.
“I wanted to go back to the college campus,” Donohue said. “I missed students.”
However, working at colleges wasn’t always in his career plans. At the State University of New York at Oswego, Donohue studied biology and was certain he was going to be a biologist. Yet he soon realized that this wasn’t his passion and, after college, he began pursuing a career in human resources, working for United Way as a professional fundraiser immediately after graduation.
After a national search, the College chose Donohue as its vice president for College Advancement. Donohue officially began his career at the College on Monday, Oct. 22 and oversees fundraising, communication and marketing, government relations, alumni relations and the College’s private and gift receiving foundation.
“The institution deserves to be better known across the nation and even around the world,” Donohue said. “It’s an outstanding institution with a great reputation.”
But with every new job comes new obstacles. After Donohue’s first week at the College, Hurricane Sandy hit. However, this gave him a chance to reflect on his first week as the vice president of college advancement and to begin thinking and planning about how he wants to proceed with the oversight and management of his department. It also gave him the time to get to know the campus better.
In fact, during the week that students had off because of the storm, Donohue ate his meals in Eickhoff and sat with various students in order to get to know them.
“I wanted to hear their story, where they come from,” he said. “By nature, I’m a story-teller. I like to create narratives that really kind of paint a picture for folks because that’s what helps people reach a decision that they want to support an institution. They have to hear a story that compels them.”
In the near future, Donohue plans to reach out to alumni through events and wants to create chapters around the country where College alumni can come together more frequently. He also plans to utilize social media to reach out to younger alumni in particular.
Currently, Donohue is taking the time to meet with each and every member of his staff to get to know them and understand what their skills and inspirations are in order to utilize them to reach the goals of the College.
“I’ve always been a believer that, as a head of a department, my responsibility is to help my staff,” Donohue said.
Donohue believes that alumni can play a crucial role in recruiting prospective students and wants to set up mentoring programs between alumni and current students.
For December, Donohue’s goal is to get in touch with as many alumni as possible and renew their gifts and contributions. His plan is to focus heavily on alumni engagement through major gifts and to work with alumni who have significant means to do impactful things at the College, such as supporting scholarship foundations and supporting faculty in research.
As for now, Donohue is looking forward to the day when he can say that the College has one of the finest advancement programs. He’s also looking forward to the days when the College can announce major gifts and scholarship programs on a daily basis.
“One of my tasks, one of my aspirations is to help build the national image for The College of New Jersey,” Donohue said.
He explained that he’s had a wonderful career thus far, and is excited to start a new chapter of his life here at the College.
“I’m just really pleased to be here,” Donohue said. “And this institution, from what I can see so far, just has fabulous students, a really talented, accomplished faculty and a great future. I can’t think of any place I’d rather be.”
(11/07/12 6:30pm)
Hurricane Sandy, which struck the East Coast on Monday, Oct. 29, has caused approximately 100 deaths, led to hundreds of thousands losing power, and has caused countless damage to homes throughout New Jersey.
Due to the fact that Sandy caused such catastrophic damage, students have begun to ask, “What can I do to help?”
This is exactly where Here for Home comes in. Students at the College feel a strong need to aid all of the New Jersey residents that have been affected by the storm, and the College’s Here for Home campaign is devoted to providing relief efforts for the destruction that Sandy has caused.
“Here for Home is dedicated to relief efforts aiding in the state of New Jersey’s recovery,” said Stephanie Kraver, an AmeriCorps VISTA Fellow for the Bonner Center and a College alumna. “We anticipate that this will be a long process … We plan to assist families and residents of the state until they are back on their feet.”
Here for Home held its first meeting on Thursday, Nov. 1, which was co-led by Patrick Donohue, assistant provost for Community Engaged Learning Programs, and Christina Kopka, president of the Student Government, in order to coordinate the campus-wide campaign. Approximately 45 people, of which the vast majority were students, attended the meeting and were eager to help.
“(Helping) is simply the moral thing to do,” Donohue said. “When others are distressed and need a hand, you reach out to them and help lift them up.”
Currently, students, faculty and staff that are a part of Here for Home are working on various activities to aid in relief efforts.
On Saturday, Nov. 3, approximately 30 students from the College volunteered at Moody Park in Ewing to help officials and residents of the town clean up after the Hurricane.
In addition, Here for Home has started a food and materials drive with drop-off points at the Brower Student Center, Eickoff Hall and the first floor of Holman Hall. Some items that are needed are paper towels, flashlights, diapers and water bottles.
On Monday Nov. 5, students from the College traveled to Point Pleasant to help move supplies to a new location in order to prepare for another storm, this one much less severe than Sandy, that is headingtoward N.J. and N.Y.
The College has also made arrangements to provide housing for approximately 30 to 50 FEMA-AmeriCorps workers who need a base of operations for the next few weeks.
Here for Home is now a campus-wide effort that students and staff have become greatly evolved in.
“It is important to aid in relief efforts because I believe we have a responsibility for one another,” Kraver said. “Our affinities tend to be directed towards those in our immediate communities — usually family and friends. Yet, it is crucial to see ourselves as members of a larger human community, one in which others’ hardships are also our own.”
Alpha Phi Omega also held a blood drive on Monday, Nov. 5 in an effort to help. In fact, one out of every 10 hospital patients needs blood, making donations is critical.
Overall, students and Here for Home feel that helping out in wake of the storm is a necessity.
“We are all part of one community, one state, one country,” Donohue said. “New Jersey will bounce back if we all share our energies and talents.”
(10/24/12 5:53pm)
Spirited students and alumni dressed in blue and gold to celebrate a day of fun and College pride during the 2012 Homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 20.
The parking lots were transformed into a multitude of tents and tailgating cars, all filled with students and alumni excited to show their school spirit and reconnect with old friends.
“I think (Homecoming) is one of the best traditions TCNJ has that really creates a sense of community among students, faculty and alumni,” said Antonino Scarpati, assistant dean of the School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science.
Scarpati did not attend the College. However, he has been at the College for 26 years and feels like an alumnus. He said that the School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science wished to set up a tent at Homecoming to welcome alumni back to the College and connect with current students.
Other tents consisted of organizations such as Best Buddies, WTSR, Student Government, Theater Alumni, Rugby Alumni and many more.
For alumni, Homecoming is one of the best ways to reconnect with the College and familiar faces.
“It’s nice renewing friendships and seeing friends you haven’t seen in a long time,” said alumna Joan Laurie, ’72, a member of Theta Phi Alpha. “It’s fun and a good way to stay in touch with old friends.”
Laurie recalls how she often has to squint to see if she recognizes old classmates, and notes many physical changes to the campus in the past 40 years.
Craig Forshey, ’72, also noted the changes that have been made in the past decades. He explained that the College was a third of the size it is now, the football field was way across campus, and Bliss Hall was a dormitory.
For recent alumni, however, returning to the College is heartening.
“(Coming back) is comforting,” said Nicole Valdez, ’12. “I’m in grad school so it’s nice to come back to a home-like place … It’s a big part of who you are.”
For current students, the day was full of excitement, school spirit and bonding with friends.
“It was a lot more action than I had expected, it was nothing like high school,” said Sarah Brown, freshman psychology major. “But it was a great, first big college experience.”
In addition to food, fun and tailgating, the Lions took on Kean University, but lost by a final score of 34-30.
During halftime, seniors Aaron Creuz and Janika Berridge were named the 2012 Homecoming king and queen.
“(It feels) awesome (to be crowned king),” said Creuz, politcal science major and LDP’s vice president of Retention and Recruitment. “It’s such an honor to represent my team and I’m really glad I could bring that back to our organization.”
Berridge, psychology major, College ambassador and Signal photo assistant, had a similar reaction. She said, “I’m so relieved. I’m so happy and so proud and thankful for everyone who voted for me and believed in me. It feels good. It feels really good.”
Both Creuz and Berridge are excited to represent the College.
“I really love this place,” Creuz said. “I’m gonna give it my all and I’m gonna do my best to exemplify the great things that our school has to offer.”
Berridge believes that the people she’s met at the College have helped her succeed.
“Through my experiences at TCNJ, I’ve come into contact with a lot of different people and these relationships have just allowed me to become really close to the campus,” Berridge said.
(10/16/12 10:28pm)
If there’s one thing that Eickhoff is lacking, it’s good pizza.
So, for this week’s food review, I decided to go to a pizza place that I’ve passed by a couple times in Yardley, Pa.
Even though this tiny pizza place is in Pennsylvania, it’s only about a 10-minute drive from campus and pretty easy to get to.
If you’ve ever been to Yardley, I’m sure you know that it’s an adorable little town. And Yardley Pizza fits right in with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
I wanted to try more than just pizza, so my friends and I decided to order a plain pizza, a chicken cheesesteak and buffalo fries, all to split.
After ordering, we sat there for a little longer than expected, but the wait for the food wasn’t too long. However, they didn’t bring all of the food out at the same time, which was a little annoying.
First, they brought the pizza, which smelled and looked delicious, but the waiter forgot to bring us plates. So, we were forced to sit there awkwardly for about five minutes waiting for plates, which we ended up having to get ourselves.
Once we finally did get to eat the pizza, however, we certainly weren’t disappointed. The crust was perfectly crispy and the pizza wasn’t too greasy, which I always like.
Just when we were almost finished the pizza, our buffalo fries arrived, but I believe the name “hot sauce with a couple of french fries” better suits the dish. The fries were literally swimming in a pool of hot sauce and bleu cheese dressing so it was necessary to eat these drenched fries with a fork.
They were also very hot, so if you’re not a fan of spicy food, stay far away. I thought they were really good though, just a little over-killed with hot sauce.
Finally our chicken cheesesteak arrived, about 15 or 20 minutes after we got the pizza. I’m a big fan of chicken cheesesteaks, so of course I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t say it was anything special — it was definitely a cheesesteak you could get at most other places.
Overall, Yardley Pizza made a pretty good meal. The atmosphere was really cozy and the food was pretty good, even though we didn’t get all the food at the same time. However, I wouldn’t say that it’s worth the drive — there are plenty of great pizza places near the College that have just as good food and are much more convenient. So unless you happen to be in Yardley, I’d stick to your Ewing favorites.
(10/16/12 7:16pm)
Studies have shown that it takes two weeks for a habit to form, and in those two weeks it’s possible to acquire a habit that can better one’s self and the environment.
For the first two weeks of October, students at the College have used the EcoChallenge as a chance to push themselves to adopt a new, healthy habit in order to reduce their impact on the environment.
“The EcoChallenge is a two- week competition that asks you to try one environmentally-friendly habit for fourteen days in the hopes that it will become a permanent positive change,” said Tarika Mahal, sophomore self- designed environmental public health major and site leader of the Bonner Environment Team.
People sign up by promising to change one habit for the planet, such as conserving water, recycling more often, turning lights off when they aren’t in use or using more efficient ways of transportation.
Simple things such as turning off lights, unplugging chargers and not leaving the water running can truly make a huge difference. In fact, leaving the water running wastes five gallons each minute.
EcoChallenge is a competition that began at Oregon’s Northwest Earth Institute and has since spread across the nation. In fact, out of 177 teams across the country, the College is the fifth largest.
The idea to have the EcoChallenge at the College was brought up last month at the President’s Climate Commitment Committee, during which Winnie Fatton explained that Sustainable Jersey is an initiative for N.J. towns to do “green” things, such as conserving water or organizing community clean-ups, all of which give the town points. These points then go toward bragging rights as being the most eco-friendly community.
After hearing about Sustainable Jersey, the Bonner Center decided that it would be a good idea to attempt something similar at the College. There are 35 members on the EcoChallenge team.
“I am by no means a perfect environmentalist,” Mahal said. “I still get coffee in paper cups for meal equiv and forget to turn off the fan in my room. These past two weeks and for the week to come, I have been trying to stop buying plastic water bottles at the café.”
However, when a large group of people works together to make a bunch of small changes, it really can make an impact.
As Mahal said, “Sometimes people feel that by recycling one water bottle or turning off the lights for a few hours are too petty to actually make a difference. But if every one of us did those small changes, it would aggregate to be a major positive force.”
(10/09/12 9:20pm)
After hearing “Come on this retreat, it’s ‘Hunger Games’ themed,” many students may have been a tad hesitant to immediately jump on the bandwagon. After all, the theme of this camping trip is a book/movie where the goal is to be the last alive.
However, this past weekend, 100 students from the College attended Leadership Development Program’s annual Fall Leadership Retreat at Diamond Ridge Campground in Bucks County, Pa.
“The whole point is to bring the students who attend the retreat closer together and help teach them new things about being a leader,” said Ben Levine, sophomore psychology major and member of LDP. “The events, games and workshops definitely accomplished that.”
After arriving at Diamond Ridge, the retreat began with team bonding games and team skits, which were followed by a bonfire and s’mores.
The following day was full of team activities including workshops, outdoor games and the final challenge.
“We wanted fun, interactive workshops that worked with the theme and got people excited,” said Kylie Moore, junior communication studies major. Moore and Julia Nelson, the two FLR committee chairs, had been planning the event since March.
“The stress we went through to plan it was all made worth it once we got to Diamond Ridge and saw that people were already having fun,” Moore said.
However, being a part of LDP is more than just fun, games and s’mores.
“(LDP) is a great opportunity to build confidence, problem solve, and build communication skills in a fun, no-pressure environment surrounded by some of the nicest people I’ve met on campus,” said Kelsey Snedeker, sophomore elementary education and math/science/technology major.
Although LDP consists of fun games and several ice-breaking activities, there is still a clear underlying goal.
“The mission of the Leadership Development Program is to encourage and develop qualities of leadership among our student body in order to help all interested reach their full potential,” said Aaron Creuz, LDP’s vice president of Retention and Recruitment.
A main way they accomplish this is through the use of their facilitators who work with other organizations, including high schools, to present workshops on any area or topic that the organizations feels they need work on, including confidence, time management and transitioning into the organization.
Chris Markulic, president of LDP said, “Every person will have something different that they can get out of LDP, from public speaking and communication to goal setting and résumé building.”
The events at the retreat helped to epitomize what LDP is truly about. Going into the retreat, I knew a total of three people at the event. However, in just a day, I was much closer with my team and really got to know a great group of people.
“Everyone seemed to be having fun and you could tell the difference in people in only 24 hours. Everyone appeared more comfortable in front of others, whether they were teammates or not,” Moore said. “Through skits, bonfire stories and team challenges, people visibly became more comfortable around the other participants. It was evident that everyone came out with a number of new friends.”
Levine echoed that being a part of LDP is a great way to make new friends and try new things. Markulic confirmed LDP’s mission by saying, “We make people comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
As Moore said, “Truthfully, we’re just one big quasi-functional family who loves making fools of ourselves in front of each other.”
(10/09/12 6:16pm)
From undergraduate student to professor at the College, and everything in between, Emily Bent has been an active member of activities and organizations involved with women’s and gender studies.
The ’03 graduate from the College is currently a member of the United Nation’s Working Group on Girls, is finishing up her Ph.D. at the University of Galway in Ireland and is the executive director of Sage Girl. All in addition to teaching women’s and gender studies classes at the College, including an FSP course on WILL, feminist theories and a course which delves into women, culture and society.
Bent is currently preparing for the first annual Day of the Girl, of which she is working with over 40 organizations to put together a virtual summit for Thursday, Oct. 11.
Bent said that she absolutely loved her experience as a student at the College, and that it was the perfect fit for her at the time.
“I tried to be involved with many clubs here on campus, and at the same time really found a home in women’s studies as a student and also found a passion academically and I think that’s really what sparked my professional interest as well,” Bent said. “I think (TCNJ) was the perfect place for me to have gone for that time in my life.”
After arriving at the College, she soon got involved with the Women’s Center and eventually became its president, was a member of the first graduating class of Women in Learning & Leadership, started the Bod Squad and was a part of the Vagina Monologues.
According to Bent, WILL is an alternative women’s leadership program that teaches female students not only how to become leaders, but also how to become activist leaders by working collaboratively in groups for a cause or an issue.
“When I was a student (WILL) was very small and, like I said, my graduating class was just me and one other person. Now there’s a hundred, whereas when I first started it was brand new. I think my true connection with WILL came after I graduated, to a large extent.”
Since receiving her master’s degree in women’s and gender studies at Rutger’s University, Bent has worked for various non-profit organizations, including Sage Girl, Girls Learn International, Working Group on Girls and is currently preparing for the first annual Day of the Girl.
“(Day of the Girl) is essentially a day to both celebrate and honor girls as powerful change agents, but it’s also about recognizing the
unique challenges that they face around the world in various capacities to become those change agents,” Bent said.
She hopes to give girls a space to share their experiences, give one another encouraging messages and to talk about the issues that are important to them.
Bent said that any of the times she gets to hang out with a group of girls is inspiring because she simply finds them fun to hang out with. However, if she had to pick one specific experience that was most inspiring to her, it would be when one girl said to her, “Can you imagine what girls could do if we never had to think about what we looked like?”
“It was so inspiring to me because, one, it was such recognition of the constraints that girls go through in a patriarchal culture, but just this very unique way of saying girls can do these great and amazing things and what would happen if we had no constraints at all?” she said. “You know, how cool would the world look then? I hold on to that particular statement.”
Other than teaching at the College, all work that Bent has been a part of has been non-profit. She genuinely cares about what she’s doing. “Take risks and try something new. Take on challenges. Anytime I get the chance to travel I take it in a second,” Bent said. “You can do something unique or take a different career path and change your mind. I think there’s just so much out there to engage in. Take risks, just take a chance on something.”
Once Day of the Girl is over and once she’s officially become Dr. Bent, she’s excited to simply see what’s next. She’s excited to read some fiction novels, hang out with her friends again and simply see where life takes her.
(10/02/12 10:03pm)
It’s safe to say that, six weeks into the fall semester, I’m officially sick of Eickhoff. So, in an attempt to escape yet another meal of mediocre quality, I decided to venture off campus to try something new.
Rather than going to a chain restaurant that I’ve gone to a thousand times, I went to a place that’s much smaller and much less-known, but was definitely one of the best meals I’ve had in a while.
Just a 10-minute drive from campus, Candela Restaurant and Pizzeria is an adorable, family-owned Italian restaurant that serves a great variety of authentic Italian cuisine.
For my main course, I decided to order the classic spaghetti and meatballs with meat sauce. I know it’s not the most exciting meal in the world, but it was a pretty darn good meal.
Every meal at Candela comes with complimentary bread and garlic knots. Now, these garlic knots aren’t just any old pieces of garlic bread. They’re the most delicious pieces of garlic bread I’ve ever had. It’s worth going to Candela’s for the sole reason of trying these delectable garlic knots. Seriously, I had six of them.
By the time my meal came, I was sort of full from all the garlic bread (completely my own fault) and I was not nearly hungry enough to finish the extremely large portion that was placed in front of me, but the portion I did have was very good.
The meatballs were cooked nearly perfectly, not too dry but not too moist, and were the perfect size. The pasta also came with the perfect amount of sauce, which, to me, isn’t very common at many Italian restaurants.
Since I only ate about half of the meal, I took the pasta that I didn’t eat home for the next day. In fact, it was enough for an entire other meal and it also tasted almost as good reheated as it did the night before.
Even though I was full, no meal is complete without dessert, so I decided to split a warm fudge brownie with my friend. Although it was a little dry, it was still a really good brownie and a great end to a great meal.
In addition to fantastic food, Candela has such a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The dining area is about the size of an average living room and the walls are covered with flowered wallpaper, great for a cozy dinner.
Overall, Candela was a great experience. The food was impressive, the atmosphere was inviting and the portions were very large — the perfect combination for a fantastic meal.
If you don’t have a car on campus to make it to Candela, don’t worry. You can order online and enjoy the food in the comfort of your own home.
(09/25/12 10:46pm)
At the College, a typical class lasts either one hour and 20 minutes twice a week or two hours and 50 minutes once a week. However, some classes in the art department can last up to eight hours.
Starting this school year, each credit that a class offers corresponds to two hours worth of class time for art students. Therefore, a class that is worth four credits must have eight hours’ worth of class time per week.
“The reason for art classes being extended from four hours to eight hours total was that the school’s art program wanted to compete with other art schools that had higher credentials,” said sophomore digital arts major Ben Schuckman. “To get higher credentials they had to increase the amount of in class time for art classes.”
Typically, Schuckman’s classes last three to eight hours and are usually broken up into different types of work, lectures, demos, videos and in-class studio time or other free time to use the labs and equipment.
Each class usually begins with a critique of the work that was due for that week, followed by a lecture on the next assignment. Afterward, time is allotted for students to independently work on assignments, which often leads to loss of concentration.
Students frequently feel that classes are dragged out just to make them a full six hours long.
“I do find myself losing concentration easily after a few hours of class, which affects the information that I retain from class and definitely does not make the class enjoyable,” said sophomore graphic design major Jeremy Nevitt. “By losing concentration in the six hour classes and only doing independent work for most of the class I feel like the classes can be shorter while still attaining the necessary critique and lecture on the next assignment.”
John Laughton, dean of the School of Arts and Communication explained that the studio classes are mentor-based; therefore, they’re longer and demonstrate close teacher-student relationships.
He said, “Instantaneous feedback allows for correction and feedback and therefore allows students to adapt more quickly for development and fixation.”
Although long classes can drag on at times, students are still eager to pursue careers in art.
Schuckman said, “I like the hands-on aspect of the work that I do. Less studying and writing, more creative and hands-on projects. Digital media is my specialty, I love working on the computer and using creative software, cause once I get started on a project I could work for hours on end making sure that it’s perfect.”
(08/24/12 5:06pm)
Leaving home for your freshman year of college can be really scary, especially when you’re unsure of what exactly to expect.
Thoughts rushing through your head may be “How am I going to meet new people?” or “What if I don’t fit in?”
And that’s exactly where Welcome Week fits in.
Not only is it really fun and jam-packed with activities like karaoke, get-to-know-you-games and the one and only Play Fair, but it’s also the time when you’ll meet your best friends for the next four years and longer.
“During your first few days of college, you can’t be afraid to open up to new people,” said sophomore economics major Matthew Scapardine. “It may be a little hard at first, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run.”
There’s no question that everyone’s least favorite part of Welcome Week is getting woken up at 7 a.m. every morning just for breakfast, but the rest of the day is so much fun. Completely exhausting, but definitely worth it.
Welcome Week is also a great opportunity to find out about what The College, besides academics, has to offer. If you’re interested in joining a club, getting involved in a fraternity or sorority, or studying abroad, Welcome Week offers great info sessions to give you all the details.
For most people, Play Fair is the most exciting part of Welcome Week and also the most anticipated because no one knows exactly what to expect. Basically, Play Fair involves the entire freshman class, and some would describe it as speed dating for friends and it’s definitely a ton of fun!
Although the thought of leaving your family and all your high school friends still might be a little nerve-wracking, one thing an incoming freshman has to know is that, once you’re past all the awkward conversations that consist of “Where are you from?” “What’s your major?” and “What kind of extra-curricular activities do you do?” you will have met so many of your new best friends.
However, Welcome Week can feel a little like summer camp, and some people may not enjoy it as much as others.
Sophomore biology major Justin Shaffer said, “I didn’t really enjoy Welcome Week all that much. It was a little awkward and at times a little boring. But once you get past all that, you really get to know a bunch of great people.”
For most though, Welcome Week makes the transition into college so much easier and less stressful.
“Welcome Week made me go from dreading college to embracing it. It was the ultimate bonding experience with my floor during the hurricane and with the rest of my class during Play Fair,” said sophomore history and special education major Diane Iannacone. “I wish I could come back for it every year.”
(04/28/12 11:38pm)
While most students will be spending this summer on the beach, working or taking classes at community college, nine students will be venturing to Tanzania for a five-week, faculty-led study abroad program.
On top of studying gender and development, students will be attending cultural events and performances, visiting cultural sites, taking cooking lessons and attending workshops, lectures and tours.
Throughout the trip, students will be staying in various places. From Kilimanjaro, to Zanzibar and Mikumi, they won’t be in one location for more than 10 days.
“Each location is very different in terms of languages and ethnic groups, food, art, culture and religion,” said Marla Jaksch, women’s and gender studies professor and faculty leader of this study abroad program.
Students will also be documenting women’s roles in the Tanzanian liberation movement and will be creating an online, interactive museum.
“I’ve done minimal traveling outside of the country and felt this was on opportunity to view the world from a different lens, to apply the critical thinking skills I’ve accumulated throughout college, and to broaden my understanding of the world,” said junior psychology and women’s and gender studies double major Alyssa Fountain.
Students will be working with many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Tanzania, according to junior women’s and gender studies major Shannon Grooms.
“I am most excited about the opportunity to experience Tanzanian culture and to meet new people,” Grooms said. “I’m also extremely excited to learn about the organizations we will be working for because I want to do NGO work upon graduation.”
Jaksch has been leading experimental trips to Tanzania since 2006 and she displays a passion for the culture. In fact, she travels there with her Tanzanian husband about twice a year.
“To be honest, my interest was in Rwanda initially but after taking Jaksch’s WGS 200 course, I was infected by her passion for Tanzania,” Grooms said.
In addition to studying and experiencing Tanzanian culture, many of the students are participating in this trip to either confirm or determine what academic route they’ll take in the future.
Fountain stated that she’s interested in pursuing higher degrees in public health, focusing specifically on maternal health. Grooms, on the other hand, is interested in joining the Peace Corps after graduation. For both students, however, the trip will determine whether or not they are on the right track for the future.
Yet they’re most excited to experience a drastically different culture first hand.
“My main reason for going is to be a student, to learn with an open mind and to expand my world view,” Fountain said. “I think I’ve learned enough about Western culture and history. It’s time for me to learn more about the parts of the world that have been essentially forgotten in my textbooks.”
(04/10/12 7:21pm)
False eyelashes, high heels and lipstick filled the Brower Student Center on Thursday, April 5, for the annual charity Drag Show, held by Prism and Travers Hall Staff.
In addition to individual acts from Prism’s general membership, multiple Greek organizations such as Phi Sigma Sigma, Delta Lambda Phi, Delta Phi Epsilon and Sigma Sigma Sigma also participated in the event, along with others like the Residence Hall Association.
After each performance, donations were collected from the audience, with all proceeds benefitting The Triad House, a residential program for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning) teens who are the victims of homelessness, abuse and neglect. The total amount came to be around 750 dollars.
“(The Triad House) is the only group home of its kind in N.J., and one of only three in the nation,” said host Rosetta Stone, performed by Taylor Enoch, junior cognitive science major.
In addition to providing a safe haven, The Triad House offers group, family and individual therapy, as well as tutoring and community service opportunities for its residents, said the two co-directors of the Drag Show, sophomore communication studies major Alison Ball and junior biology major Billy Cavallo.
“Some studies show that up to 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ,” said Stone, explaining to the audience why donations were imperative.
However, the night was more than just a charity event. Each performance received great enthusiasm from the crowd as well.
“‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ absolutely rocked it,” said freshman english major Neepam Shah, referring to three female students who performed as My Chemical Romance. “I feel like their song really related to the message. It was awesome.”
Other performances included dances to songs by Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and more.
Stone described the night as “full of fierce, fun, fabulousness.”
Beyond raising funds for The Triad House and acting as a form of obvious entertainment, Prism and Travers Staff also used this event as an opportunity to educate the audience, Ball and Cavallo said.
In between each performance, Stone gave information on Drag culture and the LGTBQ community, including information about The Triad House as well as information on the multiple types of Drag.
“It was definitely a success,” Shah said. “I saw people at this event who don’t usually come out to LGBTQ-related events, and it was great to see the support from the campus.”
The event ended with dancing both on and off the stage.
“It’s amazing to see people taking pride in who they are,” said freshman history and secondary education major Danny Kaplan. “You can’t help but smile.”