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(02/06/19 5:30pm)
By Garrett Cecere
Managing Editor
Mayo Concert Hall was only briefly quiet on a cold Saturday morning before the sounds of saxophones gradually filled the building and performers eagerly warmed up for the music department’s saxophone summit. Whether they were young players or alumni from decades ago, every performer shared a common joy and love of music.
The event, held on Feb. 2, was the College’s second annual summit after the music program celebrated its 100th anniversary last year.
Kathy Mitchell, an adjunct music professor at the College, conducted the rehearsals, the master class and the final performance of the day in order to ensure the players were prepared for their performances.
“What we did this year was we opened it up to all ages and skill levels,” Mitchell said. “(We wanted) to provide an atmosphere where people were going to be excited about performing … but I think most of all, it was important to me to play really good music … and have quality music for a quality event.”
Music has been a major influence in Mitchell’s life and she has family members who are musicians as well. She heard her first classical saxophone piece in middle school and has since aspired to pass the same knowledge and talent that she gained from her own music teachers down to her students.
“I think the thing to note is that I had really amazing teachers, and I think that’s why I went into teaching”, Mitchell said. “But I really love performing, so that duality really works for me.”
Some of the performers included students and alumni of the College. Others were local high school students and some were middle school students.
The saxophones sounded like many different instruments playing together due to the variations in pitch. Some of the instruments, such as the soprano saxophones, were small, while others were nearly as tall as the players who held them.
During the summit’s master class session, Mitchell invited people to the stage to play songs of their choice while she gave them feedback on every aspect of their performance, from posture to breathing.
Mitchell also performed with several alumni, who were exhilarated to come back to the College for another performance.
Jason Verblaauw (’16), Michael Bareieri (’16) and Eddie Easse (’16) have enjoyed reuniting to play together after their graduation.
“We’ve been coming back for rehearsals since the summer,” Bareieri said. “Every other week in the summer, we’ll come down, use the building and practice.”
The trio played frequently while they were students at the College and the summit was another opportunity for a reunion.
“I absolutely loved it,” said Verblaauw. “The thing I really missed after graduating was playing in a quartet, especially with (Bareieri, Easse and Mitchell).”
Verblaauw is also a music teacher for the West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District. Some of his students were also performing at the event. Their attendance allowed them to showcase their talent and learn from the experienced players around them.
“They’re having a blast,” Verblaauw said.
During the finale recital, the students played a variety of songs, which ranged from Beethoven’s classic “Ode to Joy” to the modern composition, “Reflection for Saxophone Choir,” by alumnus John Bachalis (’68), who was the first saxophone major at the College.
“I majored on clarinet for two years, and then it really took me that long to persuade the woodwind teachers in the music department to allow me to major on saxophone,” Bachalis said.
Bachalis wrote “Reflection for Saxophone Choir” for the first saxophone summit last year, where seven players performed the piece. This year, there were 36.
“When I wrote (the piece), I wanted people to think how pretty the sax was,” Bachalis said. “A lot of the newer music is pretty far out, and I wanted something very accessible for an average audience.”
Bachalis went on to explain the origin of the composition and how he hoped the melodies throughout the piece would convey aspects of building a college such as planning, hiring and assembling many people to work and build relationships.
“In my head, I was thinking about the College,” he said. “I was thinking about the birth of an idea for an educational institution in the introduction.”
Bachalis played the accordion as a teenager before taking up the saxophone so he could play in the school band. Similar to Mitchell, he cited his teachers as major influences for him to devote his career to music and pass his knowledge on to future generations of musicians.
Mitchell acknowledged Bachalis before the final performance and gave him credit for convincing his professor and the dean many years ago that there should be a saxophone major.
“Somebody always has to go first,” Bachalis said while the crowd applauded.
As the players performed Bachalis’s piece, the final note faded out into a culmination of all that Bachalis hoped to achieve in composing for the summit.
“In the last part (of the composition), it’s sort of a sentimental look at all the good things that were accomplished over the years, the friendships that were formed, the encouragement for people to pursue more and more education, the good that those people did going out and teaching new generations,” Bachalis said.
As the final applause echoed through the hall, Mitchell was proud and thankful for the outcome and the work that all performers had poured into the summit.
“It was so awesome,” Mitchell said. “People just love it. It’s a blast.”
Mitchell also noted that she especially enjoyed how the younger performers realized that they could play the more challenging music.
Regardless of the performers’ ages, experience or musical background, each used music to come together, showcase their various musical talents and reunite with old friends.
(02/05/19 7:41pm)
By Garrett Cecere
Managing Editor
I’ve spent a lot of my life focusing on either the past or the future, but not much about the present.
When I was a freshman in high school and my parents told me that we would be moving from Connecticut to New Jersey the following summer, I didn’t know what to think. As a matter of fact, the move was all I could think about.
What would my new town be like? What about my school? What about the friends I’ve grown up with? All these questions inundated my mind for several months.
Yet, when a moment came up that I enjoyed, I found myself laughing briefly before realizing again that I would move soon, which made me unhappy. I realize now that my flaw was that I had been thinking too much about what had already happened or things that might happen, but not about the present moment.
I think a lot of people have similar thoughts. “I wish I could go back and live that moment again.” “Oh no, what’s it going to be like five or 10 years down the road?” “If only I could go back and do this thing differently.”
We need to enjoy our opportunities and moments as they come up. Especially the little things.
In one of my favorite comedies, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” Ferris reminds us at the beginning and at the end of the film -- “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” I see it as an interesting metaphor that the movie is kind of like a fun little moment in our lives that we would regret missing. We’re reminded that we should enjoy the moment and be glad it happened, instead of dwelling on it.
It’s important not to dwell on the past or worry about the future because then we can enjoy the new people we meet and the experiences we have. I’ve tried to do that at my jobs, my community college and here at the College. What I’ve learned is that there are always going to be new moments to enjoy and we have to pass through them one step at a time.
As one of The Signal’s new managing editors, I’ve learned that production night is stressful, but I can’t dwell on the fact that we have 14 of them or that we might have to pull an all-nighter. I just have to focus on each one as it happens and enjoy all the fun moments that come along with it.
Keep your eyes open for those little moments you enjoy so much. You never know when you’ll see them.
(12/04/18 5:38pm)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
The Student Finance Board fully funded two clubs and elected a new member on Nov. 28.
The TCNJ Asian American Association received $11,273 to host Steven Lim from Buzzfeed’s “Worth It” section.
According to the club’s proposal, Lim will be engaging the campus in a conversation on Asian-American identity and representation.
“Steven has given some of these talks at other colleges and universities,” said Ranen Liu, a junior computer engineering major and president of the AAA.
The club has held similar events in the past, including a presentation in 2014 by Dante Basco, a voice actor from “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
Co-sponsors of the event include the Japanese Student Association and Korean Student Association, who will help with publicity.
The date, time and location of the event are to be determined. Expenses will go toward the speaker’s fee, travel and lodging, technology staff, police/security and hospitality for the speaker.
Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc., was funded $553 to hold its annual winter retreat in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, near Camelback Mountain.
The three-day retreat will consist of bonding and planning for activities in the upcoming semester. This will be the first time the sorority has held a winter retreat off-campus.
The trip will be from Jan. 14 to 16. SFB will cover lodging expenses.
At the end of the meeting, SFB elected Rishi Konkesa, a sophomore economics major also in the seven-year medical program, to be its new representative at-large after the previous representative resigned. The representative at-large serves as an liaison for student organizations and votes during SFB’s general body meetings.
(11/26/18 11:27pm)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
Four organizations were fully funded at the Student Finance Board Meeting on Nov. 14.
The Student Film Union was funded $15,000 for the Campus MovieFest fees. The festival allows student filmmakers to showcase their creative works. The top 16 student films are shown at the finale and the top four teams qualify to compete at Terminus, the national competition in Atlanta.
“We have won awards for the past five years,” said Tyler Law, a senior communication studies major and president of the Student Film Union.
Teams from the College have won for special effects at the national contest for four consecutive years from 2014 to 2017, while Law’s team won the national award for best comedy this past year.
The festival is scheduled to be held during the spring semester and will run from March 27 to April 2. The finale will take place on April 11 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 100.
PRISM received $2,500 to have speaker Scott Fried come and discuss his experience being HIV-positive. Ink will serve as a co-sponsor and will help with ushering and publicity.
According to PRISM’s proposal to SFB, Fried will be touching upon the stigma that people with HIV face both in society as a whole and even within LGBTQ+ communities.
The event will be held on Thursday Nov. 29 from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Physics Building Room 101.
The TCNJ Anthropology Society was funded $1,707.20 for its trip to the Mütter Museum and Penn Museum located in Philadelphia.
The Mütter Museum houses a wide collection of human remains that are directly relatable to the study and practice of physical anthropology and osteology, according to the club’s proposal.
The trip will take place on Saturday Dec. 1 from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. SFB will cover expenses for the bus quote and the tip.
The Haitian Student Association received $553 for its event, Caribbean Game Night.
Food from Caribbean cultures will be served at the annual event, which is intended to be a relaxing night for students before they have to take final exams.
Three organizations will be co-sponsoring the game night — the Black Student Union will help with games, advertising and clean up, Union Latina will contribute with games and set up and the Association of Students For Africa will assist with advertising and encouraging members to come to the event.
The event will be held on Dec. 6 from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 222. SFB will cover expenses for Haitian food, Jamaican food, drinks, plates, utensils and food warmers.
(11/12/18 11:47pm)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
One organization was zero funded and two organizations were fully funded at the Student Finance Board Meeting on Nov. 7.
The Association for Computing Machinery, which presented for its event, HackTCNJ 2019, was zero funded for promoting its event before it presented it to SFB.
HackTCNJ, also known as “the hackathon,” is an annual competition where students of design and technology fields gather for a programming competition.
“You can’t advertise before you receive SAF funds,” said Ryan Kirschner, a management major and sophomore representative and programming assistant for SFB.
Kirschner also explained that ACM has the option to go before the three-person appeals board and plead why the organization feels SFB should have funded its event, as outlined by the SFB student organization manual.
TCNJ Musical Theatre received $1,512 for house management and ushers as part of its production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” which was funded at a previous meeting.
“This was a separate charge that we did not take into consideration,” said Alex Hanneman, a junior chemistry major and treasurer of TMT. “These are all students that do house management and ushering.”
Lion’s Eye was funded $2,000 for 350 copies of the fall edition for the campus’ literary magazine.
Lion’s Eye is published biannually and accepts poetry, photography, art and short stories for submissions.
The magazine hopes to promote campus unity, showcase student work and demonstrate student creativity and achievement, according to the proposal.
SFB will fully fund $321.25 for TCNJ Trentones’ uniforms.
All College Theatre was fully funded $375 for the rights and royalties for its spring production of “She Kills Monsters.”
(11/06/18 4:10am)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
Seven organizations were fully funded at the Student Finance Board meeting on Oct. 31.
The College’s Pan-Hellenic Council was fully funded $440 to cover its national dues.
Alpha Kappa Psi received $500 to host motivational speaker Bryan Falchuk, who will discuss the concepts presented in his new book, “Do a Day: How to Live a Better Life Every Day.”
“(Falchuk) is talking about something you can use everyday, something everyone can benefit from,” said Jash Patel, a junior economics major and vice president of finance for Alpha Kappa Psi.
The event will be held on Nov. 28 from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Business Building Lounge. SFB will cover expenses for the speaker’s transportation fee.
Sigma Lambda Gamma was fully funded $215 for its event, “A Taste of Diversity.”
According to the organization’s proposal, the event will educate students about the Mid-Autumn Festival, which is celebrated in Chinese culture. Food dishes such as mooncakes will be served.
The event will be co-sponsored by Barkada, the Asian American Association and the Chinese Student Association for attendance and advertising purposes.
It is scheduled to take place on Nov. 19 from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 225. SFB will cover expenses for mooncakes, watermelon, egg fried rice and Cantonese roast chicken.
The Class of 2019 received $1,500 for its senior cooking classes.
The classes will be facilitated by chefs who will help students learn how to cook for themselves when they live on their own.
“As (students) move into the real world...they can learn about the basics of cooking from a real chef,” said Dominic Clark, a senior management major and president of the Class of 2019.
The cooking class sessions will be held on three days. On Nov. 16 and Nov. 30 the classes will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. On Nov. 17 there will be two classes, the first from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and second from 2 to 4 p.m.
Colleges Against Cancer received $622.42 for its event, the Great TCNJ Smoke Out, during which the organization hopes to raise awareness for the effects of lung cancer.
At the event, students will be able to pledge not to smoke by signing slips, which will then be hung on a sheet on Green Lawn. The organization will serve free hamburgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers.
The event will take place on Nov. 16 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Green Lawn wall next to the Student Center. SFB will cover expenses for food, condiments, plates, aluminum foil, a bed sheet, safety pins, caution tape, a fire permit, fire extinguisher, sternos, propane tank refill, a curling ribbon and a helium tank.
The Association of Students For Africa received $842 for its social event, Aje, a celebration of African culture with food, dancing and music.
“We’re going to have music playing throughout,” said Tiffany Thimba, a senior sociology major and president of ASFA.
The event will be held on Nov. 30 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Student Center Room 225. SFB will cover expenses for decorations, a DJ and food.
Chabad and Hillel received $2,950 for their Hanukkah party, which will take place on Dec. 4 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Education Building Room 212.
The clubs stated in their proposal that they hope to bring the campus community together to celebrate and learn about Hanukkah.
Alpha Epsilon Pi will co-sponsor the event for public relations purposes.
SFB will cover expenses for food, drinks, a sign, balloons, an inflatable dreidel, paint, menorahs, dreidels, paper goods and a hypnotist performer.
(10/30/18 3:39pm)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
Upon hearing that there was going to be a film about Neil Armstrong, I was a bit surprised when I realized there haven’t been any movies about him that I had heard of before.
Director Damien Chazelle takes a distinct approach with “First Man” by giving us a look at not just the story of NASA’s accomplishment, but by also telling the story of Armstrong’s life throughout the 1960s and the personal struggles he faces, which culminate in the mission that completed the goal set by the U.S. in the beginning of the decade.
The film starts out with a somber tone, as it presents a different side of Armstrong’s life that I never even knew about. In the beginning, Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) and his family are coping with their young daughter’s cancer diagnosis. When you see the struggle behind Armstrong’s motivation to accomplish such a life-changing mission, you feel more of a connection to the man behind the spacesuit.
Gosling gives a very subdued portrayal of Armstrong, remaining quiet and humble many of his scenes. Claire Foy is also very convincing as Armstrong’s wife, Janet. Foy manages to convey the fear of not knowing if she would see her husband again all while having to continue to raise her family.
The best aspect of the film, by far, is the moon mission itself. The film needed to deliver a convincing takeoff and moon landing, and the special effects do not disappoint. When you see the launch sequence you feel like you’re on a roller coaster. The camera is shaking, the sound is loud and you’re stiff in your seat.
The film excels on a technical level. I loved how it gets so loud when the rocket is launched and then falls dead silent when they’re on the moon, which captures the authenticity of the vacuum of space.
Justin Hurwitz, who composed the incredible score for “La La Land,” unites with Chazelle once again to give viewers great music. At various points throughout the score, you can hear the sadness, thrill and sense of awe during each scene.
“First Man” takes an interesting and emotional look at Armstrong’s personal and professional life, and delivers a captivating depiction of one of our country’s proudest moments in history.
(10/30/18 4:37am)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
Seven organizations were fully funded for their events at the Student Finance Board meeting on Oct. 24.
The TCNJ Treblemakers were fully funded $409 for their winter a cappella concert, which will be held on Dec. 2 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Mayo Concert Hall.
The organization will collaborate with Profecy A Cappella, Rowan University’s all-male a cappella group, which will open the concert and serve as a co-sponsor.
Shayla Nolan, a junior art education major and president of the Treblemakers, explained that Profecy A Capella will open for the Treblemakers at the event, and then both groups will sing songs together.
SFB will cover expenses for student technicians and ushers, a house manager and expendable supplies such as decorations.
Chi Upsilon Sigma received $8,728.51 for its conference titled “This is America — Uncensored.”
The organization explained in the event’s proposal that Chi Epsilon Sigma will dispel the belief that the U.S. is the No. 1 world power. The conference is part of the organization’s Making Achievement Continuous Conference.
The conference will be held on Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Education Building. The Unified Greek Council, Education Opportunity Fund and Pride Mentoring Program will be co-sponsoring the conference.
SFB will cover expenses for the keynote speaker, folders, centerpieces and catering from Sodexo and New York Bagel.
TCNJ Musical Theatre received a total of $10,270 for its fall and spring shows. SFB will cover $4,900 in expenses for the microphone equipment for TMT’s production of “Little Shop of Horrors,” which was not included in its previous proposal to SFB.
SFB will also cover $5,370 in expenses for the rights and royalties to the spring show, “Into the Woods.”
“‘Into the Woods’ will be our biggest performance that we have done here at the College,” said Alex Hanneman, a junior chemistry major and treasurer of TMT.
The spring show will be performed on March 27, 2019 from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in Kendall Hall Mainstage Theater.
The Asian American Association was funded $4,210.80 for its multicultural buffet, which will be held on Nov. 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 100.
According to the club’s proposal, the buffet will showcase food from various Asian cultures such as China, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and India.
Pan-Asian Alliance and Indian Student Association will serve as co-sponsors and will contribute food. Performers will include TCNJ Dragonflies, traditional Binasuan dancers and yo-yoers.
SFB will cover expenses for a banner, multicultural food and various other items such as drinks, cups, utensils, condiments, tablecloths, ice, tea bags, chafing fuel, trays and aluminum foil.
The Chinese Student Association received $1,188.44 for its event, Teahouse Chaguan. The Pan-Asian Alliance will co-sponsor the event by helping with publicity and setting up the event.
“Teahouse has been running since 2014, so we’ve had a lot of success with it,” said Andus Chan, a sophomore finance major and treasurer of the Chinese Student Association. “We are seeing that more freshmen are interested in our club and what we have to offer.”
The event will take place on Nov. 17 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Travers and Wolfe lounge. SFB will cover expenses for food, decorations, utensils, wristbands, polaroid film, tablecloths, playcards, ribbons, gold tinsel backdrop, markers, napkins, utility hooks, magnets and clothespins.
Health Occupation Students of America: Future Health Professionals was funded $500 for its CPR certification class, which will take place on Nov. 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Trenton Hall Room 19.
According to HOSA’s proposal, the goal of the class is to provide CPR and automated external defibrillator training to any interested students at a reduced cost.
The School of Nursing, Health and Exercise Science will co-sponsor the class, which be led by Tracy Perron, a professor of nursing at the College.
The College’s Spanish club received $1,369.50 for its bus trip to New York City on Nov. 17.
According to the club’s proposal, students on the trip will have an opportunity to visit the Museum of Modern Art, as well as El Museo del Barrio, which will expose them to Hispanic culture and art.
(10/23/18 4:54am)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
Seven organizations were fully funded and two were partially funded at the Student Finance Board meeting on Oct. 10.
TCNJ Students for Life was fully funded $2,070 for its event, Lies Pro-Choice Politicians Tell, at which Kristan Hawkins, president of the Students for Life of America, will be speaking about the pro-life movement.
TCNJ Students For Life expressed in its proposal how the College has not recently hosted pro-life speaker on campus, and this event will allow people who are pro-life to feel more represented, as well as give pro-choice people a chance to hear a new perspective.
The event will take place on Nov. 7 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Kendall Hall. SFB will be covering expenses such as student technicians, student ushers, expendable supplies, Campus Police, a student house manager, Hawkin’s speaking fee, note cards and pens.
Barkada was fully funded $4,440.55 for Barangay 2018.
The event will be co-sponsored by the Association of Students for Africa, Sigma Lambda Beta and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for purposes including set-up, clean-up, service and publicity.
The event provides Filipino-American students an outlet to join together and celebrate their culture, according to the proposal.
SFB will be covering expenses for the performers, Project D and aReJay Ella, a banner, sound technicians, attendance bracelets, tablecloths, decorations, balloons, helium tanks, cups, plates, napkins, utensils, food and beverages.
The event will be held on Nov. 10 from 7:30-11 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 100.
TCNJ Musical Theatre was partially funded $17,922.50 for its production of Little Shop of Horrors. The first time the organization put on the production was in 2008, when it began holding fall shows.
“We’ve had this event for the past 10 years,” said Alex Hanneman, a junior chemistry major and treasurer of TMT.
SFB will cover expenses for the set, technical design materials, costumes, sound, lights, rentals for instruments and an accompanist, hair and makeup, stage management, programs, props and Kendall staff charges.
The show is scheduled to take place on Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Don Evans Black Box Theater.
The Student New Jersey Education Association was fully funded $2,838 for bus trips to the New Jersey Education Association Convention at the Atlantic City Convention Center on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9. SFB will cover expenses for the fee for the two buses.
The trip will be co-sponsored by the School of Education, the Kappa Delta Pi education honor society and Friendship and Unity for Special Education.
More than 300 workshops, seminars and programs will be offered to the students at the convention center.
“It’s the New Jersey union for teachers,” said Shelly Rasnitsyn, a junior special education and iSTEM double major and treasurer of the Student New Jersey Education Association. “You’re there with actual teachers and principals and counselors.”
Student Government was fully funded $4,705 for Homecoming Spirit Week expenses that were previously tabled on Oct. 3.
The expenses include a photo booth, an electrician and additional lighting and sound for the Lip Sync and Dance.
The photo booth at the T-Shirt Giveaway will serve as another way to promote school spirit and allow students to have something that will help them remember the week and the good time they had with friends, according to SG’s proposal.
Hillel was partially funded $4,200 for its Shabbat and Havdalah Experience.
The organization will educate the campus community about Judaism by having all members come and experience Shabbat and Havdalah, including learning about what the Torah teaches, according to the club’s proposal.
SFB will cover expenses for food. The dinner was held on Oct. 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and was co-sponsored by Chabad for public relations purposes. Shabbat was held in the Spiritual Center, and Havdalah will be held was New Residence Hall lounge.
New Jersey Christian Fellowship was fully fund $466.56 for its Cultural Coffeehouse event.
Sophomore public health major Diana Da Silva commented on how using music, artwork and poetry at the event relates to the club’s mission of inclusion.
“In terms of a coffeehouse, there are so many ways we can show love,” she said.
Three organizations will serve as co-sponsors: SG’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee will help with setup and performances, and the Black Student Union and Gospel United Ministries will assist with performances.
The event will take place on Nov. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the Brower Student Center. SFB will cover expenses for beverages, cookies, a brownie platter, string lights, a banner, a party kit, paper plates and napkins.
The College Union Board and PRISM were fully funded $6,552.50 for their celebrity drag show, which is scheduled to take place on Nov. 26 in the Brower Student Center Room 100.
CUB will book the venues and contact production and security, while PRISM will find and work with the talent. Both clubs will provide staffing. SFB will cover expenses toward production, security and police.
BSU was fully funded $930.31 for its Thanksgiving Remix, which will be held on Nov. 9 from 7:30-10:30 p.m. in the Decker Social Space.
The event will be co-sponsored by Union Latina, the Association of Students for Africa and the College’s NAACP student chapter for food, academic presentations and advertising.
“We plan on advertising through social media. A lot of it is also just advertising through word of mouth,” said Anisa Douglas, a junior elementary and early childhood education and psychology double major and treasurer of the Black Student Union.
SFB will cover expenses for food, beverages, tablecloths, plates, utensils, napkins and chafing fuel.
(10/09/18 2:16am)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
Student Government’s Homecoming Spirit Week was partially funded during the Student Finance Board Meeting on Oct. 3.
SG was partially funded $783.32 for its Homecoming Spirit Week events, which will run from Oct. 22 to Oct. 27.
SG will be holding events throughout the week such as a flash mob, trivia game, T-shirt giveaway, Canoe Battleship, lip sync and dance and Tie Dye Recreate Your Night.
“We’re doing a flash mob,” said Taylor Mislan, a senior marketing major and vice president of student services for Student Government. “We’re going to have students wear their best TCNJ apparel.”
SFB will cover expenses for sound equipment during the trivia games and lip sync dance, tie dye supply, a Gobo projector for the flash mob and snacks for the Brower Student Center, where the flash mob will take place.
There will be two co-sponsors for Homecoming Spirit Week — the Office of Student Involvement will help with trivia, and the Department of Recreation and Wellness will assist with the Recreate Your Night event.
The sophomore class council was fully funded $10,050 for its Moonlight Cruise. The event will be on Oct. 20 from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 401 S. Columbus Blvd. in Philadelphia.
“It’s a moonlight cruise, so when you’re out there you can watch the stars and it kind of adds to the atmosphere,” said Thomas Astarita, a sophomore open options business major and president of the sophomore class council.
SFB will cover expenses for the cruise, security, additional fees, taxes and transportation.
The Class of 2020 was fully funded $9,525 for its Moonlight Cruise. Justin Lewbel, a junior history and secondary education dual major, explained that trips such as the Moonlight Cruise have proven to be popular among students.
“We had a lot of people who asked us to do this again,” Lewbel said.
The event will take place on Oct. 19 at the same location as the cruise for the sophomore class. SFB will cover expenses for the cruise, fees, taxes, security and transportation. According to Lewbel, buses will depart at 10 p.m. and return to campus at 3 a.m.
The All College Theatre was partially funded $4,575 for its interactive dinner theater event.
The event will encourage audience participation and feature outside catering and acting opportunities for all who audition, according to the club’s proposal.
The dinner and show are set to take place on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3 from 7 to 10:30 p.m. in Decker Social Space.
“Bringing that tradition here makes (the dinner theater) more accessible to students,” said Sam Franz, a senior communication studies and English double major and president of ACT.
SFB will cover expenses for catering, props, costumes and hair and makeup.
The Chinese Student Association was fully funded $1,115.42 for its bus trip to the Museum of Chinese in America in New York City.
According to the club’s proposal, the trip will have significant educational value since it will enrich students with knowledge about Chinese history and culture in America throughout different eras.
“This trip opens up a different learning experience,” said Andus Chan, a sophomore finance major and treasurer of the Chinese Student Association.
The trip will be on Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. SFB will cover expenses for transportation.
Three clubs were fully funded for their events at the Student Finance Board meeting on Sept. 26.
The Sophomore Class Council was funded $490 for its movie night. The event is expected to take place on Nov. 6.
Deaf Hearing Connection received $3,050 for its deaf performance and pizza night on Oct. 18 from 8 to 11 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 100. SFB will cover expenses for two performers.
“Our event will have two deaf performers who will do storytelling and workshop presentations in sign language with interpreters,” said Fabriana Andriella, a senior deaf education and psychology double major and president of Deaf Hearing Connection.
The Indian Student Association received $1,825 for its Diwali Dinner event, which will be held on Nov. 6. SFB will cover expenses for food, decorations, utensils and drinks.
(09/25/18 2:53am)
By Garrett Cecere
Staff Writer
Seven events received funding at this week’s Student Finance Board meeting on Sept. 19.
The Black Student Union was partially funded $1,176.08 for its roller skating event. SFB provided $1,176.08 to cover expenses for two buses to transport students, as well as the rental fee for the skating rink. Sigma Sigma Sigma, Best Buddies and the College Union Board will serve as co-sponsors.
According to the club’s proposal, the event will offer students a chance to go on a safe and fun trip at no cost. The event will be held on Nov. 4 from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 1775 Creek Road in Delanco, New Jersey.
Anisa Douglas, a junior elementary and early childhood education and psychology double major and treasurer of the Black Student Union, said that the event falls at a perfect time before the stress of finals kick in for students.
“We didn’t want to do anything too close to finals,” Douglas said. “We didn’t want people to stress out.”
CUB and PRISM were partially funded for their celebrity drag show. Both organizations received $5,914.50 to cover expenses for talent, police, hospitality and insurance. CUB will help with staffing and booking venues.
“(The event) will bring awareness to LGBT and provide a safe and inclusive space for students at TCNJ,” said Dylan Broadwell, a senior psychology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major and president of PRISM.
The event will take place on Oct. 22 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Brower Student Center.
The headlining performer is a transgender actress, singer, reality television personality, drag queen and trans activist, according to the proposal.
The Chess Club was fully funded for the 22nd Annual Eastern Chess Congress. The club received $415 to cover the $83 registration fee for each of the five selected club members to compete. The tournament will take place on Oct. 26 at Hyatt Regency in Princeton, New Jersey.
SFB partially funded the Deaf Hearing Connection $270 for Deaf Culture Night, which will cover food and utensils for the event. This is the second time Deaf Hearing Connection has put together an event for cultural awareness.
This event will allow students to gain awareness about deaf culture, according to the club’s proposal. The event is scheduled to take place on Oct. 18 from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 100.
The Pre-Law Society was fully funded $1,399.20 for its trip to a law school forum in New York City on Oct. 26. The event will be co-sponsored by the departments of philosophy and political science.
Chi Upsilon Sigma was fully funded $200 for its one-hour zumba aerobic class. The class is part of a series of events titled “Week of Wisdom: Cussie Bootcamp Latinx.”
“An RSVP list will be sent out,” said Dianelis Mendoza, a senior nursing major and president of Chi Upsilon Sigma. “We expect to have 25 people.”
The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the Recreation Center and will be co-sponsored by Unified Greek Council and Inter Greek Council for advertising and support.
Cussie Bootcamp will offer students a new way of exercising, but will also allow better understanding of their bodies and how much they can actually push themselves when it comes to living healthy lifestyles, according to the Latin sorority’s proposal.
The Muslim Student Association was fully funded for its 13th annual Eid dinner, which will be held on Oct. 23 in the Decker Social Space.
SFB funded the organization $5,272.83 for expenses to cover food from Legends and Shezan Restaurant, as well as comedian Jeremy McLellan, who has done volunteer work in Muslim countries.
This dinner allows students of all backgrounds to come and celebrate a joyous occasion in unity with their Muslim peers, according to the organization’s proposal.
“We start by teaching people about Eid,” said Alizeh Shamshad, a senior biology major and president of MSA. “Because it attracts so many non-Muslim members, it’s a good way to learn about the religion.”
(09/18/18 3:59am)
By Garrett Cecere
Correspondent
Three events were funded at the Student Finance Board’s meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 12.
The Black Student Union was partially funded $224.39 of the $236.35 requested for its mental health and self-wellness event. As part of the event, care packages will be distributed among students in the Brower Student Center on Sept. 27. Expenses include all the contents of the packages such as organza bags, Bath & Body Works hand sanitizers, stress balls and tea bags.
“The main goal for this event is to shed light and awareness on health and wellness and to always prioritize your health,” said Kayla Parks, a representative of the Black Student Union’s programming committee and a sophomore early childhood special education and sociology double major.
The Society for Parliamentary Debate was partially funded $8,000 of the $9,396.60 requested for tournament expenses and registration fees as part of hosting a debate tournament, which is scheduled for Oct. 26. With the funds, the members of Society for Parliamentary Debate hope to develop public speaking skills and help freshmen learn to be judges in debates.
“We hope that we provide an opportunity for students to make friends from around the East Coast, improve their critical thinking, as well as simply be able to communicate their beliefs in a persuasive manner,” said Carly Goldsmith, a sophomore special education and Spanish double major and president of the Society for Parliamentary Debate.
SFB also partially funded Chabad’s Shabbat Experience. Hillel and Alpha Epsilon Pi will be co-sponsoring the event for set-up, clean-up and public relations purposes. SFB will fund $11,216 out of the necessary $21,216 to cover paper goods, utensils and the 26 dinners throughout the year, which are held at an off-campus house. Members of Chabad have already raised $4,000 on their own and expect to raise another $6,000 to spend on the weekly Shabbat experiences.
“It’s a fun and educational experience where all are welcome,” said Sophie Goldberg, a junior computer science major and president of Chabad. “It gives a glimpse of Jewish culture and foods as well.”
(09/04/18 8:22pm)
By Garrett Cecere
Correspondent
When I saw the trailer for “BlacKkKlansman” a few months ago, and my jaw dropped and my head shook in both shock and amusement. I knew there was no doubt that upon its release, this film would generate a lot of discussions about racism –– a topic Spike Lee has always tackled in his films.
Directed and co-written by Lee, “BlacKkKlansman” tells the outrageous but true story of Ron Stallworth, a black police officer who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado during the ’70s. The story certainly is outlandish, but what makes it exhilarating is that the script was based on the book that Stallworth wrote in real life, which detailed his experience as an undercover cop.
In the first few minutes, Lee illustrates that this film is more than just a period crime comedy and that there is additional depth with the story. Before diving in, we get a brief monologue of race, eugenics and white supremacy from the fictional Dr. Kennebrew Beauregard (Alec Baldwin). The black-and-white scene is out of the blue and a bit unsettling to watch. However, it soon becomes clear that it is essential to establishing not just the film’s key ideas, but also the sad truth that these racist ideas are not stuck in our past — they are still a problem now.
When the film’s main story begins, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington) is the first African American to be hired by the Colorado Springs Police Department. He begs his chief to let him go undercover, as opposed to doing boring work in the records room.
After he is assigned to monitor the audience of a rally where Stokely Carmichael is speaking, Stallworth is reassigned to work for intelligence.
In an effort to reach his goal of going undercover, he finds an ad for the Ku Klux Klan in a local paper. He calls, pretending to be a white man, and arranges for them to meet. He enlists the help of his co-worker Flip (Adam Driver), who happens to be Jewish. Flip impersonates Ron whenever he has to meet with the Klan members in person, while the real Ron does all the talking on the phone.
From this point on, “BlacKkKlansman” is full of both cringy, funny and nail-biting tense scenes. I remember quite a few moments when I laughed nervously while observing the audience around me. Some were laughing too, but others were dead silent.
There are some comedic scenes where Ron calls David Duke, the Grand Wizard of the Klan (Topher Grace), and one scene in particular when Ron calls Duke one last time. In this comical scene, Ron gets the last laugh and the final say in revealing himself to Duke. I had to cover my mouth to stifle my laughter after it was over.
As far as the performances go, Washington and Driver’s stand out the most. One of my favorite scenes is when Ron and Flip manage to get a membership card for the KKK. Ron jokes about it, but Flip is not as enthusiastic –– Ron can hide behind the phone, but Flip is the one who has had to meet with the Klan members and pretend to be like them. It was a very emotional moment for his character, as well as one of my favorites in the film.
The actors who play the Klan members did it well, as I imagine it was very difficult to take on such a controversial part. Specifically, one radical member named Felix (Jasper Paakkonen) melted into his role.
The themes behind film are still relevant in modern society. There are various moments that remind us that racism unfortunately still exists, and that it is more of a problem than we may realize. Released around the one-year anniversary of the riots in Charlottesville, the film also includes a clever scene toward the end that is reflective of the #MeToo movement.
“BlacKkKlansman” is a tense and sometimes funny film that serves as a reminder –– we are not looking at the past; we are sadly still looking at today.