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(04/09/19 6:27am)
By Len La Rocca, Ryan Budzek and Olivia Grasing
Distribution Manager and Correspondents
Students and faculty flocked to the three events featuring Patricia Hill Collins, a prestigious professor of sociology from the University of Maryland on Thursday, April 4, during which she discussed intersectionality and the advances and improvements of contemporary society.
The first event, held in Education Building Room 212 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., consisted of a panel of professors from various fields of study who were invited to discuss topics pertaining to diversity and social justice. Collins led an interesting conversation about intersectionality and the impact that social justice has had on her life.
The panel of professors and their specializations included Lina Richardson, who studies urban education, Shaun Wiley, who studies psychology and Mary Cannito-Coville, who studies criminology and African-American studies. The panel was moderated by Janet Gray, a professor women’s, gender and sexuality studies.
Their specializations offered the grounds for a rounded discussion about social justice and how their fields are a form of intersectionality created for the betterment of society.
Gray set the tone for the panel by signifying the impact of social justice.
“Social justice is about speaking truth to power — speaking truth to others,” she said.
Intersectionality is defined as the overlapping of social categorizations that creates interdependent systems of discrimination, according to the panel’s on-screen presentation. Collins argues that using intersectionality to examine certain populations, such as impoverished African-American students landing in inadequate education systems, helps scholars and solution-makers to gain a more holistic perspective surrounding the causes of their inequity.
Gabriel Andrei, a senior Spanish major, talked about how his limited knowledge on intersectionality was skewed by those who oppose it.
“Prior to coming here, I didn’t know a whole lot about intersectionality,” Andrei said. “In fact, most of what I heard about it was people who are against it describing it in a way that it really isn’t. I’m really glad that there was Dr. Collins, an expert on the subject. She broke it down and talked about what it is and what it’s not.”
Collins left the audience with her description of the passion that drives her to advocate for awareness of intersectionality and her work in the world
of sociology.
After the panel, a discussion with Collins took place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the same room. The discussion was in a fishbowl format where the inner circle, which consisted of Collins and 15 students, did most of the talking. The audience that surrounded the inner circle was given chances to contribute to the discussion.
The students in the inner circle began the discussion by expressing how Collins’ work has impacted them personally.
Themes of self-analysis and global perspective dominated the next part of the discussion. When asked how privileged identities shape intersectional concerns, many of the students responded by saying that they have learned to focus on their privileges, rather than areas where they have been oppressed growing up.
“I think we have to take the time to realize that many people at The College of New Jersey come from different backgrounds,” said Connor Holden, a junior biology major. “Promoting conversations between different groups of people on campus will help us see these differences.”
Another big topic of discussion was the importance of forming coalitions to take steps towards activism and social justice. When speaking on this topic, Collins emphasized the importance of focusing on an outcome.
“Inclusion is the outcome I would like to see on campus,” said Adjo Agbobli, a junior African-American and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies double major. “I believe that everyone should feel like they belong.”
When speaking about coalitions, the inner circle said that in today’s society, everyone has different realities. The definition of freedom can vary from person to person because of the fact that individuals have different beliefs, authorities and privileges.
“Intersectionality is about power,” Collins said. “An individual’s confidence may depend on the environment they are surrounded by, and if they are the minority in the group they may restrain from speaking their mind. A community, such as the one at the College, must focus on making the environment feel as comfortable as possible, so everyone will feel like they have the power to state their opinions and beliefs.”
The conversation then moved to the Mayo Concert Hall from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., where more than 300 students packed into the room to hear what Collins had to say concerning intersectionality and political activism.
The professor reflected on her life experience and how it affected her work, how circumstance gave the Baby Boomers their reputation and how the nature of social categories could change that story.
“Intersectionality really challenges a story like that boomer generation — you have to look at it with race, class, gender — all of those things go into that generation,” Collins said. “The stock story is not intersectional at all — it argues that youth have distinct social locations within intersectional power relations. Intersectional arguing would say that boomer story leaves out everybody except a small group.”
Collins drove home the fact that every new generation has a power the ability to be catalysts of change.
“Each age comes with its own authority,” she said. “Critical thinking and independent thinking is crucial for young people.”
Collins left audiences with the perception that while her work is not easy, it is ultimately a rewarding subject to dive into head-first.
“I am in my work and my work is in me,” Collins said. “I want to be completely honest about how I do this work. It is not glamorous — there are moments of glory, but you have to do this work everyday.”
(04/09/19 6:20am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
Contestants were welcomed into the shark tank at Mayo Concert Hall for the College’s ninth Mayo Business Plan Competition Finals on April 3 at 5 p.m. to present their business plans to judges in hopes of winning the grand prize of $30,000 to fund their businesses.
Preliminary presentations narrowed the competition down to three teams — Code The Future, a STEM education program for grades second through eighth, Sixth Sense, a headwear used to warn users of dangers outside their scope of vision, and Symbiotic Games, an entertainment company pushing its game “Propose a Roast,” which is modeled similarly to “Cards Against Humanity.”
In 30-minute presentations, the teams proposed their business plans down to a ‘T’ as judges pondered which team had the business worthy of the grand prize.
The judge panel was comprised of College alumni who have since found careers in the world of business. The panel consisted of Eric Szabo (’97), Christine Calandra (’04), Joseph Haddock (’97), Dennis Morgan (’94) and Blair Worrall (’78).
First to present was Code The Future, led by senior business management major Sarah Sleiman and senior accounting major Pulkit Gupta. Their business is based on the lack of early education in the field of STEM.
“We tried the best we could,” Sleiman said. “We’ve been working on this for months and months and months. I’m proud of where we’ve gotten to. Fingers crossed.”
As an already up-and-running business, they have offered their services to schools and have taught students in a range of STEM areas, such as robot engineering, music programming and smart car development. They also offer their services on the weekend, serving as an educational camp. According to their presentation, they have already educated 410 students and look to grow their business with Facebook ads.
“This has just been an absolutely phenomenal journey,” Gupta said. “No matter what happens on stage we’re just going to keep this boat going.”
Next up was Sixth Sense with senior finance major Justin Fernandez and senior biology major Sai Batchu. Their device, Sixth Sense, is a wearable sensor that detects when somebody is coming up from behind, outside the user’s field of vision. The sensor alerts users through vibration or an audible ringing of danger behind them.
Their business is based on safety, as they presented dangerous scenarios using news clips about people who were taken away from behind by an attacker while jogging or walking.
The pair had a prototype used to give a demonstration of the device. However, the judges were skeptical about false alarms coming from this device. Fernandez and Batchu assured the judges that the chance of false alarms can be brought down to zero percent once they hire an engineer.
The business partners felt confident about their presentation afterward.
“I think we did great,” Fernandez said. “The product works or is getting there to working. I feel really good.”
The last presentation from Symbiotic Games came from senior finance major Ben Schulman, junior computer science major Thomas Holland and senior interdisciplinary business major Harrison Kelly.
They presented their game, “Propose a Roast,” where players can customize cards to allow a diverse gameplay experience, while games such as “Cards Against Humanity” can become redundant after multiple plays, the students said.
Their game is also able to be played online and is used by video game live-streamers on Twitch to entertain and engage their audience. They said they would use the prize money to invest in Facebook ads. They exhibited the games endless fun in video clips of students enjoying the game.
“I feel great,” Shulman said. “I came up here to have fun and show a great card game. I think the audience was engaged. We had some fun, gave some T-shirts out. It was an overall fun, positive experience.”
Attending students were blown away by the business expertise exhibited at the competition.
“It’s awesome to think that at TCNJ, there’s students that have such well developed and, so far, such successful ideas,” said Joshua Grabenstein, a sophomore computer science major.
As the competition came to an end, the judges reached a final decision and offered their support to all of the teams.
“If we don’t choose you, prove us wrong,” Szabo said.
Coming in third place and winning $10,000 was Sixth Sense. Symbiotic Games came in second place at $20,000, while Code The Future finished in first place with the grand prize.
“It feels great that it came full circle,” Sleiman said. “Freshman year, we won third place and we kept going with it. It’s good to be rewarded for all our hard work. After this, we’re going to blast off.”
(04/09/19 5:15am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
As the weekly recital commenced, the audience hushed and spotlights beamed onto the Mayo Concert Hall stage. Blissful music began to play.
The college’s music students continued to shine at this week’s Tuesday Afternoon Recital Series on April 2 at 12:30 p.m. A refreshing mix of vocal melodies from different countries, as well as tuba and flute playing, made for an exhilarating and refreshing affair.
The show kicked off with a flurry of vocal excellence. Baritone David Koster, a freshman music education major, performed the German song “Auf dem Hugel sitz ich, spahend” (I sit on the hill, peering).
He continued with Roger Quilter’s “Go Lovely Rose,” toting sky-grazing vocals with electrifying riffs in his deep baritone style. He received a thunderous ovation, which also included many whistles and stomps. Koster put up two peace-signs with his hands as he walked offstage, which was a fitting conclusion to his harmonious performance.
Koster was ecstatic to perform for his peers and have his hard work recognized on the Mayo stage.
“It was awesome,” Koster said of his performance. “I enjoyed every second of it and the crowd was great. It was just great to have a moment where I’ve practiced for so long and it paid off.”
Next up was soprano Jade Neal, a sophomore music performance major, performing “The Mermaid’s Song” by Franz Joseph Haydn. “Follow, follow, follow me,” she sang with a high-pitched crooning of the upbeat tune.
She continued with “Adieu” by Gabriel Faure, which was accompanied by staff pianist Stefani Watson.
Up next was Stephen Perry, a freshman music education major, performing a suite with his unaccompanied tuba. The elaborate instrument was larger-than-life as he took a seat, laid it atop his lap and created sonic entertainment.
The deep, rhythmic spurts that exuded from the instrument made for a nice change of pace, contrasting the lively vocal performances from earlier in the recital. As he concluded with a bow, the audience clapped with satisfaction at a job well done.
The grand finale was an ensemble rather than a solo performance. It consisted of a collaborative flute performance from Jessia Richter, a senior music education major, Ashley Krebs, a senior music education major, Caroline Hoynowski, a senior music major and Marissa Blackman, a senior music major.
The students performed Eugene Bozza’s “Tres Modere” and equally contributed to its beautiful sound. Whether one flute played at a time or one played after another in various pitches, the collaborative effort stunned the crowd and concluded the recital series in an unconventional, breathtaking fashion.
Ryan Haupt, a freshman music education major and trombone player, was highly entertained by the vocal and flute performances.
“Personally, I enjoyed the flute choir the best and David Koster’s singing,” Haupt said. “It was nice to see all the flutes were seniors and graduating this year. It was nice to see them all get a chance to play together before leaving at the end of the year.”
(04/09/19 1:37am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
It all comes down to this — a culmination of four years of musical instruction at the Music Major Recital in Mayo Concert Hall on March 31 at 8 p.m.
On the big night for senior music education majors, flute player Ashley Krebs, and tenor singer Joseph Ahn. Both rose to the grand occasion, as family, friends and live music lovers packed the hall for a glorious performance by the musicians.
Under the spotlight, with all eyes on them, and a college career of instruction, Krebs and Ahn put on a show for the ages as they blew the roof off the hall with roaring ovations for their impassioned performances.
Accompanied by staff pianist Kathy Shanklin, Krebs kicked off the night with Mozart’s “Rondo In D Major,” which was then followed by Ahn singing poems from “Dichterliebe.” The song cycle translates to “A Poet’s Love” and derives from classical music’s romantic era. Ahn cruned songs of heartbreak and failed relations beautifully with delicate pronunciation of the German language.
Krebs followed with Charles T. Griffes’ “Poem” from her elegant, silver flute that glimmered in the spotlights. The song began with stern piano compliments of Shanklin and followed with rapid flute playing with dynamic peaks.
Back to center stage was Ahn performing Claude Debussy’s French song “Mandoline” with enthusiastic demanor and frolockingly joyous, yet simple lyrics of “La la la.”
Ahn remained on stage to perform another French song “En fermant les yeux” by Jules Massenet which translates to “Closing my eyes.” Ahn flexed his vocal prowess with sweet-sounding, elongated riffs.
Krebs concluded the first half of the recital with Louis Gamne’s “Andante et Sherzo,” toting winding, high-pitched flute playing that rapidly descended and rose with ease.
As the intermission rolled through, audience members were impressed by what they had seen thus far.
“It was great. I know both of the performers. They put a lot of hard work into it and they did an excellent job. I thought Joe was excellent with his vocals and Ashley was equally great,” said Mark Juliano, a senior music education major.
Starting the second half of the recital was Krebs performing a sonata in A minor by Carl Philipp Emanual Bach, exhibiting her masterful flute skills she has honed in her college career.
Ahn came out and performed Italian songs “Ah mai non cessate” and “Quando ti riverdo” by Stefano Donaudy. He sang with an astonishingly high reach in his vocals, as well as a crisp accent.
Ahn remained on stage to deliver a comically brilliant performance of Gioacchino Rossini’s “L’orgia,” which translates to “The Orgy.” He sang with disillusioned and drunken stance, leaning against the piano as he sang of wine and women to an audience that clamored with laughter. A thunderous applause proved that Ahn had outdone himself.
Krebs followed with Andre Jolivet’s “Chant de Linos,” as she clashed against Shanklin’s deep, dark-sounding piano with her high-pitched flute, eventually ending in unison with a ringing of the flute and a squashing of a piano key.
The show concluded with Ahn and Krebs taking to the stage, fusing their musical talent, and performing Leonard Bernstein’s “A Simple Song” together. The mix of Ahn’s brilliant vocals and Kreb’s masteful flute playing solidified their attention to perfection in their years at the College.
Shrish Jawadiwar, a sophomore political science and music double major, was inspired by their collegiate education in music put on display.
“It was really magical hearing every piece top to last,” Jawadiwar said. “By the time both Ashley and Joe were on the stage for their last song it was a perfect capstone to what had came before.”
(04/02/19 6:35am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
Cheerful vocals, dancing piano melodies and blossoming talent rang at the weekly Tuesday Afternoon Recital Series on March 26 at 12:30 p.m. in Mayo Concert Hall.
A tuneful afternoon of sweet-sounding vocals in various languages graced the Mayo stage as students showcased their soothing musical skills.
“I really love seeing everyone’s progress and the work they put in,” said Keith So, a freshman music education major. “It’s a great environment. Everyone wants to see you do your best.”
First up was soprano Marissa Grasso, a sophomore music education major. She performed an Italian song by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart titled, “Voi che sapete” (You who know). The joyous, upbeat tune along with gestures and an authentic-sounding accent gave the performance a sense of purpose and credibility that only a truly talented musician can establish.
Followed by Grasso was Ashley Krebs, a senior music education major, with her stunning silver flute and determined demeanor. She performed “Poem” by Charles T. Griffen. Her performance was an unfolding work of emotion as her deep, sinister flute playing filled the concert hall.
Tenor Joseph Ahn, a senior music education major, performed the French song, “En fermant les yeux” (When I close my eyes). Met with a lighthearted piano performance by staff collaborative pianist Stefani Watson, Ahn delivered powerfully deep yet delicate vocals that were met with roaring applause.
After the performance, Ahn expressed his gratitude to be able to perform at the recital.
“It’s always fun to show your peers and colleagues what you’ve been working on because we don’t really get time to perform for each other,” Ahn said.
Next up was Katherine Vilardi, a freshman music education major, performing “Solo de concours” on her clarinet. Her performance, which delivered a mysterious sound with rising and descending melodies, was complimented by the expertise of staff pianist Kathy Shanklin.
Following was mezzo-soprano Danielle Hecht, a freshman music education major, performing the German song, “Daphne, deine Rosenwangen,” which was followed by “The Lass from the Low Countree” by John Jacob Niles. Her somber performance was impassioned by lyrics such as, “No one knows she loved him but herself and God.”
Last on the program was Erica Daughtery, a senior music education major, on the trumpet. She performed the upbeat tune, “Concerto In E-flat” by John Baptist Georg Neruda with the help of Shanklin’s fast-paced piano intro.
Daughtery’s epic performance concluded an afternoon of stellar live music. The audience was ecstatic to applaud the performers as they made their exits from the concert hall to congratulate the musicians on a job well done.
Fellow musician Giovanni Delgado, a freshman music education major, feels that the recitals improves with each show.
“Everytime I come and see these I can’t pick a favorite,” he said. “All of them are just breathtaking. Seeing people grow with a much fuller sound is really amazing.”
(03/27/19 1:00am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
Things got raunchy at PRISM’s Big Gay Bingo event. A night full of dancing, comedy and of course, bingo, became a lively show of flamboyance, entertainment and laughter. The bingo night was run by visiting drag queens Rhedd Rhumm and Victoria Cortez on March 14 at 8:30 p.m in the Brower Student Center Room 100W.
The room was packed with students at tables decorated with light blue and pink table cloths, streamers and bingo chips in rainbow colors, all in the name of gay pride.
To start off the night, Rhumm teased the crowd with a dance routine that included splits and a rainbow-beaded bracelet that scattered against the wall into colorful pellets after she flung it across the room.
Cortez’s dance routine followed. She gallivanted across the room in a leopard one-piece and was met with many smiles and applause.
“It was amazing,” said junior biology major Andie Shae. “I think the queens did a great job dancing.”
Rhumm and Cortez’ humor was apparent as soon as they took the stage and commented on not having to share a microphone for once.
“Oh they’ve got two of them them today,” Cortez said. “This year they’ve got a budget.”
The queens explained the general rules of bingo and presented the prizes –– gift cards to Insomnia Cookies, Panera Bread, Dunkin Donuts and Barnes & Noble. They kept the grand prize a secret until the final round.
After a practice round, the queens began the official game. They were adamant about their no-cheating policy and laid out the punishment for a false bingo.
“If we get a false bingo, you’re getting spanked on stage,” Rhumm said.
As the queens called the numbers on the bingo balls, Rhumm couldn’t allow his comedic opportunity to go to waste.
“These balls are old and brown,” Rhumm said. “I’m not sure where they were, but I’m concerned.”
After each bingo game, the queens looked into the mysterious grand prize box beneath their table and hinted at the contents to the audience.
“This looks very...un-human,” Rhumm said.
As the night went on, sporadic “bingos” were yelled from the audience as students popped up from their seats to snag their prizes.
After two girls screamed “bingo!” on the same turn, Rhumm explained the rules for settling a tiebreaker.
“In the event of a tie, there will be a twerk-off,” Rhumm said. But the students opted for a thumb war to settle the bingo differences.
After a night of laughs, prizes and anticipation, it was time for the final bingo game.
While the innuendos throughout the night left few students surprised, many were overcome with laughter when the hosts presented the grand prize – a 15-inch dildo named, “The Great American Challenge.”
“It was shocking and quite large,” Shae said.
Students looking for an escape from hectic midterm exam studying certainly got what they were looking for in a night of flamboyant dancing and hilarious jokes.
(03/27/19 12:00am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
In an effort to minimize microaggressions on campus, faculty and some students pooled into the Brower Student Center Room 222 at noon on March 12 for the third Diversity Education Series event titled, “Small Things Matter.”
The goal of the Diversity Education Series is to inform staff on how to handle issues with a cultural awareness of others and to avoid offense in the vastly diverse educational landscape. The first event was about how social-cultural identities such as gender, race and sexual orientation affect people’s behavior, perspectives, assumptions and communication, while the second one dealt with bias and different ways to combat it.
Spearheaded by Diane Goodman, a diversity and equity consultant with 35 years of experience in her field, the presentation highlighted the effects of microaggressions and the subtle oppression of others due to underlying bias.
The audience was fully engaged in the presentation and held a group discussion about possible situations in which they have heard of or experienced microaggression.
A microaggression is a subtle comment that carries a marginalizing assumption of someone, thus hurting the person hearing it and giving them assumed characteristics, according to Goodman. She began by acknowledging that most people are capable of using microaggressions, yet the behavior is often disguised behind seemingly good intentions.
“A lot of times, microaggressions come out as a compliment,” Goodman said. “The reason these statements come across as offensive is because of underlying bias.”
According to Goodman, people usually do not use microaggressions intentionally. It usually happens when a person is trying to make conversation with someone, but reverts to referring to certain stereotypes instead of asking about the person’s interests. These are more prevalent when an individual pretends to be unaware of another’s identity instead of acknowledging its existence.
“Often, people pretend that they don’t see color or that differences don’t matter as a way to say, ‘oh well if I don’t see color, then I can’t be biased in any way,’” Goodman said. “But the problem is that we do notice differences. If we are to really have authentic relationships and to be able to create equitable, inclusive environments, then we need to recognize that we’re not all the same and we’re not all having the same experiences.”
Comments such as “you’re so well-spoken” or “wow, you read the New York Times” can be undermining because the comment reduces the person to a biased stereotype instead of in a more holistic manner.
Goodman played a video for the audience made by Fusion Comedy titled, “How microaggressions are like mosquito bites: Same difference.” The video compared microaggressions to mosquitos — annoying and draining.
“It’s like getting a papercut,” Goodman said. “You’re going to survive, but if you get papercut after papercut after papercut, you’re going to end up with a huge gash.”
As common as microaggressions can be, Goodman explained what to do if people find themselves using them.
“Apologize,” Goodman said. “Usually, people don’t want a whole song and a dance. Just listen to what the person says and apologize compassionately.”
After the presentation, members of the audience discussed how to be more empathetic toward those who have experienced microaggressions.
Joanne Bateup, the assistant director for the Center for Global Engagement at the College, was concerned with the feelings of the many people on campus who are victims of microaggressions.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Bateup said. “Our campus may not be at the place where we need to be in terms of confronting microaggressions as a community.”
Goodman felt the event had a significant impact on attendees.
“I think people were really receptive,” Goodman said. “I think the issue of microaggressions really speaks to people’s experiences and everybody has experienced them, seen them, enacted them. I think it’s a way for people to share their stories and start to understand the impact that they have and what they could do about them.”
(03/26/19 7:00pm)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
Feminism and female empowerment has become a contemporary theme in politics and society. Some artists have also adapted these themes into their works –– and plays in particular –– in order to share certain perspectives on these issues through a fresh medium.
In honor of Women’s History Month, TCNJ Lyric Theatre performed two one-act plays, “A Woman’s Honor” and “Trifles,” written by the late feminist playwright Susan Glaspell. The performances attracted students, parents and faculty to Don Evans Black Box Theater on March 13 and 14 at 8 p.m.
Themes of patriarchal oppression dominated the night. Although Glaspell’s works were created in the early 1900s, her messages still resonated with a contemporary audience.
Audience members were eager to experience the performer’s rendition of these classic plays and support familiar cast members.
“I’m really excited because three of my friends are here,” said Aliyah Nasir, a sophomore psychology major. “They’re really talented performers and I’m really excited to see what they have to show us.”
The night kicked off with “A Woman’s Honor,” which is set in a New York City interrogation room where where Gordon Wallace is being held for an alleged murder. In the satirical comedy, Wallace pleads guilty to a crime he did not commit for the sake of “defending a woman’s honor.” Wallace would rather suffer in prison than admit he spent the night with a woman and possibly tarnish her reputation, a theme that poked fun at traditional gender roles and expectations.
“A Woman’s Honor” was followed by “Trifles,” which shed light on the toxicity of classic patriarchy through the story of a domestically-abused woman who becomes fed up with her oppressor.
This play takes place in a couple’s abandoned farmhouse during the 1930s. A sheriff and a county attorney are brought to the house to investigate the husband’s murder, suspecting that his wife, Minnie, committed the crime. The men are accompanied by their wives, who find overwhelming evidence that Minnie was a victim of domestic abuse but refuse to share this with their husbands. As a result, Minnie’s motives are unacknowledged, highlighting the theme of female oppression.
At the end of the night, performers from both plays came out for a bow and were met with a roaring round of applause.
Nicholas Tarantino, a senior nursing major, worked as the cast’s hair and makeup artist. Although it proved to be a challenging task, Tarantino said that watching the plays come alive on stage made the process worthwhile.
“I was with the cast (for three days before the show), so it was interesting coming so close to the end and seeing a finalized product and putting that last touch of color on top,” he said.
Aaron Agustin, a sophomore health and exercise science major, was happy to rise to the challenge that his roles presented. He starred in both plays as Gordon Wallace in “A Woman’s Honor” and the sheriff in “Trifles.”
“It was actually a lot of work,” he said. “At first I didn’t have a thought of what would happen, but working with the cast, we made the story come alive.”
(03/12/19 3:44pm)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
The College invited alumnae from the women’s, gender, and sexuality studies program for a panel held to celebrate Women’s History Month on March 6 at 6 p.m. in the Library Auditorium.
The panelists discussed how WGSS has become a practical major that has led to fruitful careers.
Alumnae of the WGSS program Erin Shannon (’16), Alyssa Fountain (’13) and Hakima Lamour (’04) addressed the backlash that WGSS is an allegedly useless major and countered that claim with the evidence of the careers they have found with the degree.
“People don’t believe you get jobs in our WGSS program, but our alums are living to disprove that,” said Ann Marie Nicolosi, a professor in the WGSS program who lead the panel.
Shannon is in graduate school at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England, currently working toward her master’s degree in women’s studies.
Fountain, who graduated with a double major in WGSS and psychology, is a psychologist and president of the College’s collegiate recovery alumni program for recovering addicts.
Lamour is a popular cake artist who formerly worked at Pennsylvania’s only black-owned and operated a.m. talk radio station, WURD 900.
The panel kicked off with Nicolosi asking the alumni about the most important lessons they learned in the program.
Fountain was eager to speak about how she became a better critical thinker. According to Fountain, technology’s ability to give anyone a voice who may carry a distinct bias to oppress others, such as the emergence of fake news propaganda, pollutes the minds of social media users.
“What I use the most in my day-to-day living was how to be a conscientious consumer of information,” Fountain said.
One of Lamour’s most valuable lessons from the program was understanding equality amongst interpersonal relations.
“It helped me understand equity in relationships, like how supervisors should be treating employees,” she said.
WGSS even helped Shannon discover that she was not heterosexual.
Realization of privilege was another major takeaway from the program.
“I was poor and I am black, so I was a double minority,” Lamour said.
Fountain had an eye-opening experience while studying her major. She realized her privilege was far greater than she had imagined prior to the program.
“I had no understanding of the privilege I was raised with,” she said.
Nicolosi shifted to discuss President Donald Trump and the current controversy surrounding his treatment of women.
“I don’t think anyone was ready for this,” Lamour said. “This is a level of hate — level of vitriol that nobody was ready for … WGSS puts it in better context for me. It forces you to figure out why somebody is saying or doing something.”
Fountain’s work with woman of sexual abuse skyrocketed when Christine Blasey Ford stepped forward this past year to tell of her experience with sexual assault and named now Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh as the attacker.
“When Kavanaugh was on the front page of the newspaper, we had more women scheduling to talk about their trauma than in the last 365 days,”Fountain said.
Students in the WGSS program were comforted by the alumni’s reported success in their careers.
“I liked it,” said Dylan Broadwell, a senior WGSS and psychology double major. “It was a requirement for my class that I had to come to this event, but I also was planning on coming to it anyway just because as a WGSS major everyone tells you all the time, ‘oh, what are you gonna do with that?’ It’s interesting knowing that people actually did something with their degree.”
The panelists’ words also resonated with students, who were not in the WGSS program.
“I’m curious to hear because … I’m not a woman,” said Joshua Grabenstein, a sophomore computer science major. “So I’m out of touch to some of the issues that might be affecting them and it can better me as a person if I realize I’m doing one of these things.”
Nicolosi concluded the panel with advice to all WGSS majors in attendance.
“Don’t let anybody laugh at your degree,” Nicolosi said. “Be proud of your ability to advocate for yourself and others.”
(03/12/19 4:07am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
In an afternoon of melodic riffs, sonatas and percussion, students performing in the Tuesday Afternoon Recital Series were at it again on March 5 at 12:30 p.m. in Mayo Concert Hall.
The music department allowed the instruments to speak for the show — the majority of the seven-act show was comprised of instrumental performances and two vocal performers.
Kicking off the program was freshman music education major Jacob Ford on the vibraphone performing “Rain Dance” by Alice Gomez. His percussion instrument reverberated tropical, ambient and cinematic sounds across the stage.
The first of the two singers, Joseph Ribbert, a sophomore music education major, performed the French song, “Si mes vers avaient des ailes” (“If my verses had wings”) by Reynaldo Hahn. He was accompanied by music department faculty member Nicholas Gatto on piano and together they performed a beautiful rendition of the French song filled with gentle rifts and vocals.
Next came Ryan Barry, a sophomore music education major, performing a sonata on the trumpet (by Kent Kennan.) His trumpet rang off strong with the vigor of a fresh triumph complimented by Kathy Shanklin, who is a collaborative pianist at the College.
Keith So, a freshman music education major, followed with a sonata by Paul Creston on his alto saxophone. He performed a series of swirling excellence, which left the crowd in awe.
Following that performance was Shrish A. Jawadiwar, a sophomore political science and music double major, performing his original song, “Songs Without Words No.1 in G Major” on his double bass. The large instrument contributed a deeper tone to the mostly high-pitched affair and leveled out the show nicely.
Mackenzie Miller, a freshman music major, took the stage with her oboe and performed a sonata by Camille Saint-Saens. Her mesmerizing sound had the crowd in a trance.
“It was exhilarating,” Miller said. “I loved it.”
Last up was soprano Artemis Fraine, a sophomore music major, who captured the crowd’s attention with the German song, “Verdi prati, selve omene” by the George Frideric Handel. Fraine’s powerful yet graceful vocals concluded an excellent afternoon in the Tuesday Afternoon Recital Series.
After the show, the audience gathered outside in the lobby of the Music Building to applaud the performers. So received an uproar of applause and was hoisted into the air by a pair of fellow musicians.
Students left Mayo Concert Hall satisfied with the show.
“I thought it was really, really great.” said Gina Luizzi, a junior music education major. “Mackenzie was really great and everyone did a great job.”
Other audience members were also impressed with the soloist’s performances.
“The comfort the performers had with their respective instruments was apparent and made for an entertaining show,” said sophomore history major Jack Bednar, “I loved the trumpet sonata especially as a trumpet player myself.”
(03/05/19 10:00am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
Ilana Glazer’s comedy show was a night full of comedic relief and jokes that covered everything from politics to sex and drugs.
Her material had the Kendall Hall audience erupting with laughter. Glazer, who stars in the hit TV show “Broad City,” attracted both fans of the sitcom as well as comedy lovers seeking an escape from hectic college life during her performance on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.
Glazer presented with undeniable wit and charisma. She offered political commentary on President Donald Trump and commended students for their commitment to social progression.
Later on in her show, she hilariously articulated the struggles of menstruation. She shared her gripes over the Diva Cup, which is a silicone menstrual cup that can be used instead of a pad or tampon.
“I can’t see an actual diva using a Diva Cup,” Glazer said. “Can you imagine Ariana Grande doing that waddle to the sink? Mariah Carey bending down at just the right angle?”
She also shared some of her career highlights, which included working with RuPaul and Seth Rogen at Comedy Central.
“I can text RuPaul,” Glazer said. “I don’t, but I have the capability.”
Students were more than satisfied with her performance.
“I thought she was fantastic,” said Marissa Marchello, a senior public health major. “The school … somehow knew I just discovered her and all of a sudden she shows up on campus.”
Glazer concluded by giving some life advice to students — she encouraged them to exercise their right to vote, use marijuana only in moderation and emphasized the need to stay away from smoking concentrated marijuana through “dabs.”
“For the love of God please don’t dab,” she said. “That’s just crazy.”
Comedian Shalewa Sharpe opened for Glazer. Sharpe was a hit among students, as she poked fun at the fashion industry and how hard it was to find clothes that fit.
“It’s like ‘The Hunger Games’ having to find a pair of jeans that fit online where I gotta’ fight with all the other fatties and beat them to it,” Sharpe joked.
Josh Leidig, a junior finance major and show organizer for the College Union Board, thought the show was a massive success in the end.
“It went really well,” he said. “She was hilarious and everyone seemed like they had a great time. I was just incredibly excited because so many people love her.”
(02/26/19 6:00pm)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
Dazzling piano, symphonic horns and classical vocals filled Mayo Concert Hall on Feb. 19 at 12:30 p.m. during the Tuesday Recital Series. Students were drawn to the concert hall to witness the music that students at the College had to offer.
“I love coming to the Tuesday recitals because it is a little less formal than, say, a senior recital or some large thing,” said Shrish Jawadiwar, a sophomore political science and music double major. “It’s just nice to come see your friends and see what they’re working on.”
Brianna Carson, a junior music education major and soprano singer, kicked things off with a rendition of an Italian song titled, “Ognun ripicchia e nicchia,” by Stefano Donaudy. She then performed John Duke’s melodical, “I Can’t Be Talkin of Love” with her right arm confidently leaning against the grand piano. After she was met with thunderous applause, it was clear that Carson had sold every note to her audience.
Pianist Nicholas Marsol, a freshman music major, gave a powerful performance of the French song, “Jeuz d’eau,” by Maurice Ravel, which showcased his growing skill and love for music.
Baritone Adrian Camano, a freshman music education major, delivered his alluring performance of Hugo Wolf’s German song “Hiemweh,” as well as Aaron Copeland’s “Simple Gifts.”
“’Tis the gift to be simple,” he sang. “’Tis’ the gift to be free.”
Terence Odonkor, a freshman music major, performed Eugene Bozza’s “Aria” on saxophone and had the audience in a sweet-sounding trance as his notes rang proudly.
Kevin Chan, a junior music education major, presented “The Maid of The Mist” by Herbert L. Clarke on his silver trumpet that glimmered under the spotlights as he rotated the instrument mid-play. He performed melodically-sedating melodies.
“I think it was truly amazing and inspiring that people our age are able to do such talented and amazing things that are absolutely breathtaking once you hear them,” said Giovanni Delgado, a freshman music education major. “You think of all the hours that all these musicians practiced and the result is just astonishing.”
(02/26/19 5:00pm)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
Student talent made sound waves for customers and music lovers at the College Union Board’s Student Soloist Night on Friday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m in the Traditions Lounge.
Instruments such as guitar and harmonica, as well as vocal performances, created a sonically pleasing atmosphere. The event featured both covers and original songs, which allowed the performers to showcase their creativity.
Alec Kuncken, a freshman civil engineering major, played harmonica and guitar during his cover of “American Pie” by Don McLean. The multitalented artist passionately belted his lyrics with the prowess of a professional, which caught the attention of one student, who pointed and smiled at his artistry through the glass windows of the performance area.
The crowd was overjoyed by Kuncken’s performance.
“I’m here to support my friend Alec,” said Kaleb Yuen, a freshman international studies major. “He’s a great guy. He’s really talented and you gotta show support for your friends.”
Kuncken finished strong with powerful yet meticulous strums on his elegant, cognac-colored acoustic guitar.
After his performance, Kuncken tipped his hat off to CUB for creating the event.
“It was fun,” he said. “I’ve done a lot of things like this before. When I saw the ad on Instagram I jumped all on it.”
Topping off the night were two members of the band Minor Fall. The two other members do not attend the College and were not able to make it to the performance. The students that performed were Ryan Abramowitz, a sophomore art history major on vocals, and Connor Moran, a sophomore communications studies and marketing double major on acoustic guitar.
They performed songs off their new EP “Accessible Redemption.” Abramowitz and Moran said that they donate all of the profits from the group’s EP to the American Suicide Association.
They concluded with a cover of the theme song from the Nickelodeon sitcom “Drake & Josh,” “I Found a Way” by Drake Bell.
“Performing, man, that’s just what we live for,” Abramowitz said. He is also a member of the College’s a capella group, the Trentones.
The duo’s love for performing was evident.
“That was fun,” Moran said. “We were just having fun and hanging out, performing songs off our debut EP.”
(02/19/19 9:00am)
By Len La Rocca
Distribution Manager
You drop your bag at the lunch table, grab a bite to eat and on the way to your next class, vape up some clouds of undetectable, concentrated cannabis oil.
Student smokers no longer exude the potent smell of marijuana in its original state, which alarms both College advisors and law enforcement. Smoking methods that require the original flower form of marijuana such as joints, blunts or bongs that emit the alerting smell are seemingly obsolete.
This common routine for students has become a concerning phenomenon to Janice Vermeychuk, the nurse practitioner director at Student Health Services.
Smoking concentrated THC oil through a dab pen or cartridge has been the drug of choice for college students for the past year — it is odorless, convenient and undetectable. Using a dab pen to heat liquid marijuana produces what people call, “ninja smoke.”
Although this has made the product desirable to students, its unknown health implications have been putting students at risk.
“Because cannabis is federally illegal, there has been almost no solid research about electronically vaping marijuana oil,” Vermeychuk said.
While there has been little research on cannabis oil vaping specifically, studies on vaping in general have produced negative results. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the aerosol that is inhaled through vaping can contain harmful substances such as nicotine, diacetyl, which is linked to lung disease, volatile organic compounds, cancer-causing chemicals and heavy metals such as lead, nickel and tin. Additives and flavoring of cannabis oils are also known to have adverse health effects.
“Oil cartridge vaporization could be harmful. There are additives such as polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol and more recently, cannabis terpenes,” Vermeychuk said. “They convert to carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) at a relatively low temperature.”
These man-made chemical additives are used to extract oil from the flower form of marijuana and give the oil its liquid presentation.
In addition to the unknown health consequences that this oil causes, a dealer looking for a quick buck is another cause for concern. Dealers are able to multiply their profits by diluting the mixture with nicotine vape juice, cough syrup and synthetic marijuana oil – you never really know what is in that cartridge.
“Some people fill them in themselves and cut them with (nicotine) vape juice,” said a sophomore biology major. “I wouldn’t be surprised if people are having health problems.”
Even if the product is purchased legally, buying a cartridge of cannabis oil from a reputable dispensary doesn’t ensure safety.
“The concern is that the market is being flooded with substandard products with questionable safety,” Vermeychuk said. “They have no idea how serious any of the health threats might be.”
Students have admitted that there has been a noticeable difference in their health since picking up the habit.
“I’ve used them on and off for about two years and I’ve definitely been noticing some angina and chest discomfort at times,” the biology major said. “Substance abuse has never been easier. And most packaging is so vibrant. It’s hard to imagine it has any repercussions.”
A freshman business major said that until more research is available, students should avoid vaping.
“Most people don’t look into what is in their cartridge and it’s dangerous,” he said.
Similar to the fruit-flavored nicotine pods from the vape company, Juul, which recently had its popular mango-flavored nicotine pods banned by the Food and Drug Administration for encouraging underage vaping according to CNBC, cartridges also come in an assortment of flavors.
“In September 2018, the FDA announced that the use of vapes among youth had reached epidemic proportions due to kid-friendly marketing and appeal of these products,” Vermeychuk said.
These appealing flavors, such as sherbert, birthday cake and vanilla ice cream, come in colorful packaging that have also been replicated by dealers looking to give off the appearance of big company backing.
“They were good and really changed smoking when they came out, but recently there’s more and more fakes laced with cough syrup and K2, or synthetic marijuana,” the business major said.
While some with a more lenient attitude toward cannabis oil may just wait to be presented with more research on the substance, Vermeychuk takes a firm stance against the practice.
“You are inhaling chemicals into your lungs,” Vermeychuk said. “Why would anyone want to do that?”
Some sources in this story have been kept anonymous in order to avoid a risk of possible legal or disciplinary ramifications.
(11/27/18 5:45pm)
By Len La Rocca
Correspondent
Amid an ambient melody and genuinely brokenhearted lyrics, one thing was certain — the third installment of “A Love Letter to You” was already in the works.
Quickly following singer/rapper Trippie Redd’s recent full-length album release of “Life’s A Trip” this past summer, “A Love Letter To You 3,” released Nov. 9, has captivated the ears of its listeners. This album marks the third installment of his album trilogy. Love letters one and two were both released last year and, while the tone of the third installment has changed since following its two predecessors, it is still reminiscent of the ugly sides of love and the pain that accompanies rejected vulnerability.
It wasn’t long after the rapper’s messy and public breakup until snippets of his fresh music to begin popping up on social media.
With this latest full-length project, we can bear witness to the aftermath of Redd’s public heartbreak and the music that inspired it as he jumps back-and-forth between desperately craving the company of his former lover and wishing her good riddance.
Redd’s fans often accused his former girlfriend Ayleks of using the rapper to help boost her own publicity. She walked away from the relationship with 1.2 million followers on Instagram.
The track “Toxic Waste” reveals more of her fickle love. He describes needing his ex’s fair weather friendship, which he has the self-awareness to acknowledge as unhealthy and toxic. As he describes the conflict, the melody grows more complex, which reflects his emotional distress and his desperation to craft it for his own benefit.
The track “Can’t Love” is a perfect example of Trippie’s confliction with newfound heartbreak and how quickly his former lover appears to be healing.
This theme become apparent in light of his ex’s appearance in an Instagram video with controversial, rainbow-headed rapper and long-time rival of Trippie Redd, 6ix9ine. With this in mind, this track is especially timely in its message.
“How could you do this to me/I thought you...I thought you loved me,” Redd beautifully harmonized in seemingly heart-clenching fashion.
In “Luv Scars 3,” his pain and vocal talent converge as a climax in the tale of tragedy. The song is the third follow-up of Redd’s breakout hit, “Luv Scars,” which was released last year on his debut album, “Love Letter To You.” Here he boasts his vocal ability to its proper limits, unlike in his previous projects.
This is the vocal quality listeners have patiently anticipated hearing from Redd on his last album to no avail. A constant critique of Redd’s unique voice was that he would be straining his voice to lengths beyond compatibility to the track. The mixes and instrumental production on this album easily stand tall amongst Redd’s entire discography.
His timeshare between rapping and singing compliments every track Redd graces such as “Negative Energy” where he totes a remorseless tone and aggression towards his enemies. Lighter cuts genuinely even out the rapping and alpha-male aggression such as “I Tried Loving” where his vocals peak on the project in harmony rather than an annoyance.
It has finally arrived in the form of this passion-fueled compilation of emotional highs, lows, boasts and desperate cries.
The project featured several notable features such as Tory Lanez, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Juice Wrld, who all tout their own distinct sounds on delicately crafted tracks like “Diamond Minds,” “Elevate & Motivate” and “999/1400 freestyle” respectively.
“A Love Letter To You 3” is Redd’s most sonically cohesive project of the 19-year-old’s career so far. The album was the highest Spotify-streamed project in the U.S. during the week of its release, totaling over 108 million streams as well as boasting his highest charting thus far. That being said, the album’s stunning reception does not cure or distract from the hurting that the artist is currently experiencing and pouring out to fans.
(11/12/18 11:39pm)
By Len La Rocca
Correspondent
Trenton Makes Music and the College’s Department of Music at the College invited Michael Ray, the Grammy-winning trumpet player from funk phenomenon Kool & the Gang, to put on a masterclass that showcased his expertise and passion for the music industry on Nov. 5 at Kendall Hall Main Stage Theater.
The sonically dazzling Ray has earned several lifetimes of top-notch musical prowess in his illustrious career, all stemming from his days as a student at what used to be Trenton State College. At 65 years old, Ray is still a touring artist and has worked with the likes of talented groups such as Sun Ra Arkestra, Van Halen and artist James Brown. Out of those artists, Ray remembered Sun Ra fondly for his musical knowledge, prolific writing and as the first musician to fuse electronic keyboards in jazz. He knew Sun Ra was one of a kind when he first visited his house.
“Let me tell you a more personal side of Sun Ra,” Ray said. “When I first went up to his house to rehearse, he had all these keyboards, manuscripts, milk crates, cassettes. I looked in the refrigerator. He had a milk crate of music in the refrigerator.”
No matter how much Sun Ra criticized Ray’s music, Ray knew he had an excellent mentor.
“He told me, ‘you sound like an earthling, what’s wrong with you?’” Ray said.
Sun Ra constantly put Ray’s vast musical knowledge to the test; such rigorous testing has influenced Ray’s cosmic and spacey sound. Ray recalled many grueling sessions at Sun Ra’s house for the sake of perfecting his craft.
“I remember cats would play until they found the lost chord,” Ray said. “The lost chord is somewhere and you would just play until your fingers get to bleeding.”
Being in the music business since the 1970s, Ray has learned the political side to the music industry in all of its ugliness. He claimed the music industry was a long plastic hallway where thieves and murderers ran free and good men and women died alone.
Looking out at students sharing the special path that the College set forth for Ray, he offered advice that he wished he heard back his days at Trenton State College.
“Just don’t let the lifestyle get you,” Ray said. “I reflect back on my own life about how carefree and frivolous I was as if it was gonna last forever, but as it turns out I’ve got a graveyard full of friends.”
As a celebration of Ray’s career takes place Friday, Nov. 8 alongside the College’s Jazz Ensemble, one special person will be in dedication through Ray’s music and heart.
“I knew about Michael Ray before this and when I heard that the jazz band is working with him, I was beyond excited,” said Chris Cancglin, a sophomore music education major.
Ray said that he will dedicate the jazz concert to his deceased mother.
“She was a trooper to make it to 90 years old…When I was growing up I saw 20 and thought that’s old. I thought I was gonna live to about 35 and now I’m 65. So God has a plan for all of us,” Ray said.
Perspective is a gift that Ray offered his audience a new perspective in what he referred to as a world in peril. Alongside his wife on vocals and Michael Green on piano, Ray delivered a dazzling symphony on trumpet and electric keyboard. He even improvised by playing the keyboard behind his back.
Students were thrilled to hear Ray’s rise to stardom and his electrifying performance at Kendall.
“I thought that performance was great, like really modern jazz,” said Keith So, a freshman music education major. “He also played some standards too, but some of it was really spacey and out there. I really liked that part.”
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