TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SJP hosts “Israeli Apartheid Week”
Naming of event stirs controversy among other groups ESHA INDANI Staff Reporter
Penn Students for Justice in Palestine is hosting “Israeli Apartheid Week” for the second time on campus after receiving some backlash for the events last year.
W. LAX | Britt Brown’s
unique journey to Penn led to wild success
GREG ROBINOV Sports Reporter
The college process is a turbulent one. During the difficult decision period, many have heard “you’ll end up at the school that’s right for you.” For senior Britt Brown of Penn women’s lacrosse, this could not ring more true. Honorable Mention All-Ivy. 23 wins. 232 saves. 1,757 minutes played. So far, that is the legacy that the goalkeeper will leave behind from her two seasons with the Quakers. Despite this remarkable impact, though, there was a good chance that Brown’s career at Penn might never have happened. Coming out of high school, Brown was highly sought after — and for good reason. Her accolades included being named an All-American twice, the 2011 New York state championship at Riverdale Country School, and the 2012 New England Class B championship at the Berkshire School. In addition to Penn, the University of Virginia was one of her
This week’s events will take place April 17-20. Originally meant to be hosted a week earlier, the event was pushed back in order to avoid conflicting with Passover. SJP will also be collaborating with Penn Association for Gender Equity for the “Freedom of Movement” event on April 19. The University of Toronto hosted the first “Israeli Apartheid Week” in
2005, and since then, it has been usually held on university campuses in February or March by SJP chapters. Rashad, a College senior who asked to withhold his last name due to fear of retaliation for his views, said the week attempts to raise awareness and advocate for the rights of Palestinian people living in Israel proper, the Gaza Strip and particularly those living in the West Bank.
“What we’re asking is for people to talk about and for people to recognize that a certain group of people is being constantly denied human rights,” Rashad said. “That’s not a very political thing.” Rashad cited examples of retaliation for similarly held views. He said certain organizations compile SEE SJP PAGE 5
many suitors. Ultimately, despite coach Karin Corbett’s best efforts, Brown went for the Cavaliers. “We had recruited Brittany, and we had really wanted her. She chose Virginia, and I felt that it was a better fit here for her in a lot of ways, but they were able to put the squeeze on her in August when I couldn’t do that at that time,” Corbett said. “I needed some more academic information, so we had a conversation, and I said, ‘You need to make the best decision for your future, I can’t tell you what’s gonna happen at Penn at this point.’” In discussing the various factors of this difficult decision, Brown explained the cultural appeal of UVA. “Unfortunately with the recruiting process, some people get rushed here and there. Overall when I was looking, I had wanted to get a different experience,” Brown said. “I had gone to a prep school in NYC then boarding school for two years in Massachusetts, and I wanted something new. Going down south was that something new for me, so that sort of drove me there.” Charlottesville remained her home for the next two years, but SEE BROWN PAGE 5
FILE PHOTO
Harvest remains closed, with mixed student reactions
“If we focus on the present moment and nothing else, we will be better off for it.” - Joe Tharakan on the need for focusing on the moment rather than multitasking PAGE 4
The restaurant has been closed since a fire in January CHRIS DOYLE Staff Reporter
ROGERS-HEALION WAS WORTH THE WAIT BACK PAGE
ANANYA CHANDRA | PHOTO MANAGER
Harvest Seasonal Grill is popular for its Thursday happy hour, but students are frustrated by the restaurant’s lack of transparency about plans for its future.
FOLLOW US @DAILYPENN FOR THE LATEST UPDATES
Students hoping to celebrate the end of the semester with dinner at Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar may see their plans go up in smoke. Despite earlier reports from CEO Dave Magrogan indicating that the Harvest location at 200 S 40th Street will undergo repairs and eventually reopen after a fire in January forced it to suspend operations, there has still been little sign of activity at the property. Now, business review websites Yelp and OpenTable list Harvest as either closed or permanently closed. Neither the Dave Magrogan Group, which owns Harvest, nor Penn Facilities and Real Estate Services, which leases the building in
University City that Harvest is located in, have responded to requests for comment on the restaurant’s future. College senior Luke Barbour said he was a regular at Harvest before the fire, citing its comfortable and lively ambiance. He added that he is disappointed by Harvest’s apparent closure. “Honestly I’m pretty bummed about it,” Barbour said. “It [was] a nice vibe — you [could] chill with your friends and chat in a booth or go hit the dance floor.” Barbour added that the inexpensive drinks were also an important draw for Harvest. “Three-dollar long islands on Thursdays is a great deal — like a great deal,” he said. Other students aren’t as mournful. SEE HARVEST PAGE 3
ONLINE 7 DAYS A WEEK AT THEDP.COM
2 NEWS
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM
Are some classes designed to weed out students? Some professors say no, while students say yes HALEY SUH Staff Reporter
W hen College fresh ma n Sherry Tseng decided to take Computer and Information Science 110 this spring, she did not expect the popular introductory-level computer science course to curtail her interest in computer science altogether. After a semester, she found the course so challenging that she decided not to take any CIS courses in the future. Tseng’s experience is not a unique. CIS is not the only major that offers challenging introductory level courses for prospective majors, often referred to as “weed-out” courses designed to eliminate students who are not fit to pursue the major. These “weed-out” courses are particularly prevalent in subjects to do with Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. There are 300 courses listed as department-recommended classes for College students
STEM entry courses are listed at a 3.0 (out of 4.0) or higher for difficulty level on Penn Course Review, while only 2.67 percent of non-STEM entry courses are rated in the same range of difficulty. Furthermore, 78 percent of the entry courses above 3.0 difficulty belong to STEM fields. Entry courses in the humanities that are also at or above the 3.0 difficulty level include Philosophy 005, Communication 226 and Visual Studies 102. A recent article by U.S. News quoted STEM higher education experts who expressed concern over the notion of “weed-out” classes. “We need to wash out the ‘weed-them-out orientation’ in the classroom,” Mary Fox, co-director at the Center for the Study of Women, Science, and Technology at the Georgia Institute of Technology, said to U.S. News. “That is not a hospitable climate for students. We have to teach students to move along rather than have them sink or swim.” At Penn, many students verify the existence of weedout courses, though professors
or honors courses offered in his high school, and that he felt unprepared for the level of difficulty of introductory classes at Penn — particularly those in the pre-medicine track. “I did really well in the science classes in my high school, so I thought I could definitely take these general intro classes at Penn and do well,” Thai said. “But I realized that I was extremely unprepared for the rigor and difficulty of these classes.” Thai later dropped the premed track and opted to pursue a major in health and societies. He said he believes that professors should do a better job of retaining students in their classes, knowing that their curriculum might be very challenging for some. “I don’t appreciate the Unive r sit y’s o n e - si z e -f it s - a l l approach, where it assumes everyone comes from the same background,” Thai said. “Professors recognize the difficulty of their course, but don’t do a good job of making sure their students stay.” CIS Department Chair Sampath Kannan said it is not the
34ST.COM EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER NEEDED TO START WORK IMMEDIATELY FOR MOTHER-IN-LAW SUFFERING FROM DEMENTIA. I am offering 4-5 hours per day on Saturday, Monday,Wednesday,and Friday, at a rate of $20.00 per hour. ALL APPLICANTS SHOULD EMAIL DIRECTLY philippetkale@gmail.com who want to explore a particular major. 53 of them fall under the category of STEM, and over 47 percent of those
disagree. Fi rst-generat ion Col lege junior David Thai said there were no Advanced Placement
intention of the department to make CIS 110 a weed-out class. “We just want it to cover enough material to get students
up to speed for the next course in the sequence,” Kannan said. “We should be offering a gentler-paced version of 110 for people who may not want to continue on to 120,” Kannan said, acknowledging concerns of students like Tseng and Thai. “We hope to do so in the next year or two.” Col lege ju n ior Sau rabh Sudesh, a biochemistry major, said that Chemistry 241, other wise k nown as Orga nic Chemistry (or “orgo”), is notorious for being challenging. On Penn Course Review, the course has an average difficulty rating of 3.6. While the actual content of the course wasn’t too difficult, Sudesh said he considered it a weed-out class because it required a different learning and studying style which many first
or second-year students are likely not accustomed to. “Orgo is known for being that sort of class that is really tough,” Sudesh said. “If professors or TAs somehow got the point across that the class requires regular studying and people went into the class with that mindset, I think it would be a game-changer for some people.” Chemistry professor Jeffrey Winkler said that he does not consider the level of difficulty when designing course curriculum. “I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about making a class harder or easier to get more or less people [in or out] of the major,” Winkler said. “What I’ve focused more on is trying to make the course more engaging and interesting as
possible for students.” “The position of the Chemistry Department is that we’re not trying to titrate the level of difficulty to encourage enrollment,” he added. Chair of the Department of Biochemistry Ponzy Lu agreed, adding that he was not aware of weed-out courses that were intentionally designed to be difficult. Lu sa id he encou rages prospective majors who are passionate, but struggling in introductory courses, to consider their plans after Penn and how they are allocating their time among courses, clubs and other activities. “The ones that stick it out [in the major] like to be challenged,” Lu said. “If [courses] aren’t challenging, they’re not getting their money’s worth.”
THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN
Why some student groups pay more to use Penn’s facilities SAC-funded groups have priority in booking space OLIVIA SYLVESTER Staff Reporter
Student groups that are not recognized by the Performing Arts Council or the Student Activities Council must “get creative” when it comes to finding free rehearsal space, Director of Platt Student Performing Arts House Laurie McCall said. When a student group receives both PAC and SAC recognition, it has priority when booking rehearsal spaces and performance venues. Groups that are recognized by SAC also receive full funding for approved expenses, such as rent, technicians and equipment. McCall said things like an extra microphone or a follow-spot would cost extra. There are four groups that are not SAC-recognized, but are PAC-recognized — Full Measure, New Spirit of Penn Gospel Choir, Disney A Cappella and Yalla. Cyrus was not recognized by SAC until this spring, and its most recent show was the first funded. McCall also said that it is especially difficult for religious PAC groups to be recognized, and subsequently funded, by SAC. She also noted that groups like Disney A Cappella would struggle to receive funding because it was founded after the establishment of the SAC moratorium, a rule that prevents SAC from recognizing more than one new PAC group each year. SAC President and College and Wharton junior Edward Jing said that he has “heard from talking to different groups that prices [to rent Penn facilities] are very high.” He acknowledged that while Penn offers discounts to students, it is not a “huge amount.” He said he thinks that Penn should offer lower prices to students. He also noted that SAC is advocating for
NEWS 3
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017
HARVEST
>> FRONT PAGE
College juniors Sam Muneton and Red Joseph don’t usually eat at restaurants like Harvest. Their typical meals are something they can order quickly for a low price. “I rarely go to restaurants around here,” Muneton said. “I’m more of a food-truck and dining hall kind of guy.” “I don’t really care too much one way or the other that it’s closed,” Joseph added. “I guess it’s kind of sad that the business isn’t doing well because they contribute to the neighborhood, but besides that, I don’t have an opinion about it specifically.”
Some students who prefer to eat at restaurants say they do not always like on-campus restaurants like Harvest. College senior Dustin Fitzpatrick prefers to venture out into Center City for higher-end meals. “The only thing I really liked about Harvest is their Happy Hour on Thursday nights,” Fitzpatrick said. “I definitely go off campus more because I don’t want to be stuck in the Penn bubble.” Wharton sophomore Jeffrey Bai said food prices at Harvest were too high for students, so he only ate there when his parents visited. Now, Bai said he and his parents opt for restaurants in Center City. “I only went to Harvest like
twice, just with my parents. It’s not something I’d go to with friends,” Bai said. “But after my first year, [my parents] wanted to explore Philly a bit more. So now we typically go to Dim Sum Garden [in Chinatown], or maybe Green Eggs Cafe for brunch.” But Harvest still has fans on campus, and they are frustrated by the restaurant’s lack of transparency about plans for its future. “[Harvest] has just sort of always been ‘the thing’ my friends and I do on Thursdays since we turned 21.” Barbour said. “So that’s been an annoying part for us. We want to know if it’s ever going to reopen.”
ARABELLA UHRY | FILE PHOTO
Groups that are recognized by PAC but not SAC still receive priority over groups that are not recognized by either.
it, although it does not have much influence. Jing also said that the SAC moratorium exists because “the facilities [are] very expensive and the other costs as well — production expenses, costumes, the whole nine yards.” “We would like to accept all the PAC groups we could, but we just don’t have the budget to do that,” Jing said. “A large reason for that is the high facilities costs.” Groups that are recognized by PAC but not SAC still receive priority over groups that are not recognized by either when selecting free rehearsal spaces. Because they do not get the funding from SAC, however, they do not typically rehearse in spaces that would charge them extra. This becomes more difficult when selecting a performance venue because many of those spaces are not free, so they are limited in their options. McCall said that any student can rent out space for free at the Platt Student Performing Arts House and in the space available within the Perelman Quadrangle, though PAC-recognized groups get priority selection. Students in PAC-recognized groups often opt to rehearse in the spaces available at various college houses, which are available to all Penn students.
Groups that are not recognized by SAC, however, get charged for the staffing of their performances. For example, McCall said that if there were no need for security or clean-up staff, Platt would be completely free. She also noted that, because Penn does not build in funding for events held by student groups, places like the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology must charge for rent, as well as for extra staffing. Kanishka Rao is a Wharton and Engineering junior and the financial chair of Disney A Cappella, a PAC-recognized but not SAC-recognized student group. He said that the problem with not being SAC-funded is not about the cost of facilities, but rather about other expenses. “It definitely limits where you can perform and how often you can perform and what you can do in the space,” Rao said. “If we were SAC-recognized we could get better mics and a better sound technician and things like that.” He acknowledged that the group is limited to picking affordable places, which is why they do not see the high facilities costs. He cited that if they attempted to perform at the Annenberg Center or Irvine Auditorium there would be “extremely high costs.”
@dailypennsports SPR
017
2 ING
THE 55
60
5
10 15
50
20
45 40
35
30
25
11:55 a.m. Wednesdays in April Stiteler Plaza, 37th and Locust Walk Rain Location: Houston Hall, Bistro
April 19
Guobin Yang
Professor of Sociology and Communication
Understanding the Success of China’s Super App
Watch the livestream on Facebook or Twitter @PennSAS Watch past lectures online at www.sas.upenn.edu/60second
BY THE
Penn Arts and Sciences’ Knowledge by the Slice lunchtime series offers educational talks led by insightful faculty experts. Did we mention there’s pizza? So sit back, relax—and have a slice on us.
U.S. Foreign Policy in a Trump Administration: A Three-Month Review MICHAEL HOROWITZ
Associate Professor of Political Science
AVERY GOLDSTEIN
David M. Knott Professor in Global Politics and International Relations
ALEX WEISIGER
Associate Professor of Political Science
Thursday, April 20, 2017 Noon–1 p.m. Irvine Auditorium, Café 58 3401 Spruce Street
Donald Trump campaigned on a vision of “America First,” heralding potentially significant changes in U.S. foreign policy. How much of that was rhetoric, and how much is likely to become reality? This panel will assess the first few months of the Trump administration and what it suggests about the present and future of U.S. foreign policy from Asia to Europe to the Middle East and beyond. Followed by a Q&A.
@PENNSAS
@PENNSAS
PENNSAS
#SMARTSLICE Can’t make it to the lecture? Watch a live stream of Knowledge by the Slice on Facebook and Twitter @PennSAS. For more information, go to www.sas.upenn.edu and click on the Knowledge by the Slice icon.
4
OPINION
To John Legend: Make sure the reform is real GUEST COLUMN BY BLAIR BOWIE
TUESDAY APRIL 18, 2017 VOL. CXXXIII, NO. 50 133rd Year of Publication CARTER COUDRIET President DAN SPINELLI Executive Editor LUCIEN WANG Print Director ALEX GRAVES Digital Director ALESSANDRO VAN DEN BRINK Opinion Editor SYDNEY SCHAEDEL Senior News Editor WILL SNOW Senior Sports Editor CHRIS MURACCA Design Editor CAMILLE RAPAY Design Editor JULIA SCHORR Design Editor LUCY FERRY Design Editor VIBHA KANNAN Enterprise Editor GENEVIEVE GLATSKY News Editor TOM NOWLAN News Editor
Penn Law recently announced that musician, activist and Penn alum John Legend will join the advisory board of the Quattrone Center for the Fair Administration of Justice. Legend can use his new position to ensure the Center’s work helps to break the cycle of mass incarceration not perpetuate it. While the Center’s “unbiased” approach to criminal justice reform may seem laudable, Legend should ensure that reforms actually serve the people most harmed by our carceral state. To that end, here are three pitfalls for him to watch out for: 1. Make sure rich people don’t co-opt the movement to immunize themselves. The Quattrone Center was initially funded by Frank Quattrone, an investment banker who in 2004 was sentenced to 18 months in prison for obstruction of justice and witness tampering. Despite considerable legal concerns, after extensive appeals Quattrone ended up serving no time in prison. He was apparently so upset by the notion that
he could have gone to prison for white-collar crime that he was inspired to found the Center to ensure that such injustice could not happen again. One might wonder whether given this history whether the “fair administration of justice” will concern itself with the justice gap between the rich and poor. Additionally, this March the Center accepted a $2.2 million contribution from the Charles Koch foundation. The Kochs’ national criminal justice reform initiative is called “Right on Crime,” and one of its key platforms is fighting overcriminalization. It defines overcriminalization, however, as the proliferation of federal statutes regulating business activities. Solutions to this alleged problem do nothing for the nearly 46 percent of prisoners locked away for drug offenses. It does, on the other hand, give immunity people like Charles Koch and Frank Quattrone for breaking laws designed to protect the public interest. 2. Make sure the “re-
forms” don’t grant legitimacy to a broken system. Since the 60’s, criminal justice reforms focused on enhancing legitimacy have actually contributed to the rise of the carceral state. Presidents Johnson and Truman posited that more training and uniform sentencing guidelines would eliminate
disconnected officers from local communities, enhancing distrust. The Quattrone Center is similarly focused on enhancing procedural mechanisms over changing substantive law. It states as two of its goals improving accuracy in forensic practices and enhancing account-
While the Center’s ‘unbiased’ approach to criminal justice reform may seem laudable, Legend should ensure that reforms actually serve the people most harmed by our carceral state.” the discretion of racist cops, judges and prosecutors. In theory, if black communities viewed police as professional and fair, they would trust the system and respect the law. According to historian Naomi Murakawa, however, the professionalization of the police force
ability for prosecutors. Its upcoming symposium is on “Preventing Errors in Criminal Justice.” More accurate evidentiary gathering or accountability for crooked prosecutors may ensure that fewer innocent people are swept up into the system, but it does little for minor
offenders, communities that are reliant on an extra-legal economy or young people caught in the school-to-prison pipeline. The effect of professionalizing the system and enhancing its accuracy has the effect of legitimizing it in the eyes of the white electorate, even as its outcomes continue to be more and more racially biased. 3. Make sure that “reform” is not the next evolution of state-sanctioned racial suppression. Finally, and most importantly, mass incarceration is, as Michelle Alexander has explained, “the New Jim Crow.” Our bloated criminal justice system is the latest evolution in a long history of American systems of violent state-sanctioned racial control. This system of suppression is dangerously durable and malleable. It is the progeny of slavery and lynching. When the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, politicians found it expedient to criminalize its leaders. The political efficacy of “law and order” rhetoric led to the “war on drugs” and eventually Democrats
“getting tough on crime,” all the while creating policy that exploded the prison population. At the very least, this history needs to be confronted head on. Yet the Quattrone Center’s mission does not even mention the word “race.” More importantly, the Center’s “reforms” must not support or create the next evolution in statesanctioned racial suppression. The Oscar-nominated film “13th” points out how many powerful business interests currently profit from the industrial prison complex. The film suggests that as the abuses of the system come to light these corporate players suddenly become reformers. But the reforms they advocate are designed to make them rich, not to loosen the grip of the criminal justice system on people of color. This is the Right on Crime movement, which some experts suggest seeks to “incarcerate people in their own communities.” BLAIR BOWIE is a Third Year Law student at Penn Law from Washington D.C.
ALLY JOHNSON Assignments Editor COLE JACOBSON Sports Editor
CARTOON
JONATHAN POLLACK Sports Editor TOMMY ROTHMAN Sports Editor AMANDA GEISER Copy Editor HARRY TRUSTMAN Copy Editor ANDREW FISCHER Director of Web Development DYLAN REIM Social Media Editor DAKSH CHHOKRA Analytics Editor ANANYA CHANDRA Photo Manager JOY LEE News Photo Editor ZACH SHELDON Sports Photo Editor LUCAS WEINER Video Producer JOYCE VARMA Podcast Editor BRANDON JOHNSON Business Manager MADDY OVERMOYER Advertising Manager SONIA KUMAR Business Analytics Manager MARK PARASKEVAS Circulation Manager HANNAH SHAKNOVICH Marketing Manager TANVI KAPUR Development Project Lead MEGHA AGARWAL Development Project Lead
THIS ISSUE BREVIN FLEISCHER Sports Associate
BRYN FRIEDENBERG is a College junior from Kirtland, Ohio. Her email is tobryn@sas.upenn.edu.
YOSI WEITZMAN Sports Associate NADIA GOLDMAN Copy Associate
GRACE WU Copy Associate
Focus on one thing at a time
ALEX RABIN Copy Associate
CUP O’JOE | Our lives would be so much better if we did so
HARLEY GEFFNER Copy Associate
ZOE BRACCIA Copy Associate SANJANA ADURTY Copy Associate MEGAN JONES Photo Associate LIZZY MACHIELSE Photo Associate AVALON MORELL Photo Associate CINDY CHEN Photo Associate ROSHAN BENEFO Design Associate ASHLING SUI Design Associate
LETTERS Have your own opinion? Send your letter to the editor or guest column to letters@thedp.com. Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The Daily Pennsylvanian as determined by the majority of the Editorial Board. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinion of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the DP’s position.
Every Penn student complains of being overworked and stressed. There are rigorous classes and all the hours they entail, clubs and teams that require significant time commitments, friends to hang out with and parties to go to, places to explore and restaurants to try. Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in a day, and Penn students usually allocate three or so for sleep and another for getting coffee throughout the day to combat sleep deprivation. Thus, we complain all the time about impossible workloads, or spending eight hours cooped up in the library or FOMO from watching our friends having fun on Snapchat while we have no time. It feels like we can’t get it all done. And that leads to feeling like we are falling behind of where we should be, falling short of our potential, and we need to do even MORE to compensate. I argue that the biggest time waster of all is trying to
plan so many things at once. The best example is that Penn students are always multitasking, trying to juggle too many things in our minds. We are always distracted. If there is a short break in activity, such as an elevator ride alone or waiting in line for a cup of coffee, our first impulse is to check our texts or Facebook or Instagram or whatever else. When we are writing our papers, we are intermittently taking breaks to check social media or talk to our friends or change the song on our Spotify. What if instead we focused on the elevator ride itself? What if we looked around at the coffee shop and said “The only thing I care about at this moment is buying this cup of coffee”? What if, for every single task, we gave it our undivided attention? If we focus on the present moment and nothing else, we will be better off for it. Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert, two re-
searchers at Harvard, found that distracted unfocused thinking leads to dissatisfaction. In their paper, “A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind,” they conclude that people are at their happiest when they are focused on
it. When you are on a roller coaster dropping at 70 miles per hour with the wind blowing into your face, nothing else seems important enough to think about. You cannot wonder “I have a test coming up soon. Did
I argue that the biggest time waster of all is trying to plan so many things at once.” the present moment rather than the past, the future, hypotheticals or fantasies. A mind belongs in one place at a time. I recently had the chance to go to Six Flags Great Adventure and ride a ton of giant roller coasters. One thing I noticed was that I was overwhelmed and I was absolutely focused on
I prepare enough?” or “That girl I like hasn’t texted me fast enough, she must not like me,” or “Wow I was so embarrassing in class yesterday.” Your mind is focused on the present moment and nothing else can break through. That feeling of absolute focus, of ignoring all the random noise and chat-
ter that goes on inside our mind, is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world and is entirely controlled by ourselves. When therapists have patients with depression and anxiety, they instruct them to do mindfulness exercises and meditation, where you focus intensely on simple stimuli an overactive mind usually ignores, like the rate of your breathing or the feeling of your shirt on your skin. Of course, it is not easy to do this by any means. Anyone at this university is fairly smart, and smart people tend to think a lot. It feels hard or even unnatural to turn off the thoughts in our brain, and if we completely did so we would not be able to function properly. Still, it is worthwhile to try. Given Penn’s mental health crisis, the frequent complaints of chronic stress among the student body and the epidemic of anxiety and depression on college campuses, we could all benefit
JOE THARAKAN from trying to live in the now a little more. Focus on what is in front of you, when you do something do it with your full energy and attention, and when thoughts about other things pop up, imagine them as balloons and watch them float away. This won’t solve all your problems, but it might make you a bit happier as you take them on. JOE THARAKAN is a College senior from the Bronx, N.Y., studying biological basis of behavior. His email address is jthara@sas.upenn.edu. “Cup o’Joe” usually appears every other Tuesday.
THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN
SJP
>> FRONT PAGE
“blacklists” or databases of individuals they deem anti-Semitic. These databases include public profiles with names, photographs and other personal information, including a person’s close connections. Israel also passed a law barring entry to foreigners who have publicly supported the controversial Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. A College upperclassman, who requested to remain anonymous also due to fears of retaliation, hopes this week will educate students on the political and social situation in the region, which the student said is not adequately covered by major news outlets. The student, who is Jewish, has volunteered in the West Bank and is a member of a “leftist activist group.” “You don’t hear about the home demolitions that occur,” the upperclassman said. “Every village in the West Bank is under the threat of demolition. One village that I worked in had demolitions recently that left families homeless.” Some members of the Penn community have labeled the event and group as anti-Semitic since its inception. A 2016 guest column in The Daily Pennsylvanian criticized the “undeniable and prevalent anti-Semitic attitudes displayed by many members of SJP.” However, Rashad said that both Penn SJP and the event are unrelated to religion. “We make it very clear that we’re anti-Zionism, which is the political ideology of an ethnocentric ... State of Israel,” Rashad said. “We separate that from Judaism. We actually have members who are Jewish.” The College upperclassman said it was “absurd” that the term “apartheid” could not be used without garnering backlash from
pro-Israeli student groups. “How am I supposed to describe what I’ve seen if I can’t use a certain term because it’s offensive?” the student said. “There is no current term that exists that comes close to what you see there. I don’t think these students have actually seen what it looks like firsthand.” Rashad added that the term was used in the context of international human rights laws. “We are really sticking to the topic of the crime of apartheid, which is different than apartheid South Africa,” Rashad said. “We’re not saying it’s the same exact situation, but you can see that some of these things happen.” Penn Hillel Israel Sector Chair and College junior Hannah Jaffe said the Israel Sector of Hillel does not support the event’s depiction of the history of the region. “In general, Israel Sector’s opinion on it is that we don’t agree with this oversimplification of the events and history that Israel Apartheid week promotes,” Jaffe said in an emailed statement to the DP. College and Wharton senior and member of SJP Aimee Knaus said that SJP’s first event of the week aims to explain to students why they chose the word “apartheid,” in order to start a dialogue with students who have different views than the SJP regarding the current situation in the region. “It’s called ‘Solidarity in the Face of Apartheid’,” Knaus said. “My hope is that people who really don’t like the use of that word will come to the event and engage in conversation with us.” Having received backlash for the event last year, Rashad said he expects the same this year from groups like the Penn Israel Public Affairs Committee. PIPAC declined to provide an on-the-record comment, but a member of the group, who asked that their title and name not be given, provided
NEWS 5
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017 a link to an article from the Anti-Defamation League, titled “Response To Common Inaccuracy: Israel is an Apartheid State.” “There is no Israeli ideology, policy or plan to segregate, persecute or mistreat the Arab population,” the article reads. “Arab citizens of Israel enjoy the full range of civil and political rights.” “Palestinians in the West Bank and in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip do encounter hardships as a result of Israeli policies, including checkpoints, access into Israel, the security barrier and other issues,” the article continues. “However, these procedures and structures have been developed to promote security and thwart potential terrorist action, not to persecute or segregate.” The article goes on to condemn campaigns that “demonize” or “bash” Israel rather than “advocate constructive initiatives.” Knaus said that moving forward from the week SJP is aiming to spread awareness of its message within the student community at Penn. “The objectives are always just to grow within the constituents in our group but also within the people who are interested in hearing our message,” Knaus said. “My hope is after this week more people know what Students for Justice in Palestine is and what our mission actually is.” The College upperclassman also said the events aim to highlight the greater historical context of issues in the region. “The issue that we see right now in this conflict is that you cannot point to recent history to explain what’s going on. I think that [the event] provides students with a way to get closer to the larger history,” the student said. “I do think that this provides an avenue for students to actually learn about the conditions that create what we see in the news.”
SATURN CLUB HAIR SALON
BROWN
>> FRONT PAGE
she only played lacrosse for one of those. During her freshman year, Brown appeared in three games for the Cavaliers, while also staying busy with a multitude of clubs and organizations on the side. Corbett noticed that her former recruit wasn’t taking the field much and picked up the phone. “I knew her club coach very well and asked, ‘Does Brittany miss lacrosse?’ Her club coach called her and we started the process, though she had not played for a year. She came on a visit and decided [on Penn],” she said. “It wasn’t an easy decision — she had a great life at Virginia with a lot of clubs and friends, but there was something missing for her about lacrosse and the kind of goalie she knew she could be.” With things not shaping up as plan through sophomore year, Brown recognized this opportunity as a fresh start, and ran with it. “I wanted to play lacrosse again, and also the financial aid package I received from Penn was amazing,” she said. “So that
drove me here, and I’m lucky enough to get to play lacrosse every day and afford this institution. So the best of both worlds came together.” Upon arriving in Philadelphia, Brown has made every minute count. Both she and her coach emphasized the welcoming and cohesive nature of the squad, which helped to ease the transition for the then-junior. Still, after a year off from the game, Brown had to dedicate herself to returning to top form. “I had to get my eyes readjusted and get my hand-eye [coordination] back. This year I’ve been able to really see the ball, and that’s been really special for me,” she said. Her hard work has certainly paid off, as Brown received playing time in every game of her inaugural season as a Quaker. During that period, she helped the team hold opponents to a mere 7.86 goals per game en route to a 15-5 season and an NCAA tournament run. Now in her second season, Brown is looking to lead the Red and Blue to new heights, as they currently sit at 10-2 and 3-1 in the conference. It is notable that so
Senior Year
JUNIOR YEAR
(to date)
7.17 Goals
7.17 Goals
against average Save Percentage
against average Save Percentage
49%
59.6%
121 saves
18
far, all victories have seen the opponents kept to under ten goals. Despite her enormous role in that department, the ever-modest Brown shares the credit with her team. “I definitely have to credit my defense here — I think we’re in the top ten for goals against average. It’s not about the goalie, because the defense in front of me gives me the shots that I can save,” she said. Remarking on Brown’s improvement, Corbett feels that her goalie is among the nation’s elite. “She really believed in what we could do, and that was a huge turning point for her, and she gained more confidence as last season went on,” Corbett said. “This season, she’s been stellar, and I think she’s one of the best goalies in the country. She’s gonna keep doing what she does best, and people will see it.” As this season wraps up shortly, Brown will only have a few more chances to take the cage. With three more Ivy matches leading into the postseason, the star senior has the perfect opportunity to make up for lost time and to capture some well-deserved hardware.
111 saves
Games played
12
Games played
2 BR Apartments still available for 2017-2018! Now leasing at reduced rates! Large group? Only one 4 BR Apartment left! *Pet Friendly! - No additional charges*
$10 OFF
ANY CHEMICAL SERVICE
www.apartmentsatpenn.com 215.222.0222 At Penn, At Home.
(VALID FOR FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS ONLY!)
Monday - Saturday | 10am- 6pm | 3426 Sansom St. | 215-387-8981
4000 Spruce St. | (215) 382-1330
ULTIMATE COLLEGE STORAGE
ultimatecollegestorage.com ultimatecollegestorage.com (484) 222-6102 (484) 222-6102
3720 Spruce Street Philadelphia, PA 19104
RESERVE RESERVE NOW NOW FOR FOR
20
% % OFF OFF BEFORE MAY 1 BEFORE MAY 1
6 SPORTS
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017
SWITCH
>> BACK PAGE
were being hindered by those above me who disregarded my hard work and dedication. I knew that in the end, my mental health had to outweigh the love I had for my sport. Knowing I may never put my goalie pads on again stuck in my mind then and still sits heavily in my heart to this day. Once my sophomore season ended, I decided to leave the field hockey team. I am an athlete at heart and wanted to continue being a part of the athletic community at Penn, so I decided to join the women’s rowing team.
Coach Wesley Ng accepted me enthusiastically and the team welcomed me instantly, despite my having little experience rowing. My first day on the team was truly unforgettable — I instantly felt at home and accepted, something I had never felt when I was a part of field hockey. Switching sports did bring positives to my life, as I met some of my best friends by joining the rowing team. It is hard to describe how it feels to leave behind something so special to you. I often think about how much I wish I could be in my pads again with the team I so much wanted to stay a part
of. However, I knew in my heart that it was ultimately damaging to who I was as a person and athlete, and I had to walk away. Rowing is new to me, and while it is one of the most physically grueling sports I have ever done, it is something I value as a part of my Penn experience. It has taught me to never forget my self-worth and my capabilities, no matter how much people doubt me. REINA KERN is a College sophomore from Princeton, N.J., and is a sports reporter for The Daily Pennsylvanian. She can be reached at dpsports@thedp.com.
UNSPLASH | CC 1.0
After a time with Penn field hockey that was mentally unsettling, columnist Reina Kern switched to Penn women’s rowing — a move she hasn’t regretted, feeling at home for the first time at Penn.
Registrationfor for2015 2017summer summerhousing housingisisnow nowopen. open. Registration Apply online now at www.upenn.edu/hospitality-services
SUDOKUPUZZLE
Skill Level:
3 2 Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) 1 5 2 8 contains every digit 1 to 9. Solution to Previous Puzzle: 8 9 7 6 3 2 4 4 3 7 5 2 8 5The New 7 York8Times Syndication Sales Corporation 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 prizesudoku 8 6For For Release Tuesday, April 18, 2017
8 3 1 7 9
Š Puzzles provided by sudokusolver.com
ACROSS fan? 4 Numbers to crunch 8 Asian gambling mecca 13 Singer DiFranco 14 Water pitchers 16 Slender woodwinds 17 Asian electronics giant 18 Mystery writer Marsh 19 Sporty car in a Beach Boys song 20 *“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World� actor, 1963 22 Year, south of the border 23 A pep talk might boost it 24 *“12 Angry Men� actor, 1957 28 Reduce to particles
30
31 32 35 36
40 43
44 48
Online money transfer facilitator Scruff of the neck Made bird noises Pig’s digs *“Anatomy of a Murderâ€? actor, 1959 “Breaking Badâ€? network It’s a size larger than grande at Starbucks Sounds of satisfaction Like a toasted marshmallow vis-Ă -vis a nontoasted one Shirt with straps instead of sleeves *“Road Tripâ€? actor, 2000 Rice-based Spanish dish PC “brainâ€?
58
60 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69
Youthful time in one’s life ‌ which this puzzle might harken solvers back to? Did a smith’s job on Prized violin D.C. ballplayer In and of itself Mister, south of the border Prefix with borough Bohemian Puts in stitches Dog breeder’s org.
DOWN
1
2
The Sudoku Source of
3
4
13
14
17
18
20
5
6
8
Sports Editor
With such a star-studded senior class, Penn softball is desperate for a late season rally to send some of its top contributors off in style. But one of the Quakers’ best performers is here for the long haul. After a terrific freshman campaign in 2016, sophomore infielder Sarah Cwiertnia has followed it up with an even better one in 2017 for the Red and Blue. The California native burst on the scene for Penn last year with a .347 batting average and a .379 on-base percentage. Penn coach Leslie King knew Cwiertnia was a special talent at the plate from the first time she saw her play at Santa Margarita high school. “She was consistently hitting the ball hard,� King recalled. “She was hitting home runs, she was driving the ball--- she was a good player, you could see that. She could rake.� So Cwiertnia’s success as a freshman did not, figuratively or literally, come out of left field. But sustaining that success was no sure thing. In both collegiate and professional sports, the dreaded “sophomore slump� can plague the most talented young athletes, even those who manage to avoid the “rookie wall.� Cwiertnia, however, got the help she needed from her teammates— especially sluggers Leah Allen and Jurie Joyner— to prevent any possibility of falling into one of those mental traps. “Definitely [I] look up to Leah and Jurie--- they’re both phenomenal hitters,� Cwiertnia said. “They just tell you to relax. Softball is a mental game, it’s mostly in your head, so the more relaxed you are the better you play.� “So many people in sports always kind of latch on to the
BONNIE MENDELSON | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
While many second-year players psych themselves out en route to a “sophomore slump,� Sarah Cwiertnia is on fire for Penn softball.
‘sophomore slump’ thing and the more kids talk about it sometimes the more real they make it,� King said. “And I was really pleased that Sarah didn’t make it a thing this year.� Cwiertnia certainly hasn’t made the sophomore slump a thing, hitting .354 and raising her OBP to .414 with a pair of home runs. After playing both corner infield positions last season, she has now found a home at first base. And while Allen and star pitcher (and hitter) Alexis Sargent will be departing from the program in under a month, Cwiertnia is one of the younger players ready to step in as a focal point of the offense. In many ways, she already has. “We’ve moved her into the number three spot as a hitter,� King said. “In the sport you put your best hitter in the number three spot, and we have a lot of good hitters on this team. She’s embraced her role.� “I’m just trying to help the team the best I can, and hit runners in,� Cwiertnia said. If her goal is to hit runners in, then she couldn’t possibly be
31
32
42
at:
.com
10
11
12
16
25
29
36
9
37
26
33
34
35 39
43
44
49
50
53
54 57
58 61
27
30
38
62
55
51
45
46
doing better. Her 28 RBIs lead all Ivy League hitters. King is optimistic that Cwiertnia will not only help fill the void left by the graduating seniors in the box score, but in the locker room as well. “I see her as being in a position to show younger hitters, ‘this is the role that you can play.’ She’s certainly got great leadership qualities. She works hard, she does her job, she’s not involved in drama. She just comes in and does her job with a smile on her face. I see her being a potential leader in the future for sure.� But for now, Cwiertnia is just trying to help the Quakers make the most out of the time they have left with this current group, a goal she says the entire team has shared all season. “It’s definitely a motivation to play for our seniors--- that’s been the saying the whole year, ‘play for your seniors.’ Play like it’s the last game you’re ever gonna play,� Cwiertnia said. “It’s gonna be a lot different without them around, I don’t know it’s going to impact the team dynamic, but I do think we are fully capable of winning in future years as well.�
Alcoholism at Penn
“Daily Pennsylvanian�.
47
52
56 59 63
admired 64 65 66 for his masculinity 67 68 69 2 The tiniest bit 53 3 Gesture to PUZZLE BY DAMON J. GULCZYNSKI punctuate 56 a great 21 Hitchcock role 49 “Um ‌ O.K.â€? 37 Winnebago performance in almost every owner, briefly 57 51 “Superbadâ€? 4 Highest Hitchcock film producer Judd 38 Bone-dry mountain in ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE North America 25 Sporting sword 39 In the buff 52 Low points 26 Actress ___ 5 “What a 40 F.B.I. 54 Those, to JosĂŠ A T T Y J A G B L I S S Pinkett Smith bummer!â€? employee: P R O O F E R A R O G U E 55 April, May Abbr. 6 Oolong and Earl 27 Journalist Nellie and June, for B E R M U D A T R I A N G L E Grey 41 Sponge example K E A T O N G P S Y U K 29 “Microâ€? and 7 Popular 42 Behave “macroâ€? 59 Swimmer’s M I G B L A I R typeface subject, for assignment 45 1996 Olympics F I N A L S A L E Z A P P A short 8 Bon ___ site 60 Where you E N E E L L A T E T R A S (witticism) 33 Province west might hear 46 It stores a M A R K E A R T H S A N K of Que. 9 Monastic realm 44-Across synagogue’s U N D E A D N O I D D I M Torah scrolls 10 Many washers 34 Passing 61 Susan of “L.A. R E Y E S T E N N I S A C E and dryers mention? Lawâ€? 47 Moving jerkily P I T H Y A A H in apartment buildings O C T A W E D I L U T E Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 7,000 past P O I N T O F N O R E T U R N 11 Stunt pilot puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). E N N U I E A T R U B I O 12 Amer. money Read about and comment on each puzzle: nytimes.com/wordplay. N S Y N C D Y E P A C T 15 Peeved 50
TOMMY ROTHMAN
22 24
48
before senior core leaves
19
28
60
7
21
41
SOFTBALL | 1B raking
No. 0314
15
23
40
Sophomore Stud: Cwiertnia dominates on the diamond
Create and solve your Sudoku puzzles for FREE.
Play Sudoku and win prizes
NEWYORKTIMESCROSSWORDPUZZLE Edited by Will Shortz Crossword 1 Pop
THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN | THEDP.COM
1 One
Check out this Thursday’s feature in
THEDP.COM | THE DAILY PENNSYLVANIAN
ROGERS-HEALION >> BACK PAGE
struggles with entering the lineup as a sophomore. To her, the return process felt slow. To her teammates, she hadn’t missed a beat. Teammate and junior attacker Caroline Cummings had rave reviews for Rogers-Healion’s debut. “She came back from her injury very strong,” Cummings said. “It was really impressive how quickly she was able to get into college play after her
ensure that time away from the playing field does not equate to a year without any development. Corbett, having coached plenty of injured players over the years, ensured that no player would lose out on the opportunity to learn. “We want to make sure they’re paying attention in the drills, watching video with the team so they can hear a lot of teaching points.” She came back On top of that, Rogersfrom her injury Hea l ion worke d wit h very strong. It was then-sophomore McKenzie Hunt on stick skills. Hunt, really impressive how also an injured attack, would stay on the sidelines quickly she was able to working on her stick skills get into college play after to make up for her lost her injury. season. That ultimately helped Rogers-Hea lion - Caroline Cummings raise her game heading into her sophomore year. T he 2015 season, Rog- injury.” e r s - H e a l io n’s s o p h o m o r e In her sophomore season, campaign, would be the at- Rogers-Healion saw the field tacker’s first on-field collegiate in a limited role but made an lacrosse action. Adapting to a impact on numerous occasteep learning curve, Rogers- sions. Appearing in 14 games, Healion was thankful for her the feeder scored six goals and teammates’ help and under- added six helpers. standing throughout the return Those numbers are impresprocess. sive for a sophomore attack “It was tough at first but coming off the bench. For it luckily everyone was really pa- to be Rogers-Healion’s first tient with me and gave me the season playing only reinforced time I needed to catch up to the what Corbett knew all along, pace everyone was at.” that she had starting potential. Rogers-Healion recalls her With that performance, Rogown personal difficulties and ers-Healion had made her case
FRESHMAN Year
for extended playing time in 2015-16, her junior season. She would play in all 20 games and make 12 starts, finishing fifth on the team in points (with 34) and catching fire as the season wound down. The Quakers returned to the Ivy League throne in 2016 and would go on to make it to the NCAA Quarterfinals. The attack, driven in large part by program legend Nina Corcoran, was a well-oiled machine. Rogers-Healion also played a role in that. Still, if Rogers-Healion wanted to become an impactful full-time starter, she would need to change how she saw herself as a player. “She was comfor table being a role player last year, albeit a big one, because that’s how she saw herself,” Corbett said. Heading into her senior sea son, Roger s-Hea l ion had taken her feedback from coaches and assessed herself from there. She saw herself as having more to give as a feeder, but also wanted to develop as a goal-scorer. The goal was to develop into a more balanced attacker. Rogers-Healion’s first-look as a cutter in 2017, Cummings marveled at her teammate’s development over the years as a feeder, albeit not in the quarterbacking role that Corcoran had played in 2016 from behind the net. “Emily’s the feeder, I’m the
Sophomore Year
6 goals 14 GAMES 6 assists 12 points
Did not play Junior Year
Senior Year
20 GAMES
6
goals
6 assists 12 points
Multi year winner for best Buffalo Wings & Pizza
SPORTS 7
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017
21
goals 12 GAMES assists points
17
40
FILE PHOTO
After sitting out her freshman year due to injury, it was a possibility that Emily Rogers-Healion missed her chance. But the senior has come to life this year, helping Penn women’s lacrosse with 40 points so far.
cutter. Emily’s learning how to she could be the one to provide feed most efficiently so having those goals. The results of that this feeder-cutter relationship new line of thinking speak for has been tremendous. She’s themselves. taking on Nina’s role [as a playTaking a more balanced apmaker] in stride and I’m excited proach in 2017, Rogers-Healion to see what she has left.” is having her best season yet. Corbet t a lso had h igh Last year, Rogers-Healion had regards for the senior’s improv- 17 goals and 17 assists in 20 ing playmaking ability. games (starting 12). This year, “She ended up with a good she has started in all 12 of the amount of assists last year,” team’s games and has 21 goals Corbett said. “Losing Nina, and 19 assists, in a three-way she knew that she needed to be tie for the point lead. As Coach somebody that we wanted the Corbett recognizes, Rogersball in her stick. She makes really good decisions.” “She’s very strong when she gets double-teamed and her vision is good on a haphazard play. She’s grown into the player we knew she would be.” Despite the kind words from her teammates and coaches, Rogers-Healion’s - Karin Corbett development as a player was not finished. She wanted to help the team score goals and that meant Healion has only gotten better looking for the shot more often since the season’s start. than she had in the past. “In the first couple games, “I’ve struggled a lot with her points and her shots are becoming someone who is not a lot,” Corbett said. “We goal-oriented. The way I’ve needed her to see herself as always played is wanting to be more of a big player, somesomeone who makes plays for body who can draw the slides, other people. I get a lot of joy score, and feed, but not just be out of that,” Rogers-Healion a feeder, because she has the said. ability to score and dodge and However, she knew that the she has really taken that on team needed goals and that and you can see that in how she
She’s grown into the player we knew she would be.
attacks the goal and how many shots she’s getting in a game.” Given her selflessness as a playmaker, it is to no surprise that Rogers-Healion extends her role as a helper to player development. Cummings is quick to notice the work that her teammate has done in helping to show her freshmen teammates the ropes. “She has grown tremendously. She has taken the freshmen underneath her wings and helped them grow. She has helped them to be more implemented in our attack,” Cummings said. “She’s kind of the point guard of our attack.” Rogers-Healion is fond of the freshman class and sees great talent and potential from the 10 underclassmen. Luckily for the entire program, that abnormally large class has quite the mentor, as Rogers-Healion has made it her duty to be as supportive towards these freshmen as her upperclassmen were towards her. “Being injured my freshman year was really difficult for me in many ways – I struggled emotionally and physically. Because I had such a difficult time, I wanted to make sure that nobody else was in that situation or to try and pull out as much confidence as [they could exude].”
Approved Penn Vendor!
Daily Lunch & Dinner Specials! 20 Buffalo Wings + Large Cheese Pizza $21.99! (Must mention offer while ordering. Not to be combined with any other specials)
www.edswings.com 215.222.4000 Pick up • Dine In • Delivery • Catering • Open Late
15% off with this coupon (Expires 5/1) | Not valid with other offers
Welcome
Order online Dinner Buffet - $12.95 for Pick-up CLASS OF or delivery Student Discounts For Fast Delivery Call 215-386-1941 Lunch Buffet - $9.95 Exp.2/23/12 4/11/12 Exp.
2016 Welcome Available with Valid I.D.
Closed Mondays
Buffet • Drinks Specials • Take-out
Exp.2/23/12 4/11/12 Exp.
For Fast Delivery Call 215-386-1941
CLASS OF
not sure if you(r phone) will make it through fling?
SERVICES
Exp.2/23/12 4/11/12 Exp.
2016
For Fast Delivery Call 215-386-1941
Laptops, Laser printer, cell phones, tablets Students, Faculty, Staff, Personal ItemS Departmental Services Done on Site Free tempered glass for your phone for signing in at the store!
WE’re here for you!
ADDRESS
3944 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104
PENN VENDOR # 576645
3549 Chestnut St (215) 387-8808 sangkeenoodlehouse.com For Fast Delivery
Exp.2/23/12 4/11/12 Exp.
Call 215-386-1941
SOPHOMORE STUD
BRITT BROWN
In her second season for Penn softball, Sarah Cwiertnia is dominating on the diamond
After a long journey to Philly, Penn women’s lacrosse’s star goalie brings her career to an end
>> SEE PAGE 6
>> SEE FRONT PAGE
TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 2017
Why I left Penn field hockey and joined rowing REINA KERN
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about something very relevant to me and my Penn experience: Penn athletes who have switched sports. And while most Penn students find this to be rare or odd — even other Penn athletes — it is something that should not be overlooked as an easy experience. In fact, it is one of the most difficult experiences I have ever been faced with in my life. Most athletes, including myself, come in with a perfect image of what it means to be a Division I athlete. I committed in the fall of my junior year to Penn field hockey as a goalkeeper. Unfortunately, the experience that I endured was something so unexpected and disheartening that still, to this day, it’s hard to accept. I was forced to give up something that granted me so much pride and joy; something that when I looked in the mirror, I was proud to be who I was because of how far I had come. While I had multiple offers from other schools, I chose Penn because the coaching staff made me feel wanted, and when I stepped on campus I felt at home. I’ll never forget the day I committed. I left a voicemail on the coach’s office phone and started to cry because it was one of the best moments of my life. Sadly, when I arrived here at Penn, this joy faded. I was never given an opportunity to play and prove myself as a goalkeeper, not because I was undeserving and incapable, but because it seemed that the coaching staff never bothered to give me the chance. Many people overlook goalkeepers, but it is actually one of the most mentally challenging positions in all of sport. On our team, it was made even worse because the goalies didn’t train as a unit, but more individually. We were told to “compete against each other” instead of building each other up, so we all had the greatest shot at being on the field. Players could speak disrespectfully to one another, and despite bringing it to the coaches’ attention, very little would be done about it. I’d often ask the coaching staff why I wasn’t playing, and they’d respond, “you should know why,” or I’d be scolded harshly. Yet, at practice I was rarely given any corrections to my skills, and the goalie coaching was only aimed at those they wanted to play. I was working day in and day out, doing extra training, taking any extra shot that I could, but no matter what I did, it never made a difference. I was always overlooked. Being an athlete my whole life, I had never been so mentally unstable as I was during my sophomore season. Pulled out of the goal cage during practice, stripped of the ability to perform — even in practice to get better — and constantly the underdog. The sport I loved was being taken away from me with no explanation, and I had to watch it happen because it was out of my control. I soon realized the situation was only going to get worse, and that the depression I was undergoing was so severe that I had to make a decision. I felt like I had become a completely different person, and that all the best qualities of myself as an athlete
W. LAX | Emily Rogers-
Healion has explosive year in her final season for Penn
WILL AGATHIS Sports Editor
From a developmental standpoint, a collegiate athlete’s freshman season is critical. It is a time of learning by doing, developing skills, and getting an initial taste of college athletics. For those reasons, it is unsurprising to see some players fail to meet expectations after missing their freshmen season with injuries. That said, Penn women’s lacrosse’s top playmaker, senior attack Emily Rogers-Healion is a rare glowing success story after missing her entire freshman season. Recruited from Ward Melville High School in Setauket, New York, Rogers-Healion was brought in to aid an offense that already featured proven attackers like Iris Williamson, Tory Bensen, Nina Corcoran, and Catherine Dickinson. Given the strength and depth of the team’s attack – which scored just under 10 goals per game in 2013 – it was unclear how much playing time Rogers-Healion would see as a freshman. Coach Karin Corbett was confident in her abilities to someday start for the team.
We liked her vision. We saw that as a recruit she could be a really good feeder,” Corbett said. Perhaps it was because of all of Rogers-Healion’s potential that the team was dealt such a devastating blow when the Setauket, NY native had to miss her entire freshman campaign with a concussion. Given the neurological impacts that concussions can have on a person, physical and also mental recovery were at the forefront for Rogers-Healion while sidelined. Fortunately, she had a support group of her own in injured teammates. “Luckily, there was a group of us that were together, injured, my freshman year. It made the process of watching a lot easier,” Rogers-Healion said. “Being with people also going through something really tough is helpful.” For the coaches, it was imperative to
“Recruiting Emily we felt that way.
SEE ROGERS-HEALION PAGE 7
FILE PHOTO
SEE SWITCH PAGE 6
A GUEST COLUMN FROM PENN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The last eight minutes were tough, but not season-defining KASEY CHAMBERS
While I was in college, someone once asked me, “Why do you play basketball?” Without thinking much about it, I said, “Because I love it.” He shook his head as if I answered the wrong question, and said, “But why do you love it?” I had never really thought about this before. I had been playing since about the time I could walk and I never stopped. As time passed, it simply became a part of me. It went from middle school travel teams to AAU to high school basketball to college, without me thinking about what made me continue playing. This man was asking me what felt like an impossible question, but I answered the best way I could. I said, “Because of the feeling. The feeling when that final buzzer rings and you realize you just won the big game, whether it was a game you shouldn’t win or against a rival or for a championship, or all three combined. It’s
ZACH SHELDON | SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR
Penn women’s basketball senior Kasey Chambers loved playing for the “final buzzer moments.” Although the last of those hurt a lot, Chambers says that it was the other ones this season that will stay with her.
that moment of pure elation when you run into your teammates so exhausted because of how hard you just played and all you can do is scream. Your team jumps and smiles together in celebration of
SEND STORY IDEAS TO DPSPORTS@THEDP.COM
the hard work and dedication you have put in up until that point. There is no better feeling.” My time at Penn has been that feeling time and time again, especially this past season. We went
through a whirlwind of “final buzzer” moments. On Friday, March 3rd we celebrated in Hanover, N.H., after clinching a share of the Ivy League title. The next night, we became the first
ONLINE AT THEDP.COM
team in program history to win back-to-back Ivy championships after beating Harvard. By the next Tuesday, we finished the regular season with a record of 13-1 by taking down rival Princeton. Just a few days later, we played in the inaugural Ivy Tournament and went on to beat Brown and Princeton for the championship. Each time the horn sounded, we celebrated knowing the difficulty of each win and the adversity we had to overcome in the beginning of the season. We started out the season trying to find our identity. While we had many of the same players, it was not the same team. We battled through some tough losses, but only to come out stronger. We were able to do that by focusing on one possession at a time. We took that mentality through to the end of the season. Unfortunately, our season ended when our last “final buzzer” went off against Texas A&M in the NCAA Tournament. Even though that loss was extremely difficult, it did not define the season we had. Our season was defined by the journey that started in August and continued through March. It was
the hard work that each and every person in our Penn women’s basketball family contributed every single day towards our success. We fought our way through adversity to finish with regular season and tournament championships. Nevertheless, for Sydney, Jackie and I, the NCAA game marked the end of our playing careers. While I cannot speak for them, I’ll say for myself that that “final buzzer” was the hardest one I have ever experienced. Growing up, I never saw the end. There was always another goal when it came to basketball. There was always another game to play. Until now. Now, we hang up our sneakers to become supportive fans and dedicated alumni to a great basketball program. I already miss playing, but I’ll always be connected to Penn women’s basketball through the relationships I forged over the course of my time here. KASEY CHAMBERS is a College senior from Belmar, N.J., and was the starting point guard for Penn women’s basketball. She can be reached at dpsports@thedp.com. CONTACT US: 215-422-4640