Volume 95 • Issue 1
September 18, 2026
FSUgatepost.com
WELCOME TO FSU
Orientation w e l co m e s 855 new students
Discount initiative with local businesses launched
By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez
By Avery Slavin News Editor Framingham State University has collaborated with local businesses to bring discounts to members of the campus community. David Halbert, director of external affairs, is introducing the new initiative called Rams Rewards in which students, staff, and faculty can receive discounts and benefits from small businesses in the area by using their FSU IDs. Halbert said the idea came about after a conversation about community connection with President Nancy Niemi and Vice President of Finance, TechSee REWARDS Page 4
Associate Editor
There are 855 new students after the add/drop period ended this year, according to Iris Godes, vice president of Enrollment Courtest of FSU’s Department of Marketing & Communications Management. The Class of 2030 at the University Welcome on Sept. 1. She said the number isn’t finalized until the middle of October, but in Fall 2025, after add/drop, there were 773 new students. The number of appliBy Dylan Pichnarcik cants and admitted stuEditor-in-Chief Two ceremonies were held for the Class of 2026 at each level last dents were both about the Across the graduate and under- spring, with the undergraduate same as last year though, graduate levels, 515 students grad- commencement ceremony taking she said. The difference uated last May, according to the Of- place at the DCU Center in Worces- came from how many stufice of the Registrar. ter. At the ceremony, attendees and dents ended up choosing At the undergraduate level, 328 graduates heard from Sheena Col- Framingham State in the students received degrees from the lier, the founder and CEO of Bos- end. University, with another 187 stu- ton While Black, and Student Olivia dents receiving graduate degrees. Dunleavy See ORIENTATION Page 6
University graduates 515 last May
Board of Trustees discusses increase in student enrollment Unexpected costs in Linsley renovation addressed By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Associate Editor
The Board of Trustees discussed the increase in enrollment and the FY2026 budget at their Sept. 16 meeting. In her report, President Nancy Niemi said the University exceeded its enrollment goal for first-year and transfer students. She said there are 855 new students, with 75 percent being first-year students and 30 percent being transfer students. Among new students, 62 percent are first-generation, 59 percent identified as a student of color, and 63 percent met the
News SGA pg. 3 9/11 pg. 5
OPINION PICHNARCIK pg. 8 SCHLESINGER pg.9
Arts & Features BEST OF SUMMER pg. 12 PET OF THE WEEK pg. 14
Sports MEN’S SOCCER pg. 10
INSIDE: OP/ED 7 • SPORTS 10 • ART & FEATURES 11
criteria for the Framingham State Tuition Promise, Niemi said. She said the Tuition Promise ensures any admitted student with a household income of $85,000 or below won’t pay anything in tuition or fees after applying for financial aid and grants. “We are seeing the results of that promise and return on that investment as they are staying,” Niemi said. She said housing is at 93.9 percent capacity, not including what is currently impacted by the Linsley Hall renovation. Niemi said she has met peo-
ple from across the country who are shocked and surprised that the University can renovate Linsley Hall into housing for faculty, staff, graduate students, and area educators. “It’s an exciting, not often accomplished piece of work at a university,” Niemi said. Vice President of Finance, Technology, and Administration Robert Totino said Studio Enée was selected as the lead architectural firm through a bidding process and will work on the renovation of Linsley Hall. An unplanned $500,000 is needed to deal with the asbes-
tos in the building, according to Totino. With the other improvements needed in major systems, including HVAC, electrical, and plumbing, the renovation is going to need an extra $4 million in total, Totino said. With Linsley under renovation, another building needs to be fitted for summer programming, and Miles Bibb Hall was determined to be the best option to receive air conditioning installations, which would be about $3 million, he said. See TRUSTEES Page 4
From 410 to the Edison Gatepost connections further blossom at The Daily Item By Antonio Machado Assocoiate Editor In the mutual pursuit to explore a creative outlet where they could explore a future career path, Dylan Pichnarcik and Sophia Harris met at Framingham State University’s independent student newspaper, The Gatepost. Harris, on the brink of her ascension to Editor-in-Chief, and Pichnarcik, balancing on the edge of photography and news, cultivated a friendship only found deep within the undertow of college extracurriculars. Now, a year after Harris’ graduation and Pichnarcik very own ascension into his role as The Gatepost’s current Editor-in-Chief, they met again in
a professional capacity. Pichnarcik spent his sophomore year curiously exploring the possibilities of journalism under the guidance of Sophia, who spent the summer of that same year interning for The Daily Item of Lynn. Throughout her time at Framingham State, Harris painted herself as a fully fledged journalist, ready to report on the voices beyond State Street - eventually catching the attention of the Boston Globe, whose front-page article on student journalism highlighted The Gatepost. “The publisher in Lynn saw that story, saw the picture, and was able to look me up and see my work online through The Gatepost. So he called me, and
he said, ‘Hey, I would love to have you come in for an interview when your school year finishes,’” she said. “By the end of that summer, I was made news editor before I went back to school my senior year. And when I graduated, I came back as a news editor and then was promoted to editorial director. So now, I’m editorial director for Essex Media Group’s nine publications,” Harris added. The Daily Item is a daily, print newspaper based in Lynn. It serves as the primary news source for Lynn and its neighboring North Shore communities, including Marblehead, Swampscott, Nahant, Peabody, Saugus, and Lynnfield. See THE ITEM Page 11
NEWS
2 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
Gatepost Interview Alexandra Weld
OUR STAFF Editor-in-Chief Dylan Pichnarcik Associate Editors Antonio Machado
Health Center Director
Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez
By Avery Slavin
News Editor
News Editor Avery Slavin
What is your academic and professional background? I am a family nurse practitioner. I have been a nurse practitioner since 2003. I did my undergraduate at Bates College up in Maine, and then I did my graduate work at Columbia University in New York City, where I’m originally from. I did primary care for the bulk of my career, and then I started in higher education about five years ago.
Opinions Editor Alexis Schlesinger Sports Editor Taylor Kimmell Arts & Features Editors Sarah Daponde Photos & Design Editor Onyx Lovely Photos & Design Editors Christy Howland Staff Illustrators Tobias Cotton-Selman Grace Doyle
What do you like best about your role at FSU? As a nurse practitioner, what I’ve come to realize in higher education college health is that I love taking care of this age group. It’s like I get to be part mom and part nurse practitioner, so I love being able to fill both of those roles.
Staff Writers Jesse Burchill Heather Luster Dan Lima Kate Norrish Nathan Piette Marcus Falcão Izabela Gage Desire Morris Staff Photographer Julien Fernandez Rose Hamilton Advisor Desmond McCarthy Sabrina Grammatic
What are some of your favorite hobbies or things to do outside of your professional life? I love doing anything outdoors. In addition to that, I love cooking, working with food, all of that - feeding people, getting together with friends and family.
Courtesy of Framingham State
What advice would you give to students? What is something you apNever stop exploring. Never preciate about FSU beyond stop engaging and trying new your position? I think, again, the community. things. I hate to sound repetitive, but I would say just the kindness and CONNECT WITH acceptance of everyone I’ve met AVERY SLAVIN so far. I really appreciate that a aslavin1@student.framingham.edu lot.
Police Logs
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Sunday, Sept. 13 11:03 Fire Alarm, Miles Bibb Hall
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Asst. Advisor Elizabeth Banks Ben Watanabe
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What drew you to Framingham State? Really, the community. I am actually friends with someone already who has worked here in the past and someone who currently works here, and they both spoke so highly of the collaborative environment that is here, especially between Health Services and Counseling and Wellness, and that is something I have seen lacking in other institutions. It just really drew me right in. I have been so impressed since I started a little over a month ago by how kind and welcoming everyone has been. It’s been a great experience so far.
Monday, Sept. 14 1:28 Suspicous Person May Hall
Tuesday, Sept. 15 6:55 Medical Emergency, Corinne Hall Towers
Thursday, Sept. 17 12:54 Motor Vehicle Accident Church Street Lot
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100 State Street McCarthy Center Room 410 Framingham, MA 01701-9101 Phone: (508) 626-4605 Fax: (508) 626-4097 gatepost@framingham.edu
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Saturday, Sept. 19 Mostly sunny with a high of 65.
Monday, Sept. 21 Partly sunny, with a high near 65.
Wednesday, Sept. 23 Mostly sunny with a high near 60.
Sunday, Sept. 20 Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60.
Tuesday, Sept. 22 Partly sunny, with a high near 60.
Thursday, Sept. 24 Partly sunny, with a high near 60.
NEWS
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 | 3
SGA fall elections off to the races By Dylan Pichnarcik Editor-in-Chief
Nineteen students are running for 24 senate seats this fall as SGA ramps up its election season. Candidates for senate stated their case for why they should represent the student body in a candidates’ night forum, Tuesday, Sept. 15. Each candidate had two minutes to speak. Following the event, a campaign period of three days will take place. Then on Monday, Sept. 21, voting will begin and will continue until Sept. 23 at midnight. The students running for the open senate seats are Desiree Ambila, Xavier Roman, Jayden Jefferson, Vilmarie Santana, Zyasia Kemp, Jamila Daikha, Troy Edebiri, Kercheena Pamphile, Allise McCullough, Aeesha Kibodya, Kerri Graham, Evelyn Richter, Louis Ranieri, Jadelyn Bailey, Jayla Ross, Gracie Wyatt, Marian Awuah, and Nemiah Gerald. Jefferson said she is running for SGA because she is interested in the financial review process undertaken by student government. “I want to make sure that every student’s voice is heard, and just to be able to connect with more people on campus. I really want to get outside my bubble, and also I’m running because I care about the student experience here, and I want to improve campus life and try to advocate as much as possible,” she said. Ambila, running for senate, said she gained leadership experience as an orientation leader, a role “which has taught me a lot about funding, communication, and teamwork, and especially about resources. And one thing I’d love to contribute
Attendees and candidates at SGA’s Candidates’ Night on Tuesday Sept. 15.
to FSU is more advocacy for creative arts like dance, theater, or film.” Awuah, also running for senator, said she is running so she can “continue to help the FSU community. … I also want to just help to continue to improve SGA.” Ranieri, running for senator, said, “Every student deserves to be heard, included, and represented. I want to help create real change by addressing inequality, listening to students’ concerns, and making sure everyone has a voice. I’m not promising that I can fix everything immediately, but I promise to listen, speak up, and work for whatever change I feel or you feel needs to be made.” Kibodya, running for senator, said she is running because “I want to be someone. I want to be someone who students can always come to, whether it’s major campus issues or simple issues. I want everybody to know that their voice matters. She added she gained leader-
ship experience as JROTC commander and as president of her high school’s student council, citing her hope to one day be SGA president. Santana highlighted the importance of third spaces in her speech for senate, along with “other events and activities that have grown my involvement on campus and have improved my mental health by way more than you guys think.” She added, “And I feel like, especially for the freshmen, just looking back, having that time to explore who they are outside of their majors and outside of their immediate interests, is something that is such a privilege that us being on this campus, we really don’t realize that we have until we go out into the other parts of our lives.” Daikha said she is running for senator to encourage more women to get involved. “If elected, I hope to listen to my peers and bring more inclusivity, support, and positive change to our campus,” she
Dylan Pichnarcik / THE GATEPOST
said. Bailey said she is running for senate so she can be one of the changemakers on campus. “Another reason why I’m running for senate is that I care very much about diversity and spreading awareness of social justice issues. I think it’s very important that we spread awareness about injustices in the world, and I think it’s very important not to turn a blind eye to current issues that we’re having.” Edebiri said he is running to support students. “I want to become a beacon and a voice to everyone else who wants to be heard and wants to be seen, people who just want to provide for stuff, but, like, don’t have this voice for it. They just want to go to someone, go to me, a beacon of hope.”
CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
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4 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
Rewards Continued from Page 1
nology, and Administration Robert Totino, during which they discussed the success of similar discount programs at other schools. As a Framingham native himself growing up just down the street from FSU, Halbert said one of his main goals for the program is to get more people in the community knowing about the students, who do not “just exist in a bubble. “Growing up, the University and the town were kind of parallel to each other. There wasn’t a lot of integration. So, everything we’re trying to do with this program is really about breaking down those barriers. “We are letting folks know that Framingham State isn’t just a thing that exists up on a hill. It’s a vibrant community of really wonderful people - from our faculty and our staff to our students. They need to be, and we want them to be, invited and welcomed into the community,” Halbert said. While attending Northeastern University for graduate school, Halbert said their Husky Card program was a similar concept. Students used their school IDs at different vendors in the area to get discounts, or used the money connected to their dining plans. Halbert said Framingham State has attempted to get this initiative going in the past with little success. It didn’t take off due to FSU’s population being drastically smaller than Northeastern’s. “You need a separate pointof-sale terminal for vendors. A lot of them just didn’t see the value in putting all this money in a new infrastructure with the student population being what it is,” said Halbert. The Rams Rewards page on the FSU website displays the list of businesses currently participating in this program, including restaurants and cafes, salons, an auto body shop, a hot yoga studio, and more. The 22 businesses’ discounts range from 10% off to 30% off, and the list will continue to grow, according to Halbert. Halbert said another part of this initiative is to bring more pop-up events to the Dining Commons to introduce students to these businesses and explore more of what Framingham has to offer. The first pop-up event will be taking place on the evening of Sept. 25 with FressCafe, a breakfast and lunch spot located on Concord Street in Framingham. Julia Sartori-De Boni, manager of FressCafe, said the restaurant has been part of the MetroWest community for over 20 years, with a mission to provide a welcoming environment and serve delicious food. She added FressCafe’s main goal is to be a place where people can get together and feel more connected to the community. “We’re proud to be part of the Framingham community and love opportunities to connect with local students and organizations. We’re very excited to participate in this Framingham State event and introduce more students to FressCafe!” Sartori-De Boni said. Halbert said one of the end goals of these pop-ups is to drive more students to local
Downtown Framingham.
businesses, and allow them to try different cuisines without a cost attached to it. Framingham State’s affiliation with Grubhub is also a key part in the Rams Rewards program, in which students can use their dining dollars on the app to get food delivered straight to their dorms or residences. Halbert said this option can be helpful for students who may not want to take the trip downtown or are unable to, especially during the quickly approaching winter months. However, for students who do want to take the trip downtown but do not have the transportation to do so, the Metrowest Regional Transit Authority (MWRTA) launched a new set of routes on Sept. 8 that run through FSU’s campus and go down Route 9. Halbert said the bus loops are approximately every 15 minutes. Since these services are also free, the MWRTA makes it very simple to hop on and off the buses to get to and from these businesses. The new MWRTA routes were “serendipity in many ways,” according to Halbert. Introducing these routes coming through campus and down to Route 9 multiple times an hour will make it more convenient for students to get around. Halbert said he would love to expand the business collaborations to neighboring communities, including Ashland, Natick, and Marlborough. Senior Andrea Zereski said the initiative is a “great way to take students off-campus and bring them to the surrounding community. The variety of businesses they are partnering with is really good - there is something for everybody.” Senior Estrella Barbel said she would be more inclined to go to these businesses knowing she can use just her ID to get a discount. If students have any local businesses they’d like to see participate in the Rams Rewards program, they can email David Halbert at dhalbert@ framingham.edu.
CONNECT WITH AVERY SLAVIN aslavin1@student.framingham.edu
@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com
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NEWS
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 | 5
Remembering Sept. 11 attacks 25 years later By Dylan Pichnarcik Editor-in-Chief
Twenty-five years ago, America, and the world, stopped. Broadcasts changed to breaking news coverage as two planes flown by individuals identified as al-Qaeda terrorists were flown into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York, NY, at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m. These events were particularly impactful for those living in Massachusetts, as the two planes, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, originated from Boston’s Logan Airport. Even closer to home, 17 people from Framingham lost their lives. Just 34 minutes later, at 9:37 a.m., a third plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. A final hijacked plane crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, at 10:03 a.m. The attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001 would claim the lives of 2,977. Neilie Heffernan Casey, Barbara Keating, Linda George, Lisa Fenn Gordenstein, Meta Fuller Waller, Laura Lee Morabito, Tara Shea Creamer, Charlie Murphy, Paige Farley Hackel, Judith Larocque, Todd Hill, Christine Barbuto, Susan Mackay, Herbert W. Homer, John J. Wenckus, Robin Kaplan, and Darin H. Pontell all called Framingham home and would have driven by campus often during their daily lives. It’s likely they still have family living in the city. Each of these individuals is now honored in a monument at Cushing Memorial Park in Framingham. Seventeen trees line a half-circle memorial pathway that is interrupted at its center by the main pedestrian crossing of the
park, signifying the lives tragically cut short. On campus, the community came together in various ways, including a prayer service and blood drive. The events surrounding the attacks were documented in The Gatepost’s first edition of the academic year. In the Sept. 14, 2001 edition, The Gatepost’s Editorial Board wrote, “There is no doubt that the lives of Americans were changed forever on Tuesday. Our sense of security has been shattered, and for a day, at least, it seemed that life stopped.” In producing this special edition of The Gatepost, the staff spoke with students, administrators, and faculty about the impact the tragedy had on them and, more importantly, how they moved forward. Just hours after the attack, 50 students and faculty gathered in the Ecumenical Center, now named for the then-President of FSU, Helen Heineman. “Students said prayers aloud and sat in a circle with bowed heads. There was crying, comforting, and a shared sense of hope as the Lord’s Prayer was said,” according to The Gatepost’s news coverage of the week. Shortly after the attacks, students participated in local drives to provide aid to those injured and in need. One student leader remarked at the time that after hearing there was a shortage of blood, she “invited all those interested to give blood at the MetroWest Medical Center,” according to The Gatepost’s article. About 30 students carpooled to the hospital and were met with a seven-hour wait to donate. “I’m extremely proud to be an American, and it does make me feel really good to see how peo-
ple are coming together,” the student leader told The Gatepost. Twenty-five years later, Glenn Cochran, now associate vice president for Student Affairs, who was then the director of Residence Life, recalled being on campus the morning of the attacks. While in a meeting with thenDean of Students Cynthia Forrest and members of the University Police, Heineman informed the meeting participants that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. “I remember at the time thinking these things about little private planes hitting the Empire State Building or something years ago, and in my head, that’s what my assumption was. ‘Gosh, someone learning to fly or something hit a building, that’s terrible,’” he said. The Dean’s meeting continued for a short while until Heineman returned and delivered more bad news. She instructed Forrest and Cochran to come to her office, “which was not a common thing. I’d been there for a few years at that point. I think it was maybe starting my fifth year, and I don’t know if I’d been in the president’s office before,” Cochran said. In her office, Heineman, Cochran and Forrest were joined by former Vice President of Finance Dale Hamel, and they watched the attacks on two small emergency television sets. After the attack, these individuals would be responsible for assisting students and keeping the campus community informed. Shortly after, public officials contacted the University and recommended they close the University for the rest of the day. Cochran said, “I think one of
the important things we did was acknowledge that traumatic events like that can trigger people’s other traumatic incidents they’ve had in their life. So it was the triggering part that was a big thing for a lot of people. “There’s a lot of confusion, like not knowing how to react or what to do, and not being able to do a lot. I think people found themselves just staring at the TV images for hours on end. Later, we realized that probably wasn’t a good thing to do,” he said. On campus, the impact of the attacks is still present today. “I think there was a shift in attitudes around safety and security. We’d always valued safety and security, but things like checking bags and having limited access to doorways started to feel more normal,” Cochran said. Nathan Piette, vice president of SGA, remembers Sept. 11, 2001 well. It was a day he was supposed to spend with his family at the zoo. Instead, he spent the day watching the news coverage, a six-year-old now being asked to question what death means. “Before that, I didn’t really know what dying was. ... It felt like a veil breaking, of, ‘Oh, the world can be kind of bad,’” he said. “We were sitting there when they showed the video of the second plane hitting the tower, and we mostly reacted to our parents being shocked. When you’re a kid, you don’t really understand that the thing on the TV that’s blowing up is a hundred miles from you,” Piette said.
During the Board’s summer delegation of authority, there were no decisions made on the board’s behalf, she said. The Board discussed Niemi’s performance as University President in a three-year review. Chair Claire Ramsbottom said, “Happy to say, we’re very happy with Nancy’s performance.” The Board unanimously approved a resolution regarding an evaluation and accompanying compensation recommendations for Niemi done by the Board’s Presidential Compensation Review Committee. The report was submitted to Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education Noe Ortega. It recommended Niemi receive the maximum compensation increase as authorized by the Department of Higher Education. Student Trustee Jamie Kuenzel introduced herself as a senior with a double major in Spanish and political science, and she said she’s excited to work with the Board. She said there were about 19 people running for Senate in SGA at their candidates’ night on Sept. 15. Totino presented financial data for FY2027. Undergraduate enrollment is about 3 percent over budget as of the add/drop period, he said. The Division of Graduate Con-
tinuing Education (DGCE) ended up “a little bit below budget as far as the fall semester,” Totino said. However, their revenue projection for the year is on target, he added. State appropriation for FY2027 includes about an extra $700,000 from the “senate-level,” Totino said. The budget approved by the Board back in May was for about $46 million, and in July, the governor signed off on a budget of $46.7 million, Totino said. He said funding will help cover the bargaining increases in the contracts of the three unions on campus. For state appropriations, the state universities in general, including FSU, have been beneficiaries of the Fair Share amendment, also known as the “millionaire’s tax,” Totino said. He said that, in terms of the $8 million the University receives from the Commonwealth to fund financial aid, there was a reduction of over $200 per student who receives the Mass Grant, which adds up to a $140,000 reduction. “Instead of reducing the aid packages for those 660-plus students and their families, we have elected as an administration to fund that out of college operations,” Totino said. “We did have that extra $700,000 that was over budget
as far as our state appropriation. We will be taking it from that to cover that shortfall and repackage that Mass Grant into an institutional grant for FY27,” Totino said. Niemi said the University was promised that level of state aid over the summer and the cut came afterward. If aid from the state starts to decrease, they’re going to need to “wrestle with what we promise to our students,” Niemi said. For the moment, the situation has been handled, she added. The Board unanimously passed a motion to approve delegating the audit of FY2026 to the finance committee in order to meet the deadline of Oct. 31. As is tradition at the Trustees’ meetings, during Niemi’s report, she recognized a Student in the Spotlight. LaToya Lewis recently graduated from the Accelerate the Future Program, which is a branch of the Master’s in Counseling Psychology Program. Lewis shared her history and how she overcame many difficulties as a woman of color to reach this point in her life. She thanked the Board for granting her the opportunity to achieve this degree when she thought it would be impossible because of the financial side of it.
CONNECT WITH DYLAN PICHNARCIK dpichnarcik@student.framingham.edu
Trustees Continued from Page 1 This would be important for the students who stay on campus during the summer as well as for the summer conferences, he said. Niemi said one of the administration’s strategic goals is to have 100 percent student participation in career-related work experiences. The reality of making this the experience for everyone is “complicated and absolutely worth it,” Niemi said. Over 300 students went to the Job Fair on Sept. 16, she said. Students got to meet with employers and practice elevator pitches, she added. Niemi also spoke about the open spot for vice president of equity and inclusion, which used to be known as diversity, inclusion, and community engagement (DICE). She said the job has been posted for about a week and there have already been over 50 applicants. It is a signal that “others know that equity and inclusion are central to our mission, and they know that we mean it, that we’re committed to it, and they would like to be part of that,” Niemi said. She intends to work with the campus community to find the right person for the job, she said.
CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ ffernandezrodriguez@student.framingham.edu
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6 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
NEWS
Orientation Continued from Page 1
Godes attributed the increased enrollment to increased financial aid, including the Framingham State Tuition Promise, as well as the updated website and overall better communication to prospective students. Among new students, 63 percent met the criteria for the Tuition Promise, she said. “We work very hard to show our prospective students that even at the stage before you get here, you feel that personal touch,” Godes said. In order to keep the new students, the University has hired new staff as student success coaches and is working with the National Institute for Student Success, she said. Access to the National Institute for Student Success, which is at Georgia State University, is funded by the state, according to a press release from the commonwealth from January this year. Godes said 62 percent of new students are first-generation and 59 percent are students of color. Associate Director of Student Experience and Orientation, Meghan Larkin, said Orientation staff started preparing for this year’s orientation last October, such as discussing what dates it would be. This was Larkin’s fourth orientation, and it has been different each year, she said. It starts to get really exciting at the open houses when they start to meet the new students,
Antonio Machado / THE GATEPOST
had more general topics while also being more specific to the University, such as what the names of specific Framingham State services are, Larkin said. “We’ve seen that transfer students understand what it is to be a college student. They’ve done it before,” Larkin said. The transfer students also
is up from last year’s 615, she said. Larkin said orientation involves every part of the University. “It’s so amazing every year to see the campus come together and work as a unit to make sure that our new students get an amazing first impression
“We work very hard to show our prospective students that even at the stage before you get here, you feel that personal touch.” - Iris Godes Vice President of Enrollment Management
she added. She worked with the Assistant Director of Student Experience and Orientation, Jared Magno, who supervises and trains the orientation leaders. There were 15 orientation leaders this year, an increase from the 12 last year, she said. This year, the new class of students are really interested in getting involved in extracurriculars and making “this experience their own,” Larkin said. “They very clearly want to do stuff, and that showed up when they were talking with the orientation leaders, or even just talking with themselves in small groups,” Larkin said. They were “information hungry” about opportunities on campus, she said. Orientation itself was a threeday experience, not including move-in day, she said. The first day only required first-year students to attend, as it was structured more toward them than the transfers, she said. It focused on topics for students who weren’t used to college, she added. The second and third days
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have a mix-and-mingle activity of what college life will be like to get to know other transfers, here for them,” Larkin said. she added. Freshman early childhood At the University Welcome, education major Gabby Ilin said at the end of orientation, President Nancy Niemi and Provost Kristen Porter-Utley spoke to the incoming class, she said. English Professor Jennifer De Leon and English Major Marlín Polanco spoke at the University Welcome as well, sharing their experiences and talking about what college provides, Larkin said. Larkin said orientation is a structured environment meant to teach students how to work on an unstructured day, which is what college typically is. There was free time in their orientation schedules to help them adjust, she added. “First-year students, especially a traditional first-year student, come from this environment that’s structured and have to learn how to manage time in a more effective way than maybe they did in high school. This isn’t everybody, I’m generalizing,” Larkin said. Out of the 831 students registered for classes as of Aug. 30, 690 attended orientation, which
she enjoyed orientation and felt at home on campus. “Everything was so much fun, and I had never been to any place where I already felt welcomed like FSU,” Ilin said. Freshman criminal justice major Lucy Reid said she enjoyed how each day in orientation was unique. “I loved how each day we got to do different activities and to meet new people,” Reid said. Freshman Brenda Mejia said she had adjusted to campus well. “The professors have been super nice, super understanding, even when we get lost around campus,” Mejia said. Freshman wildlife and environmental biology major Dani Bosque said orientation was a great opportunity to “conquer a little bit of my social anxiety.” CONNECT WITH FRANCISCO OMAR FERNANDEZ RODRIGUEZ ffernandezrodriguez@student.framingham.edu
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 | 7
OPINION THE GATEPOST EDITORIAL
F
Many cultures, one community
ramingham State is much more than the historic buildings of Crocker Grove, the labs in Hemenway Hall, or the athletic fields - it’s a place made up of people who care deeply about this community. If you’re a new student, The Gatepost Editorial Board welcomes you to campus. Here, you will embark on the next steps of your educational journey. In the process, you will meet friends, future colleagues, and talented career and industry professionals who care for you and will advocate for you in any way they can - all you have to do is ask. As you find yourself, you’ll also find comfort in the areas surrounding you. Soon, your major, college, and residence hall will all feel like a second home, and the people you currently see as strangers will become a second family. Framingham State is an incredibly diverse community, with countless cultures represented in our student body and faculty. The voice of every person, no matter their cultural background, gender, religion, or race, has a place here - so don’t be afraid to use yours. There are countless leadership and involvement opportunities across campus that will help support your interests and engage you outside the classroom. Consider joining one of the dozens of student organizations available. And if you don’t see one that interests you, start your own! It’s as easy as getting together with a group of friends. While you’re here, remember your primary purpose: you’re here to learn. Engage with your coursework as best you can, ask questions, connect with classmates, and seek help from your professors - they want to hear from you, and they hold office hours for a reason. If you do fall behind in one of your classes, don’t panic. Countless individuals across campus are here to help, no matter the request. Professors hold weekly office hours at which they are available to you - use this opportunity. There is no such thing as asking for too much help. Take this one-on-one time to ask questions, get feedback, and prepare for class, but also take a few minutes to get to know your professor. Ask them about their experience and what drew them to pursue their specific field. It might give you insight into what a future career in that area might look like. Above all, when interacting with anyone at Framingham State, be respectful. We live in a shared space. The people you see every day are the same faces you see in the Dining Commons, your courses, and one day, the commencement stage they will walk with you. Remember, they also call Framingham State home and appreciate clean facilities, respectful debate in class, and kindness. But ultimately, remember to take care of yourselves. Everyone has bad days, but whether you need a friendly face to talk to, the solitude of your dorm room, or the warmth of Ramsey, the campus comfort dog, FSU has a place for you to find solace. While all of these resources are available to you, they will not come to you. As a student, it is your responsibility to seek help, request in-
Gatepost Archives formation, and meet the people who best support you. While this may be scary, be assured that no one on campus will turn you away. If you’re a resident student, your building’s resident advisor is the best place to start if you need a friendly face to introduce you to others, point you in the right direction, or just talk to if you feel like you need it. Every RA hosts programs in your building that are a great opportunity to meet others. Go to these events, enjoy the free snacks, and leave with a new perspective and a new friend. It’s also important to stay informed while on campus: check your email daily, turn on your Canvas notifications, and most importantly, read your independent student newspaper weekly. The Gatepost provides a unique insight into what life at FSU is like. Use our paper as a resource to see what a vibrant place Framingham State is. Whether it’s your first time on a college campus or it’s your senior year, welcome home!
Unsigned Editorials reflect the opinion of The Gatepost Editorial Board, signed Op/Eds reflect the opinion of the writer.
The Gatepost welcomes signed letters to the editor sent to gatepost@framingham.edu. All letters are subject to review. FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM
8 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
OPINION DYLAN PICHNARCIK COMMENTARY
Embrace experiential learning Classroom instruction is a traditional and essential part of a robust college education. Each class session provides a new set of questions, debates, and instruction that develop a student’s understanding of the subject. Universally, this is a vital part of education. However, many students including myself - feel the need to actually practice what they learn in the classroom. While classroom instruction provides a baseline for practical experience in a specific field, it is also structured. Experiential learning removes some of that structure and allows students to learn from real-world, unique experiences. The daily lessons outlined by professors who, for the most part, keep their classes within the confines of a syllabus will certainly prepare students for an internship or other experiential learning platforms, but at some point - especially as students reach higher levels of education - putting their knowledge to the test will be vital to preparing them for the job market. It is also incredibly exciting to take what you learn and bring it outside of the classroom, For me, most of my higher education has been experiential learning. Over the last three years, working on The Gatepost has been an excellent tool for my co-curricular education. I can take the practical skills taught in my journalism classes into practice each week. Even before I started taking journalism classes, I was already
@TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com
learning so much from my experience on The Gatepost so much so that I even switched my major to English so I could truly begin honing my skills as a writer. My first official experiential learning placement was in Fall 2025 with Dan Magazu, FSU’s executive director of Marketing & Communications. At the start of this internship, I felt I was already a decent writer and had the necessary skills from my journalism classes to undertake this role. After completing the internship, I became an even stronger writer, having gained real-world experience outside the confines of May Hall or The Gatepost’s office. Each week, I was responsible for writing an article about an event that took place on campus. I would submit my work to Magazu, who would then review it and offer feedback. I was also given a word count - a much lower word count than I was used to. Going into the editing process without the normal comfort of my friends and familiar professors made me nervous at first. At times, I questioned if I was really good enough to be doing what I was doing. But Magazu quickly put me at ease. Each week, his feedback was critical and thorough - but never negative. Every comment Magazu made helped me become a better writer and gave me a new perspective on how to write for a specific audience. All in a cleanly edited, 400-
word package. I’ve been able to use all the skills Magazu taught me in my work as a writer. It’s made me a better professional, improved my communication skills, and overall given me a well-rounded education. I feel entirely prepared to enter the job market because of the set of skills given to me through a co-curricular and experiential education. I was even able to put these beliefs to the test, working during the summer in journalism, where I used every piece of the education I have received at Framingham State. Another incredibly important aspect a great deal of undergraduate students may not realize is that internships turn into jobs. Employers on and off campus may turn to their former student workers in the future as valuable assets they already have a strong partnership with. if they aren’t able to offer students a job in their office, they likely have a rich network of colleagues who they can connect you with. Their network in turn becomes your network, which is an invaluable asset as
Courtesy of Unsplash an entry-level employee. It is likely that any internship will leave students with valuable experience, even if at times it is challenging. Students will leave their internship site better prepared for the legitimate challenges they may face in their respective fields. Across campus, departments should continue to work tirelessly to provide a wellrounded experiential education to all students. Administrators should also work hard to find off-campus opportunities. FSU made history as the first state normal school in the country. Now, 187 years later, the University has another opportunity to make history again, as a state college pioneering experiential learning requirements. Let’s expand our experiences in education - one field placement at a time. Dylan Pichnarcik is the Editorin-Chief of The Gatepost. He is a senior English major with a concentration in journalism and a minor in studio art. He can be reached at dpichnarcik@student. framingham.edu
OPINION
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 | 9
ALEXIS SCHLESINGER COMMENTARY
Longevity shouldn’t equal loyalty It hurts to see those you love suffer at the hands of those you once respected. It hurts to see those you once respected loving those who have caused suffering. For some people, it seems, loyalty is the easy choice, so of course they will continue to make it. While I can see the appeal in the easy choice, and the hurt that may come from not making it, there comes a point where we have to “grow up,” for lack of a better term. People change. Some people change for the better, some for the worse. Some people have always had the “worse” inside of them, and the change is simply letting it show more frequently. Loyalty is human nature. We want to stay with what we know. Loyalty as a concept is not the problem. It’s hard to believe what we’re hearing when we are told someone we hold close is causing pain. Denial is human nature. We want to see the best in people, especially those who have shown us their best. Seeing the best in the people you love is not the problem, either. But what are you supposed to do when they don’t show their best to others? Well, you are human. You have eyes for seeing, and ears for hearing. When you are told and shown that hurt is being caused by someone close to you, you have to listen.
You have to keep your eyes Odds are, these people have a and you haven’t noticed it yet. open and see it. reason to feel negatively toward A reason why other people The problem occurs when the person they claim is hurting may be so upset with you for you look but do not see, when them. If you don’t inspect this sticking with an unkind person is seeing this person be unkind to you, and seeing you not take notice of it. Or perhaps you brush it off. “Oh, that’s just how they are.” An age-old, sorry excuse for poor behavior. It’s time to grow up and find better reasoning. And probably a better friend, too. Being a bystander is dangerous to the bully. Remaining loyal to a person who is unkind, disrespectful, harmful, doesn’t teach them anything. They will be led to believe that their behavior doesn’t have real consequences. For too long, they will believe this, until eventually the consequences find them. It will destroy them. If you truly care about a Courtesy of Alexis Schlesinger person in your life who is you hear but do not listen. potential reasoning, it will harming other people, you will You are to blame when your continue, one way or another. tell them they are causing harm. loyalty is enabling someone All parties will continue to be You will listen to those whom else to continue to harm those hurt. they have hurt. around you. The bully, as everyone turns You will not stand by and Being a bystander is against them. The victim, as watch. dangerous. they continue to be bullied. You will not stand by and I have seen it time and time The bystander, as you wrestle hear. again. with people you care about not You will see, and you will Being a bystander is caring for each other. listen. Prove your loyalty. For real dangerous to those being hurt. Being a bystander is This should go without saying, dangerous to you. As the bully this time. but yes, you are contributing pushes more and more people Alexis Schlesinger is the to harm by watching it happen out of their life, they are left and not taking any action. with fewer and fewer outlets for Opinions Editor of The Gatepost. She is a senior communication You may be feeling hurt their damage. arts major. She can be reached yourself, wondering why people That leaves you. aschlesinger@student. are feeling negatively toward It’s possible this person has at someone you care for. already been damaging you, framingham.edu
Campus Conversations
“Which office at FSU has helped you the most?” By Alexis Schlesinger, Opinions Editor, and Julien Fernandez, Staff Photographer
“CASA’s been really helpful, especially with orientation and stuff. It’s been helpful to know where I can go for support.” - Eva Antwi, freshman
“I would say that CASA has been the most helpful to me with things like writing papers, or extra help in a biology or math class I might be struggling in.”
“I would say Advising, just helping me figure out classes, and where to go and what to do.” - Brent Scott, senior
- Jillian Meeker, senior
“CASA, because they help me with my academics. My coach Hannah [Wilkins] is in there, so she’s always a good person to talk to. I also have a 504, so they help me a lot with trying to figure out what I need.” - Chloe Moynihan, sophomore
“I’ve used the Study Abroad office the most. I’ve also used the Career Development Center a lot. I feel like they’ve really helped me a lot with figuring out what I want to do.” - Marlín Polanco, senior
“I feel like any office at McCarthy, because I’d always come here and they would always help me. Even with financial aid, or classes and all that since I’m new. It just helped a lot.” - Joshua Scarborough, freshman
FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM
10 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
SPORTS
Men’s soccer conquers Worcester State
Gatepost Archives By Taylor Kimmell Sports Editor Traveling to Worcester State Sept. 12, The Framingham State Rams put up two goals in the first half and maintained a solid defense for the remainder of the match, defeating the Lancers 2-0. This win marks the Rams’ second MASCAC victory, with a record of 2-0 in the conference, and a record of 3-1 overall. FSU’s offensive pressure was immediate, with Captain Kaio Santos Da Silva, a senior, earning a corner kick shortly after the 3-minute mark. The ball sailed out of bounds off the foot of a Worcester player, allowing Captain Thiago Magalhaes to take a second corner kick for Framingham. The Lancers were successful in clearing the ball, but the Rams wasted no time bringing it back down the field. Sophomore Michael Macdougall fed the ball in from the 20yard line, placing it perfectly for senior Jack Holt to cut across the circle and send in the shot, scoring FSU’s first goal of the match. Worcester seized a short offensive push, earning a corner that yielded only one off-thepost shot before Framingham regained possession. Santos Da Silva sent in a shot, but Worcester’s goalkeeper Tobias Schneider was right there to stop it. Worcester made another attempt on goal - the shot went wide. A minute later, Jack Holt attempted to score again, but Schneider stopped the ball. The Rams kept a steady pressure on Worcester’s net, with shots by Santos Da Silva, freshman John Constantine, and senior Landon Medeiros over the next 11 minutes. Thirty minutes into the half, @TheGatepost | FSUgatepost.com
Rams’ sophomore goalkeeper Colin Holt made his first save of the match. With this momentum, FSU took the ball back to Worcester’s side, with several well-placed passes allowing Jack Holt to insert his second goal of the match. Now up 2-0, the Rams spent the remaining 10 minutes of the first half defending their lead. Medeiros attempted another goal, but Schneider refused to let up in the net. A wide shot by WSU ended the first half, the Rams still ahead. The first shot of the second half came from Constantine, but it sailed above the net. Worcester quickly responded with two shots, both defended by Colin Holt. Both goalkeepers remained strong in the net, with three saves by Schnider and two by Colin Holt in the next 5 minutes. The next 10 minutes saw two shots from Worcester and one from Santos Da Silva, but nothing could break through either team’s defense. With 6 minutes on the clock, Jack Holt sent in a shot, but Schneider was there to block it. Colin Holt remained a brick wall in the goal, stopping two more hard shots from the Lancers, one in the final 10 seconds. An unadvantageous corner kick from WSU secured the Rams’ 2-0 victory. Colin Holt was named MASCAC’s Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 14, making five saves against Worcester and earning a .900 save percentage for the week. Jack Holt was named MASCAC’s Offensive Player of the Week for his two goals against WSU. Jack Holt said, “Being MASCAC’s offensive player of the week is a good feeling. It’s nice for our players to be recognized after a good team performance
and a good win in the confer- great job so far this season with ence.” playing their parts as we try to Having a good interpretation achieve our goals as a team.” of their opponent’s strategy alFramingham will host the lowed the Rams to come away Fitchburg State Falcons for a with the win, he said. conference matchup Saturday, “Worcester’s style of play Sept. 19. was easy for us to read, and afJack Holt said in the upcoming ter some preparation in training matches, his priority is to “help prior to the game, we were able the team in any way I can and to win the ball in key areas and help us keep winning games. create threatening chances,” he “Our goals for the upcoming added. game against Fitchburg are to Santos Da Silva agreed, noting keep up our high morale that the Lancers’ tactics were “similar we’ve had, especially in our conto other teams we’ve been play- ference games, and to do everying, so it was a pretty easy adjust- thing we can to make sure we can ment. We were also trying to fo- continue our run of form in the cus more on us and less on them, conference,” he added. so we could control the game and Santos Da Silva said, “The goal come out with the win.” for every match is to win, but Magalhaes said, “Our main right now we’re focusing on these goal was to focus on ourselves next few practices and the little and do everything the coaches things we need to do to come out asked us to do. We knew that with the result on Saturday. As of if we did that, we would be in a right now, the goal is to focus on good place.” each game one at a time. Staying Framingham put up a good in the present is the best thing we fight in a hard battle at Curry can do so we don’t get ahead of College Sept. 16, but the team ourselves.” was unable to overcome a 4-2 Santos Da Silva said while deficit. This brings their overall the start to the season has been record to 3-2. favorable for FSU, in order to Now, five matches into the maintain an upward trend, “We season, the Rams are focused on need to keep focusing on ourmaintaining good team chem- selves and trusting what coach istry and honing in on the skills has to say. Our style is very that contributed to their success- unique compared to other teams es so far. in the conference, and trusting Mahalhaes said, “Team con- what’s working is the best thing nection is definitely one thing we can do to keep it going. that has improved since last year, “The team has been great toand we’re trying to build it even gether this year. Chemistry has more as the season continues. been good on and off the field, But I also attribute this strong everyone is giving their best, and start to the quality that the new that’s all we can ask for. The rerecruits have brought to the sults will come if we keep it up,” team. he added. “It’s been really important to our results. Fortunately, the chemistry off the field has translated onto the scoreboard,” he Stats sourced from fsurams.com and MASCAC.com added. Jack Holt said, “The chemistry this year is visibly better than it’s CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL tkimmell@student.framingham.edu been before. Everyone’s done a
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 | 11
ARTS & FEATURES
The Item Continued from Page 1
Courtesy of Dylan Pichnarcik So, as an accomplished alumna, Harris took it upon herself to spread the fruits of her labor and nurture the saplings growing from the same soil she sprouted from. “When I first met Dylan, he was kind of, you know, unsure about joining The Gatepost. I took him under my wing and tried to teach him everything I knew,” she said. She said Pichnarcik was a very curious person, about the world around him and about journalism itself. Harris said she tried to “clear the path” for Pichnarcik, who has mirrored her career trajectory. Away from The Gatepost, Pichnarcik spent his summer reporting for The Item under the supervision of Harris. Pichnarcik said, “She was here for a career night, as an alum. She invited me to work for her at The Item and kind of see how a professional newsroom operates.” He visited Harris in Marblehead shortly after for a watch party of the Annual Army-Navy game, which resulted in his first article published by The Item, “VFW watches Navy sink Army in football.” “It’s on my LinkedIn,” he said with a smile. “About a week later, I was having dinner, and I got a call from her, and she offered me a job to come work with her over winter break. So I went and was working full time as a reporter for The Daily Item,” he added. He returned to working for The Item during this past summer. Pichnarcik said his experiences working for The Gatepost in various capacities and studying journalism translated into the necessary skills for reporting professionally. He said there are many similarities between reporting on
the voices of Framingham State and the voices of Lynn. “There are so many unique people who are doing amazing things. There are departments across the city and across the campus that are leading initiatives that impact people on a daily basis. “Just like at Framingham State, if a fire goes off, we chase it. … I mean, the deadlines are tighter because you’re producing a product every day, once a day, for the next day’s paper. But it’s all things that I learned at The Gatepost - talking to people, interviewing people, and really just hearing their stories and communicating them,” he said. Pichnarcik said working under Harris once again felt nostalgic. “It felt just like we were in McCarthy 410. “I would walk in at 9 a.m. and she would say, ‘Dylan, I need you to do this, this, and this.’ And I would sit at my desk and get it done, and then I’d get up a couple hours later, and she’d say, ‘Hey, you want to grab lunch?’ And we would sit in the conference room and talk about the past, talk about our friends, and just joke and have fun,” he said. Pichnarcik added, “It was really nice to be able to go to her as someone that I knew and had a great relationship with so that I was comfortable hearing, ‘Hey, you didn’t necessarily do this right. This is how you should do it,’ or, ‘I read your article. These are areas you need to improve on for your next story.’” He added he thinks having someone whom he had a great relationship with and knew well was effective in getting him prepared for the professional world. Harris said she is happy their working and personal relationships remain unchanged and
healthy. “We’re able to joke around and have fun, but also, we both have a deep, deep reverence for the work that we do. … We both have the same goal, which is, you know, to produce good, accurate, factual journalism for our communities,” she said, Harris said that seeing Pichnarcik come into his own as a journalist has been a beautiful experience for her. “He’s only gotten more curious. I mean, the more knowledge he has, and the more he learns about the world around him, he just becomes more and more invested and interested in it,” she added. “He really wants to get to the facts and get to the truth, with every story that he works on, no matter if it’s about a funny animal story, or when the pets come to the library, or a city council meeting where they’re debating topics that could affect hundreds of thousands of people,” she said. Pichnarcik said watching Harris work is an incredible experience, and she is a “titan of industry in local journalism. “I have tremendous respect for Sophia - not only is she one of my closest friends, but she is also one of the hardest-working people I have ever met. She embodies what it means to be a community journalist and newsroom leader,” he added. “To be a journalist is to be hard on yourself and to constantly strive for better, and Sophia exemplifies that,” he said. Pichnarcik said his experience working at The Item was transformative. “It was so interesting every day to watch as the designer laid out the paper, the editors set the stories, and our publisher oversaw everything. Meeting and working for [Publisher] Ted
Grant at The Item was an honor. I respect his dedication to the paper’s communities, and willingness to take a chance on a college kid. His humor and compassion are incredibly admirable,” he said. He added his work would not have been possible without what he has learned in his time studying at FSU’s journalism program. “Liz Banks and Desmond [McCarthy] care very much about giving people a well-rounded journalism education, and I really would say that without the two of them and the expertise that they’ve shown in and outside of class, neither Sophia or I would be the journalists that we are,” Pichnarcik said. Harris said, “I have a lot of reporters who went to more prestigious schools than I did, but they didn’t have Desmond and Liz. Because you can only teach so much about journalism, but you can’t teach passion, and you can’t teach interest or wanting to help students. And I think what’s missing with a lot of these programs is they don’t have, in my assumption, professors that truly care about the success of their journalism students, whereas Desmond and Liz, they truly cared about us and wanted us to succeed.” McCarthy said, “I’m so proud of what Sophia is already accomplishing in her career, and I’m so happy Dylan had an opportunity to work for her as a full-time journalist. “The Gatepost alumni operate effectively as a networking resource for students entering the job market and I am so grateful to all of them for the assistance they provide,” he added. CONNECT WITH ANTONIO MACHADO amachado4@student.framingham.edu
FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM
ARTS & FEATURES
12 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
STATICA By Taylor Kimmell Editorial Staff
BEST OF witnessing the songs in real time, listening to that heavy synth and autotune while staring at a curtain covered in brightly-colored demonic images, the band hidden somewhere behind… was just as offputting and unenjoyable as listening to the EP through my AirPods. STATICA’s intro track, “LIGHTS,” isn’t much to talk about, serving more as a “waiting room” song that bleeds into the title track, which highlighted clearly the main issues of the EP - the overwhelming use of autotune and vocoders. The band dials it back a bit with “REJOICE,” which may have been a banger if not for the - shocker - distracting amount of autotune on M. Shadows’ vocals. The EP ends with “ASHES,” sporting more incoherent electronic themes that, rather than display the band’s creativity, show the dangers of straying a little too far from the beaten path. The bottom line is while it’s good to divert from the norm and do the unexpected, completely altering your sound can prove that it is possible to go too far.
Every artist and band should feel comfortable toying around with their sound, breaking barriers, and decimating predetermined notions. Unfortunately, there is a fine line between trying something new and making the decision to cater to an audience of… robots? STATICA, released on July 23, marks EP number four for Avenged Sevenfold, a heavy metal band formed in 1999, coming three years after the introduction of their daring 2023 album “Life Is But a Dream…” While fans’ reactions to the 2023 album were mostly positive, commending the ambitious undertaking of creating a full-length album incorporating never-before-seen elements, the members of Deathbat Nation received STATICA with general apprehension and distaste. Many fans’ zeroed in on the band’s complete 180 from a vocal standpoint, switching from the typical aggro of lead singer Matt Shadows’s cadence to incorporating a suffocating amount of autotune. Others called the EP brave, praising the band’s refusal to conform to predetermined norms, and referring to the live performance as “otherworldly.” As a viewer of the live performance at the Mansfield CONNECT WITH TAYLOR KIMMELL Xfinity Center on Aug. 12, I tkimmell@student.framingham.edu can say with certainty that
King of Gluttony By Izabela Gage Staff Writer
The Odyssey
By Sarah Daponde Arts & Features Editor
jan Horse, while in the original, he does not. I like this twist, as it comes together to form a more meaningful and modern ending to the classic hero’s journey. On the other hand, the sanitization of Calypso’ moral compass made no sense. I don’t know what was drier - her desert home or her dialogue. One of the highlights of the movie was the flashbacks to the Trojan War. In my opinion, these scenes really made the movie come to life, and drew everything together nicely. Overall, as the sun set on Ithaca and the credits rolled, I was happy to have spent three hours of my life watching such a cinematically dazzling and emotionally moving rendition of a literary classic.
As word spread that Christopher Nolan was set to release his spin on Homer’s “The Odyssey,” expectations ranged from excited to apprehensive. I, myself, am a fan of other Nolan movies, such as “Interstellar” and “The Dark Knight,” but as an English major, I was really most excited about seeing something I read in high school come to life on the big screen. Of course, I had to watch it as the Gods intended - in an IMAX theater with a big bag of popcorn. I didn’t expect Travis Scott to be the first face I saw as the scene opened in Ithaca. However, after learning that Nolan included him as the Bard to draw a parallel to modern day rap with oral storytelling, I understood the vision. The movie was three hours long. But when considering the original was about 12,000 lines long, I’d say Nolan did a remarkable job at condensing everything into a well-paced story. Throughout those three hours, I didn’t get bored even once, and I only had to make one bathroom trip. The characters seemed to jump straight off the pages of Homer’s classic and right into Grace Doyle / THE GATEPOST the hearts of the audience. In the movie, Odysseus’s character seems more realistic, compelling, and empa- CONNECT WITH SARAH DAPONDE thetic. He shows remorse over sdaponde@student.framingham.edu his actions, especially the Tro-
Malco;m Todd
progress in their relationship By Ollie Mainguy time to enjoy an album that before another obstacle gets in Staff Writer was so highly anticipated by the way, which makes the pacso many. The album was enAna Huang is no stranger to ing feel uneven. Malcolm Todd has recent- joyable, to be sure, but lacks complicated relationships, but The biggest issue for me is ly taken the world by storm. any real depth or interper“King of Gluttony” takes her into that ‘King of Gluttony’ does not Announcing a world tour, re- sonality to it - but sometimes, new territory -rivals-to-lovers. always do its more interesting leasing his third studio album, something doesn’t need to be The novel still has plenty ideas justice. and appearing shirtless when- absolutely earth-shatteringly of the elements readers have As Huang’s first rivals-to-lov- ever the opportunity arises amazing to be a truly enjoycome to expect from Huang, ers trope, the rivalry had the po- - needless to say, he has won able album. though - ambitious characters, tential to make this book stand the hearts of many. It does connect some othcomplicated family relation- out. But the overstuffed conWhile his debut album er genres to his music style, ships, emotional baggage and, flicts feel predictable more than “Sweet Boy” was released in which I’d like to see in future of course, plenty of drama. anything else. 2024, it was not until this past albums. Overall, “Do That The story follows Maya Singh Compared to her other nov- year that I was introduced to Again” was a fun and energetand Sebastian Laurent, two els, the book occasionally feels his music. I quickly became ic start to a stressful summer. childhood rivals who have been like it is playing it safe, and obsessed after listening to his It was a quick escape into my competing against each other as someone who has read her second self-titled album. The own personal concert. since boarding school. entire bibliography, this one resurgence of his breakout When their fathers team up to doesn’t rank very high. song “Earrings” sealed him in develop a new frozen food line, That does not make ‘King the sphere of popularity over Maya and Sebastian are forced of Gluttony’ a bad romance. this past spring. to set their rivalry aside and Huang’s writing makes the “Do That Again” rework together for nine months. book an easy read - I just never leased with two singles, and For two people who have reached the point where I felt “Breathe” quickly started spent years trying to outdo each like I had to keep turning the gaining popularity on TikTok other, being stuck on the same pages. and Instagram. On June 7, the project is bound to create tenIt was enjoyable enough to album debuted at No. 5 on the sion, especially because neither finish, but not quite enough to Billboard Top 200. Maya nor Sebastian is willing to make me hungry for more. There really seems to be easily give the other the upper something charismatic about hand. a male indie singer. His tour What makes their relationsold out in suites, resell tick- Tobias Cotton-Selman / THE GATEPOST ship work, though, is that their ets skyrocketed and people rivalry is about more than simstill jumped at the opportuniply winning. As Maya and Sety to buy them. I, myself was bastian get to know each other even in the queue but was beyond the competition, they not going to pay $280 to stand begin to see sides of one anotharound and watch him take er that other people rarely do. his shirt off. Both characters have reasons His voice is that of any male for keeping others at a distance, indie singer, but somehow, his making their growing vulneralbums and personality put ability feel meaningful rather Tobias Cotton-Selman / THE GATEPOST him on another level. The than rushed. album is interesting to listen The book sometimes seems to, and I find it to be a really to rely on conflict simply to CONNECT WITH IZABELA GAGE enjoyable time, but the entire CONNECT WITH OLLIE MAINGUY keep the romance moving. Maya igage@student.framingham.edu album is only 35 minutes long. omainguy@student.framingham.edu and Sebastian repeatedly make This length is hardly enough
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Love Island: Season 8 By Heather Luster Staff Writer Love Island USA, an extremely popular reality dating competition, made huge waves this summer. From diversity and inclusion to drama and love triangles, Season 8 was the show to watch. Reality dating TV shows are the epitome of easy, mindless entertainment that we all somehow get sucked into. I mean, who doesn’t love giving unsolicited dating advice through their television, even though no one can hear them? I definitely do. Not to mention the extensive conversations with friends, family, and co-workers that stemmed from this season. But this is exactly what good television is - something that brings people together. Love Island USA is the byproduct of Love Island UK, which demonstrates the widespread interest of the franchise. While Love Island USA is still building its reputation, Season 8 brought new appeal and greater diversity that viewers have been pleading to see. This summer we got to see the inclusion of Beatriz Hatz, a USA paralympian, who brought greater representation and visibility for the disabled community. Additionally, we watched four amazing Black women make the final four - Trinity, Anaya, Kayda, and Melanie. This representation made many of the viewers feel seen and helped boost confidence in
a society where inclusion and diversity are often challenged. This season had me on the edge of my seat one moment, and rolling my eyes the next. Love Island airs six days a week and gives you something to look forward to every night at 9 p.m. The islanders only get one day off - Wednesdays - which means us viewers also only get one day off. Even though we have to patiently wait until next summer to watch, Love Island USA: Season 8 was much more than the average reality dating show. Its non-stop drama, cultivation of friendships, and diverse cast made this a must-watch for the summer. If you’re planning on watching Season 9 next year, I suggest you buckle up, because Love Island goes full speed over the course of summer.
By Avery Slavin Editorial Staff
When singer-songwriter Role Model released his lead single, “High Hopes 3000,” preceding his newest album, he offered fans a sneak peek into his complicated experiences when it comes to finding romance. Released on Aug. 7, “Chuck Timely and the Hourglass” explores the societal pressures of finding love on a timeline. Role Model embodies the character of Chuck, playing into him so much he made a separate Instagram account Tobias Cotton-Selman / THE GATEPOST for him - a huge part of the album’s promotion. with deep lyrics, the tracks Role Model said in an in- in this album go back and terview with People maga- forth from light-hearted to zine that he felt like he was pulling on the heartstrings. behind in life, as he is “at the Even the upbeat songs have age where everyone’s getting slightly depressing underlying married” around him, while he messages, ranging from the is stuck being single or failing loneliness of trying to fall in miserably at attempts to date. love to the hurt and confusion After a very public breakup of the past that still comes to with popular social media in- the surface. fluencer Emma Chamberlain, Role Model continues to it is rumored that Role Model outdo himself album after alwrote his last album based on bum, and I’m looking forward their relationship. to seeing just how much betFans noticed this album is ter his albums can get. no different, with hints to his past relationship in the form of small easter eggs, especially in the song “Stain.” Currently 29 years old, the artist gives fans a front-row seat to his journey through Grace Doyle / THE GATEPOST time and his developing story of denial, acceptance and evCONNECT WITH AVERY SLAVIN CONNECT WITH HEATHER LUSTER erything in between. aslavin@student.framingham.edu hluster@student.framingham.edu Unlike his last record with mostly slower-paced songs
Machine Party By Cole Johnson Copy Editor
Role Model
attached to a filing cabinet on wheels, rolling in to execute my character for not smoking a cigarette fast enough. I also give this game points for its visual design. It’s crusty and low-poly, but that simplicity carries a charm that games overflowing with detail often miss, and the silly models and stilted animations only add to the hilarity when you push your buddy into the abyss off a grid of dropping platforms. Whenever I get a squad together for this game, it’s magic. If you don’t end a game cackling or cussing out your best friend, you aren’t getting the full experience. This game incentivizes sabotage and foul play and rewards your backstabbing with endless comedy. Topping it all off with an $8 price tag makes this an easy purchase In an atmosphere of increasingly unfinished and overmonetized releases, this game is an excellent product that does exactly what it should.
The first time I booted up Machine Party, I experienced a graphical issue that has since been addressed. Joining a game would present me with nothing but a black screen. However, I could still join a game. I ended up playing while watching my friend stream our game in Discord for reference. It was utterly dysfunctional, barely playable, and a complete f***ing blast. This game from Oro Interactive is yet another entry into the “friendslop” game genre, a catch-all term for replayable multiplayer games intended to be enjoyed in company. The game offers a batch of Mario Party-style minigames set in a dystopian, industrialized, mechanized backdrop. An excess of chaos and gratuitous violence will ensue, scored by a collection of impressive and surprisingly fitting drum and bass tracks. The minigames are equally entertaining and creative. One game, you’re ducking through a gauntlet of debris trying not to get shot by another player seated in a sniper’s nest. Next, you’re avoiding a spine-breaking robotic spider that activates on a timer - or running toward it, if you’re confident you can toss it at one of your friends before it goes off. If you lose a game, your avatar Cole Johnson / THE GATEPOST will be any variety of squashed, blown away, shredded or disfigured - sometimes a combination. One of my favorite visuals CONNECT WITH COLE JOHNSON was a gun held by a robot arm cjohnson20@student.framingham.edu
Chris Brown By Desire Morris Staff Writer
able because it felt like everybody was there to have a good time. Even if you did not know the person standing next to you, everyone was connected through the music. You can hear the crowd around you, see the lights, and actually feel the energy in the room. It made me understand why people enjoy going to concerts so much. It is not only about the artist performing. It is also about the entire atmosphere and the memories you make while you are there. Overall, I would say the Chris Brown concert was a great experience. I enjoyed the music, dancing, choreography, stage production, and especially the energy from the crowd. Seeing Chris Brown performing live gave me a different appreciation for his music because I got to experience the songs in a completely different way.
Going to the Chris Brown concert was honestly a really exciting experience for me. I was looking forward to seeing him perform because I have listened to his music for a long time, so being able to actually see him on stage was different from just listening to his songs on my phone. As soon as the concert started, I could feel how excited the crowd was. Everybody was ready to sing, dance, and enjoy themselves. The energy in the venue made the whole experience feel even more exciting. When the more popular songs came on, people around me were singing along and dancing. I also found myself getting more into the music because of the energy from everyone else. It was cool seeing how many people knew the lyrics and were excited to hear their favorite songs. Chris Brown is known for his dancing, and seeing it in person made the performances more entertaining. The choreography went along with the music, and the dancers helped make the performances feel bigger. The crowd was another huge part of the experience. There were people dancing, singing, recording videos, and enjoying themselves. Everyone Tobias Cotton-Selman / THE GATEPOST seemed to have their own favorite songs that they were waiting to hear. The energy from the crowd CONNECT WITH DESIRE MORRIS made the concert more enjoy- dmorris@student.framingham.edu
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ARTS & FEATURES
14 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
Autumn over ice - the popularity of the pumpkin spice latte By Sarah Daponde Arts & Features Editor Fall in New England is a special kind of season. As a new school year begins, the air becomes crisp once again and leaves turn kaleidoscopic. The time has come to crack open the textbooks, take a stroll through the apple orchard, and appreciate the beauty of Autumn on the East Coast. But, of course, the true beauty of Autumn can be found within a mug in the form of a pumpkin spice latte. This seasonal beverage is enjoyed by millions across the country, and by hundreds across Framingham State campus. The PSL, as it has been fondly nicknamed, was first introduced by Starbucks in 2003, according to the NBC article, “The Rise of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte.” Pumpkin debuted at Dunkin four years later. According to The Observer, 20 million Pumpkin Spice Lattes are sold out of Starbucks alone each and every year. FSU does not have a Starbucks on campus, but we do have a Dunkin. Senior Erin Gemme, equipped with an iced coffee from the campus Dunkin, said, “I may be biased because I’m holding one right now - but I like pumpkin spice. I feel like there’s a strange hatred toward it. I like it though.”
For even more pumpkin, Gemme recommended the new Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen. In 2022, the PSL gained enough popularity to convince Merriam Webster to add the
dents return in need of something sweet to get them through their first load of homework. The Muffin House is most famous for their muffins, which come in a wide array of colorful flavors - but coffee always
According to junior Ollie Mainguy, apple should be the dominant fall coffee flavor. “Pumpkin should not be in a drink. It’s so wrong. Apple drinks? Delicious,” she said. Mainguy said she waits for the day that Starbucks brings back their apple crisp seasonal drinks, which first debuted in 2021. She said she was devastated when she saw they had been cut from the 2025 and 2026 Fall lineups. Starbucks has not given an official reason for throwing their Apple Crisp Chai and other apple drinks to the curb. This year, their PSL is sharing the menu with pecan- and banana bread-inspired drinks. Senior Indigo Allain, a pumpkin fanatic, said she couldn’t disagree more. She said her go-to drink from both Dunkin and Starbucks is the PSL. “I Tobias Cotton-Selman /THE GATEPOST love the fall season because I know everything’s going to be term “Pumpkin spice” to the comes first! pumpkin. Pumpkin is the best dictionary. The Muffin House has lo- flavor ever!” And now, 23 years after its cations in Natick, Hopkinton, resplendent introduction, the Medway, Mendon, Westwood, PSL can be found in almost ev- and Walpole, so there is no exery coffee shop this Autumn, cuse to miss out on their lineup as cafes in Framingham and of cozy new drinks. the surrounding area host their Of course, they have pumpown creative spins on the fes- kin flavors, including a drink tive drink. called the “Fluffy Pumpkin.” The Coffee Loft, located But, Muffin House seems to in Marlborough, offers the understand that, although the “pumpkin cupcake,” which is a PSL is beloved by some, it is flavor consisting of pumpkin, not beloved by all. The Muffin caramel, and white chocolate. House offers an array of other It is offered year-round, but flavors. Enjoy a “Maple shines brightest in the sunny Pancake” or “Caramel Apple” CONNECT WITH SARAH DAPONDE sdaponde@student.framingham.edu month of September, as stu- iced coffee instead.
PET OF THE WEEK - NOVA NAME: NOVA
BIRTHDAY: APRIL 27 AGE: 2 YEARS OLD BREED: CHIHUAHUA PITBULL MIX
OWNER: SHELBIE GREEN-
AWAY, SENIOR, CRIMINOLOGY MAJOR
FUN FACT: NOVA HAS NINE
SIBLINGS WHO SHE IS IN CONTACT WITH. WHEN SHE WAS FIRST ADOPTED, SHE RAN
YOUR PET COULD BE THE NEXT PET OF THE WEEK!
SHE FELL ASLEEP ON THE
SUBMIT YOUR PET’S PHOTO TO SDAPONDE@STUDENT.FRAMINGHAM.EDU
AROUND THE HOUSE UNTIL SHELBIE’S OTHER DOG.
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ARTS & FEATURES
Puzzles
30. Female zebra 31. Clean suds off 32. Excite, informally 34. Addition result 35. Person who prefers platonic relationships, for short 36. Animals similar to hares 38. Trattoria handout 40. Very uncertain 45. British length units 47. Like breezy rooms 48. Big to-do 51. Highest suit in bridge 53. Economic metaphor introduced by Adam Smith ... or what can be seen four times in this puzzle? 57. Scientific paper reviewer 58. ___ network (machine learning model) 59. Was ahead 62. Like distilled water 63. Declining due to age 64. Paramore genre 65. Chooses 66. Two-___ (duplicitous) 67. Was into DOWN 1. Low poker pair 2. Princess Leia was one for Carrie Fisher 3. “Star Wars” character who is 26 inches tall 4. Show 5. *“This ___ Me Trying” (Taylor Swift song) 6. *Martians, e.g., for short 7. *Run out of battery 8. Undefeated boxer Ali 9. Upper chamber of the heart 10. Fuels up 12. *Expo pre- sentations
ACROSS 1. Give it a shot 4. Wasn’t honest 8. Delay 11. Common furniture material 13. Word in a portmanteau with “guess” 15. Ancient 17. Irish equivalent of the name “James” 18. Concertgoers’ references 21. Poetic tribute 22. Zero 23. 2014 Sia hit whose title is a light fixture
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FRAMINGHAM STATE UNIVERSITY'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1932 | FSUGATEPOST.COM
PHOTOS
16 | SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
Students decorating picture frames at Art Club’s Dorm Decor Making event on Sept. 17.
Rose Hamilton / THE GATEPOST
Students making decorations at Art Club’s Dorm Decor Making event on Sept. 17.
Onyx Lovely / THE GATEPOST
(Front) Jovitah Ndagire and Maria Nunez Guevara crafting at Art Club’s Dorm Decor Making event on Sept. 17. Onyx Lovely / THE GATEPOST
Onyx Lovely / THE GATEPOST Spread by Photo & Design Editor Onyx Lovely
@The Gatepost | FSUgatepost.com
Emma Spence bedazzling a picture frame at Art Club’s Dorm Decor Making event on Sept. 17.