Breaking news and more at TCNJSignal.net. Vol. XLIX, No. 5
September 26, 2018
Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885
Mree mesmerizes CUB Alt crowd
Author underscores importance of free speech By Kelyn Chen Correspondent
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
Mree’s guitar melodies complement her mellow, raspy voice.
By Kalli Colacino Correspondent
Students were eager to catch a glimpse of CUB Alt’s third show this semester in the Brower Student Center on Friday, Sept. 21. Opening band Free Cake for Every Creature got the crowd amped up with their indie pop tunes, and conversely, headlining singer-songwriter Mree got the crowd to unwind and relax with her indie
Recovery program helps students find strength
folk music. The crowd was energized and nodding along to the catchy lyrics as the band played. Drums echoed throughout the room, and the crowd loved every second of it. Marie Hsiao, better known by her stage name Mree, stole the show. Mree is a headlining singer/guitarist from Northern New Jersey, who has been writing songs since she was 14 years old. She got on stage with her guitar and plenty of laid-back confidence.
see HOPE page 14
Miguel Gonzalez / News Editor
The café offers a variety of toppings. By Valerie Miko Staff Writer
The long-anticipated Campus Town location of Frutta Bowls café made its debut on Sept. 17, and has been drawing in crowds of students and local residents ever since. Frutta Bowls offers a variety of products including açaí bowls, smoothies and even oatmeal or kale bowls. There are also customizable bowl options which include a base of
INDEX: Nation & World / page 5
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see BEAT page 10
Frutta Bowls opens in Campus Town
By Lily Firth News Editor
Recently, mental health and its relationship to substance abuse has risen to the forefront of nationwide issues on college campuses, and there have been numerous steps taken by both administrations and students to combat addiction. Unhealthy drug use can lead to problems at school or work, physical health issues, neglected appearance, changes in behavior and even monetary issues, according to Mayo Clinic. In 2015, the College took major steps to assist students with substance abuse disorders. According to Christopher Freeman, the community recovery supervisor, the College implemented the Collegiate Recovery Program after receiving a grant from the state. The CRP was conceptualized by a multi-departmental steering committee that worked together to identify the best ways to support students that have been impacted by substance use disorders.
“My name is Marie, and I have some pretty chill songs to play,” she said. The singer opened with her song “The Laundry Bin,” a mellow tune with lyrics about being an introverted person trying to fit in. Hsiao’s airy, high-pitched voice stood out against the soft acoustics of her guitar. The students in the room were leaning forward, eager to hear more.
Editorial / page 7
either açaí, pitaya or kale that customers can add toppings to. Toppings include various fruits, oats, granola, Nutella, peanut butter and honey, among other crunchy and sweet additions. Frutta Bowls offers gluten, soy and dairy-free options, as well as a separate allergy station to accommodate dietary restrictions. The bowls range from $7-$11 depending on topping variety in the bowl. The average price of a smoothie is $7. Katharine Smith, a senior communication studies and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major, said that Frutta Bowls is a beneficial addition to Campus Town’s growing list of retailers, especially for students craving a convenient snack packed with fruit. “I got a Fiji bowl with Nutella instead of peanut butter,” Smith said. “It was really good! The atmosphere of the place is really cute and service was quick. I also like having the opportunity to get fresh fruit close to campus. I’m definitely going to go again.” According to Frutta Bowls’ website, the company was founded by entrepreneur and wellness guru Brooke Gagliano in 2016. Although it started out as two small stores near Gagliano’s hometown of Freehold, New Jersey, the chain has quickly become a national trend with stores popping up all over the country. Frutta Bowls’ Campus Town location is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Opinions / page 8
Arts & Entertainment / page 10
The College honored Constitution Day with a presentation titled “Inclusive Freedom: The Quest for a Democratic Culture” in the Brower Student Center Room 100 on Sept. 17. Sigal Ben-Porath, a University of Pennsylvania professor and author of the book Free Speech on Campus, offered her insight on safe spaces, political correctness, the significance of the First Amendment and the counter-protest against conservative religious group Bible Believers in Alumni Grove last April. Ben-Porath discussed the history of free speech censorship in higher education, and argued that the Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) court case was the highest water mark of permitting free speech in schools. She mentioned that despite the Supreme Court decision, courts have repeatedly hindered free speech at public high schools. According to Ben-Porath, schools like Hazelwood East High School in Missouri have argued that student newspapers are not welcome to free press in order to protect a productive student society. Ben-Porath suggested that media representation of college campuses through shows like “Tucker Carlson Tonight” put everyday college life under a spotlight by constantly reporting and criticizing student protest and language. In the digital age, any controversial language is immediately recorded and distributed, making it incredibly difficult for students to engage in an honest and open conversation. see SPEAK page 3
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
Ben-Porath denounces censorship. Features / page 14
Sports / page 20
WIRED Students perform improvised plays
Simulation Week School of Nursing honors role of artificial intelligence in healthcare
Women’s Soccer Lions shut out FDU and Ramapo
See Features page 10
See Features page 15
See Sports page 20
page 2 The Signal September 26, 2018
Professor prioritizes altruism over creative ego
Lecture details graphic design’s benefit to consumers By Kelly Scheper Correspondent
In the second installment of the fall 2018 faculty lecture series, the School of Arts and Communication held a presentation called, “How DESIGN Can Save* the World” in Mayo Concert Hall on Friday, Sept. 21. Assistant professor Belinda Haikes, who teaches in the department of art and art history, enlightened the audience on how graphic design can improve people’s lives. Haikes has a deep interest in how technology can create cultural changes. Although the title of the presentation was “How DESIGN Can Save* the World,” she humorously mentioned the disclaimer (highlighted by the asterisk) that it might not necessarily save the world, but it can make lives better and richer in meaning by focusing on the consumer instead of the designer’s own ideas. Haikes told the audience that graphic designers often use people’s experiences to solve problems. She provided an example of designer Deborah Adler’s prescription drug design in 2005. According to Haikes, Adler was upset with how her grandparents’ prescription bottles were so confusing and difficult to read. At the time, the bottles had so many facts and numbers that their design confusing for consumers. Adler partnered with Target to produce straight forward, easy-to-read labels that are still used to this day. Adler’s priority was on the patient, not
Nadir Roberts / Arts & Entertainment Editor
Haikes advises students to design with a product’s users in mind. her own creativity. The audience’s attention was then directed to BBC’s website on the projection screen, which showed them images of murals illustrating the symptoms of Ebola. She mentioned how the images were of human faces, clearly depicting the symptoms, such as muscular pain, red eyes and vomiting. When Haikes asked the audience why they thought the design was executed the way it was, a student raised her hand and
said that the readers might not have the literary skills to read a text-heavy billboard and that the images were therefore more impactful. Haikes also described to the audience the “design thinking process.” She said the designer must first empathize with the user and take his or her perspective on the topic or issue at hand. The designer must observe, engage, watch and listen without assumptions. Haikes said that it is important for
the designer to understand that they will probably have to do their work multiple times. Haikes had to redo a project about 10 or 11 times in her 2-D design course at the University of Alabama at Birmingham as an undergraduate. She understands that she and students have to embrace failure and keep trying. She took inspiration from novelist Samuel Beckett, who said “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” According to Haikes, the last step in the design thinking process is the testing phase. The designer refines prototypes and solutions and learns more about the user. These steps are crucial to create effective and helpful designs. Students were then encouraged to brainstorm what issue they would use a design to raise awareness for and what the design would include. After the presentation, freshman journalism and professional writing major Mathias Altman-Kurosaki addressed his idea of wanting to make graphics to advertise for organizations that can help recovering addicts. “I know multiple people that suffer from addiction,” Altman-Kurosaki said. “Maybe make something that’s targeted for organizations that can help recovering addicts.” Haikes is passionate about her work, but knows that the consumers come first. “You have to let go of ego,” Haikes said. “Stop falling in love with your work, instead, fall in love with the process.”
SFB partially funds annual celebrity drag show By Garrett Cecere Staff Writer Seven events received funding at this week’s Student Finance Board meeting on Sept. 19. The Black Student Union was partially funded $1,176.08 for its roller skating event. SFB provided $1,176.08 to cover expenses for two buses to transport students, as well as the rental fee for the skating rink. Sigma Sigma Sigma, Best Buddies and the College Union Board will serve as co-sponsors. According to the club’s proposal, the event will offer students a chance to go on a safe and fun trip at no cost. The event will be held on Nov. 4 from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 1775 Creek Road in Delanco, New Jersey. Anisa Douglas, a junior elementary and early childhood education and psychology double major and treasurer of the Black Student Union, said that the event falls at a perfect time before the stress of finals kick in for students. “We didn’t want to do anything too close to finals,” Douglas said. “We didn’t want people to stress out.” CUB and PRISM were partially funded for their celebrity drag show. Both organizations received $5,914.50 to cover expenses for talent, police, hospitality and insurance. CUB will help with staffing and booking venues. “(The event) will bring
awareness to LGBT and provide a safe and inclusive space for students at TCNJ,” said Dylan Broadwell, a senior psychology and women’s, gender and sexuality studies double major and president of PRISM. The event will take place on Oct. 22 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Brower Student Center. The headlining performer is a transgender actress, singer, reality television personality, drag queen and trans activist, according to the proposal. The Chess Club was fully funded for the 22nd Annual Eastern Chess Congress. The club received $415 to cover the $83 registration fee for each of the five selected club members to compete. The tournament will take place on Oct. 26 at Hyatt Regency in Princeton, New Jersey. SFB partially funded the Deaf Hearing Connection $270 for Deaf Culture Night, which will cover food and utensils for the event. This is the second time Deaf Hearing Connection has put together an event for cultural awareness. This event will allow students to gain awareness about deaf culture, according to the club’s proposal. The event is scheduled to take place on Oct. 18 from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. in the Brower Student Center Room 100. The Pre-Law Society was fully funded $1,399.20 for its trip to a law school forum in New York City on Oct. 26. The event will be co-sponsored by the departments of
The board partially funds Deaf Culture Night. philosophy and political science. Chi Upsilon Sigma was fully funded $200 for its one-hour zumba aerobic class. The class is part of a series of events titled “Week of Wisdom: Cussie Bootcamp Latinx.” “An RSVP list will be sent out,” said Dianelis Mendoza, a senior nursing major and president of Chi Upsilon Sigma. “We expect to have 25 people.” The event will take place on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 8:30-9:30 a.m. in the Recreation Center and will be co-sponsored by Unified Greek
Council and Inter Greek Council for advertising and support. Cussie Bootcamp will offer students a new way of exercising, but will also allow better understanding of their bodies and how much they can actually push themselves when it comes to living healthy lifestyles, according to the Latin sorority’s proposal. The Muslim Student Association was fully funded for its 13th annual Eid dinner, which will be held on Oct. 23 in the Decker Social Space. SFB funded the organization $5,272.83 for expenses to cover
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
food from Legends and Shezan Restaurant, as well as comedian Jeremy McLellan, who has done volunteer work in Muslim countries. This dinner allows students of all backgrounds to come and celebrate a joyous occasion in unity with their Muslim peers, according to the organization’s proposal. “We start by teaching people about Eid,” said Alizeh Shamshad, a senior biology major and president of MSA. “Because it attracts so many non-Muslim members, it’s a good way to learn about the religion.”
Speak / Free speech contested at colleges September 26, 2018 The Signal page 3
Professor offers insight on First Amendment rights
continued from page 1
She then spoke about the government crackdown of free speech on college campuses. Bills passed by state legislature and the justice department in Arizona, Wisconsin and Ohio have already threatened to expel any student found inhibiting the free speech of another. The University of Wisconsin recently adopted a policy to expel any student after the third infraction, according to Ben-Porath. Throughout the lecture, Ben-Porath repeatedly articulated three core goals for colleges to achieve. She stated that colleges should proliferate the search for knowledge, educate students and mold students into future citizens of a democracy. Ultimately, the First Amendment allows college students to have meaningful conversations, according to Ben-Porath. “It’s a recipe for concern,” Ben-Porath said. “The First Amendment protects a citizen’s freedom of speech, but some states have forgotten that, although public institutions like state colleges are a product of the government. A campus is a unique context in which we need separate rules beyond the legal ones … to promote our (educational) mission.” Ben-Porath then spoke about the impact of student protests. Junior philosophy major Nicholas Cernera asked how a sign in the beginning of the presentation saying, “No Dialogue with White Supremacy” added to her presentation. According to Ben-Porath, the sign was from a student protest affiliated with Black Lives Matter at the College of William and
Mary against a guest speaker from American Civil Liberties Union. She responded to Cernera by pointing out how the student protest did not contribute to diversity on campus. “I think that the actions of the students at William and Mary were misguided actions that expressed appropriate values for this campus,” Ben-Porath said. “They are saying that ‘Hey, here is this speaker coming to talk to the law school from ACLU. We abhor the march in Charlottesville (last summer), and so we are going to chase the person out of campus.’” Ben-Porath said that colleges must recognize and accept free speech, especially in student organizations based on personal identity. “There should not be “speech for speech sake,’” she said. “Our goal is protecting open expression. Inclusive freedom means educational and relational freedoms, not only legal. This does not mean ‘snowflakes and safe spaces.’ Campuses should be a safe space in the dignitary sense, not the intellectual.” Ben-Porath explained how UPenn tries to protect the right to free speech for opposing groups. She describes an initiative there called “free speech observers,” who are professors or upperclassmen trained in conflict resolution that oversee events and ensure that students are respectable. Ben-Porath recalled a past situation in which UPenn dealt with a similar group to the Bible Believers, who were on public property adjacent to the school. UPenn students did not react violently and provided an alternative focus, such as raising signs supporting LGBTQ+ groups or throwing pride events just across the street.
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
Ben-Porath encourages intellectual discussion of controversial topics.
Ben-Porath concluded her presentation by emphasizing that professors should expose students to a diverse viewpoints for future encounters in the academic world. She uses the Flat Earth Society as an example of a different opinion. “Exposing my students to an educational matter, to the argument from different sides and how you may be able to confront them or refute them,” Ben-Porath said. “I think it’s quite interesting and quite productive from an educational standpoint. If
you’re going to be a climate scientist, you need to be able to respond to that.” She encouraged professors to address and acknowledge controversial topics within their lesson plans to facilitate discussion, and she further reiterated the responsibility of the instructor to uphold intellectual honesty. “What good does it do for me to silence a student? I do not want to give a speaker a platform to promote a view that I see as false, as contradicting the point of facts,” Ben-Porath said.
Foster addresses campus concerns Vital Signs: Juuls have
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
Foster announces plans to refurbish Roscoe West Hall.
By Alex Shapiro Correspondent
Student Government met with College President Kathryn Foster again, swore in new senators and freshman class council members and recognized a student organization during its general body meeting on Sept. 19. Foster encouraged SG to concern themselves with the issues that matter most to students. She emphasized the importance of reinforcing the College’s commitment to social justice. Foster is seeking to improve social justice on campus, as well as in Ewing and Trenton. Students presented Foster with questions and concerns regarding issues including the College’s honors program, building maintenance, Medicaid in student health services and leadership roles on campus. Taylor Mislan, a senior marketing major and SG’s vice president of student services, expressed her concerns regarding any plans to refurbish Roscoe West Hall.
Foster responded by explaining her desire to fix the facility and use the space for alumni events or formal events. After a long-term plan is developed, Foster intends to elaborate more on specific plans for renovation. Suchir Govindarajan, a sophomore journalism and professional writing major and SG’s senator for Arts and Communication, was concerned with the divide in political groups on campus, following the student counterprotest against the conservative religious group Bible Believers last spring semester. He asked Foster how the College will implement inclusive policies on campus. Foster replied by referring to Dr. Sigal Ben-Porath’s presentation held at the College’s “Inclusive Freedom: The Quest for a Democratic Culture” event on Sept. 17. She stressed the importance of students needing to grow more comfortable hearing things that they might disagree with. With this, Foster also
emphasized the importance of engaging in these meaningful conversations in a way that does not discourage students but make them more confident to speak up and address sensitive issues. “TCNJ should not shelter their students from ideas that they might not like,” Foster said. “We need to hear things we don’t like.” Tom Astarita, a sophomore finance major, asked how SG can help Foster serve the student body. Foster responded by affirming the need to understand students’ perspectives so that she can share students’ feelings with members of the College’s administration. Additional discussions involving Foster will be held at SG’s general body meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 26. SG officially recognized one student organization, Men of Excellence. Men of Excellence upholds the idea of increasing the academic, professional and social success of underrepresented male students through increasing interaction and dialogue between underrepresented male students, faculty, staff and alumni, according to its members. Men of Excellence’s long-term goal is to expand to all leadership organizations on campus by having member representatives in a variety of different organizations, according to its members. SG announced upcoming events, including Community Fest, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29 and will include activities such as pumpkin decorating. Additionally, the sophomore class council’s Frutta Bowls fundraiser will take place from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Oct. 17.
addictive properties By Anna Kellaher Columnist
E-cigarettes have been rising in popularity for years. The latest and greatest in vaporized nicotine is the Juul, a specific brand of e-cigarettes. Juul stands apart not only because of its sleek and discreet design, but also because of its ability to deliver more nicotine per hit compared to other devices. Nicotine is an addictive drug that stimulates your brain’s reward system, the release of dopamine. According to the manufacturer, each Juul pod contains as much nicotine as one pack of cigarettes, according to Vox. The purpose of the Juul was to be an alternative to cigarettes for adults who were already addicted to nicotine. Public health officials are worried about the teens and young adults who are developing nicotine addictions because of the popularity of e-cigarettes like Juuls, according to Vox. Nicotine is the chemical that will get you hooked, but Juul pods contain other potentially harmful substances, including the chemical diacetyl. Diacetyl is a compound that is used to give foods a buttery flavor, and is found in many flavors of Juul pods, including vanilla and coconut. According to the American Lung Association, inhaling diacetyl can cause a lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans, or “popcorn lung.” The smallest airways in your lungs become inflamed and constricted, restricting oxygen from getting to your bloodstream. The name popcorn lung stems from the hundreds of workers at popcorn factories who suffered from the condition. Diacetyl is banned from popcorn production, but Juuls provide a new way to directly inhale the chemical. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) pushed back the deadline for e-cigarette companies to document that their products fall within public health regulations. Companies now have until 2022 to prove that their products are safe. In the meantime, don’t let the inconspicuous design of an e-cigarette hide the dangers inside.
page 4 The Signal September 26, 2018
Nation & W rld
September 26, 2018 The Signal page 5
Sexual misconduct claims stall justice confirmation By James Wright Staff Writer Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh faces delays in his nomination process due to recent allegations of sexual misconduct. Psychologist Christine Blasey Ford, 51, came forward in what started out as a confidential letter to senior Democratic lawmakers on Sunday Sept. 16 with a detailed account of an alleged sexual assault that took place when both she and Kavanaugh were teenagers nearly four decades ago at a high school party, according to USA Today. Ford described the incident of alleged assault at one point as Kavanaugh trying to “inadvertently kill me.” The letter written by Ford, detailing the assault, has been shared among senators and federal investigators. They now want Ford to testify in front of Congress, according to The New York Times. The White House released a press statement, which included Kavanaugh’s response to the allegations, according to The New York Times. “I categorically and unequivocally deny
this allegation. I did not do this back in high school or at any time,” Kavanaugh said. The letter mentions a second person who helped perpetrate the incident, Mark Judge, an author, filmmaker and former writer for the conservative news website, The Daily Caller. Judge also attended high school with Kavanaugh and Ford, and he repeated Kavanaugh’s sentiments on the issue, stating that both he and Kavanaugh were raised in Catholic homes and taught that the behavior described in the letter was never tolerable under any circumstances, according to The New York Times. As Kavanaugh is up for nomination to the Supreme Court, many Democratic senators claimed that they do not want to move forward with the confirmation process until Ford can testify, according to USA Today. Democrats demand that the FBI conduct a full investigation before any confirmation hearing is held, according to NPR. However, a spokesperson for the Justice Department said that the FBI already did a background check on Kavanaugh, and the bureau will not be further involved unless a federal crime is committed.
Assault allegations complicate Kavanaugh’s confirmation process.
According to CNN, Ford will testify in an open hearing on Thursday, Sept. 27, regarding the charges she made against Kavanaugh. “Judge Brett Kavanaugh is a fine man, with an impeccable reputation, who is under assault by radical left-wing politicians who don’t want to know the
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answers, they just want to destroy and delay,” President Trump tweeted on Sept. 21, according to NPR. On Sept. 23, a second woman, Deborah Ramirez, came forward in a New Yorker article and described an additional instance of sexual misconduct by Kavanaugh during his freshman year at Yale University.
Hurricane Florence leaves path of destruction in Carolinas By Anandita Mehta Staff Writer
Florence causes severe roadway flooding.
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Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 1 storm with maximum winds of 90 mph on Sept 14, at 7:15 a.m. The eye of the storm was about ten miles from Wilmington, North Carolina. 10 million were people under hurricane watch or warning, and 1.7 million people were mandated to evacuate, according to Time. The storm was downgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 2 and then finally down to a Category 1 as it made landfall, according to USA Today. The categorizations are based on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane wind scale. This is only a wind-based scale, and downgrading the storm does not mean that the storm has lessened in overall intensity, according to USA Today. Water levels in northeastern South Carolina were measured at 10 inches above their normal state, and North Carolina rivers are at major flood stages, according to CBS. As of Sept. 19, the storm killed 37 people, with 27 casualties in North Carolina, eight in South Carolina
and two in Virginia, according to CBS. Among the casualties were at least three children, and two mental health patients –– the latter of whom drowned while being transported in a sheriff’s van, according to CBS. There are at least 343,000 people without power in North Carolina, with a combined total of 500,000 homes and businesses without power in North and South Carolina. Additionally, 10,000 people are in shelters in North Carolina after being displaced from their homes due to evacuation and damage, according to CBS. Along with human casualties, Florence also brought about environmental damage — 63,000 gallons of untreated wastewater leaked into North Buffalo, a tributary of the Cape Fear River Basin in North Carolina, according CBS. All of the severe damage contributed to Hurricane Florence’s ranking in the top 10 most costly storms in U.S. History. However, CBS estimates that there would have been more damage had the hurricane hit a more coastal part of North Carolina, rather than hitting the inland portion of the state.
Gunmen pose as mariachi band, kill five at independence celebration By Mallory McBride Staff Writer
Independence Day celebrations were disrupted in Mexico City on Sept. 14 when three gunmen, dressed as mariachi musicians, opened fire, killing five and injuring eight in Garibaldi Plaza, according to ABC. The plaza is an iconic tourist square and a popular performance space for mariachi bands. At the time of the shooting, dozens of performers and spectators occupied the area, according to CNN. The gunmen opened fire at about 10 p.m. and then fled on motorbikes, according to Reuters. Roughly 60 bullet cases were found at the scene, according to forensic officials. “‘People were screaming and running,’” a woman who sells cigarettes at Garibaldi Plaza told Reuters. The woman initially thought the gunshots
Police patrol the plaza as musicians continue to perform.
were fireworks. Three victims died at the scene, while another two were taken to the hospital, where they later died as a result of injuries. The victims, three men and two women, ranged in age from 22 to 46, according to CNN.
Two individuals have been brought in for questioning by police. It is unknown if either of the individuals being questioned are suspects, according to CNN. Alejandro Hope, a Mexican security expert, explained that the incident appears to have been
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orchestrated by an organized crime group, and he doubts that it was just a random incident. The shooters targeted a specific restaurant on the Plaza, which may have been a show of protection against their rivals or part of a shakedown for money, according
to ABC. Plaza Garibaldi borders the Tepito neighborhood, home of the Union Tepito gang. The head of Union Tepito, “El Betito,” was arrested in August. There may be a connection between that arrest and the events that unfolded at Garibaldi Plaza, according to ABC. Reuters reported that the Tepito neighborhood has experienced a wave of violence since the arrest of “El Betito.” “‘Nothing like this has ever happened before,’” a man named Samuel, who worked around the square for thirty years, told Reuters. He declined to give his last name. Following the shooting, however, business at the Garibaldi Plaza continued as usual. Some mariachi performers continued playing as police conducted the investigation, according to ABC.
page 6 The Signal September 26, 2018
September 26, 2018 The Signal page 7
Editorial
Students should not give up on romance
My favorite film is “5 to 7,” a romance movie starring the late actor Anton Yelchin. He plays a young American journalist in New York who falls for a married French woman who he is only allowed to see from the hours of — you guessed it — 5 to 7. He ends up falling for this mother of two and the journey of their love begins. I’m not going to spoil the movie, but by the end, you’ll simply say, “Wow.” The thought of love can be both scary and exciting –– an emotional rollercoaster all around. For hopeless romantics, love is inevitable. They will always believe that there is someone out there, sent to them from heaven. Many people believe that being a hopeless romantic is pretty bad, but I don’t think so. I think it can be a good thing. Love and romance are very different from what people see in movies and in real life, and that’s where the confusion comes. There’s either always a female who is fresh out of heartbreak and then a Prince Charming who sweeps her off her feet. Not enough movies show the true ups and downs of relationships. False representation of love through films have people believe that love is structured and similar in every instance when, in fact, romance is situational –– every person you share a connection with will bring a different side out of you. We (yes, I include myself as a hopeless romantic) don’t lose hope. We will eventually find someone who loves us, just as much as we love them. No matter how many times your heart gets broken, it seems as though we just learn from it and keep searching. I’ve gotten my heart broken on a couple occasions, but one time before I started college, I got it broken really badly. However, years later, I’ve saddled up on my high horse ready to ride off into the sunset to find my woman. I like to call it passion. With this passion comes value, as a hopeless romantic you tend to value everything good that comes your way. You don’t take the details and the little things that people do for you for granted, everything holds some sort of importance. This goes beyond romantic relationships, and extends to how we evaluate people in general. Being a hopeless romantic makes you a better person overall. You tend to see the good in people and let it outweigh any wrong they’ve done. Yes, that sounds a little naive and gullible, but you learn to forgive and forget, which is an important rule of thumb. You don’t burn bridges, and you learn that people can change. I truly believe that everyone is scared or frightened of love even though it’s a great feeling to have. If people were less cynical toward love, it would shift today’s culture drastically. Life is surrounded by love. You can love your parent, siblings, friends and many others. Until then, people will ruminate in hookup culture with apps like “Tinder,” but eventually, people will realize that casual hookups are nothing and will want something more. Someone will eventually want you for more than just your body. They will crave your mind, soul and energy, and when that happens, I’ll be rooting for you. — Nadir Roberts Arts & Entertainment Editor
Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo, Sports, Review and Social Media editors and the Business and Production managers, unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.
In ‘5 to 7,’ two hopeless romantics struggle to find love.
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“You have to let go of ego. Stop falling in love with your work. Instead, fall in love with the process.” — Belinda Haikes
Assistant Professor of Art and Art History
“Our goal is protecting open expression. Inclusive freedom means educational and relational freedoms, not only legal. This does not mean ‘snowflakes and safe spaces.’ Campuses should be a safe space in the dignitary sense, not the intellectual.” — Sigal Ben-Porath Professor and Author
Correction In a Sept. 19 article titled “Student organizations face fundraising policy changes,” it was incorrectly stated that student organizations are prohibited from using Venmo, that student organizations are required to do all of their fundraising through the Student Finance Board and that food sales are prohibited during fundraisers. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.
page 8 The Signal September 26, 2018
Opinions
Autonomy future of auto industry
By Robert Otten
The nearest and biggest change in technology is coming right now in the automobile industry. The use of fully autonomous vehicles is already available to us, but there are still current legal ramifications surrounding their commercial use. When the government makes this technology legal, however, the societal and economic effects will be remarkable. The impact that fully integrated selfdriving cars would have on society is unfathomable. Distracted driving would be eliminated since there is no need for human interaction with self-driving enabled in your vehicle. Fully autonomous vehicles would put an end to car accidents because it would no longer matter whether or not the person behind the wheel is suitable to drive. Self driving cars help reduce the chance of human error, and could reduce traffic fatalities by 90 percent, according to USA Today. This can greatly reduce health care costs related to driving accidents. It would also greatly diminish, if not entirely eliminate, traffic, according to PC Magazine. If every single car had self-driving capabilities, traffic would flow much more smoothly since cars would all be travelling at the same rate of speed. This would allow for more cars on the road because there wouldn’t be any slow drivers, which often prevent a smooth flow of cars. Transportation would become swift and painless.
Another major impact that fully autonomous vehicles would have on society would be the additional time gained everyday if people no longer had to drive themselves to work. They could spend that time being productive or catching up on sleep. People would be able to have the car travel all night if necessary and wake up at their destination, full of energy. That is not possible without fully autonomous vehicles. Driving can make people exhausted even after only a few hours behind the wheel. The impact that self-driving cars would have on the economy would be extraordinary. Electric cars are the way of the future, and they go hand-in-hand with self-driving. With electric cars now becoming more affordable to a broader audience, gas-powered cars may become obsolete. Electric cars also have their own benefits. Similar to how Netflix made Blockbuster outdated, gas stations will also become obsolete. Now that we are in the 21st century we must move away from combustion engines and only use renewable energy to power our cars. Charging stations will eventually be as common as the amount of gas stations there are now. The argument has been made by sources like WIRED Magazine that the use of only self-driving vehicles will eliminate thousands of jobs such as semi truck drivers. Although this is likely true, it is still a better option. Saving thousands of lives every year vastly outweighs the loss of losing jobs.
Self-driving cars are yet to be regulated by the government. The convenience of self-driving electric vehicles is what will make them continuously grow. People always want the easiest and quickest way to do things. In the future, it is possible that I may not need to own a vehicle. If everyone uses driverless vehicles, owning a car seems to be pointless or not even possible. Companies like Uber and Lyft will begin to dominate transportation. A car will be sent to wherever you are and you
will be picked up at your location. Over the next few years, electric cars will become increasingly common and the government should be ready to help fight against the negative impact they might have, according to the Los Angeles Times. The convenience of self-driving electric vehicles is obvious — the copious advantages speak for themselves. This new technology will forever change the way that we use transportation.
Showcasing ‘Humans of 2021’ strengthens campus community
Ngo is the first to be featured on the Instagram page. By Samantha Koch Humans of New York is a revolutionary blog that sparked conversation all around the world. Its creator, Brandon
Stanton, began this project through a simple goal of photographing 10,000 New Yorkers. Stanton’s project grew after it gained tremendous interest on social media, prompting him
to go on to visit more than 20 countries, where he takes pictures and writes captions on the most breathtaking stories. Whether it be a child gloating about his make-believe super power in the Philippines, or a woman in India being prohibited by her father from travelling for an educational trip, HONY’s work is extremely powerful in sharing the wide spectrum of what people are thinking and experiencing. The College’s Sophomore Class Council listened to these stories and decided that this is just what the College needs — Humans of TCNJ –– a segment on the Class of 2021 Instagram page that shares students’ personal stories. The first post begins with, “In Vietnam, I was born on the countryside and lived on a farm.” It talks briefly about a female student, computer engineering major Linh Ngo, who didn’t have an easy time adjusting to the different culture when she
moved to the U.S. Her parents worked long and hard hours to provide her with a better life and goes on to say that she admired how her parents navigated these difficulties and that motivated her to major in the male-dominated field of engineering. Linh’s story was a hit on the TCNJ 2021 page, and one person even commented, “We find power in each other’s stories. Thank you Linh for sharing yours,” with a thumbs up emoji. Thousands of students on campus all have different stories that only few people get the chance to hear. With the help of Humans of 2021, Sophomore Class Council hopes to create similar themes of humanity and unity that is evident in HONY. Too many people think that the College is just a bubble of homogeneous New Jerseyans. During high school, this was an opinion that I heard constantly, and it almost discouraged me
from attending the College. However, now that I attend the College, I realized how far from the truth that statement truly is. There are people on campus who come from all different types of backgrounds and have had a variety of experiences. One person performed in 17 musicals in high school, another volunteered more than 2,000 hours before attending the College. A student from Japan who is studying abroad here owns his own business back home. The list is never-ending. If people do not speak to all the different students on this campus, then they will never understand the diversity that exists at the College. This is a movement that has endless potential to become something great, and the College is definitely heading in the right direction in terms of creating more diversity. The Sophomore Class Council hopes to provide a helping hand with that goal, just one post at a time.
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September 26, 2018 The Signal page 9
Students share opinions around campus “Would you ride in a self-driving car?”
Clare McGreevy / Opinions Editor
Amanda Russo, a sophomore psychology major. “Yeah, I would. They seem safe.”
Clare McGreevy / Opinions Editor
Chelsea Quinn, a sophomore public health major. “No. Technology is always flawed and a car can’t respond if something goes wrong within.”
“Is it important to showcase diversity on campus?”
Clare McGreevy / Opinions Editor
Laurel Wong, a sophomore early childhood education and psychology double major. “Yes because it diminishes stereotypes if people are more aware of diversity on campus.”
Clare McGreevy / Opinions Editor
Hannah Claus, a freshman chemistry major. “Yes it is because it gets you familiar with other people on campus.”
The Signal’s cartoons of the week ...
page 10 The Signal September 26, 2018
Arts & Entertainment
Beat / Singer revels in New Jersey roots
Left: Mree energizes the crowd by shredding her electric guitar. Right: To vary her set, Mree plays a mix of original songs and covers.
continued from page 1
“I liked her a lot. Very smooth,” said freshman political science major Jacob Blumberg. Mree’s song “Atmosphere” was a crowd favorite. Swaying and enjoying the sound, the crowd passionately clapped when the song concluded. The background she provided on her writing process gave the song more meaning. “I wrote (Atmosphere) a really really long time ago….I believe I wrote it in high school,” she said. Mree switched gears a bit and began playing her electric guitar. She covered a popular classic, “I Want it That Way,” by the Backstreet Boys, to get the crowd
pumped up. Mree’s mellow, raspy voice gave the song an original twist. Her next song, “In the Kitchen,” was also well-received by the crowd. Mree let the audience know that she had just recorded a music video for the song and urged the crowd to watch it. Mree ended her set with the song “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley. This song, and Mree’s light falsetto, calmed the crowd after an exuberating set. When she finished strumming the last chords, the crowd gave a booming ovation. The opener, Free Cake for Every Creature, a Philadephia-based indie pop band, was partially responsible for the crowd’s pulsing energy during
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
Mree’s set. Lead singer/guitarist Katie Bennett wowed the crowd with her soft voice and predominant guitar. Heavy drums followed close behind, backing up Bennett’s screaming guitar. After a few high energy songs, Bennett said “we’re going to bring this down a little bit,” before switching gears to a more mellow sound. During the song “Sideline Skyline” off the band’s most recent album, “The Bluest Star,” Bennett started with a guitar solo followed by the calming sound of a pedal steel guitar from a fellow band member. Both Free Cake for Every Creature and Mree sold merchandise after the show, including T-shirts and album CDs.
Students share original slam poetry Pieces include themes of love, empowerment
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
INK celebrates creativity outside the classroom during the competiton.
By Jane Bowden Correspondent
Brokenhearted ex-lovers, intergalactic figures and controversial hotdogs: these were just a few of the topics covered during INK’s semi-annual Slam
Down the Walls poetry competition on Thursday, Sept. 20. Held in the Bliss Hall Lounge, the contest featured 15 minutes of self-written poetry from four contestants, who were then judged by three students chosen from the audience. This semester,
Slam Down the Walls included a range of poets from various years and majors eager to share their talents. “A lot of people find (writing outside of the classroom) especially nice if they are not an English major or a creative writing minor,” said Emily Miller, copresident of INK and a senior English major. “INK gives them an opportunity to enjoy writing and experience a college literary community.” To kick off the two-hour event, Slam Down The Walls’ spring 2018 winner, Jessica Shek, a sophomore English major, opened with her cosmos-inspired poems “Postcard from Andromeda” and “My Star.” Nina Navazio, a sophomore English and secondary education dual major, was voted as this semester’s winner of Slam Down the Walls. Her series of poems included lighthearted and witty subjects, such as rhyming Buzzfeed articles and the impending question—if a hotdog is not a sandwich, then what is it? Senior communication studies major Alyssa Jackson, the first competitor of the night, presented a personal narrative on love’s lessons with her series of poems, “Ignite,” “Windchasers,” “Pillowtalk,” “Gatekeeper,” “Seasonal” and “Jump.”
Freshman communication studies major Ana Camila soon followed with her poems about female empowerment, the men in her life and relationships which included “Desolation,” “Alone” and more. The third poet of the night, sophomore English major Amanda Riccitelli, performed an array of poems, like “Origami Heart,” “Arsenic Summers,” and “A Gringo’s Lament,” a poem written in both English and in Spanish about her love of Hispanic culture. “I have this deep and passionate love for the Spanish language and am endlessly fascinated by Hispanic culture,” Riccitelli said. “However, as a white American, I feel like this is almost a forbidden love. I am endlessly passionate and in love with the language, but I can never truly claim it, nor do I have any right to.” Navazio explained how the slam poetry competition gives students of all majors a chance to have fun with language and be creative with their original poems. “I have been writing poetry for years,” Navazio said. “It’s fun. It is cathartic in a way, similar to pulling out a thorn from your hand. It is like pulling out a splinter out of your hand, but the splinter is a pun and your hand is your brain.”
September 26, 2018 The Signal page 11
WIRED electrifies crowd in TW Lounge
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
Intellectual Equals’ act portrays a dystopian universe. By Kevin Shaw Distribution Manager
Thanks to WIRED at the College, and the performances of the many talented students involved, the Travers and Wolfe lounge turned into a full out theater. On Sept. 22, an attentive audience watched as the stage was set for this season’s WIRED. Late Saturday night, the packed crowd enjoyed four original plays acted out one after the other with a brief intermission. However, there were no ordinary plays, each was written, edited, rehearsed and acted live in the span of
24 hours. With themes inspired by prompts such as blindly feeling around for imitation human organs inside of a hat, potatoes and lines from the popular song “September” by Earth, Wind, & Fire, the four teams competed against each other to create the best oneday play. With bragging rights on the table, “A Novel Bunch,” started the night off strong and set the pace for a good competition. The play involved four women detailing their ideal novel romance to one another, and satirizes the likes of “Twilight” and “The Hunger
Games” with clever dialogue and hilarious use of props. As a result of the cast’s passionate acting, “A Novel Bunch” clinched Best Show at the post-performance awards. Next was “A Couple Fries Short of a Happy Meal,” which was set in a closed McDonald’s. In this play, one employee throws a Halloween party she probably shouldn’t be hosting, and invites some friends she probably shouldn’t have. Awkward hilarity ensues, and it culminates in an exciting chase scene around the audience to the theme of The Benny Hill Show. It might be prevalent to add that a raw potato was involved. The standout performance by sophomore journalism and professional writing major Suchir Govindarajan earned him the Best Actor award. He absolutely stole the show with a hilarious delivery of each of his lines. Nearly every time he spoke he was met with a roar of laughter from the crowd. After a brief intermission, “Mixed Feelings” kicked the event into fifth gear with their clever take on Pixar’s “Inside Out.” This play was a typical guy meets girl story –– as in the main characters are named Guy and Girl. Guy, due to some complicated brain trauma, can only perceive his own feelings as personified people.
Among these personifications are Happiness, a happygo-lucky girl with no filter, Sadness, who’s usually crying and Sex Drive, Guy’s very horny driver and a distributor of condoms. He threw seemingly endless amounts of condom boxes into the crowd, then he threw a slew of individual ones. Each one of the supporting characters takes over for Guy, each trying to get Girl in their own way, but all of their hilarious attempts end up backfiring horribly. The performances of each and every cast member combined granted “Mixed Feelings” the award for Best Ensemble. The play’s script earned Evan Snyder, a sophomore chemistry and secondary education dual major, and Alaina Stampe, a sophomore music and psychology double major, the award for best writing. “The most difficult step was thinking of a concept in such a short amount of time,” Snyder said. Michael Morack, the director of “Mixed Feelings,” and a senior history and secondary education dual major, gave some insight into his role. “Directing a WIRED show is an altogether different experience,” Morack said. “Right from the first read you have to hit the ground running for both memorizing lines and
character development.” To cap WIRED, “Intellectual Equals” performed by far the most distinct play with the most in-depth plot overall. The writers, senior marketing majors Katie Marciniak and Taylor Lacaze devised a complex, compelling story about finding love amongst a sea of your own clones. The dialogue was great throughout, but just the sheer volume of lines that each actor and actress had to memorize was staggering. Senior mathematics and secondary education dual major Alyssa Fanelli’s performance through the whole play earned her the much-deserved award for Best Actress, but she was undeniably accompanied by a host of talented co-stars. Stage side, once the scripts were handed over, the actors had to constantly reread their scripts to make sure they had their material memorized in time for the performance. WIRED encourages students to think and work as a team, and brought students who share a love of the arts together. “Without theater and the arts, you normally wouldn’t be meeting, and it’s brought a lot of us together in a way that nothing else can,” Stampe said. “It’s given me some of the best friends I could ever ask for, so I’m very thankful for that.”
Panel praises students’ community-based art projects By Jamie Yoos Correspondent Speakers, creatives and spectators of all artistic realms were awestruck by the meaningful art showcased along with the wise words of advice that came from the professional artists on the expert panel during the Sight Specific: “The Art of Community” exhibit on Wednesday, September 19th in the Art and Interactive Multimedia building. The gallery showcased community-based art projects students created alongside the works of four local professional artists who mentored and collaborated with them throughout the projects. The panel gave them each a chance to speak about their experience working within the Trenton, New Jersey community. The professional artists showcased were Tamara Torres, Jon “Lank” Conner, Andrew Wilkinson, and Bentrice Jusu (who was absent from the panel.) Joined by the artists on the panel were two students, Cara Giddens, a senior fine arts major and Estefany Rodriguez, a junior art education major, who discussed their experiences working with professionals, meeting deadlines and the role they played in their community art projects. The two big projects and topics of discussion were “Inside Out: Fabric of Trenton” and the East Trenton Community Garden Mural and Signs.” “Inside Out” is a global street art project founded by French artist JR. The mission statement on the Inside Out Project website describes the artist’s work as, “a global platform for people to share their untold stories and transform messages of personal identity into works of public art.” “Fabric of Trenton” was a series of portrait photographs of people in the Trenton community, with the goal exposing the essence of the community through capturing the personalities of its residents in photographs. The backdrops for these portraits were each on a different quilt pattern. Rodriguez described the quilt patterns as unique and individual pieces that represent a community when they all come together. She stressed how the artists collaborating on the project aimed to capture the demographics of the community, from the older crowd to the younger, including all sizes and races.
Pride for the city citizens share was described as the metaphorical thread holding the fabric of Trenton together. The portraits are on display at Trenton Free Library and Higbee Street School in Trenton. The East Trenton Community Garden Mural and Signs project was a partnership with the East Trenton Collaborative, and the caretakers of a local community garden to create artwork that would encourage people of Trenton to visit and take care of the garden. Giddens was responsible for designing a mural of working hands to remind the community that it will take hard work to keep the garden going but it will also bring the community together. “The artist is the custodian of identifying what is current and exploiting the content into another accessible medium. I aim to constantly exploit the aspect of accessibility,” said Andrew Wilkinson, one of the local artists that collaborated with the students. Wilkinson has been an artist for 10 years and has explored mediums such as photography and sculpture. His art utilizes everyday objects to challenge the standard perception of items. He aims to use art to create reconstructed cultural images to spark new perceptions and question the old ones. His works showcased at the gallery were photographs of smashed soda cans he had collected from the streets of Trenton over the years that attempts to defy branding. He wanted the cans to no longer represent an extremely wellknown corporation, but to instead represent the urban areas of Trenton. Because the cans were smashed and from the streets, Wilkinson aimed for them to remind people of things like litter and traffic. Torres, a local artist who also took part in the exhibit is a social artist and photographer who makes cultural statements in her art, used collages and mixed mediums to address issues of racism, injustice and feminism. She primarily photographs women of color to emphasize adversity and discrimination in society. One of her pieces is an image of a young girl wearing a headpiece with the word “freedom” written on duct tape that covers her mouth. Her mission is to use art to change people’s outlook in order to work up to changing
Nadir Roberts / Art & Entertainment Editor
Professionals collaborate with student artists.
a generation. Conner has been making street art and murals using stencils and spray paint in Trenton for about 10 years. Conner has created artwork for Whole Foods market, and he currently works for Monmouth University and teaches two dimensional design at Mercer County College. He emphasized the importance of doing your research when doing community art and searching diligently for community partners to work with. Jusu is the creator of Both Hands, which is the only arts-based organization in Trenton that specifically serves teens and values adolescent insight. “We reject the assumption that teens are broken people waiting to be mended and filled with knowledge. Instead, relationships are interactive; mentors and youth of all backgrounds learn from one another. To us, this is essential to community development,” Jusu states on her website. The exhibit demonstrated that having a variety of creative artists come together and create meaningful work that impacts the community is valuable, but showed that educating people of all ages to be an active member of their community is priceless.
page 12 The Signal September 26, 2018
CHANGING MAJORS? The School of Engineering is accepting change of major/program plan applications for TCNJ students (including current engineering majors) interested in the following programs: Biomedical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Engineering Science (Management and Policy & Society specializations) Mechanical Engineering Technology Education iSTEM Change of Program/Plan (Change of Major) forms are available online https://recreg.tcnj.edu/forms/
Completed applications are due by Friday (October 5, 2018) in Armstrong 181 or STEM 232 Acceptance depends on available space and previous academic performance. Decisions will be available to students by October 12, 2018 For more information about our programs, visit https://engineering.tcnj.edu Questions? Please call 609.771.2779
September 26, 2018 The Signal page 13
Netflix series enchants fantasy lovers
Bean sheds her role as a princess in search of her own identity. By Ariel Steinsaltz Staff Writer
From Matt Groening, the creator of “The Simpsons” and “Futurama,” comes Netflix’s “Disenchantment,” a new animated series with a satirical take on classic medieval princess fantasies. In a world where princesses married their betrothed and they all lived happily ever after, “Disenchantment” barrels in with its feminist attitudes and dark humor. The rebellious Princess Bean and her two best friends, an elf named Elfo and Luci, her personal demon, partake in all sorts of adventures after the princess refuses to marry
her prince and runs away from her own wedding. There’s a lot to like about this series. Bean, (Abbi Jacobson), is a female protagonist centuries ahead of her time. She is searching for her own identity and ready to get to the nitty gritty ends of the world to find it. Whether she’s throwing a wild party while the king is out of town, trying to find a job, or going on a wild adventure to save her demon friend from an exorcist, Bean handles her exploits with all the grace of a drunk 19-year-old. From likeable to loveable, Elfo (Nat Faxon) is the fun optimistic sidekick needed to lighten up any adventure his friends embark on. Coming from a world of candy-making elves who are
always happy, his bubbly attitude often provides a contrast to the darker humor of Bean and Luci (who is delightful in his own sick, raised-in-hell sort of way). Elfo is not a stereotype, though — he has an emotional side, which comes to light particularly in the last few episodes of the series. A significantly less likeable character is King Zog, Bean’s father and the king of Dreamland, the fictional kingdom in which the show is set. Zog is overbearing, manipulative and greedy — but like the other characters on the show, he is not one-dimensional. His growth throughout the series adds even more charm to the show, as he realizes that he has been a bad father with motives that differ from the audience’s perceptions. There are certain aspects of the series I could have done without, particularly Elfo’s backstory in the middle of the season, but overall, the show is very entertaining and makes good use of humor that mocks classic fantasy tropes — such as making Bean’s stepmother a literal tentacled creature. The show takes relatable scenarios about being a young adult and places them in the context of the medieval world including palaces, diplomacy and even the plague. It makes humor out of real-world issues, like when Bean says, “I didn’t know elves were racist,” but it also includes outlandish situations, such as poison that turns people to stone or a drink that turns people into pigs. The show takes a lot of interesting twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, and subverts a lot of classic tropes. I would definitely recommend the show for anyone who’s a fan of strong female characters, dark humor and satirical medieval fantasy.
‘BoJack’ reins in viewers for season five
BoJack Horseman tries to bounce back from a failing career as an actor. By Connor Smith Former Editor-in-Chief
BoJack Horseman is an asshole. The talking horse (Will Arnett) is selfish, rude and apathetic toward everyone around him. He takes advantage of close friends and enables their worst habits. Yet, after several seasons of unspeakable acts, I still root for him to be happy. But should I? The fifth season of Netflix’s “BoJack Horseman” grapples with that very issue. In 12 new episodes, “BoJack” provides stellar commentary on entertainment culture, substance abuse, #MeToo and more — with just enough animal puns and visual gags to remind you
it’s a cartoon. BoJack spends the season working on the set of “Philbert,” a new crime drama in which he plays a rogue detective who’s spiraling out of control. As the season goes on, the line between the world of Philbert and BoJack becomes blurred, especially since the set is an exact replica of BoJack’s home. “BoJack Horseman” creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg uses “Philbert” as a vehicle to discuss how many shows, including “BoJack” itself, glorify unacceptable behavior and make terrible people seem relatable. The writers show why doing so sets a bad example for viewers and Hollywood executives alike. The
“Philbert” set also covers how power vultures in Hollywood make a set an unsafe place rife with harassment and exploitation. This season is loaded with inventive storytelling angles. One episode is told entirely as a Buzzfeed-esque travel guide. In another, “Free Churro,” Arnett is the only voice for 26 minutes. In it, BoJack gives a eulogy. It’s one of Arnett’s best performances in the series. There’s several tangents, and a few great payoffs. One of the most powerful lines is about his time playing the Danny Tanner-type on the ’90s sit-com, “Horsin’ Around.” “You can’t have happy endings in sitcoms, not really, because if everyone’s happy, the
show would be over, and above all else, the show … has to keep going,” he says. “There’s always more show. And you can call ‘Horsin’ Around’ dumb, or bad, or unrealistic, but there is nothing more realistic than that. You never get a happy ending, ‘cause there’s always more show.” Throughout the season, BoJack continues to struggle with substance abuse, but this time he’s held more accountable for his actions — both past and present. Meanwhile, Diane (Alison Brie) and Mr. Peanutbutter (Paul F. Tompkins) are finally divorced after years of incompatibility; they both cope with it in different ways. We also learn more about Princess Carolyn’s (Amy Sedaris) upbringing, which includes powerful performances by Sedaris and cameos by Daveed Diggs, of “Hamilton,” and Whoopi Goldberg. Todd (Aaron Paul) continues to stumble to success, as he also explores his asexuality, which, ironically, leads into the most shameless #MeToo metaphor ever. Though it’s a cartoon with talking animals and absurd gags, “BoJack” always knows how to make you feel. It’s the perfect balance of hyper-accurate representations of sadness and personal strife, oddly relatable characters (given how absurdly rich and detached from reality most of them are) and some good laughs. Get ready to feel sad. Then laugh. Then get hit with one devastating development after another. If you haven’t watched BoJack, or stopped midway through season one, now is the time to binge-watch it all. Otherwise, you’re missing out on something special.
This week, WTSR’s EJ Paras highlights some of the best new music that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.
Band Name: Arctic Monkeys Album Name: Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino Release Number: 6th Hailing From: Sheffield, U.K Genre: glam rock, Label: Domino If you liked Arctic Monkey’s last album, AM, get ready for a twist. The pace is slow but the melodies are catchy, and Alex Turner goes for a more dramatic take than his usual indie rock crooning. The band addresses current social issues behind deep bass sounds and throaty lyrics. This concept album is spacy, yet engrossing. You’ll find yourself replaying tracks just to get a sense of what message each song is trying to convey. Must Hear: “Batphone” and “The Ultracheese”
Band Name: Mitski Album Name: Be The Cowboy Release Number: 5th Hailing From: apan and New York City Genre: Indie Rock Label: Dead Oceans Delve into Mitski’s world of upbeat tracks mixed with devastating lyrics. “Be The Cowboy” displays Mitski’s style and also proves her growth as a fully present woman in control. Her raw emotions are on full display in this album. She tackles themes such as loneliness and her JapaneseAmerican identity. Iggy Pop called her “The most advanced American songwriter that I know.” This album is already making her blow up within the alternative music scene. Must Hear: “Two Slow Dancers” and “Geyser”
page 14 The Signal September 26, 2018
Features
Hope / College assists students in recovery
Emmy Liederman / Features Editor
The Lions House is decorated with uplifting quotes. continued from page 1
The program offers counseling services, substance-free housing and supports the Collegiate Recovery Community. The program also aims to spread awareness of the negative effects drugs have on their users. The CRC is comprised of students in recovery and allies of recovery that focus on support, advocacy and community building. In addition to the CRC, the TCNJ Recovery Coalition is comprised of faculty, staff and alumni that care about issues related to recovery. Three years after the creation of the CRP, the CRC is more active on campus than ever. “The way we conceptualize and build the program is a dynamic process,” Freeman said. “As more people become connected to the program and new needs become identified, we are able to adapt and add components to what we do. The larger the community grows the greater our capacity becomes.” The community is indeed expanding. It is now able to support a 12-step program on campus, which takes place every Friday at 6:30 p.m. in Trenton Hall Room 106. The College also holds a Recovery High School Day, which brings high school
students in recovery to campus. According to the most recent American College Health Association / National College Health Assessment survey of the College’s students, 7.1 percent of students identified as having had a problem related to alcohol or drugs in their lifetime, and 3.8 percent of incoming students identified having a family member with a substance use disorder. “Because we are an institution that is committed to all facets of student development and education, providing supports to students impacted by substance use disorders allows students to maximize their personal potential and growth, enhances their college experience and helps them become more engaged citizens,” Freeman said. Freeman said that working with students in recovery and allies of recovery has been one of the most rewarding experiences of his professional life. “Many of these students have real life underdog stories and have achieved so much despite the adversity they have experienced in their lives,” Freeman said. “They have emerged from adversity with greater compassion, depth of character and personal determination. It is an honor, and inspiration, to work with these students.”
Eric Van Eck, a 30-year-old public health major at the College, explained how the Collegiate Recovery Program has helped him. Van Eck first came to the College as a nursing major in 2006. Over the next few years, Van Eck was not exactly sure what he wanted to do with life, and changed majors multiple times. During this confusing part of his life, Van Eck started to experiment with substances and he soon found himself addicted. His substance abuse and addiction eventually got him removed from the College in 2012. According to Van Eck, the years following his removal from the College were challenging. At first, he was angry, and felt he did not need school since he could flourish on his own. He had created a landscaping and construction company when he was 14, which had provided him an income, but he was still using regularly. The decision to turn his life around came when he reached a “spiritual, emotional and physical rock bottom.” He ended up in the hospital and had to go to a rehabilitation center, where he finally realized that he was sick of the way he was living. He decided to go back to school when he heard that there was a newly implemented recovery program in place. The most appealing part of the program for Van Eck was the “Lion’s House,” or substance-free housing. Located in Townhouses East, Lion’s House is a place for recovering students to live without substances, but also for students who just want to separate themselves from substances in general. There are many reasons to live in the house — it appeals to athletes who want to focus on school rather than parties or students in search of an improved living situation after having with roommates who were frequently intoxicated. Every student in the house has to
sign a contract prior to moving in, agreeing that they will not have any substances in the house and that they will not come back to the house under the influence. “Although I’m only one of two recovering students in the house, everyone is really supportive of our disorder,” Van Eck said. “Our house is like it’s own close-knit community. We support each other’s clubs and decorate the house with inspirational quotes. This housing has helped tremendously with my challenging return to school. It is a nice safe haven for me, knowing that I have a place to go and be comfortable to live in and not be confronted with people using.” Currently, Van Eck is in his third semester back at the College. So far, there has not been any incidents of students breaching the contract at the Lion’s House. Van Eck said that if a student relapsed with substances, housing would not just kick them out and leave them to fend on their own –– the program would help them recover, and would only remove them from housing if they keep refusing the help provided for them. Van Eck said that the community is not judgemental and that there is no shame in relapsing — they just want to help residents overcome their substance abuse. When asked why he chose to come back to the College, as opposed to applying to a different school, Van Eck said that he wanted to finish what he started years ago. He also said since the College is a prestigious school, and he did not want his previous hard work to be for nothing. “It has been challenging being back,” Van Eck said. “I used to get my substances from Trenton, which is still nearby and always a temptation. Some of the older guys in fraternities remember me and keep asking me to come party. I’m surrounded by all of the bad memories
of my struggle. But at the same time, it just reminds me of my past and what I can do to be better.” Van Eck admitted that if the program was not in place, he is not sure if he would still be here or if he would have relapsed. He knew that even if he was still at the College, he would be “white knuckling” the experience the whole time, struggling and not getting the help he needed. Today, he says that he is thriving at the College, thanks to the program’s encouragement. He has been earning excellent grades, is very involved in clubs and organizations at the College and is open about his past and his road to recovery. “Rehab basically just tells you ‘good luck’ after you’re there for a certain amount of time and throws you back into the world with no help,” he said. “They’re setting you up to fail. With the recovery program at the College, they help you re-apply and get you back on your feet.” Now that he is back in school, Van Eck feels like he has a new sense of purpose. He still has a lot of challenges to overcome, but he is dedicated to obtaining a disasterrelief job. He wants to help people who feel hopeless and make their lives better, as there were inspirational people who helped him when he felt like he was beyond repair. Freeman is excited to see how the program expands over the next few years to help students in the best way possible. “I think we are seeing a tremendously positive response as students are finding their voice through this program and gaining a sense of solidarity as they realize that they are not alone,” Freeman said. “Through this program, we are emphasizing that one’s recovery is a badge of honor and something to be proud about. I think because we are creating a community that is empowering, we are seeing a lot of interest and growth.”
Healthcare simulations highlight artificial intelligence capabilities By Camille Furst Correspondent The School of Nursing celebrated Healthcare Simulation Week, an annual event founded by the Society of Simulation in Healthcare from Monday, Sept. 17 to Friday, Sept. 21. The week honors medical professionals who use simulations to provide safe and effective healthcare around the globe. Events included an open house event at the Nursing Simulation Lab in Forcina Hall on Sept. 20 as well as displays in the Fitness Center and Recreation Center by School of Nursing graduate students Sonia Thoonkuzhy and Joan Markison. The Nursing Simulation Lab Open House displayed its artificial intelligence robot, which also highlighted the School of Nursing’s technological progress. “His name is Alex, but he’s considered an artificial intelligence because he can talk and he has cameras in his eyes,” said Ann Fallon, a clinician educator for the School of Nursing. “This is the first one you can talk to.”
As an artificial intelligence mannequin, Alex can use human interaction to create sentences of his own, and none of his remarks are pre-recorded. “You can’t just work on people who don’t talk,” Fallon said. “You need to have a conversation while you’re working with them. We can give him diseases and he’ll talk about what his symptoms are. This is real-time conversation.” For instance, Fallon asked Alex how much sleep he gets at night, to which he responded, “I sleep around six or seven hours per night. I go to bed around 10:30 p.m. and get up around 6:30 a.m.” Alex, along with other mannequins in the simulation lab, breathes and has a pulse. “A student can, on any of these mannequins, listen to the heart and hear breath sounds and (determine) if it’s asthma, rails, bronchitis or whatever they hear,” Fallon said. This is a major advancement for the College’s Nursing Simulation Lab, as the simulation facilitators can program Alex with illnesses to have nursing students converse about and
learn to treat. Thoonkuzhy and Markison ran a display that focused on common physical and mental health concerns among college students. The display featured two mannequins— one depicted the adverse effects of binge drinking and the other of depression. The goal of the demonstration was to highlight the importance of addressing these
conditions and advertise the on-campus resources that can help. “As part of simulation week for the School of Nursing, We’re bringing (the simulation lab) out to the campus community,” said Markison. “It’s so students campus wide can get a feel for what the simulation lab has and what clinical situations we can set up with them.”
Miguel Gonzalez / News Editor
Students use robots to help themselves prepare for careers in nursing.
September26, 26,2018 2018The TheSignal Signalpage page15 15 September
Union Latina pairs ‘Hot Topics and Hot Wings’
Left: Club members discuss diversity and inclusion. Right: Union Latina makes Latinx students feel at home. By Joe Correa Correspondent
In a room decorated with cultural ornaments and flags from various South American nations, Union Latina hosted “Hot Topics with Hot Wings” on Wednesday, Sept. 19 in the Brower Student Center Room 217. The purpose of the event was to promote discussion of controversial subjects among students. As students filled the room, a vase of paper slips was passed around with questions, giving everyone a turn to answer. These questions ranged from, “What was the craziest thing you’ve done and would you do it again,” to addressing important
social issues like, “Statistics show that New Jersey has one of the most racially segregated school system in the nation. Would you say that your school district reflects that?” Many students agreed on the importance of being exposed to differing viewpoints. “I think it sucks how some people will completely dismiss someone else based on political views,” said Boris Salazar, a sophomore chemistry major. “When I interact someone else with different political views, I find it more interesting because political views are shaped by your experiences and how you grew up.” These discussions continued as
students engaged with each other and shared their experiences. Most were happy to be able to hold a dialogue about current social issues that they found prevalent to society. “I think it’s important to bring up these hot topics,” said Alejandra Luque-Perez, a freshman international studies major. “Everyone’s afraid that someone’s going to judge them, but it’s really open here.” Nita Eroles, a freshman biology major, said that Union Latina gives students a safe space to express their views. The meeting offered a chance to meet new people over important discussion. “It’s a good opportunity for people to share their opinions and socialize a little bit
Meagan McDowell / Photo Editor
with people from their own culture,” he said. It is that same feeling of open-mindedness that drove students to actively participate in the discussion, all while enjoying their own plate of hot wings. For some, Union Latina represents newfound inclusion at the College, and the club aims to continue in that vein. “Since I transferred, it was really hard for me to feel like this is my school,” said Karla Flores, a senior early childhood education and sociology double major, and the club’s community service chair. “But then having this club opened my eyes to realize I’m not the only one here, there’s many other people who I can relate to.”
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September 26, 2018 The Signal page 17
:
Feb.‘77
Campus Style
LGBTQ+ students share their experiences
Photo courtesy of the TCNJ Digital Archive
Campus life for LGBTQ+ students is now more inclusive. Every week, Features Editor Emmy Liederman hits the archives and finds old Signals that relate to current College topics and top stories. In a February 1977 issue of The Signal, two student members of the LGBTQ+ community, Carol and Keith, were profiled on what it was like to come out to both of their families and the campus community. Although the students were accepted by some of their peers, they were ostracized by others. Carol shared that after coming out, her dad cried for a week, and after telling her friends at the College, she “wasn’t one of the girls anymore. One girl was afraid of me; maybe afraid I’d rape her or something.” Keith, who identified as bisexual, told The Signal that he had yet to come out to his father due to fear of rejection. Carol also noted that it was not just the personal reactions that made revealing her sexuality difficult, but also her lack of legal protections and right to marriage. With the legalization of gay marriage in 2015 and an increasingly widespread acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, it is clear that we have come a long way since 1977. Last month a lesbian became an ordained Episcopalian priest. All over this country barriers are being broken down. Gay liberation has come to America. Gay liberation is
also coming to Trenton State College and recently the Signal interviewed two members of the gay community trying to find out what gay life is like. “Being gay is a pleasure and a difficulty. I never know who I’m going to be attracted to. I try to meet people as people, not as sex objects,” said Keith. Keith is currently working so he can come back to TSC and get his degree. According to him, he is a bisexual. “Once I came out I didn’t want to see women. Then I realized that I wanted to.” He thought for a moment and said, “I couldn’t put myself in a certain role.” It’s difficult to be bisexual. Some gay people even reject him, according to Keith. “I don’t feel I have to limit myself, but I feel the pressure too,” he added. Carol, a member of the Gay Union of Trenton State (GUTS) said,”I know it’s not a phase. . . if I were to try straight life it would be like giving up... it’s my heart.” As a sophomore campus resident, Carol has experienced numerous difficulties. As soon as people found out, Carol says, “I wasn’t one of the girls anymore. One girl was afraid of me; maybe afraid I’d rape her or something.”
Lions Plate
Left: American Eagle features models with disabilities. Right: It is important to consider how trends align with your personal style. By Lexy Yulich Columnist
Shopping is both an exhilarating and stressful experience. The goal is to walk into a store and find something that not only fits and makes you feel confident, but also doesn’t break the bank. In college, shopping can be a great way to treat yourself after a long week, but if you enter a store with the wrong mindset, your day of relaxation can be interrupted. The concept of mindfulness, or state of being conscious of something, is a popular way of thinking. You can be mindful no matter where you are or what you’re doing, even when trying on clothes in the fitting room. Here are three tips on how to have a relaxing and mindful shopping experience. 1. Try to enter a store with a goal in mind. Whether you are shopping for a birthday outfit, internship apparel or simply want to purchase something that you feel radiant in, have a mental conversation with yourself before you enter the store. Ask yourself, “What is going to make me happy,” “How much do I want to spend” and “How long am I going to spend searching for clothes?” I try not to have an overly specific idea of what I am shopping for. For example, when I shop
for an extremely specific outfit, I am usually unable to find what I wanted and end up feeling disappointed. Instead, I let go of my expectations and search for an outfit that attracts me in the moment. 2. Search for brands that align with your morals and standards. Whether you are into vegan, cruelty-free brands, brands that are based in the U.S. or a brand that does not use retouching on their models, find a company that not only inspires you but aligns with who you are. For example, American Eagle hires models who are plus sized and models with disabilities. They also do not edit their photos in an effort to showcase the natural beauty of women. 3. Decide what trends align with your style. The fashion industry is constantly developing new trends, and it can often be overwhelming to discern which trends you truly like and which trends you support because they are popular. Wearing clothes only because they are popular among your peers, celebrities or other influencers won’t fulfil you. Just because a style is popular does not mean that you have to wear it. When you go shopping, look for clothing that makes you smile and brings you joy, regardless of whether it is “in style” right now.
Philly stuffed peppers a quick dinner fix at school. For those who aren’t comfortable cooking steak, chopped meat can be an easy, and more budget-friendly, substitute. Makes: 2 servings
The combination of peppers, cheese and meat creates a savory trifecta.
By Shannon Deady Columnist
A trip to the local farmers market is a fun summer or fall activity for any at-home chef. For foodies at the College, the closest local produce options are just a five minute drive from campus. While sharing a
parking lot with Halo Farms, a popular ice cream spot among students, Trenton Farmers Market is the perfect one-stop grocery spot, and will save you money in the process. Stopping by both stores is an essential part of my Sunday ritual, and when bell peppers were among this week’s finds for me, I knew
I wanted to use them for one of my favorite recipes. Stuffed peppers are as easy to make as they are delicious, and who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned Philly cheesesteak? Combining the two made for an easy success. The recipe has become a game day staple for my family as well as
Ingredients: 3 large bell peppers (whichever color you prefer –– I like yellow and orange) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 pound flank steak 4 slices provolone cheese 1 small white onion 1/2 cup mushrooms sliced (optional) Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Cut flank steak into thin slices against the grain (Tip: some grocery stores sell steak pre-cut like this — check out the meat aisle to possibly skip a step!)
3. Add olive oil to large skillet over medium heat and, once simmering, add steak. Season meat with salt and pepper and cook for five minutes before putting aside. 4. Thinly slice onion and one bell pepper. 5. Leaving juices from the steak in your skillet, add a tablespoon of butter alongside chopped onions, peppers and mushrooms, if desired. Let it cook for about 12 minutes over medium to high heat, or until all are caramelized, and add to bowl with steak. 6. Cut off the tops of your remaining two bell peppers and remove seeds and ribs. Once clean, place in baking dish. Line inside of each pepper with one slice of provolone cheese, then divide steak mixture between the two until filled. 7.Add an additional slice of provolone cheese on top of each pepper before placing in the oven for 25 minutes. 8. Take out, let cool and enjoy!
page 18 The Signal September 26, 2018
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September 26, 2018 The Signal page 19
Sports Men’s Soccer
Men’s soccer suffers twice in overtime By Alexandra Parado Sports Editor
The men’s soccer team underwent two losses this week, ending its undefeated record and resuming the season with a new record of 7-2. The Lions faced Drew University on Wednesday, Sept. 19 and Ramapo College on Saturday, Sept. 22. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t break the ties and fell to both teams after fighting to win during overtime. The Lions suffered their first loss of the season against Drew with a final score of 4-3. It was a slow game, but the Lions took the lead with a goal in the 20th minute of the game. Sophomore midfielder Ryan Vazquez scored his ninth goal of the season thanks to an assist by senior midfielder Nick Sample. Drew quickly responded and performed a three-goal streak during a seven-minute span. Drew led 3-1 until Vazquez struck again with 14 minutes left in the game. Junior midfielder Michael Maltese sent the ball to Vazquez who took a shot that went past the keeper,
making it a 3-2 game. About ten minutes later, Vazquez dashed in front of the net again for a hat trick. During overtime, Drew scored off a header shot nine minutes in, breaking the 3-3 tie, unfortunately giving the College its first loss of the season. Despite the loss, Vazquez now has 11 goals this season and sophomore goalkeeper Michael Kayal collected five saves against Drew. On Saturday, the College was not capable of getting a lead and suffered another defeat, this time by Ramapo with a final score of 2-1 after overtime. Ramapo put itself on the scoreboard 23 minutes into the game. The Lions were unable to score in the first half, but sophomore goalkeeper Daniel Mecadon blocked three shots to keep the score at 1-0 to close the first half of the game. In the second half, Ramapo did not score any additional goals. Instead, sophomore defender Matthew Nastarowicz received a beautiful pass from Sample which he punched into the net, resulting in a tied game
Nastarowicz scores the Lions’ only point during the game.
of 1-1, forcing the close game into overtime. With under three minutes left in overtime, Ramapo was given a penalty kick which led to their final goal, closing the game and leaving the Lions in defeat.
The team hopes to recuperate from last week’s losses and prevail this week when they get on the road to face two New Jersey Athletic Conference opponents. On Wednesday, Sept. 26, the team will challenge Rutgers
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
University-Camden in Camden, New Jersey at 7 p.m. The following Saturday, Sept. 29, the Lions will travel to Wayne, New Jersey to go against William Paterson University for a contest scheduled for 5 p.m.
Field Hockey
Football
Salisbury flies away with win Peterson’s hat trick advances Lions
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The Lions score a lone touchdown.
By Maximillian C. Burgos Staff Writer The football team traveled to Salisbury, Maryland this week, where they played Salisbury University in a lopsided game. Salisbury won 38-7, as the Lions dropped to 0-4 on the season. To start the game, both teams scored on their opening drives. Salisbury scored first on a three-play drive ending in a quarterback run of 69 yards. The Lions, unphased by the score, came back and sustained a 13-play 75yard drive where sophomore quarterback Andrew Donoghue completed six passing attempts. The drive ended with a 26-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Vinny Guckin. Guckin and freshman wide receiver Jaiden Elliot both caught two passes on the drive, helping the team get downfield. The Lions also had to convert a fourth-andone play in order to kept the drive alive. After this early, success, the Lions struggled to get more offense going. There were
some glimmers here and there, but the Lions would not score again. Even with the struggles, head coach Casey Goff felt as if the team was getting closer to finding its identity. “I think we are closer,” Goff said. “Now they just have to start believing they belong.” In the first half, the Lions held Salisbury’s dangerous triple option to only 17 points, but in the second half, the Salisbury pulled away, scoring three more touchdowns. Goff felt there were positives to pull out of the game. “We continue to fight and the young guys will continue to gain experience, both the good and the bad,” he said. “They can grow from all those things.” The team excelled defensively. Freshman defensive back Michael Siwak intercepted a pass early in the third quarter and returned it for 29 yards, showing the Lions’ resilience on defense. Sophomore linebacker Gavin Liepe led the team with 11 tackles. Siwak and senior linebacker Max Busca both accumulated 10 tackles in the game. Offensively, Donoghue had his best game statistically, going 17-for-25 for 159 yards and a touchdown through the air. Elliot led the team in receptions with eight for 55 yards. Junior wide receiver Jack Clevenger had five receptions for a team-high 69 yards and Guckin had four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown reception. The Lions look to rebound after falling to 0-4 on Saturday Oct. 6, against Montclair State University. They will use the break from their bye week to rally the troops and begin the second part of their season. “We rally them just like we did last year when we fell to 0-5,” Goff said. “The big difference is last year we had 16 seniors to help with that process, but we have leaders that are stepping forward. The bye is here at a great time.”
Alexandra Parado Sports Editor
The Lions traveled to Salisbury, Maryland on Saturday, Sept. 22 to face Salisbury University, ranked No. 6 in the Division III field hockey group by the NCAA, and left with an astonishing victory. The game was full of action — Salisbury was quick to shoot, but junior goalkeeper Maddie Beaumont blocked off any shots she faced. Six minutes into the game, Salisbury slipped a shot under Beaumont, giving the Lions’ opponent a 1-0 lead. Salisbury’s lead was short lived, as junior forward/midfielder Kayla Peterson scored five minutes later. From the top of the circle, Peterson hit a shot that bounced off a Salisbury defender and into the net. This goal tied up the game, leaving the Lions to fight hard to break the tie. Moments later, Peterson received the ball from senior forward/midfielder
Caroline Quinn and gave the team a one-point advantage, collecting her second goal of the game. Taking a shot on a penalty corner, senior midfielder/defender Sidney Padilla attempted to score, but her shot was saved by Salisbury’s keeper. Sophomore midfielder Samantha Reed found the loose ball and gave it to Peterson, who again found an opening in the net and ripped the ball through traffic for a hat trick. The second half was scoreless on both ends. Beaumont played a remarkable game especially in the second half when she refuted seven shots taken by Salisbury, maintaining the lead and bringing the game to a close. The Lions are back in action on Thursday, Sept. 27, when they face Ursinus College at home for a 7:30 p.m. contest. On Saturday, Sept. 29, the team will travel to Mahwah, New Jersey to challenge New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent Ramapo College.
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Peterson scores three goals against Salisbury.
Signal
Sports
Women’s soccer achieves back-to-back wins
Left: The team celebrates its victory against FDU. Right: Nolan rushes past defenders. By Christine Houghton Correspondent
Playing at home on Wednesday, Sept. 19, the Lions edged past Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Park to pull off a 1-0 victory, handing the now 6-1-1 team its first loss of the season. Keeping that streak alive, the Lions also shut out Ramapo College on Saturday, Sept. 22 with a score of 4-0. The Lions now move to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in their conference. Just as the sun set on Lion’s Stadium, the team kicked off against undefeated FDU in a very physical game. Both teams had equal support in the stands and showed
the same equality in their playing ability throughout most of the game. Despite the game being scoreless until about four minutes remained, the Lions kept FDU away from the goal with a tight defense, only allowing them one shot and zero shots on goal. After a few close shots on goal for the Lions, junior midfielder Alexa Pestritto finally made one count thanks to an assist by sophomore forward Julia Obst in the 86th minute of play. The game ended with lopsided statistics, especially with the College having 19 shots in comparison to FDU’s one. On Saturday, Sept. 22, the team went head
Photos courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
to head against 2-5 Ramapo with ease. The Lions scored early on with their first goal by junior midfielder Taylor Nolan in the 17th minute, her second goal of the season. Junior midfielder Despina Lianidis followed with her first goal of the season moments later. Once again, the team held a tight defense against its opponent, allowing no shots in the first half. The second half proved to be a bit more difficult for the Lions to score, but they wore down Ramapo enough to score two more goals. Nolan scored again off an assist by Pestritto, putting up another point for the
Lions. About a minute later, sophomore defender Ally Weaver scored the final goal off of an assist by Obst to score the team’s final goal. This high-energy contest let the team show off its ability to hold its opponent scoreless in aspects of the game. The Lions completely shut out Ramapo, scoring four goals, making 31 shots and 16 shots on goal compared to Ramapo’s zero for all three. The Lions hope to continue their winning-streak this week when they play Rutgers University-Camden on Wednesday, Sept. 26 and William Paterson University on Saturday, Sept. 29 in Lions Stadium.
Cross country teams finish in top three at Osprey Open Lions look to continue success at Paul Short Invitational
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The men’s team places second out of 14. By Malcolm Luck Staff Writer
Following a pair of middle-of-the-pack finishes from the men’s and women’s cross country teams last week at the Bill Fritz Invitational, both teams thrived at the Osprey Open on Saturday, Sept. 22 at Stockton University. The men’s squad took second place out of 14 teams while the women placed third out of 12.
Lions Lineup September 26, 2018
I n s i d e
Stockton University dominated the 8k event for the men’s team, but the College was not far behind. Posting the best mark for the Lions was freshman Andrew Chamberlain, who crossed the finish line before his peers with a time of 27:38.93, earning him ninth place in a packed slate of 112 competitors. Junior Chris Coombs trailed by less than three seconds, trotting in tenth place at 27:41.79. Sophomore Noah Preihs rounded out the top-three for the Lions, coming in 12th at 27:49.19. Other notable finishes for the men’s team come from a trio of freshmen, led by Jack Ennis in 15th place who completed the race in 28:03.29. Gabriel Calandri took 19th place finishing in 28:48.71 and John Raisley placed 22nd in 28:56.36. Despite a plethora of impressive finishes, Stockton University peppered opponents, accounting for four of the top-10 finishes. The school collectively earned an average time of 27:25.19, which is an impressive 35second advantage over the Lions, who followed with an average time of 28:00.39. The women’s team followed up with an impactful performance as well. The women’s 6k results were led by junior Ryann Reagan and senior Kelly Morrison, respectively capturing 16th and 17th places in a field of 117 competitors with their times of 26:10.01 and 26:10.62. The College’s runners also claimed consecutive places moments after, beginning with freshman Jazzlyn Diaz
Men’s Soccer page 19
Football page 19
in 20th place finishing in 26:19.67 and sophomore Casey Hopkins, clocking in at 26:22.60, earning her 21st. Overall, the women’s team earned an average time of 26:24.61, ultimately falling once again to Stockton in second place and Jefferson University in first. Both teams will travel to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on Saturday, Sept. 29 to partake in the Paul Short Invitational. The men are scheduled to run at 12:15 p.m. while the women are set to begin at 1:00 p.m.
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The women’s team finishes third out of 12.
Field Hockey page 19