MVP decision a no-brainer

Matt West Sports

Dustin Pedroia When it comes to deciding the Most Valuable Player in each league in Major League Baseball, certain things come into play. Many of the sports writers from around the country who cast these votes have guidelines for whom and what makes a player the MVP.

Many believe the person has to be on a contending team throughout the season, and that player has to be able to carry them throughout certain periods of the long, 162-game marathon. Statistically, the player has to be near the top of every category, while playing enough games to warrant consideration.

Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia fits all of the criteria and more; yet surprises everyone by doing it. Listed at 5-foot-9, he has always been looked at as someone who couldn’t get it done in the big leagues. Even as early as last spring when he first made his MLB debut, people were calling for his replacement. Continue reading →

Roommates: can’t live with them, can’t pay rent without them

Cynthia Murray Features

two-boys-arguing_ispc038063.jpgBOSTON–Roommates are more than the people you live with; they are an essential part of the college experience. Whether it is in a dorm or an off-campus apartment, they have the potential to the best of friends, or at the very least laundry night partner. But, for many college students a dream living situation can turn into a nightmare as financial, social and work-related stress mounts over the semester.

Living with someone is typical for college students. In the United States alone, most young adults spend at least a year living with roommates after leaving home for the first time. The popularity of roommates is reflected in pop culture including movies and television programs such as “Greek,” which all emphasize the notion that roommates are best friends and partners in crime.

Most of the country’s universities even require first-year students to live in on-campus residence halls, and share a dorm room with a same-sex roommate. The idea is to provide incoming freshmen with a built-in social network for everything from exploring campus, joining clubs, or just going to restaurants. Studies have found that a good relationship with a roommate affects grades, study style, social behavior, and personality productivity.  “Right now my grades are on point, and my social life is thriving and I think I owe most of that to having a little 13×11 room I can call my home away from home,” says one Georgia Tech freshman, who credits his roommate for getting him comfortable on campus. Continue reading →

Boston proposes new bike sharing plan

Cynthia Murray Community, Politics , ,

BOSTON – Following in the footsteps of Paris, Portland, and D.C., city officials in Boston will evaluate a new initiative to bring a bike sharing program to the city during the coming months. The plan will offer riders a convenient way to rent bikes by the hour, and return them to any of terminals in the downtown Boston.

londonbikeshare2.jpgOf the dozens of proposed bike rental stations in the Back Bay and Beacon Hill areas, one will be placed outside Suffolk University’s own Ridgeway building where new bike racks were installed in early November.

The initiative has already been gaining momentum among the city’s environmentally conscious commuters. The plan comes on the heel of Boston’s “bean town to green town” initiative, a program that has put Boston on the edge of eco-friendly living. Continue reading →

Diversity in campus activities: Suffolk University attends the NACA conference

Alison Mulholland Entertainment , , ,

HARTFORD, Conn.–Suffolk University’s Program Council spent last weekend at the National Association for Campus Activities regional conference (NACA) held at the Connecticut Convention Center.  Campus activity groups from hundreds of universities all across New England attended the conference to gain ideas and opportunities for booking entertainers to come to their schools.

n1239660106_30070991_4548.jpgStudents gathered in a comfortable, enjoyable atmosphere to learn from each other, meet new friends from other schools and grow deeper bonds with their fellow students.  Musicians, spoken word artists, comedians, magicians, celebrities, lecturers and more had the opportunity to showcase their talents for the students attending. Continue reading →

Twilight: The new obsession

Brittany Jasilli Entertainment, Reviews

twilight-2.JPGBOSTON–Every 10 years, a new phenomenon sweeps across the nation. There were pet rocks in the 70s, leg warmers in the 80s and fanny packs in the 90s. The millennium is no exception. The new obsession of kids and adults alike is a series of books, specifically the Twilight saga written by Stephanie Meyer.

Twilight is Meyer’s first book and it was unexpected that the book series would have a real impact on society. The Twilight books follow the characters of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen through a tumultuous love story. Essentially their story is not so different from hundreds of others that have been written: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, drama ensues. Continue reading →

The discovery of The Road

Kira LaFosse-Baker Entertainment, Reviews , , , , ,

BOSTON — Somewhere in a log cabin in the southwestern part of this country, a strange old man sat down and dreamed up a tale to tell. He wasn’t quite looking for inspiration but rather letting the inspiration find him and through this odd process of subconscious unearthing, Cormac McCarthy discovered The Road. It’s a simple story; in an ambiguously decrepit world a man and a boy go on a journey to find a safe haven. Their resources are scarce, their vigor is fading and of the few people they encounter, the only ones they can trust are each other. Continue reading →

S.O.U.L.S. captures homelessness realities

Katlyn Murray Community , , , ,

BOSTON — Suffolk’s Organization for Uplifting Lives through Service (S.O.U.L.S.) held a photo exhibit for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness month on Nov. 6 at Suffolk University to help change common misperceptions students have about the homeless.

For the seventh year in a row, S.O.U.L.S. has been sponsoring a clothing and food drive for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Month at Suffolk University.  Each year, an exhibit of photos taken by homeless people themselves is presented to the Suffolk community.  This year, the exhibit was called Perspectives: From One Lens to Mind’s Eye.  S.O.U.L.S. worked with Neighborhood Action, an organization offering several programs, such as food and clothing donations to those in need.  Together, S.O.U.L.S. and Neighborhood Action gave cameras to 10 homeless people in the Boston area to capture different aspects of their lives. Continue reading →

Suffolk students prepare to study abroad

Alaina Spaziani Travel

BOSTON–On Jan. 14, 2009, nine best friends will leave the comfort of Beacon Hill to scatter the globe separately as they spend their spring semester abroad.

This spring, Suffolk sophomores Geralyn Hashway, Rachel Huxley-Cohen, Melissa Errico, Kirsten Nelson, Haley Brennan, Allison Ryans, Alaina Spaziani, Abir Shehod, and Olga Panagopoulos will travel in small groups to England, Greece, Australia, and the Czech Republic to study abroad. They have received their acceptance letters from their respective host universities, and are now preparing for their four-month-long trip. Continue reading →

Best Buddies International is changing lives throughout the world

Kayla Shepherd Community, Opinion, Top Story

BOSTON – They’re college students, high school students, kids in middle school, ordinary citizens and coworkers; and their service work is changing lives throughout the world.Melissa Demir with Buddy Director Jennifer LeBlanc They’re members of Best Buddies International, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.

Best Buddies has more than 1,400 chapters throughout the U.S. and 50 other countries. Their volunteers provide an equivalent of $70 million in service each year and touch the lives of more than 350,000 individuals living with intellectual disabilities.

Best Buddies International was founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989. The organization stemmed from an idea Shriver had while he was studying at Georgetown University. He realized the need for relationships between people with and without intellectual disabilities and knew college students could make a difference. Shriver encouraged his peers to initiate these friendships while they were in school. It wasn’t long before his idea became an official 501(c) (3) entity and “Best Buddies Colleges” was born. Continue reading →

Small high school community environment aids in student learning

Kristen Wright Top Story

BARRINGTON, N.H. – The sights and sounds of the lunchroom at Cocheco Arts Technology Academy in Barrington is the same as any typical high school. Seniors sit together at a designated lunch table, students play instruments, and the tears of certain students are visible among the hustle of the room.

image2.jpgHowever, the difference at CATA lies in the fact that the seniors are sitting together to run the school store and raise money for their class, the individuals playing instruments are accompanied by teachers and fellow students who sing along, and the only tears are those resulting in laughter of one of the many school-wide inside jokes. The unique community atmosphere of CATA is remarkable.

“There’s a strong school community here,” remarks freshman Nellie Teeling. “We’re one huge giant clique−no one’s in and no one’s out.” English teacher Ms. Allard agrees, “The great thing about teaching here is that everyone wants to be here.” Continue reading →

Barack Obama gives the speech of his life at Chicago’s Grant Park

Ron Campbell Politics , , , ,

BOSTON–On Nov. 4, 2008, history was made when Barack Obama became the first African American President of the United States of America. President-elect Obama gave the speech of his life that night, which will forever be remembered as the start of trying to mend this great nation.

When Obama stepped onto the stage at Chicago’s Grant Park, the unending crowd that had gathered to listen was screaming so loud with applause, it was hard for Obama to even begin.

When the crowd finally settled and Obama began, you could have heard a pin drop. Nobody wanted to interrupt this historic moment. Continue reading →

Ballots and buses at Curtis Guild Elementary

Wesley Sarro Politics

EAST BOSTON, Mass.–The scene outside Curtis Guild Elementary School on election day was very similar to outside Fenway Park after a Red Sox game. Leyden Street was flooded with people, walking in every direction and bumping into each other often. The placement of the school could not make for a more interesting atmosphere, located on a side street directly in the heart of Orient Heights, East Boston.guild1.gifThe street is narrow, putting the school within 30 feet of the houses in the neighborhood. Residents have no choice but to deal with loud groups of supporters from both parties. Voters held signs encouraging others to vote for either Barack Obama or John McCain.

The usual neighborhood noise of birds and school buses at 8 a.m. was replaced with chants for Barack Obama. This tiny neighborhood suddenly had hundreds of voters, who after casting their ballot, did not go home. Local residents knew what to expect, they’ve been through this chaos many times.

Continue reading →

Cubs, Angels favorites heading into postseason

Wesley Sarro Sports

Chicago Cubs fans have been down this road before, looking like the team to beat in the National League coming down the final stretch of a season.  Many Chicagoans have suffered through the agony and defeat of making it so far, only to lose at the very end.  The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim enter the postseason representing the American League, and are perennial favorites having won their division the past two years. Unfortunately, for Cubs fans, this road to the postseason leads to a dark and dreary place.krod-2.jpg

In 2003, all the Cubs needed to do was win games six or seven to advance to the World Series.  With stud aces Kerry Wood and Mark Prior taking the hill, all looked well for Chicago.

In game six, they had a 3-0 lead with only five outs to go, when the lovable losers blew it again. This time, however, with a little help from one of their fans.  The infamous Steve Bartman reached over into the field of play taking a probable out from the grasp of left fielder Moises Alou.  Then Alex Gonzalez made a crucial error at short, and the Florida Marlins went off to an eight-run inning that Cubs fans will never forget.  Continue reading →

Bruins take back Boston

Wesley Sarro Sports

BOSTON–Boston has not been the “hub of hockey” since the 70s when Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito were drinking from Lord Stanley’s Cup. Besides the early 90s when the Bruins finished first in the Eastern Conference and made a finals appearance, there hasn’t been much to get excited about. Just plenty of early round playoff exits and major disappointment.bruins.jpgIn recent years, the TD Banknorth Garden has drawn better attendance for children’s ice shows, such as Mickey and Minnie’s Magical Journey. I understand that the last Bruins championship parade through Boston was 1972, but they should at least outdraw Mickey Mouse.

With the Red Sox recent exit from the post-season by the new look Tampa Bay Rays, normally Boston sports fans would turn their attention to the Patriots. Only every time I tune in to see Tom Brady and the Patriots high flying offense, I get some guy named Casell who looks like he hasn’t started a meaningful game since high school. Since this is an actual reality with Tom Brady going down only 19 minutes into the season and having a starting quarterback who usually carries a clipbord, there has been no better time to watch Boston Bruins Hockey. Continue reading →

Suffolk students get ready for November 4

Kira LaFosse-Baker Politics , , , , , , ,

BOSTON — As the calendar inches closer to Nov. 4, American citizens are preparing themselves for a historical presidential election. With such diversity amongst the candidates and their running mates, college students are getting more involved than ever. In Boston, Mass., students at Suffolk University are finding new and unique ways to participate in this year’s campaigns and elections.

Suffolk University’s government department offers students several opportunities to become involved with the presidential election. One opportunity in particular is the University Pollworkers Project (UPP) directed by Rachael Cobb, professor of government. The UPP has teamed up with MassVote and Boston area schools to recruit students to serve as poll workers for the upcoming election. Continue reading →

Students, Bruins, fans raise money for kids

Kira LaFosse-Baker Community , , , , , ,

BOSTON­ — While many Boston-area college students likely spent Nov. 1 supporting the Boston Bruins as they faced the Dallas Stars at TD Banknorth Garden, one group decided to support a different kind of cause. Throughout that night’s game, 20 student volunteers raised money and awareness for Jumpstart, a national early childhood education organization that helps at-risk preschool students gain language, literacy and social skills to succeed in future schooling.

“The Boston Bruins Foundation has been a supporter of Jumpstart and Jumpstart’s Read for the Record for the past three years,” said Mark Green, director of development for Jumpstart’s northeast region. “We are in constant contact with them about ways that we can partner to support their work as well as our work. Because of their recent participation in Read for the Record on Oct. 2, 2008, they wanted to do something with us.” Continue reading →

Craigslist fraud: when does it end?

Jennifer Hoare Features ,

BOSTON — If it’s too good to be true, it probably is. If only that saying would have crossed my mind before I joined the thousands of people who have experienced internet fraud, in my case through Craigslist.

Being a college student trying to find a decent job, and with the nearing of Thanksgiving break, I responded to a mystery shopper ad in the part-time job section of Craigslist.org. My “evaluation” task was to provide my fake boss with information about the work ethic at the 64 Kneeland St. Western Union location in Chinatown and make a money transfer to whom I believed was a member of the mystery shopper organization (which I never got an actual name for—red flag #1). I always thought I would identify a scam if I saw one on Craigslist, but like so many others, I was fooled by the elaborateness of these schemes. Continue reading →

Best (Buddies) Thanksgiving ever!

Michael Wenning Community

 WATERTOWN, Mass. — On Saturday, Nov. 8, the Suffolk University chapter of Best Buddies held their annual Thanksgiving Dinner in Watertown, Mass. It was an overcast autumn day, but the gloomy weather didn’t stop anyone from having a terrific Thanksgiving celebration.Best BuddiesKayla Shepherd, a Best Buddies officer, said, “This is my favorite (Best Buddies) event, the buddies have an absolute blast and everyone gets to enjoy a great meal.”

Buddies from both Watertown and Malden showed up to the event which was comprised of roughly 30 people. This event has been a huge success for Best Buddies in the past and once again lived up to its name. Continue reading →

Renowned women’s health scholar lectures on media falsities

Alison Mulholland Health & Science , ,

4913.jpgBOSTON–Judy Norsigian, a prominent women’s health scholar, visited Suffolk University on Oct. 30, 2008, to present a Lowell Lecture, “The Media and Women’s Health: Sorting Fact from Fiction,” exploring numerous women’s health topics from childbirth to cosmetic surgery.  Norsigian has been an advocate for the education of factual information dealing with women’s health.

Norsigian graduated from Radcliffe College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970.  In 1971, she wrote the book Our Bodies, Ourselves with a group of liberated women destined to raise the awareness of women’s health.  The rise of this book led to the creation of Our Bodies Ourselves, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education, advocacy and awareness of women’s well being.  Continue reading →

How far would you go?

Christina Loridas Features

BOSTON–For 18 years, families in Gulu, Uganda have lived in terror—only now is their story being told.

After college or graduate school, most young people live at home for a year or try to establish a career in the trade in which they majored. The volunteers of the non-profit organization, Invisible Children, instead travel the country living in a van, visiting various colleges to screen their documentary film GO, and getting the word out about the atrocities in Uganda.ivisible-children.jpg

On Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, recent graduates from all over the world visited Boston University to promote Invisible Children. The name comes from children secretly escaping capture by rebels that force them into the corrupt Joseph Kony’s military regime.

For the past 23 years, the Government of Uganda (GoU) and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have been fighting in a war that has left close to two million innocent civilians caught in the middle. Continue reading →

Commuter Connections Week a success

Cynthia Murray Uncategorized

redline-2.jpgBOSTON–Suffolk University’s Commuter Student Association hosted its 10th Commuter Connections week  Oct. 20-25, 2008. The bi-annual event encourages Suffolk University’s commuter and resident students to get connected with a wide range of events, including AMC movie night, Cooking 101, and daily refreshments in the Donahue, Sawyer, and NESAD lobbies.

Until the completion of its dorms in late 2003, Suffolk University was made up entirely of commuters. Even today, commuter students remain the largest demographic on campus. For the past six years, the Commuter Student Association has been an outlet for all those students who commute to school from an off campus apartment in the city or even from home. “Our goal has been to connect all commuter students to campus,” says CSA vice president Christina Keast. “This may be by finding ways to help offer more incentives, whether it’s discounts at various places, meal plans, activities, or anything that will make being a commuter easier.” Continue reading →

Hard work pays off for Mock Trial Team

Alaina Spaziani Community

BUFFALO, NY – It was a weekend of litigation, passion, and best of all, victory for Suffolk University’s Mock Trial Team as they travelled this weekend to the University of Buffalo for an invitational competition.n1234020330_30437828_6908.jpgSuffolk’s Mock Trial Team A competed against 11 teams from across the country, including University of Michigan, Vanderbilt University, and University of Connecticut, and emerged victorious, winning first place and taking home numerous awards.

The winning team consisted of Captain KyQuan Phong, Captain Alaina Spaziani, and members James Duffy, Kyle Brach, Katia DeStefano and Alexander Rittershaus. Continue reading →

The greatest election party

Kristen Wright Politics

mccain-obama.jpgBOSTON–On Nov. 4, 2008, people of all shapes and sizes ventured to The Greatest Bar to turn their attention away from athletic events for the evening to focus on politics.

“This is such a historical time,” said Holly Peterson, a junior at Northeastern University. “Either way the country is going to be unlike it ever has before. I’m honored to be a part of it and excited to watch the election on the big screen (television),” she laughed.

The Greatest Bar election party began at 7 p.m. with the early arrival of patrons. Each of the seven televisions played a different channel ranging from CNN to Jon Stewart. Specialized drink menus were created for the event, highlighting three politically themed concoctions. Profiled beverages included a red-hued drink called “The Maverick” intended for Republican enthusiasts, a bright blue “ObamaRama” and for those who can’t make up their mind, a purple “Undecided.” Guests sipped their drinks, celebrating and shaking their heads in disbelief as they watched the historical election. Continue reading →

Photo exhibit depicts the lives of homeless in Boston

Kayla Shepherd Community

BOSTON — Students from a service learning organization at Suffolk University presented Perspectives: From One Lens to Mind’s Eye on Thursday Nov. 6 in the fourth floor lounge of the Donahue Building at 41 Temple Street. The event featured a photo exhibit with pictures taken by various homeless people in Boston, a discussion led by one of the photographers, and light refreshments.DiscussionJon Paton, a senior community service scholar of Suffolk’s Organization for Uplifting Lives through Service (S.O.U.L.S.) coordinated the event. The exhibit has been a popular event since its inception six years ago and Paton has organized the event for the past two years.

“My goal is to put out the message that not every homeless person is someone in need of a home, but someone who needs a normal life, not sleeping on the street or on a friend’s couch,” Paton said. This event is part of Hunger and Homelessness Month at Suffolk. Continue reading →

The great debate

Cynthia Murray Politics , ,

Candidates at the debateOXFORD, Miss.–After much deliberation, the first debate of the presidential elections took place Friday evening, Sept. 26, 2008 at the University of Mississippi.

The intended topic was foreign policy, however the threat of a $700 billion government bailout earlier in the day refocused the candidates’ thoughts on the economy. While early predictions called for Sen. McCain to lead Sen. Obama on the issues of national security and foreign policy, the debate produced no clear winner.

Much of the first half of the debate was dedicated to the looming financial crisis facing the nation. The crisis, which almost postponed the debate due to the temporary suspension of McCain’s campaign, produced similar views from both candidates. Each agreed to cuts in government spending to balance the national deficit. McCain promoted his qualifications by criticizing Obama’s inexperience and inconsistent voting records. Obama appealed to “Main Street America” by stressing the ideas of his tax reforms and tying McCain to President Bush’s big business economic policies. Continue reading →

Suffolk men’s hockey team opens season at Becker College

Matt West Sports

The Suffolk Men’s hockey team opened up its season this past weekend with a couple of exhibition games in the Dunkin Donuts Tournament at Becker College. The men’s team prepares for another long, grueling season after finishing last year with a 7-15-2 overall record.

The men did qualify for postseason play, but were ultimately eliminated in the semi-finals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference playoffs by Wentworth Institute of Technology. Although the team lost some of its key senior leaders from last season, they have some good young players coming in to help complement a core group of veteran players on offense and defense. They also have a strong young goaltender in sophomore Jeff Rose, who played well between the pipes last year as a freshman. The Ram’s lost the first game of the tournament to Nichols College in a hard-fought, 4-1 decision. The team fell behind early as the Bison scored a mere 46 seconds into the game. Continue reading →

Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers celebrate five years

Carolyn Hessel Entertainment, Reviews

event-pic.jpgBOSTON–When three musicians from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst started playing music together five years ago, not one of them would have guessed they would come this far. Playing sold-out shows and seeing their names in the bright lights was always something they had dreamed of, but was never guaranteed.

The band members include Stephen Kellogg (lead vocals-guitar), Brian “Boots ” Factor (drums-vocals), and Keith “Kit ” Karlson (piano-bass-vocals). Each member of the group brings his own distinct personality; Kellogg with his witty humor, Factor with his ability to quote any movie made in the past 10 years at the drop of a dime, and Karlson with his jaw dropping dance routines.

Continue reading →

“Change has come to America”

Avery Hageman Opinion, Politics

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 became a day marked in American history; a day when people stood together for change and elected their first black President, Barack Obama.

barack.jpgObama stood in front of the entire world on Tuesday night and watched as he won a presidential election like no other. Obama stands for change and this election alone shows that change is coming to America, as more people voted than ever before, and younger generations got involved, realizing that their voices can be heard.

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” stated Obama during his acceptance speech.

These words lifted American spirits across the country, giving people hope for the change the United States needs during such dark times. Continue reading →

Men’s fall fashion 2008

Elise Palmieri Fashion, Art & Culture , , , ,

BOSTON–The transition from bathing suits and board shorts to wool pants and fall jackets has come with a bang. This fall season is where men’s fashion surprises us all. The ever-changing industry established men’s fall fashion to be up-to-the-minute with women’s fashion. It’s no longer just about the ladies. Men and women share the same approach when it comes to what they wear. Everyone wants to look good!

Fall “must haves” for men this season include pin-striped pants, striped shirts, and blazer’s/sport jackets with jeans.

There are numerous fabrics associated with these fall “must haves.” The most dominant ones are tweed, wool, and cashmere. Continue reading →

Suffolk University students enjoy a night on the town

Jennifer Hoare Community , , ,

BOSTON — Suffolk University students attended a night of dinner and performance on Sept. 19, sponsored by Program Council, an on-campus organization that coordinates many University events for students.Blue Man Group at Charles Playhouse. Boston, Mass.

Dinner was held at the Hard Rock Café, located in Boston’s downtown Faneuil Hall, followed by a Blue Man Group show at the Charles Playhouse in the Theater District.

Program Council coordinated this yearly event; purchasing 100 tickets for dinner and a show with their own club budget, charging each student $20. In his second year of organizing the program, Brian Martineau, one of Program Council’s executive board members, expressed his dedication to the occasion. Continue reading →

Ben Folds plays “fake” concert for real fans

Alaina Spaziani Entertainment, Reviews ,

BOSTON – Ben Folds shocked die-hard fans Friday night when he opened his show with a disclaimer – “None of you have heard any of these songs before.”

The fans crowded into the Orpheum were confused. Arriving at the Boston, Mass., theatre that evening, we were all expecting to hear songs from Folds’ new album, Way to Normal, which had been leaked onto the Internet three months prior to the artist’s fall tour. Instead, we were informed by the cheeky pianist and songwriter that everything we had heard online from the previously unreleased album had been a joke – fake versions of real songs. The band had recorded the fake album while bored one night in Dublin, and then ‘anonymously’ leaked it onto the Internet as a joke to fans.
Continue reading →

First round of NHL playoffs

Jonathan Doodian Sports

BOSTON — As all NHL players knows, the playoffs are a long and grueling process, extending from the start of April to mid-June if you make it to the Stanley Cup Finals. All rounds of the playoffs are best of seven series. The players will hook, grab, and really try anything within the rules of the game to reach that final series. For some teams, their playoff pushes began back in February and have been playing at an extremely high level since.

The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs featured very strong teams, all with a chance to make that final push. The match-ups in the Western Conference were Detroit Red Wings/Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks/Calgary Flames, Minnesota Wild/ Colorado Avalanche, and the Dallas Stars/ Anaheim Ducks. Continue reading →

“Salamander” editor speaks

Jess Huckins Fashion, Art & Culture

BOSTON — Jennifer Barber sits at her computer in the cramped Salamander office, located in Suffolk University’s Fenton building. Her computer monitor shows some open windows, most of which seem to be emails – proof that she’s always working hard. As the literary journal’s founder and editor-in-chief, she has to be.Jenny BarberSalamander publishes fiction, poetry, and memoirs for a national and international audience. It celebrated its 15th anniversary last year. Before coming to Suffolk University a few years ago, Barber ran it out of her home. She began thinking about founding a literary journal while she was in graduate school, but it took her about 10 years after completion of her graduate studies to make her dream a reality. Continue reading →

Writing as resistance: A lecture by Dr. Bryan Trabold

Jess Huckins Community

BOSTON — Most Americans would probably agree that the First Amendment is an integral part of our society. The freedom to express ourselves, to say and do and write what we want within the limits of the law, is what makes America what it is. How would we feel if that right was taken away?Dr. Bryan Trabold

Dr. Bryan Trabold, professor of English at Suffolk University, lived in Cape Town, South Africa, from 1998 to 1999. His study of the Apartheid through the eyes of two South African newspapers of the 1980s, the Weekly Mail and the New Nation, helped to solidify his dedication to honesty through media and bringing the truth to the masses.

Trabold’s lecture, “Writing Space and Resistance in Apartheid South Africa,” which took place at Suffolk University’s Sawyer Library Poetry Center on March 25th, centered around the two newspapers and their rebellion against censorship. The newspapers used unique tactics to publish information that the South African government wanted to hide. They attempted to balance upholding the law with sharing information that they felt citizens had the right to know. Continue reading →

HD studio brings new opportunities to Suffolk

Rachel Pelkey Community

BOSTON — As a freshman, Lindsay Pelzar came to Suffolk University as an enthusiastic media major. Although skeptical about the lack of media equipment, Pelzar gave Suffolk the benefit of the doubt in hopes for a better future.

“As a media major, the absence of a studio here was a weakness for the school in my eyes,” Pelzar said. “But I chose Suffolk in hopes that the future would bring new developments.”

Luckily, she was right.

On February 25, 2008, Suffolk University’s Department of Communications and Journalism proudly announced the grand opening of its brand new HD studio. Located at 73 Tremont St. next to the Suffolk Welcome Center, the state-of-the-art studio looks out onto one of the busiest streets of downtown Boston. Continue reading →

An uphill battle

Jonathan Doodian Uncategorized

HUNTINGTON, NY — Like most boys from Long Island, NY, Stephen Doodian plays lacrosse. Over the last decade and a half, lacrosse has grown on Long Island tenfold and has given many of its youth the opportunity to play Division 1 in prestigious colleges across the United States.

Doodian is no exception to that. He has used lacrosse, and his schooling to be accepted into the Class of 2012 at Hobart and William Smith College in Upstate New York. steve1.jpg

“I just love playing lacrosse, it drives me in so many parts of my life and I am extremely lucky to have some talent in this beautiful game. Also, being a defenseman let’s me knock some guys around, which is always fun,” said Doodian, with a smile.

“Extremely lucky to have some talent” is being modest considering all the hard work that Doodian has put into his talent. From an early age of playing soccer, hockey, basketball and baseball, and excelling at all of them, Doodian decided to put all of his thoughts and effort into the game of lacrosse.

This decision hasn’t been an easy one for Doodian. “Because I am only 5’9,” which is on the shorter side for defensemen, I have had to work harder on my footwork, and speed since that is my advantage over guys who are 6’2” or 6’3.”

And harder he did work. Waking up early on weekends in the summer to work on game-like situations and his speed, staying after practice with coaches working on key fundamentals of the game, or just watching the game and learning how different players at higher levels performed, Doodian is a pure perfectionist. Nothing will make him happy unless it is done right.

For much of his early career, Doodian had been underrated because of his size, missing out on some elite travel teams in the Long Island area. But this never stopped his determination to play at that elite level, if anything it drove him more to work harder to reach his goal.

When it came to high school, it again seemed that Doodian would be short-changed because of his height. But that wasn’t the case. Luckily, he attended St. Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, NY, a school that offered three lacrosse teams at the freshman, junior varsity, and varsity level. This allowed Doodian time to grow, get stronger and become faster for the varsity level.

Starting on varsity his junior and senior year, Doodian began getting looks from some major D1 lacrosse schools including Duke, Hobart, Gettysburg, Loyola, and UPenn. His senior year, he led the St. Anthony’s team as Defensive Captain and was named to the “First Team All Catholic Team” on Long Island.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough for the D1 teams to take him seriously, as they were more concerned about his height than his skill. Most teams stopped talking to Doodian once they got commitment from their “taller” recruits, except for Hobart.

Hobart, really lacking a good core defenseman, offered Doodian acceptance if he agreed to do a post-graduate year at a good prep school. This again would give him time to grow and get stronger.

Doodian, now a post-graduate student at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, CT, is currently playing on the varsity lacrosse team at Hotchkiss on scholarship. Respectively, Doodian has started every game and is a strong defensive leader of the very talented Hotchkiss Bearcats team.

As promised, he received his official acceptance letter from Hobart this past January. He will attend this September and looks to make a strong argument to start as a freshman in the upcoming ’09 season.

Suffolk’s BLC helps students

Nicholas Panagiotou Features

BOSTON — Having trouble in a class or two? Need accommodations for your learning disability? Where do you go? Stop by the second floor of Donahue. The Ballotti Learning Center is there, and where you can find help.

The Ballotti Learning Center (BLC) is an on-campus resource focused on helping all Suffolk students reach their highest academic potential. The BLC offers programs and services designed for students who want to improve their GPA, learn new study techniques, better understand particular subject material, and utilize their time more effectively. Continue reading →

Goodwin amplified

Ted Karczewski Entertainment, Reviews , , , , ,

BOSTON — It was dark out when Keith Goodwin’s career was on the line. Growing up in a business where record labels signed and abandoned him several times, life had spun full circle again.

With the new formation of his band Good Old War, Goodwin controlled the stage with an authoritative presence. His modest personality caused his voice to quiver over the amplifier. He picked up his guitar, rested it on his right leg and bellowed a loud note. The crowd was silent. Everyone was paying attention. Fan approval meant life or death for Goodwin and his new project. Continue reading →

An unsung hero at Suffolk University

Nhi Tran Community , , , , , ,

BOSTON — One of the most ambitious and active students at Suffolk University will be graduating with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology this May.

carlye2.jpgIn three weeks, Caryle Crosby’s hectic schedule will no longer be the same. Her roles as president of program council, residential assistant, orientation leader and scholar will be passed onto another student. She will no longer be a Suffolk University student but a Suffolk University alumna.

Crosby, 21, is prepared for the real world after college thanks to her many leadership involvements at Suffolk University.

Crosby grew up in a small town in Scituate, RI where she attended North Scituate Elementary School from preschool to the 4th grade. She moved to Connecticut as a result of her parents’ divorce. She returned to Scituate her junior year of high school and graduated in 2004. Continue reading →

College students are staying past their welcome

Lauren Gondert Features

istock_000004671189small11.jpgBOSTON — It’s not often that you hear someone say “after college, I want to move back in with my parents,” yet that is what most college students are faced with upon graduating.

Known as Boomerang kids, adultolescents, and B2B (Back to Bedroom), the number of adults who return home after college has steadily increased since the 1970s. The high cost of housing and the unavailability of jobs with good benefits are causing young adults to find it more and more difficult to avoid the trap of moving back home with their parents. Continue reading →