Cheerleaders
Rock Florida
page 12
The Student Voice of Curry College
Grossman
to Grads
page 5
April 2011
Tuition, Room
and Board
To Increase
Sebastian Humbert
By Ingmar Sterling
Curry’s Got Talent
Justin Liebert—with help from Heather Camp—sings a song to Meri Klindienst (seated)
during the talent portion of the annual Mr. Curry pageant, April 8. The contest also
included competitions in swim wear, formal wear, and question-and-answer. Kevin Janvier
won this year’s event.
The All-Time Greatest
Paying for college is tough enough, particularly at a private school.
Nevertheless, tuition at Curry will rise once again this fall.
Tuition will increase for the 2011-12 academic year by $1,400, to
$30,700, according to the college. There’s also a $635 increase for room
and board, to $12,285, sending total costs up 4.8 percent. Commuter
students will see a tuition increase of $1,460, to $30,700. The cost of
the PAL program won’t go up, staying at $6,550 for the credit-bearing
program, in addition to $3,450 in fees.
Curry certainly isn’t the only college raising prices. Boston College
is increasing tuition 3.6 percent, to a whopping $41,480 a year, not
including room, board and other fees. Other local private schools that
have raised tuition this year include Suffolk University (4.8 percent),
Northeastern University (4 percent) and Bentley University (3.5
percent), as well as countless others nationwide.
Nonetheless, the increases in tuition at Curry have left many students
unhappy. “It bothers me, because I wouldn’t be able to afford going to
Curry next year, even without the tuition increase,” said Alex Stoner, a
sophomore communication major.
“With today’s economy, there needs to be a stopping point with
tuition,” added Carolyn Houston, a sophomore nursing major. “If it
keeps increasing like this, kids won’t be able to go to college anymore
because they can’t afford it.”
The cost of a Curry education is about average when compared with
similarly sized private schools in the area. For example, Roger Williams
University in Bristol, R.I., with slightly more than 4,000 undergraduates,
charges $28,968 for tuition. Stonehill College in Easton, Mass., with a
more comparable 2,582 undergrads, charges $33,920 for tuition.
“The college recognizes the challenges and sacrifices that students and
their families encounter in financing a college education at Curry and
at colleges across the nation,” said President Ken Quigley, in an email
to The Currier Times. “Curry provides a variety of financing options,
participates in federal and state aid programs, as well as granting our
own institutional aid of approximately $16 million to our students. Our
Student Financial Services staff is committed to helping students create
a financial plan that will allow them to reach their educational goals.”
By Tim McCarthy
Records are meant to be broken, or so the
cliché goes. But senior Ashley Hansbury
did more than just topple a Curry record
earlier this month. She broke the all-time
career points record for NCAA lacrosse,
becoming the game’s most prolific
collegiate scorer—female or male—in any
division.
Hansbury broke the women’s record on
April 9 in a 22-1 win over Regis College.
Entering the game, she needed 10 points
for the record and got them all, the last
on a goal at the 16:32 mark of the second
half to reach 440 for her career. She has
only added to her statistics since then,
surpassing the top men’s total of 451. As
of April 25, the Chelmsford, Mass., native
had 477 points.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 12
Andrew Dilworth
Hansbury breaks NCAA lax points record
2
THE CURRIER TIMES
APRIL 2011
Campus Life
Clicking Through Memory Lane
Curry digitizes yearbook archive
By Andrew Blom
Did you know that Curry once had a Russian Club, where
enthusiasts of the Russian language got together?
How about our Alcohol Beverage Committee, which
actually regulated and served alcohol at on-campus functions?
Did you know that Stevie Wonder once performed for Curry
students?
Now, Curry’s history over the past 50 years can be viewed
online—free of charge—through a new archival system
located at www.archive.org/details/currycollege. Levin
Library’s interim director, David Miller, and the college’s
Office of Institution Advancement collaborated in the effort.
The project to digitize copies of The Amethyst, as Curry’s
yearbook is currently known, and its many predecessors cost
about $2,000, a price that is exceptionally low, according to
Miller, considering the high quality of the work. The decision
to digitize the yearbooks stemmed from “great interest from
current students as well as alumni,” he added.
The project also included a partnership with Internet
Archive, a nonprofit digital library that provides free access
to audio, video and texts. Internet Archive hosts the site where
Curry’s yearbooks reside.
Pages of Curry history can now be found online, such as this spread from the 1970 yearbook that chronicles Curry’s Winter
Weekend party, where singer Stevie Wonder performed for students.
Hungry for Changes
Some students stew over quality of after-hour
cuisine, limitations in food points system
By Sam Zapora
When it comes to convenience with
Curry’s dining services, the system
misses a few points.
Before the Student Center was erected
two years ago, Curry students ate their
fill in the Drapkin Building. If classes
ran late, one could go to the late-night
window and get an equivalency: freshly
prepared late-night menu food, including
chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks,
for the price of one’s dinner meal point.
This option, however, has disappeared
with the advent of the new dining area.
The Marketplace is currently made up
of several food stations where students
can obtain a wide variety of cuisine. At
7 p.m., most of the remaining food—
leftover pizza, pasta and grilled cheese,
for example, in addition to freshly
prepared food from the grill, such as
burgers and hotdogs—is placed at the
Flame Grill. There, students can choose
from the “Limited Menu” until 9 p.m., at
which time the Marketplace closes down
and the late-night window opens.
Students may use one of their pre-paid
weekly meal points during each meal
period, composed of breakfast, lunch
and dinner. In addition to meal points, a
separate set of alternative prepaid points
exist that are based on the size of a
student’s meal plan. However, meal points
that are not used within a week’s time
don’t carry over to subsequent weeks.
“Students have ample time to use their
dinner point within the time allotted,”
said Keith Meal, general manager of the
Curry Dining Service, which is operated
by Sodexo. “The late-night window is
intended for snacking. We would assume
that students would have eaten dinner by
then.”
Some students, such as a junior
communication major Pat Matthews,
said it’s often difficult to get fresh food
after classes and work. “Equivalency [at
Drapkin] was great,” he said. “I have a
lot of night classes and radio duties, so
all that’s left at 8 are dinner’s leftovers.”
The late-night window functions
much like the other on-campus snack
areas, found in Hafer and Kennedy.
Students pay for their food using cash,
credit or alternative meal points; one
may not redeem a main meal point for
food.
The ability to get nightly entrees was
recently extended to 8 this semester, due
to the football team requesting heartier
meals after practice, said Meal. As
freshman IT major Cody Smith pointed
out, however, that timeframe isn’t
always consistent.
“I see the staff cleaning up their
stations and shutting down as early as
6:30 sometimes,” he said. “For many
entrees, it comes down to first come, first
serve.”
Meal encouraged students to share
their opinions about on-campus dining
via the comment board next to the tray
bussing station in the Student Center.
“Students can also talk to a manager,” he
added. “If you see us on the floor, we’re
there to answer your questions and hear
your comments.”
Petit Wins SGA Presidency
By Sebastian
Humbert
Natalie Petit was
elected president of the
Student Government
Association, defeating
Kyle Berliner to replace
outgoing SGA head
Lorraine Dougherty.
Allison
Pinto
won her election for
secretary of the group’s
executive board, but no
other positions were
challenged.
Connell Wise ran
uncontested for the Senior Natalie Petit, a politics and history major, won
vice president spot, as the student election April 21 to become the new
did Andrew Rezendes executive board president of the SGA.
for treasurer. For class
the date,” she said. “They have the
officer positions, only the Class of chance to run again, though.”
2014 had candidates. Winners are
Petit said her goals for the 2011Corey Theodore (president), Lauren 2012 year are to get the SGA
Stafford (vice president), Nicholas more involved with the campus
Colicchio (treasurer) and Stephanie by holding community meetings,
Jones (secretary).
and to get a “more publicized
No one ran for any positions organization so that people will run
representing the Class of 2012 again” the following year. She also
or the Class of 2013, meaning said it’s important for SGA members
additional elections will need to be to help students understand what
held in the fall, when freshman class the association does. The group
candidates will also run for officer represents students’ concerns and
positions.
interests to the administration across
Petit attributed the apathy to the a range of issues, from academic to
lack of publicity the SGA receives cultural, safety to social.
on campus. She said some students
The SGA is funding free massages
had expressed interest in running, but for students and an ice cream truck
never followed up with the petition on campus for reading day, Tuesday,
to do so. “They were not aware of May 3.
APRIL 2011
THE CURRIER TIMES
3
Txt U L8ter
By Molly McCarthy
Whr u @? Txt bck!
According to a recent study by the Pew Research
Center, American teenagers send more than 3,000 text
messages a month. It’s a staggering number that’s
only compounded by the pressure some students feel
to respond immediately to a text no matter where the
receiver is, including class.
A survey at the University of New Hampshire found
high rates of texting during class, and plenty of remorse
about the behavior. The survey of 1,000 students found that
a majority felt guilty about sending text messages in class
when they were not supposed to. Despite those feelings,
though, 80 percent of the students said they normally send
at least one text message in each of their classes.
No such survey exists at Curry, but according to those
interviewed, students tend to text during class to stay
connected to their friends or because they’re bored with
that day’s lesson. There’s also a degree of peer pressure
to be reachable at all times.
“Everyone goes to college, but everyone has a life
outside of class. Everyone is so used to multitasking,”
said Sofia Coon, a senior communication major with a
concentration in public relations. “When I see someone
texting in class, I think, ‘This person isn’t listening. Why
should I?’ But I use it as motivation to keep listening to
my professor.”
Mike Griffin, a junior with a double major in
management and communication, said seeing students
text in class can be a distraction. “It makes me want
to check my phone. I think, ‘Did someone tag me in
a photo? Did I get an email? Is there something going
on?’” he said.
Both students admitted to sometimes texting in class.
“It is very heavily frowned upon if you
don’t text right back,” said Griffin. “Even
if you write ‘in class,’ it is better than
writing nothing at all. People can see in
a BBM message (Blackberry’s version of
instant messaging) if you have checked
the message. It can cause some tension.”
Robert MacDougall, an associate
professor in the Communication
Department who specializes in media
studies, said digital distractions definitely
come at a cost to today’s students. They
aren’t truly multitasking, he noted,
because they aren’t actually remembering
key aspects of the class discussion.
“Humans cannot process two linguistic
streams at once,” MacDougall said.
Douglas T. Koch, a senior lecturer in
the Fine and Applied Arts Department,
also feels strongly that texting during class
distracts from learning. Because of this,
he said he sometimes tries to embarrass
repeat offenders by asking them in front
of everyone what they are texting.
“Yeah, that shuts them down, and
then I hear about it on my semester-end
evaluations,” said Koch. “I put a very
explicit and forceful dis-invitation in my syllabi, ‘DO
NOT TEXT IN CLASS. God and Professor Koch are
watching!’ ”
Traditional undergraduates are not the only ones on
campus attached to their smartphones. According to
interviews, one can often find someone texting during
a continuing education class or faculty/administration
Photo Illustration by Craig Dudley
Pressure, desire to immediately reply to text
messages leads to distracted classrooms and meetings
meeting.
“I find it hysterical that the same professors who get
so upset about their students texting in classes are the
very same ones who are texting and endlessly checking
their emails in meetings,” said Melissa C. Anyiwo, an
associate professor of politics and history. “If they don’t
realize how rude it is, how are they going to convince
students of the same thing?”
Waiting for a Breaking Point
By Corey Theodore
Many students here appreciate the beautiful campus
the college offers, but it has become apparent that some
don’t appreciate it as much as others. This academic
year, there have been a number of instances of students
intentionally damaging college property, often leaving
others to clean up and pay for the mess.
In recent weeks, the most prominent signs of student
vandalism have been in North Campus Residence Hall,
where furniture was broken and a cement ashtray was
left in ruins during the “Turn Up the Heat” Spring
Weekend event. Mayflower also suffered damage
during the event, with a number of ceiling tiles broken.
Public Safety Chief Brian Greeley said he believes
that “the excessive use of alcohol causes vandalism.”
Nonetheless, students living in the residence halls have
become far too familiar with the cost of this destruction.
“There was a point when I was getting a new charge
about once every week,” said Johnny Bizon, a first-year
nursing major who lives in NCRH. “It was ridiculous. I
wasn’t the one breaking things!”
For every act of vandalism, the cost of the destruction
must be paid for by students. If the students responsible
are caught, then it is only those students who will be
charged. However, when the vandal isn’t identified,
the residence director of the dorm decides who in the
building should pay for the damages. They have the
ability to charge everyone in a pod, floor, or entire
building, according to Public Safety.
The only way to avoid these charges is to find out
exactly who is responsible, said Greeley, whose office
works with Residence Life in this area. “Students may
feel more comfortable speaking with their RD than
with us,” he added.
Public safety has an
anonymous tip line,
extension 2159, where
students can leave
information
while
keeping their identity
unknown.
Accountability aside,
many students simply
don’t
understand
why destruction and
vandalism
are
so
common at Curry.
Some of the more It is the college’s policy that all student residents in a particular dorm can be charged for the repair
notable events this of damages they themselves didn’t cause, if the student responsible goes unidentified.
semester
alone
have been theft and
of Scholars Hall, points out that the staff on campus
vandalism at the WMLN radio station, for which the work tirelessly to ensure Curry is a safe and beautiful
students responsible have been suspended, and the theft place. “It’s frustrating that some students don’t have
of the Student Center microwave. The oven was found more respect for the place that they live,” she says.
in a student’s dorm room and he, too, was suspended, “Hopefully, we can come together as a community to
according to Greeley.
prevent further vandalism.”
“This campus is our home, and we live inside the
Greeley said he feels there has been less vandalism
residence halls,” said Sara Alexander, a freshman
on campus this year compared to times in the past.
health and psychology major. “Why would somebody
The reason, he believes, is that students are no longer
want to destroy the place they live?”
Justine Pesesky, a sophomore criminal justice and indifferent toward these acts.
“What is happening is that students are getting tired
history major, wonders the same thing. “I find it very
of
having to pay a bill [for damage] they didn’t take
disappointing that my fellow students are participating
part in,” he said.
in the destruction on campus,” she said.
Until all students feel this way, residents on campus
Students are not the only community members
concerned. Rebecca Laroche, the residence director can look forward to the continuing charges.
Corey Theodore
Residence hall students frustrated by
having to pay for the vandalism of others
4
THE CURRIER TIMES
APRIL 2011
Curry Web Site
Gets a Face Lift
By Erin Powers
As the current school year comes to
a close, some changes at Curry are on
the horizon...and on the Web. A major
redesign of the college’s Web site has
been underway for about a year now, and
finishing touches are about all that’s left.
With prospective students increasingly
using the Internet to evaluate their college
options, it was imperative that Curry’s
site receive a face lift of sorts, said Fran
Jackson, director of communication at
Curry, whose office led the redesign
effort. The current Web site, www.
curry.edu, was launched in 2004 with a
Microsoft content management system
that is now out of date. So, last May, the
college decided it was time for a change
and began a yearlong, multi-phased
project that is expected to launch by
semester’s end.
“The design of the new templates allow
for the use of much larger images,” said
Jackson. “These templates help reflect the
‘feel’ of the campus by showing dynamic
photography of students and facilities that
will aid prospective students in picturing
themselves at Curry College.”
According to a 2010 survey of high
school students by the enrollmentmanagement consulting firm Noel-
Levitz, 24 percent said they
didn’t apply to a particular
college because they had a bad
experience on that college’s
Web site, namely not finding
the information they wanted.
Online applications, campus visit
request forms, cost calculators—a
federal requirement starting in the
fall—and online course catalogs
were the most desirable content,
students reported.
In addition to forms and data,
Curry’s new Web site—to launch Curry’s new Web site, to launch in May, will feature more videos and photography to capture the feel of
in May—will offer a plethora of the campus and the interest of prospective students.
visuals and videos in an effort
percent of students reported watching team questioned many different groups,
to “show, not tell,” according to
John Eagan, Curry’s Web administrator. videos about a prospective college, but searching for anecdotal feedback in an
If a prospective student wanted to check only 10 percent said they did so via effort to form a significant road map that
out the fitness center of the gym, for YouTube. Videos about student life and would eventually sculpt an effective Web
example, they will soon have the option academics ranked the highest in student site, she added.
The new site will use Ingeniux as its
to watch a video or take a virtual tour. And interest, at 46 percent and 30 percent,
content-management system, enabling
instead of reading a lengthy paragraph respectively.
“We believe the new site will be highly greater flexibility in adding new
about the new Student Center, users will
be able to simply scroll through a series usable and functional, with intuitive, information online. “The CMS facilitates
of photos—the site will use a carrousel direct and logical navigation,” said collaboration with all departments
across campus in updating the Web
system for some photos, allowing iPhone Jackson.
Jackson said the process took a year site,” said Jackson, “collaboration which
users to scroll via touch-screen—or
watch a short video describing what the because it wanted to repeatedly gauge the is critically important to keep the site
needs and wants of students, faculty, staff current and engage visitors to return
building has to offer.
The Noel-Levitz survey found that 52 and administrators. The Web redesign again and again.”
Housing Selection Leaves
Little Room for Improvement
Ingmar Sterling
New processes get good marks from students, staffers
By Conor McDonald
Too Cool for Pool
By Andrew Blom
“Everyone in the Pool!” It’s a phrase common around
outdoor swimming facilities, but not the swimming pool
here at Curry.
“We have a pool?” asked Mike Warner, a sophomore
English major.
The outdoor swimming pool, located on North Side,
next to the outdoor basketball courts, is not filled during
the academic school year, but will soon be in use for the
summer months. According to Building & Grounds, the inground pool was built in the early 1970’s, originally as part
of a contract with summer conferences and sports camps.
Since then, the pool has been filled regularly during
the summer months, from mid-June to late August at the
latest. During these months, the fenced-off pool is used for
Summer PAL, traditional students taking summer courses,
and campers here for athletics or cultural opportunities in
the Greater Boston area. The pool is in high demand during
these months, and a lifeguard is on duty full time.
But according to some students, the pool should also
be made available during the school year. “It should be
opened if we could use it appropriately, which is hard for a
lot of us,” said Erin Cooney, a junior education major.
Of course, the weather in Massachusetts has something
to do with the limited schedule, as it still gets cold in April.
The pool carries no costs to students while it remains
closed, said Richard Sullivan, the college’s chief financial
officer, and it helps produce revenue in the summer as an
additional draw for summer camps to choose Curry.
sure that all students had paid their housing deposits
on time. In years past, many students found out only
In years past, the housing selection process at Curry
on housing selection night that they could not choose
could make even the calmest of students want to pull
a suite because they failed to pay their deposits. This
out their hair in frustration. Long lines and a gym
would leave students scrambling to find another person
overcrowded with annoyed students led to a stressful
to fill their suite.
environment.
The new form was due April 4 and gave Residence
But according to those who took part in this year’s
Life the chance to verify eligibility. Muurisepp said he
housing selection process, on April 6 and 7, things
was pleased with this addition because it gave students a
actually went relatively smoothly. Residence Life
chance to rectify a situation before it became a problem.
reported that they processed 760 students during the
“I think it helped tremendously,” he said.
course of both nights.
It also drastically removed the
Unlike last spring, when some
amount
of people that needed to
students were in the Student
be
in
the
gym. This year, only one
Center gym until midnight
person—deemed a “suite leader”—
trying to find out where they
had to go to selection night. This
would be living, this year’s
— sophomore Ethan Lanoff led to a much more efficient, fasterprocess ended at 10 on both
moving system that helped the
selection nights. Long lines were
housing
selection
process
end earlier, Muuriespp said.
generally avoided and there were minimal issues, said
“It
was
organized,
for
the
most part,” said sophomore
Erik Muurisepp, director of Residence Life & Housing,
business major, Ethan Lanoff, who was happy with his
who called it “a huge leap from last year.”
Although the actual selection days went smoothly, room in The Suites. “I wouldn’t change anything. It was
students were left waiting in anticipation to find out good.”
Some first-year students, however, said they found
their lottery numbers. A delay pushed back the lottery
number notification date from Monday, March 28 to the process a bit intimidating. “I got a decent lottery
Friday, April 1. The Web portal described the delay as number, but the actual process of housing selection
was nerve-racking,” said freshman Devin Lucy, a
“technical difficulties.”
Muurisepp said the delay was caused by the new nursing major. “I didn’t want to get stuck with an
online payment system. This year, students could pay awful room I would have to live in for a year.” She
their deposits online instead of having to go the financial said she was hoping to get a corner room in 886, but
office. “We wanted to offer students the option to pay was not able to.
As for next year, Muurisepp said he hopes to
online at any time, not just when the finance department
improve communication with students about deadlines,
was open,” he said.
Also new to this year’s housing selection process especially the housing deposit. Late deposits caused the
was the suite application form, which was used to make most problems for students this year, he added.
“I wouldn’t
change anything.”
APRIL 2011
State Treasurer to Give
Commencement Address
By Nick Ironside
Steve Grossman, the treasurer of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will give
this year’s commencement address at Curry’s
graduation ceremony May 15. Grossman,
who was the CEO and chairman of Grossman
Marketing Group in Somerville prior to being
elected state treasurer in 2010, has long been
active in Democratic politics, but it’s his family
that he speaks of with the greatest passion.
Grossman has made his living through
the family business, formerly known as the
Massachusetts Envelope Company, that his
grandfather started in 1910. He says he worked
hand-in-hand with his father, Edgar, for 25
years, and “never had an argument.” When
his dad passed away in 1999, Grossman took
control of the business and handed over the dayto-day management of the company to his two
oldest sons, David and Ben, after winning public
office last year.
A longtime Newton, Mass., resident,
Grossman received his undergraduate degree
from Princeton University and an MBA from
the Harvard Business School. Outside of the
family business, he served as chairman of
the Massachusetts Democratic Party, served
three years as the chairman of the Democratic
National Committee under President Bill
Clinton, was president and chairman of the proIsrael lobbying group AIPAC, and served as
the national chairman of former Vermont Gov.
Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential campaign.
He recently spoke to The Currier Times in
anticipation of his commencement address.
Courtesy Photo
CT: When you first started working in the “real
world,” what surprised you the most?
Grossman: At the end of the day, if you want to
succeed in business, it’s all about the customer
and there are four things you must offer
customers at all times: great service, quality
of the product, value for their money, and
professionalism every step of the way.
If Curry College wants you to leave after four
years having had a really positive experience,
they have to give you the same things.
CT: What are the three most important attributes
for a person to have to be successful in the
working world?
Grossman: They have to remember that the
most important word in the English language is
the word “we,” and the least important word is
the word “I.” Successful people are successful
because they are part of teams.
No. 2 is be a great listener. My father told
me many, many years ago, ‘Steve, you were
born with one mouth and two ears. Use them
in that proportion.’ Listeners learn, and good
listeners take what they learn and implement it
successfully.
The third principle is, when you don’t know
the answer to a question, don’t make one
up. Humility is a very important quality to
demonstrate in everything that you do.
CT: What is your most vivid college memory?
Grossman: It was all about the relationships
I built. There’s a quote from the great Indian
Nobel Prize-winning author Rabindranath
Tagore—Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel
Prize around the turn of the 20th century—and
he said, ‘All life is relationships.’
I built a lifetime of relationships in my years
in college, and I continue to maintain those
relationships with people I haven’t seen in years
but still talk to on the phone, and people I see all
the time at various places. Those relationships
really made college a memorable experience
beyond the quality of the education that I got.
Look Who
Else Is Talking
2009: Joan Wallace-Benjamin,
president and chief executive officer
of The Home for Little Wanderers
2003: Jeffrey Toobin,
Emmy Award-winning writer and
ABC-CNN legal analyst
2008: Donald E. Rodman,
president of Rodman Ride for
Kids and Rodman Ford, LincolnMercury
2002: Dr. Michael F. Collins,
president and chief executive officer
of the Caritas Christi Health Care
System, Chief Justice Margaret H.
Marshall, Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Court, and John J. Santilli,
chairman of the Curry board of
trustees and president of the Center
for Automobiles
2007: Dr. David A. Fedo,
Curry College’s retiring vice
president and academic dean
2006: Timothy P. Cahill,
Massachusetts State Treasurer and
Receiver General
2005: Rep. Stephen F. Lynch,
Democratic congressman
(9th district)
2001: Dr. John P. Hamill,
chairman and chief executive
officer of Sovereign Bank New
England, and Thomas W. Payzant,
superintendent of the Boston Public
School system
Babson College (Wellesley, Mass.):
Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter, and
William Drayton, founder and CEO
of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
Endicott College (Beverly, Mass.):
Baroness Sue Campbell, Commander
of the Order of the British Empire
Courtesy Photo
2004: Jack Williams,
Emmy Award-winning CBS4
Boston news anchor
5
Curry graduation
ceremony May 15
Ten Years of Curry
Commencement Speakers
2010: Richard J. Daniels,
president and chief executive officer
of GateHouse Media New England
THE CURRIER TIMES
Curry to Honor
Ruth Ellen Fitch
Ruth Ellen Fitch will receive
an Honorary Doctorate degree
at Curry College’s 2011
commencement
ceremony,
May 15.
Fitch is president and
CEO of the Dimock Center,
located in Boston. The Center
provides health and human
services to communities in
the Boston urban area.
Before her current job,
Fitch spent more than 20
years practicing law.
Lasell College (Newton, Mass.):
Sen. Scott Brown, Republican U.S.
Senator from Massachusetts
Quinnipiac University (Hamden,
Conn.): Mitch Albom, Detroit Free
Press sports columnist and book author
Regis College (Weston, Mass.):
Liz Walker, ordained minister and
former WBZ-TV news anchor
Wheaton College (Norton, Mass.):
Richard Stengel, managing editor
of Time magazine
Wheelock College (Boston, Mass.):
Mary Robinson, former president
of Ireland and former United
Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights
6
THE CURRIER TIMES
APRIL 2011
Parting Thoughts
Photos by Sebastian Humbert
With graduation upon us, The Currier Times asked eight seniors to share their thoughts about the time they’ve spent at
Curry, the lessons and skills they’ll take with them, and their plans for the future.
Drew Ligas
(WITH TANK THE PUPPY)
“Obviously, I have a good head on my shoulders and
I want to do something with my life. I want a good
job, and not just work in some sporting goods store
or something.”
“I leave with a full knowledge of the Adobe Suites.
Photoshop. Illustrator. Everything.”
“I’m trying to stay here in Boston. It’s where all of
my friends are.”
Jenna Pieper
“I want to teach anywhere from preschool to about second
grade. No higher than second grade. After that, they’re
just not cute anymore.”
Peter Harding
“I’m hoping to go to graduate school. I
want to work in higher education, ideally as
an associate dean at a small institution like
Curry.”
“Batman. Oh, I love Batman. He’s my idol.
He’s a billionaire, he has all the money, but he
chooses to give back and help people.”
“I like to do artsy things with them. It’s less about
worksheets and more hands on.”
“I’ve made some really good friends here. Particularly
after choosing my major. I can tell I’ll be friends with a
lot of them for a long time.”
APRIL 2011
THE CURRIER TIMES
Julia Taylor
“I started as a comm
major, but I was also
taking Intro to Psych
with Professor Kahn.
People
were
like,
‘You’re dyslexic and
this class is so hard.
You’ll never be able to
do it.’ But on the first
day he made a “Star
Trek” reference, and I
was hooked. His name
is Kahn and he made a
‘Star Trek’ reference!
That’s what got me.”
Justin Selig
“Coming in, I had a false understanding of what things
were like in theater. I thought I knew. But the liberal arts
here gave me a broad range of learning.”
Lauren Winters
“I want to work with adolescents. I used to
work in a kids’ play place. I always liked
working with kids more than with adults.
Adults can be a pain in the butt sometimes.”
Sofia Coon
“I’ll be starting grad school
in July, at the Newhouse
School at Syracuse (to
study public relations). I’m
going back home.”
“I transferred in as a junior.
I tried to make the most of
my time here; I wish I had
more time here. I’m one of
those people who leaves
my room at 8 and I’m not
back until 11 at night.”
Alicia Werner
“I would love to have a job, ideally with Dunkin
Brands because I loved my internship there. Maybe
having my own apartment.”
“I take confidence from school. I did so well here, I’m
definitely not the same person I was freshman year.”
7
8
THE CURRIER TIMES
APRIL 2011
Vantage Points
Graduating with Honor
DAV I D R O B I N S O N
It’s strange to think it’s been four years since I
started at Curry College, and it’s even stranger to
think that I’ll be leaving so soon. I owe a lot to this
place and to the people who have supported me and
guided me. Professors Robert Smid, Allan Hunter
and Ron Warners all played key roles in helping me
make the most out of my time here.
Curry gave me the opportunity to figure out who I
was and who I wanted to become. In September, I’m
headed off to do my graduate studies at the Boston
University School of Theology. But I was not always
this clear on what I wanted.
I considered leaving Curry two years ago, thinking
it might be best to start over somewhere else. I had
just gotten out of a long relationship and I was trying
to figure out what was important to me. Then it hit
me. If I was trying to figure out what I wanted, what
better place than a school primed and ready to help
you forge your own path? I had already sought out
several professors who were willing to help me do
what I loved doing: learning and growing as a person.
If there’s one bit of advice I can give anyone who
comes to Curry, it’s to seek out challenge. Only by
facing challenges can we become better people. It’s
only after you make the decision to get the most out
of your time here that you can actually go about doing
it. That’s what I did. That’s why I stayed.
I found challenge in the Honors Program. Through
research and active conversation, it taught me that
learning and my passions do not have to be separate
entities, but rather should coincide. I wrote an entire
thesis on using karate to develop character in kids,
and I had a blast doing it.
I found challenge in the Communication
Department, learning how to work with people
and bring them together simply by sending a clear
message from multiple channels. I found challenge
and passion in the Philosophy Department, where
I was constantly reminded that life isn’t always
about receiving answers, but rather how you ask the
questions.
I am grateful for these things, for the amazing
people I’ve met along the way, and for the lessons
I’ve learned. In May, I will graduate with distinction
in the Honors Scholar Program and as a double major
in communication and philosophy. I’m proud of the
work I’ve done here and can honestly say that I will
miss this place.
David Robinson, the president of the Alexander
Graham Bell Society, is a graduating senior from
Plymouth, Mass.
After Two Years, I’m Out
VICTOR NG
When I first came to Curry College in the fall of
2009, my initial impression was that it was a serene
and welcoming campus. Raised in a community
where competition was rife, I chose to attend Curry
to escape a pressure-filled lifestyle and to engage
with other students and communities that shared
some of my interests.
I initially wanted to study anatomy because I
enjoyed it back in high school. But after seeing the
small class size in the computer labs of the Kennedy
Building, as well as the daily interactions between
students and workers at the Tech Support Center, I
decided to become an information technology major
and an employee at the Tech Center.
But there’s more to college than just classrooms.
What I ultimately found at Curry was a student
community too absorbed in a culture of alcohol,
drugs, and reckless behavior. So, like a number of
students at Curry, I have decided not to return next
year.
Of course, alcohol and drugs can be found on any
college campus in America. But the behavior gets
particularly infuriating when all students living in a
residence hall must pay for the damages done by a
few. It’s aggravating when you can’t sleep at night
because some students are too drunk, too loud, or
slamming their doors during quiet hours. While
some students are willing to tone down the noise
level upon request, should they really have to be
told to do so?
Then there’s the cost. At a private school
charging nearly $45,000 a year, you would think
that the quality of the buildings would be top-notch.
However, the Science Building—where a third of
my classes are held—is incredibly run down and
reeks of urine as you walk up the stairs. Curry will
be spending $3 million this summer and into next
year to renovate parts of the Science Building, the
Faculty office building, and the Library, but, for
me, these changes are too late and too little.
I am transferring to UMass Amherst in the fall
because, for one, it is definitely cheaper. The tuition
and fees for in-state residents at UMass is roughly
$20,000. In addition, the campus is much livelier,
with countless organizations and events.
I believe the college experience should be about
more than just drinking and partying. It’s supposed to
be an opportunity to connect with students, professors
and people from other places with similar interests.
For me, Curry wasn’t the right fit.
Victor Ng is a sophomore from Weston, Mass.
THE CURRIER TIMES
Assistant Editors
Sebastian Humbert,
Nick Ironside,
Danielle Roy
Reporters
Andrew Blom, Victor
Ng, Erin Powers, Ingmar
Sterling, Corey Theodore
and Zack Weiss
Photo Editor/Page Design
Craig Dudley
Contributing Writers
Conor MacDonald, Erika
Kuzmicz, Molly McCarthy,
Tim McCarthy and Sam Zapora
Faculty Advisor
Professor Jeff Lemberg
The Currier Times is a student-written
and produced print publication
that publishes monthly throughout the
academic year. Reporters are registered
students of the News/Multimedia
Journalism Practicum course.
The Currier Times is printed by
MassWeb Printing Co. in Auburn,
Mass. To contact the Times, e-mail:
[email protected].
MARA DAVIS
Mara Davis graduated from Curry in 1991 and is now
an award-winning radio host at Dave-FM in Atlanta, Ga.
She has interviewed musicians from Robert Plant to Paul
McCartney, and celebrities from Perez Hilton to Conan
O’Brien. But before she was taking on-air requests, Davis—
above with singer John Legend—was hanging out at Curry’s
student station, WMLN, where she was told, ironically, that
she wasn’t cut out for radio.
CT: What brought you to Curry College?
Davis: Through a college counselor. I wanted to go to school
in the Boston area, so we looked into Emerson, Boston
University and Curry. After visiting them, Curry was the best
fit. Plus, I didn’t get into Emerson! It was meant to be.
CT: Why did you decide to check out the radio station here?
Davis: My RA at Mayflower Hall was working at WMLN. I
would constantly ask her questions about the station and she
finally said, “You are really interested in radio; you should
work at the station!” So I did.
CT: What were some of your most memorable moments at
Curry?
Davis: Seeing the ’80’s band the Alarm on the quad for spring
fling. Now, every time I play “Rain In The Summertime” it
makes me think of that. Kind of a sad gig for them, no?
CT: You mentioned on your Web site (maradavis.com) that
the radio director at Curry told you that you were never
going to make it on the radio, and to change majors. What
was the deal with that? Did that push you to get on the air
even more?
Davis: Absolutely. I had applied for a production director
position and didn’t get it. When I asked why, several reasons
given were: 1. “Your GPA isn’t high enough” (even though I
had made Dean’s list that semester). 2. “He’s more qualified
because he’s a junior,” and 3. “You probably aren’t cut out for
a career in broadcasting. Perhaps you want to switch majors.”
After this conversation, I cranked up the hours with my
internship at WZOU in Boston (now WJMN). I figured I
was better served by making copies and getting coffee at a
commercial radio station than trying to work my way up at
the college station.
CT: What keeps you excited about working in radio?
Davis: Besides my family, there is nothing that I love more
than being on the air. I am genuinely excited to go to work
every day. Social networking has become another amazing
layer to radio because people want to interact with your show.
Plus, now that we stream the station (www.dave.fm), anyone
can listen from all over the world. I love that! Plus, I don’t
know how to do anything else.
Written and condescended by Andrew Blom
APRIL 2011
THE CURRIER TIMES
9
Summer Search
Students balance multiple factors in deciding where to take summer courses
By Nick Ironside
Some people don’t mind taking classes during the
summer. But deciding where to take those classes isn’t
always easy, with cost and location often the chief
factors.
Freshman Elton Silva, a double major in management
and communication, said he is taking a public speaking
course over the summer at Bristol Community College
in Fall River, Mass., for a few different reasons, with
price and flexibility at the top of his list.
“It is cheaper than taking a summer course at Curry,
and it is close to home,” said Silva, whose family lives
in Dartmouth, Mass. “I hope to get some of my more
basic classes out of the way during the summer in order
to focus mostly on both of my majors. Some courses
here at Curry College are not offered every semester, so
taking courses outside of the fall and spring semesters
open up spots in my schedule in which I can take classes
that I am interested in.”
Steve Belaief, the senior director of continuing
education at Curry’s Milton campus, said students
should consider a number of factors in determining
where to take summer courses, not just price and place.
“For Curry students, you don’t have to worry about
credits transferring in,” said Belaief. “A lot of times it’s
easier here because it’s more familiar, you know the
setting and the professors.
“There are a million reasons,” he added. “It’s different
for everyone.”
Because most students take summer classes to fulfill
academic requirements, Curry’s summer continuing
education program—all of Curry’s summer courses
are through CE—tends to offer less exotic courses.
Moreover, general education courses are typically
transferrable.
According to Mary Lynch, the director of
informational research at Massasoit Community
College in Brockton, Mass., the location of the campus
and relatively low per-credit public tuition costs are the
primary reasons students take summer courses there.
“We do get a lot of students in the summer who are
home from other colleges around the country,” she said.
“They typically take general education courses in the
humanities and sciences that will likely transfer to their
home institution.”
At Massasoit, a three-credit summer course costs a
total of $465 for a Massachusetts resident, and $1,083
for non-residents. The cost per credit for an in-state
resident rounds out to be $155, after adding in general
college fees, while it is $361 per credit for out-of-state
students. After fees, a three-credit course at Bristol
Community College costs $498 for a Massachusetts
resident.
At Curry’s Milton campus, a summer course costs
$380 per credit, or $1,140 for a typical three-credit
course. If a student chooses to attend a course at Curry’s
Plymouth campus, the cost is $325 per credit, or $975
for a three-credit course
Students can opt for on-campus summer housing
at Curry, saving those who live far away a lengthy
commute. According to the Curry College Summer
Housing Room and Board Agreement, summer housing
costs $2,100 for a six-week session.
Students must be enrolled for at least six-credit hours
to live on-campus.
Nick Ironside, a staff writer for The Currier Times, is
taking a course this summer at Curry College.
Learning From
Your Laptop
By Danielle Roy
Curry has taken a new initiative when it
comes to learning. And students sometimes
don’t need to get out of their pajamas to
take advantage of it.
Since 2009, Curry has been
experimenting with hybrid courses that
meet in person some days and through the
Internet others. There are currently two
hybrid communication classes offered,
and one master’s-level course in criminal
justice. According to Dean of Faculty
Cassandra Horii, several other hybrid
courses are in the works, including some
in nursing and education.
“We want to do this in a really
intelligent way and have it make sense for
the academic areas,” said Horii.
Curry plans on using hybrid courses
more in continuing education, to offer
“programs that integrate with their lives
on and off campus,” said Horii, noting that
many jobs today—including her own—
require people to “present their ideas in an
electronic medium.” Hybrid courses cost
students the same amount as traditionally
taught classes do.
Professor Robert MacDougall currently
teaches one of the hybrid courses,
Fundamentals of Communication. The
class meets only weekly, from 7 p.m. to
9:30 p.m., with 10 class sessions in person
and five sessions online. The five online
classes are listed on the syllabus, and the
students meet with MacDougall digitally
during the set class time. Hosted through
the Blackboard system, the online portions
of the course consist of a PowerPoint,
narrated by MacDougall, that contains
different links, videos and pictures. At
the end of the PowerPoint, students must
complete a timed quiz and then participate
in a live blog.
“The online part of it is interesting, but
sometimes a little difficult,” said Lindsey
Gallagher, a student in MacDougall’s
hybrid class. “We’re expected to blog every
week, even though we have additional
homework for the class and have been in
session for the full two and a half hours,”
Gallagher added.
Of the 27 students who started in the
course, 24 remained for the entire semester,
with only one student having problems
downloading the PowerPoint file, said
MacDougall. He believes it’s the flexibility
of the online component that carries so
much promise. For example, the first
day of the scheduled online session was,
coincidentally, during one of the many snow
days Curry had this winter. But the hybridlearning students were able to meet virtually.
The control and surveillance of online
courses are also beneficial to professors
because they are able to see through
BlackBoard statistics of student usage of
materials, from when students log in to
where they’re going on the site. Security
is also built into Blackboard so that
professors don’t need to worry about the
privacy of their sites and course materials.
For students, the benefits largely
come down to convenience. “I love that
I can take class from my residence hall,
especially where the class is so late at
night,” Gallagher said. However, she
admitted, “it’s easy to get distracted when
I’m in my room. It’s easy to catch myself
daydreaming since I don’t actually have a
professor there to keep me focusing.”
Thus far, the results have been promising.
MacDougall said students in his hybrid class
did very well on their midterm exams, with
grades at or higher than previous semesters
when the class was taught entirely in
person. Because the class meets less often
Sebastian Humbert
Curry experiments with
hybrid learning classes
Dancing the Night Away
Kevin Janvier shows off his dancing skills en route to winning the
annual Mr. Curry pageant.
in person, some students may be reading
more closely, he theorized.
Of course, like anything, the system
has its drawbacks. “I still think there’s
a huge benefit to the brick-and-mortar
model of education, to have the realtime interaction of face to face,” said
MacDougall. Online, he added, “we
can’t get the richness of face-to-face
interaction, you can’t call people on the
spot when they raise their eyebrows or
grimace,” he added.
For that reason, among others, Curry
has no immediate plans to begin offering
online-only courses, said Horii. “It’s
been clear to Curry that that would not
be a good fit for us,” she said. “That’s
not a direction we want to go in. We
really are about personal, individualized
interaction.”
10
THE CURRIER TIMES
APRIL 2011
A Valued Jool
By Ingmar Sterling
For many Curry students, life on
campus is their first real experience
living away from home and all of the
comforts, support and familiarity that a
family provides. Yet, in an environment
where motherly figures are noticeably
absent, one woman in particular is
helping to partially fill that void.
Just pay attention to the person
swiping your meal card in the Student
Center.
Jools Pemberton has worked at Curry
for nearly two years as an employee of
Sodexo, the food services company that
feeds the campus. She is well known
within the student body for being
uncommonly cheerful, friendly and
sincere. And although many may not
know her by name, they’re familiar with
the face that always provides a warm
smile—and a token for dessert—aimed
at brightening one’s day.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen her
without a smile before,” says Dave
Murphy, a freshman business major.
“She’s always in a good mood and being
friendly with everyone.”
“She’s the best,” agrees John Murphy,
a senior criminal justice major who’s
not related to Dave. “It always makes
your meal a little bit better when Jools
is working.”
For Pemberton, Curry is more than
just a place of work. The Weymouth
resident is a huge supporter of Curry
athletics. Last month, she took one of
her evenings off to travel with the fan
bus all the way to Norwich, Vt., to cheer
on the hockey team in its NCAA playoff
game. She is a regular at the Max Ulin
ice rink, and can be found at any number
of other Colonels games.
“The thing I love most about working
at Curry is getting to see all of the kids
every day. Especially all of the teams
and clubs,” says Pemberton. “You get
to know everyone and follow how the
teams do, so it’s like having an extended
family every day I come into work.”
Curry truly is a family matter for
Pemberton, as her daughter Madeline
Anderson also works on campus for
Sodexo.
“Working with my mom is great,”
says Anderson, 21. “I don’t live with her
anymore, so it’s nice to see her every day
at work. She’s more like a friend than a
mom at this point.”
Pemberton’s ties to Curry go far beyond
her two years of employment here.
As a graduate of Milton High School,
Pemberton has always been familiar
with Curry and even knew President Ken
Quigley and his wife, Beth, from high
school and church. If that wasn’t enough,
Pemberton’s sister, Penny, is a member of
the Curry class of 1977.
Ingmar Sterling
Sodexo’s Jools Pemberton provides
Curry diners with service and a smile
Jools Pemberton (left), who works with her daugther Madeline Anderson in Dining Services, has
become a great supporter and friend to many Curry students.
“I used to come to Curry all the
time when my sister was here,” says
Pemberton, 52. “It’s funny seeing the
campus now; it used to be a lot different.
The Kennedy Building was actually the
gym then. I used to know the [families]
who lived in the houses on campus. Now
they’re dorms!”
Pemberton began working at Curry to
complement her main occupation as the
owner of Jools’ Fried Dough. Since 1996,
Pemberton has made and sold fried dough
and fried Oreos at events throughout
New England. As a subcontractor for
North American Amusement Inc.,
a carnival entertainment company,
Pemberton and her daughters, Madeline,
Nicole Pemberton and Lauren Anderson,
spend their summers serving up treats
on college campuses, at elementary
schools, camps, churches and corporate
picnics. It was only after looking for a
winter job that provided steady pay and
benefits that Pemberton began working
for Sodexo.
But according to Jools, she has
received so much more during her time
on campus.
“I love working here at Curry,” says
Pemberton. “Especially the longer I
work here and get to see kids as they
grow and change.”
Work Hard, Play Hard
By Danielle Roy
There is always a lot of criticism by
Curry students about the lack of activities
and events on campus. But what some may
not realize is the amount of work required
to put on an event.
Student Activities Director Allison
Coutts O’Connor said the reason more
students don’t try to plan events on campus
is because they simply don’t know where
to go or how to go about doing it. “I think
the biggest challenge is there’s a disconnect
between students who want to put on events,
she said. “Student Activities is willing to
help any student put on a program.
“Granted,” she added, “you can’t come
in today and say we’re going to have this
event tomorrow.”
Student Entertainment and Events, or
SEE, is the “largest planning body” on
campus, according to O’Connor. The
student-led group puts on four to eight
activities a month, from “Make your own
license plate” day in the Student Center, to
big events like the Mr. Curry pageant and
Spring Weekend. But all activity proposals
must start in and receive approval from
O’Connor’s office.
Students start with an event registration
and approval form. “This basically just
gives an outline of when the event is, what
it is for, who is in charge of the event, and
what is required,” said Nichole Smith, a
program assistant in the Student Activities
Office. Logistical issues must then be
worked out, like when and where the event
will be held, how many students will be
drawn to the event, will people actually
show up, and will the place in which you
wish to hold the event be available.
There are also rules that go along with
planning an event on campus. For example,
if an event is to be catered, it must be
through Sodexo, according to Smith. “It is
in our contract with them that they have to
be offered the opportunity of catering large
events on campus,” Smith said.
When it comes to showing movies on
campus to large crowds, academically
oriented films must be followed by a
discussion led by a professor or staff
member, Smith added. Non-academic
movies require that the college purchase
the rights to show them legally.
And anything that takes place in a
residence hall must receive approval from
the Residence Life office. “Most people
don’t realize how many departments on
campus can become involved for events,
but [the Student Activities office] deals
with all of them in the office for the
students so they don’t have to,” Smith said.
Although students don’t have to be part
of a club or organization to propose to
organize an event on campus, clubs put on
a “good portion” of the student activities,
according to SGA Executive Board
Courtesy Photo
Many processes and requirements
to hold student events on campus
Students packed the Student Center gymnasium this semester for the GrooveBoston Dance
Blowout, an event organized by Curry’s Student Entertainment and Events group.
President Lorraine Dougherty.
Money is among the biggest factors
preventing Curry from hosting known
artists on campus. “Big, radio-level names
are 90 grand and up,” said Allison Pinto, a
student who has tried to host an on-campus
concert. “And mid-level performers are
about 50 to 60 grand. I’ve looked into
Chelsea Handler, but she is, like, $120,000.”
Approval for concerts also must go
through the town of Milton because of
noise ordinances, according to Pinto. “It’s
a huge process to have concerts on campus.
It’s almost not even worth it.”
But students shouldn’t expect the
college to do everything to make events
happen, according to O’Connor. “In order
for an event to be successful, a student
needs to come in and be willing to do the
work,” she said. “You can’t just come in
and say, ‘Oh, I think we should have this,
or bring this comedian to campus.’ Partner
with the Student Activities office and try to
make that event happen, and see it through
the whole way.
“I hate when I hear students say this is
frustrating or we can’t do this. They just
believe they can’t do something, so they
never ask,” O’Connor added. “We’re here
and we’re willing to help them out and to
work with them to make things happen.”
The Student Activities office is located on
the second floor of the Student Center.
Students can email the assistant director
of Student Activities, Sarah Bordeleau,
at [email protected], or
O’Connor at [email protected].
THE CURRIER TIMES
11
Andrew Dilworth
APRIL 2011
Out Like Lions
Freshman Jennifer Lundstrom has led the Curry softball team from the
mound this season, boasting a team-best 1.93 earned run average.
Spring sports seasons begin to wrap up
By Zachary Weiss
Curry’s spring sports season is done for some
and continues for others. Many are already looking
forward to their postseason tournaments.
The men’s and women’s lacrosse teams have had
completely opposite seasons. The women’s squad
completed the regular season April 23 with a 14-3
overall record, 9-2 in The Commonwealth Coast
Conference (TCCC). Senior Ashley Hansbury led
the team in points with 130 points (93 goals and 37
assists), while Jessie Koffman was second on the team
in points with 106 (65 goals and 41 assists). Senior
goalkeeper Maria Lynch led the team with 139 saves
and a goals-against average of 10.6.
The men’s lacrosse team ended its regular season
5-11, 2-8 in TCCC play. The Colonels’ last win came
on April 19 when they beat Anna Maria College, 10-7.
Joseph Natale, Michael Snyder and Russell Lanham
led the team’s offense.
The softball team won a double header against
TCCC rival Gordon College on April 21 to improve
to 18-19 on the season, and 12-9 in conference play.
Senior Amanda Peters leads the team in runs batted in
with 16 and hits with 37. Taryn Vigeant leads the team
with a .347 average.
Senior Janelle Mayo leads the team in innings
pitched with 92.2 and is second on the team with a 2.64
earned run average. Freshman Jennifer Lundstrom has
also pitched well for Curry, with a team-best 1.93
earned run average and 55 strikeouts.
The baseball team has been slightly under .500 most
of the season and stood at 14-19, with a conference
record of 8-12, as of April 21. Sophomore Matt
Rodriguez leads the team with 30 runs batted in and is
tied with sophomore Sam Barron for home runs with
three apiece.
Barron leads the team with a .392 batting average,
followed by junior Matt Drew’s .366.
Freshman Matt O’ Neill leads all pitchers in innings
pitched (39) and strikeouts (30). O’Neill also has a
3.00 earned run average, second-best on the team.
The men’s tennis team’s season came to an end April
21 with a 6-3 loss to Bridgewater State University.
The Colonels finished with an overall record of 3-13,
2-9 in the TCCC. Top players included seniors Charlie
Edlund, J.D. Moyer and Robert Rosenbaum, and junior
Thomas Bagley and sophomore Tyler Collins.
Fun and Fitness
Intramurals a popular way for students to mingle, compete
By Zachary Weiss
The intramurals program at Curry has
grown steadily over the years. Today,
it’s among the most popular student
activities on campus.
The program consists of sports such
as softball, 5-on-5 basketball, volleyball,
flag football, soccer and floor hockey.
COED leagues are organized if there are
enough male and female participants.
There are also open leagues, which
anyone on campus—staff, faculty
and administrators, for example—can
participate in.
Part of the allure of intramurals,
according to students, is the ease of
participation. Registration is open to all
students, and they only need their student
identification number to sign up. If you
are not on a team, you can still register as
a “free agent” and get placed on a team.
According to Ricardo Llado, a senior
management major who is in charge
of marketing and scheduling for the
intramurals program at Curry, the
most popular sports are basketball and
softball. Both sports have around 12
teams that participate.
The prize for winning a championship
is only a T-shirt, which has “Curry
College Intramurals” written across the
front and “Champions” on the back.
Still, Llado said students compete hard
to win it. But that’s not the point.
“It’s a great way to exercise and meet
new people in the Curry community,” he
said.
Neil Sabga, a management major who
competed in soccer intramurals, said
“the games are not always competitive,
except for a few teams.” But it’s still “a
great way to exercise and have fun.”
Thomas Verrico, the intramural
coordinator at Curry, began working at the
college last fall, coming from American
International College in Springfield,
Mass. He said he would like to start new
leagues, for sports such as field hockey
and tennis. In a survey that took place in
the fitness center, Wiffle Ball came out as
the unanimous choice to be offered as an
intramural game, he added.
As well as implementing new sports to
the program and possibly even multiple
divisions within a league based on skill
level, Verrico said he would like to get
more females involved.
“Intramurals gives something for you
to do,” he said. “It allows you to be part
of a team.”
In addition, Verrico said he wanted
to take Curry intramurals to “another
level.” This academic year, a Curry
team competed in a 5-on-5 intramural
basketball tournament at Boston
University, where the Curry squad went
0-3. Freshman Lincoln Wright was
named Curry’s team MVP.
Said Verrico, “I want to go nationally,
take students to conferences and get
them really involved in the world of
recreation.”
12
THE CURRIER TIMES
APRIL 2011
Sports
Spring
Wrap Up
page 11
The All-Time Greatest
“It was an amazing feeling to break
the record and a huge accomplishment
for me to have reached that point in my
career,” said Hansbury, who finished
the regular season with 93 goals and
37 assists. “I definitely feel relieved to
have broken the record, so now my main
focus can be on my team and winning
The Commonwealth Coast Conference
[tournament].”
The NCAA began keeping official
men’s lacrosse records at the start of
the 1971 season and women’s lacrosse
records in 1982. Curry’s Nikki MacKay,
who played from 2006 to 2009, held the
previous all-time women’s record, while
Salisbury University’s Jason Coffman,
who played from 1993 to 1996, held the
men’s. Both schools are in Division III.
Hansbury was actually unaware that
she broke the all-time NCAA points
record. When told of the feat, she said,
“To hear you say that makes it set in
more. I just thought of it as break a
record and another step in my lacrosse
career, but being the all-time leading
scorer in the NCAA is pretty awesome
to have under my belt.”
En route to the collegiate points
record, Hansbury became the all-time
leader in goals scored with 344. Eastern
University’s Andrea Collesidis had
held the record, totaling 342 from
1999 to 2002. With the regular season
complete—she scored 10 goals in her
final regular-season game, a 24-7 win
over Nichols College on April 23—
Hansbury still has the postseason to
pad her career marks.
Curry’s women’s lacrosse team
has had a great season to date,
going 9-2 in the conference and
14-3 overall. “We have had the best
season in the 11 years I have been at
Curry,” said Coach Caitlin Roberts.
“All of us have very high hopes for
the postseason and we are excited
for the challenge.”
As for the player who has led them
there, Roberts believes Hansbury’s
career marks might actually defy the
clichés.
“It’s amazing that Ashley had the
opportunity to break all-time career
points record,” Roberts said. “She
has worked so hard the past four
years and deserves every accolade
she receives. I have a feeling that
Ashley’s record will stick for a
while.”
Andrew Dilworth
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Ashley Hansbury became the all-time leading points scorer in NCAA lacrosse history,
for all divisions, women and men.
Three Cheers
for Seventh
By Erika Kuzmicz
With one of the youngest teams at the national collegiate
competition in Florida earlier this month, the Curry
College cheerleaders proved that age is just a number.
The Curry cheerleading team took seventh place at this
year’s NCA Nationals on April 8. Competing against 17
other teams in their division, the Colonels were the only
team to hit a clean routine, with no falls. They were also
one of only two teams to receive no penalties at the end of
the day, said Coach Nicole Palermo.
“Division III is very competitive and is one of the
largest divisions that compete at Nationals,” said Erin
Ryan, a junior on the team. “We competed against a lot
of extremely talented teams, so the team was quite happy
with seventh in the nation and we walked away feeling
very accomplished and satisfied.”
Bridgewater State University came in 1st place for
Division III, followed by Lindenwood University in Saint
Charles, Mo., and UMass Dartmouth, respectively.
According to Palermo, the biggest challenge for this
year’s Curry squad was bonding. More than two-thirds
of the cheerleaders were “rookies,” with 11 of the girls
new to the team. Ten of the girls are freshmen, with two
sophomores, three juniors and just one senior. The team
lost a lot of past members to graduation, transfer, and
some who thought it was too big of a time commitment,
Palermo said.
Competitive
cheerleading
is
a judged sport
in which timing
and precision are
hugely important.
Among
the
things
judges
evaluate—and
award or deduct
points for—are competitors’ balance through stunts,
the synchronization of team members, and the overall
difficulty of a routine. The higher the level of difficulty of
a stunt or tumbling pass, the higher score a team receives.
A minimum of 15 cheerleaders is needed to compete, with
a maximum of 20.
After the preliminary round, Curry advanced to finals
ranked No. 8, one spot higher than the team placed last
year. With a flawless routine, they were able to raise their
score even higher, to 8.124 and 7th place overall against the
11 other teams that competed in the final round.
“To take a small school like Curry College and give it
national recognition for cheerleading is our biggest goal,”
said Palermo. “Curry cheerleading deserves to be known.
These girls work so hard and it is finally paying off.”
The Curry cheerleaders started practicing in June 2010
Courtesy Photo
Cheerleading team takes seventh place
in Division III Nationals in Florida
after team tryouts in April, meeting once a month until
they moved onto campus in August. In early August, they
attended cheer camp at Boston University, where they
trained, learned new skills and competed to receive a bid
to nationals.
In the fall, they practiced twice a week, took tumbling
classes, had study hall twice a week, and cheered at all
home and away football games. In the winter, the team
practiced three times a week and attended all home men’s
basketball games. Practices ran about three hours and
intensity increased as nationals neared. “All of this work
to perform a 2:15 minute routine twice,” said Palermo.
“My first year competing (in 2009), we did not even
make it to nationals. Last year we placed ninth,” said
Ryan. “We moved another two spots this year, and I can
already tell our team next year has higher expectations to
place top five, if not three, in the nation.”