In 2015, Keene State College received a “red light rating” for its discrimination and discriminatory harassment policy and a “yellow light” for its event planning policy.

These ratings were presented by The Foundation from Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). The FIRE organization reviews policies in public and private schools and gives them a rating based on violations against the First Amendment: green light, yellow light or red light.

Samantha Moore / Art Director

Every year, FIRE sends out a press release to the schools to  which they rated. To review what each rating means and how it applies to KSC’s policies, you can refer to The Equinox’s article “Red light: KSC policies receive negative free speech rating” posted on March 10, 2016.

As of September 2016, KSC’s ratings have not changed. FIRE released their ratings on Sept. 7 and KSC still has a red light for its discrimination and discriminatory harassment policy and a yellow light for its event planning policy.

Last March, Director of Policy Reform at FIRE Azhar Majeed responded to KSC’s low ratings. “These are basic policies that regulate student conduct and speech, to see restricted codes is troubling…it worries us,” Majeed said in a March 2016 article in The Equinox.

Although FIRE’s website says the policy ratings were updated Sept. 13 2015, in March of 2016, KSC’s Special Assistant to the President for Human Resources Carol Corcoran said she was unaware of which policies were “problematic.”

Corcoran also said she and the administration hoped to have had a response to the policy allegations before the spring 2016 term was over.

Corcoran was unavailable for comment about the unchanging ratings. KSC’s Director of Strategic Communications and Community Relations Kelly Ricaurte was asked for comments and she directed The Equinox to Title IX Discrimination and Harassment Coordinator Jeffrey Maher.

Last March, Maher was not aware that KSC received the red light rating. “I don’t know when that policy was created. I don’t know how long it’s been in existence,” Maher said in March.

In an email response, Maher stated many of Keene State’s policies “are adopted from system policies promulgated through the University System of New Hampshire.”

“I don’t have a historical perspective on how these policies were enacted,” he stated.

“While I’m certainly encouraged that The Equinox has chosen to shine a light on this important issue, I respectfully suggest that the college, through its actions, encourages a robust dialogue and exchange of ideas,” Maher stated.

“I can speak to one policy in particular that was updated in June 2016,” Maher stated. “Last year, a committee was formed to take a close look at Keene State’s sexual misconduct policy, and the committee discussed the complexities surrounding questions of free speech and conduct on campus. As a result of this discussion, the committee decided to include a new section in our policy,” he stated.

According to Maher, that section reads as follows:

“Freedom of Speech:

The protections of the First Amendment must be carefully considered in all complaints involving speech or expressive conduct. The fact that speech or expressive conduct is offensive is not, standing alone, a sufficient basis to establish a violation of this policy. Students and faculty in an educational environment have robust speech rights, including the right to freely examine, exchange and debate diverse ideas. Speech or expressive conduct that constitutes sexual harassment is neither legally protected expression nor the proper exercise of academic freedom.”

Though this section was added to the policy, KSC was still given red and yellow light ratings in Sept. 2016.

KSC senior Nicole Mowat stumbled upon these ratings from FIRE during a class last semester. To read more about how she came across the FIRE organization, you can refer again to the Equinox’s article “Red light: KSC policies receive negative free speech rating.”

When Mowat found out the ratings have not changed in the past year, she said it “is very concerning.” She said, “Students should be the first concern for a college and the fact that FIRE has given us a Red Light repeatedly for our discriminatory and harassment policies makes me question KSC rules around protecting students and making everyone  feel welcomed and valued.”

She said she believes the discriminatory and harassment policy is also “extremely vague” and “limits [student’s’] speech.”

“The yellow light rating on KSC’s event planning which is a policy that controls how students are allowed to express their opinion, is very restrictive and interferes with our freedom of speech,” Mowat said.

As for changes she’d like to see, Mowat said she “would like to see a change in the policy to allow more freedom and support towards the student voice.”

“Knowing my first amendment right is being limited brings me back to the same concerns I have about the policies around discrimination and harassment.

As KSC continues to restrain student voices we will continue to see a gap between the interest of students and the interest of the college,” she said.

In a follow-up phone interview with FIRE’s Majeed in early November of this year, he said it’s “disappointing” to see no change in KSC’s policy ratings.“We’re not asking for radical action,” Majeed said, “we’re just asking for schools to follow the law.”

Majeed said an important part of improving KSC’s policies is opening the revisions up to students. “It shouldn’t be that the administration comes up with the policies and students obey by them. Students should have input,” he said.

He said talking to students about what campus locations are really ideal [for public speech and event planning] and “what type of resources students would like available,” would be one way to get students involved with the revision of policies.

“Different schools face different challenges such as budget cuts or curriculum, but there is no reason free speech should be left behind,” Majeed said.

He said he encourages students to “be aware” of their rights on campus.

“I advise students not to be afraid to challenge administration, in a respectful and amicable way,” he said. “Be clear you have concerns,” Majeed said.

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com 

The KSC LGBTQA+ community got the opportunity to attend a post-high school prom. KSC Pride held the event on Saturday, Oct. 29 in the Mabel Brown Room. Although there was no dress code, many attendees dressed to impress in dresses, khakis and button downs.

As rainbow balloons fluttered through the room, KSC students and friends danced the night away. The music blasted through the Young Student Center, and the laughs could be heard from the first floor. Students giggled as they danced freely as LGBTQA+ individuals.

Tim Smith/Photo Editor

President of KSC Pride Sam Whitaker said this was the first Pride Prom in many years, but by 8 p.m. the dance floor was already full of attendees.

“We at Pride call it Pride Prom, but other people call it a second chance prom,” Whitaker said. “Sometimes when you go to high school and you’re not out, you end up going [to prom] with someone who might not be the gender of the partner you want to go with, or you can’t present as the gender you identify with,” Whitaker said. He said Pride Prom “is a chance for people in the community to go to a prom that’s inclusive towards them.”

Before the event, Whitaker said he had no idea what to expect for a turn out. He said that whether five or 500 people attended, the event “is doing what it’s supposed to do,” which is reaching out to people in the community who are interested and feel like they want this type of experience.

“Events like these are ways to very boldly put it out there that there are and can be events directed towards people within the [LGBTQA+] community, whereas people within the community often feel like events outside of these Pride events are sort of hetero-normally coded,” Whitaker said. He said Pride Prom is a place “where you can walk into the doors and you know you can be you. You can be out and not feel unsafe, not feel like you’re going to be judged.”

Tim Smith/Photo Editor

As a transgender individual, attendee Pan Norkiewicz said the event was very fun and a place where “you know you’re not going to get any stigma.” Norkiewicz’s girlfriend also attended the event and they were able to spend the night together without feeling judged.

Pride event coordinator Bobbi LaChance said the event was held because “[Pride] just really wanted to celebrate the community.”

“We want to celebrate ourselves, everything we’ve been through, our struggles and how we’ve bonded together,” she said.

She said this event was important for people whose high school prom wasn’t exactly what they wanted. “At a more formal event, you might be looked at funny for being yourself, for being with your chosen partner, but [at Pride Prom] everyone is just super accepting. It’s a safe place for them to come to let loose and have a good time,” LaChance said.

Though it was her first time coordinating an event for Pride, LaChance said everyone involved was very supportive. From the DJ to the lights manager, everyone was happy to help put on the event, she said. LaChance said the kitchen was more than happy to make rainbow cupcakes too.

Pride public relations representative Chrysanthe Pantazopoulos said she attended the event not only to support Pride, but to get more involved within the LGBTQ community. “Honestly getting more involved has been something very important to me ever since I started learning about the community,” she said.

Tim Smith/Photo Editor

Pantazopoulos said the event “was a blast.”

“Sure, people are more accepting of the [LGBTQ] community nowadays than they were a while back,” she said, “but now it’s even better because we have these pride walks, clubs and proms for people to come to and feel accepted in this kind of environment,” she said.

As for advice to someone who is looking to join Pride, Pantazopoulos encourages students to attend a Pride meeting. “You don’t have to talk [at the meeting], and if you feel comfortable, you can always come back,” she said.

Pride meets every Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m. for anyone in the LGBTQA+ community, as well as allies. On Wednesdays, Pride holds an event called Outspoken from 6 to 7:30 p.m. According to Whitaker, Outspoken is a more in-depth discussion group for people within the LGBTQA+ community only.

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

On Monday, Oct. 31, the Young Student Center was filled with students dipping apples into fountains of caramel while snacking on apple cider donuts to the beat of Halloween music.

Presented by Student Government, the Fall Festival ran from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Halloween. KSC students and faculty were able to participate in the festival simply by walking through the student center.

Colton McCracken/ Equinox Staff

Many organizations had tables set up to interact with students. Students were offered free candy, coupons and raffles as they walked through.

As soon as students walked through the doors, they were greeted by members of Student Government who offered them the chance to throw a dart and receive a coupon.

The organization had balloon darts set up and placed coupons behind them. Students had the chance to win coupons from D’s Deli, Bean and Bagel, Dunkin Donuts and The Works.

Student Representative for the University System of New Hampshire for KSC Sarah Dugas was at the table and said students could throw the dart until they won a prize. She also said she was most excited for the caramel fountains.

WKNH DJ’d the event, as they did the following year. “We used to DJ pumpkin lobotomy too,” Music Director Patrick O’Donnell said.

Colton McCracken/ Equinox Staff

O’Donnell said he loves djing school events.

“It’s really cool to see how when you play a song, people react to it,” he said. “It’s really cool because you get to set a tone for what everyone is doing and that’s really cool,” O’Donnell said.

Pumpkin painting was provided by the Class of 2018. According to Alayna LaBaire, the class spent their own money to supply pumpkins for KSC students.

“We were kind of upset we weren’t going to have pumpkin lobotomy, so we wanted to keep the theme of pumpkins along with fall,” LaBaire said.

She said they decided on pumpkin painting because it’s an “easy” and “fun” activity.

“People can paint pumpkins, or they can take a pumpkin and leave with them if they have to go to class,” she said.

Students were also at a table representing the Fair Trade Club on campus.

According to table manager Nicole Berrilli, fair trade is a social justice movement that helps try to empower farmers in third world countries to make sure that they are getting fair wages and good working conditions.

Colton McCracken/ Equinox Staff

“Fair trade also empowers women, helps equality, ends child labor and has environmental aspects so it helps try to save the environment as well,” Berrilli said.

The table had flyers explaining what fair trade is and had samples of the products.

“A lot of the time, we like to give out little samples of chocolate and Runa (organic tea) because these are the fair trade products we have in Lloyds and I know a lot of people enjoy them,” she said.

Other student organizations at Fall Festival included Big Brothers Big Sisters, Social Activities Council and many more.

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

As a nursing major, Keene State College senior Aryanah Haydu went about her day taking classes, doing homework and studying for tests, but behind the door of the soon-to-be psych nurse was a girl that was passionate about writing.

After taking her ITW class, “Literature of Social Justice” her first year at Keene, the Essex, Connecticut native was approached by her professor who told her she was in the wrong major. “[Professor Jack Bouley] told me I should really consider switching my major to writing,” Haydu said.

During her class, Haydu wrote about how rap culture conveys African American history.

Though she was encouraged by her professor, Haydu continued her sophomore year as a nursing major. “I talked to my parents [about switching] and they weren’t having it,” she said. Haydu said she didn’t feel “super immersed” in the nursing major.

After taking nursing classes, Haydu realized that she hadn’t taken one psychology class to help her become a psych nurse. “The program wasn’t like that at all,” Haydu said. “I felt like I was just doing things for the sake of doing them and getting it over with.”

After much consideration, Haydu decided to pull the trigger and become a writing major.

Colton McCracken/ Equinox Staff

“It came to the point at the end of my sophomore year that I just told my parents, ‘Sorry if you don’t support me, but I’m going to switch to writing,’” Haydu said.

As her junior year began in 2015, Haydu dove into the writing major full speed.” The good thing about the nursing major,” Haydu said, “is that they make you take all of your integrative studies classes early because you have to do clinical.”

Haydu was in great shape to make the switch. Her junior year was full of strictly writing classes: experimental essay writing, creative nonfiction, fiction workshop, literature analysis, etc.

Just before making the switch, Haydu heard the rumors that the nursing program would be making cuts. “I had pretty good grades, but it was always in the back of my mind,” she said. “I knew there was a lot of people that wanted to be in the nursing program that weren’t, or who would have been kicked out, so I maintained average,” she said.

Haydu said the cuts the nursing program was making “affected her decision” to switch to writing.

Although it usually is a struggle for any student to switch majors during their junior year and still graduate on time, Haydu made it work. After taking her IS classes her first two years at Keene, she was able to take all of the required classes to fulfill her writing major in just three semesters.

Haydu will actually be graduating early in December of 2016.

Haydu said she hates the question, “What do you want to do with writing?” She said people call her major stupid, and that she’ll never be successful.

“I’ve always had a passion for writing ever since I was little kid; I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she said. As for her future, Haydu wants to prove everyone wrong and be a successful writer. She said she wants to work as a content writer for a non-profit organization.

Right now, Haydu is working for NextGen Climate as a content writer, and she has even worked for KSC’s Eco Reps, writing content for their website. Eventually, Haydu said she wants to teach writing at the University level and maybe even write and publish some of her own work.

Although she will no longer be a psych nurse, Haydu said she can still combine psychology within her writing. “You need to know things about other people and psycho-analyze other people and yourself,” she said.

Five years from now, Haydu sees herself out west, preferably in Colorado or Utah, working with a company whose values she agrees with.

As for advice for other students looking to make a dramatic change in major, Haydu said “it’s definitely worth it to do something you want to do.”

“You’re here paying for classes, so it should be improving you and bringing you somewhere you want to go,” she said. Haydu said she has heard many seniors say that they wish they had chosen a different major, and she believes doing something you love will be worth it in the end.

“Screw people who ask you what you want to do with your life and tell you your major is pointless,” she said.

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

The population of people who suffer from homelessness in Keene, New Hampshire, is not an issue that can easily be ignored.

Instead of ignoring the issue of homelessness, KSC’s own Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) decided to do something about it.

The second annual “TKE in a Box” ran from Oct. 2 through Oct. 8 on the Student Center lawn. The brothers of TKE built a shelter out of cardboard boxes and slept in it for seven days to simulate similar effects of homelessness.

Risk Management Leader of TKE Matthew Ownes slept in the box last year. “We kind of threw it together last year and we had a lot of trouble with the rain,” Ownes said.

He said the fraternity took rain into consideration this year and built a sturdier frame for the box.

“[Last year] we could only fit four or five people, but this year we fit ten comfortably,” he said. Ownes also said at one time they had 12 brothers sleeping in the box this year.

As a South Boston native, Ownes said he interacts with people who suffer from homelessness all the time.

“Being on a college campus secludes you from that,” Ownes said. “Homelessness in Keene is definitely a problem we want people and students to be aware about,” he said.

Weather is a large issue for these people. One of Keene’s homeless shelters, Hundred Nights, opens during the one hundred coldest winter nights from 7pm to 7am.

The TKE brothers said they knew how cold some fall nights could be, but this year was no comparison to the weather they battled last year.

Ownes said last year, the temperature dropped to ten degrees.

Tim Smith/ Photo Editor

KSC was worried about the conditions TKE was going through, but the fraternity stuck it out.

“This year we insulated the whole thing with boxes,” Ownes said. “It was cold, but we only got down to about 30 degrees. Everyone said it was fine; they weren’t too cold.”

TKE member Dan Keady was also in the box both this and last year. He said the first year was “rough.”

Keady said the construction of the box was different this year and better planned out because the fraternity now has “committees,” such as the construction committee, which Ownes is a part of.

“The construction committee measured how much material we needed. They designed [the box], and this year, we were lucky enough to have a plywood roof,” Keady said.

Keady said the box “[wasn’t] insulated” last year and that the brothers were “still exposed to the elements” while in the box. Keady said only a few structural changes were made this year, and the planning of the box went much smoother and more refined.

Last year, there was chatter on Twitter and Yik Yak that TKE was “faking” their experience in the box because an electric wire ran from the Student Center to the box.

Keady said the wire had “no implication on [their] stay overall.”

“This electricity, it’s charging our cell phones and laptops so we can do homework,” Keady said. “We’re simulating similar effects of being homeless; obviously we can’t reach the full potential because we have resources like laptops and phones so we can do school work. Above all, we’re here [at KSC] scholastically for education,” he said.

Regarding the wires, Ownes said there are “people in tents,” but TKE “definitely wanted to keep the box- esc style.” Keady said, “We had trouble with the rain, so we had to make reinforcements for weather, but that’s one of the only changes we made.”

The fraternity said the community was more involved this year compared to last.

Keady said there was an acoustic set in front of their box to attract people to their table where they were collecting donations and canned goods to give the Hundred Nights Shelter and the Community Kitchen.

“We’ve surpassed donations,” Keady said. He said last year, they had approximately $300 worth of donations. This year, he said, they raised around $550 and approximatley 330 cans of food compared to last year of approximatley 190.

The fraternity brothers also projected movies on their box for the KSC community to join them in their raising awareness of homelessness.

“We’re really pressing our values of love, charity and esteem,” Keady said.

TKE brother Joe Sansone was the Vice President of the fraternity last year. This year, he is in charge of organizing brother bonding. Sansone said he thought TKE in a box went very well this year, compared to last.

“This year was much more organized than the first year. Last year was kind of like the ‘alpha’ run on the event. We had never done it before, we were just doing whatever popped into our heads,” he said.

“This year was a lot more of a ‘beta’ test because the event’s structure and legitimacy is nowhere near complete, but the fraternity really took advantage of building around the skeleton we established last year,” Sansone said.

Sansone said the brothers were well-prepared this year. He said the expirience they had last year “really helped” to plan this year’s event.

As for future TKE boxes, Sansone said the brothers have a lot to learn.

“I don’t think the event is really solidified in our minds as far as how we’re going to run it in the future,” he said, “We’re going to learn from what went right and what went wrong, and we’re going to modify it every year until it’s perfect.”

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

Campus Safety reported to a “clown sighting” that was posted on Twitter and Yik Yak on Monday, Oct. 3.

Shortly after midnight, Campus Safety saw a tweet from a Twitter account “Clown Watch” that stated: “Keene, N.H. On bike path near butler court at Keene State.” Campus Safety officers were immediately dispatched to the scene and the Keene Police Department (KPD) was also contacted.

Four Campus Safety officers and two KPD officers searched the area around Butler Court and did not find any suspicious activity. “No clown(s) or suspicious individuals were found at any point during this search in any area on campus,” Campus Safety stated in an e-mail to all faculty and staff.

The officers did find KSC students who were also searching for said “clowns.” The students were informed a search was being conducted and were asked to return to their residential halls.

The e-mail stated that KSC community members are “rightly concerned” about incidents like these and that sightings of this sort have happened in various states including New Hampshire.

Campus Safety encourages community members to be “vigilant and concerned,” but informed the community to not act on information like this.

“Report suspicious activity directly to Campus Safety; if second or third hand information is passed along to you, please share this information with Campus Safety as well,” Campus Safety stated.

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

Senator Bernie Sanders will be back in Keene, N.H. for a rally to support Hillary Clinton. The event will be taking place on Friday, Oct. 7 at the Redfern Arts Center at 2 p.m. Doors will open at 1 p.m. According to Hillaryclinton.com, attendees should park in either the Elliot Center parking lot or the Spaulding Gymnasium lots. Overflow parking will be in the Winchester Street lot, which will have shuttles to campus. Attendees will also be able to use the footbridge to cross over to campus. This rally is sponsored by Hillary Clinton’s campaign as a way to make “Keene Stronger Together with Bernie Sanders.”

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

For some students, college may be about staying awake in class long enough to walk across the stage with a diploma, but for Keene State College junior Gregory Hemmer, college has been the time to help educate other students about their future employment.

The Londonderry, N.H., native grew up athletic, outgoing and not really focused on the professional side of things. “I wasn’t focused on the future,” Hemmer said.

Hemmer and his business partner, University of New Hampshire student Brendan Murphy, created an idea to start a company strictly to help students “take control of their online reputation.”

The two are also working with Travis Brodeen, owner of the marketing firm Envoken in Austin, Texas.

Hemmer discovered that employers don’t see a lot of positive content when looking up millennials for potential employment and he decided it was time for something to be done about it.

After taking a design and construction course here at KSC, Hemmer said he was inspired to create a website about himself, rather than a website he wouldn’t use in the future.

“I used my website to apply for a few internships, and I was hired as a marketing intern at a car dealership in my hometown,” Hemmer said.

He said the first thing his employer said to him was how blown away he was that [Hemmer] had his own website.

“[His employer] said he didn’t even bother to look me up on Facebook, as many employers do, after he saw my website,” Hemmer said.

Rather than setting aside the website, Hemmer was inspired to help other people his age take control about what their future employers view about them online.

Hemmer and Murphy created a website called Resumysite where students can easily create their own website complete with their resume, biography, photos and any other content they would like employers to see.

Tim Smith/ Photo editor

The two of them are currently in the process of gaining investment to finally create their vision.

“We realized that a lot of people our age weren’t getting hired as quickly as they’d like for internships, and the people we knew who had already graduated had to settle for a job they didn’t really want right away,” Hemmer said.

He said he and Murphy did some research to see why this was.

“We did some research and found out that our generation has a really bad reputation with older people; they judge us a lot,” Hemmer said.

He said that their research showed that 80 percent of employers are searching job candidates’ names online before even calling them for an interview.

“Our research showed that millennials are known to feel that they are worth more than they really are,” Hemmer said.

“Employers think our parents give us anything we want and that we don’t have a strong work ethic,” he said.

Hemmer wanted to change that.

Currently studying management with a specialization in marketing, Hemmer said his current goal is to educate as many students as possible about how they can control what employers see online.

“We want to go around the country to as many schools as possible just to educate students about what employers are looking for,” Hemmer said.

He said he and Murphy don’t want to advertise their company to students.

“The worst thing you could do is talk to students and have them think you’re tricking them into buying something,” he said.

He said speaking to students is just “a part of the journey.”

He said he wants to inform students about how employers really are looking students up before calling them for an interview, and how it is important that students take control of what they view.

“Sometimes, Google searches show up as completely different people, and that can confuse employers,” Hemmer said.

He said that with all the competition in the world, employers are going to choose the candidates who impress them the most.

“If candidates have good things about them online, that impresses employers and puts those people ahead before they even go in for an interview,” he said.

“We really just want to help students put their best foot forward in the job market today,” Hemmer said.

Hemmer said he plans to gain investment to develop his company within the next three months, but right now, his focus is strictly on informing students about what employers can view online.

He and Murphy will be booking their first event to speak to students within the first week of October.

They said they plan on starting local at community colleges and surrounding state schools.

Then after they gain credibility, they will travel the country to speak to students from all around the United States.

“Our goal is just to educate as many students as we can,” he said.

Hemmer said students that are interested in the company can sign up online at Resumysite.com.

As of their first week, Hemmer said they had over 1,000 sign ups.

As for his own future, Hemmer said he sees himself running his own company in five years.

“Some people are okay with working nine to five everyday, but I just don’t want to be working 40 hours a week for someone else when I could be doing my own thing,” he said.

He said his dream is to be able to hire his smart and responsible friends to work for him so he can create the best business possible.

To any other students hoping to start their own company one day, Hemmer advises them to work hard.

“It’s all about taking action,” he said. “We have one life to live and you can actually do anything you want to do, you just have to work towards it.”

Just because students are still in school, Hemmer said, doesn’t mean they can’t start a business.

“People think that they can’t start a company because they’re in college and broke, but anyone can do it,” Hemmer said.

“Anyone can start their own company if they have the ambition to do so.”

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

In addition to putting on their caps and gowns, Keene State College’s Eco Reps hope seniors will pick up a reusable water bottle before heading to graduation next month. The Eco Reps have proposed to reduce the volume of disposable water bottles used on campus by at least half. “We seek to eliminate the practice of placing a disposable plastic water bottle under each graduate’s seat,” the Reps said in their official proposal statement.

As an alternative, the Reps plan to have barrels of chilled water available on an as-needed basis. The student Eco Reps will serve as water stewards to distribute the water, according to their proposal. Sodexo will provide water stations for students to refill their water bottles as needed, as well as a concession stand for beverages and food, according to the Reps.

“This is necessary to help us move toward creating a greener graduation,” Eco Rep Advisor Cary Gaunt said. “KSC cares deeply about our communities — certainly the campus community of students, faculty and staff, but also the broader human and ecological communities where we live, work, study and play,” Gaunt said.

The Reps said disposable plastic water bottles conflict with KSC’s commitment to sustainability under the [KSC’s] American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) for carbon-neutrality. The Reps of this proposal also made the case that most bottled water sources “are filtered tap water drawn from municipal water sources located in drought-stricken areas.” These products include Pepsi and Aquafina, both sold at KSC. “Buying water is so much more expensive than what comes free from the tap,” Gaunt said.

George Amaru/Art director

Throughout the semester, the Reps have been collecting signatures from KSC students and pledges from seniors to show [the Eco Reps] have support from the student body to ban the plastic bottle at commencement. According to Eco Rep Victoria Drake, the Reps have approximately 390 signatures. “[Gaunt] has met with people on campus including President Huot, but we just have to keep pushing for more meetings,” Drake said.

Senior Sam Magee said she’s on board with banning the bottle at commencement. “It would be pretty cool to get rid of plastic,” she said. “Everyone should be using reusable water bottles.” Magee said her only concern would be refilling a reusable water bottle during the ceremony. “I guess if [students] bring a full bottle of water, [they’ll] be fine,” she said.

Gaunt expressed that this project not only eliminates plastic on campus, but it also saves the college money. According to their proposal, the Commencement Team spent $1,900 on disposable plastic water bottles last year and only ten percent were consumed in entirety. “Almost $1,700 of the $1,900 investment was lost,” the proposal said.

The Reps said they hope to gain support from graduates, as well as the campus community in order to create a greener campus.

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com

On May 7, Keene State College seniors will take their final walk down Appian Way, walk across the stage and begin their lives as KSC Alumni. Graduates will be handed their diploma at 1 p.m., rain or shine, on Fiske Quad. Family and friends are welcomed to join, and are encouraged to arrive as early as 10:30 a.m. to reserve a seat.

As the seniors prepare for the big day, they begin to look back at the last four years of their lives. Whether it be freshmen-move-in day nerves, the first time eating alone in the dining commons or that one professor that changed their view of the world, seniors have a lot to reflect on before their final walk.

Senior Stephanie Durvin said some of her favorite memories at KSC were playing on the rugby team. “I was scared to join the team originally, but I knew I wanted to join some type of club,” she stated. Durvin encourages incoming KSC students to join a club or “anything that sounds remotely interesting. Many of the opportunities that I have had come from the clubs I have been a part of,” she said.

Durvin said she will miss KSC’s popular clam chowder. “I look forward to it every Friday,” she said.

Durvin will be graduating with a degree in elementary education with a concentration in general science. After graduation, Durvin will be staying in Keene to start the Master’s program in special education here at KSC. “I love the school and all of the professors,” Durvin said. “So why not stay a little longer?”

Senior Vinny Parilla is taking a different route after graduation. He said he and his girlfriend will be moving to Raleigh, North Carolina. A “spontaneous decision,” but one he said he is looking forward to. “We want to travel and experience some culture shock,” Parilla said. “We feel that we have seen everything there is for New England to offer.”

Although he will be hundreds of miles away, Parilla said he will miss Keene, New Hampshire. “The thing I will miss the most about Keene has to be living on Blake Street and having all different types of friends living on the same street or the streets around me,” he said. Parilla said he likes the convenience of how close he is to campus. “That convenience is something I am going to have to adjust to when I am done at Keene,” he said.

As a player of the KSC baseball team, Parilla said it was difficult to balance his social life while keeping his grades up. “I have lived to be ready for anything that may come up and take the opportunities to relax when I get them,” he said.

Tim Smith / Photo Editor

The beauty of KSC’s campus in the fall is admired by many students. KSC senior Samantha Franks said she is going to miss those beautiful autumn days and her walks down Appian Way. She said her favorite room on campus is the Mountain View Room because she can see Mt. Monadnock. “The atmosphere is welcoming and friendly and KSC really feels like a second home for me,” she said.

As an exercise science major with a minor in health specialization, Franks said it wasn’t always easy balancing work and play, but “at the end of the day, school work always comes first.” With the help of her professors, Franks said she is prepared to “enter the real world.” Franks continued, “I’ve learned so much and I have my professors to thank for that,” she said. “I look forward to what the future holds.”

KSC senior Caroline Hird is another senior dedicated to balancing school and sports. She is a double major in elementary education and math, as well as a member of the women’s ice hockey team. She said she liked all of her professors and enjoyed the small atmosphere of the math department. “All of the professors get to know you well and show you that they care about you,” she said.

The food is something Hird said she will also miss. “This is the last time I’ll have food made and ready for me at the drop of my hat without having to do the dishes,” she said. Hird said she likes the familiarity of the Keene atmosphere and the fact that her friends are just minutes away.

Hird said she encourages incoming freshmen to “utilize everything KSC has to offer,” such as free laundry and not having to cook or do dishes. To the incoming seniors, Hird says, “Don’t wait until second semester to fit everything in that you want to do your senior year.” She encourages seniors to thank their family and friends, book graduation restaurant reservations as early as nine months ahead and live in the moment. Hird said, “Snap stories won’t last forever, so make sure you enjoy your time while you are living in it.”

MacKenzie Clarke can be contacted at mclarke@kscequinox.com