While many Keene State College student’s spent their spring break volunteering or vacationing, select spring sports teams had other work to do.

Women’s lacrosse traveled to Englewood, Fla. for a game against Salem State University on March 13, scoring 13 points in the first half giving them the lead. At the end of the game, the score had the Owls pulling a victory with 17 points against 4. On Friday, March 16, women’s lacrosse had another game in Englewood against Nazareth College. It was a neck and neck battle with the first half ending with KSC at five points and Nazareth at six. KSC lost their footing at the end and finished the game with a score of 9-12 against Nazareth.

KSC men’s lacrosse took a trip to Davenport Fla. for two games, the first on Monday, March 12, and the second on Wednesday, March 14. The first game saw the men’s team leading against Nichols College at end of the first half with a score of 9-2. During the second half, KSC held their lead and ended the game leading Nichols 14-4. The second game against Hamilton College tested the men’s lacrosse team with the first half ending with KSC behind by three points with a score of 7 points against Hamilton’s 10. At the end of the game KSC men’s lacrosse pulled through with a 1 point lead finishing the game 15-14.

KSC Softball had a big week in Florida over spring break. They had two games on Monday, March 12 in Minneola Fla. ,winning the first over Framingham State University with a score of 7-6. The second game saw the Owls struggling to score losing the game against Rutgers University 0-8. On Tuesday, March 13, KSC softball lost two back to back games in Clermont Fla., the first against Northwestern University with a score of 10-11 and the second had the University of New England pulling a win over KSC with a score of 2-3 against. KSC softball fell behind in two games on Thursday, March 15 in Minneola Fla. ending the first game against Lake Forest University 0-8. The second game had KSC losing by five points against Fitchburg State University with a score of 1-6. On Friday, March 16 in Clermont, Fla., Keene State College had another two losses. The first was against Albright College with a score of 4-7 against. The second was against St. Mary’s ending with a 4-6 loss. KSC softball had more luck on Saturday, March 17 in Clermont Fla. during their last spring break double header, beating Carroll University with a 4-3 score and beating Lawrence University by six points with a score of 12-6.

The Keene State baseball team saw mostly wins during their week in Florida. They started their week strong against Stockton College on Sunday, March 11 in Lakeland, Fla. ending the game with an 8-4 point win.

The team followed that up the next day with 12-7 lead against Colby-Sawyer College in Auburndale, Fla.. On Tuesday, March 13 in Auburndale, Fla. the Owl’s baseball team brought home another win with a 14-6 score against Fairleigh Dickinson University. The day after saw the Owls taking a couple of losses against Gordon College in Auburndale, Fla.. The first ended with a score of 3-13 against and the second with 2-12 against. They followed it up on Thursday, March 15 in Auburndale, Fla. with a 9-6 win against Bowdoin College. Friday’s game saw KSC come out on top in Winter Haven, leading McDaniel College 6-1. To end the string of spring break games, KSC baseball tidied up with a 14-6 win against Illinois Institute of Technology on Saturday, March 17 in Winter Haven, Fla..

Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

On Feb. 14, 2018, a former Keene State College student and former treasurer of Delta Xi Phi pleaded guilty and received a suspended sentenced for theft against the sorority.

Bridgette Lord was sentenced to the House of Corrections for 12 months, but Lord’s sentence will be postponed for one year under the condition that Lord complete 40 hours of community service within a six-month period. Once completed, Lord’s sentence will be suspended for three years.

On Jan. 22, 2018, the Grand Jurors for the State of New Hampshire presented that Lord did commit theft of unauthorized taking, which is a Class A felony, according to the Cheshire Superior Court Indictment.

However, Lord’s plea deal included the prosecutors removing her felony charge. Keene Sentinel reporter Paul Cuno-Booth wrote, “Judge David W. Ruoff said the sentence was light given that the case involved ‘a lot of money, repeated conduct, a breach of trust.’ But he said letters filed on Lord’s behalf and her cooperation with police helped convince him jail time was not needed in this case.” Cuno-Booth also reported Assistant Cheshire County Attorney John Webb mentioned her young age, her cooperation with the police, her regret and her consequential leave from KSC as contributing factors to the plea agreement.

Lord was also placed on probation for two years. The original sentence also included terms for payment of restitution which was made in the amount of $6,757.64 to Delta Xi Phi and it was, therefore, removed from the sentence.

In November, Bridgette Lord was charged for “theft of unauthorized taking” of over $1,501 from the dues submitted by members of Delta Xi Phi, according to a Superior Court Complaint document.

Also in November, The Equinox reported Officer Matthew Bomberg calculated the total of missing members’ dues to be $1,114 from the fall 2016 semester and $4,340 from the spring 2017 semester.

Coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Student Leadship Brandon Mathieu was unable to comment.

According to House of Corrections Sentence document,  Ruoff holds the ability to “impose or terminate the sentence or to suspend or further defer the sentence for an additional period of three years.”

Because of the severity of Lord’s charges, if she is caught stealing again, she will be automatically charged for a class A felony.

After the first year, Lord will be able to petition to have the sentence suspended.

Lord’s Attorney Richard Guerriero said, “At the hearing she apologized to members of the sorority who were in attendance.”

During Lord’s parole, she is allowed to belong to clubs or non-profits, as long as she does not hold a position that includes financial responsibilities.

Lord did not respond for comment.

Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

On Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m. the Student Assembly was called to order.

Coordinator of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Student Leadership Brandon Mathieu reported Interim President of Keene State College Melinda Treadwell addressed all who attended at  an all campus meeting on Feb. 16 to announce 55 members of faculty and staff took the voluntary separation agreement.

As one of the results, Jen Ferrell, formerly Director of Student Involvement, had a title change to Director of Campus Life.

Mathieu also reported Treadwell will be hosting a town hall meeting in Keene on Thursday, Feb. 22 to address the recent vandalism in KSC dorms.

Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

Puja Thapa can be contacted at pthapa@kscequinox.com

There are moments in most people’s lives in which they must decide whether they will spend the rest of their lives doing what they love or working in a cubicle the rest of their life.

For Keene State College junior Kyle Wilson and KSC alumnus Brendan Reid, glass blowing is more than just a hobby.

Wilson said, “Honestly, I’ve always been into glass and I hate spending thousands of dollars on pieces. I want to make them… January 18, 2017 was the day I lit my first torch,” Wilson said.

Reid started collecting glass pieces before he came to college.

“We both have been into the glass collecting scene, so that helped as the biggest influence I’d say,” Reid said. “I’ve invested a lot of time and money into different pieces and I’ve met different artists.”

Wilson and Reid have been roommates and good friends for about three years.

Together they have collaborated on pieces, whether it was giving advice on certain pieces, constructive criticism or assisting each other with jobs that take more than two hands.

“It’s a lot of heat and a lot of patience,” Wilson said. “I’m doing this for the rest of my life.”

Wilson said he wants to incorporate glass blowing into his graphic design course.

There are styles of glass blowing that incorporate smaller 3-dimensional images inside the glass making a design come to life, and still others that use photoshop and the shape of the glass piece to make one unique shape.

Reid graduated with a BA in Sustainable Product Design and Innovation (SPDI); Knowledge from which Reid said he uses for some of his personal work.

“They definitely go hand in hand. A lot of the production design is about different materials. I mean you spend a whole year learning about different types of materials,” Reid said.

Wilson said, “I bought all the equipment before I had a place to [blow glass] so I just said ‘The day I do have a place to do it I won’t have to buy all the equipment. I’ll have it already.’”

Reid said, “SPDI is a lot of innovation – The I at the end of SPDI. It’s a lot of just putting yourself out there and presenting your own stuff… we’ve done a couple of little festivals, nothing too big, I mean, we’ve sold our pieces at a couple little stores around town too.”

Glass blowing takes focus, planning creativity and care – virtues Wilson said he tries to apply to himself as a person on a day to day basis.

“I feel like being at the torch brings that out in me,” Wilson said.

Wilson said professional glass blower Mike Gong is Wilson’s biggest inspiration for his work. “Something about his work makes me feel like he’s my favorite artist… He’s got such a unique style.”

Reid said, “When it comes to the art side of [glass blowing], there are people who do the really psychedelic style pieces and then there are people who make more of a sculpture styles.”

Gong did not respond in time to make a comment.

Reid said glass blowing is generally thought of as an unprofessional art.

“But you have to look at it in a professional manner,” Reid said. “Just knowing that I have this ability just here now I need to just do it. If I don’t do it I’ll end up kicking myself.”

Sebastian Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequinox.com

The music program at Keene State College contains many different instrument specialties, but only one French horn player.

Micayla Mahoney is a music education major in her last year at KSC. She has been playing the French horn since fifth grade, but only became serious about it in her junior year of high school.

At first, when Mahoney developed an interest in music she wanted to play the clarinet. She said that when she chose the clarinet her music teacher said there were too many clarinet players in the band.

Mahoney said, “He [said] ‘here play the French horn’, and I said ‘what is this. I don’t know that I want to play this.’”

Sebastien Mehegan / Multimedia Director

As Mahoney has progressed through her schooling as a music education major, she found out to her surprise that young music students are not normally taught instruments as challenging as the french horn.

Mahoney said, “When you’re playing it, the intervals on the french horn… are a lot closer together.” Mahoney said compared to a trumpet, the French horn challenges the player more.

In her junior year of high school Mahoney chose to continue her education with a french horn although she had begun to develop an interest in the bass. “My high school band director [said] ‘you know there’s a lot of bass players out there.’ Which is true, you know, there are a lot of bass players out there and not a lot of horn players.”

Mahoney said that her drive for music is pushed by her belief that music impacts everyone in different ways. She wants to share the impact music has had on her life with other people.

When Mahoney came to KSC she had to start thinking about her senior project the minute she declared her major. Many seniors experience the same thing when they begin the music education track.

Mahoney and KSC senior music education major Holly Webster played in the Student Recital Series together.

Mahoney and Webster performed their recital on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Sebastien Mehegan / Multimedia Director

Webster said, “I’ve know about it since my freshman year. It’s kind of something we’ve looked forward to.”

Webster said she started working on her music for the recital during the spring semester of 2017. She said, “It’s been roughly a year that I’ve been working on these pieces.”

Webster played the viola during the recital. She has played the viola for 14 years. Webster said, “I stuck with it. I knew back when I was in elementary school. When I heard it I just decided to stick with it.”

Webster said she was inspired to continue with the viola because her teachers and professors took her to many shows.

“I guess it comes down to my love of playing,” Webster said.

During the Student Recital Series, Webster played many classical pieces including “Marchenbilder for Viola and Piano, OP. 113” by Robert Schumann and “Suite No.3 in C Major, BVW 1009” by J.S. Bach.

Webster said, “Sometimes the nerves kick in but sometimes…instead of thinking note to note you have to think, ‘what is the message I’m trying to communicate to the audience.’”

Mahoney said that for her to prepare for the recital she had an easier time with it than others because there are only so many pieces a French horn can play solo. Mahoney played pieces by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart “Rondo from the Horn Quintet in Eb Major, K. 407,” and “Concerto No.1 in Eb Major, Opes II” by Richard Strauss.

After the show both Mahoney and Webster expressed their relief to be done with their senior recital. They both felt that it went well.

Audience member and KSC student Adam Jeffrey said, “I felt that the pieces were diverse… And I felt that their performance went perfect.”

Jeffrey said he had seen both performers working on their pieces very hard over the last few semesters and he said they executed them well.

Sebastien Mehegan can be contacted at smehegan@kscequiox.com