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THE PAUW WOW

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News Campus

Celebrates

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OpinionA Letter to

the Freshman

page 9

EXCLUSIVEFirst Look Inside the

Student Center

Construction Making Progress; Yet Student Opinions Divided

By Ksenia stsepyetKinaContributing Writer ‘14

It’s hard to miss. At 6-stories high, it’s the tallest building on Montgomery Avenue. While it’s not quite finished yet, St. Peter’s University’s newest building, the Mac Mahon Student Center is right on schedule to being opened for business.

The shell of the structure towers over Millennium Hall as construction workers put in hours of labor to fill it with dining halls, offices, lounges, and much more.

With the layout of the floors completed, rooms have already been assigned to, and in some cases designed specifically for clubs and organizations like the Student Government Association, the school radio station, WSPC, the offices of Campus Ministry and Community Service, and the Student Entertainment Board. A new addition to the family of student services will be an office designated to helping commuter students since they make up about half of the student body. The building will also contain two dining floors, lounges, a game room, and an outside seating area on the balcony of the second floor.

As the community prepares for the center, St. Peter’s has been inviting donors and alumni of the school to take a tour of the

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September 19, 2012

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Saint Peter’s University is taking on a serious name and a prominent position in Jersey City and in the American university system, but what propels us to the forefront of the community’s thoughts is not the administration, faculty, or even our new name. It’s the students.

Since we’re all capable of making news, it’s important to have a great platform to shout that news from. We at Saint Peter’s have been undergoing some major changes recently, and the Pauw Wow is wants to get in on these improvements.

This year, our focus will be on news that matters to you, the students. We’re kicking up our online media to make it easier

than ever to read the university’s news, as well as transforming our print editions. Hopefully, by the end of the semester, we’ll be publishing weekly rather than biweekly, so our news will always be fresh and our features will always be relevant.

Our editorial board is full of new faces and our staff is full of eager writers and photographers. We’ve created a new position for an online editor, filled by Dylan Smith, so keep an eye out for the Pauw Wow on twitter and facebook. We have a new advisor, Professor Ernabel Demillo head of the journalism department. I’m the new editor-in-chief (my name’s Rose Driscoll) and I could not be more excited

to be taking leadership within the paper. We pretty much want to blow your mind this semester, because we know that students at this school are capable of fantastic accomplishments, whether in academia, sports, research, business or art.

I know we have room to improve here at Saint Peter’s, and the Pauw Wow is not exempt from that. Rather than complaining about what’s wrong, we want to make those things a call to action, not just for the administration, but for the students. After all, this is our university, and there are great opportunities to be had here.

Not only is Saint Peter’s a great resource, we also have so many great resources at our disposal.

There are glittering cities on each side of the river, museums of art, history, and industry all around us, and the ability to travel from here, the center of the world, to any of its corners. We, as students of Saint Peter’s, have opportunities to shine professionally, artistically, scholastically, and athletically that are afforded to few others in the country.

I want to urge all our students to take those opportunities and make the most of them. We at the Pauw Wow are committed not only to the improvement of our school but also to the support of its students. We’ll give you plenty to read this year if you give us things to write about! After all, you make the news; we just report it.

New Year, New Focus.A letter from the Editor

Visit the Website:

Continued From Page 1

W e l c o m e returning students, faculty, administrators,and Class of 2016!

Student Center Construction Making Progress; Yet Student Opinions Divided

By Ksenia stsepyetKinaStaff Writer ‘14

unfinished building. Those who have seen the structure are very excited about the direction in which the university is headed. The conference rooms and the auditorium on the top floor have the potential to become sources of income for the school, according to some alumni.

The Student Center will become

the new heart of the campus. The plan is to empty out Dinneen Hall and move everything across the street. All of these changes will affect the look of the campus, and the students in it.

“The presence of the student center will encourage students to stay on campus instead of walking around Jersey City, and it will give commuters a place to hang out,” said John Paul Herrera, a a commuter.

“I am impressed that it is being built so quickly!” said Tracy Soriano,Vice President of Activities, who is also a commuter.

The students who do not live on campus are very excited about the center, however there are a few residents who do not share the excitement.

“I don’t understand the need for the student center, we could have used that space for something more pertinent to the students, like parking,” said a concerned Saint Peter’s student who asked to remain anonymous.

Other students are worried about the shift of the center of campus further away from the apartments down the hill.

While, the center was designed with the students in mind, it seems not everyone is thrilled. This is despite marketing efforts, like a large open lounge space, fitness center, and ‘green space’.

But others are looking forward to the changes. And maybe everyone will change their minds when the center is finished and opened to the public.

“I am very excited to watch our school keep moving forward,” said Herrera. Photo by Ksenia stsePyetKinaPhoto by Ksenia stsePyetKina Photo by Ksenia stsePyetKina

“Where is Everyone Who is Supposed to be Working at ResLife?”

By Dylan smithOnline Editor ‘14

Just days before the new semester had started, many students were told that there was no longer a spot for them to dorm on campus. The reason behind the displacement of many students is the reported renovations being done to the only non-freshmen dorm on East Campus, Saint Peter’s Hall, also

known on-campus as SPH. This led to many students, regardless of class year, being moved into the only remaining spots on campus – primarily the two freshmen dorms, Millennium and Whelan Hall.

“I didn’t find out until the day I moved in, I didn’t know that [Saint Peter’s Hall] was shut down, and I didn’t know where they had moved me to - [I didn’t know] anything,” said Sofia De Pierola, a senior currently dorming within the freshmen dorms despite having

chosen a room within SPH. “I didn’t get any type of letter telling me, ‘Oh, this is your move-in day’. Nothing.”

This kind of behavior from Residence Life is nothing new for the students of Saint Peter’s University, who have had, in recent history, many issues with the way Residence Life has gone about certain aspects of dorming life. Last semester saw students complaining about the way isolated incidents of theft within East Campus dorms resulted in

dorm-wide fees and charges, while actions like poorly promoted room checks one semester and over-reaching Resident Assistants, according to students, have created what some students feel is a disconnect between what dorming life needs and what those with and connected to Residence Life can offer.

The relevance of Graduate Assistant positions under Residence Life have even been questioned by students. Some students feel as though those

who are Graduate Assistants do not complete any beneficial tasks around campus, and wouldn’t care if the positions were done away with.

Graduate Assistants are graduate students who help with the daily issues of dorming on campus and also helped organize this year’s Peacock Flock, where students are offered the chance to move into their dorming assignments early if they agree to help both upperclassmen and freshmen move into their

News

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September 19, 2012

Campus Celebrates: Saint Peter’s University Status!

By emily alequinArts Editor ‘14

You’ve heard the buzz and rumors and received countless e-mails. And maybe you’ve just started to notice all the newly designed banners and campus building signs posted outside. As you walk along Kennedy Boulevard and come across Saint Peter’ recognizable bridge, you’ll notice that the usual bright, blue letters that used to read Saint Peter’s College have now been replaced by a newly designed school emblem with big, bold, black letters that reads: Saint Peter’s University.

In celebration of this historic transition, a mass and a campus BBQ took place on Wednesday, September 12th for all members of the SPU community to enjoy. Tables and fold-up chairs were already being set-up in the early morning while the food was being prepared for the impending rush of students, faculty, staff and alumni. By 1pm, the campus quad was filled with crowds of students and faculty trying to get on the long lines of people waiting for hot dogs, hamburgers, and their usual snacks and sweets. However, not even the food could fully distract students from noticing the blue and white decor and the large school banner hanging above the O’ Toole library. Let’s not forget the Saint Peter’s backdrop behind the podium, where University President Eugene Cornacchia stood to address the campus community about our transition.

The speech was short and to the point: Saint Peter’s College has become a University and with that, we will continue to strive to achieve our dreams and make our mark, President Cornacchia told the crowd.

So what do students think?“‘University’ usually shows

more, I don’t know, prestige, I guess? So, I hope it will be

beneficial to the students when they go looking for jobs,” said one student, who wished to remain anonymous, when asked what she thought about the name-change from College to University. “I know that they’re trying to get the Saint Peter’s name out there.”

Rosemarie Suarez, a senior and Clinical Psychology major who was enjoying the nice weather for the event, was excited about coming to the event.

“I was actually really looking forward to this,” said Rosemarie. “I know more people now than I did freshman year when I was too afraid to come to things like this and now it’s more fun to come with friends.”

When asked about the school’s new status as university, Rosemarie had a different opinion than others.

“To be honest, I kind of miss the title of “college”,” admitted Rosemarie. “It’s been around longer and it made us sound like a smaller, closer community. Now whenever I hear “University” it sounds like such a big name to live up to that it feels like people will be more focused on being a big university. I don’t want us to lose that sense of community at our school.”

But Rosemarie is hopeful that the new status will lead to positive changes.

“With the new name comes some new recognition, I hope,” said Rosemarie. “Whenever I tell other friends or other people back where I live that I go to Saint Peter’s they always ask ‘where? That a college? Do you mean Saint Peter’s Prep? I thought that was only an all boy’s school’ so I just want that all to stop so people can know more about this school.”

As time drew closer to 2PM, the crowds of students still continued to flow through the quad, headed both to class and to get some last -minute food while they still had the chance. As one of the first campus events of the fall semester,

the celebratory BBQ in the Quad helped to open-up the new school year for many. Open flames

accompanied by the bright and hot sun, feel good music of decades past and a strong charcoal scent

really brought back the feelings of summer for the fall semester students, even for just a short hour.

dorms on specified days. This helpfulness is why some argue in favor of those positions’ relevance.

“I know for a fact that [the Graduate Assistant] roles are important, as they act as admins [to the community], other than Khalif [Jackson] and Omar [Mahmoud],” said Ashley Taylor, a Resident Assistant on West Campus. “Last night, we had an incident, and [one of the Graduate Assistants] was there. She came from class and was there. I couldn’t have done it without her.”

Another Resident Assistant, who works on East Campus, and did not want their name published, believed that if a resident felt as if any position within Residence Life was useless, they did not

know anything about the in’s and out’s of how Residence Life works and how crucial each position is to the overall goal of the campus.

One area many students do agree on is that Residence Life is understaffed. On the college’s official website, positions for an Assistant Director of Residence Life for Community Development and an Assistant Director of Residence Life for Housing Developments are listed as vacant, with the latter position being extremely important to the current dorming issues.

The job description for the latter states, “The Assistant Director serves as the primary contact for housing-related issues and provides information

to applicants, students, parents, staff, and the college community regarding housing availability, occupancy and facilities”

Before parting ways with the school, Michael DeJager had acted within the Housing Developments position, according to the official college website, and had, as some students say, a better reputation than those who work within Residence Life now, especially that of the current Director, Honey Minkowitz.

DeJager’s position was detailed, in terms of duties, as, “Through their leadership, the Assistant Director [of Residence Life for Housing Developments] will provide a framework for housing operations, assist in crisis

management during an on-call rotation, enforce College policies, and other duties as assigned. This person will help provide leadership to a growing residential population of students through the abovementioned supervision.”

Several students spoke to The Pauw Wow and commented on how they felt that DeJager was more willing to work with them and correct a mistake that would happen on the school’s end of dorming than they’ve been faced with this year with a new staff.

Honey Minkowitz, the Director of Residence Life, was contacted for information by The Pauw Wow, but an auto-generated reply stated that she was away and would not

be reachable before this edition’s deadline. Omar Mahmoud, the East Campus Director within Residence Life, was also contacted for information, but directed us back to Honey Minkowitz when emailed. Similar confusion in communication is what several students mentioned when talking to The Pauw Wow about Residence Life.

“They have nobody working for them and there’s no real director,” said De Pierola. “It’s gone down hill. [If you try] calling, all you ever get is the secretary. [When] going to ResLife in person, all you get is the secretary. It’s like, where is everyone who is supposed to be working at ResLife?”

Continued from Page 3

Rocking the Youth Vote By Rose DRiscollEditor-in-Chief ‘14

You may not realize it, but someone out there is dying to get your attention. They’ve never heard of someone as desirable as you are. They’ve been trying for months now and, in the next six weeks, they are only going to try harder to get you to notice them.

While you might think it is someone who has a crush on you, we’re actually talking about President Barack Obama and his Republican opponent for the 2012 election, Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Both are spending millions of dollars on ad campaigns to get your vote on November 6.

Five million more Americans exercised their right to vote in 2008 than in 2004. Of that increase, 66% were Hispanic and 65% were black, and voters between the ages of 18 and 29 were more strongly represented than in any past election.

The phenomenon of a heavy youth vote is very rare. Professor Sanders, head of the political science department at

Saint Peter’s University, said, “Historically, the youth vote is difficult to obtain. Older voters are more reliable.” Though the youth turnout in the 2008 election was notable in contrast to other elections, it still wasn’t that great in comparison to the number of voters 29 and older.

According to a Gallup Poll, only 58% of young voters participate in each election, as compared to the national average of 78% percent eligible voters across age ranges. The 2008 election saw an 8% increase in the youth vote, which political experts say can be attributed to the possibility of electing a first Black president.

This November, President Obama will have to rely on more than just “being cool” to be re-elected. For instance, the recent revelation of his stance on gay marriage was seen by many as an attempt to bring back his voters from 2008.

Linda Giang, an aspiring political journalist and recent Saint Peter’s graduate, said, “In the last election, we were just excited to have a black president. We didn’t really look into his policies.”

Now, however, the Republicans and Democrats seem more determined to draw stark party lines, where sometimes an election can just be choosing the lesser of two evils.

“The Democrats get young votes by focusing on education and loans,” said Giang. “This stuff really affects us now because we’re older. We have to turn off the Kardashians and turn on CNN.”

The Democrats are aware that many of their policies, especially with regard to education, appeal more to young voters. During his 2008 campaign, Obama visited many college campuses, Saint Peter’s being among them.

“Of course the candidates are going to court the youth vote aggressively,” said Sanders. “But any politician is just trying to get 51% of the vote.”

Obama is counting on young voters, women, union voters, and minorities. While these voters are traditionally supportive of the democratic party, some are also unreliable voters. Another challenge that Obama faces is the lack of faith experienced by many of those who voted for him in 2008. They have

grown impatient and doubt his ability to fix the economy. Some, who are searching for someone more capable, or just want to give someone else a chance to turn our economy around, and that could mean a vote for Mitt Romney.

While Republican candidates are typically less popular among young voters, the party rarely sees that as a threat to their success. Matt Feeney, a sophomore who has worked on campaigns for local politicians like Imitiaz Sayed and Jeremiah Healy, says, “Republicans are good politicians. They do well with older voters because of both their policies and their marketing.”

Because older voters are more likely to show up and cast their ballots, targeting those votes is a good strategy. However, the Republican party also works to pull the young vote through their independent, individualistic, and self-reliant philosophy.

Sanders said, “Because of Ron Paul’s influence, the Republican platform this year has become more libertarian and anti-establishment. The youth tapped into that.”

Political analysts and historians for the Public

Broadcasting Service are speculating that the platforms of the two American political parties have not been so different since the late nineteenth century. “It will be a very close election,” Sanders agreed. “America is split.”

Because of this disparity, it’s more important than ever that students educate themselves and vote on November 6.

“College students really need to vote,” Giang says. “We care more about the economy, education, and loans. If you can take the time to check facebook, you should be able to dedicate a few hours to googling their policies and taking notes.”

Sanders, too, stresses the importance of youth participation in the election, and encourages students and other voters to learn as much as they can about both candidates.

“Both campaigns have extensive websites,” said Sanders. “It’s easier than ever for young people to do it. Learn about both what you’re voting for and what you’re voting against.”

Photo by Dylan smith

Photo by Dylan smith

NewsNews

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St. Peter’s University Offers $16,000 transfer scholarship to HCCC students

Should We Worry About Shootings?

“Rain or Shine won’t stop the Prizes for our Clubs!”

By yomna elDeeBContributing Writer ‘14

By Rose DRiscollEditor-in-Chief ‘14

By Jose RoDRiguez Contributing Writer ‘14

Adrianna Rodriguez graduated from Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in May, 2012 and she never thought that she could attend a 4-year college. Rodriguez described herself as a “non-traditional” student. She dropped out of high school at the age of 16 and had a baby. It was her daughter that made her change her mind about going back to school.

Most private, even public universities and colleges cost more than $30,000 a year. For Rodriguez, whose working -class parents emigrated from Colombia and Puerto Rico, the price of a college education was just too expensive. But all that changed last Spring, when Hudson County Community College (HCCC) President Dr. Glen Gabert and Saint Peter’s University (SPU) President Dr. Eugene Cornacchia, signed a historic agreement that allowed HCCC graduate students to transfer their credits to, and

complete their baccalaureate studies at SPU for the same tuition students would pay at a New Jersey State college.

“Saint Peter’s was too expensive and I have two daughters to take care of,” said Rodriguez. She transferred to SPU this Fall semester and is currently completing her undergraduate studies in Psychology after she qualified for the $16,000 award. Her main goal is to become a professional advisor for students. “I love the experience here at the university. People are humble and

loving. It is gratify.”“Unlike HCCC, SPU requires

a lot of work and reading. Professors are very good, and very understanding. I like all my classes,” she added.

Adrianna Rodriguez is just one example of many other HCCC transfer students that never thought that they could attend a 4 -year university. Currently, she is in the work-study program working for the Admissions Department, while taking care of her two daughters after work.

“This opportunity at SPU has

proved me that one can do it. I understand that there are many obstacles in life, but nothing is impossible. I keep my mind set to achieve my goals no matter what everybody else says. I believe that dreams can come true! ”said Rodriguez with tears in her eyes.

The University is hoping that HCCC students like Rodriguez meet the requirements for this transfer scholarship and they will take advantage of this opportunity and continue their education at SPU.

Across the United States, dangerous and seemingly random shootings are occurring with distressingly increasing frequency. From the shooting at a ‘Dark Knight Rises’ movie premiere in Aurora, Colorado, to the August 24 shooting at the Empire State Building, Americans see more violence every day. Most recently and nearby was an incident which occurred in Old Bridge, New Jersey at a local Pathmark. People are understandably feeling concern and even fear for their safety, and students at Saint Peter’s may reasonably ask, “Can it happen here?”

According to a map of Jersey City produced by the Jersey City Police Department, Saint Peter’s University and its immediate surroundings

have seen minimal gun-related crime in the past few months. The most recent statistics, which were assembled in June 2012, show thirteen total gun-related crimes in Jersey City for the past year, with only three occurrences in the West Side, which is defined as St. Peter’s neighborhood. In the area surrounding the campus, the violent crimes occur with very low frequency, according to police data.

“That’s partly due to the increased security on campus, and also partly because the clientele on campus -- students, faculty, and staff -- are less inclined to commit crimes,” says Art Youmans, director of Campus Security at Saint Peter’s. Youmans attributes the use of guns to activities like the use of drugs and recognizes that some areas of Jersey City are less safe than others.

“If you walk maybe fifteen minutes in any direction, you could be in a bad area. But

that’s true of almost any city.” Youmans said and further stated that there are seldom gun crimes near campus.

Saint Peter’s campus security offers many services to help students keep safe. A shuttle will take students to and from the Journal Square PATH station around the clock. Should a student feel unsafe while walking anywhere near campus, they can call the campus safety office, and a guard will come and walk them back to campus.

“We are a great resource for any of this information. If you want to go to a particular store in a certain neighborhood, and it isn’t safe, we can recommend you to a similar store in a better area.”

While Campus Security can help students safely navigate the city, they may still be concerned about the possibility of a school shooting.

“If shootings were something we could predict,” said Youmans, “they wouldn’t happen anywhere.

We hope it wouldn’t happen, but we remain as prepared as possible.”

While Saint Peter’s has never had a shooting on campus, a gunman did make a threat to the campus in 2008. Security officers are federally trained to handle emergencies, and in that incident, they locked down the school. Youmans explains that the security officers are all required to take courses in watching for the possibility of student violence and the training for active shooter response.

“We’re not at any more or any less risk than anywhere else,” he said.

He explains that our campus safety works from the same computer network as the four other colleges in Hudson County, along with Jersey City Medical Center and the Jersey City Police Department. “Critical incidents,” which include anything from terrorist threats to inclement weather, are covered by the network.

Telephone Numbers

Incase of an Emergency

Campus Safety (201) 761-7400

Jersey City Police Department South

(201) 547-5456

Jersey City Fire Department

(201) 547-4200

News Arts & Lifestyle

Students rushed to sign their names to join the many various organizations and clubs at the Recreational Center last Wednesday during lunchtime.

Saint Peter's University held its annual club fair on September 5 indoors after possible forecast of rain that prevented the event being held in the quad, its usual location every year. The

fair gives students a chance to learn more about the different clubs and organizations, such as JAMz (the Japanese Anime Club) and Student Entertainment Board, and their aims, goals and planned events for the fall semester.

And it's not just clubs that have a few special events stirring up on campus. Campus Ministry gave us a sneak peak at what they have in mind for SPU students.

“Our aim is just to get students involved in community service as well as providing opportunities for spiritual growth wherever they

are at their point in life,” said Erich “Doc” Shekel, associate director of Campus ministry. “We've got a freshman day of service, we're going to do a lot of midnight runs where we deliver food and clothing for the homeless in the city, we are going to start in Jersey city.”

Campus Ministry is not the only place that provides community service for the students on campus. Imani Wicks, president of the Student Education Association, outlined what her organization is aiming to do this semester and how they plan to reach that goal.

“We mostly work with kids,

we work with them at this place called “Project Home” on Bergen Avenue for women and their childrenm,” said Imani. “We do community service for children who are a little less fortunate and we provide school supplies and backpacks. We've even tutored there, because a lot of the moms are going back to get their GEDS, so we tutored the children and the parents.”

It's not just the students who benefit from this club fair, but it's also the members on the executive board from each club that will gain something from Student

activities.“I am thrilled with amount

of effort they put into it.” says J. Cole Rinck, assistant director of Student Activities, “They are being judged for their tables, so they're getting prizes. Whichever organization with the best table will get a prize .”

And despite the change of venue, the turn out for this fair was better than expected.

“For being inside,” said Rinck, “the turn out seems pretty solid.”

Photos by Dylan smith

haitian club communications club

inDo PaK irish-american club PriDe

PeacocK nation JaPaneze anime manga-Jamz

argus eyes

September 19, 201298

September 19, 2012

Music, performing arts, and comedy are coming to a venue near us.

This past summer, St. Peter’s announced the launch of the St. Peter’s Performing Arts Center, made up of different entertainment venues located on campus, including St. Aedan’s cathedral (which sits 1,200 people), Pope Lecture Hall, the RLC, and the Student Center which is expected to be completed early next year. St. Peter’s PAC will mean the Jersey City community won’t have to travel far to get their fix of the arts and music.

“The opening of Saint Peter’s PAC is a momentous occasion for our neighborhood

as this new initiative will open up endless cultural opportunities and will bring world-class talent to the McGinley Square area,” said Michael A. Fazio, vice president for advancement and external affairs, in the press release. “As we look forward to our transition to Saint Peter’s University, Saint Peter’s PAC is just another sign of the rebirth of Saint Peter’s and of Jersey City.”

With prominent guests like comedian Bill Cosby and the cast of the Jersey Boys already confirmed to appear, the St. Peter’s community is thrilled to be a part of this cultural renaissance.

“It’s great that St. Peter’s University is stepping up their game in the performing arts field,” said senior Rosemarie Suarez. “Students who love the arts will now have it closer to them and

this will bring in prospective students.”

President Eugene Cornacchia also believes this to be a positive step towards progress.

“It will enhance the opportunities for entertainment and allow us to attract a caliber of performers that thus far we have not been able to attract to our community,” said President Cornacchia. “It's a home run!”

Booking the celebrities that will be performing at St. Peter’s PAC events must have cost the school a fortune, right? Surprisingly, it didn’t!

“It has not cost the school a thing,” said President Cornacchia. “The costs have been born by the St. Aedan's fundraising initiatives and are expected to be paid back by the revenues from ticket sales.”

On March of last year, it was announced that St. Peter’s

University would gain ownership of St. Aedan’s Church. This was just the beginning of the school’s efforts of neighborhood revitalization. The church would be renamed St. Aedan’s: the St. Peter’s University Church and St. Peter’s would also have ownership of its convent, rectory, school and its parking lots. St. Peter’s University has full control of St. Aedan’s as well as its staff. The church is open to the St. Peter’s community and any Jersey City resident.

The school’s union with St. Aedan’s church has allowed the St. Peter’s community to expand and grow while bringing in loyal members of St. Aedan’s church to university events.

“The relationship between Saint Peter's University and the St. Aedan's parish is very good,” said President Eugene

Cornacchia. “After some initial concerns by the parish community, the steady and skilled leadership of Father Vincent Sullivan, SJ, has helped build a very strong and mutually supportive relationship. Many members of the parish community now regularly come to our university events.”

St. Peter’s first PAC event will take place on Saturday, November 3rd with Bill Cosby. The cast of Jersey Boys will perform on Saturday, December 8th. For a complete list of events and prices visit St. Peter’s PAC official website: saintpeterspac.org.

“The University needs to grow through creative and exciting initiatives such as the St. Aedan's opportunity,” said President Cornacchia. “Overtime, these kinds of initiatives will help stabilize revenue and help moderate tuition increases.”

St. Peter’s Performing Arts Center DebutsBy yaRleen heRnanDez

News Editor ‘14

Arts & Lifestyle

Photo by yarleen hernanDez

Opinion

SGA Presidential LetterHello, my fellow students,

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Scott Miller, and I am the President of the Student Government Association. Some of you may remember voting for me for the position of Vice President for Administration. However, with the resignation of our former SGA President, the title and duties have passed on to me. For

those of you who may question my abilities or experience, know that this is my third year in the Student Government, my second as an Executive Board member. I already have a lot of plans for this year; some are already in motion and some will be soon. The Student Government has worked to re-brand itself a bit: you may have noticed our new logo. Just as the school adopted a new logo, we have adopted

our first. It is my intention that this logo be all over campus this year. I have also been up to date on what concerns seem to be popping up on campus as of late. As Student Government President, I will do my best to make sure any and all issues are addressed, because I am not in this position for any other reason than to serve the interests of the students. Although we are a part of the greater Saint Peter's

University community, it is the role of the Student Government to act as the voice of the students. I can only promise that I will do my best to be that voice as loudly and passionately as my position warrants. But part of this task falls to you. There is only so much I can know and learn about on my own. If you have an idea, question, or concern you should feel free to contact me in the Student Government office

(Dinneen 229) or via email at smiller4@mail.saintpeters.edu. It is my intention to make this school a little better off when I inevitably graduate at the end of the academic year, and with you help and support, I can.

I thank you all, and good luck in all of your classes.

Scott Miller, President of the Student Government Association

Letter to The Freshman ClassHello Freshmen! My name is Nick Mederos

and I'm a sophomore at Saint Peter's. Some of you may remember me from the Orientation Team and others might recognize me as the guy in a suit who always looks like he's in a rush and who's always carrying papers. Honestly, there's nothing written on those papers, I just feel important carrying paperwork around.

Around this time last year, I was a freshman who spent his free time hiding in the library playing Minecraft on his laptop to avoid social interaction. I spent my days hiding from all these people I didn’t know and I spent my nights dreading having to go back there again. Over time, I came to meet upperclassmen who helped me survive my freshman year and, more than that, become a proud student of Saint Peter’s University. I now make it my goal to be that upperclassman friend to any freshman who needs it and be that person that I needed during my freshman year.

One of the main things I wish I had known about when I was

a freshman was the amount of resources this school offers all of its students. I had spent my spare time in the library because I had no idea about any of the events that the school had planned. This brings me to my first piece of advice to freshmen: You’re only as bored, sad, or happy as you let yourself be.

There are plenty of people who complain that there’s never anything to do on campus. These are the same people who sit in their dorm rooms while the rest of the campus is watching a movie together. At every moment of the day there’s some kind of event going on that might just end up interesting you and help you make new friends.

If you’re ever unsure of what events there are or when and where they’re happening, it’s always a good idea to check in with Student Activities or the Student Entertainment Board and make plans with some friends to make a night of it.

Another huge piece of advice I have for the freshman class is to join clubs that sound like they might interest you. What got me out of my little corner of the library was the clubs

that I had become involved in (also, I had accidentally deleted my world in Minecraft). What started off as something to kill some time eventually became a commitment that I've come to love. If you're not sure which clubs you might be interested in, it's always a good idea to ask members of clubs about what it means to them and draw your answer from that.

Everyone is at Saint Peter's for a different reason. For some, it could be a scholarship. For others, it could be the athletics. For some, it could just be the fact that their parents are alumni. Regardless of the reason, we're all here now and that's what matters. I spent too much time freshman year complaining about the fact that I had so much free time, the fact that I was constantly alone, and the fact that I was at Saint Peter's.

Complaining changes nothing. The way that I see it, you can either spend the next four years complaining about your current state or do something about it. I hated that I was a commuter so I decided to find things to do on campus so I wouldn't have driven forty-five minutes for only two hours

of class. I hated that I was alone so I decided that I would make friends through all of these new clubs I had joined.

Lastly, I hated that I was at Saint Peter's. I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't a huge fan of the college. I had considered transferring for a while and began applying to other schools. Something changed during my times here and I can honestly say, without a doubt, that I could never see myself anywhere else. I love Saint Peter's College/University with every ounce of who I am and that includes every single person involved in it.

What changed? Simple. I stopped being a cynic who complained about everything and started getting involved on campus. In the span of a year, I became President of the English Club (Meetings in McDermott 201, Mondays at Noon), Opinions Editor of the Pauw Wow, Justice of the SGA, an Orientation Team Leader, got a lead role in “Hairspray”, and most importantly, I became a peacock.

Saint Peter's transformed me from a person who whined about nearly everything to a person who actually makes

changes. Saint Peter's gave me purpose. This brings me to my most important piece of advice that I give to all of my freshman groups during Orientation: College makes you the best person you could possibly be, let it happen. If you the change happen, college can make you the absolute best person you could possibly be. I'm not saying that I'm the best person I could possibly be but then again, I have a few months of isolating myself in the library to make up for.

The transition from high school to college isn't an easy one and it happens so fast that most upperclassmen forget when it's like. As I said, I love everything about Saint Peter's and that includes all of its freshmen. That means that if any of you feel the need to talk to someone, I'm almost always on campus and absolutely always willing to talk over a coffee at Jazzman's... Oh and speaking of coffee, drink a lot of that... You'll need it.

Thanks for listening, Nick Mederos

September 19, 20121110

September 19, 2012

Ask the Pauw WowDear Pauw-Wow,

I'm currently a Senior at Saint Peter's University, with no idea of what I'm going to do after I graduate in the spring. The idea of going entering the "real world" scares me. How can I use my last year to get ready for life after graduation?

- "Haunted by the Future"

Dear "Haunted,"

As a Senior myself, I completely understand your concerns. When we first entered college as Freshmen, our inevitable departure into the "real world" seemed so far away; just as many of us (okay, all of us) have procrastinated on papers because they're "not due for a few weeks," so have we pushed off the realities of graduation. Now that the majority of our semesters have snuck by us and we find ourselves at the door of adulthood, many of us feel unprepared to face what awaits us on the other side.

The first, and perhaps most important, question you must ask yourself is not "What will I do?" but rather "What do I want to do?" This can be a deceptively simple question,

as many of us have known what we want to be when we "grow-up" before we even stepped foot on a campus, but I've found that many students are not quite as resolute in their aspirations as they may have thought. With respect to our school's Jesuit identity, it might be helpful to engage in a deep level of discernment, in which you reflect upon your passions and desires in order achieve a better understanding of your person "calling." I've found this to be a useful process for both the spiritual and the secular, and there are certainly many people at St. Peter's - including Jesuits, the Campus Ministry staff, and even other students - who can help to guide you through this process. Things may not immediately go as planned, but if you have a solid sense of direction it will make

it much easier to work towards your destination

Remember that there are many resources available on campus that you can utilize as a student. If, like most students, you wish to start working as soon as you graduate (a daunting prospect to many, given the weak economy and the shallow job market), I would schedule an appointment with Career Services, who can help you build a résumé and get you into contact with potential employers.

Of course, entering the job market is not your only option; you might also want to consider the possibility of Graduate or Professional School. While the idea of more school may not seem like a particularly appealing one, a higher degree can further qualify you in the eyes of employers and open up

greater opportunities for you. If this path seems like a good fit for you, I would research programs that interest you, as well as reach out to Dr. Chew, the advisor to SPC students interested in Graduate School. Almost all Graduate and Professional Programs require essays and standardized testing, so the sooner you can begin the application process, the better.

A road even less traveled you might consider is the possibility of post-graduate volunteer work, which provides a great way to build skills and help others. Many organizations, including Peace Corps and the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, are constantly looking for volunteers to do service work both domestically and abroad, for periods of time lasting between several months and several years.

If you're interested, stop by Campus Ministry for more information on the many service opportunities available for graduates.

But no matter where your discernment leads you, try not to be too frightened at the thought of what awaits you at the end of Senior year. Graduating certainly removes us from a place of comfort and familiarity, but it also presents us with a new opportunity to grow into the people we truly want to become. Make the most of your Senior year and take advantage of all the amenities available to you as a college student, but above all, look forward to and prepare for the exciting journey that lies ahead.

Sincerely,_______________ ‘13

Is an advice column for the purpose of answering student questions about school, love, and life in general. If you have a question you would like to submit, feel free to do so.

Your identity will be kept strictly confidential.

S u b m i t t o

pauwwow@mail.saintpeters.edu

Sports

If you are looking for an inexpensive meal off-campus, check out our three favorites.

1. Helen’s Pizzeria located on 138 Newark Jersey City, NJ. Helen’s offers more than pizza. The family-owned restaurant serves up a wide variety of foods from calzones to egg plant Parmesan. Their prices vary, but for a about $6, you can get a meal with a drink and dessert. It’s only $4.25 for a pepperoni knot. A pepperoni knot is soft dough wrapped around pepperoni with cheese then baked to perfection served with a marinara sauce. A 20oz fountain drink will cost about $1.35, and a person would have enough to afford Tiramisu which costs $2.75.

2. If your craving something more Mediterranean, why not go Greek? It’s Greek to Me, is a small restaurant chain that is known for its authentic cuisine. It’s located on 194 Newark Ave. Jersey City, NJ. A meal could cost up to $20.00 dollars. But with choices like fried calamari and braised lamb, who couldn’t resist spending a few extra dollars? Keftedes, which are seasoned meatballs are only $8.00. Or perhaps you’d prefer something else such as,fried zucchini alongside yogurt cucumbers and garlic dip better known as Kolokithokeftedes. Soft Drinks and bottled water are only $1.75.

3. Dishes with names like Marilyn Monroe wrap or the Gloria Estefan make up the uniqueness of the Hard Grove

Café . The Café is located at 319 Grove St. Jersey City N.J. The Cafe has been offering Cuban Cuisine and entertainment for years. The restaurant/bar has a plethora of promotions and pricing for foods and drinks. Cuban coffee with a Egg and Cheese Empanada cost only $6.00. The restaurant offers daily specials starting at $8.99. Sandwiches start at $7.00 and paired with their celestial tea for $2.00 makes a nice lunch.

All three eateries are just a bus ride away in downtown Jersey City. Just hop on NJ Transit’s Bus Number 80. The bus stop can be found on Montgomery Street right across from Dinneen Hall. Logon to NJ Transit.com for more information about schedules and bus rates.

Meal Time By michelle R

Contributing Writer ‘14

Meet the Athlete

Q & A with Noah Sadaoui

By Jessica BiancoContributing Writer ‘14

Noah Sadaoui, a sophomore, has had a stand-out season so far. Knotching five goals on twenty seven shots, Noah has led the SPU Men’s Soccer team to a historic win against Seton Hall and Lehigh. The Peacocks had not won against a BCS conference opponent since 2003. Sadaoui was named MAAC offensive player for the week of August 27th.

1. Who has influenced your soccer career the most and why?

My dad was definitely the biggest influence in my career. My

grandfather made my dad play basketball when he was young and never really asked him what he wanted to do or what he is best at. Even though my dad played pro basketball he struggled with his height. He saw talent in me and how much I loved the sport at a young age so he signed me up for soccer. He has always been there for me and is my biggest fan.

2. How long have you played soccer and how did you do throughout your youth?

I started playing soccer at age six for a professional youth club in Morocco. I came to America when I was eleven and played for Metro Stars which is

also a professional youth club (they are called Red Bull.) I then played with PDA for a season, an academy team, and I went to nationals with them. My high school career was great. Junior year I was first team all prep and I scored and assisted a goal to win the state championship. My senior year I led the team with 24 goals and was awarded as the prep player of the year.

3. You’re having a really incredible season so far, did you do any specific training over the off season and summer?

I had a personal trainer over the summer in Morocco. I lifted weights five days a week and fitness every other day. I also

played soccer three hours a day except Sundays and Fridays.

4. If you could describe your SPU team in three words what would they be and why?

Diverse dedicated family. Family because everyone is so close together. Diverse because we are all from different countries with different backgrounds and we look after one another. Dedicated because we all have the same goal to achieve and are all working hard to achieve it.

5. What is your goal in soccer and in general by the time you leave SPU?

After college I want to play professional soccer, it has been my only dream since I was a little kid

and I want to follow in my dads footsteps.

Favorite quote: “Life is not a sprint its a marathon”

Favorite food: Lasagna

Favorite team: Real Madrid

Favorite class: Science

FAV O R I T E S

Come Write for the Pauw Wow Are you a master of the pen? Are

you looking for a place to express your creative, artistic, and literary skills? Do you believe that you need to be heard?

Do you have that urge to write?

If you would like to be a part of the school newspaper, send us an email:

pauwwow@mail.saintpeters.edu.The class of 2016 is most welcome!

12September 19, 2012

Photos by Ksenia stsePyetKina

Coming 2013