After a university student made racial comments on Twitter last week over 100 Franklin Pierce students, staff and faculty members rallied against racism in the center of campus.

The rally which was set up by freshman Isaac Fithian and freshman Shawn Kearney in their IC 101 class.

(photo: Google)

The event consisted of speeches by Fithian and President Birge, then students creating shirts to show their unity against racism.

“I was very pleased with how this event turned out,” said Fithian, “We put this event together in an IC class and I am very happy to see everyone who came out was very concerned about this type of ignorance.”

The event lasted about a half hour. One of the attendees  Noah Phillips said, “I thought this was a great event. It was nice to see a that I was not the only one who saw something wrong with what was said last week.”

The tweets that were sent out last week caused an immediate response from the school.

President Birge reassured people at the rally that this was unacceptable saying, “In cases like this we will take a two pronged approach to the situation. First through the judicial system, and second though educating the community through events like this.”

Birge addressed the student body directly saying, “I want you all to go out and do a random act of kindness today and show the world the real Franklin Pierce University.”

Fithian wishes to continue this initiative next year and hopes that many more people will be involved. Any one wishing to get more information is asked to email Vice President Jim Earle.

(Photo: Google)

As I rounded first base, I could feel the smile coming over my face.

I had just singled in what I was sure would be my last at-bat in organized baseball. My team was in the championship but we were down by ten runs in the deciding game.

Being the oldest player on my team, I thought I knew it all and there was nothing left to learn.

I got up to bat in the final inning with one out, I knew I just had to get on base anyway I could. I dug into the box and got ready. I got the take sign from my coach and it was a ball in the dirt 1-0. This was when I realized I was in trouble. I saw no movement in the ball, I had no clue where it was going.

Pitch two was just outside, 2-0. Suddenly I hear my coach yelling at me. “Step back in the box.”

I step back in the box almost out of it. This shift in position made all the difference in the world.

Pitch three was a strike, 2-1. I got what I needed with the adjustment: I could see the movement in his pitches now and I knew exactly were his pitches were going.

At pitch four, I was ready and it was perfect. I had my eye on the ball the whole way a level swing with perfect contact and I had the best hit of my career. I hit a frozen rope single to right center.

As I sat on first base, I thought about learning what a change in perspective can do for you. Learning to one person (who you should have been listening to all year) taking one simple step can change everything.

One god send, though, is usually a lost and found. Unfortunately, Franklin Pierce does not seem to have an organized lost and found for its studetns.

There is a lost and found bin in Residential Life, the info desk, the library, at campus safety, and the Bubble.

(Photo: Google)

With all the places to look how is any one supposed to find anything they lose on this campus?

Sophomore Mike Harris knows this problem too well. “Last year I lost my phone and every lost and found I went to, sent me to another one. It was just very frustrating,” said Harris.

At the beginning of this year a message board was added to Campus Web but that doesn’t go far enough. This is a great idea because it also includes a found board, but there is one problem. Currently there are only five lost posts and four found posts. How is this supposed to be effective if no one uses it?

What students need is one place to go, one place where they can look to see if there item was turned in. Or all the places that have lost and found bins need to log the items that are turned in on Campus Web.

With the tenth anniversary of Grand Theft Auto III coming out soon, it adds yet another game to a long list of how violent video games can affect people.

Video games are a way to relax or let off stress after a long day of school or work. It also acts as a way to bring friends together in a social setting. The other side of games is the fact that some people take certain parts of games way too seriously. This is more evident in violent video games.

According to an expert on video game violence, S.L. Lachlan, boys who play teen or mature-rated games for a minimum of 40 minutes a day may witness over 180 incidents of aggression per day, or 5,400 incidents per month.

Violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, God of War, Mortal Combat and Halo all contribute into the mindset of those involved in violence.

(Photo: Google Images)

In the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the player’s character uses phrases such as “kill the Haitian di*k heads,” which highly incensed both Haitian and Cuban anti-defamation groups. After the Haitian-American Coalition threatened to sue, Rockstar removed the word “Haitians” from this phrase in the game’s subtitles, according to CNN. 

As a fan of violent video games, sophomore Mike Harris thinks that playing them do not effect him.”Playing games like Saints Row and Grand Theft Auto doesn’t really effect me as a person,” said Harris.

Rockstar, the company who makes the Grand Theft Auto games is no stranger to receiving complaints about their games. In June 2008, New York police arrested six teens who were attempting to act like character Nico Bellic of Grand Theft Auto IV. The teens were arrested for mugging a man as well as trying to car jack a woman in a BMW.

With the rise of popularity in violent video games today it will be imperative that we continue to monitor anything that may happen in the future.

You see it everywhere you turn: in the pathways across campus, the hallways of residence halls, placed alongside cars in the parking lot. No, it’s not the geese droppings that we have all learned to be accustomed to, but it is another unpleasant sight that the students at Franklin Pierce have deemed ordinary. This familiarity  is the large amount of trash that is thrown carelessly around the campus. Even though there are many trash cans placed in various places on the campus, how did a basic act become such a difficult task?

(photo: Chloe Rodriguez)

Americans already inject toxic chemicals into the air, land, and water 24/7. Not only that, but we constantly toss our trash into rivers, lakes, and streams and in turn, are killing the environment and all of its inhabitants. Because of this, it comes as no surprise that the students here do the same to our campus.

One of the most appealing aspects of our campus is the beauty of the environment we live in. But, many continue to hinder this beauty from continuing by throwing apples that explode on impact or tossing ice cream cones that create a melting pool on the sidewalk. This ill-mannered behavior needs to come to an end for the sake of redeeming respect within oneself and for the environment we inhabit.

So what should we do about the trash? I realize that many of the litterbugs out there aren’t concerned enough about their community to be reading The Exchange, so it’s best to start at the personal level: What can I do? I pick up litter every day that’s not mine. Sometimes it’s in the freshman courtyard. Sometimes it’s by the side of the parking lot. Sometimes it’s in my very own suite. But there’s one thing that drives me to do this selfless deed: I respect my surroundings and this is how the campus can change.
In order for this change to take place, we must learn to respect the world we live in. There seems to be a lack of admiration for the campus which is why many probably take part in littering. Baby steps need to be underway to maintain the campus beauty and decrease the appearance of trash in our daily lives.

Casino Night, a biannual event hosted by Student Affairs, was attended by approximately 30 students, just shy of the typical turnout of 35-60 people last Friday from 7-9 p.m. in Spagnuolo Hall.

“We try to have them around Open House weekends, but lately we’ve been having it [Casino Night] the last weekend before finals to provide an alternative activity for students,” said Scott Ansevin-Allen, Assistant Dean of Student Involvement.

(Photo: Karrianne Carter)

After the first few times, Student Affairs decided that it would be cheaper in the long run to purchase the equipment instead of having an outside party continuously come in.

Students participated in a variety of casino-themed games, including roulette, blackjack, Texas hold-em, and a new game the staff of Student Affairs called High or Low.

Upon arrival, students were given ten chips to start with. This year, the chips were all valued the same. Over the course of the night, they could cash in the chips for a raffle ticket for one of the many prizes.

The prizes ranged from gift certificates to GameStop and Ye Goode Shoppe in Keene, to the grand prize which was a $75 gift certificate to Luca’s Restaurant. In total, the price range of the prizes came to $400.

The winnings were chosen to help support local businesses and “to give people excuses to get off campus and go to downtown Keene,” said Ansevin-Allen.

(Photo: Karrianne Carter)

Staff from Outreach, Student Involvement, Judicial Affairs, and Career Services were present at the event to assist in running the games and handing out chips.

Rosemary Nichols, the Director of Career Services, said, “It’s a nice option to students to provide fun and interact with the Student Affairs staff. There’s lots of repeat participation.”

Seniors Jewel White and Damola Abu hoped to get enough chips to win one of the prizes. According to Abu, White started dragging him along during their sophomore year, but he has continued coming because of “the possibility of winning something good.”

Sophomores Jamie Flaherty and Meagan Ferreira started attending this year, and said they would probably come back.

“It’s a chance to get out of my room,” said Ferreira. “It brings people together. Even if you don’t know them at the table, you sit and laugh and have fun.”

(Photo: Google)

by Katie Achilli
edited by Marissa Bilancieri

If you’re an English major, you’ve probably heard the snide comments about not being able to get a real job with an English degree. Not only is this not true, but the people who make these comments probably don’t realize that English majors learn skills that are essential in many professional careers other than teaching. This underestimated degree can even help some people earn over $70,000 a year.

Those who study English are trained to read well, and to be comfortable reading whatever is in front of them. This can increase efficiency in any type of business that requires one to read and analyze reports, emails, or memos.

Writing skills are very important to have in a professional career. But according to a survey done by the New York Times, written communication skills are what entry level job seekers lack the most at 45 percent, followed by critical thinking at 27 percent.

Excessive texting is said to be the cause of this. In the article “Young Workers: U Nd 2 Improve Ur Writing Skills,” Phyllis Korkki said that young workers “are writing company e-mail as if they were texting cellphone messages with their thumbs. . . When you’re in the office, put on those dress shoes and start spelling your words correctly, and in full.”

Time-management skills are also learned as an English major, and are very useful in the career world. Learning to find time to write a six-page and an eight-page paper in a single day can help prepare you to manage your time to finish work and make deadlines for a newspaper or magazine, for example.

There are numerous jobs that exist out there for English majors. And yes, a lot of them pay quite well. The most popular careers for English majors include proofreaders, editorial assistants, managing editors, technical writers, publications editor, copywriters, and web content editors. The estimated yearly salary of a proofreader is $45,100, for a managing editor, $59,000, technical writer, $67,900, copywriter, $51,100, and for a web content editor, $50,000. Higher positions such as a senior copywriter and a proposal manager make $70,000 to $80,000 a year (PayScale).

(Photo: PayScale)

Being an English major, I have been told many times to earn a “real” degree. Not only is that an insulting comment, but it is an ignorant one as well. With all of the skills that I have gained, I feel very confident and qualified to enter the career world after college. I feel that the abilities that I gained from my English degree will allow me to be a major asset to many different workplaces.

(Photo: Katie Achilli)

by Katie Achilli
edited by Marissa Bilancieri

On Tuesday, May 1, the Franklin Pierce Contemporary Music ensemble’s Defenestration concert has a good turnout with an attendance of over 30 people.

Students, family, and faculty attended the concert which was directed by Lou Bunk, Professor of Music Technology.

“A lot of the forms tonight are open pieces,” said Bunk.

This means that the pieces performed were based on the idea of open sound and open form in comparison to classical, traditional compositions. The music is less precise and there is more improvisation.

“Performers have to keenly watch each other to see when they can start a note and when they can end a note,” said Bunk.

Along with classic compositions, students were also able to premiere their own pieces in the concert. Student composer Evan Williams debuted his piece “Spinning Song,” and student composer Jake Goldstein debuted his piece titled “Pă(u)l.” Faculty composer Paul Scharfenberger also presented his composition titled “Aubade.”

“As opposed to classical or traditional styles of music where you are given dynamics, pitch, duration, and told what notes to play when, with contemporary music and open form you improvise and have to take other factors into consideration such as the mood and feeling of the piece,” said ensemble member Alec Gause.

Numerous instruments were used to create these open sounds including a synthesizer, piano, sitar, guitar, xylophone, and various percussion instruments. Needless to say, the pieces did not sound like anything that you’ve heard before.

“For the most part, no two performances will ever be exactly the same like when you play classical and traditional styles of music,” said Gause.

(Photo: Google)

Health services offered half-priced oral HIV tests to students and faculty as part of “Get Yourself Tested” month on Friday, April 27th.

In order to focus attention of the public on sexual health and STD’s, April is referred to as awareness month.

“It’s ‘Get Yourself Tested’ month, so we thought we could offer the tests and maybe draw some students in,” said Director of Health Services Lee Potter in a phone interview. “The tests are offered at any time, but it is usually $20. It is an oral test, so you don’t have to draw blood.”

Students and faculty were able to get oral HIV testing done for only $10, which is half price. Results were in within 20 minutes.

According to Potter, only one student went to get tested.

Sophomore Erin Mallory said, “I think it’s a good resource to have. If a student wants to know, they should be able to go and get one without having to consult a doctor or going to the hospital for one.”

Health services uses the OraSure OraQuick Advance test. It is the only FDA-approved oral test since 2006. It can be used with blood or oral fluids and it is just a quick swab of the mouth and gums.

The device holds a test strip, and the patients swab the inside of their cheeks and gums with the other end of the strip. The administrator then places the strip in a vial. If there are any HIV antibodies in the fluid, the strip will change a different color. Once it changes color, another line will appear that indicates a reaction (Discovery Health).

Health services encourages anyone who has ideas on how to draw more students in  to contact Potter at potterl@franklinpierce.edu.

(Photo:Siobhan Dunn)

by Siobhan Dunn
edited by Nicholas Vitukevich

The new cross country and track and field team held sign ups Wednesday, May 2 in the Fieldhouse at 12:15p.m. where between seven and ten runners signed up, however the program is still encouraging students to take part.

Head coach Zach Emerson emphasized to a group of interested students at the meeting that the program would be taken seriously with a “full team, full schedule, and full coaching staff.”

“The sign ups will not close over the summer.  You can sign up right on through.  The meeting was not your only chance,” said freshman runner Joseph Trujillo.

Students looking to join the cross country and track and field team will need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center.  This will consist of a $60 fee and must be done by July.

“This is an exciting time for us and for our school,” said Emerson. “The feedback for this program is phenomenal.”

Cross Country pre-season will begin August 24.  Track and field conditioning practices will begin three days a week in September.

The first two meets will be in December and will continue through to the start of May.

“We might be a young and new team, but we will be decked out head to toe in Nike gear,” said Emerson.

Future members of team expressed their  excitement for the fall.  ”I think it will be a great addition to attract more students to the school.  I am looking forward to getting to know al the recruits and current students who will be joining and to have a well bonded team,” said freshmen Ashley Pietrowski.