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N E T W O R K N E W S I S B A Y P A T H U N I V E R S I T Y ' S S T U D E N T M A G A Z I N E . I T I S P U B L I S H E D O N L I N E B Y T H E B A Y P A T H U N I V E R S I T Y S T U D E N T N E W S R O O M . M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 2 4Network NewsIn London: Bay Path Chorale

Kaylah Sheppard ‘25Columnist,Instagram Managershe/they Samantha Robinson ‘24Columnist, Photographershe/herVirgil Lybarger '25Associate Editorhe/theyBeck Wehner ‘24Editorshe/herSpring2024NetworkNews TeamContact Us!studentnewsroom@baypath.edurwehner2001@baypath.eduLily Salmon ‘24Current Events Columnistshe/her

Aida Smith ‘27Columnistshe/herCaroline Austin ‘26Columnistshe/herTia St. Julien ‘25 Columnistshe/herDonyel Le’Noir Felton ‘27Columnistshe/herAlysha Dickson ‘25 Columnistshe/herMolly Walsh ‘24 Columnistshe/her

-Rebecca “Beck” WehnerE D I T O R ’ S N O T EHi everyone,Welcome to the March 2024 issue of the NetworkNews! This issue focuses on Women’s HistoryMonth and its importance within a historicallywomen’s college like Bay Path. While we arerapidly evolving into a more diverse campus eachyear and exploring what it means to be ahistorically women’s college, it is still moreimportant than ever to lift up women and amplifytheir achievements and successes around theworld. Being a woman is whatever you want it to mean;there is no one way to showcase womanhood andfemininity. Some women feel empowered in moretraditional roles like motherhood andhomemaking, while others strive to break downgender roles and stereotypes and enter male-dominated professions despite the challenges theymay face. It is so significant to recognize theintersectionality within feminism, andacknowledge that not all women experience thesame struggles. Women of color, and queer andtrans women need extra support being a part ofmultiple marginalized communities.For me, being a woman is beautiful. Myrelationship to womanhood growing up was oftencomplex and unconventional due to my queernessand unique gender expression, but at the end ofthe day I would never trade my experience for theworld. This Women’s History Month, let’s notforget the women that are struggling every day andfighting for their rights. Enjoy the issue!

What We’re WatchingCreative SpotlightWhat’s Happeningon CampusBeyond the ClassroomStudent voicesC O N T E N T STABLE OFHealth and WellnessResourcesMarch 2024 issue theme

Over spring break, The Bay Path Chorale was invited by VoxAnima, a UK-based choral organization, to perform with afestival choir at London’s Cadogan Hall in a concert thatcelebrated International Women’s Day. The festival choir,which featured a mix of both intergenerational andinternational singers, performed under the baton of Dr. ErinFreeman, an American choral conductor based out ofVirginia. Additionally, we were fortunate to share the stagewith The Queen’s Six, a prestigious choral ensemble based outof Windsor Castle (yes, THAT Windsor Castle), and theincredibly inspiring Amies Freedom Choir, which is anensemble comprised of survivors of human trafficking—needlessly to say, their performance was incredibly movingand inspiring. We performed Cecilia McDowell’s “Girl From Aleppo,”which is a 20-minute multi-movement work that recounts thetrue story of a Kurdish teenager with cerebral palsy as sheand her sister flee their war-torn home and emigrate toEurope, AND premiered a composition by Americancomposer Hannah Rice. It was quite the evening of music-making! When we weren’t rehearsing or performing, wespent some time enjoying the sights and sounds ofLondon—which included experiencing anEvensong service at Westminster Abbey, visitingThe Tower of London, exploring the shopsCovent Gardens, viewing the Changing of theGuard, attending an electro-acoustic violinconcert in the crypts at St. Martin in the Fields,and seeing the West End production of MammaMia!, to name just a few of the fun experiences wehad! In London: Bay Path ChoraleSubmitted by Robert Tomasulo White Tower at the Tower of London. Photo submitted by Dr. Ruch.

Bay Path Softball goes toMyrtle BeachMyrtle BeachBy Caroline AustinWe finished the week with a 2 and 5record. Although that isn’t necessarily awinning record, winning those last twogames will hopefully give us momentumfor a successful spring season at home. It would be silly to say that this trip is allabout softball because it certainly isn’t.Spending spring break as a team issomething we are never going to forget inour later years. This trip is about gettingto know your teammates and creatingfriendships that will last much longerthan college. We can’t wait to see wherethe rest of the season brings us, and wehope to make more memories along theway. For Bay Path Softball, it really is ablessing to be able to reflect back onour trip to Myrtle beach and come upwith so many great examples of the funwe had together. Not every school has the resources oropportunity to travel together overspring break so to speak for the team,it’s something we are all very gratefulthat we get to play before our seasonbegins back home. However, this wassomething we worked all yearfundraising to go to. We gave up a lotof time to be able to raise money forour trip but we’d do it all again just tohave the same experience.

The Power of a Bay Path Woman Bay Path 2009 alum Jewel Cadet, A.K.A.“Jewel the Gem,” is an award-winningcommunity leader who amplifies the mostmarginalized. She is a survivor, spiritual lifecoach, community organizer, educator, andentertainer from Brooklyn, New York whonow lives in Atlanta. As one of GoMagazine’s 2023 “Women We Love,” it isevident that Jewel is an unapologeticabolitionist and freedom fighter for Black,queer, and trans lives. Her activism is thefoundation of all that she does. One of hermost impactful direct actions for change wasbeing one of the leaders who worked toremove the J. Marion Sims statue in Harlem. Her dynamic work as a speaker and facilitatoris renowned. She has committed herself overthe last ten years to supporting others inunderstanding the roots of oppression andbuilding tools for liberation. From panels andtalk shows to conferences and classrooms,Jewel has taught all ages about racial powerand privilege. At the peak of the 2020pandemic, she simultaneously created virtualhealing and educational spaces supportingthousands of people's growth, education, andhealing. Brave, bold, and vibrant, Jewel is on aliberation mission to dismantle norms thatperpetuate oppression to make her ancestorsproud and heal future generations.“I entered Bay Path College in 2005 as agirl from Brooklyn, NY and graduated asthe commencement speaker in 2009 as awoman. During my four years at BayPath, I truly came alive, stepped into mypower, and basked in sisterhood.”(continued on next page)

At the time I entered, I knew that my mission wasclear. To be the change. To make the mark. To leavea legacy. And that I did. During my four years thereI was on the cheerleading team, cross country team,founded the Black Student Association, was captainof the Essence Step Squad, was a tutor, plannedsocial events like speed dating and dating auctions,attended the first One America Trip, was a RA onthe freshman floor of Theinert Hall and was part ofthe Maroon Key Honor society. By the timegraduation came in May of 2009, I graced the stageas the commencement speaker proud of all that Iaccomplished. Proud that my presence and excellencecould make a change so that future Black womencould see themselves in me. I want everyone to know how importantrepresentation matters. There are women attendingwho are living completely different lives than theirloved ones at home. Their time at university becomestheir home away from home. It’s critical to beintentional on creating spaces on campus formarginalized women; Trans Women, Queer Women,BIPOC Women, Women with disabilities, etc. I wantthe legacy to truly create the ability for everyone toseize the day and go forth to be a part of the changethey want to see in this world. Attending Bay PathUniversity is one step; what will you do once youleave? What mark will you make on the world tomake it a better place?” “Being the first in my family to graduate college, itwas all on me to figure out where I would completeundergrad. I arrived on campus with my cornrowbraids on the sides, hump in the middle, and a longponytail flowing down my mid-back. I had a thickBrooklyn accent to the point that one of my firstfriends there said I sounded like I was rapping when Ispoke. I was ecstatic to visit a college campus filledwith women following their dreams. I met myroommate there, and we hit it off, only to find out thatwe lived a few blocks from each other back home inBrooklyn. This was the start of my years of sisterhoodexperiences that I will forever be grateful for. Fromcarrying my lunch when I broke my hand insophomore year to driving me to get my nails done inSpringfield, I enjoyed such beautiful friendships. As happy as I was, I noticed something. I was one ofvery few Black women. I noticed more Black womenin the first-year class, yet when I looked at the juniorsand seniors, I realized that not many looked like me.Furthermore, there were no staff or faculty thatlooked like me either. During my entire time there, Ididn’t have the joy and privilege of being taught by aBlack woman. Even when it came to monthlyentertainment that came to perform for us, Iremember only one or two that included Black talent.

Miep GiesHermine "Miep" Gies was one of the Dutch citizens who hid AnneFrank, her family and four other Dutch Jews from the Nazis in anannex above Otto Frank's business premises during World War II.In 1994, Gies was awarded the Order of Merit of the FederalRepublic of Germany as well as the Wallenberg Medal by theUniversity of Michigan. The following year, Gies received the YadVashem Righteous Among the Nations medal. In 1997, she was knighted in the Order of Orange-Nassau byQueen Beatrix of the Netherlands. The minor planet 99949 MiepGies is named in her honor.Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo acrossthe Atlantic Ocean. On December 28, 1920, Earhart and her fathervisited an airfield in Long Beach where she had a ride that changedher life. After that 10-minute flight, she became determined tolearn to fly. Earhart’s accomplishments in aviation inspired ageneration of female aviators, including the more than 1,000women pilots of the Women Air force Service Pilots (WASP) whoferried military aircraft, towed gliders, flew target practice aircraft,and served as transport pilots during World War II.Sarah Fuller (February 15, 1836-August 1, 1927) was an Americaneducator. She founded the Home for Little Deaf Children in 1902,and retired as a principal in 1910. In 1890, Fuller applied themethods she learned and developed from Bell in giving the firstspeech lessons to Helen KellerIn 1888, she published An Illustrated Primer for teachers of thedeaf. She helped found the American Association to Promote theTeaching of Speech to the Deaf in 1890, and became director ofthat association in 1896.Sarah FullerFamous Women in HistoryFamous Women in Historycont on next page

In 1955, Rosa Parks, an African American living in Montgomery,Alabama, challenged the race segregation that existed in parts ofthe US by refusing to give up her seat on a bus so that a whiteperson could sit down. She was arrested as she refused to give herseat up to the white man.Her protest was supported by many other African Americans andsparked the civil rights movement which, in the 1960s, eventuallywon equal rights.Rosa ParksJoan Ruth Bader Ginsburg was an American lawyer and jurist whoserved as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the UnitedStates from 1993 until her death in 2020. She was nominated byPresident Bill Clinton to replace retiring justice Byron White, and atthe time was viewed as a moderate consensus-builder. Ginsburgspent much of her legal career as an advocate for gender equality andwomen's rights, winning many arguments before the Supreme Court. She advocated as a volunteer attorney for the American CivilLiberties Union and was a member of its board of directors and oneof its general counsel in the 1970s. RBGFlorence Nightingale was a celebrated English social reformer andstatistician, and the founder of modern nursing. In 1883,Nightingale was awarded the Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria.In 1904, she was appointed a Lady of Grace of the Order of StJohn (LGStJ). In 1907, she became the first woman to be awardedthe Order of Merit. In the following year she was given theHonorary Freedom of the City of London. Her birthday is nowcelebrated as International CFS Awareness Day.Florence Nightingale

Women's History Month is a time to celebrate andacknowledge that women have left their marks onthe world in every aspect of society, from STEM topolitics to business to the arts. Explore this PeriodicChart of Women's History to learn about someextraordinary women, including some of Bay Path'sown notables. Scan the QR code or click this linkand then select an element to learn more about theperson and their accomplishments.Hatch Library celebrates Women’s HistoryThank you to Lakeland Public Library for sharingthis idea and for encouraging other libraries to useand adapt their template. Thank you also to DawudBrown for his assistance on this project, and to thestudent workers at Hatch Library for all their workresearching people and selecting resources. HatchLibrary and the Multicultural Center hope tocontinue to celebrate the contributions of othergroups with additional versions.A special thanks to Miriam Neiman at Hatch Library and the students who worked on this effort: Bianca Fernandez, Cassandra Goldman, Basha Halloran, and Kaylah Sheppard.

Learning from industry leaders:at New England public media

Bay Path Communications, Alums & Friends Visit New England Public MediaStudents taped a podcast at NEPM studiosBPU students visited NEPM to tour the facilities and tape apodcast. We learned about the new media technologies such asthe robotic cameras as well as the Media Lab program thatteaches high school students media skills. During the tour, wesaw the audio production and radio studios. A special thanks toNEPM’s Vanessa Pabon and Ismary Santiago-Lugo. By Donyel Le’Noir FeltonVisiting NEPM allowed students, staff and Community Advisory board members to learnmore about the shows produced at the station, outreach and internship opportunities.

Vanessa Pabon educates BPU guests about NEPM’sgreen screen studios and robotic camerasAida Smith controls audio for podcast interview at NEPMSynchronized StoriesBay Path Communications Student, DonyelLe’Noir Felton interviews Chris Fournier,New England Public Media’s CommunityAdvisory Board Co-chair & Engagement &Development Director of Non-Profit: Musicand Poetry SynchronizedWith five months of experience interning as aMedia Lab Mentor at New England PublicMedia (NEPM), Donyel contributes to thedevelopment and implementation of activitiesand curriculum for high school studentsinterested in radio and television journalism. Click to listen to the podcast interview produced by BPU’s Broadcast Journalism Class for Network News Radio at NEPMShe uses her certificates in Information TechnologySupport (Tech Foundry) and Video Production(LCTV / BPU) to assist with hosting, sound andvideo editing, and video & audio production. Shealso works 1:1 and in small groups with students tohelp them create and refine their stories, and leadsmedia-related discussions and workshops.In addition to her role at NEPM, she is a student atBay Path University, where she is pursuing abachelor's degree in Communications with a focus inDigital Media Arts and Film.

Communications in a Changing WorldLIVE IN-PERSON SESSION PANEL DISCUSSIONBay Path Academic Achievement Dayby Bay Path Student Newsroom - Network News9:30 AM - 10:15 AM Location: D'Amour 7An interview-style panel where we ask our guests a series of questions pertaining tocommunications, their own unique career paths, and the way the outside world and itscurrent political and social climate is changing their professional and personal lives.Nirvani WilliamsNEPM Equity Reporter Tracey Durant Executive DirectorLongmeadow Community TelevisionCiara SpellerWWLP - TV 22

An inside view of the inner workings ofour very own dining hall! This interviewaims to provide details on how hardeverybody in Blake Dining Commonsworks to provide everybody on campuswith delicious food every day. Aida SmithThe voices of Communications Students Tune in to the videos below:Join Donyel on a visual odyssey as aDigital Media Arts & Film majornavigating academia, internships,and entrepreneurship. The videointercuts the worlds of theory,practice, business. She isn’t justchasing grades or gigs; she’s creatingmagic. Donyel Le’Noir Felton Digital Media Arts & Film Major‘27 Perspectives from the dining hall A media major: from theory to practice

AcademicAchievement Day 2024Schedule is now online Check listing for over100 sessions

@bpu_networknews@bpu_networknewsBAY PATHBAY PATHNetwork NewsNetwork NewsStay updated on new issues,get exclusive content, andget involved!@bpu_networknewsFollow us onFollow us on

Dr. John Jarvis recently celebrated the release ofthe newly published text book by students fromhis ENG 114 class. Dr. Jarvis points out that first-year writingstudents actually WRITE THE TEXTBOOK intheir very first college writing course at Bay PathUniversity. The act of writing is a very importantlesson in the first year of college. Over some 48 years of teaching writing, Jarvisnotes that “First, students do not learn to writewell from traditional textbooks. Second, studentsDO learn to write well by writing, writing, andmore writing for real world readers. Finally oneday deep into my teaching career, I put the twoinsights together when it occurred to me to askthe teacherly question: What if I had studentswrite, write, write . . . their own English writingtextbook?” My freshman writing classes havegotten very interesting since that day. Students write chapters in the book and share thestories that matter to them. This is a bonus forstudents and the class overall.“The first thing students like is that the textbookis FREE if we write it ourselves,” said Jarvis. “That's a big bonus! Another thing that they likeis that I ask them to write about a subject thatthey know well: themselves. I encourage them towrite about the biggest challenge in their livesthat they have somehow overcome and fromwhich they have learned important life lessons.Once they have their inspiring stories wellunderway, we work together to come up with abook title. We do layout and design of bookcovers and interior contents.”The great production is due to the support of Dr.Jarvis’ amazing Student Learning Assistant,Carissa Church, who has helped with production for the past 2 semesters. “Carissa and I guidethem through revision after revision until thestory content flows well and has no grammarand punctuation errors,” said Jarvis. “Then wepublish the book in hardcopy form so that eachstudent leaves the class with concrete proof thatthey REALLY DO know how to write well. Lastof all, in an important final step, I use their bookto teach my next freshman writing class how towrite equally well. This is how I've come into theunusual practice of having students "write thetextbook" in Freshman English.” Congrats to the student authors!Congrats to the student authors!

January 2023, I started college all over againwith hopes to have a different outcome than myprevious educational experiences. On the first day of class Dr. Jarvis began toshare stories about his life, different than anyother professor I have had in the past. Hearinghis stories and stories from the different text weread in class, opened my eyes to understandthat although we all may look different, weshare similar trials and triumphs. I never thought of the idea of students writing atextbook and why they should even consider theidea. As a first semester undergraduate, I neverimagined sharing my educational journey in apublished book, but by coming together toexplore the journeys of others throughstorytelling and literature - this has been thenecessary foundation to continue on myundergrad journey. Donyel Le’Noir Felton Featured author in Embrace the Journey:Balancing Pain with Beauty

Behind the Pages: An Interview with Dr. Patrick-Weber by Aida SmithDr. Weber primarily teaches ENG114, ENG124, and ENG134. She also teachescourses in the We Are Empowered Learners and Leaders (WELL) Program here atBay Path University. Her passion for teaching the next generation of learnersabout the benefits of writing empowers many students to nurture their identities,develop self-advocacy skills, and recognize the power of writing. Her strongconnections between her book's theme and her trauma-informed teaching style,emphasize the importance of understanding how trauma influences learning andwriting. Dr. Weber's teaching style is also highly influenced by her interests in feministrhetorics, trauma rhetorics, motherhood, and medical rhetorics shape her teachingphilosophy. She works to foster inclusivity, advocates for silenced voices andencourages students to question certain policies or assumptions. Dr. Weber choseBay Path University to further her career because of their similar values in teachingstudents how to find their voice and utilize its power. This Professor's publishedwork and teaching philosophy stems from cultivating an environment that isrooted in inclusivity, advocacy, and trauma-informed approaches. (cont’d. on next page)

A: When I came to Bay Path, I had recently earned myPh.D in Rhetoric from Texas Woman’s University, auniversity that, while allowing other genders to attend,has a strong purpose: “Educate a woman, empower theworld.” I was drawn to Bay Path because BPU has similarvalues. I wanted to come here to help students uncoverand use their voices in powerful ways, which is why I loveto teach writing.Q: What made you choose Bay Path University?A: I did publish a book in June of 2020! It’s called TheRhetoric and Medicalization of Pregnancy and Childbirthin Horror Films. It’s an examination of how our cultureviews pregnancy and childbirth and how that viewpoint isreflected in specific horror films. I believe horror films area microcosm of society and often reflect real-life horrorsin really interesting ways. The films I chose to examinereflect the very real fear pregnant people have regardingthe medicalization of pregnancy/childbirth. I decided towrite the book because of my own experiences when I waspregnant with my daughter, Adelynn. I realized that thesystem around pregnancy/childbirth is very flawed andharmful at times.Q: You published a book! What is your book aboutand what made you decide to start writing it?A: This is a great question. A lot of my teaching istrauma-informed, meaning I try to understand howtrauma affects learning and writing in the classroom.Writing, no matter what kind, is very personal and towrite something is to put yourself out there in some way.I’ve noticed over the years I’ve been teaching that thisgeneration is very open about their traumas and sharethem freely in their writing. Q: How does what you have written in this booktranslate to your teaching style?As an educator, I want to help students findand use their voices and sometimes the storiesand identities of those voices are rooted intrauma. This is the same with horror films.Horror is all about trauma. Emotional andphysical trauma. And the way certainsystems, like the medical system at times,treat people is traumatic. So it all tiestogether–this idea of trauma and identity.How can writing help us heal? How canwriting help us tell our truths, no matter howtraumatic those truths might be? Those arethe questions I grapple with and work withevery day.(cont’d. on next page)

A: Other than trauma-informed teaching, which Imentioned above, my interest in feminism andmotherhood also informs my teaching. Feminism shouldbe about inclusivity–bringing people together andlearning from each other. It should be about advocatingfor others who don’t have a seat at the table, bringing tolight the voices that are often silenced. Writing can helpwith that–it can help give people an outlet to speak and beheard. Motherhood has also changed me and the way Iteach. I’m a different person now than I was before Ibecame a mother. Having a child, and being a mom,changes a person and that change can be very traumatic.It was for me. I had postpartum depression for that firstyear after giving birth and it was a dark time. But I grewfrom it and am more aware of how easily trauma canchange a person than I was before. So when I teach aboutwriting as a way of healing, it’s coming from a verypersonal place. I’ve used it to heal and I hope it helps mystudents heal from their traumas as well. For medicalrhetorics, it’s important to question experts at times,especially when our gut feeling says something is wrong.So when I teach research writing, I invite students to pushback against the experts, to find themselves as part of theconversation, and to examine how policies are written andwho those policies include (or don’t include).Q: A lot of your work circles around feminist rhetorics,trauma rhetorics, motherhood, and medical rhetorics.How do these interests influence how you teach andwhat you teach?A: It’s all about cultivating your identity and learningself-advocacy skills. Writing can help with that–so canresearch. It’s a powerful tool. If students take anythingfrom my book, I hope it is the knowledge that they arestrong and can advocate for themselves and push backagainst wrongful policies that are harmful to patients. Ialso hope it inspires them to watch more horror films!Q: Why are these interests important for your studentsto learn about? If they could take anything from yournew book what would you like your students to takefrom it?

Key Dates4/9: Academic AchievementDay- No synchronous classes.Network News session at 9:30 Want an event added to thenext Key Dates section? Email the Student Newsroomwith the event place, date, and time. 4/10: Fresh Check Day(Mental Health Awareness)4/21: Trip to Cirque du SoleilPerformance (More info tocome) 4/13: Student GalaTwin Hills Country ClubTheme: Secret Garden

GET INVOLVED NOW!We want to hear your voice!We are now accepting submissions for the next issue of our onlinemagazine, Network News, until March 11.Enter event/club flyers, issues you want tosee in our social justice section,visual/written art, or contribute youralumni voices to our future issues. Calling all TAWC (The American Women's College), Undergrad, and Graduate students!This is your time to raise your voices!Contact anyone in the news team or email:Contact anyone in the news team or email:studentnewsroom@baypath.edustudentnewsroom@baypath.edu Past Network News cover art by Cora Swan '23

ResourcesSection

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Help yourself to Hatch LibraryIf you're in a rush don’t worry. Youcan scan the pages needed for yourcourse and email the documents toyourself using our scanner. It can besent as PDF, searchable document,or convert your text to MP3.Before you buy that $100 book, check our CourseReserves to see if we have it. If we do, you are free tocheck out the book for 2 hours at a time while in thelibrary. Course ReservesComputersHatch has computers that are free for students, staff,and faculty to use on all three floors of the library. Allyou need is your Bay Path login-in information andyou're ready to go!If Hatch doesn't have a book, movie, article, or journalyou simply want or need, we can request it from otherlibraries from across the country. Just fill out the formon our website and we’ll do our best to get it to you!Interlibrary Loan (ILL)Hatch Library is a great resource for students,staff and faculty at Bay Path. Here are a few ofthe resources we provide. Feel free to contact usvia email (hatchlibrary@baypath.edu) by phone(413-565-1376) or by chat on our website. Source: baypath.eduBy Kaylah Sheppard

Hatch Library has an expansive collection of physicalbooks, movies, audiobooks, journals, and more. Tothese out of Hatch all you’ll need is your Bay Path IDcard. You can also check out a Roku stick forstreaming services like Tubi and PlutoTv, and DVDplayer’s.Books, Audiobooks, Movies, andMoreOur online databases give access to many forms ofinformation that you may need such as academicejournals, streaming videos, newspapers, and articles.If our database does not have the information youare looking for you can request a copy using ourinterlibrary loan form (ILL).Online DatabaseNeed help finding sources for your research topic?We can help! Contact us via email, phone call, orchat with your research needs and we will do our bestto assist you.Research AssistanceBay Path’s academic coaches and peer tutors holdtheir sessions at Hatch during our library hours.Contact academicsupport@baypath.edu or make anappointment by visiting the BPUportal under theLearning Section.Academic SupportNeed a quiet place to study? Reserve one of ourstudy rooms on your own or with a group!Private study rooms

Located in Theinert 113, acrossfrom Health Services

Are you struggling with any of your current courses? Are youthinking about dropping a course? Get help from a friend from Academic Support Services first! They offer: Academic CoachingPeer Tutoring and more! The Academic Support Services teamwants you to succeed, so takeadvantage of the helping hand! HELP FROMHELP FROMA FRIENDA FRIENDCONTACT:ACADEMICSUPPORT@BPU.EDUacademic support servicesacademic support servicesSIGNSIGNUPUPTODAY!TODAY!

AND MORE!Bay Path night at theThunderbirds Game Precious Williams: 2024Keynote SpeakerBlack History Month FashionShow and poetry slam

On the runway:Black History Month Fashion showBay Path’s Black History month fashion showbrought out the glam. Thank you for theinspiring program to celebrate the fashionablewalk through life.#Beautiful #fabulous #YOUSubmitted by Multicultural Affairs

Black HistoryPoetry SlamBay Path’s Black History month was filled withvoices, art, music and dance. The words becamemoments, the music made rhythms of joy and the artspoke louder than any speaker in the house.Congrats to all of the speakers who shared theirvoices in honor of our collective journey - throughthe trials and triumphs. The art auction supported a student artist, Naomi Naylor, who is talentedbeyond measure. Collectively, your voices are heardand valued in this significant moment.Submitted by Multicultural Affairs

Bay Path Night at the Thunderbirds GameBy Samantha Robinson On February 24, the SpringfieldThunderbirds hosted their 7th annualMilitary Appreciation night against theProvidence Bruins in front of a sold outcrowd. This also happened to be Bay Pathnight at the Thunderdome. Rookie Sam Bitten would get theThunderdome on their feet at the 3:54 markof the first period when he dropped thegloves against a P-Bruins player. At the11:37 mark of the 1st period the P-Bruinswould get on the board first. Then at the14:43 mark of the same period the P-Bruinswould extend their lead to 2. Then theThunderbirds would get on the boardthanks to Zach Dean at the 19:38 mark ofthe first period. The second period would start with the P-Bruins getting on the board first less than 2minutes into the period. The P-Bruinswould extend their lead at the 4:25 mark ofthe second period. Just as the Thunderbirdswere running out of hope, their top goalscorer The Hockey Gaud would score onthe power-play to restore his team’s hope.Bay Path was honored with the CHD Game ChangerAward. This award acknowledges how Bay Path isdoing extraordinary things to improve the lives ofthose around us and is an organization that all ofSpringfield and Western Massachusetts can proudlysalute. Bay Path had about 80+ students, staff,faculty and Alumni attended the game. At the 14:09 mark of the second period the HockeyGaud would strike and get the T-Birds within onegoal. Then Zach Dean would help tie the game butthat would be short lived due to the P-Bruins scoringanother goal heading into the second intermission.There would be no scoring in the final period and infront of a sellout crowd the Thunderbirds would fallto the P-Bruins by a final score of 5 to 4. After thegame, fans stayed to bid on their favorite playersjerseys. All the money raised from the auction goestowards military organizations. Bay Path honored with the CHD game changeraward.Source: Lindsey Robinson BPU on the Jumbotron.Source: Samantha Robinson

Speaking with Precious WilliamsSubmitted by Shelby FontaineWhat an amazing opportunity it was for Bay PathUniversity's Student Life to host Precious Williams thispast Wednesday, March 20th, both in person andvirtually! The theme of the event was "Break Through,"which is Bay Path's theme for this academic year! She notonly spoke on so many things that she has been able tobreak through in her life, but she did it so authenticallyand with full transparency! She made herself vulnerable toour community and we will be forever grateful for this!Precious did a book signing and we are in the midst ofproviding copies of her book, The Pitch Queen, to severalof those who were able to join us in person and online! Precious Williams, I humbly thank you forallowing me to interview you and learn fromyou!I wanted to thank the Student Life team,Human Resources (for financially supportingthe faculty and staff who attended)Admissions, Alumni and Advancement,Aramark (for the fabulous meal), Brian Nicks,and all of our students, faculty, staff, friends,and family who came to support this event.Lastly, a HUGE thank you to Ramona Eastfor leading the coordination efforts of theentire event, as this could not have been donewithout her class, leadership, dedication andcreativity!

Student Voices: PerspectivesThis section welcomes personal content and reflections pertainingto all cultures, backgrounds, and identities. Content in this sectionfeatures the individual voices of students and seeks to represent adiversity of opinion and point of view. This section also welcomesopen dialogue regarding student life at Bay Path. through our Q&Asection featuring answers from Bay Path staff. Students interestedin sharing personal stories, perspectives and questions can sendthem via studentnewsroom@baypath.edu.

Concerns regarding campus policies and events arevalued as feedback within the Bay Pathcommunity. Our Student Voices survey will besent out for next month’s issue to get to the heartof the biggest questions students have for staff andfaculty, and in turn the news team will receiveanswers from the parties in question to ensure theneeds of all students are respected andaccommodated. Stay tuned for more information. Message from theEditor:

The requirement for mandatory meal plans forresidents at Bay Path poses a significantchallenge for students with diverse dietary needsand lifestyles. While the intention may be tostreamline dining options, it often results infinancial strain and limited choices for manyindividuals. It’s time we reevaluate this policyand prioritize student empowerment andflexibility.For students who cannot fully utilize the dininghall due to allergies, dietary preferences, orscheduling conflicts, being locked into a 14-mealplan can be frustrating and wasteful.Additionally, the restriction from receiving foodstamp benefits due to enrollment in the mealplan further exacerbates financial hardships forthose who may already be struggling. It’sunrealistic to expect a small institution like BayPath to cater to every dietary restriction orpreference. Both the college and its studentsshouldn’t bear the burden of meeting such variedneeds. Instead, there should be a recognition ofthe importance of accommodating individualcircumstances. No matter how effective and kind the dining hallstaff are in their accommodations, there will alwaysbe needs unmet. Many things have improved in mythree years here, such as the Green Box program andin general more recognition of student voices in thedining hall and cafe, but our requirement of a 14-meal plan is incredibly rare for a college. Noteverything can be covered through accommodationseither. Other Universities like UMass offer anywherefrom 25 meals per year to unlimited meal swipes,which may not reflect the needs of Bay Path studentsexactly but emphasizes how limited we are.Students have valid reasons for seeking alternativesto the dining hall, whether it’s dueto lifestyle choices, health concerns, religious beliefs,or scheduling conflicts. Additionally,neurodivergent students may face unique challengesin navigating dining hall environments. Bay Pathneeds to offer more flexibility and understanding.While communal dining can foster a sense of unity, itshouldn’t come at the expense of individual choice.True community is built on inclusivity and respectfor diverse needs and preferences. It’s time for BayPath Residence Life to reconsider their approach tomeal plans and prioritize the well-being andautonomy of their students. By offering moreflexibility and choice, we can create a campusenvironment that truly supports the needs of all itsmembers.Reconsidering the 14-Meal Plan Submitted anonymouslyBP Staff Response:Thank you for bringing this to our attention, as it isimportant to us to know how the student experiencecan be improved. Residential students seeking aMedical Accommodation in lieu of purchasing acampus meal plan, may further inquire about theaccommodation process with Accessibility Services.We will continue to evaluate pricing and options ofour meal plans and update the residential communityshould any changes be determined. If you would likemore information, have questions about diningoptions, or need assistance with your dietary needs,please contact Paige Barbieri or Brian Clarkdirectly.

Trans Inclusivityon Campusby Virgil LybargerBay Path University is a “historical” women’scollege, but looking at campus culture right now,you wouldn't really be able to tell that we’ve leftthat “women’s college” identity behind.Bay Path’s student body is increasingly diverse, asfar as gender identities go, As the semesters go by,I meet more and more transgender students whodo not identify as women in any way, shape orform-- and yet our campus continues to uselanguage that categories our student body aswomen. Within student handbooks and other suchinformative documents, students are referred towith feminine pronouns (she/her), rather thanremaining neutral to include all students. Beyondthat, it’s common for faculty to refer to crowds ofstudents as “ladies” when many of them do notpresent as such.That isn’t necessarily any fault of their own-- BayPath, was, in fact, a women’s college in the past,even if it’s not now, and it takes time to adapt andchange the way things are. That being said, Ibelieve there are still some steps our campus couldtake to be more inclusive of transgender studentson campus. Gender neutral and inclusive languageis a first step, but there are other simple things thatI’ve found improve my experience in theclassroom. For instance, professors can havestudents introduce themselves sharing their namesand pronouns without fear of being outed by theattendance sheet. All in all, I believe in requireseffort from faculty, staff and even other students tomake Bay Path a more inclusive and comfortableplace for students of all gender identities. BP Staff Response:Virgil, thank you so much for this feedback. BayPath's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and BelongingCommunity Council has identified personalpronouns and chosen names as an area of focus forthe Council's work. A group of members from thisCommittee are currently working on plans toimplement the technology changes and developcommunity education opportunities that will helpour entire Bay Path community learn, grow, andbecome ever more inclusive especially as it relatesto gender identity. We would love to include you inthis work, if you would be interested in and able tolend your voice and talents. DEIB work, as youknow, never ends in a community that alwaysstrives to do better. We continue to update ouruniversity documents, as we have in our mostrecent Student Guidebook as an example, toaccurately reflect our community. We askeveryone to provide their feedback by completingthe DEII Survey that was sent to all students,faculty, and staff on Thursday, February 29th byDr. M. David Miller & Dr. Tammie Cummingfrom surveys@srs.brooklyn.cuny.edu. Bay Pathhas partnered with the City University of NewYork, Brooklyn College to examine Bay PathUniversity’s commitment to initiatives in diversity,equity, and inclusion. As a reminder, responses tothis survey are confidential and names ofrespondents will not be shared.

Submitted by Maegan Jackson:I am curious about what strategies are being enacted to incorporate theonline students' engagement more. I have been an online student sinceFall 2022 (first time BPU student) and it often feels like we are left out offun activities. Of course, not everything will be able to be translated frombeing a in-person student to an online student. However, I believe thatour community of students would greatly appreciate special things justfor us.BP Staff Response:Meagan, thank you forexpressing your concernsregarding online engagement.Many student facing offices hostseveral hybrid and or onlineprogramming events throughoutthe year. To stay up to date onthe latest offerings, please keepan active eye on your emailinboxes. Please also note that allclubs are open to online studentengagement. Student Life isexcited to increase ourprogrammatic offerings and isseeking feedback from our onlinestudent population. If there areparticular online events that youwould like to see more of, pleaseforward your feedback andsuggestions tostudentlife@baypath.edu.

Beyond the classroom CONTENT WARNING: This section often includes sensitive topicssuch as racial discrimination, violence, and death.This is a recurring section of the Network News. Avariety of global issues and social commentary havebeen and will continue to be discussed, such as minorityrecognition, gender equality, the Black Lives Mattermovement, global conflict, and more. This section seeksto represent all voices, backgrounds, and beliefs. Source: Canva.

Remembering Nex Benedict by Beck WehnerOn February 8, 16-year-old NexBenedict passed away following anassault by a group of their peers in theOwasso High School bathroom theprevious day. On March 14, the officialruling of their death was determined tobe suicide after an autopsy report by themedical examiner. The detailssurrounding Benedict’s death hassparked heartbreak and outrage in thequeer and trans communities, and manydemand more accountability for thoseresponsible.Nex was a member of the ChoctawNative American tribe, and identified asnon-binary and 2Spirit, using they/themand he/him pronouns. They had supportfrom their community, as well as theirmother and grandmother, who were bytheir side in the hospital after the attack. Benedict described the fight to Oklahomapolice, saying that they were in the bathroomlaughing with their friends and anothergroup was mocking them. Benedict pouredwater on one of the students, and a fightbroke out, ending in the group throwing Nexto the ground and beating them up. SueBenedict, Nex’s mother, was told by policenot to press charges due to Nex’scontribution to the altercation. Benedict wasthen transported to a pediatric emergencyhospital where they later died.Protests and vigils throughout the US wereheld in rememberance of Nex andacknowledging the rampant transphobia andhomophobia that exists in the educationsystem and the country as a whole. AGoFundMe has been established for Nex’sfamily and LGBTQ suicide hotlines havecontinued to encouraged queer youth to askfor help when they need it.

Taylor Swift’s private jet and the many joys of being a billionaireFootball enthusiast and pop sensation TaylorSwift has been in hot water lately over use of hervery own private jet, sparking conversationabout billionaires and their personal impacts onclimate change. Most recently, a jet that wasowned by Swift took a flight as short as 13minutes, however it has been said that this couldhave been a maintenance flight. This fact doesn’tchange the reality: celebrities are doing seriousenvironmental damage with their private jetemissions.Since 2022, college student Jack Sweeney hasbeen tracking Swift’s use of her private jet andposting his findings on an X account called@SwiftJetNextDay. This information is availableto the public through the Federal AviationAdministration, all Sweeney does is post theinformation on social media. By Lily SalmonDespite this fact, Swift’s legal team stillfinds issue with the account, going as faras suing the student under the guise ofprotecting Swift’s safety. According to herlawyers, alerting social media viewers ofher location leaves her vulnerable tostalkers. Sweeney’s lawyer swiftlyresponded, explaining that posting thisinformation does not harm the pop star asposts are always made 24 hours afterlanding, nor does sharing this informationbreak the law. Elon Musk, famous thinker, has alsofaced criticism by Sweeney, who tracksthe billionaire's four (four!) jets on varioussocial media sites – excluding Musk’s veryown X, of course. Source: Canva.(cont’d. on next page)

In 2022, celebrities emitted 3376.64 tons of carbonemissions via their private jets alone. That's almost500 times more than the average person. Swift andMusk aren't the only offenders, other celebritiesincluding Floyd Mayweather, Jay Z, and A-Rod allhold a place on the top emission list. While the non-billionaires of the world are stucktaking commercial flights, buses and trains,sometimes even walking to reach their destinations,celebrities opt to take their private jets from onetown to another. Luxury most often comes at thecost of sustainability, and these multi million orbillionaires choose to emit tremendous amounts ofcarbon every time they do so. It’s not just their jets,it’s their mansions, their yachts, their inventions.While they will not experience the environmentaleffects of the climate change they are contributing to- not yet, at least - the people who contribute theleast will feel it the most. These choices may not be the sole reason for theenvironmental once-in-a-lifetime tragedies thathave become ever common recently, but theycertainly stack up. The richest one percent ofpeople emit more carbon than sixty six percent ofthe poorest people do, yet those doing the leastdamage will experience the vast extent of theconsequences. Extreme weather, food shortages,natural disasters, and poor air quality are just afew of the effects climate change can have on us,but these things are less likely to burden you ifyou can escape to your air conditioned, wellstocked mansion.Sources: The Guardian; Newsweek; CBS; YardGraph by Amanda Chu

Here's whatwe're watchingShows and movies we've been streaming all month long!(continued on next page)Wonka (2023)Wonka is the story about how WillyWonka became the chocolate markerthat we all know. Timothée Chalametplays a young Willy who wants tobecome the best chocolate marker thatthe world has come to know. Wonka isone of the best movies from 2023 witha profit of $400 million worldwide.This movie has a great cast includingHugh Grant, Timothee Chalament andmany others. It is a great family movie-Sam RobinsonSource: IMDB.Avatar: The LastAirbender (2024-) Avatar: The Last Airbender is a live actionrecreation of the animated series that came outin the mid 2000s. The original series has uphelda true legacy and is dearly loved by fans, so thenew show has a lot to live up to. While the liveaction version did a great job making the showlook amazing, the characters and writing fallflat in my opinion. The humor and emotion thatmade the original show great are lost in the newversion, disappointing fans across the board.It’s a fun watch, but I don’t think anything canlive up to the amazing story, plot or charactersof the original.-Lily SalmonSource: IMDB.

Health and Wellness SectionArticles and infographics about ways to stay bothphysically and emotionally healthy here at Bay Path and beyond!

Let’s shed a light onendometriosisMarch is national Endometriosis Awareness month.Regardless of gender, people who were assignedfemale at birth have the same organ, a uterus.Endometriosis is a disease that affects the uterus bygrowing a similar lining on the outside of the uterus.It is often very painful and is known to affect theovaries, fallopian tubes, tissue lining in the pelvis andmore. The uterus is a complex organ that goes throughmany processes but the most important process is themenstruation cycle. Every month the uterus grows alining inside itself in anticipation of a fetus occurring.When conception doesn’t occur, it sheds itself whichcan take 23 to 35 days to complete. During a typicalmenstrual cycle, all of the dead tissue is expelledthrough the vaginal canal however, endometriallining has nowhere to exit the body. Without an exit,this dead tissue will travel to places it doesn’t belong.This can cause cysts called “endometriomas,” whichaffect the ovaries and can lead the surrounding tissuein the body to form scar tissue in the pelvis andsurrounding organs. People with this condition may notice symptomsduring their period (heavy bleeding), during or aftersex, and when urinating or defecating. Other symptoms include:Chronic pelvic painHeavy bleeding between periodsInfertilityBloating and/or nauseaFatigueby Kaylah SheppardSources: Statistictimes.com, Womenshealth.gov, Mayoclinic.org, Nih.gov, & Hopkinsmedicine.org

Endometriosis currently has no cure and no onedirect cause however there are manytreatments.This disease can be diagnosed by adoctor using a few methods:UltrasoundMagnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)LaparoscopyBiopsy TreatmentsNonsurgical TreatmentHormone TherapyOral contraceptive pills ProgestinsGonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonistto limit or stop ovarian hormonesPain medicationIbuprofenAcetaminophenSurgical TreatmentLaparoscopy LaparotomyHysterectomyThere are currently 172.65 million biological females in the US and inthat population 11% have endometriosis (statistictimes.com &womenshealth.gov). Always make sure to check in with your doctor ifyou are feeling any of the previously mentioned symptoms. If you’dlike to support research for the disease consider donating or sharingthe Endometriosis Foundation of America or the EndometriosisAssociation.Sources: Statistictimes.com, Womenshealth.gov, Who.int & Hopkinsmedicine.org Visit theEndometriosisFoundation of America for more information.

Y e s , t h i s l e t t e r i s f o r y o u ! A B P U s t u d e n t , p a r e n t , c a r e g i v e r , a n d m o r e . Y o ur e m e m b e r t o t a k e c a r e o f e v e r y o n e e l s e , b u t o f t e n f o r g e t t o p r i o r i t i z e y o u r s e l f . 4 5 % o f s u r v e y e d c o l l e g e s t u d e n t s s a i d t h e y e x p e r i e n c e “ m o r e t h a n a v e r a g es t r e s s . ” B u t i t c a n b e e a s i e r t h a n y o u t h i n k t o s e t a s i d e t i m e f o r y o u t o r e c h a r g ey o u r b a t t e r i e s a n d c o m e p r e p a r e d t o b e t h e b e s t v e r s i o n o f y o u r s e l f i n e v e r yo t h e r a s p e c t o f y o u r l i f e . H e r e a r e t h r e e r e l a t i v e l y e a s y t i p s t o t a k e c a r e o f y o u a m o n g s t t h e c h a o s : 1 . S t a r t s i m p l e – d o n ’ t o v e r c o m p l i c a t e s e l f - c a r e o r m a k e i t a s t r e s s f u lp r o c e s s . T h a t d e f e a t s t h e p o i n t ! Y o u k n o w w h a t m a k e s y o u h a p p i e s t , s e t a s i d e2 0 m i n u t e s a d a y f o r t h a t a c t i v i t y a n d i m p l e m e n t t h i s i n t o y o u r r o u t i n e .2 . H y d r a t i o n a n d n u t r i t i o n – l e t ’ s f a c e i t , t h e s t u d i e s a r e r i g h t . W h a t w e e a ta n d d r i n k a f f e c t s o u r m o o d , f o c u s , a n d o v e r a l l h e a l t h . I t i s r e c o m m e n d e d t h a tw o m e n h a v e a p p r o x i m a t e l y 8 1 2 f l o z g l a s s e s o f w a t e r p e r d a y . M a k e i t a p o i n t t od r i n k w a t e r a n d n o u r i s h y o u r b o d y ! 3 . B e e n g a g e d – w h e n y o u d o g e t t o s p e n d t i m e w i t h f r i e n d s a n d l o v e d o n e s ,t r y n o t t o s t r e s s a b o u t s c h o o l , w o r k , a n d a l l t h e o t h e r r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s o n y o u rp l a t e . S p e n d i n g t r u l y p r e s e n t a n d q u a l i t y t i m e w i t h t h e p e o p l e y o u l o v e f i l l s u py o u r c u p . L e t i t ! S o , I c h a l l e n g e y o u , r e a d e r , t o t a k e t i m e f o r y o u r s e l f t o d a y . W h a t e v e r t h a t l o o k sl i k e f o r y o u , t h a t ’ s o k a y . C e l e b r a t e t h e w i n s n o m a t t e r h o w s m a l l . S o m e t i m e s ,j u s t o n e m i n u t e o f s e l f - r e f l e c t i o n c a n g i v e y o u t h e m e n t a l r e s e t y o u n e e d .Too busy for self-care?T h i n k A g a i n !By: Alysha DicksonW h a t a r e s o m e w a y s t h a t y o u t r y t oi n t e g r a t e s e l f - c a r e i n t o y o u r b u s yr o u t i n e ?S c a n t h e Q R c o d e t o l e t u s k n o w ,a n d y o u c o u l d b e f e a t u r e d i n a f u t u r ee d i t i o n o f t h e N e t w o r k N e w s !

CreativeSpotlightTHe Creative Spotlight is asection where we highlightsome of the amazing visualand literary art that ourstudents create. These piecescan range from poetry toillustrations.If you wish to have your art, writing, or creativeexpression featured in the next issue, pleasesubmit to studentnewsroom@baypath.edu.Source: Canva

Spring is on its way.Spring weather is coming.The sun is out and the skies are blue.Spring forward the clocks and gain an hour of sunlight.We feel it in our veins, we feel it when we walk out the door. The temps reach 60 in the beginning of the month. Groundhog Phil said an early Spring would come. Spring sports are already happeningWe see it as we walk outside and we can feel it at night aswell. Spring is coming and can feel it. We are ready for Spring but then it gets cold again. We are in the beginning of a new month and it is already weare breaking temperature records. We may still have the heat on in our houses and the windowsclosed due to it being cold at night but sometimes the tempsare above average at night. Spring is coming and clothing stores are already doingclearance sales on their winter clothes. Spring is coming fast and it will be here soon. Just because the calendar says Spring doesn’t mean anything. Spring has sprung but Winter may stay longer. Temps are dropping at night and we are still seeing snow. Yes garden centers are getting their Spring supplies out butthat doesn’t mean that we won’t still see snow and coldtemps. Spring has sprungSpring is coming. Spring has Sprungby Samantha Robinson

My silhouette’s been caught in my bedroom walls, rememberingthat she’s just been kissed.I’ll keep her there, stretched and stuck.Reaching out, holding her breath for another.I’ve captured her perfectly,whispering to be.I’m hoping that if she sits still long enough,that feeling would last a little longer.This feeling will tide her over until the light that casts her dies. Until the memory is only mine.As the light dims she leaves my arrest and sways along my walls,dancing with every flicker.She was so pretty whispering to me.That in the end all she had, and all she was,was only whispering to be. -Kaylah SheppardWhispering to be