Enrollment Up Again Charlayne Hunter

Wednesday
May 1, 2013
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Gateway Community College Volume IV Issue 3 Spring 2013
Photos taken by Allen Gales
Charlayne Hunter-Gault Dazzles Gateway Audience
Dr. Dorsey Kendrick, College President, is
shown addressing Hunter-Gault appearance.
Dr. Kendrick is a member of the board of the
New Haven Foundation.
January Appearance at Library Arranged by New Haven Council on Arts and Ideas
Coordinated by the New Haven Foundation
Defying the Trend – Enrollment Up Again
By Anthony Mitrano
As spring blossoms onwards apparently Gateway does too.
This spring Gateway achieved a very special and seldom rise
in enrollment. Usually in the spring semester college student
either remain in a continuity or diminish; however, Gateway
stopped the normality by expanded by 6.2 percent – 447 more
students.
Out of the 12 sister colleges in Connecticut, Gateway and
Manchester were the only schools to show any boost. Dr.
Vincent Tong of Institutional Research affirmed that, “Gateway
is number one out of the twelve colleges in headcount. Most
schools do not grow during spring semester. Our growth rate is
the highest.” Last spring the Gateway had 7,176 students, and
this spring the grand total is 7623 students. The ultimate rise in
population has effected program enrollment as well. According
to Dr. Tong, “The two programs which received the largest
increase of students are General Studies and Liberal Arts and
Sciences.”
While this is impressive, it continues as six percent of the
growth was from continued students. Examining the growth
reveals that Gateway’s retention levels are up as well. The
retention could be attributed to numerous sources, but
probably the main is the attraction to the new location that
President Dr. Kendrick sought. Regardless of all of the factors,
Tong says “One factor is certain, we have a remarkably better
caliber of students this year.”
2
COLLEGE EVENTS CALENDAR
Summer Term (2013)
May 23, 2013 – Commencement Ceremony,
President and CEO of Yale New Haven Hospital
Marna Borgstrom, 6:00 pm at Woolsey Hall
May 27, 2013 – Memorial Day Observance –
(Monday) Campus Closed
May 28, 2013 – Classes Begin (Tuesday)
July 4, 2013 – Independence Day Observance –
(Thursday) Campus Closed
LETTERS TO THE GATEWAY
GAZETTE
The Gateway Gazette
Letters-to-the-Editor should be sent to:
EDITORS
Robbie Caserta
Bonnie Fahy
Anthony Mitrano
Alex Squittero
Please sign your letter and include a
phone number so we can contact you
to confirm it’s really you who’s taken
the time and energy to write to us.
Here’s to hearing from you.
WRITERS
Trevor DeEll
Kaitlin DiTolla
Luis Ferman
Anthony Mitrano
Isaiah Paul
Matthew St. Clair
Dan Zumpuano
The Gateway Gazette, Humanities
Department.
August 1, 2013 – Summer Classes End
“Nobody goes there anymore;
it’s too crowded”
POETRY
Lelin L. Daniels
Bradon DiLeva
Tom O’Neil
Lawrence “Yogi” Berra
ART DIRECTOR
Mehgan Seltzer
“Never, never, never, never
give up.”
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Allen Gales
Anthony Mitrano
Alex Squittero
Sir Winston Churchill, circa 1941
SPECIAL THANKS TO
Jackie Hennessey
LOGO DESIGN
Allen Gales
HUMANITIES DEPARTMENT
Professor Chet Schnepf, Chairman
FACULTY ADVISOR
Tom O’Neil
“Django Unchained:
A Spaghetti Western
Misadventure That Works”
_______________________________
COLLEGE’S EMERGENCY WEATHER
CLOSING NUMBERS
STUDENTS: (203) 285-2049
FACULTY: (203) 285-2222
By: Matthew St.Clair
In the past, the movie going public has seen Spaghetti Westerns, and films that deal with the topic of slavery. But director
Quentin Tarantino manages to deliver a film that is a successful combination of the two, and that film is “Django Unchained”.
“Django Unchained” is about a slave named Django, played by
Jamie Foxx, who is freed by a bounty hunter named Dr. King
Schultz who offers to help him rescue his wife Broomhilda and
will give him his freedom if he helps Schultz find his intended
targets that captured Django and Broomhilda and sold them to
slavery. When they go to rescue Broomhilda, they find out she is
held captive by a sadistic yet charming plantation owner named
Calvin Candie, played by Leonardo DiCaprio.
As the title character, Jamie Foxx delivers a superb performance. He truly showcases the character’s thirst for vengeance,
desperation, and anger. Once the audience watches his performance, they begin to root for his quest to reunite with his longlost love. Christoph Waltz gives a scene-stealing performance as
King Schultz, and he deserved the Oscar he won for this movie,
which was for Best Supporting Actor. Even though Waltz plays a
completely different character from his last Oscar-winning performance in “Inglourious Basterds”, he exudes the same amount
of enthusiasm to his character in this. Leonardo DiCaprio completely plays against type as Calvin Candie, and does an ex-
traordinary job at playing the character with gleeful charisma and
demonic menace. Even though Kerry Washington, who portrays
Django’s wife Broomhilda, has slightly minimal screen time and
dialogue, she is able to convey the frightful emotions that her
character is going through as she is held captive. Samuel L.
Jackson also has a supporting role as Calvin Candie’s head
slave, Stephen, and he adds some ornery comedic relief.
While “Django” conveys a unique blend of different genres,
as it is an action-packed Spaghetti Western vengeance pic with
a touch of black comedy, it is also able to establish the harsh
brutalities of slavery. This film is set in a harsh time where blacks
sold into slavery were treated with ridicule and malice and
blacks were always referred to as the “N-Word”. While some
who watch this movie may be offended by the extensive use of
the “N-word”, it is only to capture the historical context and origin
of racism and slavery in the U.S.
Overall, Django Unchained is a thrilling epic that deserved all
the praise that it had received. It is a film that die-hard Tarantino
fans, history buffs, and those that love Westerns, all can enjoy.
Its 3-hour running time may be a bit extensive, but it definitely
doesn’t take away from the experience of watching this wonderful film.
3
Gateway’s Trevor DeEll
Covers the Grammy’s
By: Trevor DeEll
At 3:00PM PST, the elite in the music industry hit the red carpet
and all I could hear were the crowd’s cheers as the stars arrived.
Two hours later, the Director came on over out walkie’s and said,
“This is what we have all been working for crew, It’s showtime!”
Then the crowd erupted when we went live and the host Justin
Timberlake, appeared on stage and welcomed everyone to the
55th Annual Grammy Awards. With performances by Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Frank Ocean and a tribute to Bob Marley with
his two sons, I knew today would be incredible. As we passed
the Laker’s locker room, the stunning Rihanna was walking by
an I asked if she could take a picture with her, she said, “sure
thing hun!” (pictured to the left.) Then she ran up the stairs and
join the Marley Brothers on stage for their father’s tribute, capping off an unforgettable night for all of us.
Beat on the Street
By: Kaitlin DiTolla
Parking Garage Beat:
Zakariah: Gets full too quick and its tool small.
Went through the entire thing just to find
all spots taken.
Lisa: I love it, convenient!
Marcea: I like it.
Martyna: It’s convenient, I always find a space.
Alyssa:
I feel that it’s a little chaotic.
Ciara:
There should be a designated spot for motorcycles.
Shannon: No one follows the garage rules.
Ted: I don’t have a problem with it, but there are some people
who park terribly.
Abdul: It’s too small so I don’t park though.
Kevin: I hate it, its too small. I park at temple now.
4
Gateway’s Early Childhood Program
Preparing Top Teachers
By: Tom O’Neil
Early childhood programs have become the hottest topics
in the ever-changing field of education. In fact, dating back to
the closing years of the 20th century, the early childhood field
has proven to be a new frontier for the country’s educational
development.
“We are truly moving out of the dark ages and into the
sunlight of a genuine innovation,” say Cathy Mebane, an Early
Childhood Professor at gateway. “The need for this change
is more critical than ever.” Valencia Day has said. This push
for the Early Childhood program’s growth is not only strongly
supported by our faculty and students here at Gateway,
the State Department of Education (SDE) and the National
Association for the Good of Young Children (NAEYC) have
granted Gateway 7 years of accreditation. Gateway is the first
of all 12 of Connecticut community colleges to reach this goal, in
Mebane’s words, “This means we passed with flying colors.”
of America’s growing diversified population, as well as improve
upon special needs training. “Faculty members have formed a
collaboration with the learning disabilities specialist in order to
incorporate students with special needs into the program,” as
stated in the handbook, available at the Early education offices
on the first floor of Gateway’s South Tower.
One final program plus: Students participate in high quality
field placement for observation and student teaching. This
includes Gateway’s Early Learning Center, an on-site laboratory
school.
These results are not coming out of the blue; Gateway’s
departments are challenging students with difficult and
imaginative real life classroom scenarios. This first hand
experience and the veteran help for teachers who have been
around for years is laying the perfect groundwork for the
educators of our future. With challenges such as, “knowing and
understanding the families of the children and the communities
in which they live,” as stated in the rulebook, it is clear the strong
initiative to continue to improve at the initiatives Gateway has set
forth on.
With four classrooms dedicated to Early Childhood
Education, the program has double in size since moving to
the new campus. Being in the new building has been a game
changer for the whole program; we cannot focus on the needs
Shown here are early Childhood Development Professionals
from left: Cathy Mebane, Professor of Early Childhood, Carmelita Valencia-Daye, Professor Early Childhood Development, and
Carol Annette, Accreditation/Facilitation project.
5
Twenty Small Caskets
By: Tom O’Neil
Twenty small caskets. That was it.
71 years ago, about Christmas-time
I remember a Sunday when my two
Alcoholic aunts from Brooklyn and
The rest of us were terrified because
Bradon DiLeva’s poetry has been recommended
to the Gazette by Dr. Kerin Lee, of the
Humanities Department:
Chains of Oppression
By: Bradon DiLeva
Racing thoughts soar through my head
Rarely finding time for loved ones these days
Aching to leave this fake life that sticks to me
Attempting to break free from these old chains
Contemplating strategies to set a better example for myself
Struggling to find myself in a world of evil
Screaming for help, but there is no response.
Cold, tired, and hungry for freedom,
I refuse to give up
Praying daily for the disentanglement from those thick walls.
Waiting for that voice to come call me
With weapons drawn, shields torn I continue to float these fears.
Untitled
By: Bradon DiLeva
Distant from the world around me
Isolated from society
Left talking to myself on a daily bases
Ignored and left to wallow in this pain
Rice for Seven
By: Lelin L. Daniels
Coffee for breakfast
Mangoes for lunch
Bananas for dinner
In our poor home.
Sell a big papaya
To buy *pavito and rice
Fifty cents was the
Right price.
A mother, six children
The youngest one three
Around the table
They talk and eat.
*Pavito: a small plastic container
of oil that used to cost 10 cents.
Japanese pilots had strafed and bombed
Somewhere far from Morris County in New
Jersey, a place called Pearl Harbor and we
Were at war with these murdering savages
A long with Nazi Germany.
But that wasn’t as bad for me as
Twenty Small Caskets.
During this war of my childhood I vividly
Remember thousands of American boys
Being killed round Christmas during a
European battle named for the bulge in
A map somewhere.
But that wasn’t as bad for me as
Twenty Small Caskets.
I remember around Thanksgiving of my
Early-man years thousands more of American
Boys being massacred when Chinese hordes
Overran their holiday dinners in a place
Called North Korea.
But that wasn’t as bad for me as
Twenty Small Caskets.
I also remember a movie start holding news
Conference in mid-November and then a week
And a day later his having half of his head clown
Away in Dallas. He had that day warned me,
“The World is a dangerous and untidy place.”
But that wasn’t as bad for me as
Twenty Small Caskets.
And I totally remember a place called Vietnam, where
I almost had gone, sheer luck, a somewhere that destroyed
An entire generation of my countrypersons and where
More than 56,000 of us were killed, mutilated and
Spindled like so many computer card.
But that wasn’t as bad for me as
Twenty Small Caskets.
The shooter in Newtown had to have lowered his
Fatal automatic weapon to aim at his milling and frenzied
Targets. And I know the first responders there will never
Be the same. They have my undying empathy for what
They must have come upon.
Twenty Small Caskets.
6
One Student’s
Odyssey
By: Luis Fermin
There are a lot of interests to be good
at or excel in. Ever since I was four, I
have always had a gaming console. This
being the case, the T.V. Has played a
huge role in my life. Some say, “doing
is easy,” but some people struggle in
comparison to me when they pick up the
controller or even turn on the television.
Maybe they’re technologically challenged
or it is just a generational problem. I
adapt to the controller, then the settings,
and suddenly that particular game is
not fun for everyone else in the room.
Understanding is the first step and
comprehending is the second, knowing
what each button does and seeing
outcome of that button. The only reason
that I do not go into gaming communities
and gaming teams, is because it sounds
unrealistic. It is my specialty, because at
heart, I am a bit of a nerd. I am slowly
but surely branching out as life picks up
and goes on. A few mistakes here and
there, but I can somewhat say that I have
it together this semester and I am hopeful
for more semesters elsewhere.
Originally starting at UNH, I got
entwined with the wrong crowd and did
not pay at attention to the curriculum.
Two years went by in a flash, I ended
up at Gateway, and looking back I had
wasted my time at UNH. It took a year to
find this “new beat” attitude. This opened
up my head to more so I could finally
start to think rationally about where my
life was going. There is no real way to
put it except to say that life takes it’s twist
and turns, accepting this all is the only
real challenge.
(
Remembered by his friends,
family and fellow servicemen,
Captain Andrew M Pedersen-Keel
grew up in Guilford, CT
where his parents still reside.
My real goal is to become either and
F.B.I. Agent or a detective in a major city
police department. It takes a lot of hard
work and commitment, but think I am
finally ready to flourish. There are some
of my peers who do not understand the
concept of, “getting that paper,” having
connections, and the hard work that
goes along with it. I wonder why people
do not take advantage of the resources
at hand, go to school and do your best.
Maybe people are lazy, maybe they are
not motivated enough. I seldom wonder,
what if the productivity is going down as
technology rises?
7
An Untold Story of Muslim America
By: Dan Zampuano
Imagine being a Christian American in a place like Kabul,
Afghanistan in the year 2002. Imagine everyone stereotyping you
for what you believe, how you look, or the way you act. Since
the tragedy of September 11, 2001, there have been many racial
injustices towards the Muslim community of America. Many people
gravitate towards a made up believe that all Muslims are radical
Islamic terrorists that are trying to control the world so that they
may fulfill a prophecy of “Holy War” against other people who don’t
succumb to them. This is simply not the case. America is struggling in foreign relations with Middle Eastern nations.
A firsthand account of cultural difference and stereotypes of
Muslims in the united stated can be seen through the eyes of
gateways very own student, Spenta Mehraban. Spenta came to
America in 2000 with her family from Afghanistan. Seemingly out
of a Hollywood script, the Mehraban’s had a treacherous journey.
After being persecuted for standing up for Women’s right in Afghanistan, Spenta’s
Taliban forces targeted Father. Fearing the worst, he packed
up the family and headed for Pakistan, “One of the scariest situations I’ve been in,” said Spenta when describing the situation. “I
don’t remember much of it but my mother says it was a bad situation and everyone was sad. But there I was, a happy little two year
old, not realizing the magnitude of the situation, just laughing.
The family lived in Pakistan with a relative for a year before
moving to Russia. “We lived there for about five years as illegal
immigrants, but we always had connections, and they treated us
with respect there. My father ended up starting a business on the
first floor of a 20 story building owned by Russian mobsters.”
Mehraban says that when the mobsters wanted to drive up her
father’s price to rent it out, he marched to the head bosses office.
“They had machine guns and pit bulls, real mafia stuff, but the
head man in charge happened to be Muslim and gave my father
a fair deal.” With good fortune, the Mehrabans lived peacefully in
Russia for five years. Then in 1996 Spenta’s father was invited to
the United States to talk about peace relations. Four years later,
the whole family joined him and they have been here ever since.
However, coming to anew country wasn’t exactly a smooth transition. “At first it was hard, in 5th grade people told me to go back to
my country where I belong and there were a lot of racist remarks.
But, once people got to know me, I started making friends a lot
easier.”
Spenta and her family moved to Clinton, Connecticut in 2000.
In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Spenta described her experience
as a Muslim American. “It was scary because we knew we were
going to be judged a lot more. People were going to stereotype
us as terrorists, and some did. The media in Afghanistan corrupts
the view of most Muslims, like how when they would show people
celebrating in the streets over 9/11. That’s just the Taliban and
their propaganda, not the views of the country as a whole. They
have a big influence on not only our media outlets, but the outlets
here in The United States.”
Spenta does not put all the blame on Americans for some of
the negativity that her people receive. She said, “We as Muslims
are very judgmental because we hold true to our traditions and
a lot of Americans just don’t understand them. We just grow up
differently.” The vastness of cultural differences in America and
Afghanistan is immense. This is especially true in the way women
are treated, “Women here (in America) are treated with respect
and fairness. They are not judged or seen as being “under men”
Spenta Mehraban
in any way. They have equal rights, and the freedom that
women from Afghanistan seek.” This gives Spenta a real
appreciation for being in this country. Her fellow women
are discriminated against in Afghanistan and treated like a
piece of property rather than a functioning member of society. But when it comes to her culture and origin, her heart
never strays. “You definitely feel Americanized after being
here for so long. People have definitely changed over the
years. For the most part people treat me with respect, and
respect my traditions, knowing that I am Muslim. To be
honest, most Muslims would treat Christians in my country
with respect as well. Sometimes I don’t get to do some
American things a much because my culture prevents it.
So I guess I can’t really be fully American, but I am definitely an Afghan-American. You have to stick to your true
colors.”
It certainly presents a traditional and cultural difference, but progress is being made toward restoring peace
between the more Christian populated United States,
and the primarily Muslim populated Arab world. America
strides to become friendlier with these nations, metaphorically building bridges with these nations, without compromising our countries values and beliefs. Most of the
bickering goes on politically. Socially however, these two
sides have made great strides and look towards being one
collective unit of Americans.
8
Backstage Star: Meet Gateway Gazette’s
Bill Dyson of New Haven
Photos courtesy of
New Haven Registrer
Bill Dyson was a veteran legislator from
New Haven when he organized the ‘New
Haven Caucas’. He did so in a demand that
the citizens here have a first rate, modernstructured community college. The $198
million facilities we enjoy every day are
a direct result of Bill’s work. Bill Dyson’s
bonus’; two grandaughters attend Gateway
and are doing very well.
By: Mehgan Seltzer