Originally published on Marist Media Hub

Written by Alyssa Hurlbut

High ceilings descend into walls, and walls into archways, which hug the center of the room. Chandeliers dangle above, radiating a dim light. This light trickles toward the ground, until it merges with the light of the lanterns, strung along the wall. Oh, and tables. Long, long, tables scattered across the wooden floor. Throw a few flaming cauldrons and wizards into the mix and Harry Potter would be able to call the place home.

Well, maybe the Marist College Dining Hall isn’t an exact replica of Harry’s Hogwarts. And swarms of students scarfing down burgers after their 5:00 classes aren’t nearly wizards. But this past Wednesday, the two scenes reflected remarkable similarities.Emily Baska, marketing coordinator for Sodexo food services, crafted the idea to illuminate the similarities between the Marist Dining Hall and the Hogwarts Great Hall by transforming the cafe into Hogwarts itself. “It was a connection that was always there but never became a reality,” Baska said.

Marist students frequently refer to the Dining Hall as Hogwarts. See the comparisons here: http://theodysseyonline.com/marist/marist-college-hogwarts/168986

Marist’s “Great Hall,” with tables set up to represent Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff; Photo courtesy of Alyssa Hurlbut.

Baska and her team worked tirelessly to create this reality. Signs, Facebook reminders, and countdowns served to promote the event. Baska even engaged the help of many Marist student organizations to bring the night to life, including ROTC and SGA. These groups embraced the culture of Hogwarts by dressing in costume and staging for pictures. “We have a lot of decorations,” Baska promised beforehand, “and many references to the books. We want to give a pop of ‘you’re at Hogwarts.’”

Her promise was not broken. With a touch of witchcraft and a few magic wands, Emily and her team succeeded in creating nothing less than the extraordinary. By 4:30 on Wednesday afternoon, what was formally known as the Marist Dining Hall was now officially the Hogwarts Great Hall. Tables were strung together and set with plates and silverware; registers were decorated with the Marauder’s map; Harry, Hermione, and Ron cutouts stood waiting for pictures; flaming cauldrons ran along walls; front pages of The Daily Prophet decorated the archway across from the deli station; Sodexo workers decked out in wizard costumes; and let’s not forget live Harry Potter gracing us with his presence in the form of student body president Timos Pietris.

But the ambiance was just the beginning. The night was further enhanced by the Harry Potter/British-based food. The menu featured golden snitch cake pops, mini Victorian cakes, Ollivanders wands (chocolate covered pretzels), a Hagrid “Happee Birthdae Harry” cake, mandrake pots, vegetarian Gillyweed balls, and the ever famous Butterbeer. Even more, raffle prizes in the form of the Harry Potter books and gift cards to on-campus food cafes provided incentive to dress the part—resulting in hundreds of mini Harry’s swarming the Great Hall. The dinner received an overwhelming amount of interest. Lines filtered out the door, as the 991 students arriving within the first hour of opening vied to land a position on the long tables in the center.

“We were so happy with the turnout,” Baska commented. “The atmosphere in the room was phenomenal between all the décor, music and enthusiasm from students, faculty and staff.” The night at Hogwarts was undoubtedly a success, and an innovative way of engaging the Marist community. However, the event served a larger purpose than embracing a funny comparison. In hosting the event, Baska hoped to instill an appreciation in students—one that would allow them to recognize the value of having a meal plan. “The dining hall isn’t just a place to scarf down food and leave. It’s a place where you can try new foods, talk with friends, and just have fun.”

Photo courtesy of Alyssa Hurlbut

The festive night was the perfect opportunity to showcase the skills of the Sodexo workers that make this experience possible. Chef Anthony, head of the culinary staff, for example, worked with his talented team to keep up with the rapid rate at which the food was being consumed. Meanwhile, Vanessa Renta, Resident Dining Director, took pride in her staff’s efforts to swipe and serve over 2,000 guests.

The hard work involved in coordinating this night, as well as the daily Marist dining experience, is oftentimes overlooked by students, as they grow accustomed to the system of being served. It is certainly not lost upon Baska, however, who has seen great strides in Marist Dining since she graduated the college in 2014. “The demand for food as gone up, and rightfully so. Sodexo has expanded to meet this need. I just want people to understand that and appreciate that we’re dedicated to great food and service.”

The spectacular dinner will further embrace the Marist community, as it is being used as an awards submission for the Resident Dining Event of the Loyal Horton Awards hosted by NACUFS (the National Association of College & University Food Services). “We have never won gold before,” Baska commented. The gold might have already been captured, however, in the minds of the students. Pictures were taken, Wizard hats were broken out, and a little bit of magic was created in this fun-filled, meaningful night in Hogwarts.

(Featured image courtesy of Marist Dining Services)

Red Foxes Celebrate Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and to celebrate, Marist is pulling together a collection of photos and stories of Marist Valentines. Almost 3,000 alumni (that we know of!) are married to fellow alumni, and we asked all of them to send us their favorite photos from special events, such as a wedding, visit to campus, or all decked out in Marist gear. 

We will be featuring these Red Fox photos all week long on Marist social media pages, including right here on the blog. Follow Marist on Facebook, Twitter, and Fox Tales to follow along these Red Fox Sweethearts. 

Have a photo of your Red Fox sweetheart to share? Click here! 

View our “Marist Valentines” photo album.

Born in Korea, Assistant Professor of Accounting Byunghoon Jin came to the U.S. as an undergraduate student in 2003. He now lives in Fishkill with his wife, Jungeun, and sons Lucas (four) and Jake (18 months). Prof. Jin earned his Ph.D. from Temple University in 2015; he is currently in his second semester of teaching both financial and managerial accounting at the School of Management.

Q: Where have you studied?
A: In fact, I have been everywhere. I got my undergraduate degree from Indiana University Bloomington (2005), and my accounting master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin (2007). I got my accounting Ph.D. from Temple University in Philadelphia last year.

Q: Would you briefly explain how you came to Marist?
A: When I first entered the job market, I didn’t have a regional preference. I looked for good schools where I could both teach and do research. Marist was one of the top choices on my list. When I visited for a job interview, I was amazed by the beautiful campus. The people were even greater. Dean Singleton is one of the best deans I have ever met, and all the faculty members and staff were so friendly and humorous. As part of the interview, I had to teach a managerial accounting class, and the students were also fantastic – many of them participated actively. Naturally, Marist became my number one choice; I waited for Marist’s decision while holding three other job offers.

Q: What initially attracted you to the study of accounting?
A: I was an engineering major at first. After taking courses for two years, I felt that engineering was not the best major for me. So I started exploring different areas such as natural science, law, economics — and accounting. I quickly discovered that, while many people hate accounting, it was very exciting to me. So I decided to change my major.

Q: At what point did you know that you wanted to teach? Was this something you always planned to do, or was there a specific circumstance that led you into the profession?
A: When I was a senior at Indiana University, I saw many of my friends having a hard time trying to understand what they were learning in the financial accounting class. (That happens at every school. Financial accounting is not an easy topic.) As a peer tutor, I had many chances to help those friends — and I quickly found myself enjoying explaining things and seeing improvement in their performance. It led me to decide to be an accounting professor.

Q: Is Marist your first teaching position, or have you taught elsewhere?
A: When I was at UT, I held office hours and led review sessions as a teaching assistant for an advanced accounting course for master’s students. And I taught both financial accounting and managerial accounting at Temple.

Q: What courses are you currently teaching?
A: Financial Accounting (ACCT 203) and Managerial Accounting (ACCT 204) for undergraduate students. I have wonderful students and am really enjoying the semester. Last semester was a blessing, too. All three Financial Accounting classes I had were fantastic, and I was really glad to see many students again in Managerial Accounting this semester.

Q: What do you enjoy most about teaching here?
A: My colleague professors are great teachers and researchers. The working environment is very friendly here. And the students are also great. They actively participate during the class (well, not always, but most of the time). I also enjoy chitchatting with students outside the classroom; I hope they won’t hesitate to say “hi” when they see me around campus.

When he’s not in the classroom, Prof. Jin admits to being a “huge” sports fan. “Basketball is my favorite,” he said. “I brought Lucas to a Marist game last year, and he was so excited when he got a high-five from Shooter [the Red Foxes’ mascot].”

“Marist is a wonderful place for me to do what I love to do — teach students and conduct research.” -Professor, Byunghoon Jin

This story and others are courtesy of and originally published in the Marist School of Management monthly newsletter. To read more stories like this click here.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

  A Movie Buff’s Guide to Marist: Star Wars

It is a period of craziness as midterms are just around the corner.  Students have begun to study class notes and PowerPoints for hours on end and are searching for the perfect way to decompress after a long day of hard work.  It is in this quest that a small group of sophomore students discovered the ideal way to relax:

 A Star Wars marathon.

With the impending showing of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at Marist’s campus, my friends and I decided there was no better time than the present to rewatch some of our favorite Stars Wars movies before we caught the newest released movie. You can imagine our surprise then, when we found out that three of our other friends had never seen Star Wars.   Had we actually managed to find the only three people in the world who (spoiler alert!) didn’t know that Darth Vader is Luke’s father? (To our disappointment, we soon learned that even though they hadn’t seen the movies, they did, in fact, know the characters and the general plot.)  Since we all plan to go to the Student Programming Council’s movie night on April 15 and 16, we couldn’t do so without having everyone see the original movies that started it all, so we orchestrated a movie marathon.

Because food is a crucial part of my life, and no movie marathon is complete without food, we decided on Chinese food, and then walked across the street to Yeung Ho II, which is located just across Route 9.  Only about a 3-5 minute walk, Yeung Ho is definitely on the list of places every Marist student should get to know well (especially when you’re just craving an egg roll.) 

Armed with chopsticks and our DVD boxset of Star Wars, we cued up the movie, and settled back in our seats.  It had admittedly been awhile since I’d seen the original trilogy, so it was incredibly nostalgic to watch A New Hope with a different perspective.  Even though I like to imagine myself a young adult, watching Star Wars transported me back into a state of childlike wonder.  Combining this with my new knowledge of the television and film industry, as well as some production experience myself, thanks to my major-related classes, I enjoyed the movie more than ever (it also could have been due to the fact that I was eating an egg roll.)

As A New Hope wrapped up, I began to reflect the environment I was currently in.  I was surrounded by Star Wars fanatics, who were able to share pieces of intricate trivia with us at every scene, and by friends who were experiencing the iconic film for the first time.  I had not expected my friends to like the movie, since I know their genre preferences, so I was surprised, but thrilled, when they immediately requested that we start Episode V.  But we indulged them, of course.

A few hours later, as the credits were rolling for The Empire Strikes Back, we realized that it was two in the morning, and we should actually get a decent amount of sleep that night, so we postponed watching Episode VI for another night, much to my friends’ dismay, who wanted to know what happened to Luke, Han Solo, Leia, Darth Vader, and of course, my personal favorite, R2D2.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens is being shown at Marist April 15 and 16, and I highly encourage everyone to make a fun night out of it. But here’s a tip:  if you haven’t seen them already, watch the originals first. 

May the Force be with you.

The real-life story of Paul Rinn’s career in the U.S. Navy is one you’d expect to see reenacted on the big screen, maybe with a (much younger) Clint Eastwood in the starring role. Rinn’s leadership and heroism have earned him a boatload of commendations and honors, including the Legion of Merit and the Purple Heart; he is one of only three people currently alive who has been inducted into the Navy’s Surface Warfare Hall of Fame.

But let’s start at the beginning. Paul Rinn was born in the Bronx, where he attended — and played football at — Mount Saint Michael Academy. Athletic scholarships to several colleges awaited him upon graduation, “but I got hurt, badly, and my father thought it would get worse if I continued to play,” Rinn said. His teachers suggested Marist as a possible alternative. “So I drove up to the school, and fell in love with the place. It isn’t anything like it is today — just a small school on the Hudson — but it seemed right.” He graduated in 1968, having majored in history and minored in political science; a year later, he married Pamela Paul, a nursing student at Poughkeepsie’s Saint Francis Hospital. Together for 46 years, the couple today makes their home in Fairfax Station, Virginia.

After graduation, Rinn joined the Navy, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Greg, a naval officer.  Paul rose steadily through the ranks, seeing combat action on land during the Vietnam War. In 1986 he was put in command of the USS Samuel B. Roberts, a frigate that — two years later almost to the day — hit an Iranian mine in the Persian Gulf.

“I was racing for a rendezvous with the USS Seattle because we were low on fuel,” the captain remembers. “We didn’t see the mines in front of us — there were 14 altogether, three on the surface — until we were in the middle of them. We started backing away, and that’s when we hit the one that got us.” The explosion blew a 30-foot hole in the ship’s hull, breaking the keel in half; only the main deck held the ship together. With the engine rooms flooded and fires on four decks shooting flames 100 feet in the air, Rinn and his 220-member crew valiantly fought to keep the ship afloat and maneuver it out of danger — a feat they accomplished with no loss of life.

To what does he credit the miraculous outcome of that day? “I think a lot of it goes back to the stuff I learned at Marist,” Rinn said. “You have to be determined, you have to be disciplined, you have to train — you have to know the playbook and be able to execute it. Teamwork was incredibly important; that was very strongly emphasized by the Brothers and the teachers that I had.”

Photo courtesy of Navsource.org.

In particular, Rinn credits Prof. Thomas Casey with helping him learn to control his emotions under pressure. “I’ve always had a great faith; you can only deal with things you can control, so we have to do our best. [While serving in Vietnam] it dawned on me that this was the stuff that Tom Casey had taught me in American Pragmatism that — at the time — I’d blown off completely. So I wrote him a letter from the Mekong Delta. ‘Remember how I told you that I’d never use any of the stuff you taught in that class? Well, I was wrong. And I want to thank you for that.’ I handed the letter to a helicopter pilot — with no address, just ‘Marist College’ — and told him it was important.

“About 30 years later, I was on campus and asked Casey if he’d ever gotten the letter. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into his office. Over his desk he had the letter framed. He said that, as a teacher, there was no greater reward for him than that letter.”

After retiring from the Navy in 1998, Rinn worked for Whitney, Bradley, and Brown, an international consulting company, until 2011. Today, he is an author and motivational speaker on leadership topics. Whether you’re in the boardroom or on the battlefield, Rinn believes effective leaders have three traits: “Absolute integrity: If people believe that you’re telling them the truth, they will trust you and follow you. Competency:  You have to know what you’re doing. But the most important thing is communications. You’ve got to talk to people, but you have to be able to listen and hear what they have to say.

“I learned almost all of that at Marist College.”

This story and others are courtesy of and originally published in the Marist School of Management monthly newsletter. To read more stories like this click here.

Marist is not like every other college.

And to show our new president, Dr. David Yellen, what makes Marist so special, we want the Marist Community to share their favorite things about the college in the most obvious way – a haiku, of course! We want you to throw it back to your days in middle school Language Arts classes where you were first introduced to the haiku. As a reminder, a haiku is a 17-syllable poem containing three phrases of five, seven, and five syllables per phrase. Check out a couple of examples below, and don’t forget to thank your teachers for showing you the way to the perfect haiku:

Time to get your creative juices flowing!

To submit a haiku and see it featured on our blog, post a comment below with your name and relationship to Marist or send to Ambassador@marist.edu.

Recently, we’ve been going through our Fox Tales archives and doing a little reminiscing. We came across this awesome post about the evolution of our very own Shooter the Fox. Have you ever wondered why we are the Marist Red Foxes? Shooter the Fox has undergone various costume changes throughout the years, and has  come a long way since his first day on the job.

In 1961, the Athletic Director, Brother William Murphy, created a varsity basketball team and was in need of a mascot and logo. Brother Murphy was reading a sports catalog when he noticed a reynard, which is another word for a red fox, on the cover of the magazine. It worked out very well to use the Red Fox as the mascot for Marist College because these fuzzy little guys are native to the Hudson Valley region.

The first time the Marist Fox symbol appears is in 1964. The Marist Red Fox is shown wearing a sailor’s hat. Marist used to have a very competitive sailing team. The Marist Fox shows up again in the 1965 yearbook still supporting his sailor hat.

By discovering the incredible Marist Archives collections, it allowed me to really appreciate the history of Marist.  In 2013, Fashionology released a new line of vintage clothing using this image of the reynard from 1964. This flashback embodies Marist pride from the past and the future. It shows how realizing the beautiful history of your surroundings can inspire new, fresh ideas. So, taking a step back and reflecting on the history of Marist College can make you realize how lucky you are to be a Red Fox.

Make sure to follow Marist Archives on Twitter for more information about the history of Marist College!  

Shooter the Fox, present day.

Stay in contact with Shooter through his Twitter and Instagram accounts! 

Twitter: @maristredfox

Instagram: @maristfox

This weekend, Marist will welcome hundreds of students to campus for our annual Accepted Student Open House. As a current student, I can honestly say this is one of our favorite weekends of the year. Often, accepted students will say Open House is when they finalized their decision on what college they will attend next year – it’s a big day!  A few of our upperclassmen ambassadors wanted to share some of their tips for making the most out of your Open House experience! 

Use this day as a chance to step out of your comfort zone. Try to make small talk with the accepted students around you. The people you meet at Open House could be your future classmates, roommates, or friends!”

– Shadie Williams (2018); Communication-PR; Pasadena, California

One of the best tips I can give is to write everything down. Start a new note on your phone and just make bullet points about things that catch your attention throughout the day. And don’t forget to take lots of pictures!”

– Janie Pierson (2016); Sports Communication; Centennial, Colorado 

Talk to a variety of representatives from clubs and activities you might not even be interested in. College is a place to try new things and expand your horizons, so get started at Open House!”

– Dylan Boesch (2016); Business-Finance; Smithtown, New York

Stand in the front during your tour. Ask all the questions you can think of, and let mom and dad stand in the back. This is YOUR college experience, so make sure that you find out everything that is important to you!”

– Colleen Kollar (2016); Business Marketing and Fashion Merchandising; Chicago, Illinois 

Here are some more helpful tips for a successful Open House visit experience.

“Try the food! If you’ve got some time after the Open House actives are over, have dinner in the dining hall. Open House always has great food, but you’ll want to know what the college has to offer on a day-to-day basis, too!” – Marisa Greshin (2016); Communication-Public Relations; Simsbury, Connecticut 

“If you know which major you’re interested in, try to talk with one of the professors of that department. They are so helpful in answering any questions or concerns you might have about the major, including what requirements you need and even what job opportunities are available with that major! And if you’re undecided on a major, talk with a bunch of different professors in all different areas – they could help guide you to a major you’ll love!” – Kate Powers (2016); English-Writing; Severna Park, Maryland

“Make a list of questions in the car ride up. If anything isn’t answered throughout the day, ask a student ambassador any where on campus. You can find students all over the campus to help you in any way they can!” – Colleen Kollar

“Spend time talking with a student who isn’t a tour guide or ambassador! Our students in Admission are our most passionate and spirited students, so it’s also a good idea to talk with students who might have different experiences and perspectives on their college experiences!” – Megan Poyntz (2016); Business and Information Systems; Westfield, New Jersey

Start planning your day, visit our website to see the complete Open House schedule. 

We’d love to hear from you. Introduce yourself in the comments section below and tell us what your most excited about for Open House.

See you this weekend!

Now Showing

A Movie Buff’s Guide to Marist, Volume 3:

Hudson Valley Theaters

The Hudson River Valley community is one known for its beautiful landscapes, historical monuments, and…movie theaters? All right, maybe movie theaters aren’t up there with the FDR Library and Culinary Institute, but as a movie buff, when looking for colleges, I wanted to know where the nearest movie theater was in location to the campus. And Marist is located near the vicinity of not just one, but many awesome cinemas that you should definitely take advantage of during your four years here.

Whether you spell it theater or theatre, enjoy romcoms or action movies, put M&Ms in your popcorn or not, there is a place for you to go enjoy your favorite film in the Hudson River Valley. I’ve made it my goal to visit almost all of them in the course of my Marist career, and so far, I’ve done pretty well. If you’re interested in getting off campus and seeing that flick with your favorite actor, here are some places I’d recommend.

1. Regal Cinemas Galleria Mall

Every Marist student is bound to spend a lot of his or her time at the mall – after all, it’s got everything: Target, a food court, the puppy store, and most importantly for me, the movie theater. Marist runs a promotion through Student Activities where you can get a ticket for $5 for any movie at the Student Activities Office, which you redeem at the box office for your ticket. (Tip: You can also buy them using Marist Money!) This makes going to the movies incredibly affordable for students, and is an overall great time.Hyde Park Drive-In

2. Hyde Park Drive-In Theatre

Marist is lucky to be able to have an original drive-in theater only minutes from campus, something that not all colleges can boast. Hyde Park is a great town with a lot to do, but I think one of the most original things to do is spend a night at the drive in. For $10, you can see recent and popular films that are in the regular cinemas, but this time outside and in a car! Not to mention: for ten bucks, you can see not only one, but two movies, since in traditional fashion, this drive-in does double features. It’s an experience that I think everyone should have at least once in their life, and makes for a great weekend activity! Before the movie, you can hit up Hyde Park Brewery for a hamburger, or the Eveready Diner for a milkshake!

3. Roosevelt Cinemas

When looking for a cheap but cute night out, head to Roosevelt Cinemas in Hyde Park. Not only do they offer student discounts, but the prices of refreshments and popcorn are also cheaper than the name-brand theaters. When I went for the first time, I was taken aback by just how small the individual theaters were, but by the end, I really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere. Plus, its refreshing to know that local, small town movie theaters still draw a crowd, and provide a different feel than corporate, name-brand movie theaters. If you’d like, make it a Hyde Park day and visit not only Roosevelt Cinemas, but the FDR Residence and Library on the same road to learn more about this theater’s namesake.

4. Upstate Films

If you find yourself in Rhinebeck, definitely end your night with a movie at Upstate Films. Upstate Films has been providing the community with interesting movie nights since the 1970s, and is definitely a unique asset to the town. This cinema is a non-profit theater, and shows movies of the indie, foreign, and classical genre, which adds a different feel to your regular movie night. Friendly tip: Upstate only accepts cash, sticking to its traditional, pre-credit-card roots.

So next time you want to catch the latest premiere, consider trying somewhere other than your usual theater and get a new experience!  Marist is lucky to have such a wide variety of theaters, so definitely take advantage.

Enjoy the show!

You can learn more about all that Student Activities has to offer Marist students by visiting their website!

Meet the Yellens: 6 things you didn’t know about the president-elect and his wife

Photo courtesy of the Yellens

Following the big announcement that David Yellen would succeed President Murray, the thought on everyone’s mind has been, “Who is David Yellen?” We spoke with the president-elect and his wife, Leslie Richards-Yellen, to get better acquainted with Marist’s newest president and his first lady.

1. THEY LOVE TO TRAVEL

Whether it’s by plane or by boat, the Yellens are always excited to embark on a new journey. They have traveled around the United States, Europe, and Africa. These worldly travelers still have more places to go. They hope to visit South Africa, Bolivia and Australia at some point.

“We enjoy exploring new things together,” said Mrs. Richards-Yellen. “We enjoy our annual vacation to the Jersey Shore, but  my favorite places that I’ve traveled to are Turkey, Egypt and Italy.”

Mr. Yellen added, “The best family vacation would have to be our car trip through Italy.”

2. THE MORE TOPPINGS ON A PIZZA, THE BETTER

The Yellen’s enjoy pizza just as much as the next Marist red fox! While Yellen usually opts for onions, olives and sausage on his pizza, Mrs. Richards-Yellen’s go-to order includes black olives and red peppers. Giacomo’s you think you can handle that?

3. IF YOU COULD EAT LUNCH WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD (LIVING OR DEAD), WHO WOULD IT BE?

David Yellen: “I would have to say either President Lincoln or President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or Bruce Springsteen. I have been to about 20 Bruce Springsteen concerts.”

Leslie Richards-Yellen: “Famous people I’d have lunch with would be Jesus Christ, Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. However, if I really had to pick someone, I’d have one last lunch with my mother, LaClaire Richards.”

4. THEY BINGE-WATCH SHOWS ON NETFLIX TOO

Like most of us, the Yellens enjoy kicking back and watching some quality shows and movies on Netflix. Yellen recently watched the hit AMC series Better Call Saul, a spin-off of the Emmy-winning show Breaking Bad. Mrs. Richards-Yellen, on the other hand, prefers to watch movies about her favorite fictional worlds, with that most recently being viewings of the Harry Potter series and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

5. IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND, WHAT ARE THREE ITEMS YOU’D WANT?

David Yellen: “I would want a well-stocked Kindle, some golf clubs with golf balls, and a picture of my family.”

Leslie Richards-Yellen: “I’d bring hot sauce, lots of music, and wine.”

6. THEY HAVE A MARIST BUCKET LIST, TOO

Although the Yellen’s will begin their residency in New York when Yellen takes office on July 1st, like all students, they are excited for the most wonderful time of the year: fall in the Hudson Valley.

David Yellen: “I’m excited to get to know the Marist Community first of all, as well as visit family and friends in the Northeast and explore the region’s natural beauty.”

Leslie Richards-Yellen: “I can’t wait to meet the students and attend the big sporting events here at Marist. And when it gets colder, I’m excited to go snowshoeing.”

BONUS FUN FACTS THAT YOU’D NEVER GUESS ABOUT THE YELLENS: 

Did you know… David Yellen has been parasailing with Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Nice, France?

Meanwhile, Leslie Richards-Yellen has had encounters with lightning–two times?!

“I have twice been in the same room when lightning has also entered the room. The first time it looked like the lightning in the first Indiana Jones movie.” Similarly, Richards-Yellen shared with us that her great, great grandmother, who was born in slavery, had the same experiences and seeked refuge from the lightning in a tree, which was then struck by the same lightning.

All photos courtesy of Creative Commons.

Written by Melissa Conlon and Emily Belfiore

Marist ranked 9^th best university in its region

Marist jumped four spots to No. 9 on U.S. News & World Report’s latest rankings of the “Best Regional Universities” for the Northern United States, one of the most influential lists of top American colleges and universities.

The 2017 U.S. News rankings are based on peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, class size, academic quality of the freshmen class, student selectivity, and alumni giving.

The news comes on top of other recent rankings recognition for the College. Two Marist College online degree programs – the Master of Business Administration and the BA/BS in Liberal Studies – have are ranked among the top programs in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Online Education Programs.”

For the 14^th-straight year, the Princeton Review named Marist one of the nation’s “Best Colleges” and included it among the 50 Colleges That Create Futures.

Well, it’s that time of the year again! If this is your first time stepping foot on the East-Coast, be prepared for the cold weather, the wild wind, and the more-than-occasional snowy days. Not sure how to go about dressing or preparing for the winter here at Marist College? Here are 5 tips to help you survive!

1. Layers on layers – Even when you think you’re wearing enough, WEAR MORE. You’ll save yourself from the cold and from getting sick!

2. Invest in a warm jacket – Although we are all struggling with a college budget, investing your money in a thick, warm jacket will save you this winter..It’s going to be especially cold this year!

3. Prepare for the wind – Avoid the breezeway at all costs… Trust me.

4. Boots – It’s time to put those Sperrys and Vans away! Snow boots, a comfy pair of Uggs, Timberland boots, or knee highs are the right way to go! Don’t forget to add some fuzzy socks to the look.

5. Take advantage of the coffee and hot chocolate in the dining hall. It’ll not only keep you awake, but it’ll keep you warm on those chilly days!

Becci Casas, a sophomore from San Diego, California, was able to answer a couple of questions on her first winter experience:

Sarah: “What was it like experiencing your first winter at Marist College?”

Becci: “It was very cold and although people said it was an easy winter it was really hard for me because I never experienced weather below 60 degrees. I did not know what jacket to look for so I had friends help me. I was stressed about what to wear in general when I was cold.”

Sarah: “Do you have any tips?”

Becci: “Layers help a lot. Sometimes I would wear two pairs of everything. The hardest part was the wind tunnels. I would get super chapped skin and wind burn. I actually bought a ski mask and it helped a lot. I suggest scarves, beanies, and gloves too!”

When most people think of Italy, they think of eating great Italian food, while admiring the gorgeous Tuscan views, with a glass of red wine in hand. But, during the 268 days in which I had the opportunity to study and live in Florence, Italy I had more to worry about than gaining the “freshman 15.”  Instead, I was worried about being pick-pocketed, wearing comfortable shoes, and making sure I did not mix up detergent and mop soap, since unfortunately for me, both bottles often look exactly the same. This was not only going to be my first study abroad experience, but my first year of college.

Instead of choosing the usual college experience, which was going to include my parents driving me two and a half hours to Poughkeepsie, New York to move me into one of the freshman dorms, we drove twenty minutes to John F Kennedy Airport where they dropped me off at security and told me they were going to see me in a few months. Unlike other students, for me that meant Christmas Eve.

I found out about the Marist Freshman Florence Experience Program, through one of the info sessions here at Marist College. I always had a desire to travel the world, and the more I learned about the Program, the more I fell in love with the idea of going. Looking back now as a sophomore, I can’t help but smile when someone shares a story about Florence, or tells me they are going to study abroad in the city in which I now refer to as home (well I wish).

What worried me the most about being a Freshman 4,149 miles away from home, was not only the language barrier in which I was about to encounter, but getting lost in an unfamiliar city, with little to no familiar people around. But, I was up for the challenge and surprisingly it was a lot easier than expected. Yes, the first few weeks were rough, getting lost multiple times just walking around the block from my apartment. However, I came to realize the best way to learn a city, is to get lost in one. Getting lost eventually lead me to discovering some of my favorite cafes, study spots, and meet some of the most amazing people that I still keep in touch with today.

The most frequent question I received when people found out I chose to go abroad my freshman year was: Aren’t you going to be homesick? Or how are your parents letting you go so far? Well, yes to question one, of course I got homesick. Especially, since I am very close to my family. But, I often compare my freshman experience to someone who travels far by car, bus or plane to go to college. Yes, Florence is a definitely a bit further and out of the country (being an 8-hour plane ride), but both people are still likely to experience the same amount of homesickness. The difference was instead of meeting one or two friends to come lean on when feeling a bit lonely, I was lucky enough to have fifty. For my parents, despite the distance, they considered it a learning experience, and indeed it was.

Going to college in one of the most historic cities in the world, taught me more than I could’ve ever imagined. One thing that living in a foreign country taught me, was to not be afraid of meeting new people and to embrace the diversity in which the city offered. I met some of the most amazing people abroad, who shared some amazing stories with me, as well as memories that will last a lifetime. Another thing I learned, was to be more independent than ever before. Since calling home was not really feasible and the time difference was definitely not in my favor, it forced me to use the resources around me when I had questions or needed to get something done.

Now, being a sophomore at the Poughkeepsie campus, the most frequent question I receive is; Do you wish you were back in Italy right now? Yes, I do miss Florence, and the memories made during my year long adventure. But, I love the Marist community here in New York, as well as the numerous ways to get involved on campus. Going abroad my freshman year taught me to take risks, and follow my heart and I strongly encourage other people to do the same.

Tomorrow is Veterans Day, the day our country sets aside to thank and honor all those who have served honorably in the military.  Veterans Day provides us with an opportunity to thank veterans for their service, to acknowledge and appreciate their contributions to our national security, and to recognize their sacrifices.  Veterans Day began as Armistice Day in 1919, commemorating the end of World War I, and the national holiday was renamed in 1954 to honor the service of all veterans.  Veterans Day is always observed on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls.

The Marist community includes a number of faculty, staff, and students who are veterans.  To commemorate Veterans Day, we have organized a number of different activities, and I encourage you to participate.  At 11:45 a.m., there will be a flag raising by ROTC cadets at the flagpole in front of Donnelly Hall.  At noon, veterans and their guests are invited to a special luncheon in the Murray Student Center’s Hudson Riverview Rooms.  The guest speaker will be Marist alumna Mariel Sosa Juarez, who graduated in 2002 with a BS in social work.  Mariel served in the U.S. Army in Iraq and went on to obtain her master’s degree in social work from New York University.  She currently helps fellow veterans as a readjustment counselor with the Department of Veterans Affairs on Staten Island.  Finally, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., we invite you to view a display of military memorabilia in the Murray Student Center.  
In closing, please join me in thanking America’s veterans for the many sacrifices they have made and for their honorable service to our nation.

–President David Yellen

Lights, Camera, Action. This past weekend, multiple Marist Students gathered on stage to sing some popular broadway tunes in hopes of raising money for Broadway Cares, an organization that raises money for HIV/AIDS. The organization also funds the service work of “The Actors Fund”, as well as awards multiple grants to other AIDS/HIV organizations.

Recently, I was able to have the pleasure of sitting down with sophomores and first year members, Samantha Hesler and Emily Jones who provided me with a inside scoop on Marist Singers, and what went on from preparation, to behind the curtain, and of course show night!

Q. What is Marist Singers? How did you find out about it?

A. Marist Singers, is a club here at Marist that is composed of a group of students who love to sing. I found about the club, during Marist Accepted Students Day, when I bumped into one of the singers that was involved. Listening to her talk, about her experiences in Singers made the club sound like it was not only very welcoming environment, but fun and exciting. I immediately wanted to join. One thing that really wowed me about the club, was the fact that they travel to Disney every other year to perform!

Q. What is your favorite part about being in Singers?

A. One thing I really love about Singers is the variety of music we get to perform depending on the upcoming concert theme. Themes range from International music, Christmas music, and Love Songs. Performing different types of music allows us to experiment with different technique. Another thing that I love about Marist Singers is the director Sarah. She is so energetic and creates this warm, fun environment that everyone wants to be around. We all call her mom!

Q.What is your typical day like as a Marist Singer?

A.My typical day as a Marist Singer takes place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30-7:45 pm, where we have a weekly meetings. We begin the meeting by splitting up the males and females into separate rooms and warming up for 5 to 10 minutes. After we are broken up and completed our warm ups, we spend our time sight reading pieces, and breaking them down into parts based off of strengths and weaknesses of certain individuals. After, we have run through the piece a few times, we meet back up with the male singers for the last 30 minutes and practice as a group. One thing I really love about the club is that we really try to make use of every minute of rehearsal time so no minute goes to waste.

Q.Looking back at the theme Broadway at this past event, What is your favorite show that you have seen on Broadway?

A. My favorite show on Broadway is definitely Wicked! I have seen the show three times and it never gets old! If you have not yet seen it, I highly recommend it! The show not only tells a remarkable story about how the Wizard of Oz came to be, but the actors really do a spectacular job getting into character. The music and colors, make the show all the better. For Marist Singer Emily, her favorite show she saw thus far is Kinky Boots. She believes, the show has a great message and should be considered an out of the ordinary show.

Q.What does the organization Broadway Cares mean to you?

A.For me, it was a great way to showcase my talent, and raise awareness to what many people with HIV/AIDS are going through. Our director Sarah, brought up a great point prior to rehearsing, where she said “We don’t know these people but we are helping them with little everyday things”. By singing in our charity event, A Night on Broadway, we are becoming apart of something greater and making a difference in many people’s lives. People who suffer from HIV/AIDS go through so much pain on a daily basis, and that just made all the time and effort that we put into the concert all the better.

Q.What was preparation like?

A. Preparation was pretty intensive, I would say. Prior to the show, we had the normal Tuesday and Thursday rehearsal times, as well as a Friday from 7-11:30pm. People who wished to perform their own numbers, were selected on an audition basis. One thing that I noticed since I joined Singers, is there is absolutely no stopping. Prior to this past event, we just finished our Family Weekend Concert, and now, this week we will be preparing for our Christmas Concert (Which I am beyond excited for!).

Q. What was your favorite number you performed? 

A.  Our favorite number was most definitely Little Shop of Horrors. We worked really hard on the number, and the funny lyrics made the number just that much more fun. As we got to know the music more we began playing with the style as we added technique, one part I loved about the number was our ability to act more as we sang!

Q.How can others join Singers?

A. I definitely encourage others to join the club. You can join Singers in the beginning of every semester. You do not even have to worry about auditioning. (Yes Jackie, that means you can join). One thing I love about the club is that it is really flexible, if you have a night class and can not make a rehearsal, you are allowed to do singers on a once a week basis as well. Fun Fact, you can even take Singers, as a one credit class instead of a club, and still be able to participate in all our events! Definitely many opportunities to get involved within the group.

Q.Were there any other musical groups involved in the event?

A.Yes there were many other groups involved in A Night on Broadway that helped contribute to the success of the event! These groups included The Singer Chamber Group, and Time Check and Sirens–some of our a cappella groups on campus. All of the a cappella members are actually also members of Singers and audition separately in order to get into these elite groups.

Q. What is the next event where we can watch Singers perform?

A. As of right now, I do not have a definite date yet for the upcoming Winter Concerts. But, keep your eyes open for flyers around the Student Center for the next Christmas Concert that we will be performing with the orchestra.

Check out some of the Singers Performances of the night!

Photo Credits: Sara Kiter

To learn more about Marist Singers, check out

http://clubs.marist.edu/maristsingers/

With Halloween just ending and Thanksgiving coming around the corner, what better time to celebrate the wonderful season that is FALL? Who doesn’t love sipping a pumpkin spice latte as they pose with some pumpkins, hoping for that perfect fall Insta? To accommodate these needs, the Marist Student Government 2018, 2019, and 2020 class boards teamed up to put on their annual Fall Fest this past Friday, and it was an all-around success!

The afternoon’s events consisted of donut eating contests, pumpkin and face painting, pie-smashing, a festive photobooth, Kan Jam, fire pits with s’mores galore, and, of course, enough apple cider and cookies to last a lifetime. There was even a special geo-tag just for the event (made by yours truly), which aided in our takeover of the Marist Snapchat account! Some poppin’ tunes were provided by Marist’s favorite DJ, Brian Gannon/DJ BG, who literally never disappoints. Never.

Paola Rivera, a fashion merchandising major here all the way from Puerto Rico, serves as President for the Class of 2018. Her experience within student government made her a vital player in putting everything together. “This event was an even bigger success than last year,” she says. “The boards had just as much fun putting it on as the students did attending.”

This is my first year being a class officer, and it’s been a great experience so far. Being able to bring all of the classes, from freshman to senior, to enjoy a few hours together is something very special. Working as an ambassador/tour guide since my freshman year here, I had been spending most of my time interacting with prospective students and their families (which I love, don’t get me wrong!). However, it’s been so great being to be able to interact with my peers and current students more, and I have made so many new friends just in these past few months.

A big thank you to everyone who came out to have some fun with us- we can’t wait for next year!!

Marist Word on the River host Clancy Burke travels around campus interviewing current students about their college search process, applications, deadlines, and more. College applications can be stressful, but can also lead to the best four years of your life!

It’s that time of year again! Applying to college is in full swing and many students are trying to decide when to apply to their favorite schools. As a senior, it feels like filling out the common app was a lifetime ago. Yet, I can still clearly remember my mom yelling at me, “Are you applications done yet? Did you apply yet? What are you are waiting for? Daniel Joseph you better get those applications done!” Looking back now, I can truly appreciate her getting on me to get the applications done.

I applied to 8 schools, all of them early action. I wanted to hear back about my acceptance (or not) as soon as possible. Based on whether or not I got accepted, I could really narrow down my choices. It allowed me to immediately cross some schools off the list because I was not accepted. Then, the ones I was accepted to, I could put more thought into.

I think being able to focus on accepted schools is important. Once you know you have been accepted to a certain college or university, it changes your mindset about the school. It makes you really look around and think, “Can I see myself here?” For me, visiting a college was necessary before I made any decision. I tried to see all the campuses before applying to get an idea of how I felt about the school; however, that was not always feasible. But, once I was able to hear back so soon, it gave me more time to visit and concentrate on the schools I was accepted into.

Applying early gives you plenty of time to weigh different options, visit the school more than once, and really help you figure out which environment is best for you. Plus, if you apply early, the application process is done! No more worrying about essays or gathering all the necessary information. You can simply concentrate on the schools and making your decision!

When I applied to Marist, I could not wait to get on campus and see the beautiful views my guidance councilor had told me all about. Visiting campus knowing that I was already accepted made it all a reality. It was no longer just a thought or idea. It was a possible choice. This could be my future. I could spend the next four years walking around this beautiful campus. Plot twist, I said yes.

So finish those common apps and apply to your favorite schools before your parents even have a chance to “gently remind” you to get them done!

This semester the Marist Dining Hall became the first REAL certified college dining operation in New York State! This certification is a huge accomplishment for Marist Dining, and is great recognition for the nutrition and sustainability accomplishments at Marist College. Only seven universities across the United Stated, including Stanford, are recognized at REAL certified, so this achievement is no small feat.

What is REAL certification, and why does it matter? REAL is an acronym that stands for responsible, epicurean, agricultural, leadership. Essentially, in order to be certified, institutions need to reach certain culinary standards in regard to nutrition, preparation, food sourcing, and food options. The certification is based on a point system which focuses on criteria such as sourcing locally grown food, having healthy options available, and making commitments to bettering the environment.

Other priorities for REAL certification include maximizing whole grains, vegetables, fruits, cooking from scratch and water consumption while also utilizing healthier oils, sustainable sea foods, and supply chain transparency. There needs to be moderate uses of starches and red meat and appropriate portion sizes. Finally, minimal added sugars, deep fried food, sodium, and sugar-sweetened beverages should be available.

Marist was awarded the certification based on their achievements in prioritizing nutrition and sustainability within the Dining Hall. As students, we do not always know what goes on “behind the scenes” and where our food comes from. Luckily for us, the Marist Dining team is consistently working to make the Dining Hall the best it can be.

Here is some more detail on criteria Marist Dining scored well in for each REAL category:

R-Responsible (Food provides nutritional benefit):

• Vegetarian/vegan options available, including vegetarian soup and deli special
• Grain Bar offers a variety of choices that rotate
• Abundance of fresh raw and cooked produce
• Whole grain breads, pastas and wraps served daily

E-Epicurean (Food preparation should enhance the quality and experience):

• The majority of sauces are made in-house
• Healthy plant-based oils are used to prepare food
• Limited fried food options
• Food is made from scratch by in-house chefs

A-Agricultural (Food should come from the safest and highest quality sources):

• Over 52% of product is purchased from local and regional farms, including marinara sauce, milk, eggs and produce
• Eggs are cage free
• Fish is marine stewardship council (MSC) certified, meaning it is caught responsibly
• Beef is local and grass-fed and chicken is antibiotic free with no added hormones
• Coffee is fairtrade

L-Leadership (Dining operation educates its customers on how to be a responsible eater):

• The separated hydration station encourages drinking water instead of sugary beverages
• Nutritional information is available on the menus at each station
• My Zone kitchen provides meals and snacks for students with allergies
• Campus dietitian does programming every month and is available for consultations
• Any leftover food is donated to the local community through Food Recovery Network
• Chef Anthony uses LeanPath to track how we dispose of food in order to help limit food waste
• Food leftovers in the dish room are broken down through an EnviroPure food digester

With this certification Marist students can be REALly confident that the food they are eating is friendly to the environment and their health. With this certification, Marist will continue responsible and innovative ways to keep us students both happy and healthy.

By: Mariah Christian

Only a few more days till Marist Students hurry on home, to be with family and friends for the Thanksgiving season. If you are like me, a food lover, Thanksgiving can be seen as one of the best holidays of all time, where it should be illegal to leave a crumb on your plate.

But, registration was not the only thing that Marist Students are thankful about being over. This past Friday, Marist Fox Tale blogger, Julia McCarthy, took over the Snapchat to see what students were thankful for this holiday.

Here is what some students had to say about the upcoming holiday season!

Julia McCarthy is thankful that her real family is also a part of her red fox family!

Roommates, Gabby and Fiona, from the 9^th Floor in Champagnat Hall, are thankful for each other, and our friends being our family away from home.

Rafael Bertta a Communications major from Wrappingers Falls, NY, is thankful for the beautiful view of the Hudson River Valley!

James Wolf, a Resident Assistant in Champagnat Hall, who is also a Spanish Education Major from Babylon, NY, is thankful for his fantastic residents and his entire Champ Staff.

Maria and Bianca, 8^th floor Residents in Champagnat Hall, are thankful not only that registration went well, but for a great first semester here at Marist!

David Wallace, a Communication major from Poughkeepsie, is thankful for his 12:30 class being canceled on Tuesday so he can go home early!

Digital Media major, Alyssa Casamento, is thankful for being a tour guide and getting to meet really cool people all the time! Also for, the moccasins that she wears everyday of her life.

Sophomore Brianna Paganini, a Communications major, Howell, NJ, is thankful for all the wonderful friends she has made at Marist and that she can call this place her home.

Jenna Candia, Environmental Science Major from Commack, NY, is thankful for her amazing roommate (Julia McCarthy)!

Alexa Jovellana, Computer Science major from Queens, NY, is thankful for food, family, friends and science.

Meghan Lai, Advertising Major here at Marist from Honolulu, Hawaii, is thankful for financial aid and housemates letting her stay with them for thanksgiving!

Shea Spellman, a Media Studies major from Waterford, Connecticut, is thankful for her dogs!

Matt Marotti, a Business and Economy Major from Killingworth, Connecticut, is thankful for the amazing Hudson River! He also shared a mind-blowing fun fact with us! Did you know: the Hudson River is actually as estuary because it flows both ways at the same time?

Emily Somer, a Fashion Merchandising Major from Monroe Township, NJ, is thankful for her friends and family.

Philosophy Professor and Honors Director, Dr. Snyder, is thankful that registration went well, and all his students are taking exciting classes!

So, what are you thankful for this holiday season? Comment below and let us know!

Don’t miss out on the next Snapchat Student Takeover! Follow us: @maristcollege