November/December 2019
THIS ISSUE
Getting Ready for Winter
Alvernia Theater
The World is Not Your Trash Can Chelsea Dziamba Contributing Writer Trash is the Earth’s biggest enemy right now. How many times are you driving on a busy road in a town or on a highway and you just see plastic bags, empty cups, water bottles, cigarette butts, you name it, on the side of the road? All the little things that people do on a day to day basis is hurting the Earth in which we live. How can we make the world a cleaner place? A big headline on the news today is how using plastic straws are killing the sea turtles in the ocean. Many restaurants or dining places either do not give customers a straw or they are using paper straws instead. This
is a great start to help save our planet. Starbucks, for example, started creating a dome-like lid to put on beverages, which eliminates the need for a straw. Another option is to buy a metal straw. This allows for reuse and less trash. There are metal straws that are collapsible which are perfect for traveling. They can be bought on Amazon for as cheap as $8. This may seem a little pricey for one straw, but this straw can be used over and over again. But straws aren’t the only issue. Restaurants often use plastic or styrofoam containers to give customers when they want to take their food home. This is great because people are not wasting their food. But often times, the containers
are not disposed of properly. The plastic containers that are used can be recycled. But most waste facilities do not accept styrofoam as something that can be recycled. Something restaurants can think about is replacing the plastic and styrofoam containers with cardboard. After the leftover
food is eaten, the cardboard can be recycled. Plastic bottles are a big issue as well. More than six million water bottles end up in landfills each year. It is a great idea to buy a reusable water bottle that is bisphenol, otherwise known as BPA, free. BPA is harmful to one’s body because it messes with
Music of 2019
One of the easiest ways to save the Earth is to dipose of trash! Learn what is and isn’t recyclable and spread the word!
Photo Courtesy of Chelsea Dziamba
The Veterans Center
The beautiful landscape at Alvernia University. Keep our campus clean, pick up your trash!
hormones. Using a reusable water bottle eliminates the use of regular water bottles that are purely plastic. Water filter pitchers are also great to use. This also means you do not have to purchase water bottles when going to the store. “I use a reusable one everyday. I use them to save the environment and to cut down my plastic bottle use,” Leah Kemper, marketing major, said. Companies like Britta, Zerowater, and Aquagear sell water filter pitchers. Highway trash is too common and disgusting to look at. Whether it is garbage bags, empty bottles, empty food bags, cigarette butts, or even clothes, they should not be on the ground. One way to avoid polluting the roads is to keep an old plastic or a paper grocery bag in your car. When you are driving and create trash, just throw it in the bag. Once the bag is full, dispose of the bag properly. A popular trend that is circulating social media is called #trashtag. This hashtag has sparked a movement to take a picture of a polluted area, like a beach, forest or road, before and then after you have cleaned it of debris. Some people had upwards of ten bags of trash that they cleaned up from such a small area.
Photo Courtesy of Chelsea Dziamba
what’s in
Volume 58 Issue 6
“I have never heard of this before. It is a clever name, and I like the idea. It kind of reminds me of what we did with NSO when I was a peer mentor last year and we took the freshman to an elementary school in Reading and cleaned up the grounds like that,” David Pierce, biochem major, said. Awareness of pollution and trash are so important. If someone is more aware of what they are throwing away or how they are disposing of it, it is more likely to be done in a proper manner. Learning all the things that can be recycled can move things in the right direction for the Earth. If changes start to happen on an individual scale, there can be great progress of recycling and reuse.
Newspapers are printed with recycled paper! Write for the Alvernian and save the planet!
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WORDS OF WALLACE
November/December 2019
Vol. 58 Issue 6
t h e alver nian
Managing Editor Sidney Goodman Layout Sidney Goodman Section Editors Ivan Fegely Jared Montalto Dion Thorpe Contributing Writers Will DeMarco Luca Grammatica Ariel Johnson Raven Metas Chelsea Dziamba Faculty Advisor Dr. Ryan Lange
The Alvernian is the official student newspaper of Alvernia University. To contact newspaper staff, the office telephone number is 610-796-8358.
Articles submitted for consideration into The Alvernian should be written in some semblance of AP style. Letters to the editor, requests for advertisements, and general comments and questions may be submitted to ryan.lange@alvernia.edu. The editors reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, accuracy, and length. The views expressed in The Alvernian are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the student body, faculty, staff, administration, or sponsors.
The Franciscan movement is a missionary movement. Over 800 years ago, when Francis began to live a life of poverty centered in prayer, he ventured into the streets of Assisi to spread the gospel message. In the early documents of the Franciscan tradition, we see a rhythm for Francis’ mission: “During the day they go into the cities and villages in order to gain others; at night, however, they return to their hermitage or solitary places to devote themselves to contemplation.” Francis recognized the importance of contemplation, but he knew that this contemplation had to lead to action, and that is why the early Franciscans would leave their homes and travel the region, speaking about Christ and serving the poor. This missionary movement has continued over the years, as Franciscans across the world reach out in solidarity through service to the poor, the outcast and the stranger. Today, the Bernardine Sisters, in addition to having a home right beside us on campus, go out into the world daily to preach the Gospel message. Their missionary spirit has led to international destinations such as Brazil and Mozambique. But the sisters also have a missionary effort just across the bridge in Reading- the Mother Veronica Resource Center. At the resource center,
located on sixth and Laurel streets in the city, the sisters provide English as a Second Language classes as well as citizenship classes. People come to the center seeking a better life-and understand that education is a pathway to greater opportunities. The resource center provides a safe place where people can learn as well as be transformed. The missionary movement, of Francis back in the 13th century and of the sisters today, is a simple rhythm of prayer and action. Through this rhythm, Francis was able to transform lives and the community around him. Likewise, the Bernardine sisters model a similar rhythm that produces a transformation for all who visit the resource center. This transformation is no accident-it is an intentional process to help people and communities recognize who God is calling them to be. And so, when we look to Franciscan higher education, it is no coincidence that a Franciscan education is truly about transformation. While a student is on campus, faculty and staff encourage moments of revelation for our students. These revelations hopefully lead to transformation so that students realize their own purpose in life. The goal of this transformative experience is that when students reach graduation day, they not only have a job,
Dr. Julianne E. Wallace, Director of Campus Ministry
but they have a purpose. Combining a missionary spirit and transformative education, Alvernia is, like Francis, going into the city. Through Reading CollegeTown, Alvernia will be a part of a re-vitalization effort on Penn Street, creating a space where all people who come into town
can thrive. While we may not be speaking the exact words of Francis, we will be following in his metaphorical footsteps. And, as we follow this Franciscan path, we will encourage positive transformation in our students as well as our local community in the Reading area.
MISSION MOMENT “Why you fool, it’s the educated reader who CAN be gulled. All our difficulty comes with the others. When did you meet a workman who believes the papers? He takes it for granted that they’re all propaganda and skips the leading articles. He buys his paper for the football results and the little paragraphs about girls falling out of windows and corpses found in Mayfair flats. He is our problem. We have to recondition him. But the educated public, the people who read the high-brow weeklies, don’t need reconditioning. They’re all right already. They’ll believe anything.” -- C.S. Lewis, “That Hideous Strength”
© 2019 The Alvernian
November/December 2019
SERVICE
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The Alvernia University Veterans Center began as a small study on how to provide for our veteran students, and grew to the center it is today because of the charitable help of our donors.
The construction of the Veterans Center was funded by two veteran trustees who gave Alvernia a large financial gift. The center was built in full in September of 2014. With the desire to provide for our veteran students and those with past veteran family members, the center has
The Veteran’s Day Service took place on November 11th to honor those in the Alvernia community who serve or have served
Photo Courtesy of @alverniauniversity
Ariel Johnson Contributing Writer
given them a quiet place to be surrounded by those who had the same experiences The Veterans Center provides students of every branch of the military with resources and a constructive, supportive environment. The Veterans Center, located in Bernardine Hall, features areas with laptops for students to do their work in a quiet space. Sometimes veteran students can even catch a meal at the center. “It’s a place for us vets to gather. It’s our own place where you can chat with other vets who know your experiences,” Christian Mihquiri said. The Veterans Success Team is also housed out of the Veterans Center. The team helps veteran students keep their academic life on track. This group consists of Bret Krotee, the Veterans Center Coordinator, and a big part of the center since its installment. Jared Kenchall handles Student Veterans
The symbol of the Veterans Center and our veteran students.
Affairs Work-Study. He served in the United States Air Force and served two tours in Afghanistan. Amanda Pelliccoitti is their Veterans Center Advocate and served in the United States Army. She was stationed in Vilseck, Germany. Lastly, David Rupert, who also handles Student Veteran Affairs Work-Study, was a Corporal in the Marine Corps. He was deployed in Afghanistan twice, and worked as supply in the Marines in the States. Students are encouraged to come out and support our vets at events such as the Veterans Day Celebration that took place on Monday,
November 11. In April, a Make Your Own Easter event is planned to bring out your artistic side and to bring in donations for our vets during the holiday. At the end of the spring semester on May 2, the Veterans Center Reception and Senior Cording Ceremony takes place. The reception and ceremony honors all vet students, and is when the Saint Ignatius Award is awarded to a worthy student. It will be held in the Campus Commons Living Room and will have a lunch reception catered by Mission Barbeque. Support our vets!
The Holleran Center may be young, but there is a long history behind the name. It represents one of the core Franciscan values of our school—service. But how did it come to be? In 2006, Dr. Thomas Flynn established the Holleran Center, a center of excellence to build co-curricular service opportunities to best put Alvernia’s values into motion. In 2008, Berks County locals T. Jerome and Carolyn Holleran, a couple with a history of commitment to community service and personal experience in community engagement, donated $3 million to Alvernia University. This generous gift helped Alvernia expand its outreach in the Reading community. Holleran’s generosity stems from his past. Mr. Holleran’s college tuition was paid for when his family couldn’t afford it, inspiring him to “pay it forward.” Dr. Jodi Radosh, Associate Director of the Holleran Center, spoke about the Hollerans’ generosity and how they have paid it forward thanks in part to Jerome
Holleran’s long and esteemed career which includes co-founding two companies. The Holleran Center is not unique to Alvernia University. Connecticut College, Carolyn Holleran’s alma mater, has one too. The Holleran’s have donated millions of dollars towards scholarships, served many community organizations, including Safe Berks and the Berks County chapter of the United Way, and were the 1999 recipients of the Thun Award, named after local industrialist Ferdinand Thun. The award recognizes those with significant contributions of civic service and an enduring sense of commitment to the community. Dr. Radosh is amazed at the Holleran Center’s growth. It doesn’t just focus on community service anymore. It has expanded to include study abroad, servicelearning classes, career center, foster grandparents’ program, and the list goes on. It is all part of real-world learning. “The Holleran Center’s main goal right now is real world learning,” Dr. Radosh said. “We want to make sure that every student has some type of hands-on real-world
learning experience before they graduate.” Student involvement has grown as well. About 200 students participate in an average day of service, not including the alumni that come back to take part as well. She also added that many students exceed the required 40 hours of service. Some students do up to 500 hours and are recognized at graduation. “We are trying to do the best we can to make Berks County a better place,” she said. Professor Sue Guay, an instructor of communication, includes service learning in the courses that she teaches. When asked if it was a requirement or if it was a choice, she said that it was a choice. “It’s an extension of the class and builds community amongst the class and allows them to use the skills that they learned in class out in the community.” What do students think of the 40-hour service commitment that is required for graduation? Alvernia freshman Leslie Vargas responded, “It’s good because it can get people out there in the school or the community and provide opportunities for people.” Fellow freshman
Image Courtesy of @hollerancenter
A Little Help From the Hollerans Will DeMarco Contributing Writer
Image Courtesy of Bret Krotee
A Vet’s Home Away From Home
The Holleran Center knows how to have fun while serving.
D’Angelo Ferguson said, “I think it’s a good idea. It gives an opportunity to work together and to give back to the community.” Freshman Victoria Ahearne added, “I think it’s good to get an interaction with the community and help out.” Non-traditional students may feel differently. “Service is a great way to connect with their community. However, older students and veterans like myself who served this country might not find it as helpful or impactful as younger students,” Alvernia senior David Rupert said. Graduate student Stephanie Brown added, “It’s beneficial for the core values of the university, but it could be very difficult for students with busy schedules. They should make it optional but offer incentives to encourage students to take part.” As part of its commitment
to the local community, the Holleran Center has established the South Reading Youth Initiative, where Alvernia students operate after-school programs at the Millmont and Tyson-Schoener Elementary schools. Alvernia students also help Reading High School students as part of the Reading Collegiate Scholars program. Students sponsored by the Holleran Center assist the high school students that are interested in college by helping with their college applications and choosing a major. The Holleran Center, by making community relationships an intrinsic part of the curriculum, helps to instill in its students an enduring devotion to service as engaged citizens. It remains their hope to form ethical leaders with moral courage to do well and do good.
ON CAMPUS
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November/December 2019
Vol. 58 Issue 6
Christinamarie Stefanoni Contributing Writer Everyone knows finals week is one of the most stressful times of the year in any college student’s life. Stress levels are through the roof, to do list seems as though they are never ending, and the idea of a week full of crucial exams will send anyone into a tailspin. As a third-year college student, I have been through many different finals week and I have plenty of tips to make the week from hell, not so bad! The first and probably the most cliché one is sleep. Sleep is so important to being successful during finals week. When you’re tired not only do you physically feel run down but mentally as well. Believe it or not after a good night sleep you retain information better rather than when you’re sleep deprived. Some nights you may have to stay up a little later especially
when it’s the night before an exam you do not feel too confident in, but at least getting 7 hours of sleep is crucial. The next item is one of my favorites: Making a list. Thinking about all the assignments, projects, study sessions, and exams you have in the upcoming week can be overwhelming. When you put it all on paper in front of you it gives you an opportunity to not only see everything you have to do but to also organize your time and even prioritize which task is most important and needs to be done first. Personally, making a list helps calm me down and make my week go a lot smoother. Nicole August, junior, is an education major. August cannot stress enough how much making a list and writing things down has helped her though her hardest finals week. “I’m a very visual person.
I usually write down all the things I need to do in different colors, so I visually see them.” August said. “I like to have some fun during finals week, so I don’t stress myself out too much. I like to go get frozen yogurt with my friends, make brownies, and watch movies.” Damien Jennings, junior, is a finance major. Jennings also has ways of studying and destressing for finals week. “I like to balance my work and my relaxation time.” Jennings said. “It’s important I give myself study breaks or I end up not retaining information as well. Another important tip to help focus and stay on track during finals week is eating healthy and drinking a lot of water. Although stress eating is something all college kids do, it does not help with productivity. The body uses food as fuel, so eating three balanced meals is very important to energy levels. When you find yourself
Nicole August color-codes her agenda to stay organized amidst the chaos of finals.
wanting to snack on something, grab a healthy snack like nuts, fruits, and even a granola bar. This helps with energy levels as well as productivity. Coffee is crucial when it comes to energy, but it is a very short-term boost. Too much of it will make you jittery. Water can simulate the same energy as coffee and staying hydrated can also help with long term focus. Finals week can seem like
Photo Courtesy of Christinamarie Stefanoni
Tips and Tricks to Make Finals Week a Breeze
it will never end, but these simple tips have helped many people have a successful finals week. For any extra studying help, the Academic Success Center, located right off the Commuter Lounge in Bernadine, is always open to review papers, projects, and help with extra studying for tests. For more information about your classes, read the syllabus.
How to Prepare For a Snowstorm Snow days are a thing of the past. Alvernia is going to be open even when we wish it was closed. How do we get through the tough winter weather to come? Students outside of the area should know that the mid-Atlantic region can get a lot of snow in the winter months. As students, we are responsible for getting to class on time and knowing
when we don’t have class. At Alvernia, we have different resources that allows us to get updates when classes are cancelled, or the university is closed, so it’s important that you know how to use them. Omnilert is Alvernia’s emergency alert system. Students should visit the signup website at https:// alvernia.omnilert.net to link their Alvernia emails and cellphones to the service. Doing so will allow students to receive emails and texts
when emergencies happen on campus, which is important for community safety. Aside from being synced up with Omnialert, students should also expect emails or texts from their professors if they need to cancel class. Every professor is different, so students should review their syllabi to know what procedures may be during the winter months. “It is your responsibility to keep up with your email throughout the semester, but
Alvernia students trek across campus as snow flurries down.
Photo Courtesy of Alvernia Admissions Twitter
Dion Thorpe Contributing Editor
especially during inclement weather,” Dr. Ryan Lange, associate professor of communication, said. “Professors that live further north from Alvernia might be more harshly impacted by the weather than Reading, and so might move the class onto Blackboard for the day even if the weather in Reading isn’t very bad.” Before bad weather arrives, students should know to make appropriate preparations. You want to avoid getting foods like bread or too much milk because realistically the storm won’t last super long and you don’t want those things to expire before you even get to enjoy them. Frozen foods are a good idea because they don’t expire for months, as are canned goods. The whole idea is not to think that you are buying things to make a whole meal, but you are buying things that are easy to make if the power goes out. “Last school year I overprepared for the snow and I ended up throwing some stuff out because it had expired,” Daniel Scott said. Walking around campus during icy or snowy weather can also be dangerous. Commuters who need to
drive in face the additional challenge of Berks County roadways. “Sometimes my 10-15 minute drive turns into 30 of 45 minutes because of the poor conditions in the area, so it’s key for me to be able to contact my professor if I am running late,” Cyndy Reyes said. Students who need help can always call on public safety for assistance. In the case of an emergency you should contact public safety first so they can try to help you with your problem whether it’s your vehicle being stuck in the snow, an area on campus is very icy, or your vehicle isn’t starting up. There are plenty of little things that commuters can do to prepare for a snowstorm that will make life much easier. Keeping a shovel in your vehicle is useful because you never know if you have to shovel a path to get out, and also a car broom so you can get the snow off of your car. Placing a towel on your windshield can help to keep snow and ice off overnight, though it’s important that you don’t get a towel that’s too small for your car. These simple things can make winter weather manageable.
ON CAMPUS
November/December 2019
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“Rape of the Sabine Women” Packs Punch The Alvernia Theatre performed “The Rape of the Sabine Women by Grace B Matthias,” written by Michael Yates Crowley, on the weekends of November 7 and 14. This play is a complex collision of dark comedy and satire, according to the director. It has been praised by many critics for the way it
deals with such a heavy topic. The play is about a girl, Grace B. Matthias, whose world is thrown into chaos when she is raped. Matthias tries to make sense of her world while forced to navigate emotionally unstable guidance counselors, overbearing lawyers, an angry championship football team, and useless answers she finds from Wikipedia.
The actors playing Wikipedia hard at work perfecting their complicated part.
Photo Courtesy of Raven Metas
Raven Metas Contributing Writer
Matthias suffers throughout the narrative while the football team that shelters her rapist continues to reign over their town. Members of the cast had to grapple with difficult emotions during rehearsals. Rape is a difficult subject to approach and present in a way that is serious enough but also easy for people to understand. Madeleine Braun, a junior forensic science and chemistry major who plays the role of a member of Wikipedia, said, “It is hard to access these hard emotions every night for a few months.” The play is focused on the heavy topic of rape, but despite the difficulty of the topic, many students thought it was a great opportunity to shed some light on the issue. Aniela Verbin, sophomore undecided, who plays the roles of Monica and Hersilla, said, “I really enjoy working alongside the other talent cast members to bring to life
this heavy topic.” When it comes to talking about rape, many do not want to. This is such a heavy topic to be covered since when people hear the word “rape,” they think about how horrible the victim must feel and would rather not talk about it. People do not fully understand the concept of rape because no one ever wants to talk about it. People want it to feel as if it never happened. However, Braun said, “In the end, it is always worth it.” Presenting the subject of rape through this play was a way for students to bring attention to the matter and show how discussions help. The play’s opening night drew in a very good turnout. Despite the heavy subject, there were moments where people could laugh and enjoy themselves. In the end, the audience members were able to understand the story that the cast was trying to convey.
The theater is a place where students who enjoy the theater come together and put on plays for others to come and see. The focus of the play is based on a heavy topic of rape, but after watching the cast bring it together, it really is moving, and people should want to see it. Giavana Hartzell, the stage manager, said, “People should come see the play because the cast has worked extremely hard.” Over the past few months the students involved in the play have been practicing for multiple hours a night, almost every day of the week. Hartzell said, “It is a heavy topic being discussed, but the cast makes it lighthearted and easier to understand.” Fellow Alvernia students should want to come to support the cast and crew in all their hard work. The next Alvernia Theatre performance will take place during the spring semester.
Ivan Fegely Contributing Editor Have you ever been asleep in your dorm and been woken up by the fire alarm? Many students on this campus has experienced this at least once during their time at Alvernia. “It sucks when you are woken up in the middle of the night because sometimes you need a lot of sleep for the next day,” Joey Iannozzi, a sophomore at Alvernia, said. “One time the fire alarm was triggered at 2 in the morning and the next day I had a large test I needed a lot of sleep for. The fire alarms are so loud and ear piercing that it even gave me a headache that night into the next day. Who needs to be cooking that late anyways?” Not only are false alarms a nuisance for everyone involved, the fire company must investigate before students are allowed back into the building. If you have a kitchen in your dorm room, whether you live in Judge, Holleran, Pacelli or Zygmunta, you have a big responsibility. Cleaning and maintaining the kitchen can be a tough task. Students who use the kitchen should also be courteous to their
roommates about when they use the facilities. A good idea is avoid cooking at 2 a.m. when everyone else in the building is trying to sleep. This occurred in the PODS or Holleran Hall. Recently, students have had late fire alarms interrupting sleep and this will serve as a refresher for repeat offenders. The alternative for cooking at an odd time is that there are fast food restaurants open all around the area and are open 24 hours. Beyond being cautious about cooking, students should not smoke anything in residence halls. Students may smoke only in designated areas. This rule also applies to vaping of any kind because sometimes that can set off the fire alarms in buildings. Rachael Dzik, RA of first floor and basement PODS in Holleran Hall and fifth-year Occupational Therapy Major, was able to discuss about tips of using your kitchen efficiently and safely. “A few suggestions I would make for kitchen safety is to make sure the fan is on over the stove to prevent too much smoke from accumulating in the room.” Dzik said. A fan above the stove can
Photo Courtesy of Ivan Fegly
Fire Safety in Residence Halls A Must
An example of what some kitchens may look like on campus with a microwave, sink, oven, and fridge in close proximity of each other.
displace the smoke from accumulating and causing the fire alarms to go off. “If you need to leave the kitchen and have food cooking on the stove, have a roommate or friend monitor your food during that time.” Dzik said. Common sense can assure the safety of the Hall and your food. Make sure your
food is always properly being monitored, so something can be done if the food begins to smoke too much. Also, make sure any flammable products aren’t around the stove when cooking.” When asked about punishment and the severity of punishments for something like repeated offenses to these safety rules, there is no
set-in stone answer. “Depending on the severity of the situation, you may have disciplinary action taken against you. You may have to speak to the Resident Director to go over how to be safer in your dorm.” Dzik said. Just make sure as you cook in your dorm room you take these precautionary steps so everyone can be safe.
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LIFESTYLE
November/December 2019
Vol. 58 Issue 6
The Controversial Story of Arthur Fleck How many super villains are popular enough to have their own movie? This past October brought us the unknown life of Batman’s greatest nemesis, the Joker. However, the life of Arthur Fleck, Joker’s alter ego, is one that fans believe hits too close to home: A man who suffers from mental illness
who is eventually pushed to their breaking point. Along with the controversial plot came real life threats to movie theaters across the nation. People are now going as far to say that the movie in itself is dangerous. “I think Joker is a very intense film and it takes a responsible viewer to watch it,” Nick Nutile, sophomore, said.
The AMC theater in Muhlenberg, where Alvernia students can get discounted tickets to the new Joker movie
Photo Courtesy of Sidney Goodman
Luca Grammatica Contributing Writer
“However, I don’t think it promotes violence and danger. Instead, I think it shows awareness for mental health and displays a viewpoint of someone struggling with every life due to his mental illness,” Many premieres for the film across the country were canceled due to threats. While superhero movies are meant to be action packed and unrealistic, the Joker movie seems too real to most. One thing that could have been done better was the fact that the evolution of the character was within what seemed like a few weeks. At the beginning of the film, Fleck seemed like a harmless man that suffered from a mental illness. However, many fans of the Batman series like to believe that the Joker has always been the Joker. With the addition of flashbacks of Fleck being mistreated as a boy, this would bring to light that he has been dealing with
situations as shown in the movie for his entire life. In many previous films that featured the Joker, the character seems to be more upbeat and insane while the newest version is more quiet and reserved. Another unique decision made by director Todd Phillips was the color of the suit that the Joker would wear throughout the movie. Instead of wearing the infamous purple blazer, Joker was sporting a red one. Even though this is such a small detail, the first colors that come to your mind when you think of the psychopathic serial killer are green and purple. Another never before seen look to the character in the 2019 film was the blue clown makeup that surrounded Joker’s eyes. “When he turns into Joker, that clown character he hides behind to make people laugh is gone and he’s completely crazy, but we had to relate the makeup between the clown
and Joker,” Nicki Ledderman, head of makeup for the film, said during an interview with Variety Magazine. Through all of the controversy towards the movie, the film has done a fine job in bringing in money. On October 25, Joker became the highest grossing rated R film of all time, beating out Deadpool and Deadpool 2. Now, we must wait until 2021 to see Batman’s side of the story.
Looking for a place to share your cinematic opinions? Write for the Alvernian!
With 2019 nearing its end, many music conversations turn to discussions about the best albums and songs. Who reigned supreme? The highest first-week consumption for an album this year was Post Malone’s “Hollywood’s Bleeding” with 489,000 sales. This album debuted #1 on the Billboard charts. While Malone’s is by
far the best-selling album so far this year, was it the best? While a best-selling album may be popular, does that mean that it was “good”? Some artist’s fan bases are larger than others and can get their favorite artists’ sales higher. Some of the best albums can be from artists with not huge fan bases. For example, “Die A Legend” by Polo G, who had an amazing album, had only 38,000 first week sales because he is still
Post Malone’s album “Hollywood is Bleeding,” which topped charts this year.
Photo Courtesy of Republic Records
Jared Montalto Contributing Editor
an up and coming young artist. Polo G, whose real name is Taurus Tremani Bartlett, is from Chicago, Illinois and is only 20 years old. His most known song is with fellow rapper, Lil Tjay, on the track called “Pop Out”, which peaked at 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. On the other hand, Post Malone has an established fan base since he started to be nationally recognized after his single “White Iverson.” The song was released on Soundcloud in February 2015, which was the first song he released on the music platform. It was co-signed by Wiz Khalifa and the late Mac Miller to get it recognized by their audiences. The music video for “White Iverson” currently has 752 million views on YouTube. Some more albums that surpassed the big 100,000 in first-week sales are “So Much Fun” by Young Thug, “The Wizrd” by Future, and “AI Youngboy” by NBA Youngboy. All the albums have been deserving of the 100,000 in sales and could compete for album of the year in the hip-hop category. Each album has a unique sound that have great songs from start to finish. Listeners do not have
The cover art for Travis Scott’s song, “Highest in the Room.”
to hit the skip button once on any of these albums. Since the albums of 2019 have been so good, that also means there has been a lot of great singles too. Four songs have reached the #1 spot. “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus spent 19 weeks at the #1 spot, which is the longest ever on the Billboard Singles Chart. This song has been nationally and possibly globally recognized because of how much everyone has loved it. This song could be listened to by all age groups, anywhere and anytime. “Old Town Road is a song for anyone to listen too. I don’t know one person who hates that song,” sophomore, Keeryen Stevens said. Some other songs that peaked at #1 are “Highest in the Room” by Travis Scott,
Photo Courtesy of Grand Hustle Records
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Music of 2019
“Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee, and “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo. “Highest in the Room by Travis Scott is the best song ever. Travis Scott is the best artist out right now. The beat, lyrics and flow in the song are untouchable,” Jack Russell, sophomore, said. Some more memorable singles from 2019 include “Middle Child” by J.Cole, “Ransom” by Lil Tecca, and “Hot” by Young Thug featuring Gunna. 2019 saw another crop of new artists emerge, possibly to rise to national or even global fame. Some artists that have become powerhouses in the music industry include Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Tecca, Lil Tjay, and YBN Cordae. All these artists are young, but charted this year for the first time.
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Undergraduate & Graduate Courses
Winter SessÄąon Starts December 17
THE PLEX
Winter Session: December 16 - January 17
Online Undergraduate : ART 222-W1: Basic Digital Photography BIO 203-W1: Biosphere BUS 342-W1: Business Law COM 247 or ENG 247-W1: Fantasy, Folkore and Mythology HCS 310-W1: Health & Wellness over the Life Span HIS 112-W1: The Study of American History MAT 110-W1: Business Mathematics PED 304-W1: Wellness for Life PHI 105-W1: Introduction to Philosophy PHI 210-W1: Professional Ethics PSY 101-W1: Introductory Psychology PSY 215-W1: Multicultural Issues SOC 111-W1: Principles of Sociology THE 105-W1: Foundations of Theology THE 210-W1: Medical Moral Theology THE 225-W1: Global Issues: Gospel Perspectives
Online Graduate: COR 520-W1: Ethics & Moral Leadership MBA 510-W1: Managerial Accounting
r e t is ! g e R day To
MBA 520-W1: Marketing Services MBA 610-W1: Legal Environment
Stay in from the cold and get ahead this winter break! Convenient Online classes. 4-week accelerated format.
Register today at alvernia.edu/winter