Santeno Nembhard’s mother died a day after Thanksgiving. His father was shot and murdered in his home in Jamaica in 2013. Nembhard, who is 14 years old, is now an orphan, living with his 9-year-old sister and grandmother in an impoverished section of Jamaica.
Joey Santa Lucia received an urgent phone call during school saying he needed immediate brain surgery. He had a panic attack and thought he was going to die. He didn’t think he would be able to smile, speak or work out again.
On Monday, UB's Black Student Union held their 49th annual Solidarity Day, an event meant to support local black-owned businesses and galvanize black voters beyond the general election into local and state elections. The event was also a celebration of BSU's past as they approach their 50-year anniversary.
Alliyah McIntosh believes Hillary Clinton is the best candidate for president and can represent women like no president before. “She has children of her own,” McIntosh, a junior studying exercise science major, said. “She has a family of her own, she really gets what it’s like to be a woman.”
Jennie Gibson said she does not judge Donald Trump’s presidential abilities based on him calling a model “fat” 20 years ago. Gibson, a sophomore communication major and political science minor, is one woman who will be voting for the Republican presidential candidate on Nov.
Hosoo Kim feels his voice in the upcoming presidential election doesn’t matter – not only because he isn’t a U.S. citizen, but because he feels his opinion is rude to his American friends. “There is some kind of transparent wall between me and my American friends... Maybe it is a wall made by me, but still I respect Americans because I am a visitor here. I will respect the decision because it is not mine to make,” Kim, a junior international student from South Korea, said.
Dr. James Battista still remembers the uncertainty he felt watching President Barack Obama give his initial inauguration speech in January 2009. “The first time you’re seeing an African American get sworn in, I think a lot of people were nervous through the whole time,” Battista, a political science associate professor, said. “Is this going to go off without a hitch? Is nobody going to kill him?”
The Spectrum interviewed two political science professors to discuss their picks for the presidential election. Political science professor Michelle Benson will be voting for Democratic presidential candidate Hilary Clinton. Political science professor James Campbell will be voting for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
When Lalit Goel’s wife went shopping for glasses, she tried on dozens of pairs. All she wanted was to poll her friends to see which pair they thought looked best. That’s when Goel came up with the Bestest app.
When Steve Sacks became a father, his life was in dire need of organization. Sacks, a UB graduate, and his wife Nikki also noticed a gap in the market. That’s when they co-founded the PodKeeper app for busy parents and students. PodKeeper is an application to help parents manage family schedules and social groups for their kids but can also be used by students to manage their busy lives. It is not available in the app store, but can be accessed online from a computer, tablet, iPhone or Android and syncs with calendars and emails.
This year, many college students will be able to vote for the first time, yet a large number are steering away from the voting booths because of their fears regarding each candidate. Twenty-five percent of Americans have unfavorable views of both Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, according to a recent study by Gallup, an analytic service. Only 11 percent of Americans had unfavorable views in 2012 when President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were running.
Halloween in college is far different from the celebration at home, especially the party scene. Trick-or-treating and quiet backyard parties are replaced with big music events and club specials throughout Halloween weekend.
Madelon Brand is an international student from the Netherlands. She finds Halloween to be unique yet “superficial.”
More than 60 million people tuned into the first two presidential debates so far and some may be asking themselves, “What should I be paying attention to?”
Zip lining down 350 feet or a daredevil jump off a rooftop might be a good way to blow off some steam as schoolwork starts to pile on. Niagara Falls Adventure Park is the place to go. The park is run by Ryan Lynn, a UB alumnus, and Kevin Santa, a student taking a year off. The park, located at 427 First Street, Niagara Falls, has three attractions for thrill-seekers: zip lining, rope-courses and Daredevil jumping.
Four UB students stood in Buffalo Housing Court and called out their University Heights landlord, Jeremy Dunn, for not fixing problems in his houses. Dunn owns close to 50 properties in the area around South Campus and UB students have complained for years that many of his homes violate safety codes. The University Heights Collaborative and Off-Campus Student Services, have each issued warnings about Dunn. Dunn insists he is not a negligent landlord and denies that his homes are unsafe.
Dressing up and traveling to one of Buffalo’s vibrant bars or nightclubs can be an occasional occurrence or a weekly staple for some students. There is a wide variety, from outdoor dance clubs to pubs with U.S. history trivia. For students who are at least 21 years old, here are the top four bars in Buffalo:
Whatever you look for in a coffee shop – be it hot coffee or the right atmosphere – a coffee shop is a cornerstone to the collegial experience. Thankfully, Buffalo has all kinds to offer, below are just a few.
Friday and Saturday nights are for sipping drinks while watching drag queens dance under Marcella’s purple lights. Club Marcella is the oldest and largest gay nightclub in Western New York and has served its patrons for 22 years. The club is located on Pearl Street right off of Chippewa Street in the heart of Downtown Buffalo. Doors are open every Friday and Saturday night to everyone 18 and older with proper ID.
This week, Outdoor Nations is challenging students to sleep under the stars. Week three of Outdoor Nations’ “Campus Challenge” has begun, with UB sitting at rank 15 out of the 90 schools participating.
Solutions by The State News
