Amina Lake Abdelrahman
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Who Will Speak at Montclair State's Commencement?

4/28/2017

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Farhana Mukith (left) and Victoria Batista (right) thinking about the end of the semester. Photo by Amina Abdelrahman
With less than a month left until graduation, Montclair State still does not have a guest lined up to speak at the commencement ceremony this year.

Students are not pleased because the university’s original choice, football player Victor Cruz, is no longer speaking due to miscommunication. According to The Montclarion, Cruz never agreed to speak because the dates did not work for him.

Farhana Mukith, a junior business hospitality management major, was reflecting on how Rutgers was able to get Barack Obama, the president at the time, to speak at their graduation last year. “I definitely wouldn’t want Donald Trump to speak at commencement,” Mukith said. “How about Drake? I love him.”

Mukith was annoyed that another university so close to us was able to get such a great speaker last year, yet Montclair State can’t find anyone for this year. She hopes that next year at her graduation, the university steps up their game.

Mukith wasn’t aware that the football player was even asked to speak at this year’s commencement ceremony. She doesn’t care much for Cruz, but thinks that having options is better than having no idea who will be the speaker.

​Last year, the university selected Don Garber, Commissioner of Major League Soccer and Montclair resident, to deliver the commencement address. After Obama spoke at Rutgers, students at Montclair State have very high expectations for who will speak at future commencements.
Undeclared freshman Victoria Batista thinks that students should vote on who Montclair State asks to speak at the graduation. “My high school asked Oprah to come to our graduation on Twitter,” Batista said.

She also suggests that students should message people they want to speak at graduation, asking them how many retweets they need to make it happen. Both Batista and Mukith think that this situation is making Montclair State seem very unorganized, so they want the university to make more of an effort to please the students.
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High school students visiting Montclair State with no idea who will speak at graduation. Photo by Amina Abdelrahman
With less than a month left until the commencement ceremony, students have no idea who will be giving the commencement address to the Montclair State graduates and their families. Commencement is scheduled for Thursday, May 25 at 9 a.m.
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8 Tips for First Time Commuters

4/14/2017

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We know that commuting to school can be hard sometimes. Parking, traffic and gas money are just some of the reasons it can be stressful. Here’s what you need to know to get ready for the semester:

1.  Remember that traffic on campus is never as bad as it is the first week. The first week of the semester is always the worst when it comes to traffic congestion, especially in the fall. Both students and faculty need time to get used to their new routines, but everything will finally settle down in a week or so.

2.  Don’t forget to leave at least 20 minutes earlier than you think you need to.
Whether you live five minutes away or an hour away, you always need to leave earlier than you think. You need to account for the time it takes to drive around CarParc for a spot, wait for shuttles and walk across campus.

3.  Remember that there are other places to park besides CarParc and Lot 60.
Look for the color codes on parking signs. Commuters can park in any yellow lot on campus. You can also check out the Parker App to see what lots have available spaces.

4.  Parking is not an excuse to miss class.
Your professors will always mention this on the first day of class. They have trouble parking sometimes, too.

5.   Don’t speed.
If you drive 40 mph in CarParc, you’ll pass all the open spots and the person behind you will get the parking spot, not you. Slowing down will also help you avoid a speeding ticket.

6.  Mark your calendar for Cans for Citations.
This program allows you to donate canned food in exchange for payment towards one parking ticket. Look out for an email each semester announcing the dates.

7.  Staying on campus between classes will save you a ton of gas money.
Plus, you won’t lose your parking spot. There are plenty of food options on campus, quiet places to study and people to hang out with.

8.  Consider public transportation as another option.
Remember that there is always the option to take buses and trains to campus for those that don’t have their own car. Montclair State University also offers a Carpool Directory for those who are looking to share rides.

These eight tips are sure to help out any first time commuters. Drive safe and enjoy your commute!

​
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Fear the Unknown: Will Montclair State Students Vote in the SGA Elections if They Don't Know What They Are?

3/31/2017

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Few students sitting outside the SGA office. Photo by Amina Abdelrahman
Next week, Montclair State students will have the opportunity to vote for who will hold positions in the student government office for the 2017-2018 school year.

The Student Government Association (SGA) is a council that oversees many campus organizations. They aim to enrich students’ experiences on campus by giving them opportunities to get involved and connect with others.

Although an election like this determines important things, like where money is spent, many students are unaware about the process and candidates.

Danielle Dibenedetto, a senior biology major, said she doesn’t know anything about the election and probably won’t vote. “I’m not involved. I come to class and go home,” she said.
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Posters for candidates campaigning for the SGA. Photo by Amina Abdelrahman
Dibenedetto did notice the people who made an effort to put their names out, like those that write their names in chalk on the steps from CarParc and hang up posters. 

Sara Stambolian, a freshman psychology major, also notices the people who campaign. She is still deciding if she will vote next week, but she is going to look into the candidates and what they stand for before making her choices. 

“I would want them to help with things on campus,” Stambolian said. She isn’t involved in any organizations with the SGA, but is open to the idea in the future. 

​SGA polls open on Monday, April 3 at 12 a.m. and close on Wednesday, April 5 at noon. Students can vote on HawkSync between those hours.
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Local Artist Heather Stillufsen Finds Inspiration in the Women Around Her

3/21/2017

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Heather Stillufsen, an artist native to Westfield, N.J., has always had a passion for illustrating. At a time when she needed a little extra money, she decided to start selling her work through Facebook. It all started naturally after she posted some of her designs to her personal Facebook page, where people were requesting them on greeting cards. She realized that this could go somewhere, so she went with it. From that moment on, she has drawn something new every morning. Over the years, her Facebook page has grown to have over 830,000 likes.

In 2005, she turned her hobby into a full-time job by opening up Rose Hill Design Studio. Through her Etsy shop, she now offers over 500 different products, ranging from calendars to greeting cards. All of Stillufsen’s prints sold through her Etsy shop are handmade, and she’s sold over 12,000 items so far. That’s a pretty impressive number for a one-woman business.  She also has her products printed and sold through Papyrus, Leanin’ Tree and Blue Mountain Arts, but is always looking for new opportunities and ways to reach more people.

She gets her inspiration from every aspect of her own life. Her friends and family definitely influence her artwork, but so do random strangers. Someone she sees reading a book on a bench in the local park could inspire her next drawing just as much as her two daughters playing together. Her customers love the beauty and simplicity of her designs and they leave amazing reviews about her artwork and products. They are constantly waiting for new designs to be posted on Facebook, planning out which prints they will order from her Etsy shop next.

Stillufsen’s designs have a very specific aesthetic that caters to women. She has always loved the fashion industry, so she enjoys drawing girls in outfits that she would wear. They resemble the sketches of fashion designers. She says that she prefers to draw women and fashion simply because she’s not good as good at drawing men. She also loves drawing flowers, patterns and anything inspirational. Many of her prints and designs also have a quote written on them. Her favorite inspirational quote is, “Believe in yourself and your dreams first. You can be anything you want to be.”

After establishing a successful business through the internet, Stillufsen still hasn’t stopped dreaming. She continues to set goals for herself and accomplishes them one step at a time. She keeps vision boards in her office to remind her of her goals. Stillufsen has a book about sisters coming out in September. In the future, she hopes to illustrate a children’s book as well as design everything from plates and cocktail napkins to clothes and wrapping paper.
​

Stillufsen’s designs are great for gifting to all of the lovely women in your life. Her journals are perfect to send to your sister to let her know you’ve been thinking of her. Your mom would love to receive one of these greeting cards in the mail, reminding her how much you love her on Mother’s Day.

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Montclair Literary Festival Creative Brief

3/3/2017

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Students Enjoy Unusual Spring Weather in February

2/24/2017

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Students sit outside and enjoy the weather before class starts. Photo by Amina Abdelrahman
Many students at Montclair State University took advantage of the unusual weather today by sitting outside around campus and enjoying the warmth and the sun.

According to Weather.com, the high temperature of today was 74 degrees, which made students feel like it was spring, even though it is only February. Some people were staying active by playing frisbee in the quad, while others did homework outside rather than in their dorm or the library.

Freshman biology majors Briana Marte and Merilin Manashirov, pictured above, spent the morning sitting outside of the student center. They were casually going over notes on their computers, hanging out and peeling oranges.

“I’m going to go running outside when I get home,” said Marte, who was worried that the warm weather would be gone in a few days. She had an indoor party to attend tonight, so she wanted to make sure that she got to be outside as much as possible.

​Manashirov was already done with class for the day, but she was waiting around on campus until Marte was done with class. “I’m going to Edgewater tonight to walk around since it’s so nice,” she said.
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Jeff Ramella sits on a bench outside before class. Photo by Amina Abdelrahman
Sophomore television and digital media major Jeff Ramella was waiting at home this morning before class when he decided that the weather was too good to miss out on. He didn’t have class until 11:30 am, but decided to head to campus early.

​​“I thought, ‘Wait, it’s so nice out. I’m just going to hang out outside,’” said Ramella as he sat on a bench in the quad. He commutes from Hillsdale, about a 25 minute drive, so he said it was still cold out when he left his house this morning.
​According to Weather.com, temperatures for tomorrow are expected to hit 63 degrees with a 60 percent chance of rain.
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CPAW NJ Press Release

2/7/2017

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CONTACT:
Karen Shinevar
Communities Promoting Animal Welfare NJ (CPAW NJ)
​
Phone: 201-970-8115
E-mail: karenshinevar@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LOCAL RESIDENTS START COMMUNITIES PROMOTING ANIMAL WELFARE NJ (CPAW NJ)
Nonprofit Launches Just in Time for Kitten Season
MONTCLAIR, N.J., Feb. 7, 2017- Communities Promoting Animal Welfare NJ (CPAW NJ) is a new nonprofit organization serving Montclair and surrounding towns. CPAW NJ is going dedicate their time to preventing animals from being surrendered to shelters, as well as assist in controlling the community cat population.

The organization aims to keep animals out of shelters by preserving the bond between humans and their pets. By providing their knowledge, expertise and resources to anyone considering giving up their pet, they will be able to keep cats out of shelters. They will do whatever they can to find a solution, whether it is just assistance with cat food or finding a new home for the animal.

CPAW NJ will also be working to control the population of community cats. They will share their advice with the people who care for the community cats in their neighborhoods. They will also be partnering with other organizations that make it their mission to trap, neuter, vaccinate and return (TNVR) in order to prevent overpopulation.  

By educating the people that care for community cats and controlling the population, the organization will decrease the burden placed on local animal shelters. “We believe that by collaborating with various parts of the community, we will be able to effectively accomplish our humane goal of promoting animal welfare,” said Karen Shinevar, one of the founders of CPAW NJ.

Anyone interested in getting involved with CPAW NJ’s efforts is encouraged to become a Solution Advocate. These Solution Advocates have various roles. They can be storytellers, social media experts or donation solicitors. The organization is always seeking donations from anyone able to help out monetarily.
​

Shinevar, Marie-Christine Lochot and Rafik Tawadrous founded CPAW NJ with a mission to keep animals out of shelters and control the population of community cats. The organization values compassion, collaboration and celebration in order to promote animal welfare. For more information or to get involved, visit www.cpawnj.org. 
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    Assignments submitted as part of journalism, public relations and integrated communications classes. 

    All deadline news reporting assignments were completed during a one hour long class period. 

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