Welcome Issue

Nicholas VitukevichAssistant Editor-in-Chief

Franklin Pierce was named on Forbes’ annual list of 650 best under-graduate institutions, ranking at 572 in the country and five in the state of New Hampshire.

Institutions are ranked among five different areas – post graduate success,

student satisfaction, graduation rates, student debt, and competitive awards.

When looking at student satisfac-tion, Provost Kim Mooney was not surprised this area helped the univer-sity get recognized. Several years ago the university conducted a student satisfactory survey with the findings showing that students were greatly sat-isfied with faculty, advisors, and cours-

es within their majors. “They really felt good about their academic experi-ences here,” Mooney said. “Knowing that students and faculty have really great working relationships, I’m not surprised to see that student satisfac-tion is high.”

Mooney also mentioned that civic engagement and commitment by the students on campus leads to such rec-

ognitions and accomplishments that surround Franklin Pierce.

As an alumnus of Franklin Pierce and graduate of the class of 1983, she recalled students always being engaged on campus. “I’d say Franklin Pierce students are quite engaged in the way they conduct and run the co-curricular aspects of their lives on this campus,” Mooney said.

In 2010 Franklin Pierce made Forbes’ list at 607. The slight increase since then shows the growth the uni-versity has made in a short time. And with improvements such as a new caf-eteria underway, a new general educa-tion program starting next fall, and

CONTENTSNews.......................-2Features...................Page 3Editorials................. Page 4-5Sports......................Page 6A&E....................... Page 7-8

Pizza Pie vs. Pizza Haven u SEE PAGE 3

Pierce welcomes new Tennis Head Coach

u SEE PAGE 6

Photo provided by: Doug DeBiase

President Birge welcomes the Class of 2015 u SEE PAGE 4

University ranked among top colleges in America

Volume XLVII Welcome Issue August 27, 2011

Photo: Amelia Walters


Since the announcement of a new Health Science and Athletic Train-ing facility in late July, the university has gone in front of the Rindge plan-ning board and anticipates breaking ground on the new facility in late Sep-tember.

At the same time, the university an-ticipates the new Health Science ma-jor to be approved within six weeks.

If approved by the end of Septem-ber, the new major will be available at the start of the 2012 academic year. Current students will have the oppor-tunity to switch to the new major and catalog.

The new major will focus heavily on health related courses for students looking for flexible options when go-ing on to graduate programs. The ma-jor will help students go into a variety of professional academic programs,

including Franklin Pierce’s Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician’s As-sistant programs.

Currently, students who wish to go into health and science related fields major in biology. The new major will allow students more options in the graduate academic world. “There will be things that are more directly relat-ed to subsequent graduate programs in the health sciences than we cur-rently have,” said Dean Paul Kotila. “It will give students more options.”

The new 9,000 sq. foot, two-story facility will house students specifi-cally in the new major with the build-ing concept driven by an anonymous donor who wanted the facility to “re-flect improved athletic training and academic space,” according to Bruce Kirsh, vice president and athletic di-rector.

The first level of the building will be used as a training area for the over 400 student athletes the university

has, and will have three whirlpools and areas for treatment, rehabilita-tion, and stretching, as well as new designated spaces for officials before and after sports games.

“Having a state-of-the-art facility after years of having limited athletic training facilities will allow the uni-versity to treat and rehab student athletes at the highest level and make their experience here far greater,” Kirsh said.

The second floor of the facility will be strictly for academic use, with a classroom that seats up to 24 people and a laboratory. The upstairs will house state-of-the-art technology, ac-cording to Kirsh, with video confer-ence equipment and smart boards available for academic use.

The donation for the building is the largest in university history at

Phase two of the cafeteria remodeling project included renovations to the cooking and service line areas. The third and final phase will be completed next summer.

u see FORBES, page 2

New facility, new major both anticipated for approval in the coming weeks


After two years, Blink 182 is back on the road and has just finished record-ing their new album, set to come out soon. See page 8.

Phase two of cafeteria renovations finalizedKait TaylorEditor-in-Chief

Those who opted out of a meal plan this year might reconsider after view-ing the cafeteria’s facelift.

Charlie Salmond, executive chef, says the Franklin Pierce Sodexho team was aiming for a new level of customer service when making renovations to the cafeteria’s first room, which in-cluded seventeen different paint col-ors, brand new equipment, and more “customer engagement.”

“People eat with their eyes first, so any student will be impressed,” said Salmond of the students seeing the cafeteria’s changes for the first time. “We want them to not just have a good meal, but a good experience.”

The renovations to the cooking ar-eas and service lines completed Phase Two of the original three-part renova-tion plan of the cafeteria. Phase Three is scheduled to finish completely next summer with the changes to the Hampshire Room. Phase One, the renovation of the main dining room

and expo station, was completed last summer 2010. The changes that were made this summer were finished about three months ago.

Salmond, who has worked in the Franklin Pierce cafeteria for three and a half years now, is hoping that the changes will bring a better outlook on mealtime. He said people are too rushed when moving to get their food, heading for a line immediately after swiping their cards. “If they came in, sat down, put down their coats and got their drinks, they could look around to see what they wanted,” he said. Sal-mond says often by the time people get their food and find a place to sit their food is cold and the positive experi-ence is gone, whereas his ideas will be more “like a restaurant.”

In order to improve the overall cus-tomer experience, Salmond and his team worked on making the space more pleasant with speedier service, fresher food, and a “cleaner presen-tation” by switching from the usual

Photo provided by: Patricia Garrity

The new Health Science and Athletic Training facility was announced in late July after the university received a dona-tion of $1.1 million for its construction. The ground-breaking is set for sometime in late September.

GERC concludes two years of core curriculum redesignNicholas VitukevichAssistant Editor-in-Chief

The General Education Review Committee (GERC) finalized its rede-sign of the general education curricu-lum in the spring and the Summer Working on Implementation Group (SWIG) met over the past several months to plan the implementation to start in the fall of 2012.

Today’s incoming freshmen, the class of 2015, will be the last to start under the Individual & Community (I&C) core, which has been in place since 1991.

SWIG, consisting of a variety of staff and faculty members from dif-ferent departments on campus, fo-

cused on making recommendations for the implementation committee, working towards the development of a Davis Grant, and preparing for speaker Stewart Ross to speak during last week’s faculty workshop, accord-ing to GERC faculty member Lynn Chandler.

Ross helps faculty members see the significance of course design within teaching, identify their own dreams for student learning, and introduce what happens when these ideas are used effectively within a classroom setting, according to the Dee Fink & Associates website.

u see FACILITY, page 2u see GERC, page 2

u see CAFETERIA, page 2

u Pierce Arrow t August 27, 2011 News

GERCCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Meet the 2011-2012 Head Peer Leaders

Kait TaylorEditor-in-Chief

The four 2011 Head Peer Lead-ers believed their new “aggressive” recruiting methods paid off as they prepare to kick off another fall semes-ter of mentoring the incoming fresh-men.

The Head Peer Leader team is com-prised of Brittany Wheeler and Steve Jeune, both seniors who are returning

for a second year, newcomer and se-nior Mandi Brava and junior Miran-da Mantello.

The four sought out to recruit more fiercely with personal letters to stu-dents who they thought would make good additions to their team. They also said they began recruiting earlier than usual, starting in February 2011 and aiming for candidates from all different backgrounds and interests ranging from athletics to student gov-

ernment and a wide variety of clubs.“PLs are chosen because they are

different,” said Wheeler on what sets Peer Leaders apart from other student leaders. “We make memories and cre-ate a great environment because we bring a unique, funny, and creative personality to the program.”

In total there are 27 Peer Leaders to aid the 420 incoming freshmen in their transition into college.

a new Health and Science major and facility, there is room for more recog-nition with Forbes in the future. “I wouldn’t be surprised within a few years if we see our rank change in the right direction over time,” Mooney said.

In a statement released to the Pierce Arrow, President James Birge said, “I am pleased that Forbes recognized the many good things that Franklin Pierce University is known for – qual-ity of academics and campus life, post

graduate success, and student satis-faction. Our innovative approach to education allows students to discover their strengths, thrive in a supportive environment, and be challenged to succeed in an ever changing world.”

Other New Hampshire institutions that ranked on the Forbes list include Dartmouth College, St. Anselm Col-lege, Colby-Sawyer College, and the University of New Hampshire.

FORBESCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

$1.1 million, with the total cost of the building estimated at $2 million.

“This new facility will allow the university to catapult our athletic and academic reputations dramatically.

As an alumnus and somebody who’s invested their entire professional ca-reer [here], I’m very excited for all who will reap the benefits of this fa-cility,” Kirsh said.

FACILITYCONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The new curriculum focuses on outcome-based learning and a holis-tic approach, connecting the entire undergraduate experience rather than looking at one’s major and general education as separate entities.

The core will look at four main Franklin Pierce Learning Outcomes: knowledge and understanding of broad disciplines, intellectual and practical skills, personal and social responsibilities, and engaged learning and thinking.

Along with this, a new area that GERC has designed for the new core is the concept of co-curricular intern-ships, which ultimately can apply to extracurricular involvement on cam-pus, and have it count for one credit.

The setup of these will be the same as an external internship where a student will have an on-site super-visor and a faculty advisor. GERC Co-Chair Gerald Burns said, “We’re proud of [this]. We’ll have to monitor it, but we think it’s an innovative idea and should help make education more hands-on.”

Though the new core won’t be im-

plemented until the fall 2012 semes-ter, it does not necessarily rule out the option for upperclassmen to substi-tute the new courses with the current I&C courses.

Though this is currently just a goal of GERC, members hope that they can find a way to make the transition a simple one while providing new op-portunities for upperclassmen. “We want to make it as easy as possible for upperclassmen to continue their I&C with the possibility of substitution [of classes],” Chandler said.

During the spring semester, GERC surveyed a select range of students for input on the current IC general educa-tion. Results from that survey showed that over 68 percent of students were dissatisfied with the current core cur-riculum.

According to a 2010 study done by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), 89 percent of higher education institutions are reviewing and redesigning their core Gen-Ed courses.

CAFETERIACONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

buffet-style service to “buffet plated-style.” Instead of students using tongs to grab their food from open pans, the food will be placed on plates and set out for those ready to take it. The food will remain behind the station so consumers’ hands are kept out of the food.

“[There will be] no more messes in front of the line, no more half-empty pans – everything will be presented cleaner,” said Salmond.

While some might worry that plated style would ruin their own customiza-tion of their meal, Salmond says the workers will cater to individual needs. “Anytime somebody wants something without gravy or without stuffing, we’ll custom-make it.” Sides like veg-etables and French fries will also be plated separately.

Other improvements, such as the larger glass entranceway, will make travel in and out of the cafeteria less crowded. The usual trays will be gone from the scene this year as the

cafeteria moves toward partnering in the university’s plan to become more sustainable. Salmond’s hope is that going trayless will save water and use less energy.

One of the more notable changes that Salmond wishes to become the “focal point” of the meal experience is a new station he says is done at no other university. A new service called “Our Kitchen, Your Kitchen” offered at weekend brunch and dinner, will get students behind the counter at the grill station to cook their own food, which will include stir-fry, pasta expos and customization bars like the popu-lar chicken tenders with a variety of sauces.

“With more cooking shows out there, everybody wants to do their own thing and be a chef,” said Sal-mond when explaining the inspira-tion behind his idea. “According to the district chef, it’s not done any-where to this capacity.”

Salmond said the only trick to pull-ing off the new station will be for the students to become accustomed to the requirements of being behind the counter. No more than three to five students will be allowed being the counter at a time, and they will need to don gloves and a hairnet in addition to making use of the handwashing sta-

tion. “It’s going to be a long process to get people trained,” said Salmond.

Salmond and his team even planned for the smaller things to complement the bigger changes like the new pizza and breadsticks station moving to the opposite side of the room. Glass cases will keep bread and breakfast pastries fresh and new silverware, plates and bowls accommodate the salad station. Even vegan food will have its own place in the cafeteria right next to the “global” station that will showcase ex-otic foods.

“Even the little things have been taken care of,” said Salmond.

Next up for the cafeteria’s renova-tions is the final Phase Three, which will be finished next summer. Phase Three will re-do the Hampshire Room, the third room from the caf-eteria’s entrance. Plans include a new deli with a “turbo oven” for heating sandwiches (similar to the toasting oven at Subway), a Panini grill, and a soda machine. Salmond guesses that when all three phases are complete, the deli will be the “hottest place in the building.”

Salmond is offering tours of the cafeteria and kitchen to anyone who asks for one, as long as it is not during dining hours.

Sodexho GM looks forward to new challenges after PierceKait TaylorEditor-in-Chief

Alongside the completion of Phase Two of the cafeteria’s renovations, So-dexho will also be seeing changes in management at the start of the school year when it says goodbye to longtime Franklin Pierce General Manager Kim Knox.

“I’m really going to miss being there and hearing all the excitement when people come back, but I’m ready for a new challenge,” said Knox, who has been working at the cafeteria for the last eleven years. “Change is good all around.”

Knox decided to make the move to Providence College in Rhode Island after a year in a long distance relation-ship dating the “new love of my life.”

“I moved here for him,” said Knox of her beau. “For a guy, believe it or not. We’ve been traveling back and forth from Rhode Island every week for a year but it’s a long commute.”

Knox says that after more than a decade of running the entire food program at Franklin Pierce and 26 years spent working with Sodexho, it was an easy process to find work at her new residence. “It was just a matter of waiting until a job was posted in this area,” she said.

She’s hoping her job as operations director for the residence dining program at Providence (another So-dexho school) will allow her to spend more time outside of work with her new roommate. “It’s nice to be able to come home and have dinner with somebody,” she said. “I’ve never had that.”

Though Knox already feels wel-comed at her new place of employ-ment, she said it was a tough decision

to leave Franklin Pierce. “I didn’t imagine I was going to leave Franklin Pierce,” she said. “I thought I would retire, but you know, life changes.”

Knox believes that her replacement, Joey McClain, will fit right in at the cafeteria. “How much better can you start out than with a brand new din-ing hall that’s going to excite every-body?”

According to Knox, McClain’s transition will be all the more easier because he worked in the cafeteria 20 years ago for a stretch of three to four months before Sodexho gave him his “real job” at another school. “It’s like coming home to him,” she said. “I think Franklin Pierce will be very hap-py with Joey. He’s been doing school food service for the past few years, and he is very excitable and high-energy.”

Executive Chef Charlie Salmond said, “Kim will be missed, but she is leaving the place in good hands. It’s good for the person who’s coming in because he brings a different side to the business.

Knox says she will return to campus to see the final phase of the renova-tion plan complete in the summer of 2012, but she isn’t worried about leav-ing her staff behind with the changes. “I have confidence in the team there that they will continue on doing the great stuff we have been [doing].”

As for now, Knox is joining her new love in welcoming two new grandchil-dren. “We’re very excited to be young and cool grandparents,” she said.

When asked if she imagines wed-ding bells in the future for her grow-ing relationship, Knox laughed and said, “Anything is possible.”

Photo: Kait Taylor

August 27, 2011 u Pierce Arrow t

Morgan MillerFeatures Editor

Training for a marathon in the spring is just one of the goals Experi-ence Director Doug Osier has for the upcoming Franklin Pierce school year.

Osier is from South Dennis, MA. He graduated from Stonehill College with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration

in Finance and a minor in Econom-ics. During college, he says, he took advantage of every opportunity that he could, including being his junior class president and camping in the Florida Everglades. Osier was a Resident As-sistant at Stonehill and Head Resident Assistant for three years.

His hobbies include being active, singing, and hanging out with friends and family.

Osier says he got a good vibe about Franklin Pierce during the interview process. He discovered Franklin Pierce while attending a conference for po-tential Resident Director jobs.

Osier had been applying for jobs in the Boston and New England Area. Once he met with Ken Ervin and Chris Johnson, he says he immediately envisioned himself at Pierce.

“All other places became secondary and faded away. As they described the community, I could picture it in my head. It reminded me very much of my community during my undergrad days,” he said.

Osier has several goals for students in the upcoming school year while working in the New Hampshire Hall area.

“My goals are to build the best com-munity personally, be the best ED which I can be, and adjust to life post undergrad.”

In addition to fulfilling his duties as an Experience Director, Osier plans on starting his MBA in Leadership in the winter.

FeaturesMeet the new Residential Life Experience DirectorsRebecca Hamwey - Mount

Washington Hall


Experience Director Rebecca Ham-wey will be working with first-year stu-dents in Mount Washington Hall.

Hamwey is from Lancaster, MA, and a graduate of Nichols College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She was a Resident Assistant for one year and a head Resident Assistant for two years. One of her hobbies includes traveling, especially to new places.

“My goal is to eventually visit all 50 states. Right now I am at 22 states vis-ited,” she said.

Having a tight-knit community at Nichols made her want to pursue a university with the same kind of feel.

“I interviewed for the open Expe-rience Director position at Franklin Pierce, and upon meeting and speak-ing to Ken Ervin and Chris Johnson, I knew that the university was a great fit for me,” she said.

Hamwey has high hopes for her first year at Pierce working with first-year students.

“I am looking forward to getting to know the students and working with them. I want to make each resident in my hall have the best first-year college experience they can possibly have.”

Doug Osier: New Hampshire Hall

Photo: Kait Taylor

Photo: Kait Taylor

Erin Granger -Lakeview and

Sawmill Apartments


Senior Area newcomer Erin Grang-er loves the outdoors and has an “un-healthy obsession” with “Jersey Shore” and “Glee.”

Granger is from Mt. Airy, MD, and moved to Peterborough, NH, her junior year of high school. Granger received her Bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State University in Child-hood Studies in 2009 and her Mas-ter’s degree in Health Education with a focus in Eating Disorders in 2011. During her time at Plymouth State, she worked four years as a Community Advisor for Residential Life and also worked two years as an Admissions Counselor

Aside from her television addictions, Granger loves the outdoors, making her a perfect fit for the Monadnock region.

“I like to go camping, hiking, kaya-

king, canoeing, and swimming,” said Granger. “During the past four sum-mers I have worked as the Water-front Director at a camp in Hancock, N.H.”

Granger was looking for a small school from the start, and sees Frank-lin Pierce as a good fit.

“I was looking for a smaller school where I could really get to know every-one on a more personal level, rather than just by their ID number. Every-one I have met so far has been really friendly and helpful, so I feel like I’ve made a great choice,” she said.

Granger is very excited for the up-coming school year and is planning on getting to know students right away.

“I really can’t wait to get to know the students not just in my area, but all over campus. I love getting to know people, and as the other EDs will tell you, I will most likely put you on the spot to tell me random facts about yourself, so be ready,” she said.

Photo: franklinpierce.edu


If you’re looking for local options to satisfy your pizza fix during the school year, there are always two solid options with Pizza Pie and Pizza Haven. But what separates one pizza joint from the other?

Pizza Pie is located on Route 119 in Rindge in the Rindge Country Convenience Plaza. The building in-cludes a Shell gas station and Dunkin Donuts. Pizza Pie offers delivery upon request and they tend to stay open later for students during the school year. Pizza Pie’s late night hours seem to win some students over.

“I’ve never actually been into Pizza Pie, but I’ve always had it delivered.

It’s delicious and it’s open late when I want to order it,” said Sara Davis, junior.

Pizza Haven is also located on Route 119. They do not stay open as late as Pizza Pie does for students dur-ing the school year. They only deliver to college sports teams, which could be inconvenient to students with-out cars. They are located in a small building that offers more places to sit and eat than Pizza Pie. This smaller atmosphere with a more welcoming feel has made many hooked on Pizza Haven.

“I like Pizza Haven as opposed to Pizza Pie,” said Keri Marnane, junior. “They are 100% more friendly and they always strike up conversations when you go in there.”

Many college students tend to not carry cash and use a credit or debit card instead. People visiting Pizza Haven doesn’t accept credit cards; however, they do have an ATM in-side. However, even with the ATM available, some students decide to go to Pizza Pie instead.

“I almost never have cash on me, so I always end up going to Pizza Pie because Pizza Haven doesn’t accept credit cards,” said Shannon Dacey, sophomore.

Both venues have different prices, and this also factors into students’ choices. Across the board, Pizza Haven has slightly cheaper prices. A large cheese pizza at Pizza Pie is $9.99 while at Pizza Haven it’s only $8.75. A cheese calzone at Pizza Pie is $6.99

while one at Pizza Haven is $4.50. Many of the appetizers are similar in price, but usually Pizza Haven’s are a few cents cheaper.

“In my opinion, Pizza Haven is way cheaper and the food is worth what you pay because it tastes great,” said Justin Haapala, Franklin Pierce alum.

Both Pizza Pie and Pizza Haven offer great specials to their custom-ers. Pizza Pie has different specials on pizzas as well as uncooked pizzas that you can bring home. Pizza Haven has a Monday-Friday lunch special where you get a six-inch grinder, fries or chips, and a small drink for $4.95. Pizza Haven also has a Facebook fan page where they offer a “word of the day” special where if you say the word

when you go to the shop, you get an amount off your order.

Overall, taste is the main decid-ing factor for many students. Fans of each can be found on campus. And some people like both--but for differ-ent reasons.

“Pizza Pie has better pizza, but Pizza Haven has better calzones,” said Jon Martinez, senior.

Pizza Pie and Pizza Haven are both great venues to dine at in Rindge. However, it all comes down to prefer-ence when you decide which location you’d rather satisfy your pizza craving at.

Pizza Pie vs. Pizza Haven: which one measures up?

Brittany Gilman- Granite Hall


Brittany Gilman is returning to Franklin Pierce this year with several roles to fulfill. One of them is being the Experience Director for both fresh-men and sophomores in Granite Hall.

Gilman is from Lowell, Mass., and

graduated from Franklin Pierce in 2010 with a BS in Arts Management with a concentration in music. She is currently working on getting her MBA in Leadership and will graduate in May 2012. This upcoming year she is taking on several responsibilities. As well as being an Experience Director, she will be the chief of EMS and a graduate as-

sistant.Taking on these responsibilities was

not an issue for Gilman because of her love for the University.

“I absolutely love it here. I’ve made a lot of really strong connections since I’ve been here. It just made a lot of sense for me to continue what I started here. EMS is really important to me, so when the opportunity to stick around for another two years as chief presented itself, I jumped on it,” she said.

Gilman also expressed how excited she is to be working with Residential Life as well this year. “I was also re-ally excited for the challenge of work-ing with Res Life, since I wasn’t a CA while I was a student,” she said.

As for goals for this school year, community service and a sense of com-munity are very important for Gilman. She wants to provide her residents with this kind of community feel.

“I’m excited to get to know all of my residents and expect it will be a great year. It’s my first year really working with the students in this capacity, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Photo: Kait Taylor

On the move with ZumbaLinda StonehillTown of Rindge - Contributor

Zumba is instructor Sherry Pento’s passion, and she hopes more people will discover its many benefits. She shares her thoughts with The Pierce Arrow.

How did you get involved in Zum-ba?

“I’ve always liked dance and really enjoyed my first two Zumba sessions led by my good friend, Lisa LaPrade. We talked about how to become an in-structor and Lisa has been such a great mentor through this whole process. She was happy for me when I became certified in August last year and I’ve been doing Zumba ever since. There’s nothing better than doing something you love!”

What do you like most about Zum-ba?

“The great thing about Zumba is that it’s not only fun, but it helps you

lose weight and get in shape without realizing it. I lost 30 pounds very fast doing Zumba and couldn’t believe it because I was having such a great time.”

What advice would give to some-one who is hesitant to try Zumba be-cause they don’t know the moves?

“People shouldn’t worry about the dance moves—it’s really not critical to know them. What’s important is hav-ing fun, getting your body moving, and enjoying yourself—that’s what makes it so unlike a workout.”

Sherry is conducting courses at the Rindge Community Center at Welling-ton Park and will be offering courses in Jaffrey in September. “I’m open to all ideas for new Zumba classes—I’d re-ally love to start one at Franklin Pierce University and also could do classes at retreats and camp events. Before the end of this year, I want to raise money through Zumba classes for a charitable organization in our community. I’ve

always wanted to get more involved in the community and it’s great to have that chance now!”

To reach Sherry with ideas or ques-tions about Zumba classes, please email her at [email protected].

Sherry’s upcoming classes at Wel-lington Park:

When: Tuesdays, 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. (walk-in fee only)*

Session 12: 8/30 - 10/4Session 13: 10/11 - 11/15Time: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.Fee: $35 Residents, $45 Non-Res-

idents. Pay only $10 more if you add Sundays to your Tuesday registration

Walk In: $7 Residents $8 Non-Resi-dents

Register online at http://www.ac-tivityreg.com/selectactivity.wcs

u Pierce Arrow t August 27, 2011 Editorials

Th e Pierce Arrow is a member of the Pierce Media Group and the Fitzwater Center for Communication at Franklin

Pierce University.

Opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily

refl ect those of Franklin Pierce University or the Pierce Arrow

staff . Columns, letters, and poetry refl ect the opinions of

their authors only.

Th e editors welcome all articles, comments, opinions, and criticisms. Please send

them to piercearrow@

franklinpierce.edu.Th e Arrow will correct errors and clarify misunderstandings to news stories when brought to the attention of the editor.

Th e fi rst copy of the Pierce Arrow is distributed free of charge. Please contact the

editor to purchase additional copies.

Th e Pierce Arrow is a member of the Associated Collegiate

Press.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and staff, I of-fer you a hearty welcome to Franklin Pierce University. My colleagues and I are excited that you, along with more than 400 other students, have chosen Franklin Pierce University this year. We know with great certainty that you will leave this place in four years with a greater knowledge, a fuller wis-dom, and more encounters than you can believe right now. Imagine just how exciting that is for us—and we will share that excitement with you.

Some of your early encounters will include meeting faculty, staff, and

student leaders that are committed to helping you achieve success. In fact, today you probably met some of these people when you received help mov-ing into your residence hall. The tran-sition to rigorous academic study and independent living can be quite chal-lenging, and although your best effort will be tested, there is always a faculty or staff member nearby to help. One of the prevailing messages I hear from our alumni when I visit them is how supportive faculty and staff were. At Franklin Pierce University, your en-deavors are a shared experience with good friends and talented mentors.

You may also find yourself, in a few short weeks, achieving new heights--3,165 feet above campus to be exact! One of our traditions is to have new students climb Mt. Monadnock with faculty, staff, returning students, and me. This climb is a great introduction to our Adventure Recreation program, which allows you to meet new friends in an outdoor environment. There are many activities to participate in, from hiking regional trails, sea kaya-king, sailing, weekend camping trips, tree climbing, and mountain biking. You and a new friend may also like to borrow a canoe, kayak, or sailboat

and cruise around Pearly Pond, locat-ed at the base of campus.

If your interests are more communi-ty service oriented, we have many op-portunities for you and like-minded students to volunteer at a local chari-table organization that will benefit from your service. Our students work with senior citizens, young learners, people who are homeless, and animals who have been abandoned. Some of this work will be through clubs and organizations, and some will be inte-grated with your coursework.

Your coursework and extra-curric-ular activities will present many op-

portunities for you to be engaged in community life here on campus and in the town of Rindge. Make sure to take advantage of these opportunities to develop your intellect and knowl-edge, and to explore all that Franklin Pierce and the Monadnock Region has to offer.

Again, welcome to Franklin Pierce.

James BirgePresident

President Birge welcomes incoming students

Editor-in-ChiefKait Taylor

Assistant Editor-in-ChiefNicholas Vitukevich

Production ManagerVal Armstrong

News EditorAlicia Baldino

Features EditorMorgan Miller

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Amelia Walters

Sports EditorArthur Berube

Copy EditorTawni Turcotte

Pierce Arrow Editorial Staff 2010-2011

Letters to the Editor can be sent to [email protected].

All letters submitted will be posted online at http://www.piercearrownews.com/letters-to-the-editor

The opinions expressed on the Editorials page(s) are not necessarily the opinions of the Pierce Arrow, its staff, or of Franklin Pierce University. The opinions are solely

the property of each respective authors. Any comments, rebuttals, or other opinions can be addressed to [email protected] as a letter to the editor, or sent online at

http://www.piercearrownews.com/letters-to-the-editor

Hello Class of 2015!My name is Nick Kostich and I am

the current President of the Student Government Association. As such, I would like to welcome you, on behalf of the Student Government and the rest of the Franklin Pierce commu-nity, to what will be four of the best years of your life!

For those of you who have not seen it yet, I hope you take a chance to look at our newly redesigned serving area in the dining hall, and for those look-ing into the health sciences or athletic training, we will be breaking ground on a new teaching facility to be com-pleted by the end of next year!

As you finish settling in and be-gin your classes, I hope that you find yourselves in good company and with many new friends. I would like to encourage you all, especially in these early days, to step outside your

comfort zone and try something new before you settle into your routine of classes. Franklin Pierce will offer you many chances to expand your hori-zons and build yourself into the per-son you want to be. All you have to do is step forward and try.

Once again I would like to welcome you all on behalf of the University and wish you four excellent years at Franklin Pierce!

Nicholas KostichPresident of the Student Government

Association

SGA President welcomes the Class of 2015 to Pierce

Photo provided by: Nick Kostich

Current SGA President Nick Kostich (left) with former presidents Joe Ferris (2010-2011) and Justin Sultzbach (2009-2010) at an SGA banquet.

Editor-in-Chief welcomes new studentsWelcome back for the 2011-2012

school year! Hello to the newcomers, the Class of 2015, and high-five to my fellow seniors. I will be your Editor-in-Chief for the next year, and I’m really looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to carry on the tradi-tion of a campus newspaper.

There are some things this year in the Arrow that readers should get ex-cited about. One thing I am proud of

this year is our push to get the word out on the plans and events of clubs, student government, departments on campus and sports teams. With so much to do on this campus, no one should ever be bored. And with our new upcoming events column, no one ever will be. The more people that at-tend events on campus, the better the events will be.

Come join us, and see what it re-

ally means to be involved on your campus.

I wish you all an amazing year.

Kaitlyn TaylorPierce Arrow Editor-in-Chief

The world according to Frankie PFrangelica OdellArrow Contributor

Over the past few days, I’ve sat at my computer attempting to write a witty and eloquent welcome article to you, the incoming class of 2015. Turns out, I don’t know what to say. As a se-nior, I should be offering advice and encouragement about the next four years of your life. I finally turned to the Internet to try to spark some-thing inside me, and stumbled across a quote by Adlai Stevenson. Steven-son once said, “When you leave here, don’t forget why you came.” It was then that I realized I needed some re-minding myself, and thus began this article to you.

There is nothing more thrilling than being a college freshman. There is also nothing more daunting than being a college freshman. There are more than 400 of you here today, some of whom are athletes, journal-ists, artists, or future teachers. Still others are unsure of what you want to be or who you will become.

The truth is that college will change you. As cliché as it sounds, college transforms you from one person into one your past self would surely not recognize. The person who stepped out of the car today will be miles away from the person who will step across

the parking lot (oh yes, you read that correctly) on graduation day. I’ve come to realize that change can be a good thing. I’ve always hated change, but ironically I changed drastically from freshman year to sophomore year without even realizing it. The same will happen to you and I hope you embrace that change.

Unsurprisingly, you will find that you have at least a few dozen things in common with the people of your class, but the biggest one is that you all chose Franklin Pierce. You chose this small, yet unforgettable New England university. Of all the schools out there in the world, the one that caught your attention is sometimes hard to even locate on a GPS. You’ve chosen Mount Monadnock over the city, you’ve chosen close-knit instead of large, and you’ve chosen this place as the one where you will discover yourself. Remember these very rea-sons as you begin your lives here. Remember that you came here to find and explore your passions, make steadfast friendships, and unforget-table wild and crazy memories.

There will be days when you can’t remember why you ever came to col-lege. Everyone has those days when they feel overwhelmed and burnt out by homework, exams, and meetings. You came here to figure out what it is

in life that you want to do and be, and with that comes obstacles that will at times work you to exhaustion. Those are the times when the hallelujah will be cold and broken. But that’s the fabulous thing about college - we can take huge risks and make mistakes because we are still young and in our own world here. We can bounce back from those times and still get right back up and do the same thing the next day.

When it is all said and done, you will want to remember college as a time when you did things: ran for president of your class, joined five dif-ferent clubs, studied abroad, stayed up until 2 a.m. dancing on tables, or took glass-blowing classes because you could. You will not want to look back and regret the things you never did.

The adventure starts now, so hold on tight to the new friendships you are about to form. The ride will get bumpy at times, but the view on graduation day will be absolutely and without a doubt worth it (or so I’ve been told). Make those mistakes and take those chances while you can, be-cause as Eminem says, “you don’t get another chance, life is no Nintendo game.” Welcome to Frankie P, class of 2015.

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August 27, 2011 u Pierce Arrow t Editorials

Find your voice in the 2012 Presidential ElectionJoin PoliticsFitzU, the Fitzwater Center’s news team

We did it in 2008 and we plan to do it again: our goal is media credentials to

cover the 2012 national political conven-tions, and then to cover the 2012 Presi-

dential Election. Our journey began when we covered the June 2011 GOP

Debates in Manchester, and now we are headed into the NH Primary. We are looking for people with an interest in political reporting to join us for the

entire trip or even just a leg. Contact Dr. Kristen Nevious, Director,

Fitzwater Center, at ext. 1039 or [email protected]. Or, attend

our informational meeting:

Wednesday, August 31 from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.in the Fitzwater Television Studios

u Pierce Arrow t August 27, 2011

Arthur BerubeSports Editor

Four Franklin Pierce University baseball players were selected this past June to the 2011 MLB Draft.

Catcher Mike Dowd was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 12th round as the 363rd pick overall. Lat-er the next day, three pitchers from Franklin Pierce were selected. Soph-omore Ryan Thompson was taken in the 36th round by the New York Yankees, senior Brian Maloney in the 45th round by the San Francisco Gi-ants, and junior Greg Downing in the

47th round by the Los Angeles Dodg-ers. Thompson will be returning to the Franklin Pierce pitching staff this year to improve his status in next year’s 2012 Draft.

With this year’s draft class, Frank-lin Pierce has now had 21 selections in program history, the first coming in 2001. All of the program’s draft picks have come under Head Coach Jayson King.

Dowd said, “Coach King is a very active coach when it comes to getting his players prepared and exposed to scouts, whether it is holding scout days or placing players in summer leagues.

He definitely helped me become phys-ically and mentally prepared to play professionally.”

Since 2001, only Boston College and the University of Connecticut have had more draft picks in the New England region than the Ravens. The Ravens are also the only school from New England to have at least one player drafted every year for the past 11 years. This year marked only the second year in the baseball program’s history that four players were selected in one draft. Major League Baseball selected five Ravens in 2006.

“Getting four guys drafted was a

great accomplishment for our pro-gram and University,” said King. “Our baseball program has proven to do a great job in developing talent to help us win games at the collegiate lev-el and advance to professional ranks.

Mike Dowd is the fourth Raven to be drafted by the Mariners. He will be joining two former FPU players who are currently with the Mariner’s orga-nization but playing with different mi-nor league affiliates: Scott Savastanto and Dowd’s former teammate, Kevin Rivers.

“It was really good for Pierce as far as the draft goes, and having four play-

ers selected really shows the type of talent that comes out of the school,” said Dowd. “With our facilities and program reputation, scouts had direct access to us at all times and that helped Brian, Gregg, Ryan, and myself get no-ticed and gave us the opportunity to hear our names called this past June.”

With this year’s draft in the books ,the Ravens accounted for half of all the picks that came out of the North-east-10 Conference. For more infor-mation on the baseball program please visit athletics.franklinpierce.edu.

Sports

Members of Raven’s Baseball selected in MLB draft

N.H. baseball teams - and their Raven broadcasters - make history at NECBLArthur BerubeSports Editor

New Hampshire baseball had a

historic, first-time event this summer coming out of the New England Col-legiate Baseball League (NECBL). The Keene Swamp Bats and the Laconia Muskrats, both the only teams in the league making the Granite State their home, met up in the NECBL Cham-pionship Series. It was the first time Keene had been in the final since 2003, and it was Laconia’s first ap-pearance in their 11-year history with the league.

The two teams are only an hour

and a half away from each other and the shortest road trip for either orga-nization, but they still find themselves in separate divisions. Normally they would only meet twice each summer season.

The Swamp Bats swept the Muskrats 2-0 in the best-of-three series, making them the 2011 NECBL champions. As a Media Intern for the Swamp Bats, I had a front row seat for the en-

tire playoffs. Since this was my first year in the league, I was even more privileged to be given the champion-ship call when the Swamp Bats made their final out to clinch the series.

During the regular season and post-

season, I was responsible for taking highlight videos for home games and editing them for the team’s website. For away games, on the other hand, I was given the opportunity to broadcast

with other team interns from around the league on the NECBL website.

Not only was the series significant for the state of New Hampshire, but also for Franklin Pierce University it-self, as two Ravens got the opportunity

to reunite in the broadcast booth and cover the game for the NECBL. Casey Williams, a 2011 Franklin Pierce Uni-versity Graduate and former head of the Ravens Sport Network, had spent the summer as head broadcaster for the Muskrats, and the two of us were matched up for game two of the Championship Series in Laconia.

Williams said, “To have two student broadcasters and their teams make it to the championship gives the Uni-versity visibility and representation. Pierce prides itself in a strong, special-ized sports broadcasting department, and I would like to get as many of our students into summer opportunities like this as possible.”

For the past few years, the league has taken broadcasters from quite a few schools, but Quinnipiac Universi-ty has had a large amount of influence in the broadcast booth. The Swamp Bat’s Alex Birsh, the Schooner’s Miles McQuiggan, the Raging Tide’s Sal Ac-cardi, and the Westerners Luke Mor-row are all Quinnipiac Bobcats. Being able to produce so many broadcasters capable of taking on this league is a great testament to the fine program the school has. Birsh, for example, is

one of the finest broadcasters that I have come across this summer, and in my three years of broadcasting. His preparation skills and knowledge of the game made him a great person to work with, and more importantly someone I could easily learn from.

“The NECBL is very Quinnipiac-heavy in its broadcasters, and we got to go toe to toe, word for word with them, and even stick around longer It’s a rare chance to see how your edu-cation stacks up to the competition,” said Williams. “We showed that our school turns out equally talented and definitely more experienced broad-casters than the likes of Quinnipiac.”

Along with the broadcast booth, current and former Ravens could be seen in the field as well. Pitcher and member of FPU’s upcoming senior class T.J. Ferguson, or “Fergie” as he has come to be called by Swamp Bats and Ravens alike, spent his summer in Keene as a relief pitcher. On the oth-er side, former Raven Cody Kauffman acted as one of the Assistant Coaches for the Muskrats for the 2011 Summer Season.

The NECBL is thought of as a step-ping-stone for promising baseball play-ers who have hopes of being drafted during their collegiate years. From my perspective as a member of the media, there was no doubt in my mind that I was following, in many cases, the play-ers who could be the future of Major League Baseball.

More information on the New Eng-land Collegiate Baseball League and its 2011 Summer Season can be found at necbl.com.

Eckhardt named as Tennis Head Coach, Women’s Soccer Assistant CoachArthur BerubeSports Editor

The Athletics Department will fea-ture a different look to its tennis pro-gram this year, having named Alexan-dra Eckhardt the new full-time Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach for the 2011-2012 season.

A part of the University since 2008, Eckhardt has found herself in various roles with the tennis program including Assistant Coach, Interim Head Coach, and now Head Coach. She will also undertake the role of As-sistant Women’s Soccer Coach.

“Taking on the head coaching role of both [the Men’s and Women’s ten-nis] programs will be best for the student-athletes because I will have full-time presence on campus,” said Eckhardt. “Both squads have five of their six starters returning from last year and I think we will have strong leadership on and off the court.”

Eckhardt was a five-year member of the Varsity Tennis Team at Marshfield

High School. After her 2004 gradua-tion, she returned to the high school as the Assistant Coach alongside 20-

year Head Coach Roberta Daniele. She also took private tennis lessons at the South Shore YMCA in Hanover,

Massachusetts. She went on to earn her under-

graduate degree at Stonehill College,

where she played soccer, ending her career there as starting goalkeeper. Eckhardt earned her master’s degree from Franklin Pierce University in Spring 2010.

The tennis teams will begin their fall season with the Women away on September 17, and the Men at home on the 18th.

Eckhardt said, “Both teams have excellent attitudes and want to suc-ceed in this competitive conference. The Northeast-10 provides quality competition every match and these teams always go into matches ready to play and compete for themselves and their teammates.”

For more information on the 2011-2012 Tennis Season, please visit ath-letics.franklinpierce.edu.

Arthur BerubeSports Editor

Pierce Pride will be back and better than ever this year. In the past, these special events have helped draw more fans to the various athletic events that take place on campus through-out the school year. These include special giveaways, fan games, and pro-motional events.

“We are going to do all the tradi-tional types of Pierce Pride events like we have done in the past, but this year we will be doing some new pro-motions through Twitter and Face-

book,” said Assistant Athletic Direc-tor Dan Blair. “We have also added a halftime contest to do at all soccer games similar to what is normally done for all basketball games.”

The Pierce Pride Kickoff Event will take place on Friday, September 2, with the Women’s Soccer Team play-ing at 4 p.m. followed by Men’s Soccer at 7 p.m. As part of the event, there will be a Nintendo Wii, printer, and several gift cards given away to fans. There will also be carnival games, photos, and a fireworks display put on by Atlas PyroVision Productions.

Pierce Pride kicks off on September 2

Photo provided by: Doug DeBiase

Alexandra Eckhardt (pictured right) will be taking over as Head Coach for the Women’s and Men’s Tennis teams, as well as assuming the role of Assistant Coach for the Women’s Soccer team.

“To have two student broadcasters and their teams make it to the champion-ship gives the University visibility and representation.” - Casey Williams

August 27, 2011 u Pierce Arrow t A&E

“Crazy, Stupid Love”: movie with a twist

Amelia WaltersA&E Editor

“Crazy, Stupid Love” was hands-

down one of the best movies of the summer. I had doubts at first, but when I looked at the cast I realized it looked pretty good. But I was wrong again because it was amazing.

The movie stars Steve Carell, Juli-anne Moore, Emma Stone, and Ryan Gosling. The story is about a man, Cal Weaver (Carell), whose wife has cheat-ed on him and wants a divorce. Devas-tated, Weaver goes to a bar every night and tells his story over and over again in a drunken state. The heart-throb at the bar, Jacob Palmer (Gosling), is also

a nightly visitor to this same bar, and notices Weaver. After a few nights of watching Weaver’s embarrassing act, Palmer decides to go over to him and volunteers to transform him. Palmer, a notorious womanizer, tries to train Weaver to be like him.

If Steve Carell is part of a movie, you know it will be good, and he sure-ly did not disappoint in this one. He is funny, charming, and brings life to the screen.

Emma Stone is always fantastic as well; she plays Hannah. I feel she was previously very under-rated, but this summer has changed for her due to this film as well as “The Help.” These two blockbuster hits have put her in the main public eye. If you don’t know who Stone is, you will.

One word to describe Ryan Gosling in this movie would be beautiful. He is even a good actor. He turns out to be quite a nice guy. Gosling and Emma Stone make a cute couple, and I think they should really go out in real life.

The Weaver’s son, Robbie, who is played by Jonah Bobo, adds some interesting insights. His perspective on life, mainly on love, is not typical of a boy his age. At one point in the movie Weaver is talking to his son and Robbie says, “If you love her, then go get her back.” Weaver responds, “Wow, how old are you?” Robbie also makes a huge speech at the end that is pretty interesting as well.

The story goes on with Weaver and Palmer becoming good friends, but there is a surprising twist that comes at you from your blindside. The twist makes the movie unforgettable and different. The story was fantastic, showing that there is really some true love out there. To find that love, you might have to go through a bunch of “crazy” and “stupid” things, but in the end you will find it.

Photo: imdb.com

Top ten songs to wrap up the last weeks of summer


1) “Party Rock Anthem” - LMFAO2) “Edge of Glory” - Lady Gaga3) “Up All Night” - Blink 1824) Fall Apart” -Every Avenue

5) “Pumped Up Kicks” - Foster the People6) “For the First Time” - The Script7) “Joyride” - There for Tomorrow

8) “You Make Me Feel...” - Cobra Starship9) “Rumor Has It” - Adele

10) “Oh Well, Oh Well” - Mayday Parade


Remember when going unplugged was popular for rock and roll musi-cians? Well that ship sailed about 10 years ago. Nevertheless, Chicago punk band Alkaline Trio had a suc-cessful run with it in their eighth stu-dio album, “Damnesia,” released in July of this summer.

This new album celebrates the 15-year career they’ve had together. It mostly features new renditions of their more popular tracks, showcas-ing the acoustic talents of this punk group.

Subtle additions of strings and pia-nos to old songs add a light setting to lyrics that are generally dark. They are used, for example, in the band’s notable song, “Radio,” which revolves around a broken relationship, drug use, and suicide.

Another song, “Blue in the Face,” fits right into the epitome of acoustic

music as the band turned an original high-tempo-punk beat into a slow solo acoustic rendition.

While the premise of “Damnesia” is to be a “best of” album, two new tracks have been added to the record: “Olde English 800” and “I Remem-ber a Rooftop.” These songs differ from older tracks as their lyrics stray away from the dark side. They are more like campfire drinking songs that last only a minute and a half rather than full singles.

The twelve revised tracks are re-freshing to hear, and they are a break from mainstream pop and typical new-age punk-rock. The album brings life back into the band’s somewhat underground-esque career, follow-ing paths that other punk bands like Green Day and Blink 182 have set.

With this new surge in music, Al-kaline Trio may have retooled them-selves enough to last another fifteen years.

Alkaline Trio revisits mu-sic career in latest album

The “Sisterhood” continues

after author’s ten-year hiatusFrangelica OdellArrow Contributor

The much anticipated final install-ment, “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Sisterhood Everlasting” was published in June after author Ann Brashares took a hiatus from the series. Now 10 years after the first book and 15 years later in the lives of the Septembers, Brashares brings back the women as they would be if they were 29 going on 30. “Sister-hood Everlasting” picks up after the Septembers have created new lives for themselves after graduating col-lege. They find that they are further apart than they ever had been before, both in miles and in their friendship. However, changes in careers and life-styles are just the beginning, and the sisterhood is about to face the biggest change of all.

Admittedly, readers may have a hard time familiarizing themselves with the older versions of these char-acters. However, Brashares’ writing style can still be found underneath Lena, Tibby, Carmen, and Bridget. It’s like finding an old and forgotten sweater. After a few wiggles and read-justments, it goes back to fitting as it

once did.Unlike her other books in the se-

ries, this one takes on a much more serious tone, but this is well suited to the subject. Younger readers of the series may find it difficult to relate to the older versions of the characters and the events that take place. As a result, younger readers may not wel-come the pace of the book being that is not as adventurous and fast-paced as the previous books in the series.

However, readers will be pleased to find that the bond of Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget withstood the hiatus that the author took from them. Their friendship remains one of modern-day literature’s most be-loved. The messages about life, love, and of course friendships are just as powerful as they were when the Sep-tembers were 15.

Brashares’ delivers to her audience a final farewell to the adored girls-turned-women that is heart-breaking and tear-jerking but will leave read-ers in a better place. Knowing where the characters are in their adulthood is much more reassuring than being left with girls in college who did not know where they stood as in “Forever in Blue.”

Interested in blogging for the Pierce Arrow this year?

Contact Amelia Walters at [email protected] to apply

u Pierce Arrow t August 27, 2011 A&E

ZOX returns to Providence to celebrate 10th anniversary

Val ArmstrongProduction Manager

About a year ago, I reviewed ZOX’s only reunion show of the year, expect-ing not to hear or see much from this band again for a while. However, af-ter finding out that they would be cel-ebrating their 10th anniversary this month, I rushed to order the tickets immediately.

ZOX, an Indie-rock band formed when the members met during their time at Brown University, is possibly one of the more famous groups with roots in Rhode Island. Despite not releasing a new album since 2008, they still hold onto a strong fan-base that packed the small venue of Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, R.I., on Aug. 13.

Lupo’s, a two-hour drive from our campus, is one of my favorite venues because of the intimate atmosphere. Whether you are in the general ad-mission pit, the lounge in the back, or up in the balcony, you are guaran-teed to have an excellent view of the show. Though the drive to Providence may seem long, the performers, ticket prices, and overall atmosphere make Lupo’s a much more enjoyable option compared to larger venues.

The Pete Kilpatrick Band, the first group of the night, was one I was excited to see. Being a notorious Dave Matthews Band fan as well, I was impressed to see that they had performed with DMB during their Summer Caravan Tour in Atlantic City, NJ. I was disappointed that they had the shortest set of the night, but

their first song, “Who Do We Think We Are,” immediately captured the audience’s attention with its laid back sound and meaningful lyrics. Other songs, such as “Dear July” and “Com-ing Home,” also exhibited the band’s ability to combine their easy-listening pop sound with incredible song writ-ing. With a sound similar to that of Snow Patrol and Mat Kearney, it is obvious why they were invited to play with ZOX and DMB during their summer tour.

Brown Bird, another group from Rhode Island, appeared for the sec-ond year in a row with ZOX. Though I did not previously find their blue-grass/folk sound appealing, I now found myself very attentive to their distinct music. Band members David Lamb and MorganEve Swain both

exhibited their abilities on all types of instruments, including percussion and a majority of the strings fam-ily. Just watching the duo perform, regardless of musical taste or prefer-ence, is amazing to watch. Their set included older tracks such as “Down the River” and a preview of tracks like “Cast No Shadow” from upcoming al-bum “The Sound of Ghosts,” set to release in October.

When ZOX began their set, the en-ergy of the crowd erupted. Between performances of songs from past EPs like “I’m Not Gunna Save You,” and tracks from their recent album such as “Can’t Look Down,” they kept the crowd highly involved in the show. After seeing two friends in the front row dancing, the lead singer invited them on stage to dance to “Eventu-ally,” one of their slower songs. And having advertised a contest for fans to upload their own covers of any ZOX song, the winner, Connor Fisher,

performed her cover of “Goodnight” alongside the band. Later in the song, Fisher and the band were joined by the rest of the fans who had submit-ted entries in a very well-put together and memorable performance for both those on stage and in the audience.

For those of you coming to the New England region for the first time, I strongly recommend you get to know these three groups. I am sure that one of them will catch your attention, and even if they don’t fit your “musical preference,” you can definitely appre-ciate the talent they all have.

Editor’s Note: To view videos from each of the bands that performed that night, visit the Pierce Arrow You-Tube page at youtube.com/piercear-rownews.

Photo: Val Armstrong

Though they have not released an album since 2008, ZOX holds onto a strong fanbase that attended their 10th anniver-sary show at Lupo’s in Providence, R.I. Above, Spencer Swain and Eli Miller perform “Can’t Look Down”.

Blink-182 returns to the stage, keeps their fans “Up All Night”


On August 9, I went to see Blink 182, My Chemical Romance (MCR), and Manchester Orchestra in Mans-field, MA as part of the Honda Civic Tour.

Manchester Orchestra was a very good opening band. I was surprised I enjoyed them because usually some

opening bands are not as good as the headliners. I listen to them a lot now - they have a good sound, and they were good live (which is a plus).

This was my second time seeing both Blink 182 and MCR, but my first time seeing Manchester Orches-tra. The last time I saw MCR was four years ago on the Black Parade Tour; I was a sophomore in high school. That was one of my first concerts, and it

was amazing.I saw Blink 182 the summer before

I entered college (so, two years ago). Their last tour included Panic! At the Disco and Fall Out Boy. That was a good show because three of my favor-ite bands were together. But, I must say I liked this year’s tour better.

My Chemical Romance is one of my favorite bands. They are amazing live because they give an energetic

performance. Earlier this year, they came out with a new album entitled “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.” They played new songs from this album including “Destroya” and “Planetary (GO!).” I am very disappointed they did not play “Bulletproof Heart” or “Sum-mertime,” but overjoyed that they did not play “SING.” To me, “SING” is not MCR. Some other songs they

played were “Teenagers,” “Welcome to the Black Parade,” and “Famous Last Words.” I was happy with their overall set list.

MCR’s set was amazing and full of energy. However, their newest album is not as good as their older albums. They became somewhat of a different band in “Danger Days.” I love “The Black Parade” album, and it’s one of my favorite albums in general. There was no mention of touring again, but I am sure we will hear from MCR soon.

There is always at least one thing that happens at a concert that has the potential to ruin your fun. Blink 182 always draws an interesting crowd of older men, and surprisingly even old-er men who bring their children. The ages varied at least from age eleven and beyond. It’s always interesting to see who goes to shows.

Blink’s set was also very good, and quite long. They played many, as they called them, “old songs,” such as “All The Small Things,” “Miss You,” and “The Rock Show,” and three new songs. Their new album is coming out soon. They have released a single on ITunes called “Up All Night.”

Do not get me wrong. Blink was fantastic and very enjoyable, but not as energetic as MCR was. Their set was over one and a half hours long. Travis Barker, Blink’s drummer, did a few drum solos which were incred-ible. Tom Delonge and Mark Hoppus added in their funny dialogue as well. This is a trio of incredible musicians who have clearly changed music, and I cannot wait to see what else they have in store for us. Blink 182 was one of the bands that first got me interested in music. They remind me of my love for music and how incredible it can be, and brings back memories of old and new friends.

Editor’s Note: To view videos from each of the bands that performed that night, visit the Pierce Arrow You-Tube page at youtube.com/piercear-rownews.


Blink 182 performed as part of the Honda Civic Tour in Mansfield, MA on August 9. Above, Travis Barker (drums) and Mark Hoppus (bass) perform “Miss You” off their self-titled album. Other performances included My Chemical Romance and Mancheser Orchestra.

Photo: Val Armstrong

From left to right, Spencer Swain (violin), Dan Edinberg (bass), and John Zox (drums) performs “Line in the Sand”, a track of their 2008 album.

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