December 2018 – Page 2

Mental health awareness: Is Quinnipiac doing enough?

Jennah Condon, former Quinnipiac University student, deals with depression and anxiety. In 2016, as a freshman, Condon decided to turn to the counseling services offered on campus.

“I felt like I wasn’t taken seriously and that I was brushed off, which led me to going back to my therapist outside of school,” said Condon.

Now a junior public relations major at Southern Connecticut State University, Condon said she values the importance of mental health awareness in a college setting.

“I also think that there’s such a negative connotation behind mental health awareness which is why people keep it internal a lot of the time. Taking the time to educate students about mental health issues and letting people know it’s normal would help people be more aware,” said Condon.

According to the 2012 AUCCCD Annual Survey, which 400 counseling center directors completed, 21 percent of counseling center students have severe mental health concerns, and another 40 percent have mild mental health concerns.

These surveys only indicate students who actually report to student health services. At a school such as Quinnipiac University, which includes three campuses and over 10,000 students, there are bound to be students who seek counseling on campus or go elsewhere for such services.

Kerry Patton, director of health and wellness, estimates that about 10 percent of the student population, around 1,000 students, seek counseling.

Quinnipiac currently has five full-time counselors, one part time counselor and is in the process of adding another full time position. With 6.5 counselors and roughly 10,000 students, the counselor to student ratio is one for every 1,539 students.

According to Patton, Quinnipiac has plans to hire a counselor for the Athletics Department in the near future.

“It’s just a matter of trying to figure out the timing and when it gets formally approved,” said Patton. “I think we’ll probably be actively recruiting in the spring. I just don’t know when it will actually start. The good news is it really is a top priority.”

Counseling Services provides resources outside of the university for students who need further assistance or have needs that cannot be met with on-campus assistance.

Student Health Services does not know how many students follow through with referrals to outside services.

“We provide individual therapy, we do crisis evaluations and most of the students are benefiting from brief treatment,” said Patton. “We do not have a session limit, so it really is based on the need and the discussion that the counselor and the student have about what is the goal and what they are working on,” said Patton.

According to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health (CCMH) 2016 Annual Report, there is a wide range in the amount of counseling needed among students. From 2010 to 2016, counseling centers provided 28 percent more “rapid access” service hours per student rather than routine hours in response to growing demand, highlighting the importance of maintaining routine treatment capacity to care for students after the initial counseling appointment.

Quinnipiac’s counseling services include diagnostic evaluation, emergency intervention, individual counseling, consultation to faculty and medical staff, family intervention and referral to off-campus physicians and therapists.

Counselor Adrienne Koenigsberg leads a weekly grief group and a sexual assault support group for Quinnipiac students who want a safe place to talk with others who have experienced similar situations.

The groups are small in size and have around two to seven students in attendance each week.

“It is an open forum for each student to bring up issues they may be having,” said Koenigsberg. “Quinnipiac provides easy access to mental health support services and encourages students to utilize these services.”

Merina Sabatucci, former Quinnipiac student, sought counseling elsewhere during her time at the university.

“I think people and universities brush mental health under the rug because they don’t think it’s really that serious, but it’s a real thing. Kids our age are always dealing with it and they should have a safe place to go at school when they need to,” said Sabatucci.

The only reason Sabatucci, now a junior management major at Southern Connecticut State University, knew that counseling was offered on campus was because of her former roommate, Jennah Condon, who tried Quinnipiac’s counseling services her freshman year.

“It took me a long time to figure out who to go see and where to go for counseling, so making the services more known could make students more aware,” said Condon.

Her counseling appointment at Quinnipiac lasted about 30 minutes. The counselor did not refer her to other services and did not ask to schedule another appointment.

“I think that Quinnipiac could improve their counseling program and also promote mental health awareness by making the fact that counseling services are available more known to students.”

Condon said she encourages a healthy conversation about mental health on college campuses.

“I suffer from depression and there are days where it’s hard to even get out of bed because it physically hurts and most people mistake it for me being lazy. If they were educated about it, they would see it in a totally different light,” said Condon.

Fresh Check Day 2018 on Quinnipiac’s Bobcat Lawn

According to CCMH’s 2016 Annual Report, clients reported a 61 percent frequency of anxiety and 49 percent frequency of depression out of a list of 44 concerns.

The mental health and overall wellbeing of students has become an increased concern at Quinnipiac. For the past four years, Quinnipiac has hosted Fresh Check Day allowing students to check in on their mental health, gain awareness and learn about resources offered on and off campus.

“I think the most important outcome for students is to really understand what are some signs and symptoms of suicide for themselves as well as how to help a friend and to really learn other ways how to manage your own stress and how to get help with various stressors and different types of emotions,” said Patton.

According to the American College Health Association’s 2017 National College Health Assessment, 60 percent of students reported feeling overwhelming anxiety within the previous 12 months, whereas only 20 percent of students were diagnosed with or treated for anxiety.

Demands for long term counseling continue to increase as reports of anxiety and depression are students’ top concerns.

“[The amount of counseling] is based on when they meet with the counselor. They are going to evaluate the student and they’re going figure out what’s best, whether they recommend weekly or biweekly sessions really depends on what they’re presented with. We work as an interdisciplinary team to figure out what other individuals can be helpful in their treatment,” said Patton.

Quinnipiac junior nursing major Sara Baylous

encourages better promotion of the services offered to undergraduates and graduates alike.

“I thought that you could only go to the Health Center for short term counseling. I never knew that you could go more than a couple of times. I feel that it would be beneficial for Quinnipiac to promote long term counseling to its students,” said Baylous.

Alexis+Ferrara.jpeg — Alexis Ferrara, a senior occupational therapy major at Qui

nnipiac,

believes that the university should inform students as soon as they begin their academic career.

“I feel like for freshman especially, they should be made aware of the resources at Quinnipiac by their Resident Assistants, in First Year Seminar and should have the information and hours emailed to them,” said Ferrara

To contact Counseling Services, email counseling@qu.edu, call 203-582-8680 or schedule an appointment through MyQ.

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Not so sustainable: How does Quinnipiac University stack up in environmental sustainability?

By Amanda Perelli

Quinnipiac University, in Hamden Connecticut, claims to be committed to “building one of the most environmentally friendly campuses in America,” according to its 2018-19 Student Handbook. But, the private institution still has a long way to go–with more steps taken back than forward from the university.

How does Quinnipiac stack up?

Student loan debt cripples many after graduation — and what you don’t know can hurt you

By Sarah Foley

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Debt in America has reached an all time high of $1.5 trillion, forcing people to put their lives on hold. Of course, the more known debt is credit card debt but what is the real underlying reason for this crippling debt in our economy? Student loans.

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There are more than 44 million Americans with student loan debt, owing a total amount of about $1.5 trillion. Americans owe almost $600 billion dollars more in student debt than in credit card debt.

Quinnipiac University marketing professor Maxim Polonsky says that this debt is due to students being uninformed about student debt while picking the school that they want.

“It is unfortunate that student are in this situation. A lot of students don’t know what they are signing up for,” Polonsky said. “So, there can be a lot more blame put on the consumer for not knowing what they are signing up for. Students are financially illiterate and they think it can just be dealt with tomorrow.”

There are many different types of loans that students can apply for if they are looking at a school that is out of their financial reach. Yet, of course these loans come with interest rates which can seriously change the amount expected to pay after graduation.

Last July, the Federal Board of Education decided to increase the interest rate on federal student loans from 4.45 to 5.05 percent this year.

To put this in perspective, say a student owes an average student debt of $30,000 after graduation. This debt will become an extra $3,195 instead of $2,800. To calculate your loans, click here.

Interest rates are rising because the Federal Reserve has been increasing interest rates on the Federal Funds rate. This influences the interest rates on other major loan indexes, especially Treasury rates and the LIBOR index. The interest rates on most private student loans are based on the 1-month and 3-month LIBOR indexes.

Federal student loans come in many forms to fit different needs.

These loans consist of:

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Financial guru Mark Kantrotwitz, a writer for Private Student Loans, said, “Since we are in a rising interest rate environment, you can expect the interest rates on student loans to continue increasing by about 0.5 to 0.75 percent per year.”

Federal education loans increase their interest rates once a year — on July 1 — based on the last 10-year Treasury Note auction in May. Private student loans, on the other hand, can change their interest rates as frequently as monthly.

Private Student Loans.guru provides unbiased and objective information about private student loans. Private student loans are offered by private lenders such as Citizens Bank, College Ave, LendKey, Sallie Mae. Private student loans can be fixed or variable.

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Students are well educated about needing to take loans out for college but the concept of interest rates usually flies under the radar. Students are delaying life decisions such as purchasing a house or car, furthering their education and getting married.

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Although this is a huge struggle for most graduates there are ways to reduce this financial burden. Sofi is an online loan company that offers student loan refinancing options to students suffering from debt.

“We found over 60 percent of respondents reported that student loan debt is one of the top two financial concerns in their lives. While student loans are clearly a stressor for millennials, there’s a way to prevent them from causing students so much anxiety,” said a Sofi representative.

The loaning company holds events such as cocktail parties, cooking classes and yoga classes to help their clients feel more comfortable speaking out and connecting with others suffering from student loan debt. Sofi is the leading student loan provider refinancing over 250,000 people and has spent $18 billion in refinanced student loans.

Graduates can also qualify for student loan deductions through taxes but these deductions come with limitations. Loans can only be deducted if they were loaned from a qualified source, such as federal loans and private loan lenders. It is possible to deduct interest on student loans even if you don’t itemize your deductions.

This is helpful especially since grads are unlikely to own a house right away.

Offered to all is Public Student Loan Forgiveness. The program offers full student loan forgiveness to anyone who works in the public sector, which includes non-profit employees, Peace Corps volunteers, public school teachers and staff. The Pay as you Earn forgiveness program allows those struggling with student debt to make 240 payments of $65.92 a month. Once those 240 payments are complete, the rest of the debt will be forgiven.

Golden Financial services, a debt settlement company warns that, “thousands of qualified consumers won’t be getting student loan forgiveness on the public service program even though they believe they will because they forget to submit the form for it.”

The company blames this on the Department of Education and loan services for not clearly disclosing this to students. The application for student loan debt consolidation is here.

Working with a student loan attorney can be a serious next step when suffering with student debt. An attorney can help a grad navigate the complicated world of student debt and shed light on the concept of fixing it. They can help grads get out of default and on to a better repayment plan.

Student debt attorney Kevin McCarthy says he has seen an exponential growth of graduates coming for help.

“Most people come to us when they are living off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, not being able to help themselves whatsoever. Credit card debt allows people to to go bankrupt while student loan debt has to be paid off. This is causing a lot of pain for families and isn’t allowing people to live a better life,” he said.

An attorney can provide guidance regarding your legal rights and options, represent your interests by negotiating with your student loan holder, help you resolve defaults and apply for a discharge, and handle credit disputes. Attorneys can only help if the loans are from a private student loan lender. They cannot help if the student loans are federal.

Being well educated about loans and their interest rates can allow avoidance of crippling debt. Families struggling to understand student loans can hire a college funding adviser to help them work through the finances.

Central Mass college funding advisor Dave Landry said, “Many families feel overwhelmed with the college financial aid system. In my view, the system can also be unfair – especially if you make mistakes while navigating through the process.”

These advisers will stay with you throughout your time at school and help assist applying for loans to find ones that fit you best.

Although student loan debt sounds intimidating to most, it is also considered “good debt” because of its importance. Without an education, people struggle to increase their income opportunities. A recent study from Georgetown University found that those with a college education earn over $1 million in earnings in a lifetime compare to those without an education.

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Although a college education is crucial to living a better life, it has also been damaging not only those in debt, but also the economy. Attending school is beneficial, but students need to be more aware of their financial abilities when attending school.

Polonsky noted it is possible to deal with this debt when keeping on top of it.

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“It is possible for people to live in this developed economy which allows people the basic level of survival to create debt. That’s the beauty of capitalist economy. The blame is on college here. College is very expensive and causes a very debatable proposition. The idea that a $60,000 private college is going to lead you to a better degree then a $30,000 public school is just a marketing technique used by the university.”

Student loan debt will always be an issue, and will worsen with the rise of interest rates. Students aren’t surprised about this debt until they are exposed to it after graduation.

The ‘haze’ craze: Despite deaths, punishments, hazing occurs on college campuses with surprising regularity

By Aaliayah French

“Maryland high school football players accused of sexually assaulting teammates with broom.”

“Quinnipiac Men’s Lacrosse Team Suspended Pending Student Conduct Policy Investigation.”

“Penn State sophomore Timothy Piazza, 19, died after drinking large quantities of alcohol in his first night of pledging at Beta Theta Pi.”

With the hazing culture on a rise, headlines like these will likely be seen more often in the future. The right-of-passage into a group or club from the beginning of organized groups has sometimes been challenging. For obvious reasons, you must qualify to meet the standards of said organization or club, but sometimes your ability to be pushed to the edge is what gets you in.

Photo by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Parents of Timothy Piazza discuss Beta Theta Pi hazing investigation at Press conference after their son’s death.

For groups like fraternities, sororities and sports teams, hazing is a common and often, a determining factor in the recruitment process. Hazing can include rituals, extreme challenges, abuse or public humiliation. In recent years, hazing has been normalized by the entertainment industry in films such as “Neighbors,” “Dazed and Confused” and “Frat House,” as well as television shows that depict hazing rituals.

“When you think that something dangerous is harmless, it can end up as a reckless activity where people are at a high risk of getting hurt, traumatized, and isolated,” said Jessica Chin, associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Kinesiology at San Jose State University. “This is especially true if, say, someone reports the activity, and the community rallies behind the hazers … so that the victims are the ones who are punished for reporting and the assaulters/hazers are protected from justice.”

Photo of Quinnipaic’s Alpha Delta Pi | Hannah Mayer’s Sorority Sisters.

Much like other universities, Quinnipiac’s student body comprises numerous Greek life organizations and top-performing athletic teams. What we don’t see behind closed doors are the incidences of hazing that take place among these social groups. Students often join Greek life because upon coming to college, they need a place to fit in and identify with.

Unfortunately, the requirements to enter into some collegiate organizations involve gruesome rituals such as streaking, pranks, physical and emotional abuse, and humiliation. According to a CNN article, since 2005, there have been over 80 fraternity-hazing related deaths. Many of the hazing deaths are due to the abuse of alcohol and drugs. The article also stated that many of the deaths are a result of internal bleeding, car accidents and alcohol related injuries.

This reckless behavior, according to Chin, can be explained by students’ desire to fit in.

“Hazing culture is also dangerous because it could lead some people to do things that they ordinarily wouldn’t do just because they either want to be a part of a group, and they therefore feel compelled to participate, or they are uncomfortable or unsure of how to go against the group even when they are doing things that are ethically and morally questionable,” she said.

Hannah Mayer, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, a popular Greek sorority on Quinnipiac’s campus shared her thoughts on the pressing dangers of hazing.

“Hazing culture can be dangerous not only physically, but also mentally to those who are affected by it,” she said. “Hazing culture can generate stereotypes for Greek life as a whole, and cause people outside this community to overlook the philanthropic acts of these groups.” .

Grieving parents of those who have passed in recent news have expressed their concern with Greek life because the culture of hazing is so prominent in college. They understood the severity of the challenges you might face in order to become a member. When examining hazing culture, understanding its origins is important. If we take a look at the history of hazing, it dates back to some thousands of years ago.

According to Walter M. Kimbrough’s “Black Greek 101: The Culture, Customs, and Challenges of Black Fraternities,” hazing culture and pennalism sprouted from as early as the 1700’s, known in other parts of the world as fagging. Fagging or pennalism was considered the system of torture and oppression designed to break first year students in. The practical jokes and abusive practices were often carried out by upperclassmen.

Omorogieva was all too familiar of the practice at his college.

“It is not uncommon to see juniors and seniors taking part in hazing,” said William Omorogieva, a Lafayette College alumna who was in a fraternity at his school. “I feel that they enjoy it most because they had to work and earn their status and to them, recruits need to go through the same things they did. To me, it makes the upperclassmen feel superior.”

Quote from Oxy.com | Article entitled, “The Sordid and Dangerous History of Hazing.”

In the late 1600s, hazing replaced the word pennalism, after a Harvard student was expelled for conducting acts of torment on another students.

Though pennalism and hazing were gruesome, no one believed it would be taken to lengths where the outcome was death. This became a painful reality in the early 1900s, when hazing related deaths became a trend. The only way universities saw a solution being made was by forcing administration and faculty to personally crack down on hazing acts.

“I remember I had a professor named Dr. Kinkler,” Omorogieva said. “He used to walk around campus a lot and in class he’d always make it known that he was against hazing, whether it was sports teams or Greek groups. I think he tried to use the fear tactic to get people to stop but I think it wasn’t all that effective.”

There is an idea that if administration and faculty step in to inform students about the extremes of joining Greek life organizations, there would be less cases of hazing across the nation. Katherine Pezzella, director of campus life for fraternity & sorority life at Quinnipiac couldn’t agree more.

“Universities should make sure that students are educated about hazing,” Pezzella said. “We know that about 50 percent of freshmen entering colleges nationally have already experienced hazing and some of them are going to try to bring those experiences with them into their new college groups or teams. …Colleges should educate students on what hazing is, so students know what they can and cannot do.”

Hazing has told young men and women who wish to join these groups that in order to be a part of their group, they have to succumb to poor treatment and subject themselves to vile acts all in the name of “brotherhood” and “sisterhood.” This phenomenon is what makes Greek life so controversial.

“This [hazing] upsets me because it has been very contrary to my experience with Greek life,” Meyer said. “I am a member of an organization that helps shape women to be leaders and we don’t tolerate this type of behavior, as it is completely against our values.”

Recently, the Men’s Lacrosse team at Quinnipiac were suspended for the fall season. After new players joined the team, existing players were caught taking part in hazing activities to initiate the new members. After an extensive investigation, the university decided to suspend the team for violating the student code of conduct. Quinnipiac has a strict conduct policy for student athletes and athletic directors. Once it was broken by the players, the university suspended the team for the year and handled the individual culprits involved in the matter. With 22 sections of the code being violated, with offenses ranging from theft, underaged drinking, abuse and harassment, the team will sit out of this season until further notice.

Headline of Hartford Courant Article | Quinnipiac Men’s Lacrosse Team Suspended.

In light of the latest incident at Quinnipiac, as well as the nationwide incidents of hazing, combating these methods of initiation are is a top priority for administrators, especially at Quinnipiac University.

“We need to help students design activities that accomplish the same goals as hazing – such as team-building, overcoming adversity, bonding, etc. – that are not hazing and that are legal and productive for their group,” Pezzella said. “We also need to be serious about responding to hazing allegations when they crop up to enforce policy.”

Matthew Kurz, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for Campus Life at Quinnipiac also shared his thoughts on how to rid universities and sports teams of hazing. “The education of students, faculty, and staff is critical to combat hazing or a culture of hazing… In addition, providing alternatives to hazing is another great way to combat it – showing groups that there are much better ways to build bonds and respect among members than hazing provides a different perspective and effective alternative which is often better than simply saying “don’t do that.”

The fight for student-run organizations and college teams to take better care of their members will continue to be pushed by higher ups in administration, but for now, parents, students and athletes must be aware of the silent dangers of organized groups and the hazing epidemic on the rise. “…make sure that hazing is appropriately addressed when it is reported and putting relevant policies in place to create a positive group or team is a start to awareness,” Chin said.

A petition for peace

By Ana Grosso and Paige Meyer

The longstanding unrest between Quinnipiac students and the town of Hamden culminated into a written petition on change.org.

“It is part of growing up. Maybe because Hamden is such a small city and wants to remain small, residents may be less tolerant of the youthful behavior which is going on here no matter if we like it or not,” said Akanji Bola, a resident of Hamden.

Three weeks ago, Tony Pereira of Hamden wrote the petition that demands Mayor Curt Leng create reasonable regulations for student housing in residential neighborhoods. Although Pereira’s first motivation is a better quality of life for Hamden residents who are affected by student housing, his secondary motive is protecting taxpayers.

“Students are a little rowdy to say the least,” Hamden native John Wilonski said.

“They are loud with parties and all that crap. Most of them park all over their lawns and could care less.”

Pereira seeks 500 signatures on the petition, which details Hamden residents’ struggles and gripes over the ever changing climate in residential neighborhoods. Some changes that Pereira suggests include limiting housing permits and student housing locations and enforcing stricter rules with student residents in terms of speed limit, house parties, vandalization and pollution.

“Absolutely, no question about it, beyond a shadow of a doubt,” Wilonski said, when asked if student housing is devaluing hamden.

Pereira also asks that house owners regulate parking and provide sufficient and legitimate parking spots for students because street parking is obstructive and unsightly.

289 people have signed the petition as of Thursday, Dec. 6.

“College is the first time they are out of the home. Students are trying to experience college life and experience life in full. I do not have an experience but I have heard it been said around town in many cases,” Bola said.

Pereira ended the petition by writing, “Student rental housing should supplement the high tax bourdon [sp] on residents with diminished quality of life as a result of student neighbors.”

In the comments section of the listed petition, some residents detailed exactly why they signed this petition.

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College students dance to save kids

By Kerry Golden

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Each year, colleges and universities across the state of Conn. host 10-hour dance marathons to benefit the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and the Children’s Miracle Network. By raising money to increase the financial capabilities of the hospital, these college students are helping to save the lives of children everywhere.

Cole Halvax, now a senior at Maple Hill High school in upstate New York, never thought that he would live until the age of 17. That’s because just two weeks after he was born, he was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, more specifically, Delta 508. Cole and his family looked to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center for help and hope.

“He had significant failure to thrive early on…he was not gaining weight,” said Cole’s mother, Tara. “He was not growing and that’s because CF affects your pancreas so he doesn’t break down fats and proteins.”

Within 24-hours of being diagnosed, Cole was admitted to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center where he remained a patient for the next four years of his life.

“I think they gave me a good head start on life…they set me off to living a good life. They gave me enough medication and enough surgeries to help me proceed to get to where I am today,” said Cole Halvax.

Located in Hartford, Conn., The Connecticut Children’s Medical Center(CCMC) is the only hospital in the entire state that focuses primarily on children. The hospital provides for more than 30 pediatric specialties, and each year the hospital sees more than 100,000 children with various types of conditions.

Students from The University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac University, Wesleyan University, Trinity College, the University of New Haven and Eastern Connecticut State University not only recognize the need to raise money, but have responded in huge ways.

Last year the University of Connecticut’s HUSKYthon crushed their goal of $1 million raising $1,021,485, the highest total for any dance marathon to date. Ranking second was Quinnipiac University’s QTHON, which also surpassed their goal of $150,000 raising a total of $265,431.79. But where exactly does this money go and how is used to help children?

In 2018, money from dance marathons helped purchase a machine called a vein illuminator which is used to help find patients veins when they need an IV. Money also goes to the Children’s Greatest Need Fund, a fund that disperses money to the area of most need at the time money comes in. Such money can be used for technology, research or patients. This fund assesses the needs of every aspect of the hospital and responds accordingly.

“Every dance marathon is a little bit different, depending on when the money comes in,” said Marissa Troiano, Associate Manager for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “Last year they (QTHON) had some money go to the cardiology department…they did some fundraising for our new fusion and dialysis centers which just broke ground a month ago.”

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These dance marathon events involve much more than raising money, they also raise awareness of the necessity to help others. By actually visiting the hospital and seeing first hand its current needs, students can work cooperatively with the hospital to set goals and plan the event.

“We got to see the cardiovascular room that about three years ago the money went towards. Push day we were able to fundraise for a vein illuminator that the hospital can now use. Also, a lot of our funds went to the fusion and dialysis center that the hospital has built for these patients because they are having an increase in patients that need this element, so that’s where our money is going towards,” said co-recruitment chair of QTHON, Victoria DeLarosa. “ And we are still working with the hospital now to see what our total is going to be, and actually seeing that this is benefitting people, it could be a room or just an Ipad.”

Fundraising for equipment and research is crucial to every patient, those that receive care in the hospital, and those that receive it as outpatients.

Quinnipiac freshman, Rachel Houlihan, knows the value of these dance marathons as she, like Cole, has ties to the hospital. As a freshman in high school, Rachel was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This disease required her to see a specialist at CCMC to learn about and adapt to living with her condition.

“I felt lucky because a lot of the kids who are there are young and they are going to face a lifetime of whatever they are there for,” said Houlihan. “Not only are they (the kids) be getting the best care, but they are getting the best emotional support as well.”

Dance marathons do more than raise money, they establish connections. These connections make the need and struggles of sick children real and helps strengthen college students’ awareness of the need to take action. One way this is accomplished is through “Miracle Children,” patients from the hospital who trade their time with doctors to attend a fun evening with college kids. Each year patients, along with their parents, attend these dance marathons, meet the students, and realize there is a whole community who supports them.

Miracle Child, Bianca, shows off her gymnastics skills at the 2018 QTHON dance marathon

“The fundraising is amazing…but the impact is real,” said Troiano. “The event itself -the experience for the patients-is life changing. We have a patient whose family will tell us QTHON changed his life. It made him come out of his shell. It made him able to go to Disney, to fly on planes, go on vacations…things they never thought he would be able to do.”

Quinnipiac sophomore Jonathan Sweeney has been dancing for two years now and feels that dancing for people who can’t is extremely important, especially living close to Sandy Hook, Conn.

“I dance because I faced childhood illness first hand and I know how helpful organizations like QTHON are,” said Sweeney. “And I also dance because I was immensely affected by the tragedy at Sandy Hook- they never got to live their childhood, so I feel this is a way to honor them by helping other kids.”

Cole’s mother believes the Children’s Miracle Network does indeed perform miracles. When asked if she Cole’s good health is the direct result of CCMC, she replied, “Well definitely. I mean you take somebody like Cole.To be honest, 17-years ago with his diagnosis, at this point we thought he would be getting a lung transplant and a liver transplant. Playing varsity soccer and going to sectionals and going to college, that wasn’t even on our scope of thinking at 4 years old,” she said.

“Getting early treatment and early medicine, and good medicine, makes a huge difference…some of these kids don’t have the means to do so, that’s why it’s important to raise money, so that they can have a future…because 17-years ago, I didn’t think he would be here, and that’s a miracle,” said Tara Halvax.

This year’s QTHON will take place on March 23, 2019. If you would like to participate or donate to a dance marathon near you, vist https://dancemarathon.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org

Pressure to perform: Mental health and student-athletes

By Sierra Goodwill

Wake up, lift, go to class, attend practice, study, eat, sleep. Rinse and repeat.

That’s the hectic lifestyle of a college student-athlete. These rigorous schedules leave limited time for socializing, alone time, or extracurricular activities. The pressure to excel at everything and be everywhere for teammates, family and friends can serve as the perfect storm of conditions leading to mental health problems.

According to the NCAA, 30 percent of student-athletes self-report that they are consistently overwhelmed. The head coach of the Quinnipiac University women’s soccer team, Dave Clarke, said he sees the psychological impact on over scheduled and overwhelmed athletes all the time.

“It’s always been there, but it’s become more and more of an openly discussed topic,” he said. “It’s not like all of a sudden there’s more players or people being diagnosed with mental health problems, but it’s just more acceptable to talk about and discuss.”

Clarke, who has an educational background and has taught special education courses at Quinnipiac, said that there’s only so much he can do for a player who is struggling mentally. However, he makes sure there is always someone around his team who has the ability to identify and treat his athletes.

“You notice differences in moods, but I’m not qualified to pinpoint anything in particular,” Clarke said. “We do have people on staff who are more trained in that area, so I think there are people who are constantly looking out for red flags – whether that’s observational, on social media or their behaviors.”

Becky Carlson, the head coach of the three-time national champion women’s rugby team at Quinnipiac, takes discussing mental health issues with her team seriously to ensure their comfort in disclosing whether or not they’re struggling.

However, she doesn’t necessarily see the same initiative from other coaches at the university.

“I always ask, ‘Do we just talk about this more than everybody else?’ I just don’t hear about it from other teams,” Carlson said. “But it’s not a thing that coaches want to share because I think they feel like that means they’re failing if they do talk about the fact that they have a kid who’s struggling.”

Carlson has observed the benefits of an open dialogue about mental health, and that’s why she favors collaboration with her colleagues about it.

“Then I would know that I’m not by myself,” Carlson said. “I know that there are athletes on other teams that are struggling for a fact, but nobody talks about it. Addressing it in a group setting would be fine, but a team is only as responsive as a coach is willing to follow up on it.”

The NCAA reports that just 73 percent of student-athletes believe their coach cares about their well-being. That means 27 percent of student-athletes aren’t getting the support they need from a person they are seeing nearly every day.

“The role has evolved so much from being a coach to being so many more things now,” Carlson said. “I have kids that would rather come in my office to talk rather than go over to the counseling center and talk. They want to talk to people they can trust and that they’re around all the time.”

An athlete at Quinnipiac who did not want to be identified, said coaches often fail to realize that there may be more than a physical issue with an athlete.

“We’re human. Mental health issues affect more than just our performance; they affect our day to day lives and our ability to function,” the student-athlete said. “It’s very important that the coaches understand that the players might be dealing with something and that needs to be taken into account at all times.”

Carlson said the protocol for self-reporting mental illness makes it difficult for players to understand why coaches may not be aware or even know how to handle such conditions. She wants to do what she’s taught and told to do, but without giving her players the cold shoulder and coming across unsupportive or not understanding.

“Their protocol is to pick up the phone and let someone know,” she said. “If someone comes to me with a major issue, the last thing I’m going to do is pick up the phone and turn my back on them. You can’t actually create solutions for what the athletes are dealing with if you don’t know what they’re dealing with. And the people that create the rules and training don’t deal with the athletes directly, so you’re missing a crucial piece.”

Clarke pointed to the importance of familiarity with an athlete when that athlete exhibits unusual behavior that may suggest a mental health issue is emerging.

“Ultimately, they want to trust somebody,” he said. “A lot of the time they just want someone to listen to them. But it comes to a point where it’s not my area of expertise and when a player needs help, guidance and input, they need it from a professional.”

When it comes time for that professional help, Quinnipiac relies on mental health experts who are able to assist athletes.

Kerry Patton, Executive Director of Health and Wellness, is a licensed therapist who also oversees the counseling center at the university. She has noted some trends amongst student-athletes seeking help for mental health issues.

“Transitioning as a freshman, transitioning as a Division I athlete, and our athletes are also from all over the world so managing the stress and emotions they may be feeling with the change in their culture or environment,” Patton said. “I think it’s an extremely challenging job that they have to balance being a student-athlete and managing their personal needs, academic rigors and their travelling.”

Anxiety is a mental disorder that is not only becoming more prevalent in society in general, but also among college athletes. According to the NCAA, data from national surveys show that more than 30 percent of student-athletes have experienced overwhelming anxiety.

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Patton said she thinks much of that is related to the pressure to perform.

“Some of the athletes’ anxiety is coming from their performance or because they’re coming from being number one on their team for so many years and then they come here and they’re with everyone else who is top notch,” she said.

That is why she is working diligently with the university to create a position for a counselor who works solely with the athletic department. That way, the players can get advice from a therapist with expertise in handling the types of situations that student-athletes go through.

“We are in very deep discussions about hopefully having someone just for athletics, like a sports psychologist, and someone who has the experience working with student-athletes because they do have some different needs,” Patton said. “I think more student athletes might utilize that if they know it’s just for them.”

This personalized treatment option aims to give coaches and players confidence in knowing that a trained therapist is available to discuss issues that are specific to athletes.

But there is still work to do beyond hiring a therapist.

“I think it’s just continuing education and trying to stay ahead of the times,” Clarke said. “And that’s not just with mental health, that’s also strength and conditioning and technology. You want to be progressive and know how to approach certain situations. Maybe there’s a trigger there with the sport – the expectation, the relationship – you just don’t know. So the more we continuously get educated on that then we’re doing the right thing.”

Ending the stigma around mental health is something that is talked about often, but Carlson wants to see it put into action.

“It comes down to societal expectations and athletes have always been raised and told to suck it up because they’re here to play a sport,” she said. “We’re looking it as more of a whole and how you play on the field also has a major correlation with how you’re doing off the field.”

Another student-athlete who did not want to be identified said the pressure to be strong is intense, but the ability to be honest and comfortable in sharing concerns would be useful.

“It’s overcoming that stigma and being able to come out as a student-athlete and say ‘I’m dealing with a mental health issue and I need help,’” the athlete said. “And that’s the challenge that we face.”

Both Clarke and Carlson said they see social media as a driver of mental health issues because of the elevated expectations these applications generate to present perfection.

“It’s no different than we see in everyday life where people talk about what they post on social media – the great cars, nice houses and vacations. If you don’t post that, is your life worthwhile?” Clarke said. “It’s the same with sports. Very rarely do we see people posting about bad performances, losses, goals given up or sitting on the bench. We never see a sticker that says ‘My daughter is a B student and I’m proud of her!’ It’s always honor student or A student. So there’s a perception of what a good player is based on social media versus the reality of actually performing on the field.”

Physical requirements aside, one in four student-athletes report being exhausted from the mental demands of their sport. A less judgmental and a more relaxed competitive space outside of social media for athletes to find release is imperative.

“It’s easier to not talk about it,” Carlson said. “I think mental health has to do with ego, too. It’s very hard to admit that you have a problem or are struggling with something. We work really hard to create an atmosphere that we’re all in this together.”

The selfie generation

The term selfie is defined as a photograph that is taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media. All over the world, the word ‘selfie’ does not just stand for an image. It is embedded in the mind that this single image acts as an expression of thought and identity. The emphasis on media in today’s society has added additional pressures to this generation based off of the need for approval.

Rebecca Kauten, who holds a doctorate in psychology, said narcissism plays a key role in selfie proliferation. ”From the narcissism lens, I would suggest that people take (and post) “selfies” to garner positive feedback that bolsters their ego.”

What used to be a fun photo technique has transformed individuals to constantly seek approval and strip them from their personal identity. “99 percent of the time, people do not post the unflattering outtakes and only share those that will lead to positive feedback and admiration from peers,” Kauten said.

Social media provides multiple outlets for individuals to post, share, discuss, comment and even “like” their followers respective posts. An informal study that the author, Paige Meyer conducted consisting of 105 individuals between the ages of 18 and 51 said that Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are the main platforms they use.

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Some individuals have no shame in their selfie game.

“If we are being honest, I will get out of bed, put a full face of makeup on and one of my nicest tops paired with pajama pants on a Sunday if I think the lighting is good enough and can get a good selfie to spice up my instagram,” said Rose Piscitelli, a Quinnipiac University senior from East Haven, Conn.

Social media has endless boundaries and is coupled with the power to make or break an individual’s day depending on the pressure they imply on themselves for feedback. What happens is simple: One takes selfie, edits selfie, posts selfie, waits, and repeatedly checks phone for feedback.

Allan Metcalf, author of a book on selfies, said the shot serves as the connective tissue of social life.

“The selfie is so prominently known in this generation because everybody uses it and it enables them to be both introverted and extroverted at the same time, as if by magic. It connects them with the world,” said Metcalf, author of “From Skedaddle to Selfie: Words of the Generations,” a book that documents teen behavior.

Mackenzie Campbell

“I take selfies because they help me to capture my confident moments,” said Mackenzie Campbell when taking the conducted survey.

This constant routine is produced by dopamine. As seen in a recent study posted by the American Marketing Association, whenever one gets a like on social media, dopamine is released within the brain giving a natural “high” which the body craves constantly over time. This conditioned stimulus can be compared to the feeling of a hug, dinner date or even completing a killer workout, thus causing an endless cycle of questioning one’s self, being overly concerned with external opinions and ultimately leading to mental health issues.

Marcus Retegues

“I take selfies to show people where I am and what I am up to. I also share them when I think I look fine. My friends call me the selfie king,” said Marcus Retegues.

Metcalf added, “A selfie fulfilled a need that could not have been previously satisfied except maybe by taking lots of time with photographs.”

Luke Meyer

“I think taking selfies is great because I can remember some of my favorite moments and memories in life. Selfies also make it easier to help people catch up with one another. I take a selfie and send it off so easily,” said Luke Meyer.

The timely fashion in which selfies can be taken make it quick and easy to capture moments in time. On average, 93 million selfies are posted per day and 10 selfies are posted to instagram every 10 seconds. That is over 2,583,333 rolls of film that would be used daily for the purpose of a self taken photo.

In the recent study conducted, out of 105 participants, 39.4 percent of people said the take 1-5 selfies a day, thus including the use of the Snapchat app. 14.4 percent of people said they take 30 or more selfies on the daily.

Let me take a #SELFIE taken to another level.

There is no limit to the type of selfies that have been posted. There are group shots, solo shots, kissy faces, smiling poses – and the list goes on.

Josh Ribeiro

“I am not a huge selfie guy, I take them sometimes with friends and family. I think people over estimate the impact a selfie can cause on someone. People go through crazy lengths to get a good pic,” said Josh Ribeiro.

Jealousy, depression, anxiety, comparison bias, low self-esteem and what’s known as Fear of Missing Out, or FOMO, are all side effects of posting selfies to social media. The selfie acts as a positive way to share moments and capture memories but can ultimately be hurting the individual as a whole.

“If Person A views Person B’s selfie, they may negatively compare themselves to this person,” Kauten said.

“There’s a quote I love: ‘with social media, you tend to compare your “behind the scenes” to the other person’s “highlight reel.’” This type of misperception can lead to all kinds of distorted thoughts based on a strong focus on physical appearance, likes/feedback from others, and social media presence,” said Kauten when asked about the biggest problem with the “selfie.”

Meanings differ among photographs that appear to be similar in composition and intent. Alicia Eler, the author of the book “The Selfie Generation,” believes that the self expressing photo technique can lead to scandalous actions or even danger.

If not monitored and taken responsibly, some individuals are even voluntarily sexualizing themselves for an internet public or in many cases attention.

“We are all sexual beings. The selfie is one mode of self expression, and it may be sexual, ” Eler said.

Selfies can easily erode privacy because in that world, secrecy isn’t part of the calculation.

“Even if you do not add location to your picture, it is geotagged with a location by your phone, who you are with, and what you are doing. Then these posts become searchable within social networks and Google which makes your life more visible and public online,” Eler added.

The locator aspect when posting photos adds to the danger component while posting online. The selfie gives people the option to post images of themselves to social media, which in many cases include the marked location leaving nothing a true secret .

All of that has led to a new vocabulary of destruction. One word that has emerged from the selfie generation is the term Selficide. That refers to a person who is killed while taking a selfie in a dangerous manner.

The addiction of the selfie can cause distraction and harm towards the photographer as well as society. The selfie itself can compel people to take risks they wouldn’t ordinarily consider, bringing out one’s riskiest behavior.

The next best thing

“Everyone’s chasing the next best thing – the coolest selfie and going to extremes to get the most “likes.” As in the “In My Feelings” challenge, people try to keep up and up the ante, just so that they can get recognition and praise”, said Rebecca Kauten.

According to a study conducted by Agam Bansal, Chandan Garg, Abhijith Pakhare, and Samiksha Gupta and published in the Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, more than 250 people around the world have died taking selfies since 2011. Although snapping the perfect selfie can be an award-winning feeling, can be fatal. The study showed that there were more deaths caused by selfies for men than women. Although women generally take more selfies than men, researchers found that men were more likely to take risks — like standing at the edge of a cliff — to capture any dramatic shot.

The United States leads in death by selfies with a firearm. These tend to occur when individual pose with guns and accidentally trigger them. The results of this study lead to the idea of implementing “No selfie zones” across tourist areas such as bodies of water, mountain peaks and over tall buildings to decrease the incidence of selfie-related deaths. Yes, you heard it right. We are living in a generation where “no selfie zones” have to be implemented.

Selfies are affecting people both positively and negatively in cities across the world. Coming in at the number one hottest spot to take selfies is Makati and Pasig City in the Philippines with 258 selfie takers per every 100,000 with a population of 1,127,684. As for number two, another one of the “selfiest” cities is Manhattan with 202 selfie takers per 100,000 with a population of 1,487,536.

The first known selfie took place in 1839 when an American, Robert Cornelius, produced a photo of himself. Of course, this selfie being a little different than the type of selfie we see scrolling through our feeds today.

Robert Cornelius

An American pioneer in photography who produced a photo of himself, which was recorded as the first self- photograph of a person.

Over the years, the advancement in technology has readily changed the value of a photo. Today, everyone can be a photographer. At the palm of one’s hand, they have a high-megapixel camera lens that allows for front and back facing photos to be taken.

“I interned with the North Shore Navigators this summer and was able to produce, edit and broadcast all of the baseball games with the players. I used my iPhone camera, with a cheap plug-in hand-held microphone and the footage turned out just as clear as any camera could have done,” said Emma Carman, a Quinnipiac University junior from New Hampshire.

As for the future of the selfie, Kauten thinks the trend may stick around. “ If you think about it, we’ve been taking selfies forever – even back when they had to be painted or people sat for portraits. Society will find some other way to measure worth, but the selfie will probably be around forever in some way or another.”

Hamden forcing out-of-state cars to register in town

By Sarah Foley and Nora Scally

The town of Hamden is home to around 61,000 people, but during the school year, Quinnipiac University adds about 10,000 more to the population of Hamden.

Many of the vehicles owned by Quinnipiac students are registered out of state, causing Hamden to take a loss on motor vehicle taxes.

Connecticut Conference of Municipalities has noticed that many out-of-state vehicles are not registered within towns and has been a problem throughout the state. Towns such as Waterbury, Bridgeport, Danbury, New Haven and Stafford have also tried contacting companies to help track down tax invaders.

A study done by the city of Waterbury in 2016 uncovered more than 4,000 vehicles registered out of the city. The study estimated that the cost of those lost registrations approached nearly $450,000.

Screen Shot 2018-12-07 at 3.39.14 PM.png — Chief Assessor, John Gelati, said the tax is being put in effect to have equalization in the town of Hamden and it will include students who live off campus and drive cars with out-of-state plates.

Screen Shot 2018-12-07 at 3.39.32 PM.png — “This is a part of a comprehensive revenue initiative that we are launching which includes an audit of personal property and real estate as well,” said Gelati.

The assessor’s office is currently selecting a request for proposal to implement car registration in Hamden under the law. The assessor’s office is hoping that this will be done at the end of the month and hopefully be put in effect for this coming year. Gelati believes the implementation of this tax will be a slow process but hopes that everyone will be in compliance with it

Gelati said the tax will not affect any specific motor vehicles in particular, regarding students in the Quinnipiac community, it requires notification to the vehicles insurance. Gelati said that the process would be much easier if everyone contacts their vehicle insurance company to register their car in Hamden.

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Not only out of state cars will be taxed but students that reside in a different part of Connecticut will also need to register their car with Hamden.

If a car is seen in the same area for a couple of months, that car will need to be registered in Hamden. The assessor office will be monitoring theses cars that are out of state and are seen on a lawn or driveway for a few months.

“The tax will affect students who reside in Hamden or have moved here after college and have not yet registered their car in the town,” said Gelati.

Depending on how long the car stays in Hamden will determine whether or not the car needs to be registered. Those who are here for a visit will not be taxed but for students living in off-campus housing, this may create a problem.

The town and assessor’s office have an obligation to discover taxable property in the town. They are allowed to scan license plates over a period of time if they suspect a person to be living in Hamden with an unregistered vehicle.

Gelati said that he has received positive feedback from residents of Hamden and believes that this might even bridge the gap of Quinnipiac students and Hamden residents. He believes that it is a positive move for the university and the students to be in compliance and pay their appropriate taxes.

Gelati is not sure how this would affect on-campus residents because Quinnipiac is private property but he is sure that students living in off-campus housing will be affected.

“I would like to add that, should the university students want to have more information about this process we would be more than happy to attend a meeting and help students learn more about the process to register their cars in Hamden,” said Gelati.

Gelati understands that the process of registering a car can be quite intimidating and is happy to speak with the school and students to makes the process easier for all.

The lack of female representation in economics and how it is affecting the field

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By: Rachel Borntrager

The feminist movement and other social advancements have contributed to women entering fields that have been traditionally male-dominated. Despite this, women continue to be consistently outnumbered by men within the field of economics.

Since the 1980s, female representation within economics at the undergraduate level has hovered around 30 percent.

This podcast attempts to investigate the reasons behind this gender imbalance by interviewing a variety of people in the field, including students, professors and professionals.

Read the full story below.

Despite the fact that economists pride themselves on avoiding, or fixing, inefficiency, they fail to observe a potential inefficiency directly within their field. According to a 2016 study conducted by the NCES, National Center for Education Statistics, economics majors are 70 percent male. At a higher level, 85 percent of full-time economic professors are male, The Economist reported.

There are multiple theories as to why women shy away from the field of economics. One of those theories is that women, on average, do not have as much of a natural aptitude towards math as men.

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Both Donn Johnson and Linda Fisher, Quinnipiac University professors of economics, have not experienced proof of this within their classes.

“In my classes it’s not like I see a discrepancy in math skills between our female students and our male students,” Fisher said.

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“I don’t buy into the old stereotypes about math because the women that I have in classes are just as good, if not better, of students — and sometimes, disproportionately, (they are) the top of my class,” Donn Johnson, chair of the economics department at Quinnipiac, said.

Within the past few decades, other quantitative subjects have seen increases in female representation.

Accounting, a major that used to be primarily male, is now more than 50 percent female. Economics, however, has experienced a plateau in terms of the amount of females entering the field.

After a minor increase in the 1990s, female representation has remained nearly the same within the field, the New York Times reported.

Since then, female representation at a colligate level has consistently hovered around 30 percent. This lack of representation also fails to take into account approximately 270,000 more females than males receiving bachelor’s degrees nationally, the Digest of Education Statistics reported.

With this considered, the inequality within the field of economics is even more drastic.

“So a lot of people think economics is just about making money and that appeals more strongly, it seems, to men than women, but, economics is about a lot more than that and people just don’t know it,” Linda Fisher said.

Fisher is not the only one that attributes the imbalance within economics to a lack of understanding of the subject. Londyn Zografakis, a senior economics major at Quinnipiac, agrees.

“People, especially females, don’t understand what economics is and when I say economics is my major I always get the question, ‘what is that?’ They are not able to see that you can help people knowing these theories,” Zografakis said.

This lack of understanding could be a result of the misconception that economics is a business discipline. In 2015, Quinnipiac moved economics from the School of Business to the College of Arts and Sciences. Many colleges are now making that switch because economics is nationally recognized as a social science.

Fiona Scott Morton, the Theodore Nierenberg Professor of Economics at the Yale University, believes that the debate-heavy nature of the field of economics is a potential factor that contributes to the imbalance.

“In economics, the way research works is you write a paper and you take it on tour, you visit different departments and you go to conferences and you present it orally and they ask you questions and you have to defend everything in your paper,” Scott Morton said. She then added that this expectation of economists does not fit into the societal boundaries that often restrict women today.

“In our society, it is really hard to be an assertive female because women are supposed to be nice and so being assertive and nice at the same time is a lot harder—men can be assertive and be jerks and nobody cares,” Scott Morton said. Scott Morton also served as the Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics at the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and the wage gap are arguments that seem to arise whenever there is an obvious gender imbalance in any field. However, most women that were interviewed have not experienced blatant discrimination, but many, like Zografakis, did say that they have been treated differently based on gender.

“Prior to this one male getting to know me, he just assumed that I was an airhead and I wasn’t given a fair chance to show that I was smart,” Zografakis said.

As a young female economist, Scott Morton also experienced similar treatment.

“I would go to seminars and ask a question and the speaker would kind of blow past my question […] and five minutes would go by and an older man would raise his hand and ask another version of the exact same question and get a long, detailed, and thoughtful answer from the speaker,” Scott Morton said.

Groups for female economists have emerged within the past few decades to combat the imbalance and make women feel more comfortable as a minority in the field. One group that is recognized nationally is CSWEP, the Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession, which was founded in 1972 by the American Economics Association. Judy Chevalier, who will chair the committee in January, discussed her plans for the future of the group.

“I think the low representation of women in the undergraduate major is actually something I am really concerned about and something I want to work on in my term as CSWEP chair,” Judy Chevalier, who was also a former co-editor of the American Economic Review, said.

Although the reason why women shy away from economics remains a mystery, economists have proposed a few ways to attract women into the field.

“We can teach our intro classes, our big classes, and our micro classes with women instructors, so that it is abundantly clear to all the women sitting there that you can do this and this is a women’s profession,” Scott Morton said.

“I think if more women understood that we could use economics to change the world, then we would draw more women into the field,” Fisher said.

Although there is no explicit way to know whether the gender imbalance is negatively affecting the field of economics, a 2013 survey of American economists showed that women were more likely than men to support higher minimum wages, regulations, and redistribution (“Women and economics”). This survey demonstrates that women, on average, have different opinions than men.

“If we had more women economists submitting essays regarding certain public policies that affect women the most, maybe women wouldn’t be such a minority in so many different areas,” Jessica Hernandez, staff assistant for US State Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, said.

Many parts of the gender imbalance within economics remain ambiguous, such as the causes and effects of that imbalance. However, it is clear that the female voice, and opinions, could potentially be overpowered if the imbalance persists.