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The Montclarion

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Featured Writers

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Lea Porcelli

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Alexa R Spear

Feature Editor at The Montclarion, Staff Writer at Her Campus Montclair

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Theadora Lecour

I am a Writer and Educator based in NYC. Published in News, Digital Marketing, and Private Company Publications. Presently at Comedy Central (Central Productions LLC)

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Sal DiMaggio

Journalist, photographer, storyteller.

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Corey Annan

Welcome to my portfolio! I am currently a junior at Montclair State University studying Sports Media and Journalism. Currently, I am pursuing any opportunities in the sports media field, including …

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Parnell Saint-Preux

I am a sports journalist/blogger. I graduated from Mitchell College in New London, CT with a bachelor's degree in Sport & Fitness Management. In addition, I wrote for the student …

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Latest Articles

One Year Later: Pavlo Lushyn’s Journey From Ukraine to Montclair State

To Pavlo Lushyn and countless other Ukrainians, the possibility of a Russian invasion seemed like something out of a dystopian blockbuster movie. “We somehow were expecting that something bad may happen since December [of] 2021,” Lushyn said. “But nobody believed that. We just thought [the Russians] were frightening us, just …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Red Hawks Rising: How A Montclair State Initiative is Preparing the Teachers of Tomorrow

When Melissa De Almeida learned about the Red Hawks Rising program during her senior year of high school, she jumped at the opportunity to become a part of it. To her, this was her way to begin her dream career of teaching. “I was with my guidance counselor every day …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Dining Decisions: How to Make the Best of University Food Options

Eating on campus can be a challenge for a lot of students. It’s no secret that Montclair State University has been plagued by dining issues for the past few years. From raw chicken tenders to limited hours at some popular dining locations, students have been more than disappointed by the …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Isolation Tips: Things To Do So You Don't Go Insane While You Have COVID-19

Getting the coronavirus (COVID-19) sucks. There’s no doubt about that. But what can suck even more is getting stuck in isolation for six days. Talk about boring: you have to suffer alone for almost a whole week, either stuck in your bedroom or worse, in an isolation room in one …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Victor Muniz Rosa: On a Mission to Make a Change for Communities

Debris was strewn across the street. No electricity and running water for weeks on end. Homes and businesses were destroyed. A town completely devastated by a hurricane like no other. This is what Victor Muniz Rosa, a senior journalism and digital media major at Montclair State University, woke up to …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

#FOCUSDisruption: Increased Screen Time Affects Students' Mental Health

#FocusDisruption is a collaboration of all the media outlets within Montclair State’s School of Communication and Media. Our goal is to report stories that highlight the effects or disruption of the last two years and the solutions that have come out of it. All aspects of day-to-day life have been …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

The Sticker Spectrum Spreads Autism Acceptance and Pride

Meet Stick, the face of The Sticker Spectrum. You’ll see Stick doing all sorts of things on his stickers, from wearing dresses (Stick’s artist, Liam McCormack, says he likes to break gender stereotypes) to celebrating whichever holiday is around the corner. But the most common thing that you’ll see Stick …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

The ADP Center Combines Technology and Learning at Montclair State

Tucked away on the first floor of University Hall, most people would walk past the ADP Center and not think twice. But inside this open, collaborative space, one will find plenty of resources to take advantage of when it comes to learning. The ADP Center for Learning Technologies integrates today’s …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

The Web3 Association Prepares Students for the Future of the Internet

The World Wide Web is a vast, complicated place, filled with detailed intricacies that would overwhelm most people’s minds. Yet it’s essential to our lives and we couldn’t live without it. We use it every day, from submitting our assignments online to posting on social media. But the internet is …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

The Brotherhood at Montclair State Empowers Men of Color To Be the Leaders of Tomorrow

“I never forget where I came from; I’m always willing to help somebody. So wherever I end up when I graduate, I’m going to come back to this same organization that I’m in right now in college and I’m going to help that person get to where they have to …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Mike Jackson Makes Waves as Freshman Guard for Red Hawks Men's Basketball

When first reading his name, one may think of The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, but freshman guard Mike Jackson’s passion is basketball, not music. The Red Hawk has made quite the impression during his first season on the team, both on and off the court. Jackson has already racked …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

'Black Wall Street:' A Look at This Spring's Exhibition at the Montclair State Galleries

A portrait of a family dressed in formal attire. The father looks proudly straight ahead, one hand on his son’s shoulder and the other on the chair his wife is sitting on. The wife’s gaze is calm, cool and confident as she sits on the cushioned chair, her legs crossed. …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Montclair Water Main Break Impacts Campus Water Pressure

A water main break off campus in the Montclair, New Jersey area affected a large number of Montclair State University students on Jan. 23. Around 11 a.m., students started to notice that either their water pressure was significantly less or they weren’t getting water at all. Crisainy Valdez, a sophomore …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Charles Ezenwanne Raises the Bar for Disadvantaged STEM Students With Award-Winning Lung Cancer Research

Charles Ezenwanne leaned over and peered into the microscope, staring down at the petri dish in front of him. On the computer next to him, the screen showed several cells, all bunched together. The cells that Ezenwanne, a senior molecular biology major, was looking at were lung cancer cells. Currently …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Dr. Ritwij Bhowmik Sends a Powerful Message Through Art Experiment

Visitors ambled around the gallery in Finley Hall at Montclair State University, waiting for the exhibition to start. As they gazed upon the numerous pieces of art on the walls, the main attraction lay in the center of the room: a collection of bottles with paper boats inside, all on …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Montclair State Prepares to Deal with Omicron in the Spring Semester, Students React

Throughout the past few weeks, the omicron variant and the spike in coronavirus (COVID-19) cases have made many wary about returning in person. The university is taking steps to address the current situation, but students have expressed mixed feelings in response to these measures. In a press briefing hosted by …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

#FocusDisruption: How Online Education Affected Students and Professors Alike

#FocusDisruption is a collaboration of all the media outlets within Montclair State’s School of Communication and Media. Our goal is to report stories that highlight the effects or disruption of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We will be focusing on five main points that are experiencing the changes of a post-pandemic …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

COVID-19 Town Hall Provides Answers for Students' Concerns, Reveals New Information

After a year and a half of dealing with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Montclair State University finally made the transition back to mostly in-person learning. With this, however, came a whole slew of regulations and guidelines that students had to follow, many of which left them confused. To fix this, …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Meet Dr. Rahjaun Gordon, Director of the Educational Opportunity Fund

Dr. Rahjaun Gordon is the director of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program at Montclair State University, a state-funded program in colleges across New Jersey that helps low-income and disadvantaged students succeed through financial assistance and guidance throughout their four years in college. He was promoted to that position this …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Montclair State School of Communication and Media Redesigns Programs

Montclair State University’s School of Communication and Media (SCM) has redesigned its majors to give students an edge in the media industry. The SCM announced in spring 2021 that they would be updating their programs this semester, changing the names and requirements of their majors. Established in 2012, the SCM …
By Sal DiMaggio
• The Montclarion

Two-Sport Athlete Cameryn Martin Motivated To Honor His Mother's Legacy

If there is one person that pushes sophomore Red Hawk athlete Cameryn Martin to be the best version of himself each and every day, it is his mother. “My mother has always been my biggest motivation,” Martin said. “Throughout my entire life, she’s had pain, but just seeing her fight …
By Corey Annan
• The Montclarion

Montclair State Fall Sports Teams Remain Optimistic Despite Postponement Of Their Season

The pressure was mounting for the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) to decide on whether to hold a fall sports season this year. Throughout the month of July, many conferences around the region had decided to postpone or cancel their fall season, and it was looking more and more likely …
By Corey Annan
• The Montclarion

Denial of Montclair State Professor's Tenure Points to Problem in the Tenure System

Despite glowing reviews from his peers in the mathematical sciences department and strong support from his students, Dr. Amir Golnabi was denied tenure at Montclair State University after Provost Willard Gingerich decided that the professor’s research did not adequately meet the university’s standards. The denial of Golnabi’s tenure was met …
By Corey Annan
• The Montclarion

Women's Basketball Is Back to Championship Contention

After a disappointing 2018-2019 season, the Montclair State University women’s basketball team was back in a familiar position. After finishing with the second-best record in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), the Red Hawks would secure a spot in the conference title game with a semifinal victory over New Jersey …
By Corey Annan
• The Montclarion

Montclair State University's Drag Scene is Open To Everyone

Montclair State University is home to a diverse group of clubs and organizations. What many students don’t know is that there is a drag scene. Every fall, Montclair State’s LGBTQ+ Center hosts a “Drag Extravaganza” where queens of all types can perform and win the crown. Gabriel Gomez, a junior …
By Adrianna Caraballo
• The Montclarion

Photo Exhibit Captures a Semester of Hard Work

Students of Professor Thomas Franklin’s photojournalism course gathered with their families and friends to celebrate this year’s photo exhibit on the morning of Wednesday Dec. 11. For the third year in a row, the exhibit transformed Morehead Lounge into an art gallery, honoring aspiring photojournalists for the work they’ve produced …
By Alexa R Spear
• The Montclarion